It's good to be with you again at the beginning of a new week, sharing with you keys to successful living, which God has placed in my hand through many years of personal experience and Christian ministry. The title for my talks this week is Born of God. I'll be sharing about the most profound, life-changing experience that can ever happen to any human being. This experience of being born of God is one in which eternity becomes part of time and God becomes part of man. To understand it, we have to go back before time to eternity. And this is possible only through the inspired revelation of Scripture, the Bible. Nowhere else do we have access to this truth. It's confined within the pages of the Bible and the teaching that comes from those pages.

We're going to go to the opening verses of John's Gospel, in which John pictures a relationship within the eternal being of God. In these opening verses, he introduces us to two divine persons, God and the Word. His opening words are "In the beginning." And for any Jewish mind, that would immediately turn it back to the opening book of the Old Testament, the book of Genesis, which begins with the same words, "In the beginning," and continues, "In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth."

And that opening verse of the Old Testament, like this verse in John's Gospel, is extremely significant, because in it, The mystery of the nature of God is contained in seed form. In Genesis 1:verse 1, the word for God, in Hebrew Elohim, is plural. But the verb that follows it, created, is singular. So right in the opening verse of the Bible, we have both the singular and the plural related to the person of God.

And it's in the beginning, in other words, it's before creation took place, before time began, there is God. We do not say there was God, but there is God. God won, and yet more than one, combining in himself the paradox of unity and plurality. And actually this paradox continues to be unfolded throughout the Bible, coming to its full culmination in the New Testament and in the person of Jesus.

Now we look at the words of John. As I've said, he starts with the words, "In the beginning was the Word," and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The Word is God. He was with God in the beginning. The phrase that's translated with God in the original Greek is toward God. And it says elsewhere in the scripture that he was in the bosom of the Father.

Then speaking about this divine word, it says through him. All things were made, and without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. Now the Greek word translated by the English word, word, in this passage is logos. Logos is one of the most profound and meaningful words in the Greek language, and the Greek language is an extremely rich language.

Logos means much more than the English word by which we translate it, word. We can say that this Greek word logos means understanding, reason, intelligence, purpose. It's a word that you cannot translate by one single English word. So as we view this picture given us here of the word who was with God and was God, We could perhaps describe this divine word in some such phrases as these: The infinite understanding and purpose of God, expressed not in mere theory or knowledge, but in a person.

How important that is to see that the ultimate revelation of God is not just in a theory. It's not just in intellectual knowledge. It's not in words, plural, but it's in a word, the word, the divine word, a person. You see, personality is much higher than that which is not personal. And so it's very appropriate that the complete revelation of God is not contained just in things, in words, in writings, but it's contained in a divine person.

And this divine person is related to God as a son to a father. He shows forth the perfect likeness of God. Elsewhere in the epistle to the Hebrews, which is also addressed specifically to the Jewish mind, it says he's the express image of the Father's person. He's the channel of his creative activity. Everything that was created was created by him, and he's the source of all life.

In him was life, and the life was the light of men. Now we come to the next amazing revelation of Scripture. In God's appointed time, this divine eternal Word was manifested in human history in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. John says in his Gospel, chapter 1, verse 14, The Word became flesh and lived for a while among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

So he took human form, and he was found among men just as a man, yet nevertheless at certain times his eternal glory was manifested to the eyes of his disciples. The coming of this divine word to earth in the person of Jesus of Nazareth was attested by the last of the great prophets of the old order, John the Baptist.

The Apostle John records of John the Baptist in his Gospel, chapter 1, verse 15. John testifies concerning him. He cries out, saying, This was he of whom I said, He who comes after me has surpassed me, or was preferred before me, because he was before me. So, this divine, eternal word manifested in the person of Jesus was before John. Not merely was, but he is. He is the eternal, self-existent word of God.

And then a little further on in the first chapter of John's Gospel, verse 18, we read this: No one has ever seen God, that's God the Father, but God the only Son, the unique Son. That Greek word means two things. It means the only begotten, and it means only one of a kind.

There is no other Son like this divine, eternal Son of God, but the only Son who is at the Father's side or in the Father's bosom. has made him known. So, we cannot see God the Father. Paul tells us he dwells in light inapproachable, whom no man can see or has seen. But we can see him represented, perfectly represented, in the person of his Son, and manifested in human history as Jesus of Nazareth.

