Are You Ready? (Part 2)

My previous post asked what you might say to share the gospel at a funeral. But in thinking about this post, not much changes for other situations. Why? Because when sharing the gospel, God doesn't need your wisdom added to His gospel. You do, however, need to show love toward your audience. This may require some discretion in how you choose your words.

What would you say if given the opportunity to share the gospel? Would you talk only of God's love? Would you talk of peace and prosperity? Would you share scripture about blessings and long life, or trials and persecution?

I believe the right thing to do is rely upon scripture for the answers, and a great place to start is in learning how Christ shared the truth with those He encountered. One example is found in John 4:7-26. This is probably one of the best known examples on one-on-one evangelism. As you scan the passage, notice several things.

1. The passage describes Christ having a normal conversation with a woman at a public gathering place.


2. In verse 7 He turned the conversation to spiritual topics by relating the natural world to the spiritual world.


3. In verses 16-18, He shared the truth of her fallen state with her by using the Law (the Ten Commandments).


4. When she recognized her hopelessness, He revealed grace to her (v26).

As you study the New Testament, you find that this is the approach used repeatedly by the disciples and by Christ (see, for example, Acts 5 and Acts 17). It's clear this is the same approach we should use when sharing the gospel.

What about prosperity, love, and a better life? First of all, not everyone experiences prosperity, love, and a better life as a Christian. In addition, what do you say to someone who surrenders to Christ, then experiences serious illness or the loss of a job? Where's the prosperity, love and better life? Chances are that person did not surrender to Christ, they desired a better life now. More stuff. More leasure. Fewer worries. That's feeding pride, not surrendering to the Savior.

If you can't share the gospel without talking about prosperity, then you're not teaching a Biblical gospel message. Look what the disciples went through. Persecution, hard life, confrontation, and martyrdom. But, too many Christians today want to talk all about love and prosperity. It's simply not Biblical. Besides, what would you say to someone on their death bed, or on death row? That, "the sun will come out tomorrow!"? As Mark Cahill says, "If it doesn't preach on death row, don't preach it."

In addition, scripture promises that Christians are to be set apart from the world. In the words of Chris Walker, pastor of Hamilton Baptist Church in Hamilton, Virginia, "Conversion is a declaration of war against the flesh, the world, and the devil." In other words, you're in for a bumpy ride. It's a ride where you have the best pilot ever, but it will not be uneventful.

With all that as background, let's get you in front of your funeral audience. What do you say? If you haven't decided yet, allow me to share what I said.

I began by talking about the life of Mrs. Duncan. I noted one of her favorite songs, Amazing Grace, and read a few lyrics from the updated version by Chris Tomlin. Those lyrics are: "My chains are gone, I've been set free, My God my Savior has ransomed me."

I then asked what terms like chains, freedom, ransom... terms frequently used when discussing slavery, have to do with us? Then I turned to scripture, specifically, John 8:34-36, which reads, "Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.... if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed."

I then spent time talking about what sin is, examples of sin (by walking through a few of the Ten Commandments), the price for sinning against a Holy God, and our only hope for redemption... our only hope for a ransom that can free us from the chains of sin that hold us in bondage to sin (repentance and surrender).

If you find yourself asked to share the gospel at a funeral, or if you get an opportunity to share the gospel with a co-worker, friend, family member, or stranger, follow the model that Christ and the disciples gave to us:

1. Talk about the natural world.


2. Turn the conversation to the spiritual.


3. Explain sin by using the Ten Commandments.


4. Explain that without repentance and surrender to Christ, there is no redemption from the slavery of sin.

Until next time: Be ready. Then be bold!

Are You Ready?

Mozelle Duncan passed away December 15th, just twelve days shy of her ninety-ninth birthday. Two days later, my wife and I were asked to speak at her funeral.

If you received this call, what would you say? I don't mean how would you answer the initial question. Of course you agree to speak. My question is, what would you say at the funeral service?

As you think about that question, let's talk for a minute about training.

In small and large communities across the country young people participate in competitive sports. When you talk to these young men and women, you eventually learn two interesting facts:

1. Training is hard work, and they would frequently prefer to skip it.
2. In competition you may face only a few critical moments, but without all the training, you will fall short.

In the same way, many Christians prefer to skip the hard work of daily Bible study, prayer, and learning all they can about their faith. But there is nothing like a sudden confrontation with life to make you realize that obedience to scripture is one way God prepares us for trials and challenges.

First Peter 3:15, for example, commands Christians to always be ready to explain their faith to others. It reads:

"...but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence"

To sanctify is to set apart, or to place in a unique (in this case, Holy) position. Christ should be the most important part of every Christian's life. Set time aside, set energy aside, so that you are always prepared to defend your faith and explain the gospel. Do this in concert with the Holy Spirit so that you can do so with love, gentleness, respect.

Is that what you do, Christian? Do you set Christ above your busy schedule? Do you prioritize reading His Word above other activities in your life? Do you study the common objections to your faith?

Or, like most people, do you base your theology on what you remember from Sunday School lessons, or the occasional sermon that you agree with? Do you spend more time watching TV or YouTube than studying God's Word? Do you talk to people at the office more than you talk to the Lord? If so, how can you be obedient to scripture such as 1 Peter 3:15?

Too often I am disobedient, and allow the activities of the day to consume my time and energy. Then, I was confronted with the phone call asking me to speak at a funeral. It was yet another reminder of why God's Word is vastly more wise than my best day-planner habits.

As my wife and I prayed about and discussed what do say, we soon decided that she would speak about memories of her grandmother, focusing on how her love of the Lord enabled so much of her love toward her children and others. Then, I would give a gospel message.

What would you do in this situation? Would you know what to say? Would you spend all your time talking about God's love, ignoring the persistent persecution documented in the New Testament? Would you talk about how God can make your life better, knowing that everyone struggles? What scripture would you choose if you have only one opportunity to share with a room full of people, many of whom you will never see again?

Next time, I will tell you some of the answers I have discovered to these questions. In the meantime, spend some time considering how you would share the hope that is within you if you were to stand behind the podium of a dear relative's funeral.

Do Not Just WATCH The Local Christmas Parade

Yesterday was the local Christmas Parade in our small town.

I suppose it's not that small. We've grown quite a bit over the past few years. The total population is about 5000. Still, we're no New York City, or Washington, D.C.

The closest highly populated city is about 28 miles away, with about 50,000 people. Of course, we normally go there for shopping and events. They rarely come to our town.

This morning my son and I headed to town for the Christmas Parade. Not to stand and watch, but to hand out tracts.

We expected several hundred people to line Main Street and watch the local dog-owner clubs, Girl Scouts, Pee-Wee Football Team, and fire equipment roll past.

We arrived about 45 minutes before the start of the parade, and found no one on the streets. No one.

Our little shopping centers (there are two) were busier than usual, but not a single family or lawn chair lined the street.

Perhaps it was because of the temperature? Thirty-four degrees is cold, but not unusual, for this time of year. Still, the sky was blue, and the air was calm. If you stayed in the sun, you could stay fairly warm without being bundled like Randy, the little brother in the movie, A Christmas Story, who had to waddle to school and could not get up when he fell down.

My son and I decided to stick it out. I had prayed before we left, and I was confident there were people who needed to hear or read the gospel. So, we waited. Surely, someone would come.

Only fifteen minutes before the parade was scheduled to begin, we started walking toward the assembly point. My plan was to walk alongside the parade all the way to the end, handing out tracts as we went.

But as we walked to the starting point, we saw only a few people... perhaps three to five each block. Still, we could see that some people were there all along, remaining inside their cars, enjoying the warmth. The promise of small crowds increased as we approached the drums, bagpipes, and police auxiliary who milled about for the start of the festivities.

As the escort car began to roll down the street, I crossed over. My son would take one side, I would take the other, and we'd meet up at the end.

We handed out Christmas Cash from Custom Tract Source. They were perfect! There is a picture of Santa on what appears to be a million dollar bill. On the back is a wonderful gospel presentation.

All we did was walk along with the parade, say "Merry Christmas" and hold the tracts out. People snatched them up with a cheery, "Thank you. Merry Christmas!"

We handed out over 600 tracts!

Here is some of the work we saw God do today:

• Many, many people appeared!
• Only about six or eight people declined to take the tracts, and some of them were probably just trying to keep their hands warm.
• We arrived at the end of the parade route at almost the exact minute the parade ended.
• I ran out of tracts completely just as the parade ended. My son had another pack in his pocket, but he gave out the last of the open tracts at about the same time I did.
• Just as the parade ended, and my son handed out his last two tracts, he was able to witness to two young men.
• One witnessing discussion my son had begun with a young man stating that God does not exist, and ended with him confessing that he needed to repent and give his life to Christ!
  

Interestingly, we saw several people we knew from local churches along the parade route, watching. While there is nothing wrong with watching parades, if we always watch, who is sharing the gospel? No one.

Next year, consider walking with the parade and sharing the gospel. I can promise you, you will be glad you did.

