By the Numbers

Saturday, June 6, 2015

Will Jesus Reign Over Earth A Thousand Years?

             Will Jesus Reign Over Earth A Thousand Years?

Postmillennial Christians say the church will win the world to Christ in an indefinite period, maybe a 1,000 years and then Jesus will return. Amillennial Christians say there is no literal millennium, and Revelation 20:1-6 just means that Jesus reigns in the hearts of those who trust in Him. I love and respect my brothers in Christ, but all the Bible's unfulfilled prophecies about the Messiah must be fulfilled according to a holy God who cannot lie or deceive us. Check out God's promises.
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Premillenialists, like myself, reason that since all the Bible predictions about Jesus' first coming--his virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, death for sinners, resurrection, and ascension were literally fulfilled exactly as stated, then what all the prophets and apostles said about His second coming to earth to reign as its King should literally be fulfilled exactly as stated. But before the 1,000 years the Church will be raptured (1 Thess. 4:16-5:3), and then there will be tribulation unknown since the world began (Rev. 4-19). Both Jesus (Matt. 24:21), and John said so (Rev. 3:10). Examine what the Bible actually says.
God made an unconditional land grant to Abraham and his descendants. He gave the land from the border of Egypt to the great Euphrates River then occupied by pagan tribes (Gen. 15:17-21). But Israel has never fully occupied that land, not in Joshua's day, David's time, or even today. And God said His promises are irrevocable (Rom. 11:29).
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God promised King David He will have a descendant upon his thrown forever."Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever (2 Samuel 7:16). And in Psalm 89:35 we read: "I have sworn an oath to David, and in my holiness I cannot lie: His dynasty will go on forever; his kingdom will endure as the sun. It will be as eternal as the moon, my faithful witness in the sky." Israel will one day occupy all the land God promised. It just became a nation again since A.D. 70 fulfilling many prophecies.
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The Tanakh (Old Testament) ends with Israel expecting the Messianic Kingdom. We read in Malachi 3:1 "Look! I am sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. Then the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to his Temple. The messenger of the covenant, whom you look for so eagerly, is surely coming says the Lord of Heaven's Armies." See also Isa. 9:6-7; 16:5.
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John the Baptizer and others offered Israel the Messiah-King Matt. 3:1-2. Jesus offered the kingdom when he said, "Repent for the kingdom is near. "(4:17). The Twelve Jesus sent out offered the kingdom (10:5-7). But the chosen nation of Israel rejected their King and His kingdom offered to them. "He (Jesus) came into the very world he created, but the world didn't recognize him. He came to his own people and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn--not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God (John 1:10-12 NLT). Have you rejected him too? You are now invited to humbly admit your wrong doing and trust in his forgiveness, cleansing, new and eternal life. Greater love has no one but Jesus, who took the punishment of our sin in his death for us on the cross. See the movie, The Passion of Christ.

Israel's rejection only meant a delay in order that the Gentiles may be offered salvation. God intended Israel to be his ambassadors to the Gentiles--but they became proud despisers of them instead. Christ then instituted instead a spiritual kingdom (the Church) until he returns to earth and Israel will then accept their king. "Jesus replied, I assure you that when the world is made new and the Son of Man sits upon his glorious throne, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (Matt. 19:28).See also Rom. 11:11ff:
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The next verse is his promise to believers today--"And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life.  But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then" (Matt. 19:30). CAN ANY PROMISES IN THE WORLD BE GREATER THAN THESE?
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The Jewish people will come to believe in Christ as their King and fulfill all God's promises. Just prior to his ascension, the apostles kept asking Jesus, "Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?"  They understood the promises above and were wondering when the kingdom would come and they would reign with him on twelve thrones. Jesus replied, "The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit is come upon you. And you will be my witnesses" (Acts 1:7-8).  So we are to be witnesses to the grace and glory of our Savior and God, the Lord Jesus, until he returns to take us to Him--Heaven (John 14:1-3).    
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Jesus, the Messiah, will return to fight for Israel, (called Armageddon) and then establish his 1,000 year worldwide rule.  We are in the very last days and Jesus' coming is described. "On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives east of Jerusalem. Then the Lord will go out to fight against those nations, as he has fought in times past" (Zechariah 14:3) . 
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Are you ready for the Lord's return? Are you living for him and telling others about his love, justice, and saving grace? With the computer we have the greatest opportunity in the world. Read these gospel articles, pray for God to use them, and send them every way you can and have great treasures in Heaven until Jesus comes for us. God bless.
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Friday, May 29, 2015

What is the Way to God and Heaven?

                     What is the Way to God and Heaven?

