Shout Hallelujah!
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Posted:Apr 23, 2014 3:24 am
Last Updated:Apr 23, 2014 3:28 am 7743 Views
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Read: 1 Corinthians 15:50-58
O Death, where is your sting? 1 Corinthians 15:55
Bible in a Year:
2 Samuel 16-18; Luke 17:20-37
A few days ago, I spied my old friend Bob vigorously pedaling a bike at our neighborhood gym and staring down at a blood pressure monitor on his finger.
What are you doing? I asked.
Looking to see if I'm alive, he grunted.
What would you do if you saw you were dead? I countered.
Shout hallelujah! he replied with a radiant smile.
Over the years I've caught glimpses of great inner strength in Bob: patient endurance in the face of physical decline and discomfort, and faith and hope as he approaches the end of his life journey. Indeed he has found not only hope, but death has lost its power to tyrannize him.
Who can find peace and hope and even joy in dying? Only those who are joined by faith to the God of eternity and who know that they have eternal life (1 Cor. 15.52,54). For those who have this assurance, like my friend Bob, death has lost its terror. They can speak with colossal joy of seeing Christ face to face!
Why be afraid of death? Why not rejoice? As the poet John Donne (1572-1631) wrote,One short sleep past, we wake eternally.
For the Christian, dying is the last shadow of earth's night before heaven's dawn.
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Acts Of Kindness
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Posted:Apr 22, 2014 4:36 am
Last Updated:May 2, 2014 8:24 am 7724 Views
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Read: Acts 4:1-13
By the name of Jesus . . . , whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole.
âActs 4:10
Bible in a Year:
2 Samuel 14-15; Luke 17:1-19
I was traveling with some men when we spotted a family stranded alongside the road. My friends immediately pulled over to help. They got the car running, talked with the father and mother of the family, and gave them some money for gasoline. When the mother thanked them over and over, they replied, We're glad to help out, and we do it in Jesus name. As we drove away, I thought how natural it was for these friends to help people in need and acknowledge the Lord as the source of their generosity.
Peter and John exhibited that same joyful generosity when they healed a lame man who was begging outside the temple in Jerusalem (Acts 3:1-10). This led to their arrest and appearance before the authorities who asked, By what power or by what name have you done this? Peter replied, If we this day are judged for a good deed done to a helpless man . . . let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole Acts 4.7-10.
Kindness is a fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22) and a powerful context in which to genuinely speak to others about the Lord.
Lord, help me to love with both words and deeds,
To reach out to others and meet their needs;
Lord, burden my heart for those lost in sin,
With mercy and love that flows from within.
One act of kindness may teach more about the love of God than many sermons.
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Victory Over Death!
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Posted:Apr 21, 2014 4:24 am
Last Updated:May 2, 2014 8:26 am 7666 Views
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Read: John 5:24-30
The hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth
. John 5:28-29
Bible in a Year:
2 Samuel 12-13; Luke 16
An ancient painting I saw recently made a deep impression on me. Its title, Anastasis, means resurrection, and it depicts the triumph of Christ's victory over death in a stunning way. The Lord Jesus, newly emerged from the tomb, is pulling Adam and Eve out of their coffins to eternal life. What is so amazing about this artwork is the way it shows how spiritual and physical death, the result of the fall, were dramatically reversed by the risen Christ.
Prior to His death on the cross, the Lord Jesus predicted a future day when He will call believers into a new and glorified existence: The hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth John 5:28-29).
Because of Christ's victory over death, the grave is not final. We naturally will feel sorrow and grief when those we love die and we are separated from them in this life. But the believer does not grieve as one who has no hope (1 Thess. 4:13). The witness of Jesus resurrection is that all Christians will one day be taken from their graves to be clothed with glorified resurrection bodies
1 Cor. 15:42-44). And so we shall always be with the Lord
1 Thess. 4:17).
Dear Lord, thank You for sacrificing Your life for our
sins so that we might live. Weâre thankful that
because You died and rose again, we can have
assurance that one day weâll be with You in a place of no more death.
Because Christ is alive, we too shall live.
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I'm Alive
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Posted:Apr 18, 2014 4:35 am
Last Updated:Apr 18, 2014 4:37 am 7776 Views
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Read: Ephesians 2:1-10
You He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins. Ephesians 2:1
Bible in a Year:
2 Samuel 3-5; Luke 14:25-35
Laura Brooks, a 52-year-old mother of two, didn't know it but she was one of 14,000 people in 2011 whose name was incorrectly entered into the government database as dead. She wondered what was wrong when she stopped receiving disability checks, and her loan payments and her rent checks bounced. She went to the bank to clear up the issue, but the representative told her that her accounts had been closed because she was dead! Obviously, they were mistaken.
