Yesterday was Easter Sunday. And as I attended church service, my pastor preached about Jesus cruxificion and resurrection, as most pastors would have done. His sermon came from Matthew 27:62-66 which speaks about the chief priests and Pharisees speaking to Pilate about guarding the stone in front of Jesus tomb after his death. They were worried that someone would steal Jesus’ body after three days and say he had risen. Pilate believed them and told them to post a guard in order to make it secure. But we as Christians know that it didn’t matter if the stone was there or not… Jesus had risen just as he said!
The light bulb moment happened, when my pastor said the stone was there for us and not for Jesus! This stone was proof to us that he would rise again. Jesus didn’t need to move the stone to rise again – He’s God…

This was done so WE would believe and testify to the world about his death and resurrection. Not for his benefit, but for ours! Because Jesus died and arose again, we as Christians will rise again once we leave this world. We will be like Christ once again, just as God wanted for us all along… we just have to remember what Jesus went through for us. He didn’t have to do it, but he did. Thank God he did… because Easter Sunday and everyday will not be in vain. We as Christians need to let a dying world know what Jesus did for them. We exist on earth to help bring lost souls to God – that’s our purpose!

Christians need a earthly resurrection today, so we won’t lose our faith in these hard times. We need to be resurrected so we won’t waiver in our belief when things are unbearable or seems that it won’t get any better. We need to put all fears, cares, issues and burdens on God and leave them there! It doesn’t matter how difficult, because that’s why God resurrected himself. Not for himself – but for you and I!

Be blessed,
Wanda L. Ball
Ball Publications Christian Books

raising the white flag

Christians call it the “Believer’s Prayer,” but it’s so much more than that. It’s not so much a prayer as it is a spiritual white flag. It is an act of surrender, a willful giving of ourselves to another. It is you and me finally admitting that we’ve run out of reasons not to believe in Jesus, and that we’ve given up trying to make it to heaven on our own. We’ve tried to live life on our terms, and we know it doesn’t work. So we come before God and ask him to show us how. We want more than a better way to die; we want a better way to live. We’ve seen the promises of Jesus, and we want them for our own. So we kneel before the throne of God, raise our white flag, and surrender.

If you haven’t done that, I encourage you to do so today. If you have, then pray the words anyway, as a statement of continued faith. There is no magic in the words. Words mean little to God, but the condition of our heart means everything. The following prayer is simply a guide to follow. Make the thoughts your own, and say it only if you really mean it. As you do, know with all your heart and soul that God can hear you. And that he will honor his promises.

Dear Father, I turn from my sins. Please forgive me for all the wrong things I’ve done. I believe that Jesus Christ is your Son, and that he came to earth in the form of a man. I believe that he died on a cross and was raised after three days. I believe that his death paid the price for my sins. And I know that Jesus is the only path to eternal life. I trust in the promises and claims of Jesus, and I put my life in your hands. I submit myself to the lordship of Jesus from this day forward and to the power of the Holy Spirit. I pray that the Holy Spirit will come into my life and dominate every part of my being, and that he will deliver me from those things in my life that are displeasing to you.Thank you, God, for sending Jesus to die on the cross for me. I know that my sins are forgiven because of Jesus. I commit myself to your Spirit and give myself over to your will for me. Thank you for loving me. Show me what you want me to do next. I love you, God!

If you just prayed that prayer for the very first time and don’t feel any different, don’t worry. God has promised to save those who put their trust in Jesus, and God always honors his promises. You can believe with all your heart that God heard your words and that he has saved you. You can believe that the Holy Spirit led you to this moment of decision and that he is now living within you. Your relationship with God is sealed!

Recommended Reading: Romans 10:5-11

• Reflection
  If this is your first confession of faith, how does it feel to finally put your trust in God? Why not spend some time in praise and worship to him?

  Submitted by: New Beginnings Christian Fellowship

  Wanda Ball
  Ball Publications Christian Books
  Related Info: Do You Know God?

Trust in the power of Hope!

I define hope as “the happy anticipation of good things.” You can hope for something good to happen to you by learning how to celebrate and enjoy life.

Everything in life is a process in motion. Without movement and progression there in no life. As long as you live you are always heading somewhere, and you should enjoy yourself on the way. God created you to be a goal-oriented visionary. Without a vision you become bored and hopeless.

But there’s something about hope that makes people lighthearted and happy. Hope is a powerful spiritual force that is activated through your positive attitude. God is positive and He wants positive things to happen to you, but that probably won’t happen unless you have hope and faith.

Expect God to bring good out of every circumstance in your life. Whatever happens, trust in the Lord……and trust in the power of hope.

Have a blessed day!!