Celebrating Jesus' Resurrection

Every year the world follows the same traditional holiday of celebrating "Easter". Some places have adopted the weird tradition of incorporating a big furry rabbit that runs around & deposits birds' eggs that have been colorfully died or fashioned from some form of synthetic material in various obscure places for young children (& adults alike) to find. Then the children (& adults alike) are given a basket filled with various chocolates & jelly filled candies in the shapes of bunnies & birds eggs. What is it about the bunnies & bird eggs? I don't really know. Perhaps it has something to do with spring time, but to be honest: I didn't take time to look into the background of it. It just doesn't interest me because it has nothing to do with Jesus' resurrection.

My definition of this event --

Easter:

The once a year world celebration of all things spring-like... & happens to incorporate a rememberance that Jesus died for our sins... mostly focusing on his pain & torture.

As for celebrating the Lord Jesus Christ's resurrection: That is a daily event.

As disciples of the Lord, we understand that the resurrection is not a one-time-a-year event for us. This is a daily event. Everyday we put to death the old man & the old ways. Everyday we live in the new life, the resurrected life that empowers us to become sons of God. We understand this event as the most powerful conquering event that has freed us from the power of sin & death. We are not interested in focusing on the gory details of the crucifixion. We already know what it was about. We have seen it once & that was enough. We're not bound to watching it every year -- reminding ourselves of this gruesome event & the frailty of Jesus' human condition. We already remember that he was like us -- he became flesh -- he was tempted at all points as we are... & that is why he is able to succor us. We are aware that all those who witnessed the death of Jesus felt an immense loss at the time it was happening. Because they could not understand why such a thing had to happen. However, we are not focused on how his mother, Mary, in particular, must have felt to watch her son die. We already know that Mary knew Jesus did not belong to her, but to God. Just as all of our children, siblings, parents, family members... no matter who they are... do not belong to us, but to God. We commit them into God's hands. Each of us has our own decision to follow after Jesus. We cannot prevent, interfere, or meddle with the work of God. What God has purposed, what He has spoken, will come to pass. Every jot, every tittle. It's not about Mary. It's about JESUS:

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes upon him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
He that believes on him is not condemned: but he that believes not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

That's what it's about.

(Php 3:10) That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
(Php 3:11) If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
(Php 3:12) Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.

(1Pe 1:3) Blessed [be] the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
(1Pe 1:4) To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you,
(1Pe 1:5) Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

(1Pe 3:21) The like figure whereunto [even] baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
(1Pe 3:22) Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him.

(Rev 20:5) But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This [is] the first resurrection.
(Rev 20:6) Blessed and holy [is] he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

Resurrection of Jesus Christ = NO BONES, NO BODY

There are no bones left from Jesus as the Discovery channel tonight would try to convince the audience. I sat here & watched as the guys who supposedly found the bones of Jesus & Mary Magdalene -- in the same tomb, mind you -- give the bones to a lab scientist to examine the DNA for a match. Upon finding no match, he lab scientist goes on to conclude that the bones are not those of a brother & sister or a mother & daughter or a son & father (& other familial matches) so then he ends his conclusion with (paraphrase): "Since they are buried in a familial tomb, then I have to conclude that they are the bones of a husband & wife."

The problem with this "expert" opinion is that, if one reads the bible -- they would discover that it was not past the Israelites to bury other people, whom they considered a friend or someone they esteemed or deemed as family, in their own tombs or their family tombs. (DUH.) One example was the young prophet in 1 Kings 13 who was torn up by a lion. He was told via prophecy that he would not be buried with his fathers & then was torn up by the lion as he left the city. The older prophet went out & gathered his body & had him buried in his own tomb after saying "Alas, my brother!" He then told his sons to lay his bones next to the young prophet's bones. (Now judging what the DaVinci Code garbage has stirred up, I can tell you the garbage that leading scientists, experts, & theologians would conclude upon discovering these two prophets' bones -- both male -- side by side in the same grave.)

Leading scientists, experts & supposedly intelligent men & women would do everything they can to disprove the truth about Jesus Christ, Son of God. Anything associated with the Holy Spirit-inspired Word of truth, they would do their best (which is a failure) to prove that the Lord's Christ did not live according to the accounts (a.k.a. the gospels a.k.a. Matthew, Mark, Luke, & John) as written in the Holy-Spirit inspired Word of truth (a.k.a. the Bible).

If you love Raiders of the Lost Ark & Jewel of the Nile & Tomb Raider, then hey -- I can understand that the desire to discover some piece of historic treasure is a thrill to you folks. However, I think you should be warned, that if even Satan could find nothing on him? You can't either. You cannot disprove that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, rose from the grave. You also cannot prove that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, had any kind of intimate relationship beyond the bounds of friendship with any other human being on this earth when He walked in it. JESUS CHRIST KNEW NO SIN. He was not married. Something like a MARRIAGE or a SON or DAUGHTER being BORN TO JESUS would have made MAJOR HEADLINES, FRONT PAGE NEWS. No doubt about it! Regardless of the persecution at the time, the Sanhedrin, the Pharisees, the Saducees, the religious leaders, the Roman leaders, they would ALL have made sure that Jesus Christ's life situations were exposed.

