Can The Gospels Be Trusted? C.S. Lewis argued that if the gospel is true (if Jesus was the Son of God come in flesh, if He lived a perfect life, performed miracles, died for our sins, was physically raised from the dead, ascended to heaven, and reigns at present as the living Lord), it is of infinite importance. If it is not true, it is of no importance, except as a cultural phenomenon. But it cannot be of moderate importance. The events mentioned above either happened, or they did not. In other words, our faith is rooted in history. Paul Johnson says, Christianity is essentially a historical religion. It bases its claims on the historical facts it asserts. If these are demolished it is nothing. | C.S. Lewis Institute: https://www.cslewisinstitute.org/Can_The_Gospels_Be_Trusted_FullArticle
The Fear of Phobic – There are a lot of terms that end with phobic: homophobic, Islamophobic, xenophobic, and transphobic. If someone expresses disagreement with the mainstream narrative on homosexuality, Islam, foreigners, or transgender people, they’ll be slapped with a phobic label. Although a phobia has been historically understood to be a fear of something (e.g., arachnophobia is a fear of spiders), adding the suffix today is intended to signal that you hold a bigoted view on that subject and that’s bad. You’re supposed to be so afraid of being labeled phobic that you’ll change your position or, at least, never express it again in public. If you do, prepare to be canceled, – Alan Shlemon: https://www.str.org/w/the-fear-of-phobic-
Here is a random quote (of over 1900) from Nuggets:
Focusing on Christ is neither a natural reaction nor an easy one. Our instinct is to dwell on the situation at hand, searching for solutions or stewing over the pain and difficulty. As a result, troubles look scary and overwhelm us with a sense of defeat. However, fear and defeat cannot live long in a heart that trusts the Lord. I’m not saying you’ll forget what you’re going through, but you can choose to dwell on His provision and care instead. – Charles Stanley
Who’s Waiting for Your Kids? In a few short years, they will leave the safety of your home and church and head off to college. Who will they meet? What ideas will they encounter? What moral choices will they face? For most adults, it’s been quite a few years since they’ve set foot on a college campus. Let us bring you up-to-speed on who and what is waiting for your kids – Stand to Reason Blog: https://str.typepad.com/weblog/2012/10/whos-waiting-for-your-kids.html
Who’s Waiting for You? When you leave the safety of a Christian home or youth group and head off to college and work, are you ready to meet people who are hostile to the Christian faith? Are you prepared to meet their challenges? – STR Quick-Reference App: https://subsplash.com/strquickreference/media/mi/+bd15cbe
Taking the Heat – According to Jesus, we should expect the world to be upset with us. Yes, even if Christians are the most loving people imaginable. Why? Because the world suppresses the truth in its sin. Unbelievers trip over Jesus because He is a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense.: https://www.str.org/w/taking-the-heat
What’s in an apologetics book? Let’s look at the table of contents of my favorite introduction to Christian apologetics, which is “Is God Just a Human Invention?” written by Sean McDowell and Jonathan Morrow. In that book, you will find 18 topics… | WINTERY KNIGHT: https://winteryknight.com/2021/03/27/whats-in-an-apologetics-book-2/
Surviving Secular College – In addition to the normal academic pressures faced by all students, the consistent Christian must learn to be discerning about the views and interpretations expressed by his or her professors. | Answers in Genesis: https://answersingenesis.org/college/surviving-secular-college/
Are Faith and Reason Compatible? A lot of Christians think that faith and reason are at opposite ends of the spectrum; that reason is used to get knowledge on one side, and on the other side are the things that you don’t have good reasons for like faith. There is a sense that Christians in faith are leaping in the dark and believing ridiculous things because this is all that we have available to us. If we use reason and are thoughtful about our faith, somehow we are not doing what God wants. – Stand to Reason Blog: https://str.typepad.com/weblog/2011/12/are-faith.html
Why I’m a Christian – I see myself as an evangelical (lower case) Christian (uppercase) apologist. I think every Christian is an apologist to some degree. No, not a professional apologist like Rob Bowman, William Lane Craig, or Mike Licona, but we all have formulated some degree of warrant or justification for our faith. Just like everyone is a theologian, everyone is also an apologist. However, this does not mean that we are good apologists! Credo House Ministries: https://credohouse.org/blog/why-im-a-christian
Tim Keller on evangelism in the 21st century – Tim Keller, founder and senior pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, talks about evangelism and contextualising the gospel for the 21st century city.- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHQBoLo31Ns&t=160s
The Key to Successful Debating – I believe that preparation is the key to successful debating. My goal is to be so well prepared that I don’t have to think on my feet. This is accomplished by thinking in advance of all the objections to ones arguments that one’s opponent is likely to raise and then preparing answers to them. Whichever ones he brings up you are therefore prepared to meet. | Reasonable Faith: https://www.reasonablefaith.org/writings/question-answer/the-key-to-successful-debating
Are there Guidelines for doing Apologetics? Almost every discipline has a set of rules and guidelines that help a person perform better. In fact, guidelines could be produced for nearly any endeavor. Why should apologetics be any different? Following are some things I have found that are very helpful in developing apologetic skills. I am not saying that these are definitive or exhaustive in scope. Rather, these are simply the things that I have found that have helped me. I hope they help you. | carm.org: https://carm.org/defending-the-faith/are-there-guidelines-for-doing-apologetics/
5 Reasons Christian Teens Need Apologetics – There are many reasons why providing Christian youth with apologetics training is vitally important. Before teaching students how to give reasons for why they believe Christianity to be true, we must first be ready to help them understand that Christianity is rational so that they are ready to engage the flood of ideologies they are encountering. | Real Life Apologetics: https://reallifeapologetics.wordpress.com/2014/07/27/5-reasons-christian-teens-need-apologetics/
Do Your Kids Know Why They Need God? A few months ago, my 6-year-old daughter asked a question that has had me thinking ever since: Mommy, why does God matter so much? It was the most fundamental of questions, really. Yet I was embarrassingly uncertain of how to answer it in a way that meaningfully encapsulates the full answer for her. I’ve thought about the question many times since she first asked it, and it’s always bothered me that I haven’t quite been able to put my finger on how best to reply.: https://natashacrain.com/do-your-kids-know-why-they-need-god/
Case for the Resurrection – Animated Video (Sources: Craig, William Lane. Knowing the Truth About the Resurrection: Our Response to the Empty Tomb. ) – YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEPNjXmdseM
USA Today Looks to Bounce Oral Roberts University from NCAA – The small Tulsa college is evangelical, they announce, as if it’s news. That means they believe the Bible. And if they believe the Bible, an editor argues, there should be no place for them on the court — or anywhere else in polite society.: https://www.frc.org/get.cfm?i=WA21C56&f=WU21C18
How to Disagree – the article establishes a hierarchy of 0 – 6 of disagreement approaches (lowest being the worst, or most fallacious): http://paulgraham.com/disagree.html
“When my life was ebbing away, I remembered you, LORD, and my prayer rose to you, to your holy temple. Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs. But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you. What I have vowed I will make good. Salvation comes from the LORD.” And the LORD commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land. Jonah 2:7-10
Here is a random quote (of over 1900) from Nuggets:
Let us strive to live like men who believe in a resurrection and a life to come – and desire to be always ready for the eternal world. So living, we shall look forward to death with calmness. – J.C. Ryle
The Great Commission Must Be Our Guide in These Polarizing Times. During these polarizing times where battles for political power or division from cultural struggles are crippling the influence of the Christian church, we need to refocus our attention and commitment to fulfilling the great commission. – Life in the Gospel: https://quarterly.gospelinlife.com/the-great-commission-must-be-our-guide-in-these-polarizing-times/
Sharing Your Faith 101 – Maybe you’re afraid to share your faith because you don’t know what to say. Or maybe you’re sharing the Gospel but nothing is happening; people aren’t committing their lives to Christ. Are you doing something wrong?: https://billygraham.org/story/sharing-your-faith-101/
The Hidden Consequences of Sexual Sin – As with all sexual sin, there is absolutely no excuse, no rationalization, and no justification for it. In Ravi’s case, there are hundreds of women who are victims of his unwanted and inappropriate advances. Ravi abused his influence, his power, and his reputation as a man of God in order to abuse these women. None of these cases were simply two consenting adults engaging in a relationship. When there is a power imbalance like this, the relationship is never consenting. These were like an employer/employee relationship, one that is never fully consensual as a true loving relationship. One party is always holding power over the other in some form or fashion. Sadly, these women aren’t even the only victims here. He has betrayed his wife and the vows he made to her before family, friends, and God to love and cherish her until death separates them.: https://www.defendthefaithministry.com/2021/02/the-hidden-consequences-of-sexual-sin/
A certain man from Cyrene, Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross. Mark 15:21
This coming Tuesday, I plan to give the following teaching to a group of about 15 men. The first part of it draws heavily on concepts and content from the book “I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist” (chapters 8 & 9)
Luke 5:1-16
1 Now it happened that while the crowd was pressing around Him and listening to the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret; 2 and He saw two boats lying at the edge of the lake; but the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. 3 And He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little way from the land. And He sat down and began teaching the people from the boat.
4 When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered and said, “Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but I will do as You say and let down the nets.” 6 When they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish, and their nets began to break; 7 so they signaled to their partners in the other boat for them to come and help them. And they came and filled both of the boats, so that they began to sink.
8 But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” 9 For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.“
11 When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him. 12 While He was in one of the cities, behold, there was a man covered with leprosy; and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” 13 And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately the leprosy left him.
14 And He ordered him to tell no one, “But go and show yourself to the priest and make an offering for your cleansing, just as Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” 15 But the news about Him was spreading even farther, and large crowds were gathering to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 16 But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray. NASB
The Plausibility of Miracles
Luke 5:1-16 gives the account of 2 miraculous signs performed by Jesus in the presence of His disciples and many other witnesses. The miraculous catch of fish (v4-10) and the healing of the leper (v12-15).
Atheism / Naturalism
The atheistic worldview asserts that only the natural, material world exists. According to atheists, miracles are impossible because there is no supernatural realm. According to them, to believe otherwise is to believe in fairy tales. However, if God exists and created the universe (inferred from many lines of evidence), it is reasonable to believe that He can intervene in the natural world He created. With regard to the Bible, if Genesis 1:1 is true – “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (we have good evidence to believe it is) – then every other miracle in the Bible is easy to believe. Can a God who created the entire universe out of nothing part the Red Sea? Bring fire down from heaven? Keep a man safe in a great fish for three days? Accurately predict future events? Turn water into wine? Heal diseases instantaneously? Raise the dead? Of course. All of those miraculous events are simple tasks for an infinitely powerful Being who created the universe in the first place.
As C. S. Lewis put it, “If we admit God, must we admit Miracle? Indeed, indeed, you have no security against it. That is the bargain.”
David Hume’s Argument against Miracles
David Hume was a famous and influential skeptic who lived in the 1700s. His argument against miracles is one of the pillars of the so-called Enlightenment. Here is Hume’s argument against miracles:
Premise 1: Natural law is by definition a description of a regular occurrence.
Premise 2: A miracle is by definition a rare occurrence.
Premise 3: The evidence for the regular is always greater than that for the rare.
Premise 4: A wise man always bases his belief on the greater evidence.
Conclusion: Therefore, a wise man should never believe in miracles.
If those four premises are true, then the conclusion necessarily follows – the wise man should never believe in miracles. Unfortunately for Hume, the argument has a false premise—premise 3 is not necessarily true. The evidence for the “regular” is not always greater than that for the “rare”. Here are some examples:
A hole-in-one: A hole-in-one is a rare event, but when we witness one we have no trouble believing it. We don’t say to the golfer, “Since the evidence for the regular is always greater than that for the rare, I’m not going to believe your shot unless you can tee it up and do it five times in a row!”
