By His Stripes We Are Healed

Last Sunday was Palm Sunday. Later that day, I was discussing with a Christian friend (who had invited me back to Bible Study Fellowship) the fact that the book of Isaiah in the Old Testament contains many prophecies about Jesus Christ, the Messiah, which were all  fulfilled when Christ died on the cross for our sins.

Tomorrow is Good Friday.  It is the day that we solemnly bring back to mind Jesus Christ's sacrificial death on the cross to save mankind from their sins.

Isaiah 53:4-12 (NKJV)

Isa 53:1 Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

Isa 53:2 For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, And as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, [There is] no beauty that we should desire Him.

Isa 53:3 He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, [our] faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

Isa 53:4 Surely He has borne our griefs And carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted.

Isa 53:5 But He [was] wounded for our transgressions, [He was] bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace [was] upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed.

Isa 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.

Isa 53:7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He opened not His mouth; He was led as a lamb to the slaughter, And as a sheep before its shearers is silent, So He opened not His mouth.

Isa 53:8 He was taken from prison and from judgment, And who will declare His generation? For He was cut off from the land of the living; For the transgressions of My people He was stricken.

Isa 53:9 And they [fn] made His grave with the wicked--But with the rich at His death, Because He had done no violence, Nor [was any] deceit in His mouth.

Isa 53:10 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise Him; He has put [Him] to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see [His] seed, He shall prolong [His] days, And the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in His hand.

Isa 53:11 He shall see the labor of His soul, [fn] [and] be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, For He shall bear their iniquities.

Isa 53:12 Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, And He shall divide the spoil with the strong, Because He poured out His soul unto death, And He was numbered with the transgressors, And He bore the sin of many, And made intercession for the transgressors.

There are literally weeks worth of Bible study contained in Chapter 53 of the book of Isaiah. The words are highly descriptive of the suffering that the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world endured for our sakes on that cross at Calvary. Sometimes a song, with just the right lyrics, can remind us of the victory of Jesus Christ that was achieved through the greatest act in the history of mankind!   There is no greater love!   Ultimately, without our Savior and Lord, we could not be forgiven for our sins and reconciled back unto Holy God.

Jesus bore the sins of all of mankind in his body. This sinless God-man was the only one worthy enough to pay the price of death for sin; saving us from the eternal death that we all deserved. Christ's sacrificial death on the cross enables those who confess and repent of their sin and subsequently ask Christ into their hearts to reign as Lord and Savior over their lives; the ability to live eternally with God forever in the Kingdom of Heaven.

If Christ had not gone through with his mission on earth over 2,000 years ago, He would have entered back into heaven alone.

I think that Chris Tomlin's song, "I Will Rise" tells us the message of the gospel in a way that hits right at the heart of the matter. The pain and suffering of physically dying on this earth will be met with the joy of the resurrection to life when Christ returns for his own. Listen carefully to the lyrics of Tomlin's song and be blessed!


 

Chris Tomlin:  "I Will Rise" lyrics:

There's a peace I've come to know
Though my heart and flesh may fail
There's an anchor for my soul
I can say "It is well"

Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead

[Chorus:]
And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles' wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise

There's a day that's drawing near
When this darkness breaks to light
And the shadows disappear
And my faith shall be my eyes

Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead

[Chorus:]
And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles' wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise

And I hear the voice of many angels sing,
"Worthy is the Lamb"
And I hear the cry of every longing heart,
"Worthy is the Lamb"
[x2]

[Chorus:]
And I will rise when He calls my name
No more sorrow, no more pain
I will rise on eagles' wings
Before my God fall on my knees
And rise
I will rise

Jesus - You're Everything [Update]

Christian singer and performer Colton Dixon did an awesome job singing the Lifehouse worship song "Everything" on American Idol tonight. A copy of Dixon's performance should eventually appear on his page located HERE.

UPDATE! I found it here:

Wetpaint.com: Colton Dixon sings Lifehouse's Everything

If you recall, I posted the Lifehouse's Everything Skit here at this blog a few years ago. The song itself is very moving, but when listened to in conjunction with viewing the stage performance depicting Jesus as our everything who saves us from evil, sin and death;  it has an even more powerful message!

This life is very brief when compared to eternity.  Therefore, it is only logical to realize that Jesus is all we could ever want or need!



Lyrics:

Find me here, and speak to me
I want to feel you, I need to hear you
You are the light that's leading me to the place
Where I find peace again
You are the strength that keeps me walking
You are the hope that keeps me trusting
You are the life to my soul
You are my purpose
You're everything
And how can I stand here with you
And not be moved by you
Would you tell me how could it be any better than this?

You calm the storms and you give me rest
You hold me in your hands
You won't let me fall
You steal my heart and you take my breath away
Would you take me in, take me deeper now
And how can I stand here with you and not be moved by you
Would you tell me how could it be any better than this
And how can I stand here with you and not be moved by you
Would you tell me how could it be any better than this

Cause you're all I want, you're all I need
You're everything, everything
You're all I want
You're all I need
You're everything, everything
You're all I want
You're all I need
You're everything, everything
You're all I want
You're all I need
Everything, everything

And how can I stand here with you and not be moved by you
Would you tell me how could it be any better than this
And how can I stand here with you and not be moved by you
Would you tell me how could it be any better-any better than this
And how can I stand here with you and not be moved by you
Would you tell me how could it be any better than this
Would you tell me how could it be any better than this

Hat tips to all links.

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Update:

For those who may not have known this, Colton Dixon was told by the producers of American Idol to "tone down" his comments about his Christian faith. What did Colton do after that? He chose a WORSHIP SONG and fell to his knees at the end of his performance in adoration, reverence, respect, thankfulness, and WORSHIP of God Almighty and His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord! Good for him!

Here are some great posts and comments about Colton and last night's performance:

Son Living.com: Colton Dixon Brings Worship to Millions on 'American Idol'

Excerpt:

Dixon, again, brought his love of God center stage to the millions of viewers that tune in weekly to see the contestants perform on the secular TV show.

This week was especially important as the nine contestants were tasked with choosing songs from their own personal idols for tonight’s episode. And Colton delivered in Christ-loving fashion with a worship tune that was delivered beautifully.

[It's] such a blessing to see God working through people like Colton Dixon in the music industry, combined with sports figures like Jeremy Lin in the NBA and Tim Tebow in the NFL. God is clearly at work. Praise HIM!

During the coaching session with Stevie Nicks, I caught Stevie saying something like this, "I wish someone would sing a song like that to me." In her obviously secular mind (since she was already told that Colton was singing a WORSHIP song) she wanted something - worship - that really only belongs to God.

This article was written prior to last night's performance.

Son Living: 'American Idol' Colton Dixon Talks About Faith to Millions.

Excerpt:

When host Ryan Seacrest asked what Dixon was thinking, he replied, "I was just collecting myself and saying God use me I want Him to shine through first and foremost."

Producers of the secular show recently asked Dixon, a devout Christian and singer, to tone down his faith tweets suggesting they could have a negative effect on his contending.

"When we first started the Twitter and Facebook stuff, they said beware of political and religious tweets," he previously told TODAY.com. "Just because it can turn off voters or whatever. But you know, being a Christian is who I am. It is a part of me musically. It is what I want to do after the show – go into Christian music."

Without any fear of his faith, nor the possible negative effect on his contending, Dixon firmly asserted that hiding who he was just for some votes was not an option.

"I am not going to hide it, and I am not going to stray away from it just because I am on a TV show."

His fearless stance in front of millions on live TV received an outpouring of praise on social media. Twitter and Facebook fans by the thousands cheered his shout out to God.

