By the Numbers

Monday, April 22, 2013

Will We Go to the Stars?

                                Will We Go to the Stars?

We've put a man on the moon? We've sent space probes that give us detailed pictures of planets in our solar system and on out into space. We've discovered hundreds of planets circling hundreds of stars. One science channel program discussed planting a colony on Mars. Telescopes have mapped out the ends of the universe and cosmic background radiation shows the universe is not round like a basketball but stretched out or oval like an egg. I'm neither astronomer nor physicist, so I must rely on what they say. What does both science and the Bible say about other worlds?

                What Does Science Say about other Worlds?

Modern telescopes show us there are billions of galaxies like our Milky Way Galaxy each containing billions of stars that must contain billions of planets. It seems reasonable that some are inhabited with intelligent life forms like us. Could aliens travel in space to reach us or we to reach them? And would their advanced civilization be helpful or harmful, develop us or destroy us?
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There were millions of reports of unidentified flying objects (UFOS) in the 50's. Television science fiction series such as Star Trek and others became very popular. Movies of space exploration fascinated young movie goers. People grew up wondering if we had been invaded by flying saucers and extraterrestrials. But the reports turned out to be of natural phenomena, home made or experimental aircraft, or pranks. No visible evidence was found of flying saucers, sighted aliens, crash debris, or persons found to have travel in a space ship.
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Today scientists know of multiple problems that would be connected with space flight. Even the closest stars in our galaxy are light years away. Light travels at approximately 186,000 miles a second. If we  or aliens could travel through space at just 1% of the speed of light or 6.7 million miles an hour it would take 25,000 years to reach another planetary system. It would require hundreds of generations. Just the known hazards of space such as dust, gas, gravity, radiation, and black holes could prove fatal. A little pebble traveling at thousands of miles an hour colliding with the space craft would destroy it. The ship would have to steer away from meteors, comets, asteroids, wandering planets and things in the darkness maybe impossible to detect.
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Enormous quantities of food, water and other supplies must be preserved. It seems doctors, medicines, labs, machines, mechanics, engineers would be needed as well. Such a super large scale project would demand a huge space craft and its cost would break world banks. Experiments to be encountered in a long term space journey were conducted with only eight people in a 3.15 acre capsule. Oxygen and carbon dioxide levels varied wildly to toxic levels. Cockroaches multiplied out of control. And long term confinement in limited space would cause mental breakdowns. It seems machines and robots would work better but even they would break down after awhile.
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You may have heard all we need to populate a planet is water. Don't believe it! That's science fiction. Human life on earth requires literally hundreds of exactly right factors that are not known  elsewhere in our galaxy--it's called the anthropic principle.
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Even a slight variation of earth's gravity, heat,  atmosphere, chemical composition, water, light, rotation, magnetism would make all life impossible. Smaller planets closer to the sun enable us to receive the right amount of light and heat while those bigger planets further out protect us from incoming meteors and space debris. The moon's craters evidence this protection and its gravity enables our tides to cleanse the oceans whose right amount of water enables us to have the right atmosphere. Earth contains the right elements needed in our bodies such as carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, magnesium. Our distance to the nearest star and our exact location between the spiral arms of our galaxy and hundreds of other factors enable us to live on earth.
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Such utter complexity working in harmony couldn't be an accident of chance and must be a God thing. A nonexistent universe couldn't create itself and the scientific physical law called entropy means heat energy will spread out and one day the universe will become cold, inactive and dead. The universe is the effect, and its cause must be an infinite, self-existent, immaterial, and independent intelligence much like what the Bible describes as God. What now does the Bible say about other worlds?
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             What Does the Bible Say about other Worlds?
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The Bible is clear that ultimately there are only two worlds to which we can go as our eternal home, and they are as different as night and day. Both worlds are the same for all their occupants, but our experiences in our new world will be very different since we all are different persons with different ways. In other words, we are forming our character every day by the things we think, say and do, our beliefs and behaviors, attitudes and acts, what we like and dislike, how we respond to others and even to what we understand about God. At death our character is fixed and final (Heb. 9:27; Rev. 22:11).  So it's most important that we assess ourselves in light of all this--we reap what we sow (Gal. 6:7-8).
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The Natural Man Will Go to the World of Darkness to Reap What He's Sown in this World.
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I like to party with my friends and don't see anything wrong with a few social drinks and drugs. Why are Christians against some sexual pleasures that are just a natural part of different lifestyles? There's nothing wrong to exploit nature's resources, its beauty, its animals, or anything to make me rich and powerful. We have to get what we can while we can. I don't believe in those Bible myths of alleged miracles and God. With so many conflicting religions, we can never know if any religion is right.  Christians are judgmental to say some things are wrong and I don't believe that nonsense about being born again. Everybody knows we can only come from our mother's womb. We have to live it up and get what we want today since we may not have tomorrow. Gal. 3:19-21; Rev. 21:8; Jude 12-13. Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die.
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The Spiritual Man Will Go to the World of Light to Reap What He's Sown in this World.
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My body is God's temple, so I try to avoid harmful things that could  enslave me, and to use by body to serve  the Lord I love. Sex is God's precious gift for our pleasure and for producting children in covenant relationship with God and our spouse. Nature's resources, beauty, animals, and objects too are God's gifts for our benefit which we are to care for and use responsibly. Its no advantage to gain the whole world and lose our own soul. I once was blind to the things of God until I opened my heart and invited Jesus to save me. It was like being born all over again with a new outlook on life, a love for God, His Word and His will. I've found the Way, the Truth, and the Life. He lives within me and I'll go to live with Him as my eternal home in His world of light. Gal. 5:22-25; 1 Cor. 3:9-14.  Lord, I love You, trust You, and want my life to count for You eternally.                 
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What Does the Bible Say About the End of the World?
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"What manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless, we according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells" (2 Peter 3:11-13).  
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What Does the Bible Say About the Two Worlds?
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"Many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, some to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever" (Daniel 12:2-3).
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"Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life" (Gal. 6:7-8). Yes, by trusting Jesus as Lord and Savior we join His world of light; rejecting Him confines us away in darkness forever. But our degree of rejoicing together in light, or degree of torment alone in darkness, is decided by how we live now. If we don't want God in our life, He respects our dignity and choice--He lets us have our own way, forever. And being ungrateful for His benefits, we'll cease to have them. Think about it! Is that what U want?
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"We are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us; we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor. 5:21). Which world will be your eternal home--His light, or your darkness? Say, Lord Jesus, I trust You to come into my life, save me from sin, and be my Guide forever. Thank You. 
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Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Darwin's Missing Links, or Jesus' Miracles?

