Category: The tomb is empty

January 14, 2019January 14, 2019

December 6, 2018December 6, 2018

Christ is Christmas Part II |Christmas 2018 Series

Christ is Christmas.png
In part one of this series, I wrote about the origins of Christmas and how Jesus was the long-awaited Messiah or Savior which Hebrew prophecies spoke about. I wrote this in order to ensure all those that question their faith to see that our God is a God of order. With this Godly order comes perfect control of mankind’s history. No other faith can be assured of a divine plan for all, through God’s Son Jesus the Prince of Peace.

— In this part, we will see how Jesus is the only One that could fulfill the predictions of being the long-awaited Messiah (Savior of the world).

Prophetic writings scrolled down, some close to a millennia, some hundreds of years before Jesus’ arrival, were signs of a supernatural event which would change the course of history.

His Story has changed millions upon millions of people throughout mankind’s narrative.
In order for Jesus to:

Be born of two parents with Messianic lineage (Matthew chapter 1, Luke 1)
Be born in Bethlehem move to Egypt (Micah 5:2-4, Hosea 11:1)
Come back and live in Nazareth (Isaiah 11:1)
Have Magi(Wise men) come from hundreds of miles away to find Him(Matthew 2:1)
And then for Jesus to grow up in Nazareth to fulfill yet another prophecy (Isaiah 53:3)
Start His ministry and reach thousands of followers in only 3 years or so (Isaiah 9:1)
Have Him ultimately be crucified which was predicted a thousand years before (Isaiah 53)
Just those predictions above would be astounding odds for one man to fulfill or make them come true.

Odds fulfilled.png — Evidence that Demands a Verdict

I‘m not a betting man, but if we were to place bets in Vegas with just one person fulfilling only 8 of the over 300 prophecies, the odds would be so incredible, that it would be easier to fill the whole state of Texas knee-deep with silver dollar coins and blindfold someone, tell the person to go and find the one coin painted in red.
That person would have the freedom to walk as far and wide as he or she wanted without looking and pick that painted coin up!*

— Some critics point to mistakes done by these authors. Let’s say the critics are correct in some of their assertions regarding errors made. For the sake of not arguing with the critics, take those predictions away, and you are still left with an immense amount of prophetic events happening in Jesus’ life.

— These prophecies were not fulfilled by Buddha, nor Mohammed, Krishna or anyone else in history. Only Jesus fulfills these predictions which some were written 1,000 years before.

I ask you not to take my word for these predictions. Do your own homework, and if you are good at math, figure it out yourself. Read them yourself in the Bible.

— The mathematical odds that One person could fulfill just 8 of these is so far-fetched, yet Jesus fulfilled over 300 of these predictions in Hebrew Prophetic writings.

— Jesus has some predictions yet to realize, but this is for another time. Next Christmas post, how hard would it be to take Jesus to Bethlehem?

REFERENCES:

Scientific Proof of the Accuracy of Prophecy and the Bible
By PETER W. STONER, M.S.
and ROBERT C. NEWMAN, S.T.M., Ph.D.
Moody Press Chicago

V. Summary of Old Testament Predictions Literally Fulfilled in Christ- McDowell, Josh. Evidence That Demands a Verdict (p. 229). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.

Blind Faith — Unseen & Eternal |Christian Faith

I just met a couple in their mid twenties. Both of them are visually impaired. The young lady was leading her husband. Both were very kind and cheerfully going through their obstacles courageously.
I noticed how slow they were going, and figured that this may have been their first time in this restaurant. The wife was struggling with direction and coming towards me. Looking at them I felt horrible that they were blind with no one to help them. I said “hello” to them, so as not to have her bump into me. She was very cheery in her response, which surprised me a bit. She happily asked if they were going the right way towards the parking lot. I calmly and gently started giving her specific directions, letting her know about different things in front of them within the small fenced in area they had entered into.

She gladly took my directions, and they made it through the gauntlet of tables, chairs, and fencing we who can see, take for granted.

I saw them finally making it to the edge of the sidewalk where they would await their ride and was joyful to have helped them in a small way.
The young couple was waiting a while for their ride and I called out to them if they wanted to join me while waiting, the young wife turned towards my voice with a soft, peaceful smile, thanking me again and said that they liked standing. I know that feeling since I sit behind a desk long periods of times.

I thought to myself how we, who have eyesight, have it pretty made in this world. Yet, I can’t help thinking that the young, joyful blind couple is more blessed than those of us with vision.

You see, these young visually impaired adults, have to have full-on faith the minute they wake up. They can’t see the world, yet they go out into it every single day with such courage and enthusiasm, ready to take on every obstacle that comes their way.

I can’t help but think that those of us who have the precious gift of eyesight may learn a thing or two from them. At least I have. It made me ponder…

Are we going out into the world with our faith, ready to take it on?
Or are we wasting our valuable and precious gift of sight squandering the time and wishing how life could be better for us if we just were able to have God do this or that for us?

I choose to have that blind faith of the couple I just met. May God use me to go and spread more of the incredible and courageous faith of going into the world and making a difference for Christ….

Need God?

November 14, 2018November 14, 2018

Resources:

Scripture

My House, My Job, They’re My Life |Priorities

“”47 So the high priests and the Pharisees assembled the Council n and said, “What are we going to do? This man is performing many signs. 48 If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy both our Temple o and our nation.””— John’s Gospel chapter 11 ISV

This is the conversation which took place after Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead. These were members of the Highest Court of Israel. They would be like our Supreme Court mixed in with the best Theologians in the land.

Yet all this wisdom and only a few of the leaders were believers of Jesus from Nazareth. Most of them were so empty spiritually, that they had missed out on the over 300 prophecies concerning their Messiah. So much so, that they were willing to keep their beautiful Temple which Herod had rebuilt, and hold on to it and their homeland no matter the consequences. They would have to get rid of the guy that was performing extraordinary miracles not seen since the days of Moses and Joshua.

But before we get all ‘holy” on them, ask yourself this question.

What thins or things are you holding on for dear life to?

You see, this is the same daily conversation that people all over the world have about Jesus the Carpenter from Nazareth.

Do I want to follow Jesus?
What of He wants me to leave all these things I have accumulated behind?
What if I have to give up my party life?
What if I have to stop cheating people out of money at work?
What will people think about me if I become a Christian?
How will I look to my family if I leave their religion?A

The questions you will be asking yourself are valid. But also ask yourself these:

How am I able to handle that high stress job?
Will the stress finally land me in the hospital?
Will I be able to keep the house I could barely pay the monthly mortgage on?
Do I really need the expensive cars and unnecessary extravagant lifestyle choices I have?
Have all the material things and my long hours at work have me slowly drifting away from a relationship with God?

Whatever it is, nothing and I mean nothing is better than having Jesus the Lord, Savior and Redeemer of this world come into your life.

If you choose to have a personal relationship with Christ, watch the everyday miracles that He will do for you in your life. Jesus loves you and asks that you trust Him to lead and guide you. And unlike those temporary luxury things, or high stress job you’re in, He will never leave you nor forsake you.

800px-Gustave_Doré_-_Crucifixion_of_Jesus.jpg — Gustave Doré – Crucifixion of Jesus.

Stop trying to kill Jesus off from your life for the sake of keeping your ‘temple and country’.

Instead of killing Him out of your life, ask Jesus to come into your life and bring you back from the dead. If you commit yourself to him, your life will never be lost again…

Resources:

How can I know God?

October 25, 2018October 24, 2018

Steps to Peace with God

The Lonely Crimson Road |POEMS

Lonely Crimson Road.png

If you don’t know what I am talking about, get to know Jesus personally. All you have to do is ask Him to come into your life and change you from within. Here’s how:

Links to knowing Jesus Personally:

October 12, 2018October 12, 2018

Groaning for Home |Not Of This World

This week my wife and I found ourselves taking some time off to babysit our grandson. His parents were going to the hospital for delivery of their second child. We are always joyful for the opportunity of taking care of my him.

As the days passed and my grandson would only see his mom and dad a few hours at a time, I saw his mood changing. He loves his Nana and Poppa, but I noticed he had a burden in his little heart. No one had to tell me what it was. Because when I was a kid, I had to go and live with my aunt for about a year. She and my uncle were always great with my siblings and me, but they were not mom or dad. I still feel that separation and know my grandson is going through some anxiety being away from his parents. He loves to be here always, but his place belongs with his mommy and daddy, and now baby sister.

