"This, the Hint"

" And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou bearest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him." (John 3:26 KJV)

  "And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen." (2 Timothy 4:18 KJV)

  For what it's worth, where they were and who actually baptized who, none of that was really what matters; the matter was about the point of repentance, which is the action of change in a persons life. There had not been any cleansing of sins, because Jesus was not yet crucified; so the whole point of purification was not even part of the story; it was just what the Jews had made issue of because of the act of baptizing that was taking place, and that their practice was being challenged. 

  Jesus was showing respect and authority to John's work, while John was still working and doing what he was ordained to do; so it really wasn't a matter of Him taking over; which is John's the writer's note about him not yet in prison, because his ministry would soon be over; so to speak. In reality, nothing that God starts is ever really over! It will live on and on for ever more!

  This is Paul's point to his final message, as he declares that the Lord would deliver him from evil work, even though he knew that he was about to be executed. The work of Paul ministry goes on and on, even to this day! The evil work Paul was talking about was that which might stop good from coming through the death he was about to face. As Paul himself clearly states, "For we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose." (Romans 8:28)

  Hence, the two sides, evil and good, are the contrast of what we must be focused upon. On one side that which is evil, while the other, that which is good: Good will always win over evil, as GOD is GOOD! I hope we can try and learn to understand what that means, because there are so many evil things happening all around us, it is really hard to look for and anticipate the good! 

  Basically that is the springboard to what I believe we must take from John, the Writer's reason for this portion of his writings. In this is the workings of those, "All things that work together for good," even those things which might appear to be evil, because GOD makes all things GOOD! I know it seems like I might be a little off my rocker; but it will all make sense to everyone, once we are in Heaven.

  If you need a little nudge to get you to see things a little different, there is a quote from these three young Jewish guys, in the face of evil; which face, they did not even give any power to...

"Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter. If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up." (Daniel 3:16-18 KJV) 

"For What It's Worth"

 "And John also was baptizing in Aenon near to Salim, because there was much water there: and they came, and were baptized. For John was not yet cast into prison. Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying." (John 3:23-25 KJV) 

  "Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit. So he went and preached to the spirits in prison - those who disobeyed God long ago when God waited patiently while Noah was building his boat. Only eight people were saved from drowning in that terrible flood. And that water is a picture of baptism, which now saves you, not by removing dirt from your body, but as a response to God from a clean conscience. It is effective because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 3:18-21 NLT)

  Back to the basics, as they say, is what it takes to sometimes let time catch up with us, or us to catch up with time; either way, it always good to get back to the basic truth of what is what, and why. Maybe it is just me, but there seems to be several points made within these three verses about places and times and practices, that, if you pardon my expression, just don't add up. 

  First and foremost, there are three basic pieces of information that might help us to see this from the proper perspective: the writer's point of view, the time in which it was written, and the reason it was even part of the story. John, the Writer of this book, started his ministry, (if you don't mind me saying that,) as a disciple of John the Baptist. He had much respect in his heart for John's ministry, as it was John's testimony of Jesus, being The Lamb of God, that moved John, The Writer, to follow Jesus Christ.

  It has been said that the Gospel of John was the last of the Four Gospel's written; most likely that it was written around 70 A.D. towards the end of John's life, but before he was sent to Patmos. John's Gospel is different from the other three, as is was written, not so much to tell historical facts, but to ask the question, "What does His coming mean?" 

  All that said, it is vital to understand that this was written for a purpose, as it prepares us to conceive that rest of what John the Baptist is about to say! After all, John the Baptist is the one who's main purpose is, To Prepare the Way of the Lord! John the Writer has made every effort to not loose sight of that very important message...

"Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel." (Mark 1:14-15 KJV) 

"Pause to Reflect"

 "After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized." (John 3:22 KJV)

  "My days are like a shadow that declineth; and I am withered like grass. But thou, O LORD, shalt endure for ever; and thy remembrance unto all generations." (Psalms 102:11-12 KJV)

  Because this is the basic beginning of a ministry, this is what many might call, 'getting charged up,' which is a typical way of saying, preparing for what is going to come. In the case of almost any sort of ministry, the preparation for what is coming, cannot be complete without reflecting upon the mission. If we do not go into it with the right attitude, we are sure to mess things up! 

  If you know anything at all about giving a message, you will probably know that you are simply a vessel which is being used by God; you are the one saying the words, but God is actually the one speaking. At least that is what the mission is meant to be, for those who are sharing God's word. We need to be the least, He must be the Greater! That is the message we are to be focused upon and what we must live out! 

  I know that there are days when I really don't get things right; but it is this constant pushing forward that makes me sometimes miss the message. Sometimes we just need to sit still and listen! Do you know what I mean? I really want to get fed, but if I don't chew my food well enough, it just goes right through me and I miss out on a lot of the nutrients; let alone all the wonderful flavors. 

  Something to think about, if you are hoping for any message to speak into your heart...

"Dear brothers and sisters, not many of you should become teachers in the church, for we who teach will be judged more strictly. Indeed, we all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we would be perfect and could also control ourselves in every other way." (James 3:1-2 NLT) 

"John the Baptist Exalts Jesus"

"Then Jesus and his disciples left Jerusalem and went into the Judean countryside. Jesus spent some time there, baptizing people. At this time John the Baptist was baptizing at Aenon, near Salim, because there was plenty of water there; and people kept coming to him for baptism. (This was before John was thrown into prison.) A debate broke out between John's disciples and a certain Jew over ceremonial cleansing. So John's disciples came to him and said, "Rabbi, the man you met on the other side of the Jordan River, the one you identified as the Messiah, is also baptizing people. And everybody is going to him instead of coming to us." 

 "John replied, "No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven. You yourselves know how plainly I told you, 'I am not the Messiah. I am only here to prepare the way to him.' It is the bridegroom who marries the bride, and the best man is simply glad to stand with him and hear his vows. Therefore, I am filled with joy at his success. He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.

 "He has come from above and is greater than anyone else. We are of the earth, and we speak of earthly things, but he has come from heaven and is greater than anyone else. He testifies about what he has seen and heard, but how few believe what he tells them! Anyone who accepts his testimony can affirm that God is true. For he is sent by God. He speaks God's words, for God gives him the Spirit without limit. The Father loves his Son and has put everything into his hands. And anyone who believes in God's Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn't obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God's angry judgment."" (John 3:22-36 NLT) 

  "During the fourth year that Jehoiakim son of Josiah was king in Judah, the LORD gave this message to Jeremiah: "Get a scroll, and write down all my messages against Israel, Judah, and the other nations. Begin with the first message back in the days of Josiah, and write down every message, right up to the present time. Perhaps the people of Judah will repent when they hear again all the terrible things I have planned for them. Then I will be able to forgive their sins and wrongdoings."" (Jeremiah 36:1-3 NLT) 

  It is only because God loves us, that He takes His time before He judges us! As Peter so eloquently says, "The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent." (2 Peter 3:9 NLT) 

  So, here is the deal, from a laymen's point of view: Jesus gives a puff piece of God's amazing love, while John the Baptist gives a one-two punch, and an uppercut! You make of it what you want; I say that John's testimony does not pull any punches! He was blunt and to the point; making quite sure that anyone listening would know, there will be judgment, and God will not be nice! 

