He's Alive

What a fabulous celebration service we had at Hickory Valley yesterday. We doubled our attendance, the worship was dynamic, the special music was uplifting, the dramas were challenging, and the presence of God was evident. Renae Miller and Galen Bell provided monologues during the message, with Galen giving the invitation to say "yes" to Jesus at the conclusion of the message. Ten people responded to the invitation and opened their heart to the life-changing love of God.

In John 3:16, Jesus gave us three amazing truths concerning God's great love. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  Jesus came to this earth because of love. He lived a life of love. He came with a clear mission. The Bible says in Luke 19:10, “The Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.” 

What was lost? Well, that would be you and me, all of us. From the moment sin entered the world, it entered every human life as well. Every one of us, almost from the moment we could speak, learned to say “NO!” and “MINE!” Our sinful and rebellious ways started early and continued long after we were old enough to know what we were doing. The Bible calls this sin, and it not only creates problems IN us, it creates problems FOR us. Sin damages relationships, divides families, and destroys all hope of a loving and eternal relationship with God, the kind of relationship HIS heart longs for, and ours do too. So God unveiled a mind-boggling, almost unbelievable plan.

Jesus literally brought the immeasurable love of God down to earth. He dressed it in plain clothes. And He showed us that it’s a love for everyone, man or woman, young or old, light or dark, then or now. On these days after Easter, I hope you can feel and OWN the love of Jesus for you. No matter what you’ve done, no matter how you feel, regardless of whatever dirt or darkness is in your life, you can know the measureless, matchless love of Jesus. The resurrection means that what Jesus did for the people He met in His lifetime He wants to do, AND CAN DO, for all of us. Wherever you are today, whatever mountain you’re on or whatever valley you’re in, He’s reaching down in love for you. All you have to do is take His hand.