I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. (Psalm 34:10)
David was a man who had the experience of praising the Lord at all times. He sought God even while he was young. Problems and burdens did come in His life. Yet, he went on praising and worshipping the Lord at all times. The situations and circumstances could not stop him from abiding in his God and praising Him. This made God take complete charge of his life. He set him up on a rock so that no one could hurt him. He gave him all honour and glory in his life and lifted him up. He saved him from his enemies in a wonderful way and honoured him (Psalm 124:6).
A daily wage earner lived a godly life and lived a life that pleased the Lord. He abided in God and would praise and thank Him always. Some people did not like this. They were against him and to some extent, they were jealous also. So, they troubled him in many ways with the intension to make him stop praising the Lord. But, this could not deter and discourage him. The more they opposed and gave him troubles, the more he praised and thanked the Lord. So, one day, they thrashed him and wounded him. Some good Samaritans took him and admitted him into a hospital. In the hospital instead of crying and groaning, he repeatedly said, “Thank You Lord Jesus! Thank You for saving my life!” Inspite of the pain and agony in his body, he remained in the presence of God and his lips continued to praise God. The Lord Who’s enthroned in the praises (Psalm 22:3), filled his room with His presence. The Lord who heals, gave him complete healing from his wounds (Exodus 15:26). Now, he began to praise and thank God more vigorously than before for the glory of the name of the Lord.
My dearly beloved! Many people in this world may try to trouble you and destroy you. But, as long as you have the praising lips, none can harm you. The psalmist David who always praised the Lord says, “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praises shall continually be in my mouth.” (Psalm 34:1)The Lord gave him victory over his enemies and blessed him. The offering of thanks and praises will bring the presence of God in your midst. This will save you and deliver you and give you victory (1 Corinthians 15:57).
Whoever offers praise glorifies Me.(Psalm 50:23)
Beloved! The whole world is full of evil. So the people are selfish, cruel and unreliable in their ways. They spend their time and strength in their ways trying to please men and to destroy one another. But the Bible says, “Do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 4:11).
“Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men” (Colossians 3:23).
God has chosen us and we should always do things that please the Lord and that glorifies Him. The Bible says, “Whoever offers praise glorifies Me” (Psalm 50:23).
When we do so, He will take great delight in us. Therefore, let us be grateful to Him and honour Him always. Let us learn to thank Him for His providence and goodness in our lives.
The Lord says, “Those who honor Me I will honor” (1 Samuel 2:30). He also emphatically says, “I will not give My glory to another” (Isaiah 48:11; 42:8). Honouring God is very important. We should honour Him with our talents, wisdom and everything and glorify Him. “Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ephesians 5:20).
A young girl loved God, and she would praise and thank Him whole heartedly aloud for every blessing she received from Him. Due to this, her sisters and classmates thought she was an eccentric person. She did not care about their remarks about her but continued to praise and glorify God. God was pleased with her attitude that she boldly thanked and praised Him for His blessings. He made her wise and intelligent and she began to shine in her studies. Soon, this average student stood first in her studies to the amazement of her classmates. They realized the greatness of honouring and glorifying God and they too were drawn to Christ.
Beloved! Make a decision to give honour and glory to the Lord for His goodness and mercy in your life. God will be pleased with you and as you honour Him, He will honour you and bless you abundantly.
May the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. (1 Peter 5:10)
Dear Friend, afflictions are the times when one’s true self is exposed. The Bible speaks of Job who feared God and shunned evil. So God blessed him immensely with exceeding riches and wealth that he was the greatest man of the East. God was proud of Job but the devil could not bear to see him blessed and prosper. He said to the Lord, “Stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face!” The Lord said, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person” Satan destroyed all his children and his possessions and everything that belonged to him. But in all his agony and pain he did not curse God nor spoke against him. Satan was defeated.
