Morgan Freeman on the Origin of Life

Episode #64

The Comfort Zone is a half-hour, weekday program where we answer your questions! Jam-packed with biblical insight, real-world answers, and a lot of fun, this program will stir you up to reach out to the lost! 

Hosted by: Ray Comfort, Emeal ("E.Z.") Zwayne, and Mark Spence. Joined by special Skype guest Eric Hovind of Creation Today (http://www.CreationToday.org)

Each episodes revolves around evangelism, apologetics, witnessing, and theology.

You can watch The Comfort Zone LIVE @ 2:30|1:30c onhttp://www.TCZlive.com

Francis Chan - The Purpose of Your Life

Decide to Abandon Retirement as the Reward for Your Life

John Piper calls every young adult to make a radical decision now to pursue Christ as his/her greatest treasure as opposed to pursuing earthly comfort at the end of his/her life. There is too much spiritual blindness and physical suffering in the world to work in this life for your own comfort. If Christ is our treasure, then we will lay down our lives for the sake of meeting the spiritual and physical needs of the world.
www.dontwasteyourlife.com

Lost in the Middle: Mid-Life Crisis and the Grace of God

A video related to Paul Tripp's book, Lost in the Middle: Mid-Life Crisis and the Grace of God.

Purpose Driven?

Todd Friel and John MacArthur look at the inadequacy of the Purpose Driven Life.

Empty apart from God

Nathan Busenitz @ http://www.sfpulpit.com, has an excerpt from his new book, Reasons We Believe: Fifty Lines of Evidence that Confirm the Christian Faith. The article is regarding the fact that life without God is meaningless

Echoing the words of Franklin, Christian theologian Cornelius Plantinga, Jr., explains what the rich and famous of our world often learn the hard way:

The truth is that nothing in this earth can finally satisfy us. Much can make us content for a time, but nothing can fill us to the brim. The reason is that our final joy lies “beyond the walls of the world,” as J. R. R. Tolkien put it. Ultimate beauty comes not from a lover or a landscape or a home, but only through them. These earthly things are solid goods, and we naturally relish them. But they are not our final good. They point to what is “higher up” and “further back.” [Cornelius Plantinga, Jr., Engaging God’s World (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2002), 6. ]

From the summary:

In other words, they point to God. As the famous church father Augustine prayed, “O Lord, you have made us for yourself, and our heart is restless until it rests in you.”[Augustine, Confessions, translated by Henry Chadwick (New York: Oxford, 1992), 145 (8.7.17); 3 (1.1.1). Cited from Cornelius Plantinga, Engaging God’s World, 6.]

God created us for a purpose. When we deny His existence, we simultaneously deny the purpose for which He created us. Thus, to deny God is to embrace despair and hopelessness. On the flip side, to embrace God is to discover the source of hope, satisfaction, purpose, and fulfillment. In the words of philosopher Blaise Pascal: “There is a God shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus.”[Blaise Pascal, cited from The New Encyclopedia of Christian Quotations, compiled by Mark Water (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2000), 407.]

If you had one last day

A short eye opener reminding us how life is so short and unpredictable, and how we should live each day for Christ.

What Is the Unwasted Life?

In this video, John Piper answers the question: what is the unwasted life? Footage from San Luis Obispo County, CA. John Piper excerpts taken from his Campus Crusade message Don't Waste Your Life in 2003.

How to Spend the Day With God

adapted and updated from
RICHARD BAXTER (1615-1691)

by Matthew Vogan

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A holy life is inclined to be made easier when we know the usual sequence and method of our duties - with everything falling into its proper place. Therefore, I shall give some brief directions for spending the day in a holy manner.

Sleep

Measure the time of your sleep appropriately so that you do not waste your precious morning hours sluggishly in your bed. Let the time of your sleep be matched to your health and labour, and not to slothful pleasure.

First Thoughts

Let God have your first awaking thoughts; lift up your hearts to Him reverently and thankfully for the rest enjoyed the night before and cast yourself upon Him for the day which follows.

Familiarise yourself so consistently to this that your conscience may check you when common thoughts shall first intrude. Think of the mercy of a night's rest and of how many that have spent that night in Hell; how many in prison; how many in cold, hard lodgings; how many suffering from agonising pains and sickness, weary of their beds and of their lives.

Think of how many souls were that night called from their bodies terrifyingly to appear before God and think how quickly days and nights are rolling on! How speedily your last night and day will come! Observe that which is lacking in the preparedness of your soul for such a time and seek it without delay.

Prayer

Let prayer by yourself alone (or with your partner) take place before the collective prayer of the family. If possible let it be first, before any work of the day.

Family Worship

Let family worship be performed consistently and at a time when it is most likely for the family to be free of interruptions.

Ultimate Purpose

Remember your ultimate purpose, and when you set yourself to your day's work or approach any activity in the world, let HOLINESS TO THE LORD be written upon your hearts in all that you do.

