1
00:00:01,199 --> 00:00:04,160
Speaker 1: Most of us eat every day, some of us too much,

2
00:00:04,599 --> 00:00:07,879
because yesterday's food is not enough to supply energy for

3
00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:12,240
today's needs. Why then, do some of us expect yesterday's

4
00:00:12,279 --> 00:00:15,400
portion of heavenly manna the word of God to keep

5
00:00:15,480 --> 00:00:19,199
us through today's challenges. On this program, we are going

6
00:00:19,239 --> 00:00:23,280
to change all of that. Let's experience God's words today

7
00:00:23,559 --> 00:00:27,399
and receive the power we need to live healthy, vibrant lives.

8
00:00:28,160 --> 00:00:31,879
Welcome to your Daily Portion with your host, author speaker,

9
00:00:32,039 --> 00:00:33,079
Elle David Harris.

10
00:00:33,200 --> 00:00:36,240
Speaker 2: Good morning, Good morning, Good morning. It is Friday, October

11
00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:39,880
twenty five, twenty twenty four. Hello, my name is El

12
00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:42,479
David Harris. I am your host, and this is your

13
00:00:42,560 --> 00:00:46,079
Daily Portion where we give you God's Word every single day,

14
00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:49,799
and today is no exception. We are continuing in our

15
00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:53,600
Lesson study series through the Gospel of John. Themes in

16
00:00:53,679 --> 00:01:00,479
the Gospel of John, and our caption for today is Rebirth.

17
00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:02,640
We'll get into that in just a moment, but first

18
00:01:02,679 --> 00:01:04,280
I'd like to say welcome to you and ask you

19
00:01:04,319 --> 00:01:06,799
to please go over to your Daily Portion dot com.

20
00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:11,400
Please join our online community. Click that number seven and

21
00:01:11,599 --> 00:01:15,799
subscribe there. I need one thousand people to subscribe there

22
00:01:16,239 --> 00:01:18,560
and This is one of the ways that we continue

23
00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:21,079
to build faith and fellowship. And please be sure to

24
00:01:21,159 --> 00:01:24,000
let us know where you are in the world. Yes,

25
00:01:24,159 --> 00:01:27,640
let's go ahead and pray, and then we will get underway.

26
00:01:28,319 --> 00:01:30,480
Father and Heaven. Thank you for giving us this new

27
00:01:30,560 --> 00:01:34,159
morning and for the privilege that we have this morning

28
00:01:34,239 --> 00:01:38,200
to be reborn. Thank you Father for your Holy Spirit

29
00:01:38,560 --> 00:01:42,680
who is always active and ready to transform us by

30
00:01:42,719 --> 00:01:45,640
the renewing of our minds. Please help us to surrender

31
00:01:46,000 --> 00:01:52,000
in Jesus name. I pray, Amen and Amen again rebirth.

32
00:01:52,519 --> 00:01:56,439
Now we started this discussion yesterday, well really got into

33
00:01:56,480 --> 00:01:58,879
the throes of it yesterday, and there was so much

34
00:01:59,239 --> 00:02:01,079
that we were not able to cover it. So we

35
00:02:01,239 --> 00:02:04,319
continue today. I will give you some pointers, but I

36
00:02:04,359 --> 00:02:08,120
want to read something from the book Desire of Ages,

37
00:02:08,960 --> 00:02:12,759
pages one hundred seventy six and one hundred seventy seven,

38
00:02:13,360 --> 00:02:18,639
and this is about the encounter that Nicodemus had with Jesus. Okay,

39
00:02:18,759 --> 00:02:21,639
Jesus is teaching him that he must be born again,

40
00:02:22,120 --> 00:02:28,280
and Nicodemus's life is being transformed in real time. And

41
00:02:28,319 --> 00:02:33,919
I like the story because Nicodemus being transformed, experiencing the

42
00:02:33,960 --> 00:02:39,479
metamorphosis instantly is starting to look for ways, if you

43
00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:42,719
want to say, ways to be of service in the

44
00:02:42,840 --> 00:02:45,680
Kingdom of Heaven. And we see it at the most

45
00:02:45,719 --> 00:02:51,120
critical junctures that stuff doesn't happen unless God transforms us. Okay,

46
00:02:51,159 --> 00:02:54,840
and so it reads in the interview with Nicodemus, Jesus

47
00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:59,159
unfolded the plan of salvation and his mission to the world.

48
00:02:59,719 --> 00:03:04,159
In none of his subsequent discourses. I want you to

49
00:03:04,199 --> 00:03:08,960
get this. In none of Jesus's subsequent discourses did he

50
00:03:09,199 --> 00:03:15,280
explain so fully, step by step, the work necessary to

51
00:03:15,360 --> 00:03:18,240
be done in the hearts of all who would inherit

52
00:03:18,319 --> 00:03:21,039
the Kingdom of Heaven. Did you get that?

