Where should we start our study?

Link to the source - http://home.houston.rr.com/apologia/sec2p1.htm

A good place to start a study in Christian Evidences is to look at the reasons that Christians have for their belief, and the reasons that people have for unbelief.

Is there a difference between what people say they believe and what they really believe? Do people act consistently with their beliefs?

If the Christian faith is such an intelligent, rational, historical and factual faith, then why do many people reject it?

You can go to the Internet and type the words "Why do people believe in God?" into a search engine, and the results of the search will show lots of answers to the question by skeptics - articles with titles like "Why I can’t believe", "Why I hate God", and "Christ, a Fiction". Why do Christians believe in God?

There are many reasons – some good, some bad. Does there need to be a reason? I stated in the introduction to this series of lessons that the Christian faith is a reasonable faith, and can withstand the test of truth and reason. Upon what is this claim based?

We will look at some reasons that both Christians and skeptics have for their beliefs, and we will see why both standpoints require faith

Goals
Goal 1: Examine our own reasons for belief in God, and weigh our objectivity
Goal 2: Find out why people do not believe in God
Goal 3: Consider the implications of disbelief

What do people believe about God?

According to the Gallup Organization, two-thirds of Americans have no doubts about God’s Existence.

(Princeton Religion Research Center (Gallup), Emerging Trends, August 1997)

What is Apologetics cont.

Link to source - http://home.houston.rr.com/apologia/sec1p1.htm

Goals of the course

For believers:
Gaining knowledge for defense of our Faith
Sanctification of our own hearts
Love for those without hope

For nonbelievers:

Learning why Christians believe in God and in the Bible as His Word
Understanding how their world view and that of believers influence interpretation of evidence and development of reason
Finding a rational basis for making a decision about faith in God

Why do Christians need to know about Apologetics? A lot of Christians have been raised as children by Christian parents, with Christian values, and have studied the Bible for most of their lives. Their faith is unquestioned, and they are growing spiritually. What interest is there for them?

Norman Geisler answers the question this way:

One objection often made is that the Bible does not need to be defended; it simply needs to be expounded. "The Word of God is alive and powerful..." (Heb. 4:12). It is said that the Bible is like a lion; it does not need to be defended but simply let loose. A lion can defend itself. Several things should be noted in response. First, this begs the question as to whether or not the Bible is the Word of God. Of course, God's Word is ultimate, and it speaks for itself. But how do we know the Bible is the Word of God, as opposed to the Qur'an, the Book of Mormon, or some other book? One must appeal to evidence to determine this. Second, no Christian would accept the claim of a Muslim without question that "the Qur'an is alive and powerful and sharper than a two-edged sword...." We would demand evidence. Third, the analogy of the lion is misleading. A roar of a lion "speaks for itself" with authority only because we know from previous knowledge what a lion can do. Without the tales of woe about a lion's ferocity, its roar would not have that authority. Likewise, without evidence to establish one's claim to authority, there is no good reason to accept that authority. (The Need for Defending the Faith - Norman L. Geisler, 1996.)

What is Apologetics Track 2

Link tot the source - http://home.houston.rr.com/apologia/sec1p1.htm


This lesson aims to establish some basic reasons for studying Christian Evidences, also called Apologetics. Even though it is an important aspect, there is more to this subject than just presenting evidences.

Some feel that religious faith has no need for a defense, and that faith and reason can be held separate within the mind of man.

Man is a complex creature, driven not merely by chemistry and physiology, instinct and environment, but also by emotion and reason. In contrast to certain animals — which some argue have simple abilities of thought and decision — we have, in vast superiority to all other earthly creatures, the power of self awareness and of reason, controlled by a free will.

We are clearly unique within all creation in that we are also spiritual beings, somehow aware of something that exists above and beyond ourselves, yet still capable of being understood. Religion is a distinctive characteristic of homo sapiens — faith exists, but why? Where does faith begin?

