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1 John 3:16 - "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." Observation: WHEN I WANT GOD ABOVE ALL, I AM WILLING - AS CHRIST WAS WILLING - TO FOLLOW THE HOLY SPIRIT, EVEN IN THE MOST DRY AND DARK AND PAINFUL TIMES. WHEN I SEE WITH THE EYES OF FAITH THAT THIS IS THE SPIRITUAL MEANING OF THE CROSS, I WILL KNOW HOW TO IMITATE CHRIST AND DO WHAT HE DID. Matthew 15:29 - "And He said, 'Come.' And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus". In the purest sense Peter did not rest His weight upon the water; He stood upon Christ's Word: "COME!" Peter trusted that if Jesus told him to do the impossible -- even to walk on the water -- the power to obey woud be inherent within the command. Hebrews 10:24 - "And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works." OBSERVATION: Because I constantly observe and contemplate others to know how to encourage and provoke them to love and to good works and as I reach out to assist them with words of strength -- they are becoming better, stronger, and bolder in the Lord. Affirmations: I AM EXTREMELY CONSCIOUS OF THE WORKINGS OF CHRIST AND OF GOD'S ENERGY AT WORK IN ME. I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. (Matthew 5:14) I AM A LAMP, NOT HIDDEN ANYMORE, BECAUSE GOD IS FILLING ME WITH THE EFFECTUAL WORKINGS OF CHRIST--THE EFFECTUAL WORD IN ME AS A BEACON TO ALL WHO ARE IN THE WORLD. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Matthew 15:26 - "To this Jesus replied 'it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs."' It is the privilege of children to eat at the table with their Father and from His dish, which is to share in His Spirit; but the dogs must eat the crumbs that fall from the table. Psalms 59: 14,15 - "And at evening let them return; and let them make an noise like a dog, and go round about the city. Let them wander up and down for meat, and tarry if they be not satisfied." Luke 22:24 - "Now an eager contention arose among them as to which of them was considered and reputed to be the greatest." Observation: I AM NOT AT REST IN HIM IF I AM LOOKING ABOUT TO SEE HOW HE IS DEALING WITH OTHERS. NOR AM I AT HIS SERVICE TO BRING THE GRACE OF COMPASSION TO THEM, IF I HAVE TAKEN A HIGHER SEAT . Luke 22:26 - "But this is not the way it is with you; rather, the greatest one among you must be like the youngest, and the leader must be like the servant." Romans 12:2 - "And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Observation: THE TERRITORY OF THE UNCRUCIFIED THOUGHT-LIFE IS THE BEACHHEAD OF SATANIC ASSAULT IN MY LIFE. TO DEFEAT THE DEVIL, I MUST BE RENEWED IN THE SPIRIT OF MY MIND! ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Genesis 21:10 - "Wherefore she said unto Abraham, Cast out this bondwoman and her son: for the son of this bondwoman shall not be heir with my son, even with Isaac." Freedom cannot abide in a slaves heart dominated by worldly desires and honors. Royal freedom of spirit attained in devine union has nothing to do with slavery. There are certain foundational attributes of servanthood and sacrifice that create a seedbed for the fragrance of Christ in our lives. Luke 22:26 - "Not so with you: on the contrary, the highest among you must bear himself like the youngest, the chief of you like a servant." Psalm 9:1,2 - "I will praise thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will show forth all thy marvellous works. I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High." Affirmation: I ACTIVATE THE POWER OF GOD IN EVERY AREA OF MY LIFE BY SPEAKING THE WORD IN FAITH AND PRAISING GOD THAT HIS MARVELOUS WORKS HAVE BEEN PERFORMED IN MY BEHALF. Romans 5:5 - "And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given unto us." The proof of love is the willingness to change Observation: I HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE SAME LOVE THAT COMPELLED JESUS TO GO TO THE CROSS. IT IS THE LOVE THAT COMPELS ME TO INTERCEDE FOR OTHERS. I PRAY FOR OTHERS TO RELEASE THEM FROM THE BONDAGE OF THE ENEMY. I PRAY FOR THEM SO THEY CAN COME TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE TRUTH. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Romans 8:11 (NASB) - "But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you." We have that same Spirit of God, His "Resurrection Power," indwelling within us to transform this earth into God's Kingdom now and for eternity. BUT HOW MUCH AUTHORITY DO WE HAVE When Jesus declared on the Cross, "It is finished," He decreed to the earth and the world of darkness that they had lost. When Jesus arose from the grave, He fulfilled the legal requirements of the law and broke the curse of sin off the earth! Jesus secured everything for the Believer from the Cross of Calvary and the Resurrection from the grave, and satan knows he is powerless to stop God's Kingdom plan. VICTORY THROUGH OUR RESURRECTED SAVIOR Colossians 2:12-15 (NKJV) - " ...[You were] buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us." When we receive Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we indeed begin with our restored relationship to not only our Holy God but also our personal, loving Father God. Because of our risen Savior, Jesus Christ, we now enjoy an intimate relationship with a personal, caring Abba Father. As we understand that our spirit is "quickened" by His Spirit we must – as God's design for Kingdom citizens – take dominion and multiply God's Kingdom on this earth as it is in Heaven! That is indeed the Believer's resurrection authority. We have God's DNA, and we have His Son Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, as well as our "big brother" advocating to the Father on our behalf. Our value is so powerful that once Christians realize their potential, all Hell will flee from them. God made us in His own image and gave us authority to multiply God's Kingdom. Understandably, the defeated enemy cannot multiply anything, and our being "made-in-God's-image" should always remind satan of his irrevocable defeat! When satan wanted to take over Heaven, he lost his position, his abode, and his relationship with a Holy God. SLAIN BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD After Christ arose from the dead, He actually fulfilled what He already was: Resurrection Authority! That means when the Word states that Christ was "slain from the foundations of the world," He came to this earth realm to manifest what had already been accomplished in the Kingdom of Heaven! Revelation 13:8 (KJV) - " And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship Him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." Remember that as Believers in Christ we carry that same abundant, transforming spirit of Jesus to resurrect dead souls into the light and life of Christ! Moreover, Christians should grow in this authority by DISCIPLING new believers into their inheritance in Christ as well as begin resurrecting forgotten prophetic words, sidelined destinies, dead dreams, shattered relationships, and complete wholeness in every area of our lives! We can now demonstrate that power to transform things that have not been fulfilled into completion by the quickened Spirit of Resurrection authority deposited into us through Jesus Christ! There is no limit to this abiding Resurrection Spirit within every Believer! John 10:10 (NASB) - "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." The Celebration of Resurrection reminds us to embrace our personal "resurrection spirit" to raise the dead! Christians must now use their resurrection authority to raise souls of this earth back from spiritual atrophy and the dead sins that have blinded hopeless lives for too long! JESUS IS AN APPROACHABLE, TOUCHABLE RESURRECTION WITNESSS The best gift to others is a lost life resurrected into eternal relationship with a loving Father. Now, that is truly "raising the dead" lives from the enemy's grip into a living, eternal life now, and having it more abundantly! When We Receive Jesus, We Receive The Resurrection And The Life! John 11:25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies..." Because Jesus is our Risen Savior, we now have that same Resurrection Spirit living within each of us! We will indeed do as Christ instructed to "heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give" - (Matthew 10:8). ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

