Plane Speaking

The difference between a Christian and an atheist is that the atheist waits until turbulence hits before he prays.

Bowing Down to Anything

<< I've always wondered what the effigy of Christ on the cross that one finds in most churches is, if not an idol? In days of yore, I can specifically remember praying to that effigy and seeing many others pray to it. I'm confused as to how that doesn't count as worshipping a graven idol, as is clearly forbidden in the ten commandments. Is it simply considered to be a relay station for prayers on their way to god and thusly sanctified through holy loophole?>>

Joel, that’s a good question (I don't know if you're an atheist. Many people who are now high profile atheists are ex-Catholics--see my book Hollywood Be Thy Name for details). The Second of the Ten Commandments forbids paying homage (bowing down) to any graven image of any likeness, anywhere. The Roman Catholic church got around it by removing the Second Commandment and splitting the last one into two Commandments, to make up the ten. It sounds hard to believe, so check it out for yourself on the Vatican web site: www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/command.htm).
I have copied the following directly from the site. Here's the Second Commandment: "You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them or serve them . . . " (Exodus 20:4). Here is the Tenth Commandment: “You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant, or his maidservant, or his ox, or his ass, or anything that is your neighbor's” (Exodus 20:17). The Roman Catholic Catechism (the official teaching of the church) removes the Second Commandment completely and splits the Ninth Commandment so that the Second won’t be missed. Here’s how they split it: “9. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife. 10. You shall not covet your neighbor's goods.” I hope this helps.

“Atheism is a crutch for those who cannot bear the reality of God.” -- Tom Stoppard

Eternal Salivation

Someone once said, “Everything I love in life is either, illegal, immoral, or fattening.” That’s the testimony of many of us, until we come to the cross. A new heart helps us deal with wanting to drive over the speed limit, or do anything that is immoral. However, I have to admit, I still have a love for things that fattening, and I don’t think I’m alone. How about popcorn and pecans covered in caramel? What about steaming hot chocolate sauce pudding, with a mountain of ice cream on top of it, then whipped cream on top of that, with a cherry on the top, to top it off? Huh? What about a pile of chocolate-covered macadamia nuts (you may see a pattern here)? I could go on about pastries and pies, cake and cookies, but I will spare you. So, why is it that so many of life’s wonderfully delicious pleasures for which we have such an appreciation, have negative repercussions? Perhaps it’s just another part of living in a fallen creation. Picnics have flies, ants and mosquitoes. Dreams have nightmares. Babies have colic, seas have sharks, roses have thorns, life has death, and chocolate has calories. Not long to go--“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). Eternal salivation indeed.

Fear or Trembling?

<< Would you please elaborate on the concept of fear in this context? When you speak of fear, do you mean respect/reverence or terror? >>

I can’t separate the two. Jesus said, “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28). Obviously we are to reverence God. But that verse is speaking of far more than reverence. It’s a trembling at the thought of what God can do to us (this concept of God is contrary to the popular “God is our buddy” of contemporary Christianity). He can cast our body and soul into Hell. That is truly terrifying. Look now at the Psalmist as he says the same thing: “My flesh trembles for fear of you; and I am afraid of your judgments” (Psalm 118:120). Why did he tremble--because he was afraid of God’s judgments. When the Bible spoke of the coming of Jesus as a babe, we are told “He shall save His people from their sins.” Why didn’t the angel say that He would save us from Hell? Because it is sin that will take us to Hell. It is the crime that sends the criminal to prison. If you want to keep a criminal out of prison, keep him out of crime. If I am saved from sin, I am saved from Hell, and it is a healthy fear of God that keeps me away from the pleasures of alluring sins. When sin flutters its seductive eyes, I see only the fear of God, and turn away. It is that fear that keeps me trusting in Christ by the minute and will keep me out of Hell. If I was introduced to the President of the United States, I would have a reverential fear, because of his office (his political position). However, I wouldn’t be afraid of him harming me. Does that mean that as a Christian I live in a state of constant paranoia? Of course not. It actually means I live in a constant sense of love and security. It’s the same kind of “fear” that a child has for his loving father. Why doesn’t the child run with the local gang of kids and create havoc in his neighborhood? Because he knows that if he did, he would be heading for a good whoopin’ in the woodshed. The child knows that his dad loves him enough to set boundaries, and even at his young age, he knows that those boundaries were set for his good. No other reason.

Christians For Dinner

In mid-December of 2007, I received a kind invitation to have dinner with thirty atheists. I gratefully accepted their offer, and asked if I may bring a friend. Please pray for my manager (Mark Spence) and myself, that God will give us love, grace, and wisdom. I will be taking a hand-held HD camera, and they have agreed to let me interview them and find out why they believe as they do. It should be interesting. The date of the dinner is January 8th, 2008. Thanks for your prayers. I will let you know the outcome.

Tough Time Financially?

If you are feeling the pinch, I have an idea which might help you get on your feet. I’m not necessarily thinking of greedy atheists that read this blog, but families that are struggling. But if a greedy atheist runs with this, that’s okay. Most parents and grandparents have a stack of unused toys that kids and grandkids have outgrown. Here’s my idea. Go door to door and offer to pay cash for the unused toys. I would gladly get rid of a pile of unused toys for $25. Just buy ones that can be easily washed with one of those high-powered hoses. Get an empty store, put up a sign that says “Toy Swap,” and allow customers to bring in their unused toys and swap them for the ones their kids like. Charge a fee to swap each one--$1 for real small toys, $3 for average size, and $5 for larger plastic bikes, etc. I think it would take off. “Toys Are Us” (wrong spelling) would probably pay you to stay out of business. Then again, it may stimulate the toy industry. Whatever the case, I wish you well.

