Posts Tagged ‘Resurrection’

Our Easter Hope in the Midst of COVID-19
Thankful for the Cross of Christ

Dawn and I hope you had a wonderful Easter! I mean, we realize that it was an unusual Easter, since we are all confined to our homes. Yet, it’s wonderful to think about Christians all around the world celebrating the resurrection of Christ. Jesus death and resurrection give us a future and a hope.

As Believers we have reason to be hopeful. Last Wednesday, April 8 was the beginning of the Passover, and it was also Holy Week. God is at work during this time, and although the enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy He who is in us is greater. Satan seeks to do us harm through the coronavirus and what’s going on around the world, but I believe God will use it for good.

We are looking to Lord to breakthrough and bring revival!

God is on the Move!

Today I made a short 5 minute video, and in it I share some of our experiences over the last month. I think you will find it encouraging.

Dawn & I give thanks for God’s Great work
Pastor René & Yarlis Peñate
Dave with Pastor René

As I mention in the video I just recently returned from Cuba where I was involved in training 102 church planters in four different cities. Pastor René Peñate is one of the church planters who was involved in the training.

This morning Pastor Rene and his wife, Yarelis sent me a video of Yarelis and their children singing the song Forever (Por Siempre), which was co-written by Kari Jobe. This is a powerful song with a great Easter message. We actually sang this song at our daughter, Hannah’s funeral. Kari Jobe was one of Hannah’s favorite artists so the song and the artist have a special significance for our family.

Por Siempre sung by Yarelis Peñate and family
Forever (English version) performed by Kari Jobe
Forever by Kari Jobe with Lyrics

We do sing Hallelujah, because the Lamb has overcome. Forever He is glorified, forever His is lifted high, He is Alive!

Thanks for doing us on this journey of faith!

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org

The Crux of Our Faith

The resurrection is the very crux of our faith. In the resurrection, death is swallowed up in victory!

I love this bright day on the church’s calendar!

In Corinthians Paul reminds the church if there is no resurrection, then our faith if futile and we are to be pitied.

Dave preaching at Ministerios Transformation in La Morita Tijuana

We proclaim Christ crucified and our resurrected Lord – Dave preaching at Ministerios Transformation in La Morita Tijuana

“Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

1 Corinthians 15:12-19 ESV (emphasis mine)

There are still many doubters. Still many who scoff at the cross, but the good news is that Christ was raised up from the grave on the third day, just as the scriptures said he would! Hallelujah!

Our sorrow and our despair is turned to joy in the cross. Christ lifts us up out the pit of despair, and gives us hope.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice. You will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will turn into joy.”

John 16:20 ESV (emphasis mine)

Those who know rejoice! Our task is to take this good news to the world.

We are the Easter People

My friend and colleague, Danny Kim has reminded me that we are the Easter people. Danny recently shared a wonderful quote.

“Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter people and hallelujah is our song.”

― Pope John Paul II

Sharing the love of Christ through prayer and medical care

Sharing the love of Christ in Ensenada through prayer and medical care

We are not a hopeless people, and although we are a people of faith it is a grounded faith. Faith based on the reliability of the very Word of God. There’s so much historical evidence, so many miraculous works throughout history that we need not doubt.

I give thanks and praise to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ that he was willing to die a terrible death in our place so that our sins might be forgiven. I praise the Father for loving us so much that He gave us His only Son!

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.”

Dave & Dawn

Happy Easter from Dave & Dawn

Hebrews 12:1-4 ESV (emphasis mine)

Life is not easy, but let us not grow weary or fainthearted. Look to Jesus and don’t ever take your eyes off of him!

Happy Easter! He is Risen! Dave

DiasoLifeOnTheBorder.org

 

He is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!

We hope you have a wonderful Easter celebration with your friends and family!

Today is a bright day! A day that we celebrate our hope, in an otherwise hopeless world.

On the cross and through Christ’s resurrection He defeated sin, death, and Satan. Christ rose victoriously on our behalf. He crushed the serpent’s head. After the darkness, sadness and gloom that fell on Friday (I wrote about this in my last post), there is the brightness of Easter Sunday. Christ is the light of the world.

