Jesus Rose From The Dead. Fact Or Fiction?

Can we know for sure that the resurrection is real?

Commonly referred to as, “The Resurrection of Jesus Christ,” it is of paramount importance to know for certain if Jesus actually did arise from the dead. Many have challenged or questioned the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is a fair question for anyone to ask. Christianity as we know it hinges on the resurrection being true. Did Jesus really die and then resurrect Himself? Were there really witnesses? How do we know for sure? After investigating these questions for myself, I can say with complete assurance that I know with absolute certainty that Jesus did rise from the dead. I know this is true more than I know my own existence is true. I know my own existence is true, because I can see a clear path of damage when I look behind me, But, even more so, I can tell you there is absolutely no question that Jesus raised from the dead on the third day after He was crucified. The empirical evidence is very good.

Of course, the Gospels in the bible chronicle the events surrounding the death and resurrection of Jesus. But, we can also draw from other historians of the day such as Josephus, Tacitus, and others. I found the actions of the apostles and the witnesses to be the most convincing evidence.  These actions eliminate any possibilities that the historical account of the resurrection is some elaborate fabricated conspiracy story that has stood the scrutiny of fact checking for over 2000 years.

For example, how scared were the disciples of Jesus after the crucifixion? They were petrified of others to the point that they hid from everyone behind locked doors. After Peter and others saw the resurrected Jesus, they came out of their hiding places and fearlessly preached in public about Jesus. What a change in character! What would explain this change in character? The penalty for preaching the resurrection of Jesus was death. What changed in the apostles to give them such boldness and such a presence of authority? Something gave the apostles a fresh new character make-over. It was Jesus, who conquered death and offered eternal life to those who believe in Him that restored the faith in everyone who witnessed the resurrected Lord Jesus.

Not only the apostles, but anyone who proclaimed the truth of the resurrection was to be killed. Nobody was allowed to worship Jesus, talk about Jesus, or preach Jesus. Punishment was death and yet hundreds of people were willing to be killed for admitting they witnessed seeing Jesus after the crucifixion. The Romans would literally come to you and tell you to deny the resurrection, or be imprisoned and murdered. They would chop your head off, throw you in hot oil, and crucify you for confessing your faith in Jesus or giving your testimony of seeing the resurrected Jesus. There is no explanation for that. You can’t come up with any good reason why so many people would throw their lives away testifying their witness of seeing the resurrected Jesus. Sure some people are crazy and it is conceivable that two or three people would no doubt hope to gain attention. But thousands of people?

James, the brother of Jesus, was a very openly skeptical critic of his brother. He ended up dying for his faith in Jesus. Paul, who persecuted the early church more than anyone, became the most vocal of all the apostles, writing more books in the New Testament than any other writer. What changed Paul’s mind? Jesus met Paul (then called Saul of Tarsus) on the road to Damascus. After Paul met the resurrected Lord, Paul endeavored to spread the Gospel till his death. Paul was stoned, endured beatings, imprisonment, and was ultimately beheaded by Nero, the Roman Emperor for his faith in Jesus. Over 500 witnesses saw Jesus appear to Paul on the Road to Damascus. Many of these witnesses were brutally murdered for their testimony.

Peter, who denied knowing Jesus three times before the cock crowed (before Christ was crucified), suddenly became emboldened to fearlessly share the Gospel after the resurrection. Interestingly enough, Peter was not so emboldened even after witnessing the transfiguration. It took the resurrection to calm Peter’s fears. Peter played a significant role in the early church writing many books, most of which are not canonized books. He went to Rome and preached the Gospel to both Jews and Gentiles. Peter endured many hardships for his faith in Jesus and ultimately was crucified on a tree upside down. Peter didn't consider himself worthy to be murdered in the same manner Jesus was murdered, so he requested to be placed upside down! Peter suffered greatly for his faith in Jesus.

