Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ... Please take the time to take in images, song, and lyrics from Dolly Parton singing her song He’s Alive … Joyfully singing of how Jesus broke thru the grief of those who saw Him die on the cross, coming to them bodily and showing Himself alive into that upper room so that they would know HE’S ALIVE … forevermore!!
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Highlight Verse[s]: John 20:18 [ESV] ... 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” …
… Breaking thru her grief, having seen the living Christ after His resurrection, Mary was the first to know the joy of the reality that He was (AND IS) ALIVE!!
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Highlight Passage [context]: John 20:11-18 [ESV] ... USE THIS LINK ...
… We can only imagine the sense of joy experienced by the grieving Mary Magdalene when she realized she was looking into the eyes of her living, breathing, loving, “Raboni,” … her Messiah and Lord … ALIVE!!
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Reference Passage : … Romans 10:9-13 [ESV] … USE THIS LINK …
… The truth about ANYONE who believes in our hearts and repents of our sins, KNOWING that Jesus is alive to follow … FOREVER!
Reference Passage : … 2 Corinthians 5:17 [ESV] … 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
… Anyone who’s been born again from Christ’s shed blood knows the feeling of newness in that eternal relationship.
Reference Passage : … Galatians 2:20 [ESV] … 20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
… Once anyone dies to self and is born-again into a living relationship with Christ knows that Jesus is alive, … living forever in the hearts of born-again believers.
My Devotional Journal: Today's ODB author, Linda Washington, cites the story of Mary Magdalene being the first to see and know that Jesus, after His death on the cross, WAS ALIVE. … The ODB author wrote: Grief is a powerful emotion we’ve all experienced, particularly at the death of a loved one or of a treasured hope. Mary Magdalene experienced it. She’d traveled with and helped support Jesus and His disciples (Luke 8:1-3). But His cruel death on a cross separated them. The only thing left for Mary to do for Jesus was to finish anointing His body for burial—a task the Sabbath had interrupted. But imagine how Mary felt when she found not a lifeless, broken body but a living Savior! Though she hadn’t at first recognized the man standing before her, when He spoke her name, she knew who He was—Jesus! Instantly, grief turned to joy. Mary now had joyful news to share: “I have seen the Lord!” (John 20:18).
Anyone who’s ever been to a funeral of an openly witnessing Christian and then to the wake of a non-Christian has sensed the difference in the tone of those memorial services. For the Christian who has died, a funeral is a celebration of the life …. of one who is now in the presence of the living Savior. It’s a glorious home-going, where grief is felt, … but set aside, … because all in attendance KNOW, beyond doubt, what Mary Magdalene must’ve felt when she saw Jesus alive the day He was “MIA” from the grave [see highlight passage].
And on this EASTER morning I’m remembering the day [April 13, 1983 - which I’ll celebrate tomorrow] when Jesus came alive for me and I realized the reality and truth of the reference scriptures above, having died to self and having been made alive by my Savior, … Whom I knew then - and still know now - was alive and living in me.
Oh, how I pray all reading here are celebrating with me today that our Savior lives in our hearts. Yes, … HALLELUJAH - HE’S ALIVE !!!
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My THANKFULNESS: ... Oh Abba Father, ... thank You, Lord, … for You blood which was shed so that I could die to self and live with You forever.
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My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... I pray, Lord, that all reading here will join me to declare our praise for the Savior, WHO IS ALIVE and living in the hearts of all who KNOW that He’s our Redeemer. Amen
Blogger Note: Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled “Our Daily Bread,” distributed online via email by RBC Ministries. If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.</ span>
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