Ray Comfort's Blog, page 65

It's About Time...

Pic. From Time magazineFor Evangelism Resources, please visit LivingWaters.com.

Welcome to the Atheist Church

"And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be you poor: for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are you that hunger now: for you shall be filled. Blessed are you that weep now: for you shall laugh. Blessed are you, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake" (Luke 6:20-22).

An atheist wrote and said that if I walked into a room and shared what I believed, people would quietly leave. He was right. I saw that happen when I first became a Christian. I screened a surf movie I hade produced back in 1972, to 300 surfers, and then told them that I had a better film to show them. It was a Christian production, and they listened to me talk until I said the name of Jesus. I'm not exaggerating when I say that 150 of them panicked, and left that hall as though they were criminals and I had just mentioned the police. But they were reacting exactly as the Bible says guilty sinners react. Look at this verse:

"And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed" (John 3:19-20).

We are like dirty little cockroaches that scatter when the light is switched on. But the Day is coming when the light of God's Law will fall upon all of humanity. On Judgment Day there will be no offer of mercy, and nowhere to hide.

When Jesus said that the poor were "blessed," He was referring to those who are "poor in spirit." They are the ones who acknowledge that they are destitute of any moral goodness, as apposed to those who insist that they are morally good (most of sinful humanity). These are those who unlike this world, hunger for righteousness. They don't enjoy the sinful pleasures of this world, but rather weep over the wickedness and where it will eventually take this sin-loving world.

The Christian will be hated by this world, but loved by God. Sinners will isolate him and treat him with scorn, but he is comforted by the Holy Spirit. His name will be cast as evil because he belongs to Jesus Christ, but he is accepted in the beloved and by the grace of God, his name is written in the Book of Life. And that's all that really matters in the light of eternity.For Evangelism Resources, please visit LivingWaters.com.

Input for Television Program

I am writing the scripts for Season Five of our television program. The subject for the series is "History-makers." It's about those in history who have changed the world, for better or for worse. Each program will be titled "Adolf Hitler, God and the Bible," "Albert Einstein, God, and the Bible," "Charles Darwin, God, and the Bible" etc., thirteen in all. I have written five, am about to begin on the Charles Darwin script. My mission? I'm out to prove that evolution is true. I want to find undisputed scientific evidence, that doesn't have to be accepted by faith.

Who I should interview (what experts)?
Where could I contact these experts?
What evidence should I look at?
Where can I find it?

This is an opportunity to have input into a program that goes to 70 countries and is on more than 30 networks. There is also a book series involved, so speak up...give it your best shot.

Here's what I am expecting from you. You will come up with nothing, and instead revert to saying "You liar! I don't trust you." "You will twist anything we say!" "Just don't go and interview dumb university students on the subject!" "Go and interview a banana, you jerk."

Disappoint me.For Evangelism Resources, please visit LivingWaters.com.

Chickenhead Two

"For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse..." (Romans 1:20)For Evangelism Resources, please visit LivingWaters.com.

Bring it on, and I will believe...

"Would it be fair to say that as far as you're concerned, when it comes to evolution no evidence could possibly convince you, but when it comes to creationism no evidence is even necessary?" Captain Howdy

Of course I would believe in the theory of evolution, if there was evidence for it taking place. However, most believers in the theory are confused between what is called "micro-evolution" (changes within "kinds"--differing types of dogs and cats, etc., which isn't evolution at all), and Darwinian evolution, for which there is no undisputed empirical evidence.

When I ask for scientific evidence, I usually get three main answers:

1. "Fossils! Although I'm not an expert; I really don't know the details."

2. I am sent lists of bones with unpronounceable names, that are believed to be millions of years old. I don't have the necessary sort of blind faith to believe such things. I want observable evidence.

And 3. There's the citing of bacteria sprouting into bacteria, which has nothing to do with the theory of evolution.

So, give me the real solid evidence, and I will become a believer.

When it comes to creationism, all I need is to see creation. That's the solid observable and undeniable evidence for me.