Persons have different ideas about God and heaven. Some think God is all love so everybody will go to heaven. Others believe ideas of God and heaven are only a comforting escape from reality. They see only the sky, trees, animals, and people that die, so, that's all there is to life. For many people, it seems so logical that if there's a good God and good heaven, then the way to both is simple--be good. Christians believe a Creator God made us limited, but moral, rational persons like himself to live in an eternally happy world in relationship with him. This article explains the Christian biblical teaching about the Christian way to God and heaven. Please give it your honest open-minded consideration. Thank you.
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First, it's a fact that nothing produces nothing, and the universe is running down. So, unless the universe created itself, which is logically impossible, then matter, energy, intelligence, and will  must have a source. That source must be an eternal, self-existent, immaterial, unchanging, and a powerfully creative mind.  And, that is so much like what the Bible describes as God.
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 Life too points to an infinite creative intelligence and will. For example, the hen must be fertilized by a rooster and have the chemical ovacleidin 17 for the shell to form. Hens must sit on their eggs 21 days and turn them over several times a day to keep the right temperature for them to hatch. Living things don't pop into being without a cause and they are genetically programmed to produce offspring after their own kind. Don't believe artists drawings of monkeys turning into men. No scientific experiment and no bones in a museum proves it. Mutations are harmful defeats usually eliminated and that don't aid in survival.
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The crucial question we humans should ask is this: does our Creator God care about us and has he acted in our world in ways we can understand? Now if this great Creative Spirit really loves us and wants us to know about him, wouldn't he have to do impossible things to get our attention and for us to know God is Lord of nature? What if someone walked on water, cured obvious ailments and diseases instantly, stopped storms, and raised the dead, just by speaking a word and all the while claim he was God?  Isn't that what it would take.That's what Jesus did and his disciples gave their lives in testimony that it's the truth.
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Again,  what if persons in the name of God predicted things impossible for us to know that really took place exactly as they said. Throughout the Bible we have such future events predicted sometimes centuries before they occur. All the events of Jesus first coming were fulfilled exactly as predicted--Jesus' virgin birth, sinless life, death for sinners, resurrection, Ascension into heaven, and all the while Jesus asked people to believe he was God's Son. Nothing like this is said of any other founder of any world religion.  Would this again show us what Jesus said is the truth?
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 "Jesus said, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6). His apostle Peter said, "There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved" (Acts 4:12). His apostle John said, "God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). The Bible teaches simple faith in Christ alone as our sin bearer has been taught since the days of Jesus, Peter, John, and Paul until today. But human pride always tries to modify it in some way.
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People say faith in Jesus is to easy, we must perform some kind of good deed such as baptism, joining a church, keeping certain of God's laws. Stop and think! We human beings lie, steal, cheat, hate, abuse each other and sometimes murder. Have you ever done such things? How many times? If we're honest, we would have to admit more times than we can count. Do you seriously think we would do any different in Heaven than we do here and that our sins don't matter to God? Just joining a church, getting baptised, trying to be real good and to keep God's laws even if we knew what they are is not going to make us perfect people worthy of Heaven.
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What about trying God's plan of salvation? It's not what we do, but believing what God has done for us. God knows that we can't be perfect in ourselves, that our natural tendency is to always want our way over His way, that no good thing we could do could erase or cover all the bad things we do, and that evil must be justly punished, not excused or approved
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"But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ (the anointed/Messiah)  to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God's sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God's condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God" (Romans 58-11, NLT). Just pray, God, I trust Your Son Jesus dying to pay for my sins on the cross and to be my Lord forever. Amen (So be it).
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Wednesday, April 29, 2015

Did Jesus Fulfill Prophecies of the Jewish Messiah?

          Did Jesus Fulfill Prophecies of the Jewish Messiah?

