How many facts and evidence would it take to convince you?

How many facts would it take to convince you that something is true? How much evidence would it take to convince you that something is true? What if it was thousands of years of facts and evidence, would that convince you that something is true? What if it was spoken of by every prophet of old, would that convince you that something is true? What would it take for you to believe? Would you have to see something or someone with your own eyes like Thomas?

‘Now Thomas (also known as Didymus ), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” ‘

John 20:24-29

Do you celebrate Christmas? What do you believe about Christmas? Why do you celebrate Christmas? How do you celebrate Christmas? Do you give and receive gifts? Why? Do you connect it to everyone who brought Mary, Joseph, and Jesus gifts? If you do celebrate Christmas then what do you believe? If you don’t celebrate Christmas then what do you believe? What would it take to convince you to believe?

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THE ONE YEAR DAILY INSIGHTS 
WITH ZIG ZIGLAR AND DR. IKE REIGHARD
FOR DECEMBER 19^TH

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The Son Of God

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MEMORY VERSE OF THE DAY:

‘In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. ‘

John 1:1-2

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Let’s get more details and context by grabbing a few more verses and using the Amplified version.

‘In the beginning [before all time] was the Word ( Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself. He was [continually existing] in the beginning [co-eternally] with God. All things were made and came into existence through Him; and without Him not even one thing was made that has come into being. In Him was life [and the power to bestow life], and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines on in the darkness, and the darkness did not understand it or overpower it or appropriate it or absorb it [and is unreceptive to it]. ‘

John 1:1-5

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POINTS FROM THE DEVOTIONAL:

• Ever considered what John is saying and how he is introducing us to Jesus?
• Ever considered how John speaks to the uniqueness and greatness of Jesus?
• Ever considered the life of Jesus from born as a baby in a manger, growing up in a carpenter’s shop, taught and healed people, died on the cross as the sinless lamb and martyr for God outside of Jerusalem?
• Ever considered how He was flesh and blood and yet He was from Heaven, God incarnate?
• Ever considered how far back time goes?
• Ever considered how the more we know the more we don’t know and how science continues to explore and find new and additional information to point to it going way back?
• Ever considered the size and vastness of the universe?
• Imagine having gotten to be around before the creation and seeing everything from then until now.
• Some like to think in this information age that we have or have nearly figured everything out.
• Ever noticed how new things get discovered?
• Ever noticed how some things that were “scientifically proven” get disproved or altered?
• Ever noticed how God never changes?
• Ever noticed or contemplated the wonders of God?
  • the wonder of God becoming man
  • the mystery of how it all comes together
  • the amazing nature around us
• Have you taken hold of the amazement?
• Is your faith stronger and more resilient because of the amazement?
• God goes beyond our imagination
  • ‘Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams], according to His power that is at work within us, ‘
    Ephesians 3:20
• God loves us so much more than we could fully grasp
  • ‘ “For God so [greatly] loved and dearly prized the world, that He [even] gave His [One and] only begotten Son, so that whoever believes and trusts in Him [as Savior] shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge and condemn the world [that is, to initiate the final judgment of the world], but that the world might be saved through Him. Whoever believes and has decided to trust in Him [as personal Savior and Lord] is not judged [for this one, there is no judgment, no rejection, no condemnation]; but the one who does not believe [and has decided to reject Him as personal Savior and Lord] is judged already [that one has been convicted and sentenced], because he has not believed and trusted in the name of the [One and] only begotten Son of God [the One who is truly unique, the only One of His kind, the One who alone can save him]. ‘
    John 3:16-18
• God is so patient just as true love is patient.
  • ‘Nevertheless, do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like one day. The Lord does not delay [as though He were unable to act] and is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is [extraordinarily] patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance. ‘
    2 Peter 3:8-9
• The Son of God is truly amazing! He came to give us the hope of Christmas! He came to give us the hope of forgiveness and love through the cross! He is coming again and so let’s make sure we will be ready!
  • ‘But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will vanish with a [mighty and thunderous] roar, and the [material] elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and the works that are on it will be burned up. Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be [in the meantime] in holy behavior [that is, in a pattern of daily life that sets you apart as a believer] and in godliness [displaying profound reverence toward our awesome God], [while you earnestly] look for and await the coming of the day of God. For on this day the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the [material] elements will melt with intense heat! But in accordance with His promise we expectantly await new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. ‘
    2 Peter 3:10-13

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DISCUSSION TOPICS FROM TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL:

• How does thinking about Christliving in eternity past stretch your faith?
• Are Christ’s greatness and goodness amazing to you? Why or why not?

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QUOTE(S) FROM TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL:

“God is pursuing with omnipotent passion a worldwide purpose of gathering joyful worshippers for Himself from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. He has an inexhaustible enthusiasm for the supremacy of His name among the nations. Therefore, let us bring our affections into line with His, and, for the sake of His name, let us renounce the quest for worldly comforts and join His global purpose.”

— John Piper

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As we continue through December we have finished the readings of the Tanakh and I thank Sefaria for their resources in helping me to see the Old Testament in a new way and my friend Lionel for having shared this tool with me. As we kicked off December the idea my wife brought up came to mind about going through the book of Luke (who was a doctor) which happens to have 24 chapters so that we can read one a day and complete it in time for Christmas. To get as many details from this I am going to use the Amplified version to try and grasp all the details Luke gives us to consider and learn.

