Enormous Shark Fossil Found in Kansas

More evidence that the world was once under water surfaced today in the news. Fox News reports that paleontologists believe they've identified the remains of an 88.7-million-year-old enormous shark they suspect terrorized sea animals --thanks to a jaw with hundreds of teeth. The clincher? It lived in Kansas. Click here for the rest of the story.

Skeptic: I want the joy I see in Christians

I talked to a skeptic today in Orange County, California. He said that he had actually been going to church recently because--although he rejects the Bible--he really wants "the joy, hope, and excitement" that he sees in the lives of Christians. He was upset though that he had been to church a few times and the feelings were not happening.

He thought people got this joy and hope just by going to church.

I explained that Christians have joy because of a relationship that we have with Jesus and that until he submits to the Lordship of Jesus Christ, has his sins forgiven, and is given the Holy Spirit, he will not experience what Christians experience, for those things are the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22).

I share this with you to remind you that the joy of the Lord in your life is something that many nonbelievers find very attractive. Why? They don't have it. Many of them are fighting through feelings of emptiness, purposelessness, guilt, condemnation, depression, bondage to behaviors they know are destructive, etc. So Christian, I exhort you: "Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4). Your joy, your hope, your passion to live is a bright light in this dying world.

My Top 10 Apologetics Books for Young Adults

The father of a teenage daughter emailed me a while back. He said:

"Charlie...My oldest daughter is finishing her freshman year in high school. I want to prepare her for college. What 10-20 books do you recommend she read before she attends college so that she will be prepared to stand strong and defend her faith? I plan on her reading at least 5 books per summer and some more during the school year. Your help is greatly appreciated. Thank you."

Wow. What a wise father. I pray more parents have the foresight to prepare their kids this way. In my response to him, I narrowed my list down to 10 books. I include a slightly revised list here with the hope that it might help other parents who are seeking to prepare their teenagers for the real world. Here's what I would recommend. Feel free to click on any of the titles if you're interested in knowing more about the book or buying a copy for yourself in our online store. We have all of these titles on sale.

I Don't Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist
by Norman Geisler and Frank Turek

The Case for Christ
by Lee Strobel

The Case for Faith
by Lee Strobel

The Case for a Creator
by Lee Strobel

The New Answers Book (Vol. 1)
by Ken Ham, editor

Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Christian Convictions
by Gregory Koukl

Love Your Neighbor: Thinking Wisely About Right and Wrong
by Norman Geisler and Ryan Snuffer

If God, Why Evil?
by Norman Geisler

True for You But Not for Me: Deflating the Slogans that Leave Christians Speechless
by Paul Copan

So What's the Difference? A Look at 20 Worldviews, Faiths and Religions
by Fritz Ridenour

I am open to suggestions on how this list could be improved. If you were to make your own list, what books would you recommend? Keep in mind that the list would be for young adults (no scholarly tomes). Email your ideas to me at: alwaysbeready.com@gmail.com

Two Jehovah's Witnesses at My Door

After a lengthy discussion with two Jehovah's Witnesses today, they went marching off and one said, "If you really think we're wrong, then you should be out there warning people about us." Exactly.

Here are some of my warnings, and here, and here.

Does God Hate Haiti?

Does God hate Haitians? Was the earthquake a judgment of God against their sin? Why does God allow these kinds of tragedies? These are questions that people are asking. Albert Mohler, a Christian author and apologist that I greatly respect, has written a concise article on the earthquake in Haiti and where God fits into the equation. Click here to read.

A Little Late Night Humor...

I suppose you've heard the one about the atheist and the dust of the Earth. The atheist says to God, "I too can create a man."

God says to atheist, "Try."

The atheist takes a fistful of dust and begins to mold it.

God says, "Disqualified. Get your own dust."

New Edition of One Minute Answers to Skeptics Now Available

I'm excited to announce that Harvest House Publishers has just released a revised, updated edition of my book, One Minute Answers to Skeptics: Concise Responses to the Top 40 Questions. I changed some of the questions and answers and made some slight improvements from beginning to end.

While I'm not a fan of the new cover design (I prefer the original cover), I am excited about the fact that the book is now available as an eBook for the Kindle and other eBook readers. Click here to see the Kindle edition.

Our Website Down for 8 Days: Result of Hackers

UPDATE: AlwaysBeReady.com is back up on 1/9/10. Praise the Lord!

---------------

Our website, AlwaysBeReady.com, was hacked today (1/1/2010) by someone who appears to be an angry Muslim. Before we were able to remove it, when you clicked on the site, what came up instead of our homepage was a picture of a man pointing a gun, some crude language, and some Islamic symbols.

Some of the web servants who help us with the site are working on the problem, but as of now our site has been down 8 days (1/1 - 1/8, 2010). Please pray that God would guide them as they seek to restore service and repair whatever security hole allowed the hacker access. Thankfully this did not affect our online store, which is hosted on a different, very secure server. All of this is certainly a reminder that we are a target of the enemy and we need your prayers! Please pray!

First Jesus-Era House Discovered in Nazareth

Archaeologists said yesterday that they unearthed remains of the first dwelling in Nazareth that dates to Jesus' era, a simple structure of two rooms and a courtyard, said Yardenna Alexandre, excavations director at the Israel Antiquities Authority.

Archaeologists are not claiming it is the house where Jesus lived, Alexandre said, but a young Jesus may have played around the house with cousins and friends, she said. "It's a logical suggestion."

Click here for the rest of the story.

Travel to Israel with Dr. Norman Geisler

I was talking to Dr. Norman Geisler a couple of weeks ago about his upcoming tour of Israel, this March 17-26, 2010. I was surprised to find out that they are keeping the tour size small–one bus full (about 50 persons)–and that there is still space!