Two Amazing Witnessing Opportunities - Part 2

As a Christian, I am so very grateful for God's Word. It reveals God's character, answers most of our questions, and provides examples of true discipleship.

I did a search for the word "continually" in the New Testament, using the NASB Bible. I found that Christ's disciples were, at times, continually worshiping Him (Luke 24:53), continually praying (Acts 1:14), continually learning (Acts 2:42), continually loving others (Acts 9:36), and continually sharing the gospel (throughout the New Testament, but see especially the Book of Acts). So, when we share the gospel, the wrong attitude to have is, "Been there, done that." Our attitude should be to continually share.

Unfortunately, too often this is not my attitude. Sometimes I am tired, or upset, or allow my pride to get in the way, or have a conversation that went poorly. Rather than continually renewing myself in Christ, I stop sharing the gospel.

Thankfully, the day I shared the gospel with Beth was not like that. I had set my pride aside, decided that I would not allow Beth's eternal destination rest upon chance, and had a wonderful conversation with a sister in Christ.

That's when it struck me: I don't know if her mother is saved.

My wife and I are part of a support group that enables Beth's mother to work regularly. Some people spend a few hours with Beth, we spend one day each week with her. Beth's mom frequently comes home very late, and very tired. "How," I thought to myself, "am I going to share the gospel with Beth's mother?"

It never ceases to amaze me how inventive the human mind is. We can imagine all kinds of scenarios where a conversation will go poorly, or circumstances will prevent us from sharing the gospel, or how the other person will be insulted, etc., etc. Here I was imagining all the reasons why I would not be able to talk to Beth's mom about Christ.

So, I prayed.

I prayed that God would give me an opportunity. I prayed that my pride would not get in the way, and that I would not allow the opportunity He gave me to slip by.

Just a few hours later, God answered that prayer when Beth's mother walked in the house early, and energetic!

She even sat down to play a game with the three of us.

After a few minutes, I started praying again that I would take the next opportunity to turn the conversation from worldly topics to eternal ones.

Then, something amazing happened. Beth said to me, "Why don't you ask my mom what you asked me this afternoon?"

I did not have to bring up the gospel, Beth did! It was almost as if God was saying, "You want an opportunity? Here you go!"

So, I turned to her and said, "If you died tonight, are you 100% certain that you would go to heaven?"

Our conversation went on for several minutes, and since then Beth's mom has asked some interesting questions about the gospel. I now have an ongoing opening to continue our conversation about the gospel. "Hey, remember that question you asked me?" is a sentence I often use to restart the conversation.

If you haven't witnessed to a friend or family member, please do. Then, start sharing the gospel with the next member of the family, or the next member of your sports team, your club, or class.

And please pray for Beth and her mother.

Two Amazing Witnessing Opportunities

You've probably heard people say that if you are willing to share the gospel, Christ will create opportunities for you, especially when you pray for such opportunities. This became amazingly real to me recently.

Remember: We should be more than willing to share the gospel if we love love Christ and those around us. As Christians, both should be acts of obedience and thanks.

In Matthew 22:36-39, Christ answers the Sadducees question about the greatest commandment. He says, "'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.' This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.'"

One way to love the Lord is to obey His commandments (John 14:15), and there are a number of commands in the Old and New Testament about sharing Biblical truth, especially the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Back to my story.

In June of 2008 a dear friend of ours was involved in a serious car accident, and nearly died. For this article, we'll call her Beth.

Beth is a sweet young woman, and we love her dearly. But, we had never shared the gospel with her.

She had attended church, so we assumed she was a Christian. I have learned, however, that this is not a safe assumption. There are many people who attend church every week, but do so out of obligation, or obedience to the parents, or because it's a great place to socialize. I once met a man who regularly attended church because it was a great place to acquire clients for his real estate business.

During recovery, Beth was in a coma for several months. My son and I decided that once she was able to interact and understand, we would share the gospel. We did not want to take another chance that she might die without hearing the gospel.

Now that my son is off at college, the responsibility fell to me. As the weeks went by and she continued to improve, it became obvious that Beth was lucid enough for a conversation about eternal matters. So, as the day approached for a visit, I prayed that I would have an opportunity, and that I would be bold and obedient enough to take it.

We have gotten into the habit of reading from the Bible after each lunch with Beth. So, as lunch wound down, I silently prayed again for an opportunity, and for boldness. We completed reading the passage from the Bible, and followed that with a short discussion. "Now," I thought, "is the time." So, I asked Beth, "If you had died in your accident, what do you think would have happened next?"

Beth smiled.

For any Christians who are reading this and are afraid to share the gospel, read that again.

Beth smiled!

What a blessing you are missing if you don't share the gospel. What a wonderful reward when you share the gospel with someone and they appreciate it, understand their predicament and trust in Christ, or share your love for the Lord.

Beth and I had a wonderful conversation about our standing before God, our need for the Savior, and salvation. I prayed for the opportunity, God provided one, and then blessed the encounter! Even more important, I now know for certain that Beth will one day be in heaven with us.

But, that's not the end of this story. You see, Beth has a mother, and it suddenly dawned on me: I don't know if Beth's mom is a Christian.

Next time... as Paul Harvey says... "The rest of the story!"

What Every Christian Should Know About Gospel Tracts, Part 2

In the first part of this short series of posts, I discussed what a tract is, what to look for in a tract, and where to find tracts with sound gospel messages. I also explained why you should read every tract you plan to purchase or hand out.

This time, I will briefly cover the cost of tracts (and give a couple pointers on how to reduce your costs), describe how to distribute them, and answer the biggest question: Are they Biblical.

Let's begin with the biggest question: Are tracts Biblical?

Yes, you will be glad to know, they are.

Take a look at John 20:31. It's one of the verses that says that the gospel is written down so that others may believe. Another verse I often reference is Isaiah 55:11 says, “So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.” Tracts are based on these truths.

For most people, tracts are the easiest way to begin sharing the gospel with others.

You can begin in complete stealth. How? Simply carry tracts with you and always have them around at home.

Begin using tracts by stuffing them into bills or junk-mail return envelopes. When I receive junk mail, I open it, discard all the advertising, stuff a tract into the envelope, and return it. I will even use stamps for envelopes that are not "postage paid". When I send a bill, a tract goes along for the ride every single time. I recently started an on-line business, and every single package I mail includes a gospel tract.

You you travel for business or please and stay in hotels or other lodging, help future guests by bookmarking the restaurants section inside the Yellow Pages. Then, when you check out, leave the maid a tip and a million dollar bill tract in the Thank-You envelope you often find on the dresser or desk.

Next, start taking them with you everywhere you go. I like to keep a stack in the convenient ‘tract slot’ of the driver’s door that every auto manufacturer builds into cars. I’m sure your car has one too - though the engineers mistakenly call them "map pockets". Then, rather than park right next to the store, park beyond the other cars and as you walk slide tracts between the window and the weatherstripping right above the driver’s door handle.

When you pull into a gas station, look for those little “Please take one!” containers and put a tract inside.

My son and I recently went to the grocery store. I did not mind taking an extra minute or two as he walked down the beer aisle and slipped a tract into the convenient tract-deposit slots on the top of beer cases (some people use these slots as carrying handles too!).

Another favorite way to distribute tracts is to leave one with my tip every time we visit a restaurant.

You can also leave them in magazines as you browse the local bookstore (they already have several inserts anyway). Another favorite is to slip them into books that we browse at the local public library. Everyone needs a bookmark!

Once you start carrying them around, you’ll find that the number of places to leave them is limitless. So, start taking them with you everywhere.

Tracts are not very expensive. A typical pack of 100 will cost between $5 and $8 (plus shipping, and possibly tax). This means that it only costs about 5 to 8 cents to share the gospel. An eternity of meaning for less than a dime!

But, there are ways you can reduce your costs.

Shopping on the Internet usually means you don't have to pay sales tax. This can reduce your overall cost by 5 to 10%. The key is that you purchase your tracts from a company that does not have a brick and mortar store (or distribution center) within your state.

If you order in bulk, your shipping costs are nearly always lower. If your supplier does not automatically reduce shipping, send them an e-mail and ask for it. Most companies would prefer to reduce your shipping than see you walk away (or, click-away when shopping on-line).

If you volunteer to coordinate the evangelism effort, or tract distribution at your church, you might be able to arrange to split the shipping cost if you combine your personal orders with church orders. The larger order will probably have lower cost shipping, and you might be able to order larger quantities for greater discounts. You and the church benefit!

Finally, like everything else, tracts do go on sale. Watch your favorite sites, or subscribe to their e-mail alerts or newsletters. Tracts go on sale for a variety of reasons: introductions of new tracts, selling off of old tracts, and the promotion of seasonal tracts. In addition, some suppliers occasionally send out "Thank You" discount coupons to prior customers.

Now we come to the part where most people become uneasy: How to hand tracts to people.

I find that the vast majority of people (probably 80% or more) take a tract and say "Thank you!". How? I think the key is not in what you say, or how you approach them, it is in your heart.

