The Alternate Story

I recently started reading a book written by Ray Comfort entitled The Defender’s Guide for Life’s Toughest Questions. In it, I read where some atheists have a problem with the courtroom scenario that Ray uses to illustrate what Jesus did on the cross. Therefore I thought I would offer you a somewhat different scenario to help you understand what Jesus did for you and for me. However, while the story that I am about to tell you is not a complete alternative to Ray’s courtroom scenario, I think it is a wonderful illustration of what God did through Jesus on that beautiful, terrible cross.

I first heard this story told by Adrian Rogers. It goes like this:

There was a certain man that was in the hospital due to a rare and deadly disease. The disease was curable; however, the cure was so rare and expensive that most people could not afford it and therefore died. The man could not afford the cure, so he just lay there, awaiting the moment that he would slip into eternity.

A few days after the man’s diagnosis, the doctor stumbled into the man’s hospital room, holding a medicine bottle in his hand. The doctor looked disheveled. His hair was out of place, his clothes were ripped and torn, and his shirt was stained with blood. When the man asked the doctor what happened, the doctor replied with tears in his eyes, “I knew that you could not afford the cure for your disease. And I knew that, if you did not get it, you would die. So I took my life’s savings, and I sold my house and all that I owned and then I drove halfway across the country to get the medication so that you might live. On my way to the hospital, I was speeding and I had a wreck. My only son was in the car with me. He was killed. The blood that has stained my clothing is the blood of my only son.”

Suppose that man took that medicine bottle, opened it, and poured it all out on the floor of that hospital room. Could anyone be so ungrateful? He would then deserve to die after rejecting such an incredible gift.

That is what God did for you. God allowed his only Son to be beaten and nailed to an old, rugged cross that you might live. You do not deserve God’s love. That cross should have been you. However, it was not.

If you reject God’s mercy in Jesus Christ, you will be like that man pouring out the life-saving medicine that was responsible for the death of that doctor’s only son. Do not make that mistake. Romans 6:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Without Him, you cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Please, turn completely from all sin and confess Jesus Christ as Lord. If you do that, He will save you today and keep you saved forever.

The Sovereign Definer

Friday, the indiscriminate decision was made to make homosexual “marriage” legal in the state of New York. Of course, I am infuriated and brokenhearted that this decision was made; however, for a very different reason than you might think. You see, marriage was defined in the beginning by God as one man and one woman, for life; and no one—no matter how hard they may try—can erase or change that definition. Therefore I am brokenhearted that we live in a nation that would fly in the face of the One who has blessed beyond measure, and say that we know better than He.

Today I pray with “America’s pastor,” Billy Graham, who once prayed,

Heavenly Father, we come before You today to ask Your forgiveness and to seek Your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, 'Woe to those who call evil good,' but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery. We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare. We have killed our unborn and called it choice. We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable. We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self esteem. We have abused power and called it politics. We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition. We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression. We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment. Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free.

Over the years, God has taught me to have a bitter hatred toward sin and yet to love people still. My heart breaks for those who were responsible for passing this so-called law on Friday and I want them to be saved. However, in a way, I am not worried. I know that these people are only like little children who have their imaginary friends. As unhealthy as it may be, it is not real. What they have is not marriage at all, and one day they will all realize that God is right.

A little over a year ago Kirk Cameron wrote the following in a newsletter that I received from Living Waters ministries:

Recently, I was doing an interview for a marriage conference called "Love Worth Fighting For" and was asked what I thought of "gay marriage". I later thought more deeply about the subject. That phrase doesn't even make sense and confuses terms. Marriage is defined by God. He defines it in His Word as a covenant union between one man and one woman, for life. There is no other kind. To say "straight marriage" would be redundancy. Anything else is not marriage, it's... well, something else. I know a man who struggled with homosexual thoughts, became a Christian, and waged war against his sin. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, guided by the light of Scripture, he "put to death the deeds of the flesh" and was "transformed by the renewing of [his] mind," and "washed by the water of the Word". While some cry for the "right" to redefine holy institutions, those who have Christ living within them grow increasingly away from deformities, faults, and error, into loveliness, honor, and spiritual beauty. Notice this is a process. A walk, Paul says. Step by step, growing over time, into the perfect likeness of Jesus Himself. God's solution to homosexual desires is not to change the definition of marriage, but to change the desires of the man by making him more like Jesus.

