Scripture at Sunrise 7.16.09

“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith.”  -Hebrews 12:2

The lost look to Jesus and see the loving Savior.
The wayward look to Jesus and see the only Way.
The confused look to Jesus and see the perfect Truth.
The empty look to Jesus and see the abundant Life.
The meek look to Jesus and see the suffering Servant.
The humble look to Jesus and see the risen Lord.
The blind look to Jesus and see the glorious Light.
The bound look to Jesus and see the conquering Warrior.
The oppressed look to Jesus and see the triumphant King.
The wounded look to Jesus and see the healing Physician.
The needy look to Jesus and see the caring Shepherd.
The hungry look to Jesus and see the living Bread.
The restless look to Jesus and see the Prince of Peace.
The mistreated look to Jesus and see the Righteous Judge.
The weak look to Jesus and see the Lord God Almighty.
The defenseless look to Jesus and see the great High Priest.
The barren look to Jesus and see the fruitful Vine.
The homeless look to Jesus and see their Dwelling Place.
The poor look to Jesus and see their Unsearchable Riches.
The lonely look to Jesus and see the ever-present Friend.
The insufficient look to Jesus and see their All In All.

[by Roy Lessin of DaySpring]

Scripture at Sunrise 7.2.09

“It is good for me to draw near to God: I have put my trust in the Lord God…”  -Psalm 73:28

In God We Trust
We can trust in God because—
His kingdom is unshakable.
His throne is incorruptible.
His glory is indescribable.
His Word is infallible.
His greatness is unsearchable.
His power is invincible.
His favor is invaluable.
His grace is inexpressible.
His love is undeniable. 

(By Roy Lessin, co-founder of DaySpring.  This is from Roy’s blog, Meet Me in the Meadow.)

Scripture at Sunrise 6.18.09

“…but Christ is all, and in all.”  -Colossians 3:11

Jesus is:
The doctor’s cure
The pharmacist’s prescription
The athlete’s prize
The baker’s bread
The tailor’s pattern
The builder’s foundation
The musician’s melody
The composer’s symphony
The artist’s palette
The writer’s story
The poet’s rhyme
The traveler’s pathway
The explorer’s true north
The sailor’s safe haven
The mountain climber’s summit
The perfumer’s fragrance
The jeweler’s precious stone
The gardener’s rose
The astronomer’s morning star
The banker’s riches
The counselor’s wisdom
The lawyer’s truth
The heart’s delight

[by Roy Lessin of DaySpring]

Scripture at Sunrise 5.21.09

“…that according to the riches of His glory He may grant you to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”  -Ephesians 3:16-19

Live in the peace of knowing that God has accepted you.
Live in the confidence of knowing that Christ’s blood makes you clean.
Live in the joy of knowing you are forgiven.
Live in the assurance of knowing that He is holding your hand.
Live in the hope of knowing that your future is with Jesus.

His majesty is your worship,
His holiness is your beauty,
His presence is your fragrance,
His truth is your foundation,
His tenderness is your comfort,
His abundance is your supply,
His plan is your purpose,
His faithfulness is your security,
His life is your fulfillment,
His strength is your endurance,
His heart is your home.

[by Roy Lessin, co-founder of DaySpring]

Scripture at Sunrise 4.29.09

“But now, O Lord, You are our Father;
we are the clay, and You are our potter;
we are all the work of Your hand.”  -Isaiah 64:8

The clay pot said, “I feel so useless.”
The Potter said, “I made you for My special purpose.”
The clay pot said, “I am so common looking.”
The Potter said, “It is what you are in My hands that makes you beautiful.”
The clay pot said, “How can I be used, for I have a crack?”
The Potter said, “Cracks may come, but My skillful hands will restore you,
and I will keep you from ever being shattered.”
The clay pot said, “I have nothing to offer!”
The Potter said, “It is what I put within you that will make all the difference.”

[by Roy Lessin of DaySpring]

****Pray for Bro. Norris today.  It is his birthday!  Be sure to give him a call or send  him a card!

Scripture at Sunrise 4.2.09

Jesus Our Passover (by Roy Lessin of DaySpring)

Next week begins the Feast of Passover. Passover is a feast of the Lord that remembers the deliverance of Israel from the bondage of slavery in Egypt. In great detail, the Passover points to the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. Here are six ways we see Jesus as our Passover Lamb.
1. The Passover would not have happened without a lamb. Jesus was the lamb of God.

“The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” John 1:29 (NKJV)

2. The Passover lamb was to be without blemish. Jesus was without the blemish of sin.

“Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” 1 Peter 1:18-19 (NKJV)

3. The Passover lamb was the lamb of redemption. Jesus is our redeemer.

 “He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into  the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” Col. 1:13-14 (NKJV)

4. The Passover lamb was to be slain. Jesus was slain upon the cross.

 …”Worthy is the Lamb who was slain To receive power and riches and wisdom, And strength and honor and glory and blessing!” Rev. 5:12 (NKJV)

5. The Passover lamb’s blood had to be shed and applied to save Israel. Jesus’ shed blood provides salvation when applied (appropriated) by faith to our hearts.

“God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.” Romans 5:8-9 (NKJV)

6. The Passover lamb was to be received into the home and partaken of by all inside. Jesus must be received by faith by all who desire to become God’s children.

“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:” John 1:12 (NKJV)

Note: This is taken from my book “I Am Passover/Communion Collection” which brings together the meaning of Passover and the significance of communion. The book is available from DaySpring.com

Scripture at Sunrise 3.19.09

“So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be My disciple.”  -Luke 14:33

[By Roy Lessin of DaySpring, original post at Meet Me in the Meadow]

In order for us to have Jesus as our only option it means that we cannot be half-hearted about our commitment to Him. Jesus made it clear, when He said, “So then, any of you who does not forsake (renounce, surrender claim to, give up, say good-bye to) all that he has cannot be My disciple.” Luke 14:33.

In order for Jesus to be wholly yours, you must be wholly His. There is no compromise, no going back, and no holding back if you want to follow Him. Is your heart wholly His? The hard heart receives nothing; the stony heart endures for a season; the cluttered heart gets choked off. It is only the fully surrendered heart that bears fruit that will remain.

In the book of Ruth we are told that Ruth followed Naomi wholeheartedly. Orpah, Naomi’s other daughter-in-law, gave herself to Naomi for a season and followed her for a distance before turning back. When Orpah made her choice to turn back, Ruth said to Naomi, “Entreat me not to leave you, or to return from following after you.”

The Bible tells us that King Amaziah had something in common with Orpah. 
We are told that “he did not serve with a whole-heart.” King Amaziah was a “nice guy” but his half-heartedness displeased the Lord and caused King Amaziah to make poor decisions that led to his ruin and defeat.

God has made it clear. His Son, Jesus Christ, is our only option. He asks us to give our hearts to no one else, to believe in no one else, to listen to no one else, and to follow no one else. Is Jesus your only option?