Jesus is either the biggest fraud in history or He is exactly who He claims to be.

[2ndAmendment]

I want you to know that I post what I post because I love people, not because I hate them.

DAILY DEVOTIONAL TUESDAY JUNE 7, 2005
(1 Corinthians 15)

Why the exposure of Watergate's "deepthroat" is important to a Christian. For political and history buffs, the identity of the infamous "deepthroat," that mysterious high level anonymous source of inside information about the early '70s scandal that ultimately led to the resignation of President Richard Nixon, has been one of the best kept secrets ever. Over the past 3 decades, there has been tremendous speculation who "deepthroat" was, with only a handful of people knowing the answer to that great mystery. Last week, Mark Felt, the former number two man at the FBI during the early '70s admitted to being "deepthroat." As I watched the news coverage unfold over the past week, I couldn't help but to think how this one isolated event in American history strengthened the case for the Christian faith.

Every person comes to faith in Christ in a different way, for different reasons. Once you are saved, as you grow and mature in your faith there is usually some point in that maturation process that you can look back on and say, "that is the moment that I knew, that I knew, that I knew it was all true. Jesus is who He says He is and God's Word is the Truth." Again, that happens in different ways, at different times for each person. For me, it actually happened as I was going through my seminary education during a course on the resurrection. It hit me like a ton of bricks that if the resurrection of Jesus Christ really happened, it was all true.

The reason the resurrection of Jesus is the greatest historical event is because it is the absolute key to our faith. Paul said in his first letter to the church at Corinth in the 15th chapter, that if Christ did not rise from the dead, then we are still dead in our sin and most vain of all. However, if He did rise from the dead, then we have the assurance that our sins are forgiven and of everlasting life. You see, Jesus is either the biggest fraud in the history of mankind or He
is exactly who He claims to be...the Son of God. The resurrection is the key event.

The historical evidence of Christ's resurrection is irrefutable. The fact that He died on a Roman cross, the claims of His followers seeing the risen Lord, evidence of the empty tomb, the inability of the Jewish leaders to disprove the resurrection claims in the very city Jesus died and was buried, and the radical transformation in the lives of His disciples are all well documented. You also have Jesus' own predictions of His resurrection as well as the fact that soon after was the birth of the Christian church that started meeting on Sunday. That is significant since these were monotheistic Jews who were used to worshipping on Saturday.

I want to use the story of Watergate's "deepthroat" to zero in on one of the arguments people make to try and prove the resurrection never really happened. One explanation given by those who reject the reality of Christ's resurrection is that His disciples stole His body and disposed of it somehow. That sounds like a reasonable theory to explain the FACT that Christ's body was no longer in the tomb where He was buried.

Just out of curiosity, how many times have you ever been to a cemetery and seen guards at someone's gravesite? The reason there were guards at the tomb of Jesus was because the Jewish leaders were afraid that His disciples or followers would steal His body and then claim that He had been resurrected. Don't forget, they knew that Christ had prophesied His resurrection and they wanted to make sure nobody would come to steal His body so His prophecy would appear to come true.

For the sake of argument, let's say that those sympathetic to Jesus did somehow manage to steal His body. This means there would have been a certain number of people who knew that He did not rise from the dead as He had said He would, and that for them to claim He did was an outright lie. It would have meant those who really knew the truth would have had to keep their mouths shut and never tell anyone what really happened. My friend, conspiracies like this never work. At some point they unravel, the truth always comes out.

There is no way those who would have been part of this conspiracy, those who knew the truth would have been able to keep this secret for very long, especially due to the fact people were dying because of their belief that Christ had indeed risen from the dead. PEOPLE WILL LIVE FOR A KNOWN LIE, BUT PEOPLE ARE NOT GOING TO DIE FOR A KNOWN LIE! These very people who would have been part of this conspiracy would be literally giving their very life for what they knew to be a lie. Again, people will live for a known lie, but they aren't going to die for a known lie!

Lastly, look at the lives of the men who followed Jesus. These men were transformed from meek followers of our Lord who when it really counted, ran out of fear for their lives, to some of the most bold and powerful leaders of the faith the world has ever seen. Each one of these men came to a place where they were martyred for their faith in Christ. These men who abandoned the Lord in the Garden to save their own life, would not have later died for His sake had the resurrection simply been a great hoax. I submit to you today that these men could never have been so transformed by a lie, but were transformed by the truth and reality of the risen Savior.

