The Daily Dose

Next generation

To Timothy, a true son in the faith: Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 Timothy 1:2

This is thought provoking.  Paul wrote a letter to Timothy who he called his son in the faith.  Timothy had a father.  We know because he is mentioned previously in the book of Acts.  However, Paul was Timothy’s spiritual father because he mentored and train him up in the things of faith and his walk with the Lord.  Timothy traveled with Paul on many of his missionary trips and then became the pastor/bishop of the church in Ephesus. 

So, what is a spiritual father or mother?  It is someone who walks with you in life and coaches, trains and encourages you in the things of the Spirit of God.  In the case of Paul and Timothy, Paul taught and instructed Timothy until he was spiritually mature enough to take on a ministry on his own.  In a sense, Paul was duplicating himself in Timothy to reach the next generation.  To continue the work of the ministry after Paul was gone.

It is really the way the gospel has continued to grow and pass down through the ages.  Through training and teaching the future leaders of the day.  In our day we have schools that train people for ministry, but that can only go so far.  Until you walk things out, there is training that cannot be taught in a classroom.  You may be thinking: “yes, but that was the apostle Paul, I’m not qualified to teach anyone?  The fact is every believer can bring others along with them.  It can be as simple as inviting a neighbor to church or a small group.  It can be something like praying with others or simply offering an encouraging word.  Whatever opportunity God puts in front of you, you always have something to offer.

Today I want to encourage you to look for someone you can walk along with in life to help them spiritually.  Invite someone to church or offer that encouraging word.  Even if it is not accepted the first time, seeds were planted, and you can try again when the next opportunity comes.  We won’t live here forever, let’s make sure we all do our part to ensure the next generation carries on the good news of salvation in Jesus.

Today’s scripture reading: 1 Timothy 1:1-7

1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ, by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope,

2 To Timothy, a true son in the faith:

Grace, mercy, and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord.

3 As I urged you when I went into Macedonia—remain in Ephesus that you may charge some that they teach no other doctrine,

4 nor give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which cause disputes rather than godly edification which is in faith.

5 Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith,

6 from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk,

7 desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm.

He must increase

He must increase, but I must decrease. John 3:30

After John the Baptist introduced Jesus at His baptism as the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world, Jesus began His public ministry.  Some confusion came from John’s disciples about who they should follow and what their next steps were.  They came and reported to John that now Jesus was baptizing and the people were going to Him instead of John’s ministry.  John was not offended by this.  He patiently explained to them that he had already told them that he was not the Christ and then he said: He must increase, it is my time to decrease.

That was great wisdom on John’s part.  He didn’t feel the need to compete and was not at all threatened that the people were following Jesus now.  He recognized what His mission was and knew when it was time to step out of the spotlight.

Although our mission today is a little different, we can still learn from John’s example.  Yes, we are to prepare the way and make the path straight for people to receive God’s gift of salvation through Jesus, but it is equally important to remember that this mission is focused on Jesus and His paying the punishment for all people and giving us a right relationship with our heavenly Father.  Our mission is not designed to bring glory personally and it is not meant to draw attention to us.  He is the One who is increased and we are the ones who stay submitted to Him and the mission He has called us to.  Your ministry and assignment, whatever it is, gives you a platform to share the love of God with others.  It can be a temptation to use that grace that you have been given for your own fame and increase.  It is vital to recognize that your calling is not to put the spotlight on yourself or anyone else in this world, but it is to point all people to the Lord Jesus Christ and God’s great love for them.

There are some practical ways that we can do this and set up a plan ahead of time to not fall into the deception of pointing people to other ministries or even your own.  The number one thing is daily prayer and submitting your life and words to God first thing.  Make sure that you are committing to your Father that you want to point people to Him and not be taking credit for the blessing that flow in your life.  You can even include today’s scripture in your daily talk with God.  Pray that He would increase in your life and you would remain behind the scenes.

Secondly, direct people to the scripture, the Word of God.  When encouraging people in the Lord, do not send them to another ministry or website, get them in the bible as soon as possible.  I realize that it can seem like it would be easier for a new believer to understand some resources that are more modern in language, but there are many easy to read translations and application bibles that are simplified for new believers to understand.  The Word of God is the most important physical resource, and it should be our number one go to along with prayer when helping others.

