Resurrection Doubt? No, He's Alive!

Christ the Lord has risen! He's alive! Do we believe this? The disciples spent three years with Jesus, living and learning from Him. They saw the healings and miracles and knew He was the Messiah. But they didn't expect Him to die. They witnessed His arrest, trial, and crucifixion, though some ran away and hid. Some helped bury Him. Then they hid together and grieved.

Three days later they saw Him! Can you grasp the surprise, amazement, and yet belief in their voices?

Mary said, "I have seen the Lord! (John 20:18) She knew it was Him!     

The two men on the road to Emmaus did not recognize Him until He broke the bread and revealed Himself to them. They said, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?" (Luke 24:32) Their hearts burned within them even before they recognized Him. Does your heart burn within you in His presence?  

Thomas wouldn't believe the reports of the other disciples until he saw Jesus a week later. Then he said, "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28) I imagine he said this with a hushed and humble voice. He may have even bowed before him. Wouldn't you? Do you now?

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the most essential doctrine of the church. Any who don't believe this truth are denying Jesus, Christianity and Scripture.     

He said He was the Son of God. (Luke 22:70) He said He would rise from the dead. (Luke 18:33) And He did. He said He would return and He will. (Matthew 24:30) What a marvelous faith we have.  

Blessings in the Risen Christ, Dottie

HOLY WEEK THOUGHTS AND AN OLD RUGGED CROSS

This is the most holy week of the Christian calendar. Most churches will have special services this week to recount the events of the first Holy week, to commemorate the Last Supper, to honor our Lord's agony in Gethsemane, His betrayal and arrest and His suffering and death on the cross to redeem us. And three days later his resurrection!

Let the meaning of this week sink in to your soul in a deeper way than ever before. Ask the Holy Spirit to teach you the amazing significance of this event in history. Wrap your mind and heart around the fact that Jesus, God in the flesh, the son of God, lived a sinless life, taught profound lessons in love, showed us God's unchanging character, and voluntarily died to save you and me. And he rose again. He's alive!

We can't stand in God's presence in eternity without Christ's blood covering our sins. Here's what Scripture says about the effect of Jesus sacrificial death on those who are in Christ:

God has forgiven you all your sins: Christ has utterly wiped out the damning evidence of broken laws and commandments which always hung over our heads, and has completely annulled it by nailing it over His own head on the cross. And then, having disarmed all the powers ranged against us, He exposed them - shattered, empty, and defeated-in His final glorious triumphant act! Colossians 2:13b-15

             On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,

            the emblem of suffering and shame,

            and I love the old cross where the dearest and best

            for a world of lost sinners was slain.

            So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,

            till my trophies at last I lay down;

            I will cling to the old rugged cross

            and exchange it some day for a crown.

In Christ,

Dottie

Events of Holy week in Scripture

We will be blessed this holy week if we read, study, meditate and pray on the events of this week as recorded in Scripture. Today I’m listing Sunday through Thursday. Meditate on His life as you read through these events.

Sunday: Jesus “Triumphal Entry” into Jerusalem occurred on Sunday with Jesus riding on a donkey fulfilling Zechariah 9:9’s prophesy. “Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See your king comes to you, righteous and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” See Matt 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:29-44, John 12:12-19.

Monday: Jesus is anointed (for burial) at Bethany (John 12:1-9) and he clears the temple of the money changers. (Matthew 21:12-13, Mark 11:15-18, Luke 19:45-48)

Tuesday: His authority is questioned. Matt. 21:23-27, Mark 11:27-33, Luke 20:1-8. And Jesus teaches in the temple. Matt. 21:28-23:39, Mark 12:1-44, Luke 20:9-21:4.

Wednesday: Judas plots against Jesus. Matt. 26:14-16, Mark 14:10-11, Luke 22:3-6

Thursday: Jesus and His disciples eat the Passover meal, the Last Supper, the first Communion. Matt. 26:17-29, Mark 14:12-25, Luke 22:7-38, John 13:1-38. Jesus says to his disciples “This is my body, broken for you, do this in remembrance of me.” In John 14:1-16:33, He comforts the disciples, and in John 17:1-26 He gives His high priestly prayer, praying for them and for us – for our unity in Him.

