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The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay (Matthew 28:5-6)

The women on the First Easter morning, ‘went to look at the tomb’ (28:1). They went to mourn the death of their beloved teacher, the One who had given them a new purpose for life. Over the weekend, they relived many memories of the teachings and miracles of the Rabbi. As they walked to the tomb, it seemed as if ‘it was all over’. The One they loved, the Master, the Lord and everything they hoped HIM to be was behind the tomb. A closed chapter and a painful memory of Someone they truly loved and worshipped.

Often, our lives are like the walk to the tomb. Our hopes and dreams are dashed, because we imagine Jesus is dead behind the tomb and ‘it is all over’.

But, at the tomb, the women experienced an earth-shattering experience (read Matthew 28:2-4), and the angel of the Lord had a special message for them. A message that changed it all.

Changed it all…for them and us!

‘He is not here; he has risen, just as he said…’

Regardless of whatever be the circumstances in our lives, our lives can be anchored on this message:

  • Just as He said: Whatever are His promises over your life, God will always do it!
  • He is not here: The empty tomb is a reminder that nothing is impossible with God!
  • He has risen: Jesus is the resurrected Lord and He reigns over you and your every situation!

 

As we celebrate Easter today, let us seek to be like the women at the tomb (read Matthew 28:8): filled with joy, exuberant to share the life-changing message!

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Only in returning to me and resting in me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength [Isa 30:15]

Our heavenly Father has made incredible promises to us, his children, but he does not force them on us. He’s promised his nearness, his affections and an eternal life spent with him. But God’s word won’t have power in our lives if we don’t read it. We won’t hear God effectively if we’re not listening. And we can’t experience his nearness if we constantly fill our lives with other things.

Our world equates busyness with success, but as a result of society’s epidemic of busyness, our spiritual lives tend to be neglected. In the well-known account of Jesus’ visit to Mary and Martha’s home [Luke 10:38-42], Jesus gently calls busy Martha to follow her sister’s example and focus on the one thing that’s essential in God’s eyes. We tend to value time filled with service and action. But that’s not what Jesus valued – he valued Mary’s willingness to make time to be with him.

God wants us to make room in our lives to encounter him. Busyness and monetary gain aren’t the definition of success in God’s eyes. We must be willing to rest and make time to experience God’s presence and his promises. Will you choose to rest in God’s presence when the world is putting pressure on you to get busy? If you are too busy to make time for God you are too busy! Ask the Holy Spirit to show you what needs to change in your life. What do you need to get rid of or say “No” to? Make time to wait on God today.

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“I am the bread of life… This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.” JOHN 6:48-50 NRSV

Well-known author Eugene Peterson wrote a book entitled, Eat This Book, which encourages every Christ-follower to the vital practice of meditating on God’s Word daily. He draws the attention of every Christ-follower that the Bible, all of it, is livable; it is the text for living our lives. It reveals a God-created, God-ordered, God-blessed world in which we find ourselves at home and whole.

He invites us as Christ-followers to: ‘…feed on Scripture. Holy Scripture nurtures the holy community as food nurtures the human body. We don’t simply learn or study or use Scripture; we assimilate it, take it into our lives in such a way that it gets metabolized into acts of love, cups of cold water, missions into all the world, healing and evangelism and justice in Jesus’ name, hands raised in adoration of the Father, feet washed in company with the Son.’

Our time daily in God’s Word is not just a ‘drive-thru’ mobile facility where we ‘pick and choose’ from the Bible what is most convenient for us as we rush off for the day. We should seek to prepare for our time alone in God’s Word as we prepare to eat a major meal in a day.

  • Find a location that helps you concentrate the most and get least distracted.
  • Physically and mentally prepare yourself to actively enter the world of God’s Word.
  • Avoid multi-tasking with other devices and activities while you read God’s Word.
  • Beware of the tendency of wanting to rush off to the next appointment while you read the Word.
  • Take a few moments at the end of your time of ‘Eating The Word’ to reflect on what you just read.

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Jesus answered, “It is written: Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” [Matt 4:4]

Scripture is God’s voice available for you in every moment, situation and crisis you face. We can be sure God desires to speak to us because he has given us his voice through the Bible. God desires to reveal to you his will and has given us his Spirit to guide you into all the truth…[John 16:13]. God has given us his Holy Spirit as our guide and tutor, and when you read Scripture with the help of this Teacher, the Bible is no longer just a book written thousands of years ago, but a source of life-giving revelation. Read more

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth [John 16:13, NLT]

Just as any good parent loves talking with their children, your heavenly Father loves talking to you, his child. His desire to communicate with us has led him to share the gift of the Holy Spirit with each of his children. This `Spirit of truth’ now dwells within you and through him you now have access to the heart of God. You can hear God’s voice, discern his will and live with the knowledge of his love.

The Spirit’s voice is perfect, full of love and always truthful. He longs to tell you how God feels about you, and to guide you to the Father’s perfect will and wonderful plans. Allow that truth to sink into your heart for a minute. Your Creator wants to help you with your decisions, relationships, work, finances, problems – with every aspect of your life. He longs to fully know you and be known by you. God speaking to you is less about your ability to hear his voice – it’s more about his desire for you to know him. His voice in your life is just another reflection of his grace, his unmerited favor, towards those who have put their trust in him.

Like any conversation, you will only hear God’s voice when you are listening. But like any good conversation, God longs to hear from you as well. Draw near to him with the assurance that he loves you and wants to speak to you. Let the weight of your conversation rest on God’s shoulders, as you take time to quiet your heart and learn to listen to the voice of the Spirit. If you’ve never done it before…start today!