"S" Is For Self-Image

Self-image is how you see yourself: it’s your internal thought process of self-evaluation that creates your feelings and beliefs.  “As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.”  (Proverbs 23:7)  How we think about ourselves directly affects our actions.  How we think about ourselves affects how we interact with people and react to life’s situations.  Our spiritual, physical, mental, social and emotional well-being is affected by how you view yourself.

Do you have a negative or positive self-image?

If you have a positive self-image, you honestly affirm your gifts, talents, achievements, but also acknowledge your shortcomings and failures without thinking nasty things about yourself.

In a healthy, functional family, children are given skills to grow and develop into healthy, happy adults with a positive self-image. These loving parents convey to their children:

• You’re allowed to feel
• You’re allowed to trust
• You’re allowed to talk
• We see you as special
• We love you even if you mess up

When I typed that last line, my thoughts went back to a Saturday on the farm when I was about eleven years old.  Mom and I were in the kitchen, baking, and I was to make maple-flavored icing for the cake we’d made.  We always put maple flavoring in the powdered sugar, butter, and milk mixture; but for some reason, I put in some brown sugar instead, forgetting we always used maple flavoring.  Imagine my dismay when I realized my mistake!  I felt terrible.  But my mom kindly said, “Oh well, maybe you just created a new recipe.  It’s okay.”  I will always be grateful to her for her kindness to me.

I also remember my Auntie Fannie and her positive input in my life.  When I was in my early teens, I was writing a little speech we called a “topic” for a Sunday evening church meeting and Auntie was sitting at the table helping me.  I remember how good I felt when she commented to my mom, “Elaine is so nice to work with.”

If you have a negative self-image, you put yourself down because you look a certain way, lack self-confidence or feel insignificant.  You focus on your faults and failures and berate yourself as you look in the mirror.  How do those thoughts work for you?  Do they help you feel better, do better, become better?  I think I can answer that question for you from personal experience.

A negative self-image begins early in life.  When there’s no meaningful dialog between parent and child, the child feels isolated, misunderstood, brushed aside or mistreated and he feels unloved.  Reasons good communication doesn’t happen in a dysfunctional family could be any of the following:

• Mental, emotional, or physical abuse
• Substance addiction where the addiction is loved instead of the child
• Physical or mental illness in the family diverts time and energy away from other family members
• Bad rules by parents, such as “children should be seen and not heard,” or “do as you’re told and don’t ask questions”
• A parent who abandons the family – physically or emotionally
• A rigid, commanding family member who controls others so they function like robots 
• Fear, harsh words, explosive temper, physical violence

 Dysfunctional parents project the following beliefs onto their children:

• You shouldn’t feel
• You shouldn’t trust
• You shouldn’t talk
• You’re not special – you’re a bother
• You won’t be loved unless you’re perfect.  (Self-worth is based on performance)

A dysfunctional family causes loss of “self.” You don’t know who you really are. You are not honest with yourself or others.  Countless wrecked lives and marriages are the result. 

Although input from others later in life also shapes how you see yourself, your self-image was shaped mainly while living in your family of origin.  To illustrate what I mean, I want to paraphrase two scenarios I recently read about.

Frank’s mother suffered from mental illness and his dad was an alcoholic.  When Frank would find his dad passed out drunk on the floor, family members told him his father was just sleeping.  The message he got was, “You don’t know what you’re seeing,” and “don’t tell anyone what you saw.”  He learned not to trust his family.

Shelly’s father was a deacon in the church and her parents really did love her.  But her dad came from a home where he was never shown love, so he didn’t know how to give it.  Shelly grew up feeling ashamed because she felt unloved.  She secretly wondered what was wrong with her that her dad didn’t love her.

No family is perfect; we all need “God’s make-over.”  We are all broken in one way or another.  The good news is that even though you may have grown up in a dysfunctional family, Jesus can restore and heal your self-image.  He is the great Redeemer and Restorer.  