This is a holy week with much to ponder about Jesus, our Lord and Savior.

Blessings in Christ, Dottie

REASONS TO BELIEVE CHRISTIANITY CHANGED THE WORLD

This is the eleventh in a series of blog posts with my sister Betty Haynie about what we believe. Our thoughts are intentionally brief on subjects that could fill volumes. My thoughts follow her thoughts - be sure to read it all!

HOW CHRISTIANITY CHANGED THE WORLD

By Betty Haynie

One way that Christianity changed the world is that women in Christian areas are honored and respected, not oppressed. The truth is that, far from oppressing women, the Christian church has proved to be a liberating force. Women have achieved unprecedented status in nations where Christianity has had an impact. Jesus honored women among His followers. Mary Magdalene was the first to discover the empty tomb, see the resurrected Christ, and tell the other believers. Jesus stopped people from stoning the adulteress and treated the oft-married woman at the well with respect.

Throughout history women in non-Christian countries have been treated as property - chattel in some instances. Only in the Western countries and those in Europe and South America that embrace Christianity have women become more highly elevated and, in many countries equal with men. This is especially true in the United States, Canada, England and some of the European countries. In many countries women still cannot vote or voice an opinion.

In his book How Christianity Changed the World, Alvin Schmidt elaborates on how Christianity endorsed and promoted the following subjects:

1. The Sanctification of Human Life

2. Christianity Elevates Sexual Morality

3. Women Receive Freedom and Dignity

4. Charity and Compassion

5. Hospitals and Health Care

6. Christianity’s Imprint on Education

7. Labor and Economic Freedom Dignified

8. Science: Its Christian Connections

9. Liberty and Justice for All

10. Slavery Abolished

11. Christianity’s Stamp on Art and Architecture

12. The Sound of Music: Its Christian Resonance

13. Hallmarks of Literature: Their Christian Imprint

14. Additional Influence: Holidays, Words, Symbols etc.

I won’t go into each of these subjects, but this list is certainly something for Christians to take comfort in, knowing that without Christ this world would be a really sorry mess (even worse than it currently is). It is because we don’t acknowledge Jesus and live by God’s Word that the world is in such a mess. But without Jesus’ life and teachings it would be MUCH worse. If mankind would simply practice living as Jesus teaches us to, and follow His example, this world could be a heaven rather than the hell that it has become. The original name for the followers of Jesus was “The Way,” and that is what it really is, to those who believe.  

Blessings, Betty

HOW CHRISTIANITY CHANGED THE WORLD

By Dottie Parish

Did you read Betty’s list of how Christianity changed the world? What would the world be like if Christianity had never happened? Here are things I thought of that would be missing if Jesus had never lived and taught and died and rose again.

Marvelous music would be missing including Handel’s Messiah, all hymns, and great and beautiful classical Christian music. The same is true of art, such as the Sistine Chapel and the painting there by Michelangelo. Think of all the Christian literature, especially the Bible but also Pilgrims Progress by Paul Bunyan, Augustine’s Confessions, A Christmas Carol, and books by C. S. Lewis and Timothy Keller, and the Cost of Discipleship by Bonhoeffer and so many more.

There would be no Bible, no Lord’s Prayer, no Christmas holiday, no Easter, no Thanksgiving (the pilgrims started this to thank God), no churches, no Red Cross, no Billy Graham revivals, no missionaries, no homeless shelters. Many hospitals started as Christian institutions, many colleges did also. They would not be here. There would be no child labor laws. No Salvation Army, no putting your hand on the Bible in court to swear to tell the truth, children would not learn to pray or sing Jesus Loves me. No Sunday off work, no ten commandments. Would it be ok to steal, to commit adultery? Would children learn to honor their parents?

There would be no story of the Good Samaritan, no angels singing to welcome the new born babe, no overcoming of death, no resurrection as a fact, no miracles of healing.