Several persons have claimed to be the Jewish Messiah. So a mere claim doesn't mean anything. The question is: what does the Tanakh or Hebrew Bible (Old Testament) say about the Messiah?  Does it give identifying descriptions of the Messiah that people could recognize him when he appeared? And did it describe what the New Testament says about Jesus?
What is required to confirm an actual fulfillment of a Bible Prophecy? The prophet's prediction made in the name of the Lord must come true as predicted, otherwise he is a false prophet. Short term predictions fulfilled during the time of persons living then confirmed a prophet as a true representative of God. For example, Samuel predicted twenty things that confirmed himself as a prophet and Saul's kingship that very day (1 Samuel 10:1-9). And later prophets must agree with former prophets known to be of God. In this way people living then and later can know the true prophets and believe their predictions. Consider Daniel's predictions 536 B.C. of the four world kingdoms. The fifth world kingdom is Messiah's rule and predictions pointing to it are converging in our day (Daniel 2:4b-7:28; 9:24-25, 69 weeks).
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Does what is said in the Tanakh of the Jew's Messiah point to Jesus? Understand this, there are 400 years between Malachi and Matthew, other prophets even centuries earlier. The Dead Sea scrolls  contain portions of all the books of the Tanakh except Esther written 200 years before Jesus. They have been compared with modern manuscripts and shown to agree almost letter for letter. Most of the differences being merely in the spelling of names. Now let's give an honest examination of the centuries between what the Tanakh says and what the Christian New Testament says about the Messiah showing whether he could be Jesus.
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.What are the signs the Jews were to look for to identify the coming Messiah?  He is to be born in Bethlehem of Judea, Micah 5:2; Matt. 2:1; the seed of a woman, Gen. 3:15; Gal. 4:4; 1 Jn. 3:8; a descendant of David, Jer. 23:5; Rom. 1:3-4; announced by a forerunner, Malachi 3:1; Luke 1:17; John 1:29; to perform miracles, Isa. 35:5-6; Matt. 11:4-6; to enter Jerusalem as king on a donkey, exact day predicted, Zech. 9:9; Matt. 21:5; Daniel 9:20-27; to be acclaimed King of Jews, Ps. 2:6; John 18;3-37; be betrayed by a friend, Ps 41:9; John 13:18-21; sold for 30 pieces of silver, Zech. 11:12; Matt. 26:15; rejected by Israel,  Isa. 8:14; Luke. 2:34;  his hands & feet pierced, Ps. 22:16; John. 20:25; disciples forsake him, Zech. 13; Matt. 26:56;  to die for sinners, Isa 53:4-6, 10-12; Matt. 20:28; have no bones broken, Ps. 34:20; Jn. 19:36; cast lots for his clothes; Ps. 22:18; Mark 15;24; grave with the rich Isa. 53:9; Matt. 27:57-60; raised from death Ps. 16:10; Acts 2:25-28; ascend into heaven, Ps. 68:18; Luke 24:51. Most of Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53 speaks of the Messiah and his suffering for the sins of the people. It describes crucifixion centuries before it was the means of Roman execution. And there are easily a hundred more fulfilled facts we didn't mention.
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No one could guess or artificially fulfill these Tanakh predictions of Israel's Messiah. Chances against their fulfillment in one person are impossible. God  make these things known to his prophets centuries before and brought them about. And no one after Jesus can claim to be the Messiah because Israel's birth records were destroyed with Jerusalem and the temple by the Romans in A.D. 70. No one but Jesus can show his descent from Abraham and David giving him right to be Israel's King (Matthew 1; Luke 3:23-38).
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Why then did the religious leaders of Jesus' day ignore predictions of the Messiah as the Suffering Servant? Because they only cared about the Reigning King Messiah to overthrow Rome's suppressive rule and they were envious of Jesus taking their place (Mark 15:10; John 11:48).
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What predictions did Jesus make demonstrating his deity and Messiah ship? There are 5,700 Greek N.T. manuscripts which show a thousand times more documentation than the few copies of the works of Aristotle, Plato, and the ancient classics dated centuries later. What man could make such predictions as the following? These are real historical events, not made up stories as critics like to have us believe.
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Jesus predicted this of himself and his followers. His apostles will be persecuted (Matt.10:17-23). All but John would be martyred for their faith (John 21:18). Jesus said he would die and rise three days later (Matt. 12:40). Jerusalem and the temple will be destroyed (Matt. 24:22). Judas would betray him (Matt. 26:24). Peter would deny him three times before the rooster crowed (Matt. 26:24). His disciples would flee at his death (Matt. 26:31). Lazarus would be raised from the dead (John 11:4-40). The disciples who fished all night and caught nothing would catch fish on the other side of the boat (John 21:6). Who but God could know such things? And the Jews knew Jesus claimed to be God accusing him of blasphemy (Matt. 26:62-65; Luke 22:66-71; John 10:36).
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Now did Jesus predict things future in his day that would occur from his time until today? YES! His church will never be destroyed (Matt. 16:18). Enemies from his day until today have tried, but it still exists. The Word of God will abide forever (Matt 5:18). Bible burners and critics try to destroy it, but it's the world's best seller. The twelve apostles will reign with Jesus over the tribes of Israel (Matt. 19:28). The Jews rejection of Jesus brings the Gentiles into his kingdom (Rom. 11:11-12, 25) .Christ may return anytime with his angels to reward his followers (Matt. 16:27).  Are you a follower of Jesus Messiah (Matt. 25:13)?
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This is Jesus' most serious prediction, warning, invitation. He made us for loving trusting fulfilling eternal relationship with Him. But love doesn't force, it invites. To reject Jesus Messiah is to choose outer darkness alone from the light and truth of God forever. Dear friend, won't you say, "I trust you Lord Jesus as my Messiah and Lord to take away my rebellion, guilt, and shame, and replace them with your love, forgiveness, purity and peace from this day and forever. I receive you as my God, Savior, Messiah, Lord. Thank You and praise You Lord Jesus, my Messiah and King (John 3:16-21; 14:6) .
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Monday, April 13, 2015

Can You Prove Jesus' Resurrection Is Only Fabrication?

      Can You Prove Jesus' Resurrection Is Only Fabrication?