May I recommend some books for helpful reading?  One is Joyce Meyer’s “Beauty for Ashes,” and the other is by Jack Hayford, “Rebuilding the Real You.”  It’s a study of the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives using parallels of rebuilding walls from rubble from the book of Nehemiah in the Bible.  I used both of these in teaching women’s Bible studies a few years ago.  Wonderful healing and change occurred.

May I pray for you?  “Heavenly Father, I pray for the one reading this post; I lift them before Your throne of grace.  You know all about this one, their past, their present, and their future.  I thank You that You love them unconditionally.  By faith I lay my hand on them and declare the blessing of the Lord over this one, that healing will come to every hurting part of this person by the power of the Holy Spirit, in Jesus’ Name.  Amen.”   God bless you, dear reader.

Copyright © 2013 Elaine Beachy

"R" Is For Routine

Much of life is routine.  When I think of the word “routine,” I tend to think immediately of drudgery, a boring lifestyle, a stifled imagination, and living in a rut.  I remember thinking as a young mother changing diapers, doing loads of baby clothes, mixing formula, and wiping up messes, “Is this all there is to life?”  One day seemed to blur into the other.

If you are there right now, consider that you are caring for God’s little life He formed and entrusted you as caretaker.  What an awesome privilege to care for His little ones!

Far from being a negative thing, a daily routine can yield many benefits.  It gives us continuity, a sense of belonging, a place to be with things to do.  What if you had no place to go and nothing to do?  Ask a homeless person or a prisoner, and they will likely admit they miss the freedom of routine as they knew it.  Having a good routine gives us freedom and a sense of purpose.

If you’d like some help to live each day in a balanced, time-saving way, here are some ideas:

• Make spending quiet time with God a priority in your day.  Read the Bible, asking the Holy Spirit to help you apply it to your life.  Pray to God and listen quietly to Him.
• Go to bed early enough and at the same time; it assures a deeper sleep and sets your internal clock. 
• Eat meals at the same time each day, and eat similar foods to save time and distraction. 
• Plan meals for the coming week and grocery shop on the weekends.
• Make a daily “To Do” list.  From that, make a “Must Do” list.  Give attention to the “Must Do” list first; then when those are accomplished, you’ll feel rewarded and your mind will be less cluttered as you go to sleep.
• Get regular exercise, even if it’s just walking twenty minutes a day on a treadmill or outside.  Your body will thank you.
• Make quality time for your family and friends.  Next to God, people are the most important things in life.
• Have a daily “You” time.  Allow yourself a tiny mini vacation each day where you sit back, relax, think, and just “are.”
• Before you go to bed, make sure the sink is clean and the dishes are in the dishwasher.  In the morning, unload it before breakfast.  Better yet, unload it before going to bed so you can start the day with a clean, orderly kitchen.
• Don’t procrastinate doing things you dislike.  As you keep your schedule, you will find it gets easier and becomes a good habit.
• Don’t pack too much into one day.  Life is meant to be lived with joy and fulfillment.  You don’t need to be “Superman” or “Wonder Woman.”  Relax.

I remember how I used to push myself to see how much I could do in one day – how “smart” I was in pushing myself to get a lot done.  I did have satisfaction in accomplishing a lot, but I think it also made me cranky sometimes.  Looking back, I wish I would have left some things undone and spent more time playing with my children.  Don’t regret your routines – be wise.  Ask the Holy Spirit to help you balance your plan for the day, plan meals, and make God-and-me-time.  He will give you inspired ideas!

If you’d like more tips for a good routine, here’s a web link for you:

http://personalorganizing.about.com/od/DailyRoutine/tp/10-Tips-For-A-Better-Daily-Routine.htm

Children especially need a good daily routine.  Parents and caregivers need to mentally prepare a child for changes in activities throughout the day by giving a cheerful, five-minute notice, for example, of a change in activity or schedule.  If a child is rushed, pushed or threatened, he reacts with confusion and resentment.  Temper tantrums and breakdowns are more likely to occur. 