"It amazes me to find an intelligent person who fights against something which he does not at all believe exists." -- Gandhi

Atheist Missions

There are tens of thousands of Christian missions around the world that feed the homeless and take care of the poor. So I thought I would see how many atheist missions came up on the Internet. I typed in “Atheist Missions,” and guess how many came up? Zip. I tried the search words “atheists feed the poor.” None. “Atheists helping the homeless.” No results. I got more results from typing in “Hen’s teeth.” So, Mr. Atheist, if the economy turns sour and leaves you homeless, thank God that there are Christian missions out there that will feed you, clothe you, and give you and your children somewhere to sleep. If you find yourself in a disaster, thank God for the Salvation Army (Christian based), or the Red Cross (Christian based), or if you are taken to a hospital because of a serious illness, you may end up in a Saint John’s, a Saint Jude’s or some other hospital whose name reminds us of its roots. One more thought. If you find yourself in a lifeboat with no food and a group of very hungry people who are checking you out for lunch (it has happened), who would you rather be sharing the lifeboat with--a group of starving evolutionists who believe in “survival of the fittest” and have no moral absolutes, or with a group of Christians, who love their neighbor as themselves and fear God?

Where’s Moses?

The Scriptures tell us that Israel lost sight of Moses, so they asked Aaron to make them their own god. So Aaron, listening to the voice of the people, asked Israel to contribute to make an idol, and everyone had something to give. He then created the golden calf, and that’s what Israel bowed down to (see Exodus 32). When church leaders listen to the voice of the people, they end up with an idol. If we asked America what their image of God is like, most would give their contribution and say that He is loving, kind, merciful, and good. “God is a good God” isn’t just alliteration. It is the image America has of God, and it has created that image because it has lost sight of Moses. When the Law is preached, suddenly God isn’t only good, but He is perfect, holy, just, and good. Without the Law of Moses to give us perspective on the character of God we end up worshipping a golden calf, and when mammon is worshipped, like Israel, the nation ends up in a sexual orgy. And then comes the predictable judgment of God. There only way to bring this nation to its senses is to do what Moses did--cast the Law down at its feet, show them that they have broken it into a thousand pieces, and ask “Who is on the Lord’s side?”

Rammed Down the Throat

In 1982 a Gallup Poll asked Americans were if they believed that God created mankind. An amazing 82% said that they believed He did. In 2007, the same question was asked, and 81% said they thought that God created man. So despite more than 50 years of evolution being rammed down the throats of school children and television viewers, the belief in Intelligent Design only dropped 1 %. It seems that the average person isn’t easily fooled by all the lies. www.gallup.com/poll/21814/Evolution-Creationism-Intelligent-Design.aspx

Worse Than His Bite

I noticed that one of our guest atheists said that he knows all about the Bible because he was once a “strong Christian.” Hold it there for a moment. He was once a strong Christian? Let’s analyze what he is saying. A Christian is someone who knows the Lord: "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (John 17:3, see also Hebrews 8:11). So our atheist friend is admitting that he knew the Lord? He is admitting that God is real and he has turned his back on Him? If confronted with such a thought, he will predictably say, “I thought I knew the Lord.” If that’s the case, then he was never a Christian. He thought he was, but he wasn’t. He was a false convert. There is one well-known atheist who has an itinerant ministry, who says that he was a Christian pastor for 17 years. That’s impressive. Judas only managed to fake it for three and a half years. This man faked it for seventeen years--in a pulpit! His name is Dan Barker. A number of years ago I emailed Dan and explained about the Judas thing. Barker bit back that if I ever contacted him again, I would hear from his service providers. Wow! I must have struck a roar nerve (deliberate spelling).We often call these people bitter “backsliders.” However, they aren’t backsliders, because they never slid forward in the first place. The correct term for them is “false converts.” They are mentioned in Mark chapter 4, and in the Book of Peter, where they are likened to a pig that goes back to it’s filth, and a dog that returns to its vomit.

Sporting Event

This weekend my manager and I will be leaving the warmth of Southern California to freeze a little in Green Bay, Wisconsin. A brother who plays for the Green Bay Packers loves our ministry and has invited me to speak at his church, and then watch him play. He is even putting the two of us in a “box.” We are going to take our hand-held HD camera and try and interview some of the players as to their beliefs about the afterlife. Hopefully we will get some good interviews.

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His Name Was Mudd

Have you heard of Dr. Samuel Mudd? He was the doctor who treated the broken leg of John Wilkes Booth. He was found guilty of conspiracy by a military court in the death of Abraham Lincoln. He escaped being hanged by one vote, and was delivered to a mosquito infested prison off the coast of Florida, called “Dry Tortugas,” that was said to be a Hell on earth. When Hollywood made a movie of the life of Mudd, they wrote across the doorway of the prison “Leave hope behind who enter here.” What a terrible thought--that any human being would have to enter a place that has no hope. Listen to how the world describes hopelessness--by saying “He hasn’t a hope in Hell.” What fearful truths the world often says in vain. There will be no hope of escape for those who are damned in Hell forever. The Bible asks a rhetorical “How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation” (Hebrews 2:3). How we must pray with earnest passion, be true and faithful in our witness, and plead with this dying world with the utmost sobriety.

Atheist Paranoia

Joshua S. Black, when addressing an atheist said, “For people who don't believe in God, you guys sure are paranoid about something!!” How true that is. I have known many atheists, and I have found them to be totally committed to their negative cause. They are zealots, fanatics--who are serious, angry, hateful, and blasphemous towards something they don’t believe in. And what’s more, they spend their time gathering fuel for the fire of their hatred for God and those that love Him. They gather what they think is legitimate fuel, whether it is atrocities committed by hypocritical religions of history, or the horrors of the Inquisition (the Catholic church torturing Christians for their faith in Jesus). They even gather unintelligent and unscientific material. It qualifies for use because it fits their presuppositions. Any fuel will do, as long at it puts smoke between them and the God they hate “without cause.” It was Jonathon Miller who said, “In some awful, strange, paradoxical way, atheists tend to take religion more seriously than the practitioners.” So, what is this “something” about which they are so paranoid? It is the same “something” that makes criminals paranoid, and it is that paranoia that fuels criminals to have a deep-rooted hatred for the police. It’s not the individual officer they hate; it’s what he stands for--civil law. And that’s the root of the hatred that the atheist has for God and for those that represent Him. Once again, the Bible has said this all along. It hits the nail on its big and hard head: Romans 8:7: “. . . because the mind of the flesh [with its carnal thoughts and purposes] is hostile to God, for it does not submit itself to God's Law; indeed it cannot” (Amplified Bible). They hate the morality that God’s Law demands. That's the fuel for their hostility.

