Our Object of Faith

I remember watching a film in school about the evolution of flight, featuring a number of contraptions that people invented while trying to fly. One was a made from bicycle with a set of bird-like wings attached to it. Pedaling the bike caused the tires to roll while a series of gears, chains and levers moved the wings in a flapping motion. The rider was shown heading full speed toward the edge of a cliff with his wings flapping. His momentum carried him off the edge and allowed him to "fly" about three feet through the air before he headed down to crash in a heap.

Now, it can be truly said that this man believed his machine would fly. His willingness to ride it off a cliff proves his faith in it and while we cannot doubt his sincerity, we must question, however, the object of his faith. No amount of faith in that silly flying machine would make it fly. It was simply the wrong object of faith for flying.

Likewise, many people who think they have saving faith really have faith in the wrong object. They are sincerely convinced that they are good enough to earn Heaven, or that they will gain entrance because they took certain sacraments, they "prayed for Jesus to come into their heart," or they believe they spoke in tongues or joined the right church. Just as the man on the flying machine, these folks very sincerely believe. The problem is not their faith as much as it is the object of their faith.

The Bible tells us in Galatians 3 that the works of the law are worthless objects of saving faith and Isaiah 64:6 says all of our righteousness is as filthy rags being waved before the Lord. The only true object of saving faith is Jesus Christ. Therefore, Jesus said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no one comes unto the Father, but by Me.”

Everything God did and accomplished through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ is available to us through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. He, and He alone, should be the object of our faith.

The faith in Jesus Christ is available because we have been justified, which means we have been legally acquitted of all sin, without any cost to us because of God's grace. The faith in Jesus Christ is only available through the redemption that is found in Christ Jesus. Our legal justification was accomplished through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. That justification is then made available to us through God's grace free of charge. Are you ready to accept this free gift?

The Greatest of These Is Love

At the conclusion of 1 Corinthians 13, the Apostle Paul’s great dissertation on love, he writes, “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13 [ESV]) The value of faith in the life of the believer is undeniable. There is no disputing the fact that every heroic biblical character was an individual who exhibited great faith, whether it was Enoch, Noah or Abraham. As the Hebrews writer tells us while referencing the Old Testament great figures of faith, "Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were killed with the sword." (Hebrews 11:36-37 [ESV]) Throughout the harshest of treatment, they and others, such as Paul, all fought the good fight, they finished the race, and they kept the faith (2 Timothy 4:7). Without faith, there would be no salvation. Without faith, we would remain forever lost. Without faith, we could never be pleasing to God. The Hebrews writer tells us in Hebrews 11:6 [ESV], “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who seek Him.” Many times we hear of individuals coming to faith in Christ and living a life of faith. Hebrews 11 is dedicated to lauding those who displayed great faith in God. Without faith, we would remain lost in our sins because we would never come to Christ, and without faith, we would remain living our lives in disobedience to Him. Faith often motivates us to move forward even when the odds are against us. In a sense, then, we can see how faith is closely related to hope, and this connection is particularly brought our in Paul’s letter to the church in Rome: "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit Who has been given to us." (Romans 5:1-5 [ESV])

It is hope that keeps us going when the situation we face seems impossible. It is hope that brings the expectation that we will obtain something specific we desire. Think of how life would be without hope. Hope is a gift from God that can bring joy in the midst of very difficult circumstances. Hope is what encourages us that victory is not only possible, it is imminent, and it is the hope that God will keep His promises that brings about “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7 [ESV]) during our most difficult of times and trials. The reason, though, that love is "the greatest of these" is that it was love that motivated the Father to send His only Son to die for us (John 3:16). Without God and His love, there would have been no redemption for mankind. Not only would we be without love, but without the redemption that was precipitated by love, there would also be no faith and no hope. Nothing else matters without love. It is at the core of every other good thing in our lives, and that is the point Paul brings out so elegantly and magnificently in his great chapter of love.

