Born of God

How are individuals made alive spiritually?

Jesus said, “I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3 NET).

The Bible teaches us that we become a child of God only through the new birth. Those who believe on Jesus Christ become God’s children. “As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe on His name, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12-13).

By whose authority do we become the children of God? “As many as received Him, to them He gave the right . . .” It is the authority of Jesus Christ. Those who believe on Him have the right to become the children of God.

It is clearly not a physical birth, but a spiritual birth that is in mind, and it is something that is received by the person who believes in Him (1 Pet. 1:23). The initiative in the new birth is with God.

Without Christ we are spiritually dead in trespasses and sin (Eph. 2:1-3). Every individual must be born again because the natural man is altogether void of spiritual life. We need divine life, and that is what God provides through the new birth.

“He who believes in the Son has eternal life” (John 3:36, 16). He has it right now (1 John 5:13). Clearly the individual who believes on Him receives God’s kind of life (6:40). It is the teaching throughout the New Testament (Eph. 2:8-9; Rom. 10:9-10).

The biblical doctrine of the new birth takes all the glory and initiative away from man and gives it all to God the Father. He alone is responsible for our salvation; therefore, He alone gets all the glory. He creates the new spiritual life within us and causes us to believe on Christ. God chooses to give us eternal life (1 Jn. 3:1; Eph. 1:5; Jas. 1:18; 1 Pet. 1:23).

We become a child of God when God gives us His life. It is an act of God. We receive that life the moment we believe on Christ. It comes from God and is received only on the basis of God’s grace. Those who believe become God’s children. Only by receiving Christ do we gain the right to become a child of God.

How do we not become a child of God? There is absolutely nothing that man can do to contribute to his spiritual birth. This is made very clear in John 1:13, “who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.” No amount of human activity, religious cultivation, or moral teaching can change the essential nature of man. Therefore, it is imperative that man’s deepest need is to be born again.

In the Jewish mind “blood” is equivalent to human life. Spiritual birth cannot come about as a result of any human process or achievement. Man is not by nature a child of God. We are by nature sinners. No human agency can achieve the new birth. All human effort is powerless and superficial in regard to spiritual life. There is nothing in our human nature or character that can bring about a spiritual birth.

“Born of the water and the Spirit” does not refer to baptism regeneration (John 3:5). From the context “water” here is referring to the water bag broken at physical birth of a baby. Water here is symbolic of a spiritual birth. From other passages of Scripture we learn that baptism is in no wise essential to salvation. It does not form one of the conditions which God requires the sinner to meet. If baptism were necessary then man would be saved by his works.

The Bible teaches we are saved by grace through faith in Christ and not of works. It is the free gift of God. “What must I do to be saved?” The Bible says “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you shall be saved” (Acts 16:31).

The Holy Spirit uses the Word of God to bring about regeneration (1 Pet. 1:23). No sinner is born spiritually apart from the Word. The “children” are those who believe on Christ. Men are God’s sons only as they respond to what He does for them in Christ. They are born into God’s family when they receive His Word.

The new birth is an absolute miracle. All human initiative and effort is ruled out. Men are “born of God.” There is no other way to become a child of God. It is the work of the Holy Spirit within the person. It is life in Christ and is divine in origin. The whole emphasis in this verse and in John chapter three is the activity of the Spirit of God, not human effort, works or merits by demanding the sinner to be “born again.” He excludes any possibility of human effort in salvation.

The word “believing” and “receiving” refer to the same operation of the Holy Spirit when a person ceases trusting in his own human merits and trust in Christ Jesus alone for salvation.

Are you enjoying the things of God, spiritual things, which are discerned and enjoyed by spiritual regeneration? Are you enjoying the privileges of being a child of God? In order to have spiritual discernment we must be born again (1 Cor. 2:10, 14).

The Holy Spirit gives us a new spiritual nature. When He gives us this new nature we are “born again” (2 Pet. 1:4). It is an act of God.

Because of this new birth the individual is a changed person who loves the things he once hated, and hates the things he once loved. A radical change takes place in the heart of the believer.  “Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new thing have come” (2 Cor. 5:17). The NET Bible reads, “So then, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; what is old has passed away–look, what is new has come!”

SELAH! Pause – reflect- just think of that!

Message by Wil Pounds (c) 2006

Anyone is free to use this material and distribute it, but it may not be sold under any circumstances whatsoever without the author’s written consent.