In a sense, defending our Christian faith calls us to retrace the journey from evidence to faith. If we have faith in something now, we must have begun by evaluating certain teachings, events, circumstances or evidence, in order to make some decision about life. That decision, substituted for direct experience, became a belief. If that belief proved trustworthy, it turned into faith.

This journey is alluded to in the words of Paul the Apostle:

Rom. 10:17 "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ."

Hearing the word of Christ is listening to evidence. The vehicle that travels the road from evidence to faith is human reason, and the destination is faith.

A Philosophical Issue cont.

Firstly, and a bit ironically, Christianity is the only religion (with the exception of Judaism) which does not describe God in a way that you would think humans would if we were to invent God. If man invented God, He would think and act like we do, and His moral standard would reflect our desires. However, this is very contrary to the God described in the Bible. In fact, the God described in the Bible requires that one must “die” to himself spiritually, giving up and surrendering his current ways and life, and giving into God’s will and purpose, before recieving eternal life. This can sometimes be very uncomfortable at first. Yet nearly every other world religion describes a god or gods that reflect our way of thinking and our personal desires. Therefore it is much more likely that Christianity could be true, and other beliefs may just be a crutch.

The second major problem to this is that atheists seem to think that just because the Christian holds the positive position, that is, that something (God) does exist, it is therefore up to the Christian to always defend that claim and refute disagreements. However, the ax falls both ways. For example, if an atheist makes the claim that “there is no God”, it is not up to the Christian to prove him wrong, it is up to the atheist to defend his claim. That is a simple rule of the burden of proof. If you make a claim, regardless of what that claim itself states, the burden is on you to defend your claim. So logically speaking it can just as easily be said that atheism may be a crutch itself. Just think about it. Some people may find it difficult to believe in a God or supernatural force, so they look to the natural for their answers to everything, again not because we know that everything must have a natural cause, but because in their personal philosophical view they may find it difficult to believe in a God. It is very possible that some atheists may have in fact invented “non-God” because of painful experiences or relationships in the past which cause them to have difficulty believing in a God, and therefore they could just be looking for a reason to escape (perhaps even subconsciously) the implications of God’s existence.

A Philosophical Issue cont.

Link to the source - http://www.the-daily-blessing.com/apologetics/Does_God_Exist/a_philosophical_issue.html

The great majority of atheists claim that there is a lack of evidence pointing to the existence of a God. But it is not that there is a lack of evidence; it is that the interpretations of the evidence which exists is biased against the supernatural. If there was some sort of phenomenon that occurred that could not be explained scientifically, would that prove to you that there is a God? Or would you simply say that there has to be some sort of natural explanation? If you say there has to be some sort of natural explanation, how do you come to that conclusion, and how do you know that you haven't already biasedly misinterpreted supernatural evidence because of your preditermined commitment to materialism? What convinces you that everything must be explained by natural causes? Sadly this has been labeled as “common sense”, but it is not at all. It is not that this is a scientific or logical fact, because you can't use the scientific method to come to this conclusion. Instead, it is simply a philosophical predisposition that is being made, and the evidence that is in fact interpreted "scientifically" is often interpreted with such irrational presuppositions in mind.

Some atheists claim that Christianity is just a crutch. In other words, it’s just a belief created by men to make us feel more comfortable about life, to attempt to give a purpose to life, and/or to give an answer to the most difficult questions. But where's the evidence to back up this claim? The fact that Christianity deals with the supernatural is not evidence for such a claim. Such an excuse is only evidence that someone making this excuse is biased against even the possibility of the supernatural. Christianity is based off of history, not myth. And if you don't believe me, you should actually try studying it. Furthermore there are two major problems with this claim in addition to the fact that Christianity is founded off of a great abundance of objective evidence and history.

A Philosophical Issue

Link to the source - http://www.the-daily-blessing.com/apologetics/Does_God_Exist/a_philosophical_issue.html


Does God exist? Most people who don’t believe in God or the supernatural say the reason is because there is no evidence, or they simply see no evidence, that suggests that a God exists. However this is simply not true, nor is it a reasonable conclusion to make.

