Worship That Pleases God
By Rick Warren
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. Mark 12:30 (NIV)
God wants all of you.
God doesn't want a part of your life. He asks for all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. God is not interested in halfhearted commitment, partial obedience, and the leftovers of your time and money. He desires your full devotion, not little bits of your life.
A Samaritan woman once tried to debate Jesus on the best time, place, and style for worship. Jesus replied that these external issues are irrelevant. Where you worship is not as important as why you worship and how much of yourself you offer to God when you worship. There is a right and wrong way to worship. The Bible says, "Let us be grateful and worship God in a way that will please him." The kind of worship that pleases God has four characteristics:
God is pleased when our worship is accurate. People often say, "I like to think of God as ... ," and then they share their idea of the kind of God they would like to worship. But we cannot just create our own comfortable or politically correct image of God and worship it. That is idolatry.
Worship must be based on the truth of Scripture, not our opinions about God. Jesus told the Samaritan woman, "True worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks."
To "worship in truth" means to worship God as he is truly revealed in the Bible.
God is pleased when our worship is authentic. When Jesus said you must "worship in spirit," he wasn't referring to the Holy Spirit, but to your spirit. Made in God's image, you are a spirit that resides in a body, and God designed your spirit to communicate with him. Worship is our spirit responding to God Spirit.
When Jesus said, "Love God with all your heart and soul" he meant that worship must be genuine and heartfelt. It is not just a matter of saying the right words; you must mean what you say. Heartless praise is not praise at all! It is worthless, an insult to God.
When we worship, God looks past our words to see the attitude of our hearts. The Bible says, "Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."
Since worship involves delighting in God, it engages your emotions. God gave you emotions so you could worship him with deep feeling-but those emotions must be genuine, not faked. God hates hypocrisy. He doesn't want showmanship or pretense or phoniness in worship. He wants your honest, real love. We can worship God imperfectly, but we cannot worship him insincerely.
Of course, sincerity alone is not enough; you can be sincerely wrong. That's why both spirit and truth are required. Worship must be both accurate and authentic. God-pleasing worship is deeply emotional and deeply doctrinal. We use both our hearts and our heads.
Today many equate being emotionally moved by music as being moved by the Spirit, but these are not the same. Real worship happens when your spirit responds to God, not to some musical tone. In fact, some sentimental, introspective songs hinder worship because they take the spotlight off God and focus on our feelings. Your biggest distraction in worship is yourself-your interests and your worries over what others think about you.
Christians often differ on the most appropriate or authentic way to express praise to God, but these arguments usually just reflect personality and background differences. Many forms of praise are mentioned in the Bible, among them confessing, singing, shouting, standing in honor, kneeling, dancing, making a joyful noise, testifying, playing musical instruments, and raising hands. The best style of worship is the one that most authentically represents your love for God, based on the background
and personality God gave you.
My friend Gary Thomas noticed that many Christians seem stuck in a worship rut-an unsatisfying routine-instead of having a vibrant friendship with God, because they force themselves to use devotional methods or worship styles that don't fit the way God uniquely shaped them.
Gary wondered, If God intentionally made us all different, why should everyone be expected to love God in the same way? As he read Christian classics and interviewed mature believers, Gary discovered that Christians have used many different paths for 2,000 years to enjoy intimacy with God: being outdoors, studying, singing, reading, dancing, creating art, serving others, having solitude, enjoying fellowship, and participating in dozens of other activities.
In his book Sacred Pathways, Gary identifies nine of the ways people draw near to God: Naturalists are most inspired to love God out-of-doors, in natural settings. Sensates love God with their senses and appreciate beautiful worship services that involve their sight, taste, smell, and touch, not just their ears. Traditionalists draw closer to God through rituals, liturgies, symbols, and unchanging structures. Ascetics prefer to love God in solitude and simplicity. Activists love God through confronting evil, battling injustice, and working to make the world a better place. Caregivers love God by loving others and meeting their needs. Enthusiasts love go through clebration. Contemplatives love God through adoration. Intellectuals love God by studying with their minds.'
There is no "one size-fits-all" approach to worship and friendship with God. One thing is certain: You don't bring glory to God by trying to someone he never intended you to be. God wants you to be yourself. "That's the kind of people the Father is out looking for: those who are simply and honestly themselves before him in their worship."
God is pleased when our worship is thoughtful. Jesus' command to "love God with all your mind" is repeated four times in the New Testament. God is not pleased with thoughtless singing of hymns, perfunctory praying of clichés, or careless exclamations of "Praise the Lord," because we can't think of anything else to say at that moment. If worship is mindless, it is meaningless. You must engage your mind.
Jesus called thoughtless worship "vain repetitions." Even biblical terms can become tired clichés from overuse, and we stop thinking about the meaning. It is so much easier to offer clichés in worship instead of making the effort to honor God with fresh words and ways. This is why I encourage you to read Scripture in different translations and paraphrases. It will expand your expressions of worship.
Try praising God without using the words praise, hallelujah, thanks, or amen. Instead of saying, "We just want to praise you," make a list of synonyms and use fresh words like admire, respect, value, revere, honor, and appreciate.
Also, be specific. If someone approached you and repeated, "I praise you!" ten times, you would probably think, For what? You would rather receive two specific compliments than twenty vague generalities. So would God.
Another idea is to make a list of the different names of God and focus on them. God's names are not arbitrary; they tell us about different aspects of his character. In the Old Testament, God gradually revealed himself to Israel by introducing new names for himself, and he commands us to praise his name.
God wants our corporate worship gatherings to be thoughtful, too. Paul devotes an entire chapter to this in 1 Corinthians 14 and concludes, "Everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way."
Related to this, God insists that our worship services be understandable to unbelievers when they are present in our worship gatherings. Paul served, "Suppose some strangers are in your worship service, when you are praising God with your spirit. If they don't understand you, how will they know to say, 'Amen'? You may be worshiping
God in a wonderful way, but no one else will be helped." Being sensitive to unbelievers who visit your worship gatherings is a biblical command. To ignore this command is to be both disobedient and unloving. For a full explanation of this, see the chapter on "Worship Can Be a Witness" in The Purpose-Driven Church.
God is pleased when our worship is practical. The Bible says, "Offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God-this is your spiritual act of worship." Why does God want your body? Why doesn't he say, "Offer your spirit"? Because without your body you can't do anything on this planet. In eternity you will receive a new, imp! roved, upgraded body, but while you're here on earth, God says, "Give me what you've got!" He's just being practical about worship.
You have heard people say, "I can't make it to the meeting tonight, but I'll be with you in spirit." Do you know what that means? Nothing. It's worthless! As long as you're on earth, your spirit can only be where your body is. If your body isn't there, neither are you.
In worship we are to "offer our bodies as living sacrifices." Now, we usually associate the concept of "sacrifice" with something dead, but God wants you to be a living sacrifice. He wants you to live for him! However, the problem with a living sacrifice is that it can crawl off the altar, and we often do that. We sing, "Onward, Christian Soldiers" on Sunday, then go AWOL on Monday.
