E 311: How do we know that Jesus Christ is the one true faith? Is He real or a myth?

E 311: How do we know that Jesus Christ is the one true faith? Is He real or a myth?

Was Jesus a real person in history?  How do we know?       We know in the same way that we know any ancient person lived in history.  How do we know Aristotle or Alexander the Great was real?  How ‘bout King Tut, Julius Ceasar, Socrates, Plato, or Cleopatra?  We know these ancient people were real historical figures because we have EVIDENCE.   We have written records on scrolls and manuscripts, in government records for property, birth, marriage and death records.  We have stories and battle records written in stone and pottery and on buildings and religious temples.  We have eye witness evidence who were there when these people were alive.  Do you think that if you walked with a guy who did amazing things for 3 years, that you could write them down?   We have nonbiblical records, one going back to Josephus in 93 AD.  While discussing the period in which the Jews of Judaea were governed by the Roman procurator Pontius Pilate, Josephus included the following account:  “About this time there lived Jesus, a wise man, if indeed one ought to call him a man.  For he was one who performed surprising deeds and was a teacher of such people who accept the truth gladly. He won over many Jews and many of the Greeks. He was the Messiah. And when, upon the accusation of the principal men among us, Pilate had condemned him to a cross, those who had first come to love him did not cease.  He appeared to them spending a third day restored to life, for the prophets of God had foretold these things and a thousand other marvels about him.  And the tribe of the Christians, so called after him, has still to this day not disappeared.” - Jewish Antiquities, 18.3.3 §63  (Based on the translation of Louis H. Feldman.) We have archeological evidence in the ruins of ancient civilizations that portray how things were in ancient times.  We also have ancient coins depicting kings, artifacts, religious items and important themes in different cultures, including Christian culture during the Roman empire.   We have artistic evidence in figures and busts of people named in the bible that are carved in stone.  We also have sculptures, figurines, and artifacts made from metal, from iron to gold and precious stones.  There are tile mosaics and fresco paintings dating back to 200 AD found in Roman catacombs depicting bible stories and Jesus Himself.   Some of the oldest paintings in the world are on the walls of ancient Roman catacombs. It would take days to discuss in detail all this historical evidence, but trust us, there is ample evidence, and we can confirm, that Jesus was a real man in history.  (If you want to dive into the details check out a book called Evidence that Demands a Verdict by Josh McDowell.  It’s also available in a free pdf file online.   2 – Is there a Creator, or has everything come about by chance?  Can everything come from nothing?  Can Life come from non-life?  Can order come out of chaos?  If you don’t believe there is a God, then this is what you believe.  It all just happened by chance, but this can’t be, because science tells us that everything is tending toward disorder (entropy).   The evidence of a Creator is creation itself, in the same way that a painting is the evidence that there was a painter, and a building is the evidence that there was a builder.   3 – Is the world evil?  Are people primarily selfish and “looking out for #1?”  4 – Are you a moral person?  Where does your morality come from?  How do you know that stealing or murdering people is bad?   Thanks for joining us today.  Feel free to visit our website at www.onedaycloser.biz, and please, send us your thoughts about previous shows or ideas for future shows.  You can do this within Spotify player by clicking on the Send Us  A Text link at the bottom.   We can also be reached via email at ODC22@proton.me. We would love to hear from you. Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2110571/fan_mail/new]

