James, a Convert

 

In ICor.15:7, Paul states that Jesus appeared to His brother, James (original manuscript, Jacob/ "Ya'akov") after His resurrection. There is nowhere else that this is verified in the Bible.

 

> James was not a believer in his brother, Jesus, as the divine Son of God.

 

> James was a leader of the Jerusalem Council, Acts 15:13. Could he have had a hand in the death of his brother? Did he stand by and not protest the illegal trial? Was he not made aware of the secrecy of the trial? How did he feel about all the controversy surrounding his brother? What was it like to grow up with an older brother like Jesus? I don't know. (But, I do wonder.) So many details in the life and death of Christ we may never understand.

 

 

 

> James did become a believer as stated in the book of James, 1:18. And, his teachings echo those of his brother, Jesus.

 

> This shows me that Paul's statement is correct.

Why else would James have become a believer unless he witnessed the risen Christ. ?

Resurrection - Fact or Fiction

 When my church called for members of the congregation to read scripture on Sunday mornings, I volunteered and am called upon to do so every 4 to 6 weeks. I have been encouraged to make any short comment about the reading that I might feel appropriate and practiced with the music team prior to service.

> This week I was given ICor. 15:3 - 10 to read. These verses reflect Paul's comments to the Corinthian church about the number of people who witnessed Christ after His resurrection from the dead, focusing on the truth about the Good News.

 

* In Christianity, the resurrection of Jesus is the most compelling piece of evidence that He is Savior and the Son of God.  From the very first day,  the enemy has planted seeds of doubt regarding the resurrection.

 

> An interesting statement is that Jesus was seen by 500 people at one time - after His resurrection. I have heard this scripture before but never read where the event was documented in the Bible, so I went to seek it out.

IT'S NOT !

In deed, I went to search out the passages and there are none. What I did find was a lot of anti-Christ comments on how this proves He did not rise from the dead as our Savior and Son of God.

 

> This is ignorance at it's best. So many set themselves up in judgement of situations they know nothing about; never read or study. I dare any doubter to PROVE Jesus is NOT risen from the dead. There is more documentation to the contrary - if you open your eyes.

 

> Let me begin by stating ancient history does document Jesus as existing in ancient Nazareth.  The major question is that of His status as Son of God, Creator and Savior of mankind - His divinity.

 

> Then, let me state, He was dead when taken from the cross. This is documented with the statement that water flowed from His side when pierced with a Roman soldier's spear and witnessed by those present. This "water" is the content of the protective sac around the human heart. If the sac is pierced, a clear fluid runs out and the heart stops.

 

 

 

> There were many other encounters listed as witness accounts: Mary Magdalene was first Jn.20:11-17, Matthew tells that she was with another woman Mt.28:7-10, two followers on the road to Emmaus Lk.24:13-27, Apostles in the Upper Room Lk.24:36-49 and Jn.20:19-29 (Thomas was not present but other followers were), Thomas Jn.20:24-28, James (brother to Jesus) also stated by Paul ICor.15:7. Paul states his life changing encounter on the road to Damascus Acts9:1-19. He appeared again in the Upper Room Mk.16:9-19 to the 11 Apostles. 

 

> Let me also remind everyone that the Dead Sea Scrolls, The Apocrypha and the Agnostic books are incomplete. No one can be positive the encounter with the 500 witnesses did not happen; written documentation has just not yet been found. 

 

> John 20:29 Jesus tells Thomas of those blessed for belief - without physical evidence.

In John 20:30 & 31, John tells us of witnessing versus believing.

In Mark 16:14 we are again told of the blessing of belief without proof. 

 

> It is our FAITH in things not seen that will bring the greatest reward.

 

 

 

> Indeed, the benefits of knowing our Savior in our personal lives - finding Him within ourselves in the quiet moments, is what will bring us the greatest reward - that of knowing Him on a personal level.

Easter/ Resurrection Break

 Took a break from blogging during the season of Passover and Resurrection.

 Spent my posting time on my Facebook page posting various aspects of the Crucifixion along with my distaste for the bunny..  If you think you might be interested, look me up on Facebook,  Linda Rous.  My page is public.

 These particular posts run between April 13 and April 19 of this year (2025) on my Facebook page.

 You will find information regarding Jesus in his last hours, The Supper, the crucifixion, the resurrection, bread of life, the sign on the cross, the Centurian, the tomb and more.

 

 

I'll be back soon with more from the editing of my book. 

* My book begins with the post on Dec. 30, 2024

See "Entertaining Angels Unaware"

He Lives

MESSAGE for Easter: "He Lives"

From virgin womb to virgin tomb, Jn. 19:41.

“Who will roll the stone away?” was the question in Mark 16:3. 

