Have you been born a second time?
10 May 26
Today's devotional: taken from YouVersion, Devotions on F.I.R.E. Year One
Readings:
1 Kings 21
1 Kings 22
John 3:1-21
Do not marvel that I said to you, you must be born again (John 3:7).
Have you been born a second time?
Jesus is omniscient, “for He knew what was in man” (John 2:25). For this reason, He comprehends that Nicodemus needs salvation. The Greek term for “born again” means to be born from above or to be born again. Our Lord explains to Nicodemus two births—one physical and the other spiritual. To begin, Jesus connects the mother’s womb (first birth) with “born of water” and “born of flesh” (John 3:4-6). The second birth is for Nicodemus (the first “you” in John 3:7 is singular and refers to Nicodemus) and for everyone (the second “you” in John 3:7 is plural and points to all people). Jesus then uses an Old Testament illustration emphasizing faith in the “only begotten Son” to be saved (John 3:14-16).
Employment Point: Believe in Jesus, who died for your sin and conquered death, to be born a second time.
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Reflections
“(There was never anyone like Ahab, who sold himself to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, urged on by Jezebel his wife. He behaved in the vilest manner by going after idols, like the Amorites the Lord drove out before Israel.) When Ahab heard these words, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and fasted. He lay in sackcloth and went around meekly. Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite: “Have you noticed how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself, I will not bring this disaster in his day, but I will bring it on his house in the days of his son.””1 Kings 21:25-29 NIV
- not saying that we ought to do serious evil but if you read what he did and what his wife Jezebel did, you would probably agree that he deserves death. This reminds me of the time when Uriah the Hittite was killed because of covetousness.
- A fine reminder that the Lord knows all our needs and will provide them, for He is our provider. As for our wants, we need to reflect and meditate if these things were even necessary in the first place. Was there a need? Or was it just our selfishness that is talking? Sulking like that of a child deprived of a toy in the toy store? We had forgotten that the Lord can give us better toys than what we saw but it is wrong to covet something that does not belongs to us.
- Also we saw how the Lord withdraw his hand partially from punishment because Ahab repented on his wrongdoings. Our Lord is a Lord of mercy so whatever wrongs we did, He knows and He hopes we confess. May we have that courage to come before the Lord to confess our sins and seek His forgiveness.
“But Jehoshaphat asked, “Is there no longer a prophet of the Lord here whom we can inquire of?” The king of Israel answered Jehoshaphat, “There is still one prophet through whom we can inquire of the Lord, but I hate him because he never prophesies anything good about me, but always bad. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” “The king should not say such a thing,” Jehoshaphat replied.”1 Kings 22:7-8 NIV
- Indeed Jehoshaphat is a king of wisdom. He recognised that all those prophets are not the true prophets (for they do not speak the truth) and is only seeking the prophet of the Lord.
- Here he also tells Ahab not to only listen to the good things he wants to hear but listen for the truths.
- For us, it is also a reminder that people may say things to want to just make us feel good but what is more important is for them to tell us the truths. Yes, truths may hurt but it would be much better than to sugar-coat it with something else, which makes us think otherwise. That would not help in our spiritual growth.
- I think as part of our equipping, it is also to learn about humility, to always have an open heart, to not judge but be able to accept differing opinions or values of others from ourselves and yet find the common ground. I felt that this is important if we want to keep the peace and maintain a relationship. So communication becomes important but yet we need to respect each other’s point of view.
- We are not here to judge but to support one another. One must allow another the space to find, reflect and choose solutions for themselves.
“The messenger who had gone to summon Micaiah said to him, “Look, the other prophets without exception are predicting success for the king. Let your word agree with theirs, and speak favorably.” But Micaiah said, “As surely as the Lord lives, I can tell him only what the Lord tells me.””1 Kings 22:13-14 NIV
- for times like these, it would be better to stand firm and not to be coerced to follow the crowd, especially for one being called the prophet of the Lord.
- we are all called to bear witness, this is a task not just meant for prophets but for each and every child of God.
