Forwarded from Olive Tree Ministries - Jan Markell
Dr. Ron Rhodes: He Is Risen Indeed "The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the cornerstone, the linchpin, and the heart of the gospel. Without it, the entire structure of the Christian faith collapses. This is precisely why skeptics have relentlessly targeted the resurrection from the first century to the present day. They know, as we do, that if Christ has not been raised, our faith is in vain (1 Corinthians 15:14).
In the 1930s, a young British lawyer named Frank Morison set out to do just that — to dismantle the resurrection once and for all. Armed with a legal mind and a passion for truth (as he understood it), he determined to examine the resurrection not through the lens of theology or sentiment, but through the cold, exacting scrutiny of a courtroom trial. He would allow only the kind of evidence admissible in a court of law — hard facts, eyewitness testimony, verifiable history.
But something remarkable happened. The evidence didn’t bend beneath his investigation — it stood firm. The more he dug, the more he found himself cornered by truth. The case against the resurrection crumbled. And in its place stood a radiant, immovable reality: JESUS OF NAZARETH, WHO HAD BEEN CRUCIFIED UNDER PONTIUS PILATE, HAD RISEN BODILY FROM THE DEAD.
Unable to refute what had become undeniable, Morison found himself transformed — not just in intellect but in spirit. The book he intended to write — one that would expose the resurrection as myth — turned into a robust defense of its historicity. WHO MOVED THE STONE?, now a classic in Christian apologetics, begins with the ironic and telling chapter title: “The Book that Refused to be Written.”
Frank Morison joins a chorus of brilliant minds who have confronted the resurrection with skepticism, only to be conquered by its unshakable evidence. Sir Edward Clarke, a lawyer of high repute, declared that the evidence for the first Easter morning far exceeded what he had used to win multiple verdicts in court. Professor Thomas Arnold of Oxford, an authority in historical methodology, boldly claimed there was no event in human history supported by greater and more varied evidence than the resurrection of Jesus.
My friends, to believe in Christ’s resurrection is not wishful thinking. It is not a crutch for the weak-minded. It is the best-supported fact in all of ancient history, attested by hundreds of eyewitnesses, corroborated by hostile sources, and confirmed by a radically transformed band of disciples willing to die for what they saw.
So let there be no doubt in your mind: Christ is risen — bodily, gloriously, eternally. And because He lives, SO SHALL WE. His resurrection is our guarantee, our living hope.
Whatever doubts may whisper in your ear, let the voice of the empty tomb thunder louder: HE IS RISEN INDEED. Let your faith rise with Him. Let your hope anchor in Him. And let your heart rejoice in the unshakable truth that THE GRAVE IS NOT THE END — because Jesus walked out of His, and one day, you will too.
In the 1930s, a young British lawyer named Frank Morison set out to do just that — to dismantle the resurrection once and for all. Armed with a legal mind and a passion for truth (as he understood it), he determined to examine the resurrection not through the lens of theology or sentiment, but through the cold, exacting scrutiny of a courtroom trial. He would allow only the kind of evidence admissible in a court of law — hard facts, eyewitness testimony, verifiable history.
But something remarkable happened. The evidence didn’t bend beneath his investigation — it stood firm. The more he dug, the more he found himself cornered by truth. The case against the resurrection crumbled. And in its place stood a radiant, immovable reality: JESUS OF NAZARETH, WHO HAD BEEN CRUCIFIED UNDER PONTIUS PILATE, HAD RISEN BODILY FROM THE DEAD.
Unable to refute what had become undeniable, Morison found himself transformed — not just in intellect but in spirit. The book he intended to write — one that would expose the resurrection as myth — turned into a robust defense of its historicity. WHO MOVED THE STONE?, now a classic in Christian apologetics, begins with the ironic and telling chapter title: “The Book that Refused to be Written.”
Frank Morison joins a chorus of brilliant minds who have confronted the resurrection with skepticism, only to be conquered by its unshakable evidence. Sir Edward Clarke, a lawyer of high repute, declared that the evidence for the first Easter morning far exceeded what he had used to win multiple verdicts in court. Professor Thomas Arnold of Oxford, an authority in historical methodology, boldly claimed there was no event in human history supported by greater and more varied evidence than the resurrection of Jesus.
My friends, to believe in Christ’s resurrection is not wishful thinking. It is not a crutch for the weak-minded. It is the best-supported fact in all of ancient history, attested by hundreds of eyewitnesses, corroborated by hostile sources, and confirmed by a radically transformed band of disciples willing to die for what they saw.
So let there be no doubt in your mind: Christ is risen — bodily, gloriously, eternally. And because He lives, SO SHALL WE. His resurrection is our guarantee, our living hope.
