What Jesus Really Looked Like Cracked

What Did Jesus Really Look Like? New Study Redraws Holy Image

Following new research by Joan Taylor, it has been suggested that Jesus was of average height, with short black hair and brown eyes, as well as olive-brown skin. (Image credit: Painting by Cathy Fisher, depicting Jesus with shorter clothing and hair in accordance with the new results.) Quickly searching for “Jesus” on Google will yield an assortment of images depicting a tall, white guy with long, blondish hair and a beard, with a beard. But what didJesus look like in his natural state? According to a new book by a scholar, Jesus most likely did not look anything like the image we have today.

in Bethlehem and spent a brief period of time in Egypt as a child before settling in Nazareth with his family.

(T T Clark et al., 2018) “It’s really interesting how little is made of it, and what he looked like,” Taylor said in an interview with Live Science.

Additionally, Taylor writes in her book that the earliest artistic depictions of Jesus date back at least two centuries after he died, and that they provide little credible information about what Jesus may have looked like.

She also looked at artistic images on coins as well as Egyptian mummy paintings for further inspiration.

Average, short-haired guy

According to Taylor’s study, rather than towering over his contemporaries in Judea, Jesus was around 5 foot 5 inches (1.7 meters) tall, which corresponds to the typical height observed in skeletal remains of males from the region at the time of his death. As evidenced by the presence of archaeological remains, historical writings, and portrayals of individuals in Egyptian mummy pictures, Taylor asserts that people in Judea and Egypt tended to be of dark complexion with brown eyes, black hair, and olive-brown skin, among other characteristics.

Taylor discovered that because Jews in Judea and Egypt preferred to marry among themselves at the period, Jesus’ complexion, eyes, and hair were most likely similar to the skin, eyes, and hair of the majority of the people in Judea and Egypt.
According to Taylor, historical records also revealed that individuals in Judea tended to maintain their hair (and beards) moderately short and well-combed, most likely in order to keep lice out, which was a major problem at the period.
In order to cut his hair and beard, he might have used a knife, according to Taylor, who pointed out that individuals in the ancient past were generally more competent with knives than people are today.
This busy lifestyle, combined with a lack of regular eating, resulted in his being likely lean but slightly muscular, according to Taylor.
In any case, he shouldn’t be portrayed as someone who was content with his lot in life; unfortunately, that’s the type of picture we sometimes receive.” Taylor stated that other elements of Jesus’ face, such as his lips and cheeks, are a mystery at this time.

She expressed skepticism about representations of Jesus in which he is shown to be particularly attractive. Taylor asserted that if Jesus had been attractive, the gospel authors or other early Christian writers would have stated as much, just as they did for Moses and David.

Jesus’ tunic

A few suggestions regarding Jesus’ attire may be found in the gospels, as well as in archaeological remnants that have been discovered. He was most likely dressed in a woolen, undyed tunic that exposed his lower legs; a loincloth; and a “mantle,” or outer cloak, to keep warm. His shoes would have looked like modern-day sandals, and because clothing was so expensive at the time, it is probable that Jesus performed a lot of repairing. Furthermore, unless someone gave him with new clothing, the clothes he was wearing would get increasingly damaged with time.

Taylor’s book received generally excellent reviews from biblical experts who have studied it, including Helen Bond, a professor of theology at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, and Jim West, an adjunct professor of biblical studies at Ming Hua Theological College in Hong Kong.
Aside from that, she expressed excitement at the prospect of seeing additional artists attempt to rebuild depictions of Jesus in light of her results.
The original version of this article appeared on Live Science.
A bachelor of arts degree from the University of Toronto and a journalism degree from Ryerson University are among Owen’s qualifications.

Jesus’ Burial Tomb Uncovered: Here’s What Scientists Saw Inside

JERUSALEM According to preliminary findings, portions of the tomb where Jesus Christ’s body is traditionally believed to have been buried are still in existence today, despite the centuries of damage, destruction, and reconstruction that have occurred in the surrounding Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which is located in Jerusalem’s Old City. The tomb, which is the most revered location in the Christian world, presently consists of a limestone shelf or burial bed that was hewn from the cave’s wall, and it is the most visited site in the world.

During the first removal of the marble cladding on the night of October 26, the restoration team from the National Technical University of Athens discovered just a layer of fill material beneath the marble.
After being discovered intact in the middle of the night on October 28, just hours before the tomb was to be resealed, the original limestone burial bed was discovered.
Because I was not anticipating this, my knees are trembling a little,” said Fredrik Hiebert, archaeologist in residence at National Geographic.
Despite the fact that we can’t be certain, it looks to be visual confirmation that the site of the tomb has not changed through time, something scientists and historians have been wondering about for decades.
To allow visitors to see one of the cave walls, a window has been carved into the southern interior wall of the shrine.

