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Following in the footsteps of the Acts of the
Apostles, written by St. Luke, Shepherd's Cross Christian Helps Ministry
exists by the grace of God to further the first century Apostolic tradition
serving in the Great Commission. |
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Greater Than The Ark Of The Covenant Is Here
Part Two
The Holy Scriptures state; “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,” Philippians 2:12. Having become a born-again Christian over thirty-six plus years ago, looking closely back over those years, I can testify with heartfelt passion that this journey has been pioneering and courageously adventurous being ready for anything. Recognizing the fact that I was not on familiar terms with the Lord Jesus Christ, as the early disciples were, having known Him as a man in the first century, I have experienced periods of poignant emotional pain and sorrow. I have imagined what my life would have turned out to have been had I known Jesus during the first century seeing the miracles and his passion ... I have asked myself how I would have reacted towards the Roman soldiers that treated my Savior as they did. How would I have acted in response to the leaders of the Jewish community @ that historical time when they allowed the Lord’s house to develop into a house of merchandise instead of a house a prayer? Suffice me to say for I am learning that in whatever circumstance I find myself facing I have learned to be content because God is faithful to never leave me nor forsake me. Philippians 4:11; Hebrews 13:5 If one asks a member of the church of the Latter Day Saints, “How do you know the contents within the Book of Mormon are true?” It has been my experience that Latter Day Saints church members may respond to their testimonial experience of having a burning in the bosom, even though there are no evidentiary substantiating facts available to historically authenticate anything the Book of Mormon states ever happened. See http://www.lhvm.org/vid_bible_med.htm … http://www.lhvm.org/ Yet, the experience of having a burning in the bosom still exists. Oliver Cowdery received the following revelation through Joseph Smith, and it alludes to previous revelation given to Oliver privately: Verily, verily, I say unto you, if you desire a further witness, cast your mind upon the night that you cried unto me in your heart, that you might know concerning the truth of these things. Did I not speak peace to your mind concerning the matter? What greater witness can you have than from God? (D&C 6:22–23). Notice the information spoken to the “mind,” and the peace then follows. And, the solution for later doubts or concerns is not reliance on “a feeling,” but an admonition to recall specific information communicated earlier. This matches the revelatory pattern explained later to Oliver: Behold, you have not understood; you have supposed that I would give it unto you, when you took no thought save it was to ask me. But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right. But if it be not right you shall have no such feelings, but you shall have a stupor of thought that shall cause you to forget the thing which is wrong… (D&C 9:7–9). D& C is Doctrines and Covenants source cited: http://en.fairmormon.org/Burning_in_the_bosom From who then is the cause of the happening of having a burning in the bosom derived if thou can’t’s tell? Surely, not the Lord the maker of heaven and earth, “You alone are the LORD; You have made heaven, The heaven of heavens, with all their host, The earth and everything on it, The seas and all that is in them, And You preserve them all. The host of heaven worships You … Nehemiah 9:6 Surely not, The One True God, The Alpha and Omega, the First and the Last, who declares; “Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, And his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: ‘I am the First and I am the Last; Besides Me there is no God. And who can proclaim as I do? Then let him declare it and set it in order for Me, since I appointed the ancient people. And the things that are coming and shall come, Let them show these to them. Do not fear, nor be afraid; Have I not told you from that time, and declared it? You are My witnesses. Is there a God besides Me? Indeed there is no other Rock; I know not one.’ Isaiah 44:6-8, Revelations 1:8 We born-again Christians have a true and living Savior who has been testified accurately within the Holy Scriptures. Timothy 3:16 The Road to Emmaus Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles[a] from Jerusalem. And they talked together of all these things which had happened. So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him. And He said to them, “What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?”[b] Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, “Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?” And He said to them, “What things?” So they said to Him, “The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him. But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened. Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us. When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive. And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see.” Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther. But they constrained Him, saying, “Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent.” And He went in to stay with them. Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight. And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?” So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” And they told about the things that had happened on the road and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread. Luke 24:13-35 Footnotes: a. Luke 24:13 Literally sixty stadia b. Luke 24:17 NU-Text reads as you walk? And they stood still, looking sad. You too may identify w/ this essay Ah the mourning. You may say, “Ah the mourning I knew not the living human Christ.” You may recognize and acknowledge that you have struggled w/ unbelief skepticism and doubt. http://cityofdavidoutreach.org/cdArticles/Fellowship/DoubtSkepticismUnbelief.html For you that have yet to come to salvation you may simply turn now and prayer asking Jesus Christ to come into your life. Romans 10:1-13 Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel[a] is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes. For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, “The man who does those things shall live by them.”[b] But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’”[c] (that is, to bring Christ down from above) or, “‘Who will descend into the abyss?’”[d] (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart”[e](that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.”[f] For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”[g] Footnotes: a. Romans 10:1 NU-Text reads them. b. Romans 10:5 Leviticus 18:5 c. Romans 10:6 Deuteronomy 30:12 d. Romans 10:7 Deuteronomy 30:13 e. Romans 10:8 Deuteronomy 30:14 f. Romans 10:11 Isaiah 28:16 g. Romans 10:13 Joel 2:32 Those of you that are born-again Christians you may recall the great times of joy and blessings which you experienced a heart burning for Jesus as the men did who traveled the road to Emmaus. Don’t stop. Move through faith into the place God may be calling you deep calls unto deep Psalm 42:7 the place where Christ reveals Himself fully beloved. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:12-13 Maranatha, Lord Jesus. |
Shepherd's Cross Christian Helps Ministry