Born-again

 

If you are a born-again believer you have been chosen by God to accomplish a particular purpose in life.  You are fearfully and wonderfully made.  When you are born into the family of God you can expect many changes to take place in your life that you might relate to as metamorphoses like the caterpillar when they turn into a butterfly.  

When the caterpillar is born, they go about their business until it is time to make a cocoon and go to sleep, like in a hibernating state. I don’t know if they realize it, but something is going to take place in their very existence that will change their life forever and also their outward appearance and they will become beautiful and even be able to fly.  This has nothing to do with evolution, evolving from one state to another; no, this is a transformation that takes place by the designer’s purpose, which is God the creator of all things that exist.  At one time these ugly caterpillars got around the best they could, probably never dreaming that someday they would not be limited to the hum drum life they were in, inching along in their lives dodging predators that were looking for a snack.  They probably never thought that someday they would rise up and fly, defying gravity while robed in a beautiful assortment of colors.

When I think of true believers, I think of this kind of transformation in their lives.  When this transformation first starts people are in bondage to sin and all the ugly activities it takes them into, even their appearance is marred by sin and also their actions.  When they hear the message of God’s forgiving grace, there is an uncomfortable feeling within them that I will relate to as the drawing of God and the conviction of the Holy Spirit being applied to their life and they begin to squirm under the conviction.  Their sin is exposed and they have a choice to make, they can reject the invitation or accept it and surrender their lives to the Lord, repenting of their sins and asking the Lord to forgive them and to be their Lord and Savior.  There are some things that can stop this transformation from taking place; one is rebelliousness, another total rejection, also the enemy can snatch the Word before it can be effective in the person’s life.   

If you think about the caterpillar; they may be hindered in some way or other, like someone trying to help them get out of the cocoon which would cause them to come out totally deformed or may not make it at all.  There is a process that has to take place before the caterpillar turns into a butterfly and it is not an easy one.  They make a small hole in the cocoon and press their bodies through the hole so that the secretions are squeezed from their bodies; this has to take place before they can become beautiful butterflies.  

You might say that new believers have to face many trials and even tribulations before they become mature, strong believers.  If we expect to shine and become beautiful like our Lord and Savior, we will have to overcome these tribulations and trials in our lives, putting the old sin nature to death daily and strive for perfection.  

One of the biggest problems believers face today is lack of knowledge.  It says this in Hosea 4:6,

“My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.

Because you have rejected knowledge,

I also will reject you from being priest for Me;

Because you have forgotten the law of your God,

I also will forget your children.”

It also says this in Acts 17:11, ” These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so.”  

If you don’t study the truth, seeking the help of the Lord and Holy Spirit you will fall for anything.  Some people teach that Christianity is somewhat like a rose garden making it sound like once you become a believer your problems are over, but think of this; we have an enemy that has come to kill, steal and destroy, like a roaring lion he seeks out who he might devour.  We need to understand that no matter what we face we can overcome through the Lord but that doesn’t mean we won’t experience anything bad.  Bad things happen to good people, if I can say it that way, but every time we are victorious we seem to shine brighter because every fire you successfully go through burns off more of the dross in your life, so to speak, and it seems like the light within you shines brighter and brighter and you seem to become more beautiful with every victorious trial you overcome.

If you know anything about Paul and the disciples as well as many of the prophets, you know they endured persecution, trials and tribulations and they fought the good fight and overcame every obstacle, and in the end received the crown of glory.  If we stay faithful we will also overcome, praise the good Lord and we will also receive whatever reward we have coming.  Remember, no matter what trials we might face, Christianity is by far the best way to live and in the end, when it is all said and done, it will have been worth it all.    Something to think about; have a super and blessed day!!