The word “seek” appears in KJV some 233 times. It is translated from the Greek word ekzeteo which means “to search out, investigate, worshipfully crave, seek after carefully.”

This is the manner in which we come to the Lord – we seek Him out.

I’ve never met anyone who came to salvation accidentally, or someone who came to know the Lord that wasn’t seeking the truth when they found Him. If a person doesn’t want to find the truth, he won’t.

There are those of us who may have found Him by trying to disprove He is, but the only way to accomplish that is to first investigate Him, search Him out, seek Him, and see if He is there.

If one is diligent in his search and honest in his investigation, God promises that search will be rewarded by God.

There is no greater reward in return for effort expended than to find that which one is seeking, whether it is a a lost set of car keys, a buried treasure – or the truth of God’s existence.

And that knowledge is the reward that is offered here.

A lot of time that I could be putting to better use is wasted trying to convince people by sharing the results of my own diligent investigation which convinced me that there is an eternal God to Whom we are all accountable for our sins.

I forget oftentimes that I am unable to be diligent on behalf of the disinterested. I cannot seek God on behalf of someone else, no matter how hard I try.

I cannot make someone else seek God either, no matter how much I hover over them with my Bible.

There is an old saying that “you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink.” If you tried to make him drink you’d drown him.

Either that, or that horse would never trust you around water again.

I’ve done that with my Bible. Someone will seem (to me) to show an interest in spiritual things, and I’ll immediately charge in with the Sword of the Lord.

And I will stay in there, thrusting and parrying, long after my opponent has asked to withdraw without yielding the field.

I led them to the Water of Life – whereupon I tried to drown them in it.

They’ll not get too close to the edge again with me around.

“Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.” (Matthew 7:6)
One of the most discouraging aspects of one-on-one evangelism is feeling that you’ve let God down by not seizing every opportunity to witness to someone.

I’ve personally never led anyone to Christ who wasn’t already looking for Him.

Not once have I ever emerged from one of those adversarial debates over Scripture and God feeling victorious in the sense my opponent suddenly fell to his knees and prayed for salvation.

That is not to say that it doesn’t happen – I’ve just never seen it. I’ve seen people come to salvation, but I’ve never witnessed anyone unwillingly dragged to the altar that experienced genuine regeneration.

To please God, one must believe that He is. But to discover that He is, one must first be seeking Him.

We can plant the seeds – but generally what we harvest was what was planted by others. There are a couple of ways to plant a seed.

One can plant it in fertile ground that has been prepared to receive it. Or one can throw it against the same fertile ground and hope it will germinate and take root.

In either case, whether or not it will grow is, in the final analysis, up to the Lord of the Harvest and not to the planter.

Farmers plant crops that fail all the time. And squirrels plant trees all the time. It’s obvious that a seed planted in fertile ground that has been prepared to receive it has a much better chance of germinating.

The point is that it is up to us to try to plant the seed in fertile ground prepared to receive it and in the right season. Planting in the wrong season just kills the seed and needlessly exhausts the sower. (Toss some seed corn into the snow in your backyard and let me know what you harvest.)

The Great Commission commands us to go and make disciples of all nations, and the only way to accomplish that is to share the Good News.

But trying to beat the Good News into them doesn’t make disciples. It makes more determined adversaries.
“Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.” (Matthew 7:12)

By Jack Kinsella

“Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven” (Mt. 6:10).

Why that prayer if we are already in God’s kingdom with Satan bound, as John Calvin taught and Reconstructionists claim today? Could a world of rampantevil really be what God wills? Surely not!

“Wait a minute!” someone counters. “Are you suggesting that our omnipotent God is unable to effect His will upon earth? What heresy is this! Paul clearly says that God ‘worketh all things after the counsel ofhis own will’ ( Eph 1:11).”

Yes. But the Bible itself contains many examples of men defying God’s will and disobeying Him. God laments,

“I have nourished and brought up children, and they have rebelled against me” (Isa 1:2).

The sacrifices they offer Him and their evil lives are obviously not according to His will. We are told that “the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected for themselves the counsel of God” (Lk 7:30). Christ’s statement in Matthew 7:21 shows clearly that everyone doesn’t always do God’s will. That is implied also in Isaiah 65:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:17-19; Hebrews 10:36; 1 Peter 2:15; 1 John 2:17 and many other scriptures. In fact, Ephesians 1:11 doesn’t say that everything that happens is according to God’s will, but according to “the counsel” of His will. Clearly the counsel of God’s will has given man freedom to disobey Him. There is no other explanation for sin.

Yet in his zeal to protect God’s sovereignty from any challenge, A. W. Pink argues earnestly,

“God fore-ordains everything which comes to pass….God initiates all things, regulates all things….”1

Edwin H. Palmer agrees:

“God is in back of everything. He decides and causes all things to happen that do happen….He has foreordained everything ‘after the counsel of his will’ (Eph 1:11): the moving of a finger…the mistake of a typist — even sin.”2

Right here we confront a vital distinction. It is one thing for God, in His sovereignty and without diminishing that sovereignty, to give man the power to rebel against Him. This would open the door for sin as solely man’s responsibility by a free choice. It is something entirely different for God to control everything to such an extent that He must effectively cause man to sin.

It is a fallacy to imagine that for God to be in control of His universe He must therefore foreordain and initiate everything. Thus He causes sin, then punishes the sinner. To justify this view, it is argued that “God is under no obligation to extend His grace to those whom He predestines to eternal judgment.” In fact, however, obligation has no relationship to grace.

It actually diminishes God’s sovereignty to suggest that He cannot use to His own purposes what He doesn’t foreordain and originate. There is neither logical nor biblical reason why a sovereign God by His own sovereign design could not allow creatures made in His image the freedom of genuine moral choice. And there are compelling reasons why He would do so.

Many an atheist (or sincere seeker who is troubled by evil and suffering) throws in our faces,

“You claim your God is all-powerful. Then why doesn’t He stop evil and suffering? If He could and doesn’t, He’s a monster; if He can’t, then He isn’t all-powerful!”

The atheist thinks he has us cornered.

The answer involves certain things which God cannot do.

But God is infinite in power, so there must be nothing He can’t do! Really? The very fact that He is infinite in power means He cannot fail. There is much else which finite beings do all the time but which the infinite, absolutely sovereign God cannot do because He is God: lie, cheat, steal, sin, be mistaken, etc. In fact, much else that God cannot do is vital for us to understand in meeting challenges from skeptics.

Tragically, there are many sincere questions which most Christians can’t answer. Few parents have taken the time to think through the many intellectual and theological challenges their children increasingly face, challenges for which today’s youth find no answers from so many pulpits and Sunday-school lessons. As a result, growing numbers of those raised in evangelical homes and churches are abandoning the “faith” they never adequately understood.

Is sovereignty and power the cure-all? Many Christians superficially think so. Yet there is much for which sovereignty and power are irrelevant. God acts not only sovereignly, but in love, grace, mercy, kindness, justice and truth. His sovereignty is exercised only in perfect harmony with all of His other attributes.

There is much that God cannot do, not in spite of who He is, but because of who He is. Even Augustine, described as the first of the early so-called Church Fathers who “taught the absolute sovereignty of God,”3 declared,

“Wherefore, He cannot do some things for the very reason that He is omnipotent.”4

Because of His absolute holiness, it is impossible for God to do evil, to cause others to do evil or even to entice anyone into evil:

“Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted, neither tempteth he any man…” (James 1:13-14).

But what about the many places in Scripture where it says God tempted someone or was tempted? For example,

“God did tempt Abraham” (Gen 22:1).

The Hebrew word there and throughout the Old Testament is nacah, which means to test or prove, as in assaying the purity of a metal. It has nothing to do with tempting to sin. God was testing Abraham’s faith and obedience.

