Fountain of Youth

"My son, do not forget my teaching,

but keep my commands in your heart,

for they will prolong your life many years

and bring you peace and prosperity."

Proverbs 3:1-2

As a culture, Americans are obsessed with youth and how to ward off the inevitable effects of aging.  We try creams, treatments and healthy regimens, but does it really matter?  Is the condition of our skin of earth-shattering importance?  

Another concern is our warped value system.  We place so much emphasis on wealth and status, sending the message that the state of our bank account will determine future survival.  But does money have the power to give us contentment? Or long life?  Or are we barking up the wrong proverbial tree?

There are many areas which seem so important to us.  We invest our time and effort in them, believing their importance is vital.  Yet often we neglect a more lasting source of goodness.  Let's dig in to Proverbs 3 to find the answers we need in today's misleading and deceptive world.

Good Reputation.  I tend to be a people pleaser.  I didn't think this was a problem for me until recently when God moved it onto my radar, as He tends to do (Psalm 139:24).  Now I'm hyper-aware of how much I hunger for affirmation from man, assurance of my worth from others, that little pat on the back that tells me I'm important and necessary.   It turns out I can enjoy a good reputation among man, but I'm going about it the wrong way.

Instead of trying to gain the favor of man through my efforts, God says I'll find this benefit if only I cling to love and faithfulness.  I can make it a priority to treat others with mercy and kindness while purposefully turning away from my natural inclination to focus on my own needs and wants, resisting the drift toward cold-heartedness that comes from living in this callous and uncaring world (Proverbs 3:3-4).  God's love and grace is already flowing in my veins through faith in Christ.  It is my duty, then, to let if pour out to others.  It's easy to hog it all up for myself, but His love and grace is meant for all.  When I let go of my stingy, selfish tendencies, God's mercy and kindness will gush forth like an internal spring (John 7:37-39, Psalm 23:6).

Making mercy and kindness my hallmark will result in a good reputation among man and favor from God.

Good Health.  There is an endless array of supplements claiming to contain the secret to longevity and wellness.  I can spend time and money on special juices and cleansing treatments, fasting weekly in order to rid my body of harmful toxins.  Dutifully, I put in my time in the gym, doing the required amount of exercise in order to ward off deterioration of many kinds.

There is a better way.  While there are many ways to seek good health, only one comes from my Maker.  If I want to know how to find healthiness, it makes sense to seek out the advice that comes from the One who carefully put me together (Psalm 139:13). So what does God, my Creator, say is the secret to health and good nourishment?  Trusting Him with all my heart.  Resisting the urge to rely on what makes sense to me, or to think I must understand it in order to believe it, or to put my own insight above my confidence in God as my only hope. To recognize His sovereignty.  Allowing God to choose what's best for me.  To worship Him in the way I live my life.  To shun evil, staying away from it in every form.  These are the secrets to good health (Proverbs 3:5-8).

The road to good health is found in my reverence of and faith in God, not in all the things I think I'm so smart to do for my own benefit.

Good Provision.  I always want more.  My eyes are often focused on the future; things will be better when I have ___________.  When my bank account is up to this level, life will be better.  When I've acquired this level of income, things will be easier.  When I pay off this debt, then I can give more.  Then I reach that goal and things aren't as good as I thought.  Instead, I'm focused on reaching the next level.

I will never find contentment in what God is currently providing until I honor God with my money (Proverbs 3:9-10).  Making it my priority to worship God by giving Him the best and first of all I have will result in a new heart attitude.  Suddenly, what I have will be more than enough as I find myself appreciating all the ways He has blessed me materially.  Instead of wanting more, I'll discover the wealth that is already mine.  While this is not some kind of formula where I give to God and I can expect Him to give even more back to me, I can trust Him to spoil me with His unlimited resources when I honor Him with my finances.  There is no greater indicator as to my true faith in God as my Provider than in how willing I am to tithe and give offerings.

I will find contentment when I honor God with my money as He opens my eyes to His generous nature.

There are many ways to go after what the culture says is important and will bring happiness.  If I want true joy, however, I need look no further than Jesus.  As I learn to walk with Him He teaches me to find wisdom in Scripture.  There I find that a good reputation comes when I honor the love and kindness He lavishes upon me by letting it flow out to others, that good health results in my willingness to trust in God alone, and that I will find contentment in the material blessings He gives me when I worship God through tithes and offerings.  God's Word is never wrong.  If I want to find the secrets that far surpass the fountain of youth, I need look no further than the wisdom of Scripture.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can pay attention to what God is teaching me through His Word.

