Tag Archives: John 1:11-13

What Does God Expect??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #492

21 Wednesday Oct 2026

Posted by in 'Come unto me, God Knows, God Knows His Own, God of all comfort!, Jesus IS The Gift!, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Jesus Never Fails, Jesus Saves, Jesus SinLESS Son of God

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What Does God Expect??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #492

 

Jesus makes it very clear that to know Him and follow Him, I must die to myself and be ready to live for Him, through His Holy Spirit, and walk the narrow path that leads to life, as my Lord directs my steps; but it requires the new birth! (See Matthew 7:13-14)

“Saying,

The Son of man must suffer many things,

and be rejected of the elders

and chief priests and scribes,

and be slain,

and be raised the third day.

23 And he said to them all,

If any man will come after me,

let him deny himself,

and take up his cross daily,

and follow me.

24 For whosoever will save his life

shall lose it:

but whosoever will lose his life for my sake,

the same shall save it.

25 For what is a man advantaged,

if he gain the whole world,

and lose himself,

or be cast away?”  Luke 9:22-25

Paul reiterated this very thought in his letter to the Galatian believers—not seeking to live a successful life on my own before the world–but being yielded to Jesus in my life, my all! This can only be done when we are enabled to live the “crucified” life—dying to self each day, and living unto Jesus; walking by faith and the direction of His Holy Spirit in all our ways.  Not easy but remember, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me…”!  Only by being born again of the Spirit of God!  Living the new birth on display before a lost and dying world in need of a Savior!

“I am crucified with Christ:

nevertheless I live;

yet not I,

but Christ liveth in me:

and the life which I now live in the flesh

I live by the faith of the Son of God,

who loved me,

and gave himself for me.”  Galatians 2:20

The Apostle John explained this in his Gospel.

“He came unto his own,

and his own received him not.

12 But as many as received him,

to them gave he power

to become the sons of God,

even to them that believe on his name:

13 Which were born,

not of blood,

nor of the will of the flesh,

nor of the will of man,

but of God.”  John 1:11-13

Jesus—what God gives to meet His own expectations; His very Son to die for my sin and yours, if we’ll but repent of our sin, in trust and believing in Jesus’ substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for sin—my sin; receiving the new birth, becoming “sons of God”!

God also spoke through His prophet Micah, with an amazing picture of the character of God, which Jesus came to replicate in us; not just keeping ten commandments, or ever the Law of Moses, but having His Spirit within us as His reborn, adopted children.  How about you, have you been to Calvary and received this new birth?  I pray that you have!

“Wherewith shall I come before the LORD,

and bow myself before the high God?

shall I come before him with burnt offerings,

with calves of a year old?

7 Will the LORD be pleased

with thousands of rams,

or with ten thousands of rivers of oil?

shall I give my firstborn for my transgression,

the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?

8 He hath shewed thee, O man,

what is good;

and what doth the LORD require of thee,

but to do justly,

and to love mercy,

and to walk humbly

with thy God?”  Micah 6:6-8

I’ll close with Paul’s great contrast between the works of this flesh and the fruit of The Spirit (not something we work up, but the produce of the very presence of God within us!)! It’s all of, from, and unto God.

“For who hath known the mind of the Lord?

or who hath been his counsellor?

35 Or who hath first given to him,

and it shall be recompensed unto him again?

36 For of him,

and through him,

and to him,

are all things:

to whom be glory for ever. Amen.”   Romans 11:34-36

Paul also reminded the Galatian believers that it’s all about God’s work, not ours! HIS grace, mercy and the payment for our sin! (And note there is no ‘s’ in “fruit”!)

“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these;

Adultery, fornication, uncleanness,

lasciviousness, 20 Idolatry, witchcraft,

hatred, variance, emulations,

wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

21 Envyings, murders, drunkenness,

revellings, and such like:

of the which I tell you before,

as I have also told you in time past,

that they which do such things

shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is

love, joy, peace,

longsuffering, gentleness, goodness,

faith, 23 Meekness, temperance:

against such there is no law.

