From Atheism to Christ

In Deuteronomy Ch 4v29 it promises “You will find the Lord if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” The Lord promises that if an individual is truly sincere in their search for Him then He will reveal Himself to them. This is the common denominator which links all testimonies and conversion stories together. No matter what the physical circumstances of a person coming to faith maybe, whether they were a university professor, scientist or a drug addict, a young mum struggling to rear three kids or an elderly grandfather, the one thing they will all have had in common is a genuine heartfelt desire to find Almighty God. God is not interested in our educational status, our rank in society or the amount of money we possess. The only thing He is interested in is our sincerity in finding Him.

Recently I came across the testimony of journalist and author Lee Strobel. His background was one of being a confirmed atheist and it is fascinating to read of how he moved from this position of unbelief to one where he genuinely wanted to seek the truth about God. Strobel, who is a modern day CS Lewis has written numerous scholarly books about Christianity such as “The Case for Faith” and “The Case for Christ Study Bible” and he is a reminder that God can even be found by atheists provided they are genuinely seeking the Truth about Life.

Lee Strobel was the legal editor of the Chicago Tribune and described himself as a sceptical atheist. Using his own words; “I thought the idea of an all-loving, all-powerful Creator of the Universe was stupid. My background was in journalism and law so I needed evidence before I’d believe anything. I thought the Bible was a collection of myths and legends…and as an atheist I was convinced that God didn’t create people, but that people created God. In other words, they had been so afraid of death that they decided to manufacture a feel-good fairy tale about a benevolent deity and a blissful afterlife awaiting them on the other side of the grave. In spite of my sceptical predisposition, however, I eventually became a ‘seeker’, someone open-minded and inquisitive enough to sincerely investigate the claims of this bestselling Book of all time.

One day my wife, who had been an agnostic, told me that she had become a Christian. She informed me that after a period of spiritual investigation she had now decided to become a follower of Jesus Christ. I thought that this was the worst possible news I could ever get and wondered if it was the end of our marriage.

Over the ensuing months however, I saw positive changes in her values, in her character and in the way she related to me and the children. It was attractive and it made me want to check things out. And so I went to church one day; mainly to see if I could get her out of this ‘cult’ that she had got involved in. At that service I heard the message of Jesus explained properly for the very first time, in a way I could understand; that forgiveness is a free gift, Jesus died for our sins and we can spend eternity with Him. I walked out of church still an atheist but also thinking ‘if this is true, it has huge implications for my life.’

I decided to use my journalism training and legal training to investigate into whether there was any credibility to Christianity. At the outset I decided to follow the facts wherever they should lead. For nearly two years I studied archaeology and ancient history, interviewed scientists and scholars and combed the pages of the Bible with an attitude of curiosity. Putting my background in journalism and law into use, I scrutinized the words of the Bible and tested the evidence for and against it. What I found changed my mind and, ultimately, transformed my life. I discovered why Christians are convinced that science supports the belief in a supernatural Creator and that history points powerfully and persuasively toward Jesus as being His unique Son. I discovered facts that pointed a cynic like me, to the life changing reality of Jesus Christ.

On the 8th November 1991 I suddenly realised that in the light of the torrent of evidence flowing in the
direction of the truth of Christianity, it would require more faith for me to maintain my atheism than to become a Christian. To remain an atheist, I would have to swim upstream against all this evidence pointing toward the truth of Jesus Christ and I just couldn’t do that. I was trained in journalism and law to respond to the truth. And so on that day I received Jesus Christ as my Forgiver and as my Leader.

Just like my wife, my life began to change. Over time my values, my character and the purpose of my life began to be transformed. The path I was on before can’t be compared with the adventure, fulfilment and joy of following Jesus Christ.”

Strobel’s journey to faith is a “text book example” of the three distinct phases which can be seen in every conversion. First of all he became open minded with a genuine willingness to discover the Truth. In his particular case, the reason he became open minded was because he noticed how his wife had changed for the better and he attended a church service where the Christian message was explained in a way he could
understand. The cause of an individual becoming open minded will be different from person to person. For some it might be because they have become alarmed at the state of the world, for others it might be because they are beginning to find life a struggle and of course with many it will be because something major has happened to them such as bereavement, ill-health or relationship trouble. Then again with some, the reason is that they have become increasingly aware that there is something missing in their life and they can’t rest until they find out what it is.

The second stage of Strobel’s journey to faith was that of exploration and investigation. In 1st Peter Ch3v15 it states “always be ready to give a defence to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you.” There are numerous reasons why Christians believe Scripture is true. This part of the journey is where an individual examines these claims and investigates them in depth. Never once does the Bible ask for “blind faith” but rather a “reasoned faith”, namely a faith that is built upon good sound reason and fact. This period of investigation can last for weeks, months or even years, depending very much on the “starting point” of an individual. The starting point for Strobel was as an atheist, so his investigation took longer than it would take someone starting off with a belief in God already settled in their mind.

It is during this phase of careful exploration that individuals are amazed by what they discover and numerous misconceptions are laid to rest. For instance, to their surprise, they learn that across the world there are millions of scientists who are devout Christians. Christian belief and science are not opposed to each other, instead God is actually the Ultimate Scientist. Science merely shows us how God makes things work. The Bible on the other hand tells us why He made us and the purpose behind our existence.

They also learn what the Bible teaches about suffering. As with science, it often comes as a complete surprise to them when they discover that the Bible fully explains why there is suffering in the world. The fact that we live in a Fallen World where God’s will is often not done is an entirely new concept to them.

And of course it is often a stunning revelation to them when they discover that one third of the Bible is composed of prophecy and predictions. When they carefully examine how these prophecies have been fulfilled many hundreds and sometimes thousands of years after they were written, it is clear proof of the Divine origin of Holy Scripture.