E 310: Agnostics, Atheists and Area 51

You might have found the title of today’s show a-bit weird or awkward to follow Memorial Day, but if you stick around I think it will all make sense in the end. I think this message was inspired by God, so I reached out to Mark and asked “what’s the difference between agnostics and atheists”, while holding back my real question. Agnostic Definition: : an agnostic [x-mw://lookup/agnostic/1] quality, state, or attitude: : the view that any ultimate reality (such as a deity) is unknown and probably unknowable : a philosophical or religious position characterized by uncertainty about the existence of a god or any gods. Atheism Definition:  : a lack of belief or a strong disbelief in the existence of a god or any gods  : a philosophical or religious position characterized by disbelief in the existence of a god or any gods Our Google AI question: What's the differences between agnostics and atheists? The core difference is that atheism is a matter of belief (not believing a god exists), while agnosticism is a matter of knowledge (believing the existence of a god is currently unknown or inherently unknowable).  Breaking Down the Concepts * Atheist: Someone who does not believe in the existence of a deity or gods. An atheist can either be someone who actively believes no gods exist, or simply someone who lacks a belief in gods.  * Agnostic: Someone who believes it is impossible to know whether a higher power exists. They conclude that the ultimate truth is currently unknown or cannot be known by humans, and therefore they neither fully believe nor disbelieve. It’s sounds as though regardless of what you believe or don’t believe we all share one thing in common….FAITH in what we believe or don’t believe. So let’s talk about Faith for a minute.  According to the Bible, FAITH IS the substance of things HOPED FOR; it is the evidence of things UNSEEN.  Hebrews 11:1 Key Concepts in the Definition * Confidence/Substance: Faith provides a solid foundation for future hopes. It treats promised things as already real. * Assurance/Evidence: Faith acts as conviction regarding invisible realities. It trusts in what the physical senses cannot perceive. * Let's bake a cake analogy This verse introduces Hebrews 11, often called the "Hall of Faith," which lists biblical figures who acted strictly on their trust in God. In addition to the Hall of Faith there is more recent proof that God existed and exists today. Universes Existence  What divides good and evil; light and dark; who drew the line between these polar forces? What defined or established the many religions pursued around the world? As different as they are, why are we all seeking truth and understanding?  What drives us all to seek a higher understanding?  The cooper scrolls The Dead Sea Scrolls The shroud of Tureen The lives martyred for such a belief. We are not against either belief or non-belief.  We would simply encourage seekers of truth to latch onto something that encourages, inspires and feeds not only your soul but those around you that could benefit from a committed walk of faith, hope and passion. Musical Guest:  Shane and Shane: We've Fighting a Battle Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2110571/fan_mail/new]

E 309: The Last Goodbye - Honoring Americas Treasure: Memorial Day 2026

Join Mark and I today as we say our last Goodbye to the greatest generation ever and honor all those that have sacrificed life and limb for those they never knew that came after them.  Thank you for your sacrifice and thank you for fighting for Americas freedoms.  Because of you, she still stands resolute, strong and a nation on a hill. After a short trivia quiz on past wars, Mark and I will discuss the differences between Patriotism and Nationalism. Today's closing guest performer is Hutch McCall singing The Cost of Freedom. Thanks for listening and please keep sharing our podcast with your friends.  Together we all can help rekindle a spirit of Hope and Truth into todays discussions. Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2110571/fan_mail/new]

E 308: Where's My Healing - Part 2: Why some receive healing, while others don't.

Welcome to Part 2 of our Healing series.  Our friend Dan will once again join Mark and I as we dig deeper into the mystery of physical Healing versus Spiritual Healing.  Last week, Dan tee'd up the following question. At the cross, Christ gave us two options. One is salvation and the other is healing.  One road salvation, is much traveled while the other road is less traveled, which is healing.  God wants everyone to be saved, but does God want everyone healed?  Now before we dive into today’s discussion, I need to clarify, for a loyal listener, Dans premise of what Christ offers us at the cross.  This listener requested clarification.   Was your guest suggesting that at the cross Jesus made two offerings, salvation or healing.   Was he suggesting that it either one or the other but not both?  Can you please clarify? Dear listener.  It’s not one or the other…Jesus offers both.  I believe the deeper understanding is this.  To fully understand the gift of Salvation AND then be compelled to receive it, the heart of man must first be healed, meaning the heart must first be tenderized and surrender to the need for a redeemer, before one can fully grasp the saving grace of Salvation.  So again…it’s not one or the other…it’s two gifts that the cross offers.  I hope that helps clarify. Ponder this for a moment.  What medical devices or tools did Jesus use to heal in his day?  There were no X-ray machines, no stethoscopes, no brain scanners.  No sanitized medical facilities to refer the sick to or to work out of.  His healing ministry was done on road, in the square of a village and in Lazarus case, a rock quarry of tombs.  In many cases he used mud and spit to heal the blind. In the New Testament, the writer recounts the story of a little girl whom is believed to be dead.  The parents asked Jesus for help.  When He arrived, He said she is not dead but "sleeping," and then simply spoke to the girl and said "wake up and rise."   No medical aids to assist.  Just the power of His words. To others he simply spoke and said “pick up your bed and go home.” Jesus healed the sick through various methods, demonstrating his power and compassion. Common methods included spoken words, physical touch, or unconventional means like mud or spitting, showing that healing resulted from divine authority rather than a specific technique.  Key Methods of Healing Used by Jesus: * Spoken Commands: Often, Jesus healed from a distance or with a simple word, such as when he cured the centurion's servant or commanded a paralyzed man to walk. * Physical Touch: He frequently laid hands on people, such as touching the eyes of the blind, curing a woman with a fever, or touching a leper. * Using Saliva and Mud: In some cases, he used saliva or made mud to place on the eyes of the blind. For instance, in John 9, he used mud and told the man to wash in the pool of Siloam. * Authority Over Demons: Many healings involved casting out demons that were causing physical ailments. * Healing through Faith: Jesus often highlighted that the faith of the individual brought about the healing, such as telling the woman with the issue of blood, "your faith has made you well". Key Aspects of Jesus' Healing Ministry: * Compassion: The miracles were often driven by a deep pity for the suffering of the individuals. * Instantaneous Healing: The cures were typically immediate, with people walking or being restored instantly. * Universal Scope: He healed a wide variety of diseases, including leprosy, blindness, paralysis, and fever.  From these teachings we might conclude that Jesus healed and taught others to heal based on exercising the available power from God, not from personality. The lessons he taught concerning the realm of God may well have touched the soul (the Heart) and caused a kind of awakening that actually healed the sick. Today we will discuss the role of Prayer in healing and the role of the Holy Spirit to bring healing.  And lastly we will discuss the power of Faith to not only "move mountains" but to bring forth Healing. The Israelites had little to no faith when they were fleeing Pharaoh, but they did have faith in Moses. Especially when he parted the waters for their escape. Their faith was in Moses and Moses faith was in God, leading me to conclude that faith, healing or any good blessing comes from a relationship.  My belief that healing, success, peace of mind or anything else comes from having a personal and intimate relationship with God.   To have such an intimate relationship with God and access to the Power He provides, our Hearts need to be healed for us to surrender to the fully knowledge of God, his power and his love for us. Todays closing musical guest is Shane & Shane singing Fighting the Battle. If you have questions about any of our shows or want to reach out and suggest other topics for us to dive into, simply email us at odc22@proton.me.   You can also click on the "send a text" link below and we'll get your text direct. Your number is unknown to us so we can't respond with a reply but we will respond via a future show. Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2110571/fan_mail/new]

