 Having trouble viewing this e-mail? You can read it online at:  Finally there is a great filter to block Internet pornography and other objectionable content! Kristi and I have used this filter for 6 years now and want to recommend the Bsafe Online filter to you. We absolutely love it. To find out more and get your own FREE 10-Day Trial, just visit: http://www.Heart4Teens.com/filter _____________________________________
 Michael's updated book Heart Touchers "Life-Changing Stories of Faith, Love, and Laughter," for just $13.95. Autographed copies are available at no extra charge and we will pay the shipping for you. An e-book is also available for $3.25. Visit the link below to preview the book. http://www.Heart4Teens.com/books Be sure to let us know who you would like it autographed for and then allow _________________________________ Jesus and the MythBusters
Have you checked MythBusters out? If not, MythBusters is a show on Discovery
Channel that basically tackles urban legends, internet rumors, movie scenes and the like with the scientific method to test their validity. One of my favorites was Shark Week, when they answered critical questions like:
Can sharks detect a struggling fish?
Does chili powder repel sharks? Will a pack of sharks ignore you if you play dead? Could you reach a shark's eye while inside its mouth? These are questions that go through my mind pretty much every time I stick more
than a toe in the ocean. Then there are other key questions in life that they examine. For example,
Can you cut down a tree with a machine gun?
Can you hold a conversation with someone while falling at terminal velocity? And of course, many many myths are 'busted' - even though at face value that
seemed to make sense. In other words, you definitely shouldn't believe everything you see or hear.
Now, I'm for sure no Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman, who use their great
special effects training and common sense to help keep the story straight, but I have one myth that I would like to 'bust' for you right now. Here is the question for the week: Is Jesus Christ a mythical figure?
Important question - wouldn't you say? If Jesus is just a made up figure
designed to impose control and power over weak-minded fools, then I would like to know. By the same token, if Jesus Christ is a real historical figure, then based on what He claimed it would be sheer madness to simply dismiss Him as "another religious dude." Those that believe Jesus is a myth on par with Bigfoot, unicorns, and the Flying
Spaghetti Monster base their perspective largely on the concept that Jesus Christ is a copycat Sun god who shares key elements from dozens of 'gods' before Him. For example, they point to themes like virgin birth, star in the east, 12 disciples, death on the Cross, resurrection etc. as the same storylines that have been attributed to many so called 'gods' before Jesus' time. So there never really was a flesh and blood person in the 1 st Century that walked on water, healed the sick and resurrected from the dead. OK, so now we have our myth. But let's look at the evidence.
The fact of the matter is that we have four eyewitness accounts of Jesus' existence
that were written within a generation of His time on earth. The New Testament books, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are considered some of the most reliable historical documents in the world. And here are a few other things to consider-
The Encyclopedia Britannica uses over 20,000 words to describe Jesus,
which is more than Aristotle, Cicero, Alexander, Julius Caesar, Buddha, Confucius, Mohammed, or Napoleon. Sorry, but the pretty doggone smart folks at the Britannica generally do their
homework before they use 20,000 words about someone who 'might be' a myth. Eleven of Jesus' disciples were tortured and murdered for spreading the message
of Jesus. Wait - they would all die for something they knew to be a lie? The gospel message of Jesus spread from a band of 12 men in a tiny region
of Israel to thousands of people across thousands of miles to Rome in just 30 years. Wait, an entire civilization being duped by an obvious copycat religion? Plus we have non-Biblical references to Jesus coming from Roman historians,
government officials, and even the Jewish literature of that time. Wait one more time, the people that wished Jesus was a myth write about Him? Not a great way to get rid of a copycat Sun god - wouldn't you say? Finally-
There are over 5000 historical source documents to support the validity of the
