3^rd November

“Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.””

John 3:3

A Pharisee called Nicodemus came to Jesus late one night. As he approached Jesus, Nicodemus declared that the religious leaders knew that He was sent from God because of the evidence seen in His miracles, (although all were not bold enough to say it; probably the reason why Nicodemus came at night). Yet Jesus’ reply was not one of gratitude but one of warning. Jesus said that ‘unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God’! Jesus was basically saying, ‘that it is no good to just know about Me through my miracles and believe I am sent from God. If you really want to see God and enter God’s Kingdom, you need to be born again.’

Of course Nicodemus was stomped by this and couldn’t understand how a human could be born again of his mother’s womb. Yet Jesus was not talking about physical re-birth but spiritual. He was talking about the death of our old sinful self and a new birth through the Holy Spirit, cleansed, forgiven and made whole as a new person.

Today as we read this story, we too are reminded that a belief in Jesus’ miracles or even in the supernatural is not enough to save you from your sins. In order to be saved we need to be born again by allowing the Holy Spirit to renew us, cleanse us and purify us. We need to die to our old self and be born again in the Spirit. It is only then, we can know we are saved and that we live as part of God’s Kingdom and as part of His family.

2^nd November

“The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field.”

Matthew 13:44

Yesterday we learnt how precious the Kingdom of God is and how precious our salvation should be. Today we look at this same parable, yet we look at it from the stance of God’s Kingdom not only being a treasure but an active and living organism that cannot stay hidden. If we become like the man in this story, knowing we have a good thing, appreciating its value, yet do nothing to show or let other people know about it, its value eventually gets limited to a ‘hidden’ treasure and that’s it. God’s Kingdom was never meant to be hidden, no matter how precious you think it is. We are bearers of this Good News, and we carry its light wherever we go as Kingdom Ambassadors.

Don’t hide your light but be a beacon on the hill, shining for all to see His glory. We have been forgiven and restored. We are loved beyond measure and we have a destiny and purpose and are part of God’s plan. This is the wonderful news of His Kingdom that cannot and should not stay hidden.