God’s Word to You is John 3 -8
You Must Be Born Again
3 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” 4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” 5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
Today was my 23rd birthday. Yes I know my body will be 70 in September but 23 years ago yesterday I asked Jesus to save me. And He did. And I was reborn.
There are a lot of Nicodemuses in this world who don’t understand. Heck, I think I do most of the time but at times I even wonder. Am I really new if my brain still makes wrong decisions? Am I really new and am I really forgiven all my sins? Do I really have the Holy Spirit inside of me?
Of course the answer is a simple yes. I have faith in Him even when, no especially when I lose faith in myself.
That’s the most important part of salvation and the hardest to understand and accept. But here’s a thought I hope will help.
We are born again. Our past is forgiven even if not forgotten. We are new. We are His. And nothing can take us away from His love. But we do start over again and in the beginning we are like little children. We have much to learn and much maturing to do. We aren’t perfect yet. That won’t happen until after He returns. But until then our challenge and our commission isn’t to be perfect or to judge and condemn people. We are to be His missionaries, His hands, feet and voice in the wilderness. A light on a hill. A beacon to the lost.
I want you to know this. It’s ok to goof up. It’s ok to not be perfect yet. It’s actually a bonus in our walk. Why? Because it not only reminds us we need Him but if we choose to, we can use it to share with the world we aren’t totally different from them. What? Yep. We need Him daily too. Yes we are new. Yes we are saved. Yes we are assured a home with Him. And yes, we are still imperfect, still will sin and still need Him as much as the lowliest lost person. That connection is one that can work to His glory because it is our link to sharing Him.
No we are not of this world. But He left us here to reach it. Not with sermons and Bible thumping but being in the trenches and loving on everyone.
The next time you feel like someone is too far gone to be saved remember you had to be reborn. They do too.
me n’ God love ya