  Back to the final thought from yesterday, we have something to celebrate, you and I, because we are free from God's angry judgment! It is this celebration, that goes on and on inside of our hearts, that gives us a motivation and desire to do what God wants. As John says, "Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome." (1 John 5:3 NLT) 

  I know that we sometimes get overwhelmed and feel as though there is not enough time in our day; but truth be told, if we don't make the time for something, then that something gets no time! I have a new catch phrase for things like that, "Come on, man," and then you add whatever you want to that... 

"And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true; and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen." (1 John 5:20-21 KJV)  

"Full Disclosure!" -2

"But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be manifest, that they are wrought in God." (John 3:21 KJV)

  ""I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings."" (Jeremiah 17:10 KJV)

  Better off to be on God's side, than not! That is my observation, if you are asking; then again, if you want to try and find some other way, you are bound to find many different groups that you can join; but they will not be going in the right direction, if they are not following Jesus! 

  This word, "wrought," is pretty interesting, because it is a lot like the word commit, much like you might commit to do something, as exercising or work ethic; in other words, it requires doing something, but with the intention to make something or advance a certain outcome. The NLT uses the phase, "so others can see that they are doing what God wants." 

  If you will, we can take Abel's sacrifice as an example, because he was doing what God wanted; which caused Cain to notice. When we do outwardly that which pleases God, there are bound to be those that will be offended; but there will also be those that will be drawn towards the Lord by what we do. In the case of Abel's sacrifice, his was pleading forgiveness; while Cain's was asking for blessings. 

  To be totally frank, forgiveness is thousands times better than blessings! You do the math and figure that out on you own, because my math may actually be a little off! Besides that, when you are filled with joy, not because you might be given blessings, but because you have forgiveness, there is so much more to take notice of, as there is something more that others are missing. 

  We have something that is very valuable and only comes from one direction, Jesus Christ! There is really no other way to explain what really needs no explanation, just demonstration... 

"You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. How foolish! Can't you see that faith without good deeds is useless?" (James 2:19-20 NLT) 

"Full Disclosure!"

 "But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God." (John 3:21 KJV)

  "Seek the LORD while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the LORD that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously." (Isaiah 55:6-7 NLT)

  If there is any hope for recovery, it is found in God's wonderful mercy! We should come with a humble heart, which does not expect anything but mercy, hoping and yearning to be brought near to God. It is this way for those who first come to the cross, as it is for those that need to return to the foot of the cross! And yes, I said, return! 

  To be willing to lay down everything, might not seem hard to do, if you have lost everything; but to be willing to lay down everything while you are still doing well, there is almost always an issue with what you will do. Not that it matters, but if you trust Him in the little things, which matter little, you can surely trust Him in the big things, that matter much! 

  Besides, the things that matter most are the things of heaven; which are the things you cannot loose! I hope you know that, because it is made abundantly clear! Everything we can store up here, whether it is riches or fame, that is all temporary and will soon pass; but everything we store up in heaven, is there to stay, it never fades away! (Matthew 6:20) 

  I cannot begin to count the number of times I have revisited the cross; to throw myself down asking for forgiveness, pleading for God to cleanse me and wash me of my sins. What it actually needed? If you want to ask for mercy, then, yes it was! James tells us, "Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners, and purify your hearts, ye double-minded." (James 4:8) 

  This was not intended for those that are lost, but for those that need to be cleansed...

"O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; to see thy power and thy glory, so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary." (Psalms 63:1-2 KJV)

"The Condemnation"

"And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved." (John 3:19-20 KJV) 

  "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." (Romans 8:1 KJV)

  Every day of walking with the Lord brings new challenges that can cause us to either look towards His soon return, or to look back towards those things of the world. I am not talking about the wickedness in the world, I'm talking about the general cares, such as living and having a life. It is sometimes hard to find a balance between the two, because life goes on, but sooner or later we are going to be out of here! 

  I am sharing on this because there is a connection between what was once those things we lived for, and what is now the things we must live after. Some do it better than others, that is pretty obvious; but each of us that have been redeemed by the blood of Jesus, we should all be striving for and towards the Light. Even if it is a dark time in your life, if you are one that has been set free from the darkness, you should be drawn towards the Light. 

  If you are questioning my observation, it is justifiable and you should; we can try to hide in the shadows, but when the Holy Spirit is living inside you, you are never going to hide well enough! Basically, that is my point; once we have been set free from sin, sin will no longer have dominion over our lives. We might dabble in something, we might fall into some ugliness or be led astray; but having know what it is like to no longer be under condemnation, is something very hard to forget. 

  There is a very real and apparent difference between those that are children of the Light and those that are still living in darkness. For one, the ones that live in darkness cannot stand the Light, therefore they will not seek fellowship with those that are of the Light. The other very important fact, is that we are no longer our own, we are the property of Christ Jesus. 

  You can pretend that you have the wheel all you want to; but it is just not going to happen! Take my word for it, if you belong to Christ, you won't get to far on your own...

"Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God's laws, and it never will. That's why those who are under the control of their sinful nature can never please God." (Roman 8:5-8 NLT)  

"The Switch!" -2

 "The that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." (John 3:18 KJV)

  "Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory." (Romans 5:1-2 NLT)

  To be more to the point, this is not really something that we control; this switch I am referring to belongs to God, it is His doing because He is the only one that can condemn us. When He says we are no longer condemned, then He has the final word and the issue is settled! 'But wait just a minute,' you say, 'is it not any longer up to me what I believe?' 

  I have wrestled with this issue long enough, it has started to bore me when the enemy tries to bring accusations against me, as if he has somehow become the judge what I do or do not do. The things I might do, I have conviction over; and the things I do not do, I have regrets; I surely do not need to have one that hates me try to tear me down! There is a reason I do not deserve God's grace and mercy, that much I surely know! 

  Having said that, I need to make something abundantly clear: I believe that God has chosen me, I am not the one that choose Him; therefore, He has the control over my life, not I. Even if I tried to hide, He will find me; even if I try to run away, He will contain me; and even if I try to quit, He will not let me! This is what a loving Father does! 

  So judge all you want, that is what I have to say; because the One that holds me is my Judge! I hope you understand what I am trying to say, because it is really not an issue that never comes around again, because it does, over and over. But, this is something we call faith, because it does not present you with anything you can actually hold onto to, like the alter or a relic to continually run to when you feel doubt. No, the faith we must have, is knowing that He is holding firmly onto us! 

  Anywho, this is really quite simple and easy to understand. You were once condemned to eternal damnation in hell, He offered you salvation, you accepted His offer, and now you have been snatched from the fires of hell! He is not going to throw you back, because you have become His child, and now He is your Heavenly Father! 

  You know, when I was bad as child, I would get to pick the switch. A word of advice, the small ones hurt more than the bigger ones. Just saying...

"We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love." (Romans 5:3-5 NLT) 

"The Switch!"

"He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." (John 3:18 KJV)

  "For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands. Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree and instead the briar shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off." (Isaiah 55:12-13 KJV) 

  Herein is the difference in His name, because His name represents Life instead of death! Simply put, if you have eternal life in Christ Jesus, there is nothing that can take you down, destroy you, or make you not have the eternal life that you have been given! I know that might sound as if I am preaching Eternal Salvation; and if it does, it is because that's what it is, Eternal Life! 

