Happy National Atheist's Day

April 1st already. May God continue to richly bless each one of you with good health, long life, and may you come to a knowledge of Him whom to know is life eternal (see John 17:3).

For those atheists who have been quoting Matthew 5:21-23, please know that I would never call a Christian "brother" a fool (see the context). I do, however, side with God Himself when He calls the atheist a "fool" (see Psalm 14:1 and Romans 1:22). I have learned, through years of experience in dealing with drug addicts, that the way to reach them is not to argue with them about what they are doing, but to show them how stupid they are. They are not abusing drugs; they are using drugs to abuse themselves. The same applies with the stupidity of denying a Creator, with creation staring at you in the face. The atheist will only harm himself.

Many Christians think that it's a waste of time to even try and reason with you. But the consequences of what you are doing are so fearful and our love for you is so great, that we will keep pleading with you in the hope that you come to your senses. Every now and then we get emails from atheists who have come to know the Lord. That is our reward. Jesus said that when even one sinner repents, it makes Heaven rejoice.

Sarcasm Ahead

One persistent skeptic keeps asking where I did research for my soon-to-be-published, Evolution--the Fairytale for Grownups. I am encouraged by the irritation the book has already caused from its dissenters. The inference is that I didn’t go to reputable sources. Well, I have a confession to make. I didn’t write the book. It just happened by itself. There was nothing, and then an explosion that came from nowhere. The ink formed out of nothing and fell into coherent English words, and the paper formed from nothing and caught the words. Page numbers fell from nowhere into the right order. Colored ink descended from nowhere and created the cover. The book bound itself, trimmed itself and there you have it. A book.

What sort of fool would you take me for if I believed that? And what sort of fool would you be to believe what I said.

If you look closely at any book, you will see the maker’s mark somewhere on the publication. The publishers of the book want you to know they exists. Look at the spine and you will see their logo. If for some reason you want to peel it off and trash it, go ahead. It may give you some sort of personal satisfaction, but it doesn’t change the fact that the book still had a publisher, and that you have knowledge of that fact.

So where’s God’s logo? It is stamped on your mind in the vicinity of the “conscience.” The word con means “with,” and science means “knowledge.” The conscience gives you the knowledge (among other things) that God is your Publisher, and your whole sinful life is an open book before Him.

Watch the Lions

Do you go out of your way to share your faith with strangers? Perhaps you know that you should, but the thought terrifies you. Please don’t let that fear stop you. It’s been well said that experience is what you get when you don’t get what you want. Mistakes are good for us. They are bruises that remind us about pitfalls in the future. No doubt you had a few falls as a baby, but that didn’t stop you getting on your feet again and walking. You more than likely crawled, and then you walked. Without the crawling you probably would never have walked (I say "probably" because a couple of our kids had “walker-trainers” and never crawled).

So look on this blog as a crawling space. Crawl into it and make a comment. Then sit back and let the atheists “bruise” you. It may hurt at little, but all they will do is prepare you for walking. They will do you (and those you will talk to in the future) a huge favor.

Atheists think of themselves as the king of the beasts. They have the ultimate delusions of grandeur. They open their mouths wide and roar at the heavens as though there is no God. But don’t be intimidated for a moment by their loud noise. Simply do what Daniel did when he was lowered into the lion’s den. Keep your trust in God and have the joy of seeing their mouths get stopped. They bellow and snarl against the Bible, the Church, hypocrisy, creationism, etc., but their mouths are always stopped by God’s Law. They can’t say a thing against “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not kill, You shall not lie.” Watch how they react to this post. They have no argument against the Law. That’s the power of their God-given conscience at work (see Romans 2:14).

So never forget why God gave us His Law. It was given “that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God” (Romans 3:19). So use it when witnessing and watch what it does.

Futility or Purpose

Sometimes I check the profiles of those who leave comments. I read one where someone said, “My main ambition in life is to do something that’ll be remembered. I can’t stand the idea of being forgotten.” There are two ways his words can be taken. Does he want to be loved and therefore remembered, or does he just want to be remembered? If it’s the latter, he is a good candidate for a school shooting. He could have a name in the history books along with other creeps who used the bodies of dead human beings to build a monument to themselves.

I was hopeful that this isn’t the case, and this hope was strengthened when I read that this obvious non-Christian was reading the Bible. He was actually wading through the Old Testament, something that isn’t an easy task. I would suggest that he instead read the Gospel of John (John 20:30-31 tells why), and then go through the heavy reading.

It is because of his concerns that I have been praying for this man. Some people don’t think such philosophical thoughts. They are superficial in their lifestyle and superficial in their philosophy. Not so with this person, but the truth is, his fears will be realized in time--he is going to be forgotten. In 150 years no one will remember him or anything he did. John Wayne made over 160 films, but ask this generation who he was, and you will probably hear “Isn’t that an airport in California?” (It is).

That’s why I am heartened that this man is reading the Scriptures. It is one of the first signs that God’s hand is upon someone. As he reads the Bible he will find that there’s a God who knows everything about him. He knows when he speaks, sleeps, and goes in and comes out (see Psalm 139). God knows this man’s name, the deepest thoughts of his heart, and even how many hairs are upon his head (see Luke 12:7). It is my earnest hope that he will confess and forsake his sins, trust alone in the Savior with all of his heart, and come to know the incredible God who knows him so well. When that happens, the fact that God remembers him will be all that matters.

The fact that God knows and remembers me is an unspeakable consolation. When I pass through death, the fact that it has happened to billions of people before me, is irrelevant when it comes to God. I will not be disappointed. I have God's Word on it: "The Scripture says, No man who believes in Him [who adheres to, relies on, and trusts in Him] will [ever] be put to shame or be disappointed" (Romans 10:11, Ampl. Bible).

A Question or Two

After the "Expelled Review," I noticed that myself, Ben Stein, and the producers of the movie were being accused by some irate atheists of "lying."

So, are you saying that we violated the Ninth Commandment? If there's no God, no moral absolutes, and no Judgment Day, what's your problem? Please explain what you mean by lying, why it's wrong, and who says it's wrong.

Expelled Review

It's 11:20 PM Friday night. We have just returned from watching a special Hollywood screening of Ben Stein's "Expelled." I didn't know what to expect as this isn't a Christian movie. But after seeing it, I can say that it is phenomenal. The highlight was watching the king of evolution, Richard Dawkins, fall off his throne, big-time. He melted like soft wax on a hot Vegas sidewalk in July. He went from a bold and confident man to a pathetic little mouse, in a moment. He even admitted that he isn't an atheist. It was wonderful to see him so humbled by a few probing questions from Ben Stein.

I am going to do everything I can to promote this movie. Please go and see it when it is released across the country on the 18th of April. It exposes the blatant hypocrisy of the censorship of ideas, and the freedoms that this country was founded upon.

It’s now morning, and I have had more time to think clearly about “Expelled.” Again, this is not a Christian movie. There’s no mention of the gospel--not even slightly. Ben Stein is Jewish. He took on this project because he is passionate about the Jewish holocaust, and he can see the same pattern in the United States that led up to Nazi Germany--the suppression of free thought. Blatant censorship. Evolutionists deny that Hitler (and his extermination of those who were weak) was motivated by Darwinism, but history attests to it. This is very clearly and undeniably documented in the film.

One criticism that has already surfaced is that the evolutionists, who expose their hate-filled agenda in the movie, were coerced into being interviewed. Not so. They signed off for their part after each interview, and were well-paid for their efforts.

No surprise that the God-haters that frequent this blog are going to hate “Expelled.” They have already been brainwashed and are entrenched in their world view, but the average American is going to have his eyes opened as to what is happening in this country. Let’s hope it will be instrumental in turning the nation around.

So, again, please go to this movie, and don’t go alone. Take a group from your church. Take your neighbors. It could open an interesting dialogue.

Invisible Realms (warning: PG13)

I was having a tough time. I couldn’t draw a crowd. In fact, I couldn’t draw a thing. That’s why I had photocopied a picture of John Wayne onto a large piece of paper and was coloring it in with paints. I couldn’t figure it out. When my friends used a sketch board while speaking in public, at least a few people gathered. This day, no one bothered to give me a second look. I was planning to color in the picture and speak about how John Wayne lived and died as portrayed by Hollywood, and how he lived and died in real life. Death was no problem to the Duke; it was commonplace in the westerns in which he starred. So when it came to real life, one would think it wouldn’t have bothered him too much. Naturally, it did. He called for Billy Graham to come to his bedside as he lay dying of cancer. The fact is, there’s a Hollywood world, and then there’s a real world. It is one thing to go out in a blaze of glory in a cowboy movie, but it’s another thing to fade away under the merciless hand of a terminal disease. Anyway, there was no point in having a good illustration when there was no one to hear it.

Just as I was about to throw in the brush, a woman in her mid-twenties walked up to me. With an air of confidence she asked what I was doing with the paints and brush. I told her, and found out that her name was Jacqueline. I felt as though I had stepped into a John Wayne movie. She reminded me of the flashy-eyed female with a flower in her mouth and castanets in her hands, who twirls around the bar room, then jumps up and dances on a table amid the drooling of lust-filled, drunken cowboys. Jacqueline had no castanets or flower, but she had those same flashy eyes. As she spoke, I sensed that this sweet little kitten could, at the drop of a hat, turn into a ferocious wildcat. My first impression was an accurate one.

About two months later, I preached for about twenty minutes and was winding down. Thirty people had gathered to listen to the message and to wait for food. It was Friday, and the whole week had been a good one, with orderly lines for the food and quite a number of people making commitments to Christ.

Earlier in the week, my wife, Sue, had bravely come to the park to help me. I felt proud of her. Since she was 4'11", most of those who took sandwiches from her hands towered above her. She was able to get a firsthand glimpse of what I had been telling her about, seeing all those hungry hands grasping for food.

On this Friday, each person stood quietly behind the line I had drawn in the dirt about ten feet in front of me. As I spoke, I saw Jacqueline heading for me. I told her to stay behind the line. She took no notice, walked right up to me and demanded food. I told her to wait like everyone else, behind the line. She refused, and instead sat on the box I was standing on and hollered, “I feel like sex. I haven’t had it for two days!”

I was annoyed because she had burst in just as I was about to challenge those listening to get right with God. The timing couldn’t have been worse. I was also amazed at how her presence affected the men. Instead of continuing to stand orderly behind the line, they now pressed forward and were yelling and shoving one another. The atmosphere had suddenly changed.

She quickly grew bored and picked up a plastic bottle of water I had brought to bathe Pop’s leg. Like the saloon girl with the proverbial whiskey, she took the lid off and began to guzzle it down. I saw Pop move to another location. As he left, I asked him to take the first-aid kit away so that it wouldn’t be stolen. I told the crowd, which now numbered about fifty, that they wouldn’t be fed if they didn’t line up. No one moved back into a line. Other regulars, trying to be helpful, began to yell. Still no one moved. Even Preacher couldn’t budge them.

The cowboy movie was still rolling. I was the local sheriff. I had the sandwiches under lock and key, and the lynch mob was there to bust them out of jail and gnash on them with their teeth.

A friend of Preacher’s had a stick, and like a riot policeman began using it to push the crowd back. I jumped out of the way as they suddenly rushed the jailhouse. It was hard to see what was going on in the midst of that mass of bodies, but I could see someone lying across the top of the box, trying to stop the mob from busting up the jail. I could hardly believe this was all happening for the sake of a box of sandwiches! As I watched the fight for the food, I heard a bottle that someone had thrown smash behind me. I looked at Jacqueline, who was standing some distance away. She cringed as our eyes met. The little kitten had a twinge of conscience at the trouble she had caused.

A moment later, there she was, transformed into a wildcat, right in the middle of the men, screaming for food. She looked back at me and let out a string of hair-curling four-letter words. I made my way up to the empty box, turned to a guy who was holding on to six sandwiches and told him to give me one. As he did so, I passed it to Jacqueline, who snatched it from my hand and cursed me again.

I picked up the empty box and headed for Pop. As I did so, I saw that Jacqueline still had the bottle of water that I brought to cleanse Pop’s leg. When I asked for it, she simply spat out more curses. I smiled because she reminded me of my regular hecklers back in New Zealand. Then I turned and walked away. As I did so, she called my name and threw the bottle at me.

Pop’s leg was still a mess, but thankfully there was no sign of the gangrene returning. As I bathed the wound and applied a bandage, the little kitten came alongside. I told her to hold the bandage while I taped it up. She was a completely different person from the one who had so viciously poured curses on me a few minutes earlier. Afterward, without my asking, she helped me carry the empty box to my car.

Who’s Pulling the Strings?
The first time I saw the television show “The Muppets,” I couldn’t understand how some of the puppets were manipulated. They were so well done, so realistic, that a small child could be forgiven for thinking that the puppets were real personalities in themselves. Those who are either babes in Christ, or are not yet born into the kingdom of God, could be forgiven for thinking that this day’s happenings at the park were merely personalities enacting the play of daily life. However, those who are adults in the faith know better. Behind the actions of someone like Jacqueline, there is an unseen manipulator. She is just a blind puppet for spiritual powers.

Before I became a Christian, you would have had a hard time convincing me that there was a spiritual realm. If you had said, “Man is a spirit in a natural body,” I would have been very skeptical. However, if you reasoned gently with me, saying that when someone dies the invisible spirit leaves the body, you may have been able to convince me of the fact.

Take for instance the doctor who says that a particular patient has just “passed away.” You ask him, “What do you mean ‘passed away’?” He tells you that the life has left the body. You inquire, “How do you know it left?” To which he replies that he didn’t see it, but the invisible life-force, the spirit, left. What remains is a shell, commonly referred to as a corpse.

