What Makes Jesus Unique? No one else made the claims that He did, He is alive...............
All the great religious leaders of history have one thing in common: they are dead. Only one man has risen from a grave never again to taste death. Jesus Christ died, was buried, remained in the grave for 3 days, then was raised to life again.
Jesus is unique. He is the only one proven to be the Son of God because God validated His Kingship and accepted His payment for our sins all with one incredible stroke: He raised Jesus from the dead!
Paul opens his letter to the Romans with this evidence about who Jesus is:
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, which He had promised before by His prophets in the holy scriptures, concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was made of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead. Romans 1:1-4
Because Jesus Christ is very much alive, five things are true right now that wouldn’t be true if He were just another dead religious leader like Confucius, Mohammed or Buddha.
Because Jesus was raised from the dead and is alive…Prayers are answered, We can talk to Jesus 24/7
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Amen Jesus is Alive!
When I say, “I am a Christian”
I’m not shouting, “I’ve been saved!”
I’m whispering, “I get lost sometimes
That’s why I chose this way”
When I say, “I am a Christian”
I don’t speak with human pride
I’m confessing that I stumble –
needing God to be my guide
When I say, “I am a Christian”
I’m not trying to be strong
I’m professing that I’m weak
and pray for strength to carry on
When I say, “I am a Christian”
I’m not bragging of success
I’m admitting that I’ve failed
and cannot ever pay the debt
When I say, “I am a Christian”
I don’t think I know it all
I submit to my confusion
asking humbly to be taught
When I say, “I am a Christian”
I’m not claiming to be perfect
My flaws are far too visible
but God believes I’m worth it
When I say, “I am a Christian”
I still feel the sting of pain
I have my share of heartache
which is why I seek God’s name
When I say, “I am a Christian”
I do not wish to judge
I have no authority
I only know I’m loved
By Carol Wimmer 1988
Most of us have had that happen to us.............no more tears...........
In the future Kingdom there will be different positions and responsibilities. At the Judgment, each person will “receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10). Therefore, every person will not receive the same reward or assume the same responsibilities. So, the question is not, “What will we be doing in heaven,” but, “What will we be doing in our future life on earth?” The answer to this question can be found in the Word of God.
The Lord is going to make a new earth that will literally be an “Eden” or “Paradise” and, just as God gave Adam and Eve work to do in the Original Paradise, there will be work to do in the coming Paradise. In fact, looking back at what God gave Adam and Eve to do in the Garden of Eden provides a prototype or a snapshot of what life will be like in the future Paradise. Genesis 2:15 speaks about two tasks that Adam and Eve had to perform. God put them in Eden “to work it and take care of it.” The NASB says, “to cultivate it and keep it.” Like any farm or garden, Eden required work or “cultivation.” Adam and Eve had to cultivate the garden just as any farmer has to cultivate and work the soil and take care of the plants.
Eden was a garden with wonderful fruits and vegetables, and therefore the second part of Adam and Eve’s job was to “take care of” or “keep” it. The Hebrew word translated “take care of” is shamar, which means, “oversee, protect, keep, have charge of, tend (for flocks and herds), guard, watch, preserve.” The world was full of animals and, in the Original Paradise, all of them were plant eaters (Gen. 1:30). Part of Adam and Eve’s work was to guard the garden and keep the wild animals from grazing in the Garden of Eden. Imagine Eve looking out the window of her house and shouting; “Adam, the lions are eating my favorite shrubbery. Adam! Get them away from my bushes!” Remember, lions will again eat plants in the future, so you may end up shooing them away from your bushes or your vegetable garden.
God gave Adam and Eve authority and responsibility in the Garden of Eden. He gave them work to do. It should, therefore, be no surprise that various types of work will be part of life on the new earth. The types or work mentioned below are almost always found in the context of the Millennial Kingdom, not the Everlasting Kingdom. Some types of work, like “gravediggers,” could not be available in the Everlasting Kingdom because there will be no death. Likewise, because there will not be a temple in the Everlasting Kingdom, all the duties associated with the Temple will be eliminated. Some types of work are clearly stated, while others are only implied.