                 Darwin's Missing Links, or Jesus' Miracles?

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Believing in Darwin's missing links or in Jesus' miracles both require a commitment of faith as we can't observe or experiment with either. But! What we believe will decide what our world becomes. Either nature is everything making us evolving perishing animals fighting each other to survive, or Jesus performed miracles showing he's our God and we're in his image with our world saved from barbarism with the prospect of Heaven. Either alternative has the most serious consequences for us and our world. Let's check it all out.
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Why not believe in Darwin's missing links?
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Since we see no miracles or evidence of God, and evolution explains everything, then that's what happened. Yes, the thousands of missing links are the actual proof of evolution.  But since many intermediate life forms didn't survive and were lost, we're confident they did exist whether we find them or not.  All the varieties of fish, reptiles, and birds show evolution occurs. So we're free to make our own kind of world and reach for the stars. It's all so logical, scientific and factual. Let's not get tripped up in ignorant religious superstitions and myths.
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Abundant evidence shows evolution is fact. Life forms arose spontaneously and evolved by chance over time through acquiring good characteristics and favorable mutations. We can classify life in its order of complexity, animal body fluids and DNA are similar, structures such as a monkey's arm and man's arm are similar, embryo's show evolutionary stages of growth, and useless appendages as the appendix are an evolutionary hangover. We can breed improved life forms. What more can we ask?
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Why not believe in creation by God?
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Could we have been looking in the wrong places not really wanting to see evidence of God? All science operates on a cause and effect basis so we know this dependent complex universe must be the effect of an infinite, independent, immaterial, self-existing, intelligent cause not unlike what the Bible calls God. And if God has claim on our life, we may willfully ignore or suppress the evidence of God desiring our way rather than His. If God designed us superior intelligent creative beings, wouldn't it mean he desired relationship with us and has our best interests at heart? Moreover, if God created the universe, then angels, miracles, and revelations would be a small achievement.
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Physical law of heat loss shows things left to themselves deteriorate, not improve.  Honest science admits life comes only from life, not spontaneously arise from dead chemicals. Specified complexity of life cells shows an encyclopedia of instructions of what each life form must be. Yes, there are varieties of  reptiles, fish, and birds that within limits adapt to their environments. But no evidence one changes into another (macroevolution). For example, the fossil fish Coelacanth claimed 60 million years old was found swimming unchanged. Mindless molecules can't arrange themselves into animals or men  no matter how much time. All the fossils once claimed to be primitive men's bones have turned out to be either some monkey forms, real human bones, or contrived fakes designed to deceive the public. The facts correspond with the Bible statements that God created things separately and to reproduce after their own kind.
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Evolution's arguments such as classification of complexity, similar body structures, DNA and fluids would be the same whether evolution or creation.  Of course life forms would have similar structure as fishes have fins, reptiles legs, and birds wings to fit in their  environments whether sea, land, or air. There's no rule God must make things entirely different. Embryo evolutionary stages and useless appendages are arguments of ignorance. Irreducible complexity means each life form must be complete and functional at the outset and cannot survive with a partially developed digestive, reproductive, circulatory system or organs to see, hear and move. Just as an example, the chicken came before the egg. Roosters must pregnant hens who must lay on eggs and furnish the chemical needed for egg shells to develop proving creation. Isn't designed sexual union imperative with all mammals?
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Why should we seriously consider Jesus' miracles?
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We rightfully are cautious and critical about reports of miracles. People report unusual, surprising and beneficial events they call miracles when the circumstances aren't fully known. The Bible cautions us to test the spirits as fake healers, deceivers, even lying wonders of demons are in the world associated with the occult, error or evil (Matt. 24:24; 2 Thess. 2:9; Rev. 16:14).
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But we've already shown there's every reason to believe in God as Creator who wants loving relationship with us. Miracles would be God's way to attract human attention and confirm His power to act in our world. When our knowledge is like a grain of sand on the beach of knowledge, we have no basis to say in advance what the Almighty Creator and Lord of nature can and cannot do if and when it suits His purposes.  To arbitrarily rule God out may prove to be the biggest mistake of our life!
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These invalid closed minded objections attempt to tie the Almighty's hands. (1) Nature's laws won't allow miracles. (2) Events within nature must be natural, not supernatural. (3)  No such miracles today make them historically incredible. (4) Regular natural events make rare miracles  improbable. (5) Science rejects unrepeatable and untestable miracles. (6) A real miracle would make nature chaotic and science impossible. (7) Persons who testify of  miracles aren't qualified. (8) Miracle reports supporting doctrinally diverse religions cancel themselves out. (9) Miracles are myths of prescientific imagination. (10) Mystery religions of gods supernatural birth, death, and resurrection abound in Jesus' day. (11) The Bible has been radically changed through the centuries.
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Nature and evolution simply can't account for everything. I've discussed these above objections in other articles and shown they amount to an unsubstantiated prejudice against God acting in our world or having any claim on our life. They are neither scientific, factual, nor in our best interests. (1) The universe requires a self-existent infinite, independent, intelligent cause like the Bible's Creator God. (2) We know nonexistence can't produce anything, which again points to an originating self-existing cause. (3) Mindless chance would be an irrational chaotic accident that couldn't produce a rational world--naturalism is a loser. So let's consider the evidence now with an open caring and candid attitude; we may discover what millions have found to be the joy of their life, even hope of life eternal and fulfilling.
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What's the evidence for Jesus' miracles?
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I like Dr. Norman L. Geisler's book, Miracles and the Modern Mind. And I like his definition,"A miracle is an act of God to confirm the Word of God through a messenger of God." We specifically are examining the miracle claims of Christ that he is the Son of God, and the Lord and Savior of all who trust in him. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved (Acts 16:31).
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1. No reputable historian would deny the existence of Jesus or what's said of him. Nineteen pagan writers mention names, places, events associated with Jesus. Roman historian Tacitus mentions Pontius Pilate put Christ to death as a malefactor and that his prophecy of the Jerusalem temple destroyed was fulfilled. Pliny the Younger says Christians worshipped on the first day of the week and adored Jesus as God. Celsus despised Christianity but mentioned statements in Matthew, Luke, and John such as Jesus' virgin birth, flight to Egypt, cured the lame and blind, raised the dead, was betrayed by Judas, denied by Peter, crucified and resurrected. Only skeptical writers of last few centuries even questioned Jesus' life.  The claim that Jesus life and miracles is myth is itself myth. See He Walked Among Us, by Josh McDowell & Bill Wilson.
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2. There is nothing like Jesus' miracles in other world religions.  He healed sicknesses, lepers, the paralysed, blind, lame, deaf, epileptic, withered hand, cut off ear. He controlled nature in turning water to wine, stilling a storm, feeding thousands with little food, walking on the sea, cursing a fig tree that withered. Several times he caste out demons. His brought cold stiff corpses back to life as the widow of Nain's son, Jarirus' daughter, stinking Lazarus. He was transformed to light,  raised from the dead, and ascended into Heaven. Miracle traditions in other religions occur centuries later of  Buddha who denied god and Muhammad who disclaimed miracles. The mystery religions of a dying and rising god came after apostolic times and never claimed a virgin birth, sinless God-man who died to save sinners, arose again, and promised to one day judge humanity.

