I Serve a Risen Savior
Lyrics by Alfred H. Ackley
Amplified by Dr. Joe M. Ragland
I serve a risen Savior (Jesus)
He’s in the world today.
I know that He is living,
Whatever (ignorant) men may say.
I see His hand of mercy;
I hear His voice of cheer;
And just the time I need Him
He’s always near.
He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way.
He lives, He lives, salvation to impart!
You ask me how I know He lives?
He lives within my (born again) heart.
Rejoice, rejoice, O (born again) Christian,
Lift up your voice and sing
Eternal hallelujahs
To Jesus Christ the King!
The Hope of all who seek Him (Jesus),
The Help of all who find,
None other is so loving,
So good and kind.
Time to Laugh
A wife came across a movie poster online that showed a man passionately kissing a woman in the pouring rain.
“How come you've never kissed me like that?” she demanded of her husband.
He shrugged, saying
“We never get that much rain!”
God Bless Joe,
END-TIME NEWSLETTER
Building Faith, Hope, Love, and Encouragement
Hi! From your friend, Joe Ragland!
Now sit back and laugh at some of the
futile attempts to explain away the physical resurrection of Jesus!
A LAWYER LOOKS AT THE
EVIDENCE OF THE
RESURRECTION OF JESUS!
by
Joe M. Ragland, Esquire J.D., LL.M., LL.D.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ was the most important presentation of evidence ever in the history of humanity.
“On Sunday morning, the first day of the week, a woman came at dawn and saw that the stone was rolled back from the tomb, and the tomb was empty. Then Jesus appeared
to her. He spoke with her and vanished out
of her sight.
She was so excited about seeing the resurrected Jesus she ran with the
good news to testify to Peter and John.
Then they ran. John took off, Peter, after him. John got to the open tomb first. The tomb was empty.
Without the resurrection, the crucifixion of Jesus would have been in vain, for the resurrection validated His atoning death. Of all the so-called “religions,” only Christianity bases its claim on accepting the resurrection from the dead of its Founder.
“For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son
of Man will be three days and three nights
in the heart of the Earth.”
(Jesus, Matthew 12:40)
The enemy of God (the devil and his cohorts) have sought to discredit the resurrection of Jesus, which inflicted such disastrous defeat (yes, I said defeat) on
Satan and his kingdom of darkness.
The denials of Jesus’
resurrection began the very day
Jesus was raised from the dead.
The Chief Priests’ Perjured Defense!
“You [after paying a substantial bribe to the
soldiers who had been guarding the sealed tomb]
are to say, His disciples came during
the night and stole Him away while
we were asleep.”
(Matthew 28:13)
As a lawyer, I would have enjoyed having these guards on the witness stand, asking them such questions:
Question: What acts did you take to guard against a faked resurrection?
Answer: We sealed the large stone in front
of the tomb with a Roman seal, and we marched back and forth in front of
it, but later we sat down right in front of the tomb and went to sleep. The disciples stole the body of Jesus while we slept. We didn’t hear a thing.
Question: If you were sleeping, how do you know it was Jesus’ disciples?
Answer: It had to have been. Who else?
Question: I subpoenaed the Bank of Jerusalem records, and I hand you a copy
of a receipt showing that the next day you
made a substantial deposit in your account. From where did this money come? Was it a bribe?
Answer: I refuse to answer those questions on the grounds it might incriminate me.
No further questions!
I would have further enjoyed having the medical doctor on the witness stand, presenting that Jesus didn’t die on the witness stand and asking him such questions:
Question: Well, doctor, you are advancing that Jesus didn’t actually die, but he was
only in a swoon. Is that correct?
Answer: Crucifixion is a slow death, and victims have been known to live three days
on the cross, whereas Jesus hung nailed there for only six hours. He was not dead; it was only a swoon. Jesus recovered when placed in the cool air of the tomb amid the fragrant spices.
Question: Doctor, have you examined the centurion who has finalized numerous crucifixions and signed the death certificate. It says right here on the death certificate, “Jesus’ heart was pierced by a soldier’s spear, and blood and water had gushed out.” What is the significance of the
blood and water being separated?
Answer: That water separated from the blood could be evidence that Jesus’ heart burst and He was already dead.
Question: Do you think that someone nailed to a cross for six hours, had
a spear thrust into his side aimed at his heart would have enough energy to escape from a sealed tomb having a massive stone in front of
it that had to be rolled away, and then be able to fake being a radiant Conqueror from death to His disciples?
Answer: He would be very weak from losing blood and would need medical treatment and bandaging. I don’t see how
he could have impressed His disciples with
total recovery.
The Resurrection Appearances–Direct Evidence from Eyewitnesses Over a
Forty Day Period, Plus the Appearances
to Paul and Stephen
All the witnesses listed below could
testify in a Court by giving direct evidence they had seen the resurrected Jesus as He appeared,
To Mary Magdalene - John 20:14-16; Mark 16:9-11
To the other woman - Matt. 28:8-10
To Peter - Luke 24:34; 1 Cor. 15:5
To the Emmaus disciples - Luke 24:13-31; Mark 16:12, 13
To the ten - Mark 16:14; Luke 24:36; John 20:19
To the eleven - John 20:26; 1 Cor. 15:5
To the seven - John 21:1-14
On the Galilee mountain - Matt. 28:16-17; Mark 16:15-18, 1 Cor. 15:6
To the five hundred - 1 Cor. 15:6
To James - 1 Cor. 15:7
At the Ascension - Luke 24:44-53; Mark 16:19, 20; Acts 1:6-11
To Stephen –Acts 7:56
To Paul–1 Cor. 18:8
The manner in which the resurrection is recorded bears evidence of its truth. Exaggeration is avoided, and the blindness and ignorance of the disciples are truthfully
recorded. They are eyewitnesses and, thus, being competent, evidence admissible in Court.
If we believe Jesus, the Son of God, was supernaturally conceived in the womb of a virgin, lived without sin, died a voluntary death to pay for the sins of those who would receive Him as Savior, then the resurrection is easy to believe.
The resurrection cannot be isolated from all that preceded it.
The empty grave and disappearance of Jesus’ body argue in favor of it. There
are two alternatives. The body was
removed by humans, or Jesus was raised from the dead, for there is no doubt the
tomb was empty on that first Sunday. His friends did not expect Him to rise. For the Jews to have produced evidence of the truthfulness of their story, they simply could have produced the body of Jesus, and that would have been the end of the Church, built partly on an empty tomb.
The very existence of the Church is tangible evidence of the fact of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. Within fifty
days of its occurrence, Peter was preaching the resurrection with an immense anointing after receiving the Holy Spirit’s baptism.
The early Church did not manufacture the resurrection belief. The resurrection was a foundation of the Church.
The Lord’s Day stems from the resurrection on the first day of the week. What caused
Jewish believers like Paul, schooled in the Sabbatical Tradition, to abandon the Jewish Sabbath on the seventh day of the week and instead observe the Lord’s Day? Because the resurrection of the Lord Jesus was on the first day of the week!
One early writer wrote: “We keep the Lord’s Day (Sunday) with joyfulness, the day also on which Jesus rose from the dead.” Paul, who had seen the Lord Jesus in His risen body. preached the necessity of believing in the resurrection for salvation:
“If you confess (like a witness)
with your mouth,
“Jesus is (my) Lord,”
and if you believe in your heart
that God (the Father) raised
Jesus from the dead,
you will be SAVED.”
(Romans 10:9)
“I (Jesus) am the resurrection and the life.
Whoever (no one is excluded) believes in Me,
though he or she dies, yet shall they live.”
(Jesus, John 11:25)
Jesus full of joy appears to His disciples on the evening of the glorious Resurrected Sunday:
“On the evening of that first day of the week
(Sunday) when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”
He showed them His hands and sides
(direct evidence of His crucifixion wounds). The disciples
were OVERJOYED when they saw the (resurrected from the dead) Lord.
Again, Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you! As the Father has sent Me, I am sending you.’ And with that, He breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit (the Holy Spirit joined with their human spirits, and they were born again).’“
(John 20:17-22)
EVIDENCE– “To prove, to make clear to
the mind, to show in such a manner that
the mind can apprehend the truth, or in a manner to convince it. The testimony of
two witnesses is usually sufficient to evidence the guilt of an offender. The works of creation evidence the existence
of an infinite first cause.”
Dictionary of the English Language
Noah Webster 1828
“He is not here, for He has risen.”
(Matthew 28:6)
“If Christ has not risen, then our preaching is empty, and your faith is also empty.
... If Christ has not risen, your faith is
futile; you are still in your sins!”
(Paul, 1 Corinthians 15:14, 17).
The resurrection of Jesus has to do with Eternity. Jesus died once for all
to pay the penalty due for the sins of all
who will receive Him as Savior!
Jesus sat down on the throne as King of kings and Lord of lords. (Philippians 2:8-11
“Those who believe in Me (Jesus),
will have (eternal) life
even if they die.”
(Jesus, John 11:25)
<>< <>< <><
This Good News End Time Newsletter concludes here!
