“… He is risen, as He said.” (Matt. 28:6 NKJV)

We celebrate Easter on different dates each year! 

The day of Easter falls on a Sunday based on the lunisolar (sun and moon) calendar, not a fixed date on the Gregorian or Julian calendar. Easter date each year has been determined to fall on the Sunday after the full moon following March 21 for Western Christians who use the Gregorian calendar (modern calendar). Thus Easter will fall between March 22nd and April 25th inclusive each year. Whatever the date Easter Falls on while you are reading this, it is a reminder that Easter is the day we celebrate the wonderful fact that Jesus rose from the dead, just exactly as He said He would do! And that changed everything for believers who have put their faith in Him. The sin debt has now been paid in full, and people can now become transformed by His Spirit by receiving Him as their personal Savior! (John 1:12). And, we now serve a savior who is very much alive and who is very much active in our lives today!

He lives (I Serve a Risen Savior)

I think it was said very well in the lyrics of the old hymn “He lives (I Serve a Risen Savior)” that was composed in 1933 by Alfred Henry Ackley(1887-1960). Read his well written words and apply them freshly today in your life!

He lives!

“I serve a risen Savior, He’s in the world today;
I know that He is living whatever men may say;
I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer,
And just the time I need Him, He’s always near.

Refrain:
He lives, He lives,
Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and talks with me
Along life’s narrow way.
He lives, He lives,
Salvation to impart!
You ask me how I know He lives?
He lives within my heart.

In all the world around me I see His loving care,
And tho’ my heart grows weary I never will despair;
I know that He is leading thro’ all the stormy blast,
The day of His appearing will come at last.

Refrain

Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian, lift up your voice and sing
Eternal hallelujahs to Jesus Christ the King!
The hope of all who seek Him, the help of all who find,
None other is so loving, so good and kind.

Refrain

Therefore, rejoice!

“If the Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from death, lives in you, then he who raised Christ from death will also give life to your mortal bodies by the presence of his Spirit in you.” (Rom. 8:11 GNT)

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“And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft.” (Exo. 31:3-5 ESV)

Unique skills and abilities 

The late Radio host, Rush Limbaugh, was often criticized for saying very dramatically on his popular radio show that he was using “Talent on loan from God.” He was absolutely correct! Talent is a gift from God, whether his critics wanted to admit it or not. Talent is something that you are instinctually born with that gives you unique skills and abilities. 

Talent comes from God

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17) 

“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Eph. 2:10)

“All who are skilled among you are to come and make everything the LORD has commanded.” (Exo. 35:10)

Stir up your gifts and talents

Talent is set apart from knowledge in that it is not a learned behavior, although it can be strengthened and practiced.

“Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you…” (2 Tim. 1:6 NKJV)

 Use your gifts and talents to serve others

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.” ( 1 Peter 4:10-11)

 Quote:

“When I stand before God at the end of my life, I would hope that I would not not have a single bit of talent left but could say, “I used everything you gave me.” - Erma Bombeck (1927-1996) - Syndicated columnist

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“For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him.” (2 Chron. 16:9 NKJV)

Is your heart loyal to God? 

If so, God is looking for you to show Himself strong on your behalf!

What is loyalty? Loyalty is defined as wholehearted fidelity coupled with unswerving devotion and duty. In the Bible, the concept of loyalty is purely relational. This means our whole being is thoroughly committed to someone. It is to be dedicated, devoted, faithful, firm, stalwart, staunch, steadfast, approving, steady, true, unfaltering, unswerving and unwavering to someone. 

God, Himself, is loyal 

“If we are unfaithful, he remains faithful, for he cannot deny who he is.” (2 Tim. 2:13)

Even if a believer fails God will remain loyal. Scripture makes it clear that nothing can snatch our salvation in Christ. The Bible says that God will never leave nor forsake us and He will continue to work in us until the end. 

“Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who maintains covenant loyalty with those who love Him and keep His commandments, to a thousand generations.” (Deut. 7:9 ESV)

What does loyalty look like? It is when you…

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength,” 

Joshua is an example of what it meant to be loyal to God. He said…

“And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Josh. 24:15 ESV)

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“But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Matt. 4:4 ESV) 

The fundamentals

The late Vince Lombardi, the celebrated coach of the Green Bay Packers professional football team, faced a difficult challenge one Monday morning on the practice field. A day earlier, the team had suffered a humiliating defeat. In Lombardi’s view, the loss was due to the players’ failure to focus on the basics in carrying out their assignments—things in which they had been drilled over and over again. In his memorable manner, Lombardi met the challenge head-on. Picking up a familiar air-filled, oblong-shaped object, he went directly to the heart of the matter, calling everyone’s attention to the “basics” with five simple words, “Gentlemen, this is a football.”

