Haiti

I was watching an episode of Larry King Live on CNN in late January.  Actor Sean Penn was commenting that the people of Haiti have been “bullied by God.” I immediately thought, “Wow.  How can someone come to that conclusion?”  Unfortunately, as I entered into conversations with others... I soon found that a lot of people have the same or similar ideas.

An amazing (to me) number of people are angry, shaking their fists towards the sky and even going so far as to say that they can’t believe that there is a God.  Others ask that if God is a God of love, how could He have allowed such a tragedy?

I immediately began to think about John 10:10:

The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have and enjoy life, and have it in abundance (to the full, till it overflows).

John 10:10 [AMP]

It is satan and his demonic forces that wreak havoc upon the earth.  Unfortunately, people don’t consider what the Bible says about satan.  They simply focus on God, and then express their incredulity at the concept of an all-powerful God Who is love (1^st John 4:8,16) causing or allowing such a horrible tragedy.

It is interesting how even non-religious people will believe in or acknowledge that there is a God (particularly when they are desperate for help, or if they want someone to blame)... yet nobody seems to acknowledge the biblical character called satan... the devil... the one who steals, kills and destroys.

Yes, God is omnipotent -- all powerful.  But there are certain things that have been set into motion and God’s plan allows these things to persevere for a season.  He gives man free will and the choice to choose between good or evil.  There are men who earn fortunes and use the money to amass material things.  Others use their fortunes to help others.  It is all a matter of free will.

To follow good is to follow God.  To follow evil is to follow satan.  We have read 2^nd Corinthians 4:4 and have come to understand that satan is the god (small “g”) of this world.  Ephesians 2:2 calls satan the prince of the power of the air. Further, Ephesians 6:12 [AMP] uses these words to describe demonic forces:

• despotisms
• powers
• [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of this present darkness
• spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere

Like it or not, satan is on this planet and, despite what a certain televangelist may have had to say about it... nobody needs make a deal with the devil to have him perpetuate evil in this world.  But the good news is that Jesus has overcome the world (John 16:33) -- so we can be of good cheer.  Yes, tragedy has struck the Haitians.  Yet, we see them singing and praising with joy in their hearts... seeing the good that rises amidst great evil.

So then, since the devil is the source of these problems, why doesn’t God just do something about the devil then? He will (Revelation 20:10).  The demonic sources of wickedness will be finally destroyed during what we call “judgment day.” The delay in that day coming is due to a large degree to God’s desire to reach those who are being deceived by those wicked forces... so that they might avoid that same end (2^nd Peter 3:9).

One thing that is overlooked is the fact that those who love and serve God are quick to run to areas of devastation to bring healing.  Look at people like Mother Teresa who spent her live helping others.  Even the well-meaning boneheads who were trying to move children across the border... they went because of the conviction of their faith.

What good can come from this disaster? A country with zero infrastructure, rampant poverty and almost consistent illiteracy is beginning to receive those things as aid and relief workers move in to rebuild (or, more accurately, build) those things. God has a track record for taking things meant for evil and turning them around for good (Genesis 50:20) and, despite the pain and suffering, Haiti stands to rise from the ashes better and stronger than before.

Those who are in Christ should continue to pray for Haiti.  They should give to help those organizations that are assisting in helping the Haitian people.  And, most importantly... that those whose eyes are blinded may see the love of Christ.

Ray Comfort's Athest Starter Kit

Ten Suggestions for the Novice Atheist

1. Whenever you are presented with credible evidence for God’s existence, call it a “straw man argument,” or “circular reasoning.” If something is quoted from somewhere, label it “quote mining.”
2. When a Christian says that creation proves that there is a Creator, dismiss such common sense by saying “That’s just the old watchmaker argument.”
3. When you hear that you have everything to gain and nothing to lose (the pleasures of Heaven, and the endurance of Hell) by obeying the Gospel, say “That’s just the old ‘Pascal wager.’”
4. You can also deal with the “whoever looks on a woman to lust for her, has committed adultery with her already in his heart,” by saying that there is no evidence that Jesus existed. None.
5. Believe that the Bible is full of mistakes, and actually says things like the world is flat. Do not read it for yourself. That is a big mistake. Instead, read, believe, and imitate Richard Dawkins. Learn and practice the use of big words. “Megalo-maniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully” is a good phrase to learn.
6. Say that you were once a genuine Christian, and that you found it to be false. (The cool thing about being an atheist is that you can lie through your teeth, because you believe that are no moral absolutes.) Additionally, if a Christian points out that this is impossible (simply due to the very definition of Christianity as one who knows the Lord), just reply “That’s the ‘no true Scotsman fallacy.’” PLEASE NOTE: It cannot be overly emphasized how learning and using these little phrases can help you feel secure in dismissing common sense.
7. Believe that nothing is 100% certain, except the theory of Darwinian evolution. Do not question it. Believe with all of your heart that there is credible scientific evidence for species-to-species transitional forms. When you make any argument, pat yourself on the back by concluding with “Man, are you busted!” That will make you feel good about yourself.
8. Deal with the threat of eternal punishment by saying that you don’t believe in the existence of Hell. Then convince yourself that because you don’t believe in something, it therefore doesn’t exist. Don’t follow that logic onto a railway line and an oncoming train.
9. Blame Christianity for the atrocities of the Roman Catholic church--when it tortured Christians through the Spanish Inquisition, imprisoned Galileo for his beliefs, or when it murdered Moslems in the Crusades.
10. Finally, keep in fellowship with other like-minded atheists who believe as you believe, and encourage each other in your beliefs. Build up your faith. Never doubt for a moment. Remember, the key to atheism is to be unreasonable. Fall back on that when you feel threatened. Think shallow, and keep telling yourself that you are intelligent. Remember, an atheist is someone who pretends there is no God.

