Good Friday is the day we remember Jesus’ death on the cross and what it means for us as believers. God required a propitiation for sin. That could only be achieved through the shedding of innocent blood – historically that was why the Hebrews sacrificed spotless lambs before God. But that wasn’t enough, so God in his infinite Love and Mercy provided a way to make it so that our debts could be paid. Jesus.

He suffered and died for our sakes. That we might have life eternal. Sometimes I still can’t put my head around it, but God has increased my faith that I might believe it even though the enormity of it still boggles my mind.

But His death is not the end of this story, because on the third day, there was an empty tomb.

I had been thinking about that a lot this week. What’s so important about the empty tomb? I mean, Jesus could have be resurrected and left the stone closed over the tomb, right? But would people still have believed?

I think the event of finding the empty tomb is so critical to our understanding of the resurrection, and for the people of that time it was necessary for them to accept Jesus as the King.

Lee Stroble wrote a bunch of those “Case for” books, and my husband just happened to have the one about Easter. I dug it out, surprised by the thinness, and dove into the investigation of the Resurrection. I was also surprised that one chapter was devoted entirely to the empty tomb. The Case for Easter is a short and easy read -one you might consider reading if you want some greater background knowledge regarding the resurrection.

At the end of the chapter where Stroble interviews William Lane Craig, Ph.D, D.Th there is this question that got me thinking:

Read Mark 15:42-16:8, the earliest account of Jesus’ burial and empty tomb. Do you agree with Craig that it is “stark in its simplicity and unadorned by theological reflection”? Why or why not?

So I went back and thought about this some more. Stark. Simplistic. Unadorned. Things that stood out to me were these:

* Jesus died quickly, and it was something Pilate marveled over.
* Joseph of Arimathea wrapped Jesus’ body and laid him in the tomb.
* The stone was rolled into place.
* Women came with the intent of anointing Him.
* The women found Jesus gone and were amazed.

I do agree that this passage is simple and to the point. It seems to capture the events that happened without much commentary. If this is the earliest gospel written, it seems that it simply captured what happened so that people could know. And it is easy to understand. There is nothing here that we can really question about deeper meanings, or what ifs….

It’s simple. Jesus died. He was buried. And then his tomb was empty. No one seems to disagree that the tomb was empty. And it happened to clearly illustrate to us that God is greater… that he was no longer confined by death! It is the reason we celebrate Easter – the Empty Tomb and the Resurrection of Jesus is symbolizes.

Have a Happy Easter everyone!

I was working my way through Corinthians last month, and this very surprisingly stood out to me. When I consider how much society has changed in the last decade, I am overwhelmed by the change in the nature of human interaction. I was not born digital, but I am surely of the generation that helped to usher in this digital age. What surprises me most is the way in which people now use written text to communicate. Like I said, I wasn’t born digital, so I still cling to some of the traditional ways of my parents – letter writing, phone calls, a cell phone at least two years behind the times. Today though, so much information is communicated through text. First for me it was email, then AIM, livejournal, myspace, online forums, facebook, blogs, twitter, and text messaging.

Yet through the evolutions of communication, I have found that the Bible is still relevant. God’s word is beyond time and technology, applicable still today in a changing society. The verse above again proves what I mean.

Paul writes that whatever we write in word by letters, that we will be when we are present. I thought long and hard about this as I considered how my life and ministry to others is heavily based in word by letters. And I have prayed that these words would be true to my life. Whatever I write here, on my own blog, or in my tweets; whatever my facebook status says, or comments on the boards – I pray that they truly represent who I am and what I stand for. I strive to be the same as I am in person, so that if you were to meet me, you would have no doubt about who I am.

It is easy to hide behind words and be someone else online in words. God knows how easy it is, for otherwise he wouldn’t have exhorted us through the example of Paul to be in word as we are in deed when present. I challenge you today to be true and honest and to think carefully about what you write. Not only for safety’s sake as we are also taught, but because the Lord has shown us how it ought to be.

2 Corinthians 8:10-11a
It is to your advantage not only to be doing what you began and were desiring a year ago; but now you also must complete the doing of it.

Upon reading this two weeks ago, I was struck with it like bricks. I’ve rarely had such a profound experience where the Lord just presented me with scripture that is so convicting and pertinent to my situation. I was lamenting about going back to work, overwhelmed with the stress of my job. It was hard not to consider the scariness of budget cuts, and I was almost at a point of quitting. I figured what better way to avoid this toil!