Why was Colton's rendition of the song so moving?  He stated it himself while speaking quietly back to Ryan Seacrest on stage:

Colton Dixon, "My God is my everything."

Jennifer Lopez admitted being "moved" by Colton's rendition of the song. That is precisely what that worship song, sung so beautifully, genuinely, and uplifted towards God did for every person witnessing the performance.

Stand to Reason: A Good Reason for Evil

Another topic that landed on the Stand To Reason most read list for 2011, was on the topic of evil. If you are like me, often shocked at the evil that people do here on earth, then it can be a good thing to find out "a good reason for evil." It is helpful to remind ourselves that evil is the absence of good. Darkness is the absence of light. The Bible speaks of this dilemma many times, and it is why Jesus Christ, with the many awesome names he is given in Scripture, is also referred to as being the Light of the World.


~ Christine


Stand to Reason: A Good Reason for Evil

A Good Reason for Evil
By: Gregory Koukl


What is evil? Could it have a purpose? Here is a view of evil from an adult rather than a childish perspective.

The first step in answering the problem of evil is this: We've got to get clear on what this thing "evil" actually is. It does seem to follow that if God created all things, and evil is a thing, then God created evil. This is a valid syllogism. If the premises are true, then the conclusion would be true as well.
The problem with that line of reasoning is that the second premise is not true. Evil is not a thing. The person who probably explained it best was St. Augustine, and then Thomas Aquinas picked up on his solution. Others since them have argued that evil has no ontological status in itself.

The word ontology deals with the nature of existence. When I say that evil has no ontological status, I mean that evil, as a thing in itself, does not exist.

Let me give you an illustration to make this more clear. We talk about things being cold or warm. But coldness is not a thing that exists in itself; it has no ontological status. Coldness is the absence of heat. When we remove heat energy from a system, we say it gets colder.

"Cold" isn't a thing. It's a way of describing the reduction of molecular activity resulting in the sensation of heat. So the more heat we pull out of a system, the colder it gets. Cold itself isn't being "created." Cold is a description of a circumstance in which heat is missing. Heat is energy which can be measured. When you remove heat, the temperature goes down. We call that condition "cold," but there is no cold "stuff" that causes that condition.

Here's another way of looking at it. Did you ever eat a donut hole? I don't mean those little round sugar-coated lumps you buy at the donut shop. I mean the hole itself. Donut holes are actually what's left when the middle is cut out of a donut. There's a space called a hole, a "nothing," the condition that exists when something is taken away. Same thing with a shadow. Shadows don't exist as things in themselves; they're just the absence of light.

Evil is like that. Evil isn't like some black, gooey stuff floating around the universe that gloom's onto people and causes them to do awful things. Evil is the absence of good, a privation of good, not a thing in itself.

When God created the universe, he created everything good. He made a universe that was perfectly good. Everything was as it should be. After God was completely done with creating everything, something happened that reduced the good in the world. That loss of good is called evil.

That's why in Genesis 1 we read "it was good" many times. From the record we know that God didn't create evil. But something did happen in which evil-the loss of good-took place, and as a result a lot of other grotesque things came about.

So donut holes don't exist; they're just the absence of donut. Shadows don't exist; they're just the absence of light. And evil doesn't exist; it's just the absence of good.

The next question is, if God created everything good, why would He allow evil to infect His creation?

Satan would be the first example of an independent a source of evil. Adam and Eve would also be a source of evil with regard to the human race. They didn't get Satan's evil; they initiated their own. Satan influenced them--he made his own hole in goodness--but Adam and Eve made their own holes in goodness. They're responsible for their own evil.

It isn't that Satan did something bad and passed that stuff on to them, because evil is not a stuff. This is a key point in this discussion. They cannot "dip into" evil because it's not a thing to dip into. When we make a shadow, we don't do it with shadow stuff, but by blocking existing light.

In the same way, evil doesn't cause our actions. In fact, it's the other way around. Our actions are what cause evil-or the loss of goodness-in us, and that loss of goodness does have an impact on future actions, giving us a predisposition to cause further evil.

God did not create Adam and Eve with bad stuff in them. What He did was to create them with a capability to rebel against Him or choose to do wrong. This is called moral free will, and it's a good thing, but it can be used for bad. It can be used to rebel against God, which digs out a hole in goodness, so to speak.

Satan and man both used their free moral agency to originate actions that fell short of the goodness of God. I'm sure God had a good reason for allowing evil. It has caused a lot of suffering, but that suffering has, in turn, also brought about a lot of good under God's direction.

When you forgive someone who's wronged you and you treat him kindly, is that a good thing? Sure it is, but you couldn't forgive him if he hadn't done something bad against you. I'm not saying that we should do evil so that the good of forgiveness could come about. I'm showing that it's not a contradiction to claim that good can come out of evil.

It's not good to promote evil itself, but one of the things about God is that He's capable of taking a bad thing and making good come out of it. Mercy is one example of that. Without sin there would be no mercy. That's true of a number of good things: bearing up under suffering, dealing with injustice, acts of heroism, forgiveness, long-suffering. These are all virtues that cannot be experienced in a world with no sin and evil.

Now the real question at this point is, "Was it worth it? Good can come out of evil, but was it worth it in the long run, the measure of good that comes out of the measure of evil in the world?" And my response is that the only One who could ever know that is God. You and I couldn't know that because our perspective is too limited. Only God is in a position to accurately answer that question.

Apparently God thinks that, on balance, the good is going to outweigh the evil that caused the good, or else He wouldn't have allowed it to happen. Christ paid a tremendous price, an example of the tremendous love God had for us. God would not be able to show His sacrificial love unless there was something to sacrifice for.

Here's the problem, and this is why we don't think that, on balance, it's really a fair trade. We think that life is about giving us pleasure and making us happy. That's what we think. This view is very prevalent in the United States. Our personal happiness, pleasure, and enjoyment are the most important things in life.

That's not what the Bible teaches at all, though. There are aspects of enjoyment, but the ultimate reason we were created was not so we can have fun and enjoy life. God's purpose for creating us was to develop us into certain types of people who were fit to spend eternity with Him. He does that by conforming us to His image by helping us grow through the process of living in a fallen world.

This is part of the message of the book of Hebrews. Even Jesus was conformed-made mature-by the process of suffering. In God's mind, the goal of the process-being conformed to the image of His Son-is a much greater good than the bad of the evil that we have to put up with on this earth. The balance is definitely on the side of good.

I admit that this is not an easy issue, and part of the reason is that we bring some baggage to the discussion. Part of the baggage is that we have this idea that if God put us here on this earth and created the world for us to live in, then it seems to make sense that the summum bonum-the greatest good-is our immediate sense of personal pleasure and satisfaction. Therefore, if there is some circumstance in which we can't have immediate satisfaction, then God must either have abandoned us, not exist, or be evil for allowing such a thing.

Last weekend I had a conversation with a young man about homosexuality. He challenged me with this point: Why would God create people as homosexuals if He didn't want them to experience the pleasure of homosexual sex?

Now, of course, I didn't agree with Him that God created people to be homosexuals. It wasn't God's design that they have this desire. But even if I conceded such a thing, why must I admit that-since one was created with a capacity for pleasure-only a mean, cruel God would allow conditions in which they'd have to say no to that pleasure?

When you think about it for a moment, doesn't it strike you as odd that we've developed a view that in order for us to acknowledge God as good, He must give liberty to all of our passions? And if God doesn't give liberty to all of our passions-if He doesn't allow us what we want, when we want it-if He ever asks for self sacrifice, if He ever allows a condition in which we hurt, in which we suffer, in which we are inconvenienced, if He ever allows a circumstance in which our bodily desires are not given full reign, then certainly He must be a cruel God? Isn't that an odd view?