If you have a true heart of concern and compassion for the lost, you will literally be filled with joy when someone approaches who might need to read the gospel. The smile on your face is enough to disarm nearly everyone who would normally walk coldly past.

So, pray that God would give you strength, boldness, and true joy for reaching the lost. Go to a public place (the more people the better). Get a tract into your right hand, and the next person who walks by (or who you walk by) do the following:

• Smile
• Make eye contact
• Reach the tract out to them
• Joyfully say, "Hi, did you get one of these?"
  

Most people will smile back, take the tract, and thank you.

If the person hesitates, just keep smiling, and holding the tract out.

If they don't take it, you might follow up with something like: "It's free!"

If they continue walking on their way, that's fine. It means that this tract is meant for the next person... praise God that you didn't give it to the wrong person!

It's that simple.

You probably now know more about gospel tracts than you need to, and certainly more than most Christians do. I hope you have enjoyed these posts.

Now go get some gospel tracts with a sound gospel message, carry them everywhere, and share the gospel of Jesus Christ!

What Every Christian Should Know About Gospel Tracts

Today's topic is: Gospel Tracts.

Over the next few posts I will answer questions like: What are tracts? How expensive are they? What should you look for in a tract? Where can you get them? How can a Christian spread the gospel through tracts? Are they effective? Most importantly, are they Biblical?

The term "Tracts" is short for "Gospel Tracts." Most people use the two interchangeably.

I find that the best gospel tracts use an attention-grabbing image on one side, use bright complimentary colors around the text, or both. A glossy finish is preferred to minimize the effects of rain and to help draw they eye. The use of a material that is stiff, similar to most post cards, is better than thin paper. As you read about how to distribute tracts and you begin to use them, the importance of a stiff, glossy material quickly becomes evident.

If an image is used, it has one purpose: attract the eye and generate curiosity. Therefore, you should look for tracts that you find attractive or interesting. Chances are, the same image will be attractive and interesting to others.

Next, read the tract! I really can't stress this enough. You must read every tract you plan to purchase and distribute. A great image may draw the eye, but poor text is more likely to be immediately discarded. Even more importantly, you need to ensure that the gospel message is Biblical. For example, I like a number of tracts from the American Tract Society, but I don't use very many. The text is well researched and written, and the materials are top quality. However, the gospel message is weak, so although I read them for the information I rarely give them to non-believers. Tracts from the web sites listed in the left-hand column (see Recommended Evangelism Supplies) typically have very sound gospel presentations.

You should also read each tract so you can answer questions about it. While most people will take a tract that you offer, some will ask, "What is it?" That's not the time to suddenly realize that you have no idea what it says.

Not only do you educate yourself with the facts and points made in the text of a tract, they also include great examples of how to switch conversations from worldly topics, to spiritual topics (see an example of how Christ did this in John 4:7-26).

For example, the Mind Game tract from the Living Waters gospel tracts page shows a simple card trick, then includes this two sentence transition from the trick to a gospel presentation: "Most of us feel unintelligent when we find out how it's done. Of course, the most unintelligent thing any of us could ever do is ignore where we are going to spend eternity." Think of all the other ways you can change the topic of any conversation to things of eternity using this model!

Most importantly, tracts such as this one include a concise, but clear, gospel message: Repent, and put your complete trust in Jesus Christ as your savior (Mark 1:14-15).

Next time, I will continue the discussion of gospel tracts. Until then, be bold and remember that Christ can only work through you if you put some effort into the work.

No One Can Know What Happens After Death

I recall witnessing to three young men on the Boardwalk at Ocean City, MD.

The Boardwalk is a great place to share the gospel for several reasons, mainly because it is crowded most of the summer.

One evangelist said, "Let others gather the lost, we'll witness to them."

The beach, the sun, the sand... God's creation helps gather so many people, but so do the bars, the prospect of meeting people of the opposite sex, late nights out, and other not-so wholesome activities.

This particular night was clear and warm. I began the conversation by handing these teenagers a tract and asking if I could ask them an interesting question. When they said, "Sure." I asked, "What do you think happens when you die?"

This is a great way to share the gospel, originally taught to me by Mark Cahill (markcahill.org). Mark's book, "One Thing You Can't Do In Heaven" is filled with stories and tips for sharing the gospel.

One of these teens, clearly a skeptic, replied sarcastically, "No one can know what happens when you die. No one has ever come back to tell us."

Really?

The Bible says that after placing Christ's body in a tomb and sealing it with a rock that could only be moved with significant effort, two Roman guards were placed at the entrance. This was a time when guards knew that any prisoner who escaped meant they would be punished in the same way the prisoner was scheduled to be punished. In this case, the guards would be put to death. These guys were motivated to do their best to ensure no one moved the stone and disturbed this grave site!

But what happened three days later? The tomb was empty. Christ was gone!

This was astounding enough. But the Bible also tells us that Jesus appeared several times after this, including once when Peter looked closely at His wounds, and once when Christ stood in front of more than 500 people.

These facts were written down and disseminated at a time when these witnesses were still alive, meaning they could be interviewed for verification, or they could dispute the reports. None ever did. No doubter at the time challenged these facts either.

So, the next time someone says to you, "No one can know what happens after death..." just give them the facts.

One did!

See Matthew 28:9-10; Mark 16:12; John 20:11-18, 20:24-29, 23:1-23; Luke 24:13-32, and especially Matthew 28:16-20 and I Corinthians 15:6

People Are Basically Good?

If you get out and talk to people about spiritual matters, you'll find that atheists and agnostics tend to want evidence.

Fact and figures, they say, are what they base their beliefs upon.

These same people, when asked about human nature, often state they believe that "people are basically good."

The Bible teaches the opposite. Jeremiah 17:9 says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked;" (NKJV)

Which is right, the non-believer or the Bible? The one who wants "evidence" or the written record of the God of the Universe?

Let's look at some facts and figures, some hard evidence, to find out.

Note: all of the following are from government agencies in the USA, about the USA.

In the USA alone, there are about 16,000 murders annually. About 6000 of those murders go unsolved. That means 1/3 of all murderers are walking the streets with you and me.

About 93,000 times each year, someone commits the crime of rape. Some claim this number is artificially low since many rapes go unreported.

Robbery is defined as "taking something from a person against their will." This happens about 401,000 times each year.

Theft is the act of entering a property without permission and removing property. How many times does this happen in the USA? About 2,143,000.

The city of Boise, Idaho reported recently that 79% of all crime is unsolved.

It's not hard to see that every day each one of us probably walks past, stands next to, drives behind, or chats with a fugitive from the law.

So which is correct, the non-believer who says "people are basically good", or the Bible which claims "the heart is deceitful and wicked"?

You wanted proof? There's your proof. You wanted evidence? Done. You wanted hard facts and figures that can be tested and verified? You got them.

The fact is, the Bible is right and the non-believers are wrong.

If you are a non-believer, consider this: if you are wrong about this, what else are you wrong about?

Of course, the non-believer reading this may think, "well, others may not be so good, but I'm a good person."

Really?

Are you willing to test that too? If you are, then I challenge you to take the good person test now.

Just click: Take The Good Person Test or go to http://www.wayofthemaster.com/goodperson.shtml

Why Do You Stand Watching?

The Book of Acts opens by describing an amazing scene.

Christ, the risen savior, has appeared to over 500 people on more than eleven separate occasions. He has walked with them, spoken to them, eaten with them, and shown them his scars.

Now, they stand on Mount Olivet and He gives them one final instruction: "you shall be my witnesses, both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."

Then Christ rises into a cloud, to sit at the right hand of God the Father until He returns to earth.

What do His disciples do? They stand and watch.

Scripture tells us that two angels ask them "why do you stand looking into the sky?"

Today's Christians are too often like the disciples standing on Mount Olivet that night. We know Christ's commandments to "preach the gospel," to "be ready, in season and out," and to be Christ's witnesses in all the world, and yet, too often we stand around and watch.

We watch sports, we watch TV, we watch people walk by, we watch time tick away... when we should be sharing the truth with others.

Why do we stand watching?

Perhaps a better question is, how can we stand watching when we know the truth? How can we keep quiet when we know that the path to destruction is wide, but the road to righteousness is narrow? How can we watch people walk by when we know that without Christ those people are doomed on Judgment Day?

Today, stop gazing. Today, stop watching. Today, start sharing the gospel by handing out tracts or sharing the gospel with those around you.

For information on how to hand out tracts, or share the gospel, see the resources listed on the left-hand side of this blog.

Festivals... Why they are the perfect place to share the gospel.

Weekends can be beautiful here in the mid-Atlantic. The trees display magnificent colors, certainly better than any man-made fireworks display; the air is crisp and clean; the sky is sparkling blue. What better time for outdoor activities and festivals?

One local community held a typical fall festival a few weekends ago. They line the streets with vendors, community groups, businesses, or anyone else willing to fill out an application and pay a nominal fee. On some streets I found amusements for children, on others demonstrations by skateboarders and martial arts groups. Everywhere people were milling about to take in the sights.