If God cannot be tempted, why is Israel warned,

“Ye shall not tempt the LORD your God” (Deut 6:16)?

We are even told that at Massah, in demanding water,

“they tempted the Lord, saying, Is the LORD among us or not?” (Ex 17:7).

Later they “tempted God in their heart by asking meat for their lust… they said, Can God furnish a table in the wilderness? Yea…they provoked the most high” (Ps 78:18, 56, 41).

God was not being tempted to do evil, He was being provoked, thus His patience was being tested. Instead of waiting upon Him obediently to meet their needs, His people were demanding that He use His power to give them what they wanted to satisfy their lusts. Their “temptation” of God was a blasphemous challenge forcing Him either to give in to their desire or to punish them for rebellion.

When Jesus was “tempted of the devil” to cast himself from the pinnacle of the temple to prove the promise that angels would bear Him up in their hands, He quoted,

“Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God” (Mat 4:1-11).

In other words, to put ourselves deliberately in a place where God must act to protect us is tempting Him.

James goes on to say,

“but every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed.”

Temptation to evil does not come from without but from within. The man who could not possibly be “tempted” to be dishonest in business may succumb to the temptation to commit adultery and thus be dishonest with his wife. It is said that “every man has his price.”

God was not tempting Adam and Eve to sin when He told them not to eat of a particular tree. Eve was tempted by her own lust and selfish desire. Even in innocence man could be selfish and disobedient. We see this in young infants who as yet presumably don’t know the difference between right and wrong.

Additionally, there are a number of other things which God cannot do. God cannot deny Himself or contradict Himself. He cannot change. He cannot go back on His Word. Specifically in relationship to mankind, there are some things God cannot do which are very important to understand and to explain to others. One of the most fundamental concepts (and least understood by “religious” people) is this: He cannot forgive sin without the penalty being paid and accepted by man.

Are we saying that in spite of His sovereignty and infinite power God cannot forgive whomever He wills, He cannot simply wipe their slate clean in the heavenly record? Exactly: He cannot, because He is also perfectly just.

“So are you suggesting,” some complain, “that God wants to save all mankind but lacks the power to do so? It is a denial of God’s omnipotence and sovereignty if there is anything He desires but can’t accomplish.”

In fact, omnipotence and sovereignty are irrelevant with regard to forgiveness.

Christ in the Garden the night before the cross cried out,

“O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me…” (Mat 26:39).

Surely if it had been possible to provide salvation any other way, the Father would have allowed Christ to escape the excruciating physical sufferings of the cross and the infinite spiritual agony of enduring the penalty His perfect justice had pronounced upon sin. But even for the omnipotent God there was no other way. It is important that we clearly explain this biblical and logical truth when we present the gospel.

Suppose a judge has before him a son, a daughter or other loved one found guilty of multiple murders by the jury. In spite of his love, the judge must uphold the penalty demanded by the law. Love cannot nullify justice. The only way God could forgive sinners and remain just would be for Christ to pay the penalty for sin (Rom 3:21-28)

There are two other matters of vital importance in relation to man’s salvation which God cannot do: He cannot force anyone to love Him; and He cannot force anyone to accept a gift. By the very nature of love and giving, man must have the power to choose. The reception of God’s love and of the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ can only be by an act of man’s free will.

Some argue that if it were God’s will for all men to be saved, the fact that all are not saved would mean that God’s will would be frustrated and His sovereignty overturned by men. It is also argued that if man can say yes or no to Christ, he has the final say in his salvation and his will is stronger than God’s will:

“The heresy of free will dethrones God and enthrones man.”5

There is nothing in either the Bible or logic to suggest that God’s sovereignty requires man to be powerless to make a real choice, moral or otherwise.

Giving man the power to make a genuine, independent choice does not diminish God’s control over His universe. Being omnipotent and omniscient, God certainly could so arrange circumstances as to keep man’s rebellion from frustrating His purposes. In fact, God could even use man’s free will to help fulfill His own plans and thereby be even more glorified.

God’s grand design from the foundation of the world to bestow upon man the Gift of His love precludes any ability to force that Gift upon any of His creatures. Both love and gifts of any kind must be received. Force perverts the transaction.

The fact that God cannot fail, lie, sin, change or deny Himself does not in the least diminish His sovereignty. Nor is He any the less sovereign because He cannot force anyone to love Him or to receive the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. And from man’s side, the reverse limitation prevails: there is nothing anyone can do to merit or earn either love or a gift. They must be given freely from God’s heart without any reason other than love, mercy and grace.

Wonderfully, in His sovereign grace, God has so constituted man and has so designed a gift that man may receive it voluntarily by an act of his will and respond in love to God’s love. Someone has said,

“The free-will of man is the most marvelous of the Creator’s works.”6

The power of choice opens the door to something wonderful beyond comprehension: genuine fellowship between God and man for eternity. Without a free will man could not receive the gift of eternal life, thus God could not give it to him.

Pusey points out that…

“Without free-will, man would be inferior to the lower animals, which have a sort of limited freedom of choice….It would be self-contradictory, that Almighty God should create a free agent capable of loving Him, without also being capable of rejecting His love…without free-will we could not freely love God. Freedom is a condition of love.”7

It is the power of genuine choice from man’s own heart and will which God has sovereignly given him that enables God to love man and for man to receive that love and to love God in return “because he first loved us” (1 Jn 4:19). It is impossible that the power of choice could challenge God’s sovereignty since it is God’s sovereignty which has bestowed this gift upon man and set the conditions for both loving and giving.

Suggesting that God would be lacking in “power” (thus denying His sovereignty) if He offered salvation and some rejected it is missing the point. Power and love do not belong in the same discussion. In fact, of the many things which we have seen that God cannot do, a lack of “power” is not the reason for any of them, nor is His sovereignty mitigated in the least by any of these.

Thus for mankind to have been given by God the power to choose to love Him or not and to receive or to reject the free gift of salvation, far from denying God’s sovereignty, is to admit what God’s sovereignty itself has lovingly and wonderfully provided.

May we willingly respond from the heart to His love with our love, and in gratitude for His great gift proclaim the good news to others.

By Dave Hunt

Mayan Calendar Ends. Dec. 21, 2012

By way of introduction, somehow the Mayans knew that the Sun travels in an orbit through the galaxy just like the planets of our solar system travel in an orbit around the Sun. They calculated that it requires 26,625 of our years for the Sun to complete one circle, called a galactic day. The Mayans divided this day into 5 cycles of 5125 years each. According to their calendar the current cycle, which is the 5th, will end on the day we know as Dec. 21, 2012, the winter solstice.

The Mayan Calendar does not necessarily predict the world will end on that day, as some think, but they did believe that the Sun, having reached the exact center of the galaxy, would receive and emit a powerful surge of light from this alignment and would reverse its polarity. This would cause a great cosmic event on Earth and result in the end of life as we know it. Below are some modern confirmations that will demonstrate how startlingly accurate the Mayans were. They lend more credibility to the view that the influence of the Nephilim with their supernatural knowledge might have been much more widespread than previously thought. Hints of their meddling can be seen world wide.

According to the Mayans, the effect of all this will depend on our reaction to it. If, as a civilization, we try to cling to our current ways we’ll suffer chaos and destruction. But if we change to become united in one positive consciousness and stop fighting each other and poisoning our environment we’ll enter our Golden Age. Sounds straight out of the New Age, doesn’t it?

Magnetic Polar Reversal, Earth and Sun Combined. 2012

I watched as he opened the sixth seal. There was a great earthquake. The sun turned black like sackcloth made of goat hair, the whole moon turned blood red, and the stars in the sky fell to earth, as late figs drop from a fig tree when shaken by a strong wind. The sky receded like a scroll, rolling up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place (Rev. 6:12-14).