“This is the Holy Rock that has been adored for ages, but it is only now that it can be seen,” said Professor Antonia Moropoulou, the Chief Scientific Supervisor in charge of the conservation and restoration of the Edicule.

Was This Really the Tomb of Christ?

The tomb recently discovered in Jerusalem’s Church of the Holy Sepulchre may not have been the burial site of a specific Jew known as Jesus of Nazareth, but indirect evidence suggests that the identification of the site by representatives of Roman emperor Constantine some 300 years later may have been a reasonable assumption. Historically, the Canonical Gospels, the first four books of the New Testament, include the earliest descriptions of Jesus’ burial. The Canonical Gospels are thought to have been written decades after Christ’s crucifixion, around the year 30 A.D.

While the specifics differ, the overall picture is similar.

Individual remains were placed in lengthy niches carved into the sides of the rock to fit them in each of these family tombs, which included one or more burial chambers.

“This does not, of course, establish that the incident took place in the past.

Outside the City Walls

Traditionally, Jews were not allowed to be buried within city walls; therefore, the Gospels explicitly state that Jesus was buried outside of Jerusalem, at the scene of his crucifixion on Golgotha (“the place of skulls”). The city of Jerusalem was enlarged a few years after the burial is claimed to have taken place, bringing Golgotha and the adjoining tomb within the boundaries of the new city. In 325 A.D., when Constantine’s delegates arrived in Jerusalem to seek the burial, they were purportedly directed to a temple erected by the Roman emperor Hadrian more than 200 years earlier.

In the words of Eusebius, Bishop of Caesarea, the Roman temple had been demolished, and excavations under it had discovered a rock-cut tomb beneath the ground.
The Fatimids entirely demolished the church in 1009, and it was reconstructed in the mid-11th century after being completely devastated.
An ancient limestone quarry, as well as at least half a dozen more rock-cut graves, some of which may still be seen today, were also discovered by archaeologists.
“What they demonstrate is that this region was, in reality, a Jewish cemetery outside the walls of Jerusalem during the time of Jesus,” says the author.

Months of Restoration, Decades of Study

The burial bed has been resealed in its original marble coating over the course of the previous few days, and it is possible that it will not be revealed for hundreds of years or possibly millennia. It is the goal of Moropoulou and her team to ensure that the architectural conservation they are performing will survive forever. Prior to the rock being resealed, however, significant documentation was carried out on the surface of the formation. A careful review of the data gathered when the burial bed and cave walls were exposed, according to archaeologist Martin Biddle, who published a seminal study on the history of the tomb in 1999.

In addition to other tombs in the area that must have been of great significance because they are covered with crosses and inscriptions painted and scratched into the rock surfaces, Biddle says, “the surfaces of the rock must be examined with the greatest care, I mean minutely, for traces of graffiti.” “As Biddle points out, “the problem of graffiti is vitally critical.” “We know that there are at least a half-dozen more rock-cut graves beneath various portions of the cathedral,” says the researcher.

So what was it about this tomb that convinced Bishop Eusebius that it was the tomb of Christ?

I don’t believe Eusebius made a mistake—he was a brilliant scholar—so there is certainly some proof if one is simply willing to search hard enough.” As a result of their efforts, the National Technical University of Athens’ crew has continued its renovation work on the Edicule.

The National Geographic Channel will premiere the documentary Explorer in November, which will take an in-depth look into the holy city of Jerusalem.

Jesus wasn’t white: he was a brown-skinned, Middle Eastern Jew. Here’s why that matters

The portrait of Jesus on my bedroom wall was a reminder of my upbringing in a Christian family. It’s still in my possession. It’s a little schmaltzy and tacky in that 1970s kind of way, but it was one of my favorites as a small child. Jesus appears to be kind and friendly in this photograph, and he smiles tenderly down at me. He has also been described as having light hair, blue eyes, and being exceedingly white. The difficulty is that Jesus was not of European descent. If you’ve ever been inside a Western church or walked through an art museum, you could be forgiven for believing differently.

Although this is not a contentious issue from an academic standpoint, it is a fact that many of the millions of Christians who will meet to celebrate Easter this week seem to have forgotten.
A white man, a guy who looks like Anglo-Australians, a guy who other Anglo-Australians can easily connect with, will be presented as Jesus in the majority of these churches, according to the report.
He is a good example of what I mean.
Alternatively, consider some of the most renowned paintings depicting Jesus’ crucifixion – Rubens, Grunewald, Giotto – and we can see the European prejudice in presenting a white-skinned Jesus once more in action.
Taking the myth of the contrite prostitute and putting it to rest All of this is irrelevant, isn’t it?
When it comes to representation and the necessity of varied role models, we as a culture are fully aware of their relevance.
In interviews since then, Nyong’o has expressed her sentiments of inferiority as a young lady, claiming that she felt this way since all of the ideals of beauty she saw around her were of women with lighter skin tones.