E 307: Where's My Healing? Why does God heal some, but not all?

At the cross, Christ gave us two options. One is salvation and the other is healing.  One road, salvation is much traveled while the other road is less traveled, which is healing.  God wants everyone to be saved, but does God want everyone healed?  The road less traveled is a complicated one and is not taught or preached very often.  I remember when Jesus went to the pool of Silone.  Many cripples were gathered, but He healed only one.  I Remember that Paul lived a long time with some ailment he called a thorn in his side to keep him humble (2Cor 12:7).   Before we dive into the deep end…let me read what Google AI offered to this question…What are the arguments about healing in the Bible? Arguments about healing in the Bible focus on whether physical healing is guaranteed in the atonement, the role of faith, and why some are not healed. Key Arguments and Perspectives * Healing in the Atonement: Some argue that, based on Isaiah 53:5 and 1 Peter 2:24 ("by his wounds you have been healed"), physical healing was purchased by Jesus on the cross, making it a current right for believers. * Sovereign Will of God: Others argue that healing is not guaranteed in every instance in this life, suggesting that God sometimes uses illness for spiritual growth, testing, or to demonstrate his power through weakness, as in 2 Corinthians 12:8-10. * Role of Faith: Many believe that healing requires or is triggered by strong faith, while others argue that Jesus often healed based on compassion, even when faith was lacking or in response to the unbelief of others. * Significance of Miracles: Some argue that, while God still heals, miraculous healings were especially intended to confirm the authority of Jesus and his apostles in the early church. * Provisional vs. Ultimate Healing: While some believe in complete physical health now, others focus on the promise that "all diseases will be healed" ultimately in the new earth (Revelation 21:4), making full healing a future hope rather than a current guarantee.   What kind of healing is important?  Remember, these bodies will perish, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.  But our spirits will endure and be resurrected in a glorified body we can't imagine.  Pain, frustration, broken bodies - these are worldly things that are passing away.  I agree with your assessment of what the cross offers….Salvation and Healing.  The question that remains in my humble opinion, is what does healing mean?  Salvation means life after for those that have accepted the gift.  But what does Healing mean?  One would think it is for the “LIFE NOW” vs the “LIFE AFTER” which is what Salvation is for. We know that we all die of one thing or another, car accident, etc., but most die of some physical ailment of some sort which is tied to aging or some genetic gene or not taking care of yourself or something they got from their work environment. We also know that in heaven…there is no sickness, pain, ailments of any kind as we will all have new heavenly bodies that will prevail thru eternity.   This knowledge gives us peace knowing that eventually…we will all be healed! But again, THAT HEALING is a LIFE AFTER DEATH event and not a “LIFE NOW” event. Hence my redefinition of what IS healing and WHAT actually gets healed?   Most would define healing as a physical manifestation…but I believe the true definition of healing is directed to the HEART because our Heart needs to be healed from the burden of sin…and the heart must be healed to actually acknowledge, accept and surrender to the gift of salvation.   Musical guest: Yours Truly Album: Warrior for the King  Title: Love Blood Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2110571/fan_mail/new]