Disbelief in God, or lack of belief in God, is a matter of a philosophical viewpoint, not scientific evidence. You would have to have all knowledge of the universe to come to a scientific and logical conclusion stating that there is no God, because this is a negative claim. Even if you are someone who says you simply lack belief in God; that is, you just don’t even think about it or consider it; your “lack” of belief has still been influenced by a philosophical world view. Therefore if your opinion is that there is no God, you still hold a position here. To have an opinion is to hold a view, belief, or position, even if that opinion is a negative, the nonexistence of something. So the issue here is not a lack of evidence, it is a matter of what you have already presupposed to be true in your mind. If you don’t believe in God, it’s much better to hold a neutral position; a simple “I don’t know,” rather than a “no”. Ironically, most people who claim there is no evidence for God have never bothered to really take an honest and unbiased look at the subject and research to see if that is really the case. They simply come to their conclusion because their presupposed worldview simply does not allow for the supernatural to exist.

If you have already decided in your mind that the natural world is all there is, then there is no amount of evidence that will convince you otherwise, regardless of whether your view is true or not. Even if you were wrong and God does exist, it would be impossible for any amount of evidence to convince you of this, because anything supernatural which might serve as evidence for the existence of God would simply be explained in terms of natural causes, or would simply be labeled as an "illusion" or "hoax", such as the resurrection of Christ and the miracles He performed. In the scientific method, and the typical atheist mind, everything is explained through natural causes, not because we know that everything has a natural cause, but simply because the materialistic worldview does not allow for a God to exist, so the supernatural isn’t even considered. This is called the presupposition of anti-supernaturalism, which is a philosophical opinion, not a logical conclusion. It is a belief which requires a lot of faith.

“Our willingness to accept scientific claims that are against common sense is the key to an understanding of the real struggle between science and the supernatural. We take the side of science in spite of the patent absurdity of some of its constructs, in spite of its failure to fulfill many of its extravagant promises of health and life, in spite of the tolerance of the scientific community for unsubstantiated just-so stories, because we have a prior commitment to materialism. It is not that the methods and institutions of science somehow compel us to accept a material explanation of the phenomenal world, but, on the contrary, that we are forced by our a priori adherence to material causes to create an apparatus of investigation and a set of concepts that produce material explanations, no matter how counterintuitive, no matter how mystifying to the uninitiated. Moreover, that materialism is absolute, for we cannot allow a Divine Foot in the door” (Dr. Richard Lewontin, “Billions and Billions of Demons,” New York Review of Books, January 9, 1997, p. 31).

Does God Exist?

Link to the source - http://www.the-daily-blessing.com/apologetics/Does_God_Exist.html


One of the biggest questions of all time: Does God exist? Many people tend to think that the Christian belief is contrary to science, but this could not be farther from the truth. If our universe has a Creator, science would be evident of that Creator's existence when such evidence is interpreted logically. The supernatural does not "blindly disregard all logic" as some atheists claim. In fact, the best way we can account for logical laws actually existing is to conclude that such rationality and absolutes are a reflection of the nature of a supernatural God.

While it is true that you cannot "prove" the existence of God with absolute certainty, this excuse is often very misleading. This does not mean that there is no evidence and no arguments for God which may make belief in God's existence very reasonable. Most of our knowledge cannot be "proven" with absolute certainty. Presenting an alternative explanation to God does not refute a probablistic theory just because it cannot be proven with absolute certainty. When someone says "There is no need for God because...", they are already demonstrating that they aren't being reasonable with their conclusions, because the existence of something does not depend on whether or not we see a need for it to exist. A reasonable conclusion in an argument is based off of what is logically most probable, which has nothing to do with seeing a "need" for something to exist, nor does it have anything to do with how difficult or silly it may seem to believe in the supernatural for some people.

