[Discoveries in Prophecy]

How to Successfully Bury the Past

By Pastor Mark Finley

Lecture Text:
If you've just arrived, we'd like to welcome
you to this evenings meetings. It has been a
real heart warming experience hasn't it? And I
know some of you out there this evening are
thinking about this great moment in your life.
My hope and prayer is that you will yield to
the in dwelling Spirit and that one of these
nights, friends, that you, too, will enter into
this wonderful experience and be a part of
God's wonderful family.

We're so glad you're here this evening, we hope

you had a wonderful Sabbath day, the Lord has
blessed you, and you've come closer to him as a
result of it. We'd like to also just make you
aware of a few announcements. Obviously you
have received a blue sheet here and you know
about this sheet. Many wonderful things are on
that sheet. If this is your fifteenth night in
attendance, we want to remind you of the fact
that there is a Bible waiting for you in the
foyer. Be sure you take your ticket, let them
know that that is taking place. And you can
then involve yourself in getting that free
bible. And I know that you will enjoy it for
it's not just a simple Bible. There are many
good studies in the back, study guides and
helps that will help you get to a point where
you can find your answers much more readily.
We'd like to also just quickly let you know
about the music. How many of you have enjoyed
the music so far here? Hasn't it been
wonderful? It's been great. Let's give those
musicians a hand. Would you do that now
quickly? Excellent. And I might say we have
more in store for you this evening. You will
hear some great musicians perform again and
again with the idea of just making you more
prepared to hear the messages that will soon be
brought to you.

We'd like to also make you aware of the fact

that if you would like to have some of your
special music played here, Kelly Hauer will do
that as she can. So if you have a slip of
paper, there's a favorite hymn that you like
that has a favorite experience associated with
it, either give it to her or pass it to one of
the hosts in the foyer and they will take care
of that for you.
We want to remind you of the recordings that
you have enjoyed the messages so far and the
music, you can get both of those on audio
cassette in the foyer if you go out and ask for
them. I believe the first eight so far have
been recorded and you can then pick up the
balance of them as they are prepared. But there
is already a CD that is entitled "Hallelujah!
Coming Again" that is ready for you to purchase
now if you'd like to out in the foyer, make it
a point to see that.

Some of you this may be the first night, or

this may be the first time that you have come
to the realization that you want to have bible
studies. We have a bible study program prepared
to help you know and learn more about
scriptures and about Jesus and his soon coming
kingdom. Please if you are in the foyer go to
the desk that has Discovery Bible School label
on it, ask them for your lesson, and you can
take it from us, bring it back the next night,
and get a new lesson, and begin afresh with the
bible study. We hope and pray that you take
advantage of that. It's a great opportunity.

We're so glad you're here. It is our hope and

prayer that God will bless you as we now
prepare for the rest of the program.

We've been blessed already by the baptism

tonight, haven't we? Have you sensed the moving
of the Holy Spirit as men and women have given
their lives to Jesus. Just now, our quartet
comes singing accapella in the Spanish
language, "Songs of Heaven, Songs of Zion" a
quartet from central Florida. Gentlemen lead us
to the Lord with your harmonious voices.

One of the things that to me is really exciting

about God's last day message is this. In
Revelation 14:6, The Bible says, "I saw another
angel fly in the middle of heaven, having the
everlasting gospel to preach to them that dwell
on the earth, to every nation, and kindred, and
language and people." God's last day message
crosses all cultures. God's last day message
leaps across language barriers. God's last day
message goes to every man, every woman, every
child in the world. Here in Discoveries in
Prophecy, this is an international meeting, in
fulfillment of the bible prophecy. Songs in
Spanish. Translation 13 languages. Because we
come together to share, to study God's word.

It gives me great pleasure to introduce to you

the Oakwood College choir. Young people that
sings with their heart and voice to the glory
of God.

Once again good evening and welcome friends as

we go live via satellite for an international
satellite event, beyond 2000, "Discoveries In
Bible Prophecy". I'm Lonnie Melashenko your
host again, here in the beautiful campus of
forest lake academy in Orlando, Florida, God
has been doing some marvelous things. We're
getting reports from Europe and all across the
world of locations that are joining us even as
we continue the series. Tonight for the very
first time, we welcome here from North America
the audiences joining us from Argentina and
South America and Central America are coming
aboard as well.

Our speaker is evangelist and speaker director

of the international telecast "It Is Written",
pastor Mark Finley. Tonight he's going to speak
on the subject of how to successfully bury the
past. Millions have found answers and so can
you. But just before pastor Finley speaks each
evening through the series music has been
blessed our hearts and our lives. Let's listen
now and be bathed in the wings of music as we
worship God through music.

Thank you, Oakwood choir. The desire of our

heart is one day to walk in Jerusalem when they
ring the bells and to be there together, isn't
it. Thank you for joining us tonight. If you
have joined us via satellite at 7:30 earlier
this evening we had a Bible baptism here. Some
of that footage will be rolled in at the end of
the program tonight. So after your local
program and after my bible presentation, you
may want to see that.

One of the great miracles that occured is that

a Cuban judge who had exiled and placed in
prison many Christians and particularly many
Sabbath keeping Adventist pastors. That Cuban
judge tonight here in Orlando was baptized, he
came to this country as a refugee and he was
baptized by one of the pastors that he had
sentenced to prison for four years. Miracle
stories of baptism. Men and women walking into
that watery grave with Christ. So if you missed
some of that we'll roll it in at the end of the
program and you'll be able to watch that in
your local areas.

As we have continued through three weeks now of

"Discoveries In Prophecy" meetings God has been
pouring out his spirit enormously. Men and
women understanding God's word and led to
Christ from around the world. Our next two
weeks though become the most important weeks in
our series. Weeks of deep Bible study,
answering questions centuries old from the book
of Revelation. Have you ever wondered if God is
a God of love how could he burn sinners in hell
for millions of years. If God is a God of love
why would he exile them there? The Bible
reveals the truth about hell. Some surprising
things. And again, it describes how some things
from paganism have slipped into Christianity.
Don't miss tomorrow night. Would a loving God
burn sinners in hell? Important not only for
your thinking but life changing truths. Also
tomorrow night, more music. The Wedgwood trio,
three young men singing the old hymns in a new
way.

You'll rejoice, your spirit will soar as you're

here tomorrow night for the Wedgewood trio.

We have a number of international groups that

will be joining us musically. And towards
midweek, you will hear a Brazilian children's
choir. Not only do they sing like angles but
these young people are really committed to
Christ, elementary school children.

Tuesday night my topic is how to live longer

and happier, science and health outlined in the
Bible. You won't want to miss one of these
presentations from the book of Revelation. This
evening many of you have come because deep
within your heart there is a desire to learn
principles of physical, mental and spiritual
health. Here we interweave the three in fact I
want to tell you about our health segments
coming up on Sunday night and Tuesday night.
They take a group of people that don't smoke,
don't drink, and live healthfully and compare
them to the rest of the population. The results
are so dramatic in the Adventist health study,
you'll see this scientific documentation the
next two nights on how to follow the Bible
principles and live so much longer. So, Sunday
and Tuesday nights this week are extremely
special. Be sure to be with us.

