Verse of the Day - 1 Corinthians 15:55

O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? ~ 1 Corinthians 15:55 (NLT)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The devil loves death. He glories in it. His purely evil heart revels in the fear that death inflicts on humanity. I'm sure he must gloat over gang warfare and drug abuse and the havoc that's cause in so many lives over senseless death. The fear of AIDS and pandemic bird flu probably make him laugh like he's just heard a great joke. Fear is his pride and joy. That and the inevitable eternal living hell that awaits all who are without rescue. That is his victory -- a macabre, sickening victory.

But Jesus changed all that. God became a man and took on the devil at his own game, on his own turf. Just as every man and woman that ever lived and died, the devil thought he had Jesus "in the bag". But Jesus wasn't just an ordinary man, enslaved to the devil's victory in death. He was and is God! And although the Father enabled men to kill Him, death couldn't hold Him. And so the victory was Jesus', and the reign of the devil in death was dashed forever!

Those who follow Christ follow Him into eternal life and freedom from the enslavement of sin and death -- what an amazing miracle! And we deal a heavy blow to the devil when we don't fear physical death. The victory is gone for him when we stand courageous in this life! And we also show a grand testimony to the world of what the Lord can do for them, too, so that they don't have to succumb to the devil's game in fear of death, either!

A couple of songs came to mind this morning -- one old, and one new.

Would you be free from the burden of sin?
There's power in the blood, power in the blood;
Would you over evil a victory win?
There's wonderful power in the blood.

There is power, power, wonder working power
In the blood of the Lamb;
There is power, power, wonder working power
In the precious blood of the Lamb.
~ There is Power in the Blood, by Lewis E. Jones, 1899
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaNUzh1dVPw


Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death
Your perfect love is casting out fear
And even when I’m caught in the middle of the storms of this life
I won’t turn back
I know You are near

And I will fear no evil
For my God is with me
And if my God is with me
Whom then shall I fear?
Whom then shall I fear?

Chorus:
Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of me
~ You Never Let Go, by Matt Redman, 2006
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXQBqQejnIA

I pray you can know no fear of death with Jesus . . . not on the mountain peaks, nor through the storms, nor in the valley of the shadow of death. He has the victory, and He offers it to you -- take His hand and hold the victory!

Love,
Joelene