We recently had the privilege of welcoming a young man called Jude at Home of Jesus the King Church. Jude started attending our church services last month and has been a blessing to have as a new addition to our family. He has found his calling in God, and has been overjoyed to have been rooted by God at Home of Jesus the King Church.
Jude recently sat down with me for a time of fellowship and counseling. I was very glad to spend some time with this passionate young man. As I felt that God had a special plan for his life. Jude confessed to me that he had always been living with a great fear of many things, such as sickness, trials, and conflict. He celt that the fear was like shackles binding him, preventing him from living a fulfilling and joyful life.
As we spoke, I minister to Jude on many topics relating to our new identities in Christ, the victory we have in Him, and how to live a life that was pleasing to God. I shared with Jude that there was a big difference between knowing about Jesus and knowing him personally as your Lord and Savior. Jude made a decision for Christ and it was evident that he had a sincere and passionate desire to know Christ intimately and to follow the call of God for His life.
Jude started attending our Shabbat meetings on a weekly basis, and he also started coming to our midweek meetings, with a hunger for the Word of God and fellowship with the saints. During this time Jude has also shown great interest in the baptism, and came to me with the question of why he was baptized as a child, and why he should do it again as an adult?
It was a great and pertinent question, and so I started sharing with Jude on the important act of the baptism into Christ. I explained to Jude that the Bible said that he who believes can be baptized, and that faith comes before baptism. I told him that the baptism also serves as a witness before all people that you have died with Christ and have been raised up again with him.
I asked Jude to think and pray about the baptism, and to come back to me and tell me of would like to be baptized. And so after a time of prayer and research, Jude came back to me and declared that he felt he was ready to be baptized, and that he truly desires it.
And so we agreed that next week, when I’m back from ministering in Norway, we shall go with our church members and baptize Jude in the Jordan River! It will be a blessed moment in Jude’s life, and a turning point unto the path that God has prepared for him.
Hallelujah!
