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Hebrews 11:1 - "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Worldly hope is just a kind of wish. Whenever we see hope in the bible, it means there is an expectation. According to Mark 11:24, when we pray, we should believe we receive. We should expect -- not just desire -- that those things come to pass. You can have a truckload of desire and no expectation. Whatever you expect, you have faith to receive. And just as you are the one who's going to believe you receive, you are the one who's going to set your expectation level. Affirmations: ONCE I HAVE IDENTIFIED THOSE THINGS I REALLY DESIRE - THEN I EXPECT BIG - I LET MY HOPE SOAR! I SHALL HAVE THEM BECAUSE I BELIEVE (BASED ON GOD'S WORD) THAT I RECEIVE THEM. John 20:14-16 - She glanced over her shoulder and saw someone standing behind her. It was Jesus, but she didn't recognize him! "Why are you crying?" he asked her. "Whom are you looking for?" She thought He was the gardener. "Sir," she said, "if you have taken Him away, tell me where you have put Him, and I will go and get Him." "Mary!" Jesus said. She turned toward Him. "Master!" she exclaimed. MARY LOOKED AT THE WORD. MARY HEARD THE WORD. BUT SHE DIDN'T KNOW THE WORD. MARY DIDN'T KNOW WHO IT WAS WHO STOOD BEFORE HER. BUT WHEN THE WORD BECAME PERSONAL TO HER, CALLING HER BY NAME, INSTANTLY, SHE RECOGNIZED HIM. Observation: AS I READ, STUDY, AND MEDITATE ON IT, THE WORD WILL SPEAK TO ME AND BECOME PERSONAL TO ME. Galatians 2:20, -- "I have been crucified with Christ nevertheless I live, the life I live, I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me." Although the Scriptures said that no one has ever seen God, however Jesus said, "Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father" (John 14:9). Hebrews 1:3talks about the Son being the brightness of God's glory and the express image of His person. Colossians 2:9 talks about the fullness of deity living in Jesus in bodily form. If Jesus is the express image of the Father, then we must become the express image of the Son as He lives in us. There is no higher calling or aspiration than to walk in manifest oneness with Jesus as we live lives surrendered to Him. The beauty of His person, His love, humility, glory, and power is what the world longs to see and experience. What an honor that Heaven has bestowed on us to become one with the Master...this is a holy invitation that we must all do and heed! ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Psalm 40 ascribes the Psalm to David and describes the Lord hearing his cry for salvation and bringing him out of a pit. Below is the JPT translation with Hebrew: 1. For the conductor, of David a song. אלַמְנַצֵּחַ לְדָוִד מִזְמוֹר: 2. I have greatly hoped for the Lord, and He extended [His ear] to me and heard my cry. בקַוֹּה קִוִּיתִי יְהֹוָה וַיֵּט אֵלַי וַיִּשְׁמַע שַׁוְעָתִי: 3. And He drew me up out of the roaring pit, from the thick mire, and He set my feet upon a rock, He established my steps. גוַיַּעֲלֵנִי | מִבּוֹר שָׁאוֹן מִטִּיט הַיָּוֵן וַיָּקֶם עַל סֶלַע רַגְלָי כּוֹנֵן אֲשֻׁרָי: 4. He put a new song into my mouth, a praise to our God, so that many may see and fear, and trust in the Lord. דוַיִּתֵּן בְּפִי | שִׁיר חָדָשׁ תְּהִלָּה לֵאלֹהֵינוּ יִרְאוּ רַבִּים וְיִירָאוּ וְיִבְטְחוּ בַּיהֹוָה: I. By ascribing the Psalm to David, the Psalm makes itself implicitly Messianic. It suggests that David, whom the Tanakh calls the "Sweet Singer of Israel", wrote the Psalm, sang it, or that it otherwise belonged to him directly. The Psalm becomes Messianic in the eyes of the Tanakh's audience, because the Tanakh repeatedly refers to the Messiah allegorically as "David". (eg. Isaiah 55, Ezekiel 34 and 37, and also in the books of Jeremiah and Hosea). The Psalm is also Messianic due to verse 4, where it says that his new song brings "many" to trust in the Lord. The "many" or "multidudes" in the Tanakh is commonly a reference to the "many nations" (eg. in Isaiah 52-53). Turning the many nations to the Lord is a duty of the Messiah (eg. in Is. 11). II. The Psalm's reference to the Lord bringing him out of the roaring pit and mire and onto a rock is a reference to resurrection. This is because the "pit" in the Psalms refers to the state of physical death. By saying that the Lord drew him out of the pit, it means that David was in that pit of the state of death and then that the Lord drew him out of it. One scholar notes how "the Pit" was a reference to the state of death: L. Bronner says something similar about the concept of the pit in Psalm 16: III. Verse 7 is interesting, because it says the Lord gouged ("Karah") ears for him. Here is the JPT: You dug (karah) ears for me אָזְנַיִם כָּרִיתָ לִּי עוֹלָה This is relevant because earlier in Psalm 22, in some text variants, it says that the narrator's enemies gouged (Hebrew: karu; Greek LXX: oruksan) his hands. Verse 7 about the gouging of the ears shows that David is able to use gouging (karah) as a verb metaphorically