THINGS TO PONDER
A few things that I have come across that set me to thinking.
- Back in the late 70's, while doing an enactment of the "Resurrection"
for a Sunday school class, I was wondering why the empty tomb caused the disciple to believe {Jn:20:8:
- Then went in also that other disciple, which came first to the sepulchre, and he saw, and believed.} (KJV) when all the miracles and such did not. {Jn:12:37;
- But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him:} (KJV) Then
it dawned on me - he must have passed through
the burial wrapping and they lay there in the unwound state.
- Gen 1:3-5 "Let there be light " on the first day - Gen 1:14-18 "Let
there be lights" on the fourth day. {Jn:8:12; - Then spake Jesus
again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall
have the light of life.} (KJV)
- The bible speaks clearly about Adam being put to sleep - but no mention at all
of him being awakened. Is this all a dream?? {Eph:5:14; - Wherefore he
saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light.} (KJV)
- If the WORD is the Bible, how did Christians obey {Mt:4:4;
But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out
of the mouth of God.} (KJV). The Bible wasn't compiled for another 1600
years. {1Jn:1:1; That which was from the beginning, which we have heard,
which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;}
(KJV)
- The name Jesus Christ. He never
heard that name - that name is Greek. He Himself and everybody around Him spoke Hebrew. To those around Him, His
name was Joshua the son of Joseph {today we might say Joshua Josephson}. Besides - His name was supposed to be
Emmanuel. {Mt. 1:22-23 ; “Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled
which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet saying, “Behold a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth
a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us”}. (KJV) Here is the point - When
they say the word "name" they meant what we mean when we say "nature". Change nature - change
name. Saul/Paul, Abram/Abraham, Jacob/Israel, etc. What was Jesus' nature? {John
8:28; Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am [he], and
[that] I do nothing of myself;
but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things}. (KJV) Now if you replace the word "name"
with "nature" in the scriptures - what a difference! {John 14:13-14;
"And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name/nature,
that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name/nature, I will do it."}. (KJV) Otherwise known as Spirit led asking not carnal asking.
This is shared to explain what it means to ask "in the name of Jesus" but never forget {Philippians 2:11} - "Every
knee shall bow .... and every tongue confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord!!
- "The Devil made me do it" - Maybe the most profound and underrated
statement ever said. - Paul {Romans 7: 20-23}
- "Life is a constant recognition of another" - Norman Grubb {Romans
8} {1 John 4:13} Hereby know we that we dwell in Him, and He in us, because He hath given us of his Spirit
(KJV)
- "The last sin the Christian commits is the trying not to sin" - Norman
Grubb {Galatians 2:21} ... for if righteousness is through the law, then Christ died for nothing! (WEB)