Tagged: Christian

A Testimony of Courage

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By on Dec 12th, 2012

This summer in Southeast Asia, we saw the Luke 10 principle come to life through a short-term team. For several weeks, a group of college students, missionaries, and local believers visited several universities to meet and build relationships with students to find a person of peace.

But it turns out they had a person of peace already in their midst—a young woman who was translating for them.

She is a Muslim background believer who was secretly a Christian. She couldn’t tell her family because they were Muslims. She had never shared her story of faith with anyone except her boyfriend who had led her to Christ. But while watching these students and the local believers sharing about Jesus, she found the confidence to tell her own story to those she already knew.

This summer, she made her first public admission of faith and became active in sharing the gospel throughout her network.

Because of her testimony, six of her friends surrendered their lives to Christ—which has been the greatest movement of the gospel that our national partners have seen in the time they have been there.

Judgment for the House of God

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By on May 11th, 2012

I really don’t reflect on political agendas much, but lately I feel deeply saddened by the leaders who have spoken on behalf of our nation. They have been speaking as though our God never existed.

Our money carries the message “in God we trust,” and we pledge allegiance to our nation’s flag as “one nation under God.” Yet these leaders have chosen to turn their backs on 200 years of God’s grace to this nation. So I shall speak.

This issue is huge for our country. Our President and Vice President declare that the future of our nation will be founded not upon trust in God but, rather, upon trust in public opinion.

Opinion, however, is not truth.

This declaration is coming from the highest offices in the country—men who call themselves Christians. It is a devastating blow to our nation, especially to the future generations.

God has bestowed abounding grace and mercy upon this nation. But for the first time in our history, I believe He may take them from us … plunging us quickly into personal, economical, and military chaos.

Scripture is clear that when the representatives of the people choose to turn their backs to God in favor of their rebellious and sinful wishes, He will accept their choice.

This is clearly seen in Romans 1 where Paul continually uses the phrase, “God gave them over …” God basically is saying, “Okay, you can have your way. You are on your own.”

In Psalm 106, the writer shows us that the Israelites had forgotten God’s goodness to them—complaining and questioning God’s commands. The writer then tells us God’s reaction.

So he gave them what they asked for, but sent a wasting disease upon them. –Psalm 106:15

At this point in our nation’s history, we’re questioning God’s commands much like the Israelites. Billy Graham recently noted, “I never thought we would have to debate the definition of marriage.”

So what does all of this mean for us? It’s simple.

For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?—1 Peter 4:17

Darkness is increasing and light is decreasing. It’s time that light begins to penetrate darkness … not for darkness to subdue the light.

The Church needs to “get up off the mat,” and begin to be the Church once more. It’s time that we cry out to the living God for the sins of our own hearts and the sin that is continually pursuing the Bride of Christ … postponed obedience.

“Oh, God, show me my own sin that hinders Your life from being the ‘light of life’ to my world.”

Let’s each pray this prayer every day and get to being the light in the darkness.

John Maisel, Founder and Chairman Emeritus of East-West Ministries International, resides in Dallas, Texas. He has authored books such as Is Jesus God? and Radical Trust that challenge all people to radically rely on Jesus Christ.
Buy John Maisel’s latest book: Radical Trust. All proceeds benefit East-West Ministries.

 

The God Question, Part 3

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By on May 4th, 2012

The God Question is a series of devotionals from John Maisel. Read Part 1 and Part 2 of the series.

The Ultimate Design

As we continue to look at issues many unbelievers struggle with, let’s revisit the question: Does God exist?

If the universe is not eternal, the atheist has a choice to make. If he is being honest about the laws of physics, he will have to answer the question: “Where did the universe come from?”

His answer would be, “The universe created itself.” But that’s a logical absurdity. Something cannot create itself without first existing.

One of the basic laws of science is: “nothing comes from nothing.”

The atheist must see that the universe is not eternal. And if this non-eternal universe exists, he can’t conclude that it created itself from nothing.

Atheists could argue that everything is an illusion. In other words, “I’m not really here. This building is not real. It’s all an illusion.” But we know that’s not true. We can schedule events and make predictions about the patterns of comets, sunrises, and sunsets. Upon examination, most atheists conclude that the illusion theory cannot be true.

The last option that the atheist has is this: the non-eternal universe was created by something that is eternal.

We know that “eternal something” is actually someone. That is the Christian view. He is an infinite, personal God who created this universe and human beings.

To demonstrate this there are two key factors that we can appeal to:

1. Cause and effect
2. Principle of design

First, for every effect there has to be an equal and greater cause. As I look at this natural universe, there’s nothing to explain the existence of the universe. Nothing exists in the universe that is sufficient to cause this effect. So it’s reasonable to assume that the ultimate cause must be outside the universe.