If we can acknowledge the value of racially and physically diverse role models in our media, why can’t we do the same for religious role models as well?

The Passion of the Christ, a 2004 film directed by Mel Gibson, starred Jim Caviezel.

Orthodox Christian iconography differs significantly from that of European art – for example, if you walk into a church in Africa, you’re likely to encounter an African Jesus on the walls of the building.

It enables members of the mainstream Christian community to distinguish between their commitment to Jesus and their sympathy for persons who are physically different from themselves.

It also has consequences for the theological premise that people are created in the image of God.

It has been historically documented that Christians have been among the most virulent perpetrators of anti-Semitism, and it continues to show itself in the “othering” of non-Anglo Saxon Australians.

What did Jesus mean when He said, “This is my body, broken for you”?

Answer At the Last Supper, as Jesus and His followers were sharing a Passover meal together the night before His betrayal, Jesus broke a piece of bread and declared, “This is my body, broken for you.” The following four instances of the statement are recorded in the New Testament: Then, as they were eating, Jesus took bread and, after giving thanks, he broke it and handed it to his followers with the words, ‘Take and eat; this is my body.'” When he had finished thanking them, he handed the cup over to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you.’ ‘ I offer you this cup of my blood of the covenant, which has been shed for many for the remission of sins.” (Matthew 26:26–28; Mark 10:26–28).

In the midst of their feasting, Jesus took the bread and broke it before his followers, telling them, ‘Take it; this is my body,’ after expressing gratitude for it.” Then he took a cup, and after expressing his gratitude, he handed it to them, and they all drank from it together.

he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to them with the words: “This is my body that has been sacrificed for you; do this in memory of me.” For example, following the meal, Jesus took the cup and declared, ‘This cup represents the new covenant in my blood, which has been poured out for you.'” (19–20) (Luke 22:19–20).

a comment made by Jesus “This is my body” is the basic foundation for the Roman Catholic dogma of transubstantiation, which claims that the physical body of Christ may be found in the element of bread and is thus present there.
When Jesus referred to the bread as His body, He was referring to the fact that He was physically there with His followers, His body intact.
Jesus used metaphors frequently, referring to Himself as the entrance, the shepherd, the vine, and so on.
Furthermore, the atmosphere in which the Passover dinner is served is very significant.
Two of those ingredients were taken by Jesus and given a new symbolic significance since He was the fulfillment of everything that the Passover represented.
And Gentile Christians, who had never before taken part in a Passover meal, would celebrate the ” Lord’s Supper ” as part of a “love feast” that the entire church would partake in at the same time (1 Corinthians 11).
Further proof that Jesus was speaking figuratively may be found in John’s gospel, which is the only one in which Jesus’ statement is not recorded.

“Very truly I tell you, except you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you,” Jesus says to a crowd in John 6:53–58.

Due to the fact that my flesh is genuine food and my blood is genuine drink.

In the same way that the living Father sent me and that I live because of the Father, the one who feeds on me will live because of me as well.

People who eat on this bread will live forever, as opposed to those who feed on your forefathers’ manna.” If you go back to John 6, when Jesus talked of eating His flesh, He had already given the multitude a clue that He was speaking symbolically.

‘Sir, please constantly provide us with this bread,’ they pleaded.

It is certain that everyone who comes to me will never go hungry, and that anyone who believes in me will never be thirsty.” As if to avoid any misunderstandings, Jesus then distinguishes between the physical and the spiritual by saying: “It is the Spirit who provides life; the flesh is of no assistance whatsoever.

He was referring to His death on the cross when he talked of his “broken” body during the Last Supper.
Following John 6:35, one can eat Jesus’ broken body by coming to Him and “drink” His blood by believing in Him, and one can eat Jesus’ broken body by drinking His blood by believing in Him.
Once again, the entire environment of the Last Supper is indicative of something greater.
“The flesh is worthless in the end” (John 6:63).

Our participation in the elements of bread and wine commemorates His broken flesh and spilt blood, and our participation in them demonstrates our faith and relationship with Christ.

Jesus cracked the code

The 15th of April has arrived. Everyone should have a happy “Tax Day.” Was it ever brought to your attention that our founding fathers had no intention of requiring us to pay income tax? I understand that we are about to send another check to Uncle Sam, but I wonder whether we will also take the time to pray for our nation when we write the check? I’m concerned that I spend much too much money on a regular basis.