Hard Work and Total Team Effort Pay Off in 24-20 Comeback Victory for Gardner-Whitworth

The Gardner-Whitworth 5th grade boys basketball team's hard work and dedication finally paid off and brought forth a stunning victory as they came from behind to defeat Blue Cross/Blue Shield 24-20 on Saturday, February 20, 2010. The win gives Gardner a 1-3 record with one game left on the schedule to be played two weeks from today at noon on Saturday, March 6, 2010.

Each week Gardner-Whitworth has shown steady improvement on both ends of the court, and today was no exception. Damien Ferguson scored the first basket of the contest midway through the opening period to give Gardner a 2-0 lead, but 2 baskets by Davis Johnson and 1 by Bryce Hampton put Blue Cross up 6-2 as the quarter ended.

The Gardner boys did much better in the second period as Damien Ferguson, Brock Rawlings and Sawyer Overton each scored 1 field goal, while Cole Diepholz had his first basket of the game for Blue Cross. Dylan Miner chipped in 2 free throws and Blue Cross led 10-8 at intermission.

Gardner had a lot of scoring opportunities in the third period, but only Cameron Brewer was able to connect from the field, and Blue Cross built up a 15-10 lead as the period came to a close. Cole Diepholz and Davis Johnson each had a basket for Blue Cross, and Diepholz also connected on his first of 5 made free throws.

The 4th quarter for the Gardner-Whitworth club was pure magic, as everything seemed to gel and come together for the boys on both ends of the court. Gardner went on a 14-5 run, leaving Blue Cross/Blue Shield and their fans in the dust in stunned amazement, bewildered as to just what hit them so fast and furiously. The smothering defense of Gardner so stymied the Blue Cross players that they were unable to make a single basket in the period, and they had to settle for 5 free throws.

Neither team gave up, which is highly commendable, but Gardner was able to rally by taking their game to a higher level. Everyone on Gardner who played was instrumental in the team's victory. Corey Van Houtin had a key block on Davis Johnson in the third period as Corey dropped down from the wing defensively when Johnson went to the corner to take his shot. Had Corey not blocked the shot, the team might not have won the game.

Joshua Lunsford, who had to come in to play in the 4th period to replace Hunter Miller who had fouled out, had a big defensive rebound, keeping Cole Diepholz off the offensive glass. Gardner was down 5 points at the time, and had Joshua not grabbed the board, Gardner might not have won.

Hunter Miller did an extremely excellent job defensively playing at the top of the 1-3-1 trapping zone defense, causing many turnovers. This also took considerable pressure off of some of his own teammates, too, which was incalculably beneficial and crucial for the victory. What made this even more amazing was that Hunter had only one and a half practices to learn this position as he normally plays on the wing. Had Hunter not stepped up defensively and caused all the turnovers he did while playing this new position, Gardner-Whitworth may have lost the game.

Brock Rawlings was great on both sides of the ball, too. He really mixed it up well, grabbing 3 offensive rebounds and pulling down 1 defensive board. Brock also had a field goal in the second period, but what turned out to be his most crucial play of the game was when Brock connected on both ends of a 1 and 1 opportunity in the 4th quarter. His free throws pulled Gardner to within 3 points of Blue Cross when he calmly sank his free throws. Had Brock missed either of these free throw attempts, particularly the first one, Gardner most likely loses the game.

Sawyer Overton did not let a slow start keep him from playing another excellent game. Sawyer missed his first 4 attempts from the field, but he ended up with 6 points on two baskets and 2 made free throws. None were more important than when he connected on a field goal with just 28 seconds remaining in the game and Gardner trailing by 3 points. Damien Ferguson hit Sawyer down low under the basket with a pass just as Sawyer had freed himself from his defender. Sawyer went up for the shot, making the basket as he was fouled, sending himself to the charity stripe with his team down by 1 point and the game on the line. Cool as a cucumber on crushed ice, Sawyer calmly put the shot up, hitting nothing but net as the string music rang beautifully throughout Riddle Gymnasium. The score was now netted at 20 points each. Had Sawyer not made these shots under pressure, Gardner most likely loses the game.