We will never be righteous due to anything we do for God. Only the righteousness of Jesus Christ which covers us makes us righteous. This is why in Galatians 3:1, Paul addressed those in the Church concerning this issue. Paul was concerned that they seemed to have tossed aside the finished work of Christ and were back into the old belief system that involved the Law and performance. If they were truly doing this, and obviously Paul thought they were, then they were negating what occurred on the Cross! Read what Paul said to the Galatians: "You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort. Have you suffered so much for nothing – if it really was for nothing? Does God give you His Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard? Consider Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." Galatians 3:1-6 HEARING THE WORD Paul pointed out that the Galatians had become "foolish." He asked them if they received the Spirit by observing the law or believing what that had "heard." Let us all remember how faith in God comes – by "hearing and hearing" the Word (Romans 10:17). We "believe" because we "hear," and not because of what we do! What we do for God does not make us righteous, nor does it cause our faith to become established. Our relationship with Him establishes our faith and our righteousness is only due to the fact that when Christ shed His Blood, we, therefore, became righteous. Notice that Paul asked the Galatians who had "bewitched" them. This word means "cast a spell," (over them) or "fascinated" (them). Fascination and sensationalism are closely linked. THE MEANING OF "SOZO" When Jesus died on the Cross, He provided the fullness of "sozo", a Greek word meaning not only salvation, but also healing, deliverance, provision and all that Heaven offers! Yet, if our relationship with God is somewhat superficial (meaning we want the sensation without the relationship) we fall short of receiving what we need from God because we really don't know how to believe for His best! FOCUS ON JESUS It is unfortunate many have become self-focused rather than God-focused. By this I mean that we focus on what we need rather than the One Who shed His Blood to provide what is needed.Matthew 6:33 says that we are to "...seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you." Did you notice that we are to seek first God's Kingdom and "His" righteousness? This means that we are not righteous without Him and that we are to seek His righteousness – this is clearly stating that we cannot be righteous due to our performance or religious works, but only righteous due to Christ's righteousness. Secondly, when we do this "first" then "all" things are added to us. The term "all" in this passage refers to everything we need is already accomplished due to the finished work of Christ! We need not perform any longer believing that this makes us a better person or that God will bless us because of what we do. No! It means whatever we need is already done – at the Cross! RECEIVE THE FINISHED WORK ON THE CROSS -- EVERY DAY When we "plead the Blood," we are proclaiming all that Jesus accomplished for us by shedding His Blood. To plead it with faith of all that Christ did on our behalf will release the demonstration and power of God! BAPTIZE YOUR LAND TODAY OR ANY DAY God provided the first sacrifice for the sin of mankind. He placed skins of a slain animal upon both Adam and Eve to cover their sin. Later we notice that Noah, upon coming out of the ark after the Flood, made a sacrifice to God immediately upon stepping onto the land. This is symbolic of our going to baptize our Promised Land by recalling what Jesus accomplished at the Cross. In other words, when we recognize what Christ did and that we are righteous due to His Blood, it empowers us to take our Promised Land! Think upon this -- Every time we receive a prophetic promise or prophetic revelation, we baptize that promise from God by renewing our mind concerning what Christ did at the Cross. We can, therefore, tell the devil to "get off our land," when we remind him that the battle is already won! So rise up and declare the power that is in the Blood! And, know that TODAY is your day that God will provide for your every need! ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Ephesians 2:1 - "But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ." The basic purpose of the cross is more than reconciling us to God; it also brings us back to Himself in the close,intimate relationship that He originally intended to have with men. He wants to bring us near. It is in that place that we find the glory and anointing needed to transform atmospheres on earth. We are called to be the carriers of His glory. Christ in you is the hope of Glory (Colossians 1:27). It is the glory of God that makes that difference. By laying hold of Jesus, we lay hold of the glory of the Holy Spirit allowing Him to manifest in us and through us. Hebrews 10:22 - "Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." Romans 8:29 - "For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren." Affirmation: AS I REACH FOR CHRISTLIKENESS, MY LOVE FOR GOD BECOMES RICHER, MY WITNESS TO SINNERS MORE POWERFUL, AND MY SECRET LIFE HOLY. 2 Kings 5:10 - "And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean." Observation: AS I DIP IN THE LIVING WATER OF GOD'S WORD AND SUBMERGE MYSELF IN THE ANOINTING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT - THE WORLD WILL SEE AN EVENT THAT TRANSCENDS HUMAN POWER. THEY WILL WONDER AT THE DIVINE INTERVENTION BY GOD INTO MY CIRCUMSTANCES. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Matthew 18:18-19 “Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven. 19“Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven." (Two of the most powerful weapons of spiritual warfare are binding and loosing, or forbidding and permitting. Binding stops the enemy’s attacks, loosing releases or permits God’s will to enter the situation because God has willed that His purposes be carried out by asking in prayer.) Proverbs 18:21 - "Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it willeat its fruit." (Binding and loosing is in the power of the tongue.) Jeremiah 1:10 "See, I have this day set thee over the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build, and to plant." (It is our destiny to have authority.) Luke 19:46 "Saying unto them, 'It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves.'" (Jesus bound or spoke the word of God over the temple and re-established it as a house of prayer again.) Matthew 4:3-11 And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” 4But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’”5Then the devil took* Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, 6and said* to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will command His angels concerning You’; And ‘On their hands they will bear You up, So that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.’” 7Jesus said to him, “On the other hand, it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 8Again, the devil took* Him to a very high mountain and showed* Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; 9and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.” 10Then Jesus said* to him, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’” 11Then the devil left* Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him. (Jesus spoke the word of God over and over against the enemy until Satan was so weakened that his power to tempt Jesus was broken. Example of verbage to bind satan (in a case where there is strife and bickering in a situation in the body of Christ) : “Satan, according to the word of God I forbid you to cause any more strife in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth! For it is written ‘Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!’” Psalm 133:1 ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Matthew 16:16,18. - "And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And I say also unto thee, 'That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.'" Observation: THE ROCK THAT THE LORD IS BUILDING HIS CHURCH UPON IS THE REVELATION FROM THE FATHER OF WHO JESUS IS. I MUST HAVE A PERSONAL REVELATION FROM THE FATHER OF WHO JESUS IS. HE MUST BE MY OWN KING AND SAVIOR. Acts 4:33 - "And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all." THE POWER OF GOD THAT I EXPERIENCE IN LIFE IS MORE UP TO ME THAN IT IS UP TO THE LORD. IT'S MY ASSIGNMENT TO MAKE SURE THAT I HAVE THE WORD ABIDING IN ME. Psalm 145:2 - "Every day will I bless Thee; and I will praise Thy name forever and ever." WHAT I DO DAILY DETERMINES WHAT I BECOME PERMANENTLY. Proverbs 8:34 - "Blessed is the man that heareth Me, watching daily at My gates, waiting at the posts of My doors." ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Colossians 1:18,20 - "And He is the head of the body, the church....to reconcile to Himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross." The work of the Cross of Christ made it possible for Believers in Him to receive right standing with the Father. Jesus' righteousness became theirs. They could now enter into fellowship and favor with God. Satan had been deprived of his one great weapon. The people who put their trust in Jesus could be forgiven for their rebellion against God (see John 1:12). In one master stroke, Jesus accomplished three things: 1) He defeated satan (see Heb. 2:14). 2). He took away satan's legal authority to rule over the human race. 3) He restored the blessings that satan had stolen from the human race. THE DIVINE EXCHANGE Jesus' followers can see how the Cross had become the intersection of Heaven and earth. The supernatural traffic between Heaven and earth could flow freely through this intersection, and every individual who assented to Jesus—not just the super-special priests and prophets—could experience supernatural life. It is available to us: 1) Exchanging Punishment for Peace - Isa. 53:5 2) Exchanging Sickness for Healing - Isa. 53:4-5 3) Exchanging Sin for Righteousness - Isa. 53:10, 2 Cor. 5:21 4) Exchanging Curse for Blessing - Deut. 28:15-68 for Deut. 28:1-14 5) Exchanging Poverty for Wealth - 2 Cor. 8:9 6) Exchanging Threefold Death for Threefold Life - Heb. 2:9 He tasted death in three successive phases: (1) He was cut off from union and fellowship with the Father; (2) He was cut off from physical life; and (3) He was banished from God's presence like a scapegoat, carrying sin away. He was crucified and buried; He descended into Hades and rose again so that our redemption could be complete. In exchange, the gift of life to every Believer is also a threefold one: (1) union and fellowship with God; (2) physical resurrection life in our mortal bodies; and (3) resurrection and eternal life in God's glorious presence. 7) Exchanging the Old Man for the New - Rom. 6:6; 8:10; Col. 2:11; Gal. 5:17-24 What an exchange! This is not just a dream of something in the future—it is a present tense reality! THE SUPERNATURAL LIFE -- OUR BIRTHRIGHT It is our honor to be ambassadors of Christ in the world. It is our joy to let His light shine through our lives. It is our privilege to manifest the signs of the Kingdom of God wherever we go. Jesus said, "These signs will accompany those who believe: In My name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well" (Mark 16:17-18). Those signs are supernatural. They are part of your birthright. The supernatural God who never changes has restored them to you. Hold out your hands to receive all that He wants to give you as a born-again, Spirit-filled follower of Jesus Christ. Let's Enforce the Victory of Calvary! ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

