By the Numbers

Showing posts with label Seeking Understanding;. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Seeking Understanding;. Show all posts

Saturday, June 6, 2015

Will Jesus Reign Over Earth A Thousand Years?

             Will Jesus Reign Over Earth A Thousand Years?

Postmillennial Christians say the church will win the world to Christ in an indefinite period, maybe a 1,000 years and then Jesus will return. Amillennial Christians say there is no literal millennium, and Revelation 20:1-6 just means that Jesus reigns in the hearts of those who trust in Him. I love and respect my brothers in Christ, but all the Bible's unfulfilled prophecies about the Messiah must be fulfilled according to a holy God who cannot lie or deceive us. Check out God's promises.
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Premillenialists, like myself, reason that since all the Bible predictions about Jesus' first coming--his virgin birth, sinless life, miracles, death for sinners, resurrection, and ascension were literally fulfilled exactly as stated, then what all the prophets and apostles said about His second coming to earth to reign as its King should literally be fulfilled exactly as stated. But before the 1,000 years the Church will be raptured (1 Thess. 4:16-5:3), and then there will be tribulation unknown since the world began (Rev. 4-19). Both Jesus (Matt. 24:21), and John said so (Rev. 3:10). Examine what the Bible actually says.
God made an unconditional land grant to Abraham and his descendants. He gave the land from the border of Egypt to the great Euphrates River then occupied by pagan tribes (Gen. 15:17-21). But Israel has never fully occupied that land, not in Joshua's day, David's time, or even today. And God said His promises are irrevocable (Rom. 11:29).
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God promised King David He will have a descendant upon his thrown forever."Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever (2 Samuel 7:16). And in Psalm 89:35 we read: "I have sworn an oath to David, and in my holiness I cannot lie: His dynasty will go on forever; his kingdom will endure as the sun. It will be as eternal as the moon, my faithful witness in the sky." Israel will one day occupy all the land God promised. It just became a nation again since A.D. 70 fulfilling many prophecies.
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The Tanakh (Old Testament) ends with Israel expecting the Messianic Kingdom. We read in Malachi 3:1 "Look! I am sending my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. Then the Lord you are seeking will suddenly come to his Temple. The messenger of the covenant, whom you look for so eagerly, is surely coming says the Lord of Heaven's Armies." See also Isa. 9:6-7; 16:5.
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John the Baptizer and others offered Israel the Messiah-King Matt. 3:1-2. Jesus offered the kingdom when he said, "Repent for the kingdom is near. "(4:17). The Twelve Jesus sent out offered the kingdom (10:5-7). But the chosen nation of Israel rejected their King and His kingdom offered to them. "He (Jesus) came into the very world he created, but the world didn't recognize him. He came to his own people and even they rejected him. But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn--not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God (John 1:10-12 NLT). Have you rejected him too? You are now invited to humbly admit your wrong doing and trust in his forgiveness, cleansing, new and eternal life. Greater love has no one but Jesus, who took the punishment of our sin in his death for us on the cross. See the movie, The Passion of Christ.

Israel's rejection only meant a delay in order that the Gentiles may be offered salvation. God intended Israel to be his ambassadors to the Gentiles--but they became proud despisers of them instead. Christ then instituted instead a spiritual kingdom (the Church) until he returns to earth and Israel will then accept their king. "Jesus replied, I assure you that when the world is made new and the Son of Man sits upon his glorious throne, you who have been my followers will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel" (Matt. 19:28).See also Rom. 11:11ff:
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The next verse is his promise to believers today--"And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or property, for my sake, will receive a hundred times as much in return and will inherit eternal life.  But many who are the greatest now will be least important then, and those who seem least important now will be the greatest then" (Matt. 19:30). CAN ANY PROMISES IN THE WORLD BE GREATER THAN THESE?
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The Jewish people will come to believe in Christ as their King and fulfill all God's promises. Just prior to his ascension, the apostles kept asking Jesus, "Lord, has the time come for you to free Israel and restore our kingdom?"  They understood the promises above and were wondering when the kingdom would come and they would reign with him on twelve thrones. Jesus replied, "The Father alone has the authority to set those dates and times, and they are not for you to know. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit is come upon you. And you will be my witnesses" (Acts 1:7-8).  So we are to be witnesses to the grace and glory of our Savior and God, the Lord Jesus, until he returns to take us to Him--Heaven (John 14:1-3).    
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Jesus, the Messiah, will return to fight for Israel, (called Armageddon) and then establish his 1,000 year worldwide rule.  We are in the very last days and Jesus' coming is described. "On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives east of Jerusalem. Then the Lord will go out to fight against those nations, as he has fought in times past" (Zechariah 14:3) . 
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Are you ready for the Lord's return? Are you living for him and telling others about his love, justice, and saving grace? With the computer we have the greatest opportunity in the world. Read these gospel articles, pray for God to use them, and send them every way you can and have great treasures in Heaven until Jesus comes for us. God bless.
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Tuesday, January 13, 2015

How Could God Allow This To Happen To Me?

