News you won't see in controlled mainstream media.

--WHO IS THIS MAN CALLED JESUS the CHRIST?

-He looks like anything but a King. His face is prunish and red, His cry, though strong and healthy, is still the helpless and piercing cry of a baby. Jesus was nailed to a Cross to pay our sin-debt. He did it for you and He did it for me. Take the Bible personally, that is what it is, a personal Love Letter to those who will... 'Call on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.'

Those who missed His Majesty's arrival that night missed it not because of evil acts or malice; no, they missed it because they simply weren't looking.

Little has changed in the last two thousand years, has it?
Keep your eyes on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith. He is the MESSIAH, YESHUA, GOD WITH US! ~~

--God Came Near/ML
--The Names of God~~ <https://youtu.be/nXW0cgYNHl4>

-WHO IS THIS MAN CALLED JESUS the CHRIST?

--Who Is Jesus Christ? A Challenge to Christians
--By: Andrew A. Snelling, Ph.D.
---Evidence for Creation ~~

--The central question of Christianity, and of history itself, is: Who is Jesus Christ? Indeed, the Bible makes it clear that, whether we recognize Him now or not, all must one day stand before God and answer that question.--

--Jesus Christ the Creator

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made. . . . And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth" (John 1:1-3, 14).

Paul reminds us: "For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him: And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist" (Colossians 1:16-17).
--Please continue reading this post. It is the MOST IMPORTANT TOPIC AND PERSON ON CREATION, THE CREATOR!
Jesus came to earth to die so that we (mankind) will have eternal life. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." There is NO OTHER WAY TO JEHOVAH GOD!
Yes, the article is lengthy, yet of UTMOST IMPORTANCE! If necessary, copy and paste the web address below, into your 'personal homepage' . It needs your undivided attention.
<http://www.icr.org/article/who-jesus-christ-challenge-christians/>
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--Who is This Man Called Jesus the Christ?
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----CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS/ HIS WORKMANSHIP~~

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:10)

--God has created two great masterpieces--artistic creations of marvelous intricacy and surpassing beauty.

--- First is the entire physical universe: “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse” (Romans 1:20). In this key verse, (poem) poiema is translated “things that are made.” Everything in the universe, animate and inanimate, constitutes a marvelous product of God’s creative forethought and inventive skill. If a beautiful poem requires a poet to create it, so much the more does the complex cosmic poem of the universe demand a great poet of consummate wisdom and infinite power. The rejection of the poet and the message of the poem not only leaves one “without excuse” (v. 20), but facing “the wrath of God” (v. 18).

An even more amazing poem is the work of transforming redemption accomplished in a lost soul saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8). For then it is we, ourselves, who become 'His poem'! This also is a great creative masterpiece, for “We are his workmanship [same word, Greek poiema], created in Christ Jesus unto good works.” A life once dead in sin, now born again and walking in good works—this is God’s greatest poetic masterpiece of all!

Both the mighty universe and the soul made new in Christ are special creations of God, and both manifest His greatness and His love. “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15) of grace, through Christ Jesus our Lord and Savior!
--ICR/ HMM = / WE BELIEVE! -- Newsboys

<https://youtu.be/9i9wtJzok4U>
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--'My God, My God! Why have You forsaken me?'

--On Calvary’s Hill, Christ lifts his heavy head toward the heavens crying out, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani”—that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34). We would ask the same. Why him? Why forsake your son? Forsake the murderers. Desert the evildoers. Turn your back on the perverts and peddlers of pain. Abandon them, not him.

What did Christ feel on the Cross? The icy displeasure of a sin-hating God. Why? Because Jesus carried our sins in His body. With hands nailed open, he invited God, “Treat me as you would treat them.” And God did. In an act that broke the heart of the Father, yet honored the holiness of Heaven, sin-purging judgment flowed over the sinless Son of the ages.

My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” Why did God scream those words? So you’ll never have to! He did it just for you. Our sins nailed Christ to that Cross. "For without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin." HE PAID OUR SIN-DEBT!

--Calvary's Hill/ML
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="Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners." He came to die on that Cross for your sins and mine. Jesus Christ bought 'salvation' to all those who will put their trust in Him. Will you? Please don't let another day pass, if you have not asked Jesus Christ, the Messiah, to come into your life and help you to live a life that is pleasing in His sight. He never turns away a sincere heart. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." ~~ (He Did It...)-- ALL FOR LOVE ~~ Hillsong
https://youtu.be/hNAti01dDWM

--Who Is This Man Called Jesus the Christ?

-- "Truly this man was the Son of God" (Mark 15:39).

-Throughout the centuries, heretical skeptics have launched a barrage of deceptive lies at the Christian camp in a relentless attempt to discredit the truth of Scripture. One of their primary targets is the unique and matchless character of our Lord Jesus Christ. Prideful philosophers and self-proclaimed scholars have rejected both the truth of Christ's deity and His manhood. Our response to these false teachers should always be "let God be true, but every man a liar" (Romans 3:4), for God's eternal truth remains forever impervious to man's opinions.

A Biblical understanding of the person of Jesus is at the very heart of Christianity. Jesus asked His disciples, "Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?" (Matthew 16:13). Simon Peter responded correctly, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God" (Matthew 16:16). Christ's true identity is just as important today as it was for His disciples then, for "Jesus Christ [is] the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever" (Hebrews 13:8).

Christian creeds have historically been drawn up to refute the onslaught of heretical teaching about Jesus. The Apostles Creed refuted Gnosticism (which denied that Jesus was truly man) and the Nicene Creed refuted Arianism (which denied that Jesus was fully God). While these creeds were not inspired, they served as succinct refutations against false teaching. We would be well served to learn and espouse these abridged doctrinal treatises in our day.

Now, perhaps more than ever, we need to "earnestly contend for the faith" (Jude 3), as these same deceptive assaults toward our Lord run rampant, and are even brought to the very front doors of our homes. May we boldly stand for truth and proclaim Jesus as the Son of God, Son of Man, fully God, and fully Man, all to His glory!
--ICR/ MDR /https://youtu.be/hI1s1F-tygY
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--DID JESUS EXIST? EVIDENCE?

--Question: "Did Jesus really exist? Is there any historical evidence of Jesus Christ?"

--Answer: Typically, when this question is asked, the person asking qualifies the question with “outside of the Bible.” We do not grant this idea that the Bible cannot be considered a source of evidence for the existence of Jesus. The New Testament contains hundreds of references to Jesus Christ. There are those who date the writing of the Gospels to the second century A.D., more than 100 years after Jesus' death. Even if this were the case (which we strongly dispute), in terms of ancient evidences, writings less than 200 years after events took place are considered very reliable evidences. Further, the vast majority of scholars (Christian and non-Christian) will grant that the Epistles of Paul (at least some of them) were in fact written by Paul in the middle of the first century A.D., less than 40 years after Jesus' death. In terms of ancient manuscript evidence, this is extraordinarily strong proof of the existence of a man named Jesus in Israel in the early first century A.D.

It is also important to recognize that in A.D. 70, the Romans invaded and destroyed Jerusalem and most of Israel, slaughtering its inhabitants. Entire cities were literally burned to the ground. We should not be surprised, then, if much evidence of Jesus' existence was destroyed. Many of the eyewitnesses of Jesus would have been killed. These facts likely limited the amount of surviving eyewitness testimony of Jesus.

Considering that Jesus' ministry was largely confined to a relatively unimportant area in a small corner of the Roman Empire, a surprising amount of information about Jesus can be drawn from secular historical sources. Some of the more important historical evidences of Jesus include the following:

**The first-century Roman Tacitus, who is considered one of the more accurate historians of the ancient world, mentioned superstitious “Christians” (from Christus, which is Latin for Christ), who suffered under Pontius Pilate during the reign of Tiberius. Suetonius, chief secretary to Emperor Hadrian, wrote that there was a man named Chrestus (or Christ) who lived during the first century (Annals 15.44).

**Flavius Josephus is the most famous Jewish historian. In his Antiquities he refers to James, “the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ.” There is a controversial verse (18:3) that says, “Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man. For he was one who wrought surprising feats....He was [the] Christ...he appeared to them alive again the third day, as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him.” One version reads, “At this time there was a wise man named Jesus. His conduct was good and [he] was known to be virtuous. And many people from among the Jews and the other nations became his disciples. Pilate condemned him to be crucified and to die. But those who became his disciples did not abandon his discipleship. They reported that he had appeared to them three days after his crucifixion, and that he was alive; accordingly he was perhaps the Messiah, concerning whom the prophets have recounted wonders.”

**Julius Africanus quotes the historian Thallus in a discussion of the darkness which followed the crucifixion of Christ (Extant Writings, 18).

**Pliny the Younger, in Letters 10:96, recorded early Christian worship practices including the fact that Christians worshiped Jesus as God and were very ethical, and he includes a reference to the love feast and Lord’s Supper.