There is story after story like these where people died for their faith in Jesus. The apostles were not making money preaching the resurrection of Jesus. They didn't have huge book contracts on the line or any other worldly thing that could motivate a person to risk their life believing in Jesus. People were willing to give their lives up because they knew the truth and they had the promise of eternal life. 

Two thousand years later, there are still parts of the world where having faith in Jesus will get you imprisoned and killed. Christian pastors in the country of Iran and others are constantly in the news for being imprisoned, beaten, and humiliated for their faith in Jesus.

More evidence

Other evidences include the fact that the Bible used women as witnesses. This was not done back in the day of Jesus. The women were like second class citizens, so you wouldn't use women to bolster your claims. Women literally had no voice in a court room. So, if you were going to lie about something and gather witnesses for the event, you would use men, not women to collaborate your story. But, Jesus has tremendous respect for women, which is clearly seen throughout His ministry. Jesus first appeared to women. When Mary went to the apostles to report the empty tomb, the apostles didn't even believe her. Peter ran to go check for himself. Throughout the Gospels, women were used as witnesses. In my opinion, God favored these women. I'm sure the apostles didn't like this. Nevertheless, they had to record the truth of what happened.

There is much more evidence as well. Countless numbers of people have died for testifying in the historical fact of the resurrection. Check it out! Investigate for yourself. John 10:17-18 says, “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.” 1 Corinthians 15:17-18 says, "And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished." Paul goes on to say that if the resurrection isn't real, then we have no other reason to live except for ourselves (1 Cor 15:32). So, Christianity completely hinges on whether or not the resurrection really took place. Peter wrote in 1 Peter 1:3-4, "“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you.” As Christians, that is our promise!

I challenge any unbeliever to study this topic. The reliability of the Bible as a historical document has been demonstrated over and over. Historians and archaeologists continually affirm the accuracy of the Bible in matters of history. Even if you don't believe in the Bible, there are many other historians who have documented evidence surrounding the resurrection of Jesus such as the historians I previously mentioned.

Do You Act Like A Pharisee?

What is a pharisee?

     The description of a Pharisee can be summed up in three words: Morally superior purists. Two other words that basically mean the same thing are often used by others referring to Christians in today’s world: Self righteous! Pharisees believed that they could become righteous by adhering to a strict code of laws, rules, and man-made traditions. In the loosest interpretation of their code, it was akin to our United States constitution in the sense that the contents of the code were up for interpretation. They were especially concerned with the law that God gave to Moses. So much so, that they created rules describing how the law was to be applied. These rules for applying the law comprise what is called the Talmud.

     The Talmud is roughly 6200 pages in length. It is the ultimate sourcebook of the law, as it takes the rules listed in the Torah and describes how to apply them to different circumstances. The Torah is comprised of the five books in the Bible written by Moses (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy). The Torah is inspired by God, but the Talmud is inspired by man. The entire Bible consists of approximately 1000 pages, depending on which version you have. The 5 books of the bible, which the Talmud focuses on cover only 165 pages in the bible on average. So, the Talmud goes in to great depth using 6200 pages to apply what the Bible teaches in the first 165 pages. The Jews have always been very concerned with the law. In particular, the Pharisees thought they were the most righteous because nobody followed the law more closely than they did. Today, there are thousands of books written on right and wrong available in Christian book stores.

     Pharisees essentially made themselves self-righteous through a disciplined lifestyle adhering to the Talmud. They were sanctimonious – they acted like they were morally superior to everyone else.  I don’t think one has to label them self a Christian to act like a Pharisee. Many who don’t believe in God simply believe they are morally superior as a result of their own efforts to be good people. In that sense, behaving like a Pharisee is not exclusive to Christians or other religions.  However, I believe it is a big problem for Christians and something I will focus on. For the purpose of this topic, I am going to use the word “pharisaic” to mean self-righteous and morally superior.