Satan went to the Lord again and said, “Stretch out Your hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will surely curse You to Your face!” The Lord said to him, “Behold, he is in your hand, but spare his life. So satan struck Job with painful boils from his head to his feet. He scratched his body with potsherd and his wife told him to curse God and die. But Job held fast to his integrity and said, “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord” (Job 1:21). He said to his wife, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips. Job remained faithful to God both in good times and in bad times of his life and did not quit following Him in his afflictions. God blessed him by restoring all he had lost in a double fold manner in the end.
Dear Friend, when we face troubles we run away from the Lord instead of running to Him. God afflicts us for our good. We should thank and praise God for afflictions. The Bible says, “We know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28). So do not grumble but thank and praise God in your afflictions. The Bible says, “May the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you” (1 Peter 5:10). Friend, fear the Lord and walk in His ways. Do not quit following Him when you face afflictions but hold onto Him and praise Him. The Lord will deliver you and bless you mightily.
Start the every day with Reading the Bible and Praying; So that Lord Jesus will take care of your needs and will let you know the path you need to follow.
Even word of God very usefull to Lord Jesus Christ Himself when he lived on this earth. For example, when started his ministry by fasting fourty Days and Night, the tempter devil came and tempt him by three things as we read from the following verses,
Matthew 4: 3-11
“3. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
4. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
5. Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
6. And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
7. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
8. Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;
9. And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
10. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
11. Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.”
Jesus won all three satan’s test by using the word of God. From this Jesus teaches us how important the “Word of God” is. So reading and meditating the word of God daily helps you overcome the sin and make you stand firm on the Lord Jesus’ Path. So that we can inherit the Eternal life by Living a holy Life before the Lord God and Men of the world. Not only in inheriting the eternal life also leads us to walk in the Lord’s plan on us.
So Read the bible and Pray daily
Is Jesus Christ the Only Way to Heaven?
The direct answer is yes, Jesus is the only way into heaven. There is no other way.
The question that lingers is, “How do we arrive at that conclusion?”
Well, it boils down to a matter of choice, your choice. These days we talk a lot about choice. We discuss all types of choices: abortion, premarital relations, school choice, lifestyle, vocation, etc., etc. In the universe, we may choose anything we wish. Some choices are good, some bad. Some choices are legal. Some are illegal.
But we have many choices. The great thing about choice is that it is an individual privilege. No one else can make our choices for us. We must make our own choices. Some choices are leisurely choices and some are required choices. The leisurely choices might be to choose what outfit to wear today or where to go out to dinner. But the required choices are more difficult. We must choose whether to be a productive member of society or not. That choice is mandatory. There is no way around it. Either we become good citizens or we do not. We each have to make that choice.
There is another required choice that every one of us must make. We must choose to believe in God or we must choose not to. Everyone must make that choice. There is no way around it. How we feel about and what we do about God is a required choice. Choosing to do nothing about it is still a choice. It is the choice not to follow God.
I believe that the most important choice we must make is whether or not to believe in Jesus Christ. But that choice may be predicated by other choices. One of those choices is about the Bible. We must individually decide, or choose to believe (or not to believe) that the Bible is truly God’s words. If it is truly the words of God, then we must do what it says if we are to be acceptable to God.
I say that it is a personal choice whether or not to believe in the Bible. There are many voices out there with things to say about the Bible. Some, like me, believe it is the inspired words of God without any error. That is, it was written by men inspired of God and they wrote precisely in every detail what God wanted them to write. There are those who say that the Bible is good literature and that it is worthy of examination because it is good literature. But they reject the idea that it is God’s words. Some say the Bible is a book of mythology and not of God. Some also say it is a work of history—the history of the Israelites. Others say that it is simply the superstitions of the Israelite peoples and cannot be trusted to be accurate. There are some, claiming to be people of God, who say that God’s words are to be found in the Bible, yet it is not without error. And some religious types say it contains the words of God but not every word is from God. There are many other ideas about the Bible floating around, but these are the most prevalent ones.