New Testament, much more than any other ancient book. All the Gospels were published within the lifetimes of eyewitnesses, and yet there's no record of
anyone ever proving them false. The Romans tried for 250 years to stamp out Christianity before accepting it as their state religion. By that time the books of the New Testament had been a published fact for two centuries. The Bible recounts a 6000 year history of God first saying He'll do something and then doing it. You know them as prophecies, and non-Christian history books document their fulfillment all over the place. Why? Because the idea of Jesus being a myth is a myth that in my opinion is more
easily busted than proving that a jet engine really can't fly a Chevy. The biggest question you should ask is-
Is Jesus Christ really who He claimed to be - which is God in the flesh and the
Savior of the world? This is a question that has already been confirmed - now all you need to do is confirm your place in heaven by trusting in Jesus alone as your only hope of salvation. Head: What you need to know about this truth
The Jesus Christ who is described in the Bible is definitely not a myth. He is
God in the flesh and the Savior of the world. Heart: What you need to feel about this truth
Feel confident that your faith in Jesus Christ is not a leap into the dark, it is a
step into the light. There is more proof of His existence than any other ancient figure. Hands: What you need to do about this truth
Bring up a conversation with friends who don't have a relationship with Jesus using
the facts from this week's Soul Fuel. It's a great way to share your faith! From Dare2Share.org
Creation Q & A "When my friend told me that he was trying to quit smoking, I slapped him across __________________________________________
 Author MICHAEL T. POWERS Contributing Author to Chicken Soup for the Christian Teenage Soul and 28 other inspirational books. Over 155,000 people have listened to popular Chicken Soup Author Michael T. Powers' free inspirational message entitled: "Breathing Life into Others". If you aren't one of them just visit: http://www.Heart4Teens.com and click on the link to listen to the free streaming audio message! "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20  ALL-STAR Youth Ministry --The Youth Church of Faith Community Church in Janesville, WI
If you are in 7-12th grade and live in the southern Wisconsin/northern
Illinois area come check us out! Jr. High meets on Sunday mornings from 9:30 am - 10:30 am. High School age meets on Sunday night from 6:30-8:00 pm at Faith Community Church which is located at 2931 Lucerne Dr. in Janesville, WI. (About 3 blocks south-east of the Pontiac Convention Center.) Currently we have students from Edgerton, Fort Atkinson, Milton,
Janesville Craig, Janesville Parker, Marshall, Franklin, Clinton, Beloit Memorial, and Beloit Turner. E-mail me back if you have any questions about our weekly meetings or would like to come to any of our events that are listed below... We have way too much fun and then, most importantly, talk about issues that are relevant to you as a teenager. This Week January 18 The Journey! Seven students. Six days. One unforgettable journey. What happens when you bring together seven unlikely strangers, throw them right in the middle of the Rocky Mountains and take them on a journey through the gospel message as it unfolds throughout the story of the Bible? Raw, real and riveting discussions, an emotional breakdown or two and a few shocking surprises! Jr. High -- 9:30 am - 10:30 am - "The Journey" High School -- 6:30 - 8:00 pm - "The Journey" Visit our youth website to see our topics up through the year 2010! http://www.faithcommunitychurch.net/upcoming_topics __________________________________________  Teen Community Groups 6:30 - 8:00 PM Wednesday nights -- These groups are limited to no more than ten teens and are split into Jr. High and High School ages. This night is for those teens who want to dig deeper than what we do on Sundays. These cell groups will also be doing special activities with each other as the year goes on to build community. Jr. High meets at 2109 N. Pontiac. Questions, call 373-0886 High School meets at 1918 Liberty Lane. Questions, call 757-1938.
This Week January 14: Jr. High: The Power of His Spirit High School: The Cure For Busyness
For more info on our small groups, visit: http://www.faithcommunitychurch.net/small_groups _____________________________________________________ Do you feel as if life has no meaning for you? http://www.HeartTouchers.com/Life_Purpose |
 |
|
Touching Lives - One E-mail at a Time! Author Michael T. Powers - HeartTouchers @ aol.com
|