Happy Easter! Publishing a magazine is not as easy as just picking one up at the store, taking it home, setting down on your most comfortable chair and reading it. Noooo, it takes getting writers to send in articles, authors to give you permission to advertise their books, and business owners to let you advertise for them. But the hardest part is after you have all of the above, putting things together, designing the pages, and editing all the articles and ads. At the end of each month, I run from morning to night as my husband tries to keep up with his work and sometimes he even finds us a meal because I can’t stop working. But I love it! Every month something new stands out and I know that people will be blessed! But, I will love it when we have a building for World Bible School International Training Center, so that we can house all the ministries in one place. AND, I can’t wait until the university starts! I just had someone from an international country say that he would love to volunteer to come here and help in the school! What an amazing offer! Sometimes, it is hard just getting help with things, but to have someone from another country volunteer to come and help would be a God send! My prayer for our University is that people from all over the world, every nation, will come and be a part. And, if they do not have the money, I pray that we can get people to sponsor them, or that we can raise the money to provide some scholarships for them! And‌I would love to have a few houses for student housing! I know we may have to start out smaller than I would like to, but whatever God has for us to start, that will be just fine for me! So, I ask you to pray that the building will be provided very soon for us to start WBSITC! God Bless You and have a Wonderful and Happy Easter!
Faye Hanshew, Publisher and Editor
Publisher & Editor Faye Hanshew
Co-Publisher & Co-editor Dr. Bill Hanshew
Articles
Where is Heaven?
Dr. Bill Hanshew
Jesus Really Lives Inside of Us!
Richard Rundell
The Resurrection Tree
Author/Speaker Larry Thompson
Love In Us
Genice Fulton
Never Too Late for a Resurrection
Steve Porter
What About the Resurrection?
Dave Kachele
Resurrection Power in Your Veins
Matthew Deves
The Truth About Easter Mary: The 1 st Eye Witness to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ
Pastor Jo Bruns Rev. Kathy Weddle
Becoming Those Who Turn Things Upside Down
Dr. Dan L. Corse
Easter Sunday
Dr. John Roberts
Did Jesus Only Die so That He Could Rise Again, or was There Another Reason? Uriah
Krissy Webb Wendell Phillips Phil Berwick
Was Jesus Human After the Resurrection ?
Ernest Kweku Nanor
HAPPY EASTER JESUS IS NO LONGER HERE! HE NOW LIVES IN US!
JESUS IS NO LONGER HERE! HE NOW LIVES IN US!
by: Dr. Bill Hanshew
John 14:2 says, “In my Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.”
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o repeat this verse without the “italicized” words, it would read, “In my Father’s house are many mansions; if not, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.” The reality is that Jesus would have told the truth about where His Father’s house is. In an article I found on a well-known site, it stated, “In John 14:1-14, Jesus makes a number of promises to his followers. In particular, he assures them that though he will soon depart from their midst, he will not therefore be abandoning them. There is a great home and the Father has created a place just for you. There is always room for you there.” (I will keep the writer’s name anonymous). This article implied, without saying, that the home Father God has prepared for you, is a place called heaven. However, that is not what Jesus says at all. As this passage continues, John 13:3-6 says, “3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know.” 5 Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Now, once again, nothing in these verses imply that the place Jesus is going is a real place called heaven. Even many teachers and writers of theology today, are beginning to state that heaven is more than a place, but a realm where God lives. So, if heaven is a place and that is where Jesus was going to prepare a home for us, then think about where Jesus was actually about to go? If you will notice in John 14:2, Jesus says, “IN MY FATHER HOUSE are many mansions” which is defined in the Greek language as dwellings or dwelling places. And even though many may not want to hear the rest of this article, this verse could read, “In My Father are many dwellings.” John 14:1 (GW) “My Father’s house has many rooms. If that were not true, would I have told you that I’m going to prepare a place for you?”
So, why is it that we immediately assume that “the Father’s house” means somewhere, on some other planet in outer space? Could this not mean that in the Father are many dwellings? Could this not mean that in the Father is the place where we dwell? Even as John continued to write, he writes that Jesus is going to prepare a place for you. So, once again, where was Jesus about to go? Folks, He was on His way to the cross and not to heaven. Now, Thomas speaks up and says, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” Keep in mind that Jesus had been schooling His disciples for some time. Yet, in all of His teachings, they could not embrace the idea of Jesus going away from them. Jesus responded to Thomas immediately and said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” If you want to know the way, look at Jesus. If you want to know the truth, look at Jesus. And if you want to know life, look at Jesus. For He is the One, who told His disciples that He was going away so that He could prepare a place for them, so that where He is, they will also be. John 14:3 (AMP) “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and I will take you to Myself, so that where I am you may be also.” This is where Christians all over the world get confused. If Jesus goes away, and if He goes by the way of death on the cross, then how will He ever return? First of all, Jesus will return simply because He said that He would. But, if He is going to heaven, then why would He want to return, even though He said that He would? Acts 1:9-10 says, “9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up…” So, if Jesus went up to heaven, then what does the word “heaven” mean? The word “heaven” is the Greek word, “ouranos” which refers to heaven as the abode of God. Jesus was taken up, NOT in a cloud, but He was received by a cloud and according to the original language, He disappeared out of their natural eyesight. But nowhere does this mean that Jesus was taken to some other place. Also, the “cloud” that received Him was not a cloud in the sky. It was the same cloud which led the Israelites in the wilderness, which was the cloud of God’s glory.
So, where is heaven? Heaven is inside of you and me, but also heaven operates and connects us together, as the creation of God. However, if you were to pass from this life, where would heaven be? There is no place or realm where you cannot find God. So, if you die in this life, you will go into that “unseen realm,” also known as the “great cloud of witnesses” (Hebrews 12:1), and there you will find heaven. And it is that same heaven that connects us, whether you are here in this earthly-realm, or a loved-one has passed over there, being that “unseen realm,” and that is how heaven connects us all. Jesus went away to the cross, to defeat death, hell, and the grave for us. And then He returned the third day on Resurrection Sunday, and “presented Himself ALIVE after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.” (Acts 1:3)
by: Dr. Richard Rundell
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oes Jesus really live inside of us or does He just take up space? If He dwells in us, then we allow Him to have control of us in all we think and do, as well as correct us when we go wrong. He dwells in our ups and our downs. When we are up He sees to it that we do not begin to rely on our own wisdom and strength, or God forbid, to become arrogant to develop our own nice little comfort zone. When we are down, He directs us to the right path to get up, as He shows us those steps to get out of our rut. He sees that we don’t blame others or even blame God for the mess in which we find ourselves. He helps us to walk in love (1Cor. 13). He helps us to heal those scars of our past memories so that no trace of those hurts can be found. “Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, "I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.” (2 Cor. 6:16). Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “Do you not know that you are a Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Cor. 3:16).