     Oftentimes, we think less of those who disagree with our theology. We can obtain the belief that we are right and the other person is wrong about something. This occasionally leads to strong feelings or convictions on a topic - so strong that we at times disassociate with others who have conflicting theological viewpoints. There are many things the Bible speaks out against. Some of us are better than others at following the rules laid out for us in scriptures than others are. For example, if I am convicted of watching movies with lots of violence and swearing, and my Christian brother is not, then a tendency may arise, even sometimes in an insubstantial manner, to look down on them in some way. We think we are better than others because we don’t do something they have no problem doing.

Do you have a pharisaic attitude?

     Personally, I am not offended by someone using swear words. In fact, I think it is silly to allow yourself to get upset because someone else is cussing. There are some exceptions.  I don't want to hear dirty jokes or people insulting others. But, the exceptions aside, how many times have you heard someone say, “YOU HAVE A FILTHY MOUTH, I WOULD NEVER TALK LIKE THAT!” Or, they might say, “I don’t want to be around that kind of talk, so please don’t use cuss words around me.” That is a Pharisee if I ever heard one! Your actions don’t make you righteous – rather the grace you received through faith in Jesus makes you righteous. Never forget that! Some of us work around other people who drop the “F-Bomb” every second or third word that comes out from their mouth. When we ask them to stop cussing around us, we oftentimes offend them because people who use the “F word” repeatedly do not even realize there is anything wrong with it. They don’t think twice before saying it. All they know is some prudish person is telling them how to talk. Essentially, we are taking our own convictions and demanding, coercing, or constraining other people who don’t share our same convictions. Who are we to force our will of morality upon anyone else when God gives everyone a free will?

     As Christians, we have the Holy Spirit to convict us. The Holy Spirit guides us, teaches us, and strengthens us to help us bring glory to God in our actions. Since the non-Christian population is much larger than the Christian population, there are many others who do not have the Holy Spirit to convict them about anything. Conversely, they rely on their own moral compass to direct their paths and help them decide the differences between right and wrong. They haven’t read Bible verses about speaking with a coarse or vile tongue. They calibrate their moral compass to match what they are taught by self-help books or society rather than the Holy Spirit or verses in a Bible.  The popular book titled, “Women are from Venus, Men are from Mars” describes quite well the differences between a Christian and a non-Christian. We are coming from two separate planets, and yet we treat people at times like they should do everything our way – “The Right Way!”

     It is no wonder many non-Christians refer to Christians as self-righteous people. In all honesty, we customarily may be acting pharisaic. Not only do we treat non-Christians with this sort of contempt, but we also lash out at each other the same way. Romans 14:4 says, “Who are you to judge someone else's servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand.”  So why do we judge each other when it comes to nothing more than our convictions from the Holy Spirit?  I love music. I listen to almost every genre of music accept for jazz and classical. I even like jazz and classical, but not nearly as much as I enjoy classical rock, alternative, rap, country, and other music genres. I also love my Christian music. I mostly listen to Christian music because I find that I am able to glorify God more listening to Christian music than secular music. If you were to listen to my iPhone, you would hear a wide assortment. I have about 2000 songs on my iPhone/iPod, 1200 or so of which are Christian praise and worship songs – The rest are secular songs. I also like to periodically watch a good action movie such as one of the Jason Bourne movies. I might reference something from the Simpsons once in a while in a conversation.

     Do you suddenly feel more spiritually mature than me knowing what types of music and movies I enjoy? That “feeling” is a pharisaic feeling. Feeling morally superior to others is exactly how the Pharisees felt. Consider this; there are many who teach that leaving the “world” behind means leaving all your non-Christian friends, too. When we keep non-Christians at an arm’s length because we are not comfortable being around them, are we modern-day Pharisees?