describing gouging performed on one's body. The gouging of the ears therefore in Psalm 40:7 opens up the possibility that David is using a similar expression of gouging the hands in Psalm 22. Psalm 40 itself has major elements in common with Psalm 22. They both describe the narrator as being "encompassed" by evil, hunted by enemies, being in a state of death (Psalm 22 has it "the dust of death"; Psalm 40 has "a roaring Pit" and "thick mire"), as crying for help, as the Lord saving him, then the narrator praising the Lord to the assembly, and the righteous praising the Lord: 10. I brought tidings of righteousness in a great assembly. Behold, I will not withhold my lips, O Lord, You know. יבִּשַּׂרְתִּי צֶדֶק | בְּקָהָל רָב הִנֵּה שְׂפָתַי לֹא אֶכְלָא יְהֹוָה אַתָּה יָדָעְתָּ: 11. I did not conceal Your charity within my heart; I stated Your faith and Your salvation-I did not withhold Your kindness and truth-to a great assembly. יאצִדְקָתְךָ לֹא כִסִּיתִי | בְּתוֹךְ לִבִּי אֱמוּנָתְךָ וּתְשׁוּעָתְךָ אָמָרְתִּי לֹא כִחַדְתִּי חַסְדְּךָ וַאֲמִתְּךָ לְקָהָל רָב: 13. For countless evils have encompassed me יגכִּי אָפְפוּ עָלַי 15. May those who seek my soul to destroy it be shamed and embarrassed together; may those who seek to harm me retreat and be humiliated. טויֵבֹשׁוּ וְיַחְפְּרוּ | יַחַד מְבַקְשֵׁי נַפְשִׁי לִסְפּוֹתָהּ יִסֹּגוּ אָחוֹר וְיִכָּלְמוּ חֲפֵצֵי רָעָתִי: 16. May they be bewildered afterwards because of their shame, those who say about me, "Aha! Aha!" טזיָשֹׁמּוּ עַל עֵקֶב בָּשְׁתָּם הָאֹמְרִים לִי הֶאָח | הֶאָח: 17. All who seek You shall exult and rejoice; those who love Your salvation shall constantly say, "May the Lord be magnified." יזיָשִׂישׂוּ וְיִשְׂמְחוּ | בְּךָ כָּל מְבַקְשֶׁיךָ יֹאמְרוּ תָמִיד יִגְדַּל יְהֹוָה אֹהֲבֵי תְּשׁוּעָתֶךָ: IV. One of the controversies about seeing this Psalm as Messianic however, is that in the course of the Psalm, it talks about the narrator's "iniquities". One possible explanation is that these iniquities are those that the Messiah is bearing on behalf of others, as the Messiah is described as doing in Isaiah 53. For more information, see: The Uses of the Old Testament in the New, By Walter C. Kaiser, https://books.google.com/books?id=k7ZKAwAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq="psalm+40"+messianic+OR+messiah+OR+resurrection&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwj6-5LZ8eXRAhVLwiYKHd_tB7MQ6AEIlgMwRQ#v=onepage&q="psalm 40" messianic OR messiah OR resurrection&f=false

2 Corinthians 4:13 - "We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak." OBSERVATION: Sometimes I have to speak the Word to myself until I believe it -- then I can use that word to speak to my situation. The abiding word produces the spirit of faith within me; so I spend time with God and permit that word to abide in me. I confess that word and meditate in that word and abide in Jesus. Then the spirit of faith is produced in me. Romans 10:17 - "So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing, by the word of God." Romans 6:4,5 - "Therefore we are buried with Him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so, we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection." The cross of Golgotha utterly crucified us. Our natural being no longer has a place in God's thoughts. The death of Jesus on the cross put an irrevocable end to what we are by nature and what we could ever be. What we are in Christ has nothing more to do with what we were before we were crucified. InChrist we find ourselves in the province of resurrection, and resurrection is only possible if there is first a death. In the resurrection there is only one reality -- Christ all and in all! l Corinthians 3:18,19 - "Make no mistake about it: if any one of you thinks of himself as wise, in the ordinary sense of the word, then he must learn to be a fool before he really can be wise. Why? Because the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God....God is not convinced by the arguments of the wise." On our own we cannot comprehend how to grow and live in oneness with God. Live every day in the knowledge that every bit of spiritual insight is a pure gift from God. The only way to receive wisdom from God is to come before Him (SUBMITTING YOUR SPIRIT TO HIM), pushing away every bit of understanding you think you have gained, and each day, offer yourself as a servant who is willing to do the lowest job. As long as you allow the spirit of "superior knowledge" to secretly overtake you -- that is, to be master of you of your own soul -- you will be as powerless in spirit as a slave -- always subject to your lower nature. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Ecclesiastes 3:11 - "He has made everything beautiful in its time. He also has planted eternity in men's hearts and minds (a divinely implanted sense of a purpose working through the ages which nothing under the sun but God alone can satisfy), yet so that men cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end." WE LIVE IN TIME AND SPACE, BUT TIME AND SPACE ARE CONNECTED TO ETERNITY, AND GOD HAS PUT SOMETHING INTO YOUR HEART THAT CALLS THE UNSEEN INTO THE SEEN --THE VISION GOD HAS PUT IN YOUR HEART TO DELIVER IN TIME AND SPACE --THAT IS, ON THE EARTH DURING YOUR LIFETIME SO THAT OTHERS ON EARTH WILL BE ABLE TO SEE A PIECE OF ETERNITY THAT IS IN HIM. John 11:44 - "And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus said unto them, 'Loose him, and let him go."' IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD WHO WITNESS SPIRITUAL RESURRECTION TO LOOSE THOSE WHO GET SAVED BY THE POWER OF GOD SO THAT THEY CAN GO. GOD WANTS US TO FLY LIKE EAGLES BUT WE CAN'T DO IT IF WE'RE STILL BOUND BY THE GRAVE CLOTHES OF OUR OLD LIFE. Proverbs 4:23 - "Keep and guard your heart with all vigilance and above all that you guard, for out of it flow the springs of life." OBSERVATION: If God truly rules in my heart, if Jesus is Lord of my life and I do what He says, then the Kingdom of God (His dominion, presence, power, glory, love, and anointing) will continually flow out of me and take authority over the things coming against me. What, then, is our responsibility during times of difficulty? Our job is not to muster up the victory ourselves but to believe and declare God's goodness (through affirming and meditating on His word that applies to your problem) and then wait with expectancy to see how He intervenes. AFFIRMATIONS: I live with expectation, I pray with expectation, I listen with expectation -- I hear HIS VOICE. I take time to listen to the Lord to hear strategies for myself, my family, and the needs of the Kingdom. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

The main idea for breakthrough comes from the breakthrough of water from 2 Samuel 5:20: "So David went to Baal Perazim (which means "possessor of the breaches"), and David defeated them there; and he said, "The LORD has broken through my enemies before me, like a breakthrough of water." The word breakthrough comes from the Hebrew word "perets" which means "To break out." In the areas that we are believing God for breakthrough in, we should also believe Him to break out from the very center of the situation. Zephaniah 3:17declares "the Lord thy God in the midst of you is mighty." In this verse the word midst means: the nearest part, that is, the center; the word mighty means: a powerful, warrior champion. The Lord wants to come as a powerful, warrior champion to show Himself strong in the midst of all hindrances, obstacles, and blockades that the enemy has erected to stop the flow of God's purposes. Whether it's breakthrough in physical healing, financial provision, relationship issues, ministry or any number of areas, God's desire is to bring manifested breakthrough. THE BATTLE OF JERICO: The victory in Jericho was not the result of an advancing army breaking into the gates of the city. It was as God's people obeyed and followed His strategy that breakthrough came and the victory was won. Jericho had two walls, an inner and outer, with a combined thickness of 18 feet. Surely the inhabitants of Jericho never imagined that these walls would be breached, let alone be destroyed altogether in a moment of time. Our God is well able to bring breakthrough in the midst of impossible situations. THE MANIFESTED POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT: The Holy Spirit, the most powerful force in the universe, is very active on Planet Earth today. We often do not think of His power as being the exact same power that raised Jesus from the dead. The declaration of Romans 8:11 is this: "But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you." We need to believe God and ask Him for the release of Holy Spirit power – the power of the resurrection in our lives. Scripture also says that the anointing BREAKS the yoke. Many Believers these days are walking around with heavy yolks of everything from religious expectations to orphaned thinking and condemnation. God's desire is to manifest BREAKTHROUGH to obliterate yolks by the anointing (Isaiah 10:27). JESUS CALMING THE SEA: There are times that the manifestation of breakthrough is going to come in the release of great peace into a situation. In Mark 4, Jesus stood in the midst of a storm that the disciples thought was life threatening. In the midst of that storm, He declared, "Peace, be still" (verse 39). It's interesting that the response of the storm was not to just ease up a bit, but the Bible says, "the wind ceased, and there was a great calm." God wants to bring great calm into the many storms of life that we face. Even if the circumstances of that storm do not change immediately, we can still receive "a great calm" deep inside our hearts. NEW BEGINNINGS Isaiah 43:19 - "Nothing compares to what I'm going to do with you says the Lord! Behold, I am going to do a brand new thing with you personally. See, I've already begun to do it. Don't you see it?" In the land of New Beginnings, we must remove the masks and veils that have formed in the past season