What would you do for your faith? Martyrs

We are learning about the persecuted church this week. Something I've heard about but never really researched. It really makes you think... how much do you love Jesus? Do you really believe that He is the Way the Truth and the Life? Are you willing to die for Him? These men were! (taken from wikipedia)

• Saint Stephen, Protomartyr, was stoned c. 34 A.D.
• James the Great (Son of Zebedee) was beheaded in 44 A.D.
• Philip the Apostle was crucified in 54 A.D.
• Matthew the Evangelist killed with a halberd in 60 A.D.
• James the Just, beaten to death with a club after being crucified and stoned.
• Matthias was stoned and beheaded.
• Saint Andrew, St. Peter's brother, was crucified.
• Saint Mark was dragged in the streets until his death
• Saint Peter, crucified upside-down.
• Apostle Paul, beheaded in Rome.
• Saint Jude was crucified.
• Saint Bartholomew flayed alive and crucified.
• Thomas the Apostle was killed with a spear.
• Luke the Evangelist was hanged.
• Simon the Zealot was crucified in 74 A.D.

(Note: John the Evangelist according to legend was cooked in boiling hot oil but survived. He was the only one of the original twelve Apostles who was not martyred).

Wow! What am I willing to do for the sake of the Kingdom?

Some prophecies fulfilled! The man Jesus Christ!

Here are a few reason's why I believe that Jesus Christ is the man that He said he was!

In the Old Testament there are well over 300 prophecies given about the coming Messiah. Jesus fulfilled them all.

1. Born of a virgin (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:21-23)
2. A descendant of Abraham (Genesis 12:1-3, 22:18; Matthew 1:1; Galations 3:16)
3. Of the tribe of Judah (genesis 49:10; Luke 3:23, 33; Hebrews 7:14)
4. Of the house of David (2 Samuel 7:12-16; Matthew 1:1)
5. Born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:1; Luke 2:4-7)
6. Taken to Egypt (Hosea 11:1; Matthew 2:14-15)
7. Herod's killing of the infants Jeremiah 31:15; Matthew 2:14-15)
8. Annointed by the HOly Spirit (Isaiah 11:2; Matthew 2:16-18)
9. Heralded by the messenger of the Lord (John the Baptist) (Isaiah 40:3-5; Malachi 3:1; Matthew 3:1-3)
10. Would perform miracles (Isaiah 35:5-6; Matthew 9:35)
11. Would preach good news (Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:14-21)
12. Would minister in Galilee (Isaiah 9:1; Matthew 4:12-16)
13. Would cleanse the Temple (Malachi 3:1; Matthew 21:12-13)
14. Would enter Jerusalem as a king on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9; Matthew 21: 4-9)
15. Die a humiliating death involving: rejection, betrayal by a friend, sold for 30 pieces of silver, silence before His accusers, mocked, beaten, spit upon, pierced hands and feet, being crucified with thieves, praying for His persecutors, piercing His side, given gall and vinegar to drink, no broken bones, buried in a rich man's tomb, casting lots for His garments (Psalm 22, Isaiah 53; Matthew 27; John!)
16. Would rise from the dead! (Psalm 16:10; Mark 16:6; Acts 2:31)
17. Ascend into Heaven (Psalm 68:18; Acts 1:9)
18. Would sit down at the right hand of God. (Psalm 110:1; Hebrews 1:3)

Those are just a few reasons. My absolute favorite one is riding into Jerusalem as a king on a donkey! "Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you righteous and hiving salcation gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey." (Zech. 9:9) Think of the rediculousness of this claim! Who would rejoice and be glad to see a king ride a donkey? Kings do NOT ride donkeys... they have trusty steeds for the kings! But nevertheless Matthew 21 shows Jesus coming into town on a donkey... and the crowd is praising "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comesin the name of the Lord!"

I love the Bible :-)

Time to give

Perhaps it is time for an update! It hasn't been as long as I thought since I last posted something... but it's still been too long!

I've had so many thoughts and almost every thought ends in a "I should blog about this" and yet I haven't thus far...

Fear not- there are good thoughts to come!