Adios 2009, Aloha 2010

Praise the Lord Jesus for such a wonderful year...

Thank Jesus... me got a new laptop... so I am blogging from my home...

So the year is coming to an end and the new one is just a couple of hours away. Talking about "endings", how many of you saw the movie 2012 and think that the world is going to end? This is what has been told in the Gospel of Matthew.

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¹ Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple. ² And Jesus said to them, “Do you not see all these things? Assuredly, I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another, that shall not be thrown down.”

³ Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”
⁴ And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. ⁵ For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. ⁶ And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for allthese things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. ⁷ For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. ⁸ All these are the beginning of sorrows.

⁹ “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. ¹⁰ And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. ¹¹ Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. ¹² And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. ¹³ But he who endures to the end shall be saved. ¹⁴ And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.

¹⁵ “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand), ¹⁶ “then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. ¹⁷ Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. ¹⁸ And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothes. ¹⁹ But woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days! ²⁰ And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. ²¹ For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. ²² And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect’s sake those days will be shortened.

²³ “Then if anyone says to you, ‘Look, here is the Christ!’ or ‘There!’ do not believe it. ²⁴ For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect. ²⁵ See, I have told you beforehand.

²⁶ “Therefore if they say to you, ‘Look, He is in the desert!’ do not go out; or ‘Look, He is in the inner rooms!’ do not believe it. ²⁷ For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. ²⁸ For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together.

²⁹ “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. ³⁰ Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. (Matthew 24, New King James Version)
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So lets not be concerned about the time the world comes to an end. Instead let us all do the best we can, to believe in Jesus, our saviour and love Him whole-heartedly and lead a righteouss life.


And now lets thank Jesus for having given us such a wonderful year, for His Love, Mercy and Forgiveness. Lord, we pray to you, be with us and protect us this new year and help us become better and more righteous human beings. Lord, come into our hearts and make us perfect. May we be able to serve You and Glorify Your Name, with all our heart, O Lord. Glory Be Yours Forever. Amen

Our Father Which Art in Heaven
Hallowed Be Thy Name
Thy Kingdom Come
Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven
Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil
For Thine is the Kingdom, the Power, and the Glory Forever.

Amen.




Wish u all a prosperous 2010
Kiran MJ

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everybody!

Merry Christmas everybody!

More posts coming soon...!

A Prayer

Our sweet and loving God,
We open our life to your love.
There is No greater peace than the peace you have placed in our hearts.
During this special season,
Help us to love one another as you have loved us.
So that we may share in the song of the angels,
the gladness of the shepherds, and the worship of the wise men.
Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world.
Let kindness come with every gift
And good desires with every greeting.
Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings,
And teach us to be merry with clear hearts.
Thank You Jesus for every blessing and Love You have given us.
We are nothing without you Lord Jesus.
We will worship you forever and ever.
You are our God and our King.
We love you, Lord Jesus.
Amen
My brothers and sisters in Christ May God Bless each and every one of you


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A Nice Song from Maramon Convention

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THE SAVIOUR AND THE JUDGE

THE SAVIOUR AND THE JUDGE

A parable [story with a meaning]

Once, in a village in Ghana, there lived a young man called Solomon, who never worked. He stole all the things he needed.

One day he stole a man’s goat. Some people chased after him with sticks and stones trying to beat him. Solomon realized that the people were chasing him and he left the goat on the ground so that he could run faster.

Hidden

The chase continued until Solomon found a narrow path leading to an old man’s house. He reached the house and asked the old man to keep him safe. Solomon told him that some people were chasing him. The old man took Solomon to a room and shut the door.

When the people arrived, they asked him to bring the thief to them. But the old man said that there was no-one there. Because he was well known in the area and an important person, the people believed him and went home.

When they had left, the old man called Solomon and asked him why the people were chasing him. Solomon told his story and the old man, his saviour, said he must never steal things again.

Caught!

Some days later, Solomon went to the same village and stole a bag of rice. This time he was caught near the old man’s house. Solomon could not get in because the old man was not there. The people took Solomon to the police.