**The Babylonian Talmud (Sanhedrin 43a) confirms Jesus' crucifixion on the eve of Passover and the accusations against Christ of practicing sorcery and encouraging Jewish apostasy.

**Lucian of Samosata was a second-century Greek writer who admits that Jesus was worshiped by Christians, introduced new teachings, and was crucified for them. He said that Jesus' teachings included the brotherhood of believers, the importance of conversion, and the importance of denying other gods. Christians lived according to Jesus’ laws, believed themselves to be immortal, and were characterized by contempt for death, voluntary self-devotion, and renunciation of material goods.

**Mara Bar-Serapion confirms that Jesus was thought to be a wise and virtuous man, was considered by many to be the king of Israel, was put to death by the Jews, and lived on in the teachings of His followers.

**Then we have all the Gnostic writings (The Gospel of Truth, The Apocryphon of John, The Gospel of Thomas, The Treatise on Resurrection, etc.) that all mention Jesus.

**In fact, we can almost reconstruct the gospel just from early non-Christian sources: Jesus was called the Christ (Josephus), did “magic,” led Israel into new teachings, and was hanged on Passover for them (Babylonian Talmud) in Judea (Tacitus), but claimed to be God and would return (Eliezar), which his followers believed, worshipping Him as God (Pliny the Younger).

There is overwhelming evidence for the existence of Jesus Christ, both in secular and biblical history. Perhaps the greatest evidence that Jesus did exist is the fact that literally thousands of Christians in the first century A.D., including the twelve apostles, were willing to give their lives as martyrs for Jesus Christ. People will die for what they believe to be true, but no one will die for what they know to be a lie.

--Excellent solid Biblical Teachings]<www.GotQuestions.org>
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--WHO IS THIS MAN CALLED JESUS THE CHRIST?

-"He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created: things in Heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. And He is the Head of the body, the Church: He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in Heaven, by making peace through His blood, shed on the Cross.

Once you were alienated by God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now He has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation--if you continue in your faith, established and firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under Heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant (doulos),.. (ie.slave))."
---( Colossians 1: 15-23)~~ (NIV)
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--A Cry of Victory

“It is finished.” Jesus cried! Stop and listen. Can you imagine the cry from the Cross? What was finished? The history-long plan of redeeming man. The message of God to man. The works done by Jesus as a man on earth were finished.

Had Jesus’ hands not been fastened down, I dare say that a triumphant fist would have punched the dark sky. This is no cry of despair. It is a cry of completion. A cry of victory. A cry of fulfillment. Yes, even a cry of relief. “Take me home.” Come, ten thousand angels! Come and take this wounded One to the cradle of his Father’s arms.

Farewell, manger’s infant. Yes, take him home. Take this Son to his Father. He deserves a rest. Bless you, holy Ambassador. Go home, rest well. The battle is over! It is finished. ~~
--Calvary's Hill/ML --Dallas Holm / Rise Again! <https://youtu.be/mBqoQJRNepo>

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-Who is This Man Called Jesus the Christ?

--Question: -Since Jesus is God, and He was 'God-Man' while on earth, Did God die?

--Answer: Did God die when Jesus died on the Cross? The answer depends on how we understand the meaning of the word die. To die does not mean to go out of existence. Death is separation. Physical death is when the soul-spirit separates from the physical body. So, in that sense, yes, God died, because Jesus was God in human form, and Jesus’ soul-spirit separated from His body (John 19:30). However, if by “death” we mean “a cessation of existence,” then, no, God did not die. For God to “die” in that sense would mean that He ceased to exist, and neither the Father nor the Son nor the Holy Spirit will ever cease to exist. The Son, the second Person of the Trinity, left the body He temporarily inhabited on Earth, but His divine nature did not die, nor could it.

Jesus is truly God and truly man. His physical body did die; His heart stopped beating, and “he gave up his spirit” (Matthew 27:50). Just as our physical bodies will someday die, so did His. But as Jesus died physically, He remained alive spiritually. Jesus made good on His promise to the believing thief on the cross—He and the thief both went to paradise, not physically, but in spirit (Luke 23:43).

So, Jesus died physically on the Cross, as was plain for all to see (John 19:34). But there is also the matter of spiritual death. When Jesus was hanging on the Cross, He experienced death on our behalf. Even though He is God, He still had to suffer the agony of a temporary separation from the Father due to the sin He bore. After three hours of supernatural darkness, Jesus cried, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34). So, could it be said that Jesus also “died” spiritually? Again, it was only His human nature that was separated from God, not His divine nature. God did not “die.”

The question for all people to ask is “what will happen to my soul/spirit when it leaves my physical body?” This is the most crucial question in life. As we saw with Jesus, our spirits will leave our bodies and travel on to somewhere else. We will either follow Him to Heaven to spend eternity with Him, or we will go to Hell to spend eternity in “outer darkness” where there will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 8:12).
There is no other option. Jesus’ death on the Cross paid the way for all who would ever believe in Him so that we can know for sure where our spirits will reside for eternity. His death provided us spiritual life, both here and in heaven. “And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you” (Romans 8:11).
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<https://youtu.be/xODpgyqGCYM>

--WHO IS THIS MAN CALLED JESUS THE CHRIST?

---Building-Vine-Body / Christians are Vines in Christ~~

“For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.” (Colossians 3:3)

--There are three wonderful figures in the New Testament which depict the relationship of the individual believer to all other believers and to Christ Himself. Christians are like little branches in the great vine, which is Christ. They are stones in a great building of which 'He is the Foundation and Corner Stone.' They are all members of the great body of which He is the Head. In each case, they have been placed “in Christ,” and they derive all life and meaning from Him.

As a stone lying alone on the ground is useless and ugly, so would be a professing Christian who is not truly in Christ. But we, “as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house” (1 Peter 2:5) as “the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the Chief Corner Stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:19-22).

Similarly, a branch without its vine and roots is lifeless. Jesus said: “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing” (John 15:5).

-The members of a body are functionless without the Head, (JESUS CHRIST), to direct them. “But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him” (1 Corinthians 12:18), and it is intended that we “may grow up into him in all things, which is the Head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together . . . maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love” (Ephesians 4:15-16).

Outside of Christ, we are useless, and lifeless, and without direction. In Him, we become a beautiful temple, a fruitful vine, and a strong body.~~
-ICR/ HMM --/ <https://youtu.be/Ki-Jc_DoC1g>

--WHO IS THIS MAN CALLED JESUS the CHRIST?

-------IN TIME OF TROUBLE ~~
--"For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion; in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock." (Psalm 27:5)

--David expresses his confidence in the Lord, even in times of trials, hardship, and persecution.

-First, David had a heart for God. "One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in his temple" (v.4).

--Secondly, is the nature of God Himself. God, by His very nature, hates evil and extends grace toward His own. He is pictured here as a warrior conquering the evil enemies of David. His laws forbid their actions; His gospel robbed these evildoers of their grip; His final kingdom will be rid of them.

In our text, David is hidden in the Lord's "pavilion." The word, which literally means a protective covering, was used for the tent of the Commander-in-Chief. Hidden in His pavilion, we are as safe as He. He sees to it that we are not frightened (v.13) amid the din of battle, and we shall share in the ultimate victory.

In this world, we have tumultuous war; in the next, unbroken peace. Assured of the outcome, we can "wait on the LORD; and be of good courage" (v.14).

--ICR/JDM --'At Your Feet' --Casting Crowns
<https://youtu.be/yT6lFcM-Fv8>

--WHO IS THIS MAN CALLED JESUS THE CHRIST?

------SIMON CARRIES JESUS' CROSS~~
--This year we will be celebrating PALM SUNDAY March 29 == THEN 'EASTER SUNDAY IS CELEBRATED APRIL 5, 2015'

Four soldiers. One criminal. One Cross. Simon, of Cyrene; a farmer, stands among the crowd and can’t see the man’s face, only a head wreathed with thorny branches. Jesus stops in front of Simon and heaves for air, the beam rubbing against an already-raw back. [Matthew 27:32--'Now as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name. Him they compelled to bear His Cross.}

“His name is Jesus,” someone speaks. “Move on!” commands the executioner. But Jesus can’t. The beam begins to sway. Simon instinctively extends his strong hands and catches the Cross. “You! Take the cross.” Simon dares to object. “I don’t care,” the soldier says, “Take up the cross!” And Simon did literally what God calls us to do figuratively: take up the Cross and follow Jesus. Luke 9:23 says, “If any of you want to be my followers, you must forget yourself. You must take up your Cross each day and follow me.”
--Calvary's Hill/ML
<https://youtu.be/NDReNcC6dC8?list=PLAD00A5155D3CA4B1>

--Who is This Man Called Jesus the Christ?

--CHRIST IS RISEN! HE IS ALIVE!

---Over Our Heads / But Under His Feet

“For He hath put all things under His feet. . .” - 1 Corinthians 15:27

Praise God! The story has a happy ending! He is risen! Jesus is sitting at the right hand of God at this very moment, interceding on your behalf (Romans 8:34). And His prayers are always answered.