What Apologetics is NOT

A link to the source - http://www.the-daily-blessing.com/apologetics/not_apologetics.html


When many people, both believers and non-believers alike, hear the word apologetics, they think of conflict. The Bible says that apologetics is the defense of the Christian faith, the destroyer of false ideas, and the demolisher of arguments against the knowledge of God. To us these are very harsh words, especially destroy and demolish. However, the Bible also makes it very clear that we are to practice apologetics politely and respectfully. Apologetics, when done correctly, I believe would be better compared to “diplomacy” than “battle”, even though there’s disagreement. Non-believers won’t always go by this “rule” when debating, but the Christian has an obligation to.

Apologetics is not an attempt to do battle with non-believers. Though of course it does involve disagreement, it does not have to be rude or harsh in any way at all. Jesus taught that there is never an excuse for a rude response toward anyone, regardless of how rude or harsh they may be to you. I’ve actually debated with one atheist in the past who could not seem to make a single statement or ask a single question without cussing me out, even though he was the one to confront me in the first place. But that is not an excuse to respond to him in a rude manner.

Apologetics is not just for those who are well educated in particular subjects such as science and history. While it is very important that Christians study other subjects, the outcome of a debate does not depend on who has the greater knowledge. One of the biggest mistakes critics make is the assumption that your level of knowledge on a particular issue or subject will determine the outcome of a debate. Intellignece does not necessarily equal truth. Apologetics has much more to do with logic and strategy in conversation, than it does with knowledge of particular subjects. For example, an atheist may present to you a great amount of info on evolution which may be way over your head, but, if that atheist began by assuming from the start that there couldn’t be a God, or that evolution is plausible simply because it explains life and therefore no God is ‘needed’, his entire argument is flawed, regardless of the creditability of his information, because the basis of his argument includes such great presuppositions about the supernatural that the real motivating factor ironically isn’t the evidence itself, but the atheist’s personal world view. While that of course would not disprove evolution, it discredits the specific argument presented. I've heard the story of an eight year old girl who refuted a scientist in his own field, not because she was smarter than him of course, but because she simply didn't understand how he came to the conclusion he was presenting. Through her questions, the scientist realized that he was presenting a circular argument.

What is Apologetics cont.

Link to the source - http://www.the-daily-blessing.com/apologetics/whatis.html

Apologetics has a very wide range of sources and uses. While most objections can be easily answered by studying a Bible passage, apologetics also includes the studying of science, math, logic, history, the Greek and Hebrew languages and the manuscripts, etc., for both Biblical and secular evidence to support the existence of God, and the validity of the Bible.

While most atheists would disagree, the truth is that the most common reason for disputes and criticism against Christianity or the Bible is simply a lack of understanding of this faith, or failing to sufficiently study passages in question in order to correctly interpret what the author is saying. The original scriptures had no verse numbers. They were just paragraphs and chapters similar to any other book we may see today. The mistake many critics make is that they assume that because verses are numbered, they can always stand alone. But if you pull a verse out of the Bible without reading the surrounding context, it becomes very easy to misinterpret what is being said. Therefore it is also usually very easy to refute statements made against Christianity, but sometimes it takes a very hard look at certain subjects.

Probably the second most common reason, although it usually creates more questions than criticism, is that some people simply find it very hard, or even silly, to believe in the supernatural, so they tend to unintentionally assume that there is no God without first looking at this subject from an honest perspective.

A Final Message for Christians

Apologetics should be done in faith and prayer. You certainly do not need to go to Bible College in order to be a typical apologist for the Christian faith, and therefore you will most likely run across claims and questions that you do not know how to answer. Never let this be an excuse to back down though. Remember the point of this is not for self-pride in your beliefs, but for hopes that others will discover the truth, for their own good. You and I have no power except that which God has given us. So you should always pray during debates for the Holy Spirit to speak truth through you, and for you to remain focused on the higher purpose so that you do not grow frustrated or critical yourself. If you have sincere faith in this, He will speak the truth through you.