After a few weeks, Solomon was sent to the court. When he came into the court-room, Solomon was very happy. The judge was the same old man, his saviour. The charge was read to the judge, who asked the people to bring the bag of rice to him. He asked, “How many grains of rice are there in the bag?” The people said there were too many to count. The judge said, “You must go to the prison for the rest of your life.”

Solomon started to cry. He reminded the judge that only a short time ago he was his saviour. The judge told Solomon, “At that time I was your saviour, but now I am your judge.”

This story reminds us about Jesus. Now he is our ‘saviour’ because he came to the world to take the punishment that we should have for our wrong doings. Even though he did nothing wrong, he died the death of a criminal-someone who has broken the law. Jesus died in our place so he can be our saviour, just as the old man was Solomon’ saviour.

But one day, when we die, Jesus will be our judge. He will ask if we have turned away from wrong things and asked him to be our saviour. If we can answer ‘yes’, he will take us to his wonderful heaven to be with him for ever.

Matthew 6:1-18 (New King James Version)

Matthew 6

Do Good to Please God

 ¹ “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. ² Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. ³ But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴ that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.^[a]

The Model Prayer

   
⁵ “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. ⁶ But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place;and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.^[b] ⁷ And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. 
⁸ “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. ⁹ In this manner, therefore, pray: 

      Our Father in heaven, 
      Hallowed be Your name. 
       ¹⁰ Your kingdom come. 
      Your will be done 
      On earth as it is in heaven. 
       ¹¹ Give us this day our daily bread. 
       ¹² And forgive us our debts, 
      As we forgive our debtors. 
       ¹³ And do not lead us into temptation, 
      But deliver us from the evil one. 
      For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.^[c]

¹⁴ “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵ But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Fasting to Be Seen Only by God

   
¹⁶ “Moreover, when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. ¹⁷ But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, ¹⁸ so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

Psalm 23

Psalm 23 The Lord is my Shepherd = That's Relationship! I shall not want = That's Supply! He maketh me to lie down in green pastures = That's Rest! He leadeth me beside the still waters = That's Refreshment! He restoreth my soul = That's Healing! He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness = That's Guidance! For His name sake = That's Purpose! Yea, though I walk through the valley of t he shadow of death = That's Testing! I will fear no evil = That's Protection! For Thou art with me = That's Faithfulness! Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me = That's Discipline! Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies = That's Hope! Thou annointes my head with oil = That's Consecration! My cup runneth over = That's Abundance! Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life = That's Blessing ! And I will dwell in the house of the Lord = That's Security! Forever = That's Eternity! Face it, the Lord is crazy about you. I thought this was pretty special, just like YOU!!! What is most valuable, is not what we have in our lives, but WHO we have in our lives! ' Do not ask the Lord to Guide your Footsteps if you are not willing to move your Feet' Peace.

THIS IS PRETTY NEAT,

This is pretty unique - don't ask me how he does it. Even though you can't see Him, GOD is there for you .

Praise The Lord Jesus Christ...

Praise The Lord Jesus Christ...

I have realised that one will never get a friend as good as Jesus. One can fully trust Him and tell one's worries. He is the only One who understands you inside-out and is ready to do anything and everything for you, who believe in Him. The best example for this is that He suffered on the cross so that our sins would be forgiven and we could reach the Father. He knows what is best for us. He makes all these little changes that are required to produce the final big picture. If He hadn't made certain things happen in our lives, we would be altogether different people and you would have been doing something else and I wouldn't be blogging from a cafe now...

Jesus loves everyone... Even though I am a sinner, Jesus loves me a lot... and if it were not for Him, I wouldn't be blogging rite nw as i said earlier. Love Jesus. He is the only one who will love you much more than you can ever imagine...

So accept Jesus as your Saviour. Remember that He is the Only Way.