Most persons dismiss it as a made-up ridiculous, impossible story. After all, how many cold stiff corpses have we seen arise from the dead? Such a miracle would be contrary to natural law. No scientific experiment has established such a thing. It must be a mistake or myth since the Bible has been translated multiple times and into many languages. But New Testament writers claim Bible Christianity stands or falls on it being fact (1 Corinthians 15:13-19). If true, it's implications couldn't be more crucial to humanity. So let's give the Christian claim our honest thoughtful consideration.
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There can be no  doubt Jesus died by crucifixion on the cross. In his trials, before both Roman and Jewish courts, he likely was deprived of food, drink, and sleep. The scourging was severe, tearing away his flesh. Some died from that alone. But also there was his carrying the cross in exhaustion, loss of blood from the crown of thorns to the nails in his feet. And His cry, "Father into your hands I commit my Spirit." The separation of water and blood from the spear piercing his side was conclusive proof. The soldiers trained in execution procedures didn't break his leg, for they knew he was already dead. Jesus' mother and disciple John stood by in grief witnessing his death. The soldiers gambled for his garments and took his naked body from the cross and  later gave it to the rich man, Joseph of Arimathaea, for burial in his stone tomb just outside Jerusalem. This was a sad day for Jesus' disciples thinking he was Messiah and King of Israel.
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The Jews and Romans in Jerusalem took steps to prevent any kind of deception about Jesus' claim to resurrection. "The leading priests and Pharisees went to see Pilate. They told Him, 'Sir, we remember that deceiver once said while he was still alive. After three days I will rise from the dead. So we request that you seal the tomb until the third day. This will prevent his disciples from coming and stealing his body and then telling everyone he was raised from the dead! If that happens, we'll be worse off than we were at first. Pilate replied, Take guards and secure it the best you can." So they sealed the tomb and posted guards to protect it?" (Matt. 27:62-65). Their precautions are actually what God used to demonstrate the resurrection of Jesus was an indisputable fact.
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The news about Jesus' death and resurrection was made known shortly after their supposed occurrence.  Dr. Luke, the companion of the apostle Paul, who wrote his earlier gospel now writes about the first 30 years of the church. He says of Jesus, "During the forty days after his crucifixion, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God" (Acts 1:3).
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On the day of Pentecost, Peter preached, "People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus the Nazarene by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know. But God knew what would happen, and his prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed. With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to a cross and killed him. But God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip" (Acts 2:22-23). Peter preached this on Pentecost 50 days after Jesus' resurrection before people from surrounding nations. 
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Anyone could investigate Jesus' tomb just outside the city. The disciples who in fear had been locked  in the upper room now were joyously telling everyone--He's alive! He's Alive! And how could the religious leaders who plotted Jesus' death explain that at his death the earthquake, the darkness, the thick temple curtain torn from top to bottom, and the dead persons that came into the city (Matt. 27:51-54)? Five thousand men plus women and children became believers.
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The Apostle Peter wrote (2 Peter 1:16).  "We are not making up clever stories when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We saw his majestic splendor with our own eyes." Peter was referring to Jesus' transfiguration in Matthew 17:1-6. Tradition says Peter didn't think he was worthy to be crucified as his Lord and requested to be crucified upside down.
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In Acts 3:4 Peter healed a lame temple beggar and preached in the name of Jesus who the nation's leaders crucified and who God according to plan, raised from the dead. And that the people should turn from their sins to trust in Jesus who they crucified, but God raised from the dead. Peter said there was no one else God has given under heaven by which we must be saved. The high Jewish council put Peter and John in jail and commanded them never to preach Jesus and his resurrection. But they replied, "Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard"
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Apostle John wrote (1 John. 1:1-4). "We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life. This one who is life itself was revealed to us and we have seen him. And now we testify and proclaim to you that he is the one who is eternal life. He was with the Father and then he was revealed to us. We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy."  
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This is  not some religious man's opinions about what god is and can or cannot do (Acts 14:12-15), or what some politically correct politician thinks (Acts 26:8), or someone's claim an angel he alone saw, told me so (Gal. 1:8), or what some centuries later critic removed from the scene can believe (Col. 2:8). This is citing real historical events only historical eyewitness testimony can establish.

 What is real serious is what God says about it Acts 17:30-31 says "God overlooked people's ignorance about these things in earlier times, but now he command everyone everywhere to repent of their sins and turn to him. For he has set a day for judging the world with justice by the man he has appointed, and he proved to everyone who this is by raising him from the dead."
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Apostle Paul wrote (1 Cor. 15:3-6 About A.D. 55). "I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried,  and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one  time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. The apostles spoke before hostile witnesses who admitted they couldn't deny the events.
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Many of the hymns and creeds used by the first Christians are incorporated into the New Testament letters. Check out these Rom. 1:3-4; Phil. 2:6-11; Col. 1:15-18; 1 Tim.3:16; 2 Tim. 2:8; 1 Pet. 3:18-22; 1 Jn. 4:2. Moreover, there are 5,700 early Greek manuscripts used to make modern translations, plus writings of the church fathers. This documented sources for the classic writings as of Plato, Aristotle, Caesar are only a few copies dated a 1,000 years after the time. Nor is Jesus' resurrection related to myths about about crops coming to life in the spring. Jews of Jesus' time believed in one ethical Creator God, not the pagan myths that came into prominence after his time. It seems the reason we sinners deny Jesus' death for our sins and his resurrection is that we think our sinful desires more important to us than the invitation of a loving, all-knowing God to save us from our deceptive, destructive beliefs and behavior. 
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Modern critics have tried to explain away the records but utterly failed. No we haven't seen any cold stiff corpses arise from the dead. But the only reason it would be impossible is if we assume no Creator of the universe and life exists who can raise the dead. Jesus' death and resurrection was in God's time, and not to be a daily affair (Gal. 4:4-5). And yes, it is contrary to natural law, but again if a God exists who upholds natural law, this would be His purpose and proof it is so. Scientific experiments are not the means of proving or disproving historical events. Documented eyewitness testimony is the means to do that. Remember too, the apostles were astonished even though Jesus told them many times he would die and rise again after three days. The first Christians were monothestic Jews who were willing to die in testimony it was true. Their traditional belief would condemn them to hell. But the religious leaders of Jesus' day had vested interests and plotted to murder Jesus even though they knew he raised Lazarus from the dead. (John 11:45-53).
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What can we conclude from all this? (1) Jesus claimed to be God many times and ways and his resurrection from the dead, in fact showed his claims and teaching are the truth and authority of God. (2) Jesus then is in fact the long awaited Jews Messiah, and the Savior of all who will believe, trust, depend on him for life eternal with God.  (3) Jesus said this to the human world facing the darkness of death and Hell, "I Am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this . . . ?" John 11:25-26)
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To seal assurance of your faith and avoid future doubts. Pray, Lord God, I'm a sinner ashamed of many things I have done that I know are wrong. But you promised me eternal life and to be with me and be my Guide in Godly living. I depend on you from now on throughout life and until you come for me or I die and go to you. Thank you Lord for making me your adopted child. See 1 John 5:11-13. You can now win others to our Lord by sharing these important articles WWW.  God bless you to bear spiritual fruit (Jn. 15 ) & people fruit (Matt. 4:19).
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Monday, April 6, 2015