Video

In the last 20 years, no other solo musician has contributed as many excellent praise and worship songs to the world as this gentleman. Both of these songs were among the top five hits of the year 2006. I’m willing to bet you can still sing along! …

It was a good day

The majority of us have had the experience of going through something that appeared to be quite difficult to deal with. Not only was it emotionally and physically uncomfortable, but it also appeared wicked, if not downright evil. Then we turned and walked away, puzzled as to why this had to happen. Some of us may have even stated something along the lines of, “What conceivable good could come from something so bad.?”

Rags to riches

I volunteer at our local YMCA for a few hours each week. Despite the fact that my work title is “building supervisor,” a significant portion of my job description does not seem as glamorous as the title, but it is quite vital. I am in charge of washing and drying dirty rags. Yes, you are correct. Rags that have been used to sanitize surfaces where I work are cleaned and folded.

How Can We Think Like Jesus in a Broken World?

In order to be like Christ, you must have the same mindset as He did. — Philippians 2:5 (New International Version) Consider what Jesus’ state of mind must have been like. Is it tough to see yourself in this situation? After all, Jesus was without flaws. Because he was God, he possessed infinite power and knowledge. But he was also a fully realized human being. He was thinking about something. He has a vivid imagination. He had loves and dislikes, just like everyone else. Throughout Philippians, the Apostle Paul reminds us that we must have the same attitude toward God as Christ Jesus had toward us.

According to the Bible, when we become Christians, our brains are renewed (Romans 12:2), and our minds begin to resemble Christ’s thinking in every way.
Throughout his life, Jesus’ thoughts and actions were always infused with a complete understanding of heaven and God’s purpose for salvation.
For the simple reason that we are sinful humans living in a fallen world, we have lost sight of God and the person he created us to be.
Jesus, on the other hand, never forgot it.
As we mature as Christians, our thoughts and attitudes will become more and more like Christ’s thoughts and attitudes.
The Son showed his obedience to the Father by taking on the form of a helpless human being.
He chose a life of poverty, agony, and humiliation, and he died in such a way that he would be remembered.

What gave him the ability to accomplish this?

He was aware of what God was accomplishing, and he never lost sight of the end purpose.

However, we must keep in mind that Jesus’ demeanor also enabled him to experience enormous happiness.

Jesus understood that obedience to the Father was in and of itself a source of delight (Hebrews 12:2).

After his mission was completed, he was reinstated to his rightful place at the right hand of the Almighty.

Our participation in this attitude of delight, as well as our own experience of it, is encouraged.

Jesus had experienced profound sorrow, but he had also experienced enormous joy, as he was able to have communion with his Father.

We are asked to share in Christ’s sufferings as well as his glory because we are co-heirs with him, and we are called to partake in both (Romans 8:17).

To be able to feel both grief and joy in the same manner that Jesus did, we must recall the truth of God’s reign. Herein is the genuine mind—as well as the authentic attitude—of Christ. Questions for Introspection:

What do you believe to be true about God and his purpose for bringing about healing in your life? Which aspects of your everyday life, relationships, and decisions are influenced by this idea
Are there any elements in your life that are in opposition to this view? Are there any circumstances that cause you to forget or doubt your views about who God is, what he is doing, or your position in the world
And Jesus possessed a powerful and loving spirit, as well as a sound mind that enabled him to confront the outer forces that sought to undermine his identity and what he believed to be true. This is the same spirit that we have (2 Timothy 1:7). You have a powerful intellect, do you not? Do you believe that you are able to react to life’s obstacles by applying the truth of the gospel? If you answered yes, express gratitude to God for the various ways in which he has revealed himself to you. If this is the case, pray to God for the courage to believe what is truth.

This Is What Angels Really Looked Like In The Bible

When it comes to God and his goal to restore the world, what do you believe to be the case? Which aspects of your everyday life, relationships, and decisions are affected by this idea; Are there any influences in your life that are in opposition to this view? Are there any circumstances that cause you to forget or doubt your views about who God is, what he is doing, or your position in the world? When it came to combating the outer forces that attacked his identity and what he knew to be true, Jesus possessed a powerful and loving spirit, as well as a sound mind.

You have a powerful intellect, have you not?

If you answered yes, express your gratitude to God for the various ways in which he has revealed himself.

Cherubs aren’t cute little babies – they’re terrifying human-animal hybrids

It is in Ezekiel 1 that the prophet Ezekiel has his first vision, which contains one of the most detailed portrayals of angels found in the Bible. It distinguishes between two categories of angels. The cherubim are the first of them (which is plural; singular is cherub). The cherubs, according to Medium, have been tasked by God with a multitude of responsibilities, one of which is to protect the Garden of Eden, which is one of the most significant. In fact, if you’ve ever heard of cherubim before, you’re probably not seeing them as the threatening guards that they used to be; nowadays, cherubs are often shown as chubby little children.