To receive Jesus Christ as personal Savior and Lord, pray this prayer:
"Jesus, I accept Your death at Calvary on my behalf. In return, I give You my life to live as You command. Come into my heart, Lord Jesus, and live forever more. Amen."

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How to Accept Jesus As Your Personal Savior

Jesus died for you!

Jesus died on the cross for your sins and was resurrected on the third day. He gave His life so that you could be saved and live eternally in Heaven. All you have to do is accept Him as your Savior!


Difficulty: Easy
Instructions
Things You'll Need: A repentant heart

Step 1: Jesus shed His blood on the cross for your sins
God sent His only Son to die for our sins.

John 3:16
"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."


Step 2: Jesus knocks on your heart's door

Do you realize that you're a sinner? If so the Holy Spirit is convicting you of your sin. Open your heart to the Lord and let Him in and He will save you!

Revelation 3:20

"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."
3.

Step 3: Jesus saves!
Salvation is simple!

Romans 10:9-10

9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Step 4: ABC's of Salvation

A. Admit you are a sinner.
* Truly admit to God that you are a sinner. Ask Him to forgive you for your sins.
B. Believe in your heart that God raised Jesus from the dead.
* Become a child of God by accepting Christ as your Savior.
C. Confess that Jesus is your Lord.
* Choose Jesus to forgive you for your sins.

Step 5

With Jesus accepted as your Savior, you are promised a home in Heaven! When you accept Jesus, follow Him by obeying His Word, the Holy Bible. If you don't have a bible, here is an online version...

http://www.biblegateway.com/versions/King-James-Version-KJV-Bible/

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Tips & Warnings
Find a Holy Bible believing Christian church and attend every time there is a service. The more you attend, the more you can learn about Christ.

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1. God Loves You!

The Bible says, "God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life"

The problem is that . . .

2. All of us have done, said or thought things that are wrong. This is called sin, and our sins have separated us from God.

The Bible says “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” God is perfect and holy, and our sins separate us from God forever. The Bible says “The wages of sin is death.”

The good news is that, about 2,000 years ago,

3. God sent His only Son Jesus Christ to die for our sins.

Jesus is the Son of God. He lived a sinless life and then died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins. “God demonstrates His own love for us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.”

Jesus rose from the dead and now He lives in heaven with God His Father. He offers us the gift of eternal life -- of living forever with Him in heaven if we accept Him as our Lord and Savior. Jesus said "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except by Me."

God reaches out in love to you and wants you to be His child. "As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe on His name." You can choose to ask Jesus Christ to forgive your sins and come in to your life as your Lord and Savior.

4. If you want to accept Christ as Savior and turn from your sins, you can ask Him to be your Savior and Lord by praying a prayer like this:

"Lord Jesus, I believe you are the Son of God. Thank you for dying on the cross for my sins. Please forgive my sins and give me the gift of eternal life. I ask you in to my life and heart to be my Lord and Savior. I want to serve you always."

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Psalm 73

Psalm 73

A psalm of Asaph.

¹Surely God is good to Israel,
to those who are pure in heart.

² But as for me, my feet had almost slipped;
I had nearly lost my foothold.

³ For I envied the arrogant
when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.

⁴ They have no struggles;
their bodies are healthy and strong. ^a">[a]

⁵ They are free from the burdens common to man;
they are not plagued by human ills.

⁶ Therefore pride is their necklace;
they clothe themselves with violence.

⁷ From their callous hearts comes iniquity ^b]">[b] ;
the evil conceits of their minds know no limits.

⁸ They scoff, and speak with malice;
in their arrogance they threaten oppression.

⁹ Their mouths lay claim to heaven,
and their tongues take possession of the earth.

¹⁰ Therefore their people turn to them
and drink up waters in abundance. ^c]">[c]

¹¹ They say, "How can God know?
Does the Most High have knowledge?"

¹² This is what the wicked are like—
always carefree, they increase in wealth.

¹³ Surely in vain have I kept my heart pure;
in vain have I washed my hands in innocence.

