2010 – November 19 – Evidence Dispels Doubt

Study from God’s Word… The resurrection and post resurrection appearances of Jesus recorded in chronological passages from Matt 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, and John 20 – 21,as well as the Lord’s instructions and commission in Acts 1 … Passage for Reflection: John 20 : 6 – 7 … NIV Then Simon Peter … saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus’ head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen.

Also from John 20: 30, 31 … Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

My Journal for Today: I’m glad Dr. Smith, my devotional book author, pointed with specific reference in his entry for today to that little detail, which I’ve put in bold above from John 20 : 7, especially when this incredibly important bit of eye-witness evidence was reported in the context of what John later reported in this chapter of His Gospel account, that which I’ve made reference to in John 20: 30-31, his purpose in carefully recording the details of the miracles of Jesus so that others, even two millennia latter, like you and me, could believe on Christ as The Messiah, the Son of God, and our Savior and Lord. [Man, that was a Pauline run-on sentence, wasn’t it?]

I’ve heard preachers and teachers make reference to the power of that one little detail about the tomb of Jesus when, upon entry, Jesus’ disciples, including the reporter in this instance, John, noted that the burial cloths were neatly folded where Jesus had lain in the tomb. Have you ever thought about that little detail?

At a middle-eastern dinner of the day, the master of the home would signal the end of the meal by getting up from his reclining position to head toward the doorway of the home. The guests would follow the host; and immediately the servants in the home would come behind the master and guests and fold the dinner linens neatly on the table. They did this so that, if the master or the guests were to have second thoughts and return, the table linens would neatly be there to receive them.

Now you may be wondering where I’m going with this; but remember what Jesus had made a repetitive point of in His earthly ministry … that He was not only the MASTER; but He also was THE servant of His Father in Heaven; and He declared, “The greatest among you will be your servant.” (see Matt 23: 11) And that little detail of the linens being folded, showed all who would see (and understand) that Jesus was master over death; but that He had died and was risen again to serve mankind.

So much power and pertinence in a minute detail of God’s word! But these are the kinds of details which I didn’t discover for years after I surrendered my will, in faith, to become a born-again Christian. In fact there were many details about my professed faith that I would later come to learn about, understand, and find greatly confirming for my faith. I learned that it’s okay to have questions and to pursue answers for those questions … just like Thomas, the doubting disciple, when he heard that Jesus was risen.

But evidence like this one, wrapped up in a folded burial linen, is mostly available in the Bible to help the believer who has already come to faith in Christ as Lord … to confirm that faith. Oh, it is possible that some, like Thomas, will need hard details and evidence to have faith. Prominent atheist and intellectuals like C.S. Lewis, Josh McDowell, and Lee Strobel certainly needed, and later wrote about, their need for evidence to seal their belief; but many, if not most, like me, come desperately to Christ and surrender to Him as their only way to deal with life or brokenness. And after we’ve surrendered our life and faith to the Lordship of Jesus, the Christ, having little details, like the folded linen, help to seal and protect our faith; and such evidence also motivates us to go and share the joy and truth of the Good News of Christ with others, just as the women did when they found the tomb empty and the linens neatly folded where Jesus had lain.

I hope all who read here are believers and find the evidence of a folded linen greatly encouraging for us to go forth and shout out the truth that JESUS LIVES!!!

My Prayer for Today: Lord, Jesus, You live in my heart and the lives of all who believe You were the One who folded those linens to show me that You serve me as my Lord as I serve You forever as my Savior. Amen

2010 – September 17 – Seeing Is Believing

Study from God’s Word… Job, Chapters 38 – 42 … Passage for Reflection: Job 42: 4 – 6 … NIV 4 "You [God] said, 'Listen now, and I will speak; I will question you, and you shall answer me.' 5 My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. 6 Therefore, I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes."

My Journal for Today: It is a truism that we humans may imagine something; but when we see something or experience it, our perspective changes. I was told that going to the Holy Land would change the way I read and studied the Bible. I could understand that – intellectually – but now that I’ve been to Israel, I can “see” the truth in why people call Israel the “fifth gospel.” To a great extent the old adage, “seeing is believing,” is greatly true. But to a great extent the opposite is also very true: One will never truly “see” something until he “believes” it first.

Dr. Smith in his devotional for today makes some powerful, and truth-bearing statements. He writes, “… its one thing to hear, but another to see! It’s one thing to know; and another to understand. Indeed, it’s one thing to understand and yet another to act upon that understanding.

When I refused to believe the truth about Jesus, as Christ, [back in my angry days as an atheist] I had no clue about the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. But now I’ve SEEN the Truth; and The Truth has set me free. Once I was willing to believe and receive Jesus as Lord of my life, IN FAITH, I have been given “eyes” to see His truth; and a new consciousness to experience that truth; and this new perspective on life has given me the freedom, and power, to change.

Last week in my church we had a “cardboard testimony” service. A “cardboard testimony” is a before and after statement printed on a piece of common cardboard, telling how one’s life has been transformed/changed as a result of becoming a Christian. I participated in this demonstration of the changing power of Christ. On one side of my cardboard panel, my “before” testimony read, “Obsessed with p0rn.” On the other side, the “after” statement, I wrote, “Obsessed with God’s word!”

You see, my friend, nobody can tell me that one cannot or will not change when he truly repents and comes in faith to receive Christ as Savior and Lord; because I’ve seen and experienced the change; and I can give testimony – my testimony! – to that change. We could write about the power of God to change; and you can read about it in the Bible; but if you don’t believe it, you will never “see it,” and it will never be true … for you. But when you’ve been there; and experienced the reality of God’s transforming power, nothing that any atheist would ever argue has any meaning to dissuade you from the Truth.

The “Truth” is Jesus; and when you’ve “seen” Him in action – i.e., His Spirit changing your life – you KNOW He’s real; and no one could ever argue you out of that truth. I hope that all who read this have “SEEN” Jesus change your life; and I hope you share that before/after “cardboard” testimony with others.

BTW, … if you want to see a series of “cardboard testimonies,” go to this link.

My Prayer for Today: Lord, Jesus, You are my cardboard testimony. Amen