Prayer Points

1. Please intercede for Corps Family: Bro Jack, Sis Roslind Micheal and Joshua

2. Please intercede for our young people as they venture in taking Alpha Course for next 12 weeks - Shawn, Terry Tan, Thomas, Gunaraj, Andrian Liew, and Ooi Chiu Peeng.

3. Please intercede for one another for family spiritual growth, good health and friendship.

Announcement

Banana Leaf Ministry
Date: 23 April 2016 Time: 11:00am Venue: Corps Community Hall

Corps Sport Outing
Date: 23 April 2016 Time: 8:00am Venue: Youth Park

Helping Hand Project (April - June)
1) Batang Melaka Outpost Tamil resources and equipment.
2) Myanmar Women's Ministries initiative and resource production.
Target: 2,500.00 / Corps Programme: TBA

Malaysia Youth Camp
Date: 3-6 June 2016 (Fri-Mon)
Venue: MBS Recreation & Training Center KL
Fees:
RM200.00 (18 April 2016) - Early Bird
RM230.00 (09 May 2016) - Normal Rate
Speaker: Major Bo and Christina
(Regional Office of Myanmar)

FINDING YOUR WAY

Unexpected changes have never been easy for me, and last year was such a time. I was expecting to be able to move closer to my son and his family, but found out that the situation to which I was planning to move was no longer a possibility.

Disheartened, I paused to reflect on my options. Outside the window, it was a beautiful day, and I felt a gentle peace envelop me.

I knew God was there for me, just as He was there for His creation. The peace I felt had come from Him.

Who moved?I asked myself. I knew God and His love hadn’t changed. It was my circumstances that had suddenly changed after the disappointing news, which left me feeling worried and insecure.

I’d been too focused on my circumstances, too preoccupied with my upcoming move. Now that things had changed, I felt like my whole world was falling apart.

I should have kept my focus more on Jesus.—That simple truth came to me like a shaft of light piercing the darkness. With all the excitement and making plans for the move, I’d been neglecting my time with God and His Word.

I resolved to change. The next morning, I took my Bible along to the porch where I usually sit to enjoy my coffee. I turned to Matthew 14, where the disciples—although hardy seamen for the most part—were terrified by a storm that threatened to smash their boat and end their lives.

That is, until they saw Jesus walking on the water toward them.

That was my predicament exactly! I was letting the storms of this life throw me off course. What I needed to do was keep my eyes on Jesus and trust that He would see me through.

Gradually, I started putting my life back together. A friend asked me to help out at her bakery over Christmas. I volunteered at an orphanage where the kids were definitely needier than I was. Within months, I had new friends and lots to do. My earlier disappointment had vanished.

Through this experience, I learned that God is not always working toward a particular goal. Sometimes, it’s the process that’s important. Our faith gets tested in the midst of a storm, but that’s where we find Jesus as our dearest Friend. He promises, “I will never leave you or forsake you.”

—

Acts 2:38 ESV / And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Galatians 5:1 ESV / For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV / No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

FORWARD TO SUCCESS

Many of God’s promises are conditional, requiring some initial action on our part. Once we begin to obey, He will begin to bless us. Great things were promised to Abraham, but not one of them could have been obtained had he waited in Chaldea. He had to leave his home, friends, and country, travel unfamiliar paths, and press on in unwavering obedience in order to receive the promises. The ten lepers Jesus healed were told to show themselves to the priest, and “as they went, they were cleansed.” If they had waited to see the cleansing come to their bodies before leaving, they would never have seen it. God was waiting to heal them, and the moment their faith began to work, the blessing came.

When the Israelites were entrapped by Pharaoh’s pursuing army at the Red Sea, they were commanded to “go forward.” No longer was it their duty to wait, but to rise up from bended knees and “go forward” with heroic faith. Years later the Israelites were commanded to show their faith again by beginning their march over the Jordan while the river was at its highest point. They held the key to unlock the gate into the Land of Promise in their own hands, and the gate would not begin to turn on its hinges until they had approached and unlocked it. The key was faith.