Over the past few years the magnetic North pole has been drifting across Canada and is headed for Siberia. Also, the Earth’s magnetic field has weakened noticeably when compared to its strength when scientists began measuring it in 1845. Based on these findings, some scientists are now convinced that a reversal of the Earth’s magnetic poles is underway. They’re predicting that in 2012 the magnetic field will be at its weakest and a polar reversal could suddenly and dramatically take place with the North pole having the polarity of the South pole and vice versa.

In 2012 the Sun will also experience a polar reversal producing radiation emissions at their strongest levels in 50 years. Although the Sun’s magnetic poles reverse every eleven years, in the memory of man the Earth has never experienced such an event. While no one can predict the outcome of this double shift, it could produce massive earthquakes and volcanic eruptions of a magnitude that could actually cause a measurable continental shift.

A study by the National Academy of Sciences released in early 2009 indicated that a “solar storm” like this could also cause catastrophic damage to the power grid and other communications as well, knocking out satellites, phones, and computers. They confirmed that the 2012 event would be more severe than others we’ve experienced in the past.

If this reversal caused the magnetic field around Earth to collapse, the effect would be even more severe. According to some projections, the electromagnetic energy released from the sun during a polar reversal could cause Earth’s upper atmosphere to “erupt in flames” if our magnetic field isn’t there to deflect it. Was John referring to this in saying the sky vanished like a scroll being rolled up? No one knows. We can only imagine what a sudden reversal of magnetic poles would do to life on Earth. Predictions range all the way from a temporary increase in the frequency and severity of volcanic eruptions and earthquakes to a worldwide disaster of “Biblical proportions.”

Galactic Alignment. Sun at the Center of the Milky Way. Dec. 21, 2012

Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake (Rev. 8:5).

The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs (Psalm 114:4).

In December 2012 the Sun will reach the exact center of the Milky Way Galaxy, as the Mayans predicted, with all the planets lined up in their orbits behind it, like little chicks behind their mother. Some scientists believe this will amplify the Sun’s gravitational pull on Earth causing increased instability in its inner core. They say the increased gravitational pull combined with increased radiation from the twin polar reversals will heat the Earth’s molten core and cause it to spin faster. This could result in anything from more frequent and more powerful earthquakes to volcanic eruptions, great tsunamis and even displacement of the Earth’s crust.

Planet X Returns to the Solar System. 2012

The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea. A third of the sea turned into blood, a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.

The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water- the name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter (Rev. 8:8-11).

Planet X has been the subject of much debate among scientists, both as to its actual existence and its name. Some refer to Planet X as Nibiru, a large planet listed in 5000 year old Sumerian tablets, but missing from the Solar system today. Others say it’s Rahab, the ancient seat of Satan, hinted at in Job 9:13 & 26:12, Psalm 87:4 & 89:10, and in Isaiah 30:7 & 51:9. Those who advocate for its existence say it’s been privately tracked by NASA since the 1980’s and both the New York Times and the Washington Post have speculated about its appearance in the sky. Documented naked eye sightings from the Southern Hemisphere are also claimed.

The name Rahab appears in the Old Testament a total of 11 times. Five times it refers to the Rahab of Jericho who hid the 2 spies, was the mother of Boaz, and appears in the Lord’s genealogy. The other six times, listed above, it does not. Some believe these other references are to a planet that was once part of our Solar system and that Satan and his followers inhabited along with Earth and Mars. These people disagree as to whether it was originally our 5th or 6th planet, but supposedly these three planets were judged at the time of Satan’s rebellion in the gap between Genesis 1 :1 & 1:2 . They also disagree as to whether it was completely destroyed leaving only the asteroid belt as a memorial, or was sent spinning out into the far reaches of the universe, or some combination of the two. Proponents of the partial destruction theory say that the remnant of the planet Rahab can now be seen again, and that God will use it to effect some of the judgments of Revelation.

To many, this idea of Satan’s Kingdom planet re-entering our solar system is wild conjecture. After all, they say, it was developed out of a study combining the apocryphal Book of Enoch with the application of ELS (Equi-distant Letter Sequencing), commonly known as the Bible Codes. But if we’re as close to the end as I think we are, it won’t be long until we know whether the Rahab theories are truth or fiction. For what it’s worth, some believe Nostradamus predicted a comet/planet coming in 2012.

In any case, whether you call it X, or Nibiru, or Rahab, there are some serious people who believe it’s headed our way and will at least come dangerously close to Earth in 2012, showering us with the asteroids it has captured and causing great damage on Earth.

What’s the Point?

The short answer to the title question is, “No. 2012 will not bring the end of the world.” But without attempting to tie these predicted events to specific prophecies, I think it’s interesting to see how similar the Biblical descriptions of end times judgments are to the scientific view of possible coming events. Due to the nearness of 2012, I only used verses from Revelation that describe judgments during the first half of Daniel’s 70th Week , before the Great Tribulation even begins. After that it gets much worse very quickly.

See, the day of the LORD is coming – a cruel day, with wrath and fierce anger – to make the land desolate and destroy the sinners within it. The stars of heaven and their constellations will not show their light. The rising sun will be darkened and the moon will not give its light. I will punish the world for its evil, the wicked for their sins. I will put an end to the arrogance of the haughty and will humble the pride of the ruthless. I will make man scarcer than pure gold, more rare than the gold of Ophir. Therefore I will make the heavens tremble; and the earth will shake from its place at the wrath of the LORD Almighty, in the day of his burning anger (Isaiah 13:9-13).

So what will the 2012 disasters accomplish? I believe that God will use these and other End Times judgments to begin putting the Earth back into the condition it was when He gave it to Adam. Remember, Jesus called the Millennium the time of restoration of all things (Matt. 19:28) and Paul said the whole creation has been groaning in anticipation of being liberated from the bondage it was subjected to. (Romans 8:20-21). And at the beginning of the Millennium God will proclaim, “I am making everything new” (Rev. 21:5).

Since the creation, mountains have been pushed up and valleys made lower to contain the enormous amounts of water generated in the Great Flood. The protective water vapor canopy that permitted long life spans in pre-flood times collapsed at the time of the Flood. Earth’s land mass has been pushed apart to form the current continents and islands, the Earth’s orbit has been extended by 5 ¼ days, and its axis tilted by 23.44 degrees. All this and more will have to be fixed in order for Earth to once again be the paradise it was created to be.

You and I (Christians) will view all of this from the mezzanine during our time of repose with the Lord. On Earth it will be the beginning of the most terrible time known to man.

Woe to you who long for the day of the LORD! Why do you long for the day of the LORD ? That day will be darkness, not light. It will be as though a man fled from a lion only to meet a bear, as though he entered his house and rested his hand on the wall only to have a snake bite him. Will not the day of the LORD be darkness, not light-pitch-dark, without a ray of brightness? (Amos 5:18-20)

You can almost hear the Footsteps of the Messiah.

By Jack Kelley

A team from the humanitarian agency reported recently that many fields barren and cracked, dried out by the drought that is threatening a third of the east African country’s population, or about 10 million people.

What was once among the most fertile land in Africa can now only support a few struggling plants suitable only for grazing cattle.

“We don’t have any food,” farmer Lizy Bimba, a Kwale resident, said in Swahili.

In one area, a local official reported that 85 per cent of 5,600 people are facing starvation, the Church World Service team said.

Other farmers have left the land to find what work they can.

“We have been forced to do this so that we get money to buy food,” Musa Charo said in Swahili as he broke rocks to earn money to feed his 10 children.