     Periodically, it may be appropriate to remind a brother or sister in the Lord that something might not be glorifying to God such as gossiping. Casting judgment in the spirit of love and correction from one brother or sister in the Lord to another brother or sister in the Lord is scripturally acceptable in the right context.  There is a huge contrast between righteously judging one another as Christians, and acting or thinking we are better than our weaker brothers and sisters. But, I believe that oftentimes, in little subtle ways, we are susceptible to thinking like the Pharisees. Whenever we are in an uncomfortable situation, I think our first reaction is to distance ourselves. The way we think transcends our actions whether we realize it or not. Our actions are a reflection of our thoughts. We might not even notice the smug look we gave someone.

     Indeed, we all would like to think ourselves the antithesis of a Pharisee. I’m not trying to act like the Sunday morning preacher who brings up a topic and then tries to set a wide enough trap to catch everyone up in it using several examples we may all be guilty of. In fact, many people I am sure have mastered the ability to live their lives without thinking or acting pharisaic in any way. Still, many of us do. Many of us are guilty of this, which is why it is important to scrutinize our hearts and thoughts. We want to glorify God. Does it bring glory to God when we turn people off to God or the church because we offend them with our convictions? We are all called to be a light in a dark world – The great commission. Are we leading people to God or turning them away from God when we act like a Pharisee?

More Concerned With The Tree Of Life Than The Tree Of Knowledge 

     Pharisees are concerned with what is right and wrong. Jesus was always concerned with life. That is a very important distinction. When Jesus walked the earth, most believed if you were sick that you probably did something bad to deserve it. Jesus was about giving life to those who were dying.  We were a dying world with no hope of saving ourselves, but Jesus died in our place to give us eternal life. Why are Christians so concerned about what others are doing with respect to right and wrong? Because Christians are taught more about what is good and evil or right and wrong than they are taught about the Gospel! Certainly we should be concerned with the law as Christians, but only as far as our own lives are concerned. I’m not talking about legalism; rather, I am talking about loving Jesus. Jesus said, if you love me, keep my commandments. He didn’t say, if you love me, make everyone else keep my commandments. We need to be more concerned with the tree of knowledge of life rather than the tree of knowledge of good and evil! Jesus is our example. Be concerned with sharing the Gospel with others – not with things others are doing wrong.

     The most moral person walking the earth today needs Jesus just as much as the person who is the most immoral. It is Jesus, not laws that save us! If laws don’t save us, then they don’t preserve us either. The laws in the Bible are good. I would never suggest otherwise. We love Jesus, so we obey Him. The law condemns. Jesus didn’t come to condemn us, but to save us. We shouldn't condemn one another either! Conversely, we should love each other. Let the Holy Spirit convict the hearts of the people. The Holy Spirit is always more effective than people are at conviction!

City On A Hill

I love my Christian brothers and sisters. But I feel like all too often Christians insulate, isolate, and separate themselves from “the world.” Everywhere I go, everything I say, and everything I do, I want it to be a light for Jesus. I want to glorify God. I want opportunities to share the gospel with “the world.” I think oftentimes, without realizing it, Christians find themselves walking around with a covered light. Jesus said to go and make disciples of all nations. Jesus also said that we are the light of the world, a city on a hill. Everyone is supposed to be able to see a city on a hill from a great distance. Yet, I see many Christians refusing to be a part of the world. “The World” is a popular phrase used by many to describe those who do not know Jesus. Jesus loved “the world!” So much so, that He died for it (John 3:16).

Covered Lights

When we surround ourselves with nothing but Christian friends, we walk around with a covered light. Another thing that concerns me is that Christians are taught that they should place a huge importance on their reward being in Heaven. So much so that they do almost everything good for others in total secrecy. After all, a lot of scriptures teach that our rewards are in heaven. There is a place for doing some things in secret, but not most things. How are we to be a light in the world if we show people love in secret?  If I do something for someone, my heart is to bring glory to God for it. How can others glorify God for my actions if they don’t know a Christian helped them in some way? Jesus also said, “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven (Matt 5:16).” We are supposed in infect, infiltrate, and illuminate darkness!

