Faith In the Resurrection

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JESUS SPEAKING

“Are you inquiring among yourselves about what I said, ‘A little while, and you will not see Me; and again a little while, and you will see Me’? Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. Therefore, you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.” (John 16: 19 – 22)

FAITHFUL THOUGHTS

Jesus prophesied that after His crucifixion He would remain buried until His resurrection on the third day. During this time His followers endured terrible confusion, sorrow, and doubt. When He did rise from the dead and appeared to them in the flesh, their faith was restored. As promised, they were filled with a supernatural joy. An enduring peace that could never be taken away from them, no matter the circumstance.

In the 1800s there lived an American Missionary to Burma named Adoniram Judson. Like most missionaries he endured many hardships. One day, on furlough, he returned to England and was walking through the town of Stonington, Connecticut. A young boy was playing near the wharves when he encountered Mr. Judson. He was struck by the man’s appearance. He had never before seen such a light on any human face. He fetched a minister to come and inform him of who the stranger was. When the minister arrived, he became so absorbed in conversation with Judson that he forgot all about the impatient boy standing near him. Many years later, that boy, who could never get away from the influence of that wonderful face became a famous preacher named Henry Clay Trumbull. In a book of his memoirs he penned a chapter entitled: “What a Boy Saw in the Face of Adoniram Judson.” That missionaries lighted countenance had changed his life.

Like Adoniram Judson, only those who have faith in the resurrection of Christ from the dead can walk with eternal joy. For if Christ did not rise we have no hope. The disciples who saw Him in the flesh were transformed by their encounter. If we embrace the resurrection, then the light of Christ will shine through us as well.

“Lord heavenly Father, may we possess great faith in Your Son’s resurrection. May we be transformed by this truth and seek to carry the gospel to all those who are lost. Give us the strength to endure hardships with joy, knowing that You are our inheritance. We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things, according to Your will, in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.” God bless all of You!

Being Invited & Chosen

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JESUS SPEAKING

“The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, ‘See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.’ “But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business. And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.” “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’ So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests. But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and nashing of teeth.’ “For many are invited but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22: 2 – 14)

FAITHFUL THOUGHTS

In this parable Jesus identifies the Jews as the people to whom He had originally been sent. Many of these individuals however, had rejected the gospel message. In turn, God chose to bless the gentiles (non-Jewish people) by offering them salvation also. Still, we read that the king discovered some in attendance at the wedding feast that were not dressed properly; meaning they weren’t clothed in the garments of salvation that only a faith in Christ can provide. These people were rejected and thrown into outer darkness. Such is the fate of all those who reject Jesus Christ.

My son really enjoys going to the trampoline park and bouncing around. When we arrive there, we are each given colored bracelets, which we must display at all times. They can’t be covered or hidden under a sleeve. The staff need to be able to see the bracelets to discern if we are truly legitimate members. Those who are observed not wearing a bracelet are ejected from the facility because they did not pay for proper admission.

In a similar way, those who have been invited into the kingdom of God must be wearing the righteousness of Christ; something that reveals their true identity as believers. Apart from the Messiah, there are no other pathways to God, and no other means of gaining entry into His eternal kingdom. May we all possess a genuine faith in Jesus Christ.

“Lord Heavenly Father, give us more of Your Holy Spirit, that we might remain covered in the blood of Your Son. May we walk in humility as we experience the genuine salvation You have so graciously offered to us. We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things, according to Your will, in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.” God bless all of You!

Standing Firm in the Faith

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JESUS SPEAKING

“What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in king’s houses. But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. For this is he of whom it is written: ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You.'” (Matthew 11: 7 – 10)

FAITHFUL THOUGHTS

A man named John the Baptist once lived in the Judean wilderness. He rejected worldly comforts (such as soft clothing); choosing instead to wear course animal fur and eat wild locusts and honey. As he baptized people in preparation for Christ’s arrival, he remained bold at all times. He wasn’t “A reed shaken by the wind.” Those who are anchored in Christ do not waffle, waiver, or bend. Instead, they stay firm because they are rooted in God who cannot be moved.

As the story goes, in 2025, a young woman named Paige Rogers was working her shift at a coffee shop in Kentucky. When her coworkers discovered that she attended a Christian college, they began asking questions. They asked her if she was saving herself for marriage. She answered yes. They continued questioning her; which eventually prompted Paige to share her testimony; she spoke about how God had saved her and transformed her life. One of the coworkers confessed to being in a relationship with two people at the same time (apparently one of them was of the same sex.) This person asked that if she became a Christian would she have to stop loving them? Paige respectfully told her that homosexuality was a sin. Nearly two weeks later, Paige received a text from her employer informing her that she had been fired because her conversation was offensive and unwelcomed.

Like Paige, and John the Baptist, Christians around the world are called to remain firm and bold. We must never waiver or falter in the face of adversity or persecution. We are not to be shaken like a reed in the wind. If we stay grounded in Christ, our eternal foundation, then we can share the truth in love without being hesitant or fearful.

“Lord Heavenly Father, establish us in the faith, that we would remain anchored in the truth. As we spread the gospel message to others, may we never compromise our beliefs or alter the doctrines You have established for Your Church. We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things, according to Your will, in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.” God bless all of you!