Now consider this about fruit. “Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit” (John 15:2). When we lived in Tennessee we grew beautiful grapes in our back yard. For these grapes, in the late winter we pruned or cut back 90 to 95 percent of last year’s growth to leave only two to four buds on that growth. These will develop into the branches that will sprout and grow this year. Concord grape vines will grow four or five feet in a year. Unpruned grapes don’t ripen properly and therefore, diseases set in and you harvest less. Moreover, the branches will start to grow wilder. Why does pruning yield more grapes or fruit? Grapes bear only on the current year branches. It means the new growth sprouts from closer to the vine which will produce healthier and more grapes. Now the spiritual application. You may occupy your time in a particular ministry, such as music, youth
ministry, writing, TV or missions. You may have become so good at it that you applied your skills on your own without seeking the Lord for direction or help. You may start to grow wilder in your ministry, susceptible to false ideas. The Lord may call you to step aside from that ministry and start working in a new ministry, let’s say street ministry. You say, “Lord, I know nothing about street ministry.” The Lord says, “That’s why I want you. So you will operate closer to the vine, (Jesus Christ), depending on Him to direct you and guide you.” I have seen this principle work in many people I knew and in my own ministry experience. Do we allow the Lord to prune us regularly, allow Him to have full control of our lives? If we allow Jesus to “live” in our house, then we have to allow Him to take control of those stray thoughts, those thoughts of how somebody cheated us ten years ago, of thinking someone should have forgiven us last week, those thoughts that are not lovely, pure, uplifting, or of good report. Is He just our co-pilot or is He pilot of our plane? Let us welcome Jesus to help us clean out our closet. Do we call on Him only when we need help? Do we map out our own
plans for the future or do we permit Jesus Christ to direct our path? Do we allow Jesus to dwell in every room of our house? What do we have hidden in our closets? Our past failures in business decisions, or our private sins we would like to keep hidden? Do we harbor special skills we have developed “on our own” we just don’t want the Lord to mess with? Do we have our own little philosophies of life, our private comfort zones, even our pet speech patterns, we would rather not see the Lord try to change? When we place our trust in the Lord He will help us to make wise business decisions, to develop a positive attitude, healthy habits, eat properly and exercise regularly, speak encouraging words to those we meet, and make efficient use of our time. If we allow Him to live in every room, then He will reveal to us some of our thought patterns or ideas that do not line up with the Word of God. He will reveal to us how we can demonstrate more love and easily witness the love of God to others. “In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.” (Pro. 3:6 AMP). “Your ways” includes all your daily activities and thought patterns.
If Jesus lives in our house, He helps us to cultivate thoughts that are honest, lovely, uplifting, honorable and of good report (Phil. 4:8). Moreover, when Jesus makes His home in us, He convinces, converts and comforts us. He makes a proud soul humble and a perverse spirit meek and obedient. When we acknowledge Jesus Christ within us, then we realize our weakness stirs up His compassion; He gives us peace in the midst of our circumstances and shines His light in our darkness and encourages us to think His thoughts. He will counsel us with His eye upon us. When we truly realize Jesus lives inside of us we can trust Him to give us the will and the power to conquer our fleshly desires. When we bask in
His presence, confused ideas become untangled and judgmental thoughts unmasked. As we observe Him living in our house, moving from room to room, we begin to realize that His life as well as His character merges into our daily life. Through our intimacy, He transforms from the inside out. Romans 12: 2 Phillips reads, “Don’t let the world around you squeeze you into its own mould, but let God re-mould your minds from within, so that you may prove in practice that the plan of God for you is good, meets all his demands and moves towards the goal of true maturity.” We accept things the way they are, and then seek the Lord for His input in our circumstances.
by: Speaker/Author Larry Thompson
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y mom had received a potted rose plant from my brother. After she planted this rose in her backyard, she took the stick that had securely held the rose upright and planted it in the front yard. She had received an inspiration from the Holy Spirit that if Jesus could speak to a tree, causing it to die, that she could speak to this dry, dead stick and command it to grow. I might add that nothing had ever grown in her front yard by the street. As she planted the stick, she spoke out loud, “I command you to grow in Jesus’ name!” That dry, dead stick received the glory of God through the words that my mother spoke. What was a dead, dry stick is now a tree over twenty feet tall! She has even taken some of the leaves from that tree to have them examined by local botanists. They have not been able to determine what kind of tree she planted in her front yard! My mother has shared this story with many of her friends and even with people she barely knows. That tree is my mother’s miracle tree. I was speaking to her about the tree, and I commented, “Because of the nature of the stick’s being dead and now alive, it is no different than when Jesus was dead, and the glory raised Him from the grave.” I added, “You should call that tree your resurrection tree—since no one else knows its real name.” Hear the word of the LORD, you children of Israel, for the Lord brings a charge against the inhabitants of the land: “There is no truth or mercy or knowledge of God in the land. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children” (Hosea 4:1, 6 NKJV). This revelation found in Hosea 4 is stated in such a way that the people’s lack of knowledge was held as a charge against them. Why? The kind of knowledge to which He is referring is the same consistent thinking throughout Scripture, i.e., an experiential knowledge, an intimate knowledge, a keen understanding and wisdom in the spiritual realm. For this reason, there is a charge against us. This foundational truth is not known in the church on a bigger scale. Therefore, we must know and understand truth and mercy—especially this “knowledge of God” addressed in Hosea 4:1. This verse, which precedes verse 4, reveals the whole meaning of knowledge that is lacking is the experiences in Him.
by: Genice Fulton
“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples. (John 15:5-8, NKJV) About a year ago, God blessed me with a precious and adorable little dog. Almost every day, she and I spend our afternoon in the woods. We like to hear the sounds of the birds, smell the wonderful spruce, get some sunshine, and watch the wildlife. We like to explore the nearby pond, hiking trails, and creek. It's a very special time for me to watch her explore, and for me to have quiet time with God. (Matthew 6:33, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) I live in rural Alaska with my wonderful family. Although we are almost into April, here in Alaska we continue to get new snowfall. Recently, we had a fresh snowfall, and as my dog and I were in the woods, I noticed fresh wildlife tracks everywhere. The landscape had changed from the day before prior to the fresh snowfall. What I saw prior to the snowfall was fallen branches
and leaves and few wildlife tracks. But this day, I saw so many different tracks I couldn't count them all. And it occurred to me, what is actually in the woods isn’t always what one sees in the woods. Many animals were in the woods, I just didn’t always see most of them, but they were there nonetheless. The Holy Spirit spoke to my heart and said, "It's the same with people, what is actually in a person isn't always what one sees in that person." As born-again believers, we are commanded by our God, our Heavenly Father, to love. (Romans 10:9, Galatians 3:26, John 13:34-35) As a result, what is in us and what others see, must be love for one another. Anything less is disobedience and fulfills the lusts of the flesh. (Jeremiah 7:23, Galatians
5:16) By the same token, what is in others and/or what we see, doesn’t disqualify them from being loved.