The Mother of Knowledge

I used to have an uncle who repeated almost everything my aunt said. It wasn’t a full repetition; it was rather the last five or six words of her sentence . . . six words of her sentence. The repeating came in while she was still trailing off. He probably didn’t even know he was doing it. It was a substantiation, an echo of what was being said. Once I noticed it, I was fascinated by it and as a child it sure helped me remember what she said. It’s been well-said that repetition is the mother of knowledge. Repetition is the mother of knowledge. If you want to get God’s word into your memory, write it down, then review it and review it again. Then repeat it out loud, again, and then again until it automatically echoes in your mind. Three times in a matter of a couple of minutes Jesus repeated the necessity of the new birth as a means of entering Heaven (John 3:1-5). Three times. Never be slow to repeat this truth in the ears of the unsaved. They need to hear it again and again until it sinks into their minds--that we have angered God and we are heading for Hell. No amount of good works can save us--only the grace of God in Jesus Christ, through the new birth. Those who surrender to the Savior usually say that they had heard the gospel repeated many times, but suddenly it was the first time they “heard” it.

Within the Sound of the Pulpit

I have deep sadness when I listen to America’s popular preachers. They have stripped the gospel of that which is designed to awaken its hearers, and replaced it with a message of life-enhancement. And I suspect that they have no idea what they have done. Their large congregations and commendations from the world have confirmed them in their error. They are like a doctor who became extremely popular because he never used a needle to inoculate his ever-increasing number of patients against a deadly disease. He didn’t like the feeling he got when the needle brought them pain, so his discarded it in the name of love. When his patients began to die of an agonizing disease, his professed love was seen for what it was---a terrible betrayal. Millions of unconverted church-goers sit in pews with a Bible on their lap, asleep in their sins within earshot of the pulpit. Listen to these sobering words of warning from J. C. Ryle: “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God, but never so fearful as when men fall from under the Gospel. The saddest road to Hell is that which runs under the pulpit, past the Bible, and through the midst of warnings and invitations.” How much more sad is it when there is no warning given . . .

Bitter Man

A teacher in Red Oak, Iowa maintained that he was fired after telling his students not to interpret the story of Adam and Eve as being literal. Steve Bitterman, 60, who was teaching a western civilization course said he often used extracts from the Old Testament as part of the class. Bitterman said: "I'm just a little bit shocked myself that a college in good standing would back up students who insist that people who have been through college and have a master's degree, a couple actually, have to teach that there were such things as talking snakes or lose their job." So, Bitterman doesn’t believe in talking snakes. I wonder if he believes in talking parrots, or primates that communicate in sign language, or dolphins that converse with to each other? However, he has master’s degrees so he more than likely knows that animals are too dumb to actually talk. They are not as intelligent as modern man, who thinks that he came from a bang that came from nothing, that became a fish which over millions of years discarded its gills, evolved lungs, grew arms and legs, crawled up from the ocean, tossed away its fins, became male and female, and then learned to talk.

This is Just For Men

Someone once asked me the question “What’s the difference between in-laws and outlaws?” The answer was that outlaws are wanted. I am fortunate, because I have wonderful in-laws who love the Lord. Some people don’t, and it’s a scary fact of life that a man doesn’t just marry a wife, he marries her whole family, and he may therefore have a life-time of rubbing shoulders with people he doesn't like. The unwanted in-laws problem can put a strain on any marriage, but as Christians, the love of God in us can help solve the problem (Jesus said to love our enemies). A lack of finances can be another strain. A big one. So don’t let covetousness and credit cards pull you into debt. Contentment is born out of thanksgiving, contentment is the enemy of greed. If a burglar tries to break into your house, don’t send your wife to the door. As a man, you could never do that. So, don't send your wife to the door spiritually. Take the lead. Don’t let the thief who came to kill, steal and destroy, steal time with your wife and destroy your marriage. You initiate prayer together. You read the Scriptures with her daily. And here’s something else that will help your marriage. It’s a principle that took me years to learn. When your wife has a problem on her mind, just let her talk it out. Don’t offer solutions. Zip it. I know it's hard, but believe it or not, she doesn’t want a solution. She just wants a listening ear. I know it sounds strange, but we are talking about a different species here. Do you like messing around in a women’s shoe store for hours? Nope. She does. Do you like talking while the TV is on? Nope. She does. Do you give every tiny detail about a new born baby? She does. They are a different species. So deal with it and just listen. It works. For further instruction about both men and women, see, 101 Things That Husbands Do To Annoy Their Wives. Sue helped me write it in ten minutes.

The most brilliant Christian, is the one who lets his light shine.

Why Bother?

Atheists are guilty of using what they often accuse Christians of doing--using “circular reasoning.” They say embarrassingly unintelligent things, such as “You can’t prove the flying spaghetti monster doesn’t exist, and I can’t prove that God doesn’t exist. You therefore have an obligation to prove that God exists.” No we don't. The “burden of proof” doesn’t lie with the Christian. If someone is so irrational as to say that my car had no maker, I am under no obligation to try to prove to him that it does. The man is obviously mentally deranged, and the Bible says, “Answer not a fool according to his folly” (Proverbs 26:4). So why do we bother answering at all? Because the next verse in Scripture has a special dispensation for a certain type of fool. If he is “wise is his own conceit”--if he thinks his foolish argument is clever (how well that describes the average atheist), then we are to answer him. Bluntly stated, we answer him because real Christians don’t let foolish atheists go to Hell. Not without a fight.

