Journey to Surrender

This Easter, let's be determined to fully possess all that Jesus paid for!

I love the Easter season and all that comes with it. Flowers, celebration, family, new outfits and a sense of starting fresh.

There is so much power in what Jesus did for us on the cross, sealed by the victory of Easter morning! Jesus' selfless sacrifice has taken away all our sin and shame. Everything we've done or ever will do that could grieve God has been dealt with once and for all! Hallelujah!!

Even More Than Forgiveness

It's beautiful and marvelous to know that our every sin and disobedience has been forgiven - completely eliminated from the record, but there is even more! Even more wonderful than what Jesus brought us out of (sin, shame and death) is with is what He brought us into!

As you celebrate Easter, remember what you now have that you could not have had if not for the life, death and resurrection of Jesus.

First among these, I believe, is intimacy with God. I am convinced that this, above all else, is the real purpose of Easter: an unrestrained, unashamed, unrestricted close and intimate relationship with the Father. Yes, our sin needed to be dealt with, but sin was not the real end goal of the cross. The sin needed to go so that we could have in intimacy with God. The story of the cross is a love story.

So this Easter, let's take full advantage of what Jesus did for us. Let's approach the Father with the boldness and joy of much loved sons and daughters.

In him and through faith in him (Jesus) we may approach God with freedom and confidence.

Ephesians 3:12

I believe God is much more interested in your relationship with him than all the rules and requirements we tend to focus on instead. Yes, obedience matters.  But obedience born out of a love relationship has real staying power for the long run. Not so obedience born of religious duty.

What About Marriage and Easter?

You and I are the eternal bride of Christ, purchased at the price of his very life. We will live in intimate relationship with Him forever. Not only that, but we are one with Him right now. The Bible makes it clear that we are joined to Christ as one from the moment we choose to believe in Him. The living God dwells inside us! Nothing we do or fail to do can change that fact. His grace is that good, that amazing, that unrelenting.

Because we are permanently and eternally one with Christ, His goodness (righteousness), His power, His love, His peace, His wisdom and His knowledge of the Father all accrue to us. These are ours to have in this life. Wow!

This Easter, let's be determined to possess all that Jesus paid for! Let's take these for our own. Let's use them for His glory and for His Kingdom. These are the spoils of Easter. Let's live them.

Let's take them and live them every day in our marriages and homes.