Jesus, I now understand why it is called the KINGdom of God; You are the King of God’s Kingdom. Let me meet You and get acquainted with Your attitudes and character. Help me learn why I should put You in charge of my rights, privileges, and laws and be glad You are.

I have all been born in a nation or kingdom and am a citizen of that land by birth. That is what You were saying to Nicodemus about birth into the Kingdom of God. You were saying that the only way I can become a citizen of God’s Kingdom is by birth. That isn’t something I thought would be the answer to the issues of my life. Help me see how this works.

Jesus, like Nicodemus, I have problems that are challenging my life. I am hoping that You will help me get them solved. Help me believe that, that IS exactly what You are doing. Show me that I am not going to be healed and helped with my problems UNTIL I get born into God’s Kingdom. But, the moment I was exposed to the words “born again” that has created a whole new question in my mind. Like Nicodemus, I didn’t see any need for being born again. I didn’t even known there was such a thing as being born again.

Jesus, Nicodemus was a Jew and they were considered to be God’s chosen people. God had made a whole lot of promises to those who belonged to that nation. Nicodemus probably assumed he was automatically a citizen of the Kingdom of God. But, You were telling him that wasn’t true. I now see that the same is true of me; I see that it’s not a national, family, or group decision. I can be born in a Christian family, go to church, be baptized as an infant or young child, study all kinds of Bible lessons and even memorize Scripture verses, and still not be born again.

Jesus, show me that if I were born in a certain nation or kingdom and I illegally entered another nation or kingdom, I wouldn’t have citizen rights and privileges. If I were born to one set of parents and I tried to sneak into another family, I wouldn’t be given family rights and privileges. That only comes through being born in that family or by being adopted into that family by those parents.

Jesus, teach me that as long as I haven’t been born again into God’s family and Kingdom, I don’t get MANY of the benefits that come from that relationship. In other words, that is the reason why MANY of my prayers haven’t been getting answered by God prior to salvation. He requires that I join His family and Kingdom BEFORE I start getting MANY of the benefits that come from Him. Help this make any sense to me right now; and help it make even more sense to me soon.

Jesus, show me why some people ask God for things and not get them. Show me why can I can pray about such issues as hopelessness and not seem to get helped. Teach me that many of these people lack family and citizen rights of healing and help with their finances, relationships, emotions, physical problems, and spiritual needs. BUT, also show me that I have been praying the only kind of prayers God is willing to listen to prior to me being born again.

Jesus, help me understand that if God wouldn’t listen to ANY prayers I pray prior to salvation, then me praying for salvation wouldn’t be heard. I have been praying prayers that are asking You to help me understand these things about being born again and receiving salvation. These are prayers that are vital for empowering me to be born again.

I know You don’t want to trick me into salvation. I know You don’t want me to have any misunderstanding about what I am trying to get. I know You only deal in the realm of the truth. The reason You are answering all these prayers I am praying is, so I can be born again. But, You want me to be born again with a full understanding of what that means. Help me understand that after this new birth, all kinds of my prayers will get answered.

Jesus, I have a pretty good idea how human birth takes place. My big question is, how is it possible to be born AGAIN? Like Nicodemus, I can see some real problems with a grown person being “born again.” Help me do what he did when he needed to learn these things; he asked You a question. If I don’t understand or agree with something I hear about the Bible or read in the Bible, keep me from getting upset. Help me present the question to You, to my Christian leaders, and to my Christian friends. I believe that You will see to it that I get the right answer at the right time.