When do I spend more time researching cures than I do in taking God's advice to heart?

How am I lacking in faith as evidenced by how little money I give back to Him?     

Laugh in the Face of Fear!

"The LORD is my light and my salvation--

whom shall I fear?

The LORD is the stronghold of my life--

of whom shall I be afraid?"

Psalm 27:1

Alzheimer's and dementia threatens to develop.  Cancer looms.  Heart disease strikes all around.  Strokes render loved ones helpless.  Governments topple.  Wars break out.  Terrorists attack.  Unrest continues.  Anger provokes violence.  Injustice rises.  

There is much to fear in this world.  Because of who God is, however, I can laugh in it's face!

Light.  The darkness pressed in around me, palpable in it's completeness.  My eyes strained to pick up some kind of image, but none was to be seen.  The blackness in the cave was absolute, and I had rarely felt such fear.  What if we can't find our way back out?  Will we be doomed to die down here under the earth?  Then the tour guide ended my panic with the flick of a switch and light again flooded the cavern.

Light in the darkness brings comfort and security, especially when you're almost a mile under the earth in a deep cave.  While I rejoiced when the light turned back on during that tour, the beam of a few 100-watt bulbs cannot compare to the Light that comes from the Lord.  

When my life seems filled with evil and gloom, Jesus delivers hope for something better.  When everything is swirling in a whirlwind of confusion and I don't know what to do, Jesus stands firm in the storm, giving strong guidance and grounding me in truth.  When the unknown lurks like a terrifying monster in my future, Jesus is already there, completely aware and in control of all that is to come.

While it is easy to fear all that I face, I need not be afraid for Jesus is the Light of the world (John 1:4-5).

Salvation.  She couldn't help herself.  The bottom of the pool was suddenly out of her reach and she realized she was in over her head.  She began to panic as her feet no longer felt the hard, welcoming surface.  Suddenly, a strong arm reached in, pulling her back to the shallows.  The girl was saved by an alert swimmer.

In the same way that this youngster could not save herself, I am incapable of getting myself out of the deadly bind to which my sin has fated me.  I am doomed to die as punishment for all the ways I've failed (Romans 6:23).  Suddenly, a Lifesaver reaches in and plucks me from my destiny of death, giving me a chance at life eternal.  Jesus died so that I could live (John 3:16).

Even more, Jesus rescues me from a shallow existence devoid of meaning and purpose (John 10:10).  I'm told I am nothing more than an accident, a mistake who happened to land here in this place and time.  Then Jesus enlightens me to the truth: I was made on purpose for a purpose by a God of purpose (Ephesians 2:10).  Significance is born.

As if that weren't enough, He did more.  My flesh desires nothing more than to live for me, meet my own needs and desires, and run after what will please myself.  Then Jesus gives me a power I never knew before and a transformation takes place.  As I'm molded into a new creature, the old things fade away as new desires form.  Sin is no longer the ruler of my life as a new King takes His throne (Romans 6:14).

While it is easy to fear what seems inevitable, Jesus rescues me from such a dismal certainty.

Stronghold.  I could see no way out.  There was danger all around yet no path on which to escape.  I was trapped, surrounded by the enemy.  As I realized by fate in this cyber war, I accepted death as the soldiers descended upon me.  My turn was up as I let someone else play the game. 

While life is not like a video game, there are situations when I may feel just as hopeless.  The Enemy of my soul is out to get me, giving me grief every time I turn around.  Yet Jesus has given me the upper hand at the mention of His name.  I am not without defense, being outfitted with a mighty Sword as I wield the weapon of God's Word boldly, dealing deadly blows as I submit to the Truth (Ephesians 6:17).

Other times the evil all around me seems to close in like a deadly wave of attacks.  It looks like the darkness is winning, ready to overtake all the good and overwhelm what is left of the noble and virtuous.  But Jesus has overcome, claiming victory in the battle of good versus evil (John 16:33).

Then comes temptation, rising up when I least expect it, crushing any pretense I have of self-control.  But Jesus offers a way out, and I gratefully escape from the heavy pull of sin (1 Corinthians 10:13).