Sometimes if you are stumped on a question you may need to just take some time. Be honest with the person you are debating with and tell them you aren't too sure how to answer that right now, but that you will study and get back to him or her. And then do it. Don't use that as an excuse to get out of an argument. Take some time to pray and study, and then get back to them with your answer. Now and then especially if you are not as educated in particular subjects as a critic may be, you may not know how to answer an issue raised by an atheist. But after a lot of prayer and some rest, you will find that sometimes you may wake up knowing exactly what to say, because really what it all boils down to is logical reasoning, not just knowledge or scientific evidence. This has happened to me personally several times. And in most cases the atheist ended up being the one who is stumped.

You will no doubt have difficulty debating with most atheists, even if your explanations are completely plausible and sound. Many are too prideful and childish, to be honest, to take an honest look at your views, and they will come up with a reason to disagree with you no matter what you tell them. It’s important that you don’t get frustrated with them, and that you keep your focus on the higher purpose.

What is Apologetics cont.

Link to the source - http://www.the-daily-blessing.com/apologetics/whatis.html

Some of the most devout atheists in history, and still today, have become Christians as a result of their studies and the polite and informative defenses that are presented to them. If you are a Christian, you need to remember to put yourself in the shoes of the critic when debating with them. Someone is much more likely to take an honest look at what you say if it's polite and respectful, rather than forceful, rude, sarcastic or demanding. Most atheists, though certainly not all, can be very rude or sarcastic in their discussions on this subject. It is therefore very easy for the Christian to want to respond in the same manner. But the Christian needs to be sure to focus on the higher purpose, spreading the truth. If you focus on your feelings and respond in the same negative manner, the non-believer will be much less likely to listen to what you have to say, even if they realize truth in it.

Christians plant the seeds, and then through faith God does the real work in the hearts of critics. Therefore it is very important that each defense is preceded by prayer.

Apologetics is mentioned in the New Testament eight times, the final time being the most often used verse for this subject.

"Brothers and fathers, listen now to my defense." - Acts 22:1

"I told them that it is not the Roman custom to hand over any man before he has faced his accusers and has had an opportunity to defend himself against their charges." - Acts 25:16

"This is my defense to those who sit in judgment on me." - 1 Corinthians 9:3

"See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter." - 2 Corinthians 7:11

" We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete." - 2 Corinthians 10:5-6

"It is right for me to feel this way about all of you, since I have you in my heart; for whether I am in chains or defending and confirming the gospel, all of you share in God's grace with me." - Philippians 1:7

"At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them." - 2 Timothy 4:16

" But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect," - 1 Peter 3:15

What is Apologetics?

A link to the source of this blog - http://www.the-daily-blessing.com/apologetics/whatis.html

Apologetics comes from the Greek word "apologia", which means, "the defense of a position against an attack." The term usually deals with the defense of Christianity against critics and other beliefs, but the word can less commonly be used in other ways.

Many people would much rather avoid arguments and debates, but the Bible states that the Christian has an obligation to defend his or her faith, as long as it is done respectfully. Defending the faith however does not necessarily require debating. While it may not be necessary to go looking for debates, a Christian should always be ready to give a defense at any time that someone may question or condemn their beliefs. And as you grow closer to God, you will find that you will encounter more and more of these opportunities naturally. The reason for apologetics is not to just try to win an argument for the sake of pride, reputation, or creditability, but to help critics of Christianity realize the truth.

Apologetics is very much like evangelism in this way. If you knew there was a bomb inside a building and you saw people walking in there, you would hopefully try to warn them, even if they thought you were crazy. Hopefully you wouldn't just stand there and watch them unknowingly walk to their doom. This is one purpose of apologetics, because eternity is more important than our reputation on this earth. And it is also because of this that apologetics, when called for, can be a good indicator of the strength of our faith.

Building a Solid Foundation

Link to the source - http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/marketplace/

Matthew 7:26 But everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand.

There were two kinds of people in the days of Jesus. Some heard the words that Jesus spoke and were awed by His wisdom and understanding but did nothing about what they heard. Others heard those words and acted on them. Jesus said that those who heard the words but failed to put them into practice were foolish and likened them to building a house on sand. How foolish, indeed, it would be to build a house on sand.

The person who followed what Jesus taught was a person who would be sure to weather life's storms.

Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock (Matthew 7:24-25).

You never know how well your house is built until it is tested by the elements. Torrential rains reveal the quality of your roof. Wind and cold reveal how well your home is insulated. Heat and sun reveal the quality of your paint and siding. All these elements reveal whether a solid foundation has been laid to make your home a secure and lasting place to live.

Many of us find that we have given only lip service to God's commands. We are faced with the reality that our foundations are not strong enough to weather life's storms. How do we react when the trials come? Do we fret and worry? Do we take life into our hands? Do we respond inappropriately when we don't get what we want? The Lord uses these times to help us recognize whether our foundations are sand or rock. Ask the Lord today if you have built on His rock. If so, you can be comforted to know that you can weather any storm that may come your way.

The Wisdom to Surrender

A link to the source - http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/in_touch/

In Touch Daily Devotional by Dr. Charles Stanley
February 12, 2008 – Isaiah 41:9-11

As Christians, we like to compare notes about the Lord’s work in our lives. We share how He has blessed us or intervened in miraculous ways. But most of us don’t think to praise God when His work involves heartache or struggle. In fact, we would rather resist or try to get around the hurt. And yet, surrendering to His hands is far better than living outside His will. No matter what we face, God has promised to be with us in all His power and wisdom, and He is faithful to every single promise He has made.

We know we’re trusting in His faithfulness when our prayer is, “God, keep me in this season of life until You have accomplished Your purpose in me.” Acknowledging that His plan is best—and that it should be seen through to completion—is hard. I have been a Christian for more than 60 years, and sometimes I still struggle to yield fully.

Surrendering to the Lord’s work in our life will transform us. Circumstances might not change, but our attitude will begin to reflect peace, contentment, and trust in Jesus Christ. Confidence in God shields us from anxiety, because we’re focused on Him and His promises of protection and provision.

None of us want to face hardship, but God sometimes requires that we suffer. Through our trials, we learn trust, patience, compassion, and other attributes needed for living a godly life. Our periods of hurt make us more like Jesus Christ than other experiences can. And that is a blessing well worth sharing with believers and anyone else who will listen.

Lord, Liar, or Lunatic?

First, I suggest reading Fridays.

This was borrowed from - http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/homeword/

This devotional was written by Jim Burns

I and the Father are one. John 10:30

On a recent airplane trip a woman saw me reading the Bible. She was curious and asked me pointblank if I really believed that Jesus Christ was the Son of God. I replied that I indeed believed that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Then she asked, "Isn't it difficult for you to intellectually believe such a preposterous statement as Jesus being God's only Son?"

My reply went something like this: "In the Bible Jesus claimed to be the Messiah, the Son of God. Since Jesus claimed equality with God, that leaves me with only three options. He was either a liar, a lunatic, or the Lord who He claimed to be." Well, she didn't like any of those options. She said she believed Him to be "a great teacher of faith in God, but not equal to God." But I replied, "He didn't leave that option open for us. He said He was equal with God. He either lied about that statement, and was deceitful, or He actually believed He was God but was crazy, or else He really was God. There are no other options." I'm not sure we got a convert that day, but she was doing some serious thinking.

I like what C.S. Lewis writes about this subject: "I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don't accept His claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic - on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg - or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse."

Then Lewis adds, "You can shut Him up for a fool, you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come up with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to."*

GOING DEEPER:
1. John 10:30 states that Jesus and the Father are one. Do you find this statement difficult to believe? Why or why not?
2. Today are you living as if Jesus is the Lord of your life?

FURTHER READING :
J ohn 17:21-23
* C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (New York: Mac Millan, 1960), p. 56.

Starting a Riot

Borrowed from - http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/homeword/

This devotional was written by Kelly McFadden

But if you are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies. Do good to those who hate you. Pray for the happiness of those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn the other cheek. If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. Give what you have to anyone who asks you for it. And when things are taken away from you, don’t try to get them back. Do for others as you would like them to do for you... You must be compassionate, just as your Father is compassionate. Luke 6:27-31, 36


In the last decade Boulder, Colorado has received a reputation it didn’t want: a school that riots. The first of the riots occurred in 1996 in an area called “The Hill”. How did they start? No one is really sure. What we do know is that after the first bottle was thrown, came another, then another, and another. Once one couch was burned, came another, then another, and another. Once one window was smashed, came another, then another and another…you get my drift.

