Under Gods command

What is the Meaning of Being Born Again?

https://www.intouch.org/watch/what-is-the-meaning-of-being-born-again

Sermon Notes From Charles Stanley

KEY PASSAGE: John 3:1-16

SUPPORTING SCRIPTURES: John 5:24 | Titus 3:5 | Hebrews 9:27

SUMMARY

What does it mean to be born again?

There are a variety of opinions on this matter, but to understand what this term truly means, we must go to the Bible. Jesus used this phrase to describe a spiritual change that is required in order to have eternal life. Unless we are born again, we cannot enter heaven.

SERMON POINTS

John 3:1-16 records a conversation between Jesus and a Jewish Pharisee. After observing His miracles and hearing His teaching, Nicodemus came to Jesus one night saying, “Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him” (v. 2). Instead of commenting on Nicodemus’ observation, Jesus told him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” (v. 3).

How can I be born again?

Jesus was telling Nicodemus that his impressive education, obedience to the Law, and religious prominence in Judaism would not get him into heaven. What he needed was a brand new start—to be born from above. Being born again is the act of God by which He imparts eternal life to those who were dead in their trespasses and sins but have now accepted Jesus as Savior.

Nicodemus responded to Jesus with a question, “How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?” (v. 4). To help him understand, Jesus explained, “Unless [one] is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (v. 5). In other words, someone is born physically into this world as a baby, but to enter the heavenly realm, he must be born of the Spirit.

For his entire life Nicodemus had been taught that being Jewish and doing good works were what would gain him entrance into heaven, but now his pride was shattered, and he realized that nothing he’d done or built his life upon would benefit him eternally. He was spiritually bankrupt with no way to enter God’s kingdom.

He is not unlike many people today who have the mistaken idea that they are good enough to go to heaven. They attend church, give their offering, and may have even been baptized yet have never truly been born again. Some defend themselves by reasoning that God will surely accept them because they’ve tried to live a good life and haven’t committed any crimes. But in reality they aren’t good enough because everyone is born a sinner.

We must be careful not to make the same mistake the Pharisees did. They saw Jesus’ miraculous signs and heard Him teach, but they walked away without considering whether His claims were true. Nicodemus was different; he risked his religious reputation as a Pharisee to come see Jesus, listened to Him, asked questions, sought to understand what He was saying, and learned the truth.

What is the nature of the new birth?

It’s a spiritual experience. The new birth is the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives. He convicts us of sin and helps us understand that our good works are insufficient in His eyes and will never make us fit for heaven. But He also assures us of God’s love and leads us to confess and repent of our sins and trust Jesus Christ as our Savior.
It’s a definite experience. Like physical birth, there’s a specific point at which a person is born again. It starts with conviction of sin and the realization that Jesus Christ died on the cross as payment for the penalty for our sin. We call out to Him for forgiveness, turn away from our old sinful lifestyle, and in faith accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord. It’s not a slow process but a radical change. There must be a transformation within our hearts that is so clear that we will know beyond a shadow of doubt that we have been born again. For some people, this moment may have occurred in childhood and they may no longer have a specific memory of it. But as long as there is full faith in Jesus, they have been born again.

Jesus is the only one who can make us fit for heaven with a new birth. All other religions rely on good works, but no one can be good enough for God because we’ve all sinned against Him. We may seem righteous in our own eyes, but when measured against the perfection of God’s standards as found in His Word, we have no hope of heaven.

We are not saved by our righteous acts but by God’s mercy and the regeneration of the Spirit (Titus. 3:5). If we could have been good enough, then the cross was a horrible mistake because it would have been unnecessary. However, only the shed blood of God’s Son could make forgiveness possible. This is the evidence of God’s awesome love and power—that He would reach down and save sinners.
It’s a lasting experience. Being born again changes us forever, but this doesn’t mean that we will be perfect. Our old sinful nature is still present in us, but as we confess our sins, Jesus’ blood continually cleanses us. We are now called to a life of holiness, obedience, surrender, and love for God. There must be external evidence that proves there’s been an inner transformation.