“Each had the face of a human person on his right side, and on his left, the face of an ox,” according to Ezekiel’s vision.
If the combination of four distinct species’ faces isn’t enough to scare you, cherubs also have two sets of wings: one for flying and the other for concealment of their bodies under their wings.
Cherubs are depicted in the Bible as scary creatures, which is a far cry from how they’re typically shown now.
Take a look at the ophanim (singular: ophan).

Other Old Testament angels are described as interlocking wheels and covered in eyes

Medium reports that the word ophanim originates from the Hebrew word for “wheels.” Given that Ezekiel’s vision reveals that some of God’s angels are really floating, eye-covered wheels, it’s an appropriate moniker for the creature. According to Ezekiel 1, “Each looked to be constructed in the shape of a wheel crossing another wheel. Their rims were high and spectacular, and all four rims were crammed with people’s eyeballs from all directions.” Furthermore, the ophanim are supposed to “sparkle like topaz” and to float in the air while imitating the movements of the cherubim, according to tradition.

Given their terrifying description, they are unquestionably excellent candidates for the position.

In accordance with Isaiah’s vision in the book of Isaiah 6 “I saw the Lord, exalted and exalted beyond all things, seated on a throne.

Two wings covered their feet, and two wings flew.” If you’re keeping track, this implies that the seraphim have one more set of wings than the cherubim, but they don’t have any more faces to distinguish themselves.

Furthermore, unlike the cherubim and ophanim, the seraphim do not act as guardians, but rather as singers of God’s praises. According to Isaiah, the seraphim may be heard chanting, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the entire world is full of his splendor,” as they hover over God’s throne.

Messenger angels looked more like humans

The messengers of God are yet another important category of angels to consider. According to the Blue Letter Bible, the angels that God chose to convey his words might manifest themselves in a number of physical forms. The majority of the time, they would look to be practically identical to a human guy. For example, the warrior archangel Michael, who first appears in the Book of Daniel, is considered to be a warrior. It also pertains to the archangel Gabriel, who notified Mary that she would be the mother of Jesus through a vision.

For example, the angels at Jesus’ grave are described as “two men in brilliant clothes” by the gospel writer Luke.
That is incorrect.
In their article Cracked, they speculate that this popular misunderstanding may have originated with medieval painters, who employed the usage of wings to distinguish angels from other human characters in their artwork.
One of the more contemporary ideas is the concept of angels playing the harp, which was first introduced by John Milton in his 1667 epic poemParadise Lost.

21 Ways Jesus Heals The Brokenhearted.

Image courtesy of Greg Olsen Even though you are feeling defeated and your heart is crushed, the good news is that Jesus has the power to heal those who are broken-hearted. Your shattered heart may and will be healed by Jesus. In fact, we consider those who are brokenhearted to be fortunate. You may wonder why this is the case. Brokenhearted and contrite in spirit, those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit are ready to accomplish everything and everything that God requires of them. The following is a quote from B.Porter: Psalm 34:18 (KJV) (KJV) A brokenhearted person will find comfort in the LORD, and those with a contrite spirit will find salvation in the LORD.

Why did Jesus come to earth

It was God’s plan for Jesus Christ to come to earth as a part of that plan. If we are to be saved, Jesus Christ must atone for our sins, which means that he must make amends for them. “He was pierced through for our trespasses, He was crushed for our iniquities; the chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging, we are healed,” the Bible says.

“We have all gone astray like sheep, and each of us has turned to his own way, but the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him.” in the book of Isaiah 53:5-6

25 ways Jesus heals the brokenhearted

According to the words of the high and elevated One, who lives forever and whose name is holy: “I dwell in a high and holy place, but I also live with the one who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.” – Isiah 57:15.

2 Even when we feel alone, Jesus will always be by our side.

Chapter 13:55 (Hebrews 13:55) Keep your life free of the desire for money and satisfied with what you have because God has promised, “Never will I leave you; never will I abandon you,” that he would never leave or forsake you.

3 He builds hope and a new future for us.

Jeremiah 23:11 (NIV) The LORD announces, “I know the plans I have for you,” and they are plans for your good, rather than for your harm, and they are plans to give you hope and a future.

4 Jesus Christ provides an everlasting peace for his children.

John 14:27 (KJV) I leave you in peace, and I give you my peace in return. I do not give to you in the same way that the rest of the world does. Do not allow your hearts to be worried, and do not allow yourself to be terrified. Put all of your worries on him since he genuinely cares about you. 1 Peter 5:7 (New International Version) This eternal tranquility has been my own experience as well. Prior to becoming a Christian, I used to meditate and do yoga on a daily basis in an attempt to alleviate my stress.

5 Jesus will carry out burdens allowing us to rest.

This implies that he has a plan for us at all times and that we should not be concerned. He will carry our responsibilities and open up new chances for us in the future if we just allow him to keep travelling along his path. Matthew 11:28 (KJV) All of you who are tired and burdened, come to me, and I will give you rest.” 29 I invite you to take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in spirit, and you will find rest for your souls in me. 30 Because my yoke is light and my load is light, I can do anything.

