HE IS RISEN!
Mark 16:6,19 (NIV): “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God.” 

For three years, Jesus ministered to people. He loved them and healed them. He told them about the Kingdom of God. Even still, those closest to Him did not completely understand the significance of His words. The final week of Christ’s life started with cheers of “Hosanna!” from the crowd but ended with cries of “Crucify Him!” And on that faithful Friday, our Lord Jesus Christ laid down His life for you and for me. The earth shook; the veil tore; the devil danced with glee. Oh, but Sunday was coming! 

Easter Sunday, the day of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, is the validation of our faith and the hope for salvation. There is no greater hope in our lives than knowing that Christ resurrected on the third day, fulfilling the prophesies from the Old Testament. And what’s more, because He lives, we can live also. Jesus died to pay the penalty for our sins. He exchanged His life for ours. For those of us who believe in Him, we get credit for His righteousness, and He takes responsibility for our sins. Because of Christ, we will never die but will have eternal salvation (John 3:16; 11:25-26). 

Christ promised that He would rise, and He did! Christ has promised that He will come again so that we can be with Him forevermore, and He will (John 14:3)! In the meantime, The Apostle Peter encourages us with these words: “Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls” (1 Peter 1:8-9). 
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Celebrate today . . . FOR HE IS RISEN! 
Shalom,
Theresa

A Single Offering 
Hebrews 10:14 (ESV): “For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.”
The Bible teaches us that God so loved the world that He wanted to redeem sinful mankind back to Himself (John 3:16). In order to do that, there had to be a sacrificial offering of a perfect, spotless Lamb, Jesus Christ died a substitutionary death for you and me. The punishment that belonged to us for our sinfulness, He took on our behalf.
In the Old Testament times, the priests had to continuously go before God to offer sacrifices on behalf of sinful men and women. These sacrifices did not remove the sin, but simply pushed the sin problem ahead until the next offering was to be made. When Christ went to the cross, however, He completely satisfied the wrath of God against our sin once and for all. Colossians 2:14 teaches that Christ took our debt and nailed it to the cross, marking it PAID IN FULL. Now, those who come to Christ and accept this pardon are clothed in His righteousness and share in His eternal inheritance. Our new identity is seen as perfect and holy before God. While me may not always feel or behave holy, God sees the eternal truth of who we are, even as we are in the process of becoming that person. His patience with us is beautifully described in a little five-letter word called “grace.” Even more, you and I once had no power over sin. But now, thanks to Jesus Christ, the power that set us free from sin is the power that keeps us free from sin.
Rejoice in the Savior Who loves you today!
Shalom,
Theresa

*Stewart, W., & Allen, T. (2013). Fire yourself daily: 365 devotionals. Milestone Publishing House, p. 108.

No More Barriers* 
Mark 16: (ESV): “And they were saying to one another, ‘Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?’”
The women wanted to anoint the body of Jesus, but they were concerned about how they would get to Him. Men had rolled a large stone weighing about 1 ½ tons to seal Christ in His tomb. When they arrived at the grave, though, the stone had been rolled away (Mark 16:4).
When Christ hung on the cross that fateful Friday, He cried out, “It is finished!” Then, He died. In that moment the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. This was the veil which had once divided man from God. The partition that said, “You can’t come any closer,” was removed once and for all. There were not more barriers; mankind had intimate access to God!
No more stones, no more veils, no more barriers. Nothing can separate us from the love of God (Romans 8:35-39). No man, no woman, and no demon can keep you and I from immediately approaching our Father. God invites us with open arms to come. Run to Him!
Come to Christ today!
Theresa

*Stewart, W., & Allen, T. (2013). Fire yourself daily: 365 devotionals. Milestone Publishing House, p. 182.