Do you know what kind of person thinks that way? A child. A child sees what it wants and goes to get it, and if it's stopped, that child puts up a fuss.

I was with a little two-year-old today who wanted to go into the house while wearing muddy shoes. She was stopped, and she put up a fuss when her shoes were removed. Mom and Dad knew, though, that there were other things more important than their daughter's desires at that moment. Now she didn't understand it. All she knew was what she wanted (understandably, by the way, she's a two-year-old; that's the way two-year-olds think).

Unfortunately, we've bred a society that are, in many ways, like a bunch of adult two-year-olds, grown-ups who believe it's their divine right to feel every pleasure they can possibly feel, to never encounter any difficulty, any pain, any suffering. And if they do, then God must be a cruel God.

Now I realize that some of you might be thinking, Come on, Koukl, you're really whitewashing this, aren't you. How can so much egregious suffering be justified?

I don't at all mean to brush away the terrible impact of evil on people's lives. But I'm talking about a frame of mind that we do seem to have, a frame of mind that we are first and our pleasures are first and God owes that to us. And if He denies us our pleasures to any degree, then there must be something wrong with Him.

Now if God is a good God, and He denies us our pleasures, then I'll tell you one thing, there's a good reason He does so. That's what it means to be a good God. I'm not going to buy the idea-the infantile idea that Americans have-that in order for God to be considered good, He has to give me everything I want, when I want it, or conversely, He must protect me from every injury and every difficulty. No, it's fair to say that God has allowed suffering in the world for very good reasons, even though we're not clear on all of those reasons.

By the way, what's the alternative? If you conclude there's no God because of the existence of evil, then there's no possibility of ever redeeming that evil for good.

British philosopher Bertrand Russell said that no one can sit at the bedside of a dying child and still believe in God. My response to Mr. Russell is, "What would you say to a dying child?" What could an atheist say? "Too bad"? "Tough luck"? "Bum deal"? You see, in that circumstance, there's no possibility of redemption for that evil. In fact, it doesn't seem to make sense to even call it evil at all if there is no God.

But with God, at least there's the possibility that the evil can be used for good. That's the promise of the Scriptures.

And so, instead of the syllogism, "God created all things, and evil is a thing, therefore God created evil," we start from a different point. "All things God created are good-which is what the text says-and evil isn't good, therefore God didn't create evil." Then we can progress to, "If God created all things, and God didn't create evil, then evil is not a thing."

You see, those two syllogisms are just as valid as the first one (if God created all things, and evil is a thing, then God created evil), and it seems that the premises are more reliable. The premises seem to be accurate and true.

The questions we have to ask ourselves are: Do we have reason to think that God is good, and do we have reason to think that evil is not a thing? If we have good reasons to think those two things, then our new set of syllogisms work.

We can then strongly trust that when God does allow a privation of good (evil) to influence our lives, He does it not for evil designs, but ultimately for good purposes.







This is a transcript of a commentary from the radio show "Stand to Reason," with Gregory Koukl. It is made available to you at no charge through the faithful giving of those who support Stand to Reason. Reproduction permitted for non-commercial use only. ©1997 Gregory Koukl

For more information, contact Stand to Reason at 1438 East 33rd St., Signal Hill, CA 90755
(800) 2-REASON (562) 595-7333 www.str.org

He Is Risen!

Just as he said!

I love the fact that Jesus told his disciples, in advance, that he would rise again three days later after being crucified. On the dreadful day when Jesus was beaten and nailed to the cross at Calvary, his followers must have been in deep grief. But even in this, he told them that their grief would turn to joy! And it did!! On that first Resurrection Day almost 2,000 years ago, the promises of Jesus came to fruition and we can have the ultimate confidence that all he has promised in the Scriptures regarding his second coming will also be fulfilled!

Today's message at church discussed 1 Corinthians 15:14-25, Within these verses is the fact that if Christ had not risen, then our faith is futile. But the fact of history is that Christ did rise from the dead, so our faith is secure and absolute truth. Whether a person believes this or not is up to him/her. Free will and all that.

1 Corinthians 15:20-28 - 20But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. 24Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power. 25For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 27For he "has put everything under his feet." Now when it says that "everything" has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. 28When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.

Looking Back, Looking Forward

Looking Back, Looking Forward

. . . saying, “The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.”
Luke 24:7  

Recommended Reading Matthew 16:21-28

  
Suppose someone told you of two unlikely events that would happen in the future—one in a few days, the other at an undetermined time in the future. In spite of the details he gave about each event, you found it hard to believe that he could predict the future with that kind of accuracy. Within a few days you learn that the first predicted event took place exactly as the man said. How would that change your thinking about the likelihood of the second event?

It would probably change your thinking radically. Strangely enough, even though Jesus Christ predicted His own death and resurrection on the third day—both of which were fulfilled in detail—many people don’t take seriously His promise to return to earth. On the same occasion in which Jesus told His disciples of His impending death and resurrection, He said, “For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works” (Matthew 16:27).

It would be unwise to look back at Christ’s death and resurrection in belief, and not look forward to His Second Coming with expectation.

The future is as bright as the promises of God. Adoniram Judson

Read-thru-the-Bible 
2 Kings 18:1 - 20:21

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Today is Holy Thursday, a.k.a. Maundy Thursday. It is the day where Christians commemorate the Last Supper when Jesus shared the Passover meal with his disciples on the night before he was crucified.


Tomorrow is Good Friday, which is the day we remember and commemorate when Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross to save mankind from their sins. Upon confession and repentance of sin and belief in Jesus as Lord and Savior of our lives because of what he did for us on the cross of Calvary, we can be united to our Savior and ask for the Holy Spirit of God to indwell our hearts. The Holy Spirit leads us into all truth, helping us to read and study the Bible, do good works because we love God, and have the desire to please and serve him.  The Holy Spirit helps us to discern good vs. evil.


While reading through the March/April/May, 2002 devotional booklet called "Our Daily Bread" this morning, I was trying to decide which daily devotional to present on my blog today. I had bookmarked at least five of them as possibilities, until I turned the page once again and found THE ONE that I thought was perfect for this time of year. After reading through the devotional, I started to turn back the pages to find out the name of the author so I could give credit to him. You see, typically only the initials appear at the end of each devotional, but the authors are listed at the beginning of the booklet so we can know who they are. When I turned back, I noticed that I had skipped one page (two devotionals) that I may have most likely chosen to share today. They are so good - as are most of the devotionals - but because the pages stuck together, I didn't see them at first. One is called "Murphy's Laws," the other "The Good Life." Needless to say, I can always present them here at a later date. The one that I already made up my mind to share  (or, maybe the Holy Spirit's leading brought me there?) is the one that is best for today. It is called "Compelling Love."
~Christine

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Compelling Love

Read: 2 Corinthians 5:9-15

The love of Christ compels us.
-2 Corinthians 5:14

I read a story some time ago about an aspiring young golfer who spent hours in his backyard practicing his golf swing. He wasn't allowed to use a real golf ball close to the house, only a plastic, practice ball.

One day, when he thought both his parents were gone, he longed to hear the sweet click of a club head meeting a real golf ball. So he went outside, teed one up, took a mighty swing, and accidentally hit the ball through his parents' bedroom window.

I'll let him tell the rest of the story: "I heard the glass shatter, and then I heard my mother cray out. I ran into the house and up the stairs to her bedroom. She was standing there in front of the broken window and she was bleeding. I started to cry and I couldn't stop. All I could say was 'Mom, what have I done! What have I done! I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry!' Her response was to hug me and say, 'It's all right; every thing's going to be all right.' After that I never wanted to take a real golf ball into the backyard."