¹⁴ All day long I have been plagued;
I have been punished every morning.

¹⁵ If I had said, "I will speak thus,"
I would have betrayed your children.

¹⁶ When I tried to understand all this,
it was oppressive to me

¹⁷ till I entered the sanctuary of God;
then I understood their final destiny.

¹⁸ Surely you place them on slippery ground;
you cast them down to ruin.

¹⁹ How suddenly are they destroyed,
completely swept away by terrors!

²⁰ As a dream when one awakes,
so when you arise, O Lord,
you will despise them as fantasies.

²¹ When my heart was grieved
and my spirit embittered,

²² I was senseless and ignorant;
I was a brute beast before you.

²³ Yet I am always with you;
you hold me by my right hand.

²⁴ You guide me with your counsel,
and afterward you will take me into glory.

²⁵ Whom have I in heaven but you?
And earth has nothing I desire besides you.

²⁶ My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.

²⁷ Those who are far from you will perish;
you destroy all who are unfaithful to you.

²⁸ But as for me, it is good to be near God.
I have made the Sovereign LORD my refuge;
I will tell of all your deeds.

Footnotes:

1. Psalm 73:4 With a different word division of the Hebrew; Masoretic Text struggles at their death; / their bodies are healthy
2. Psalm 73:7 Syriac (see also Septuagint Hebrew Their eyes bulge with fat
3. Psalm 73:10 The meaning of the Hebrew for this verse is uncertain.

Why Jesus Was Crucified? + Christ Is Someone To Know and Trust

If you cannot see the image completely, download it from http://lh5.ggpht.com/_6VW6cfuJAaY/SeAtVDyo7xI/AAAAAAAAAUo/N86_sr4JKOk/d/GOOD-FRIDAYScrapMsg.png

Christ Is Someone To Know And Trust
Jesus Christ is more than a system, tradition, or belief. He is a Person who knows our needs, feels our pain, and sympathizes with our weakness. In exchange for our trust, He offers to forgive our sins, to intercede for us, and to bring us to His Father. He cried for us, died for us, and rose from the dead to show that He was all He claimed to be. Conquering death, He showed us that He can save us from our sins, live His life through us on earth, and then bring us safely to heaven. He offers Himself as a gift to anyone who will trust Him ( John 20:24-31).
Yes This the God whom i TRUST and LOVE more than any1 else in the world.I enjoy HIS "LOVING FRIENDSHIP".

Romans 12:17-21

"Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord. On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good"

Some Quotes For Today

* A coincidence is when God performs a miracle and decides to remain anonymous.

* Anyone can count the seeds in an apple. Only God can count the apples in a seed.

* As long as YOU are the message, you can never be the MESSENGER.
Children are God's most precious gift.

* Don't feel sorry for yourself. There is always someone worse off than you are.

* Instead, be grateful God has blessed you with another day!

* Don't make God a priority in your life. Make him your LIFE!

* Don't tell God how big your problems are. Tell your problems how big your GOD is!

Jesus - My Best Friend

Praise The Lord Jesus Christ. I do believe that Jesus Christ is my Saviour and Best Friend. He is the only one who understands me more that I do myself. So what I have to say is keep your Faith in Jesus and ask Him to help you. He is always there to listen to you and make you a better person. God has a wonderful plan for you. Trust Jesus because He knows what is right for you.

Heres a gud song... watch it ppl...




Take all your problems to Jesus.
Trust Him to help you. And Jesus Who loves you so much will be there for you.
There may be an addiction that is pulling you down. You may quit for a few days only to start again. You may feel like a failure and want to give up trying.

Here you have to Know that Jesus does not count the number of times you fall down. He only counts the number of times you get up and return to Him. So ask Jesus to help you overcome your addiction. Jesus of Mercy will not fail to answer your cry for help.

