Creation - Evolution - Atheism And Everything Else...

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Why I'm not an Atheist - Ravi Zacharias

"Why I'm not an Atheist" by Ravi Zacharias a well known Christian Apologetic - l listen to Ravi's Pod Cast which I download via iTunes every week - He is a great voice in our time and battles the forefront of the Atheistic world view on a daily basis. Enjoy. Comments are always welcomed and encouraged.

Feel free to download these to your mp3 player or just listen to them using Windows media or Quick Time. If anyone has a problem listening to these please let me know.

Why I am Not an Atheist part 1

Why I am Not an Atheist part 2

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Kirk Cameron Lost His Faith In Atheism...

Here's an excellent tidbit from Kirk Cameron. Are you being intellectually honest with yourself when you claim there is no God? As I once said I have more respect for the one who looks into these things and then concludes there is no God (if that were possible) but I truly do pity the person who makes there claim based on what other people say about it. Kirk's last statement should sink in deep to the heart of the doubting. Enjoy the video.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

If You're An Atheist You Are Irrational

Yes I said it - If your an Atheist you are a highly irrational person. You are being just as foolish as if you and I walked up to a watch on the table and I said "check out this new watch with all it's intricate gears winding, it's sleek and modern design, it's minute & hour hand telling the precise time of day, isn't it cool? Man this watch maker must of known his stuff" and you say.............. "What watch maker? There is no watch maker." or "I don't believe in a Watchmaker. You would have to please forgive me if I began to laugh at you. Perhaps you missed all the design in the watch? Perhaps you overlooked the simple fact that the watch relays "information" by telling you the approximate time of day? And the sheer fact that if you remove any one of those gears inside, the watch will not work at all?

This would be silly wouldn't it? There is no way I would be able to convince someone who saw the watch that there was no watch maker could I? Just as I wouldn't be able to convince you a painting had no painter, a building had no builder and a garden had no gardener.

So why would "rational" people think that the universe in all it's design, it's rationality (yes the universe is rational otherwise you would have no "laws" such as gravity and inertia etc) All of the design factors? All that is necessary to work simultaneously for humans to exist on this planet. What Luck huh!!! The bible is true when it says in Hosea "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, because you have rejected knowledge..."

I don't understand how many people can play Russian Roulette with their eternity. The bible says in 1st Corinthians:

Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

I don't say this to scare you, though it is a startling claim in the bible. I say it because the scriptures are true, accurate and infallible. The bible has stood the test of time and heavy scrutiny, don't you think that maybe this claim is true? The bible in all it's predictions have been 100% accurate in coming to pass. Why would we think that this claim wouldn't be true either?

Do you really think there is no God just because you claim there isn't? Does someones claim that there is no God make that true or them right? In addition, and to add to their foolishness, they make this claim without having done any inductive study on the topic. There is great evidence for Christian Theism if you would only look, you don't even have to look hard for it. I have news for you "God doesn't believe in Atheists" To claim that there is no God or to disbelieve in his existence is to have all knowledge isn't it, otherwise your statement can't be true. I know this has been mentioned on the blog many times but lets look at the logic here; For you to say there is no God means you would have to have all the knowledge in the world. If I were to say there was no gold in China I would need to know that there isn't a single ounce of it anywhere, not in someones tooth, not hidden in a jewelry box in someones dresser drawer etc. For my statement to be false you would only need to find a single ounce of gold in China right? Now lets consider a wonderful and serious quote from Thomas Edison ""We do not know one millionth of one percent about anything"

Now lets say man knows a mere 1% of everything in the entire universe (that's a lot), is it possible that God exists in the other 99%? For you to claim otherwise is like saying you have all the knowledge in the universe and thus your statement is true. Now I'm not trapping you in asking you to prove a negative, what I'm asking you is to be like the Bereans in Acts

Acts 17:11
Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

If you can do an inductive study of these things, such as where did the bible come from, how was it put together, is there evidence from Archeology, Astronomy, Mathematics, History and Biology for the existence of God and still come to the conclusion that there is no God, then I would have much more respect for you in regards to the matter. But I will much more pity the person who just says "there is no God" without even opening their eyes and looking into these things. Your eternal destination depends on it. It's my prayer that the Father will reveal Himself to everyone though he says himself in 2nd Peter;

2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

And finally I just wanted to post something to keep things into perspective here. This is something Sir Isaac Newton shares regarding an atheist colleague of his and in my opinion, states the obvious. Enjoy the video as well - it shows what an Atheist truly believes........ That something created nothing, a scientific impossibility. So who has more faith now, the Christian or the Atheist? One believes an intelligent being made everything, the other believes.... "nothing" made everything. As I said at the start of this post, you are being irrational.

Sir Isaac Newton is considered one of the two greatest scientists of the last 500 years. He clearly saw the implications of celestial mechanics and the intricately designed wonders in the sky.

“One day, as Newton sat reading in his study with his mechanism on a large table near him, a friend, who saw things differently than he did, stepped in. Scientist that he was, he recognized at a glance what was before him. Stepping up to it, he slowly turned the crank, and with undisguised admiration watched the heavenly bodies all move in their relative speed in their orbits.

“Standing off a few feet he exclaimed, ‘My! What an exquisite thing this is! Who made it?’ Without looking up from his book, Newton answered, ‘Nobody.’

“Quickly turning to Newton, his friend said, ‘Evidently you did not understand my question. I asked who made this?’ Looking up now, Newton solemnly assured him that nobody made it, but that the apparatus had just happened to assume the form it was in.

“The astonished man replied with some heat, ‘You must think I am a fool! Of course somebody made it, and he is a genius, and I’d like to know who he is!’

“Laying his book aside, Newton arose and said, ‘This thing is but a puny imitation of a much grander system, whose laws you know,—and here I am not able to convince you that this mere toy before you is without a designer and maker!

” ‘Yet you profess to believe that the great original from which the design is taken, with its more massive and complicated orbital motions, has come into being without either designer or maker! Now tell me by what sort of reasoning do you reach such a conclusion?’ “—The Minnesota Technolog, October 1957.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Complexity Of The Cell - Simple? Yeah right...

I'm always amazed to still hear people say the words "Simple Cell" or "Simple Organism" These were the words used in Darwin's day around 150 years ago. If you are conversing with anyone and they begin to say something like this, stop them dead in their tracks and let them know just how complex, intricate and complicated the cell really is...

This is the product of my intelligent Heavenly Father not natural selection with random "chance" mutations over millions of years. I can't wait for the day the Lord returns, then evolution will truly be the greatest hoax (or lie) that ever was told.

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Could Evolution Do This?

Swiftlets are small birds that live in southwestern Asia and Australia.
They make their nests far back in dark caves. These birds have
small eyes and the caves are pitch black. With fast wings, such as swallows
have, the swiftlet flies at high speed into its cave. Rapidly it flies
directly to one tiny nest among hundreds. As soon as the bird enters the
cave, it begins making a series of high-pitched clicks. The little bird
has the ability to vary the frequency of the sounds and, as it approaches
the wall, it increases the number of clicks per second until they are
emitted at about 20 per second. The time required for the clicks to
bounce off the wall and return reveals the distance to the wall. Scientists
have tried to figure out why the clicks vary in frequency as the bird
gets closer to the wall. They eventually discovered that the tiny bird—
with a brain an eighth as large as your little finger—does this in order
to hear the return echo! The problem is that the click must be so short
and so exactly spaced apart, that its echo is heard by the ear of the
bird—before the next click is made. Otherwise the next click will drown
the sound of the returning echo. By the way, how did the swiftlet identify
its own nest by those clicks? There are hundreds of nests in the
cave. Scientists try to solve such problems, but they are unable to do
so. Somehow, evolutionary theory does not seem to be of any help.

- The Evolution Cruncher

Saturday, January 17, 2009

Science And The Bible - Compatible or Not?