If you'd like to see the holy land up close with your own eyes, walk where Jesus walked, sail on the sea of Galilee, and have some amazing teaching along the way, click here to download a full color brochure and tour itinerary. The cost is $2,375 from New York and includes first-class hotels, breakfasts, and dinners throughout the tour.

I would be going if my wife and I weren't expecting our new baby boy about that time. Mark my words if you go: you'll will think it was worth every penny. I went on a similar tour in 2005 (without Norman Geisler) and it took my breath away. It was a spectacular time of learning, growth, fellowship with other believers, etc.

Hell and Waterfalls

A lady emailed me a while back and was offended by an article on our website wherein I mention the Bible’s teaching on Hell. She said, “I can’t believe you think this! You’re just trying to scare people. That’s not very loving.” 

Well, in response to that (and I told her this), I think being forthright about Hell—if it’s done with the right heart—is actually very loving. You won’t catch me standing on a street corner with a bullhorn yelling at people to turn or burn. I don’t think that’s very winsome—or effective. But I do think sharing the truth about what the Bible says regarding eternity in a humble, straightforward way is very loving. Let me illustrate…

Imagine a blind woman walking towards the edge of a cliff. You and I are familiar with the terrain. And she’s not. And we can see where the woman is heading.  And we know there is a 500 foot drop down to jagged rocks and cold pounding surf. Would it be unloving to warn her about what’s coming? No. It would actually be unloving to let her continue unwarned.  

Here’s another illustration...

There are some beautiful rivers in the world that have signs warning boaters of what will happen if they continue down the river.  The signs are big bright orange and yellow signs that say: “Pullout canoes here. Danger waterfall ahead!!” Now, you could look at those signs and say:

• “How unloving that someone would put these signs up here.”  
• “They are ruining the pristine beauty of this place.”  
• “They’re just trying to spoil our fun.”  
• “They’re just trying to scare people.” 

And if there really wasn’t a waterfall, those things might be true. But what if there really was a waterfall? Well then, the Park Ranger who put up the signs was doing a very loving thing wasn’t he? It was out of concern for unaware boaters that the signs were put up...because if you continue on down the river, you are going to have some serious problems.

That’s why we speak about Hell. That’s why the Bible speaks so clearly about these things. Hell actually exists. It’s a real place. So, we speak of these things in love. We don’t want unaware boaters (people without Jesus) to perish. They are sailing along the river of life unaware that they are headed to judgment.  

If you yourself are headed toward that judgment and want to make sure you escape God's wrath, please read this short article, Finding Peace with God, and place your faith in Jesus.         

For more resources that address the Bible's teaching on Hell, see ABR's section on Hell here. 

The Way: Not A Way, Some Way, My Way, Our Way

Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" (John 14:6). I find it interesting that the word “Christianity” was not the title chosen by the disciples to describe the movement they were a part of. They did not even refer to themselves as Christians, at least initially. The title “Christian” was given to them by outsiders in the city of Antioch (Acts 11:26), possibly as a term of derision. The disciples referred to faith in Christ as “the Way” (see (Acts 9:2; 18:25,26; 19:9,23; 22:4; 24:22). They did not refer to Christianity as a way, some way, my way, or our way; the name they used was the Way. That was very telling of their familiarity with Jesus’ words in John 14:6 and their belief in the truth of them.

Is There a Contradiction in Jesus' Genealogical Records?

Critics of the Bible say that the Gospels are full of contradictions. They are quite mistaken about the matter and I address that here. But one particular difficulty that seems to come up more than others has to do with Jesus's genealogies mentioned in Matthew's and Luke's Gospels. They seem to differ. Jesus seems to have a different grandfather in Luke 3:23 (Heli) than He does in Matthew 1:16 (Jacob). So what's the solution? Norman Geisler and Thomas Howe provide the following solution in their fantastic book, The Big Book of Bible Difficulties:

"This should be expected, since they are two different lines of ancestors, one traced through His legal father, Joseph and the other through His actual mother, Mary. Matthew gives the official line, since he addresses Jesus’ genealogy to Jewish concerns for the Jewish Messiah’s credentials which required that Messiah come from the seed of Abraham and the line of David (cf. Matt. 1:1). Luke, with a broader Greek audience in view, addresses himself to their interest in Jesus as the Perfect Man (which was the quest of Greek thought). Thus, he traces Jesus back to the first man, Adam (Luke 3:38 ).

"That Matthew gives Jesus’ paternal genealogy and Luke his maternal genealogy is further supported by several facts. First of all, while both lines trace Christ to David, each is through a different son of David. Matthew traces Jesus through Joseph (his legal father ) to David’s son, Solomon the king, by whom Christ rightfully inherited the throne of David (cf. 2 Sam. 7:12ff ). Luke’s purpose, on the other hand, is to show Christ as an actual human. So he traces Christ to David’s son, Nathan, through his actual mother, Mary, through whom He can rightfully claim to be fully human, the redeemer of humanity.

"Further, Luke does not say that he is giving Jesus’ genealogy through Joseph. Rather, he notes that Jesus was “as was supposed” (Luke 3:23) the son of Joseph, while He was actually the son of Mary. Also, that Luke would record Mary’s genealogy fits with his interest as a doctor in mothers and birth and with his emphasis on women in his Gospel which has been called “the Gospel for Women.”

"Finally, the fact that the two genealogies have some names in common (such as Shealtiel and Zerubbabel, Matt. 1:12 ; cf. Luke 3:27) does not prove they are the same genealogy for two reasons. One, these are not uncommon names. Further, even the same genealogy (Luke’s) has a repeat of the names Joseph and Judah (3:26 , 30).

"The two genealogies can be summarized as follows:

If you don't own a copy of The Big Book of Bible Difficulties, I highly recommend it to you. Formerly called, When Critics Ask, it has been updated and republished with this new title.

