"I sincerely hope that nothing of the sort ever happens to your wife Ray [rape], or anyone else close to you, but since we're speaking hypothetically...If it did, how would you explain why the Christian God caused it to happen? A test of your faith? A test of your character? I would be very interested to hear your thoughts on this." Culberto

Thank you for your kind sentiments. However, if my wife did get raped, I would never say that God “caused” it to happen. That’s the way an atheist talks. Like insurance companies, they tend to blame God for everything bad and refuse praise for anything good.

It would be the rapist that raped my wife, not God, however, He allowed it. He permits the storms and the pains of life to come to those that love Him, for a reason. Being a Christian doesn’t mean that we don’t get wet when it rains. It even means that if we are in a storm, we are just as likely to get struck by lightning as any other person.

So there are two "wills" of God for the Christian--the permissive and the perfect will of God. If something terrible happens to me or my family--a rape or even a death, I have God’s promise that He allowed it (His permissive will) to fulfill His eternal purposes for my life, and that will always work out for my good (see Romans 8:28). That gives me great comfort.

"Lurker said... Excuse me, Pastor Ray, I enjoyed your service, but I think that it is funny that you bring up the importance of da Vinci's notebooks.... are you aware that Leonardo da Vinci gained valuable knowledge about the workings of the human body by going against the will of the church and dissecting corpses, an act that would have surely landed him in a load of religious trouble? How do you feel about the church's involvement in holding back science and medicine, historically, as well as the role of religious groups holding back science today?"

Lurker...I think you are a little confused as to the biblical meaning of the words "the Church." According to the Bible it's those who love God, irrespective of their denomination. The Church is called a number of things in Scripture--"The Body of Christ," "believers" "saints" and Christians."

It was rather the Roman Catholic church (small “c”) that held back science, imprisoned Galileo, was responsible for The Inquisition (the torture of Christians), The Crusades, etc. The Catholic church is still at it today. It is filled with pedophiles, officially rejects the authority of Genesis, and instead embraces the fairytale of evolution.

By the way, I love Roman Catholics as much as I do atheists. None of the above is untrue. Still, watch atheists call me a Catholic-basher/hater, because I mention these undeniable facts.

"Steven J. said...If God has intervened in the past to punish or prevent evil, why does it seem that He no longer does so? Jesus noted in the gospels that the rain falls on the just and the unjust, but then, that is pretty much what we'd expect from a purely natural phenomenon with no interest in our moral choices....However strongly you subjectively feel that God has revealed Himself to you, Ray, you could be a false convert. You're not infallible; your finite mind could be deluded into thinking it had absolute truth when all it had was unfounded emotional certainty."

Conceded. I may be a false convert, or I may be a false teacher. That's why you should always check out what I am saying against God's Word. Be as the Bereans who "searched the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so." You say that God doesn't intervene to punish or prevent evil. How do you know that? I notice that you are careful to ask "Why does it seem that He no longer does so?" The use of the word "seem" is applicable. You don't know. You too speak from subjectivity.

Tell me, where would you expect to hear of God intervening--CNN, ABC, NBC, or maybe on some atheist blog? Don't hold your breath. The Bible makes it clear that the world suppresses the truth about God (see Romans 1:18). Nature program after nature program shows the genius of God's incredible handiwork, without one ounce of praise being given to Him. Instead, it is heaped on the creation itself via evolution. Creation created itself (see Romans 1:21-22).

So if you are waiting for the world to report "Today, God prevented evil in Europe, when a wicked man suddenly dropped dead," (again) don't hold your breath. The reason we don't get reports like that is because we have no idea when God punishes or prevents evil. Our (and your) ignorance of His judgments are clearly addressed in Scripture: "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!" (Romans 11:33).

Or are you saying you want God to treat you as you want others to be treated? Do you want Him to punish or prevent evil in your life? If you want that, then you are saying that death should come to you today. That's your "wages." That's what you have earned. That would be God intervening to punish you and prevent you from doing any more evil.