Many people find it difficult to believe in an invisible spiritual world, so let me relate it to a few things to make it more understandable. Think of an electrical current running from a battery to a remote-controlled car. We can’t see the current, but we can see the car move as it is motivated by the invisible force. Or think of television waves. At this very moment, there are images of news reporters, cowboys, soap operas, etc., floating around us. We can’t see them because they are invisible; they are in another realm. We need a television receiver to pick up the signal. The same is true with invisible radio waves.

For untold centuries, the hidden worlds of television and radio lay untapped. Two hundred years ago, the most progressive contemporary thinker couldn’t have dreamed of what we have discovered hidden in the mysteries of the universe. Why then should it be so offensive to a reasoning mind to think that there are other invisible realms that haven’t yet been discovered, realms such as the spiritual world?

Think of a man who has been involved in a terrible car accident, where both his arms and his legs have had to be removed. Literally half of his body has been taken from him, but he is still a whole personality. His soul is still complete. If man were merely flesh and not spirit, as some would have us believe, he would now be only half a personality.

Imagine if I were born blind. I’m standing on a street corner. You approach me, not knowing I am blind, and comment, “Nice day. It’s good to see a blue sky.” I say, “I was born blind; could you tell me what blue looks like?”

You reply, “Sure, it’s...it’s...gree...no, it’s...I’m sorry, blind man, I can’t describe it to you. The only way you will understand the color is to experience it for yourself-—you need light.”

The same applies spiritually. According to the Bible, non-Christians have their “understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart” (Ephesians 4:18, KJV). My earnest prayer is that those who have never experienced the spiritual birth are open-minded enough to receive the light of understanding from God, through these few thoughts.

Perhaps some have more insight than I had before my conversion. They may have looked into the occult and discovered that there is a spiritual realm. Or perhaps they have seen the incredible increase in satanic worship, accompanied by human sacrifices, cannibalism, etc., and know that this is a manifestation of a spiritual realm outside of accepted human behavior. Maybe they have read of people who are said to be “demon-possessed,” or heard of serial murderers who claimed to be motivated by spirits.

I know what it’s like to be Spirit-possessed because One possesses me. Since April 25, 1972, I have been possessed by the Holy Spirit. Every Christian is: “Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His” (Romans 8:9). But the Bible also speaks of another “spirit”—-the “spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:2). Let’s take a look at this spirit.

Hair-Raising Experiences
Allow me to share a couple of hair-raising experiences with you. Because I know that no liar will enter the kingdom of heaven, the following incidents, which are only two of a number of similar experiences, don’t have even a tinge of half-truth or exaggeration. They are the “gospel truth,” exactly as they happened.

While I was the speaker at a church youth camp, an eighteen-year-old named John stepped into my cabin late at night and told me he was having problems.

After talking with him for a while, I told him that we would pray about his troubles. As I began to pray, he slumped off the bunk on which he was sitting onto the floor.

Then he groaned, rolled onto his back, arched his body, and began pushing himself backward across the floor. Having the gift of perception, I realized that this wasn’t normal behavior.

In the Book of Mark, Jesus said, “These signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons,” so I began to use the name of Jesus in what is called “exorcising prayer.” The demons in John screamed, hissed, and manifested with such velocity that saliva from his mouth hit a chest of drawers eight or nine feet from where he lay.

With the help of God, I cast the spirit of rebellion from him, then asked a friend, who had come in to see what the noise was about, to get John a drink of water. When John came back to himself, I asked him what he had been involved in that got him into such a state. It turned out that he had been listening to occult-based heavy metal music and drinking blood. He and his girlfriend, under the influence of marijuana, would get a cup of blood from the local butcher and drink it in a satanic rite.

Excerpt from, Out of the Comfort Zone--Ray Comfort

“I'll be okay because when I die I will have paid for my sins, since the Bible says ‘the wages of sin is death.’ I'm going to live life to the fullest now, because when I die that's the end.”

It’s obvious that those who say such things believe the Bible because they have not only quoted it, but they are gambling the whole of their eternity on the meaning of one word--“death.” They make the assumption that it simply means the “termination” of existence. But it’s not, and a little reasoning should reveal that fact. Take Hitler for instance. He was responsible for the cruel deaths of six million Jews, many of whom were children. Was his death the “wages” of his unspeakably terrible sins? If death is the end, then God has given you the exact same wages as Hitler. That would mean that God is unjust, which is unthinkable.

The person who believes that our demise is the end is in for the shock of their death. There is going to be a resurrection of, what the Bible calls, “the just and the unjust.” This is not a resurrection of those who are good and those who are bad. The Scriptures tells us that there are no “good” people. Not one (See Psalm 14:1-4, Mark 10:18). There are only those who have been made “just” before God by the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

When we are found out to have done something wrong, we will often try and “justify” ourselves. We try and establish our innocence. In Christ, God freely justifies all those who come by child-like faith to the Savior. That means He proclaims us innocent--as though we had never sinned in the first place. However, those who die in their sins “fall into the hands of the Living God.” That’s a very fearful thing, because He will give them justice--their wages, and if that happens, there will be Hell to pay.

Good Proof-reader? Spot the Error:

"You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matthew 5:28).

The error is the biblical reference. It's Matthew 5:27 & 28. Some of you got it.

A Blogger’s Confession

It was Oscar Wilde who sarcastically said that sarcasm is the lowest form of wit. Perhaps he was right. One skeptic had the common sense to know that my dislike of trees was the lowest form of wit. I shouldn’t use it, because atheists are desperately earnest about their beliefs. When I spoke about actually cutting down rain forests and using the wood to build homes for the homeless, some almost blew a fuse.

I have to confess that do like trees. The bigger the better. I thank God for every one of them. Still, it doesn’t worry me when they are cut down because that’s why they were created. They were made by God for us (see Genesis 1:28-31). He made the whole of this incredible creation for our benefit; believe it or not. Horses, cows, dogs, cats, apples, milk, cheese, chickens, eggs, water, oxygen, and everything else under the sun were made by God, for us. He even made Charles Darwin and Richard Dawkins. There may be disagreement as to whether or not they have been very much benefit to humanity, but they were made by God (oops, there's another fuse-blower).

If you do believe it, may I ask that you take it further--believe also that you have sinned against God and that you need a Savior. Then stop “believing” by itself and put “works” with your faith. If you want to make it to the tenth story of a tall building, you could stand outside the elevator and believe that it can take you to the top floor. But that’s only your first step; it won’t get you to the top. You have to take a step towards the elevator and get into it. That’s works being added to your faith, and that will bring you into “trust.” You now trust the elevator to take you to the tenth floor. Many people believe in Jesus, but they have never put works with their faith and actually trusted in Him for their eternal salvation.

The reason atheists and skeptics get so upset when I say it’s good to cut down trees is that this world is all they have. If it gets completely wrecked, it’s all over for them. That’s what they believe . . . that life then ends. That’s unless Mother Nature or Father Evolution (whoever they believe made everything) makes some more trees, etc. Of course if it has to start all over again, they have to wait for around 4.5 billion years. That’s what they believe, and I guess that’s a little too long for them to wait. So they get antsy when Christians are a little flippant about creation. But we can’t help it. We don’t value creation as though our life depends on it. That’s because we know and trust Him who made all things, and if humanity wrecks this earth, we have His immutable promise that He is going to make all things new.

Expelled

A few of us have been invited to a premiere in Hollywood this Friday. I will let you know my thoughts.

Coming Soon

Don't forget that we have bumper stickers for National Atheist's Day, coming up soon.

http://www.livingwaters.com/Merchant2/merchant.mv?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=500&Category_Code=

Good Proof-reader? Spot the Error:

"You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matthew 5:28).

“Hey there Ray! I just wanted to let you know that you’re an @$#!! You start out talking to people by questioning them on there bad behaviors, then you tell them they’re gonna burn in hell. After scaring them with this method you turn around and start running your mouth about Jesus and how he died for them and how you don’t want see them go to hell, which then makes them sad. You think you’re getting results when you do this? You think you’re changing lives? Maybe for those couple of seconds when you twist peoples emotions around and warp there mind into believing they’re terrible people and they will die and go to hell. You talk to them like your the @!#$&! higher power! And you have the nerve to talk about self righteousness? You’re a joke, take a good look in the mirror before you go out judging others. Who knows, that may be you burning in hell's eternal flames. and your little %$@!# buddy too...”

This person is pretty upset and I can understand why. What right have I got to question people about their “bad behavior”? Why do I tell them about Hell, and who God says will go there? If he thinks that I am standing in judgment over people I can see why he’s mad. He's also right about each of us needing to look into the mirror. So, let’s deal with each of these questions.

It’s true that I do ask people about their bad behavior, and I do tell them what the Bible says about Hell. But how could I not? If I am fully persuaded that someone is in terrible danger, I have to at least warn them.

The mirror issue. I am as bad, if not worse than most of the people to whom I speak. I have broken all of the Ten Commandments, in spirit if not in letter. I have a multitude of sins, and that’s why I need a Savior. Being a Christian means that all that sin is forgiven.

Now for the big one. The “judging” issue. I never judge anyone I interview. How could I? I don’t know most of them. I don’t know their thought-life or what they do in darkness, so how could I judge them? All I know is what they have freely admitted. If someone says that he’s a liar and a thief, I believe him. Then I tell him what the Bible says about sin and the fate of those who violate His Law. My motivation is one of love and concern. No other reason.

There is one thought that skeptics don’t seem take into account. What if Hell does exist? What if the Bible is right? What if God is holy and just and will punish murderers and rapists in a terrible place called Hell? What if every single person will get what’s coming to them? If what we say is the gospel truth, then what we are saying is justified and most necessary.

Do I think that we are "getting results"? God knows. I plant the seed. He makes it grow.

Atheist Trojan Horse Video

A couple of atheists showed up at Huntington Beach with a camera and produced a video. I am amazed at what they left in (I guess they have never read Romans 1:16): www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4iOeXmmJRA

Poor Trees

“irukandji said . . . I am somewhat offended by the blatant waste of paper involved in handing out tracts. This isn't a purely anti-religion sentiment: I experience a similar irritation when someone tries to hand me a menu for a restaurant I'll never eat at or a shore I'll never shop at. Thursday is "ladies' night" at Big Joe's House o' Booze? The Tri-County Toyota dealer is having a year-end clearance sale? Jesus loves me and is going to condemn me to an eternity of torture? Awesome -- but leave the poor trees out of it.”

Trees are wonderfully useful. They give us paper for books, magazines, newspapers, and of course cardboard for cereal boxes. A pile of things are made of wood. There are wooden tables, wooden chairs, pencils, bed frames, book shelves, roller coasters, picture frames, Trojan horses, log cabins and white picket fences. Then there are trees. They are also made of wood.

I love watching lumberjacks cut them down, and then cut them up. Revving chain saws, or thumping axes, let the chips fall where they may. Yep, cut down the trees. I would even be pleased to see logging companies cut down all the rain forests and use the wood to build houses for the homeless. Wooden that be nice?

A question. What is the number one killer of drivers in the United States? It’s not alcohol. It’s not talking on cell phones. It’s not falling asleep at the wheel. You know what it is? It’s trees. Dumb old trees. If you drift off a highway and hit a tree, it doesn’t move. You do, into eternity.

Not For Cat Lovers

I don’t hate cats, although I have to admit that I get mad at them when they fight outside our bedroom window at 3:00 AM. It’s not the nicest of sounds. I do have a likeable friend who really dislikes cats. If you asked him if he liked cats, he would probably say that he does, but that he can’t eat a whole one. I once met a dentist who said that he’s never run across a cat he didn’t like.

I once ran over a cat. I was 18 years old, and I was driving home at around 10:00 PM one dark night. Suddenly, there was a black flash in front on my car, and I heard a distinctive and unforgettable “thoomp, thoomp.” I thought “Horrors! I have just run over a cat!”

I immediately stopped the car and backed up to see if it was okay, and heard “thoomp, thoomp.” I thought, “Horrors! I have just backed over the cat I just ran over.” I then panicked, put my foot on the accelerator and drove off real fast. As I did so, I heard a now familiar “thoomp, thoomp.”

Dumb Things

I need your help. We are ready to publish the book 101 of the Dumbest Things People Have Done and we need six more funny/dumb incidents (we removed six from the manuscript because they weren't verifiable). If you can help, just tell your story on this blog. Give names, dates, etc. Thanks.

Third Season

Just a quick note to those of you who are interested in pre-ordering the Third Season of our television program. It comes with free shipping (within the U.S.) and a free "Behind the Scenes" DVD. You can watch a short clip of the DVD on www.livingwaters.com (top left).

I Would Take You Out

Two African Americans in a big convertible were trying to park it outside the Compton Courthouse. One was standing at the back of the car and trying to guide the driver. He said “Back up. It don’t matter if you hit it.” The vehicle car behind him was a police car, and the reason it didn’t matter if he hit it was because it had a large black steel bumper added to the front of it, perhaps for such a time as this.

I called out, “You guys want to be on TV?” The driver looked up at me with a pained expression and said, “I can’t be on TV.” I had a stack of Million Dollar bill tracts in my hand, so I said, “I will give you a million dollars!” That got some attention. The gentleman outside of the car came around the front of the vehicle, took a bill and said, “Man, I would take you out for this!” I knew he wasn’t meaning on a date, and I hoped that he knew the bill wasn’t real.