Until we communicate again, let us continue to lay up treasures in Heaven because where our treasure (how much to date do you have in
your Heavenly Bank Account) is, there also is our heart!
“Love God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit)
and rejoice in Jesus, your Savior and Lord!”
Soli Deo Gloria
Annuit Coeptis!
An accurate translation of Annuit Coeptis on the back
of the USA One Dollar Bill is ‘Providence (God) Has Favored Our Undertakings.’
If you are born again, Jesus is your Advocate
in Heaven, and the Holy Spirit has joined with your human spirit as your Advocate within, you may stop reading here!
“The Holy Spirit, who is in you (joined with your human spirit making you born again) is greater than the devil (and those in his
kingdom of darkness), who is in the world!”
(1 John 5:4)
Advocate
Lyrics under Construction
by
Dr. Joe M. Ragland, J.D., LL.M., LL.D.
Copyright 2021 by Joe M. Ragland
Advocate in Heaven,
Advocate within,
keep your servant friend
from presumptuous [in defiance of God
or conscious–Numbers 15:50] sins!
Choose Heaven and avoid Hell!
Jesus invites you to be His born again friend.
Jesus is your Advocate in Heaven,
and the Holy Spirit is your Advocate within.
No weapon formed against you will succeed
Trust in Jesus, repent, and believe!
Jesus is preparing a place for you in glory,
Boldly tell the grand redemption story.
Walking in joy, peace, light, and love,
Jesus wants to fellowship with you from above.
The Holy Spirit within will help you tell.
You can be a friend of Jesus and escape Hell!
Stand by for more future lyrics.
If you only have time now to read one book
besides the Bible, the Author counsels you
on to buy), “The Greatest Love Story Ever Told,” by Joe Ragland, and obtain a joyful copy for yourself and another, such as
those engaged, newly married, and
unsaved.
Seek first [be concerned above all else with]
God’s kingdom and what God wants [His
righteousness]. Then all your other needs
will be met as well [the things you need
will be given to you].
(Jesus, Matthew 6:33)
“What things (Divine Protection and Favor) you desire when you pray, believe (in faith) that you receive them, and you shall have them.”
(2 Corinthians 12:9)
Friend, if you ever need effectual fervent confidential prayer for any matter, trouble, or conflict, please simply email
me by clicking,
“Today, love God and rejoice in Him!”
“God gives abundant blessings to the
person who uses his or her talents to promote the Kingdom of God.”
Blessings of Grace, Joy,
Love, Favor, Mercy, and Peace
be multiplied to you!
“The joy of the Lord (Jesus is
the born again one’s Lord) is your strength.”
(Nehemiah 8:10)
It is all about the love of Jesus!
Smile, Jesus Loves You!
Millions of people, many handsome men, and beautiful women do not realize the danger
they are in if they die not being born again.
The Bible warns, “And it is appointed for
men (includes women) to die once, but
after this the judgment (either Heaven or Hell).” (Hebrews 9:27)
“I (Jesus, the Son of God) tell you the
truth unless you are born again, you
cannot be (no other way) in God’s kingdom!”
(Jesus, John 3:3.
Please read this truth in your own Bible.)
“Blessed (eternally happy) are those (born again friends of Jesus) who are invited to the wedding banquet of the Lamb. . .. These are the true words of God!”
(Revelation 19:9.
Please read this truth in your own Bible.)
The nailed-scarred hands of Jesus, Father
God’s Son reaches down from Heaven to save those who repent and receive Him as Savior
and Lord, from sin, death, and the grave. Be
sure today you know Jesus as your Savior
and Friend. Because Jesus lives, you can
live throughout Eternity (infinity)!
If you need to repent of anything in your life,
do it (1 John 1:9) now and make sure you are
a born again friend of Jesus, as there is no
other way to a part of the adopted family
of God.
There are laws that God will not break. One is the law of free will, which God has given to all people. Every person is a free moral agent!
God does not manipulate man, nor handle
him or her as though they were a puppet. God forces no one to love or hate or to repent or
not to repent or to be born again or to reject Jesus as Savior. God predestines no one in this Age of Grace to go to Heaven or Hell.
The Bible commands:
“So give your (born again) selves
completely (full submission) to God.
If (“if” reveals that the responsibility falls individually upon us) you resist the devil, he will flee (run
away as in terror) from you. Come near to God, and God will come near to you!”
(James 4:7-8)
(1 Corinthians 9:22)
If you need further Bible truths regarding how
to use “all means to save some” or how to accept the eternal joy of the
new birth click on:
