Biblical Christianity

Bible Study on Psalm 23

By Alice | June 9, 2018 | Comments 8 comments

In my article, “How to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord,” I emphasized the importance of a patient and careful Bible study if we want to grow as Christians. When we continue to persevere in God’s words, we will get to know more about God, His plans and will for us, and how we are to love and serve Him in a way that fulfills His purpose.

Today’s article is a Bible study on Psalm 23, also called the “Shepherd’s Psalm.” What is this psalm all about and what principles can be applied in the lives of believers in the 21st century?

Psalm 23 (NKJV)

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 3 He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. 4 Yea, 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. 5 You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.”

Let us now explore and study the passage phrase by phrase:

“The Lord is my Shepherd.”

The use of the present tense verb “is” means “The Lord is shepherding me,” indicating an ongoing relationship. As David thought about God and his relationship with Him, he made the analogy of a shepherd and his sheep. God was like a shepherd to David, and David was like a sheep to God.

When David said, “The Lord is my shepherd,” he’s saying that the LORD was a real, personal shepherd for him and not just for others in a theoretical sense. Having been a shepherd himself, David found comfort and security in God as his shepherd who cared, preserved, sustained, and watched over him in the same way he did for his sheep.

Jesus spoke of Himself as the Good Shepherd who gives His life for the sheep in John 10:11-14. It is well to know, as certainly as David did, that we are the sheep and God is our Shepherd.

However, Charles Spurgeon said that before one can truly say, “The Lord is my shepherd,” he must first acknowledge and feel in himself that he has the nature of a sheep. We must understand that sheep are not the smartest animals; they need someone to guide, protect, correct, and take care of them. We too need a shepherd, the Lord Jesus, who loves, guides, protects, corrects, and cares for us.

Do you know the Lord as personal Shepherd as David did? Your experience with God can never be vital until it’s personal.

“I shall not want.”

This is the most powerful line in this psalm. It is a blunt and frank statement of affirmation. David is saying, “All my needs are supplied by the LORD, my Shepherd, and I decide to not desire more than what He gives.” Because God was David’s shepherd, he lacked (wanted) nothing. In the NLT (New Living Translation) the phrase says, “I have all that I need.”

All that a sheep need is a good shepherd since a good shepherd by his very nature will always supply all the sheep’s needs. In the same way, a good father will provide for his child’s every need. “The young lions may lack and suffer hunger, but those who seek the Lord shall not lack any good thing” (Psalm 34:10).

To have God as our Shepherd is to have everything we need. It does not mean that we will have everything we want but we will be cared for, loved, and provided for very well. God promised that He will supply all our needs according to His riches and glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).

We live in a society where we tend to think of ourselves as always lacking something and always needing something more. But the Lord our God is sufficient and with Him, we need nothing else.

Like a good shepherd, the Lord Jesus gives Himself to us, and therefore, we really lack nothing. Some of us may be having deep struggles with our present financial situation. But we need to come to terms with the truth that as we seek God, He will give us what is excellent according to His own purpose and agenda.

“He makes me to lie down in green pastures.”

The expression “lie down” speaks of rest. (See also Ezekiel 34:15.) Just as a literal shepherd would care for his sheep, the LORD as a shepherd knew how to make David rest when he needed it.

Notice that it says, “He makes me to lie down …,” it implies that the sheep don’t always know what it needs and what is best for itself; it needs help from the shepherd. Do you know that it is almost impossible to make sheep lie down while they are hungry?

Until they have eaten sufficiently, they will mill around and nibble on bits of grass. But when their stomachs are full they will find a quiet place and lie down. The adequate provision of lush pastureland to which the shepherd has led his sheep will cause them to lie down and rest.

“He leads me beside the still waters.”

The word translated “lead” means “to lead gently.” You cannot drive sheep. The sheep hear the shepherd’s voice and follow him, just as we listen to Christ in His Word and obey Him (John 10:3-5, 16, 27). The image of still waters is rich with a sense of comfort, care, and rest. It may also represent love, peace, beauty, and harmony. This reminds us of Jesus who said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

How do these phrases apply to us today? This means that Jesus is adequate for our every need. All our needs will be provided so we do not have to worry about today or tomorrow (Matthew 6:25). We do not have to struggle to make ends meet. We can rest in the promise of Jesus, our Good Shepherd, to take care of us.

Instead of worrying, why not trust God for what only He can provide? It is reasonable to trust Jesus our faithful Shepherd, for His provision (physical or spiritual) is always perfect; it renews us and satisfies us.

Satisfaction comes only as a result of the provision and peace that comes from our sheep/shepherd relationship with God.

“He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.”

The first line, “He restores my soul,” conveys David’s thought that God will sustain and renew his life by supplying him with the necessary provisions of food and water that sheep require. But beyond the literal meaning of physical nourishment and rest, it appears that there is a spiritual meaning implied in this phrase as suggested by David’s use of the same expression to “restore the soul” in Psalm 19:7.

For David, God desired to lead him down the paths of uprightness during his reign as king and enable him to win his battles in order to possess the land God has promised to them. For the believers, it is God’s desire to lead them into living righteous and sanctified life (1 Thessalonians 4:7).

A shepherd provides food and rests for his sheep but God provides His sheep with spiritual nourishment, rest, and restoration through His Word. Rest is not only related to the required physical provisions of food and water but to restoration as well. Rest is needed in order to be refreshed and renewed in spirit.

One of the principal tasks of a shepherd is guidance. It is often necessary for a shepherd to lead his flock to both pasture and water because there are some paths that are dangerous and should be avoided. The 2nd and 3rd lines tell us that as a shepherd leads his flock, so God guides His people on the right paths – the paths of righteousness.

Just like David who is so confident that he will never lack God’s leading in his life, we can also be confident of God’s leading in our life not only because He is our Shepherd but also because His name is on the line.

God can be relied on to guide His sheep (people) for the sake of His reputation. Just as parents are evaluated by the way they care for their children, shepherds are judged by the condition of their flock.

What kind of reputation do you think would God earn for Himself if He were careless with those who belong in His charge?

“Yea, 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.”

This is the central verse of the psalm, and notice how the personal pronoun changes from “he” to “you.” David is no longer speaking about the Shepherd; he is speaking to the Shepherd. David knows that in the dark valley, God is not before him but beside him leading the way and calming his fears.

The “valley of the shadow of death” represents any difficult experience of life that makes us afraid, and that includes death. David recognized that even when following the LORD as a shepherd, one may still go through some dark and difficult times.

Each of us at some point in our Christian walk will encounter a valley to pass through that will try to produce fear and worry in us. But just like David, we do not have to fear, for we are not walking alone. The LORD our shepherd is with us. Although the presence of the LORD does not eliminate fear and the presence of evil, it certainly banishes the fear of evil.

Traditionally, shepherds carry a rod and staff. The rod was a heavy cudgel with which the shepherd could stun or kill an attacking beast, and the staff was the shepherd’s crook, which he used to assist the individual sheep. The LORD our Shepherd also has His rod and staff which He uses to protect, guide, or at times push us on the right path.

Are you going through some difficult circumstances in your job or family? Are you struggling with an untimely death in your immediate family? How should you respond? Know that God has not abandoned you. He is the Good Shepherd (John 10:14); He only allows what is ultimately good for you and will never allow permanent separation to come between you and Him (Romans 8:38-39).

“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; my cup runs over.”

This table doesn’t necessarily refer to a piece of furniture used by humans. Table here suggests bounty and blessings even in the presence of danger or of those forces that oppose you. David enjoyed the richness of the LORD’s goodness as his host and he was also refreshed by a head that was anointed with oil.

It is customary for people in the Middle East to anoint the heads of their visitors with very fragrant perfumes and serve them with a glass of choice wine, which they are careful to fill until it runs over. This act meant that they were very special.

In the same way, the LORD not only equips believers to become effective in their ministry; He also anoints them with oil. The anointing of oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit and it also pictures the anointing of the believers as kings and priests someday (Revelation 19:9).

A cup that is running over could be a symbol of abundance, not only in terms of physical provisions but also of spiritual blessings. In the same way that David has experienced God’s abundant grace and fellowship, we too can enjoy the tremendous grace of God throughout all our days.

Are you enjoying God’s abundant grace and blessings? Are you allowing God to continually fill you with His Holy Spirit? Before His ascension, Jesus specifically commanded His disciples to not depart from Jerusalem but to wait for the Holy Spirit whom God has promised (Acts 1:4), because it’s the Holy Spirit that will enable them to be effective witnesses for Christ.

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Goodness and mercy or loving-kindness are probably the two most comforting attributes of God’s character for the Christian. The phrase “follow me” literally means “pursue me.” As a guest at God’s table, David is pursued by God’s goodness, instead of being pursued by his enemies.

God not only walks before us and leads us to a place of rest and refreshment, but His goodness follows us as well. This means that no matter where we are, no matter what we’ve done, and no matter what our circumstances might be, God’s goodness and loving kindness will pursue us to uphold us, care for us, challenge us and forgive us.

Do you realize how God has been gracious to you in Christ? We have been forgiven of our sins and we were given the Holy Spirit to enable us to walk with Him. Rather than be overcome by anxiety over the circumstances that the Good Shepherd allows in our lives, let us greatly rejoice in God’s abundant grace towards us.

Conclusion

One of the greatest lessons we learn from Psalm 23 is that every person who belongs to God’s flock (by trusting in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior) is individually cared for as one of God’s sheep.