While it is easy to fear what seems inevitable, Jesus has conquered every danger in my life, standing as a stronghold that cannot be penetrated.

Yes, danger is lurking around every corner, giving me many reasons to fear as I live this life.  But Jesus offers relief from such distress, shedding Light, offering salvation, and serving as a stronghold of victory.  Because of Jesus, I can laugh in the face of fear! 

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can trust God enough to accept all that He is offering me through Jesus Christ.

When do I attempt to give myself a meaningful life when Jesus has already died to deliver such bounty?

How am I walking in darkness because the Light seems out of my reach?  

  

Shared Fate

"One person dies in prosperity,

completely comfortable and secure,

the picture of good health, vigorous and fit.

Another person dies in bitter poverty,

never having tasted the good life.

But both are buried in the same dust,

both eaten by the same maggots."

Job 21:23-26 NLT

"Everybody dies.  

There's nothing you can do about it.  

Whether or not you eat six almonds a day.  

Whether or not you believe in God."  

Nora Ephron, I Remember Nothing: and Other Reflections

Job understood this truth thousands of years before screenwriter, director and journalist Nora Ephron penned these words.  As humans, we have a shared fate.  There is an end to our life here on earth; on that we can count!

It doesn't matter how rich or poor, educated or ignorant, how well-bred or common;  one day each of us will die.

How does knowing Jesus alter this fate?

Power Lost.  It looms like a dreaded, dark cloud over every moment of life.  It is inevitable, yet many spend thousands of dollars trying to prevent its arrival.  Many fear its pending appearance, living in anxiety and trepidation with the thought of the end.  There is no doubt that death has a certain power over humans.

Death, however, was never part of God's master plan for His creation.  It only entered the scene when Adam and Eve sinned, disobeying God's one command to avoid eating the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  Once they crossed that line, partaking of what God forbade, His warning that disobedience would bring death came to fruition (Genesis 2:17).

And with death came dread.  With the end came fear.  With an expiration date came anxiety.  Death held mankind with an ugly grip, weighing us down with its inevitability and unpredictability.  

Then came Jesus who broke the bonds of death, freeing me from such dread (1 Corinthians 15:54-55).  In Christ, death no longer has a hold on me because the end of this life simply marks the beginning of my eternal life.  I have "victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 15:57 NLT)

The power of death is lost through Christ.

Transition.  Now that death no longer has a hold on me, I can look forward to the end of this life with great anticipation.  Through faith in Christ, my physical death results in a transition that takes me to my eternal life.  

Instead of staying with my flesh that will rot in the ground, I will be transformed into an immortal body.  My soul will be transferred from this broken, constantly-deteriorating flesh to a permanent, everlasting home more consistent with the magnificence and eternal nature of heaven (1 Corinthians 15:51-53).

Through Christ, death simply becomes a transition from this life to the next.

Hope.  Apart from Jesus, my life would consist of what I make it to be.  I would work hard to try to make a difference, to leave my mark, to have a legacy that would last beyond my own days.  I would want to know this fleeting life of mine had some kind of purpose.  

As my life entered into it's Autumn, I would wonder what is the meaning of it all.  It may seem a bit empty and worthless.  I would tire of doing the same chores, eating the same foods, seeing the same sights, talking to the same people.  What is the point if I only end up in some forgotten cemetery (Ecclesiastes 1:2)?  A hopeless thought indeed.

Yet in Christ, I have hope.  I have the assurance that there is something more beyond this life.  My belief assures me that there is a place being prepared by Jesus especially for me in my permanent and true home located in my Father's house (John 14:2).  Thinking about how much God loves me, all the big and little ways He cares for me while here on earth, I cannot fathom how He will demonstrate such extravagant love once I enter into my eternal dwelling place (Romans 5:8, 1 John 3:1).

Now that I have Jesus, I no longer dread death as the end, but look forward to it with great hope as the beginning of what is to come.

We all must face death.  It's our shared human experience.  I could even say it's our fate.  Yet Christ changes this for me when I enter into a personal relationship with Him by faith.  Jesus breaks the power of death, transforming the once ugly, feared word into a wonderful transition into my heavenly home.  This eternal destination bought for me by the blood of Jesus gives me hope that cannot be extinguished.  Our shared fate is now something to long for!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can see death as the beginning of eternal life.

