Easter 2010: the Journey Continues

By Gary Piper

"Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers.  Used by permission.  All rights reserved."

WE NEED JESUS!

You may be saying to yourself, “Hey, Gary that’s a no brainer!”  And you’d get no argument from me because it is a no brainer!  Yet at the same time it is perhaps one of the biggest understatements ever!  Not only is it an understatement it also is one of the biggest storm generators of all time.  In fact Jesus himself said, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.”  (Matthew 10:34)

As Easter Sunday approaches the cross, Jesus’ death, and resurrection remind of us of our need for salvation and life after death.  However, the cross, Jesus’ death, and resurrection are also reminders of our need for Jesus here and now.

Easter 2010, the Journey Continues

John 11:21 – 11:27

Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.” 

At no other time of the year does the impossible become possible than at Easter.  Speaking only for myself I need the impossible to become possible!  I write these words gripped by the power of the impossible and with all that is in me look for the power of possibility to take its rightful place in my life.

At no other time of the year does hope come alive more than it does at Easter!  In fact when you really think about it without Easter there is no hope!  But there is more to Easter than just the hope that lies in resurrection into eternal life there’s the hope of a new life in Christ!

“From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation.” (2 Corinthians 5:16 – 5:19)

Easter 2010 Journey to the Tomb

Written by Gary Piper

Scripture quotes have been taken from the New English Translation of the Bible.  For more information, a free download of the NET Bible or to purchase a hardcopy please go to www.bible.org. 

Many times we celebrate significant Jesus Holidays without thinking about how the happenings in Jesus’ life so long ago can impact our lives today.  For Christmas we celebrate through the giving of gifts, family dinners, worship services, festive decoration, and Christian decorations.  For Easter our celebrations begin with Lent, then we worship on Ash Wednesday, then we worship on Palm Sunday, then we worship on Maundy Thursday, then we worship on Good Friday, then on Easter Sunday we begin with Sunrise worship services, Sunrise breakfast, then later we worship one last time where we see people we rarely every see in church and everyone displays their new spring wardrobe.  And somewhere sandwiched in on our Easter Sunday Worship on behalf of the Easter Bunny we hide Easter Eggs and give children Easter Baskets.  

But Easter is more than all that… 

Easter is more than just remembering and celebrating Jesus’ sacrifice for us!

Easter is more than just celebrating God’s ultimate gift of eternal life! 

Easter is about transforming our lives in the here and now!

Easter is about journeying down a new road!

Easter is about the dying of our flesh and the resurrection of our spiritual lives!

Easter is about the coming of age of God’s kingdom in our lives!

Easter is about Jesus’ life in you!

Easter is about taking the things of this life and giving them eternal significance!

The Journey of Jesus

Written by Gary Piper

Do I follow the Journey of Jesus or not, is the single most important question you will be confronted with in your life.  You will be confronted with it more times in a day that you can imagine.  If you do follow the Journey of Jesus all shadows cast by your life will be illuminated with the Light of Eternity. 

Jesus Christ is the divisor, the journey of Jesus divides light from darkness, right from wrong, good from evil, eternal from temporal, victory from defeat, and forgiveness from unforgiveness.  To take the journey of Jesus is to push headlong into the everyday minute by minute struggles in life with all it's complexities.  To push headlong into the struggles of others on their journey, it is to be a Divisor for Jesus.  It is rolling up your shirt sleeves and getting dirt under your fingernails as you help others deal with the complexities of their lives.  It is picking them up and dusting them off when they fall and helping them get started again. 

The journey of Jesus is not painful, it comforts and heals.  It is not hard and difficult because you are carried by the wings of the Spirit.  It is not lonely because the Spirit of Jesus walks with you each and every step.  It is the adventure of a lifetime.   Want to proclaim Jesus?  Then you must first walk his walk, and talk his talk.  Ready to begin?  Then ask him to extend his hand and then take it.  But don't mind the dirt under his fingernails, he got it from you."

Will you journey with Natural Spiriti Ministries as we journey with Jesus in the land of the Spiritual Living?

Will you go with us in the Hands of Jesus and the Wings of the Spirit into the Heart of God!

WILL YOU?