The government declared the food shortage a national disaster on Jan. 16, the UN is appealing for international help and aid agencies warn that the problem will only get worse.

The drought which has caused a food shortage in Kenya has been made worse speculation, according to Gabrielle Menezes of the UN World Food Programme. “High food prices which rose dramatically at the beginning of last year have made it more difficult for poor people to buy food, and secondly, the drought which… has caused the crops to fail, particularly in southeastern Kenya, and lastly there has been speculation,”said Gabrielle Menezes, an information officer for UN World Food Programme.

Violence following the December 2007 election displaced thousands of farmers. Food prices spiked and now the drought has left parts of the country parched and cracked.

But the speculation has become a national scandal. Politicians have been accused of hoarding grain inflate prices, and even selling the food abroad.

The government has said it’s investigating.

cbc.ca

All-out war has been declared on the family, the home, the nation, and your heart. There’s a cosmic battle taking place.

The apostle Paul fought it both in Ephesus and Corinth-cesspools of first century immorality. Yet God raised up outposts there of spirit-filled saints who lived in victory. Paul says-

“Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children: And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us….” (Ephesians 5:1-2)

-then immediately speaks of purity:

“But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you….Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting…. For this you know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God…. Be not therefore partakers with them…. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. For it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of them in secret.” (v. 3-7, 11-12)

Love and lust are direct opposites. Pornography erodes the love which is the heart of the family. The family is the only part of the Garden of Eden that we have left. Therefore Satan wars against the family.

Unless you learn spiritual warfare, you’re going to lose the battle. Paul gives us clear direction:

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. (Ephesians 6:10-13)

Satan is waging guerilla warfare. We must counterattack under our Commander in Chief, the Lord Jesus Christ. I call you to battle for your family. Fathers, you especially must guard your hearts and protect your home.

Know your enemy. He is…

A Decided Fact

Never underestimate Satan. Never say he doesn’t exist or is just a figure of speech. He wants to pull a veil of darkness over his kingdom. If we don’t recognize Satan behind the attacks, we won’t be prepared.

We often sing “He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today. He walks with me and talks with me….” But there’s another song we could sing. “He lives, he lives, Satan lives today. He wars on me and works on me…”

A Destructive Force

He is systematic. Underscore the word “wiles” in verse 11. The Greek word is methodeia. Satan methodically goes about to seduce you and your children. He’s behind Hollywood, the networks, the sitcoms and the Internet. Paul says, “We’re not ignorant of his devices.” (2 Corinthians 2:11)

He is spiritual. What? Spiritual? Yes.

For we wrestle…against (what kind of wickedness?) spiritual wickedness in high places. (Ephesians 6:12)

Our real battle is not with pornographers, Hollywood, X-rated movies, or online purveyors of filth, but a sinister enemy who is spiritual and invisible. As long as you’re fighting “flesh and blood,” you’re not going to win.

“The weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds.” (2 Corinthians 10:4)

He is strong. I don’t care who you are, you don’t have what it takes to win this battle. He knows where your weakness is. If you try any way other than depending on the Holy Spirit, you’re going down, because Satan is greater than you are.

He’s also sinister. Satan has no mercy on your family, your husband, your wife, your child. He’s the source of “spiritual wickedness,” chief among “rulers of darkness.”

A Defeated Foe

But Satan had his back broken at Calvary. Soon his head will be crushed when Jesus comes again. “Greater is He that is in you than he that’s in the world.” (I John 4:4)

Satan hopes you never learn that-
• He’s a defeated foe
• You have spiritual weapons
• You can put on the armor of God.

by Adrian Rogers

There is an invisible war all around us and today there needs to be a modern Paul Revere who tell us to wake up!

The enemy is coming, and we need to sound the alarm. The sad thing is many of God’s children are sound asleep when they ought to be awake-the church is asleep, snuggled up in her pews with the covers pulled up over her head, and the sanctuary is dark. God’s alarm clock is going off and we need to get up. This is no time to push the snooze button!

In 1775, the light from two lanterns saved America from destruction and today the light from the Word of God is broadcasting another warning about a far deeper danger. We have been given a wake-up call by the Word of God-is anyone listening?

And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light. Romans 13:11-12

According to God’s clock, it’s time to wake up just as the Apostle Paul gave a wake-up call to the saints in Rome. How much more we need his wake-up call today!

America is in a moral free fall like never before seen in history. The alarm has sounded and we need to heed the call. But what are people doing? They are rolling over and yawning in the face of God. But Paul says “it is high time to awake” and “the night is far spent.”

Jesus said in John 9:4, “I must work the works of Him that sent me while it is day, for night cometh when no man can work.”

There are a lot of things you can do, but I’m going to tell you all the soul-winning that you’re ever going to do, you’re going to do while you are here on this earth. And it may be later in that day of opportunity than you realize.

We have opportunities now that are unparalleled to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ! That’s what we are doing at Love Worth Finding-reaching across this globe to tell the world to come to Jesus!

Not only is it time to wake up, but it’s time to clean up. The verses above from Romans 13 continue to tell us to put off rioting, drunkenness, shamelessness, strife and envy. You may think that’s not possible, but this listener’s testimony echoes what we hear many saying:

I was raised in a Christian home but I became agnostic and began studying other religions. Over the years I became bitter, subscribed to evolution, atheism, and eventually Satanism. It was during this dark time that I found Love Worth Founding on the radio. I listened with a full intent of mocking the message. But no matter how much my hate raged, I still listened. The more I heard, the more I resisted, but I couldn’t stop listening. One day my cynicism burst like a dam. In the middle of Adrian Rogers’ message I left work, bought a Bible and began reading. Glory be to God, the Lord Jesus and His grace. I admitted all my sins, begged His forgiveness and proclaimed my love for Him. Praise His name. If any such an enemy of Christianity can turn and be saved, truly anyone can!

Oh how we need to come before our Lord in honesty and confession!

Not only is it time to wake up, but it’s time to dress up and put on the Lord Jesus Christ. Put Him on for direction because He is Lord. Put Him on for deliverance because He is Savior and put Him on for dominion because He is King Messiah.

So where do you think we stand as a culture, as a church and as an individual Christian? Paul sounded the alarm in the first century and we need to sound it today as well.

You’ve heard the alarm. Now you can either roll over and hit the “snooze” button, or we can get up, clean up and dress up!

by Adrian Rogers

Gospel is a funny word. I heard a long time ago that it comes from a middle English term, God-spell (no, I didn’t see the musical). The idea is that people are captivated by God through faith and caught, as it were, in a spell.

While that may be true, and I would agree God holds me spellbound, it is not what the term translated gospel in the New Testament is all about.

Actually, gospel translates evangelion, or good news. The ancient term finds its clearest context in the image of a messenger running from a battle to the worried population of a city. Will there be death and rape and pillaging today, or did the men of our town defeat the invader? It is a question of life and death, not a light concern. As the messenger approaches, he can be seen for miles and the dreadful anticipation of his message is the only thing anyone in that town is thinking about. Will it be disaster or gospel, calamity or evangelion, suffering or good news?

Our text at Tikvat David this Shabbat was a portion of Revelation 14, including verses 6-7:

Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, and he had an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth—to every nation, tribe, language, and people. He declared in a loud voice: “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has arrived, and worship the one who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water!”

I asked my congregation, “What is the problem some people would see with this passage?” The answer came quickly, “It doesn’t say, ‘Believe in Jesus and be saved.’”

The apostolic use of the term gospel is distorted by so many things in contemporary and traditional religion. We have “gospel sermons” in many churches, or people complain if a Christian pastor does not “share the gospel” each week in his sermon. In many faith communities this means that the speaker must tell listeners “how to be saved.”

