Are You Looking for the Living Among the Dead?

He is risen! Are you alive in Christ or dead in your sin? Leave your sin in the tomb and follow Him.

April’s Awakening, Day 16—For Easter Sunday

The claims of Jesus Christ, namely his resurrection, has led me as often as I have tried to examine the evidence to believe it as a fact beyond dispute.

 —Lord Caldecote, former Lord Chief Justice of England 

I know pretty well what evidence is; and, I tell you, such evidence as that for the resurrection has never broken down yet.

 —Lord Lyndhurst, High Steward of Cambridge University, regarded as one of the greatest legal minds in the history of England

Indeed, taking all the evidence together, it is not too much to say that there is no single historic incident better or more variously supported than the resurrection of Christ.

 —B. F. Westcott 

There are but two essential requirements: first: Has anyone cheated death and proved it? Second: Is it available to me? Here is the complete record.

Confucius’ tomb—occupied

Buddha’s tomb—occupied

Mohammed’s tomb—occupied

Jesus’ tomb—empty.

Argue as you will. There is no point in following a loser.

 —G. B. Hardy 

While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” Luke 24:4–7 NIV     

            Christ’s sacrifice on the Cross was all that was necessary to redeem us and provide the way for total forgiveness. The reconciliation between God and man was now available. Christ’s resurrection from the dead proved without question that He truly was who He said He was—the God-Man. The resurrection further proved that He had total control over not only sin, but death and all creation as well. His resurrection proved that we too, shall be resurrected from the dead in like fashion and have resurrection bodies that are eternal just as Christ Himself. He is risen! He is not in the tomb but sits at the right hand of God the Father interceding on our behalf. There is only one Living God. Put your faith and trust in Him. To chase after anything else is simply chasing after the dead. 

Christ, Our Atoning Substitute

Your debt, and the debt of sin for all humanity, has been paid in full.

April’s Awakening, Day 15

God is not content to leave all people under His wrath. Nor can he simply sweep sin under the rug of the universe. Therefore His love and His justice conspire to make a way for sinners to be saved and God’s justice to be vindicated. The answer is the death of Jesus Christ.

 —John Piper 

The cross means this: Jesus taking our place to satisfy the demands of God’s justice and turning aside God’s wrath.

 -James M. Boice 

Either sin is with you, lying on your shoulders, or it is lying on Christ, the Lamb of God. Now if it is lying on your back, you are lost; but if it is resting on Christ, you are free, and you will be saved. Now choose what you want.

 —Martin Luther  

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 NIV 

As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin. Romans 3:10, 20 NIV  

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. 1 Peter 3:18 NIV  

“He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” 1 Peter 2:24 NIV   

            The wages of sin is death, and there is not one righteous. Adam and Eve, by free choice, lost their holiness attribute and hence, were forevermore unable to impart the “holiness gene” to any offspring. The holiness flame within humanity was extinguished and only God can give us the holiness flame back. God is the perfection of holiness, righteousness, and justice, and as such, cannot tolerate sin. There must be a perfect, sinless, unblemished sacrifice to atone for and make full reparation and restitution for all humanity’s sin.

              Thankfully, God is also the perfection of love, mercy, and grace and has provided to all humanity the only possible perfect atoning substitute to take our place—His Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, through His death on the Cross. All of humanity’s sin—past, present, and future—was laid upon Him. A person simply needs to believe in Christ and His sacrifice for us on the Cross, and we are redeemed from eternal separation from God and we are justified and imputed with the perfection and righteousness of Christ to our account. Our debt is forevermore paid. Come to the Cross and believe.  

           

 

           

           

           

The Crucifixion of Christ

He’s waiting for you with open arms at the Cross.  

April’s Awakening, Day 14—For Good Friday  

First the upright wood was planted in the ground. It was not high, and probably the feet of the sufferer were not above one or two feet from the ground. Thus could the communication described in the Gospels take place between him and others; thus also might his sacred lips be moistened with the sponge attached to a short stalk of hyssop. Next the transverse wood (antenna) was placed on the ground and the sufferer laid upon it, when his arms were extended, drawn up and bound to it. Then (this not in Egypt, but in Carthage and in Rome) a strong sharp nail was driven first into the right, then into the left hand (the clavi trabales).

Next the sufferer was drawn up by means of ropes, perhaps ladders; the transverse either bound or nailed to the upright and a rest or support for the body (the cornu or sedile) fastened on it. Lastly, the feet were extended and either one nail hammered into each or a larger piece of iron through the two. And so might the crucified hang for hours, even days, in the unutterable anguish of suffering till consciousness at last failed.