A Prayer for Caregivers

May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. Romans 15:5 The Holy Bible, The New Living Translation

Prayer: My Beloved Jehovah Jireth (Genesis 22:14 The LORD Shall Provide) , I humbly beseech You to bless me this day with abundance provision of patience.

Every days calling upon my body, mind and spirit are great.

Patience is a virtue which only You can pour out upon me as rain is poured out upon the parched land.

No matter the difficult task nor the wearing of my patience by those in my care please bless me with Your Divine patience.

Every day the load placed upon the caretakers shoulder is heavy and demanding. It can only be accomplished by Your Divine patience, wisdom, peace and strength.

I believe You will bless me all that is required to excel at these demanding tasks this day, but especially with patience.

May I be as patient with those in my care this day as You are with me every day.

I humbly beseech You and thank You for granting my petition in the name of He who excelled in patience with His disciples Jesus Christ. Amen

This photo and article @ Joseph- Anthony a son of Jehovah 2022

Adopted Children of God

The term “Son of God” refers preeminently to Jesus Christ’s deity (Matt. 11:25-27; 16:16-17). He alone is one in substance and glory with God the Father. Believers in Christ, although “adopted” are never on a par with the uncreated, divine Son of God.

“Adoption” is the term the apostle Paul uses to describe the act of the Holy Spirit whereby the believing sinner becomes a member of God’s family, with all the privileges and obligations of family members.

We were “children of wrath” by nature (Eph. 2:3). However, those upon whom God bestows His saving grace become the “children of God.”

The word adoption in the New Testament means to place as an adult son. It was a term used in the Roman legal practice in the apostle Paul’s day referring to a legal action by which a person takes into his family a child not his own, with the purpose of treating him as and giving him all the privileges of an own son. An adopted child was legally entitled to all rights and privileges of a natural-born child. Paul uses it as an illustration of the act of God giving a believing sinner, who is not His natural child, a position as His adult son in His family. The emphasis is on the legal position of the child of God.

It is the Holy Spirit who is called “the Spirit of adoption” who performs the act of placing the believing sinner as an adult into the family of God. “For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, ‘Abba! Father!’” (Rom. 8:15)

The adopted child lost all rights and privileges in his old family and gained all the rights of a legitimate son in his new family. He got a new father, and he became the heir to his new father’s estate. He became co-heir with the other sons. In the eyes of the law the old life was completely wiped out. All debts were completely cancelled. He was absolutely the son of his new father. It was carried out in the presence of seven witnesses.

What a glorious privilege is ours to be the absolute possession of the Father! We have already as believers in Christ been placed in the family of God and are led by the Holy Spirit as the adult sons of God. The apostle John describes our experience as God’s children who have been born into His family by the new birth (Jn. 1:12; 1 Jn. 3:1-2).

Moreover, Romans 8:23 tells us “we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.” At the Second Coming of Christ our resurrected bodies will be glorified and will then possess all our inheritance that the sonship involves.

Galatians 4:4-6 and Ephesians 1:5 make it clear that we cannot lose our adoption. Because Jesus Christ paid the penalty of our sin debt in full, nothing stands in the way of a just God regenerating a believing sinner and placing him as His child in His family. The Holy Spirit as “the Spirit of adoption” also places a saved sinner in a legal standing in God’s family. The adopted son has all the rights and privileges of God’s only begotten Son. God the Father loves the adopted child just as much as He loves His only begotten Son.

“We are sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:26). As a result of God’s adopting us we are just as eternal and secure in our relationship with Him as His only-begotten Son. All the security and loveliness of God’s Son is ours as His adopted sons. The Holy Spirit imparts to us the divine nature and places us in the family of God in accordance to His unchanging laws.

This is our new standing before the LORD God. He accepts us into His family, who by nature do not belong to it, and places those who are not His sons originally into a right relationship with Him with all the privileges of that new family relationship.

Jesus Christ alone is the Son of God by nature. We can never have the same relationship He has as the unique Son of God. The word “adoption” distinguishes those who are made sons of God from the only-begotten Son of God. The Holy Spirit, however, creates in the believing sinner a new nature. We have not only the new status as sons, but also the heart of true sons. Our adoption is the act of God’s pure goodness and grace of His will to the praise of His glory.

Selah!

Message by Wil Pounds (c) 2006

Anyone is free to use this material and distribute it, but it may not be sold under any circumstances whatsoever without the author’s written consent.

Not Just To

  Hot tempered people must pay the penalty.  If you rescue them once, you will have to do it again. Proverbs 19:19 The Holy Bible, The New Living Translation          

This applies not just to hot tempered folks but also to those with addictions whether that be substance abuse or whether it be lack of maturity in handling money.                      

