New Beginning
Scriptural Steps Away from Life Crisis to New Life in Christ
by
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When a baby is born, it experiences a dramatic, sometimes traumatic, entry into an entirely new world of consciousness. Its previous existence, as an embryo and fetus within the uterus of the mother, comes to a timely and abrupt end.
The baby’s life has not begun at birth, of course. Life begins at that mysterious moment of conception when new life is given to reproductive cells that have been united. There is then significant physical development while the embryo grows from an indistinct mass of cells to a fetal body made up of organs and limbs and vascular and nerve networks carrying life among the various parts. Although the lungs and stomach and intestinal organs are present, they are not used within the womb since nutrients and oxygen are drawn from the mother’s body encompassing the baby.
The mother is, throughout this process, responsible for making sure that the proper nutrients and proteins are available for the baby’s development and that harmful substances are not allowed into the womb. The baby is completely protected and dependent upon her until the moment of birth. When the birth happens, in an instant everything changes!
The baby must learn how to breathe in order to survive. The baby is responsible for the intake of nourishment. If it refuses to eat, it will eventually die. The baby must learn from those with more experience about survival in this new world because at some point the baby will mature and live on its own.
Birth is the first time babies come face-to-face with their father, and they experience a new relationship they had never imagined. They begin connections to siblings who preceded them in birth and grandparents and family members who have been involved and invested in the lives of their parents.
A new life has begun!
There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. “Rabbi,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with you.”
Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” (John 3:1-3)
Nicodemus had come to meet with Jesus under the cover of darkness. As a member of the ruling Jewish elite, the Sanhedrin, Nicodemus was one of the most learned teachers of the Jewish law in Israel. As a well-known scholar, he was accustomed to rabbis approaching him to seek his wisdom and insight.
He knew what the Scriptures declared about the Messiah’s coming and he had become suspicious, by hearing Jesus’ teaching and perhaps seeing His miracles, that Jesus was in fact The Anointed One. The Spirit of God had begun to work in Nicodemus to draw him to the truth, but still he had questions.
Jesus’ statement about needing to be “born again” startled him.
“What do you mean?” exclaimed Nicodemus. “How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”
Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”
“How are these things possible?” Nicodemus asked. (John 3:4-9)
Perhaps you, like Nicodemus, are wondering how it is possible to be born again. You find yourself curious about the teachings of Jesus and have possibly seen miracles happen in the lives of other people you know. And yet, intellectually, you don’t have any clue as to the process that happens inside a person when they become “born again.”
The truth is that God’s plan can’t be grasped by the intellect alone and the pathway to salvation can’t be rationalized and fully comprehended prior to believing. It requires faith.
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About the Book
With the leading of the Holy Spirit, Tim has studied the Scriptures to find biblical truths and instructions to share with both new believers desiring to turn from worldly pursuits and begin walking with Christ and mature Christians who seek help in recovering from crises in their life. Using a progressive format of steps similar to those introduced in twelve-step recovery programs, Tim shows how Scripture instructs us to see ourselves, the process through which God draws us to Himself, and the spiritual application of the Word of God in developing a solid Christian foundation for moving forward.
Drawing from Scripture passages from dozens of books in both the Old and New Testaments, Tim points out God’s desired relationship with humans and how His Word gives us a blueprint for living the life that He desires for us. At the end of each chapter, a series of questions is presented intended to help readers reflect on their own views of scriptural teachings and their attitudes and perceptions of God and living a Christian life.
About the Author
Raised in a Christian family in Savannah, Georgia, Tim turned away from his faith as a teenager and began pursuing a life of striving for status, material success, and self-centered pleasure. His use of alcohol and drugs for thrill and escape eventually led to substance abuse and alcoholism. As circumstances began to spiral out of control, Tim lost his family, his career, and his physical and mental health. On the verge of suicide, Tim reached a crossroads. Instead of killing himself, Tim chose to surrender his life to Christ and begin a new life in spiritual recovery and daily walking with the Lord.
As he experienced the Lord drawing him closer, Tim reached out to Christian mentors who could help him walk a new path in life. He made an honest assessment of himself and, with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, began to develop new attitudes and behaviors, Godly character, and spiritually healthy relationships with his family and others. Through prayer, searching the Scriptures, and daily surrendering of his will to his heavenly Father, Tim began to experience peace and joy and a new outlook on life.
Today Tim has discovered a new passion for helping others who are facing crises in life. He is active in his church and men’s ministry as well as in addiction recovery groups. He also leads a Bible study and is a leader in local Christian businessmen’s groups. Currently residing in Greensboro, North Carolina, Tim is actively engaged in a commercial real estate career.