Christ is Risen!

Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Yes, Jesus rose on that long ago Easter morning. He conquered death. He rose to visit with the women and His disciples before He ascended to heaven. All were astonished, even though He had told them this would happen.

God works in amazing ways. He sends angels to carry out some tasks for Him. For instance, an angel rolled the stone away so the tomb could be seen as being empty. Did the stone need to be rolled away for Jesus to leave the tomb? No. It was rolled away so we, mankind, would know He was no longer there.

For those who saw the empty tomb after having witnessed His gruesome death, I’m sure there was disbelief. In fact, the women asked the gardener where he had taken Him. But the excitement soon came as Jesus talked with the women. They ran off to tell His Apostles.

We are told that Peter and John, specifically, ran to the tomb to verify the women’s story. They, too, were astonished. But it wasn’t long until Jesus appeared to them, as well. They soon were rejoicing that He lived. Of course, who can forget “doubting” Thomas. We give him a hard time, but Peter and John also ran to the tomb so they could see for themselves. Thomas merely did the same thing we would do. After all, how many things are we told and won’t believe until we see for ourselves? Especially if it is something that is extraordinary.

I pray we all believe Jesus rose from the dead. I pray we accept His wonderful grace and mercy. I pray each one of us celebrate this Easter glorifying God for giving us a perfect Savior. Rejoice in the Lord. Give God thanks. Know that Christ has risen. Put your faith in Him. Accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.

Matthew 28:2-4 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

Promised Resurrection

Do you ever wonder if the resurrection is real? Have you thought how it is contrary to our human understanding of life and death? Does your questioning the resurrection affect your faith in Jesus Christ? Would you like to be confident in the resurrection?

Bodily resurrection seems odd to us. It doesn’t appear to be normal. Quite frankly, it isn’t normal. It is a supernatural act of God. It is a promise of God’s that will happen when time comes to an end.

There are eyewitness accounts of resurrection. Not only was Jesus seen by hundreds of people after He was resurrected, but there were many others who resurrected. Take a look at today’s passage. Matthew records that many holy people were resurrected and walked through the streets of Jerusalem. We don’t often hear sermons or lessons on this passage. I suspect it is because we, as humans, can’t quite grasp how resurrection will happen.

We hear lots of questions about resurrection. Will we have the same body? What about the person whose body was destroyed by fire? What if the person was lost at sea? We want to be able to explain every step of the process with scientific explanations. We desire to understand.

Though we may not understand how resurrection will work, we can be confident it will happen. Though we may not have our questions answered, we can rest assured God is in control and it will be wonderful. He has proven over and over that He will fulfill His promises. Resurrection is another promise He will fulfill at the time He has appointed.

I pray we all leave our questions about resurrection at God’s feet. I pray we trust Him to fulfill His promises. I pray each one of us put our faith in Jesus Christ and look forward to the resurrection. Trust God’s promises. Put your faith in Jesus. Know that resurrection will be perfect. Look forward to spending eternity with God.

Matthew 27:51-53 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.

Abandoned

Do you sometimes wonder if you are loved? Have you felt broken and empty? Have you done something you know is wrong and thinking you will never be forgiven? Have you heard the word of Jesus?

This world can be filled with difficulties. We may feel abandoned at times. Those we thought cared for us may turn their back on us. It may seem as though our very breath is being taken away from us.

Though we may feel unloved, there is One who loves us regardless of the situation. He knows what it is to live in this broken world. He knows how it feels to be opposed by the authorities. He knows what it is like to have people accuse Him falsely. He has taken the punishment for both His accusers and those who loved Him.

Jesus has been through the heartache of being abandoned. In fact, He has experienced it far deeper than any of us can imagine. The Father turned his back on Jesus as He went to the cross. Yet, Jesus asked the Father to forgive, not only those who were there, but us as well. He fully understood they were ignorant of what they were doing.

What does this mean for us? Jesus knew we would make some of those same mistakes. He knew we would fail at times. He still asked that we be forgiven. He loves each one of us enough to forgive us if we will only ask.

I pray we all turn to Jesus for forgiveness. I pray we understand that we are loved more than we know. I pray each one of us will ask for the forgiveness we need and accept His love. Know that you are loved. Know that Jesus took your punishment. Ask for forgiveness.

Luke 23:32-34 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.

Sleeping Again?

Have you ever been in a tough spot? Have you had friends who said they would be with you every step of the way? Have you been frustrated or disappointed when they didn’t do what needed to be done to support you?

Live long enough and we find ourselves in a tough spot. There will be a time when we need the support of close friends and family. It can be very frustrating when they fail to support us. We feel abandoned, all alone on an island, facing our struggles by ourselves.