When we think about our Lord suffering for us on the cross, we want too live "for Him who died for [us] and rose again" (2 Corinthians 5:15). After we've heard His words of forgiveness, there are things we just never want to do again--in the backyard, or in any other place. - DHR (David H. Roper)

Down from His splendor in glory He came,
Into a world of woe;
Took on Himself all my guilt and my shame,
Why should He love me so? - Roth

 WHEN WE PONDER CHRIST'S LOVE FOR US,
WE'LL WANT TO LIVE FOR HIM.

Hat Tips:

David Jeremiah.org

Our Daily Bread Devotional, March/April/May 2002, May 22nd reading.

Why Muslims Don't Worship the Same God as Christians

While sharing comments at Sarah Palin's Face Book page, I pointed out to a young man who had written that "Muslims, Jews, and Christians all worship the same God" that he is incorrect. I referred him to an essay I had written back in 2006 at my Talk Wisdom Discussion Forum. I thought that it might be a good idea to share it on this blog so that when you encounter people (even some Christians!) who state that "we all worship the same God," you can be armed with the truth.


Do Muslims and Christians Worship the Same God?

The short answer is no! The bottom line is this - Hal Lindsey does not believe that Muslims worship the same God as Christians and Jews and I agree with him and his reasoning on the subject.

However, I also realize that some Christians do differ on this issue. In fact, President Bush once stated (incorrectly, IMO) that Islam worships the same god as Christians and Jews. I disagree and I will share many reasons that will explain to you why this is not possible.

First, a summary:

Jesus Christ is the Son of God. He is co-equal with the Father. Jesus lived a sinless human life and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for the sins of all by dying on a cross. He arose from the dead after three days to demonstrate His power over sin and death. He ascended to Heavens glory and will return again, to earth, to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. (Matthew 1:22-23; Isaiah 9:6; John 1:1-5; John 14:10-30; Hebrews 4:14, 15; 1 Corinthians 15:3,4; Romans 1:3,4; Acts 1:9-11; 1 Timothy 6:14,15; Titus 2:13.)

The Koran denies that Jesus is the Son of God although it describes the virgin birth in a passage similar to Luke 1:26-38 (Surah 3:45-47) (Note: Surah is in the Koran).

The Koran calls Jesus a prophet, equal to Abraham, Jonah and others, but places Him in rank far below Muhammad. Surah 4:171 says that "Jesus...was only a messenger of Allah...Far is it removed from His transcendent majesty that He should have a son."

Muhammad totally ignored the claims that Jesus made about Himself. Jesus said, for example:

"I and the Father are one" (John 10:30).
"Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father" (John 14:9).
"Before Abraham was born, I am" (John 8:58).

The Bible also states that God Himself called Jesus His Son (see Matthew 17:5).

Demons trembled as they recognized the Son of God (see Matthew 8:29).

Doubting Thomas acknowledge Him as "my Lord and my God" (John 20:28).

John identified Christ as the author of creation (John 1:1-5); so did Paul (Col. 1:15-17) who also said, "In Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form" (Col. 2:9).

The only way to deal with this kind of evidence is to do what Muhammad did - simply ignore or deny it. Islam denies Jesus Christ's Deity so they do not worship the same 'god' in their god of Allah.

Next, a response to someone who thinks Allah and Yahweh are one in the same.

In response to an individual who was attempting to equate Allah with Yahweh, I wrote the following response and included some comments from others who agree with my stance:

What Muslims believe:

"Christ, the son of Mary [note: not as the "son of God"], Was no more than A Messenger; many were Messengers that passed away Before him [here, equating Jesus with mere Messengers, or perhaps prophets, but certainly not the Son of God]. Sura 5:75, Abdullah Yusef Ali, 10th ed. reprint, 2001.

"The similitude of Jesus Before Allah is as that of Adam; He created him from dust . . . ". Sura 3:59. A subsequent "created" man, like Adam. Not God.

What Christians believe:

However, "And the angel [being Gabriel, the same angel that allegedly dictated the "Holy Koran" to Muhammad] answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God" (Luke 1:35, KJV).

The Scriptures refer to Christ as "the seed of the WOMAN," knowing that no woman has any seed. The seed has to come from the male; Christ, as the Word incarnate (John 1:14), in an INCORRUPTIBLE SEED (1 Pet. 1:23) not like unto "corruptible MAN" (Rom. 1:23). Not like Adam, a created man who was not the son of God.

Thus, it comes down to a choice between these two disparate positions.

Either God showed up in the flesh, or he did not.

At this point in history, that makes you either believe God's inspired Scriptures testifying of himself in the flesh, or Allah's declaration that he did not visit in the flesh nor will he return once again.

The Koran indicates there WAS AND IS NO SON OF GOD in the flesh at any time. Muhammad thus cuts off the Isaac line through David to Jesus by God acting through Mary, and substitutes the illegitimate Ishmael to substitute himself for Jesus Christ as the New Testament "Comforter".

Jesus would then have been the son of Joseph (a corruptible man, dead and buried without resurrection), and therefore could not be the Son of God.

What does that make Muhammad?

I realize that some readers will regard this as harsh. I am just sharing the truth of the matter.

We are warned about such non-scripture by Paul when God cursed Muhammad (and any angel with whom he was consorting) for preaching "another gospel" (Gal. 1:8-9).

Below, are more differences that I have gathered through other's postings. (I will include first names or screen names only)

1. Muhammad sought earthly power and riches, including women from conquest. Jesus taught us that the Kingdom of Heaven is not of this world, and he gave up His life, via a gruesome Roman execution, so that we all might live again in the Kingdom of heaven, with all the angels and saints. And a final human act of murder and self-destruction will not gain one access to that Kingdom of Heaven, much less 72 dark-haired perpetual virgins. No, allah and God are quite different beings, with different requirements for believing in them. (contributed by John)

2. No Muslim believes that Jesus Christ in the trinity is one with God and God. Therefore they do not worship the same God. Allah does not reflect John 1:1 at all. Hence the reason one can not preach the teachings of Christ around Mecca. (contributed by Merle)

3. It is TOTALLY ILLOGICAL to say the god of Islam and God of the Jews and Christians are one and the same. Islamic scripture KORAN and Hadith is rife with Allah's disdain and hate of the the Jews and Christians. It is IMPOSSIBLE for God to hate the people (Jews and Christians) He created. Therefore Allah of Islam and God are not the same. (contributed by Paul)

4. To base arguments on the superficial use of the word 'God' misses the mark entirely. Even cults use the word 'God'. It is true that Judeo-Christian and Islamic beliefs have Abraham in common. From there though, Islam takes every Judeo-Christian belief and turns it upside down. (contributed by Terry)

5. Perhaps I can fill you in on some key points as to why I have trouble (with anyone who holds the opinion) that Allah is the same God of the Bible - God of Christians and Jews. First we need to be careful to resist our natural urge to claim common ground for the sake of unity and peace. Instead we need to look at historical facts and religious aims to see whether such commonality is possible. And we need to proceed LOGICALLY. The question we are asking is : Who is Allah? Here we are asking who Allah, the God of Islam is. We are asking who is the Allah god muslims worship to?

The Koran points out that Allah is the same as the God of Jews and Christians ( "the People of the Book") And muslims claim their faith as "the faith of Abraham" in one Creator God. So the question is settled? Well, not so fast!