Christian's Persecuter Becomes Christ's Preacher!

           Christian's Persecutor  Becomes  Christ's Preacher! 

What kind of believer are you? Are you a weak, shallow believer, or an intense, aggressive one? Are your beliefs inherited, passed on from your family and friends, and never questioned or thought through, or are they born of experience and of honest intense thought and conviction? Are your beliefs something you live by and would die for? Can you give evidence to substantiate them? Consider the amazing transformation that made Pharisee Saul of Tarsus into Paul, an Apostle or One Send by Christ.
First, consider Saul of Tarsus--the Persecutor of Christians. As a Pharisee, educated under Gamaliel, and a Roman citizen, Saul had every advantage of becoming a great leader of his people.
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Consider Saul as persecutor.  After reciting Israel's history, to the Jew's governing council, Stephen, a man controlled by the Holy Spirit, accused them of disobeying God's law,  persecuting the prophets and murdering their Righteous Messiah. They shook their fists at him in rage. "But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven and saw the glory of God and he saw Jesus standing in place of honor at God's right hand. They put their hands over their ears . . . and dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. He shouted, "Lord, don't charge them with this sin! And with that, he died. His accusers took off their coats and laid them at the feet of a young man named Saul" (Acts 7 & especially 52-59; Life Application Study Bible, NLT).
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"A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria. (Some devout men came and buried Stephen with great mourning). But Saul was going everywhere to destroy the church. He went from house to house dragging out both men and women to throw them into prison. But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went." (Acts 8:1-4).  
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"Saul was uttering threats with every breath and was eager to kill the Lord's followers. So he went to the high priest. He requested letters addressed to the synagogues in Damascus, asking for their cooperation in the arrest of any followers of the Way he found there. He wanted to bring them--both men and women--back to Jerusalem in chains" (Acts 9:1-2) .
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Consider Saul's amazing conversion. "As he was approaching Damascus on this mission, a light from heaven suddenly shone down around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him. 'Saul! Saul! Why are you persecuting me?' "Who are you, lord? Saul asked. And the voice replied, "I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting! Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do."
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The men with Saul stood speechless, for they heard the sound of someone's voice but saw no one! Saul picked himself up off the ground, but when he opened his eyes he was blind. So his companions let him by the hand to Damascus. He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink.
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Now there was a believer in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord spoke to him in a vision, calling, "Ananias" "Yes, Lord" he replied. The Lord said, "Go over to Straight Street, to the house of Judas. When you get there, ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul. He is praying to me right now. I have shown him a vision of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him so he can see again."
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"But Lord," exclaimed Ananias, "I've heard many people talk about the terrible things this man has done to the believers in Jerusalem! And he is authorized by the leading priests to arrest everyone who calls upon your name." But the Lord said, "Go, for Saul is my chosen instrument to take my message to the Gentiles and to kings, as well as to the people of Israel. And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name's sake" (Acts 9:3-13; see also 26:1-24).
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Consider Saul's elitist Jewish  credentials. "I was circumcised when I was eight days old. I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin--a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault. Now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. (Phil. 3:5-7).
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Now consider Paul, as the Apostle of Christ. As a preacher of Christ, Saul used the name Paul and gave up his great opportunity and favor with his people. Like Moses, he turned his back and never looked back. Oh, what he had to endure for Christ and Christians as one sent to the Gentiles!
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Consider what Paul endured as Christ's preacher.  Let me summarize how Paul reluctantly  defends  himself against false apostles in the  Corinthian church. He worked harder--Jews lashed him five times with 39 stripes, three times beaten with rods, once stoned, three times shipwrecked, day and night drifted at sea, faced dangers from rivers and robbers, dangers in cities, deserts, and seas, sleepless nights, hunger, thirst, and cold besides his burden for all the churches (2 Cor. 11:23-27). It seems God kept him alive and encouraged him with a vision of Heaven perhaps when stoned. But God allowed a demon to be a thorn in his flesh to keep him humble (2 Cor. 12:1-9).
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What Can We Conclude from all this? (1) Unlike the critics claims, all these details of names, places, conditions read like real historical events that launched the Christian church. See also 1 Cor. 15:1-10; Luke 1:1-4; 2 Pet. 1:16). (2) Christianity is based upon a real God who speaks and acts through His willing servants in our world. (3) Unlike Freud's claim that God is only the illusion of a Father's comfort and protection, Paul knew his God was real and showed it in everyday life. Christian families thrown to the lions in Caesars coliseum didn't know God as just an illusion. (4) Paul said, if I live, I can do more fruitful work for Christ. . . . I long to go and be with Christ, which would be far better (Phil. 1:22). How is it with YOU?
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What do you live for? Fame, wealth, family, entertainment, achievements? Won't death take them all away from you? Further, the Bible doesn't say how long we will live or that we won't have troubles (Rom. 8). But it does say God loves us even as imperfect, selfish, rebellious, sinners. And, God can transform us now, and take us to Heaven after death. A loving God respects our dignity and freedom of choice. We can have our way till the very end and go without God to abide in eternal darkness (John 3:16--21; 2 Thess. 2:13). Please don't let Satan steal, kill, and destroy the rich and satisfying life God is offering you right now (John 10:10).
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Won't you say, Lord Jesus, I've lived for myself and my desires. But I now realize your way of truth, love, and goodness is best for me. I turn from my way to trust in you to forgive and cleanse me from all sin and save me to live for you now and be with you one day in Heaven.  Now I want to learn your Word of how best to live for you, and to share my new faith in my Lord Jesus Christ. Thank You Lord!
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Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Adam and Eve in The Garden of Eden