““So now the Lord has put a deceiving spirit in the mouths of all these prophets of yours. The Lord has decreed disaster for you.” Then Zedekiah son of Kenaanah went up and slapped Micaiah in the face. “Which way did the spirit from the Lord go when he went from me to speak to you?” he asked.”1 Kings 22:23-24 NIV
- the cost of speaking the truth and the cost of following Jesus can sometimes look like this. There’s nothing glamorous about it. It’s all sweat and blood, tribulations and persecutions. It was like this in the past and is still like this now. Nothing much really changed. But still, we hope in the Lord for we know He is the truth, the way and the life.
“The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “I will enter the battle in disguise, but you wear your royal robes.” So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle.”1 Kings 22:30 NIV
- Ahab was probably thinking by going into battle in disguise he can escape his fate of death. Would you think the same too?
- I think if we know the Lord enough, we will also know that He knows all things, the past, the present and the future. And if He already knows and wanted Ahab dead, there is no turning back. Nothing may have been able to change the outcome for He allowed it.
- when we think that as men, we have the ability to rewrite history, that is when we will be utterly proven wrong. For we are not God.
““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!” Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.”John 3:4-6 NIV
- this rebirth or reborn is truly something that was given to us in spirit. There’s no way we can do this by our own. It has to be a choice we make, that we believe in the Lord and that it is by His blood we are saved.
- From my personal experience, it truly felt like a brand new life, a new chance given to live life again, as if I was born again…
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Take the Initiative
BY OSWALD CHAMBERS
May 10
Add to your faith goodness. — 2 Peter 1:5
“Add” indicates something we have to do. We are in danger of forgetting that we cannot do what God does, and that God won’t do what we can. We cannot save or sanctify ourselves; God will not give us good habits or character. We have to develop habits and character on our own, working out the salvation God has worked in.
“Add” suggests we have to get into a habit. Habits are difficult to establish. To take the initiative is to make a beginning, to instruct yourself in the way you have to go. Beware of asking for directions when you know the way perfectly well. Take the initiative; stop hesitating; be decisive. Whenever God speaks, act in faith immediately on what he says, and never go back on your decisions. If you hesitate when God tells you to do something, you endanger your position in grace. Will yourself to take the first step—I will write that letter; I will pay that debt—then burn your bridges behind you. Make it impossible to go back.
We can only take initiative where we are, not where we aren’t. We have to get into the habit of seeking the mind of God about anything and everything. If when a crisis comes, we instinctively turn to him, we will know the habit has been formed.
WISDOM FROM OSWALD
It is not what a man does that is of final importance, but what he is in what he does. The atmosphere produced by a man, much more than his activities, has the lasting influence.
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Reflections
I read and thinks the main focus of this devotional is what I highlighted in bold. That is to act in faith immediately whenever God speaks.
The Lord may be speaking to us every now and then and each time He speaks, He brings with Him wisdom, knowledge, sometimes discipline or encouragement. But on our end, He typically tells us something not at a random time but at His perfect timing. So if we were to wait and not take action, we missed His timing, His plans and His thoughts. Not sure when such opportune time may come again. It takes a lot of work to make it work.
What Oswald is also saying is about building a habit. Something that the Lord wants us to do and form so that it comes on naturally for us. Perhaps it is morning prayers, or it can also be bedtime reflections.. but it is to get into a daily rhythm of things, so that it gets ingrained in us.
You may wonder why there is a need for that. For soldiers fighting a war, they do not go to war untrained, not knowing what to do. Every one will have to do their part, building up their fitness levels, perfect their shooting skills, learn how to be more agile or moving in tactical formations, etc. A lot of prep work goes into training, just for something we do not know when it will happen and how it will happen.
In our spiritual life especially, this is largely similar. We read the Word, we pray, attend CGs, go to church, attend trainings, etc. why do we do that? We too, want to build ourselves up and be ready for what’s ahead. There will not be time for us to start scrambling when we are hit by spiritual warfare. It is now or never.
Let’s pray:
Father, we thank You for Your mercy and grace upon us, that You prepare us for the days ahead and warned us to stay vigilant, not complacent and to always seek You first. Grant us Father, what You have put in our hearts to do in order to build a habit and help us to consistently and persistently seek You always, day after day, without fail. Help us to build on our prayer life and our journey of faith, so that we too, will be an encouragement to the people around us. May Your light shine through us, and be made known to all. In Jesus’s name we ask and pray. Amen 🙏🏻
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