3. There's nothing false or tricky about Jesus' miracles. They usually  occur in the daylight before persons close at hand.  He healed people spontaneously upon request, and sometimes at a distance. For three and a half years he healed people before crowds at the sea shore, the temple, and passing through towns when people brought their diseased, sick and maimed. He healed them immediate without relapses and the  healed were known both before and after. Jesus challenged his opponents to find fault in him which forced them to admit his miracles,  but attribute their good to the devil. The apostle John says these are only a part of his miracles which must have been hundreds (Jn 21:24-25).
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4. Natural explanations can't explain away Jesus' miracles. Nobody can fake so many and such varied kinds of miracles--nature miracles, healings, casting out demons, and raising the dead. They can't be freaks of nature, hypnotism, coma, or  magic. They were not like statues crying blood or the walking cross of the Apocryphal Gospels. His healings were not done under cover of night in a tent at a distance using speaking devices and manipulative techniques like fake healers requesting money. And doctored up skulls to look half human shouldn't be made to deceive us about a supposed race of ape-men. Modern translations are made from many early Greek manuscripts and the New testament is now estimated to be 99% accurate and the most accurate document of antiquity.
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5. Jesus' miracles are entirely credible.  Matthew, Mark, and Luke published their accounts within  thirty years of Jesus' death from earlier documents, and not in the second century as critics would have us believe. Proof his disciples were not ignorant of nature's patterns is that they were at first astonished and skeptical. Jesus repeatedly rebuked them for unbelief. They were skeptical even about his resurrection though he raised three persons and told them several times he would die and rise again. Jesus and his apostles taught honesty, integrity, and the world's highest moral standards in the Gospels and Epistles. Would you endure ridicule, torture, and horrible death for what you knew to be a despicable lie? Neither did Jeus' disciples! See  Lk. 1:1-3; Jn. 19:35; Acts 1:3; 2:22-24; 2 Peter 3:16
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6. Jesus continually claimed to be God all the while he performed his miracles. He claimed to be the bread of life and fed thousands on two occasions with little food. He claimed to be the resurrection and the life and raised three persons from the dead. He fulfilled multiple prophecies about his virgin birth, sinless life, death for sinners, and resurrection. He claimed the attributes of God: He existed before the world came into being (Jn. 17:4, 24). He is in heaven and on earth at the same time (Jn. 3:13). He forgives sins as God (Matt. 9:1-8). He knows all things (Jn. 16:30). The Jews fully understood his claims to be God rather than just a man (Jn. 10:33).
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Our world is at the crossroads. We will side with Darwin saying nature is everything meaning atheism is true and live an animal lifestyle returning to barbarianism. Or, we trust in Jesus who gives us salvation, truth, moral standards, human dignity, freedom for responsible living, justice, love, a rational world, and hope for eternal life. Loving and serving Jesus who paid for our sins on the cross will make a better world. Darwin's atheism  will reduce us to animals and destroy all hope. WHICH LIFE DO YOU CHOOSE?  Think about it carefully.
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Friday, March 22, 2013