There are different elements people feel must be included in a “gospel” message: believe, Jesus died, be saved, not by works, if you want to be saved come forward during the invitation, etc.

Three Examples of the Gospel in the New Testament
There are precisely three times the New Testament spells out the gospel. In none of them do we find all of the elements I mentioned above that are commonly thought of as included in “the gospel.” In fact, only two of those elements (Jesus died, believe) are included in any of these three gospel examples in the New Testament:

The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel (Mark 1:15).

I preached to you the gospel . . . that Messiah died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared . . . (1 Corinthians 15:1-5).

. . . an eternal gospel . . . “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has arrived, and worship the one who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water!” (Revelation 14:6-7).

We learn from this that the gospel is not a singular message. It is a larger concept with many forms.

The gospel has an objective and a subjective sense. All three versions imply the coming of God to judge. Since the kingdom is coming, repent before it is too late. Messiah died for our sins, because God will judge. Fear God as the hour of his judgment has come. The objective sense is the reality of God and his order which overturns every other order and calls for us to reorder our lives.

The subjective sense is our response or lack of response. Paul’s explanation of the gospel is the only one that does not make the subjective sense plain. Yeshua’s version calls for repentance and surprisingly implies that the coming of the kingdom is something to fear. Revelation’s version is stated almost exclusively in terms of the subjective call to be prepared: fear, give glory, worship. The subjective call is implied in Paul’s version. Messiah died for our sins, a concise story which implies a part for us.

Too Small a Gospel?
The problem with the gospel as it is held in some faith communities is that it is too small.

In some places gospel does not include fearing and glorifying. There is a decided lack of vision for something bigger than ourselves, a kingdom, a reality which overtakes all false visions of reality.

If the gospel is merely a personal decision to receive a gift with no commandment to find one’s place in the larger mission of God, then it is a weak gospel. I am not alone by any means in saying the gospel of many faith communities needs an overhaul. There is much good in the communities which preach a limited gospel, but the signs of weakness are everywhere.

God’s rule on earth will be so much greater than people think. God is healing and perfecting creation and completing what he started building in the lives of people all over this earth. Those who fear and glorify see themselves not merely as recipients of a free kingdom which makes no difference here and now, but as servants to each and every person and to creation itself. The gospel is about God turning evil into good and there is plenty of work for those who fear and glorify, work in healing, helping, raising, restoring, building, feeding, giving, forgiving, representing, preserving, growing, repenting, and living.

By by derek4messiah

Former European Parliament presidents attend a plenary session of the European Parliament in the northeastern French city of Strasbourg (Feb. 13, 2007).

Perhaps the most profound statement heard is that “nations will be redefined and their futures fundamentally altered,” uttered by Rupert Murdoch.

As one commentator put it, “We are all in trouble.” These are sobering times. Uncertainty grips every level of Western civilization.

Families are uncertain whether they will keep their homes. Housing values have plummeted. Headlines of lost jobs are almost daily. Sudden unemployment is knocking on the doors of fathers and mothers with young mouths to feed.

Companies are scrambling to keep solvent, as stocks tumble and opportunities dry up. Many reported near-devastating losses from 2008. Well-known businesses that have thrived for decades are suddenly laying off employees, reporting losses and, in some cases, staring down the barrel of fatal bankruptcy. Icons of Western culture, thought to always exist, may soon be reduced to relics of history.

Financial institutions are caving in. Having already sought funds from their governments, many are in need of more assistance to survive. Some banks are being nationalized to protect the world economy from collapsing.

Governments are racing to assess the economic situation within their countries. Every option is on the table, with many nations passing bills of unprecedented proportion. Unrest is growing, with some expecting protests and riots to break out.

In January 2009, a columnist for the Financial Times painted a bleak future for the West: “This vast reordering of our economic system has only just begun. We shall have to cancel all the self-indulgence of endless welfare spending and cultivate rather more of a work ethic and a sense of self-sufficiency. Expectations must be modified and attitudes altered profoundly. Expect years of negligible growth, permanent high unemployment, declining property prices, higher taxes, crumbling currencies and falling living standards.”

Families, companies, institutions and national governments face tough times. In this interconnected world, as some of the wealthiest nations begin to collapse, others will fall with them.

Many think, A solution that rises above any one nation must be found.

A Call for Action

Presidents and prime ministers race to make sense of this ever-worsening situation, convening summits to resolve the problem. Many conclude it cannot be solved on a family, company or country level. New governmental institutions and procedures that stand above any national government must be put in place to protect the global economy. International leaders call on nations to pull together under intergovernmental institutions, in what is commonly called “a new world order.”

Gordon Brown, prime minister of the United Kingdom and a fiscally minded leader, stated, “As some want, we could close our markets—for capital, financial services, trade and for labour—and therefore reduce the risks of globalization…But that would reduce global growth, deny us the benefits of global trade and confine millions to global poverty.”

“Or we could view the threats and challenges we face today as the difficult birth-pangs of a new global order—and our task now as nothing less than making the transition through a new internationalism to the benefits of an expanding global society—not muddling through as pessimists but making the necessary adjustment to a better future and setting the new rules for this new global order” (BBC).

The Sydney Morning Herald, in its article “Time for a new world order: PM,” reported that Australia’s Prime Minister “Kevin Rudd has denounced the unfettered capitalism of the past three decades and called for a new era of ‘social capitalism’ in which government intervention and regulation feature heavily.”

The EUobserver reported on comments made by German Chancellor Angela Merkel: “Earlier, during a gathering of the world’s business and political leaders at the annual World Economic Forum in Davos…she called for the setting up of an international economic body with powers that would allow it to prevent rather than react to crises.

“New economic principles should be enshrined in ‘a new charter for a global economic order,’ the German chancellor said.

“‘This may even lead to a UN Economic Council, just as the Security Council was created after the Second World War,’ she added.”

Former United States Secretary of State Henry Kissinger wrote, “While American political judgments have often proved controversial, the American prescription for a world financial order has generally been unchallenged. Now disillusionment with the United States’ management of it is widespread.”

“The nadir of the existing international financial system coincides with simultaneous political crises around the globe. Never have so many transformations occurred at the same time in so many different parts of the world and been made globally accessible via instantaneous communication. The alternative to a new international order is chaos.”

“Every major country has attempted to solve its immediate problems essentially on its own and to defer common action to a later, less crisis-driven point. So-called rescue packages have emerged on a piecemeal national basis, generally by substituting seemingly unlimited governmental credit for the domestic credit that produced the debacle in the first place—so far without more than stemming incipient panic.”

“The role of China in a new world order is equally crucial. A relationship that started on both sides as essentially a strategic design to constrain a common adversary has evolved over the decades into a pillar of the international system.”

“An international order can be permanent only if its participants have a share not only in building but also in securing it. In this manner, America and its potential partners have a unique opportunity to transform a moment of crisis into a vision of hope” (International Herald Tribune).

Clearly, such a proposed world order would be economic in nature.

Decades of Calls for a New World Order

Since the early 20th century, mankind has pursued the dream of one world government to solve its problems. Most “solutions” were presented in the context of producing peace and freedom, while eradicating poverty and disease. With injustice and mass suffering evident, thinkers, planners and leaders have, understandably, sought solutions to these horrific, widespread concerns.

With the end of the Cold War, and problems escalating in the Mideast, U.S. President George H.W. Bush discussed a new era in his September 1990 speech to Congress: “A new partnership of nations has begun, and we stand today at a unique and extraordinary moment. The crisis in the Persian Gulf, as grave as it is, also offers a rare opportunity to move toward an historic period of cooperation. Out of these troubled times, our fifth objective—a new world order—can emerge: A new era—freer from the threat of terror, stronger in the pursuit of justice and more secure in the quest for peace. An era in which the nations of the world, East and West, North and South, can prosper and live in harmony.