Do no activity which you cannot entitle God to, and truly say that he set you about it, and do nothing in the world for any other ultimate purpose than to please, glorify and enjoy Him. "Whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." - 1 Corinthians 10:31.

Diligence in Your Calling

Follow the tasks of your calling carefully and diligently. Thus:

(a) You will show that you are not sluggish and servants to your flesh (as those that cannot deny it ease), and you will further the putting to death of all the fleshly lusts and desires that are fed by ease and idleness.
(b) You will keep out idle thoughts from your mind, that swarm in the minds of idle persons.
(c) You will not lose precious time, something that idle persons are daily guilty of.
(d) You will be in a way of obedience to God when the slothful are in constant sins of omission.
(e) You may have more time to spend in holy duties if you follow your occupation diligently. Idle persons have no time for praying and reading because they lose time by loitering at their work.
(f) You may expect God's blessing and comfortable provision for both yourself and your families.
(g) it may also encourage the health of your body which will increase its competence for the service of your soul.

Temptations and Things That Corrupt

Be thoroughly acquainted with your temptations and the things that may corrupt you - and watch against them all day long. You should watch especially the most dangerous of the things that corrupt, and those temptations that either your company or business will unavoidably lay before you.

Watch against the master sins of unbelief: hypocrisy, selfishness, pride, flesh pleasing and the excessive love of earthly things. Take care against being drawn into earthly mindedness and excessive cares, or covetous designs for rising in the world, under the pretence of diligence in your calling.

If you are to trade or deal with others, be vigilant against selfishness and all that smacks of injustice or uncharitableness. In all your dealings with others, watch against the temptation of empty and idle talking. Watch also against those persons who would tempt you to anger. Maintain that modesty and cleanness of speech that the laws of purity require. If you converse with flatterers, be on your guard against swelling pride.

If you converse with those that despise and injure you, strengthen yourself against impatient, revengeful pride.

At first these things will be very difficult, while sin has any strength in you, but once you have grasped a continual awareness of the poisonous danger of any one of these sins, your heart will readily and easily avoid them.

Meditation

When alone in your occupations, improve the time in practical and beneficial meditations. Meditate upon the infinite goodness and perfections of God; Christ and redemption; Heaven and how unworthy you are of going there and how you deserve eternal misery in Hell.

The Only Motive

Whatever you are doing, in company or alone, do it all to the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31). Otherwise, it is unacceptable to God.

Redeeming The Time

Place a high value upon your time, be more careful of not losing it than you would of losing your money. Do not let worthless recreations, television, idle talk, unprofitable company, or sleep rob you of your precious time.

Be more careful to escape that person, action or course of life that would rob you of your time than you would be to escape thieves and robbers.

Make sure that you are not merely never idle, but rather that you are using your time in the most profitable way that you can and do not prefer a less profitable way before one of greater profit.

Eating and Drinking

Eat and drink with moderation and thankfulness for health, not for unprofitable pleasure. Never please your appetite in food or drink when it is prone to be detrimental to your health.

Remember the sin of Sodom: "Look, this was the iniquity of your sister Sodom: She and her daughter had pride, fullness of food and abundance of idleness" - Ezekiel 16:49.

The Apostle Paul wept when he mentioned those "whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame -- who set their minds on earthly things, being enemies to the cross of Christ" - Philippians 3:18-19. O then do not live according to the flesh lest you die (Romans 8:13).

Prevailing Sins

If any temptation prevails against you and you fall into any sins in addition to habitual failures, immediately lament it and confess it to God; repent quickly whatever the cost. It will certainly cost you more if you continue in sin and remain unrepentant.

Do not make light of your habitual failures, but confess them and daily strive against them, taking care not to aggravate them by unrepentance and contempt.

Relationships

Remember every day the special duties of various relationships: whether as husbands, wives, children, masters, servants, pastors, people, magistrates, subjects.

Remember every relationship has its special duty and its advantage for the doing of some good. God requires your faithfulness in this matter as well as in any other duty.

Closing the Day

Before returning to sleep, it is wise and necessary to review the actions and mercies of the day past, so that you may be thankful for all the special mercies and humbled for all your sins.

This is necessary in order that you might renew your repentance as well as your resolve for obedience, and in order that you may examine yourself to see whether your soul grew better or worse, whether sin goes down and grace goes up and whether you are better prepared for suffering, death and eternity.

May these directions be engraven upon your mind and be made the daily practice of your life.

If sincerely adhered to, these will be conducive to the holiness, fruitfulness and quietness of your life and add to you a comfortable and peaceful death.

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Index to Richard Baxter

What truths are worth dying for?

By Mark Lauterbach

That’s the question guest blogger Mark Lauterbach helps us tackle this week as we learn to differentiate between what is primary and what is secondary in our Christian faith. Mark is senior pastor of Grace Church in San Diego, CA. Careful, you should read slowly. Mark’s sentences are soaked in truth…

It is not uncommon for Christians to debate each other about doctrine. It is also not uncommon for those debates to become harsh and for fellowship to be broken over the differences. Are we called to argue for all doctrine in the same way? Is it possible to have differences without a divisive spirit? What truths are worth dying for?