That was having faith in His prayers being answered. Always exciting is the How.
Jenny, Jenny He didn't do it. I looked under my bed and there was nothing for me.
I struggled to clear my mind as I had been in a deep sleep, when Monica woke me. I wondered what she was talking about. What are you trying to say honey? There is no doll Jenny, there is no doll under my bed.
Ah now I did remember. Monica wanted very much to have a dolly.
I had told her to pray and ask the Lord for it.
She had done so and now believed that He had not delivered as she thought He would, by putting the doll under her bed.
I tried to explain to her that God was not Santa Claus, that He works through people.
I could tell that this was too much for her to understand, she was only five years old.
That very afternoon her girlfriend, who lived next door, came over to the house. Lisa was very excited.
Monica, my dad just came home from a trip and look at what he brought me, a new doll, and if you want too, you can have my other doll.
Now Monica's eyes lit up and she looked at me with wonder, for she now understood that indeed, God works through people.
Angels are men and they are messengers, that is their job, not flying around somewhere.
Does anyone have the answer?
I started to visit people in the Convalescence hospital, where I met a sweet Chinese man. I had brought him a bible in Mandarin, even though his English was pretty good, I know that when it comes to the scriptures, it is sometimes best in your own language. I explained the gospel to Li, who gave me his undivided attention. I asked Li if he wanted Jesus to live in his heart.
Li said that he would.
Later I told an evangelist what had happened with Li. He knew that I myself was a new Christian therefore he wanted to make sure that Li was truly saved. He asked if we could go and see Li together.
I asked Li where Jesus was. Without hesitating one moment Li answered, that Jesus was in his heart.
I asked him how he knew. His eyes looked surprised, looking directly at me he said: “You told me He would.” It was as simple as that for Li.
I assured Li that he was right, that Jesus did live in his heart. I gave him a big hug. The evangelist was now convinced that Li was truly born again. I know that we will meet some day on the other side.
He said that he was very scared. I asked him if he was a Christian. He said that he was not. I told him that I cared what happened to him.
He wanted to know, why I would care, as I did not know him at all. I said that I cared, because God cared. He then told me that his sister had been talking to him about God, but that he could not stand to listen to her about it. He said that he didn't mind hearing it from me though.
I gave him the gospel of John that day, as it also had the sinner’s prayer in the back of this booklet.
Later I went back to see him, and he told me that he had been praying to the Lord.
I asked him if he wanted to meet the Lord, and he said that he would and we prayed.
He was no sooner saved, than he became an instant missionary.
He told me that he had witnessed to his wife, and she accepted the Lord also.
I had given my new brother in the Lord my phone number.
A few weeks later the wife phoned to tell me that her husband was dying, and would I come to the hospital.
The doctors had decided not to operate anymore, as his cancer was too advanced. That same night my new friend died.
I know that I will one day also meet him again.
Finally he said; “Church can’t be that bad, if it can leave you so happy.”
I gave him my phone number and asked him to call me, if he wanted to do so, and I would tell him more about the church.
He called me and soon gave his heart to the Lord. I found out that David had lived on the street and had not had a good life so far. Today he is a happily married man. Yes, the Lord works through people.
You see the Lord can use everyone and everything for His good. Even my mouth!
We were standing at the time clock waiting for four o'clock so we could sign out, and go home. I could not help overhearing when one of the men I worked with, was mentioning the name of Jesus in a derogatory way, several times in one sentence. I finally could not stand to listen to that anymore, and said to him; "I hear that you know Him too."
Surprised the man said to me; "Know who?" "Jesus” I said; “I heard you mentioning His name several times.”
I love to shock people it will make them think.
In the grocery store, you can easily find someone that will complain about the high cost of food.
Because misery loves company, you whole-heartedly agree with them. Tell the person that you are sure that it will get worse. Agreeing with you is assured at this point. I will then tell them, that I won't need to worry as I have a very rich father.
On their faces you can read the surprise, of course their faces say, then it is no wonder you don't worry, if you have a rich father.
“Yes ma’am,” is my reply, as I look up!