I said, “I co-host a TV show that goes to 70 countries and is on 20 Networks. It will only take three minutes.” It was hard to tell his age; maybe 30. He was cool. Very cool. He wore very large sunglasses that if I donned I would get laughed out of town, but they looked good on him. His hair was cool. He had a Bluetooth phone in his ear, and he acted like he looked; very cool.

He said, “I ain’t got time.” I asked for his name. “Ike.” “Come on Ike. Three minutes.” “What’s it about?” I told him I would ask for his thoughts on the afterlife. Was there a Heaven, a Hell, nothing? What did he think? He said, “I could talk for two hours on that. Can you wait until I get out of court?” I told him that I couldn't, and pushed again. Suddenly, he conceded.

I quickly switched on my hand-held HD camera and got his permission to use the interview, then asked him for his thoughts. He said that there was a Heaven and a Hell. “Where are you going?” He said “Hell.” “Why?” “Because I have done some pretty bad things.” I asked him if he got mad very often. He said that's something he did, so I told him to hold on because I was going to see how “bad” he was by putting him in the hot-seat, and examining him under the light of God’s Law.

Ike readily admitted that he violated the Commandments. He said that he knew why Jesus died on the cross. I asked him to put it in his words, but something wasn’t quite right about his understanding, so I labored that Jesus paid the fine in His life’s blood, for the Law that we had violated. Then I told him of the necessity of repentance and faith.

“Ike, if you were to die right now, where would you go?” “Probably Hell.” I said, “Definitely,” and asked what he was going to do about it. He said, “Repent and trust God.” I asked when he was going to do that. He said, “I’m doin' it right now . . . as we speak.” I asked if he wanted to pray when the camera was turned off. He said that I didn’t have to turn it off, so I told him to pray. And he did. It was a short, child-like, humble prayer of repentance . . . that he didn’t know how to end. He said, “And, and, and…God bless the world.” It was a beautiful thing.

Then I prayed for him, gave him a book called, Hollywood Be Thy Name, and a CD. We shook hands and parted. God only knows if Ike was genuine. I think he was. Only time will tell.

A Skeptic's Question

"Laura said... So tell me, Ray, how do you feel about Jews? I don't believe they're hell bound; do you?"

I am often asked that question when I am open air preaching. It usually comes from those who don’t know their history. The disciples were Jewish. All of them. Jesus was Jewish (see John 4:9). We even have His genealogy to prove it (see Matthew 1:1-17). He was the promised Jewish Messiah (see Romans 15:12). Christianity was birthed in the land of the Jews, and not the United States as is commonly believed. The first 3,000 converts to Christianity were Jews (see Acts 2:41), and the next 5,000 to be converted were Jews. The Apostle Paul was Jewish (see Acts 23:6). The God of the Jews (the God of Israel) made sure the gospel was offered to the Jew first, before the Gentile (see Romans 1:16). I am Jewish because my mother is Jewish, and I’m a Christian. The usual response to that, is to say that I can't be a Christian and a Jew at the same time. However, the last time I checked, I still had the same Jewish blood I was born with.

The advantage to the Jew when it comes to Christianity, is that they have the moral Law to show them that they need a Savior (see Romans 3:1-2). However, eternal life is offered to all humanity, whether Jew or Gentile, black or white ("red and yellow, black and white, all are precious in His sight..."), or male or female. If anyone ends up in Hell it will not be because of their ethnicity or their color. It will be because of their sin. Rapists, murderers, thieves, liars, blasphemers, adulterers, fornicators, etc., will get exactly what they deserve, and if I die in my sins, being Jewish will not save me from the justice of a holy God. Only the blood of Jesus of Nazareth the God-given Jewish Messiah can do that. And Laura, that same precious blood was shed for you, whether you are Jew or Gentile. Whosoever will, may come.

If any other skeptic has other questions, please ask them, and I will do my best to answer them.

At the Check Out

Sue and I were walking around Target when I handed a man a Million Bill Tract. Five minutes later the same man was behind us in the checkout line. He held up the tract and asked, “Are you a Christian?” I said I was. He then said, “I am a Catholic.” so I inquired if he had read the message on the back, and to my surprise he said, “I’m going to Hell.” When I asked him what he was going to do about it, he replied, “I don’t know.” So I told him that Jesus took his punishment on the cross, and that he needed to repent and trust the Savior. He looked blank, so I told him that I would meet him at the front of the store and give him some literature. A moment later I handed him a copy of Hollywood Be Thy Name and signed it for him (his name was Juan). I also gave him a CD of "Hell’s Best Kept Secret" and "True and False Conversion." He held up the book and said, “Is this about God?” When I told him it was, he said, “Then this will help me. Thank you,” he shook my hand and walked off.

Don’t Forget the Jerk (for Christians only)

I’m not big on fishing. I far prefer catching. However, there can be no catching without fishing, so I have made a point of studying the skills that make a difference as to whether I catch or fish.

For example, there is a right and wrong way to bait a hook. Bait should be used to attract fish and at the same time disguise the hook. Fish are not stupid. They aren’t going to bite onto a hook that they can see. So, a wise fisherman baits the hook to hide its deadly barbs. Then, when he sees that a fish is nibbling at the bait, he quickly jerks the line and pulls the hook into the jaw, and reels him in.

Apologetics are wonderful bait. I love even the smell of a good apologetical argument. It can’t help but attract the fish. He doesn’t see anything threatening about an argument about the Bible. He knows he can win any dispute about that book of myths. It has an aroma that attracts him.

God’s Law is the hook; and it’s that from which he instinctively keeps his distance. It threatens him. That’s because it brings the knowledge of sin (see Romans 3:19, 20), so his mind is naturally hostile towards the Law. The Scriptures tells us that his carnal mind is at “enmity” with God, it’s “not subject to the Law of God, neither can it be” (see Romans 8:7). He isn’t stupid. If he can see the Law, he’s not going to bite. So a wise fisher of men will carefully hide the hook under some good bait.

Jesus did this with the woman at the well. He first spoke of natural water. Nothing threatening here. Then He quickly pulled the hook of the Law into her jaw, by using the Seventh Commandment to bring the knowledge of sin (see John 4:16).

Paul did a similar thing in Athens. His heart was stirred because the whole city was given over to idolatry (see Acts 17:16). So he baited them by giving an interesting line about their poets, then he quickly jerked the Law into the jaw by preaching against their idolatry (see verses 29-30). They had sinned against God by transgressing the First and the Second of the Ten Commandments. They had “other gods” before Him, and they therefore needed to repent. The Law brought the Athenians the knowledge of sin.

A Fly on the Rock
Despite these examples in Scripture, many Christians go fishing with powerful and attractive apologetics but leave out the hook. They talk about the existence of God, the infallibility of Scripture, archeological findings, creationism, the fallacy of evolution, the age of the earth, the depth of dust on the moon, etc., but they don’t see the necessity of using the Law to bring the knowledge of sin.

Let’s be a fly on a rock and listen to a well-equipped apologetical fisher of men. He throws a line towards an unbeliever. There is a nibble, and a conversation begins. Good reason for God’s existence is given. Back the sinner comes with an argument for atheism. The Christian quotes Scripture. The atheist retaliates with an argument about “circular reasoning.” And there begins an intellectual battle. One says that creation is proof for God’s existence and the other says it’s the mere product of billions of years of evolution. It’s a fascinating conversation--an intellectually challenging match of wits for both parties.

However, the argument has no resolution. It seems to be going on forever and going nowhere. Suddenly, the Christian brings out a powerful point that leaves the atheist with his mouth open. He has no comeback. He is defeated. It’s all over. He has lost the argument about the existence of God. Does he then say, “You are right and I am wrong. There is a God and I have sinned against Him. What should I do?” No! Instead he says, “Okay. What about bats? The Bible calls them birds!! Huh? And how about God advocating genocide, and what about slavery? And how about the killing of women who aren’t virgins on their wedding night! Your god is nothing but a wicked tyrant!”

There is a very good reason that he isn’t giving up the argument. It is because each night he has a habit of going on the Internet and surfing his favorite sites. He has an addiction he loves. He drools over pornography that is so pleasurable, it takes his breath away. Literally. Besides that, he has incredible sex with his gorgeous girlfriend, any time he wants. He didn’t know that life could be so good.

Think of it now. A stranger has just come along who wants to put an end to all that pleasure. All of it. If he gives up the battle, he won’t be allowed to even look at a woman with lust, let alone have sex with her. This religious nut wants to make him celibate. Horrors! He wants him to sit in a boring church, singing old hymns, listening to a deathly boring priest, and mindlessly clutching a book filled with fairytales. Give up? Are you kidding?So the unbeliever is going to fight this battle with tooth and nail. He is going to fortify his hedonistic lifestyle with the zeal of a Pharisee, and he will do it with every intellectual argument he can find. And he can easily find websites that give a stack of arguments that promise to justify godlessness. There he can arm himself with a mass of rabbit trails down which he can send the unsuspecting Christian.

Take the subject of atheistic evolution. Counter one of his many arguments, and he will dig up another bone of contention. He unearths them like there’s no tomorrow. He couldn’t care less if they are credible. He just wants to bury every Christian under a mountain of fossils, so that he and his stupid oppressive religion disappear from the face of the earth.

Remember, what has gone on between the two of them has been a battle of intellects. Every time a battle is won by the Christian, another skirmish is started. So if the Christian really wants to win him to the Kingdom of God, he must look to the most skilled fisher of men. He must do what Jesus did. He has to move away from the hostility of the intellect, and go directly to the conscience. And he must do it quickly.

The Lust He Loves
Let me change the analogy for a moment from baits and hooks to swords and shields. The sinner is using his intellect as a shield to keep you away from his conscience, and you will never get to the heart if you don’t quickly and purposefully push the shield aside and address his conscience. You must get there, because he will never give up his darling sins if you stay in the intellect.

The Bible says that as Christians, we have “escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Peter 1:4, italics added). While we can lust after material things, when the Scriptures speak of lusting after “her beauty,” of “burning” lust, and a lust of “uncleanness,” it is obviously referring to sexual lust. It is that lust that gives a sinner pleasure, but the Scriptures warn “Then, when lust has conceived, it brings forth sin; and sin, when it is finished, brings forth death” (James 1:15). The sin he so loves truly is a “deadly” sin. The lethal poison he drinks is sweet to his taste, but it will take him to Hell. He doesn’t believe that because he has no knowledge of sin (see Romans 7:7). Again, he doesn’t understand the consequences of sin, and so he continues to drink iniquity like water, and he will fight to the death for the right to do so.

Taking Control
Let's say I start a spiritual conversation and have a nibbling fish. He is arguing about bacteria, bones, fossils, Zeus, Thor, so-called biblical contradictions, and quoting Richard Dawkin's hateful words. As he says that God is a monster and Jesus was a liar, I quietly think to myself, "The Jerk." Then, motivated by love, I deliberately take control of the conversation and jerk the Law into his rapidly moving jaw. I am a fisher of men, and I don't want this man to be cast into the lake of fire. I don't want him to be damned in Hell forever. I therefore don't let the fish dictate where we are going.

I ask, “Do you think you are a good person?” He says that he knows that he’s a good person (see Proverbs 20:6). I say, “Do you think you have kept the Ten Commandments?” He says he doesn’t believe in them. I tell him that I wasn’t asking if he believed in them. I’m asking if he has kept them. I say, “Let’s go through some of them and see how you will do on Judgment Day.” He says he doesn’t believe in Judgment Day. So, I say, “Let’s just surmise that there is one, and see how you will do. Have you ever told a lie? Have you ever stolen something?” He’s thoroughly hooked. You can’t back out now because of his pride. I have done what Paul did in Romans 2:21-24. He said, “You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal [Eighth Commandment]? You who say, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ do you commit adultery [Seventh Commandment]? You who abhor idols [First and Second Commandment], do you rob temples [Eighth Commandment]? You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law? For ‘the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you, [Third Commandment]’ as it is written. ’”

I did what Jesus did in Mark 10:18-19: “So Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. You know the commandments: ‘Do not commit adultery,’ ‘Do not murder,’ ‘Do not steal,’ ‘Do not bear false witness,’ ‘Do not defraud,’ ‘Honor your father and your mother.’” He was using the Law to bring the knowledge of sin.The only thing that will make a sin-loving sinner want to give up the battle, is the fear of the Lord. Scripture tells us that it is that fear that will cause him to depart from evil (see Proverbs 16:6). If he doesn’t fear future punishment, he won’t depart from sin, and the way to produce the fear of the Lord is to do what Jesus did. Point to the Law. It’s to do what Paul did. Point to the Law. Felix must be made to tremble (see Acts 24:25). Jerk the hook into the jaw; and do it quickly.

Knowledge that God has appointed a Day in which He will judge the world in righteousness makes sinners see that it’s in their best interest to depart from sin. But, if I may say so, we depart somewhat unwillingly. Fleeing from wrath doesn’t produce contrition (sorrow for sin). Seeing the cross in all its horror, does. Knowing that I am a lawbreaker, and that there are terrible consequences for my actions, makes me fear. But seeing my God pay the fine in the life’s blood of His precious Son, makes me sorry. It breaks my hard heart. The Law produces terror. The cross produces contrition. Without the Law that cruel cross has little meaning. The greater I see my sin in the light of God’s Law (see Romans 7:13), the greater I will understand and appreciate the mercy shown to me at Calvary’s cross.

So, use good apologetics. Find the best bait you can find. Then carefully hide the hook, and as soon as the fish nibbles, jerk the line—swing to the Law. Don’t wait. Do it quickly. Don’t let the sinner shield his conscience for another precious minute. He may not have that long.

