Marissa Henley

Encouraging weary women to hope in Christ alone

Jesus Christ conquered death {No Matter What Monday}

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I’ll never forget the look of joy on his little three-year-old face when he heard the news. My son Christopher was eating breakfast at the kitchen table when he started asking questions about Jesus. He’d heard repeatedly that Jesus had died on the cross for his sins. But apparently we failed to mention one crucial piece of information—Jesus didn’t stay dead. When I mentioned that Jesus rose from the dead, his eyes grew wide and he exclaimed, “Jesus is ALIVE?!?” He clapped his hands exuberantly and shouted, “Yaaaaaay!” 

It was such a joy to witness the moment my son first learned the good news of the resurrection. He realized for the first time that death didn’t win. Jesus isn’t still in the grave. He is risen! 

But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep . . . “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” (I Cor. 15:20 and 55, NIV)

Friend, this is good news: Jesus is alive! He isn’t just a suffering Savior who died in your place but a reigning King who conquered the power of death. He rose victorious over the ultimate enemy. We read in Revelation 1:18 that Jesus holds the keys to death and hades. Death has no power over Him.

Our risen Savior is the firstfruits of the resurrection. “Firstfruits” implies that there are more resurrection fruits to come! When He stepped out of the grave, He made a way for us to have new life in Him now and eternal life with Him forever. Death has no power over Him, and it also has no power over those of us who are in Christ. 

This is another one of the benefits of Christ’s death and resurrection that we’ve been studying this month. Jesus Christ has paid our debt, given us His perfect record, forgiven our sin, and conquered death for us. 

Even though we feel the pain of death here temporarily, we can look at the empty grave of Christ and say with Paul, “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” Jesus Christ took the sting of death for us, so we wait eagerly for the day when we feel it no more. 

No matter what you face this week, the risen Christ conquered death for you. 

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Guest post for TGC ~ You Need an Older, Bolder Friend

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I invited Katherine to lunch that day because I knew she’d tell me the truth. I was pressuring my husband into a major financial decision—behavior I knew was wrong but was rationalizing in many ways. I needed someone to lovingly set me straight.

Katherine didn’t disappoint. She is my older, bolder friend.

Over the years, God has provided various older women as teachers and examples. In my 20s, I looked up to the women whose children I babysat. In my 30s, it was the older women who led a summer Bible study for young moms. Now in my 40s, I often turn to Katherine for advice. She and my mom have been friends since before I was born. I know she loves me and wants the best for me—and she knows my best means growth in Christlikeness.

Do you have an older, bolder friend? Here are three reasons to commit to spending time with someone who can offer counsel from a deep well of biblical wisdom and life experience.

Please head over to The Gospel Coalition to read the entire article. I hope it encourages you!

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Jesus Christ died to secure your forgiveness {No Matter What Monday}

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Do you have regrets as you look back on your past? We all have moments we’re not proud of. Maybe you’re currently struggling with sin, and you’re consumed with guilt every time you mess up again. The more I learn of God’s holiness, the more I become aware of how I sin against Him every day. 

We’re spending this month looking at the benefits we receive from Christ’s death and resurrection. Our debt has been paid, and we’ve been justified by God’s grace. Today we will see that because Christ shed His blood for us, all our sin has been forgiven. 

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

When we confess that we are sinners and need the salvation Christ provides, God is faithful and just to forgive our sins. 

God is faithful to forgive our sins because He always keeps His promises. Psalm 130:12 says, “As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.” You can count on Him to forgive you today and every day, because He never fails to do what He says He will do. 

God is just to forgive our sins because our forgiveness was secured by Jesus when He bled and died for us. First John 1:7 tells us that “the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” God poured out the punishment we deserved on Christ—God won’t demand payment for that sin again. His justice has been satisfied by Christ, and our forgiveness is the glorious result. 

God is faithful and just to forgive all our sin—past, present, and future. There is no sin so great that Jesus Christ’s sacrifice can’t cover it. For all who hope in Him, forgiveness is completely secure. We can rejoice as we celebrate Christ’s death and resurrection for us, knowing we are fully forgiven. 

No matter what you face this week, Jesus Christ died to secure your forgiveness. 

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Jesus Christ gives you His perfect record {No Matter What Monday}

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My daughter has been obsessed with cleaning lately. (It’s pretty much the best thing ever.) If you come to my house after one of her cleaning sprees, you’ll see spotless kitchen counters. And if you haven’t read this devotional, you’ll assume that I’m great at keeping my counters clean. But the truth is, my kitchen is usually a mess. 

But my lackluster housekeeping skills aren’t my biggest problem. I am a sinner, and I cannot stand on my own before a holy God. The good news of the gospel is that I’ve been given a righteousness I didn’t earn. Just as I benefit from my daughter’s work on my behalf when my kitchen counters sparkle, I benefit from my Redeemer’s work on my behalf and receive a spotless record in God’s sight. 

This month we are looking at benefits we receive from Christ’s death and resurrection. Last week, we saw that our debt has been paid. But the good news gets even better! Christ died and rose again not only to remove our sinful record but to give us a perfect record of obedience. By His death and resurrection, we are justified—declared righteous by a gift of God’s free grace. 

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:23–24)

These verses tell us that we are justified by God’s grace as a gift. Our justification is undeserved and unattainable on our own. We can’t earn it—we can only receive it by faith. Jesus Christ earned our justification when He lived a perfect life in our place and then took the punishment our sin deserved. 

When Jesus took your punishment, He gave you His perfect, sinless record. If you are in Christ, when God looks at your life He sees what Christ has done. You can walk in the joy and freedom of God’s grace. 

No matter what you face this week, Jesus Christ gives you His perfect record. 

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