James 4:6 - "But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble." Humility is not unworthiness. Humility is being aware of who others are in God's sight and being aware of who I am in Christ and acting on it. Matthew 12:37 - "For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned." Affirmation: I LET MY WORDS CREATE THE CURRENT THAT SWEEPS ME INTO THE HEART OF GOD. Luke 9:23 - "And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” When Jesus called His disciples, it was for total commitment. They had to be willing to leave everything to follow Him, and so do we. If He is not the Lord of all, then He is not our Lord at all. All Christians are called to be "soldiers of the Cross". All soldiers know that they can be called upon to pay the ultimate price for their cause. For this reason, the soldiers of the Cross are called to take up their crosses and commit to die daily to their own interests in order to serve the interests of Christ. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

In His Presence Are the Answers That You Seek. Wear the crown of glory that He would have you wear uprightly. Lay down any identity that man would come with. Man would come and try to push His crown off your head, and put upon it a counterfeit identity. Lay down all these things that rush into your mind – to where you cannot even come into His presence, because your mind, your spirit, is somewhere else. Call everything that would command you to give up dreams and visions and hope – command it to be cast behind you, for it is of the enemy. Let His Spirit rule and reign. Let Him begin to flow out of you – with discernment, with knowledge, with worship. Practice this when you're alone. "My soul, wait in silence for God only, for my hope is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, the rock of my strength, my refuge is in God. Pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us." - Pslams 62:5-8 ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

1. Why was Jesus manifested in the earth? Answer: To destroy the works of the devil. "For this I have been born, and for this I have come into the world, to testify to the truth. All who are not deaf to the truth listen to My voice." - John 18:37 "The one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil." - 1 John 3:8 "He was given over to die because of our sins, and was raised to life to put us right with God." - Romans 4:25 ".....He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself." - Hebrews 9:26 2. Has the cross of Calvary delivered me from the guilt of sin? Answer: God made Jesus sin. Sin was not only reckoned to Him, but His spirit actually became sin. "God was reconciling the world to Himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God." - 2 Corinthians 5:19,21 "Because by one sacrifice He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy." - Hebrews 10:14 "If we walk in the light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin." - 1 John 1:7 3. How are Satan and his works put under our feet as the body of Christ? Answer: Answer in the scriptures. "And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death." - Revelation 12:11 "When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him." - Colossians 2:15 4. Am I allowing the Holy Spirit to build a righteousness consciousness through meditation and affirmation of the word concerning my right standing with God? "By this we know the we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit." - 1 John 4:13 "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in me. - John 15:4 5. How will a righteousness consciousness affect my prayer life? "Truly I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be taken up and cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says is going to happen, it will be granted him. Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you." - Mark: 11:23,24 "Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it." - John 14;13;14 INTO ACTION: Affirm and meditate on the indicated scriptures several times daily until the renewing of your mind is made real to your spirit. AFFIRMATIONS: I know my prayers are hears by God because I believe on Christ Jesus His Son who gives me eternal life. (1 John 5:13) I receive through faith because when I ask in prayer I believe that I have received what I have asked for. (Mark 11:24) I transform my mind through affirming, meditating, and visualizing God's word.(Romans 12:2 & John 8:31,32) ALBERT FINCH MINSITRY

Getting in touch with God's PURPOSE for our life can have the single most powerful impact on our own life after coming to Jesus and being born again. All Christians are called to be witnesses, but we also have a CALLING in Christ that is more specific than that. The main factors that will lead to a revelation of our earthly DESTINY and being prepared for it are the following: A. Resolving to do the Lord's will as the chief pursuit of our lives. 1. All Christians are called to be "soldiers of the Cross". All soldiers know that they can be called upon to pay the ultimate price for their cause. For this reason, the soldiers of the Cross are called to take up their crosses and commit to die daily to their own interests in order to serve the interests of Christ: "If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his Cross daily, and follow Me." (Luke 9:23). "For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it." (Luke 9:23,24) "You therefore must suffer hardship as a good soldier of Christ Jesus." (2 Timothy 2:3) "No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier." (2 Timothy 2:4) "And he died for all, that they who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf." (2 Corinthians 5:15) B. Beholding the glory of the Lord. C. Finding and becoming a committed part of the body of Believers we are called to be with. D. Receiving the ministry of the five equipping ministries listed in Ephesians chapter 4. E. Being discipled by someone other than the pastor. 1. Regular one-on-one meetings 2. Keeps us focused on the prize and off of the many opportunities in the Church and elsewhere that will take us away from what God has called us to do -- our DESTINY. 3. Receiving weekly assignments, will help us grow in knowledge and understanding that will eventually equip us to disciple others and move to higher spiritual attainments. F. Engaging in our calling in Christ. QUESTIONS TO ASK MYSELF: 1. Am I totally sold out to the Lord Jesus Christ? 2. Am I willing to agressively pursue the services of someone in the Body of Christ to disciple me in my Christian walk? 3. Name 3 reasons why I need someone to disciple me in addition to my participation in church services, sunday school, bible study clases, Christ encounters etc. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

