John 3 (NIRV)
Jesus Teaches Nicodemus
3 There was a Pharisee named Nicodemus. He was one of the Jewish rulers. 2 He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. We know that God is with you. If he weren’t, you couldn’t do the miraculous signs you are doing.”
3 Jesus replied, “What I’m about to tell you is true. No one can see God’s kingdom without being born again.”4 “How can I be born when I am old?” Nicodemus asked. “I can’t go back inside my mother! I can’t be born a second time!”
5 Jesus answered, “What I’m about to tell you is true. No one can enter God’s kingdom without being born through water and the Holy Spirit. 6 People give birth to people. But the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised when I say, ‘You must all be born again.’
8 “The wind blows where it wants to. You hear the sound it makes. But you can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going. It is the same with everyone who is born through the Spirit.”
9 “How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.
10 “You are Israel’s teacher,” said Jesus. “Don’t you understand these things?
11 “What I’m about to tell you is true. We speak about what we know. We give witness to what we have seen. But still you people do not accept our witness. 12 I have spoken to you about earthly things, and you do not believe. So how will you believe if I speak about heavenly things?
13 “No one has ever gone into heaven except the One who came from heaven. He is the Son of Man. 14 Moses lifted up the snake in the desert. The Son of Man must be lifted up also. 15 Then everyone who believes in him can live with God forever.
16 “God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son. Anyone who believes in him will not die but will have eternal life.
17 “God did not send his Son into the world to judge the world. He sent his Son to save the world through him. 18 Anyone who believes in him is not judged. But anyone who does not believe is judged already. He has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.
19 “Here is the judgment. Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light. They loved darkness because what they did was evil.
20 “Everyone who does evil things hates the light. They will not come into the light. They are afraid that what they do will be seen. 21 But anyone who lives by the truth comes into the light. He does this so that it will be easy to see that what he has done is with God’s help.”
John the Baptist Gives Witness About Jesus
22 After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the countryside of Judea. There he spent some time with them. And he baptized people there.I'm sure we all have friends who are headed down the wrong path. We stand by, helplessly, watching them destroy their families and themselves. We want so much to "save" our friends but our words seem to fall on deaf ears. But God loves our friends more than we do, and HE is ready and willing to intercede. The single greatest thing we can do for our friends is PRAY.
There is one other things we can do. Even if they refuse to hear our words of love and truth, we can live our lives so that our friends, who may never pick up God's Word to hear what He says in His written word, can see Jesus through our words and actions. You know the saying, "You may be the only Jesus your friend ever sees." We can let our lives show the incredible blessings, peace and comfort that belonging to Christ provides.
So testify to His faithfulness in your life - every single day - with words or without when necessary. And pray, pray, pray.
Here's a prayer for all our friends who are stuggling.
Holy Father,
Friends I love are caught up in their sin, determined to live by their own understanding, rather than God's way, and it's affecting the lives of people around them.
But they do not want help nor do they listen to reason and good sense or even Christian counsel from others who have 'been there'. They are on a path that leads to destruction and pain. I'm frustrated because I know exactly where they're headed, and I can't make them see. Please help me to not react and do or say anything to make the situation worse. But LORD, let my words come from You and not from my own wisdom. Help me to shut my mouth when I should and to listen with my heart. Please open the eyes of my friends, enlighten their minds, and speak to their hearts. Draw them to You. Fill them with spiritual wisdom, increase their knowledge and maturity, and break down the strongholds that keep them from doing what is right and from following your will. Please help my friends. LORD, only You can change the situation. In the powerful Name of Jesus Christ I pray, amen.
http://youtu.be/TgZ1ds0WM2k - Testify to Love - Avalon
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