Murder Capital of America

Murder Capital of America
I was called to jury duty in Compton, California, the city that has been called "the murder capital of America." As I sat with 44 other people in the jury selection process, the judge asked the prospective jurors in the jury box if they would give as much credence to the testimony of a gang member as they would to the testimony of an officer of the law. I looked across at the two gang members who were on trial for the murder of an Hispanic “human being,” as the judge had put it. They looked nice enough, in their plush suits and ties. I imagined them in their baggies, with their long socks and hats to the side, holding their guns the way gangs do.

The judge also asked the prospective jurors if they would be prejudice against anyone who pleaded the Fifth Amendment, and didn’t testify on their own behalf.

The next day I was called to the jury box. When it came to my turn, I gave my name, and then my marital status. I said, “I am married to my wife.” That got a laugh all around, even from the judge. Then I gave my occupation and told him that I would like a “side bar.”

As we stood in the hallway outside his office, two lawyers and the court typist joined us. When the door was closed, he looked at me and said, “Okay . . .”

I said, “Your honor, yesterday you asked if I could give as much credence to the testimony of a gang member as they would to the testimony of an officer of the law. I definitely would not. An officer of the law is sworn to uphold the law, but when someone joins a gang, they submit to a creed that is one of lawlessness--of lying, stealing and killing. You are asking me to give credence to someone I liken to the Mafia, the KKK or someone who is in the Nazi party.

“I am horrified that every time I turn on the television, I see some poor mother crying because gangs have murdered her child, and they are doing it in the thousands. I am a preacher, and think that all gang members should be lined up against a wall, and I be allowed to preach to them. I know what’s wrong. They don’t fear God, because they have deadened their consciences. I know how to resurrect the conscience. That’s what I do. I teach Christians how to speak to the conscience. I turn down more than 500 invitations a year to speak around the country. They offer big money, but if you would cut through the red tape and get me into the prison system and let me preach to the gangs, I would do it free of charge. Instead of sentencing me to seven days on a jury, sentence me to seven weeks preaching to gangs, and if I have the help of the finger of God, you would see a big change.” My voice trembled with nervousness, as I shared these thoughts.

The judge became thoughtful. He said, “I don’t have the authority to do this. I wish I did.” Both he and the lawyers were very sympathetic and made some suggestions on how it could happen, but there was nothing concrete. I passed the judge my card and said, “Well, contact me if you have a dream in the night.” He said that he would.

I added, “And by the way, you asked about my attitude towards a murder defendant who pleaded the Fifth. I would be very suspicious that he was hiding something. If I was on trial for a murder that I didn’t commit, I would definitely want to take the stand. I would want to face the jurors, let them see my eyes and hear my voice. I would plead directly, not through a lawyer.” One of the lawyers said, “That’s because you would never murder anyone.” I agreed with him. The judge thanked me for being honest, and dismissed me from the jury pool.

May God give him a dream.

From my friend and cartoonist, Richard Gunther

Mohammed, Siddhartha Gautama (The Buddha), Confucius, and Jesus Christ: To many, these names are all of equal value; they represent great teachers who spoke words of wisdom and enlightenment. They are the leaders of major religions, and their words and ideas live to this day, each having won the loyalty of millions and even billions of followers.

All four of these men died and were buried. However three still lie in the grave. This coming Sunday, Christians around the world will celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. On the Passover He was slaughtered as our spotless Passover lamb. As in Egypt, His blood was placed over us to protect us and shield us from the judgment of God. Then Christ conquered sin -- and death itself -- by rising again.

“Ray, I thought I'd share some fact with you. I just reviewed the FBI crime index, the teen pregnancy index, index of religion in the states, and index for each different religion in the states for 2007. The funny thing I found was that crime and violent crime rated highest in the most religious parts of America. Teen pregnancy did the same. The most concentrated area in America for both was not only the most religious portion of the our nation but also where Baptist was the leading church body. The less religious and more secular areas rate were significantly less in all categories mentioned*. So if people who choose to not believe in God so they can do all the horrible things his rules tell us not to do, why isn't the less religious portion of the American population doing them? Just curious. Does this prove there is a correlation between religion, crime and teen pregnancy? Since this was just a quick run through with only a few sources used, I'd say no, but it really makes me wonder. It also greatly helps to refute some of your claims about those who reject your God.”

This is a good question, and it brings out the essence of what our ministry teaches. The modern church has proclaimed a false gospel that has produced millions of false converts (those we commonly call “backsliders”). Do a little study among your atheist friends, and you will find that many are in this category. These people are normally bitter at Christianity. They feel cheated; and so they should. They heard a false gospel, and had a false conversion, and the Bible warns that those who experience such, will end up in a worse state than before their so-called “conversion.”

However, even more tragic than the creation of false converts who fall away from the faith, is the category of false converts who stay within the Church. They profess the Christian faith, but as your statistics confirm, their hypocritical lifestyles don’t match what they profess. The Bible calls them “goats” among the “sheep.” In the Middle East it’s extremely difficult to discern goats from sheep as they flock together. However, a good shepherd can tell the difference. The day will come when the Good Shepherd will separate the sheep from the goats. The sheep (the true converts) will go into everlasting life, and the goats (the false converts) will go into everlasting damnation.

Here is the difference between the true gospel and the false gospel. The false message says that you should come to Christ “because something is missing in your life--you have a God-shaped hole in your heart. God has a wonderful plan for your life.” But there is no biblical precedent for a message of life-improvement upon conversion. None. In fact, the Bible says that you will have trials, tribulations, temptations and persecution.

The reason any of us should come to Christ is because we are deceitfully wicked sinners, and we desperately need a Savior. Without the mercy of God in Christ, we will come under God’s just wrath, and end up in Hell. We should come to Christ for no other reason.

The false message is very popular for obvious reasons, and that’s why popular preachers who preach the false gospel have such large followings. However, some people (like yourself), are beginning to see the discrepancy and asking why. It’s our earnest prayer that they listen to what we are saying, and reform the message that’s being preached.

Fear and Trembling

The Bible tells us that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. We are often admonished to “fear God,” and to work out our salvation with “fear and trembling”. How do we obtain the commanded virtue of the fear of God?

One great key is to look at Israel. They lost sight of Moses, so they created their own image of god (the golden calf), took off their clothes and had an orgy (Exodus 32). Suddenly Moses appeared in wrath, threw the Ten Commandments at their feet, and cried, “Who is on the Lord’s side?” The people decided if they wanted to serve sin or God. Those who refused to stand with Moses came under the sword. That no doubt produced the fear of the Lord.

We live in an age that has lost sight of Moses. The moral Law has been removed from the market place, from schools, and even from many churches. The result has been that America has made her own image of god, stripped off her clothes and had an orgy. Our commission is simply to cry to the world “Who is on the Lord’s side?” We are to proclaim the gospel of peace. Those who refuse to make peace with God through the blood of the cross, will be cut down by the wrath of the Law. That should put the fear of God into any of us.

But that’s not the only catalyst. There is something else that can help us. The book of Peter says to “pass the time of your sojourning here in fear.” Why should we do that? The following verse tells us: “Forasmuch as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot “ (1 Peter 1:18-19).

If anything should produce the fear of God in our hearts, it is the cost that God went to so that we could be forgiven. If I deliberately violated civil law and it cost my father every penny he owned to pay my fine, what sort of moron would I be to go back to crime? Rather, if I saw his incredible sacrifice, I should be humbled and filled with gratitude at such an expression of his love.

God didn’t pay our fine with mere silver or gold. He paid it with the precious blood of Jesus of Nazareth. Golgotha was not only a display of love, but it was a display of how much God cares about justice. The cross of Calvary was an expression of His wrath against sin, and if and I can understand that, I will fear the Lord.

A Question

“I wonder if it would be possible to have an entry from you, Mr. Comfort, on how to deal with these atheist posts. I am almost at the point where I will have to leave. I can't fill my mind with this day after day. I came here to glean encouragement in witnessing and the Word -- as I get in The Way of the Master lessons and at the website. Am I wrong? Do I need to read all this to be ‘battle ready’? I don't want to run from the battle -- but I am sinking, not growing. Do you have advice on how you cope? Blessings -- and prayers, Patti"

Patti...I have to read the bad ones before I reject them--the mockery, anger, blasphemy and the smut. You read the ones I let through. If their rantings are upsetting you, I would advise you not to read them. I skim over a lot of what they say. The only reason I let them through is because I want them to stay. Who knows, perhaps one or two will soften their hearts one day and listen to what we are saying. If you look closely, many of these professing atheists and agnostics are products of the modern gospel. They have had a false conversion, fell away, and they are now very bitter. My heart goes out to them.

And keep in mind, those who post comments are only a fraction of those that read the blog. There are other people out there who are unsaved and are weighing up what is being said. I look on this ministry as I do open air preaching. The louder and dumber the heckler gets, the better. We have common sense on our side, and they make the contrast very evident. Thanks for staying with us. Keep praying for these folks.

Our Inventions

“Nator said...Mark, how many things have we discovered recently? (within the last 100 years) Microwaves, TV, lasers, flight, radio, electricity, cars, computers, internet, new species, etc. I could go on and on about what we have recently discovered. Just because we don't know something doesn't mean it isn't true. (I know that last statement can go both ways!) When Galileo said the earth rotated around the sun, he was put under house arrest by the church because they "knew" the sun rotated around the earth. How did they know this? They got their information from the Bible. What will we "know" in the next 100 years.”

Nator . . . please study your history. It was the Roman Catholic church (not the Christian Church) that arrested Galileo. I have spoken to hundreds of Roman Catholics, and when you ask them “Are you a Christian?” most say, “No. I’m a Roman Catholic.” They know the difference. One is steeped in tradition, and the other adheres to the Bible. And the Catholic church didn’t get their information “from the Bible” (it was a banned Book).

Skeptics often try to demean Scripture by saying that the Christian Church persecuted Galileo when he maintained that the earth circled the sun. As a professor of astronomy at the University of Pisa, Galileo was required to teach the accepted theory of his time that the sun and all the planets revolved around the Earth. Later at the University of Padua he was exposed to a new theory, proposed by Nicolaus Copernicus, that the Earth and all the other planets revolved around the sun. Galileo’s observations with his new telescope convinced him of the truth of Copernicus’s sun-centered or heliocentric theory.

Galileo’s support for the heliocentric theory got him into trouble with the Roman Catholic church. In 1633 during the Inquisition he was convicted of heresy and ordered to recant (publicly withdraw) his support of Copernicus. The Roman Catholic church sentenced him to life imprisonment, but his advanced age allowed him to serve the term under house arrest at his villa outside of Florence, Italy. The Christian Church therefore should not be blamed for his imprisonment. It was the Roman Catholic church that persecuted Galileo.

“Under the sentence of imprisonment Galileo remained till his death in 1642. It is, however, untrue to speak of him as in any proper sense a ‘prisoner.’ As his Protestant biographer, von Gebler, tells us, ‘One glance at the truest historical source for the famous trial would convince anyone that Galileo spent altogether twenty-two days in the buildings of the Holy Office [during the Inquisition], and even then not in a prison cell with barred windows, but in the handsome and commodious apartment of an official of the Inquisition'" (Catholic Encyclopedia).

Also, when you speak of how many things "we discovered" in the last 100 years, I hope you keep in mind that man simply uncovers hidden laws that allow him to invent things. We would have no microwaves without the already existing electromagnetic waves. There would be no television without the laws that govern television waves, and radio communication without radio waves, etc. We couldn’t fly if the law of aerodynamics didn’t already exist, or use any electrical appliance without the existing laws that govern electricity. All these things were around before we “discovered” them. Science merely uncovers what God has already made.

I noticed that you snuck in the words “new species” on the end of the "discovery" list. Is a species suddenly “new” because we discover it?

Why the caps for the name of God?

"Matthew Wooller said...What kind of god is your GOD Raymond? Did he ask this of you as a personal request, or are you getting this from somewhere else. In your head, how is this a problem? Is the lack of capitals offending you? Surely you cannot believe that it is offending Yahweh - I mean, he's an omnipotent being, does he really get upset with grammar and syntax?"

Matt...I didn't do this for me or for God. I did it for you and for your atheist friends. Every time you write the name of God or Jesus, having to capitalize it will remind you that He is infinitely your Superior, and that you will bow the knee before Him one day, whether you believe in Him or not. My earnest prayer is that you bow now, while He offers mercy, rather than in judgment.

A Special Note to Atheists

I am honored that so many non-Christians frequent this site, but if you don’t write God or Jesus with capital letters, your comment will be automatically deleted.

Thank you for your understanding.

Be Ready

The Scriptures say, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear.” I have thought that I was “ready always” to give an answer, but the other day I found that I wasn’t.

I was riding my bike to work when I saw a gentleman walking on the sidewalk. As I rode passed him I grabbed a Ten Commandments coin, offered it to him and said, “Did you get one of these?” He grabbed it from my hand and said, “Hey! Thank you very much!” He didn’t know what it was, but he was so enthusiastic I immediately wished I had stopped and engaged him in a conversation about the things of God. All the way to work I was kicking myself for not stopping, and I spent some time thinking about the incident. I came to the conclusion that I wasn’t “ready always.” I had a subconscious mentality of “hit and run.” I needed a predetermined determination to engage in a conversation, before I encountered anyone.