And you remember Jesus said, He that hath seen me. hath seen the father. You want to know what God is like? You have to look at Jesus. He's the perfect representative. And then we need to bear in mind that not only was he attested by the last of the old testament prophets but he was foretold by all the old testament prophets.

And here's a verse that's familiar to many in Isaiah chapter 9, verse 6 speaking of this miraculous manifestation of Jesus for to us a child is born To us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders, and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

There are certain remarkable contrasts or paradoxes in that prophecy which open up the door to the revelation of this mystery. The wording is very exact. Jesus was born as a child, a little infant. But he was given as a son, the eternal son. He didn't become the son of God by being born of Mary. He was born as a child, but given as the eternal son.

And then this same child is also called the everlasting father, or the father of eternity, and the prince of peace, and the mighty God. Here we have a child who is to be born and yet is to be the mighty God. How clear that prediction is when we see it fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth.

And we have to see here the tremendous implications for the human race and for each of us individually of this event in human history, the birth of the Son of God, His manifestation in human flesh. Let me say just two vital facts that I want you to bear in mind. First, all history was affected by His coming. The world has never been the same since.

Secondly, our response to him determines our destiny. The way we respond to God manifesting himself in history, in the person of Jesus, is going to be decisive for our personal destiny in time and in eternity. In my introductory talk yesterday, we looked at John's picture of God in his eternal being before time began or creation took place.

And we saw there the mystery of both unity and plurality in the eternal being of God. This is what John says. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made. Without him nothing was made that has been made.

In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The Greek word here translated word, as I pointed out yesterday, is logos. And this means much more than the English word, word. I suggested that you could understand it in the following terms: Understanding, reason, intelligence, or purpose.

We could amplify that perhaps and say that the word here is the infinite understanding and purpose of God expressed not in mere theory or knowledge, but in a person. I pointed out that personality is higher than that which is not personal. The ultimate revelation of God logically had to be in a person, not just in a book or a theory.

And this person is related to God as a son to a father. He shows forth the perfect likeness of God. Elsewhere in the epistle to the Hebrews, which is also addressed specifically to the Jewish mind, it says he's the express image of the Father's person. He's the channel of his creative activity.

Everything that was created was created by him, and he's the source of all life. Now we come to the next amazing revelation of Scripture. In God's appointed time, this divine eternal Word was manifested in human history in the person of Jesus of Nazareth.

John says in his Gospel, chapter 1, verse 14, The Word became flesh and lived for a while among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

So, this divine, eternal word manifested in the person of Jesus was before John. Not merely was, but he is. He is the eternal, self-existent word of God. And then a little further on in the first chapter of John's Gospel, verse 18, we read this: No one has ever seen God, that's God the Father, but God the only Son, the unique Son.

That Greek word means two things. It means the only begotten, and it means only one of a kind. There is no other Son like this divine, eternal Son of God, but the only Son who is at the Father's side or in the Father's bosom. has made him known.

So, we cannot see God the Father. Paul tells us he dwells in light inapproachable, whom no man can see or has seen. But we can see him represented, perfectly represented, in the person of his Son, and manifested in human history as Jesus of Nazareth.

He was born as a child, but given as the eternal son. And then this same child is also called the everlasting father, or the father of eternity, and the prince of peace, and the mighty God. Here we have a child who is to be born and yet is to be the mighty God. How clear that prediction is when we see it fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth.

First, all history was affected by His coming. The world has never been the same since. Secondly, our response to him determines our destiny. The way we respond to God manifesting himself in history, in the person of Jesus, is going to be decisive for our personal destiny in time and in eternity.

In my introductory talk yesterday, we looked at John's picture of God in his eternal being before time began or creation took place. And we saw there the mystery of both unity and plurality in the eternal being of God. This is what John says. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made. Without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The Greek word here translated word, as I pointed out yesterday, is logos.

And this means much more than the English word, word. I suggested that you could understand it in the following terms: Understanding, reason, intelligence, or purpose. We could amplify that perhaps and say that the word here is the infinite understanding and purpose of God expressed not in mere theory or knowledge, but in a person.

I pointed out that personality is higher than that which is not personal. The ultimate revelation of God logically had to be in a person, not just in a book or a theory. And this person is related to God as a son to a father. He shows forth the perfect likeness of God.

Elsewhere in the epistle to the Hebrews, which is also addressed specifically to the Jewish mind, it says he's the express image of the Father's person. He's the channel of his creative activity. Everything that was created was created by him, and he's the source of all life.

Now we come to the next amazing revelation of Scripture. In God's appointed time, this divine eternal Word was manifested in human history in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. John says in his Gospel, chapter 1, verse 14, The Word became flesh and lived for a while among us.

We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. So he took human form, and he was found among men just as a man, yet nevertheless at certain times his eternal glory was manifested to the eyes of his disciples.

The coming of this divine word to earth in the person of Jesus of Nazareth was attested by the last of the great prophets of the old order, John the Baptist. The Apostle John records of John the Baptist in his Gospel, chapter 1, verse 15. John testifies concerning him.

He cries out, saying, This was he of whom I said, He who comes after me has surpassed me, or was preferred before me, because he was before me. So, this divine, eternal word manifested in the person of Jesus was before John. Not merely was, but he is. He is the eternal, self-existent word of God.

But we can see him represented, perfectly represented, in the person of his Son, and manifested in human history as Jesus of Nazareth. And you remember Jesus said, He that hath seen me. hath seen the father. You want to know what God is like? You have to look at Jesus. He's the perfect representative.

And then we need to bear in mind that not only was he attested by the last of the old testament prophets but he was foretold by all the old testament prophets. And here's a verse that's familiar to many in Isaiah chapter 9, verse 6 speaking of this miraculous manifestation of Jesus for to us a child is born To us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders, and he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Here is the cleaned-up version of the sermon transcription:

Material needs, but they were for the most part blind to their spiritual needs. Whereas Jesus came primarily at that time to meet the spiritual needs of his people. Consequently, because of this blindness, his own people did not recognize who he was and did not receive him. But thank God that was not true of all. Though the nation as a whole, and particularly the religious leaders, rejected Jesus, there were many individuals who did recognize and receive him.

At first, all those who received him were from his own people, Jewish. But in due course, as his Jewish disciples carried his message to the rest of the world, there were multitudes from all nations who likewise recognized and received him. In my talk today, I'm going to explain what happened to those who received him and what still happens today to all who receive him.

I'm going to go back to that first chapter of John's Gospel and I'm going to read verses 10 through 13. The first two verses we read yesterday concerning the fact that his own people did not receive him. We'll start there, but thank God we can go on to something more encouraging.

Verses 12 and 13 speak about those who did receive him. Here is what John says: He, Jesus, the Word, was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world did not know him. He came to his own, and those who were his own did not receive him.

Thank God it doesn't end there. The next verse begins with a but. Thank God for that but. But as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in his name, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Look at that last verse for a moment and leave out the negatives, the nots. It says, who were born of God. That's our theme. That's the title of my message this week, born of God.

Those who received him, it says, he gave them the right or the authority to become children of God, even to those who believe in his name. The word "believe" speaks of faith. It's a faith transaction. By faith, they recognized who he was and received him for what he was in faith.

And as a result of receiving him, they were born of God. But in order to make it absolutely clear what kind of a birth it's speaking of, John says, first of all, they were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man. So there are three possibilities which are ruled out.

It was not of blood. Nor of natural descent. It wasn't of human decision, or a husband's will, but born of God. God became their father. A new birth.

Let's look for a moment at the negatives, just to understand them more clearly. It was not of blood. It was not of natural descent. It wasn't of human inheritance. Your father or your mother may be a wonderful Christian, but that doesn't make you a Christian, because it's not of natural descent.

You may be born into a Christian community or a Christian nation, but that doesn't make you a Christian. It's not of natural descent, not of the will of the flesh, not of some human impulse, such as that which causes us to eat or drink or do things that satisfy our physical nature.

It's not that kind of decision. Third, it's not of the will of a man or a husband's will. It's not the prompting of sexual desire that's normal for a husband toward his wife. That's not the kind of impulse or motivation behind it, but the positive born of God. It's God's purpose. It's God's will. It's God's own nature that is imparted through the new birth.

And because it's of God, therefore those who receive it, in receiving him, Jesus, become God's children. Further on in John's Gospel, Jesus himself speaks about this experience of being born of God. It's found in John 3, verses 3-7, a conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus.