What a great comfort to know that the LORD will provide for our every need; that He will give us rest when we’re weary, He drives away all fears and will lead us down the path of righteousness for His name’s sake, that He will guide, preserve and protect us, does not withhold any good things from us, and that He will come for us someday and take us to heaven for the wedding banquet (1 Thessalonians 4:13-19; John 14:1-3).

Psalm 23 may be a short psalm but it is full of powerful promises and blessings. With the Lord as our Shepherd, what more could we ask for?

Recommended Resource: A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 by W. Phillip Keller

Travel the shepherd’s path to the green pastures and cool, refreshing waters of Psalm 23. As a shepherd, Phillip Keller shares his insights into the life and character of sheep―and of the Good Shepherd who loves and cares for them.

This beloved classic will give new meaning to the ageless Shepherd Psalm, enriching your trust in and love for the Lord who watches closely over you.

How to Grow in the Grace and Knowledge of Our Lord

By Alice | May 27, 2018 | Comments 29 comments

The most important thing in the life of a Christian is to grow in the grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18). Yes, we were saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8-9), but grace does not end there. And salvation (or eternal life) involves knowing God (John 17:3).

So, how do Christians grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord?

As Peter writes his final epistle, he was concerned about the false teachers that were plaguing the churches and wanted to encourage the believers to persevere. Thus, Peter repeats what he has emphasized throughout his letter on the danger of being misled by the doctrinal errors of these false teachers, and exhorted them to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ.

What Does it Take to Grow?

Before we look at how and what it means to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ, we need to consider several truths about growth in general.

1) Growth is dependent on life.

Where there is life, there must be growth. But you must be born before you can grow.

This principle is just as true spiritually as it is physically. The Bible tells us that we were all born into this world spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1; Colossians 2:13), and that is why we all need to be born again (John 3:7). Only God can impart to us a new life.

2) Growth is never an option, it’s a necessity.

Growth is normal when there is life. Unless a child has a serious health problem, he will grow and not remain a child his entire life. The same is true for the Christian; he must keep growing in order to maintain steadfastness. God wants Christians to grow up in every way like Christ and not to remain as children (Ephesians 4:14-15).

3) Growth is always gradual, not instant or automatic.

Have you ever seen a baby grow into adulthood in just a matter of days, weeks, or even a few years? You don’t bring a baby home from the hospital and expect him to do what a 20-year-old can do. Growth is a process; it takes time to mature and develop.

In contrast to what some people think that one can become “holy” instantly through some powerful experience with God, spiritual growth is gradual. It requires cooperation with God and the application of spiritual diligence and discipline.

4) Growth is not easy, it’s difficult and painful.

A baby crawls first before he can walk. And once he gets the hang of walking, he still falls down a lot. He even falls flat on his face sometimes. It’s the same way with spiritual growth. There are a lot of tough lessons that we only learn by trial and error. Sometimes we thought we “got it,” only to realize later on that we haven’t really learned the lesson so we have to go through it again.

I – Grow in the Grace of our Lord

Grace is God’s unmerited favor by which He saves and sustains anyone who places their trust in Him. In other words, grace is not merely God’s way of drawing us to Him in the beginning. It is also the way we grow and remain steadfast in our faith in Christ.

The new birth is not the end; it is just the beginning. So how do we grow in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ? To grow in grace means coming to a greater understanding of God’s holiness, justice, and sovereignty, which in turn allows us to see more of our rebellion, selfishness, and pride.

We do not only come to see more and more our unworthiness as the object of God’s grace, but we also see more and more how great His undeserved favor and love were that drew us to Himself.

Growing in grace involves developing the 7 Christian character traits that Peter wrote about in 2 Peter 1:5-7: virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, kindness, and love. These traits must be produced by the Spirit of God. (See also Galatians 5:22-23.)

“But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.”

God gives these character traits to us, but we need to develop them by regular Bible study and prayer, fellowship and service, confession of sin, and practicing good stewardship.

Although some unsaved people possess amazing self-control and endurance, these virtues point to them and not to the Lord, so they get the glory. But when God produces the beautiful nature of His Son in the life of a Christian, God receives the praise and glory.

We can grow in the grace of God (spiritual growth) and develop these Christian character traits because we were made in the image of God. This growth takes place through the power of God and the precious promises of God.

II – Grow in the Knowledge of Our Lord

In his epistle, Peter refers to Jesus as “our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” three times (2 Peter 1:11; 2:20; 3:18). In doing so, Peter gives emphasis to the fact that you cannot separate Jesus Christ as Savior from Jesus Christ as Lord.

Peter is saying that the moment you place your trust in Christ as Savior, you are yielding all of yourself that you know to all of Christ that you know. When you become a Christian, you are to progressively grow in submission to Christ. And as a result, you will see more of who He is and more of who you are through the Word of God.

Becoming a Christian involves knowledge and understanding. Such knowledge of Christ includes both facts about Him, as revealed in the Scriptures, and knowing Him personally. Growing in the knowledge of our Lord does not only involve reading the Bible in order to know what He has revealed about Himself; it also involves establishing a personal relationship and intimate fellowship with the Lord Jesus.

How do we grow in the knowledge of our Lord?

1) Upon establishing a personal and intimate relationship with God through faith in Christ Jesus, we grow in the knowledge of our Lord by continually seeking Him.

Since God alone is the author of our knowledge of Himself, only He can reveal Himself. We cannot possibly know God if He does not reveal Himself to us. The knowledge of God is received by those who continue to seek Him and call upon his Name (Jeremiah 29:13; Jeremiah 33:3).

2) Growing in spiritual wisdom and understanding involves complete dependence upon the Holy Spirit to illuminate our minds to the truth (John 16:13).

The Holy Spirit uses the Word of God to teach and transform believers. As we read, study, memorize and meditate on Scriptures, the Holy Spirit not only illuminates our minds to the knowledge of God but also equips us to instruct others in the knowledge of God.

We cannot ignore the handbook God has given us and expect to gain knowledge of Him in some other way. A patient study of the Scriptures enables us to hear God’s voice and to learn about how God views Himself, ourselves, and others. We will also know how God wants us to serve Him in order to accomplish His purposes.

3) Growing in the knowledge of our Lord involves faithfulness and obedience to Him.

This is the part where the believer exhibits in his life the knowledge of God he received by living a life that is worthy of God. This means that the way a believer conducts himself and lives his life must correspond to the character of Christ. Christians grow in the knowledge of God by living in complete submission to and obedience to God.

4) Growing in the knowledge of our Lord requires patient endurance and a teachable spirit.

The Christian life is for long-distance runners, not sprinters. If you want to grow in the knowledge of our Lord, you need to be open to learning from God’s Word and the Spirit. Christians who think they know it all have no more room for growth.

God does not reveal Himself and everything we need to know about Him all at once. We must learn to be patient and wait upon Him. We need to continue to persevere in God’s Word and abide in Christ. And that requires patient endurance on our part. The good news is that God will give us the strength to endure.

Conclusion

Did you know that you can be a Christian and never grow up? A famous quote by Maya Angelou says, “Everyone grows old but not everyone grows up.” This is not only true in the physical sense; it’s also true in the spiritual sense.

Hebrews 5:12-13 (NLT)

“You have been believers so long now that you ought to be teaching others. Instead, you need someone to teach you again the basic things about God’s word. You are like babies who need milk and cannot eat solid food. For someone who lives on milk is still an infant and doesn’t know how to do what is right.”

Growing in the grace and knowledge of God is a process, it’s not automatic. There is no instant pill you can take today that will make you spiritually mature tomorrow. There is no shortcut to spiritual growth. It takes time, effort and intentional pursuit.

So how can you tell if you’re growing in the grace and knowledge of God? When you are learning more and more through God’s Word how He wants you to live and when the character traits of Christ become more and more evident in your life, then you are definitely on the right track.

Recommended Resource:

Growing Your Faith: How to Mature in Christ by Jerry Bridges

When you’re gripped by the astonishing fact of Christ’s love for you, you desire to draw close to Him. But what can you do to deepen your relationship with Jesus? What does He expect of you, and how can you be more like Him?

In Growing Your Faith, Bridges presents the essential elements of Christian life in a highly readable, surprisingly practical form.

You’ll learn how to feed your spiritual life through taking in the Scriptures, rely on the Holy Spirit in obedience and prayer, trust God during life’s trials, and contribute your unique gifts to serve others.

Whether you’re a new Christian seeking direction in growing spiritually or a time-tested saint looking for a refresher, Growing Your Faith offers a solid foundation for genuine growth in spiritual maturity.

Jerusalem is the Eternal Capital of Israel

By Alice | May 16, 2018 | Comments 8 comments

On Monday, May 14, the historic relocation of the US Embassy to Jerusalem, the eternal capital of Israel took place, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of Israel’s founding. The United States of America officially recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel by opening a new embassy there.

Despite concerns from leaders of the Arab nations, the UN and some allies such as France, US President Donald Trump kept his promise to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel by moving the US Embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv, where nearly all foreign embassies are located. The US Embassy will be housed temporarily in the former consulate building in the Jerusalem neighborhood of Arnona while officials look for a permanent location.

Trump Keeps His Promise

On December 6, 2017, US President Donald Trump announced that the United States would begin recognizing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel by officially opening the US Embassy there. He said that every nation has the right to determine its own capital.

