"But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony (birth pains) of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held (by it) in its power." (Acts 2:24, NASB)
What a great impossibility!
The year 2016 is not getting off to a good start. As I write this, the US Dow is down 400 points, Hamas and Fatah have declared 2016 to be a year of even more violence and death to Jews; and the American political scene? I say to you, as I say to all: If you want consistent Good News, read the Bible. The Words of God transcend human plans, decisions, and flippancy towards Jesus Christ, His Church, His Kingdom. "Jesus shall reign where er' the sun does is successive journey run." And our text of January 2 declares that you and I in Jesus Christ are a People of, "impossible for [us] to be held in [death's] power."
"It was impossible...." There you have it, one of life's impossibilities. The power of death just could not hold our Lord Jesus Christ. Neither can death "hold" you and me. If we are in Jesus and Jesus ruling in us, the power of the "prince of darkness grim" has no power over us. Those whom we know who have departed this life and whose bodies lie in graves all over the world are just waiting until the trumpet sounds. There should be no fear of death in the person in whom Jesus Christ lives. Jesus has promised, "Because I live, you shall live also."
You and I are People of, "the faith of God's elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began, but has in due time manifested His Word...." The promises of the Blessed Trinity are, "before time began," and they are after time ceases. Jesus' Words are as He is, The Eternal One. You and I and no one else can say for sure what 2016 will bring, but since we do know that since, "It was impossible for Him to be held in [death's] power," so it is impossible for death to hold us, "in its power." Those who do not receive this will always be in fear and succumb to, "....principalities,.. powers,..the rulers of the darkness of this age,.. the spiritual hosts of wickedness...." Those who believe, however, that, "It was impossible for Him to be held in its power," will be those who manifest to those around them, "light of the world," and, "salt of the earth."
Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You that when You rose from the dead, so did I. Amen.
************************
Will send a note about this year's Berlin Mission
What a great impossibility!
The year 2016 is not getting off to a good start. As I write this, the US Dow is down 400 points, Hamas and Fatah have declared 2016 to be a year of even more violence and death to Jews; and the American political scene? I say to you, as I say to all: If you want consistent Good News, read the Bible. The Words of God transcend human plans, decisions, and flippancy towards Jesus Christ, His Church, His Kingdom. "Jesus shall reign where er' the sun does is successive journey run." And our text of January 2 declares that you and I in Jesus Christ are a People of, "impossible for [us] to be held in [death's] power."
"It was impossible...." There you have it, one of life's impossibilities. The power of death just could not hold our Lord Jesus Christ. Neither can death "hold" you and me. If we are in Jesus and Jesus ruling in us, the power of the "prince of darkness grim" has no power over us. Those whom we know who have departed this life and whose bodies lie in graves all over the world are just waiting until the trumpet sounds. There should be no fear of death in the person in whom Jesus Christ lives. Jesus has promised, "Because I live, you shall live also."
You and I are People of, "the faith of God's elect and the acknowledgment of the truth which accords with godliness, in hope of eternal life which God, who cannot lie, promised before time began, but has in due time manifested His Word...." The promises of the Blessed Trinity are, "before time began," and they are after time ceases. Jesus' Words are as He is, The Eternal One. You and I and no one else can say for sure what 2016 will bring, but since we do know that since, "It was impossible for Him to be held in [death's] power," so it is impossible for death to hold us, "in its power." Those who do not receive this will always be in fear and succumb to, "....principalities,.. powers,..the rulers of the darkness of this age,.. the spiritual hosts of wickedness...." Those who believe, however, that, "It was impossible for Him to be held in its power," will be those who manifest to those around them, "light of the world," and, "salt of the earth."
Father, in Jesus' Name, thank You that when You rose from the dead, so did I. Amen.
************************
Will send a note about this year's Berlin Mission
When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"
Hebrews 12:2
Hebrews 12:2