We are destined to fight certain battles, and we think we can never be victorious and conquer our enemies. Yet as we enter the conflict, One comes who fights by our side. Through Him we are “more than conquerors.” If we had waited in fear and trembling for our helper to come before we would enter the battle, we would have waited in vain. God is waiting to pour out His richest blessings on you. “Go forward” with bold confidence and take what is yours. “I have begun to deliver … Now begin to conquer and possess.”
—J. R. Miller (1840–1912)

A little more persistence, a little more effort, and what seemed hopeless failure may turn into glorious success.—Elbert Hubbard (1856–1915)

Faith that goes forward triumphs.—Author unknown

Leave not the business of today to be done tomorrow; for who knows what may be your condition tomorrow? The rose-garden, which today is full of flowers, when tomorrow you would pluck a rose, may not afford you one.—Firdausī (940–1020) 

—

Philippians 4:13 ESV / I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Psalm 37:4 ESV / Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Proverbs 16:3 ESV / Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.

TIME FOR A CAREER SWITCH?

If you have been working in a similar role for years, you may wonder if you could ever step out and do something completely different. Some people do, and not only in January. Take Andrea Bocelli, the popular Italian tenor and singer-songwriter, who made the jump from being a lawyer to his musical career. Justin Welby left his executive position in the oil industry to become a vicar, and eventually the Archbishop of Canterbury and symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion. Brian Cox, the popular physicist who presents science on English television, was a rock star, with a number 1 hit in the 1990s. Harrison Ford, the Hollywood actor, used to be a carpenter and cabinet-maker.

Such stand-out changes might not be within the realm of our own possibilities, but the New Year is as good a time as any to examine how satisfied we are with what we’re doing, and how confident we feel about the direction we are heading. Waking up on a Monday morning dreading the beginning of the working week, or feeling like our talents are not being used, or that our pay package doesn’t reflect the value we bring, may be signs it’s time to think about other options.

The Bible acknowledges the necessity of working for a living: “People go off to their work, where they labor until evening.” Being satisfied in our work is also mentioned: “You will definitely enjoy what you’ve worked hard for—you’ll be happy; and things will go well for you.” “The earnings of the godly enhance their lives,” The apostle Paul evidently felt fulfilled in his role: “That’s what I’m working so hard at day after day, year after year, doing my best with the energy God so generously gives me.” If this isn’t how you feel, then it could be time to consider looking for a better situation, or at least, for improvements where you are.

Life-changing decisions shouldn’t be made in a hurry, of course, and you might like to consider the following:

List five features of your ideal job that are most important to you, such as your fulfillment and goals, the ethics of your employer, the size of your salary, the supplementary benefits (pension, gym membership, etc.), the workplace environment and camaraderie, the hours and workload, your role and level of responsibility, the use that’s made of your unique talents, the opportunities for training and career progression, and so on.

Now score your present job on those features. If it doesn’t match at least half of what is most important to you, chances are you are not in the best place and it’s time to start looking elsewhere.

Think about what you really want to do. Read up about the role. Does it fit your skills and experience, training and qualifications? If not, is it something you can learn on the go, or is there another route into that type of job? Do some research.

Get advice from other people. According to Proverbs, “The more wise counsel you follow, the better your chances.” Try to get some advice from those already in the field where you’d like to be working. Talk to your friends and family, and perhaps a career advisor.

Go after your dreams, but be realistic. The vast majority of us have jobs because we need them in order to pay the bills. So if your dream career isn’t quite within striking distance and you need to stick with your regular job, consider a voluntary role in the sector where you are interested. If it’s something you really are passionate about, you’ll probably be able to fit in a few evenings or a day over the weekend. An accountant won’t become a social worker overnight, but he could help out at a youth club.

Seek God’s guidance. “Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.” You may find Him speaking to you through your quiet time, devotional, or Bible reading, or you may want to specifically ask Him: “Show me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths.” Whatever the case, try to include Him in the picture of your plans, remembering that “God’s blessing makes life rich,” not only materially, but also in terms of peace of mind.

Your own season for change might not come at this particular time of the year, yet whenever it comes, God will be at hand to help, shining His light on your path.

—

Proverbs 10:16 (NIV)  The wages of the righteous is life, but the earnings of the wicked are sin and death.