If you want to call creation "nature," and believe that nature made itself, go ahead. But don't ask me to believe something so obviously unscientific and foolish.For Evangelism Resources, please visit LivingWaters.com.

A Conflict in the Bible?

"From the Bible John 3:13: 'No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven—the Son of Man.' Also from the Bible 2 Kings:2:11 'As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.' Hmmm seems to be a conflict there. Iago

There's no conflict at all. The Tabernacle, spoken of so often in the Book of Hebrews, is an earthly representation of Heaven. As with Heaven, the Tabernacle had three parts to it. The first was the "Courtyard," then "the Holy Place," and finally "the Holy of Holies." If anyone entered the Holy of Holies (the very presence of God and the Ark of the Covenant) he would be instantly killed by the Justice of God because of his personal sins. There had to be a blood sacrifice to provide a temporary covering for his sin. The high priest, God's chosen mediator with His people, could only enter that area once a year, on a prescribed day called "the Day of Atonement."

So anyone who died before the redemptive work of the Savior (the shedding of His blood on the cross), didn't go into the presence of God in Heaven, but into the part of Heaven called "Paradise" (see Luke 23:43). If you study the death of Lazarus (Luke 16:20-31) you will see that he went to "Abraham's Bosom" (another name for Paradise). The Apostle Paul spoke of actually seeing Paradise (see 2 Corinthians 12:2-4).

A thick curtain separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies. The Temple in Jerusalem was a replica of the tabernacle, having a massive 60 foot high, 30 foot wide, 4 inch thick curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies. The moment Jesus cried "It is finished," that curtain ripped "from the top to the bottom" (see Mark 15:38). The tearing of it from the top down, meant this act must have come from above, signifying that God Himself had provided a way for sinners to enter His presence, and thus live forever.

Each of those who entered Paradise didn't go there because they were good people. They were sinners who were saved by the grace and mercy of God, through the simplicity of faith (trust). They trusted that God would eventually provide a Savior, so that their sins could be completely forgiven (you can read all about this in Hebrews 11).

So Elijah would have gone into the first heaven (Paradise) until Jesus completed His redemptive work. Nowadays, all who die in Christ (trusting in His shed blood) go straight into the presence of God. Their sins are forever forgiven.For Evangelism Resources, please visit LivingWaters.com.

American Atheists do it Again...

Thanks to my generous friends at American Atheists, Inc., even more people are talking about the Christmas message this year. The organization spent $20,000 to get people, reasoning, thinking, and talking about God.

American Atheists, Inc., (God bless them) are very generous people. In April of 2001, at their expense, they flew me 3,000 miles from California to Florida to speak at their annual convention. They kindly put me in a luxury hotel, gave me a large fruit basket, let me preach the entire gospel, and also allowed me to make my books available to their people.

So let's support their efforts, and pray that people who see their signs asking them to "reason," don't just accept things in blind faith.

Each of us needs to go further than just having an intellectual "belief" about God. We need to repent and trust the Savior; then we will come to know Him and be assured of everlasting life.

Reason is a good thing. God Himself speaks of reasoning with this sinful world:

"'Come now, and let us reason together,' Says the Lord, 'Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow...'" (Isaiah 1:18).

So be reasonable. Repent and trust in the Savior today, and on Judgment Day you will be as pure as the driven Christmas snow.

P.s. Maybe the American Atheists, Inc., would take a little advice from a little Kiwi, so that their billboard text would be more meaningful this Christmas. I would just add two words at the beginning.

Atheistic evolution: "You KNOW it's a Myth. This Season, Celebrate REASON!"For Evangelism Resources, please visit LivingWaters.com.

Welcome to the Atheist Church

"And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases; And they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed. And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all" (Luke 5:17-19).