God's Instructions for A Better World

                    God's Instructions for A Better World

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 Jesus and the Bible tell us of a God who loves us, became a man among us, lived a perfect life, died to save us, and rose again to show us it's all true. This teaching has been Christianity's  light through the darkness and it's standard of hope.  But Creation, the Bible, prayer in Jesus' name, the Ten Commandments, moral absolutes, the Cross, Jesus, and Christians are often ridiculed and banned. Evolution, moral relativism, corruption, condoms, the pill, S.T.D.'S, abortions, homosexuality, pornography, rape, divorce, violence, crime, poverty, suicide, and disregard for human life is taking their place in many areas. Why? Let me share reasons I believe it's true and what we can do about it.
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Why Such Spiritual and Moral Decline?
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1.  The atheist philosophy of evolution destroys everything Christian faith provides. No God means by chance and time we evolved as soulless animals without a basis for dignity, rationality, ethics, ultimate purpose and life after death. True, we can't perform an experiment to prove God, but we can't prove evolution that way either. If the missing links between life forms were found, that would prove evolution, but the fact that they're missing suggests they may never have existed, and that points to creation and God. We know too that life forms have genetic limits which again points to the Bible's claim that God created everything to reproduce after its own kind. Moreover, irreducible complexity among life forms shows they all must be complete and functional from the outset as none can exist with  partially developed reproductive, circulation, and digestive systems and organs to see, hear, and move. Now shouldn't reason and our most crucial benefits be preferred to unscientific prejudice? Shouldn't good science seek the truth wherever it's found?
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According to the Bible, God created the universe, then man in his image distinct from the animals. This gives us the basis for a rational world, human dignity, ethics, life after death, responsibility to God, justice, love, truth, even experimental science. Biblical Christianity gives abundant evidence of creation to those with open minds to receive it. Our conscience too makes no sense unless there's a God we're responsible to. Serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, is right that it doesn't ultimately matter how many human heads he puts in his refrigerator if there's no God. Christ's fulfilled prophecies, miracles, claims to be God are based upon good history for those willing to check out the evidence both biblical and secular. But denials and unwilling excuses may prove fatal while chaos covers our lands and insecurity grips our people.
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2. Hollywood entertainment is demoralizing the United States and the world. One doesn't have to have lived long to discern the moral lapse of Hollywood entertainment. Profanity, adultery, nudity, betrayal, sex, seduction, violence, murder--things we would have been horrified to witness decades ago are standard shows now. Shooting the "walking dead" is just one example of dehumanizing human life. Hardly any pictures portray moral examples to solve our problems and guide our lives.
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3. Corrupt politicians that promise reform but promote their own agenda. They may be well meaning at first, but when politicians can raise their own salaries, cater to special interests that benefit them and enhance their power, prestige and wealth, the temptations are enormous. History is replete with emperors, dictators, kings and tyrants who live in palaces, suppress citizen's freedom, keep them poor and dependent with taxes, restrictions, and secret police so they can control them. They promote some ideologies such as socialism, communism, racial liberation, or Islam they claim will help their people, but it is a false hope and means to usurp power and control citizens. 
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4. Exploding Islam imposing Islamic Law on the world. Growing Islam is based upon Muhammad's claim that the angel Gabriel gave him the Qur'an making him Allah's final prophet or authority.  Knowledgeable people know Muhammad lived centuries after Jesus and His apostles yet claimed meticulous devout Jews and Christians changed God's Word which he corrected in the Qur'an. Muslim ethics is do whatever Allah's prophet Muhammad did to establish Islam. Muhammad robbed caravans, broke promises, and had persons killed with the sword who didn't submit to Islam (means submission). Women are denied rights given to men. Muslim teaching is that there's only two worlds: Islam and those who oppose it. And, there's no separation of Islam from the state and its duty to impose Islamic Law on every aspect of life by force if necessary.
5. The wicked world system. "Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God (James 4:4). Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world--the lust of the flesh,  lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--is not of God (1 John. 2:15). He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him" (John. 3:36).
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6.  The devil and his demons. Certainly, if the universe's Creator exists who made man, there's no reason He could not create spirit beings or angels as well. To deny God is to give place to the devil. The Bible calls him the god of this world, the prince and power of the air, the originator of evil, and a mighty angel. He can appear as an angel of light to deceive us about the the truth of God and the gospel (Gal. 1:8). But he can't be everywhere or know everything as God. He and his fallen angels or demons can be resisted by prayer and submission to God. Satan will one day empower the Antichrist to temporarily deceive and take over the world (Rev. 13:3-8).  But he is under God's power, his evil  included within God's purposes, and for God's greater glory. Praise our sovereign Lord!