Winning the Lottery: A winning lottery ticket provides evidence that a certain person (improbably) won the lottery no matter how regularly that person had failed to win in the past.
The birth of every person: Each person is only born once (physically), which is a rare occurrence.
So, the 3rd premise of Hume’s argument against miracles must be disregarded. If Hume really believed in that premise, he would not have believed in his own birth! Hume rules out belief in miracles in advance because he believes there is uniform experience against them.
C.S. Lewis again is insightful here as he comments on Hume:
“Now of course we must agree with Hume that if there is absolutely ‘uniform experience’ against miracles, if in other words they have never happened, why then they never have. Unfortunately we know the experience against them to be uniform only if we know that all the reports of them are false. And we can know all the reports to be false only if we know already that miracles have never occurred. In fact, we are arguing in a circle.” from Miracles (1972), pg. 105
In 1820, Thomas Jefferson used a razor and glue to cut and paste (literally) selected verses from a 1794 bilingual Latin/Greek version of the Bible. He called it “The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth”. Jesus’s miracles and most supernatural events are not included in Jefferson’s heavily edited compilation.
Categories of unusual events
As we consider Luke 5:1-16, let’s keep in mind the different types of unusual events that can occur:
Take note that there is a difference between the last 2: Providence and Miracles. An example of providence may’ve been the fog at Normandy during the Allied invasion June 6th 1944 (D-Day):
It could be an example of providence because it helped conceal the Allied attack against the evil Nazi regime. It was not necessarily a miracle, because it could be explained by natural laws, however God may’ve providentially acted through weather conditions to accomplish His will (similar to Jesus’s death – see Acts 2:22-24). By contrast, a miracle would be something like bullets bouncing off the chests of soldiers as they assaulted the beach, which could not be explained by any natural laws (of physics).
Objection: No Miracles Happening Today?
Some people object, “If there are no public miracles happening today, then why should we think they happened in the past?” There’s a common misconception behind this question. It’s the belief that the Bible is filled with miracles that occur continually throughout biblical history. That’s only partially true. It is true that the Bible is filled with miracles (about 250 occasions of them). But many of those miracles occur during the lifetimes of Moses, Elijah and Elisha, and Jesus and the apostles. Why then? Because those were the times when God was confirming new truth (revelation) and new messengers with that truth. This is not to say that God cannot do miracles today, or that He never does. As the sovereign Creator and sustainer of the universe, He can do a miracle anytime He wants. In fact, there is a 2 volume book “Miracles” by Craig Keener that documents numerous modern reports of miracles.
Q: As you share your faith with those around you, does the “implausibility” of miracles ever come up?
Verse 1
1 Now it happened that while the crowd was pressing around Him and listening to the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret
As happened many times in the early ministry of Jesus crowds were around him, and the Word of God was being preached to these crowds.
Verses 2-3
2 and He saw two boats lying at the edge of the lake; but the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. 3 And He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little way from the land. And He sat down and began teaching the people from the boat.
Simon was a fisherman and owned a boat, which Christ used to separate Himself from the crowd so that He could teach them. Christ undoubtedly was a wise teacher and many religions acknowledge that (e.g. Judaism, Mormonism, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Islam, Bahá’í, Hinduism, Buddhism, New Age Movement). However, only Biblical Christianity understands Christ in His true nature. He was and is:
God in human flesh (John 1:14; Colossians 1:15; 1 Timothy 3:16)
King of kings and Lord of lords (1 Timothy 6:15; Revelation 17:14; 19:16)
Lamb of God (Isaiah 53:7; John 1:29; 1:36; 1 Peter 1:19; Revelation 5-7; 12-15; 17; 19; 21; 22)
The Lion of the tribe of Judah (Revelation 5:5)
The Messiah/the Christ (John 4:25-26; 17:3; Mark 14:61-62; Luke 24:13-27)
The one and only Son of God (Matt. 16:16; 26:63-64)
The Son of Man (Daniel 7:13-14; Mark 14:62; Luke 9:26)
Highly exalted and worthy of worship (Philippians 2:9; Revelation 1:12-18; 5:12)
2nd Person of the Trinity (Matthew 28:19; John 14:26; Mark 1:9-11)
Will return a 2nd time and judge the living and the dead (2 Tim 4:1)
The Creator (John 1:1-3, Colossians 1:15-20, Hebrews 1:1-3)
The Savior (Luke 2:11; John 4:42; Acts 5:31; 2 Timothy 1:10)
Fully human (John 1:14; 4:6; 11:35; 20:25-27; 1 John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:20)
Teacher/rabbi (Matt 23:10; 26:18; John 1:38; 3:2)
Miracle worker (John 3:2; Acts 2:22)
Exorcist and healer (Matt 4:24; 8:16; Luke 11:14-20)
Died on a Roman cross for our sins, was buried and rose bodily after 3 days and appeared to witnesses (1 Cor. 15:3-8; Colossians 1:20; Acts 2:23-24)
Ascended to heaven (Luke 24:51; Acts 1:9)
Is at the right hand of the Father (Mark 14:62; Acts 7:55; Hebrews 1:3)
See article from J. Warner Wallace in resources for a list of extra-biblical references to Jesus. In the book “I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist” (the section in chapter 9 – THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO NON-CHRISTIANS), extra biblical references of Jesus paint the following picture of Him:
Verses 4-5
4 When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” 5 Simon answered and said, “Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but I will do as You say and let down the nets.”
Jesus asked Simon, an experienced fisherman, to do something that seemed nonsensical – after failing to catch anything in an all-night fishing expedition, and Jesus said to do it again. Simon could’ve told Him to “pound sand” – that He doesn’t know what He’s talking about… But he obeyed Jesus – he did what Jesus said, despite it not making sense to him.
In another Gospel, it is recorded:
John 8:31-32 – To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said, “If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.“
Again, later in Luke, He says:
Luke 6:46-49 – ” Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great.“
It has been said that the Jews believed that you “do first, understand later”. This is based on the phrase recorded in the Exodus 24:7: “We will do and hear everything the Lord has said.”