so we can now form our “true” identity for the future.Isaiah 41:15: ("Behold, I will make you to be a new, sharp, threshing instrument which has teeth; you shall thresh the mountains and beat them small, and shall make the hills like chaff") has become a key word for us. There is a new identity and authority for us in the invisible world. This will allow us to display the wisdom of God to the powers and principalities that have blocked you in past seasons. Jesus says: "You shall see the Heaven OPENED, and a way between Heaven and earth, between God and man, made clear. I am that way. I will open Heaven by My own blood.' "Then He added, 'In truth, in very truth, I tell you all, you shall see heaven wide open.....'" - John 1:51 Your time in communion with the Lord will raise you to that "Come up here, let me show you something you didn't know before" place for substantial breakthrough. "I saw a door open in heaven and heard the same voice speaking to me, the voice like a trumpet, saying 'Come up here: I will show you what is to come in the future.'" - Revelation 4:1 PRAYER: Lord, I ask you now to pour out the Spirit of the Overcomer. I lift up my head and receive the King of Glory to breakthrough so that I can breakout. Lord, stir me out of the wilderness and grip me with a holy violence and jealousy to lay hold of my inheritance and DESTINY in Christ. May I be strong and do great exploits in Your Name! - Amen ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

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. BECAUSE OF OUR RESURRECTED SAVIOR, WE WIN! 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." Jesus' followers can see how the Cross had become the intersection of Heaven and earth. The supernatural traffic between Heaven and earth can flow freely through this intersection, and the supernatural life is available to us NOW: 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: (1) union and fellowship with God; and (2) 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 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. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Luke 24:1-3 - "Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus." Observation: TRULY, ITS TIME FOR ME TO STOP LOOKING FOR THE LIVING AMONG THE DEAD. IT'S TIME FOR ME TO STOP WANDERING AROUND IN THE CEMETERY OF SIN, SICKNESS, AND FAILURE AND TO STEP INTO RESURRECTION LIFE! AS A RESURRECTED CREATURE, I AM NO ACCIDENT GOING SOMEWHERE TO HAPPEN. MY LIFE ISN'T JUST A LOOSE WEB OF EVENTS AND CIRCUMSTANCES. GOD HAS SPECIFIC PLANS FOR ME. Romans 1:17 - "For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, But he who is put right with God shall live by faith." "From faith to faith" means we are to begin and finish in faith. We are to start in faith and stand in faith until that which we are believeing for arrives. We go from "faith to faith" not faith to feelings. Faith is a seed. When we are dealing in faith, there is a timing for the manifestation. I takes time sometimes for our faith to pull things into the natural realm. Thats why the bible says it's "from faith to faith." We have to stay in faith even when we don't see any changes. In our faith, we have to get above seeing or feeling something. Observation: FAITH PLEASES GOD BECAUSE IT MAKES A WAY FOR HIM TO WORK IN MY LIFE. IT CONNECTS ME TO HIS SUPERNATURAL ANOINTING. LIKE ABRAHAM I STAGGER NOT AT THE PROMISE OF GOD THROUGH UNBELIEF; BUT AM STRONG IN FAITH GIVING GLORY TO GOD! Song of Solomon 3:3 - "The watchmen that patrol the city found me and I asked, 'Have you seen my beloved?"' THE WATCHMEN, WHO GOD HAS SET ON THE WALLS OF JERUSALEM, FIND YOU BECAUSE THEY ARE ALWAYS LOOKING OUT FOR HIS CITY. YOU ASK THEM FOR NEWS OF YOUR BELOVED (JESUS), BUT THEY CANNOT TELL YOU WHERE HE IS. YOU SEARCH FOR YOUR BELOVED, BUT NO ONE CAN TELL YOU WHERE HE IS BUT HE HIMSELF. Isaiah 62:6,12 - "I have set watchmen upon your walls, O Jerusalem, who will never hold their peace day or night; you who are His servants that put the Lord in remembrance of His promises, keep not silence. And they shall call them the holy people, the redeemed of the Lord." ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Matthew 7:14 - "The way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it." Observation: I HEED CAREFULLY THE WARNING OF JESUS SINCE I REALIZE THAT THE VOICE OF THE MAJORITY, BEING AFRAID OF BOTH THE BATTLE AND THE COST, WILL BE A VOICE OF DISCOURAGEMENT TO ME SINCE I AM SERIOUS ABOUT FULFILLING THE PROMISES OF GOD. Ephesians 6:16,17 - "Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith you shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God". Some are willing to spend hours in prayer asking for a miracle instead of planting the Word of God in their hearts, which in time would produce the miracle. Prayer is what water and fertilizer are to a seed. They help the Word release its life. But if you haven't planted the seed, it doesn't matter how much water and fertilizer you apply, the soil still won't