Good morning!
Welcome to your morning coffee! May our Heavenly Father, who has called us from out of the grave of our sin, discipline us with truth in love if we ever try to climb back in. Father, may we be your grateful children, with eyes carefully watching your Son Jesus, the firstborn from amongst the dead, who is first in all things. You have defeated the power of sin in our flesh, but the presence remains. In Jesus's name, and by the guiding, growing power of the Spirit, call us away from the grave of sin that you called us out of. May we be your grateful, obedient, selfless children. Let our love for you, Father, be the right response to your love for us. May we mimic you as you desire, as the children who obey and make their Father smile. Amen, amen, amen.
Your Morning Song: "Creed" by Rich Mullins
Your Morning Scripture: Acts 4:13-20
When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished, and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. But since they could see the man who had been healed standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. So they ordered them to withdraw from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. “What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everyone living in Jerusalem knows they have performed a notable sign, and we cannot deny it. But to stop this thing from spreading any further among the people, we must warn them to speak no longer to anyone in this name.”
Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.”
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The best witness is an eyewitness. Someone who was there. Someone who saw. Someone who actually experienced what they can later talk about. Peter and John, along with the other Apostles (sent ones), were eyewitnesses.
And there is something here that we can take from their words. Several things, in fact, but one in particular. Let your witness to others of the wonderful grace and mercy and love of Jesus be that of an eyewitness.
Have you seen Him? Have you touched the nail scars in His hands, His feet? Have you seen the spear scar in His side? No. But someday, you will! For now, as we wait, saved and secure in His love, we are living evidence of the power of what was accomplished with those scars.
Tell others of how Jesus has saved you and by sending you His Spirit, changed you. And don't force it. Just pray every day. Read your Bible every day. Walk closely in your thoughts with God. And you will be ready at all times and in ways specific to who you are, to talk with others about Jesus.
- We thought we were going to lose our son Delmar, and we spent months not knowing. The heartache was constant. I've never been so close to complete hopelessness. But Jesus was faithful. He did not wait for us to speak a magic set of doctrines or give enough money to the church. And He did not instantly heal our son. He healed our hearts, slowly, surely, and ultimately, sweetly. He told us, "I love you," every day, for weeks and months as we waited for news about our son. We desperately needed a savior who didn't need us. And He eagerly comforted and guided us through the worst months of our lives. Because of Jesus I look ahead for myself and my loved ones, to a grave that will only be filled for a moment, and then will be empty. Because Jesus has risen.
- For years I've struggled with being afraid of conflict with other people. Instead of defending myself and others appropriately, I would avoid a fight at all costs. Call it people pleasing, call it fear of man, but either way, it was foolishness. Taken to its extremes, and I experienced some of this firsthand, no one can truly know the real me. They can't trust me to be honest in any disagreements. And as fear moves others further and further away, I can become bitter and isolated. But Jesus said no. My wife, my parents, my siblings, my mentors, and my friends, who all love and know Jesus, have been used by Jesus to change me. He brought me out of my fear and low self-esteem, and He became my confidence, He redefined my self-worth away from what I can do, and ever closer towards what He has done for me, and is still doing. I can speak bold truth in gentle love because what Jesus has done for me, and who He is.
- I am inherently a very selfish person. And there's not much more to say than that. I just am. And I'm pretty sure that I am not the only one. But I only know my heart, and even then, not as well as He does. Jesus has turned my self-view completely upside down. Instead of shamelessly seeking my own satisfaction, I can love my wife and children like Jesus first loved me. He sacrificed Himself to the fullest. He suffered beyond what anyone else has suffered. He chose to love me more than His own comfort and life. He was satisfied to sacrifice Himself for me even though I did not deserve such gracious love. And so, because of what He did thousands of years ago, I am a good husband to my wife, patient and willing to listen and love her as she needs. I am a good father to my children, making time for them so that I have it, not taking time with them if I happen to have it. And Jesus's selfless sacrifice on the cross then transforms not only me, but who I am in all of my relationships. And as I know and am known by others, they see the selfless love of Jesus as the foundation for all of our interactions. How then shall I be selfish if I am constantly walking with my savior? How then shall I take offense? How than shall I hold grudges? How then shall I be jealous of anyone for anything?
Jesus is alive and well. And He sits at the right hand of our Father in Heaven, advocating for us, interceding for us, eternally connected to us by the presence of the Holy Spirit in us. He loves us, guides us, grows us, knows us, and will never leave or forsake us.
May our lives be filled with His influence. And may we be eager to share what He has done and is doing for us, in us, and through us. Our Savior and Lord is alive and well. May our daily living show this to be true. That He has risen indeed!
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