 

> Often, these stones weighed in excess of a ton. The three Marys were willing to commit a great crime, to prep the body of Jesus, as subjects in the Roman empire with a government guarded grave. 

 

Let me point out right here and now that the stone was not rolled away to let Jesus out. The Son of God, in flesh or spirit, had no need of help to leave the cave of His entombment. He was gone BEFORE the stone was moved by an angel that created an earth quake so all might see Him gone. 

 

> This happened early on the first day of the week. By Hebrew calendars, that is Sunday, Mt. 28:1, Mk. 16:1 & 2, Lk. 24:1. The angel was sitting on the stone, waiting for them. “Come and see”, he said. “Tell his disciples”. I put to you that all believers today are His disciples; you and me. Come and see. His life and crucifixion are not disputed in history. 

 

> Common sense: Crucifixion is the most horrific type of torture and execution ever devised by the human race. In previous writings, I established that He was dead when removed from the cross. It is recorded that over 500 people saw, spoke to and/or heard Him after his crucifixion. How could a man who suffered such torture and endured hanging on a cross, for six hours in the sun, walk across the room? let alone TRAVEL to visit with over 500 people in different locations?????

 

> The priests of the temple had bribed the soldiers to say Jesus' disciples took His body, Mt. 28:12-15. This rumor continues to this very day. Those of us blessed to accept Him and have the Holy Spirit, that He gives to us dwelling in our body, know the truth. The truth has set us free.

 

 

> The angels instructed the women to tell His disciples, "AND PETER", in particular, Mk.16:7. First Corinthians 15:5 tells us He appeared to Peter first. This is a conversation only mentioned in Paul’s account. Nothing is mentioned of what was said; it was highly private and personal, just like our own relationship with our Savior. Jesus was very concerned about Peter and the burden of guilt he was carrying, Jn. 21:15-17. We all carry burdens of guilt. Just as we are all called to a purpose, with the gifts He gives us, Peter was chosen for His part in the life of Jesus and the teaching of the good news, of the beautiful grace of God.

 

> When the disciples heard, Peter and John ran to the tomb, Jn. 20:1-10. John reached the tomb first but hesitated at the door. Peter charged past him into the tomb and saw the burial wrappings. Then, John went in. The gospel tells that “He saw and believed.” In those four words, we are informed that John understood everything at that moment. Peter only saw Jesus gone, Lk. 24:12; John SAW AND BELIEVED. 

 

> When you see the account of the Passover, death and resurrection, do you see or do you believe? - truly, in your heart. Do you know beyond physical evidence? 

 

> After they left, Mary Magdalene stood outside the tomb crying, Jn. 20:11-12. When she stooped to look into the tomb, she saw TWO angels sitting where Jesus body had lain. This image reminds me of the Ark of the Covenant.

 

 

> The Ark was made with two angels on top, one at each end, guarding the Mercy Seat, where the annual sacrifice for sin was made every year in the Holy of Holies. This seat was where the innocent blood of a perfect lamb was shed that covered the sins of Israel (man), represented by the three items inside the ark. The Ark represents Jesus and His blood covering the sins of mankind.

 

These two angels were seated in the tomb, on the platform and the image is like the two angels seated on the top of the Ark of the Covenant. We are being told, the one who paid our sin debt is risen from death, under His own power, so we are free to live and walk with the Lord in peace, without fear of anything in this life. Since He is the "first born of many", we are sure to rise with Him in the near future to our promised place in the New Jerusalem.

Even so, come Lord Jesus.

 

Revelation's Berisheet Prophecy

REVELATION

(Second in a series)

 

Starting in 1:4, we happen on our first mention of "7"; seven churches.

> Interesting: 7 days of creation, 7 thousand years of history and 7 churches addressed here. Could there be a connection?

> God worked on creation for six days and rested on the 7th. (A day is as a thousand years to God.) There are listed, in the Bible, six thousand years of man before the second coming of Jesus.

> Many of the ancient church fathers, from the first three centuries AD, taught this theory. Leaders of the church such as Barnabas, Irenaeus, Hippolytus, Commodianus, Victorinus, Methodius and Lactantius wrote things like: "Therefore, children, in six days, or in six thousand years, all the prophecies will be fulfilled", "The Sabbath is a type of the future kingdom. . . For 'a day with the Lord is as a thousand years", "Resurrection of the body will be when six thousand years are completed,", and "In the seventh millennium we will be immortal and truly celebrate the Feast of Tabernacles."

 

 

> Could the first six churches listed in Revelation 2 and 3 be the ages of the church? Could the 7th church listed be the age we are presently in?

> From the Hebrew language, take the first word of Gen.1:1 (beginning) and break down the meaning of each letter and the term "In beginning" tells us, "The Son of God, Creator, is coming out of His home and will be part of an epic event that will bring a covenant for the future of mankind". The term "In beginning" (Heb: Berisheet") is all about home and new beginnings.

