Fw: moving forward from Easter

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: Rob Smith <toanosmith@yahoo.com>
To: Rob Smith <rsmith@mycwa.com>
Sent: Saturday, April 29, 2017 7:24 AM
Subject: moving forward from Easter

We recently celebrated Easter...the great remembrance that the one who was perfect became perfectly estranged from His father to bear our punishment on a Cross of execution...and then rose from the dead to proclaim victory over sin.  So now we move forward from Easter and we appropriate this great work on our behalf.  But just what shall we do?  How shall we live now in light of this great truth?  What actually should change about our behavior?

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Hebrews, chapter 10, gives some guidance.  After teaching on the effectiveness of Christ's perfect sacrifice the author gives us stepping stones to follow, as we also must rise to new life.

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Hebrews 10:¹⁹ Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰ by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, ²¹ and since we have a great priest over the house of God, ²² let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. ²³ Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. ²⁴ And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, ²⁵ not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

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Here are three phrases that provide stepping stones to action:

"Let us draw near"

"Let us hold fast"

"Let us consider"

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A great price has been paid to gain our direct access to the Lord.  Nothing hinders us from taking every thought, every concern and every need directly to Him.  And we can dwell at His feet, in His throne room and behold the beauty and wonder and peace that comes from His presence: "Let us draw near".

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Day by day, as we walk through the challenges of living we will face doubts, discouragement and we will stumble at times.  We need to keep returning to the promise of our Savior, that His love for us was perfected through His saving work on our behalf.  Our destiny is secure in Him and our hope is established: "Let us hold fast".

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And there is something for us to do to encourage others...to share this love we have received with people who need to know...to gather and celebrate and worship the God who gave all and gives life to all who will receive Him: "Let us consider".

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As we move away from Easter on the calendar we keep moving toward our Creator and Savior, with the help of His Spirit.  We draw near, hold fast and consider all that has been done and all that we are and all that we can be because He lives!

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blessings,

Rob Smith