Whatever doubts may whisper in your ear, let the voice of the empty tomb thunder louder: HE IS RISEN INDEED. Let your faith rise with Him. Let your hope anchor in Him. And let your heart rejoice in the unshakable truth that THE GRAVE IS NOT THE END — because Jesus walked out of His, and one day, you will too.
monday-blessings-bible-verses.jpg (800×800)
https://sildil.com/article-files/uploads/images/wishes-messages/day/monday-blessings/monday-blessings-bible-verses.jpg
https://sildil.com/article-files/uploads/images/wishes-messages/day/monday-blessings/monday-blessings-bible-verses.jpg
The Upper Room
https://www.upperroom.org/devotionals/en-2025-04-21#cb=
God of all, we are grateful for your Son, Jesus Christ, who has wiped away our sins. Come dwell in our hearts and create in us a clean spirit. May your Holy Spirit continue to inspire us and guard our going out and coming in from this time forth. Amen.
.
https://www.upperroom.org/devotionals/en-2025-04-21#cb=
God of all, we are grateful for your Son, Jesus Christ, who has wiped away our sins. Come dwell in our hearts and create in us a clean spirit. May your Holy Spirit continue to inspire us and guard our going out and coming in from this time forth. Amen.
.
The Upper Room
Upper Room Devotional for April 21st, 2025
My house looks clean. The furniture is nicely arranged and looks presentable; the rooms are ventilated and display a sunny appearance. However, when I sweep the floors and do my weekly cleaning with a dusting cloth, I am surprised by the amount of dust…
The Upper Room
https://www.upperroom.org/devotionals/en-2025-04-22#cb=
Creator God, thank you for all your wondrous works. Forgive us when we take your beautiful creation for granted. Amen.
.
https://www.upperroom.org/devotionals/en-2025-04-22#cb=
Creator God, thank you for all your wondrous works. Forgive us when we take your beautiful creation for granted. Amen.
.
The Upper Room
Upper Room Devotional for April 22nd, 2025
Several years ago, on a sunny afternoon in June, I was walking past a pond near some woods. I’ve walked past this pond on multiple occasions, but on this particular day, I paused to ponder God’s creation. The first thing I heard and saw was a red-winged…
TODAY'S NEWS, April 19-21, 2025 (Happy Birthday to Me!)
https://www.wildworldofpolitics.com/post/today-s-news-april-19-21-2025-happy-birthday-to-me
Chy-na has now expelled all missionaries and is treating Christianity as an existential threat.
.
https://www.wildworldofpolitics.com/post/today-s-news-april-19-21-2025-happy-birthday-to-me
Chy-na has now expelled all missionaries and is treating Christianity as an existential threat.
.
WildWorldOfPolitics
TODAY'S NEWS, April 19-21, 2025 (Happy Birthday to Me!)
The News of Today is the History of TomorrowIN POLITICAL NEWS 1) Public confidence in DemoKKKrat leadership has tanked to the levels of analwarts (25% approve). Rs are only at 39%, but that's still a whopping 14-point lead. Meanwhile, top DemoKKKrat "leaders"…
Forwarded from Olive Tree Ministries - Jan Markell
Dr. Ron Rhodes: IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO TURN YOUR LIFE AROUND
"You may think you’ve gone too far. That your mistakes are too great. That your past disqualifies you from a future. Maybe you’ve even whispered in the dark, 'I’m a total failure. I'm a loser. My life is ruined. God can never use someone like me again.'
But here’s the beautiful truth: IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO TURN YOUR LIFE AROUND.
Not with God.
Not with His grace.
Not when His mercy still reaches for you — even now.
God is the God of comebacks, of fresh starts, of new mercies that 'are new every morning' (Lamentations 3:22–23).
He is the One who runs toward prodigals while they’re still a long way off (Luke 15:20).
He is the Shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine to go after the one lost sheep (Luke 15:4). Yes, even the one that got away.
No one falls so far that God’s arms of grace can’t reach them. No heart is so broken that He can’t heal it. No life is so lost that He cannot restore it. With Christ in your life, failure never gets the last word.
Remember Moses? A murderer turned deliverer.
Remember David? A fallen king restored as a man after God’s own heart.
Remember Peter? A denier who became a pillar of the Church.
Remember Paul? A persecutor turned apostle.
These stories are not exceptions. They are proof that YOUR STORY IS NOT OVER.
'Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.' (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Don’t let shame have the final say. Don’t let past sin be the gatekeeper of your future.
God is not done with you yet. If you have breath in your lungs and a stirring in your heart, it’s because GOD IS CALLING YOU BACK INTO FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM.