The final stage of Strobel’s journey to faith was accepting the Leadership of Jesus over his life. It’s all very well discovering that God exists and finding out that the Bible is true, but this knowledge demands a response. It calls for the individual to repent of their past sins and to start obeying the Lord Jesus in their daily life. God is Love, but He is also an infinitely Holy God requiring moral conduct and behaviour in keeping with His will. An individual makes Jesus the “Leader or Lord of their life” by truly putting His wishes and commandments before their own. When a person does this, they will start experiencing the Lord as their Best Friend and will begin a personal and living relationship with Him. Sadly, because many people refuse to put Him first in their lives, they don’t experience this joy. They continue to disobey Him somehow imagining that they can ignore God’s Holy will and yet still belong to Him. Scripture repeatedly warns however that “without Holiness no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews Ch12v14) and “do not be deceived, because the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God...” (1st Corinthians Ch6 vs9-11).

To belong to the Lord, an individual must truly make it their aim and purpose to follow His commandments and wishes day by day. The following story is a vivid illustration showing just how important this obedience and loyalty really is. Some years ago retired astronaut General Charles Duke was talking about his experiences on Apollo 16. Shortly after he returned from the moon Charles himself, was converted and became a devout Christian. What he experienced on the moon is a reminder of our need to strictly follow the Lord’s Commandments and not deviate from them in the slightest.

As he was talking about his walk on the lunar surface, someone asked “Once you were there, weren’t you free to make your own decisions and carry out some of your own experiments…you know, sort of do as you pleased, maybe stay a little longer if you liked?” Charlie answered “Oh sure, if we didn’t want to return to earth!” He then described the intricate plan, the exact and precise instructions, the essential discipline and the instant obedience that was needed right down to the split second if they were to be saved and get back. They landed with exactly 60 seconds of fuel to get them away again. The audience was given the distinct impression that a rebel doesn’t fit inside a spacesuit. To be safe they needed total and complete obedience to the commands from Mission Control.

So likewise, there are no rebels or partial followers of Christ in the Kingdom of God. To belong to the Lord and be a member of His Kingdom requires genuine and wholehearted commitment to His will. Partial obedience or picking and choosing which Commands in Scripture to obey, will only lead to death. As we are plainly warned in 1st Peter Ch4v18 “If the righteous person is scarcely saved, what will it be like for the ungodly and sinner?” And in Hebrews Ch2vs 1-3 it implores; “We must give all the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we should drift away…for how shall we escape so great a Salvation?”

When an individual accepts the Lordship of Christ over their life, they are promised the help and strength of the Holy Spirit to enable them to walk in His ways and obey His Commandments. With His help they are required to bring every area of their lives under His authority and treat all His Commandments in Scripture as important. Genuine repentance must bring forth genuine obedience. If pickers and choosers have no place on the moon, how much more so, have they no place in the Kingdom of Heaven!

The meaning of life

Once upon a time there was a family of mice who lived in a large piano. To them, in their “piano world” beautiful music continually filled all the dark corners and dark places of their lives and this brought them great comfort. How lovely it was to know that there was a Great Player Who made this music for them to enjoy. He was invisible to them yet at the same time close to them. Generations of mice in the piano lived and died believing in the existence of this Great Player and took seriously the “Ten Mouse Commandments” regarding how they were to behave.

As generations passed, some younger mice began to take an interest in science and exploration. One day a daring explorer mouse ventured up part of the piano and returned very thoughtful. He had found out how the music was made. His scientific mind led him to acknowledge that wires were the secret. Further research confirmed that tightly stretched wires of graduated lengths which vibrated, were the cause of the music.

Traditional beliefs in the existence of a Great Player were now challenged. Only the older generation of mice continued to believe and to follow the Commandments. Further scientific exploration led to even deeper discoveries. Hammers were now the answer to the cause of the music; hammers hitting the wires! This was a more complicated theory but it all went to show that they lived in a purely mechanical and mathematical world. Gradually the idea of there being a Great Player came to be thought of as a myth, the Mouse Commandments were abandoned as being old fashioned and mouse society collapsed… Meanwhile the Great Player continued to play.

This story clearly illustrates the way in which science only tells us how God makes things work. It doesn’t disprove the existence of the Supreme Designer responsible for that science in the first place! Scripture teaches that God is the Ultimate Scientist, Designer, Planner and Architect behind everything that exists. The very fact that there is such a thing as science, be it in the form of physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, logic or whatever, is entirely due to His Design and Planning.

Today this clear distinction between what scientific research does and does not show, is rarely explained. Like the new generation of mice, many people falsely think that science has disproven God. This in turn has resulted in their abandonment of God’s Ten Commandments and the ultimate collapse of our society and indeed nation. As “mouse society” collapsed so has ours.

With a Creator no longer in “the picture” another explanation for our existence is eagerly sought. Although one scientific discovery after another only goes to confirm how profoundly complex life really is, some spend their entire lives theorising about how we came into existence, without there being an Intelligent Designer behind it all. Recently science has discovered that if the information encoded in just a pin head size of DNA was written out in book form, these books would reach to the moon and back over 200 times. Such complexity is staggering and as such means atheists actually need to have faith the size of a mountain to believe that this has occurred without having been designed and planned by a Supreme Being.

When I read of so called “learned men” working on complicated theories regarding how we could have come into existence without a Creator, it always reminds me of a funny story I once heard.

Many years ago three friends were exploring the wilderness of Northern Canada when they came across an isolated cabin. Needing a place to rest they knocked on the door only to discover that the owner was out. The door was unlocked so they went inside to sit down. As one might expect, the cabin had very little furniture but there was one unusual feature; instead of being on the floor, there was a large cast iron stove suspended in mid-air by strong wires attached to roof beams. It was most strange.

As the three friends had something to eat they theorised as to why the stove was suspended in air rather than simply placed on the ground. One friend who was a psychologist thought that owing to sheer loneliness and isolation, the trapper had elevated the stove so that he could curl up under it in order to replicate the comfort of being in the womb. The second man, who was an engineer believed that the owner was practicing the law of thermodynamics. The elevation of the stove meant that heat was distributed more evenly throughout the cabin. The third friend who had studied world religions disagreed with them both. He felt there was a religious motive behind the stove being made to hang from the ceiling. He pointed out that fire being lifted up had been a religious symbol since ancient times.

After a while the owner of the cabin returned and in the course of conversation they asked him the reason why he had suspended the stove. “Oh the answer is quite simple” said the trapper, “I had hardly any stove pipe for the chimney, but plenty of thick wire.” All their complicated ideas and theories, although well debated and presented, were completely wrong! The simple answer was the correct one.

