The women went to the tomb and found the stone rolled away. They were afraid that the body has been stolen but the angel of the LORD asked them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead?" Jesus is Alive, He is Risen. He has accomplished His Mission and Saved us All.   

Jeremy was not a normal child. He had a terminal illness which affected both his body and his mind. Still, his parents had tried to give him as normal a life as possible and had sent him to a religious elementary school. At the age of 12, Jeremy was only in second grade, seemingly unable to learn. He was a frustration to his teacher and to all the children in the class.
Springtime came, and the children talked excitedly about the coming of Easter. Their teacher told them the story of Jesus, and then to emphasize the idea of new life springing forth, she gave each of the children a large plastic egg with this assignment: "I want you to take this home and bring it back tomorrow with something inside that shows new life. Do you understand?"
All the children responded enthusiastically, "Yes, Miss Miller!" All of them, that is, except for Jeremy. He just listened carefully, his eyes never leaving the teacher’s face. Had he understood what she had said about Jesus’ death and resurrection? Did he understand the assignment? The teacher thought perhaps she should call his parents and explain the project to them, but she got busy and forgot.
The next morning, 19 children came to school, laughing and talking as they placed their eggs in a large wicker basket on Miss Miller’s desk. After they completed their math lesson, it was time to open the eggs. In the first egg, Miss Miller found a flower. She said, "Oh yes, a flower is certainly a sign of new life. When plants peek through the ground, we know that spring is here." A small girl in the first row waved her arms. "That’s my egg, Miss Miller," she called out.
The next egg contained a plastic butterfly, which looked real. The teacher held it up. She said, "We all know that a caterpillar changes and grows into a beautiful butterfly. Yes, that is new life, too." Little Judy smiled proudly and said, "Miss Miller, that one is mine!"
Next, the teacher found a rock with moss on it. She explained that moss, too, showed life. Billy spoke up from the back of the classroom. "My daddy helped me!"
Then the teacher opened the fourth egg. But the egg was empty! Surely it must be Jeremy’s, she thought, and, obviously, he didn’t understand her instructions. If only she hadn’t forgotten to phone his parents. Because she did not want to embarrass him, she quietly set the egg aside and reached for another. Suddenly Jeremy spoke up. "Miss Miller, aren’t you going to talk about my egg?" A bit flustered, the teacher said, "But Jeremy -- your egg is empty!" He looked into her eyes and said softly, "Yes, but Jesus’ tomb was empty, too!"   Illustration thanks to Jerry Shirley
"I want you to take this home and bring it back tomorrow with something inside that shows new life….”
Jeremy, who was considered the worst student understood the meaning of the empty tomb better than anyone. How often do we look at the world and think of the sacrifice that the person who created all things did for us? We see the miracle of new life almost every day. Where are you in your understanding of it all?  We can learn a lot from Jeremy’s statement.
What is the “New Life” that Jesus spoke of? Did you know that there are over 1400 references to life in Scripture? That would take a bunch of pages so here is a sample of what the Bible shows us through Paul’s writings:
 2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.
If we abide in Christ we become new. This is a spiritual renewal which is followed by a change in our character and values. After all, we are made in His Image, not physically but in character and values, i.e. the mental/spiritual state. But, these changes in the heart lead to changes in the outer appearance as well.
Romans 6:4

Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.
When someone confesses and receives Jesus into their life they are baptized in the water and blood. We are transformed so we can really hear the true Holy Spirit speaking to us. 
Romans 8:1

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
We will be rewarded with a peaceful existence beyond the grave, basking in the glory of the Father. This is better than the alternative.
OK, so, here is the catch… There is a difference between believing in and being in Christ.
Anyone can believe, Atheists have proven that. We can say we believe in Jesus all we want and still go about living in the world.  Here is the difference. Look at those three verses again. We cannot be part of the world and part of Christ without major changes. The Gospels show us the transformation of His Disciples and others that He specifically reached out to after they reached for Him. To be in Christ means to follow His ways, to live a godly life even though we are exposed to the world.
 Secular society controls people saying that it is ok to sin and we want you to live in this sinful lifestyle. In fact, some of the secular media glorifies a life in sin without the total consequence being known. That is a dangerous place to live in. Being in Christ does not mean to stay ignorant of the world but it calls for being in defense mode, protecting your home from the evils that lead to temptation which lead to sin.
Christ Is Alive!!! He is living in us through the Holy Spirit. If we let the sins of society take over our lives we easily become believers not be-ers. We can Be (in Christ) Lieve (Live a Godly Life) but only if we truly keep to our confession of Christ and Keep His Word, meditating on it Daily.
Here is a thought for this Easter season and the rest of the years to come. Keep an empty container with you to remind you that Jesus is not dead, He is Risen; He is Alive; (most of all) He is Alive in Me.
      