How do I take on the beliefs of this world, buying into hopelessness instead of letting the hope of what is to come propel me forward in joy?

When do I find myself in despair when I see how quickly the end approaches?   

Not as God Intended

"'O death, where is your victory?

O death, where is your sting?'

For sin is the sting that results in death,

and the law gives sin its power.

But thank God!

He gives us victory over sin and death

through our Lord Jesus Christ."

1 Corinthians 15:55-57 NLT

Death is a part of life, or so we're told.  Death, however, was not an intended part of God's creation.  When He spoke all things into being, death was not part of the plan.  When sin entered God's perfect creation, so entered death.  And along with it suffering, grief, pain and sorrow.

We just lost our sweet kitty named Lacey.  She was the only girl in a world of boys.  Her littermate was a boy, and she was adopted into a family of two male dogs and three other male cats.  Even so, she was the brave and courageous one.  Her passing was sudden and unexpected; out of the blue.  Her loss brings with it much sorrow.

How can we carry on after losing a loved one?  Where is God in the face of such pain?  Why does death have to ruin all the joy that life brings?  While this life comes to an end, thanks to Jesus Christ, the grave does not hold us!  No!  We have the hope of eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Therefore, those who are in Christ need not fear death.  It holds no power over us.  Even though God did not create death along with life, He did give us victory, sweet victory over it's domain.  Let us rejoice this day in the hope we have in Jesus!  

Freedom!

"And you, dear brothers and sisters,

are children of the promise,

just like Isaac. . .

So, dear brothers and sisters, 

we are not children of the slave woman;

we are children of the free woman.

So Christ has truly set us free.

Now make sure that you stay free,

and don't get tied up again in slavery to the law."

Galatians 4:28,31; 5:1 NLT

Today is a day set aside in America to celebrate freedom.  Families and friends will gather 'round the picnic table, feasting on BBQ, potato salad and watermelon while children frolic nearby.  Firework displays cap off the evening as the pyrotechnics adorn the night sky with the colors of liberty.  Americans all across the land will ponder the sacrifices made by brave men and women who stood against oppression and gave birth to a new kind of government where people enjoy rights and can live under the banner of independence.

While those in the U.S. focus on what our founding fathers did nearly 240 years ago to light the fire of freedom that burns within the breast of mankind, those in Christ can celebrate a different kind of freedom.

When Jesus died on the cross, taking my punishment upon Himself, I gained liberty from the heavy burden of the law given to Moses.  Instead of these statutes and commandments weighing me down in my failure, they illustrate my desperate need for a Savior.  I can't stick to them; my sin nature is just too dominant!  (Romans 3:23)

Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ my Lord who freed me from the law of sin and death! (Romans 7:21-25)

So today I celebrate this liberty:

Freedom from the guilt of sin that can weigh me down because the blood of Jesus makes me clean!

Freedom from the burden of being good enough to meet God's standard because Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice so I can be right with God.

Freedom from the stain of sin because Jesus reconciled my relationship with my Father so I can freely enter into His presence.

Yes, today is Independence Day!  Hallelujah, I am free in Christ!

Triumphal Procession

"But thank God!  He has made us his captives

and continues to lead us along in

Christ's triumphal procession.

Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume.

Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God.

But this fragrance is perceived differently

by those who are being saved

and by those who are perishing.

To those who are perishing,

we are a dreadful smell of death and doom.

But to those who are being saved,

we are a life-giving perfume.

And who is adequate for such a task as this?

You see, we are not like many hucksters

who preach for personal profit.

We preach the word of God with sincerity 

and with Christ's authority,

knowing that God is watching us."

2 Corinthians 2:14-17 NLT

I always knew when she had been there, working out at the gym.  The overpowering scent of her perfume lingered in the air long after she had left the room.  While some may have enjoyed the aroma her fragrance left, my sensitivity to perfume left me gasping for fresh air.  

As a follower of Christ, I leave a similar fragrance behind as I make my way through this world.  This particular aroma, however, is one that brings with it the knowledge of Christ, not just a physical smell.  

My life, then, and all the decisions I make, the places I travel and the activities in which I participate are for a specific purpose: to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Death

His agony was so excruciating that even a drop of water upon his tongue would have felt heavenly.  He pleaded for the man on the other side to have mercy on him, bringing him even the slightest bit of comfort.  Unfortunately for him, it was too late for the condemned man to receive the grace and mercy always available to him.  Now, he existed on the other side of a great chasm that separated him from the Source of all good things. (Luke 16:19-31)

Instead of spending his life living for God, this foolish man spent it turning his nose up at the stench of death that lay outside his gate.  Lazarus, the poor, sickly man who begged for help outside his home, was an opportunity for this well-to-do man to look beyond himself and see God.  Instead, what he saw disgusted him. 

For those who go through life living for Christ, He will leave tell-tale signs of His presence.  For those who are bent on living for self, however, His followers are simply a reminder of how shallow and empty their own lives are without the God of love.  Coming into the presence of such compassion will only make the sinfulness of those who are headed on the path that leads to destruction more painfully clear.

There are times when I run into rude, cruel and difficult people who seem to be out to get me.  Even though I let the love of God flow to them, it seems their tough exterior grows even more harsh in my presence.  I am tempted to wonder why they hate me.  In these instances, I may need to consider that the love of Christ is coming across as a stench to their nostrils.

If my life seems foolish to those around me, I can take that as a cue to pray for their salvation.  (1 Corinthians 1:18)

Life

The Shepherd led the flock toward the lush, green pastures, allowing them to graze until their bellies were satisfied.  He kept constant watch, looking out for their best interest and protecting them from the attacks of the predators.  When He sensed their heartbeats rising in anxiety, He led them beside the tranquil waters of the hidden spring, calming their nerves and giving them peace.  The aim of this Shepherd was to provide an abundant, full life to His flock.  (Psalm 23, John 10:10)

Jesus is the life-giver.  When He sacrificed His own perfect life in order to take on the punishment my sins earned me, He became my Savior, saving me from an eternal death.  (Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23)  In this way, He is giver of life eternal. (John 3:16)

For those who are saved by Christ, my life gives off the fragrance of life, pleasant and agreeable, drawing delight and joy.  

Sincerity

"Gather 'round, I have a few words to say to you before you begin your journey.  You are headed into enemy territory.  Many will not accept the message you are giving.  No matter, because many will receive it with joy.  Focus on those who accept the truth of the Gospel, pouring into their lives the love I give to you.  It is as if I were sending you out into the field to harvest a crop.  There is much work to be done, and not enough workers, but go forth as one on a mission.  Ask, and our Father will send backup help."  (paraphrase of Luke 10:1-3)

Jesus knew the task that lay before the 72 disciples, but he also knew the joy of seeing the bountiful fruit about to be harvested.  Recognizing that the knowledge of Christ emanating around me will draw a varied response, I must take that as a call to speak of God whenever possible despite the reaction I receive.  God is sending me out into the mission field, just as Jesus sent the disciples of old.  

My harvest field is located all around me; in my community, my place of work, and where I recreate and do business.  Some will accept the Gospel, others will reject it.  However its received, my only duty is in telling others the Good News as if God were watching me.  He has saved me and placed me specifically in this location for His purposes.  My mission is to speak through words given by His Spirit, actions driven by His love, and choices made to please God.  

Since my life is a living demonstration of the love of God, it speaks volumes about the Gospel of Christ.

No matter what my intent, my life is a testimony to whom I live.  If I live for me, it will reek of sin.  If I live for Christ, however, it will leave His fragrance wherever I go.  To those who reject the Truth, His scent will only remind them of their own inadequacies and their impending doom, but to those who are saved by Christ, His fragrance is the bouquet of life.  My only mission is to follow God's lead as He gives me the words and deeds to speak boldly for Christ, making my life a victorious demonstration of His love that brings glory to God.     

Victory is Ours!

"Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love?

Does it mean he no longer loves us

if we have trouble or calamity,

or are persecuted, 

or hungry,

or destitute,

or in danger,

or threatened with death?

No, despite all these things, 

overwhelming victory is ours through Christ,

who loved us."

Romans 8: 35, 37 NLT

Death is all around me.  The collapse of a 20+ year marriage.  The ruin of a young person's faith in God.  The passing away of respect for elders.  The turning of a believer away from the Truth.  The loss of hope once grasped so firm.y but which now seems so feeble.  All of these deaths overwhelm me.  Thankfully, there is a reason for optimism.