Life would seem aimless, no purpose, just do your own thing. There would be more immorality, more stealing, sleeping around, contentiousness, less listening to others and more doing whatever you please, more lawlessness, more self-focus, less kindness.

Women would be subjected to the whims of men as men are stronger. Why not? (Jesus was accepting and honoring toward women contrary to the culture then.) Our calendar would not be divided into BC and AD. Infants and children would be abused more and discarded if not healthy; children would suffer more abuse and be put to work at a young age.

Christianity is responsible for providing us over the course of the last 2000 years a reasonable, faith that teaches us who God is and how he wants us to live. He teaches us that we will fail without him. We need God in order to live a humble, honest, kind and loving life. We need him to save us from our sinful ways and with his Spirit in us to help others. Whether you are Christian or not, we all should thank God for Jesus and the Christian faith. Christ Jesus has changed us and our world! 

Blessings, Dottie

Watch for our final Reasons to Believe post on WHY I BELIEVE IN THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH in late April by Betty and Dottie

Psycho Info: WHAT IS AN EMOTIONALLY HEALTHY PERSON?

Q. What is an emotionally healthy person? It seems to me that everyone has strange quirks in their personality, unresolved past issues, and difficult family relationships. Is anyone emotionally healthy?

A. There are a variety of criteria used by various experts to define an emotionally healthy person. Since we are all flawed human beings no one meets all these criteria 100 percent of the time. We are all works in progress. Hopefully, we’re growing in the direction of emotional health.

         

Dr. Doug Meske, psychologist, suggests we have six emotional needs and when these needs are met we function in a healthy way. These basic needs are:

1. Positive self esteem. We have positive self esteem when we know we have value just for being who we are apart from any role or accomplishment. A person with positive self esteem can think or say “I like myself.” They can be aware of their flaws yet still accept themselves for their positive qualities. 

2. A sense of accomplishment and purpose. We have a sense of accomplishment and purpose when we feel pride or satisfaction in what we do. We play many roles in life: parent, friend, daughter, spouse, employee, and so forth. We need to feel satisfied about our accomplishments in at least some of the roles we play.

         

3. A sense of security. We need to feel safe. We need inner peace. We need order, consistency and trust in daily life and in our relationships. If we have to “walk on egg shells” we are not feeling safe. A healthy person will gain this inner security from consistent, positive family relationships in childhood or from substitute positive relationships as an adult. Inner security is also gained by believing in God and trusting he is good and loving and cares for his children.

Life is unpredictable and not always under our control. The emotionally healthy person learns to cope with change and disappointment. A healthy person recognizes what can be changed in their life and what cannot. The Serenity Prayer below is a helpful resource to keep ourselves from worrying about the ways in which we are not totally secure. 

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage the change the things I can change, and the wisdom to know the difference.”

         

4. We need relationships. “No man is an island.” We need to have contact with friends, colleagues, family members. We need to know that someone else knows who we are and cares about us. We may enjoy time alone and at times feel lonely but we also are able to connect with others.

         

5. We need to take care of unfinished business. We may need to grow up! We have hurts, grudges or unresolved issues from our childhood, from past relationships or from past experiences. We need to look at these, address them and then let them go.  Past baggage weighs us down. We need to realize that we don’t always have to act on our feelings. We can be angry, for example, without hurting anyone. We can respond calmly and appropriately even when someone else is acting inappropriately.  

         

6. We need to be able to have fun. We need to take time to relax and enjoy life. We need to look forward to pleasurable activities. Laughter is healing and keeps us from taking ourselves too seriously. 

I would add:

7. We need God. We need to reach beyond ourselves to find meaning in life. Faith can fill a deep inner need we all have and so much more.

“God gives wisdom, knowledge and joy to those who please him.” Ecclesiastes 2:26

Blessings, Dottie

Two Books on Improving Your Health

If you’re reluctant to follow your doctor’s order for medication, surgery or testing you may be interested in these two books. You will learn ways to improve health by eliminating some medication, and eliminating toxins plus boosting the immune system through diet, exercise, probiotics and supplements.