New Believers

I have heard numerous people tell a new believer that they need to surround themselves with Christian friends. Get fully plugged in to the church, home fellowship groups, church events, they say. When a person first gets saved, they still have a lot of unsaved friends. They are oftentimes encouraged to stay away from their old friends. What a light and a witness for Jesus they can be to their unsaved friends if we would just let them! Why is much of our thinking as Christians designed to shelter us from the world? This concept makes no sense. We treat new Christians like they are in grave danger of walking off a spiritual cliff into the worldly abyss. We need to have a little of that faith we preach to others in a God who is able to keep them. 

Safe in God's Hands

Philippians 1:6 says, "being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Nobody or nothing can snatch a Christian out of the hands of God. New Christians or seasoned Christians alike. So, please, come out from your "Christian shelters" and spread the gospel to “the world.”  Let our lights shine - We are the city on a hill!

Disproportionate Appearances for God

Appearances

Many of us wake up each morning, shower, brush our teeth, comb or brush our hair, dress in clothing we perceive helps us look our best, and splash on the cologne or perfume.  Then we feel presentable to the public. But, what, if anything, do we do to present ourselves to the Lord each day? There is nothing wrong with looking our best. However, a problem arises when we place a higher value on how we look to other people over how we look to God.

Idols

Idol worship is largely a matter of the heart; Greed, gluttony, a love for money or possessions, and ultimately rebellion against God can all be forms of idolatry. Anything valued in our lives higher than God is an idol to us. When the security gained from how we appear to others is greater than the security we gain from our appearances to God, we are in danger of idol worship as the Bible describes.  I believe we all in some way or another inadvertently construct idols in our lives. Boyfriend/ girlfriend relationships, cars, video games, tv shows, or anything that gets more value and attention from us than what we give to God is an idol. 

Where is Your Value Placed?

Do I place more value in what others think compared to the value I place in what God thinks?  Have you ever engaged in a conversation and placed more importance on what others thought you sounded like as apposed to what God thinks? God has been speaking to me about this lately. I feel like God wants me to be far more concerned with how He thinks I sound. Do I love others in my speech or am I condemning others? Am I graceful?  Am I humble? Am I forgiving?  Am I truthful? Am I boastful? These are things related to the things God cares about. When I consider what others think about, I might worry about how I intelligent I sound, how right I am, etc. I have a tendency to fail the Lord in some of these areas at times.  Have you ever done anything with the sole intention of impressing others with no thought of what God thinks? I’m pretty sure that anyone who asks themselves that question honestly will have to concede that they have indeed.

Many of us place an inordinate amount of concern on how we look to other people in one way or another. People that are slightly overweight will wear clothing that makes them look thinner. It's not entirely wrong to be concerned with how we look to other people. But, we must be careful not to put a prodigious amount of concern into what we weigh when considering what other people think.  Conversely, a proper concern to being overweight is that bad health might shorten the ministry the Lord intended for my life. If I am not healthy, I might die young and therefore not be able to do as much for God. I am reminded of the ministry of Charles Spurgeon. Spureon was a genius who the Lord really used to teach the word of God. He died in his 50's. He was a large man who may have lived another 20 years if he was healthier. Imagine if we had another 20 years of Spurgeon! Would dying young because I didn't take care of my body bring glory to God?

Fail-Proof Question to Ask Yourself

I have discovered a fail-proof test question to ask myself before I do, say, or think about anything. That question is this: “Is what I am doing, thinking, or saying bringing glory to God?” My motivation for everything in life must be to bring glory to God. That is the purpose of everyone’s life. If I can answer “yes” to that question, then I know I am on the right road. If I can’t answer “yes” to the question, then I need to pause and reconsider how to talk with others, what to dress like, how to perform my duties at work, what to eat, and anything else. It is all about bringing glory to God, not I.  In 1 Corinthians 10:31, it says, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

Why Did God Create You?

