Important measurements

            We all seem to like measuring things. One thing we like to measure is snow. When we have a storm, people take the yard stick out and plant it in the ground just to see how much snow we had. I know of some people who have fallen down the steps from the house to the patio while walking out just to measure the snow. We als have to know our height and weight every times we fill out a form and we also need to know the year in which we were born. Some computer forms have a place to scroll down to find the year in which you were born. In my case, I have to hit the button four to five times to get to "1938." Many forms will require you to put down how old you are. When we were children, we couldn't wait to get to be a teenager. Then, as a teenager, we couldn't wait until we became 18 and thereby legal to do many different things. Then, as we got older, we suddenly found that the "birthdays" seem to come much quicker than when we were children and we may find ourselves actually forgetting how old we really are. One book once started out with a statement of an older gentleman who said. "I guess I am 92 or maybe it is 93, I really can't remember." We often find ourselves wondering just how old we really are. Of course, there is no difference, it just seems that the days pass by more quickly the older you get. There is, however, one birthday that we often forget. Most of the people in the world's system are not interested in this birthday. John 3:3-7 says, "Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again." 

           Jesus was referring to a second birth that was different from our physical birth. He must have considered it to be extremely important as He said it was a primary requirement in order to get into heaven. It boils down to this. You need to have 2 births and then 1 death. If not, you will have 1 birth and 2 deaths. Just as the fact of being born again is mentioned in the Scriptures, so is the fact that a person will experience the second death if they have not experienced the new birth. This fact, while alarming to some, or at least it should be, is also a blessing in that the person who has been "born again" knows that he or she is a member of the kingdom of God. Need something to praise God for today? Then, just think on the blessings of being born again. Praise God for the new birth. Second Corinthians 5:17 "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."