mid-week apologetics booster (2/26/2015)

Good Morning Everyone,

Below are some items for you to look at:

1. Rejected as ‘discriminatory’ and shunned from campuses, Christian clubs struggle – this is unbelievable…  http://www.thecollegefix.com/post/21394/
2. Confessions of a Former Atheist.  Former atheist Peter Byrom talks about how faith and reason brought him back to Christ. And, listen to an hilarious parody from Mike Burnette!  http://www.reasonablefaith.org/confessions-of-a-former-atheist
3. Paul Copan explains some responses to postmodernism: https://winteryknight.wordpress.com/2015/02/24/how-to-respond-to-postmodernism-relativism-subjectivism-pluralism-and-skepticism-4/
4. The Moral Argument for the Existence of God: http://worldviewofjesus.com/2015/02/22/the-moral-argument-for-the-existence-of-god/
5. What is the Fine Tuning Argument? 12 Quick Points: http://www.saintsandsceptics.org/the-fine-tuning-argument-in-12-quick-points/
6. Apologetics Begins at Home: http://www.christianworldview.net/2015/02/apologetics-begins-at-home/
7. Common Mistakes Critics Make When Approaching the Gospels: https://chab123.wordpress.com/2015/02/20/common-mistakes-critics-make-when-approaching-the-gospels/
8. I’m that Atheist your Mom warned you about: https://ryandmoore.wordpress.com/2014/03/18/im-that-atheist-your-mom-warned-you-about/
9. Jesus vs. Muhammad: 33 striking differences: https://jamesbishopblog.wordpress.com/2015/02/20/jesus-vs-muhammad-33-striking-differences/
10. Evolution – A Faith Commitment.  Though they’ll never admit it, most evolutionists adhere to evolution as followers in any other religion adhere to their faith: http://rationalfaith.com/2014/05/evolution-a-faith-commitment/
11. Short Answers 06: Is It Arrogant to Claim You Have ‘The Truth’? (2 minute 54 second video): http://rzim.org/worldview/short-answers-06-is-it-arrogant-to-claim-you-have-the-truth
12. The Crusades: Were they Justified? (Norman Geisler) http://normangeisler.net/articles/Ethics/CrusadesJustified.htm
13. Hell is not the choice of God, it is the choice of men who chose to reject God!  Hell – What is it? Ravi Zacharias explains (~10 minute video): https://thei535project.wordpress.com/2015/02/16/what-is-hell/

Have a great week, serving the Lord!

mid-week apologetics booster (2/19/2015)

Good Morning Everyone,

Here are some items to help you fight the good fight and defend the faith – but remember, your ‘fight’ should look more like diplomacy than D-Day 🙂