In the Old Testament, God took pleasure in the many sacrifices of worship because they foretold of Jesus' sacrifice for us on the cross. Now God is please with different sacrifices of worship: thanksgiving, praise, humility, repentance, offerings of money, prayer, serving others, and sharing with those in need.
Real worship costs. David knew this and said: "I will not offer to the LORD my God sacrifices that have cost me nothing."
One thing worship costs us is our self-centeredness. You cannot exalt God and yourself at the same time. You don't worship to be seen by others or to please yourself. You deliberately shift the focus off yourself.
When Jesus said, "Love God with all your strength," he pointed out that worship takes effort and energy. It is not always convenient or comfortable, and sometimes worship is a sheer act of the will-a willing sacrifice. Passive worship is an oxymoron.
When you praise God even when you don't feel like it, when you get out of bed to worship when you're tired, or when you help others when you are worn out, you are offering a sacrifice of worship to God. That pleases God.
Matt Redman, a worship leader in England, tells how his pastor taught his church the real meaning of worship. To show that worship is more than music, he banned all singing in their services for a period of time while they learned to worship in other ways. By the end of that time, Matt had written the classic song "Heart of Worship":
I'll bring You more than a song,
because the song itself is not what You've required.
You search much deeper within
than the way things appear.
You're looking into my heart.
The heart of the matter is a matter of the heart
October 17, 2003
October 15, 2003
Caller ID
On a Saturday night several weeks ago, a pastor was working late, and decided to call his wife before he left for home.
It was about 10:00 PM, but his wife didn't answer the phone. The pastor let it ring many times.
He thought it was odd that she didn't answer, but decided to wrap up a few things and try again in a few minutes.
When he tried again she answered right away. He asked her why she hadn't answered before, and she said that it hadn't rung at their house.
They brushed it off as a fluke and went on their merry ways.
The following Monday, the pastor received a call at the church office, which was the phone that he'd used that Saturday night.
The man that he spoke with wanted to know why he'd called on Saturday night.
The pastor couldn't figure out what the man was talking about.
Then the man said, "It rang and rang, but I didn't answer.
" The pastor remembered the mishap and apologized for disturbing him, explaining that he'd intended to call his wife.
The man said, "That's OK. Let me tell you my story. You see, I was planning to commit suicide on Saturday night, but before I did, I prayed, 'God if you're there, and you don't want me to do this, give me a sign now.'
At that point my phone started to ring.
I looked at the caller ID, and it said, 'Almighty God'.
I was afraid to answer!"
The reason why it showed on the man's caller ID that the call came from "Almighty God" is because the church that the pastor attends is called Almighty God Tabernacle!!
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be. This story i just got it hot off the net....i thot it sounded pretty kool as to how God works around our lives...do continue to trust in Him as we travel on our paths towards Him.
"I believe that friends are quiet angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly."
On a Saturday night several weeks ago, a pastor was working late, and decided to call his wife before he left for home.
It was about 10:00 PM, but his wife didn't answer the phone. The pastor let it ring many times.
He thought it was odd that she didn't answer, but decided to wrap up a few things and try again in a few minutes.
When he tried again she answered right away. He asked her why she hadn't answered before, and she said that it hadn't rung at their house.
They brushed it off as a fluke and went on their merry ways.
The following Monday, the pastor received a call at the church office, which was the phone that he'd used that Saturday night.
The man that he spoke with wanted to know why he'd called on Saturday night.
The pastor couldn't figure out what the man was talking about.
Then the man said, "It rang and rang, but I didn't answer.
" The pastor remembered the mishap and apologized for disturbing him, explaining that he'd intended to call his wife.
The man said, "That's OK. Let me tell you my story. You see, I was planning to commit suicide on Saturday night, but before I did, I prayed, 'God if you're there, and you don't want me to do this, give me a sign now.'
At that point my phone started to ring.
I looked at the caller ID, and it said, 'Almighty God'.
I was afraid to answer!"
The reason why it showed on the man's caller ID that the call came from "Almighty God" is because the church that the pastor attends is called Almighty God Tabernacle!!
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be. This story i just got it hot off the net....i thot it sounded pretty kool as to how God works around our lives...do continue to trust in Him as we travel on our paths towards Him.
"I believe that friends are quiet angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly."
Scientific Facts in the Bible
Ray Comfort
This is about scientific facts in the Bible. I hope you have opened it with a good deal of skepticism. So you should. The world is full of simple folk, who will make a shrine to a knot in a tree because it supposedly has the features of a dead "saint."
Before we look at these "scientific facts" in the Bible, I must preface them with some very important information. To do this, I will have to quote the Bible. This is not using what is commonly called "circular reasoning." I simply want to make a point that is relevant to what I am going to present.
Many years ago, I ran a children's club. At the end of the club I told about one hundred kids to line up for some candy. There was an immediate rush, and the line sorted itself into what I saw as being a line of greed. The big and selfish kids were at the front, and the quiet sickly ones were at the back. I then did something that gave me great satisfaction. I told the kids to turn about face. Everyone did. Then I told them to stay where they were, and I took great delight in going to the other end of the line and giving the candy to the quiet, sickly kids first.
In a world where the rich get richer, and the poor get stomped on, we are informed that God has gone to the other end of the line with the message of everlasting life (I know that you may not believe in the existence of God, but please bear with me). Here is what we are told:
"For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness . . . For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent . . . But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, has God chosen, yes, and things which are not, to bring to nothing things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence" (1 Corinthians 1:18,19,27-29).
How has God gone to the other end of the line? Simply by choosing that which is weak, base, and despised. Let me illustrate what He has done:
Do you believe that the following biblical accounts actually happened?
Adam and Eve.
Noah's ark.
Jonah and the whale.
Joshua and the walls of Jericho.
Samson and his long hair.
Daniel and the lion's den.
Moses and the Red Sea.
Of course you don't. To say that you believed such fantastic stories would mean that you would have to surrender your intellectual dignity. Who in their right mind would ever do that? The answer is simply those who understand that God has chosen foolish, base, weak, and despised things of the world to confound those who think they are wise.
Look at the intellectual offense in the tone of this letter I received, regarding a debate I was due to do, on the subject "Does God exist?":
"How sad for you to have so completely surrendered your intellect to an ignorant, pre-scientific book. I know about your upcoming debate . . . I won't be there, but I'm sure that the audience will get some good belly laughs from your presentation. Biblical literalists may not be very bright, but they are extremely funny."
Where' s the Evidence?
Imagine that you are looking at a luxury liner moving through calm waters. To your amazement about a dozen people jump off the ship, and cling to a lifeboat. You watch as the rest of the passengers stand on the ship and laugh at them. You can understand their reaction. What those few people did was foolish. It made no sense.
Suddenly, the ship hits an unseen iceberg and sinks, taking with it all who stayed on board. Now you see that those who seemed like fools were wise, but those who stayed on the ship and seemed to be wise, were fools.