Riots have the ability to sway groups of people and cause them to do things they wouldn’t normally do simply because it is easy to get caught up in the crowd. Perhaps you should think of starting a riot – a different type of riot to be sure – the type that Jesus started. He started a riot of reckless love. We are still affected today by how Jesus spoke to the woman at the well, or the way he ate in the home of a tax collector. What about when Jesus stepped in the way of an adulterous woman who was about to be stoned? All these acts were unheard of at the time. Jesus loved people who were unlovable and He loved them in very simple, yet profound ways. To this day, almost 2000 years later, we are still swayed by how Jesus loved people.

Think through your day. What would happen if you practiced simple acts of love and kindness to others around you? I believe you could start something that others would get caught up in – a “holy riot” - where one act of love leads to another, then another, and another… you get my drift .

GOING DEEPER:

1. Think of 3 ways you can make someone else’s day brighter.

2. Is there someone in your life who feels impossible to love? What can you do to show them the kind of love Jesus had for them?

FURTHER READING :

Proverbs 25:21, 22; Matthew 5:43-48; Romans 12:17-21

A Fleeting Shadow

A link to the source -http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/marketplace/

Psalms 144:4 - Man is like a breath; his days are like a fleeting shadow.

Every time I fly over a large body of water, I imagine opening the window of the jet and pouring out my coffee into the immense body of water below. I imagine the time that I spend on this earth compared to eternity is no more than that cup of coffee. The incredible size of the ocean compared to one small cup of coffee is what our life is like compared to eternity. Why then do we invest so much in temporal pursuits when we know that our investment here can have so much impact on our eternity? It is the great paradox of human behavior, especially for Christians.

Does your business life have an overall ministry objective to it? This does not mean we must be constantly involved in "Christian activity." It only means that we should be about what God has called us to do with the motive of being obedient to this mission. Do not let the worries and cares of this life keep you from having an eternal impact on the lives of those you meet each day. Satan has a way of keeping our focus on the problems of today rather than the spiritual opportunities before us. He is master of the urgent, not the important.

Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain (1 Corinthians 15:58).

How to Change Your Mind for Good

Taken from - http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/homeword/

This devotional was written by Dan Johnson

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8


Recent studies by neuroscientists have shed great new light on the mind. The human mind thinks up to 60,000 thoughts each day. Most thinking is done on autopilot with the mind thinking the same habitual thoughts over and over again. If it seems like you’re hashing out the same mental routine each day, there’s a good chance you are.

The brain protects its storehouse of information – be it good or bad. Engrained habits are protected so the autopilot lifestyle can be maintained. But when we’ve repeated a new thought or practiced a new behavior for about 90 days, it becomes part of the brain architecture; voila, we have new hardwiring!

The good news is that we CAN change the way we think. After that, those new – and improved – redemptive thoughts become habit. A new lifestyle can become the new norm. The Bible says we can challenge false thoughts by “taking every thought captive.” By thinking on what is true we overcome low self-esteem, fear and doubt. We can also have what the Bible calls “the mind of Christ.” Because those lies of low self-esteem, fear and doubt don’t exist in the mind of God, we can think “as if” we are healthy and whole and soon our bodies and spirits show new vitality.

This is a great day to call those stubborn false thoughts by name, write them down and then tear them down. Replace them with noble thoughts, admirable thoughts, thoughts of excellence and allow your new, bigger thought life to open the door to a grander world.

GOING DEEPER:
1. What are your top 5 dominant thoughts each day?
2. Are your dominant thoughts in line with what God’s Word says about you?

FURTHER READING : Isaiah 55:7-8; 2 Peter 3:1

Try it... You'll Like it!

