Joyce Meyer? Creflo Dollar? T.D. Jakes? Joel Osteen?

Matthew 7:15 is very clear:

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in
sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves."

To get to the main point: If you are reading or listening to Joyce Meyer, Creflo Dollar, T.D. Jakes, Joel Osteen, and the like, then take note of Matthew 7:15 = Beware of false prophets.

To get more on this issue: Read and study true Orthodox believers in Classical Christianity. Check out Hank Hanegraaff's Ministry at equip.org and read Christianity In Crisis.

To get an idea of the issue: take a look at some of the venom that these people are spewing:

"God cannot do anything in this earthly realm unless we give Him permission."

"Being poor is a sin."

"The Jews were not rejecting Jesus as Messiah;
it was Jesus who was refusing to be the Messiah to the Jews!"

"You create your own world the same way God creates His.
He speaks, and things happen; you speak, and they happen."

I know this may be a sensitive issue for those who have followed some of these people...and it's not necessarily your fault...they deceive...that is what they do...but don't feel bad...instead, get equipped...

Opinion Or Argument?

There is no truth...All statements are false...Nothing can be known of reality...

The aforementioned claims are a few self-refuting statements that I love to collect. I do such a thing for two reasons:

1. I want the truth to stand out and be the guide for all discussions

2. I want to make sure that I articulate in a clear and logical manner and thus never use self-refuting statements

Well, this morning, I heard another wonderful, self-refuting statement, and had to add it to my list. Now that I think about it, it is one that comes up in many debates, articles, and discussions on controversial topics...here it is:

"Everyone is entitled to their own opinion."

My response to this statement is simply, "No, everyone is not entitled to their own opinion."

If they agree to my statement, then by default, their statement is incorrect. If they disagree with my statement, then they are not allowing me to have my own opinion, which, by default, makes their view incorrect as well...in other words, it falls into one of the three classic laws of logic, the Law of excluded middle, which states, "for any proposition, either that proposition is true, or its negation is true.

One of the main reasons the statement, "Everyone is entitled to their own opinion," is self-refuting, is because it makes a universal statement and applies it in a non-universal situation. Including the word "Everyone" in an improper context, simply allows me the opportunity of being the exception to the rule.

Why It Matters
In a day and age of political correctness, fear of offending, and subjectivity rules, we will certainly have someone try to use "opinion" rhetoric on us as we discuss The Truth of Jesus of Nazareth. So we need to tear down these illogical "opinion" statements and never allow them to intimidate us.

The Solution
The solution to defeating the "opinion" claim, is to use arguments based on reason. This forces one to think about what they say, and to give substantiation to their claim...substantiation that can then be deemed true or false.

On another note, I can say, "Everyone is entitled to their own argument based on sound reasoning," and it would not be self-refuting because someone would then have to give me reasons if they agree or disagree...which would then prove my statement correct.

So if you are ever listening to a debate, reading an article, or having a discussion, don't ever be persuaded by the "opinion" rhetoric...instead, demand an argument based on reasoning, then the opinions will fall, and the truth will stand!

Religion, Relationship, Or Reality?

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ,
God making his appeal through us.
We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.
~ 2 Corinthians 5:20 ~

Many have said, myself included, that Christianity is a "relationship, not a religion." What do you think about this statement?

I believe it comes down to Columbo Tactic #1, which would ask, "What do you mean by religion?...What do you mean by relationship?"

Wanting to clarify this topic, I would say that Christianity is Reality...

If you are interested in this topic, I highly recommend checking into one or all of these links...here, here, and here.

Here is an excerpt from Wintery Knight:

My concern with the notion of Christianity as a relationship is that people will cash it out as a subjective thing that they do for fun privately and that it is never the basis of public actions or words. And my fear is that without theology, people just project their own character onto God and discern his character through their feelings and intuitions, instead of through a study of the Bible and theology (emphasis added).

How Champions Think

Good quote I learned from a tennis mentor, and it is a great philosophy that helps us to see how Champions think:

"Your next shot is more important than your last mistake” ~ Tom Veneziano

How can you apply this to your life? Have you made the wrong career choice? Bad decision making in a relationship? Did you double fault on 30-40? Maybe you did not speak up when you should have?