53
00:03:21,159 --> 00:03:21,240
Speaker 1: So?

54
00:03:21,439 --> 00:03:26,120
Speaker 2: Jesus had taught so many times the truth, he had

55
00:03:26,199 --> 00:03:30,520
transformed so many lies, But in none of the times

56
00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:33,360
that he would speak and teach the truth did he

57
00:03:33,560 --> 00:03:38,439
do it to the degree so comprehensively then at this moment,

58
00:03:38,800 --> 00:03:41,479
and so if that's the case, and it is, then

59
00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:45,560
we need to really glean from this experience, this encounter

60
00:03:46,240 --> 00:03:50,000
what was important to Jesus. What was important to Jesus

61
00:03:50,039 --> 00:03:53,080
is that we have to be reborn because the way

62
00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:55,400
that we were born in the first place, we were

63
00:03:55,400 --> 00:03:59,800
born with the genes spiritually speaking and practically of Adam.

64
00:04:00,360 --> 00:04:03,120
And of course, of course you could say no, I understand,

65
00:04:03,199 --> 00:04:05,439
like if you want to be very technical, right, But

66
00:04:05,520 --> 00:04:11,000
what I'm saying is that we inherited the tendency to

67
00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:16,160
do evil, We inherited the desire to do evil. And

68
00:04:16,199 --> 00:04:19,920
it takes a supernatural work of God in order to

69
00:04:20,040 --> 00:04:23,519
put us in a position where we would love to

70
00:04:23,560 --> 00:04:26,560
do good, that we would have a mindset that is

71
00:04:27,040 --> 00:04:29,519
like Jesus, where the Bible says, let this mind be

72
00:04:29,639 --> 00:04:32,319
in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. Okay. And

73
00:04:32,360 --> 00:04:36,160
so this is a pivotal moment, and it continues. It

74
00:04:36,199 --> 00:04:40,480
continues at the very beginning of his ministry. He opened

75
00:04:40,519 --> 00:04:43,439
the truth to a member of the Sanhedron, to the

76
00:04:43,519 --> 00:04:48,439
mind that was most receptive, and to an appointed teacher

77
00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:51,920
of the people. But the leaders in Israel did not

78
00:04:52,360 --> 00:04:55,839
welcome the light. Nicodemus hid the truth in his heart

79
00:04:56,240 --> 00:05:05,639
for three years. For three years there was little apparent fruit, okay.

80
00:05:05,800 --> 00:05:09,519
And so in his heart was planted the seed, the

81
00:05:09,560 --> 00:05:12,399
seed of God's word, the seed of the truth that

82
00:05:12,560 --> 00:05:16,199
Jesus Christ is the is the one that transforms us.

83
00:05:16,680 --> 00:05:18,759
But he hid it in his heart for a while,

84
00:05:19,360 --> 00:05:22,439
but Jesus was acquainted with the soil, did you get

85
00:05:22,480 --> 00:05:27,040
that into which he cast the seed? The words spoken

86
00:05:27,120 --> 00:05:31,680
at night to one listener, and the lonely mountain were

87
00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:36,600
not lost for a time. Nicodemus did not publicly acknowledge Christ,

88
00:05:36,959 --> 00:05:40,920
but he watched his life and pondered his teachings in

89
00:05:40,959 --> 00:05:44,439
the Sanhedrin council. He repeatedly thwarted the schemes of the

90
00:05:44,480 --> 00:05:49,839
priests to destroy him. When at last Jesus was lifted

91
00:05:49,959 --> 00:05:55,560
up on the cross, Nicodemus remembered, Oh. Nicodemus remembered the

92
00:05:55,639 --> 00:06:00,240
teaching upon Mount Olivit. As Moses lifted up the serpent

93
00:06:00,319 --> 00:06:03,720
in the wilderness, even so must the son of Man

94
00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:08,600
be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish,

95
00:06:08,839 --> 00:06:13,839
but have everlasting life. The light from that secret interview

96
00:06:14,399 --> 00:06:20,519
illumined the Cross upon Calvary. Nicodemus saw in Christ the

97
00:06:20,560 --> 00:06:25,079
world's redeemer. After the Lord's ascension, when the disciples were

98
00:06:25,120 --> 00:06:30,920
scattered by persecution, guess who came to their aid. Nicodemus

99
00:06:30,959 --> 00:06:35,120
boldly ah came to the front. He employed his wealth