We have in the Bible a command to jump off the luxury liner of this world. Before you laugh at stupid Christians, ask yourself if there is any proof that its claims are true. Here is compelling evidence that the Bible is no ordinary book:
Jeremiah 33:22 (written 2500 years ago): "As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured."
The Bible claimed that there are billions of stars ("host of heaven" is the biblical term for the stars). When it made this statement, no one knew how vast the numbers of stars were as only about 1,100 were observable. Now we know that there are billions of stars, and that they cannot be numbered.
Job 26:7 (written 3500 years ago): "He stretches out the north over the empty place, and hangs the earth upon nothing."
The Bible claimed that the earth freely floated in space. Science then thought that the earth sat on a large animal. We now know that the earth has a free float in space.
Hebrews 11:3 (written 2000 years ago): "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear."
The Bible claims that all creation is made of invisible material. Science then was ignorant of the subject. We now know that the entire creation is made of invisible elements called "atoms."
Leviticus 17:11 (written 3000 years ago): "For the life of the flesh is in the blood."
The Scriptures declare that blood is the source of life. Up until 120 years ago, sick people were "bled", and many died because of the practice. We now know that blood is the source of life. If you lose your blood, you will lose your life.
Leviticus 15:13 (written 3000 years ago): "And when he that has an issue is cleansed of his issue; then he shall number to himself seven days for his cleansing, and wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in running water, and shall be clean."
The Bible said that when dealing with disease, hands should be washed under running water. Up until 100 years ago doctors washed their hands in a basin of still water, resulting in the death of multitudes. We now know that doctors must wash their hands under running water. The Encyclopedia Britannica documents that in 1845, a young doctor in Vienna named Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis was horrified at the terrible death rate of women who were dying after giving birth in hospitals. As many as 30% of those giving birth died. The Doctor noted that doctors would examine the bodies of those who had died, then, without washing their hands, go straight to the next wards and examine expectant mothers. This was their normal practice, because the presence of microscopic diseases was unknown. Doctor Semmelweis insisted that doctors wash their hands before examinations, and the death rate immediately dropped down to 2%.
Job 38:35 (written 3,500 years ago. God Himself speaking): "Can you send lightnings, that they may go and say unto you, Here we are?"
The Bible here is saying a scientifically ludicrous statement -- that light can be sent, and then manifest itself in speech. But did you know that radio waves move at the speed of light? This is why you can have instantaneous wireless communication with someone on the other side of the earth. Science didn' t discover this until 1864 when "the British scientist James Clerk Maxwell suggested that electricity and light waves were two forms of the same thing" (Modern Century Illustrated Encyclopedia, Vol. 12).
Isaiah 40:22 (written 2800 years ago): "It is he that sits upon the circle of the earth."
The Bible informs us here that the earth is round. At a time when science believed that the earth was flat, it was the Scriptures that inspired Christopher Columbus to sail around the world. He wrote: "It was the Lord who put it into my mind. I could feel His hand upon me . . . there is no question the inspiration was from the Holy Spirit because He comforted me with rays of marvelous illumination from the Holy Scriptures . . ." (From his diary, in reference to his discovery of "the New World").
Job 38:19 (written 3500 years ago). "Where is the way where light dwells?"
Modern man has only just discovered that light (electromagnetic radiation) has a "way," involving motion traveling at 186,000 miles per second.
Genesis 1:1,3 (written 3,450 years ago): "In the beginning God created the Heaven and the earth . . . And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters."
Science expresses the universe in five terms: time, space, matter, power and motion. "In the beginning (time) God created (power) the Heaven (space) and the earth (matter) . . . And the Spirit of God moved (motion) upon the face of the waters."
Why did the dinosaur disappear? This is something that has modern science mystified, but the Bible may have the answer (written 3500 years ago. God Himself is speaking):
"Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eats grass as an ox. Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly. He moves his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his stones are wrapped together. His bones are as strong pieces of brass; his bones are like bars of iron. He is the chief of the ways of God: he that made him can make his sword to approach unto him. Surely the mountains bring him forth food, where all the beasts of the field play. He lies under the shady trees, in the covert of the reed, and fens. The shady trees cover him with their shadow; the willows of the brook compass him about. Behold, he drinks up a river, and hastens not: he trusts that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth. He takes it with his eyes: his nose pierces through snares. (Job 40:15-24).
This was the Largest of all creatures He made.
It was plant-eating (herbivorous).
It had its strength in its hips.
Its tail was like a large tree (a cedar).
It had very strong bones.
Its habitat was among the trees.
Drank massive amounts of water.
His nose pierced through snares.
Then Scripture says, " . . . He that made him can make his sword approach to him." In other words, God caused this, the largest of all the creatures He had made, to become extinct.
Psalm 8:8: "And the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passes through the paths of the seas."
What does the Bible mean by "paths" of the seas? The sea is just a huge mass of water, how then could it have "paths?" Man discovered the existence of ocean currents in the 1850's, but the Bible declared the science of oceanography 2,800 years ago. Matthew Maury (1806- 1873) is considered to be the father of oceanography. He was bedridden during a serious illness and asked his son to read a portion of the Bible to him. While listening, he noticed the expression "paths of the sea." Upon his recovery, Maury took God at His word and went looking for these paths. His book on oceanography is still considered a basic text on the subject and is still used in universities.
Jonah 2:6 (written 2,800 years ago): "I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet have you brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God."
When Jonah was in the depths of the ocean, he spoke of going down to the "bottoms of the mountains." Only in recent years has man discovered that there are mountains on the ocean floor. The greatest ocean depth has been sounded in the Challenger Deep of the Mariana's Trench, a distance of 35,798 feet below sea level. Mount Everest is 29,035 feet high.
Amos 9:6 (written 2,800 years ago): "He . . . calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out upon the face of the earth; the Lord is His name."
The Mississippi River dumps over six million gallons of water per second into the Gulf of Mexico. Where does all that water go? That's just one of thousands of rivers. The answer lies in the hydrologic cycle, something that was not fully accepted until the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, 2500 years after the Bible said that God takes the waters of the sea, and pours them upon the face of the earth.
Job 38:12, 14, (written 3500 years ago) God Himself says: "Have you commanded the morning since your days; and caused the dayspring to know his place; that it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it? It [the earth] is turned as clay to the seal; and they stand as a garment."
Modern science has come to understand that the earth's rotation on its axis is responsible for the sun's rising and setting. The picture here is of a vessel of clay being turned or rotated upon the potter's wheel -- an accurate analogy of the earth's rotation.
Psalm 19:4-6: "In them has He set a tabernacle for the sun, which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoices as a strong man to run a race. His [the sun's] going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof."
Bible critics have scoffed at these verses, saying that they teach that the sun revolves around the earth. Science told them that the sun was stationary. Then they discovered that the sun is in fact moving through space at approximately 600,000 miles per hour. It is traveling through the heavens and has a "circuit" just as the Bible says. It is estimated that its circuit is so large, it would take 200 million years to complete one orbit.
Job 38:22 (written 3,500 years ago). God says: "Have you entered into the treasures of the snow?"