In order to truly love others, we must align ourselves in every situation with 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. The Amplified version reads,
“Love
endures with patience and serenity, love is kind and thoughtful, and is not jealous or envious; love does not brag and is not proud or arrogant. It is not rude; it is not selfseeking, it is not provoked [nor overly sensitive and easily angered]; it does not take into account a wrong endured. It does not rejoice at injustice, but rejoices with the truth [when right and truth prevail]. Love bears all things [regardless of what comes], believes all things [looking for the best in each one], hopes all things [remaining steadfast during difficult times], endures all things [without weakening]. Love never fails [it never fades nor ends].” “Love never fails [it never fades nor ends]!” When we align ourselves with love in every circumstance, what is in us is what others see, and God is glorified! (Matthew 5:14-16) The only way for us to accomplish this is to remain attached to The Vine! Most gracious, loving, and never failing Heavenly Father, thank you for reminding us to insure love is in us so that others see love. In the name of Jesus, please supernaturally strengthen us to “endure with patience and serenity,
to be kind and thoughtful, to refuse to be jealous or envious, and not brag or be proud or arrogant.” We thank You for helping us to be polite and not rude and to think of others before thinking of ourselves. We refuse to keep a record of wrongs! We will never rejoice at injustice but will always rejoice in truth! Thank You for strengthening us to bear all things, believe the best in others and ourselves. We will remain steadfast and refuse to waver and through You, we will never weaken! Thank You for loving us and for teaching us and enabling us to love others! Amen
by: Steve Porter
“Then he asked me, “Son of man, can these bones become living people again?” “O Sovereign Lord,” I replied, “you alone know the answer to that.” (Ezekiel 37:3, NLT)
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id you know that God is in every area of creation, even in those things that appear lifeless and dead? Just as a physician uses CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) to breathe new life into patients in cardiac arrest, God is always standing by, ready to breathe new life into anything lifeless when we ask. He is there in our spiritual springtime and in the cold, winter months. And He is even closer, hovering nearby in our darkest hours, according to Psalm 34:18 where it says: “The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” The Ezekiel passage above asks the question, “…can these bones become living people again?” The word ‘living’ does not only mean to come back to life after being physically dead, it also applies to brokenness, a dying dream, a losing struggle, and times of hopelessness and despair in any area of our lives. ‘To live’ means to be refreshed, rejuvenated, revived, or to be given the promise of life. It also means to be restored or renewed—or simply to be made whole again. Just as the wind breathed new life into the dry bones from the Ezekiel passage, God wants to resurrect our spirits as well. He wants to welcome us into His living presence and impart that same resurrection life to us, breathing new life into the dead places in our lives. And while some may come along and say God can’t use us, God is saying otherwise, and His is the last word on the subject! “Therefore prophesy and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, O my people, I will open your graves, and cause you to come up out of your graves, and bring you into the land of Israel.” (Ezek. 37:12, NKJV) Here God makes us a promise that He will bring us out of the darkness, opening our graves and allowing us to live again! We just have to listen and obey God’s Word. Are there areas of your life that need a touch of heaven? Ezekiel promises us that God is always watching, always ready to breathe new life into these dead and lifeless areas of our lives. When we face obstacles, we must realize that delays are only temporary. In fact, we must keep in mind that God is in charge, and He may be slowing things down a bit, in order for us to heal before breathing new life into our personal struggles so that we will truly fully receive the power and love of God. To be ‘resurrected’ means far more than just bringing someone back to life. To be resurrected by the power of God makes us stronger, more mature and more powerful than we were before! Did you hear that, Child of God? Stronger, more mature, and more powerful than ever before!
And God always makes good on His promise of resurrection to anyone who belongs to Him. He alone can inject new life into dead places. All we have to do is ask, obey, wait, and receive. Perhaps it will encourage you to understand the massive power of the resurrection. The term ‘resurrection’ means ‘to stand up again’. This can be taken literally, to mean reviving an individual to a living state of consciousness, or it can be taken figuratively, as in reviving profound spiritual truths so we can experience God’s tangible peace, joy, and love. And this can be applied to any area. There is no situation too hard for God to overcome—not physical death, not spiritual death, not emotional death. This same gift of the resurrection already resides in each and every one of us, as God’s children, when His Spirit lives inside us. “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” (Romans 8:11, NKJV) If God the Father was able to breathe new life into the lifeless body of His Son, then you and I are also beneficiaries of this great gift, given to us when Jesus died and was raised from the dead. But it’s up to us to grab hold of this gift in faith, and believe it, as if it were so, because it only comes alive for us as we apply it and say, “It’s mine, and I’m not taking no for an answer!” Once we do that we are supernaturally empowered and energized by the mighty power of God—unstoppable! Psalm 84:11 says, “No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.” That means that He will never refuse to restore to those who ask for help. No one is too far gone if they’re still alive and breathing air. In fact, Psalm 116:2 (LB) puts it this way: “Because He bends down to listen, I will pray as long as I have breath!” Jesus was raised from the dead by the power of God the Father, and that very same power already resides in us because His Holy Spirit lives inside us. With this inborn power, God can resurrect our dreams, our godly ambitions, and our passions. Every good thing that’s been lost can be restored to even greater heights through the miraculous power of God. Our dreams are like planted seeds. In order to sprout, they must first fall lifeless from the tree, be planted in the ground, and wait for springtime to arrive when they will begin to bloom and grow. And just as the sun rises every morning, we can depend on God’s love to shine down to bring life to our dreams. Just as the sunshine impacts all living things, God promises us an abundant and fruitful life as we respond to His call to live again. Have your dreams died? Perhaps you’re holding them too tightly for God to do anything. We need to learn how to hold our dreams loosely, opening our hands and giving them to Him, understanding that sometimes dreams must die lest they consume us or become like idols—the driving force of our lives. In order for those dead dreams to actually live again, we must allow Him to make something from nothing.
According to Isaiah 61:1-3 —God is more than able to make beauty from ashes. But what if we ourselves lit the match that burned them to the ground? Will God still help us? Will He resurrect our dreams if we are the ones who caused them to die? Absolutely! Because God is a God of the second chance. He takes joy and great delight in making all things new to bless us! Do you have areas in your life where you feel dead inside? Are you struggling through personal issues, financial struggles, family problems, or a lack of passion for your career? Do you feel as if God has lost your address, forgotten about you, or is simply too busy to care? Release the tight grip and open your hand, giving Him your worries, burdens, and dead or dying dreams. Let Him breathe new life into them for you. Perhaps you feel unworthy of God’s resurrection power because of something you’ve done. Well, take heart, because if you humble yourself and repent, He will give beauty for ashes. Answer this question: Do you reject your precious children when they make mistakes? Of course not, and neither does God! He will lovingly correct you and then restore you back to health, making all things new! The first step is to embrace the power of God, believing He will restore you. Ask Him to breathe new life into the dark and lifeless areas of your life. Be patient and wait in faith. Don’t quit before the miracle happens! Hold on to the promise as if your life depended on it, because it does. And never take no for an answer! God, you are more than able to make beauty from the ashes of my life. You are a God of the second chance. You take joy and great delight in making all things new! It is never too late for a resurrection in my life! Bring it on!
Steve Porter Rochester, New York www.findrefuge.tv
Steve and his wife Diane founded "Refuge Ministries". Steve is a regular contributor to many prophetic publications including the Elijah List, Spirit Fuel, and the Identity Network. His writings have been read worldwide by hundreds of thousands of people. He also has been interviewed by the Trinity Broadcasting Network and a few other TV programs. Steve's books, articles, and videos have touched countless lives around the world. The Porters reside near Rochester, NY.