Q: Is there any area of your life where you’ve not obeyed Jesus because it didn’t make sense to you?
Verses 6-10a
6 When they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish, and their nets began to break; 7 so they signaled to their partners in the other boat for them to come and help them. And they came and filled both of the boats, so that they began to sink. 8 But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus’ feet, saying, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” 9 For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken; 10 and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon.
Jesus enables a miraculous catch of fish here. We don’t know whether it was providential (Jesus, in His omniscience, simply knew where the fish were [i.e. in the “deep water”]) or a miracle of creation, where He produced (or multiplied) the fish “on demand” (like in the feeding of the 5,000). In either case, Peter, an experienced fisherman, realized a miraculous sign had been performed by Jesus. Take note that Simon Peter’s first reaction was to worship Jesus, knowing he was in the presence of deity, and confess his own sinfulness.
J.C. Ryle says – “When men are brought close contact with God, the sight of divine greatness and holiness should make them feel strongly their own littleness and sinfulness. Like Adam after the fall – his first thought is to hide himself. Like Israel at Sinai, ‘Do not let God speak with us, lest we die.’ (Exodus 20:19).”
There are other places in Scripture, where encounters with the miraculous or divine lead to similar actions – here’s one:
Isaiah 6:1-5 – In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood seraphim; each one had six wings: with two he covered his face, with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one cried to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of His glory!” And the posts of the door were shaken by the voice of him who cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, The Lord of hosts.”
Verses 10b-11
10 And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men.” 11 When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him.
After reassuring Simon (“do not fear”), Jesus reveals to him what the rest of his life will be about – evangelizing the world. He says “you will be catching men”. Simon, being a fisherman, was familiar with catching fish. In order to catch the fish, you couldn’t just wait for them to come to you, you had to go to where they were. After being filled with the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, Peter’s post-conversation life would be testifying of Jesus, his Master, to the world. Peter travelled throughout Israel:
Acts 9:32 – Now as Peter was traveling through all those regions, he came down also to the saints who lived at Lydda
Acts 2:14-36 – Then Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: … ” Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a Man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know. This Man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross. But God raised Him from the dead, freeing Him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on Him. … God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact. … Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
Q: In what ways have you been able to interact with non-believers and do some “fishing” for men?
Verses 12-16
12 While He was in one of the cities, behold, there was a man covered with leprosy; and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” 13 And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” And immediately the leprosy left him.
14 And He ordered him to tell no one, “But go and show yourself to the priest and make an offering for your cleansing, just as Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” 15 But the news about Him was spreading even farther, and large crowds were gathering to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 16 But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.
This was clearly a miracle rather than providence. If you remember back to our table on page 3, a miracle never fails and is immediate, whereas providence has a natural explanation.
People diagnosed with or suspected of leprosy were excluded from the community (Lev 13:45–46, Num 5:2–3). Contact with lepers had to be avoided and lepers had to warn others not to come close to them:
Leviticus 13:45-46 – “As for the leper who has the infection, his clothes shall be torn, and the hair of his head shall be uncovered, and he shall cover his mustache and cry, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’ He shall remain unclean all the days during which he has the infection; he is unclean. He shall live alone; his dwelling shall be outside the camp.”
What a horrible life for the leper… Therefore this makes Jesus’ touching of the man (v13) significant.
J.C. Ryle says “We have in this wonderful history – a lively emblem of Christ’s power to heal our souls. What are we all, but spiritual lepers in the sight of God? Sin is the deadly leprosy by which we are all affected. It has eaten into our vitals. It has infected all our faculties…We are in one sense dead – long before we are laid in the grave. Our bodies may be healthy and active – but our souls are by nature dead in trespasses and sins! Who shall deliver us from this body of death? Let us thank God that Jesus Christ can! He is that divine Physician, who can make old things pass away, and all things become new. In Him is life. He can wash us thoroughly in His own blood – from all the defilement of sin. Let this truth sink down deeply into our hearts. There is only one medicine to heal our sin-sick souls … However corrupt our hearts, and however wicked our past lives – there is hope for us in the Gospel. There is no case of spiritual leprosy too hard for Christ!” Hallelujah!
