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The Chicken Or The Egg?

How many times have people pondered the question, "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?"

Before we answer this question with certainty, I would like you to consider another question: Why do people struggle with this question?

In general, people struggle to answer a question because they are not certain of the answer. But, we never struggle when we have an objective standard.

As plain as this sounds, consider a few examples.

How much is 2 + 2? (Answer along with me: "Four.")

No debate. No philosophy needed. The answer is clear.

Questions such as this, or "what time is it?", or "Is the light in the bathroom on?" are not debated. Why? Because there is an objective standard.

We can all do the mathematical proof (if we need to) to prove that 2 + 2 is four and only four. We can all agree on the time (though we may need to consult the Naval Observatory's DoD Standardized Clock). We can all agree when a light is turned on by looking at the standard, the light itself.

Why don't people apply the same standard to this age-old question?

The truth is, there is only one correct answer. (Can't we agree on that?)

The Bible says, "Then God said, "Let the waters teem with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth in the open expanse of the heavens." (Genesis 1:20)

God spoke this on the fifth day of creation. On the fourth day, there were no birds on the earth. On the fifth, birds filled the air. Perhaps later that day, or soon thereafter, the first egg was laid.

No birds on day four. Lots of birds on day five.

No eggs on day four.

The chicken came before the egg.

Interestingly, according to a story posted on FoxNews.com, British scientists have determined scientifically that the chicken came before the egg.

Take this story with a grain of salt, after all publishers update science textbooks every single year. Even if this story changes, we can rest assured that the Bible will never require an update (other than to keep up with the commonly spoken language).

When you realize that the Bible never changes, and that it's words are true, then you can use it as your standard.

Then, questions like "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?" are no longer a mystery.

More important that discussion questions such as this one, the Bible also answers the most important questions: What is truth? What is our purpose in life? What do I need to do to be assured of eternal life in heaven?

If you have never read the Bible before, start now. Read the book of Genesis (in the Old Testament), then read the book of John (in the New Testament). Examine yourself by God's standards. Then, repent of your sin; trust in the one true Savior; find a good church; and do what the Bible says.

You will have a true standard to guide your life and the answers to life's most important questions.

Obedience Includes Starting NOW!

Second Chronicles 29 begins with Hezekiah becoming King over Israel.

Hezekiah's father, Ahaz, had just died. The legacy of Ahaz was one of disobedience to God. Scripture records, "he did not do right in the sight of the LORD" (2 Chron 28:1).

Ahaz was not alone. Today we might describe him as "just like any normal person." Scripture says it like this, "he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel." (28:2). In other words, he followed after the will of people. He did right in his own eyes, and most people would not consider this unusual.

Then, along comes his son, Hezekiah. Hezekiah's heart was directed toward pleasing God, and it did not take weeks, months, or years for his obedience toward God to be apparent.

Immediately after stating that Hezekiah became king, and giving a one-verse overview of who he was, scripture records, "He did right in the sight of the LORD," and then "In the first year of his reign, in the first month," he restored the house of the LORD, the Temple.

As you read on it becomes clear that Hezekiah made the restoration of Israel as God's people the top priority of his reign. He started immediately.

Why? Over and over in the books of Kings and Chronicles a similar story is told over and over: the people fall away from their love of the Lord, God punishes them, the people repent and cry out for mercy, God restores them.

Hezekiah knew that the people had once more, under his father's rule, neglected to serve and love the Lord with all their soul, mind, and strength. The time to repent was NOW. He told those responsible as priests, the Levites, "Consecrate yourselves now". The word consecrate means to set themselves apart, to prepare themselves once again to serve the Lord. In essence, repent and set your affection on God.

What about us?

We live in a day and age where people are encouraged to "do what is right for you". Here in the USA we still live very comfortable lives. We have the means to decide where we will live, how we will live, and how to spend our time.

Everywhere you look, people are deciding based on their own desires, their perceived self-centered needs, and how they feel. How wicked we have become.

It is time to repent, and the time to repent is now. If Hezekiah were here today, he would tell us to turn our affections to the Lord, now. He would tell us "do not be negligent now" (v11).

The New Testament puts it this way, 'Today is the day of salvation.' (2 Cor 6:2).

If you are not a Christian, do not wait.

If you are a Christian, today is the day to fully turn your affection to Christ.

How Many Clifford's Are Out There?

One recent evening, returning from a hospital visit with my father-in-law, I had to stop for gas on the long ride home. It was late. I was thirsty and tired. That's when I noticed a sign with an offer I could not refuse: "Free Fountain Soda with 10-Gallon Fill-Up".

