Death

August 5th – Ephesians 2:8-9

Week 1 – Understanding Faith (Ephesians 2:8-9)

The apostle Paul lets us know in no uncertain terms that our salvation is entirely due to God’s grace, and not our own efforts. We can’t contribute a single thread to the garment of righteousness that clothes us. For it is woven completely by Jesus through His sacrificial work on the Cross. To believe that our actions could secure salvation diminishes the profound sacrifice Jesus made. He endured unimaginable suffering and death, bearing the weight of humanity’s sins, because there was no other way for us to be saved. Suggesting otherwise insults His sacrifice, implying it was unnecessary. Our attempts at earning salvation would be futile and arrogant, as they would dismiss the sufficiency of Christ’s atonement. Embracing salvation as a gift from God, received through faith alone, honors the true extent of Jesus’ love and sacrifice. It is a humbling recognition that we are entirely dependent on His grace, and through this, we find true freedom and assurance of eternal life.

Questions for Reflection –

  1. How can we cultivate a deeper understanding and appreciation of God’s grace, recognizing that our salvation is a gift, and resist the temptation to rely on our own works for righteousness?
  1. In what ways can we daily remind ourselves and others of the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice, ensuring that our faith remains rooted in His grace rather than our own efforts?

Grace is the gift we unwrap with faith, wrapped in love by Jesus. 🙏🏻❤️

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July 30th – Galatians 3:22

Galatians 3:22

The apostle Paul explains the purpose of God’s Law, revealing that it was never meant to save us. Instead, it demonstrates our inability to keep it flawlessly. The Law acts as a mirror, reflecting our imperfections and showing that even a single transgression makes us guilty of breaking the entire law. This stark reality underscores our desperate need for a Savior. Someone who can bridge the gap between God’s holiness and our sinfulness. Jesus Christ is that Savior, the only one who has perfectly fulfilled the Law. Through His life, death, and resurrection, He offers us freedom from the bondage of sin and the penalty of death. In Him, we find grace and redemption, not through our own efforts, but through His perfect obedience and sacrifice. This profound truth shifts our focus from striving to earn salvation, to embracing the gift of grace offered through faith in Christ. It’s through Him that we receive the righteousness we could never attain on our own, underscoring the transformative power of God’s love and mercy.

July 30th – Galatians 3:22 Read More »

July 4th – Psalm 33:12

Psalm 33:12

As we celebrate the Fourth of July, we remember the blessings of independence and reflect on the deeper freedom found in Jesus. While earthly freedoms are vital and cherished, the ultimate liberation comes from being chosen by God and living under His Lordship. This spiritual freedom transcends political and social freedoms, offering eternal peace, purpose, and an identity through Christ. As a nation, we honor the sacrifices made for our liberties. And as believers, we also recognize that our most profound freedom is the grace that frees us from sin and death. This grace compels us to live in a way that reflects God’s righteousness and justice, influencing our actions and attitudes toward others. On this Independence Day, we can celebrate our national heritage and the transformative freedom in Jesus by committing to live as responsible citizens who mirror Christ’s love and truth. Let us use this day to thank God for the freedoms we enjoy and to renew our dedication to serving Him with humility and gratitude.

 

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March 19th – John 3:16

John 3:16

The reverend Billy Graham once said, “God proved His love on the Cross. When Christ hung, and bled, and died, it was God saying to the world, I love you.” There is no greater love than God’s. A love which surpasses all understanding and knows no bounds. In sending His Son, Jesus Christ, God demonstrated the great depth of His love for humanity. For Jesus’ sacrificial death and resurrection, offers forgiveness, redemption, and eternal life to all who believe in Him. It’s a love that extends to every corner of the earth, reaching out to embrace people of every nation, race, and background. And one that humbles us by the realization that He willingly gave His only Son for our salvation. This profound demonstration of love compels us to respond with gratitude, devotion, and obedience. And His love empowers us to love others with the same sacrificial love that He has shown us. May our lives reflect the transformative power of God’s love, drawing others into a relationship with Him and bringing glory to His name.

