We have all seen pictures that at first glance appear to be one thing, but when viewed from a different perspective, appear to be something completely different. Two people can be looking at the same picture and see completely different things. The internet was recently at odds over a dress. The way we see the world is dependent upon our position and our experience. If we had a map of San Diego and plans to see the sights but were deposited in Nashville, we would be frustrated. The problem is not us or God, but the problem is that we were not in the right position to use what we were provided. Often the problems in life we experience are a result of our position and perspective about what is going on. When we see things differently, we react and behave differently. A paradigm shift occurs when we place ourselves in someone elses shoes. We have our opinion about how life should go, but when viewed from a different perspective. Where we stand often determines what we see. If we fail to pray and fast, we can expect to have a negative view of life. When making life changing decisions, we must seek God and His will if we expect to have a good outcome. Out text describes a man who had led a life that left description in his path. He had become rich by exploiting other people and his position. Even with all his wealth Zacchaeus was not happy with his life. The bible tells us that he was a short man. Because of his wealth, he could change many things about his life, but not his stature. Because of his position in life, he had become bitter and treated people poorly. On that day, something changed. The bible tells us that Zaccheaus climbed a tree to see the Lord. His purpose was not to prove something, or to gain advantage over others. His purpose was to see Jesus. Zacchaeus positioned himself to see Jesus before the Lord came by. If he had climbed the tree after Jesus passed by, it would have done him no good. When Jesus came to the place, He spoke to Zacchaeus and told him to come down. The crowd complained why would Jesus want to go to the home of a sinner. Zacchaeus had a past and the crowd knew it. Jesus looked past Zacchaeus' past and guaranteed his future. Like Zacchaeus, we must position our self where God can bless us. Zacchaeus ignored the murmuring of the crowd and the detractors in his way and climbed higher to get to the point where he could see Jesus. The crowd did not think Zacchaeus was worthy of the Lord, but Jesus came for all sinners. Like Zacchaeus, there are many things about life that we cannot change. One thing we can change is the way we view it. Like Zacchaeus, if we are to make changes in our life, we have to climb to a different position so that we can change our perception.

We have all seen pictures that at first glance appear to be one thing, but when viewed from a different perspective, appear to be something completely different. Two people can be looking at the same picture and see completely different things. The internet was recently at odds over a dress. The way we see the world is dependent upon our position and our experience. If we had a map of San Diego and plans to see the sights but were deposited in Nashville, we would be frustrated. The problem is not us or God, but the problem is that we were not in the right position to use what we were provided. Often the problems in life we experience are a result of our position and perspective about what is going on. When we see things differently, we react and behave differently. A paradigm shift occurs when we place ourselves in someone elses shoes. We have our opinion about how life should go, but when viewed from a different perspective. Where we stand often determines what we see. If we fail to pray and fast, we can expect to have a negative view of life. When making life changing decisions, we must seek God and His will if we expect to have a good outcome. Out text describes a man who had led a life that left description in his path. He had become rich by exploiting other people and his position. Even with all his wealth Zacchaeus was not happy with his life. The bible tells us that he was a short man. Because of his wealth, he could change many things about his life, but not his stature. Because of his position in life, he had become bitter and treated people poorly. On that day, something changed. The bible tells us that Zaccheaus climbed a tree to see the Lord. His purpose was not to prove something, or to gain advantage over others. His purpose was to see Jesus. Zacchaeus positioned himself to see Jesus before the Lord came by. If he had climbed the tree after Jesus passed by, it would have done him no good. When Jesus came to the place, He spoke to Zacchaeus and told him to come down. The crowd complained why would Jesus want to go to the home of a sinner. Zacchaeus had a past and the crowd knew it. Jesus looked past Zacchaeus' past and guaranteed his future. Like Zacchaeus, we must position our self where God can bless us. Zacchaeus ignored the murmuring of the crowd and the detractors in his way and climbed higher to get to the point where he could see Jesus. The crowd did not think Zacchaeus was worthy of the Lord, but Jesus came for all sinners. Like Zacchaeus, there are many things about life that we cannot change. One thing we can change is the way we view it. Like Zacchaeus, if we are to make changes in our life, we have to climb to a different position so that we can change our perception.

