salvation

Meeting Jesus

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His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire. Revelation 1:14 KJV

On the first Easter Sunday, Mary Magdalene met Jesus outside of the tomb. Jesus was right there, but until He revealed himself to her she thought He was just the gardener. What is Jesus really like? What would it be like to meet with Jesus? John the Apostle says of his own unexpected meeting with Jesus on the Island of Patmos. Imagine how John felt! How do we relate to a God with flaming eyes that see into the deepest places of our soul? When John first saw Jesus he tells us that he fell down in a dead faint!

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It was too overwhelming seeing Jesus even for a moment! But Jesus came and put out his hand to touch John and said:

And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: Revelation 1:17 KJV

Jesus knows every detail of our lives, and He wants us to know Him. Easter Sunday means finding Jesus is not only alive, but alive and wanting us to know Him. Are you waiting outside a tomb of dying hopes and wondering where Jesus is today? The message of Easter is that He will come just when we least expect. He knows all about us and He is waiting to come and change our lives forever! What a wonderful Risen Lord! What a Savior we have waiting for us again this Easter!

Sown in Weakness

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It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. 1 Corinthians 15:43 KJV

The year was 33 AD and the place; a barren hilltop outside of Jerusalem. Some of the crowd pressed in to watch the terrible details while Mary, John and Mary Magdalene stood further back shuddering to think of His suffering. Hands that once held bread to bless were now helplessly nailed to a wood beam. Feet that had walked on waves now painfully pressed down against the cross to lift Him just enough to take His next breath.

Even those who had sung His praises were now silent for fear of the Roman soldiers and  their spears. Others who had privately hated him now cursed Jesus openly as they watched His weak body writhing in pain on the cross. Finally at His very lowest moment He cried out, “Why have you forsaken me?”

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Often we think of our own weakness and struggle as if at that moment we are also farthest from God. But when Jesus was being sown in dishonor and darkness, there was being accomplished in Heaven the glory of our salvation. As in weakness He tasted the vinegar and took His last breath the power of sin was broken for anyone who came to Him. We must never accept that there is no purpose to our weakness; only that God’s purpose has not been yet seen. No matter that our friends fall silent or that our worst enemies seem to have the upper hand. At our weakest we are joined with our Lord and one day at the time of His choosing we will understand when we see His face in glory.

Buying the Hat

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Knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.             1 Peter 1: 18-19 ESV

While shopping at Walmart with my wife we happened to pass by a display of hats that caught my eye. So for a just a moment I paused to try a few on. First I glanced in the mirror and after I discovered one I liked I asked Nancy what she thought. But no matter how much she or I liked that hat, it still didn’t belong to me until it was paid for

My browsing the hat section is a lot like people treat the church. They like what they hear and maybe even try the Christian hat on for size; but then they put it back on the shelf, walk out the door. What is missing is that a transaction has never occurred. In order for salvation, to become ours someone must pay at the register. That someone is Jesus Christ. He stands waiting by the door for us to come to him so that our transaction can be completed. Today is the day to do more than try on the Christian hat for size. This is our time to meet with Jesus Christ and know for certain that everything we will ever need has been paid for in full with the precious blood of Jesus Christ!