In terms of human history, we made a bad decision in the garden, but God, through Jesus of Nazareth, has given us our next shot in life...What will you do with it?

Process, Not Product

And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature
and in favor with God and man.
~ Luke 2:52 ~

Inspired from Luke 2:52, I have thought about some new ideas to implement in gaining wisdom, stature, and favor...How can I best gain knowledge and abilities this year and use what God gave me for His Glory? Hoping to avoid a "self-help" entry, I have provided, not an exhaustive list by any means, but a few tips and tactics for getting to that next level for 2012...Four focus areas:

1. Focus on the process instead of the product
Too many times, all we think about is having a bigger bank account, or a better physique, without thinking about what needs to be done, or how it needs to be accomplished. Determine your end product, but focus on how to obtain it...working on the process in chunk's of time and effort...and then be persistent: Losers quit when they're tired. Winners quit when they've won. -Unknown

2.Implement the MIKE Tactic
Mike Singletary, famous linebacker for the Baylor and Chicago Bears, was always known for intensity...his eyes showed it and his play backed it up...so as you establish new goals this year, get intense about them and establish the MIKE Tactic:

M- Motivated = You must be motivated for change
I - Inspire/Influence = find someone who inspires you and think of someone you can influence
K - Knowledge = If you want to change, you must arm yourself with the knowledge of what to do and how to do it (see below).
E - Evaluate = a key step to see if you are on pace with your goals

3. Multiply and Subtract
We need to multiply certain areas that direct us to transform, and we need to subtract things that are holding us back. There is a quote that reads, "In 5 years you will be the sum total of the books you’ve read and the people you’ve associated with." Let's condense that down to one year...by January 2013, you could be the result of what you allowed to enter your mind by what your read and who you ran with...our readings and our associations have a profound effect on who we become. It is why Psalm 119:93 says “I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life,” and why Proverbs 4:23 states, "Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life." So we must focus on the input if we desire a certain output. Here are some tips:

• Do you want to know what you believe and why? Then read On Guard by William Lane Craig, and then form a study group and watch the DVD Companion to it...you read and discuss, read and discuss, constantly shaping your mind and your transformation.

• Do you want to gain muscle and lose fat? Then subscribe to fitness magazines/blogs, and form a fitness group. Read books and associate with people who are like-minded to get strong and healthy. (If you can't find a workout partner, then I highly recommend DVD programs, I know it sounds crazy, but for real, get Insanity or P90X2...they will at least motivate you because you see other people getting fit, and it lays out the program in a plug-n-play method.

• Do you want to establish better finances? Then read books and hang out with people who have become rich through smart investments and a savings plan.

4. Who Do You Play For?
A favorite quote comes from the movie, Miracle, the true story of Herb Brooks (Russell), the player-turned-coach who led the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team to victory over the seemingly invincible Russian squad. It is a simple quote used by the coach, and it goes like this:

"Who do you play for?"

This one quote totally shifted the players mentality from selfishness to self-giving! One reason they were able to beat the Russians is because they realized they played for their country, their family, their team. Listen, if you want to transform in 2012, then ask yourself, "Who do I play for?"

Are you a parent? Do you want your kids to know Christ? Then study The Scriptures, serve on Mission Trips, be a leader in your Church and your community. "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.”- Proverbs 22:6

Do you want your kids to get into Harvard or Stanford? Then don't just tell them to study and work hard, let them see you reading intellectual books and making new discoveries.

Do you want your organization or your team to improve? Then don't tell others to work or play hard...you work hard, you play hard and they will echo your efforts.

When people see you learning and growing Spiritually, Intellectually, Physically, Financially, etc, then they will follow as well. So not only will you be achieving your goals, you will be helping others achieve their goals.

So for 2012, don't just expect success, train for it...think process...think influence...and you might find the product is better than you expected!

Evidence? It Goes Both Ways!