So today we will read Luke 19:

‘Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. And there was a man called Zaccheus; he was a chief tax collector [a superintendent to whom others reported], and he was rich. Zaccheus was trying to see who Jesus was, but he could not see because of the crowd, for he was short in stature. So he ran on ahead [of the crowd] and climbed up in a sycamore tree in order to see Him, for He was about to pass through that way. When Jesus reached the place, He looked up and said to him, “Zaccheus, hurry and come down, for today I must stay at your house.” So Zaccheus hurried and came down, and welcomed Jesus with joy. When the people saw it, they all began muttering [in discontent], “He has gone to be the guest of a man who is a [notorious] sinner.” Zaccheus stopped and said to the Lord, “See, Lord, I am [now] giving half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anyone out of anything, I will give back four times as much.” Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this household, because he, too, is a [ spiritual] son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

While they were listening to these things, Jesus went on to tell a parable, because He was near Jerusalem, and they assumed that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately [as soon as He reached the city]. So He said, “A nobleman went to a distant country to obtain for himself a kingdom, and [then] to return. So he called ten of his servants, and gave them ten minas [one apiece, each equal to about a hundred days’ wages] and said to them, ‘Do business [with this] until I return.’ But his citizens [the residents of his new kingdom] hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to be a king over us.’ When he returned, after receiving the kingdom, he ordered that these servants, to whom he had given the money, be called to him, that he might find out what business they had done. The first one came before him and said, ‘Lord, your mina has made ten more minas.’ And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant! Because you proved yourself faithful and trustworthy in a very little thing, you shall [now] have authority over ten cities [in my kingdom].’ The second one came and said, ‘Lord, your mina has made five minas.’ And he said to him also, ‘And you shall take charge over five cities.’ Then another came and said, ‘Lord, here is your mina, which I have kept laid up in a handkerchief [for safekeeping]. I was [always] afraid of you, because you are a stern man; you pick up what you did not lay down and you reap what you did not sow.’ He said to the servant, ‘I will judge and condemn you by your own words, you worthless servant! Did you [really] know that I was a stern man, picking up what I did not lay down and reaping what I did not sow? Then why did you not [at the very least] put my money in a bank? Then on my return, I would have collected it with interest.’ Then he said to the bystanders, ‘Take the mina away from him and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’ And they said to him, ‘Lord, he has ten minas already!’ [Jesus explained,] ‘I tell you that to everyone who has [because he valued his gifts from God and has used them wisely], more will be given; but from the one who does not have [because he disregarded his gifts from God], even what he has will be taken away.’ [The king ended by saying,] ‘But as for these enemies of mine who did not want me to be king over them, bring them here and kill them in my presence.’ ”

After saying these things, Jesus went on ahead [of them], going up to Jerusalem. When He approached Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, He sent two of the disciples, saying, “Go into the village ahead of you; there, as you enter, you will find a [donkey’s] colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here. If anybody asks you, ‘Why are you untying the colt?’ you will say, ‘The Lord needs it.’ ” So those who were sent left and found the colt just as He had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” They said, “The Lord needs it.” They brought it to Jesus, and they threw their robes over the colt and put Jesus on it. As He rode along, people were spreading their coats on the road [as an act of homage before a king]. As soon as He was approaching [Jerusalem], near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the entire multitude of the disciples [all those who were or claimed to be His followers] began praising God [adoring Him enthusiastically and] joyfully with loud voices for all the miracles and works of power that they had seen, shouting, “Blessed (celebrated, praised) is the King who comes in the name of the Lord ! Peace in heaven and glory (majesty, splendor) in the highest [heaven]!” Some of the Pharisees from the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples [for shouting these Messianic praises].” Jesus replied, “I tell you, if these [people] keep silent, the stones will cry out [in praise]!” As He approached Jerusalem, He saw the city and wept over it [and the spiritual ignorance of its people], saying, “If [only] you had known on this day [of salvation], even you, the things which make for peace [and on which peace depends]! But now they have been hidden from your eyes. For a time [of siege] is coming when your enemies will put up a barricade [with pointed stakes] against you, and surround you [with armies] and hem you in on every side, and they will level you to the ground, you [Jerusalem] and your children within you. They will not leave in you one stone on another, all because you did not [come progressively to] recognize [from observation and personal experience] the time of your visitation [when God was gracious toward you and offered you salvation].”

Jesus went into the temple [enclosure] and began driving out those who were selling, saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer’; but you have made it a robbers’ den.” He was teaching day after day in the temple [porches and courts]; but the chief priests and scribes and the leading men among the people were seeking [a way] to put Him to death, and they could not find anything that they could do, for all the people [stayed close to Him and] were hanging on to every word He said.’

Luke 19:1-48

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So where are you at today? Are you a believer or in need of convincing? Are you a follower or in need of facts? Are you seeking evidence or are you convinced? Do you need to meet a witness or be a witness in order to be convinced? Do you need to see it to believe it? Let’s pray:

Heavenly Father
I come to you in prayer asking for the
forgiveness of my Sins. I confess with my
mouth and believe with my heart that
Jesus is your Son, And that he died on the
Cross at Calvary that I might be forgiven.
and have Eternal Life in the Kingdom of
Heaven. Father, I believe that Jesus rose
from the dead and I ask you right now to
come in to my life and be my personal
Lord and Savior. I repent of my Sins and
will Worship you all the day’s of my Life!
Because your word is truth, I confess with
my mouth that I am Born Again and
Cleansed by the Blood of Jesus! In Jesus
Name, Amen

Did you pray with me?
Would you be willing to leave me a comment so that I can pray with and for you about such an incredible decision?
Or if you don’t feel comfortable leaving a comment on my blog, why not email or text me instead?

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