Cameron Brewer continues to grow as a player and as a team leader with each passing game. Cameron was given the task of keeping Cole Diepholz from the offensive glass, and he did just that, pulling down an amazing 10 defensive boards. Cameron is also coming into his own defensively, really beginning to understand the 1-3-1 defense, and he turned that understanding into 5 steals. Cameron also hit 2 free throws to go along with 2 baskets from the field to finish with 6 points, but his last basket was the most important of them all. After Blue Cross called time out with 15 seconds remaining, the Gardner-Whitworth coach implored his team to make the defensive stance of their lives, get the ball and put it into the basket at the offensive end of the floor. And that is exactly what they did. Blue Cross tried hard to get the ball into the hands of Cole Diepholz, but a swarm of yellow-shirted Gardner-Whitworth players encircled him, including Sawyer Overton and Damien Ferguson, both of whom were playing with 4 fouls. Damien stole the ball from Diepholz, spotted his point guard, Cameron Brewer, racing ahead down the floor and all alone, and Damien hit him with a perfect pass. Cameron caught it in stride for a lay-up and 2 points, putting Gardner up 22-20 with 4.3 seconds remaining. Had Cameron not made that basket, Gardner-Whitworth may have lost the game.

Damien Ferguson had 5 steals for Gardner, and none were as important as his last 2. The second to the last steal came with under 15 seconds remaining in which he had the assist to Cameron Brewer, and then his last steal occurred as Blue Cross threw the ball in after Cameron's basket put Gardner up by 2. Damien pilfered the inbounds pass and drove to the hoop, knocking in the last basket of the game and sealing the victory for Gardner-Whitworth 24-20. If Damien did not make that steal and basket, it would have been possible for Blue Cross to have won the game on a last second basket and foul. And the way Cole Diepholz was stroking his free throws, that was very much a distinct and strong possibility.

Although Griffin Luce was out of town and unavailable to play in the game, I believe he, too, contributed greatly to today's victory. All this past week Griffin was at the team's practices, and he always hustles and works very hard, making his teammates better players in the process. Had Griffin not given his all at the team's practices, chances are his teammates would not have been as prepared as they were for today's contest, and they may have lost the game.

One of the things of which I am most proud of is also something that shows the character of this squad, and it is this. Hunter Miller and Corey Van Houtin were screaming their heads off and encouraging and cheering their teammates on from the bench all throughout the comeback. If that does not show someone just how much they pull for each other, and the type of character this team has, then I do not know what would.

Gardner-Whitworth would not have won today's contest without the help and encouragement of Assistant Coach Leah Rawlings. Leah has been an outstanding assistant coach all season long, and she has really helped the kids learn how to play and love the game of basketball. She has offered keen insights that have helped and benefited the team immensely, and all of the kids have responded very favorably to her. If it was not for all of the hard work and dedication that Leah has put in as assistant baskletball coach, we may not have won this game.

Lastly, the game may not have been won without the support of the boys' families and friends. I was told today after our game by one of the league officials that the game before ours, in which an undefeated team was playing, there were maybe 10 people who showed up to watch it. But every week when we play the gym always fills up to capacity, and that is for a team that had not yet won a game. But these kids have worked so hard, and they have always pulled for each other from the very beginning, and their familes know this and they appreciate the effort shown by the boys. As a coach I can honestly say that I am very proud of these boys and what they have accomplished together as a team. They have never had any disciplinary problems, and the parents have been fantastic and extremely supportive getting them to practices and games. If it was not for the support of their families, friends and fans, they may have not won today's ball game.