As we prepare to celebrate Christmas Day, we can't help but think and ponder about one of the greatest miracles of all-time...The Virgin Birth, God entering the world in human flesh...which leads me to then meditate upon The Resurrection Of Christ...God redeeming all of humanity.

...but what about those who don't believe? I often hear the atheistic theme song of "evidence, I need more evidence." Or if it's not their theme song, perhaps it's the famous sound bite that says, "extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence."

...Well, to the atheist, the game goes both ways...you state that "God does not exist" and that "miracles are not possible," so I would like to say to you, "prove it!" You make an extraordinary claim so you better give me some extraordinary evidence!

So what will the atheist do? Here are some attempts:

1. Only science can show us what is true. Oh really? This statement is one that is philosophical in nature, and itself is not testable by the scientific method.

2. Macro-evolution is true and Darwin is god...Oh really? Give me some extraordinary evidence that shows this extraordinary claim to be the case. How does a Darwinian mechanism create the first replicator? Where are all the fossils showing transitions between species? How do you explain the Cambrian explosion? Please show me evidence how random mutation and natural selection gets around the problem of irreducibly complex mechanisms such as the human eye, ATP Synthase, and Bacteria Flagella. Please show me evidence on how disorder can create order and how time and chance can create the detailed code and the specified complexity of DNA language. In short, why is there something rather than nothing?

3. You can't prove a universal negative. Oh really? You think you are going to escape the burden of proof do you? There are no zebras who play for the New England Patriots. There are no married bachelors. There is no water molecule made of CO2...how is that for proving universal negatives!

I will conclude with a dialogue from William Lane Craig:

The claim on the lips of today’s New Atheists, "We have been given the tools of reason, inquiring minds and a good education and we judge religion as we judge everything else" now appears to be empty posturing. If this assertion is really true, then when you say, "As an atheist I assert that God, and your God in particular does not exist," you’d better be prepared to respond when I ask, “Really? What proof, evidence, or argument can you provide to convince me?”

Praise Be To God who provides more than enough evidence for His existence and for His Love...demonstrated as He entered into time, space, matter, and energy...stepping into our lives through Jesus Christ. The Scriptures speak of it, creation concludes it, and reality reflects it! Victory IN Christ and Merry Christmas!

Rightly Handling The Word Of Truth

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. ~ 2 Timothy 2:15 ~

It's been quite a while since I have read the brilliant writings of Oswald Chambers, so it was very refreshing to peer into his mind tonight by reading his thoughts on 2 Timothy 2:15...

...Chambers sees the importance of knowing what and knowing why you believe...he sees the importance of studying The Scriptures and believing based on truth...he sees the importance of knowing how to express the truth of Christ to others...

...here is an excerpt and a link to his Dec 15 entry!

"If you cannot express yourself well on each of your beliefs, work and study until you can. If you don’t, other people may miss out on the blessings that come from knowing the truth. Strive to re-express a truth of God to yourself clearly and understandably, and God will use that same explanation when you share it with someone else."

Koukl: "100% God - 100% Man"

In the last post, I mentioned how Wintery Knight discussed the importance of an accurate understanding of Christianity...I want to follow that post with the following link to an article written by Greg Koukl, another great thinker...

It's called "100% God - 100% Man," and to summarize, Koukl states:

"There's is not a sharp dichotomy between God working and our working.
They go hand in hand. God works through our initiative."

...how God uses our wills and our actions to accomplish His ends..."

• • •

"Pray toward Heaven. Row toward shore." ~ Lee Ezell

The Brilliance of Wintery Knight

Here is a link to a brilliant blog, written by a favorite thinker, Wintery Knight...most Christians have a misunderstanding of God, and it leads many of them to "de-convert"...they are simply misinformed...so WK hits on key elements to show how Christianity truly relates to our lives, and why it is so important that our understanding of correct Christian Theology and Doctrine, be accurate, instead of some superstitious nonsense...