When the problems of your life are over your head, remember they are under His feet. Where is His head? It is in the Heavenlies, interceding for you.

Where are your problems? Under His feet.

Jesus is alive and waiting in the wings to return for you!

Is there someone in your life who is struggling? Write them a note of encouragement and use Romans 8:34 as a closing verse of hope.
"Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us."
----HE IS RISEN! By: Paul Baloche
<https://youtu.be/_kbbxraBjy8>
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--FATHER, FORGIVE THEM ~~

--Of all the scenes around the cross, the one that angers me most is when those in the crowds said, “Let this Messiah, the King of Israel, come down from the cross, that we may see and believe” (Matthew 27:42). There’s nothing more painful than words meant to hurt.

1 Peter 2:23 tells us that “Jesus entrusted himself to him who judges justly.” He simply left the judging to God. “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing,” he said.

They were a crazy mob, mad at something they couldn’t see so they took it out on, of all people, God. Yet, Jesus died for them. How could he do it? I don’t know. Sometimes I wonder if we don’t see Jesus’ love as much in the people he tolerated, as in the pain he endured. Such amazing grace! God became flesh and dwelt amongst us, JESUS CHRIST!
--YOU ARE GOD/ Katinas~~
<https://youtu.be/BE-IdstEdTI>
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--WHO IS THIS MAN CALLED JESUS THE CHRIST?

--This Easter Share the Good News, JESUS IS ALIVE!

--"Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures."
---1 Corinthians 15:1-4

--Jesus Christ is Alive! That grave could not hold Him down. He is King of kings, and Lord of lords. Please, get right with Him now. You may not be here tomorrow. If Jesus were to come today, are you positively sure you would go back with Him to Heaven and hear, "Well done my good and faithful servant. Enter into the Joy of the Lord."

---Doesn’t it seem that bad news is all around us? It’s not only the top story on the news or the main headline in the paper…it seems to fill our day.

But as believers, we know the best news we could ever hear…and we celebrate it this week.

Easter is the day we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ from the grave.-(This year, April 5th.) This is the event that conquered sin….that conquered death.…and that made it possible for you and me to have a personal relationship with God!

Perhaps, today, this is the first time you’ve ever heard or understood this Good News.

If so, I want to tell you something: Jesus died on the Cross for you. He wore a crown of thorns and was nailed to a tree because He loves you. And He wants to have a personal relationship with you today.

If you haven’t already, I pray you will accept Jesus as your Savior today. And if you have placed your faith in Christ, I challenge you to share that Good News with someone this week. And then, 'be' His witnesses until He returns.

I can’t think of a better way to celebrate the upcoming Easter! (Palm Sunday is March 29th.)

--THIS EASTER SEASON, SHARE THE GOOD NEWS!--MAKE WAY FOR THE KING~~ Lenny LeBlanc
<https://youtu.be/kLpAdyWeklA>
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--WHO IS THIS MAN CALLED JESUS the CHRIST?

--GOD-MAN, the ONLY THEOLOGIAN~~

--Jesus claims to be, not a top theologian, an accomplished theologian, or even the Supreme Theologian, but rather the Only Theologian.

"No one truly knows the Father except the Son." (Luke 10:22 NLT). He does not say, "No one truly knows the Father like the Son" or "in the fashion of the Son."

--But rather, "No one truly knows the Father except the Son."

--Mark this down, memorize it, stand firm in the truth of it. Jesus was not a godlike man, not a manlike God. He was God-Man. ~~

--As we behold Him, we become like Him.
"We all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being changed into His likeness from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit (2 Cor. 3:18) RSV).~~

--The Numbers of Hope/ML -- Holy Spirit, Fall Fresh on Me/Daystar
<https://youtu.be/KWddN6SPJaE>
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--JESUS IN ALL SIXTY-SIX BOOKS OF THE BIBLE~~

“But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed.” --- Isaiah 53:5

--The thing I love about the Old Testament is the thing I love about the New Testament. The Old Testament and the New Testament both are the inspired Word of God. Don’t get the idea that the Old Testament has a message different from the New Testament. All of the Bible is about Jesus. If you read the Bible and you don’t find Jesus, you better go re-read it.

Somebody may ask if you have read the four gospels, and you can answer them, “I’ve read all sixty-six!”

--From Genesis to Revelation,

**It has the same villain – Satan.
**It has the same hero – Jesus.
**It has the same purpose – to present salvation in no other name but Jesus.

--Read Isaiah 53.
What are the prophecies that were fulfilled in the life of Christ?
[ If you scroll back you will find that Russ has made a listing of all the prophecies made of Jesus in Isaiah. Very important and true information. Check it out!]

--In The Shelter of His Wings

--BIBLE MEDITATION:
“For Thou hast been a shelter for me, and a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in Thy tabernacle for ever: I will trust in the covert of Thy wings." Psalm 61:3-4

--DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:
Of the 6500 hymns written by Charles Wesley, surely none is considered finer than the one titled “Jesus, Lover Of My Soul.” Many accounts have been shared as to the inspiration behind this song, but whether any are true, indeed the song’s lyrics are a poignant picture of a young man’s journey into discovering the love of his life—Jesus.

The third verse of this great hymn begins, “Thou, O Christ, art all I want, more than all in Thee I find.”

--ACTION POINT:
Where is your heart today? Are you suffering from a broken relationship or the loss of a loved one? Run, don’t walk, into His waiting arms of love. He wants to bind up your hurt and bring hope to your heart.
--Adrian Rogers~~ // JESUS LOVER OF MY SOUL~ Picturesque / no lyrics
<https://youtu.be/IBnjmP0UDVQ>
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--Who Is This Man Called Jesus the Christ?

--Zechariah's Strange Prophecy

“All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon a donkey, and a colt the foal of an donkey.” (Matthew 21:4-5)

When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on an unbroken donkey colt on that momentous first day of the week, just a week before His resurrection, the multitudes quickly recognized that He was fulfilling an ancient prophecy and thereby specifically claiming to be their long-awaited Messiah. The prophecy was that of Zechariah 9:9, and the people in turn began to fulfill David’s even more ancient prophecy, laying palm branches in His path, and crying out: “Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD” (Psalm 118:26).

This is one of the few events in the life of Christ that are recorded in all four gospels, though only Matthew notes it as the fulfillment of prophecy. And what a strange prophecy it was! One would think that the anticipated King would come riding on a great white horse, ready to put down all His enemies (and indeed He shall do exactly that some day—see Revelation 19:11).

But here He comes riding on a colt, the foal of an donkey, not high and mighty, but meek and lowly! Ah, but as Zechariah prophesied, He comes “just, and having salvation” (Zechariah 9:9). And the salvation He was bringing was not deliverance from Roman subjugation but eternal deliverance from sin and its awful wages.

These same multitudes which hailed Him soon were following their high priest in clamoring for His crucifixion. Nevertheless He someday will fulfill Zechariah’s later prophecy: “They shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him” (Zechariah 12:10). Then, finally, indeed, “the LORD shall be king over all the earth” (Zechariah 14:9).
--ICR/ HMM -- HE SHALL REIGN OVER ALL THE EARTH! ~ Paul Wilbur ~
<https://youtu.be/dUczyddekTQ>
-------------

---NEVER ANOTHER LIKE THE LORD JESUS CHRIST!

“And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of Thine hands.” - Hebrews 1:10

--Nobody knows the exact date of Jesus’ birth, and yet His birth has divided all of history to A.D. and B.C. He never, so far as we know, wrote a book, and yet more books have been written about Him than any other person. He never painted a picture or composed any poetry or music that we know of, and yet He has been the inspiration of the greatest music, art, and poetry that the world has ever known. He never had any formal education, yet more schools, colleges, universities, and seminaries have been founded in His name than any other person who ever lived.

That’s who the Lord Jesus is, and never has there been another like the Lord Jesus Christ!

--Read Hebrews 1:1-14. Marvel at His majesty! Praise His omnipotence!~~
--Adrian Rogers ~~https://youtu.be/V2mh6SSV7fE

--LIVING UNDER JESUS' LORDSHIP~~
--(Please Read:Philippians 2:6-11)

---The Lord Jesus Christ—God’s only begotten Son—has been given the name above all other names. Jesus has complete authority over heaven and earth, and He exercises that authority according to His Father’s good purposes. Christ’s position as Lord over all of mankind will never end.

Most of the people in our world have not acknowledged Jesus’ right to rule. They reject His lordship and do whatever they think is best. As a result, sin abounds, wreaking havoc in the lives of many. The good news is that the Father has a plan, which cannot be stopped. One day every person will acknowledge the authority of Jesus. Just as God promised, all created beings in heaven, on earth, and under the earth will kneel before Him (Phil. 2:10)—including those who have rejected the Son of God. What a triumphant and glorious time that will be!