“Have faith in God.” Mark 11

“Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act. He will bring forth your vindication as the light, and your right as the noonday. Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for Him.” Psalms 37

“We know that in everything God works for good with those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose.” Romans 8

"Blessed are all they - that put their trust in Him" Psalms 2

“Trust in Him at all times.” Psalms 62

“The Lord is faithful; He will strengthen you and guard you from evil.”
2nd Thessalonians 3

“May you be strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.” Colossians 1

God will do marvelous things for those who trust in Him.

All our sufferings and sorrows, all our temptations and trials, all our sadness and griefs, all our persecutions and privations, in short, all things work together for our good.

All experiences and circumstances are God’s workmen whereby good is brought to us.

The Father’s presence encircled Christ, and nothing befell Him but that which infinite love permitted for the blessing of the world.

Here was His source of comfort, and it is for us.

He (or she) who is imbued with the Spirit of Christ abides in Christ.

The blow that is aimed at him (or her) falls upon the Saviour, who surrounds him or her with His presence.

Whatever comes to him or her comes from Christ.

Nothing can touch him or her except by our Lord’s permission, and ‘all things’ that are permitted, ‘work together for good to them that love God.”

Verse of the Day

Today's Verse

"And so I will show my greatness and my holiness, and I will make myself known in the sight of many nations. Then they will know that I am the LORD."

— Ezekiel 38:23 (NIV)

Thoughts on Today's Verse...

"They will know that I am the LORD" is a familiar refrain in Ezekiel's prophecies. Here it is also a horrifying one to his people who have been rebellious, sinful, and wicked. God is holy. The people who claim him as their God had better reflect that glory and greatness. They had better magnify God's holiness. If they do not, God will do so even at their expense. God will be known as God. In a day when so many profane the name of God and use it so glibly in their reactions and frustration, this is a sobering reminder that even the name of God is holy. He will show his greatness and holiness.

My Prayer...

Forgive me, God, for not reverencing you as I ought and as you deserve. Please send a wave of renewal among your people to honor you and your holiness with greater passion and a deeper sense of awe. You are holy, righteous, majestic, mighty, and great. Help me display my honor to you more faithfully in my life and words. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.

Jesus... Investigative Bible Study

The following text contains references to The Gospel of Luke
Go here to see the same:
http://www.holybible.com/resources/KJV_DFND/index.php?Book=68&mode=3&BookTitle=Luke

We received your request for follow up in response to the Four Spiritual Laws on our website. We hope and pray that this resource will be a benefit to you.

Jesus made an eternal promise that is recorded in the Bible: "Behold, I stand at the door (of your heart) and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come into Him" (Revelation 3:20)

The Bible assures us, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life." (John 3:16)

What does a person do when offered a gift? Receive it. "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast." (Ephesians 2:8,9)

He has also promised that He would never leave us: "I will never desert you nor will I ever forsake you." (Hebrews 13:5b)

Over the next five days you will receive a brief Bible Study "Who Is This JESUS?" by e-mail. This has been adapted to e-mail from the magazine and is designed to help you better understand who Jesus is and how to have a personal relationship with God through Jesus. If you are not attending a local church, we encourage you to do so.

If you would like to purchase a hard copy of "Who Is This JESUS?" study, including notes on the impact of Jesus' life by Bill Bright, the Four Spiritual Laws, and the Investigative Bible Study, you may do so at: www.campuscrusade.com/Outreach_Strategies/witjbs.shtml

Looking for other resources to help you grow in your relationship with Christ? www.campuscrusade.com

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JESUS Investigative Bible Study Day 1
I. Jesus: His Beginnings
In this study we will see:

How Luke's Gospel fits into history.
That Jesus is "the Son of God."
What Jesus said He came to do.

Background to the New Testament
The New Testament is made up of several short books and letters. Our English Bibles are translations of what the early Christians actually wrote. The experts tell us that we can be sure that the text on which these translations are based has very few mistakes in it. How can we be sure?