Those voices are all striving for your attention. The bottom line is still that it is your choice. If you choose to believe that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant words of God, then you will understand that Jesus is the only way. If you reject that it is God’s words, then you have no basis to believe that Jesus is the only way.
Let me try to influence you. First a philosophical point of view. If there really is a God who created everything including you and me, then would he not have provided a way for us to know Him? If there is not a God, then this is a moot point. But the statistics show that the vast, vast majority of people believe that there is a God. Even the agnostics acknowledge that God may exist. Many atheists really secretly believe in God. I know. I was a professing atheist. But I always knew in some corner of my mind that I was being dishonest to myself. There was always the knowledge of God in my subconscious.
So, if there is a God, and the great majority of us believe there is, then why would we hesitate to believe that He has spoken to us? And if he has spoken to us, then the Bible is the most likely place He did so. Why?
The answer to that question has spawned volumes. But let me quickly outline a few areas of proof that the Bible is indeed God’s Word.
1. The historicity of the Bible. As archaeology has progressed in the last three centuries (19th, 20th, and 21st) it has proven over and over that the accounts in the Bible are historically accurate. Let me give two brief examples. 1.) The Bible tells us that Abraham came from the city of Ur. Ur was considered to be a myth for centuries. Then in the early part of the 20th Century, Sir Leonard Woolley of the British Museum and his staff of archaeologists unearthed the city of Ur, proving its existence. Prior to the expedition directed by Woolley, another British Museum archaeologist named J.E. Taylor began to dig at the site of Ur. It is now an accepted fact that Ur was a real historical city in the trans-Euphrates area, which is the location in which the Bible places it. 2.) The Biblical story of Jericho (about the walls falling) was also considered to be a myth. Yet in the 1950’s, Dame Kathleen Kenyon, an extraordinary archaeologist named Honorary Director of the British School of Archaeology in Jerusalem proved that the walls of Jericho collapsed just as the Bible says. Here is a quote from her excavation report: “The destruction was complete. Walls and floors were blackened or reddened by fire, and every room was filled with fallen bricks, timbers, and household utensils; in most rooms the fallen debris was heavily burnt.” There are numerous other examples of archaeology proving the accuracy of the Bible.
2. The unity of the Bible. The Bible consists of sixty-six books written over a period of fifteen hundred years by forty different writers. These men did not know each other because they were many times separated by many years; even centuries; even millennia. They could not get together and collaborate to produce such a cohesive work. They did not fabricate it. These writers came from many different walks of life and classes of society. Some were poor, some rich, some powerful, some weak. Some were prophets, some historians, some poets, some farmers, some very wise, and some not as wise. Some were kings, some lowly subjects. Some were respected; some were reviled. They came from all classes, cultures, and experiences. Yet they are in complete agreement. The Bible is a cohesive, relevant, and up to date collection of writings. The Author of the Bible is Almighty God. It is His letter to us, His people. It is a complex living organism whose elements are interlocked, interwoven, and interdependent. God used men who had different personalities and different writing styles. But even so, the Bible is complete, organized, unified, and consistent.
3. Fulfilled Prophecy. There are many prophecies in the Old Testament fulfilled by Jesus. Psalm 22 tells us about His hands and feet being pierced, about the soldiers casting lots for His clothing, and about His being reviled on the cross. Jesus actually quotes from Psalm 22 on the cross. David wrote Psalm 22 almost 1000 years before Christ was crucified. Isaiah tells us how he would be wounded for our transgressions. That prophecy was fulfilled when He was scourged, beaten, and crucified. Micah tells us that He was to be born in Bethlehem, which He was. Daniel wrote his prophecy around 500 years before Christ was born. Daniel predicted the birth of Christ to the exact year. He said that the Messiah would be born 483 years after Cyrus decreed the rebuilding of Jerusalem. That is precisely when Christ was born. He predicted the fall of Jerusalem to the Romans in 70 AD. Daniel accurately predicted Alexander’s conquest of the world and how his generals split up his empire among themselves. He predicted how Antiochus Epiphanes would come in and fight against Jerusalem and desecrate the altar of God. His most awesome prophecy was that the four major world empires would rise and fall. He predicted Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome. Every prediction that Daniel made came true with the exception of those that are scheduled for future fulfillment. The Bible has a 100% accuracy rate on prophecies coming true. This fact alone should sway any doubter.