"Is that so? Well did you know that you are sitting on a tree?" he happened to sit on a wooden chair. I think he got it.
In the afternoon, I overheard one of the men saying to another man, to go to hell.
I walked over to them and asked the one who had sent the other to hell, why he had wished the other man to go to hell. Surprised, he did not know what to say, so I said it for him; "Because you don't like him right?"
Almost grateful to now have the answer, he nodded his head. "Well, I said; “Maybe next time, you should wish him to go to heaven, then at least the two of you, will be separated.”
Unbeknown to me, the late night man or boy really, had come in and he had overheard everything. He asked me if he could ask me some questions.
He said he was really afraid to do so as he was thinking it might take away from my faith.
How sweet of him to be so concerned for me while he needed answers for him self.
I assured him not to worry about me, as I myself had been having many questions. Besides I told him, someone had to answer your questions.
He had many sincere questions and kept needing, reassurance that I would not lose my faith, if he asked them. I answered him as best as I could and promised him a book to read. The next day I gave him; "The Rapture".
In those days I was send from store to store but I did not work in that particular store again. I wanted my book back as I couldn't buy another one it was now out of print.
About four weeks after I had lent out my book, I saw him on the parking lot with a few friends. I decided not to say anything, as I did not want to embarrass him in front of them. Not to worry, the moment he saw me he said; “Hello Jenny, I still have your book.” I told him that I knew, and if he wanted to read another book. Eyes large as saucers he said; "Oh no,” I want to read it all again, 'cause it is blowing my mind!”
This in an accent, that only a Los Angeles, black man can do! Priceless!
I know that I will meet that brother again on the other side and the friends he had with him that day, were also Christians.
And by the way, keep the book!
I often would talk to people about having faith. One day the Lord put a thought in my mind; “You tell people to have faith, but your faith is in your bank account, for you to teach others about faith is easy for you to do, clear your account and you live by faith yourself.”
You have to understand that I had been saving since I started to work at age fourteen. I did not need to pick up my pay-check on my day off, for I always had enough money saved. I knew that the Lord was right, but this was a big thing to for me to do. Spent all of my money? I did, I had no choice. What I did with it I can’t remember today.
I was lying outside catching the sun for a tan, when I sat up with a shock it was ten days before the rent was due. I had a total of one hundred dollars in the bank. My rent alone was now one hundred and forty dollars and I had to eat etc.
I started to pray right away; about twenty minutes later the phone rang. It was the union hall did I want to work the next three days? You bet I did! I thanked the Lord for answering so promptly.
The phone rang again, the union telling me that they were sorry the company had found someone, before they could confirm the job for me.
I was beside myself. I told the Lord that I did not understand how He could give me a job, and then take it away from me.
The phone again! It was the union once more. They told me that they had felt so bad for me that they tried very hard to find me something else.
They found a job, but it was for one day only.
I told the Lord that I still didn’t understand why He first gave me three days of work, took it back, and now gave me only one day.
At coffee break the next day, the manager asked me if I could work for him the next six weeks. He first wanted to see what kind of worker I was. The first store was a small company and the job was for only three days. This company had several stores and after the six weeks in the one store, I was put to work in some of their other stores.
Of course, the Lord knew this, so He closed one door, to open another. And testing me!
Two teams of eight men were to travel through England and preach in the churches. They were never to ask anyone, for anything. If someone were to ask they had to keep silent.
This went well. Knowing in which church they would be preaching next, checks would follow them. The people would say that even though they had not asked for money, the Lord had put it upon their hearts to send some anyway.
Then one day, the men were having a meeting with young people. One of the men told them that they were all invited for tea the next day.
The others were shocked; “How could you do that? You know we don't have the money for a tea.” (Tea in England is not just a cup of tea, but sandwiches and cake). Not to worry, the young people were perceptive. The offers for sugar, tea, milk, cookies and sandwiches came in. When asked what else was needed, they all together wanted to blurt out, a cake! But they had to keep silent.
The men went to check the mail, but no money was found, so they could buy a cake.
It was four o'clock the next day, when there was a knock on the door. It was the mailman and he had a parcel for one of the men. The mailmen said; “I have already finished my rounds and was going to deliver this tomorrow morning, but I think that there is something edible in here.”
