THE EVENT THAT SHOUTS HOPE!

In just a few short days we will celebrate another Easter! Without a doubt, this is the most important day of our year. On this day we celebrate the event that shouts HOPE to the world, the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Because of the resurrection, regardless of your life circumstances, nothing is so dead that God cannot bring it back to life.

As you prepare for Easter this year, many of you are facing some extremely challenging circumstances in your life. Losing hope is really easy these days. Let me challenge you to think about the things in which you hope. Maybe God is challenging those things so that we will again remember that all true hope begins with the promises of God. While we may enjoy many of the people and things the world offers us, we will never get real and lasting hope through them.

This kind of hope is only found in the life, death, burial, resurrection and promised return of Christ. True hope is in a person and that person is Jesus and Jesus alone. So grab hold of these truths and have real hope for the days ahead. And remember, if the resurrection is true, nothing that matters to God is so dead that God cannot resurrect it to life.

Read Jim's blogs at http://www.heartofthecanyons.com

ABIDING IN CHRIST

Jesus makes it very clear that when we attach to the true vine (Jesus), He produces in us fruits that enrich our lives and change our world. We cannot, apart from Christ, find meaning and fulfillment in life.

It is great being in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” As you live in Christ, what is valuable will begin to surface as the old passes away and the new comes.

I know we confronted some hard issues in the past several weeks, and I hope each of us has asked some honest questions about our spiritual life and health. But this week I want you to take some time to just enjoy abiding in Christ. As you do, you will begin to find deep pleasure in times of worship. You will look forward to connecting with God’s people in fellowship. The Bible will be more than a book to read, it will be a tool that God uses to disciple your heart. You will want to participate in the ministry of the church, and you will see your world differently.

Learn to enjoy the life of Christ in you. You are amazing people. I thank God for the privilege of growing in my faith as you grow in yours and as we grow together. Don’t forget to pray about God’s will for the land.

Discovering the Secret of Spiritual Living

Deitrich Bonhoffer once said, “The call of Christ is first a call to die.” The reason we sometimes struggle to live the Christian life is because we have not learned how to die to our spiritual self-sufficiency and our self-centeredness. This last Sunday we considered the call of Christ to “deny yourself, take up your cross daily and follow me.”

This week, I hope you will take time to ask God to show you areas of your life where you are living independently of Him. Where are you allowing self-centeredness to affect your walk with Christ? According to Jesus’ words, this must be done daily.

Begin each day this week surrendering your will to God. Ask Him to help you die to yourself so you can effectively live for Him. It may be the toughest week you ever had, but you will experience God like never before.

Join me this week. Let’s learn together how we can die to self so we can live unto God!

Read Jim's blogs at http://www.heartofthecanyons.com