March 12

Numbers 16:41 - 18:32

Mark 16

Psalm 55:1-23

Proverbs 11:7

"Now the Lord a door has opened 
That all Hell could never close."
~Rich Mullins, The Love of God

"No guilt in life, no fear in death 
This is the power of Christ in me 
From life's first cry to final breath 
Jesus commands my destiny 
No power of hell, no scheme of man 
Can ever pluck me from His hand 
'til He returns or calls me home 
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand"
~Stuart Townsend & Keith Getty, In Christ Alone

"Sound the church bells

Let them ring

Let them ring

For everything can be redeemed

We can be redeemed

Oh, all of us

Oh happiness! 

There is grace enough for us 

and the whole human race"

~David Crowder, Oh Happiness

"Crown Him the Lord of life

Who triumphed o'er the grave

Who rose victorious to the strife

For those He came to save

His glories now we sing

Who died and rose on high

Who died eternal life to bring

And lives that death may die "

~ Matthew Bridges & Godfrey Thring, Crown Him With Many Crowns

    

Today's reading from Mark 16 is the most important in our faith: Jesus rising from the dead of His own power. Jesus conquered the curse that has plagued mankind since the fall in the Garden of Eden. He conquered sin and death. He eliminated all the barriers between us and God and made a way for us to have a direct relationship with Him. Because of Jesus, we have hope. As we learned on Sunday with Peter, our failures are not fatal because through Jesus' saving grace we can be redeemed and restored. Someone who doubts, can be restored to faith. Someone who is afraid, can be given the courage to stand up for the truth. Someone who is grieving, can be comforted and experience joy again. Jesus restored each one of us by raising from the dead!