"THE FIRST OR LAST?" .
.......... MORE INSIGHTS!
Most Christians Cannot Explain their Faith, Says Apologist
The faith of most Christians, even that of many pastors, will not stand up to intellectual scrutiny, according to renowned apologist Josh McDowell. This is a concern because pastors’ inability to present biblical truth comprehensibly and relevantly has led to children from Christian families leaving the church, research has shown.In the United States, the age at which nearly all such children leave church has decreased to 18 years.Not even the children of many successful ministers are spared.
McDowell made his comments at a recent networking dinner among various men’s ministries organized recently by Men-in-Covenant. MiC is the men’s ministry of Covenant Evangelical Free Church.He recalled speaking with the pastor of one of the largest U.S. churches, a man known for his expository preaching. Confiding in him, the pastor said their church was losing its youth right after high school graduation.
In his 50 years of ministry, McDowell has asked several thousand pastors and leaders how they could be certain Jesus Christ said “I am the truth” and not one of many truths or a truth.“Not one person has ever given me an intelligent, biblically-based answer,” said the author of The New Evidence that Demands A Verdict.During the past six years, he asked hundreds of Christians and leaders why they see themselves as Christians. Again no one gave him an "intelligent" answer.In the past 17 years, he has asked over 4,000 pastors, leaders and parents why they believe the Bible is true..A mere six “came close to giving an intelligent answer,” McDowell noted.
“If anything is based upon truth, it’s the Christian faith,” he said. “Christians who do not know why they have faith or believe have a very difficult time expressing themselves to others."The saddest thing is people come to me and say, ‘What’s the answer?’" “I say, ‘There’s no answer… There are hundreds of answers.’" Most Christians, even some pastors, don’t even know one. On the other hand, the apologist said he could give 50 reasons for his belief that the Bible is true.
Ninety-five percent of Christians gave disappointing responses when asked why they believe Jesus is the Son of God. Asked why the Bible is true and historically reliable, Christians replied that it was what they had been taught by their church or parents. A common response that most Christians gave to both questions was that it is “what I believe.” McDowell responded: “That’s voodoo thinking. Where did we ever get that crazy idea that something is true just because we believe it? “If that is true, then there will never be heresy. Everybody would be right.”
On one occasion, 13 youth pastors at a large convention were unable to reasonably answer the apologist’s question.Finally one young person stood up, walked toward him and told him he knew the answer.The young man promptly held up his Bible and said, “Because I believe it.” And to McDowell’s dismay, all the youth pastors applauded him. McDowell said, “Young man, do you know the difference between you, me and the majority of Christians in the world? “To you, it is true because you believe it. For me, I believe it because it is true.”
Another response the apologist received was: Because I have faith.He commented, “Where did we ever get the crazy idea that faith makes something true? That’s idiotic. That’s so unbiblical you can call it heresy.“God doesn’t use faith to create truth. He uses truth through the Holy Spirit to create faith.”
Christians, the apologist stressed, are called to explain their faith when asked. They are set free by the faith in the truth, he expressed, referring to John 8:32.Yet others say Christianity is true because Jesus changed their lives.Even this will not stand up to intellectual scrutiny, McDowell argued.“Lies change lives; cults change lives,” he said.To make such an appeal is “not the essence of Christianity,” the author emphasized.
McDowell said: “We owe it to ourselves, we owe it to our children, we owe it to our neighbors, we owe it to the lost, to tell them not just what we believe but why do we believe it.” http://www.christianpost.com/article/20100603
The Covenants of God - and Israel's Restoration
A crucial lesson for a time such as this!
Many call the Old Testament the Old Covenant. In doing so many believe the Old Testament is fulfilled and totally ignore it. This error ignores the fact that the Old Testament contains NOT ONE ............but MANY Covenants.
Abrahamic Promise and Covenant in the Old Testament : Genesis 12, 15: 9-21, all of chapter 17
The Abrahamic Covenant promises Abraham to become a great nation through whom God would bless all nations, without which we gentiles would be forgotten, thus must still be in effect today! Furthermore, the Abrahamic Covenant promises the land of Israel as an everlasting inheritance to the descendents of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Covenant on Mt. Sinai in the Old Testament: Exodus 19-24
The LAW- the Mosaic Covenant was made with Israel, ADDED due to Israel's transgression. This is the only Covenant Jesus fulfilled. Hebrews who never entered the New Covenant promised to keep it, thus still bound to the Mosaic Covenant- the Law. It was this Covenant broken by Israel, thus requiring the making of a new Covenant.
New Covenant Promised in the Old Testament: Jeremiah 31:31-34
Even the New Covenant was promised in the Old Testament to Israel, entered by a remnant of Israel in our LORDS FIRST COMING, and added to by gentiles, predicated upon the Abrahamic Covenant. Once again: The fact that gentile Christians eventually outnumbered the elect Jews does not make the Christian Church gentile, nor LITERAL Israel. The New Covenant will come to its climax when the ALL of Israel alive at His second coming will enter it. Romans 11: 25- 37; Zechariah 12 and 14.
Davidic Covenant in the Old Testament: 2 Samuel 7:5-16
In addition, God made a Covenant with King David, promising his scepter, his kingly rule NEVER to depart from Jerusalem. This is the biblical basis of our LORDS birth of the royal lineage of King David, who not only paid for our sin in His first coming, but assures the hope of His second coming to Jerusalem to rule from this very royal throne forerver.
Point: Without the Davidic Covenant still in place there is no hope of His return to Jerusalem. Therefore, the Davidic Covenant has NOT been fulfilled, not until the day when Jesus returns and the ALL of Israel, (the all alive at our LORDS coming) will repent and enter the New Covenant to enjoy her Covenant promises. Furthermore, the very climax of Israel redemption and restoration is tied eternally in the mind and heart of God with the future glory of the church. Thank God Jesus never abdicated the throne of Israel.While Catholic Rome persecuted Jews without mercy for centuries, presurred conversion by thretaning expulsion from Catholci lands, fueled Anti-Semitism throughout Europe, even burned Jews at the stake who had been forced to Christtian baptism for keeping any Jewish customs, it has gone through many transformation. Their current position is not to convert Jews at all, believed to be saved under under the Old Covenant. How tragic! They have come from hating, persecuting and killing Jews in Jesus name, to ignoring them, not sharing the Gospel with Jews when in fact they MUST enter the New Covenant.
Not preaching the Gospel to all men including Jews, not only denies God's covenants with Israel:
1.) This denies the work of Christ and His death on the cross by which all men must be saved.
2.) This denies the sacrificial work of Peter and Paul who first brought the Gospel to their own people.
3.) This ignores that during the church age, ALL are saved the same way whether Jew or gentile.
4.) This furthermore ignores the ALL of Israel to be saved at the end of the age at our LORDS coming is only the ALL alive at His coming who will repent and believe, not all Hebrews of all time.
5.) Furthermore, Catholic Rome still believes in the mistranslation of the "end of the world" rather than "end of the age", the belief in the "annihilation of the earth" rather than its "purging and cleansing by fire". Why? They must deny Israel's kingdom, God's millennial Kingdom on earth when Israel is exalted as a NATION and Jerusalem the praise of the earth, because this has been their view for 1600 years. In stark contrast, the early church believed in the restoration of the kingdom to Israel, without which there would be no possibility of Christ's return to Jerusalem to rule from the throne of King David. In fact they thought it would occur in their lifetime
Acts 1:6-7
So, when they (disciples) met together, they asked Him:" LORD, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?" He said to them: " It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by His own authority." Notice, Jesus never denied the glorious Kingdom on earth for Israel, but simply never gave them the timing.
Acts 3:21
Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your (Israel's) sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that He may send the Messiah/ Christ who has been appointed for you (Israel) even Jesus. He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as He promised long ago through his holy prophets.
Acts 15:14- 16
Simon has described to us (Israel) how God at first showed His concern by taking from the gentiles a people for Himself. The words of the prophets are in agreement with this, as it is written: After this I will return and rebuild David's fallen tent (temple). Its ruins will be rebuild, and I will restore it.
Matthew 25:39:
For I tell you (people of Israel), you will not see me again until YOU say: "Blessed is he who comes in the Name of the LORD!" Therefore, Israel's repentance and acceptance of her Messiah and King is paramount to His return to Israel and His rule.
Tragically, even John Hagee a staunch supporter of Israel does not preach the Gospel to Jews and only seeks to bless Israel. Don't ask me why as he fiercely pounds the pulpit with the Gospel!
All I can assume is that he fears his sharing the Gospel with Jews will mean stepping on Jewish toes, perceived as not loving Israel. What a grave mistake! The greatest love we can share is the Gospel of Christ. Or could it be he believes the ALL of Israel to be saved refers to ALL Hebrews of ALL time, not the ALL alive at His coming at the end of the Great tribulation. Romans 11:25-37......... Let us remember the ALL of Israel that was saved by Moses, was the ALL alive at His coming who trusted in the blood of the Lamb, NOT all Hebrews of all time, a foreshadow of the future deliverance of Israel by their Messiah. Until then, many will die without the Gospel on their lips and hearts, without the blood of the Lamb that takes away the sins of the world. My question is: "Why only support Israel now?" Fact is Mr. Hagee believes we are out of here by Rapture before the Great tribulation commences, not here during Israel's darkest hour, when the church needs to be light in darkness an army like never before, to stand with Israel and share her only hope in Messiah' forgiveness of sin and His soon return." .... OUR DEBT IS DUE! ........
Although I am not a fundamental Christian as many think of 'Fundamentalism", even abhor many of its practices, I strongly hold to the fundamentals of the faith which for me must include the restoration of Israel! Without it the Scriptures simply make no sense!
Years ago I spoke of time that is coming when Christians will persecute Christians. It will be those who do not support Israel against those who do! Not only is this so in 65% Protestant circles who deny any future NATIONAL redemption, restoration and exaltation for Israel, but of course the Roman Catholic Church which began Replacement theology.
The question is: "How many of us are ready to stand for Christ and Israel until the LORD intervenes? If you wish to examine my view on the Rapture, please read:
Psalm 118:24
This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
Whenever I hear that verse or read it, it always reminds me of the lesson I learned many years ago from my favorite teacher, Marvin Rosenthal. It was so powerful.
Although we think of every day as a day the Lord has made (which is true), THE DAY spoken of in THIS passage to rejoice in, rather points to THE day the LORD has made and appointed from the foundation of the earth for our LORDS Crucifixion, THE Day of Redemption, THE DAY Satan tried to stop, and the very future DAY of His return. Psalm 118 is read every Passover, the center of the Bible.
Just as the cornerstone of the Temple was the stone from which the foundation was laid and had to be perfect to fit, the STONE (Jesus the Rock) was THE perfect cornerstone. Although He came to his own, the lineage of King David, with all the proper credentials, the perfect Son of God, His own did not receive Him AS A NATION, thus rejected Him as He did not fit according to their preconceived thinking. Although many individual Israelites have believed in Him, as a nation Israel still awaits her deliverance.
A day will come, when THEY as a nation will see He was and is the perfect fit!
A day will come, when THEY as a nation will see He is the Cornerstone, the very Temple of God, the Gate of righteousness, through which we must enter into the presence of God the Father, the Holy of Holies.
Jesus told us He would NOT return until His people would repent and receive Him and say:
"Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD. " Matthew 23:39
In the meantime He has extended His grace to all nations.
Time is running out!
Not remembering the future Day of Redemption for Israel has blinded many leaders to set dates, lead people astray, even lead them to slaughter. It is a curse! Let us never for get this: "The ultimate redemption and deliverance of the church, is tied to Israel's national redemption!"
Please read all of Psalm 118
THE PROMISE BY THE SWORD
This crucial lesson is a compilation of my personal studies and various sources.
Speaking of Paradise...
Ever ask yourself: "What makes a young Muslim man strap a high explosive vest on his chest and blow himself to smithereens?
Is it the so-called Israeli "occupation causing their misery and hatred?"
Is it his frustration?
Is it the $25,000 the family receives for Jews successfully murdered?
Or is it the Qu'ran [Koran] ... the holy book of Islam - itself!
Years ago, the Prophet Mohammed knew the conditions of the harsh desert, and cleverly devised a devilish scheme to bribe Arabs into committing hideous crimes by promising them materialistic things which they couldn't obtain. This Paradise contained six important items: beautiful virgins, young boys, water, wine, fruits and wealth.
1. VIRGINS (HOURIS)
Mohammed knew that sex would sell very well among the group of his lecherous followers who were motivated to fight battles by the promise of sex slaves and booty. Once the followers got to heaven, they could pleasure themselves with endless sexual encounters with 'Houris' (beautiful young virgins)... 72 virgins girls and 28 young pre-pubescent boys. Mohammed goes one step further and expands the promise of virgins to include a free sex market where there is no limit of the number of sexual partners. Women and young boys are on display as if in a fruit market where you can choose the desired ripeness. Allah is indeed merciful!
Relevant verses from the Koran and quotes from the Hadiths:
Koran 78:31
As for the righteous, they shall surely triumph. Theirs shall be gardens and vineyards, and high-bosomed virgins for companions: a truly overflowing cup.
Koran 37:40-48
...They will sit with bashful, dark-eyed virgins, as chaste as the sheltered eggs of ostriches.
Koran 44:51-55
...Yes and We shall wed them to dark-eyed houris. (beautiful virgins)
Koran 52:17-20
...They shall recline on couches ranged in rows. To dark-eyed houris (virgins) we shall wed them...
Koran 55:56-57
In them will be bashful virgins neither man nor Jinn will have touched before. Then which of the favors of your Lord will you deny ?"
Koran 55:57-58
Virgins as fair as corals and rubies. Then which of the favors of your Lord will you deny ?"
Koran 56:7-40
...We created the houris (the beautiful women) and made them virgins, loving companions for those on the right hand.. "
Koran 55:70-77
"In each there shall be virgins chaste and fair... Dark eyed virgins sheltered in their tents whom neither man nor Jin will have touched before..
2. YOUNG BOYS
While there is a consensus that same-sex intercourse is in violation of Islamic law, there are differences of opinion within Islamic scholarship about punishment, reformation, and what standards of proof are required before physical punishment becomes lawful. Why this confusion? Mohammed could not make up his mind about Sodomy. To please the homosexuals among his followers he promised them pre-pubescent boys in Paradise although prohibits it on earth.
The following verses state that homosexuality is forbidden.
Koran 4:16
If two men among you is guilty of lewdness, punish
them both...
Koran 27:55
Would ye really approach men in your lusts rather
than Women? Nay, ye are a people (grossly) ignorant!
Now the verses below are in clear contradiction of the above verses.
Koran 52:24
Round about them will serve, to them, boys
(handsome) as pearls well-guarded.
Koran 56:17
Round about them will serve boys of perpetual
freshness.
Koran 76:19
And round about them will serve boys of perpetual
freshness: if thou seest them, thou wouldst think
them scattered pearls.
It is a well established fact Homosexuality is widespread. Many famous Muslims were practicing homosexuals who looked towards the Koran to justify their actions. For example, Babar, the Moghul king was madly in love with a young boy named Baburi. Kuttubuddin Aibak, another Muslim ruler of India used to dress up as a woman and dance in a vulgar manner.
Another example is Abu Nuwas--one of the greatest poets in Arabic language writes in the Perfumed Garden:
O the joy of sodomy! So now be sodomites, you Arabs.
Turn not away from it--therein is wondrous pleasure.
Take some coy lad with kiss-curls twisting on his temple
and ride as he stands like some gazelle standing to her mate.
-A lad whom all can see girt with sword and belt
not like your whore who has to go veiled.
Make for smooth-faced boys and do your very best
to mount them, for women are the mounts of the devils.
There are other such poems by Abu Nuwas and others which are more graphic in glorifying homosexuality and lesbianism.
3. A SINISTER PLOT
Mohammed's promise of an Islamic Paradise that glittered with the fulfillment of all sorts of worldly desires was nothing but a sinister ploy to recruit those who had no hope or expectation of ever getting these things in their "real" lives. Knowing that they are assured of such a Paradise simply because they follow Islam, Muslims can go around committing plunder, rape, looting, murder, and yes, even blowing themselves up!
It is the picture of this "Paradise" that has motivated Muslims over the centuries to cut down people of other religions, to desecrate their places of worship and mistreat them in the name of Allah. It is NOT a "Religion of Peace" it is "Madness!"
O ye who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians for friends. [al-Ma'idah 5:51.11]
Muslims are encouraged to be wholly occupied (Sura 2:273) with fighting for Allah's cause.
Allah will give "a far richer recompense to those who fight for him" (Sura 4:96).
Regarding infidels (unbelievers), they are the Muslim's "inveterate enemies" (Sura 4:101).
Muslims are to "arrest them, besiege them and lie in ambush everywhere" (Sura 9:5) for them.
They are to "seize them and put them to death wherever you find them, kill them wherever you find them, seek out the enemies of Islam relentlessly" (Sura 4:90).
"Fight them until Islam reigns supreme" (Sura 2:193).
"Cut off their heads, and cut off the tips of their fingers" (Sura 8:12).
If a Muslim does not go to war, Allah will kill him (Sura 9:39).
He is to be told, "the heat of war is fierce, but more fierce is the heat of Hell-fire" (Sura 9:81).
A Muslim must "fight for the cause of Allah with the devotion due to him" (Sura 22:78)
Muslims must make war on the infidels (unbelievers) who live around them (Sura 9:123).
Muslims are to be "ruthless to unbelievers" (Sura 48:29).
A Muslim should "enjoy the good things" he has gained by fighting (Sura 8:69).
A Muslim can kill any person he wishes if it be a "just cause" (Sura 6:152).
Allah loves those who "fight for his cause" (Sura 61:3).
Anyone who fights against Allah or renounces Islam in favor of another religion shall be "put to death or crucified or have their hands and feet cut off alternative sides" (Sura 5:34).
Whoever changes his Islamic religion, kill him. Sahih Al-Bukhari (9:57)
Slay the idolaters wherever you find them, and take them captives and besiege them and lie in wait for them in every ambush. (Sura 9:5)
Take him and fetter him and expose him to hell fire. (Sura 69:30-37)
I will instill terror into the hearts of the unbelievers, Smite ye above their necks and smite all their finger tips of them. (Sura 8:12)
They should be murdered or crucified or their hands and their feet should be cut off on opposite sides. (Sura 5:33)
Know that paradise is under the shades of SWORDS( Sahih al-Bukhari Vol 4 p55)
CONNECTING THE DOTS:
Esau married 2 pagan daughters of Ishmael and 2 pagan daughters of Canaan, all rejected heirs of the Promised Land who became the ARAB people. Esau and his wives settled in Mt. Seir, the place of Sodom and Gomorrah, a place of lechery, sodomy and other gross immorality. (Genesis 36)
Amalek was a grandson of Esau, a barbaric ruthless desert Sheik. When the Israelites tried to inherit their promise, by entering the Promised Land after 40 years of wandering in the desert, the Amalekites attempted to exterminate the m. Joshua (Yoshua) with his SWORD won the battle against the SWORD of the Amalekites, a foreshadow of Jesus (Yeshuah) and the end time battle in the valley of Megiddo (Armageddon), against the (Islamic) nations "surrounding Israel" coming against Jerusalem. Zechariah 12 and 14.
God swore to make war with them forever for their barbaric treatment of the people of Israel.
He said to Moses: “Inscribe this in a document as a reminder, and read it aloud to Joshua; I will utterly blot out the memory of Amalek from under heaven!” And Moses built an altar and named it Adonai-nissi. He said “It means, ‘ hand upon the throne of the ETERNAL!’ The ETERNAL will be at war with Amalek throughout the ages.”
Throughout the Scriptures the Israelites were forbidden to worship the gods surrounding the nation of Israel. Never mind the idolatry, the LORD warned them to abstain from their detestable practices. WHY? The barbarity, lechery, sodomy and other gross immorality was a stench in the nostrils of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. With the birth of Islam and the conquest of these very same ARAB nations surrounding Israel into the Islamic faith, the barbaric and depraved behavior never changed, except the removal of their hundreds of idols now worshipping Allah.
Nothing new under the sun! Sunrise-Sunset!
Come LORD Jesus (Yeshua) come and make an end to this madness!
