Three Days Later...

Every so often, I find myself rediscovering magnificent truths and awesome words of encouragement in Scriptures I've read so many times. I find myself sometimes glazing through these words of life, not because I don't believe them but I think as humans, we tend to almost forget the power that is in the written word. When we hear something so often, it may lose some of it's effectiveness on us. Yet, at the times when I most need to hear them, God sends these words of life to me...giving me that hope, that peace, that assurance I so desperately need.

These words can come from any source too. They can come from the literal Word of God on some early morning quiet time. They can come on the backdrop of an interstate billboard. They can come from a poster or t-shirt. They can come from an inspirational song. Such was the case for me yesterday and this morning.

I'd picked up the new live David Phelps CD and was eager to hear some of my favorites done live in concert. One of my all-time favorite songs is called "End of the Beginning", which he wrote. I don't know if you've ever heard it before, but I highly encourage you to visit his website and listen to that song.

www.davidphelps.com

You can find this video/song under the "media" section of his site.

The story of the song is a man who is taking a trip on a plane and begins to share the Gospel with a guy sitting next to him. It tells of of how Christ came to this earth from virgin birth, healed the lame and made the blind to see and how He ultimately came to give His life for each of us. The two men on the plane continue their dialogue. The skeptical man states how he doesn't believe the Bible and it's message and how it's basically a crutch for people who can't deal with real life. He concludes with stating that 'it's a nice story but what more can there be because you said they killed Jesus? How could there be anymore?"

But then, the other man says excitedly to him through the last chorus:

"I said I'll read it again but this time there's more
I believe this is true
His death WASN'T the end but the BEGINNING of life
That's completed in you.
Don't you see?

He did ALL this....for you!

He was born of a virgin one lonely night in the little town of Bethlehem,
Angels gathered 'round him underneath the stars
Singing praises to the great I AM
He walked on the water healed the lame
And made the blind to see
For the first time here on earth
We learned that God could be a friend
Though He never ever did a single thing wrong
He was the one the crowd chose...
For He walked then He died
But three days later
Three days later
Three days later...

HE AROSE!!!"

This is the simplicity of the Message and although I've heard it and believe it with all my heart, it felt like God turned on another light in my heart and mind, causing me to see the enormity of what Jesus did for me and for you. While the song and it's message are catchy and simple, the theme is utterly the most profound thing I could possibly try to share with anyone.

Jesus came to earth because He loved us.
He died on the cross to save us.
He arose from the grave to give life to us.

1 Corinthians 15 talks about how our faith and belief all hinges on His miraculous resurrection. It's because he rose from the dead that He displays His omnipotence over all things, including death. It's because He rose from the dead that we believe His word. It's because He rose from the dead that we now have hope and that we now have life.

One day, I will thank my Lord & Savior personally and rejoice with all the saints in Heaven!! He came because He loved me and it's because of His love and His grace & mercy that I am now FREE! Free to worship Him, free from spending an eternity in Hell and free from the shackles & bondage of sin!!

Now, I share this message with you today. You too can be free and look forward to eternity with Christ. It matters not what you've done or who you are or were. What matters is what you do with the rest of your life. You can find that peace and joy you've been searching for by accepting Him into your heart, submitting every aspect of your life to Him, walking by faith and belief that Jesus died for your sins, forgives you of those sins and now reigns forever in your life.

Seek Him while He may still be found. He is there, outside your heart this very moment, knocking on the door, waiting for you to invite Him in. Accept His gift of life because He wants you to have that life...and have it more abundantly!!