The 12 Days of Easter: Day 11, Everlasting Life

Easter 6

Day 11: Everlasting Life

But now having been set free from sin, and having become slaves of God, you have your fruit to holiness, and the end, everlasting life. Romans 6:22

everlasting [ev-er-las-ting, –lah-sting]

adjective

1. lasting forever; eternal

2. incessant; constantly recurring

3. lasting or continuing for an indefinitely long time

Antonyms
1. transitory.

Everlasting life. Ever lasting life.

When I was a much younger Christian, I was very afraid of death. It kept me awake at night, tossing, turning, and wondering about the great unknown that would one day separate me from everything I had ever known.

Life after death seemed to be death after life. Everlasting, never ending death. I did not understand this life is only a shadow of everlasting life; silhouette on black and white,  a cardboard cut-out,  a distant echo of a beautiful melody.

Like a baby carefully cradled in the womb of his mother; life on earth is life in the shadow-lands. Until one day … we are born (again) into a new world of light, color, possibilities, and opportunities, and placed in the arms of our Father. Forever. Forever-lasting life. Everlasting life.

Death, where is thy sting?

Point to Ponder:

Please fill in the blanks below ( I did the first two to get us started).

In Jesus I have:

everlasting  joy,  everlasting love, everlasting ___________, everlasting ____________

everlasting _____________, everlasting ____________, everlasting ____________

Prayer:

Dearest Heavenly Father,

We thank you for the gift of everlasting life; a life that never ends in death.  We can live forever in Your Presence when we accept Jesus death on the cross as payment for our sins. One day we shall see Him as He is, and every knee will bow and tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. Please help us to remember that in Jesus, for every Good Friday, there is an Easter Sunday. One day we will rise to everlasting life, and live with You forever and ever.

In Jesus Holy Name,

Amen

“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” Rev. 21:4

This Easter, please accept the gift of everlasting life. Please click on the links below to learn how to enter into everlasting life.

Ever Lasting Life (article)

The Way To God (video)


 
everlasting. Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/everlasting (accessed: March 08, 2015).


The 12 Days of Easter: Day 1, Breath of Life

Day 1: Breath of Life

And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being. Genesis 2:7

breath [breth]

noun
1. the air inhaled and exhaled in respiration.
2. respiration, especially as necessary to life.
3. life; vitality.
The breath of life. In ancient Hebrew the neshamah chay. God breathed into man and he was transformed from clay to flesh; Holy CPR apart from which there is no life. The very breath of God brought man to life.
Interestingly, in Hebrew breath does not just refer to air. It also means spirit. On the day man was born, God instilled in him a spirit, which also needs to be brought to life by a breath of the Spirit. Breathe and breathe again. Born and born again. The first birth, God wills and chooses. The second birth, God wills and man chooses.
When my boys were little babies, early in the morning, I would place them in bed with me. Face to face, heart to heart, breath for breath, breathing the same air. In order for someone to breathe upon you, you must be that close; in the very breath of their presence.  Do you need God to breathe new life into the clay of your relationships, dreams, gifts, talents, and ministry? You must be face to Face, heart to Heart, breath for Breath, in His Presence, inhaling the breath of Life.
Point to Ponder:
What can you do to move closer to God today?
Prayer:
Dearest Father,
As I look forward to Easter, the day of new life, I ask that You breathe new life into my heart. As the life- giving breezes of spring freshen the rooms of a house shut tight to the bitterness of winter, help me to open wide the chambers of my heart to be renewed by the breath of Your Spirit. Melt away the icy bitterness of unforgiveness, sarcasm, and cynicism, and bring forth the fruit of your Spirit.  God, inhale and exhale life. Help me to breathe again.
In Jesus’ Holy Name,
Amen.
breath. Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/life (accessed: February 22, 2015).