#260 - Holly's 3rd Spiritual Birthday

On this day in 2008, Holly accepted Christ and she became our little sister!

Here she is the night she got saved:

And this was taken last week. :)

Psalm 18:35
"You have also given me the shield of Your salvation;
Your right hand has held me up,
Your gentleness has made me great."

#117 - Anna's 3rd Spiritual Birthday

Today is Anna's 3rd spiritual birthday! Here is a picture of her after she accepted Christ at our dining room table. It was one of the happiest days of my life :)

Brian was able to baptize her on Mother's Day. What a blessed Mother's Day that was!

We are so proud of our 3 year old! May God continue to guide her life and that she will always look to Him for guidance and wisdom.

In other news, it has been raining cats and dogs here! We were blessed to not have gotten very much severe weather. Our prayers are with those that were hit hard with the tornadoes this week. And God be with the families that lost loved ones.

I'll end on a light note.......Tonight before church we ran to Save-a-Lot to get some drinks for the mission's class and this "new" cereal caught our eye. "Freaky Fruits!" Haha!

This is one of Anna's favorite verses:

Psalm 90:17
"And let the beauty of the LORD our God be upon us,And establish the work of our hands for us; Yes, establish the work of our hands."

A Choice

In this life you are given a choice.
1. Be born once, die twice.
or
2. Be born twice, die once.

Make sense? Let me explain!

1. Be born physically, die physically and spiritually.
or
2. Be born physically and spiritually, die only physically.

If you are alive and breathing you have been born physically. If you are never born again spiritually then you will die not only physically, but spiritually as well. To die spiritually means to be separated from God for eternity.

However, if you are born again spiritually then you will only have a physical death.

When Nicodemus came seeking Jesus one night this is what He said:
John 3:3 “Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

Nicodemus didn’t quite understand.

John 3:4 “Nicodemus said to Him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”

John 3:5-8 “Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water* and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
*physical birth

How do we become born again spiritually?

We were created to have a relationship with our Creator. When Adam sinned it separated man from God. Because of this we are all born sinners. Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” In order to have a relationship with God we must first admit that we are a sinner and have our sins forgiven.

How do we get forgiveness?

God made a way for us to be born again spiritually through His Son Jesus. Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin. (Hebrews 9:20) Jesus was perfect in every way and shed His blood so that we could have our sins forgiven.

2 Corinthians 5:21 “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

In order to be born again and be saved from your sins you must believe that Jesus, the Son of God, died for you and rose again.

Romans 10:9-10 “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

To be born again spiritually:

A-Admit you are a sinner.

B-Believe that Jesus, the Son of God, died for your sins and was risen again.

C-Confess Christ as your Lord and Savior and Commit to follow Him.

There is no other way to have that relationship with God and live an eternal life in heaven with Him. John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

Simply pray, “Lord Jesus I admit I have sinned and I repent of my sins and I turn to you in faith. I believe in you, Jesus, that you died on the cross for my sins that you rose again on the third day. I trust you for salvation. I confess you as my Lord and my Savior. And I commit my life to you from this day forward. Thank you for saving me. Fill me with your Holy Spirit that I might walk with you. In Christ name I pray. Amen.”