Second, I also like to look at design. When I observe the universe, I assume the universe had a designer. You know, a wrist watch doesn’t just happen on its own. You can’t take the pieces of this watch, put them in a box, shake it up, and out comes a watch. A watchmaker makes a watch.

I look at a building. The wind didn’t create the building. There was an intentional design behind it.

All of scientific investigation is based upon order and design.

A Russian cosmonaut went into space and said, “I see no God here.” To me, that’s like going into an art gallery and seeing a beautiful painting and saying, “I see no artist.” The painting of the Mona Lisa didn’t paint itself. There was a master artist—Leonardo da Vinci—behind it.

The universe is intricate and beautiful. To say that it all “just happened” one day makes no sense.

In closing, I realize that these thoughts about creation touch on just a few of the scientist’s thoughts. None of us have all the answers, but in examining the evidence before me, I believe it is safe to conclude that there is a God.

And for those who are seeking answers and longing to fill the void in their lives, you are on solid ground when you seek this infinite, personal God’s answers for your existence.

John MaiselJohn Maisel, Founder and Chairman Emeritus of East-West Ministries International, resides in Dallas, Texas. He has authored books such as Is Jesus God? and Radical Trust that challenge all people to radically rely on Jesus Christ.
Buy John Maisel’s latest book: Radical Trust. All proceeds benefit East-West Ministries.

The God Question, Part 2

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By on Apr 27th, 2012

The God Question is a series of devotionals from John Maisel. Read Part 1 of this series.

A Logical Approach

What are some reasonable conclusions related to a belief in God?

Let’s assume that there is a God.

Because I’m a human being, I think and feel and make choices. I know that I am an effect—the result of a greater cause. It is reasonable to assume that this cause, which I believe is God, is both infinite and personal, because I am finite and personal.

He created me like He is—in His image—with the ability to think, feel, and make choices. How can I know that this “cause” we call God is personal?

Is it more reasonable to think that God is personal or impersonal?

For one thing, to even consider this question, we have used our minds in reasoning to the absolute. Wouldn’t it be strange if we required rational minds and personalities to engage in this argumentation, but when you finally arrive at God, He was non-rational?

It would be more reasonable to assume that the reason we are able to get there rationally is that God is a rational and personal being Himself.

For another thing, in our experience, the impersonal does not give rise to the personal. You do not have birdhouses creating birds. The personal gives rise to the impersonal. Human beings build bridges. Bridges do not build people. So it is more reasonable to assume that the Source of the universe is personal and rational rather than impersonal and irrational.

Life never evolved from non-life. If I’m an effect, there must be a greater cause that comes from a greater being.

The atheist has a big problem in understanding any type of moral values. If there is nothing eternal and no absolutes, who determines what’s right and what’s wrong? If there is no absolute God in authority, then who determines the value of anything? Popular vote?

The atheist has no answer for where the laws of logic come from. So he can never defend his position from logic, because logic must have an ultimate Source to appeal to.

When a person says there is no God, they are a finite person with finite understanding making an absolute statement about the nature of God and infinity. This person must think they possess total knowledge of the cosmos.

Let’s ask that question. How much total knowledge does mankind have at this time? Albert Einstein, the Nobel Prize winner in physics, said, “Less than one percent of what nature has revealed to us.”

If we have less than one percent of total knowledge, would it be possible that God might exist in the other 99% we don’t have? One cannot logically say there is no God when they only possess one percent of all knowledge.

When trying to answer the question about the universe from basic principles of logic, the atheist puts himself in a difficult position.

One of the basic principles of logic is that it is more difficult to prove a negative (no God exists) than a positive (God does exist). For example, one could say, “There is no gold in Alaska.” But to prove there is no gold in Alaska, I would need to dig up all of Alaska. On the other hand, to prove the statement “There is gold in Alaska,” all I need to do is to dig until I find gold.

Every belief or position of faith is held because one has chosen to believe specific evidence. If I doubt “A,” it’s because I believe “B.” Unfortunately, often our faith conclusion is not purely objective. Many times it is emotional.

Many who believe that there is no God usually come to that conclusion not because of empirical evidence but, rather, philosophical presuppositions. For example: I cannot believe in a God that allows evil or suffering in the world.

But if you look objectively, I believe that you’ll find that the evidence of a God—one who is infinite and personal—is found in each one of us.

John MaiselJohn Maisel, Founder and Chairman Emeritus of East-West Ministries International, resides in Dallas, Texas. He has authored books such as Is Jesus God? and Radical Trust that challenge all people to radically rely on Jesus Christ.
Buy John Maisel’s latest book: Radical Trust. All proceeds benefit East-West Ministries.