I love you and care about you so very much. My friend, the Christian faith has never meant to be a blind leap in the dark. God never asked His children to just believe without any evidence of what we believe in. He has given us plenty of tangible historical evidence to help us know without a doubt that what is in His inspired, inerrant Word is the ABSOLUTE TRUTH. Absolute truth that you can stake your very life on.

Of course, once we get to the point we accept the resurrection as a fact, and we accept His Word as TRUTH, it then demands that we totally and unconditionally surrender our very life to Him. That becomes the logical conclusion of this spiritual journey. Because you see, it is not our life any longer, it belongs to Him. Our purpose is to simply serve and glorify Him with our lives.

I pray that today you will recommit your life to Jesus. We can all do better. None of us have given it ALL to Him...we can give Him more. Make this day the day that you realize that Jesus rose from the dead, to insure that you will live for eternity with Him if you have accepted Him into your heart and life by faith. May you be richly blessed as we stand together to proclaim to this hurting and dying world that Jesus Christ is the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings. HE IS RISEN INDEED!


In his love and service,
Your friend and brother in Christ,
Bill Keller

If I can help you in any way you can contact me through my personal email at bkeller@liveprayer.com

Originally Posted by 2ndAmendment

I want you to know that I post what I post because I love people, not because I hate them.

Here's mine for the day

Names of Christ* ~ T.C. Horton & Charles E. Hurlburt
THE GOD OF THE WHOLE EARTH
The Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; the God of the whole earth shall he be called. (Isaiah 54:5)
Is there any part of the earth that is mine? Not till I am truly a child of "The God of the Whole Earth." May I not receive Him and possess all things in Christ and proceed to enjoy them, untroubled by the world's woe? Not till the whole earth has heard that He is "the God," not of a few, but "of the whole earth."
The cattle on a thousand hills belong to You, O Lord, as well as everything we own. Thank You that all things are ours and we will inherit a new heaven and earth. May we surrender everything to You for Your divine use. Amen.

http://www.intouch.org/myintouch/dev...dex_76096.html (The Holy Spirit's Presence)
http://www.kcm.org/studycenter/devotional/f2f/index.php (Grace Is Enough)
http://www.gospelcom.net/rbc/odb/odb.shtml ("Dumb Ox")
http://www.coralridge.org/nem/NEMdevotional.asp (Honor to Parents)
http://www.gospelcom.net/rbc/utmost/ (Then What's Next To Do?)
http://www.bobgass.com/word/default.aspx (Lifted from Shame)
Today's Promise: http://promises.blueletterbible.org/


EMOTIONS
June 9, 2005
Encouragement for the Lonely
...God assured us, "I'll never let you down, never walk off and leave you...." —Hebrews 13:5 (The Message)
Many people are lonely, often even those who have others around them. The death of a loved one can leave a person lonely and confused as well as feeling abandoned.
Your circumstances do not have to be quite so severe to put you into the category of loneliness. Perhaps you have moved to a new neighborhood, have begun attending a new school, or have just started a new job, and you just don't seem to fit in yet.
I know what it is like to be lonely. "Social poverty" is under the curse. Learning to like myself and learning to pray for favor have changed my social status, and it will change yours too. I encourage you to pray for favor. I also encourage you to be friendly. Don't just wait for someone to fall into your life before you are willing to have fellowship. Beware of being passive. Get involved. Giving always brings joy.
Remember Jesus as He prayed in the garden of Gethsemane. All of His friends had disappointed Him. He needed them for only one hour, and they had let Him down by falling asleep. (Matt. 26:36-43.) The Lord does indeed know how you feel, and He has promised never to leave you nor forsake you (Heb.13:5), so that you will be strengthened to press on.
Do This: If you are lonely, begin to reach out to others. As you reach out, you are sowing seed for your own loneliness to be overcome.
Copyright ©1998-2003 Joyce Meyer Ministries. All rights reserved.


GOD'S WORD FOR GROWING IN PRAYER/Devotional Thoughts on Talking with God ~ Andrew Murray compilation (HumbleCreek)

THE POWER OF OBEDIENCE
"And the one who sent me is with me—he has not deserted me. For I always do those things that are pleasing to Him. ~ John 8:29

In these words Christ tells us what His life with the Father was. At the same time, He reveals the law of all communion with God—simple obedience.
In John 14 He says three times: "If you love me, obey my commandments" (vv. 15, 21, 23); also in chapter 15: "When you obey me, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father and remain in his love....You are my friends if you obey me" (vv. 10, 14).
Obedience is the proof and the exercise of the love of God in our hearts. It comes from love and leads to love. It assures us that we are abiding in the love of Christ. It seals our claim to be called the friends of Christ. So it is not only a proof of love but of faith, too. It assures us that we "will receive whatever we request because we obey him and do the things that please him" (1 John 3:22).
Obedience enables us to abide in His love and gives us the full experience of His unbroken presence. It is to the obedient that the word comes—"And be sure of this: I am with you always" (Matt. 2:20)—and to whom all the fullness of its meaning will be revealed.

