Beloved in Christ,

May the only true God who causes all good things to be called unto your life, be your ever present help.

Jesus says, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:” In the present, we do not hear much about rapture. However early christians used to comfort each other with these words “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.”

Before speaking about resurrection, we need to be clear on the below grounds. 1 Corinthians chapter 15 addresses the resurrection of dead.

14 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.

17 And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.

19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

• Your faith is not in vain.

Pastor Michael Myers says that faith is the heaven’s currency. Never underestimate your faith even on trial. It is of more value than gold - 1 Peter 1:7. Jude 1:20 calls our faith “Most Holy”. Amplified version of the same verse, when talking about building our faith states “continually progress, rise like an edifice higher and higher”. In Acts 15:9, it states that faith is the purifier of heart!

• If we believe that our faith is not in vain we are not in our sins.

Many times I have gone through the cycle of sin and repentance. The only way to overcome this is through faith in the resurrected Christ. And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of His Spirit who lives in you. - Romans 8:11. Faith in the resurrected Christ and freedom from sin is inextricably linked. He is the firstborn. The last Adam. The one who showed us how to live and the one walking with you.

• Our hope does not end here.

It is time we stopped worrying God about what we eat or drink. He will feed and clothe us. Our hope in Christ is beyond imagination. It is exceedingly rich and glorious, that Paul prays that the Ephesians’ eyes be opened. 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.

The more we grow with Christ, the deeper is our admiration of Christ and His word. Resurrection changes everything. If we follow Paul’s conviction in 2 Corinthians 5:14 - “One died therefore all died.” So we are resurrected with Him.

Okay, what does that mean to me? I believe that resurrection gives way to abundant life which is the next step in salvation. John 10:10 - I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Abundant life is knowing God and Jesus Christ. John 17:3 “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”

Dear brothers and sisters, we did not find God. God found us. That we may be saved and have an abundant life. Which is knowing the only true God. Therefore, do not resist the Holy Spirit who works ceaselessly to make us the first fruits.

Let us acknowledge the Lord;

let us press on to acknowledge him.

As surely as the sun rises,

he will appear;

he will come to us like the winter rains,

like the spring rains that water the earth.” : Hosea 6:3

May his resurrection resurrect you.

Bro Gideon Paul Rufus

God's love missions family