Even before that day, we who follow the Savior are to live with our wills bent in submission to His. If Jesus is Lord over us, then we will acknowledge that life revolves around Him and we exist for His purposes, not the other way around. We’ll also make His priorities our own, giving the Lord’s plans precedence over all others. We will furthermore confess His Lordship over us (Gal. 2:20), proclaim that He is our Savior, and testify to what He has done for us. Our choices will reflect the desire to be a living testimony to His lordship in our lives.

Surrendering control to Jesus Christ is the wisest decision we can make. Is He truly Lord of your life?
--IN TOUCH~
-[You may have heard Christian's say, "Keep your eyes on the Cross." Of course the true Cross that Jesus was crucified on is not here. Nevertheless, it means, 'Remember what Jesus has done for all of us.'
Yes, Scripture tells us, "For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him will not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world might be saved through Him."--(John 3:16-17)~~ This is why we keep our eyes on the Cross, we envision our Lord's death, burial and resurrection. He was crucified, died, was buried, and then He arose from the tomb. The tomb could not hold down the Son of God. Right now Jesus is at the right hand of the Father praying for us, His saints. So, YES! Keep your eyes on the Cross. He's coming back, maybe soon. JESUS IS ALIVE!] / I See The Cross / Brian Doerksen
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K41UdUGlgpY>
--------

--The Prince of Glory Died for You and Me!

--Keep Your Eyes on Jesus the Author and Finisher of our Faith.
--Jesus endured the Cross scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

"Therefore, since we have a great high Priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest which is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet [He] was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."
--(Hebrews 4:14-16)'When I Survey The Wondrous Cross' / Fernando Ortega~

<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tkx8WAycYAc>

--THE CROSS~~

--The Cross. Can you turn any direction without seeing one? Engraved on a ring or suspended on a chain? The Cross is the universal symbol of Christianity.

An odd choice, don’t you think? It’s strange that a tool of torture embodies a movement of hope. Its design couldn’t be simpler. One beam horizontal, the other vertical. One reaches out, like God’s love. The other reaches up, as does God’s holiness. One represents the width of His love; the other the height of His holiness. The Cross is the intersection. The Cross is where God forgave his children without lowering his standards.

God put our sin on his Son and punished it there. Your sins have been placed on Jesus. Jesus receives the blow. And since Christ is between you and God, you don’t. The sin is punished, but you are safe—safe in the shadow of the Cross!

--From: On Calvary’s Hill/ML --/ Thank You for the Cross/ Brian Doerksen +
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qUf-gk39KQM>
---

--WHO IS THIS KING OF GLORY?

-"God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us,
Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ.
For by grace are you saved through faith: and that not of yourselves it is a gift of God: not of works lest any man should boast." (Ephesians 2:4,5,8,9)

"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved."
--(Romans 10:9-10)
'Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved."
--(ACTS 2:21)

---
--<https://youtu.be/Aqo-adRyM_k>

---JESUS CHRIST IS LORD~~

“That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Philippians 2:10-11)

Often this passage is thought of as an admission by all sentient beings of the deity of the Lord Jesus—and it certainly is that. There surely will come a point in time in which “every thing that hath breath” will praise the Lord (Psalm 150:6). Those of us who are the twice-born will do so with great joy. Those who have chosen to reject the gospel will also do so—but with overwhelming terror (Proverbs 1:27).

However, the foundational passage from which the New Testament quotes, and by which it twice applies the event, is found in Isaiah 45:22-23: “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.”

Our verse today applies the Isaiah passage to the great final judgment referred to in Revelation 20. Other insights in Revelation cite some of the songs we may sing and something of the ceremonies and pageantry associated with the celebration of Christ’s formal assumption of His role as King.

The first New Testament quotation of Isaiah 45:23 is in Romans 14:11-12. Here, Paul applies the judgment to an open report of our deeds: “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” Surely this broader sight should strengthen our resolve to “please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier” (2 Timothy 2:4).
--ICR/ HMM III-/ Yeshua Hamashiach / Jesus is Lord/ Majesty
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOCvtby8zFc>
----

----SEEKING AFTER GOD~~
--(Please Read/ Luke 12:29-34)

Pursuing God through His Son Jesus is to be our highest aim. It requires an attitude of wholeheartedness, diligence, persistence, confidence, and humility. To seek Him, what actions can we take?

--First, we need to study the Scriptures. A structured, ongoing examination of them will cause our faith to grow and provide what we need for life and godliness (2 Pet. 1:3). Next, we must maintain an active prayer life. Prayer is conversation with God—it includes both speaking and listening. Third, we are to meditate, which involves prayerful consideration of what we read in the Word. This means digesting a passage of Scripture verse by verse and asking the Lord questions about what it means. Through the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we will gain understanding of its application to life.. This process helps us absorb His truths so we can live by them.

As we assimilate scriptural principles, we gain wisdom. It becomes easier to identify where the Lord is at work and to evaluate our circumstances in light of His character and plan. We will also recognize when we are to act. As we listen to messages based on God’s Word, we will grow in the Lord. Listening includes a desire to hear, a willingness to act, and a determination not to be distracted. Lastly, we should observe how God is working in others’ lives, which will be an encouragement to us as well.

God promises to reward our seeking. Sometimes we will be blessed with greater understanding, at other times with inexplicable joy. Best of all, seeking always leads to finding Him.
**--IN TOUCH~**
"I will be found by you,' declares the LORD, 'and I will restore your fortunes and will gather you from all the nations and from all the places where I have driven you, declares the LORD, 'and I will bring you back to the place from where I sent you into exile." --(Jeremiah 29:13,14)/ These are the Days of Elijah/ Paul Wilbur~

---CHRIST THE FOUNDATION ~~

“For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.”
--- (1 Corinthians 3:11)

The only sure and lasting foundation for either a Christian institution or an individual Christian life is the Lord Jesus Christ. No other foundation will endure in that coming day when “the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is” (v. 13).

It is vital, therefore, to build on the foundation that Christ Himself has laid. This is laid in three courses, each of which is essential for its permanence. First of all, we must acknowledge with the apostle that “Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands” (Hebrews 1:10). He is the Creator of all things, and therefore Lord over all.

-Second, we must acknowledge with Peter that we have been “redeemed . . . with the precious blood of Christ . . . who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world” (1 Peter 1:18-20). His foreordained work of redemption thus was foundational even to the foundation of the world!

-Then there is the Word of God, which is foundational to everything beyond creation and redemption. “Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them. . . . He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock” (Luke 6:47-48).

The Lord Jesus Christ is the true foundation, for He has Himself laid every sure foundation. He created all things, His shed blood is the price to redeem all things, and His written Word, by His Holy Spirit, reveals all things needed to build a beautiful, fruitful Christian life or ministry. No other foundation will last, and “if the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Psalm 11:3).
--ICR/HMM /--FIRM FOUNDATION / by John Chisum~~
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_3e4zIPK-8>
---

--FORSAKE AND FOLLOW ~~

“Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men. And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.” (Luke 5:10-11)-

Perhaps we take too lightly the fact that the disciples “forsook all, and followed him.” This action involved at least two aspects, the leaving of their former life and the realignment of their loyalty.

The word “forsook” is used in a variety of extreme situations, including the “putting away” of a spouse (1 Corinthians 7:11-12; also “leave,” v. 13), and even death. “Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up [same word] the ghost” (Matthew 27:50). This leaving implies a complete severing of a situation or relationship.

Furthermore, they forsook all. For Peter, James, John, and Andrew, this involved leaving a prosperous business; for Matthew, a prestigious position of wealth; i.e., their careers. Certainly each left their livelihood, security, training, possessions, relationships, hopes—everything! “Whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:33).

Next, the disciples needed to restructure their lives and loyalties to those of Christ. The word “follow” implies a unity of purpose and direction. Jesus told the rich young ruler to give up all vestiges of his materialistic life “and come, take up the cross, and follow me” (Mark 10:21).

Christ issues the same call to discipleship to each of us. Peter asked Him the question which we frequently ask. “Behold, we have forsaken all, and followed thee; what shall we have therefore?” (Matthew 19:27). Christ answered, “Every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name’s sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life” (v. 29).
--ICR/JDM
[We read in Matthew 22:14, "For many are called, but few are chosen."
This was spoken by Jesus right after the parable of the Marriage Feast. He also said this in other scriptures. The point is, many people would rather have worldly treasures than to have Jesus. Please make sure that Jesus is your 'First Love.'

We know that this world is run by the enemy of out souls. "We know that we are children of God and that the whole world is under control of the evil one." -(1 John 5:19)

----NO OTHER NAME

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)

There are many famous names in the history of religious thought—names such as Mohammed, Buddha, Confucius, Joseph Smith, among a host of others. Each has a multitude of followers who pay homage to his name.

But there is only one name that saves eternally, the Lord Jesus Christ. The words of our text were spoken by the apostle Peter. In his epistle, John also stresses this fact: “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life” (1 John 5:12). The apostle Paul wrote that all those “that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ . . . shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord” (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9).

This exclusivity necessarily results from the fact that there is only one God and Creator of all men, and that all men have rebelled against Him. God Himself has become Redeemer and Savior, dying for the sin of the world and rising again. There can, therefore, be no other Savior than God Himself.

