“So don't be surprised when I
say, 'You must be born again.' ” - John 3:7
God originally created us in
His image as triune beings (Genesis 1:27).
Adam and Eve had a spirit, soul and body. God created our spirit to have
fellowship with Him and to bring Him glory. He wants mankind to dwell with Him
for all eternity. He even created Paradise for us to live in, and God
considered this arrangement very good (Genesis 1:31).
However, when Adam and Eve
sinned, the spirit within each of them died. They still possessed a body and
soul – mind, will and emotions – but they and all future generations had no
connection with God because of their disobedience. In today’s society we say,
“I love his/her spirit.” The truth is that what we admire is the spark and
passion in the human soul. Unless a person is Born Again, their spirit is dead
in trespasses and sins (John 3:7; Ephesians 2:1,5).
The dead spirit within each
person forms a void, an emptiness that we spend a lifetime trying to fill.
People investigate every sort of substitute to alleviate this bareness. They
use drugs, alcohol, advancing their education or career, physical and emotional
relationships, hobbies, gambling, pets, humanistic causes and service to other
people in order to fill this hollow space inside of them. We yearn for and even
feel faint at times for the presence of God in our life. Our whole being cries
out for the living God (Psalm 84:1-2).
However, we have no idea that only a relationship with Him will fill this deep
void in our life.
In fact, we ignore this
desire and look for satisfaction in fleshly, carnal pursuits instead of the
spiritual ones. Of course, some people do look for fulfillment from religion
and spirituality; but they find no real fulfillment, because they are not
following God’s Truth. At the end of their life, many wise people tell us that
most of the activities humans pursue are meaningless and are like chasing after
the wind (Ecclesiastes 1:14).
People reject the simple truth of Christ and His sacrifice for us on Calvary’s
cross; when the only true remedy is for our spirit to be Born Again through
repentance and salvation.
The only antidote for a
troubled and anxious soul is to develop a deep and personal relationship with
Jesus Christ. Repentance leads to the restoration of our position as a child of
God (Romans 8:16). With this position
come peace, joy and righteousness in the Holy Spirit (Romans
14:17). We obtain wisdom beyond our
experience and years, because the Holy Spirit gives it to us when we ask for it
(James 1:5). Our relationship
with Christ eradicates stress and helps us to walk in a peace, which transcends
human reasoning (Philippians 4:7).
God also writes our name in the Lamb’s Book of Life and guarantees us a place
in heaven (Revelation 21:27).
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, we pray for all
of our loved ones who do not have a saving relationship with You. We ask that
You work in their lives, drawing them ever closer to Your heart with each new
day. We thank You for giving us the right to become Your children. We thank You
for our salvation and we ask that You help us to deny the flesh and to take up
Your cross daily as we follow You (Matthew 16:24). Thank You for giving our spirit a new birth, so that
we can live with You now and always (1 Peter 1:3).
Thought for the Day:
“Jesus washed away our sins,
giving us new birth and a new life through the Holy Spirit.” – Titus 3:5