24 And they that are Christ’s

have crucified the flesh

with the affections and lusts.

25 If we live in the Spirit,

 let us also walk in the Spirit.”  Galatians 5:19-25

All this because of Jesus’ work of redemption on the cross.

“For he hath made him to be sin for us,

who knew no sin;

that we might be made the righteousness of God

in him.”  2 Corinthians 5:21

Where are your steps leading?  It’s your choice but choose wisely there is a test.

Amen and Amen!!!

If I Be Lifted Up??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #460

17 Wednesday Jun 2026

Posted by in 'Come unto me, I Know Whom I Have Beleived, If I be lifted up---, Jesus Saves!, Jesus' Sacrifice, Jesus--our all in all

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If I Be Lifted Up??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #460

Today I want us to consider a simple statement of Jesus, that I think we often misunderstand and perhaps even misuse.  It is part of one of the most important passages that John recorded for us in his gospel.  I pray that this will be a       help and an encouragement to each of us.

“There was a man of the Pharisees,

named Nicodemus,

a ruler of the Jews:

2 The same came to Jesus by night,

and said unto him,

Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher

come from God:

for no man can do these miracles

that thou doest,

except God be with him.

3 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.

4 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?

5 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.

6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh;

and that which is born of the Spirit

is spirit.

7 Marvel not that I said unto thee,

Ye must be born again.

 8 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 3:1-8

Jesus had a visitor from the Pharisees; note that they were the main ones persecuting and rejecting Jesus, and yet this leader of the Jews came to question Jesus and yet couldn’t comprehend what Jesus was trying to tell him.  While Nicodemus called Jesus, Rabbi, and then he acknowledged that Jesus was a “teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him”; yet with all of this he didn’t understand what Jesus was trying to teach him.

Let’s work our way through it and see if we can understand?  In verse 3 Jesus tells him that being “born again” is a prerequisite to even seeing the Kingdom of God, much less entering it.  But Nicodemus was thinking in the natural realm, not the supernatural, he wanted to know how a man could enter into the womb and be born naturally again.  Jesus explained that spiritual things were what He was talking about—how like us so often, we want physical answers to spiritual questions, and Jesus is so often trying to tell us deeper spiritual things; are we being as obtuse as Nicodemus or are we willing to hear the message.  Jesus wants us to see that what is “born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit”. Jesus wanted Nicodemus and us to understand that the new birth was that which only God could give, and that only through the coming sacrifice of Jesus at Calvary.  It’s what John was referring to in chapter 1 of his gospel.

“He came unto his own,

and his own received him not.

12 But as many as received him,

to them gave he power

to become the sons of God,

even to them that believe on his name:

13 Which were born,

not of blood,

nor of the will of the flesh,

nor of the will of man,

but of God.”  John 1:11-13

The new birth is a work of God in those who respond to the convicting power of the Holy Spirit.  Jesus refers to another important point in John 6:

“No man can come to me,

except the Father

which hath sent me draw him:

and I will raise him up at the last day.”  John 6:44

What I want us to understand is that Jesus was telling Nicodemus He was, is and ever shall be, “the way, the truth, and the life”!  And the verses that precedes our flagship of the gospel, John 3:16-19, is the one I want us to focus on, along with the parallel verse from John 12.

“And as Moses lifted up the serpent

in the wilderness,

even so must the Son of man be lifted up:

15 That whosoever believeth in him

should not perish,

but have eternal life.”  John 3:14-15

This is what Jesus wanted both Nicodemus and us to understand that HE was come to pay for sin for all who will look unto Him in repentance and faith in His coming (at that point) sacrifice at Calvary.  So when Jesus was talking about being “lifted up”, He wasn’t referring to us lifting up His name before the world, but HIS own lifting up on the cross.  Let’s see how this fits with what He says in chapter 12.