If you keep on bailing them out, they will never take responsibly for their action and thus never mature.  You are doing them more harm than good.

Sad to say but it is true that mothers and grandmothers are the worst offenders of this.  

Prayer Please Jehovah Jireth ( Genesis 22:14 – The LORD Shall Provide ) bless me to have faith in Your provisions in my loved ones lives. You will do so in a manner in which they must become more mature children in Your family which will cause my heart to dance with joy.

I humbly ask this in the name of He who provided salvation to those who were willing to accept Him not just as their savior but as their king Jesus Christ. Amen  

May you be blessed with discernment to when to help and when the best help is to step back and allow those to reap the rewards of reckless living. Joseph a son of Jehovah

This article and photo @ 2020 Joseph a son of Jehovah. All rights reserved. Used only by permission of the author.

Please Jehovah ELOHIM YAKOL

Don’t leave me to the mercy of my enemies, for I have done what is just and right. Psalm 119:121 The Holy Bible, The New Living Translation

Prayer: Please Jehovah ELOHIM YAKOL (God, the Most Able 2 Corinthians 9:8 ) enable me to endure with grace, peace and strength the unwarranted vicious slings and arrows hurled at me by the wicked when they are self righteously throwing insults and false accusations at me.

Thank you that I can always find comfort, reassurance and love in Your gentle loving arms. I sincerely request this in the name of He who found Your strength on the hill on the lonely night before His crucifixion for doing nothing wrong, Jesus Christ. Amen

May you always be blessed to find comfort and encouragement in our loving Heavenly Poppa’s arms. Joseph a son of Jehovah

This article and photo @ 2020 Joseph a son of Jehovah. All rights reserved. Used only by permission of the author.

For Your Gift

Oh Jehovah Abba (God our Father) 1 John 3:1 thank You for Your promise that your mercies are new every morning and Your faithfulness is great.

Thank you for your amazing power, great love and work in my life every day.

Thank you for Your endless goodness and bountiful blessings over me. I am so grateful that You are always with me through the toughest of times.

Thank you the power and strength that The Holy Spirit, who dwells with in me, blesses me with every day.

Thank you that Your mercy and grace is always with me.

Thank you for allowing the incredible sacrifice You allowed Your most precious Son to sacrifice for me so that I have freedom and life in communion with You.

Please forgive me when I neglect to thank you for the generous blessings You give me every day, for all You have done in my life and for all You are doing in my life.

Please help me to set my eyes and heart on you afresh today.

Please renew my spirit every morning and fill me with Your peace and joy. Thank you that your ways are far greater than my ways and Your thoughts far deeper than my thoughts.

Thank you for Your plan to redeem me and that in You, all things are made new.

Thank you that Your face is towards the righteous, You are close to the brokenhearted, You hear my cries, and know my heart.

Thank you for Your daily, powerful presence in my life, that I am assured, no matter what I am facing, Your heart is towards me, Your eyes are over me, and Your ears are open to my prayers.

Thank you that you surround us with favor as with a shield, and I am safe in Your care.

I humbly ask that You would keep my footsteps firm on solid ground, helping me to be consistent and faithful.

Please give me supernatural endurance to stay the course in life which You have chosen for me to walk to Heaven, not swerving to the right or to the left, or being too easily distracted by other things that would seek to call me away from a close walk with You.

I pray for your protection over my life, my family, and other believers.

I ask for your hand to cover us and keep us distanced from the evil intent of the enemy, that you would be a barrier over us and we would find refuge in you.

I pray You would give me discernment and insight beyond my years to understand Your will, hear Your voice, know Your ways and be obedient unto them all.

Please shine Your light in me, through me, and over me. May I make a difference in my family, my neighbourhood and this world for your glory, so your purposes would stand. Set Your way before us this day and every day.

May all Your plans in my life succeed.

May I reflect your peace and hope to a world that so desperately needs Your presence and healing. I deeply love You and need You Lord in every aspect of my life, this day and every day.

I give You praise and thanks, for You alone are worthy, and I are more than conquerors through the gift of Jesus Christ! In Jesus’ Name Amen.

Christ blesses us with love, peace and joy. May you be blessed with many opportunities to share these with others today.   Joseph a son of Jehovah 

This article and photo @ 2020 Joseph a son of Jehovah. All rights reserved. Used only by permission of the author.

The Only Thing We Can Give

But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us! 1 Chronicles 29:14 The Holy Bible, The New Living Translation

Jesus came to us, not the other way around. He blessed us with His love.