  If you want to know the difference between those that have it and those that don't, it is simply that which they came to see! Did you come to Jesus so you would feel better about yourself? Did you come seeking a better and more comfortable life? Did you come to be happy and free from worries? Or, was it simply because you thought it would clean up your life? 

  All of these reasons are superficial and never last; at the first sign of conflict or distress, they are swept away and seemingly out of reach. Jesus Christ came to free us from condemnation that has nothing to do with this life, but from that which is to come. Which is why the cares of this life, no matter hard they might appear, are not worth walking away from the gift that we have been given. This life will soon be gone, it is the next life we are living for and most be after! 

  I know I talk a big game, but believe me, it is mostly talk. There is really nothing that I have to boast about, I just have hope in what comes after I am done with this earthly struggle. It is hard to keep from slipping back into sin; there are so many things we are tempted with, day after day, it takes a toll on us if we don't get washed daily, maybe even three or more times a day! But, you can really know what is real when the hurt gets real! That much I do know a little something about. 

  The difference is the Life! Did you come seeking Eternal Life! That is what His name represents; it's not about feeling the joy and happiness; but you will anyways! It's not about the peace that passes all understanding; but you will know what it feels like! It's not about loosing worry and fear; but you will not be worried or fear death anymore! And it is surely not about cleaning up life; but He will wash you as white as snow! 

  These are the perks that come with being saved, they are not the reasons for our salvation...

"Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. Against its will, all creation was subjected to God's curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God's children in glorious freedom from death and decay." (Romans 8:18-21 NLT)   

"Saved From the Curse"

"For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." (John 3:17 KJV) 

  "Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." (Isaiah 53:12 KJV)

  To all of us that know the story, it is sometimes easy for us to forget the tiny little detail about how we once were condemned and had no hope. It is going on 40 years, and it is hard for me to recall what it was like to not have hope; I might loose hope over some work related issue, or even over the health of my wife, but those are things that are attached to this world, so I learn to cope. 

  Because of what Jesus has done for us, we have hope for something greater than this life; this life that is still under the curse, but is no longer in control over us! I hope you understand that, because it is really a pretty big deal. You can still be affected by sickness and death, as we all must live through each passing day; but it no longer controls our outcome or our confidence in our salvation. 

  I know it is hard to deal with certain things, we all have pain and afflictions from time to time. Some might be hurting over the lose of a loved one, some might even feel pain from a personal sickness; but no matter what, we keep pressing towards that greater hope, that which sickness and death cannot alter or take away. Jesus did not die on that cross to free us from sickness and the pain of dying and death; He saved us from the curse of sin, that curse which God warned Adam about, spiritual death! 

  That is most likely why it is so hard to remember, being set free gives us a new outlook, an outlook that cannot familiarize itself with the bondage of being lost and without hope. Even if I try to think about what it was like, it has totally lost any strength it once had. Those He has set free, are free indeed...

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." (2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV)  

"The Love of God" - Too

"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." (John 3:16 KJV)

  "In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 John 4:9-10 KJV)

  In the case of those who honor their father's today, remember your Heavenly Father as well! This might be a day to celebrate our earthly father, if you know your who your earthly father is; but our Heavenly Father has given us the greatest life of all; something that no human father could ever do! Share what He has done for you, some way, today! 

  In this verse we have another little issue that set some of the Jewish Leaders off, that God so loved the world! It might not seem so much of a big deal to some, but to those that considered themselves to be God's special and anointed people, it was not what they had in mind, or could even conceive in their hearts. Matthew Henry says, "The Jews vainly conceited that the Messiah should be sent only in love to their nation, and to advance them upon the ruins of their neighbours; but Christ tells them that he came in love to the whole world, Gentiles as well as Jews, (1 John 2:2). 

  Having been raised to not really understand or know what this verse really meant, I had some real issues with knowing how much God really loved me. I was taught that God's love had to be earned, based upon our service and our performance to those of the upper class, so called Elders. If we were lacking in the way of righteousness, then we needed to perform more service, as a way to remove sins. If we were to receive any sort of persecution in our service, a whole multitude of sins were covered. 

  Basically, the whole point of the cross was made out to be ransom paid to allow us a way to earn eternal life; not exactly the same way it was intended by our Heavenly Father! This offer of eternal life is totally and completely based upon us believing upon His Son and the price that He paid for our sins, all of our sins! He did not die upon that cross to provide a way, He is the Way! We cannot have our sins forgiven any other way, but though Him! 

  Now, depending upon your point of view, you can probably understand my confusion when it came to making my choice to accept Jesus into my heart; but, in all honesty, there really was nothing to think about, it was just apparent to me that it has to be done. There was no second thinking on what I had just realized, the Word had been spoken into my heart, and the veil had been lifted! 

  I know you might be skeptical about what I am about to say, but I saw Jesus as clear as day in my mind and in my heart; and He was hanging on the cross! The message was given that Jesus Christ was the Creator of heaven and earth; I received that message loud and clear, for the very first time, that that Jesus who created everything there is, is the same Jesus that died for my sins! 

  You can take that for what you want; but in my opinion, there was no greater sacrifice that our Heavenly Father could have ever given, but His only begotten Son! He loves us so very much... 

"Yes, you who trust him recognize the honor God has given him. But for those who reject him, "The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone." And, "He is a stone that makes people stumble, the rock that makes them fall." They stumble because they do not obey God's word, and so they meet the fate that was planned for them. But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God's very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he has called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. "Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God's people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God's mercy."" (1 Peter 2:7-10 NLT) 

"The Love of God"

 "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." (John 3:16 KJV)

  "Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand." (Isaiah 53:10 KJV)

  Didn't see it coming, but it was bound to happen sooner or later! That is the primary reaction I would imagine taking place inside the heart of a man that came seeking answers: his heart was just ripped wide open! Have you ever wondered why this verse is so well known and is displayed all over the world? Well, it is basically the summary of the Book: if there could be one Scripture to pull from the entire Bible that could sum up the message God is wanting to share, it would be this verse regarding His Love! 

  As I have said before, not many people realize that Jesus is the one speaking. I know that I was not aware of this fact, not until I became His; then it became abundantly clear, and it broke my heart! If you can, try to imagine the sequence and the pattern of thought going on in the mind of Nicodemus; as he has just processed the illustration of the bronze serpent lifted up, for life to be given; related the lifting up of the Son of man, again, given for life; and now he is crushed by this! 

  It might be hard to imagine, seeing we hardly know how it feels to be living by the Law of God. I mean, it is really not all that well practiced by many of those in the world; and those that do practice keeping it, really seldom even understand what it represents. But here was a man that lived it, studied it, and made it the governing part of his life.

  Not sure if that might have helped; but just in case you need more assistance: The image that was in his heart of who God really was, was drastically changed in an instant! I know it might not seem as much, but the whole entire reality of his life was just changed, by the realty of God's love! We maybe cannot see it, because the majority of us have not lived out most of lives trying to please God by the way we live our lives. 

