Love

'Jesus replied to Nicodemus, “I can guarantee this truth: No one can see God’s kingdom without being born from above.” (or born again)' John 3:3

Reborn

I have heard from both new Christians and non-Christians, statements and questions asking about the skinny on the term "born again".

Now, even in this day and age of  information, if not instant information and information overload, this question still abounds and it is not surprising because there are not really many sources of good information out there. And the sad reality is that there are many sources of bad information. Or of people trying to explain it in a way that is not only hard to understand but also hard to believe.

Jesus

Now first things first, Jesus of Nazareth was the first person to have been quoted to have spoken this term. It was written that He mentioned this to Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish leaders of his day. Nic secretly met with Jesus one night, with the intent of asking questions that have probably kept him awake for many nights.

Now, even at that time (about 2,000 years ago), this supposedly, if not comparatively well-informed leader of his people, himself could not understand what the term "born again" meant and even with Jesus Christ Himself explaining it to him.

Epiphany

Now to me, it really is not a term or a concept or an idea to grasp.  It is not a question in a quiz or a game show that you need to get right. And it is not about changing religions or about any religion, as one can be born again regardless of one's beliefs or unbelief.

Rather this is something that happens to you -- a singular event, a personal experience, an individual unforced decision, an epiphany, no "the epiphany", and subsequently it is a lifestyle to live.

The Right Time

You will know the time, such as did Nicodemus, when it is the time to seek out the answer to this very same question. And like Jesus did to him, He will meet with you and explain to you this term. Now because Jesus is no longer here on earth in the flesh to meet with, He will meet with us and converse with us through His Spirit and also through His people who have been reborn ahead of you. Now once you've been born again yourself, then your other questions will be answered slowly but surely, one by one, when you start reading Scriptures and listening to bible-based teachings, provided you were indeed born from above.

Free Gift of Love

And He isn't forcing anyone. Remember, He wasn't the one who went to Nicodemus. It was the other way around,  Nic was the one who came to Him, in the dead of night, maybe so as no one would know.

Now all these, He is doing to each one of us, because He really loves us so...even if we do not know it yet as He died on the cross for all of us.

Love Expressed

I know, I may not have really given you much to go on but as I've said being born again is not something anyone would or could force on anyone else. Jesus is not about cramping anyone's style or making you do something you do not want to do on your own accord. If you don't get it, it just might not be the right time for you just yet. But hopefully you are not just being your usual stubborn self, not wanting to step up to the plate, decide or commit just yet, as is your usual MO.

Now, when you are ready, do not waste another minute. Seek out the One who loves you so... come to Him, ask about being reborn. You have been born like everyone else, now find out how to be born from above.

New Year, New Attitude

“Look, I am making everything new!”  Revelations. 21:5

The bible has been taking a lot of flack for as far as I can remember. This goes double for bible thumpers.

As of late though, everyday (normal) bible believers have also been on the receiving end of undue bashings, criticisms and condemnations. This goes for people of any faith.

My point though is that with the new year, more people should start to resolve to have a new attitude and decide to have a fresh sense of humaneness about them.

I mean, someone of a different faith needs to respect someone else's right to believe in a faith that is different from the one they hold on to.

We all have the right to believe in whatever faith we sink our teeth in -- be it a belief in multiple gods, a specific god, in no god or even in "I have absolutely no idea what to believe in".

The Book of Revelations has been tooted by those who believe in it, as a prophetic book. And one has the right to believe so, as much as not to.

Today, as we enter the new year, let us respect those who have a different view than our own, as well as those who do not care one way or another.

And this cannot be one way.

People respectful of another's point of view should start receiving the same level of respect from those who believe otherwise, and vice-versa.

Ideally, of course.

And yes, this new year is a good time to start. And besides, this is summed up in the Golden Rule, the rules of karma, the laws of science and plain old common sense.

Happy New Year.

It is Done, But are You?

Finished

In the prophetic book we know as Revelations it is written in Chapter 21 that, 'He said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give freely to him who is thirsty from the spring of the water of life."

Jesus is saying "It is done." And it is free for the asking.

This is a stark contrast to any religion who says, "we have to do this and we have to that".

Buddha requires: the right speech, the right action, the right livelihood the right awareness, the right concentration, the right efforts and the right resolve. And you achieve all that (hopefully) through several lifetimes.

Allah requires: sincere recitation that 'there is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger', praying five times a day, fasting during the holy month of Ramadan, giving alms and completing the pilgrimage to Mecca.

The gurus of Dharma (Hinduism) requires that its practitioners act morally and ethically throughout their life. They have to follow 10 essential rules -- patience, forgiveness, piety,  honesty, sanctity, control of senses, reason, knowledge, truthfulness and the hardest, absence of anger .They also need to repay debts -- debt to the gods, debt to parents and teachers, debt to guests, debt to other human beings, and debt to all other living beings.

Those who belong to certain sects who follow the God of the bible, require good works and good deeds to earn points for the next life.

In the same token, many of those who are non-believers of the divine also feel good to do their share of good works and good deeds -- advocating for a cause bigger than themselves or just plain helping the poor or the less fortunate.

Still Empty

But, none of these "good deeds" will really fill what feels like an unfillable hole within each on of us. It just feels like the "bad things" that we do cannot or will not be covered over by the "good things" we do.

And the worse thing about it is that the harder we try, the emptier or the guiltier we become. Because we eventually do fall back into our old familiar "bad habits", bad ways and bad choices.

No one can be righteous, not even Mother Teresa, not any of the popes, not Billy Graham, not Mister Rogers, and not even Oprah Winfrey, Angelina Jolie or Michelle Obama.

We can help save the pandas, the tigers, the bears, the rhinos and the gorillas but we can only do so much and we can't help how the good that we did in one year's time can be undone by the environment, nature, catastrophes, wild animals and other people in a few seconds.

Nothing that we can ever do can really fully satisfy the emptiness that we feel. We can keep on going for the more dangerous or more grueling stunt every time we accomplish one. We can take on the more daunting task or project or we can even give away all our money to charity, but still leave us empty.

In contrast we can become the richest person in the world, the most powerful, the most famous, the most feared, but still have we heard a news conference from the likes of Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, Vladimir Putin, Angela Merker, Tom Cruise, LeBron James or Floyd Mayweather saying they have enough money, they have enough power, they have enough fame, they have reached nirvana or inner peace or total satisfaction.

Nope, life will always be about "doing this and doing that" and going after this or chasing after that. And tomorrow you will wake up (that is if you ever did go to sleep) and it will be more of the same "doing" and "chasing".

Did you ever ask yourself, maybe I'm going about this all wrong. Maybe I could try something I have given up on, something I didn't give a chance to, or something I haven't tried yet. Did you ever think that maybe the key to filling the emptiness and to finding inner peace, inner joy and to finding yourself, might be to try Jesus.

Jesus said "It is done. And that it is free for the asking. Ask and you shall find."