“‘Therefore’ of the resurrected life”  

Hopefully we paused our busy lives on Memorial weekend to remember those that served our great Nation and who gave the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedoms - their lives.  There is one too that gave His life so that we might have hope beyond the grave - His name is Jesus.  As I grow older and loved ones pass, I am more and more thankful for hope beyond the grave, but if you are reading this you are not in the grave yet!  Live out your life as God intended and in preparation for what lies beyond this life.

Spring is one of my favorite seasons - everything springs back to life!  For that life to spring back to “fruitfulness” it takes water and plenty of sun shine.  Nothing pleases nor glorifies God more than when we “spring to life” in the spirit.  That is, we start walking in the spirit.  Walking means progression - we progressively and intentionally continue to put off the old self, and continually put on the new man/woman.  We surrender ourselves to the Holy Spirit and see ourselves having died to sin (the old man/woman) and having become alive with Christ.  I like how Galatians 2:20 puts it, “…it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me…”   God has given us all that we need to grow, so that our "inward man is being renewed day by day”   But we must prepare, or set, our heart to seek Him - “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you…” (James 4:8)  The Bible says that the truly blessed person is the one that “His delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night.  He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall prosper.” 

We plan and look forward to a lot of things in this life, but the most important is yet to come!  

Therefore, “…put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him” (Col.3: 10).

Pastor Rodney

Ecclesiastes 12:9-14