I took this picture before sunrise last week. It shows the sunlight in the east but also how torched our iris plants are after a long summer. They endured the brunt of the western sun during the heat and long summer days.

Radiant purple iris flowers are the first of our garden to show God’s glory each spring (see pic below). In the same way, Christ was first in a great harvest of those being resurrected for God’s glory.

Everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life!! #resurrection

Because Christ Jesus the LORD conquered all his enemies (the last being death), we can trust in Him. #spiritualbirth

As we walk in the newness of life, today becomes another chance to be a witness for Him. #Christinme

Eventually, our physical bodies will feel no more pain or tears or sadness. In the meantime, let us remember our Savior who is a kind of first fruit showing us how to live. (James 1:18) #intruth

When we take off the old and put on the new, we can indeed reflect the first of the harvest while still in our earthly bodies (Colossians 3:5-17). -Teresa #grateful

1 Corinthians 15:20-26 (NLT)

²⁰ But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.

²¹ So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. ²² Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life. ²³ But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back.

²⁴ After that the end will come, when he will turn the Kingdom over to God the Father, having destroyed every ruler and authority and power.²⁵ For Christ must reign until he humbles all his enemies beneath his feet. ²⁶ And the last enemy to be destroyed is death. 

Colossians 3:5-17 ESV (bold added)

[5] Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. [6] On account of these the wrath of God is coming. [7] In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. [8] But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. [9] Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices [10] and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. [11] Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.

[12] Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, [13] bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. [14] And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. [15] And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. [16] Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. [17] And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

James 1:18 (ESV)

[18] Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures.