It was forty days after His resurrection. Jesus had shown Himself alive to the disciples and He used this time to make clear what it means that you and I have a rise and living Savior. Now on this day, Jesus, in the presence of His disciples, ascended bodily into the glory of His Father, just as He promised –to prepare a place for us in heaven. Here's an event that impacts our lives – and every part of it.

The word “obedience” gets a bum rap in our culture. When people hear it they usually think of those things that they’re kept from doing. However, as you and I grow in Christ and abide in Him, keeping His Word, and following His will, becomes the very thing that the new man the Holy Spirit has created in us desires. In fact, it’s such joy that Jesus wants you and me to have it as well.

If you sang Psalm 150 in worship last Sunday, as many of our congregations did, you were blessed to sing this phrase a lot – Hallelujah! Just under half of the words in Psalm 150 are hallelujah!  Here's a word that shows up regularly in worship during this Easter season and throughout the year. But it's not a generic word for praise. It's very specific and it's a real privilege to sing and say it.