O 2 B born again

Another birthday and another birthday. One a memoir, and the other a yearning for. Oh, to be born-again.

 

“Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (Rom. 6:4). Isn’t a new life the greatest of all gifts?

 

“Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin.” (Rom. 6:6,7). Dead to sin--what a concept to be realized! Isn’t freedom from the thralldom of sin better than anything this world offers? “If ye…know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him?” (Luke 11:13). Freedom from sin is just what our heavenly Father wants to give us.

 

With the Spirit of God comes the distaste for all our temptations. Have you experienced that? But, even if you have, it must be re-gotten often. The battle for the faith of Jesus is ongoing. Jesus’ faith, Jesus’ rest, Jesus’ surrender to the tumult in God’s heart because of sin, Jesus’ peace, must be continually sought again and again. His self-denial to Satan’s idolatries that soothe the fallen nature must be disowned and eschewed. “THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS” (Jer. 23:6) must be our guiding light.

 

New birth is not a feeling, a sensation, an emotion. It is an experience of God’s power; it is a reality. It is the impartation of “the power of the Highest.” (Luke 1:35). It is a new heart and will for mercy and a new love for truth. When you are born again, God’s powerful Spirit comes upon you and the “Spirit of His Son” (Gal. 4:6).is born in you. “That holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” (Luke 1:35). Then you are rich beyond measure. You now have available all of “heaven’s storehouse, where are treasured the boundless resources of Omnipotence.” Steps to Christ, p. 94. “Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.” (Ps. 103:2).

 

“Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Col. 1:27) gives you access to the Spirit of “power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (2Tim. 1:7). “For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” (Col. 3:3).

 

Is there anything that cannot be overcome by the person who, with the gift of faith, dwells in the loving bosom of God, whose Spirit is residing in our spirit? What obstacles can hold back the desire to trust in God? “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.” (Rom. 8:37). Such a person has hold of the “eternal Spirit” (Heb. 9:14). “Let him take hold of My strength, that he may make peace with Me; and he shall make peace with Me.” (Isa. 27:5). “And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” (Ps. 1:3).

 

“No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of Me, saith the LORD.” (Isa. 54:17).

 

“Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him: knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over Him. For in that He died, He died unto sin once: but in that He liveth, He liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Rom. 6:8-11).

 

New birth offers the prospect of a life filled with the blessings of heaven. It is more than just doing the right thing or things. It is about doing right due to learning of the kindness of God. Far above the mundane religions of the world, which institutionalize self-made righteousness, is the covenant that God makes with all who surrender to His universal “chastisement of our peace.” (Isa. 53:5). All who have “submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God” (Rom. 10:3) have exercised the faith that pleases God, the faith of Jesus. They will be immediately brought “unto Christ” to be “justified by faith.” (Gal. 3:24). And Jesus’ promise to them is: “All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me; and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” (John 6:37).

 

“Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

And be found in Him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death;

If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.” (Phil. 3:8-11).

 

“And as [Jacob] passed over Penuel the sun rose upon him, and he halted upon his thigh.” (Gen. 32:31).Will we prefer eternal love over “the pleasures of sin for a season”? (Heb. 11:25). What’s better than trust and love? Where else do we find rest of soul, mind, and body? Where, other than in our heavenly Parents’ love, is there health and strength? What love is bigger and more wholesome than the love that come from Them? Dwelling upon the eternal love from the eternal Spirit of the Godhead will bring heaven to earth, and the sun will no longer burn hotly upon our heads and brightly into our eyes.

 

Let’s fall on the Stone and let Him give us birth again.