Fearlessly CourageousDesk of Dennis Piller4 11 2023
The Angel said – Do Not be Afraid!
The world was really grim for His followers. The military King they were looking for was gone. He didn’t overthrow the Roman tyranny instead they put him in a grave. Their hope was gone and the future was even worse than when Jesus had come. But when they got to the tomb the Angel said "He has risen Just Like He Said!" Matt 28
Hard to believe or fathom. It wasn’t supposed to be this way.
Are we so really different? We may not be facing death. Or a tyrannical government searching us out for the Colosseum but we have our own mountains, times of crisis, health issues, divorce, abuse, and addiction, not to mention our own form of hopelessness and even terror! The angel also said to them; “Do not be afraid”There are times when it appears all is lost. But he tells us to remember and "Don’t be Afraid". It surely appeared there was no hope for Peter and his friends back then but God does his best work in the most hopeless situations. Today I want to invite you to look beyond the bleakness of your situation. Look beyond what seems obvious or unchangeable and remember the words of the Angel at the tomb. Don’t be afraid, he has risen just like He said.
Today we have an entire book of His words, his truth, and his promises. They begin with an empty tomb. He defeated death and sickness. The King of Hope and Goodness. The King of Salvation…redemption. He tells us to choose this day who we will believe. Your circumstances or His empty tomb?
The faith to believe is his. The courage to overcome is his. The hope for redemption is anchored in Him. It isn’t trying to walk alone, setting goals or working harder, It says in Eph 2:8 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.”
The resurrection of Jesus was an intentional act of God. The decision to send Jesus to be flogged, mutilated, and horrifically crucified for us was intentional, and then the clear-cut miracle of being raised from death for us was intentional and premeditated and clearly the greatest gift from everlasting to everlasting.
By both word and deed, he has proven himself over and over again that he is everlastingly faithful. Instead of retaliating against us, He offered the gift of eternal love and redemption in the person of His son Jesus. He promises a place for us for all eternity in a world beyond what we could ever ask or imagine. He has promised in 365 different places that he will walk with us and to not be afraid. One for every day of our year. We are not alone. Ps 23
He promises to meet you in your pain and to help you, saying, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10). There is no reason to fear; you are not alone.
He said, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die: John 11:25https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AStr4gfQGTM
I am not ashamed of the Gospel The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir
