So many times, we are depressed and/or overwhelmed by the troubles and trials we face daily. Take a few minutes to read this story which many of you may have heard as a youngster. Reading it now as an adult will bless your heart as you see God’s plan unfold in the life of Joseph.

This story can be found in the book of Genesis about a young man named Joseph whose father was Jacob and mother was Rachael. He had a younger brother Benjamin but he also had older step-brothers and a step-sister. Rueben was the oldest, and Joseph and Benjamin were number eleven and twelve in the household. I’m sure by now you are wondering why this is important to the story. You will see as the story continues, how God’s plan and God’s promise evolved to what later became the twelve tribes of Israel as he had made a promise to Abraham, Jacob’s grandfather that he would make Israel a great nation. It was Jacob’s sons that became the twelve tribes of Israel.

Jacob loved his wife Rachel the most and when she finally conceived a son, it was apparent to all those around him who his favorite son was. One day as the story unfolds in Genesis 37, Joseph was in the pasture with the flocks and so were a couple of his brothers. They must have been up to no good because Joseph reported the incident to his father. Of course, this didn’t sit well with the brothers and it drove a stronger wedge between Joseph and his brothers. If this wasn’t enough to make them dislike him, Jacob made a special coat for Joseph. It was an unusual coat of colors representing nobility and not the usual coat of a sheep herder. Jealousy, anger, and fear that their father would leave all the inheritance to Joseph built up their emotions and so they plotted a plan to do away with Joseph.

Oh, but in the meantime Joseph had a dream which he told them all. This dream was about binding sheaves in the field and Joseph’s sheaf arose and stood upright while all of theirs gathered around it and bowed down to his sheaf. Well, then the brothers began to question him. Are you saying that you will rule and reign over us?

As if that wasn’t enough, Joseph had another dream in which the sun, moon, and eleven stars were bowing down to him. This dream he told his father and brothers. His father rebuked him and said shall I and your mother and brothers bow down to you? This added to the jealousy and anger the brothers had for Jacob, but the father kept this in his heart.

One day the brothers moved the herd of sheep into another area of the country to find grazing land. Joseph was left with his father, but Jacob wanted a report on how the men were doing and where they were located. So he sent Joseph to check on them and bring word back.

They saw him coming from afar and the brothers talked among themselves and plotted to kill him. Rueben the oldest tried to persuade the others not to kill him because the murder would be on their hands. He suggested they leave him in a cistern which he secretly intended to come back for Joseph after the men and herd had moved on.

However, while Rueben was gone, the other brothers hearing a caravan of Ishmaelites coming through the desert on their way to Egypt to sell their goods, decided to sell Joseph as a slave. Which they did, but then had to make up a story to tell their father. So, they tore the coat of many colors up into pieces and dipped it in the blood of an animal. When they took it to their father, he assumed a wild animal had killed Joseph. Jacob was very sad and was not able to compose himself because his favorite son, the one who would receive his inheritance was dead.

The traders sold Joseph to Potiphar, an officer of the Pharaoh of Egypt. The officer observed that the Lord’s hand was on Joseph and that everything he did was successful. So he gave Joseph charge of everything in his household. However, that ended with Joseph in jail when Potiphar’s wife accused Joseph of coming into her room and had his robe to prove it.

During his time in jail, he was able to interpret several dreams, one for the Pharaoh’s cupbearer and one for the baker who had both been thrown in the pit with him. Joseph had hoped that the cupbearer would remember him when he was restored to his job as cupbearer again. But he did not, and Joseph spent another two years in the house of the jailer. One day, he was summoned to interpret a dream for the Pharoah because when none of the magicians or wise men of Egypt were able to give answers to the dream, the cupbearer remembered Joseph.

Joseph listened to the dream and then told the pharaoh that God had blessed him with a prediction of what was about to happen in Egypt: There would be seven years of good crops and after that, there would be seven years of famine.