produce fruit. It's the seed that has life! Affirmations: I CONFESS THAT I WEAR MY SALVATION TIGHTLY AROUND MY MIND LIKE A HELMET. IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW HARD THE DEVIL TRIES TO HACK AWAY AT MY MIND, I STILL STAND STRONG BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT JESUS' DEATH AND RESURRECTION PURCHASED FOR ME! Song of Solomon 1:1 - "Let Him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth." Observation: GOD UNITES HIMSELF WITH MY SPIRIT, AND I AM ABLE TO BEGIN TO EXPLORE THE FULLNESS OF GOD. THE JOURNEY TOWARD THIS COMPLETE UNION IS A PLACE WHERE MY SPIRIT IS COMPLETELY POSSESSED BY GOD. CONSIDER THAT JESUS IS CALLED "THE WORD." THE "KISSES OF HIS MOUTH" IS NOTHING LESS THAN THE VITAL COMMUNICATION OF THE WORD OF GOD TO ME. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Rev 4:1 - "After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven; and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, 'Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.'" John is describing the ascended life. John 3:13 - "And no man hath ascended up to heave, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven." The Lord has called us to ascend into heavenly relms encountering the Lord and that is the normal Christian life -- learning to live in realms of glory and learning to navigate realms of glory to where they have full and complete impact on how we think and how we see. We don't live on earth -- we are seated in heavenly places and we are to live from the ream of God's glory towards earth. What that has become is a point of theology instead of a point of expierence. And all of theology is an invitation to an encounter. WHAT REVELATION MEANS IS TO LIFT THE VEIL The truth has always been what He has done -- revelation lifts the veil so that you can see what what that truth is. We love concept so much that we stop at the concept of truth and not realize that with revelation comes the responsibilty to PURSUE THE ANOINTING so that we can display the effect of that truth. 1 Corinthians 12:5,7,31 - "Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. But the manifestation of the Spirit is give to every man to profit withal. But covet earnestly the best gifts.." Paul is lifting the veil on what they need to understand. In 1 Corinthians 14:1 it says to pursue earnstly spiritual gifts. What gifts? -- the ones he just unveiled in Chapter 12. It shows that the revelation of the gift didn't release the gift -- it showed just what is available. The revelation of truth shows what is available. And with revelation is the invitation to pursue for personal encounter -- we get into the secret place and look for the anointing so we can display that truth. WE ARE WIRED FOR THE GLORY -- WE ARE DESIGNED FOR THE GLORY John 7:37 - "If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink." The release of the spirit upon you is connected with Jesus' position of being glorified. Everything the HS does has only one aim -- to make us like Jesus. 1 John 4:17 --"As He is so are we in this world" -- resurrected, ascended, and glorified. In that position, so are we in the world. TRANSFIGURED MIND -- RENEWED MIND These scriptures reveal intent -- the weight of what already exists in our HS account. Matthew 17:2 -- "And was transfigured before them: and His face did shine as the sun, and his rainment was white as he light." The word for transfigured in Matthew 17:2 and Mark 9:2 is the same Greek word word for renewal in Romans 12:2. (Strongs 3339) That transfigured mind in the visual is what the renewed mind looks like in the invisible -- it is altogether brilliant. In this transfigured moment- Jesus is the prototype of the glorious pelople in this moment. The implact of who you are and what you carry. Moses was known for authority and Elijah for power -- these are the two realms that Jesus released over his disciples. This is the proptotype of what will happen with every believer who are to come to power and authority to effect and bring about change. JESUS PAID THE PRICE Jesus became sin so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him -- Moses and Elijah came to talk to Him about His upcoing death that was to make that possible. God is wanting to re-calibrate the hearts of people. Psalm 93 shows Asaph when he came into the sanctuary and experienced the glory. Everything outside the Glory is subject to distortion -- be mis-represented -- our passion desire, and ability is to live in the glory. We were designed with glory -- recognition and favor, realms of presence. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