It wasn't until the advent of the microscope that man discovered that each and every single snowflake is uniquely a symmetrical "treasure."
Genesis 2:1 (after creation): "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them."
The Hebrew word used here is the past definite tense for the verb "finished," indicating an action completed in the past, never again to occur. The creation was "finished" -- once and for all. That is what the First Law of Thermodynamics says. It states that neither matter nor energy can be either created or destroyed. There is no "creation" ongoing today. It is "finished" exactly as the Bible states.
Hebrews 1:10,11 (written 2000 years ago): ". . . And, You, Lord, in the beginning have laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of your hands: They shall perish; but you remain; and they all shall wax old as does a garment." The Bible tells us that the earth is wearing out. This is what the Second Law of Thermodynamics states. This wasn't discovered by science until comparatively recently.
Genesis 17:12: "And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed."
Why was circumcision to be carried out on the eighth day? Medical science has discovered that the eighth day is the only day in the entire life of the newborn that the blood clotting element prothrombin is above 100%.
Genesis 3:15: "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; it shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel."
This verse reveals that a female possesses the "seed of life." This was not the common knowledge until a few centuries ago. It was widely believed that the male only possessed the "seed of life" and that the woman was nothing more than a glorified incubator.
Isaiah 40:12 (written 2,800 years ago): "Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand . . ."
We are told that God has measured the waters and set a proper amount of water on the earth. Modern science has proved that the quantity of water on earth is just enough for our needs. If the sea became three meters deeper, the water would absorb all the carbon dioxide and nitrogen, and no creature could live any longer.
Job 26:7 (written 3500 years ago): "He stretches out the north over the empty place . . ."
Less than 200 years ago, through the advent of massive telescopes, science learned about the great empty space in the north.
Isaiah 40:22 (written 2,800 years ago): "It is He that . . . stretches out the heavens as a curtain, and spreads them out as a tent to dwell in."
Scientists are beginning to understand that the universe is expanding, or stretching out. At least seven times in Scripture we are clearly told that God stretches out the heavens like a curtain.
Prophetic Facts in the Bible:
We will now take a moment to look at some of the Bible’s incredible prophecies. These are known as the "signs of the times." They are the signs that will be indications of the end of this age (not the end of the world). They are taken from Matthew chapter 24, Luke chapter 21, 1 Timothy chapter 4 and 2 Timothy chapter 3:
Wars and rumors of wars
Nation will rise against nation
Kingdom will rise against Kingdom
Famines
Disease
False prophets
Deception
Lawlessness (forsaking of the Ten Commandments)
The preaching of the Gospel
False Christs
Earthquakes in various places
Signs from Heaven
Persecution against Christians
Signs in the Sun
Men’s hearts would fail them for fear of the future
Stressful living
Selfishness
Materialism
Arrogance
Pride
Homosexual increase
People would be cold-hearted
They would be intemperate
They would be brutal
Youth would be rebellious
They would be haters of those that stand up for righteousness
They would be ungodly
Pleasure-seekers
There would be a call for "peace"
People would be blasphemous
There would be much hypocrisy
False Bible teachers would have many followers,
be money-hungry, and would slur the Christian faith
(see 2 Peter 2:1-3)
Daniel 12:4 tells us that in the last days there will be an increase of travel and knowledge. Men would scoff, and say that these "signs" have always been around. They would also deny the flood of Noah (despite the overwhelming scientific evidence of a universal flood). The Bible even informs us of their motivation for the denial. It says they would love lust. Then Scripture tells us that they make one big mistake. Their understanding of God is erroneous. They don’t understand that God’s time frame is not the same as ours. They think (in their ignorance) that God’s continued silence means that He doesn’t see their sins. In truth, He is merely holding back His wrath, waiting for them to repent (see 2 Peter 3:8-9):
"Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished" (2 Peter 3:3-6).
Jesus warned that the sign to look for was the repossession of Jerusalem by the Jews. That happened in 1967, after 2,000 years, bringing into culmination all the signs of the times:
"And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled" (Luke 21:24).
These scientific and prophetic facts prove that the Bible is no ordinary book; that it is supernatural in origin, as it so often claims. It uses the words "Thus says the Lord" 3,800 times, and has 3,856 verses that speak directly or indirectly concerning prophecy. There is no other book in any of the world’s religions (Bagvat Gita, Vedas, Koran, Book of Mormon, etc.) that contain perfectly accurate prophetic and scientific truth. In fact, they contain statements that are clearly erroneous and unscientific.
What About Evolution?
What about evolution—doesn’t that disprove the Bible? Firstly, let me make it clear that I do believe in variations within species. Some dogs appear to have evolved from large to small (or small to large), but no actual "evolution" has taken place. They are still dogs. There is no evidence for man evolving from primates (each having a common ancestor), generally known as "the theory of evolution." Professor Louis Bounoure, Director of Research, National Center of Scientific Research so rightly stated: "Evolution is a fairy tale for grown-ups. This theory has helped nothing in the progress of science. It is useless." Sir Arthur Keith (Sir Arthur Keith wrote the foreword to the 100th edition of Origin of the Species) said, "Evolution is unproved and unprovable." Malcolm Muggeridge, the famous British journalist and philosopher said, "I myself am convinced that the theory of evolution, especially the extent to which it’s been applied, will be one of the great jokes in history books of the future." Dr. T. N. Tahmisian of the Atomic Energy Commission said, "Scientists who go about teaching that evolution is a fact of life are great con-men, and the story they are telling may be the greatest hoax ever."
Scrap the Current Theory?
Look at this new discovery: "Paleontologists have discovered a new skeleton in the closet of human ancestry that is likely to force science to revise, if not scrap, current theories of human origins" (USA Today March 21, 2001). Reuters reported that the discovery left "scientists of human evolution . . . confused," saying, "Lucy may not even be a direct human ancestor after all." In truth, evolution isn’t "scientific." It’s a theory. Dr. Kent Hovind—an authority on evolution has a standing offer of $250,000 for anyone who can give him scientific evidence that evolution is true (www.drdino.com). Evolutionists should take him to court. They could become famous. They could make this another "Scopes" trial, but they won’t, because they can’t. All they have is faith in a theory. In fact, evolution qualifies as a religion. The dictionary says of the word "religion": "A set of beliefs concerned with explaining the origins and purposes of the universe . . ." Evolutionists even have their own religious language: "We believe, perhaps, maybe, probably, could’ve, possibly . . . " Their founding father of the faith is Charles Darwin. Their god of the religion of evolution is "nature," often referred to by the faithful as "Mother Nature." She is the one who is responsible for everything we can see in creation. What’s more, she’s very attractive to lust-filled men. hey gravitate to her like a moth to a flame. That’s because she’s deaf, blind, and mute. She doesn’t hear anything, she doesn’t see anything, and what’s most important—she doesn’t say anything. Mother Nature doesn’t have any moral dictates. That’s why evolution is so appealing. It is called "idolatry" (making up a false god) and is a transgression of the First of the Ten Commandments.
