APRIL 2015


PAGE 17


THE GOOD NEWS “Be It Unto Me”


You faithfully answer our prayers with awesome deeds, O God our savior. You are the hope of everyone on earth, even those who sail on distant seas. Psalm 65:5 NLT


By Pastor Chuck Klingman It's Easter! For


most people, Easter is a holiday. Most employees get the day off. Many Chris- tians attend a church service. Most fami- lies or friends get to-


gether, while the kids hunt for colorful Easter eggs. But, Easter is so much more than a religious holiday! Easter is all about hearts embracing


"the always buoyant Hope that does not ever disappoint," found only in our resur- rected Lord and Savior. Easter is all about regular people over-


coming the world, and everything it can throw at us, by trusting the victorious King of kings, who, Himself, has conquered hell, death and the grave. Easter is all about real people whose faith possesses a living, tangible


victory over the enemy of our souls. Please allow me to explain. Easter is all about the ultimate, everlasting


triumph found through trusting Jesus in every way! Easter is about a "sure thing," an "eternal reality," and a "rock-solid promise" held out from a loving God to every person who will actually, by faith, reach out and lay ahold of the gift of God, everlasting life, found in the resurrected life of Christ Jesus. Easter is also all about lasting proof found in His resurrection...proof for


all of us that Jesus is who He claimed He is, the Messiah...proof for us that what the Word of God foretold about Him is all true...proof that Jesus has the power to do anything He has said, including conquer hell and death...proof that He does exactly what He says He will do...and, once again, proof that our God is entirely faithful! In perfect love, Jesus took upon Himself, at Calvary's cross, the pun-


ishment of our sin (the self-trust that rebels against going God's perfect way). Jesus took upon Himself our infirmities and sicknesses broke through every bondage of the soul, demolished the devil's power, and by His stripes at Calvary we are healed. So that here and now, by FAITH, beyond the open tomb that temporarily held His body, we can exchange our self-willed, sin ravished, enslaved lives for the GIFT of His resurrected, eternally victorious life, BEING ONE with our Heavenly Father. That's Easter! Now, how does this happen for you, and for me? By our faith (living


again trusting God to lead us)...only, and always. But, what does such "saving faith" look like in a follower of Jesus? Does


it look like church membership? No! Does it look like really good works and attitudes? No! Does it look like worldly power, popularity, and great talents? No, not at all! So then, what does such "real faith" look like? Let's let the Bible teach


us. First, scripture is directing us to: "Look Unto Jesus (for our example), the author and finisher of our faith,


Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you be-


come weary and discouraged in your souls." (Hebrews 12:2-3 NKJV)


And, when we look at Jesus as our ex-


ample of "faith" for us to follow, we can see that:


"(Jesus) went a little farther and fell on


His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; Nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will!" (Matthew 26:39 NKJV)


"Nevertheless, I'll follow Your will and


word, Father." That statement sounds like real faith...faith in who God is, and what He says! Now, here's another example of real, saving faith...the kind of faith that will ex- change our lives for the gift of the Lord's resurrected life. The angel of the Lord ap- peared to Mary, the Lord's own mother, and


revealed the plans and the will of God concerning her, explaining how He would do it (by the power of the Holy Spirit), and, challenging Mary that any- thing that God had spoken would, therefore, be absolutely possible, if she believed. And Mary responded with true faith. Listen in:


"And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; Be it unto me ac-


cording to Thy word." (Luke 1:38 KJV) That, my friends, is what faith, real faith, looks like and sounds like. Listen


one more time: "BE IT UNTO ME ACCORDING TO THY WORD." In other words, do in me exactly what You, God, have spoken! If we


stand upon such biblical faith...if we walk by such biblical faith, nothing that God has promised to us will be impossible. And, God will be greatly glori- fied...God will be deeply blessed. Now, That’s Easter...every day.


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