Full of Mistakes

<< martin james: I was unable to find your definition of atheist in the dictionary. Did you make it up? If we're redefining words here we're going to run into problems communicating.>>

Martin,

I find it interesting that you appeal to the absolute authority of the dictionary. Wasn’t it written by men? Don’t men make mistakes? Aren’t there all sorts of different versions? Which one is right? Hasn’t it changed down through the ages? Besides, who are they (whoever “they” are) to say what’s right and what’s wrong when it comes to word definitions? There are no verbal absolutes. Everyone to his own. However, I think we can still communicate.

Why the Trembling?

A pastor was once seen pacing as he was preparing to deliver his sermon. When he was asked by members of his congregation if he was nervous, he answered, “Always. But it’s not you. It’s Him.” Those that fear God show themselves to be true and faithful witnesses. They preach the fear of the Lord because they live in the fear the Lord, something the Bible calls “the beginning of wisdom.” We need more men in the pulpit that tremble when they preach His Word, because the fear of God is contagious. May He give them to us while there is still time.

One Sows Another Reaps

I have often joked about how candy companies are secretly owned by Weight-watchers. If one didn’t exist, there would be no need for the other. The principle is common in much of contemporary society. The fast food folks feed the fitness industry. Customers pay to get fat, and then they pay more to get fit. And what's more, both industries provide jobs. Think of how much employment other popular industries provide. Cigarette manufacturers supply employment for tobacco farmers, printers, advertisers, cancer doctors, oxygen tank suppliers, heart and lung surgeons, and undertakers. Alcohol companies supply work for bottle-makers, can manufacturers, printers, advertisers, for doctors, liver transplant surgeons, undertakers, marriage counselors, tow truck workers, ambulance drivers, nurses, drug manufacturers, mental institutions, the Betty Ford clinic, the police, and of course most of the court and prison system. Hollywood had it right. It is a mad, mad world, and it’s full of insane people who are intent on self-destruction. I’m so looking forward to a new heaven and the new earth, where the insanity will stop.

Memory Bank

Can you recall your very first memory? Mine was as a four year-old in kindergarten. We had to line up for a class photograph and as I was the shortest, I was taken to the front and made to sit crossed legged holding the class sign. I find the subject of memory banks incredibly fascinating. In a second I can withdraw memoirs from the bank and re-spend them. Smells, songs, or something I see can trigger a pleasant or a painful memory. Of course, like so many things we take for granted, the memory process is truly amazing. Think of a pleasant memory. Perhaps it’s your house as a child. If you close your eyes and concentrate enough, you can actually walk through the door of your old house, into the kitchen, down the hall, into your bedroom and look at things, all within the corridors of your mind. There’s also a fearful side to this. The memory has also recorded every sin we have ever committed. Yet, as a Christian I thank God that He knows nothing about them. The Bible says that He has forgotten my sins. However, there is the thought that if God is all-knowing, then He will know exactly what He has forgotten. So the only way we can reconcile His forgetting with His omniscience is to realize that He has annihilated our sins, through the blood of Christ. They no longer exist. Psalm 103:12 says, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” They have been removed as far as the east is from the west. That’s an infinite distance. If I am at the South Pole and head north, I will eventually hit the North Pole. But if I head towards the east, I will never find the west. It’s in the opposite direction. So, because of the cross the sins of those who trust in Jesus are at an infinite distance from the mind of God. Praise the Lord for that. Now there’s a massive understatement.

Some Minor Details

My heart goes out to people with bad back pain. I had it for years, but by the grace of God I found something that fixed it. Completely. I purchased some plastic inserts through a TV infomercial, and to my surprise they worked. Now I want to tell others with back pain, so that they won’t have to suffer. My heart also goes out to those who suffer from insomnia. After years of laying awake at night, by the grace of God I figured out how to induce sleep. Now I want to tell others about it so that they won’t suffer from insomnia (I even wrote a book about it). Then again, you could get a drug that promises that it will help you get to sleep. The makers assure the potential buyer that it really works, however, there are some possible minor side effects. They use a kind-sounding and soothing male voice in their advertisement to give some minor details: “Sleep walking and eating or driving while not fully awake, with amnesia for the event have been reported . . . [it] may cause severe allergic reaction such as swelling of your tongue or throat or shortness of breath [suffocation]. If you experience any of these reactions contact your doctor [or undertaker] immediately. Other side effects may include next day drowsiness, dizziness and headache . . . it has some risk of dependency.” My heart also goes out to people who are in their sins, hopelessly waiting to die. Back in April 25th, 1972 I found the complete answer. I turned from my sins and put my trust in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Now, by the grace of God, I have everlasting life, and want to tell the world.

Cool Gift

I was delighted when a huge box recently arrived at the ministry with my name on it. I gently ripped it open and found a 1950’s style Coca Cola refrigerator, complete with a lid at the top. We put it in the lobby where it not only adds character to the place, but it means that we will have a bottle of water (or a Pepsi) ready for visitors. One problem. The giver was anonymous. I couldn’t trace who it was that sent it to me. That means I have to be nice to everyone. If it was one of you, thank you for such thoughtful kindness. It’s a gift that will go on giving for a long time.

The Parking Spot

A Los Angeles woman was battling an insurance company to pay for an operation to save her daughter. As she held a news conference, she was informed that the insurance company had suddenly decided to pay for the operation, so she cried out, “God is with me!” Sadly, the approval came too late--a short time later the daughter tragically died. It reminded me of a lesson I learned as a new Christian. I had prayed for a parking spot, and when someone pulled out of one in the next instant, I took it as a healthy token that God was with me, and said, “Praise the Lord!” Suddenly, someone beat me to the parking space. It was a good lesson--never take what is perceived as a positive answer to prayer as a sign that God is with us. In John 11:30 it seemed to Mary that Jesus didn’t care, when He failed to respond immediately to help her ailing brother. If our faith in God is dependent on positive answers to prayer, it won’t be long until we become disillusioned. When Paul lists the trials that often come to the Christian (see Romans 8:35), he concludes by saying that we are more than conquerors “through Him that loved us.” That’s a direct reference to the cross. He loved us. The cross is the lighthouse of His love, and that’s where we find our stability. It shines as the evident token of God’s love--that He is with all those who repent and trust the Savior. It is that knowledge that will keep us off the rocks of despair, in life’s greatest storms.