The Lord Jesus repeatedly stressed this truth. “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18). “If ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins” (John 8:24).

It is urgent, therefore, that anyone desiring forgiveness of sin and eternal salvation come to God through Jesus Christ. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life: but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36).
**--ICR/HMM**
[**Please get this right now. He could come at any time.
"Be ye always ready, for no one knows the day or hour the Son of Man will come." (Matthew 24:42)~~
If you are not ready when he returns, you will miss out on salvation from hell, found only in Him. Please, repent of your sins, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." - Call upon the Name of the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved. And Ask Jesus to come into your life and save you for His glory and your eternal salvation. There is no other way, person, or thing that can save you from eternity in hell, EXCEPT JESUS CHRIST. Jesus Christ is GOD! Don't wait, come today. Tomorrow may never come. Look around, we all can see the times of prophecy almost fulfilled. He owes no one anything. He could come today. Please come to Jesus and be saved from eternal damnation. He loves you so much that He gave his life on the Cross to keep you out of hell. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." --(John 14:6) Please COME TO JESUS and live FOREVER! Jesus Christ is our Hope!
/"I AM THE WAY" / --By Eric Ludy
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
<https://youtu.be/ahedo5M9Gf4>
------------

---THE WORD MADE FLESH ~~

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”
----(John 1:14)--

This is the definitive verse on the divine incarnation, when “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself” (2 Corinthians 5:19), and the wealth of truth implied therein is beyond human comprehension. We can never understand how the infinite God could become finite man, but where the intellect fails, faith prevails.

It was the Word who “was God” and by whom “all things were made” (John 1:1, 3), yet He made His own human body, in the womb of Mary, and therein “dwelt among us” for 33 years. The Greek word here for “dwelt” is unusual, literally meaning “tabernacled.”

How could this be? “Without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory” (1 Timothy 3:16). This is, indeed, a great mystery, “but with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).

God made a body for Adam; surely He could also make a perfect body in which He Himself could “tabernacle.” He was made “in the likeness of sinful flesh” (Romans 8:3) and “was in all points tempted [i.e., tested] like as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). Since “God cannot be tempted with evil” (James 1:13), and since the Word, who was God, was merely tabernacling in the likeness of sinful flesh, this testing was to demonstrate to man (not to Himself) that He was without sin and therefore able to save sinners. Therefore, John could testify, “We beheld his glory!”

-Jesus Christ is, indeed, true man—in fact, He is man as God intended man to be. Yet, neither in the womb of Mary, nor on the Cross, did He ever cease to be God.[Please Read/ Galatians 2:20]
--ICR/HMM --'CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST' / Phillips, Craig, and Dean ~~
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8T3EySH-o7w>
------------

---WITH CHRIST ~~

“And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” (Romans 8:17)----

One of the greatest doctrines of the Christian faith is the identification of Christ with His people in all the key events of His great work of salvation. For example, we are considered by God as dying with Him since He died for us. As Paul said, “I am crucified with Christ” (Galatians 2:20).

Furthermore, when Christ was buried, we were in effect buried also. “We are buried with him by baptism into death” (Romans 6:4). Then we are also resurrected with Christ.. “Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead” (Colossians 2:12).

But that is only the beginning of our great salvation. Christ then ascended to heaven, sat down on the right hand of the Father, and we are there with Him! “God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ. . . . And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:4-6).

Not even is this the end, for we are joint-heirs with Christ, as our text assures us. He has been “appointed heir of all things” (Hebrews 1:2), and we share His inheritance. “It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with him” (2 Timothy 2:11-12).

Identified with Christ in His suffering, His death, His burial, His resurrection, His ascension, and then in His eternal reign! This is our position by faith. When He returns, it will become actuality, “and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:17).
--ICR/ HMM--/'JESUS I NEED YOU'-/ Hillsong~~<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qz_oad9XZ0o>
----------

--BLINK AND THINK OF GOD~~

---(Please Read/ Deuteronomy 32:1-12)
-"He shielded him and
cared for him; he guarded
him as the apple of his
eye." (Deuteronomy 32:10)~~
------
"GOD IS LIKE AN EYELID," my friend Ryley said, and I blinked in surprise. What could she mean by that?

"Tell me more," I replied. Together, we had been studying surprising pictures of God in the Bible, things like God as a laboring mother (ISA. 42:14) or as a beekeeper (7:18), but this one was new to me. Ryley pointed me to Deuteronomy 32, where Moses praises the way God takes care of His people. Verse 10 says that God shields and protects His people, guarding them "as the apple of his eye."

But the word we translate 'apple' Ryley told me, literally means pupil. And what encircles and guards the pupil? The eyelid, of course! God is like the eyelid, which instictively protects the tender eye. The eyelid guards the eye from danger, and by blinking helps remove dirt or dust. It keep sweat out of the eye. It lubricates the eyeball, keeping it healthy. It closes, allowing rest.

As I considered the picture of God as an eyelid, I couldn't help but thank God for the many metaphors He's give us to help us understand His love for us. When we close our eyes at night and open them in the morning, we can think of God, and praise Him for His tender protection and care for us.~~
--ODB/AP
Jesus gave his life to die on the Cross to forgive our sins and allow us the opportunity to invite Him in to be our Lord and Savior. Have you invited Jesus into your life? If not, please do so today. Tomorrow may never come. Jesus loves you so much!
--'LOVE ON THE LINE' / By: Hillsong Worship<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=foppLdmfdnY>
---------

------LIVING TRUTHS~~

“He is not the God of the dead, but the God of the living: ye therefore do greatly err.” (Mark 12:27)

Sin and death are grim realities in the world, but these are only temporary intruders, as it were. The God of creation is the living God; and “Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16) is our living Savior, alive forevermore. It is appropriate, therefore, that the term “living” is applied over and over again to great truths of the Christian faith.

For example, the Holy Scriptures are called “the lively oracles” (Acts 7:38). “Lively” and “living” represent the same Greek word zao; thus, the Bible is God’s “living word.” Jesus Christ called Himself “the living bread which came down from heaven,” sent down by “the living Father” (John 6:51, 57). He also promised that all who believe on Him would find “living water” flowing through their lives (John 7:38).

He has opened for us through His substitutionary death and justifying resurrection “a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh” (Hebrews 10:20). Furthermore, He has thereby “begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3).

The Lord Jesus is the foundation of the great house of the Lord into which we come through Him. “To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 2:4-5). In this holy temple, we are therefore urged to “present [our] bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is [our] reasonable service” (Romans 12:1). Our God is, indeed, the God of the living!
--ICR/HMM /Leon Patillo / Cornerstone<https://youtu.be/jUScdfiOdMc>
----------

---Answered by a Word from God~~-[Jesus= Both Human and Divine]

“And no man was able to answer him a word, neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions.”
------ (Matthew 22:46)--

The two dominant sects among the Jews at the time of Christ were the Sadducees and the Pharisees. Although both of these believed in the divine inspiration of the Scriptures, they both refused to believe that Jesus was the Messiah.

A climactic confrontation occurred during His final week in Jerusalem. Each group tried to trap Him into a compromising doctrinal argument. To the Sadducees, who rejected the doctrine of resurrection, He said: “Have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living” (Matthew 22:31-32). This exposition silenced the Sadducees.

“But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence” (Matthew 22:34), they then tried to trip Him up. He turned the tables on them by a reference to the 110th Psalm, asking how David could call the Messiah Lord if He was David’s son (Matthew 22:45). As our text indicates, they also were unable to respond.

It is most significant that each group was silenced with one single word from the Scriptures. To the Sadducees, the word was “am” (“I am the God of Abraham” [v. 32]), indicating that Abraham was still living. To the Pharisees, the word was “Lord” (“The LORD said unto my Lord” [v. 44]; that is, “Jehovah said unto Adonai”), proving that the Messiah was both human and divine, descended from David but also David’s Lord. Christ’s argumentation was based in each case on the determinative authority of just one word in the Scriptures. For Christ the Scriptures were inerrant and of full and final authority, and they could not answer His claims without rejecting the Scriptures they professed to believe.

[JESUS IS G-D~ JESUS IS I AM~ JESUS IS LORD OVER ALL CREATION~ He is coming back soon. We must be ready, "For no one knows the day or hour the Son of Man will return." -(Matthew 24:42) Allow the words of this anointed song to take you into the Presence, JESUS CHRIST. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." -(John 14:6) The only way we can enter His Presence is through His blood. He paid our sin-debt by dying on the Cross. HE IS ALIVE NOW! Tell Him, "Lord Jesus, take my heart, take all of me, I want to be in Your Presence eternally. Even so, Come Lord Jesus." ]

--ICR/HMM -[**Friends, as followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, Cry Out to Jesus, "Take Me In To the Holy of Holies" / -Catherine Mullins] / <https://youtu.be/3b2qkWnzYhE>
--------

-------THE PROPHECY OF THE RESURRECTION ~~
--[PTV/RJ]

--"Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day."
---(–Matthew 16:21)--

The Bible is filled with thousands of specific prophecies that have been fulfilled. Most of these prophecies have to do with the life of the Lord Jesus Christ. For example:

** 2,000 years before His birth, Scripture foretold He would be born of the family of Abraham.
**700 years ahead of time, the Bible prophesied that He was to be born of a virgin in an obscure village named Bethlehem, and later betrayed for 30 pieces of silver.
**900 years before His birth, the Psalms told of Jesus’ death by crucifixion, what He would say on the cross, and that soldiers would gamble for His clothes.