 —Alfred Edersheim  

In the cross of Christ God says to man, “That is where you ought to be. Jesus my Son hangs there in your stead. His tragedy is the tragedy of your life. You are the rebel who should be hanged on the gallows. But lo, I suffer instead of you and because of you, because I love you in spite of what you are. My love for you is so great that I meet you there, there on the cross. I cannot meet you anywhere else. You must meet me there by identifying yourself with the one on the cross. It is by this identification that I, God can meet you in him, saying to you as I say to him, My beloved Son.”

 —Emil Brunner 

He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:3–6 NIV   

            It is at the Cross of Christ that you will find forgiveness for every sin. It is at the Cross of Christ that you will find everlasting life with Him. At the Cross you will find healing for every ailment, hope for your tomorrow, and wholeness replacing what’s been lost. With your sin He took your guilt and shame, your sorrow and pain, your despondency and despair, and your weariness and turmoil. He offers His peace and joy, His assurances and promises, an abundant life, and new strength for each day. Meet Christ at the Cross—He says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28, 30 NIV).

Pray in the Spirit

Pray with the understanding and pray in the Spirit. The spoken word is powerful and effective.

April’s Awakening, Day 13

To pray in the Spirit is the inward principle of prayer. It comprehends both the spirit of the person praying, and the Spirit of God by which our spirits are fitted for, and acted in, prayer.

 —William Gurnall 

The Holy Ghost has two offices: first, he is a Spirit of grace, that makes God gracious unto us, and receive us as his acceptable children, for Christ’s sake. Secondly, he is a Spirit of prayer, that prays for us, and for the whole world, to the end that all evil may be turned from us, and that all good may happen to us.

 —Martin Luther

Prayer is a sincere, sensible, affectionate pouring out of the soul to God, through Christ in the strength and assistance of the Spirit, for such things as God has promised.

 —John Bunyan 

Where there is much prayer, there will be much of the Spirit; where there is much of the Spirit, there will be ever-increasing prayer.

 —Andrew Murray

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God’s people in accordance with the will of God. Romans 8:26–27 NIV 

For if I pray in a tongue, my spirit prays, but my mind is unfruitful. So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding. Otherwise when you are praising God in the Spirit, how can someone else, who is now put in the position of an inquirer, say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since they do not know what you are saying? 1 Corinthians 14:14–16 NIV 

And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Ephesians 6:18 NIV   

But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, Jude 1:20 NIV

            As Paul clearly delineates in 1 Corinthians 14 above, there are two distinct ways in which believers can pray (and sing praises, as well). First, is the typical way in which we all pray, with the understanding, which is of course praying with the words of our own language. Second, is praying in the Spirit, which is praying in a tongue, an unknown language, words formed and spoken through our vocal apparatus, driven by the Holy Spirit Himself. These unknown words may sound like babbling or groans or mere utterances, but they are still words of a language known by the Holy Spirit, who is the author of all languages since the Tower of Babel, when all the languages of mankind were confounded. We do not know the original language of Adam and Eve, nor do we know with what language God spoke light and all creation into existence with, but regardless, the spoken word is powerful and effective in any language.

            Since the Day of Pentecost in the Book of Acts, when Christ sent the Holy Spirit to us to indwell us, believers have had access to the fullness of the Holy Spirit and the ability to pray in tongues—praying in the Spirit. Praying in tongues is the private prayer language that all believers can access, and is separate and distinct from the spiritual gift of tongues and interpretation of tongues, which is a special gift given by the Holy Spirit to those He chooses, to be used in the public edification of the body of believers. It may sound the same, but the spiritual gift is given to only a select few for public use, while praying in the Spirit is available to all believers who earnestly seek it. Praying in the Spirit is as valid today for believers as it was in the Book of Acts, as I can personally attest, and so too, a multitude of Pentecostals and Charismatics alike, and to negate its existence is unfounded. Praying in the Spirit is the evidence of what is called being filled with the Spirit or Spirit-filled, such that a Spirit-filled believer can pray in the Spirit. Once you have this fullness of the Holy Spirit it is a part of you. Remember, every believer already has the Holy Spirit within them, this is just an extra gifting available to all who eagerly seek it. This all may seem a bit foreign and bizarre, but also remember that God uses the seemingly foolish to confound the apparently wise. Being Spirit-filled is not required by any means for salvation, it simply allows you to experience the fullness of what God has for you as a believer, and to be the most effective you can be in prayer and empowerment of your personal spiritual gifting. God has provided this ability to help us pray when we don’t really know what to pray for or how to pray most effectively according to His will.

