Writing On Eagles Wings

“Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in thy word.” – Psalm 119:114

When I was a young child, there were times when sounds in the middle of the night would  frighten me. I would imagine all sorts of things as the cause, and to protect myself, I would pull the blankets on my bed up over my head. I suppose I hoped that if there was anything to be feared lurking in the shadows, it wouldn’t find me under the covers, and I would be safe.

I am an adult now, yet sometimes odd noises in the darkness of night make me pause, and my heart quickens just a bit as I ponder what it could be. I no longer hide under the blankets on my bed. Instead, I seek solace from another safe haven. I rely on verses of the Bible that I have memorized over the years. Some are Scriptures that I learned as a child in Sunday school, while others are verses that I have come across as recently as the past week.

God’s Word is truly a refuge for me. Whether I run to the Bible because I am fearful of my safety, apprehensive of situations I cannot control, or feel the oppression of forces in the spiritual realm, I know that the Scriptures will provide all I need to feel safe and secure. Why?  Because they reassure me of how much God loves me and promises to care for me.

Here are just a few fearful circumstances and some of the verses upon which I depend for inner peace.

• Nighttime Noises
  • Psalm 4:8 – “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.”
• Health Issues
  • 2 Corinthians 12: 8 – “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”
• Financial Woes
  • Philippians 4:19 – “My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
• Personal Direction
  • Psalm 23:3 – “He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.”
• Spiritual Understanding
  • Psalm 119:130 – “The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.”
• Uncertainty of the future
  • Jeremiah 29:11 – “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD< thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”

The Bible tells us that we need not allow fear to overwhelm us because God is always with us, and He never fails us. “Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them; for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” (Deuteronomy 31:6) No matter what the future holds, we can be assured that God Himself holds tomorrow in His hand.

I don’t know about tomorrow, I just live from day to day
I don’t borrow from its sunshine, for its skies may turn to gray
I don’t worry o’er the future, for I know what Jesus said
And today I’ll walk beside Him, for He knows what is ahead
 
Many things about tomorrow
I don’t seem to understand
But I know who holds tomorrow
And I know who holds my hand

“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” – 2 Timothy 1:7

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As a child, I ran to my father whenever I was afraid. As an adult, I run to my heavenly Father, who is faithful to love and protect me.

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” – Proverbs 3:5

In what or whom do you place your trust? Some people place their trust in money or education or people. There are many other things that one’s trust can be place into, and here are a few examples and the problems with putting one’s trust in them.

Science – People have put their trust in science for centuries. One of the beliefs that science supported was the concept of spontaneous generation. This belief, that life could begin “just because” was upheld by scientists for hundreds of years. It was proven to be false. When I was in high school, science taught me about the nine planets in our solar system. Today, there are only eight. Hmm… how many planets are there really? Trusting science has been proven to be undependable.

Government – There was a time when people believed the government was nearly infallible. Decisions were made for the good of the people and the nation. Today, there is conflict between those very people that have been elected to represent us. What one political faction believes is right one day, the next day they vehemently oppose it. Political figures are known for speaking falsehoods, and many times it is merely to promote their own agendas. Placing one’s trust in the government is not the wisest thing to do.

Money – Many people place their trust in the economy. Clearly, those in 1929 had grossly misjudged where to put their trust as they faced the onset of global depression when the stock market crashed. Today, the value of the dollar vacillates daily. There is no guarantee that the money you have today will be worth anything tomorrow.

Misplaced trust can spell disaster for individuals. So in whom or what should our trust be placed? Trust should be placed in that which has proven itself to be trustworthy. There is only one sure place to put our trust. That is in God.

Throughout all time, God has never lied. He has never had to rewrite His Word due to an error. He has never misrepresented Himself. Here are just a few verses in the Bible that tell us why God is trustworthy.