I used this informatin in a rebuttal to "highdesert" an ardent evolutionist who follows the blog. I thought it would be extremely useful for anyone out there struggling with the notion that science and the bible just don't mix.

Nothing could be further from the truth as will be revealed on the day Jesus Returns (1 Corinthians 13:12)

Regarding your statement, I think you will find that true Science of which God is the author, can best be viewed in light of scripture. It was scripture that provoked Godly men, effecting early modern science to be thrusted into fruition. Scientist today are merely working and building off of a foundation and backbone that was set by mostly Christian men who followed the bible. For a list of some of these men;

http://www.adherents.com/people/100_scientists.html

Science And The Bible

The Bible is not a science book, yet it is scientifically accurate. We are not aware of any scientific evidence that contradicts the Bible. We have listed statements on this page that are consistent with known scientific facts. Many of them were listed in the Bible hundreds or even thousands of years before being recorded elsewhere. Many concepts and notes on this page are adapted from ideas and statements that appear in The DEFENDER’S Study Bible.[1]

Statements Consistent With Paleontology

Dinosaurs are referred to in several Bible books. The book of Job describes two dinosaurs. One is described in chapter 40 starting at verse 15, and the other in chapter 41 starting at verse 1. We think you will agree that 1½ chapters about dinosaurs is a lot—since most people do not even realize that they are mentioned in the Bible. (Actually reading the Bible would help, though. ) Click this sentence to see our Dinosaurs page if you would like more information in this subject area.

Statements Consistent With Astronomy

The Bible frequently refers to the great number of stars in the heavens. Here are two examples.
Even today, scientists admit that they do not know how many stars there are. Only about 3,000 can be seen with the naked eye. We have seenestimates of 10²¹ stars—which is a lot of stars.[2] (The number of grains of sand on the earth’s seashores is estimated to be 10²⁵. As scientists discover more stars, wouldn’t it be interesting to discover that these two numbers match?)
The Bible also says that each star is unique.
All stars look alike to the naked eye.* Even when seen through a telescope, they seem to be just points of light. However, analysis of their light spectra reveals that each is unique and different from all others.[1] (*Note: We understand that people can perceive some slight difference in color and apparent brightness when looking at stars with the naked eye, but we would not expect a person living in the first century A.D. to claim they differ from one another.)
The Bible describes the precision of movement in the universe.
The Bible describes the suspension of the Earth in space.

Statements Consistent With Meteorology

The Bible describes the circulation of the atmosphere.
The Bible includes some principles of fluid dynamics.
The fact that air has weight was proven scientifically only about 300 years ago. The relative weights of air and water are needed for the efficient functioning of the world’s hydrologic cycle, which in turn sustains life on the earth.[1] (If you are a physics enthusiast, please ignore our omission of the terms mass, gravity, and density from this comment.)

Statements Consistent With Biology

The book of Leviticus (written prior to 1400 BC) describes the value of blood.
The blood carries water and nourishment to every cell, maintains the body’s temperature, and removes the waste material of the body’s cells. The blood also carries oxygen from the lungs throughout the body. In 1616, William Harvey discovered that blood circulation is the key factor in physical life—confirming what the Bible revealed 3,000 years earlier.[1]
The Bible describes biogenesis (the development of living organisms from other living organisms) and the stability of each kind of living organism.
The phrase “according to its kind” occurs repeatedly, stressing the reproductive integrity of each kind of animal and plant. Today we know this occurs because all of these reproductive systems are programmed by their genetic codes.[1]
The Bible describes the chemical nature of flesh.
It is a proven fact that a person’s mental and spiritual health is strongly correlated with physical health.[1] The Bible revealed this to us with these statements (and others) written by King Solomon about 950 BC.

Statements Consistent With Anthropology

We have cave paintings and other evidence that people inhabited caves. The Bible also describes cave men.
Note that these were not ape-men, but descendants of those who scattered from Babel. They were driven from the community by those tribes who competed successfully for the more desirable regions of the earth. Then for some reason they deteriorated mentally, physically, and spiritually.[1] (Go into a bad part of your town and you will see this concept in action today.)

Statements Consistent With Hydrology

The bible includes reasonably complete descriptions of the hydrologic cycle.[3]
In these verses you can see several phases of the hydrologic cycle—the worldwide processes of evaporation, translation aloft by atmospheric circulation, condensation with electrical discharges, and precipitation.[1]
This simple verse has remarkable scientific insight. The drops of water which eventually pour down as rain first become vapor and then condense to tiny liquid water droplets in the clouds. These finally coalesce into drops large enough to overcome the updrafts that suspend them in the air.[1]
The Bible describes the recirculation of water.
The Bible refers to the surprising amount of water that can be held as condensation in clouds.
Hydrothermal vents[4] are described in two books of the Bible written before 1400BC—more than 3,000 years before their discovery by science.
We discuss the “fountains of the great deep” further in our Creation Versus Evolution page.

Statements Consistent With Geology

The Bible describes the Earth’s crust (along with a comment on astronomy).
Although some scientists claim that they have now measured the size of the universe, it is interesting to note that every human attempt to drill through the earth’s crust to the plastic mantle beneath has, thus far, ended in failure.[1]
The Bible described the shape of the earth centuries before people thought that the earth was spherical.
The word translated “circle” here is the Hebrew word chuwg which is also translated “circuit,” or “compass” (depending on the context). That is, it indicates something spherical, rounded, or arched—not something that is flat or square.
The book of Isaiah was written sometime between 740 and 680 BC. This is at least 300 years before Aristotle suggested that the earth might be a sphere in this book On the Heavens.
This brings up an important historical note related to this topic. Many people are aware of the conflict between Galileo and the Roman Catholic Pope, Paul V. After publishing A Dialogue on the Two Principal Systems of the World, Galileo was summoned to Rome, where he was forced to renounce his findings. (At that time, “theologians” of the Roman Catholic Church maintained that the Earth was the center of the universe, and to assert otherwise was deemed heretical.)
We could not find any place in the Bible that claims that the Earth is flat, or that it is the center of the universe. History shows that this conflict, which took place at the time of the Inquisition, was part of a power struggle. As a result, scientific and biblical knowledge became casualties—an effect we still feel to this day.

Statements Consistent With Physics

The Bible suggests the presence of nuclear processes like those we associate with nuclear weaponry. This is certainly not something that could have been explained in 67 AD using known scientific principles (when Peter wrote the following verse).
The television is a practical (if not always worthwhile ) device that uses electromagnetic waves (which transmit its video signal). The Bible contains passages that describe something like television—something that allows everyone on earth see a single event. (Note: such passages typically refer to the end of time. It may not be long before all of us learn for sure whether the Bible is true or not.)

Things In The Bible That Science Can Not Explain

The purpose of this page is not to explain what a great science text the Bible is, but to show that it is consistent with scientific facts. Still, the Bible mentions some things that we can not explain. Yet, if God is really God, He should have the ability to do some things we can not explain.

In the last 100 years (and especially in the last ten) scientists discovered many proofs that confirm the Bible’s accuracy. Since these proofs support the accuracy of the text we can understand scientifically, it makes sense to trust the Bible’s text that we can not yet understand. (For example, how many people knew what hydrothermal vents were 30 years ago?) If you would like to see the proof we have for the accuracy of the Bible, click on the link below.

How Do You Know The Bible Is True?

If you like reading books, a good one that addresses the facts that support Christianity is Know Why You Believe by Paul Little. There is an advantage to a book—it does not change as a page on the Internet can. Plus, a million copies of Paul Little’s book have been printed (about 40 times the number required to be called a “best seller”) which proves it is not an isolated person’s opinion.

References

[1] The DEFENDER’S Study Bible, Word Publishing, Grand Rapids, Michigan (1995).
[2] The Number of Stars
[3] The Hydrologic Cycle
[4] Submarine Volcanic Ecosystems (An article on hydrothermal vents.)

Can The Bible Be Trusted? A Resounding Yes!