The Hebrew word for wisdom came from the root word skill. Our text admonishes us to walk in wisdom. The word used means to walk observantly. If we do not walk in wisdom, we walk in foolishness. When we follow God, we walk in wisdom. We must be careful to continue that walk and not revert to our former foolish ways. The world will try it's best to stray from that wisdom. Wisdom always chooses God's way. Wisdom walking is a disciplined walk. if we are wise we will redeem the time that God has given us and use it for His glory. How much time do we waste each day on things like social media, and television? We only get so many hours on this earth. How will we use them? How will we use them to benefit the kingdom of God? In answer to that question requires study of the word and prayer. Verse 18 says to be filled with the spirit, but many have not made the connection of the wisdom required to cause that to happen. The only way to gain that wisdom is through study and prayer.

The Hebrew word for wisdom came from the root word skill. Our text admonishes us to walk in wisdom. The word used means to walk observantly. If we do not walk in wisdom, we walk in foolishness. When we follow God, we walk in wisdom. We must be careful to continue that walk and not revert to our former foolish ways. The world will try it's best to stray from that wisdom. Wisdom always chooses God's way. Wisdom walking is a disciplined walk. if we are wise we will redeem the time that God has given us and use it for His glory. How much time do we waste each day on things like social media, and television? We only get so many hours on this earth. How will we use them? How will we use them to benefit the kingdom of God? In answer to that question requires study of the word and prayer. Verse 18 says to be filled with the spirit, but many have not made the connection of the wisdom required to cause that to happen. The only way to gain that wisdom is through study and prayer.

The story of easter is more than just a historical fact. it is a celebration of life and of truth. It is a celebration of a belief in life. What life means to each of us is because of what happened long ago on Calvary. The fact that He came, died, and rose again has changed the way we look at life forever. The greatest words ever spoken are contained in our passage: He is not here, He is risen. That message gives us direction at all times. Easter is like a compass. no matter what is going on, the mood, the feelings or the circumstances; the words He is risen change everything. Because He lived, we shall live also. We celebrate not just his resurrection but the promise of a life that we can live because if it. The greatest message that Easter speaks to this world is that WE matter. He did not come because He needed to, He came because WE needed Him to. He did it because of His great love for each of us. When we look at Calvary and the empty tomb, we are reminded of God’s great love for us. We matter to God. The second message of Easter is about God Himself The first Adam stumbled, and the second Adam had to come to finish the work. God is going to finish what He started. The third message of Easter is that even though they tried, they could not stop Him. Grace and Mercy were greater than all the evil that was set against Him. They did not take His life, He GAVE his life. The power of the resurrection is that evil cannot stop God’s grace and mercy. The love of God is not too good to be true, it IS true. That is resurrection’s message.

The story of easter is more than just a historical fact. it is a celebration of life and of truth. It is a celebration of a belief in life. What life means to each of us is because of what happened long ago on Calvary. The fact that He came, died, and rose again has changed the way we look at life forever. The greatest words ever spoken are contained in our passage: He is not here, He is risen. That message gives us direction at all times. Easter is like a compass. no matter what is going on, the mood, the feelings or the circumstances; the words He is risen change everything. Because He lived, we shall live also. We celebrate not just his resurrection but the promise of a life that we can live because if it. The greatest message that Easter speaks to this world is that WE matter. He did not come because He needed to, He came because WE needed Him to. He did it because of His great love for each of us. When we look at Calvary and the empty tomb, we are reminded of God’s great love for us. We matter to God. The second message of Easter is about God Himself The first Adam stumbled, and the second Adam had to come to finish the work. God is going to finish what He started. The third message of Easter is that even though they tried, they could not stop Him. Grace and Mercy were greater than all the evil that was set against Him. They did not take His life, He GAVE his life. The power of the resurrection is that evil cannot stop God’s grace and mercy. The love of God is not too good to be true, it IS true. That is resurrection’s message.

