Tag: Jesus is alive

He is Not Here…! |Passion Week-Resurrection Sunday

This is a very special Blog Post for a very special Holy Week. Culminating today when our LORD and Savior Jesus the Christ, played a joke on Death’s sting (1 Corinthians 15:55 )! I usually don;t do a post on Sunday’s but for this, I will make an exception…

00F188C9-EFA2-44C2-973A-7A5ED806B59E.pngPlease click on links to get the full text:

The Death of Jesus
“45 From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. 46 About the ninth hour, Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?”…..50 When Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He yielded up His spirit. 51 At that moment the veil of the temple was  torn in two from top to bottom. 

The earth quaked and the rocks were split.52 The tombs broke open, and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised.…”- Matthew 27:51

E04FA4FA-DAEB-4C53-9283-B9F92A12A58F 2.png…5 As the women bowed their faces to the ground in terror, the two men asked them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; He has risen! Remember how He told you while He was still in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again. 8 Then they remembered His words. 9 And when they returned from the tomb, they reported all these things to the eleven and to all the others. .. 11 But their words seemed like nonsense to them, and they did not believe the women.’”… Luke 24:5-11

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  • Jesus had completed the once for all sacrifice. His body had been tortured and killed.
  • As Jesus gave up His spirit, His body dying., the Curtains of the Temple  ripped from the top to the bottom. It is said in Jewish writings, that the veil or huge curtain was as thick as a man’s hand. So roughly 4-6 inches thick.
  • In order for the veil or curtain to rip, it would take a supernatural event to make it happen.
  • This incredible statement found in Matthew’s Gospel gives us the finished work of Jesus the Messiah or Christ or Savior of the world.
  • Once He obediently became the blood sacrifice for the world, there was no need to have a Temple here on earth since His death on the cross was sufficient enough for taking (Hebrews 9:26) our sins away forever.
  • After they had buried Jesus, they sealed the tomb with a Roman Seal. No one was to break the seal, If they did, whoever was responsible would have the full might of the Roman forces against him.
  • Yet, with the most powerful army known to man, Jesus showed them who was more powerful. The tomb was rolled away by The LORD Himself!
  • The Roman soldiers saw everything but knew what their punishment would be for letting a dead person escape from the tomb they were guarding (Matthew 28:12)….yes, my attempt at humor….so the Chief Council in Jerusalem helped them out.
  • Why because the death and resurrection of Jesus put them in a fantastic bind. This non-graduate from their Rabbinic prestigious schools had, for three years or so, made fools of the wisest of learned men in Judea.
  • Jesus knew the scriptures, and spoke them with authority ( Mark 1:22). The authority of being the Messiah of Israel.
  • John called him The Word who became flesh ( John 1:-5 ).
  • Jesus had to die in order for humanity to once again come into a holy communion or relationship with God.
  • This is why Jesus came to be born of a virgin ( Isaiah 7:14 ).
  • Preach His Good News of salvation through Him and just Him (Isaiah 61:1 , Luke 4:18 , John 14:6 )
  • Be arrested, tortured and die ( Matthew 16:21 ) at the hands of the Council of Judea.
  • He also told His followers that he would die and come back to life ( see above link Matthew 16:21).
  • So today, Resurrection Sunday (Easter Sunday), we celebrate our freedom. Just as Jesus beat Death’ sting and rose to life, we one day when our bodies give up, will also rise up from Death’s door and live again ( Romans 6:5 , 2 Corinthians 4:14 )!
  • May you have a blessed Sunday and may you get to know Jesus in a personal and saving way.

He is risen! He is risen indeed!

 

If you want to get to know God:

Know God

Steps to Peace With God

How Can I know God

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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…

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  • 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?

How Can I know God

Steps to Peace With God

Know God

Resources:

Scripture 

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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.  

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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?

Know God

Steps to Peace with God

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The Only Action to Take |Gift of Salvation

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Some people say, “When you do an act of kindness, it’s good Karma!” If someone does something horrible, then you hear, “Wait until his Karma catches up to him!”
We’ve all heard of people saying there’s Karma in every action we take. The definition of this Buddhist and Hindu belief is that a person’s actions in this life or previous existence is a deciding factor in where a person will end up in the next life.

  • Although I don’t agree on the belief of a previous life or recycling into the next, I do believe that a person’s action will, in fact, be the deciding factor of where they spend eternity. You notice I said action and not actions?

The Word of God makes it indisputable in Hebrews chapter 29 verse 27 that it is appointed for a person to die once and then God’s judgment will be passed.

  • Here’s where the total opposite belief of what Karma is, comes in:

As human beings, we can never obtain a perfect balance for our next life on our own. We are never going to be good enough to achieve perfection. Only God, the Creator of the universe is perfect.
He is the only One that can judge us by His standards. And through the eternal measures of the heavens, we always fall short.
Here is where we have the chance to make destiny ours. We can, in fact, receive perfection. But here’s the catch, it’s not by our own actions.
It is by the time action that Jesus the Savior of the world, who is also the Son of God in the Trinity. He came and lived a perfect life. We can’t fathom this because we can’t live this kind of perfect life.
Some like the Buddha, Francis of Assisi, and Mother Theresa of Calcutta,  tried their best to lead good lives. Notice I said good and not perfect?
They through their own actions could never be good enough for their efforts to cancel out their sins.
All people have sinned and are in need of saving grace that is only given through Jesus. All people including Buddha, Mother Theresa, and all the other “beatified” human beings who have passed from this life into the next have died and were buried. None came back to life, except One.
People’s actions will not be good enough for them to enter into God’s heavenly Kingdom on their own accord. Before you tell me that this is extremely harsh to say, I am not the one saying it. The Word of God is clear on this. I wish I could say otherwise but then I would be making myself God and trust me, I am and will always fall short on that measure.
Instead of getting angry or depressed because you realized that you can’t make it into heaven on your own, why not ask the One that can help you. He is the only One that has died, been buried and risen from the dead. His name is Jesus the One they called the Carpenter, The Nazarene, The Way, the Truth, and The Life.

  • Ro 8_38_392018-10-22 at 5.05.06 PM.pngGet to know Him, I promise you will not regret it.
    Below are reference links to most of what I mentioned here. Do your own homework and make the right decision.
  • Once you make a decision to follow Jesus, he will never leave you! Nothing will be able to separate you from His love.
  • Don’t leave it up to your very own “Karma” to find out too late…

 

 

 

 

References:

No human being is righteous in God’s eyes:  

https://biblehub.com/romans/3-10.htm

https://biblehub.com/romans/3-23.htm

Jesus is sinless:

https://biblehub.com/isaiah/53-9.htm
https://biblehub.com/1_peter/2-22.htm
https://biblehub.com/2_corinthians/5-21.htm
https://biblehub.com/1_john/3-5.htm

Christ came to save us:

https://biblehub.com/romans/8-38.htm

He is the Only One that can save us:

https://biblehub.com/john/14-7.htm

Ask Him to be your Savior:

https://biblehub.com/romans/10-9.htm

Welcome to the Family of God:

https://biblehub.com/hebrews/10-22.htm

Got more questions?:

Steps to Peace With God

How Can I know God

Know God

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God’s Pebbles on the Road |My Story

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Isaiah 40:11 Berean Study Bible

A young man was so eager to leave his parents that he started on a journey with just the bare necessities on his backpack.

He had all the essentials to survive since his parents had taught him how to survive well enough for him to endure the long road ahead of him. This young man started his journey and soon found a partner along the path he was traveling in. Both travelers were going in the same direction and found that they enjoyed each other’s company, so they decided to hike together.

Along the way, they encountered rough patches, and in the dark hours of the night, they would unexpectedly stumble over small rocks and pebbles on the road. They would have to stop and check their shoes and feet often. Sometimes one would have to be helped out in carrying their loaded backpacks or with other nuisances along the way. Yet, this couple kept traveling.

They met a very loving and wise man along the way who was walking with his flock of sheep. The man seemed to know everything about life and the dangers of being out here without the proper equipment.

He told them that he was going their way and would light their steps at night with his lamp as long and as far as they allowed him to travel with them. The young travelers loved the stories the wise man told. He was a shepherd and would wander near and far with his flocks. He knew all the roads and also the ones less traveled.
The shepherd told them stories of his flock and of the many times he would fend off wild animals and thieves who came at night to hurt his sheep. His lamp and staff were always by his side. The more they traveled with the Shepherd, the more they stopped noticing the rough patches on the road. One night the young man felt a horrible pain in his foot. He had not been watching his steps and hurt his ankle so bad that he told his fellow travelers that he would have to stop. The young man was about to quit his journey and tell his partner and the wise man to continue without him.

As soon as he said this, he felt the strong arms of the shepherd carrying him. He also saw his partner as she picked up all the baggage he had been collecting along their journey. They carried him and his equipment a long distance until he was able to heal.

The young man was forever grateful to both his friends as he was able to continue his travels with them. When his partner needed help, the young man was there to help her.
The couple didn’t realize that the wise man was always there for them and never seemed too tired of helping them. Even with the sheep he had to take care of, he never complained. Instead, he patiently walked with them to their destination.
The wise shepherd promised they would like their new home and sure enough, the place was incredible. Enough pastures for their own little flock they had picked up along the way. The land had a running river with the best water the couple had ever tasted. Their little flock would finally be safe. They decided to stop walking and settle in this perfect piece of land. They were even more joyful to find out that the shepherd owned all of this and was giving it to the couple and their little sheep. The shepherd would always be nearby in case they needed him.

They told him that they would regularly place an extra setting on their table for him to come and dine with them. He smiled and said to them that he would always have time to eat and talk with them. The young couple was finally ready to live their life together.

This journey I am in, has been such a wonderful blessing to me. I was able to do what I have been called to do, and that is to tell stories about God’s love, grace, and mercy. I started with short skits at church and went on to write plays while serving full-time.

I am a storyteller in a world which needs the Greatest Story to be told in a way that opens people’s hearts to its saving grace.

I am reminiscing about the promise I made to God for His incredible and loving gesture of allowing me to live after being diagnosed with kidney cancer. I am living in extra innings so I can continue on life’s journey until I finish what I have to for Him.
The doctors told me I was one of those people lucky enough to have survived this type of cancer because there are no symptoms or signs of the sickness until it is too late.

I told them like I let everyone who is willing to lend an ear that I am not lucky. Luck had nothing to do with! It was the miracle of knowing Christ as my personal Lord and Savior. God tells us that Christ bore my sins, He took my sickness upon Himself and healed me.

After being diagnosed with the hated ‘C’ word, my journey took a different turn. My world was turned upside down, and everything I thought I needed to do was changed in an instant.

Yet, for those that have struggled with some type of illness or loss, I can tell you that God is faithful. He is a God of refreshing. God never promises us a safe and pain-free life but gives us enough pebbles on the road to step on, so that we develop into what He has called us to be on our personal journey.

May you be like that young man who started walking on his journey with only one thing on his mind. To touch as many lives as possible, pointing them to the Shepherd that always walks along with us with His lamp to light the way…

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