Here is a random quote (of over 1900) from Nuggets:
The belief that all religions are harmful to society because some are is akin to believing that I shouldn’t eat any fruits because some are poisonous. – Forest Antemesaris
The War on Christianity Returns as the House Passes The Equality Act | Kingsjester’s Blog – The wide-reaching Equality Act championed by Democrats would put the hiring practices of faith-based organizations in jeopardy and will create additional religious freedom concerns for Christian schools, churches and ministries, a prominent legal nonprofit argues: https://kingsjester.wordpress.com/2021/03/07/the-war-on-christianity-returns-as-the-house-passes-the-equality-act/
Here is a random quote (of over 1900) from Nuggets:
David could not put his finger upon any entry in his diary, and say of it, “Here is evidence that the Lord will forsake me,” for the entire tenor of his past life proved the very reverse. He should have argued from what God had done for him, that God would be his defender still. But is it not just in the same way that we doubt God’s help? Is it not mistrust without a cause? Have we ever had the shadow of a reason to doubt our Father’s goodness? – Charles Spurgeon
The Commitment of the Apostles Confirms the Truth of the Resurrection | Cold Case Christianity – Martyrdom doesn’t confirm the truth, especially when the martyrs don’t have first-hand access to the claim for which there dying. But this wasn’t the case for the disciples of Jesus. They were in a unique position: they knew if the claims about Jesus were true. They were present for the life, ministry, death and alleged resurrection of Jesus. If the claims about Jesus were a lie, the disciples would have known it (in fact they would have been the source of the lie). That’s why their commitment to their testimony was (and is) so compelling.: https://coldcasechristianity.com/writings/the-commitment-of-the-apostles-confirms-the-truth-of-the-resurrection/
Big Faith Questions conference (Local AZ) | Compass Christian Church – How can we ever know what religious beliefs are actually true? Well, it turns out there are ways to test religious claims. Join us to get equipped with the tools for testing any religious claims: https://compassaz.church/event/big-faith-questions-3/
It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God–that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 1 Corinthians 1:30
Here is a random quote (of over 1900) from Nuggets:
There are thousands in the present day just as blind in their way as the Jews. They shut their eyes against the plainest facts and doctrines of Christianity. They pretend to say that they do not understand, and cannot therefore believe the things that we press on their attention, as needful to salvation. But, alas! in nineteen cases out of twenty it is a willful ignorance. They do not believe what they do not like to believe. – J.C. Ryle
6 E’s of authenticity Frank Turek at Cross Examined teaches 6 evidences to consider that give us confidence in the authority of scripture, all starting with the letter E for easy remembering. J.R. Cooper Author: https://jrcooper.org/2017/01/24/6-es-of-authenticity/
The LORD remembers us and will bless us: He will bless the house of Israel, he will bless the house of Aaron, he will bless those who fear the LORD– small and great alike. Psalms 115:12-13
Christ’s deity in the New Testament – Muslims, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and atheists often argue, Jesus never claimed to be God. They assert that Christians have corrupted or misinterpreted the New Testament, or they reject the Bible outright. But for those willing to consider the eyewitness testimony of the New Testament writers, and the convincing evidence that their words are accurately preserved, we may point our unbelieving friends to seven ways that Jesus does, in fact, claim deity: https://mbcpathway.com/2020/12/26/christs-deity-in-the-new-testament/
Here is a random quote (of over 1900) from Nuggets:
If you’re following the Lord at a distance, you will end up in the miserable no-mans-land of compromise. And in that dismal place you will have too much of the Lord to be happy in the world, and too much of the world to be happy in the Lord. – Greg Laurie
Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.Luke 6:41-42
Here is a random quote (of over 1900) from Nuggets:
“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith.” (2 Cor. 13:5) Look well to your state; see whether you be in Christ or not. It is the easiest thing in the world to give a lenient verdict when oneself is to be tried; but O, be just and true here. Be just to all, but be rigorous to yourself. Remember if it be not a rock on which you build, when the house shall fall, great will be the fall of it. – Charles Spurgeon
How do we know that Jesus actually said and did what is recorded about Him? – YouTube: https://youtu.be/5l_P2XT7xWU
God the Son-John 1 clarifies the Son is actually the very agent of creation and the eternal God himself. What C. S. Lewis describes as the central event of human history: the Son took on humanity, a mortal body from the Virgin Mary & a soul untainted by Adams sin. – BreakPoint: https://breakpoint.org/god-the-son-4/
They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us. 1 John 2:19
When Was Jesus Born? Christs birth is traditionally celebrated in the West on December 25th, but many Orthodox Christians celebrate Christmas on January 7. Neither date is likely correct in light of several clues uncovered by historians and information in the Bible itself.: https://www.christianity.com/wiki/jesus-christ/when-was-jesus-born.html
The Virgin Shall Conceive: Why Isaiah 7:14 Confuses People-For many years, the prophecy that confused me most was Isaiah 7:14: Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Every Christmas I heard pastors quote this, but none had ever explained its context. What confused me was that the next three verses say that the prophecy will be fulfilled within 14 years. If it was supposed to be fulfilled in the eighth century BC, how could it apply to Jesus?: https://www.jeanejones.net/2020/12/the-virgin-shall-conceive-why-isaiah-714-confuses-people/
Here is a random quote (of over 1900) from Nuggets:
Instead of complaining at his lot, a contented man is thankful that his condition and circumstances are no worse than they are. Instead of greedily desiring something more than the supply of his present need, he rejoices that God still cares for him. Such an one is “content” with such as he has (Heb. 13:5). – Arthur Pink 1886-1952
Who Was St. Nicholas? Nicholas was also hailed as a defender of orthodoxy. Later sources claim he was in attendance at the council of Nicaea. According to tradition, he was a staunch opponent of Arianism. Writing five centuries after his death, one biographer said, Thanks to the teaching of St. Nicholas, the metropolis of Myra alone was untouched by the filth of the Arian heresy, which it firmly rejected as a death-dealing poison.: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevin-deyoung/who-was-st-nicholas-2/
How Can We Know That The Gospels Are Historically Reliable? Q&A Panel with J. Warner Wallace, Frank Turek and Ravi Zacharias – YouTube: https://youtu.be/QNJJiNhQCPY
Here is a random quote (of over 1800) from Nuggets:
The life of faith is represented as receiving–an act which implies the very opposite of anything like merit. It is simply the acceptance of a gift. – Charles Spurgeon
