Saturday

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ

Why is the resurrection of Jesus so important?
 
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is so crucial and foundational to those who call themselves Christ followers because it is the very root of what we believe.  The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most important aspect of the Christian faith. God who sent His only begotten Son who was crucified, buried in a tomb, resurrected, ascended into heaven where He is currently sitting on the right hand side of God praying. The core of the Christian faith is true today this very minute as it was the day and very minute that Jesus rose from the grave, lingered on earth for a time then joined His Father on the throne.
 
Skeptics then, Skeptics now:
Apostle Paul, the dominate writer of the New Testament shares the truth and sound doctrine of this argument in his first letter to the church at Corinth.  Paul focuses on Christ resurrection and makes it very clear to those who have questions, the doubters and the skeptics of who Christ is and what Christ did. In Chapter 15 Paul builds on his thesis by giving step by step understanding;  He starts off with the 1) Fact of Christ’s resurrection, then 2) the importance of Christ’s resurrection, 3) the order of the resurrection 4) the moral implications of Christ’s resurrection and 5) ending with the bodies of the resurrected dead.
Paul declares that; “But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.” 
Paul does not leave any room for those people in Corinth who continue to question or to those who read these scriptures now. The facts are before the reader, bringing them to a place of selecting truth or fallacy.  Gary Habermas saysSkeptics must provide more than alternative theories to the Resurrection; they must provide first-century evidence for those theories.
 
There are several documented facts that prove the resurrection of Jesus.  And because  historians look for hypotheses that best fit the available facts. The hypothesis that fits all the facts is the best explanation. Once all the hypotheses have been weighed against the facts, we have confidence in the explanation that outweighs the rest. The resurrection of Jesus is the best explanation of the facts!
  
Non Christians, Historians, Enemies believed in the Resurrection
Jesus’ death by Roman crucifixion is one of the most well attested events of ancient history.
Recorded in all four New Testament Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) as well as Non-Christian sources such as; Josephus-A Jewish Historian, Mara Bar-Serapion Tacitus-A Roman Historian, The Jewish Talmud, Lucian of Samosata, Greek Satirist; Syrian prisoner
So even though many did not believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and the Son of Man, there was evidence in their writings that prove Jesus was resurrected.
 
Jesus’ appearances to the disciples and others
Nearly all scholars who study Jesus’ resurrection agree that Jesus’ disciples believed he had appeared to them raised from the dead, following his crucifixion. The conclusion comes from data that suggest two main factors. The disciples themselves claimed the risen Jesus appeared to them. The disciples were transformed from frightened individuals who went into hiding and denial at Jesus’ death to bold witnesses proclaiming the resurrection of the Lord. These two points are confirmed by Paul’s testimony about the disciples, the oral tradition of the early church, and the written works of the early church.  Peter, Paul, and John wrote their own personal experiences throughout scripture.  Paul shares in I Corinthians 15 his account.  In addition, these appearances were established by the written tradition, including the Gospels and works of the apostolic and early church fathers (Origen, Polycarp, Tertullian)  Not to mention Jesus appearing to the men on the road and others.
 
 Jesus’ tomb was empty   
These points clearly proves that the tomb was indeed empty due to the Resurrection of
Jesus Christ.
 
All four Gospels report that the tomb of Jesus was discovered empty by women. The culture of the Jewish society, a women’s testimony would not be honored in a court of law. So if someone was making this up as a false claim, that person would use male witnesses that would be honored in that culture.  The fact that the gospels document the women as witnesses is a fact that points to the tomb being actually empty due to the resurrection of Christ.
 
Enemies testified of a empty tomb. If someone does not support facts as being true, then why would they mention it as such?  If testimony about an event or person is given by a source who does not sympathize with the person, message, or cause then there is reason to believe the testimony is true/  Some of these sources include:  Justin Martyr’s Dialogue with Trypho 108, Tertullian’s Spectacles 30,Jewish Toledoth – “he was not in his grave” Matthew 28: 11-15 "You are to say, 'His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.‘”
 
The most plausible explanation covering this historically reliable information is that Jesus Christ was crucified, buried, and was resurrected from the grave.
 