“Israel is a sovereign nation with the right to determine its own capital, but for many years we failed to acknowledge the obvious.” – US President Donald Trump

For the record, Trump isn’t the first US President to talk about moving the US Embassy to Jerusalem. Former Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush supported the idea. Even Barrack Obama referred to the city as the capital of Israel and said it must remain undivided. But none of the previous presidents followed through for one reason and one reason only – that the move would appear to put the US squarely on the side of Israel.

But President Trump made it clear that his recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel does not mean the United States has taken a position on final status negotiations. According to him, his administration will continue to work with the Israelis and Palestinians to achieve a comprehensive peace agreement between these two states.

Although Trump’s decision was met with mass rejection and condemnation from all Arab and Muslim countries and most European and Western powers, countries such as Guatemala, Honduras and Romania announced their willingness to also move their embassies to Jerusalem.

Biblical history of Jerusalem

Jerusalem and its alternative Hebrew name “Zion” is mentioned in the Old Testament at least 800 times and at least 150 times in the New Testament. Through the ages it has been called by many names: Jebus, Mount Moriah, Salem, Zion, Jerusalem, the City of David and Ariel, which means “Lion of God.”

The Scriptural history of Jerusalem begins with the patriarch Abraham meeting Melchizedek, king of Salem around 2110 BC/BCE (Genesis 14:17-20), following Abraham’s defeat of Chedorlaomer who captured his nephew Lot. An interesting aspect of this meeting is that Abraham had bread and wine with Melchizedek and then gave him a tenth of all he had.

About 70 years later – around 2082 BC/BCE, in obedience to God’s command, Abraham took his son Isaac to Mount Moriah in order to offer him as a sacrifice to the Lord (Genesis 22:1-18). But as he was about to slay Isaac, the Lord stopped him and supernaturally provided a ram instead. Abraham called that place, “The Lord will Provide,” since God provided a sacrifice in place of Isaac.

*Related topic: When God Tests Your Faith

Around 1405 BC, the children of Judah, one of the 12 tribes of Israel, fought against Jerusalem and captured it (Judges 1:8). This became the dividing line between Judah and Benjamin, on Benjamin’s side. However, the sons of Benjamin failed to drive out the Jebusites who were living in Jerusalem so they lived together (Joshua 1:21).

David and Solomon

When David was made king over Israel, he conquered Jerusalem by defeating the Jebusites and made it the capital of his kingdom (1 Chronicles 11:4-9). Interestingly, King David did this in the middle of a war with the Philistines. He made sure Jerusalem was secured and established before setting out to defeat the Philistines. King David reigned over Israel for 30 years and made Jerusalem into a great city.

After King David’s death, his son Solomon became king and began to build a temple for God (2 Chronicles 2:1). The temple was completed after 7 years with a labor force of 183,300 men (1 Kings 5:13-16; 6:38). And when it was completed, the glory of God filled the Temple (2 Chronicles 7:1).

Note: The complete details of the first ever temple that was built in Jerusalem is described in 1 Kings 6 & 7.

The Kingdom of Israel Divided

After the death of King Solomon, the kingdom split into two: the Kingdom of Israel in the North with Samaria as its capital and the Kingdom of Judah in the South with Jerusalem as its capital. The southern kingdom which included the tribes of Judah and Benjamin was ruled by Rehoboam, Solomon’s son, while the northern kingdom which included the remaining 10 tribes was governed by Jeroboam, King Solomon’s servant.

When the Babylonians under the leadership of King Nebuchadnezzar conquered Judah, the City of Jerusalem as well as the temple was completely destroyed, and its treasures carried off to Babylon. The few men who were not killed were exiled to Babylon for 70 years to serve as servants until the king of Persia came to power (2 Chronicles 36:17-21).

The Rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem

In 539 BCE, Persia under King Cyrus conquered Babylon and allowed the exiled Jews to return to Jerusalem in Judah to rebuild the Temple of God (Ezra 1:1-4). The total number of people that returned to Jerusalem in Judah to help rebuild the Temple, not including male and female servants and singers, is 42, 360. Everyone gave according to their ability in order to finance the work.

Under the leadership of Jeshua and Zerubbabel, the people started to build the altar in the first year during the month of Tishri, in order to offer sacrifices in celebration of Sukkot or the Feast of Tabernacles and the other Festivals of the Lord in accordance with the Torah (Ezra 3:2-4). Despite oppositions to the rebuilding of the Temple, it was finally completed after 23 years.

Jerusalem Destroyed in 70 AD

Although there is no biblical account of Jerusalem from 445 to 425 BCE when the prophet Nehemiah rebuilt its walls and the city confined to Eastern Hill until the time of Jesus, the Second Temple stood in Jerusalem for 420 years (349 BCE to 70 CE). During that time, the city of Jerusalem and the Jews were subject to foreign rule: by the Persians, the Greeks and eventually the Romans.

Aside from the historical fact that Jesus started His ministry in Jerusalem, was crucified, resurrected and ascended into heaven from Jerusalem, one rather significant event that took place there is the “Triumphal Entry.” The Sunday before crucifixion, Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey’s colt and the multitudes came out to welcome Him with palm branches and spread them on the road (Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:29-40 & John 12:12-19). Jesus also drove out the money changers and merchants inside the Temple (Matthew 21:12-17).

The destruction of the 2nd Temple was predicted by Jesus in Matthew 24:1-2 and in Luke 21:5-6 which was fulfilled in 70 AD when the Romans under Emperor Titus conquered Jerusalem. This caused the Jews to be scattered throughout the world. During this period, the Temple Mount was for the most part profaned and neglected.

In the first hundred years after the city and the Temple was destroyed, the Jews had high hopes of returning to their land and rebuild that which was devastated. However, Emperor Hadrian decided to establish a new Roman city on the ruins of Jerusalem to be named Colonia Aelia Capitolina.

But Hadrian’s attempt to eradicate all traces of a Jewish city named Jerusalem caused the Jews to rebel. Under the leadership of a man named Simon Bar Kochba, the Jews attempted to revolt against the Roman Empire who was in control of Jerusalem. They won and Jerusalem was liberated for three years until the Romans marched against the rebels and killed Bar Kochba. Jerusalem was once again blotted out and Aelia Capitolina was built on its site as had been planned.

The Six-Day War in 1967

The Jews did not have control over Jerusalem since its destruction in 70 AD. But when God promised to save His people from all corners of the earth, He specifically told them that they will again dwell in Jerusalem (Zechariah 8:7-8).

So during the six-day war in June 1967 which they fought against Egypt, Jordan and Syria, the Jews took control of Jerusalem. Israel also captured the Gaza Strip, Sinai, the Golan Heights and the West Bank (formerly known as Judea and Samaria).

The six-day war was fought from June 5-10, 1967. It sprung from the shared desire on the part of the surrounding Arab states to totally eliminate Israel and to erase the shame of their defeat in 1948 when they failed to destroy the Jewish state. Egypt, Jordan and Syria formed a coalition to come against Israel but the Israeli army launched a preemptive strike against these nations.

Outnumbered by the combined Arab armies, and surrounded by enemies on three sides and the deep blue Mediterranean on the fourth, Israel had resolved to strike first and win quickly. Their preemptive strike aimed at destroying the Arab forces on the ground turned out to be one of the most brilliant aerial operations in history.

The Significance of Jerusalem to Christianity, Judaism and Islam

Jerusalem, which is one of the oldest cities, is considered to be one of the holiest places in the world and a site of major significance for the three largest monotheistic religions: Christianity, Judaism and Islam.

For Christians, it is the place where Jesus walked, preached, suffered and died, resurrected and ascended to heaven. For the Jews, Jerusalem has always been seen as the holiest city because it was the site of the main temple of the Jewish faith. And for Muslims, Jerusalem is believed to be the place where Allah brought Prophet Muhammad in his night journey and led the other prophets in prayer.

For 70 years, Jerusalem has been divided between Israel and Palestine. Both have claimed Jerusalem as its capital city and as a result, bloody conflicts have been waged between them to control the city and the sites within it.

Conclusion

Jerusalem has been and always will be the eternal, undivided capital of Israel. Even Islamic leaders acknowledge that Jerusalem is full of Jewish history. In 1924, Jerusalem’s Supreme Islamic Council published a tourist pamphlet on the Temple Mount that says, “The site’s identity with the site of Solomon’s Temple is beyond dispute. This is also the spot on which David built an altar to the Lord.”

As a Bible-believing Christian, I would say that the decision of President Trump to move the US Embassy to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv is filled with biblical significance. This has nothing to do with politics; God is setting the stage for the Lord’s return.

Zechariah 14:4 and Acts 1:9-12 tell us clearly that Jesus will return to Jerusalem in glory. Jesus is not coming to London, New York, Rome or Palestine. The final battle will center on Jerusalem and Jesus will reign from Jerusalem during the Millennial Kingdom.

As believers in the Lord Jesus, let us continue to support and stand with Israel. Let us also pray for the peace of Jerusalem (Psalm 122:6) while waiting for the Prince of Peace, the Messiah to return.

The 7 Blessings in the Book of Revelation

By Alice | May 9, 2018 | Comments 11 comments

Christians agree that the Bible contains many promises of blessings, physical and spiritual. However, there are blessings that are often overlooked by the readers and these blessings are found in the last book of the Bible. Today’s article focuses on the 7 blessings in the book of Revelation.

Doesn’t everyone love blessings? I mean, we all want God to bless us, right? Not just in one but in all areas of our life. The problem with some or maybe even most of us is that instead of looking into the Bible to see how to receive God’s blessings, we choose to look somewhere else.