  Why was Jesus such a threat to the Jewish Leaders? Why did they hate Him so much? Big news to them, but news they did not care to accept as truth; as a matter of fact, they refused to accept it, making it an opposing view to what was really in their hearts. Basically, Jesus was speaking earthly things, things that cut right to the heart; things that Nicodemus could easily understand and know; because the Scriptures he had studied all of his life, had told him so! 

  We cannot conform to the Law; we must be transformed...

"Those who are trying to force you to be circumcised want to look good to others. They don't want to be persecuted for teaching that the cross of Christ alone can save. And even those who advocate circumcision don't keep the whole law themselves. They only want you to be circumcised so they can boast about it and claim you as their disciple. As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world's interest in me has also died. It doesn't matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation." (Galatians 6:12-15 NLT)

"Quintessential Exaltation" -2

 "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life." (John 3:14-15 KJV) 

  "And this is the record, that God hath given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life." (1 John 5:11-12 KJV)

  Just about now, I am wondering what was going on in Nicodemus' mind. Was he considering the value of that serpent's meaning, and how it was conditional upon life to those that had been bitten? Did it dawn on him that he was in need of eternal life, or did he claim to already have it? Or, did he finally see the truth, and realize that he was set to perish? These are not unusual questions, as they have a very familiar tone to anyone that might be pondering where they stand in the path to eternity. 

  That is, of course, you might even believe that there is an eternity. Yes or no? If you believe that it is so, then these are very important questions to ponder; if you do not, then you might feel more at liberty to live life as if there is no tomorrow. Ask me how I know that, and I will tell you it is not that hard to do! There was a short period of my life, about six years, when I pretended God did not exist, and I lived life as if it just didn't matter. 

  Not that I am proud of that, because I am not; but I do know that it is easy to loose sight of what really should matter. I say that with a very serious heart; we all can fall into a place where we forget what really matters, giving ourselves the chance to do things we usually would never do. Just be careful, that is about the best advice I can give! Peter makes this very clear, saying, "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." (1 Peter 5:8 KJV)

  Don't think for a minute Peter is only saying sober means not to drink alcohol; because it basically means to be discreet, which means to be careful not to cause offense; something, it just so happens, we usually will loose sight of when we are a little bit drunk. I'm just saying! Why am I talking about this, and how is it even part of the story? 

  Believe it or not, but there is nothing more important than what you believe! So, when you look, it really matters what you are looking for! Nicodemus knew the story; he knew that the people weren't looking to see a bronze serpent on a pole: they were looking to be healed, to stay alive! It meant that much to them, if it matters that they might live, to do all that they could do, to look... 

"A woman in the crowd had suffered for twelve years with constant bleeding, and she could find no cure. Coming up behind Jesus, she touched the fringe of his robe. Immediately, the bleeding stopped. "Who touched me?" Jesus asked. Everyone denied it, and Peter said, "Master, this whole crowd is pressing up against you." But Jesus said, "Someone deliberately touched me, for I felt healing power go out from me." When the woman realized that she could not stay hidden, she began to tremble and fell to her knees in front of him. The whole crowd heard her explain why she had touched him and that she had been immediately healed. "Daughter," he said to her, "your faith has made you well. Go in peace."" (Luke 8:43-48 NLT) 

"Quintessential Exaltation"

"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life." (John 3:14-15 KJV) 

  "Then the LORD told him, "Make a replica of a poisonous snake and attach it to a pole. All who are bitten will live if they simply look at it!" So Moses make a snake out of bronze and attached it to a pole. Than anyone who was bitten by a snake could look at the bronze snake and be healed!" (Numbers 21:8-9 NLT) 

  Where to start this, is almost too much; the 'Swirling Eddies' are moving around so fast and so numerous, I can barely capture any, to make any sense of all of this information. Maybe it should begin with the serpent? That creepy thing that had shown up in the garden, as a subtle thing, to tempt and deceive and cause death; and with what did it use as a way to introduce disobedience? A LOOK! 

  Maybe it does not make any sense as to why or what for; but it should not come to any surprise, If looks could kill, maybe looks can also restore! In this is so many similarities, it is hard to gather them into some sort of order or sequence. The serpent was an agent of the cause of death; it was so in the garden, as he deceived Eve, thereby causing her to eat of that which looked good for her to eat; and it was in the wilderness, as there were serpents causing death to the children of Israel, for their rebellion and looking back towards Egypt. 

  Examining the model, the snake upon the pole; it is not something that was just put together, as if you mold the bronze as a piece of clay; before it could be molding into anything, it needed to be melted! It is a little hard to look upon, once you have understood what went into the modification and design. The people that looked upon it saw the finished product, but that did not tell the whole story of what made it worth looking at, or why it would even matter if they did. 

  Besides all of that, this was about something simple also; as complex as it might have appeared, it was simple to understand what to do: Look upon it and live! What is so hard about that? If only there was an additional element to what was being asked of them, like taking a bite out of the bronze serpent; maybe then it might have made better sense. At least then they might have experienced some of what went into making it a meaningful object to look upon; just maybe! 

  Then again, if you really want to know, Eve had pretty much already taken a bite of that forbidden fruit, before that serpent even showed up; he just helped her taste what she had already imagined...

"You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born a human being. When he appeared in human form, he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminals death on a cross. Therefore, God elevated him to the place of honor and gave him a name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:5-11 NLT) 

"Instrumentality" -To

"And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven." (John 3:13 KJV) 

  "Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can't see - such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together. Christ is also the head of the church, which is his body. He is the beginning, supreme over all who rise from the dead. So he is first in everything. For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ's blood on the cross." (Colossians 1:15-20 NLT)

  So, it has been said, 'You can't be in two places at once,' well, maybe we can't, but Christ can! Some of the hardest things to comprehend, we simply need to just accept as things too big for us to see or realize. The term, 'It's above my pay-grade,' is probably the best and simplest way to answer, just in case you are asked. 

  That said, there are things we don't need to know, but that does not mean we do not accept then as the truth! There are currently thousands of things we do not completely understand or know how it works, but we still use them and believe that they will work. I have found, in my frustration, that a technical touch will work most of the time; if it doesn't work as it should, give it a good slap, and it will get the point. 

  In all seriousness, this is basically the whole point! What God had to do, what He needed to do, He did because He loves us so so much! Does the end justify the means? Not to get real out of line, but most of all the Prophecies that God puts forth, they are not brain teasers with answers; they are word for word, exactly what will happen! 

  We might not know the answers to many things, or even anything; but in the realm of knowing God, who knows everything and anything, we are asked to follow Him: What's there to know but that...

"As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving." (Colossians 2:6-7 KJV)  

"Instrumentality"

 "And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven." (John 3:13 KJV)

  ""This command I am giving you today is not too difficult for you to understand, and it is not beyond your reach. It is not kept in heaven, so distant that you must ask, 'Who will go up to heaven and bring it down so we can hear it and obey?' It is not kept beyond the sea, so far away that you must ask, 'Who will cross the sea to bring it to us so we can hear it and obey?' No, the message is very close at hand; it is on your lips and in your heart so that you can obey it."" (Deuteronomy 30:11-14 NLT)

  Not that it needs to be explained, but the whole meaning of continuity is that it is unbroken. If you are looking for the Truth, you will discover that it has that principle secured to it, as it does not leap or skip around in all sorts of directions, jumping from one speculation to the next; which is the property involved with lies. Lies cannot flow from one fact to another, they cannot pull that off, because they are lies! 