“Now is the judgment of this world:

now shall the prince of this world be cast out.

32 And I,

if I be lifted up from the earth,

will draw all men unto me.

33 This he said,

signifying what death he should die.”   John 12:31-33

So when Jesus says “if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me”, He isn’t calling us to lift Him up (although we are called to share the gospel of His “lifting up” as we have opportunity) but to share the truth that HIS lifting up was going to be the payment for sin, and the giving of eternal life to all who believe!

So, will we hear the word of the Lord, and let it speak truth to our hearts, or be like Nicodemus and miss the message He is trying to speak to our hearts (although Nicodemus did come to Jesus eventually…See John 19:38-40)?  It’s your choice, but choose wisely, there is a test.

Amen and Amen!!!

Any Evidence??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #456

02 Tuesday Jun 2026

Posted by in 'Come unto me, Don't let regrets rule your today, Enabler or Transformer?, Encouragement, Examine Myself?, Except The Lord build the house..., Giving or Getting, Living by Faith or Entertainment?, Living For Jesus, Living Right, Looking Unto Jesus, Looking up Or around?

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Any Evidence?? A Word from THE WORD!!! #456

Just a brief (hopefully) word this morning, as I would like us to consider our lives; are we living for the Jesus we claim to know!  Yet, just claiming to know Jesus isn’t what it’s all about!  It is about being born again by the Spirit of God through repentance of our sin (yes, my own sin) and believing/trusting in Jesus’ substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for sin, yours and mine; all of it—big or small, open or hidden, acceptable by man or not, anything that comes short of the glory of God is sin!  Scripture is replete with reminders of that truth!

“For all have sinned,

and come short of the glory of God;” Romans 3:23

“But now being made free from sin,

and become servants to God,

ye have your fruit unto holiness,

and the end everlasting life.

23 For the wages of sin

is death;

but the gift of God

is eternal life

through Jesus Christ our Lord.”   Romans 6:22-23

John’s gospel reminds us that it’s a work of God not man!  No man can save you except the God/Man/Savior Jesus Christ The Lord, through the work of conviction of sin from the Holy Spirit, and receiving the blood of Jesus as payment for, and cover of our sin!

“He came unto his own,

and his own received him not.

12 But as many as received him,

to them gave he power

to become the sons of God,

even to them that believe on his name:

13 Which were born,

not of blood,

nor of the will of the flesh,

nor of the will of man,

but of God.”  John 1:11-13

It’s all about Jesus and what He came to do for all who will believe and receive the completed work of HIS payment for sin at Calvary!  My point is that when we receive Jesus’ salvation for sin, it ought to be visible to the world.

“Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind,

be sober,

and hope to the end

for the grace that is to be brought

unto you

at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

14 As obedient children,

not fashioning yourselves

according to the former lusts

in your ignorance:

15 But as he which hath called you is holy,

so be ye holy

in all manner of conversation;

16 Because it is written,

Be ye holy;

for I am holy.”  1 Peter 1:13-15

May our lives be an honor to our Lord Jesus and a testimony to the world of His transforming grace.  Paul says it better than I could. (And just FYI, conversation above refers to lifestyle not just our speech!)

“I beseech you therefore, brethren,

by the mercies of God,

that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice,

holy,

acceptable unto God,

which is your reasonable service.

2 And be not conformed to this world:

but be ye transformed

by the renewing of your mind,

that ye may prove

what is that good,

and acceptable,

and perfect,

will of God.

3 For I say, through the grace given unto me,

to every man that is among you,

not to think of himself more highly

than he ought to think;

but to think soberly,

according as God

hath dealt to every man

the measure of faith.” Romans 12:1-3

So, in closing, let’s determine to be the evidence to a lost and dying world that Jesus can and does save, deliver and transform lives.  He saves us “from “sin not “in” it!  Let’s stand up for Jesus today, and each day that God gives us.

