What Does It Mean To Be Born Again?

"I tell you the truth, unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3).



Almost everyone knows who Jesus is. There is a difference between knowing who Jesus is and having a relationship with Him, though. God gives us the choice of having a second birth - to be born again and start a new life with Him. This happens when you willingly turn your back on sin, turn to Jesus for forgiveness, and ask Him to be Lord ... that is, the boss of your life. This is the only way to get to Heaven and spend eternity with Him. God loves you, no matter what you’ve done in your life, and He wants to have a relationship with you. There’s nothing that you’ve done that’s too big for Him to forgive!

Romans 10:9 says “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

To be born again and welcomed into the family of God, pray this prayer from your heart:

“Heavenly Father, I believe you love me. I believe Jesus died for me because of my sin and rose from the dead in victory. I confess Jesus as my Lord, and I receive the forgiveness of all my sins. Today I will turn away from my sins and follow You. Holy Spirit, come into my life. Thank You for saving me, in Jesus' name. – Amen.”

If you prayed this prayer, welcome to the family of God!  I would encourage you to take some important steps in order to grow in your relationship with Christ and experience maximum life change:

• Get a Bible you can call your own. There are many different versions available, so choose one that is easy for you to understand.  I, personally, found the New Believer's Bible (NLT) a great help when I was first born again.  It is easy to read, and it's set up specifically for people who are beginning to study the bible.

• Set aside time to read your Bible and pray each day. You don't have to start out praying for an hour each day!  Try to set time aside each day to pray without any distractions.  Prayer is simply talking to God.  Tell Him what's on your heart.  If you're not sure what to read, start with one of the gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke or John) in the New Testament.
   
• Look for a Bible believing church to attend. This is essential to your spiritual growth. A good church will provide you with instruction and leadership based in the Word of God and also encourage the development of the gifts that God has given you.
   
• Develop friendships with other Christians. One of the best places for a new believer to do this is in church! Become involved with other believers who also desire to follow God’s purpose and plan for their lives.

If you gave your life to Jesus today, I would love to hear about it.  Send me a comment or e-mail me @ mypurposeinhim@gmail.com to let me know!

Thank you, Jesus, for being such an approachable and loving Savior!  You desire to save all of us.  I thank you that you showed me of my need for a Savior.  I gave my life to you, and you saved me from having to spend eternity in hell.  Even better, that means I will spend eternity with you!  Thank you, Lord, for being so patient and loving me even when I was at my worst. I love you!