HOPE in CHRIST's RESURRECTION

Dearest Saints, A local Pastoral friend of mine encouraged me to write about Resurrection as I was surprised by his response that he mentions many Christians don't believe in the resurrection. To my amazement, I find that odd because the Resurrection of Christ is what gives us Hope that is everlasting. This is the basis of our Hope and faith we have in the first place. When we think this life is so short compared to eternity, how can our hope be expected to be the same level in this temporal life compared to when the other hopes for living in a realm of glory that will be for eternity (never having any end)? The question we need to ask is when there are those who don't believe in the Resurrection, how can they expect to be resurrected themselves when they don't first believe? The Apostle Paul goes on to saying that if we only hope for Christ in this life only, how we are to be pitied more than anyone (1 Cor 15:19). The Oxford Dictionary tells the definition of pitied as "Feel sorrow for the misfortunes of". It is definitely a grave misfortune for anyone who doesn't believe that Christ who is The Resurrection made a Way for us who believe. God Himself clearly says and they remain in their sins (1 Cor 15:17) and the wages of sin is death (Rom 6:23). Paul tells us in Verse 14 of 1 Cor 15 that: And if Christ has not risen, then our preaching is in vain [it amounts to nothing] and your faith is devoid of truth and is fruitless (without effect, empty, imaginary, and unfounded). Amplified Version Again, this is what the Apostle Paul writes in 1 Cor 15:32-36 (Amplified Version): What do I gain if, merely from the human point of view, I fought with [wild] beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised [at all], let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we will be dead.33 Do not be so deceived and misled! Evil companionships (communion, associations) corrupt and deprave good manners and morals and character.34 Awake [ from your drunken stupor and return] to sober sense and your right minds, and sin no more. For some of you have not the knowledge of God [you are utterly and willfully and disgracefully ignorant, and continue to be so, lacking the sense of God's presence and all true knowledge of Him]. I say this to your shame.35 But someone will say, How can the dead be raised? With what [kind of] body will they come forth?36 You foolish man! Every time you plant seed, you sow something that does not come to life [germinating, springing up, and growing] unless it dies first. The difference between the God we serve compared to other 'gods' of this world is that our God is the only one who shed His Blood for the remission of our sins, died the physical death on the Cross to complete the sacrifice we could never pay, which He did on our behalf and was Resurrected. No other idol they claim as "god" can be truthful and say that! I also heard from a Preacher on the local Christian Radio station whom mentioned that people continue to make excuses that Jesus didn't really die, but slept and woke back up and revealed Himself to the 12 Apostles and 500 followers. There are some other human excuses that argue to this day that they don't believe Christ was resurrected from the dead all because their intellect minds don't reach as high as the child of faith in God does. God is higher than our thoughts and higher than our ways (Isa 55:9). When people make up these fallacies, they lower God to their limited thinking and understanding. When we limit God in any way, we don't have any clue how Great our God is! When Jesus went to the tomb, He was wrapped up and was perfumed so that the corpse would not decay as this was their custom to prepare a body for burial (John 19:40,41) which meant He literally died the physical death in order for Resurrection to be that awesome event. When we don't believe Christ literally died the physical death, we don't ever appreciate the power of the Holy Spirit that was in fact raised Christ from the dead. Believers in Christ are justified because we believe (Acts 13:39). We don't have to be like doubting Thomas to believe by seeing. Christ told him to start believing because those who believe simply what the Word tells us and not having to see, we are the blessed ones (John 20:29). I always like the quote: "The world believes because they see, but true Believers in God see and understand because we first believe. In summary, what good is our faith if we don't believe and hope in the Resurrection? That's why our Hope is far greater than the worlds hope because we believe in the Resurrection of Christ who made the Way for us to give us eternal life beyond this very temporal life. Jesus tells us just after that famous verse of John 3:16 in a couple verses later, those people are condemned because they don't believe (vs 18). When our hope and passion for a Heavenly Home that lasts forever far exceeds putting our hope in this earthly temporal home, God Himself is not ashamed to call us His very own Children (Heb 11:16). When we believe in that mighty resurrection of Christ who makes a way for us, we have that inexpressible HOPE that the world can never have or understand simply because we have that wonderful child-like faith that He is pleased with and believe in His Resurrection. Let's be children with greater far reaching faith that goes beyond our own understanding and believe God is always far greater than our thoughts. Paul himself wanted to know not only about Christ but also to know the power of His Resurrection (Phil 3:10). This is why we have that Hope, Joy, Peace and Gladness because we carry this Hope that is in Christ's Resurrection. If we don't believe the Word of God is His infallible and inerrant Truth, then what are we basing our belief on? Please email to the undersigned should you wish to unsubscribe from receiving my Blogs. In the Matchless Name of Jesus Richard Ministry Encourager Answers2Prayer http://sites.google.com/site/greatestbuilderforourlife http://www.answers2prayer.org/

Do We Really Know Him?