It can also be extremely disappointing. In fact, the disappoint can be so deep that it causes depression to set in. Our souls can experience deep sorrow. We can begin to think there is no one in the world who cares about us. The spiral downward can continue a long way down.

Perhaps that is how Jesus felt in the Garden of Gethsemane when He went to pray on the night He was betrayed. His disciples were with Him. He chose three of them to go a little further with Him. He then told them to stay put and keep watch while He went just a few steps deeper into the garden to pray. He prays for a while and comes back to find them sleeping.

Imagine how Jesus felt when He found them sleeping each time He returned to them. How would you feel? He had told them to keep watch. He knew He was about to be betrayed. He likely wanted His disciples to sound the alarm when the soldiers came. Instead, it is He who must tell them the time had come.

I believe He is still frustrated and disappointed when we do not spend time with Him. We go to sleep. We chase foolish objectives. We fail to keep watch with Him. We let our guard down and fall prey to Satan’s schemes. We may not even care enough to better understand and follow His commands for a better life.

I pray we all commit to spending quality time with Jesus. I pray we seek to understand His commands. I pray each one of us keep watch over our lives along with Jesus. Commit to Jesus. Commit to spend more time with Him. Commit to understand His commands. Commit to follow His commands. Dedicate yourself to a better life in Jesus.

Mark 14:37-38 Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Messenger from God

How accepting are you? Are you willing to accept other people into your life? Are you willing to accept a message from someone you don’t know? Someone you do know? Have you thought the person may be sent by God?

We have heard that God works in mysterious ways. Unfortunately, we often only say that when looking back at a strange occurrence. It is then that we see how God did something unexpected or sent someone to us we did not expect.

How can we recognize someone is sent to us by God? The simple answer is to be in constant communication with God. But it is a little more complicated than that. We may be continually meeting new people. Our jobs may require us to talk with a variety of people every day. It can be easy to miss a message from God.

To recognize the person was sent by God, we need to reflect on the encounter. What did the person do? What did the person say? They may have been sent to intervene on our behalf at just the right moment. They may have given us an encouraging message at just the right time.

Paying attention to the people we meet, the things they say, and determining if they were sent by God requires us to be attentive. Jesus says when we accept the person He sends, we accept Him. Accepting Jesus is more than being baptized and repeating words of acceptance. It is also being attentive, being on the lookout for messages He provides throughout our lives.

Accepting the person He sends is not just accepting Jesus, it is also accepting God, the Father. Why does God send people to us? He does it out of love. He knows what we need when we need it. He knows when we need to be given a word of encouragement, a bit of advice, a nudge in a different direction, or we are ready for a new ministry.

I pray we all are in constant communication with God. I pray we recognize when He sends someone to us. I pray each one of us are willing to hear the message God is sending our way. Be in prayer. Be in constant communication with God. Keep your eyes and ears open. Be willing to hear God’s message. Be willing to follow God’s guidance. Accept Him. Accept His messenger.

John 13:20 “Very truly I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.”

Jesus Wept Over You

Would you like to know the future? Do you wish you could better identify the outcomes of possible choices before you made them? Would you make different choices if you had the opportunity to do so?

We like to think we would make better choices if we had known the outcome beforehand. As we look back at our choices, see the outcomes, and realize there was a better path, we may regret having made the choice we made.

Making choices based on the information we have can be difficult. We normally have limited information. To make the best choice we can, we must evaluate the information we have, factor in the variables we can think of, be as objectionable as possible, and attempt to predict the outcomes. Not a simple task nor is it an easy one. The bigger the decision the bigger the impact if we make a bad choice.

Predicting the future is challenging. If you don’t think so, just think about how well the weather is predicted. A weatherperson uses computer modeling, human observation, and experience. There are several variables that can cause the weather to be unpredictable.

Now, think about the innumerable variations of human behavior. We may have a history with a person and think we know how they will act or react to situations. Unfortunately, they may decide upon a completely different path, making our ability to predict the future faulty.

There is one future we can count on—God’s plan being fulfilled. As Jesus approached Jerusalem and the fate awaiting Him, He wept. He wept over the inability of people to make the right choices. He wept over their failure to follow God. He wept over their failure to cling to God rather than chasing after their own evil desires. He wept over each one of us.

I pray we all decide to follow God’s plan for our lives. I pray we continually cling to Jesus. I pray each one of us spend time thanking Him and obeying His commands, leaning on Him for guidance. Spend time in prayer. Ask God for guidance. Listen for His guidance. Follow His plan. Make the best choice. Trust God to lead you.

Luke 19:41-42 As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes.”

Are You Lost

Have you lost your way? An overwhelming and vast majority of people will say “No.” What I have witnessed and even experienced myself is that we more often than not don’t realize we have lost our way. We either believe we are doing just fine or we are comfortable lying to ourselves and others by saying we are doing fine.