This post is not about homosexuality; it is about living in opposition to the Word of God. Isaiah 5:20 does indeed say, “Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!” If you do not know Jesus as Lord of your life today, you have no doubt done that. It is time for a change. You have given the devil a place in your life, but stand up and say, “In the name of Jesus, be gone!” Turn completely from all sin today and acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord. If you do that, He will save you today and keep you saved forever.

Discipline Is Not a Verb: My Response to Ray Comfort’s “I Hate You…I’m Going to Kill You!”

"Research shows that: physical punishment is associated with an increase in delinquency, antisocial behavior, and aggression in children; and physical punishment is associated with a decrease in the quality of the parent-child relationship, mental health, and the child's capacity to internalize socially acceptable behavior. Adults who have been subject to physical punishment as children are more likely to abuse their own child or spouse and to manifest criminal behavior."
- Gershoff ET (2008). Report on Physical Punishment in the United States: What Research Tells Us About Its Effects on Children. Columbus OH: Center for Effective Discipline.

(Comment posted to "Atheist Central" by Downward Spiral)

I am sure it came as no surprise to most of you that I agree with Ray Comfort. However, I saw the above quote made to Ray’s blog post yesterday and I agree with it as well. The main reason for that is that discipline is not something you do; discipline is something you teach. That is something that is being made more clear to me as the years go by.

You see, although I am not a parent, I am not blind nor did I grow up in a cave. I went to high school just like most of you. I have also experienced college life. If there is one thing I have learned, it is that most parents “discipline” their children for all of the wrong reasons. Most parents, it seems, “discipline” their children out of selfish motives alone.

Allow me to illustrate my point. We have all seen the mom in Walmart with the young child who is grabbing everything in sight. Eventually, you will hear that child let out a bloodcurdling scream. Now, that mother did not just smack that child out of love; she did what should did out of utter frustration. Perhaps the above “research” was done at the local Walmart. That, my friend, is not proper, biblical discipline.

Speaking from a child’s point of view, I can tell you that, when I was growing up, I learned the most from my mistakes when my mother—or whoever was in charge at the time—took the time to explain to me exactly why what I did was wrong and why I ought never to do it again. And sometimes there is a physical correction needed there to show a child that there are serious consequences for sin. God allows no sin to go unpunished. Therefore we ought not to let our children’s sin go unpunished here on earth so they might not have to face a more serious, everlasting punishment in Hell.

Quite frankly, whether or not you see spanking a child as child abuse is based solely on where you get your information and what that information is based upon. I would venture to say that a parent who spanks their children without explaining why is practicing a form of child abuse, because that child has learned nothing from that experience besides the fact that he best not do whatever he did in the presence of that parent again. You see, I have learned that it is not the punishment in and of itself that helps to steer a child in the right direction, but it is a clear understanding of why what he has done is wrong. Parents today simply do not take the time to explain right from wrong.

If there is one main thing that I have learned about children, it is that children need and want guidance. If they cannot get it from their parents, they will find someone else who will give it to them; and it may not be the kind of guidance that they really need. There are four main things that I have learned from observation that parents ought to be. Moms and dads ought to be consistent, likeminded, narrow-minded, and grounded in the Word of God.

First of all, you must be consistent. If you tell your children something one time, you best back it up every time. And do not let one child do something that you just got onto the other child for doing. If you do not practice consistency, your children will play you like a harp. Understand?

Second of all, moms and dads must be likeminded. Sit down and decide together what you do and do not want your children to do. If one says don’t do something, the other one ought to back it up. If you are not careful here, your children will play you against one another.

The world will not like this one, but parents must be narrow-minded. Be discriminatory. Be cautious. Be careful what you let your children watch on television. Be careful what you let them read. Be careful what kind of music you allow them to listen to. And most importantly choose your children’s friends for them. Who your children hang out with will influence them more than you could ever imagine.

Lastly, if you are not grounded in the Word of God, you cannot be a successful parent. Know what God says about successful parenting. Know what He says about the dangers that are out there. Know that the devil is lurking in the shadows and that he wants nothing more than to steal your children’s lives away from them. Pray, pray, and pray again. And win their souls to Jesus Christ before it is eternally too late for them.

The most well-known narrow-minded parents in this world are bringing up all nineteen of their children to love the Lord with all of their heart, soul, mind, and strength. Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar have proven over and over again that they will not let anything stand in their way of raising a family that is pleasing in the sight of the Lord. They have proven Proverbs 22:6 to be true. That verse simply says, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

You can choose to do nothing and therefore see your children follow after this world. Or you can be consistent, likeminded, narrow-minded, and grounded in the Word of God and therefore see your children be well rounded, well disciplined, and well equipped to live lives that are pleasing in the sight of the Lord.

