Power of the Resurrection

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 53:1-5
Key Verse: Isaiah 53:5 - But He was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed.

When a dear and faithful servant of the church learned of his terminal illness, he requested that the headstone upon his grave bear the words of 1 Corinthians 15:55: “O Death, where is your victory? O Death, where is your sting?”. This man’s faith allowed him to claim these words before he passed away.
The verses following this passage explain his confidence: “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” (1 Corinthians 15:56-57)
Not only did Jesus bear the weight of our sins upon the cross, He also accepted and withstood the pain of death. In one miraculous event, He changed the process of dying. No longer would His creation have to experience the fear, anguish, and pain associated with death. His sacrifice established a choice for us all - eternal life or eternal death.
Why would someone choose eternal death? We cannot know. Is it so difficult to believe in the power of God and the event of Jesus’ resurrection? For some, it must be.
As you consider the specific events that occurred upon the cross, thank Jesus for freeing you from the pain of death, and pray for those who refuse to acknowledge Him.

Thank You, Lord, that Your resurrection quieted the sting of death and that I have been set free because of Your sacrifice.

by: Charles F. Stanley

Love is not God, but God is love.

God is love in its highest degree. He is love rendered more than love. Love is not God, but God is love; He is full of grace, He is the plenitude of mercy - He delighteth in mercy. I believe that every flower in a garden, which is tended by a wise gardener, could tell of some particular care that the gardener takes of it. He does for the dahlia what he does not for the sunflower; somewhat is wanted by the rose that is not required by the lily; and the geranium calls for an attention which is not given to the honeysuckle. Each flower wins from the gardener a special culture. He loves us better than we love ourselves. (Charles Spurgeon)