1. What is a righteousness consciousness? Answer: Righteousness consciousness is the state of being aware of your right standing with God. Righteousness means the ability to stand in the presence of Father God without the sense of guilt, inferiority or condemnation. "But if Christ lives in you, although your bodies are going to die because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because you have been put right with God." - Romans 8:10 "And He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. - 1 Peter 2:24 2. Why are we the righteousness of God? Answer: We are righteous because of God's love, because of who we are in Christ not because of our own conduct. our righteousness is not because we have done something to deserve it; but because God has chosen not to hold sin against us. "For we are His workmanship created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them." - Ephesians 2:10 "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." - 2 Corinthians 5:21 3. How is it possible to believe that God loves you with the same love that he loves Jesus? Answer: Answer in the scriptures. "He was given over to die because of our sins, and was raised to life to put us right with God." - Romans 4:25 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." - John 3:16 "In our union with Christ Jesus He raised us up with Him to rule with Him in the heavenly world. He did this to demonstrate for all time to come the extraordinary greatness of his grace in the love He showed us in Christ Jesus." - Ephesians 2:6,7 4. Explain how you can develop a righteousness consciousness? Answer: Allow the Holy Spirit to paint a picture on the inside of you by meditationg on God's loving kindness. His grace, and His mercy towards you. "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." - Matthew 6:33 "Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neaither can you unless you abide in Me." - John 15:4 5. What result or effect does right standing with God have on your relationship with him? Answer: It builds our confidence in God's willingness to use His power in our behalf. We become aware of His love for us and perfect love casts out fear. "If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whetever you wish, and it will be done for you." - John 15:7 "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear has torment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. We love, because He first loved us." - 1 John 4:18 INTO ACTION: Affirm and meditate on the indicated scriptures several times daily until the renewing of your mind is made real to your spirit. AFFIRMATIONS: God imputes righteousness to me since I believe the He raised Jesus from the dead for my justification. (Romans 4:24.25) God loves me with the same love that He loves Jesus. (John 17:26) God, who is rich in mercy and love, has quickened me with Christ and has raise me up tobether with Christ and made me sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. (Ephesians 2:4-6) ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

The Church will begin to take on more of a "military mentality" in the coming times. We are called to be an army, and in many ways we will start to reflect this in a much more serious and focused demeanor in the leadership and the people. There is something about conflict that does focus our senses. We have been in a war against darkness of the most desperate kind for the whole history of the Church, but not all seem to understand this or live as they would if they did understand it. This, too, will be changing as more of God's people come to this understanding. It is important that we keep in mind that the greatest warriors are also the greatest worshippers, just as we see with King David. These two go together, and if they did not, the hardship of battle could produce some very unchristian behavior in Christians. We will not be able to take the intensity of conflict and battle without being hardened--if we are not continually softened by worship. A DIFFERENT KIND OF WAR Ephesians 6:12 - "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkenss of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." We are also in the most different kind of war. We are fighting to save people, not kill or wound them. We are actually fighting to help free and save many of the very ones who will be used to attack us. We are not warring against flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces that are using them. We must keep, not only a softer attitude toward people, but we must love our enemies. We love our enemies because we are fighting for them, not against them. This truth requires a higher vision, a higher reality, than just looking at things in the natural. We must have our spiritual eyes open to see and live another reality. Therefore, the great call of these times is to fulfill II Timothy 2:3-4: "Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the One who enlisted him as a soldier." A soldier does not enlist for a vacation. Though many may have become Christians because of a promise of health, wealth, or the solutions to their problems, true soldiers have enlisted with the very real commitment to be willing to go into harm's way, and if necessary, pay the ultimate price for their cause. True soldiers of Christ go even further, resolving to die every day to this world so that they live for the sake of the Gospel. True Christianity is a life of sacrifice. As we are told in Matthew 16:25: "For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it." THE ULTIMATE FREEDOM It is true that when we lay down our lives daily for the sake of the Gospel we find a fulfillment in life, peace, and joy in a way that is incomprehensible to those who do not know Him. There is no greater liberty that we could ever know than to be Christ's slave. To walk in the courage that it takes to be a soldier of the Cross is the path to the ultimate freedom--the freedom from fear. If we have died to this world, then there is nothing this world can do to us. One who is dead does not fear rejection, failure, or anything else. The paradox is that being a soldier of the Cross is at once the hardest thing we could ever do and the easiest life we could ever live. Even so, true soldiers do not serve for the rewards or benefits, but because it is the right thing to do. The Lord is worthy of this devotion. We were bought with the ultimate price, His own life, and we now belong to Him. As Paul wrote in I Corinthians 7:35, "And this I say for your own benefit; not to put a restraint upon you, but to promote what is seemly, and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord." BE PREPARED FOR PERSECUTION A factor we must prepare for is that the brighter the light of the Church becomes, the more threatened those living and loving the darkness will become, and the more they will attack her. Christians who are not prepared for persecution are not prepared. Like it or not, the brighter our light becomes, the stronger we become, and the more we will have to fight. Even so, there can be no victory without a battle, and the bigger the battle, the bigger the victory will be. We also have the great encouragement that we are on the side that cannot lose if we remain faithful. Affirmations: LIKE KING DAVID I MAKE WORSHIP MY DAILY TOP PRIORITY. I DIE TO THE WORD EVERY DAY FOR THE SAKE OF THE GOSPEL. EVERY DAY AND IN EVERY WAY GOD IS OPENING THE EYES OF MY UNDERSTANDING TO SEE INTO THE HEAVENLY SPIRITUAL REALITY. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Should living in His presence as we go throughout the day be something we should attain to?

Read John Chap. 8 and Matthew Chap. 13 Have the class (or individual) read aloud each of the ascribed scriptures. Then dictate the indicated summary. The student is to recite the summary of each of the scriptures 5 times per day until the next class. II Tim 3:15-17; All scripture is inspired by the Holy Spirit and not the reasoning of man. Col 1:13-16; All things are created by Jesus and for Jesus. Lev 17:11; Heb 9:22; A life must be given and blood shed in order for God to forgive sin. Matt 26:27-28; Eph 1:5-7; We are made right with God through Jesus’ one-time sacrifice. John 3:35-36; Eternal life is promised to those who believe in Jesus. Mark 13:31; All Jesus says will be fulfilled. HOMEWORK: JOHN - CHAPTER 8 - QUIZ 1. Jesus told the woman caught in adultery that He did not _________her and for her to go and _______no more. 2. Jesus said: I am the ___________of the world; He thatfollows me shall not walk in___________, but shall have the_____________of __________________. 3. Jesus told the Pharisees that they shall _____________in the sins because they did not believe that he was the___________________. (John 1:41) 4. Jesus said: Verily, verily I say unto you if a man keep my words, he shall never see _____________________. 5. Jesus said: Whosoever commiteth___________is a servant of ___________________. 6. Jesus said to the Pharisees: Verily, verily I say unto you before Abraham was _________________. MATTHEW - CHAPTER 13 - QUIZ 1. The peoples heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes _____________have closed. 2. He that soweth the good seed is_________________;the field is _____________; the good seed are the childrenof the kingdom; but the _____________are the children of the wicked one. 3. I will open my mouth in _____________________; I willutter things which have _____________from the foundationof the world. (Psalm 78:2) 4. The Kingdom of heaven is like a merchant who had found one pearl of great price, went out and sold ______________that he had, and ________________it. 5. When Jesus came into His own country they were_______________at Him; and He did not many mightyworks because of their______________. JOHN - CHAPTER 8 - QUIZ ANSWERS 1. Condemn, sin2. Light, darkness, light, life3. Die, Messiah 4. Death 5. Sin, sin 6. I Am MATTHEW - CHAPTER 13 - QUIZ ANSWERS 1. They 2. The Son of Man, the world, tares 3. Parables, kept secret 4. All, bought 5. Offended, unbelief ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Luke 9:23 - "If anyone wishes to come after Me; he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me." When the Cross is alive, it burns up the flesh – dreams of the flesh, ambitions of the flesh – all of the flesh. All of the flesh it consumes. It consumed man's flesh beyond recognition, and so it is with His own. So when the Father looks down, He sees the reflection of His Son, and then there becomes recognition. Let the Cross have its work. Let the grave contain what is causing death, but let the Spirit quicken what is life. Thank Him for the Cross; for the work of the Cross. For we are a people of His Cross -- you are marked by His Cross. Cast not away the Blood of Jesus. Let the Blood consume. Let the Blood be the fuel for the fire of the Cross. Let the Spirit of the Living God consume the flesh, so that in His Spirit you will live and move and have your being, but first there must be the working of the Cross. And as His Cross becomes your cross, know He has hidden you in His Cross. For your cross is within His Cross, and the enemy cannot beat you with your cross when you bow down and let the working of His Cross take precedence. Feel His Cross. Feel His Blood. It is real. It is truth. He is alive forevermore, and so are you. Your spirit is eternal. Let your spirit be free to mature through the working of the Cross. For, yes, there is death, but more importantly, there is the life of the Cross. Let His Cross consume you. Let His grave clothes transform you. Let His robes of righteousness transfuse you, through the Blood of the Cross. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

