Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or distress or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? Romans 8:35
“Neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God, that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” My brothers and sisters in Christ, let us hold fast to the confession of our faith.
Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. Ephesians 3:17
“Then you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be fully able, with all the saints, to comprehend what is the breadth and length and height and depth, of the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”
The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all. Acts 4: 33
My brothers and sisters in Christ, we also are witnesses to the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. So why are we not testifying to the resurrection? Jesus’ dying on the cross and his rising to life again is something that should we be spreading to the ends of the earth, so that God’s blessings will be upon us also.
Praise ye the Lord! Praise ye the name of the Lord! Praise him ye servants of the Lord. Psalm 135
“Ye that stand in the house of the Lord and in the courts of the house of our God. Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good! Sing praises unto his name, for it is pleasant.”
Were you there when they crucified my Lord? Were you there? Oh sometimes, it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble. Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
If someone were to ask us, “Were you there when they crucified my Lord?” I am sure we would quickly answer, No! But, we may not have been to Calvary, we may not have walked with Jesus on his way to Calvary, but every time we sin and grieve his holy Spirit, we crucify him.
The resurrection story is one that we should be telling out abroad to all who will listen. Will you join me in sharing the good news? The Lord is risen indeed!
My brothers and sisters in Christ, we are still celebrating the joys of Easter. We are celebrating our risen and ascended Lord. The cross could not hold him down, the grave has no victory over him, instead he has given us the victory over sin and the grave. To God be the glory!
Even when we fail to acknowledge the presence of God, God is present in our lives.
“Oh, let me feel Thee near me; the world is ever near; I see the sights that dazzle, the tempting sounds I hear; my foes are ever near me, around me and within; but, Jesus, draw Thou nearer, and shield my soul from sin.”
Lord, teach us how to deny ourselves, take up our crosses and follow you. Lord, we need your help to banish the idols in our lives that keep us from diligently following you.
“O Jesus, Thou has promised, to all who follow Thee, that where Thou art in glory. there shall Thy servant be; and Jesus, I have promised, to serve Thee to the end; Oh, give me grace to follow my Master and my Friend.”
We tend to come before God with ramblings; it’s time for a new start. When we come before God, let us learn to listen in an intentional way – to hear.
“Oh, let me hear Thee speaking, in accents clear and still, above the storms of passion, the murmurs of self-will; Oh, speak to reassure me, to hasten, or control; Oh, speak, and make me listen, Thou Guardian of my soul.”
Jesus endured so much for us, now what will we do for Jesus?
“O Jesus, I have promised, to serve Thee to the end; be Thou forever near me, my Master and my Friend; I shall not fear the battle, if Thou art by my side, nor wander from the pathway, if Thou wilt be my Guide. Oh, let me see Thy footmarks, and in them plant mine own; my hope to follow duly, is in Thy strength alone. Oh, guide me, call me, draw me, uphold me to the end; and then to rest receive me, my Savior and my Friend.”