                How Could God Allow This To Happen To Me?
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"Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct paths. Don't be impressed with your own wisdom. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them."  (Proverbs 3:5-7; Romans 8:28 Life Application Study Bible, Living New Translation). But does the Bible bear this out. Let's check it out by a look at the life of Job and the life of Abraham.
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Upright Job, asked God why is everything taken from me but my life? Though right with God, Job lost--possessions, prestige, wealth, children, health, being left covered with painful humiliating boils, a nagging spouse and consoling friends who became offensive condemners. Now what can test ones faith in a good, caring, powerful God more than that?
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But in all this Job's faith shown. He said,  "The Lord gave me what I had, and the Lord has taken it away. Praise the name of the Lord, Job did not sin by blaming God (Job 1:20-22 NLT). When his wife said, "Curse God and die. Job replied, Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad?" Job said nothing wrong (Job 2:10). In painful agony, Job affirmed, "I know my Redeemer lives, and he will stand upon the earth at last. And after my body has decayed, Yet in my body I will see God"(Job 19:25-26).
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From his limited spot in time, Job couldn't see God's perfect wisdom, sovereignty, and justice. But God's questioning him enabled him to be humbled and restored. He lived 140 years after that with four generations of children and grandchildren. God also gave him twice the sheep, camels, teams of oxen, donkeys and seven more sons and three beautiful daughters.
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What can we learn from the Book of Job and his suffering? First, we may learn something about its causes. Suffering can be due to my sin, other's sin, natural disasters, ignorance, or the devil and his demons. What else can we learn? (1) That we should trust God even though we don't understand the things that happen in our lives. (2) That human wisdom is always partial, temporary, and subject to pride. (3) That what we don't understand now we may understand with later maturity. (4) That God is always present everywhere but at times He may seem nonexistent. (5) That we should be really careful in condemning others as we may not understand their circumstances and motives. (6) That the best consolation we can give suffers is just our empathic presence. (7) That when we lose everything, God is yet with us to provide and restore. (8) That we're to remember the patience of Job and the great example of faith and integrity he set for humanity. See book of Job; Ezek.14:14,20; James 5:11. 
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God promised Abram a son, then later told him to sacrifice his son. "The Lord said to Abram, 'Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father's family, and go to the land that I will show you. I will make you into a great nation. I will bless you and make you famous, and you will be a blessing to others. I will bless those nations that bless you and curse those who curse you. All the families on earth will be blessed through you' (Gen. 12:1-3).
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This passage is known as the Abrahamic Covenant and is repeated to Abraham several times (Genesis 13:14-17; 15:1-7, 18-21; 17:1-8). In it God gaves personal promises to Abram to bless him, make him famous, be a blessing to others, and others would be blessed as they help you. God gave national promises as his children would become a great nation, the land would belong to his descendants, the covenant would be established with his descendants. And God gave universal promises as nations blessed or cursed as they treated his descendants, and finally all the nations would be blessed meaning the coming Messiah and Savior. But, Abraham had to wait a very long time and endure such great testing even to have the promised son only to be asked to sacrifice him.
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Let me first dwell on the sacrifices he had to make before all this could happen. Abram longed for that promised heir but year after year went by and his hopes were disappointed time after time. First, he lost his nephew Lot who was not the promised one, but God reassured him of the promised heir. Next, he thought it was his faithful servant Eliezer of Damascus, but no God said it was be from his body and he would have descendants like the stars of heaven. Abram and wife Sarai being so impatient thought they could bring it about with her servant Hagar who bore Abram a son Ishmael whom he loved. But that was not God's plan either. Then the Lord Almighty appeared to Abram, changed his name to Abraham, the father of nations and Sarai became Sarah, a princess.
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God promised them to have a son next year about this time. Sarah laughed wondering how this could be since she was ninety and he one hundred years old. The Lord asked Sarah why she laughed? Lets ponder the Lord's question a moment. Is anything too hard for the Lord? Can't the all-knowing, Almighty Creator God supply our need as we trust and obey Him in His timing? Whether with our family, our employment, our relationships, our health,whatever? God assured them they would have a child this time next year.
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The Lord kept His word as He always does, Sarah became pregnant and bore a son at the time God said she would. Abraham circumcised him as God commanded and named him Isaac meaning "he laughs."But here is the bad part. God told Abraham to sacrifice his son, the promised son, the one he waited decades to have. What kind of God would do that? That was an immoral act even murder not any different than the pagan tribes living all around him. Could Abraham have misunderstood? Doesn't this defy all reason? And what of all the promises God told Abraham he would fulfill? God now asked him to give up the love of his heart--it was his severest test. But Abraham willingly unhesitatingly obeyed walking 50 long miles to Mount Moriah with his beloved promised son beside him. But carefully notice what Abraham told his two servants with him. He said, we, speaking of him and Isaac, will worship there and come back (Genesis 22:5).
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Abraham had by this time found God to be utterly trustworthy in his love-trust relationship that he could give up his greatest treasure and show he loved God more than anything the world had to offer.
It was no leap into the dark as critics often like to claim, it was a lifetime of trusting God in so many different occasions and finding God always faithful to His promises. Hebrews 11:19 tell us Abraham believed that when he killed Isaac, that God would raise him up from the dead and this was before later prophets raised people from the dead. We can see God do incredible things the Bible promises if we will believe and be willing to allow God's way in God's time. Not like Sarah who told Abram to have a child with her servant girl even though that was an acceptable custom at that time. Not like Abraham when he told Sarah to say she was his sister and he not be killed.
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Yes, we will be tested again and again always with the choice of who and what comes first in our life, God's way or my way. We have to come to the point that we believe the Creator who designed all things throughout the universe and made us for a love-trust relationship really knows in the long run what's in our best interests. Now, what about the personal promises of the Abrahamic covenant?
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Well, Abraham did have descendants like the stars of heaven and sands on the seashore. Many nations and kings did come from him. Israel survived when Canaanite nations of that day didn't. Clearly God has blessed obedient Israel and nearly allowed disobedient Israel's destruction. Nations that blessed Israel prospered as the USA and others that cursed her were destroyed as Egypt and Hitler's Germany. It seems the U.S.A. is turning its back on Israel today in fulfillment of prophecy (Matt. 24:9).
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But the land promise of the Abrahamic covenant has not yet all been fulfilled. Israel is a nation today after centuries of being scattered among the Gentile nations from 70 AD. While Joshua captured much land, King David expanded it greatly, and Solomon collected tribute. Israel has never occupied all the land God promised from the border of Egypt to the Euphrates River (Genesis 15:18-20).
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 Now these land promises God made to Israel were confirmed in several ways.The are said to be without conditions, eternal, God passing between animals with a smoking oven and burning torch. Male circumcision became its sign and seal. I believe God's promises to Abraham are just as permanent as God's promise of my salvation in Jesus as God doesn't lie. Later prophets say Israel will return to their land in unbelief as happened after 1948. We are getting close to Jesus coming for his saints (1 Thess. 4:16-17).
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Now the Jews of Christ's day expected the Messiah their prophets foretold, but not as suffering servant Messiah dying for people's sin's (Isaiah 53; Luke 19:10). In their pride, they despised the Gentiles, resented Roman oppression, and could only see Messiah as reigning king so they rejected their promised Messiah (Luke 19:14).
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Understand, Israel is a theocratic kingdom (God rule),  while the Church is a universal brotherhood. The Church begun on Pentecost with all believers indwelt by God's Spirit, and with the New Covenant in Christ's blood as the final sacrifice so Christians as priests with direct access to God. The body of Christ composed of both Jew and gentile was a mystery not known until Christ paid for our sins. The church is not fulfilling God's promises to Israel. The separation between Israel, the Gentiles, and the Church is maintained throughout the Bible (Acts. 4:8; 3:12; 21:28; Rom. 10:1). Paul said, "Don't give offense to Jews, Gentiles, or the Church of God (1 Cor. 10:32).
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 But Israel will later be the head nation and other nations come to Jerusalem to worship while the whole world will enjoy peace and prosperity (Isa. 2; 11);  There will be justice and equality (Jer. 23:5-6), joy (Psa 48). God's children will be freed from the curse of decay and death and our bodies will be released from sin and suffering. Oh what a glorious day of the Lord it will be (Rom. 8:18-24; Rev. 20). So does God keep His promises? You bet He does, big time! So let's make every day count by keeping our love-trust relationship alive that leads to obedience and unending joy. We have through the internet the greatest opportunity to share God's good news. Let's not waste it doing trivial things. We don't want to be ashamed when we see Jesus. 
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Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Are Bible Teachings Incredible, Or Just Not Understood?

                         Are Bible Teachings Incredible, Or Just Not Understood?
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Jim learned his new friend John was a Bible believing Christian. Surprised, he asked John how he could believe a book teaching such absurd things. "What absurd things?" John inquired. Jim said, "I've heard the Bible says that the earth is flat with four corners, that a guy named Jonah swallowed a whale, that an Ark of the Covenant landed on Mt. Judi, and that Bible characters lived immoral lives. Ha! Ha! If that's what I thought the Bible said, I wouldn't believe it either, Jim.
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Unfortunately, people today who know little if anything about the Bible hear biased misinformation about what it really says. Only if they seriously study it for themselves with an open mind in its historical, grammatical, cultural context can they get a true understanding and find that its teaching is most reasonable. Let me clarify a few people's misunderstandings.
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That the Bible opposes science and modern thought. Persons in Bible times didn't give scientific explanations for natural phenomena but spoke in language of appearances--we still do today. The  Bible does say God created the heavens and the earth (Gen. 1:1), but doesn't say the earth is the center of the universe. The four corners of the earth  (Rev. 7:1) doesn't mean the world is flat and we can fall off.--it means the four directions of the compass. Isaiah even  called the earth a circle and said God spread out the heavens centuries before we found these things out (Isa. 40:22). The sun rises and sets  and was still for a whole day (Joshua 10:12-14). We know the earth rotates on its axes and goes around the sun but that's not the way it appears to the naked eye. Joshua's long day could be a tremendous display of God's creative power, but more likely was some kind of aerial condition God caused as perhaps reflected sunlight to insure the Israelites victory.
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God is not required to give us a scientific explanation of everything that may even be beyond our understanding anyway. The universe seems designed for human habitation (anthropic principle). Even as the unique position of earth in the arms of our galaxy that allows for cosmic exploration. The universe's origin shows the glory of God's eternal creative power. Remember, Bible interpreters can make mistakes and today's assured scientific facts may be tomorrow's science fiction. When all the facts are in and correctly understood God's Word and God's world will agree. 
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That God was evil to command destruction of the Amalekites, men, women, children, everything (1 Samuel 15:3). Many people today say this makes the Bible God guilty of genocide, a moral monster, and totally unbelievable. Let's consider this in its biblical framework. If there is no personal moral sovereign God, what ethical standard is there but each persons own personal opinion? And if conflicting human opinions are all we have, anything is permitted and whoever gets the biggest stick controls and beats us into submission to their opinion--throughout history this has destroyed human dignity, equality, freedom and many lives and property.
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Only our Creator, Life-giver, and Judge can serve as humanity's standard of ethical behavior. No impersonal force, limited tribal god, or atheism can serve as a basis of human dignity, morality, love, and hope.  Critics who accuse Christian faith of intolerance must borrow from the Bible ethic even to have an ethic, and show hypocrisy themselves in being intolerant of biblical Christianity.
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Now the Amalekites were terrorists who sought to destroy Israel. Their behaviors were everything God told Israel not to do or allow--idolatry, adultery, nakedness, homosexuality, sex with animals, sexuality transmitted diseases, child sacrifice, filthy surroundings (Lev 18). A merciful forgiving God told Abram they had 400 years (rounded number) to turn from their evil ways, but knew they would only grow worse (Gen. 15:13-16). Because they were not totally destroyed they were always a thorn in Israel's side. They sought to prevent God's covenant plan with Abraham to be the means of bringing about human redemption through the Messiah (Gen. 12:1-3; Gal. 4:4-5). A moral God knows our beliefs and behaviors whether good or evil and had to take out a moral cancer that would infect everyone's life and hope. He will one day destroy the devil and his forces (Rev. 20:7-10). He allows them now to test our faith, love, and obedience to His truth, goodness, and will. If He destroyed every sinner, none of us would be left. Who we obey is our choice and has serious consequences.
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As for innocent children, we are all born in sin  and deserve death (Psalm 51:5; Romans 5:12). Our Maker is our Owner who gives us our every breath and has the right to take life anytime, and once did to the whole evil world (Gen. 6:5; 7:23). Children who die before the age of belief or accountability go to be with God (Deut. 1:39; Isa. 7:15; Mk.10:14; John. 9:41).
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That Adam and Eve are just myths.  Modern scholarship, assuming evolutionary naturalism,  considers the Adam and Eve account as myth, not history (Gen.1:27; 2-3). It's true the Bible tells their events in story form for all peoples to understand. But the Bible everywhere represents them as real persons in real history. Events of their lives are mentioned, they get married, have children, family problems, and are referred to throughout the Bible as our first parents. God's plan of redemption is based upon their being real people who brought sin into the world for which the prophets spoke of a one day coming Messiah and Savior. 
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And yes, the Bible does record miraculous acts of God. But not that the prophet Jonah swallowed a whale, but that God prepared a great fish that swallowed Jonah and carried him to the destination in God's plan that his preaching could result in people in the city of Nineveh turning to God.
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Miracles seem incredible only if one assumes a naturalistic philosophy supposedly supported by science. But does science show that no existence can explode into everything, that mindless molecules can arrange themselves into all our present life forms? Wouldn't plants and animals have to be complete and functional from the start? Can things exist with only partially developed systems and organs? Are there missing links, or a whole missing chain?  What scientific experiment can demonstrate biological evolution? What seems incredible to me is that some persons would rather assume connected universes exist in order to deny a Creator who loves them, offers them a life of purpose and rewards them with Heaven.
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That Bible characters are immoral examples of bad lives. Jesus is the only One without sin with power to be a Savior of us sinners. No other Bible character and no person is said to be without sin or morally perfect. Yes, bad actions along with good ones are openly discussed in the Bible even of God's prophets and apostles. But everything recorded in the Bible is not approved as Abraham's lie, David's sin with Bathsheba, Solomon's polygamy.  The Bible gives us both good and bad behavior's as examples to learn what God approves and disapproves (2 Tim. 3:16). As God gives us the human dignity of free will, anything becomes possible. The alternative is that we be robots dishonoring to God and without dignity ourselves. Justice is not always achieved in this life, but an all-knowing God assures us it will be one day.  We have the choice to believe that an omnipotent, omniscient, holy and loving Triune God knows what's best for us, or to reject God which is fatal.  
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That James contradicts Paul about how to be right with God. There is no contradiction as both are true at different times before different persons. Faith before God is the root and good works before man is the fruit. Paul says we are justified or made right before God  by faith alone (Romans 4:5-6; Titus 3:5). James says true faith is made known to men only by our good works, otherwise its seen as dead or not real faith (James 2:18-23). When Abraham believed God it was counted to him for righteousness, but it was shown real to men when he offered Isaac in sacrifice. "For by grace (God's undeserved favor) you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them" (Eph. 2:8-10).
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We can trust God for the fuller life of truth, purpose, love, and hope and grow in knowing His life in us. His goodness and love can't force Himself on us---what is your decision? This may be God's call to you. Won't U say, Lord Jesus I trust You as paying for my sin on your cross and with your help I'll live for You and share my new faith with my friends.
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See my note about the Ark below. Couldn't fit it into the article.