Having a good, consistent daily routine for a child is essential.   Here’s why:

• It makes for a happier, more co-operative child; and a happy child makes a happy parent.
• The child feels less anxious or nervous.
• Following a regular routine develops self-discipline and responsibility.  Even though it may seem boring to an adult, it’s a foundation of success for the child.
• It builds confidence and independence. 
• The child feels in control of his day.
• You will enjoy your child more.

When I thought about routines, I thought of the prophet Daniel in the Bible.  When he and his three friends were told to eat a different diet than what they were used to, they stuck to their routine of what they ate, and at the end of ten days were found to be healthier and better nourished than those who ate the king’s food.  Scripture says in Daniel 1:17 (NIV) that “God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning.  And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.”

Then later, King Darius decreed that no one dared pray to any god but the king for thirty days, or he would be thrown into the lions den.  We read in Daniel 6:10 how, when Daniel learned of the decree, “he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem.  Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.” 

Wow, talk about a routine!  I believe we can see from Daniel’s life that he was a diligent, routine-keeping kind of man.  And God blessed him with a high position in government because he was a faithful man. 

Yes, much of life is made up of routine living.  But it doesn’t need to put you in a rut or make you dull and uninteresting.  It doesn’t need to be boring or make you tired. A good routine helps everyone be steady and faithful.  Just ask Daniel.

Copyright © 2013 Elaine Beachy

 

"Q" Is For Queen

The Queen of Hearts, she made some tarts, all on a summer’s day…

Okay, my “Q” is not for that sort of queen.  It’s not for Dairy Queen, either.  Nor for Queen Anne’s Lace, pretty as it is.

Are you a queen?  Of course you are – Queen of your castle! 

However, I want to talk about three queens in the Bible and see what we can learn from them. 

Let’s see – there’s the Queen of Sheba who came to visit King Solomon.  Her story is found in I Kings 10:1-13.  It’s interesting to me that she came with a great entourage and many gifts because she had only heard about King Solomon’s fame; she didn’t believe it and wanted to see for herself.  She also heard of his great wisdom and his relationship to the Lord, and she came to test him with hard questions, to tell him all that was on her mind.

Solomon answered all her questions; there was nothing he couldn’t explain.  When the Queen of Sheba saw all his wisdom, the elaborate palace he had built, the food on his table, how he seated his officials, the clothes even his servants wore, his cupbearers, and the enormous amount of burnt offerings he made at the temple of the Lord, she was overwhelmed.  She exclaimed to King Solomon that the half had not even been told her: “in wisdom and wealth you have far exceeded the report I heard.  How happy your people must be!  How happy your officials, who continually stand before you and hear your wisdom!  Praise be to the Lord your God…  And she gave Solomon the most gold, spices, precious stones ever! 

And “King Solomon gave the queen of Sheba all she desired and asked for, besides what he had given her out of his royal bounty.  Then she left and returned with her retinue to her own country.”  She left the king, a very wise and wealthy queen.  Don’t you think her visit influenced the way she governed her own country from then on?  I do.

Then there’s Queen Jezebel.  Even her name has kind of an evil sizzle to it, don’t you think?  Like the buzzing of a stinging bald faced hornet.  I’ve never heard of any parent who wanted to name their daughter “Jezebel.”  Have you?

We read about her in I Kings 19:1, I Kings 21:1-17, and 2 Kings 1:25.  The wife of Israel’s king Ahab, she was a ruthless, scheming, controlling, manipulative, husband-belittling, murderous woman who connived to get her own way. She was loud and brash.  Jezebel “wore the pants” in her home, usurped her husband’s authority, forged his name to documents and arranged a kangaroo court to kill a man.  All to get a convenient vineyard next door for a vegetable garden for her husband.  She loved to conquer, to win, at any cost.