“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus

the Lord,

so walk ye in him:

7 Rooted and built up in him,

and stablished in the faith,

as ye have been taught,

abounding therein

with thanksgiving.”  Colossians 2:6-7 

Amen and Amen!!!

Only Sinners Need Saving??? A Word from THE WORD!!! #442

05 Thursday Feb 2026

Posted by in 'Come unto me, A Call To Look Unto Jesus!, A Form of godliness?, Building on The Rock or The Sand?, Building up or Tearing down?, Following Jesus, Forgiveness, JESUS, Jesus call, Jesus is able, Jesus IS Lord--bow before Him!, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Jesus Knows YOUR Storm, Jesus Saves!, Jesus SinLESS Son of God, Jesus' Sacrifice, Kneeling Prevents Stumbling!

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Only Sinners Need Saving? A Word from THE WORD!!! #442

I have a few things to share this morning, but they are things I believe to be imperative; and while this may be a strange title, I think it apropos in the day in which live where every person is doing “that which seems right in his/her own eyes”! (See Judges 21:25). Only when we see our need as sinners will we see our need for Jesus’ substitutionary, atoning sacrifice for “sin” to save us!  So I want to share what scripture tells us, and I pray that this will help someone today to see the need for the blessed Savior who changed my life, and He will change yours today if you will but bow before Him. (See Philippians 2:5-11)

“Giving thanks unto the Father,

which hath made us meet

to be partakers

of the inheritance of the saints in light:

13 Who hath delivered us

from the power of darkness,

and hath translated us

into the kingdom of his dear Son:

14 In whom we have redemption

through his blood,

even the forgiveness of sins:”              Colossians 1:12-14

Jesus saves, delivers and forgives all who come to Him in repentance and faith in His sacrifice for our sin; it’s what He came to do!

“And she shall bring forth a son,

and thou shalt call his name JESUS:

for he shall save his people

from their sins.”  Matthew 1:21

Jesus can save us because He came, the Son of God, to be the Lamb spotless before God because He had no sin!

Therefore He could pay for my sin and yours, and He did!

“For we have not an high priest

which cannot be touched

with the feeling of our infirmities;

but was in all points tempted like as we are,

yet without sin.”  Hebrews 4:15

Jesus paid for sin, but without coming to Him in repentance and faith in His substitutionary, atoning sacrifice, there is no salvation.  It is the Gospel which the apostles preached; the one which we are called to share today also, and Jesus made it clear that repentance (turning from our sin to the Savior!) was necessary.

“3 I tell you, Nay:

but, except ye repent,

ye shall all likewise perish…

5 I tell you, Nay:

but, except ye repent,

ye shall all likewise perish.” Luke 13:3 & 5

And the word preached after Pentecost.

“Then Peter, filled with the Holy Ghost,

said unto them,

Ye rulers of the people,

and elders of Israel,

9 If we this day be examined

of the good deed done to the impotent man,

by what means he is made whole;

10 Be it known unto you all,

and to all the people of Israel,

that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth,

whom ye crucified,

whom God raised from the dead,

even by him doth this man stand

here before you whole.

11 This is the stone

which was set at nought of you builders,

which is become the head of the corner.

12 Neither is there salvation in any other:

for there is none other name

under heaven given among men,

whereby we must be saved.

13 Now when they saw the boldness

of Peter and John,

and perceived that they were

unlearned and ignorant men,

they marvelled;

and they took knowledge of them,

 that they had been with Jesus.”   Acts 4:8-13

All I can say is Amen and Amen!  But I would like to share a few more insights with you before I finish!  Jesus made it very clear that just “saying so doesn’t make it so”!  As He told Nicodemus in John chapter 3, we must see our need for salvation and repent and receive Jesus’ salvation to be born again!  If you haven’t heard the voice of the blessed Holy Spirit speaking conviction of sin to your heart, you might want to check out what you think saved you.  I’ll simply close with a few passages, the first about Jesus, the other the powerful words of Jesus to “the many” who claim His name but don’t do HIS will!  It’s your choice but choose wisely there is a test.

