Dear Friends, 

 Many people around this time of year will be celebrating Easter. When I think about the significance of Easter—meaning Jesus’s death, burial, and resurrection, I am reminded of an incident that occurred many years ago…   

Although I was a believer, I had fallen into bondage and had been there for quite some time. I was so locked up inside I could not escape! I prayed earnestly for about a year…then one morning around 4am I awoke in my bed. I looked up at the black ceiling and I had an open vision. It was not a “dream” as I was fully awake! I saw Jesus hanging on the Cross. I could not see His face due to the immense light that shone around it. I noticed a dead lamb draped around His neck. I pointed to it and acknowledged to the Lord, “That’s me, isn’t it?” He replied, “Yes.” Then continuing, He said, “You see, when I died, you died with me and when I rose again, you rose with me, and I gave you new life…MY LIFE.” Colossians 2:11-14 confirms this…   

  “Through our union with him, we have experienced circumcision of heart. All of the guilt and power of sin has been cut away and is now extinct because of what Christ, the Anointed One, has accomplished for us. For we’ve been buried with him into his death. Our “baptism into death” also means we were raised with him when we believed in God’s resurrection power, the power that raised him from death’s realm. This “realm of death” describes our former state, for we were held in sin’s grasp.  But now, we’ve been resurrected out of that “realm of death” never to return, for we are forever alive and forgiven of all our sins! He canceled out every legal violation we had on our record and the old arrest warrant that stood to indict us. He erased it all—our sins, our stained soul—he deleted it all and they cannot be retrieved! Everything we once were in Adam has been placed onto his cross and nailed permanently there as a public display of cancellation.” (TPT) 

 WOW! Thinking about what Jesus said to me, I suddenly realized the magnitude and weight of my sins. I was in awe that He could bear it. Then I gasped when I realized He took the punishment for the sins of everyone in the world. When I comprehended the magnitude of His sacrifice, I asked Him, “How could you bear all that?” His reply was short and simple, “BECAUSE I AM GOD!” Then the vision disappeared, and I was left in such awe and wonderment! When Jesus died on the Cross it wasn’t just some historical event or a theory—it actually happened and the work of the Cross still stands firm today!

Soon afterward I was miraculously delivered and healed! Oh, what a mighty God we have! He is so kind and forgiving and is patient with us even when we make the same mistakes over and over again. But it is to our benefit that we stop and take His hand of grace TODAY because we are the ones who suffer at our own hands! It doesn’t have to continue this way! You can BEGIN AGAIN with Him! All is NOT lost…it’s just beginning for you if you will surrender your life to Him! 

In His Loving Name, 

Life With Father Ministries 

SPRINGTIME FOR THE SOUL 

“So above all, guard the affections of your heart, for they affect all that you are. Pay attention to the welfare of your innermost being, for from there flows the wellspring of life.” Proverbs 4:23 (TPT) 

The word “heart” used in this verse includes our thoughts, our wills, our discernment, and our affections. The New Century version says it this way… “Be careful what you think, because your thoughts run your life.” The meaning of the word “wellspring” in the first version is the Hebrew word “yasa” which means “seasons,” especially springtime. So, you could say that; out of the heart flow the seasons of life. And if your heart is tender to God, you can live in perpetual springtime! 

Taking care of your inner person is crucial because the health of your inner person determines how you navigate your outward circumstances (whether successful or not)! Have you ever considered that where you are in life today has everything to do with the way you think? Have you realized the fact that maybe you have neglected or abused your own mind and emotions? Have you allowed yourself to accumulate and circulate garbage in your mind that is of no use or profit to you? The way you think has everything to do with what your life looks like! Your thought life also affects how you believe. But the GOOD NEWS is that you can change your mind! Your attitude and overall health can change. You can start over and become a brand-new person with a bright future.  

Now, you might be a very nice and polite person, but still, your small, natural way of thinking must change if you want more out of life! Feelings of frustration occur in your life because it’s signaling to you that there is way more to life than where you are now!

But getting rid of the toxic thoughts does not occur overnight. You didn’t get where you are today instantly. No, it was a steady process of wrong thinking and behaving over the course of years that led you to the place where you are today. Do you realize that when you harbor and regurgitate painful thoughts and ugly memories, holding on to unforgiveness and bitterness, you are only hurting yourself? The inner turmoil you inflict upon yourself must stop! Think about what you are doing…it’s like sitting in the driver’s seat of your life with one foot on the accelerator and the other on the brake. You are just spinning your wheels and going nowhere! Your thoughts and attitudes must change so that your mind can heal and your life can be restored. 