She intimidated people, including her husband, who cowered to her every whim and order.  She so greatly intimidated the bold Prophet Elijah that he ran for his life the very day after he won a great victory on Mount Carmel by killing all her prophets of Baal.  She worshipped the Sidonian gods Baal and the Ashteroths and led her husband, King Ahab, into idol worship too. 

Jezebel met a bitter end.  Her painted face and latest up-do couldn’t save her from being thrown out of a window and trampled to death by horses and then eaten by dogs.  Oh my.

Even Jesus metaphorically mentions “that woman Jezebel” who misleads His servants into sexual immorality and idol worship.  The reference to this evil spirit is in Revelation 2:20-21.

Last but not least, we have Queen Esther in the Bible.  What a lovely queen she was, trusting God and being submissive to those in authority over her.  Esther was discreet in what she said and did, and had a great banquet given in her honor when she was made queen.   Later, she risked her own life to save her people from extinction, and displayed humility and respect for her husband, the king.  Esther's life was spared, her enemy was hanged, and God used her to bring about a great deliverance for the Jewish people.  What a blessing Esther was.

We wives are the queens of our castles, ones who greatly influence our husbands.  Let’s seek excellence and wisdom like the Queen of Sheba, and have a serving, respectful attitude like Queen Esther’s.  Need I say anything about Queen Jezebel?  Yes, I do.  I see too much of her in our culture today. 

Copyright © 2013 Elaine Beachy

"P" Is For Pity Party

Have you ever gone to a pity party where you were the guest of honor?

In 1987 we moved to Manassas, VA, with our three children, ages thirteen, seventeen, and eighteen.  My husband had been self-employed in Meyersdale, PA, but economic conditions were quite severe for us. 

My parents and all my four brothers, my uncle, his wife and children had moved to Virginia a number of years before that because of negative economic conditions in PA as well.  We had been praying and standing on God’s promises to provide for us and give us direction about finding work for Dave.  

One Friday we got a phone call from my first cousin, saying his boss had put a note in the envelope with his paycheck asking if he knew anyone else from PA who was looking for a job, because he wanted to hire people with a good work ethic.

So Dave called my cousin's boss and was hired over the phone that same Friday evening.  We rejoiced for God’s answer to prayer and His provision.  It all happened so suddenly, and I wasn't prepared.

Over the weekend I washed his clothes, helped him pack, and made arrangements for him to stay with one of my brothers and his wife in VA.  With the plan to come home every Friday evening, Dave left with his suitcase on Monday morning, and I was left home alone with three teenagers and a house with a coal furnace for heat. Good thing I had learned to fire the furnace!  But I cried as I hugged him “goodbye” and he put his suitcase and some food into the car, backed out of our driveway and drove off into the unknown.

And I was invited to a pity party.

A year after we moved to Virginia we started going to the same church as my parents and four brothers.  They all had their circle of friends, while I felt adrift from the moorings of our home and affiliations in PA.  I had been heavily involved in Women’s Aglow, and was President of the Somerset Chapter for a year.  I was looked up to in my community and at Indian Lake Christian Center where we had attended church.  I taught Sunday School and was involved with the women of the church.  Dave was on the Board of Elders, ran the sound system and tape ministry.  In Virginia, nobody but my family knew my name.

More than once, after church on Sundays, my brothers and parents invited us to join them as they all made plans to eat out together.  But we couldn’t afford to join them.  

And I was invited to another pity party.

I fought tears as we drove home where I would make lunch for the five of us.  I remember times I would seethe with resentment that the meal it took me an hour to prepare for the family was wolfed down in less than ten minutes.  More resentment followed as each one would disappear downstairs to play computer games, or go to the living room to watch TV, leaving me to clear the table, put away the food, load the dishwasher and clean up the kitchen. 

So I was invited to a BIG pity party – with me as the guest of honor.  A regular blow-out – and I don’t mean candles!  Sometimes I’d retreat to our bedroom, shut the door, and play the part of a tearful martyr.  Poor me.  Who cared about me?  Nobody – it seemed.  I wanted my husband – or somebody – to come ask me what was wrong.  To notice that I was very upset. 

