April 2023 Revealing Light Newsletter

We can only do anything if we have life. If there is no life, we can do nothing. Do you ever consider the power of life? Do you ever consider what all must happen in order for you to even have life today? Does it even seem possible that food sustains all the energy you need to live each day, or do we have another sustainer and giver of life?

After Jesus had fasted for 40 days out in the wilderness without food, Satan came to tempt Jesus with some self-provided food. He suggested to Jesus, "If you are the Son of God, why not turn this stone into bread to eat? You are hungry, right?" (paraphrased Matthew 4:2-3). Jesus replied with the Word of God,
  “It is written,
      “ ‘Man shall not live by bread alone,
      but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ”
Jesus knew that we do not receive life only by food alone but also by the life-giving Word of God, the giver of life [read part 2]. God gives us life today and life with him eternally through Jesus Christ.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we thank you for the gracious gift of life through Jesus Christ. Not only life in the past, or life in the present, but also life in the future -- life eternally spent with you through Jesus Christ. Help us remember your eternal presence with us now. Help us to live in your presence as you have graciously given us life now and into eternity with you. And help us share your life-giving Word -- both your scriptures and your Word in the flesh, Jesus Christ. In Jesus' name, Amen.
- Daryl Struemph

Death can leave us feeling hopeless, until you look at God and Jesus’ resurrection. Why? Because we see that death is not the end when the God of life is involved. God is the source of life for in Him is life (John 1:4-5). God is the giver of life (Gen. 2:7; Job 33:4; John 1:4-5; 5:26; 1 John 5:11). Satan on the other hand tries to steal, kill, and destroy life (John 10:10a). However, Satan’s powerful weapon of death is outmatched by the God of life. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly” (John 10:10). God’s life-giving power gives life to that which was dead. This is shown when Christ was brought back to life from death. This is the resurrection and this gives us the hope of our own promised resurrection -- life with God since He is the author and giver of life (John 6:40; 1 John 5:11-13).

John 6:40 (ESV)
“For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

1 John 5:11–13 (ESV)
“And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life.”

When death seems to be looming around, leaving us hopeless, Christ’s resurrection restores our life with hope. Jesus did say that He is the way, the truth, and the life; no one can come to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). We live a new life with hope because of God’s life-giving power that was revealed at Jesus’ resurrection.
- Daryl Struemph