A few days later I was riding to work when I saw a teenager on a skateboard heading for me. Suddenly, he slipped and sent the skateboard flying onto a busy road. He quickly ran out and retrieved it, and jumped back onto the sidewalk. I said a friendly, “That was close!” and followed with “Here’s a million dollars for you.” He smiled. Then I said, “It’s a gospel tract. What do you think happens after someone dies? Do you think there’s a Heaven?” There was no offense on his part. He said, “I’m not sure.” “Do you think there’s a Hell?” “Definitely.” That reply was interesting. So we went through the Commandments, opening up their spiritual nature.

It turned out that he had lied, stolen, lusted and blasphemed God’s name. He became rather sober, and it concerned him that because of his sins, he was heading for Hell. I then shared the good news that God paid his fine in Christ, rose from the dead, and upon his repentance and faith in Jesus, God would grant him everlasting life. We shook hands. He went on his way, and I went on mine.

So if you are a chicken like me and you fight inner fears, do yourself a big favor. Deal with your fears in the prayer closet, and predetermine to be ready. Always.

The Amazing Brain

Repeat this sentence three times, each time making sure you emphasize the italicized word:

"What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?"
"What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?"
"What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world and lose his own soul?"

Wait for about five seconds, close your eyes and say all three sentences again within your mind, making sure you emphasize the same italicised words (don't cheat). If it doesn’t work, repeat the exercise, doing it slower with stronger emphasis on the italicized word.

My Apologies

I have been in Florida for three days, at a Transformed conference. Three thousand showed up and we had a wonderful time. My apologies for being slack with the blog (one atheist was upset that I wasn’t posting your comments). We had the conference on Saturday and I had to preach three times on Sunday morning, so it wasn’t convenient.

On the plane going there, the man next to me said that there was no Hell. When I took him through the Commandments, he said, “I’m going to Hell!” and immediately ordered and downed four bottles of vodka (6-8 shot glasses). I guess that’s one way to temporarily deal with conviction. On the way back, I sat between two non-Christians. Both agreed to video interviews on the plane. The interviews went well, but it sure opened a huge can of wriggling worms with one guy. He didn’t stop talking about evolution and atheism and how God didn’t exist for about three hours after the interview. Phew! Anyway, I’m back to my routine and will make sure comments are posted as quickly as possible.

Special Post--from How to Know God Exists

THIS DAY WAS DIFFERENT
“I find more sure marks of authenticity in the Bible than in any profane history whatsoever.” —Sir Isaac Newton

As we have seen in the previous chapter, atheists approach the Bible with a “darkened understanding” (see Ephesians 4:18) and try to make sense of it. But just as the Bible says, they cannot understand it (see 1 Corinthians 2:14). The only way the Scriptures can make sense to us is for us to read them with a humble heart that is searching for truth. God promises to resist those who are proud.

Obviously, the best way for anyone to understand God’s Word is to switch on the light—to repent and trust Him who said, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life” (John 8:12).

It is legitimate, though, to ask: How can we know the Bible is divinely inspired? The Bible declares that it is the Word of God, His communication to humanity, so He certainly would give us evidence that it truly is His Word. The fulfilled prophecies, the amazing consistency, and the many scientific statements of the Bible provide evidence that it is supernatural in origin. We will look at some examples, and then we’ll consider what it is that gives even more credibility to the reality of God and the inspiration of the Scriptures.

Knowledge of the Future
Unlike other books, the Bible offers a multitude of specific predictions—some thousands of years in advance—that either have been literally fulfilled or point to a definite future time when they will come true. No other religion has specific, repeated, and unfailing fulfillment of predictions many years in advance of events over which the predictor had no control. The sacred writings of Buddhism, Islam, Confucius, etc., are all missing the element of proven prophecy. These kinds of predictions are unique to the Bible.

Only one who is omniscient can accurately predict details of events thousands of years in the future. Limited human beings know the future only if it is told to them by an omniscient Being. God provided this evidence for us so we would know that the Scriptures have a divine Author: “For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done.” (Isaiah 46:9,10)

In addition, the Bible declares that prophets must be 100 percent accurate—no exceptions. If anyone claimed to be speaking for God and the prophesied event didn’t come to pass, he was proven to be a liar. The writings of Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses are littered with false prophecies, so we know can whether they are written by men or by God.

The Bible’s sixty-six books, written between 1400 B.C. and A.D. 90, contain approximately 3,856 verses concerned with prophecy. For example, the Scriptures predicted the rise and fall of great empires like Greece and Rome (Daniel 2:39,40), and foretold the destruction of cities like Tyre and Sidon (Isaiah 23). Tyre’s demise is recorded by ancient historians, who tell how Alexander the Great lay siege to the city for seven months. King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon had failed in a 13-year attempt to capture the seacoast city and completely destroy its inhabitants. During the siege of 573 B.C., much of the population of Tyre moved to its new island home half a mile from the land city. Here it remained surrounded by walls as high as 150 feet until judgment fell in 332 B.C. with the arrival of Alexander the Great. In the seven-month siege, he fulfilled the remainder of the prophecies (Zechariah 9:4; Ezekiel 26:12) concerning the city at sea by completely destroying Tyre, killing 8,000 of its inhabitants and selling 30,000 of its population into slavery. To reach the island, he scraped up the dust and rubble of the old land city of Tyre, just like the Bible predicted, and cast them into the sea, building a 200-foot-wide causeway out to the island.

Alexander’s death and the murder of his two sons were also foretold in the Scripture. Another startling prophecy was Jesus’ detailed prediction of Jerusalem’s destruction, and the further dispersion of Jews throughout the world, which is recorded in Luke 21. In A.D. 70, not only was Jerusalem destroyed by Titus, the future emperor of Rome, but another prediction of Jesus’ in Matthew 24:1,2 came to pass—the complete destruction of the temple of God.

Even more important are the many prophecies of a coming Messiah. God said He would send someone to redeem mankind from sin, and He wanted there to be no mistake about who that Person would be. For example, in the Book of Daniel, the Bible prophesied the coming of the one and only Jewish Messiah prior to the temple’s demise. The Old Testament prophets declared He would be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2) to a virgin (Isaiah 7:14), be betrayed for thirty pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12,13), die by crucifixion (Psalm 22), and be buried in a rich man’s tomb (Isaiah 53:9). There was only one person who fits all of the messianic prophecies of the Old Testament: Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Mary. In all, there are over three hundred prophecies that tell of the ancestry, birth, life, ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus of Nazareth. All have been literally fulfilled to the smallest detail.

A fact often overlooked by critics is that, even if most biblical predictions could be explained naturally, the existence of just one real case of fulfilled prophecy is sufficient to establish the Bible’s supernatural origin. Over 25 percent of the entire Bible contains specific predictive prophecies that have been literally fulfilled. This is true of no other book in the world. And it is a sure sign of its divine origin.

Knowledge of Creation
Following are a few examples of incredible scientific facts that were written in the Bible, hundreds, even thousands of years before man discovered them.

At a time when it was commonly believed that the earth sat on a large animal or a giant (1500 B.C.), the Bible spoke of the earth’s free float in space: “He hangs the earth on nothing” (Job 26:7). Science didn’t discover that the earth hangs on nothing until 1650.

The Scriptures tell us that the earth is round: “It is He who sits above the circle of the earth” (Isaiah 40:22). The word translated “circle” here is the Hebrew word chuwg, which is also translated “circuit” or “compass” (depending on the con¬text). That is, it indicates something spherical or rounded—not flat or square. The Book of Isaiah was written between 740 and 680 B.C. This is at least 300 years before Aristotle suggested, in his book On the Heavens, that the earth might be a sphere. It was another 2,000 years later (at a time when science believed that the earth was flat) that the Scriptures inspired Christopher Columbus to sail around the world.

Matthew Maury (1806–1873) is considered the father of oceanography. He noticed the expression “paths of the seas” in Psalm 8:8 (written 2,800 years ago) and stated, “If God said there are paths in the sea, I am going to find them.” Maury then took God at His word and went looking for these paths, and we are indebted to him for his discovery of the warm and cold continental currents. His book on oceanography remains a basic text on the subject and is still used in universities.
Only in recent years has science discovered that everything we see is composed of things that we cannot see invisible atoms. In Hebrews 11:3, written 2,000 years ago, Scripture tells us that the “things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.”

Three different places in the Bible (Isaiah 51:6; Psalm 102:25,26; Hebrews 1:11) indicate that the earth is wearing out. This is what the Second Law of Thermodynamics (the Law of Increasing Entropy) states: that in all physical processes, every ordered system over time tends to become more disordered. Everything is running down and wearing out as energy is becoming less and less available for use. That means the universe will eventually “wear out” to the extent that (theoretically speaking) there will be a “heat death” and therefore no more energy available for use. This wasn’t discovered by science until recently, but the Bible states it in concise terms.

The Scriptures inform us, “All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is not full; to the place from which the rivers come, there they return again” (Ecclesiastes 1:7). This statement alone may not seem profound. But when considered with other biblical passages, it becomes all the more remarkable. For example, the Mississippi River dumps approximately 518 billion gallons of water every 24 hours into the Gulf of Mexico. Where does all that water go? And that’s just one of thousands of rivers. The answer lies in the hydrologic cycle, so well brought out in the Bible.

Ecclesiastes 11:3 states that “if the clouds are full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth.” Look at the Bible’s words in Amos 9:6: “He...calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out on the face of the earth.” The idea of a complete water cycle was not fully understood by science until the seventeenth century. However, more than two thousand years prior to the discoveries of Pierre Perrault, Edme Mariotte, Edmund Halley, and others, the Scriptures clearly spoke of a water cycle.

The Scriptures also describe a “cycle” of air currents two thousand years before scientists discovered them: “The wind goes toward the south, and turns around to the north; the wind whirls about continually, and comes again on its circuit” (Ecclesiastes 1:6). We now know that air around the earth turns in huge circles, clockwise in one hemisphere and counterclockwise in the other.

The Bible declares, “Thus the heavens and the earth, and all the host of them, were finished” (Genesis 2:1). The original Hebrew uses the past definite tense for the verb “finished,” indicating an action completed in the past, never again to occur. The creation was “finished”—once and for all. That is exactly what the First Law of Thermodynamics says. This law (often referred to as the Law of the Con¬ser¬vation of Energy and/or Mass) states that neither matter nor energy can be either created or destroyed. It was because of this Law that Sir Fred Hoyle’s “Steady-State” (or “Continuous Creation”) Theory was discarded. Hoyle stated that at points in the universe called “irtrons,” matter (or energy) was constantly being created. But, the First Law states just the opposite. Indeed, there is no “creation” ongoing today. It is “finished” exactly as the Bible states.

In Genesis 6, God gave Noah the dimensions of the 1.5 million cubic foot ark he was to build. In 1609 at Hoorn in Holland, a ship was built after that same pattern (30:5:3), revolutionizing ship-building. By 1900 every large ship on the high seas was inclined toward the proportions of the ark (verified by “Lloyd’s Register of
Shipping” in the World Almanac).

Since God is the Author of creation as well as the Bible, it’s only natural that the two should correspond. While the Bible is not intended to be a scientific book, the scientific statements it makes are accurate. In his book Proofs of God’s Existence,

Richard Wurmbrand explains:
In antiquity and in what is called the Dark Ages, men did not know what they now know about humanity and the cosmos. They did not know the lock but they possessed the key, which is God. Now many have excellent descriptions of the lock but they have lost the key. The proper solution is union between religion and science. We should be owners of the lock and the key. The fact is that as science advances, it discovers what was said thousands of years ago in the Bible.106

There Is Another Way
I know that many who read through the above evidences of the Bible being divinely inspired will disregard them. They maintain that we are reading into Scripture something that was never intended by the writers. So, in an effort to counter this reaction, I am going to present my case from another angle.

What I am going to say flies in the face of many respected Bible teachers. It almost sounds like heresy, but I will say it anyway because it’s important. The Christian’s salvation isn’t dependent on his belief in or understanding of the Scriptures. Why does that fly in the face of many? Because they believe that our salvation depends on the Word of God. They believe that everything we have in Christ stands or falls on the promises of the Bible. The Scriptures are the foundation for our faith. While I absolutely believe that the Bible is the Word of God, and that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God, I don’t believe our salvation stands or falls on our believing the Bible.

To illustrate this, let’s look at two men who are in a Russian dungeon. One is a Christian who has been horribly tortured for his faith. As he lies dying in his cell, he shares his faith with his unbelieving cellmate. The other prisoner is a bitter man who so despised Christians that he hadn’t spoken to him since they were forced to share the tiny cell. But this day was different. He listens intently to the dying man’s words, because he is on his deathbed. Through parched lips the Christian once again whispers the Ten Commandments, showing sin to be very serious in the sight of God. The man becomes deeply concerned as his conscience begins to bear witness to what he is hearing.107 The moral Law shows him that he has a serious problem with God’s wrath.108 There is no talk of a God-shaped hole in his heart, a wonderful plan for his life, or the promise of any benefits of faith in Jesus during this life. How could the Christian talk of a “wonderful plan” that so many speak of, while he lies dying because he had been beaten for his faith?

The prisoner listens as he is told that he is a desperately wicked criminal who needs forgiveness from the God he has greatly angered. Then he hears the pure gospel of the love of God in Christ, and of the necessity of repentance and faith. He hears of the One who can wash him clean. It answers his problem of coming wrath of which he is now convinced. The Christian then pleads with him to repent, breaths his last, and passes into eternity.

The prisoner is left alone in the cold cell. He is shaken by what he has just heard. He falls to his knees on the hard floor and trembles before God. He can hardly lift his head because of the weight of his sins. In humble contrition, he openly confesses his many transgressions against God’s Law. He pleads for mercy, repents, and places his entire trust in Jesus Christ for his eternal salvation. He has no Bible. He has no fellowship. He has no one to “follow up” with him. He is entirely alone.