100
00:06:35,600 --> 00:06:40,600
in sustaining the infant church, that the people of God

101
00:06:40,639 --> 00:06:45,600
who were now fallen. Huh had expected to be blotted

102
00:06:45,639 --> 00:06:49,720
out by the death of Christ in the time of peril,

103
00:06:50,240 --> 00:06:55,240
who had been so cautious and questioning, was firm as

104
00:06:55,279 --> 00:06:59,839
a rock, encouraging the faith of the disciples and furnishing

105
00:07:00,120 --> 00:07:03,199
means to carry forward the work of the Gospel. Can

106
00:07:03,279 --> 00:07:08,040
I just say that, if God has entrusted financial resources

107
00:07:08,079 --> 00:07:12,439
to you, put it into the work of God. This

108
00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:16,279
is a classic example of what it's like for a

109
00:07:16,319 --> 00:07:21,600
person who has means, who has wealth, to be able

110
00:07:21,879 --> 00:07:25,279
to sustain the work of God. Let me continue, Let

111
00:07:25,360 --> 00:07:29,839
me continue. Let me see in the beginning, let's see

112
00:07:29,920 --> 00:07:35,480
night conference with Jesus. Okay, he was scorned and persecuted

113
00:07:35,519 --> 00:07:39,360
by those who had paid him reverence in other days.

114
00:07:39,680 --> 00:07:44,040
He became poor in this world's goods, Yet he faltered

115
00:07:44,199 --> 00:07:48,439
not in the faith which had its beginning in that

116
00:07:48,600 --> 00:07:53,279
night conference with Jesus. Here is the last paragraph Demus

117
00:07:53,519 --> 00:07:57,319
related to John the story of that interview, and by

118
00:07:57,360 --> 00:08:01,839
his pen it was recorded from for the instruction of millions.

119
00:08:01,879 --> 00:08:07,560
The truths that were taught as important today as they

120
00:08:07,600 --> 00:08:11,079
were on that solemn night in the shadowy mountain, when

121
00:08:11,199 --> 00:08:14,920
this ruler of the people of God came to learn

122
00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:21,360
the way of life from the lowly teacher of Galilee.

123
00:08:21,399 --> 00:08:25,000
What an incredible story. And it's not just a story

124
00:08:25,079 --> 00:08:28,639
it is it is a manifestation of God's power to

125
00:08:28,759 --> 00:08:33,960
transform even the life of people who have means, even

126
00:08:34,000 --> 00:08:36,840
the life of people who have influence. And then that

127
00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:40,960
influence becomes an impediment in some ways because now you're

128
00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:43,080
in the spotlight or what are you going to do

129
00:08:43,480 --> 00:08:46,240
when you have influence and people are the ones who

130
00:08:46,279 --> 00:08:50,440
seem to be giving you that influence, then it's like, ah,

131
00:08:50,679 --> 00:08:53,279
if I do this, then they will remove my power.

132
00:08:53,279 --> 00:08:55,840
If I do this, they may remove my money. If

133
00:08:55,879 --> 00:08:59,120
I do this, they may remove my influence. But Jesus

134
00:08:59,120 --> 00:09:02,840
showed that a person whose life is transformed has no

135
00:09:03,039 --> 00:09:06,919
need to worry about political implications, have no need to

136
00:09:06,960 --> 00:09:11,960
worry about socioeconomic implications. All we need to be concerned

137
00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:14,960
about is whether we are yielding our will to God.

138
00:09:15,399 --> 00:09:20,240
And so there is transformment. If there is transformation in

139
00:09:20,440 --> 00:09:26,919
patience and persistence in Christ. Right, there is courage for

140
00:09:27,080 --> 00:09:31,080
us to stand for the truth when we are in Christ. Yes,

141
00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:36,000
there is power in our personal encounters with Jesus Christ.

142
00:09:36,080 --> 00:09:39,759
When we yield our will to him Ultimately. You know what,

143
00:09:40,240 --> 00:09:43,480
all of us have the privilege to be reborn. Today

144
00:09:43,519 --> 00:09:45,120
could be the day for somebody.

145
00:09:45,120 --> 00:09:46,279
Speaker 1: Thanks for joining us listening.

146
00:09:46,399 --> 00:09:46,720
Speaker 2: Friends.

147
00:09:47,000 --> 00:09:50,480
Speaker 1: Always remember we cannot live by bread alone, but by

148
00:09:50,559 --> 00:09:53,679
every word that comes from the mouth of God. This

149
00:09:53,759 --> 00:09:57,200
has been your daily portion with El David Harris. Make

150
00:09:57,279 --> 00:10:00,279
it a great day. Yeah,