Festivals such as this are perfect places to meet others and share the gospel. If you've never shared the gospel before, there are a number of reasons you should begin at the next festival near you.

For one thing, handing out tracts could never be easier. Chances are you will quickly run into someone who wants to hand you something: a sale flier, a map of the event, a list of activities, the latest offer from the neighborhood bank, even an invitation to a local church. This is the easiest time ever to hand someone a tract. I simply say, "I'll trade!" I have never had the person turn down a tract. Why would they, they want me to take their material, and I know they need mine.

Secondly, there a lots of people with time to spare. If they were in a hurry, they would not be at the festival, so they are more likely to stop and talk with you than, for example, people heading into a grocery store. Also, with so many people around you are sure to get into good conversations. Even if one does not go well, there are plenty of other people to chat with.

Next, you are likely to run into other believers who can encourage you and hold you accountable.

• Other believers encourage with their strength, their prayers, their words. Christ, when he sent his disciples out, sent them in two's. I think part of the reason was so they could lift each other up when they were confronted with resistance or intimidation.

• Fellow believers can also hold you accountable. You've probably spoken of your desire to share the gospel with others, well now is the time to show them that it's not just talk.

Finally, places like fairs, festivals, carnivals, and the beach all have one very important thing in common, it's what some might call a "target rich environment." No matter where you turn, there are people who need the gospel. This means if one person turns down your offer of a tract, there's someone else who will be along in a few seconds. It means that if you try to start a conversation with someone who is not interested in talking, there is someone else just a few feet away who will. You simply need to obey the commandment to "be ready" and to "share the gospel." God has already provided you with the field, and it is ready for the harvest.

Be bold! Head out to the next well attended event near you.

Are You Routinely Denying Christ?

In the gospel of Mark, we read about the events leading up to the crucifixion of the Savior. One striking aspect of the night described in this passage is how Peter, who clearly loves Jesus, is told that before morning he would deny any association with Christ: not once, not twice, but three times. (Mark 14:27-31)

Later, we read that as Christ is being tried and tortured, Peter is asked if he was with Christ, if he was a friend or follower of Him.

What does Peter do when given an opportunity to acknowledge who Christ is, or to talk about who the Lord is? He denies any association with him. In fact, just as Christ foretold, Peter denies Him three times before daybreak. (Mark 14:66-72).

Sitting in your living room it may be hard for a believer to wonder how Peter could have done this. Peter is certain of who Christ is. Peter has a personal relationship with the Lord. Peter is warned what will happen. Still, he denies knowing Him.

What about believers today? We profess certain knowledge of our salvation at church or with fellow believers. We tell ourselves that we trust scripture, including the warnings to expect persecution from the world. We pray directly to the Lord as part of a personal relationship. Certainly we wouldn't deny Christ as Peter did. Would we?

I believe we not only would, but we do, probably every single day. I base this on my own life.

For example, I have made a commitment to distribute gospel tracts every time I go to the store. I always carry tracts in my car. I park far enough from the entrance to have plenty of cars to pass by. As I slip out of my car, I grab at least five tracts. But sometimes I see someone approaching the car I'm about to slip a tract onto, and I hesitate, stop, or move to a car where no one is around.

There are also times when I'm out running errands, and I'll see someone. "I should go talk to him," I think. But, I don't.

I think about numerous conversations I've had with people who are not saved, or who's salvation I don't know about, and how spiritual topics have either come up or could easily have come up. But rather than pursue the opportunity, I let it slip away.

Why? Why am I paralyzed into inaction?

I think it's because, just like Peter, too often I am fearful. By allowing the fear of man to control my actions, I am denying Christ just as Peter did.

What about you?

How often do believers deny the Lord by refusing to acknowledge their association with Him? How often do we deny Him by neglecting to obey His commandment to "preach the gospel, in season and out" or to "always be ready to give a defense" for the faith we have?

It's time to fully trust Christ. It's time to trust His promise to provide "strength upon strength" and not burden us beyond our ability. It's time to surrender our lives, our time, and our devotion to Him. It's time to stand tall and declare the truth of the gospel.

It's time to stop denying Christ.

Putrid Cake and You

I attended a wedding this past weekend.

It was a wonderful event. Friends and family gathered together to witness the joining of a very happy couple. Unfortunately, it was held on Sunday afternoon. Due to travel requirements and the fast approaching work day, many of those who traveled from out of town had to leave after only a few hours.

When the bride and groom noticed the dwindling crowd, they decided to cut and serve the cake while there were still people who could enjoy it.

Wedding cakes, if you haven't seen one recently, are as much a centerpiece as a dessert. Cakes used to be made by bakers, then pastry chefs, but now there are 'Cake Design Teams', and the prices reflect the team effort. There's even a television show, "The Cake Divas", where teams show off their creations.

But for all the icing, decorations, lattice, bridges, and tiers, if the cake tastes bad, no one will eat it. The foul inner cake outweighs all the enticement and appeal of the outside.

People are the same way. You can put on the best clothes, be polite, smile often, and have a great sense of humor. You might even fool most people into thinking you are a good person, a fine citizen, or even a model church member. But our foul inner-self is clearly seen by God.

1st Samuel 16:7 says, "Man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart!"

Jeremiah 17:9-10 says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it? I, the LORD, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his doings."

What will God give to those who are foul inside, and how do you know how He will see you? It takes only a minute or two to find out.

Have you ever told a lie? What do you call people who tell lies?

Have you ever looked at someone, a video of someone, or a photo of someone, and lusted? Jesus Christ said that if you look with lust, you've committed adultery in your heart. Since God searches the heart, He knows that you've done this.

Have you ever used God's name flippantly, in disgust, or to cuss? That's called blasphemy, and during the time of the Old Testament, the punishment for blasphemy was death. Why? Because you've taken the name of the Holy God, the One who allows you to wake up every day, and used it without reverence. You wouldn't do that with your mother's name, or your fathers, or anyone else whom you love, and you shouldn't do it with the name of the Creator.

How did you do with our short three question test? If you're like most people, you are an admitted liar, adulterer, and blasphemer.

Think that's no big deal? The Bible says, "All liars will have their place in the lake of fire" and that no blasphemer, no adulterer will inherit the Kingdom of God.

Does it concern you, that if you face God tonight, you'd end up in hell? It should.

None of us is guaranteed another day on earth. 150,000 people die every day. Today could be the day for you.

There is no second chance, no reincarnation or holding room. No lawyers to plead your case. Just you and God. The Bible says, "It is appointed for men to die once, and after this, judgment."

Life. Death. Judgment. Eternity in either heaven or hell.

What has God done to ensure you don't have to spend eternity in hell? He sent His own Son to earth. His name was Jesus of Nazareth. He lived a sin-free life, and for that authorities had Him killed on a cross. He freely gave His life as an offering for us. It was a legal transaction in which your sins were paid for if you are willing to respond. How do you respond to obtain this 'salvation'? Repent, and trust in Christ.

'Repent' means to turn from your sin. It's as though you're standing in a room where you're in charge, but you voluntarily walk out and never return.

Trusting in Christ doesn't mean that you simply believe in Him, or that you "ask Him into your heart." It means that you submit to Him. You live your life for Him. You study the Bible, and obediently follow His commands.

Please repent and trust Christ today. Eternity is a long time to wish you would have responded while you still had time.

Author of 100 Things To Do Before You Die... Dead

On August 17, 2008, Dave Freeman, the co-author of "100 Things To Do Before You Die," died.

The book asked about life: "How can you fill it with the most fun and that you visit all the coolest places on earth before you pack those bags for the very last time?"

Freeman did not complete all 100 things before his death, but that's not important.

Let's assume that he did all 100, and more.

Assume for a moment that he achieved all his dreams of fun, and visited every cool place on earth he could think of. Imagine that he lived to a very old age, and literally packed his home full of photos, trophies, trinkets, souvenirs, and every form of achievement and recognition that he ever wanted.

He'd still die, eventually.

What about all those trophies and memorabilia? They'd go into boxes, they'd be sold or given away to admirers and family members. Some might go into museums. Many would go directly to the land-fill. Eventually all of them, including his checklist, would rust or rot and fall apart.

The Bible says, "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?" (Mark 8:36)

You can do everything you can dream of. You can earn billions of dollars. You can travel around the world, or into space, or to the moon. But when you die, none of that matters. The only thing that matters then is whether you've planned for what happens next.

What does happen next? The Bible says, "it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment..."

You will be judged for every thought and deed. Your travels won't matter. Your bank account balance won't matter. Your reputation in the community won't matter. The only thing that will matter is the Judge you stand before.

Since everyone will face judgment after they die, don't you think that the most important item on your checklist of things to do before you die is: "Plan for how I will do on Judgment Day"?

Of course it should. It should be number one!

How will you do on Judgment Day? It only takes a few minutes to find out.

The Bible says that "the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God." The Bible also calls the unrighteous, sinners.

