Video Bible Lesson - Easter: All That Matters vs. All I Live For by Shawn McEvoy

1/2 Hour of God’s Power with Scott Ralls

3/9/2020

Easter: All That Matters vs. All I Live For
by Shawn McEvoy

He has risen, just as He said.
Matthew 28:6, NIV
What would I ever do if someone I knew came back from the dead? Especially if he had said he would, and if he had spent a couple nights in a grave already?
Seriously, what would I do? What would you do? Wouldn't I blab to everyone I know - and most people I don't - about this miraculous event? Heck, I tell everyone when I'm feeling under the weather or when I saw a good movie.
Then factor in that the same guy was now telling us that because of what he had done, none of the rest of us would ever have to suffer death. What's more, simply by believing what we had seen, no matter our background, history, race, or education, we could restore our long-lost connection with the Almighty, and live forever.
Man... unfortunately, I'm having a hard time conceiving what I would do. Or, even if I can conceive it, I can't quite believe it, because honestly, I have seen this, I do believe this, and yet my daily reaction to it doesn't exactly line up with The Acts of the Apostles.
Has the news of a resurrected savior really become passe?
Why don't I want to read Acts?
What am I afraid of?
That I'll be rejected?
(He who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit (1 Thess. 4:8)).
That I won't be powerful enough?
(God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline (2 Tim. 1:7)).
That the good news isn't relevant enough?
Salvation and the message of the resurrection, the miracle of born again-ness, is a salve to all wounds.
This Easter I'll join choruses like "He's Alive" while pondering and praising the miracle, but when it comes time for the next day of my life to begin, a day and a life that means nothing if not lived for my Savior, it'll be all about me again and my troubles and making my way and who cut me off and what I have to get done and who I don't like and what can we complain about today.
Yuck.
I want this Easter to be real. Because I did see it happen (so to speak; the resulting spread of those who ran to the corners of the earth to tell the story with no regard for personal safety is traceable to this day), it is real, and I'm cheating life and people God loves if I'm not shouting those facts from every corner and rooftop I can find. Everything else is just window dressing; "Christian living" is often just how we pass all our extra time in this country where so many of our basic needs are so easily met, and where we can cordon ourselves off from each other. What matters in life?
1.That there is life, and...
2.how it came about that there might never be death, but...
3.there are still dead men walking.
Really, why else are we here if not to keep excitedly shouting the truth of the miracle as if we'd just experienced it with our own eyes yesterday?
Intersecting Faith & Life: For the longest time, I've felt a leading in my heart to launch out into a complete study of the book of Acts, something I've never fully done. For some reason, I continue to put it off. But in my quest this year to make Easter real, I'm beginning a study of what those who witnessed the resurrection couldn't keep themselves from going out and doing. Care to join me?
Further Reading
Acts 1:1

#Jesus, #Christian, #Bible, #Salvation, #Heaven, #God, #HolySpirit

God's Choice Shaping Tools.......Dr. Charles Stanley

God's Choice Shaping Tools

Dr. Charles Stanley

Romans 12:1-5

God's kindness to us is demonstrated by the fact that He doesn't leave us in the condition we were in before coming to faith. How tragic it would be if we still thought, felt, and acted the same way we did before receiving Christ as our Savior. Throughout our lives, the Lord uses His choice tools to shape us into the image of His Son.

Prayer. By talking to the Lord in open dialogue, we develop a relationship with Him. He becomes not just our Savior, but our friend, and as the intimacy grows, so will our passion to be with Him. Setting aside time for prayer each day will become a delight, not a duty.

God's Word. You can't grow in your Christian life if you keep the Bible closed all week long. No one lives on one meal a week, yet many Christians try to get by with just a Sunday dinner of the Word served up by their pastor. How can we expect God's truth to do its transforming work if we never let it into our minds and hearts?

The Church. Christ uses His body of believers as a place for transformation. That's where we rub against each other and have the rough edges of our character smoothed. It is a place of instruction, accountability, and encouragement.

Are you letting the Lord use His character-shaping tools in your life? Our culture has no shortage of worldly voices and pressures that fill minds and influence behavior. Only when we intentionally schedule time for God, His Word, and His people can Christ do His transforming work in our lives.

Can I Really Hear Jesus Speak to Me?

Can I Really Hear Jesus Speak to Me?
ANGIE WARD 

“My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” John 10:27 (NIV)

“Brewster!” I called cheerfully. I waited momentarily, expecting to see my sweet beagle eagerly running toward where I stood at the back door, holding his dinner bowl.

Silence.

I stepped out of the house to better discern his location by the telltale jingle of metal dog tags.

“Brewster?!”

Still nothing. Literally, neither hide nor hair. I took a few more steps into the yard.

“Brewster!!!”

The search was on. After a short and slightly annoyed walk, I discovered Brewster at the side of the house, his nose blissfully buried in some bushes. This time, he finally responded to my call, joyfully wagging his tail as he accompanied me back to the house for his meal.

Beagles are known for their “selective hearing.” Bred as scent hounds, they never intend to ignore their master. But the minute their nose catches a smell, their ears apparently lose reception. They may eventually wander home, or they may end up a mile away, lounging in the sun on a neighbor’s porch. (I may or may not be speaking from personal experience.)

