Christians are pilgrims and strangers on earth. Unfortunately they sometimes forget that this world is not their home, and that leads to problems. When we forget that we live in a fallen world, and deserve nothing, we tend to have unrealistic expectations. We murmur and complain as though we are being cheated. That’s not fair–we’re not home yet. We have no right to expect heaven on earth. However, although not exempt from trials we are enabled to endure them. Christ provides all we need to get us through the toughest of times.

“How much more shall the blood of Christ, Who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” – Hebrews 9:14

Reflecting on the reality, the reason, and the results of our Lord’s resurrection gives us reason to rejoice. When God raised Jesus from the dead He was showing us He was satisfied with His sacrifice. That gives us assurance that if we accept Christ, God will accept us, because His sacrifice was acceptable. He was the perfect sacrifice!

Adrian Rogers said, “The Lord Jesus lived an amazing life. Do you realize that Jesus never corrected, withdrew, or amended any statement He ever made? I wish I could say that! Jesus Christ never apologized for anything He ever did or said. He never sought advice from anyone, nor ever needed to ask for forgiveness.

Jesus Christ doesn’t have any strong points. For Him to have strong points, He would have to have weak points. Robert Clark has rightly given this assessment of the character of Jesus: “There was meekness without weakness, tenderness without feebleness, firmness without coarseness, love without sentimentality, holiness without sanctimoniousness, lowliness without lowness, truth without error, enthusiasm without fanaticism, passion without prejudice, heavenly‑mindedness without forgetfulness, carefreeness without carelessness, service without servility, self‑exaltation without egotism, judgment without harshness, seriousness without somberness, mercy without softness.”

What a person was the Lord Jesus Christ! Today, embrace the death, burial and resurrection of our Savior with this renewed sense of Who He was—His matchless character. This is the One Who laid down His life for you.”

“Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over Him. For in that He died, He died unto sin once: but in that He liveth, He liveth unto God.” – Romans 6:9-10

The best news this old world has ever heard came from a graveside just outside Jerusalem. He is risen! On that day, life and death met in a tomb in mortal combat. Life won. Death died. Jesus died the death of debt. In that tomb, Jesus won the victory over death.

There is no more timeless truth than this: Jesus Christ was raised from the dead. That’s a truth that science cannot explain, history cannot repeat, and time cannot erode away. It is the Truth of all truths. And the Truth that proves Jesus is the Son of God.

Someone has said, “If Jesus Christ is still in that grave, nothing matters. But if He came out of the grave, nothing but that really matters.”–Adrian Rogers

“The Lord is risen.” Luke 24:34

JESUS once died for our sins, and He rose for our justification. He lay in the grave as our Substitute, He rose as our Representative. He died that we may live. He lives, and we shall live through Him, and with Him forever. He is risen, having conquered death, reconciled us to God, perfumed the grave, and finished the work which the Father gave Him to do. As He arose, so shall we. As He is gone into heaven, thither should our thoughts, our hopes, and our affections ascend. Jesus is risen, to plead our cause; manage our affairs; fulfill His precious promises; and to prepare for us mansions in our Father’s house. Sin was atoned for by His death, heaven is secured by His life. He is our risen, ascended, and reigning BROTHER. He is our conquering and crowned CAPTAIN. O let us think of, speak for, and devote ourselves to Jesus! He is above the world; let us live above its vanities, amusements, and trammels; let us look beyond death to that glorious resurrection, when we shall be raised from the dead, and possess bodies which shall be incorruptible, glorious, powerful, and spiritual.–James Smith

Jesus triumphs! sing His praise
‘Twas by death He overcame;
Thus the Lord His glory raises;
Thus He fills His foes with shame:
Sing His praise!
Praises to the Victor’s name.

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”–Heb 11:6

The faith for desperate days.The Bible is full of such days. Its record is made up of them, its songs are inspired by them, its prophecy is concerned with them, and its revelation has come through them.The desperate days are the stepping-stones in the path of light. They seem to have been God’s opportunity and man’s school of wisdom.

There is a story of an Old Testament love feast in Psalm 107, and in every story of deliverance the point of desperation gave God His chance. The “wit’s end” of desperation was the beginning of God’s power. Recall the promise of seed as the stars of heaven, and as the sands of the sea, to a couple as good as dead. Read again the story of the Red Sea and its deliverance, and of Jordan with its ark standing mid-stream. Study once more the prayers of Asa, Jehoshaphat, and Hezekiah, when they were sore pressed and knew not what to do. Go over the history of Nehemiah, Daniel, Hosea, and Habakkuk. Stand with awe in the darkness of Gethsemane, and linger by the grave in Joseph’s garden through those terrible days. Call the witnesses of the early Church, and ask the apostles the story of their desperate days.

Desperation is better than despair. Faith did not make our desperate days. Its work is to sustain and solve them. The only alternative to a desperate faith is despair, and faith holds on and prevails.

There is no more heroic example of desperate faith than that of the three Hebrew children. The situation was desperate, but they answered bravely, “Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning, fiery furnace; and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king. But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.” I like that, “but if not !”

I have only space to mention Gethsemane. Ponder deeply its “Nevertheless.” “If it is possible…nevertheless!” Deep darkness had settled upon the soul of our Lord. Trust meant anguish unto blood and darkness to the descent of hell—Nevertheless! Nevertheless!!

Now get your hymn book and sing your favorite hymn of desperate faith. —Samuel Chadwick

“When obstacles and trials seem
Like prison walls to be,
I do the little I can do
And leave the rest to Thee.

“And when there seems no chance, no change,
From grief can set me free,
Hope finds its strength in helplessness,
And calmly waits for Thee.”