New DVD "Jericho Unearthed" Presents Compelling Evidence for the Historicity of the Bible

Was Jericho a real city or just a mythological place that the authors of the Bible invented? If the ruins of Jericho do exist, is there any evidence that the walls came down as recorded in the book of Joshua?

The most famous excavation of this ancient site, carried out in the 1950's under the direction of Kathleen Kenyon, claims that there wasn't even a city at Jericho much less city walls at the time when Joshua supposedly conquered it.

This new documentary, Jericho Unearthed, which interviews several archaeologists--including one who excavated with Kenyon half a century ago--exposes Kenyon's flawed conclusions and builds a compelling case that the Bible's account of Jericho is accurate and trustworthy.

This fast-paced, visually-excellent documentary was filmed in Israel and was produced by Expedition Bible, the same group that produced "The Bible vs. The Book of Mormon."

Click here to purchase ($11.95)

The Awakening 09: Enabling Believers to Share Their Faith, October 30-31

Could you use some help in being better prepared to share the gospel with people? If so, come join:

- K.P. Yohannan
(Gospel for Asia)
- Ray Comfort
(Way of the Master)
- Sean McDowell
(World View Ministries)
- Danny Lehmann
(Youth With a Mission)
- Charlie Campbell
(Always Be Ready Apologetics)

at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa, in Santa Ana, California, October 30-31, 2009, for a free training conference called "Awakening 09: Enabling Believers to Share Their Faith." The conference starts Friday at 7:00PM and resumes Saturday at 10:00AM. Click here for more details.

NOW OUT! The Spanish Edition of One Minute Answers to Skeptics

We are rejoicing at God's blessing on the completion of the Spanish translation of my book, One Minute Answers to Skeptics' Top Forty Questions. If you have Spanish speaking friends who would benefit from this easy-to-digest introduction to defending the faith, you can find copies of the book here in our online store. Paperback, 128 pages ($9.95).

The English edition is available here.

Deliverance from Mormonism and the Cost of Discipleship

Yesterday a young man who had been raised in the Mormon religion came up to me at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in California. He was about 25 years old and was wearing a big smile and a "Not of This World" tee-shirt. He said that he wanted to let me know that someone from the church there had given him a copy of my CD entitled "Mormonism: Investigating the Life, Teachings, and Claims of Joseph Smith." He said he listened to it and that God used it to open his eyes to the fact that Mormonism was not a Christian religion. He has since left the Mormon religion and has started attending the Calvary there in Chino Hills. He said that his Mormon family has been devastated by his decision.

Indeed there is a cost for all who decide to abandon the traditions and beliefs of their families to follow Jesus. Many who decide to follow Jesus end up being despised by their own families. Jesus said, "Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I came to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man's enemies will be the members of his household" (Matthew 10:34-35). Losing the approval of our families is sometimes one of the costs of being a disciple of Jesus. But the price is infinitely worth paying. I would rather know my God, my Savior, and my Creator than have the applause of my friends and family.

Have you lost the approval of some of your family or friends? Have you suffered some form of persecution for your faith? My friend, be of good courage! Jesus said, “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you" (Matthew 5:11-12).

It has been tough season for the young man I met yesterday. He is setting out in a different direction than his entire family. Would you say a quick prayer for him that God would remind him that he's not alone (Matt. 28:20, Heb. 13:5)? I think he said that his name was Joshua (God knows).

A One World Monetary System

The Book of Revelation speaks of a time when there will be a one world monetary system in place (see Revelation 13:16-18). It is interesting to watch the news and see that the world is not only warming up to the idea, but that leaders in countries like Russia and China are even proposing it. A few days ago Russian President Dmitry Medvedev called for a supranational currency by pulling from his pocket a sample coin of a “united future world currency.”

“Here it is,” Medvedev told reporters in Italy, after a summit of the Group of Eight nations. “You can see it and touch it.” The coin, which bears the words “unity in diversity" and "United Future World Currency," was minted in Belgium and presented to the heads of G-8 delegations, Medvedev said. Click here to read the Bloomberg News report.

Now of course the coin is not in use yet, and it is certainly not the "mark of the beast" spoken about in Revelation, but it shows us the direction the world is heading in, and it could certainly be the precursor to what will happen in the Tribulation period.

To learn more about what the Bible teaches regarding the end times, I encourage you to order a copy of our DVD, "The End Times: Ten Upcoming Events in Bible Prophecy" ($11.95) Click here.

Charles Darwin Believed that God Exists

I'm doing some research on evolution for the Spanish edition of my book, One Minute Answers to Skeptics (due out later this year) and I came across an interesting quote by Charles Darwin. I found it in Antony Flew's book, There Is A God: How the World's Most Notorious Atheist Changed His Mind. Flew, who is the atheist referred to in the title, points out that even Charles Darwin believed in God’s existence.

Darwin said, “[Reason tells me of the] extreme difficulty or rather impossibility of conceiving this immense and wonderful universe, including man with his capability of looking far backwards and far into futurity, as the result of blind chance or necessity. When thus reflecting I feel compelled to look to a First Cause having an intelligent mind in some degree analogous to that of man; and I deserve to be called a Theist ” (p. 106).

This is an interesting admission by the man who many atheists believe liberated them from belief in God. Darwin realized his theory was only an attempt to show how life may have evolved, not how the universe originated. The theory of evolution does nothing to show how the universe came into being.

June13: "Contending for the Faith Apologetics Conference"

Would you like to learn how to contend for the faith and answer the difficult questions that nonbelievers ask? Then join Ron Rhodes, Greg Koukl, Don Stewart and me at Calvary Chapel Downey, in Downey, California, on Saturday, June 13 for the "Contending for the Faith Apologetics Conference."