Preaching from and studying the book of Revelation? No, thanks!

The book of Revelation is the 1 book in the Bible that many readers intentionally leave out for several reasons such as:

It is hard to understand because of the many symbolisms that the author used.
It is perceived to be very controversial and often stirs up disagreements among pastors and Bible teachers.
Much of the book is alarming and disturbing, if not depressing because of the mention of various natural disasters.
Prophecy from this book has been abused by false teachers and date setters.
Some of the scenes mentioned are terribly horrible and awful.

But if we just take the time to read the book of Revelation, and ask for guidance and illumination from the Holy Spirit, we will come to love reading and studying it because of the promise of blessings contained in it.

7 Blessings in Revelation

Although physical and financial blessings sound really great, there are 7 special blessings God has promised for those who study prophecy and pay attention to what it says. These blessings are scattered throughout the book of Revelation.

1) Revelation 1:3

“Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.”

Blessed in Greek means “to make happy.” It has the same implication as the Beatitudes in Matthew 5:3-10. Notice that the blessing here is threefold:

a) A blessing is promised to the one who reads.

The verb “read” means “to read out loud.” Revelation was first read aloud in local church meetings. Since few people had a personal copy of the Scriptures in the early years of the church, someone would read them aloud to the people.

Today, this blessing extends to all who read this climax to God’s prophetic program.

b) A blessing is promised to all who listen.

It’s in the book of Revelation where God gives us a glimpse of how everything is going to end. We are assured that Jesus wins and the enemy is finally thrown into the Lake of Fire.

Although it’s true that evil is alive and well in this world today, ultimately God wins – big time!

So just to hear the book of Revelation and other prophecies of the Bible read is indeed a great blessing in troubled times like our modern world.

c) A blessing is promised to all who obey.

It is not only important to read and hear Bible prophecy but also to obey what is written. When John sent this book of prophecy to the churches, they were going through intense persecutions and they needed encouragement.

The message in this book was not only to give them strength and hope but it would also to help them examine their lives in order to determine those areas that needed correction. They were not only to hear the Word but also to keep it.

It’s not enough to read, memorize and listen to the Scriptures being read, because the blessing would come not just by reading and hearing but even more so by doing (James 1:22-25).

Related Article: Genuine Faith, the Faith that Saves

2) Revelation 14:13

Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. Yes, says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.”

In this verse, John intended his readers to see the contrast between what will happen to those who will decide to follow the “beast” (Revelation 14:11) and to those who won’t; there will be no rest for the wicked but eternal rest for the saints.

Though they suffer persecutions and be killed, the saints will reign with Christ forever. While those who follow the Antichrist will reign with him for a few short years but will suffer throughout eternity.

Are you persecuted today for your faith? Know that the early Christians suffered a great deal of persecution and most of them died brutal deaths for the sake of the Gospel.

3) Revelation 16:15

“Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walks naked and they see his shame.”

Many post-tribulationists often use this as a biblical reference to their view that the rapture of the church will take place at the end of the Tribulation because it warns about Jesus coming quickly, or like a thief in the night.

But if we read it in the context of the entire passage, this verse is a warning concerning the coming of Christ at Armageddon. It focuses on suddenness and destruction.

While this could be seen as both a blessing and a warning to the believers to be spiritually watchful for the Lord’s return, it’s also a warning to the unbelieving world concerning the battle of Armageddon.

4) Revelation 19:9

Then he said to me, “Write: Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!” And he said to me, “These are the true sayings of God.”

To be called to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb is one of eternity’s supreme blessings. The believers or the Church is the Bride (2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 5:22-33) and the Bridegroom is Jesus Christ (John 3:29). 5).

After the Judgment Seat of Christ where the Church is evaluated and rewarded, she is given a white robe and is now radiant in her glory. What a blessing to be enjoying the wedding banquet while the outpouring of God’s wrath is happening on earth in the event called the Great Tribulation.

5) Revelation 20:6

“Blessed and holy is he who has a part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.”

This verse calls the participants of the first resurrection “blessed and holy” because they have reached the point of ultimate sanctification, and the second death (the lake of fire) has no more power over them.

One of the blessed privileges of heaven is absolute security against death in any and every form.

All church-age believers who died will be resurrected when Christ comes at the rapture and together with those who are alive and remain; they will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and will go straight to heaven.

But when Christ returns to earth after the 7 years of tribulation, the saints will return with Him, will reign with Him for a thousand years to enjoy the many blessings promised by the Lord in Isaiah 2:1-5; Isaiah 4:1-6; Isaiah 11:1-9, Isaiah 12:1-6; Isaiah 30:18-26 and Isaiah 35:1-10.

6) Revelation 22:7

“Behold, I am coming quickly! Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.”

This verse begins with a wonderful promise to us, “Behold I am coming quickly.” The word “quickly” here means “soon” or “suddenly.” It means that when Jesus comes He will give no warning. His coming will be sudden and unexpected.

This is what the apostle Paul calls the “blessed hope” in Titus 2:13-14. The Lord’s return is certainly nearer than it was yesterday and knowing this gives the believers hope, joy, comfort, and strength.

Just like in Revelation 1:3, God promises a special blessing for those who “keep the words of the prophecy of this book.” To keep means to protect, preserve, guard, pay attention to and hold as precious.

Believers are called to guard and protect the book of Revelation; to defend it against detractors who deny its relevance and critics who deny its authority.

But believers are not only called to guard but also to obey it. What does it mean to obey the book of Revelation? It’s not as simply doing what it says in an obligatory and legalistic way.

It means to long for Christ’s return and our eternal fellowship with Him. Believers are called to desire heaven, and holiness and to see Christ vindicated as He triumphs over His enemies.

7) Revelation 22:14

“Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.”

Although in modern versions, the first part of this verse is translated, as “Blessed are those who wash their robes,” the essential meaning of the passage is not affected.

Those that do His commandments are those who have been forgiven of their sins and have been cleansed by the blood of the Lamb; these are the believers who have washed their robes in the righteousness of Christ.

Doing His commandments does not earn us eternal life, but is evidence that we have been granted eternal life. The word “blessed” means “happy.” We all want happiness and the way to eternal happiness is to receive Christ as Lord and Savior.

The blessing here is having access to the holy city and the Tree of Life and thus are entitled to live forever.

Conclusion

Believers in Christ can receive the unmitigated blessings of God by simply reading, hearing, and paying attention to the things written in the book of Revelation and in other Scriptures that reveal the consummation of human history.

The difference between the soul and spirit

Man: A Tripartite Being with Body, Soul and Spirit

By Alice | May 3, 2018 | Comments 20 comments

How many parts are there to a man? The Bible says that man consists of three component parts: body, soul and spirit. Man is a triune being because he is created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27), who Himself is a Trinity. But what is the difference between the body, soul and spirit?

The view that man is made of three parts is called “trichotomy.” But there is an idea also that prevails largely today that man consists of only two component parts: namely, body and soul/spirit (dichotomy). They say that “spirit” is not a separate part of man, but simply another term for “soul”, and that both terms are used interchangeably in Scripture to talk about the immaterial part of man, the part that lives on after our bodies die.

Those who hold to this view argue that Scripture uses the word spirit (Hebrew rûach, and Greek pneuma) more frequently when referring to our relationship to God, but the use of such is not uniform, and the word “soul” is also used in all the ways that spirit can be used.

But this view has often caused confusion in the minds of Christians. While soul and spirit are so closely related that it is sometimes difficult to distinguish accurately between them, the Bible makes it clear that they are not the same; they’re divisible.

The Origin of Man

The Bible says that God created man in His own image (Genesis 1:26-27); but this does not mean physical likeness because God is Spirit (John 4:24). Being in the image of God refers to our personality, conscience, intelligence, awareness of right and wrong, etc.

We are individual and moral creatures capable of loving, sacrifice, doing good deeds and many more, because we were created in the image of God.

If Genesis 1:26-27 records the fact chronologically that man was created on the 6th day, Genesis 2:7 tells us how it was done. It says, “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.”

The three parts of man are referred to in this verse: the body of man which is made of the dust of the ground, the spirit breathed into man’s nostrils by the LORD God and the soul which is the union of the other two.

Man is a Tripartite Being

There are two passages from the Bible that clearly establish the fact that man has three parts.

A. 1 Thessalonians 5:23

“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

This verse clearly states that man has three separate, distinct parts; the distinction maybe slight but they exist nevertheless.

B. Hebrews 4:12

“For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

Although some people teach that the soul and spirit are two words that mean the same thing, this verse definitely tells us that they are divisible. While it’s true that the terms soul and spirit are used interchangeably in Scriptures, there are other passages where this is impossible.

The Body

This is the part of man which we are most familiar with – the physical part. Everything physical is our body and it is the part of us that decays over time and will eventually cease to exist and function when we die.

The Bible tells us that our body – our flesh and bones, was made of the dust of the ground. Did you know that dust contains 96 elements which are the same elements found in man? What a wonderful proof of creation!

Some of these 96 elements include: calcium, carbon, chlorine, fluorine, hydrogen, iodine, iron, magnesium, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus, potassium, silicon and sodium. The body of man also has five senses: hearing, taste, sight, smell and touch. All pain, sensation or ability is expressed in and through the physical body.

After the fall, God in pronouncing curse upon man says, “In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19).