4. The scientific accuracy of the Bible. Solomon said that the earth is a globe: Proverbs 8:27 “When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth:” Isaiah 40:22 “It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain, and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in:” Job said that the earth hangs in space: Job 26:7 “He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, and hangeth the earth upon nothing.” Solomon affirmed the hydrology of the earth: Ecclesiastes 1:6-7 “The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits. {7} All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full; unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.” When Job said that the morning stars sang together, he was scientifically accurate. When sensors are aimed at stars, it has been found that the light they emit can be turned into sound. The sound is musical. And when different stars are checked, it is found that the sounds they make all harmonize*!
If, after reading these things you do not believe that the Bible is the true and inspired words of God, there is little more I can do to persuade you. Again it is your choice. If you choose not to believe that the Bible is God’s Word, then I have no argument to prove to you that Jesus is the only way to heaven. But if you choose to believe that the Bible is God’s Word then I can show you the verses that prove that Jesus is the only way to heaven. Heaven is where God the Father is.
Here are some verses stating that Christ is the only way to heaven:
John 14:6 [Jesus speaking] “I am the way, the truth, and the life: No man cometh unto the father, but by me”.
Acts 4:12 [Peter telling the crowd about Jesus] “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”
1 John 2:23 “Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.”
Romans 5:21 “That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.”
1 John 5:11 “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.”
John 3:16-18 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. {17} For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. {18} 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.”
Jesus is the only way to go into the presence of God. God is sinless and cannot allow sin in His presence because it would stain Him. For example, if you have twelve eggs that are fresh, you have a perfectly fresh dozen eggs. But if you take one out and put in a rotten egg, then you no longer have a perfectly fresh dozen eggs. You have twelve eggs but the dozen is polluted. It is the same with God. He is perfect. If anyone who is not perfect comes into His presence, His perfection is sullied. He cannot and will not allow that to happen.
The Bible tells us that the payment we must make for sin is death. If we sin we must die to pay for that sin. There is no work we can do on this earth to make up for our sins. We are doomed. Like the verse above says, we are already condemned.
The Bible says, in Hebrews 9:22, “And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.” In other words, only the death and spilling of the blood of a substitute victim will allow our sins to be forgiven. In the Old Testament they killed bulls and goats and the blood shed by the animals gave temporary forgiveness and the sacrifices had to be made over and over. But Jesus, the perfect, sinless Son of God gave his life and shed His blood for the remission of sins. He became our substitute victim. If we believe that He did that we are forgiven by the blood He shed. Jesus died on the cross, shedding His own blood for the world. But unlike the bulls and goats, Jesus died and God raised Him from the dead. He is alive today, now, this very second. His blood no longer needs to be shed. He died and shed His blood once for all and His blood never needs to be spilled again like the blood of the bulls and goats.
No one else has shed His blood for us, not Mohammed, not Buddha, not anyone. And not one of the founders of any religion is alive today. Only Christ, who founded Christianity, is alive today. He is the only one to shed His blood for all and then be raised from the death. He is the only way to get to heaven. There is no other. The Bible says so. If you have chosen to believe the Bible, it is the Bible that tells us Jesus is the only way.
Source: bibleword.org
If you have faith and do not doubt …if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done.(Matthew 21:21)
Beloved! When the Lord Jesus Christ was on this earth, He blessed all those who trusted God. He told the sinful woman who fell at His feet with a great faith, “Your faith has saved you. Go in peace” (Luke 7:50). He healed the woman with an issue of blood for twelve years who touched the hem of His garment in faith. He said, “Daughter! Be of good cheer! Your faith has made you well. Go in peace” (Luke 8:48).