After pumping enough diesel to more than double the soda requirement, I glanced over at the convenience mart. I could easily see through the plate glass that the young man working inside was leaning against a counter reading a magazine.

I must admit that I routinely pass on striking up conversations with people at work if they look busy. I do not want to be the cause of a manager taking them aside to remind them they are paid to work, not talk. This young man was clearly not busy.

Just before heading inside I grabbed my Bible, a tract, and a copy of Mark Cahill's One Heartbeat Away, my favorite book to hand to non-Christians.

As I walked toward the door, I ran several conversation starters through my head and imagined how I might turn the conversation to the gospel. Such mental gymnastics are good, I suppose, but I've never had a conversation that followed the dialogue I construct in my head. The point here is to never talk yourself out of sharing the gospel because of an imaginary conversation. Give the Lord a chance to lead you in the actual conversation.

In I go. I asked about the free soda offer, then I struck up a short conversation with with the employee. Nothing special, just everyday talk. The young man, Clifford, seemed relieved to talk with someone rather than continue with his magazine. After a few minutes I decided to turn the conversation to the gospel with, "I'm working on a project, would you mind answering a question?"

People seem to love this question. I don't know if it's because they get an opportunity to influence the outcome of my research, if their curiosity is piqued, or if they simply recall their own struggles to complete some school project and now feel compelled to minimize my own pain. What I do know is that so far no one has ever said, "No, thanks."

"Sure," was the helpful reply, "what's the question?"

"On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being 'I could be entirely wrong,' and 10 being 'I am absolutely certain that I am right,' how would you rate your spiritual beliefs?"

Clifford told me "5." I asked what his spiritual background was and he told me, "Christian."

"Wow," I said, "You're Christian today but tomorrow there is a 50-50 chance you'll walk away?"

We chatted about his upbringing, how he once asked Jesus into his heart and now feels totally disconnected from the church. I told him that when I meet people who feel this way, I ask one important question: "Do you consider yourself to be a good person?"

"Yes, I think I'm a pretty good person."

"Interesting. Do you mind if I walk you through a quick test to see if that's true?"

Clifford was intrigued now, and smiling. He gave me an enthusiastic, "Sure!"

So, I walked him through a few of the Ten Commandments. In less than two minutes, Clifford's smile had faded and he was serious. He had quickly admitted to being a liar, a thief, an adulterer, and a murderer. When faced with the question, "If God judged you by the Ten Commandments, would you be innocent or guilty?" he clearly understood that a 5-rating is not comforting.

I spent the next few minutes clearly explaining the gospel to Clifford. Before I left he knew that he needed to repent and trust the Savior, not just recite a prayer.

As I left I told Clifford, "I don't believe God brought me here tonight just to get a free drink. We met for a reason." Clifford agreed, and thanked me for taking the time to talk with him.

How many Clifford's are out there? How many people have falsely convinced themselves that they are Christians without understanding the holiness of God, or their need to repent and trust in the risen Savior?

Armor up, Christian! Carry your Bible where ever you go. Read it to prepare yourself to defend the truth in season and out. Carry tracts and your favorite apologetic books to hand out. There are many more Clifford's out there who need to understand the true gospel, before it's too late.

A Great Conversation Starter

I am always looking for ways to start conversations with people. Because of this, I try to listen carefully to the first few sentences when people begin speaking. Sometimes I hear a question or a statement that works well in nearly any situation. Some people call these statements and questions "Ice breakers". Two of my favorites, courtesy of Mark Cahill, are:

"Hello. Do you mind if I ask you an interesting question?" and,

"Hello. I'm working on a project, would you be willing to answer a few questions?"

In addition to these, I find it works well to begin a conversation simply by asking about something the person is wearing, a distinguishing mark (such as a tatoo), or something they are doing.

Recently, while listening to Todd Friel on Wretched Radio (WretchedRadio.com), I heard another conversation starter that I have added to my arsenal: "Hello. Can I ask you, on a scale of one to ten, how you would rate your spiritual beliefs: with one being, "I could easily be wrong", and ten being, "I am unquestionably certain that my beliefs are true."

There is nothing offensive or off-putting about this question, and it allows the person to tell you something about themselves before you share your own rating, and then the gospel. In addition, you gain tremendous insight into their willingness to hear what you have to say.

Why not give it a try the next time you feel the tug of the Holy Spirit prompting you to be a bold witness for Jesus Christ?

Do You Think It's Wrong To Wear Polyester?

It is sometimes amazing that folks who do not follow the Lord will attempt to use His Holy Word to challenge those who do. The headline of today's article, "Do you think it's wrong to wear polyester?" is one such challenge. Let's look at this challenge in today's post.