The Fossils Still Say No: The Cambrian Explosion – The Cambrian Explosion is a complete evolutionary enigma for a number of important reasons. First, incredibly complex animal life appeared suddenly and without any sign of preceding evolutionary ancestors. Second, many creatures that appeared in the Cambrian layers have living counterparts today that show no sign of evolution, a paradox evolutionists label living fossils. Third, tube worms (another living fossil) have been found in rocks just below the Cambrian, and their fossils yielded soft, pliable tissue. The fact that their tissue, along with many other examples, is still soft and undecayed indicates they were buried only thousands of years ago in the global Flood described in Genesis. Thus, according to a model of progressive burial by ecological zonation, we see that the Cambrian layers were the first to be deposited near the beginning of the global Flood in the sedimentary rock strata known by geologists as the Sauk Mega-sequence. The evidence provided by Cambrian fossils continues to say no to evolutionary expectations. | The Institute for Creation Research: https://www.icr.org/article/the-fossils-still-say-no-the-cambrian-explosion/
When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with Him; so He went in and reclined at the table. But the Pharisee, noticing that Jesus did not first wash before the meal, was surprised. Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? But give what is inside [the dish] to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.” Luke 11:37-41
Genetic diversity on the Ark – First, we need to consider pre-Flood diversity. We have no idea how much genetic diversity existed among most animal kinds. Humans are a little different because we know we started with two people and we know the population was reduced to eight people 1,600 years later, at the Flood. In fact, we can model the genetic effects of the Flood and the post-Flood time period on humans. But we cannot do this for animals because we simply do not know the underlying population genetics. We cannot assume God created two of every animal. All we know is two of each were on the Ark, and we do not know how closely related the pairs were. – creation.com: https://creation.com/ark-genetic-diversity
Are Christians Intolerant, Bigots? My Response (interview of Sean McDowell). – YouTube: https://youtu.be/X1EfrYeitkM
Kirk Cameron, Ray Comfort ARRESTED! | Way of the Master: Season 3, Ep. 29 – YouTube: https://youtu.be/vdME5d-x7MM
[William Lane Craig] Q&A – If God foreknows all my decisions, do I have free will? – YouTube: https://youtu.be/oIBJ1wVqCeU
Beginner’s Guide to Arguing Constructively – although not a Christian apologetics article, the concepts and strategies listed here can certainly aid us in our biblical mandate to be ambassadors for Christ (2 Corinthians 5:20), to make a defense of the faith with gentleness and resect (1 Peter 3:15) and to contend earnestly for the faith (Jude 1:3): http://liamrosen.com/arguments.html
A Win in the Race for Girls’ Sports – In the real world, a couple of seconds aren’t much. In track and field, they’re the difference between first and last place. When Franklin Pierce University’s Cece Telfer sprinted through the finish line well ahead of the women’s field at 2019’s Division II national championships, he insisted he didn’t have a biological advantage. His competition, girls who trained their whole careers for this moment, disagreed. Thanks to a hugely controversial transgender athletic policy, they all missed out at the chance for collegiate glory. And this month, more than a year later, justice may finally be won.: https://www.frcaction.org/get.cfm?i=WA20J43&f=WU20J10
Gender and Sexuality in the 2020 Election. A wide range of issues such as the economy, health care, trade, immigration, and national security will be affected by the elections outcome. Issues related to sexuality and gender such as how sex is defined in federal statutes, whether individuals with gender dysphoria can serve in the military, and whether sexual orientation and gender identity become protected categories in federal civil rights law will be significantly influenced as well. – CBMW: https://cbmw.org/2020/06/10/gender-and-sexuality-in-the-2020-election/
Joe Biden’s Education Department Would Be A Radical Disaster-Given Biden’s personal embrace of far-left cultural notions regarding sex and gender, it’s fair to assume his Education Department would swiftly implement a sweeping and radical agenda across the board. The gravity of this issue is wildly out of proportion with the small amount of attention its receiving in the broader conversation about this election.: https://thefederalist.com/2020/10/20/joe-bidens-education-department-would-be-a-radical-disaster/
No More Misunderstandings. This is not a Christian article, but it is helpful as we interact with those who do not share our worldview. It focuses on the technique of paraphrasing what someone says to you in order to prevent misunderstandings. – Small Big Ideas: https://smallbigideas.substack.com/p/no-more-misunderstandings
The fear of the LORD leads to life: Then one rests content, untouched by trouble. Proverbs 19:23
Here is a random quote (of over 1800) from Nuggets:
To say all sins are the same is to confuse the effect of sin with the heinousness of sin. While all sins are equal in their effect (they separate us from God), they are not all equally heinous. – Michael Krueger
Feathered pterosaurs. As far back as 1868, evolutionists such as Thomas Huxley taught that birds evolved from dinosaurs long before there was any evidence of fossil feathered dinosaur candidates. So it was a theory that had little supporting evidence. – creation.com: https://creation.com/feathered-pterosaurs
Cell cycle – The cell cycle is one of the most important biological processes. It describes how cells multiply in number by duplicating the information in the parent cell before dividing into two daughter cells. There are over 10 trillion cells in the human body, and the cell cycle must work efficiently and accurately to increase and differentiate different types of tissues. Evolutionists admit that the origin of the first cell is one of the most difficult problems for their theory. – creation.com: https://creation.com/cell-cycle
Biblical Worldview Series (from the Family Research Council). Covers 4 topics: Biblical Principles For Political Engagement, Biblical Principles For Human Sexuality, Biblical Principles For Pro-Life Engagement, Biblical Principles For Religious Liberty (each section has Full Publication, Prayer Guide and Abbreviated Version). Take advantage of these excellent (free) resources!: https://frc.org/get.cfm?c=WORLDVIEW
Does God Exist? 4 New Arguments. Science tells us that the universe came into being via The Big Bang. But how do you get from energy and matter to a self-aware human being? That takes three additional Big Bangs that science can’t explain. Noted theologian, Frank Pastore, unravels this compelling mystery and, in the process, poses the ultimate question that every thinking person must face. – YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIorXcloIac
God vs. Atheism: Which is More Rational? Belief in God, according to atheists, is irrational, illogical, and dumb. Belief that the universe created itself is, they say, intelligent, rational, and based in science. This is simply false. Nothing can create itself. Everything has a cause–including the universe. That cause, argues Peter Kreeft, professor of philosophy at Boston College, is God, the “unmoved mover.” Belief in God, as Kreeft shows, is more rational than belief in nothing. Logic, science, and reason, support God. Atheism, as you’ll see, is far more steeped in blind faith than is belief. – YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4T_P14JjMcM