...here are few excerpts:

"This is why accurate theology matters. No serious Christian thinks that you stop sinning after you become a Christian, and no serious Christian thinks that prayer alone is a solution to sin. To stop sinning, you need to engage more than the spirit, you need to engage the mind. Most people want to spiritualize things because prayer is easier than study. But if you want to stop sinning, the best way is a combination of prayer and study."

"Some people want to dumb Christianity down to the level of superstition then they complain that it doesn't work. But Christianity is better when you learn more and work harder..."

...People become Christians because they want to be like Jesus, and they understand that Jesus was not having fun. He was doing a job, and he wasn't happy or appreciated."

"It's so strange to me that people think that the best way to see God interfere is to pray. The way I see God working in my life is when I go home and listen to some debate about the problem of evil, and then the next day some atheist asks me out to lunch to talk about why God allows evil. Maybe instead of doing easy things, we should actually invest in our relationship with God and then see if he responds by giving us work to do. Maybe a relationship with God is about serving him, and the joy is about seeing him reward those efforts by working with us and through us. Maybe God has more for us than just entertainment."

Fallacies: Genetic Fallacy #2

In a prior post, I had mentioned an example of the Genetic Fallacy...here in this post, I would like to expose a second example of the Genetic Fallacy...

"Christianity is just a crutch."

In other words, the person is fallaciously inferring that the origin of a Christian's belief simply stems from his/her dependency on a safety mechanism or a support system. But as stated in the prior post, the origin or how one comes to believe in something does not necessarily prove or disprove the validity of such a belief...to make a claim that "Christianity is a crutch" is totally irrelevant to whether or not Christianity is true, and simply shows that the person who makes the claim does not have a clue about logic or rationality.

So once again, take a tactical approach to turn this on the atheist or whoever makes this fallacious claim...here is a great way to do it, from Greg Koukl, (author of Tactics: A Game Plan For Discussing Your Christian Convictions).

"Some say Christianity is just a crutch. But let's turn the question on its edge for a moment. Is atheism an emotional crutch, wishful thinking? The ax cuts both ways. Perhaps atheists are rejecting God because they've had a bad relationship with their father. Instead of inventing God, have atheists invented non-God? Have they invented atheism to escape some of the frightening implications of God's existence? Think about it."

The Pro-Abortion Contradiction

Ronald Reagan once said:

“Abortion is advocated only by persons who have themselves been born.”

• • •

Those who are pro-abortion should stop and think about their contradictory position...the only reason they are able to vote or advocate for pro-abortion legislation is because they were not, themselves, aborted...

It's also funny how one of the main things pro-abortion advocates bring up is the issue of having rights...the right to privacy, the right to autonomy, the right to reproductive status...give me a break...again, stop and think about why you have rights to begin with...you were given life...you were not aborted...your rights were not taken away...

...You want to talk about rights...how about the right-to-life for the fetus?

...and understand, that a potential you was not born...you were born...if the embryo you once were was aborted, a potential you would not have been murdered...you would have been murdered...

...so the next time a pro-abortion advocate wants to celebrate their right to abort, they need to stop and think about why they have been given such a right to begin with...

Fallacies: Genetic and Appeal To Pity

Most non-believers claim to be champions of reason, logic, rationality...but to the contrary, the non-theist usually ends up being the more illogical when it comes to world view issues, evident by numerous fallacious statements made in any given conversation. Normally, this comes about because the atheist, agnostic, etc are very good at making assertions, but very bad at making arguments. Two very common fallacies include the Genetic Fallacy and the Appeal to Pity.

Genetic fallacy#1 "You are only a Christian because you were born in the United States."

Notice, this is an assertion...not an argument, and therefore, the non-believer is in a tricky situation because the one who makes the claim, bears the burden...and this presents a problem for someone who commits the genetic fallacy because the origin of one's beliefs or claims does not confirm nor deny the validity of such a belief or claim.

I can believe that 2+2 = 4 because I learned it from a text book or because I learned it from Sir Isaac Newton...it does not matter what my source of belief is, what matters is whether or not the belief is true (i.e Explanatory Power, Cumulative Support)

So if the non-believer really wants to be a champion of reason, they must provide an argument with valid reasons, not simply dodge reality by stating fallacious assertions.

