Avalon Chronicles #178: A Man Called Jesus

Reference: Josephus Complete Works. Original copyright 1968, 1978, 1981 by Kregel Publications Grand Rapids, Michigan 49501 Antiquities of the Jews page 379. Josephus was a Roman-Jewish historian and military leader (c. 37-c. 100) Anno Domini.

"3. Now there was about this time, Jesus, a wise man, if it be lawful to call him a man, for he was a doer of wonderful works--a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews, and many of the Gentiles. He was [the] Christ; and when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men amongst us, had condemned him to the cross, those that loved him at the first did not forsake him, for he appeared to them alive again the third day, as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him; and the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day." 

Josephus wrote about the Christ in a secular publication and he identified Jesus with a great amount of good works and influence. "...for he appeared to them alive again the third day." Josephus was a writer in the first century. He was not an apostle or disciple of Christ! Pretty strong commentary on the Christian Jesus Christ being a REAL PERSON that walked in what today is called the Holy Land. 

Evidence that demands a verdict? What is your verdict?

Avalon Chronicles #177: Healing from Bitterness

      My wounds in Vietnam War on June 17, 1967 originally caused me to be bitter. I lost both my legs below my knees in a mortar attack at Dak To Special Forces camp. I started out originally being mad at God for allowing me to be wounded. I was three days from my 25th birthday. Over time and years I realized I had put myself in harm's way with three stages of "volunteering."

1. Choosing to become a cadet at West Point and become a regular Army officer.

2. Volunteering for Vietnam even though I had the alternative of a tour in Korea as an aide to General Robert H. Safford. That assignment would have kept me out of Vietnam. After a tour there I would have had maybe eight months before an Army resignation would have been effective. Volunteered for Vietnam secretly without telling my then wife. I knew if I missed the war, I could not attend future West Point class reunions where most classmates would have served in the war.

3. Volunteered for service in Army Special Forces, the Green Berets, an elite fighting force.   

Several years ago I learned a technique to analyze situations. It relates to TECAC. This is a methodology for us all to utilize before making major decisions in life. 

Think TECAC. The THOUGHT for each choice made me feel the Emotion of goodness and pride. Each thought led to a CHOICE of an ACTION that had an unforeseen CONSEQUENCE. My consequence was my horrendous wounding. If I had to blame anyone, it was myself. The lesson is before major decisions in life are made, look out to the consequences that may occur. Admittedly it is not always easy to look forward to an ending, but attempting to do so may serve to keep one from very bad consequences.

That is how I came to not being bitter!

 

Avalon Chronicles #176: Do Your Batteries Need Recharging?

      Our world had begun to swirl about us with medical issues, various challenges, observations of the tinderboxes of areas of the planet and a sin-saturated society. In addressing our negative attitudes, my wife said, "We need our batteries recharged." That made sense and I opened the Book of Hebrews in two versions of the Bible. What follows is a modest rambling through of the thirteen chapters. My batteries got recharged!

     If our mind is not set on the future beyond our demise, then we are very short-sighted. If one says, "Is this all there is," then one will remain discouraged as to what this life is all about and question its worthiness. There are many thorns surrounding the rose bushes of every day life. 

     The Bible is a the best source for us to obtain a big picture of, "All that there is." The energy source to recharge our batteries is in those pages. We spend hours on the computer, updating ourselves on the political machinations of the secular world, watching movies, becoming engrossed in the latest new publications and reading the latest gossip of the pop culture. All undertaken substantially without real importance to our soul and only with its appeal to our secular selves. Before the Advent of Jesus Christ in the flesh approximately two thousand years, there had developed through Judaism a divinely-established religion that was based on devotion to God, the Creator of all. 

     God in His infinite wisdom knew that a flesh and blood example of Himself was  necessary for humanity to get the big picture of Who He was and to establish guidlines for worship of Him. The coming of the Christ on the world's scene established the perfect representation of a way of life, that, when followed, is a constant energy source for our batteries, when they start to get run down. Christianity in fact is replete with dos and donts. Every day we all confront challenges, behavioral, financial, governmental, criminality, etc. It is very easy to become discouraged, but the Word of God is in the pages of the Christian Bible. It defines a way of life that brings peace and the answer to the ultimate question of life on this earth. 

     There is life after physical death. Not all of us go up to Heaven. There is an alternative and that is into the fires of Hell. How does one ensure that they go up rather than down? It is simple. If one believes that Jesus is truly Who He said He was, the Son of God, and in faith appropriate and take action on that belief, then we go to Heaven. I have always had a multitude of prayers that need answereing. I focus on, "You know that your prayers are answered because you obey His Commandments and do the things that are pleasing in His sight." This becomes the basis for my daily life and how to live it. Belief that Jesus is the Messiah, comes first, confession by our mouth of that fact comes second, then a code of behavior comes third, then move on with the confidence, "That there is more, much more," when Christ becomes the center of one's life. I like keeping the batteries charged!!!.

Avalon Chronicles #175: The Importance of Confessing Our Sins to God

Source: The Reverend Hugh H. Morgan         www.hughsnews.com  5/6/25 

"But if we truly admit that we have sinned, we find God utterly reliable and straightforward-He forgives our sins and makes us thorouighly clean from all that is evil." (1 John 1:9, The New Testament in Modern English, J.B. Phillips).

I was six years old when I knew that I was a sinner as I read the Bible. My parents taught me that everyone has sinned and has fallen short of the glory of God. 

The Christian lady who led me in the process to confess my sins, to experience genuine repentance, and receive what Jesus offered me from the cross, occurred on the last day of a daily vacation Bible school I will never forget. We lived in East Lake, a community in the eastern part of Birmingham, Alabama. The day I was saved I became an instant evangelist.

As my sister, Mary Evelyn, and I walked home I told her. When we got home, I told my mother, and when my dad got home from work, I told him.

Then, I visited every family in our neighborhood and shared my salvation experience. I've never stopped telling the greatest story ever told. 

Not only do we confess our sins, and we get saved, we must continue to confess our sins to God. I call them "keeping short accounts with God."

God wants you to experience the abundant life that only Jesus provides.

Receive Jesus as your Savior and Lord of your life.

"But if we freely admit that we have sinned, we find God utterly reliable and straightforward-He forgives our sins and makes us thoroughly clean from all that is evil." (1 John 1:9, The new Testament in Modern English, J.B. Phillips).

Avalon Chronicles #174: A Morning Resolve

                                                         A Morning Resolve

                                   I will try this day to live a simple, sincere and

                                   serene life, repelling promptly every thought of

                                   discontent, anxiety, discouragement, impurity,

                                        and self-seeking; cultivating cheerfulness,

                                   magnanimity, charity and the habit of holy silence;

                                           exercising economy in expenditure,

                                   generosity in giving, carefulness in conversation,

                                           diligence in appointed service, fidelty to

                                           every trust and a childlke faith in God.

                                        In particular I will try to be faithful in those

                                   habits of prayer, work, study , physical exercise,

                                              eating and sleep which I believe the 

                                              Holy Spirit has shown me to be right.

                                   And as I cannot in my own srength do this,

                                   nor even with a hope of success attempt it,

                                           I look to thee, O Lord God my Father 

                                                  in Jesus Christ my Savior,

                                         and ask for the gift of the Holy Spirit.

                                                         Amen 

                                   anonymous