When Martha doubted whether her dead brother would come back to life, she spoke in disbelief to Jesus. But He looked at her and said, “If you would believe you would see the glory of God” (John 11:40). It is only through our faith, we can overcome the world (1 John 5:4)
A servant of God had the prophetical gift operating in him mightily. So as led by the Spirit of God, he would call out the names of people and reveal about their life and their future during prayer time in his public meetings. A woman who saw these miracles did not believe them. She said to herself, “Are these really true?” One day, she had to go in search of her pastor to seek his prayers for her personal problems. But the pastor had gone to attend the meeting of the servant of God whom she criticised. As she went there to see her pastor, the servant of God called her name and prophesied the purpose for which she had come there, about the condition of her life and how God would solve her problems and bless her. She was surprised as to how God had revealed these things exactly to him. She cried saying, “Alas! It is a shame that I thought very low of this great and divine power!” She repented from her disbelief.
Beloved! The Lord is alive today and will perform miracles as He performed when He was in this world. There is nothing impossible with the Lord and just believe in Him. The Lord says, “… if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done.” (Matthew 21:21). So believe in the Lord and you shall witness His mighty miracle working power manifest in your life.
Instead of your shame you shall have double honor, and instead of confusion they shall rejoice in their portion. Therefore in their land they shall possess double; everlasting joy shall be theirs.(Isaiah 1:7)
Beloved! When we follow Christ, we may have to face trials, sufferings and tribulations but the Lord will crown us with honour and joy.
In the Bible we see that David often had to go through many humiliations in his life. His own son Absolam rose against him. When King Saul saw God was on the side of David, he became jealous and sought ways to kill him. Then Shimei, cursed David continuously and threw stones at him. Inspite of all these insults and humiliations, David did not lose heart but put all his faith on God alone (Psalm 40:17). David said, “I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth” (Psalm 34:1). Yes, David continued to praise God at all times.
A God fearing mother spent all her time in bringing up her only son in the best possible way. Her only desire was to see him become a great person who walked with God. Unfortunately, when this boy became a young man, he denied God. He used harsh words against his mother and hurt her. In college he joined a bad company of friends and wasted time and money with them and became irregular in his studies. His mother was heart broken and did not know what to do with him. Yet she clung to God, stayed in His presence and poured out her heart to Him. She was always filled with divine peace. God answered her prayers and brought a change in her son’s heart. He realized his wrong ways and she made her son realize her true love for him and helped him to draw near to God. He became a child of God and started shining in his studies and won gold medals. God enabled her to forget the words of the relatives and friends who spoke ill of her son to her and honoured her where she was disgraced.
Beloved, are you living in reproach and disgrace because of your love for the Lord Jesus Christ? Do not be discouraged! The Bible says, “Instead of your shame you shall have double honor, and instead of confusion they shall rejoice in their portion. Therefore in their land they shall possess double; everlasting joy shall be theirs” (Isaiah 61:7). Continue to holdfast to the Lord and very soon He shall clothe you with double honour and crown you with everlasting joy.
Make us glad according to the days in which You have afflicted us, the years in which we have seen evil.(Psalm 90:15)
The Bible says, “Blessed is the man who fears the Lord, who delights greatly in His commandments. His descendants will be mighty on earth; the generation of the upright will be blessed. Wealth and riches will be in his house, and his righteousness endures forever” (Psalm 112:1-3).
The Lord Jesus Christ desires to bless you with riches and wealth and your descendants shall be mightily blessed on earth. He will put an end to all your days of battling with the enemy and blessings shall abound in your life.