Nicodemus had acknowledged that Jesus must be a teacher sent from God because of the miracles which he performed. But in reply, Jesus pinned him down about the new birth. Reading then from verse 3, In reply, Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

How can a man be born when he is old? Nicodemus asked. Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born.

You see, Nicodemus had the problem of his people. He could see only in the natural and in the physical. Jesus was talking in spiritual terms. Nicodemus was trying to interpret him in physical terms.

Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth. Unless a man is born of water and the Spirit, capital S, the Holy Spirit, unless a man is born of the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God."

He can neither see it nor enter it. And then Jesus continues, flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to Spirit.

If it was a fleshly nature, it would be a fleshly birth. But it's a spiritual nature, and therefore it's a spiritual birth brought about by the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God.

And then Jesus concludes by saying, You should not be surprised at my saying, You must be born again. Notice that word, "must." There are no options. If you ever want to see or enter the kingdom of God, you must be born again.

That phrase, born again, could equally well be translated, born from above, or it could be translated born a new, a totally new beginning.

There are three distinctive features of this birth that Jesus brings out. First of all, it's from God. Second, it's from above. And third, it's by the Spirit, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God.

And so the result corresponds with that which brings it about. It's a birth from God. It makes us God's children. It's from above. It opens up to us the kingdom of heaven, and it's by the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is the agent who imparts to us this new nature which comes through receiving Jesus. We have to be so very simple at this point. It's not really theology. It's a very simple, basic fact which leads to experience.

The life is Jesus. Let's take some statements made by Paul and see how he expresses this. First of all, in Philippians 1, verse 21, Paul makes one of the most simple yet profound statements ever recorded in literature. For me, to live is Christ. It's a personal matter, you understand.

He didn't speak for anybody at that point but himself. Everybody has to make this personal. It's not congregational. It's not an experience that's national. It's an experience that has to be individual. For me to live is Christ. Christ is life. My life is Christ. It's an indestructible life. It's an eternal life. It's a divine life.

It is Christ. And then, in Galatians chapter 2 and verse 20, Paul again makes it very personal. So important to make this thing personal. I remember growing up in the Anglican church in Britain as a boy, I was taught to say in various phrases, Our Lord and Saviour. Our Lord.

It was general. Then I met a little lady, and I heard her say, My Lord and my Saviour. And I said to myself, I can't say that. I had the general, the collective. I didn't have the individual and the personal.

Bear in mind, this has got to be personal, something for you. Just as Paul said, for me, to live is Christ. So in Galatians 2.20, Paul returns to the first person again. I have been crucified with Christ, and I no longer live.

Well, if you no longer live, how are you alive, Paul? But Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.

Paul says, it's not I who am living any longer. Why not? Because I've received Jesus. I came to the end of myself. I came to the end of my own life. In Christ, through his crucifixion, through his death, I died.

I have been crucified with Christ. From now on, there's a new life. The cross was the end of the old life. The grave was where it was buried. But when Jesus was resurrected, and I received the resurrected Christ through the Holy Spirit, then I started a totally new life.

It's Christ now living in me and then again in the writings of Paul in Colossians chapter 3, verses 2-4. Set your mind on things above not on earthly things. Bear in mind that this comes from above for you died and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.

You see when we come into this experience we have a hidden life, a life the world doesn't see a life the world doesn't understand but it's real in us it's real to us.

And then Paul goes on to make this amazingly simple statement. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you will also appear with him in glory.

Let me just take out some words. Christ is my life. Christ is my life. Now, I can say that. I've been able to say that for more than 40 years.

It's a living, personal, daily reality. I'd like to ask you, can you say the same? Christ is my life.

Let me speak about it for a moment in terms of the mechanics. I want to turn to Romans 8 verse 10. The key understanding is that this life is imparted by the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God.

If Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit, capital S, the Holy Spirit, is life because of righteousness. You see, there has to be a death before there can be a new life.

So, when Christ comes in, on the basis of his crucifixion, we see ourselves crucified with him. The body, that is the old carnal life, is dead. And it's dead because of sin. It had to submit to God's judgment on sin, which is death.

But thank God, again, there's one of those beautiful buts. It doesn't end with the death. But the Spirit is life. The Holy Spirit is life. The Holy Spirit comes in and imparting to us a new life, the very life of the resurrected Jesus.