• Psalm 19:7 – “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.”
• Psalm 33:4 – “For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth.”
• Psalm 18:30 – “As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all those that trust in him.”
• John 17:17 – “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.”
• John 14:6 – “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

There are many other verses in the Scriptures that speak of God’s trustworthiness. He has always kept His Word, and He always speaks truth because He is truth. God is the only One in whom you can and should place your complete trust.

Simply trusting every day,
Trusting through a stormy way;
Even when my faith is small,
Trusting Jesus, that is all.

Trusting as the moments fly,
Trusting as the days go by;
Trusting Him whate’er befall,
Trusting Jesus, that is all.

(from “Trusting Jesus” by Edgar Page)

“As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.” –  2 Samuel 22:31

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Putting your trust in God will never disappoint you!

“O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man. For I was the king’s cupbearer.” – Nehemiah 1:11

Every so often, a little self-examination is a good thing. It helps identify areas of strength as well as areas of weakness. Today, I’ve chose to examine my prayer life. Prayer is my lifeline to God; it is what keeps me connected to Him in a very real and personal way. My communication with Him is essential to our relationship, so taking time to evaluate the viability of my prayer life is critical. To do this, I must  assess myself according to what the Bible establishes as the criteria for sincere and effective prayer. By asking questions of myself and honestly answering them, I will get a good picture of where I stand (or kneel) in regard to prayer.

• Colossians 4:2 – “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;”
  • Do I devote myself to prayer? Is it a priority in my life?
• Acts 6:4 – “But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.”
  • How much attention to do give to prayer? How much thought is behind the words I speak? Is it rote or heartfelt?
• James 4:2 – “…yet ye have not, because ye ask not.”
  • Is prayer essential to me? Do I view prayer as a vital part of my Christian walk? Do I depend upon God to meet my needs, or do I depend upon myself?
• Romans 12:12 – “Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;”
  • Do I pray regardless of the situation? In good times or bad times, do I pray equally?
• James 1:6 – “But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.”
  • Do I trust God will respond to my prayers? Do I have the faith of a mustard seed?
• 1 Thessalonians 5:17 – “Pray without ceasing.”
  • Am I in an attitude of prayer throughout the day? Am I able to converse with God no matter the place or time?
• Mark 11:24 – “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.”
  • Do I really believe God will answer me?
• 1 John 5:14-15 – “And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.”
  • Do I pray according to His will? Do I have faith knowing God will, not just believing that God can?
• 1 Chronicles 7:14 – “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
  • Do I recognize to whom I am praying? Is my heart humble before my Creator?
• John 14:13 – “And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”
  • Do I remember that my access to God comes only through His Son, Jesus?
• Hebrews 13:15 – “By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.”
  • Do I remember to thank God for all He has done for me?

The answers generated by these questions help me target areas of weakness in my prayer life. With His help, I will become a strong and effective prayer warrior, having the faith to go before my Father in heaven with anything and everything on my heart, knowing He will answer according to His perfect will.

Ere you left your room this morning,
Did you think to pray?
In the name of Christ our Savior,
Did you sue for loving favor,
As a shield today?

O how praying rests the weary!
Prayer will change the night to day;
So when life seems dark and dreary,
Don’t forget to pray.

(from “Did You Think to Pray?” by Mary A. Kidder and William O. Perkins)

“Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” – Philippians 4:6

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Prayer touches the heart of God.

“Ah Lord GOD! behold, thou hast made the heaven and the earth by thy great power and stretched out arm, and there is nothing too hard for thee:” – Jeremiah 32:17

I suppose my prayer life is about the same as anyone else’s. And like many people, my prayers are often filled with requests for God to act in various ways. Prayers for healing, spiritual direction, financial needs, revival in our nation, friends and family, and lost loved ones often monopolize my time in prayer.  However, every now and then, my prayers are so vastly different that I wonder if these exceptions in my prayer life should be my norm.

The other day as I prayed, the enormity of who God is and who I am, overwhelmed me. My heart was filled with such immense gratitude that the Creator of the universe, the One who designed the intricacies of the cell, the Lord who spoke everything into existence would care about me. All I could do was praise Him and thank Him for His goodness toward me.