Lastly, whatever audience you have been given to share the good news with, whether at work, in your neighborhood or school, commit to the Holy Spirit to surrendering all the glory to Him.  He will bless you for it and as you follow His direction and lead, you will have a great influence in impacting God’s Kingdom for all eternity.

Today I want to encourage you to submit your mission and calling to the One who has called you.  Turn all your gifts and abilities over to Him for Kingdom use.  Make a difference in this life and the next, by living your life with the mindset and heart that He must increase and I must decrease!

Today’s scripture reading: John 3:27-36

27 John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. 

28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before Him.’ 

29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. 

30 He must increase, but I must decrease. 

31 He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. 

32 And what He has seen and heard, that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony. 

33 He who has received His testimony has certified that God is true. 

34 For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure. 

35 The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. 

36 He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

Prepare the way

You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before Him.’  John 3:28

When Jesus stepped into His public ministry after being baptized by John, John announced: He must increase, and I must decrease. John fulfilled mission to the letter: 1. He was a voice crying in the wilderness because that is where he lived.  2. His ministry was to prepare the way of the Lord’s coming, 3. so he made the path straight and clear for Jesus.  The people were ready and watching for Him. 

So, what does this mean for us today?  Since this scripture was fulfilled 2000 years ago, how can we apply it to our lives and world today?  Is this just another history lesson, or is there something we can do with it now in our time?  The answer is absolutely, yes!  Today, we are the voices crying out from the wilderness of the wild world we live in.  We are preparing the way for His salvation message to get through to hearts of the people around us.  We are walking the straight path in this crooked and perverse realm.  All people will see the salvation of God through our witness and through our testimony.  We are the forerunner of the return of our Savior, and we are to get this world ready for His return by getting the message spread throughout the whole earth.

How can we do this?  By being the hands and feet of Jesus right where we are each day.  By reaching out to the hurting and lost people in our neighborhoods and communities.  I know this isn’t always easy to do but ask the Lord to open doors and give wisdom and understanding of what will reach individuals.  Share what God has done in your life and love people right where they are.  Let them know God wants to help them, He loves them and has a way out of every pit they have fallen into.  People need to know that all they have to do is call on the name of the Lord and He will save them. (See Romans 10:13)

Today I want to encourage you to prepare the way for the Lord from the wilderness of your world to reach those around you.  Ours is not the work to save people, we are only to share the love of God and His great salvation message with them.  The Holy Spirit does the work, and He is the One that does the saving.  We just need to let those around us know that God is good and has good planned for them.  You can back it up by telling them about all His goodness in your own life.  Prepare the way of the Lord today and He will show up and rescue people right where they are.

Today’s scripture reading: John 3:22-36

22 After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with them and baptized. 

23 Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized. 

24 For John had not yet been thrown into prison.

25 Then there arose a dispute between some of John’s disciples and the Jews about purification. 

26 And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have testified—behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!”

27 John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven. 

28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before Him.’ 

29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. 

30 He must increase, but I must decrease. 

31 He who comes from above is above all; he who is of the earth is earthly and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all. 

32 And what He has seen and heard, that He testifies; and no one receives His testimony. 

33 He who has received His testimony has certified that God is true. 

34 For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure. 

35 The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. 

36 He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

“Rub off”

“Then Jesus and his disciples left Jerusalem and went into the Judean countryside. Jesus spent some time with them there.”  John 3:22

This is a transition scripture that really doesn’t get that much attention because on the surface it doesn’t look like it holds much meaning.  However, if we look a little deeper, it is actually a time when Jesus just “hung out” with His guys for a while.  Recently I heard a message about the word that was translated “spent some time with”.  It actually means to “rub off” on like you would when you spend a lot of time with certain people.  You actually take on the same attitudes and even mannerisms.  This is extremely important because Jesus was imparting Himself into His disciples.  By spending time with Jesus, the disciples were becoming more like Him.  For three years they were pretty much together all the time, which explains how they eventually became great teachers and started the New Testament church that is still living and active today.