Here's the schedule:
7:00 - 8:00 - Registration (cost $5)
8:00 - 8:30 - Worship and Welcome
8:30 - 9:30 - Session 1 Greg Koukl (Bad Arguments Against Religion)
9:30 - 9:40 - Break
9:40 - 10:45 - Session 2 Don Stewart (Ten Reasons to Trust the Bible)
10:45 - 10:55 - Break
10:50 - 12:00 - Session 3 Ron Rhodes (Why Does God Allow Evil and Suffering?)
12:00 - 1:30 - Lunch
1:30 - 2:30 - Session 4 Charlie Campbell (Answers to Skeptics Questions)

Click here for a map. We hope to see you there! God bless.

Rob Bell's Confused Gospel

I've been teaching quite a bit on the Emerging Church Movement over the past two years. If you're not up to speed on this dangerous movement that is taking place within the Christian community, I encourage you to listen to my presentation by clicking here.

I continue to keep my eye on the movement and stay abreast of what the leaders of the movement are saying. Tonight I was reading a recent interview that Rob Bell did in Christianity Today. I found his response to a simple question about the gospel absolutely baffling. Rob Bell's gospel is a confusing distortion of the gospel in the Bible. Here was the question...

QUESTION: "How would you present this gospel on Twitter?"
ANSWER: "I would say that history is headed somewhere. The thousands of little ways in which you are tempted to believe that hope might actually be a legitimate response to the insanity of the world actually can be trusted. And the Christian story is that a tomb is empty, and a movement has actually begun that has been present in a sense all along in creation. And all those times when your cynicism was at odds with an impulse within you that said that this little thing might be about something bigger—those tiny little slivers may in fact be connected to something really, really big." –Rob Bell

What? Where's the cross? Where's the mention of Jesus? Where's the mention of sin, forgiveness, repentance, faith in Christ, salvation, or everlasting life? Contrast Rob's answer with the New Testament gospel in 1 Corinthians 15:1ff ("Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures") or John 3:16, 1 Timothy 1:15, Acts 16:30-31, Romans 10:9-10, etc.

The gospel that the Emerging Church leaders are preaching is not the gospel of the New Testament. "I urge you, brethren, keep your eye on those who cause dissensions and hindrances contrary to the teaching which you learned, and turn away from them" (Romans 16:17).

For a long list of troubling quotes by Emerging Church leaders, click here.

Hermeneutics 101: Interpret Scripture with Scripture

A correct interpretation of the Bible will always be consistent with the rest of the Scriptures. Therefore, it is essential for us as students of the Bible to interpret a passage in light of what the rest of the Scriptures say on the topic. There are Scriptures that are somewhat confusing. Peter himself tells us that (2 Ptr. 3:16)! When that is the case, rather than seeking to make an interpretation based on one verse, it is essential to examine other, perhaps more clear, passages of Scripture.

You recall there in the wilderness, Jesus was fasting for 40 days, when Satan came along to tempt him. We see there in that temptation something pretty interesting. Satan knows the Word of God. He seeks to lead Jesus astray from the will of His Father, by quoting Psalm 91:11.

Satan said, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: 'He shall give His angels charge over you,' and, 'In their hands they shall bear you up, Lest you dash your foot against a stone (Matthew 4:6).'" [Satan left out an important phrase form that original phrase. He left out the phrase, “in all Your [God’s] ways.” According to the psalmist, a person is protected only when he is following the Lord's will.]

But Jesus replied by interpreting Scripture with Scripture. What did He do? He quoted Deuteronomy 6:16: “You shall not tempt the LORD your God.” Jesus used Scripture to interpret Scripture when he was tempted by the devil. By doing this, Jesus was saying to us that a passage of Scripture must be understood in the light of those clearer and more expressive Scriptures.

So, if the section of Scripture that you are seeking to interpret seems difficult, or vague, go to a clearer passage that speaks on the same subject more thoroughly. This is important to do, or you can easily come to wrong conclusions.

Now, look with me at John chapter 10. I’d like to show you how failing to follow this rule has led to a wrong interpretation (this is just one of many examples that could be cited). Notice that in v. 15 Jesus said, “As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep" ( John 10:15). We might conclude, based on what Jesus says here, that the death He died on the cross was only for the sheep. And that is what some have concluded. There are Christians today who believe that Jesus’ death on the cross only paid the price for a select group. They call this teaching “limited atonement.” But we need to check Scripture with Scripture. When you do, what do you find out? You find out that Jesus died on the cross for everybody.

1 John 2:2 says, “And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.” 1 Timothy 2:6 says that Jesus “gave Himself a ransom for all.” “Then,” someone might ask, “why not are all people saved?” Because the forgiveness of sins does not occur until a person turns from His sins to the Lord and places His trust in Jesus (Acts 17:30, John 3:16, 1 Jn. 5:12). Christ’s atonement is unlimited, but it’s application is limited only to those who believe. If a person insists on opposing God and rejecting Him, then what Christ did on the cross for that person will not be applied to them. God will not force His salvation upon somebody who does not want it. John 3:16 says, “Whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16). Unbelief is the reason that some do not receive the benefits of Christ’s death.

So, be careful not to base your conclusions, or build your interpretation of a Scripture on a single Scripture, but on Scripture as a whole. Scripture is the best interpreter of itself. Because that is the case, the first commentary you should consult on a passage is what the rest of the Scriptures have to say on the topic being examined. Commentaries, concordances, indexes in the back of your Bible and books on systematic theology can be very helpful in pointing out other verses on topics that you may be unfamiliar with.

So, let Scripture interpret Scripture; incredibly simple and yet so important to put into practice!

Getting Yelled at by a Jewish Lady!

I had a pretty crazy experience a few nights ago as I was flying home from JFK (New York City) to LAX (Los Angeles). I had just had a wonderful weekend teaching at a Calvary Chapel in New Jersey. I was sitting near the back of a sold out Boeing 757, next to the window. The man next to me was an older orthodox Jew named Bob on his way home to California. I had a great conversation with him about Israel, archaeological ruins, Judaism, Bible prophecy, Islam, evidence for the existence of God, etc.

I asked him a lot of questions about Judaism to see if what I had learned about modern day Judaism in the books was really what the average Jew on the street believed today (it was!). It was a delightful conversation. We shared many laughs. Well, after a while I began to ask him questions about the messiah (e.g., How will you know who the messiah is? What will he do?). Most Jews today have rejected the possibility that Jesus is their messiah and believe that the messiah is still yet to come. I followed up those questions by asking him some questions regarding his view of certain passages in the Old Testament that I believe clearly point to Jesus (e.g., Isaiah 53, Daniel 9:26-27) and specifically His death. Jews today do not believe the messiah is going to come and die, but rule and reign as a king.

Well, on more than one occasion he had to admit that the questions were good questions but that he did not have an answer. I then got to explain the Christian perspective on these passages. He really seemed to enjoy hearing our perspective. I think he was a bit surprised that a Christian was so familiar with the Old Testament. (Many Jews believe Christians have sort of cast aside the Old Testament. Why? Well because they think that we think it is old, as in outdated or irrelevant, which of course is not the case).

I think some seeds were planted and I was thanking the Lord for allowing us to sit next to each other. I decided to give him some breathing room to think about what I had said. So I put on my headphones, but then a short time later, to my shock, he tapped me on the shoulder wanting to continue the conversation.

He brought up the Trinity. He said, "What do you think about the Trinity? Do you believe in the Trinity?" I said "Yes" and began explaining the doctrine to him (again from the Old Testament). Well, I was not prepared for what was about to happen.

As I was explaining the Christian view point on this, his wife (a woman probably in her sixties) who was sitting in the row in front of us, unbuckled her seat belt, stood up, turned around and started yelling at us (no exaggeration!):

"Stop talking about Jesus!! Stop it! Stop it! Why are you guys talking about Jesus?? Hunh? I can't take it anymore!! You are giving me a headache!!! I am going to tell the stewardess to separate you!! Why?? Why? Why must you talk about Jesus? That's all you want to talk about! Whhhhyyyyy???"

Bob was scared! She was angry! So what did Bob do? Did he rebuke her for seeking to rob us of our first amendment rights? No. Did he tell her to calm down? No. He was like a deer caught in the headlights of a mad drunk man with his foot on the gas. Bob froze and slowly sunk down into his chair. That was the end of our conversation. For the sake of his marriage and the rest of the people on the plane I didn't seek to continue it either. And I'll admit, there were some thoughts of self-preservation mixed in there as well.

There was not another word for two hours. I put my headphones on and started reading my book. A little while later it dawned on me. I can write a note to Bob! So I tore out a blank page of paper from the back of my book and wrote Bob a note. As I wrote I was catapulted back in time to the third grade. I felt like I was a little kid seeking to avoid being detected writing and passing notes. Well, there was to be no passing of notes. When I was finished, Bob was absorbed in an in-flight movie. So I stuck the letter in my shirt pocket to wait for a more opportune time.

As our 757 came down through the smog, uh, I mean clouds, over Los Angeles, I thought "It's now or never. I've got to give him the note." Well, as I was thinking this, Bob slowly turned to me and very quietly (understandably!) whispered, "Do you have a card?" I smiled, pulled the note out of my shirt pocket and successfully slipped it into his hands. He smiled back. And with that smile I knew he was acknowledging we had successfully gone undetected by his wife. We got off the plane and that was the last I saw of Bob and his wife.

My heart's desire and my prayer to God for Bob and his wife is for their salvation (Romans 10:1). Would you say a prayer for them?

If you would like help witnessing to a Jewish friend, check out our link on Judaism. Much of what I shared with Bob can be found right there on our website. Blessings to you!

Good Friday Should Probably Be Good Thursday

One of the questions I often receive from people when I teach on evidence for the resurrection concerns Jesus's statement regarding the number of days and nights He would spend in the grave. The question goes like this:

“Jesus said He would spend three days and three nights in the grave (see Matthew 12:40). How was that fulfilled if Jesus was crucified on Friday and rose on Sunday morning? That seems at best like three days and two nights, but Jesus specifically said three nights.”

Well, what do we say to that? 

Critics of the Bible point to this passage in Matthew 12:40, then look at all of the “Good Friday” services taking place, then do the math and conclude that Jesus couldn’t count or that the Gospel writers erred. This is one of the most cited “apparent contradictions” in the Gospels. Well, the critics have overlooked something—as is often the case.

It's very likely that Jesus was not crucified on a Friday (as churches traditionally celebrate); but rather a Thursday. Let me walk you through a couple of the reasons I, and others, believe this to be the case. 

First, nowhere in the Bible are we told that Jesus was crucified on "the sixth day of the week" (Friday). Many have concluded that He was crucified on a Friday because it says in Mark’s Gospel that Joseph of Arimathea went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’s body “the day before the Sabbath” (Mark 15:42). People read that and conclude that the Sabbath mentioned there refers to the Saturday Sabbath that the Jews observed every seventh day of the week. If that is the case, they conclude Jesus must have been crucified on Friday.

What they overlook though is that the weekly Saturday Sabbath is not the only Sabbath the Jews were told to observe. Leviticus 23:5-7 says that the Jews were to observe a special Sabbath the day after Passover. Here is what the passage says:
 
“In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at twilight is the LORD’S Passover. Then on the fifteenth day of the same month there is the Feast of Unleavened Bread to the LORD; for seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day [of the Feast of Unleavened Bread] you shall have a holy convocation; you shall not do any laborious work (Leviticus 23:5-7).” See also Exodus 12:12-16

Ah, did you see that? No matter what day the 14th day of the month landed on, the Passover was to be followed by a special Sabbath (a day of no work). All right, now question for you. What feast was happening the day Jesus was crucified? 