As well meaning religious people, we like to see unity and peace. And we like to establish commonality with our neighbors. However to answer this key question, we need to be more objective. So let's clear up our mind and approach this question from the standpoint of a new muslim convert who is being introduced to Islam. What is the most important statement of Islam? It is the Shahada: That there is no deity but Allah and Muhammad is his prophet. This all important pledge states that Allah is the only God there is and Muhammad is his prophet. If you say this before two witnesses, you become a muslim. This all important claim of Islam DEFINES Allah.

Note that there are two parts to Shahada - "Allah is [the] only God that exist[s]" and "Muhammad is Allah's prophet". In other words, Shahada states "There is only Allah" but who is this god, Allah? "Allah is Muhammed's God" because Muhammad is his spokesman (prophet).

So the fundamental axiom of Islam DEFINES who Allah is. Allah is the God Muhammad worshipped! And this is a point that ALL MUSLIMS, CHRISTIANS, AND JEWS CAN AGREE ON.

Allah is the god Muhammad worshipped. This is how we should clarify who Allah is. This statement: "Allah is the God Muhammad worshipped daily" is a statement we all agree on.

Now we examine cold and hard historical facts.Was Muhammad ever a Jew? Nope. Was Muhammad ever a Christian? Nope. In fact, historians would agree that Muhammad was an Arab pagan who worshipped at Kaaba temple of Mecca. And he worshipped the supreme deity of Arab paganism - Allah of Mecca. We know that there is connection between the God of Christians and the God of Jews BECAUSE JESUS HAS BEEN A JEW AND SO WERE ALL EARLY CHRISTIANS. We can safely say that Christianity is a branch, if you will, out of Judaism because all early Christians were Jews and Christians accept Jewish Old Testaments VERBATUM.

By the same key criteria, we cannot say that Islam is a growth out of Judaism nor Christianity. Muhammad had never been a Jew nor a Christian and muslims do not accept the Bible verbatum. Instead Islam AIMS TO REPLACE THE BIBLE WITH THE KORAN. Because they believe that the Bible is full of errors while the Koran is the perfect book from the Heaven.

So let us summarize the above point why Allah is not the same as the God of Christians and Jews.

a. "Allah is the God Muhammad worshipped." If you want to talk Islam, you have to start from the Shahada. If you are unwilling to see the meaning of Shahada, we are talking at cross purpose. Shahada says that Allah is the God Muhammad worshipped and he is the only God there is. All other deities are idols to be denied and oppressed. (This is a point that all muslims, Christians, and Jews can agree on. )

b. Muhammad was an Arab pagan who worshipped at Kaaba temple of Mecca. (This also is a point that all can agree on. ) He was and never had been a Christian nor a Jew.

c. Therefore, Allah is NOT the God of Christians and Jews. (contributed by Jay)

I am very politically aware of what is going on in the world today. In fact, here in America, as long as your god is just a word, the world has no problem with you. However, mention the name of Jesus Christ and they do have a problem. Why is that? Why is Jesus so offensive to those who do not believe in him?

Perhaps you already agree that we Muslims and Christians do not worship or serve the same God.

Christians believe in the Trinity (I John 5:7). God the father, God the Son (Jesus), and God the Holy Spirit.

Jesus said, "I and the Father are one" (John 10:30).

"If you have seen me you have seen the Father" (John 14:9).

In non-theological words, Jesus is God revealed to us in the flesh. Muslims do not believe in the same god, that is the God of the New Testament Bible. Let's just call it like it is. People must not try to trivialize our differences for the sake of peace.

When I was debating an individual about this topic, at the very beginning I had stated, "Since you are using a book - Koran - that I view as an improper addition to the Bible, anything I might say to rebut your allegations will probably not be accepted by you.

I do not say that the Koran is an improper addition to the Bible with a mean-spirited goal, it is just the truth as I see it being a born-again Christian. The Bible gives us a double warning in Revelation 22:18,19 not to add nor subtract from what is written, therefore, any book written after Revelation would be adding (and, in some cases subtracting, according to what is written in them) to God's Word which we are told not to do according to these verses."

With that said, I will share a few points regarding his dismay when I called Ishmael illegitimate.

I am currently in the middle of a Bible study on the book of Genesis. Here is a partial recap of chapter 16:

Here we find Sarai and Abram frustrated by the passing years without a son. So they devise their own strategy for "fulfilling" God's promise--and reap the consequences. Read Genesis 16.1.

It has been ten years since Abram and Sarai entered Canaan. What action does Sarai how suggest (16:1-2)?

Suggested Abram sleep with her maidservant to build a family through her.

2. What do you think this indicates about their trust in God?

They doubted that His promise would be fulfilled without them stepping in and "helping it along" the way. Sarai influenced Abram to commit adultery. (Another point to recognize is the name changes of both Sarai and Abram to Sarah and Abraham before Isaac was born; but even more significantly this occurred after Ishmael was born. A name change in Scripture is quite significant in that it indicates a great change in the path of the person. We see this in the New Testament when Saul was renamed Paul after his encounter with Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus and thus his conversion from not only just Judaism, but from being a persecutor of Christians to becoming one of the greatest apostles for Christ!)

3. How can our impatience with God's timetable lead us into unbelief and even disobedience?

It led to the sin of adultery in order to get the child they so desperately wanted. In fact, God did come through later with the conception and birth of Isaac.

7. Ishmael means "the God who hears." What does that reveal about the outcome in 16:15-16?

The Lord heard the child and Hagar's misery. Even though He told her the good news that He would increase her descendants so that they would be too numerous to count, He also told her the bad news; that Ishmael would be Gen 16:12- "And he will be a wild man; his hand [will be] against every man, and every man's hand against him; and he shall dwell in the presence of all his brethren."

This is indicative of the hostility we have seen between Arabs and Jews throughout the centuries. We also see it in the radical fringe of Arab/Muslim terrorism going on around the world. (This is not to say that ALL Arabs/Muslims are terrorists because of course they all are not, but to point out that the hostility predicted in this Biblical account has come to fruition down through the generations and can be seen today as a result of this prophetic description of Ishmael in Genesis 16:12.)

I WILL REPEAT FOR ABSOLUTE CLARITY. I AM NOT SAYING THAT ALL MUSLIMS/ARABS ARE TERRORISTS!

In Chapter 17 we see that God's one and only covenant is revealed through Isaac. I have already included the Bible verses in previous posts.

Lastly, at my Bible study this past Tuesday, we ran across the following verse that reveals an astonishing truth about which son God Himself recognized as Abraham's "only son."

In Genesis Chapter 22 verse 2 we read:

"Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about."

Of course, we know that God provided a substitute for Isaac at the last moment by providing a ram caught in in a thicket by its horns (verse 13). This was a foreshadowing of the substitutionary sacrifice of Jesus Christ for the sins of mankind at the cross.

But notice also that God said that Isaac was Abraham's only son. Thus, we recognize Isaac's line in succession to Jesus Christ, not Ishmael's line of descendants.
__________________
Christine

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. Colossians 2:8

The eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth to show Himself strong to those whose hearts are fully committed to Him. 2 Chronicles 16:9

*******

Update:

My Face Book friend, who happens to be a Christian biblical scholar from Australia - Bill Muehlenberg - has written two excellent essays on this topic. Please read them and be educated on this issue!

Culture Watch Blog: No, We Do Not Worship the Same God

Culture Watch Blog: What to Make of Allah

Christ: Our Mediator Between God and Man

Sothenes has shared a brief but powerful Bible study over at my Talk Wisdom forum. Here are his posts, followed by my recent comment:

Sothenes
Senior Member

Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 869
"one God and one mediator" between "God and men"
1Ti 2:5 For [there is] one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; 1st Timothy Chapter 2 When I read this, I read there is "one God and one mediator" between God and man which means that Jesus is God because the one God and mediator is "between God and men".

