Easter Sunday Greetings: Glorious Resurrection

The Father sent His Son in the flesh, and the Son finished the work which the Father gave Him to do. He suffered and died for us but was raised to life again. It was not possible for death to hold Him; He is the resurrection and the life. Rejoice! 

Because Christ lives, we too shall live. What blessed hope!

1 Corinthians 15:20-26

But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ's at His coming. Then comes the end, when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and authority. For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be destroyed is death.

Romans 6:4-11

Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

(See also Romans Chapters 5, 7, 8, 6 in its entirety and Luke Chapter 24.)

1 Corinthians 15:51-57

Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory."

"O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?"

The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Philippians 1:21

For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.  

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The Comforter who abides with us forever, the Spirit of truth has come, convicting the world of sin, righteousness, and of judgment; filling the body of Christ, His church, with power to accomplish His purposes; empowering us to crucify the deeds of our sinful flesh, as we submit to God who redeemed us with the precious blood of Christ. 

Yielding to the Holy Spirit produces fruit in us, transforming our lives and bringing glory to God.

- A Walk In The Garden Devotions

Celebrate Jesus' Victory Over the Grave

He rose triumphant over the grave! 

"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. This commandment have I received of my Father." (John 10: 17,18)

All praise and thanks to the Father, who gave us His Son to reconcile us to Himself; and to Jesus who surrendered His will to the will of the Father; and to the Holy Spirit who raised Him from the dead.

"And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you." (Romans 8:10,11)

Because He lives, we have this blessed, glorious hope. Rejoice!

"Behold, I show you a mystery: we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 15:51-57)

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

"And Jesus came and spoke to them saying, 'All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.'" Amen.

(Matthew 28:18-20)

- A Walk In The Garden Devotions

Happy Blessed Easter! Christ Arose Triumphant

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who raised Him up triumphant from the dead, and has given Him a name above all names, that at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the Father.

Thanks be to God, for the hope we have in Christ Jesus, that we too shall be raised, yes, this mortal shall put on immortality and shall be forever with the Lord.

Praise God! We are justified by faith in the Son of God, who humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Amen.

Bible Readings:

John Chapter 20; 1 Corinthians Chapter 15; Philippians 2:5-12; Romans Chapter 5

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Glory Rising
For there is hope of a tree if it be cut down, that it will sprout again...

Praise and Worship
"Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! Sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, bless His name; proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day..."

Messengers of God's Grace
And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there, save that the Holy Ghost...

A Day of Reflection

This Good Friday, Christians the world over will commemorate the crucifixion, death and burial of our Lord Jesus Christ. A day when God's Lamb without blemish was made the sacrifice for sin. A day that by all appearance, seemed to be one of doom and gloom, but it was a day of great deliverance for humanity.

Bible Reading:

"Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all." - Isaiah 53:4-6

Happy Easter Sunday!

Christ is Risen!

"In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And, behold, there was a great earthquake, for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: and for fear of him the keepers did shake and became as dead men. And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for He is risen, as He said..." Matthew 28:1-6

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Easter Celebration: Victory Over the Grave

He rose triumphant over the grave. 

"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. This commandment have I received of my Father." (John 10: 17,18)

All praise and thanks to the Father, who gave us His Son to reconcile us to Himself; and to Jesus who surrendered His will to the will of the Father; and to the Holy Spirit who raised Him from the dead.

"And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you." (Romans 8:10,11)

Because He lives, we have this blessed hope. Rejoice!

"Behold, I show you a mystery: we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
(1 Corinthians 15:51-57)

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9)

- A Walk In The Garden Devotions