The Passover (John 18:28). 

The timing of Jesus’s death was no accident. The events of the first Passover in the Book of Exodus (when the Lord passed over the homes that had the blood of the lamb on the doorposts) foreshadowed the time when God would provide a way for our sins to be passed over through the blood of a lamb—the Lamb of God, Jesus—who would take away the sins of the world (John 1:29).

So, according to the sovereign plan of God, Jesus was crucified on the very day the Jews in Jerusalem were celebrating Passover. The timing is just amazing! So, according to God’s instructions in Leviticus 23:7 (that we just looked at) there was to be a Sabbath, a day in which no work was done, the day after Passover.

That is the Sabbath I believe is being referred to in the New Testament Gospels when it says the Jews were concerned about crucifixion victims being left on the cross on the Sabbath (John 19:31). And the apostle John even confirms in his Gospel that the Sabbath that occurred the day after Jesus’s crucifixion was a special one. He says:

“Therefore, because it was the Preparation Day, that the bodies should not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they might be taken away (John 19:31).”

Passover Sabbaths were known as "high days" (v. 31). Every Sabbath day was a holy day to the Jews but this was a "high day" (megale hemera in the Greek, which literally means "a great day").

So, knowing that there was a Sabbath the day after the Passover frees us up to back up the day of the crucifixion. We are not bound to a Friday crucifixion with a Saturday Sabbath. We can assume with a fair degree of confidence that the crucifixion happened on Thursday, followed on Friday by the Passover Sabbath, then Saturday's normal Sabbath, and then an early Sunday morning resurrection. And thus Jesus's prophecy about being in the grave three days and three nights (in Matthew 12:40) was perfectly fulfilled.

“Just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth (Matthew 12:40).”

Thursday going into Friday was night one. 
Friday going into Saturday was night two.
Saturday going into Sunday was night three.

And then Jesus was raised just as the Gospels say.

So, with a little investigation, this alleged discrepancy concerning the number of days Jesus was in the grave can be laid to rest. The Bible is absolutely trustworthy and it proves to be so the more you investigate it. For more of these kinds of resolutions to apparent contradictions in the Bible, see our "Bible Difficulties" page.

Now, some of you brothers and sisters in the faith are probably saying, “Now hold on here a second Charlie before you go signing off. Are you saying we shouldn’t celebrate on Good Friday?”

Absolutely not. I think we should celebrate what God accomplished through Christ’s crucifixion every day. If your church is having a Good Friday service, go and be blessed. Give the Lord the praise and thanks He is due. But give thanks to Him on Thursday and on Saturday and on Tuesday, etc.

Blessings!

NEW TIMELINE on Daniel 9: "The Backbone of Bible Prophecy"

If you are interested in learning more about "the seventy weeks of Daniel" prophecy (often called the 'backbone' of all Bible prophecy), we posted a prophecy timeline (click here) that I created for an eschatology class I taught a few years ago along with some of my commentary on Daniel chapter 9. I think you'll find it quite helpful as you study this important section of Scripture.

NOTE: To print out any of my timelines to scale (as they were originally designed), you'll need to put in 8.5 x 14" paper in your printer. They will print on 8.5 x 11" paper, but the font will be pretty small.

Don't Mention Jesus?

I was invited by Campus Crusade for Christ and the college pastor at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills to give a talk tonight at Cal Poly Pomona, in California. The Christian clubs on campus are putting on what is called "Gospel Awareness Week" this week and are having different speakers give talks on lots of different subjects with the hope that the Christians on campus will invite their non-believing friends out to hear. My talk was scheduled for 8:00PM tonight.

Fifteen minutes before I was to begin, someone from the school informed the Campus Crusade for Christ leaders that the speaker (me) could not mention Jesus. The leaders came to me and said that there was a dilemma. They shared what they were told and I thought, "This sounds like something right out of the book of Acts...And when they had summoned them, they commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus." Acts 4:18). The Crusade leadership asked me, "Do you mention Jesus in your talk?"

That would be a yes.

And I mention sin, repentance and hell.

"Do you have any other talks?"

Plenty. Do you want me to switch topics?

"Well, do those mention Jesus?"

Yes. (I don't give a talk without mentioning Jesus.)

Well, after some deliberation they gave me their thumbs up and said, "Just go for it." Again my mind was drifting toward the book of Acts. ("Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard" Acts 4:19-20).

So I went ahead and gave the talk in its entirety just as I had planned on originally. In the talk, entitled "The Universe and the Love of God," I mentioned Jesus, sin, repentance, hell and gave a sinner's prayer at the end.

What happened when it was over? Were we ushered off by the campus security?

No.

Were we tackled by angry students?

No. Nothing happened.

The entire talk went uninterrupted and I even had a couple of good conversations with students afterwards. Why the threats up front then, when nothing materialized from it? I believe Satan was trying to mess up the evening and cause me to lose my footing. He loves to see Christians retreat in silence. Well, we give thanks to the Lord that He was watching over us and that His Word was able to go forth unhindered. But, there's a reason I share all of this with you.

I want to encourage you to pray for the young men and women who are leading Christian groups on college campuses. They are involved in an important work but are in a seriously dark spiritual war zone. They need our encouragement and prayers. If you don't know a college pastor who is involved in this kind of work at your own church, pray for my friend Jeff Manion at Calvary Chapel Chino Hills in California. He is doing a great work at Cal Poly Pomona.