When the Lord was in this world, He visited families and blessed them. Once, Lord Jesus Christ and His disciples were invited to a wedding in Cana. His mother Mary also attended the wedding. The host ran out of wine and Mary expressed their concern to Jesus Christ. Then she told the servants to do whatever He told them to do. There were six huge waterpots of stone and He told the servants to fill them with water. He then turned the water into wine. When the master of the feast was offered the newly made wine, he exclaimed that it tasted the best and wondered as how the best wine was saved till the end (John 2:1-10). This was the first miracle that the Lord did in His ministry.
He turned the water into wine in their insufficiency and blessed them. Wherever the presence of the Lord is, there will be blessings.
Friend, you may be battered in life and wonder what to do with no way out of your problems. Surrender your life to the Lord and He shall dwell with you. His presence will crush the forces of the enemy and bring down blessings in your life. Moses sought the Lord and asked Him to fill the Israelites and him with joy to the days of their suffering in the wilderness. He says, “Make us glad according to the days in which You have afflicted us, the years in which we have seen evil” (Psalm 90:15). The Lord will also fill your days with happiness to the days of agony and sufferings in your life. So give Him your life today and He shall fill you with joy and peace.
Jesus is God – What does the Bible say about Jesus’ deity?
Does the Bible, which is the earliest and most historically reliable source, actually say Jesus is God? What does it tell us about Jesus and His identity?
Let’s take a brief look at a few of the many passages that clearly and consistently answer that question, straight from the pages of Scripture. We’ll begin by going back an additional 700 years before the life of Christ, to the Old Testament book of Isaiah.
Jesus is God – Prophecies
- Divine Messiah predicted in the Old Testament
Isaiah 7:14: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”"Immanuel” literally means: “God with us.” See also Matthew 1:23; Jesus was “God with us.”
- This Messiah would be born a human son, but have a higher nature
Isaiah 9:6: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”This was a radical statement coming from a monotheistic Jewish prophet — especially calling a human being “Mighty God”; but one that God fulfilled centuries later in Christ.
- A couple hundred years later, but still more than half a millennium before Jesus walked the earth, more was predicted about the Messiah’s divine nature
Daniel 7:13-14: “There before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven . . . He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”"Son of Man” was the primary title Jesus used for Himself — and this passage shows that this was a clear and strong claim of deity. And in Mark, the earliest of the four Gospels, He also included the unmistakable phrase, “coming on the clouds of heaven” and applied it to Himself (Mark 14:62). His listeners got the point, refused to believe it, and added it to their reasons to try to kill Him.
Jesus is God – His Earthly Ministry
- The baby Jesus worshiped by the Magi
Matthew 2:11: “On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him.”Along with being led to the site where Jesus was born, these Magi were apparently informed by God about Jesus’ divine identity, and so they responded appropriately by worshiping Him.
- Jesus accepted worship from His
Matthew 14:32-33: “And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, ‘Truly you are the Son of God.’”In a Jewish culture, only the one true God can be worshiped; their actions show that they acknowledged Jesus as being divine. And Jesus didn’t correct them or say, “Don’t you realize that I’m just a mortal prophet? Stop worshiping me!” Rather, He accepted their worship, knowing He really was God in human flesh.
- Jesus’ claim about
John 8:58-59: “‘I tell you the truth,’ Jesus answered, ‘before Abraham was born, I am!’ At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.”This is a powerful double claim from Jesus: first, that He pre-existed His human birth and was actually alive and present (as God) before Abraham; second, that His title was “I am” — which was the same title used for Jehovah God in Exodus 3:14. His listeners again got the point, and picked up stones to execute Him!
- Another of Jesus’ claims of deity
John 10:30-33: “‘I and the Father are one.’ Again the Jews picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus said to them, ‘I have shown you many great miracles from the Father. For which of these do you stone me?’ ‘We are not stoning you for any of these,’ replied the Jews, ‘but for blasphemy, because you, a mere man, claim to be God.’”It couldn’t be clearer than it is here: Jesus’ highly educated listeners understood His claim of deity. They only had two possible responses: to humble themselves and bow before Him as the Magi and the disciples had done earlier, or reject His claim and judge Him as a blasphemer. Unfortunately they chose the latter option. But notice that Jesus doesn’t argue with their accusation, because it was accurate. He really was claiming to be God!