Have you ever been to a party like that?  What a drag!

I remember another pity party.  By this time, our two oldest children had found jobs as well, and the next Christmas they and my husband came home from work, each holding a bonus check.  I felt I had nothing to show for my work.  I remember the searing emotions that welled up in me along with my tears.

Oh, don't sit there so self-righteously. :o)  Do you mean to tell me you've never gone to a pity party?  Seriously?

Thank God for the power of the Holy Spirit in my life.  He gently reminded and helped me to change my attitude.  I give Joyce Meyer's teaching tapes and books a lot of credit for helping me see my stinkin’ pity parties had no place in the life of a victorious Christian.  It was bearing rotten fruit.  A stinking attitude.  A sour disposition.  Silence and withdrawal as I “suffered” alone.

Attending a pity party is dangerous; it will kill your joy.  And if you have no joy, you will be without spiritual strength.  You won't feel like singing, praying, or reading the Word of God.   

Dear reader, if you have fallen into the pit of self-pity, ask God to help you to leave the pity party.  I encourage you to take a sheet of paper and a pencil and begin to list all the things you have to be thankful for.  Focus on them and begin to thank God for those things.  “Give thanks in all circumstances for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (I Thessalonians 5:18, NIV)  He will show you the banquet table of rich food He has for you.  That’s the grace of God at work in your life.  Aren’t you thankful?  I know I am.

Copyright © 2013 Elaine Beachy

"O" Is For Octopus

Arms that grab and entangle.  Tentacles with suckers that hold you fast.  Does it feel like those arms try to grab you, pull you in, and drain out every ounce of joy?  Sometimes I feel this octopus has more than eight arms.

As we swim and navigate through life, the arms, tentacles and suckers of this octopus threaten to suck all the joy out of our lives.  Keep us in the doldrums.  Cause anger or fear.  Hold us fast in the clutches of resentment and unforgiveness.

But the joy of the Lord is our strength!  I once heard Joyce Meyer say, “If satan can’t steal your joy, he can’t steal your goods!” 

  

Remember the expression, "I felt like the rug was pulled out from under me?"  Here are some downward dragging, rug-pulling, joy-stealing tentacles that weary the Christian believer, and you could probably add some of your own:

• Friends disappoint
• Leaders and politicians lie
• Moral failures abound
• Violence troubles our nation
• Marriages fall apart
• Children go wayward
• Authority is despised
• Love for God grows cold
• God’s Word is ignored
• Homosexual agenda is relentless
• Moral relativism is honored
• Abortion
• Child abuse
• Pornography
• Child sex trafficking
• Family relationships break down
• Evening news is distressing
• Persecution
• Breakdown of our society
• Financial troubles
• Hopelessness  

I see this octopus with many suckers as a threat to living a joyful and victorious Christian life.   

I see this octopus propelling itself through the water, attacking a believer on the Solid Rock.

I see this octopus retreating as the believer fights the good fight of faith by speaking the Word of God and encouraging himself and others in the Lord.

I see this octopus cloaking itself in inky blackness as it tries a new approach to dislodge the believer from the Solid Rock.

Recently a lovely young Christian mother said to me, “When I was in High School, I was a Christian and began dating a young man who I knew was not good for me.  He drank, smoked, and did things that were not good.  But I refused to break it off with him. 

“Then one night, I had a vivid dream.  I saw a little lamb with a rope around its neck being slowly pulled toward a cliff.  I heard these words, ‘A lamb led to the slaughter.’  I knew when I awoke that the little lamb was me.  I immediately broke things off with this guy, burned and got rid of everything I had in my possession that pertained to him.”

I liken the octopus’s tentacles and suckers to that rope around the lamb’s neck.  We believers in the Lord Jesus need to keep His word, and be aware and watchful of what we believe, lest we find ourselves being drawn away from the solid rock of truth. 