by: Dave Kachele
When I was given this title for April’s issue of Faith Unlimited my mind did the same thing that yours probably did when you read it: WHAT ABOUT THE RESURRECTION!?! I’m laughing as I write! Is this supposed to be a book or a short article?!? “For if the dead are not raised, Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.” (1 Cor. 15: 16 & 17) I’m so grateful for the sacrifice of Jesus, our Lord, on Calvary. Yet, without the resurrection, our faith is worthless and we are still dead in our sins! Let’s have some fun. Do you ever ponder what happened over the period of 40 days that Jesus remained on earth after His resurrection? “And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose not even the world itself could contain the books that would be written.” (John 21: 25) We have read in Scripture of the appearances of Jesus: to Mary Magdalene and the other women, several to the apostles, to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, and the crowd of 500, many of whom were still alive in the Apostle Paul’s time. (Matt. 28:8-10, 16-20, Mark 16:9-14, Luke 24:13-49, John 20:11-31 & 21:1-14, 1 Cor. 15:5-7, Acts 3:1-11) But, what about those “other things” that John talked about? We know that Jesus had the ability to appear and disappear, to change His appearance so as not to be recognized, and that gravity had no hold on Him. So, what “other things” might He have done? Take a moment and use your imagination. … Did He joke around: walk on the ceiling, stand in a wall with half of Him inside and the other half outside? (I hope you don’t think I’m being sacrilegious. I believe that Jesus had a sense of humor.) Did He share other meals with them? Was there more walking on water episodes, perhaps one on one with the disciples? Did He reteach that which is recorded in John on the night of His arrest? I’m sure Jesus reminded them that …
The resurrection was the crowning event of the Gospel. He defeated sin on the cross. He defeated death when He rose from the dead! Their two greatest enemies were vanquished! The Holy Spirit was on His way! Last month we focused on Christ in you (and you in Christ). Jesus is in you and me. You and I are in Him. The Comforter/Counselor/Teacher is with us 24/7! Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father in heaven. Where does that place us? “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler who exercises authority over the lower heavens, the spirit now working in the disobedient. We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also. BUT GOD, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us, made us alive with the Messiah even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! Together with Christ Jesus He also raised us up and seated us in the heavens, so that in the coming ages He might display the immeasurable riches of His grace through His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—not from works, so that no one can boast. (Eph. 2:1-9) Now what? “For we are His creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2:10) What about the resurrection?!? Friends, we’ve got work to do! I’m ready for Christ’s return. You are too. But, Jesus has not come back. Until He does, we need to invite others into the resurrected life that comes only through Christ! What better way is there to oBEy* the Great Commandments? We have a
Great Commission to fulfill! Leaders, we need to help all believers to be personally and actively engaged in the Gospel! As you read this, Easter 2018 and its great harvest may have already passed. But, consider this: the greatest day of reaping didn’t come on Easter. The first was on Pentecost, 50 days later! Please join me in prayer. “Holy Spirit, we are partakers of Your nature. We are filled with resurrection power. Give us favor when we show love and proclaim Your Gospel, not just from our pulpits, but from neighbor to neighbor, friend to friend, and family member to family member. May each of us join You in the many things You want to do this year between now and Easter 2019. If You don’t return before then, may this be the greatest year of harvest Your Church has ever known! In the glorious Name of our resurrected Savior and Lord we pray, Amen!” *oBEy: It’s easier to oBEy when we BE in Christ. (John 15:1-12)
Dave Kachele, founder Win and Grow Ministries Author: THE RELUCTANT EVANGELIST website: http://www.WinandGrow.com winngrow@gmail.com I Peter 3:15
by: Matthew Deves
You possess precious Resurrection Light of the lives in you.
and carry the most treasure within. and The Life is the world, and the Light
However, we possess this precious treasure [the divine Light of the Gospel] in [frail, human] vessels of earth, that the grandeur and exceeding greatness of the power may be shown to be from God and not from ourselves. 2 Corinthians 4:7 Amplified Version.
Jesus is the Light, and the Light found a comfortable spot to rest on
the inside of His own. Jesus is the Source of the good news. The Mirror Bible translates John 1: 3-4 as, "The Logos is the source; everything commences in him. He remains the exclusive Parent reference to their existence. There is nothing original, except the Word! The Logic of God defines the only possible place where humankind can trace their genesis. His life is the light that defines our lives. (In his life mankind discovers the light of life.)" The good news is that you have Resurrection Power running through your veins. Innocent blood was shed to make sure of that. He sealed the covenant in blood. God explained this in Leviticus 17:14 when He said, "For it is the life of all flesh; the blood of it is for the life thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off. (KJV) Jesus is the Life and the Life of all flesh is IN the blood. His Life is now running through your bloodstream. Looking at the meaning of the words in Corinthians 4:7 gives us a bigger picture than what the KJV says. "But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us."
Thayer's Dictionary of Greek words says that the phrase, "we have," is the Greek verb, echō. This word has meanings like to have, i.e., to hold, to hold fast keep, to have or comprise or involve, to regard or consider or hold as own, and possess. It is used of those joined to anyone by the bonds of natural blood or marriage or friendship or duty or law etc., of attendance or companionship. Echō can mean, to hold one’s self or find one’s self so and so, to be in such or such a condition or hold one’s self to a thing, to lay hold of a thing, to adhere or cling to. Lastly, it can be used to describe being closely joined to a person or a thing. After reading that definition, I hope that you will never look at verse seven the same again! You are holding, owning, possessing, and are joined and bonded to The Light. It is the glorious Light of Jesus as in, For God Who said, Let light shine out of darkness, has shone in our hearts so as [to beam forth] the Light for the illumination of the knowledge of the majesty and glory of God [as it is manifest in the Person and is revealed] in the face of Jesus Christ (the Messiah). [Gen. 1:3.] 2 Cor. 4:6 and in the Mirror Bible: "The light source is founded in the same God who said, “Light, be!” And light shone out of darkness! He lit the lamp in our understanding so
that we may clearly recognize the features of his likeness in the face of Jesus Christ reflected within us. (The same God who bade light shine out of darkness has kindled a light in our hearts, whose shining is to make known his glory as he has revealed it in the features of Jesus Christ. — Knox Translation) Now for the word as translated "treasure" in the KJV. Thēsauros is a noun as defined in Thayer's as a place in which good and precious things are collected and laid up. A casket, coffer, or other receptacle, in which valuables are kept. A treasury, storehouse, repository, magazine. The things laid up in a treasury, collected treasures. You are the treasury of the Brilliance. You are the house where the Brilliance is on display. You are the place that the Eternal has decided to keep His most precious Life.
And now, in the glow of this glorious light and with unveiled faces we discover this treasure where it was hidden all along, in these frail skinsuits made of clay. This is God’s marvelous doing; we can take no credit for it! 2 Cor. 4:7 Mirror Bible. This Glory didn’t originate with you but finds a habitation in you. “Let brilliant light shine out of darkness,” is the one who has cascaded his light into us—the brilliant dawning light of the glorious knowledge of God as we gaze into the face of Jesus Christ. We are like common clay jars that carry this glorious treasure within, so that the extraordinary overflow of power will be seen as God’s, not ours. 2 Cor. 4:6-7 The Passion Translation The extraordinary overflow of power! That is your new life. This is the Resurrected Life, and it’s flowing through you.
THE TRUTH ABOUT EASTER by: Pastor Jo Bruns
T
hree wooden crosses stood upon the hill. Golgotha was its name, better known as Calvary. Two men hung upon their crosses guilty of their crimes. One man, Jesus Christ, who hung between the two, was innocent of the charges brought against him. Yet, He was willing to bear the sins for all mankind. Through His death, sin (which separates man from God) was forever defeated. “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” The Bible tells us that “all have fallen short of the glory of God” because all have sinned. Jesus, through His sacrificial death, made a way for us to have a relationship with our Heavenly Father. But the story doesn’t end there. It was just beginning to unfold. The veil was torn in the temple. We
could now enter into the Holy of Holies and no longer had to burn sin offerings upon the altar. Through Jesus’ death, He became the acceptable sacrifice. Hebrews 9:12 (ESV) states: “He entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of His own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.” We are now justified through Jesus Christ. So, instead of pouring out the blood of goats and calves upon the altar in the Holy of Holies, God’s love is poured out into our hearts. He no longer “resides” in the
Temple; He comes to live within the temple of our hearts. “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God….And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” (Romans 5:1-2; 5) Jesus’ blood saved us from God’s wrath. And, not only that, He reconciled us through His life! “Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through Him! For if, while we were God’s enemies (because of our sin), we were reconciled to Him, through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life!” (Romans 5:9-10) But the crux of the Easter message is not that Jesus died for our sins and reconciled us to His Father (although that is just as important), but that He lives! No other religion can claim this of their God. God lives! Paul, the writer of most of the New Testament letters to Christ followers emphasized the importance
of Christ’s resurrection in his letter to
the Corinthian church: “But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that He raised Christ from the dead. But He did not raise Him if, in fact, the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.”(1 Corinthians 15:12-22) We live because He lives. The tomb was empty! So, what does this mean for us? It means, as a believer in Jesus Christ, we live because He lives! Romans 4:25 says, “He was delivered over to death for our trespasses and was raised to life for our justification.”
