A Living Hope in Resurrection Power

At some point in life, everyone searches for hope. And while the world offers many forms, they all fizzle and fade away. So what if there’s a living hope available to anyone willing to find it? God set the stage to bring a living hope to a hopeless people through resurrection power.

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Peeking through the curtain, I scanned the audience and hoped my entire family showed up. I’d landed my first high-school role in the broadway musical, South Pacific. 

Thankfully, my character as the island girl, Liat, called for a few speaking parts and no singing—not my strong suit. With sweaty palms and a rush of adrenaline, I checked the seats again. And if my people show up, would I make them proud when I took my final bow?

From side stage during the first scene, my gaze spotted them through the blinding light. 

All my loved ones occupied the entire third row. They’re here,now break a leg.

Hope in Resurrection Power

I found my groove and remembered my few lines with no blunders. But my glory days as an actress ended soon after.

History also recounts a glory day when hope showed up. Over 2000 years ago, God set the stage for a story of hope to unfold.

The birth of the Christ-child took place in a lowly stable where animals occupied the front-row seats.

Jesus grew and carried out the heavenly Father’s will. The supernatural happened in His presence. He served the community and reached out to wanderers, outcasts, and the wayward lost without hope.

Jesus’ life, center stage, pointed the glory and applause to God alone. 

The Tomb Where Hope Rose

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5 Ways to Live My Life for God

How do we live our life for God?

Whether we’ve been a believer for years or a short time, living our life for God is really what the Christian life is about.

So let’s look at 5 ways to live a life for God in these Bible verses.

(1.) A Heart Completely God’s: Life for God

“For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His.” 2 Chronicles 16:9 (NASB, 1995 edition)

My life verse since college, I wanted to start here. Because accepting Christ into my heart as Savior at sixteen made me a child of the Most High God.

And I desire to stay focused on giving my heart completely to Him. 

But this isn’t a half-hearted devotion to the Lord as secondary in my life. No, I make Him number one with my highest devotion and attention. 

Reflection: Is our heart divided between God and the world or completely His?

Prayer: Lord, I continue to welcome You into my heart to reign supremely. Help my heart stay undivided and completely Yours. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

 Lord, I continue to welcome You into my heart to reign supremely. Help my heart stay undivided and completely Yours. In Jesus’ name. Amen. Click To Tweet

(2.) Celebrating Who I Am: Body, Soul, Spirit

“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” Psalm 139:14-15 (ESV)

While it’s taken some time, I’m learning to embrace how wonderfully the Lord formed me in the beginning and keep praising Him for ALL the intricate details of my life—who I am in Christ.

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How Do We Surrender All to Jesus Christ?

Ever since I gave my heart and life to Christ at sixteen, I’ve heard about surrender in the Christian life. And I remember singing a familiar hymn to surrender all to Jesus even before my salvation. 

The lyrics and melody play in my mind often. 

Surrendering everything about our lives is an important aspect of our faith journey. And it’s key to our spiritual maturity. 

But how do we surrender “all” to Jesus? 

Jesus modeled surrender in a life completely surrendered to the heavenly Father.

So let’s look at Scriptures that point us to the surrendered life. Even though these are familiar Bible verses, read and meditate on them in the light of surrendering all. 

Surrender All

(1.) “Then Jesus told his disciples, ‘If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.’” Matthew 16:24 (ESV)

We surrender control. We deny going our own way—the right to live for ourselves. Because following Jesus with full surrender and faithfully living as a believer, is not even about me.

Instead, it’s “all” about the One who said, “Follow Me.”

(2.) “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV)

Surrender is trusting in Christ and acknowledging His wisdom and lordship. Jesus wants our surrender, not our sufficiency. 

We fully surrender to who Jesus is and as Lord over our lives.

Surrender is trusting in Christ and acknowledging His wisdom and lordship. We fully surrender to who Jesus is and as Lord over our lives. Click To Tweet Read More…

Does My Life Point Others to Jesus?

If I want my life to point others to Jesus, how do I go about it?

This is a question I often think about. 

And I pray this as a request to the Father. 

Perhaps this is a desire you hold and pray. Lord, let others see Jesus in me! Let my life point others to Him.

Lately, this hope and prayer stays at the forefront of my mind. 

So I completed my own soul-searching, looking in the Scriptures, and asking the Holy Spirit to open my spiritual eyes to how my life truly points to Jesus.

Because when Jesus lives in us and we allow the triune God to transform us from the inside out, everything about Him radiates in us and our life. We point others to Jesus in our lives.

When Jesus lives in us and we allow the triune God to transform us from the inside out, everything about Him radiates in us and our life. We point others to Jesus in how we live. Click To Tweet

Point Others to Christ With the Word

(1.) In my salvation. 

It all begins here. Once we have a salvation experience and personal redemption story, we are new creations (1 Corinthians 5:17). Christ is our Savior.

In Galatians 1, the Apostle Paul recounts his life before Christ. He shares an impressive religious resume and all that he attained. Yet, look at how he ends the chapter.

“And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. They only were hearing it said, ‘He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.’ And they glorified God because of me.” Galatians 1:22-24 (ESV, emphasis added)

Notice how Paul never wrote that others glorified me because of me. No, God received the glory for the saving work of Jesus in Paul’s life. 

We have a story to share, a personal testimony of Jesus saving our soul and giving us eternal life.

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