Friday, February 22, 2013

Questions Deserving Good Answers

                        Questions Deserving Good Answers
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Life's circumstances and issues can be bewildering. Some persons feel life doesn't make sense. They ask, "What should I believe? Can we even know what's right? Is there a basis of truth to stand upon? What does the future hold? Is there life beyond the grave? Am I just a perishing animal. Is there any hope?"
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I believe there are some reassuring answers to these crucial questions. Let's start at the beginning and you check me out. It requires a little thought. So thank you for your patience and interest. I hope I'm of help. Maybe you will like to share these answers with friends.
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1. Unless the universe created itself, every part is the effect of a great cause. Simple logic tells us nonexistence has no mind, will, power or force to create anything. Science tells us  the universe  is expanding, running down, cooling off, and can't be eternally backtracked. Doesn't all this  show  the universe's  beginning requires a beginner or uncaused cause? Where is the evidence that nothing--nonexistence--can produce anything and everything? There is none!
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2. Now wouldn't this complex material dependent universe require an intelligent, immaterial, independent, eternal  (self-existent & unchanging), and infinite beginner as its cause? Doesn't this cause also seem much like the infinite, eternal mind and will described in the Bible as the eternal Almighty Creator God?  
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3. Then also, wouldn't all life be the effect of the intelligence of its cause/creator and nothing be an effect of accident or mindless chance? Hasn't science demonstrated repeatedly that molecules can't arrange themselves into super complex life forms? Further still, while some claim thousands of missing links between all life forms, isn't this an unproven assumption? If we should believe what we actually see, there may not be any missing links! Indeed, any basic change within a life form requires throughout it other multiple simultaneous harmonious changes.
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Life forms have complicated systems and organs that must exist and function together from the outset. What animal can exist with a partially developed digestive, reproductive, and circulatory systems, or with undeveloped eyes, ears, and legs? All this clearly suggests intelligent design of an infinite designer. As the Bible puts it: God created everything to reproduce after its own kind. Aren't life forms better explained then by a Common Designer than by a common ancestor as evolutionists assume? Shouldn't common sense trump our assumptions?
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4. Wouldn't someone who claims there is no personal God have to know everything within space and time? I'll admit they sure would be smarter than me since I don't know what's happening in the next house or around the corner. Further still, if there be a Creator, then we are in no position to prescribe what the Almighty Lord over nature can and cannot do. He could create anything that suits his purposes be it angels, man, miracles, prophecies, or even God taking on a human nature and form as is claimed of Jesus Christ. Skeptics have no basis to deny a real God who can act in our world.
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5. Some persons claim the only way we can know anything is by scientific method  through repeated experiment, observation and measurement. The fact is we must already know logic, math, that our senses are reliable, and that we have reliable data before we  can even apply the scientific method. Moreover, social sciences, earth sciences, history and law have their own methods. Further, science is limited to material observation and can't rule out anything spiritual or supernatural. Not even that death destroys the human soul which may depart elsewhere.
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6. Now while the Creator is infinite, we are far more like our Maker than any other living creature. Animals act by instinct and to eat or be eaten. But we can reason things out seeing causes, consequences, and choose to make changes to improve things. Unlike animals, we can use fire, the wheel, weapons, and machines. And, we know logic, math, building, writing, science, philosophy, art, law, religion. Now doesn't all this fit nicely with the Bible's teaching that we are in God's image unique among other creatures and made for relationship with the Lord? Even atheists sometimes admit a longing for something or someone above or greater than them. Like water exists to satisify our thirst, God may exist to satisify our longing and need.
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7. We can and often do suppress it, yet  don't we have a unique inner sense of fairness or justice to guide our actions in relation to others? We call it our conscience. Everywhere men recognize a perfect moral standard that we must adhere to. We recognize moral progress or decline by this standard. We feel compelled to make excuses when we fail to keep it. We suffer guilt to break it. Like mathematics, it isn't invented but discovered. We even feel it a duty to save lives at the risk of losing our own. And while laws may differ somewhat from culture to culture all recognize things like genocide and rape are wrong and evil.
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Persons who claim there's no moral law, quickly shout you did me wrong if they're cheated, lied to, betrayed, robbed, injured, or in any way mistreated. The sad truth is justice is never fully realized in human lives and to be real there must be another life and a Moral Lawgiver to whom we're responsible if it is ever achieved.
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8. Now what must this Moral Lawgiver be like? Certainly not a mere force or abstract principle that can't know anything or care anything about us. Nor can limited tribal gods who only want appeasement and sacrifice offerings attend to a universal human need. Only an ethically perfect personal Almighty Creator God can attend to an objective universal moral problem. But, even then, how can we know such a God would care for us individually when we in no way can meet a perfect ethical standard? Ancients as the Babylonians, Greeks, Romans, Hindus, had no conception of a loving God. Ancient gods were vengeful and immoral themselves.
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Only during the Christian era after the crucifixion of Christ did the world gain understanding of a loving God who really cares for us, was even willing to die in our place to pay for our sins. Christ's willing to sacrifice himself for us as wretched sinners is the greatest display of love the world had seen. It was the beginning of understanding that God is both perfect justice and also mercy,  love, forgiveness, and relationship. It was the just God paying for us unjust sinners deserving eternal banishment and punishment for unacceptable wrong doing.
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9. But is a mere claim someone is God convincing? To claim Christ was God is of no greater value than Muhammad saw Allah's angel, or Moses gave the Ten Commandments. We must have tangeable evidence--its more than a mere claim anybody can make. People can be bias and closed-minded as in ways mentioned above. Consider this: Only Bible Christianity  has eyewitness evidence within three decades of Jesus that he walked on water, healed all kinds of diseases and ailments for over three years in daylight before hostile critics and even raised the dead! Further, Jesus is said to fulfill centuries earlier statements of a coming Messiah who would be born in Bethlehem, perform miracles, die for sins and be raised from the dead. There's simply nothing like this in conflicting world religions. See my other articles for full exposition such  as  A Professor Surprised About Miracles! 
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My friends, that's real evidence God acted in our world.  Jesus claimed many times to be our God. Archaeology and secular writings confirm many persons and circumstances of Jesus' day. They mention supernatural events of his life such as his virgin birth, cured the lame and blind, and raised people from the dead. Check it out in history. Jesus even established our dating system as B.C. and A.D..
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10. Let me sum up our argument. There are good reasons to believe in a personal, ethical Creator God who wants relationship with us. This complex universe has an intelligent personal Creator. All life and especially human life calls for such a Creator. Neither evolution, atheism, nor science rules out a personal ethical Creator God. It is not unreasonable to believe God made us in his image for relationship. Limited tribal vengeful gods, nor a divine force can serve as a basis for universal objective morality. Our conscience makes no sense unless we have the standard of a  perfect personal Moral Lawgiver who knows everything about us and holds us responsible as the Bible declairs. 
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The world's understanding of a loving God who really cares about us originated with Jesus dying to pay for our sins on the cross. Empty claims that anyone can be God will not do--it requires objective eyewitness historical evidence. Such evidence was given us in Jesus fulfilling ancient propheties of the Jews Messiah and performing hundreds of eyewitness miracles close at hand before large crowds.
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There's nothing like this in world religions. We're simply truthful, not  arrogant, biased,  unreasonable, or unfair to admit world religions are mutually contradictory, and we only have objective rational evidence that Jesus is in fact our God and Savior. He said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one comes to the Father but through Me" (John 14:6). He further promises to save anyone from sin, the grave and hell if they believe in him and trust the Holy Spirit to be their life guide. Would you like to become a child of God? Just pray, "Lord, I trust you as a sinner to save me now and use me as your loving child." 
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 See Bible verses: John 1:1-5, 14; 3:16-21, 36.  Now maybe U would like to be God's faithful minister sharing these  gospel articles with friends. God bless your efforts. You may one day see persons God used U to win to the Savior. Can anything else in life be more important than that? Certainly not playing computer games or watching television!
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See following note.

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

What Might Objecting to God's Existence Really Show?