My dog is a regular reminder of the words in today’s key verse, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). Earlier in John 10, Jesus announces that He is the good shepherd. He loves His sheep, cares for them and leads them. He calls to them — me! — to trust His plan and follow Him.

Working through the lens of this verse, I have two responsibilities as I seek to follow Jesus’ calling in my own life. One is to know the shepherd’s voice, and the other is to follow Him.

In my experience, the shepherd rarely shouts. Instead, I describe His voice as a gentle whisper behind my ear. I do not hear an audible voice, but there is always a clear message, and that message is always accompanied by peace, even if the instruction is not easy. Here are some of the messages I’ve heard over the years:

“I love you.”

“Pray for [name of person].”

“I am calling you to teach and encourage ministry leaders.”

“You are holding onto unforgiveness toward [name].”

“I am with you.”

“Trust Me.”

Many other voices compete for my attention: my own ideas and insecurities, cultural values and social media, well-meaning friends and family. Over the years, I have learned that the best way to tune out these voices and tune in to the voice of Jesus is to simply make time to quietly sit and listen. When I pause to listen, the call of my shepherd becomes clear.

After I’ve heard my Savior call to me, my second responsibility is simply to follow Him. It doesn’t matter whether I know all the details or just the very next step. Thankfully, I know from experience that the shepherd loves me, knows me and cares for me. He wants only what is best for me. When I ignore His voice or disregard His call, I miss out on opportunities to better know, love and serve Him.

Just as with listening for the shepherd’s voice, there are myriad distractions that take me off the path of following Him.

I doubt the voice; I doubt myself. I grow fearful of the criticisms of others. I remember the times when following wasn’t easy. Or, I seek the easy road. I procrastinate. I lose myself in Netflix or social media.

But then I hear that gentle voice again: “Angie …”

It is the shepherd’s voice. I hear it. I know it. And I take another step.

Dear God, thank You for continuing to call to us, even when at first we do not hear You or respond. Thank You for Your everlasting love and patience as our good shepherd. Help us to follow You wherever You lead. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Matthew 4:18-20, “As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. ‘Come, follow me,’ Jesus said, ‘and I will send you out to fish for people.’ At once they left their nets and followed him.” (NIV)

A Prayer to Pray Before You Sleep

A Prayer to Pray Before You Sleep
By Debbie McDaniel

It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones. – Psalm 127:2

Whatever's pressing on our minds and hearts tonight, may God give us the strength to lay it down...again. All our wrestling, and the worries and stress we carry, are useless. We can trust that he'll take care of whatever concerns us. He knows the best way; his timing is perfect. And he is able. He's the storm-calmer, the peace-giver, the burden-lifter, the hope-bringer. Nothing is too difficult for him. He truly is our peace.

Use this prayer as an outline for your own prayer to God for the end of each day, and let him fill you with his peace and love.

A Prayer to End the Day:

Dear God,

Thank you for the blessing of this day and your goodness in it, we’re grateful for the gift of life. Thank you for all that you’ve allowed into our lives these past hours, the good along with the hard things, which have reminded us how much we need you and rely on your presence filling us every single day. Thank you for your great love and care. Thank you for your mercy and grace. Thank you that you are always with us and will never leave us.

We ask for your huge peace to surround us tonight, all of us who feel restless and worried right now, those who have been carrying big burdens and shouldering stress. Help us to lay it down before you, again, even though we’re struggling to really let go. Remind us that you can carry it so much better than we ever could. May your power and your rest fill us fresh. May the presence of your Spirit breathe hope deep into our souls, even as we sleep.

Forgive us for the times we tried to do things all in our own strength, getting too easily distracted, or forgetting our need for you. Forgive us for letting fear and impatience control us, or for allowing pride and selfishness to dictate our choices. Forgive us for not following your ways or for living distant from your presence. Cleanse our hearts and renew our minds in you, as we lay it all to rest.

We ask that you would provide for our needs, even as we sleep. We pray for your huge grace and favor. We thank you that you never sleep or slumber, that you’re always at work, even in the dark of night, even behind the scenes where we can’t fully see. We pray for your blessings to cover us, that you would make every plan you’ve birthed in our hearts to succeed at just the right time. We pray that you’d be opening doors, clearing pathways, closing the wrong roads, and setting up our way for tomorrow.

Help us to be alert to your spirit, that our hearts would be eager to hear your voice as we awaken. We pray you’d make us strong and courageous for the road ahead. Help us to feel refreshed deep down in our souls, and to be faithful to walk in the wisdom of your word. Give us a desire for more of your presence. Help us to remember to rely fully on you, fixing our eyes on Jesus. We ask for your words of truth and power to strengthen us in our inner being.

Thank you for your goodness, thank you that you know the way we take and that you have a plan.

We love you Lord, we need you, and we thank you we can rest in your perfect care.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.

Permission to Wrestle with “Why?”

Permission to Wrestle with “Why?”
By Meg Bucher

“If I speak the truth, why don’t you believe Me?” John 8:46 (The Voice)

“Yes it is.”