Microevolution is observable, while macroevolution takes agreat leap of blind faith. If Christians had as much faith in the Bible as evolutionists have in the theory of evolution, we would see revival. Like little children, they believe without the need of a thread of evidence. Evolution doesn’t disprove the existence of God. It just reveals that those who believe it are truly capable of faith in the invisible. It confirms Napoleon’s observation: "Man will believe anything, as long as it’s not in the Bible."
What About Mistakes in the Bible?
Perhaps you have found what you see as mistakes in the Bible, and they are stopping you giving the Bible any real credibility. Here are some common arguments:
Hares don’t chew cud
Insects don’t have four legs
The account of two creations
Cain’s incest
Adam didn’t die the day God said He would
A flat earth
Bible atrocities
Divine genocide
The "Potter’s field" prophecy not being in the Book of Jeremiah
The "contradiction" between "an eye for an eye," and "turn the other cheek"
Zedekiah not seeing Babylon
Clear contradictions in the conversion of Saul of Tarsus.
We will look at two, then I will make reference to more later in this booklet:
"And the prince [the "prince" referred to here is Zedekiah] that is among them shall bear upon his shoulder in the twilight, and shall go forth: they shall dig through the wall to carry out thereby: he shall cover his face, that he see not the ground with his eyes. My net also will I spread upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare: and I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; yet shall he not see it, though he shall die there" (Ezekiel 12:13).
"And Zedekiah king of Judah shall not escape out of the hand of the Chaldeans, but shall surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and shall speak with him mouth to mouth, and his eyes shall behold his eyes." (Jeremiah 32:4-5).
This is a clear contradiction. One prophet says that Zedekiah will not see Babylon. The other says that he will be taken captive by the Chaldeans, and his eyes will see the king of Babylon.
Here is what happened:
"Then the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah in Riblah before his eyes: also the king of Babylon slew all the nobles of Judah. Moreover he put out Zedekiah’s eyes, and bound him with chains, to carry him to Babylon"(Jeremiah 39:6-7).
Zedekiah looked into the eyes of the king of Babylon, and then he was blinded and taken captive to Babylon.
Here is another glaring "contradiction" in two accounts of the conversion of Saul of Tarsus:
"And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man" (Acts 9:7).
"And I answered, Who are you, Lord? And he said to me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you persecute. And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spoke to me" (Acts 22:8,9).
Did they hear the voice, or didn’t they? Here’s the answer:
"Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spoke to him" (John 12:28-29).
Those who stood by heard God’s voice, but they didn’t hear what He said. Now you have a choice. You can either argue about the word "voice," or you can stop for a moment and say, "Could it be that I am a proud person, and that I refuse to humble myself? Could it be that my professed wisdom has put me at the wrong end of the line?
What Does all This Mean?
Here then is the incredible implication. If God did write the Bible through the pens of men (see 2 Timothy 3:16), then its terrible warning of Hell and incredible promise of Heaven are therefore true, and need to be heeded. How then can a person find everlasting life?
Most think that it’s by living a good life. That seems right, but according to the Bible, it is wrong. Our mistake is that we think that God’s standards are the same as ours. Let’s look at the Ten Commandments to see if we have kept His standards: Have you ever told a lie (even once)? Have you ever stolen anything (the value is irrelevant)? If you said, "Yes" to those two questions you cannot enter Heaven, because you are a lying thief. If you hate someone, you commit murder in God’s sight. Jesus said, "Whoever looks upon a woman to lust after her has committed adultery already with her in his heart." Have you ever done that? Have you ever desired something that belonged to someone else? If you have (and who hasn’t?), then you’ve broken the Tenth Commandment. Have you loved God above all else? Have you make a god to suit yourself? Have you ever used His holy Name as a cuss word? Have you kept the Sabbath holy? Have you always honored your parents.
Listen to your conscience. Remember all those secret sins you thought no one knew about. God has seen them, and He will bring every work into Judgment, including every secret thing. We are guilty criminals, and to offer God anything in the area of good works, etc., is an attempt to bribe the Judge of the universe. The only thing that can save us from His wrath, is His mercy, and that can’t be earned. It doesn’t matter if you don’t believe in God or in Judgment Day. You will still have to face Him anyway.
This is what God did for you. He became a Man in Jesus Christ, and suffered and died on the Cross, taking the punishment for our sins. He was bruised for our iniquities. When the Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Rome he said, "God commended His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Jesus suffered once and for all for us, and then He rose from the dead. If we repent and trust alone in the Savior, God will forgive us and grant us eternal life—"For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9). How could we earn His mercy by "doing" anything? Yet, it is a fatal mistake to believe that God can be bribed—that you will have a second chance. There is no second chance: "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27). What will you say on Judgment Day? "Hare don’t chew cud?" Will you be worried about where Cain got his wife? Or will your defense be that insects don’t have four legs? What do they have to do with the fact that you have sinned against God? It is not God’s will that you go to Hell. Please, come to your senses and obey the Gospel.
If you will admit that you have broken the Commandments, earnestly pray something like this: "Dear God, please forgive my sins (name them). Nothing I can do could merit everlasting life. I trust alone in the mercy that You offer me in Jesus Christ. I put my faith in the Savior (not in man, in a church or my good works) for my eternal salvation. I will read the Bible daily and obey what I read. In Jesus’ Name. Amen." Now carefully read John 14:21.
Thank you for being open-minded enough to read this. My motivation for writing it was solely a concern for your eternal salvation. I earnestly hope you have made peace with God.
Yours faithfully, Ray Comfort.
webby where i stunned this article from
Ray Comfort
This is about scientific facts in the Bible. I hope you have opened it with a good deal of skepticism. So you should. The world is full of simple folk, who will make a shrine to a knot in a tree because it supposedly has the features of a dead "saint."
Before we look at these "scientific facts" in the Bible, I must preface them with some very important information. To do this, I will have to quote the Bible. This is not using what is commonly called "circular reasoning." I simply want to make a point that is relevant to what I am going to present.
Many years ago, I ran a children's club. At the end of the club I told about one hundred kids to line up for some candy. There was an immediate rush, and the line sorted itself into what I saw as being a line of greed. The big and selfish kids were at the front, and the quiet sickly ones were at the back. I then did something that gave me great satisfaction. I told the kids to turn about face. Everyone did. Then I told them to stay where they were, and I took great delight in going to the other end of the line and giving the candy to the quiet, sickly kids first.
In a world where the rich get richer, and the poor get stomped on, we are informed that God has gone to the other end of the line with the message of everlasting life (I know that you may not believe in the existence of God, but please bear with me). Here is what we are told:
"For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness . . . For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent . . . But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; and base things of the world, and things which are despised, has God chosen, yes, and things which are not, to bring to nothing things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence" (1 Corinthians 1:18,19,27-29).
How has God gone to the other end of the line? Simply by choosing that which is weak, base, and despised. Let me illustrate what He has done:
Do you believe that the following biblical accounts actually happened?
Adam and Eve.
Noah's ark.
Jonah and the whale.
Joshua and the walls of Jericho.
Samson and his long hair.
Daniel and the lion's den.
Moses and the Red Sea.