THIS IS THE BIBLE!

Just as Vince Lambardi did by holding up a foot-ball, we could hold up a Bible and and say, “THIS IS THE BIBLE” and then talk about the importance of biblical foundational basics which will keep us strong. As followers of Jesus Christ, we must never stray from the basic fundamental truths found in the Bible. These truths will keep us strong and help us succeed in that which God has created us for.

• THIS IS THE BIBLE—it’s the Word of God!

  “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” (John 1:1 ESV)

• THIS IS THE BIBLE—it will equip you for every good work!

  “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim. 3:16-17 ESV)

• THIS IS THE BIBLE—it is living and active!
  “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Heb. 4:12 ESV)

• THIS IS THE BIBLE—it will light up your path!

  “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (Psalm. 119:205 ESV)

• THIS IS THE BIBLE—it will stand forever! 

  “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” (Isa. 40:8 ESV

  “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.” (Matt. 24:35 ESV)

• THIS IS THE BIBLE—it always succeeds! “So shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it.” (Isa. 55:11 ESV)

 Therefore…

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” (Col. 3:16 ESV)

“I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” (Psalms 119:11 ESV)

“But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” (James 1:22 ESV)

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“For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of what we eat or drink, but of living a life of goodness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. If you serve Christ with this attitude, you will please God, and others will approve of you, too.”  (Rom.14:17-18 NLT)

Attitude: A manner of thinking, feeling, or behaving that reflects a state of mind or disposition.

Your attitude 

Your attitude effects everything you do, and ultimately determines the kind of results, either positive or negative that you will achieve. I like what speaker/author/theologian, Chuck Swindoll, had to say about attitude: 

“This May shock you, but I believe the single most significant decision I can make on my day-to-day basis is my choice of attitude. It is more important than my past, my education, my bankroll, my successes or failures, fame or pain, what other people think of me or say about me, my circumstances, or my position. Attitude is that “single string” that keeps me going or cripples my progress. It alone fuels my fire or assaults my hope. When my attitudes are right, there’s no barrier too high, no valley too deep, no dream too extreme, no challenge too great for me.” 

 Develop a Christlike attitude

“Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.”
(Phil. 2:5-7 NASB)

And…

“When I understand that everything happening to me is to make me more Christlike, it resolves a great deal of anxiety.” - A.W. Tozer

“The good news is that the bad news can be turned into good news when you change your attitude.” – Robert Schuller

“So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.” (Gal. 4:7 NIV)

What does it mean to be an heir with God? 

To be an heir to God means everything that God owns belongs to us as well because we belong to Him. Our eternal inheritance as co-heirs with Christ is the result of the amazing grace of God.

 “And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.” (Gal. 3:29 NASB)

You become an heir to God when you receive Jesus and become born-again

“Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God -- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.” (John 1:12-13 NIV)

“…that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.” (Rom. 10:9-10)

“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” (1 Peter 1:3)

 Quote:

“Think of what you are, you Christians. You are God's children; you are joint heirs with Christ. The 'many mansions' are for you; the palms and harps of the glorified are for you. You have a share in all that Christ has and is and shall be.” - Charles Spurgeon

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“He reveals the deep things of darkness and brings utter darkness into the light.” (Job 12:22)

Before I had personally prayed to commit my life to Jesus I had been attending church on Sunday mornings with the family I was living with. I wasn't interested in religious things really, and was only going to church because I felt duty bound to do so because they were committed to it.

A simple prayer changed everything!

Then, one afternoon while driving, I prayed a simple heartfelt prayer and asked Jesus to come into my life and help me. I had been struggling with alcohol and prayed the simple prayer in a fit of desperation. Afterwards, I felt a great sense of relief.

A big difference

The following Sunday I was back in the same church as usual, but something was very different! The pastor seemed to be preaching much better and clearer than before! He was interesting! I could understand what he was talking about! I enjoyed it! Afterwards, I complimented him on his “new and improved” style of preaching. I told him I was glad he changed his preaching style and hoped he continued to preach this way instead of the boring way he usually did. He just looked at me and said, “Mike! I haven't changed! I spoke exactly the same way I always do! So, if it isn't me, something obviously must have changed with you!” I then remembered that I had prayed to invite Jesus into to my life.”