And going deeper into the Word, we read in Galatians 2:20: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.” This concept of death and being raised to life is further evidenced in our lives through our baptism. Paul writes in Romans 6:4: “We were buried therefore with Him by
baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.” The truth of Easter is newness of life through our Lord Jesus Christ. It’s not just the hope for forgiveness through His shed blood on the Cross; it’s the promise and hope for everlasting life. The old is gone, the new has come! Happy Resurrection Day!
by: Rev. Kathy Weddle
Understand the position of women in “back in the day” (Jesus’ day). Because of Eve’s stupidity, her “ignorant” rebellion in placing more importance on the words of the serpent than the Word of God, she was exemplified in a negative way in the kingdom “to bear forth children in pain” and to submit to her husband. Gen 1:26 “And God said, let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. Gen 1:27 “So God created man in His own image, in the image of God created He him; male and female created He them.” Gen 1:28 “And God blessed them, and God said unto them, be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.” The Hebrew word for “man” actually refers to human kind. This meaning and the wording of the reference above strongly infers they were originally placed as co-equals. Of course, people stumble on that passage when referring to Adam being the head and Eve beneath him
in authority because, especially in our era, it’s been put out as a negative when, at the time, it was simply putting things in order. There must be an order of hierarchy. The man, Adam, was created specifically for God; the woman, specifically for man. It was not intended to be a “demotion” for woman; however, at the fall, the intent of her being essentially coequal with Adam was obliterated when Father-God had to administer discipline to both of them in order to re-establish proper order. Instead, because they both blew it, they each got customized discipline intended to keep things according to plan. There were originally 613 laws of the Talmud. Over time, thousands were added by well-meaning Pharisees in order to “clarify” the original 613. As a result, women ended up not just being submitted to their fathers or husbands, but, as my mother put it
years ago, becoming chattel. Property.
Of course, the enemy did not leave this alone. Down through the annals of time, he’s convinced people on both sides of the “gender aisle” (yes, two sides, no more) that men were supposed to rule with an iron fist – a woman was to be under strict submission (subservience) at all times. For the record, that was NOT God’s idea. More could be said about the pendulum swinging in the extreme opposite direction in our current culture, but we’ll save that for another time, since we’ve covered what’s necessary for this subject. Back to the important part: Mary Magdalene had been delivered of seven demons and as a result, she became a lifetime part of “the team.” She’d been with Jesus and the disciples from that point forward. She was there and a great support to Mary, the mother of Jesus, during the Crucifixion and burial.
Then came Sunday morning Each of the four gospels describe that morning a little different; no matter, she was in all four. Either she alone or with Jesus’ mother, Mary, and Salome went to the tomb to complete the task of embalming that precious Body. Whether they expected the Body to be there is unclear; they may have simply been
following cultural procedure. When they arrived at the Tomb, with the stone rolled away and EMPTY, there was, initially, confusion; in fact, there was terror on the part of the guards, knowing that by allowing Jesus’ body to be “stolen,” their fates were sealed. Then a man (angel) or men (angels) spoke to them/her and indicated Jesus had indeed resurrected and was, in fact, already en route to Galilee. They were told to go “tell the disciples to meet Him.” As was previously discussed, in all four Gospels, Mary Magdalen was present. Mary ran to Peter (first) then John and the others. There is no record of the other ladies saying anything, although they surely did when they arrived later. The important point is here; women were not considered credible witnesses because they were….well….women. Yet it was not only a woman but a woman with a very checkered past chosen to announce the Good News of the Resurrection of our Savior. Proof positive that order from the Garden has been restored. No Easter story here! This is the REAL DEAL.
by: Dr. Dan Corse
Ephesians 1:15-20 (NKJ) – 15 Therefore I also… 16 do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers; 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, 18 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is … 19 …the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power 20 which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places… Though it is unwise, we Christians often evaluate ourselves from a natural rather than a spiritual perspective. Doing so, we limit ourselves. Yet, some have moved beyond such restrictions. Instead, they recognize that God’s power at work in our lives is not bound by natural limitations. Such Christians read, understand, believe, and act upon verses like 1 John 4:4 (NKJ), “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because HE WHO IS IN YOU IS GREATER THAN HE WHO IS IN THE WORLD” (emphasis mine). Yes, the “GREATER ONE,” JESUS CHRIST, lives within us. Knowing that, we do not want to ever evaluate ourselves by mere natural descriptors. We should always remember that the greater one, Christ, lives within us.
Yet, there is even more to consider than the fact that Christ lives within. We must also recognize that the same power which raised Christ from the dead, resurrection power, is at work on our behalf. Understanding that, Paul, prayed that God would enlighten the Christians in Ephesus to that reality. Why was it important that the Ephesian Christians receive a revelation of resurrection power at work on their behalf? We perhaps recall 1 Corinthians 2:8 (NKJ), in which Paul stated related to Jesus’ crucifixion, “which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” The leaders of the age, spiritual and natural, thought that crucifying Christ would bring about an end to the challenges He represented to their power and rule. However, due
to their spiritual blindness, what they did not recognize was that Christ’s death on the cross would bring about the very victory they sought to circumvent. For Colossians 2:15 (NKJ) reminds us, “having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it,” it being the cross. The cross, rather than being the end of the challenge Christ represented that the rulers desired, instead, proved to be their undoing. However, their downfall would never have occurred but for the resurrection power of God. What a thought to meditate upon, though the religious leaders and hosts of darkness did everything they could do to bring an end to the threat that Christ represented, God’s resurrection power proved more than sufficient to wreak havoc upon their plans. What they thought would be a lasting solution instead proved to be a momentous miscalculation. And that was so due to the resurrection power of God. Paul, having insight into the resurrection power of God,
recognized the need of the Ephesian Christians to also possess that acumen. So, he prayed that the eyes of their understanding would be enlightened. And what did they receive by that revelation? Doing so, they apprehended that who they were in Christ was monumentally more powerful than who they were in the natural. They understood that, as was true with Christ, those spiritual powers that opposed them were no match for the God whose resurrection power was within and about them. As was needed by the Ephesian Christians, so is it necessary for so many of us today. We need an epiphany of Christ’s resurrection power. Praying for and receiving it, we will no longer allow ourselves to be restricted by natural limitations. Doing so, we will present the world with a living testimony of God’s magnificent power. Doing so, we will walk the earth as the “sons of God” that “creation eagerly waits for” (Rom. 8:19, NKJ). Doing so, we will be empowered to “turn the world upside down” (Acts 17:6, NKJ).