         What Might Objecting to God's Existence Really Show?
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I'm going to be very honest and blunt. Even as a Christian I've doubted God's existence. Sometimes when things didn't go my way I felt God didn't act in the world and in my life. Do you sometimes feel that way? I tend to think a little bit and ask questions. I like to tell jokes but can be serious too. Well, allow me to briefly discuss ten of the things I've questioned at one time or another. Maybe it's possible you have doubted them too. Often my objections are indirect but still go to the central question of God's existence.
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1. Science has disproved religion. How can that be when science boasts it demonstrates by experiment what's real and what isn't? What scientific experiment shows there's no God, miracles, Jesus can't be God, no soul-life after death, and all the rest the Bible teaches? Not all sciences can demonstrate their conclusions by repeatable observable experiments such as archaeology, geology, sociology. Moreover, science must be based upon rational explanations and honest reporting which makes sense only if a rational ethical standard of a Creator God exists. I believe honest objective research shows true science is on the side of Christian faith, not against it as some like to claim.  Beware that scientists sometimes teach their own philosophy that's not true science. See my articles on science.
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2. Angels are a myth. Really! I haven't surveyed the planet or it's history that I can say angels don't exist. Certainly, if God made man and the whole universe, angels would seem to be a minor achievement. Now unless angels have wings, I can't honestly say I haven't been visited by them sometimes. But just because I haven't seen or recognized them doesn't prove anything. And, believe me, some of the utterly stupid things politicians do that harm the people they swore to serve and protect convince me demons (fallen angels) are alive and well, and that spiritual warfare and turmoil is a very real and serious worldwide problem. 
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3. The Bible can't be the Word of God. Have I questioned things in the Bible? You bet I have and still do! I don't have all the answers. But the more I search, the more problems I discover have adequate answers. A good scientist doesn't give up or throw in the towel just because he encounters problems. It just means he has to work harder and try to keep an open mind of other possibilities he yet doesn't understand. We naturally expect difficulties, understanding that the Bible was written in  ancient times, other languages, and cultures. And if God breathed His truths into His prophets and apostles to record, we think it imperative that He tell us so. So, the Bible says God spoke to men thousands of times. Moreover, there can be no higher authority than our Creator, Life-giver and Judge. See article: Bible Errors or Critic's Errors? Doubts Can Have Good Honest Answers, # 1, 2.
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Now in studying other worldviews, I'm increasingly convinced no other comes near biblical Christianity. Only Jesus is the perfect God-man, who in love for us was crucified to pay for our sins, arose again from the dead, and who offers us eternity in Heaven to all true believers. See my article: The Christian Worldview Makes Sense.
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4. So many different religions prove none of them are true. Yes, this is a problem. But only on the most superficial level. Anybody can claim a new or true revelation, or to have talked with God, His prophet, or angel. Many make such claims. Further, we don't want to hurt people's feelings, especially our parents who raised us in their religion. We don't like to leave our friends, our comfort zone, and all their advantages. And, if we have heard only one view and never questioned it, we have no reason to think otherwise especially if we're threatened to convert to something else. So there are reasons for so many religions as we all don't have the same experiences or think alike. 
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BUT, can any religion be true? There can't be thousands of gods, only two gods, one God, no god, or the universe be god?  If any one religion is true, then all that oppose it have to be false. Why do I say biblical Christianity is the true one? Because it furnishes evidences the others do not such as fulfilled prophecies, eyewitness miracles and above all the God-man who came into our world, died for our sins, and arose from the dead.. Founders of world religions can make only subjective and hearsay claims--they can't show anything like objective Christian evidences or provide the basis for human dignity and destiny.
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5. But prophecies can be explained in other ways. We can recognize trends and alleged fulfillments must be history claimed as prophecy, or artificially fulfilled events, or ambiguous language taken as prophecy. Then, consider this: The Persian king Cyrus was mentioned by name a century and a half before he lived in 538 B.C.. He decreed Israel return to rebuild her temple in fulfillment of Isa. 44:28; 45:4; Ezra 1:1-3. Further, King Josiah was predicted by name to destroy the non-Levitical priests of Bethel 300 years before it occurred (1 Kings 13:2; 2 Kin.23:15-20). The Bible also mentions things centuries before science discovered them such as the circle of the earth (Isa. 40:22), that life is in the blood (Deut. 12:23), and quarantine as means of sanitation to prevent diseases (Lev. 13). You will not find such definite prophetic fulfillments like these in other religions.
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The Bible predicts hundreds of detailed events fulfilled at a later time. Such things are  impossible to guess, artificially fulfill, or explain away. The prophets and apostles risked ridicule, torture, and death to substantiate these things as God's truth. No amount of fancy skeptical rhetoric can discount it as lies. It's God's evidence to us of his acts in our world. And when we get close to Him we can even see his acts in our own lives.
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6. Miracles violate the laws of nature. Now how could I know that, unless I can prove there's no Creator God in control? I do know that nature behaves in certain patterns. I can't walk on water, fly without wings, jump out of a twenty story building and gently float to the ground. But if nature has a Creator and Lord, he could enable me to do such things. Because I haven't experienced miracles, doesn't prove others haven't. Even if 99.99% of the world's population haven't experienced them, that still doesn't prove they can't happen. God may allow prophets to perform miracles only at certain critical times and places that suit His purposes. Miracles were needed for Israel to believe and leave Egypt.  Miracles were necessary to show people Jesus was God's Son as He claimed.  In  essence,  it  depends on whether we accept nature or God as in control. It seems arrogant to assume we know everything when we don't even know what may be happening in the next room. 
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Biblical miracles are physical exceptions to nature's normal patterns. They are necessary to get our attention and show God is Lord of His creation. How else would we know? They were performed by known spokesmen of God for a redemptive purpose who often risked their lives. Eyewitnesses,  knowing nature's laws, were shocked and  unable to discredit them. They were unlike other claims to miracles said performed by the gods away on Mt. Olympus that were bizarre freakish things as moving statues, seven headed snakes, or Neptune rising to blow ships across the sea. 
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7. God never answers my prayers. So often I have felt like that! But how can I know that? God's answers may be yes, no, or later and may take a form unimaginable and that meets my needs rather than my desires. I'm forgetful and don't keep a diary to check.  But  I've had events occur that were so improbable and in line with my petitions that it gave me reason to believe God had answered my prayers. For example, Trish and I lived in the 16th story of a high rise with my mother who had Alzheimer's. Mom would wander out of our apartment and get lost when we were asleep or unaware.  We prayed earnestly about what we should do. One night she told us three times we should put her in a home since she didn't know what she was doing. We looked at several places and found a beautiful ideal place only two miles from us at a most reasonable cost and that we could check on her frequently. I believe God  helps me write these articles in answer to prayers. They surprise me as I'm not that smart. Praise God who alone deserves the glory.
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8. Things didn't work out the way they should have. To be honest, I'm still a sinner, selfish, ignorant, rebellious, maybe even bias and arrogant to think my way is right. I've discovered my way is often not God's way. I've had to learn some humbling and needful lessons. Things didn't turn out the way I think they should have. Why didn't I marry that first girl I loved who loved me? Why did I have a divorce? Why did I go nine years to college and never seem to succeed at anything? Why did my sons turn out the way they did? Questions! Doubts! My understanding is like a grain of sand on the beach of God's infinite knowledge and wisdom. I hope and pray I'm learning to trust and obey Him. Thank God that although Bible characters sinned and made serious mistakes, He still loved and used them. It's that way with us too, when we don't understand. Praise the Lord!
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9. God is love so there's no Hell. The Bible does say God is love (1 John. 4:16). But  it also says God is holy, just and powerful who will punish evil. Three things bother me at this point. (1) If we can accept God's love but reject his holiness that is to destroy the Bible's authority on any teaching since holiness is just as clear and definite a Bible teaching as love. (2) And, if God is love but not holy, then evil has free reign to destroy all that is good. In other words, its like saying let all the killers, rapists, robbers and such run the streets to do what they want, they shouldn't be put away or punished; let the devil have his way. How on earth can we call that love or good? In effect, it destroys both a  happy secure earth and Heaven as well (1 Cor. 6:9-10; Rev.21:27). (3) Further, true love doesn't simply caste sinners into Hell since we're all imperfect by God's perfect standards and deserve Hell. True love according to the Bible respects our dignity and freedom in God's image to choose the God life or to reject it. Hence, love can't be forced and must willingly accept the means God has provided for us to be saved in his Son paying for our sins on the cross (John. 3:16; 36).   Love and justice, Heaven and Hell are simply two sides of the same coin and each person's works decides their own rightful or just degree of reward or of punishment. See my article: How God Shows Love.
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10. It's unjust for God to pay for my sins. We're the guilty sinners and Christ committed no wrong. But the Bible says that Christ suffered for our sins the just for the unjust to bring us to God (1 Pet. 3:18). God decides what's just and unjust; apart from God there is no standard. We can never undue the wicked things we've committed and that condemn us before a perfect God. So God in love paid our punishment physical, moral, spiritual so that we can be counted pure, holy, righteous, forgiven, forever free from sin's penalty. It's called grace, unconditional love, justification. It's God's right to solve our sin debt by showing both his justice and love working together. No other world religion can compare with or demonstrate either.
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What then do objections to God's existence prove? I think such objections show that we can be ignorant, self-centered, arrogant and often in pain. It's been true with me and I don't believe I'm an exception. But it's the last thing in the world we may be willing to admit. It makes no sense to hate a nonexistent God because an earthly father wasn't loving like the Heavenly Father who sent his Son to die for our sins. When we're atheists, we just need more love. See my article: The Christian Worldview Makes Sense.
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Now God invites us to come clean confessing we're sinners or else we will weep, whale, and gnash our teeth in agony away from God in eternal darkness. God offers us a home in the city of light with Him as His people (Rev. 22:1-6).  Won't U say, merciful Lord, forgive me, come into my life as my Savior, Lord and Guide forever.
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If U did that in faith, U just became a citizen of the city of light waiting to one day see Jesus. Now work for your Lord telling others about Him. Become a witness of Jesus and a computer missionary telling friends to tell friends. "Lord, use us to tell others to receive your gift of eternal life and make a positive contribution to this world despite all our hangups, sins, and mistakes, give  us faith and courage to obey you in this most precious opportunity." We love You.
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Friday, June 8, 2012