And so likewise is the answer regarding how we exist! The answer to our existence, or if you prefer, “the answer to the meaning of life” isn’t complicated at all. Although so called “learned men” may come up with this or that complex theory, in reality the correct answer is the simple and obvious one; namely that we have indeed been created and designed by a Supreme Being.

Scripture further adds that what God originally created as good, beautiful and perfect has been severely damaged and marred by human sin and wickedness. Sadly “people love darkness rather than light” (John Ch3v19) and so what God originally created as lovely and good is now in a profoundly “fallen state”. (See Roman Ch8 vs18-23). This fallen condition or damage is physical, spiritual and mental and extends to every individual in the human race. This is the Biblical reason given, as to why there is so much suffering in the world. It’s the reason why there is such a thing as disease, suffering, ill health and death. It’s the reason why life is often difficult and a real struggle for many. Creation at this present time is profoundly imperfect and very different to the way it would have been if humanity had chosen to love light instead of darkness.

Thankfully, Scripture promises that after the Second Coming of Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the whole created order of this planet will be restored to its former glory and perfection. As it beautifully states in Revelation Ch 21vs4, 5, “Behold I make all things new… God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying; and there shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

This generation more than any other is lost and confused. Although the pervading message of our time is that science has disproven God, many individuals, sense deep down that there really must be a Designer God responsible for such complexity. Moreover, many also sense that something has gone very wrong with the world, with nature and with human beings! Instead of things getting better and better in regard to human conduct, the state of our planet, and even nature itself, what they observe is quite the reverse; increasing cancer, degeneration, disintegration and decay, all of which perfectly fits the Biblical teaching of this being a “fallen creation”.

And how can individuals be sure that this is the truth? How can they find out for certain that God really exists? How do they discover that the nagging feeling they have, “that something is missing in their lives”, is actually a relationship with Him? The answer again is profoundly simple as the following incident beautifully illustrates.

Many years ago a young lad lost his deceased grandfather’s pocket watch while he was working in his dad’s ice plant. All he knew was that it must have dropped out of his pocket. Getting down on his hands and knees he started to frantically search through the ice and saw dust. The more he searched the more frantic he became. It was a treasured possession and he couldn’t bear the thought of no longer having it. Suddenly he had an idea. He stopped scurrying around and became very still and quiet. He listened carefully and in the silence he eventually heard the watch ticking!

The spiritual lesson from this touching story is that if we really want to hear God and know He is there, we can do so; but only if we totally silence and still our hearts from the background noise of self-will, intellectual pride, arrogance and self-seeking. In Deuteronomy Ch4v29 it promises “You will find the Lord if you seek for Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” If a person seeks the Lord with a genuinely open mind and open heart, they will hear Him “speaking” and they will know for sure He exists. If they continue further, by developing a relationship with Him based on repentance and obedience, it will change their lives for ever.

In 2nd Timothy Ch3 v7 it warns of a certain kind of person “who is always learning but who never comes to a realisation of the truth.” This kind of individual is well-educated and intellectually gifted, but until they are willing to silence the pride and selfishness in their hearts and yield to a Creator, they will never be able to hear Him speaking and they will remain doubtful of His existence. The promise and condition is simple; “you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah Ch 29v13).

Finding God

One of the most moving aspects about being involved in ministry is hearing about how other people find God. In Psalm 33v15 it states that God “fashions our hearts individually”. This means that He deals with each one of us individually and differently so that every person who turns to Christ will have their own particular and unique “faith journey”.

Recently I came across two fascinating journeys of faith which led both individuals involved into full time ministry. Both examples are quite inspirational and an encouraging reminder that God is continually active in the hearts of individuals calling them away from evil and disbelief. Whether or not an individual listens to God’s prompting is of course up to them because the Lord has given us freewill to choose for ourselves how we respond.

The first story is about Dr Paul Gentuso who eventually became a medical missionary in Cote d’Ivoire. As a young man Paul decided to go to medical school in order to become a doctor. He didn’t really believe in God and assumed that his existence was but a random accident of nature. Studying science however, was to totally change his thinking.

The following are his words “In anatomy class we dissected a human hand. In investigating the hand, I first removed the skin, then isolated the individual tendons and muscles as I worked my way to the bones. The tendons of the hand are aligned in tendon sheaths, like self-lubricating pulleys, allowing the hand to work in a tireless, noiseless, almost effortless fashion. It was perfectly designed to carry out all the work it was called to do, everything from lifting a small object to lugging a tree trunk. In seeing how each tendon was perfectly aligned along the axis of each finger and how each finger moved in a coordinated fashion when tugged by individual tendons it became obvious to me that there was a Creator Who had intelligently designed and created the human hand. This was the first time in my adult life that I could say with assurance that a Creator existed. It was a spiritual experience for me. I went from disbelief to certainty based on studying God’s creation.”

Paul’s eyes were opened as it dawned on him that the Ultimate Scientist and Designer of life was Almighty God. It is often said by Christians in the scientific community that science merely explains how God makes things work; the Bible on the other hand goes further by explaining why God created us. As Paul contemplated these truths he gave his life to the Lord and after completing medical school, God called him to the mission field.

It is quite wrong for individuals to think that science and religious belief are incompatible. The reality is that numerous people like Paul have found faith as a result of their study of science. Professor John Lennox at Green Templeton College Oxford puts it like this, “For me as a Christian believer, the beauty of the scientific laws only reinforces my faith in an intelligent, Divine creative force at work. The more I understand science, the more I believe in God because of my wonder at the breadth, sophistication and integrity of His creation.”

Scientists have recently discovered that if the information encoded in just a “pin head” size of DNA was written out in book form, those books would stretch to the moon and back over 200 times. As it stands now, atheists actually need to have faith the size of a mountain to believe that all this complexity has happened as the result of blind chance.

The second journey of faith is about The Rev Dr Jay Modha who was raised as a devout Hindu in Leicester. Jay’s brother Jimmy shocked the family by converting to Christianity and as a result his father threw him out of the family home. Feelings of hatred ran so high that Jay actually prayed for the Hindu gods to kill Jimmy for the “shame” he had brought by turning to Christ. Jay, who was studying for his Ph.D. stated at the time, “While we would have mourned his death, at least our family would not be dishonoured.”