He even told the Pharoah to appoint good overseers of the crops and to begin saving back 1/5 of the crops to help through the famine years. The Pharoah and all of his servants and commanders were so impressed with Joseph’s interpretation and solution that they put him in charge of all of the land of Egypt. Genesis 41:38…”Can we find a man like this, ‘in whom is the Spirit of God?”

Are you watching how God’s plan for Joseph is unfolding? The good news is Joseph was loved by his father, the bad news is his brothers hated him, the good news is he landed in the home of an important officer, the bad news is the wife used him to make her husband jealous and he landed in jail, the good news is the cupbearer, who had been jailed with Joseph, on his release remembered Joseph interpreting his dream and gave Joseph a chance to get an audience with the Pharoah.

Are you relating to this story yet? I want you to see that as we move through life with trials and troubles, two things happen: our testimony reflects that we are a child of God and that God is always caring for us.

For the next seven years, Joseph stored the corn and grains of abundant years of good crops and when the famine came everyone it says from all over the earth had to come to Egypt to buy food. One of those people just happened to be Joseph’s father who learned that Egypt had plenty of grain for sale. He sent all of his sons to buy grain but kept Benjamin back. He was afraid something would happen to him.

When the brothers got to Egypt, Joseph recognized them, but of course, the brothers had no idea that the overseer was their brother Joseph for he was clothed in the finest Egyptian garments and gold jewelry, and I suspect that his beard was in the style of the Egyptians. Joseph accused the brothers of coming there to spy so he had all of them confined to prison for three days and then inquired again about them being spies. In their answer, they told him that they were all honest men of one father and brothers of twelve of which one was gone and one was left with their father. Then Joseph inquired about their father and the one brother left behind. He said he would sell them grain, but one of the men would have to be left behind in confinement until they brought back the other brother to prove their story was true.

Joseph gave orders to his servants to place each man’s money back in their grain bags. When the men stopped for a night’s rest, they discovered the money at the top of each one of the grain bags. They all became afraid. They arrived home and explained all of what had happened, and that they couldn’t go back to Egypt to buy grain unless they brought their brother Benjamin back with them. This greatly disturbed Jacob, but when the grain was gone, they had no choice but to go back. After must deliberation, it was decided to take Benjamin with them.

When they arrived in Egypt, Joseph ordered that all should be fed from his table and he asked the servants to give five times more grain to Benjamin. As they were leaving once again with their bags of grain, Joseph asked the servant to once again put their money back in their bags but in Benjamin’s bag along with the money they were to place a silver cup from Joseph’s table.

After the men left and were on their journey, Joseph sent the servant after them to check the bags of grain. The money was found in each of the bags but when he got to Benjamin’s bag, he found the money and the silver cup. The servant said that he was to bring that person back to Joseph for punishment. But the brothers were concerned that if they went back to their father without the youngest it would be his death. So, they all went back to beg for mercy and to see if one of them could be imprisoned instead of Benjamin.

Joseph was so emotional he could no longer hold back the tears. He told the men who he was and inquired to see if Jacob was still living. When he finally composed himself, he sent the men with many wagons and many goods with a message to his father to move everyone to Egypt where there would be plenty of grazing land and an abundance of everything for them. His brothers were overwhelmed, they bowed low and prostrate on the floor. Joseph’s reply to them for what they had done. “And now do not be distressed or angry with yourselves because you sold me here, for God sent me before you to preserve life.”

“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.” Genesis 50:20

God has a purpose and a plan for your life.

A funny thing happened one day at a grave site. Now you might be thinking that this is not a place for a laugh. But wait till I tell you what happen and see if it doesn’t bring a laugh!

My pastor husband was overseeing funeral services for a long standing church member who had helped build the original church building. He was known as a kind old timer, loved by the community.

Upon arrival at the cemetary, a large crowd had gathered so I stood at the back. I couldn’t hear what he was saying n g but I could tell he was reading the scripture. Then everyone bowed for prayer. As I was watching all of this from a distance, I could see that he had finished. I blinked and he was gone. Just for an instance, I wondered if the Rapture had come. I composed myself and moved toward the front of the crowd because by this time everyone was running toward the casket. As I get to the front of the group, my husband is climbing out of the grave!