Every time you lust, lie, steal, fail to love God with all of your heart, fail to love your neighbor as yourself, covet, refuse to trust God (therefore calling Him a "liar"--see 1 John 5:10), remain willfully ignorant of the truth, mock the Word of God, etc., you are doing evil things in God's eyes. So today you have a choice. You can remain willfully ignorant of the truth, or you can repent and trust the Savior, know the truth (see John 8:31-32) and pass from death to life.

It's Sunday! Welcome to Atheist Church

If you are a first time visitor, I hope you feel welcome.

Let’s begin with the famous hymn “How Great Thou Art” (sung by a young Elvis).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bx59Mi_F_Gk

"O Lord my God! When I in awesome wonder
Consider all the works thy hand hath made,
I see the stars, I hear the mighty thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed."

Today’s Sermon, from Luke chapter 2

20And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

The shepherds were eye-witnesses of what they had heard and seen. Some years later, the disciples were also eye-witnesses of what they had heard and seen. However, the gospel story is 2,000 years old. Obviously there are no eye-witnesses to its authenticity, so how can we rely on what is said, because it makes no ordinary claim. It claims the supernatural from beginning to end. While belief in its authenticity comes down to “faith”--as does everything else humanity believes about the past, whether it’s faith in what scientists tell us about evolution, or faith in what historians tell us about more recent history.

Surely, if there is a God, He would somehow substantiate the supernatural claims of the gospel story. After all, it is His-story.

There’s good news for those who want to know the truth. While the evolutionary theory is confined to the natural world and is quiescent, the gospel story is supernatural and miraculous in the truest sense of the word. By that, I mean that we can have as much assurance as to its reality, as the shepherds had that amazing night.

This is because God backs His Word with power. Think of a group who called themselves "athetricals." These were a people who mock the thought that electricity exists, and find fault with a book that instructs in its use. One day, one bold athetrical decides to do what the book says. He plugs an extension cord into a power source and to his amazement, the light comes on in his house.

God extends His power to all who obey His book. He will give them light, and those who experience the power will spend their lives glorifying and praising God for all the things that they have heard and seen.

Announcements
The winner of this week’s $100 is Philip Malaby.


Collection
This service is free.

Benediction
This week may God bless you with the knowledge of His salvation, and the best of health for you and your family.

The winner of the Dundee vest is Keith Landrum. It will be mailed out today.

$100 worth of groceries

If you are an atheist who is feeling the economic squeeze, and you would like to be in the draw, you must send your name to BNA@livingwaters.com today. This is open to atheists outside of the United States. We will announce the winner during the announcements at the Atheist Church on Sunday.

What Atheists Believe . . .

"Atheists believe that 'nothing created the universe' in the same sense that christians believe that 'nothing created their deity.' So, tell us Ray. What was it that created your deity, if it wasn't nothing?” Pvblivs

If that’s true and you are speaking on behalf of atheists, then they are all believing something that is unscientific. The universe cannot be eternal. This is because of entropy (or the Second Law of Thermodynamics). Everything is running down. It is degenerating--from the sun, to rocks, to fruit, and even your own body. If you leave an apple on your table for a month, it won’t get better. It will get worse--it will rot. Everything material does. That’s common knowledge and a scientific fact.

If the earth was eternal, as you say that you and atheists apparently believe--that it is multiple quattuordecillion of years (plus) old, then it would have crumbled to dust trillions of years ago.

God is a Spirit (he is not material) and He is eternal--without beginning and without end, and He is the Creator of all things. He is nothing like what you conceive Him to be. He is not bound by time or space, is utterly perfect--something called "perfect holiness." When God spoke to Israel they thought they were going to die, because the experience was so fearful. So dash any image you have of an old man in the sky, reaching out to a naked Adam. That’s idolatry. Instead, study the Scriptures and you will begin to understand what you must face on Judgment Day. If you get a right understanding of the character and nature of the One who gave you life, that will bring you to the Savior.

eBay Potential

My motive in making leather vests and jackets is to try and help those of you who are struggling financially, so I don't mind if you resell any of these on eBay. Today's gift may have potential to get a good price. It's genuine leather with a crocodile imprint. If you would like to be in the draw, send a note to BNA@livingwaters.com saying you are interested in the Crocodile Dundee vest--this is only open to atheists in the U.S.