And this is because of righteousness it's not on the basis of our own righteousness but it's on the basis of the righteousness of Jesus imputed to us through faith in him.

But this inner life also affects our physical bodies. So Paul goes on to say in the next verse, Romans 8, 11, But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, then he that raised up Christ from the dead will also quicken or give divine life to your mortal body.

In this dispensation our bodies remain mortal. They're still subject to decay and to death. That's a reality. Our hair begins to turn gray or drop out. Our teeth are not as strong as they were. Our muscles don't function exactly as well. That's a reality in the life of all of us.

But we don't have to submit to that totally because although we're in a mortal body, in that body, inside it, is a divine, eternal resurrection life. And that resurrection life in the Holy Spirit can give divine life to our mortal body.

I believe God can keep us vigorous and healthy as long as he has a task for us on earth. And when our task is finished, then he can take us to himself.

Paul expresses this too. Just one more quotation, 2 Corinthians 4, 16. Therefore we do not lose heart. So don't lose heart. Dear friend, dear Christian brother or sister, don't lose heart.

Because though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. We have this conflict in the Christian life. The outer man is decaying. We are still in a mortal body. We are still subject to the pressures of life.

But we don't have to be discouraged. We don't have to lose heart because there's something else in us that is greater than all that comes against us. Paul said, he that is in me or he that is in you is greater than all that comes against you. You can count on that inner life.

If Jesus is living there, he's equal to every need, every situation, every problem, every pressure. Your outer man is perishing, decaying, but your inner man can be renewed day by day.

In my previous talks, I've explained that the decisive act which produces the new birth is personally receiving Jesus. Yesterday I described the new kind of life that's thus produced within us, and that life is Jesus himself imparted by the Holy Spirit.

We looked at a number of statements, for instance, that Paul made. He said, For me to live is Christ. How simple that is and how profound. For me to live is Christ.

And then he said, I am crucified with Christ. Nevertheless, I live. Yet not I, but Christ lives in me.

And then writing to the Colossians, he said, you died. When Christ died, you died. His crucifixion was your crucifixion. His burial was your burial.

That's the negative. And yet, he said, Your life is now hidden with Christ in God. You have a hidden life, a life the world doesn't see or understand.

And then he goes and says, when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then you will also appear with him in glory.

Here is the cleaned and formatted sermon transcription:

All will appear, then shall you also appear with him in glory. Just pick out those simple words. Christ is our life. That's what comes from the new birth.

And then, in Romans, Paul explains this life is ministered by the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God. If Christ be in you, the body is dead. The old, carnal, sinful life has come to an end. It was crucified. It was buried. But the Spirit, capital S, the Holy Spirit, is life on the basis of Christ's righteousness imputed to us.

So, the Spirit comes in and ministers to us the new life which is in Jesus. Now, in the natural order, when a baby is born, when a new life comes into a human family, that life requires proper nurture and care in order to grow and become strong and healthy. If you don't feed the baby, if you don't care for the baby, even if it was a beautiful, healthy baby when it was born, it will ultimately cease to live.

The same is true in the spiritual order. The new life produced in us by being born of God requires proper nurture and care. So, in my talk today, I'm going to explain just how to nurture and care for that new life that comes through the new birth.

Over the years, it's been my privilege to help many, many people who have newly been born of God, and I don't know that there's any greater privilege than that. Over those years, I've come to see from experience and observation that there are four main priorities for such a person, a person who has been born of God.

I will list them for you now in what I consider to be order of importance. First, appropriate spiritual nourishment, which is God's Word. Second, keeping in touch with the life source, which is, in one word, prayer. Third, confessing our faith openly. And fourth, fellowship with other believers.

I'm going to state them again. First, appropriate spiritual nourishment, which is God's Word. Second, keeping in touch with the life source, which is prayer. Third, confessing our faith openly. And fourth, fellowship with other believers.

Now, to help you practically, I'm going to say a brief word about each of these priorities. First of all, appropriate spiritual nourishment, which is God's Word. In Matthew 4:4, this is what Jesus says. It is written, man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

In the Bible, bread is taken as an example of man's staple basic diet. And so Jesus says the staple basic diet of every child of God, born of God, is the Word that comes out of the mouth of God. And there are appropriate forms of diet for various stages of spiritual growth.