In the days of the first Christians, there were many writings about the life of Jesus. But some had special quality-they had been written by Jesus' followers or their close friends. These gospels and letters were carefully copied by hand. Over the years, archaeologists have found thousands of manuscripts of bits of the New Testament and even some complete copies. By comparing these, we can get very close to what the New Testament writers originally wrote. Some of these copies are dated less than 100 years after the original gospel or letter was written.

For an idea of how good this evidence is, compare the New Testament with other writings that are about as old as the New Testament. For example, a book called The Gallic War was written by Julius Ceasar about 50 years before Christ was born. We obviously do not have the original copy. Yet, we do have nine or ten copies, and the earliest of these was made about 900 years after the original. This is a normal gap for ancient writings.

When we examine the historical evidence relating to the Bible, one learns that there are thousands of manuscripts of the New Testament books. Therefore, we have good reason to believe that we know almost exactly what Luke, Paul and the others wrote.

About the Author
The author of this gospel, Luke, also wrote another book in the New Testament, the Acts of the Apostles. He was the only New Testament writer who was not Jewish, and he was a doctor. Independent evidence confirms that he was a very careful and accurate historian.

A. Luke's Gospel: fact or fiction?
READ: Luke 1:1-4
1. Where did Luke get his information? (1:2)

2. How did he write it? (1:3)

3. Why do you think Luke wrote this introduction?

B. Where did Jesus come from?
Luke gives details of the unique origin of Jesus, and the following passage explains how Jesus' birth was foretold.

READ: Luke 1:26-38
1. What would the future hold for Mary's child? (1:32,33)

2. How would Jesus be conceived? (1:35-37)

3. Jesus is said to be the Son of God. What do these verses say about Jesus' "double" origin?

C. Jesus explains His purpose
Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, in the south of Palestine. He grew up in a very ordinary town, named Nazareth, located in Galilee which was in the north of Palestine. Jesus was a carpenter, but at the age of 30, He became a religious teacher, moving from town to town.

In Luke 4:14-22, we read what happened when Jesus began teaching. He went to the synagogue, which was the local place of worship. Although He probably had no more religious education than the average Jewish man, people wanted to hear Him. He was asked to speak at the synagogue in Nazareth.

READ: Luke 4:14-22
1. What kinds of people had Jesus come to help? (4:18)

Who do you think this means?

2. What was He going to announce? (4:19)

What does this mean?

3. What do you think the people in the synagogue understood when He said the words in verse 21 ?

To think about:
Jesus came to help the "poor", the "captive", the "blind", and the "oppressed." Are there ways in which people today are poor, captive, blind, or oppressed?

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JESUS Investigative Bible Study Day 2
II. Jesus: The Healer
In the first study, we saw that Jesus was not just an unusual person; He was God's Son. He came into the world in order to meet the deepest needs of men and women.

In this study, we will look at how Jesus met the needs of two particular people. Everywhere Jesus went, He came across needy people. Often, the people He met had incurable diseases, but He was able to change their lives completely by healing them.

He healed: Simon's mother-in-law, a Roman officer's servant, a man with a paralyzed hand, a crippled woman, a paralyzed man, people suffering from spiritual and mental disorders or skin diseases, blind people, and He even raised the dead. "All who had friends who were sick with various diseases brought them to Jesus; He placed his hands on every one of them and healed them all" (Luke 4:40).

A. A blind beggar is healed
READ: Luke 18:35-43
1. What do you think life was like for this blind man?

2. Why do you think he kept calling for Jesus?

3. What did Jesus do and say once He had heard the man? (18:40-42)

4. In what way did the man show he believed in Jesus?

5. If you had seen this miracle, what would you have thought of Jesus?

This was a blind man to whom Jesus gave "recovery of sight" (Luke 4:18). He healed many people of different physical illnesses. But He also healed people in other ways.

B. Jesus and Zacchaeus
The Romans gave the job of collecting taxes to the highest bidder. Tax collectors did not get any wages for their work. They collected as much money as they could so there would be plenty left over for themselves after paying the government. Zacchaeus was one of these tax collectors - a greedy and unpopular man.

