But on the Third Day!

  But on the Third Day
“'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men,
be crucified and on the third day be raised again.' "
    Luke 24:7 (NIV)

                        Did he say if …again?

     “’If he be the king of Israel, let him now come down from the cross: and we will believe him.’” (Matthew 27:42n GNT)

    “‘If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.’"                  (Matt.23:37NIV)

    “‘If you are the Messiah, save yourself and us!’"(Luke 23:39 HNV)

Satan - “Ha! Look at the mighty Jesus now. He’s so pitiful. He didn’t even put up a fight.  Crown me king. Let the party begin!”  (Laughter shakes the gates of hell.)

Heartbroken disciples stand in the rain as thunder, lightning and earthquake, shatter their hopes. He was gone. Really gone! How they had hoped for a miracle… but there was no miracle. Evil got its way. They had looked for Messiah all their lives. Their dream had died. 

They would take Him down from the cross. They would bury Him and come later to put more perfume on His body. It was the least they could do…it was all they could do.

                                                            But… three days later.

Hell’s Demons – (screaming) “What have you do with us, Jesus?”

Jesus – (His eyes, piercing and full of fury) “Give me the keys—now!”

Satan – (Bowing) He hands over the keys of hell and death and runs.
   
Rising above the cruelty of those who crucified Him, Jesus spoke up for you. “It is finished!” Jesus did what He came to do… make a way for your forgiveness…a way for you to become His child.

                                You are free. There are no more ifs.                          

“Christ redeemed us from that self-defeating, cursed life by absorbing it completely into himself. Do you remember the Scripture that says, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’? That is what happened when Jesus was nailed to the Cross:
He became a curse, and at the same time dissolved the curse.”
Galatians 3:13 (MSG)
  
 Dear Lord,
        You…are who you say you are.
                                            I… am who you say I am.
                                                                                    No and's, if's or but's!

                                                                                    Not Guilty
                                               “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;
                                                                     the old has gone, the new has come”
                             II Corinthians 5:17

Once there was a girl who didn’t know how much God loved her…until one horrible, wonderful day. She got caught—red-handed! Everyone said, “ She should die for this. We really got her this time. We always knew she was no good .”
  
There was a problem, however. Jesus just happened to be there. Everyone stopped and listened, “ If you are perfect, if you have never done anything wrong—go ahead—kill her.” Well, they all walked away, one by one.

Then only Jesus and the girl were left. Looking into His eyes of liquid love, she knew no one could love her more than this lovely Jesus.  He set her on her two feet again, “I do not condemn you. You are free. I love and forgive you...completely.” How happy she was. She was forgiven. She was brand new.
 
One of your enemy’s goals is to make you feel guilty. He stirs your bad memories and taunts, “You’re such a looser.”

You aren’t supposed to live like that. Jesus took all your sins. When you make a mistake come to Him. Tell Him everything and get forgiveness. Then your enemy will run. 

Adam and Eve were so ashamed after they disobeyed God. They tried to hide, but He found them. He found them because He loved them. He found them because He had forgiveness for them. And He found them because He still had a plan for them. 

                                      “God is faithful and reliable. If we confess our sins,
                      he forgives them and cleanses us from everything we've done wrong”
                                                                  I John 1:9 GW
        Dear Lord,   
        I am not afraid to talk to You about my mistakes...about anything.

Me Too?

                                                                     Me Too?
                   “If the world hates you, realize that it hated me before it hated you.”

                                                                John 15:18 GW


 You’re a powerhouse. You believe God and love Jesus. You’re dangerous to God’s enemy. Why? You’re beginning to act like the King’s kid. Jesus has forgiven your sins and you feel so good. Listen to the  new you.

This is for me. This is who Christ says I am. I can go anywhere—pursue any dream. He is with me and He is for me. He sees me…He knows me…He loves me. 
I’m more than a conqueror. I’m a warrior!
 
The devil hears your voice. He begins to shake in terror. Then he remembers, “Oh yeah…I’m the devil… the craftiest one of all. Boy, for a minute there, I almost forgot who I was. Come on, Sport. Get your act together. This will be easy…this will be fun…my favorite thing…my best thing!”

Satan attacks your mind with fierce condemnation but he speaks with quiet subtlety. “Oh, really? Do you really think you are worth more than two cents? You really believe God can forgive you after what you’ve done? Maybe others… but not you. Besides, what’s all your boasting? Is that Christian talk? Is that being humble?  Look around, compare yourself to others. Still the warrior?”

Satan went after Jesus; he’ll go after you too. You’re his enemy. He wants to condemn you, belittle you, demean you, and put you in a box. Do you think it was a piece of cake when Jesus encountered Satan?  It was more than difficult—it was torture. But He won! Jesus won for you. And that is why—you’re a winner!

Jesus’ story is your story. Don’t change it!

                              “And now, all glory to God, who is able to keep you from stumbling, 
                and who will bring you into his glorious presence innocent of sin and with great joy.”
                                                                      Jude 1:24 NLT
      
Dear Lord,
        Because of you, I will win today .Thank you.

If

If 
“Then the Devil came to him and said, "If you are God's Son,
 order these stones to turn into bread."
Matthew 4:3 GNT
   

The devil was armed and ready. I’ve waited thousands of years for this moment. Surely it’s going to be a piece of cake just as it had been with Adam and Eve. Ha ha! Oh, I can’t wait to get my claws on the Son of God and watch Him stumble and fall. What a day this is going to be!
 
But stuffed way down in the devil’s memory was the looming prophecy declaring the child of Eve would bruise his head. God had spoken it, but hey, God would lose again…
wouldn’t He? 
Overcome with hunger Jesus looked longingly at the rocks. Oh, Father, we’re almost there. Forty days and nights, no food…no drink but still I have to meet my arch enemy. I’ve got to win back what Adam lost. I’ll do it for them, for my people.

                                             When God ended the fast Jesus would be up and running.

                                                                               The Test


Satan’s eyes gleamed. Oh, look at the hungry Jesus. I’ll get Him when He’s weak. I’ve got a good shot of making Him sin. Then everything will be mine. All mine! (shaking with laughter)

    The devil- “If you’re the Son of God tell these stones to become bread.”
    Jesus - “It is written. I will live by what God says.”

    The devil - “If you’re the Son of God throw yourself down for the angels will catch you and wow—you’ve got a message!”
    Jesus - “I will not tempt God.”

    The devil - “If you bow down and worship me I will give you all the kingdoms of the world.”
    Jesus’ last reply - “I don’t worship you. I worship God.”
                                                   
                                                                         The Victory

As the devil ran with his tail between his legs, angels came immediately and strengthened Jesus. The enemy had jeered at Him, “If—You’re the Son of God.” What audacity! Jesus knew who He was and He didn’t change His story.

Neither should you. No devil can push you around. You’re a King’s kid, a child of God, full of worth and value No ands, ifs, or buts about it!
       

 “Jesus returned to Galilee powerful in the Spirit.
That he was back spread through the countryside.”
Luke 4:14 MSG
   

 Dear Lord, I won’t forget I’m yours and I’ll act like it too. Thank you.