A few years back I sent out for this great pamphlet "Is There Anything Left You Can Trust?" and later on found it online regarding the validity and trust of the bible. I hope you all will be able to use this to defend your faith when sharing it with others. Often when I am speaking to someone about the Christian faith, they are almost always unaware of the overwhelming amount of evidence which supports what the bible claims and says regarding people, places, times and events. This is what ultimately caused me to come to the logical conclusion that the Christian faith is the truly one and only true religion and that Jesus Christ is the only way to the Father. It's one thing to just believe, but it is another to feel the great comfort in that the Father supplied all the answers we need to come to him without doubt. There is much in scripture that God requires that his righteous ones live by faith, but he always shows us that to be a Christian one doesn't have to "throw his brains into the trash" We have an incredible advantage in our day having the full Word of God in hand and for modern science to compliment scripture beautifully because God is the author of both. Enjoy the article. Keep a copy of it on your PDA's and PC's if you can. God is good, and He is faithful. Don't doubt, but be encouraged by what you are about to read. And the best thing is that you don't have to take my word for it, this can all be verified, you can look it up for yourself.

1. Is There Anything Left You Can Trust?

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In these morally challenged times - when billions are embezzled through corporate fraud; when trusted, spiritual leaders prove false; when lying in politics seems to be the norm; when those you depend on the most often hurt you the deepest - is there anything left you can trust? Yes! You can fully trust the Bible! Why? Just take a look at the evidence...

1.	What does the Bible claim about itself?

The Bible is not a collection of men's ideas. Its writers were guided by the Holy Ghost.

The Bible says, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God." 2 Timothy 3:16. "Prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." 2 Peter 1:21. "The scripture cannot be broken." John 10:35.

Answer: It claims to be inspired. It was written by men who were guided by the Holy Ghost. It cannot be broken or proved untrue.

2.	How did Jesus demonstrate His confidence and belief in Scripture?

Jesus quoted the Bible and stated that it was true.

Jesus said, "It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone." "It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God." "It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." Matthew 4:4, 7, 10. "Thy word is truth." John 17:17.

Answer: Jesus quoted Scripture when meeting the temptations of Satan. He also stated that the Bible is truth (John 17:17). Jesus often quoted Scripture as authority for the truth He was teaching.

3.	Do Bible prophecies confirm inspiration?

Before Cyrus was born, God's Bible prophet named him as the general who would overthrow Babylon.

The Bible says, "I am the Lord . . . new things do I declare: before they spring forth I tell you of them." Isaiah 42:8, 9. "I am God . . . Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done." Isaiah 46:9, 10.

Answer: Bible predictions of things to happen in the future confirm the inspiration of Scripture as they come to pass. Notice the following examples of fulfilled Bible prophecies:

A. Four world empires to arise: Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome (Daniel chapters 2, 7, 8).
B. Cyrus to be the warrior to capture Babylon (Isaiah 45:1-3).
C. After Babylon's destruction, it would never be inhabited again (Isaiah 13:19, 20; Jeremiah 51:37).
D. Egypt would never again have a commanding position among the nations (Ezekiel 29:14, 15; 30:12, 13).
E. Earth-shaking calamities and fear toward the end of time (Luke 21:25, 26).
F. Moral degeneracy and decline of spirituality in the last days (2 Timothy 3:1-5).

4.	Can we expect scientific statements made in the Bible to be accurate?

The Bible says, "Thy word is true from the beginning." Psalms 119:160. "The Spirit . . . will guide you into all truth." John 16:13.

Answer: Yes, the Bible is true. The Holy Spirit, who guided the Bible writers, always speaks the truth. Here are a few Bible statements that have been confirmed by science:

A. "He . . . hangeth the earth upon nothing." Job 26:7. This scientific fact is from Job, the Bible's oldest book.
B. "He . . . sitteth upon the circle of the earth." Isaiah 40:22. The Bible said the earth is round centuries before man found out.
C. "To make the weight for the winds." Job 28:25. Long before scientists knew, God said air has weight.
D. "By Him [Jesus] all things consist." Colossians 1:17. The word "consist" here literally means "hold together" or "cohere." Many Bible translations put it "hold together." This is the answer to the nuclear physicists' worrisome question about the atom. The real mystery of the atom does not involve its benumbing mega-power, but rather, "Why doesn't the atom fly apart?" Scientific knowledge says it should, but it doesn't. Some scientists are wondering what puzzling power, completely unknown to them, is holding it together. The Bible says that mysterious power is the Creator, God Himself.