Did God Feed Israel Manna In The Wilderness?

             Did God Feed Israel Manna In The Wilderness?

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Those ancient Jews lived in a prescientific era unable to understand things we do today. Their Bible stories were just myths, or ignorant imaginings. If miracles happened then, we would see them happen today, but we don't.
This thinking may seem so reasonable to us today but let's give it fair open-minded consideration. Perhaps we've never given it serious thought that ancient people could know more than we realize. In this article, I want to challenge what may be our erroneous assumptions and to expound some unusual characteristics of this biblical event.
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Consider five assumptions some persons think make biblical miracles incredible or impossible.
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Some assume no Creator of the universe exists. But we know the universe didn't exist and didn't create itself, so something had to create it. That creator had to be self-existent, eternal and unchanging or else it would cease to exist. It had to be immaterial or spiritual since it brought matter, space-time into existence. It had to be an infinite living Mind and will in order to explain all the living intelligent things we see around us daily. Something can't give what it doesn't have. In other words, it has to be what we would describe as the Almighty, all knowing God. Moreover, there can be no more than one God or absolute. 
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Some too assume nature's laws would prevent a Creator God from acting in our world. But it's not difficult for the universe's Creator to do much lesser things. The Lord of nature can direct his laws to act in any way at any time it suits his purpose.Thus, extraordinary things as miracles and prophecies are his prerogative. But can we recognize such things if they occur?
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Others assume we couldn't know or identify God acting supernaturally in our world. People have always recognized nature's usual patterns. But if a spokesman for God waves his staff and water forms walls for people to walk between, we know that's of God. People can't walk on water, but if they see a man doing it and claiming to be God, that's decisive. If a woman becomes pregnant not having known a man, that takes an act of God. If a person's ear is severed by a sword and someone who claims he existed before the world did restores it back normal, that's God in action. The Bible is filled with such things. Skeptical astonished persons knowing nature's ordinary patterns but seeing such extraordinary events came to believe God does indeed act in our world. Further, if men claiming God spoke to them of things impossible to know come to pass, that too is another way to know God acts in our world. Clearly God acted--such things can't be considered accidents of chance or anomalies or ignorance or superstition or fraud--they're the real thing.
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Again, some assume God wouldn't take on human form to tell us who he is. Who can make a rule that man's Creator can't take on a human nature and body to tell us and show us who he is? Certainly, we see we are the highest form of creation above other living things.  God being a Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit who before creation enjoyed fellowship as  persons sharing the same essence, then it's reasonable he made us in his  rational, moral, immortal image for relationship with him and to bring him glory. See my article on Great Mysteries of the Christian Faith.
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Lastly, some assume the Jews would endure torture and death knowing all the while the miracles were lies.  For their faith biblical writers were ridiculed, beaten, tortured, imprisoned, murdered. Zechariah was stoned, Isaiah  sawed in two, Uriah killed with the sword, as were others  (Heb. 11:36-37). Jesus assured faithful believers they would be persecuted (Matt. 5:12). John the baptizer, Peter, Paul and others met horrible deaths. Can we seriously believe they would endure such treatment knowing their writings and testimony were all a lie? It's simply incredible.
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Now let's look at the particular characteristics of God feeding Israel manna in the dessert.
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The manna's appearance seems an undeniable historical event.  The wilderness setting, conditions, places, names, descriptions all correspond with what is known of that region today. Israel's difficulties, complaints, unbelief, and rebellion  illustrate human nature under such conditions. Frequent Bible references confirm Israel considered it a real event in their history (Ex. 16:1-5, 14; Num. 11:1-9; Neh. 9:15, 20; Josh. 5:12; Ps. 78:20, 22-25; 105:40; Jn. 6:22-59; Heb. 9:4).  This can't be a once upon a time in a far away land made up child's story. It really happened.
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The manna's unique nature. It was a small round flaky substance that appeared on the ground when the dew melted.  It could be made into cakes and stewed or baked. It looked like white  seed and tasted like honey wafers or like pastry prepared with oil. It was nutritious and may have been suited to each person's taste. 
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It's perennial appearance. God promised Israel food from heaven. When discovered, the people asked, "What is it?" Although they had been living in the area two and a half months, this was something new they had not seen before. It was seen when the sun melted the dew. The manna appeared all seasons and ever place Israel camped for 40 years.
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It's  six day appearance and spoilage. It came consistently six days a week but not on the seventh. The manna was to be gathered in the mornings and completely eaten each day with none left over or else it stank and became wormy. But the people were to gather up twice as much on the sixth day to last over the Sabbath and then it didn't spoil. God was teaching them the seventh was to be their day of rest and worship and they were to honor him with their obedience.
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It's constant quantity. Regardless of how much or how little manna was gathered there was always  enough to feed two million people. Everyone in each household was fed but had to be eaten that day. While Israel had other foods this was the bread God promised them from Heaven.  
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It was a promised sign. Israel never regarded the manna as a mere product of nature. It was a gift and sign of God's presence and provision to her in her need. It was designed as a test of their faith and belief in it may serve as a test of our faith today. Critics try to explain it away as the sweet-tasting excretion left by insects on the twigs of the tamarisk trees. But that appeared only in June and July and did not spoil in 24 hours. The manna, however, came all year around everywhere Israel camped and must be eaten that day. Also, the manna appeared two and a half months after Israel had been in the wilderness and stopped forty years later when Israel ate from the promised land of milk and honey.
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It was a perpetual memorial. Three quarts of manna were placed in a jar in the ark of the covenant. It was kept there unspoiled  for future generations to see. This was unspoiled undeniable evidence to future generations of God's presence and supply of the people's need in the dessert wilderness.
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It's verification by the Lord Jesus. The wilderness manna was a type or representative of the spiritual food only Jesus can give. Manna fed physical bodies that perished, but Jesus is spiritual food bringing eternal life. He is the true bread come down from Heaven to give life to every believer.
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Dear reader, if you feel this is God's truth that you should trust in Jesus for spiritual and eternal life, that's God speaking to you in love offering you forgiveness of sins, acceptance and peace with God. Won't you open your heart now by saying: Lord, I trust you now and forever to forgive me, be with me, and guide me through this life and help me live for You until I die or You come to receive me. Thank you my loving Lord Jesus and Messiah. Amen (so be it).
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Now get into the Bible which is God's instructions of how we can live to please our Mastor. Pray and worship with God's believing people, and share your new faith with friends and loved ones. Sharing these articles too can bring them to the Lord in an exciting new life, hope, and joy in Jesus. God bless.
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Friday, March 18, 2011

What Did Muhammad Say About Jesus?

