What?!... No God?!....

                                                                            

Guest Blog Post: This post was written by my friend and fellow Bible searcher, Jan Craig.

What?!!! There is No God?

Today the big question being tossed around is: “Do you believe in a Holy God with whom you can have a personal relationship?”  This is the true Christian’s challenge.  A true Christian is one who believes Christ has forgiven her sins and has committed to following Christ the rest of her life. A true believer believes in the existence of a Supreme God and puts her trust and faith in him. 

• Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures…. 1 Cor. 15 (NIV) 

• I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.  The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Gal. 2: 20

• Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, Who is in you, Whom you have received from God?  1 Cor. 6; 19a

The New Atheist movement believes there is no God and wants to destroy this “myth” by convincing people there is no such thing as a God of the Bible; therefore, you cannot have a personal relationship with Him – because HE doesn’t exist.  They want to persuade people that the God of the Bible is dangerous and evil because He does not like those who don’t believe in Him.  The New Atheist puts a big emphasis on reaching the intelligent elite.  They use math, science, history, and religion to sway a person away from their faith in God.

This isn’t really new.  King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylonia did the same thing with many Jewish teenagers who were very intelligent and of the elite class in Israel.  He wanted to use these teenagers in the ruling of his country. (This was a common practice when one nation defeated another nation.) So King Nebuchadnezzar used the same tactics with the teenagers that The New Atheists use today.   

He wanted them to be well taught and to believe in his gods. However, some of these boys’ faith could not be destroyed because they were well grounded in their belief in God. Read the book of Daniel for an example of how this played out. King Nebuchadnezzar believed he could easily change these boys’ minds.  

It is the same today.  How well grounded are our children in their faith? The New Atheists like to target our young people, especially those not deeply rooted in their Christian faith.  The Atheists are everywhere in today’s culture. They are in the public schools, on TV, in movies, and in other places where they can easily spread their message.  

As we have observed, The New Atheists are doing everything they can to spread their false teachings.  This should be a serious wakeup call to the true believer in Christ.  Remember who is a true believer?  (look back to the first paragraph).  When we are challenged by a New Atheist, (and trust me, we will 

be) as believers we must be ready to defend our faith.  1 Peter 3:15 says, Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give a reason for the hope that you have. (NIV)  So, here are some ways we can prepare ourselves:

1. We must know our faith.  We do this by being in God’s Word daily, memorizing verses, praying, and meditating.  But some of you may be saying, “The Bible is boring, and it is hard to understand.”  But one way I have found that helps me is to write a brief summary of the passage I just read.  Then I look to see what God wants me to learn or what I had forgotten, and write it down in a journal.  You’ll be amazed at how alive the scriptures will become!

2. Pray for God to speak through you with the Holy Spirit’s help. (Remember He is in you.)  

3. Since God demonstrated His love for you, then we must demonstrate God’s love to those we are speaking to.  This is very intriguing to them, because you are showing unconditional love for them rather than hatred, which they think Christians have for them.

4. We are to let God do the work through us.  We are God’s servants in sharing the gospel message.  

5. Don’t pretend to know all the answers.  They can “read” us faking our answers just as we can tell if someone is faking something.  If you don’t know the answer then say so, but also tell them you will get back with them when you have the answer.  Then do your research immediately (preferably from the Bible).  Then plan to get back with them soon.  You’ll be amazed at their expression of shock that you actually spent the time to answer their question. They will be very impressed with you.  It’s kind of fun to see their reaction!

I don’t know all the answers in how to respond to the New Atheist belief system.  In fact, I still have a lot to learn.  But I know God will help me in giving a defense for the gospel of Christ.  AOne book that can help in getting started in understanding The New Atheist is Atheism Remax by R. Albert Mohler Jr.   I plan to read more books to help me understand their belief system. Hopefully, your curiosity has been stirred enough that you will want to read up on The New Atheist movement as well.  

The Atheists are stepping up their campaign to spread their ideology.  Let us as true Christians make it our goal to step up and share the gospel message with the people around us.   They need to know there IS a God – and He loves them more than any of us can comprehend!

               

                       

    

But I want it NOW!!!!

The other day my four year old grandson was at our house for a few hours. Now, I love the "Nana" role - it's much less restrictive than the "Mom" role. Without being overly indulgent, Nana can allow things that Mom cannot - an extra snack here and there, reading a favorite book anytime of the day, etc. And believe me, even at four, Benson has learned how to snag his Nana with his big, beautiful eyes...

