Ray Comfort's Blog, page 40

The cost of our rescue

Around 800 years BC the Psalmist penned the words, "If You, Lord, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, that You may be feared" Psalms 130:3-4 (NKJV).  The forgiveness we have in Christ should be coupled with fear. However, it sounds a little strange to be fearful once we are forgiven.  When we repent and trust in Jesus, we have God's smile and not His frown. His wrath has passed over us.  We were once enemies of God in our minds through wicked works, but now we are called "friends."  We can say "Abba Father," so what's with the need to fear?              Assumedly, Peter was there when Jesus was crucified. Maybe he didn't stand with John and Mary at the foot of the cross, but rather he stood afar off with the other disciples who fled when Jesus was arrested. Perhaps he watched as the nails were driven into the feet and the hands of the Son of God and saw the precious blood gush from His flesh. Maybe he heard Him cry "Father forgive them for they know not what they do."  We hear about the cross, but those who stood around it were eye-witnesses to its unspeakable horror. They saw Him suffer. Couple that with the fact that He was the innocent Lamb of God and that it was for our sins that He suffered, and it produces a sobering fear.
Richard Gunther sent me the story of a child who was ashamed that his mother's face was scarred. One day he asked her why she was so horribly scarred, and found out that it happened when she rescued him from a burning building.  The terrible scars were there because of her love for him.  That was the price she paid to hold her child in her arms.
The cost of our rescue from the power of sin and death was the shedding of the blood of Jesus Christ. That's why Peter says, "And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear; knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot" (1 Peter 1:17-19).
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Have an answer

Peter was the one who was on the Mount and Transfiguration, heard the voice of God, and saw the glorified Christ. He was the one who stood up on the Day of Pentecost and boldly preached the gospel to those who had a hand in the murder of the Messiah. He's the one who preached the gospel to a crowd that gathered after God performed a miracle on a man who was lame from his birth. He had proven that he was always ready to preach the words of everlasting life, and he was the one who exhorted us to always be ready to preach Christ: "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asks you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear" ( 1 Peter 3;15).

The Psalmist touched on the key to having answers for the skeptics that surround us. He said, "So shall I have an answer for him who reproaches me, for I trust in Your word" (Psalm 119:42, NKJV). If we trust in the Word of God and we will have an answer for those who enquire of our faith. The Bible is sufficient to answer every difficult question this unbelieving world may throw at us. Has someone a question about suffering, creation, the nature of God, the state of the world, the afterlife and a thousand and one other issues? If we trust in the Word of God, we will have an answer. It may not be the answer that the skeptic is wanting, but it is the truth and that's what matters, and that is sufficient for those who are truly seeking it.

To be continued.For Evangelism Resources, please visit LivingWaters.com.

New man in Christ

From the giving of the Holy Spirit on Day of Pentecost Peter was a new man in Christ. The old impetuous and Christ-denying Peter passed away, and the new man made in the image of the Savior, emerged.  He now had the Comforter living within him, and mind of Christ. 
When we come to Jesus, our old vices and ingrained character flaws fall away.  The fruit of the Spirit begins emerge and give us love for our enemies, peace in the midst of spiritual warfare, joy in persecution, patience in tribulation, goodness in the face of evil, a gentleness in dealing with sinners, a meekness when provoked, temperance in a world of excess, an a faith that pleases God and can move mountains. These traits of the character of God help us make it through life's painful pitfalls, into which the godless so often fall. They are overwhelmed with the destructive nature of bitterness, intemperance and anger.
              But even though we have the Holy Spirit living within us, we still have the conflict of the old nature that we are to "reckon dead." Even though Peter was a new man in Christ, he still battled what the Scriptures call "the flesh." Paul had to rebuke him publically, because he played the hypocrite and ate with Gentiles Christians but withdrew from them when Jews arrived. However, by the time he penned the epistles of Peter we see a more mature man of God. He was growing in Christ, and it's been well-said that the branch that has the most fruit, bends the most.  Later in life we see a lowly, humble and mature Peter.  
To be continued.
For Evangelism Resources, please visit LivingWaters.com.

Peter: Impetuous

I identify with Peter. Without too much thought, I'm quick to try and walk on water, and sometimes my shallow thinking gets me into hot water. That's why I surround myself with godly people. I bounce ideas off those I respect because there's wisdom in the multitude of counselors. What may seem like a great idea is sometimes seen to be a disaster, when someone else gives another perspective.