“He came unto his own,

and his own received him not.

12 But as many as received him,

to them gave he power

to become the sons of God,

even to them that believe on his name:

13 Which were born,

not of blood,

nor of the will of the flesh,

nor of the will of man,

but of God.”  John 1:11-13

And a passage from Jesus’ sermon on the mount.

“Not every one that saith unto me,

Lord, Lord,

shall enter into the kingdom of heaven;

but he that doeth the will

of my Father which is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me in that day,

Lord, Lord,

have we not prophesied in thy name?

and in thy name have cast out devils?

and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them,

 I never knew you:

depart from me,

ye that work iniquity.”  Matthew 7:21-23

Jesus gave an example of this powerful insight in a passage that many write off to a children’s song; but it is one of the most powerful truths of scripture.  Only one way—Jesus!  Only on foundation—Jesus!  Because the foundation matters?  Where/what is your foundation?  You won’t be judged on how you look, but who you have trusted with your soul!

“Therefore whosoever

heareth these sayings of mine,

and doeth them,

I will liken him unto a wise man,

which built his house upon a rock:

25 And the rain descended,

and the floods came,

and the winds blew,

and beat upon that house;

and it fell not:

for it was founded upon a rock.

26 And every one that

heareth these sayings of mine,

and doeth them not,

shall be likened unto a foolish man,

which built his house upon the sand:

27 And the rain descended,

and the floods came,

and the winds blew,

and beat upon that house;

and it fell:

and great was the fall of it.”  Matthew 7:24-27

Remember, circumstances come upon us all—the good, the bad, the smooth and the difficult, the happy and the sad; it’s not the circumstances that make a difference, but the foundation.  What’s your house built upon—Jesus never fails and I can boldly say Amen to that, for He has never failed me!!

Amen and Amen!!!

The Slide (The Children’s Sin)?? A Word from THE WORD!!! #403

09 Sunday Nov 2025

Posted by in 'Come unto me, Inside out or Outside In?, Iron Sharpening Iron, Iron Sharpens Iron, Jesus Built A Bridge, Jesus IN You!, Jesus is able, Jesus IS Lord--bow before Him!, Jesus IS The Gift!, Jesus Is The Only Way!, Jesus Is Truth, Jesus IS Truth!!!, Jesus Knows YOUR Storm, Jesus lives today!, Tried by FIRE!, Troubles, True Gospel, Trusting Jesus?, Truth, Truth is True, Try yourselves, Weeping Tears., Well Done Thou good and faithful servant!

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The Slide (The Children’s Sin)?? A Word from THE WORD!!! #403

“There was a man of the Pharisees,

named Nicodemus,

a ruler of the Jews:

2 The same came to Jesus by night,

and said unto him,

Rabbi, we know that thou art

a teacher come from God:

for no man can do these miracles

that thou doest,

except God be with him.

3 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 3:1-3

I love this third chapter of the Gospel of John; it is so plain yet profound; we have a teacher/Pharisee coming to Jesus to find out who He was!  While he came by night (possibly due to fear of the other Jewish leaders) he clearly wanted to understand more about Jesus; and while Nicodemus seemed to start off with flattery, Jesus cut right to the chase, as he told this religious leader that “except a man be born again” he couldn’t even “see the kingdom of God”!  Now this seems kind of redundant to us, who have heard this phrase for years, Nicodemus was taken aback and asked the most basic of questions.

“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?

5 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.

6 That which is born of the flesh

is flesh;

and that which is born of the Spirit

is spirit.

7 Marvel not that I said unto thee,

Ye must be born again.

8 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 3:4-8

When we go back to John chapter 1, we can understand what Jesus is saying about the Spirit—it’s essential.

“He came unto his own,

and his own received him not.