  Interesting stuff; but what do we see happening before us today? I would caution you to not try and take the first definition you get for the word, instrumentality, as it will most likely send you into orbit or into the cosmos; at the very least, you might get tangled up in language or the structure of sentences; probably a good topic for me to look into. 

  Basically, it refers to, in this setting, "as the fact or quality of serving as an instrument or means to an end." Or, if you so choose, the WAY!!! Thee Instrument! If you want to know why Doctor Chuck was so interested in that movie, The Thirteenth Floor, then this verse might have something to do with that. Just a little observation. 

  Which makes me wonder, How is it possible for Jesus to be in two places at once? What might be the properties involved in the ability to be here, there, and everywhere? I might need to stop, so I don't get too overwhelmed by trying to think outside the box. But if the Way is the one and only way, then the Way must contain some sort of unmovable properties...

"The Scriptures tell us, "The first man, Adam, became a living person. But the last Adam - that is, Christ - is a life-giving Spirit. What comes first is the natural body, then the spiritual body comes later. Adam, the first man, was made from the dust of the earth, while Christ, the second man, came from heaven. Earthly people and like the earthly man, and heavenly people are like the heavenly man. Just as we are now like the earthly man, we will someday be like the heavenly man. What I am saying, dear brothers and sisters, is that our physical bodies cannot inherit the Kingdom of God. These dying bodies cannot inherit what will last forever." (1 Corinthians 15:45-50 NLT)  

"Continuity" -2

 "Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?" (John 3:10-12 KJV)

  "When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: when he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: when he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; rejoicing in the habitable of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men." (Proverbs 8:27-31 KJV) 

  As to the question presented yesterday, I would hope that many of you would have answered yes, with great joy in your hearts. I personally have no concern for myself, as I know where I shall be once this body is dead; but those I daily prayer for to be saved, they need that same assurance. I would gladly take their place in the tribulation, for it is just a pause to me, but eternity for them. 

  Anywho, today I believe there is something afoot in this land, something that might be striking a blow to the people sitting on the fence, as it were, not quite sure if this is real or not! Because of the way Jesus is speaking, We, as He presents the truth to Nicodemus, He presents several different options as to who We is that He is referring to. Not that it will make much difference to those on the other side of the fence; but for those that haven't quite made up their minds, this could cause a change in normal things. 

  First and foremost, when Jesus says, "We speak that we do know," it is not speculation, it is Truth! I know that there are some who scoff at that, as if there is nothing here to see; but if you a going to be putting your life on the line for anything at all, you had better make sure that it is Truth! If you don't imagine it is that serious, then you have not yet experienced the Truth! 

  Secondly, the whole point of the We, is that Jesus has a connection with the Father; as He was and always has been, even now in this meeting with Nicodemus, He still is! Again, I know that there are scoffers who will deny that is so; but if you are the least bit interested in the Truth, then you need to take a second look. Jesus clarifies His statement, by adding, "and testify that we have seen." 

  I am quite aware of the simplicity of what this means, it is all too obvious to be ignored; but if you are the least bit interested in what is coming next, then you must consider the Truth! It basically all comes down to a very simple conclusion: "And ye receive not our witness." Striking blow, especially to one that might be sitting on the fence! 

  If you did not understand what was said, then you are either okay, or not okay; but if you got the message, you are in between the two and need a little push...

"This second epistle, beloved, I now write to you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: that ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished: but the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men." (2 Peter 3:1-7 KJV) 

"Continuity"

 "Jesus answered and said unto him, Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest not these things? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?" (John 3:10-12 KJV)

  ""Before the birth pains even begin, Jerusalem gives birth to a son. Who has ever seen anything as strange as this? Who ever heard of such a thing? Has a nation ever been born in a single day? Has a country ever come forth in a mere moment? But by the time Jerusalem's birth pains begin, her children will be born. Would I ever bring this nation to the point of birth and then not delivery it?" asks the LORD. "No! I would never keep this nation from being born," says your God." (Isaiah 66:7-9 NLT) 

  Personally, I look for the Lord to come for His bride at any moment; just to be ready, is my prayer and my hope! Even with that, if I could trade my readiness for some of those for whom I pray for, I would gladly go through the mess ahead, just to make sure they were safe and secure. Wouldn't you? 

  As I was thinking about this section of God's word, it dawned on me that Jesus was pressing into a part of Nicodemus that is very dear to my own heart; it is about connecting the dots! Seriously! We that have tasted and have seen the truth, should be more connected to the power source, that which is able to be powerful enough to change even the most stubborn life. 

  I know I might be on shaky ground here; but there are limits we place on how much change we really want God to have in our lives; and those same limits are the reasons that God's power is limited upon and in our lives. To be straight to the point: Nicodemus was a leader of Israel, the nation of Israel: meaning, the worldly version of Israel, which is that of this world! 

  The picture is really quite simple: we have been saved to show forth a certain power, one that can change the dead to life, the blind to sight, the lame to walk, and those in bondage to be set free; yet, we seldom welcome that same power to change ourselves; we do that by placing limits on the amount of change God will do in our lives. Nicodemus was a teacher of God's law, yet did not have God's law written upon his own heart. 

  In the interest of time, which I have so little of, here is a little quote from Matthew Henry in regard to what Jesus was asking of Nicodemus: "This word is a reproof, [1.] To those who undertake to teach others yet are ignorant and unskillful in the word of righteousness themselves. [2.] To those that spend their time in learning and teaching notions and ceremonies in religion, niceties and criticisms in the scripture, and neglect that which is practical and tends to reform the heart and life." 

  Connecting the dots, is far different, when you are not a dot yourself...

"Who may worship in your sanctuary, LORD? Who may enter your presence on your holy hill? Those who lead blameless lives and do what is right, speaking the truth from sincere hearts. Those who refuse to gossip or harm their neighbors or speak evil of their friends. Those who despise flagrant sinners, and honor the faithful followers of the LORD, and keep their promises even when it hurts. Those who lend money without charging interest, and who cannot be bribed to lie about the innocent. Such people will stand firm forever." (Psalm 15 NLT) 

"Unintelligible" - Too

 "Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?" (John 3:9 KJV)

  "But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." (Proverbs 4:18 KJV)

  You do realize that these are the last words recorded that night from Nicodemus, right? As far as we know, he could have been left speechless after what Jesus says next; after all, he came just to know about Jesus, but he left, knowing more about himself than he ever had known or realized before. Call it an awakening, if you like that term; in reality, it is more about death, as in, dying to himself! 

  As for this word, Unintelligible, which I took from Matthew Henry's commentary; it basically means that something is impossible to understand. Make of that what you will, but if you have ever tried to explain to anyone the peace, joy, or hope you have from knowing Jesus Christ and having Him living within your heart, then you might have experienced the blank stare you received from the friend you were sharing with. They simply could not understand; most likely, you were freaking them out. 

  Be completely assured, you did not make a mistake! You must share what God has done in you, even if they do not understand! We can't explain it, because it cannot be understood; it is impossible to be understood! But rest assured, you planted a seed; someone else will water that seed; and someone else will harvest that plant which grows, all based upon your testimony! 