Also foretold was Jesus’ resurrection from the grave. The Jews believed that on the fourth day after death, a person’s body began to decay. But Christ was raised on the third day. This fulfilled the words of Psalm 16:10, which says, “For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.”

We find references to Christ’s resurrection not only in the Old Testament but also in the New Testament. In fact, the resurrection was the cornerstone of Jesus’ teaching about Himself. Look at what He said after He cleared the temple in John 2: “‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.’ The Jews then said, ‘It took forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?’ But He was speaking of the temple of His body” (2:19-21).

In Matthew 12:38-40, we find this interchange between the Pharisees and Jesus: “‘Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.’ But He answered and said to them, ‘An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet; for just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.’”

In Matthew 16:21, Jesus told His disciples that His resurrection was central to His purpose in coming: “From that time Jesus began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.” So central was Jesus’ belief that He was going to be raised from the dead that even His enemies understood it. That is why His enemies went to such extreme measures to make sure that His tomb was protected. They knew that Jesus was claiming that He would rise from the dead, so they wanted to make sure His body stayed right in the grave to discredit that claim. Throughout Scripture, we find many prophecies of Jesus’ resurrection. --"ARISE MY LOVE" / Newsong~<https://youtu.be/9-Il2c-Adx0>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

----THE PROOF OF THE RESURRECTION~~
--(PTV/RJ~)

--"They went and made the grave secure, and along with the guard they set a seal on the stone."
--(–Matthew 27:66)---

----How can we know for sure that Jesus’ resurrection is fact and not fiction? Let’s look at the proof of logic. Matthew 27:62-66 describes what happened the day after Jesus’ crucifixion: “On the next day, the day after the preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered together with Pilate, and said, ‘Sir, we remember that when He was still alive that deceiver said, “After three days I am to rise again.” Therefore, give orders for the grave to be made secure until the third day, otherwise His disciples may come and steal Him away and say to the people, “He has risen from the dead,” and the last deception will be worse than the first.’ Pilate said to them, ‘You have a guard; go, make it as secure as you know how.’ And they went and made the grave secure, and along with the guard they set a seal on the stone.”

Notice what was done to protect the grave. First, they set a Roman seal. This was two pieces of wax that held a string in place. Obviously, a string was not going to keep a body in the grave, but that Roman seal was a sign of the authority of Rome. It was kind of like the police putting up “Crime Scene: Do Not Enter” tape. This Roman seal had the authority of Rome behind it. If you broke this seal, you faced the full punishment of the Roman government.

Second, they appointed a Roman guard unit of at least 16 men. This was the practice with valued prisoners. In Acts 12:4, Herod Agrippa had Peter guarded by four squads of soldiers. The guard at Jesus’ tomb was composed of 16 highly trained men with the authority of Rome to make sure the body of Jesus stayed put.

So how did Jesus’ body get out of that tomb? There are only two explanations about how Christ’s body got out of that grave. Either man took Him out, or God took Him out. And if man took Him out, it had to be either His friends or His enemies.

Could it have been His friends? Think about the disciples. Did they have the courage to fight an entire Roman guard unit? Peter was the strongest, and he had fled the scene when someone even suggested that he knew Christ. No, the friends of Jesus lacked courage.

Other people say maybe the Jewish leaders or the Roman soldiers stole the body. That makes even less sense. Why would they steal the body? If the body had disappeared, that would have validated Jesus’ claim to be God. If they had had Jesus’ body, all they would have had to do was parade it through the streets of Jerusalem, and the Christian movement would have died.

The only answer is that God removed that body. God is the One who reached down and rescued His Son from the grave. That is the proof of logic.
[**PLEASE NOTE**= THE TITLE ASKS, "WHO IS THIS MAN CALLED JESUS CHRIST?" NOT PAST TENSE. JESUS IS ALIVE TODAY! RIGHT NOW. YOU CAN TALK TO HIM, HE HEARS YOU. PRAY TO HIM, HE ANSWERS PRAYERS, AS HE KNOWS IS BEST FOR US, HIS PEOPLE. IF YOU SIN, REPENT, AND HE WILL FORGIVE YOU. JEHOVAH GOD KNOWS YOUR HEART AND HE LOVES YOU! NONE OF US DESERVE HIS LOVE, YET HE DIED TO PAY OUR SIN-DEBT. COME JUST AS YOU ARE, AND HE WILL HELP YOU LIVE FOR HIM.~~ ]

--ALIVE WITH CHRIST ~~

“Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.”
-----(Romans 6:8-9)--

The bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead both guarantees the future bodily resurrection of the believer and associates us positionally with Him now. Since He died for our sins, we, in effect, were “dead with Christ.” Therefore, when He defeated death and hell, and revived His own dead body in immortal power, He broke any dominion of death over Him or over those who were, positionally, with Him.

This is one of the grandest scriptural themes of the Christian life. We were dead with Christ, but now God “hath quickened us together with Christ” (Ephesians 2:5). Not only have we been “made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22) with Him, but we have also been “raised” with Him up from the grave and then into heaven where we are “seated” with Him on His throne! “[God] hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:6).

This means also that we have been glorified with Him and are actually reigning with Him. “The Spirit [Himself] beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: . . . that we may be also glorified together” (Romans 8:16-17).

But if all this is only true in position, what meaning does His resurrection life have on our daily lives now? Simply this—that knowing these truths gives us the incentive and power to live them. “If (or, literally, ‘since’) ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:1-3). “For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you” (2 Corinthians 13:4).

[Hallelujah! We have a Living Lord JESUS! Go and Tell what the Lord Jesus has done for you. He's coming back. Turn this song up loud! Alleluia! HE'S ALIVE AND I'M FORGIVE, HEAVEN'S GATES ARE OPEN WIDE! ]
--ICR/HMM -- / "HE'S ALIVE" / Don Francisco ~ <https://youtu.be/4Lmv_xR6_q8>
---------------

--My Hope Is In Jesus Because HE is GOD! = Jesus Christ is "I AM"~

--EXPRESSING REVERENCE~~

"The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life."
--(Proverbs 14:27) --

--Part of experiencing the fullness of the Christian life is having an exalted view of God--such as was exhibited by the scribes who recorded Scripture. Every time they'd come to a passage containing the Lord's name, they would lay down their styluses and wash their hands. Why? Because of God's sovereignty and holiness. The scribes did not feel worthy of printing His name without first cleansing themselves. This kind of godly fear may seem foreign to us today. Yet we miss a great blessing when we fail to give the Lord His rightful place.

So consider: - Do you fear God? Have you truly pondered His authority, power, and wisdom? This doesn't mean you're frightened of Him, of course, but that you respect Him, acknowledge His holiness, and express humility before Him. Because in every aspect of your life, He is available to you. The unfathomably great Ruler of all creation hears you when you call and is aware of everything that concerns you. This understanding can give you assurance in the uncertainties and strengthen you to face difficulties with courage. It can help you endure. So today, consider how awesomely almighty your G-D, Yahweh, YHWH, truly is. Give Him praise, and most importantly always honor Him in deed and in truth.

"Jesus, I am in awe of You. Help me to exalt You with my life as You truly deserve. I give you praise, honor and glory. Jesus, my Lord and my God, You truly are 'the way, the truth and the life." --((John 14:6) ~~
--Jesus Our Perfect Hope/ CS~ --"Waymaker" / Michael W. Smith [ with /-Vanessa Campagna] <https://youtu.be/ZxTxSCf51ck>
----------

--FORGIVE YOURSELF~~

"I am...not fit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the
church of God. But...His grace toward me did not prove vain."
--(1 Corinthians 15:8-10)

---THERE is an old saying that instructs, "Be easy on others and hard on yourself." To a point, it is a wise guideline. However, when it comes to forgiveness, it can be disastrously misapplied, especially when we are the ones at fault. An inability to forgive ourselves can lead to deep discouragement, guilt, and hopelessness.

If anyone had a reason to judge himself harshly, it was the apostle Paul. What if Paul had allowed his past as a persecutor of the church to haunt him after his dramatic conversion to Christ? Could he possibly have shared the good news of salvation so boldly, passionately, and persistently? And David--what if he had dwelt on his sin with Bathsheba, deeming himself unworthy of ever again serving God? Could he have continued leading Israel with such faith and conviction?

