✝ Daily Encouragement (4/11/23) "Because He Lives!"

Published: Tue, 04/11/23

A daily, Bible-based perspective of hope, encouragement and exhortation. The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber.

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Tuesday, April 11, 2023

Tulips and hyacinths are in full bloom all along this barn we passed Sunday afternoon .

"Because He Lives!"

Message summary: We indeed serve a risen Savior! It’s not merely a wishful thought or just part of a recited religious creed. It’s historical reality! It’s the central truth of our faith. Because He lives, we can also live the abundant life through His abiding presence as we walk in His light. In confidence and peace we can overcome any obstacle the enemy throws in our path.

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“But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead” (1 Corinthians 15:20). "By Him who lives forever and ever, who created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it" (Revelation 10:6).

This last weekend all over the world Christians acknowledged and celebrated the glorious resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Indeed, it is true, He is risen and He lives forevermore!

Over 50 years ago Bill and Gloria Gaither wrote the song “Because He Lives” that resonated in the hearts of believers at the time and continues to do so even now. These words bring timeless assurance:

Because He lives I can face tomorrow
Because He lives all fear is gone
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living just because He lives

We are blessed by collaboration between young and old, newer and older. Some 50 years later Matt Maher has written a similar song using some of the original words with the title, "Because He Lives (Amen)"

Both songs are a continuously true proclamation of faith and truth, pertinent to every generation, young, old and in-between. It was also a proclamation of the early church. “Christ is risen indeed!”

Throughout the last two thousand years a devoted people have faithfully contended for this truth and scores of songs have been written declaring and celebrating the fact. Oh, how we love the resurrection songs!

The faith of the Christian believer has a sound, objective, verifiable, historical basis. Paul makes it very personal. “Christ died for our sins". His death was not meaningless nor was it an accidental slip-up in the plan of redemption. Jesus Christ was born to die for our sins.

But early in the history of the church some error had crept in and some of the Corinthians were denying the resurrection. This prompted Paul to write a powerful defense found in the 15th chapter of 1 Corinthians in which he asserts:

Without the resurrection of Jesus Christ we have a:

1) Lifeless Messiah (15:12,13,16)
2) Useless Gospel (15:14)
3) Truthless witness (15:15)
4) Worthless faith (5:17)
5) Hopeless eternity (15:18,19)

Paul ends this part of his defense of the gospel with the phrase, “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead” (v. 20). John R.W. Stott has observed that “Christianity is in its very essence a resurrection religion. The concept of resurrection lies at its heart. If you remove it, Christianity is destroyed".

We indeed serve a risen Savior! It’s not merely a wishful thought or just part of a recited religious creed. It’s historical reality! It’s the central truth of our faith. Because He lives, we can also live the abundant life through His abiding presence as we walk in His light. In confidence and peace we can overcome any obstacle the enemy throws in our path.

Be encouraged today, ( Hebrews 3:13)

Stephen and Brooksyne Weber

Daily prayer: Father, because Jesus was resurrected to life again we have the courage to work through the seemingly insurmountable difficulties that would otherwise plummet our faith. We walk in the power of our resurrected Savior that makes life worth the living in our present life and increases our hope and expectancy of imperishable life yet to come. We thank You for the joy and anticipation that is ours as we remain faithful to You. It is in Jesus’ name that we pray. Amen.

Today's Suggested Music and Supplemental Resources

"Because He Lives" (Live at Sing! 2021) Click to listen on YouTube Keith & Kristyn Getty, featuring Bill Gaither, Buddy Greene

"Because He Lives (Amen)" Click to listen on YouTube Matt Maher

It's such a beautiful time with trees blooming everywhere we drive. Especially catching our attention were these trees lining the long lane back to the farm.

We were transporting our Amish "grandchildren" Sunday afternoon to their aunt and uncle's house for Easter dinner. As we were driving near Sight and Sound Lizzie suddenly spotted the tattered church. "There's the old church" she yelled. Sure enough, it was the church Sight and Sound built on the edge of their acreage for their Christmas movie, "I Heard the Bells". If you saw the movie you might remember this church building.

Yesterday I visited with my some 80 year old neighbor John who had just planted potatoes using his 1956 John Deere putt-putt tractor.

Finally today:

Always good to see God's creatures getting along, an example for us humans.

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Scripture references are from The Holy Bible: New International Version. © 1984 by International Bible Society; NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, New King James Version (NKJV) Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. and the King James Version.

Personal Mission Statement: "I am created by God to bring Him glory. Through God's Son Jesus Christ I have been redeemed and make it my life's goal to please the Lord. My mission in life is to honor God through my faith and obedience and prepare myself and all whom I may influence for eternity."

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