Colossians 1:29 (NIV) To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.

Proverbs 11:14 (NIV) For lack of guidance a nation falls, but victory is won through many advisers.

SLAYING THE GIANTS

For some time now, I have been working steadily toward a dream of mine: creating a business that gives me the opportunity to earn an income doing something I love, while making a difference in the world. It’s been a step-by-step process that has included a lot of learning and several things that felt like stepping off the deep end—like investing in some training, making a big move with my daughter, starting my own business, and so on.

There are days when I’m excited and confidently looking forward to the future and other days when the reality of all there is to do hits me, and I wonder what in the world I was thinking when I started. The process of stepping out and learning and doing something new has pushed and stretched me in ways I didn’t know were possible and is presenting me with far more opportunities for personal growth than I expected.

The other day, I was reading a book that talked about the children of Israel and the stages they went through, first as slaves in Egypt, then as they wandered through the wilderness, and finally making it into the Promised Land. The parallels to the journey that I am on today struck me.

When the children of Israel were slaves in Egypt, Moses came on the scene with the message that God wanted to deliver them and take them to a land flowing with milk and honey. God then proceeded to do miracles to get them out of Egypt and on their way, including parting the Red Sea for them.

On their journey, God gave them food by raining down manna from heaven. He protected them from the heat with a cloud by day and gave them a pillar of fire for light and warmth at night.

When they reached the Promised Land, they sent in scouts who reported back that the land was beautiful, prosperous, and flowing with milk and honey. It was their land. God had promised it to them. They were poised and ready to walk in. What stopped them? The scouts also reported that the land was inhabited by giants!

The children of Israel were afraid. Who wouldn’t be when faced with giants, right? But instead of taking action in spite of their fear, they let their fears overwhelm them and destroy their faith in God’s promises. So instead of getting through the wilderness quickly as God had intended, they had to wander there for another 40 years. Sure, God continued to care for them and supply their needs throughout that time, He didn’t forsake or abandon them, but until the entire generation that had doubted died out, they were stuck in the wilderness.

How does this apply to me?

Well, I’ve left Egypt—my previous situation where I was comfortable but unfulfilled—and I’ve been in the wilderness for a while now—making plans, clarifying my vision, getting prepared, and learning a lot. God has been taking care of me, but I don’t want to stay here for long.

Right now, I feel like I’m on the border of the Promised Land. I can see it, and I’m ready to go in. And you know what’s happening? I’m freaking out about the giants! Waltzing into the Promised Land—nope, not gonna happen like that! There are a heck of a lot of giants in there that will need fighting—the mindsets I have about myself that are keeping me small, the steps I need to take that scare me, the personal growth that is required in order for my vision to blossom.

Reading about how the children of Israel wandered in the desert for decades because they didn’t have faith to face those giants is a sobering reminder for me. Do I want to wait, potentially for a long time, or do I have the faith in God to march in and take possession of my own promised land?

Moses’ final advice to the children of Israel is something I can apply to my situation as well: “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.” How wonderful to know that I’m not alone in my journey.

Let’s slay those giants!

Take courage. We walk in the wilderness today and in the Promised Land tomorrow.—Dwight L. Moody (1837–1899)

Commit yourself to a dream. Nobody who tries to do something great but fails is a total failure. Why? Because he can always rest assured that he succeeded in life’s most important battle—he defeated the fear of trying.—Robert H. Schuller (1926–2015)

—

Joshua 1:9 ESV / Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Deuteronomy 31:6 ESV / Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

2 Timothy 1:7 ESV / For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

THAT FIRST BITE

I took a bite of omelet and silently thanked God for it. I was hungry and it tasted exceptionally delicious. I really appreciated the subtle flavors and melted cheese, and I stopped a moment to think about God’s wonderful care and supply.

I know that I often hurriedly grab something to eat and don’t even remember to thank God for it. At least I did give thanks this time, but I was convicted by my prayer, because there was something wrong with the timing of it. I could have thanked Him before the first bite, before I knew it was delicious.