Atheist Definition

<< Munjaros said...What's your definition of an atheist?>>

Munjaros,

An atheist is a person who pretends that there is no God.

Best wishes, Ray

Circle of Futility

Those who reject "In the beginning” leave themselves with no beginning, no end, and no reason to be in-between.

The Atheist's Hope

When it’s pointed out to an atheist that it’s his obligation to provide information as to why he believes God doesn’t exist, he will be quick to say that he can’t do it. The best he can do is hope that God doesn’t exist.

Crazy Pilot

In December, 2007, a family of four was lost in freezing snow in the mountains of California. After three days of searching, a helicopter pilot spotted the word “Help” that had been stomped into the snow, swooped down and rescued them. Imagine if they had instead frozen to death, and at the inquest, the pilot said that he had seen the word in the snow, and had come to the conclusion that it was the product of a snowstorm. Imagine if he said that he believed that random chance had formed the letters. The man would be immediately (and rightly) declared mentally unstable. The most simple-minded human being (as apposed to unreasoning beasts) must always conclude that any intelligent message has been written by an intelligent mind. The discovery of the language of DNA should immediately convert every reasoning human being into believing that creation has Intelligent Design. However, we are warned in Scripture that there is such a thing as “unreasonable” men (see 1 Thessalonians 3:1-3). It is a sad testimony to the lack of human intelligence, when such blatant unreasonableness by some in the community is interpreted by the world to actually be intellectual.

Tough Time?

Are you going through a tough time? We pray for deliverance, and sometimes circumstances change for the better. But sometimes they get worse. Sometimes Lazarus dies. But in the midst of what seems like a tragedy, the Christian possesses something very special; a secret consolation. Let me remind you of it by asking you a question. Have you ever had a song in your mind that you can’t seem to shake? Now and then I get one that plays over and over in my head (there must be a “repeat” mode in there). Sometimes it’s even on “play” from the moment I wake up in the morning. One such song was from the 1960’s. The words were “You don’t have to say you love me, just be close at hand. You don’t have to stay ‘forever,’ I will understand. Believe me, believe me.” It reminded me of our secret consolation. God didn’t have to say He loved us, but He did, through the cross. He is always close at hand no matter what lion’s den in which we find ourselves. He will never, ever forsake us, and this relationship is forever. May we understand such a truth. All we have to do is believe Him. Believe Him. It all comes down to trust and obey, for there’s no other way. I feel another song coming . . .

Musical Laws

Do you ever think about music? I don’t mean in an emotional sense. I mean objectively. Most of us never give it any depth of thought. It’s just there, and we use it for our pleasure. But I would like you to give it some thought, right now. Sing a tune. Any tune. Go on. I will wait for a minute while you think of one . . . Got it? Okay. Now, consider the fact that you (hopefully) started singing in the right “key.” That key is essential to the melody, because without it you will open a door that those around you will want to quickly close. Think now of the "beat" of the tune. It has a law of consistency to it. It may be slow or fast, but it is steady, and each beat is connected to its predecessor. It’s a law of synchronization. As you sing, you are also hopefully holding the “tune.” Think now of the variety of differing harmonies that can come alongside the tune, and yet the music still remains in one accord. How incredibly amazing to think that God created this invisible thing we call “music.” His unspeakable genius is seen in the laws that govern it. Without those laws, we don’t have music. We simply have noise. Like this mystical thing called "fire," music lies dormant until we light its warm and wonderful spark. The more I think of this amazing creation in which we live, the more I am awestruck beyond words by its amazing Creator.

Reversing a Curse

Do you get “floaters”? They are very common. They are small shadows on the eyeball that move when the eye is moved. I have had them now and then over the years but I got one that stayed some time ago. When I asked around, I found that they are very common. Someone even told me that he had so many floaters he would often play a kind of PAC-MAN when he had nothing to do. I’m not at that level as yet. Mine is at a point where I still jump out of my wits because I see a “spider” on a wall to my right, or a fly, or two cursers on the screen of my laptop. Floaters can be a little annoying, but I have turned the curser into a blessing. Whenever I see it, I have programmed myself to use it as an alarm clock for me to pray that God raises up laborers who will seek the lost. Maybe you have annoying things in your life--persistent “floaters” that suddenly show up in front of your eyes. Don’t let them get you down. Rather, let them get you to prayer. Turn a curse into a blessing.

The Problem of Drooling

After our dog died we decided that we wouldn’t get another one. That is, until I spotted a man who was leashed to a Great Dane, who had a small crowd packed around him. Most of them were patting the dog and chatting to the man. I immediately saw the evangelistic potential. If I had a Great Dane I would have an instant bridge to reach out to the unsaved. I could even print up a dog tract using the cream of an unpublished book called, 101 Things Dogs Do To Annoy Their Owners. When I mentioned this to a friend he said that he could have a saddle made for me. That’s the positive side. Here’s the negative. 1. Drooling (I would get one of those sucking things that dentists use, and hook it up to his collar). 2. Shedding (he stays outside during the day). 3. Barking (an anti-bark collar). Then there is the small problem of Sue being horrified at the thought. Maybe it’s the dilemma of how much room he would take up in our bed at night. I had better think on it.