The one, whom the parcel was for, took his sweet time to open it for he just knew what was in the parcel. And so it was. His landlady had sent him a chocolate cake. Praise the Lord!
The men of this team had also made tithing their number one priority. As soon as money came in the Lord received ten percent right away. This team came back from the tour with money to spare. The other team that had gone out at the same time also gave tithing, but not ten percent, they held back a little, for emergencies. That team came back deeply in debt.
I had a friend called Netty her whole family was from the Mormon religion. Netty had gone legally blind, but this did not stop her from gardening. She was one of these people who could do more being blind, than others that could see. She was a very special person. Netty had assured me that she was a Christian.
For some reason every time we would meet, I would ask if she was sure. Her answer would always be that she was indeed sure.
One morning I woke up, thought about Netty and I heard myself say that I had to talk to Netty, before she died. This was very strange as Netty was not even sick as far as I knew. When I came to her house, I said again as I had done on numerous occasions; “Netty are you sure that you are a Christian?” To my surprise this time she said that she was not sure. I said to her that we would make it sure today, and we said the sinners prayer together.
Netty phoned her daughter that evening. All she told her that all was well now.
The daughter did not know what the mother referred to, but I did.
I believe that Netty did not want to tell her very strict Mormon daughter, that she was now a Christian. I received a phone call a few hours later. Netty had died that night!
While I lived in the States, I had attended a prayer meeting one-day.
After the service a young girl of about eighteen came up to me and said; "How do you know that the Lord does not have something really good for you, when you quit smoking?" And with that, she was gone! I just shrugged it off and forgot about it, or so I thought.
I finally quit my smoking, the end of March ‘84.
When I met Hugo it was in the beginning of April ‘84. Three weeks after I stopped smoking, It was then that I remembered what that young girl had said to me years earlier.
Having smoked for 20 years I quit cold turkey
When I met Hugo, I knew that he was the one that the Lord had selected for me. Just like me, Hugo never went out and had been alone for seven years. It was amazing to me that he being handsome was still a free man. I found out later that when he announced at work that he was engaged, the reaction was; “I thought that you were married” He has two boys and talks about them a lot. The Lord saved him for me! We both fell in love the moment we met and felt like two sixteen year olds and acted like it too.
We were married on December 22, ‘84.When we met Hugo had a very good job at a hospital in Vancouver. The head of a kitchen in a hospital is always a dietician. Hugo was the exception. He was the Director of Food Service, responsible for ten thousand meals a day!
The work was all-administrative, taking care of a budget of almost ten million dollars.
After having worked there for twelve years, he lost his job due to closure of the hospital. Having sent out a lot of resumes, we now prayed for guidance.
“Lord will You show us please, the way that you want us to go.
Psalm: 32-8. “I will instruct you in the ways you should go”
Should we keep sending out resumes, or should we start our own business?”
We had started to do some catering, but what we needed was a kitchen to work from.
You can spend a lot of money and time sending out resumes, but what we needed to know was, is it the way to go, or do we start our own business?
A decision that was not easy to make. We needed help!
I told Hugo that I believed we were shown, that we would be in business for ourselves, and that I would be involved also.
When you get an answer like that, you just don't sit on the sofa and wait for something to happen. We went to look for a place to start our own catering company. We needed a walk-in freezer and a walk-in fridge. Hugo spotted an ad selling just what we needed.
It happened to be a large restaurant that wanted to downsize. (The place had 134 seats).
While we were waiting for the manager to talk to us, I said to Hugo: “Would you look at this place, you could do your catering right here.”
The manager and Hugo started talking when he said; “Maybe we can do something for each other. I would like you to meet my partner, how about this Wednesday? We could have a meeting.” He then looked at me and said; "I would like you to be there too!"
When we left that restaurant, I told Hugo that this restaurant would be his.
Hugo thought that I was crazy, I reminded him of my dream, but he still could not believe it. Well only a few weeks later that place was called Hugo's!
We run that restaurant for about two years when it was sold.
