JESUS SAID “YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN”

Now therefore was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council.  He 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.”

            In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”

            “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!”

            Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.  Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.  You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’  The 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.” (John 3:1-8)

Indebted Through Prayer

This is a study of who and how God calls upon us to pray. Jesus gave direction in Mark 6:9-10 "This then, is how you should pray: ' Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven…" Christ also said in John 17:8-9 "…I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours". Also in John 17:20-21 "My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me."

Clearly the Lord does not ask we pray for Saint and Demon in the same way, nor obey the authority of God and the authority of Satan in the same way, yet those obedient in the Lord must submit themselves to the Office or Position of authority God establishes. Understand it is the spiritual realm in which God speaks of in Offices and Authorities, regarding authorities in this realm there are those within the will of God, and those in rebellion to the will of God- yet fulfills His purpose. At the same time before all authorities, if given a word by God, we are to speak boldly as in Matt 10:27-28 "What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the rooftops. Do not be afraid of those who can kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body."

It is true we are commanded to love our enemies, as in Luke 6:35-36 " But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful." But how does God tell us to pray in relation to our enemy, again there is clue in 2Thess 3:1-3 "And pray that we may be delivered from the wicked and evil men, for not everyone has faith. But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one." Another clue may be found in the teaching Christ gave in 1John 5:16-17 "If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is sin that leads to death. I am not saying that he should pray about that. All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death."

Would you be astounded to learn and know if a persons sin is that which leads to death, if so then you are unfamiliar with Gods word. This very wisdom and knowledge is needed for those who are mature. Does it make any difference if we know the sin that leads to death, this is not a foolish question, apparently many teacher preparing Gods people are unaware of the answer. The answer of course is that from constant use of Gods word, we learn to distinguish good from evil. Would you like to know when the anti-Christ and false prophets or teachers are leading you astray, then pray for Gods wisdom and knowledge, seek the true church that is being brought into unity and maturity. Prayer from beginning to everlasting is our communion with the Lord, it is the Lord who gives good gifts to men.

From this we know as shown in 1Thess 5:15-16 "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." We also know in Rom 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Grace is freely given to those who seek in repentance, revealed in Luke 3:2-3 "…preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins." Now then sin remains for the unrepentant, for to reject the Savior who came to forgive sin, is to remain in sin. Then it is in error to pray for a persons sin and the rejection of Grace, pray instead to bind and reveal the evil that has trapped a person in sin, so they might see the truth and come to repentance.

God cannot accept sin, nor will God further the ways of evil, then why do some say we must pray for those who are neither repentant of their sin, but instead reject Christ Jesus. Be aware in this matter the word of God teaches of two different and opposite authorities, one over those in His will, the other over those in rebellion. Of the beneficial authorities we are told in Heb 13:17 "Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you." Of the authority for the rebellious told in Matt 20:25-28 "Jesus called them together and said, you know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." Always concerning authority remember what Christ said to the one of rebellion in Matt 4:10 "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.'"

What remains is to pray for the brother who has sinned, the sin that does not lead to death. We are to pray for one another who are obedient in the Lord, also for the kingdom of God which are those yet living in sin as described above who will repentant and come to Christ Jesus. If God will have no part in furthering evil, neither should we in Christ. Then I submit, we must be careful to that which we become indebted through prayer, for furthering the evil ways of this world is indeed a debt. I would also submit that when the Lord commands we pray (for) our leaders, this does not suggest we offer prayers for Satan, nor the servants of Satan. As Christ did not pray for those of the world, neither do I pray for the unrepentant in the world who reject Christ. With this said, it is our Lord who establishes all offices and positions, it is clear we are to have (proper) respect and pray for these. Most diligently those with discernment must pray for brothers and sisters in the Lord who cannot tell the difference between true and false servants, the servants of light that preserves, and the servants of darkness that destroy.

Christ gave us warning that our true service would be known by the fruit of our works. We are warned not to be yoked with the unrighteous, 2 Cor 6:14 "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?" We are warned about the unrighteous, Matt 24:4-14 Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."        Amen.

If God knew people would sin why did He make them?

     This is a simple question and we are tempted to answer it simply by saying, "Why not?  Why shouldn't God make people if He knows they are going to sin?"  But, such an answer isn't very satisfying.  We could always say we don't know why God would do this since He is infinite and we are not and His ways are not our ways.  But this answer also leaves us a bit empty.  So, let's see if we can answer the question by analogy.

     When parents have children they know that their kids will eventually act in sinful and even harmful ways.  Yet, that doesn't stop them from having children. Why?  First of all, it is worth the risk of their rebellion to bring them into the world.  Second, the nature of love is to give and by having children the parents can better express their love.  Third, just because the children will sin and rebel doesn't mean they shouldn't exist.  Fourth, children have their own wills and can freely choose to rebel.  Knowing this parents all over the world still have children.  As you can see, analogies help us to make sense of thing, but they can't answer every question.  That is why we must go to God's word for more insight.  

     The Bible tells us that God is love and that He sacrificed His Son on our behalf.  The greatest act of love is to sacrifice one's own life for another (John 15:13).  In a very real sense, God has performed the greatest act of love in sacrificing Himself (Remember, Jesus is God in flesh - John 1:1,14).  Since God is love and love sacrifices, God has now manifested the greatest love by dying for us.  In this, God is glorified.  But, without sin in the world, there would be no way to demonstrate the greatest act of love -- which is self sacrifice.  So, perhaps God allowed sin in the world so that He could demonstrate the greatest act of love.

     Furthermore, in this self sacrifice God demonstrates the perfection of His holiness, the sinfulness of sin, the proof of God's righteousness, the victory over the evil one, and the guarantee of the saved with whom He can shed His love and glory forever.  In this, God is glorified.