Call to Action:
Now that you have come, you have read and you have seen, will you believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ?  Will you believe in Him as your personal Lord and Savior?
This month as the world annually celebrates Resurrection Sunday, will you join in celebration through demonstration of bowing your knee, humbly confessing sins and completely serving Jesus Christ as your Lord
 
Resources:
1.  Mary Jo Sharp- Confident Christianity http://www.confidentchristianity.com
2.  International Society of Women in Apologetics ISWA- www.womeninapologetics.com
3.  I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be An Atheist by Norman Geisler, Frank Turek. 
4. The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus by Gary Habermas, Mike Licona
 
NOTE: 
Firm Foundations is published every first Wednesday of the month in the Rim Review
 
For more info on upcoming classes: 
 
About the Author:
Simone Lake is a Christ follower, bride of Pastor Dr. John Lake (of Church on Randall Place),    Bible teacher and a passionate     pray-er. A graduate of Golden Gate Theological Seminary, Simone holds a Master’s degree in Theology Studies and Apologetics Certificate from BIOLA University.  She is an active member of International Women in Apologetics. 
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Sunday

What is in a Heart?

Answering the question above, it depends on who you ask.
If you ask a doctor, he would give you detailed information on the actual physical
human heart, what it does, how it functions and what happens when it is injured or does not function.
 
Asking Medical Staff
The physical human heart is a muscular organ with the major function of pumping blood. The blood is pumped throughout the many blood vessels within the human body. The heart completes this task with repeated and rhythmic contractions. The circulatory system that includes the vertebrates is also working within the system of all the body organs to perform vital functions to accomplish continued life of the human being.
 
When our heart beats, every single beat involves five major stages called the cardiac cycle.   The cardiac cycle refers to all the events related to the results of the beginning of each heartbeat.  The five stages include the first two, the “ventricular filling” stage and the last three involve moving the blood flow from the ventricles to the artery and the aorta.  Throughout this cardiac cycle, valves are opened or closed, blood flows or ceases to flow, the heart is relaxed or contracted, the ventricular are empty or full, and blood pressure increases or decreases.  All this happens in a beautifully orchestrated rhythmic beat.
Unnoticed to the naked eye, the healthy heart inside our bodies produces a healthy reproduction that flows not only in our bodies but overflows outwardly to our emotions, feelings, attitude, etc.
There are main functions of the heart that help circulate the oxygen and blood.  The right side of the heart is to collect de-oxygenated blood, in the right atrium from the body then pump it through the tricuspid valve, the right ventricle and into the lungs.  The left side of the heart collects oxygenated blood from the lungs and from the left atrium the blood moves to the left ventricle, through the valve then pumps it out to the body.  The muscle wall surrounding the left ventricle is thicker than the wall surrounding the right ventricle due to the higher force needed to pump the blood through the systemic circulation. 
A heart attack happens with there is an interruption of blood supply that flows to the heart.
The oxygen-rich blood flow to the heart is hindered and the circulation of the blood of the heart muscle that once delivered steady supply of blood fails.  This blockage, a hardened mass, is commonly due to coronary artery failure which results in a restricted blood supply, oxygen shortage and symptoms of chest pain, shortness of breath, sweating and other symptoms that occur. If this is left untreated for a sufficient time, it can cause heart cells that will die, severe damage of heart muscle tissue and even death of the individual
In regards to a healthy heart, once the de-oxygenated blood becomes oxygenated, the whole heart awakens. Blood flow, oxygen, lungs, valves, etc. all work together with the purpose to wake up the heart and to keep it pumping.
So there you have it.  The detailed information on the actual physical human heart, what it does, how it functions and what happens when it is injured or does not function.
But there is a deeper understanding of the heart. Something more meaningful and something that is focused on eternity
 
Asking Jesus
In contrast to asking a doctor or medical staff, “What is in a heart?”,Jesus shares a whole different answer to what a doctor would answer.  Jesus’ focus relates to the inward soul, the spirit man.  Matter of fact, many people relate to Jesus as a Spiritual Doctor because He is the one that fixes broken hearts not only right now on earth, but for eternity in our lives after.
 