How can you know if you are a sinner? Just as you might look in the mirror to see check your appearance, you can look at God's Law, the Ten Commandments, to see if you are a sinner.

The ninth commandment says, "You shall not bear false witness." This means, do not lie. Have you ever told a lie? If you're like everyone else, you have. In God's eyes, that makes you a liar.

The eighth commandment says, "You shall not steal." Have you ever stolen anything, even if it's small or inexpensive? If so, God sees you as a thief.

The seventh commandment is, "Do not commit adultery." You might think you're safe here, but during the Sermon on the Mount Christ said that everyone who looks with lust has already committed adultery in the heart.

During that same sermon, Christ said that everyone who is angry with his brother is guilty of murder! So, if you've ever been really angry with someone, God sees you as a murderer at heart, and you've broken the sixth commandment.

We've only looked at four of God's Ten Commandments, and chances are you are guilty of being a liar, a thief, an adulterer and a murderer at heart.

How will you do when you stand before a Holy God? Innocent or guilty?

If you're honest, you'll admit that you would be guilty. You're not alone. So would the rest of us.

Once you realize your peril, you realize you need a savior. That's why Jesus Christ, who is God, came to earth. When Christ was crucified, He took upon the sins of the world. He paid the fine for your crimes. That means that you can be found innocent.

How? Two things.

First, admit your guilt. Cry out to God for mercy. Decide that you never want to sin again - not because you want to be 'a good person' but because you want to obey God. This step is called repentence.

Next, depend upon Christ as your only hope. Make Christ the Lord of your life. This is called faith.

Then, read the Bible daily and join a church. You read the Bible to understand how to live for Him. You get involved with a church so you can fellowship with other believers and to obey God's desire that you join others in worship.

Don't wait another day. If there's one thing on your list you must accomplish before the other 99, this is the one!

I Witness With My Lifestyle and Actions...

The Bible makes it clear that Christians are to share the gospel with non-believers.

But how?

Some people say, "I witness to others with my lifestyle and my actions."

Is this an obedient form of evangelism?

I think the answer depends on if you're trying to make disciples of Christ, or disciples of yourself.

Our heart should be to share the Gospel so others can know Jesus, not to convince them to live their lives just like we do. You might hope that people will think “Wow, there’s something really different about you” and come ask about it… but that’s never happened to me, and chances are it will never happen to you.

More importantly, evangelism based strictly on lifestyle and actions is not Biblical.

Jesus said “Go… Make… Baptize… Teach” responding to each requires action on our part to engage with others.

Of course, you should also live a life that demonstrates your faith. Your life should glorify God, but don’t let your obedience stop there. It didn't for the best examples of evangelists we have in the Bible: Jesus, Peter, and Paul.

John 4 is probably one of the best known examples on one-on-one evangelism.

It describes Christ having a conversation with a woman at a public gathering place. What did he do? Did He walk by, and let her marvel at Him? No. He engaged in a seemingly normal conversation. Then He turned the conversation to spiritual topics. He shared the truth of her fallen state with her, then revealed how to be saved. The result? She was saved, and immediately evangelized by going home and telling everyone she could! She didn’t attend Sunday school, or seminary, or worry about how people would react to her words. She was simply obedient.

In Acts 17, we read about Paul engaging people in dialog in the synagogues and the marketplace. Paul did not simply walk around so people could see the scars from the lashings he endured, or hope that people could see that he was prosperous. Paul wasn't prosperous in the earthly sense! He could have walked around all day, every day, and never been noticed. Paul shared the gospel verbally.

When you read Acts 2, verses 43-47, you see clear examples of how the early Christians practiced evangelism: everywhere they went they verbally shared the gospel. The result? The number of Christians grew daily.

Additionally, the Gospels of John and Luke describe literary evangelism (John 20:31), which today we can perform using e-mail, online postings, tracts, letters, and more.

One more thing... Even if you insist on living your faith rather than sharing it, what are you going to say when someone notices that you're different, and asks you “What’s different about you and why?” If you’re not prepared to go out and witness, you’re not prepared answer that question.

You must “be ready”, and as long as you’re ready, you should “Go and tell!” Right? That’s right.

Christianity is a crutch?

People like Richard Dawkins, Christopher Hitchens, and numerous other atheists are fond of ridiculing Christians. One tactic they use to belittle the faithful is to state or imply that belief in God is a crutch.

They believe that the ‘crutch’ of religion will help Christians deal with thoughts of death, illness, disaster, or other uncontrollable events in life. They see religion as a way of creating a false peace of mind. They see our faith as an imaginary opiate that creates a false serenity.

How poorly they understand the Christian life.

Of course, like all such arguments, there is an element of truth to it. Christians do enjoy the grace and lovingkindness of the Lord.

Isaiah 12:1 tells us that God provides comfort. Second Corinthians 1:3-7 reminds us that the Lord is our comforter no matter what the affliction. It tells us that God is the “Father of mercies and God of all comfort...”

Scripture reminds us of His lovingkindness a number of times. Psalm 63:3 describes God’s lovingkindness as “better than life...”

Christ promises peace and fearlessness through faith in Him. He says, in John 14:27, “Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.”

How can a Christian help but have peace of mind when we consider that God pursued us, even as a wretched sinner and enemy? God’s amazing forgiveness and salvation is a thing of wonder. We can wholeheartedly rejoice in our freedom from slavery to sin, exchanged for slavery to Christ and righteousness (Romans 6:15-19).

In return for our repentance, faith in Christ alone, and obedience to the Lord, we share in the wondrous fruits promised in scripture: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

This is where the atheists stop, with a partial (and flawed) understanding of Christianity.

The obedient Christian understands two facts that non-believers don’t: the peril awaiting non-believers, and our responsibility to preach the gospel to them.

For example, Scripture clearly describes the fate of the lost:

• Everyone dies (Rom 5:12)
• After death comes judgment (Heb 9:27)
• Without Christ on judgment day, God’s wrath is poured out as you are cast into hell, where you will remain forever. (Eph 2:1-3, 2 Thess 1:9)

When talking with non-believers they sometimes tell me, “But, I don’t believe in heaven and hell.” That doesn’t matter. Consider this: if you don’t believe in traffic, and you suddenly run onto a busy highway, you’ll quickly be confronted with the truth about trucks, cars, and the frailty of the human body.

As a Christian, once you realize the fate of the lost you begin to see people differently. There’s no peace of mind in knowing that people you see every day, people you love, people you care about, will spend eternity in hell if they continue in their rebellion against God.

There’s more peace of mind for the atheist. What can be more peaceful than believing that there is no judgment after you die, or that if you were a biological and evolutionary accident once, and you just might be one again.

In addition, there is no peace of mind in knowing that it is our responsibility to preach the gospel to the lost, the enemies of God, those who find the gospel to be foolishness. It’s easier for the atheist to stand up and talk about evolution and proclaim falsehoods to people who want to have their ears tickled.

But it is our responsibility. Mark 16:15 says, “ Go into all the world and preach the gospel” and Acts 1:8 says, “you shall be My witnesses.” It’s not optional. Scripture does not say, “I hope you consider the possibility of being a witness of the gospel.” No! It says, “you shall be My witnesses.”

If you want peace of mind, take the easy way out. Deny reality. Make up your own reality. Be an atheist.

If you love the Lord, then read His word. Obey Him. Share the gospel. Forget about the peace of your mind, find your rest and peace in Him. Then find an atheist and explain the truth in love.

Evolution: The Numbers Don't Add Up

One reason many people refuse to respond to God is evolution.

They think that over millions of years, anything is possible.

Anything but God, of course.

On the surface this doesn't make sense. Think about it, if "anything is possible" then the universe would be chaos, not order. Anything happening, including random mutations, would lead to shortened lifespans and life-forms that die out due to useless mutations. It certainly would not lead to order and stable life forms.

Oh, and there's that little problem of where did all the stuff come from, and how did life begin?

Yet, people still put blind faith into the billions of years = life theory.

Of course, they also believe in Shakespearean Monkeys.

You've heard the theory... if you put enough monkeys into a room full of typewriters, eventually they would reproduce Shakespeare's Sonnet 18.

SIDEBAR: These days the monkeys would use computers, not typewriters. No monkey worth his salt would be caught dead with an out of date Selectric.

Interestingly, the British National Council of the Arts decided to waste taxpayer money to test this theory. They placed a computer into a cage with six monkeys, then waited to see what they produced.

They waited for a month. The monkeys produced 50 pages of typed characters.

Shakespeare's Sonnet 18 contains only 114 words (488 letters).

Guess how many words the monkeys typed?

Have an answer? Don't look ahead until you do. Go ahead, get an answer in your head.

Don't cheat.

Ready?

None. Nada. Zero. Zilch. The monkeys typed no words. Not even the shortest words in the English language: A and I. (To be the word 'a' or 'I', a space is required before and after. They failed to do this.)