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What Can God's People Do About It?
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 If my people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14
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If my people who are called by My name. Threw out the ages people thought and called religious persons God's people who were not His people. God's people must have the true faith in the one true God (John 1:1-4; Heb. 1:1-3; 11:1-2; 6).  Today God's people are believers in Christ as Lord and Savior and called Christians. It's true all people are God's creation, but few people know God in redemption, and that makes an eternity of difference. Jesus said, "You must be born again" (John 3:7).
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Will humble themselves. Christians are to turn from self-promotion to God promotion. The lust of the flesh mentioned above is our attempts to satisfy our sinful nature in opposition to God.  Instead, we must trust, love and obey God seeking his kingdom first, then our heavenly Father will provide our basic needs such as food, drink, and clothing (Matt. 6:31-33). Others may not esteem our godly living as it makes them feel guilty about their rebellious lifestyle. Yes, we are to strive for excellence but beware of arrogance. Worldly positions of greatness people admire may be least in God's kingdom as it's not how many serve us, but how many we serve (Mark 9:34-35). "Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up" (James 4:10). 
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And pray and seek My face. A selfish, rebellious heart wants nothing to do with God. And it's not men of standing, but men of kneeling who please God. "Confess your tresspasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much" (James 4:16). Good king Jehoshaphat set up reforms throughout his land and when an overwhelming army came up against him, he turned eyes unto the Lord acknowledging the God of heaven who ruled the nations. He told his people to "Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe the prophets, and you shall prosper." When they began to sing and praise, the Lord set ambushes against his enemies and they were defeated." When God's people get right, God acts  (2 Chronicles 20:6, 20, 22).  2 Chron. 19 and 20 are most inspiring.
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And turn from their wicked ways. "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear" (Ps. 66:18). God who designed us knows what's best for us. His Word can speak to us about our family life, our work, our relationships, our financies, our temptations, fears, successes, failures and opportunities (Heb. 4:12; 2 Tim. 3:16).  Following His instructions enable us to accomplish things that make a huge difference in the world for good and that count for eternity. We are to be as salt that keeps the world from moral and spiritual decay and light that penetrates the darkness of ignorance and evil.  We need the Lord but we must turn from our wicked ways (Isiah. 55:6-7; Jeremiah 33:3).
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Then I will hear from heaven. "The king's heart is in the hand of the Lord, like the rivers of water; He turns it wherever He wishes" (Prov. 21:1). The Lord can turn the king's heart and any heart to do His will but the Lord works through His people. Of the serious problems above and others I've not mentioned, I believe Christians themselves are the biggest hindrance to God's work. The Lord's final words were to tell others He Saves us sinners (Matt. 28:18-20; Mk. 16:15; Lk. 24:46-47; Jn. 20:30-31). Acts 1:12).  Jesus said, "Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men" (Matt. 4:19). Are you obeying Jesus telling others of the Lord and Savior that can make a better world?
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We can make a dozen excuses to keep from following and obeying the One we call Lord. I don't have time, but may watch hours of TV, play computer games, or something else. That's for qualified pastors or theologians, but we've heard the gospel many times and they can only reach a few. My friends will think I'm a religious fanatic, but that means we're ashamed of the One who loves us most.  Even those on my blog without pictures show more fear than faith. I witness by my life, but only the gospel can save people from hell. The loving Jesus warned us more about hell than any other and if it doesn't exist, then it doesn't ultimately matter how we believe and behave. Modern technology enables us to witness in ways previous Christians could never imagine. Such as letters, telephone, radio, TV, and the internet in addition to warm loving face to face attention.
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We can win others to the Savior simply by explaining any Bible passage such as John 1:12-13; 29; 3:16; 3:36; 5:24; 11:25; 14:6; Rom. 5:8-9; 6:23; 10:9-10; Eph. 1:29; 2:8-9 and others.  Young people join the military knowing they may give their life for their country, how much better for time and eternity to give our lives for Christ. We can avoid being ashamed when we stand before the judgment seat of the Lord Jesus Christ to answer how we conducted our life (1 Cor. 3:7-15). Let's pray and trust God to enable us to tell others of our Lifegiver wherever we go.
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And will forgive their sin and heal their land. God is looking for gap men on behalf of the land or He's sure to bring judgment (Ezek. 22:30-31). Are you willing to be one? Considers how God made proud King Nebuchadnezzar a beast in the field until he acknowledged God as king (Dan. 4). How the Lord stirred up Cyrus, king of Persia, to build the temple in Jerusalem (Ezra 1:1-3). "Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know (Jer. 33:3).
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Would you do service for Jesus your King? There's power in the blood, pow'r in the blood;
Would you live daily His praises to sing? There's wonderful pow'r in the blood.
There is pow'r pow'r, Wonder working pow'r in the blood of the Lamb.  Hymn by Lewis E. Jones
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Saturday, March 9, 2013

