For God in his wisdom made it impossible for people to know him by means of their own wisdom. Instead, by means of the so-called "foolish" message we preach, God decided to save those who believe. Jews want miracles for proof, and Greeks look for wisdom. As for us, we proclaim the crucified Christ, a message that is offensive to the Jews and nonsense to the Gentiles, this message is Christ, who is the power of God and the wisdom of God. For what seems to be God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and what seems to be God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.

1 Corinthians 1:21-25

But all those things that I might count as profit I now reckon as loss for Christ’s sake. Not only those things; I reckon everything as complete loss for the sake of what is so much more valuable, the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have thrown everything away; I consider it all as mere garbage, so that I may gain Christ…

Philippians 3:8

Just as the Father is himself the source of life, in the same way he had made his Son to be the source of life. And he has given the Son the right to judge, because he is the Son of Man. Do not be surprised at this; the time is coming when all the dead will hear his voice and come out of their graves: those who have done good will rise and live, and those who have done evil will rise and be condemned.

John 5:26-29

The cross stands as the symbol of Christianity. But its symbolism has no value to someone who does not understand what Christ did on that cross. He died there to provide forgiveness, not to create an icon. The pathway to heaven begins at the foot of the cross. To know Christ is to truly live. We want to experience as much of Christ as we possibly can, we long to know Him, in a personal way. We want to fulfill the purpose for which Christ saves us. Man cannot thwart the creative power of God. Jesus said that all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth, and there will be no exceptions. Will your resurrection be one of joy or one of judgment? Today, receive Jesus as your Savior and Lord!

Our Daily Bread – March 29-31, 2002