12 But as many as received him,

to them gave he power

to become the sons of God,

even to them that believe on his name:

13 Which were born,

not of blood,

nor of the will of the flesh,

nor of the will of man,

but of God.”  John 1:11-13

The Apostle John is telling us that this “Word” who came from God came to save us—to give us this new birth!  And what does John do but tell us what the new birth is!  It is being “born… of God”; even as Jesus clarifies in John chapter 3 three times in verses 5-8.  We are born of the flesh of our parents, while to be born again is to be born “of God”—being “born of the Spirit”!  My thoughts for today call us to examine our choices; especially as parents and as children of God.  When we are born “of the Spirit” we are born into the family of God, and we are, as Paul describes “new creatures” in Jesus; and as “new creatures” we are called to walk in God’s ways not the world’s!  But the thing I want us to especially consider, is, when we fail to teach and lead our children in the ways of God, and they choose the sin of the world, what will we do!  Are we going to placate them and accept their sin, condoning their sin, or are we going to hold the truth in high regard, no matter who may disagree—even our family and others whom we love?

“Therefore if any man be in Christ,

he is a new creature:

old things are passed away;

behold, all things are become new.

18 And all things are of God,

who hath reconciled us to himself

by Jesus Christ,

and hath given to us the ministry

of reconciliation;

19 To wit,

that God was in Christ,

reconciling the world unto himself,

not imputing their trespasses unto them;

and hath committed unto us

the word of reconciliation.

20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ,

as though God did beseech you by us:

we pray you in Christ’s stead,

be ye reconciled to God.

21 For he hath made him to be sin for us,

who knew no sin;

that we might be made the righteousness of God

in him.”  2 Corinthians 5:17-21

When we are “born again” we become new creatures (creations) “in Christ”, we are to see things from God’s perspective, His Word’s truth and “withstand in the evil day”; yet so often we seem to be doing ok, until the slide comes!  What do I mean? Well, I mean much like the slide we used to help our children play on when they were small, we are now purporting the same mentality for our grown children who choose ways, life choices and behaviors that have gone down the slide of immorality, ungodliness, and deviance!  Yet, we won’t take a stand and call them to repentance, we just seem to “go along, to get along”!  We are called to be holy before our God, and the world—and that includes our children who get caught up in the worldliness of sin!  I have seen this time and time again, parents don’t want to “lose” the relationship, yet they are willing to take the chance that their approval will bring about change—or some just don’t care anymore!  They just want to be in “good graces” regardless of what they have to accept to do that!  My question is, if we are willing to accept any sin, to maintain the “connection” what kind of good are we doing?  Are we sending our loved ones to hell with our “approval”, or are we willing to call them to repentance and life-changing salvation that is only in Jesus?  The world may sell them a bill-of-goods but are we doing the same thing when we fail to call them to repent unto salvation—life-transforming, saving faith in Jesus!  As Paul tells us above, Jesus exchanges our sin (by His blood) for His righteousness; what an amazing exchange!  Let’s go back to John and see what else Jesus told Nicodemus about salvation—the most important subject we can ever discuss.

“Nicodemus answered and said unto him,

How can these things be?

10 Jesus answered and said unto him,

Art thou a master of Israel,

and knowest not these things?

11 Verily, verily, I say unto thee,

We speak that we do know,

and testify that we have seen;

and ye receive not our witness.

12 If I have told you earthly things,

and ye believe not,

how shall ye believe,

if I tell you of heavenly things?

13 And no man hath ascended up to heaven,

but he that came down from heaven,

even the Son of man which is in heaven.

14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent

in the wilderness,

even so must the Son of man

be lifted up:

15 That whosoever believeth in him

should not perish,

but have eternal life.

16 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 3:10-16

Jesus goes on to tell Nicodemus that he ought to understand the spiritual things that Jesus was sharing with Him; then He went on to reveal to Nicodemus that He came to be the deliverer of salvation to all who would believe in Him (and know that His lifting up was referring to Calvary’s payment for sin—His blood shed when he would be lifted up on the cross!).