When Our Life Has Ultimate Meaning

                     When Our Life Has Ultimate Meaning

Yes! Family and friends give meaning to our life. We love our spouse, enjoy good times together, are eager for children, grandchildren and to guide them to know the best life. We take pride in our job, our achievements. We've important in government, the military, sports, art, acting, as a writer, farmer, newscaster, scientist, or a hundred other things. We're a good golfer, fishermen, dressmaker, homemaker, and counselor that people respect and ask our advise. Now here's the big question: Can we take anything with us beyond the grave? Does our life have ultimate meaning? Consider these five Bible teachings.
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1. Our life has ultimate meaning when we recognize God as the intelligent Source of everything. We don't live in a magical world where things can appear from nothing without cause or reason and organize themselves into elements, life forms and man. Nor are there limited gods evolved from nature who fight and destroy themselves as ancient peoples believed. Things are not meaningless irrational wonders but purposefully related and  make sense  because  they originated from One infinite intelligent Source the Bible defines as our Creator and God. He deserves our abundant thanksgiving and praise. "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Genesis 1:1).
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2. Our life has ultimate meaning when we acknowledge God is working out everything to fulfill His great plan and we can be part of it. Unlike other religion's Holy Books, the Bible records the beginning and the end from creation (Genesis 1-2) to recreation (Rev. 21-22). For only God can know the end from the beginning (Isa. 46:9-10). God's hand is evident a thousand times throughout the Bible working to bring his great plan to fruition., Moses, the child of slaves, became the son of Pharaoh's daughter, yet was raised by his own parents, and became Israel's leader and lawgiver. Joseph, dreamed of his family bowing before him, but then everything seemed to go wrong.His brothers sold him into slavery, in a hostile he was jailed for a crime he didn't commit. But in God's time he interpreted Pharaoh's dream and became the Prince of Egypt. Abram, following God's commands against impossible circumstances, became the father of many nations. God anointed a lowly shepherd boy David to become Israel's greatest king. Saul, the great persecutor of Christians, became Paul the great preacher of Christ. Wonderful ideals impossible for us can become certain with God. Jesus said, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible" (Matt. 19:26).  "I know the plans I have for you" --this is the Lord's declaration--"plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope" (Jeremiah 29:11). HCSB 
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 I think trust in God's promises becomes relevant at this point.  "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil" (Prov. 3:5-7). "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly . . . but his delight is in the law of the Lord" (Ps. 1:1-2). "I am God and there is none like Me . . . saying my counsel will stand and I will do all my pleasure" (Isaiah 46:9-10). "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work" (2 Timothy 3:15-17).  "It is God who works in you both to will and to do His good pleasure" (Philippians 2:13).
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3. Our life has ultimate meaning when we accept that we're accountable to our great Moral Lawgiver. If there's no personal ethical God, then there's no standard of right or wrong and our actions are accountable only to ourselves and what we can get by with. We may feel guilt, but it makes no sense. Why not have our fling?--sex, drugs, killing, whatever, passions are so strong,  all we do is ultimately meaningless as we may die any time.  Yes, we try to be nice to others so they hopefully will be nice to us. And we make laws so we can live together and survive until the end. It's so depressing we surpress it. But practical logic dictates--eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die. From dirt we came and to dirt we return--without God life has no great eternal purpose.
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But if we can be open minded to the evidence of God all around us we can gain a different persepective. The hairs in our nose make no sense unless God know they are needed to filter out dust particles and two nostrils are needed since one stops up. Our eyes are recessed for protection against bumps. Our head is on our shoulders with two eyes to focus vision and two ears to hear better. We have bitting teeth in front and crushing teeth in back of our mouth and a tongue to move food around with digestive acids in our stomach to digest food. Our brain is capable of far more than we ever learn. Now tell me unconscious mindless chemicals can plan and execute all this even in unlimited time! No! It's our intelligent God who did it and who loves us and wants to be Lord of our life. But he is love and never forces entrance; He stands at the door of willing hearts and knocks (Rev. 3:20).
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4. Our life has ultimate meaning when we understand God has made Himself known to us in Christ. We know there's so many religions; we can't check them all out and they all claim to be right. But honesty compels us to admit that when they contradict each other, they can't all be right. Further, they are based upon the claim to have spoken with an angel, or to have spoken with God. Anybody can claim that--it proves nothing! We must have a firmer basis than just a man's statements anybody can make.
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What would it take to demonstrate to honest thinking persons a religion is of God? What if someone who claimed to be God did things predicted centuries before such as be born in Bethlehem, from a virgin, have a sinless life, die for sinners, perform miracles, arise from the dead, and ascend into heaven? What if he claimed Godly characteristics such as being eternal, knowing men's minds, existing  everywhere, having power to raise the dead, command angels and demons, and judge men on the last day?  What if he could walk on water, instantly heal all manner of diseases, and raise stiff cold corpses from the dead? What's known of Jesus is never said of any other religion. And His disciples would never have rished torture and died for what they knew to be a lie.
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All these things were written of Jesus in the Gospels. He had twelve followers as eyewitnesses for three and a half years. Knowing nature's patterns, they were repeatedly skeptical at first. But later endured ridicule, rejection, torture and death from their countrymen and later the Romans being so convinced Jesus was God. Secular writers, often hostile to Christianity, mention many of the same things said of Jesus. Archaeological writings and artifacts confirm the persons, places, events, and dates given in the Gospels are true to fact. Jesus' miracles were not weird things as statues moving said of the Greek and Roman gods, but natural things as multiplying food to feed hungry people as would be expected of a loving God and nature's Lord. Wouldn't all that be genuine evidence that Jesus claims to be God were true? Only in Christ can we have such great assurance, meaning and purpose in our life.
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5. Our life has ultimate meaning when we trust in the only One who can assure us of Heaven. Skeptical scientists predict a meteor or asteroid stricking the earth can destroy it. Or earthquakes, volcano eruptions, or even man's awesome weapons may destroy us all. The Bible says, "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness" (2 Peter 10-11).
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Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6)."I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. DO YOU BELIEVE THIS?" (John 11:25). "Amen, Even so, come Lord Jesus! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen" (Revelation 22:21, 17). "WHOEVER DESIRES, LET HIM TAKE OF THE WATER OF LIFE FREELY." A faith-love relationship in life and Heaven later can be yours. It's your choice. Jesus loves and died for you, will you now say, I trust you now Lord to save me, the sinner?
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Standing on the promises of Christ my King, Thro' eternal ages let His praises ring;
Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing, Standing on the promises of God.
Standing on the promises that cannot fail, When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail,
By the living word of God I shall prevail, Standing on the promises of God.
Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord, Bound to Him eternally by love's strong cord,
Overcoming daily with the Spirit's Sword, Standing on the promises of God.  --Hymn by R. Carter.
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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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Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Is Christian Faith A Lie, Or Reasonable?