The light had come on with me!

Jesus is “the light of the world” and after I had received him, he brought his light into my life. That's why I was suddenly different. I was a new creation in Jesus! I had come to see the light!

“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’” (John 8:12 NIV)

Several times during his administration the past president of the United States gave a full pardon to some prisoners.Their criminal records were completely wiped clean as though their crimes had never existed. They were then set free to enjoy the benefits of their brand new beginnings.

This is a picture of what happens when a person becomes “born again” as stated in the Bible in John 3:3 and 1 Peter 1:23.

A new creation

The Bible says it very clearly this way: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Cor. 5:17)

Declared righteous

At the moment a person becomes “born again,” God completely forgives their past! He no longer remembers their past sins as though they never happened! He then declares them to be a righteous person!

“Therefore, since we have been declared righteous by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Rom. 5:1)

“Much more then, since we have now been declared righteous by His blood, we will be saved through Him from wrath. For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, then how much more, having been reconciled, will we be saved by His life! And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” (Rom. 5:9-11)

Benefits for the righteous

There are wonderful benefits for the righteous in the form of God’s promises! Look what the Bible says about the righteous person.

“The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, ‘The Lord is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.’” (Psalm 92:12-15)

They will

• Flourish like a palm tree

• Grow like a cedar of Lebanon

• Be planted in the house of the Lord

• Flourish in he courts of our God

• Bear fruit in old age

• Stay fresh

• Stay green

• Proclaim great truths about the Lord:

This is because

• "The Lord is upright”

• “He is my rock”

•   “There is no wickedness in Him”

Claim the above promises for yourself!

They are for those who are saved. For those who have believed and confessed Jesus as their savior.

“That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” (Rom. 10:9-10)

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8 ESV)

Here are a few ways you can distribute gospel tracks

1.     Hand them to people - The most logical and most effective method of distributing gospel tracts is to simply hand them to people; especially to those who you already know and have a positive relationship with. They are usually the most receptive. Always keep some in your pocket and watch and pray for opportunities the Holy Spirit will direct you to. For instance, one day I was in a big hotel attending a business conference, and I got into an elevator to go to a meeting held on an upper floor. Stepping in at the same time was a well dressed businessman with a briefcase. He reached over to push the button for the floor he wanted and then he said to me, “Are you going up?” And I said, “Well yes, I am. In fact, this morning I got up, I am prayed up, and I’m ready to go up. How about you? Are you going up?” He laughed and said, “I can’t say that I am ready to go up. I wish I had your confidence.”  I then reached into my pocket, retrieved a gospel tract and handed it to him with a smile. I said, “This little pamphlet will explain how you can be absolutely sure you will go up!” He laughed, took it from my hand and said, “Thank you, I will read this.” We then reached his floor and got out. After he had left the elevator, I prayed a little prayer for him. I prayed that he would read the tract, that he would be drawn by the Holy Spirit, and that he would  pray to receive Christ. 

2.     Mail them to people – Include them with letters and cards to your family and friends. If you own a business you can put them in with business correspondence such as with invoices, statements and payments. By the way, you get up to one ounce of weight for a first class postage stamp. That amounts to 5 pages of normal weight letter-size pieces of paper and one standard #10 business size envelope. Most business correspondence is only one page so you have all that extra room available to use at no extra charge. The gospel tract you tuck in gets a free ride!

3.     Leave them in places where they may be found. As I travel around the country, I have discovered that most hotel rooms have Gideon Bibles in their drawers and/or other religious books there, such as the Koran. I tuck a tract inside their front covers where they may be discovered later by other travelers. Other good places to leave tracts are along with your generous tips at restaurants and for the hotel room-maid when you check out after your stay. When I travel in my RV I leave them at rest stops and other places I visit along my route, especially where literature is generally left for visitors. 

4.     Include them in shipments – I print and ship “People Can Be Recycled, Too!” Gospel tracts to many automotive recycling companies who include them in every shipment. They, too, get a free ride with every customer order. 

5.     Have them displayed at your business in a prominent location - perhaps at the front counter, or in waiting areas: “Free, take one”. 

Our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit

“Because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.” (1 Thess. 1:5 ESV)