And while that is all part of God’s amazing grace, there is more that I want us to see in the following verses in John 6.

“For God sent not his Son into the world

to condemn the world;

but that the world through him

might be saved.

18 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.

19 And this is the condemnation,

that light is come into the world,

and men loved darkness rather than light,

because their deeds were evil.

20 For every one that doeth evil

hateth the light,

neither cometh to the light,

lest his deeds should be reproved.

21 But he that doeth truth

cometh to the light,

that his deeds may be made manifest,

that they are wrought in God.”  John 3:17-21

Are your loved ones walking in sin and refusing to repent—Jesus makes it clear that there is a delineation between right and wrong, between sin and righteousness, between a broken and contrite heart and a heart full of pride and confidence in sin rather than God!  A perfect picture of that is found at the cross!  Two thieves worthy of the death sentence they had earned, and Jesus the pure and sinless Lamb of God all nailed to their respective crosses.  One thief continued to rail on Jesus to take them down supernaturally, the other came to realize that Jesus was the not guilty one, and he called on Jesus in repentance and faith in who this One on this middle cross was and asked to be with Him in His kingdom.

“And one of the malefactors which were hanged

railed on him, saying,

If thou be Christ,

save thyself and us.

40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying,

Dost not thou fear God,

seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

41 And we indeed justly;

for we receive the due reward of our deeds:

but this man hath done nothing amiss.

42 And he said unto Jesus,

Lord, remember me

when thou comest into thy kingdom.

43 And Jesus said unto him,

Verily I say unto thee,

To day shalt thou be with me

in paradise.”  Luke 23:39-43

One man who only wanted deliverance from his just penalty, the other one who repented of his rejection of Jesus and asked to be with Jesus in salvation!  And Jesus assured him that salvation was his!  So, friends, my question is especially for we parents; are we willing to hold our children to the truth of God’s Word, or will we cave to keep them close to us?  Always we need to cover it all in prayer and speaking the truth in love—God’s truth in God’s love.  The Gospel is the only hope that our children have, or any one, either in or out of our circle of loved ones?

Are we willing to place God’s standard at the head of our lives?  Or are we too fearful of standing fast and the cost of taking a stand with the ones we love?  Are we willing to give them the Gospel from a heart of love and assurance.

“For this cause we also, since the day we heard it,

do not cease to pray for you,

and to desire that ye might be filled

with the knowledge of his will

in all wisdom

and spiritual understanding;

10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord

unto all pleasing,

being fruitful in every good work,

and increasing in the knowledge of God;

11 Strengthened with all might,

according to his glorious power,

unto all patience and longsuffering

with joyfulness;

12 Giving thanks unto the Father,

which hath made us meet

to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints

in light:

13 Who hath delivered us

from the power of darkness,

and hath translated us

into the kingdom of his dear Son:

14 In whom we have redemption

through his blood,

even the forgiveness of sins:”   Colossians 1:9-14

If we belong to Jesus, the prayer and desire of our heart ought to be the salvation of all those whom we know and love; and that includes calling them to repent of sin and come to Jesus in abandon of sin and faith in His saving grace.  Paul gives us an amazing picture which I call “the gospel in a nutshell”!  I pray that we will share it boldly and with a heart of compassion.

“For I delivered unto you first of all

that which I also received,

how that Christ died for our sins

according to the scriptures;

4 And that he was buried,

and that he rose again the third day

according to the scriptures:

5 And that he was seen of Cephas,

then of the twelve:” 1 Corinthians 15:3-5

And one last declaration of Jesus.

“3 I tell you, Nay:

but, except ye repent,

ye shall all likewise perish…

5 I tell you, Nay:

but, except ye repent,

ye shall all likewise perish.”  Luke 13:3 & 5

Amen and Amen!!!