                       Adam and Eve in The Garden of Eden

The Bible account (Genesis 2; 3) of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden may seem like somebody's made up story to teach children that the real world is filled with dangers that in growing up we must learn to overcome. There are no talking snakes, no fruit on trees that give life and knowledge of good and evil, no God who walks and talks among us, and the devil is only fear of the dark. This story is not an actual event testable by empirical science, but only a primitive myth.
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But could we be making assumptions we can't prove, or have misunderstandings? The theory that the world is matter, is not matter itself, knowledge and information require a thinking mind. And if physicists can honestly admit space, time and matter came into being, it's being may not be detectable physical energy such as gravity, but an infinite mind or God present everywhere. And if there's God who can create a universe from nothing, He would have no problem creating a man and woman as the account describes. Even a simple bacteria is a city of interacting machines. Its complexity, unity, and precision could never be the produce of random process even in unlimited time. It requires an infinite intelligence such as the self-existent Creator God of the Bible (Genesis 1:1; Exodus 3:14). Further, isn't it a tremendous burden on naturalistic science to assume every reproductive male and female kind of life form appear together at the same place and time?
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The account is not useless technical evolving science, but meant to be simple truth all cultures at all times can understand. We know birds talk and can even say words we understand. If Satan is the world's deceiver, he must can do unusual deceptive tricks (Ephesians 6:11). The trees only need to represent symbols to show that we have a real choice between God's way or the devil's. Our first parents bad choice, meant mankind's spiritual death, leading to physical death, and eternal separation from God.  But God promised the defeat of Satan and sin in a coming redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ (Genesis 3:15; 1 John. 3:8; John 10:10; Rom. 16:20). Evolving scientific theory must unite genes of our first parents Adam and Eve. Original sin best accounts for universal evils (Matt. 19:4; Rom. 5:12-21; 1 Cor. 11:9; 2 Cor. 11:3). God saw to it that this event was recorded and preserved for future generations.  And speaking of God in human terms is necessary to be understood in every culture and time. Any kind of scientific explanation would soon be useless.

