HE IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED!! This dynamic statement has been proclaimed each Easter since the actual time Jesus Christ did ARISE from the grave. The beautiful thing about the fact that we still celebrate this time in Christ’s life is because it is still just as true for us today as it was for the followers so long ago. The work of the Cross hasn’t changed and will never change for mankind as long as sinful earth exists. It is so good to relive this glorious event so we never lose sight of Christ’s miraculous work for each one of us.

The small group of men I’m meeting with each Saturday morning is going through a study called Conquer Series. It specifically addresses the topic of sexual sinfulness. The video we watched yesterday was a beautiful one explaining the difference between knowing and believing. It is not enough to know that Christ died for our sins–we can never break a habit until we believe this is true for me. When we know something, we see the something we know (the sin). When we believe something, we begin to see the reason (person) causing the belief to take root. Our eyes are no longer only on the sin, they turn to Jesus Christ who conquered the sin once and for all! I had told the guys at the end of the session that this one was a perfect lesson for Easter time.

When Christ died for each of us and when we ask Him into our lives accepting Him as our Savior, God no longer sees the sin in us–He sees His Son Jesus in us, replacing the sinfulness. This we have known for a good length of time. Now, it is a belief too! Today I believe God sees Jesus living in me. Not so long ago I would not have written this for myself hearing my dad’s voice saying you are so arrogant. Today I hear dad say, “No son, it is not arrogant to believe what God did for you and me. It is why He came in the first place. BELIEVE!”