Of course you don't. To say that you believed such fantastic stories would mean that you would have to surrender your intellectual dignity. Who in their right mind would ever do that? The answer is simply those who understand that God has chosen foolish, base, weak, and despised things of the world to confound those who think they are wise.
Look at the intellectual offense in the tone of this letter I received, regarding a debate I was due to do, on the subject "Does God exist?":
"How sad for you to have so completely surrendered your intellect to an ignorant, pre-scientific book. I know about your upcoming debate . . . I won't be there, but I'm sure that the audience will get some good belly laughs from your presentation. Biblical literalists may not be very bright, but they are extremely funny."
Where' s the Evidence?
Imagine that you are looking at a luxury liner moving through calm waters. To your amazement about a dozen people jump off the ship, and cling to a lifeboat. You watch as the rest of the passengers stand on the ship and laugh at them. You can understand their reaction. What those few people did was foolish. It made no sense.
Suddenly, the ship hits an unseen iceberg and sinks, taking with it all who stayed on board. Now you see that those who seemed like fools were wise, but those who stayed on the ship and seemed to be wise, were fools.
We have in the Bible a command to jump off the luxury liner of this world. Before you laugh at stupid Christians, ask yourself if there is any proof that its claims are true. Here is compelling evidence that the Bible is no ordinary book:
Jeremiah 33:22 (written 2500 years ago): "As the host of heaven cannot be numbered, neither the sand of the sea measured."
The Bible claimed that there are billions of stars ("host of heaven" is the biblical term for the stars). When it made this statement, no one knew how vast the numbers of stars were as only about 1,100 were observable. Now we know that there are billions of stars, and that they cannot be numbered.
Job 26:7 (written 3500 years ago): "He stretches out the north over the empty place, and hangs the earth upon nothing."
The Bible claimed that the earth freely floated in space. Science then thought that the earth sat on a large animal. We now know that the earth has a free float in space.
Hebrews 11:3 (written 2000 years ago): "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear."
The Bible claims that all creation is made of invisible material. Science then was ignorant of the subject. We now know that the entire creation is made of invisible elements called "atoms."
Leviticus 17:11 (written 3000 years ago): "For the life of the flesh is in the blood."
The Scriptures declare that blood is the source of life. Up until 120 years ago, sick people were "bled", and many died because of the practice. We now know that blood is the source of life. If you lose your blood, you will lose your life.
Leviticus 15:13 (written 3000 years ago): "And when he that has an issue is cleansed of his issue; then he shall number to himself seven days for his cleansing, and wash his clothes, and bathe his flesh in running water, and shall be clean."
The Bible said that when dealing with disease, hands should be washed under running water. Up until 100 years ago doctors washed their hands in a basin of still water, resulting in the death of multitudes. We now know that doctors must wash their hands under running water. The Encyclopedia Britannica documents that in 1845, a young doctor in Vienna named Dr. Ignaz Semmelweis was horrified at the terrible death rate of women who were dying after giving birth in hospitals. As many as 30% of those giving birth died. The Doctor noted that doctors would examine the bodies of those who had died, then, without washing their hands, go straight to the next wards and examine expectant mothers. This was their normal practice, because the presence of microscopic diseases was unknown. Doctor Semmelweis insisted that doctors wash their hands before examinations, and the death rate immediately dropped down to 2%.
Job 38:35 (written 3,500 years ago. God Himself speaking): "Can you send lightnings, that they may go and say unto you, Here we are?"
The Bible here is saying a scientifically ludicrous statement -- that light can be sent, and then manifest itself in speech. But did you know that radio waves move at the speed of light? This is why you can have instantaneous wireless communication with someone on the other side of the earth. Science didn' t discover this until 1864 when "the British scientist James Clerk Maxwell suggested that electricity and light waves were two forms of the same thing" (Modern Century Illustrated Encyclopedia, Vol. 12).
Isaiah 40:22 (written 2800 years ago): "It is he that sits upon the circle of the earth."
The Bible informs us here that the earth is round. At a time when science believed that the earth was flat, it was the Scriptures that inspired Christopher Columbus to sail around the world. He wrote: "It was the Lord who put it into my mind. I could feel His hand upon me . . . there is no question the inspiration was from the Holy Spirit because He comforted me with rays of marvelous illumination from the Holy Scriptures . . ." (From his diary, in reference to his discovery of "the New World").
Job 38:19 (written 3500 years ago). "Where is the way where light dwells?"
Modern man has only just discovered that light (electromagnetic radiation) has a "way," involving motion traveling at 186,000 miles per second.
Genesis 1:1,3 (written 3,450 years ago): "In the beginning God created the Heaven and the earth . . . And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters."
Science expresses the universe in five terms: time, space, matter, power and motion. "In the beginning (time) God created (power) the Heaven (space) and the earth (matter) . . . And the Spirit of God moved (motion) upon the face of the waters."
Why did the dinosaur disappear? This is something that has modern science mystified, but the Bible may have the answer (written 3500 years ago. God Himself is speaking):
"Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eats grass as an ox. Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly. He moves his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his stones are wrapped together. His bones are as strong pieces of brass; his bones are like bars of iron. He is the chief of the ways of God: he that made him can make his sword to approach unto him. Surely the mountains bring him forth food, where all the beasts of the field play. He lies under the shady trees, in the covert of the reed, and fens. The shady trees cover him with their shadow; the willows of the brook compass him about. Behold, he drinks up a river, and hastens not: he trusts that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth. He takes it with his eyes: his nose pierces through snares. (Job 40:15-24).
This was the Largest of all creatures He made.
It was plant-eating (herbivorous).
It had its strength in its hips.
Its tail was like a large tree (a cedar).
It had very strong bones.
Its habitat was among the trees.
Drank massive amounts of water.
His nose pierced through snares.
Then Scripture says, " . . . He that made him can make his sword approach to him." In other words, God caused this, the largest of all the creatures He had made, to become extinct.
Psalm 8:8: "And the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passes through the paths of the seas."
What does the Bible mean by "paths" of the seas? The sea is just a huge mass of water, how then could it have "paths?" Man discovered the existence of ocean currents in the 1850's, but the Bible declared the science of oceanography 2,800 years ago. Matthew Maury (1806- 1873) is considered to be the father of oceanography. He was bedridden during a serious illness and asked his son to read a portion of the Bible to him. While listening, he noticed the expression "paths of the sea." Upon his recovery, Maury took God at His word and went looking for these paths. His book on oceanography is still considered a basic text on the subject and is still used in universities.
Jonah 2:6 (written 2,800 years ago): "I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet have you brought up my life from corruption, O LORD my God."
When Jonah was in the depths of the ocean, he spoke of going down to the "bottoms of the mountains." Only in recent years has man discovered that there are mountains on the ocean floor. The greatest ocean depth has been sounded in the Challenger Deep of the Mariana's Trench, a distance of 35,798 feet below sea level. Mount Everest is 29,035 feet high.
Amos 9:6 (written 2,800 years ago): "He . . . calls for the waters of the sea, and pours them out upon the face of the earth; the Lord is His name."
