Saturday, July 9, 2011

Is it Real?

We are battling “atheists” in the wrong arena.  It has been the arena of their choosing:  the arena of deception.  And as we do battle there, they are systematically trying to take God out of America, and they are walking right into our schools and destroying our children.  Enough is enough.  Let’s do battle in the arena of our choosing:  the arena of Truth.




In Psalm 14:1 it is written, “The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”

The Word of God says that the person says it, not that they believe it.

John 1:9 says, “The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.”

No person is without the revelation of God.

John 15:18 says, “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated Me first.”

It is impossible for someone to hate Christians without first hating Jesus.  And it is impossible for someone to hate someone that they don’t believe exists.

PROOF OF THE EXISTENCE OF GOD

(Have you been in those mind twisting, frustrating debates and arguments with professed “atheists” trying to prove to them that God exists?  God set me free from that.  It’s not your responsibility to prove the existence of God.  It’s God’s responsibility.  And He’s already done it.  He has proven His existence through Creation, Conscience, and Christ, the Word of God.

You no longer have to try to prove the existence of God, but only to inform professed “atheists” that they already know God is there, God knows that they know, and He’s holding them accountable.)

Romans 1:18-20

The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has make it plain to them.  For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

Creation proves the existence of God.

Romans 2:14-16

(Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required  by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.)  This will take place on the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.

Your conscience proves the existence of God.

Romans 10:18

But I ask: Did they not hear?  Of course they did:
     “Their voice has gone out into all the earth,
       their words to the ends of the world.”

Christ, the Word of God, proves the existence of God.


Since God gives witness of His existence to every person, no person can honestly say they do not believe there is a God.

So what is really going on?

Psalm 2:1-3

Why do the nations conspire and the peoples plot in vain?
The kings of the earth take their stand
and the rulers gather together
against the Lord
and against his Anointed One.
“Let us break their chains,” they say,
“and throw off their fetters.”

http://www.jewishworldreview.com/0811/atheists_pedophilia.php3

http://www.philosophynow.org/issue80/An_Amoral_Manifesto_Part_I

http://www.mercatornet.com/articles/view/the_atheist_and_his_art

(Rebellion against God is what really is going on.)

What is God’s response to this rebellion?

Psalm 2:4-9

The One enthroned in heaven laughs; the Lord scoffs at them.
Then he rebukes them in his anger and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,
“I have installed my King on Zion, my holy hill.”
I will proclaim the decree of the Lord:
He said to me, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father.
Ask of me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession.  You will rule them with an iron scepter; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.”

(The One you are rebelling against will still be enthroned as King.  God’s purposes will prevail regardless of any rebellion.)

God, in his grace, now gives you a choice.

Psalm 2:10-12

Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned you rulers of the earth.
Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling.
Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way,
For his wrath can flare up in a moment.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

(A person can either continue in rebellion and be destroyed, or they can take refuge in Christ and escape God’s wrath.)

So, here’s the deal:

They know God is there, and He knows they know.  And He’s holding them accountable.

For whatever reason, they are in rebellion against Him.  It’s okay to talk to Him about why, but it’s not okay to continue in their rebellion.

He’s giving them the opportunity to turn away from this rebellion and turn to Christ.

The decision is theirs.  But they must make one—stay in their rebellion and face destruction, or repent and find refuge in Christ.

But we must not let them continue to wage their battle in deception.  They can’t take God away from us, and they can no longer seek to destroy out children.



So what does an atheist do if he or she wants to get right with God?

Jesus nailed all of our offenses, sins, transgressions to the cross, He was then crucified and paid the price in full for our sin debt to a Holy God.  He died, rose again on the third day according to the Scriptures, revealed Himself to many, and then went up to heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father, His rightful place.  All who now call on His Name, He will save from judgement.

Suggested prayer:

Lord Jesus, I agree with you that I'm a sinner deserving of judgement.  I understand you paid the penalty for my sin and will save me from judgement if I ask you.  Jesus, please save me from judgement.  Thank you for not counting my sin against me and for giving me eternal life.  Amen.

If you prayed this prayer, God has just saved you from judgement, has given you eternal life, has sealed you with His Holy Spirit to guarantee it, He will never leave you and will be with you always.

Welcome to the family of God!



HE NEVER LEFT


This is to my brothers and sisters in Christ who have at some point in their lives asked Jesus to be their Savior, and as a result of legalistic preaching, or having made a wrong decision in your life and have been deceived into thinking that God has turned His back on you, have thrown your lot in with the “atheism group” because you can’t bear the terrifying thought that your going to hell.

Your not!

Let me give you a little of my personal testimony.  As a result of ancestral sin, as a result of my life before Christ, and as a result of a careless Christian live, about four years ago I  was deceived into thinking that God had walked away from me.  The thought was terrifying.  It haunted me day after day.  But God was gracious and merciful to me.  Over the next four years He has strengthened my faith and has led me out of that way of thinking.