You received last evening an envelope. I asked

to you take that home and pray about what God
wants you to do. These meetings are extremely
costly. Tens of thousands of dollars. But souls
are being won for Christ. We're giving out
thousands of Bibles. We sent out millions of
brochures. And all over the world people are
being touched. Your offerings do not go for
salaries or overhead. They go for Bible, they
go for literature, they go to keep this program
touching lives. Your offerings will go to your
local host there to pay the expenses of that
local meeting. Here the offerings in Orlando go
here to help pay these expenses. Tonight if you
have the envelope just now our ushers will pass
across the bucket. If you didn't bring an
envelope here in Orlando you can make checks
out to "Discoveries In Prophecy". Many host
cities are using that title. But your host will
tell you how to make checks out in your local
city. Just now we praise God and thank you for
your offering this evening as the ushers pass
our bucket across.

Bible questions have been coming in by the

hundreds. And I think there's no better person
to answer those Bible questions for us than my
dear friend, Pastor C. D. Brooks, the Breath of
Life television, with one of my favorite
singers, Walter Arties from Breath of Life.
What questions do you have for us tonight?

Thank you. What do we have?

Well, the first one is very interesting. Pastor

Brooks, do you believe in speaking in tongues?
I thought that would come. And the answer is I
certainly do. I've had the privilege of
preaching on five continents and I speak only
one language, and that is English. And through
the gift of tongues in the church today it's
possible to present Christ in countries where
they don't understand English, but because of
it being interpreted for them they not only
understand but make decisions for Christ. Now,
if that's what you mean, my answer is yes. But
if you mean do you believe in this
unintelligible babble that is called the
descent of the Holy Ghost today, then my answer
is positively no. First of all, let's define
what a tongue is. Webster says a tongue is a
vehicle for expressing thought and feeling. In
other words, when I use a tongue, you're
supposed to know what I'm talking about. I am
able to convey to you thoughts and feelings
through the use of a tongue, or a language. In
Acts chapter 2 the Bible tells us about the
descent of the Holy Spirit and the fact that
the disciples, these men with their backgrounds
had no experience in linguistics. They might
have flunked out had they taken the courses.
But the Lord had told them to go in all the
world and preach the gospel. And when God tells
to you do something, he in enables you. So God
gave to them the gift of tongues. If you start
with verse 6 and read on for 2 or 3 verses, of
Acts chapter 2, you discover that the people
who heard them understood in their own
languages. They were amazed at this. They asked
further, aren't these men all Galileans? Don't
they all live around here? Then how is it we
hear in our own tongues where in we were born?
About 15 languages were represented there. And
when God used these men and gave them the gift
of tongues, people heard about Jesus and they
understood what they heard. When you go to St.
Paul's writings, and may I begin with 1
Corinthians 13, Paul said, though I speak with
the tongues of men and of angles and have not
charity I'm but a sounding brass, and a
tinkling symbol. If you do not have love, and
the Bible said love is the fulfilling the law.
Jesus said if you love me, you what? Keep my
commandments. And so our love is expressed
through obedience. And Paul says if I have the
tongues of men and of angles and don't love the
Lord enough to obey him and honor him and keep
his commandments it's just noise. A sounding
brass, and a tinkling cymbal. But if you go
over to chapter 14, there is a definitive
exposition on tongues. I wish I had time to go
through. We have very little time this evening.
But in that chapter, you should read the whole
thing, Paul actually said I speak with tongues
more than you all, yet in the church I would
rather speak five words, just five words that
would be edifying and meaningful than ten
thousand words in an unknown tongue. Moreover
he said, if you have a tongue and there is no
one to interpret it, then keep silent. Would
you say amen. He even tells you how to do that.
He said do it by course, two and at the most by
three. And I've had that experience. It's not
easy. I was speaking in South Africa, and a man
in one tongue had to tell him what I said. Then
I had to wait on the other one. By the time
they got through I hardly remembered what I was
saying in the first place! So he says don't
have too many people interpreting. Just one, at
the most two or three, and then make sure that
everybody understands if they cannot understand
then you will appear to them as a barbarian, as
someone mad. Paul said further let all things
be done decently in order. I suppose that's all
the time have I for that.

Now, Pastor the Bible has much to say about so

many different things, but doesn't the Bible
contradict itself?
That's an interesting question. It was one
handed to me when I arrived in town. And Let me
tell you, the Bible says all scripture given by
inspiration of God, II Timothy 3:16. The Bible
said in the book of Saint Peter, there, II
Peter 1:21, Paul said -- Peter said, (forgive
me, and that's what happens when you're rough)
Peter said holy men spake as they were moved by
the Holy Ghost. The scriptures came to us from
God through the Holy Spirit and holy men wrote
these things down for God. To suggest then that
they contradict themselves would be to suggest
that the Holy Ghost contradicts himself. It is
not so. Ladies and gentlemen, if there appears
to be a problem like that, the problem is with
the person, the student, the reader, and not
with the scriptures. When we come to study
God's word with prayer with faith and humility
and when we are attended by the Holy Ghost we
will see the great harmony that exists in all
the Bible from Genesis to Revelation. The
answer is no, the Bible does not contradict
itself.

Pastor Brooks, now that you are here, perhaps I

can get an answer to this question which many
people ask me. In Matthew 1 the genealogy of
Christ is given. Amongst those is his family
tree were Rahab the harlot, Ruth of Moab,
etc... Now many believe therefore that Jesus
was black. Pastor Brooks, can you say you
disagree?
Well, this one then was just for me I take it.
The truth is I do honestly disagree. I do
honestly disagree. By the way, if you read the
genealogy of Christ in Matthew chapter 1 and
you read all the way down to where it ends
you'll discover that it is actually the
genealogy of Joseph, the husband of Mary. And
every Christian accepts that Jesus was born of
a virgin. As a matter of fact, if you continue
reading in that same chapter, the Bible says
the birth of Christ was on this wise; a virgin
conceived, and it was the act of the Holy Ghost
that caused her to conceive, not Joseph. So the
genealogy has nothing to do with Christ. Now
let me tell you, I've heard this too, and I've
had people ask me in other places, it is not
necessary. I do not find it important, that
Christ's father was black. Neither is it
important that his father be white. Or yellow.
Or red. Or purple. What really counts is that
he is the son of God! And verily, verily he is
as verily God as though he was not man and as
verily man as though he were not God, it's a
mystery and some are trying to explain it now,
we might have to wait until eternity to
understand it all together, but Jesus was born
of a virgin. Dr. Rock said if you try to
explain that you'll lose your mind, but if you
don't believe that you're going to lose your
soul. He is our Savior and our God.