6 Christ draws closer to us in times of need.

Psalm 34:18 (KJV) Brokenhearted people can find comfort in the presence of the LORD, and those who are crushed in spirit will be saved.

7Jesus is a healer of our hearts and souls.

3rd Psalm 147: He ties up the wounds of the brokenhearted and cures their broken hearts.

8 Jesus is the keeper of your heart and mind.

4:6 (Philippians 4) Avoid being concerned about anything; instead, give your desires to God in every situation via prayer and supplication, accompanied by gratitude. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses every comprehension, will protect your hearts and minds as you trust in the finished work of Christ.

9 Christ will give you a renewed mind.

4. 6 Philippians 4: 6 Philippians 4: 6 Avoid being concerned about anything; instead, bring your demands to God in every situation via prayer and supplication, as well as thankfulness. 7 And God’s unfathomable peace will protect your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus, a peace that surpasses all comprehension.

10 He gives us greater strength.

Philippians 4:13 is a verse from the book of Philippians. “All things are possible for me through Him who empowers me.” Psalm 73:26 (KJV) “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the source of my heart’s strength for all of time.”

11 Christ empowers us.

Because Jesus Christ has removed our fear and replaced it with authority, we have been crowned with empowerment.

2 Timothy 1:7 (NASB): “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind,” writes the apostle Paul.

12 He has prepared a way for us.

We must keep in mind that Jesus Christ and our heavenly Father have made a way for us to follow them. Choosing the correct path, especially while we are suffering, can be difficult at times; but, it is precisely in these circumstances that our faith is renewed. We must make the decision to faithfully follow God’s path. 2 Corinthians 5:7 (New International Version) “For we walk by faith, not by sight,” says the author.

13 He sustains us.

The Lord provides us with strength in our life by bearing our loads and refreshing our spirits and minds. Verse 22 of Psalm 55 “Rest in the Lord, and He will sustain you,” says the Bible.

14 Jesus wipes away our tears.

Our spirits will be healed, and we will be free of emotional agony, if we follow His plan for our lives. Revelation 21:4 (NASB) The Bible says, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more; there will be no more sorrow, no more crying, and no more suffering, since the old things have been put to an end.”

15 He is a healer.

verse 2 of Psalm 30 I called out to You for aid, O LORD my God, and You responded by healing me.

16 He gave us the power of prayer.

Prayer provides us with the opportunity to offer up our troubles and seek for alleviation. Those who have confidence in the Lord will be restored. If a person is sick, he or she can pray in faith, and the Lord will restore him or her and raise him or her up, even if he or she has committed sins, those sins will be forgiven him or her.

17 He is greater than our hearts.

We will all experience grief at some point in our lives; but, God is larger than our emotions, and we may put our trust in him. 1 John 3:20 (New International Version) For anytime our hearts condemn us, we must remember that God is larger than our hearts and that he is aware of everything.

18 He leads us.

When we are in a state of bewilderment or hardship, the Lord will guide us through our hearts to the path of righteousness.

19 He will direct the right way.

Those who place their faith in him will receive guidance from him. This occurred to me while I was seeking for a life companion, and it was a frustrating experience. Following a different road, the Lord brought me to a marriage proposal six weeks later. Trust in the Lord with all of your heart, and do not put your confidence in your own understanding. All that you do, acknowledge him, and he will guide you in all that you do. — Proverbs 3:5-6 (NASB) The things that can be seen are transient, but the things that cannot be seen are everlasting.

20 He is a lamp for our feet.

In the midst of my adversity, I will rise; in the midst of my darkness, the Lord will be my light. The Bible says in Micah 7:8 While you are going through difficult circumstances, Jesus is the light that shines in the darkness; when you are struggling, follow his light and continue to walk with him.

21 He brings clarity and peace.

For God is not the author of chaos but of peace. — 1 Corinthians 14:33

How our hearts are mended and we are saved

We are saved as a result of his sacrifice, but that salvation does not instantly pass to you or me. In order to accept the atonement, you must make a commitment to living a life that is Christ-like. We can see here, once again, the allusion to the broken-hearted being blessed, because they will put in the effort to find solace, and as a result, they will come to know God and achieve true internal peace. Following Christ’s teachings, reading the scriptures, praying, and, most importantly, entering the waters of baptism and receiving the Holy Ghost are all necessary components of living a Christ-like life.

This can be accomplished by recognizing the wicked desires that exist in our hearts and the unjust activities that we engage in, and then committing to change.

After welcoming Jesus into your life, he promises that you will never be the same again, saying, “I will give you a new heart and set a new spirit in you; I will take from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” – Ezekiel 36:26 (NASB)

How To Commit To Jesus and Begin Healing Your Broken Heart

Our baptism is the first official ordinance that we undertake when we begin our journey towards living a more Christ-like existence. Baptism is defined as the total physical submersion of the body in water during worship. In the name of Jesus Christ, a qualified priesthood holder must administer baptism to the individuals who have taken the vow of chastity. This is one of the very first commitments you make to Jesus, and it is an absolutely necessary step in becoming closer to Him and working toward the healing of your damaged heart.

Why get Baptized?

The act of being baptized signifies your commitment to taking upon yourself the name of Jesus Christ. Because even the Lord himself was baptized, the Lord requires us to be baptized as well. “John the Baptist baptized in the wilderness, and preached the baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,” according to the New International Version. 1:4 (Mark 1:14) Baptism cleanses us of sin and restores us to a state of purity. This enables us to be in the presence of the Lord at all times. Jesus also taught us that we must be reborn anew, which he accomplished via baptism.

Preparing for Baptism

We must begin working on our spiritual hygiene as soon as possible in order to begin preparing for baptism. This is accomplished through purifying our spirits and choosing new, good choices, as well as ceasing any spiritually filthy behavior. We begin to put in the effort to follow the commandments in preparation for our future life with the Savior, which will begin soon.

What is the Holy Ghost

The holy ghost is a divine being who is a member of the Godhead. According to 1 John 5:7, this is the case. According to the Scriptures, “There are three who keep a record in heaven: the Father, the Word (who is Jesus Christ), and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.” Following our Baptismal covenant, we are blessed with the gift of the Holy Spirit. In other words, we have the luxury of receiving the gift of constant spiritual guidance and inspiration from the Holy Spirit. However, this does not imply that once we have the Holy Ghost, we are free to act as we like.

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 3:16-17 that “It is not known to you that you are the temple of God, and that the spirit of God resides within you.

He serves as a guide, comforter, truth-revealing agent, sanctifier, and offers a profound and enduring sense of serenity to those who seek it.

Receiving the Holy Ghost

Your baptism is followed by the gift of the Holy Ghost, which occurs shortly after. He or she receives it through the laying on of hands and prayer. Some people question how to maintain the holy spirit with them at all times. We are all sinners, and life may sometimes get the better of us. We are not, and never will be, without flaws. At least not during this lifetime on this planet. The weekly gift of sacrament allows you to reaffirm your baptismal commitment as well as to be spiritually cleansed and purified.

Next Steps

After I returned to the church, it was only then that I was able to experience true healing in my heart. God’s plan is far more important than ours. He uses the hands of others to touch and heal us in our daily lives. My spouse and the family we created together were the most significant healers in my life. It is safe to say that he has been my rock, and I am certain that I would not have discovered him had it not been for my conversion back to Christ. I realize this post has a lot of information, but take it one step at a time.

Ask him to point you in the direction of his plan, and then have the guts to follow it.

This is an extract from the upcoming book Finding Light, which will be published in the spring of 2020.

Is there anything specific you’d like to do or that you’re willing to commit to?

With my online flexibility lessons and coaching, you may become stronger and more flexible.

The Cross and the Swastika

IF YOU WANT TO UNDERSTAND OUR CULTURE WAR — or, to put it another way, our values war — consider the following question: Who is our society’s most powerful moral figure? That would have been a no-brainer a century ago: it was all about Jesus Christ. That much might be agreed upon by sincere believers, nominal Christians, and out-and-out agnostics or atheists, among others. Even the most stridently anti-religious skeptics went out of their way to hail Jesus as the most remarkable moral model in history on a regular basis.

It was, in fact, one of their most important anti-Christian arguments.
But what about now?
Once upon a time, Jesus came to teach us what was right.
Godwin’s Law — the rule that all disagreements eventually conclude with one party accusing the other of being a Nazi — did not come about by chance.
In the words of that great philosopher Indiana Jones, “Nazis!
Nazis!” sums up our present morals.
It’s interesting to note how crosses and crucifixes have lost much of their significance in our culture: you can now play with them, even make jokes about them, and get away with it.

Okay, that’s understandable.

However, there are ramifications to the switch.

Moreover, he used to be a favorable role model; now he is a terrible role model.

And what are the ramifications of this decision?

Neither scientific nor philosophical critiques of religion are the focus of this discussion.

We have hunches and instinctive leaps, and then we piece together rationalizations to support whatever it is that we have chosen we want to believe — or deny — at the time.

Or, to put it another way, humans are not calculating machines.

This means that rather than being a tale of science and philosophy, the story of how the once-Christian world lost its faith is an emotional history of anger and anxiety that is rooted in a deeper history of anger and worry.

