john 3
1Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. 2He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him."
3In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."
4"How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!"
5Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. 6Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.' 8The 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? 11I tell you the truth, we speak of what we know, and we testify to what we have seen, but still you people do not accept our testimony. 12I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things? 13No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man. 14Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.
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. 17For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son. 19This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God."
(john 3 1-21, niv)
questions regarding the scripture:
why did nicodemus visit JESUS at night???
what is required to be "born again"???
which of the old testament righteous inherited the kingdom of heaven???
questions about yesterday's scripture:
just as moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life. (john 3:14-15, niv)
what is JESUS referring to when HE says that "the SON of MAN must be lifted up"??? HE is referring to HIS being resurrected from the dead.
is believing that JESUS is the SON of GOD the same as believing in GOD's SON, JESUS??? no, in order to believe in JESUS one must have the gift of the HOLY SPIRIT that HE may be revealed in such a way that a relationship is formed.
memory of the day:
on friday, i enjoyed rick's pizza with katherine and chico:)
on saturday, i enjoyed the basketball tournament with kat and jh:)
on sunday my johnny b. came home from lexington:)
today, i received a sweet note from an old friend:)
saying grace:
FATHER in heaven i'm so grateful to you for allowing
me to be grafted as one of your very own,
for blessing me in EVERY way,
and for ALWAYS being there for me.
i am humbled and grateful!!!
FATHER,
here am i; send me
if it be Your will.
my GOD, in prayer of intercession, i, in all humility, lift up the following...
pat (GOD, YOU are the great healer; if it be Your will i ask that YOU pour your mercy on this dear man and heal him!!!)!!!
the mc family (thank You for sending Your reassuring words of comfort to them:)
ginny (thank you, GOD, that gin's test was good!!!)
john
john (thank YOU for giving my john some time to rest this week before work gets really crazy:)
the nielsons (thank You, GOD, for covering the nielsons with Your healing hands)
the schrijvers
tabitha's family (GOD, please unharden these hearts that forgiveness can be achieved)
ava's family
amanda's family (and her co-worker with tb)
the nall family
the sorenson family (baby elisabeth)
k!!!
the macs (bless them FATHER with peace in the loss of their beautiful, little cora)
the skaggs (all of them)
the gaddises
the pardues
phillip shannon
ann moore (Father, please ease her pain and suffering)
gene thomason
shirley pritchet
as well as all those others who are suffering
with emotional and/or physical pain
those who have lost their loved ones
those who no longer have employment
the leaders around the world
and all others who are crying out to YOU!!!
FATHER, i continue to praise You for answering the prayers above for elisabeth (her mommy said she is doing better than ever!!!) and now for k, who is back to his normal self:))) for ginny that her test came back negative (and for mine),and that pat seems to be doing well through his treatments!!! he and his family even enjoyed a normal day... may they enjoy many more!!! GOd, thank YOU, thank YOU, thank YOU for giving pat the good days to enjoy with his family (YOU, know how much i love them.).
thank YOU again for all YOU are and all YOU do in our lives!!!
in Jesus' name i pray.
amen.
love,
dani
ps. if you have any prayer requests,
please let me know in your comment.
i will add it to my daily prayer list.
i also welcome any/all
praises:D