- Thomas’ response to the resurrected Jesus
John 20:27-29: “Then He said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.’ Thomas said to him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Then Jesus told him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’”This disciple realized, because of Jesus’ resurrection, who Jesus really was — and humbly worshiped Him and declared His true identity: “My Lord and my God!” Jesus not only accepts this declaration, but blesses all of the disciples — and all of us today — who come to the same realization and place of humble worship.
Jesus is God – He is Worshipped
Jesus is God – Why this matters so much
But Jesus and His followers made the truth very clear, as we’ve seen in the pages of the earliest records, concerning who He was and is — and how imperative it is that we understand and embrace that truth. Look at His sobering words about the vital importance of His identity.
“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. . . .
“But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going. . .You do not know me or my Father. . .I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins.”
“. . .Even as He spoke, many put their faith in him. To [them] Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’”
source: allaboutjesuschrist.org
Essential to the Christian Faith
Jesus’ Resurrection from the dead is as essential to the Christian faith as His death upon the cross. Paul writes in his first letter to the Corinthians “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how 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 15:3-4). Paul emphasizes the importance of the Resurrection with his statement “And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not” (I Corinthians 15:14-15).
An Historical Event?
So, is Jesus’ Resurrection from the dead an historical event? It is proclaimed throughout the four Gospels as well as ancient correspondence. If these works are the historical documents they claim to be, then they bare witness to an historical event. According to Aristotle’s Dictum, these pieces meet the criteria for legitimate historical documents. However, as they describe miraculous events, they are not recognized by secular society as valid testimony. How then will these accounts be validated? Two questions must be asked. First, do the authors of these literary pieces discredit their work, or do their lives give credit to their testimony? Second, do accepted historical authorities corroborate these accounts?
The Disciples’ Testimony
The men who believed in Jesus’ Resurrection from the dead, known today as Christ’s Disciples, certainly had their testimony, as well as their convictions, tested by those who disbelieved. With the exception of John, every one of these men were put to death. These deaths were excruciating and merciless. More so were their lives, as these men were persecuted by the secular world and suffered great hardship for the spreading of their beloved Gospel, which they proclaimed. Paul gives account in his second letter to the Corinthians “Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.” (II Corinthians 11:24-27). Paul was later beheaded after suffering in a Roman dungeon for many years. His death was far less brutal then those of his brethren as he was a Roman citizen and often they were not. These men believed the Lord allowed them to suffer greatly, as there is no better evidence of their sincerity and the truth of their message than their endurance and perseverance without any hope of an earthly reward. Every single one of them could have escaped such torture and humiliation by simply denouncing the Resurrection of Christ. This was the goal of their tormentors. However, not one ceded to their persecutors, and this is dramatic evidence in rebuttal of any conspiracy theory.
source: allaboutjesuschrist.org
Blood of Jesus Christ- What does it mean?
The blood of Jesus is the foundation of redemption. Jesus Christ died on the cross, shedding His sinless blood, (and was then resurrected) as the only acceptable payment for our sins. The disciple Peter wrote in 1 Peter 1:18-19, “For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. He paid for you with the precious lifeblood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.” The Blood of Jesus Christ is absolutely the most precious thing God has offered us.
Every human born has sinned against God and fallen short of His standard (Romans 3:23). We do not and cannot earn salvation by keeping the Old Testament Law or by simply being a good person. We will fail every time; it is in our nature to sin. It is only through God sacrificing His Son Jesus in our place, that we can acquire complete forgiveness. We can all attain this by accepting Jesus as our Savior, and accepting that He shed His blood to atone for the sins of all who repent. The act of communion does not save us, but we honor this wonderful gift from God with communion as a way to remember His sacrifice.