Gardner never gave up, but when they fell behind 15-8 late in the 3rd quarter, their coach called for a time-out at the 2:43 mark. He felt that his team had not yet given up on themselves, but that they were dangerously close to doing so. So he told them they were too good to let that happen, and they had worked too hard and come too far just to let it slip away from their grasp. He got the boys to yell for the whole crowd to hear three times in succession, "WE ARE!" when he asked the boys three times, "Who's going to win?" He saw the look in their eyes as they said it, and he heard the conviction in their voices as their boisterous and exuberant cries rattled across the court, and he knew at that moment that some way, somehow, they would manage to pull out this remarkable and stunning victory.

With the team trailing 19-13 with 47.2 seconds showing on the clock and Cole Diepholz going to the line to shoot 2 free throws, the Gardner coach called timeout to ice Diepholz. The strategy worked partially as Cole missed the front end. He connected on the back end to put Blue Cross up 20-13, and from that point on Garder-Whitworth went on an 11-0 run to gain the victory. And the last 7 unanswered points came with less than 30 seconds remaining to tick off the game clock. It was truly a remarkable and memorable performance, and one for the ages. I hope all of these boys will cherish this memory for the rest of their lives.

Not Posting Much Lately . . .

I have not been posting much here lately for one simple reason: The paste function for the last couple months has stopped working. I have no idea why it stopped working, but that was how I posted most of my articles previously. I would write them in a Word document, copy them, and then paste them here. But apparently that is not allowed by Google anymore, and it has been very frustrating for me, and for my lone reader.

It is funny how dependent we get about things that we take for granted, such as a copy and paste function for a blog, and when it gets taken away it can really mess things up for you. I prefer to copy and paste Bible passages, too, so I will not make any mistakes when quoting God's word. But since I cannot paste anything here anymore, I cannot copy and paste from my Bible programs, either.

So if my lone reader has any suggestions as to how I can get the paste function to work in this blog operated by Google, I would really appreciate the help.

Jesus Christ, the Only Way

A Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life poll conducted recently surveyed people in the United States about their religious beliefs. Among the most amazing aspects of their findings was that seven out of ten, or 70%, of the respondents who stated they had a religious affiliation, and four out of seven, or 57%, of those who claimed they were of an evangelical Protestant Christian group, answered "True" to the following poll statement: Many religions can lead to eternal life. What is most stunning about this finding is that the majority of these people surveyed would most likely be surprised to learn that Jesus Christ, therefore, was a liar, for He stated unequivocally, unabashedly and unashamedly in John 14:6 [RSV], "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by Me."

Jesus Christ, according to these people who apparently are blind to His teachings, and yet they claim to be His disciples, would also have to conclude that Jesus is a liar because He also said in John 8:23-24 [RSV], 23. "You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. 24. I told you that you would die in your sins, for you will die in your sins unless you believe that I am He." Jesus spoke these words to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and they are as equally binding on us today, for the Apostle Peter stated in Acts 4:12 [RSV], "there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under Heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

If the above words by Jesus were not enough proof for the Jews of His day, never one to be politically correct, Jesus waxed bolder, proclaiming the following in John 8:42-27 [RSV]: 42. "If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded and came forth from God; I came not of My own accord, but He sent Me. 43. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear My word. 44. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks according to his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45. But, because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. 46. Which of you convicts Me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? 47. He who is of God hears the words of God; the reason you do not hear them is that you are not of God."

It is really very simple, is it not? If you deny the words of God and state your belief that there are many roads or pathways to eternal life, I pray for your soul, and that you will come to the truth, which is found only in Jesus Christ. You may choose to go off in another direction and reject the clear teachings of Jesus Christ, "but as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord" (Joshua 24:15 [RSV]).

Who Can Endure the Day of His Coming?

"‘Behold, I send My messenger to prepare the way before Me, and the Lord Whom you seek will suddenly come to His Temple; the Messenger of the covenant in Whom you delight, behold, He is coming,’ says the Lord of hosts” quotes the prophet in Malachi 3:1 [RSV]. He then adds in verses 2-5, 2. “But who can endure the day of His coming, and who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap; 3. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and He will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, till they present right offerings to the Lord. 4. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former years. 5. Then I will draw near to you for judgment; I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hireling in his wages, the widow and the orphan, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear me, says the Lord of hosts.” Malachi 3:1 spoke of two messengers who were to come. The first of these was to prepare the way of the Lord, and we see in the Gospels that John the Immerser fulfilled this. The second was to be the Messenger of the covenant, and this is Jesus Christ. Although there is general agreement about who these two messengers are, disagreement arises over whether verses 2-5 above from Malachi chapter 3 refer to the first advent of Jesus, or to His second coming at the end of time.