You see, I was ignorant of a lot of the promises I had in Christ, and I was ignorant of who I was in Christ. 

-God says that if you don’t have faith, that doesn’t nullify His faithfulness.

-God says that when you first believed, He sealed you with His Holy Spirit, who is the deposit that guarantees your inheritance.

-God says He will never leave you nor forsake you.

-God says He is with you always, even to the end of the age.

-God says He will finish the work He began in you.

-God says He is the Author AND the Finisher of you faith.

-God says He gave you ETERNAL life.

Did God lie when He made these promises to you?  No!  Everyone who calls on the Name of the Lord WILL be saved.

Nothing in all creation (including you) can separate you from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

God’s waiting for you to come back.  He’s not mad or angry with you.  Let’s don’t kid ourselves, there will always be someone who will try to convince us that God is angry with us, and at times we will think that.  But the truth is that God keeps no record of wrongs of His children.  The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all unrighteousness.

Footnote:

Ephesians 1:13 & 14

And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation.  Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession--to the praise of his glory.

How long is this guarantee good for?  From the time you first believed until Jesus comes back for you.




IF IT WERE NOT SO, I WOULD HAVE TOLD YOU.  (John 14:2)
One thing we can do is know that God in His Word will tell us what is so, and what is not so.  But there are many who want to “GO BEYOND WHAT IS WRITTEN,” I Corinthians 4:6.  I believe this is a lot of what is at the heart of a lot of confusion in this world.  I’m going to give a few examples of those who have gone beyond what is written to get to my main point, but each point hopefully will get others to check out the Bible for themselves to find out if what they have heard is true or not.
Jim Jones, while his following was still in this country, stood in front of his congregation, held his Bible high above his head, threw his Bible to the floor, and told his followers that they didn’t need the Bible anymore.  He would tell them what God says.  Sometime later they were all murdered or committed suicide.
Some have been told that there is a gospel for the Jews, and there is a gospel for the Gentiles.  Paul the Apostle in Romans I:16  says that there is one gospel for both the Jews and the Gentiles.  In Galations 1:8, 9, Paul tells us that if he, or those he is with, or anyone else, or an angel preaches any other gospel than what he has preached, they are to be eternally condemned.
There are those who say there are many ways to heaven.  Jesus said there is only One Way:  Him (John 14:6).
There are many who say claim they are the Christ, the Messiah, the Savior of mankind.  Jesus said many would come in His Name and deceive many (Matthew 24:5).  How will we know who is or who is not the Messiah, the Christ, the Savior of mankind?  In Acts 1:9-11 we see Jesus going up into heaven and the angels telling the disciples that when Jesus comes back He will come back the same way.  So if someone claims to be the Christ and you didn’t see him descend from heaven, he’s a liar.
There are some who say the Messiah has not yet come, yet the Prophet Daniel tells us the exact day the Messiah would show up.  Daniel heard, “Know and understand this:  From the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven ‘sevens,’ and sixty-two ‘sevens.’
Do you see a common theme here?  There is one.  When people don’t know the Word of God themselves, they are easy prey for false prophets and anti-Christs.  And I’ve been there.
All of these are important examples, and there are many more, but I won’t be able to address them here.  The main reason I’m writing this post is to get to a particular issue that I see to possibly be predominant among “atheist.”  Religion.
RELIGION VS. THE GOSPEL
I believe that many who have grown up in our society have grown up with religion and have been disillusioned by it, as well they should be.  Religion, as most of us have grown up with, is a false doctrine.  Generally it is a doctrine of works.  We are told if we don’t obey a lot of rules, a lot of do’s and don’t’s, that our destiny is hell.  And what do we find?  We can’t live up to it.  That’s the truth about all of us.  We are told in Romans 3:10 that there is no one who is righteous.  We are told in Romans chapter 10 verse 5 that if anyone is going to be justified by the law then he has to obey the whole law. 
So, what do we find?  What is it that so discourages us?  What is it that makes us walk away?  We find that the law is the end of us.  That’s all we were told.
But that is not where it is supposed to end.  The law is supposed to be the end of us so that we can find that Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes (Romans 10:4).  Galatians 3:24 tells us, “So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.” 
So you fall short?  So do I.  And so does everyone else.  But Jesus took all of your offenses and nailed them to the cross.  He paid the full penalty for your sin.  And He will justify you for believing that and asking Him to save you from judgement.  He will clothe you with His righteousness and present you as acceptable to the Father. 
So.  Jesus did not come to give you religion.  Jesus came to give you life.  John 10:10.
Do not let anyone take you beyond what is written.  Check out the Scriptures for yourself. 

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