Inspiring Blogs

You must be born again (John 3:7). One of the most striking things about what Jesus said is not what he said, but whom he said it to. Nicodemus was a member of the Jewish ruling council and the leading theologian of his religion (John 3:1,9: “Israel’s teacher.”) Jesus was talking to a man who was revered by the nation for his knowledge and achievements. But what Jesus basically told Nicodemus was, “I appreciate your sincerity. However, when you are in my presence, everything you have done from the day of your birth until today – and I mean absolutely everything – means absolutely nothing.” Jesus was referring to salvation.

There are times when to pray for just one person is enough to stagger us. To intercede for a whole city needs a vast amount of faith. But how far-reaching was the psalmist’s request: “Let the whole earth be filled with his glory.”

When God is real to us, we will trust him with both our past and our future. Then we will be able to live for the present. We will look to him for wisdom and strength. Only those who see the invisible can see the impossible.

Belief in God’s providence does not mean that God always answers our prayers affirmatively. He answers all our prayers, but he answers some of them negatively, and for the very best reasons.

Abraham’s belief, trust, laying hold of God was credited, reckoned, imputed, accounted, and attributed to him for righteousness. Now, this is the same man who had lied to the Egyptian pharaoh that his wife, Sarah, was only his sister. This is Abraham, the great man of faith—whose faith occasionally balked and faltered.

Our Lord Jesus was not a pessimist. He was, however, a perfect realist. He said that in the last days, people’s hearts would fail them for fear. He said there will be a time of trouble such as never was, a tribulation so intense that unless God shortened the days, no flesh would be saved. (See Luke 21:26; Matthew 24:21-22 KJV.) Jesus was a realist. Christians must be, too.