And after the fall, the body became a dying, death-doomed body. Ever since man fell into sin in the Garden of Eden, every man born has an appointment with death (Hebrews 9:27).

The Soul

The Hebrew term for soul is “nephesh” and it is found more than 780 times in the Old Testament. We read in Genesis 2:27 that man not only has a living soul; he is a living soul. It is the immaterial part of man midway between the body and the spirit, yet it is not a mixture of the two, though at times it seems to take on characteristics of one or the other.

The soul is self-consciousness; it stands for the individual, personal life. The ingredients which make us human beings belong to the soul. The intellect, thought, ideals, love, emotion, understanding, decision, choice and other like qualities are all associated with the soul. In other words, the soul is also the seat of all affections and Satan knows this very well that is why he operates making his appeal to the affections and emotions of man.

*Read here how to love the Lord with all your soul: The Greatest Commandment of God

It is the soul of man that Jesus died to redeem on the cross (Hebrews 10:39; Psalm 49:8). But the soul is never directed towards God until after the spirit has become regenerated. Man is not able to love God or the things of God until he is born from above.

Man’s desires and affections are turned toward God when he realizes his sinful condition and accepts God’s gift of salvation. But even though we have died to sin and been raised to life through Christ, our souls still need to be transformed and purified by the washing of the word (Ephesians 5:26).

Unlike the body, the soul cannot be destroyed by physical death but lives on beyond the grave. The soul does not die when the body dies because Jesus said to not fear those who can kill the body, but rather fear Him (God) who can destroy both body and soul in hell (Matthew 10:28).

The Spirit

John 4:24 says that “God is Spirit” and the spirit of man is the part that resembles God most. This is manifested in our assurance of salvation when it says in Romans 8:16 that “the Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are the children of God.”

It is the spirit that gives man the ability to have an intimate relationship with God; it is that part of us that is enabled by God to know and worship Him. The spirit of man is what gets born again or regenerated. Just as the soul is the sphere of activity where Satan operates, the spirit of man is the sphere of activity where the Holy Spirit operates in regeneration.

When we become new creations, it is in our spirit that the Spirit of God comes to reside. Man in his unregenerate state does not understand the things of God because the spirit of man is limited to the things of man (1 Corinthians 2:14). The spirit of the unregenerate man has no more capacity to appreciate the things of God than a dog has to appreciate holy things (Matthew 7:6).

Conclusion

God created a tripartite being to love the Lord and to enjoy life and nature. Man was made for God; the spirit of man was made to commune with God.

As we prepare for the day of resurrection when our component parts will be reunited and we will stand before the Judge, let us continue in the process of renewing our minds and transforming our souls to line up more and more with the Spirit of God that is working in us.

Let us then put more effort to learn what the Bible really says about who we are in Christ once we’re born again and live according to the will of Him who called us.

“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” – 1 Corinthians 15_57

What is the Victorious Christian Life?

By Alice | April 27, 2018 | Comments 10 comments

The Bible says everyone who has been born of God can have a victorious Christian life (1 John 5:4-5). But some find it difficult because either they do not know what it is or the key to having it. So what is the victorious Christian life? What is needed in order to have a victorious life?

In the text I just mentioned above, John is not talking about victory in heaven but victory on earth – a daily victory that comes as a result of faith. We do not have to wait until we get to heaven before we can start living a victorious life. If 1 John 5:4-5 is not true in the life of every Christian, then something must be wrong.

Many Christians may have never heard of the victorious Christian life and continue living in sin because the enemy is working double or even triple time to keep this knowledge from them.

The Victorious Christian Life

In the same way that our salvation was a gift that we received by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-9), victory is also a gift we receive from God by faith. We can never attain it in our own strength; that is way too impossible.

When a person places his faith in Christ, he begins a new life in the Spirit. He then starts living a fruitful life – a life that is pleasing to God, victory over sin and a life with direction, fulfillment, and meaning. The problem is that he is unable to sustain it because he is unable to resist temptations, gets preoccupied with daily routine and spends most of his time and energy in pursuit of a career, business or family resulting in the loss of life’s meaning and direction.

Sadly, many Christians today are in this situation. They feel very close to God at one point or another but slowly drifted away. Also, many are like the foolish Galatians who tried to continue in the flesh (Galatians 3:1-3). We must never forget that victory is the work of the Savior in us, not our accomplishment in the least.

The Key to Living a Victorious Christian Life

God promised victory to everyone who comes to faith in Christ. But the key to having a victorious life is our identification with Christ. When Christ died, we also died and were buried with Him through baptism. But just as Christ was raised from the dead, we will also be raised to life (Romans 6:3-5; Galatians 2:20).

The key to a victorious Christian life is to be in total union with God, letting Him be the Lord of our lives.

Maintaining a Victorious Christian life

Psalm 1:1-3 gives us some guidelines to follow and the blessings that come as a result of our obedience to them. Although the passage talks about the nation of Israel, it can also be applied to Christians today.

1) Do not follow the advice of the wicked or stand around with sinners or join in with mockers.

Psalms 1:1

Israel was a unique and separate people; they were among the other nations but not to be contaminated by them (Exodus 19:5-6; Numbers 23:9; Deuteronomy 32:8-10; 33:28). So it is with Christians today; we are in this world but not of this world (John 17:11-17).

In the secular world, we might be tempted to join the crowd in order to “belong.” But let us be aware that friendship with the world makes us enemies with God (James 4:4). People might dislike or even hate us but we must stand our ground and stick with the Word of God (Romans 12:2). Let us not forget that if the world hated Jesus and His followers, they will also hate us because of Christ.

It can also lead to being corrupted by the world (James 1:27) and loving the world. The Bible warns us about loving the world and anything in this world because the love of the Father will not be in us. Also, because everything in this world is temporary (1 John 2:15-17). Our citizenship is in heaven; we are just pilgrims on this earth (Philippians 3:20; 1 Peter 2:1-12).

Related article: How to Set Your Mind on Things Above

2) Delight in the Law of the Lord and meditate them day and night.

Psalms 1:2

Delighting in the word and meditating on the word must go together; for whatever we enjoy, we think about and pursue. If we enjoy badmouthing other people, doing things against the will of God and watching ungodly shows, these things will be what constantly occupy our thoughts and we will keep on doing them.

Whereas, when we enjoy reading and meditating God’s word, we will live by them and enjoy a victorious life. Reading and meditating God’s word will keep our thoughts and heart guarded against sin; it also causes us to be prosperous and successful (Joshua 1:8). In other words, delighting in the word of God and meditating them day and night enables us to live the victorious Christian life.

3) He who meets the stated conditions in Psalms 1:1-2 is like a tree who is planted by the rivers of water who is prosperous in every way.

Psalms 1:3

Like a tree, the godly person is alive, beautiful, fruitful, useful and enduring. The most important part of a tree is the hidden root system that draws up water and nourishment, and the most important part of the believer’s life is the “spiritual root system” that draws on the hidden resources we have in Christ (Ephesians 3:17; Colossians 2:7).

This is known as abiding or remaining in Christ (John 15:1-9). It’s a tragedy when a believer ignores the “root system” and begins to wither. We must remember that the tree doesn’t eat the fruit, others eat it. We must also remember that fruit isn’t the same as “results,” because fruit has in it the seed for more fruit.

“Fruit comes from life, the life of God flowing in and through us.”

What is the fruit that Christians bear? The fruits that we bear include our character (the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22), our actions and decisions. Is the fruit of the Holy Spirit evident in our lives as believers? Is Christ’s character seen in us? How much fruit do you bear? Psalms 1:3 describes the tree bearing fruit “in its season.” It means regularly. Do you bear fruit occasionally or regularly?

Conclusion

If it is true that we are dead to sin in Christ, the only thing for us to do is yield, submit and offer our lives to God. We have been brought to life from death, transformed from the darkness into the light, and living on resurrection ground – on the victory side of the cross. Sin and death have no more hold over us so we should not be living in sin, fear, and worry.

Related article: What is the Significance of the Resurrection?

As Christians, we still have our own free-will. But if we choose victory, we may certainly have it as a gift from the Lord. Victory can be ours as we rest in the Lord constantly and obey all the commands of the Holy Spirit to us. But if we reject this gift of victory we will continue to live a defeated Christian life.

Let us begin today to live the victorious life that Jesus Christ has already won for us.

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The Judgment of the Believers

By Alice | April 23, 2018 | Comments 6 comments

God has a prophetic program for the church beginning with the rapture. After the church is caught up to meet the Lord in the air, the judgment of the believers will follow at the judgment seat of Christ. Every believer will stand before the Lord to give an account of their lives to Him.

When the great American statesman Daniel Webster was once asked about the greatest thought to ever enter his mind, his response was, “The most important thought that ever occupied my mind is my accountability to God.” What gripped Webster was the knowledge that one day he would stand before God.

We too have an appointment to stand before God someday; every believer will be judged. So we need to get ready, and part of getting ready is understanding what the Bible has to say about the future event known as the judgment seat of Christ.

What is the Judgment Seat of Christ?

The judgment seat of Christ is one subject about which there is much confusion among believers. We all know that there is such a thing as the judgment seat of Christ but most of us picture it as some dreadful scene wherein all of our hidden sins committed during our lifetime will be revealed.

There are two passages of Scripture that mention the judgment of the believers at the judgment seat of Christ: Romans 14:10-12 & 2 Corinthians 5:10.