Jay completely disowned his brother Jimmy and refused to talk to him. Jimmy however, responded to all this anger with forgiveness and love. On parting, Jimmy gently said to his brother, “Jay, if you are ever desperate and no one is there to help you, remember Jesus loves you, and His hand is on your life. Call to Him and He will save you.” Jay was furious at this response. Jimmy however started to pray earnestly for his brother, pleading that the Lord would open his eyes to the truth of Christ.

Shortly afterwards Jay had a disturbing dream. The following are his own words; “It was as if I was awake in my bed at three in the morning when suddenly a blinding light broke through the ceiling of my bedroom. In that light I could see a cloud descending from heaven bearing three awesome, fiery men-like creatures. The first blew a trumpet so loud I knew whatever was coming was universal in consequence. The second creature cried out ‘Make ready, for the Lord is coming to reap the harvest.’ Then the third swung a scythe over the earth and cried ‘now the earth is ready for judgment.’ “

“I tried to wake up from the dream because I was so frightened but I couldn’t. Then in the middle of the cloud I noticed a Person Who looked completely different. The brilliant light was coming from Him. He was dreadful in His beauty and terrible in His splendour. As He descended, He looked at me. I was so terrified I couldn’t bear to look at Him any longer, so I turned my head. To my amazement, there beside me was Jimmy, who was not scared at all. His face was joyous and he was reaching out as if to embrace the figure. When I gained the courage to look at Him again, He addressed me saying ‘Jay what are you going to do when this happens?’ Then everything vanished and I woke up.”

It took Jay an hour to calm down and several days later when he heard about the dream, Jimmy phoned his brother to explain that what he had witnessed was the Second Coming of Christ. This event is prophetically referred to over 1800 times in the Old Testament and over 300 times in the New Testament. The Bible teaches that God is Infinitely Holy and the purpose of the Second Coming is to call individuals to account for how they have used their freewill. Those following Him like Jimmy, yearn for this event, because it means an end to persecution and suffering, but those who refuse to follow the Lord are terrified at the thought.

God is not morally indifferent. He cares profoundly about the difference between right and wrong and makes a clear distinction between those who truly follow Him and those who refuse to do so. The promise of the Second Coming is proof that God is indeed closely watching all the suffering and wickedness in the world. In due time He promises to intervene in a most spectacular way, both to judge the wicked, and for the sake of the righteous, to stop the human race from destroying itself.

Jay didn’t like what his brother Jimmy was saying so he eventually hung up the phone. But while he could silence his brother, he couldn’t silence his own mind and so more dreams came to disturb his sleep. The turning point came after he had received his doctorate and went out to Japan where he had been awarded a prestigious research fellowship. He was in such a state that he considered suicide, but after nearly jumping from his balcony he vowed to find out if Jesus Christ was in fact the Living and True God after all.

For many months he studied the Bible and when he got to the Lord’s words from the cross “Father forgive them for they know not what they do” (Luke Ch23v34) he suddenly knew in his spirit that Jesus really was Who He said He was. Jay prayed for forgiveness and he felt the burden of his guilt lifted. He grew quickly in his new found faith and after joining a church in Glasgow sensed the Lord call him into ordained ministry.

All those who come to Christ will have their own unique “faith journey” because the Lord deals with us personally and individually. The important thing is not how spectacular or dramatic this journey to faith may or may not be but rather that we do indeed listen to His promptings and respond to His call. The journey itself is not the important thing. All that matters is actually getting to the right “place”; namely the “place” of repentance and salvation whereby we enter into a personal relationship with the Saviour Jesus Christ.

Read the Bible to grow in faith

Some years ago when a naval officer was completing his first overseas tour of duty he was given the chance to display his capabilities at getting the ship "under way". With a stream of commands, he soon had the decks buzzing with men and quickly the destroyer was underway en route for America. He was so efficient, he actually established a new record for getting a destroyer "under way" and he wasn’t surprised when another officer approached him with a message from the Captain. Thinking it would be a message of congratulations he was alarmed to read as follows; "My personal congratulations upon completing your exercise according to instructions with amazing speed. In your haste however, you overlooked the most important rule of all; make sure your Captain is aboard before getting under way."

This true incident conveys a vital spiritual lesson for Christians. The Bible fulfils a similar role to that of a  Captain. Just like the Captain of a ship, it is the Bible which guides us where to head in our "voyage of life", it informs us what to do in different circumstances, it guides us on how to solve the various problems we encounter, it encourages us when the storms of the voyage are difficult, it comforts us when we are sad, and of course it challenges us if we sin or if we begin to neglect our "duties". The Bible is our absolute rule of life. During the years of the Reformation people were constantly reminded that "Scripture alone" was to be their final authority regarding how they were to live and behave. This is as true today as it was then.

Someone worked out that the word "B-I-B-L-E" can stand for "Best Instructions Before Leaving Earth,"  a wonderful description. The problem is that many people launch themselves into the Christian life but then fail to make sure this "Captain" or "Guide" comes along with them on the journey!  In other words, they "set sail" alright, but from that moment on they ignore God’s Word just as though it had been left behind at port. They never consult it for directions, they rarely refer to it for help, they never study its teaching; and then they are surprised when they make a shipwreck of their faith! If they never study the "charts and maps" then how could they avoid hitting a reef?

Carefully reading and studying God’s Word, the Bible is absolutely vital if a Christian is to successfully and faithfully complete his voyage of life. As it states in 2nd Timothy Ch3-15-17; "Holy Scripture is able to make you wise for salvation…All Scripture is given by the inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction and for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." Like praying, Bible reading is something which every Christian must do on a regular basis if they are to grow spiritually. Carefully studying and dwelling on the Word of God feeds our souls and enlightens our minds. As Jesus warned in Matthew Ch4 v4; "Man shall not live by bread alone but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God." Reading God’s Word changes us for the better, "from within"; those on the other hand who neglect His Word do themselves great spiritual harm.