I realize that I am a sinner; I understand that I am unworthy, etc., but for whatever reason, at that moment, I REALLY was impacted with my unworthiness before the only One who is worthy. Immediately, my heart was filled with an overflowing gratitude. Gratitude that God Himself found something worthwhile in me and reached out to save me from my unworthiness and my sinful state by sending His Son, Jesus, to be my Saviour. All I wanted to do was offer a prayer filled with worship and praise!

And then, my innermost being began to question, “Why?” Why care for me when He knew exactly how my life would be played out? Why did He bother creating me? He knew I would disappoint Him time after time, yet… He chose to create me! Why?

In the overall scheme of things, I am really not very different from the average person. I am not “up there” with individuals that have inspired me in my Christian life. Women like Corrie ten Boom or Elisabeth Elliot. Please do not mistake this for a lack of understanding about how we are all the same in the eyes of God. I totally get that, but in terms of service, my acts, while important, are not the same in the eyes of my flawed humanity as those of Fanny Crosby or Amy Carmichael. I know I do things that please God, and I understand that He values my service to Him. In those areas of service to which I believe God has called me, I have tried to be faithful and do my best for Him, hoping that one day, I will hear Him say, “Well done.”

Yet, the question my heart continues to cry out is “Why?” Why does God continue to work on me as an individual? He knows all my faults, my flaws, and even my moments of disobedience and rebellion. Why does He keep on working on me?

I believe the answer can be found in verses like Jeremiah 1:5, which tells us, “Before I formed thee in the belly I knew thee…” and Jeremiah 31:3, which states, “The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”

I cannot conceive of that kind of love. It is completely incomprehensible to me. But it does answer the question of “Why?” Accepting God’s love doesn’t mean I have to know anything more than what He tells me through His Word. I don’t have to know the reasons why He loves me; I just have to believe He does. And I do. He proved it at Calvary. That’s good enough for me.

From now on, when I pray, it will be with a much more worshipful heart and a grateful spirit!

Let’s just praise the Lord, praise the Lord
Let’s just lift our hands to heaven
And praise the Lord
Let’s just praise the Lord, praise the Lord
Let’s just lift our hands to heaven
And praise the Lord!

(from “Let’s Just Praise the Lord” by Bill and Gloria Gaither)

“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.” – Revelation 4:11

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May my prayers always be filled with praise and worship to the Lord!

“The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry.” – Psalm 34:15

Sometimes I have wondered if anyone knew of the difficulties I was facing at particular times in  my life. I wrestled with whether or not to share my burdens, and often I chose to bear them alone (mistake #1… not reaching out). This frequently resulted in social withdrawal (mistake #2… solitude is not the answer), which allowed despair to creep into my heart and whisper into my ear, drawing me into its darkness.

I forgot that no matter what the situation, no matter how “alone” I felt, I really was never out of fellowship with my heavenly Father. It wasn’t until overwhelming despondency gripped me that I fell to my knees in prayer (mistake #3… waiting so long to pray!) and cried out to God.

I forgot that He is always keeping an eye on me! Proverbs 15:3 states, “The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” God is ever-present in my life, completely aware of all things in which I am involved, and He allows only what He wills into my life. 2 Chronicles 16:9 also reminds me, “For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him…” I chose to rely on my heart’s feelings, which are very unreliable (mistake #4… the heart is very deceitful – Jeremiah 17:9) It is important to rely on the facts of Scripture instead of my emotions. I need to remember that I am never alone. The Lord promises to always be with me as He states in Matthew 28:20, “…I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.”

God also is always attentive to my prayers. The Bible states in Psalm 34:17, “The righteous cry, and the LORD heareth, and delivereth them out of all their troubles.” He desires to hear my prayers, and He invites me to come before Him with whatever is on my heart. “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:16) I know God cares for me because His Word tells me so. 1 Peter 5:7 reminds me to “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” Oh, how He loves me!