Dearest Saints, Unlike the world, their thoughts of having the most successful life is gathering the most "toys" and running up the corporate ladder or any worldly acclamation that would bring fortune. As we know, this kind of ambition only comes to a hopeless end when we begin to step out into that eternal realm. This even includes many Christians who think they are doing the will of God, but strive to have a bigger ministry than others or being competitive by putting other ministries and other ministers down to make ones self look better. Many times, I have heard all too often that those who want to become Senior Pastors or take the place behind a pulpit, they do the unthinkable and try to overthrow the One who stands behind the pulpit who often gives the message and feeds the Church each week. Where is the reverential Fear of God Christians are supposed to have? Do His people not realize God knows not only what we do but He knows our inmost thoughts and motives that are often hidden from people, but they are not hidden from God (Ps 69:5; Isa 59:2)! It's very sad and unfortunate that all because one minister preaches a certain doctrine (that is Biblical), the other ministers may put them down all because they don't preach the same type of message that they preach. One minister may be lead to preach about "End Times" while one may preach "encouragement" while another may preach on growing up in the Lord and becoming more empowered. If all preaching was only talking on "End Times" or a historical value of a certain doctrine, people wouldn't know about growing up in Character or maybe knowing how to let go of the past as God instructs. The example God would have is that although each one has a different ministry, we are to compliment one another which means we ARE NOT to see ourselves has having a better ministry or think we are in a "better denomination" or be in any form of competition with one another. After-all, preaching all about Christ should empower us to love Him as we should, to love one another as we love ourselves and unite together to lift up Christ, to fight FOR one another and only fight AGAINST every evil that opposes the perfect will of God. We need to fight to maintain the unity of the Body and not cause or allow factions that only separate ourselves which is what the enemy wants to do to the Churches. If we have any reverential fear of God, we would love what He loves and hate every form of evil (and not just be tolerant of it). When John was baptizing, he didn't frown because more people were being drawn to Christ, all because he knew his job was to direct the hearts of people towards Christ in the first place (Luke 3:16; John 4:1). We need to direct people to Christ and help Disciple Believers to continue to grow in the Lord. If we are not attracting others who are within or those who are outside the faith to the Lord, we are working against God Himself who loves like no other. He tells us that who ever is not FOR ME is AGAINST ME (Luke 11:23). He rebuked the Disciples by telling them not to forbid the Children to come to Him (Matt 19:14). We can't expect to promote God and Him to manifest His will when we don't do His will. We don't draw people to Christ when we fight, harbor bitterness with one another or compete with one another. We don't attract others to Christ when we fail to do what God tells us to do and reach out with compassion. We attract people to Christ when we lift Him up and exalt His Word by living it (by constantly asking the help of His Spirit). We often know the Word intellectually (ie: about forgiving others), but often-times, we fail to do this. We are often not obedient to what we do know. I like what someone has once said, that we are far more educated than we are obedient to Him. Maybe we need to ask Him to help us be more obedient to do what we know about His Will. God reminds us that how can we expect to Love the Lord whom we cannot see when we don't love one another whom we can see (1 John 4:20)? God calls these people a liar and He has prepared a place in that horrible eternal realm as mentioned with other forms of ungodiness (Rev 21:8). If we are not in agreement with one another within the body, we NEED to LOVE our Brother and Sisters regardless. We don't know the Lord when we don't reverently Fear Him by honoring His Word above our own thinking, opinions or reasoning like we should. When we don't understand His Word or His will, maybe we need to allow Him to check and examine our heart towards Him. He questions His Disciples how can you say you love Me (Jesus) when you don't do the things I command you to do (John 14:15,21; John 15:10)? It is by obeying Him that we prove our love for Him. If we allow any form of pride that doesn't seek the interest of others before ourselves, we don't know His heart because this opposes His Word (Phil 2:4; 1 Cor 12:25). We are in opposition to His will. When we want to Praise Him for His constant Goodness, love to worship Him for who He truly is, loving and honoring His Word (His Will) above everything else, hating every evil that opposes Him/His Will, loving others by seeking and believing the best for others, we can truly say "We Know Him" because we truly desire to please Him. The question we each need to ask is: Do we honestly know Him like we should? He will help us in every area of our lives if we will first Humble ourselves and allow Him to do that work within us. He gives His Grace to the Humble, but the proud, He opposes (1 Pet 5:5). I don't know about you, but I don't ever want to oppose Him or not ever see the need to His abundant Grace and Mercy that I am always in desperate need for. If we are truthful and honest, we can all say and believe that for ourselves. Please email to the undersigned should you wish to unsubscribe from receiving my Blogs. In the Matchless Name of Jesus Richard Ministry Encourager Answers2Prayer http://sites.google.com/site/greatestbuilderforourlife http://www.answers2prayer.org/