King Herod's Tomb Almost Certainly Found

I wrote about this some back in May of 2007 when the dig was in its early stages, but Fox News recently did a follow up story on the discovery of what is appearing to be the burial place of Herod mentioned in the New Testament. Click here to read the story.

ZEITGEIST Update

Today we totally revamped and lengthened our analysis and response to the online video Zeitgeist by addressing previously unadressed issues (Horus, the Zodiac, Astrology, etc.) and adding some images to make the page more interesting to look at. This is the NUMBER ONE visited page on our entire website month after month. This is very telling of how persuasive this dangerous video has been. Please pray that God would direct people who have stumbled in their faith to this page.

Paul's Eagerness to Share the Gospel is Inspiring!

In Romans 1:15, Paul wrote, "So, as much as is in me, I am ready [the NASB says “eager”] to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome also." Paul’s readiness and eagerness to preach the gospel amazes me! He had at this point in his life already been...

1. Stoned in Galatia (Acts 14:19)
2. Imprisoned in Philippi (Acts 16:23-24)
3. Smuggled out of Berea (Acts 17:4)
4. Chased out of Thessalonica (Acts 17:10)
5. Laughed at in Athens (Acts 17:32)
6. Regarded as a fool in Corinth (1 Corinthians 1:18, 23)

But nevertheless, Paul remained eager to go and preach the gospel in Rome, a dangerous place, the center of political power and pagan religion. This guy was unstoppable. How can this be? How can a person possess this kind of perseverance? How can a person have this kind of boldness and courage, where neither ridicule, criticism, nor physical persecution stop him? Well, of course, this is the result of the Holy Spirit’s work (Acts 1:8). But there is something else about Paul that I think we must note in Acts 20:22-24. Paul said,

"And see, now I go bound in the spirit to Jerusalem, not knowing the things that will happen to me there, except that the Holy Spirit testifies in every city, saying that chains and tribulations await me. But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God."

That’s the key. Paul knew his life was in the Lord’s hands. He didn’t count his life dear to himself. He was willing to lose his life for the Lord, because he had already died to himself. It was no longer him who lived (Galatians 2:20). That is the mindset of a person who is unstoppable.

God, I pray that You would make us unstoppable! Work into us the perseverance, love, boldness and courage we need to reach out to lost and the dying. You helped Paul overcome stonings, imprisonments, shipwrecks; surely You can help us through our setbacks and discouragements. We place ourselves at your feet Lord. Use us. Empower us. Even this week! Amen.

Questions to Ask When Reading Your Bible

I like to read the Bible to my kids at the dining room table every night after dinner. When I'm done reading I like to ask them, "What lessons might we get out of what we just read?" I love to hear their thoughts and responses, which are often times amazing for their ages and sometimes quite humorous. Sometimes the lessons are obvious. Other times, we really have to think, "How might this apply to us?" Well, to help draw the lessons out of the text for myself and my kids I like to ask seven questions of the text...

1. Are there commands to obey?
2. Are there examples to follow?
3. Are there errors or stumbling blocks to avoid?
4. Are there sins to forsake?
5. Are there promises to believe and rejoice in?
6. Are there principles to live by?
7. Are there truths about God to trust in?

These questions have been so helpful to me in my own study time. I suggest that you write these down in the back of your Bible. The next time you read through a section of Scripture and are tempted to shut your Bible and say, "I don't know how that applies to me," refer to this list of questions and go back over the verses you've read and watch what happens. I bet you'll be blessed. God's Word is amazing and full of treasures for the person who is willing to do a little mining.

Norman Geisler Reviews THE SHACK

Dr. Norman Geisler has recently put out a brief critique of the runaway best seller The Shack. As I've discovered in reading the book myself, there are numerous problems with the book doctrinally. Geisler breaks the problems down into fourteen categories:

Problem One: A Rejection of Traditional Christianity
Problem Two: Experience Trumps Revelation
Problem Three: The Rejection of Sola Scriptura
Problem Four: An Unbiblical View of the Nature and Triunity of God
Problem Five: An Unbiblical View of Punishing Sin
Problem Six: A False View of the Incarnation
Problem Seven: A Wrong View of the Way of Salvation
Problem Eight: A Heretical View of the Father Suffering
Problem Nine: A Denial of Hierarchy in the Godhead
Problem Ten: Ignoring the Crucial Role of the Church in Edifying Believers
Problem Eleven: An Inclusivistic View of Who Will be Saved
Problem Twelve: A Wrong View of Faith and Reason
Problem Thirteen: It Eliminates Knowledge of God
Problem Fourteen: It Entails Divine Deception

If you have friends or family members who have read the book, I encourage you to read Geisler's review and then talk to them about it.

Apologetics Conference in Santa Barbara, Feb. 7th

If you live in or near Santa Barbara, California, join me at a free "Contending for the Faith" Conference on Saturday, February 7th from 8AM -3PM. Click here for more details.

Turning the Tables on Skeptics

Has a skeptic or nonbeliever ever told you something like:

~ "Jesus never said He was God."
~ "All religions are basically the same."
~ "The Bible has undergone corruption and cannot be trusted."
~ "The Bible is full of contradictions."
~ "Darwinism has disproved God's existence."

Many Christians are left speechless at such words. This need not be the case. Rather than go into defensive mode (i.e. trying to explain the ways that Jesus did claim to be God, or how the manuscript evidence proves the Bible has not undergone corruption), go on the offense. Put the burden of proof back upon the person who is making the assertion. Ask a simple question or two like, "How did you come to that conclusion?" or "Why should I believe that to be the case?" or "What evidence do you have that that is actually true?" Simple questions like these can accomplish three things:

1. They help build relationship. Nobody likes to sit through a one-sided monologue.
2. They help buy you some time to think of how to respond to the issue.
3. They help expose the fact that most skeptics and unbelievers do not really know why they believe what they believe. Once they see that that is the case, they may be more open to hearing what you have to say. For more help along these lines, pick up a copy of our DVD: How to Respond to Critics.

