No, I’m not kidding you. And yes, God means to rejoice, not just when everything is going really well. He means for us to rejoice even in the midst of coronavirus, financial loss, war, death, injury…whatever. YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING ME…NOPE! But this is not just pie in the sky, zombie-like roaming through the reality of this world. There IS stuff going on. God knows things are broken here…because of Adam’s disobedience, not because of His making it that way. God knows that we hurt, suffer loss and death…but so did He! All across the globe, people are celebrating what is called Easter…Resurrection Sunday and whatever name is common to your area. But what are we celebrating? Jesus’s resurrection from the dead… the word picture of God and man. • Suffering, loss… • THEN…death BUT then life Do you meditate on that? I have…many times. Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love for us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, the old things passed away, behold new things have come. Ephesians 4:24 And put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. All so nice…but this is not just some Sunday School memorization! No---God is talking about DEATH to sin, to yourself, so you can rise a new creature…like Jesus did. But before Jesus rose from the dead, what had to happen? He had to suffer…and unjustly at that. He was insulted for righteousness and belittled for obedience. He endured unfair accusations. He forgave those who wronged Him. He sacrificed for others. He suffered a death of the flesh. (The movie “The Passion of the Christ” is pretty graphic. But it shows what real suffering is!) But it is not all doom and gloom!! All of this was to FREE US from the bondage of death and eternal separation from God!! What a gift!! That is what we rejoice in today and, hopefully, everyday! Jesus rose from the dead. HAVE YOU? Spiritual Death: Read Galatians 5:19-21 (Deeds of the Flesh) Spiritual Resurrection: Read Galatians 5:22-24 (Fruits of the Spirit) The “Easter Story” is one of love, right unto death. So must we…die to the broken, Adam nature and, in that, rise to life in Christ. What a “story”!! Rejoice through all the “dying to self” • Rejoice through all the hurts • Rejoice through all the unknowns • Rejoice through all the fears • Rejoice through all the pain and loss REJOICE…because on the other side of all that is LIFE. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, they have predicted this will be a rough week for America. Well, it was a rough week for Jesus back then too. But just look at the outcome. Oh, yeah. Rejoice World. Jesus died but He rose again. So can we! Rejoice…and no, I’m not kidding you! NOW GO LIVE IT!If you have never put your complete faith in Jesus Christ for your eternal salvation, why not believe what God's word says and call on Jesus Christ to save you right now? Click here and let us show you how you can KNOW JESUS.
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