March 19th – John 3:16 Read More »

May 15th – Revelation21:5

Revelation 21:5

Some Christians shy away from the book of Revelation. They find the vivid imagery and symbolic language confusing, fictional, or too violent. But make no mistake. God calls us to read and take to heart the words the book contains. (Rev. 1:3) Because the Lord Himself promises that every one is trustworthy and true. And far from just containing doom and gloom, Revelation reveals the wonderful plans of God. Plans to renew and restore all of creation. To transform the world to its original perfection, including us. For in our new God given glorified bodies, we will dwell on the new earth in the new city of Jerusalem. One day soon the Lord will return. God’s promises will be fulfilled. Death and evil will be conquered forever. And as followers of Jesus, we get the great honor of ruling and reigning by His side forever as part of God’s perfect new creation.

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November 18th – Isaiah 53:5

Isaiah 53:5

I am thankful that the punishment I deserve, Jesus took upon Himself. 

With the advancement of modern medicine, there are very few wounds that cannot be healed. Except for the wound of death. No doctor, pill, or surgery can resurrect the dead. There is only One who has the power to save. Only One who has conquered death forever. Jesus Christ, the perfect, unblemished, Lamb of God is that One. Our Lord and Savior came to take away the sin of the world and reconcile us back to God. Even though that meant He had to suffer and die for us to live. The Lord knew all He would endure at the hands of the very people He came to redeem. Yet He came anyway. And Jesus did all of this to fulfill the will and plan of the Father, walking in perfect obedience and surrender to Him. And how thankful we are that because He took our punishment, even to the death on a cross, we are healed!

November 18th – Isaiah 53:5 Read More »

October 28th – Revelation 2:11

Revelation 2:11

God’ Promise – “Those who overcome will not be hurt by the second death.”

We will all die once in the flesh. Made from dust, our bodies will return to dust. And while non believers fear dying, Christians know the glory awaiting us. For never again will we be apart from God. In our new glorified bodies, we will dwell and reign with the Lord for eternity. But those who refuse God’s gift of pardon, will not only face one death, but a far worse second death. The second occurs when those who reject God will be cast into the lake of fire, and eternally separated from Him. Once this judgment has been pronounced there is no coming back. A judgement God wishes for no one. That’s why in His mercy, He gives all a chance to receive Jesus as their Savior. For as 2 Peter 2:9 tells us, “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

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July 24th – Psalm 16:9

Psalm 16:9

Not all fear is bad. There is the healthy fear that helps keep us from harm. And the fear of the Lord which is the, “beginning of knowledge” (Prov. 1:7) But far too often the fear that fills us is the kind that keeps us stuck under the thumb of the Enemy. King David knew a thing or two about enemy attacks. Yet because of the depth of His faith in God, he feared nothing; not even death. Charles Spurgeon wrote, “Never fear dying, beloved. Dying is the last, but the least matter that a Christian has to be anxious about. Fear living. That is a hard battle to fight, a stern discipline to endure, and a rough voyage to undergo.” As Christians we needn’t ever fear passing from this world to the next. For what awaits us is more glorious than anything we could ever imagine. A perfect eternity of love and peace, spent at the side of our Savior. And knowing what awaits us, how could we not rejoice and rest secure in God’s love!

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November 24th – 1 Corinthians 15:57

1 Corinthians 15:57

Charles Spurgeon once said, “The best moment of a Christian’s life is his last one, because it is the one that is nearest heaven.” For followers of Jesus, death isn’t to be feared, but to be celebrated. Because we know to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. (2 Cor. 5:8) Through His death and resurrection at the Cross, Christ defeated death forever. And now all Christians can look forward to an eternity spent at the side of our Savior. There we will celebrate Christ’s victory forever with songs of thanksgiving and continual praise for His mercy and love. Never again will we suffer from the pull of sin, for we will finally be the complete perfect images of our Lord. So with our last breath we can rejoice and give thanks to God. For His Son, Jesus Christ, has stolen both the victory and the sting of death forever!

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October 29th – Romans 8:23

Romans 8:23

We know as Christians we aren’t exempt from suffering. And as part of God’s creation, we cry out, “Maranatha! Come soon Lord Jesus! Come and establish your kingdom on earth, destroying sin and the power it holds forever.” From the moment of Adam and Eve’s sin, all of creation began to decay and die. And as a result, it groans with longing for God to return it to its former glory. The word “groaning”, comes from the root word sustenazo, meaning to moan and cry out together. As believers, we groan for God’s restoration. And one day those cries will be answered with a shout and blare of the trumpet. We the children of God, along with the dead in Christ, will be changed. In a twinkling of an eye the old and decayed will be replaced with new, glorified bodies. And together with Jesus, we will live on the earth which will be restored to its original glory.

October 29th – Romans 8:23 Read More »