1. Welcome to Babylon Where Apologetics Must Come Before One Can Even Understand the Gospel: http://pastormattblog.com/2013/10/22/welcome-to-babylon-where-apologetics-must-come-before-one-can-even-understand-the-gospel/
2. Another French Atheist Becomes a Christian (51 minute video): http://youtu.be/8MiuAtejqkE
3. Top 3 Reasons the Bible is reliable (J. Warner Wallace – short video): http://youtu.be/F6R29xwgENQ
4. “New” Atheism: 15 Reasons Why It Is Irrational: https://jamesbishopblog.wordpress.com/2015/02/16/new-atheism-15-reasons-why-it-is-irrational/
5. 10 Christian Teachings That You Thought Were In the Bible, But Aren’t: http://ibitedge.blogspot.com/2015/01/10-christian-teachings-that-you-thought.html
6. Deconstructing New Atheist Objections to the Arguments for God and Q&A (1 hour lecture by William Lane Craig, followed by Q&A): http://youtu.be/sm0hI2SUinQ
7. Answering Common Objections to Hell: http://truthbomb.blogspot.com/2015/02/answering-common-objections-to-hell.html
8. Does Science Argue for or against God? (5 minute 43 minute video from Prager University) – Why are we here? Literally. The latest science says we shouldn’t be. It says that the chance life exists at all is less than zero. So, is science the greatest threat to the idea of Intelligent Design or is science its greatest advocate? Best-selling author and lecturer, Eric Metaxas, poses this intriguing question and comes up with a very unexpected and challenging answer: http://youtu.be/UjGPHF5A6Po
9. Why Don’t Christians Act Like Christ? http://blogs.christianpost.com/confident-christian/why-dont-christians-act-like-christ-24909/#more
10. Is the Old Testament Still a Source for Theology and Spirituality for Christians? http://derekzrishmawy.com/2015/01/11/whatever-was-written-in-former-days-was-written-for-our-instruction-is-the-old-testament-still-a-source-for-theology-and-spirituality-for-christians/
11. Tom Schreiner: A Biblical Meditation on the ISIS Execution of 21 Christians: http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2015/02/16/tom-schreiner-a-biblical-meditation-on-the-isis-execution-of-21-christians/
12. What ISIS Really Wants – this is a long article and I’ve only finished ½ of it so far, but still feel it is worth passing along.  Good insights about ISIS: http://www.theatlantic.com/features/archive/2015/02/what-isis-really-wants/384980/
13. Shoot First, Then Ask: 3 Tips on How NOT to Talk With Someone About Jesus: http://www.churchleaders.com/outreach-missions/outreach-missions-articles/170042-derek-rishmawy-first-then-ask-3-tips-on-how-not-to-talk-with-someone-about-jesus.html?print
14. Who Wrote the Gospels – Testimony from the Church Fathers: http://apologetics-notes.comereason.org/2015/02/who-wrote-gospels-testimony-from-church.html
15. Answering Eleven Objections to the Resurrection of Jesus: https://chab123.wordpress.com/2015/02/15/answering-eleven-objections-to-the-resurrection-of-jesus-2/
16. The Challenge of Islam: Does Early Testimony Matter to Muslims? https://chab123.wordpress.com/2015/02/15/the-challenge-of-islam-does-early-testimony-matter-to-muslims/
17. Four Problems in Atheist/Theist Discussions: https://chab123.wordpress.com/2015/02/14/four-problems-in-atheisttheist-discussions-2/
18. How to Get into Spiritual Conversations – Part 2: http://apologetics-notes.comereason.org/2014/08/how-to-get-into-spiritual-conversations.html
19. Unbelievable and Inhuman: “Faith is Belief Without Evidence”: http://www.thinkingchristian.net/posts/2013/10/unbelievable-and-inhuman/
20. 6 Meanings of the Word “Evolution”: http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/justintaylor/2015/02/16/6-meanings-of-the-word-evolution/
21. 2 Things You Can Assume In Every Spiritual Conversation (10 minute audio podcast by Jonathan Morrow): http://impact360institute.org/podcasts/2-things-you-can-assume-in-every-spiritual-conversation
    1. “The Cosmic Authority Problem” (Rom 1:18-25)
    2. “The Cosmic Desire Problem” (Eccl 3:11)

Have a great week and enjoy this wonderful weather we’re having (in Phoenix)!

Biblical Worldview post #47 – Happy Valentines Day!

Happy Valentines Day! Here is the Biblical definition of Love

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV)

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

mid-week apologetics booster (2/12/2015)

Good morning everyone!

Hope you’re having a great week!  Enjoy one or more of these articles and videos:

1. Today is ‘Darwin Day’ (the 206^th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birthday).  Be prepared in case someone brings up the topic!  Here is a short video promo for a book about the same subject: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cm4WuWOatjs
2. John West on Atheist Philosopher Thomas Nagel’s “Simple but Profound Objection to Darwinism”: http://www.evolutionnews.org/2015/02/john_west_on_at093501.html
3. Crossing Over: Q&A with Nabeel Qureshi – Dr. Nabeel Qureshi is a former devout Muslim who was convinced of the truth of the Gospel through historical reasoning and a spiritual search for God.  Since his conversion, he has dedicated his life to spreading the Gospel through teaching, preaching, writing, and debating – http://rzim.org/rzim-news/crossing-over-qa-with-nabeel-qureshi
4. Ancient tablets reveal life of Jews in Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylon: http://news.yahoo.com/ancient-tablets-reveal-life-jews-nebuchadnezzars-babylon-174318332.html
5. Obama / Crusades:
   1. What Were the Crusades? Busting Some Myths – this was good, it gives a timeline of events and links to an article with more detail: http://apologetics-notes.comereason.org/2015/02/what-were-crusades-busting-some-myths.html
   2. About Those Crusades… http://str.typepad.com/weblog/2015/02/about-those-crusades.html
   3. Obama Hijacks Christianity to Defend Islam (Frank Turek) – Here’s a great quote: We shouldn’t judge a religion by its abuse, but by its truths. Jesus said, “Love your enemies.” Muhammad said, “Kill them.” In Islam, your son dies for God. In Christianity, God’s son dies for you.  http://townhall.com/columnists/frankturek/2015/02/08/obama-hijacks-christianity-to-defend-islam-n1954012/page/full
   4. Ravi Zacharias – A Presidential Blunder: My Response to Obama’s Address at the National Prayer Breakfast: http://rzim.org/blog/a-presidential-blunder-my-response-to-obamas-address-at-the-national-prayer-breakfast
6. “The Nephilim Have Been Found” or Yet Another Example of Really Bad Apologetics: http://www.reclaimingthemind.org/blog/2010/04/yet-another-example-of-really-bad-apologetics/
7. The Five Most Common Fallacies about the Life of Jesus: http://historicaljesusresearch.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-five-most-common-fallacies-about.html
8. Four Self-Refuting Statements Heard on College Campuses Across America (J. Warner Wallace) – http://coldcasechristianity.com/2013/four-self-refuting-statements-heard-on-college-campuses-across-america/
9. The Problem With Christian Apologetics – This is William Lane Craig rebutting Bishop Joseph Mattera, who is Overseeing Bishop of Resurrection Church and Christ Covenant Coalition in Brooklyn, New York.  This bishop wrote a piece called ‘God’s Not Dead’ and the Problem With Christian Apologetics.  Dr. Craig rebuts this piece point by point.  I liked this:  If he really thinks that all of our logic is circular and subjective then how can he justify the inferences that he has made in this article? He has presented an argument against the use of positive evidence and arguments for Christianity’s truth. He undoes his own case if he impugns logic and human reason as just inherently circular and subjective…notice there the “thus.” See, that is an inference he’s made. He has made an inference here. “All of our logic is circular since human reason is finite and subjective. . . Thus, no one can prove or disprove the existence of God.” Really? Now, why does that conclusion follow from that premise if logic is just subjective and circular? You see, Kevin, how he is immediately caught in the trap. He is using logic to try to undo logic. So he is trying to give us an argument here against proving or disproving God’s existence, but that will presuppose then the validity of the logic which he is impugning.  http://www.reasonablefaith.org/the-problem-with-christian-apologetics
10. 5 Guaranteed Ways To Make Your Kids Hate Church: http://www.ministrybestpractices.com/2015/02/5-guaranteed-ways-to-make-your-kids.html
11. Overcoming the Skepticism of Christian Apologetics – As J Warner Wallace says, sometimes you have to make the case for case making: http://worldviewofjesus.com/2015/02/08/overcoming-the-skepticism-of-christian-apologetics/
12. Is the Message of the New Testament Lost? http://www.christianapologeticsalliance.com/2015/02/08/is-the-message-of-the-new-testament-lost/
13. Christianity without hell (no, this is not promoting the idea that there is no hell): http://www.mbcpathway.com/2015/01/21/what-christianity-without-hell-looks-like/
14. What I Would Have To Deny To Deny Hell: http://www.challies.com/articles/what-i-would-have-to-deny-to-deny-hell
15. 3 2 1 – the story of God, the World and you – great 5 minute 43 second video: http://vimeo.com/48734715
16. Are the Gospels Reliable? 10 Quick Points: http://www.saintsandsceptics.org/are-the-gospels-reliable-sources-quick-points/
17. How Do You Know the Scriptures are from God? One Testimony in the Early Church (Tatian): http://michaeljkruger.com/how-do-you-know-the-scriptures-are-from-god-one-testimony-in-the-early-church/

May at least one of these items speak to you in the way the Lord intended.