The benefits arising from regular Bible reading are too numerous to cover in any detail so here are just three examples to show what a profound impact it can have.

First of all, it’s the answer to a heart which is beginning to go cold. Many years ago a Christian teenager went to his Church minister with the following problem. "Sometimes I think I am no longer a Christian" said the lad. "I don’t seem to have the same interest or enthusiasm which I had when I first started following Jesus. It isn’t easy for me to remember Him." The minister knew the family well so he used the following personal illustration to show the solution to his spiritual plight. "Jack, what about the time your father was working away from home for so long? Tell me, did your love for him lessen with time? Was it hard for you to keep on remembering and thinking about him?" Jack replied, "Not a bit. He wrote a letter to us every week. We would read his letters many times and always know what he was doing and be reminded how much he loved us." "Precisely so", said the minister. "The Bible is God’s letter to us. Jesus has gone into Heaven but He has sent us ‘letters’ which we call the Bible. By reading His letters regularly we will stay close to Him in our hearts and our love for Him will never lessen with time. Start reading your Bible Jack and you will grow close to the Author. These are letters to you from God Himself. "

Secondly, it is the answer to a heart filled with worry and anxiety. A woman of nervous temperament visited the world-famous physician Dr Howard A. Kelly. The cares of life where weighing her down and she felt terrified about the future. He listened carefully as she spoke about her life, her interests and the symptoms she now had. When she had finished he said "With many patients I prescribe drugs, but in your particular case what you need more than anything is a source of peace and strength outside your own mind. You said that you were a lapsed Christian. Go home and read your Bible for an hour a day and then come back and see me in a month."

At first the woman was angry, but as she reflected honestly on her situation she began to feel guilty. She had indeed been a Christian, but she had let herself drift spiritually. She had  neglected reading her Bible, she had neglected praying and she had stopped attending church. With those "spiritual safeguards" removed, stubbornness and self-will had started to grow in her heart and she didn’t like the person she was becoming. Gradually she began to remember the joyful times prayer and Bible reading had brought her in the past when she had communed with the Lord. Perhaps the Doctor was right after all in perceiving her symptoms  were a sign of a spiritual problem. She opened her Bible and began to read. Everyday for the next month she faithfully set aside an hour to read God’s Word. Slowly she felt something change deep inside her heart. She started to feel "the joy of salvation" return to her inner spirit and began to look on life from a different perspective. (See Nehemiah Ch 8v10b, Psalm 43v4, Psalm 51v12 and Romans Ch14v17).

When she returned to the Doctor she said "I  now feel like a different person and I can’t thank you enough for your insight and honesty. I am puzzled though as to how you knew my particular problem was of a spiritual nature. How did you know?" Dr Kelly looked at her and then replied "I know from personal experience that if I should omit my own daily reading of God’s Word, I lose my greatest source of joy and strength. I perceived that this is precisely what had happened to you. My prescription of regular Bible reading, when obediently followed, works wonders." ("The Word of God is living and powerful." Hebrews Ch4v12).

Thirdly, it protects the heart from gullibility and superstition. On the night of 28th July1999, the Daily Mail newspaper conducted an experiment to reveal how gullible some people have become. They secretly arranged for crop circles to be made in a large cornfield in Wiltshire and the next day they recorded the response. By midday hundreds of people had come to see the sight. The local farmer started charging a pound a head and a Japanese TV crew filmed everything they could. A visitor from Sussex spread-eagled herself on the flattened corn and said that she now felt cured of her kidney complaint. An American scientist declared that the crops inside the circle had been genetically altered. A seasoned observer of crop circles stated "there’s no way this is man made; it’s just too perfect." Two women raised their arms above their heads saying they could detect a force field. A clairvoyant added that he had been informed by the spirits "that it was a sign to warn us." All these people were dumb founded when they were finally told that the whole thing had been a hoax by the press.

If someone stops believing in God and His Word, they will start to believe in anything no matter how bizarre! Today there are hundreds of weird ideas floating around to capture the imagination, but knowing and accepting what the Bible teaches about life and the world, protects the heart from being misled by such things. It keeps a person rooted and grounded in the truth of God. In an age of confusion and deception, it is the ultimate guide and Beacon of Truth having been inspired by the Creator of Life Himself.

Regular Bible reading brings countless blessings. It has a message from God for every kind of situation we could possibly find ourselves in. When we are sad, it brings a message of comfort, when we are worried, it brings a message of reassurance, when we are confused about issues of morality it shows what is sinful, when we fall into sin, it brings a message of challenge and when we repent of our sins it brings a promise of forgiveness. When we are dying it brings the promise of life everlasting, when we are spiritually exhausted it brings refreshment; its application is limitless.

So how exactly should we study the Bible? First of all, it must be read in the right spirit and with the right attitude remembering that "this is God’s Letter to me." This means we need to constantly ask "Is there a particular message for me in the passage I am reading?" It also means we need to properly "reflect on and inwardly digest" what we have read, in order for it to feed our souls and allow it to change us. And of course it means we need to read it faithfully and regularly. In 1st Samuel Ch2v30 the Lord promises "Those who honour Me I will honour," so if we are truly diligent in our study of His Word we can be certain He will bless us through it. Being irregular in our reading and doing it only now and again as the mood strikes us will not result in His blessing. 

Secondly, it is important to have a Bible which one can really understand. Reading Scripture in the Shakespearean English of the "Authorised Version" (written in 1611) is difficult for many people so it is vital to get a Bible in modern English such as "The New King James Version" or "The New International Version". Both of these Versions can also be obtained with explanatory notes so as to help the reader understand what is being said. (One of the most popular at the moment is called "The Life Application Bible". Some people also like to use what are called "Bible reading notes". Free devotional notes can be obtained from www.rbc.org.uk and www.ucb.co.uk ).

Thirdly, those who have never done much Bible reading before should usually begin with the Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke or John because this is where they will learn about the life of Jesus. In the Gospels they will read about His moral teaching, His love, His Holiness and the kind of conduct He requires from those who follow Him. They will also learn why He came to this world and why He died on the Cross to save us from our sins. After that, great encouragement will be obtained from  reading through the Psalms and Proverbs found in the Old Testament.

