HEAVENLY INCLINED...: HISTORICALLY SOUND FACTS OF THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST JESUS...

Thanksgiving for the LORD's Favor

Psalms 138 (A Psalm of David)
1/ I will praise thee with my whole heart: before the gods will I sing praise unto thee.
2/ I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy loving-kindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.
3/ In the day when I cried thou answeredst me, and strengthenedst me with strength in my soul.
4/ All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O LORD, when they hear the words of thy mouth.
5/ Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the LORD: for great is the glory of the LORD.
6/ Though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly: but the proud he knoweth afar off.
7/ Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.
8/ The LORD will perfect that which concerneth me:
thy mercy, O LORD, endureth for ever: forsake not the works of thine own hands... AMEN!!!

One CANNOT earn GRACE, it is HIS own ESSENCE; a gift, still, IF one claims to be IN HIS GRACE, we ARE to, or, OUGHT to, be reflections of that GRACE! 2 CORINTHIANS 6:1, tells us not to take HIS GRACE in vain! This means, living in LOVE, morality, ethics, virtue, righteousness, and, spiritual improvement, TOWARDS, spiritual maturity, WHILE, visibly BEING as LIGHTS, beaming OF *GOD*, beckoning the world, TO THE LIGHT! Righteousness MEANS, conduct in conformity with *GOD'S* WILL, and, "Be HOLY because I AM HOLY!", therefore, indicating that knowledge, wisdom, and, effort, DO, apply TO the righteous!!! NEVER forget, we were grafted in, and, if we do not bear fruit, as a dead branch, we will be pruned out, just as were, the natural branches!!!

We are not saved by works, instead, works PROVE HIM in us: they identify HIS own...

IF I claim ONENESS with *GOD*, through CHRIST JESUS, I am DEAD TO THE WORLD, THUS, LIVING as HIM, which is, hopefully, witnessed IN, and, THROUGH, my every thought, action, and, reaction; MEANING, I am, THROUGH CONSCIOUS application OF THE WORD, HIS COMMANDS, HIS WILL, REFLECTING righteousness, not, merely, FAITH! I become, the TRULY FRUITFUL branch, of THE VINE, the TRUE member of THE BODY/THE CHURCH, CHRIST JESUS, and, TESTIFY, then, GLORIFY, BOLDLY, BY my thoughts, actions, and, reactions, HIS name, because, HE IS WORTHY, and, IN HIS LOVE, has SHOWN me, how I OUGHT to exist, to which, I eagerly, adapt, and, comply!!!

MATTHEW 5:48...
So be perfect, just as your heavenly Father is perfect

1 PETER 1:14-16...
14/ Like obedient children, do not act in compliance with the desires of your former ignorance
15/ but, as he who called you is holy, be holy yourselves in every aspect of your conduct,
16/ for it is written, "Be holy because I (am) holy."

ROMANS 12:2...
Do not conform yourselves to this age but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and pleasing and perfect.

Conduct, in conformity to *GOD'S* WILL, marks the righteous; it is NOT because of guilt, or, ancient Laws, but, because of LOVE; LOVE for *GOD*, self, then, others! CHRIST JESUS gave us Commandments to live by, of which, the first is to LOVE *GOD*, with all of your mind, heart, and, soul; the second is, to LOVE one another!

LOVE COMPELS us to LIVE IN HIM, through conduct which conforms to *GOD*; in other words, morality, ethics, doing good, and, being good, and, ever striving to improve the spirit! It is about REFLECTING THE TRUTH, for ALL to bear witness to, FOR, and, TO HIS GLORY, RADIANTLY SHINING OF HIS POWER, GRACE, and, MERCIES!!!

It IS ALL ABOUT LOVE, baby, all about LOVE!!!

MATTHEW 4: 17...From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."

JOHN 14:15..."If you love me, you will keep my commandments.