1 Corinthians 2:16 - "For who has known or understood the mind (the counsels and purposes) of the Lord so as to guide and instruct Him and give Him knowledge? But we have the mind of Christ, the Messiah, and do hold the thoughts (feelings and purposes) of His heart. " If you feel weary and discouraged, in need of wisdom and direction, simply ask for God's grace and guidance. As we seek His PURPOSE FOR OUR LIFE and not just the benefits of "His hand," we will find that the more we know Abba Father, the more His love and compassion will emanate through us. The light and wisdom we seek from above are not to be found in human programs of education and psychology, or even in our common sense and good intentions, but only, exclusively, in the Person of Christ Jesus. "He has been made unto us wisdom." - 1 Corinthians 1:30. Affirmations: GOD WANTS ME TO BE SO IN TUNE WITH HIS SPIRIT THAT I AM ABLE TO FEEL HIS HEART OF COMPASSION TOWARD THOSE AROUND ME WHO ARE HURTING OR AFFLICTED WITH SICKNESS AND PAIN. SINCE HE IS ONE WITH ME, HE CAN REACH OUT THROUGH MY HANDS AND FULFILL HIS PURPOSES IN THE EARTH. 1 Corinthians 3:3 - "You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men?" GOD HAS MORE FOR US THAT MERELY BECOMING BETTER PEOPLE; HE WANTS TO FLOOD OUR LIVES WITH THE SAME POWER THAT RAISED CHRIST FROM THE DEAD! GOD DOES NOT MERELY WANTS US "NORMAL," HE WANTS US CHRISTLIKE! Romans 5:20 - "But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." Observation: GOD USES DARK MOMENTS AS OPPORTUNITIES TO POUR OUT HIS GRACE AND TO SHOW OTHERS WHO HE IS! I CHOOSE TO PUSH AWAY ALL MY FEARS AND TO BELIEVE THAT GOD IS GOING TO DO SOMETHING MIRACULOUS TO SAVE THE DAY! ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Isaiah 4:1 - "In that day seven women will take hold of one man and say, 'We will eat our own food and provide our own clothes; only let us be called by your name. Take away our disgrace.'" We have taken hold of the world and we have taken hold of clever ideas, but the seven women (seven churches -- see Revelation 2 and 3) are about to lay hold of their Beloved. The longing of the Church is for Him. We will want to be called by His great Name. The splendor of His beauty draws us as a partner to co-labor with Him. OUR MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION There is coming a Magnificent Obsession which will grip our hearts. Our obsession will be to lay hold of Christ and not ever let Him go! Like the Shulamite woman in the Song of Songs who, when she found her Beloved, held Him tight and wouldn't let Him go! THE REVELATION OF CHRIST IN US The unveiling of Christ within us is the most explosive truth ever to hit the Church, bigger than any movement, conference or teaching! It fuels the flames of our pasion to allow Christ to live through us and be all He longs for us to become. The glorious truth of His coming will capture us and compel us to lay hold of the On Man, Jesus Christ. It is not only the timing of His return that must consume us, but how He finds us (operating in His CALLING on our life) when He returns. It is not if it is near or far, but rather if we are filed with faith, hope, and love. LAY HOLD OF JESUS CHRIST As we trim our lamps and go outside the realm of familiarity and meet Him we encounter the Bridegroom -- our Magnificent Obsession. Hie is eternal life! First Timothy 6:12 says, "Lay hold on eternal life." This means to take hold of, to grasp, to seize, to cling to! His FULL glory pours into us. To lay hold of Jesus is to becme a mature vessel of honor that He can use in the CALLING He has destined for each of us. "...I live by the FAITH OF the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me." (Galatians 2:20) KJV By His faith we fully experience oneness with Jesus and the explosive power of his resurrection working in us. We will be one with Him in His sufferings and we will be one with Him in His death (our death to self). Only then will we be able to experience complete oneness with Him in His resurrection so that we may reach the DESTINY which Jesus has called us to fulfill! (see Philippians 3:10-12) ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

Matthew 3:11 - "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but He that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit, and with fire." OH, HOLY SPIRIT....OH, FIRE! THAT SO INTIMATELY AND TENDERLY PENETRATES THE FIBRE AND CORE OF MY SOUL.....CLEANSE ME, BURN IN ME, WITH YOUR PASSION FOR CHRIST! John 5:44 - "How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another, and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God?" We need to decide if we are going to let all of the previous wounds and disappointments determine who we are, or if we are going to be like Christ, using the Cross to determine who we are, seizing the occasion to die to ourselves and rise above this world and live in resurrection power. We cannot be resurrected unless we have first died. Observation: I KNOW I AM RELATING CORRECTLY TO GOD WHEN MY HUNGER FOR HIS GLORY CAUSES ME TO FORSAKE THE PRAISE OF MEN. 1 John 3:6 - "Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, neither known Him." Affirmation: I CONFESS I HAVE A NEW NATURE WITH NEW DESIRES! HIS DIVINE SEED IS REPRODUCING GOD'S LIFE IN ME SO THAT EVERY DAY I AM THINKING MORE LIKE GOD, ACTING MORE LIKE GOD, AND POSSESSING LESS TOLERANCE FOR ANY SIN THAT MIGHT STILL BE ACTIVE IN MY LIFE. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY http://afministry.ning.com

