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The Resurrection and the Life (19)

 

He is alive!

In the three years of Jesus's ministry before He made His final journey to the cross, to fulfill His eternal purpose, He foretold what would happen in His last days. His miracles and teaching illuminated His deity and progressed from healing and the hope of a messiah to the ultimate miracle of raising lives from the dead. The most notable miracle took place just prior to Jesus' last trip into Jerusalem, when He was called to visit Mary and Martha after their brother Lazarus' sickness lead to his death. Jesus dramatically proclaimed His divine power over death by opening up the grave and rising Lazarus back to life.


But even before this amazing miracle, Jesus was telling his disciples that He was the author of life - that true life could only come through Him. In John 3, Jesus explained to Nicodemus that it is only by being born again, (born spiritually) that eternal life can be found.


And yet, somehow, in the midst of Jesus' trial and shocking death sentence, these recent statements and evidence of Jesus' power deflated in the minds of His followers. In the dark days of fear and sorrow, the disciples forgot that Jesus IS the resurrection and the life.


Until He arose - hallelujah - up from the grave He arose! And in a moment, everything changed; the stone was rolled away and Jesus was ALIVE.


Today, let us worship Jesus, the resurrected savior and the One who brings new life into our hearts as well.

Worship the Resurrection and the Life

Lord, I am amazed that You took my place and died for my sins. This sacrifice will never cease to to take my breath away. You provided for more than just what I want today, or the essentials for this life, but Your provided for my eternity.


John 11:25 -27

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”



Appropriate the truth of scripture as you grow in your walk of faith

Jesus, it is only because of Your sacrifice that I can have eternal life. Help me to understand and to live as if this "eternal life" is not just something I receive after I die, but a gift I now possess. May my life be IN Christ and may I live a new, changed, transformed life because of the work of the cross. Today, I preach the gospel to myself anew, telling my soul that Jesus died for my sins so that I could live free from the chains to sin and the curse of sin. Renew my heart Lord so I can live Your abundant life today.


John 3:16

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.


Ezekiel 36:26

And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.


John 10:10

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly


Light - Walk in the light by openly confessing your sins and need for God

Lord, Your word says that in You, I have died to sin, but it still lingers and trips up some days.  May I know that You have defeated the power of sin through Your death and resurrection and may I live in the newness of life that comes from Your resurrection.

Romans 6:1-4

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

Know Him more and more as you spend time with Him daily

Jesus, You are eternal, existing forever before the beginning of time and living eternally into the future, infinitely longer than I could imagine. Your life is what brings meaning to my life and gives me hope beyond the grave. This life on earth is but a moment in comparison to eternity. Give me that eternal perspective and fill me with vision to see beyond the temporary worries of the world into the final victory over death, sin and Satan. You have already won!


1 Corinthians 15:55-57

“Death is swallowed up in victory.” 
“O death, where is your victory?
    O death, where is your sting?”

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.


Prayers for others today:

S - Missions

M - Family

T - Church and Friends

W - Work

Th - Community

F - World affairs

Sat - Self


Blessings on your day,

Heather


P.S. If you just jumped into this blog post, you can read the first post explaining how to walk with God through your prayer life and the first day of praying through scripture here.

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