EASTER
SUNDAY
by: Dr. John Roberts
Easter Sunday in the life of the Christian has become something that as it relates to season that often times loses sight of the main goal or to what it really means. Many traditions that we harbor today have very little to with what it should focus upon. Not that what we do thru these traditions are evil irrespective of what some have said, to each their own. It should have a name change in what it's called from Easter to Christ Resurrection day but then the outcry would be ridiculous. Just like this there is another thing that's practiced that need not have any place in our Kingdom reality, and that's called doctrinal wars. Many today have believed certain doctrines and teachings so much that they worship them more than they do the One that spoke Life aka the Word of God into those things they believe. Among them is the doctrine war of the Trinity verses His message on unity. Once again, the outcry against having these doctrinal wars would seem to be more than important than simply accepting the Word of God itself. It's as if many enjoy being argumentative and divided than doing what the Scripture clearly says how we are to love one another. Of some of the most challenging verses regarding this particular doctrinal war is the one found in 1
Timothy 2:5 & 6. It reads, "There is one God. There is one Man standing between God and men. That Man is Christ Jesus. He gave His life for all men so they could go free and not be held by the power of sin. God made this known to the world at the right time." Why is this so challenging? What about these two verses could corelate into or equate towards anything perplexing? The reason is as I stated at the opening is because men for centuries have argued and fought over the most unrelenting and useless doctrinal wars and unless we as a Single Body of Christ cease from this battle it will keep us out of reach of fulfilling our biblical obedience and cause us to be unable
to be the very Body and Bride of Christ as we are expected to be by our Lord. The two verses are challenging because they are mostly read and interpreted thru human intellect and our precursor of ideas. We either visualize thru human conceptional thought or see thru our fleshly understandings at best. Even the very argument of both camps has attempted to use human interception called interpretation using verbal tones that only seem to relate to making their argument winnable. What is missing when we argue with our brother's and sister's in Christ is being and remaining teachable all the while respecting and nominally loving one another as we come to grip with being a good piece of iron who are designed to be sharpened only by another piece of iron. The fact that God thru His Written VOICE has stated without waver that iron cannot sharpen in and of itself it takes another piece of iron to become sharper, which means we must be willing to be taught by another irrespective of the shade, shape, style, or supposition of the other iron. Iron's identification can only be met or identified by another of its own. To focus on the iron and its discrepancies means that you’re not being a piece of iron but a blacksmith, and there is only One
Blacksmith Christ.
namely
Jesus
The
While one side effects the other, and the other (or both) thinks that the opposite is somehow not as smart or not as knowledgeable as they themselves has created this disorder aka doctrinal war. In other words, the argument itself is what's out of order and both do not have the right to divide from the other just because that goes against God's Reality, Truth, and His very Kingdom core. There is not one passage of Scripture that commands us to divide one from another. Therefore, if nothing in the Word of God tells us or speaks to us or alternatively allows us to be divided, then why are we segregating from one another just because we don't believe it their way? And really, come to think of it, are we disagreeing with them because they are wrong or because we are not accepted as being right? Is it about them, the argument, or is it really something closer... Our selfishness to always want to be right? Just like that Easter Bunny, can't give it up, can you? So, let's look and review these two verses individually of both camps too what is real and thereby right. Let's start with the first part of the first verse, "There is ONE God...". With all things considered, this
statement alone seems to settle the argument, but many are so set out to want to be right that they become defensive and put up walls. Now to be fair the other camp will now seek to find any passage that could help validate their beliefs or doctrines. They now turn justification into a self-explanatory reasoning tool in order to be believed in what they say in the camp can only be acceptable. The next part of the first verse will be altered in order to prove themselves right by proving all others wrong. Once again, the argument itself is out of order and really has become the focus. Here comes Peter cottontail, hopping down the bunny trail, hippoty hoppity Easter's on its way. So, let's look at the rest of that first verse. "...There is ONE man standing between God and man, the man Christ Jesus.." How many men? The passage says there is only 1, and that man is Christ Jesus. Notice that the passage didn't say the Man Jesus, or the man known as Jesus, but much rather CHRIST Jesus. Why? Is it really that hard to accept or believe or maybe trust that God is above man? Is it really too tough to conceive or should I say concede to the idea and notion that God is NOT man but GOD? Why is it that we cannot accept that God is in a category all by Himself? Didn't He create man?
Wouldn't that state a position of God to mean that He is more powerful and more than any human just because He created us? His voice is beyond ours, insomuch that it has a positive outcome. When we say we are going to create say light we have to realize that there are risks that we take in order to achieve it? Make a light bulb, screw it in, turn it on for an hour and what happens when try to hold it? Do we not get burned? Are we not damaged by our creation? Do we not have to be respective of what we've made? Ye we do. On the other hand, when God creates light, it is productive. Yes, it can be damaging for instance if we gaze straight into the sun, are we not blinded? So we have come to learn how to respect it, right? In the meantime, we still want to make the Scripture say what we want it to say. We want to have our spiritual cake and eat it, too. Here comes Peter Cottontail... There is another passage of Scripture that says that God was IN CHRIST reconciling the world unto Himself (2 Cor. 5:19). Christ is God. God is Christ. They cannot be separated, they cannot be undone, nor can they be more than the same. So how do we understand this phrase in 1st Timothy when it speaks of something (someone) standing between God and man? The word that helps all this makes sense is the
word "standing." Another word that must be included is the name "Christ." These two words are the keys to understanding this part of the verse. The word "standing" or in the KJV mediator literally means arbitrator. The word standing in the NLV helps us to comprehend what is being said here. A mediator is someone who's action is truly seen as one who stands between. A better phrase that could help us grasp this is a bridge builder, in other words, a tool. The tool is the word "standing" and can be seen in building the bridge between God and man. That bridge is God in an earth suit! It shouldn't be all that hard to realize that God is not man, but it's not that hard to realize that it isn't beyond God's capability to not only create man but wear what He created in order to bridge the gap. God is wearing an earth suit and is not only capable but very able and powerful. He is powerful enough to be everywhere, everyplace, and with every whoever on the planet at the same time in and throughout all time! God is ALL and IN ALL. The amazing truth about God is that there is no other, nor any other like Him. The argument should not exist, because who are we (humanity God's creation) to place God into the box of our conceptions. God was not made in our images, we were made
in His and in His likeness, but not God! Tell me, what was God created after? We are not all that and a bag of chips. Hop hop hop. We are humanity, made in an imagery thru a mirror that we can be in likeness of, but not like! God doesn't clone Himself; he makes anew. Since God is not only able to make Himself a set of clothes (humanity), He is quite capable of putting them on. This is what this passage of Scripture is referencing. Let's re-read that first verse again. "There is one God..."; there is not two, nor three, there is ONLY ONE! Also, there is only one that stands firm building a bridge, making it possible for man and man's Creator to have once again that which was lost. It wasn't that man in of himself was lost to God, He is God. He knows everything, doesn't He? Then He should know where each and every one of us are, correct? So, God WHO IS ONE Who is ALL AND IN ALL, IS ALSO STANDING between man and Himself restoring man, saving THAT which was lost, not WHO which was lost. God was restoring RELATIONSHIP! He was saving our family's heritage and our family's identity. He was repairing the image and rebuilding the likeness! He was making repairs to the glass that mirrors His image! He was fixing the relationship.