“A hundred generations have searched for this elusive path to peace, while a thousand wars raged across the span of human endeavor.

“Today that new world is struggling to be born, a world quite different from the one we’ve known. A world where the rule of law supplants the rule of the jungle. A world in which nations recognize the shared responsibility for freedom and justice. A world where the strong respect the rights of the weak.

“This is the vision that I shared with President Gorbachev in Helsinki. He and other leaders from Europe, the Gulf, and around the world understand that how we manage this crisis today could shape the future for generations to come.”

“Once again, Americans have stepped forward to share a tearful goodbye with their families before leaving for a strange and distant shore. At this very moment, they serve together with Arabs, Europeans, Asians and Africans in defense of principle and the dream of a new world order. That is why they sweat and toil in the sand and the heat and the sun.”

Truly, as President Bush stated, “A hundred generations have searched for the elusive path to peace.”

Nearly 20 years have passed since these statements were made—yet ills and troubles continue to plague mankind.

As early as 1917, U.S. President Woodrow Wilson tried to rally the world in pursuit of peace and toward removing the cause of war. He called for a league of nations to institute “peace without victory.”

On the other hand, the motives for a new world order have not always been noble. The New York Times reported on Jan. 21, 1941, “Foreign Minister Yosuke Matsuoka told the Japanese Diet today that Japan, Germany and Italy certainly would accomplish their goal of a new world order ‘if only given time’…”

In 1999, South Africa’s President Thabo Mbeki stated, “We cannot accept that war, violent conflict and rapine are a permanent condition of existence for us as Africans…We will make our due contribution to the construction of a new world order that will be responsive to the needs of especially the poor of the world.”

Almost a decade later, considering the depth of troubles in South Africa, has any real progress or contribution to a new world order occurred?

Depending on the leader and the context, the motivation for a multi-national order differs. Today’s catalyst for new world order is the economic collapse.

Some nations are reassessing the relations between countries. Many accuse America’s capitalism for the cause of the most recent problems.

In 2005, Russia and China “issued a joint statement on a new world order in the 21st century, setting forth their common stand on major international issues, such as UN reforms, globalization, North-South cooperation, and world economy and trade.

“The statement was signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin and visiting Chinese President Hu Jintao after their talks.

“During their talks, the two leaders discussed ways to further enhance the strategic and cooperative partnership between China and Russia, and exchanged views on major regional and international issues.

“The joint statement said the two countries are determined to strengthen their strategic coordination in international affairs and promote peace, stability and prosperity of the world” (Xinhua news agency).

One cannot deny that powers are shifting.

Insurmountable Difficulties

Why have there been calls down through history for international institutions? The answer is simple. Mankind continues to produce problems and evils, and leaders sincerely look for solutions!

The world is awash in pain and suffering, injustice and corruption, war and conflict. The introduction of the booklet Why Man Cannot Solve His Problems – Unknown Until Now by David C. Pack perhaps sums it up best:

“The world is filled with problems—disease, pollution, poverty, ignorance, religious confusion, war, terrorism, crime, violence, hunger, immorality, slavery, oppression, political upheaval and much more. Why? With the passing of time come more problems, not less. Why? Also, existing problems grow collectively worse instead of better. Why? Why, at every turn, has man bungled and botched all efforts to solve his truly great problems?

“The well-known presidential historian and columnist Peggy Noonan summarized the complex, jumbled course that has been mankind’s history: ‘In the long ribbon of history, life has been one long stained and tangled mess, full of famine, horror, war and disease. We must have thought we had it better because man had improved. But man doesn’t really “improve,” does he? Man is man. Human nature is human nature; the impulse to destroy coexists with the desire to build and create and make better’ (‘America’s Age of Uncertainty,’ Knight-Ridder, Nov. 9, 2001).”

In search for solutions to man’s great problems, leaders turn to the possibility of a global government.
Conspiracies Abound

The concept of a new world order has also been the subject of much conspiracy over the last few decades. Many believe that there are unseen, unknown groups of power brokers behind the scenes steering the world to a place where these same individuals can lead a new world order. People go to great lengths to supposedly “connect the dots” regarding elements of society, feeling that their evidence points toward a plot by an unknown group to control all nations.

Some feel that this “new world order” will be brought about gradually by various agencies such as the World Bank, International Monetary Fund, the United Nations, etc. Others feel that a military power will force it. Others believe that this will begin through a surveillance program that will slowly take control of the global populace.

What Next?

The fundamental question is: What is next for America, the West and the world?

First, as leaders scramble to solve this financial crisis, institutions may likely be put into place to deal with the world’s economy. While America will continue to be a global player, her power and influence will decrease. Mr. Kissinger stated that this financial collapse was “a major blow to the standing of the United States” (International Herald Tribune).

Decades ago, the United States was the lone superpower, militarily and financially. This meant that the world’s mightiest country had the most say in making fiscal policies. However, times have changed. All experts agree that power and influence is shifting to other nations.

The Bible explains that the United States of America, along with the other primarily English-speaking nations of the West will have the “pride of their power broken” (Lev. 26:19). This financial collapse has, and will continue, to contribute to the decrease of power held by the West.

What about a new world order? The power in the world is shifting and will continue to shift. But the “new world order” that conspiracy theorists are convinced of will not occur.

In the coming few years, the Bible foretells that Europe will increase in power, as will nations in the East. But in the end, after even worse troubles, now on the horizon, a stable, peaceful world will be realized, but not through the efforts of man. (To learn more read, Tomorrow’s Wonderful World – An Inside View!)

Could a new world order just a handful of years from now produce peace and prosperity for all? Will the ultimate goal verbalized by many world leaders finally occur?

Read the referenced book and prove—for your sake and your children’s—whether a new world order is on the horizon…

By Kevin D. Denee

In the aftermath moments later, among the strewn bodies is a bloodied woman grasping hold of her husband. In her anguish, she turns to God for the first time in years and cries out, “Why God, why?”

Nearby, a man stretches his hands to the sky as he stands over the lifeless body of his child. He has diligently attended church services every Sunday and has repeated the “Lord’s Prayer” every day of his life for the past 15 years—yet he still feels cut off from God, left alone to wallow in his pain.

Elsewhere, at a military base within a war zone, soldiers observe a moment of prayerful silence before going into battle. The commander, his head bowed low, concludes his prayer, “…and Lord, protect us from the enemy we are about to face and help us to be victorious in battle.”

Later in the day, the same troops are ambushed 30 miles from base, as a land mine rips to shreds the armored personnel carrier in which they are traveling. Ten men die in the initial blast. Another 18 die in the battle that follows. Only a handful of soldiers survive, forever scarred by the events of this day—a day in which their prayers went unanswered.

Throughout the world, people hold prayer vigils, asking God to end both natural and manmade catastrophes—droughts, famines, wars—yet circumstances only grow worse. Why does God not answer when millions seem to seek His intervention?

How the World Prays

Among the world’s religious faiths, prayer means anything to anyone. It can be sing-song chants or long, monotonous recitations repeated over and over again. For hundreds of thousands of worshippers, prayer means public displays of emotion, involving tears, swaying bodies, and hands lifted to the sky. For others, it means facing a specific direction toward a revered, faraway site.

But to the God of the Bible, true prayer is a personal, private, one-on-one conversation between man and his Creator.

Scripture is filled with numerous accounts of answered prayer. Moses pleaded with God to change His mind and not destroy rebellious, carnal-minded Israel (Num. 14:11-19). Hannah, who was barren, implored God to give her a child of her own (I Sam. 1:5-11). David beseeched God to forgive him for committing terrible sins (Psa. 51). And before He was taken to be crucified, Jesus asked God to protect His disciples (John 17:6-11).