Well, that particular afternoon, he had had a snack or two already when he asked for an ice cream cone he "conveniently" found in the freezer. I knew his mom would be picking him up shortly and it was close to supper time. So I said, "Not now, Benson. It's too close to supper time."

"But I want it now!" he said, looking at me with those beautiful eyes. Only this time, I saw a tiny speck of defiance. Immediately, I knew he was testing me!

Now, the Nana-part of me wanted to squeeze him tight and fill him up with ice cream cones! However, the Mother-part of me knew better. Even though I wanted to give him what he wanted and make him happy, I knew that was not what was best for him in the long run.

So, I answered, "Not now, Benson. You'll have to wait." And his countenance fell, and for just a moment, my heart ached.

Does that sound like a conversation you've had with the Father?

• God, we need rain before it's too late...
• Father, please heal my loved one - quickly...
• Lord, I don't understand why this is happening to me...
• But Father, Your word says, "Ask," and I've been asking...
• How long is my "wilderness" going to last?...
• I've been praying for my husband's salvation for years, Lord...

We've all been in situations in which we desperately wanted God to work, work in our desired way, and work quickly. If we are honest with ourselves, frustration has probably set in because we weren't getting our way! We may have even been tempted to quit praying or even get angry with God.

Satan delights in our spiritual frustration!

Sometimes and for reasons we don't always understand, the Father will say, "Not now. You have to wait."

Psalm 37 gives us insight in how to handle adverse circumstances, especially when things aren't moving as quickly as we want. It gives us one "don't" and five "do's."

• DO NOT fret (NAS) be upset (NCV) be bothered (The Message) worried (GNT) - Anger and worry are two very destructive emotions, which erode faith. The Psalmist says, "Don't go down that path!" In fact, he says it three times - verses 1, 7, and 8, so it is an important exhortation.
• Can all those worries add a single moment to your life? - Luke 12:25 (NLT)
• Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Phil. 4:6 (NLT)
• DO Trust in the Lord and do good; Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness 37:3 (NAS) - To trust means to rely upon or place confidence in someone. We can have absolute confidence that the God of this universe has our backs!
• "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope." Jer. 29:11 (NAS)
• For the Lord will be your confidence... Prov. 3:26 (NAS)
• When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You... Psalm 56:3 (NAS)
• DO Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. 37:4 (NAS) -  To delight in someone means to experience great pleasure and joy in his or her presence. This only happens when we know that person well. Thus, to delight in the Lord, we must know Him and know Him well.
• ...I know Jesus, the One in whom I have believed. And I am sure He is able to protect what He has trusted me with until that day. 2 Tim. 1:12 (NCV)
• Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders which You have done; And Your thoughts toward us; There is none to compare with You. Psalm 40:5 (NAS)
• DO Commit your way to the Lord... 37:5 (NAS) - To commit ourselves to the Lord means to entrust everything - our lives, families, jobs, possessions, future - to His control and guidance.
• I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me, and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith...Gal. 2:20 (NAS)
• Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken. Psalm 55:22 (NAS)
• DO Rest in the Lord...37:7 - Rest means to relieve weariness by cessation of exertion. Therefore, to rest in the Lord, we must trust Him, know Him well (delight), turn the situation over to Him (commit), and then cease from trying to fix it ourselves! Don't do anything about it unless He directs you to.
• Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Matt. 11:28
• For I have given rest to the weary and joy to the sorrowing. Jer. 31:25 (NLT)
• DO Wait patiently for Him...and you will inherit the land...37:7, 9, 34 - Of all these actions, waiting is the most difficult, at least for me! We must learn to trust God's timing.
• There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven...Eccl. 3:1
• For your thoughts are not My thoughts, nor are your ways My ways. Is. 55:8-9

Turning these commands into personal actions will not be easy, but we must not forget what is promised at the end of the commands - You will inherit the land. That land is the Promised Land, which in the future is Glory - spending eternity with the Father. But for the here and now, the Promised Land is the abundant life that Jesus came to give on this earth. And part of that abundant life is peace.

• Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Phil. 4:6-7

My sweet Benson did not understand why he had to wait until after supper to have his ice cream cone. "But Nana, I want it now!"

But let's remember that our Father knows all and certainly knows what is best in all our circumstances. We just have to learn to:

• Not worry or be upset
• Trust Him and place our confidence in Him
• Delight in the pleasure of His presence
• Commit everything to His care
• Rest in Him and not try to manipulate
• Wait patiently for His will to work in His timing

Yet those who wait patiently upon the Lord will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles. They will run and not get tired; they will walk and not become weary. Is 40:31

Sometimes, God Asks the Unthinkable...