Biblical Worldview post #46 – Jesus Christ reserved some of His most severe warnings for the religious leaders of His day

Jesus Christ reserved some of His most severe warnings for the religious leaders of His day, the Pharisees, who were hypocrites

Matthew 23:24-28 (NLT)

Blind guides! You strain your water so you won’t accidentally swallow a gnat; then you swallow a camel! “How terrible it will be for you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! You are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy — full of greed and self-indulgence! Blind Pharisees! First wash the inside of the cup, and then the outside will become clean, too. “How terrible it will be for you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs — beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people’s bones and all sorts of impurity. You try to look like upright people outwardly, but inside your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.

Watch “Man Of Sorrows Acoustic” on YouTube

What an amazing song! The words really say at all. This is the very core of the Christian message!

Man Of Sorrows:

Here are the words:

Man of sorrows Lamb of God
By His own betrayed
The sin of man and wrath of God
Has been on Jesus laid

Silent as He stood accused
Beaten mocked and scorned
Bowing to the Father’s will
He took a crown of thorns

Oh that rugged cross
My salvation
Where Your love poured out over me
Now my soul cries out
Hallelujah
Praise and honour unto Thee

Sent of heaven God’s own Son
To purchase and redeem
And reconcile the very ones
Who nailed Him to that tree

Now my debt is paid
It is paid in full
By the precious blood
That my Jesus spilled

Now the curse of sin
Has no hold on me
Whom the Son sets free
Oh is free indeed

See the stone is rolled away
Behold the empty tomb
Hallelujah God be praised
He’s risen from the grave

mid-week apologetics booster (2/5/2015)

Good Morning,

I trust you’re having a good week and I hope that I can help make it just a little bit better with encouraging words of truth from some of God’s fellow servants!

1. Are the Gospels Eyewitness Accounts? (J. Warner Wallace 11 minute Video) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PaWRpPKMwX8 (here is the link directly on his web site which includes the same video: http://coldcasechristianity.com/2015/are-the-gospels-eyewitness-accounts/)
2. We Need More Than An Accidental Faith – J. Warner Wallace: http://coldcasechristianity.com/2015/we-need-more-than-an-accidental-faith/
3. The Four Miracles of Atheism – Richard Dawkins stated that “Faith is belief in spite of, even perhaps because of, the lack of evidence.” However, even naturalistic worldviews also take some things on faith: http://reasonabletheology.org/four-miracles-athiesm/
   1. Getting Something from Nothing
   2. Getting Life from Non-Life
   3. Getting Order from Chaos
   4. Getting the Immaterial from Physical Matter
4. Atheist tells Dr. William Lane Craig “You’ve Ruined My Life, Professor Craig!!” (Q & A): http://www.reasonablefaith.org/you-have-ruined-my-life-professor-craig
5. Apologists, Please Do Not Forget the Gospel: http://relationalapologetics.org/2015/02/02/apologists-please-do-not-forget-the-gospel/
6. Creation Conversion: From Atheist to Creationist: Jerry Bergman, Ph.D. This was good and encouraging to hear his testimony: http://www.icr.org/article/8535
7. Plants Are More Complex than Evolutionists Thought: http://www.creationmoments.com/radio/transcripts/plants-are-more-complex-evolutionists-thought
8. God, Science & the Big Questions (2 hour video): Leading Christian Thinkers Respond to the New Atheism – join John Lennox, William Lane Craig, JP Moreland, and Hugh Hewitt for this fast-paced, wide-ranging and supremely stimulating discussion among some of the finest thinkers in the Christian world. Nothing is off the table as they discuss science vs. Christianity, arguments for God, the decline of Darwinism, radical Islam and the Gospel, responding to skeptics, the problem of consciousness, mathematics and the cosmos, the nature of knowledge, and much, much more.  Originally broadcast live from Biola University on Friday, January 30th, 2015: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpJm-qX3rW0&feature=youtu.be
9. Why The Pre-Jesus Mythologies Fail To Prove Jesus Is A Myth – http://coldcasechristianity.com/2013/why-the-pre-jesus-mythologies-fail-to-prove-jesus-is-a-myth/
10. 10 Reasons Kids Leave the Church (Jim Daly): http://jimdaly.focusonthefamily.com/ten-reasons-kids-leave-the-church/
11. Why You Can Be Confident We Have the Original Bible Texts: http://apologetics-notes.comereason.org/2015/01/why-you-can-be-confident-we-have.html
12. How can a Christian overcome the fear of witnessing? http://www.gotquestions.org/Christian-witnessing.html
13. Rules to Evaluate Alleged Bible Contradictions and Difficulties (Free Bible Insert) – there are 13 rules listed: http://coldcasechristianity.com/2015/rules-to-evaluate-alleged-bible-contradictions-and-difficulties-free-bible-insert/
14. Matthew 18 – And Heretics and Hypocrites – http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=9605
15. Six Signs That You May Be Ashamed of the Gospel: https://chab123.wordpress.com/2014/07/22/six-signs-you-may-be-ashamed-of-the-gospel/
    1. We are ashamed of the Gospel because we are worried about offending people
    2. We are ashamed of the Gospel because we are a man pleaser rather than a God pleaser
    3. We are ashamed of the Gospel because we are afraid we can’t answer objections
    4. We are ashamed of the Gospel because we don’t take the Lordship of Jesus seriously
    5. We are ashamed of the Gospel because we don’t really believe the Gospel is true
    6. We are ashamed of the Gospel because we don’t even know what the Gospel actually is!
16. The Folly of Answering Distracting Atheistic Arguments: http://www.equip.org/article/folly-answering-distracting-atheistic-arguments/
17. 84 Confirmed Facts in the Last 16 Chapters of the Book of Acts: http://truthbomb.blogspot.com/2012/01/84-confirmed-facts-in-last-16-chapters.html