Do Our Loved Ones Go to Heaven Immediately?

One of the questions I am often asked has to do with the death of loved ones. Here is a recent example from an email we received:

Q. "I was wondering how I could find out the meaning of when the Rapture happens the dead in Christ shall rise. It is my understanding that when my son died as a Christian he immediately was in the presence of the Lord. But when I hear the other I am confused. Can you explain that to me? Thank you so much." -N.E.

Excerpts from my response: The Bible teaches that the believer who dies today goes immediately into the presence of God. 2 Corinthians 5:8 says, “We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and [what?] to be present [where?] with the Lord.” A believer who dies goes into the very presence of the Lord.

In Philippians 1:21-23, Paul said, "For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain. But if I live on in the flesh, this will mean fruit from my labor; yet what I shall choose I cannot tell. For I am hard pressed between the two, having a desire to depart [Where??? Into the ground until the resurrection? No. He says “having a desire to depart…] and be with Christ, which is far better." Paul realized that death would mean he would go to “be with Christ.”

Jesus said to the repentant thief on the cross in Luke 23:43, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me [where?] in Paradise." Where is Paradise? Revelation 2:7 tells us that Paradise in the presence of God.

When the Bible speaks of the dead in Christ rising (1 Thess. 4:16) it is speaking of their bodies being resurrected and reunited with their perfected spirits who have been with the Lord since the time of their death. So yes, you can rest assured your son is with the Lord right now. At the Rapture of the church, we who are alive shall be caught up to meet the Lord in the air and at the same time, the graves are going to be opened and the "dead in Christ" (a reference to believers who have died before this event) will be resurrected and there is going to be one happy reunion...a reunion that will never end. We look forward to this glorious time! Lord come quickly. Hope this helps you sister. God bless you.

The Journey from Atheism to Belief in God

I've just finished a fascinating new book entitled There is a God: How the World's Most Notorious Atheist Changed His Mind by Antony Flew. If you have friend, a father, or perhaps a boss, who is a hardened atheist and you've tried sharing with them to no avail, then this new book is a great resource to put in their hand.

Antony Flew, a former Oxford professor and long time champion of atheism, shares with his readers how recent scientific discoveries have changed his mind. Antony Flew now believes God must exist. It is fascinating reading. Although he is not a Christian yet, he does believe that Christianity is the most viable of all of the world's religions and he even allows N.T. Wright (an Oxford New Testament scholar) to close off the book with a powerful case for Jesus' resurrection. (This alone reinforces my own belief in God!) Then in one last reflection to end the book, Flew says, "I am very much impressed with Bishop Wright's approach, which is absolutely fresh...It is absolutely wonderful, absolutely radical, and very powerful" (p. 213). These are astonishing words to hear Antony Flew saying and I believe insightful concerning what God is doing in his life. Pray for his conversion and salvation. You can purchase this great new book in our online store (click here).

"Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed" (DVD) Out Now!

I was too busy earlier this year to get to the movie theater to watch Ben Stein's documentary, Expelled: No Intelligence Allowed, on the Intelligent Design movement. I finally watched it a few days ago on DVD and thought it was great.

 

If you'd like to buy a copy on DVD, you can buy it here. Was $27.00, Now only $9.95!

Norman Geisler, Ron Rhodes, Chuck Smith, Raul Ries and Charlie Campbell at Day Long Seminar: January 17, 2009

If you live in southern California, mark your calendars for Saturday, January 17th. Dr. Norman Geisler, Ron Rhodes, Chuck Smith, Raul Ries and myself will be speaking at a free all day apologetics and Bible prophecy seminar, "The Challenge to the Church in the Last Days," at Calvary Chapel Golden Springs in Diamond Bar. As is typical with most Calvary Chapel, church-sponsored events, there is no cost! (God is good!) Nor do you have to register. That makes it easy. Just show up with your Bibles, a pen and a note pad and get blessed! Here is a map and driving directions. The day gets started at 8:00AM (Doors open at 7:00AM) and goes until 4:30PM. Lunch will be available for $8. Invite some friends and we hope to see you there.

NEW DVD: If God is Loving, Why is there Evil and Suffering?

At the top of the many people's list of questions about God is, “If God exists and is loving, why does He allow evil and suffering?” In this new 60 minute long DVD, I explore the problem of evil, demonstrate that there are some very good reasons why God allows evil, and reveal how the presence of evil in the world actually turns out to be strong evidence for God’s existence.
If there's one issue Christians need to be prepared to answer when it comes to talking with skeptics and nonbelievers about God, the problem of evil is it!
This widescreen DVD includes many of the images that I use in my PowerPoint presentation. Click here to purchase ($11.95)

The Battle for the Bible Conference, March 7, 2009

Veritas Evangelical Seminary (VES) and the Calvary Chapel Bible College, is hosting their annual worldview conference on Saturday, March 7, 2009 in southern California. This year's theme is:

THE BATTLE FOR THE BIBLE.
Speakers include VES professors: 

Norman Geisler (Reliability of the New Testament)  
J. Randall Price (Dead Sea Scrolls and Reliability)  
Ron Rhodes (End Times Prophecy and the Bible)  
Steven Collins (Archaeology and Reliability)  
Sasan Tavassoli (The Qur'an and the Bible)

Time: 8:30-4:30PM
Where: 39407 Murrieta Hot Springs Road, Murrieta, CA 92563 (Auditorium)
VES Seminary Phone: 951-698-6389
Entry: $20 (at the door, seating is limited)

I hope to see you there! It's going to be a great day of teaching!