Saturday... They had a plan laid out.

Saturday... They had a plan laid out. They knew what they were going to do no matter what happened.

We do that don't we? We know what we want and we make plans and we're going to do it even if it isn't the right thing.

The last chapter of Matthew tells of Jesus' resurrection. He had said that he was going to die and then in three days he would be raised from the dead and he did. Now the Jewish religious leaders must have had a idea that what Jesus taught was true because they had a plan if it happened.

They put guards at the tomb to keep the disciples from coming and stealing Jesus' body and then trying to prove that he did what he said he was going to do. And then when it happened, when Jesus was raised from the dead and the guards came and told the leaders it had happened, it says in Matthew 28:13 (NLT), That they told the soldiers, "You must say, 'Jesus disciples came during the night while we were sleeping, and they stole the body.'"

And then when it happened, when Jesus did what he said he would, the soldiers ran to the leaders and told them what happened so they gave them a bribe to say something else and verse 15 says, So the guards accepted the bribe and said what they were told to say. Their story spread widely among the Jews, and they still tell it today."

So what would have happened if they had believed that Jesus was who he said he was and in what he said was going to happen? It's like going back to Adam and Eve and saying, "What if?"

And that is true about many of our lives. What if we had believed? And many of our friends. What if they had believed?

And here is the point. There was a bunch of people in a room who were afraid and who were waiting for the celebration to began when those women came running and telling them that it had happened and with that news they headed out to change the world and to give us the news that Jesus can change our lives.

And you see in the last verses of Matthew 28 that Jesus did come to them and he told them what they were to do. He gave them another story to tell, the correct story, the one that would change their world and change our lives today.

Verses 18-20 says, "Jesus came and told his disciples, 'I have given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the ages.'"

Yes they had a plan laid out but so did God. I love his plan and I'm doing all I can to live out that plan. Let's do it together. Yes, yes! #todaysbeginning

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Tuesday... It is so worth it. It really is!

Tuesday... It is so worth it. It really is! Look at this, Proverbs 5:21-23 (CEV) says, "The Lord sees everything, and he watches us closely. Sinners are trapped and caught by their own evil deeds. They get lost and die because of their foolishness and lack of self-control." That is true of so many. Now look at this, Luke 15:1-7 says, "Tax collectors and sinners were all crowding around to listen to Jesus. So the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law of Moses started grumbling, 'This man is friendly with sinners. He even eats with them.' Then Jesus told them this story: If any of you has 100 sheep, and one of them gets lost, what will you do? Won't you leave the 99 in the field and go look for the lost sheep until you find it? And when you find it, you will put it on your shoulder and carry it home. Then you will call in your friends and neighbors and say, 'Let's celebrate! I've found my lost sheep.' Jesus said, 'In the same way there is mo...

Friday... Yes, we need them. We really do

Psalm 8:3-4 (NLT), "When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers - the moon and the stars you set in place - what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?" Friday... Yes, we need them. We really do. No, not the fact that I can go out my front door and look out at night at the marvels of the sky. I can do that and it is amazing and it takes my breath away each time I see it. Yes, that is a fact but the reality of who did that and the wisdom and the faith that I have to believe that and to marvel that the one who did that cares about me makes such a difference in how I live my life. Yes, God really does. That is so wonderful for us to believe. And that is why faith and wisdom are so important. Now whatever belief you have at how that marvel happened must also be believed through faith. And the sad thing to me is that more and more people have been taught that there is no God and therefore he did not have a h...

Monday... Three ifs and two thens. They go together!

Monday... Three ifs and two thens. They go together! They really do. And this is what caught my attention this morning as I was reading Proverbs 2. Verse 1 (NRSVUE) says, "My child, if you accept my words and treasure my commands within you." Verse 3 (NIV), "Indeed i f you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, Verse 4, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, Verse 5, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God." And verses 9-11, " Then you will understand what is right and just and fair - every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. Discretion will protect you, and understanding will guard you." There will always be some effort we must do, some ifs for the thens to be realized in our lives. So many of us want to understand without the ifs. But the thens are so worth, so very worth the effort. Verses 5-6 in the Ampli...

Todays Beginning

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