And then I read these verses. Now, I know that the context of the scripture is referring to giving, but I felt strongly about the parallels to circumstances in my own life. Just one year ago I was faced with a job that was literally destroying me. I was sick all of the time. I was tired. My spiritual growth had gone stagnant. I had suicidal thoughts. And though I don’t think I would have acted on them, I was sure scared out of my mind at the mere notion of what I could do driving along the highway to work in the dark each morning, in the rain and snow and facing semis barreling down at me in the opposite direction.

It was at this time that I firmly intended to listen to God, and search for a new position. I was afraid, yet I was at peace with the decision I had made. I began to desire something better for myself and my spiritual growth.

And I haven’t been sick since.

As I felt these familiar thoughts creeping back lately, I needed this reassurance from scripture. I thought back to a year ago and what was happening, and what God has worked in my life since that time. WOW! And when I read the last part there “and now you must complete the doing of it” I was convicted that I need to stop complaining, focus, and rely on Christ who has brought me to this place. I have work that I must finish.

Now I want you to read these words and think back to a year ago. What had God started in your life? What were you desiring and wanting to do? Are you prepared to complete the work set before you?

What is the reason for your hope?

It started with going back to church weeknights on a more regular basis. I really have been tuned into God and I’ve more than realized that when I put God first in my life and love Him first, it makes loving others so much easier. I’ve actually come to a place where I’m “in love” with my Savior. We talk about this all the time, but knowing it and experiencing it are INCREDIBLY different.

I want to do what makes Him happy, and I find so much joy and peace dwelling in His presence. To get here, you really have to give everything else over. It becomes reality when you get to the point of understanding God is the only one capable of loving you without any conditions. You recognize the flaws of others and accept them as they are, but then you strive to love like Jesus loves – and that covers over the inadequacies…

I have never loved my husband more than I do now because of this revelation! I’ve changed my expectations because of my internal grasp of what it means to Love like Jesus. I no longer think of what my husband’s love should provide me. Instead I look to God to fulfill my needs. A man cannot provide me what I need for joy and contentment. That kind of peacefulness ONLY comes from the Lord. And so I no longer see my husband as one who should make me happy, but as one who is deserving of all the love I can give because Jesus first loved me. My love has become a choice of unconditionally loving like Christ. It’s so unlike what the world teaches – but in practice it is truly astounding!

And even as I have experienced this love revelation in my life, I continue to find it strange – a mystery even. When you let God take over, be first and foremost in your life, living and loving others becomes easier. I am to that point where my emotions control me less, and my faith guides my decisions. My energy is no longer wasted on trying to control my circumstances, or holding out unrealistic expectations. I’m simply free to love. And that is an amazing feeling!

Have you tried an e-reader? Found any really fabulous copies of the Bible for them? Share with us!

When you are dealing with family members (or even friends, coworkers) that you don’t particularly get along with for whatever reason – you are faced with some very big challenges. I think lately I have been quick to judge in these awkward situations. It’s easy to do that when you feel you are being judged. It seems a part of human nature to find points of contention and use them as a barrier between us.

A really dear friend of mine – a woman who is very strong in the Lord – told me a while back that I should take this situation as an opportunity. It’s an opportunity to be gracious. It’s a chance for me to extend my hand – to be welcoming, inviting, encouraging. She reminded me that I didn’t know the whole story of where this person was coming from. And if I took the time to be an ambassador to my family, I might gain a great friend. I might defeat the judgment coming from the other side, and I’d be acting in a very Godly manner. I could be the one to change this person’s position on certain issues of disagreement.

Why is it that I don’t listen to the advice of my wise friends?

Well, I do listen. Sort of. I HAVE been trying to make an effort. But I find myself having a negative attitude when I am home in the confidence of my husband. I can be very critical. And that’s NOT an appealing attitude for a Godly woman to have. So I’m trying very hard to make a conscious effort to be the ambassador for Christ I should be – and I’m working on the attitude in the privacy of my home. I’m working on changing this attitude within me so that being gracious is not a chore – something that I do because I feel I have to. But rather I want to be warm, welcoming, and accepting and not have it be forced. I can do this easily with the people I love, and even to people I don’t even know – so I should be able to get past this bone of contention and act the same way.

I think it really comes down to humbling myself. I may have more experience and more knowledge than this person. But I’m not any better. And God did not call me to be best friends with all, but I surely do need to show love…

Maybe this is something you are struggling with? Maybe you may face this in the future. If you have any thoughts, please feel free to share. I could really use some encouragement when it comes this this situation.