Biblical prophets and apostles preached God's acts to people of their day. Their preaching was fulfilled and recorded by the same groups of people the prophets condemned who surely would have challenged any false statements. Some archaeologists are strangely silent about newly discovered monument inscriptions confirming biblical kings, cities, and events. Could these critics claiming Bible history is myth and written decades or even centuries later be willfully deceived?
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Without the Bible's revealed God we must face our utter hopelessness. It means the world has no ultimate purpose, morality has no authority--there's just limited conflicting human opinions. Death means lights out eternally, man is just another perishing animal, and whoever usurps power can kill or enslave the rest of us. Can you be open minded?  Our first parents were not hairy, chattering, knuckle-walking, ignorant monkeys. And, Christians have a living hope in a risen Lord who may catch us up to Him any time (1 Thess. 4:16-18). Now allow me to discuss important points in the story.
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Our first parents were created by God in His rational, moral image. Indeed, they had all God's communicable attributes as we do today. Adam was made directly from the ground. He walked and talked with God (John 1:14), tended the garden, named the animals and could find no animal compatible with him. All this shows man never was an animal, nor descended from them, and is always responsible to God. Further, Eve, said to be our first mother also created in God's image was on the same level of dignity as Adam. And as any child knows, both are designed for each other and have compatible but separate rolls. Even supposing the sexes can be born with affection only for their own gender, they are not forced to carry it out. God calls that sin (Lev. 18:22; Rom. 1:26-27; 1 Cor. 6:9-11). We intuitively know of God, but suppress that knowledge being hard hearted not wanting or trusting even  a loving God to rule over us. But He will (Ps. 2:8-9; Romans 1;2; Rev. 2:27).
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God warned our first parents not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil or they would die. The tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil represent our own choice of the kind of world we desire. Our many daily choices, motives, actions either please or displease the God who sustains our life. We have a conscience that  knows right and wrong. We know that how we want to be treated, is how others want to be treated as well--which renders us without excuse (Rom.2:14-15). Whatever our heredity and environment in a wicked world may be, we still have free choice or can choose the lessor evil.
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Critics protest this in contradictory ways. Bible critics say science shows our choices and acts are determined or fixed, then try to persuade us of acceptance. They claim great evils remain in the world which show no good and powerful God exists, then claim a loving God would never punish us as in Hell. But the Bible teaches heaven or hell is our choice. God invites us to trust the Savior and be with Him in heaven or have our own way alone in eternal darkness (John 3:16-21). Now if there is a Creator, why can't there be a much lessor power as the devil?  Couldn't the critics be wrong?
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Consider how the devil deceived our parents and us. (1) Doubt. God's Word and His goodness. "Did God say you must not eat from any tree of the garden?" God in grace provided a multitude of trees from which to eat as He does give us a multitude of blessings today. (2) Discouragement. Makes us focus on troubles rather than on God and blessings. (3) Diversion. Makes the wrong things seem more attractive--beautiful tree, delicious fruit, make you wise. (4) Defeat. Makes us feel guilty ashamed failures. (5) Delay. They should immediately have repented and been forgiven. Instead they were afraid, tried to hide from God, and cover their guilty rebellion with fig leaves.

We don't have to be captive to the devil or his demons. Jesus was given all authority in Heaven and earth (Matt. 28:19-20). In Christ believers have authority over the demons like snakes and scorpions. But don't rejoice because evil spirits obey you, rejoice because your names are registered in heaven (Luke 10:19-20). Fig leaves was their attempt to hide their sin. But God graciously provided for our parent's restoration with a blood sacrifice of animal skins and the promise of a coming Savior (Gen. 3:15; Lev. 17:11). That foretold of Jesus' blood sacrifice on the cross for our sin that alone can reconcile us to God and give us peace (Col. 1:20).
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Won't you admit, Lord, I'm a rebellious unholy self-centered sinner unfit for Heaven and deserve Hell. I trust you now to cleanse me of sin, make me acceptable to You, and enable me  to live a victorious life of witness to your grace. I trust you as my eternal Lord, Savior and Guide until you take me to live forever with YOU.  Thank you Lord.
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Thursday, March 5, 2015