Thank you and you keep sending them in, we'll

do the best we can with them.
You know why I asked Pastor C. D. Brooks to
answer questions? When Pastor Brooks answers a
question he does it in such a way that you
don't forget the answer that he's given.

Manuel Escorcio

Tonight, as we go to God's word I invite you to

bow your heads with me. Father in heaven
tonight, we ask that your Holy Spirit would
open our eyes. We ask that we could see your
will for our lives in your word. We ask for the
courage and the strength to take another step
closer to you tonight. Lead us, father, to
follow in the footsteps of Jesus, not part way
but all the way. In Christ's name, amen.

My topic tonight is how to successfully bury

the past. Are there some things about your past
that you'd like to be done with? Done with
forever? Final words or parting words are
extremely important. Often because I travel I
have to leave home and I often say to my wife,
honey, I'm going to be gone but remember I need
these three books. When you come and join me in
the city where I'm giving presentations bring
the books, please, or bring me an extra suit,
or an extra tie, or an extra pair of shoes,
other something which I have forgotten. My
parting words. That little list that I leave my
wife when I leave is important. Dying words are
even more important.

As a pastor I've drawn close to men and women

who have been on their bed dying. And I've
watched as the relatives have gathered around
them. And I've watched as these relatives have
strained their ears and they have bent over
simply to hear the next word out of the mouth
of that relative. Friend, dying words are
important. Farewells are important. Christ gave
his farewell to his disciples. Some of the last
words that Christ spoke just before ascending
to heaven, it was after the crucifixion, after
the resurrection. And Jesus said, in the last
chapter of the book of Matthew in some of the
last verses in Matthew, Jesus said, Matthew 28,
"go ye therefore and make disciples of all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the
father and of the son and of the holy spirit.
Teaching them to observe all things that I've
commanded you and lo, I am with you always even
to the end of the age. Amen", Matthew 28:19,20.
Jesus said to his disciples, "go," and teach
men and women and baptize them in the name of
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Jesus
told his disciples in his farewell words, in
his parting words, to baptize. Baptism must be
important. Exceedingly important because it was
part of Christ's farewell. He said after you
teach and after men and women accept me baptize
them. In fact baptism is mentioned 80 times in
the new testament alone. Not once, not twice,
not ten times, not 20 times, not 30 times, but
80 times in the new testament alone. Any
subject mentioned that many times must be
exceedingly important. Yet there's a lot of
confusion about this subject of baptism. A lot
of confusion. Some people say, well, baptism
that's by sprinkling of babies. Other people
say, no, you take a baby and immerse it under
the water. Our orthodox friends do that for
example. Other people say no, you pour water
over a child at 10 or 11. Other people say no,
you baptize by immersion where the person goes
under and they're covered. I even heard about
rose petal baptism where you take roses and
sprinkle it on a person's head. Some pastor
tried snow baptism. He said it doesn't make any
difference whether the water is liquid or not
so he took a group out into the snow. The snow
was about, oh, four feet high and he put them
under the snow and covered them and said
although the water is a solid, that's okay.
There is oil baptism. Many kinds of baptism.
But I wonder, what does the Bible teach really
about baptism? Is baptism really that
important? And does it make a difference how a
person is baptized?

Jesus came to Nicodemus and Jesus said this in

John 3, verse 5. I tell you the truth. No one
can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born
of water and the spirit. Certainly baptism must
be important. Exceedingly important. Because
Jesus said unless a man is born of the spirit,
that is internally changed, transformed, where
God gives them a new life, to be born of the
spirit is internal but when we're baptized
that's the witness or the symbol that God has
done something in our heart. The Bible says
except a man is born of water and the spirit he
cannot see the kingdom of God. The Bible
teaches that baptism is important, extremely
important.

Mark 16:16 says whoever believes and is

baptized will be saved. So notice again, Jesus
links belief and baptism together. Now,
obviously the thief on the cross was never
baptized and Jesus said that he would be in the
kingdom, but that thief was nailed to a cross
and in his dying breath accepted Christ's
forgiveness. There are people that are
physically incapable of baptism. But Jesus says
that baptism is a symbol of my belief in him.
It's a symbol of a new life in him. And Jesus
says that that external witness is extremely
important. But what method of baptism does the
Bible teach? The Bible says in Ephesians 4:5,
"one Lord, one faith," read it with me please,
"one baptism." In other words, only one type of
baptism. Only one method of baptism. One Lord,
one faith, only one method of true Bible
baptism. Just like there's one Lord, not
Buddha, not Mohammed, not Confucious, not many
Gods, there is one Lord, Jesus Christ. One
faith, Bible religion, one faith, the religion
of scripture. One faith, the pathway of Jesus
Christ and to follow him. Then the Bible says
there is one baptism. Truly there is one
biblical method of baptism. What is that? Let's
go back to the days of Jesus. See if we can
discover this method of biblical baptism and
see what it has to do with burying the past.
See what it has to do with starting a new life.
See what it has to do with doing away with
guilt. In the days of Jesus as John the Baptist
preached the Bible says then Jerusalem, all
Judea and all the regions around the Jordan
went out to him and were baptized in the Jordan
confessing their sins, Matthew 3:5 and 6.

As John preached, tens of thousands heard that

he was out there by the Jordan river and many
came. They confessed their sin. As they did,
John led them into the Jordan river, and there
as they were led into the Jordan they were
immersed. They went under the water. The water
completely covered them. As a symbol of
cleansing, as a symbol of forgiveness, as a
symbol of freedom from guilt, they confessed
their sin, and there in the Jordan John
baptized them.

