#4 HE IS RISEN!

(I am reposting four devotionals about Easter from Living Water Daily Devotionals. I am doing this because I feel so strongly that the message needs to be repeated, that we understand what Christ did for us. Blessings!) (March 31, 2013)

HE IS RISEN!

Today we celebrate Easter Sunday. We remember that Jesus, the Christ, was persecuted, tortured, and killed on the cross.

Yet He fulfilled prophecy when He arose from the grave, conquering death, and bringing salvation and forgiveness of sin to all mankind.

'But He was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with His wounds we are healed.' (Isaiah 53:5 ESV)

Three days, just three. Yet they changed the world forever. He changed us forever. Once we know the truth, the reality of His sacrifice for us, His obedience to the Father, His willingness to suffer, we can never be the same.

We can only be surrendered. Praise His holy name for His amazing grace, His endless love.

Happy Easter, and blessings!

#3 So They Took The Body of Jesus...

(I am reposting four devotionals about Easter from Living Water Daily Devotionals. I am doing this because I feel so strongly that the message needs to be repeated, that we understand what Christ did for us. Blessings!) (March 30, 2013)

'So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews.' (John 19:40)

The people had witnessed the arrest, persecution, torture, and crucifixion of Jesus. Now He was brought down from the cross. Can you imagine the anguish of those closest to Him, as He lay before them beaten, bloody, and dead?

He was taken for burial in a donated tomb. His body was prepared, and the stone rolled into place. Heartbreak surely brought a numbness as they worked, doing the things which had to be done for the burial of a deceased loved one.

At this point we are not given any words to describe anything but grief. The horrendous events of the past couple of days had to be seared into their mind's eyes. But in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 23, verse 56, we are told, 'On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.' Still obeying, even if not understanding why their Jesus had died.

We can take a lesson from this. No matter our circumstances, no matter what it looks like to us, no matter whether we see light at the end of the tunnel or not, obedience should be our response. When we are numb with grief, or fear, or simply with weariness from the fight, if we will respond the way Jesus teaches us to, in faith and obedience, the Light will appear.

Tomorrow we celebrate the Resurrection. This is the event, above all others, that shows the world God's devout, sublime, endless and timeless love for us.

Remember to attend the church of your choice, and participate in this celebration. Remembrance of what Jesus did for us is a form of worship. So go, dear one, and worship Him with all your heart, your mind, your body, and your soul.

Blessings!

#2 So They Took Jesus...

(I am reposting four devotionals about Easter from Living Water Daily Devotionals. I am doing this because I feel so strongly that the message needs to be repeated, that we understand what Christ did for us. Blessings!) (March 29, 2013)

'So they took Jesus, & He went out , bearing His own cross.....'. (John 19:17)

We go from what we call Palm Sunday, when Jesus triumphantly returns to Jerusalem amid the people waving palm fronds and calling out Hosanna, to the same people calling out for His crucifixion. When given the choice of his or a criminal's release, they chose the criminal.

Yet we should not judge them. Many times throughout our lifetimes we will have been guilty of the same thing. Yes, we often choose sin over Christ. Usually not deliberately, but we choose it just the same.

The difference now is that if we are true Christians, He is living within us. And because this awful thing happened to Him, He gives us mercy and forgiveness. His Father, our Father, allowed this death to happen. He willingly gave His Son as a sacrifice because of our sin, because of our choices.

So as He proceeded on to Golgotha, in absolute misery but total determination, we were on His mind. Yes, whether you know Him now or not, He still did this for you, and for me.

Consider today the choices Jesus made. Mark today as a day of worship and remembrance of what was done for mankind by the Creator of mankind. Be sorrowful for His suffering, yet joyful for His indescribable love. There is none like Him.

Blessings!

#1 -- A Little While and You Will Not See Me...

(I am reposting four devotionals about Easter from Living Water Daily Devotionals. I am doing this because I feel so strongly that the message needs to be repeated, that we understand what Christ did for us. Blessings!) (March 28, 2013)

'A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me, because I go to the Father.' (John 16-16) (March 28, 2013)

Much of the words Jesus spoke at The Last Supper were not understood. The disciples were confused by what Jesus was trying to tell them. He knew this, but He also knew that they would eventually remember His words after...