The Character of God

Someone asked me if it was true that God is our enemy before we come to Christ. There is no argument that we are enemies of God. The Scriptures tell us that we are enemies in our “mind” (see Colossians 1:21), and if we are a friend of the world, we are an “enemy of God” (see James 4:4). So, it’s clear that we are enemies of God, but is He an enemy to us? The Bible tells us that when we were in our sins His wrath hovered over us (see John 3:36), and every time we sinned, we stored up further wrath (see Romans 2:5). The fullness of His fury is going to be revealed on the Day of Wrath, in which He will give “tribulation and anguish” to the disobedient (see Romans 2:8-9). Colossians 3:6 calls humanity “children of disobedience” upon whom will come “flaming fire” and “everlasting destruction” (see 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10). So there’s not exactly a state of peace between us and Heaven. We are at war. So is God our enemy? To answer that, ask yourself if a good judge is the enemy of a vicious murderous rapist who stands before him in court. In a judicial sense, he is. The judge is furious at the man, and he will fulfill his wrath through the path of justice. In these days where God’s disposition is painted as one of passive benevolence and He is therefore everyone’s buddy, it’s essential that our preaching reveals His true character as portrayed in Scripture. He is the ultimate righteous and just Judge. He is wrath-filled, and He has appointed death as an officer of the Law that will eventually arrest the guilty. He will charge them with crimes against the Law, and it is those crimes that will take humanity to the prison of Hell, and slam the door. What a fearful thing. However, there is a huge difference between those who are our human enemies and a holy God. When Jesus told us to love our enemies, He said “that you may be children of your father in Heaven: for He makes the sun rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust (see Matthew 5:44-45). That love was ultimately expressed at the cross.

Respectful Person

I yust want to complain that Kurt said on a comercial on Gospel Channel that i`m not a good person yust becose i dont belive in God. yust becose YOU guys dont know what the BLEEP your talking aboat,and i happend to know something aboat the world around me, that maykes me to a bad person?? i respekt every humans, something you do not. if a person dont belive in God, they are not good inof. bur i even try to respekt you,but it is not BLEEP easy when you dont respekt me. i respeckt all people and al life. but i dont belive in God, becose i see the world as it is, i understand more then all of you relegius people. but that dont mayke me to a bad person. And based on that, what you stand for, is discriminating. and you call your self good people? non of you know the meaning of it. BLEEP you. merry BLEEP christmas.

Hark The Herald Angels Sing.

Addendum Version.
Hark the herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!
Peace on earth and mercy mild
God and sinners reconciled"
Joyful, all ye nations rise
What will happen when you die?
Will you go to Heaven or Hell?
Jesus knows! “Emmanuel.”
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"

Christ by highest heav'n adored
Christ the everlasting Lord!
He’s the One who’ll judge us all
Let’s see who will stand or fall…
Have you ever told a lie?
Wished that someone else would die?
Entertained a lusty thought?
Stolen when you should have bought?
Help! We’ve broken God’s Ten Laws!
Who will come to save us all?

That's why Jesus Christ was sent
To be saved you must repent
Died on the cross for all your sin
Repent and put your trust in Him
Mild He laid His glory by
Born that man no more may die
Born to raise the sons of earth
Born to give them second birth
Hark! The herald angels sing
"Glory to the newborn King!"

Chocolate Lovers

I’m the world's biggest skeptic when it comes to what “experts” tell us. One moment they are saying that alcohol is a killer, and the next they are saying it’s the best thing since sliced bread. Yeah, sure. Or they say that being overweight is bad, then it’s good. Yep. Sure. Their studies have driven me into hardened cynicism. I heard one expert say that dark chocolate is good for us. Wha..! Good for us! Huh? He said what? The expert maintained that it contains flavornoids that are in anti-oxidants, and they are associated with “reduced risk of heart disease, reduced risk of injury to blood vessels, reduced risk of diabetes, reduced risk of stroke, and reduced risk of cancer.” I realized that I'd had a bad attitude. I turned from it, and became a believer in what the expert said . . . and faith without works is dead.

The Nations

In Psalm 9:20, David prays “Put them in fear, O Lord: that the nations may know themselves to be but men.” We tend to forget that great nations are made up of human beings that brush their teeth with one brush at a time. Each politically prominent person is just a man or woman “whose breath is in his (or her) nostrils.” If God was to invisibly place His holy hand over our nose and mouth, it’s curtains for us no matter how big the show. Jesus spoke of a man that God said He would snuff out. He said to him, “Tonight your soul is required of you.” We are like a small candle on a very big cake. God is the one who sparks our life and He is the One who puts out the flame, despite natural circumstances that may surround our demise. The world speaks of and trembles at the thought of the “the grim reaper.” We know better. Jesus told us Whom to fear.

How’s Your General knowledge?

Who came up with the powerful words “Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country”? If you answered that it was John Fitzgerald Kennedy (given during his 1961 Inaugural speech), you would be wrong. It was President Kennedy’s speech-writer--probably a Mr. Theodore Sorenson, who was the President’s chief speechwriter at the time. Even though it does take skill in the delivery, something doesn’t quite sit with me when I find out that politicians actually read someone else's words, and that famous comedians don't write their own jokes; they buy them. Here's another question for you. This one is about Bible knowledge. Who wrote the Book of Romans? If you said that it was the Apostle Paul, sorry, you are wrong. He was tied up at the time, so he spoke the entire epistle to Tertius, who wrote it down (see Romans 16:22). So I guess Paul was also a speech writer. But, come to think of it, even he can't take the credit. He had a Ghost-writer.

Value Your Life

There’s a new documentary out that asks the question “Is risk worth the reward.” It’s about base-jumping and other extreme sports, where people put their lives on the line for the excitement of the adrenaline rush. I’m taking a risk here in saying this, but I answer that question with “No. Absolutely not." Never, ever, risk your precious God-given life for anything but the gospel. I have seen a number of extreme sports documentaries where a jumper ignores his self-preserving fear, for the excitement of the risk. At the very end of the documentary, they disclose that the person was tragically killed in a recent jump. I wonder what his last thoughts were about the risk versus pleasure question, just before he hit the earth. I wonder what the thoughts were of those who picked up the bloody and smashed body of the dead person. If you want an adrenaline rush, simply preach open air, and if you are stoned to death for it, eternity will show that the risk was well worth the reward.

