A Change In Perspective 

I am going to physical therapy treatments, for some issues dealing with my sciatic nerve.  My sessions are actually in an Oncology center, right across from where patients are receiving their chemotherapy treatments.

A few days ago, after I had finished one of my sessions, I was waiting for the doors to an elevator to open, when I saw an older gentleman approach to catch the elevator as well.  He looked like he was exhausted from his chemo treatments.  He walked with a cane, and it was clear that he was ready to go home to rest. We spoke briefly and he was quite kind.

Finally, the elevator doors opened, and we got on.  As the door to the elevator was about to close, a woman hurried to catch a ride down with us.  When she got on, I cheerfully spoke and said, “How are you doing today”?
Oh, my goodness why did I even ask?   Her response to me was “I can’t be doing too good if I am here, can I?”.   She did not smile, and there was quite a bit of bitterness in her tone.  When that was the response that I got, I noticed the older gentleman lift his head slightly, and looked at me in disbelief at her response.   

I responded to her by saying, “I think that we are all doing good.  We woke up this morning, and so many people didn’t”.   I also told her that we were blessed to be able to receive the healthcare that we needed.  Her response back to my comment actually surprised me.   She said, “ma’am you are right”.   I need to change my perspective.  I need to look at things differently”.

I am sharing this story because, we all have been guilty at one time or another of forgetting that even when we are going through challenging or difficult times, we still have so much to be thankful for.

I don’t know what you may be facing today but trust, that no matter how hard things may be, someone, somewhere, is dealing with something that will make your situation pale in comparison to theirs.

One way to combat the feeling of despair and hopelessness is to take a few minutes at the end of each day and write down the things that you are most grateful, for that day.  When your focus shifts to a place of gratitude, it is amazing how much better you will feel about your situation, even though nothing has really changed.

God is blessed when we are grateful and when we sincerely express our gratitude to Him no matter our circumstances.

Remember when our attitudes change our perspectives change, and the secret to all of this is gratitude.  

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
¹⁶ Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray continually, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Chronicles 16:34
³⁴ Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.
Psalm 50:20
²⁰ You sit and testify against your brother and slander your own mother’s son.
Philippians 4:6
⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Psalm 107
¹ Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.

Let’s Be Givers

Mark 12:41-44
⁴¹ Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. ⁴² But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.
⁴³ Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. ⁴⁴ They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”
1st. King 17:12-16
¹² “As surely as the Lord your God lives,” she replied, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home and make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.”
¹³ Elijah said to her, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small loaf of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. ¹⁴ For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land.’”
¹⁵ She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. ¹⁶ For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah.

On a scale of one to ten, with ten being the highest, how would you rank your giving?  Most of us would probably feel that we give adequately.  Some would probably admit that they don’t give nearly enough.  And even fewer would say that they have ever given sacrificially.

I have come to realize over the years, that my level of giving is in direct correlation to my view of who God is. When I finally wrapped my head around the fact, that I own nothing, and God owns everything, I was able to release that which He had loaned to me more freely.  I am not the source of my provision, but God is.

It is one thing to be a good steward of that which God has entrusted to us, and it is totally another to be stingy. When I looked up the definition of the word stingy it said; unwilling to give or spend, to be ungenerous.  I personally would not like to have that label associated with my name.  What about you?

Could it be that those who are stingy, think that they are the source of what they have been blessed with.  With this thought pattern, it is easy to become a person who starts to worship and hoard their possessions instead of worshipping the God who is the source of everything.   We should always be mindful to worship the Giver instead of the gifts.

In Mark 12:41-43 Jesus speaks of the sacrificial gift that a poor widow gave.  She only had two small copper coins to give, which were only worth a few cents.  Jesus told His disciples that the widow had put more into the treasury than all of the others, because they gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty,  put in everything- all that she had to live on.  This would definitely be considered sacrificial giving.

In 1st King 17  the widow at Zarephath had only a handful of oil and a little olive oil in a jug. She made Elijah a loaf of bread with all that she had, even before feeding herself and her son.  Although the widow initially thought that after she and her son ate what little they had, that she would lay down and die.God honored her  generosity by promising that; “The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends the rain on the land”.  What incredible faith she had, sharing when she didn’t even know where her next meal would come from.