5.	Are biblical health principles tuned to the twenty-first century mind?

The terrible plague of AIDS would not exist if God's ancient laws regarding morality were obeyed.

Answer:
A. Cover body waste with dirt (Deuteronomy 23:12, 13).
The Bible provision of Moses' day that body waste should be buried was 3,500 years ahead of its time and saved countless thousands of Jewish lives. Major problems still arise when sanitation is not properly handled.

B. "Neither let us commit fornication." 1 Corinthians 10:8.
The word "fornication" denotes all kinds of immoral sexual conduct. There would be no AIDS epidemic if this up-to-date Bible counsel were obeyed, nor would abortion be the international scandal that it now is.

C. Leave alcoholic beverages alone (Proverbs 23:29-32).
If this extremely effective Bible solution were implemented, just think what it would mean:

Refusing to abstain from alcohol has brought untold woe to many.

1. Millions of alcoholics becoming sober, respectable citizens.
2. Millions of families reunited.
3. Millions of broken homes mended.
4. Multiplied thousands of lives saved by sober driving.
5. Thousands of government, business, and professional leaders making clear-minded decisions.
6. Billions of dollars available for humanitarian use.

Note: God not only tells us how to succeed with joy amid today's harrowing problems, but He also gives us the miraculous power to do it (1 Corinthians 15:57; Philippians 4:13; Romans 1:16). Bible health principles are relevant and desperately needed, but few are listening. (For more on health, see Study Guide 13.)

6.	Are the historical statements of the Bible accurate?

The Bible says, "I the Lord speak the truth, I declare what is right." Isaiah 45:19, RSV.*

Ancient artifacts unearthed by archaeologists repeatedly confirm the accuracy and truth of the Bible.

Answer: Yes, Bible historical statements are accurate. What God says in His book is true. Sometimes, temporarily, evidence may not be found to substantiate certain historical facts from the Bible, but in time the evidence surfaces. Note the following:

A. For years skeptics said the Bible was unreliable because it mentions the Hittite nation (Deuteronomy 7:1) and cities like Nineveh (Jonah 1:1, 2) and Sodom (Genesis 19:1), which they denied ever existed. But now modern archaeology has confirmed that all three did, indeed, exist.

B. Critics also said that Bible-mentioned kings Belshazzar (Daniel 5:1) and Sargon (Isaiah 20:1) never existed. Once again, it has now been confirmed they did exist.

C. Skeptics also said the Bible record of Moses was not reliable because it mentions writing (Exodus 24:4) and wheeled vehicles (Exodus 14:25), neither of which they said existed at the time. They, of course, know better today.

D. At one time the 39 kings of ancient Israel and Judah who reigned during the divided kingdom were authenticated only from the Bible record, so critics charged fabrication. But then archaeologists found cuneiform records that mentioned many of these kings and, once again, the Bible record was proved accurate. Critics have repeatedly been proved wrong as new discoveries confirm biblical people, places, and events. It will always be so.

*The Revised Standard Version of the Bible (C) 1946, 1952, 1971 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission.

7.	One of the greatest miracles of the Bible is its unity. Please ponder the following amazing facts:

Answer:

A. The 66 books of the Bible were written:
1. On three continents.
2. In three languages.
3. By about 40 different people (kings, shepherds, scientists, attorneys, an army general, fishermen, priests, and a physician).
4. Over a period of about 1,500 years.
5. On the most controversial subjects.
6. By people who, in most cases, had never met.
7. By authors whose education and background varied greatly.