I am of the opinion that these still refer to Jesus’ first coming, and not His second, and here is why. During the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ, He did cleanse the Temple, not just on one occasion, but twice. The first of these two cleansings occurred at the beginning of His ministry as recorded by John in chapter 2 of his Gospel, and the second happened during the week of Jesus’ crucifixion, and it is recorded in Matthew 21, Mark 11 and Luke 19. Hence, the reference to the coming Messenger as being like a refiner and purifier of silver and a launderer (fuller) using soap to cleanse the filthy garments of the sons of Levi, the priests who had turned His Father’s house into a den of thieves, is understood.

When we submit to undergoing baptism, we, too, are said to be clothed in Christ (Galatians 3:27). Our sin-stained garments are replaced with the pure garments of Jesus. We are called to be a nation of priests, holy and acceptable to God since we are wrapped in His Son and our Savior. The Hebrews writer tells us Jesus is our High Priest in Hebrews 2:17 and John reveals that all of us who are washed in His blood are priests in His service and Kingdom: 5. Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the first-born of the dead, and the ruler of kings on Earth. To Him Who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His blood 6. and made us a Kingdom, priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. (Revelation 1:5b-6 [RSV]) Once again, we see Jesus fulfilling the purifying of the “sons of Levi” prophesied in Malachi with His first coming and the giving of the gospel plan of salvation. Because we are all “sons of Levi” through each and every one of us being priests of God who have been cleansed by His precious blood, we are all able to boldly and “with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:17 [RSV]).

Jesus fulfilling of this prophecy seems to me to have taken place during His first advent. Additionally, whenever individuals realized Who Jesus was, literally God in the flesh, they reacted as people always do when in the presence of the Almighty: They prostrated themselves in obeisance. No one can be in the presence of God without knowing of their unworthiness due to their sins. No man can “endure the day of His coming” for all are guilty and stand condemned, for “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23 [RSV]).

Lastly, the prophecy of Malachi 3:2-5 teaches that when this advent of the Messenger, the prophesied Messiah to come, occurs, He will act as a cleanser, and not as a destroyer. “He is like a refiner's fire and like fullers' soap,” writes Malachi. The coming of this second Messenger will be awesome and terrible, but with a purpose. Both the refiner and the launderer work to clean, not to destroy. The purpose of Jesus’ first coming was not to destroy, but to cleanse us from our sins. As He Himself said in Luke 19:10 [RSV], “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.” We have already noted how this cleansing and refining was accomplished when one chooses to obey the gospel. It is not until the second advent of the Lord occurs that He will come as a destroyer, for at that point He will crush all His enemies, with the last enemy destroyed being death (1 Corinthians 15:26).

The Feast of Dedication

Hanukkah (or Chanukah), otherwise known as the Feast of Dedication or the Feast of the Maccabees, was a Jewish festival observed for eight days from the 25th of Kislev, which we call the month of December. It was instituted by Judas Maccabeus, his brothers, and the elders of the congregation of Israel in the year 165 BC in commemoration of the reconsecration of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem, and especially of the altar of burnt offering, after they had been desecrated in the persecution under Antiochus Epiphanes in 168 BC. The significant happenings of the festival were the illumination of houses and synagogues, a custom probably taken over from the Feast of Tabernacles, and the recitation of Psalm 30:1-12. The Feast of Dedication was celebrated during the time of Jesus’ ministry, and it is mentioned in John 10:22-24 [RSV]: 22. It was the Feast of the Dedication at Jerusalem; 23. it was winter, and Jesus was walking in the Temple, in the portico of Solomon. 24. So the Jews gathered round Him and said to Him, "How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly."