Mind Over Meds: Know When Drugs are Necessary, When Alternatives are Better – and When to Let Your Body Heal on its Own

By Andrew Weil, MD

Mind Over Meds by Andrew Weil, MD, is an important book about the over use of medication and the importance of life style changes in order to improve health. Weil reports that “adverse drug reactions are the fourth leading cause of death in our country and rank between the fourth and the sixth more common cause of death in hospitalized patients.” He also says “antibiotics that we use to kill or inhibit the growth of disease-causing bacteria may alter liver and kidney function and interfere with digestion.”

Through chapter after chapter Weil gives examples of people who have been terribly over medicated, describes in detail the medical issues of over use and misuse and then explains the integrative approach using meds when needed, plus diet, exercise, supplements, and mind/body approaches to achieve health.

The medications he found most concerning are “over prescribed, mis-prescribed, over used and misused.” They include antibiotics, statins, GERD medications, antihistamines, sleep aids, steroids, anti-inflammatory drugs (aspirin and ibuprofen) and more. Even over the counter medications can have many side effects that cause more harm than help.

There is a wealth of information in this book. Most of us need to at least reduce the number of medications we take and learn from this book how to be healthier without them.

The End of Alzheimer’s: The First Program to Prevent and Reverse Cognitive Decline

By Dale E. Bredesen, MD

This is an exciting and amazing book that describes Dr. Bredesen’s careful scientific research to find a way to reverse Alzheimer’s and to also prevent the disease. His cure for Alzheimer’s is not a simple fix and many doctors will not admit cure is possible. (Your doctor may pooh, pooh it.) After studying brain abnormalities over some decades the author found that Alzheimer’s is not one disease but several. He discovered that thirty-six metabolic factors impact the brain. The way to reverse these changes requires a complex array of tests to rid the body of toxins and changes in life style. Some of the changes in my layman’s terms include eating organic food, taking vitamins and supplements, exercising daily, fasting 12-14 hours to give the digestion a rest and ridding the body of all toxins.

I learned about Dr. Bredesen’s protocol from a former neighbor whose wife in her fifties developed Alzheimer’s. To gain more understanding of this you can read my former neighbor’s blog. He writes beautifully and details his wife’s improvements since they went on the protocol in September 2017. She has improved already! See Matthew’s blog at www.savingjacquelynn.com. The book also describes this in detail and with case examples of cures.

“O Lord, my God, I cried out to you and you healed me.” Psalm 30:3

Blessings, Dottie

Psalm 119 Meditations and Prayers Relating to the Law of God

This is the twelfth section of Psalm 119 (I counted wrong last month or so) – the longest chapter and the longest Psalm in the Bible. There are 8 different terms referring to Scripture used through out. These are: law, testimonies, precepts, statutes, commandments, judgments, word and ordinances.

Lamedh.

⁸⁹ Forever, O Lord,                               

Your word is settled in heaven.

Father, You are eternal, everlasting, never changing,

Your Word is true and permanent in heaven.

⁹⁰ Your faithfulness continues throughout all generations;
You established the earth, and it stands.

Your faithfulness extends to all people, all ages;

You created the earth, and keep it in its orbit,

⁹¹ They stand this day according to Your ordinances,
For all things are Your servants.

Your laws are relevant even today because they are true,

And everything fulfills your plans.

⁹² If Your law had not been my delight,
Then I would have perished in my affliction.

If I had never delighted in your law,

I wouldn’t know you and I would be lost forever.

⁹³ I will never forget Your precepts,
For by them You have revived me.

From now on I will never forget your Spirit drawing me,

You opened the eyes of my heart and rescued me!

⁹⁴ I am Yours, save me;
For I have sought Your precepts.

I am Yours, You saved me;

I seek your Word and obey it.

⁹⁵ The wicked wait for me to destroy me;
I shall diligently consider Your testimonies.

The evil culture trys to lure me and kill me,

I will eagerly and carefully focus on your Word.

⁹⁶ I have seen a limit to all perfection;
Your commandment is exceedingly broad.

I see that even perfection is limited,

But your commandments are amazingly beyond perfect!

Blessings, Dottie