Regarding the actual method of reading, it is important to study each chapter in the right order. If chapter one has been completed then continue with chapter two, then three and so on. Reading in this way means that events will flow one into another and the context in which these events are occurring will be clear. Some people try and read a chapter a day, while others can manage two or three chapters. The important thing however, is not the quantity which is read, but the manner in which it is read, namely thoughtfully and prayerfully.

Finally, remember the Bible is a book of instruction being God’s "Work Manual" on how we are to live. If a certain passage has special relevance to the reader they should highlight or underline that verse so they can refer to it easily again. A well marked Bible is a sign of a well studied and faithful Christian.

If a Christian wants to have a faithful and successful "voyage of life" they must take the Bible with them, regularly refer to it, constantly learn from it and faithfully obey it. Failure to do these things properly, right to  the end of life will only result in certain shipwreck and disaster.

The Lord is faithful

In the early nineteenth century a stranger went to live beside a vast lake in Canada. Come winter the lake froze over and one day the stranger discovered that he had to make an urgent journey to a settlement on the other side. He didn't know what to do because to walk around the lake would have taken him days. The locals however, told him to simply trust the ice and walk across to the other side!

Although he was reluctant to trust the ice he had no choice and so he started out across the frozen water on his hands and knees. Bit by bit he painfully moved across the frozen surface. Later in the afternoon when he had almost reached the middle he suddenly heard a strange noise. To his amazement he saw a team of horses pulling a sleigh full of pig iron several hundred yards away crossing to the settlement. With that, realising just how strong the ice must really be, fear left him and he got up and walked the rest of the way. How foolish he felt not to have trusted!

Every time I watch "Ice Road Truckers" on TV I am reminded of this amusing incident. As we know, the ice is actually so thick and strong huge lorries can carry tons of supplies across these vast frozen lakes.

There is a spiritual lesson to be learnt from this regarding how we ought to trust God. Scripture teaches that just as God is infinitely Holy and Loving, He is also infinitely Faithful and reliable. Faithfulness is part of His very nature and character just as much as Holiness and Love. It is literally impossible for God to be unfaithful.

The faithfulness of Almighty God is a subject constantly mentioned in Scripture. There is hardly a Chapter which doesn't allude to it in some way and there are numerous verses which specifically mention it such as; 2nd Thessalonians Ch3v3 "The Lord is Faithful", Lamentations Ch3v23 "Great is Thy faithfulness…therefore I hope in Him", 1st Corinthians Ch1 v9 "God is faithful", 1st Thessalonians Ch 5v24 "He Who calls you is faithful, Who will also do as promised" and Psalm 36v5 "Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds".

God is faithful! Yet how often are we are like that stranger who doubted the strength of the ice? We harbour doubts as to whether God is strong enough to help us or reliable enough to remember us. We fail to trust His character and fail to trust His promises. We walk through our Christian life fearful, waiting for the ice to crack in stead of being bold and courageous, trusting that, no matter what problems lie ahead in life, we will have both His Presence and His Support. In Hebrews Ch13vs5-6 God promises "I will never leave you nor forsake you, so we may boldly say ‘the Lord is my Helper, I will not fear'", and in Deuteronomy Ch33 v 27 it adds "The Eternal God is our refuge and underneath are His everlasting arms." How reassuring and comforting are these promises.

Trusting God's faithfulness to fulfil His promises is truly "life changing". Some years ago a missionary was teaching a Hindu woman the Lord's Prayer. When he got to the end of the first clause, "Our Father Who art in Heaven" the new convert stopped him and said "If God is our Father, then that is enough. There is nothing now to fear." Provided we truly trust the Lord and are obeying His will, we can indeed be sure that He will accompany us and strengthen us to meet whatever life throws at us. "There is nothing now to fear". His promises will never "crack " under pressure no matter how great the load.

These promises also made all the difference to a young trainee missionary. Near the end of his training he admitted to a friend how fearful he was of going to Africa for his first posting. The friend thought for a moment and then cleverly asked "Tell me, if you were going to be accompanied by David Livingstone would you still be frightened?" The trainee replied, "Not with company like that!" His friend then gently added "Well cheer up, you are going with Someone far better, Jesus Himself, because He has given His word that He will never leave us nor forsake us."  Whatever we face in life; divorce, loneliness, financial troubles, health issues, bereavement or death, we are truly not alone. We are accompanied by the Saviour Himself Who will never leave our side and Who will continually uphold us with His everlasting arms.

An old mariners chart of the east coast of America dated 1525 has some interesting directions on it. Over parts of unexplored land and sea is written "Here be giants", "Here be dragons!" In time the chart came into the possession of Sir John Franklin. He scratched out the fearful statements and wrote in their place "Here be God"! So likewise, a Christian may not know what the future holds for him, but one thing is certain "There be God"!

Over the years countless books have been compiled which document examples of God's Presence and Help in the lives of His followers. Every true Christian will have their own personal real life experiences of God and so the following examples are by no means strange or unique.
John Brentz, a friend of Martin Luther experienced an example of Divine Intervention which saved his life. John played a vital leadership role in the Church during the time of the Reformation. During his stand for the faith he incurred the hatred of Charles 5th who sent a detachment of troops to kill him. Hearing that the troops were almost upon him, John earnestly prayed to God for guidance and help. At once guidance came. In his spirit he heard God say "Take a loaf of bread and go to the upper town. There you will find an open door, enter and hide under the roof."

John acted accordingly. He found the only open door and hid himself in the loft. For 14 days he lay there while the search continued. Moreover, on each of those 14 days a hen came up to the loft and laid an egg. On the 15th day the hen failed to return and he heard voices in the street outside showing that the soldiers had gone.

Divine intervention was also recorded by Admiral Sir Thomas Williams. Sir Thomas was in command of a ship whose course brought him in sight of Ascension Island, which at that time was uninhabited. Although the island was barely visible on the horizon Sir Thomas was suddenly seized by an unaccountable desire to steer towards it. He gave orders to his lieutenant to "put about ship" and steer for the island. The officer respectfully remonstrated that changing course would cause great delay to their expedition but Sir Thomas insisted.

