"This promise is for you."

On the very first occasion when someone stood up in public to tell people about Jesus, he made it very clear: this message is for everyone.

It was a great day--sometimes called the birthday of the church. The great wind of God's spirit had swept through Jesus' followers and filled them with a new joy and a sense of God's presence and power. Their leader, Peter, who only a few weeks before had been crying like a baby because he'd lied and cursed and denied even knowing Jesus, found himself on his feet explaining to a huge crowd that something had happened which had changed the world forever. What God had done for him, Peter, he was beginning to do for the whole world: new life, forgiveness, new hope and power were opening up like spring flowers after a long winter. A new age had begun in which the living God was going to do new things in the world--beginning then and there with the individuals who were listeing to him. "This promise is for you," he said, "and for your children, and for everyone who is far away" (Acts 2:9).

There were two times in my life when I had been filled with "a new joy" as described above. The first was when I had truely accepted Jesus into my life. As a child, I grew up blindly accepting the possibility that Jesus was God incarnate, but I never truly understood why. It was not until after I was an adult, after I had suffered from addictions, pain, loneliness, and experienced miracles and happiness in my own life, that I began to search for a deeper truth in life. I began really reading the bible for the first time, seeking answers to questions regarding its authority, reliability, and truthfulness. Afterall, the last thing I wanted to do was get involved in some wacky religion and defend something I knew nothing about. I had many questions and concerns. I had a hard time accepting anything at face value. The more I read scripture, the more I researched it. I read books and articles that supported scripture and also books and articles that attempted to disprove scripture. I researched other religions in an effort to find God there, or to see if he was "everywhere." The more I researched however (between theology, philosophy, archeology, science, and history) I found scripture to be more and more reliable. I found the world to be more and more deceptive.

And so the day that I had truly accepted Christ into my life, I began to experience a whole new joy, a sense of peace that I never new existed. I began to look at the world differently...for the first time in my life I began to look at the world through the eyes of God. I saw the world completely different. It was a breath of fresh air and a time when I was filled with a new joy and a sense of God's presence and power. Like Peter, it was not long before when I struggled in my own search and journey. After all, it is hard in today's world to find God when there are so many distractions and various (sometimes crazy) things being thrown at you from all directions.

When I did find out who God truly is, it was an amazing trasformation. I too found myself on my feet wanting to explain to everyone that something had happened to me, which had changed my world forever. What God had done for Peter, he was beginning to do for me: new life, forgiveness, new hope and power were opening up in me like spring flowers after a long winter.

The second time was after approximately 13 years of searching and growing in faith, I was finally baptized as a believer last month. It was amazing. It was though I had put on a new self...I will never be the same. A new age in my life has begun in which the living God is continuing to do new things in my life. I thank God everyday for being fortunate enough to have found Him, and that He has an active role in my life. I could not imagine going through my entire life without ever have known Him. Since accepting Christ into my life, it has been a life of change and freedom...of new promise. But it is not just for me, "this promise is for you." What God has done for me, He can do for you. What God has done for us, He can do for the whole world.

If you are not a Christian and have questions, or want to know how to have a personal relationship with God, let me know, I would love to answer any questions or respond to any comments. May God's grace and peace be with you.