Easter 2024

 

What would cause someone to voluntarily submit to the agony of the Cross?

Any honest student of history will agree that there was a historical Jesus. Given that, the Bible teaches that He -

• Was born of a virgin
• Suffered unbelievable torture
• Was crucified
• Was stabbed by a Roman soldier to ensure his death
• Was buried

.... And rose from the dead!

He also made an outlandish claim, which if true, places a great burden on us. "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me."  John 14:6 (KJV)

The Bible also teaches that we all live, die, and  will face judgement. 

However, if you come to know Jesus, He has already taken your judgement on Himself.  "He that believeth on Him (Jesus) is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." John 3:18. (KJV)

So, please explore His claims. It is not enough to know about Jesus, you must know Him. 

To answer the question asked at the beginning, look to John 3:16, "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Before you go, check out the Got Jesus tab above (or HERE) to learn how to know Him. 

The One Shot Group

In the movie The Patriot, Benjamin Martin takes his two young boys to rescue his oldest son from British soldiers. He gives his sons specific instructions, including -

AIM SMALL, MISS SMALL

What can we learn from this scene? I started thinking about the fact that in those days, a person only had one shot with a muzzleloader; and in a self defense situation, it was take the shot, then use whatever other means were available to escape or prevail over the bad guy. 

So -

What if we started training as if there was only one shot? Ergo, the title of this post. A few years ago, I wrote about handgun stopping power, and discussed the ways a fight can be stopped. You can read that post HERE. 

This drill is super simple. When you arrive at the range, put a target out at 25 yards. Draw or pick up your pistol (depending on range rules) and take one shot. Now relax for a few minutes, then check your hit. End of the drill. How did you do? 

If you can't deliver the shot at 25 yards, what range can you do it at?

How far can you do it with iron sights?

With a red dot sight?

With a laser?

Vital Dude target. White dot added to clarify the shot location. 25 yds, 
with a laser pointed at the middle of the nose.

Happily, we are not restricted to only one shot with modern handguns. For those of us who live in free states, ammunition capacity is limited only by our personal desire and circumstances. If we have to shoot, we shoot until the threat is stopped.

Ordinary reasonable people really don't want to shoot someone, and avoidance of bad situations is the best defense. But if you are in a public place and someone comes in and starts shooting, you need to do your best to deliver the shot. . . . and try to make the first one count.

If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. (Romans 12:18 KJV)