B. Yet, though it seems totally inconceivable,
1. The 66 books maintain harmony with each other.
2. Often new concepts on a subject are expressed, but these concepts do not undermine what other Bible writers say on the same subject.

C. Talk about astounding!
Ask people who have viewed an identical event to each give a report of what happened. They will differ widely and will virtually always contradict each other in some way. Yet the Bible, penned by 40 writers over a 1,500-year period, reads as if written by one great mind. And, indeed, it was: "Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost." 2 Peter 1:21. The Holy Ghost "moved" them all. He is the real Bible Author. The four Gospels do sometimes differ in the way they report the same event, but they complement each other.

8.	What evidence of Bible inspiration is found in the lives of people?

Accepting Christ and obeying Scripture changes a drunken, immoral, profane sinner into a loving, sober, pure Christian. Skeptics cannot explain this fact.

The Bible says, "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17.

Answer: The changed lives of those who follow Jesus and obey Scripture constitute the most heartwarming proof of Bible inspiration. The drunkard becomes sober; the immoral, pure; the addicted, free; the profane, reverent; the fearful, courageous; and the rude, kind.

Christians have an inner joy and peace that others do not possess.

An American skeptic was visiting an island whose natives were originally cannibals. When he spotted an old man reading the Bible, he ridiculed him for reading a book "full of myths which had already been exposed." The native smiled at him and said, "My friend, be grateful we do believe this book. Otherwise, we would be serving you for dinner." The Bible really does change people, and this amazing fact confirms its inspiration.

9.	What evidence for Bible inspiration emerges when we compare Old Testament prophecies of the coming Messiah with New Testament happenings in the life of Jesus?

The Bible says, "And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, He [Jesus] expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself." Luke 24:27. "For he [Apollos] vigorously refuted the Jews publicly, showing from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Christ." Acts 18:28, NKJV.*

Answer: The Old Testament predictions of the Messiah to come were so specific and so clearly fulfilled by Jesus of Nazareth that both Jesus and Apollos used these prophecies to prove to the Jews that Jesus was, indeed, the Messiah. There are more than 125 of these prophecies. Let's review just 12 of them:

Prophecy	Old Testament Scripture	New Testament Fulfillment
1. Born in Bethlehem	Micah 5:2	Matthew 2:1
2. Born of a virgin	Isaiah 7:14	Matthew 1:18-23
3. Of David's lineage	Jeremiah 23:5	Revelation 22:16
4. Attempted murder by Herod	Jeremiah 31:15	Matthew 2:16-18
5. Betrayal by a friend	Psalms 41:9	John 13:18, 19, 26
6. Sold for 30 silver coins	Zechariah 11:12	Matthew 26:14-16
7. Crucified	Zechariah 12:10	John 19:16-18, 37
8. Lots cast for His clothes	Psalms 22:18	Matthew 27:35
9. No bones broken	Psalms 34:20; Exodus 12:46	John 19:31-36
10. Buried in rich man's tomb	Isaiah 53:9	Matthew 27:57-60
11. Year, day, hour of His death	Daniel 9:26, 27; Exodus 12:6	Matthew 27:45-50
12. Raised the third day	Hosea 6:2	Acts 10:38-40

Jesus fullfilled more than 125 Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah.

Dr. Peter Stoner, former chairman of the departments of mathematics, astronomy, and engineering at Pasadena College (California), worked with 600 students for several years applying the "principle of probability" to the prophecies of the Messiah's coming. They chose just eight from the many available and finally decided the chances of all eight being fulfilled in one man in a lifetime is one in 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000. What would the odds be on the more than 125 prophecies of the Messiah? It couldn't just happen!

*The Holy Bible, New King James Version, (C) 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission.

10.	What great advantage does a person have who accepts the Bible as God's inspired word?

The Bible teaches that the earth was created in six literal days.

The Bible says, "I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts." Psalms 119:100. "Thou . . . hast made me wiser than mine enemies." Psalms 119:98. "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are . . . my thoughts [higher] than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:9.