It’s clear from Scripture that we are called to contend for the Savior and the Gospel in this world. The theme saturates the Bible from Genesis 3:15 to Revelation 20. The question is: what does that look like?

When I read the New Testament I see all manner of “correction” going on – moral and doctrinal. I have been struck again this week, in the midst of pastoral work, with how patient the apostles were, how realistic their expectations, and how impatient and self-righteous I am. The example of the apostles is clearly what is being called a humble orthodoxy. That is quite different than a generous orthodoxy.

Humble orthodoxy draws a line in doctrine, mindful of being a redeemed sinner, mindful of limited understanding, mindful that my enemies are those who oppose the Gospel not just those who differ with me, mindful that truth must be clear or people will perish.

Here is where I am helped: Paul did not get white hot with passion until the issue was the Gospel itself. He knew that as long as the Gospel was clear, he was dealing with intramural issues. He differentiated between those advocating a false gospel and those asking legitimate questions. He did not turn his friends in Christ into enemies. But let the Gospel be altered and it was time to take no captives and accept no compromises. Eternity was at stake.

What do we mean by the Gospel? The full person and work of Jesus. If people tamper with the doctrine and character of God in Trinity—the nature of Christ as God-man, his substitutionary work as a sacrifice while on the cross, his bodily resurrection, the nature of humanity in sin—these issues provoke much more response than others. But even about these essentials Paul is willing to answer questions.

Consider times when Paul defended doctrine. In Corinthians 15 we find Christian having doubts about the resurrection. Paul defends this central truth but he does so with instruction. He was patient when churches were having legitimate questions or did not understand (as in Colossians). But sometimes Paul met with false teachers that proclaimed a different Gospel and a different achievement of the cross. They met with the apostle's call for condemnation.

I am not like the apostles. Here is what I find in my heart: a proud tendency to make every issue a Gospel issue. When we hear ourselves saying, "We alone are consistent" -- that is pride. I also find in my heart a tendency to make no issue a Gospel issue. That is false humility. What are we to do?

The truth that defines the Gospel is the most urgent truth. Lies about Jesus will damn people. So, when there is a new movement in the church questions the centrality of substitution—the cross itself—it is no small matter. Not that this is new. For centuries people who have wanted to retain the label of Christian have also taught error. They do so with scholarly sleight of hand, re-writing the text and advocating positions for which there is no basis.

The New Testament rings with the teaching that Jesus stood in my place bearing God's punishment for me. Those who deny the vicarious death of Jesus are outside the realm of Christianity.

And modifying is not just “diminishing” or “denying”. It may be adding. The Judaizers of Galatia believed Jesus was Messiah -- that he died for sin -- but they also believed that unless someone became a Jew his death had no benefit for them. They wanted to add to the atonement. Paul insists that we make no contribution to the salvation God brings through Jesus. If righteousness is by the law, Christ died in vain (Galatians 2:21)

I would add to these core truths of the cross the person and work of Christ and the doctrine of the Trinity. Our salvation is established on the inscrutable teaching that Jesus is the God-man, one person, two natures, without sin, united forever. He is fully human and experienced every element of human life without sin. He is truly God. The sacrifice required by God for sin must be both infinite in value and made by a man. Thus Jesus is and must be God and man.

Denials of the deity of Jesus or his humanity jeopardize the nature of his sacrifice. Denials of the deity of the Holy Spirit deny the effect of its application to our lives.

One more area I consider to be essential is the doctrine of sin. If humans are not made in the image of God, and if sin has not brought their just condemnation, then atonement is not necessary. There is no need for a new birth. Sin is manageable. But if sin is that vile thing which corrupts us thoroughly, and only the sacrifice of God the Son can bring about forgiveness and new life, then it is not manageable. Salvation must come from outside us.

The last area is the nature and authority of Scripture. If it is the sole (final) authority for the Christian -- the unique word of God to us, as much the Word of God as if God himself wrote it -- then I am on common ground.

But what about our differences?

We differ from each other due to the ignorance and dullness of our minds -- the Holy Spirit does not bring infallible clarity. We differ from each other because God cannot be comprehended by ones as small as we. We are not to act like we do not differ but we see each other as comrades against the same enemy. Humble orthodoxy joins others in a discussion of what Scripture says as we pursue truth together.

So, where these Jesus truths rest, I have friends. We may differ on other matters, but if they hold to the singular sufficiency of the death of Christ and that He stands alone as Savior and nothing we do can add or detract from his work then I have a friend. I expect to meet them at the feet of Jesus, by grace alone, and there to come to complete on agreement on all the matters we discussed in this life

Mark Lauterbach is senior pastor of Grace Church in San Diego, CA and blogs at GospelDrivenLife