I would love to tell you what I think of Jesus,
Since I found in Him a friend so strong and true;
I would tell you how He changed my life completely,
He did something that no other friend could do.

No one ever cared for me like Jesus,
There’s no other friend so kind as He;
No one else could take the sin and darkness from me,
O how much He cared for me.

(from “No One Ever Cared For Me Like Jesus” by Charles Weigle)

“For I have satiated the weary soul, and I have replenished every sorrowful soul.” – Jeremiah 31:25

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Only Jesus can satisfy the longing in one’s soul.

“But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.” – Romans 8:25

Does it bother you to have to wait in line at the grocery store? How about at an amusement park? Do you yearn for a faster way to get a package than via over-night mail? Perhaps patience is not your strong point. Unfortunately, it’s not really mine either, but I am learning!

It has been said that patience is a virtue. That means that if you are a patient person, you are demonstrating moral excellence in being able to wait. Any “moral excellence” I have acquired in waiting goes up in smoke as I tap  my foot in frustration at the length of time it takes my microwave to heat up my cup of coffee. However, I have learned that there are some things that are definitely worth waiting for.

The Bible tells us that one day Jesus will come again, and many of us who have trusted Christ as our Saviour, believe that day will be soon. Psalm 37:7 tells us, “Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him…” But some are having a hard time waiting, and they wish He would have come yesterday! Why? The conditions of this sin-sick world are overwhelming, and at times, the outlook seems grim. But the Lord has good reasons to withhold His appearing. 2 Peter 3:9 records, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” God is waiting to send His Son to earth again because He wants everyone to have an opportunity to come to Christ for forgiveness of sins before Jesus appears in the clouds to take all born-again believers back to heaven with Him. The Lord asks that we patiently wait for Him and continue to do His work until He returns.

The closer it is to Jesus’ return, the more fervently we should be working to share the gospel with a lost and dying world. In Luke 10:2, Jesus stated, “Therefore said he unto them, The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.” We are those laborers! Instead of tapping our toes impatiently as we  wait for the return of Christ, we should use the time God is giving us to share Jesus with others. Then, as we witness to them, knowing we doing His work, we can be truly waiting patiently…“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” (Titus 2:13). Who knows, the one that you lead to Christ may be the last one God is waiting for before He sends His Son, Jesus, to bring His children home!

My heart can sing when I pause to remember
A heartache here is but a stepping stone
Along a trail that’s winding always upward,
This troubled world is not my final home.
 
This weary world with all its toil and struggle
May take its toll of misery and strife;
The soul of man is like a waiting falcon;
When it’s released, it’s destined for the skies.
 
But until then my heart will go on singing,
Until then with joy I’ll carry on,
Until the day my eyes behold the city,
Until the day God calls me home.

(from “Until Then” by Stuart Hamblen)

“Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.” – Acts 1:11

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“Great things come to those who wait.” – Lincoln

“Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” – James 2:17

I’ve heard this verse referred to many times in sermons, and my understanding is that if you have faith in Christ as your Saviour, your life will reflect that in what you do. Today, however, as I pondered this verse, another thought came to me.

It’s somewhat easy to serve in a church. Maybe it’s by singing in the choir or teaching a Sunday school class. Maybe it’s by volunteering to clean the church, or perhaps it’s by working in the church office. Oftentimes, I have thought of service as the giving of one’s time to the Lord in whatever area there is a need.

Today as I thought about my “works,” another facet came to mind. My faith in Christ should compel me to do a few other types of “works” that are vital to my Christian life.

• I must read my Bible daily!!
  1. Psalm 1:2 states, “But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.”
• I must also study the Word of God!
  1. 2 Timothy 2:15 records, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”
• I must pray!
  1. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 tells me, “Pray without ceasing.”
• I must give thanks for all that God has done for me!
  1. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 states, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
• I must love the Lord with every fiber of my being!
  1. Matthew 22:37 records the words of Jesus. “… Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.”