My point in saying all this is that Jesus didn’t make converts, He made disciples and the way He did it was by investing time in them.  Not just time, but actually His life.  He still had other things going on and crowds of people around Him most of the time, but He selected a specific group that He kept close to Him all the time.  They were His apprentices studying intently so they could take over His ministry when He was gone.  

Building relationships with others is the key to bringing people closer to the LORD.  Proverbs 27:17 says, “As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.”  Those that you are giving the most attention to and spending the most time with keep you connected in a unique way.  Even though you may not realize it, you are impacting those lives in some way.  Jesus told us in His last words here to go and make disciples.  He never said go and make converts.  The way to make disciples is the way He did by purposefully spending time with others and “rubbing off” on them, helping them to develop the habits that will keep them close to their Savior.

Today I want to encourage you to, first of all, spend time hanging out with God in a special quiet time each day and let Him “rub off” on you.  Secondly, invest in others.  Spend your time and resources to make a conscious effort to make disciples.  Start by working with one individual that needs your love and attention and then impart your life into them.  Take them along with you where you go and make time to spend hanging out with them.  Eventually, grow your sphere of influence and disciple others.  Whether it’s one at a time or a whole group, the best way to be effective for kingdom progress is to bring people alongside you each day and let God “rub off” of you on to them.

Today’s scripture reading:  John 3:20-24

20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 

21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

22 After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He remained with them and baptized. 

23 Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there. And they came and were baptized. 

24 For John had not yet been thrown into prison.

Be A Superhero

“For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:17

We all love superhero movies.  We love to see the good guys win and the bad guys lose, but what is it about a superhero that makes him super?  Sure there are those that are a product of some freak of nature that gives them some sort of super power and there are some that are products of a scientific experiment (usually gone bad), but what about those who just end up being heroes?  How is it that they become superheroes?  The answer is in what they do when they are not doing heroic acts.  Maybe it’s work outs or maybe it’s research.  It could even be practice, but the fact is, usually heroes are doing something beyond normal within their regular routine.

Now let’s talk about the superhero inside of you.  What are you doing within your regular routine to promote your superhero work?  Do you “binge” out every chance you get?  Maybe you play games or watch video clips for hours on end.  Not that any of these things are wrong in their proper place.  However, down time is also a time for building up and preparing for things to come . . . planned or unexpected things.  For example, we can be building up our faith muscles by reading, meditating, and listening to the Word of God.  We can be preparing for things we know are coming up such as tests, trials, and temptations.  In today’s world the things we are most preparing for are how to become more comfortable, not how to overcome the obstacles that are a guarantee in life.

Here’s the truth!  You are a superhero!  You have been supernaturally born again by the power of the blood of Jesus.  You have the greater One living on the inside of you continuously.  Each one of us has the opportunity to be good at being a superhero!  We can become the hero to others by giving of ourselves to encourage, build up, and the greatest gift of all, save lives by leading them to eternal life with our loving Heavenly Father through the love and sacrifice of Jesus!  Now that’s superhero work!

Today I want to encourage you to focus on getting beyond yourself and turn your attention to those around you that you can bless.  Whether it’s offering an encouraging word, lifting someone up in intercessory prayer or talking to someone about the great love God has for them.  Always be on the look out to be a hero to someone wherever you are.  You have been given supernatural ability for the purpose of connecting your Heavenly Father with others here in the world.  Be the superhero today that your soul longs to be and start your super hero work, now.

Today’s scripture reading: John 3:13-21

13 No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. 

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 

15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 

17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 

19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 

20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 

21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

God so loved

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”  John 3:16

This is probably the most awesome verse in the Bible.  Unfortunately, it is used and posted on billboards so much that we tend to read over and even neglect it.  Like many of you I learned it at such a young age that I never really got the meaning of it.  I was just able to quote it from memory.  Even when I was a little older and memorized the entire third chapter of John, I still never really got it.  Then one day God said it to me on the inside of my heart.  