Two Tasks

I am always encouraged when I read the writings of men or women of the past who used the same analogies and seemed to feel the same frustrations that we do, when it comes to reaching the lost. Thomas Watson, way back in 1660, wrote of something he called “cruel mercy.” He quoted Jude 23 (“Rescue others by snatching them from the fire!") and then said, “If a man's house were on fire, and another should see it and not tell him of it, for fear of waking him--would not this be cruelty? When we see others sleeping in their sin, and the fire of God's wrath ready to burn them up--and we are silent--is not this cruelty?” All around us we have professed firefighters who prefer to stay in the comfort of the fire station and let people burn. So you and I have a two-fold task 1. To awaken those within the Church to their sober responsibility to reach out to the unsaved. And, 2. To reach out to those who are ignorant as to their true state before God. Perhaps the two tasks are one in the same.

Take the "Naugty or Nice" Test

What do you think? Would you send this to anyone?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0KEHaorFYeg

Moses Knows

I have been reading the Amplified Bible to Sue for our nightly readings for the past year. The neighbors will be pleased when I’m finished (it’s the Amplified Bible, so it should be read a little louder than most). The other night I read John 5:45-47: “Put out of your minds the thought and do not suppose [as some of you are supposing] that I will accuse you before the Father. There is one who accuses you--it is Moses, the very one on whom you have built your hopes [in whom you trust]. For if you believed and relied on Moses, you would believe and rely on Me, for he wrote about Me [personally]. But if you do not believe and trust his writings, how then will you believe and trust My teachings? [How shall you cleave to and rely on My words?]” Often those who are opposed to biblical evangelism say that Jesus didn’t go around condemning sinners. They are right. He didn’t need to. He used the Law of Moses (see Mark 10:17 and other places) because, as He says in this passage, it is the Law of Moses that accuses. It points its ten indignant fingers at sinners and leaves them guilty before the Judgment Bar of a holy God. Those who are persuaded by the Law understand their sinful and condemned condition, and will flee to the Savior for mercy. Those who don't, won't.

Go to the Ant

If you have trouble with laziness, overeating, lust (the usual sins that so easily beset us), or depression, here’s a principle that may help you--weeds don’t grow on a busy foot path. We are often most vulnerable to these sinful weeds when we are idle. So, do something that will keep your mind occupied (other than eat). Here’s a suggestion. Type in search words that are going to get you talking to the unsaved--words such as: “I don’t know if God exists,” “I don’t believe in God,” “Is God real?” “Who was Jesus?” “I don’t like religion,” “I’m afraid of dying.” Think of other words and phrases that will find some lost person, and simply ask them questions--Why do they feel like that? Etc. Before you know it, you will be running to check their responses to your questions. You can build up a file of answers that you can paste into your emails, for those who are offended by “religion,” or can’t see any evidence of God’s existence. To build up a file, go to www.evidencebible.com There you will find 100 of the most commonly asked questions of the Christian faith (plus a lot more). You may cut and paste these free of charge.

Bug Your Doctor

Scotty is the sound man for our radio program. He does a lot of sitting at his computer and was wanting to exercise more, so I encouraged him to take my bike and ride it during his lunch hour. Meanwhile, I went to visit my doctor to get my yearly checkup. I like my doctor. The first time we met he seemed to spend ages looking into my left ear. Then he thoughtfully stood in front of me and said, “I want you to firmly pull down on the earlobe.” So I reached out, grabbed his ear lobe, and pulled down firmly. His face lit up like a man whose face lit up. He laughed and laughed. It was then that I realized that this poor man (even though he was a Christian) had a pretty sad life. People who visit him are usually miserable and complaining about something. So I determined to lift his spirits whenever I could.

I arrived at the doctor’s office, we greeted each other, and then I unbuttoned my shirt and lay on the examination table. Hidden in my hand was a 2-inch lifelike plastic cockroach. I took one to my dentist a few years back. When he told me to open my mouth, there it was, sitting on my tongue. He sure freaked out. There was something deeply gratifying about giving my dentist a little pain.

So, as my doctor checked my heart, I skillfully slipped the roach onto my stomach. It took a second, but boy, did he jump! Then he laughed and laughed. After the examination he just sat there and made small-talk. He was either thoroughly enjoying the fellowship, or he was secretly conducting a psychological examination.

I got back to the ministry and found that Scotty did go for a ride on my bike. He was quietly riding down the street, when suddenly something shot out from a driveway. It was the canine cannonball! Scotty found himself being chased by the crazed, demon-possessed, hate-filled anti-Christ chihuahua. It was the same beast that had been hounding me for weeks. The mad dog must have thought it was me on the bike (yes, Scotty is strikingly handsome). He said that the “little rat” scared the living daylights out of him, and he peddled so fast he burned off three pounds.

Arizona Atheist

The problem with the subject of evolution is that it's full of time-wasting rabbit trails. This is an example of one. However, I will take the time to answer your quick response. You have said that there are plenty of transitional forms, and you cut and paste some examples for me:

<< Hi, sure... a few come to mind immediately , and they are named as follows: Tiktaalik roseae, Acanthostega, Ichthyostega, Archaeopteryx, and Homo rudolfensis, just to name a few.>>

Then you said << For more information about many more fossils, here is a good page to see: http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/faq-transitional.html >>

There's your positive proof. Now my job is to answer all this "evidence" you have given, so let's deal with "Archaeopteryx."

Was Archaeopteryx a feathered dinosaur? Dr. Alan Feduccia, a world authority on birds at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and an evolutionist himself, said: “Paleontologists have tried to turn Archaeopteryx into an earth-bound, feathered dinosaur. But it’s not. It is a bird, a perching bird. And no amount of 'paleobabble' is going to change that.”

I don't have time to go down your other rabbit trails, but I will address your
<< For more information about many more fossils, here is a good page to see: http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/faq-transitional.html >>

Here is your "information" from that site (I will put it in italics to differentiate it from my words):

Part 1.