A Thought from Ray Comfort on Parenting

While I was not prepared to post anything today, I read this blog post from Ray Comfort's blog and decided that it would be something good to share. If everything goes as planned, I will do my best to post my response to Ray's blog post, tomorrow.

"I Hate You...I'm Going to Kill You!"

Disclaimer: I am not a parent. My response will not be coming from a parent's point of view. However, it will be coming from someone who has witnessed the destruction and devastation that is brought on by a lack of good, biblical parenting.

Psalm 37

For today's post, please take the time to read Psalm 37, which I have posted below.

Psalm 37

¹ Do not fret because of evildoers,
         Nor be envious of the workers of iniquity.
 ² For they shall soon be cut down like the grass,
         And wither as the green herb.
        
 ³ Trust in the LORD, and do good;
         Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.
 ⁴ Delight yourself also in the LORD,
         And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
        
 ⁵ Commit your way to the LORD,
         Trust also in Him,
         And He shall bring it to pass.
 ⁶ He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,
         And your justice as the noonday.
        
 ⁷ Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for Him;
         Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way,
         Because of the man who brings wicked schemes to pass.
 ⁸ Cease from anger, and forsake wrath;
         Do not fret—it only causes harm.
        
 ⁹ For evildoers shall be cut off;
         But those who wait on the LORD,
         They shall inherit the earth.
 ¹⁰ For yet a little while and the wicked shall be no more;
         Indeed, you will look carefully for his place,
         But it shall be no more.
 ¹¹ But the meek shall inherit the earth,
         And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.
        
 ¹² The wicked plots against the just,
         And gnashes at him with his teeth.
 ¹³ The Lord laughs at him,
         For He sees that his day is coming.
 ¹⁴ The wicked have drawn the sword
         And have bent their bow,
         To cast down the poor and needy,
         To slay those who are of upright conduct.
 ¹⁵ Their sword shall enter their own heart,
         And their bows shall be broken.
        
 ¹⁶ A little that a righteous man has
         Is better than the riches of many wicked.
 ¹⁷ For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,
         But the LORD upholds the righteous.
        
 ¹⁸ The LORD knows the days of the upright,
         And their inheritance shall be forever.
 ¹⁹ They shall not be ashamed in the evil time,
         And in the days of famine they shall be satisfied.
 ²⁰ But the wicked shall perish;
         And the enemies of the LORD,
         Like the splendor of the meadows, shall vanish.
         Into smoke they shall vanish away.
        
 ²¹ The wicked borrows and does not repay,
         But the righteous shows mercy and gives.
 ²² For those blessed by Him shall inherit the earth,
         But those cursed by Him shall be cut off.
        
 ²³ The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD,
         And He delights in his way.
 ²⁴ Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down;
         For the LORD upholds him with His hand.
        
 ²⁵ I have been young, and now am old;
         Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken,
         Nor his descendants begging bread.
 ²⁶ He is ever merciful, and lends;
         And his descendants are blessed.
        
 ²⁷ Depart from evil, and do good;
         And dwell forevermore.
 ²⁸ For the LORD loves justice,
         And does not forsake His saints;
         They are preserved forever,
         But the descendants of the wicked shall be cut off.
 ²⁹ The righteous shall inherit the land,
         And dwell in it forever.
        
 ³⁰ The mouth of the righteous speaks wisdom,
         And his tongue talks of justice.
 ³¹ The law of his God is in his heart;
         None of his steps shall slide.
        
 ³² The wicked watches the righteous,
         And seeks to slay him.
 ³³ The LORD will not leave him in his hand,
         Nor condemn him when he is judged.
        
 ³⁴ Wait on the LORD,
         And keep His way,
         And He shall exalt you to inherit the land;
         When the wicked are cut off, you shall see it.
 ³⁵ I have seen the wicked in great power,
         And spreading himself like a native green tree.
 ³⁶ Yet he passed away,^[a] and behold, he was no more;
         Indeed I sought him, but he could not be found.
        
 ³⁷ Mark the blameless man, and observe the upright;
         For the future of that man is peace.
 ³⁸ But the transgressors shall be destroyed together;
         The future of the wicked shall be cut off.
        
 ³⁹ But the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD;
         He is their strength in the time of trouble.
 ⁴⁰ And the LORD shall help them and deliver them;
         He shall deliver them from the wicked,
         And save them,
         Because they trust in Him.