We as Christians should also be looking towards our precise destination. We love God’s creation but groan inwardly for our real home. The home that Christ has been preparing for us since the foundations of earth.

You see, this home that we are looking for had already been built once, in the garden for the first humans to live and thrive. It was a perfect paradise with everything needed for a beautiful and productive life. God was active in His guidance with the first couple, but the first couple was not ready for what was coming. They were duped into doing something that went against their Creator God. So God being who He is, had to expel them from His perfect paradise setting. He could not have imperfect people in a perfect place.

Fast forward to the time where God Himself would provide the perfect way to reunite humans with their Creator.

His Son Jesus’ death would suffice the price Adam and Eve would have had to pay for their sins, and the sins of all humanity.

Like my grandson who is happy and well-adjusted here in our house, yet wanting to be reunited with his parents and new baby sister, we as Christians also live in this world but want something more. That something more is being reunited with our Lord and Savior Jesus, who has promised us a safe and incredible place to live when our bodies no longer can live in this world…

If you don’t know what I am talking about, get to know Jesus personally. All you have to do is ask Him to come into your life and change you from within. Here’s how:

Links to knowing Jesus Personally:

September 28, 2018September 28, 2018

References to verses:

John 17:14-15 and Philippians 3:20-21

John 14:1-3

Jesus paid the price for us

Serving the Lord Pt. II |Servant/ Serving/ Service to God

Exodus 4.png — Click here fo Exodus 4:22-24

REMINDER: There are links where I get my sources. Please click on the underlined words.

Here is the first use of the phrase,”Serve Me,”or where we get the term “Serve the Lord.”
Modern-day Christians use this out of context for the most part. Yes, serving the Lord is also serving in the building where God’s church fellowships, but this is not the original way God meant the term to be used. His first mention is in Exodus chapter 4. He tells Moses to tell Pharaoh to let Israel go so that they could serve Him.

So if we read this correctly, God is saying to the dictator-want-to-be-god-leader of the known world that his unrighteousness reign over God’s people is over. That they have been slaves in Egypt for far too long and that it is time for the Israelites to worship and serve their True God. The Israelites had been slaves to the world for over 430 years, and they were crying out for a Deliverer to free them from their daily struggles of being in bondage.
Just like the Israelites, what are you in servitude in Egypt? What is making you a slave to Egypt’s dictator Ruler?
You see, Egypt in the Bible is symbolic of being out there in the world. What that means, is that you are alone without any help from anyone spiritually. You are then a slave to your own thoughts, actions, and spiritual wellness.

You are left alone to worship in the way you think worshipping is. This could get us in heaps of problems and troubles. And heaps of problems is where most of the world is.

This is also where the enemy dictator-want-to-be-lord of this world gets people. They are picked off by his slave masters. A lonely person will be an easy target for these masters to enslave you.
God, on the other hand, wants us to become volunteer-bond-servants for Him. He wants us being slaves to and serving Him.
“Well, what’s the difference, Oscar?
There is a huge difference, but it is only seen when someone makes a decision to follow and serve God.
Egypt will bring disaster, sadness, strife, loneliness, death. Satan weighs you down with unreal expectations and problems which are created when someone is enslaved by the lures of this world.
God brings peace and comfort through life’s storms. He brings unity and peace through His Son Jesus. God takes the problems weighing us down and carries them for us. Jesus tells us all to come to Him if we are exhausted and burdened with enormous difficulties. He tells us to take His yoke of service, and we will notice right away how super light it is. Because He is the one who will carry us through the problems we are facing. They will not disappear, but unlike the enemy, Jesus will give us His peace and comfort so we will be able to get through difficulties.
If you are tired or burdened with things that aren’t going away. If you are always telling yourself negative things or stressing out over your life’s situations, it’s time to ask God to help you. You will find that your burdens will somehow be lighter and your thoughts will not be as stressful. Go ahead, ask Jesus to take the load and help you through. I promise you will not be sorry. I don’t guarantee that He will make everything disappear, but I do know that He will make things better inside your heart and mind…

Take your first step to knowing God:

August 30, 2018August 30, 2018