Then I remembered the words of King David: “This is the day that the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Whenever I want to learn about gratitude, I read David’s psalms. After listing his problems, he always gives glory to God. But the thing that seemed significant to me about this particular verse is that he tells us to wake up to a new day, give God the glory for it and say—even before it begins—that we will rejoice and be glad.

Sometimes I go to bed at night and thank God: “This has been a really good day. Thank You for all the good things that happened, for all I got done, for good health and a happy family.” But that isn’t the kind of gratitude David was talking about.

He was talking about being thankful and happy for the day before it begins. He is telling us to determine at the break of dawn that we are going to be happy and have a really good day. I guess that’s like thanking God for the omelet before I taste it. We should thank Him in the morning, even if a storm blows in later in the day. We should determine to be happy, even if some difficulties roll in. Whether it’s an omelet, a new day, or even a new year, we can be thankful no matter what.

It is good and fitting for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life which God gives him; for it is his heritage. … God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart.—Ecclesiastes 5:18,20

Gratitude to God makes even a temporal blessing a taste of heaven.—William Romaine (1714–1795)

—

1 Corinthians 6:12 ESV / “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be enslaved by anything.

John 14:6 ESV / Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

John 6:53 ESV / So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.

HELP IN TIMES OF TROUBLE

Material supply
Psalm 34:10: The young lions lack and suffer hunger; but those who seek the Lordshall not lack any good thing.
Matthew 6:33: But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.
Romans 8:32: He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
Philippians 4:19: And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

Protection
Deuteronomy 33:27a: The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms;
Nahum 1:7: The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble;and He knows those who trust in Him.
Psalm 46:1: God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
Psalm 91:9–10: Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge,eventhe Most High, your dwelling place.10 No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling.
2 Timothy 4:18a: And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom.

Freedom from fear
Isaiah 12:2: Behold, God is my salvation, I will trust and not be afraid; ‘For Yah, the Lord, is my strength and song; He also has become my salvation.’
Isaiah 41:10: Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God.I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.
Psalm 23:4: Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
Psalm 27:1: The Lordis my light and my salvation;whom shall I fear?
Psalm 112:7: He will not be afraid of evil tidings; His heart is steadfast, trusting in the Lord.

Inner strength
Psalm 84:5a,7: Blessed is the man whose strength is in You.7 They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion.
Isaiah 40:31:But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
Philippians 4:13: I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Comfort
Psalm 71:21: You shall increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.
Isaiah 51:12a: “I, even I, am He who comforts you.”
Psalm 103:13–14: As a father pities his children, so the Lordpities those who fear Him. 14 For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust.
Psalm 138:7a: Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch out Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Your right hand will save me.
2 Corinthians 1:4: Who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

Guidance
Isaiah 42:16: I will bring the blind by a way they did not know; I will lead them in paths they have not known. I will make darkness light before them, and crooked places straight. These things I will do for them, and not forsake them.
Isaiah 30:21: Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” Whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left.
Proverbs 3:5–6: Trust in the Lordwith all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.
Jeremiah 33:3: Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.
James 1:5: If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

Miracles
Matthew 17:20b : So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.”
Mark 9:23: Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”
John 14:12:“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.”
John 14:14: If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.

THE SAFEST PLACE

When the world goes to pieces, the best place to be is in the charmed circle of God’s protection. “He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.’ Surely He shall deliver you from the snare of the fowler and from the perilous pestilence. He shall cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. You shall not be afraid of the terror by night, nor of the arrow that flies by day, nor of the pestilence that walks in darkness, nor of the destruction that lays waste at noonday. A thousand may fall at your side, and ten thousand at your right hand; but it shall not come near you.”

Even if there’s turmoil and confusion all around, you can have inner peace through the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ. He never fails those who trust Him. So that’s the secret: Live close to the Lord, in touch and in tune with Him and in step with His Word. It is His Word that makes you strong spiritually.

One encouraging passage of Scripture regarding God’s ability to protect and keep those who believe in and trust Him is the story of the harlot Rahab and the ancient city of Jericho. Because Rahab had faith and assisted two spies who were acting as God’s agents, even at great peril to herself, when Jericho was later besieged by an invading army and destroyed, the only part of Jericho’s city walls that didn’t fall was the small section on which Rahab’s house was built. She and her relatives survived and were spared by the conquerors.

