Daily Devotional for January 15, 2011

John 3:6
Humans give life to their children. Yet only God's Spirit can change you into a child of God.

Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.

If you belong to a particular church denomination, most likely this is the denomination of your parents and/or grandparents… or your spouse or another family member. We tend to be “born into” a particular church and stay there… or at least in that denomination. Maybe you have heard the joke, “I had a drug problem… I was drug to church all my life.” Plenty of parents, like my own, took their children to church from the time they were just a few weeks old.

It would be great if parents could guarantee the salvation of their children just by taking them to church. I’m sure many parents would gladly accept this responsibility. Lots of grandmas and grandpas, aunts and uncles, moms and dads and other adults would be happy to drag kids to church every Sunday if they were even 25% hopeful that this really could ensure them a place in heaven.

But this is the one thing that parents and other adults cannot do for children – or any other person. Each person is solely responsible for giving his/her heart to Jesus. Every one of us make this commitment for ourselves. And going to church does not change us into Spirit-filled children of God. Yes… we are all God’s children, meaning God created all of us. But to truly be HIS forever and into Eternity, we have to accept His gift of Jesus Christ and invite His Holy Spirit to dwell within our heart.

Your parents can provide lots of things for you – a home, a loving family environment, food, clothing, transportation, an education, payment of your debts, and more. They can pray for you, drag you to church, and provide a Spirit-filled home and atmosphere in which to rear you. But when it comes to choosing to become a Christian, you have to make this choice – and change – for yourself.

There is one thing we others can do… we can encourage you to make this choice and change TODAY. Give your heart to God… accept His gift of Jesus Christ for your sins, and begin to serve Him now. Becoming a Spirit-filled child of God will be the best “grown-up” decision you ever make.

©2011 Debbie Robus