What are the results of being born again?

There’s a change in our relationship with God. Until Jesus becomes our Savior, we are enemies of God. Although we may be quick to deny that we are against Him, there is no neutral ground. We have either been reconciled to God through His Son, or we are at odds with Him.
There is a change in our position.The separation and enmity between God and us has been removed. Now we’re a part of His kingdom and members of His family. Our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, and we will never lose our salvation.
There’s a change in attitude. The Holy Spirit works in us, sealing us as God’s children, transforming our hearts, and living out Christ’s life through us. He gives us wisdom, reveals truth, and guides us throughout our lives.
There is a change in our destination. Jesus said, “He who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life” (John 5:24).The Holy Spirit’s presence in us is our guarantee that we are forever children of God, and our eternal destiny in heaven is secure.

RESPONSE

Can you point to a time in your life when you became born again? If you sense this may not have happened for you yet, what is keeping you from surrendering to Christ and receiving forgiveness and eternal life?
If you are born again, what fruit in your life gives you reassurance of that? How has your life changed?

Denying Oneself / Sacrifice

Posted: December 8, 2022 in Denying Oneself
Tags: Denying / Sacrifice

The information came from Bible Study.

What and how are we making sacrifices and denying ourselves.

Romans 12:1-2 NIV
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. [2] Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Romans 6:8-11 NIV
Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. [9] For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. [10] The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. [11] In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

We are alive in Christ Jesus

How we should Fast?

Matthew 6:16-18 NIV
“When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show others they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. [17] But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, [18] so that it will not be obvious to others that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

That means we should not be going around turning down meals from people by telling them we are fasting. Just politely turn the meal down. We should not be complaining about how hungry we are, strickly between you and God.

1 John 2:15-17 NIV
Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. [16] For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. [17] The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.

Romans 10:17 NIV (How do we develop trust in God)
Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.

Matthew 16:24 NIV
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.

Romans 6:11-14 NIV (Count old things as if they are dead)
In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. [12] Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. [13] Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. [14] For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.

Galatians 2:20 NIV
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

We all need to ask ourselves, What does God have for your life?

We must read God’s Book of Instruction. We must trust him as we trust our family and friends. We do this by developing a relationship by spending time with the Lord, not just reading his word to check a block, but truly walking with Jesus Christ. He gives us examples through the lives of others in the Bible.

The Appearance of Evil

Posted: October 30, 2021 in Bible Study
Tags: Bible Study

Under Gods Command

2 Thessalonians 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil

Answer: Many Christians assume that to “abstain from all appearance of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:22, KJV) is to avoid any behavior anyone might perceive as being evil. Not only do we flee from that which is evil, we flee from that which appears to be evil. For instance, a pastor should not frequently be seen visiting a bar because someone may think he is getting drunk. However, the actual meaning of this verse is a matter of some debate within Christianity.

Depending on the Bible version you use, 1 Thessalonians 5:22 refers to the “appearance of evil” (KJV), “every kind of evil” (NIV and NLT), or “every form of evil” (NRSV, NKJV, and ESV). Each is a good translation. The Greek word translated “appearance,” “form,” or “kind” can mean any of these things. The same word is used in 2 Corinthians 5:7 translated as “sight.”

The difference in translations can lead to a difference in application. Is it the appearance of evil we should be concerned with, or is it staying away from all forms of evil?

One problem with emphasizing the appearance of evil is that it can make us slaves to the perceptions of others. There will always be someone who thinks that something you are doing is wrong or looks wrong to him. So, rather than spending our time getting to know God and serving Him, we worry about the possibility that someone, somewhere, might misconstrue our actions. In the same letter that he wrote about avoiding evil, Paul wrote, “Just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts.”

1 Thessalonians 2:4 But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so, we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.

Our goal is to live righteously before God, not comply with others’ arbitrary standards of conduct.

