Monday, April 25
Reunion!
Jesus walked to the coffin and touched it. The men that were
carrying the coffin stopped. Jesus said to the dead son,
"Young man, I tell you, get up!" Then the son sat up and
began to talk. Jesus gave him to his mother.
-- Luke 7:14-15 (ERV)
KEY THOUGHT:
Jesus speaks to the dead young man and makes him alive.
Then Luke says it so beautifully,
"And Jesus gave him back to his mother."
Despite death, Jesus brings reunion!
Despite the sorrow, Jesus brings back the joy.
This one event is a preview of our future in Christ.
One day, all those who are dead in Christ will hear his voice
and rise from the dead with immortal bodies and join Jesus.
Those believers who are still alive when Christ comes
will also be changed and go to be with the Lord forever (1 Cor. 15:51-53).
This event will be a day of great rejoicing as all Christians
will be reunited with each other and united with their Lord.
TODAY'S PRAYER:
Father, thank you for the promise of reunion
with those that I love who have died before me.
Thank you for their faith and Jesus' power over death that insures us reunion.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.
Tuesday, April 5
If we empty our hearts of self God will fill them with his love.
He who desires close communion with Christ should remember the word of the Lord,
"To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit,
and trembleth at my word."
Stoop if you would climb to heaven.
Do we not say of Jesus, "He descended that he might ascend?" so must you.
You must grow downwards, that you may grow upwards;
for the sweetest fellowship with heaven is to be had by humble souls, and by them alone.
God will deny no blessing to a thoroughly humbled spirit.
"Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven,"
with all its riches and treasures.
The whole exchequer of God shall be made over by deed of gift to the soul which
is humble enough to be able to receive it without growing proud because of it.
God blesses us all up to the full measure and extremity of what it is safe for him to do.
If you do not get a blessing, it is because it is not safe for you to have one.
If our heavenly Father were to let your unhumbled spirit win a victory in his holy war, you would pilfer the crown for yourself, and meeting with a fresh enemy you would fall a victim; so that you are kept low for your own safety.
When a man is sincerely humble, and never ventures to touch so much as a
grain of the praise, there is scarcely any limit to what God will do for him.
Humility makes us ready to be blessed by the God of all grace, and fits us to
deal efficiently with our fellow men.
True humility is a flower which will adorn any garden.
This is a sauce with which you may season every dish of life, and you will find an improvement in every case.
Whether it be prayer or praise, whether it be work or suffering,
the genuine salt of humility cannot be used in excess."
*written by Charles Spurgeon and originating from www.heartlight.org*
