Happy Easter my Friends,
The note is a little different today. In fact, it might be a little radical to some. Instead of talking about diet and health and what’s on sale at the markets (we do have lots of sales going on), I just want to talk a little about what Easter means to me. Thanks for listening…
“The Real Meaning of Easter to Me”
It is not my ambition to argue about one’s beliefs in religion, at least not in this writing. However, I would like to show a couple observances I have recently made during my journey on this planet with some acquaintances of mine, if you will allow me to kidnap and take advantage of this Hallelujah Hive note for a minute.
A practicing atheist, C.S. Lewis, the author of the Narnia series and a University Professor in England, hated the thought of there being a God so much, that he decided to prove that God did not exist. This great learned, brilliant professor failed in his endeavor miserably. In fact, C.S.Lewis said that every piece of evidence that he could find led to the fact that there is a Creator. On the night he surrendered his life to Christ, he said it had to be the most miserable salvation experience in all of England, because he surrendered kicking and screaming. I cannot remember his words exactly, but they were something like that.
I listened to a scientist, who is a Christian, speaking of one of his colleagues, who is supposedly an atheist. They were discussing evolution verses creation. He said his colleague’s conversation went something like this:
“I have come to the conclusion, that even though I am an evolutionist, scientifically, there is no way the earth’s moon can be where it is without a creator putting it there and holding it there. However, if I were to conclude that I am actually a creationist, that would mean I am a believer in God, which would make me a sinner deserving of Hell, in need of a Savior. So, I don’t go there. The moon is where it is for some unknown reason officially, and that’s the way it is.”
Something I also very recently found out is that there is more historical evidence in the physical resurrection of Jesus Christ from the grave than there is for Julius Caesar ruling Rome.
I, myself, came out of a secular partying, drinking and drug background back in the day. I was raised Catholic back in the fifties and early sixties before the Charismatic movement. That’s when they taught if you missed Mass on a given Sunday and died before you went to confession, it was Hell for you.
I struggled with my total belief in God. Was there or was there not a Creator? I didn’t know. This is what I did:
At the age of 29, I stood on my bed at 2 in the morning in my leaky little 4 room cottage, and cried out to God. I asked Jesus to save me from myself. Then I began to ask questions. I told God that I didn’t know if I believed He existed or not. Would He please absolutely prove Himself to me? “I can wait, thank you.”
Over the next couple years He so much proved Himself that it takes more mental energy or faith to believe in luck or co-incidence than it does to believe in Jesus. This is some of how He did it:
#1 Prophecy—In reading the Bible, I discovered that predictions made as far back as 3000 years ago have come true (over 500 of them) 100%. In contrast, 90+% of man’s predictions in tabloids fail every year. For instance, just one prediction in the Bible, was a country called Israel would be born in the year 1948. It was also written almost 3000 years ago that this same Israel would be a stumbling block to all the nations on earth, and after it becomes a nation in 1948, absolutely no one will be able to destroy the nation again. If you are on the fence with your faith in God, I would watch this prophecy.
#2 Answered prayers—Sometimes He says yes. Sometimes He says no. Sometimes He says wait. But there is always an answer. It is so neat to talk to God, sharing feelings, thanking Him and asking Him for help and special needs.
#3 The Bible. I have found personally no mistakes in the Bible. It proves itself. The Old Testament is balanced by the New Testament. For example, I questioned why God destroyed the world by flood in Noah’s day killing everyone with no hope of salvation. That was answered in 1 Peter in the New Testament, when Jesus, after dying on the cross, went into Hades and preached to those who perished in the flood. Wow!! I guess God wanted to spare at least the kids in that generation terrible evil.
#4 Through nature He reveals Himself. Just as I can’t understand a Boeing 747 creating itself over billions of years (what a slap in the face to man if it did), I can’t understand a human eye evolving by itself. The balance of life in the beauty of nature is so vulnerable and mathematically precise.
#5 Miracles—Yes! I myself have seen them. Something that does not make sense. How could it possibly scientifically happen? For example, a friend of mine had a very bad back, terrible pain for many months. He was scheduled for surgery. A group of us prayed over him and asked God to totally heal him. I am not exaggerating. Within several hours, the pain went away and he was completely healed. The surgery was cancelled. To this day he is fine. That was years ago. He is in his mid sixties.
A couple weeks ago, at our nutrition class, some of us layed hands on a woman who’s hands had become very discolored days before. We prayed for a few minutes. When we opened our eyes, the mother of this woman who was praying with us just went beside herself praising God. The woman’s hands had begun losing the discoloring as we were praying.
#6 God’s Holy Spirit – Before Jesus left this earth, he told his followers that he would not leave them completely alone. He promised to fill them with his Spirit and that his Spirit would give them strength to live for him. It was his strength that helped me quit the drugs. I know that some may think I am crazy, but when I asked Him for His Holy Spirit, He sent Him, and I have felt His presence every day ever since. Before this, I never experienced joy, or peace or understanding, or spiritual strength, which are attributes of the Holy Spirit, until one morning alone in my home on August 26, 1982. This was and is another confirmation that God exists.
I was reading a book by a devout atheist. He said that Christianity is a farce because on the one hand Christians say that their God in incomprehensible, but on the other hand they say they can know God personally. Well, I think that this man just doesn’t understand Jesus Christ, the second person of the Trinity, God in the flesh.
God the Father is incomprehensible. But at the same time we can know Him personally through Jesus.
Like I stated in the beginning of this kidnapping of the Hallelujah Hive note, I am not here to argue religion, just to show some of my observances in life, just like I observe folks getting well through good diet and exercise.
It is Easter today. I am very thankful that Jesus gave His life on the cross, rose from the dead and saved my soul. I just told Him I’m sorry for sinning (hurting Him and others and myself), and I asked Him to forgive me.
I do not deserve to go to Heaven. I still sin and fall short, but God bought my soul.
Today I don’t doubt anymore and I’m looking forward to Heaven. I’m no better than anyone else, just forgiven because this secular guy gave up and asked God to forgive me.
Happy Easter!!! ttt
Hope to see you at the markets.
PS. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever should believe in Him, will not perish, but have everlasting life” – John 3:16 in the Bible
“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:13
Mark Gibson
hallelujahhive@epix.net
570-401-1353
www.HallelujahHive.com