The term "transitional fossil" is used at least two different ways on talk.origins, often leading to muddled and stalemated arguments. I call these two meanings the "general lineage" and the "species-to-species transition":

"General lineage":
This is a sequence of similar genera or families, linking an older group to a very different younger group. Each step in the sequence consists of some fossils that represent a certain genus or family, and the whole sequence often covers a span of tens of millions of years. A lineage like this shows obvious morphological intermediates for every major structural change, and the fossils occur roughly (but often not exactly) in the expected order. Usually there are still gaps between each of the groups -- few or none of the speciation events are preserved. Sometimes the individual specimens are not thought to be directly ancestral to the next-youngest fossils (i.e., they may be "cousins" or "uncles" rather than "parents"). However, they are assumed to be closely related to the actual ancestor, since they have intermediate morphology compared to the next-oldest and next-youngest "links". The major point of these general lineages is that animals with intermediate morphology existed at the appropriate times, and thus that the transitions from the proposed ancestors are fully plausible. General lineages are known for almost all modern groups of vertebrates, and make up the bulk of this FAQ.

General lineage has nothing to do with macro-evolution (one species evolving into another) at all.

"Species-to-species transition":

This is a set of numerous individual fossils that show a change between one species and another. It's a very fine-grained sequence documenting the actual speciation event, usually covering less than a million years. These species-to-species transitions are unmistakable when they are found. Throughout successive strata you see the population averages of teeth, feet, vertebrae, etc., changing from what is typical of the first species to what is typical of the next species. Sometimes, these sequences occur only in a limited geographic area (the place where the speciation actually occurred), with analyses from any other area showing an apparently "sudden" change. Other times, though, the transition can be seen over a very wide geological area. Many "species-to-species transitions" are known, mostly for marine invertebrates and recent mammals (both those groups tend to have good fossil records), though they are not as abundant as the general lineages (see below for why this is so). Part 2 lists numerous species-to-species transitions from the mammals.

"1. 'The FAQ doesn't have real transitional fossils.' If you have just skimmed part of the FAQ and concluded that it doesn't have what you consider to be "real" transitional fossils, go back to part 1 of the FAQ and carefully read the section titled "What is a transitional fossil?" Think about what you have read. Then read the rest of the FAQ, and pay particular attention to the "species-to-species" sections in part 2. If you still think the FAQ doesn't have "real" transitional fossils, chances are you have misunderstood the theory of evolution. Define what a "real" transitional fossil should be, and why you think the modern theory of evolution would predict such a thing. Then let's talk." http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/faq-transitional/email.html

The reason that "many 'species-to-species transitions' are known though they are not as abundant as the general lineages," is that there aren't any. There are no transitional fossils (species-to-species transitions). Anyone who thinks there is has "misunderstood the theory of evolution."

I am done. Look at all the time and trouble I had to go to to unravel the quick knot you tied with your "evidence." So, please don't cut and paste any more evidence and send it to me. If you want, I can send you a free copy of Evolution--the Fairy-tale For Grown-ups. It comes out in about six weeks, and it's packed with quotes from evolution "experts" who admit that they don't have anything but a ripe imagination.

I appreciate the fact that you said in an unpublished email that you don't consider me to be your "friend." That's my loss.

May God continue to bless you and your family,

Ray

The Big Three

What is it that keeps most people from coming to Christ? That question probably has a three-fold answer: 1. Pride, 2. Love for sin, and 3. A lack of knowledge. The Bible tells us, “The wicked, for the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God” (Psalm 10:4). Sin and pride are intertwined. We puff our rebellious chest against the heavens and say, “Who is God to tell me what to do?” There’s no fear of God before our eyes. The reason we don’t fear Him is because we lack knowledge. We cling to our image of God like a child clings to his security blanket, and if you have ever tried to separate a child from his blanket, you will know what a hard job that is. But that’s what me must do (with the help of God)--separate the sinner from his idol. And the way to do that is to preach the Commandments, as Jesus did. The moral Law makes the issue clear--God is holy, and He will not tolerate sin in any form, nor will He tolerate any other gods before Him. That’s right--God is politically incorrect. He is uncompromisingly intolerant. Hell with prove that. The light of the Law not only exposes idolatry, but it humbles the sinner, and gives him the knowledge that without the grace of God, he will perish. So never despise God’s Law, and never neglect it when heralding the glorious cross.

Brain Squeeze

Here’s a question to test your general knowledge. What was the name of the world’s highest peak before Mount Everest was discovered? Do you know? Of course you do. It was Mount Everest. It was the world’s highest mountain even before we found it. What we once thought was the highest peak, wasn't. New knowledge changed our beliefs. It’s because of this principle that science can never be absolutely certain of anything. It can only believe something according to the knowledge it has at present. And even when it gets more knowledge, it still can’t be absolutely certain it has the truth, because future information may refute what they think they know to be true. What science believes now may be laughed at in 100 years time. Some think that’s a good thing, because it shows that science is forever open to change. The only good thing about it, is that is shows us where we should put our trust. God alone speaks absolute truth, because He has absolute knowledge. Science can never say that something is a "fact." God can and does. That’s why we can have absolute trust about anything He says in His Word. It’s as solid as a rock (solider, if there's such a word). Those that trust in Him need never be disappointed, disillusioned, or discouraged. And that’s a fact.

Great Books

Are you familiar with the writings of Peter Johnson? I love his books, and for many years I have enjoyed reading them regularly. There is something refreshing about an author who tells it like it is, and Johnson does just that, in a uniquely powerful and inspired way. As far as I know, he only authored two books in his entire lifetime, and both of them were published after his death. But I find myself going back to them again and again because each time I turn the pages, it's as though it's my first time. That's very special. Sadly, he was viciously murdered in his old age, but as a young man he lived on the edge, and his colorful life has become an inspiration to countless people. I’m sure you are familiar with his writings. If you are not, it would be good to get some background information before you open them. You can read about his early life by opening the New Testament at John 1:42, where most translations tell us he was originally called “Simon son of John” before his name was changed to “Peter son of John,” or “Peter Johnson,” as he would now be known.