I think of Jesus’ words about the wise and foolish builders in Matthew 7:24-27 (NIV):

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like the wise man who built his house on the rock.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.  But everyone who does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.  The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew, and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

God holds all things together by the word of His power. (Hebrews 1:3 KJV)  I want to be held together, don't you?  Put His Word first place in your life; make God the final authority for your life.  

The rock is God’s Word, and the sand is the shifting stuff of man’s opinion.

Dear reader, don’t leave your house built on the rock and move to one that’s built on the sand.  Don’t let that octopus’s arms, tentacles and suckers pull you off the sure foundation of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

If you’re struggling to keep your joy, stay in God's Word.  Find scriptures that pertain to your situation.  You may want to write them out on 3 x 5 cards and tape them to the fridge or a bathroom mirror.  Quote the Word of God aloud in every situation you face, believe and rest in the Word of God, then cling to it come hell or high water.  Train yourself to think on good things.  Stay on the Rock, and you’ll keep your joy! 

Copyright © 2013 Elaine Beachy

"N" Is For Noise

Would you like a frosty glass of iced tea while we chat a bit?  As I get it for you, think of the sounds you hear in the process: the glass clinking against another glass as I take it from the cupboard, the sound of ice plinking from the fridge dispenser into the glass, the sound of the fridge door opening and the tea being poured over the ice.  The sound the glass makes as I set the tea before you. 

A world without sound would be very strange.  So some sound is good, like the sound of a gurgling waterfall, the chirping of the birds, a music box, a happy tune on the radio or listening device, happy laughter, etc.  What’s the difference between sound and noise?

Noise is unpleasant sound that causes irritation, such as fingernails on a blackboard, a baby crying, people screaming, fighting and yelling, heavy traffic and honking horns in a crowded city… Anyone besides me remember sitting at a traffic light, having to endure the loud thump, thump, thump of car speakers blaring rap “music?”  Thumps so loud their car windows rattled and you felt the vibrations in your car?   

Even if sounds are not unpleasant, a day filled with constant sound such as having the radio or TV on can be wearying to my mind and body.  Talking heads and guests that talk over one another and argue loudly on TV news shows “get on my nerves” too.  I need times of quiet for good physical, mental, and spiritual health.  How about you?

Noise pollution is a modern plague.  If you’re a person with chronic fatigue, high blood pressure, depression or insomnia, you may want to check the levels of noise in your life.  If you have a hard time concentrating at work or feel tense, it may also be because of too much noise.

I need the luxury of a quiet hour or two for reading a good book.  Did you ever try to read a book while the TV or radio was blaring, people were talking, or you kept getting interrupted by questions or demands from others? 

Students need quiet to study and do homework.  (Sometimes I wonder how the Walton family members managed to have smart kids.  I remember watching episodes of the show where John Boy complained because he was interrupted so many times as he tried to study or write in his journal or read a book.  Others in the family complained, too, when they wanted peace and quiet.)

I’ve heard of moms who lock themselves in the bathroom to get some “alone time.”  Parenting young children brings a barrage of noise as little ones chatter, cry or wail, ask continual questions, fight among one another, throw a fit or tug at your legs.  If you are a mother or dad and you find yourself struggling with the noise level in your home, perhaps you can call a friend to stay with the kids one afternoon as you go out by yourself somewhere.  You need it.  Don’t wait until you explode in anger and do something to your children you’ll regret.  I think excessive noise level in the home is a contributing factor to child abuse.

Playing soothing music in the home will help calm your children, and will help your nerves, too.  Don’t let the TV be their “baby-sitter.” 

If you're a friend of a parent with young children, be sensitive to their needs and offer to babysit for part of a day.  They'll thank you for  it. 

I think too of ‘internal noise”— those thoughts that demand we give attention to this or that, or we revisit a conversation we’ve had with someone and it goes round and round in our mind.  The mental noise can be wearying unless we turn it off.  How do we do that? 