                        Is Christian Faith A Lie, Or Reasonable?
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Despite our human differences, genetic science now confirms that we descended from one original pair that lived in the same area. The Bible gives us their names as Adam (from the red earth) and Eve (mother or life giver). This establishes that all their descendants share the same dignity, same rights, and are entitled to the same respectful concern and treatment as human beings.  If it's inherently right for one person, then it's right for all persons. Ridicule and disrespect shows bad manners, a hateful spirit, and suggests the agitator has no evidence against his opponent's position.  
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Doesn't our common humanity show we all have the same right to think,  ask questions, and evaluate whether what's told us is true or false? How else can we ever learn and grow?  Now the opposite of true is false. So any statement that corresponds to the real world is true-- any that contradicts it is false. Some claim we can't know absolute truth, then expect you to accept their claim as true. Don't we all make mistakes, have misunderstandings, forget things, be misinformed, be illogical, and be told deliberate lies? If we never question a person's claims or ask for evidence to show them true, we surely will be taken advantage of  and  be deceived many times, perhaps in  serious matters of life and death.  
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We love and respect our parents and teachers who taught us their religion in utter sincerity believing it true. But there are hundreds of conflicting religions all claiming to be true. If we've never examined it with honest questions or asked for reasons to confirm it as true, how can we be sure it is? Did we just happened to live in the right place, have the right teachers, and get the right religion? If our faith is true or of God,  shouldn't we be able to answer persons questions and give honest reasons to show our beliefs can stand testing?
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As we all have the same right, I'm exercising my human right to express my faith, give evidence in its support, and challenge other belief's that seem to me false and detrimental. I'm a Bible believing Christian and believe no other world religion can stand testing as can Christian faith. See my other articles for fuller discussion of these issues. But let me now give answers to possible misunderstandings made about biblical Christian faith. And thank you for your honest consideration.
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Christian Faith Is Unscientific. The first great scientists and inventors were theists and/or Christians who believed a loving God gave the world to explore and utilize for human good. Just a few on the long list are: Joseph Lister, Louis Pasteur, Isaac Newton (even wrote Bible commentaries), Robert Boyle, Michael Faraday, George Mendel, Lord Kelvin. And many today are working in fields of science. Textbooks fail to tell us their Christian background and beliefs. They leave the wrong impression that scientists must be atheists.
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The Christian faith is that a rational God created a rational world that can be understood and utilized  that made experimental science possible. Greek philosophy didn't encourage experimentation.. Superstitious religions thought nature to sacred to tamper with or the gods might punish them. The biblical God is what enables us to make sense of things and call all space and time a universe.
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Christians Can't Prove God. If you mean God must submit to repeatable, measurable, controlled, observable experiments, you're right. God is not likely to pose for our cameras and interviews, nor to be seen with a telescope or be put under a microscope. Christians believe God is Spirit and present everywhere. And, as Lord, we must come to Him on his terms. The Almighty is perfect in every way and He requires we come humbly confessing our wrongs and trusting Him for salvation. Atheists and skeptics who demand proof by experimental observation are simply arrogant and foolish.  Other sciences such as  archaeology, geology, sociology can't experiment and observe either.
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 Different methods are necessary in other fields of knowledge such as history and law.  Atheists would have to have all knowledge to deny God, but don't know what's happening in the next building or around the corner. Based upon creation, conscience, and Christ, fair minded objective seekers of God have found such arguments reasonable once they were willing to submit to the Lord on his terms.
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Belief in God Evolved from Belief in Spirits (animism) to gods (polytheism) to one God (monotheism). This is what some evolutionists have claimed. But extensive research has shown that even the most primitive peoples believing in spirits in plants and animals, still know of the one high God but feel alienated from Him. God's apostle Paul wrote they are without excuse since they do not like to retain God in their knowledge and turn to a debased mind to follow corrupt things (Romans 1).
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Evolutionists Claim Science Is Fact, But Religion Is Faith. Again, if fact means experimental observation, evolution is faith as well. Nobody was present to observe when the universe began or that nothing of itself can explode into everything. No one observed gases condense into planets. No one has observed life evolve from the ground. Nobody has observed one kind of animal change into another--only that there are varieties of the same kind of animals--horses, monkeys and men. Moreover, all the once touted missing links are now admitted to be either monkeys, fakes, or real men.  Such evolutionary claims are simply faith, and the claim that future research will prove evolution is again faith.
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 I believe Biblical Christian faith rests on much better more reasonable grounds. When we refuse to allow God into our thinking, we are forced to fill in the gaps with speculative evolution.  Moreover, we destroy the basis for human dignity, absolute truth, ethics, and experimental science. What a tragic loss evolution's legacy gives the world.
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Christian Beliefs Are Contradictory or Wrong. Persons saying  Christianity is nonsense, not factual, contradictory, or wrong usually deny the Trinity, or Christ as the God-man, or some moral issue they disagree with. But have they honestly tried to see things the way Christians see them? See my articles, The Great Mysteries of The Christian Faith; Faith, Reason, & Revelation; The Professor's Surprise about Miracles; Doubts Can Have Good Honest Answers #1, #2.
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We Have A Later Additional Revelation.  Several Bible passages warn us of  additional revelations that supersede God's authoritative Word. Jude instructs us "to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints . . . ungodly men who turn the grace of God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ" (Jude 3-4). Apostle John says, "Who is the liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is the Antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also" (1 John. 2:22-23). He again warns, "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world" (1 John. 4:1).
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In strong words, Paul warns us, "If we or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed" (Gal. 1:8). "Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light" (2 Cor. 11:19). Apostle Peter said, "Christ also suffered  once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God" (1 Peter 3:18). 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). God's final Word is that only the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus can save us sinners from Hell.  What world religion can compare with that? NONE! NO, NOT ONE!
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Since Christ's apostles, many false prophets have come with their additional revelations claiming they supersede, annul, or abrogate crucial Bible teachings. Usually these include denying the Trinity, Jesus as God's Son in the flesh and only way to salvation, salvation by grace, heaven and hell, setting dates for Christ's return. These false teachers condemn unknowing innocent persons to sinful living and hell. Jesus said, "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves" (Matthew 7:15).
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So I feel it imperative to mention some more aggressive ones, and/or their leaders and dates of beginning. Islam; Muhammad (AD 622); Jehovah's Witnesses (1879); Mormonism, Joseph Smith, Jr. (1830); Unification Church, Sun Myung Moon, (1954), Christian Science, Mary Baker Eddy (1875); Hare Krishna, (1965 based on Hinduism of 16 cent.), Thanscendental Meditation (Hinduism 1917); Baha'i World Faith, (1844). These are only a few of hundreds if not thousands of deceivers claiming to have a revelation of ultimate truth who want to imprison us in their false philosophy.
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Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me (John 14:6. "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life (John. 8:12). No one but Jesus ever claimed to be God, died for sinners, arose again,  and offers all who believe eternal life (John. 10:28-33).
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Won't you say, Lord, I trust You this moment as my Lord and Savior to live for You forever? Now share this with family and friends. Get with other believers. Tell them about these articles and to tell others. God bless your conviction and your courage.
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How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord, Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word!
What more can  He say than to you He hath said, To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?
When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie, My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.
The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose I will not, I will not desert to the foes;
That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake, I'll never, no, never, no, never forsake! Amen.
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Tuesday, January 1, 2013