It was at a time when I was getting back on track with God.  I was feeling particularly bad about myself one day and I remember asking myself “Why would Jesus die for me?  I have made such a mess of things and have never done anything for Him.”  That’s when I heard it on the inside . . . Because, God so loved you!  Suddenly, my eyes were open, and I could see.  “OOOHHH, now I get it.”  God loved the world (me when I was lost) so much that He gave up Jesus (His only Son) for me while I was still a sinner!  Because I was so messed up, I couldn’t help myself or live a perfect life.  That’s why Jesus died so I could live and have a relationship with God.  Not because of some good work I had done.  It was because of His God work on the cross.  Even though this was over 20 years ago, it was a brand-new revelation to me at the time and has stuck with me ever since.  Every time I hear or read this verse now, I automatically remember that moment in time when God made it real to me.  I love this entire chapter and meditate on it often.  There is so much revelation in it that He speaks something new to my heart every time I read it.

Today I want to encourage you to meditate on this verse until it becomes so real to you on the inside.  Begin to thank God for the great gift of His Son paying the penalty for you so that you can come to God and talk to him at any time of day or night.  Remember that it is because of His great love that He rescued you from the pit of sin and get so excited about that love that you start sharing it with others where ever you go. Our God is an awesome God and He wants all people to know that He loves them oh so much!

Today’s scripture reading: John 3:1-21

1 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 and said to him, “Most assuredly, 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, “Most assuredly, 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 the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

9 Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?”

10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? 

11 Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. 

12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 

13 No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. 

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 

15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 

17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 

19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 

20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 

21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

Unchained

And because I preach this Good News, I am suffering and have been chained like a criminal. But the word of God cannot be chained.  2 Timothy 2:9

I love this phrase and it is such an awesome and sobering thought to consider.  The Word of God cannot be chained or locked up.  God’s Word has been released into this world and will go on forever, it cannot be stopped!  Glory to God.  It is up to me and you what we are going to do with it.  We can choose to get in line with it and share it with others, or we can choose to ignore it and never acknowledge that it is the one true standard for this life.  It really doesn’t matter in the big scheme of things how we choose, but it does matter to God.  He loves us and made every provision possible so we don’t have to be left in this dying world without hope.  The Word of God is the lifeboat to save us from this sinking ship (the world).

Even through the dark ages when the Word of God was only available to the ministers in the church, God protected and kept His Word from being destroyed or concealed.  For a while it looked like it was at risk and hidden from people, but God raised up courageous and faithful men and women who were willing to risk it all to get God’s Word to every person.  This passage reminds me of a scripture in Isaiah 40 that says: The grass withers, the flower fades, but the Word of our God stands forever.  Glory to God!  I’m so thankful that God’s Word has been unchained and accessible to us even today.  Next to the blood of Jesus and the Holy Spirit, it’s the greatest gift God has given to us. 

As wonderful and powerful as God’s Word is, there is an even more glorious truth.  That is the truth of the power within each one of us to release God’s Word into all our circumstances.  By speaking the Word of God over our lives and the lives of those we love, we are releasing the changing power of His word into all of life’s circumstances. We can line up who we have become now that Jesus is our Lord and God’s plan for our life and those we love simply by speaking the Words that God says about us.  I’m talking about words like I am more than a conqueror; I have been made in the image of God and the greater One lives inside of me.  These words are powerful and can change the course of life that we are currently on.

Today I want to encourage you to rejoice because the Word of God cannot be chained, held down, hidden or squelched.  It is timeless and eternal.  It is protected and preserved, and it is alive and powerful!  You can believe God’s Word and live your life according to it with no fear that it will let you down.  God’s Word is the one absolute truth, and you can depend on and trust every Word He said in it!  He will never go against His Word, in fact the scripture says:  God is bound by His Word, the Holy Bible. (Hebrews 6:18) You have the power and authority to speak and live by His Word and release it into all areas of your life.  Begin today to speak the truth of God’s Word and cancel out all the lies that the enemy is trying to get you to believe.  Line your life ups with all the goodness He has planned for you today!

Today’s scripture reading: 2 Timothy 2:8-14

8 Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel,

9 for which I suffer trouble as an evildoer, even to the point of chains; but the word of God is not chained.

10 Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

11 This is a faithful saying: For if we died with Him, we shall also live with Him.

12 If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us.

13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.

14 Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers.  