  Don't ask how, it is not our doing, nor is it our responsibility to change a persons heart. We are only a messenger, we share a message; whether that is a verbal message, or one that is lived out by out actions, we must live out Christ. Actually, actions count more than words; because if you are saying all the right things, but you are living differently, then your words will hardly count. Just a little FYI. 

  To be perfectly clear, without the work of the Holy Spirit upon our heart, we cannot even begin to understand what we need, let alone, that Jesus is able to give it! Oddly enough, it is the Father that gives those to the Son. How that actually works, I don't think anyone actually can give you the exact answer. But, if you really are searching for truth, the Father knows your heart, even better than you.

  Maybe, just maybe, all Three, Father, Son, and Spirit, work together as One. The Father sees your heart, the Son knocks upon your heart, and the Spirit softens your heart; the rest is all up to you! Then again, it's all unintelligible...

"Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them." (Ezekiel 36:25-27 KJV)  

"Unintelligible"

 "Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?" (John 3:9 KJV)

  "And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and the crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them." (Isaiah 42:16 KJV) 

  For the sake of time, I will say that Nicodemus is being very sincere in his answer to what Jesus has just told him; as a matter of fact, he is so sincere, he is doing that which Jesus has just instructed him to do, and he is marveling at what Jesus said. If you don't know what that means, it means that he is trying to picture it in the things he is familiar with, instead of allowing the words Jesus has said, to mean exactly what Jesus has said; Period! 

  Don't tell me you don't know what I am talking about, because we all know we have done it ourselves. Someone might tell you to do something, using a way you have never known before, and you just don't understand it, because it is not how you know it to work. A great example of that is giving tithes, when you don't have tithes to give. Duh! Where does that money you hold in your hand come from? 

  Anywho, this is a very good illustration of something we don't understand, being something we cause to stop us from understanding; wondering how it works, does not make it work! If we could imagine all the things we see as impossible, seemingly become possible by our own design, nothing would become of anything, until it was put to the test. That is exactly what God means when He says, "Prove me," as He is asking us to step out and see that what He says is true! (Malachi 3:10) 

  It is not as if Nicodemus did not want to know the truth, because he was very interested in wanting to understand what Jesus was trying to say. His way of thinking was not going to make him see what he could not see; he needed to change his way of thinking in order to comprehend what Jesus was telling him. Something I feel is common to just about every disagreement we have among each other! 

  Not that we cannot figure out how to agree, because we can agree to disagree; but we cannot stand being wrong about what we believe. Just ask God to open the eyes of your heart, to place love into the conversation; then it will all make perfect sense! Matthew Henry says, "Thus many profess to admit the doctrine of Christ in general, and yet will neither believe the truths of Christianity nor submit to the laws of it further than they please. Christ shall be their teacher, provided they may choose their lesson." 

  I truly believe this is something we all deal with in some way and on so many levels...

"I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he has called - his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance." (Ephesians 1:18 NLT) 

"The Spirit" - Too

 "Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit." (John 3:7-8 KJV) 

  "I will praise three; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well." (Psalms 139:14 KJV)

  One of the things I remember best about my new birth, was how much I could easily reference the key Scriptures that spoke about the Lord Jesus Christ and His Deity. It was by far the most telling proof of the Holy Spirit living inside me, as this was almost a natural feature, one that could hardly be explained any other way. 

  I know I shared this before, but I spent several weeks on putting together a Cross-Word puzzle; one which had all of the questions about who Christ was and is, leaving all the unmarked squares in the shape of the name JESUS going a both across and down the page, crossing at the letter 'S' in the shape of a cross. Not that I ever had it published or anything, but it was a fun little thing to pass around to my fellow inmates. 

  Because we have all been given some sort of a gift, whatever that gift might be, we must use it to the very best of our ability. Not that we are able on our own, because it is God that is working in us; but we are able to move, one way or another, we move as a vessel of the Lord's! This is just another way of how we look at what Jesus is speaking about; we have become a messenger of the Gospel; however that works out into your life, that depends on your ability to be used; as in, Are you Able! 

  I know, that seems a little strange and odd, like what did Able do to represent being a messenger of the Gospel? He did what was right and what pleased God! It also upset his brother Cain, because Cain did not choose to do right; which caused Cain to become jealous and hate his brother Able. This is what it is like to be a messenger of the Gospel: you are not going to be liked by those who do not agree with what you show or tell them, even if it is just by your actions. 

  The main point to everything that I am trying to say, is that God starts and finishes the work within us; sometimes with or without us even knowing He is working! We might not even know that we are doing something in His Name, but just being a vessel, we are His messengers, in one way or another...

"For this is the message that ye have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And why wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous. Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you. We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death." (1 John 3:11-14 KJV) 

"The Spirit"

 "Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where is listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit." (John 3:7-8 KJV) 

  "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55:8-9 KJV)

  As to touching the surface of what Jesus is trying to explain to Nicodemus, it is both easy and hard to comprehend; easy, because it involves faith; hard, because you can't see it, you live it! That is pretty much the simplest way to say it. You cannot understand or comprehend how the Holy Spirit works within you, until you are born again and the Holy Spirit is living within you. 

  Not everyone will experience the same power, but there is also no variation of His power; it just works differently in peoples lives. Some might be changed in some way, others will be drawn into a whole new life; but regardless of how drastic or subtle, there is always the same message and direction that the Holy Spirit will take, to lift up the name of Jesus Christ! 

  Maybe it might seem hard for some to get that message. It would appear that some do not, as I have been familiar with the reaction of people that think differently, as if it is more important to focus upon the works of the Holy Spirit, than it is to focus upon Jesus Christ. Some even go as far as classifying the gifts as proof of salvation, as if, if you do not speak in tongues, then you do not have the Spirit living in you. 

  You would think that there is enough clarification of how that works, as Paul went through much of a to-do to make that perfectly clear: Tongues do not prove anything, except they are a gift, not thee gift! To be quite frank, the true gift of the Holy Spirit is love! Something we need more and more of; something that we so easily misplace and hardly remember from where it comes! 

  That is pretty much how the winds blow: you can hear it, but don't know or understand from where it comes, or to where it goes; but it is always doing the same exact thing: pushing and pulling love...

"Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance." (1 Corinthians 13:4-7 NLT)  

"ENTER" -2

 "Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." (John 3:5-6 KJV)

  "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature." (Galatians 6:15 KJV)

  Something is missing! Can you feel it in the air? If we could only see the spiritual battle that is warring all around us, we might be more about praying and less about trying to make do. Not that it comes to any surprise to anyone, but I imagine it is only going to get worse, not better. Having said that, I know the way things are going to end up, so you will have no complaints, just observations. 

  Basically, it all comes down to earthen vessels; no matter how many times a man might be able to be reborn from his mother, he will still remain flesh! God formed man from the dust of the ground, and then breathed His Spirit into him; that same Spirit which was breathed into man, became a living soul. When man sinned, the soul did not die, but the spiritual part of it did, thereby making it an earthly vessel, in lieu of the spiritual vessel in had once been created. 

  Man's soul does not die! Just because the spiritual connection to God has been broken, the initial birth that God created, the living soul, continues on and on; it is breathed into life by the breath of the Eternal God, therefore it became an eternal being. Don't look for that it be explained to anyone in our public school system, because it will not! 