If you have to make an important decision, make sure that you get godly counsel. You want to be sure that Jesus is with you so that if you begin to sink, you can take hold of His hand. I have to also say that I love Peter's thoughtless faith. It makes no sense to step onto water, but he did. He is the only person (besides Jesus) in the entire human race to have the amazing experience of walking on water. I don't know what the consensus would have been from the other 11 disciples if he had asked for a show of hands as to who thought it would be a good idea to step out of the boat. In this case he didn't need to hear from the disciples, because he had heard from Jesus.

There is one area that you can be sure that you have heard from Jesus. He has told you to step out into the waters of evangelism (see Mark 16:15), and He promises to be with you as you reach out to the lost (see Matthew 28:19-20). Don't listen to your fears. Step out today and do something out of the natural realm, before you change your mind and do nothing.

For Evangelism Resources, please visit LivingWaters.com.

God on the throne

God began the conversation with Job by asking, "Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?" (Job 38:2). The New Living Translation translates that as "Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words?" And truly ignorant we are and what delusions of grandeur we have, when we stand over Almighty God in moral judgment.

The amazing thing is that God didn't address any of Job's questions about why He allowed him to suffer so horribly. He asked him another seventy, none of which he could answer, and Job's reaction was to say, "Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer you? I will lay my hand upon my mouth" (Job 40:4). Then he added, "I have heard of you by the hearing of the ear: but now my eye sees you. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes" (Job 42:4-5).

When we take a sinner through the Ten Commandments, he is given a "Job" experience. Before this happens, he is deceived into thinking that he is morally virtuous, and so thinks nothing of standing in judgment over his Creator, particularly when he sees suffering. The accusing sinner's inference in asking "Why does God allow suffering?" is that He is morally obligated to humanity, and His inaction in the face of suffering is reprehensible. The sinner sees God as the criminal, puts Him in the dock, and judges Him as guilty. Case closed.

But the moral Law opens the case again, and it gives him his own personal encounter with God. It shows him that he is the vile one, and so he lays his hand upon his sinful mouth and says with Job, "I have heard of you by the hearing of the ear: but now my eye sees you. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes." The reason the Law was given was "to stop every mouth, and leave the whole world guilty before God" (Romans 3:19). The accusing self-righteous sinner suddenly sees that he has a multitude of sins and that God is perfect and holy. It gives him moral perspective. The Law puts the sinner in the dock and God on the throne. But more importantly, when it comes to evangelism, it prepares the sinner's heart for the mercy of the cross.

To be continued.

For Evangelism Resources, please visit LivingWaters.com.

Dealing with King Saul

If you are "living godly in Christ Jesus" you are going to be persecuted.  As an evangelistic Christian, you will have enemies, but always keep in mind that the Bible says that our enemies are spiritual (see Ephesians 6:12). We don't wrestle against flesh and blood but against a very real demonic world. Satan hates you and has a rotten plan for your life, and you will have times when you are hounded by the enemy, as David was hounded by King Saul.
Like David, you may find yourself fleeing from your own family and hiding out in some cave--you will feel like life is cold, hard and without comfort.  The enemy wants to make you bitter at those who persecute you, but don't go there. Be like David when it came to his attitude to king Saul. Never harbor resentment against anybody, not matter how they treat you. The enemy doesn't get victory through the trials that come your way.  He gets victory if you get bitter through them.
Therefore pray for those who persecute you, and keep in mind that attacks will almost always come from where you least expect it. Friendly-fire is just as destructive enemy-fire.  It hurts a little more when you've been shot in the back by those who you thought were on your side.  When I'm persecuted for Christ, I pray for the persecutor and I often send him or her a gift basket.  If it's something horrible and I feel like crumbling, I instead go somewhere private and I leap for joy. That's what Jesus said to do (see Luke 6:22-24), and so I do it. I physically leap for joy. Try it. It will probably make you laugh.  It shows that despite being in a lion's den, you trust God.
To be continued...
For Evangelism Resources, please visit LivingWaters.com.

