An invitation to taste and see that God is good.
Who is Jesus? God or Fraud?
Who is Jesus? What happened in the first century? These are the questions we must answer. We must look at the available data and the explanations that are provided to explain the data. What are the facts of history? These are the facts that we must work with these are accepted by most liberal scholars and all conservative ones. The documents recording these facts have proven very reliable. Continue reading…
Author’s note. The views expressed by the different men in this story, do not reflect the views of the author, though my current views are most similar to Jack’s, who represents C.S. Lewis. Each man in the bible study represents a real man who holds one of the different positions. The purpose of this article is to compare the views that have been held on hell through out history. Please compare these thoughts with God’s word and make up your own mind on this critical issue
by Jesse Jost
“Welcome to our Discover the Word Bible study. Today we are going to look at this whole critical issue of Hell. This doctrine, which is of the utmost importance to the Christian life, has come under fire in recent years, as more and more Christians are letting their likes and dislikes determine their theology rather than submitting their minds to the authority of Christ and His Word.”
Jesse, I’ve never met you, but I’m Heidi’s first cousin on her mom’s side. I love the articles you post here. I’ve also read some of C.S. Lewis’ writings: Christian Life, Miracles, and The Great Divorce (one of my favourites); and I think it’s a shame that apologetics isn’t taught more widely. Thanks for posting these. I’d love to meet you in person!
Derek
The Importance of Listening in Evangelism
Good communication is a challenge at the best of times. With a myriad of differences in the way each person thinks, processes, and uses words, the seemingly simple procedure of sending and receiving information can become as difficult as rain-making. Continue reading…
By Jesse Jost
Ideas are funny things: they don’t have to be true in order to be powerful. Once an idea is believed, fiction can become fact. Today, certain ideas about the formation of the New Testament are masquerading as fact. And in our current state of historical illiteracy, these ideas are planting roots in the minds of our young people. The consequences can be devastating, such as the undermining of the authority of the New Testament. With faith in the New Testament gone, Jesus Christ becomes shrouded in mystery and sloppy historical revisionism. The identity and purpose of Jesus will be open to private interpretation, and a counterfeit Jesus will replace the true living Jesus. The counterfeit Jesus will not be able to save you, and herein lies the deadly danger of these pernicious ideas. Continue reading…
By Jesse Jost
Many skeptics ask, “How do you know Christianity and its cornerstone, the resurrection, are true?”
Many Christians answer, “Because the Bible says so.”
But they stutter when asked how they know the Bible is true. At this point, quoting a Scripture verse defending the Bible’s inspiration won’t convince a skeptic. Even an ignoramus will quickly see the circular reasoning in that. If blind faith is required for believing a sacred text, how do we know which holy book deserves our faith? The Book of Mormon, the Koran, and the Torah all claim to be the voice of God. Blind faith alone is too risky to stake on books that give conflicting messages. How do we discern the truth? Is the New Testament worthy of our adherence – is it a book that truly speaks for God? Continue reading…
The Case for Christian Apologetics
By Jesse Jost
“Jesus was not buried, but left on the cross to be eaten by birds and wild dogs.
These and many other audacious claims were conveyed in the ABC News special, The Search For Jesus, (aired June of 2000). This is just a sample of the attacks that are constantly being made on Christianity. From the learning institutions to the media, the Christian faith is perpetually ridiculed and belittled. There is the idea in today’s culture that Christians have a merely subjective faith, while reporters, scientists, and intellectuals are the ones who are communicating objective facts.
Unfortunately, many Christians are unequipped to respond to such accusations. They feel they are left with only two options. If they are to retain their intellectual integrity, they must abandon the faith. Or they must accept a dichotomy between faith and reason that will allow them to put all matters of faith into the “untouchable” realm of the subjective, and leave them free to think whatever they want on “objective” matters. Thankfully, there is another option. It is found in the area of Christian apologetics. Continue reading…
by Jesse Jost
He had received strict instructions, “No matter what happens, do not touch or smell any of the flowers along the road. They are lethal – extremely poisonous!”
As he walked toward the perilous path, he remembered yawning at the desperate tone with which the old man gave the warning. What could be so dangerous about flowers? After all, how hard could it be to avoid touching or smelling flowers? His mind soon wandered to other things.
The young man started down the road and soon noticed the flowers. These were not ordinary flowers. They had color more rich and brilliant than anything he had ever seen, and the texture of the petals looked like smooth velvet. Their fragrance sent a delicious sensation through his whole body. Intense craving flooded him. He ached to pluck a flower and breathe deeply of its tantalizing aroma.