After the death of Alexander the Great, the Greek Empire was divided among his four generals known as the Diadochi. Nicator Seleucus took control of the eastern provinces. Antiochus IV, a later Seleucid king, named himself Epiphanes, which means “god manifest.” He was the prophesied evil monarch from Syria – the ultimate “king of the north” – who came down and defeated “the king of the south” and took possession of Judea in Daniel 11:21-30.

Antiochus had the Jewish High Priest assassinated, and installed a man of his own inclination in his place. He instituted Greek customs throughout the Jewish population and finally ordered the Jewish religion abolished completely and replaced it with his own pagan gods. Anyone who failed to abide by his decrees, he had executed. His forces desecrated the Jerusalem Temple and its altar of worship by slaughtering a swine on the altar and erecting a statue of Zeus with his own likeness in the sanctuary. Antiochus typifies the Antichrist in the Book of Revelation who will set up an abomination (an idol of himself) that causes desolation (those who love the true God to flee Jerusalem), and this occurred when the Romans destroyed Jerusalem in AD 70. Jesus also warned His followers of the coming destruction and abomination when He said in Matthew 24:15-18 [RSV], 15. “So when you see the desolating sacrilege spoken of by the Prophet Daniel, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 16. then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains; 17. let him who is on the housetop not go down to take what is in his house; 18. and let him who is in the field not turn back to take his mantle.”

After the Jews retook Jerusalem under the Maccabees and the Temple was cleansed, the lamps of the sacred lampstand needed to be lit. There was only enough oil found to keep the lamps burning for one day. It would take a messenger a week to bring fresh supplies, but no one wanted to wait that long to rededicate the sanctuary. Miraculously, they lit the lampstand and the oil lasted eight full days!

God made a prophecy about the Second Temple in Haggai 2:9 [RSV], saying, “‘The latter splendor of this house shall be greater than the former,’ says the Lord of hosts; ‘and in this place I will give prosperity,’ says the Lord of hosts.” How could this be, seeing how Solomon’s Temple (the former house) contained five glorious elements that were missing in the present house (the Second Temple rebuilt under Zerubbabel) of Haggai's day? These five items were the Fire from Heaven on the Altar; the Ark of the Covenant; the Glory of the Divine Presence (Shechinah); and the Urim and Thummim. In addition to these missing spiritual elements, the physical structure of Solomon's Temple was so ornate and elaborate than the 2nd Temple that those who were old enough to remember it (the survivors of the Babylonian exile) wept aloud when the foundation was laid (Ezra 3:12).

The latter glory of the second house was greater than that of Solomon's Temple because the glorious Son of God, the “light of the world” (John 3:12 [RSV]), had come into the Temple. Jesus came into the Temple during the Feast of Dedication. The Light of the World Who filled the Temple with glory was asked, “If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” He had confirmed again and again that He was the Messiah by His signs, wonders and miracles. Even the eight day miracle of Hanukkah pointed to Jesus the Messiah. In Jesus Christ is fulfilled the promise from God of prosperity, for as the Apostle Paul tells us in Ephesians 1:7-8 [RSV], 7. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace 8. which He lavished upon us.

During the Festival of Lights, the Menorah is lit by a servant candle. Although the “Shamash” is located above the other candles, it must bow low to light them. Jesus humbled Himself, took on the form of a servant, and shared His glorious light with us.

The fulfilled prophecy of Haggai 2:9 is only one of over 300 prophecies fulfilled that confirm that Jesus is truly the promised Messiah of Israel. The probability of one man fulfilling only 48 of the over 300 prophecies is one in 10 to the 157th power. Not only did the miracles that Jesus performed attest to the fact that He is the Son of God, but the statistical evidence is proof beyond any shadow of doubt that Jesus is Adonai, the Lord.

Is He the Lord of your life?