__________________

Revelation 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Yesterday, 08:09 PM
Sothenes
Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 869

I heard this from Pastor Bill while driving home in the car today so I decided to study this for myself.

John 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.

This is a statement of deity based on what we know from other verses. By deduction, if Isaiah 42:8 and Isaiah 48:11 say that "..my glory will I not give" or yield to another then Jesus is claiming to have the same glory with God which makes Him God because God won't yield it to another.

Isaiah 42:8 I [am] the LORD: that [is] my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images.

Isaiah 48:11 For mine own sake, [even] for mine own sake, will I do [it]: for how should [my name] be polluted? and I will not give (nathan , yield, H5414) my glory unto another.

And God yielded Jesus' name to be above every name:

Philippians 2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
__________________
Revelation 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

My comment:


admin
Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 2,586

Great verses!


Great study, Sothenes. Brief but very powerful! Those verses reveal Jesus' deity so explicitly, how could anyone miss such truth?

Jesus always gives every man and woman a choice. We have the choice of life or death; salvation or slavery to sin, heaven or hell, acceptance of Him or rejection of Him. No wonder He asks us the most pertinent question in all of Creation: "Who do you say that I am?" How each individual person answers that question determines where he or she will spend eternity!
__________________
See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ. Colossians 2:8

The eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth to show Himself strong to those whose hearts are fully committed to Him. 2 Chronicles 16:9

Hat Tip:

Sothenes via Talk Wisdom forums.

The True Meaning of Christmas

What an awesome Christmas Eve service at The Rock Church last evening! I just loved singing so many traditional Christmas songs (about Jesus!!) along with the chorus. The message by Pastor Miles McPherson that followed made it one of the best Christmas services I have ever attended!

Later in the day, the video of the entire service should be posted here at the church's message page. I don't want to give anything away, but there was quite a surprise at the beginning of the service message!

Just as I was about to type this next sentence, my son reminded me that Pastor Miles McPherson is on Good Morning America this morning. In fact, he's on right now (7:00 a.m. PT)! I stopped to watch it.

The discussion panel included four people; a priest, two Christian pastors (Pastor Miles and Max Lucado who are also authors), and a female Christian author. What was said was very good, but you could tell that the panel discussion was chopped up in only small segments of what each person said and wanted to share with the T.V. audience! How sad is that?? My son commented about how that show is three hours long and they only gave five minutes to religion?! What a disappointment. My son commented that the same thing happened last year, when Miles appeared on the show at that time. I had forgotten about that.

When the hostess of the show asked the question, "what message do you want to give to people this Christmas?" each person's answer was way to brief to really get out what they truly wanted to share! I know Pastor Miles! I'm sure that he shared much more than they allowed to be broadcast in the brief segment.

Ahhhh!! I didn't mean to be negative on this joyous day of our Christmas celebration - the birth of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior - but I needed to report what just happened.

To me, it is a clear sign of what a low priority faith is to most of the mainstream media. It's the "cut it short - can't get into too much detail because someone might be offended" politically "correct" (more accurately, INCORRECT!) attitude that permeates most of the media today.

What a shame.

So much could have been shared to help those who needed to hear the true meaning of the Christmas season! A billboard near the Rock Church clearly states the truth: "Jesus is the ONLY reason for the season!"

Anyway, I sincerely hope that you will make some time to view the video message when it is up at the link I provided. You can also view Part One of The Promise message from last Sunday, since the Christmas Eve message was Part Two of The Promise message series.

Enjoy your Christmas celebrations with friends and family! Thank God for your loved ones, for they are really what matters most in our earthly lives. And thank God for His love, and the unfathomable gift of His Son, Jesus Christ, without whom we could never be forgiven for our sins and reconciled back unto God.

Have a blessed Christmas Day!

In Christ's service,

Christine

There's Gotta Be a Reason

A reason for what? For why Barrack Hussein Obama refuses to show his COLB. Instead, he has spent over a million dollars on lawyers to get case after case dismissed in court rather than spending a mere $20.00 to release the document to a judge as proof of natural born citizen status.

That is what NYC radio host Steve Malzberg is asking in this 3:50 video.


Link to video

Hat Tip:

The Obama File

*******

Found a very powerful post this morning. After I read it, I realized why so many people (rich, poor, young, old, famous, ordinary, beautiful, not-so-beautiful etc.) are in despair.

American Thinker: There Is No Help


Psa 121:1 A song of ascents. I lift up my eyes to the hills-- where does my help come from?

Psa 121:2 My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.


Psa 121:3 He will not let your foot slip-- he who watches over you will not slumber;


Psa 121:4 indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.


Psa 121:5 The Lord watches over you-- the Lord is your shade at your right hand;


Psa 121:6 the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.


Psa 121:7 The Lord will keep you from all harm-- he will watch over your life;


Psa 121:8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

Casting Crowns: Praise You In This Storm



Jesus Christ, our Savior, Lord and King:

Jhn 16:33 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (NIV)

Call My Name

"Call my name say it now, I want you to never doubt - The love I have for you is so alive!" Matthew 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, [even] unto the end of the world. Amen.

Call My Name by Third Day

I love you, Jesus. Thank you for dying in my place to save me from my sins and for rising again to conquer the sting of death. Thank you for your unfathomable sacrificial death and gift of forgiveness. In six days we celebrate your birth on this earth. Thank you for showing me the way to salvation through your Word, the Bible, and by your mercy, love and grace, demonstrating Who you are. - Christine

*******

Continuing follow-up on the Obama "natural born citizen" controversy, here is some of the latest important information to share:

For those of you who are following (or, unsure about the reasons for all the lawsuits) the Obama "natural born citizen" controversy, the following two videos help to spell it out clearly:

Dr. Orly Taitz Video 1

Dr. Orly Taitz Video 2


In the videos, Dr. Taitz shares some very important facts.

1. Obama admits (on his website!) that he was born as a British subject (due to his father being from Kenya and when Kenya was under British jurisdiction).

2. The vault-length COLB (Certificate of Live Birth) from Hawaii (you know - the one that Obama has spent nearly one million dollars to conceal and not be revealed in a court of law or to the public) has a place on it where it says "foreign born" on it. In other words, even if the short form of Obama's birth certificate (you know - the one that has already been analyzed and determined to be fake) WAS real - the fact remains that he most likely was not actually born in Hawaii - just registered there later. We would know for sure if Obama would just release it to the court(s) and/or the public (as John McCain did), but he REFUSES to do so!

Obama supporters - don't you find that troubling?

I do.

A man who would hide his original vault-length birth certificate (which costs $12.00 to get a copy of) and spends almost 1,000,000.00 to prevent anyone from viewing it, probably has a lot more to hide, as well.

3. EVERY hospital in Hawaii has been investigated and NOT ONE OF THEM has ANY record of Obama's birth or his mother's presence there to give birth. Also, even if he happened to be "home birthed," why did his half-sister lie and claim that he was born at two different hospitals in Hawaii (she is quoted as saying as such on two separate occasions.)

4. Obama's paternal grandmother in Kenya claims that she was present IN KENYA - at his birth. There is video proof of this fact. Why would she lie? The more likely answer is that Obama IS LYING ABOUT THIS. Why? Because he is a lawyer by trade (supposed to be a "Constitutional lawyer") so therefore, he KNOWS that he doesn't meet the "natural born citizen" status necessary for POTUS.

The date of January 9th is very important. This is because Congress will have already done their job to certify (or, reject...but I doubt that) Obama's electors. It is then that Obama can be charged at the Supreme Court for his ineligibility.

I don't know if the Supreme Court will ultimately do their job and do the right thing regarding Berg's case. But at least millions of people have been made aware that if Obama is inaugurated, we will have a usurper in office. We shall see what happens.

For more details, please see:

Investigating Obama

Obama Crimes

[Note: 12/18/08 - URGENT NOTICE – False rumors are circulating – Justice Kennedy denied our Application for an Injunction to Stay Electoral Vote Count by Congress on January 8, 2009. However, our Writ of Certiorari is still pending and is now scheduled for Conference before U.S. Supreme Court on January 9, 2009.]

Anything and everything at Texas Darlin' blog; but especially this well written request of Dr. Kate to Chief Justice John G. Roberts:

Do Not Leave Americans With Silence

He Is Risen, Rejoice!

Mat 28:1 NOW after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb.

Mat 28:2 And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door,[fn1] and sat on it.

Mat 28:3 His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.

Mat 28:4 And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.

Mat 28:5 But the angel answered and said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.

Mat 28:6 "He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

Mat 28:7 "And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you."

Mat 28:8 So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.

Mat 28:9 And as they went to tell His disciples,[fn2] behold, Jesus met them, saying, "Rejoice!" So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.

Mat 28:10 Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me."

Mat 28:11 Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened.

Mat 28:12 When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers,

Mat 28:13 saying, "Tell them, 'His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.'

Mat 28:14 "And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will appease him and make you secure."

Mat 28:15 So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.

Mat 28:16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them.

Mat 28:17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted.

Mat 28:18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.

Mat 28:19 "Go therefore[fn3] and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

Mat 28:20 "teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen.[fn4]
(bold mine - for emphasis)

Footnotes:
28:2 NU-Text omits from the door.
28:9 NU-Text omits the first clause of this verse.
28:19 M-Text omits therefore.
28:20 NU-Text omits Amen.

New King James Version, © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

Good Friday

Today is Good Friday. Christians around the world are observing THE most solemn day on the Christian calendar.

In David Jeremiah's newsletter today, he described what some other countries call this day:

Recommended Reading
Luke 23:26-34


Today is Karfreitag, a German word meaning "Friday of Lamentation." In English we call it Good Friday, but other languages usually refer to it as Holy Friday. In Armenia it's called High Friday, and the Russians refer to it as Passion Friday. In China, it's known as the Day of Christ's Suffering.

In Bermuda, kites will be flown today, all of them using wooden frames in the shape of a cross. As the kites soar into the sky, they symbolize the crucified one who has now ascended into heaven. In England, hot cross buns will be served, and the BBC will introduce its morning newscast with a verse from Isaac Watts' hymn, "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross."

Some previous Good Friday posts:

The Power of Christ's Cross

Why Did Jesus Have To Die?

When Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ movie came out in 2004, I created a "before" and "after" survey for people to fill out. It was completely voluntary. I had a fairly good response (considering that it was conducted at my infrequently visited former message board). Now that I have been blogging for three years, I thought that I would post it here for anyone who might like to share their opinions/reactions to that movie.

If you haven't seen the movie, then fill out the first survey, rent and watch the movie, then come back and fill out the second survey.

Even if you have already seen the movie, you can still participate. Perhaps the impact of the movie upon you was so strong that you will instantly be able to recall your thoughts and feelings upon viewing it. If not, then rent it and watch it again.

You can copy and paste the survey(s) into the comment section, and then mark your responses to the questions. You can check only one answer, or as many as you think apply. Feel free to use your screen name, or, you may also post your answers anonymously.

God bless you during this Holy Weekend,

Christine

*******

First Survey (can fill out before viewing movie)


Age: ____


( ) Male
( ) Female

Ethnicity: (Optional)
( ) Caucasian/White
( ) African-American/Black
( ) Hispanic
( ) Asian
( ) Bi-racial
( ) Other
( ) N/A (no answer)

(1.) I currently consider myself as a(n):
( ) atheist (denies/dis-believes existence of God)
( ) agnostic (existence of God is unknown and unknowable)
( ) member of a non-Christian religion ______________ (fill in blank)
( ) Christian (any denomination) _______________(fill in blank)
( ) Born-again Christian
( ) not sure
( ) other ______________________ (fill in blank)

(2.) My current personal views about the Person of Jesus Christ are:
( ) He was a mythical person
( ) He was a historical person who once lived on the earth
( ) He was a good prophet but not the Son of God
( ) He was, and is, the Son of God
( ) He is my Lord and Savior, the eternal Son of God
( ) Not sure what I believe about Him
( ) other ____________________

(3.) My current personal views about the Bible are:
( ) It is all a myth
( ) It is just a book written by several men who claimed to be
prophets
( ) It is a good book with a mixture of truth and error
( ) It is allegory (representation of spiritual, moral meanings
through the actions of fictional characters that serve as
symbols)
( ) It is the Word of God because other people have told me this
( ) It is the Word of God, contains absolute truth, and is Gods'
eternal message to mankind
( ) other ________________________

(4.) Have you ever read and/or studied the Bible?
( ) No
( ) Never motivated to read it
( ) Parts of it (Read _____ / Studied _____ )
( ) Only the New Testament (Read _____ / Studied ______)
( ) Both the Old and New Testament (Read _____ /Studied _____ )
( ) Read it cover to cover (Read ____ / Studied ____ )
( ) other ___________________________

(5.) What is your religious background?
( ) Do not have a religious background
( ) Brought up in a non-Christian faith
( ) Brought up in Christian faith but left it for another religion
( ) Brought up in a Christian faith but now agnostic/atheist
( ) Brought up as a Christian and still am a Christian
( ) Born-again Christian as a child or, became one as an adult
( ) Other _____________________ (please specify)

(6.) What do you currently believe about the crucifixion of Jesus Christ?
( ) It didn't happen; it's a myth
( ) I don't know what the crucifixion is
( ) It is a historical fact
( ) I have heard that he died for the sins of mankind but don't
personally believe this
( ) He died for the sins of mankind
( ) His sacrificial death on the cross was to cover the sins of mankind and to bridge the gap between Holy God and sinful man.
( ) other ______________________

(7.) What do you currently believe about the resurrection of Jesus Christ?
( ) It didn't happen; it is a myth
( ) I don't know what the Resurrection really is
( ) It can be explained away
( ) It is a historical fact
( ) The historical evidence proves that Christ rose from the
dead and is the living Son of God
( ) Biblical and historical evidence proves that Christ rose
from the dead and is the living Son of God
( ) other _______________________

(8.) What are you more likely to believe about the crucifixion,
death and resurrection of Jesus Christ?
( ) It didn't happen
( ) It may have happened but I don't know why
( ) It may be a fact of history but I don't believe in the reasons
why he died and rose again
( ) It may be a fact of history but it only matters to Christians
( ) The biblical account of this may be true but it doesn't matter
to me
( ) It was the ultimate act of love to save mankind from an
eternity separated from God
( ) other _________________________

(9.) What do you think was the reason WHY Jesus Christ died and
rose from the dead?
( ) It didn't happen
( ) It may have happened but I don't know why
( ) Haven't given this much thought
( ) It is only important to Christians
( ) I don't know why but would like to know
( ) It's about forgiveness of sin. Christ took my sins as his own through his death, and his rising from death showed that I will spend eternity with him.
( ) other _____________________