Maybe today is your turning point.
Maybe this is the day of your comeback.
Maybe this is when everything changes — not because you’re strong, BUT BECAUSE HE IS (Jeremiah 32:27).
The arms of grace are open wide. Come home NOW.
A PRAYER OF NEW BEGINNINGS
Heavenly Father, I come to You just as I am — broken, weary, and in need of grace. I’ve made so many mistakes. I’ve wandered far. But I believe that You still love me, and I trust that Your mercy is greater than my mess. Restore my heart. Renew my purpose. Redeem my past. Help me to believe that it’s never too late, because You are the God who makes all things new. Thank You for never giving up on me.
In Jesus’ name, Amen."
"You may think you’ve gone too far. That your mistakes are too great. That your past disqualifies you from a future. Maybe you’ve even whispered in the dark, 'I’m a total failure. I'm a loser. My life is ruined. God can never use someone like me again.'
But here’s the beautiful truth: IT’S NEVER TOO LATE TO TURN YOUR LIFE AROUND.
Not with God.
Not with His grace.
Not when His mercy still reaches for you — even now.
God is the God of comebacks, of fresh starts, of new mercies that 'are new every morning' (Lamentations 3:22–23).
He is the One who runs toward prodigals while they’re still a long way off (Luke 15:20).
He is the Shepherd who leaves the ninety-nine to go after the one lost sheep (Luke 15:4). Yes, even the one that got away.
No one falls so far that God’s arms of grace can’t reach them. No heart is so broken that He can’t heal it. No life is so lost that He cannot restore it. With Christ in your life, failure never gets the last word.
Remember Moses? A murderer turned deliverer.
Remember David? A fallen king restored as a man after God’s own heart.
Remember Peter? A denier who became a pillar of the Church.
Remember Paul? A persecutor turned apostle.
These stories are not exceptions. They are proof that YOUR STORY IS NOT OVER.
'Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.' (2 Corinthians 5:17)
Don’t let shame have the final say. Don’t let past sin be the gatekeeper of your future.
God is not done with you yet. If you have breath in your lungs and a stirring in your heart, it’s because GOD IS CALLING YOU BACK INTO FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM.
Maybe today is your turning point.
Maybe this is the day of your comeback.
Maybe this is when everything changes — not because you’re strong, BUT BECAUSE HE IS (Jeremiah 32:27).
The arms of grace are open wide. Come home NOW.
A PRAYER OF NEW BEGINNINGS
Heavenly Father, I come to You just as I am — broken, weary, and in need of grace. I’ve made so many mistakes. I’ve wandered far. But I believe that You still love me, and I trust that Your mercy is greater than my mess. Restore my heart. Renew my purpose. Redeem my past. Help me to believe that it’s never too late, because You are the God who makes all things new. Thank You for never giving up on me.
In Jesus’ name, Amen."
O God, giver of new life, we thank you for searching out those who are wandering and alone. Use us in your work of bringing the lost ones home. We want to be a part of your miracle work. Amen.
https://www.upperroom.org/devotionals/en-2025-04-23
https://www.upperroom.org/devotionals/en-2025-04-23
The Upper Room
Upper Room Devotional for April 23rd, 2025
In 1971 I was 19 years old, wandering the country and trying to figure out life. One day I had hitchhiked and found myself at a rest stop along a lonely stretch of desert highway between Los Angeles, California, and Phoenix, Arizona.
I had moved out on…
I had moved out on…
Biden's National Censorship Regime - American Thinker
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2025/04/biden_s_national_censorship_regime.html
One of the more alarming aspects of the Biden-era counterterrorism approach was its effort to influence public opinion under the guise of “digital literacy programming.” These programs, often carried out in partnership with NGOs, aimed to “educate” local agencies and communities on identifying misinformation -- especially from social media sources. Branded as “public health-focused prevention programming,” ostensibly implemented to help Americans sort truth from “disinformation” and under a pretense of neutrality.
.
https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2025/04/biden_s_national_censorship_regime.html
One of the more alarming aspects of the Biden-era counterterrorism approach was its effort to influence public opinion under the guise of “digital literacy programming.” These programs, often carried out in partnership with NGOs, aimed to “educate” local agencies and communities on identifying misinformation -- especially from social media sources. Branded as “public health-focused prevention programming,” ostensibly implemented to help Americans sort truth from “disinformation” and under a pretense of neutrality.
.
American Thinker
Biden's National Censorship Regime
On April 16, Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) Tulsi Gabbard declassified the Biden-era “Strategic Implementation Plan for Countering Domestic Terrorism.” The release followed an April 2 declassification request from Stephen Miller...