When disaster strikes, whether it’s natural or manmade, those who have been doing their best to live as they know God would have them live may find they receive His supernatural protection. “The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations.” That doesn’t mean that He won’t ever allow them to be harmed. He promises deliverance, but sometimes He knows that the best and most loving form of deliverance is to end their suffering by taking them home to heaven. So if you’ve received Jesus as your Savior, the “worst” thing that can happen to you is that you die and go to heaven that much sooner. You really don’t have anything to worry about, because either way, whether here or there, you’re in His loving care.

And remember, whenever anything bad happens to those who love God, He can and wants to bring about some good through it. “All things work together for good to those who love God.” Don’t worry when times of trouble and testing come, thinking that God doesn’t love you or that He’s finished with you. What you feel is God’s tender hand upon you, using the situation to make you into the person He knows you can be, or working other things in your favor. As hard as it may be to see the good that will come out of it, that’s His goal and His promise to you.

You’re in His hands, so “be confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” These tests are only for a time, and meanwhile you are safe with Him!

All things work together for good to those who love God

After the darkest night in world history, we are going to have the brightest dawn. The fast approaching night is going to be the nightmare of the great tribulation (a 3 ½-year period during which the world will be ruled by an iron-fisted dictator known as the Antichrist), and the dawn, the coming of Christ. Things have got to get worse before they can get better, but in spite of the horrors of the growing darkness of this world, we know that it’s all going to work out right in the end. The darkest hour is just before dawn, and the faster it gets worse, the sooner it’s going to get better!

We have to go through a dark place of trials and tribulations, but then we’re going to come out into the sunshine on the other side and all of these things will be blotted out like an evil dream! One of these days Jesus is going to stop the world and we’re going to get off, away from all this suffering and confusion and into the peace and quiet and beauty and love and wonder of that wonderland beyond in heavenly places with Him! Just a little longer, then dawns His glorious morn!

—

Philippians 4:6 ESV / Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

2 Thessalonians 3:16 ESV / Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.

John 16:33 ESV / I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

RENEWAL OF SPIRIT

“If anyone is in Christ,” the Bible tells us, “he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” That transformation begins the moment we invite Jesus into our hearts and lives, but it takes considerably longer for us to get into Jesus—to get completely immersed in Him and grounded in faith. The more we do that, the more of our old thoughts and habits pass away, and the more “all things become new.”
What better time than Easter, the celebration of the ultimate rebirth, to get renewed in spirit?

Ask God to show you one or two ways in which you need to change or grow as a person. For example, do you generally have a thankful, positive attitude, or do you tend to grumble about life’s difficulties? Do you set aside time to read God’s Word and think about how it applies to you, or do you fill your spare moments with TV or other entertainment? Do you pray for others who are experiencing hardships, or merely think about them sympathetically? Do you cheerfully give of yourself, or resent the sacrifices you sometimes need to make for the sake of others? Or is there some other area in which you need to change?

Now take a few minutes to commit these issues to Jesus in prayer. “Create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me.”

It takes time and consistent effort to break old habits, but once you acknowledge the need to change and ask Jesus to help, this promise is yours: “He who has begun a good work in you will complete it.” As you do your part, He will do His.

—

Romans 7:22 ESV / For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being,

Hebrews 4:12 ESV / For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.

1 John 4:18 ESV / There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

EASTER MEDITATIONS

The meaning of Easter is not found in cute bunnies and colored eggs. For us who know Jesus, it’s so much more. It’s when He conquered death and the grave. Easter is the fulfillment of Jesus’ love.—Amanda White

Jesus departed from our sight that we might return to our heart and there find Him. For He departed and, behold, He is here.—St. Augustine

The Resurrection gives my life meaning and direction and the opportunity to start over, no matter what my circumstances.—Robert Flatt

Easter is the demonstration of God that life is essentially spiritual and timeless.—Charles M. Crowe

The simple message that changed the world forever was this one: “He is not here. He is risen.”—Linda Bowles

A man who was completely innocent offered himself as a sacrifice for the good of others, including his enemies, and became the ransom of the world. It was a perfect act.—Mahatma Gandhi