JESUS CHRIST DID NOTHING IN SECRET
All this is doing -- these Da Vinci Code garbages & now this supposed discovery -- is trying to discredit Christ's words. So Christians, let this be yet another wake up call to you. There are many anti-christs already in the world as James warned. The direction the world seems to be going -- and more particularly the United States of America -- it is apparent that we are heading toward persecution. It is a cycle proven in history:

1. Question & discredit the power of God.
2. Replace God (a.k.a. idolatry -- worship of other gods, tolerance of other religions).
3. Thus bringing God's anger & judgment upon the land & its people.
4. Acceptance &/or increase of sinful ways of living (a.k.a. homosexuality & other sexual deviations & perversions, abuse of government approved drugs, soothesayers & fortune-tellers, drunkenness, violence).
5. Persecution of the temple of God & followers of the Most High God.

We're at the end of #4 in the U.S. of A.

Concerning Jesus Christ's body & his tomb, The truth is:
Joseph of Arimathaea, a counselor, begged for the body of Jesus from Pontius Pilate after Jesus physically died. He & Nicodemus took Jesus' body, wrapped it in linen with the mixture of myrrh & aloes that Nicodemus brought, & laid Jesus' body in Joseph's own sepulchre that was hewn in stone, that never had a body laid in it before (brand new tomb). The enemies of Jesus took careful measures to prevent the disciples from stealing the body of Jesus Christ so they could not say "He is risen" after three days. They sealed the tomb (which already had a large stone rolled in front of it) & set a guard of soldiers to watch the tomb. These soldiers did not sleep for fear of death. The disciples proved their cowardice when they all scattered...abandoning Jesus when he was crucified. Their actions proved they would not challenge the guards to remove Jesus Christ's body...for fear of death.

When the disciples & women returned to the tomb after the sabbath, they discovered that there was ONLY LINEN in the tomb. Otherwise it was empty.
NO BONES. NO BODY.
Jesus the Christ, the Son of God, who sits at the right hand of power, the right hand of God... He rose from the dead. He conquered death. The grave could not hold him. How is this possible?

But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you. ~ Romans 8:11

There is a brief mention in the Old Testament (2 Kings 13) that there were some men burying a man. When they spied a band of men, they cast the dead man into the sepulchre of Elisha. Upon touching the bones of Elisha, the dead man was revived & stood up on his feet. How is this possible?

The Spirit that raised up Christ from the dead was in Elisha's bones!
After Jesus Christ died & rose again:

• He was touchable.
• He got past shut doors to stand in the midst of the disciples.
• He ate broiled fish & a piece of a honeycomb.
• He was seen for 40 days before being taken up.
• At least 120 witnesses saw him & obeyed him to not depart Jerusalem &, "wait for the promise of the father which ye have heard of me."

In Jesus Christ's tomb -- originally Joseph of Arimathaea's tomb -- there are NO BONES & NO BODY belonging to Jesus Christ.

That's the truth & I'm sticking to it.

The Chronicles of the Kings

I have been engrossed in some books that I cannot put down. Lynn Austin is the author of these books. The first book begins with the childhood of Hezekiah during the reign of his father, Ahaz, King & 12th ruler of Judah. Hezekiah's accounts in the Bible can be found in 2 Kings 18:1 - 20:21; 2 Chronicles 29:1 - 32:33; Isaiah 36:1 - 39:8. Ms. Austin does a wonderful job of weaving the characters' lives into a story while retaining the factual events of Hezekiah's reign, such as opening the doors of the house of the Lord & repairing them; instructing the Levites to carry out their duties as appointed by God; destroying the brazen serpent Moses made; destroying all idolatry from the land of Judah; and his conflict with the Assyrian ruler. There are more facts, but the storytelling draws the reader into that time period. The life of Jerusha, as she winds up a prisoner of the Assyrians to one named Iddina, draws the reader into the grotesque and hellish lifestyle of this bloodthirsty army. Having never done any historical research on the Assyrians, I can say that what I received about them, from reading Song of Redemption
, was a picture of incredible violence like nothing I have ever read about (or imagined) before.

These books have so far brought forth laughter, anger, and tears as I have followed the lives of the characters as they were introduced and/or ended. Highly recommended reading!!

Get it used at Amazon.com!
The Chronicles of the Kings:
Book 1 - Gods & Kings
Book 2 - Song of Redemption
Book 3 - The Strength of His Hands
Book 4 - Faith of My Fathers
Book 5 - Among the Gods