March 24, 2011 "Born Again"

"I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."

Good Morning, my dear brothers and sisters. It is Thursday and that means it is Families and Schools day on this line. Please center your prayers on our families and also our schools, and you know when you pray for families remember to pray for your own family and also the family of God. Let's get back to the review I started yesterday, reviewing some of the things we must do to get into heaven...

The Big Trip week 15 day 4: Salvation Review 2: John 3:3 - In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." 4 "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" 5 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying 'You must be born again.'" (NIV)

These two words, Born Again, really scare a lot of people, even some Christians. I think they don't really understand what it means to be "Born Again" so I am going to do my best to explain it to you and do it so that all understand it.

When you are born the first time you come from your mother with a seed planted by your earthly father. After nine months of being ALIVE in your mother's womb you are born, you arrive and that is referred to as being born of the Flesh. You indeed are a BRAND NEW PERSON, a baby, different from all others, even having a different DNA. Pretty much that tells you about your first birth. As we grow as a person, we learn things and we sin and we pick up habits, good and bad, and of course all of you know this. You have been born once. Maybe you go to church and all of those things, and maybe you even think you are a Christian because you said one of those prayers, Lord please forgive me...

But to be "BORN AGAIN" you must be born of the Spirit. Now let me make this very easy for you to understand. You fall in love with Jesus, you invite Him into your life and then, and then, you follow in His footsteps and YOU BECOME A BRAND NEW PERSON. You are changed, you put away your sins, or try your best to, you repent and turn from those old ways, you are starting over. If you are claiming to be a Christian and you are the same as you were before, then "YOU HAVE NOT BEEN BORN AGAIN!" Trust me when I say when you become "BORN AGAIN" you will even see the change in yourself. You will not want to be around those people who curse, who cut down God and who talk about others, and also those who want to bring up your past. When you become "BORN AGAIN" God will wipe out those bad parts of your past, He will not bring them up again, and neither should others, including yourself.

To be "BORN AGAIN" you need to work for Jesus and I do not mean just sending something forward on the email that someone said "if you want to be blessed send this to ten others and one back to the one who sent it." Going to work for God does not stop at ten people, it means living for God and letting all others see the change in you. When you become "BORN AGAIN" don't be surprised when people say to you, "you have changed". And to set the record straight, if you aint BORN AGAIN, you aint a Christian. PERIOD!!!

I had a person tell me once their spouse was a "rough Christian" so I asked what that was, well he went to church sometimes and he did good things for people and he was a nice guy, but he would still curse, he could not get over that. No such thing as a rough Christian, only "BORN AGAIN" Christians. And here it is one more time in the words of Jesus... "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." So if you don't believe me, trust Jesus.

Once again, Born Once, you come out of your mothers womb. "BORN AGAIN", and you are a brand new person, following Jesus the very best your can.

Lord, I want to be new in you daily, I want to refresh in You each day so my past is gone. I want to be Born Again right now. In the name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.

Now if you prayed that, you are NOT BORN AGAIN, you must repent of sins, put down your past and pick up Jesus and walk with Him. And yes, of course along the way, share His blessings and His love with others. YOU ARE A NEW PERSON, WHEN YOU START OVER WITH JESUS... You are then "BORN AGAIN." love ya, Pastor Dan.