The nail-pierced hands of Jesus reveal the love-filled heart of God.—Author unknown

Life doesn’t begin at forty or at twenty, but at Calvary.—Elaine Kilgore

If Jesus was alive again in 33 ad, He is alive today because He is God. That is the message of Easter.—Michael Whitehead

Jesus Christ burst from the grave and exploded into my heart.—Donna Hosford

Let the Resurrection joy lift us from loneliness and weakness and despair to strength and beauty and happiness.—Floyd W. Tomkins

—

John 10:11 ESV – I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

John 6:51 ESV – I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.

Acts 5:31 ESV – God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins.

GOD’S ETERNAL LOVE

As soon as I got connected to the Internet, dozens of messages that had piled up in cyberspace while I’d been traveling from the Middle East to Europe flooded my inbox. I wearily started separating junk mail from the real thing, and in the process was surprised to find a note from someone I hadn’t heard from in a long while. It read, in part:

Twenty days ago medical tests revealed that I have cancer. Thank God, it hasn’t spread yet. I will be admitted for surgery very soon. I wish you could come over to the hospital. I’ll be there for a week. I’m not afraid of the surgery, but a little worried.
When I first found out, I felt betrayed. I used to trust my healthy body—then suddenly I found out that I have cancer. I was so disappointed and sad. Then I prayed. God’s kindness and mercy have always been with me, and He gave me signs that helped the illness be discovered early. I think I’ll be okay.

I was deeply touched that this dear woman would reach out to me in her time of need, but I wouldn’t return home for several weeks, so I sent a note to a coworker, asking her to visit this woman and pray for her. I also emailed the woman, explaining that I was away but had asked a friend, whom she’d also met, to get in touch. I also assured her that I would be praying for her.

When I returned home nearly a month later, I learned that my coworker had visited the woman in the hospital shortly after the operation. The woman had been through a near-death experience due to post-op complications. While hovering between life and death, she had had a distinct feeling that she wasn’t supposed to die yet, that God still had plans for her life. She had been revived and was thankful to be alive, but the whole experience had left her strangely troubled and depressed. This was the state my friend had found her in, but after they had talked for a while the woman’s spirits had lifted, and she had clung tightly to my friend’s hand when they prayed together for a speedy recovery and encouragement.

When I phoned the woman, she explained what a difference the visit had made—just the fact that my coworker had come meant so much. “It was as though an angel had visited me,” she said. Even though the battle for her health was not yet over, she thanked us both from the bottom of her heart for our prayers, and then asked us to visit her at her home.

Before this visit, I made her a card with some Scripture passages about Jesus, the Great Physician, who during His time on earth “went about doing good and healing all who were sick,” and who the Bible teaches is “the same yesterday, today, and forever.” As I contemplated what else to write, love-filled words flowed effortlessly from my pen. Jesus Himself wanted to express His love and concern for this dear woman, and the message He gave me for her ended with a short prayer she could pray.

As we talked at her house, I explained that while praying for her I had received a message of encouragement for her from Jesus, and that I hoped she wouldn’t be offended if I passed it on to her.

“Even though I am not a Christian, I really love Jesus,” she said. “When I feel worried or uneasy, I listen to a tape by a famous local singer who recorded two prayers, one for Easter and one for Christmas. When I listen to the Easter prayer, all about how Jesus was nailed to the cross, died, was buried, and rose to life again, peace fills my heart.”

When she opened the envelope containing my card and started reading the message from Jesus, tears welled up in her eyes. A little embarrassed, she asked if she could read the rest later that evening.

The next time I talked to her, she said she had reread the whole message and prayed the prayer. “It filled me with peace inside,” she said. “Now I have accepted what God has brought into my life, and now I know I will be okay.”

As we talked on, we both concluded that what really matters in life is that we believe in and love God, and that we receive His words. What a difference it would make in our troubled world, where barriers are going up faster than ever between peoples and religions, if we could reach out and build bridges instead, if we could focus on what is really important—love for God and the sharing of His love with others. God sent Jesus to this world as an example of His love for all mankind. God’s eternal, universal love hasn’t changed, and Jesus Christ, who healed hearts as well as bodies, is the same yesterday, today, and forever!