So, are you lying to yourself? Are you lying to family and friends and co-workers? Are you putting up a front that everything is OK? Here’s a little secret I will share with you, those who are close to you know you are lying. Another little secret is they ache for you. Often times, those closest to you are praying for you every day because they don’t know what else to do, you won’t listen to them, or they are afraid to tell you they know because they don’t want to hurt your feelings.


What can you do about it? Take a long, hard look in the mirror and evaluate your actions, speech, and thoughts. Dig deep into your inner soul. Is there something missing? Having been there, done that, I can tell you what’s missing. It’s Jesus Christ. You see, every “Get Well Program” whether Alcoholics Anonymous, drug rehabilitation, or behavioral change is based on God’s Word. Don’t believe me? Go find the principles, guidance, rules, or whatever your chosen program calls them and then do a word or phrase search in the Bible. You might be surprised at what you find. I won’t.


We all yearn to be accepted, to be loved, to be satisfied, to have good family and friends in our lives. Your desires are satisfied to the point of overflowing by God when we accept Jesus and make the commitment to be His follower, His disciple. You can’t do it on your own. You need others around you to help. If you seek, you will find them. They are often already right by your side.

Matthew 6:33 “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.”


Matthew 7:7-8 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”

Believe in Miracles

Do you believe in miracles? Some do, some don’t. Some say providence, others say coincidence. Truth is, I don’t believe any of us are 100% on side or the other. I lean much more toward the former than the latter. I would say I’m about 80% / 20% toward miracles and providence.


Have you ever thought about what a miracle is? It’s something supernatural that we can not explain. Doesn’t that describe a lot of things we encounter everyday? Which of you can explain how grass grows and how the original seed came into being? We might be able to explain that water and heat cause the seed to germinate. We might be able to explain that nutrients from the soil combined with water and sunlight cause it to grow. We might be able to explain photosynthesis. But, who knows where the very first seed came from?


How much more complex are our human bodies? Our brains? The working of trillions of tiny components as one body? If that wasn’t complex enough, there is a whole spiritual world that we don’t see, but are right in the middle of. We can’t begin to explain that because we can’t see and study it. Miracles should increase our faith. How much more should our faith increase if we begin to recognize the miracles around us everyday? I try to see them and when I get a glimpse, it absolutely amazes me.


I pray each us look for the miracles and increase our faith. Our faith is what gets you through those really tough times.

Psalm 146:6-10 He is the Maker of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them—he remains faithful forever. He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free, the LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous. The LORD watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked. The LORD reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the LORD.

Do It All for the Glory of God

Do it all to the glory of God! Paul told the Colossians to do everything in the name of Jesus. If we do that, we do everything in truth and love. If we do that, we will be respected and honored by others. If we do that, we will not have the hate, malice, disgust, anger, and any number of other evil desires in our hearts and minds.


Do you have strife, stress, anger, hate, and frustration in your life? If you do, stop swimming in it, stop reveling in it, rather give it over to Christ and do all you do in His name. Turn the situation over to Him and let Him guide you in all you do. I know this works. I’ve experienced it first hand. I’ve been at the end of my wits, not having a clue how I would get things done by a deadline (a very short deadline, like just a few hours) and I’ve seen Him provide me with calm, peace, and a way forward.


If you say you just woke up on the wrong side of the bed that day, you’re allowing Satan to control you. If you know you’re tired or wake up with a bad attitude, stop! Pray! Ask God to be with you that day! Ask God to fill you with His Spirit that day! Let Him know you are weak that day! You know what? He will make you strong!
I pray each of us will do everything we do for Jesus, for the glory of God. When we do that, we make those around us better, we make the world a better place.

Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Thank God for Today

Thank God for today! Do you do that everyday? I know I don’t always. Should we? Yes! Each day is a blessing from God. Each day is an opportunity to be a positive example for others. Each day gives us different situations to learn from.


So, why don’t we give thanks for each day? Well, I can only tell you why I don’t. Sometimes I am worried about getting things done or an upcoming event or a situation I see someone else in. Sometimes I’m just so focused on getting a task done that I forget to thank God for the ability to do it. Sometimes I’m just selfish and focused on me.


This morning, I give thanks to God for giving me this day. I ask that He guide me in all I do and help me to be a positive example to others. I thank Him that I have had so many wonderful experiences that have given me tons of happiness. I also thank Him for putting me into challenging situations and hardships so that I could learn that He is there with me and will get me through them.

I pray we all learn to thank God for each day. He has blessed all of us so richly.

Psalm 3:5-6 I lie down and sleep; I wake again, because the LORD sustains me. I will not fear though tens of thousands assail me on every side.