God answered their prayers. He answers prayers today—if they meet certain conditions.

Believe God

The Holy Bible is a divinely inspired instruction manual from the Creator to His creation. It explains who and what man is—why he exists, what is life’s purpose—and how man can attain the awesome future God has in store for him.

The Bible is also God’s Word of truth (John 17:17). As its Author, God declares “the scripture cannot be broken” (John 10:35). It is a book of promises guaranteed to be fulfilled because it is “impossible for God to lie” (Heb. 6:18).

Study the Bible and you will find God promises protection, to provide our necessities (food, drink, clothing and shelter), strength in time of need, and more. Jesus said, “And all things, whatsoever you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive” (Matt. 21:22).

This requires faith. The apostle Paul wrote, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Heb. 11:6). It takes faith to believe that God exists and that He always keeps His promises.

The Bible defines faith as “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (vs. 1). Faith is your proof that God will deliver His promises—it is your guarantee He will come through for you. (To understand more, read our booklet What Is Real Faith?)

Psalm 14:1 states, “The fool has said in his heart, There is no God.” In this modern age of secular thinking, hundreds of millions do not believe God exists. Naturally, such people would think prayer a waste of time.

Yet there are others who—by their actions—say, “There is no God,” meaning, “There is no God over me!” They pray thinking they can flatter the Creator of the universe into doing whatever they ask. Often they are religionists who put on a “holier than thou” show of prayer “testimony” before their congregations, believing they can convince God with their many words. Their prayers may seem sincere—but God is not moved.

To approach God in prayer means to believe He exists. He is the One who says in Isaiah 1:18, “Come now, and let us reason together.” God wants His creation to approach Him, to express thoughts and concerns to Him. He is the Master Potter, and we are His clay (Isa. 64:8). He declares, “I the Lord search the heart [mind], I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings” (Jer. 17:10).

Obey God

But belief in God is only the first step. Billions believe God exists. They cry out to Him, but He seems so far away.

Yet God says of Himself, “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear” (Isa. 59:1). Still something prevents the prayers of most from going any higher than the ceiling. Verse 2 reveals the answer: “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.”

“Sin is the transgression of the law” (I John 3:4). Sin separates—cuts us off—from God. Ironically, religionists, preachers and others teach their followers that God’s Law is “done away,” “abolished” or “kept for us by Christ,” convincing them there is no need to obey God.

The continual breaking of God’s Law is a major factor in unanswered prayer. Consider: “He who turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination” (Prov. 28:9).

God will not hear the prayers of those who do not obey Him: “Beloved, if your heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him because we keep His commandments and do those things which are pleasing in His sight” (I John 3:21-22).

Note what Jesus said in John 8:29: “And He that sent Me is with Me: the Father has not left Me alone; for I do always those things that please Him.” Christ obeyed God, and for this His Father always heard His Son’s prayers. The same could be said of you—IF you, like Christ, obey God and diligently put His will first.

When thousands of believers gathered at Jerusalem asked the apostle Peter what they must do to stop living contrary to God’s way of life, he said, “Repent”! (Acts 2:38). The word “repent” simply means “change.” But what does one change? His attitude, thoughts and behavior—the total person, a complete change of life and direction from the way of get (selfishness, vanity, lust, greed, pride, competition) to God’s way of give (selflessness, meekness, humility, concern for others, cooperation). Romans 3:23 states, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”

Through genuine, heartfelt repentance, God grants the forgiveness of sins, removing through Jesus Christ’s perfect sacrifice the very thing that separates us from God. Then and only then can our prayers be heard.

Traditional Christianity has lost these vital keys in obeying and serving God. Modern Christendom, though outwardly appearing to be righteous and sacred, is mired in traditions and customs of men. Christ says to those who profess to be Christian that God does not hear them because they break His laws (Matt. 7:21-23).

Determine to adhere to what God teaches, and not men. Avoid becoming like those Jesus spoke of in Matthew 15: “This people draws near unto Me with their mouth, and honors Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. But in vain they do worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (vs. 8-9).

Fear God

There is an additional requirement to answered prayer, which flows from believing and obeying God: We must fear Him.

The Israelites fell into a tragic cycle of believing God, obeying Him, taking His blessings for granted, forgetting God, disobeying Him, worshipping false gods, being punished, crying out for mercy, receiving God’s deliverance—and so the pattern repeated itself.

Not fearing God prevented Israel from continuing to believe Him, and recognize His authority over their lives. Lack of godly fear kept the Israelites from faithfully obeying God’s commandments, judgments and statutes.

Proverbs 8:13 states, “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward [perverse] mouth, do I hate.” God hates ALL forms of evil—proud thoughts, arrogant attitudes, evil behavior, and perverse words—everything that comprises carnal nature.

The vast majority mistakenly believes man is “basically good,” but flawed. But that is not how God views human beings. He says it is not natural for man to follow His ways. Take note: “Because the carnal mind is enmity [hostile] against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be” (Rom. 8:7).

But what about those who claim to worship God, who go to Sunday services and close their eyes in prayer, thinking that God will hear them?

“There is none righteous, no, not one: There is none that understands, there is none that seeks after God. They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that does good, no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulcher; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: Their feet are swift to shed blood: Destruction and misery are in their ways: And the way of peace have they not known: There is no fear of God before their eyes” (Rom. 3:10-18).

As you can see, the carnal mind does not naturally fear God—in fact, it works against Him. However, a believing, obedient mindset will allow one to fear God, if he submits himself to be led of God’s Spirit.

God listens to those who are teachable, humble and yielded to Him. Notice Isaiah 66: “Thus says the Lord, The heaven is My throne, and the earth is My footstool: where is the house that You build unto Me? And where is the place of My rest? For all those things has My hand made, and all those things have been, says the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembles at My Word” (vs. 1-2).

Such a person “depart[s] from evil” (Job 28:28) because, like God (Prov. 8:13), he hates evil.

But what steps must one take to have the Holy Spirit actively at work in the mind, converting carnal thoughts to the outgoing thoughts of holy, righteous, godly character? Read our booklet What Is True Conversion? for answers.

More Information Available

The above points are just a few of the keys to establishing active, prayerful communication to which God will listen. Our article “The Keys to Dynamic Prayer” reveals much, much more. It will help you understand what it means to pray to God—how to pray—when and how often—what to pray for.

For example, the article explains the truth about the “Lord’s Prayer”—that it is actually a prayer outline of major topics to address before God. The article goes into detail about each of the topics and what they mean. It also explains what the apostle James meant when he wrote, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much” (Jms. 5:16), and how to offer such a prayer.

The God who answers prayer, and says, “Come now, and let us reason together” (Isa. 1:18) is waiting to hear from you.

By H. Chris Lomas and Bruce A. Ritter

On the other hand, many evangelicals, some Jewish religionists, and others believe that the universe, our solar system, Earth and all of the plants, animals and even mankind was fully created in a single event occurring 6,000 years ago.

If you are a regular reader of The Real Truth, then you may have read our seven-part series on the theory of evolution, “Evolution Exposed – Deconstructing False Science.”

But where does the idea of a 6,000-year-old Earth originate? Is it possible to use the Bible to ascertain details of events obviously scientific in nature? Does God’s Word demonstrate the creation event occurring millions of years ago or a mere 6,000 years?

Framing the Argument

While certain details about the subject of creation differ, the general concept is that an intelligent force brought about physical matter, including the trillions of stars, billions of galaxies, our solar system, Earth and everything in it. Most believe it started with a single creation event.