The next day he wakens while still lying on the floor. As he opens his tired eyes, something is different. Something is radically different. There is a new song in his heart. It’s not a “song” that he could sing, but it’s some sort of a joy that he can hardly express. He also has a sense of peace that is beyond his comprehension. He has never felt these emotions before, and what is mystifying is that he has no reason to feel this joy. He is tired, alone, and hungry, in a cold dungeon. He also notices that he is no longer ashamed to lift his head to the heavens. In fact, he wants to speak to God in prayer.

But more than that, he has an overwhelming desire to please Him more than anything else in his life. He even notices that his nagging conscience was silenced and any sense of guilt about any of his past sins is gone. He is amazed at what he has experienced. Again, nothing like this has ever happened before—-not for a fleeting moment in his bitter, godless years. Never. God was the last thing on his mind.

He then looks at the lifeless body of the cellmate he once despised, and longs to speak with him. He wants to ask for his forgiveness. He wants to talk about the God who made Himself known to him, the God who forgave him for his sins...the God who loved him enough to send His Son to die for him.

This was more than some sort of subjective experience. He was a brand new person with a new heart and new desires. Tears filled his eyes as he thought of the cross of Jesus Christ. Oh, that wonderful cross! Jesus of Nazareth had suffered and died for him! Then He defeated death. The man’s heart almost burst with joy.

After five more years of solitary confinement, our prisoner has grown in his faith. He has preached the gospel to hardened guards. He has told them of the standard of perfection with which God would judge them, opening up the Ten Commandments. He has faithfully shared the reality of Judgment Day and the terrors of an eternal Hell. He preaches that Christ was crucified for the sin of the world, and stresses the necessity of repentance and faith. The guards taunt him regularly, and now and then beat him. He, in return, prays earnestly for their salvation. He also prays for the salvation of his family, and for the world. He continually worships God and lives a life of holiness, free from sin, trusting minute by minute in the finished work of Calvary’s cross.

Notice that he is a Christian. He is born again. He knows that he has passed from death to life. He is a believer who is strong in his faith and he has not yet even seen a Bible or spoken to another Christian. His faith rests on the fact that God made him a new creature, wrote His Law on his heart and caused him to walk in His statutes.109 He is a new person, a “new man which was created according to God, in true right¬eousness and holiness.”110 Old things passed away and all things became new.111 This is because He was born of God.112

The New Testament didn’t convert him. It is the gospel that is the power of God to salvation.113 Neither did the New Testament spiritually feed him. He now has the Spirit of God living within him to guide him into all truth.114 His faith wasn’t in the Scriptures, or a church, or a pastor, or another Christian. It wasn’t in his good works or in his religion. It was the fact that he was a new creature that convinced him of the reality of God. The New Testament addresses this thought: “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation”115 (emphasis added).

The Explanation Book
One day, a sympathetic guard slips the prisoner a battered and well-used New Testament that once belonged to his deceased cellmate. The prisoner doesn’t even know what “The New Testament” is. He wasn’t aware that there was such a thing. But from what the guard said, all he knows is that it is a book about the Savior he knows and loves.

He carefully opens its sacred pages for the first time in his life, and for the next few days he drinks in its truths about Jesus of Nazareth. Does his faith stand or fall on the New Testament truths? No. His faith was strong before he even opened the Scriptures. However, his faith is now strengthened by the fact that this 2,000-year-old book confirmed his experience. It brought him comfort.116 It explained why he suddenly longed for Christian fellowship.117 It mentioned his peace that passed all understanding,118 and it spoke about why he loved Jesus Christ (whom he had never seen), and why he had an unspeakable joy that bubbled within him.119 It ad¬dressed the fact that he was born again,120 was a new creature in Christ,121 and why he continually thought of Jesus of Nazareth122 and the cross.123

This was the experience of the converted at the birth of Christianity. Early Christians didn’t have a Bible. It wasn’t yet compiled. Most couldn’t read. Besides, there was no such thing as the printing press. They were saved by believing the spoken message that they heard.

How do I know that Christianity is true? Is it dependent on the inspiration of the Bible? No. My faith doesn’t rise or fall on that fact. Remember, I can be a Christian and not even know that the Bible exists. The Scriptures simply confirm my experience and provide spiritual nourishment to help me to grow in my faith.124 Christianity isn’t true because the Bible confirms it. It is true with or without the Scriptures.

I believe in Jesus Christ because I know Him experientially. The moral Law put me at the edge of a plane door, looking in horror at a 10,000-foot drop. The gospel perfectly addressed that problem. I am persuaded of the absolute truth of Christianity because it answered my need for a Savior and made me a new person in Jesus Christ.

Dwight Eisenhower rightly surmised,
It takes no brains to be an atheist. Any stupid person can deny the existence of a supernatural power because man’s physical senses cannot detect it. But there cannot be ignored the influence of conscience, the respect we feel for the moral Law, the mystery of first life...or the marvelous order in which the universe moves about us on this earth. All these evidence the handiwork of the beneficent Deity...That Deity is the God of the Bible and Jesus Christ, His Son.

Test It for Yourself
For anyone who is open to the truth, there is indeed 100 percent scientific (knowledge-producing) proof of God:

Creation produces intellectual knowledge of God.
For since the creation of the world His invisible at¬tri¬butes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and God¬head, so that they are without excuse. (Romans 1:20)

Conscience produces subconscious knowledge of God.
...who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them. (Romans 2:15)

Conversion produces experiential knowledge of God.
Jesus said, “He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” (John 14:21)

Creation reveals that there is an omnipotent, divine Creator to whom we owe our existence. It leaves us without excuse for chopping down a tree and carving an idol, and then falling before that idol and believing it is the Creator...or believing that “Mother Nature” is all there is.

It is the human conscience that points to the moral character and the requirements of God. We know that if there is a universal moral Law, then there is a Lawgiver—a God to whom we are accountable. It is the Law of God that awakens the conscience so that we can hear its voice of alarm, and turn in repentance and faith to the only Savior, Jesus Christ.

God has revealed Himself to us in the physical world and in our conscience. There’s one way to prove to yourself that God exists. Flick the switch.

Notes
106. Richard Wurmbrand, Proofs of God’s Existence (Bartlesville, OK: Living Sacrifice Books, 2007), p. 72.
107. See Romans 2:15.
108. See Romans 4:15.
109. Ezekiel 11:19,20.
110. Ephesians 4:24.
111. 2 Corinthians 5:17.
112. John 1:12,13.
113. Romans 1:16.
114. John 16:13.
115. Galatians 6:15.
116. Romans 15:4.
117. 1 John 3:14.
118. Philippians 4:7.
119. 1 Peter 1:8.
120. John 3:3–7; 1 Peter 1:23.
121. 2 Corinthians 5:17.
122. John 16:14.
123. Galatians 6:14.
124. 1 Peter 2:2.

A Question

"What if someone says they don't believe we'll be judged by the Law?"

The Bible makes it clear that there will be a Day of Judgment. The Scriptures warn, “Though hand join in hand [though the whole world says otherwise] the wicked shall not be unpunished…” (Proverbs 11:21). However, there are those who question the standard of judgment--will it be the Ten Commandments--the moral Law? Some say that it will rather be the words of Jesus that will judge mankind. This belief is based on John 12:48: “He that rejects me, and receives not my words, has one that judges him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.”

Humanity will be judged by the words of Jesus, but remember that the Scriptures say that God would “magnify the law and make it honorable” (Isaiah 42:21). This was the essence of the teaching ministry of the Messiah. The religious leaders had twisted the Law and demeaned it so that its original intent was lost. But Jesus magnified it. He showed them that lust was adultery, and that anger without cause violated its holy precepts, etc. He reminded them that not one jot or title of the Law would fail.

When Paul preached on Mars Hill he warned the idolatrous Athenians that God would judge the world “in righteousness.” They had violated the First and Second of the Ten Commandments and he therefore warned then that God was not “graven by art and man’s device.” The “righteousness” of which he spoke is the righteousness which is of the Law: “For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law” (Romans 2:12, italics added). James 2:12 also warns that the moral Law will be the standard of judgment: “So speak, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.”

Those who may be tempted to say that the “law of liberty” isn’t the moral Law but “the law of Christ,” should look at the context. The preceding verse says: “For he that said, Do not commit adultery [7th Commandment], said also, Do not kill [8th Commandment]. Now if you commit no adultery, yet if you kill, you have become a transgressor of the law” (James 2:11).

What Does it Mean?

If you use the Law to reach the lost, you may have had some people say that "taking God’s name in vain" is not considered "blasphemy." However, the Greek word used is blasphemia. It breaks down to blas which means “against God or sacred persons or things,” and phemia which means “speech.” The Apostle Paul considered himself a blasphemer before his conversion (1 Timothy 1:13). He more than spoke against Jesus of Nazareth, he so hated Christianity, he killed Christians. So if any speech against God, and using His name without due respect is considered blasphemy, how much more evil is it to use His name as a cuss word?

Another accusation often leveled at us is that the Seventh Commandment is about "adultery," not fornication (sex before marriage). That’s not true. In 1 Timothy 1:8--10 it is made clear that the Commandments not only include fornicators, but they also include homosexuals.

Finally, there are some who say that the Ninth Commandment says, “Thou shalt not bare false witness.” They maintain that that is solely a reference to giving false witness in a court of law, and therefore doesn’t include everyday lying. Another untruth. 1 Timothy 1:8-10 also says that the Law was made for liars. So, as much as the world would like to do away with the Law, or at least water it down, it’s immutable. It’s not going away, and it will be the unbending standard of judgment on the day when God judges the hearts of men and women (see Romans 2:12).

No pain, no gain

Life has been anything but boring since I started getting “floaters.” I was told by my eye doctor that they are very common, and can disappear as quickly as they appear. “Floaters” are little specks that actually float on the eyeball. Nowadays I often jump at what I think is a cockroach on a wall, or a fly buzzing in front of my face.

It was a Monday night, and I had for some reason woken up around midnight so I decided to spend some time in prayer. I found out that earlier that same night, my daughter, Rachel, had been telling her kids that I had been getting up for prayer most weeknights, for about 25 years, and how I had perfected walking in the dark. If I couldn’t see, I would extend my crossed arms. That would mean that I didn’t walk into any open doors. Pretty clever.

I didn’t need to cross my arms this night because I was going into the sunroom, a room I rarely prayed in, and one that wasn’t pitch dark. The Bible says that when we enter a room for prayer, we should shut the door. I almost always think of that verse when I enter a room to pray. It speaks of a quiet intimacy with God.

I carefully shut the door making sure not to wake Sue, who was soundly sleeping upstairs. I then knelt down to pray. After 30 minutes I stood up, turned the light on to check the time, turned it off, and in the now pitch dark walked straight into the closed wooden door! The bang was so loud I thought that I had awakened Sue for sure.

In the morning I was surprised to find that she didn’t hear the big bang. I guess she is used to hearing stumbling noises in the night. She did however, notice the blood on the bridge of my nose. We were both amazed at how hard I would have had to hit the door to flatten my nose and get a wound on the bridge between my eyes.

I got through the entire next day without injuring myself. That night I trimmed my fingernails, not bothering to file them after trimming (that’s a “woman” thing), and then leaped into bed. However, somehow between the bathroom and the bed I managed to cut myself on my left thumb with my right nail, and draw blood. Sue wasn't surprised.

The next day I fell off my bike, and only slightly injured my left knee. My consolation was that it wasn’t as bad as when I rode into a five inch high sidewalk curve, and went over the handlebars.

After sending half a cup of tea down my windpipe and nearly drowning myself during the evening, I jumped into bed that night and began reading a good book. Suddenly I was distracted by a huge mosquito that buzzed between my face and the book. It was one of those blood-filled ones, and because it was so heavy laden and therefore slow, I knew I could kill it. With the reflexes and agility of a world champion Kung Foo expert, I slapped my open hand against my chest at lightning speed, trapping that beast with such force it not only startled Sue, but it really hurt my bare chest. But it was worth the pain. I focused my eyes on my stinging chest as I searched for its crushed body. I never found it. It was a "floater."

Kirk Cameron on TV Tonight

For those who are interested, Kirk will be hosting the "Praise the Lord" program on TBN tonight (Thursday 13th March), and will be screening the new promo for the Third Season of our television program.

God Created Sex (PG 14, Men Only)

How about some honesty from those of you who are you male unbelievers. You are infatuated with the female form. There is red blood in your veins, and all this talk of evolution, the so-called “mistakes” in the Bible, and “no evidence” for the existence of God is just an excuse to indulge in guilt-free lust and illicit sex. Maybe you won't admit it, but one of your hero's does. Aldous Huxley, the grandson of Charles Darwin’s ‘bulldog’ Thomas Huxley, said candidly of his atheism, “For myself, as, no doubt, for most of my contemporaries, the philosophy of meaningless was essentially an instrument of liberation. The liberation we desired was simultaneously liberation from a certain political and economic system and liberation from a certain system of morality. We objected to the morality because it interfered with our sexual freedom; we objected to the political and economic system because it was unjust. The supporters of these systems claimed that in some way they embodied the meaning (a Christian meaning, they insisted) of the world. There was one admirably simple method of confuting these people and at the same time justifying ourselves in our political and erotical revolt: we could deny that the world had any meaning whatsoever.”

Not that I need say this, but give sex some thought for a moment. When it comes to male and female, everything is designed to fit. Design doesn’t happen by accident. God is the designer of the female form, and contrary to what some weird religions will tell you, sex is for procreation and pleasure. The Bible says to “let your wife’s breasts satisfy you at all times,” and to be “ravished” with her love (see Proverbs 5:19).

