Divine Appointments
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV)
All things become new! What a description of the change Jesus Christ makes in the life of anyone who puts their trust in Him! All Things New is the theme for Super Summer Baptism at Woodlands Church! If you missed the first weekend, we have a special opportunity for you this weekend at a campus near you with Super Summer Baptism 2!
Baptism symbolizes the transformational power that offers us new life! As we identify with Christ's death through baptism, we die to our old way of life. When He was raised from the dead, we, too, are raised from our old life by the wonderful power of the Father to experience new life in Christ! There’s simply no other experience or symbol that so powerfully expresses that transformation than baptism! If you’ve never taken that step, I want to encourage you to join us this weekend and experience the joy of all things becoming new in your life! Consider it your “Divine appointment” as God writes your grace story.
Here’s the grace story of a man baptized at a previous Super Summer Baptism. He described his life before he received Christ as conflicted, confused, lost, depressed, alone, and angry. He writes: “I have been an atheist all of my life and became even more of a non-believer after my mother passed away from Lupus. Then my wife was diagnosed with Lupus and my brother was killed in a low-speed car accident when the airbag exploded. Even though I was happily married, I began looking for a way out for no apparent reason but just being selfish.”
With nowhere else to turn, he said he decided to attend a service at Woodlands Church, hoping to find answers and help. He said, “I started to attend The Woodlands Church by myself every Sunday, and every message I heard seemed like it was being spoken directly to me. Every topic hit a nerve and led me back to my wife and kids.”
When he put his trust in Christ and gave Jesus all the confusion, pain, and sorrow, he said his life completely changed! He writes, “I am back home and am working every day to be the best husband and father I can be. My outlook on life has gone from negative to positive.”
His description reminds me of the promise the Bible gives us in 2 Corinthians 5:17, where it says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” Baptism is such an amazing picture of that new beginning! When asked to describe his baptism experience at Super Summer Baptism, Eric said, “Being Baptized was one of the top moments in my life to have my family there and a few close friends meant a lot. Not everyone knew the struggles I have lived with the past few years and especially the past 6 months. The people that were there to support me knew what I had been dealing with and stuck by my side no matter what I did or didn't do and that meant the world to me.”
If you’re ready for a new beginning, take the same step Eric did. Turn to Christ and trust Him as your personal Savior. Then follow Him in simple obedience through baptism and experience what it means for old things to pass away (the hurts, habits, and hang-ups that keep derailing you), and all things become new! It will become your grace story!
Check out the video of this year’s Super Summer Baptism and register now for this weekend!
Another important part of your daily devotional is spending time with God in prayer. The Woodlands Church Prayer Board lists prayer requests submitted by our members and provides a way to send them some encouragement by using a button on the page to let them know that you prayed for them. Whether you use the Prayer Board, or pray from your heart, the goal is to build the habit of incorporating prayer into your quiet time.
Need prayer yourself? Let us know by submitting a prayer request on the Woodlands Church Prayer Board.