"And a great multitude followed Him, because they saw His miracles which He did on them that were diseased."John 6:2 When it was evening, His disciples came to Him, saying, "This is a deserted place, and the hour is already late. Send the multitudes away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves food. But Jesus said to them, "They do not need to go away. YOU give them something to eat." Matthew 14:15-16 FIVE LOAVES AND TWO FISHES Philip would have sent these to the fast-food restaurant in the next village. Andrew remarked about a "lad" who had some food, but he only had "five loaves and two fishes." Jesus had told the disciples to feed all who were hungry. Immediately, these disciples began to express the reasons why they were unable to do so, saying that they did not have adequate resources. It is very important to recognize that Jesus already knew that they did not have the means to feed this multitude. "And this He said to prove him: for He Himself knew what He would do." John 6:6 The Lord often asks us to go beyond our abilities. Our usual response is to express our limitations, not realizing that Jesus is asking us to place our limited ability in His hand, so He can multiply it. Therefore, concerning these five loaves and two fishes, Jesus said: "Bring them here to Me." Matthew 14:18 Once the limited resources of the disciples were placed in His hands, Jesus multiplied them, and the multitude was fed to the full. A HIGHER REALM OF IDENTIFICATION WITH HIM This was perhaps the best meal this multitude had ever eaten. But several hours later, they were back asking for a repeat performance. Jesus refused and brought a word of correction. He told them to seek their satisfaction on an HIGHER LEVEL. Then Jesus offered His very life for them to partake of: "I am the living bread which came down from Heaven. If any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." John 6:51 They had gladly received the miracle of multiplication on the lower level of experience, but rejected the higher realm of identification with Him. "The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us His flesh to eat?" John 6:52 If we are perceptive, we will discover that this spiritual principle is in operation in our lives at this present time. Whenever the Lord moves on us in any measure of provision or healing, it is His intention to take us further, into a higher realm of identification with Him. Jesus was looking forward to the time when He would stand at the door of our heart, knocking, in order to gain entrance that He might sup with us, and we in turn with Him, in which we partake of His very life and blood. "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me."Revelation 3:20 PARTAKING OF HIS LIFE When He fed the multitude on the lower level, they sought to take Him by force to make Him their King. But on the higher level, they rejected Him. Therefore, Jesus stands alone at the door, speaking to whomever will respond (if anyone hears). Today, all too many Christians are satisfied to remain in the first area of spiritual blessing and provision, and are not seeking to enter into a personal relationship with the Lord, to discover His CALLING on their life. There is a depth in spiritual revelation and understanding into which the Lord desires to bring us, which involves a partaking of His very life (our DESTINY in Christ). This will bring us into an identity with Jesus in the "fellowship of His sufferings," which refers to His (and our) being rejected and misunderstood, but leads to a depth of satisfaction and fulfillment that only those who partake can understand God's PURPOSE for their life. "That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable to His death." Philippians 3:10 EATING HIS FLESH There are many who will respond when the blessings are flowing, but when it comes time to "eat His flesh," (PARTAKE OF HIS LIFE) they say, "This is a hard saying, who can hear it?" and they disappear. The Lord is speaking of our partaking of the foundational characteristic of His life – that of His ministry and giving His life for another. Many will receive the blessings that He offers, but few will identify with His sufferings. The purpose of this revelation of Jesus to us, as being a person with feelings, is to bring us into the experience of personally knowing Him, that we might be able to identify with Him in the giving of His life to others. In this last hour, the Lord is yet seeking those who are willing to go beyond the surface blessings, to enter into the place of identification with Him in the "fellowship of His sufferings." Here, in intimate, deep communion with Jesus, we will begin to partake of an intercessory identification with Him, in which His life can now be lived and made known through our lives. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Romans 10:10 - "For with the heart man beleiveth unto righteousness......." Romans 5:17 - "For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ." Paul makes two significant statements about righteousness: 1. With the heart man believes unto righteousness. 2. When we receive Jesus and we are born again, we receive "the gift of righteousness." Righteousness is a gift. Too often we have associated righteousness with "good works." The Bible teaches good works and right conduct, but all of our good works and right conduct will never make us righteous. If good works made us righteous, we wouldn't need Jesus. Another fallacy about righteousness is that we've thought we had to grow into some kind of "high spiritual state" to be righteous. We can grow in the Lord and we can develop spiritually, but we cannot grow in righteousness. We will never be any more righteous than we are right now! 2 Corinthians 5:17,21 - "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. For he hath made him (God has made Jesus) to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." Matthew 6:33 -- "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. In Christ we become new creatures. In Him we become the righteousness of God when we are born again (verse 21). This righteousness we are told to seek is not right behavior, but RIGHT STANDING before God, which comes to us as a gift when we receive salvation. Romans 4:5 -- "But to him who does not work but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness." We are not righteous because of how morally upright we are. We are not righteous because we exercise self-control. We are not righteous because we read 10 chapters of the Bible daily. We are not righteous because we feel righteous. We are the righteousness of God in Christ solely because the sacrifice of Jesus made us so. When we believe this, our faith is accounted for righteousness. If we are righteous by our deeds, we don't need faith. We also don't need faith to know that we are sinful. But we do need faith to believe and declare that we are the righteousness of God in Christ, in the midst of our struggles with temptation and sin. At the cross, Jesus didn't just remove our sins, He also gave us His righteousness so that today, we can come boldly before the throne of God and receive freely everything that He died to give us! Affirmations: I seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, not my own righteousness, and "all these things shall be added to me." I expect good things to happen to me because blessings are on the head of the righteous (Proberbs 10:6). I am righteous only because of the blood and finished work of Jesus at the cross. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

