Be Born Again

"Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; 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.' Jesus answered and said to him, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.'  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?'  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. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not be amazed that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’"  John 3:1-7

Are you washed in the blood, in the soul cleansing blood of the Lamb?  One of my favorite hymns that never gets old.  This passage made me start singing that song, as I was reading, this morning.  

I'm sure that we are all familiar with the fact that the Pharisees were no fans of the Messiah.  They were often found, in groups, gathering to chastise anyone who dares to "blaspheme" about a Son of God, performing wondrous miracles in the name of the Father.  One of these had his own mind and questions that sought answers.  He also sought those answers at a risk of being discovered.  Notice that the passage states that Nicodemus went to Jesus BY NIGHT?  In secret.  Nicodemus wanted his own answers and not just what he was being fed by the group that he associated with.  How often do we see individuals going with the flow, taking in only what someone (whether high official or even ministers) say, without proper grounds of proof?  

To be born again, we have to shed ourselves of the "human conformity".  Can a group of thousands be correct if Jesus states otherwise?  Of course not.  They blindly follow a "faith" without question.  Does God invite questions?  Yes!  He expects us to question, learn, and understand (Acts 17:2-3).  He also requires us to pass on that knowledge (Matthew 28:19-20, Mark 16:15-16, Luke 14:23).  Being washed in Jesus's blood, through water and Spirit is a deep bond with our Lord and Saviour, that EVERYONE has the opportunity to have.  If they let the "crowd" control their thoughts and beliefs, they are doomed; as much as those who would falsely lead them.

It is people, like Nicodemus, that tells me that there is hope inside the heart of every single person on this Earth.  A chance that a spark will ignite inside of them, that leads them to God's Word.  It is this same spark that I continue to fan in myself, the hunger that leads me to read more, and re-read; not wanting to set the good book down and wrongly say, "I'm done reading.  I have it all figured out."  Every day, I need His cleansing power.  Nicodemus felt this tug in his heart.  He may not have understood why he felt it but, God was reaching out to him.  God is reaching out to us all, to be born again; w

ashed in His cleansing blood.  To trust in Him with all of our troubles and burdens.  To continue to seek wisdom and knowledge from Him and to question what the world says, when they tell us, "This is all what you do...", you say "Prove it in God's Word."  It's easy to want to go with the flow but, that isn't where we can be born again.

	Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing pow’r? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb? Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
	Are you washed in the blood, In the soul-cleansing blood of the Lamb? Are your garments spotless? Are they white as snow? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
	Are you walking daily by the Savior’s side? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb? Do you rest each moment in the Crucified? Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?
	When the Bridegroom cometh will your robes be white! Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb? Will your soul be ready for His presence bright, And be washed in the blood of the Lamb?
	Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin, And be washed in the blood of the Lamb; There’s a fountain flowing for the soul unclean, O be washed in the blood of the Lamb.