What Did Muhammad Say About Jesus?

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#Muhammad
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Surprising to some persons Muhammad taught things which both Muslims and Christians agree. Unlike secular society, both Muslims and Christians believe in God, heaven, hell, angels, prayer and absolute truth. Muhammad taught that Jesus was a great prophet of God, the Messiah, the Word of God, performed miracles, and even was virgin born but like Adam.
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So far tyrants don’t rule Western governments forcing persons to hold a particular religion, both committed Muslims and committed Christians protest Western culture’s appalling moral decay. Fragmented homes, drunkenness, disrespect shown old people, gambling, pornography, immodesty of dress, sexual promiscuity, homosexuality and same sex marriage evidence such decay. Ideally, in Western governments, a separate but cooperative relationship exists between church and state for mutual benefit.
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Please understand that I believe all human beings have the right to think and seek the truth. I affirm the human right to disagree and be unharmed. I have no ill will against Islam, Muslims, Muhammad or the Qur'an. I don’t believe all Muslims are terrorists but that most are descent, respectful, law-abiding citizens who only want to make a living, raise their families and enjoy the freedoms Western nations allow. And I believe Christians should show Muslims the same respect they would want Muslims to show them. But I find some teachings of the Qur'an, Islam’s holy book, difficult to believe as follows.
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Muhammad believed the angel Gabriel told him to recite the Qur'an while alone in a cave. He first thought Gabriel was a demon, but a favorite wife convinced him he was truly God’s chosen prophet. Muhammad then preached he was seal or final authoritative prophet of the one true God--Allah.
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The first five books of the Bible were complete for eighteen centuries before Muhammad and known today to be very accurate. They differ from what Muhammad said in the Qur'an. He said Noah’s Ark rested on Mt. Judi, not Mt. Ararat (Surah 11:44). Abraham’s father was Azar, not Terra (Surah 6:74). Not Pharaoh’s daughter, but his wife adopted Moses (Surah 28:8-9). Abraham attempted to sacrifice Ishmael, not Isaac (Surah 37:100-112). Abraham was not a Jew, but a Muslim because Allah, not Yahweh, is the only true God. Dozens more deviations exist from the Jewish Torah or Christian Pentateuch. I’m using Abdullah Yusuf Ali’s English translation whose notes tries but fails to explain away these difficulties.
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Jewish scribes, however, meticulously preserved and transmitted Israel’s history, the Torah, going back to Moses’ time around 1400 B.C. The Dead Sea scrolls discovered in 1948 dated back to the  time before Christ verify biblical accuracy. Scribes had carefully counted the letters in a line, the number of lines, and discarded any scroll found with a mistake. Muhammad at first favored Jews and Christians as people of the Book. But when he didn’t correctly explain the Torah, Jews rejected him as a false prophet. Muhammad claimed the Jews were wrong and he corrected their biblical mistakes. He then had his followers bow toward Mecca rather than Jerusalem. But surely Jews knew their own teaching and could easily recognize whether Muhammad was correct, confused or misinformed. Some persons Muhammad recited the Qur'an to, died before it was compiled  twenty years after his death. Moreover, some Qur'an teachings are abrogated by other later teachings.
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Crucial conflicts between the Qur'an and the Christian New Testament also abound. Christians believe the Creator of the universe is bigger than limited human minds can conceive and who revealed Himself as ONE GOD in three persons--the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. But Muhammad said three gods is unforgivable blasphemy (shirk) because Allah has no companions (Sura 4:171; 5:72). Further, it seems Muhammad believed the Trinity was the Father, Mary and Jesus (Sura 5:73, 116).  Moreover, Allah doesn't fellowship with or love sinners. Allah commands you obey his rules and he might decide you can go to paradise.  Men in paradise have abundant sexual partners.         
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Astonishingly, as a baby in his cradle, Jesus said he was the servant of Allah, and not God himself or his son (Surah 19:29-30). Jesus was born under a palm tree, not in a cave (Surah 19:22-23). It was only as Allah’s servant that Jesus performed miraculous healing, raising the dead, and unknown to scripture formed clay into a bird (Surah 3:49; 5:110). The Qur'an claims Jesus, son of Mary, promised to send Muhammad to his disciples (Surah 61:6). But how can this be since not Muhammad but the Holy Spirit came to Jesus disciples. The Christian foundation is the death and resurrection of Jesus, but the Qur'an denies Jesus’ crucifixion and that Allah took Jesus directly into heaven (Surah 4:157-8; 3:55).  See book list below & my other articles: They have come for us, Claiming America for Islam. 
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Honest, logically thinking people realize such conflicting views can’t both be correct. Further, the Mormon, Joseph Smith Jr., around 1800 A.D. claimed an angel likewise revealed the golden plates to him making him God’s final prophet. Which man are we to believe? Moreover, since no one else saw either angel, how do we know but that both men were somehow mistaken?
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It’s impossible to see how Christians could be mistaken about the Trinity with Bible manuscripts written just decades after Christ. All three names are mentioned together and called God. And many times each name is separately called God. Centuries before Muhammad, the church fathers who followed the apostles, Polycarp, Ignatius, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian and others discussed the Trinity in their writings. The Apostles Creed, the Council of Constantinople and then the Council of Chalcedon all before Muhammad arrived on the scene confirmed the Trinity teaching.
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Further, abundant evidence exists for Jesus’ death and resurrection. Old Testament prophets predicted the Messiah’s death for sinners and resurrection, which only Jesus could have fulfilled. Jesus himself predicted these events several times. There was no time either Judas or Simon of Siren substituted for Jesus as Muslim traditions suppose. People who knew Jesus watched him die on the cross, including his disciple John and his mother. They never could have been deceived about his identity and death. Moreover, the guards securing his burial, the tomb found empty, the separate grave clothes, the angel's announcement that he is risen, his many appearances, the transformed disciples, the established church, martyrs dying for the truth, the changed calendar, the fact that no theory has disproved His resurrection--all seem to establish Jesus arose and is the Son of God as he claimed.
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In conclusion, Muhammad acknowledged Jesus a prophet who performed miracles while he did not when asked several times. Miracles would conclusively have established Muhammad as a true prophet of God. But abundant early historical, visible, supernatural eyewitness evidence establish Jesus to be God—his claims to be God, prophecies, miracles and resurrection. With Muhammad, however, all we have is his empty claim that an angel spoke to him which he even doubted as first and which anybody can make as Joseph Smith Jr. coming after him in fact did. Considering the abundant evidence, who must be deceived?
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Peter says of Jesus, "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved" Acts 4:12. That means Jesus is our only way to God and Heaven. We are needy sinners before a perfect God and unfit for a perfect Heaven. Won't you trust Jesus the living Savior for forgiveness and eternal life. There is no greater love or greater hope given to everyone who trusts in Him. Jesus came to give us life eternal (John 3:36; 10:10).
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Now God can use you to share this message of eternal life with Muslim friends and others. Just link this blog with yours and tell others about it. God bless  you in telling others of the living Lord and Savior of all willing to enter a love-trust relationship with Him. Jesus said to put away the sword of endless hatred, death, and despair and accept Him who offers us love, forgiveness and life eternal. God bless your ministry of faith, hope, and love.
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Thursday, March 17, 2011

Is Secularism the Best Way to Go?

Is Secularism the Best Way to Go?