The Mississippi River dumps over six million gallons of water per second into the Gulf of Mexico. Where does all that water go? That's just one of thousands of rivers. The answer lies in the hydrologic cycle, something that was not fully accepted until the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, 2500 years after the Bible said that God takes the waters of the sea, and pours them upon the face of the earth.
Job 38:12, 14, (written 3500 years ago) God Himself says: "Have you commanded the morning since your days; and caused the dayspring to know his place; that it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it? It [the earth] is turned as clay to the seal; and they stand as a garment."
Modern science has come to understand that the earth's rotation on its axis is responsible for the sun's rising and setting. The picture here is of a vessel of clay being turned or rotated upon the potter's wheel -- an accurate analogy of the earth's rotation.
Psalm 19:4-6: "In them has He set a tabernacle for the sun, which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoices as a strong man to run a race. His [the sun's] going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof."
Bible critics have scoffed at these verses, saying that they teach that the sun revolves around the earth. Science told them that the sun was stationary. Then they discovered that the sun is in fact moving through space at approximately 600,000 miles per hour. It is traveling through the heavens and has a "circuit" just as the Bible says. It is estimated that its circuit is so large, it would take 200 million years to complete one orbit.
Job 38:22 (written 3,500 years ago). God says: "Have you entered into the treasures of the snow?"
It wasn't until the advent of the microscope that man discovered that each and every single snowflake is uniquely a symmetrical "treasure."
Genesis 2:1 (after creation): "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them."
The Hebrew word used here is the past definite tense for the verb "finished," indicating an action completed in the past, never again to occur. The creation was "finished" -- once and for all. That is what the First Law of Thermodynamics says. It states that neither matter nor energy can be either created or destroyed. There is no "creation" ongoing today. It is "finished" exactly as the Bible states.
Hebrews 1:10,11 (written 2000 years ago): ". . . And, You, Lord, in the beginning have laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of your hands: They shall perish; but you remain; and they all shall wax old as does a garment." The Bible tells us that the earth is wearing out. This is what the Second Law of Thermodynamics states. This wasn't discovered by science until comparatively recently.
Genesis 17:12: "And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed."
Why was circumcision to be carried out on the eighth day? Medical science has discovered that the eighth day is the only day in the entire life of the newborn that the blood clotting element prothrombin is above 100%.
Genesis 3:15: "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; it shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel."
This verse reveals that a female possesses the "seed of life." This was not the common knowledge until a few centuries ago. It was widely believed that the male only possessed the "seed of life" and that the woman was nothing more than a glorified incubator.
Isaiah 40:12 (written 2,800 years ago): "Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand . . ."
We are told that God has measured the waters and set a proper amount of water on the earth. Modern science has proved that the quantity of water on earth is just enough for our needs. If the sea became three meters deeper, the water would absorb all the carbon dioxide and nitrogen, and no creature could live any longer.
Job 26:7 (written 3500 years ago): "He stretches out the north over the empty place . . ."
Less than 200 years ago, through the advent of massive telescopes, science learned about the great empty space in the north.
Isaiah 40:22 (written 2,800 years ago): "It is He that . . . stretches out the heavens as a curtain, and spreads them out as a tent to dwell in."
Scientists are beginning to understand that the universe is expanding, or stretching out. At least seven times in Scripture we are clearly told that God stretches out the heavens like a curtain.
Prophetic Facts in the Bible:
We will now take a moment to look at some of the Bible’s incredible prophecies. These are known as the "signs of the times." They are the signs that will be indications of the end of this age (not the end of the world). They are taken from Matthew chapter 24, Luke chapter 21, 1 Timothy chapter 4 and 2 Timothy chapter 3:
Wars and rumors of wars
Nation will rise against nation
Kingdom will rise against Kingdom
Famines
Disease
False prophets
Deception
Lawlessness (forsaking of the Ten Commandments)
The preaching of the Gospel
False Christs
Earthquakes in various places
Signs from Heaven
Persecution against Christians
Signs in the Sun
Men’s hearts would fail them for fear of the future
Stressful living
Selfishness
Materialism
Arrogance
Pride
Homosexual increase
People would be cold-hearted
They would be intemperate
They would be brutal
Youth would be rebellious
They would be haters of those that stand up for righteousness
They would be ungodly
Pleasure-seekers
There would be a call for "peace"
People would be blasphemous
There would be much hypocrisy
False Bible teachers would have many followers,
be money-hungry, and would slur the Christian faith
(see 2 Peter 2:1-3)
Daniel 12:4 tells us that in the last days there will be an increase of travel and knowledge. Men would scoff, and say that these "signs" have always been around. They would also deny the flood of Noah (despite the overwhelming scientific evidence of a universal flood). The Bible even informs us of their motivation for the denial. It says they would love lust. Then Scripture tells us that they make one big mistake. Their understanding of God is erroneous. They don’t understand that God’s time frame is not the same as ours. They think (in their ignorance) that God’s continued silence means that He doesn’t see their sins. In truth, He is merely holding back His wrath, waiting for them to repent (see 2 Peter 3:8-9):
"Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, and saying, Where is the promise of his coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished" (2 Peter 3:3-6).
Jesus warned that the sign to look for was the repossession of Jerusalem by the Jews. That happened in 1967, after 2,000 years, bringing into culmination all the signs of the times:
"And they shall fall by the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled" (Luke 21:24).
These scientific and prophetic facts prove that the Bible is no ordinary book; that it is supernatural in origin, as it so often claims. It uses the words "Thus says the Lord" 3,800 times, and has 3,856 verses that speak directly or indirectly concerning prophecy. There is no other book in any of the world’s religions (Bagvat Gita, Vedas, Koran, Book of Mormon, etc.) that contain perfectly accurate prophetic and scientific truth. In fact, they contain statements that are clearly erroneous and unscientific.
What About Evolution?
What about evolution—doesn’t that disprove the Bible? Firstly, let me make it clear that I do believe in variations within species. Some dogs appear to have evolved from large to small (or small to large), but no actual "evolution" has taken place. They are still dogs. There is no evidence for man evolving from primates (each having a common ancestor), generally known as "the theory of evolution." Professor Louis Bounoure, Director of Research, National Center of Scientific Research so rightly stated: "Evolution is a fairy tale for grown-ups. This theory has helped nothing in the progress of science. It is useless." Sir Arthur Keith (Sir Arthur Keith wrote the foreword to the 100th edition of Origin of the Species) said, "Evolution is unproved and unprovable." Malcolm Muggeridge, the famous British journalist and philosopher said, "I myself am convinced that the theory of evolution, especially the extent to which it’s been applied, will be one of the great jokes in history books of the future." Dr. T. N. Tahmisian of the Atomic Energy Commission said, "Scientists who go about teaching that evolution is a fact of life are great con-men, and the story they are telling may be the greatest hoax ever."
Scrap the Current Theory?