In each case, their refusal to forgive themselves would have had disastrous consequences. The same is true for you. So don't be so hard on yourself when it comes to forgiveness. Repent and accept that Jesus not only welcomes you back gladly but restores you fully. We are overcomers in Jesus Christ. He OVERCAME! Give your life to Him and become an overcomer- through-Christ Jesus! Hallelujah!

---"Jesus, Our Perfect Hope"/CS~
--"OVERCOME"/ Jeremy Camp / ---<https://youtu.be/L0csB3us2gA>
~~~~~~~

---PRAISE THE LAMB/ JESUS IS GOD~!
------(PLEASE READ / Revelation 5)

~~~~Anyone who isn’t sure that Jesus is God and is worthy of worship should take a look at today’s passage. This heavenly scene opens with a dilemma—no one is found worthy to open the scroll in God’s right hand until the Lion of Judah, the root of David, appears as a Lamb standing as if slain.

This is none other than Jesus Christ, who offered Himself as a sacrifice for mankind’s sin. He took our sin upon Himself, suffered the punishment we deserved, and clothed us in His righteousness so that, through faith in Him, we could be reconciled to God. Now He stands in heaven, receiving praise and honor from all its inhabitants. He alone is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll, which contains God’s final plans for human history.

If the angels, the elders, and the four living creatures praise the Son and the Father with such reverence, awe, and exaltation, then we who are direct recipients of divine mercy and grace can, too. The citizens of heaven hold nothing back in their unceasing worship and adoration as they humbly bow before the throne.

Considering all that our triune God [The Trinity], has done for us, praise should be our humble and joyful response. He delights in hearing our voices raised in adoration and worship as we declare that He is worthy of all honor.

Is God the focus of your thoughts and emotions as you join with fellow believers in exalting Him, or do you sing the words thoughtlessly or get caught up in an emotional experience? Although worship will be perfect only in heaven, let’s start practicing now.
---IN TOUCH

--[Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the Cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of G-D.--
---[Hebrews 12:2] (JEHOVAH GOD of the Old Testament is JESUS of the New Testament. They are the same.)
~~"But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for He who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him."
-----(Hebrews 11:6)--
~~"Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name,
that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth,
And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." --[Philippians 2:9-11] ~]

---"DO NOT BE AFRAID!"

--"Do not be afraid, for behold I bring you good news of great joy."
---(Luke 2:10) ~

~~Dear Friends,
This Christmas season, we rejoice that this Good News has reached even to us; the salvation that comes only through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. This is the best news of all time, and the true meaning of Christmas.

In these troubled times our love must be deeper, our resolve stronger, and our voice louder to declare the good news of great joy to a lost and dying world. We must continue to stand strong in our determination to do what God has called us to. As followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are to continue carrying out His Word. Jesus is the Word of God. We seek to share the truth of God's Holy Word, and bring encouragement to the Church [God's people], to stand strong in faith, hope, and love.

May our Lord and Savior, the Light of the World, Jesus Christ bless you with a wonderful Christmas and Blessed New Year 2020! He's coming back soon. We must be ready at all times.
~~In the Savior~~ [David & Mary, Rick & Sylvia Barnhart/ Abiding Word Ministries]
---"Hark! The Herald Angels Sings" // Darrius Rucker // (Click on the link) <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmxxxOvR5bw>
-------

---LIGHT COMMANDS OUR ATTENTION / JESUS IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD~~
---Pathway to Victory/ Pastor Robert Jeffress ~~

---"The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them."
---(–Isaiah 9:2)--

---Why do so many of our Christmas traditions link Jesus with light? How is Jesus Christ like light?

There is something about light that commands our attention, and that was true about Jesus. Hundreds of years before Jesus came to earth, Isaiah wrote this prophecy about Him: “The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them” (9:2). Before Christ came, this world was enveloped in darkness, in night, but the light of Christ broke through that darkness.

Admittedly, Jesus’ coming did not attract a lot of attention at first. He was born in Bethlehem, a town so small it was not even listed in the registry of Judean villages. He was born to parents who did not have two denarii to rub together. During His brief life, He never held public office, He never owned a home, and He never had a family. He lived 1,450 years before the printing press was invented. He lived 1,900 years before the radio was invented. Yet 2,000 years later, we are still talking about Him, aren’t we? Jesus Christ is the center of human history.

Even unbelievers have to acknowledge Jesus’ coming. Every time somebody writes the date, they are testifying to the birth of Jesus Christ. They are saying it has been 2,019 years since the most important event in human history, the birth of Jesus Christ. The whole world testifies to His life. The writer H. G. Wells wrote, “More than 1,900 years later, a historian like myself, who doesn’t even call himself a Christian, finds the picture centering irresistibly around the life and character of this most significant man.” A scholar at the University of Chicago noted, “There has been more written about Jesus Christ in the last 20 years than in the first 1,900 years after his birth combined.” People are still talking about Jesus.

Somebody once asked talk-show host Larry King, “If you could interview anybody in history, who would you choose?” Without hesitating, King said, “I would interview Jesus Christ.” The questioner asked, “What question would you ask Him?” King said, “I would ask Him if He was indeed virgin-born. The answer to that question would define history for me.”

Jesus Christ continues to define history. He is the center of this universe, and that is why we need to remind ourselves that our job is not to lift up a philosophy, a moral code, or a political dogma; our goal is to lift up the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself” (John 12:32).
~~~~~~~~~
~~ --Friend, Jesus is alive right now. He sees you. If you call out to Him, He hears and will answer. It may not be an answer you'd like or expect. He is GOD. He is EMMANUEL, "GOD WITH US".
"Without faith it is impossible to please God. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
--Please do not let Christmas pass without knowing Him. He is as close as the mention of His name. YES, YOU MUST HAVE FAITH. It is not conjured up. It is the Holy Spirit joining with your inner-man, connecting you to Jehovah GOD. "Call on the Name of the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved." ~~"If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. For whoever will call on the Name of the Lord Jesus will be saved." --[Romans 10: verses 9,10,13] ~~

~~~HIS IMAGE, HIS BREATH / NO EVOLUTION ~

-"Then God said, “Let Us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”'
---(Genesis 1:26 / NASB) --

~~~~In the twenty-first century, we have to pause and think about the place of humanity in the world. There is a commonly held worldview that says human beings are simply the top of the evolutionary ladder and we don’t have any more intrinsic value than an orangutan, a salamander, or a spotted owl.

A biblical worldview says we are not only different from the rest of creation, we are the highest form of creation. God fashioned mankind in His image and breathed into Adam the breath of life. He chose to identify with humanity, and the redemptive work of Jesus Christ involved God putting on flesh and blood. We have been given dominion over creation and so have a responsibility to care for it, but make no mistake about the preeminent place of humanity in the world God created.

THINK ABOUT IT
--Being made in His image has granted each of us dignity and value. Every worldview that denies this truth will devolve into a system that values neither life nor freedom.

PRAYER
~~"Heavenly Father, I am made in Your image and purchased by Jesus’ blood. Help me exercise authority wisely in Your name to see Your Kingdom come and Your will done. Help me speak into my culture the eternal value of each human life. You created us, You live within us. Help us, Lord to understand this. We can only understand Your Word by the help and power of the Holy Spirit. Thank You, our Immanuel [God with us]. In Jesus’ name, amen."
Blessings,
Pastor Allen Jackson

~~~A FIRE CALLED HOLY ~~

"He will baptize you
with the Holy Spirit
and fire." -(Luke 3:16)--

~~~John the Baptist's reference to a baptism of "the Holy Spirit and fire" came with its own story and explanation (Luke 3:16). Looking back, he was likely thinking of the kind of Messiah and refining fire foreseen by the prophet Malachi (3:1-3: 4:1). But only after the Spirit of God came like wind and fire on the followers of Jesus did the words of Malachi and John come into focus (Acts 2:1-4).

The fire John predicted wasn't what was expected. As a true act of God, it came with boldness to proclaim a different kind of Messiah and holy flame. In the Spirit of Jesus, it exposed and consumed our futile human efforts--while making room for the love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control of the Holy Spirit (see Galatians 5:22-23). This act of Jehovah G-D, YAHWEH, YHWH, [our covenant-keeping G-D], is His special way of letting us know He will never leave us nor forsake us. He wants to be the King of your heart. Jesus loves you with an everlasting love and underneath are His everlasting arms. Have you invited Him to come into your life? He never turns away a sincere seeker.

[How has your life been affected by the work of the Holy Spirit? What does it mean for you to pursue a holy--set apart life before God? He stands waiting for you to invite Him in. He offers each person the gift of eternal life, when you ask Him to be Lord of your life. (Read Ephesians Chapter 2 verses 8 thru 10,13,14) ] Come to Jesus and live eternally! ~~]
--ODB/MD~ --"King of My Heart" / Kutless // <https://youtu.be/wDsdsRuWrWk>
~~~~~~~~

---INSTEAD OF REVENGE/ SHARE HIS LOVE~

-"If you enemy is
hungry, feed him."
---(Romans 12:20)

~~After Jim Elliot and four other missionaries were killed by Huaorani tribesmen in 1956, no one expected what happened next. Jim's wife, Elisabeth, their young daughter, and another missionary's sister willingly chose to make their home among the very people who killed their loved ones. They spent several years living in the Huaorani community, (Auca Indians), learning their language, and translating the Bible for them. These women's testimony of forgiveness and kindness convinced the Huaroani of God's love for them and many received Jesus as their Savior.