Victory is already mine through the astounding plan of salvation carried out through Jesus' death on the cross.  God has already fought all these battles and won, but I am failing to claim the victory!  As Oswald Chambers said, "The Cross is the point where God and sinful man merge with a crash and the way to life is opened--but the crash is on the heart of God."  He paid the awful price, making possible what was once impossible: Living life to the full.

Through Christ's death, I can now claim victory.

Separation

As an Army wife, I know a little something about living apart from the one I love.  When my husband was on active duty, he would spend months at a time deployed to some far off, dangerous place while I stayed at home taking care of the family.  

The first time he left when our marriage was only months old, I thought I would not survive!  It was as if a part of me was ripped away and I was expected to continue living as if nothing was missing.  My heart yearned for him!  I was bleeding from the wound.

This is how it is with me and God.  I need Him.  I was made for Him. I am incomplete without Him.  As the psalmist sang, "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God." (Psalm 42:1)  


The problem is, no matter how much I want to be close to Him, I am separated from Him by a vast chasm created by my sin.  I cannot get to My Love!


God, in His infinite foresight and mercy, made a way for me to traverse the canyon of sin and get to my God.  That bridge was erected when Jesus, being God in the flesh and as such carried no sin of His own, took my transgressions upon Himself, bearing the punishment that was meant for me, the offender.  


God's just nature requires the punishment of death and separation from His holiness for my failure to perfectly adhere to His law.  But His grace was manifested in the sacrifice of His Only Son on the cross, repairing my relationship to the Father and making a way for me to live eternally.  


Through Christ's death, I can now claim victory from the separation between me and God.  

Condemnation

Disapproval comes so naturally to me as a human.  I can easily see the faults of others. In the interest of fairness, though, I must point out that I am not alone in this proclivity.  Consequently, it is not surprising that I often fall victim to the criticism of others. It is human nature for each one of us to put ourselves in the position of judge and jury.


Radio talk show host and Bible teacher Steve Brown puts it this way: "It's worth noting that Jesus didn't condemn bad people.  He condemned "stiff" people.  We condemn the bad ones and affirm the stiff ones."  I am stiff when I fail to see my own sin and only notice others' failings.


Jesus Christ set us free from condemnation of any kind, either that which is dished out or that which is received. But more importantly, He saved us from the right and just condemnation of God. The Apostle Paul teaches in Romans 8:1-3 the following: 


 "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.  For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering." 


The blame I deserve for failing to perfectly adhere to God's law no longer falls upon my shoulders, resulting in my death.  Instead, I can enjoy life free from the weight of the penalty my sins deserve through faith in Jesus Christ.


Since I am so freely forgiven, how can I then turn and condemn others as wrong?  Jesus did not condemn.  If I truly accept the forgiveness He offers me for my transgressions, then I can put the sins of others into His hands as well.


Jesus said it best when He proclaimed, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."  (John 3:16-17)


Through Christ's death, I am saved and can now claim victory over condemnation of any kind.

Death

One of the most moving moments of the crucifixion was when Jesus uttered the words, "It is finished."    (John 19:30)  The terrible price had been paid.  His blood had been shed.   Our salvation from the penalty of death had been secured. 

I need not fear the death of my physical body anymore because that is not the end of my existence.  Death now becomes a transition from one reality to another;  from earth to heaven, from physical to spiritual, from momentary to eternal.  

Nineteenth Century Evangelist D.L. Moody is known to have said, "Some day you will read in the papers that D.L Moody of East Northfield is dead.  Don't you believe a word of it!  At that moment I shall be more alive than I am now; I shall have gone up higher, that is all, out of this old clay tenement into a house that is immortal--a body that death cannot touch, that sin cannot taint; a body fashioned like unto His glorious body." 

As one who has been saved by the grace of God that is found in Jesus Christ, I can celebrate that, "Death has been swallowed up in victory. . . The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.  But thanks be to God!  He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 15:54, 56-57)

Through Christ's death, I can now claim victory over death!

The death of Jesus Christ secured victory over my separation from a holy God that sin requires, the condemnation that my sin deserves and I so easily dish out, and the worry of the inevitable; death.  Through faith in Jesus, I can live as a conqueror!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can remember all that Jesus' death accomplished. 

How do I live as though I'm not forgiven?

When do I keep God at a distance even though Jesus' death made it possible for me to draw near to Him?