Taken from - http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/homeword/


This devotional was written by Jim Burns

O taste and see that the Lord is good! Happy is the man who takes refuge in him! Psalm 34:8 RSV


One of my favorite storytellers is Dr. Anthony Campolo. I love how he tells the story of Blondin, the tightrope-walker who in the 1890's strung a tightrope across the Niagara Falls.

Before ten thousand screaming people he inched his way from the Canadian side of the falls to the United States side. When he got there the crowd began shouting his name: "Blondin! Blondin! Blondin! Blondin!"

Finally he raised his arms, quieted the crowd, and (how's this for an ego trip?) shouted to them, "I am Blondin! Do you believe in me?" The crowd shouted back, "We believe! We believe! We believe!"

Again he quieted the crowd, and once more he shouted to them, "I'm going back across the tightrope, but this time I'm going to carry someone on my back. Do you believe I can do that?" The crowd yelled, "We believe! We believe!"

He quieted them one more time, and then he said, "Who will be that person?" The crowd went dead. Nothing.

Finally, out of the crowd stepped one man. He climbed on Blondin's shoulders, and for the next three-and-a-half-hours, Blondin inched his way back across the tightrope to the Canadian side of the falls.

The point of the story is blatantly clear: Ten thousand people stood there that day chanting, "We believe, we believe!" but only one person really believed. Believing is not just saying, "I accept the fact." Believing is giving your life over into the hands of the one in whom you say you believe.*

Christ calls you to step out of your comfort zone and walk with Him. Stepping out on faith means that you don't know all that is going to happen but you are putting your trust in Someone who does. Putting your trust with Jesus is not always the comfortable way to go. The risk you take is that God knows what He is doing better than you know what you are doing. History and common sense tell me to put my faith in the infinite Creator and Savior of the universe rather than in unstable me. Are you ready to take another step in the direction of faith. Then accept God's challenge to "taste and see".

GOING DEEPER:
1. Psalm 34:8 tells us that we must take action and make the effort to find out how good the Lord is. Have you ever truly taken refuge in Him?

2. What are you doing right now in your life that could not be done without the super natural power of Christ? Those who live their lives in touch with Jesus are not afraid to step out of their comfort zone and into the realm of faith.

FURTHER READING :
1 Peter 2:3, Psalm 2:12

TEST #3

Patience is a virtue.
Testing again.
Eric

Test #2

Forgive the redundancy. Still trouble shooting this blog.
er

When Reality Hits Home

Taken from - http://www.crosswalk.com/devotionals/momentstogether/

Luke 8:15 And the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance.

Many new Christians begin their new lives at an emotional high. They are overwhelmed by God's grace, by the excitement of seeing Him move in their lives, and by the love they feel from their new brothers and sisters in Christ. They involve themselves in their churches' ministries and feel the power of God working through them to minister to others.

Then, inevitably, they begin to come to grips with massive doses of reality, by making too many glossy-eyed, rose-tinted assumptions about people and life. A trusted Christian friend betrays a brother; a respected church leader commits adultery; people bicker about decisions made by the new pastor. Yes, Christians are full of faults, just like anyone else.

I will never forget Dr. Howard Hendricks's statement one day when I was attending Dallas Theological Seminary. He said, "Gentlemen, if you do not like the smell of sheep, then you'd better get out of the pasture." That statement illustrates the choice you face when reality hits and you realize just how difficult it is to work with people. You can protect yourself by withdrawing from the life of the church, or you can persevere and keep pursuing relationships.

Many Christians today choose the path of self-protection. They move from church to church, never settling down because that would require too much commitment. When you follow this path, however, it's easy to end up cynical and isolated. You miss the joy that comes when you determine not to quit and allow God to work through you, and finally, after years of struggling through relationships, see the fruit that, as Christ says, only comes through perseverance (see Luke 8:15, above).

Prayer: That you would be able to sink roots into a church where you have years of fruitful ministry.

Discuss: When have you been faced with the choice of self-preservation or perseverance? What did you choose?