Philippians 4:6-9 gives us specific instructions and examples of how we should think and behave… “Do not worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks. And God’s peace, which is so great we cannot understand it, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus…think about the things that are good and worthy of praise. Think about the things that are true and honorable and right and pure and beautiful and respected. Do what you learned and received from me, what I told you, and what you saw me do. And the God who gives peace will be with you.  (GNT) 

Allow yourself to think about good things such as what you are thankful for. Make a list of them and read them to yourself every day. As you read them, thank the Lord for all He has done. What has He done for you??? Maybe you feel as though He’s done nothing for you! You may feel as if you are in a precarious place right now like you’re dangling from a cliff’s edge! The truth is that it’s worse than that! If you do not have God now, you will die and suffer eternal separation from Him forever! 

SPRINGTIME FOR THE SOUL (Cont’d)

But the Lord has wonderful timing don’t you think? Even if you don’t love yourself, God DOES! He has brought this message of HOPE to your attention! This is His way of giving you another chance to take His invitation for a better life here and beyond! Take His hand of Salvation and thank Him for yet another chance to make the right decision to turn around to face His goodness!! 

Following are some important tips in helping you regain a sound, healthy mind… Don’t replay old hurts or angry moments. The only reason you would need to rethink them is to possibly make amends to someone you injured or forgive someone who has injured you. If you know you need to apologize to someone, do so at the earliest moment. If you need to forgive, then sincerely forgive, pray for the person who injured you, and then let it go! After you have made amends where possible, the situation is now resolved so there’s no need to replay it in your mind. Like changing the channel on a bad TV program, the remote is in YOUR hands and you can control these thoughts! Practice changing your attention to something constructive like the TRUTH of God’s Word! Replace the old worthless thoughts with the new powerful Words and thoughts of God!  

Don’t get stuck in self-centered, self-absorbed, and small-minded ways of thinking only of yourself because you will never find satisfaction and fulfillment that way. Trying to satiate oneself is like trying to fill a black hole—there is no bottom, so it can never be filled. There is nothing in this world that can compare with knowing Jesus personally and walking in your God-given purpose. There is nothing that can satisfy you and give you deep joy and abiding peace as experiencing Jesus daily.  

As you practice the basic Christian principles outlined below, you can move on to greater things! Like a student, search and research these things, put the Scriptures to memorization, and put them into practice and you will be on your way to discovering and fulfilling your divine purpose! And as you pursue the things that are pleasing to the Lord, He will pave a solid secure path before you. You can be certain that this kind of investment will provide a solid return!  

Today, may the Lord strengthen your heart and mind as you hold fast to the truth that Jesus is Who He is and does what He says He will do! What do you need to do to demonstrate your faith in Him today? Here are just a few examples… 

• Read your Bible every day. 
• Pray honestly and with sincerity. 
• Tell God how you feel and ask Him to help you think the way He thinks. Ask Him for His peace. 
• Think of ways you can be a blessing to others. 
• Pray for others, not just yourself and your family. 
• Ask God to enable you daily to behave in a Christ-like manner. 
• Forgive everyone and don’t blame anyone else for your own actions (or lack of action.) Take responsibility for your own life.  
• Don’t speak negatively—agree with God’s powerful, faith-filled Word. 
• Don’t worry about anything—give your worries to God and ask Him to help you every day.
• Find a good church.
• Get connected with other Christians who can support and pray with you.     

YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN!

When speaking with Nicodemus in John chapter 3, Jesus said to him, “‘I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.’ ‘What do you mean?’ exclaimed Nicodemus… Jesus replied, ‘I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’” (John 3:37 NLT)   

Being Born Again is just the beginning of a lifelong relationship with God. The beginning of any healthy relationship is honesty. Clearly, you are out of step and out of touch with God and you need to admit that. Once you admit you are a sinner, you need to ask the Lord for forgiveness so that you can be reconciled to Him.   

Right now, Jesus is pursuing you and wants to bless and love you like you’ve never been loved before! Perhaps you know you don’t deserve such kindness and yet that is why Jesus died on the Cross. He paid for your sin and now He simply invites you into an incredible relationship of honesty and trust. Then He promises that, once you physically die, you will join Him in heaven! Have you been Born Again by the Spirit of the living God? If not, why don’t you make that decision today? With all sincerity of heart, pray the “Prayer of Salvation below and ask the Lord to give you the gift of new life!   

PRAYER OF SALVATION 

Dear Jesus, I’m so sorry for all the things I’ve done up until this day. The punishment for sin is certainly death. (Romans 6:23) But You took my place and died so that I could be free from selfishness and sin and have eternal life. I acknowledge that You died for me and I accept Your death as payment for my sins. Please, Jesus, come into my life, make me new, and be my Lord and Savior. Teach me how to have a relationship with you. Guide me and strengthen me to do what is right so that I can live pleasing to you. Thank you, Jesus, for Your great sacrifice on the Cross. Thank you for giving me eternal life! Amen. 

FOUR GUIDELINES FOR QUIET TIME