A Letter to Buddhist Friends in Eastern Nations


                A Letter to Buddhist Friends in Eastern Nations 

Buddhist teachings written down four centuries after Buddha's death, resulted in many conflicting traditions, beliefs, and practices within eastern nations. Among these nations are Burma, Tibet, China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Mongolia, even Hawaii. Different schools of thought spread to countries at different periods of time. Persons may consider themselves Buddhist and claim other religions as well. Let's look at Buddhism's background, some difficulties of Buddhism, and how Christian beliefs differ.
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                                     The Background and teachings of Buddhism
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Buddha was a reformer rejecting Hindu gods, its caste system, and occultism. He also rejected a personal God, prayer, worship, priesthood, and the human soul. Yet, in some of its many forms, Buddha idols are regarded as god, worshipped, and prayed too. In some Buddhist sects there are Savior gods and  heavens and hells. Persons who say they are Buddhists may be polytheists, atheists, pantheists, animists, or folk traditionalists.
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Siddhartha Gautama (563 B.C-483 B.C.) was born as a Prince of India with all the advantages of wealth, finery, handsome appearance. His father built him three palaces and he married a beautiful girl who bore him a son named Rahula. His parents sought to protect him from the world. But he wasn't satisfied with all that affluence, dancing girls, music and finery. One day he saw four things which aroused his compassion: an old man, diseased man, corpse and a begging monk. Disease, decay, death, makes life so impermanent and futile. Seeing that such great suffering exists, at age 29, he abandoned his family in search of enlightenment.
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He sought satisfaction among Hindu masters for six years eating so little he became skin rapped around bone, and decided asceticism was not the way to enlightenment. One day sitting under a fig tree (later called wisdom tree), he became the Buddha, the enlightened or awakened one. He believed humanity's problem can be explained in Four Noble Truths. (1) Life is without purpose, full of pain, sufferings, anguish, death. (2) Suffering is caused by desire, cravings for pleasure, prosperity, success, existence. (3) The cure for sufferings is to eliminate our cravings. (4) We can do this by following this Noble Eightfold Path.
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The Noble Eightfold Path is:  (1) Right knowledge (the Four Noble Truths). (2) Right intentions. (3) Right speech (truth). (4) Right conduct meaning no killing animals, stealing, lying, adultery, alcohol or drugs to dull the mind or harm the body. (5) Right livelihood. (must not be a slave trader, tax collector, or butcher, (Buddha thought meat-eating is wrong). (6) Right effort. (7) Right self-analysis. (8) Right meditation, Yoga. Buddha called his enlightenment The Middle Way between affluence and asceticism. Wise and wealthy King Solomon, agreed with Buddha that having everything under the sun is meaningless and vanity (Eccl. 1:8).
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Buddhism split over the issue of who can be enlightened, if everyone, or only a few. Theravada Buddhism and Mahayana Buddhism seem like different religions. Theravada Buddhism is strict and for monks with shaved heads wearing robes. It goes by Buddha's early teachings. It's concern is insight and wisdom. Salvation or enlightenment is wholly self-effort. It's for a saint or arhat. It avoids speculation about heavens and hells. It's atheistic. It uses the original Buddhist cannon, The Three Baskets. It assures one will achieve nivana or release from the cycle of rebirths, sansara.
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Mahayana Buddhism is for laymen. It emphasis Buddha's life. It stresses feeling and compassion. Others can help one become enlightened. Buddha is a Savior or Bodhisattva. It adds many other books to cannon and many sub sects as Pure Land Buddhism. Zen Buddhism stressing gardening and irrationality. Nichiren Buddhism. Tibetan Buddhism combined with occult and magical religion. It has many Buddha's and The Dali Lamia is worshiped as one.
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                                  What Might People Find Difficult About Buddhism?
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1. Buddhist's have no authoritative basis for their beliefs. Within Buddhism we have so many different, even conflicting schools of belief. It was four hundred years after Buddha's death before anything was written down about his life and teachings. Some Buddhists claim The Three Baskets as the earliest of the accounts and it was written in the Pali language and translated later and many times into each countries language. Others add many more later books to their canon.The Buddhist canon is a virtual library of books. So, if there is even one way to get off the cycle of multiple whatevers (samsara), to achieve nirvana, we can't be sure which one it is. It's all guesses.
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2. Isn't worship of man-made idols a foolish waste of time? Does it do any good  to bow and pray to gods made of wood, stone, metal as many Buddhists do? Man made gods have no ability to hear our prayers, know our needs, help us in any way. Our power created them and we take them in at night so they won't be stolen or destroyed.
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3. How can Buddha know we have no soul?  If Buddha believed each person consists of five "aggregates" or parts: the physical body, emotions, perception, will, and consciousness, and death causes these parts to come apart. All we can say from appearance is that at death our body becomes cold and stiff, and that life is no longer present in the body. Some persons have even claimed to have out-of-the-body experiences who see things and describe events that took place while their mind was unconscious. So it seems we can't say that our life, soul, or self hasn't gone to some other place.
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4. Is there any visible evidence in Buddhism that there is a cycle of rebirths. If Buddha said whatever exists in another life is disconnected parts "aggregates", then those parts can't tell us anything about there former life. Dreams, birthmarks, injustices in life, natures yearly cycles, and mere claims are no visible evidence of former lives. It seems to require a known person risen from the dead, as 500 people saw Jesus (1 Cor. 15:1-8). If we shouldn't help suffers work off their karma, doesn't that immensely prolongs suffering and defeat Buddha's thinking? So, there seems to be no real evidence for reincarnation of any kind.
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                                      Christians Differ from Buddhists in Crucial ways.
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Christians find much to praise in Buddha's path to enlightenment. It's very comprehensive and in depth. It's most relative to real life concerns. It's beneficial to human well-being. It's ethical principles against stealing, lying, sexual misconduct, and slave trading are commendable.  But isn't the Noble Eightfold Path the very things we have to desire? And, surely it's good to desire food, drink, sleep, clothes, and good health. And if we abandon our families, wouldn't that be the cause of even their greater suffering? Maybe then, desire is not the basic cause of suffering. Christians believe the real cause is wrong behavior and rebellion against our Creator that results in frustration, emptiness, guilt, shame, and death.
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Christian beliefs have a solid foundation in the Bible. The Bible accounts are not speculative philosophy, myths, or accounts written centuries later. They are true accounts of God acting in our world in ways we can see and recognize. Bible prophets and apostles published shortly after the events while persons living could know that they were true. God's spokesmen predicted detailed events of their day and of centuries later that occurred as predicted. Only an all knowing God can tell us about the future. Further, these events are of healing the blind, lame, deaf, walking on water, raising the dead which only God's known spokesmen with God's power can do. All this may be new and seem strange to you my friends, but please pray for God to give you understanding. There's hope.
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Jesus, our Creator, invites us to an eternal, permanent, love-trust relationship with Him. He came into our world, to bear the just punishment of our guilt and shame that is the real cause of our sufferings, anxiety, futility, disease, and death. If we will believe, trust in, rely on Jesus, we can know the love, peace, purpose, truth, self-esteem, and joy that is: The Jesus Way. It is eternal life and fulfillment God made us to have with Him (John 1:1-3,14; 3:16-21; 10:9-10).
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Friends, I invite you to get a Christian Bible in your own language if you can. In English, I recommend the Life Application Study Bible, NLT, large print. It's virtually a Bible college education. Friends in Christ, pray for the people of Asia, link, and send them these gospel articles WWW as ministers of faith and love. Translate them into their language if you can. God bless you and thank you for your ministry to very needy people. We will meet them in Heaven one day. God's love, peace, and joy to everyone.
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