Deceitful thinking Week 17, 2013

“If the Christian faith is evidence based why have so many not accepted it?” a friend asked me. This is why people are condemned: The light came into the world. Yet, people loved the dark rather than the light because their actions were evil Jn 3:19(GW) .There is a love people have for sin and sinful pleasure. To accept there is a God in heaven who will judge all my deeds compels me to seek to obey him. But if I want to continue in disobedience I lull myself to believe there is no such thing. Critically examining the facts of the Christian faith compels a change in lifestyle. Those who have no wish for such a change reject the critical appraisal, and insist, “Don’t talk to me about Jesus!” Consider Governor Felix: He listened to Paul talk about believing in Christ Jesus. But Felix became afraid when Paul spoke about things like doing right, self-control, and the judgment that will come in the future. He said, "Go away now. When I have more time, I will call for you."Act 24:24, 25(ERV).  Do you find yourself uncomfortable when Jesus, holiness and judgement is discussed? Ever wondered why? Felix loved bribes Act 24:26.

You may say, “I hate bribery, but I don’t believe Jesus”. It is not limited to bribery. People did not think it was important to have a true knowledge of God. So God left them and allowed them to have their own worthless thinking. And so they do what they should not do.  They are filled with every kind of sin, evil, greed, and hatred Rom 1:28, 29(ERV). Whenever truth becomes intolerable to a person an alternate truth is sought. The mind that refuses to grasp truth now willingly accepts and promotes error. You cannot accept consensual sexual union between unmarried people or between the same sex (married or not) as being acceptable, or desirable or correct and hold to Jesus. If you are not hungry for righteousness, how will you seek the bread of life? If you are not weary of sin, how can you cling to holiness?  Am I communicating?

Consider this response to evidence. The soldiers brought first hand evidence of the resurrection to the rulers. At the same time, some of the soldiers who were guarding the tomb went into the city. They went to tell the leading priests everything that happened Matt 28:11(ERV). They did not doubt the truth of what the soldiers told them. They were not disciples, and they resorted to cover up. "Say that Jesus' disciples came at night and stole him while you were sleeping. If this is reported to the governor, we'll personally persuade him to keep you out of trouble."Matt 28:13(ISV).  My friend has chosen his own truth. Will you choose yours or Jesus the Truth?

An authentic faith Week 16, 2013

I once had a discussion with a fine young lady about her faith. “What really do you believe about God and hereafter?” I wanted to know. She was a bit hesitant at first and then told me frankly she would not exactly fit into a particular mould of faith. She said something like this: “I just find bits of faith that resonate with me and I identify with it. I have travelled around many parts of the world and have met people of diverse faiths. They are all essentially good people sincerely working on moral living. It would be unjust to believe or declare them wrong simply because I was not born where they are. Let’s face it if I were not born in this part of the world I would not be a Christian!” My friend was willing to regard herself as a Christian in terms of population statistics, but was not persuaded the Christian belief is the only, ultimate truth. Jesus is the only one who can save people. His name is the only power in the world that has been given to save anyone. We must be saved through him! Act 4:12(ERV) 

I am sure a lot of people struggle with such matters. They wrestle with thoughts like “You are not even in the clear majority; other faiths have graphic and real experiences of the supernatural. How can you claim to be exclusively correct? This Christian thing may be your own truth, your own expression, but surely not THE truth, ONLY truth to the exclusion of all others.” My answer to that is this: if the Christian faith is without distinct proof then you should put it on similar pedestal as other faiths. However listen when Paul addresses people from other faiths: So if we are God's children, we shouldn't think that the divine being is like gold, silver, or stone, or is an image carved by humans using their own imagination and skill.  Though God has overlooked those times of ignorance, he now commands everyone everywhere to repent, because he has set a day when he is going to judge the world with justice through a man whom he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead Act 17:29-31(ISV). In essence the Christian faith is not a fantasy. It is reasonable. Secondly and importantly: the Christian faith is evidence based. The proof is the resurrection of Jesus. Does any other faith have a saviour who died, rose from the grave and still lives bodily? Mark you the resurrection is no empty claim: After his death Jesus showed the apostles a lot of convincing evidence that he was alive. For 40 days he appeared to them and talked with them about the kingdom of God Act 1:3(GW). I challenge you: examine the proofs of Jesus’ resurrection and doubt to more. Reason and proof are incontestable, not so?

Deadly chemistry Week 15, 2013

“Something so wrong cannot be so sweet. I cannot understand how it could be bad. It feels so right!”

You are married and should never start having affairs with anyone for any reason. It is wrong. Let marriage be kept honorable in every way, and the marriage bed undefiled. For God will judge those who commit sexual sins, especially those who commit adultery Heb 13:4(ISV).

“But we have such chemistry together. We are soul-mates. Sleeping together is just an expression of the wonder of our relationship. How could it be wrong? It was more exciting than any time with the one I wedded.”

What do you mean by chemistry?

“Don’t you feel it with your loved one? You poor religious fanatic missing out on life’s pleasures! We have this uncanny bond together. We just sense what the other wants without a word. We almost hear our thoughts sometimes, and get the right expressions effortlessly. You know I have tried to do the right thing as you say and keep away, but it is so hard to keep apart. It takes too much energy just trying, so I just believe it must be alright to do the natural thing of giving in to the feelings.”