The Lord grants us some wonderful promises, because of His death and resurrection. Jesus says in John 16:33,

“I have said those things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation, but take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Take heart, dear Christian, even though your daily trials may seem too much to bear. Our victorious Savior comforts us with these words. He has overcome the world!

Our hope is in Christ. Paul gives those that are in Christ some more powerful promises. These words should encourage us, and give us great hope. 

“And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.”

— Colossians 2:13-15

We were dead, but now we are alive in Christ. Our debt has been paid in full. There’s nothing that we can add to what Christ has already done for us. He defeated death, sin, and Satan on the cross and in his resurrection. He rose victoriously. Hallelujah!!!

I love the way Hwa Yung describes what Christ has accomplished for us as Christus Victor – Christ Victorious.

“Through the Cross all forces hostile to humanity, whether sin and death, the Devil and his hosts, the demonic structures in the world and occult forces, all forms of oppressions and existential alienation, and the like are overcome and defeated. Christians are thereby set free and share in Christ’s triumph over them.”

— Hwa Yung, Deliver us from Evil, p. 17

Let us all rejoice and sing the Hallelujah Chorus together as we give thanks for the blessed hope that is found on Easter!

1 Corinthians 15 is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible, because it speaks of the resurrection, and what Christ has done for us. Paul makes it clear that the validity of our faith hinges on the resurrection. If the resurrection isn’t true then nothing else matters. Yet we have an assurance through Christ that God is making all things new. Since we have this blessed hope in what Christ secured for us through His death and resurrection Paul ends the chapter with these powerful and comforting words.

“Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory?” “O death, where is your sting?”

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

—1 Corinthians 15:54b-58

Happy Easter from the Diaso family

We give thanks for you, for our family, for the great partners the Lord has given us as we serve! Our friends at Harbor like to say, the gospel changes everything. We say a resounding yes, Amen! Praise God!

Thank you for standing with us as we seek to proclaim the resurrection on the border where there is much brokenness.

In His Grip, Dave

DiasoLifeontheBorder.org

Crucifix

Crucifix

I’ve always struggled some with the darkness of Good Friday. I mean, it’s a super important day in remembering the death of Christ for our sins. Without the cross there would be no resurrection, and as Paul says, if the resurrection is not true we should be pitied.

“For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.”

—1 Corinthians 15:16-19

My problem with Good Friday isn’t the significance of what we celebrate, but it’s a dark day. Christ had to suffer God’s wrath on the cross. He bore our iniquities. It’s a brutal day. The movie The Passion of Christ, somewhat captures the brutality that Christ endured. If it weren’t for the resurrection maybe Good Friday would be the worst day in history. It surely is the worst as far as man’s sin sinking to its lowest in crucifying the son of God.

Crucifix and Calgary on the Charles Bridge in Prague (Inscribed in Hebrew from Isaiah 6, Holy, Holy Holy is the Lord of Hosts)

Crucifix and Calgary on the Charles Bridge in Prague (Inscribed in Hebrew from Isaiah 6, Holy, Holy Holy is the Lord of Hosts)

The best thing about Good Friday is knowing that Sunday is coming. The resurrection is coming! We can celebrate again that He is Risen! The darkness turns to light. Christ is the light of the world!

Good Friday is a somber day. It reminds us that Christ called upon us to take up our cross and follow Him. There is sacrifice in the Christian life. If I’m honest, this too is probably part of the reason I struggle. I don’t like to be reminded of the sacrifice. We live in a self-indulgent culture.

My prayer as I enter Good Friday: “O, Lord, thank you for the sacrifice you made. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. Work in my heart, and wean me from my unwillingness to follow you in this way. Thank you for dying that I might have life. Praise you for your grace, and your tender mercies.”

I pray the Lord deepens your walk with Him on this Good Friday, and that you have a wonderful Easter. There is power in the blood of Jesus. Amen. He is Risen! Amen!

In His Grip, Dave

P.S. I will write about our intern Emily Gryder after Easter. I thought I should reflect on the importance of what we celebrate this week in this post.

P.S.S. Just sent out our April E Newsletter, if you haven’t had a chance to read it check it out here…

DiasoLifeontheBorder.org