March 1st 2026
Jesus Declared, "I Tell You The Truth, No-One Can See The Kingdom Of God Unless He Is Born Again."
2Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
The Lenten season in 2026 is a 40-day, solemn Christian period of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving, running from Ash Wednesday, February 18, to Holy Thursday, April 2. Just for clarity the 40-day period does not include Sundays in the count! It prepares believers for Easter by reflecting on Jesus' 40 days in the wilderness, focusing on repentance, self-discipline, and spiritual renewal. Just for more clarification, as I am writing this commentary, I do not feel well, so this preparation may lack some consistency!
In the selected verse, Paul wrote about becoming Born Again, which changes the person causing them to become a New Creation while still living in this cursed world! When you accept your salvation by claiming Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior you become, “a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” When you accept the truth that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior you are permanently changed, and your immortal soul is put on the path that will lead you to heaven, when heaven is ready for you!
In a conversation with Nicodemus Jesus explains the need for His followers to become born again, and thus, to be capable of entry into heaven. Please note that Jesus is very clear on the need to be born again. Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no-one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no-one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him." In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no-one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." (John 3:1-3).
This week in my daily Bible study the verses I saved are all related to trying to love our neighbors as God is loving everyone, as all human beings are created by God, and cared for by Jesus Christ, and guided in this cursed world by the Holy Spirit. Yes, I believe Jesus maintains this universe as He is the Creator and Redeemer! When Jesus walked tis earth as the Son of man, He left us with writing of the New Testament to guide us in this lifetime, and to lead all His followers to heaven, when we die and leave this cursed world!
First it seems good to start with how God showed His love for us. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. (1 John 4:9). Here is some evidence of God’s love for you. Since God loves us and we are followers of Jesus, and we are guided by the Holy Spirit we should be able to love others. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. (1 John 4:11-12).
Jesus taught His followers about the idea that we must come to love God before we can love our neighbors. Jesus was once asked, "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ (Matthew 22:36-39).
Paul wrote about the basis for loving our neighbor to the church in Rome and for us. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. (Romans 13:9-10).
Jesus told us that we need to love everyone, even those who choose to not love us! You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. (Mt 5:43-45). To Jesus Christ we are all neighbors in this cursed world!
If God has blessed us with possessions in this world, we should feel inclined to share with our neighbor who is in need. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. (1 John 3:17-18). Actions speak louder than words! In the opening description of the Lenten season in this commentary we read, “The Lenten season is a 40-day, solemn Christian period of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving!”
God’s love is perfect as it has no earthly biases, as our love does because of our sinful nature. There is no fear of this perfect love for you from God. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. (1 John 4:18). In this cursed world be on your guard to not plot evil against any of your earthly neighbors. The writer of Proverbs directs us to always aim to do your best to love your neighbors even the ones you do not like! There is good payoff for your good intentions. Do not those who plot evil go astray? But those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness. (Proverbs 14:22).
Okay, now remember at the beginning of this commentary I said I did not feel well. The Lenten season in this cursed world is a time of colored eggs delivered in Easter baskets to schools and even to Christian churches! I searched my Bible software and did not get a hit on “Easter Bunny,” and I did get a hit on “Binni” as some ones name. I did get a hit on “rabbit” and found the Jews were told not to eat a rabbit as it was an unclean animal. You may eat any animal that has a split hoof divided in two and that chews the cud. However, of those that chew the cud or that have a split hoof completely divided you may not eat the camel, the rabbit or the coney. Although they chew the cud, they do not have a split hoof; they are ceremonially unclean for you. (Deuteronomy 14:6-7).
So, is this evidence of some protection for the easter bunny? The Cadbury bunny looks a lot like the rabbits we used to raise on our farm, and we ate them. They were quite tasty, but I did not know eating them would have made me unclean if my religion forbad it. Why is there some kind of fairy tale creature that is used to change some holy day into a holiday, and the acclaim shifts from some God-like person and replaces Him with a fairytale critter? Should we honor Jesus Christ during the Lenten season and explain Him to our children, or should we honor the easter bunny, and explain why our church is having an easter egg hunt for our children? Is the Lenten season a holy time when as followers of Jesus we celebrate 40 days of holiness and love for our neighbors? Or is this holiday season filled with dying eggs and waiting for the easter bunny to deliver them during this holiday season? If you do both, which one do you believe is the most important to explain to your children, and to share with other believers? What would Jesus do?