The urgent warning came back to him, but it was quickly consumed by the flaming fire of his desire. He had to have one of the flowers. His legs went weak at the sight of them all. With trembling hands, he reached for a rose-like beauty. His fingers wrapped around the stem – what a delightful feel it had on his skin! It came out of the ground effortlessly, as if it wanted to be held. He lifted it to his face and inhaled deeply.
In a moment, the fragrant aroma became a hideous stench, the blissful sensation that had been caressing his body flared into a flesh-eating fire. But worse still was the anguish of soul, the inner turmoil that began to eat at him. In agony he crumpled to the ground, lying there for hours as the poison slowly sucked every last bit of life from his tormented body.
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In fairy tales, we are warned against plants, fruits, and potions. In real life, we are warned against lust. Nothing has the ability like lust does to make something so destructive look so appealing and to make some so beautiful so damaging. When raging desire has been let loose outside the safe, secure confines of marriage, lethal poison appears inviting. The very thing that will kill your chances of finding satisfaction, ruin your prospects of a happy marriage, and possibly even take your own life (Proverbs 7), looks like a harmless piece of candy that you just have to have. Lust is one of the greatest saboteurs of marriages today. Continue reading…
Joy
by Jesse Jost
“Always be joyful.” (1 Thess. 5:16 NLT)
The rain beat down on the husband and wife who wept softly as they watched the casket being slowly lowered into the black hole. The wooden box contained the physical remains of their twelve-year-old daughter who had passed away in a tragic accident. The girl’s mother turned to her husband, Dr. R. A. Torrey, and quietly said, “I’m so glad Elizabeth is with the Lord and not in that box.” But even knowing this to be true did not remove the terrible sting of the moment. The next day as Dr. Torrey thought of their loneliness without her presence, he was again overwhelmed by the horrible pain of his daughter’s death.
When I read about such intense pain and heartache, and when I see the sorrow and hollow look in the eyes of suffering friends, I wonder how the apostle Paul could have brought himself to write those divinely inspired words, “Always be joyful.” What could be meant by such an admonition? I know he didn’t mean for you to ignore the pain you are going through, put a plastic smile on your face and just be happy, happy, happy! At the same time, we can’t solve the dilemma by redefining joy until the word is stripped of all connotations of mirth and gladness. How can we be always joyful, and yet weep with those who weep? Continue reading…
By Jesse Jost
“If anyone desires to come after Me,
let him deny himself, take up his cross and follow Me.”
Matthew 16:24
What comes to your mind when you think of pleasure? Do you feel the same way Walter Bagehot did when he quipped, “The greatest pleasure in life is doing what people say you cannot do”? Or do you think of God?
Think about it. Who created pleasure? Was it Satan’s idea, or God’s? Satan gives us the false impression that he has the patent number on pleasure. His first lie to Eve was that God was withholding something special from her and Adam. He told her that if they did things his way, they would find real fulfillment. Since that time, he has been constantly modifying and adjusting this lie to fit each appropriate circumstance. He harps on the old song that God is trying to deprive us, to rob us of pleasure. He deceives us into thinking that surrender to God will result in sheer misery.
But who created pleasure? God did. He offers real pleasure to anyone who will comply with His conditions. David took God at His word and accepted the offer. Here is what he subsequently told his Creator in Psalm 16: 11, “You will show me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” And in Psalm 36:8 he said, “They are abundantly satisfied with the fullness of Your house, and you give them drink from the river of Your pleasures.” Continue reading…
Gratitude’s Secret
by Jesse Jost
“Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph. 5:20 NKJV)
What do you need to be happy? Two ladies were discussing this subject, and one lady said, “If I had fifty dollars, I know I would be happy.” A wealthy man overheard their conversation and thought to himself, “If that lady only needs fifty dollars to be happy, I can help her.” The man walked up to her and gave her a $ 50 bill. The lady was overt in her show of gratitude, but as the man walked away he heard her grumble, “Man, why didn’t I say a hundred dollars!”
I think most of us have our own list of things we “need” to be happy, but will getting those things really make us happy? George Bernard Shaw quipped, “There are two tragedies in life. One is to lose your hearts’ desire; the other is to gain it.” Chuck Swindoll likewise observed that “often one seeks greener grass on the other side only to find when he get there that it’s not edible. Sometimes, however, it is, but if the grass is greener on the other side, you can bet their water bill is higher!”
What is the secret to happiness? Continue reading…
nursing schools • June 29, 2010
Pretty nice post. I just stumbled upon your blog and wanted to say that I have really enjoyed browsing your blog posts. In any case I’ll be subscribing to your feed and I hope you write again soon!