Tactic: Use a question to show them their fallacy by turning it back on them:

"So is it your belief that the only reason I am a Christian is because I grew up in a Christian society?"

They have to answer yes to this question based on their claim...

...now simply reply, "Well, you just believe that because of the society in which you grew up in."

In the next few posts, look for Genetic Fallacy #2, (“Christianity is a crutch for the weak”) and the Appeal to Pity fallacy, (“You mean that all of those other religions are wrong and their followers are going to hell?”)

Christ, Reason, and Salvation

A few thoughts on salvation...

We are saved by faith, but our faith is based on reason and truth...it is not a blind faith, to the contrary, it is a reasonable faith...it is one substantiated in the reality of truth...

There is much to say about this that can be combined from the fields of apologetics, philosophy, history, science, mathematics, cosmology, etc, but here are a few verses that speak to Faith, Reason, and Truth

Faith
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God. Ephesians 2:8

Reason
“Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool. ~Isaiah 1:18

Truth
Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. ~John 17:17

Ex Nihilo Nihil Fit

Without Him [Jesus], we are stuck with that absurd formula of the evolutionist: Nothing times nobody equals everything. ~ John MacArthur ~ from his blog post, Ex Nihilo Nihil Fit ("Out of Nothing, Nothing Comes")

Unfolding Patterns Of God's Plans

Good thought I heard from Wayne Grudem the other day...he was talking about the way that God unfolds His purposes and reveals His Glory gradually over time, for instance:

Creation Of The World - Whether you hold a "Day-Age" view or a "Literal" view, etc, God gradually created and sculpted the world over time.

The Calling Of The Jews - Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Twelve tribes...

The Sending Of The Messiah - centuries passed before Jesus was incarnated.

Spreading Of The Gospel - gradually over centuries, we are seeing God's Purposes unfolding.

The more I think about it, the more all of life is like this. There is a development process to all things that have life, meaning, value, and purpose. The only things that are really made in an instance are material and expendable.

So this gradual revealing of God's purpose certainly has personal application to us as well. He wants our lives to have meaning, value, and purpose, and the only way to do that is through a gradual development via a daily relationship with Christ.

In fact, Charles Spurgeon, in his sermon delivered on the Sabbath Morning, January 7th, 1855, stated the following: "Nothing will so enlarge the intellect, nothing so magnify the whole soul of man, as a devout, earnest, continued investigation of the great subject of the Deity."

I think that God unfolds His purposes gradually, so that we can "continually investigate" His greatness...Allow me to draw a parallel from the outstanding Christian philosopher and theologian of the eleventh century, Saint Anselm, who coined the phrase, fides quaerens intellectum...translated to mean, “faith seeking understanding”...Perhaps God has so arranged life that our faith seeks an understanding, and then our understanding leads to a revealing...then purpose...

Faith --> Understanding --> Revealing --> Purpose

For Anselm, "faith seeking understanding" was “an active love of God seeking a deeper knowledge of God.” He believed that true faith is a love for God and a drive to act as God wills...Ultimately, our purpose is to become Christ-like...Jesus was everything God is, and He was everything that we were meant to be...so what happened was that sin entered the world, we became separated from God, and our image became distorted...man has been on a search for purpose ever since...a search for God through Christ...a desire beyond all desires in which C.S. Lewis beautifully summarized in the following quote:

"If I find in myself a desire which no experience in this world can satisfy,
the most probable explanation is that I was made for another world."

...God, through His gradual unfolding of meaning, value, and purpose, wants us to first have a "deeper knowledge" of Him...and a deeper understanding of Him...a desire to become Sanctified and Christ-like...so that when God unfolds our meaning, value, and purpose in life, we see Him as the architect, the composer, and the designer of it all.

Determinism vs Free Will, Part 1

I will be recording a few thoughts as I ponder Libertarian Free Will (Molinism and Arminian) vs Compatibilism/Determinism (Calvinist) ...I also want to toss in some thoughts about hard-lined, scientific determinism, such as materialistic atheism/philosophical naturalism...and while I certainly do not desire "in-house" fighting among fellow Christians, I do think the discussion leads us to a better understanding of God's Word, so it should prove to be a fruitful endeavor!