When studying the following New Testament Greek passages of the Bible (observation, interpretation, application).  One would go to the originally languages of the Greek for deeper meaning.  In the Biblical Greek, the word heard is defined as;
denotes the centre of all physical and spiritual life, the centre and seat of spiritual life, the soul or mind, as it is the fountain and seat of the thoughts, passions, desires, appetites, affections, purposes, endeavors, of the understanding, the faculty and seat of the intelligence, of the will and character, of the soul so far as it is affected and stirred in a bad way or good, or of the soul as the seat of the sensibilities, affections, emotions, desires, appetites, passions, of  the middle or central or inmost part of anything, even though inanimate
 
Depending on the translation, there are over 30  passages in the Bible where Jesus Himself speaks of the heart.  Here are some;
Blessed are the pure in heart: for they will see God. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. Take my yoke (burdens) upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and you will find rest for your soul. You will love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. 
When Jesus shares with groups of people, regarding their heart condition and the outcome of the heart many things are included; emotions, illnesses, burdens, short comings, etc.  He is offering Himself to ALL people as the healing source for those things.  He is saying that there is hope for those truly searching and seeking for a healthy heart in Jesus.  
 
As Valentine’s Day approaches this month, I encourage you to exam your heart.  As you would go to a physical doctor to exam your natural heart for defect, disease and malfunction, I encourage you to go to the Spiritual Doctor who is Jesus, to evaluate your spiritual heart of defect, disease and malfunction.  Jesus will develop a pure heart within you.  He will train you to be lowly in heart, bless you with a pure heart and most importantly, love the Lord your God with all of your heart. Seek Jesus the only Spiritual Doctor who can heal your heart and soul.
 
Resources:
1.  Heartbeat Lessons of the Cross by Simone Lake- located on facebook Deep Roots in Christ Ministry page
2.  www.BlueLetterBible.org – for Biblical language study
3.  Encyclopedia
4.   Scriptures:   Matthew 5:8, 6:1, 11:29, 22:37
           
NOTE: 
Firm Foundations is published every first Wednesday of the month in the Rim Review
 
For more info. on classes, contact: 
 
About the Author:
Simone Lake is a Christ follower, bride of Pastor Dr. John Lake (of Church on Randall Place), Bible teacher and a passionate pray-er. A graduate of Golden Gate Theological Seminary, Simone holds a Master’s degree in Theology Studies, Apologetics Certificate from BIOLA University and active member of International Women in Apologetics.  Visit her on: www.deeprootsinchrist.comwww.simonelake.com, http://deeprootsinchrist.sermon.net, http://womeninapologetics.com FaceBook, Twitter and LinkedIn

Friday

The Joy of Christ Coming to us Daily and Personally

This time of year most people are thinking of creative ways to keep their New Year resolutions. For me…my heart pulse is in the joy I embrace with the lessons I learned, soaking in the scriptures of the Bible.  This wonderful joy of clinging to Christ during Advent, for the whole month of December, has given me a freshness of reflection, hope and encouragement. 

I know Christ HAS come.  Praise to His holy Name! 

I know Christ WILL come. Praise to His holy Name! 

Yet in a world full of continual constant distractions from every direction imaginable, my ongoing travail is to keep my eyes fixed on Christ for He has come in my daily life circumstances.

Review:
As you remember, from my December Firm Foundations article, Advent One and Advent Two… we learned that Advent by definition is that arrival of a notable person = Christ.  And Christ’s first coming, as documented in scriptures declaring this truth of prophecies from Genesis to Malachi in the Old Testament. These give clear direction on how to look for and see Christ our coming Messiah foretold. Experts found over 350 Biblical fulfilled prophecies of the coming of Christ.  With a mathematical probability of 9 prophecies coming true, it is like these documentations of Advent one of Christ coming are 1/10 to 76th power. 1/10 to 76th power is like picking the same grain of sand four times in succession.  Likewise in the New Testament, during the time of His first coming, at the Last Supper, Christ along with His disciples shared His desire to eat and drink with them when He sees them again in heaven.  After his crucifixion, after his resurrection and after His current position of intercessor on the right hand side of God, His disciples with eat with Him again.  And be with Him for eternity. Praise to His holy Name!