The Role of Repentance

I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

Luke 13:3

I was looking on a local church’s website yesterday and found the following description of salvation: “Salvation is a gift from God to man. Man can never make up for his sin by self-improvement or good works. Only by trusting in Jesus Christ as God's offer of forgiveness can man be saved from sin's penalty. Eternal life begins the moment one receives Jesus Christ into his life by faith.” There is only one problem with that; there is no mention of repentance. Jesus made it very clear that, without repentance, a person cannot be truly saved. Today I want to talk about what repentance really is and what role it plays in the process of salvation.

Repentance is not merely something one must do to be saved, but it is a byproduct of faith. Once someone has realized the reality of who he is compared to who God is, repentance will come naturally to that person. Repentance is simply me living my life for Jesus because He gave His life for me.

So what exactly is repentance? Repentance is when someone sees his sin for what it really is and turns and runs as fast as he can in the opposite direction. Repentance is saying, “God, before I knew You, I lived for me; but now I want to live for you.”

So what is repentance not? Repentance is not asking God for forgiveness. Repentance is the result of forgiveness. When Jesus forgave the adulterous woman, He said to her, “Go, and sin no more.” That’s all repentance is, leaving your old life to live a new one.

Someone who claims to believe in Jesus yet has failed to repent of his sin is not truly saved. James 2:19 says, “Even the demons believe—and tremble!” Repentance is belief with legs on it. The devil and his angels will not spend eternity in Hell because they have failed to believe in the God of the Bible; they will spend eternity in Hell because they refuse to repent.

The Bible teaches that we can know whether or not a person is truly saved by the fruit that he bears. My friend, if you do not bear the fruit of repentance, I can assure you, upon the authority of the Word of God, that you are on your way to Hell. If you do not know Jesus as Lord of your life today, you can. If you will repent of your sin and confess Jesus Christ as Lord, He will save you today and keep you saved forever.

Is Revival Possible?

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

2 Chronicles 7:14

If you are reading this post, you are fully aware that this nation is in a crisis. Christians have been calling for revival in this nation for years. However, is revival even possible? If you are reading this today and you are a Christian, this post is for you. (However, if you are not a Christian, God put this blog in your path today for a reason; so don’t stop reading.) I feel like many Christians today believe that the main problem in America is the lost. However, that is not what God says. God said, “If My people…” Revival is possible, but it must start with the people of God.

Look at the above verse again. Notice, if you will, the first and last three words of that verse: “if my people” and “heal their land.” There is a healing for this nation, but it first must start with God’s people. God promised that He will heal the land of His people if they will “humble themselves, and pray, and seek [His] face, and turn from their wicked ways.”

First, let’s take a look at the last part of that verse: “and turn from their wicked ways.” Yes, God is still talking about believers here. Therefore this could only mean a call to repentance among the people of God. Is there any unconfessed, unrepented of sin in your life? If there is, you need to take care of that right now. Remember, David said, “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee” (Psalm 51:12-13). David realized that, without the joy of the Lord, he could not be an effective witness to others. You cannot have the joy of the Lord while harboring sin in your heart at the same time.

The interim pastor at our church spoke briefly about this subject Sunday night. He said that revival is not when you bring in a guest speaker to preach every night for a week and the lost get saved; revival is when God’s people get right, and then the lost get saved as a result of that. I looked up the definition of the word revival and I found several different definitions, but the one I liked the best said, “The process of bringing somebody back to life.” That is all revival is. It is the process of putting life back into the people of God.

Someone who has never lived cannot be revived. The only person that can be revived is someone who has lived and then died. The prefix “re” means to do something over again. Someone who has been revived has been made to live again. Therefore revival does not apply to the lost because the lost have never truly lived in the first place.

Ephesians 2:1 says that the lost are dead in their “transgressions and sins.” In John 10:10 Jesus said, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” If Jesus came so that the lost might have life, then that could only mean that they cannot have life apart from Jesus. And someone who has never had life cannot be revived.

Revival is for God’s people. However, once God’s people are revived, they can then begin to reach out to the lost. Therefore many will be saved as a result of the revival of God’s people.

Revival in this nation is possible, but it can only start with God’s people. If God’s people will humble themselves, repent of their sin, and pray, we have assurance from God that we will see a great revival in this nation. And one by one, as revival begins to take place in the lives of God’s people, we can reach this world for Jesus Christ.

If you do not know Jesus Christ as Lord of your life today, there is nothing in your life to revive; however, you can begin to truly live today. If you will repent of your sin and confess Jesus Christ as Lord, He will save you today and keep you saved forever.