Poor soul, in bondage to sin: But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth 1Tm 5:6(KJV). You are showing all the symptoms of poisoning. Frowning? Take this issue of chemistry. Do you know about carbon monoxide?

“What has that got to do with our discussion?”

Everything I would say. There is a substance in your blood that carries oxygen to your tissues: haemoglobin. It is designed to carry oxygen but carbon monoxide can poison it. When it comes in contact with carbon monoxide, which by the way is a colourless and odourless gas like oxygen, the chemistry is very strong. The affinity between haemoglobin and carbon monoxide is approximately 230 times stronger than the affinity between haemoglobin and oxygen so haemoglobin binds to carbon monoxide in preference to oxygen. Yet haemoglobin is meant to carry oxygen to your tissues not carbon monoxide. In fact some scientific sensors would read “normal” for people poisoned with it as though they had lots of oxygen in the blood rather than poisonous carbon dioxide! If drastic steps are not taken this results in death.

“How does that apply to me?”

Don’t you see? Even in nature there are strong bonds that are poisonous. Stronger and greater chemistry than with your spouse is a manifestation of the poison. Even if you doubt the message of the Bible see the truth in nature. Do not let anyone deceive you with meaningless words, for it is because of these things that God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient Eph 5:6(ISV). Repent. 

Some facts are taken from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia    

The word is supreme Week 14, 2013

The Lord Jesus had many tools available to Him on earth, and I want you to note one in particular: the word. When he was tempted it was the scripture hidden in his heart that he relied upon at each turn to overcome. Every response was laced with “It is written...”. This was no head knowledge alone; I say this because Satan said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, "'He will command his angels concerning you…” Mt 4:6(ISV). Jesus had enough word store to realise Satan was quoting out of context. He interpreted scripture with scripture knowing true application of scripture does not contradict scripture. What of you? Do you have the true sense of the word? Apart from the wilderness notice when he drives out the moneychangers it is because of what is written (Jn 2:17, Lk 19:46): written concerning God’s house, and written concerning Him. When faced with life issues and questions about conduct he points us to what is written originally: They asked, "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason?" He answered them, "Haven't you read that the one who made them at the beginning 'made them male and female..? What God has joined together, man must never separate." Mt 19:3-5(ISV). On such issues it was not a question of what majority of the people believe now. He was not working based on the Gallup poll or any consensus of ideas by anyone. His was no attempt at modernity but a rooting in the ancient, irreversible mindset and plan of God. He said to them, "It was because of your hardness of heart that Moses allowed you to divorce your wives. But from the beginning it was not this way Mt 19:8(ISV) . It is so for every issue for the faith undergoes no revisions. The word of God does not change; His standards are not altered by “modern realities”. Modern man carries an ancient sinful nature. Doubtless Jesus saw a lot before he became incarnate, yet he bases his assertions on the word, not dreams or visions. Consider the Sadducees’ question about the resurrection. In responding Jesus said to them, "Is this not the reason you are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God? Mk 12:24(ESV) and he finishes off by pointing them back to another scripture (Mk 12:26). Even Peter who was with Jesus on the mount of transfiguration does not make what he saw as an eyewitness the ultimate: we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. And we have something more sure, the prophetic word, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place 2Pt 1:18,19(ESV). The word is above dreams, visions and science; it is supreme.

He is alive Week 13, 2013

“Definitely so: With all the yearly celebrations, and weekly memorials in church services the message and teachings of the greatest man that ever lived has been kept alive. To live on in people’s memory is not to die.” Are you crazy or something? Jesus being alive today is not like Shakespeare or any of his characters. Julius Caesar is well remembered today but he is dead. Not alive like Jesus Christ. I mean Jesus is really still living, His spirit is in me “Yes of course. The spirits of the dead are alive in the spirit world. They do not simply exist in our memory but are active in the spirit world. Even Moses demonstrated in the story about the bush that the dead are raised, when he calls the Lord 'the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.' He is not the God of the dead, but of the living, for all people are alive to him Lk 20:37, 38(ISV). So yes technically Jesus is alive just as Abraham, Isaac and Jacob are still alive.” My friend, you are wrong. Unlike other religious figures He actually rose bodily. He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God Act 1:3(ESV). He ate fish and people touched Him. “Well even if it was so then, what of now. It has been over a thousand years these events took place. Surely you are not suggesting Jesus is bodily alive for over a thousand years and none has seen him in Jerusalem?” Jesus is alive in flesh and bones right now we are talking here. He is sitting at God’s right hand in heaven (Mk 16:19) and has been bodily there for millennia. “You are the one that is crazy. A man alive in outer space? How is he surviving? What space-suit is, he wearing what food is he eating? Wake up man. This is pure fantasy.” The resurrection body of Jesus Christ is different from this one we now have. That's how it will be when our bodies are raised to life. These bodies will die, but the bodies that are raised will live forever 1Cor 15:42(CEV). In time to come when he returns this body of mine will be like that. He has power over everything, and he will make these poor bodies of ours like his own glorious body Phil 3:21(CEV). This fact you call fantasy is what makes Christianity. “I hope you realise what you claim is unscientific, irrational and fantastic.” Science. It was unscientific way back to say the earth is round when scripture referred to the circle of the earth. How many things today were unscientific decades ago? Jesus Christ is alive bodily. Every eye will see him when He returns. Rev 1:7