READ: Luke 19:1-10
1. What was Zacchaeus' attitude toward Jesus? (19:3, 4, 6)

2. Many people grumbled about Jesus talking to such a man. What was Jesus' attitude toward Zacchaeus? (19:5, 9,10)

3. How did Zacchaeus change after meeting Jesus? (19:8)

4. What do you think Jesus meant by "the lost"? (19:10)

5. What does this incident show about Jesus?

To think about:
Zacchaeus was "captive" to his own greed. Jesus gave him freedom. Jesus said that he had come "to seek and to save the lost." People changed when they met Jesus. How do you think meeting Jesus would affect your life?

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JESUS Investigative Bible Study Day 3
III. Jesus: The Teacher
In the last study, we looked at "Jesus the Healer." But people didn't come just to be healed by Him; they also wanted to listen to Him. Large crowds from all over the country would come to hear what he had to say. He talked about: God's Kingdom, prayer, wise and foolish lifestyles, love and forgiveness, and also Himself.

Not everyone liked Jesus' teaching. He was outspoken against the religious leaders who were hypocrites. He had enemies who tried to trick Him with questions, but He always managed to give wise answers. Even when the religious leaders wanted to kill Jesus, they found it hard because the crowds wanted to listen to His teaching, "not wanting to miss a single word" (Luke 19:48).

In this study, we will discuss two of the best known parables (stories which teach biblical truth) that Jesus told.

A. The good Samaritan
1. What would you say are the most important things in life?

Many people went to Jesus with their important questions. For one man, his concern focused on what would happen to him after his death. He asked Jesus how he could "receive eternal life." Jesus got the man to answer it himself, from the Scriptures (Luke 10:27).

READ: Luke 10:25-28
2. What did the man say were the two most important things in life? (10:27)

What do you think of these answers?

Jesus was then asked, "Who is my neighbor?" He answered by telling the story of the good Samaritan.

READ: Luke 10:29-37
3. What did the priest and Levite do that was wrong? (10:31,32)

Did they break the Law?

Did they disobey the principle "I never do anyone any harm"?

4. Due to their religious and cultural upbringing, Jews looked upon the Samaritans (Gentiles) with contempt. How did the Samaritan in this parable show love?

5. How would you answer the question, "Who is my neighbor?"

Jesus acts as a good Samaritan towards us. He sees our needs and failures, and instead of passing by, He reaches out to help.

B. The lost son
This is a simple story, yet one of the greatest in the world of literature. It takes the problems that often arise between people to illustrate how men and women react toward God.

READ: Luke 15:11-32
1. What do you think the younger son was thinking as he left home? (15:12,13)

Where did he go? (15:13)

How do you think the father felt when his son had gone?

2. Things went fine for awhile. What happened when things got bad? (15:14-16)

3. The son changed his mind. Why? (15:17)

How did he show that his attitude had changed? (15:18-20)

4. What was the father's attitude? (15:20, 22-24)

5. In what ways do you think this story is a picture of our relationship with God?

This story shows us that God still offers His love in spite of our willful selfishness. It also shows us that we can come back to God, no matter how far we have wandered from Him.

To think about:
What do you identify with more: the attitude of the son as he left home or his attitude when he decided to return?

Can you believe that God would accept you as completely as the father accepted his son?
You may be at a point in your life where you know that you need God, and want to return to Him. Perhaps you would like to pray:

Dear Father, I have wandered away from You, and I have sinned against You. I have not loved You or other people as I should. I want to come back to You now, just as the lost son came back to his father. Please forgive me and come into my life so that I can be the person You want me to be. Amen

The next study will explain what Jesus did to make our Return to God possible.

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JESUS Investigative Bible Study Day 4
IV. Jesus: The Redeemer
At the trial of Jesus it seemed that both the weak- willed Roman governor, Pilate; and the shouts of the crowd sent Jesus to death. In fact, the Bible tells us that these events amazingly formed part of God's purpose.