But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. For it is written: “As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall confess to God.” So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. – Romans 14:10-12

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” – 2 Corinthians 5:10

To better understand its meaning, we will divide the judgment seat of Christ into six key elements: the judge, the participants, the period, the place, the purpose and the preparation and go through each of them one by one.

I – The Judge

From the two Bible passages above (Romans 14:10-12 & 2 Corinthians 5:10), we can easily tell that this judgment will take place before Jesus, the Son of God. It is called the judgment seat of Christ because Jesus will be the Judge. John 5:22 also says that the Father judges no one because He has entrusted all judgment to the Son.

It is none other than the Lord Jesus who will execute judgment at the judgment seat of Christ. And the fact that Jesus will be the judge gives us assurance that the judgment will be objective and completely righteous, individual and thorough.

God’s judgment will be totally fair and impartial in that the rewards will not be based on the length of service, but rather on what each person did with the resources, opportunities and time he was given to serve Him, however great or small. God does not show favoritism and there is no partiality (Romans 2:11; Colossians 3:25).

It is also evident that the judgment will be individual. Notice how Paul moves from the plural to the singular in Romans 14:10-12 and 2 Corinthians 5:10. And the judgment of the believers will be thorough. God will literally turn us inside out and all hidden deeds, thoughts and motives will be exposed and will appear for what they really were (1 Corinthians 3:13).

II – The Participants

The judgment seat of Christ is for believers only, and it’s not optional. No believer is exempt. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 5:10 that “we must all appear before Christ to be judged.” In this statement, Paul was referring to all believers in Christ, including himself.

All church age believers – the time between the birth of the Church on Pentecost Day and the Rapture – will appear individually before Jesus Christ to be judged. What about the Old Testament believers? They will be resurrected and rewarded after the Second Coming, which takes place at the end of the 7-year Tribulation (Daniel 12:1-3).

III – The Period

1 Corinthians 4:5 places the judgment of the believers right after the Lord comes at the Rapture. It is also apparent that the judgment must take place after the rapture because reward follows resurrection. This principle is made clear in Luke 14:12-14.

In this passage, Jesus, in conflict with the Pharisees, encouraged his hosts to invite the poor, the lame, the crippled and the blind to their banquets, because although these people won’t be able to pay them back, they will be repaid at the resurrection.

So there is coming a time when all the righteous deeds must be recompensed which will take place when the believers (righteous) are resurrected. That time of reward is the judgment seat of Christ.

IV – The Place

Since the judgment of the believers will take place after the rapture, it makes sense that it will take place in heaven.

Before He ascended into heaven, Jesus comforted His disciples by assuring them that He will come again to take them to be where He is in John 14:1-3. When Jesus comes in the clouds for His saints at the rapture, He will bring them straight to heaven for the judgment and the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.

The Greek word for judgment seat is “bema” which refers to a raised step or platform. It’s like a stage at the athletic games from which the rules were enforced and rewards are distributed to the winning athletes or participants.

In the same way, the bema or the judgment seat is the place where Christ will reward those who have finished the race and faithfully obeyed all the rules. Believers will appear at the judgment seat of Christ to be rewarded while unbelievers will appear later at the Great White Throne Judgment to be condemned.

V – The Purpose

The purpose of the judgment seat of Christ is two-fold but before discussing them, it is important to clarify some misconceptions about the judgment of the believers.

First of all, the judgment seat is not to determine whether people will enter heaven or hell, neither is it to punish sins. This ultimate issue is decided when a person makes a conscious decision to accept or reject Christ.

The issue at the judgment seat is not salvation but rewards. Salvation is based exclusively on what Jesus Christ has accomplished through His suffering, death and resurrection. We are saved by grace, through faith alone in the Lord Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-9).

1. Review

At the judgment seat, the Lord will review the life of every believer and will evaluate their actions after coming to faith in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:10 says every believer must be judged “according to what he has done in the body, whether good or bad.”

But what does Paul mean by “good or bad?” What are these bad works? Bad works here do not actually mean “evil” but they are bad in the sense that they are worthless or inferior in quality. These works are good things in themselves but what makes them bad or worthless is if they are done for selfish reasons or with the wrong motives. God is an omniscient God; He knows everything. He knows not only what we do, but why we do it.

We can often fool people about our service and motives, and they may think we are doing some great things for God. But we can never fool God. At the judgment seat of Christ, all these impressive works will disappear for God will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart (1 Corinthians 4:5). God’s rewards will be based on His right evaluation of our words, actions, attitudes and motives.

“People maybe pure in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their motives.” – Proverbs 16:2 (NLT)

2. Reward

The second purpose of the judgment seat of Christ is to reward those who have faithfully served the Lord and poured out their lives to Him. The last part of 1 Corinthians 4:5 says “each one’s praise will come from God.”

Do not think that you won’t get anything and will probably walk away from the judgment seat empty-handed. Even if you have been a believer only for a few years, months or weeks when you come face to face with God to be judged, the Lord will surely find something in your life to praise and reward.

But while rewards are given at the judgment seat, there is also the possibility of the loss of reward for some believers. In 1 Corinthians 9:27, the apostle Paul says he disciplines his body like an athlete, training it to do what it should, for fear that he might be disqualified even after preaching to others.

Contrary to how some Bible readers interpret this passage, Paul is not expressing that he might lose his salvation. Rather, he is expressing the possibility of standing before the judgment seat of Christ and being “disapproved.” Paul is talking about receiving rewards and he does not want to come before the Judge and be disqualified for receiving a reward.

*There are 5 rewards or crowns that will be given to the believers when they are judged at the judgment seat of Christ:

a) The incorruptible crown (1 Corinthians 9:24-27) – for those who practiced self discipline and self-control.

b) The crown of righteousness (2 Timothy 4:8) – for those who are eagerly looking for the Lord’s appearing and are living a righteous life in view of this fact.

c) The crown of life (James 1:12; Revelation 2:10) – for those who have faithfully endured and persevered under trial.

d) The crown of rejoicing (1 Thessalonians 2:19) – the soul winner’s crown which is given to those who win people for Christ.

e) The crown of glory (1 Peter 5:1-4) – the shepherd’s crown for pastors, elders and church leaders who lovingly, graciously and faithfully shepherd and oversee God’s people.

VI – The Preparation

How do we prepare for the judgment? We know that in school, the most important day is test day or examination day. During exams, everything is different. The whole mood and atmosphere change. During ordinary days, students are relaxed and just goofing around. But when the teacher announces the scope of the exam, everybody suddenly becomes attentive.

What about the exams day for the believers? How are we supposed to prepare? Based on the five crowns that will be given, I believe we already have an idea of some of the areas that will be examined when we stand before the Lord.

Other areas include:

1) How we treat other believers and the people of God (Israel).

Galatians 6:10 says, “whenever we have the opportunity let us do good to all especially to those who are of the household of faith.” We may differ in minor theology with other believers but that should not be our reason to be hostile towards them. We belong to the Body of Christ and we should love one another as Jesus commanded us (1 John 4:7; John 13:34-35).

And Matthew 25:40 speaks of the way we treat the nation of Israel. Corrie Ten Boom, a Dutch Christian who helped many Jews escaped the Nazi Holocaust during WW2, said this, “You cannot love God without loving the Jewish people.”

2) How we use and employ our God-given talents and abilities.

Are you using your gifts and talents to honor and serve God? Or are you using them for self gratification and worldly pleasures? I really admire some celebrities who, after coming to faith in Christ, have either become picky with the kind of roles they play onscreen or have decided to totally give up their acting careers in order to honor God.

3) How we spend our time.

Are you spending time to pray, worship God, read the Scriptures and share the Word? Or do you spend more time watching TV and on social media?

4) How we use our money and resources.

God owns everything; we are simply stewards, managers and caretakers of the Lord’s property. In the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30), the issue for the manager is faithfulness to his master. In the same way, God as our Master is looking for faithfulness (1 Corinthians 4:1-2).

When God judges us at the judgment seat of Christ, He will evaluate how we used the treasure and talents He entrusted to us. God will not reward us based on how much money or talent we possessed, but rather how faithful we were with what He has given us. And those who have been faithful managers will receive the Master’s praise: “Well done, my good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21, 23).

5) How we run the race God has marked out for us.

In the same way that an athlete needs focus, discipline and commitment in order to win the race, believers must also be committed and dedicated in running the race of faith. This is illustrated by Paul in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 when he said that he disciplines his body like an athlete.

He’s saying that if athletes are willing to subject themselves to the suffering and demands of rigorous training to get a corruptible crown (trophy made of plastic, wood or metal), how much more should Christians be willing to sacrifice for an incorruptible reward in heaven at the judgment seat of Christ.

“The same commitment and dedication that make a winning athlete will make a winning Christian.”

Conclusion

We all have an appointment to stand before God someday to be judged. We cannot escape it. The only question is, which judgment will you face? Will you face God as one who trusted in Him or rejected His gift of eternal life? We should all want to participate in the judgment that will take place in heaven immediately after the Lord comes at the Rapture – the judgment of the believers in Christ.

As we prepare to appear at the judgment seat of Christ, may we live our lives with a purpose, dedication, self-control and discipline as we give maximum effort in diligently pursuing the prize. As Paul said, let us forget the things which are behind us and reach forward for the things that are ahead (Philippians 3:12-14).

*Recommended Resource:

Your Eternal Reward: Triumph and Tears at the Judgement Seat of Christ
By Erwin W. Lutzer

Publisher’s Description:

When we reflect on how we lived for Christ, we might weep on the other side of the celestial gates.