When probability theory is applied to this problem, you'll find that the chance of the monkeys randomly typing Sonnet 18 is: 26 raised to the 488th power (26 letters in the English language, 488 letters in the Sonnet). That's the same as 10 raised to the 690th power.

That's a big number.

How big?

Many of you realize that it's the number 10, followed by 690 zeroes. But, people have no grasp of how big that is.

Here's one way to think of it. The number of particles in the entire universe (protons, electrons, and neutrons) is a mere 10 raised to the 80th power. So, if you tried to track the progress of the monkeys, and you kept count by marking particles in the universe, you'd run out of particles eight times before they produced the Sonnet.

Here's another way to think of it. Suppose you turned each particle in the universe into a computer chip, and you programmed that computer chip to spit out random letters at the rate of one million per second. Suppose also that you were able to send them back to the beginning of time itself (as science calculates it). As of today, you still would not have produced the Sonnet! Enough time hasn't elapsed.

And that's to produce one Sonnet containing 488 letters.

Do you have any idea how many parts there are to DNA?

Three Billion.

That's six million, one-hundred forty-seven, five-hundred forty Sonnets (6,147,540).

Without those three billion individual parts, all arranged in exactly the right order, life would not exist.

There is absolutely no chance that monkeys can produce a Shakespearean Sonnet with only 488 letters.

What's the chance that the universe came into existence, then organized itself, then formed planets and suns, and all the stuff out there, followed by that life organizing itself, later branching out into new life forms by random mutation?

Not a chance.

Do People Think About Death?

I met Tyler and Emily on the Boardwalk of Ocean City, Maryland.

The scene shown here is a typical late afternoon on the Boardwalk. As afternoon fades into night, families move down to the amusements. Teens and young adults line the storm wall (shown at far left) to watch and meet other night-owls.

This is a great place to witness to the lost. They have spare time, they're usually approachable, and if one person does not want to talk, you need to move only a few feet to begin a new conversation.

One this particular night I walked up to a young couple and offered a Million Dollar Bill tract. After a short conversation about how nice it would be if real, I moved on to one of my favorite questions: "What do you think happens when you die?"

I love this particular question. It gets right to the point, most people have thought about death and don't mind sharing their conclusions.

Not this time.

Tyler replied, "I don't know, I've never thought about it."

Emily, who was sitting by his side, holding his hand, apparently shared his lack of inquisitiveness. When I asked, "What about you? Have you thought about what happens after death?" She echoed his answer. "No, not really."

There was a time when I would have frozen when suddenly faced with someone who "never thought" about death. Oh. Well. Never mind then!

See, I'm the kind of person who tries to prepare for these conversations. Not only do I pray, but I also run through imaginary conversations in my head over and over, coming up with new challenges people might have and what responses I could give.

But once in a while, I'm thrown off. I remember one of my first witnessing encounters. I had prayed, read books, and gone through hundreds of conversations in my mind. I knew exactly how the conversation would start. Shortly after meeting a young man in the local mall, I asked, "What do you think happens when you die?"

I was all ready for the reply I just knew was coming. Once he said, "I'll go to heaven." I would move to my next question, "What do you think it takes for someone to make it into heaven?"

Unfortunately, he did not follow the script I'd neatly worked out in my head. He said, "Your body goes into the ground and rots."

"Oh. Umm. Uh..."

My mind was racing. He was not supposed to say that. He was supposed to say "Heaven" Now what?

I stammered something, then had a horrible conversation, and finally said "goodbye." I wondered if I'd ever try to share the gospel again.

Thankfully I soon recalled something Mark Cahill once told me: "The reason Michael Jordon is an amazing player now is that he dedicated himself to the sport, and practiced every chance he had."

So, I went back out. I started more conversations. I rehearsed more in my head. I learned from every rebuttal and question. Now, when someone like Tyler throws me a curve, like "I've never thought about it." I don't freeze.

Instead, I followed up: "Adolf Hitler. Is he in heaven, or hell today?"

"Hell" Tyler immediately responded.

"What about Mother Teresa? Do you think she's in heaven or hell?"

"Um, probably heaven," said Tyler. Emily agreed.

"So, you do think about it?" I was so glad that my practice was paying off.

Tyler, Emily, and I had a wonderful conversation. Before I told them good-night, they understood that they were liars, thieves, blasphemers, and adulterers at heart. They clearly understood that on Judgment Day they would stand guilty before God, and they were both very concerned. They also understood that their only hope of salvation was repentance and faith in Christ as Lord.

Please pray that Tyler and Emily have placed their trust in Christ.

Now get out there and practice!

Why Christians Must Share Their Faith

For Christians, sharing the gospel is matter of love, mercy, and obedience. Let's take a brief look at each one.

Share Christ out of Love

The Bible tells Christians to love our neighbors, love other Christians, and to love our enemy. That pretty much covers all the bases.

We are to love others, just as Christ first loved us. We did not deserve His mercy, but He freely provided it.

If you love someone, would you let them come to harm if you could help it? Of course not. Then you can't keep quiet. The fact is, everyone you meet will die one day. Maybe today. If that person is not a Christian, they are headed for eternal torment. True love would never allow this to happen without at least warning them.

Charles Spurgeon once said, “Have you no wish for others to be saved? Then you are not saved yourself. Be sure of that." Why would he say this? Because once you understand the truth about heaven and hell, you simply can't remain quiet.

If you love the non-believer, you simply must share the truth with them. To do otherwise would be like a fireman who walks past a burning house full of people without a concern for their safety.

Share Christ out of Mercy

When the Bible speaks of 'mercy' it describes sparing someone from their deserved judgment. While Christian's can't provide the mercy, they can make a non-believer aware of God's merciful nature and His offer of grace.

It's not mercy to keep the gospel to yourself, that's selfishness. Demonstrate your love of others by mercifully revealing their lost state (their failure to follow the Ten Commanments), and the path to salvation (repentance and faith).

Share Christ out of Obedience

The Bible is clear on our responsibility to share the gospel.

• Mark 16:15 says, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel."
• 2 Tim 4:2 tells us to "Preach the gospel in season and out"
• Mark 13:10 says, "The gospel must be preached to all nations."
• Acts 1:8 says, "you shall be My witnesses."

If you don't share the gospel you are disobedient, you are not merciful, and you are not loving. Are you a truly a Christian?

Many Roads To Heaven?

Why should I, or any Christian, care what other people think about eternity?

After all, as Oprah Winfrey would say about God and faith, "If it brings her to the same point as it brings you, it doesn't matter whether she calls it God along the way or not... Does God care about your heart, or does God care if you call his Son Jesus?"

Um, neither.

First, denying Jesus Christ does NOT bring someone to the same point it brings a Christian. A non-Christian is NOT a Christian, so they are not at the same point.

Why does this matter? Although some believe that all religions are the same, or that there are many paths to heaven, Jesus said, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me." (John 14:6). Christ Himself makes it clear: without understanding who He is, and trusting completely in Him (not one of the many man-defined paths to God), there is no hope.

Secondly, Oprah makes another common mistake: believing that people are basically good. Of course God cares about your heart, but He knows that without Christ, your heart is "deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked..." (Jer 17:9). God searches the heart. That's why it doesn't matter if you call his Son Jesus, as Oprah states. What matters is the condition of your heart, how you respond to that knowledge, and where you put your trust.

As we saw in the One From Column A, One From Column B post, men try to create many paths to heaven, but there is only one way: Repent from your sinful ways; cry out to God for His mercy; and put your complete trust and faith in Jesus Christ... The only way.

How Are YOU Doing?

If you were to die right now, where would you end up?

According to Barna Research: "Half of all adults (50%) argue that anyone who "is generally good or does enough good things for others during their life will earn a place in Heaven.""(The Barna Group, Oct 8, 2002).

So, how are you doing? Are you a good person? Are you good enough to go to heaven when you die?

You can find out in less than two minutes by answering a few questions.

How? Take a quick look at a few of Ten Commandments, God's standard for who is "good" and who is not.

How many lies have you told? Most people will admit that the number of lies they've told during their life is rather large. If you tell lies, you are known as a liar.

Have you ever stolen anything? Even if the value is small, or the item was relatively insignificant, if you've ever taken something that didn't belong to you without permission, you are a thief.

Have you ever looked at another person and lusted after them? Just about anyone who is older that 13, and is honest, will have to admit that they have. Big deal? Well, Jesus said that if you've even looked at another person with lust, you've already committed adultery in your heart.

One more, then we'll see how you're doing.

Have you ever hated someone, or call someone nasty names? Because God knows your innermost thoughts, He knows that hate takes root before murder takes place. That's why Christ said, "everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty." You haven't committed the act, but you have already committed murder in your mind and heart.

So, let's have a summary. If you admitted to each of the above questions (and we've only looked at four of the Ten Commandments), then you are a liar, a thief, an adulterer, and a murderer in God's eyes.

If you stood before God tonight, and He judged you by the Ten Commandments, would you be innocent or guilty?

