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Born Again or born from above: The Breath of God brings rebirth, redemption,reconciliation. If you died today, would you know for certain, that you would spend

eternity in Heaven?

Rebirth: John 3:1-8 The story of Nicodemus is where we learn from the words of Jesus Christ ofNazareth, just what it means to be born again. He states, You must be born fromabove. Here we understand this story is not of a natural birth, but a spiritual birth.

Jesus tells us through scripture that one must be born of flesh, but also of spirit.What is born of flesh is flesh, and what is born of spirit is spirit. Flesh cannot standin the presence of God; the perishable must become imperishable.

Nicodemus was a teacher of the day. He was supposed to understand spiritual things.

He was a student of the law, a Pharisee, and a member of the ruling council. Hisstruggle, he (man) cannot enter a second time into his mothers womb to be born!

Jesus clearly explains that one must be born of flesh and Spirit. This is the decisionone makes to allow the Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit to reside inside of him, to yieldto Him, to serve Him, thus being born of the Spirit. We simply choose toacknowledge that Jesus Christ died on the cross, was dead, buried and raise from thedead on the third day and now sits at the right hand of the Father. We decide toacknowledge that we are sinners, and by His Blood and through His sacrifice, oursins are washed away. There is life in the Blood and sin produces death, therefore His

Blood cleanses us from all the defilement we incurred while in our sinful condition.

No life, no relationshipThe wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and whereit goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit. John 3:8

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After rebirth, we become spiritually alive. We live and not die, never die, but haveeternal life.

Enter life : Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even thoughthey die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. John 11:25

Redemption: purchased, bought back The Blood answers to all of Satans accusations because we have been redeemed by theBlood. The word redemptionin the Hebrew means to release on receipt of by paying a ransom price,to redeem, to deliver or to sever,and in the Greek it means, a loosening particularly by paying a price.Redemption is the special intervention of God for the salvation of man. He provided theBlood of His Son Jesus Christ for the penalty of sin and moreover, purchased our freedomfrom the dominion of sin. Therefore there has been a price paid for each and every believerto operate in the freedom and liberty Christ provided for in His own Blood and are nolonger subject to the kingdom of darkness: sin, guilt, and death.

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: Cursed is everyonewho is hung on a tree (Gal 3:13 NIV).

Reconciled18

Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, andhas given us the ministry of reconciliation,

19that is, that God was in Christ reconciling

the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us theword of reconciliation. 20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were

pleading through us: we implore you on Christs behalf, be reconciled to God.21

For Hemade Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of

God in Him. 2 Co 5:18-21

The Gospel, submitting to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, is the way to salvation and

stands in opposition to legal justification. However, the Gospel and the law are foreverconnected, and to destroy one is to destroy the other. Jesus Christ became our High Priest

and mediator. The hearts that had been hardened because of sin and abominations wouldnow be soft and pliable in the hands of God. Man fell away and their minds were

darkened and they were destined to live a life alienated from God, but God Himselfreconciled the unbelieving, through belief in Jesus Christ, therefore bridging the gap that

once stood to separate sinful man from a Holy God. Believers, under the New Covenant,have freedom and liberty through repentance of sin, as they are restored to wholeness.

Where there had been death because of sin, the Blood of Jesus Christ flows through His

Body, the Church, and washes it clean. Death and darkness are replaced with light andlife. It is in the flow of that Blood where the power for deliverance and restoration isfound. Dead works and seared consciences are restored. What was once routine and

ritual, is replaced with reconciliation and relationship.

3For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts

and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another.4

But when thekindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared,

5not by works of

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righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through thewashing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom He poured out on us

abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior,7

that having been justified by His grace weshould become heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:3-7 NKJV

Spiritual Laws do not change:A. Salvation is a free gift.For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; notas a result of works, that no one should boast." Ephesians 2:8-9

B. Jesus is the only way."Jesus said to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except throughme." John 14:6

C. Sin produces death and separates us from God."For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23"For the wages of sin is death." Romans 6:23

D. You must receive Him as Lord and Savior, by a decision and confession.But to as many who received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even tothose who believe in His name." John 1:12

For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. Ro10:10

E. Jesus Christ is our payment for the sins we have committed.

"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died forus." Romans 5:8

We are reconciled back to God through Jesus. Jesus became the sacrificial paymentdue for our sins, He took our place and He rose from the dead, he now sits at theright hand of God making intercession (carrying messages for us, praying for us, andspeaking to God on our behalf) for us.

Christ died for our sins, but now He lives!He was buried.He was raised on the third day,

He appeared to Peter, then to the twelve (disciples).After that he appeared to more than five hundred others..." I Corinthians 15:3-6Accept Him now and pray this prayer

Dear Heavenly Father,

I need You in my life. I acknowledge that I have sinned. I come to You confessing thosesins and I ask You for Your forgiveness. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I

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believe You are the Son of God and that You rose from the dead and rose on the third day.I choose to confess this in my heart and with my mouth. I open my heart to You, to receiveYou as my Savior and Lord. Thank You for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life.Please take control of my life. Help me to live a life that honors You. Make me the kind ofperson you want me to be. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

Please, if you prayer this prayer, email me at robin@robinbertram.orgMay God grant you great peace this day!