  Now then, for the seeker in us, those that really like to look for Good News: that same application that is shown above, the eternal soul created by the breath of God, it applies to the New Birth also! Don't look for that in many of your current religions, because it has somehow been left outside of those walls, and therefore, they bind up people with man's traditions. 

  That which is born of the Spirit is spirit! The new birth that takes place is the work of God! Only God can undo something that He has done; so you can try, if you are able, and I am pretty sure you are not, because once God has created something that is eternal, it is pretty much done...

"All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. New we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance - an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see." (1 Peter 1:3-5 NLT)

"ENTER"

 "Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." (John 3:5-6 KJV)

  "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Corinthians 2:14 KJV)

  That is a pretty big word, "Except," as it indicates the surety of the situation. For those that might think they can earn their way into heaven, surely it does not work that way: You must be born again! If that might appear to direct and one-sided, it really is; and it is for pretty good reason! Jesus died for our sins, primarily, the sin from the beginning of Adam and beyond: All sin!

  Let that sink in a little bit, because there is pretty much a lot of stuff to digest in that statement. As it is, we have absolutely no control over the sinfulness in our lives; we can manage it and rule over it, as if that will do anything but mask over it, because it is what we are born into: we are all sinners! If anyone thinks that they are not, then they are just fooling themselves and do not understand or know the truth.

  That said, Jesus' death was what destroyed the power of sin over us; that power involved death, which was the disconnect between us and God. In other words, we were born spiritually separated from God! Now, I know that there are some who don't still understand what was just said, because that is just the way it is; but being born apart from God, at least in laymen's terms, is really not all that fixable! I mean, there are those that might give it a try; they might work really really hard at it, maybe trying all sorts of ways; even build a rocket and try to reach God up in heaven; to no avail! 

  Basically, it all comes down to God's plan! It is His way only, because His way is the only way that actually works! We have something wrong with us, seriously wrong with this vessel we call a body. As much a mankind might try to fix it, it is not something that mankind can fix! We have not the Spirit of God living in us, unless we get born anew in the Spirit; and that is only available through Jesus Christ! 

  I'm sorry if that sounds too direct and it doesn't satisfy any opposition you might have towards Jesus being the only way. But I did not make the rule, so if you have a problem with it, then you should really talk to the One in charge. A little word of warning: Don't come wanting to know, as if you are trying to prove a point; but come needing to know, because you are concerned about your salvation...

"Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for be the law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe; for there is no difference: for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God;" (Romans 3:20-23 KJV)

"Inquiring Mind"

 "Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?" (John 3:4 KJV)

  "Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he must trust in the flesh, I more: circumcised the eight day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ." (Philippians 3:4-7 KJV)

  Some might assume that Nic was mocking Jesus, as if he was trying to be sarcastic by questioning with such a crazy response, as a grown man entering into his mother's womb, to be born a second time. But in defense of Nic, I truly believe, based upon the response we shall see, that he was simply inquiring about what Jesus might have meant. After all, this is a man that is seeking answers.

  Better yet, I truly believe that Nicodemus was prompted to go to Jesus by the Holy Spirit; therefore, it is also safe to assume, Jesus knew firsthand why Nicodemus came; and, that Jesus was eager and willing to enter into this conversation. For the most part, Jesus always knew when He was being setup or tricked into providing answers, especially by the Pharisees; so it is also safe to assume, Jesus was being totally and completely open with Nicodemus. 

  Besides that! This is the Holy Word of God! Do you understand what that means? This is a divine appointment that is Divinely administered by God! This is not just about Nicodemus, this is about the impact of this encounter through all eternity! How many people have surrendered their lives to Christ based upon hearing or reading this portion of Scripture; it is impossible to determine: only God knows! 

  Based upon the fact that we know what we know, a single salvation can cause a splash, rippling into thousands of addition splashes, let alone, the impact made from the very first splash! This is that splash! And, there is a difference between Enquire and Inquire; one wants to know; the other needs to know...

"No one can know a person's thoughts except that person's own spirit, and no one can know God's thoughts except God's own Spirit. And we have received God's Spirit (not the world's spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit's words to explain spiritual truths. But people who aren't spiritual can't receive these truths from God's Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can't understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others. For, "Who can know the LORD'S thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?" But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ." (1 Corinthians 2:11-16 NLT) 

"SEE" -2

"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3 KJV)

  "Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom." (Matthew 16:28 KJV) 

  See, unlike other senses, is and can be deceiving; not everyone sees the same thing, even though they might look at the same thing together, there will be those who might not agree on the explanation of what they just saw. If you want to consider what Jesus was actually taking about, then you really need to take the whole chapter into the conversation; as it was, Jesus was on a role speaking about the things men see and do not see. 

  He starts out talking about, Understanding the Times, after the Sadducees came tempting Him to show Him a sign. Then He speaks about, The Leaven of the Pharisees; which His disciples assume is because they brought no bread for the trip; which He corrects them about the miracle of the feeding the thousands with just a few loaves. It was not about the bread; it was about doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees; which has everything to do with how they see God, God's law, and how we are to see God's love! 

  And then, Jesus asked His disciples, "Whom do men say that I, the Son of man, am?" Which got many different answers; so He asked them again, saying, "But whom say ye that I am?" Which got the answer from Peter that many of us know: "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the Living God." After which Jesus spoke to Peter about building His church upon "this" rock; which is seen to mean many different things to a whole lot of different people. 

  But, if you really want to get right down to it, the main ingredient in the subject of seeing, is when Jesus explains how He must go to Jerusalem, suffer many things, be killed, and then be raised again the third day; after which, Peter takes Him aside and rebukes Him for what He just said. Jesus then refers to Peter as Satan, saying his perception is way off, because his affections he is focused more upon the things of men, then being focused upon the things of God. 

  I find that rather interesting, because many believe and understand that Satan rebelled against God because of God's creation of mankind. Making what Jesus says next very interesting, as He speaks of how we must take up our cross, follow Him, die to ourselves, not exchange our souls for this world, and the coming of His Kingdom. All of which are based on and involve perception; or, if you are more incline: How your heart sees! 

  In a nutshell, this is the point of being born again: if you are born again, as a child of God, then you will live for and be drawn towards the things that are of God; not because you are told those are the things you should do, but because the Holy Spirit within you is assisting your heart-sight, to see the Kingdom of God. Believe it or not, the Kingdom of God is all around you, it is living in you, and His Kingdom has no end...

"If it seems we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our right minds, it is for your benefit. Either way, Christ's love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we all died to our old life. He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them. So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! This means that anyone we belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!" (2 Corinthians 5:13-17 NLT)

"SEE"

 "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." (John 3:3 KJV)

  "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures." (James 1:17-18 KJV)

  The focus of this verse, to be born again, is pretty much the whole point to what the church is about; if there is no New Life, then there is no church. It is not that we cannot begin to understand what is being taught, or discover any truth in that which is written; because the world is full of people that know the truth, it is basically head knowledge, which is pretty much useful in teaching and instructing, but does nothing for establishing a relationship with God. 