The Theory of Evolution of the Coca Cola Can

Billions of years ago, a big bang produced a large rock. As the rock cooled, sweet brown liquid formed on its surface. As time passed, aluminum formed itself into a can, a lid, and a tab. Millions of years later, red and white paint fell from the sky, and formed itself into the words “Coca Cola 12 fluid ounces.”

Of course, my theory is an insult to your intellect, because you know that if the Coca Cola can is made, there must be a maker. If it is designed, there must be a designer. The alternative, that it happened by chance or accident, is to move into an intellectual free zone.

The Banana -- The Atheist’s Nightmare

Note that the banana:

1. Is shaped for human hand
2. Has non-slip surface
3. Has outward indicators of inward content:
   Green-too early,
   Yellow-just right,
   Black-too late.
4. Has a tab for removal of wrapper
5. Is perforated on wrapper
6. Bio-degradable wrapper
7. Is shaped for human mouth
8. Has a point at top for ease of entry
9. Is pleasing to taste buds
10. Is curved towards the face to make eating process easy

To say that the banana happened by accident is even more unintelligent than to say that no one designed the Coca Cola can.

TEST ONE The person who thinks the Coca Cola can had no designer is: ___ A. Intelligent ___ B. A fool ___ C. Has an ulterior motive for denying the obvious

The Eye

Did you know that the eye has 40,000,000 nerve endings, the focusing muscles move an estimated 100,000 times a day, and the retina contains 137,000,000 light sensitive cells?

Charles Darwin said,

“To suppose that the eye could have been formed by natural selection, seems I freely confess, absurd in the highest degree.”

If man cannot begin to make a human eye, how could anyone in his right mind think that eyes formed by mere chance? In fact, man cannot make anything from nothing. We don’t know how to do it. We can re-create, reform, develop . . . but we cannot create even one grain of sand from nothing. Yet, the eye is only a small part of the most sophisticated part of creation-the human body.

George Gallup, the famous statistician, said,

“I could prove God statistically; take the human body alone; the chance that all the functions of the individual would just happen, is a statistical monstrosity.”

Albert Einstein said,

“Everyone who is seriously interested in the pursuit of science becomes convinced that a spirit is manifest in the laws of the universe—a spirit vastly superior to man, and one in the face of which our modest powers must feel humble.”

TEST TWO A. Do you know of any building that didn’t have a builder? ___ YES ___ NO B. Do you know of any painting that didn’t have a painter? ___ YES ___ NO C. Do you know of any car that didn’t have a maker? ___ YES ___ NO If you answered “YES” for any of the above, give details: _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________

Oranges...

Could I convince you that I dropped 50 oranges onto the ground and they by chance fell into ten rows of five oranges? The logical conclusion is that someone with an intelligent mind put them there. The odds that ten oranges would fall by accident into a straight line are mind-boggling, let alone ten rows of five.

TEST THREE A. From the atom to the universe, is there order? ___ YES ___ NO B. Did it happen by accident? ___ YES ___ NO C. Or, must there have been an intelligent mind? ___ YES ___ NO D. What are the chances of 50 oranges falling by chance into ten rows of five oranges? ______________________ If you answered “YES” for any of the above, give details: _____________________________________________ _____________________________________________

Absolute Statement

The declaration “There is no God” is what is known as an absolute statement. For an absolute statement to be true, I must have absolute knowledge.

Here is another absolute statement: “There is no gold in China.”

TEST FOUR What do I need to have for that statement to be true? A. No knowledge of China. ___ YES ___ NO B. Partial knowledge of China. ___ YES ___ NO C. Absolute knowledge of China. ___ YES ___ NO

“C” is the correct answer. For the statement to be true, I must know that there is no gold in China, or the statement is incorrect. To say “There is no God,” and to be correct in the statement, I must be omniscient.