The greatest possession we are ever blessed with is a loving relationship with Jesus. Joseph a son of Jehovah

The only thing we can give Jesus worth any value is our love in return.             

Yes, we give Him our personal love but we are also to share His love with the world and by the Holy Spirits guidance bring as many of the lost sheep into Christs flock as He guides us to.

Prayer: Thank you Jehovah Heseh (God is love 1 John 4:16 ) for blessing me with the most precious of treasures, You Divine love.          Please bless me with plenty of opportunities to share it with others in a manner in which they will desire to become Your cherished children as well.  I humbly ask this in the name of my most special big brother Jesus Christ. Amen

May Gods sunshine always bless you with brightening your day with His love, joy and peace. Joseph a son of Jehovah

This article and photo @ 2020 Joseph a son of Jehovah. All rights reserved. Used only by permission of the author.

A Christians Scars

For I bear on my body the scars that show I belong to Jesus. Galatians 6:17 The Holy Bible, The New Living Translation

The older we get, the more scars we have. There are different types of scars.

There is of course the physical ones, the mental ones and the spiritual ones.

The difference is that those that dwell in the world have no use for their scars.

I love to share the events in my life where Jehovah, Jesus and they Holy Spirit have touched me.                                                                         How can I not?                                                                                          They were life changing. Joseph a son of Jehovah

We that belong to Christ use these scars to encourage those in His family. When we see another brother or sister suffering we come along side them and share our scars with them and how Jesus used these scars to help mature us and how His gentle love healed these scars.

A Christians scars are used for encouragement for others in Jehovahs family. Joseph a son of Jehovah

Prayer: Thank you Jehovah ELOHIM YAKOL (God, the Most Able 2 Corinthians 9:8) for blessing me with challenging times so as to enable me to use these experiences to encourage, teach and comfort others when they go through life’s troubles. I praise You in the name of He who suffered the most for me Jesus Christ. Amen

May the sunshine of Jesus’ sweet love fill your heart today and every day. Joseph a son of Jehovah

This article and photo @ 2020 Joseph a son of Jehovah. All rights reserved. Used only by permission of the author.

Thank You For Your

The earth is full of the loving kindness of the Lord. Psalms 33:5 The Holy Bible, The Amplified Version

Thank you Jehovah Tsuri (Psalms 19:14 O LORD My Strength) for Your supreme strength that You bless me with through out the day to accomplish the tasks You have assigned for me to do.

Thank you for Your ultimate power to smash the destructive chains of mental, physical and spiritual imprisonment in my life.

Thank you that You are closest to me when the storms are their fiercest and the flames are their hottest.

Thank you for You gentle loving care when deep sorrow and pain are crushing down upon me. You love gently lifts me up.

Thank you for Your sharing Your beauty with me both amazing ones like watching the Northern Lights and delicate ones like watching the gentle swirling ballet of a winters snowfall.

Thank you for the awesome moments when we commune together, just being together. I love the overwhelming experience of Your love and being in harmony with You.

Oh, my Beloved Father, Your daily blessings upon me are too numerous to count.

I am humbled and grateful for Your overwhelming loving kindness and graciousness towards me.

I thank You in the name of Your greatest gift to me, Jesus Christ. Amen .

This article and photo @ 2020 Joseph a son of Jehovah. All rights reserved. Used only by permission of the author.

A Prayer to Forgive Those

 

Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Colossians 3:13 The Holy Bible, The New Living Translation

Father I deeply desire to forgive other as You forgive me.

Help me to forgive those in my care when they are selfish, ungrateful and abusive towards me. I need this to prevent me from having my heart filled with hatred and bitterness. If the heart is filled with this then it is impossible to care in a loving manner.

Help me to stay focused on the fact that in serving them, I am serving You and You are always appreciative of my compassionate efforts.

But, Father just as You specify that repentance must come before forgiveness so too must there be repentance before the healing is possible.                 

Please send the Holy Spirit to convict them and bring them unto repentance less their attitude condemn the to Hell.

Thank you that You are always there for me to cry out my anguish to when those in my care are selfish, abusive and ungrateful. I humbly request this in the name of He who forgave the repentant sinner on the cross beside Him, Jesus Christ. Amen 

Those who refuse to repent are also those who will continue the abuse. Joseph a son of Jehovah

 

May Gods sunshine always bless you with brightening your day with His love, joy and peace. Joseph a son of Jehovah

Photo and article @ Joseph a son of Jehovah 2020