John 15:7 - "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you." OBSERVATION: The degree to which I will abide in Him will be determined by the degree to which I behold the power of His resurrection -- the power,glory, and authority that He has NOW. Philippians 3:10,11 - "That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto His death; if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead." Since the completion of the Cross of Calvary and the "Resurrection Authority with Christ" ultimately triumphing over the enemy and seated at the right hand of God, we now have abundant life forever. We are not given resurrection authority to simply miss Hell and go to Heaven. We have this power dwelling in us to appropriate raising the meaningless, dead existence of the lost into the everlasting vibrant eternal life now on earth as it is in Heaven. Galatians 6:7,9 - "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not." I know that the only thing I'm going to take to heaven is what I give away. Romans 10:17 - "So the faith cometh by hearing and hearing, by the Word of God." The human spirit can be compared to film in a polaroid camera. I expose it with my voice by speaking God's word -- then I don't give up before the manifestation comes. Ephesians 4:29 - "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers." 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

1 Corinthians 6:17 "But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him." (His union with the believer is His union with the believer’s spirit.) 1 Corinthians 15:45 "So also it is written, 'The first Man, Adam, became a living soul.' The last Adam became a life-giving spirit." (The first man Adam was made a living soul, The last Adam was made a quickening Spirit.) Romans 6:5 - "For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection," (Where does this union come from? It is from our death and resurrection with the Lord. We receive His death as our death and the joining with Him in death as the beginning of our being joined to Him. Having died with Him, we also receive His resurrection as our own resurrection.) Romans 1:4 "And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:" 1 Peter 3:18 "For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;" (The Lord Jesus was resurrected according to the Spirit of Holiness and made alive in the Spirit. Therefore we are joined to Him in resurrection. We die to all that belongs to ourselves and live to His Spirit.) Romans 7:4,6 "Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter." (The result of this union is the capacity to serve the Lord in ‘newness of spirit’. There is nothing of the natural self mixed in the living and work. From this time on the soul and the body are used only to express the Lord’s life and work. After the believer is joined to the resurrected Lord, the believer must daily keep ‘reckoning’ and ‘yielding’. The Lord then can pour out His life giving power into the believer's spirit.) Affirmations: I AM ONE SPIRIT WITH THE LORD. (1 Corinthians 6:17) THE HOLY SPIRIT BEARS WITNESS WITH MY SPIRIT, THAT I AM A CHILD OF GOD. (Romans 8:16) ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

2 Timothy 2:8 - "Don't ever forget the wonderful fact that Jesus Christ was a Man, born into King David's family; and that He was God, as shown by the fact that he rose again from the dead." AFFIRMATIONS: I remember that when jesus arose, I arose. When He came out of hell and defeated the enemy, I came out of hell and defeated the enemy. His victory is my victory because I am in Him. Colossians 2:15 - "And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a show of them openly, triumphing over them in it." Romans 4:21 - "And being fully persuaded, that what He had promised, He was able also to perform." Religious flesh is occupied with pretending to be (or look) good. The soul that is led by the spirit has its focus upon the greatness of God, believing that what God as promised, He is able also to perform. Song of Solomon 1:5 - " I am black, but lovely, daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon." The greatest experience of the grace of God would not come from Him if it did not give you a clear view of your miserable state apart from Him. As you come out of the chambers of your King (Jesus) you discover that you are black. What makes you black? Suddenly you see all your faults by the light of God. Now you see that you have not been cleansed from yourself. ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