Giving is absolutely an act of faith.   It’s trusting that  some way, some how God will continue to provide more.

Please be clear,  I am not referring only to our financial gifts, but also your time, gifts and talents.  Any resource that God has given to us is to be generously shared with others.  Why not start today looking for more opportunities in which you can serve God by giving to others.  When you feel hesitant to share just be mindful to remember that you can’t beat God giving, no matter how hard you try!

Other Scriptures On Giving

Acts 20:35
³⁵ In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”
2nd Corinthians 9:7
⁷ Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Luke 6:38
³⁸ Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”
Hebrews 13:16
¹⁶ And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
Proverbs 19:17
Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord,  and he will reward them for what they have done.
Proverbs 22:9
The generous will themselves be blessed,    for they share their food with the poor.
Proverbs 28:27
Those who give to the poor will lack nothing,   but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.

What Does It Mean To Live Holy

Recently my husband and I watched a video, regarding a new album that a famous recording artist has released.   This video was made by a Christian brother, who wanted to express his view, as to why Christians should not be supporting this type of music.  When he shared the lyrics that are on this new album, my husband and I were totally shocked at the level of vulgarity we were hearing.  It was absolutely appalling as well as disgusting.

 My heart broke first, for the artist who apparently, had no moral standards whatsoever.  My heart broke secondly, for our youth as well as adults, who will listen to this music and get caught up in the beat and may or may not even be listening to the offensive lyrics.  And thirdly, my heart broke for our society in general, and how far we have gotten away from what it means to live holy.

God’s heart has to be broken, as He looks down and sees this kind of thing.  After much thought about this, I decided maybe I should share straight from God’s word, what the Bible has to say about living holy.  You see how we live matters because we are ambassadors for Christ and we should hold this assignment as something sacred. 

What we watch and what we listen to matters.   How we dress and how we carry ourselves matters. 

This is a test that I encourage you t take.  When you are partaking in something that you don’t quite feel comfortable with, ask yourself if Jesus came back right now, would I want Him to see me like this?  If your answer is no, then more than likely what you are doing would not fall under the category of holy living.   Let’s commit to living in a way that God would be blessed and others would be influenced for good. When we live holy it allows God’s light to shine brighter in this dark sinful world.

Below I have listed the definition of holy as well as some scriptures that encourage us to live holy.

What does the word holy mean? According to the dictionary to be holy, is to be dedicated or consecrated to God, it means sacred.  A person dedicated to the service of God.   Will you choose to live holy today?

Holy Living

1st Peter 1:15-16
¹⁵ But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; ¹⁶ for it is written: “Be holy because I am holy.”^[a]

Romans 12:1
12 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

2nd Corinthians 7:1
Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.

Romans 13:14
¹⁴ Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.^[a]

Ephesians 4:1-3
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. ² Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. ³ Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.

Romans 12:2
² Do not conform to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

1st Corinthians 6:19-20
¹⁹ Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; ²⁰ you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

2nd Corinthians 6:14-18
¹⁴ Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? ¹⁵ What harmony is there between Christ and Belial^[a]? Or what does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? ¹⁶ What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said:
“I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.”[b]
¹⁷ Therefore, “Come out from them and be separate,
says the Lord.
Touch no unclean thing,
 and I will receive you.”[c]
¹⁸ And,
“I will be a Father to you,
 and you will be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty.”[d]

The Benefits Of Being In The Presence Of God

Today I would like to share just a few of the benefits that I have been blessed to experience, by being in the presence of God.  My prayer is that you will faithfully spend time in His presence every day, and experience for yourself the rich blessings that come with having an intentional intimate relationship with God.  Make every effort to cling close to Him and never ever doubt His love for you.

