He is not here, but is risen!

Luke 24:6, NKJVIt was early Sunday morning before dawn. An elite, handpicked Roman guard was watching the tomb in which Jesus of Nazareth had been laid. Knowing their very lives depended upon their vigilance, the eyes of the soldiers never dimmed, their bodies never relaxed as they carried out their assignment to keep any and all away from the tomb. No one was to get in. Certainly no one was to get out!

Suddenly, in the darkness, the ground began to rumble and sha..

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

1 SAMUEL 2:12 NLT
12 Now the sons of Eli were scoundrels who had no respect for the LORD

Eli was a priest of Israel who did not train his sons to obey. Eli's failure to properly train his children affected not only his own family very negatively, but also caused disaster for the nation of Israel. (see 1 Samuel 4:10-11)

If children are not trained to respect the word of their parents, they won't properly respect anyone — including God — without first experiencing the painful consequ..

Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer…Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. Romans 12:12,15, NIV Lord our God, we thank you for your gospel, the great, good tidings we may carry in our hearts to give us joy in this present time, even though on all sides people are in anguish and agony. We thank you that your gospel fills our hearts with compassion, enabling us to help carry what many have to suffer. Show us our need of you so that we can receive you..

Verse: We follow this sequence in Scripture: The First Adam received life, the Last Adam is a life-giving Spirit.
— 1 Corinthians 15:45 msg

Thought: Adam needed God to breathe into him the breath of life. Jesus, the second Adam, triumphed over death and poured out the Spirit both at Pentecost (Acts 2) and also at our own conversion (Titus 3:3-7). Jesus breathed into us this new life! Jesus became our source of life, our freedom to find life, and our goal in life when he filled us with the Holy Spiri..