One of those that came to John there in the

wilderness was Jesus. Jesus came not because he
had sinned but Jesus came because he knew we
would sin and He came as an example to you and
me. The Bible says in Matthew 3:15, that John
didn't want to baptize Jesus. John saw in Jesus
one so holy, one so righteous, that he was very
hesitant. And the Bible says that Jesus spoke
to John and he said let it be so now. In other
words, allow me to be baptized. It is proper
for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness,
then John consented. Jesus was not baptized
because he sinned, He was baptized because we
sinned. But if Christ my Lord led into the
baptismal pool by John gave me an example I
want to follow in his footsteps. What about
you? If indeed Jesus himself was baptized, if
it was not below him, if the righteous one was
baptized as an example, that example is one
that he invites us to follow. In fact the Bible
says that when Jesus came up out of the water,
now notice John and Jesus went down into the
water. John held his hand to heaven, John
lowered Jesus into the water. The Bible says,
in fact, the reason Jesus was baptized in
Jordan and the reason John was baptizing there,
in John 3, verse 22, the Bible says, "because
there was much water there." So true biblical
baptism requires much water. The Bible says
that He went out of the water. At that moment
heaven was opened and he saw the spirit of God
descending like a dove and landing upon him.
The Bible goes on, and a voice from heaven
said, "this is my beloved Son, whom I love,
with him I am well pleased", Matthew 3:16 and
17. When Jesus was immersed by John, not
sprinkled, not poured, Jesus was immersed, the
voice from heaven came saying, "this is my
beloved son in whom I'm well pleased." As
you're baptized the voice from heaven says this
is my beloved daughter Mary, this is my beloved
daughter Joan, this is my beloved son Harry,
this is by beloved son Joseph, in whom I am
well pleased. When you walk into that baptismal
pool, there's the sense you're pleasing God.
It's the greatest joy in life to know I'm
pleasing God. It's one thing, ma'am, to please
your father. It's one thing, ma'am, to please
your husband. It's one thing to please your
children, but it's another thing to please God.
It's one thing, sir, to please your wife, to
please your parents, to please your children.
It's another thing to please God. And when we
walk into that baptismal pool we fulfill the
object of our creation, because it is a symbol
that we're giving the life God gave to us back
to him. And we have that sense of well being in
our heart, that sense that we are pleasing God.
And the Bible said that when Christ was
baptized that it was as a dove hovered over
him. And the Bible says it was the Spirit of
God in the form of a dove. The shaft of light,
the spirit of God in the form of a dove. Jesus
received power from the Holy Ghost when he was
baptized, Acts 10:38 says God anointed Jesus of
Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with what
everybody? Power. When you are baptized the
Bible way, you go into the water like the
candidates did tonight. They go under the
water, they are immersed. It's a symbol that
they are giving their life to Christ. They have
the sense in their hearts that they are
pleasing God. That sense that they are one with
God. And as they come up out of the water they
have made a commitment, a commitment to follow
Jesus, a commitment to live in harmony with the
principles of the Bible, a commitment to follow
Christ. And making that commitment is a great
commitment. But God gives them the power. God
gives them the strength, to follow through on.
I've had people say to me, I don't want to be
baptized because I'm too weak. As you walk into
the pool, as a symbol of giving your total life
to Christ, he gives you the power to do what
you could never do. You make the decision. You
make the commitment and God will give to you
the power. In the Bible baptism was always by
immersion, never by sprinkling, never by
pouring.

Do you remember the story in the Bible of the

Ethiopian man? This Ethiopian was a very
intellectual, wealthy man. He was the treasurer
for the queen of Ethiopia. Had he been up to
Jerusalem to worship. He was an honest man
studying the Bible. As he studied the Bible he
didn't understand what he was studying. So he
was studying Isaiah chapter 53, the very
portion that talked about Jesus. He didn't
understand it. As he studied, God led Philip to
his chariot. And Philip climbed up and began to
explain. And the Ethiopian said I've never
understood the Bible like this before. I
understand Jesus is the Messiah. I understand
the prophecies of the Bible now. I understand
that Christ has come the first time. I
understand now that my whole life is his. And
so this Ethiopian said to Philip, stop the
chariot. I want to follow in the pathway of
Christ. I want to follow in the pathway of the
Bible. And the Bible said, "as they traveled
along the road, they came to some water, and
the eunuch said, look, here is water. Why
shouldn't I be baptized?" He gave orders to
stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the
eunuch went down into the water. And Philip
baptized him. Acts 8:36 to 38. Now notice,
"then both Philip and the eunuch went down into
the water". In other words, Philip and the
eunuch together walked into the water, about up
to the waist. Philip lifting his hands and
said, "Because of your belief in Jesus I now
baptize you" and he lowered that Ethiopian
under the water. The Ethiopian learned the word
of God. He understood prophecy. So many of you
coming to these meetings have learned the word
of God. So many of you now understand that
Christ is coming and he's coming soon. So many
of you have you given your lives to Christ. So
many of you understand God's commands now in
his word like the Bible Sabbath. That's why God
is leading you to make a decision. That's why
God is leading you now to follow through on
this knowledge like the Ethiopian did and say,
Lord, I want to go all the way with you, I want
to look forward to baptism, just like Jesus was
baptized. Just like men and women in the Bible
were baptized.

Baptism is a symbol. It's a symbol of death.

It's a symbol of burial. And it's symbol of
resurrection. The Bible says in Romans 6,
"don't you know that all of us who are baptized
into Christ Jesus were baptized into his
death." My topic is how to bury the past. You
bury a person when they have died. And the
Bible says that baptism is a symbol of burial.
We come to Christ. And we die to the sin and
habits of our past life. We walk into the
watery grave of baptism and bury the old man of
sin. The Bible says, "we were therefore buried
with Christ through baptism into death. In
order that just as Christ was raised up from
the dead through the glory of the father we too
may live a new life." Romans 3:4. He is the God
of the new start. He's the God of the new
beginning. There may have been things you've
done five years or ten years ago or five weeks
ago, five months ago, that you don't want
anybody to know about. Secrets hidden in your
life. The guilt of your past haunts you. The
guilt of your past troubles you. You can walk
into the baptismal pool. That old past can die.
You can go under the water, and the guilt can
be gone. And the devil tempts you a month from
now, six months from now, a year from now, six
years from now, the devil says look what you
did back then. You say I'm sorry, sir. Sir? Not
at all to the devil. I'm sorry, Mr. Devil, the
old person is dead. Gone. They are buried.
There is a new life that's living now. It's one
thing to get a new car, another thing to get a
new suit, sir. Another thing to get a new
dress, ma'am. But it's another thing to get a
new life. And that's what Jesus Christ offers
to us! A new life. Baptism is a symbol that
we've died to the old sinful way of life. That
it's behind us. When we go into that water
there's this sense of cleansing. This sense
that we're clean, we're fresh, we're new in
Jesus. It's the burial of our sins in the
watery grave of baptism. They are gone. But
somebody says, oh, I'm not too much a sinner.
Whether your sins are sins that are some of the
grosser sins, cataloged by man, whether you
came from a drug addict background, an alcohol
background, whether you've been promiscuous and
sexually immoral, whether your sins are pride
and criticism, and gossip, whether your sins
are the inner sins of the lust of the mind,
whether it is theft, whatever it is, the truth
of the matter is the Bible says all have what?
"Sinned and come short of the glory of God." So
together we are sinners. And together we walk
in the footsteps of Jesus into the baptismal
pool. And there we have our acknowledgment that
I can never be good enough to save myself. That
I need the grace of God and mercy of God to
save me and I want to live the new life in
Jesus. And I want to rise to the new life, the
life now that my eyes are focused on Jesus, the
life now that his Holy Spirit is living in my
heart, the life now that I'm walking in the way
of obedience and am following his commandments.
Coming to Christ, I walk to the watery grave of
baptism. Baptism is a divide in the life where
now I'm walking in the way of Christ, in the
way of his commandments. The Bible doesn't
teach that you must be perfect before you're
baptized. But the Bible does teach that you
must be committed, that you must have a
commitment to Jesus Christ. A desire to follow
him. A desire to obey him.