At the same time, we are instructed not to allow our Christian freedom to become a stumbling block to others

1 Corinthians 8:9 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours becomes a stumbling block to them that are weak.

We are also instructed to be salt and light in the world (Mathews 5:13-16). Christians have been set apart

2 Corinthians 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.

Message Received! Over and Out.

Posted: October 30, 2021 in Bible Study

Under Gods Command

I remember back in the day when the first message recorders came out for the telephones. We got every message that was left. We deleted and saved some of them. When someone wants you to give a message to someone, we sometimes must write it down, so we will not be wrong on the delivery. We now send text messages that will stay on your phone forever if you do not delete them. We take notes when we go to presentations that interest our desire to have more.

Why do we not take notes from the very message that can do more for us than anybody? The Pastor prepares a message they have received from God, and most of us sit up in Church and do not take any note from the message that God delivered through your preacher. That is the one message that can do more for you than anybody,

We shout, we dance, and shout Amen! But we will walk right out of Church, and two hours later, someone will ask you how Church was and what was the message, and you forgot that fast. I feel it is a great disrespect not to take notes. At least write down the scripture.

Now that we have YouTube and Fakebook, you can always go back and listen to the message again. Start taking advantage of the technology God has blessed this world with, and use it for something good. Let’s start going back and reviewing the message from the day we went to Church. We are supposed to be taking that message to the streets and not keeping it for ourselves or letting it fall off our ears when we leave Church.

Message Receive, Over and Out!

Listening don’t always require a reply.

Posted: October 29, 2021 in Listening
Tags: Listening, Not listening

Under Gods Command

Scripture is not always the answer to give to someone who is going through something. Sometimes your ear is better than a scripture from the Bible. Allow them to speak their true feelings without convicting them or giving your opinion.

When someone shares issues with you, don’t be so quick to shoot them a scripture or send them a sermon note, thinking that is the answer, and walk away. There are times when we know what we should do, but the emotional pain and love for that person brings out our true feelings that need expressing. Sometimes your ear is the answer for them to speak to without you giving your opinion on what they are saying. Remember, there is way more to their story when someone tells you a little part of their issue. Don’t be so quick to always give your opinion based on a five-minute conversation or a text message when there is a mountain of pain they are carrying. Texting is cool, but sometimes people need to hear from you.

Even Jesus Christ expressed his true feelings out loud to God, knowing the right thing to do.

Luke 22:42-44 41: 41He withdrew about a stone’s throw beyond them, knelt down and prayed, 42Father if you are willing take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done. 43An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthen him.

Don’t you think Jesus already knew that he had to continue with the mission given? In all this, he still expresses his true feelings to God, knowing what he must do, and by this, God strengthens Jesus to continue with his mission.

Commentary: Was Jesus trying to get out of his mission? It is never wrong to express our true feelings to God. Jesus exposed his dread of the coming trials, but he also reaffirmed his commitment to do what God wanted. The cup he spoke meant the temple agony he knew he would endure-not only the horror of the crucifixion but, even worse, the total separation from God that he would have to experience in order to die for the world’s sins.

Lords Name in Vain

Posted: October 29, 2021 in Deuteronomy 5:11
Tags: Deuteronomy 5:11, Lords Name in Vain

Under Gods Command

Deuteronomy 5:11 (Using the Lord’s name in Vain) God D*m, Jesus F**king Christ and so on.

5:11 You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him UNPUNISHED who takes His name in vain.

We are familiar with the sin to be avoided in this command, that we should not take the name of the Lord in vain by saying it in an empty or worthless way. But there is also a good work that is commanded: to use God’s name to praise him and ascribe to his glory. This is the opposite of misusing his name. While you might be able to keep yourself from swearing, how have you found time to praise God and honor his name.

