2024-03-31
Matthew 28:15 NIV
Here are two more evidences of Christ’s resurrection: (1) You would be hard-pressed to find a time in recorded history where someone willingly gave up their life for what they knew to be a lie. Author Paul E. Little said, “Men will die for what they believe to be true, though it may actually be false. They do not, however, die for what they know is a lie.” The fact that those early disciples were willing to endure such suffering makes the foundations of Christianity unshakable.
(2) Christ’s enemies went to incredible lengths to disprove the resurrection. “When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, ‘You are to say, “His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.” If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy [bribe] him and keep you out of trouble.’ So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed” (vv. 12-15 NIV).
Think: There has never been a witness in history allowed to testify to what transpired while he or she was asleep. And for a Roman soldier to fall asleep on duty meant a certain death penalty. Indeed, if Jesus had still been in the tomb, or if they had taken his body and placed it somewhere else, why did the Jewish leaders not say so? No, they were paralyzed and powerless to do anything about it. Their only option – the one they took – was to initiate great persecution against all Christians. But it failed then, and it fails now because Jesus is alive!
Soul food: 1 Cor 15; Matt 28:1-8; Luke 24:1-12
2024-03-30
1 Corinthians 15:12 NIV
Here are three more evidences that will convince any open-minded seeker of the truth of Christ’s physical resurrection from the dead:
(1) The Christian sacraments. The Christian sacraments point to the death and suffering of Christ and also to His resurrection and power. These can be traced back in uninterrupted sequence to the exact time of the death of Jesus Christ.
(2) Christian art. In the catacombs of Rome, from the period of the persecutions, we discover etched into the walls, depictions of the resurrection of Christ as an element of the earliest Christian beliefs.
(3) The Christian church. Consider the undeniable fact of the Christian church. Numerous people do not realize the link between the church and the resurrection, but scholars do. The Christian church is the biggest institution that exists or has ever existed in the world’s history. It is five times larger than the Roman Empire at its greatest scope. In fact, more than two billion people today acknowledge their worship of Jesus Christ as the alive and risen Son of God.
How did such an institution come into and stay in existence? Someone quipped, “The Grand Canyon wasn’t formed by an Indian dragging a stick.” Neither was an institution the magnitude of the Christian church created by the fancies of idle dreamers in days past. Historians recognize that the Christian church can be tracked all the way back to the city of Jerusalem in AD 30, the time of the death and resurrection of Christ. So in truth we can say, “Christ is risen indeed!”
Soul food: Exo 12:1-14; Matt 27:57-66; Ps 49:1-15; Deut 21:22-23
2024-03-29
1 Corinthians 15:4 NIV
Trust the fact that Jesus rose from the dead! Here are two evidences of it: (1) The Lord’s Day. For thousands of years, the Hebrew people had maintained their Sabbath doctrine. Then later, a group of early Christians who were Jews changed the day of worship from the seventh day to the first day! What could account for their deserting a tradition to which they had held so steadfastly? The resurrection of Christ, which happened on the first day of the week, His appearance to the disciples on the first day of the week, and the outpouring of His Spirit on the church on the first day of the week. So on the first day of the week, the disciples met to worship Him (See 1 Corinthians 16:2).
(2) The celebration of Easter. This took the place of the Jewish festival of the Passover. So why did the Jews, who regarded the Passover to be the most important event in the history of their nation, forsake it in favour of the celebration of Easter, which was the most important festival among Christians? The salutation was, “Christ is risen!” The reply was, “Christ is risen indeed!” What fact, other than that of the resurrection, can explain the reality of the Easter celebration, which we can trace all the way back to the era of the early church?
Paul writes: “For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day… After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4, 6 NIV).
Soul food: Gen 22:1-18; Matt 27:32-56; Ps 22; Isa 53
2024-03-28
Proverbs 5:18 NKJV
The more history you have with your spouse, the more joy and pain you have experienced. You’re closer at times than others as the circumstances of life rise and fall. Yet if you did due diligence at the onset of the relationship, were clear about what you desired in a partner, and honestly evaluated who that person is, what will keep your union going forward is remembering what brought the two of you together in the first place. What you initially enjoyed and esteemed about this person probably hasn’t changed.
But for your relationship to continue to develop, you must work on growing closer. All relationships have growth areas that require pruning and fertilizing. If you feel your relationship isn’t what it once was, it could be that it’s developing into something different. Or it could be that you need to renew your commitment to keeping it fresh and moving forward. It may be that you must work on creating the intimacy that’s missing or enjoying the love you once had.
The fundamentals of your mate, if they were really there in the first place, aren’t likely to change. The basis of your relationship is what’s important. Focusing on that makes it much easier to go with the flow of the unavoidable ups and downs of daily living. So, do you need more time together? When you’re too busy to listen, really listen, your mate thinks you don’t care about them or you don’t value the relationship sufficiently. Think: What would you do if your car broke down? You would take the time and pay the price to fix it!
Soul food: Jer 7-9; Matt 27:20-31; Ps 38:1-12; Prov 8:22-23
2024-03-27
Matthew 6:6 NIV
Jesus said, “When you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you” (v. 6 NIV). The Christian life could be compared to the Old Testament tabernacle, which was divided into three compartments. There was an outer court to which everyone had access. And you too have an outer court; the place you go to work, shop, and play. It represents your outward appearance or public persona, the part of you everyone sees.
The tabernacle also had an inner chamber called the Holy Place, where most people weren’t permitted to go. You also have a Holy Place where designated people like close friends or family can enter. You decide who comes in and who doesn’t, and no one can force their way. Certain people may have authority over you vocationally or financially, but that doesn’t automatically allow them entrance. When it comes to that inner chamber, you get to decide who comes and goes.
The third compartment in the Old Testament tabernacle was the holy of holies, a very small, carefully guarded place, deep inside. It was accessed only by the chief priest, and there was room for only one person and God. You have one of those places inside you as well. We sometimes refer to it as “the secret place” because only God is allowed in. And here is a truth you need to know: Your level of peace, joy, contentment, guidance, and victory is regulated by the amount of time you spend with God in your secret place. Prioritize it, protect it, and spend time there each day.
Soul food: Jer 4-6; Matt 27:11-19; Ps 55:12-23; Prov 8:19-21
2024-03-26
Genesis 5:24 KJV
Did the people in Scripture who “walked with God” ever stumble? They did. Did they get off track sometimes? Yes. But when their feet hit the floor every morning, their commitment was to walk with God throughout the day. They drew on His strength, endeavored to do His will, and aimed toward the goal that He had set for them.
Paul writes, “I… beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called” (Ephesians 4:1 NKJV). That means you must know the direction God is leading you in and stay in step with Him. When He acts – you act. When He pauses – you pause.
As a believer, your life shouldn’t be compartmentalized into what’s sacred and what’s secular. The Bible says, “In him we live, and move, and have our being” (Acts 17:28 KJV). You can’t say, “In this situation, I’m operating under my own steam, but in that situation, I’m operating according to the Holy Spirit within me.” The Holy Spirit doesn’t come and go from your life; He is always with you!
Here is a Scripture you need to think about: “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created” (Revelation 4:11 KJV). What an awesome thought: You were created to bring pleasure to God! So, one of the most important questions you can ask yourself – and frequently – is, “Lord, are my ways pleasing to you right now?” (See Proverbs 13:5-6). When they are, you will discover that the direction He takes you in is always the right direction; His timing is always the right timing, and the results you get are always the right results.
Soul food: Jer 1-3; Matt 27:1-10; Ps 55:1-11; Prov 8:17-18