To their own detriment, many Christians have emptied the judgment seat of Christ of its meaning, living like they will never meet His knowing gaze. For this they may have tears in heaven.

In this provocative book, Dr. Erwin Lutzer argues that remorse in heaven awaits those who don’t live fully for God on earth. Exploring the often-overlooked Scriptures about reward and judgment for Christians, Dr. Lutzer answers questions like:

How will believers be judged?
Do rewards for faithfulness vary?
If heaven is perfect, why do rewards even matter?

His answers are immensely practical. Your Eternal Reward will prompt you to live more faithfully, whether in your conduct, your speech, or even your use of money, that you might enjoy heaven all the more.

What is sown on earth is reaped in heaven, and Dr. Lutzer will have you taking this truth to heart.

“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.” – John 11_25

What is the Significance of the Resurrection?

By Alice | April 14, 2018 | Comments 6 comments

In my previous article, “What if Jesus did not rise from the dead,” I said that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the foundation of Christianity. The Christian faith collapses if the resurrection is proven to be a hoax because the validity of Christianity depends on the historical truth that Jesus was raised from the dead. But other than that, what is the significance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ?

The boast and glory of Christianity is the empty tomb because Christianity is the only religion with a living originator. Buddha is dead; Brahma (Hinduism) is dead; Mohammad (Islam) is dead; Marx (Communism) is dead.

The Significance of the Resurrection

Does it really matter that Jesus was raised from the dead? Isn’t it enough that He suffered and died by crucifixion in order to redeem the world? No!

A. The resurrection guarantees us that we will not remain dead but that we too will be resurrected.

After planting a church in Thessalonica, the apostle Paul together with Silas and Timothy left the city unwillingly and moved on to Athens; they intended to return to the city but were prevented (1 Thessalonians 2:17-18). Finally, Paul and Silas sent Timothy from Athens to see how the Thessalonian Christians were doing.

When Timothy returned, he reported that they were doing well. Except for one problem that concerned questions and a certain amount of anxiety that some of them were having with regard to their loved ones who had died.

The Thessalonians rightly understood that Christ was going to return; however, they had not considered the possibility that some of their loved ones and friends would die before it occurred. All sorts of questions were going through their minds: “What would happen to our loved ones who had died since trusting Christ? Will they miss out on the resurrection? Will those who are alive when Christ returns have an advantage over those who have died?”

So Paul educates these believers about the status of their brethren who have passed away and assures them that all those who died in Christ will be raised up when Christ returns. He told them not to mourn like the people who have no hope because when Jesus returns, God will bring with Him those who have died (1 Thessalonians 4:13-14).

He then goes on to say that the dead in Christ will be resurrected first and those who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet Him ahead of those who died. First, the Christians who have died will rise from their graves. Then together with them, those who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17).

The Christian doctrine of resurrection assures us that physical death is not the end; death is not the termination of human existence. The grave is not the end. The body goes to sleep but the soul goes to be with the Lord (Philippians 1:20-24). When the Lord returns, He will bring the soul with Him, will raise the body in glory and will unite the body and soul into one being to share His glory forever.

B. The resurrection of Christ gives us an assurance that our salvation is an accomplished fact.

We have been separated from God because of sin (Isaiah 59:2) and we are bound to suffer eternally in hell. But because God loved us so much, He made a way for us to be forgiven of our sins and be reconciled back to God. Jesus Christ paid the penalty of our sins in full at Mount Calvary in order for that broken fellowship to be restored (John 3:16).

However, our salvation is not guaranteed without the resurrection. Our salvation was completed when Jesus died on the cross (John 19:28-30) but the resurrection confirms it. We can be confident that we have been forgiven of our sins and have eternal life because Jesus did not remain on the grave.

Jesus conquered death. Sin is the sting that results in death but thanks God for giving us the victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:55-57). Salvation rests on the resurrection of Christ but one cannot be saved without believing in it (Romans 10:9).

Read here: What is the Gospel of Jesus Christ?

C. The resurrection proves the deity of Christ.

The deity of Jesus Christ is one of the most attacked doctrines of the Christian faith. There have been a lot of arguments against the deity of Christ, which I will be tackling in my upcoming articles. But the fact of Jesus’ resurrection is the strongest and supreme argument that Jesus is God.

Romans 1:4 specifically states that the resurrection declares Jesus as the Son of God. If Jesus were fake, a liar, impostor or a mere man, God would have left Him in the grave until the day of final judgment and condemned Him to hell.

We also read in Romans 6:4 (NLT) that it was God the Father Himself that raised Jesus from the dead. The Father thus proclaims conclusively to the world the deity of Jesus Christ by raising Him from the dead.

If the resurrection is true, and it is, then Jesus is indeed the Son of God. This is the miracle on which all other miracles stand or fall.

“Resurrection is the greatest power in the world outside of the power of prayer. It surpasses the power of the atom, hydrogen, cobalt or uranium (used in nuclear reactors). These elements have the power to destroy; resurrection has the power to give life to the dead.” – Alban Douglas (One Hundred Bible Lessons)

But while the resurrection provides assurance of salvation and a living hope, it also provides assurance of judgment because the resurrection marks Jesus Christ out as God’s Son and God’s provision of grace for our sins.

There is nothing left for those who reject Christ but to look fearfully for a day of judgment. While believers are assured of resurrection unto life, unbelievers are assured of a second death (Revelation 21:8).

Conclusion

If you can explore the historical truth that Jesus was raised from the dead, the Christian faith collapses because the resurrection is the basis on which Christianity stands or falls.

Christians can be confident that they will all be transformed when the last trumpet is blown. Those who have died will be raised to live forever and those who are living will be transformed into bodies that will never die (1 Corinthians 15:51-53).

The heavenly kingdom is not made for the kind of bodies we now have, bodies of flesh and blood. So when Jesus returns as He promised, the bodies of living believers will be instantly transformed like His body and the dead believers shall be raised with new glorified bodies. Our new bodies will not be subject to decay or death.

This is the hope that believers have because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Christ was raised and became the firstfruits, then all who belong to Christ will be raised when He comes back (1 Corinthians 15:23).

The important question now is: Do you know Jesus Christ? Did you receive Him as your personal Lord and Savior? Have you placed your trust and hope in Him and in what He has accomplished through His death and resurrection? Jesus is the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in Him though he may die shall live (John 11:25).

Act now before it’s too late, for today is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2). Confess Jesus as Lord and believe that His suffering, death, and resurrection guarantee you of eternal life with God (Romans 10:9).

Recommended Resource: The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus By Gary R. Habermas and Michael Licona

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“This is an accessible, comprehensive, and persuasive resource providing detailed evidence for the resurrection of Jesus. It also demonstrates how to share the material clearly, honestly, and definitively. Included is an interactive CD that tests the reader’s knowledge of the material by using an entertaining TV game show format.” – Norman Geisler

What if Jesus did not Rise from the Dead?

By Alice | April 8, 2018 | Comments 8 comments

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the foundation of Christianity. Everything in the Christian faith rests on the historical truth that Jesus was raised from the dead. But what if this was all a lie? What if Jesus did not rise from the dead?

When the apostle Paul came to Corinth, an integral part of the gospel message that he preached was the fact of Christ’s resurrection. After all, a dead Savior cannot save anybody. The believers at Corinth received the Word, trusted Christ, been saved, and their faith had transformed their lives.

But then again, what if Jesus did not really rise from the dead? What if this was just a myth that the apostle Paul made up to gain a number of followers? It is interesting to note that Islam, one of the three major world religions, has held on to this theory up until today.

Evidence for the Resurrection

Before laying out the evidence of the resurrection, it must first be established that Jesus really died. After all, a resurrection can only be authentic if the person really died. In other words, only a dead person can actually come back to life.

The gospel authors record that Jesus was beaten and scourged terribly by the Roman soldiers before finally nailing him to the cross. Killing was an expertise of the Roman soldiers, their job was to kill and to make sure that the victim was really dead or they themselves will lose their lives.

It’s also inconceivable to believe that Jesus survived the crucifixion, considering that the physicians who studied closely the historical events of the crucifixion unanimously concluded that Christ died from this process. Furthermore, the Roman historian Tacitus and the Jewish historian Josephus confirmed in their writings that Jesus indeed died from the crucifixion.

A. The Empty Tomb

1) The Bible tells us that Jesus’ tomb was found to be empty by the women who first visited it very early on the first day of the week (John 20:1-2; Matthew 28:1-2; Mark 16:1-4 & Luke 24:1-3).

Did you know that the testimony of women in the first-century Jewish culture was regarded as so worthless that they were not even permitted to serve as legal witnesses in a court of law? Yet, the gospel authors unanimously recorded that women, whose testimony was worthless, rather than men, are the chief witnesses to the empty tomb.

2) The historical reliability of the burial story because of the inclusion of Joseph of Arimathea as the one who buried Christ in his own tomb (Mark 15:43; John 19:38), strongly supports the empty tomb.

Joseph was a prominent member of the Jewish Council, which means that the burial site was well-known to both the Jews and Gentiles. This means that no one would have believed that Jesus had risen, neither the disciples nor the thousands of others who did believe, unless that tomb was really empty.

Jesus’ resurrection was preached by His disciples in the same city where Jesus had died and been buried. They could not have done this if Jesus was still in His tomb because no one would be foolish enough to believe that a man had raised from the dead when his body lay dead in the tomb for all to see.

