Easter PS
What a great day! I loved the services this morning and loved talking to many people, both first time guests and longtime members. I was encouraged by a couple of wonderful testimonies today.
Those of you here in Kansas City remember hearing this past week of the death of firefighter Terrance Crockett. Terrance had a solid testimony of spiritual influence in the lives of his colleagues. His brother James is a member of KCBT, and Terrance had been attending frequently, too. Just recently we chatted after a service in the International Visitors Suite. Today, his brother Jeff stopped by to chat. Terrance had been bringing Jeff to church and encouraging him in his walk. I was blessed to hear Jeff say that his desire was to carry on his brother’s positive influence. Jeff was so grateful for all God had done through his brother, both in his own life and the lives of many others. If you bump into Jeff or James, be sure to encourage them and share your prayers for their family.
Looking out from my post in the International Visitors Suite, I saw a young woman approaching me. She was with a man that seemed to be her father, and she had a protective mask over her nose and mouth. Suddenly, it dawned on me who she was as she approached. This was Michelle for whom I had prayed following a service months ago. Her situation was very precarious. She was in need of both heart and lungs and she was developing dangerous blood clots. They were taking her to Saint Louis for a possible transplant, and her situation was very much in doubt. We prayed together and cried out to God to intervene on her behalf. This time of prayer was a landmark for her and her family and we agreed together that God was able to provide what she needed. We received a wonderful peace that God would answer our prayer.
Here’s the story. Michelle was on the transplant list, but matching organs are rare. All the preparatory studies had been made and she was just waiting. It was late fall and she was still waiting. As she waited, her situation continued to deteriorate. Finally, the doctors told her they had done all they knew to do. There just didn’t seem to be any hope of finding just the right organs for her particular needs. Basically, they were telling her and her parents that she should prepare to die. They were taking her off the list.
They remembered our time of prayer and the confidence that God had given them. They held on to hope against hope. Right after receiving the bad news, the phone rang at 2:30am. Miraculously, just the right organs had become available and they were to report immediately. That was just about three months ago, and today she was walking unassisted through the lobby of our church! Had it not been for the protective shield, you would never have picked her out of the crowd. The doctors are amazed by the speed and strength of her recovery and told her that situations like hers, a call back, happen only two or three times a year anywhere in the world.
Two testimonies — totally different, both victorious. Both based in the power of the resurrected Jesus Christ. I quoted Paul’s words in 1 Corinthians 15 a couple of times this morning. I am thinking of these other words from the same chapter.
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:55-57
Reflecting on these two encouraging testimonies, I am wondering how I can specifically live my life tomorrow in the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Every day should be characterized by this supernatural power. If God promises to always give us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ, we should never expect any less than victory and should never accept any thing less.
The brother of a dead firefighter could choose to withdraw, become bitter, angry or overcome with sorrow. Instead, he chooses to follow the example of his brother who used his life to positively influence people in the power of the resurrected Christ.
A family faced with insurmountable odds from a human perspective holds on to their confidence in God’s ability to answer prayer. He did. In the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, he gave a young woman another chance at life.
Tomorrow, you and I will be faced with decisions, some little and some big. May we make right decisions based in our faith in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Consider Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians.
The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. Ephesians 1:18-23
What’s your testimony of victory? How will the power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead change your life this next week?