1. There is hope in the presence of God.
     Jeremiah 29:11
¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
 Romans 15:13
¹³ May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
 Isaiah 40:31
But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
2. There is love in the presence of God.
     Romans 8:35, 37-39
³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?³⁷ No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ³⁸ For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,^[a] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹ neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Psalm 5:11-12
But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy.
Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.
¹² Surely, Lord, you bless the righteous; you surround them with your favor as with a shield.
     Proverbs 3:11-12
My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke,
¹² because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.^[a]
3.  There is joy in the presence of God.
     Psalm 16:11
You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence,
    with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
4.  There is peace in the presence of God.
      Philippians 4:6-7
⁶ Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Romans 8:6
⁶ The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.
Isaiah 26:3
You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast  because they trust in you.
Proverbs 1:33
But all who listen to me will live in peace, untroubled by fear of harm.”
5.  There is protection in the presence of God.
     2 Thessalonians 3:3-5
³ But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. ⁴ We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. ⁵ May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.
Isaiah 54:17 
17.no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you.
This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me,”
declares the Lord.
  Psalm 121:7-8
The Lord will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life;
⁸ the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.
6.  There is comfort in the presence of God.
     Psalm 23:4
4. Even though I walk through the darkest valley,^[a]
I will fear no evil, for you are with me;
your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Isaiah 12:1
In that day you will say: “I will praise you, Lord. Although you were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you have comforted me.
2 Corinthians 1:4
⁴ who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
7.  There is the provision in the presence of God.
     Philippians 4:19
¹⁹ And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.
 Luke 12:24
²⁴ Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn, yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!
  Psalm 84:1
1 For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor;
no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.
9.  There are possibilities in the presence of God.
     Matthew 19:26
²⁶ Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
Mark 9:23
²³ “‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for one who believes.”
  Genesis 18:14
¹⁴ Is anything too hard for the Lord? I will return to you at the appointed time next year, and Sarah will have a son.”
Jeremiah 32:27
²⁷ “I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?
10.  There is compassion in the presence of God.
     Psalm 116:5
The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion.
Psalm 103:13-14As a father has compassion on his children,  so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; ¹⁴ for he knows how we are formed,  he remembers that we are dust.
11.  There is strength and power in the presence of God.
      Isaiah 40:29
He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
Isaiah 41:10
So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
Philippians 4:13
¹³ I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
12. There is mercy in the presence of God.
      2 Samuel 24:14
¹⁴ David said to Gad, “I am in deep distress. Let us fall into the hands of the Lord, for his mercy is great; but do not let me fall into human hands.”
Lamentations 3:22-23
²² It is of the Lord‘s mercies that we are not consumed because his compassions fail not. ²³ They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.
Psalm 23:6
⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
13. There is grace in the presence of God.
     2 Corinthians 9:8
⁸ And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:
Ephesians 4:7
⁷ But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.
Ephesians 2:8-9
⁸ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—⁹ not by works so that no one can boast.
14. There is healing and restoration in the presence of God.
       Psalm 147:3 
He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.
  2 Chronicles 7:14
¹⁴ if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
 Psalm 103: 2-3
Praise the Lord, my soul,  and forget not all his benefits—
³ who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,
15. There is forgiveness in the presence of God.
     Psalm 103:10-12
He does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.
¹¹ For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him;
¹² as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.
   1 John  2:1-22
My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. ² He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.
  Micah 7: 18-19
Who is a God like you, who pardons sin and forgives the transgression of the remnant of his inheritance?
You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.
¹⁹ You will again have compassion on us; you will tread our sins underfoot and hurl all our iniquities into the depths of the sea.

A Good Father
Since Father’s Day is right around the corner, I thought I would share a few scriptures on the role of a good father.

 I hope that you are making special plans, to celebrate and honor the fathers in your life this Father’s Day.  Whether it is your dad, your husband, son, or brother, if they are a good father, they deserve to be celebrated, for the many sacrifices they make on a daily basis.   Good fathers are always working hard to protect, support, and to provide for their families.

Let’s take a few minutes and dive in and see, what the scriptures have to say about the role of a good father.  If this is something that blesses you, and you think that it could be a blessing to a young man who did not have a great role model, please feel free to share it with him.

A Good Father Fears The Lord
Proverbs 20:7
He who walks in his integrity is righteous; happy are his children who follow him.
A Good Father Leads His Children
Joshua 24:15
15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
Titus 2:2
2 Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.

A Good Father Prays for His Children
1st Chronicles 29:19
19 And give my son Solomon the wholehearted devotion to keep your commands, statutes and decrees and to do everything to build the palatial structure for which I have provided.”

A Good Father Protects His Children
Deuteronomy 1:29-31
29 Then I said to you, “Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them. 30 The Lord your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, 31 and in the wilderness. There you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.”
Proverbs 14:26
Whoever fears the Lord has a secure fortress,  and for their children it will be a refuge.

A Good Father Provides For His Children
Proverb 13:22
A good person leaves an inheritance for their children’s children, but a sinner’s wealth is stored up for the righteous.
1 Timothy 5:8
8  Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

A Good Father Trains/Teaches His Children
Proverbs 22:6
Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.
Deuteronomy 6:6-9
6  These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
Proverbs 1:8
8 Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.

A Good Father Disciplines His Children
Proverbs 3:11-12
My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke,
12 because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.[a]
Hebrews 12:7
7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?
Proverbs 13:24
Whoever spares the rod hates their children, but the one who loves their children is careful to discipline them.

A Good Father Encourages His Children
1 Thessalonians 2:11-12
11 For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12 encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.

A Good Father Has Compassion For Their Children
Psalm 103:13
As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;
Luke 15:20-24
20 So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

A Good Father Will Not Provoke His Children To Anger
Ephesians 6:4
4 Fathers,[a] do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
Colossians 3:21
21 Fathers,[a] do not embitter your children, or they will become discouraged.
Matthew 18:6
6“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.
A Good Father Sets A Great Example Of How To Love, By The Way He Loves And Honors His Wife.
Ephesians 5:25-37
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing[a] her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body. 31 “For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”[b] 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
1 Peter 3:7
7 Husbands, in the same way be considerate as you live with your wives, and treat them with respect as the weaker partner and as heirs with you of the gracious gift of life, so that nothing will hinder your prayers.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8…
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.8 Love never fails. …..

A Good Father Is Blessed By His Children
Psalm 127:3-5
Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.
4 Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth.
5 Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.
They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.
Proverbs 23:24
The father of a righteous child has great joy; a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him.
Psalm 128:3-4
Your wife will be like a fruitful vine   within your house;
your children will be like olive shoots around your table.
4 Yes, this will be the blessing for the man who fears the Lord.
3 John 1:4
4 I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.

This week has traditionally been referred to as Holy Week, which is the week leading up to Easter.    Because Easter is in a few days, I wanted to bring our attention to the significance of the sacrifice that Christ made on the cross for us, and why this is as meaningful to us as Christians.   I have created an acronym using the word Easter,  that will explain through the reading of scriptures why Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection provided hope for a sin-filled world.
Through Christ’s resurrection, he proved his power and authority over death, and overall that is evil.  Because death has no power over Him, we as Christians are able to look forward to an eternal life with Christ, an eternal life that only He could provide.   His precious blood has atoned for our sins.  His blood has cleansed us from all unrighteousness, so that we may stand before God and be in right standing.  Can you say hallelujah, hallelujah, and hallelujah and praise God!

E- Empty Tomb
Mark 16:1-8
16 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. ² Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb ³ and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”
⁴ But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. ⁵ As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.
⁶ “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. ⁷ But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”
⁸ Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone because they were afraid.^[a

A- Assurance Of Our Salvation
   1st John 5:11-13
¹¹ And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. ¹² Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.¹³ I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

¹¹ And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. ¹² Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.¹³ I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.

S- Savior Of The World
John 4:42
⁴² They said to the woman, “We no longer believe just because of what you said; now we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this man really is the Savior of the world.”
John 4:14
¹⁴ but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
Luke 19:10
¹⁰ For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
Acts 4:12
¹⁰ For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
2nd Timothy 1:10
¹⁰ but it has now been revealed through the appearance of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.

T-Triumphant Over Death
  Romans 6:4
⁴ We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
Revelation 1:18
¹⁸ I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.

E- Eternal Life
  John 10: 28-30
²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. ²⁹ My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all^[a]; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. ³⁰ I and the Father are one.”
Romans 6:23
²³ For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in^[a] Christ Jesus our Lord.
John 3:36
³⁶ Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.
John 3:16
¹⁶ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

R- Risen He Is Risen!   The resurrection of Jesus Christ.
  Matthew 28:1-9
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.² There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. ³ His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. ⁴ The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

⁵ The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. ⁶ He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. ⁷ Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”⁸ So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. ⁹ Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet, and worshiped him.
 1st Corinthians 15:20
²⁰ But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.
 Mark 16:9
⁹ When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons.
 Acts 4:33
³³ With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all
 Acts 13:37
³⁷ But the one whom God raised from the dead did not see decay.
 Romans 6:9
⁹ For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him.

Happy Easter!!!