Our text paints a wonderful picture. The triumphant entry into Jerusalem. The bible tells us that the entire city turned out. It is estimated that there were about 2.5 million people in the city that day praising and worshiping Jesus. Just a few days later we find Jesus alone in the Garden of Gethsemane. What a difference a few days can make. On Sunday they are applauding Him; on Wednesday, they didn't even know where He was. It is likely that Gethsemane happened on Wednesday. Palm Sunday is when all the shouts were Hosana and acknowledging Him. Just a few days later, the cross is looming in His future and His humanity asks: Let this cup pass from me. The real test of faith didn't happen on Palm Sunday when they were all cheering Him. The real test of faith came when He was alone in His own private agony. The real test of life is not on Palm Sunday, but in Gethsemane. Do we have the kind of faith that can sustain us on Wednesday? Palm Sundays do not produce Easter Sundays. It takes a Gethsemane to produce an Easter Sunday. Character is not tested on Palm Sunday, but it will be revealed on a dark Wednesday. The garden not only reveals our character, but it tests our loyalties. Not my will, but thy will be done. The will of God trumped the will of His flesh. Is it in us to answer as He did? Only when we have that commitment in us can we identify with Him. Who among us has not prayed "Lord spare me from this" and knew that prayer would not be answered? We will never have an Easter Sunrise unless we have a Gethsemane night. God is in control, and whether He answers our prayer, we must still praise Him. We must still worship Him. Gethsemane is about facing life at its worst; and yet surviving and coming out victorious. He entered the garden in agony, but when He left he was at peace and ready for victory. If we will talk to God in our darkness, He will bring us out to the light. That is the difference between Sunday and Wednesday.

Our text paints a wonderful picture. The triumphant entry into Jerusalem. The bible tells us that the entire city turned out. It is estimated that there were about 2.5 million people in the city that day praising and worshiping Jesus. Just a few days later we find Jesus alone in the Garden of Gethsemane. What a difference a few days can make. On Sunday they are applauding Him; on Wednesday, they didn't even know where He was. It is likely that Gethsemane happened on Wednesday. Palm Sunday is when all the shouts were Hosana and acknowledging Him. Just a few days later, the cross is looming in His future and His humanity asks: Let this cup pass from me. The real test of faith didn't happen on Palm Sunday when they were all cheering Him. The real test of faith came when He was alone in His own private agony. The real test of life is not on Palm Sunday, but in Gethsemane. Do we have the kind of faith that can sustain us on Wednesday? Palm Sundays do not produce Easter Sundays. It takes a Gethsemane to produce an Easter Sunday. Character is not tested on Palm Sunday, but it will be revealed on a dark Wednesday. The garden not only reveals our character, but it tests our loyalties. Not my will, but thy will be done. The will of God trumped the will of His flesh. Is it in us to answer as He did? Only when we have that commitment in us can we identify with Him. Who among us has not prayed "Lord spare me from this" and knew that prayer would not be answered? We will never have an Easter Sunrise unless we have a Gethsemane night. God is in control, and whether He answers our prayer, we must still praise Him. We must still worship Him. Gethsemane is about facing life at its worst; and yet surviving and coming out victorious. He entered the garden in agony, but when He left he was at peace and ready for victory. If we will talk to God in our darkness, He will bring us out to the light. That is the difference between Sunday and Wednesday.