You know when you go back to the ancient

churches, they reveal the method of baptism
used. Let's go back to some of those early
churches. In the early centuries. Let's go back
to Philipi. Now you remember that Paul
established one of the early Christian churches
in the first century in Philippi. These ruins
do not date back to the first century but they
date back very early 4th, 5th century. Here in
the ruins of one of the early Christian
churches in Philipi there is a baptistry where
early Christians were baptized by immersion.
Let's go to Rome, the second most famous church
in Rome, St. John of [lateran] only after St.
Peter's cathedral. In the back of St. John of
[lateran] there is a baptistry there in Rome
where adult believers were baptized by
immersion. If we go to this famous
architectural monument, what is this? Leaning
tower of Pisa. Oh, I know why you knew, I wrote
it on there, Leaning Tower of Pisa, (right!
It's very famous in Italy) But in back of the
leaning tower is the baptistry. And here our
Roman Catholic friends for 1300 years practiced
baptism of adult believers in baptistries in
their churches by immersion. Here is capital
city of turkey, the middle ages, carved out in
these mountains when church and state united
many, many Christians fled. They fled to these
cities. As they were hiding inside these
cities, carved out in the mountains there were
chapels and churches. These were Christians
being persecuted. Let's go into these hollowed
out caves and see what you find. Here is a
baptistry where Christians in the middle ages
practice baptism by immersion. Never by
sprinkling, never by pouring, always the Bible
way. In Moscow's red square you have Saint
Basil's cathedral. One of the early paintings
of the prince of Russia, Vladimir the great, in
1088 is a baptistry scene. Here you're looking
at a Russian baptistry scene of the king being
baptized by immersion. Baptism in the Bible is
always after people believe in Christ. Always
after they repent of the sins. Always after
accept the word of God. Baptism never for
babies throughout the Bible. Always for adult
believers as a symbol of commitment, faith,
repentance, of sin. Here Vladimir the great
Russian king baptized by immersion. If we go to
Geneva, Switzerland, in the word council of
churches, you walk in and there's a fresco that
dates from the 4th century in Africa. It is
Jesus' baptism, and it's how Christians in the
4th century understood Jesus' baptism, of
course baptism by immersion. Of course the
African churches practice baptism by immersion,
because that's how the Ethiopian was baptized.
You say when did baptism of babies come in and
how did that happen? It was not until the
council of [ravenna] in 1311 A. D. That
sprinkling and pouring were officially accepted
as equally valid as immersion in the rite of
baptism. 1300 years after Christ is when the
church for the first time acknowledged baptism
by sprinkling and pouring. Up until this time
people were immersed.

Many practices have come into the Christian

church that don't find their roots in the
Bible. Such as Sunday came in through paganism.
Such as the idea that death is - that the soul
leaves the body at death. Such as the immortal
soul that came in through paganism. The Bible
teaches that when you die you sleep. Rest until
Jesus comes. The Bible teaches of course that
the 7th day of the week is the Sabbath. Many
practices have come in, one of those practices
of course is sprinkling. You say how did it
come into the church after 1300 years? When did
they first start baptizing babies? The church
fathers, many priests, bishops, would be called
to a person's bedside when they were dying
because this individual put off baptism. And
you know, the individual knew that Jesus said
he that believes and is baptized shall be
saved. The individual knew that Jesus said
except a man be born of water and the spirit he
can't be -- can't see the kingdom of God. So
often when people were dying if they put off
baptism they would call for the priest when
they were dying. The priest would come and wrap
them from their feet to the top of their head
with wet towels. Because he couldn't take them
when they were dying to baptize them by
immersion. As the result of that, then some
began to sprinkle because it was inconvenient
to those that were dying. The church also
developed the idea that a baby was guilty of
Adam's sin. And if the baby was not baptized
the church said, and they died, they could not
go to heaven because of the guilt of Adam. Now,
what kind of God would we have that would say
because of what Adam did, sin, and what the
mother did not do, baptize the child, the child
can't go to heaven. Does that sound like God
saying you're not here because of what Adam
did? And because of what your mother didn't do?
And so the idea of first baptizing infants came
when there was a shift from sprinkling people
dying because they couldn't be immersed to the
idea of now sprinkling every baby so you
wouldn't have to wait until their death to
cover the guilt of Adam's sin. But all through
the Bible baptism was never a symbol of
forgiveness for the sin of Adam. As in one man
Adam the whole world was plunged into sin and
condemnation, in Jesus Christ the whole world
was redeemed. And my baptism is a symbol that I
believe Jesus redeemed the world and he
redeemed me as a believer. Baptism is a symbol
that we're walking in the footsteps of Christ.
A baby can not believe. A baby cannot repent. A
baby cannot be instructed.

Did you ever read that story about the American

frontier. Missionaries came to an Indian chief.
And they shared Jesus with the Indian chief.
For weeks and months the missionaries studied
the Bible with his tribe. And the chief and his
whole tribe wanted to be baptized. The date was
set. And the missionary came to the Indian
chief and the missionary said, "chief, I'm
ready to baptize you." And the missionary
brought out a gold chalice filled with water.
And the poor chief looked and said, "chalice
too small, chalice too small. Indian cannot fit
in cup." And the missionary said it doesn't
make any difference how much water there is,
chief. It is reported that the old chief said,
"then, Indian has read wrong book." Friend of
mine, if you're going to go by the book,
baptism is a beautiful ceremony. To bury the
past, the Bible says what does the word baptism
mean? The Greek word baptizo means to dip, to
immerse, to plunge. The very word baptism does
not mean sprinkling. It does not mean pouring.
The very word "baptism" means like a bolt of
dye, like a cloth that is taken from the bolt
and put under dye, when you get a piece of
cloth that is dyed and it completely changes
color, the Greeks say it is baptizo. If you get
a piece of clay pottery and you plunge it under
the water and totally fill it, it is immersed
or baptizo. So baptism in the Bible is always
going completely totally under the water.

Often people ask me the same question that was

asked in the Bible. What shall we do? Or they
ask "What shall I do when I hear these things,"
Acts 2:37. How do you know if you're ready for
Bible baptism? How do you personally know if
God is leading you? During this series of
"Discoveries In Prophecy" lectures to walk
through the baptismal pool in your local host
city? In the church that you're in tonight,
there in that movie theater, you're watching
this broadcast. Maybe God is leading you. Maybe
you're at home watching it. Maybe God is
leading you. Or you are here in Orlando and God
is leading you.

There are three steps the Bible talks about.

First, the Bible says that when we come to
Jesus Christ we come and we repent. We say,
Lord, you died on the cross for me. Lord, I'm
sorry for what I have done. The worth
repentance means a change of attitude toward. I
come to Christ. I come to the cross. The Bible
says, "repent and be baptized every one of you
in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission
of sins." Is a baby old enough to repent? Can a
baby just seven days old, does it have sins to
repent of? The Bible says not that babies are
to be sprinkled or immersed, the Bible says
that baptism is for adult believers who repent
of their sins. It says repent and be baptized,
every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ
for the remission of sins. Sins are gone. The
past is buried. You have a new life.

