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 – John 3:5.

Nicodemus was the ruler of the Jews who secretly came to Jesus during the night. He was a Pharisee and a teacher, but he didn’t know about the born-again experience until Jesus explained it to him.

As it was in that dispensation, people with titles did not have a connection with God nor His Son, so it is in this dispensation. Just because a person has a title does not mean they are a child of God. Jesus said you will know them by their fruit Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? A true man or woman of God is the conformity of his or her doctrine to the Scripture. Their fruits refer not only to the actions of their lives, but also to the doctrine they proclaim.

Jesus was teaching about false prophets and how they lead people away from the doctrine of Christ into the worship of idols. Prosperity ministries teach how to use the word of God to get riches. Jesus said to seek the kingdom and the other things you desire to be given to you (But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you – Matthew 6:33). He also taught that we would always have the poor (For ye have the poor with you always, and whenever ye will ye may do them good; but Me ye have not always – Mark 14:7). Everyone is not going to be rich and when one begin to seek after money rather than God they have lost their focus on God.

Money is the downfall for most people because they begin to love money more than God (For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows – 1st Timothy 6:10). There is nothing wrong with having money or being rich it becomes evil when we love it and do whatever we can to get it.

Money has led people to sell drugs, engage in trafficking, and all sorts of evil to gain money. Some work two or three jobs, not because they have to, but because of the love of money to keep up with their neighbors, friends, family, and those on Social Media. This is not only the love of money, but covetousness, covetousness is idolatry.

Seeking after the temporal things and forsaking the eternal things is spiritual death. We can’t love money and love God; it does not work that way. It’s like trying to mix oil and water; it does not mix. When the heart has not been regenerated, the person will continue to seek and do the actions of the world. Did you know we can’t participate in darkness if we’re the light of the world?

We can’t be part-time Christians in the church, and when gathering with family and friends who aren’t believers, we’re doing and saying what they are doing and saying. This is hypocritical and is a stumbling block to those who may accept Christ.

When the heart is regenerated, we will have the mind of Christ, and God’s will becomes our will. We will only want to do those things that will please Him. We will read and study His Word and apply our lifestyle according to His Word. The Bible is God speaking to us. If we submit ourselves to His commandments, then we’re children of God (Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and We will come unto Him, and make our abode with him – John 14:23). The reason why people can live hypcrotical lives becausese the Father and Son is not dwelling in them. Jesus comes into the heart at salvation. As we continue to love Jesus and follow His direction, the Father comes to indwell us by the Holy Spirit.

Without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we can’t live according to God’s Word. It is through the Holy Spirit who empowers us to live according to God’s Word. Time is running out; each day we live, we are one more day closer to death. Jesus may come back at any time. Will He or death find you living according to the Word of God?