NOTE: I do not intend to preach, rather to reach; to stir up, awaken, to inspire, and, bring forth, in discussion, that which is, perhaps, dormantly existing in the heart of hearts, thus, little, or, no, sugar coatings, just THE WORD of *GOD*, the TRUTH, along with some of my thoughts. And truth is, I am reminding myself always, as I practice these reminders, in the best of my abilities, and capacities, while RELYING on THE LORD to lead me on that narrow PATH---> MATTHEW 7: 14: "For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it... TO *GOD* BE ALL GLORY...

HISTORICALLY SOUND FACTS OF THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST JESUS...

The Resurrection of CHRIST...
The Resurrection of CHRIST on the third day after HIS death and burial is the authenticating miracle of the Christian FAITH. From earliest ties, CHRIST'S Resurrection was proclaimed as a historical event verified by witnesses and preached along with the CROSS as a central belief of the early Church (1 CORINTHIANS 15: 3-4; ACTS 9: 3-18).

Rising from the dead was the greatest of CHRIST'S miracles and was the definitive proof of HIS DIVINE mission. As Paul writes, "If CHRIST has not been raised, your faith is futile" (1 CORINTHIANS 15: 17).

The Resurrection As Historical Fact...
None of the GOSPELS narrates the Resurrection itself, but there is no question that the Resurrection itself was a real, historical event that took place at a particular time and in a particular place in human history (MATTHEW 28: 1-15; MARK 16: 1-18; LUKE 24: 1-49: JOHN 20: 1-29). Paul sums up what the Christians already knew; "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that CHRIST died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that HE was buried, that HE was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures (1 CORINTHIANS 15: 3-4).

Paul goes on to declare that JESUS appeared to Cephas (Peter) and the other Disciples, to five hundred, to James, and finally, to Paul himself. Throughout the NEW TESTAMENT the writers return to the Resurrection (ACTS 1: 22, 2:14-36, 3: 11-26, 4: 8-12, 8: 37, 10: 34-43, 13: 6-37; ROMANS 10: 9; 1 CORINTHIANS 12:3; EPHESIANS 5: 14; 1 TIMOTHY 3: 6).

This testimony can be studied for its historical value. In the past, some historians have attempted to explain away, or to refute the historicity of the Resurrection through a variety of theories (deceit, vision, symbolism, and apparent death): responsible scholars and historians have abandoned such alternative explanations as untenable and remain unable to explain the facts of Easter Sunday and its aftermath in an intellectually satisfying way.

The empty tomb itself is not direct evidence of the Resurrection, as the absence of CHRIST'S body from the tomb could be explained by other means (MATTHEW 28: 1-15; JOHN 20: 13). Still, the empty tomb was a key moment in the discovery and acceptance by the Disciples that their LORD had risen from the dead. It was Women followers of JESUS who discovered the empty tomb (MATTHEW 28: 1-10; MARK 16: 1-8; LUKE 24: 1-12) and then brought word of the event to the Disciples, at least two of whom verified it for themselves (LUKE 24: 12; JOHN 20: 3-10).

The risen CHRIST was encountered by many witnesses, including Mary Magdelene, Mary the Mother of James, Salome, Peter, and the Apostles. Cleopas and another Disciple at Emmaus, Paul, and more than five hundred Disciples. These encounters were not merely sightings, these witnesses spoke with CHRIST, dined with HIM, and even touched HIM. When Paul wrote, many of those literally hundreds of witnesses were still alive, and still able to verify what Paul said (1 CORINTHIANS 15: 6).

At first the Apostles did not recognize CHRIST (MATTHEW 16: 21, 17: 9 & 23 20: 19; MARK 8: 3, 9: 9 & 31, 10: 34; LUKE 9: 22, 18: 33). They understood fully what had happened only after Pentecost. The death of JESUS left some Disciples so shaken that they were unable at first, to believe the truth that JESUS had returned. THE LORD gently scolded them for their hardness of heart in refusing to believe the words of those who had seen HIM (MARK 16: 14; LUKE 24: 38-41..

There is LOTS more to this SACRED & DIVINE matter, but for now, this is enough to deepen the appreciation of the most wondrous GIFT OF LOVE ever known, GLORY, PRAISE, and WORSHIP BE TO THE LORD *GOD*!!!