This was my husband’s first funeral to preside over and he was a little nervous about the situation because there would be such a large gathering. He suggested that I not go to the funeral but go to the grave side service. He told me he was going to read a scripture and then have prayer with family.

Turns out, the funeral personel had put the framework too far from the edge and had covered it with artificial grass turf. As my husband told me later, just as he stepped in front of the family to shake hands, he dropped down between the edge of the grave and the framework.

He did manage to throw his arm over the framework and pull himself up and shake hands the family.

Yes, you are laughing at this hilarious story. But my reason for sharing it with you is to bring up a point. Are you ready for the Lord’s return?

“But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope.For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep.For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.Therefore encourage one another with these words.

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 ESV

Because this is the season that we think of snow, Christmas trees, jingle bells, and joyful music, it is also a time of sorrow for many people as they try to maneuver through the holiday festivities both financially, mentally, and time-wise.

The Lord has laid it on my heart this morning to encourage you. We all need this encouragement from God’s Word, and to be reminded of just how much He loves us. We are not alone, He has prepared us for living in this world where troubles abound. I was reminded as I attended Bible study, a worship service, and on another occasion, a worship-in-song service of just how much God loves me and has provided all that I need to live in this troublesome world.

My attention was drawn to the last day Jesus had with His disciples before He was led to the cross. Meeting with His disciples this is what He told them: “In the world, you will have tribulation. ” But He also gave an answer to overcoming the troubles of this world: “In Him we can find peace.”

”I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

To set the stage for this scripture, Jesus spent the last night with His disciples before His crucifixion. He related to them that He would be taken, persecuted, and killed. This is not what His disciples wanted to hear because they had walked with Him and knew His power and presence. They believed He had come to save the world in the physical sense of the word. After spending three years seeing His miracles and walking with His teachings, how could they understand that He was going to be put to death by His own Jewish nation? Jesus not only prepares them for His death but also about His life after death with God, His Heavenly Father.

Along with the knowledge of the coming death of Christ, John records that the Lord gave them hope through the knowledge of a Comforter or Helper. I wonder how they grasped hold of all the instructions and assurances that He told them that night.

“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this, all men will know that you are My disciples if you have love for one another.” John 13:34, 35.

“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me….If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself, that where I am, there you may be also.” John 14:1-3

John records that Jesus explained to the disciples that He was in the Father and the Father was in Him and that whoever believes in Him will do greater things because He is going to be with the Father and He assures them that if they ask anything in His name that they will receive it. John 14:12-14

Sometimes we take that particular verse and use it to go to the Lord in prayer for our needs, but this isn’t what the Lord was talking about. He was submissive and committed to doing God’s Will, God’s Way. He was telling the disciples that whatever God wanted them to do, Jesus would see that the Father gave them what they needed to accomplish God’s Will, God’s Way just as He was submitting to the Father.

Then Jesus tells them that if they love Him, they will keep His commandments and that He would ask on their behalf that the Father provide them with a Helper.

“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.” John 14:15-17

You can use the following scriptures to see all the ways in which the Helper, The Holy Spirit, has been provided for you and me to equip us with the ability to move through this season, this world, or any given situation. We can know that we have the tools and the assurance from the Lord that we can overcome because we know the Overcomer.

(To know God’s Will, Ezekiel 36:27; Leads according to God’s will, Psalm143:10; Our Advocate, John 14:6; Our teacher and reminder of the Lord, John 14:26; A witness and testimony of the Lord and God, John15:26; He is given as a promise of our inheritance, Acts 5:32; He is the channel through which God’s love is poured into us, Romans 5:5; He gives the power of hope, Romans 15:13, He helps us to know the thoughts of God, I Corinthians 2:11, He abides in us forever, I Corinthians 6:19-20)

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation, He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” I Corinthians 10:13

That way to that Peace is through Jesus Christ, His Son who is the propitiation for us from unholy to holy before the heavenly Father. “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'” John 14:6

“Where are your gods which you have made for yourself? …Let them arise if they can save you.”