The God portrayed in the Bible isn’t easy to understand, but what if we could better understand what it is that we can’t understand? In this video, we will explore the complex identity of God displayed in the storyline of the Bible, and (surprise!) it all leads to Jesus. – YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAvYmE2YYIU
What are the attributes of God? What are God’s perfections? Which attributes of God are communicable or incommunicable?- YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJWn_c0n-3M
Leibniz Contingency Argument – We live in an amazing universe. Have you ever wondered why it exists? Why does anything at all exist? Gottfried Leibniz wrote, The first question which should rightly be asked is: Why is there something rather than nothing? He came to the conclusion that the explanation is found in God. But is this reasonable?P1: Everything that exists has an explanation of its existence.P2: If the universe has an explanation of its existence, that explanation is God.P3: The universe exists. From these it follows logically that the explanation of the universes existence is God. The logic of this argument is air tight. If the 3 premises are true, the conclusion is unavoidable. But are they more plausibly true than false? The third premise is undeniable for anyone seeking truth. But what about the first premise? Why not say, The universe is just there, and that’s all? No explanation needed! End of discussion! – YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPCzEP0oD7I
He came and preached peace to you who were far away and peace to those who were near. For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God’s people and members of God’s household – Ephesians 2:17-19
Abortion Choices. No one, male or female, should be allowed to choose whether to kill another human being with impunity. – creation.com: https://creation.com/abortion-choices
Always Ready: Answers to Tough Questions (October 3, 2020). How you answer the tough questions makes all the difference in the world. What will you say when your friends ask about your faith? Do you have the confidence to defend the hope you have in Christ? Watch Always Ready, a special livestream created to help students aged twelve to eighteen share their faith and stand firm for the truth of God’s Word. Is the Bible still relevant? Since God is good, why do we suffer? Is Jesus the only way to salvation? Eric Bancroft, Nathan W. Bingham, Joel Kim, Stephen Nichols, and Burk Parsons will help equip you to better answer these important questions and more. – YouTube (2 ½ hour conference by Ligonier Ministries): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nz5-Xanb4KQ
Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring –those who obey God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus. Revelation 12:17
Here is a random quote (of over 1800) from Nuggets:
Why didn’t God create all humans to be Christians? My answer: God wanted beings who would love Him. Love is only possible among free will beings. Hence, God created us with the freedom to choose who we want to relate to and who we want to avoid. – Hugh Ross
“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back–whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping.” Mark 13:32-36
Here is a random quote (of over 1800) from Nuggets:
O SAVIOUR OF SINNERS, Make me to abhor that which grieves thy Holy Spirit, to suspect consolations of a worldly nature, to shun a careless way of life, to reprove evil, to instruct with meekness those who oppose me, to be gentle and patient towards all men, to be not only a professor but an example of the gospel. – Valley of Vision
Placing the Cross in History – Can we know the exact date of Christs death? The Bibles firsthand accounts give us plenty of historical details that narrow down when it fell within the Roman Empires tumultuous early days. | Answers in Genesis: https://answersingenesis.org/jesus/crucifixion/placing-the-cross-in-history/
as it is written: “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes so that they could not see and ears so that they could not hear, to this very day.” Romans 11:8
Here is are 2 random quotes (of over 1800) from Nuggets:
If we determined that becoming a scientist did cause people to drop their belief in God, we might have reason to think there is some inherent conflict between the practice of science and theism. But to the contrary, Ecklund’s Religion among Academic Scientists Study showed that the irreligious are simply more likely to become scientists in the first place. – Natasha Crain (Talking with your kids about God)
Without conversion there is no salvation. We all need an entire change of nature. Of ourselves we have neither faith, nor fear, nor love towards God. “We must be born again.” Of ourselves we are utterly unfit for dwelling in God’s presence. Heaven would be no heaven to us if we were not converted. – J.C. Ryle
They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. “We are going up to Jerusalem,” he said, “and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise.” Mark 10:32-34
August Newsletter 2020 (Dr. James Dobson) – America’s Civil Wars-Then and Now – What an ominous time this is for our 244-year-old republic. Its future hangs in the balance. The choices we make on November 3rd will send this nation down one of two dramatically different paths. The wrong decision will be catastrophic. I agree with former Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich, who said recently that the next election will be “the most important since 1860.”: https://www.drjamesdobson.org/about/august-newsletter-2020
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad. Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade men. What we are is plain to God, and I hope it is also plain to your conscience. 2 Corinthians 5:10-11
Here is a random quote (of over 1700) from Nuggets:
There are only two kinds of people in the end: those who say to God, Thy will be done, and those to whom God says, in the end, Thy will be done. All that are in Hell, choose it. Without that self-choice there could be no Hell. – C. S. Lewis
Tim Keller on how to bring the Gospel to post Christian America – 1 hour conversation. There are parts of this talk that I don’t agree with, but overall, I think there are enough good perspectives here to include it in the weekly links: https://youtu.be/zNve3Hexh28
A truthful witness gives honest testimony, but a false witness tells lies. Proverbs 12:17
What, Me Worry? Alfred E. Neumann, the famous face of Mad Magazine for many decades, popularized this slogan. While he wasn’t referring to the question of salvation, this saying does seem to describe the way many people view that question today. Yes, there may be a God; they will concede. But I’m not worried, they say. I’m a good person, after all, and God will judge me accordingly.: https://crossexamined.org/what-me-worry/
Origin Stories RNA, DNA, and a Dose of Imagination – A new paper in Nature seeks to shed light on life’s origins from non-life on the early Earth, that is, on abiogenesis. Several outlets have picked up the story, including New Scientist. Phys.org explains that the research, led by Cambridge scientists, shows for the first time how some of the building blocks of both DNA and RNA could have spontaneously formed and co-existed in the primordial soup on Earth. | Evolution News: https://evolutionnews.org/2020/06/origin-stories-rna-dna-and-a-dose-of-imagination/
You Can Be A Christian, You Can Be A Marxist, But You Can’t Be Both. Although I don’t agree with the following statement in the article: “Christianity states you are accountable to God alone for your sins and inequities. You must atone the sins that result from your reality as a flawed human being“, I still thought the article was relevant for this apologetics newsletter: https://thefederalist.com/2020/06/11/you-can-be-christian-you-can-be-marxist-but-you-cant-be-both/