Have you ever wondered why God created us in the first place? It wasn't because He needed us! King David asked this same question.  Psalm 8:3-4 says, “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?" We are not God’s toy soldiers. God didn't make us pawns in some cosmic chess game.  It is important to know our purpose in life. Why are we here? Why did God make us? Knowing this puts everything into the proper perspective for us. The answer is to glorify God. God created us for His own Glory. Talking about mankind in the book of Isaiah, God says about us, "whom I created for my glory" - Isaiah 43:7.  We were also created to enjoy God forever. John 10:10 says, "I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." C.S. Lewis said, “In commanding us to glorify Him, God is inviting us to enjoy Him.”

Nothing Is Hidden From God

Our every thought, care, word spoken, and deed performed should be done with concern for what God is thinking. God is always watching us. Nothing is hidden from Him. Hebrews 4:13 says, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”  It is easy to fool people into believing we are more intelligent than we are, wealthier than we are, or about anything else. It is man’s nature to look and judge outside appearances. But God is not fooled by man. God sees our hearts and knows are hearts better than we know our own hearts.  Jeremiah tells us that only God can truly know our own hearts.  That’s a good reason as to why we should constantly be questioning our hearts (or motivations) in everything we do and say.  1 Samuel 16:7 says, “But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 

Closing

Since no thought, word, deed, or anything else is hidden from God, shouldn't we take pause to consider what He thinks? I think the honest answer is a resounding, “Yes!”  Are your concerns for what others think about you disproportionate to what God thinks about you?  If you struggle with this as I do, then I exhort you to begin asking yourself the question at least 20 times a day to begin with. Does this thought glorify God?  Does my performance at work glorify God? Are the things I say bringing glory to God?  Will this movie I am about to watch glorify God?  What can I do today to bring glory to God? I encourage you to be disproportionate when considering what God thinks versus what others think (in favor of our Lord).  God bless!

His Ways Are Higher Than Our Ways

Age Old Question

Why does God allow some things to happen that just don’t seem to make sense?  Why can't I find a job to pay my bills, why did my spouse divorce me, why am I sick and experiencing continual pain, why did my Mom die, why why why!!! In my opinion, there is an important distinction between God allowing bad things to happen and God causing bad things to happen. Bad things happen in the freedom that comes with the free gift of life, given to us by a loving God. Faith is not an insurance policy. However, faith is a blanket of assurance that God will be with us no matter what we encounter. Sure God could step in and prevent things from happening. How do you know that He hasn't? We don't know how many times a tragedy was averted, but we do know of the tragedies or trials that God does allow us to go through. Still, we know that God is good. There are hundreds of verses through scripture that declare to us how good our God is such as Matthew 19:7, Psalm 107:1, Psalm 31:19, Nahum 1:7, and many others. So why does a good God allow bad things to happen to us?

Many Answers

For as many people that have asked this question, there are just as many answers. My short answer is that I have no clue as to why bad things happen to good people. Some people blame sin entering the world as the cause for disease, death, and any other trials we endure. There is some truth to that. Death did enter the world as a result of Adam & Eve's sin. But, why should we all have to suffer for someone else's mistakes? It's a fair question. Many Christians try to explain these things away, rather than concede the answer is not necessarily always clear to us. Fair questions don't always have what we might consider a fair answer. Proverbs 3:5 tells us, "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;" Most of us are quite familiar with the verse in Romans 8:28, which says, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” We also know that God sometimes works in mysterious ways. Isaiah 55:8 says, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.” 