I find peace and quiet and mental relaxation as I pray to my heavenly Father and throw all my cares and worries on Him.  I bless the people in my mental conversation and declare aloud that God is working in their situation.  It brings such blessed peace.

The human soul craves peace and quiet.  We were not created to be stressed out and anxious.  We’d all do ourselves a favor if we turned off the TV several nights a week, and instead, sat outside on our porch or back deck to enjoy the sunset and nature and sip a glass of iced tea. 

Or go to a resort for the weekend. 

Dave and I enjoy going to Cacapon State Park near Berkley Springs, West Virginia, and just sit in the woods.  Squirrels and chipmunks scamper about and birds do their thing; warm sunlight filters in lacy patterns through the leaves of the trees as gentle breezes make them dance. There’s something about being in nature that is so therapeutic.  It’s relaxing – therefore it’s healing to the body and mind.

Now, isn’t that better than hearing the loud honking of horns, the “thump, thump” of loud rap music, and people arguing and yelling?  You bet it is.

God bless you, dear reader.

Copyright © 2013 Elaine Beachy

The Hinge Of History

What if there was no Resurrection Day?  What if God hadn’t raised Jesus from the dead? You and I would be doomed to an eternity in hell, separated from our Creator forever.  We’d have an eternity of untold misery, pain and suffering in the clutches of Satan. 

We talk about Jesus dying on the cross for the sins of the whole world, but we also need to declare that Jesus arose from the grave and ascended into heaven, where He sits at the Father’s right hand.  Why?  Because His resurrection is of utmost importance!

Without the resurrection of Jesus, there would be no miracles! 

Before Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection and ascension, Jesus ministered to people “on credit,” so to speak, on the basis of His future finished work.  But what if He had stayed in the grave? 

The blind man who received his sight (Mark 10:52) through Jesus would have gone blind again.  The woman with the issue of blood (Luke 8:44) who was healed would have started bleeding again.  Those healed of leprosy (Luke 17:11-19) would have had the leprosy come back on them.  The twelve-year-old girl who was restored to life (Mark 5:41-42) and given back to her parents would immediately have fallen over dead.  The man delivered of the legion of demons would again have been filled with their tormenting presence.  The woman whose back was straightened and healed by Jesus (Luke 13:11) would once again be bent over, unable to lift herself up.  The boy delivered of an evil spirit (Mark 9:17-27) would once again have been overtaken by that evil spirit.

Without the resurrection of Jesus, we would be forever guilty of sin.  

But thank God!  He raised Jesus to life and declared Him to still be righteous, just as He was made sin for us in His death.  Romans 4:25 tells us, “He was delivered over to death for our sins, and was raised to life for our justification. 

Justification means we are vindicated, declared “not guilty” by a just, right, and legal means.  And God did it legally by giving His own Son to take our place.  We are absolved of all guilt before God!  Imagine that!  We are declared “Not Guilty” by the Judge of all the earth!  Whoever heard of a sinner being declared “Not Guilty?”  No wonder the Gospel is called “good news!”  Thanks be to God that our lovely, sinless Savior satisfied the wrath of God against sin by becoming sin for us and taking our place!

Romans 8:34 says, “Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.”  According to Webster’s Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, “to intercede” means “to intervene between parties with a view to reconcile differences; to mediate.”

Without the resurrection of Jesus, our faith would be useless.   

The resurrection of Jesus Christ validates our faith in Him.  Consider I Corinthians 15:14: “If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.”  And I Corinthians 15:17 says, “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile, and you are still in your sins.”

Without the resurrection of Jesus, He would be “just a good man.” 

Jesus would have been proven to be a fraud.  An imposter.  The resurrection of Jesus Christ proves He is the Son of God.  Romans 1:4 says, “Through the Spirit of holiness [He] was declared with power to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead.”

Everything hinges on Jesus and His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension back to heaven.  Our faith depends on Him.  Our well-being depends on Him.  Our future depends on Him.  He is indeed the Hinge of History!

God bless you, dear reader!

Copyright © 2013 Elaine Beachy