From: "Phil Rembleski" <PHIl@rescuechurchofchrist.org>
To: "1111RESCUEMEMBERS"
Sent: Fri, Aug 11, 2023 at 5:34 AM
Subject: 8-11-23 THOUGHTS
8-11-23 THOUGHTS
We know John 3:16 if we know any passage. We must accept it with all the grace of heaven! We must not accept it cheaply! Believe is a Shema word... Deut 6:4-8. Our ALL is the demand! The “born again of the water and the Spirit”, is a “new man”, transformation process. Something dies, something is made alive! Romans 6:1-11 is good here. We are released from the dominion of sin. This is “AN UNTIL DEATH” idea! The new man is to walk in the Spirit with his mind set on things above. The new man is a love responding, fruit bearing sheep who knows the voice of his Shepherd, and joyfully follows it. Verse 18 below says “this man is not judged.” What a blessed view of life and eternity is before us!
John 3:1-18 Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; 2 this man came to Jesus by night and said to Him, "Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him." 3 Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." 4 Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?" 5 Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and 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 "Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ 8 "The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit." 9 Nicodemus said to Him, "How can these things be?" 10 Jesus answered and said to him, "Are you the teacher of Israel and do not understand these things? 11 "Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know and testify of what we have seen, and you do not accept our testimony. 12 "If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 "No one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven: the Son of Man. 14 "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up; 15 so that whoever believes will in Him have eternal life. 16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 "He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
2Pet 1:19 [So] we have the prophetic word [made] more sure, to which you do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts.
My Prayer:
May we truly be Your sheep, following the voice of The Great Shepherd. Not lagging behind, may we pursue You, O God, with pure love and an earnest zeal that keeps us powerfully seeking You. May our desire to know You fully and maturely, propel our hearts to a true enlightenment of Your Being. Help the day to dawn and the morning star to arise in our hearts.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.