The skeptic says that Christianity is "a catch-22." This phrase was coined by Joseph Heller in his novel Catch-22. It is in reference to "a logical paradox arising from a situation in which an individual needs something that can only be acquired by not being in that very situation." They level that Christianity is "You have to first believe before you believe." But that's not true. It is rather "You have to trust before you discover something is true." If you doubt that a plane could fly you, the way to see if it can is to take a step of faith and get into it. Your doubts would disappear the moment it flies.

The issue with planes has little bearing on life. But the issue with Christianity has everything to do with where you will spend eternity.

The multitude sought to touch Jesus. This was because the people that touched Him were healed of their diseases. Of course, any good skeptic would have stood back and done what skeptics do best. He would have been skeptical. However, those skeptics who wanted to find truth merely had to press in and touch Him to experience the "virtue" (power) that flowed out of Him.

So skeptic, do what the multitude did. Reach out and touch the Lord. There's the gauntlet. Repent and trust in Him and the power will flow into you. The same power that touched sinners in Thessalonica 2,000 years ago is open to you today:

"For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance..." (1 Thessalonians 1:5).For Evangelism Resources, please visit LivingWaters.com.

Pig Out...

"If I were God I'd take it as a bit of a slap in the face that you'd single out one day to thank me. Yeah, all your prayers count and all but everyday should be Thanksgiving Day. Every waking second should be devoted to worship, every word out of your mouth should be solely about God. You should sleep no more than three hours a night and eat no more than a piece of bread a day. You should be beggars for God, instead you indulge in the meat of a dead animal, call yourself a Christian?" Andy Duchemin

This is what convinces me that God's hand is on you. You are beginning to see what God requires of each of us, because the work of the Law is written on your heart (see Romans chapter 2). In other words, you have a God-given conscience that tells you exactly what is wanted of you.

Of course He requires more than the one day a year that we call "Thanksgiving." The essence of the First of the Ten Commandments ("You shall have no other gods before Me"), isn't simply that we set aside one day each year to thank Him. It commands that we love God with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength, and that we love every other person as much as we love ourselves. It goes even deeper than that. God requires that all other affections--for mother, father, brother, sister, husband, wife, etc., should seem like hated, compared to the love we have for the God that gave them and our own life to us.

And how do we live up to that Commandment? Do we love God that much. No. We give God one day a year. We use His holy name as a cuss word, and there are even some who show such contempt for Him, that they deny the reality of His existence, calling "creation" another word, so that they are not intellectually obligated to acknowledge a Creator. However, God doesn't require an intellectual acknowledgement of His existence. He requires absolute obedience to His moral Law. The above is only one of the Ten Commandments.

Every one of us fall infinitely short of all of the Ten Commandments. We are unthankful and ungrateful, blasphemous, sin-loving, enemies of God, who are under His just wrath. But He is rich in mercy, will freely forgive all who repent and trust in Jesus Christ, and grant them everlasting life.

So when you point your finger at a Christian and judge him for falling short of God's Law, you are also judging and condemning yourself. That's what Romans 2 addresses. As for eating food; the Bible says that He gives His beloved sleep, and He gave us all things to richly enjoy. So get right with God, kill the fatted calf, indulge yourself, and go and have a good old snooze.For Evangelism Resources, please visit LivingWaters.com.

Happy Thanksgiving

Today is the day that Americans celebrate "Thanksgiving." Most will gladly give thanks to where it is due--to God; for life, for health, for loved ones, and for liberty. A few though will gather for a Thanksgiving feast and thank no one. This is because they believe that they are beholden to no one. They think that they are the product of blind chance, mere apes, cousins of bananas, with no purpose in life, not knowing their origin, or their eternal destiny.

Nevertheless, I thank God for the faithful Atheists that frequent Atheist Central, and I pray that despite their ingratitude, He continues to give them life and health.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you who live in the United States, and to those of you in other countries, may God continue to bless you also, and give you health.

Pic. Grateful Pilgrims begin a three-day feast, starting on December 13, 1621, to thank God and to celebrate with their Indian friends.For Evangelism Resources, please visit LivingWaters.com.