Entangled

No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier. 2 Timothy 2:4

Wow!  This is quite a vivid picture and one worth considering for a minute.  Imagine being enlisted in the military, called up to active duty.  Think about how you would prepare for that.  You would have your family, friends, finances, faith and fitness in order.  You would be sure that there was nothing left undone in your civilian life.  You would have all loose ends tied up so you would not to be distracted from your full-time active service to your country.  Many times, when called to active duty, you are required to move out of state or even out of the country. You cannot leave any lingering responsibilities or obligations.  You must be focused on your mission, and you are set apart for it by moving your life to a base where you are stationed.

Imagine now if you are serving in your active-duty position, but you left your family where they were with unfinished business that you were still trying to conduct.  As you focus on your military mission being part of a unit working together on that mission, you are being distracted because you are still trying to keep up with managing your responsibilities back home.  This is not going to please your commanding officer.  He is going to tell you to get your head in the game or don’t come back until you can give your full attention to the job you have signed up to do.

Do you see a parallel in this scenario?  We have been called up to active duty by our Commanding officer, the Head of the church, the Lord Jesus!  We have a mission that we are assigned to.  However, many of us are unaware that we are on a mission and have our focus on the concerns and cares of civilian (natural) life.  We have let the distractions of activity, entertainment, politics and etc. become the dominate focus of our world, forgetting that this is not what pleases the One who called us.

In today’s scripture, Paul is telling Timothy to toughen up and persevere through the hard times, just like a good soldier on mission would do.  When He is on His mission, he is not looking around at what he can do to fill his time.  He is focused on the mission at hand, and he is focused on carrying out the orders of the commander because they are on the same mission together.  This pleases the commander.  The more he can trust his soldiers to carry out their assignments, the more pleased he is and them more he can depend on his troops when they are in the battle.

Today I want to encourage you to not be entangled/caught up in the cares and concerns of this world.  We do live here but we do not have to have the same mind set.  This is a temporary assignment and will soon be over.  I don’t want to be the one with all the excuses at the end of the mission as to why the mission was not completed, not to mention the many lives that were lost because my heart was someplace else.  Become mission minded today and put away the distraction and cares of this life.  Begin by settling your business with the world.  Tie up any loose ends such as unhealthy relationships, debts, time-wasting hobbies and addictive habits.  Then turn your focus to getting your assignment.  Spend time connecting with the Commander, the Head of the church each day and offer your life up for service.  Begin your training and grow into your mission by spending time in the “play book” (scripture) and make your focus to be the reason you on in this world.  We are in a war here, so let’s get untangled from the heaviness of life and fight the good fight of faith we have been call to.

Today’s scripture reading: 2 Timothy 2:1-7

1You therefore, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.

2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

3 You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.

4 No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.

5 And also if anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.

6 The hardworking farmer must be first to partake of the crops.

7 Consider what I say, and may the Lord give you understanding in all things.

The Wind

The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So, it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” John 3:8

You can’t see the wind, but you can sure see the effects of the wind.  Sometimes it is just a gentle movement of the grass or leaves, but other times it can be fierce and even violent pulling trees up by the roots or blowing my trash can into the neighbor’s yard.  Even though you cannot see what is actually moving the seen objects, you learn at a very young age that the wind is there and is pretty much always blowing to some degree.

In today’s reading, Jesus compared the Holy Spirit in your life to the way we cannot see the wind, but we see how it moves things in the natural world.  So it is with the Spirit.  We cannot see Him with our physical eyes, but we can see when the Spirit of God is moving in our circumstances by the way they are turned in a totally different direction than they were heading before we prayed for things to change.

Jesus was talking to Nicodemus, a Pharisee who came to Him to ask questions about the things he had heard and seen.  Jesus told Him that He had to be born again and that in order to be born of God you had to be born of His Spirit.  This is where the illustration of the wind comes in.  When a person is living life in the natural world the way they are taught by society; they are heading in a certain direction.  However, when the are born again of the Spirit of God, suddenly, their life is changed and heading in a different direction, God’s direction.  This is simply a picture to help us understand how the Spirit of God moves. 