As the Lord spoke to Jeremiah concerning Israel He said: “My people have changed their glory for that which does not profit.” “For My people have committed two evils; they have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, to hew for themselves cisterns, broken cisterns that can hold no water.”

Jeremiah chapter two is very clear as God has a conversation with the prophet Jeremiah that His people have turned their backs on Him the “fountain of living water.” They have placed their trust in what they can make themselves and relied on other’s opinions and directions instead of seeking God’s Word, God’s Will, God’s Way.

I am constantly amazed as I read God’s Word to see time and time and time again where Israel turns away from God. In fact, He calls them a stubborn and rebellious people. They choose to make paths for themselves that have no benefit. They find themselves in deep trouble because they have not followed God’s instructions or even cared to have Him in their life. Most of the stories go like this; they worship other gods, they observe and follow other people, and/or they just don’t care about God. BUT when it is convenient or they find they are in deep trouble, then they pray to God. Does this sound like you?

When I was a kid we had a term called “wishy, washy.” This was used to say that a person was indecisive or would not take a firm stand on something; one way, one day and another way, another day.

Mature and learn from your mistakes. Ask God to help you recognize quicker when you are straying from Him because the pit you fall into is just around the corner. I am happy to share with you some promises from God’s Word and there are many. I hope these few will give you the strength and courage to stay the course. Become steady and steadfast in your journey with God.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean no on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5,6

“Seek the Lord and His strength, seek His presence continually!” I Chronicles 16:11

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord you God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

“Ah, Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.” Jeremiah 32:17

Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always. I Chronicles 16:11

“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1:7

Is anything in your life too hard for our Lord’s hand? Everything and everyone around us seems to be in the middle of drama, either just in or just out of. Pride and arrogance seem to be the norm. I was reminded of a story that Moses recorded in the eleventh chapter of Genesis where pride and arrogance brought about a worldwide event that has affected us to this day.

After the great flood, God gave instructions to Noah, his sons, Shem, Ham, Japheth, and their wives that they were to be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth. Genesis 9:1 God repeated this a second time. Then in verses 12-17, He gives this covenant; “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember My covenant that is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh. God said to Noah, ‘This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between Me and all flesh that is on the earth.’”

One of those descendants, Nimrod, migrated east to the land of Shinar which means “country of two rivers.” Those two rivers were the Tigris and the Euphrates which flow through modern-day Iraq. His father was Cush whose father was Ham whose father was Noah who was still alive at the time. Noah lived to be 950 years old and was 600 years old at the time of the flood. Just to give you an idea of the amount of time that elapsed between the flood and the tower of Babel.Nimrod, known as a mighty man, led the people to be a powerful and successful nation of thousands. He wanted a symbol or monument to himself and his accomplishments; one that could be seen by all. So, he proposed that the people build a tower that could be seen from a long distance. It would be a tower to the heavens so the gods could come down and the people could go up to the gods. This tower was made with bricks dried with fire and a mortar described as asphalt which took over 100 years to build.

Moses wrote this story in Genesis, chapter eleven and it describes them as a people that had become prideful and arrogant. They didn’t need God; they had become the powerful nation of Babylonians.

Josephus, a writer of ancient history, stated this about Nimrod: “He also said he would be revenged on God if he should have a mind to drown the world again; for that, he would build a tower too high for the waters to be able to reach and that he would avenge himself on God for destroying their forefathers.” (Antiquities of the Jews, Book 1, Chapter 4)

“And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built. And the Lord said, ‘Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech.’ So, the Lord dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. Therefore, its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth, and from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth.” Genesis 11:5-9

Interestingly the Hebrew word for Babel or Babylon is Balal which means to mix, mingle, confuse, confound. The very meaning of the name given to the Tower of Babel was appropriate because God confused the builders’ language so they couldn’t understand each other.

