April 28, 2024

Christ Is Risen From The Dead

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Let no one caught in sin remain
Inside the lie of inward shame
We fix our eyes upon the Cross
And run to Him who showed great love
And bled for us
Freely You bled, for us

Christ is risen from the dead
Trampling over death by death
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave

Christ is risen from the dead
We are one with Him again
Come awake, come awake
Come and rise up from the grave

Beneath the weight of all our sin
You bow to none but heavens will
No scheme of hell, no scoffer’s crown
No burden great can hold You down
In strength You reign
Forever let Your church proclaim

Oh death! Where is your sting
Oh hell! Where is your victory
Oh Church! Come stand in the light
The glory of God has defeated the night

Oh death! Where is your sting
Oh hell! Where is your victory
Oh Church! Come stand in the light
Our God is not dead, He’s alive! He’s alive

Matt Maher
written along with Mia Fieldes

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Tomorrow is Easter Sunday, the day that Jesus rose from the grave and defied death.  Are you as humbled as I am?   Today is the day in-between. Yesterday, the world turned dark as Jesus hung on the Cross. All of our sin and shame was nailed with Him and forgiveness replaced fear.  Jesus tore the veil between us and God and we are free to go to Him; not through a priest,  but through Jesus.

As the music plays, close your eyes and picture what He did for you…what He did for the whole Church.  Now death will not end here but we will forever live with Him in eternity.  The enemy will not be victorious for he will be defeated. Now, as Christ’s Church, we will stand together, in the light and shout that He is alive and He reigns forever!  And yes, God has defeated the night.  He is not dead, He is alive!!!!!

Oh death, where is thy victory, oh grave, where is thy sting?
1 Corinthians 15:55 KJV

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Let us pray: Dear Heavenly Father, how awesome and amazing You are.  How grateful we are for Jesus’ victory over death and for saving us, His Church, from all sin and shame.  We cannot even begin to thank You for Your plan to save us from ourselves, through the death of Your only Son. We love You and we praise You.  Keep us faithful and full of joy!  In Jesus’ name, amen.

Because He Lives

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God sent His Son, they called Him Jesus
He came to love, heal and forgive
He lived and died to buy my pardon
An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow
Because He lives, all fear is gone
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living
Just because He lives

How sweet to hold a newborn baby
And feel the pride and joy he gives
But greater still the calm assurance
This child can face uncertain days because He lives

And then one day, I’ll cross the river
I’ll fight life’s final war with pain
And then, as death gives way to victory
I’ll see the lights of glory and I’ll know He lives

Alabama
Writer(s): Bill Gaither, Patrick Standfast, Arnthor Birgisson, Christian Karlsson, Alceu Alvez Damico, Gloria Gaither
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In choosing the songs I’ve been blogging on, I’ve been taking it old school recently.  Don’t get me wrong…I love the contemporary Christian music.  But there is something about Easter that takes me back to the gospel songs I grew up on.  I actually heard the Bill Gaither Trio perform this song live.  (Now I’m dating myself!)

This song has been on my mind the past couple of weeks.  There are things in my life that are a bit uncertain right now.  That’s tough on a recovering control freak with an “I can fix this!” complex.  So I find the words of this song comforting and reassuring.  Simply because  ‘…an empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives!’

2 Chronicles 20:17 (HCSB) is one of my favorite Scriptures. This is why I can face my tomorrows without fear—Yahweh is with me.

“You do not have to fight this battle.
Position yourselves, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord.
He is with you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged.
Tomorrow, go out to face them, for Yahweh is with you.”

Jesus didn’t remain in the tomb.  Hell had no power over Him.  Acts 2:31b (NASB) states “He was neither abandoned to Hades, nor did His flesh suffer decay.”  Romans 6:9 (AMP) puts it this way “Because we know that Christ (the Anointed One), being once raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has power over Him.”  Or better yet, look at Jesus’ words in Revelation 1:18 (NKJV).

I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore.
Amen.  And I have the keys of Hades and of Death!

(I love this emphatic statement!)  The unequivocal truth is Jesus overcame death and conquered hell.  So what do we have to fear?  Nothing!  One day, when we see the ‘lights of glory’ we will confidently say:

“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?”
1 Corinthians 15:55

Because then we will KNOW beyond a shadow of a doubt that He Lives!

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Oh Lord, I will never be able to thank You or praise You enough for the wonderful things You have done for me.  Because You live, I truly can face each day without fear—knowing You came to love, heal, and forgive.  You lived and died to buy my pardon, something I would have never been able to obtain on my own.  Remind me of this when uncertainty threatens to overwhelm me.  In Your Holy name I ask this – Amen, It Is So!