If God can do the impossible, then why doesn't God stretch out his mighty hand in Hercules like fashion and save us from that snake about to bite us? I can only answer that from my own experiences. In my own personal life, God allowed me to go through a painful divorce, job loss, and gruesome injury resulting in a compound fracture to my leg.  Many other things in my life have been difficult. For the last 15 years, many other tragedies have been adding up. But looking back, I can honestly say that if I had not gone through those things, I would not know God at all. What's worse, a lifetime of pain or an eternity of pain?  God has had my best interests in mind sending me through each and every trial. It was going through the mud that made me clean. My heart was so hardened that it took a lot for God to get through to me. Most people ignore the God who made them until they realize they are on their deathbed. Many of us are Atheists until the airplane starts falling. But God gives all of us many chances in life to seek refuge from the pains in this life through many trials and hardships we experience. Sometimes, because He knows best, he continues to allow us to go through difficult things. He's eternal minded - something we often forget because we are temporal minded.

All Your Wishes Granted

Oftentimes, we ask God for things in prayer and it would seem as though He hasn't heard us or that He isn't answering us. When our car won't start, we ask God to put on his David Copperfield face and magically start the car for us. When we are short money to pay our house payment, we rub the vase three times and ask God as if He is a genie here to grant our every wish. We would do much better to treat God like He is God, rather than some magical fairy tale presence. God is not limited by our imaginations, understandings, or plans to fix a problem. He often uses unconventional methods to work in our lives in such a way that increases our faith and trust in Him.

Cyrus

God used Cyrus, who was the king of the Medes and Persia to wipe out the Babylonians.  The book of Ezra explains that Cyrus was doing the work of the Lord, as indicated by the phrase "in order to fulfill the word of the Lord by the mouth of Jeremiah.” It is God who shapes history and the future. God was shaping the things to come for Israel, but they were scared. God wasn't working in a way the Jews could clearly see. Rather than trusting God, they began to turn to idols (other gods - genies, David Copperfield's  etc). God, being the loving God that He is comforted the Jews in Isaiah 41:8-20. Specifically in verses 17-20, which says, "The poor and needy are seeking water when there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. I the Lord will answer them. I the God of Israel, will not forsake them. I will open rivers in the desolate heights and fountains in the midst of the valleys; I will make the wilderness a pool of water and the dry land springs of water. I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, the acacia, the myrtle and the wild olive; I will set the cypress in the desert, the plane tree and the pine tree together, that men may see and know and consider and understand together that the hand of the Lord has done this, that the Holy One of Israel has created it." God is reassuring Israel that they were chosen and special to God. He further reminded them that even though they were going through a miserable time, that they still owed their allegiance to Him. Many of them began to worship other idols hoping to be saved by a more powerful idol god than the God of Jacob. Who do we turn to when things are not going the way we think they should? Many of us lean on our own understanding rather than a God who can do the impossible. Like Israel, we are special and important to God. 

God Of The Impossible

Luke 1:37 is a verse many of us love! “For nothing is impossible with God.” How amazing! Mary, who is a virgin at this point, asks the angel how it is possible that she is pregnant.  Part of the angel’s response to Mary, is that nothing is impossible to God. Can you imagine worshiping a God that had limits on his power? What comfort and joy we can have by putting our faith into a God who can do the impossible.  Let us not put our faith in other idols as did Israel when times got tough. Rather, let us keep our eyes on Jesus.  Nothing that happens can happen unless God allows it. We must remember that ALL things work together for our good. We must take into consideration that God’s ways are higher than our ways. We will not always be able to make sense as to why something horrible happens. But, we know that everything happens for our good in the long run, and we also know that in the end, God is faithful to us just like he was to the Jews in Isaiah.  There are many things in life that scare or worry us. Health issues, relationships, jobs, and much more. If we truly have faith, we do well to remember that since God’s ways are not our ways, we need not try to see the light at the end of the tunnel – God is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path.  It is not our problem – It is God’s problem.  Sometimes we can’t see the way out of a hopeless situation. God is the God of the impossible and he uses unconventional methods often times to rescue us to remind us that He is God.  Let God be God, and just relax in who we are – His sheep. For myself, the answer to why I endure such painful things in this life are simple. God, who has my eternal best interest in mind, loves me more than I will ever understand in this temporal state of being.