Good morning. Paul says
that even if someone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore
such a one in the spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, lest you
too be tempted. In this sense we are our brother's keeper. The word restore
comes with the meaning as of mending a fishing net. Sometimes Christians take
this to the extreme. They have their magnifying glasses out looking for
anything they consider to be a sin. Concerning the phrase "lest you too be
tempted": I'm sure you've seen cases where some pastor or evangelist
strongly criticized people who did a certain wrong thing. Later it was revealed
that they were doing the exact same thing. It seems like the louder one
criticizes, the more likely it is that they are committing the same sin. Bear
one another's burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ. When we love one
another as Christ loved us, then we will bear one another's burdens. And then
one of those biggie verses: do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever
a man sows, this he will also reap. Ouch! Whatever we sow will produce the same
fruit – multiplied toward us. A single grain from us will produce a stalk full
of ears of corn in return. For the one who sows to his own flesh shall from the
flesh read corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit
reap eternal life. And of course the instrument we use most often to sow with
is – our tongue. Paul tells us to not lose heart in doing good, for in due time
we shall reap if we do not grow weary. It is easy to grow weary doing good.
Often we don't get appreciated, and sometimes it doesn't look like it's making
any difference at all. The next verse says that we should do good to all,
especially those who are of the household of the faith. When we do good to
unbelievers, it sometimes makes them want to become Christians also. And that
is the end of Galatians. Father thank You that the reader sows only good
things. He/she will reap a multitude of good things sown to him/her.
Unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God
Good morning. While Jesus was in Jerusalem at the Passover, during the feast, many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. Jesus was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men. Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. It doesn’t say, but I assume it is still during this time of the Passover. This man came to Jesus by night. Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do the signs that You do unless God is with him. It just said that the people believed in His name because of the signs He was doing; yet it does not say what those signs were. Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. That is why unbelievers cannot tell what is of the kingdom of God and what is not – they’re not born again. Nicodemus doesn’t have a clue. 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? Unless one is born of water and the Spirit ...
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