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1 John 4:18 ESV / There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

1 John 4:9-12 ESV / In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.

Romans 5:8 ESV / But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

WHY I BELIEVE THE EASTER STORY

By the time Jesus’ body was taken down from the cross, He had suffered one of the most torturous forms of execution ever conceived. His back and sides were a crosshatch of deep lacerations from flogging. There were holes through His hands and feet from the spikes that had pinned Him to the cross, and there was a gaping hole in His side from a spear thrust clear to the heart. Smaller wounds bore witness to other parts of the ordeal—gashes from a mock crown made of thorns and scrapes from when He had fallen under the weight of the cross as He had struggled to carry it up the hill to the Place of the Skull, where He had then been crucified between two common criminals.

The authorities handed Jesus’ body over to a wealthy man named Joseph of Arimathea. Considering that Joseph was a member of the Jewish High Court, the Sanhedrin, which had brought the false chargesagainst Jesus, one would have expected Joseph to be counted among Jesus’ enemies, not His friends. More surprising still, Joseph wanted Jesus buried in the tomb he had bought for himself in preparation for his eventual death. The body was wrapped in a shroud and put in the tomb, and the entrance was sealed with a great stone. Fearing that His disciples might steal the body and spread rumors that Jesus was alive, those who had plotted His death persuaded the authorities to post guards day and night.

Circumstantial evidence

Because Jesus had been crucified on the eve of the Passover, there was no time to prepare His body for burial according to Jewish custom before it was put in the tomb. The Passover was followed that year by the weekly Sabbath, and any work on either holy day was against the Jewish law, so it was not until dawn of the third day that some of Jesus’ women followers were able to return to the tomb to prepare His body for burial. When they got there, the body was gone.

It took encounters with the resurrected Jesus for His disciples to understand what had taken place. He had risen from the dead! Word spread quickly.
Jesus’ enemies countered with what to most people must have seemed like a much more logical explanation—that His disciples had stolen His body to give credence to their claim that He was alive. The guards who had been at the tomb were even bribed to testify that they had fallen asleep, giving Jesus’ followers an opportunity to snatch the body.

Considering that the people behind the “stolen body” version of events were the very same people who had brought the false charges against Jesus and pressured the Roman governor, Pontius Pilate, to condemn Him to death, and considering also that those announcing the risen Savior were willing to stake their lives on that claim, who would you believe?

Eyewitness testimony

The Gospel accounts of the Resurrection name at least 16 people who were eyewitnesses to the risen Savior. Over a 40-day period, Jesus “presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs.” Once He was seen by over 500 people.

The apostle Peter testified: “We did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to yo the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.”

The apostle John testified: “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled … we declare to you.”

It is hard to refute eyewitness testimony, especially when those testifying are willing to suffer persecution and even martyrdom for what they claim to have witnessed, as Jesus’ first followers were. People don’t give their lives for what they know to be a fabrication.

Empirical evidence

Eyewitness testimony is powerful, but it involves an element of faith; we must take the witnesses at their word. Circumstantial evidence also involves an element of faith; we must believe that the conclusion it points to is more plausible than any other explanation. But empirical evidence—evidence that is verifiable by experience or experiment—is proof positive when it is put the test and it passes. Here is empirical evidence for the case of the Resurrection:
Hours before Jesus was crucified, Peter denied Him three times. Afterwards he and the other disciples went into hiding for fear that they would be recognized as His followers. Even after seeing the risen Jesus several times over a span of 40 days, they remained powerless and directionless. At one point, Peter and some of the others returned to their old lives as fishermen.

But 10 days after Jesus ascended to Heaven, the disciples were suddenly and dramatically transformed. While the other disciples stood with him, Peter preached to a crowd in Jerusalem that probably included many of the same people who had been in the mob that called for Jesus to be crucified. That sermon resulted in over 3,000 new believers. A few days later Peter preached again and won over 5,000 more. How do you explain the change that had come over the disciples?

