This is my first post here on Church Set Free. I am going to repost a few things I have done on my own blog, Truth in Palmyra to Start with. Hope readers enjoy and get a blessing from them!

Because He Lives

Jesus Christ is alive!

Buddha-Dead Joseph Smith- Dead Mohammed-Dead

David Koresh-Dead Krishna-Dead Charles Taze Russell-Dead

Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,

All the founders and prophets of all the great “religions” of the world are dead. They all died and they all have stayed quite dead. None have risen, nor have any claimed to have risen. Only Jesus has ever made that claim.

God sent His son, They called Him Jesus. He came to love, heal and forgive. He lived and died, to buy my pardon. An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.

God sent His Son. God sent Himself. 100% man because man had to pay for the sin of man. 100% God because only an infinite God could pay the infinite price of man’s sin. They called Him Jesus. Really, though, Jesus was just a name like any other in that day. The true meaning our our savior’s name is far deeper.

Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

He came to love, heal and forgive. We have all sinned; all have failed to meet God’s standard of perfection and holiness. All have sinned and come short of the glory of God. There is none righteous, no not one. The proscribed penalty for this failure is death, physical and spiritual. God cannot abide or look upon anything less than perfect holiness, because He Himself is perfect and Holy. Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity:. Of course we know the penalty for sin is death: The wages of sin is death. But God loves us, and He wants us to be forgiven and restored to Him.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

He lived and died, to buy my pardon. By His stripes we are healed. By the atoning work and death of Jesus Christ we can be forgiven of our sins, whether large or small. That would be mine, yours and anyone who repents and believes. And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.

An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives. That’s easy. He was put there, now He is not there. The naysayers can deny and resist, but the physical resurrection remains the single most important event in human history. It’s quite simple. He’s NOT there.

How sweet to hold a new born baby, and feel the pride and joy he gives. But greater still is that assurance the child can face uncertain days because He lives.

Yes, God has given us the things of this world to provide joy and enjoyment to us during our days in it. He proved that when He put Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden with all of the wonders of His creation available to them(minus one of course.) The Lord even gave us children and families as a thing to be treasured. But this pales in comparison the the fact that, because Jesus overcame death, that we need not fear anything.

For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father.

These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.

And then one day, I’ll cross that river. I’ll fight life’s final war with pain. And then as death gives way to victory. I’ll see the light of glory and I’ll know that He lives.

Paul lived for that moment because he knew that greater things awaited him when he exited this life. Read what he said to his young protege Timothy.

For I am now ready to be offered, and the time of my departure is at hand. I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

If Jesus was physically, bodily resurrected(and He was!) then will we be.

Jesus said unto her, 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. Believest thou this?

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power.

Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, all fear is gone.
Because I know, He holds the future.
And life is worth the living just because He lives.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow. Because He lives, tomorrow indeed holds no mystery of uncertainty. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? That sting, that victory, is non existent! Jesus assured there would be no sting, and He conquered death through His resurrection and victory over it. Because He lives, all fear is gone. No fear. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Because I know, He holds the future. If readers have ever listened to this song, then they will know that the “know” here is carried out for several beats, rising in pitch and volume. Almost as if to present the knowing as more and more certain. That is because it IS more and more certain. And life is worth the living just because He lives. My life seems pretty good overall, but even in the midst of my many blessings I would wonder if it was all indeed worth it, if this life was the totality of it. The blessings are many, as Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. but the promise of what comes next is even more outstanding. Even the thief on the cross next to our Lord heard this: And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. One of our promises of the resurrection is this: Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. And finally, one of the passages which most assures me: In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. If Jesus were still in that grave, He could not be anywhere preparing a place for us; however, He is not there. He is in Heaven at the right hand of the Father, preparing an eternal home for us.

All of this, simply

Because He Lives!

God sent His son, They called Him Jesus. He came to love, heal and forgive. He lived and died, to buy my pardon. An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.

How sweet to hold a new born baby, and feel the pride and joy he gives. But greater still is that assurance the child can face uncertain days because He lives.

And then one day, I’ll cross that river. I’ll fight life’s final war with pain. And then as death gives way to victory. I’ll see the light of glory and I’ll know that He lives.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, all fear is gone.
Because I know, He holds the future.
And life is worth the living just because He lives.

Bill and Gloria Gaither