(10.) What do you currently believe (or know) about biblical prophecy - the ability for prophets from the Old Testament to accurately predict events that actually happened in the New Testament?
( ) I do not know anything about this
( ) It doesn't matter to me
( ) I have heard of this but could not cite any examples
( ) I am familiar with the prophecies about the Messiah
( ) I have studied the Bible and know about the prophecies about Jesus Christ
( ) I have studied the Bible, know and believe the prophecies written about Jesus Christ
( ) other _______________________

(11.) From what you have read or know about biblical prophecy, who (meaning, which person) do you think the prophecies regarding the Messiah in the Old Testament point to?
( ) I do not know
( ) It doesn't matter to me
( ) The Messiah has not yet come so couldn't answer this
( ) Someone other than Jesus Christ
( ) The prophecies point towards Jesus Christ but I don't personally believe in Him
( ) The prophecies accurately pointed to Jesus Christ and most were fulfilled by him during his earthly ministry, including his crucifixion, death, and resurrection
( ) other _________________________

(12.) Do you believe that the second coming of Jesus Christ will happen some time in the future?
( ) I do not know
( ) I do not care
( ) No
( ) Yes
( ) The Bible claims this will happen but I do not personally believe this.
( ) The Bible contains the absolute truth on this matter and it says that this is inevitable and I believe it to be true.
( ) other _________________________

(13.) What do you think happens after you die?
( ) Nothing - it is the end of existence
( ) Reincarnation
( ) The body dies but the soul lives on in eternity somewhere
( ) The body dies but the soul immediately lives on in eternity in one of two places, heaven (with God) or hell (separated from God) with the promise of a future bodily resurrection upon Christ's return
( ) I go to heaven because I was a good person here
( ) I do not know
( ) other _______________________

(14.) When/where did you first hear about Mel Gibsons' movie, "The Passion of the Christ?"
( ) This survey is how I first heard of it
( ) From the media, TV, newspapers, internet
( ) Someone told me about it
( ) At my church
( ) In the movie theater coming attractions
( ) other _______________________

(15.) Were you planning on seeing this movie before you were asked to participate in this survey?
( ) No
( ) Yes
( ) Had not decided yet
( ) Only going to see it because of survey request
( ) I like to see all of Mel Gibsons' movies
( ) other ________________________

YOUR Additional Comments:


*******

Second Survey:

AGE: ____

Male: ____
Female: ____

(1.) I currently consider myself as a(n):

( ) atheist (denies/dis-believes existence of God)
( ) agnostic (existence of God is unknown and unknowable)
( ) member of a non-Christian religion ______________ (fill in blank)
( ) Christian (any denomination) _______________(fill in blank)
( ) Born-again Christian
( ) not sure
( ) other ______________________ (fill in blank)

(2.) After viewing the movie, "The Passion of the Christ," has your view changed about the crucifixion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ?

( ) Yes
( ) No

Please explain: _______________________

(3.) From what you saw, heard and read via the subtitles, did the movie clearly show to you the reason WHY Jesus Christ suffered, died and rose from the dead?

( ) Yes
( ) No
( ) Other _____________________
Please explain: _______________________

(4.) Do you understand WHY Jesus had to die?

( ) Yes
( ) No
( ) Other ______________________
Please explain: ______________________

(5.) Was Jesus a victim or did he die voluntarily? If voluntarily, why would he do such a thing? What was accomplished by his death?

Please explain: _________________________




(6.) What do you think is the main message of "The Passion of the Christ."

Please explain: ___________________________


(7.) Did you understand the meaning and purpose of every scene that you saw? If no, state what you did not understand.

Please explain: ___________________________

(8.) Can you share the general reaction of the audience at the end of the movie?

Please explain: _____________________________


(9.) What type of audience was it?

( ) Secular audience
( ) My church provided private screenings of the movie and I attended one of the showings.
( ) Mixed audience
( ) Did not observe this
( ) Could not tell what type of audience I was in
( ) Other _____________________________


(10.) Did a pastor from a neighborhood church speak either before or after the screening you attended?

( ) Yes
( ) No
( ) Did not stay for this
( ) Not sure
( ) Other __________________________


(11.) Do you have an interest in finding out more information about Jesus Christ and the Word of God as a result of seeing this movie?

( ) Yes
( ) No
( ) Not sure
( ) Might consider this
( ) Other ______________________


(12.) Were you moved spiritually to consider the purpose of Jesus' death for you? If so, how?

Please explain: ________________________


(13.) Would you consider reading any articles that share additional information about Jesus Christ and what this movie could not show?

( ) Yes
( ) No
( ) Other _____________________

(14.) Do you have any additional questions that you would like answered?

( ) Yes
( ) No
( ) Other __________________________

Please list any questions: ________________________________

(15.) Would you like a link to a discussion forum where you can post comments/ questions/ reactions/ feelings about the movie, "The Passion of the Christ" with others who have participated in the surveys?

( ) Yes
( ) No
( ) Other __________________________

Your additional comments:

Jesus - God Is With Us

It has been a very busy day! I was up and out so early this morning (after making banana pancakes for the family!) that I didn't get the chance to write a blog post.

However, I got an email alert from my blogging friend Charlie at AnotherThink. His recent essay entitled Emmanuel in Iowa is a great read!

Charlie happens to be one of my very first "blogging" friends. I discovered his blog way back in 2005 when I attended the first GodBlog Conference at Biola University. He has written many excellent essays on the Christian faith. When you read "Emmanuel in Iowa," I think you will agree that it ranks as one of the best!

Excerpt:

If you believe the writers of the New Testament, the Christian God is neither absent-minded nor disinterested in humanity. Christianity claims that for a short time in dusty Israel, Jesus became the Emmanuel and gave us a glimpse of what could be.


Jesus told the disciples of John the Baptist:

...tell [John] what you have seen and heard — the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor. And tell him, 'God blesses those who do not turn away because of Me.' — Luke 7:22,23, NLT

He not only healed their diseases, but he hinted frequently that God was doing something altogether new through him, something that the world had not seen since the Garden of Eden:

One day the Pharisees asked Jesus, "When will the Kingdom of God come?" Jesus replied, "The Kingdom of God can't be detected by visible signs. You won't be able to say, 'Here it is!' or 'It's over there!' For the Kingdom of God is already among you." — Luke 17:20,21, NLT

Why Emmanuel? Why does God want to know us, to call us his friends, to see us face to face? Apparently for the same reasons we do: It is in his nature.

Biblical writers describe Heaven as a place teeming with intelligent and, apparently, relational beings: angels, seraphim, and the three eternal co-existing beings who are somehow the One — God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

Created as we are in the image of God and sharing some of our maker's DNA, as it were, we are relational because God himself is relational.

My comment at his blog:

This is a wonderful post, Charlie! I really enjoyed reading it. You made a good analogy with the "personal appearances" of politicians making a difference to voters.

Politics aside, I'd like to say that the love, forgiveness, mercy and grace that "Immanuel"-made-flesh has given us is the hope eternal that every man/woman craves in his/her heart. Whether they want to admit it or not, there is a hole in the heart of every human being until he or she repents and surrenders to Christ. Upon being born again, Jesus enters our hearts in the form of the Holy Spirit. Upon this genuine conversion, our relationship with the Lord and the sanctification process that ensues, our "Immanuel" makes us whole again. It is truly a relationship like no other!

Men like Richard Dawkins must live sad, empty lives. There is nothing on this earth that will ever satisfy like personally knowing Jesus Christ - "God is with us."

God bless you and your family. May your New Year be joyful, blessed and healthy!

Love in Jesus,
Christine

*******

HT: AnotherThink

Here With Us

Here With Us
by Joy Williams

12/25/07 Update: Re-posted due to previous video no longer being available.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Love and God Bless,
Christine

*******
Here With Us Youtube video by Joy Williams