The answer is found in something Jesus told His disciples the night before He was crucified: “A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also. At that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you.” Before Jesus died, He could only live with His followers, but ever since God raised Him from the dead, His Spirit lives in all who receive Him as their Savior—“I in you.” Jesus dwelling in His disciples effected a greater change in them than seeing Him in His resurrected body.

And unlike eyewitness testimony or circumstantial evidence, we can put Jesus’ “I in you” claim to the test. If it’s true, we should get the same results as the disciples.

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock,” the resurrected Jesus told the apostle John. “If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him.” When I first heard that as a 20-year-old agnostic, I decided to put Jesus to the test. I opened the door to my heart and asked Him to come into my life, and He did. No, He didn’t suddenly appear in bodily form, as He did to His disciples and others shortly after His resurrection, and I didn’t see a blinding flash of light or hear Him speak in an audible voice, as the apostle Paul did when he first encountered the risen Jesus, but that simple, awkward prayer, If You’re real, show me, was the start of a relationship that has deepened over time to the point that I can no longer imagine my life without His loving presence.

That, to me, is greater proof that “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day” than if I had seen Him exit the tomb or touched His nail-pierced hands. I believe the Easter story because I have experienced it.

The Resurrection proclamation could not have been maintained in Jerusalem for a single day, for a single hour, if the emptiness of the tomb had not been established as a fact.—Paul Althaus, German theologian (1888–1966)

[Thenarratives of the Resurrection found in the four Gospels] have all the artlessness of simple honesty. They furnish just such testimony as the facts would warrant, and such as plain people convinced beyond any question or doubt would give. They have all the signs of veracity.—Doremus Hayes, U.S. theologian and author (b. 1863)

This band of disciples was beaten and weary, yet almost overnight it transformed itself into a victorious faith movement. If this had occurred simply on the basis of auto-suggestion and self-deceit, it would have been a much greater miracle than the Resurrection itself.—Pinchas Lapide, Jewish theologian (1922–1997)

I have been used for many years to study the histories of other times, and to examine and weigh the evidence of those who have written about them, and I know of no one fact in the history of mankind which is proved by better and fuller evidence of every sort, than the great sign which God has given us that Christ died and rose again from the dead.—Thomas Arnold, English historian (1795–1842)

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1 Timothy 2:5 ESV / For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,

Proverbs 8:35-36 ESV / For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord, but he who fails to find me injures himself; all who hate me love death.”

Acts 4:11-12 ESV / This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

THE CHOICE

Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”1 God’s love is all-powerful, but He won’t force it on you. Instead, He sends His Son, Jesus, to knock at the door of your heart and then wait for you to open the door and invite Him in.

Jesus wants to give you eternal life and become a very real part of your life here and now, but He can’t do either unless you want Him to. He stands meekly and patiently at your heart’s door—perhaps He has been standing there for years—waiting for you to hear Him knocking and open. He wants to be your Savior and will come in as soon as you ask Him to, but He has left that choice up to you.

Will you accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior? If you haven’t already or if you’re not sure that you’re saved, you can make sure right now by sincerely praying this prayer:

Jesus, please forgive me for all my sins. I believe that You died for me. I open the door to my heart and I invite You into my life. Please fill me with Your love, help me get to know You, and guide me in the way of truth. Amen.

If you prayed that prayer and meant it, Jesus has already come in. You have eternal life and have just embarked on this life’s greatest adventure—experiencing God’s love in Jesus and growing in His ways and wisdom.

He Lives
He lives! He lives!
Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me,
And talks with me,
Along life’s narrow way.

He lives! He lives!
Salvation to impart.
You ask me how I know He lives,
He lives within my heart!
—Alfred H. Ackley

Fact, Not Feelings

Sometimes people don’t get any evidence when they pray to receive Jesus as their Savior, and they’re disappointed because it wasn’t manifested by some supernatural or physical experience right then and there. But it doesn’t matter how you feel; from the instant you asked God for the gift of salvation, you have had it. You know you’re saved because God promised it, because of what He said about it in His Word. Your faith is built on fact, not feelings.

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Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

James 1:6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavers is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

James 2:14 What does it profit, my brothers, though a man say he has faith, and have not works? can faith save him?