Everyone who is answering truthfully would admit to breaking at least one of the Ten Commandments. You don't need to break all of them, of even most of them, to be guilty. The Bible says that if you break even one, you are guilty of breaking all. So, you'd be guilty, just like the rest of us.

Would that mean heaven, or hell?

No one likes to admit it, or think about it, but the answer is clear. The Bible says, "all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone..." It also says that no one who breaks God's Law will inherit the kingdom of heaven (Rev 21:8, and 1 Cor 6:10).

The fact is, we've all fallen short of God's standard, and deserve our place in hell.

Does that concern you?

It should. After all, everyone dies, and all sinners will face God on Judgment Day.

What will you say?

Is there any hope? Yes, there is.

God is not only just, He is also loving and forgiving. Because of this, He offers a path to salvation.

Two thousand years ago, God took on the form of a man, called Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus (also known as the Christ) lived a sin-free life, but took the sins of the world upon himself during his death on the cross. Because of this, your sins and mine can be forgiven. His sacrifice was the same as a legal transaction today. It's as if He paid the cost for our crimes, and now we can go free.

All He asks in return is that you repent and put your trust in Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Repent means to recognize your sin, confess your sin to God, ask for forgiveness, and then turn from your sinful ways. You can't be a drunk, do drugs, hate people... say that you love Jesus, then be a drunk, do drugs, and hate people. Your actions show that you did not really repent, and you don't love the Lord.

Putting your trust in Jesus means that you place Him at the head of your life in every way. You recognize that there is no hope outside of your faith in Him. You then do all you can to follow after Him the rest of your life. That begins with prayer and reading His Word (the Bible).

Please don't wait.

Make up your mind. Putting it off is the same as rejecting Christ.

Today you still have time. You are, as Bob says, "Still vertical."

But, every day 150,000 people die. Believe me, few of those who died today planned to take their last breath. Many died suddenly in an accident, or a crime. Some died in their sleep. Some had an unexpected blood clot or anurism and died in a few short seconds.

Please don't put it off until tomorrow. Decide right now. Then, if you agree that you are a sinner who needs God's mercy, cry out to him... read the Bible... pray daily... and join a church of devoted believers.

The Startling Conclusion About Everything

We've just concluded that there is a Creator. Not based on blind faith or fairy tales, or fear, or even the Bible, but based on reality. The reality that there is reality at all (something rather than nothing) and the reality that all people have a commonly understood set of moral standards which we call The Law.

Just as a particular brush-stroke is evidence of a particular artist, The Law is evidence of the Creator.

Now, it is time to bring the discussion to the Bible and the God described therein.

Why? Because of all the religions, and all the books, the Holy Bible is the one that describes creation in this way, and the one that describes the Creator (God) in this way.

Genesis 1:1, for example, says: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." Something, from something... not something from nothing.

Romans 2:15 says, "they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness..." The commonly understood moral code... is inside everyone.

There are numerous other scriptures that touch on these subjects, but the two I've chosen are sufficient to illustrate the point. You may not agree, but I'd urge you to study the question. Don't continue to be led astray by the illogical argument that everything came from nothing. That's blind faith.

The God of the Bible is real. The evidence is all around you (creation), and inside you (your conscience).

What is God like? What are His attributes? They are clearly described in the Bible. They include: all-knowing, all-seeing, just, loving, creative, wise, eternal, holy, and faithful.

If those attributes don't make you uneasy, you're not thinking seriously about their meaning.

For example, suppose you broke the law and were taken into court to stand trial. There is no doubt that you're guilty. What should the judge do... let you go? Of course not. Not if he is a good judge.

When you break The Law (God's Law), which is understood by everyone (which means you know that you've broken it), what should a just and good God do with you?

Uh-Oh.

Just as a good judge would need to carry out the sentence, so will God.

We'll talk more about this next time.

Everything From Nothing, or Everything from Something?

We're making progress in seeking the answer to these questions: Is there a God? If so, who is He?

We have not specifically proven the existence of God, but we have discussed direct evidence of Him: the commonly understood standard of right and wrong, which we call The Law.

Once you understand that this law exists, you can move on to the next question...

Where did this law come from?

For that matter, where did anything come from?

Why is there anything, instead of nothing?

There are two dominant views concerning how everything got here: The Big Bang, and Intelligent Design (the idea that someone, or something, purposely put it here).

Keep in mind that all this stuff around us: planets, solar systems, protons, and electrons, all follow predictable patterns in strict, measurable ways. Some stuff, which we call 'living' stuff (kittens, dogs, people) also follow predictable patterns, but in a less rigid way.

According to the Big Bang theory, all this stuff, which acts in predictable ways, did something very unpredictable... It blew up.

In fact, all this stuff blew up for no known reason as the result of nothing happening (because nothing existed, including time) at a time when none of it existed. Odd, don't you think?

On top of that, after all this stuff, which came from nowhere for no reason, exploded, it organized itself into an orderly, predicable, measurable universe. Then it randomly organized into air, water, proteins, crystals, planets, the suns, moons, and more.

Next, all this inanimate stuff that randomly came into existence organized itself into pairs of replicating life forms. Each life form didn't just randomly come into existence by itself... a second one randomly occurred at the same time so that reproduction was possible. How convenient.

These life forms, again by random chance, just happen to provide balances in the ecosystem. Insects, plants, birds, animals, parasites, flies... each create benefits for other creatures. Without some, others could not live, and yet they came to exist at the same time.

On top of all of that, all this stuff that began so explosively and randomly now acts very predictably.

If you believe all that. You've got a lot more faith than those of us who believe the other option: an intelligent force designed and created all that we know about, all that we can see, and all that we can measure.

Why this is so hard to accept amazes me. On the one hand: design. On the other: nothing from nothing caused by nothing randomly organizes into everything.

Nothing else in life or science follows any rule that says anything like, "it just happens out of nothing over gadzillions of years." Nothing. So, why does anyone think that everything could just appear out of nothing and over gadzillions of years organize itself into something?

Not believing in a designer is blind faith. Believing in a designer makes complete sense, and follows the patterns that we understand logically and scientifically.

Here are a few more things to think about:

• Your car is proof that there are car-designers and car-builders.
• Your shoes are proof that there are shoe-designers and shoe-builders.
• If you find a series of seven or eight quarters lined up and spaced evenly, you immediately understand that someone (or something) did that... it wasn't random chance.

Therefore, order, design, creation and everything in it, is proof positive of a Creator.

Including the commonly accepted and understood Laws.

Just as a painter leaves behind traces and signatures of himself in the artwork... Just as a computer programmer leaves traces of his personality in the software... Just as a jeweler leaves telltale clues in his jewelry that it was his design... The Creator of the universe left clear indications of His design, including the Laws that are build into each one of us.

We'll explore this a bit more next time.

Is There A God?

The next few posts will focus on the questions: Is there a God? If so, who is He?

This posting will begin to answer the question, "Is there a God?"

I think the best introduction to this concept was written by C.S. Lewis, in his book Mere Christianity. I've used his outline as my guide for this article.

Some of you may object to my use of a book entitled, Mere Christianity, to introduce this topic. You may argue, "No fair, you're beginning with a starting point of Christianity."

Perhaps, but the fact is, I've studied this question most of my life, and I have arrived at the point of firmly understanding the truth of Christianity. So, even if you think my starting point is biased, I ask that you indulge the discussion with tolerance.

Maybe your patience will be calmed by considering that I'm not asking you to do anything that you don't do every single day. After all, most of the early scientists were Christians. Therefore many of the great scientific discoveries were made by Christians. Yet, you don't refuse to take Penicillin when you're ill, nor do you reject the fact that the planets revolve around the sun, simply because those ideas originate with Christians (Alexander Fleming and Nicolaus Copernicus, respectively). All I ask is that you consider this information so you can make an informed decision.

Let's begin with a simple question: Have you ever argued with someone?

Of course you have. Everyone has. But, why argue?

You argue, because you think you are right and the other person is wrong.

[A quick side note for those of you who make the claim, "There is no right or wrong." If you have ever had an argument (and you know you have), you have proven that you are wrong. Even the statement, "There is no right or wrong," is hypocritical (is that statement right, or wrong?).]

But even more important, you argue with others because you wish the other person to understand that you are right. But what do you base your position upon? C.S. Lewis stated that this position is based on a commonly understood standard of right and wrong. A standard understood by everyone, everywhere.

The proof is so obvious that most people don't even think about it, and that is: sometimes, the other person agrees with you.

Think about that. You disagree with someone. You argue. You point out where they are wrong, and they agree with you. Clearly you can only reach agreement when the other person shares your standard for what is right, and what is wrong.

For brevity, I'll assume that you see the point. We can now agree on the existence of the fact that there is a commonly understood standard of right and wrong. Let's call the standard for right, "Law".

The fact that people disobey these laws does not prove that they do not exist, only that people disobey them. Nor is is acceptable to claim that differences in laws prove there is no universal standard. The differences in laws we find from place to place are more anomalies than opposites.