3) In Matthew 28:11-15, the Jews made an attempt to refute the fact of Jesus’ resurrection by saying that the disciples stole the body. Why is this significant? Because this shows that the Jews did not deny the empty tomb. By making up a story about the stolen body of Jesus, they were admitting that the tomb was in fact empty.

B. The Post-Mortem Appearances of Jesus

There is enough evidence that the disciples and followers of Jesus had real encounters with the one whom they believed was the risen Christ. In the table below is a chronology of the appearances of the resurrected Christ.

1) Mary Magdalene	John 20:11-18
2) The women returning from the tomb	Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:1 & Luke 24:10
3) Simon Peter	Luke 24:34 & 1 Corinthians 15:5
4) The two disciples on the road to Emmaus	Luke 24:13-16
5) To the eleven disciples with Thomas absent	Luke 24:36-43
6) To the eleven disciples with Thomas present	John 20:26-29
7) To the seven disciples at Lake Tiberius	John 21: 1-23
8) To the disciples and a large gathering on a mountain in Galilee	Matthew 28:16-17
9) James	1 Corinthians 15:7
10) To the disciples at the ascension	Luke 24:49-53 & Acts 1:3-11

1 Corinthians 15:3-8 is a record of an ancient creed concerning Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection appearances that is much earlier than the letter in which the apostle Paul is recording it. Critical scholars generally agree that Paul received this creed from Peter (Cephas) and James (the Lord’s brother) between 3-5 years after the crucifixion.

Peter and James are listed in this creed as having seen the risen Christ. Paul also appealed to his audience’s knowledge of the fact that more than five hundred people had seen the resurrected Christ at one time; the majority of which were still alive and could be questioned.

C. The Transformation of Jesus’ Disciples, Skeptics, and Enemies

1) Jesus’ disciples and followers

When Jesus was crucified, His disciples were devastated and defeated. Most of them even ran away because they thought that was the end of their glorious years with Jesus. But after seeing the resurrected Christ, they were transformed from being discouraged, despondent and frightened to being bold, courageous and outspoken.

Peter, who denied Jesus three times, stood up a few weeks later in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost to deliver probably the most powerful Gospel sermon that resulted in the 3,000 souls that were saved and added to the church (Acts 2:14-39).

Thomas who was a doubter and a skeptic did not believe that Jesus has risen from the dead until he saw for himself the nail marks in Jesus’ hands and had put his fingers in them (John 20:24-29).

2) James and Jesus’ other brothers

Jesus’ brothers did not believe Jesus was the Lord during His lifetime (John 7:5). But they later believed. And James not only believed but became the leader of the Jerusalem Church (Acts 12:17; Acts 15:13). According to tradition, James was martyred for his faith in Christ by being thrown off the pinnacle of the temple and was beaten to death by a club.

3) Saul of Tarsus

Before he became the apostle Paul, Saul of Tarsus was the chief persecutor of the early Christians. But after encountering the risen Christ on the road to Damascus, he was totally transformed from Saul, the number one persecutor of Christianity, to Paul, the number one propagator of Christianity.

Paul gave up the prestige and comforts of being a respected rabbi and took on the life of a traveling missionary who has gone through incredible hardships and persecutions, all for the sake of the gospel.

The transformation of Jesus’ disciples, brothers, and Saul of Tarsus is inexplicable apart from a real resurrection. The only sufficient explanation for the dramatic change in these people’s lives is the fact that Jesus was raised from the dead.

D. The Origin of the Christian Faith

The fact that the Christian Church remained strong and continued to flourish despite suffering intense persecution at the hands of both Jews and Romans during its early years is strong proof of the resurrection.

Many of the first missionaries of the Christian faith died as martyrs. They were willing to die for their belief in Jesus Christ because they were convinced of the historical facts of the resurrection. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, Christianity could have never come into existence.

Conclusion

What if Jesus did not rise from the dead? Then we are still in our sins and our faith is futile. It means we are not forgiven of our sins and are bound to suffer eternally in hell. And not only us but also those who have fallen asleep (died) in Christ (1 Corinthians 15:17-18). There is no salvation without the resurrection!

But Christ is risen from the dead and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. (1 Corinthians 15:20). The resurrection of Jesus Christ is a historical fact, not just a theological myth or some philosophical idea that began circulating 30 years later among the followers of Jesus Christ.

Josh McDowell in his book “Evidence that Demands a Verdict” wrote:

“The resurrection of Christ is therefore emphatically a test question upon which depends the truth or falsehood of the Christian religion. It is either the greatest miracle or the greatest delusion which history records.”

Recommended Resource: The Resurrection of Jesus: A New Historiographical Approach by Michael R. Licona

The question of the historicity of Jesus’ resurrection has been repeatedly probed, investigated and debated. And the results have varied widely. Perhaps some now regard this issue as the burned-over district of New Testament scholarship.

Could there be any new and promising approach to this problem? Yes, answers Michael Licona. And he convincingly points us to a significant deficiency in approaching this question: our historiographical orientation and practice. So, he opens this study with an extensive consideration of historiography and the particular problem of investigating claims of miracles.

This alone is a valuable contribution. But then Licona carefully applies his principles and methods to the question of Jesus’ resurrection. In addition to determining and working from the most reliable sources and bedrock historical evidence, Licona critically weighs other prominent hypotheses.

His own argument is a challenging and closely argued case for the historicity of the resurrection of Jesus, the Christ. Any future approaches to dealing with this “prize puzzle” of New Testament study will need to be routed through The Resurrection of Jesus.

Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us that we should be called children of God.” - 1 John 3:1

Always Be A Child (Lyrics and Chords)

By Alice | April 4, 2018 | Comments 2 comments

VERSE 1:

C F C

I WAS THERE WHEN YOU DREW THE BREATH OF LIFE

AND I COULD HEAR YOUR VOICE

F G

THE FIRST TIME THAT YOU CRIED

C Em F

AND THOUGH YOU COULDN’T SEE ME, I WAS VERY NEAR

C G C – G

AND THERE’S SOMETHING NOW THAT I WANT YOU TO HEAR

CHORUS:

C F C

YOU WILL ALWAYS BE A CHILD IN MY EYES

AND WHEN YOU NEED SOME LOVE

F G

MY ARMS ARE OPEN WIDE

AND EVEN WHEN YOU’RE GROWING OLD

Em F

I HOPE YOU REALIZE

C G C

YOU WILL ALWAYS BE A CHILD IN MY EYES

VERSE 2:

C F C

I WAS THERE THE FIRST TIME THAT YOU PRAYED

Em F G

AND I HEARD ALL THE PROMISES YOU MADE

AND WHEN YOU FELL BEFOR ME

Em F

CRYING, “FATHER I HAVE SINNED”

C G C – G

I PICKED YOU UP AND HELD YOU CLOSE AGAIN

Psalm 23 (NKJV)

“The Lord is my Shepherd.”

“I shall not want.”

“He makes me to lie down in green pastures.”

“He leads me beside the still waters.”

“He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.”

“Yea, 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 runs over.”

“Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

Conclusion

What Does it Take to Grow?

1) Growth is dependent on life.

2) Growth is never an option, it’s a necessity.

3) Growth is always gradual, not instant or automatic.

4) Growth is not easy, it’s difficult and painful.

I – Grow in the Grace of our Lord

II – Grow in the Knowledge of Our Lord

1) Upon establishing a personal and intimate relationship with God through faith in Christ Jesus, we grow in the knowledge of our Lord by continually seeking Him.

2) Growing in spiritual wisdom and understanding involves complete dependence upon the Holy Spirit to illuminate our minds to the truth (John 16:13).

3) Growing in the knowledge of our Lord involves faithfulness and obedience to Him.

4) Growing in the knowledge of our Lord requires patient endurance and a teachable spirit.

Conclusion

Recommended Resource:

Trump Keeps His Promise

Biblical history of Jerusalem

David and Solomon

The Kingdom of Israel Divided

The Rebuilding of the Temple in Jerusalem

Jerusalem Destroyed in 70 AD

The Six-Day War in 1967

The Significance of Jerusalem to Christianity, Judaism and Islam

Conclusion

Preaching from and studying the book of Revelation? No, thanks!

7 Blessings in Revelation

Conclusion

The Origin of Man

Man is a Tripartite Being

The Body

The Soul

The Spirit

Conclusion

The Victorious Christian Life

The Key to Living a Victorious Christian Life

Maintaining a Victorious Christian life

1) Do not follow the advice of the wicked or stand around with sinners or join in with mockers.

2) Delight in the Law of the Lord and meditate them day and night.

3) He who meets the stated conditions in Psalms 1:1-2 is like a tree who is planted by the rivers of water who is prosperous in every way.

Conclusion

What is the Judgment Seat of Christ?

I – The Judge

II – The Participants

III – The Period

IV – The Place

V – The Purpose

Conclusion

The Significance of the Resurrection

A. The resurrection guarantees us that we will not remain dead but that we too will be resurrected.

B. The resurrection of Christ gives us an assurance that our salvation is an accomplished fact.

C. The resurrection proves the deity of Christ.

Conclusion

Evidence for the Resurrection

A. The Empty Tomb

B. The Post-Mortem Appearances of Jesus

C. The Transformation of Jesus’ Disciples, Skeptics, and Enemies

D. The Origin of the Christian Faith

Conclusion

VERSE 1:

CHORUS:

VERSE 2:

(REPEAT CHORUS)