How many times have you, or have heard someone make a promise to God like:
God, if you {do, cause, help with} something that makes my lives better, then I promise to {keep His Word, be a better Christian, etc.}.  
Or have an argument {complaining or asking why} in a futile attempt to understand something?
Neither of those things are a good idea really. Unless you want to test God. Do you?
Ecclesiastes 5:2 (ESV)
"Be not rash with your mouth, nor let your heart be hasty to utter a word before God, for God is in heaven and you are on earth. Therefore let your words be few. 3 For a dream comes with much business, and a fool's voice with many words".
How easy it is to lose what one has when he or she tests God by making a promise they cannot keep or getting angry with God because of loss. Testing the Almighty did not work to the advantage of many people in Biblical times. We can start with Adam and Eve then Cain, for instance. They lost their personal relationship with God when questioning His authority. Then there is Job. He was tested by the adversary (Satan) when God allowed it and Job became angry and questioned God’s reasoning. Boy did he get a scolding. The world fell deeper into sin and the only survivors were one family and the animals. Even with starting over, we did not stop questioning God’s motives or making promises.
Today’s “Me” society makes it even worse. Prayers are often heard with the primary concern being of personal regards before others and sometimes are selfish in nature. 2 Timothy 3:1-2 says,
“But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, “
  This is not the full design of prayer nor is it a right way to live. The opening question is usually an act of desperation when all else has failed, especially one caught in a “Me” situation gone wrong. Jesus teaches us care for others before ourselves but He also wants us to make sure our hearts are in the right place first.
“Let no one seek his own good, but that of his neighbor (1 Corinthians 10:24).”
This gets misconstrued on both sides of the coin. Some people get so involved in helping others that they forgo their own personal spiritual life and sometimes cause irreparable damage. Some wait until their lives are completely perfect in their own eyes and have already missed opportunities that God placed before them.   
Even Jesus’ Disciples had a momentary lapse of misunderstanding:
James and John, the two sons of Zebedee, came up to Jesus, saying, "Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask of You." (Mark 10:35 )
So what about the verse at hand? “Be not rash with your mouth” is not speaking with a sharp tongue but forcing an uncalled for if/then condition of the Father’s Love.  Last time I checked, God’s Love for us is unconditional. Maybe the request was done for the personal psyche of the individual forcing themselves into an understanding that they need to be better. Maybe the person wants to test and see if God really hears and answers prayer on their whim. A true Christian understands that God works on His clock, not ours and we cannot force God into an if/then situation because He will create an if/then for us. It would be funny if someone gave Him a situation and God gave a thunderous answer of “If you prove to me that you can keep your promise, then I will do as you ask.” Or even better “You First”.   
God loves us and even in our lowest times is always with us. He sees our pain and knows that we will make rash decisions. It is up to us to listen to the Holy Spirit within us that guides us in His ways to understand that it is all part of the plan.  I know it sounds easier that it is and yes I know it from personal experience. We all question God at one point in our lives but if we just stay quiet and be still even in our deepest agony, we can hear Him speaking to us. God is not the one saying we will never recover and prodding us to end it all, He is the one telling us “I Love You”. 
If there is one thing I ask that you take away is this, “Do not promise what you won’t keep” and also, “listen to your heart, God will hear you.”
Father God Holy Lord,
Be with us as we go about our days and help us listen to You in our hearts and when we read and meditate on Your Words. We are sorry for testing you, Father and ask Your forgiveness. Chide us for our sins as You love us as Your children. Keep us safe in these troubled times and shine Your light upon us so that we may shine before men in Your Word. Thank You Father for all you have done, are doing, and will do in our lives.
In Jesus Name,
 AMEN   

In a field one summer's day a Grasshopper was hopping about, chirping and singing to its heart's content. An Ant passed by, bearing along with great toil an ear of corn he was taking to the nest.
"Why not come and chat with me," said the Grasshopper, "instead of toiling and moiling in that way?"   "I am helping to lay up food for the winter," said the Ant, "and recommend you to do the same."
"Why bother about winter?" said the Grasshopper; "We have got plenty of food at present." But the Ant went on its way and continued its toil.
     When the winter came the Grasshopper had no food and found itself dying of hunger - while it saw the ants distributing every day corn and grain from the stores they had collected in the summer. Then the Grasshopper knew: It is best to prepare for days of need.
Aesop was born about 620 BCE and something tells me there was a Spiritual influence about this story.
I think God had sent a message to Aesop. Listen to this from Proverbs:
6 Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise,7 Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler,8 Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest.9 How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep? 10 A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep—11 So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, And your need like an armed man. Proverbs 6:6-11.
Which goes right along with this one, “For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10).   What about this one, “Lazy hands bring poverty, but hard-working hands lead to wealth. Whoever harvests during summer acts wisely, but the son who sleeps during harvest is disgraceful” (Proverbs 10:4-5).
Do you get the picture yet??? The lazy person who does not work, does not eat and cannot function properly in society.  Well, unless you are dependent on the government then you get money for doing nothing so you can buy what you believe you need to survive. 
13 The lazy man says, “There is a lion in the road! A fierce lion is in the streets!”14 As a door turns on its hinges, So does the lazy man on his bed.15 The lazy man buries his hand in the bowl; It wearies him to bring it back to his mouth.16 The lazy man is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly. Proverbs 26:13-16
I know some people that can be termed “freeloaders” who have a drive to do something but do not want to do the groundwork. They are the, “Give me money, food, shelter, so I can do this”, and say in secret that they will give nothing in return. When funds are received by the freeloader; he uses it for some other purpose. Some who are lazy are actually very smart but procrastinate so long that opportunities fly away like a hawk who captured the prey.   Paul tells the Christians at Ephesus, “So be careful how you live. Don’t live like fools, but like those who are wise. Make the most of every opportunity in these evil days” Ephesians 5:15-16.
We all need to be like the ant not just in our physical lives but our spiritual lives as well.
“If anyone does not take care of his own relatives, especially his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever” 1 Timothy 5:8. 
If we do not work to support ourselves and become dependent on others to provide how long will it be before the care stops. When we were children were we brought up with silver spoons getting everything handed to us? Well, ok some were but the ones that happened to will find themselves as beggars and thieves after the money is gone. The child brought up righteously has a Fear of God and understands the Servant’s Heart. We serve the Father working like the ant and develop a righteous and faithful heart.    Brothers, Sisters, and Children, listen to the Father, Read and Meditate daily, working for others placing your own needs last. The person who gathers (works) and stores up for later while providing will be able to rest easy and be provided for before meeting our Savior face to face.
Father God,
      Help us to not have a sluggard’s heart but be faithful gatherers for your will so that we can rest easy at the end of the day. Your Word feeds us and fills us with Your Glory. We Praise Your Mighty and Holy Name. Send your Spirit upon us to keep us living godly lives. We ask these things in Jesus Name.
 Amen

