The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"This Changes Everything"
A few letters change everything.
"It is finished!" cried out the Lord Jesus Christ as He died on the cross of Calvary (John 19:30).
He did not say, "I am finished." He rather breathed His last breath in the knowledge He would breathe many more in resurrection and newness of life.
"Therefore doth My Father love Me, because I lay down My life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again" (John 10:17-18).
"Christ, being raised from the dead, dieth no more" (Romans 6:9).
The path to a Life beyond life led through the bloody sorrows and agony of Calvary. As wondrous as the Lord Jesus was from everlasting before He died and rose again, how much more glorious He is as the risen Christ. He trampled death under His nail-pierced feet as He exited the tomb, able not only to Himself rise again, but also to impart His life to others. "Because I live, ye shall live also" (John 14:19). The atoning work on the cross He finished, crowned by resurrection three days later, does change everything in all who trust Him.
Consider the challenges of life. What if the Lord Jesus is risen from the dead, having overcome our greatest foes and challenges? He is. Even before His death and resurrection, the Savior told His disciples, "In the world, ye shall have tribulation. But be of good cheer, I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). What would He say to us now, after His glorious resurrection and twenty centuries of manifesting His triumph in the lives of believers over and over and over again? What will we say back to Him in the light of such truth about whatever pain, difficulty, threat, or calamity we face? The response of affirming Christ as risen will change things, mainly, the things of our heart whereby the "good cheer" of hope will lead and strength us to walk in Christ's triumph. "In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us" (Romans 8:37).
A few letters transform the Bible's declaration of who and what the Lord Jesus is, and what He has done. He is not finished. His atoning work and rising from the dead is, however. Thus, we trust and serve One whose Person and life lie ever near at hand, and even closer in heart. Yes, the earthly tomb is empty, the Heavenly throne is occupied, and Jesus Christ is Lord. In the present moment and forevermore, this changes everything.
Sometimes it seems that the enemy of our soul wins
over and over and over and over again.
But if we could see the truth much more clearly, my friend,
we'd see Christ triumph over death, hell and sin
over and over and over and over again.
The tomb is empty, the Throne above occupied,
for Christ is risen again, from death glorified.
Oh remember when hot, stinging tears fill your eyes
the triumph He's shown so many times in our lives,
over and over and over and over again.
Forever draws nigh, we will be there with Him soon, my friend.
The trials of this life will be gone when with Him we're with Him in Heaven.
Glories we'll see, majesty without end
that sing the glad hymn, Christ is risen again,
Over and over and over and over again,
Over and over and over and over again.
"He is not here: for He is risen."
(Matthew 28:6)
"Ye are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God."
(Colossians 3:3)
Weekly Memory Verse
I will run the way of Thy commandments, when Thou shalt enlarge my heart.
(Psalm 119:32)
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