June 9, 2024

June 9th, 2024

“It’s All About Jesus!”
Jesus & Nicodemus
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God...I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’" – John 3:3-7 (NLT)
“Born From Above”

Can you imagine going to your mother and asking her, “Life’s not going the way I’ve wanted it to. I feel lost and unfulfilled. Would you give birth to me again?” Most of our moms would probably laugh us out of the room. Probably with a loud, “Not on your life, Buster!” I guess even a mother’s love only goes so far.
That was the image Nicodemus had in his mind when Jesus said those immortal words, “You must be born again.” He couldn’t wrap his mind around this idea of a new birth. But Jesus explained to him that He wasn’t talking about a physical birth. He was talking about a spiritual birth. Nicodemus had already been born into a human world. If he wanted to be a part of a spiritual world, he needed to be born into that one as well. And that only came through the Spirit of God.
Nicodemus made the same mistake many of us make. He thought the way to be more godly was to follow the rules more closely. But he was wrong. He didn’t need to work harder at living for God. He needed to invite God to live in Him. He needed to allow the man who he had been to “die” and allow a “new man” to be born. Jesus wasn’t offering him a new idea. He was offering him a New Identity. Jesus wasn’t suggesting to Nicodemus that he go back and do it all over again. But He was suggesting that he could start today and do it differently. The phrase “born again” is actually better translated as “born from above.” Nicodemus didn’t need to be rebirthed through his mother’s womb. He needed to be rebirthed from his Father’s Heart.
Rest in that thought today. All of you who have failed greatly and have much you wish you could do over. All of you who have felt lost and unfulfilled on your own journey through life. All of you who have been wanting to know what you have to do to make God happy or to truly be “right” with Him. You don’t have to start over. You only have to begin again. Surrender your life to the Lord Jesus Christ and invite His Spirit to live in you and through you. Welcome to The Family. You’ve been “born from above.” That’s God’s Word for you today.

Posted in Daily Devotional
Posted in Jesus, Nicodemus, born, above, spiritual birth