For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. Matthew 25:29
Here is a random quote (of over 1600) from Nuggets:
As for the true Christian, he expects to have his reward in the next life, and to endure hardness in this. The promise of the old covenant was prosperity, but the promise of the new covenant is adversity. Remember Christ’s words–“Every branch in me that beareth not fruit”–What? “He purgeth it, that it may bring forth fruit.” If you bring forth fruit, you will have to endure affliction. – Charles Spurgeon
Sex Education in Public Schools: Sexualization of Children and LGBT Indoctrination – this page has a link to a downloadable PDF pamphlet: https://www.frc.org/sexeducation
Is Religious Freedom Addressed in Scripture? The Apostle Paul (and his traveling companions on various mission trips) is perhaps the most notable example of a biblical figure who suffered religious persecution and also on occasion stood up for his religious liberty. It is interesting that Paul did so in a government that had some similarities to Western nations. | Answers in Genesis: https://answersingenesis.org/religious-freedom/religious-freedom-addressed-scripture/
How To Be Saved – The beauty of a relationship with your Creator is that it is so simple it can be summarized in just one verse (John 3:16); yet so amazingly profound that God gave us 66 books to communicate its truth! | Creation Today: https://creationtoday.org/about/how-to-be-saved/
Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body. Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body. 1 Corinthians 6:18-20
The hiddeness of God: Why is God hidden? Why doesn’t He appear? If God exists, why doesn’t He just come and appear to us all? Wouldn’t a loving God do that? A student at the University of Alaska posed that excellent question. Here is my 5-minute response. Dr. Frank Turek Q&A – YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZMMYYY0DG4
Tapir – Studies of young children in various countries reveal they see nature as logically having been designed, not by people but by a Creator God – even children who have never received any such instruction…According to evolution, all living things are related. Evolutionists have nominated the rhinoceros and the horse as being the tapirs closest relatives. The three occupy the order Perissodactyla, which includes all hoofed animals having an odd number of toes on their hind feet. creation.com: https://creation.com/tapir
“Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Luke 12:32-34
Mount St. Helen’s, Living Laboratory for 40 Years – Nothing put a damper on uniformitarianism like the Mount St. Helen’s eruption on May 18, 1980. That explosion still echoes through the halls of the scientific establishment 40 years later. | The Institute for Creation Research: https://www.icr.org/article/mount-st-helens-living-laboratory-40-years/
“Now, O Lord our God, who brought your people out of Egypt with a mighty hand and who made for yourself a name that endures to this day, we have sinned, we have done wrong. O Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts, turn away your anger and your wrath from Jerusalem, your city, your holy hill. Our sins and the iniquities of our fathers have made Jerusalem and your people an object of scorn to all those around us. Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, O Lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary.” – Daniel 9:15-17
Here is a random quote (of over 1600) from Nuggets:
Allegedly, the atomic scientist Enrico Fermi was once discussing the topic of extraterrestrial life when he asked the profound question: “Where is everybody?” Since there are multiple billions of planets in our galaxy, and since in the secular view these are all accidents, it is almost inevitable that some of these had the right conditions for life to evolve, and if some of these worlds are billions of years older than ours, then at least some of them would have evolved intelligent life eons ago. The universe should therefore have countless numbers of technologically superior civilizations, any one of which could have colonized our galaxy ages ago. Yet we find no evidence of these civilizations: “Where is everybody?” This problem has become known as the “Fermi paradox.” This paradox for evolution is a feature of creation. The earth is designed for life. With its oceans of liquid water, a protective atmosphere containing abundant free oxygen, and a distance from the sun that is just right for life, earth was certainly designed by God to be inhabited. The other planets of the universe were not. From the sulfuric acid clouds of Venus to the frozen wasteland of Pluto, the other worlds of the solar system are beautiful and diverse, but they are not designed for life. – Dr. Jason Lisle
Is Jesus Christ God? Who do you say Jesus is? Take care in your answer, it’s the most important one you’ll ever give. In this message, Dr. Stanley teaches from the Gospel of John, illuminating exactly who Jesus is God Himself. What you believe about this carpenter from Nazareth not only determines your life here and now, but also in eternity. Discover how Jesus is the perfect image of God the Father.: https://www.intouch.org/watch/is-jesus-christ-god
For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing…Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! Romans 7:18-19,24-25a
Here is a random quote (of over 1500) from Nuggets:
David could not put his finger upon any entry in his diary, and say of it, “Here is evidence that the Lord will forsake me,” for the entire tenor of his past life proved the very reverse. He should have argued from what God had done for him, that God would be his defender still. But is it not just in the same way that we doubt God’s help? Is it not mistrust without a cause? Have we ever had the shadow of a reason to doubt our Father’s goodness? – Charles Spurgeon
Presuppositional Procedure (Greg Bahnsen) – Here then is how the presuppositional (transcendental) method of defending the faith would proceed once the preliminary discussions and clarifications have taken place with the unbeliever-and the two outlooks now come head to head | Answers in Genesis: https://answersingenesis.org/apologetics/presuppositional-procedure/
The Story of St. Patrick – Learn about Patrick the man. Not the man of legend, who supposedly drove the snakes out of Ireland, but about the man of indomitable faith in Jesus Christ.: https://www.breakpoint.org/the-story-of-st-patrick/
Talking with Your Kids about God – Christian parenting is hard work–and it’s getting harder. Parents have a deep desire to pass on their faith but fear that today’s increasingly skeptical and hostile world will eventually lead their kids to reject the truth of Christianity. That leaves many parents feeling overwhelmed–uncertain of what they can do to help their children, given the difficulty and extent of the faith challenges they will face. Frank interviews author Natasha Crain about her new book a practical and timely resource that gives parents the confidence of knowing what to discuss with their children and how to discuss it in order to facilitate impactful conversations that will form the basis of a lifelong faith.: https://subsplash.com/crossexamined/lb/mi/+jh8bkv7
Here is a random quote (of over 1500) from Nuggets:
If the whole world was against me and God alone was for me, I would have nothing whatsoever to fear. But if the whole world was for me and God Himself was against me, I would be in terror. – Dr. Michael L. Brown
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. Romans 8:28-30