  That is most of the problem with religion and living a life that is based upon merit; you are presented with a thought of being basically good, therefore there is no hint of brokenness and a desire to be made right with God. Many false religions hand out false hope and assurances, the likes of which, are usually attached to that particular body; but none of which are attached to the Head, which is Jesus Christ! The real awakening that must take place in us, starts in our heart, not in our head!

  Maybe that was too bold and to the point; but it is the simplest way to say what I believe needs to be said. Believing is the primary result of what happens in a heart that is changed, not that you observe the change, but that you feel the change; as if a mighty weight has been lifted and you have been set free from guilt! Not sure if you realize that or not, but it is your heart that applies the pressure to your brain when you are feeling remorse or guilt in your life; your guilt and remorse can apply so much pressure, than you can hardly even think! 

  Maybe that is just how I feel, as with most other things, I am usually not right, just weird and always stepping out of bounds! But seriously, the center of what needs to be changed in us is our heart! We cannot do that; we cannot even know our own heart, let alone try to change it; but He can change it in an instant! As soon as we open our heart to let Him in, He instantly goes to work, making us new. Every thing about what is new is because of Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

  Not to change the subject on you, but I heard a odd one yesterday, as someone called in to say that they saw some preacher of YouTube saying that Jesus was a liar, which he based upon the saying of Jesus in Matthew 16:27-28. What the heck! Apparently that man cannot see the Kingdom of God...

"Now, I say, That the heir, as long as he is a child, differeth nothing from a servant, though he be lord of all; but is under tutors and governors until the time appointed of the father. Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: but when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them which were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ." (Galatians 4:1-7 KJV) 

"SEEK"

 "There was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: the same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him." (John 3:1-2 KJV) 

  ""Seek the LORD while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near. Let the wicked change their ways and banish the very thought of doing wrong. Let them turn to the LORD that he may have mercy on them. Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously."" (Isaiah 55:6-7 NLT)

  Several different opinions are presented on why Nicodemus came to Jesus at night; the most popular one, being that he wanted to stay unseen, as if he did not want anyone to see that he was interested in knowing who Jesus really was. Personally, I have something else to add to that, as it might be that he could not sleep, and needed to know why Jesus was sent from God. 

  It is apparent by the word, by, as apposed to the word, at, that night was the time in which he choose to come; but there was something that he needed to know; something had drawn him out to seek an answer for something that was picking at his heart. Then again, there is also that chance he was sent, as he uses the term, we, to introduce his inquiry and reason for being there. 

  Seriously, we need to understand something about who this man is: he is a Pharisee, a ruler of the Jews; he is not the kind of person that will admit that he needs anything or lacks any spiritual instruction or improvements. Most frequently, those that are religious leaders, really don't make it a point of claiming that they are lacking in the area of their expertise. Something that you really don't want to be known among your fellow Pharisees. 

  Simply put, this is no different than what you might say when you need an answer, but don't want to make your question about you: you make it in general or use the excuse of a friend needs to know. But, if it makes you feel any better, I would not be surprised that there were many others that wanted to know who Jesus was, and what He was sent for; because this was pricking at their hearts.

  Before we move any further, the main question that needs to be cleared up, is the motivation for seeking an answer: was it to be enlightened, to satisfy a curiosity; or was it possibly to try and get some further evidence against Jesus, other that just the fact that He said He could raise up the Temple in three days. With that, the answer to that question, I believe, will be found in the reply.

  There is such a thing as divine appointments: which is where one is prompted to seek after, while another is waiting for the seeker to show up. This is prompted by the Spirit of God! It is usually a window of opportunity where the heart is ready to receive, and the Spirit of God is speaking; in the midst of the conversation, there is confirmation...

"This is the message we have heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts." (1 John 1:5-10 NLT) 

  

"Nic at Night"

 "There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. "Rabbi," he said, "we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you." Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God." "What do you mean?" exclaimed Nicodemus. "How can an old man go back into his mother's womb and be born again?" Jesus replied, "I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don't be surprised when I say, 'You must be born again.' The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can't tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can't explain how people are born of the Spirit." "How are these things possible?" Nicodemus asked. 

 "Jesus replied, "You are a respected Jewish teacher, and yet you don't understand these things? I assure you, we tell you what we know and have seen, and yet you won't believe our testimony. But if you don't believe me when I tell you about earthly things, how can you possibly believe if I tell you about heavenly things? No one has ever gone into heaven and returned. But the Son of Man has come down from heaven. And as Moses lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in him will have eternal live. For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

 "There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God's one and only Son. And the judgment is based on this fact: God's light came into the world, but people loved darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants."" (John 3:1-21 NLT)

  So, there is the message! Apparently Nicodemus was left speechless and didn't know how to reply. But, you have to admit, what Jesus said was more than he wanted to hear! He can seeking answers to who Jesus was; he ended up get the truth to what was needed to have New Life: Surrender!

  Basically that is what we must do, as hard as it is to comprehend, we must surrender our life to Jesus Christ, every last bit of it! I know it sounds as though it involves a huge sacrifice; but the sacrifice has already been completed on the cross. God does not require anymore sacrifice for sin, because Jesus paid the price for every sin. It is obedience that God is looking for, and Jesus gave us New Life that we might walk in that, being obedient is doing what God wants...

""Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life. I will make an everlasting covenant with you. I will give you all the unfailing love I promised to David. See how I used him to display my power among the peoples. I made him a leader among the nations. You also will command nations you do not know, and peoples unknown to you will come running to obey, because I, the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, have made you glorious."" (Isaiah 55:3-5 NLT) 

"He Knows Our Hearts"

"But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because he knew all men, and needed not that any should testify of man; for he knew what was in man." (John 2:24-25 KJV) 

  "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings." (Jeremiah 17:9-10 KJV.)

  If you have not been following this blog for very long, you might not have been with me when I was going through the Psalms; several years, and many tears; mornings that were stretching me, and turning me inside and out. It was quite an experience; yet within those many days, it was surprising to me how many times the heart was the center of the message. There is something special about the heart: it is the center of what we really are; it is the place of passions, emotions, the human spirit, and where God shows up! 

  Was it always the way that it is; or did we loose something at the fall? In all of my days of walking with the Lord, I have discovered that His Spirit is what makes us be the person God created us to be; without His Spirit within us, we are lost souls, aimlessly trying to get the most out of life; when all along, it is the Spirit of God living in us that makes our lives complete. So yes, the fall separated man's spirit from God's Spirit; within the actions of that one man, Adam, who became spiritually dead by sin, all that followed Adam were born into sin, and therefore had been spiritually separated from God.

  This is why Jesus needed none to testify of man, because He knew full well what was in man's heart; or better yet, He knew what it was that was missing! What's more critical and complex than just that, if you read the verse carefully, Jeremiah 17:10, you have got to understand that man's wickedness goes on and on, way on into the future. 

  Going forward into this next chapter, it is probably one of the most talked about portions of Scripture in the entire Bible. Most people have seen John 3:16 at one time or another in their lives; many of those people have actually read it, and some have even memorized it. Not many people that have seen it or even read it, know that those words are the words of Jesus Christ. 

  Not to make a big deal about something that should already be well understood, but if He, the One to whom it is referring to, is also the One that is speaking, referring to Himself, then guess what that means! Please pay close attention; (I am speaking to myself!)...

"For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God." (Ephesians 3:14-19 KJV)