The Lord had given Noah’s family the responsibility of replenishing the earth. Nimrod, only three generations from the great flood had abandoned the salvation of the Lord and the one and only true God who spoke directly to his great-grandfather. He was now building a monument to himself, staying in one place and building an empire dedicated to themselves and their selfish and prideful arrogance.

I was amused that Nimrod and his officials thought they could outsmart God with a tower high enough to prevent them from dying in a flood caused by God. I was equally amazed that they didn’t believe God when He said He would never destroy the earth by a flood again. But then I am often caught off guard myself when I go to God in prayer with answers to problems instead of saying to God, “Your will, Your way.” What? Am I smarter than God? Oh, may I always be reminded of the power of the Almighty God and His love for me. I hope this story has reminded you of what an awesome God, creator of man, and will help you realize God has a plan and purpose in store for you.
These two scriptures help me put things in perspective when everything around me is chaos. May they be an encouragement to you today.

Jeremiah 32:27 “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh. Is anything too hard for me?”

Ephesians 3:20-21 “Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever.”

The Apostle Paul was under Roman imprisonment during the time that he wrote this letter to those believers of “the Way” at Ephesus. This was a highly civilized port city with the acceptance of many cultures and gods. Not long after this letter was circulated, Emperor Nero came into reign and began heavily persecuting those who called themselves Christians.

Today, we are living in an environment of acceptance unless you claim to be a Christian. Then our values as Christ-followers are challenged. We are in need of strength and courage from God’s Word to stay the course. May these words in Ephesians give you that security.

“O Lord, You have searched me and known me.

You know when I sit down and when I rise up;

You discern my thoughts from afar.

You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.

Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.

You hem me in, behind and before, and lay Your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high; I cannot attain it.

Where shall I go from Your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from Your presence?

If I ascend to heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, You are there!

If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

Even there Your hand shall lead me, and Your right hand shall hold of me.

If I say, ‘Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about be night,’

even the darkness is not dark to You; the night is bright as the day,

and the darkness is as light with You.

For You formed my inward parts; You knitted me together in my mother’s womb.

I praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Wonderful are Your works; my soul knows it very well.

My frame was not hidden from You when I was being made in secret,

and intimately woven in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes have seen my unformed substance,

and in Your book were written, every one of them,

the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.

How precious to me are Your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them!

If I would count them, they are more than the sand.

I awake, and I am still with You.

Oh, that You would slay the wicked, O God, men of blood, depart from me!

They speak against You with malicious intent; Your enemies take Your name in vain.

Do I not hate those who hate You, O Lord?

And do I not loathe those who rise up against You? I hate them with complete hatred.

I count them my enemies.

Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!

And see if there be any grievous way in me,

And lead me in the way everlasting!

Psalms 139 ESV

          Several months after my husband went to be with the Lord at the age of forty-nine, I wrestled with the decision of what to do about the non-profit organization which we had founded twelve years earlier. Through much prayer, Bible study, listening to great sermons, and a burning desire to know God’s will, I decided to stay with the work which was to assist pastors and leaders in small membership churches as well as continuing the campground ministry which was available for conferences, camps, and retreats.
          That decision came as I pursued an answer from God in my daily devotion time. I obtained a job with an employment agency and on Saturdays, I would go to the campground, which was where our house was, to pack all of my personal belongings as well as the camp office and my husband’s office. The board had decided close the organization, sell the campground, and auction everything.
          One Sunday morning, during the time of all of this, my pastor preached a sermon on: “Defeating Discouragement from Overwhelming Tasks.” Using Joshua 1:1-11 as his text, he began to talk about the overwhelming task that had been placed on Joshua’s shoulders by God after the leader of the nation of Israel, Moses, had died. God had given him the responsibility to lead Israel to conquer the new territory. The original Hebrews that had been in bondage to Egypt had died in the forty years of wilderness wonderings except for Caleb and Joshua. God had appointed Joshua to lead a second-generation nation of untrained, unskilled people who also lacked a vision for the task at hand. Certainly, if anyone had a right to be discouraged it was Joshua.

