He was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant. He grew up in another village, where he worked in a carpenter shop until he was 30. Then, for three years, he was an itinerant preacher.
He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never had a family or owned a home. He didn't go to college. He never lived in a big city. He never traveled 200 miles from the place where he was born. He did none of the things that usually accompany greatness. He had no credentials but himself.
He was only 33 when the tide of public opinion turned against him. His friends ran away. One of them denied him. He was turned over to his enemies and went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed to a cross between two thieves. While he was dying, his executioners gambled for his garments, the only property he had on earth. When he was dead, he was laid in a borrowed grave, through the pity of a friend.
Twenty centuries have come and gone, and today he is the central figure of the human race. I am well within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched, all the navies that ever sailed, all the parliaments that ever sat, all the kings that ever reigned--put together--have not affected the life of man on this earth as much as that One, Solitary Life.*
*Attributed to James Allen Francis
The entire staff of Communion With God Ministries wishes you and yours a blessed Christmas and joyous New Year!
Comments
A Holiday Greeting!
by James E Bergen
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and Linda. Thanks for what you do. Blessings through this season and into the new year.
Empire vs Jesus' movement
by George H
How is it that the Jesus movement was coopted by a Roman emperor to serve political purposes and that institution - which we call 'the church' has persecuted Jesus' followers ever since. Did God's plan fail? What can we do the see God's Kingdom come?
Mark Virkler's Response:
George, you are correct. Religion persecutes. The solution is relationship. We promote a living relationship with Jesus through the Holy Spirit, where you get to hear His voice and see His vision and feel His emotions. This relationship replaces a lifestyle of laws and rules. Those who are led by the spirit are no longer under the law (Gal. 5:18). I found hearing His voice and being led by Him rather than a set of laws, completly transformed my relationship with people. He LOVED me and He loved OTHERS, and taught me to love others. This I believe is the answer, which is to restore to the believer, the reality of this verse: My sheep hear My voice. We do that through our training on 4 keys to hearing God's voice.
In every generation, there have been devout believers. Let's you and I be two of these devout believers. Have a blessed Christmas as we take this day to honor His birth into this world.
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