I’d like to share with you the hope that is in me, and I pray that I will do so with meekness and fear as I am exhorted to do in 1Peter 3:15. And if you feel so led, I’d love to hear your defense as well.

When I think of why I believe and have hope, it is ultimately because I believe that God exists. I look at the world around me, and I cannot deny that all of creation was created. All things living and non-living are far to complicated in my understanding to have simply come together in a “Big Bang”. When I think about scientists who try to deny creation, it really makes me sad. Without being a braggart, I feel that God has created me with a good deal of intelligence. I am not the smartest person out there, but I recognize that some things are just beyond man’s ability to explain. Hence, God. I will stand firm to this until the day I die.

Knowing that there is a God, and having learned enough about other religions through my education, I come to my second conclusion. Jesus is God. He is who he says he is. He is the One that fulfills hundreds of prophesies. Who else can claim that? Who else is recorded in history as doing that? And this is not just Biblical accounting – extrabiblical sources also validate this.

And having accepted that Jesus is God – the Messiah who can transform lives and save souls – I have experienced first hand this truth of Jesus. Coming to Christ I did not really understand what I was doing. I was a teenager, but even in that teenage heart of mine, I knew I was missing something. I was compelled by something outside of myself that I needed Jesus. Growing in my faith and coming to a greater understanding of who Christ is through the scriptures, I have seen miracles! I have been pulled out of years of depression and sadness. I have purpose. I am certain, without any doubt that I am to worship God and serve Him by serving others. I have never been so certain about ANYTHING in my entire life. It’s amazing how God can do this.

Lest you think that I was brainwashed, take heed. I have made these decisions of my own accord against the status quos of my family. Is it not amazing that my own sister and I came to Christ without discussion on THE SAME DAY? I have never been one to fit in. I didn’t choose Christ to fit in. I chose Him because He is the ultimate truth in all of existence.

And lastly – though its not fun to dwell on – a reason for my hope in Jesus is a very REAL fear of Hell. If I believe in God and Jesus and the saving grace exerted on my life, then I must believe that Hell is real. The Bible speaks far too often on it to deny it. Thinking about Hell, quite frankly, scares the livin’ daylights out of me. I can’t fathom it. I don’t want to fathom it. What would it be like to live in Hell for all eternity? I get scared and emotionally upset just thinking about it. There is nothing good or funny about Hell, and I will not make jokes about it. Hell is real, and it is scary. So yes. Part of my hope and faith comes from fear. But in realizing this fear – there is hope. Because Jesus is the One who can save us from this. And all we have to do is make a choice. One simple, life-changing choice.

So, what do you have hope in? I pray that it is in Jesus Christ. If you are a believer and you have this hope, what is your defense? Feel free to share. I’d love to hear it, and it’ll give you practice in being ready to give account of the hope that is in you.

But, as I go into this new year, I feel a pressing need for me to have this answer. So, I am going to pray on this, and come up with an answer this week. And I will return here to you with an answer that I pray will be shared with meekness and fear – because I do have a hope, and I need to be prepared to share it.

Come back soon if you want to know the reason for the hope that is in me!

The Lord just saved my family and me. I was lying here in bed waiting to fall asleep – but I had a sort of stomach ache. I thought maybe it was about closing on the house tomorrow, but then I started thinking about leaving my computer on downstairs. So the Lord prompted me to get up and sign offline. Well, I did that, and while I was down there, I started to smell a pungent odor. I immediately thought my computer was burning out, so I shut it down and unplugged everything. I came back upstairs but still wasn’t satisfied. Something was still bothering me. Going back downstairs, I smelled the odor even more strongly than before.

If God had not prompted me to go down and deal with the computer the thing could have caused a fire. I am sure that could have happened. Either that, or we might have become sick from the fumes. And God woke me up to warn me. WOW! I am so worked up about this. I want to go and tell everyone about it. I really do believe God gives us signs and speaks to us. All glory and praise and thanks are due to Jesus the Lord who protects his children. AMEN!

Perhaps my entry is a little over-emotional when it comes to this situation. I’m not sure it would have cause a fire. BUT, I don’t know for sure. And I do trust that God protected us from some sort of harm. Take it from me, that listening to God is a good thing. When you feel prompted to do something that seems inconsequential – don’t underestimate what God may be doing!

Jolene & Elizabeth