Another way to look at it would be: When we are born into this world, we live life the way we are shown by others in the world around us, but we are all heading in the same direction away from God because of the sin that is at work in the world right now.  When we receive Jesus as Lord and Savior, our life is turned by the Spirit to now be walking in a new direction toward God.  You cannot actually see it happening in the natural physical world, but you can see the effects of that decision in the way you are living life now.  Suddenly, you have purpose and suddenly you have a reason for the things you are accomplishing.  You are in a new family now, the family of God and even though you may look like the same person on the outside, things have changed on the inside below the surface that cannot by seen by the naked eye.

If you are reading this message today, I pray you have already experienced the change in your life that the Holy Spirit makes when you receive Jesus as your Lord personally, but if you do not know that love and have never experienced that change of direction, you can do it right now by praying and inviting Him into your life today.  He will come in and He will change the trajectory of your future and even if you look like the same person tomorrow, that wind of the Spirit will turn your heart in God’s direction, and you will see the effects of His love turn your life around!

Pray: _{God in heaven, I know I’m a sinner and I need a Savior.  I want to turn away from my sinful life to the life You have planned for me.  Please forgive my sins, cleanse me from my past, and make me new today.  I know Your Son, Jesus died for me.  I believe in my heart that You raised Him from the dead.  At this very moment, I accept, confess, and proclaim Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior . . . to be Lord of my life from this day forward.  I now have a right relationship with God my Father through this salvation in the blood of Jesus. I thank You for giving me Your Holy Spirit to guide me and to empower me to accomplish the things You have planned for my life in Jesus’ name, Amen}

Today’s scripture reading: John 3:1-21

1 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 and said to him, “Most assuredly, 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, “Most assuredly, 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 the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

9 Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?”

10 Jesus answered and said to him, “Are you the teacher of Israel, and do not know these things? 

11 Most assuredly, I say to you, We speak what We know and testify what We have seen, and you do not receive Our witness. 

12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 

13 No one has ascended to heaven but He who came down from heaven, that is, the Son of Man who is in heaven. 

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 

15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 

16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 

17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 

19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 

20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 

21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

He knows what is in your heart

He had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man. John 2:25

While Jesus was in Jerusalem during the Passover feast time, many came to Him for healings and miracles.  There were also many that came because they wanted to see the signs and wonders that He did.  Because of what they saw with their own eyes, they believed in His name.  However, Jesus did not stay in Jerusalem after the Passover like He did in other towns that He ministered.  He didn’t trust that the people there were really there for salvation because He knew what was in their hearts. 

He knows what is in our hearts today too.  He know when we come to Him with requests if we are just there because we have a need or if we are coming to hang out with Him for a while simply because we love Him.  Of course, He is always there for us when we have needs and concerns, but much like a parent/child relationship in the natural, He desires to have a close relationship with us beyond a “to do” list.

It can be compared to having a child that is born into your home and you provide, feed and nurture them until they are old enough to take care of their own needs.  Hopefully by that time you have developed a close enough relationship with them that after your child moves and has their own family, they still keep in touch and come by to visit regularly.  Yes, you love it when the call you when they have a problem or need help with something. However, you also enjoy just if you child wants to go to lunch with your or celebrate events with you.  The point is, there comes a point in your relationship with your children that you become friends.

Jesus had His core crew with Him all the time and these were His students, they were His followers and they were His confidants.  He taught them things that He didn’t teach others, He took them places that no one else went with Him and He showed them things that were coming up in the ministry.  They were His closest friends and He knew what each one of them had in their hearts the same way He knows what is in our hearts today.

Today I want to encourage you to spend some time in worship.  Let you Father in heaven know how much you love Him and show Him your love in an act of praise.  Keep Him with you all day long in conversation and listen to the direction that He speaks to your heart as you go through your time together, but don’t come with your agenda in mind. Go to Him with love in your heart because He has already discerned what your real intentions are. Open up and be honest with Him today to the point that you know what is really in your heart too. Then your relationship with Him will be based on love and trust on both sides.

Today’s scripture reading: John 2:23-25

23 Now when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name when they saw the signs which He did. 

24 But Jesus did not commit Himself to them, because He knew all men, 

25 and had no need that anyone should testify of man, for He knew what was in man.