The third place Jesus shed His blood broke the curse of poverty. Genesis 3:17-19 - "Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying 'You shall not eat of it': Cursed is the ground for your sake; In toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Both THORNS and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground." Thousands of years after Adam sinned, Jesus Christ, the second Adam, was taken before the religious and political authorities to stand trial as a fraud and a heretic. On the way to Pilate, as they were mocking Jesus, "All hail, King of the Jews," they saw a THORN bush --the symbol of the curse of poverty on the land. They took some of the THORN branches, wove them into a crown, and placed them on the brow of Jesus until the blood flowed from His head. The symbol of poverty was placed on the brow of Jesus, the second Adam. When those THORNS pierced His brow, He shed His blood for our redemption from poverty. We were cursed with poverty by the sweat of Adam's brow, but we were redeemed from the curse of poverty by the blood on Jesus' brow. Now, by the power of the blood of Jesus, not only is the curse of poverty broken, but those who take the name of Jesus and claim His blood are anointed to prosper. 2 Corinthians 8:9 - "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich." Jesus never was poor. When the Bible says, Jesus became poor, it means He was poor in comparison to what He had in His heavenly home. Before Mary and Joseph went to the barn, they first went to the inn to get a room. Mary and Joseph had plenty of money to get a room at the inn. The problem was, the inn had no room for the savior. Yes, Jesus was born in a manger, but not to teach us poverty. He was showing us that we were not making room for the Savior to be born in our lives. Affirmations: I MAKE ROOM FOR JESUS EVERY MINUTE OF EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE. THROUGH THE BLOOD THAT THE LORD JESUS SHED FOR ME, I AM ABUNDANCE. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

1. How do you know that God wants us to reign in life?Answer: Romans 5:17 "For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive th abundance of grace and of the gift of reighteousness will reign in life through the One Jesus Christ. - Romans 5:17"For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. And you are complete in Him, which is the head of all principality and power." - Colossians 2:9-10"for you are all one in Christ Jesus, and if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to promise." - Galatians 3:28-29 2. List 3 ways Jesus is victorious over Satan. Answer:(1) He healed and deliverd all that were oppressed of the devil.(2) He destroyed the power of Satan at the cross of Calvary.(3) Through the new creation the believer is set free as he receives Jesus as his Lord and Savior. Satan's spiritual hold on the believer is severed as he is set free. "Since we, God's children are human beings -- made of flesh and blood -- He became flesh and blood too by being born in human form; for only as a human being could He die and in dying break the power of the devil who had the power of death." - Hebrews 2:14-15"...for the ruler of the world is coming, and he has nothing in Me." - John 14:30"therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come." - 2 Corinthians 5:17 3. Why is His victory our victory? Answer: What God wrought in Jesus is wrought in us. Jesus was made sin with our sinfulness that we could be made righteous with His righteousness. We were crucified, died, made alive, and raised together with Him. "I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me." - Galatians 2:20"And what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might....and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus." - Ephesians 1:19; 2:6"He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." - 2 Corinthians 5:21 4. What has God given us to walk victoriously in this life? Answer: We have His nature, His armor, His power, His Spirit, His name, and His word and the authority to use them for His purpose in the earth. "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you." - John 14:16,17"Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one." - Ephesians 6:11,14-16"For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline." - 2 Timothy 1:7 5. How does a man sever himself from satan's hold on his life? Answer: 2 Peter 1:3,4"Seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust." - 2 Peter 1:3,4"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them." - Ephesians 2:10"Our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin; now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him." - Romans 6:6,8 INTO ACTION:Affirm and meditate on the indicated scriptures several times daily until the renewing of your mind is made real to your spirit. AFFIRMATIONS:Since I have received God's overflowing grace and the free gift of righteousness, I reign as king in life through Jesus Christ. (Romans 5:17) I am born of God and have victory that conquers the world through faith. (1 John 5:4) Just as Jesus cursed the fig tree, I curse those things in my life that are not bearing godly fruit. (Mark 11:21) ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

ON A HILL FARAWAY STOOD AN OLD RUGGED CROSS THE EMBLEM OF SUFFRING AND SHAME BUT I LOVE THAT OLD CROSS WHERE THE DEAREST AND BEST FOR THE 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 SOMEDAY FOR A CROWN this is an old him one of my grandpas favorite right now he is in heaven. the old rugged cross tells a story God was nailed to a cross to [ay for our sins then the third day he arose from the dead. GOD BLESS U ALL

I came across this article about Christians in an area of China putting up more Crosses than their Government could take down. I admire their persistence. http://www.christianitytoday.com/gleanings/2015/august/china-sees-red-christian-protest-hundreds-crosses-wenzhou.html

We all wonder what will happen to us after we die. When a loved one dies, we long to see him or her again after our turn comes. Will we have a glorious reunion with those we love or is death the end of all consciousness? Jesus taught that life does not end after our bodies die. He made this startling claim: “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die like everyone else, will live again.” According to the eyewitnesses closest to him, Jesus then demonstrated his power over death by rising from the dead after being crucified and buried for three days. It is this belief that has given hope to Christians for nearly 2000 years. But some people have no hope of life after death. The atheistic philosopher Bertrand Russell wrote, “I believe that when I die I shall rot, and nothing of my own ego will survive.”1 Russell obviously didn’t believe Jesus’ words. Jesus’ followers wrote that he appeared alive to them after his crucifixion and burial. They claim not only to have seen him but also to have eaten with him, touched him, and spent 40 days with him. So could this have been simply a story that grew over time, or is it based upon solid evidence? The answer to this question is foundational to Christianity. For if Jesus did rise from the dead, it would validate everything he said about himself, about the meaning of life, and about our destiny after death. If Jesus did rise from the dead then he alone would have the answers to what life is about and what is facing us after we die. On the other hand, if the resurrection account of Jesus is not true, then Christianity would be founded upon a lie. Theologian R. C. Sproul puts it this way: Many skeptics have attempted to disprove the resurrection. Josh McDowell was one such skeptic who spent more than seven hundred hours researching the evidence for the resurrection. McDowell stated this regarding the importance of the resurrection: So, is Jesus’ resurrection a fantastic fact or a vicious myth? To find out, we need to look at the evidence of history and draw our own conclusions. Let’s see what skeptics who investigated the resurrection discovered for themselves. Cynics and Skeptics But not everyone is willing to fairly examine the evidence. Bertrand Russell admits his take on Jesus was “not concerned” with historical facts.4 Historian Joseph Campbell, without citing evidence, calmly told his PBS television audience that the resurrection of Jesus is not a factual event.5 Other scholars, such as John Dominic Crossan of the Jesus Seminar, agree with him.6 None of these skeptics present any evidence for their views. True skeptics, as opposed to cynics, are interested in evidence. In a Skeptic magazine editorial entitled “What Is a Skeptic?” the following definition is given: “Skepticism is … the application of reason to any and all ideas—no sacred cows allowed. In other words … skeptics do not go into an investigation closed to the possibility that a phenomenon might be real or that a claim might be true. When we say we are “skeptical,” we mean that we must see compelling evidence before we believe.”7 Unlike Russell and Crossan, many true skeptics have investigated the evidence for Jesus’ resurrection. In this article we will hear from some of them and see how they analyzed the evidence for what is perhaps the most important question in the history of the human race: Did Jesus really rise from the dead? Self-Prophecy In advance of his death, Jesus told his disciples that he would be betrayed, arrested, and crucified and that he would come back to life three days later. That’s a strange plan! What was behind it? Jesus was no entertainer willing to perform for others on demand; instead, he promised that his death and resurrection would prove to people (if their minds and hearts were open) that he was indeed the Messiah. Bible scholar Wilbur Smith remarked about Jesus: In other words, since Jesus had clearly told his disciples that he would rise again after his death, failure to keep that promise would expose him as a fraud. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. How did Jesus die before he (if he did) rose again? A Horrific Death and Then. . . ? You know what Jesus’ last hours of earthly life were like if you watched the movie by road warrior/brave heart Mel Gibson. If you missed parts of The Passion of the Christ because you were shielding your eyes (it would have been easier to simply shoot the movie with a red filter on the camera), just flip to the back pages of any Gospel in your New Testament to find out what you missed. As Jesus predicted, he was betrayed by one of his own disciples, Judas Iscariot, and was arrested. In a mock trial under the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate, he was convicted of treason and condemned to die on a wooden cross. Prior to being nailed to the cross, Jesus was brutally beaten with a Roman cat-o’-nine-tails, a whip with bits of bone and metal that would rip flesh. He was punched repeatedly, kicked, and spit upon. Then, using mallets, the Roman executioners pounded the heavy wrought-iron nails into Jesus’ wrists and feet. Finally they dropped the cross in a hole in the ground between two other crosses bearing convicted thieves. Jesus hung there for approximately six hours. Then, at 3:00 in the afternoon—that is, at exactly the same time the Passover lamb was being sacrificed as a sin offering (a little symbolism there, you think?)—Jesus cried out, “It is finished” (in Aramaic), and died. Suddenly the sky went dark and an earthquake shook the land.9 Pilate wanted verification that Jesus was dead before allowing his crucified body to be buried. So a Roman guard thrust a spear into Jesus’ side. The mixture of blood and water that flowed out was a clear indication that Jesus was dead. Jesus’ body was then taken down from the cross and buried in Joseph of Arimathea’s tomb. Roman guards next sealed the tomb, and secured it with a 24-hour watch. Meanwhile, Jesus’ disciples were in shock. Dr. J. P. Moreland explains how devastated and confused they were after Jesus’ death on the cross. “They no longer had confidence that Jesus had been sent by God. They also had been taught that God would not let his Messiah suffer death. So they dispersed. The Jesus movement was all but stopped in its tracks.”10 All hope was vanquished. Rome and the Jewish leaders had prevailed—or so it seemed. Something Happened But it wasn’t the end. The Jesus movement did not disappear (obviously), and in fact Christianity exists today as the world’s largest religion. Therefore, we’ve got to know what happened after Jesus’ body was taken down from the cross and laid in the tomb. In a New York Times article, Peter Steinfels cites the startling events that occurred three days after Jesus’ death: “Shortly after Jesus was executed, his followers were suddenly galvanized from a baffled and cowering group into people whose message about a living Jesus and a coming kingdom, preached at the risk of their lives, eventually changed an empire. Something happened. … But exactly what?”11 That’s the question we have to answer with an investigation into the facts. There are only five plausible explanations for Jesus’ alleged resurrection, as portrayed in the New Testament: Jesus didn’t really die on the cross. The “resurrection” was a conspiracy. The disciples were hallucinating. The account is legendary. It really happened. Let’s work our way through these options and see which one best fits the facts. Was Jesus Dead? “Marley was deader than a doornail, of that there was no doubt.” So begins Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol, the author not wanting anyone to be mistaken as to the supernatural character of what is soon to take place. In the same way, before we take on the role of CSI and piece together evidence for a resurrection, we must first establish that there was, in fact, a corpse. After all, occasionally the newspapers will report on some “corpse” in a morgue who was found stirring and recovered. Could something like that have happened with Jesus? Some have proposed that Jesus lived through the crucifixion and was revived by the cool, damp air in the tomb–“Whoa, how long was I out for?” But that theory doesn’t seem to square with the medical evidence. An article in the Journal of the American Medical Association explains why this so-called “swoon theory” is untenable: “Clearly, the weight of historical and medical evidence indicated that Jesus was dead. … The spear, thrust between His right ribs, probably perforated not only the right lung, but also the pericardium and heart and thereby ensured His death.”12 But skepticism of this verdict may be in order, as this case has been cold for 2,000 years. At the very least, we need a second opinion. One place to find that is in the reports of non-Christian historians from around the time when Jesus lived. Three of these historians mentioned the death of Jesus. Lucian (c.120–after 180 A.D. referred to Jesus as a crucified sophist (philosopher).13 Josephus (c.37–c.100 A.D.) wrote, “At this time there appeared Jesus, a wise man, for he was a doer of amazing deeds. When Pilate condemned him to the cross, the leading men among us, having accused him, those who loved him did not cease to do so.”14 Tacitus (c. 56–c.120 A.D.) wrote, “Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty … at the hands of our procurator, Pontius Pilate.”15 This is a bit like going into the archives and finding that on one spring day in the first century, The Jerusalem Postran a front-page story saying that Jesus was crucified and dead. Not bad detective work, and fairly conclusive. In fact, there is no historical account from Christians, Romans, or Jews that disputes either Jesus’ death or his burial. Even Crossan, a skeptic of the resurrection, agrees that Jesus really lived and died. “That he was crucified is as sure as anything historical can ever be.”16 In light of such evidence, we seem to be on good grounds for dismissing the first of our five options. Jesus was clearly dead, “of that there was no doubt.” The Matter of An Empty Tomb No serious historian really doubts Jesus was dead when he was taken down from the cross. However, many have questioned how Jesus’ body disappeared from the tomb. English journalist, Dr. Frank Morison. initially thought the resurrection was either a myth or a hoax, and he began research to write a book refuting it.17 The book became famous but for reasons other than its original intent, as we’ll see. Morison began by attempting to solve the case of the empty tomb. The tomb belonged to a member of the Sanhedrin Council, Joseph of Arimathea. In Israel at that time, to be on the council was to be a rock star. Everyone knew who was on the council. Joseph must have been a real person. Otherwise, the Jewish leaders would have exposed the story as a fraud in their attempt to disprove the resurrection. Also, Joseph’s tomb would have been at a well-known location and easily identifiable, so any thoughts of Jesus being “lost in the graveyard” would need to be dismissed. Morison wondered why Jesus’ enemies would have allowed the “empty tomb myth” to persist if it wasn’t true. The discovery of Jesus’ body would have instantly killed the entire plot. And what is known historically of Jesus’ enemies is that they accused Jesus’ disciples of stealing the body, an accusation clearly predicated on a shared belief that the tomb was empty. Dr. Paul L. Maier, professor of ancient history at Western Michigan University, similarly stated, “If all the evidence is weighed carefully and fairly, it is indeed justifiable … to conclude that the tomb in which Jesus was buried was actually empty on the morning of the first Easter. And no shred of evidence has yet been discovered … that would disprove this statement.”18 The Jewish leaders were stunned, and accused the disciples of stealing Jesus’ body. But the Romans had assigned a 24-hour watch at the tomb with a trained guard unit (from 4 to 12 soldiers). Morison asked, “How could these professionals have let Jesus’ body be vandalized?” It would have been impossible for anyone to have slipped by the Roman guards and to have moved a two-ton stone. Yet the stone was moved away and the body of Jesus was missing. If Jesus’ body was anywhere to be found, his enemies would have quickly exposed the resurrection as a fraud. Tom Anderson, former president of the California Trial Lawyers Association, summarizes the strength of this argument: So, with no body of evidence, and with a known tomb clearly empty, Morison accepted the evidence as solid that Jesus’ body had somehow disappeared from the tomb. Grave Robbing? As Morison continued his investigation, he began to examine the motives of Jesus’ followers. Maybe the supposed resurrection was actually a stolen body. But if so, how does one account for all the reported appearances of a resurrected Jesus? Historian Paul Johnson, in History of the Jews, wrote, “What mattered was not the circumstances of his death but the fact that he was widely and obstinately believed, by an expanding circle of people, to have risen again.”20 The tomb was indeed empty. But it wasn’t the mere absence of a body that could have galvanized Jesus’ followers (especially if they had been the ones who had stolen it). Something extraordinary must have happened, for the followers of Jesus ceased mourning, ceased hiding, and began fearlessly proclaiming that they had seen Jesus alive. Each eyewitness account reports that Jesus suddenly appeared bodily to his followers, the women first. Morison wondered why conspirators would make women central to its plot. In the first century, women had