The Emmaus Experience - Part 1

The Lord, after His resurrection, appeared to two disciples (Mr and Mrs Cleopas) as they were walking home from Jerusalem on Sunday late afternoon. When He joined them in their walk, their conversation piece centered on the events of the day - the reported resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ - and they were excited and yet puzzled as they could not fully understand the implications of the finished work of Christ on the Cross. (read passage attached below). And so, when Jesus asked them what they were discussing, they found it odd that this traveller had not heard the hottest news in Jerusalem over the past three days.

And when they told Him what happened, Jesus began to expound from the Old Testament (starting from Genesis to Malachi) how the entire Old Testament was actually pointing to the coming Messiah and found its complete fulfillment in Him. It was interesting that Jesus rather used the Old Testament to remove the scales from before the eyes of the disciples rather than show them His hands and His side (the very marks left on His body as a result of the crucifixion) because He wanted them to understand how the entire word of God tie in.

Now, that gives us hope; had He just shown them His marks, then you and I will be handicapped because we will not have access to these now as He had ascended into heaven and the only time we will really get to see Him is when He returns for us at the Rapture. But our Lord decided otherwise and clearly showed His disciples (and us) how He can be found in all scriptures when we search them.

Luke 24:13-3613 Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem.
14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened.
15 So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them.
16 But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.
17 And He said to them, "What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?"
18Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, "Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?"
19 And He said to them, "What things?" So they said to Him, "The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a Prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people,
20 and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to be condemned to death, and crucified Him.
21 But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.
22 Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us.
23 When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive.
24 And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see."
25 Then He said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!
26 Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?"
27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.
28 Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther.
29 But they constrained Him, saying, "Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent." And He went in to stay with them.
30 Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.
31 Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.
32 And they said to one another, "Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?"
33 So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together,
34 saying, "The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!"
35 And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread.
36 Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, "Peace to you."

Signs From God?

For some time now I have been sharing that time is running out for the world to believe in Jesus as their Lord and Savior and be counted into His family. For the Lord's Return IS IMMINENT. It was, is and will not be 'if' He returns; it is a simple 'when' He returns and recent signs are certainly now pointing to the quickening of pace.
Recently, FOX News of USA produced a program called "Signs From God" in which they filmed a sceptic journalist who travelled to Bolivia to film the phenomenon called 'stigmata'. Here is the URL. Please watch it and decide for yourself and listen to the message.
http://youshallbelieve.com/?page_id=70
After watching all three videos, each of us will form our own opinions. I have and you will too and if you are not already a believer of Jesus as your Lord and Savior, then may I urge you to make the choice and put your trust in Jesus. It is as simple as it gets and to help you to make the decision, I had already planted the New Believer's Prayer at the bottom of my blog here. Be blessed.

ISRAEL - An Inspiration To The World

If the truth had been known, I believe the world would not been misled so negatively towards the nation of Israel. Sure, nations do make mistake but, hey, don't forget they are still a people chosen by God to be called His people.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmASijiIVzg&feature=player_embedded
Tell me, after watching the video clip, that you have changed your mind about that nation and is now more appreciative of what they have contributed to the world at large.

We Are What Our Thoughts Make Us Out To Be

Recently I was in the mountain town of Shimla, India and I spotted this sign-board above one of the shops in the Mall. Shimla used to be the British colonial seat of government in India and was where Lord Mountbatten spent his summers whenever he was in India. The town also hosts the Viceregal House (which is now a heritage site with invited students and researchers occupying its many halls of learning) where the declaration of independence for India was discussed as well as the partitioning of India and Pakistan.

So I could not help but to ponder on the words on the signage, "What we think, we become". Isn't it true that everything in life is first hatched in the minds of people and then they bring it into fruition by taking action on their thoughts?

No wonder our Lord Jesus Christ kept reminding His disciples to "take no thoughts about tomorrow", "let not your hearts be troubled", "fear not", etc. In fact if you really care to count all the related words spoken by Jesus, you will notice that there are 366 places in the Gospels where the word appear - once for each day of the year (including the leap year - how thoughtful our Lord is, just in case someone entertain the thought the He could not count correctly.
So if one entertains fearful thoughts, he or she will reap the fruits of fear - ulcers, gastritis, high-blood pressure, stress, insomnia, etc (the list goes on).

So my friend, entertain good thoughts and avoid evil ones and you will stay out of trouble.