We are currently witnessing an example of this principle. The 2008 Olympics are winding down in Beijing, China. There are a number of athletes and tourists from around the world gathered together in and around the host city. But we don't witness chaos, we see cooperation. Why? Because humanity has a common in-born agreement of what the laws of behavior are.

Of course, none of us are very good at keeping these laws. Worse, when we break them, we make excuses to justify our behavior. Watch any child who just stole a cookie from the cookie jar to see this in action. Watch the creativity for explaining the action away, denying what happened, or describing why the theft is reasonable. Why? Because our inner sense of the law tells us we must explain our poor adherence to the law. We twist reason and fact to try to convince ourselves and others that if not for a set of factors outside of our control, we'd be wonderful people in complete harmony with the law.

One final point about this inner-known law: respected people around the world agree that these laws exist. Want proof?

Listen to comments about people like Mother Theresa, Ghandi, and others who try to improve the human condition. They're called reformers, role models, great philosophers, more... They received awards during their lives, and get significant coverage in school discussions and textbooks. Even many so-called atheists agree that Jesus was a "good man", and a role-model. Based on what? It must be based on the internal law.

Finally, these internal laws are certainly not instinct (instinct being that inner voice that insists we not endanger ourselves, make life harder than it already is, and that we must preserve our DNA). Mother Theresa would not have lived in harsh conditions, Ghandi would not have gone on hunger strikes or sought peace at any cost. Firemen wouldn't rush into burning buildings, and men would not offer their seat to a weak elderly person, if instinct controlled our actions.

All of this brings us to the key question about this law: Where did it come from?

The answer to that important question will have to wait until my next post.

Three More Popular World Religions...

Last time we looked at three of the world's most popular religions. Each had in common one key theme: people determine ultimate moral truth.

You, like me, might wonder: Suppose they're wrong? People are wrong about all sorts of things all the time. People frequently can't agree with each other, so they come to different conclusions. What if they're wrong about eternity? And, if people don't determine ultimate moral truth, then who, or what, does?

The three major religions we're about to discuss all agree that these humanistic philosophies are wrong. Moral truth, they argue, can only come from a supreme being. Let's take a quick look at these religions. They are: Islam, Judaism, and Christianity.

Islam teaches that after death your destination is either Paradise, or Hell. Allah is the name of their god. The only guaranteed way to Paradise is martyrdom. Everyone else must work their way into Paradise by complying with a series of rules known as Pillars.

Judaism is based on the teachings of the Jewish Bible (known as the Old Testament to Christians). The Old Testament teaches that there are two eternal destinations: Heaven, or Hell. To enter Heaven, you must have faith in God, named Yahweh, and follow His Laws. Failure to follow His law requires sacrificial atonement for that sin.

Christians believe that Jesus Christ is the God of the Old Testament Bible, who became human and lived among us. They believe that the New Testament, together with the Old, is the true and accurate Word of God (Yahweh) and that this one God is also three distinct persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. As with Jews, they believe in only two eternal destinations: Heaven or Hell. However, they believe that the only way to enter Heaven is to repent (turn from your sinful ways) and place all of your faith in the atoning work of Jesus Christ.

As with other faiths, there are cultural Muslims (another name for those who follow Islam), cultural Jews, and cultural Christians. By 'cultural' I mean people who loosely follow the religion but have no firm conviction or belief. Some can even be classified as agnostic or atheist, even though they attend church functions and self-identify with one of these religions.

If you spend any amount of time learning about Islam, Judaism, and Christianity, you'll quickly realize that their beliefs in eternity, and how to enter Heaven (or Paradise) are each unique. If truth is knowable (and it is), and if truth is unchanging (it is) then only one can be correct.

Is there a God? If so, which of these religions, if any, follows the truth about this Him? Is God even a "Him"?

We'll explore these questions, and more, next time.

One From Column A, Two From Column B

First, let me say that I'm very happy you're still vertical (see my previous post). About 150,000 others, unfortunately, won't be joining us today.

Now, on to today's topic.

I remember going to Chinese restaurants as a child. I was amazed by the number of selections on the menu. It seemed like you could order something different every time you visited, and never run out of selections.

I also recall how they sold combination plates. You could choose a main entree from Column A, then one, two, or three items from Column B, depending on the price. Using this method, you could personalize what appeared on your plate in endless ways.

That's fine for marketing and customer satisfaction, but it simply doesn't work for determining truth.

For example, on a math exam I can't choose a number from Column A, then from Column B choose my favorite operator, a second number, and then my personal choice for the answer to create my own personal answer-plate. Unless I choose the numbers carefully, I'll get the answer wrong.

I don't want to get the answer wrong on a math exam, and I certainly don't want to get the answer wrong if it matters for all of eternity.

Unfortunately, we're bombarded with beliefs about life after death that can look a lot like that Chinese restaurant menu. The number of choices from Column A is long, and limited only by man's imagination. The number of ways you can pick and choose components of a faith from the Column B of doctrine, philosophies, and rules allows us endless possibilities to create a lifestyle-plate to suit our personal desires.

Such a creation might make us comfortable for a time, but what if we create the wrong collection? How would we know it's wrong? Does it matter? Of course it does!

It matters because of something that many readers will find very hard to accept, and that is: Truth exists. In addition, truth is knowable.

But how do we determine what truth is? How can we know truth with regard to faith, life, death, and eternity?

Before we tackle that, let's take a look at a few of the choices from Column A, the world's major religions and philosophies.

Hinduism is a man-created set of beliefs. The beliefs that make up Hinduism are quite diverse. So diverse that you will find both agnostics (uncertain of the existence of God) and atheists (who dismiss the concept of God) who call themselves Hindu.

Hinduism is the world's third largest religion, and the oldest. Its beliefs have evolved over time, with many of them captured in various documents. There is no single god in Hinduism. There is no final creed or doctrine, and no single truth.

Even one of the most recognized followers of Hinduism recognized these limitations. Mahatma Ghandi said, "It is a constant torture to me that I am still so far from Him whom I know to be my very life and being." Why might Ghandi feel that he was so far from this supreme being that he sought, if he was in possession of the truth?

With little effort you can find a wealth of information on Hinduism. However, for our purposes this brief overview will do.

Closely related to Hinduism is Buddhism, the fourth largest of the world's religions. It too is based on man-created rules and teachings. The widely recognized founder of Buddhism, Budda Shakyamuni (usually referred to simply as "Buddha") saw himself as a teacher of self-discovered "truths".

Over the years, these truths have been augmented and modified. There is no central document or church. Because of this, you can also find agnostics and atheists who identify themselves as Buddhist and feel right at home. This is because the concept of God is not part of the core set of beliefs. Rather than pursue a god , they strive to live like their founder, known simply as the Buddha or the Enlightened One.

I think a fair summary of the core beliefs would be something like this: Life is filled with suffering. Suffering is caused by selfish desires. Suffering will end when all desires end. If you live like Buddha, desires and suffering will end. In the meantime, you are endlessly reincarnated to try, try again.

The other set of beliefs we'll look at today is what has become known as the New Age Movement.

New Age is harder to define. My wife would use the word "hodge-podge" to discuss its set of beliefs. It's sort of like the old saying, "Too many cooks spoil the broth." You sort of know what it is, but it's full of so many things it's hard to define with specificity.

In general, the New Age movement is a philosophy that is self-defined and regulated. It's filled with people who have pulled beliefs from a range of other religions, world-views, and philosophies, especially those of the East. Those who consider themselves New Agers believe that people can figure out what is ultimately true and what is ultimately right. In addition, what is ultimately true and right for you, might be different from what is true and right for everyone else. That, according to the New Ager, is perfectly O.K.

But, then again, New Agers can change their mind at any time, so by the time you read this, ultimate truth may be the same for everyone.

I can't ignore the fact that, if true, having everone define individual truths and right will always lead to complete chaos. New Agers seem to ignore this fact, though history proves it repeatedly.

I also can't ingore the fact that New Ager beliefs about life and eternity are sort of like the weather. If you don't like it right now, just wait a little while and it will change.

Let's have a summary for today.

New Age can't be true. If nothing is absolutely right, and nothing is absolutely wrong then nothing can be true either. Any set of beliefs that refuse to take a firm stand (other than insisting that everyone can take their own stand) is contradictory, and can't be true since truth is knowable and unchanging. New Age-ism might help people who wish to avoid conflict, but at most it's a philosophy that lasts only until a bigger, meaner New Ager comes along and tells you what his truth is. It also won't help you 1000 years from now.

What of Hinduism and Buddhism? I would argue, though others might disagree, that any philosophy based on rules, policies, and morals that are created by men, is fatally flawed. A quick look at the despots of history is all that is needed to show how evil mankind can be when given power and the authority to impose personal beliefs on those around him (or her).

You may not find my logic conclusive. That's O.K. for now. Even more important is the earlier statement: Truth exists and is knowable. If I can prove that Buddhism and Hinduism, and any other world religion, is in conflict with truth, then there is not need to argue further.

Next time we'll review a few more of the popular world religions. After that, we'll take a closer look at truth.