            Receiving the ability to pray in the Spirit may be difficult for some, as it requires an earnest desire to receive everything that is of God and it requires a total surrender and submission of self to the full leading of the Holy Spirit. You are allowing the Holy Spirit to literally take control of your thoughts and vocal apparatus and allowing Him to speak. It is best to pray for this in the good company of trusted individuals who have this ability and can help you to receive it. It may take multiple attempts on multiple occasions and if you are apprehensive, fearful, doubtful, or insincere about it, you will, in fact, have great difficulty in receiving it. Once you have it, however, you will find that it is quite natural and flows easily indeed. So, pray with the understanding and pray in the Spirit.  

            And yes, God hears every silent prayer, but remember, if you’re doing spiritual warfare against Satan, he will only hear your spoken words as he cannot read your mind or know your thoughts as only God can do that. And yes, most assuredly the Holy Spirit assists us in our thoughts and words as we pray with the understanding too.

Praying for Those We Like Least

It’s easy to pray for loved ones. Are you praying for leaders you disagree with, coworkers you have a hard time just being around, and all those people in the world that you might consider as your enemy? Difficult indeed, but you should.

April’s Awakening, Day 12

We should not pray only for those whom we like. It is easy to pray for the leader whom we respect or with whom we agree. It is much harder to pray for the leader whose personality is offensive, whose ethics are questionable, who takes the “wrong” position on every issue, or who is in the “wrong” party. Yet these leaders are also ministers of God. They don’t necessarily deserve our vote, but they do deserve our respect and prayers.

 —John Eidsmoe  

There is nothing that makes us love a man so much as praying for him.

 —William Law

I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. 1 Timothy 2:1–4 NIV 

            One of the most difficult things we face as a believer is praying for those against us and those we simply do not like. Yet that is precisely what we are called to do. If we want things to change and people to change and be better, then the first place to start is to pray honestly for them. Believer or not, God loves them all and wants everyone to be saved and come to a full knowledge of Him and be molded into His image. It may just be your prayer that makes the difference. So, instead of grumbling and complaining—pray for positive change. It may just change your heart and understanding as well.  

Prayer Is Everything You Make It

If you’re neglecting your prayers, you’re neglecting everything that is critical in your life.

April’s Awakening, Day 11

Prayer is the ascent of the mind to God. It is an abstract and summary of Christian religion. Prayer is an act of religion and divine worship, confessing His power and His mercy; it celebrates His attributes, and confesses His glories, and reveres His Person, and implores His aid, and gives thanks for His blessings; it is an act of humility, condescension, and dependence expressed in the prostration of our bodies and humiliation of our spirits; it is an act of charity, when we pray for others; it is an act of repentance, when it confesses and begs pardon for our sins, and exercises every grace according to the design of the man, and the matter of the prayer.

 —Jeremy Taylor

I have had prayers answered—most strangely so sometimes—but I think our heavenly Father’s loving-kindness has been even more evident in what He has refused me.

 —Lewis Carroll

The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. 1 Peter 4:7 NIV 

            Prayer truly is everything that you make it to be. It is your direct line of communication with God and anything and everything that can and should be communicated should be prayed. It is your primary way to praise, worship, and give thanks to Him. It is your primary means of letting your requests be known. It is your questioning for guidance and direction in all decision-making. It is your means of repentance and refreshing your spirit. It is your means to gain wisdom and for life transformation. Prayer is everything that you make it to be. Go to it often, and remember that God always gives the perfect gift and knows precisely what you need and that is exactly what you will receive.

Your Shield, Sacrifice, and Scourge

Pray with the full power and authority of God—pray in the name of Jesus.

April’s Awakening, Day 10

A man who is intimate with God will never be intimidated by men.

 —Leonard Ravenhill

Pray often, for prayer is a shield to the soul, a sacrifice to God, and a scourge to Satan. Prayer will cease a man from sin; or sin will cease a man from prayer.

 —John Bunyan 

The name of Jesus is a never-failing passport to our prayers. In that name a man may draw near to God with boldness, and ask with confidence. God has engaged to hear him.

 —J. C. Ryle 

By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see. Acts 3:16 NIV 

She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her. Acts 16:18 NIV

            Your prayer is an impenetrable shield, a pleasing sacrifice of self to God, and a powerful weapon of warfare against Satan and the demonic spiritual forces of evil. There is certainly great power in the name of Jesus, and as a believer, that power is within your reach to heal and to cast out demons and to bring forth the miracles of God that bring glory to God. Praying in the name of Jesus is your greatest weapon of defense and your greatest weapon of offense. Pray in the name of Jesus and He will certainly be right there.