What Elisabeth and her friend did is an incredible example of not repaying evil with evil but with good (Romans 12:17). The apostle Paul encouraged the church in Rome to show through their actions the transformation that God had brought into their own lives. What did Paul have in mind? They were to go beyond the natural desire to take revenge; instead, they were to show love to thier enemies by meeting their needs, such as providing food or water.

Why do this? Paul quotes a proverb from the Old Testament: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink" (v.20; Proverbs 25:21-22). The apostle was revealing that the kindness shown by believers to their enemies could win them over and light the fire of repentance in their hearts. We are to be God's light in this dark world, so others will see Him, in us.

--"Abba, Father, it's difficult, even impossible, for us to love others in our own strength. Help us through Your Spirit to truly love our enemies, and use us to bring them to You. We give all glory and honor to You, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. ~~amen"

-----"All Hail the Power Of Jesus' Name--(Tommy Walker) // <https://youtu.be/aIjZxS9nDNo>

---We, [the Church] are overcomers through CHRIST JESUS~~

--THEN I HEARD A LOUD VOICE IN HEAVEN SAYING,

---"Now the salvation, and the power, and the kingdom of our God and the authority of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren has been thrown down, he who accuses them before our God day and night.

~~"And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death."

--[Revelation 12:10-11 / NASB ] ----
--"He who overcomes will inherit these things, and I will be his God and he will be My son." --(Revelation 21:7)

----"Overcomer" // By: Mandisa // <https://youtu.be/v24tLxsxGHM>
~~~~~~~~

--THE SUFFICIENCY OF CHRIST ~~

~~~"In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us."
---(Romans 8:37)--

--THE FIRST five chapters of Romans overflow with the Bible doctrine of justification by faith, which is the foundation of our salvation. Through the Cross, we have been declared righteous, and we have been changed from our former relationship of enmity with God to friendship with God.

~~~In Romans 6, Paul introduced a new truth that the believer must embrace by faith and apply if he is to experience a growing, victorious Christian life. It is the principle of identification, and affirming its meaning and relevance is the first step to becoming more than a conqueror through Jesus Christ" (Romans 8: 37).

Identification means that you have been identified or placed by God into Christ's death, burial, and resurrection. In God's eye and mind your sin was on the Cross with Jesus. He paid your (our) sin-debt by dying on the Cross.

That's not all. You were raised with Christ (Ephesians 2:6). Jesus' resurrection includes you because of your union with Him. This fact is just as certain as justification and reconciliation. To experience its reality, you must believe what the Bible says: 'You are crucified and risen with Christ' (Romans 6 verse 4). Your role is to reckon or count it as done (Romans 6:11). That is FAITH! He paid the price for the sin-debt of the entire world. We must confess our need for Jesus as our Savior. (Read Romans 10:9 thru 13). Jesus said, "I and my Father are One." [John 10:30]

-"Thank You, Lord Jesus, my Rock, Redeemer, and Savior. Justification and reconciliation are mine through faith! I receive Your gift of salvation. Thank You, Abba Father!"
----"AT THE CROSS" // Darlene Zschech (Hillsong) //<https://youtu.be/AkRudaBidHc>
~~~~~~~~~

--JESUS IS GOD // CHRIST

--'Jesus said, "I and the Father are One." Jesus is the MESSIAH ~~


--"Then Jesus said to those who believed Him, "If you abide in My Word, you are My disciples indeed.
And You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" - [John 8:32]

--"If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land." --[2 CHRONICLES 7:14]--
(If pictures of Jesus bother you, please just close your eyes, and listen to the beautiful song.)
--"Heal Our Land"// Kari (Jobe) Carnes ~~<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6yHNKgA8vdQ>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

--~~JESUS SAID, "I AM THE RESURRECTION, AND THE LIFE; HE THAT BELIEVES IN ME, THOUGH HE WERE DEAD, YET SHALL HE LIVE; AND WHOEVER LIVES AND BELIEVES IN ME, THOUGH HE WERE DEAD, YET SHALL HE LIVE; AND WHOEVER LIVES AND BELIEVES IN ME SHALL NEVER DIE. BELIEVE THOU THIS?? --[JOHN 11:25-26]

[If pictures or visuals of Jesus offend you, please close your eyes and be blessed by the beautiful song. Yes, JESUS IS ALIVE! \o/ ]
--The video is titled 'The Life of Jesus/ It begins with John the Baptist baptizing our Lord Jesus.'
--"Because He Lives I Can Face Tomorrow"// (post from internet/ reads artist /Soew Rose// -,<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zqxU0qa33H0>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~

---YAHWEH'S DESIRE ~

---“For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation. This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it.” (Psalm 132:13-14)

In these two verses, we are told that the Lord (Yahweh) has desired Zion, which He has chosen. The Hebrew verb used twice for “desired” is awa and occurs in a specific form called the Piel stem, which to the Hebrew reader would have added an intensively strong meaning to its action. In other words, Yahweh deeply, passionately, and intensively desires Zion as a place for His habitation.

So, what is this object of Yahweh’s intense desire? The name Zion is first used in the Bible for the pagan Jebusite fortress (“the stronghold of Zion”) in 2 Samuel 5:6-10 when David conquered Jerusalem and subsequently made it the capital of Israel. Thereafter, Zion was often equated with the City of David (Jerusalem) and was also used to refer to the inhabitants of Jerusalem or even the whole nation of God’s people of Israel.

In the new covenant, we are given the full revelation of Zion following Christ’s death and resurrection: “But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel” (Hebrews 12:22-24).

It is this Zion of which we are now redeemed citizens that God deeply desires to make His habitation. Knowing this, let us look “for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Hebrews 11:10) and “desire a better country, that is, an heavenly” (Hebrews 11:16).

---ICR/JPT

--BREAKING BONDAGE / ONLY JESUS CAN ~~

"And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth was able to open the book, neither to look thereon." --[Revelation 5:3]
--[Read Revelation 5] --

---Before conversion, our life is sealed like the book in today's Bible reading. We are kept in bondage to Satan. We are utterly helpless to break the seals of bondage in our life, even by strong willpower. Man is able to accomplish some incredible things, but he is not able to control his inward bent toward sin without Christ ruling his heart. A closed book denotes a closed life full of hidden sins, which are detestable to God. There are sins of the body, soul, and spirit, and there are sins of thought, word an deed. No man is able to release himself from bondage to all those sins.

John "wept much" (Revelation 5:4), and weeping is appropriate for us when we are convicted of sin and see our true condition before God. "O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death" (Romans 7:24). We become broken before God and we yield ourselves to Him. Not the Lion (Jesus) is able to break the seals of sin's bondage in our life. He takes those sins away and replaces them with the beautiful virtues know as the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23).

Our weeping and wretchedness is replaced by worship and singing a new song. It is the song of redemption.: "Thou was slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people and nation." The conditions for being redeemed are simple, though people sometimes make them complex by adding their own terms.

When we repent and turn to God, we can be assured that He will forgive us and receive us as His children. Then we too can sing the new song of the redeemed in praise to the Lamb of God, slain before the foundation of the world, King Jesus. ~~

--BSW/DY~

--JESUS IS OUR REDEEMER ~~

---How Can a Man Be Just before God?

“Then Job answered and said, I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?”
---(JOB 9:1-2)

---Job was the most “just” (i.e., “righteous”) man of his age, according to the testimony of God Himself (Job 1:8; 2:3), yet his friends insisted his terrible suffering had been sent by God because of his sins. He knew he was innocent of the sins of which they were accusing him, and he knew he had earnestly tried to be obedient and faithful to God. Yet, he also knew that he, like all men, had come far short of God’s holiness (Romans 3:23). “I have sinned,” he confessed, “what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men?” (Job 7:20). “Cause me to understand wherein I have erred” (Job 6:24). And then comes the plaintive plea in our text: “How should a man be just with God?”

There is, indeed, no way by which a man can make himself righteous before God, for he is even born with a sin nature, inherited from father Adam. “If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse” (Job 9:20). Yet God created man for His own glory (Isaiah 43:7) and wants “all men to be saved” (1 Timothy 2:4). The great enigma is, how can God justify unrighteousness in men and still be righteous Himself.

The answer, of course, is that God, in Christ, has paid the price to make us righteous by dying for all our sins. “God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Ephesians 1:7).

Even Job finally realized that God must somehow become his redeemer. “For I know that my redeemer liveth, and...in my flesh shall I see God” (Job 19:25-26). It is indeed wonderfully true that God can both “be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus” (Romans 3:26).
---ICR/HMM