R - Resurrection A to Z Challenge (PR)

Statement: He is Risen
Response: He is Risen Indeed!

Resurrection of Jesus
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
"The resurrection of Jesus is the Christian belief that after being put to death to take the punishment for sins Jesus rose again from the dead. It is the central tenet of Christian faith and theology and part of the Nicene Creed: "On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures".

In the New Testament, after the Romans crucify Jesus, he is anointed and buried in a new tomb by Joseph of Arimathea but God raises him from the dead and he appears to many people over a span of forty days before his ascension to Heaven, to sit at the Right Hand of God. Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus on Easter Sunday, the third day after Good  Friday, the day of his crucifixion. Easter's date corresponds roughly with Passover, the Jewish observance associated with the Exodus, that is fixed for the night of the Full moon near the time of the spring equinox

Resurrection of Christ
 by Noel Coypel, 1700,  using
a hovering depiction of Jesus

The apostle Paul wrote that "Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures".[1 Cor. 15:3b-4] Thus the death and resurrection of Christ were proclaimed as belonging together at the very heart of the gospel, forcefully placing "the full weight of faith on both the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ" by stating, "if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith".[1 Cor. 15:14] In fact, Paul further claims that belief in the death and resurrection of Jesus is so central to salvation that "if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.[1 Cor. 15:17-19]"

In the media lately, Christians have come under fire because we do not agree with the eroding values of our culture. They are, in effect, trying to put us in the closet and throw away the key. We cannot get in that closet, we must be free to recruit all that we can to join us in Heaven, when that day comes. 

We work very hard not to judge others, but the truth is, we cannot compromise our faith either. We cannot accept some things as normal when they are specifically forbidden in the Bible. We will not change our Bible to conform to current attitudes. The Bible is the inspired Word of God. We may make it easier to read, but we cannot rewrite it to make immoral acts into moral acts. I am sure that God has not changed his mind since he inspired the writers of the Bible.

The last news is that you must die in Christ to enter Heaven. Christ did not approve of many things, remember how he felt and acted with the lawless money changers in the Temple? I think he would act the same way with people who have broken the commandments of God.

I love you all, and will pray to see you in Heaven.

GOD IS GOOD! ALL THE TIME!

ALL THE TIME! GOD IS GOOD! 

L - Live, Laugh, Love A to Z Blogging Challenge

These three words are the purpose of our lives. God wants us to Live, Laugh, and Love.

• Living life to the max is to know your creator. 
• Pray He agrees when you tell Him your plans. 
• He wants you to depend on His grace and not your own understanding. 
• He wants to see joy in your eyes when you are obeying his commands. 
• He lives in your heart and whispers in your ear. 
• He wants you to hear what he has to say.

As we approach the day of Jesus' death on Good Friday, and his Resurrection on Easter Sunday, we need to give thanks that God gave us his Son, Jesus, to bear our sins on the Cross. All the sins that man ever committed or will commit were carried by Jesus. 

I read Matthew 27 last Sunday. It was eye-opening to me.

The Death of Jesus

27:45-56pp 

45 From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. 

46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ""Eloi, Eloi," "lama" "sabachthani?""--which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" 47 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, "He's calling Elijah." 48 Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. 

49 The rest said, "Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to save him." 

50 And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. 

51 At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. 

52 The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. 

53 They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus' resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people. 

54 When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, "Surely he was the Son of God!" 

55 Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. 

56 Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee's sons.

Verses 52-53

Did you ever notice these two verses before?

I had read them before, but they never had jumped off the page at me until Sunday, when Ray told me what his class discussed in Bible Study. Here is a copy of what Matthew Henry had to say:

Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible 

"The graves were opened, and many bodies of saints which slept, arose. To whom they appeared, in what manner, and how they disappeared, we are not told; and we must not desire to be wise above what is written. The dreadful appearances of God in his providence, sometimes work strangely for the conviction and awakening of sinners. This was expressed in the terror that fell upon the centurion and the Roman soldiers. We may reflect with comfort on the abundant testimonies given to the character of Jesus; and, seeking to give no just cause of offence, we may leave it to the Lord to clear our characters, if we live to Him. Let us, with an eye of faith, behold Christ and him crucified, and be affected with that great love wherewith he loved us. But his friends could give no more than a look; they beheld him, but could not help him. Never were the horrid nature and effects of sin so tremendously displayed, as on that day when the beloved Son of the Father hung upon the cross, suffering for sin, the Just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God. Let us yield ourselves willingly to his service."    

I pray that this has helped someone in some way. I have the conviction that God spoke to me to put this out today. To me it shows that when Christ comes again, we will be taken from the grave and rise to Heaven with to be with God.

GOD IS GOOD, ALL THE TIME!

ALL THE TIME, GOD IS GOOD!

 I am also putting this on my blog "Thoughts of Christ" 

and will expand over the next week or so.