He Is Risen!

But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.”” (Matthew 28:5–7)

He is alive-Hope is alive-My sins are forgiven-I can forgive others-New Life is possible-I don't have to stay the way that I am. 

Easter changes everything-may we all be changed for His Glory.

Help When You Need It!

Almost every week I hear someone say something like, "I just couldn't help myself" or "I just can't stop what I'm doing" or "No one understands what I'm going through".  We all face some big battles in our lives.  We all have some temptations that we deal with that are harder for us to handle than others. Yet, somehow we often think  we are alone in our private battles.

It could be anger, lust, greed,envy, discouragement, bitterness, unforgiveness or any number of things. You and I will face something sometime today that will either win over us or we will win  it.  But just remember there is help when you it:

For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” (Hebrews 2:17–18) 

Jesus was fully human like us so that he could identify with us-he we was even tempted like us but never gave in to that temptation so so he is able to help both you and me when we tempted today.

Secure??? Probably Not...

We sometimes work hard to make something secure-usually it's something that we love and want to protect or something that we want to hide and keep from others.  The religious leaders were afraid that the disciples would come and steal Jesus' body from the grave so here is what they did:

The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.” “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.” (Matthew 27:62–66)  

They did not realize that you cannot keep something secure that God wants to make known.  The very thing that they did would only help to validate that Jesus rose from the grave.  The very guards they placed there to keep the grave secure would become witnesses that God had raised him from the dead.

Sometimes we try to hide things and make then secure so no one can see them-but understand that God sees and God may choose to make it known to the world.  Maybe instead of trying to hide it securely away-we bring it out into the open and allow him to deal with it.  You and I would rather it happen that way than for him to do it.  Are you hiding anything that you need to take to him today?

I Surrender... Raising the White Flag.

Surrender!  That's not a word that we like very much.  We think of white flags and cowards who just can't cut it.  We like winners-those who prevail not those who give up control and let someone else run their life.  

Yet this is exactly  Jesus did-this is exactly the way that He lived his life and the way that He calls us to live.  He surrendered to the Father's will for his life.  He gave up control and let someone else run his life.  

Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.” (Luke 23:46)  

This is also what he calls us to do.  This is hard for me.  I don't know about you, but I like to be in control.  I want to be in charge.  I want to make the choices that I want to make and set the course of where I want to go.  Often when I do this, I mess things up far more than I make them better.

God has placed me in a situation this week where he has made it clear that I am not in charge, I am not in control.  I never have been and I never will be?.  So, once more, I have raised the white flag and held up my hands and said "I surrender". 

Will you pray for me to keep the flag and arms up and allow Him to take control and run my life?  Will you do the same?  I'd love to hear from you.