The apostle Paul was not mistaken when he said that the Ephesian believers were at one point dead spiritually dead. They were dead in the sense that they were separated from God, enslaved to sin
(Eph. 2:5), and condemned under the wrath of God. What a state of hopelessness!
Yet God in His goodness took action to reverse this condition for them and for us. The living God who gives life to the dead (Rom. 4:17) poured out His rich mercy and great love by sending His Jesus to this earth. Through Christâs death and resurrection, we are made alive (Eph. 2:4-5).
When we believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we go from death to life. Now we live to rejoice in His goodness!
I know I'm a sinner and Christ is my need;
His death is my ransom, no merit I plead.
His work is sufficient, on Him I believe;
I have life eternal when Him I receive.
Accepting Jesus death gives me life.
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I'm Alive
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Posted:Apr 18, 2014 4:35 am
Last Updated:May 9, 2024 3:18 pm 7848 Views
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Read: Ephesians 2:1-10
You He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins. âEphesians 2:1
Bible in a Year:
2 Samuel 3-5; Luke 14:25-35
Laura Brooks, a 52-year-old mother of two, didnât know it but she was one of 14,000 people in 2011 whose name was incorrectly entered into the government database as dead. She wondered what was wrong when she stopped receiving disability checks, and her loan payments and her rent checks bounced. She went to the bank to clear up the issue, but the representative told her that her accounts had been closed because she was dead! Obviously, they were mistaken.
The apostle Paul was not mistaken when he said that the Ephesian believers were at one point deadâspiritually dead. They were dead in the sense that they were separated from God, enslaved to sin
(Eph. 2:5), and condemned under the wrath of God. What a state of hopelessness!
Yet God in His goodness took action to reverse this condition for them and for us. The living God âwho gives life to the deadâ (Rom. 4:17) poured out His rich mercy and great love by sending His Jesus to this earth. Through Christâs death and resurrection, we are made alive (Eph. 2:4-5).
When we believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we go from death to life. Now we live to rejoice in His goodness!
I know Iâm a sinner and Christ is my need;
His death is my ransom, no merit I plead.
His work is sufficient, on Him I believe;
I have life eternal when Him I receive. â
Accepting Jesusâ death gives me life.
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All Kinds Of Help
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Posted:Apr 17, 2014 4:01 am
Last Updated:Apr 17, 2014 4:05 am 7746 Views
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Read: Genesis 41:46-57
Pharaoh said to Joseph, âIn as much as God has shown you all this, there is no one as discerning and wise as you.Genesis 41.39
Bible in a Year:
2 Samuel 1-2; Luke 14:1-24
In the wake of the shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut, many people have felt strongly compelled to help. Some donated blood for the injured, some provided free lunches and coffee at their restaurants for workers. Others wrote letters of comfort or just gave hugs. Some sent gifts of money and teddy bears for the ; others offered counseling. People found ways to serve according to their personalities, abilities, and resources.
A story in the Bible about Joseph tells how he used his skills to play an important role in helping people survive a 7-year famine
Gen. 41.53-54). In his case, he could prepare beforehand because he knew a difficult time was coming. After Joseph warned Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, that the lean years were coming, Pharaoh put him in charge of the 7-year preparation time. Joseph used wisdom and discernment from God to get his country ready 41.39. Then, when the famine was over all the face of the earth, . . . Joseph opened all the storehouses (v.56). He was even able to help his own family 45.16-18.
These stories show the heart of God for the world. He has prepared us and made us who we are that we might care for others in whatever way He leads us.
Lord, help me feel the hurt that others feel
When life inflicts some bitter pain,
And use me in some loving way to heal
The wounds that may through life remain.
Compassion offers whatever is necessary to heal.
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Joining The Family
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Posted:Apr 16, 2014 4:35 am
Last Updated:Apr 16, 2014 4:39 am 7680 Views
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Read: Galatians 3.26.4.7
You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3.26
Bible in a Year:
1 Samuel 30-31; Luke 1.:23-35
Maurice Griffin was adopted when he was 32 years old. He had lived with Lisa and Charles Godbold 20 years earlier as a foster . Although Maurice was now a man living on his own, adoption had been what the family and he had always longed for. Once they were reunited and the adoption was official, Maurice commented, This is probably the happiest moment in my life. . . . I'm happy to be home.
Those of us who have joined the family of God may refer to that time as the happiest moment in our lives. When we trust Christ for salvation, we become God's , and He becomes our heavenly Father. The Bible assures us, You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus Gal. 3.26.
As God's adopted , we acquire spiritual siblings our brothers and sisters in Christ and we all share an eternal inheritance
Col. 1.12. In addition, Jesus Spirit indwells our hearts and enables us to pray using the name Abba, Father Gal. 4.6 like a calling, Daddy.