Let’s Bring it Home: I hear people and family members always damming God, saying Jesus f**king Christ, or just Jesus Christ with no meaning of who God is. Or this one, Oh my f**king God. Read the last part of that Scripture, UNPUNISHED. Think about it. I have seen so many fights for people talking wrong about Mothers, Fathers, and Children. Do you think God will let you get away using his Son’s name in vain, and God is our Father for the ones who are saved.

You don’t talk wrong about family members, and God is our Father. It irks me when I hear someone say these things about my family and the family of God because of the relationship I now have with Crist. I have been guilty that I, at times, don’t even say anything when I hear someone use God and Jesus’ name in vain. Today I am taking a new stand. I will mention it once, and if you choose to continue, that is up to you.

Being Wash with the Word of God

Posted: August 18, 2021 in Uncategorized

What happens when you take a shower once a week? The funk starts to be among us. How about taking a bird bath a couple of days a week? Still start to stink.

Some take showers every night to wash off the germs, microscope bugs, and dirt from the day.

Now let’s see what the Lord says about Washing.

Do you think you can go to Church once a week, then put the Bible on the shelf until next week? I don’t think so. We hear a great sermon, get some good gospel music, and walk out of Church feeling good.

When we put the Bible on the shelf or turn off our Bible App for the week, our sinful desire starts to take over, which is the dirt we call sin. How do we nourish and clean ourselves daily with the word of God? The word of God gives us commands on how we are supposed to live our life. Reading God’s word shows and warns us of our sins. It also washes out the flesh’s desire and helps us to walk in the Spirit.

Our Spiritual Shower

Romans 12:02 Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is his good, pleasing, and perfect will.

We got to clean ourselves daily by reading God’s word. When we go without food, we begin to get weak, and sickness starts to move in, the same thing with the word of God. We begin to stink of sin, and that sinful desire starts to take over. We have to feed the Spirit with the word of God daily to wash out those evil desires and remain healthy.

1 John 7: But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

Psalm 51:2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness

Ephesians 5:25-27 (25) Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the Church and gave Himself up for her (26) to sanctify her, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, (27) and to present her to Himself as a glorious church, without stain or wrinkle or any such blemish, but holy and blameless.

Psalm 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Leviticus 16:30, for it is on this day that atonement shall be made for you to cleanse you; you will be clean from all your sins before the Lord.

Mark 7:14 After He called the crowd to Him again, He began saying to them, “Listen to Me, all of you, and understand: 15 there is nothing outside the man which can defile him if it goes into him, but the things which proceed out of the man are what defile the man. 16 “If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” 17 When he had left the crowd and entered the house, His disciples questioned Him about the parable. 18 And he said to them, “Are you so lacking in understanding also? Do you not understand that whatever goes into the man from outside cannot defile him 19 because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and is eliminated?” 20 And He was saying, “That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man. 21 “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, 22 deeds of covering and wickedness as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, and foolishness. 23 “All these evil things proceed from within and defile the man.

Let us Bring it Home: Do we worry more about what is in our diets and how we look to others than what is in our hearts and minds? Jesus pointed out that sin begins in the attitudes and intentions of the inner person. We are not pure because of outward acts. We become pure on the inside as Christ renews our minds and transforms us into his image.

An evil action begins with a single thought. Allowing our minds to dwell on lust, envy, hatred, or revenge will lead to sin. Don’t defile yourself by focusing on evil. Instead, follow Paul’s advice in Phillippians 4:8 and think about what is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and of good repute.

Jesus Visits Martha and Mary

Posted: April 13, 2021 in Uncategorized

Luke 10:38-42 38As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. 39She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. 40But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” 41“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, 42but few things are needed or indeed only one an Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”

Mary and Martha both loved Jesus. On this occasion, they were both serving him. But Martha thought Mary’s style of serving was inferior to hers. She didn’t realize that in her desire to serve, she was actually neglecting her guest.

Let’s Bring it Home: Are we so busy at times worried about what we are going to wear to Church, how we look and how we think others should dress for church?

