THE MOST IMPORTANT FACT!
Today’s Reading: 1 Corinthians 15
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).
Tarsus was the hometown of the Apostle Paul (Acts 9:11), a city of great importance (21:39) as a university learning centre of the ancient world, alongside Alexandria and Athens.
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verse: 1 Corinthians 15:3-4
For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures…
“FIRST OF ALL!” Many Bible scholars believe that this is the first and most concisely written and preserved statement of the very heart and soul of our Christian faith. First Corinthians is considered to be the earliest writing in our New Testament. Our eternal salvation depends totally on the inalterable Truth of our key verses. Let us read, memorize, and make these verses a most integral element in our lives.
In a court of law, a witness who is in opposition to the defence, yet admits to the truth of the case for the defence, is the most credible witness. Paul is such a witness for the defence of the Truth of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection. In his past, Paul was in total opposition to the message of Christ, so much so that he persecuted the Church (15:9). He used to be Rabbi Saul of Tarsus. He was raised in the intellectual university centre of Asia Minor, the city of Tarsus. He was sent by his Jewish father (a Roman citizen) to study in Jerusalem under the most famous Rabbi of the time, Gamaliel. Gamaliel was the grandson of Hillel, perhaps the most famous Jewish Rabbi of all time. He knew the Jewish High Priest and was appointed the official inquisitor whose job it was to destroy the followers of Jesus. Now known as the Apostle Paul, his testimony is true!! Note that twice Paul repeats the words “according to the Scriptures.” This Hebrew Bible Scholar was absolutely certain of his facts.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord Jesus, You died and rose from the dead for all the human family, including me. Please grant me the grace to never fear death but to rejoice always in the sure knowledge of the resurrection. Amen & Amen!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
The genius composer, Handel, was, in my opinion, at his very best in The Messiah, where he put the words of 1st Corinthians 15 to music. Every year I attend a performance of The Messiah, conducted by the the famous Jewish Maestro, Boris Brott. Crossroads sponsored a performance of The Messiah in Jerusalem several years back. It was thrilling to hear the magnificent Jerusalem orchestra with its Jewish musicians playing to the glory of God. Here is a clip from the Christmas season when Boris was interviewed on 100 Huntley Street, including some footage from the performance of The Messiah in Jerusalem (click here).
I have stood beside many graves and read words from 1st Corinthians 15. What hope! What an assurance that this is not the end but only the beginning of eternity with Christ, clothed in a resurrected body just like the body of Jesus when He left the tomb empty (see photos below). Some of the key leaders of The Human Genome Project for the United States Government are believers in Jesus. There are approximately three billion “letters” that encode the genetic material within each human cell. For God to rearrange those parts into our glorified bodies would not be a problem. Even the most tiny speck of dust from a body has its DNA sequence from which the believer can be reconstructed. I’ve spent time with one of those believers who worked closely with Francis Collins, the author of The Language of God, who headed The Human Genome Project. Check Google to find out what Dr. Collins’ former associate, Dr. Jeffrey Trent, also a world class scientist, is doing now (click here). In my time with Dr. Trent, he was constantly referring to “the Lord.” He is a strong believer in Jesus!
Yours in full confidence that “we shall all be changed!” (15:51b),
David
Visitors entering the Garden Tomb. Many believe that it was inside this tomb in Jerusalem that Jesus’ body was laid. The photo below gives you an inside view.
This tomb was originally made for a shorter man, perhaps Joseph of Arimathea, but as you can see on the right, the end was dug out to fit a taller man’s body.
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
March, Horatius Bonar, 1808-1889
I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say
Horatius Bonar, pub.1846
“I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“Come unto Me and rest;
Lay down, thou weary one, lay down
Thy head upon My breast.”
I came to Jesus as I was,
Weary and worn and sad;
I found in Him a resting place,
And He has made me glad.
I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“Behold, I freely give
The living water; thirsty one,
Stoop down, and drink, and live.”
I came to Jesus, and I drank
Of that life-giving stream;
My thirst was quenched, my soul revived,
And now I live in Him.
I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“I am this dark world’s Light;
Look unto Me, thy morn shall rise,
And all thy day be bright.”