Father, You have said, "I will write my laws] on their hearts" (Jeremiah 31:33).
"I will put my Spirit in you so you will obey my laws and do whatever I command" (Ezekiel 36:27).
May my full obedience to Your Word bring the joy of Your abiding presence. In Your Son's name, amen.
< < < + > > >

*They will call on My name and I will answer them. (Zech. 13:9) ...this glorious and awesome name... (Deut.28:58) Excellent is Your name! (Ps. 8:1) Hallowed be Your name. (Matt.6:9) Holy and awesome is His name. (Ps. 111:9) For where two or three are gathered together in My name, I am there in the midst of them. (Matt. 18:20) Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:20) ...the name which is above every name. (Phil. 2:9) —

[migtig]

2A - I am not being a smartarse, I am asking a legitimate question. I think you know that of me.
Wasn't Jesus proclaimed by his followers and students to be the son of God? He himself never claimed to be God or his only begotten son, did he? If so, where? TIA

[Goofing_Off]

Originally Posted by migtig

2A - I am not being a smartarse, I am asking a legitimate question. I think you know that of me.
Wasn't Jesus proclaimed by his followers and students to be the son of God? He himself never claimed to be God or his only begotten son, did he? If so, where? TIA

He says multiple times in the Bible that He is in the Father, and the Father is in Him, and that they are one in the same. Moreover, I believe there are several times where the Pharisees and others wanted to kill him because of it. In fact, this is why he was cruxified.

Originally Posted by Goofing_Off

He says multiple times in the Bible that He is in the Father, and the Father is in Him, and that they are one in the same. Moreover, I believe there are several times where the Pharisees and others wanted to kill him because of it. In fact, this is why he was cruxified.

Trinity... I think Jehova Witnesses holds the belief that Jesus was the actual Son - theory.

[pixiegirl]

Originally Posted by Goofing_Off

He says multiple times in the Bible that He is in the Father, and the Father is in Him, and that they are one in the same. Moreover, I believe there are several times where the Pharisees and others wanted to kill him because of it. In fact, this is why he was cruxified.

Damn me if I can't remember which gospel it is (the one that is suppose to be the words of Jesus himself) but he claims to be everywhere and in everyone? Doesn't that reflect the same thing?

Originally Posted by pixiegirl

Damn me if I can't remember which gospel it is (the one that is suppose to be the words of Jesus himself) but he claims to be everywhere and in everyone? Doesn't that reflect the same thing?

three in one... trinity - like the clover petals on a shamrock. St. Patrick's teaching was that, even though there are three separate aspects, it is one and the same and still a shamrock.

[pixiegirl]

Originally Posted by dems4me

three in one... trinity - like the clover petals on a shamrock. St. Patrick's teaching was that, even though there are three separate aspects, it is one and the same and still a shamrock.

No, what I'm thinking of I'll have to see if I can locate. It's not in the bible.

[migtig]

Originally Posted by Goofing_Off

He says multiple times in the Bible that He is in the Father, and the Father is in Him, and that they are one in the same. Moreover, I believe there are several times where the Pharisees and others wanted to kill him because of it. In fact, this is why he was cruxified.

The Father could mean anything. I think he called himself a Shepherd too. But he was a Carpenter. Where did he himself claim to be the only base born child of "God"? Yes, I know his followers said. Yes, I know the Romans put a sign up, yes, I know the "stories" of how he was created. But what I want is where he himself declared that he was the Messiah, the Christ, not where other folks claimed it for him.

[2ndAmendment]

Originally Posted by migtig

2A - I am not being a smartarse, I am asking a legitimate question. I think you know that of me.
Wasn't Jesus proclaimed by his followers and students to be the son of God? He himself never claimed to be God or his only begotten son, did he? If so, where? TIA

Actually, Jesus said He was the Father.

John 14:7-15
⁷"If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him." ⁸Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us."

⁹Jesus said to him, "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, 'Show us the Father'?

¹⁰"Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works.

¹¹"Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves.

¹²"Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father.

¹³"Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

¹⁴"If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.

¹⁵"If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.

Hence, one God.