“Young Earth” creationists believe in a literal interpretation of the Genesis creation account, and conclude that the universe was created 6,000 years ago. This age is determined by counting the generations of biblical figures recorded throughout the Bible, starting with Adam in the Garden of Eden. These creationists believe that any evidence not supporting their theory is incorrectly applied, or that the data is misinterpreted. Their view is that the Bible is the only source that should be examined to prove creation, and the events recorded in it should be taken as they interpret them.

Young Earth proponent Henry Morris stated, “Either…believe God’s Word all the way, or not at all” (The Long War Against God).

Only the Bible?

It has been said that one can be sincere, but at the same time sincerely wrong. Facts are facts; no matter how strongly one believes something, it must mesh with the truth. Let’s examine the truth of the matter, allowing the Bible to interpret itself.

Notice Romans chapter 1: “For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead” (vs. 20).

Now tie this with II Timothy 3:16: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine…”

The original Greek word translated “doctrine” means “learning” or “teaching.” From these two passages we can see that Scripture, which is inspired by God, can be used to learn about His eternal power and Godhead.

Young Earth creationists are correct to deduce that the Bible can be used as the starting point for any investigation of creation. If this is true, we should find evidence throughout “all Scripture.”

Let’s start in the book of beginnings, Genesis: “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters” (Gen. 1:1-2).

Verse one describes an event (“in the beginning”) when God created everything. The passage is straightforward, and nearly all translations render it the same way.

Before looking at verse two, consider that the God of the universe is a perfect Being and He always creates for a purpose. Consider further His description of the moment when the heavens and Earth were created: “For thus says the Lord that created the heavens; God Himself that formed the earth and made it; He has established it, He created it not in vain, He formed it to be inhabited” (Isa. 45:18).

The Hebrew word translated “vain” can also be rendered “a desolation, desert; a worthless thing; without form, nothing, waste, wilderness.” The heavens and Earth were created to be inhabited from its very first moment—obviously not “a worthless thing without form”!

In fact, the creation event described in verse one was so magnificent that “the morning stars [angels] sang together, and all the sons of God [angels] shouted for joy” (Job 38:7).

Now let’s examine Genesis 1:2. The phrase “without form” comes from the Hebrew word tohu—the same word translated as “vain” in Isaiah 45:18. The word “void” comes from bohu, meaning “a vacuity (a total emptiness of matter, a vacuum), an undistinguishable ruin.”

This is exactly what God said He did NOT create! He “is not the author of confusion” (I Cor. 14:33)—rather, everything God does is “done decently and in order” (vs. 40).

The Hebrew word hayah makes this crystal clear. It was incorrectly translated “was” in Genesis 1:2. A more proper rendering is “became” or “came to be.” With all of this information a more accurate translation of the beginning of this verse could be: “And the earth became desolate, a worthless thing and an undistinguishable ruin…”

These verses describe two completely different events! This is not an interpretation by any man; it is the clear, direct interpretation of the Bible by the Bible.

The Bible is a spiritual “jigsaw puzzle.” The principle of Isaiah 28:10—“For precept must be on precept, precept on precept; line on line, line on line; here a little, there a little”—teaches that one must search the scriptures and put together separate verses to get the fullest picture of any doctrine.

Few people—including most Bible students—understand that millions of years passed between the events of Genesis 1:1 and verse 2. It is not the Bible’s purpose to give every last detail of history. For example, God’s Word covers the first 2,000 years of humanity’s existence on Earth in only six chapters (Gen. 1-6).

How Earth Was Made Desolate

How did our planet go from being beautiful and perfect at creation to a desolate desert and wilderness, a worthless thing without form? Who or what caused this?

Isaiah 14:12-14 tells a remarkable story containing many clues. Read carefully, noticing key phrases: “How are you fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! How are you cut down to the ground, which did weaken the nations! For you have said in your heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God…I will be like the Most High.”

Ezekiel 28:12-17 parallels and reinforces Isaiah 14. When properly understood, the one called the “king of Tyrus” is obviously the devil. The passage speaks of one who “seals up the sum, full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty,” who had also “been in Eden the garden of God.” No human being has ever been perfect. Also, it was the devil—the serpent—who beguiled Eve in the Garden. Verse 13 states, “you were created.” Satan is a created being. Verse 14 calls him “the cherub that covers.” No earthly king fits this description.

The latter part of verse 14 says that this “king” was “on the holy mountain of God” and “walked…in the midst of the stones of fire.” This describes the area around God’s throne.

Verse 15 declares, “iniquity [lawlessness] was found in you” and verse 16 describes this cherub as having been “cast…out of” heaven. God also said He would “destroy” (the Hebrew means “expel”) Lucifer from heaven. The verse ends with God “casting him down to the ground.”

Clearly, Satan attacked God when he sought to ascend from his own throne to take over God’s throne in heaven. While the ensuing destruction from this battle would have been colossal (as evidenced in Genesis 1:2), the devil’s attack failed miserably, and he was cast back to Earth.

This is what the Bible reveals!

Finally, verse 17 of Isaiah 14 ties everything together. Notice: “That [speaking of Satan] made the world as a wilderness…” The word “wilderness” can also be translated “desert.” Recall that the word tohu in Genesis 1:2 can also mean wilderness and desert.

In effect, Satan’s rebellion caused the earth to become desolate. God later sent His Spirit to re-create—“renew”—the planet: “You send forth Your Spirit…and You renewed the face of the earth” (Psa. 104:30).

Genesis 1:1 describes the original creation of the entire universe. Satan’s rebellion took place at some point between the accounts of verses 1 and 2. And verse 2 describes the re-creation of the earth that Young Earth creationists correctly date to approximately 6,000 years ago.

Scientific Proof

Christians should not run from science. While scientists do not always interpret the data correctly, certain concepts and fundamental laws mesh with the creation. Scientific laws man has discovered and defined were created by the God of the universe.

Let’s look at one scientific proof supporting all we have covered. The speed of light is one of the more constant variables in the universe, with a speed of approximately 186,000 miles per second. This means that if you were 186,000 miles away from a person who turned on a bright light, it would take one second before that light reached you.

No doubt, you have probably experienced this “delay” with sound. Since light travels faster than sound, if a person on an opposite side of a football field clashed cymbals, you would see the action before the sound reached your ears.

The only difference is that light travels so fast that enormous distances are required for a “delay” to be realized. The only place with enough space to demonstrate this effect is outer space. Because of the vast size of the cosmos, distances are often measured in light-years, the distance light can travel in one year.

What does this have to do with the age of our universe?

If Earth and the universe were only 6,000 years old, we would only be able to see stars with a maximum distance of 6,000 light-years, otherwise the light would not have had time to reach us.

Let’s put this in context. The Milky Way galaxy is approximately 100,000 light-years across, with our solar system about 28,000 light-years from the center. This puts us about 22,000 light-years from our galaxy’s outer edge.

If the universe were only 6,000 years old, we would see only a fraction of the 200 billion stars in just OUR galaxy since light from others would not have had enough time to reach us!

Of course, you have seen countless pictures of stars near Earth. There are amazing images of some of the estimated 125 billion galaxies. Of these, 3,000 are visible and can be anywhere from 80,000 to billions of light-years away. Light from the most distant galaxies had to have traveled for billions of years before it reached Earth. Of course, for light to travel billions of years there had to have been a universe for billions of years!

Earth has existed for billions of years. And it was only relatively very recently that God renewed—recreated—the earth to prepare it for the first human beings, Adam and Eve!

When one allows the Bible to interpret itself, and then uses that knowledge to properly interpret scientific data, the truth of creation is not only accurate, but magnificent and awe-inspiring!

By Bradford G. Schleifer