Here’s something in this regard that you may not have considered. If everyone obeys traffic laws, we have relatively safe roads. If we don’t obey the laws because we get pleasure out of speeding, we will more than likely end up being prosecuted by the law.

Here’s the rule when it comes to sex: If you don’t confine it to the bounds of marriage, you will probably end up with genital herpes or something worse. At present 50-60% of married couples in America admit to adultery, and premarital sex is practiced by more than 75% of women, and more than 80% of men by the age of 19. The result? More than 45 million people are infected with the virus that causes genital herpes. One in four US teenagers has a sexually transmitted disease.

But there are far more serious repercussions for violation of this rule. The Scriptures warn that fornicators (those who have sex outside of marriage) and adulterers (and we know that God considers lust to be adultery) will be prosecuted to the full extent of the Law. They will end up in Hell.

The tragedy is that we can enjoy sex simply by getting married. The Bible addresses this by telling Christians who are burning with sexual desire to get married: “But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn” (1 Corinthians 7:9). So, repent of your love of unclean sexual thoughts, and ask God to forgive you for this and all other sin. Put your trust in Jesus Christ for your eternal salvation, and then pray earnestly that God gives you a godly wife. Get married; then love, honor, and respect her with all of your heart, and she will reward you.

How to Boost Your Ego

If you want to boost your ego a little, watch the television program “Jeopardy” using TIVO. When a question is asked, put the TV on “pause,” and that gives you as much time as you want to think about your answer.

Life is much more pleasant if we learn to use the pause button. The book of Proverbs is filled with such good advice. If you want your life to be a disaster, don’t pause when things upset you. Instead, answer in anger. Write that email you will regret. Make that phone call. Say those words in the heat of the moment that will destroy a valued friendship.

Just the other day one of my friends said that he couldn’t do some important recording I needed. I was upset at the time but didn’t say anything to him, until about an hour later. I went into his office, sat down and asked for his perspective. When I fully heard his side, I could see that he had complications that made it impossible for him to get a quality recording for me. His hesitation to do what I wanted was motivated by his desire to give me a quality product. I was sure glad for the pause.

High-tech Criminals

Back in 1971, three thieves at Billericay in Essex, England gave many hours of thought to robbing the local post office in Mountnessing Road. Among the details that they discovered, were the times at which there was the most cash and when there were the least security guards on the premises. They also invested in masks, weapons and a getaway vehicle.

These genius’ left no stone unturned. At a pre-arranged time, the gang sped through the town and screeched to a halt outside the post office. It was only when they jumped out of the car and ran towards the building that they discovered the one detail that they had omitted to check. The post office had been closed for around twelve years.

From the soon-to-be-published, 101 of the Dumbest Things People Have Done

Oops! I Forgot Something

Scientists are extremely concerned for our species because one third of the honey bees in the United States have disappeared. They are dying by the millions (the bees, that is) and the concern is that crops everywhere require pollination, and if there are no bees, fruits and vegetables can’t grow. They need bees. Experts can’t point to a single factor as a cause.

So I have decided to make an exciting suggestion that will fix the problem. All we need to do is figure out how evolution created the first male and female bees, and do the same. We will need material for a couple of wings, bee skin, bee blood, a small heart, a complex digestive system, eyes, reproductive organs, lungs, a brain, blood vessels, and an instinct to pollinate the flowers, search out nectar, and bring it back to the hive. We will also need the little bags for collecting the nectar and whatever they use to make it into the honey.

Oh! Wait a minute. I forgot something important. We don’t need any materials to begin with. We will make the bees from nothing. That’s how evolution did it in the beginning. Hmmm. That’s kind of stumped me. I’m not sure how to make something from nothing. Well, back to square one. If you have any suggestions, please let me know so that I can pass your knowledge onto the scientists.

Response to "The Female Form."

That post stirred up a little hornet’s nest. I am surprised at how many atheists and non-Christians are on this site. I was told that I am “ridiculous,” a “sad repressed person,” a liar, “complete retrograde,” (old-fashioned) a “red necked ignoramus,” told “see your counselor,” and encouraged to “please, stay away from kids for a while.”

While I am honored to have so many non-Christians read my blog, my advice to those who are so upset--don’t read it. If the food upsets you, don’t eat it. Unsubscribe. Delete. Stay away. You will feel much better . . .

The Female Form

CBS ran a comprehensive story on the paintings of the brilliant Austrian artist Gustav Klimt. The famous painter’s primary subject was the female body, and his works are marked by what has been called “a frank eroticism.”

Klimt lived in Vienna during the turn of the 20th century, and according to CBS “no one captured the moment of opulent decadence the way he did.” He was “the most celebrated portrait painter of his day. Obsessed with women . . . with pale beauties in extravagant gowns, or nothing at all.” One of his clothed paintings was sold for an amazing $135 million, and he is so celebrated a gallery in New York has even reproduced his studio “where he both painted and seduced many of his models . . . In this gallery, we really get a sense of his obsession for the love of the female form . . . it is a private glimpse of a master at work.”

The CBS host said “What might be regarded as the very essence of human nature is captured in his work--love, lust…” to which the museum director replied “It’s extremely sensuous.” Gustav Klimt never married, but he is said to have fathered more than a dozen children.

The item concluded with the curator of the gallery looking at a painting of a baby, and explaining why Klimt painted it as his last work. She said, “He was always reminded of his mortality.”

If you too enjoy gazing at the naked female form, you don’t have to go to New York to see similar works. You can find them scrawled on the walls of most public rest rooms.

A Skeptic's Question (for some reason this post did not go out via email).

“Matthew Wooller said...Raymondo reckons...'Hell is a reality...' Where is it? Use Google maps, they have an astronomical section too -- show me where hell 'is'. Whilst we are at it, tell me how I will get there. Further, furthermore, tell me how I will get there when all brain function has ceased. If you CANNOT answer this little lot, it will not surprise me. You[r] little imagined world has had a lot of time poured into it -- but even so, there are still holes. This is no reality you are speaking of Raymond, it's pure fiction.”

John Lennon was right when he spoke of Hell being “below us.” That is biblical. The word “Hell” is used 54 times throughout Scripture, and it is always referred to as being "below" us (Proverbs 15:54, Isaiah 5:14, 14:9,15, 2 Peter 2:4, and many other places). Also, scientists now tell us that there is fire (great heat/molten rock) below us. So, perhaps there's the answer to your first question as to its location.

Now to your second question--on how to get there. Simply die in your sins. That will get you there. It doesn’t matter if you are an agnostic, an atheist or a religious person; if you die in your sins you will get Eternal Justice. This makes no sense until you understand that God is perfect. He is holy. He sees your thought-life and the deeds you do in darkness. He considers lust to be adultery and hatred to be murder. Lying lips are an abomination to Him. Every time you sin, you store up His just wrath. That is the teaching of the Bible from start to finish.

Again, simply die in your sins and you get exactly what’s coming to you for adultery, fornication (sex out of marriage) hatred, envy, greed, lust, jealousy, lying, stealing, ingratitude, rebellion, bitterness, unbelief, blasphemy, etc. Die in Christ and your every sin is forgiven, because of what He did on the cross. By the way, God won't send anyone to Hell. No judge "sends" a criminal to prison. His crimes send him there. The judge merely carries out justice. The Bible even says that God is not willing that any perish, but that all come to repentance. That means you Matthew.

In answer to your third question: “Further, furthermore, tell me how I will get there when all brain function has ceased.” I plead the Fifth on that one. If I use the words "atheist" and “all brain function has ceased” in one sentence, I will get myself into trouble for a seeming lack of charity.

You Can’t Say it

I was born twice in New Zealand, and even after 19 years of living in the United States I still have trouble with my accent. My big problem is with the letter “r.” I often travel with an associate (Mark Spence), and when I introduce him as “Mark,” people often say “Did you say, ‘Muck’”?

The other day I had to make a call and ask for a man named “Art.” When I asked for Art, he said, “Who?” I was saying his name and he didn’t even recognize it.

Before you laugh, there are certain words that American’s can’t say. One is the Down-under colloquialism “G’dday.” You may think that you can say it and sound authentic, but, believe me, anyone from Australia and New Zealand can hear the difference.

Authenticity of accent is so real, New Zealander’s used the name “Blenheim” as a password in the Second World War. German’s can’t say it correctly. They automatically emphasize the “heim” as "Blenhighm." In the Bible, Israel did a similar thing. They used a password that the enemy couldn’t say, and when they detected it, they killed him.

It doesn’t take long to pick a lack of genuineness in the Kingdom of God. When a Christian has even a few minutes fellowship with someone who professes faith in Christ, it’s not hard to figure that something isn’t right. This is because becoming a Christian isn’t a change of mind. It’s not an adherence to religious belief or dogma. It’s a complete rebirth. It’s not a wax and polish, a tune-up, or a new paint job. It’s a brand new car (I have trouble with that word) . . . vehicle. That’s what astounds me to the extreme about Christianity. A true convert experiences the power of the invisible God giving him (or her) a brand new heart. When we talk about the “heart,” some (atheists) think we are referring to the blood-pumping machine. But the dictionary definition helps. The heart used in this way is “the center of the total personality, esp. with reference to intuition, feeling, or emotion . . . esp. as contrasted to the head as the center of the intellect.”

So if you think that the language we speak sounds foreign, seek God with all your heart. Simply apologize to Him for doing what you know in your heart is wrong. Then turn from those sins and put your trust into Jesus Christ for your eternal salvation. Then you will know in your heart of hearts that there is a God who gives eternal life to those that call upon Him, and you will know in the very center of your total personality that there’s a real Heaven, and a very real Hell.

A Challenge

As briefly as you can, give me your best reasons why you think that God doesn’t exist, or why the Bible isn’t His Word. How about your toughest question...

A Skeptic's Question

“Matthew Wooller said...Raymondo reckons...'Hell is a reality...' Where is it? Use Google maps, they have an astronomical section too -- show me where hell 'is'. Whilst we are at it, tell me how I will get there. Further, furthermore, tell me how I will get there when all brain function has ceased. If you CANNOT answer this little lot, it will not surprise me. You[r] little imagined world has had a lot of time poured into it -- but even so, there are still holes. This is no reality you are speaking of Raymond, it's pure fiction.”

John Lennon was right when he spoke of Hell being “below us.” That is biblical. The word “Hell” is used 54 times throughout Scripture, and it is always referred to as being "below" us (Proverbs 15:54, Isaiah 5:14, 14:9,15, 2 Peter 2:4, and many other places). Also, scientists now tell us that there is fire (great heat/molten rock) below us. So, perhaps there's the answer to your first question as to its location.

Now to your second question--on how to get there. Simply die in your sins. That will get you there. It doesn’t matter if you are an agnostic, an atheist or a religious person; if you die in your sins you will get Eternal Justice. This makes no sense until you understand that God is perfect. He is holy. He sees your thought-life and the deeds you do in darkness. He considers lust to be adultery and hatred to be murder. Lying lips are an abomination to Him. Every time you sin, you store up His just wrath. That is the teaching of the Bible from start to finish.

Again, simply die in your sins and you get exactly what’s coming to you for adultery, fornication (sex out of marriage) hatred, envy, greed, lust, jealousy, lying, stealing, ingratitude, rebellion, bitterness, unbelief, blasphemy, etc. Die in Christ and your every sin is forgiven, because of what He did on the cross. By the way, God won't send anyone to Hell. No judge "sends" a criminal to prison. His crimes send him there. The judge merely carries out justice. The Bible even says that God is not willing that any perish, but that all come to repentance. That means you Matthew.

In answer to your third question: “Further, furthermore, tell me how I will get there when all brain function has ceased.” I plead the Fifth on that one. If I use the words "atheist" and “all brain function has ceased” in one sentence, I will get myself into trouble for a seeming lack of charity.

Something to Deal With

The other day I spoke to a friendly semi-atheistic agnostic named Debbie who said that if I believed that there was a Hell, I should spend every moment pleading with people to avoid it. She couldn’t understand people who said that they believed that Hell existed, and yet didn’t bother to warn others. Debbie was perceptive.

Her words reminded me of an atheist who once wrote me a stinging email, saying that if I really believed in Hell and that I had found everlasting life, I would be running around the streets pleading with people. I wrote back and told him that that is exactly what I do. I have been doing that for more than 30 years. I have stood on a box around 5,000 times and looked like a fool as I pleaded with this dying world. I have personally given out hundreds of thousands of gospel tracts in the hope that people would read them. I have spoken one-to-one to thousands on planes or on the streets. At my own cost I have put advertisements on TV and in newspapers. I have done debates with atheists, not to prove that God exists (we all know He exists), but to implore them to get right with God.

Our radio and TV programs are either begging sinners to listen, or pleading with and encouraging Christians to go out and do what they know they should do. That’s why we do our free “Transformed” conferences--to encourage and equip Christians to seek the lost. And by the way, we don’t share the gospel to get "Brownie points." We already have them, by God’s grace. He has already given us everlasting life. We seek the lost simply because we love them. Our labor is called “a labor of love” for a reason.

So don’t get upset with us for being true to our convictions. If you are an unbeliever who argues with Christians, you do that because you are true to your convictions, and you don’t even believe that we are in terrible eternal danger. We are zealous in ours because we believe you are. And we care about you. Deal with it.

Take a Close Look

“He had the disciples take the donkey without first asking the owner's permission. The owner agreed to it in the story, but still; try something like that in real life. Unless you've got a pre-arranged deal with someone, to just up and take something of theirs without asking permission first is the textbook definition of stealing.”