> The Book of Revelation is about Jesus bringing our new beginning.

 

Resurrection

It's A Mystery

At a recent Bible study - I won't say where (My point is not to condemn or point fingers at anyone person or church.), we were on the topic, "mystery kept hidden for ages" in Col 1:26.

This mystery being about Jesus Christ made known through the prophetic writings  Ro 16:26.  These prophetic writings would be Psalms and Isaiah, among other prophets. 

It's all about Jesus; the Old Testament and the New.  The Old Testament leads to and points at His coming.  The New Testament is about that life and death and the second coming.  Yes!  Jesus.  All Christians know this much.  No problem in the Bible study group.  So why is it called a mystery? 

Let me back up by saying that this revelation is a bit new to me.  I never could understand the writings of Paul until I understood this "mystery", which has been made clear to me in the recent couple years.  Then, Paul's writings took on so much meaning.  I have been in church for many (many) years.  A couple years back, I really stuck my nose into "the book".  I purchased a Hebrew Bible with translation and have learned more in the past two years than in my other sixty-nine.  I am so thrilled with what I am seeing that I want to study 24/7.

The "mystery" is the plan of redemption through Jesus Christ.  Again, something all Christians understand:  Jesus took our sins upon Himself so we might be free of sin.  Let's pause and think about that statement for a minute.  Jesus took our sins on Himself.  All of them; past, present and future.  After all, He is the beginning and the end.  We are free of sin.  FREE of sin; past, present and future.  How does that work?

This plan of redemption is: grace trumps the 10 commandments.   There, I said it.  I said it in that Bible study and really opened a can of worms.  People were demanding I show a verse that states this fact.  Well, there is none.  No one verse that specifically states "the ten commandments are done away with through Jesus".  You have to read and search out answers; we are told to "seek and find", "knock and the door will be opened".   I went home in shock.  Shouldn't have because, until two years ago, this was new to me.  I had come to believe that I was the odd man out for years - the only one who did not understand grace over the 10 commandments, the "law".  I thought every believer knew.  Now I am thinking there are more people out there walking a fine line of me or God, self centered or God centered, I do or God gives, law of stone or grace of God.

I always thought "the law" meant the temple laws, the sacrificial laws.  Not so.  Bible refers to the 10 commandments as "the law written on stone".   Ex 24:12, Ex 31:18,  Ex 34:4   Paul constantly refers to law versus grace.  

There is nothing wrong with the Ten Commandments.  They are perfect; perfect law of God.  Only a God can keep them.  They were broken before they were given on Sinai and through to the end of the Old Testament.  They are still broken today by good Christians everywhere.  God knew when He gave these laws that they could not be kept by mortals.  (Satan himself, as a high ranking spirit being, could not keep them.)  God had the plan of redemption (the great mystery) in mind when He gave the laws. 

You cannot go through life and keep the letter of the law.  Example, stealing: ever cheat on income taxes?  Ever keep the wrong change from a store clerk?  Example, false witness (lying):  Ever stretch the truth to save the feelings of a friend?  Lie!  Ever exaggerate a story?  Lie!  Ever wish someone dead in your mind?  Murder!  Ever admire a friend's spouse in a lustful way?  Adultery!  Do you go to church on Sunday?  Sabbath!  Do you value your children over God?  Idolatry!  Jesus explained in the Beatitudes that even thinking against the law is breaking it. The "law" can't be kept.  We all break the law on a daily basis in thought and/or deed. 

Here's the Good News (gospel means "good news"):  We don't have to keep the law "written on stone".  Jesus brought new law:  "Love your God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself".  Then, Jesus took all our sins (past, present and future) on Himself, once and for all.  (Ro 6:10)  It is over, done, finished, ended.  Jesus took ALL our sins upon Himself and nailed them to that cross.  We are free and do not have to put the stress upon ourselves to abide in a law that cannot be kept.  This is what grace is.

Oh, great, that means we can all go do any evil we want.  Of course not!  As believers in Jesus and what He has done, we don't want to.  That would be tantamount to slapping our Savior in the face.  What a wonderful thing He did for us.  As understanding believers who are grateful for His sacrifice, we want only to please Him.  That is all we have to do - believe, turn our back on a wayward life and try.  Easy - peasy!  God and The Son have made it easy for us - out of perfect love.  No one wants to knowingly defy such love.

This plan of redemption, this great mystery is the grace of God through the sacrifice of Jesus that covers us with the blood of the perfect sacrifice to be seen as pure in the eyes of our Heavenly Father.  We have been redeemed from all our past, present and future wrong doings.

It's all about Jesus, the Great "I Am" 
Amen