“No it’s not.”

“Trust me, it is. Why would I lie about that?”

My pre-teen will mull over the most mundane moments. But it’s not to discredit my intelligence. She’s just inquisitive. Kids grow up and want to know “why.” We’re the same way with our Heavenly Father, we’re just not as bold as my kiddo is to ask out loud what weighs on our hearts.

“Because I said so,”is a parental go-to, but God’s love and compassion for us negates a passive shut down or pass-off to answer a taxing question. Raising kids can make us feel brilliant on some days, and not so smart on other days. Mine glance questionably at me on occasion, as if something in them is holding out for a bit more proof. God waits for us to ask why …so that He can answer.

This simple children’s worship song unravels our biggest parenting mistake:

“Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so …”

Our children eventually begin to grow beyond assuming their parents know the answer to everything. If we’re doing it right, they start to receive apologies for lost tempers and mistaken assumptions, so they know we’re not perfect, either. Who do they turn to for unquestionable assurance? We lead them to His feet. I have to laugh, because on days when options run out and “because I told you so” isn’t working, I can’t wait to read my girls’ daily devotionals with them!

God invites us to seek Him in His Word, daily. Not so that He can whip out an “I told you so,” or “because I said so,” but to come alongside us as only He can, in encouragement and love to equip us to face a world that He knows is difficult to navigate.

“If I speak the truth, why don’t you believe Me?” John 8:46 (The Voice)

People were questioning what Jesus was teaching, probing for proof and searching for statements to justify their faith in what He was saying. But it simply didn’t work that way then, and it doesn’t work that way, now. We are allowed to wrestle with God in what we do not understand. He encourages us to seek Him in His Word, and by that allow Him to speak life into our lives. Jeremiah 29:13 assures us, “You will see me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

If we are seeking not to believe, we won’t believe, just as my daughter can choose to believe it’s 12:15am even though I’ve explained and proved to her it’s 12:15pm. An authentic and genuine questioning of the complicated matters in this life is welcomed by our loving God, who seeks a personal relationship with us. He already knows what’s happening in our lives, but He wants us to talk to Him about it. Just as a friend wants us to confide in them directly instead of learning by heresy that we’ve been suffering.

“For the word of God is alive and active.” (Hebrews 4:12a NIV) Through Jesus’ death on the cross, the power of the Holy Spirit reveals and helps us apply it directly to our everyday circumstances.

It’s the Spirit that moves in and out of the Word. 1John14:7 reminds us that “all three persons of the Trinity are linked by truth.” But we are blind to it without a Savior.

Jesus removes all of the filters.

It’s through His sacrifice, and our acceptance and pursuit of Him as our Savior, that our faith is strengthened. He knows us, and the more we get to know Him, the more we know the Father.

It’s important to be wary of what, and who we believe. Even those with good intentions, and even our own mistaken and distorted thoughts, can cause confusion and lead us astray. Our Father encourages us to ask Him.

It’s crucial to keep in touch with the Truth by reading the Truth …daily. We can trust Him, because He says so.

Father,

Praise You for truth, and for love. Thank You for leaving Your Word, and revealing it to us as we grow with Christ. Forgive us for misinterpreting and humanly misleading others, and help us to detect dishonesty and move away from it swiftly.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.

Easter Celebrates That Jesus Is Alive Today

Easter Celebrates That Jesus Is Alive Today
By Rick Warren

“The Good News is about his Son. In his earthly life he was born into King David’s family line, and he was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 1:3-4 NLT, second edition).

Although we study the passion of Jesus, his death on the cross, Easter is a celebration of his Resurrection: God brought Jesus back from the dead, proving he’d broken the power of sin and death.

After Jesus died, they took his body down and put him in the tomb, and a giant millstone was set in front of the cave. The religious leaders, worried that Jesus’ body might be stolen, asked for Roman guards to be posted in front of the tomb. They didn’t want him coming out!

But of course, he did.

You know the story. But it’s important to remember that Easter is not some memorial to a nice, good religious teacher who lived 2,000 years ago. It’s a celebration of the fact that he is alive today!

I’m living proof — and so are the approximately 1 billion Christians who celebrate Easter. Jesus “was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 1:4 NLT, second edition).

Easter is the Good News about God’s Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who came to Earth as a human baby, born into King David’s royal family line. Four historical records say that after his Resurrection he showed himself to 500 people at one gathering.

Can you imagine witnessing his death and then seeing him walking around Jerusalem three days later? What an amazing thing!

When Jesus was hanging on the cross, the skeptics and critics mocked him and said, “If you’re the Son of God, why don’t you just pull yourself down from that cross? Why don’t you just come down and show that you’re really God?”

Jesus had something more spectacular planned. He said, “I’m going to let you bury me for three days, and then I’ll come back to life to prove that I am who I say I am.”

Talk It Over

• Why is it important to remember Jesus’ death and his Resurrection at Easter?
• What did Jesus’ death accomplish? What did his Resurrection accomplish?
• How do you think it felt for the people who knew that Jesus had been killed but saw him in the flesh a few days later?