That had been simmering for ages, but it gained strength during the Reformation, when Protestants and Catholics both purposefully stoked the same kind of animosity towards one another in the name of the Reformation.

What do you think Jesus would do?

Anxiety has been around for as long as the hills themselves.

Despite the fact that people “knew” their anxieties were unreasonable, this did not make them go away.

Throughout the Reformation era, the explosion of new theological options made it nearly difficult to deal with worry simply by repressing it, and this was true again during the Renaissance.

As a result, both the furious and the worried began to use Jesus as a weapon against the churches.

That being the case, it was their Christian duty to demolish it, clean away the wreckage, and dig down until they reached bedrock on which they could begin over, no matter how much of the old religious landscape they tore up in the process.

In other words, when Montaigne declared that his own religion, Catholicism, was more barbaric than cannibalism, when Spinoza argued that to believe in miracles was to claim that God was an incompetent creator who was unable to manage his creation, when Tom Paine declared the Bible blasphemous for portraying God as a monster, and when Dostoevsky’s Ivan Karamazov rejected Christian theology as a moral outrage, none of But it was not accurate that their scandalized contemporaries referred to them as “atheists.” They were striving to achieve a more authentic and pure faith.

And it was because of this that they were so dangerous.

Those were the circumstances in which, more than a century ago, even the most devout Christians in America and Europe could still claim a Christian identity.

Christian ideals, on the other hand, were not.

However, as events transpired, it was shattered by the most rigorous moral test of the modern era: World War II.

Not just in the sense that many churches and Christians were involved with Nazism and fascism, but also in the sense that many churches and Christians were complicit with communism.

Cruelty, prejudice, and murder were clearly wicked in a manner that adultery, blasphemy, and impiety were not.

Jesus, on the other hand, did not.

Everything from Middle-earth to Star Wars and Harry Potter has been transformed into a timeless form by the power of mythic storytelling.

This myth teaches us that the new ethical principles — of human rights, equality, and self-determination — are not in conflict with the old Christian principles, but that the two systems do not entirely mesh and that the new principles do not rely on the old.

Consequently, an entire generation raised on such values is now readily doing what decades of enraged anti-Christian polemics failed to persuade their forefathers to do: removing their family’s religious beliefs as easily as they would a dead skin.

Only a small number of people, however, openly oppose the new ethics, including nationalists and authoritarians, antifeminists, and white racists.

As a result, we have become conditioned to anticipate our villains to appear just like this.

¤ Those who disagree, on the other hand, are truly on the edge.

Quite the contrary.

For starters, the transition from Jesus to Hitler represents a shift from a positive to a bad role model.

We can agree on what we want to demonstrate against, but we cannot agree on what we want to demonstrate for.

In addition, saying that what we cherish is everyone’s ability to select their own values isn’t helpful when we’re attempting to come together to denounce beliefs that have been determined to be undesirable by a majority of the people in the country.

The freedom to explore our own values lasts until we cross a changing line, or it crosses over us, at which point we are no longer free to investigate our values.

However, it is possible that we should put more effort into discovering something that we consider to be excellent.

Racism, militarism, patriarchy, authoritarianism, and genocide are all deplorable ideologies.

Knowing that we are opposed to them will not do anything to assist us address the climate disaster, the entrenchment of inequality, or the COVID-19 epidemic, among other problems.

Many — maybe most?

They scurry away to carry out their heinous deeds out of sight.

Our new ideals do not provide us with much insight into how to deal with this situation.

I don’t understand how this is possible.

Unfortunately, those realities are not self-evident.

We attempt to bolster our intuitions by reciting the stories, trumpeting them ever more vociferously, and vilifying anyone we suspect of questioning them or expressing doubt about them.

There is little reason to expect that this will be successful.

It has been shown time and time again by authoritarian populists throughout the world that there is no better way to catch everyone’s attention than to play footsie with fascism.

Of course, this isn’t a true situation.

When Viktor Orbán, the prime minister of Hungary, refuses to accept migrants in order to safeguard “Christian civilisation,” the word “Christian” is only the name of a tribe in which they live.

In reality, it represents the ultimate step into the post-Christian world: the abandonment of any meaningful principles whatsoever.

However, it is possible.

There are two possible outcomes for ours.

We can all think of a number of scenarios in which this could occur.

We’d be better off if we went about it the hard way.

Choosing not to base your ethics on Nazism is perfectly acceptable; however, make certain that you are basing them on something — that you have values, not just a tribe — as a starting point.

Alec Ryrie FBA is a professor of history of Christianity at Durham University in the United Kingdom.’ The featured image, ” Jesus ” by Trevor Hurlbut, is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 license.

” Bundesarchiv Bild 183-J00282, Berlin, Hitler am Sportpalast ” is used as the banner picture and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.