Look at this new discovery: "Paleontologists have discovered a new skeleton in the closet of human ancestry that is likely to force science to revise, if not scrap, current theories of human origins" (USA Today March 21, 2001). Reuters reported that the discovery left "scientists of human evolution . . . confused," saying, "Lucy may not even be a direct human ancestor after all." In truth, evolution isn’t "scientific." It’s a theory. Dr. Kent Hovind—an authority on evolution has a standing offer of $250,000 for anyone who can give him scientific evidence that evolution is true (www.drdino.com). Evolutionists should take him to court. They could become famous. They could make this another "Scopes" trial, but they won’t, because they can’t. All they have is faith in a theory. In fact, evolution qualifies as a religion. The dictionary says of the word "religion": "A set of beliefs concerned with explaining the origins and purposes of the universe . . ." Evolutionists even have their own religious language: "We believe, perhaps, maybe, probably, could’ve, possibly . . . " Their founding father of the faith is Charles Darwin. Their god of the religion of evolution is "nature," often referred to by the faithful as "Mother Nature." She is the one who is responsible for everything we can see in creation. What’s more, she’s very attractive to lust-filled men. hey gravitate to her like a moth to a flame. That’s because she’s deaf, blind, and mute. She doesn’t hear anything, she doesn’t see anything, and what’s most important—she doesn’t say anything. Mother Nature doesn’t have any moral dictates. That’s why evolution is so appealing. It is called "idolatry" (making up a false god) and is a transgression of the First of the Ten Commandments.
Microevolution is observable, while macroevolution takes agreat leap of blind faith. If Christians had as much faith in the Bible as evolutionists have in the theory of evolution, we would see revival. Like little children, they believe without the need of a thread of evidence. Evolution doesn’t disprove the existence of God. It just reveals that those who believe it are truly capable of faith in the invisible. It confirms Napoleon’s observation: "Man will believe anything, as long as it’s not in the Bible."
What About Mistakes in the Bible?
Perhaps you have found what you see as mistakes in the Bible, and they are stopping you giving the Bible any real credibility. Here are some common arguments:
Hares don’t chew cud
Insects don’t have four legs
The account of two creations
Cain’s incest
Adam didn’t die the day God said He would
A flat earth
Bible atrocities
Divine genocide
The "Potter’s field" prophecy not being in the Book of Jeremiah
The "contradiction" between "an eye for an eye," and "turn the other cheek"
Zedekiah not seeing Babylon
Clear contradictions in the conversion of Saul of Tarsus.
We will look at two, then I will make reference to more later in this booklet:
"And the prince [the "prince" referred to here is Zedekiah] that is among them shall bear upon his shoulder in the twilight, and shall go forth: they shall dig through the wall to carry out thereby: he shall cover his face, that he see not the ground with his eyes. My net also will I spread upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare: and I will bring him to Babylon to the land of the Chaldeans; yet shall he not see it, though he shall die there" (Ezekiel 12:13).
"And Zedekiah king of Judah shall not escape out of the hand of the Chaldeans, but shall surely be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon, and shall speak with him mouth to mouth, and his eyes shall behold his eyes." (Jeremiah 32:4-5).
This is a clear contradiction. One prophet says that Zedekiah will not see Babylon. The other says that he will be taken captive by the Chaldeans, and his eyes will see the king of Babylon.
Here is what happened:
"Then the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah in Riblah before his eyes: also the king of Babylon slew all the nobles of Judah. Moreover he put out Zedekiah’s eyes, and bound him with chains, to carry him to Babylon"(Jeremiah 39:6-7).
Zedekiah looked into the eyes of the king of Babylon, and then he was blinded and taken captive to Babylon.
Here is another glaring "contradiction" in two accounts of the conversion of Saul of Tarsus:
"And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do. And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man" (Acts 9:7).
"And I answered, Who are you, Lord? And he said to me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you persecute. And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spoke to me" (Acts 22:8,9).
Did they hear the voice, or didn’t they? Here’s the answer:
"Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again. The people therefore, that stood by, and heard it, said that it thundered: others said, An angel spoke to him" (John 12:28-29).
Those who stood by heard God’s voice, but they didn’t hear what He said. Now you have a choice. You can either argue about the word "voice," or you can stop for a moment and say, "Could it be that I am a proud person, and that I refuse to humble myself? Could it be that my professed wisdom has put me at the wrong end of the line?
What Does all This Mean?
Here then is the incredible implication. If God did write the Bible through the pens of men (see 2 Timothy 3:16), then its terrible warning of Hell and incredible promise of Heaven are therefore true, and need to be heeded. How then can a person find everlasting life?
Most think that it’s by living a good life. That seems right, but according to the Bible, it is wrong. Our mistake is that we think that God’s standards are the same as ours. Let’s look at the Ten Commandments to see if we have kept His standards: Have you ever told a lie (even once)? Have you ever stolen anything (the value is irrelevant)? If you said, "Yes" to those two questions you cannot enter Heaven, because you are a lying thief. If you hate someone, you commit murder in God’s sight. Jesus said, "Whoever looks upon a woman to lust after her has committed adultery already with her in his heart." Have you ever done that? Have you ever desired something that belonged to someone else? If you have (and who hasn’t?), then you’ve broken the Tenth Commandment. Have you loved God above all else? Have you make a god to suit yourself? Have you ever used His holy Name as a cuss word? Have you kept the Sabbath holy? Have you always honored your parents.
Listen to your conscience. Remember all those secret sins you thought no one knew about. God has seen them, and He will bring every work into Judgment, including every secret thing. We are guilty criminals, and to offer God anything in the area of good works, etc., is an attempt to bribe the Judge of the universe. The only thing that can save us from His wrath, is His mercy, and that can’t be earned. It doesn’t matter if you don’t believe in God or in Judgment Day. You will still have to face Him anyway.
This is what God did for you. He became a Man in Jesus Christ, and suffered and died on the Cross, taking the punishment for our sins. He was bruised for our iniquities. When the Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Rome he said, "God commended His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Jesus suffered once and for all for us, and then He rose from the dead. If we repent and trust alone in the Savior, God will forgive us and grant us eternal life—"For by grace are you saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9). How could we earn His mercy by "doing" anything? Yet, it is a fatal mistake to believe that God can be bribed—that you will have a second chance. There is no second chance: "It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment" (Hebrews 9:27). What will you say on Judgment Day? "Hare don’t chew cud?" Will you be worried about where Cain got his wife? Or will your defense be that insects don’t have four legs? What do they have to do with the fact that you have sinned against God? It is not God’s will that you go to Hell. Please, come to your senses and obey the Gospel.
If you will admit that you have broken the Commandments, earnestly pray something like this: "Dear God, please forgive my sins (name them). Nothing I can do could merit everlasting life. I trust alone in the mercy that You offer me in Jesus Christ. I put my faith in the Savior (not in man, in a church or my good works) for my eternal salvation. I will read the Bible daily and obey what I read. In Jesus’ Name. Amen." Now carefully read John 14:21.
Thank you for being open-minded enough to read this. My motivation for writing it was solely a concern for your eternal salvation. I earnestly hope you have made peace with God.
Yours faithfully, Ray Comfort.
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