      We could come up with a variety of possible reasons why God made people knowing they would sin and we probably can never fully answer it.  But, knowing that they would sin is no reason that God shouldn't make them, especially if His plan includes the acts of sinners so that others would be redeemed.

Dealing with Toddler Tantrums

The terrible twos – Even the most dignified parent has been left red-faced and wanting to be swallowed into the ground while their toddler is having a public meltdown. Tantrums at home can be just as frustrating, so here are a few easy ideas for stopping them or preventing them altogether:

Don’t Let Them Get Over Tired – Don’t let your toddler become too tired. Set a regular nap routine and try to stick to it, and make sure he goes to bed at a reasonable time and gets enough sleep during the night. Tiredness is often the first reason for a tantrum.

Keep Sugar Levels Stable – Don’t let your toddler’s blood sugar levels dip too low. This will make him irritable and tired, the tantrum will soon follow. Make sure he has plenty of small nutritious snacks throughout the day to provide him with a steady source of energy to avoid blood sugar dips.

Give Them Time – Allow enough time for activities like getting dressed, brushing their hair and getting in and out of the car. Your toddler will want to do a lot of these things on his own and rushing him is a sure way to start a tantrum. Give him a little extra time and let him try to be independent by allowing him to do certain things for himself.

Distractions – Many times a toddler’s screams and shouts can be stopped short by distracting them with something else. Offer to read them a book, color with them, or watch a video. They’ll soon forget what they were screaming about.

Put it Away – Is there a certain item that always causes your toddler to have a tantrum? A food that’s only for after dinner or an item he shouldn’t have. Then put it where he can’t see it. Out of sight, out of mind, is a great way of avoiding tantrums.

Don’t Give In – It may be tempting to give in to tantrums just to avoid a confrontation, but you’ll only encourage more similar behavior in the future. Don’t confuse your toddler by being inconsistent. Once he realizes he won’t get his way, he’ll stop playing the tantrum game.

Ignore It – This is easier said than done and of course it depends where your child is having his tantrum. If you’re in the middle of the supermarket you can’t just walk away or ignore your child especially if they’re grabbing or breaking things. In this instance it may be best to gently pick up your child and take him outside or to an area away from people and noise. Give him a few minutes to calm down and a big hug.

If your child is having a tantrum in a safe place like at home, then it’s best to walk away until he calms down. Make sure he can’t hurt himself or anything or anyone else and just walk away. Once he’s finished give him a hug and talk about what he’s feeling.

Give Him a Hug – Many times your child just needs to be held and needs you to help him control his emotions. If he’s in the middle of a tantrum try gently hugging him and just hold him. A lot of the times this will completely diffuse the tantrum. Be sensitive to his reactions and if you see your hug is only making him more upset then give him a little space instead or try a different approach.

Choosing the Right Daycare

Once you’ve made the decision to return to work after your baby has been born, it’s time to start searching for a daycare center. This can be an emotional time for you, and sometimes overwhelming especially if there are numerous daycare centers to choose from.
Here are a few tips you can use to help you choose a daycare provider that’s right for you and your child:

• The first step is to get a list of daycare centers in your area. Check your local yellow pages, online, or get some recommendations from other parents.

• Find out of there are any openings available for you to enroll your child.

• Are there any age restrictions?

• Write down the locations and hours of operation for each daycare center on your list.

• What is the cost to enroll your child?

• How many other children are currently attending and what are their ages?

• Are healthy meals and snacks supplied by the daycare center?

Once you’ve narrowed your search down to a few daycare centers, it’s time to ask some important questions to ensure that you’re choosing the right daycare for your child. Here are some questions to keep in mind when visiting or speaking with each daycare center.

• Is it clean and safe for your child?

• What is the ratio of caregivers to children?

• Are the children at the daycare actively engaged in activities and do they seem happy and well taken care of?

• Are there plenty of educational toys and activities for the children?

• Are the caregivers warm and friendly? How do they interact with the children?

• Ask the daycare administrator for some background information on the staff, especially regarding licenses or degrees.

• Ensure that the daycare staff have received the proper training and have good credentials and experience.

• Are there safety exits in case of a fire or other emergency?

Once you’re satisfied that you have the answers to these questions, you should be able to determine which daycare center is the best choice for your child. The closest daycare may not always be the best, and the most inexpensive option may not always be the best either.

You’ll know what’s best for your child, and which daycare center will be the most suitable environment for him to be in while you’re working.

Childproofing Your Kitchen

Your kitchen can be a very dangerous place for your child if it isn’t properly baby proofed. Here are some important tips you should follow to prevent kitchen accidents.

1. Use outlet plugs. This is must. These handy little plastic covers plug right into your wall sockets. It’s important to get the best possible plugs available since those little fingers can get quite good at pulling out the cheap ones.

2. Lock cabinet doors – I couldn’t live without the latches that keep drawers and cupboard doors closed. They’re easy to get into for adults, but impossible for little hands to open.

3. Keep cleaning supplies away. Even if you use latches on your cupboard doors, it’s better to be safe than sorry and keep your cleaning products out of your child’s reach. I keep mine in the cupboard above the sink.

4. Use oven and fridge latches. It’s amazing how easily your little one can open the fridge and oven doors. Without me knowing it, my daughter had snuck into the fridge and taken an entire carton of eggs out, then broke them all over the basement. I’ve had a latch on my fridge ever since!

5. Common sense. Regularly sweet and mop your kitchen floors, and keep the counters clear of things like sharp knives or heavy appliances that can be pulled off.


I’ve used quite a few different child proofing products, and I’ve found that Safety 1st is one of the best and least expensive.

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