In John 3, a Pharisee by the name of Nicodemus came to Jesus and asked Him a question. He said, "Rabbi, we know that You are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with Him." Jesus replied, 'Very truly I tell you that no one can see the Kingdom of God unless they be born again.' Then Nicodemus asked Jesus, "How can someone be born again when they are old? Surely they cannot enter their mother's womb a second time to be reborn?" (John 3:1-4).
Nicodemus had the misfortune of not understanding what we as Christians so readily understand today. That simply believing in Christ, His life, His death, burial and resurrection, is what makes us "born again." In John 3:16, the most well known verse in the bible, it states, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that whoever believes in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life."
Yeah, it's really that simple. But sometimes living for Christ can be very difficult. Living a Christ centered life is when you not only believe in Christ's redemptive work on the Cross, but you lay your troubles at His Cross (1 Peter 4:7), and do your best to live for Christ. "To live is Christ, to die is gain." (Philippians 1:21). This means that we leave behind all those sins that are displeasing to God, repenting of those things and doing what God wants us to do instead of what we want to do. It's a very simple thing, but we tend to over complicate it. Dying is gain, because when you die, your last breath on earth is your first breath in heaven, which as believers, is where we truly belong.
Let me just ask you this: If you were at Niagara Falls and someone was walking a tight rope across one of those falls, would you clap when they asked, "How many of you think I can make it across and back?" You probably would because your life is not in danger, his is. Well, what if he came back pushing a wheelbarrow and again asked that same question, only this time, he thew in the part about the wheelbarrow? Would you clap? Of course you would...right up until he asked, "Can I get a volunteer to get in the wheelbarrow?"
Well, if Jesus was pushing the wheelbarrow across the tightrope, would you get into it? I would! This is not just belief, this is trust! If you said "Yes" to Jesus in this scenario, you have nothing to be worried about. You will go to heaven because you trusted Jesus' work on the Cross to save you. We obviously cannot save ourselves, because we are all sinners. "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23). That means that there is nothing we can do of or by ourselves that will be enough. "For by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not as a result of works so that no man may boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9).
The bible also tells us that "Faith without works is dead," (James 2:17). You can believe all you want. I did for years, but I had very little works to show for it. I was too selfish, egotistical and confused to know what was right. I didn't read my bible much, I kept talking about my troubles with people at church and discovered, eventually, that "It's not about me." A life led by the Spirit is usually full of selflessness, a desire to do right and then doing it and a repentant heart, even in the most minor of infractions against God and what He expects of us. I was a mess for years, but I eventually broke free from the devil's lies and began to see the truth. It's a hard thing to do, but I work on it everyday lest I go backwards, which is also very easy to do, which I believe is why Paul said, "Forgetting what lies behind and striving towards what lies ahead." (Philippians 3:13-14).
Why not begin again? We can be the "light of the world," but if we lose our "salt and light," what good are we? We go about telling no one of the wonderful gift that God gave us. His Son, Jesus! It's one of the reasons I write this blog. I try to keep it biblical, without politics, etc., however, there are times I write regarding the things that are happening in the world because they describe what I've read in the Old Testament about the end days, and we certainly need to understand that the days are short, so I speak of it a lot. I don't want anyone to miss the boat of Salvation, the Grace of God, and that personal relationship we can have with Him through His son Jesus. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father but by me." (John 14:6).
Please, if you have slipped and are fallen away, come home? If you have never been offered the gift of redemption, won't you please pray for forgiveness now? Jesus wants to know you! He loves you, He died for every sin you've ever committed or will ever commit. He wants a personal relationship with you and believe me, it will change your life forever!
Please, stop runnin? Stop building castles in the sand and build your life on the rock! Mercy doesn't care what you've done, you can be forgiven! Jesus is waiting and you can't outrun grace!
Nicodemus had the misfortune of not understanding what we as Christians so readily understand today. That simply believing in Christ, His life, His death, burial and resurrection, is what makes us "born again." In John 3:16, the most well known verse in the bible, it states, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son so that whoever believes in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life."
Yeah, it's really that simple. But sometimes living for Christ can be very difficult. Living a Christ centered life is when you not only believe in Christ's redemptive work on the Cross, but you lay your troubles at His Cross (1 Peter 4:7), and do your best to live for Christ. "To live is Christ, to die is gain." (Philippians 1:21). This means that we leave behind all those sins that are displeasing to God, repenting of those things and doing what God wants us to do instead of what we want to do. It's a very simple thing, but we tend to over complicate it. Dying is gain, because when you die, your last breath on earth is your first breath in heaven, which as believers, is where we truly belong.
Let me just ask you this: If you were at Niagara Falls and someone was walking a tight rope across one of those falls, would you clap when they asked, "How many of you think I can make it across and back?" You probably would because your life is not in danger, his is. Well, what if he came back pushing a wheelbarrow and again asked that same question, only this time, he thew in the part about the wheelbarrow? Would you clap? Of course you would...right up until he asked, "Can I get a volunteer to get in the wheelbarrow?"
Well, if Jesus was pushing the wheelbarrow across the tightrope, would you get into it? I would! This is not just belief, this is trust! If you said "Yes" to Jesus in this scenario, you have nothing to be worried about. You will go to heaven because you trusted Jesus' work on the Cross to save you. We obviously cannot save ourselves, because we are all sinners. "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23). That means that there is nothing we can do of or by ourselves that will be enough. "For by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not as a result of works so that no man may boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9).
The bible also tells us that "Faith without works is dead," (James 2:17). You can believe all you want. I did for years, but I had very little works to show for it. I was too selfish, egotistical and confused to know what was right. I didn't read my bible much, I kept talking about my troubles with people at church and discovered, eventually, that "It's not about me." A life led by the Spirit is usually full of selflessness, a desire to do right and then doing it and a repentant heart, even in the most minor of infractions against God and what He expects of us. I was a mess for years, but I eventually broke free from the devil's lies and began to see the truth. It's a hard thing to do, but I work on it everyday lest I go backwards, which is also very easy to do, which I believe is why Paul said, "Forgetting what lies behind and striving towards what lies ahead." (Philippians 3:13-14).
Why not begin again? We can be the "light of the world," but if we lose our "salt and light," what good are we? We go about telling no one of the wonderful gift that God gave us. His Son, Jesus! It's one of the reasons I write this blog. I try to keep it biblical, without politics, etc., however, there are times I write regarding the things that are happening in the world because they describe what I've read in the Old Testament about the end days, and we certainly need to understand that the days are short, so I speak of it a lot. I don't want anyone to miss the boat of Salvation, the Grace of God, and that personal relationship we can have with Him through His son Jesus. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No man comes to the Father but by me." (John 14:6).
Please, if you have slipped and are fallen away, come home? If you have never been offered the gift of redemption, won't you please pray for forgiveness now? Jesus wants to know you! He loves you, He died for every sin you've ever committed or will ever commit. He wants a personal relationship with you and believe me, it will change your life forever!
Please, stop runnin? Stop building castles in the sand and build your life on the rock! Mercy doesn't care what you've done, you can be forgiven! Jesus is waiting and you can't outrun grace!
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