Daily devotion – You must be born again!
Romans 10: 9 “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
Osmosis, is the spontaneous passage or diffusion of water or other solvents through a semipermeable membrane. Examples of Osmosis: The absorption of water by plant roots from the soil. The guard cells of a plant cell are affected by osmosis. When a plant cell is filled with water the guard cells swell up for the stomata to open and let out excess water. Another example is if you keep your fingers in water for a long time, they become prune like in appearance.
I strongly believe one of the great problems with many Church going people, who are trying to live the Christian life, seeking to have a Christian marriage, struggling to be Christian parents is that they have not actually ever received Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour.
A religious man by the name of Nicodemus, a Pharisee, came to see Jesus one night. Jesus knew Nicodemus was searching but also knew that he had not made the step as yet to salvation. He said to Nicodemus – John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
I mentioned osmosis previously because many people think that you become a Christian a little like the process of osmosis. Or that because you dad and mum are Christians that automatically makes you a Christian. Or because you attend Church regularly. But the Bible would tell us differently.
There is a requirement of every person who desires to become a Christian to do the following:
1. Realize you are a sinner – the Bible says that – “All have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory.” Romans 3:23
To sin means both to fall short of the mark and to cross a line. God has set a mark for humanity that none can reach. Jesus said, “Be perfect as My Father in Heaven is perfect.” – Matthew 5:48. But who can attain that? Answer is no one. But that is where Jesus comes in. To sin means to cross a line. The Bible speaks of how we are “dead in our trespasses and sin” – Ephesians 2:1 We all have seen signs that say, “No Trespassing”. – We all have crossed that line and broken God’s commandments.
2. Know that Jesus Christ died on the cross for you – Jesus came to this earth on a rescue mission 2,000 years ago for us. He died on that cruel Roman Cross because there was no other way to satisfy the righteous demands of God that we all have violated. With one hand, Jesus took hold of sinful humanity. With the other hand, He took hold of our Heavenly Father. The Romans drove spikes through those hands as He bled and died for your sins and mine. I love how the Apostle Paul summarized it when he said, “He loved me, and He gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 . Jesus died for you! Christ Himself said, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, and whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16
3. Repent of your sin
The Bible reminds us that – “God has called everyone, everywhere to repent.” Acts 17:30 . The word repent – is a military term that means “do an about face.” Turn from your sin and put your faith in Jesus Christ.
4. Receive Jesus Christ into your life.
Being a Christian is a relationship with God. It is Jesus Christ Himself taking residence in your heart and life as your Savior and Lord. Jesus says, Revelation 3:20 ¶“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in..” But only you can open the door of your heart and ask Jesus to come in. He is just a prayer away.
5. You must do it now
Don’t put this off. You may never have another moment like you have right now to ask Christ to come into your life. The Bible reminds us that “today is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2. This is your moment to have an eternal address changed from Hell to Heaven.
So I ask you a direct question – when did you ask Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Savior? You should be able to tell me the moment because the Bible tells me that the second you do that you are saved – Romans 10: 9 “That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. The Bible says at that moment in time you undergo a massive change, Jesus called it being ‘born again”. The Apostle Paul said a little more on the matter – 2Co 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
Are you trying to read the Bible and just can’t make head or tail of it? Is trying to live the Christian life for you just seemingly impossible?
Could it be that you have placed your hope on osmosis, that you are trying to live it on the coat tails of your parents.
Today ask Christ into your life and let God change you as only He can – pray this prayer…, “Lord Jesus, I know that I am a sinner. But I know that you are the Savior who died on the cross for my sin. I am sorry for that sin, and I turn from it now.
I put my faith in you as my Lord and God and friend. Thank you for hearing and answering this prayer. In Jesus name I pray, Amen!