God has the strength to do this, because He is not man, yet He has worn man's clothes. God said that we shall have no other gods before Him. Isaiah the prophet quoted God in saying, "I am the LORD, and there is no other, besides me there is no God; I equip you, though you do not know me," God is revealing in these two verses supported by Isaiah of who He is. However, these two camps have exploited them for their own selfish ambition to be proven right, instead of being a good piece of iron and allow themselves to be sharpened. This is only the first verse of the two. What is in the 2nd? It reads, "He gave His life for all men so they could go free and not be held by the power of sin. God made this known to the world at the right time." The phrase, "He gave His life..." has been totally agreed upon as a reference to the cross. Although it was the cross that was the instrument used to open the door for eternity's bridge to be built, it wasn't the bridge, Jesus was and is the bridge. Again, the focus was on the tool (cross) and not the cross. The phrase is much more. The previous verse speaks of God being ONE, and that He (One) wore only ONE suit of humanity. To speak of that phrase just to reference the cross would be sublime if that it
were only the truth. However, listen again to the words of that verse, "He gave His life..." God is literally speaking of and describing to what the bridge looks like. Have you ever thought about what God's life is? The Bible says concerning us that our life is IN THE BLOOD. We were created in His image, and in His likeness. The Blood to us is the Life to Him. God's Blood is LIFE! This is why there are so many passages that speak to us of what NOT to do with blood. God looks at His life just like we do ours, we want to live it, too! Here we go, hopping down the bunny trail. The phrase is what ties the two verses together, and that is the Life of God. Let's continue the second verse. God gave His own BLOOD (LIFE) to build the bridge between Him and His creation that makes a stand. He gave His own life FOR ALL MEN. Why? Let's continue the verse to find out that answer. Why? "...so they could go free and not be held by the power of sin,..." or the rebelling away from the relationship God has for us. In order to prove all of this, GOD would make known, "...to the world at the right time." You see, God is not about taking sides of His people in the camps of disagreement and doctrinal war. On the contrary, God is about unity and oneness, because God is ONE and
BESIDE HIM, THERE IS NO OTHER! How hard is it to let down your guard, and let down your pitchforks of anger, and staves of hate? All you had to do was be a good piece of iron and remain teachable allowing Him to be the School Master. ? The one who knows the lessons, who gives the test, and sharpens each and every one of us is the same one that has taken the test and has aced it! God isn't about Bunny's or eggs. Yes, all that's fun and ok, but God wants from us to be
obedient vessels allowing our lives with His LIFE within to be used for His glory, not to glorify the cute season that Easter has become. No don't stop coloring eggs, those little soon n upcoming Saints of God need a history to enjoy and memorize, but not immortalize. Happy Easter.
by: Krissy Webb
Jesus was killed on the cross, laid to rest in a tomb, and then rose from the dead. As we read in 1 Corinthians 15:3 Paul the Apostle stated: "Christ died for our sins." It all goes back to the Garden of Eden with Adam, Eve, the Serpent, and that Apple. Because of this sin that was made in the garden, God himself sent His only begotten Son to Earth to die on the cross so we could have eternal life. (John 3:16) Jesus paid our debt for us. Jesus humbled Himself, and He gave himself up for us. Because of this, we as Christians have a purpose here on this earth. That is to reach out to our own gifts to everyone and feed the Word of Christ into them. This brings them to know Christ. In 1 Corinthians 15:12-26 it states: 12 But
tell me this—since we preach that Christ rose from the dead, why are some of you saying there will be no resurrection of the dead? 13 For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless. 15 And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. 16 And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. 18 In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! 19 And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world. 20 But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died. 21 So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. 22 Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life.
23 But
there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back. 24 After that the end will come, when he will turn the Kingdom over to God the Father, having destroyed every ruler and authority and power. 25 For Christ must reign until he humbles all his enemies beneath his feet. 26 And the last enemy to be destroyed is death. If there wasn't more to the resurrection of Jesus, then we would have no purpose in life. How depressing would life be if you just walked this earth till you died and then nothing else happened? No one would have the motivation to do anything. Each one of us would be alone in this world. This comes from personal experience for me. I walked through a 15-year wilderness of Anxiety, Panic Attacks, and Depression. Worried all the time of the "what if's" and the "how comes." I was scared I would die. If I died and they buried me, would that be it? How could I see or breathe under all that dirt? Maybe I could be buried in one of those house type things they build sometimes for people. They could put a light and a window in it, so I could see and breathe. This was my mentality at that time. I didn't want to leave my house or any of my family to leave and go anywhere either. My mind was full of negative thoughts. The enemy kept whispering in my ear like he did to Eve. You're going to die and then you will be alone and everyone else will move on with life. No one could talk me out of it. I was taken to many doctors and many tests ran. In the darkest part of these years, I spent a whole year on my bathroom floor. Staring up at the ceiling I would be in physical and mental pain with no rest from any of it. Wondering why I was even still alive. No exposure to the light except for my phone and social media. This is one time where social media actually was used in a positive way. I mean come on as it was brought to my attention that even some phones have an emblem of an apple on them. How weak would the enemy be if we used these devices for good and to feed the Word for all to read. I had this one special friend (love you Genice) that fed me the Word of Christ. She would read my texts of negativity and she would respond with loving words like You can do all things through Christ who strengthens you. God is your avenger! No weapon formed against you will prosper. This is where my salvation began. After a long journey of being fed the word did I start to come around. I started seeking out more. Reading Psalms 23 over and over again pacing back and forth in my house. "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He
leads me in paths of righteousness for His name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever." My husband and I found a home church, Heartland Worship Center. There Pastor Jerry started counseling my husband and me. Then April 5, 2015, I was baptized. Dead to sin; Alive in Christ. I had a second chance. A type of resurrection for me here on earth. My dry bones awoke and started to walk again. Ezekiel 37: 1 The
LORD took hold of me, and I was carried away by the Spirit of the LORD to a valley filled with bones. 2 He led me all around among the bones that covered the valley floor. They were scattered everywhere across the ground and were completely dried out. 3 Then he asked me, “Son of man, can these bones become living people again?” “O Sovereign LORD,” I replied, “you alone know the answer to that.” 4 Then he said to me, “Speak a prophetic message to these bones and say, ‘Dry bones, listen to the word of the LORD! 5 This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Look! I am going to put breath into you and make you live again! 6 I will put flesh and muscles on you and cover you with skin. I will put breath into you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’” 7 So I spoke this message, just as he told me. Suddenly as I spoke, there was a rattling noise all across the valley. The bones of each body came together and attached themselves as complete skeletons. 8 Then as I watched, muscles and flesh formed over the bones. Then skin formed to cover their bodies, but they still had no breath in them. 9 Then he said to me, “Speak a prophetic message to the winds, son of man. Speak a prophetic message and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come, O breath, from the four winds! Breathe into these dead bodies so they may live again.’” 10 So I spoke the message as he commanded me, and breath came into their bodies. They all came to life and stood up on their feet—a great army.
11 Then
he said to me, “Son of man, these bones represent the people of Israel. They are saying, ‘We have become old, dry bones—all hope is gone. Our nation is finished.’ 12 Therefore, prophesy to them and say, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I will open your graves of exile and cause you to rise again. Then I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 When this happens, O my people, you will know that I am the LORD. 14 I will put my Spirit in you, and you will live again and return home to your own land. Then you will know that I, the LORD, have spoken, and I have done what I said. Yes, the LORD has spoken!’” I am surrounded by the arms of the Father. All because Christ died on that cross for me. Since that day I have my hope and joy back. This is why Jesus died on that cross and rose. He did it for me, he did it for you, and he did it for all the others in the world that will come to know him. So we could live!
Uriah
by: Wendell Phillips ‘Phil’ Berwick
Very early morning, hoping for a cot in front of St Louis' Biddle House homeless shelter.
Merferd is loved among St Louis' homeless. Many call me Merferd. Uriah had wanted one.
Uriah sharing his heart.