My spiritual heart has always been torn between passion and reason. Since my teenage years, I have loved the Lord and wanted to serve Him. The passion-part of me wanted to say to Him, "I'll go wherever and do whatever You want!" The reason-part of me did say, "I'll go wherever and do whatever...within reason." In other words, I have put parameters on what I would do for God. Have you ever done that? If you have, you - like me - will never know what blessings we have missed.

We run into a man in Acts who was asked to do the unthinkable. It wasn't an easy decision, and he wrestled with the Lord over it. But, eventually, he decided to trust Him and be obedient - and it paid off with tremendous blessings. His name is Ananias, and his story is told by the writer of Acts in chapter  9 and then recounted by Paul in chapter 22.

Saul (later called Paul) was on his way from Jerusalem to Damascus with a letter from the high priest giving him permission to arrest anyone belonging to "the Way" and bring them back to Jerusalem to be tried. Saul was responsible for ravaging homes belonging to believers and having them imprisoned and even killed. Remember, he was present at the stoning of Stephen and even thought to be the overseer of that event. Saul was an educated Pharisee who violently rebuked the good news of Christ. He was powerful and influential. The believers in Damascus had heard that Saul was coming for them, and, undoubtly, were somewhat frightened even as they were learning to trust and stand tall in their faith. It is really hard for me to wrap my brain around the idea that someone would want me dead because of my belief and faith in Jesus Christ! That's where we, as Americans, are so very blessed...we don't face that kind of opposition to our faith - yet.

While on the road to Damascus, Saul encountered the risen Christ, and it changed his life. He was left blinded by the encounter and given instructions to go on to the city and wait. In the meantime, the Lord appeared to Ananias in a vision. Let's talk about Ananias for a minute. We know from the scriptures that Ananias was a devout Jew who believed Jesus was the Messiah and became a follower of "the Way." His name means "the Lord is gracious." He was a quiet leader of the church at Damascus who had a close walk with Jesus - so much so, that he recognized the Spirit speaking to him through his vision. I must admit that I don't always recognize when the Spirit is speaking to me. When I've been out-of-touch with Him, His voice is sometimes vague. Again, I have to wonder what have I missed because I didn't hear Him???

However, Ananias DID recoginize His voice, but he didn't like what he heard. God asked the unthinkable of him! Actually, He didn't ask; He told. God told him to go to this particular place and ask for Saul of Tarsus, that he would be found praying. Okay, let's look at this. Ananias knew who Saul of Tarsus was - the persecutor of Christians, the one who gave the nod to Stephen's death, the one coming to Damascus to do the same to him and the other believers! Ananias' reaction was swift, "Lord, he is coming here to do us harm, maybe even kill us, and You want me to present myself to him like a present? I can't believe what You are asking me to do!" (My paraphrase)

Wow! How many times in my life have I had the same "silent" conversation with God? I can't give You complete control of my life because You might ask me to do something I just don't think I can do! Or go somewhere I just don't think I can go. Or ask someone for forgiveness that I just don't think I'm ready to forgive. Or share Jesus with someone that just might not want to hear about Him. Or...the list goes on...

The Lord's answer to Ananias' concern was, "Go..."  So he did...and he found the blinded Saul who had encountered Jesus but needed someone to share with him how to go about this new life. Saul regained his sight, was baptized, spent several days with the disciples learning more about Jesus, and was empowered by His Spirit to preach His salvation. And the rest, as they say, is history. Paul became a missionary and church planter. God used Paul to take the gospel westward to Asia Minor, Greece, and eventually Rome. Paul authored 13 books of the New Testament. Paul, who once imprisoned believers, was imprisoned several times for being a believer. Paul, who persecuted believers, was perscuted because he believed.

It is easy to focus all the attention on Paul, but let's not forget Ananias. Saul was able to become the Paul we love because Ananias "went" when God told him to "Go." He trusted God and his passion for Christ when his reason told him to stay and play it safe. The experience of Ananias reminds us that we should never be afraid to obey God's will. Joshua 1:9 - "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."

How many times has God asked the "unthinkable" of me? I know I have missed many blessings because I have yielded my passion to my reason. I can't retrieve those times, but I can NOT miss them in the future. That's my prayer - to hear like Ananias, to trust like Ananias, and to be used like Ananias. Who knows how many "Paul's" may be in my path?