I must know how many hairs are upon every head, every thought of every human heart, every detail of history, every atom within every rock...nothing is hidden from my eyes...I know the intimate details of the secret love-life of the fleas on the back of the black cat of Napolean’s great-grandmother. To make the absolute statement “There is no God.” I must have absolute knowledge that there isn’t one.

Let’s say that this circle represents all the knowledge in the entire universe, and let’s assume that you have an incredible 1% of all that knowledge. Is it possible, that in the knowledge you haven’t yet come across, there is ample evidence to proved that God does indeed exist?

If you are reasonable, you will have to say, “Having the limited knowledge that I have at present, I believe that there is no God.” In other words, you don’t know if God exists, so you are not an “atheist,” you are what is commonly known as an “agnostic.” You are like a man who looks at a building, and doesn’t know if there was a builder.

TEST FIVE The man who sees a building and doesn’t know if there was a builder is: ___ A. Intelligent ___ B. A fool ___ C. Has an ulterior motive for denying the obvious

Perhaps you have questions that hold you back from faith. First, almost every question you have about suffering humanity etc., can be adequately answered.

Second, we have faith in plenty of things we don’t understand. Did you understand the mechanics of television before you turned it on? Probably not. You took a step of faith, turned it on, and after it worked, understanding how it worked wasn’t that important. We accept that there are unseen television waves right in front of our eyes. We can’t see them because they are invisible. For them to manifest, we need a receiver, then we can enjoy the experience of television.

God is not flesh and blood. He is an eternal Spirit-immortal and invisible. Like the television waves, He cannot be experienced until the “receiver” is switched on. Here is something you will find hard to believe: Jesus said, “He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him” (John 14:21).

Either that is true or it isn’t. Jesus Christ says that He will manifest Himself to anyone who obeys Him. Approach the subject the same way you approached your first television set. Just take a small step of faith. If it works, enjoy it, if it doesn’t, forget it.

Or have you an ulterior motive? Could it be that the “atheist” can’t find God, for the same reason a thief can’t find a policeman? Could it be that your love for sin is clouding your good judgment? If the Bible is true, and Jesus Christ has “abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel,” then you owe it to yourself just to check it out. Here is how to do that:

TEST SIX With a tender conscience, check this list of the Ten Commandments: Have I always loved God my Creator with all my heart, mind, soul and strength? Have I made a god in my own image a god to suit myself? Have I ever used God’s name in vain? Have I kept the Sabbath holy? Have I always honored my parents implicitly? Have I murdered (God considers hatred as murder)? Have I committed adultery (including premarital sex and lust)? Have I stolen (the value is irrelevant)? Have I lied (including fibs and these questions)? Have I coveted (been greedy or materialistic)? ____YES ___NO ___ YES ___NO ___ YES ___NO ___ YES ___NO ___ YES ___NO ___ YES ___NO ___ YES ___NO ___ YES ___NO ___ YES ___NO ___ YES ___NO

Lawbreakers...

If you have even broken one Law, then you have sinned against God and therefore will “surely die,” for the “wages of sin is death.”

We are all guilty of breaking the Commandments. Listen to the voice of your conscience, and let it remind you of some of the sins of the past. We are not perfect as we are commanded to be (Matthew 5:48), neither is our heart pure. On Judgment Day our transgressions will be evidence of our shame. Think of it: God has seen every sin we have ever committed. We share our thought-life with Him.

We are guilty of violating His Law a multitude of times, yet if we repent, God can forgive us because Jesus stepped into the courtroom 2.000 years ago and paid the fine for us.

His death on the cross satisfied the Law we so blatantly transgressed, and at the same time demonstrated how much God loves us—“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” His shed blood on the cross can make you clean in the sight of a holy God...as though you have never sinned.

God doesn’t want you to go to Hell. Please, forget your arguments, repent and put your trust in Jesus and be saved from God’s wrath. Make Psalm 51 your prayer, then read your Bible daily and always obey what you read; God will never let you down. Thank you for taking the time to read this booklet.

Adapted from God Doesn’t Believe in Atheists
by Ray Comfort (Living Waters)
available through your Christian bookstore.

Why Go to Church?

A Church goer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday. “I've gone for 30 years now,” he wrote, “and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can’t remember a single one of them. So, I think I'm wasting my time and the pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all.”

This started a real controversy in the “Letters to the Editor” column, much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher:

“I’ve been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this... They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!”

When you are DOWN to nothing.... God is UP to something! Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible and receives the impossible! Thank God for our physical AND our spiritual nourishment!