Take a close look at Jesus Christ and see if you can find any sin in Him. You won’t. He was morally perfect. The above is about the best anyone can do, along with He disobeyed His parents, or He lost His temper when He cleared the temple.

Let’s deal with those three. The donkey. We have two accounts, one in Mark 11:1-6 and the other in Luke 19:29-35. Jesus told His disciples to go and get the donkey, and as they were untying him someone asked what they were doing, and they said what Jesus told them to say: “The Lord has need of him.” Here’s what any skeptic will find hard to swallow. The Lord Jesus Christ owned that donkey. He created every hair on its little head (see John 1:3 and Colossians 1:16), and you can’t steal what you own. The temporal “owner” was in reality just taking care of it for Him.

How incredible to think that the Lord had need of a little donkey. But He did. He chose to be carried into Jerusalem on a lowly donkey. God has also chosen lowly creatures like us to carry the Savior to this sinful world. How incredible.

Number two problem--His “disobedience.” In Luke 2:42-49 we are told that His mother and Joseph left Jerusalem “supposing Him to have been in the company.” He wasn’t. It took three days for them to find Him (thank God for cell phones). He was in the temple teaching the elders, as He said, about His “Father’s business.” Any responsible parent would never leave a city “supposing” that their 12 year-old was with them. That was bad parenting, not disobedience.

Multitudes sit in churches “supposing” that Jesus is with them, but they don’t know Him (see Matthew 7:21-23). They are false converts who will be sorted out on Judgment Day. They have never obeyed the command to repent and trust that Savior. That's disobedience.

Number three problem. Jesus lost His temper when He cleared the temple. The incident is recorded in all four Gospels. Here it is from John 2:14-16: “And found in the temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting. And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers' money, and overthrew the tables; and said to them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father's house a house of merchandise.” The other three accounts give us a fuller picture. He also said, “It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but you have made it a den of thieves.”

There is no loss of temper here. What He did was deliberate and premeditated. He took the time to make a whip of small cords, then He cleared the temple of the money-hungry televangelists of His day. That should make any skeptic jump for joy. It does me.

There is another temple that should be a house of prayer, but is instead a den of thieves. God created us to be temples of His Holy Spirit, but we are instead inhabited by him who came to kill, steal and destroy. Mr. Skeptic, let the ten cords of the whip of God's Law drive sin from your own money-hungry heart, and become a man of prayer instead of a finger pointing skeptic.

I dare you. Study Jesus of Nazareth up close and personal. He is squeaky clean. He is morally perfect. I would never say that about any other human being, because there has never been one like Him. Jesus was God manifest in the flesh: “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory” (1 Timothy 3:16).

The Brain

“sinned34 said... Yup, the brain is an amazing organ, but evidence of God? Come on, Ray. It's incredible that the mind can do so many things -- recall subtle memories, perform complex calculations in milliseconds, and even rewire itself in some cases. Yet despite this, it is still an imperfect piece of meat. If you think that it's evidence of God, then I'd argue you certainly don't think God does a very good job . . .”

I am overawed with the way my brain works. I am amazed how I can travel back through my memories and relive my experiences. I am amazed at how it can manifest creativity, ingenuity, initiative, insight, discretion, and a mass of deep emotions. My brain, which is just an average brain, is infinitely more complex than the most sophisticated of computers. However, the above atheist sees his as "an imperfect piece of meat." Something therefore is wrong with it. It’s not working properly. Of course, I wouldn’t say that God didn’t do a very good job of creating it, but I would rather say that the professing atheist isn’t using it properly. It's just meat because he isn’t using that life-giving stimulant of “common sense.”

When a brain is hard-wired to the power of common sense, the eyes will marvel at the genius of God’s unspeakably creative hand. The eyes will look around at the incredibly colorful flowers, the thousands of amazing birds, the massive trees, the tasty fruits, the live-giving sun, the moon, and the innumerable stars. Yes, something is terribly wrong with a brain that refuses common sense . . . and even these few thoughts will make no sense to a brain that lacks common sense.

Dream-world

The handsome cowboy is shot in the chest, and goes into a deep coma. He tosses and turns and sweats like a pro in the last quarter. He is delirious, and, after three days, awakens to see that a beautiful young woman has been sitting at his bedside. She has been faithfully wiping his brow, waiting for the moment when he opened his eyes.

That scenario is often played out in movies, but have you ever seen a movie where the faithful nurse is 450 pounds, and toothless with warts? That would be a killer at the box office. Or have you ever seen advertisements for women’s fashion clothes, modeled by homely women? It rarely happens. Or have you noticed that "fountain of youth" creams are always rubbed into the faces of young and beautiful models? Perhaps you have noticed that in beer or cigarette advertisements, the drinkers and smokers are usually young, good-looking and healthy.

In the movies the hero always gets his man. In the real world, the “greatest nation on earth” can’t even find the number one terrorist. But don’t be disillusioned. There’s a new world coming for those that love God. In that world, the ideal will be the reality. Nothing will be ugly. Not a thing. Perfection will be the norm. Of course, Mr. Skeptic will be quick to say that such a world would be boring. Sorry, in a perfect world, there won’t even be boredom. You say that I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. There are millions of us who are waiting for that which is perfect. Evil will be banished forever. We will "inherit the earth." We will have peace on earth, and good will to men. Forever. I hope some day you join with us, and the world will be as one.

A Thousand Times a Day

I was sitting in church recently when a man I didn’t know approached me, and asked if I would pray for his wife who is in her early 50's. She had had an aneurism, and then a stroke during a brain operation, and she is now permanently in a convalescent home. He said that she is a Christian, and she is stuck in a room for 24 hours a day, paralyzed down one side. He was heart-broken, lonely, and financially strapped.

Think of it. You are a happy wife, taking life a day at a time, when suddenly this happens to you. Suddenly, everything is ripped from your hands. Everything. She loved the Lord, so how could God let this happen?

The real question is, how could God not let this happen? Imagine if being a Christian meant that God stopped you from having aneurisms and strokes. Imagine if He stopped you from getting cancer and heart disease. In fact, if God loved you He would make sure that you don’t get any diseases, right up until the day you die.

It would be nice if being a Christian meant that we didn’t get diseases, or the flu, or colds, or dandruff. But we do. When we stub a toe, it hurts us as much as it hurts anyone else.

The Bible says that the same storms that came to the man who built his house on sand, came to the man who built his house on rock. One house fell, and one didn’t. Being a Christian means that we come under the stormy trials as the non-Christian. If we didn’t, our churches would sure be full. Very full. Who wouldn’t want to become a Christian if it meant no health problems, and no pain? Sky-divers would pack the pews. So would the obese fast food folks. The only unhappy people would be the medical profession. That day will come, but in the meanwhile we all get the storms of life.

But the key to this dilemma is the foundation upon which we build. If we are Christians, we build upon the sold-rock of the person of Jesus Christ and His teachings, and the Book of Peter tells us that we shouldn’t be surprised when “fiery trials” come our way. But we are told that they “establish, strengthen and settle” us. They reveal our foundation.

A non-Christian who has an aneurism then a stroke and ends up in a convalescent home staring at the wall for 24 hours a day, will more than likely become bitter and angry at God. But the Christian knows that “all” things work together for his or her good (see Romans 8:28). Fires cause the dross to rise to the top of the gold. It purifies it. Storms cause our roots to go down deep. Whatever the analogy, the principle is the same. Trials are for our good.

So horrible though this case may be (and it plays out a thousand times a day), God knows the outcome, and for some reason He has permitted these seeming terrible things to happen to this lady. Her husband is praying for God to heal her, and He may. We could do with some evident miracles nowadays. But even if He doesn’t heal her, He is still with her, and He promises to work this for her good.

In the meanwhile, you may like to pray for this dear lady, and even drop her a note or a gift to let her know we care. Her name is Patricia Dobos, C/o Living Waters Publications, P.O. Box 1172, Bellflower, CA 90706

Stress Free Dinner

At the risk of seeming like I’m a klutz or something worse, let me tell you about a minor incident that took place when I was cooking dinner for Sue. She is a hard worker and after a long day at the ministry I like her to come home to a stress-free dinner. It was late in the afternoon, so I decided to cook some fish in oil. I had never cooked in oil, so that would be a pleasant change for her.

I carefully placed the frying pan onto the gas oven. I then skillfully poured the oil into the pan, making sure that not a drop went onto the stove. I had noticed that when Sue gets home she will often grab a sponge cloth and wipe the counter or stove (she’s a clean-freak), and my goal was to keep her stress free. Not the tiniest drop hit the stove top. Carefulness is my middle name.

I often visualize myself having a "Comfort Food" television program, where I expertly teach people the do's and don’ts of cooking. I turned on the gas, making sure the flame was high, but not too high. I then took a piece of especially prepared fish from the refrigerator and carefully dropped it from about six inches into the half inch of very hot oil in the pan. “Kah-bush!” would probably be the right word to use to describe the noise that came the second the fish hit the pan. (Note to reader or television viewer: Never “drop” anything into very hot oil because it splashes and tends to explode as it hits fire. Also, when cooking with oil, it is wise to use about one thirty-second of an inch on the bottom of the pan. Not half an inch. That much oil tends to make a big splash).

I leaped back in horror and stared at the two and a half-foot-high ten-inch-wide pillar of flame that roared in front of me. Man did it roar! Despite this, I didn’t panic. Like a trained professional, I quickly grabbed a fire extinguisher and skillfully aimed it at the fire. It was out in about a second and things were back to normal. No problem.

No problem?! The kitchen was filled with white and stinky smoke. The counter, the stove, the sink, the floor...everything looked as though it was covered in a blanket of pure white snow. Yikes! Sue would be home in ten minutes! I rushed to the back door and opened it. Then to the front door and opened it. I turned on a huge exhaust fan to get the smoke out of the house. In seconds it had cleared. Now it was just a matter of . . . a van was pulling up the driveway! It was Sue. She had come home a little early, after a particularly hard day at the ministry, and she was coming home to her usual stress-free dinner!

I casually rushed out to the driveway, where, for some reason she had stopped the van. The window was down and she had a concerned look on her face. She asked, “Why are the doors open? What's going on?” I smiled and said, “Hi Love, do you want to drive around the block for 5-6 minutes?" That was about the time I estimated it would take to remove the snow from the kitchen. It took two of us about an hour to clean up.

Sue still lets me cook dinner. I will not be doing a television show.

The Lie Detector

“Pvblivs said... A common misconception is that polygraphs detect lies. They don't. They measure body responses. There is some correlation between these responses and lying; but there is also considerable room for error. Some people can 'fail' a polygraph just because they are nervous about the situation in which they find themselves.”

Our atheist friend is right. The “lie” detector isn’t a lie detector, it actually is a “conscience” detector. It detects the body’s physical reactions to the voice of the conscience. We did an entire program on this subject for the Third Season of our TV program (begins to air in March), in which we hooked Kirk up to a polygraph machine and he tried to beat the machine. You won’t believe what happened.

The conscience is a dilemma for the believer in evolution. He doesn’t know why it exists. Neither do the experts. Why would evolution create something that tells us that it’s wrong to lie, to steal, to kill and to commit adultery? Was primitive man committing these sins before he evolved a conscience? If he wasn’t, why did the conscience evolve? If he was, why did the conscience evolve?

Rather, the conscience is the inner light that God has given to every one of us, and He will hold us responsible to it. We will have no excuse on Judgment Day, because we know right from wrong. And that guilt manifests itself in sweaty palms, alterations in our breathing patterns, and our heart rhythm. So don’t sweat it. Listen to its voice. It should bring you to the foot of a blood-stained cross.

The Issue of Suicide

Someone asked if a person goes to Heaven, if they commit suicide. While there are some who are quick to say “Thou shalt not kill” includes killing of one’s self, others point to the person who is standing on a window ledge of the 100th story of the World Trade center. Think of this scenario. As the poor man’s flesh catches fire with the unspeakable heat of exploding jet fuel, he deliberately leans forward and topples 100 stories to his death. He didn’t want to die, but terrifying circumstances caused him to lean forward to escape his unspeakably horrifying circumstances.

This is not an imaginary scenario. Such a terrible scene played out many times on September 11th, 2001. The issue, in such a case, isn't so cut and dry. It would be therefore unwise to say that those who tragically take their lives, did or didn’t go to Heaven. The Bible is silent on the subject of suicide and salvation, and it’s probably wise for us to be silent also.

Caught in a Lie

I have asked thousands of people if they think that they are a good person. That question is the essence of “The Way of the Master” teaching. Mankind is self-righteous, and as long as we think that we are virtuous, we will never see our need of God’s mercy. If we refuse His mercy, we will get His fearful justice.

The Bible says that most of us will say that we are good: “Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness…” (Proverbs 20:6). It is so true. Around nine out of every ten people I ask, will say that they are morally good. We proclaim our own goodness, but do we believe that we are good? I don’t think so. I may be wrong, but I think that each of us knows (via the conscience) that we have sinful hearts. But we paint ourselves as being virtuous. This was the case of the wife of a New York police officer who appeared on an episode of Fox's "The Moment of Truth." On the show, contestants were hooked up to polygraphs and were eliminated if a lie is detected. The woman’s alarm sounded after she answered "yes" when asked if she believed she is a good person. She was eliminated from the show. It was no big deal. She only missed out on $500,000. That's nothing, compared to the multitudes who will be eliminated from Heaven because of self-righteousness, and end up in Hell. That’s a big deal.