Pastor Rob here,
   Have you ever been in a situation where you knew God was in control? It happens a lot here. Between school, work, money concerns, vacations or simply talking to someone, God is always present. Sometimes His presence is felt and sometimes it is just in the situation. God is always there. There are moments where we are so far down on ourselves that we do not think even God loves us. Guess what, He does. He is there, He is waiting for you to talk. One of the hardest things to do today is to surrender to God all things we can no longer do.  There are a couple things to remember, God loves us, we are His children. The other thing is we are never, ever alone, God sent us the Holy Spirit to guide us in godly lives. God is Love and He is Alive.
God's Love and Blessings,
Pastor Rob

NOT
    It happens every generation. Young people who make it past the age of 16 think they know everything. I have heard some say, “I don’t need to graduate, the college has already accepted me”; or the more popular, “I can do this on my own, I don’t need you (parents).” REALLY, I don’t think so. There is an issue with young people that goes way back, a desire to take the business of living into their own hands. This leads to very bad decisions for some because they think they know everything they need to survive in the world.
 The third chapter of Proverbs discusses guidance for the young.
Proverbs 3:5-8 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.7 Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil.8 It will be health to your flesh,
And strength to your bones (NKJV).”
    Do you see it? Listen to it carefully, Lean not on your own understanding. Just because you think you know everything, you don’t. That even goes for adults. Doing things on our own can lead to something going wrong. Parental guidance from God and being of good countenance leads to right and good decisions keeping you on the right and narrow path. Doing things without proper thought and thinking to better oneself without the Father’s guidance can lead to negative results.            Paul reminds us in Romans 12:16:
Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion (Romans 12:16 NKJV).
Proverbs 23:4-5 says, “Do not overwork to be rich; Because of your own understanding, cease!
Will you set your eyes on that which is not? For riches certainly make themselves wings;
They fly away like an eagle toward heaven.”
Think about the parable of the Prodigal Son….
He thought he knew how to live. We do not know if he worked a day in his life, but apparently it was ok for him to go. He took the money and ran. The young man was not thinking straight. He partied hard and enjoyed the freedom until reality stepped in. He had to work and earn in order to continue the lifestyle he chose. After the realization that he was not fully capable of being on his own he came back. Lesson Learned.
We have so many lazy ways for people to get money these days. One of the most misused is the GoFundMe site. For example there is a young man I know who has worked but quit when the job got too emotionally and physically straining. He is preparing to go to college and set up a GoFundMe instead of working for the money or even taking out a student loan. Then there is Kanye who totally ignored the Word obviously and is now asking people to pay (literally) for his mistakes. COME ON!!!!!
Well, God gave rules, commands, ideas, functions, abilities, and guidance and punishments for such things. If we hear and listen to God’s Word, follow the guidance, and stay the course, we will remain healthy and gain a wealth that is beyond human comprehension. If we honor God with our first fruits (not just money folks) our barns will be full. The storehouse is the body and the spirit, and good character, values, ethics, and morals is the wealth.
So do not think you know everything at 17, heck I am 45 almost 46 and I am still learning every day.
Heavenly Father, Gracious Lord,
We have tried to do things without you only to stumble and fall. We are in need of humbling reminders that we cannot do it by ourselves. We do not have the understanding to always do the right thing which is why we put our trust in you Lord. Thank you for reminding us that You will lift us up so we can try again but with your guidance. In Your Holy and Precious Name, In Jesus,
AMEN