Uriah
It was a raining night of a raining week when I awoke at 4:00 a.m. and drove to St Louis’ “Biddle House”, the city’s answer to closing down the New Life Evangelistic Center’s 200 bed homeless shelter. The government’s Biddle House has a capacity of 100 cots, a hundred short of what was needed on this night. There were a dozen men and a couple women lining up in the early hours for a cot. The doors were open at 5:00 and check-in began at 6:00. None who waited got a cot. I handed out seed bags that the W. a. Rice Seed Company of Jerseyville Illinois donated, and that a friend of mine, Barry Tonsor had obtained and delivered. These durable weather proof sacks are made to hold 2,000 lbs of seed and are more durable than a tent, especially for a human being sleeping on a sidewalk. I got to have conversation with a young man named Uriah. I asked if he knew who the Uriah in the Bible was. He knew that he was associated with David. I explained how King David had ordered Uriah back from battle to sleep with his wife, in order that it would appear that his wife Bathsheba, had become pregnant with her husband’s child. For it was King David who had impregnated her in adultery. I described how Uriah could not bring himself to accept this privilege the King had
photo by Trenton Harris given while his comrades were at war, but had refused, and slept at the palace entrance on the ground instead. As I came to this place in the story I got choked up; for ‘homeless’ Uriah would be sleeping on the ground again this night. I told him that he was named after one of the most noble men in the Bible. I drew him a Merferd and we went across the street for breakfast together. After parting and during my drive home, I pondered that though David performed great exploits, was a “man after God’s own heart”, had been the brave shepherd who had killed a lion, a bear, and a giant, and had written most of the book of Psalms, the most famous king of Israel, of whom half of all Jewish orthodox families have a son named after....I’d someday walk through
that heavenly palace gate, past David, and shake the hand of Uriah. Though the account of him was small, what he did was large. And
I’m thinking his mansion is bigger than David’s. The Uriah I have befriended won’t be sleeping on the ground in his tent forever either.
"Inasmuch as you have done it to one of the least of these my brothers, you have done it to me. " Mathew 25:40
by: Ernest Nelson K. Nanor
“39 See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have." 40 And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?" 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate before them.” (Luke 24:39-43, ESV) One major thing that binds every Christian throughout the world to Christ is our faith in Him. In John, our faith is recognized as our victory! Faith does not bind Christians alone to their loving Father God, through Christ, but also binds the whole world. In Hebrews 11:3 it says, “By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.” (ESV) Think about this very carefully: Was it possible for me to know and believe that the whole visible world around me was created in only six days by God, when I was not exposed to the sacred scriptures of the Jewish law and prophets? Was it possible for me to know and believe that God parted the sea into two, making a dry land to appear in the midst for His people to walk in it, if the word of God had not said so? How about when Jesus Christ walked on the water, or when He was crucified as the atonement for our sins? If it was possible for me to know and to believe in these things, then it is impossible for me to believe that Jesus Christ was human after the resurrection. He said, “see My hands and my feet!” But we need to also understand that the resurrected form of His body was both human, or natural and supernatural at the same time. The Bible says, “On the
evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” (John 20:19, ESV). So, while His natural form, which had flesh and bone was hungry and ate fish and honey (Luke 24:39-42), His supernatural form could appear from one side of a locked door, to the other side. (John 20:19-20 NLT). The only thing that could enable us to remove our faith in His resurrection would be to as Thomas, who received no blessing of his doubt. It was when Thomas was reminded that he had been taught many times to believe without seeing, that he embraced the truth of the resurrection of Jesus. If we must see His hands and His feet as Thomas did for us to believe that Jesus could relate to our humanity after His resurrection, then we are not making progress in the faith. We are experiencing what we call “a diminishing return” in our faith. Seeing His hands and His feet would be a very remarkable experience, but not
for the believing, but rather for the unbelieving! The believing rests completely in the words of Jesus without any doubt. One thing that differentiates between the two thieves who hanged on the cross next to Jesus on the day He was crucified, was faith in what Jesus said. The unbelief of one asked Jesus to jump from His cross to save Himself. One of the thieves asked Jesus to save him, while the faith of the other asked Jesus to remember him in His Kingdom, even though they were all on their individual crosses. Jesus is not expecting the Church to believe only in His fully-human, fully-God quality, but rather, He wants all of us throughout the world to recognize Him as the promised Messiah according to the sacred writings of the Jewish law and prophets. Let us think about some things that He did in the past and the present to prove Himself as Messiah, long before His death. In order to understand Him concerning why He is fully-human and fully-God after His resurrection, we need to look at Matthew 14:25-27 and Luke 24:13-17. “25 And in the fourth watch of the night he
came to them, walking on the sea. 26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, "It is a ghost!" and they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.” (Matthew 14:25-27, ESV) “13 That very day two of them were going
to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14 and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, "What is this conversation that you are
holding with each other as you walk?" And they stood still, looking sad. 18 Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, "Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?" 19 And he said to them, "What things?" And they said to him, "Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. 22 Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, 23 and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see." 25 And he said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?" 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.” (Luke 24:13-27, ESV)
Dr. Bill has several shows each week. Wednesday at 10:00 AM – Central Time - Take Another Look Thursday at 10:00 AM – Central Time – Rightly Dividing Truth Thursday at 6:00 PM – Central Time – Kingdom Dynamics Friday at 10:00 AM – Central Time – Friday Morning Conversations Friday at 1:00 PM – Central Time – School of Ministry
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JOIN DR. BILL EVERY FRIDAY MORNING AT 10 AM CENTRAL. ON THIS SHOW SOMETIMES HE WILL HAVE A GUEST, OTHER TIMES IT WILL JUST BE HIM. BUT IT WILL ALWAYS BE A GREAT, CUTTING-EDGE WORD!
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When I publish our magazine so that they can be purchased in print, the publisher now wants us to put “3� places where a book can be purchased at Amazon.com on each book advertisement that we post where they can be purchased. So, instead of doing this, I will just say here that most of the books, unless otherwise noted, can be purchased at: AMAZON.COM, KINDLE Direct, and/or CreateSpace Direct
These books were written by Leon Gosiewski’s
This book was written by Dave Kachele
This book was written by: Amos C. Long III
Ernest Kweku Nanor, Author from Ghana
After the death of Joshua, the Bible says that a Generation came which did not know God nor regarded Him as God. Right after those generations was the generation that Gideon was born in. God is about to raise Some disciples like Gideon and all the other through this book and it will help you to keep your head up on God without fainting!
These books were written by: Stuart E. Smith
SEEKING TO WIN AND HEART OF A CHAMPION ARE THE SAME BOOK WITH JUST A NEW COVER.
These books were written by Pastor Ron and Pastor Ryan Sutton
These books, INCLUDING THE NEWEST, “Guardians of the Glory are written by Larry Thompson
Streams of Glory Podcast By Streams of Glory Ministries https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast /streams-of-glorypodcast/id985879326?mt=2
Listen to Larry’s Podcasts here!
These books were all written by: Tom Tompkin
These books were all written by: John Woolston
You won’t want to miss John Woolston’s 2 Newest Book, Evangelism Outside the Sanctuary and The Devil’s Thorn
Please remember, Father God’s love is unconditional. Pray for all the victims around the world that have been affected by flooding, fires, and other things. That is our job, our responsibility‌to help the hurting. Romans 8:19-23 (NKJV) 19 For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it in hope; 20
because the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 21
For we know that the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs together until now. 22
Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body. 23
WE ARE HERE TO HELP THE HURTING