God's Promises to Guide Us

                             God's Promises to Guide Us
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Trials dark on every hand, And we cannot understand
All the ways that God would lead us to that blessed promised land;
But He'll guide us with His eye, And we'll follow till we die;
We will understand it better by and by.  Hymn When the Morning Comes by Charles A Tindley
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Of great concern to committed Christians who love God is this question: what does my Lord  want me to do? I've struggled with this from my youth on since I became a Christian. I never found it an easy thing to know and felt like socking persons who seemed so certain they knew. I've asked a thousand times what should I do and what can I expect God to do? Of course I read the Bible,  what preachers and theologians said about God's guidance, and prayed, even fasted. I know the Bible lists of things we should do and shouldn't do. The Bible also gives us principles to guide us in doubtful matters such as will it please God, or  will it cause others to stumble. But what about important details such as should I go to college, get a job, join an armed  service, or maybe get married? Then the question becomes: What college? What job? Which military service? What possible spouse? 
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Like I said above, I'm still struggling and don't claim to be an expert on anything, but hope my remarks will be of genuine help and assurance to you. I pray continually  that my Lord guide me to write helpful and honest articles.  Please pray for me as well. Let's consider some Bible texts and examples.
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God's Covenant Promises in Abraham's Life (Genesis 12:1-25:11).
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Jews, Christians and Muslims claim Abraham as their spiritual father because he proved his faith through life's great--really impossible--difficulties.  A step at a time he trusted  God's promises shown in making painful sacrifices such as his turning from idols, leaving home, country, brother Nahor's family, giving Lot the best land, refusing  riches rightfully earned in warfare, refusing as potential heirs Lot, Ishmael, then willing at God's command to sacrifice promised child Isaac believing God could raise him from the dead (Heb. 11:19). He  received God's repeated promises and blessings such as great riches, name change from  great father to father of nations, son in old age (100 years). And yes, he made mistakes as going to Egypt during famine, telling Pharaoh and later Abimelech Sarah was his sister, and taking Hagar as a wife. God, giving him choices, tested his faith and commitment repeatedly as he does ours. 
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Let me suggest some lessons we may draw from this. God blesses and uses us when we turn to Him from idols--whatever separates us from God. Sacrificing things dear to us demonstrates our faith and love for God. As believers we make serious mistakes that have costly consequences. Even then we have God's forgiveness, restoration and provision. God keeps His promises though we may not see any possible way they can come true. Faith progresses a step at a time though it may have many setbacks. Though God keeps his promises, it is in His time, His way and not ours. Philosopher Soron Kierkegaard was wrong to call sacrificing Isaac "a leap into the dark," since Abraham tested God's promises multiple times and found them true--it really was a further step into the light. And just as God blessed those who blessed Abraham and cursed those who cursed him in his day, we should heed that promise and that warning to our nation and to our lives today.
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Joseph, the Interpreter of Dreams (Genesis 37, 29-50).
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Jacob's sons hated their seventeen year old brother to the point of trying to kill him. Jacob favored Joseph as his beloved Rachael's son of his old age, and gave him a princely tunic.  Joseph had  one dream of his brothers and then of his parents and brothers bowing down to him. And Joseph informed Jacob of his brother's misbehavior. When Jacob sent Joseph to check on the brothers sixty miles away tending the flocks, they saw him coming and plotted to kill him putting him into a pit. They dipped his fine coat in goat's blood to convince Jacob a beast had slain him. But Judah convinced them not to kill him hoped to rescue him later. But Joseph was sold as a slave to passing Ishmaelites going to Egypt.
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The Ishmaelites  sold Joseph in Egypt  to Potiphar the captain of  Pharaoh's  guard. Potiphar saw the Lord  prospered all Joseph did and put him in charge of his estate.  Being handsome in form and appearance, Potiphar's wife kept asking Joseph to lie with her being by themselves in the house. He firmly refused saying he could not betray his master's confidence nor sin against God. She grabbed onto his garment, but he fled leaving it in her hands. She screamed to the servants and later told her husband Joseph attempted to seduce her who had Joseph put into the dungeon where the kings prisoners were confined.
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God gave Joseph favor with the prison keeper who put him in charge of the prison. Finding fault with his chief butler and chief baker, Pharaoh had them imprisoned where Joseph was. Each man had a dream  to which Joseph said God is the interpreter of dreams (not Freud). Within three days the chief  baker (chef) was hung and the chief  butler (wine taster) was restored as Joseph said but he forget to tell Pharaoh of Joseph.
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Two years later, Pharaoh had two dreams. Standing by the Nile River, he saw seven fat cows come up and be eaten by seven lean cows. In another dream, he saw a stalk of seven heads of good grain eaten by seven blighted heads of grain. This troubled Pharaoh who wanted an interpreter but none of his wise men could interpret. Then, the chief butler remembered Joseph who could interpreted dreams. Pharaoh sent for Joseph asking him if he could interpret his dreams. Joseph said, God has showed Pharaoh what He is about to do.  Egypt will have seven years of plenty followed by seven years of famine.  Select a wise man over the land to appoint officers and have them store a fifth of the grain in the good years to feed people in the bad years.
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Seeing Joseph as God's wise man, he appointed Joseph ruler over everything except matters of the thrown and gave him expensive gifts--his signet ring, fine linen garments, gold chain around his neck, his second chariot, a Egyptian wife, new name and persons seeing him coming were to bow down before him. Joseph, seventeen years later, was now thirty and had two sons Ephraim and Manasseh who fathered tribes of Israel.
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In Canaan famine was severe, so Jacob sent ten sons to Egypt to buy grain. Joseph recognized his brothers and remembered his dreams of them bowing before him. But they didn't recognize this mighty Egyptian who spoke roughly through an interpreter, asking about their father and younger brother, accusing them of being spies, and demanding they not return without brother Benjamin. He tested his brothers several times to see if their old hateful jealousy's disappeared. He revealed himself to them and later to grieving Jacob and revived Israel lived seventeen years with Joseph in Egypt and Jacob and Joseph were buried in Canaan. As God promised, Jacob had many descendants. Twelve tribes, as well as nations, kings, and Messiah came from Jacob.
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What can we take away from all this?  Jacob's blatant favoritism spoiled both his life and his whole family. We can be a lowly slave but trusting God live in dignity, honor, and win respect. Sex is a powerful temptation that genuine  commitment  to God can prevent. Joseph's dream interpretations were no mystic's imagination--the predicted events occurred. Jacob (trickster) felt Joseph's death meant everything was against him, until Israel (prince with God)  discovered Joseph was alive and in fact that God was working for him all the while (Gen. 37:35; 45:28). Could Jacob have first mistakenly believed Messiah should come through Joseph's line instead of Judah's? Can a wrong belief sometimes be the cause of our problems?
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We know God has a purpose for our lives as He gave us His guidebook (2 Tim. 3:16). We  couldn't endure a detailed instruction book, or have our every move programmed. That would destroy our dignity and zest, make loving obedience impossible, and make God a Tyrant. God wants our free loving response trusting Him to guide us even when we don't understand.  He may give us good times, or difficult times  may be necessary to get our attention, move us out of our comfort zone, or enable us to see our need of Him. Joseph's conclusion to his brothers was: "You meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to same many people alive" (Gen. 50:20).
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Who can show there is no God, or that He can't speak, or act in our lives? From an idolatrous culture to incredible sacrifices, Abraham confirmed God's covenant promises can be fulfilled. From an outcast slave to a foreign ruler, Joseph demonstrated his dream interpretations became real events, not a mere mystic's imagination. Known Egyptian names, offices, customs, and requirements further illustrate the truth of these events. Further, it becomes nonsense to explain these events as historical apart from God's intervention given in context. And later Hebrews accepted and rejoiced in them as their loving God's faithful deliverances (Psalm 105).
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Many times I've felt no purpose in being  at a certain place, or doing some particular thing? I'm coming now to see why or how it could be God's preparation, plan and purpose for later and greater service. May God make you faithful and fruitful in your walk with Him and in sharing your faith even to internet friends yor may meet in heaven one day.
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Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil (Proverbs 3:5-7). Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, And He shall bring it to pass (Psalm 37:5). 
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