...so, for the first entry, a question and a thought for those who believe in determinism...

1. How do you know that determinism is true? From an epistemological viewpoint, you could not be able to logically affirm the validity of determinism, because you would simply be determined to believe in determinism...it results in circular reasoning...it is self-defeating to try and come up with reasons for why determinism is true or how you know it to be true, because the second you invoke reasoning, you have canceled determinism...one can not be determined yet at the same time use any sense of reasoning...can a computer give you a reason for why the input leads to the output? No, it simply does what it is told, but it has no concept for why or how it works...this is how determinism works, there is no way around it...

...on the same view, I find it puzzling when someone who holds to determinism as doctrine, tries to persuade me to believe in determinism...they do not see the logical incoherence that is inherent in doing so, because it would mean, if persuaded to believe in their argument, that I CHOSE to believe in determinism...but I can not freely choose anything if I have been pre-programmed for determinism...

They could say, "well, this just means that you were determined not to believe in determinism." Then by default, if, for the sake of argument, determinism was true, this would mean I was determined to believe in free choice...but this would be another logical blunder to be pre-programmed to believe in choice because it would lead me to the option of not believing in determinism....which means I would never defend determinism as a realistic truth and thus would be self-defeating for me to be determined as a determinist who believes in free choice...

More to come on this issue, next up...Do Calvinist's have accountability groups?

Defend And Destroy

We destroy arguments and every lofty
opinion raised against the
knowledge of God.

2 Corinthians 10.5

• • •

As Christians, we need to be well-educated so that we can win the battle of good over evil. I like how Wintery Knight puts it:

"...if we study everything very well, people will link our intelligence to our faith. They’ll say “if you’ve put this much thought into economics, then you must have a well-thought-out faith, too”. Being well-rounded makes you more convincing, more influential on moral and cultural issues, and more effective at
turning conversations to the gospel."

The reason I bring this up is because it amazes me how we live in a society of so-called tolerance, inclusiveness, and diversity, yet Christians are the only ones who are not tolerated, not included, nor accepted into the diversity club. A prime example of this can be read about in an amazingly well written and shocking article over at Townhall.com, called the Cisco Kid. It's discusses how Dr. Frank Turek, the well-known Christian Apologist, author, speaker, radio host, and leadership consultant, got fired from his position at Cisco, simply because he is a Christian who has moral and ethical values. So it appears the definition of tolerance has been transformed to only tolerating those you agree with...which is an absurdity because one can only tolerate what one disagrees with. I like how Dr. Turek describes how we now see inclusion and diversity being applied:

..."'inclusion' and 'diversity' only applies when an employee agrees with them."

In other words, "it is not inclusion nor diversity when a person is excluded because of his or her different view."

So as Christian who can influence culture, we must take the commandment of 2 Corinthians 10:5 seriously. We nee to educate ourselves and be clear thinking Christians. We need to know how to articulate and how to be equipped to discuss the issues of our time...we need to know how to Defend and Destroy the nonsense that is going on in our culture...Christians need to understand things such as the First Amendment, Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act...we must be able to take a stand in the market place of ideas...we must put aside the pseudo-humility and non-involvement so that we can think and take action.

One last note: Do you want to know how the devil is working today? Take a look at our companies who fire Christians...take a look at our politicians and what they legislate...the enemy uses two words to destroy our culture: POLITICAL CORRECTNESS...

So what can we do? Begin by educating and equipping yourself. Here are some great books to get you started on how to transform culture instead of culture destroying you:

Tactics - by Greg Koukl
Moral Relativism - by Greg Koukl and Francis Beckwith
Legislating Morality - by Dr. Frank Turek and Norm Geisler
The Case For Life - by Scott Klusendorf
Christian Ethics - by Norm Geisler
Basic Economics - by Thomas Sowell
Correct Not Politically Correct - by Dr. Frank Turek
Politics-According To The Bible - by Wayne Grudem
Money, Greed, And God - Why Capitalism Is The Solution And Not The Problem - by Jay Wesley Richards
Body & Soul - by J.P. Moreland and Scott B. Rae

Calvinism, Election, And False Love

Just read a great entry from the Wesleyan Arminian blog about Calvinism and Election. They mentioned a movie illustration from the film, When In Rome, to teach how the process of election preceding faith leads to a "false" love...a love that is merely pre-programmed instead of authentic and genuine...