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
2Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
The Lenten season in 2026 is a 40-day, solemn Christian period of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving, running from Ash Wednesday, February 18, to Holy Thursday, April 2. Just for clarity the 40-day period does not include Sundays in the count! It prepares believers for Easter by reflecting on Jesus' 40 days in the wilderness, focusing on repentance, self-discipline, and spiritual renewal. Just for more clarification, as I am writing this commentary, I do not feel well, so this preparation may lack some consistency!
In the selected verse, Paul wrote about becoming Born Again, which changes the person causing them to become a New Creation while still living in this cursed world! When you accept your salvation by claiming Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior you become, “a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” When you accept the truth that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior you are permanently changed, and your immortal soul is put on the path that will lead you to heaven, when heaven is ready for you!
In a conversation with Nicodemus Jesus explains the need for His followers to become born again, and thus, to be capable of entry into heaven. Please note that Jesus is very clear on the need to be born again. Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no-one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no-one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him." In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no-one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." (John 3:1-3).
This week in my daily Bible study the verses I saved are all related to trying to love our neighbors as God is loving everyone, as all human beings are created by God, and cared for by Jesus Christ, and guided in this cursed world by the Holy Spirit. Yes, I believe Jesus maintains this universe as He is the Creator and Redeemer! When Jesus walked tis earth as the Son of man, He left us with writing of the New Testament to guide us in this lifetime, and to lead all His followers to heaven, when we die and leave this cursed world!
First it seems good to start with how God showed His love for us. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. (1 John 4:9). Here is some evidence of God’s love for you. Since God loves us and we are followers of Jesus, and we are guided by the Holy Spirit we should be able to love others. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. (1 John 4:11-12).
Jesus taught His followers about the idea that we must come to love God before we can love our neighbors. Jesus was once asked, "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ (Matthew 22:36-39).
Paul wrote about the basis for loving our neighbor to the church in Rome and for us. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. (Romans 13:9-10).
Jesus told us that we need to love everyone, even those who choose to not love us! You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. (Mt 5:43-45). To Jesus Christ we are all neighbors in this cursed world!
If God has blessed us with possessions in this world, we should feel inclined to share with our neighbor who is in need. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. (1 John 3:17-18). Actions speak louder than words! In the opening description of the Lenten season in this commentary we read, “The Lenten season is a 40-day, solemn Christian period of fasting, prayer, and almsgiving!”
God’s love is perfect as it has no earthly biases, as our love does because of our sinful nature. There is no fear of this perfect love for you from God. There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. (1 John 4:18). In this cursed world be on your guard to not plot evil against any of your earthly neighbors. The writer of Proverbs directs us to always aim to do your best to love your neighbors even the ones you do not like! There is good payoff for your good intentions. Do not those who plot evil go astray? But those who plan what is good find love and faithfulness. (Proverbs 14:22).
Okay, now remember at the beginning of this commentary I said I did not feel well. The Lenten season in this cursed world is a time of colored eggs delivered in Easter baskets to schools and even to Christian churches! I searched my Bible software and did not get a hit on “Easter Bunny,” and I did get a hit on “Binni” as some ones name. I did get a hit on “rabbit” and found the Jews were told not to eat a rabbit as it was an unclean animal. You may eat any animal that has a split hoof divided in two and that chews the cud. However, of those that chew the cud or that have a split hoof completely divided you may not eat the camel, the rabbit or the coney. Although they chew the cud, they do not have a split hoof; they are ceremonially unclean for you. (Deuteronomy 14:6-7).
So, is this evidence of some protection for the easter bunny? The Cadbury bunny looks a lot like the rabbits we used to raise on our farm, and we ate them. They were quite tasty, but I did not know eating them would have made me unclean if my religion forbad it. Why is there some kind of fairy tale creature that is used to change some holy day into a holiday, and the acclaim shifts from some God-like person and replaces Him with a fairytale critter? Should we honor Jesus Christ during the Lenten season and explain Him to our children, or should we honor the easter bunny, and explain why our church is having an easter egg hunt for our children? Is the Lenten season a holy time when as followers of Jesus we celebrate 40 days of holiness and love for our neighbors? Or is this holiday season filled with dying eggs and waiting for the easter bunny to deliver them during this holiday season? If you do both, which one do you believe is the most important to explain to your children, and to share with other believers? What would Jesus do?
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
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