To be a of God is to experience the closeness and security of a Father who loves us, accepts us, and wants to know us. Our adoption into His family is a wonderful homecoming.
I once was an outcast stranger on earth,
A sinner by choice, and an alien by birth;
But I've been adopted, my name's written down,
An heir to the mansion, a robe, and a crown.
God's arms are always open to welcome anyone home.
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Spoonful Of Sugar
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Posted:Apr 15, 2014 4:28 am
Last Updated:Apr 15, 2014 4:32 am 8259 Views
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Read: Psalm 1.7-14
The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. . . . Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Psalm 19:9-10
Bible in a Year:
1 Samuel 27-29; Luke 13:1-22
Where is Mary Poppins when you need her? I know this sounds as if I'm longing for the good old days when cheerfully unrealistic movies featured characters like this fictional nanny, but what I'm really longing for are people with a vision for the future that is realistically optimistic. I yearn for joyful, creative people who can show us the positive side of what we consider negative, who can remind us that just a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down.
David wrote a song that expressed a similar truth. In his words, âthe judgments of the Lord are sweeter also than . . . honey (Ps. 19:9-10). Seldom do we hear that truth is sweet. More often we hear that it is bitter or hard to swallow. But truth is so much more than medicine to treat what's wrong. It's the diet that will prevent disease. It's not an inoculation or an injection. It's a gourmet meal that should be presented as a culinary delight, enticing the hungry to taste and see that the Lord is good (34.8.
We sing Jesus is the sweetest name I know, but some of us present Him as if Hes gone sour. Pure truth, untainted by pride, is the sweetest, most refreshing taste of all to those who hunger for spiritual sustenance. And we have the privilege of serving it to a starving world.
Jesus is the sweetest name I know,
And Hes just the same as His lovely name,
And that's the reason why I love Him so;
Oh, Jesus is the sweetest name I know.
The truth of the Lord endures forever. Psalm 117.2
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Mistaken Identity
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Posted:Apr 14, 2014 4:13 am
Last Updated:Apr 14, 2014 4:16 am 8852 Views
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Read: Matthew 16:13-20
He said to them, But who do you say that I am? Matthew 16:15
Bible in a Year:
1 Samuel 25-26; Luke 12:32-59
My youngest brother, Scott, was born when I was a senior in high school. This age difference made for an interesting situation when he grew to college age. On his first trip to his college campus, I went along with him and our mom. When we arrived, people thought we were Scott Crowder and his dad and his grandmom. Eventually, we gave up correcting them. No matter what we said or did, our actual relationships were overridden by this humorous case of mistaken identity.
Jesus questioned the Pharisees about His identity: What do you think about the Christ? Whose is He? They replied, The of David (Matt. 22:42). The identity of Messiah was critical, and their answer was correct but incomplete. The Scriptures had affirmed that Messiah would come and reign on the throne of His father David. But Jesus reminded them that though David would be Christ's ancestor, He would also be more David referred to Him as Lord.
Faced with a similar question, Peter rightly answered, You are the Christ, the of the living God (Matt. 16:16). Still today, the question of Jesus identity rises above the rest in significance and it is eternally important that we make no mistake in understanding who He is.
Frail of dust, and feeble as frail,
In Thee do we trust, nor find Thee to fail;
Thy mercies how tender, how firm to the end,
Our Maker, Defender, Redeemer, and Friend.
No mistake is more dangerous than mistaking the identity of Jesus.
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" Isn't God Powerful!"
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Posted:Apr 11, 2014 8:41 am
Last Updated:Apr 11, 2014 8:45 am 9333 Views
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Read: Psalm 29
Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name. Psalm 29:2
Bible in a Year:
1 Samuel 17-18; Luke 11:1-28
One day, my 3-year-old granddaughter Katie surprised her mom and dad with a bit of theological expertise. She said to them, You both had sisters who died. Then God took them up to heaven to be with Him. Isn't God powerful!â
God's immense power is a mystery, yet it is simple enough for a to understand. In Katie's young way of thinking, she knew that for God to do something so miraculous, it would mean that He is powerful. Without understanding all the details, she knew that God did something wonderful by taking her two aunts to heaven.
How often do we sit back in our more sophisticated world and marvel: âIsn't God powerful? Probably not often enough. We can't know how God spun the worlds into existence with His voice
(Job 38:39; Ps. 33:9; Heb. 11:3), nor can we know how He maintains control of them (Neh. 9:6). We can't know how He planned and fulfilled the incarnation of Jesus, nor can we understand how He can make Christ's sacrifice sufficient for our salvation. But we know these things are true.
The power of God: immeasurable in its wonder yet clear enough for us to understand. Itâs yet another reason to praise Him.
Everything God does is marked with simplicity and power.
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