Know your Friends

When Jesus said to "pluck" out the sinning eye, obviously He didn't mean to physically mutilate the body.  It is rather a statement of hyperbole to help us understand that the sin of lust isn't your friend; it's your deadly enemy. He then said that after you have plucked it out, to cast it from you. In other words don't leave it lying around where you can put it back in. That's what David should have done when he first eyed Bathsheba. But he didn't, because he didn't fear God.
The Bible tells us that it is through the fear of the Lord and men depart from sin, and it's because of a love for sin that men depart from the fear of the Lord.
Look at how the commandments are tied in with the fear of God:
"The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.  More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.  Moreover by them Your servant is warned, and in keeping them there is great reward" (Psalm 19:8-1).
So Strive to be like the Psalmist, who said, "My flesh trembles for fear of You, and I am afraid of Your judgment" (Psalm 119:120), and make a habit you will never regret—soak your soul in Holy Scripture. Read the Bible daily--so that you maintain the scriptural revelation of the true nature of your Creator.  Miss your food, sleep, and drink, rather than miss even one day of reading the Word of God.   
To be continued...
For Evangelism Resources, please visit LivingWaters.com.

Hitler, God & the Bible

Owing to pressing commitments for radio interviews for his new book, Ray won't be posting until Monday 13th.

"A must read for everybody. A big eye-opener. I heavily recommend it." Rita Cosby
Review:

"So eager was I to read this book (I'm a major Ray Comfort fan), that I read it over dinner one evening, turning pages with one hand while using a fork at a local Bavarian restaurant with the other. Comfort, a keen observer of worldview in the teeming masses that bob and weave through our culture, has not only penned what I feel is an extraordinary book … but he also hints that this is the first in a series! And that sums it up quite well. With Hitler, God & the Bible, Ray Comfort has launched what I hope will be a hugely successful series. This is a book without weakness. From the superb, succinct research and writing, to the elegant production values of this slim volume, readers have received a real gift. Hitler, God & the Bible is already on pace to become my Book of the Year."

Available here.


For Evangelism Resources, please visit LivingWaters.com.

It Takes Two

It's important to understand that temptation isn't sin. If your eyes fall upon a woman and in a split second you are tempted to lust but turn away, you haven't sinned. Jesus was tempted to sin, but didn't. Not once.  And He is our example. We are to imitate Him, and the key to His victory over sin was that He feared God (see Hebrews 5:7). Do you fear God? If you are not sure, you will find the answer in what you do with lust. Spurgeon said,
"We cannot help the birds flying over our heads, but we may keep them from building their nests in our hair. Vain thoughts will knock at the door, but we must not open to them. Though sinful thoughts rise, they must not reign. He who turns a morsel over and over in his mouth does so because he likes the flavor, and he who meditates upon evil loves it and is ripe to commit it."
It takes two to tango. Bathsheba needs your cooperation or there's no tango. Notice that Scripture addresses where the dance starts—"Do not lust after her beauty in your heart." It's in the human heart that the spark starts the fire.  It is the eye that gives access to the heart and to your precious soul. Again, Jesus warned that it would be better to be blind than to let lust find its murderous way into your heart and take you to Hell (see Matthew 5:27-30). He said to pluck out your eye if it causes you to sin sexually, and these sobering words of warning give us insight into how wicked and serious this sin is in there eyes of God. 
To be continued...
For Evangelism Resources, please visit LivingWaters.com.

Make no Provisions

Like David, sinners are idolaters. The only image of God to which they bow, is the one of their own making, and that congenial god isn't to be feared. It is a "dumb idol" and therefore it has no sense of justice and no moral dictate. It doesn't say, "You have heard that it was said to those of old, 'You shall not commit adultery.' But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matthew 5:27-28).
Jesus is quoting the Seventh Commandment, and in doing so He tells us that the Law is "spiritual," reminding us that God "requires truth in the inwards parts." Our Creator sees the thought-life and tells us that every time we lust, we commit adultery in the heart. Think then of the serious nature of looking with lust. Every time we do it, we are committing adultery. We are sinning as much as King David sinned when he took another man's wife and slept her.
That should scare the daylights out of us and help us to guide our sin-loving eyes. That should help us to rid our minds of our own concept of what God is like. If we see our Creator as He is revealed in Scripture, we should tremble and fall on our faces in fear.  That's what it means to bow to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. The moment you surrendered to Him as Lord, you said "Not my will, but yours be done." That means you only look at, touch, hear, and think about that which is pleasing to Him:  "But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts" (Romans 13:14).
To be continued...

For Evangelism Resources, please visit LivingWaters.com.