“It was I who knew you in the wilderness, in the land of drought; but when they had grazed, they became full, they were filled, and their heart was lifted up; therefore they forgot me.”

Hosea 13:5-6

Oh God forgive me! I realized I was looking within myself to provide for my needs and the needs of the organization. I couldn’t figure out how to work a secular job to provide for myself and also take on the responsibility of the ministry. No wonder I lacked the courage to act on that burden.
With a new perspective, the Holy Spirit brought to my memory the many times I had stepped out in faith, trusting God, and how faithfully He had provided. I also remembered this scripture in Matthew.

“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon. For this reason, I say to you, do not be anxious for your life, as to what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor for your body, as to what you shall put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single cubit to his life’s span? And why are you anxious about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil, nor do they spin, yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory did not clothe himself like one of these. But if God so arrays the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more do so for you, O men of little faith? Do not be anxious then, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or,’ What shall we drink?’ or, ‘With what shall we clothe ourselves?” For all these things the Gentiles eagerly seek; for your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things. But seek first the His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6:24-34

Now it was time to commit to the Lord and trust Him for direction, sustenance, and timing. I made the commitment to God that I had heard what He was saying to me. I made a covenant with God to follow through with talking to my boss at the employment office. In my conversation with her, I wanted to ask if she would allow me to continue working part-time as I began to get the ministry active again.
On the way to work that day, I stopped by the post office to check the box for the organization. There was only one piece of mail in this commercial box and it was addressed to me. It was a note from a lady who had been a counselor with one of the first mission teams to come to the campground. Her note expressed sympathy at my loss and then she added an encouraging word. She said she knew enough about me to know that I would give my adverse situation to the Lord and He would turn it to my good. She also let me know that every one of the youths who had come to camp that year had made life-changing decisions. That wasn’t all, she included a check for five hundred dollars made out to me personally.
Right there in the post office, I began to cry as I read the note and saw the check because to me it was an indication from the Lord that I was going in the right direction. That indeed He was my provider and already had the answer to my prayer in the mailbox before I asked. I followed through with the commitment I had made to Him earlier that day, by talking to my boss that very morning. She was kind to receive what I said and allowed me to continue working there as I began to find office space and gradually get the organization back into operation.
It was a blessing to see the campground and the ministry continue for twenty more years. The organization has dissolved now, but the campground facility dedicated to serving God’s purpose is continuing as a ministry outreach.

“And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed.” 2 Corinthians 9:8

On Sunday, after spending time in Jericho with Zacchaeus and those that came to his house, Jesus and His disciples traveled toward Jerusalem as far as the Mount of Olives. He then told two of His disciples to go to the nearby village and when they entered they would find a colt that had never been ridden and bring it to Him. If anyone asks why you are taking the colt, He said to tell them that the Lord has need of it.

When they brought the colt to Jesus, they put their garments on the colt and set Jesus on it. As the colt moved forward, they began to lay their garments on the ground before them. Coming down from the mount, multitudes of disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice. They were waving palm branches and yelling: “Saying, Blessed is the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.” Luke 19:38

About 500 years before this event, Zechariah the prophet foretold the happening: Zechariah 9:9 “Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd asked Jesus to tell His disciples to stop. They were afraid they would stir up the crowd to riot. Jesus answered them, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.” Luke 19:40 Then Luke records that the Lord wept as He entered Jerusalem for He saw that soon the enemies would tear it all down and no stone would be left.

On Monday, He entered the temple and began to drive out those who were selling birds and animals for the sacrifices of sin and exchanging different types of money. It wasn’t the selling that was the problem, it was the dishonesty that existed in the sales and the money exchange.“My house shall be a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of robbers.” Luke 19: 46

On Tuesday, the Lord and disciples returned to Jerusalem and He was teaching daily in the temple while the chief priests and scribes were trying to find a reason to destroy Him, but they did not find anything they could do because the people were hanging onto all of the words that He spoke.

