Born Again - Week 1

Day 1: Born Again: The Call to New Life
Have you ever tried to fix something broken with a temporary patch, only to find it breaks again? We often approach our spiritual lives the same way—trying to patch up problems while keeping our core identity intact. But Jesus offers something far more radical.
When Jesus spoke with Nicodemus, a respected religious leader, He didn't suggest minor improvements to Nicodemus' already devout life. Instead, Jesus made a shocking statement: "You must be born again." This wasn't a suggestion for enhancement but a declaration of necessity.

Being born again isn't about becoming a better version of your old self. It's about becoming an entirely new creation. Just as a baby enters the world completely dependent and with a fresh start, spiritual rebirth means beginning again with a new nature and identity in Christ.

This transformation is radical and complete. We aren't called to patch up our old lives with some spiritual improvements. We're called to surrender our old selves entirely and receive the gift of new life that only Jesus can give.

Verse
"Jesus replied, 'Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.'" - John 3:3

Question
In what areas of your life are you still trying to patch up problems rather than allowing Jesus to transform you completely?

"Jesus didn't come to make you a better person. He came to make you a new person. He didn't come to upgrade you. He came to replace you."

Prayer
Lord Jesus, I confess that I often try to fix myself rather than surrendering to Your transforming power. Help me to understand what it truly means to be born again and to embrace the new life You offer. Give me the courage to let go of my old identity and fully receive the new creation You want me to become. Amen.


Day 2: Dying to Live: The Paradox of Faith
There's a beautiful paradox at the heart of Christian faith: to truly live, we must first die. This isn't physical death, but a spiritual reality that transforms everything about us.
In our natural state, we're spiritually dead—separated from God by our sin nature. We might be physically alive and even successful by worldly standards, but without Christ, we lack true life. The path to genuine life requires a death—the death of our old self with its sinful desires and self-centered ambitions.

This dying to self isn't a one-time event but a daily choice. Each day, we face moments where we must choose: Will I follow my own desires or surrender to Christ's lordship? Will I cling to control or trust God's plan? Will I pursue temporary satisfaction or eternal purpose?

The beautiful promise is that through this daily dying, we experience resurrection power. As we surrender our old nature, Christ's life flows through us. We discover that what we gave up pales in comparison to what we gain—peace that surpasses understanding, joy that transcends circumstances, and purpose that extends beyond this life.

Verse
"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." - Galatians 2:20

Question
What aspects of your old self are you finding most difficult to surrender, and how might holding onto these things be preventing you from experiencing the fullness of life in Christ?

Prayer
Heavenly Father, I acknowledge that my natural instinct is to preserve my life and control my own destiny. Help me to embrace the paradox of dying to live. Give me courage to surrender those areas I'm still holding back from You. Thank You that as I die to myself, Your resurrection power brings true life within me. Amen.


Day 3: More Than a Ticket to Heaven
Many people approach faith as if it's merely a transaction—say the right prayer, get a ticket to heaven. But authentic faith is so much more transformative than that.
Genuine faith isn't just about changing your destination after death; it's about changing your direction in life. When we truly encounter Jesus, we can't remain the same. Faith that doesn't lead to change isn't really faith at all—it's just intellectual agreement.

Jesus calls us to a relationship that transforms us from the inside out. He offers forgiveness for our past, but He also invites us into a new way of living. This transformation isn't about following religious rules but about a heart change that naturally produces different actions, attitudes, and priorities.

The question isn't just whether you believe certain facts about Jesus, but whether you've surrendered your life to His leadership. Have you allowed Him to be Lord—not just Savior? A faith that saves is a faith that changes everything about how we live.

Verse
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!" - 2 Corinthians 5:17

Question
If someone who knows you well were asked how your faith has changed you, what evidence would they point to in your daily life and character?

Prayer
Lord Jesus, forgive me for times I've treated faith as just a ticket to heaven rather than a transforming relationship with You. I want a faith that changes me from the inside out. Show me areas where I'm resisting Your lordship, and give me courage to surrender completely to Your loving leadership. Thank You for not just saving me but transforming me. Amen.


Day 4: Surrender: The Heart of Transformation
The word "surrender" often carries negative connotations in our culture. We associate it with defeat, weakness, or giving up. But in God's kingdom, surrender is the pathway to victory and transformation.
True faith involves both belief and surrender. Many people intellectually believe facts about Jesus without ever surrendering their lives to Him. They acknowledge Him as Savior but resist His role as Lord. Yet Jesus doesn't offer us the option to accept one role without the other.

Surrender means recognizing that Jesus has the right to direct our lives—not just our Sunday mornings, but our career choices, relationships, finances, and daily decisions. It means acknowledging that His wisdom surpasses ours and His plans for us are better than our own.

This surrender isn't a one-time decision but a daily choice. Each day presents new opportunities to either assert our independence or submit to Christ's lordship. And with each act of surrender, we experience more of the transformation He promises.

Verse
"If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." - Romans 10:9

Question
What area of your life are you finding most difficult to surrender to Christ's lordship, and what fears or desires might be behind that resistance?

"Being born again is not just about belief. It's about belief and surrender."

Prayer
Heavenly Father, I confess that I often want You as my Savior while resisting Your role as Lord. Help me to understand that true faith involves both belief and surrender. Give me courage to open every area of my life to Your leadership, trusting that Your plans for me are better than my own. Thank You for Your patience as I learn what it means to surrender daily. Amen.


Day 5: Growing in Grace: From Spiritual Milk to Maturity
When a baby is born, we don't expect it to remain an infant forever. We anticipate growth, development, and maturity. The same is true in our spiritual lives. Being born again is just the beginning of a lifelong journey of growth.
Just as newborns crave milk for nourishment, new believers need spiritual milk—the fundamental truths of God's Word that sustain and strengthen faith. But God doesn't intend for us to remain spiritual infants. He calls us to grow, mature, and develop deeper understanding and discernment.

This growth doesn't happen automatically. It requires intentional nourishment through regular engagement with Scripture, prayer, worship, and community. When we neglect these spiritual disciplines, our growth becomes stunted, and we miss out on the full experience of salvation God intends for us.

The beautiful promise is that as we consistently feed on God's Word and apply it to our lives, we experience transformation. We begin to think more like Christ, respond more like Christ, and love more like Christ. Our character gradually conforms to His image, and we discover the abundant life He promised.

Verse
"Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation." - 1 Peter 2:2

Question
What specific habits or disciplines could you establish to ensure you're receiving regular spiritual nourishment and growing toward maturity in Christ?

Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You for the new birth You've given me. Forgive me for times I've been content with spiritual infancy rather than pursuing growth. Create in me a hunger for Your Word and a commitment to spiritual disciplines that foster maturity. Help me to move beyond the basics to deeper understanding and Christlike character. I want to experience the fullness of salvation You offer. Amen.