Life can sometimes get stuck. We can get stuck in places. We can get stuck in issues. We can get stuck in hurts. We can get stuck in problems. We can get stuck in familiar places. Perhaps a failure, a mistake or a fear. Somehow we get locked into that place. We can become stuck in our spiritual journey too. Israel had become stuck for a long time. Some historians think that it may have been as much a 38 years. When we become stuck in place it is easy to accept that it cannot get any better. The good news is that we can get away from that mountain. If we are stuck in a place that does not make sense, we do not have to stay there. If we have been fighting the same problem for a long time, it is time to move away from that mountain. How ever long it has been, if we are not where God wants us to be, it is time to move on. Our text is from a time in Israel's life know as the wondering years. Not from the sense of their location; they knew where they were. The wondering was in their mind. Is this is a good as it will get? Will we ever be able to recover? They wondered what will it take to see a change in life? In our text God tells them: Long Enough! God had a word for their situation, and He has that same word for us. Whatever the mountain is in our life, we have the opportunity for a life changing experience. This text also tells us that our spiritual journey matters to God. It matters to Him if we are living up to what He is wanting for us. God cares about where we are and if we are stuck. Where we are in relationship to where we need to be in life is important to God. There are times when we need to listen to God when he calls us away from the mountain. God does not want us to stay in a rut or a stuck place; dealing with the same issues and problem. In spite of our previous failures, God still has a plan for our future. Being stuck at a mountain when there is promise before us is not God's plan. God's work began where they were; not where they should have been. We often get hung up in our failures. Regardless of where they should have been, God talked to them where they were. They did not have to reach a certain level before He revealed His plan to them, He told them is plan right were they were. The key to moving away from that mountain is not God, it is us. The text says YOU have compassed that mountain long enough. Some try to blame others when they are not what they need to be, but the bible tells us clearly, that the problem is not others but US. In our for us to experience real change in life, WE have to decided to move away from that mountain. Change is a result of not being satisfied with who and what we are. The command in our text was to turn and to do it now. We do not need to wait another day when we can get away from the mountain now. The command was to turn. Not turn back, but to turn in a direction of progress. We need to turn toward God, toward hope, toward promise. When we make that turn, we turn away from the things that would hold us back: fear, depression, doubt. God wants us to turn up. He wants us to go higher. It is time to make up our mind that we will turn away from the problems of the past, and to move up to where God wants us to be. It all begins with a single word: Turn.

Life can sometimes get stuck. We can get stuck in places. We can get stuck in issues. We can get stuck in hurts. We can get stuck in problems. We can get stuck in familiar places. Perhaps a failure, a mistake or a fear. Somehow we get locked into that place. We can become stuck in our spiritual journey too. Israel had become stuck for a long time. Some historians think that it may have been as much a 38 years. When we become stuck in place it is easy to accept that it cannot get any better. The good news is that we can get away from that mountain. If we are stuck in a place that does not make sense, we do not have to stay there. If we have been fighting the same problem for a long time, it is time to move away from that mountain. How ever long it has been, if we are not where God wants us to be, it is time to move on. Our text is from a time in Israel's life know as the wondering years. Not from the sense of their location; they knew where they were. The wondering was in their mind. Is this is a good as it will get? Will we ever be able to recover? They wondered what will it take to see a change in life? In our text God tells them: Long Enough! God had a word for their situation, and He has that same word for us. Whatever the mountain is in our life, we have the opportunity for a life changing experience. This text also tells us that our spiritual journey matters to God. It matters to Him if we are living up to what He is wanting for us. God cares about where we are and if we are stuck. Where we are in relationship to where we need to be in life is important to God. There are times when we need to listen to God when he calls us away from the mountain. God does not want us to stay in a rut or a stuck place; dealing with the same issues and problem. In spite of our previous failures, God still has a plan for our future. Being stuck at a mountain when there is promise before us is not God's plan. God's work began where they were; not where they should have been. We often get hung up in our failures. Regardless of where they should have been, God talked to them where they were. They did not have to reach a certain level before He revealed His plan to them, He told them is plan right were they were. The key to moving away from that mountain is not God, it is us. The text says YOU have compassed that mountain long enough. Some try to blame others when they are not what they need to be, but the bible tells us clearly, that the problem is not others but US. In our for us to experience real change in life, WE have to decided to move away from that mountain. Change is a result of not being satisfied with who and what we are. The command in our text was to turn and to do it now. We do not need to wait another day when we can get away from the mountain now. The command was to turn. Not turn back, but to turn in a direction of progress. We need to turn toward God, toward hope, toward promise. When we make that turn, we turn away from the things that would hold us back: fear, depression, doubt. God wants us to turn up. He wants us to go higher. It is time to make up our mind that we will turn away from the problems of the past, and to move up to where God wants us to be. It all begins with a single word: Turn.