You Were Born to Love God & Let Him Love You!

Today we are celebrating the life of our granddaughter Stella. Two years ago she was born a 24 week preemie, struggling for life. Here she is a thriving two year old, a precious toddler full of life, talkative, laughing, playing and wrestling with her big brothers! We are most thankful to God that we were allowed to have her in our family. When I hear her call me Wowaw I am undone! I remember the first time I held her – I don’t even think she was 3 pounds yet. Much to celebrate and much to give praise to God about this little fireball!

We are also celebrating the passing of Danny’s Aunt. Eighty years ago she was born as the middle daughter in a windy West Texas town. Sixty two years ago she was a bride who married her beloved. Fifty-two years ago she embarked on the ministry with her husband who pastured churches all these years. Not all those years were easy, but with God’s help and by His grace, they stayed committed to each other and to God.

Life and death come to everyone. We are rejoicing that Stella survived her early birth and has become a normal, active little darling. We are rejoicing as well for Aunt Eddie, even though we are sad for ourselves.

Both Stella and Aunt Eddie have enjoyed their lives to the fullest. We know that when Stella gets older she may have stories to tell about the angels in her NICU room, for we prayed daily for them to watch over her. We know that Aunt Eddie is with the angels in heaven right now – praising and glorifying God.

What better testimony than to live life, even with its struggles. To be blessed by God, even in the storms. To have our lives hid in the shelter of the Rock, knowing that “these momentary light afflictions” are worth their weight in gold for our faith. We are not mere survivors, born to live in drudgery, darkness and fear. We are meant to be victors! We are meant to live beyond our troubles, toil and grief.

Oh beloved, perhaps you feel you were born in turmoil. Life has thrown a lot of junk at you. You’ve been sick, downtrodden, dismayed. It may feel like everything you do turns to nothing. Maybe you wonder why you were even born. But God Himself says to you today! You were born to love Me and let Me love you! You were born to worship Me in spirit and Truth! You were born because I ordained your life before the foundation of the world! Rejoice today that you were born and I will turn your mourning into dancing, I will redeem what has been taken from you, I will make you shine like the diamond stars in the sky. I AM your reason for living and if you will let Me, I will make all things new and give you a life that will be celebrated all the days of your life!

Psalm 16:11 You have made known to me the path of life – in Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Habakkuk 3:18 Yet I will rejoice in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my Salvation!

Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the LORD always and again I say Rejoice!

Isaiah 61:10 I am overwhelmed with joy in the Lord my God for He has dressed me with the clothing of salvation and draped me in a robe of righteousness. I am like a bridegroom in his wedding suit or a bride with her jewels!

The Tomb is Empty! Grave Clothes Left Behind!

Today we celebrate Easter. We observe the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We’ll have the usual Easter meal, dying Easter eggs, songs for the occasion and more.  When I was young, we always got Good Friday off as well. Christian holidays were honored and revered back then.  To celebrate something means to honor (as a holiday) especially by solemn ceremonies or by refraining from ordinary commerce. There are few if any businesses that close on this day anymore. Yet Easter remains, in the hearts of believers, the most important celebration in our faith.

Maybe you can’t see Easter in your situation. Perhaps a relationship has died, gone unforgiven, kept behind the stone in the tomb of life. Maybe someone decided you weren’t worth it, you had no value, and you were as good as dead. Maybe your prayers seem unanswered. You’ve sought God, you’ve visited His Word, you’ve looked into the tomb, but you still see death. You want to feel better, see things better and be better. But you look and see, no matter what you do, the grave clothes seem to drag behind you and trip you up. You see death everywhere, you don’t see a way to have anything alive again, not even your own life.

There is hope for the hopeless and help for the helpless. When Jesus died on the cross that was not the end! It was only the beginning! He rose again! Not only did He come out of the tomb, He left His grave clothes behind. He walked out completely triumphant, completely alive, completely victorious.

Oh beloved, rejoice! It’s Resurrection Day! It’s time to discard those grave clothes you were never meant to wear! God says to you this day, I AM the Resurrection and the Life – you, when you believe in Me you will live! He says discard those deadly things which want to cling to you – unforgiveness, animosity, bitterness, wrangling, discord, pronouncements, judgments, decrees, sentences and more…Every single piece of grave cloth that tries to hang onto you, or that satan himself wants to say you must wear – they are free to be cast off!

Run to His Word and see – His tomb is empty! You are completely free! God loves you so much that He went to the cross for you, He went to the grave for you, He rolled back the stone for you and He is making intercession in heaven for you this very day! He is for you so much that He has made a way for you to live FREE! Rejoice in this Easter, for it’s like no other!

John 11:25 Jesus told her, "I AM the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.

Revelation 1:18  I AM the living one. I died, but look--I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.

I Peter 1:3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by His great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation.

I Corinthians 1:9 God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.