We are to be continually grateful that we are privileged enough to have 
the Lord God Almighty in our lives. It is not a small thing to be called
a Christian because when one calls themselves a Christian, (one who belongs
to Christ) they are saying to the world that the Creator of Heaven and 
Earth knows them and has forever secured their Eternity. We must rejoice 
at the fact that God is our Father. There should never be a problem big 
enough to cause you to worry, murmur or complain. The Lord who hangs the 
Earth on nothing except His Word has promised that every need in our lives 
would be met. It may not be answered in ways that we imagine, but God's 
ways are much bigger and much more proficient than ours can ever be. Let 
God know that your confidence is in Him. He has never failed and has 
never been defeated. The Lord has your answer and all you need to do is 
call upon Him in faith believing and He will answer you. (Philippians 3:7-11)

I hope this message inspires and challenges your heart to love the Lord 
Jesus Christ. He knows you better than you know yourself. Trust Him with
your life and more importantly trust Him with your Eternity.


SUNRISE SERVICE

It was dark outside as we woke up and began getting ready for church. It 
was exciting to get up on Easter because we were going to sunrise service.

After I was ready to go, I peeked into the kitchen and there were the four
coffee cups on the kitchen table awaiting our return. Each cup had a 
different color of liquid in it. There was red, green, yellow and blue. In
a pan next to the coffee cups were the eggs that Mama had boiled the night
before.

It was Easter morning and part of the fun for the day was to color eggs. 
Mama made up her own colors with water, vinegar, and food coloring. We 
used a waxy crayon to write names or designs on the eggs because the dye 
wouldn’t stick where the wax was marked on the eggs so there was no end to
the creations we could make, but first, we would go to sunrise service.

We attended church regularly from the time that I could remember but Easter
Sunday was different. There was something special about getting up before 
the sunrise. The air was crisp and as the sky slowly became a little 
lighter, the birds began to chirp as if to announce the forthcoming sunrise.

We made our way down the gravel road to the church that was only a block 
from our house. As we walked, I could hear the gravel crunching beneath my
feet and I tried to walk ever so carefully so I wouldn’t get dust or marks
on my new white shoes that I thought were almost too pretty to wear.

I was excited to get to church because my cousin, Suzanne, and I had a part
in the Easter program. We had a duet to sing together. We had rehearsed the
program many times and we wanted to do our best.

There were more people than usual on Easter Sunday. There was an atmosphere
of expectancy as people were seated and the music began to play. Suzanne 
and I took our places on the piano side of the church on the front pew. 
The pastor spoke a few words of welcome and then the program began.

The choir sang “In the Garden”, “The Old Rugged Cross” and “There Is a 
Fountain” as narration was interspersed between songs. Everything was 
going just as we had practiced and then the moment came, it was the 
scripture that was our cue: “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”
When he had said this, he breathed his last.” As soon as the scripture was
finished Suzanne and I began to sing the old spiritual, “Were you there 
when they crucified my Lord?” and I knew in my heart even as a child that
in some mysterious way, I was there and that the Lord paid a debt He did 
not owe because I owed a debt I couldn’t pay.

When our duet ended, the narrator began reading the words: “Now upon the 
first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women came unto the
sepulcher, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and, behold, there
was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, 
and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His 
countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: And for 
fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. And the angel 
answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek 
Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for He is risen, as he said.”

At the very moment that the narration ended, the choir broke into the 
joyful song “Christ the Lord is Risen today, Al – le – lu – ia!”

Afterward, everyone began filing out of the church to leave and as I looked
up, I saw that the sun had risen as it streamed through the front door.

I remember running down the gravel road toward home after that sunrise 
service. In my excitement, I had forgotten all about being careful not to
mess up my new white shoes. I wondered if the women that found the empty 
tomb thought about their shoes. Then I wondered what became of the no 
longer needed spices that they had carried to the tomb. I guessed the 
women probably forgot all about them because how can you think about your
shoes or spices when you have just seen an earthquake, an empty tomb, and
a powerful angel saying, “He is risen!”

The program was over but Easter continued on that day. I went home to 
color Easter eggs with my brother and take turns hiding them and finding 
them. That was the year that Mama drew a picture of the cross and the 
empty tomb in the icing on a cake. She rarely had time for things like 
that, but it was a special day, it was Easter and the message that filled
our thoughts was, “He is risen!”

This Easter I will again attend sunrise service. As the sun rises in the 
sky, I will once more be reminded, “He is risen!”

It is an awesome thought to know that the same God who created the sunrise
loves us and wants to live in our hearts.

May the SON rise in your heart this Easter.

By Pamela Perry Blaine


Read and meditate on these scriptures:

Romans 5:8-11 “But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we 
were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified 
by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if, when we 
were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much 
more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only so, 
but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now 
received the atonement.”

Romans 10:11-13 “For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on Him shall 
not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: 
for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him. For 
whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

Psalm 86:15-17 “But Thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and 
gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth. O turn unto me,
and have mercy upon me; give Thy strength unto thy servant, and save the 
son of Thine handmaid. Shew me a token for good; that they which hate me
may see it, and be ashamed: because Thou, LORD, hast holpen me, and 
comforted me.”

All of these scriptures can be found in the King James Version Bible.


Today’s Selected Poem: I KNOW WHO HOLDS TOMORROW
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/inpoem190.htm

Today’s Selected Testimony: WHEN THE LORD CALLED MY NAME
Click here to read --- http://www.Godswork.org/testimony135.htm


In Christ’s Service,

Dwayne Savaya
God’s Work Ministry