All eyes were fixed upon the island the closer they got. Suddenly the lookout spotted a flag on the shore. When they landed they discovered 16 men had been shipwrecked on the island many days before. Some of these men had been earnestly praying to God for His deliverance and this was the result.

These two examples show God intervening to save life in answer to prayer, but God also changes lives. The Lord has promised that He will be found by those who diligently seek Him. In Deuteronomy Ch 4v29 it states "You will find Him if you seek for Him with all your heart and with all your soul", in Jeremiah Ch29v13 it adds "You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart", and in Proverbs Ch8v17 it says "Those who seek Me diligently will find Me." God is faithful and the following two accounts show how He is indeed found by those who sincerely seek Him.

Wing-Commander Edward Howell was stationed in Crete when the Germans overran the island during the Second World War. Howell was badly wounded and taken prisoner. Although he spent months in prison hospital he began to perceive that the real prison wasn't the stone wall around him but was the prison of his heart. With plenty of time to ponder, he began to reflect on the deep issues of life. "What if there is a God?" he thought. "What if this God could set me free from being my own prisoner?" The following are his own words;

"I decided to try. As I lay there in the darkness and despair of my prison cell, far from home, I gave myself and all I have to God-for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, for ever. I entrusted Him with my life, my possessions, my career and my family and my friends. I committed myself to choose what was right to do and to be, from then on in so far as I could honestly see it.

At that moment of decision, God spoke to me. It was as though by that simple act of will, I had switched on a light in a dark room. I saw the meaning of things for the first time. With an intense thrill, my mind told me, ‘God is love'. I began to see what that meant for me. My heart filled and overflowed. This was home at last, where you loved and were loved beyond all knowing. Nothing could ever separate me from it, so long as I chose to stay there. I was free at last, and no walls or sentries could take my freedom from me, so long as I chose to be free. I found myself praying, a thing I had not done for ten years or more…I was ecstatically happy and tears of joy flowed down my face…I was sure and secure in the belief that now I knew the secret of living."

The experience of God related by Congress-woman Park is equally moving. This lady was a member of Congress when the communist North Koreans attacked Seoul. She was captured and after being questioned she was informed that she would be shot the next morning. In the meantime she was placed in a basement cell.

The next day a young soldier of about twenty took her at gun-point through the streets to where she was to be executed. These are her words; "My eyes filled with tears as I began to remember all the major events of my life…I wondered if Jesus would forgive me and save me right then? With all the resolve I could muster I said ‘Jesus, I am going to die in a few minutes. I have been a sinful woman. I don't deserve it, but please forgive this old woman her sins and save me like You did the thief on the cross.'" Then she added "Suddenly I felt a joy fill my inner heart…I was forgiven, I was free, I was ready to die."

Despite her incredible circumstances, she began to sing aloud an old hymn she remembered from her Sunday School days. This was more than the young soldier could cope with. "Shut up old woman" he shouted. "Why should I obey you now?" she asked. "I am about to die anyway. I am now a Christian and I will take my last few minutes left on this earth to praise my Lord and Saviour." She continued singing.

Finally they came to a flat area in the city. The soldier took out a shovel and began to dig her grave. As he dug she continued to sing. When he had finished the grave he blindfolded her.

He asked her "Old woman, do you have any last words you want to say?" "Yes I have," she said, "As we walked up here you must have noticed that something has happened to me. I awoke this morning full of fear. Now I have peace and joy. You see, now I am saved. I only wish that you too could know this wonderful Saviour Jesus Christ. May I spend the last moments of my life praying for your soul?"
She then felt her way down into the hole that was to be her grave. She knelt and prayed. After a few minutes she could hear the young man crying. "You may shoot me now. I have finished praying," she said calmly. But the young soldier told her he had just had a vision and he could not shoot her. He got down into the grave and released her. He then told her to run into the hills for safety.

The Lord is faithful! In Acts Ch17v28 it promises "He is not far from each one of us, for in Him we live and move and have our being". The Lord is present and waiting to be found by anyone who truly seeks Him. The choice is ours. Now is the Day of Salvation. Now is the accepted time. "Seek the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; Let him return to the Lord and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God for he will abundantly pardon." (Isaiah Ch55vs6-7).

Listening out for God's guidance

The crash of golfer Payne Stewarts' plane in 1999 was a bizarre incident. He and five companions boarded the jet with two pilots at 9.20am. Some time later the plane was spotted flying at 45,000 feet with no-one at the controls. For unknown reasons due to depressurisation, both pilots and the passengers became unconscious. One of the Air Force pilots watching the plane run out of fuel said "it's a helpless feeling to pull alongside another aircraft and realise that the people inside are unconscious and heading towards death. There was nothing I could do to help even though I was only 150feet away from them all."

One safety investigator said later "aeroplane depressurisation can be very gradual and insidious. The problem may have developed slowly and if everyone was having a good time they would have failed to notice any tell tale signs. It is one of those occasions where you are feeling fine, and feeling happy and you don't know what's happening, but the reality is that you are in great danger."

It doesn't take much to see a parallel between what happened to those on board that plane and what is now happening to the human race "on board planet earth". Alarms and sensors would have been activated on the plane however passengers either ignored these warning signals or didn't even notice them in the first place, because they were so preoccupied. Likewise today our media and Bible prophecy are ringing out warning signals concerning the great dangers now facing the human race, but many individuals either don't take these warnings seriously or don't even notice them, because they are too preoccupied. They are too preoccupied with buying a larger house, getting promotion, planning the next holiday and so on, to notice these warning signs. Indeed, it seems that the louder the warning signals are (such as growing tension between Israel and Iran or problems in the Eurozone) the louder becomes the sound of people caught up in their own pleasures and pursuits. And individuals aren't just ignoring these so called "outward signals" they are also ignoring the "inward signals" coming from their own personal conscience which is saying "it's time to start seeking God and His help to sort out the mess we are in."

In 2nd Timothy Ch 4 vs3,4 Scripture predicted that an age would come when "people would not listen to truth but according to their selfish desires would turn their ears away from the truth and believe in lies." God has faithfully given humanity many different kinds of  "warning signals" to stir us and make us think. For instance, He has given us the signs and evidence of fulfilled Bible prophecy. No less than one third of the Bible is prophetic in nature and many of these predictions have already been fulfilled although written centuries or indeed several millennia before the events they were predicting. Does that not make individuals sit up and think? With many it does, but unfortunately with many it doesn't.