Have a great week serving the Lord and living a life that causes people to ask questions!

Biblical Worldview post #45 – Sober warning about the consequences of turning away from Jesus Christ and stubbornly continuing in sin

This is a sober warning about the consequences of turning away from Jesus Christ and stubbornly continuing in sin despite what He says

Passage Reference	Passage Text
Hebrews 10:26-27 (NLT)	Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received a full knowledge of the truth, there is no other sacrifice that will cover these sins. There will be nothing to look forward to but the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire that will consume His enemies.
Hebrews 6:4-6 (NLT)	For it is impossible to restore to repentance those who were once enlightened — those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the Word of God and the power of the age to come — and who then turn away from God. It is impossible to bring such people to repentance again because they are nailing the Son of God to the cross again by rejecting Him, holding Him up to public shame.

“The Gospel” – sermon by Paul Washer

This is a great (and very convicting) 1 hour video sermon by Paul Washer.  Here are some quotes:

1. If you want God, you’re going to have to let go of the world.
2. If you love this world, be afraid!
3. Every Christian is a demonstration of God’s power. That’s why he’s going to finish the work he started in you, because his reputation depends on it.
4. “If you can live in sin, live in the world, with all your worldly friends, doing all your worldly things, and you can ‘get away with it’ and there’s no conviction of the Spirit, there’s no discipline from God, it is evidence that you are an illegitimate child – that you are not truly a child of God”.
5. “Here’s what you need to understand – especially in America: the goal of God in your life is not prosperity, it’s not health, it’s not wealth, and it’s most certainly not ‘your best life now’. God’s goal, if you belong to Him as a child, is to make you holy, to conform you to the image of Christ.”
6. Regeneration is the supernatural work of God whereby, by the Spirit of God, He re-creates a man – if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature – do you see that?… I believe that there is more power of God manifested in the conversion of a man, than in the very creation of the universe. Because He created the universe ex-nihilo – out of nothing- but when He re-creates a man, when He makes him a Christian, He takes a mass of radically depraved corruption and turns it into a new creature, who will love Him.
7. In the supernatural work of salvation, this is what God does when a man is born-again: He takes out his heart of stone – a heart that is dead – a heart that cannot hear God, cannot respond to God, and what it knows about God, it hates!  And by the power of the Holy Spirit, hovering over that man, just like on the day of creation, God changes that man’s heart from a heart of stone that is dead and cannot respond to a heart of flesh that is living and alive and can respond to divine stimuli.