John 3
1 Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.”
3 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”
4 “How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!”
5 Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. 6 Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’
8 The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.
10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus, “and do you not understand these things?
11 Very truly I tell you, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12 I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13 No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.
14 Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.”
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 1
7 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world,
but to save the world through him.
18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.
21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.
22 After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. 23 Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were coming and being baptized. 24 (This was before John was put in prison.) 25 An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing.
26 They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—look, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.”
27 To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’ 29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30 He must become greater; I must become less.”
31 The one who comes from above is above all;
the one who is from the earth belongs to the earth, and speaks as one from the earth.
The one who comes from heaven is above all.
32 He testifies to what he has seen and heard, but no one accepts his testimony. 33 Whoever has accepted it has certified that God is truthful.
34 For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God gives the Spirit without limit.
35 The Father loves the Son and has placed everything in his hands.
36 Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.
This Passage clearly explains the Majesty of God's Son.
Jesus is sometimes condensed as a Politician. Jesus is God.
Jesus sat and Nicodemus, the powerful and rich, came at night to keep life easy for Nicodemus. Jesus knew Nicodemus as well as Nathaniel under the fig tree of John 1. Intimately.
Immediately, Jesus is very frank with Nicodemus. A very unusual move for a man who is not God. Jesus has never feared mankind. Jesus is God.
And Jesus begins to testify to what he has seen and heard. Nicodemus accepts Jesus is honest. Jesus is Himself. And Nicodemus' true self - his soul, accepts Jesus. Nicodemus - we see in the Gospels - has eternal life with Jesus.
What we see of this conversation - is the frank conversations Jesus will always have with us. Jesus speaks to the core and heart - what we really are is a soul. Jesus speaks to the eternal we are. Jesus reaches the moment of the conversation explaining what is important.
Jesus is telling Nicodemus how to present himself to God allowing Nicodemus to see - God is for Nicodemus. God is truthful. God has amazing depths of Grace allowing us to begin again.
Abba, our Father, Abba,
We ask always for You to dwell in us. More Holy Spirit and more of Jesus our mediator in our prayer life! More of You for those we love. More of You for the people You have given us.
Nicodemus discovered in finding Jesus, more of Jesus is good. More please.
Abba, You have told us "Emerald Green" is Your Favorite Color.
We are about to find a lot more green in Texas after Hurricane Harvey comes through. We pray for the unique weather we find in areas all over the world to be shared. When we share weather, floods have ceased. I remember Texas prayed to share some of the rain of Louisiana's Historic 20 Parish flood and their flood started immediately to ease. We pray with humor to share this good rain all over Texas, Bastrop (we have not forgotten to pray for you, Bastrop - forever fire free we pray), Oklahoma, New Mexico, Louisiana and Mississippi.
We give You thanks for people who remind us to evacuate with an eye on letting the nearest to the coast evacuate first. ABC 13's Travis Herzog reminded us all to Love our Neighbor and let the coast evacuate first. Later counties as needed. I am grateful, grateful, grateful our County looks pretty peaceful in the projections. Bless the others.
God Bless Travis Herzog who reminded us in Hurricane Ike the barometric pressure caused premature labor and delivery. The valor of the Galveston hospital employees moving the weak and ill during the storm, the elderly and the newborns. As we saw this in Louisiana too.
Blessing the memory of the thousands of people who helped in Louisiana, Mississippi and the Houston Churches and Montgomery Churches who fed the Hurricane Katrina evacuees for months and months and months and months and with thousands of Church casseroles for the thousand's of God's Beloved in the football stadiums. God's Beloved work to help others.
We look forward to this wonder of God in the willingness of Cooking Christians - not to repeat this Blessing again, frankly, Father God! What a wonder that was and is in Your Sight, Father.
The Glory of God and the Name of Jesus cover us come Heaven or High Water - Texas.
We have absolutely no need for Hell or High Water. Away, away. Protection for us all in Jesus Christ we pray.
Lifting up Hope, Faith and Love for those we love and all the people God has given us.
Lifting High our cares to our Abba who Loves us.
Resting with assurance. Jesus is for us.
Having Joy knowing the prayers of God's Beloved cover this world with God's good pleasure.
Believing in the good days ahead for His Faithful and for our Nation as we Trust in God.
We are God's People for His will and His Good Works.
Blessed be God our Lord God for His Plans. In the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
♔ Lord Jesus Saves! †
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