Matters of Faith

Rev. J. Loren Russell  

SCRIPTURE: (Mark 16:1-6 ( NKJV)

“Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. ² Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. ³ And they said among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?” ⁴ But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away—for it was very large. ⁵ And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.

⁶ But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. ⁷ But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.”

It was early Sunday morning, the end of the Sabbath and first day of the week, when Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome decided to follow the custom of the Jews and go to the graveyard. They made their way to the tomb carrying spices in their hands, but sorrow in their hearts. They came to anoint a body… not expecting a miracle. As they walked, a question weighed on their minds: “Who will roll away the stone?” The stone was massive, immovable by human strength. It represented finality, death, and the end. But when they arrived, the stone had already been rolled away.

They entered the tomb expecting to find a lifeless prophet, but instead, they encountered a divine messenger. A young man clothed in white, sitting where death had once claimed victory. Recognizing their fear, he spoke: “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified… He is risen! He is not here.” Luke 24:5 records that encounter a little differently; he says they were asked, “Why seek ye the living among the dead?”

It is a question that still echoes today: Why do we look for peace in places that cannot sustain us? Why do we search for fulfillment in things that have no life in them? Why do we expect God to move in places He has already left behind?

The women came to the tomb in mourning—but they did not leave the same way. They were given a message and a mission: “Go, tell His disciples… and Peter.”

That detail matters. Peter, who had denied Jesus, was still being called. His failure did not disqualify him from being included in the resurrection story. Grace made sure of that. And by that same grace, we are not that different from Peter. We are included in the resurrection narrative also.  

Yet even with good news, fear took hold. Mark tells us they were afraid. Fear has a way of silencing us, even when we have encountered something life-changing. It can cause us to hesitate when we should speak, to hold back when we should move forward.

Still, the story does not end there. Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene, and she went and told the disciples. Though they struggled to believe at first, something began to shift. By the end of the chapter, those who once doubted were boldly proclaiming the message everywhere, and the Lord was working with them.

What made the difference? The resurrection!

That Sunday  morning was not typical because it marked the turning point of history. Death no longer had the final word. The grave no longer held ultimate power. Hope, which seemed buried, had risen.

And that same truth speaks to us now. Whatever “stone” stands in your way—God is able to move it. Whatever situation feels lifeless—God is able to bring life to it. Whatever grief you carry—God can transform it into purpose.

The women came expecting to anoint a body, but instead they encountered a living Savior. Their sorrow was interrupted by hope. Their routine was disrupted by resurrection power. This was not just another Sunday morning. 

It was Resurrection Day.

And because of that, no day has to remain ordinary again.

Be Blessed!  

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By Reverend J. Loren Russell

John 12:12–13 (NKJV)
“The next day a great multitude that had come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him, and cried out: ‘Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! The King of Israel!’”

The people gathered to witness His entrance into Jerusalem because word had spread about who He was and the miracles He had performed. Their curiosity had been stirred and their expectations heightened. Many came not only to see Jesus—but to see Lazarus, the one He had raised from the dead.

But here lies the problem: they did not truly understand Him. Not even His disciples—those closest to Him—fully grasped His purpose. They misread the moment. They believed this triumphant entry was about political liberation—freedom from Roman rule, relief from present suffering, a shift in earthly power. But it was far greater than that.

What looked like a coronation was actually a countdown. This entry did not signal the rise of a throne—it signaled the approach of a cross. The most important event in human history was now set in motion. And so, they responded the only way they knew how—with celebration.

They cut down palm branches. They laid them in the road. They spread their garments before Him. But notice where they placed their praise: They laid those palms not at His hands—but at the feet of the animal He rode. Their worship was real in expression… but limited in understanding. They honored the moment— but missed the mission.

Because what began with lifted branches would soon turn into lifted hands—not in worship, but in violence. That is the problem with the palms. The same crowd that spread palm branches beneath Him as He rode into the city…would, in less than five days, raise the palms of their hands against Him.

The same hands that prepared a path of honor for the donkey… would become instruments of humiliation against the Savior (Matthew 26:67; John 18:22). From palms on the ground… to palms in the air…to the palms of their hands striking the very One they once celebrated.

They placed palms beneath Him in public—but lifted palms against Him in private. They celebrated Him when it was easy—but turned on Him when it became inconvenient. They gave Him a pathway—but refused Him their hearts. And that is the tension this text exposes: it is possible to honor Jesus with what is in your hands…while resisting Him with what is in your heart.

That crowd is not just a historical moment—it is a mirror. It reflects the contradiction that can live within all of us. We know how to perform celebration. We know how to say the right words. We know how to show up in the right moments.

But the question remains: when the moment shifts…when the pressure rises…when following Him costs something… will the same hands that once honored Him… become the hands that oppose Him?

My prayer is this: That we would not lay palms at His path…yet raise our palms against His will. That our worship would not stop at what we place before Him—but extend to what we surrender within us. That our “Hosanna” would not be a moment of emotion—but a life of devotion. Because Palm Sunday it is not about palms on the ground, but hearts that are surrendered and hands that are lifted in praise.

Be Blessed! 

Reverend J. Loren Russell

Ephesians 6:10–18 (NKJV)

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints…”

Life often feels like a battlefield. Not always with visible enemies, but with unseen pressures—stress, fear, temptation, discouragement, and spiritual opposition. The apostle Paul reminds us in Ephesians 6 that we are not fighting against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces that operate beyond what we can see. He says its spiritual hosts of wickedness in high places. The good news is this: God has not left us defenseless. He has given us a strategic plan.

Paul describes the armor of God—truth, righteousness, peace, faith, salvation, and the Word. Each piece is essential. Each one protects, stabilizes, and equips us for the fight. But then Paul closes with something that is often overlooked: prayer.

You can wear armor and still feel overwhelmed. You can know Scripture and still feel under attack. But when you begin to pray—truly pray—you activate everything God has given you. Notice that prayer is not listed as another piece of armor. It is something deeper. Prayer is the strategy.

Prayer aligns your heart with God’s truth. Prayer strengthens your faith.

Prayer steadies your mind. Prayer releases the power of God into your situation. Prayer is not a last resort—it is the battle plan.

Too often, we try to handle spiritual battles with natural solutions. We rely on intellect, resources, or even relationships to fix what is fundamentally spiritual. But Paul teaches us that victory does not come from human strength—it comes from divine connection.

When we pray “in the Spirit,” we are not just speaking words—we are engaging heaven. And when heaven is engaged, everything changes.

My challenge to each of you today is to not just put on the armor, but to engage the strategy. Begin your day with intentional prayer, even if it’s brief. Stay spiritually alert. Pause and pray throughout the day.

When pressure rises, resist reacting—respond in prayer.

Cover not only yourself, but others in consistent intercession. And always remember, you are not fighting alone, and you are not fighting unprepared. You are equipped. You are covered. And through prayer… you are empowered. Walk today in the confidence that God has already given you the strategy.

Be Blessed! 

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