While these are not the types of “work” that I usually associate with this verse, it is clear that these “works” are critical for the growth of my faith, and I should not neglect to do them.

When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.

(from “Trust and Obey” by John H. Sammis)

“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” – James 1:22

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Sometimes the simplest tasks are the most difficult to accomplish.

“My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.” – Psalm 73:26

I am progressing quite well on my wellness journey, but there are times when I stumble. It could be by making an unhealthy food choice or, as I have recently done, by omitting a couple of days of movement. When these situations occur, I often berate myself for the failure in ways that I would never do to someone else! I am expecting perfection from a very imperfect person, especially with impossible goals such as “I should never go off my food plan;” “I should exercise daily;” “I should always drink enough water;” “I should always…” etc., etc. Wow, I am really hard on myself, holding myself to impossible expectations! When I do that, it becomes inevitable that I will fail!!

The Bible reminds me that it is through my weaknesses that God’s strength is revealed. 2 Corinthians 12:9 states, “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.” When I recognize my own weaknesses and acknowledge that my successes are only through the grace of God and His power, I begin to understand that He really is my strength! Philippians 4:13 reinforces this. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

I still am responsible to do my very best because the Scriptures tell me that “Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31), but I must remember that I am not perfect by any means. If I were, I wouldn’t be concerned about how much water I drink… I’d be walking on it!!

Give of your best to the Master;
Give Him first place in your heart;
Give Him first place in your service;
Consecrate every part.
Give, and to you will be given;
God His beloved Son gave;
Gratefully seeking to serve Him,
Give Him the best that you have.

Give of your best to the Master;
Give of the strength of your youth;
Clad in salvation’s full armor,
Join in the battle for truth.

(from “Give of Your Best to the Master” by Howard B. Grose)

“And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;” – Colossians 3:23

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When one thinks he or she is infallible, the problem is not perfection, but pride.

“Thy mercy, O LORD, is in the heavens; and thy faithfulness reacheth unto the clouds.” – Psalm 36:5

I remember as a child I often would lay on the grass and watch the clouds change their shapes as they floated by high overhead. As they moved, they became whatever my imagination saw in them. Sometimes it would be an animal, and at other times, the faces of people, but eventually the clouds would morph into something else right before my eyes, and I would be delighted to identify new shapes.

Today, when I look into the skies, I see beyond what a small child might see. The vastness of the heavens speaks to the enormity of God’s mercy. The clouds that float miles above testify of the faithfulness of God that reaches to the highest heights. Psalm 19:1 states, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.” His mercy and faithfulness know no bounds! Praise the Lord for His great faithfulness! Praise Him for His mercy that endures forever!

One day, a trumpet will sound, and I will cast my eyes upward into the skies once more. I will see the clouds, but this time my Saviour, Jesus Christ, will be there, calling me home, and I will rise up to meet Him in the air! “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” (! Thessalonians 4:16-17) What a glorious day that will be!

One day the trumpet will sound for His coming,
One day the skies with His glory will shine;
Wonderful day, my beloved One bringing:
Glorious Savior, this Jesus is mine!

Living, He loved me; dying, He saved me;
Buried, He carried my sins far away;
Rising, He justified freely forever:
One day He’s coming– O glorious day!

(from “One Day!” by J. Wilbur Chapman)

“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” – Titus 2:13

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Keep looking up and listening for the trumpet!

“Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again.” – John 3:7

How many birthdays do you have? I don’t mean how many times have you blown out candles or gotten a year older. I mean, how many times have you been born? You see, even if you celebrate your birthday 5 times, 10 times, or even 100 times, it’s still just one birthday—the day that you were born into the world.