The Bible then goes on to say you come to

Christ and believe, Acts 8:37, if you believe
with all your heart, you may. Have you repented
of sin? Have you said Jesus, I'm sorry? Jesus,
I've done some things that are wrong. Jesus
there are some things in my past, there are
attitudes and criticism, there's pride. Lord, I
walked in a way opposite of you. Lord, there's
theft, Lord, there's been adultery, Lord,
whatever it is, you know what it is and so does
God. And you come, an attitude of sorrow and
contrition. An attitude of thanksgiving. You
believe that the Christ died for you. You
believe that Christ will forgive you. You
believe that Christ will cleanse you. You
believe that Christ will come into your life,
into your heart, that He's changed you. You
accept what Jesus did on the cross for you, his
death was for you. The Bible says that you
repent, you believe. And then the Bible says
that before baptism we learn. In fact, in Acts
chapter 2 when they were being baptized the
Bible says "then those who gladly received his
word were baptized." And that day about 3,000
souls were added to them. Acts 2:41. The Bible
says they that gladly received God's word were
baptized. As you have come to the "Discoveries
In Prophecy" series you've been gladly
receiving God's word. You've received the truth
that Jesus is coming. Every eye will see it,
and every ear will hear it. You've been
receiving the truth that there's salvation only
through Christ and we've talked about that
night after night. You've received the truth
that Christ can change your life. You received
the truth that we're living in the judgment
hour. Just before the coming of Jesus. You've
received the truth that if we love him we'll
keep his commandments and follow him on the
Sabbath, keep the Sabbath day holy. You've
received that truth that death is but a sleep.
And the Bible says "and those that gladly
received his word, that day were baptized about
three thousand souls." When we come to Christ
we repent of our sins, there's a genuine sorrow
for sin. We say, Lord, I'm sorry. We believe
that Christ has saved us, we accept Christ as
Savior and Lord. And we learn the essentials of
Christian faith. And then we make that
decision. God has not led you here by accident.
God has brought you here to this place.
Somebody says but does baptism mean I'm
becoming part of Christ's church? I've had
people say to me, "well pastor, I want to be
baptized, but I don't want to join any church."
What does the Bible say? The Bible says in Acts
2:47, "and the Lord added to the church daily
such as those that were being saved." Where
were the people that were baptized added,
everybody? Where were they added to? The
church. 1 Corinthians 12:13, for by one spirit
we were baptized into one body. What is that

body? Colossians 1:18, and he is the head of

the body, the church. The church is the only
organization that is so big it has its body on
earth and its head in heaven. When we are
baptized we're not baptized into some narrow
earthly organization. The church is God made,
not man-made. So when we're baptized, we accept
Christ. We become part of his Bible church. His
Sabbath keeping commandment keeping, people on
earth. His people that are waiting the second
coming of our Lord, Jesus Christ, this
Adventist, Sabbath keeping body.

Jesus said, go therefore and make disciples of

all nations, Jesus said go to the ends of the
earth, preach the gospel. As men and women
decide to follow, and he said go to all
nations. That's what is happening via this
satellite telecast. I believe that these
programs are a fulfillment of prophecy. I
believe that God is taking his message to every
nation, kindred, tongue and people. And that
thousands are hearing the truth. Thousands are
following Jesus. Thousands are accepting God's
word. And thousands are making decisions, nay
tens of thousands to be baptized. And they
will. Very few weeks be baptized in the name of
the Father, and the Son, and of the Holy
Spirit. Jesus said teaching them to observe all
things. How many things, everybody? All things.
Teaching them to observe all things that I've
commanded you. To be baptized means that I want
to follow Christ, that I love Christ. That I
want to do whatever Christ commands. That if he
commands the Sabbath I want to do that because
I want to follow him.

He says, "Lo I'm with you always, even unto the

ends of the age." Jesus says, right down to the
end of time, share his message, right down to
the end of time lead men and women into the
baptismal pool. I've seen God work absolute
miracles leading men and women to Christ.
Leading them to step into the baptismal pool. I
remember when Hungary went through the
transition from communism to a more free
democratic society. I was there holding
lectures in Budapest. Budapest is one of my
favorite cities in the world. Buda and pest.
The Danube river runs through Buda on one side,
pest on the other. And as we were holding
meetings, the first ones in 40 years, public
meetings like this, opening the Bible,
thousands came. First evening, right after my
meeting in the same auditorium there was a rock
concert scheduled. Hundreds of young people
lined up for the rock concert. And some of them
gate crashed and ended up in my meetings. Here
are four of those young women, students one of
them at Karl Marx university in Budapest. These
were atheistic young women. They great crashed
the concert and ended up in the "Discoveries In
Prophecy" meetings, stood in the back. 3-d. The
first night the second night they were on the
front row. And praise God we led them into the
watery grave of baptism and they were baptized
in the name of the Father, the Son, and the
Holy Spirit. God indeed working miracles around
the world. I remember when I first had an
invitation to go to the Kremlin. Inside the
gates in red square, there in the Kremlin,
tickets were sold for people to come to the
meetings, so many wanted to come. They came by
the thousands. You are looking right now at
scenes inside the famed communist Kremlin
palace. Here Gorbachev spoke, Here Kruschev
spoke, here [ ] spoke, here Castro spoke
sometime for 3 hours. These crowds are coming
to hear the word of God. These crowds are
coming inside the Kremlin, 13,000 people, this
is end time, God can even open up the heart of
communism. God can even open up the Kremlin for
the preaching of God's word. Here they are,
getting their Bibles. Russian communist army
trucks delivered the Bibles to the Kremlin for
us. Here they are! This is the end time. God is
working miracles. A thousand baptized in
Moscow, 2000 baptized, 3,000 baptized,
Pentecost all over again. Here pastors
baptizing former KGB. Here pastor baptizing
former atheists. Here pastors leading hundreds
into the watery grave. God is reaching out, God
is leading men and women back to his word. God
is touching their hearts and they are coming.
Not by the ones and twos anymore, coming by the
hundreds. Coming to swimming pools, coming to
public auditoriums. Coming to churches. They
are coming to be baptized. Here they are in
Moscow. Hundreds of them being baptized in the
name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy
Spirit.

We are witnessing today in our day the greatest

miracles since the day of Pentecost. We are
witnessing in our day miracles. Here is a
tribe, far out in the jungle. Their leader (of
this tribe) had a dream about the Sabbath
keeping people. In fact, in Romania just last
two weeks ago before I preached on the Bible
Sabbath, two dear sisters, mother and daughter,
separate from each other, dreamed that the
Bible Sabbath was true. God gave them that
dream three days before I preached this
message. I just got that report from Romania.
And they went to that church and said before we
see we see in our dreams. God is leading us
here. Like this Indian tribe, whole tribe, God
gave them a dream of the truth. When the
missionaries came they were ready for baptism.

