When the chief priests 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.’ If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” -Matthew 28:12-14

I know today’s photo is weird, but it’s for a purpose. When you looked at that photo with its caption, how long did it take you to realize that the woman literally doesn’t have a head? We try to see it that way because the caption implies that she MUST have a head, and that we are making the same mistake as the original poster, so surely there’s a head here. It’s the power of suggestion.

But really, that woman doesn’t have a head, no matter how they try to convince us she does. The question is only do you choose to believe the caption or your own lying eyes?

In today’s scripture, Jesus had just risen and the Marys were on their way to the disciples when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had risen. What’s the first thing they do? Have a meeting.

I wish Matthew had been able to tell us what went on in that meeting. Was there ANYONE who said, “Guys, I think it’s time to just admit we were wrong. If the guy is not there anymore and it was heavily guarded, it’s time for us to realize that the only answer to everything we’ve seen is that He’s God.”

Or was it literally straight into CYA mode? Suddenly they just decided to control the narrative. It didn’t matter what’s true, even if it’s the fulfillment of all the prophesies. There must be a lie to cover it that means that the Pharisees are not as all-knowing and all-powerful as they need to be in order to control the minds of the Israelites.

Please look at society today. Look at how many things humans will say to explain away God and His miracles and the truth. Can you see the universal evil that says, “The facts don’t matter, just make something up and scream it until they believe it.” That’s actually an ancient propaganda tactic. Say it enough and it becomes real, because perceived truth is truth.

So we explain away satanic symbolism in concerts and other things celebrities do. We explain away the politician who has lied and lied and maybe committed sexual assault and admitted it and gotten away with it anyway — this could be national or local. We explain away a court that allows an innocent man to be convicted because of a political agenda — this could be local, or it could have been in Bible times.

The lies live on, and sometimes they have enormous consequences, but never bigger than what God can correct.

He’s the God of Truth. That’s why the truth will always eventually prevail, regardless of what deception Satan uses. Just don’t fall into the trap of being the one who lies against God and His truth. ❤️