Jesus took the twelve disciples aside and said to them, "Listen! We are going to Jerusalem where everything the prophets wrote about the Son of Man will come true. He will be handed over to the Gentiles, who will make fun of him, insult him, and spit on Him. They will whip Him and kill Him, but on the third day He will rise to life." The disciples did not understand any of these things. (Luke 18:31-34a)

(See the section at the end of this lesson for background notes on unfamiliar terms.)

A. The passover meal and "The Last Supper"
On the last night of his life, Jesus ate a meal with His disciples.

READ: Luke 22:7-20
1. What do you think the atmosphere was like during that meal?

2. What did Jesus say about the bread and cup of wine? (22:19,20)

3. What did you think Jesus meant when He said His body was "given for you," and His blood was "poured out for you"?

B. The trial
After the Passover meal Jesus was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane. He was taken before the Jewish ruling council.

READ: Luke 22:66-71
1. What did the Jewish leaders want to find out from Jesus?

2. What did Jesus tell them?

3. How did the Jewish leaders respond? (22:71)

How did he show that his attitude had changed? (15:18-20)

C. The cross
Jesus was not condemned to death for anything He had done. He was condemned for who He claimed to be.

READ: Luke 23:32-49
1. What did the following groups say about Jesus:
(V35)Jewish leaders?

(v36) soldiers?

(v39) the criminal?

2. How was the second criminal's reply different from that of the first? (23:39-42)

What did he recognize about Jesus?

3. What did the army officer say when Jesus died? (23:47)

4. What do you think Jesus' attitude was while He was being crucified? (23:34,43,46)

This study is called "Jesus the Redeemer." To redeem means to buy something back, to recover something by payment. Jesus' death was for the sake of other people, to bring them back to God.

To think about:
As the criminal faced his own death, he asked Jesus to remember him in His future Kingdom. Jesus promised that the robber would be with Him that day in Paradise. In what ways can we have the same hope as the criminal did after hearing Jesus' words?

Background notes
Passover (Luke 22:7 and following)
The Passover is an annual religious festival when the Jews recall how God rescued their nation from slavery in Egypt. They remember particularly how the angel of death killed the first-born of all Egyptians, yet "passed over" all the Jewish families. God told them they would be protected by sprinkling lamb's blood on their door posts. It was after this event that the Egyptians finally allowed the Jews to leave Egypt. An important part of the Passover festival was the killing and eating of the Passover lamb.

New covenant (Luke 22:20)
God had promised in the Old Testament (Jeremiah 31:31-34) that He would bring in a new era. This promise became known as the new covenant. In the New Testament Jesus says that this era is now beginning and that His death would confirm it. This is the guarantee that God gives to us that He will forgive us and that we will have a special relationship with Him.

Messiah (Luke 22:67)
The Hebrew word "Messiah" means "anointed one." (To anoint someone with olive oil was to honor him or to appoint him to do some special work.) In Greek, the language of the New Testament, "Messiah" is translated "Christ." The Jews hoped that the promised Messiah would come as king, to deliver the nation from foreign rule and to set up a righteous, divine kingdom in Israel. There are many verses in the Old Testament that speak of this anointed one who was to come. Although Jesus claimed to be the Messiah, He did not do what the Jews expected. Instead He came as a servant and as one who would suffer. His Kingdom was established, not in a palace, but in the hearts of men and women. Yet in the end all things were to be brought under His rule.

Son of Man (Luke 22:69)
To describe Himself Jesus used "Son of Man" most often. In Luke 22:69, He refers to an Old Testament passage (Daniel 7:13,14) about a son of man (human being) who was given an everlasting kingdom. The Jews have understood Daniel to be referring to the promised Messiah.

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If you would like to purchase a hard copy of "Who Is This JESUS?" study, including notes on the impact of Jesus' life by Bill Bright, the Four Spiritual Laws, and the Investigative Bible Study, you may do so at: www.campuscrusade.com/Outreach_Strategies/witjbs.shtml

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