All over the world I've seen them. Gdansk,

Poland. I preached in the Leningrad theater
dedicated to Lenin, named after the city of
Leningrad. And there we saw them come by the
hundreds to follow Christ. Probably there I had
one of the most moving experiences of my life.
It was there that I met Peter's mother, Mrs.
Eberhov. She was a faithful Christian who loved
Jesus. Her son had brain cancer. They shaved
his head. Operated on one tumor, cut it out,
but only got part of it, had to shave his head
again. Had he a scar down the center of his
head, another scar here. They went in a second
time and operated again. The boy was not a
Christian. Listening to Satanic music. He was
not a Christian at all. Had his nazi symbols.
The boy had no interest in Christianity. But
those Polish Christians prayed for that boy.
They began taking him the audio tapes of our
meetings, and his mother would give them to
him, and he would listen to them. And one day
he called me, said pastor you must come. I came
to his house once, I came to his house twice,
we began to study the Bible. He talk all his
Satanic rock records and broke them, took all
his Satanic altar, symbols and nazi symbols and
threw them away. I was one day at the church
and a phone call came. Pastor Roman Haluka and
I, (Pastor Haluka was my translator in Poland
then and he is my translator right now
translating this message into Polish), and
there the Pastor Haluka and I came to this very
home. The doctor said this boy has two hours to
live. This boy is dying. This boy is dying. He
has two hours to live. We got to the house. And
the boy looked at me and he said, "Pastor, I've
accepted Jesus. Pastor, I've repented of my
sins. Pastor, I've listened to your tapes,
you've been to study the Bible with me, I
believe Jesus is coming again. I've given my
life to him. Pastor, I want to be baptized.
Baptize me, pastor. I don't want to be lost." I
said, look, it's impossible for me to baptize
you. The doctor says that you have just two
hours to live. He was so weak. When I got there
this boy hadn't eaten for a couple of weeks, he
was vomiting, vomiting. Pastor Haluka and I
knelt before him with a bowl, and he vomited in
the bowl. He was weak. His breath smelled like
death. His eyes were yellow rolling in his
head. He looked like death. He was yellow
underneath his fingernails. The boy was dying.
And in his faint voice he said baptize me
Pastor, please baptize me. And I said son, the
thief on the cross was not baptized. He was
physically incapable. Son, you're an exception.
Pastor, the last words of a dying boy are
baptize me. I said strip to the waist. Tell
your mother to fill the bathtub with water. I
can't take you to the church. You're too weak,
and you may die. And the mother filled the
bathtub with hot water. Pastor Haluka and I
took the boy in our arms. And we went to the
bathroom. There knelt on the floor in the
bathroom with this boy in our arms. And we
prayed. It was as if angels filled that little
simple humble apartment. It was as if the
presence of God was there. So we took that boy
and we put him in his bathtub. And as we lifted
our hands we immersed him in the name of the
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
As he came up out of the water he hadn't eaten
in two weeks. And there was a smile on his
face, and he some momma, I want some tea. The
boy did not die that day. This boy did not die
that next day. God gave him one month. And he
lived for a month with his momma. They shared
Jesus together and his mother told me later
that it was the happiest day of her life as he
was baptized and as they lived for a month
together. At the end of the month that boy
simply closed his eyes and fell asleep in Jesus
and awaits the resurrection.

The Bible says Acts 22 verse 16 now why are you

waiting? Arise and be baptized and wash away
your sins, calling on the name of the Lord. Why
do you wait, my brother? Why do you wait, my
sister? Arise and be baptized. It there
anything to wait for? Have you accepted Jesus?
Arise and be baptized and wash away your sins.
Somebody says pastor, I was sprinkled as a
baby. That is not biblical baptism. Arise and
be baptized the Bible way. Somebody said but I
was immersed as a baby. But that wasn't a
symbol of your personal belief, that was your
father's belief, your mother's belief. God says
you arise and be baptized and wash away your
sins. Go into the baptismal pool. Let the water
cover you. Let your condemnation be gone. Let
your guilt be gone. Start a new life in Jesus
Christ. Somebody says but Pastor, what if I was
immersed once? Should I ever be immersed a
second time? The apostle Paul in Acts chapter
19 met a group of people that were baptized
once by immersion. But they never heard the
truths of God's word fully proclaimed. They
never even heard about the Holy Ghost and in
Acts 19 they were immersed a second time when
they learned the fullness of truth. Now there
may be two reasons for you to be rebaptized.
One, you were baptized once as a symbol of your
commitment to Jesus as an adult. But you
drifted away, five years, ten years. Look, if
you are a husband and wife, every time you get
in an argument you don't have to be remarried,
do you? But if you turn your back on your wife
and you run away from her and you become
legally separated, that's a different story.
Every time you sin you don't need to be
rebaptized. And if you've severed the
relationship with Christ, if you turn your back
on Christ, these are the last days. If you've
been gone a year God is calling you back. If
you've been gone five years God is calling you
back. This is the time to return and to cleanse
those sins that you've been drifting. And you
say but what if I'm a faithful Christian? I've
loved Jesus, And I've been Baptist Christian,
Pentecostal Christian. But I've learned all
these knew truths. What should I do? The Bible
says go you therefore and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the father, the
son and the Holy Ghost, teaching them to
observe all things whatever I have commanded
you. You've learned the commandments. You've
learned the truth of the Sabbath. And you've
learned the truth of death. Now you've learned
the truth of God's people that God is gathering
out a commandment-keeping people. You may
desire to follow Jesus and be cleansed of all
the errors and be rebaptized. This is your
hour, this is your time. In the days of ancient
Israel when Israel was being led from Egyptian
bondage, the Bible says that it was time for
the blood to be applied above the door post and
the angel of death would fly over. But wait.
Here's a lad, he says father, do you know that
all the first born are to be slain? Father, I'm
the first born. Did you put the blood over the
door post? Not yet, my son. Bu Father, I'm
worried. Oh it's just a symbol, son. But
father, I'm concerned. Put the flood over the
door post. The blood over the door post was the
symbol that Christ is in this home and the
angel of death would pass by. It was just blood
over the door post, just a visible symbol but
it was vitally important. So baptism is a
symbol but it's important, a symbol you've come
to Jesus, a symbol you want to follow Jesus, a
symbol that you've given your life to Jesus.
Have you repented of your sin. Do you believe
that Christ is your savior? Do you want to look
forward to walking in water and being cleansed
and burying your past and coming up to a new
life following Christ? He will give you the
strength. He will give you the power. He simply
asks you to make the decision just now. As our
pianist plays quietly, I would like you to be
in a state of prayer, a state of meditation,
just quietly. No movement in our auditorium
here in Orlando at all. All around the world
right now. In the quietness, meditating., could
God be leading you right now at this moment
make a decision to follow him in baptism? Your
past can be gone. Your guilt can be gone. You
can walk into the water. That guilt can be
washed away and cleansed. You can walk into the
water, that sinful past can be gone. You can
walk into the water, the errors of the past all
washed away. You can say Jesus, I want to
follow you. Jesus, I want to walk in your
footsteps. Jesus, I love you enough to be
cleansed from sin and cleansed from error, to
be filled with your holy spirit.
Our ushers have a response card. They are going
to pass it across to you just now. Whoever you
are, whether you're a church member of some
church, or you're not a church member. I'd like
every person in this room to take a card.
You're filling it out will encourage somebody
else. Ushers, just now if you'll take this
card, my commitments, and just pass across
wherever you are. North America, United States
and Canada, just now ushers quietly pass the
card across. Thousands, tens of thousands of
cards are going out. I want to give tonight a
time for reflection, a time of quietness. A
time that's between you and God. Nobody else
can make this decision for you. That's why God
is knocking on the door of your heart. That's
why God is leading you right now to that
decision. That's why God is tugging on the door
of your heart. Just now as each of you are
getting your cards, if you happen to need a
pencil here in Orlando just raise your hand.
We're going to take time with this. We're not
going to rush this. There are churches in
Romania with hundreds of people that are so
crowded that people are sitting on the floor
and are standing in the back. I want everybody
to get a card. Here in Orlando, ushers,
everybody along the wall, I want them to get
cards. Everybody standing in the back, I want
them to get cards. Our auditorium is packed in
Orlando tonight. Wherever you are, we're going
to take time for you to get a card. This is an
opportunity for you to make a decision for
Christ. If you've never been baptized by
immersion before this is an opportunity for you
to do that. If you've been baptized by
immersion, and you've drifted away, this is an
opportunity to come back. Why wait? Come back,
friend. Come back to Jesus. Come back to his
people. If you've been baptized by immersion
and not known God's truth, this is God's
opportunity for you to make that decision.
Let's read our card together. Here in Orlando
and across the country the lights are coming
on. We'll need some light in the auditorium
here. And I know in local congregations you
need light there as well. We just want to go
over this card together. The Bible says he that
believes and is baptized shall be saved. I'd
like to read the card to you. If your light is
a little dim, look at the card carefully.
Tonight I surrender my life to Jesus, accepting
him as my savior and Lord. I eagerly desire to
follow him all the way and thank him for
leading me into his truth. Because I desire to
be ready when Jesus comes, I look forward to.
If you would like to look forward to being
baptized by Jesus soon, am I missing anybody
with a pencil? Just raise your hand. If you'd
like to look forward to being baptized like
Jesus, very soon to walk through those waters,
check the first box. If you've never been
baptized by immersion before, check the first
box. Maybe you were sprinkled as a baby. Maybe
you were poured but you want to make that
decision. If you'd like to look forward to
being rebaptized check the second box. Say,
"Jesus I want to follow you in rebaptism". If
you want to become part of God's people and you
believe you've been hearing the truth, but
you're already baptized by immersion, you say,
"I want to be part of God's people by
professing my faith", check the third box.
Write your name, your phone number, your
address, your city. Are you a church member?
Yes or no. And what denomination, we have
lovely Baptist Christians and Catholic
Christians. Take your card, fill it out just
now. As Pastor Arties sings "I've wandered far
away from God and now I'm coming home", just
now in the quiet, fill out your card as Pastor
Arties sings this first verse.