First of all, for those who are newly born, God offers milk, something that can be taken even by an infant and easily digested by an infant. 1 Peter 2:1-2, Peter says this, Therefore putting aside all malice and all guile and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babes, long for the pure milk of the Word, that by it you may grow in respect to salvation.

Notice the key phrase, "long for the pure milk of the Word" that by it you may grow. It's the milk of the Word of God, the simple basic truths and teachings of the Word of God, really such as I'm bringing in this talk today, by which you can grow and become a strong, healthy child of God.

However, for the mature, for those who are spiritually advanced, God has solid food. And the writer of Hebrews speaks about that in Hebrews 5:13-14. For everyone who predicts only of milk is not accustomed to the Word of righteousness, for he is a babe. As long as you can only take milk, you are still spiritually a babe.

But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil. God has more than milk. But you have to grow up to the point where you can receive it. How do you become able to receive it? The writer of Hebrews says very clearly. Because of practice, such people have their senses trained to discern good and evil.

It's a matter of practice. It's a matter of regularity. It's a matter of studying God's Word and learning to divide the Word of Truth rightly. If you don't do that, you'll remain a spiritual babe.

Then let's look at the second priority, keeping in touch with the life source by prayer. There are some very short and potent words of Paul in 1 Thessalonians 5:17-18. Pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

It's God's will for you to do two things, to pray without ceasing and in everything give thanks. Let me give you some very simple, basic advice about prayer in case you have problems with it. First of all, you can pray without ceasing. You can pray all the time. You can pray anywhere. You don't have to have a set form of words. You don't have to have a particular environment. You don't have to be in a particular posture.

All those things may be good, but they are secondary. You can pray without ceasing. And in everything, give thanks. You can join your praying with giving thanks. That's very important. Don't come to God simply with a shopping list and call that prayer. Always begin by thanking Him and acknowledging Him.

The more you thank Him, the closer you come to Him. The more you thank Him for what He's already done, the more faith you have for what you believe He's going to do. Then submit your will and plans to God. Seek His guidance and help. Commit your needs to Him, and again, never separate praying from thanking.

Let me say that again. It's very important. Begin by thanking and acknowledging God, submit your will and plans to God, seek His guidance and help, commit your needs to Him, and never separate praying from thanking.

The third great priority for those born of God is to confess our faith openly. In Matthew 10:32-33, Jesus says this, Everyone therefore who shall confess me before man, I will also confess him before my Father who is in heaven. But whoever shall deny me before man, I will also deny him before my Father who is in heaven.

You see, the way we respond concerning Jesus on earth determines the way that Jesus in heaven responds concerning us. And we're only given two options. There's no third option. We either confess him, acknowledge him openly, declare our relationship to him, or we deny him.

If we confess him, he will confess us. If we deny him, he will deny us. It's extremely important that in a quiet, tactful way, you communicate to those around you the fact that you believe in Jesus, that He is your Savior, He is your Lord, you're living for Him.

You don't have to be a preacher, you don't have to be a Bible thumper, but you do have to confess him. And then the fourth priority is fellowship with other believers.

And this is related to our confession. In Hebrews chapter 10:23-25, the writer says this, Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering. You confess, you keep confessing. You don't waver. You don't go back. For he who promised is faithful.

And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together as the habit of some is, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the day drawing near.

Notice the emphasis on one another. Stimulate one another to love and good works. Encourage one another. You can't do that in isolation. You need to encourage others. You need to be encouraged by others.

The key to that is not forsaking our own assembling together. Have a place of worship and fellowship to which you are committed and be regular in your attendance at it.

Now, if because of circumstances you're cut out from fellowship, God will make that up to you. But if it's your own stubbornness and obstinacy, God will not make that up to you.

Listen to the words of John in his first epistle, chapter 1:7. But if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

Notice that fellowship is related to two vital things, walking in the light, being cleansed by the blood. If we walk in the light, we will have fellowship one with another. If we're out of fellowship, we're out of the light.

And then it says, if we walk in the light, we are cleansed by the blood continually. I put it this way, the blood only cleanses when we're in the light. If we get out of the light into the dark, we lose the cleansing of the blood. And the evidence that we're in the light is that we have fellowship one with another.

So bear in mind those four priorities for those who are born again. First of all, appropriate spiritual nourishment, God's Word. Second, keeping in touch with the life source, prayer. Third, confessing our faith openly. And fourth, fellowship with other believers.