I have been made right in God's sight and at peace with God because of my faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. - Romans 5:1 I reign as a king in the realm of life through Jesus Christ because I receive God’s abundant provision of forgiveness and the gift of righteousness. - Romans 5:17 Since we have become one with Him in His death we are raised to life in the likeness of His resurrection. - Romans 6:5 I consider myself to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. - Romans 6:11 The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set me free from the law of sin and death. - Romans 8:2 I am a Son of God since I am led by the Spirit of God. - Romans 8:14 I am called according to His purpose to be conformed to the image of His Son.- Romans - 8:28,29 God, who delivered up His own Son for me, freely gives me all things. - Romans 8:32 In all things I am a conqueror through Him that loves me. - Romans 8:37 The word of faith is in my mouth and in my heart. - Romans 10:8 I am saved since I confess with my mouth Jesus as Lord of my life and I believe in my heart that God raised Him from the dead. - Romans 10:9 With my mouth I confess my salvation and with my heart I am put right with God. - Romans 10:10 The Lord richly blesses me when I call on Him. - Romans 10:12 Since I am a believer, when I call upon the name of the Lord I am saved. -Romans 10:13 Faith cometh by hearing and hearing, by the word of God. - Romans 10:17 I present my body as a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, dedicated to His service and pleasing to Him. - Romans 12:1 I am not conformed to this world; but am transformed by the renewing of my mind; that I might know the will of God - what is good, and is pleasing th Him, and is perfect. - Romans 12:2 ALBERT FINCH MINISTRY

How do we resurrect the ones who have had the church experience but seem to be spiritually dead?

When you hear the word, "gospel", what do you think about? When I was about 15, I heard the word and didnt understand. First off, my family was Jehovah Witness, and we didnt celebrate anything. So later in life, I heard the words spoken by a "Mormon" and tried to grasp the meaning. For the Mormons, the gospel is their belief system. Since I know that there is nothing true about said religion, one must ignore their meaning, and dive headlong into scripture. So as a young Witness, what did I learn? Nothing much. And that was the sad thing. Yes, I went to school, and didnt have enough credits to graduate, but a few years later, I did get my GED...while I was in prison. Funny, I know, but that is where I received most of my education. How old was I? 24 when I went in, and 10 years later, here I am. But when I turned 29, I started to figure things out. I was not really doing much study until my 4th year in prison, and when I did pick up a book, I was happy. I was learning. Learning about things I never would have. Then, one day, I woke up and said to myself, "I really want to know what that bible is about." That was a few months after I saw the parole board. They had let me out after 3.5 years, and since I didnt agree with my 10 year sentence, I decided to run. But later my brother convinced me to turn myself in, so I did. I was given a one way ticket back to prison to finish my 6.5 years. And to this day, I am grateful. If he would not have asked me to, I would have never come to the understanding that I have now. And that is what I am talking about. This understanding is what the gospel REALLY is. We need to have a PERFECT understanding of it to be "in" Yashua. The death, burial, and resurrection, IS the gospel. That is what was hidden from past generations. Those who came before, didnt have a full understanding of what would take place. They were looking through a dark mirror. But for us, on this side of history, the mirror is clear. How earth shattering, and how important the gospel is. If it werent for the death, burial, and resurrection, we would be without hope. Why is baptism so important? Because it is the gospel. Death, burial, and resurrection. When we are baptized, we die to the old man, and are resurrected into the new man. It is not an outward expression of an inward devotion. Because it is not about show and tell. It is about do and die. The gospel is not only about telling others, but living by example. We MUST be born again. Being born again, is physically living the gospel. And the gospel is death, burial, and resurrection. This is the truth Yashua gave to Nicodemus.

This time of year, I seem to have developed a personal tradition here on Worthy, of drawing attention to a topic of mine, for the purpose of drawing attention to an aspect of His crucifixion. I have not done it in this blog before, and since it has been a while since I have posted in this blog, I guess I will do this here. What "this" is, is a study based on Matthew 27 and Psalm 22. There is a video version: and there is a text version:

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

I was doing some study on the resurrection of the saints and come across this article. I tend to lean toward a pre-wrath rapture, and this flies in the face of that. What do you think of this? If there is someone who follows this type of teaching I would love to have you explain how this fits with the rapture doctrine. http://www.scionofzi...esurrection.htm Thank you Firestormx Joseph