Just now very quietly our ushers will pass the

buckets along. This is a precious decision.
Thousands and thousands around the world
tonight are making decisions to follow Christ.
They are making decisions to be baptized. Here
in Orlando I know hundreds of you are making
that decision right now. You want to be
baptized. You want to follow Christ. Maybe
you've drifted away and you want to be
rebaptized. Tonight this is your decision
night. Tonight you're saying, Lord, I want to
follow you. Just now throughout the united
states, throughout Canada, all across Europe
and South America and Inter America, men and
women are checking their cards, they're filling
them out, these are the last days. They have
made that decision in their heart to follow
Jesus. Ushers, once you have collected the
cards here in Orlando and in your host cities,
would you be so kind to bring those cards to
the front. I want to pray that every decision
will be sealed in eternity. We're going to have
a special consecration service here friend just
in a moment for those cards that are brought to
the front. And we're offering up thousands and
thousands of names and decisions to Christ.

Just now ushers come forward. And I'd like to

invite our congregation here in Orlando and
around the world, just to stand for prayer.
Thousands all over the world are standing.
We're going to pray. Tonight, here in Orlando
if you have checked a card looking forward to
baptism, I'm going to invite you to join us for
this prayer in a moment by slipping out of your
seats and coming forward and standing. There
will be hundreds of people that do it so you
have to come quickly. If you've drifted away
and you've checked a card to be rebaptized I'm
going to ask to you come as well. Maybe you
didn't check your card and you're thinking
about it now and you're saying, hey, I really
want to do that, I want to look forward to
baptism, I want you to come. Just now, would
you please come. If you checked a card for
baptism, would you please come just now. I want
to pray for you. If you're looking forward to
rebaptism, would you please come. Wherever you
are, just right now, it's hard to get out, I
know the chairs are so close but come quickly
please.

You're looking forward to baptism, you're

looking forward to rebaptism. I want to pray
for you. Just now if you were baptized this
evening you come too. If you were baptized this
evening, translate for me please into Spanish,
if they were baptized I want to pray for them.
If you're making a decision to be baptized,
you're checking - you've checked your card, you
want to look forward to baptism, or you were
baptized this evening just come. Maybe you've
drifted away, you're going to come back, I want
to pray for you. You come right now. Just
hundreds are coming. You just come, slip out of
your seat. It's very difficult because it's so
tight here. In the United States wherever you
are, come forward to join us for this prayer,
would you? You just come forward in your
church, stand there at the front, your pastor
will come forward to greet you. We're going to
pray. We are just so thankful to God for these
decisions of men and women. Boys and girls who
want to be baptized, who want to follow Christ.
If you're there in your church, come forward.
You may be across Europe, you want to come
forward just now. You drifted away but you're
coming back, you want to come forward, just
come right now.

Hosts, we're going to go off the air soon. You

pray with your people. You meet with them. Talk
about the baptism to them. As we go off the
air, I'm going to pray right here. If you want
to come during my prayer wherever you are, you
just come. Just during this prayer you've
wanted to come, you've been hesitating, but
you've come. Oh, Jesus, men and women, boys and
girls have made their decision tonight to
follow Christ. Men and women, boys and girls,
many have checked cards, hundreds, thousands,
have come forward. We thank you for that. I
thank you for the tens of thousands in North
America, thank you for the tens of thousands
throughout Europe and around the world. Lord,
together we want our sins cleansed. We want to
follow Christ, we want to live for him. And
thank you in Jesus' name. Amen.

Now your local host will spend some time

talking with you. Those who have come forward
in Orlando I need to see you, I need talk about
baptism here. And we need to do a little
planning. What I'd like to do is this: Those
that came forward tonight I'm going to put you
in this corner and we're going to talk with you
here and around the world your host will meet
with you. So those who came forward tonight in
Orlando come over here for five minutes and
I'll come down and see you. God bless you. We
need to clear out this section for three or
four hundred seats for this group. So start
moving this way. And I'll come over and see
you.