Click here to read the short blog entry from the Wesleyan Arminian blog, and then take a look at the clip from the movie that I have provided here:



So you can see, these individuals may "think" they actually love Beth, but they have no way to know other wise because they have been simply "programmed" or "elected" to do so.

On the contrary, God wants those who freely choose Him. That is why in Revelation 3:20, Jesus offers us the "If-Then" option...an option that establishes the possibilities for counter-factuals and libertarian free will. He showers all of mankind with a Prevenient Grace...a grace that we must have before we can be justified and sanctified, but it is also a resistible Grace that leads to an authentic love via free will...

Allow me to summarize by quoting A.W. Tozer, who stated,

"A God less than sovereign could not bestow moral freedom upon His creatures. He would be afraid to do so."

Be sure to read Tozer's excellent article, The Sovereignty of God, which demonstrates how the free-will of man does not limit God's Sovereignty...it actually Proves God's Sovereignty.

Reasoning And The Resurrection

1 Peter 3:15 states, "but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy..."

So how do we do this? Do we do it through subjective feelings? Do we honor Him as Holy by telling people that Christianity is true for me even if it is not true for you? Do we honor Him as Holy by telling others that we believe in Christ, but we don't want to offend them if they do not.

Do we honor Christ as Holy by saying that Christ simply lives in our heart, and that I don't need to read my Bible as long as I have a warm fuzzy feeling in my subjective experience about reality?

No...to the contrary, 1 Peter 3:15 actually combines the heart with the mind...

In our HEARTS we honor Him...by giving REASONS...

Take a look: 1 Peter 3:15 goes on and tells us to honor The Lord as Holy by "always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect..."

One way to do this is to give REASONS for why you believe in The Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Intellectual, scientific, and historical REASONS of why you are a sane individual who actually thinks and has common sense to believe in the Trans-Cultural and OBJECTIVE Truth of Jesus Christ.

Click here for your weekend homework: How Every Christian Can Learn To Explain The Resurrection Of Jesus To Others

This kind of reasoning will catalyze any and all type of evangelism...If we really want to witness, preach The Gospel, and be powerful Ambassadors of Christ to transform culture, then providing REASONS will allow us to overcome emotionalism with intellect and allow Christians to take a stand and be front runners in the market place of ideas...a market place that has been overturned by secularist for far too long!

4th Of July Challenge

Abraham Lincoln once observed, “The philosophy of the schoolroom in one generation will be the philosophy of the government in the next.”

G. K.Chesterton’s observation about Russia has come true here, “Once abolish the God, and the government becomes the God.”

• • •

Great article by Frank Turek, titled Country a Mess? Blame the Church...

I have been very motivated and challenged by this article, and I believe you will be as well. So I would like to issue a 4th of July challenge to all Followers of Jesus Christ...we need to transform culture and society by infiltrating it instead of avoiding it...so...

Let's put an end to the anti-intellectual movement that leads believers to separate from society rather than reform it. Let's reform society by thinking, writing, influencing, and creating.

Let's stop bifurcating life into two separate spheres—the sacred and secular. We need to saturate society with the Truth of Christ, morality, and ethics...not separate from it. And forget about being PC and non-offensive. Our softness is allowing culture to spit on The Cross of Christ.

Let's stop substituting Reason for emotionalism, and thinking that only activities that directly save souls are deemed sacred. A saved soul is wonderful, but we must make the connection that a saved soul is a transformed person...and transformed people lead to a transformed culture.

Eternity is at stake, but so is our present day...May God's Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven...

**Bold captions are derived from Frank Turek's article, Country A Mess, Blame The Church