As He spoke to the crowds, Matthew recorded this: Matthew 23:24-33 “Blind guides!... For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity. Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness…Snakes! Sons of vipers! How will you escape the judgment of hell?”

The scribes and chief priests were afraid that the people would come after them if they perceived His parable was about them. So, they watched Jesus and sent out spies to see if they could catch Him doing something they could turn over to the courts. By the way, it was on this day that Judas Iscariot agreed with the Sanhedrin, the rabbinical court of Israel, to betray Jesus. Matthew 26:14-16

Finally, the Pharisees, the scribes, and the elders came to him and asked Him by what authority do you speak these things, and who gave you that authority? Jesus answered them with a question: “Was the baptism of John from heaven or from man?

Now, they got their heads together and decided that if they said heaven, then He would ask them why they didn’t believe him, and if they said man, then the people would stone them because the people believed John’s message. So, they said they didn’t know. Jesus answered them back: “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things.”

On Wednesday, we do not have specifics only that He may have rested in Bethany probably at the home of Lazarus, Mary, and Martha getting ready for Passover the next day.

On Thursday, Jesus washed His disciples’ feet in preparation to share in the Passover. This act was a humble example of how His followers should love one another. Then the Lord served the Passover meal or the Last Supper to His disciples.

Luke 22:15,16 “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God.”

Luke 22:19-20 “And He took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ And likewise, the cup after they had eaten, saying, ‘This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.”

After the meal, Jesus and the disciples left the Upper Room and went to the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed in anguish to God the Father. Luke 22:44 “And being in an agony He prayed more earnestly: and His sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”

It was that night in Gethsemane, that Jesus was betrayed by Judas Iscariot and arrested by the Sanhedrin. He was taken to the house of Caiaphas, the High Priest where the full council was assembled to make their claim against Jesus.

On Friday, early that morning Peter denied Jesus three times. Also, it was Friday morning when Judas hanged himself for what he had done.

Before Christ was hung on the cross, He was mocked and made fun of as the “King of the Jews” and they placed the crown of thorns on His head and made Him carry His cross through the streets of Jerusalem and up to Golgotha, or the Mount of Skulls. He was beaten beyond recognition and bruised and spit upon and mocked, yet he was silent. Christ was nailed on a cross between two thieves. One of the thieves believed that Christ was who He claimed to be: The Son of God. Because of that, Jesus told him that he would be in paradise with Him that very night.

“Woman behold thy son! Behold thy mother! John 19:26-27

“My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Mark 14:34

“I thirst.” John 19:28

“It is finished.” John 19:30

“Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” Luke 23:46

“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Luke 23:34

Jesus drew His last breath at the ninth hour (3 p.m.) and at 6 p.m. He was taken down and placed in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea.

“Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews.” John 19:39-40 Both Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus were members of the Sanhedrin court that had denounced Jesus to death. They were afraid to come out publicly to declare their belief in Jesus but cared for Him after He died.

I do not want to leave the Holy Week with Jesus in the tomb because a glorious event takes place on the first day of the week. Without this day of resurrection, there would be no hope. The Bible from Genesis to Revelations tells of the coming of a Savior who will crush the head of satan and give eternal life to those who believe in Him. He took upon Himself the sins of all the people, past, present, and future. It was the sacrifice that was acceptable to God for the remission of our sins.

When He arose on Sunday morning, the first day of the week, the work was finished: atonement, redemption, reconciliation, and salvation.

When Mary Magdalene and another Mary came to the tomb that morning, they found it empty. The stone had been rolled away and an angel of the Lord told them not to be afraid because Jesus had risen. As the women left to tell the disciples, Jesus met them on the road.

“Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.’ While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests’ everything that had happened. When the chief priest had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, ‘You are to say His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.”  Matthew 28; 10-13

When they saw Him, they worshipped Him, but one known as Thomas doubted and needed to see the nail-scarred hands.

“Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20