Answer: A person who accepts the Word of God will soon know the answers to many complex challenges that secular scholars will never figure out. For example, the Bible teaches:

A. God created the earth and all living organisms in six literal, 24-hour days (Exodus 20:11; Psalms 33:6, 9).
B. A worldwide flood destroyed every living thing except the sea life and what was inside Noah's ark (Genesis chapters 6, 7, 8).
C. The different languages of the world began at the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9).

The Bible account of the Flood provides the answers secular scholars are searching for.

God, who has always existed and knows everything, shares the above three truths with us, recognizing that we could never figure them out on our own. We know only "in part" now (1 Corinthians 13:9). And God's knowledge is "past finding out." Romans 11:33. Evolutionists will never know the age of the earth because it was created with apparent age, as were Adam and Eve. The couple were only one day old on their second day of life, but they appeared to be mature. Man's measuring instruments cannot allow for apparent age. In such cases, they are not trustworthy. Believe the Bible, and you will always be ahead of the speculation of secular scholars and the worldly-wise.

11.	What crucial world happenings have brought the power and appeal of the Bible into sharp focus?

When communism collapsed, its adherents turned to the Bible as
the only hope for people.

Answer: The failure and collapse of communism and the weakening and inconsistency of the theory of evolution have spotlighted the Bible.

Note: The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics tried communism, atheism, and also evolution, which is Marxism's number one tenet. They all failed. The resultant new democracies realize that only one thing will work, and they are almost with one voice crying out to Christendom: "Bring us the Bible and Christian preaching and teaching. We must now build on the unshakable foundation of prayer and the Christian faith. Nothing else compares. Nor will anything else answer life's great questions and bring peace to the hearts of our people. Please don't keep us waiting! We desperately want and need the Bible, God, and Christianity now." Once again, God's Word triumphs.

Evolution, like communism, is losing its grip and credibility. We must remember that it is nothing more than an unproved, shaky theory. We will mention three items only:

True science is always in harmony with the Bible because God is the author of both.

1. Robert Gentry's book Creation's Tiny Mystery has unsettled many evolutionists with its apparent, clear evidence of instant creation. (Mystery in the Rocks, an easy-to-understand book based on his research, may be purchased from Amazing Facts.)

2. Molecular biology's recent demonstration that the single cell is vastly complex makes the accidental origin of life in a single cell a mathematical absurdity.

3. The widely different ages now being assigned to the Grand Canyon layers by current scientific measurements, as opposed to those assigned previously, make evolutionists and their prior measurements seem reckless and irresponsible. The atheistic theory of evolution that humans and apes came from common ancestors scorns the concept that people were created in the image of God. It denies the existence of God, totally disavows Jesus as Saviour, negates the Bible, and ridicules the truth of an eternal home in heaven. Satan loves the evolution theory because it destroys the credibility of salvation. Communists are learning. Will we?

The Bible has universal appeal because it provides clear answers to life's most perplexing questions.

12.	Why does the Bible have such universal appeal?

The Bible says, "Thy word is a . . . light unto my path." Psalms 119:105. "These things have I spoken unto you . . . that your joy might be full." John 15:11. "In the image of God . . . created he them." Genesis 1:27. "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Matthew 5:16. "I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." John 14:3.

Answer: Because it answers life's most puzzling questions:

A. Where did I come from? God created us in His image. We did not accidentally emerge as nondescript globs from some primeval slime. We are sons and daughters of God, the Mighty King (Galatians 3:26). We are so precious to God that when Adam and Eve sinned, He gave His Son to die and pay the penalty for our sins so we could be free. He wants to restore us to His image and then, shortly, take us back to Eden, the home Adam and Eve lost.

B. Why am I here? Our aims for life today should be to discover the Bible's wonderful answers to life's puzzling problems and to accept Jesus' offer to restore us to His image (Romans 8:29).

C. What does the future hold for me? There is no guesswork about the future. Jesus will come very soon to take His people to the fabulous home He has prepared for them in heaven. There, with supreme joy and happiness, people will live forever (John 14:1-3; Revelation 21:3, 4).