I looked to Jesus, and I found
In Him my Star, my Sun;
And in that light of life I’ll walk,
Till trav’ling days are done.
I heard the voice of Jesus say,
“My Father’s house above
Has many mansions; I’ve a place
Prepared for you in love.”
I trust in Jesus—in that house,
According to His word,
Redeemed by grace, my soul shall live
Forever with the Lord.”
I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSSiEixBt8E
Be blessed, today, fellow saints in the Lord!
And may you be blessed as well!
Thank you Beverlee for the poem and the link; so special!!
Nice poem. Thanks, Beverlee.
How beautiful is that Beverlee!; Thank you for sharing.
It was so nice to see Norma Jean yesterday on the Huntley program. She is such a fine example of a lady filled with the Holy Spirit and looks no where near being eighty years of age.
Dr. Jim Denison has a great video out explaining about our Lord’s Word; For those who aren’t truly convinced.
Why do we believe the Bible is actually the word of God?
Happy March dear saints in the Lord and may Spring spring:-).
So much evidence that Christ lived, died, was buried and rose from the dead. How could we not believethat He will return again. Personally I have visited that empty tomb twice and witnessed that choir singing in Jerusalem. Good poem and song Beverlee. Blessings saints!
Thanks Ger, I too have visited that tomb twice’ HE HAS RISEN INDEED!!
I knew nothing about the holy Spirit then but when I was ‘led’ to Grieving Mothers in 2012 and ‘urged to’ post some poems,I resisted (like refusing a favour for the one you love most) because of the very private and sensitive nature of the site and I felt woefully unqualified for,not wanting to cause more pain.After 4-5 days I relented,posted one or 2 poems and they loved them.Barbara made me (a man) a member of her site and,of course,I lost my fear.I posted there for about a year and a half (long story).My point is “HE” gave me the messages (poems) for those He seemed to single out and they knew where the poems came from.Almost every night this happened.The emotions were far beyond earthly love.Everytime I was about to breakdown,he lifted me…He shared their grief with me to show how He was carrying them…and then,when I/we finished and I was out of the site I was back to normal,(or abnormal as my friends would say,lol.)Barbara Spurgeon Karrer aka Grieving Mothers (and Grieving Fathers) told me she is a descendant of Charles Spurgeon.
Backing up:I was terrified when I would sit down at my puter and these very powerful emotions would come over me (during that week of ‘resisting’.)It was my deacon friend who told me “Bill,that’s how the holy Spirit works”The next day my pastor confirmed this.I’ve said too much but if you believe this as I do then you will know that the holy Spirit is real and therefor so is every word of the Gospel.I can not (Peter said ‘never’.) see myself ever denying Jesus as Lord.I hope this helps anyone with lingering doubts.Sorry I said so much and am surprise I could condense it this well.God bless
PS:I noticed David wiping ‘something’ from his cheek in the video.
Amen Bill! Was blessed to read what you had to say about the Holy Spirit, and I fully agree. Thank you for sharing!
Bill thank you for sharing your journey!
This so touched my heart….. may God bless you!
And keep writing those poems!
Yes, it was good to hear and see Norma-Jean on 100 Huntly street: so composed and very much the Norma-Jean that was and is; The peace of God and His Joy evidenced in her.
Always blessed by this blog; David’s wisdom and personal words; and the photos that depict the scripture for the scripture for that day.
Be blessed in the Lord all you bloggers! thanks for sharing!
God’s blessings on you, Norma-Jean and fellow saints. May you all sleep with angels whispering gently in your ears!
.
From my benedictions file.I couldn’t pick one over the other.Hope you like them.Blessings
Never Weep
May angels watch o’er you while you sleep,
May faith be so strong you never weep
And may love be in your heart so deep,
That happiness is yours to keep,
Then when the dawn begins to peek
May your day bring the love you seek
As you spread joy with words you speak
When you serve the Lord amongst the weak.
(GW) Bill Marshall/25-Jan-16
Who Reigns Supreme
May angels’ wings enfold you
As you dream in blissful sleep
And may His love in all you do
Be the treasure that you keep,
Then as you rise to meet the day,
You will remember your dream,
Where angels and you would pray
To the One Who reigns supreme.
GW(Bill) Marshall/06-Jan-16
I deleted this twice.Be blessed