Christ Comes to us Daily:

Not only does Christ come to me daily, He STAYS with me daily.  In His coming He is active and concerned about my everyday day life and circumstances…  In my tears as I seek Him early in the morning, in my spiritual grief as my heart aches for the rebellion of His bride.  In my disappointments as others let me down, in my sins as I wrestle in prayer that I stay unspotted from the world.  In my weariness as I crouch down in a metaphorical trench of spiritual warfare being plummeted by artillery.  In times of sorrow and joy. In times of fastings/ prayers.  In times of exhaustion due to pulling- all-nighters with deep prayers, studying/ preparing for Bible teachings/ speaking.  In times of emotional burdens of the spiritual realm. In times of spiritual disasters of others as I continue to model the servant quality of Christ offering myself 24/7 as a living drink offering sacrifice by serving others and the body of Christ. 

These daily times are times and moments where not only do I find Christ but He finds me.

And He STAYS with me as my biggest and highest Encourager, Supporter Strengthener and Friend.

My quest this 2016 year has been motivated and provoked by the lessons I learned in 2015 Advent, seeing a fresh new deeper way His active presence of coming in my life.  I am not satisfied at the level I was in 2015.  I strive and press on to a deep level of knowing Christ and to make Him known to others.  A wrestling if you will between my Adamic nature of sin and my successful victorious soul of a new creation in Christ completely transformed as His friend and heir of the Savior of the World.
As the Psalmist declares, “Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls; all your breakers and your waves have gone over me.  By day the Lord commands his steadfast love and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life.” 

And Apostle Paul tells us “ But it is written, What no eye has seen, nor ear hear, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love Him, these things God has reveled to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.” 

2016  New Year

So here’s to another year of:

PRAISE –Learning, memorizing and saturating myself with hymns and beautiful melodies lifting up my voice to the only Triune God, worthy of all praise!

REPENTANCE- Turning from sins that create splashes of tears that fall on my cheeks because of the pain I have caused my God, my family, my friends, strangers.

ASK- Hours of simple quietness and extreme aggressive thundering, wrestling on the throne in prayer on behalf of others and myself

YIELD- submitting in obedience to all God has for me including lack of faith by worry and
just giving all to Him, trusting in Him completely  


FOLLOW ME:

This quest and end game of mine is not far reaching for a heart that is 100% willing.  Let me ask you?  Are you willing?  God is not a respecter of persons.  In other words, there is not one ounce of prejudice, segregation, separation or favoritism in the heart of God. He is our creator, He loves us and if you study and read the life of Christ (God himself) on this earth, you will see that He LOVED the marginalized, those that were pushed aside from society, looked over, cheated against, hated because of skin color, bank account, handicapped, where they live or being poor. Or, those abused in every way imaginable, the widows, the orphans, the poor, the smelly, the mentally and emotionally unstable…and more and God loves everyone!  Why do I know this?  It is because He sent His only begotten Son to die on the cross for EVERYONE and to give them great hope in Him the famous star and Savior of our Advent! 

Oh dear friend, it does not get any better than this!  Follow me as I follow Christ!  Make your my quest equal to mine…together we will dive deep in the escalades of the mystery of Christ and His sustaining and mighty right hand.  Learning, practicing and applying Christ as a reality in our daily life, daily moments and circumstances of situations COME!

Resources/Scriptures:
ISWA:  International Women in Apologetics - womeninapologetics.com
John Piper:  The Dawning of Indestructible Joy-Daily Readings for Advent
Matt.  26:26-29
Psalm  42:7-8
I Corinthians 2: 9-10

NOTE:  Firm Foundations is published every first week of the month in the Rim Review and archived on simonelake.blogspot
 
Calendar:  www.simonelake.com
Prayer Class- starts Sunday Jan. 31st – 411 Chapel
Ephesians Study – 411 Chapel- January
Conversational Sign Language Course -411 Chapel- February
Apologetics Class-411 Chapel- February
Christian Apologetics – Northern Arizona Bible Institute February

About the Author:
Simone Lake is a Christ follower, bride of Pastor Dr. John Lake (of Church on Randall Place),
Bible teacher and a passionate pray-er. A graduate of Golden Gate Theological Seminary,
Simone holds a Master’s degree in Theology Studies, Apologetics Certificate from BIOLA University and active member of International Women in Apologetics. 
Visit her on: www.deeprootsinchrist.com,
www.simonelake.com,
 http://deeprootsinchrist.sermon.net,
 http://womeninapologetics.com
FaceBook, Twitter and LinkedIn