Spiritual Thoughts

  Friday Tale ~ Mary's Sacrifice A nd  the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. For nothing will be impossible with God.” And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.  (Luke 1:35-37 ESV)   Mary was a young woman ready to get married to Joseph. Her life was all planned out until she was greeted by an angel to inform her she would birth the Messiah her people had long-awaited. Mary wasn’t sure how it would happen, but she had to have known that this birth would change everything.   She was willing to sacrifice her plans, convenience, and even her reputation. Just imagine what others thought of her for becoming pregnant before she was married to Joseph. Even Joseph was going to call off their marriage until an angel came to him in a dream.   ...

  I f Christ is not risen, nothing else matters. And if Christ is risen, nothing else matters. ~ Jaroslav Pelikan BUT  now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam al die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. ~ 1 Corinthians 15:20-22

  G enesis ends with Joseph's death. Deuteronomy ends with Moses' death. Joshua ends with Joshua's death. The Gospels end with Jesus' resurrection. And that changes everything. ~ Tony Merida I  stand here testifying both to small and great, saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would come to pass: that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the death, he woujld proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles. ~ Acts 26:22-23

  O ur God has written the promise of resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in spring time. ~ Martin Luther T herefore we have been buried with him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. ~ Romans 6:4

  I went to a psychologist friend and said if 500 people claimed to see Jesus after he died, it was just a hallucination. He said hallucinations are an individual event. If 500 people have the same hallucination at the same time, that is a bigger miracle than the resurrection. ~ Lee Strobel   F or I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that he was buried and that he was raised on the third day, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After that he appeared to more than five hundred at one time . ~ 1 Corinthians 15:3-6

I f Jesus rose from the dead, then you have to accept all that he said; if he did not rise from the dead, then why worry about any of what he said. The issue on which everything hangs is not whether or not you like his teaching, BUT whether or not he rose from the dead. ~ Tim Keller   F or if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised, and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless, you are still in your sins. IF we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied. BUT now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of those who are asleep. ~ 1 Corinthians 15:16-20

  T he entire plan for the future has its key in the resurrection. ~ Unknown   A nd from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the first born of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by his blood - and He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to his God and Father - to him be the glory and dominion, forever and every. Amen. ~ Revelation 1:5-6

  O ur Lord has written the promise of  the resurrection, not in books alone, BUT in every leaf in spring time. ~ Martin Luther N ow if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again, death no longer has mastery over him. ~ Romans 6:8-11

  F riday Tale - Death and Resurrection   As Jesus prepared the disciples for the crucifixion and resurrection, He quoted King David from Psalm 41:9-10, referring to the fulfillment of the prophecies (the betrayal by Judas Iscariot).   The lessons taught during the Last Supper would strengthen the eleven followers during the unfolding events.   Like the disciples, we tend to focus on the act of crucifixion during the days prior to that Sunday morning, BUT a close examination of Jesus' message reveals that Jesus reflected more on the glory of the resurrection and the joy to come. This is what Christ’s death and resurrection means: Christ overcoming sin in a fallen world.   Neither death on a cross nor a boulder in front of a tomb could hold back the omnipotent will of God. Christ lives in the light of resurrection, not in the darkness of crucifixion. If each of us would live our daily lives as a Christian resurrection would not our world experience a marv...

  O ur Lord has written the promise of the resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in spring time. ~ Martin Luther W e also believe, therefore we also speak, knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you. ~ 2 Corinthians 4:13-14

HE is RISEN !   Because of the empty tomb, we have peace.  Because of His resurrection, we can have peace  during even the most troubling of times  because we know God and His son are in control of all that happens in the world.  ~ Paul Chappell Jesus said to her,  “I am the resurrection and the life.  The one who believes in me will live,  even though they die; and whoever  lives by believing in me will never die.”  ~ John 11:25-26

Friday Tale - Promise I n the bulb there is a flower; in the seed, an apple tree; In cocoons, a hidden promise: butterflies will soon be free! In the cold and snow of winter there’s a spring that waits to be, Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see. There’s a song in every silence, seeking word and melody; There’s a dawn in every darkness, bringing hope to you and me. From the past will come the future; what it holds, a mystery, Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see. In our end is our beginning; in our time, infinity; In our doubt there is believing; in our life, eternity, In our death, a resurrection; at the last, a victory, Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see. ~ Natalie Sleeth T ruly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain  of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone;  BUT if it dies, it bears much fruit. ~ John 12:24-25

T he resurrection gives my life meaning and direction and the opportunity to start over, no matter what my circumstances. ~ Robert Flatt  P raise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. ~ 1 Peter 1:3

L et the resurrection joy lift us from loneliness and weakness and despair to strength and beauty and happiness. ~ Floyd W. Tomkins  T hat is how it is with you: now you are sad, BUT I will see you again, and your hearts will be filled with gladness, the kind of gladness that no one can take away from you. ~ John 16:22

T he resurrection gives my life meaning   and direction and the opportunity to start over     no matter what my circumstances.    -Robert Flatt      L ikewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law  through the body of Christ, so that you may belong   to another, to Him who has been raised from the dead,    in order that we may bear fruit for God. -Romans 7:4                  

A ccording to the laws of legal evidence used  in courts of law, there is more evidence for the   historical fact of the resurrection of Jesus Christ     than for just about any other event in history.    -Dr. Simon Greenleaf      A s for me, I know that my Redeemer lives, and that at  the last day He will take His stand on the earth. G od raised the Lord Jesus and will    also raise us up by His power. -Job 19:25 & 1 Corinthians 6:14