virtually no rights, personhood, or status. If the plot was to succeed, Morison reasoned, the conspirators would have portrayed men, not women, as the first to see Jesus alive. And yet we hear that women touched him, spoke with him, and were the first to find the empty tomb. Later, according to the eyewitness accounts, all the disciples saw Jesus on more than ten separate occasions. They wrote that he showed them his hands and feet and told them to touch him. And he reportedly ate with them and later appeared alive to more than 500 followers on one occasion. Legal scholar John Warwick Montgomery stated, “In 56 A.D. [the Apostle Paul wrote that over 500 people had seen the risen Jesus and that most of them were still alive (1 Corinthians 15:6ff.). It passes the bounds of credibility that the early Christians could have manufactured such a tale and then preached it among those who might easily have refuted it simply by producing the body of Jesus.”21 Bible scholars Geisler and Turek agree. “If the Resurrection had not occurred, why would the Apostle Paul give such a list of supposed eyewitnesses? He would immediately lose all credibility with his Corinthian readers by lying so blatantly.”22 Peter told a crowd in Caesarea why he and the other disciples were so convinced Jesus was alive. We apostles are witnesses of all he did throughout Israel and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by crucifying him, but God raised him to life three days later….We were those who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. (Acts 10:39-41) British Bible scholar Michael Green remarked, “The appearances of Jesus are as well authenticated as anything in antiquity. … There can be no rational doubt that they occurred.”23 Consistent to the End As if the eyewitness reports were not enough to challenge Morison’s skepticism, he was also baffled by the disciples’ behavior. A fact of history that has stumped historians, psychologists, and skeptics alike is that these 11 former cowards were suddenly willing to suffer humiliation, torture, and death. All but one of Jesus’ disciples were slain as martyrs. Would they have done so much for a lie, knowing they had taken the body? The Islamic martyrs on September 11 proved that some will die for a false cause they believe in. Yet to be a willing martyr for a known lie is insanity. As Paul Little wrote, “Men will die for what they believe to be true, though it may actually be false. They do not, however, die for what they know is a lie.”24 Jesus’ disciples behaved in a manner consistent with a genuine belief that their leader was alive. No one has adequately explained why the disciples would have been willing to die for a known lie. But even if they all conspired to lie about Jesus’ resurrection, how could they have kept the conspiracy going for decades without at least one of them selling out for money or position? Moreland wrote, “Those who lie for personal gain do not stick together very long, especially when hardship decreases the benefits.”25 Former “hatchet man” of the Nixon administration, Chuck Colson, implicated in the Watergate scandal, pointed out the difficulty of several people maintaining a lie for an extended period of time. Something happened that changed everything for these men and women. Morison acknowledged, “Whoever comes to this problem has sooner or later to confront a fact that cannot be explained away. … This fact is that … a profound conviction came to the little group of people—a change that attests to the fact that Jesus had risen from the grave.”27Were the Disciples Hallucinating? People still think they see a fat, gray-haired Elvis darting into Dunkin Donuts. And then there are those who believe they spent last night with aliens in the mother ship being subjected to unspeakable testing. Sometimes certain people can “see” things they want to, things that aren’t really there. And that’s why some have claimed that the disciples were so distraught over the crucifixion that their desire to see Jesus alive caused mass hallucination. Plausible? Psychologist Gary Collins, former president of the American Association of Christian Counselors, was asked about the possibility that hallucinations were behind the disciples’ radically changed behavior. Collins remarked, “Hallucinations are individual occurrences. By their very nature, only one person can see a given hallucination at a time. They certainly aren’t something which can be seen by a group of people.”28 Hallucination is not even a remote possibility, according to psychologist Thomas J. Thorburn. “It is absolutely inconceivable that … five hundred persons, of average soundness of mind … should experience all kinds of sensuous impressions—visual, auditory, tactual—and that all these … experiences should rest entirely upon … hallucination.”29 Furthermore, in the psychology of hallucinations, the person would need to be in a frame of mind where they so wished to see that person that their mind contrives it. Two major leaders of the early church, James and Paul, both encountered a resurrected Jesus, neither expecting, or hoping for the pleasure. The Apostle Paul, in fact led the earliest persecutions of Christians, and his conversion remains inexplicable except for his own testimony that Jesus appeared to him, resurrected. From Lie to Legend Some unconvinced skeptics attribute the resurrection story to a legend that began with one or more persons lying or thinking they saw the resurrected Jesus. Over time, the legend would have grown and been embellished as it was passed around. In this theory, Jesus’ resurrection is on a par with King Arthur’s round table, little Georgie Washington’s inability to tell a lie, and the promise that Social Security will be solvent when we need it. But there are three major problems with that theory. Legends rarely develop while multiple eyewitnesses are alive to refute them. One historian of ancient Rome and Greece, A. N. Sherwin-White, argued that the resurrection news spread too soon and too quickly for it to have been a legend. 30 Legends develop by oral tradition and don’t come with contemporary historical documents that can be verified. Yet the Gospels were written within three decades of the resurrection.31 The legend theory doesn’t adequately explain either the fact of the empty tomb or the historically verified conviction of the apostles that Jesus was alive.32 Why Did Christianity Win? Morison was bewildered by the fact that “a tiny insignificant movement was able to prevail over the cunning grip of the Jewish establishment, as well as the might of Rome.” Why did it win, in the face of all those odds against it? He wrote, “Within twenty years, the claim of these Galilean peasants had disrupted the Jewish church. … In less than fifty years it had begun to threaten the peace of the Roman Empire. When we have said everything that can be said … we stand confronted with the greatest mystery of all. Why did it win?”33 By all rights, Christianity should have died out at the cross when the disciples fled for their lives. But the apostles went on to establish a growing Christian movement. J. N. D. Anderson wrote, “Think of the psychological absurdity of picturing a little band of defeated cowards cowering in an upper room one day and a few days later transformed into a company that no persecution could silence—and then attempting to attribute this dramatic change to nothing more convincing than a miserable fabrication. … That simply wouldn’t make sense.”34 Many scholars believe (in the words of an ancient commentator) that “the blood of the martyrs was the seed of the church.” Historian Will Durant observed, “Caesar and Christ had met in the arena and Christ had won.”35A Surprise Conclusion With myth, hallucination, and a flawed autopsy ruled out, with incontrovertible evidence for an empty tomb, with a substantial body of eyewitnesses to his reappearance, and with the inexplicable transformation and impact upon the world of those who claimed to have seen him, Morison became convinced that his preconceived bias against Jesus Christ’s resurrection had been wrong. He began writing a different book—entitled Who Moved the Stone?—to detail his new conclusions. Morison simply followed the trail of evidence, clue by clue, until the truth of the case seemed clear to him. His surprise was that the evidence led to a belief in the resurrection. In his first chapter, “The Book That Refused to Be Written,” this former skeptic explained how the evidence convinced him that Jesus’ resurrection was an actual historical event. “It was as though a man set out to cross a forest by a familiar and well-beaten track and came out suddenly where he did not expect to come out.”36 Morison is not alone. Countless other skeptics have examined the evidence for Jesus’ resurrection, and accepted it as the most astounding fact in all of human history. But the resurrection of Jesus Christ raises the question: What does the fact that Jesus defeated death have to do with my life? The answer to that question is what New Testament Christianity is all about. Did Jesus Say What Happens After we Die? If Jesus really did rise from the dead, then he alone must know what is on the other side. What did Jesus say about the meaning of life and our future? Are there many ways to God or did Jesus claim to be the only way? Read the startling answers in “Why Jesus.” -from y-Jesus.com