April 2019
Message from Pastor Tom,
This month
we are celebrating Christ's resurrection, the defining event of our Christian faith,
the Gospel message, and the defining moment in our history. It demonstrates
Jesus' power over death confirms His divinity and provides a powerful example
of the Lord's ability to keep His word. “Let not your heart be troubled; you
believe in God, believe also in me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if
it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if
I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself;
that where I am, there you may be also” John 14:1-3 NKJV.
Yet the resurrection Jesus
experienced is much more than just a one-time event that happened in history.
Part of this Good News is the very same resurrection power bringing Jesus from
death to life can be experienced in our own life every day if we choose to tap
into it. Our hope of the resurrection isn’t just for the future when we physically
die and go to heaven; it’s also for now while we’re still here living and
struggling with sin. Each of us needs to make use of the God-given power to
help us overcome sin each day we’re alive. As we regularly confess our sins and
repent of them, we can embrace the forgiveness and grace God offers us to keep
growing and maturing in our relationship with Him. We can then place our hope
in this dynamic relationship with Jesus, start living for Him and relying on
His resurrection power to work in our life. This is when we begin experiencing the
fulfillment of all the good purposes God has chosen for us, focusing on what
God can do through each one of us.
So this April, let’s concentrate
on celebrating Easter in remembrance of the death and resurrection of our Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ, looking upon the blood Christ shed for us as the
forgiveness, removing our sins so we can grow in our spiritual walk, becoming like
Him, just as 1 John 2:6 stated, "Whoever claims to live in him must live
as Jesus did." As Christians we are not of this world, and yet we let the ways of the world enter into our
thinking. This is when the evil one can get a foothold, giving us doubt, making
things confusing and difficult. Let's not forget, when we focus on Jesus, remembering to keep Christ
at the center of our lives and as the foundation of our belief system, we can
endure. God’s love and grace gave us His Son to be sacrificed in atonement for
our sins, and the Holy Spirit to be our Constant Companion and Helper. Jesus
did for us what we could never do for ourselves, as He suffered and died on the
cross in order to save us from the darkness and torments of hell that are
depicted in Revelation. So you see, nothing is ever wasted in the name of Jesus
Christ our Lord and Savior. We need only to walk the path God has set for us
with our eyes keenly upon the cross, living as obedient children of God, making
a favorable impression on the unbelieving world by our holy conduct and loving
nature.
Yes we live in a broken
world, but we can live as if we believe Jesus is Risen and draw upon the resurrection power available to us. We have our heavenly
Father who is faithful to keep every one of His promises and know when we trust in
Jesus Christ as our personal Savior, God will save us from our sin and welcome us
into His family without regard to merit or worth on our part. Eternal life is a
promise, and He offers this gift freely to all who believe in His Son. Will you
receive it today, or are you secure in your own salvation? For our God is the
same yesterday, today, and forever, please Lord, come quickly. "And if the
Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised
Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his
Spirit who lives in you" Romans
8:11.
Happy Easter to you and your
family as we celebrate our Father’s greatest sacrifice through His Son, Jesus
Christ. Heidi and I pray this Easter you receive God's Love, Grace, and His
never-ending peace. Thank you for taking the time to read this, and as always, I
hope it spiritually enriches you. Have a most blessed Easter.
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what
God has prepared for those who love him” 1 Corinthians 2:9.