Blood of Jesus Christ – Why is this required?
In the Old Testament (after Adam’s original sin), God accepted the death of an animal as a substitute for the sinner. The animal’s shed blood was proof that that one life had to be given for another. Life is precious and God places great value on each one of His created beings. This agreement demonstrated that, while blood symbolized death, it also showed that a life was spared. However, this was a temporary covenant. This blood needed to be repeated daily and yearly.
God would later send His only Son providing a new covenant, or New Testament through Jesus Christ. Jesus would die in the place of all sinners. His sacrifice fulfilled completely what the Old Testament covenant meant to. His blood would remove the sins of the world for all who put their faith in Him. This sacrifice would never have to be repeated; it is an eternal covenant.
John the Baptist called Jesus the “Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world” (John 1:29) The Lamb of course, referenced the unblemished animal sacrifice of old. There are many references to sacrificial offerings in the Old Testament. One that may be most familiar is the sprinkling of blood on the Hebrew doorposts when they were held in bondage by the Pharaoh of Egypt. This act provided God’s protection as His curse of the death angel passed through the streets. This curse was just one that God sent down on Pharaoh, moving him to release these Hebrew slaves.
The event was then commemorated in the Hebrew Feast of Passover. It is now recognized as a “type” or foreshadowing of the blood of Jesus. The blood is a powerful, freeing, and protecting provision from God. As one Christian hymn says, “There is power, power, wonder-working power in the precious blood of the Lamb.” If you have asked Jesus to be Lord of your life, then you too have applied the blood of the Lamb on the doorposts of your heart. He is covering your heart, and your life with his protection and ever-lasting forgiveness of sin.
Blood of Jesus Christ- How is this possible?
It is possible for everyone to have the protection and forgiveness that the blood of Jesus provides. Regardless of what sins and offenses we have committed against God, He offers this gift to each of us. John 3:17 tells us that Jesus didn’t come to condemn us but to save us.
It is not enough to say we believe in God or know about Him. We must want know Him personally and accept the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus, to receive it. The Bible, God’s Holy Word, says that no one can enter heaven or get to the Father except through the Son (John 14:6) And in John 6:40, Jesus says that all who believe in Him will receive everlasting life — with Him! We are only asked to believe (have faith), repent (turn from sin), receive (salvation through Jesus), confess Him, and transfer ownership of our lives to Him. If you have never asked Jesus into your life, won’t you ask Him now?
Source: allaboutjesuschrist.org
Prophetic Scripture
“But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity.” (Micah 5:2)
Fulfilled
And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, in order to register, along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child…. And she gave birth to her first-born son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. (Luke 2:4-5, 7)
Prophetic Scripture
Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated wickedness; therefore God, Thy God, has anointed Thee with the oil of joy above Thy fellows. (Psalm 45:6-7)
“Of old Thou didst found the earth; and the heavens are the work of Thy hands. Even they will perish, but Thou dost endure; and all of them will wear out like a garment; like clothing Thou wilt change them, and they will be changed. But Thou art the same, and Thy years will not come to an end.” (Psalm 102:25-27)
Fulfilled
But of the Son He says, “Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the righteous scepter is the scepter of His kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore God, Thy God, hath anointed Thee with the oil of gladness above Thy companions.” And, “Thou, Lord, in the beginning didst lay the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of Thy hands; They will perish, but Thou remainest; and they all will become old as a garment, and as a mantle Thou wilt roll them up; as a garment they will also be changed. But Thou art the same, and Thy years will not come to an end.” (Hebrews 1:8-12) Read the rest of this entry »
Prophetic Scripture
There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness from then on and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this. (Isaiah 9:7)
Fulfilled
“He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever; and His kingdom will have no end.” (Luke 1:32-33)