Are we so busy doing things for the Church to make us look good on the outside that we are forgetting the most important thing, which is sitting down with Jesus like Martha? Martha was sitting at the Lord’s feet, and Jesus said this was better for her and it will not be taken away.

How many of us will not even invite people over to our house because we think it’s not presentable?

Are you so busy doing things for Jesus that you’re not spending any time with him? Don’t let your service become self-serving. Jesus did not blame Martha for being concerned about household chores. He was only asking her to set priorities. Service to Christ can degenerate into mere busywork that is totally lacking devotion to God.

It is our inner House that we need to make presentable before God, and the only way to get that right is to invite Jesus into our hearts. When we do that and develop that deep hunger and thirst for his word is when the inner house begins to get cleaned up.

Jesus Be Praised!

The Empty House

Posted: April 13, 2021 in Mathew
Tags: Drug Rehab, The Empty House

Mathew 43-45 43“When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. 44Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean, and put in order. 45Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that person is worse than the first.t That is how it will be with this wicked generation.”

Jesus was describing the attitude of the nation of Israel and the religious leaders in particular. Just cleaning up one’s life without filling it with God leaves plenty of room for Satan to enter. The book of Ezra records how the people rid themselves of idolatry but failed to replace it with love for God and obedience to him.

Let’s Bring it Home: We see drug addicts and alcoholics going back and forth into rehab. The question is why? Each time gets worse. We pray for our loved ones and it appears the affected person turns to God for healing. Once healed or clean, some throw the Bible back on the shelf. That is where this verse of scripture comes in. Your inner house is empty, and the devil sees this, then goes and gets seven more demons to re-occupy your inner house.

Ridding our lives of sin is the first step. We must also take the second step: filling our lives with God’s Word and the Holy Spirit. Unfilled and complacent people are easy targets for Satan.

Jesus Be Praised!

1 John 4:4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

Posted: April 11, 2021 in 1 John, 1 John 4:4
Tags: The Most powerful weapon in the world is the Word of God

If this is the case, why cannot people overcome their addictions, drugs, smoking, drinking, sex addiction, porn, hate, holding grudges, backbiting, gossiping and the list goes on and on? It is so easy to read scripture, but we need to live out and be the scripture, we need to trust the scripture, and it will not be until we have a come to Jesus meeting and decide today to have or start that personal relationship with the one that lives inside of you, then you will see and experience the power of Jesus.

Stop dressing up the outside of you, and start building the inside of you with the Holy Spirit who is God. It all starts with excepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, but it does not stop there, it is the continuous building and working on a relationship. And those of you who been saved for a long time, do not think you are all that, because the devil is just waiting for you to let your guard down, and is looking for a chink in your Armor.

Jesus Be Praised!

Do not give in to the world with illnesses that we have not seen cured.

Posted: April 11, 2021 in Uncategorized
Tags: The Most powerful weapon in the world is the Word of God

Dementia: A chronic or persistent disorder of the mental processes caused by brain disease or injury and marked by memory disorders, personality changes, and impaired reasoning. This is the world’s definition.

Once people accept that fact, they have this, the world has made it known that is no cure. So, a lot of times we accept what the world says and give up what Jesus says. Yea, we might pray for healing but DO WE PRAY FOR HEALING or just say the words because they sound good.

As stated, the Most Powerful Weapon in the World is the word of God. We just have to stand on it and believe it as the world says. We serve a Resurrected Jesus! Easter Sunday, we Praised the Lord with Song and Dance. We demonstrated our love for Jesus with the Outward Appearance.

We need to stop saying I got this Dementia, Cancer, or any other illness that the world says there is no cure. We need to keep standing on the word of God.

I just do not see it. I believe if we keep our minds in the word of God, that will keep our minds straight. I am not talking about going to church. I am talking about your own one-on-one relationship with Jesus Christ. Reading his word and not just carrying around a Bible. Why would God allow your Memory to be taken or impaired when your mind is focused on Him?

By the Stripes that Jesus Christ Bore on his back, we are HEALED. That is Scriptural.