Again, God has given us the sign of a moral compass, our  conscience. Our conscience tells us that when we do wrong there will be unpleasant consequences for ourselves and those around us. One look at the state of our society today shows exactly what happens when we ignore our conscience. Our conscience was right after all! But does that sign and experience make us all sit up and think that we ought to take God seriously and put Him first in our hearts? With some it does but sadly with many it doesn't.

In addition to the signals coming from fulfilled Bible prophecy and from our conscience, God sometimes adds modern day prophetic signs. Many of you may remember the strange incident of the clergyman in New York who had a vision of 9/11 several weeks before the destruction of the Twin Towers. He and members of his prayer team were visiting the area in July 2001 when God gave him a vision of what was going to shortly happen, along with instructions to describe this vision in his church magazine. This magazine was printed and distributed in August, four weeks before 9/11. Why did God give him this vision? And why was the cleric commanded to print it in his magazine and have it distributed before the event took place? The only logical answer is that God was trying to give the world a loud warning which could never be denied. It couldn't be said to be "after the event" because it was in the public domain four weeks before 9/11 took place. This warning caused sensational news at the time but did it make all who heard about it sit up and think that they should repent of their sins and turn to the Lord as their Saviour? With some it did, but with many it was simply a curious incident, now long forgotten.

The problems facing our world and our nation, or indeed any problems facing us at a personal level won't go away by ignoring them, any more than ignoring the reality of God stops Him from existing. Let us all respond to the warning signs God has provided and make it our resolve to follow Him faithfully and loyally every day and every hour of our lives. May it be our heartfelt aim that whether Jesus comes or calls, He will say to us "well done thou good and faithful servant" and not "depart from Me because I never knew you".

Beware what you believe

In order to encourage his troops, Napoleon often told the following story. He explained that while visiting a certain province he came upon a faithful old soldier with only one arm. The proud old soldier was wearing his battered uniform displaying a medal “the Legion of Honour “. Napoleon started talking to this man and asked him in what  battle  he lost his arm. “And for that you received the “Legion of Honour?” “Yes sire” said the man “and it was but a small token to pay for such a medal”. Napoleon then said “I perceive you are the kind of man who regrets that he didn’t lose both arms for his country”. The old soldier looked up at him expectantly and asked “what then would have been my reward?” “Why then” Napoleon said “I personally would have awarded you a double Legion of Honour”. With that the proud old  fighter drew his sword and immediately cut off his other arm!

Napoleon told this story for years until one day someone who really started to reflect upon the incident asked a very profound question! “How?” How could a one armed man cut off his other arm?  The reality was that the whole story was fictitious but because most people never thought much more about the story, the incident was taken as true.

There is an important spiritual parallel to this story. In  Matthew  6 : 23  Jesus  warned “If the light in you be darkness then how great is that darkness”. In other words if the “light” or  “knowledge” someone is living by is untrue and false then how misleading and destructive it is for them .Scripture teaches that instead of blindly accepting the things people tell us we have a God given duty to think about these things and really “check them out”.

Not long ago I listened to a talk given by a woman who had been reared as an atheist. She had been brought up in the former Soviet Union and atheism had been ingrained in her from infancy. She accepted all that atheism taught without question until she went to university. Although the university promoted nothing but an atheistic world view, as she began to study the complexity of biology and chemistry  at  degree level, she (using her own phrase) “began to have doubts  about atheism”.  She began  to  feel that  the answers atheism  gave concerning  the origin of life etc were simply unrealistic. These doubts increased until she began to explore the notion of God. After further research and exploration  she finally embraced Christianity and ultimately encountered the Creator of the Universe. It was a very moving story but it would never happened  if she hadn’t questioned what she had been taught. She found  the Lord and came to faith because she really “checked things out” and thought things through to their conclusion.

Today all too many people in this country take much of  what they are told at  face value without  much  thought or reflection and this  particularly applies to  moral and spiritual matters. It seems that  so called modern living conspires to occupy every waking moment so individuals spend little time  questioning the  things they are told about  life, how they should behave or indeed  ponder  why  this once great nation has fallen into  such a ruinous condition.  The result of this lack of  thought and questioning has led  many people  to believe  in ideas and notions  which are  false and  sometimes even destructive. The Bible exhorts us to “test all things” (1 Thess 5 : 21 ) or check all things. This is something we all have a responsibility to do so as to make sure that the “light in us is not darkness” and  that we are not deceived by false ideas.

Here are  some  important examples of  what some individuals often accept without much thought or care; The prevailing opinion today is that society should be run on liberal principles. The idea of  having  relaxed laws and relaxed moral standards  has the appearance of  being  positive. But is it really true when put to the test?  If liberalism is so good why then is everything going so bad? Scripture teaches that the way to achieve a thriving society is by fostering high moral standards, duty and self-sacrifice, quite the reverse of a liberal “free for all.”

Another common thought in our time is the notion  that one “can never know for sure there is a God”. This is only ever uttered by those who have never experienced God for themselves and is a complete reverse of  the promise given by Jesus in John 14 : 21-23 that He will indeed reveal and manifest  Himself  to those who really want to know Him. Committed Christians know for sure God exists because they have personally experienced Him.

Then  again, there is  the notion that “all religions are the same” implying  that it doesn’t  matter  what religion a person follows. In reality however, all religions are clearly not the same because they contradict each other and teach totally opposing ideas. Only one can be describing God as He really is.

Or what about the  widespread belief that “the Bible is just a myth”? The reality is that Scripture contains hundreds of fulfilled  prophecies and predictions showing that the writers were indeed being directed by God rather than there own imagination.

Depending on what it is, believing the wrong thing can have profound implications for an individual. It can hinder them from seeking and finding God, it can destroy their chance of finding  personal happiness and  it can even cause the moral meltdown and ruin of an entire nation. Every individual should regularly access the things they are told  because “if the light in you is darkness  then how great is that darkness.”