When sharing the gospel it is common for a non-believer to become uncomfortable as you reveal truth. Darkness does not seek the light, so when the doorway to truth begins to open and light pours in, they seek to escape. Perhaps by moving the conversation in a new direction, the door will pause in its progress, halting the approaching brightness of truth. This type of defense is a non-sequitur, or a topic that does not fit in the logical progression of a conversation. A frequent type of non-sequitur, including tossing out random Biblical verses, is called a red-herring.

A red herring is used to divert attention, or change the course of the conversation. This tells you that the person is uncomfortable, and wants to either put you on the defensive or create a line of discussion that is more to their liking.

Do not allow the conversation to suddenly move off topic. Your reply should immediately lead back to the main point of the gospel. Consider handling it with a simple, "That's an interesting question, let's talk about it after I finish this point." I've heard Ray Comfort deflect red-herrings with the simple statement, "Interesting," before immediately returning to the point he was making. You do not need to get off track, but you do need to understand what is happening: the person feels convicted. Despite their protests and defensive moves, the truth is making a difference. Later, if you have the opportunity, you can address the question.

As for the red-herring that led off this post, "Do you think it's wrong to wear polyester?" this probably comes from reading into the text of Leviticus 19:19, which says (in part): "You shall not... wear a garment upon you of two kinds of material mixed together." Atheists and agnostics read this and conclude that Christians should not wear blends of material, such as polyester.

The fact is, Biblical scholars do not know the reason behind this commandment, which was given to the nation of Israel as they wandered in the desert shortly after the Exodus from Egypt. Some scholars believe the reference was to an idolatrous practice of the day, and the Lord was warning the Jews to not allow any appearance of sin.

If you think this might be far fetched, consider a reader in the future, without access to most of the literature of today, who reads the following: "It could be deadly to wear purple and gold in the city." Would they be right to conclude that our society thought that these two colors, when in close proximity, would create some deadly toxin? Would someone in the future mock a historian with, "Gee, do you believe that colors can kill?"

What if they discovered that these colors are the mark of a particular gang in a local city, and that wearing those colors into the territory of another gang could spark gun-fire? Suddenly the warning makes complete sense.

The fact is, we do not have enough information to determine why the Lord gave the command in Lev 19:19, but we do know clearly that someone who dies in their sin, without trusting the one and only Savior, will be eternally in torment.

Be bold, Christian, and do not allow red-herrings to deter the gospel.

But I Don't Know How To Share The Gospel...

Frequently, when discussing evangelism with other Christians, I hear some version of the statement: "But, I don't know how to share the gospel."

Other versions of this statement include: "I don't have the gift of evangelism" or "I'm not equipped to answer people's questions."

Perhaps you have thought the same thing, or responded with similar sentiments after hearing a sermon on evangelism, or when faced with someone who tells you about the latest time they shared the gospel with a friend, loved-one, or stranger.

If you have, then you may think that my next statement is harsh. However, I believe that what you are really saying is: God's Word is wrong.

Before you click that "close-window" button, let's look for a moment at what God's word says:

Matthew 28:18-20, "And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. "Go therefore and make disciples of call the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."" (NASB 95)

2 Timothy 4:1-2, "I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction."

2 Timothy 3:16-17, "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work."

As Christians we are commanded to "go... preach... make disciples... be ready...". We are also told that God's Word is profitable for training and will equip the man of God for every good work.

Since we are commanded to preach the gospel, then sharing the gospel must be a good work, and since God's Word is adequate to teach and prepare us for every good work, then it can prepare us for evangelism!

In addition, God provides the Holy Spirit to further teach us and guide us. Luke 2:12 says, "For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say."

Read 2 Corinthians 2. Paul describes how his preaching was not based on his knowledge or fine oratory skills, but on the Holy Spirit guiding him.

To me, all of this means that when Christians conclude they are not capable of sharing the gospel, what they are actually saying is, "God, you've met your match in me. You gave me a responsibility that I cannot perform. You made a mistake."

If you still think I am being too harsh, just know that I used to be the same way. I made every excuse in the book for not sharing the gospel. In retrospect my excuses were nothing more than pride and disobedience.

Thankfully I was challenged by a God-fearing man who refused to soft-pedal the commandment to share the gospel. Since then I have studied God's Word, studied various world-views, had numerous conversations with the lost, and learned to trust the Lord more and more as a result.

Trust God's Word. Learn from God's Word. Trust the Holy Spirit. Leave your pride and disobedience at the foot of the Cross. Share the gospel before it is too late.