Some people, myself included, have two birthdays. I have a physical birthday, August 16^th, and I have a spiritual birthday, March 10^th. Yes, that’s right. I have two birthdays! Jesus talked about being born in the book of John. He told a man named Nicodemus that he needed to be born again. John 3:3 records Jesus’ words. “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

How does someone get born again? Nicodemus wondered that very same thing. Jesus was referring to a spiritual birth, which becomes necessary because of sin. When we are physically born, each of us enters the world as a sinner. Sin is anything that goes against God’s Word. Anything. And that sin keeps us separated from God. Sin is such a generic word for me. It doesn’t really sound as bad as it really is. Let’s think about it for a minute. Have you ever heard people say that they weren’t so bad… that they never cheated on their taxes; they never murdered anyone; they never committed adultery? Possibly. However, I’ve never had anyone say to me, “I’ve never lied,” or “I’ve never had evil thoughts,” or “I’ve never said an ugly word” … the list goes on and on. Most of us don’t give these types of sins a second thought. But God does.  In fact, in His Word, He tells us His thoughts on any kind of sin.

• Romans 3:23 tells us, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;“
• Isaiah 59:2 states, “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid [his] face from you, that he will not hear.”
• Ezekiel 18:20 records, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.”

The Bible also tells us that we are all spiritually “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1). That’s a pretty sobering thought. Is there hope? Yes, and it’s found in that second birthday! Being born again is all about forgiveness of sin and receiving new life from God. Lots of people know John 3:16. The Bible tell us “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.” This verse tells us that God loves us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to become our Savior. That’s the reason Jesus went to the cross.

Romans 5:8 says “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” When Jesus died on the cross, He took upon Himself the punishment that you and I deserve for all of the bad things that we have done and will do during our lives. We are reminded of this in 1 Peter 2:24. “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” However, the story doesn’t end there. Three days after Jesus was buried, He rose from the dead, which proved that He was God, and He alone had the power to forgive sins and give us eternal life in heaven.

My second birth happened on March 10, 1968. A missionary came to a church I went to and shared about how much God loved me. He loved me enough to send His only Son, Jesus, to die on the cross for me. I remember thinking that every blow of the hammer on the nails represented one of the sins I had committed in my life. Even at the age of 12, I realized I was a sinner, and I realized it was my sin that nailed Jesus to the cross. I remember going to the altar and praying for forgiveness, and when I returned to my seat, I knew Jesus had forgiven me. The Bible says in Romans 10:13, “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Romans 6:23 states, “The wages of sin is death…” That’s pretty dismal, but the second part of that verse offers us hope. It says, “… but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” When Christ forgives your sins, He also gives you the everlasting life promised in John 3:16.

Getting saved, or receiving Jesus’ forgiveness of sins is as easy as A-B-C.

• Admit you’re a sinner and you need forgiveness for your sins.
• Believe that Jesus is God’s only Son who died on the cross for your sins, rose from the dead, and that HE alone has the power to forgive you
• Choose Him to be your Savior through prayer

The day when you ask Jesus to forgive your sins becomes your second birthday. If you don’t know if you have ever asked the Lord to save you, or you’re not sure, I urge you to take care of that today. Salvation doesn’t just happen. It’s proactive. My pastor once said, “Many people believe the Bible, but they don’t do what it says.” Here are three biblical examples of being proactive in your salvation with God.

• Acts 16:31 says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved…”
• Psalm 55:16 says, “As for me, I will call upon God; and the LORD shall save me.”
• Psalm 116:13 says, “I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD.”

You must make that first step through prayer, and I promise you that Jesus will hear you, forgive you, and welcome you with open arms into the family of God. He will not turn anyone away.

A ruler once came to Jesus by night
To ask Him the way of salvation and light;
The Master made answer in words true and plain,
“Ye must be born again.”
 
“Ye must be born again,
Ye must be born again,
I verily, verily, say unto thee,
Ye must be born again.”

(from “Ye Must Be Born Again” by William Sleeper)

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” – Romans 10:9

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If you want a second birthday, it’s just a prayer away!