... After His death and resurrection much of what He had told them the preceding three years, and on that last evening, began to make sense. The fullness of His life and actions made itself clear. But they had to live through the confusion, the terror and sorrow, and the joy of His defeat over the grave before they would understand. Thus, they were finally prepared properly, equipped for His ministry that He had instructed them to continue when He was gone from them.

All of Jesus' words make sense. We know the beginning, and the end, of the story, His story. It is not fiction, but an autobigraphy of the most amazing life ever lived...one that lives on today and forever more.

Remember the scene of The Last Supper as you celebrate this coming Easter. And remember that even as we understand His words of truth, we will truly one day understand the perfect miracle that is Him.

Blessings!

He Makes A Way

'When I can't see a way, He makes a way.'

This line from the song 'Did I Mention', by The McKamey's, just 'hits it' for me. How many times in life have each of us been in situations where we could not see how we would get through? We forget all too often just Who our God is.

No matter the situation, we have survived it, and lived to tell about it. Yes! We are to tell others all about what our faithful, amazing God has done for us. How else can others come to know Him, or trust Him, or ever use their faith? They must hear and see the truth.

God will always show us the way that He has made. Be thankful, and tell Him.

'Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.' (Psalm 119:105)

Blessings!

 

 

(From Living Water Daily Deovotionals by Lili Richey Willard)

SURRENDER

The one true way of dying to self is the way of patience, meekness, humility, and resignation to God. (Andrew Murray).

In one word...surrender.

When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we enter into a relationship that not only seals our eternal life, but also changes us inside to who we were meant to be...God's chosen ones.

If we will go to Him in all patience, meekness, humility, and resignation, we are admitting that we give up all of our self to all of Him. In essence, we surrender all.

Once we've realized the meaning, the importance, the spiritual value of surrendering our lives, agenda, and purposes to His plans for our lives, we will learn how to walk with Him closely. We will see His plans, not ours. And what really happens to us is that all He wills for us will become our own purposes.

Surrender. This is not an act of weakness, but one of great strength. It is hard for us to give up even the most visible sinful areas of our lives. But we can do this, simply by believing. It takes much more intense introspection, prayer, and determination to see, and then to confess to Jesus, all those 'hidden' secrets that we harbor in our hearts. We all have them. To surrender, we must regularly give them up to the Lord.

God will take all our faults, sins, issues, whatever we have inside us that inhibits our relationship with Him, and sweep them away. When He does this, our thanksgiving will bring us even closer to our loving Father.

It's a good word, a great word. Surrender. Please consider it, and make it a part of who you are, in Christ.

Blessings!

A MAN REAPS WHAT HE SOWS

'Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.' (Galatians 6:7)

Such true words, and such sad words for those who do not understand. And those are not only the unbelievers, but can be God's own as well.

We are assaulted every day by the world view of 'it's all about me'. Believers know this is not truth, because it is truly all about God. He is, after all, the Creator, and every thing is in His dominion.

If we treat others badly, we can expect the same. If we rob, cheat, lie, steal, we will have these things in return. Since this is how many people react, we should not be surprised when God's reaction may be even harsher.

When we minimize God and His Kingship, we are mocking Him. And, yes, believers do it too. There are times when all of us lose our spiritual perspective and end up being just like those who live in and for the world. We play that same game, the 'it's all about me' game, where there are no real winners, but alot of losers.

Until we grasp the fact that God is sovereign, is the absolute King, and is undeniably more powerful than we can even imagine, we will not understand who He really is. His love is endless, but His wrath is terrible. We dare not risk His judgement on us when we stray from His view to the world view, because the price is great. All will pay for mocking Him. Even His very own children.

We can be spared this punishment by recognizing our behavior as the sin it is, repenting of it, and asking His forgiveness. He will never withhold it when our asking is sincere. As His offer of grace to us is from His heart, our acceptance of it must be from ours.

Be careful to not mock the Lord. Rather, worship and adore Him, make and keep Him as the first priority in your life, and honor Him by sowing good seed. Then shall you reap the perfect harvest.

Blessings!