I have had other such pop corn dreams, and it is very exciting when you see it come to pass.
Years later Hugo had gone back to working for a company and was being transferred to Ottawa, that is, if he would get the job. He had been told that there was another candidate he would have to compete with. Just before he was ready to leave, I said: “Honey that job is yours and there is no other candidate either.”
I don't know where that came from it just flew out of my mouth before I could stop it. It was exactly as I had said, the job was his and there was indeed no other person competing for it. This had to be from the Lord, for I would not, could not, ever say such a thing coming from myself.
Also accross from Disneyland was a very large church, 3 meetings of 2000 people in the morning service
Walter Martin was associated with that church and had a program called; "The Bible Answer Man"
People could phone in with their questions ,that was great as we all learned from it
Why not go back Butcher to the people who still send you video's, I bet they never asked you to pay for them either. My kind of people for sure. Not too many left who are like that today.........
What I said to you in PM, is for everyone no matter what church you go to.
Don't stop asking questions okay?................jenny
Can you believe a teacher telling this to ten year old's?
Oh my! In my mind I saw myself inside a coffin alive with a lot of dirt on top of me, and not being able to tell anyone that I was not dead.
That thought would just paralyze me!
When I came home I told my sister Greetje that when I died before her, to get a large knife and stick it into me many times, to make sure that I was dead.
Poor girl for having been given such an assignment.
I read once that in England when someone was buried, a string was wound around their toes. It was attached to a bell above ground. If you were not really dead you could ring the bell.
I sure would have liked knowing about that then!
When I had questions and that was often, I would go to my Dad. He always had the answers for me even though he would often sigh, and tell me that I could ask more questions than ten wise men could answer.
I told dad that I was afraid to go to sleep, and told him what my teacher had said about being buried alive.
I asked my dad: “What if I die in my sleep? Why do I have to die, I want to know why, dad, why?”
The world will keep going and I won’t be a part of it anymore.
There will be new inventions and discoveries, and I won’t know about them. Why are we on this planet anyway, for what purpose?
If we all have to die one day anyway, it just makes no sense at all does it daddy?”
Well this was the day that I finally stumped my dad. He had no answer for me. All he could say was that even the queen had to die. I knew she was very important and that even she had to die impressed me.
For a little while this thought comforted me, but not for long, as the subject just would not let me go.
In desperation I went to my mother and told her what was keeping me awake at night.
I didn't want to die I told her. I didn't want to be buried six feet under-ground for then it was all over for me.
"Oh", mother said to me; "Is that what is worrying you? Well when you die, you become a little star.”
Now that was better! Better than lying in a coffin that is for sure. I would be able to see everything that would happen on planet earth, I would still be a part of it all. Now I felt a lot better. I was happy with what my mother had told me, happy for a few days anyway.
I have a mind that never stops working.
I told my mom that I was worried about all the people that had already died, and the ones that still would die ,if there would be enough room for all those stars.
She said that only I could have come up with that one!
He loved rainbows,. so the day of his funeral his daughter took a picture on the way to the cemetary. It was a beautiful double rainbow. They felt it was just for him.
Cor took several pictures of those.........
Believe me it is not always easy to forgive. My sister had hurt me pretty bad again, and I had a hard time forgiving her. I heard a scripture in my head that said; "Vengeance is mine, sayest the Lord.” I thought this was just great! “Okay Lord, I forgive my sister, you go get her!”
When I told this at the Bible study, one wise sister said; "Jenny, that was not forgiving what you did, it was passing the buck you must forgive her without you thinking of revenge.
The Lord may not punish her at all, and you surely may never wish that He did."
“What do you mean? He may let her get away with it? That is not fair, she deserves to be punished!”
To forgive my sister now was not easy, but I finally managed to do so.
Ah our Lord has a forgiving heart and He does need activist and rebels too.........
Lord that is a very big one as I don't love everyone and tell Him so.
The only one who is pefect is Jesus.
We have to try to be good but don't succeed a lot of times.............
We are still human Butcher
Philipians:
Finally, brothers, whatever things are true, whatever things are honest, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.
I think of it as the origin of positive thinking