Today is my wonderful mother-in-law’s birthday.
Also, it is what I call my Re-birthday.
21 years ago today, in a small Nazarene church in Bloomington, IL, at 6:46 pm CST, I realized that I believed the Gospel message. Jesus got a firm hold of me, and that is when everything began to change for me.
And I celebrate with a cake.
Why?
Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.
For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
Luke 15:7, 10, 24
Just like the song says, this wretch was lost and dead, but now I am found and alive. This calls for celebration!
Being as I am now re-21, and I mentioned drinking in the title:
“And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. And no one after drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good.’”
Luke 5:37-39 ESV
I am not who I was 21 years ago. I am not who I was 10 years ago. I have grown and learned much in Christ. I have been made new to carry the New Covenant of our Lord into our world as I commune with Him by His Holy Spirit.
Therefore, let us celebrate our common salvation and share this faith with our fallen world!
a simple man of God 