In this essay, we will look at secularism, give a Christian evaluation of secularism, and consider the question of whether Christianity is a better way to go. Christianity has mostly dominated the Western world for the last two millenniums but is giving way to secularism this last century. It seems people are giving up or forgetting Jesus, claimed to be the God-man, who came into our world to save us. Everyone must decide for himself or herself.

What Is Secularism?


Secularism is the belief that people are perishing animals, a higher form of animal perhaps but some dispute even that preferring owls to human babies. Secularism denies life after death, God, angels, miracles, divine revelations, and human souls. Evolution is a fact--it explains everything and is the key to progress. Religion is based upon ignorance, superstition, myth and retards progress.

Science and education is our way to gain knowledge. The scientific method of repeated testing under controlled measurable conditions gives us probable results. There is no absolute truth and no absolute ethic—just what seems to work best at the time. So we must place the best minds in government control--only those who believe our way--to maintain citizen peace and lawful order. Of course they refer only to minds that believe as they believe and may kill each other to obtain a higher government position.

Our lives and our planet are always in jeopardy. Dangers lurk everywhere. We are both predator and prey. If we’re saved, we must save ourselves. Perhaps one day we will go to other planets.

Man is basically good--despite all the wars, murders, rapes, deceptions, and human abuses, there are always more people that don’t or wouldn’t do these things. And with good reason, we can work to achieve a better world even if we have to eliminate some of its less desirable and defective elements to attain greater quality--especially those ignorant superstitious religious people.

A Christian Evaluation of Secularism


Scientists admit the universe came into being. But it couldn’t have created itself and it couldn’t have just popped into being—nothing can’t create something or give what it doesn’t have. So there must be an uncaused cause to explain the effects of our limited, dependent, self-destructive universe. This uncaused cause would have to be eternal, infinite, unchangeable, immaterial and personal that we could rightly call God. Further, the dogmatic assumption that God and miracles can’t exist because I haven’t seen them is unwarranted—we would have to have all knowledge of space and time to deny them. And with a Creator God, all the things secularists deny become possible. There is no law God must perform his miracles for our experiment and observation.

Secularists claims that by chance and time life come from non life, persons from the impersonal, minds from the mindless, order from the orderless, reason from the non rational, morality from the non moral, information without a sender, and truth from accident. None of this is in accord with science or reason. But all agrees perfectly with an eternal, infinite, personal and ethical God.  

The scientific method of experiment and observation can’t inform us about crucial areas of knowledge such as history, law, ethics, art, emotions, or even that the scientific method itself is valid. No experiment can show evolution is true. And no one was present to observe or experiment when the universe came into being. So we must not arbitrarily impose principles of continuation science upon origin science that’s not subject to testing.  

The facts of science support human creation, not evolution. The simple cell Darwin believed in turned out to be an immense complex city of interrelated designed machines that require an infinite intelligence. Life forms appear suddenly without transitional links. DNA has specified genetic information and mutations are destructive. The genetic code allows small changes within life forms (microievolution). But one life form changing into another (macro-evolution) is unknown. Some few claimed as such are later discovered to be public deceptions. To an unbiased mind, such scientific facts suggest creation and a Creator, not evolution.

In secularism, truth, morality and justice become what the ruling power says it is and the people must obey. No higher authority is allowed. Modern socialist dictators such as Hitler, Mao, Stalin and others grab government control and have a blood bath of millions who oppose them. They must deny God, freedom of speech and freedom of religion to secure their power. History demonstrates that power corrupts. Secular socialists believe that to save humanity they must eliminate all who disagree with and challenge their power. Whole populations are reduced to poverty by and for government control. Black market and any means to survive becomes necessary.

Only in Western governments where people have a say and can select their governing leaders  in fair elections is human life, dignity, and freedom respected. Even then, citizens must know their leaders true beliefs, must limit their powers and terms in office, and must insure leaders follow their constitution. But what is the needed basis to provide it? Christianity is the basis of free and just government.

Is Biblical Christianity a Better Way?


Biblical Christianity is based upon the New Testament being a true account of the life, times and teachings of Jesus Christ. One historical source can established some history. Three agreed sources leave little doubt. The New Testament has the four Gospels, Acts, and Paul’s epistles—six detailed sources that archaeologists have in many cases confirmed as authentic. They were written within three decades of Jesus’ death while hostile witnesses lived to dispute and destroy any untruths. Thousands 0f manuscripts (8,500) closer to the time further substantiate statements about Jesus. Even secular writings mention details of his life. So his life and teachings are far better attested than other ancient persons generally accepted. As we saw above, it’s unwarranted and biased to claim no God exists who can act supernaturally in our world. Christ—the God-man--liberates the captive, gives us dignity and a destiny no other person or ideology can.

Jesus claimed and demonstrated in history that he was God in ways honest thinking people can recognize. He accepted worship, forgave sins, caste out demons, commanded angels, healed various diseases instantly, walked on water, fulfilled century earlier detailed prophecies of Israel’s Messiah God, and he raised the dead. Who could do such things but God?

Secularists rightfully claim we need proof if people are anything more that perishing animals. Speculative arguments of the philosophers can’t prove life after death. But Jesus who died and arose again and seen by 500 people in a visible material body (1 Cor. 15: 1-8). That’s certain proof! Jesus demonstrated publicly and finally he is in fact the God-man as he claimed. And being God, all his teachings are absolute truth. Jesus too provided for humanities most crucial needs--dignity, freedom, justice, love, truth, a rational world.

What basis is there for human dignity, equality, and rights? In secularism, the state dictator decides who has right to live and die, be slave or free, own property or not, worship or not. Dictators have their own agenda and ruthlessly mercilessly force it upon their people and everyone they can conquer. But Christ affirmed God created man in His rational, moral, immortal image and all men are descendant from Adam and Eve. Unlike secularism, this requires all persons be treated justly with the same dignity and respect and precludes any caste system.

As our Creator, Owner, and Judge God alone is our Source of truth, morality and justice. God showed Himself in Jesus Christ, the God-man in our space-time world. No limited, fickle, contradictory human opinions can stand up to teaching of the all-knowing, all wise, all-just Lord. One day we’ll bow before King Jesus who died to save us. But then He will judge our every thought, word and deed. He is the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Him.

The Bible says fools despise instruction. Jesus taught principles for our good both as individuals and as a nation. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you promote concern, respect and just treatment of everyone. God’s law, Jesus said is summed up in love for God first and then love for neighbor as yourself. When we apply this, dictatorial force and fear wane while love, truth, and civility emerge.

 The framers of the American constitution were almost all Christians taught in Christian schools of their time who understood the sinfulness of man. So they knew to put limits upon government leaders and separated their powers in order to establish a nation of the people, by the people, and for the people. Thus, the freedom and dignity Christ provides humanity become achievable in government and precludes the destruction of people and property.  

In summary, the facts of both of science and reason support not oppose Bible Christianity and meet our most basic human needs. Secularism has no basis for life after death, for human dignity and rights, for absolute truth and morality, or for hope of a sane and safe society. Throughout history, it has denied all these things and led to destruction of lands and a merciless blood bath of millions of men, women, and children by a tyrant’s arbitrary decrees.    

The Christ of the Bible loves us and provides our most precious human values secular socialism denies. Jesus respects our free will, gives us the choice to be a free and righteous nation, and offers us the choice of Heaven instead of Hell. Yes, God is love, but God’s love includes truth and justice. Without Christ, everything is deception, darkness and destruction. It’s our choice. Won't you say in  all honesty, Lord, I'm a sinner. But I choose You as my Savior and Guide today and forever!
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