How to Spread The Gospel

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This is the Truth Network welcome to if not for God. Stories of hopelessness that turn to hope. Your host Mike swing.

If not for God another week another episode another time span with Michael's wake your host and here is I'm Stu Epperson one of the guest house today come alongside Michael.

Michael, great to be with you and great to have another show of, if not for God, yeah, and Stu Epperson, the owner of the Truth Network and there's a lot of stuff going on these days stay a lot of stuff, like great great new radio stations. God is growing the network. If you know anyone in Toledo or Dayton that there hearing her voice right now 106.5 FM. So all of your Ohio friends, remember this way he's alive on 106.5 were actually now in Jacksonville, Florida hello and I were grateful the PRC way for the Gaza Strip were welcomed all of her friends listening there called the truth there great affiliates of the Truth Network and they have 91.3 FM in Brunswick 91.7 FM all across Jacksonville. The whole area and 91.9 FM in St. Augustine almost down to Daytona great listeners great friends listening station so warm hello from Michael Zwick and Stu Epperson, and if not for God crew to all her friends in. I guess that southern Georgia northern Florida. That's it then you know and II actually, we were just talk about this before. Stu is so funny. You know if if you become a one-dimensional basketball player were all you do is you shoot three pointers and that's all you do will eventually the defense could come to catch up to that Nate got a figure hey we need to guard this guy because we can stop him from shooting threes right in her face and just killing us all over with the freezing we can pretty much stop in for good if that's all he can do and think about maybe it's kind of the same way when were trying to share the gospel is that you know we have all of these different tools that we have at our disposal where we could really share the gospel where we we could cut it. Speak to the need people really have or maybe speak to the? That they may have in their mind but one of the things that we probably haven't gotten into. This is much as you have but is is apologetic, send or is there something that I saw her recently was that Kulik teleological you don't talk about your you're going to deep in the pool.

Now Zwick affair. What you probably know the word, apologetics probably the most popular verse second Timothy her second Peter 315, which basically says be ready always to give an answer or a defense of the hope that is within you will want to confuse people. Apologetics again not apologizing for something, but you're giving a defense you're being ready to to give an answer to folks that asked their inquiring about the faith and it says with meekness and with fear. With respect and so there is a way Jesus said love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul your mind and your strength and so often we think Lasix can't be in a great witness for Christ. We better leave the candor, love and got another strength, another show and then Rome will also thinkers, academicians, people listening that have really smart friends in a chemistry class. You can be a witness for Christ with apologetics with your mind, and there are so many beautiful evidences for the faith, not just all the fulfilled prophecy 300+ from the Old Testament. Christ fulfilled that I've yet to beat you know be fulfilled in the future but there's all kinds of scientific, historical, geological, all kinds of you know, in physics and astrophysics. In all those areas that take you to point to a a a plausible legitimate faith and show that a this things real and if there is a designer and there's a creator, and even more importantly, it all goes toward he wants to know you. He made you for fellowship with him and so I really like we are going this Mike. I really do will there's there's something that I thought it was moral relativism, have you heard about all yes and and I went there saying is that if you know if this is what you believe. If you're Muslim.

If that's good for you if that works for you then that's truth. If you're an atheist.

If that's your truth then that's okay that works for you and that's truth for you and I if you're Christian then you know will I guess that's not okay with that. You know that that's okay to and and that's what works for you and so but if if you really kinda break down the argument, I saw a guy named Bobby Conway were just talking about him.

He's a one minute apologist. He was talking about this and he says you know somebody who who is moralistic relativist. Whatever you call them and he said that you your your morals are you know whatever, works for you is fine. He says so you're saying to me that whatever works for you is your truth and whatever that truth is is fine and he's again in the guy says was that the truth and the guy says yeah he says will that your argument is right down because you can advance the trip you. Those that advocate for four no absolute truth. When they say, when the very statement there's no absolute truth is an absolute statement and and when it comes to moral relativism, which is in that same vein of of no absolutes.

You know you have you have a real general conundrum because then you gotta say things you gotta you got to arrive do some pretty fallacious conclusions like well it's okay with the 9/11 hijackers did right because they thought they were serving God.

I they thought they were pleasing all and so for them to to to fly there there for them to fly their airplanes into our buildings and kill thousands of people. What was justifiable and I don't know anyone in good living for breeders is that was okay except for the most radical of the radical Muslims so then every things okay. Moral relativism opens the book for everything.

So either. It is or it isn't. And in that, by the way, that line of thinking takes you right to the one absolute of Almighty God that there is a creator who put these things in place. There is a moral order. There is a moral sense to the universe. There are absolutes and the biggest the biggest advocates of moral relativism and no absolutes. And really the skin of the New Age movement really popularize this is what they believe. It's it it's really hard to witness to people and that because you can say whatever you want and they'll agree with you believe in prayer we received Christ as though had him on their thereto to a gazillion other belief system that I got were all right right will know not all railroads don't lead in the top of the mountain. Jesus was absolutist in what he said in John 14 six I am the way, the truth of life.

No one that's no one comes to the father except through me. So that is the that is probably arguably the most absolute statement in history made by the only one who could make it.

God himself, the God man, Jesus Christ. And so with those that that don't like that.

Are you guess that are those that don't want to bow to him yet they don't want they want to live how they want to live right in. A lot of folks advocate moral absolute you know, no absolute moral relativism as you said our in a lifestyle that is completely incongruous with the Scripture and with God and the word so it just fits their lifestyle.

They created God in their own image right six out years ago God made man in his own image right now for thousands of years we been returning the favor. The you know and I had a friend of mine. He told me one time.

He said that in the book of Job, and I never really saw this way, but it was Job 26 verse seven says he stretches out the North there were empty space.

He hangs the earth upon nothing. He said at the time. People just thought the earth was flat or people thought that Giants were holding up the earth or something like that people didn't know that the world was round, they did know about gravity and all this other summit was written thousands of years ago, but God knew and and and God revealed it to the writers of the Bible.

Matter fact, there was a something else that he said that was that that I thought was kind of interesting. In one of the things that that I've heard before. It's it's not that when people stop believing in God.

It's not that they believe in nothing but that they start believing in anything and he started going over some of people's reasons why Jesus didn't die in the cross and was raised from the dead, and there is that one of his are the arguments he said that people have is that Jesus had a twin brother never heard that before… Let go twin and you and they said that means is that a twin brother that he never knew about or something like that either.

They said what day they thought would brother was walking by Jesus that he saw him hanging on the cross. Insulated up telling everybody else he can get it himself, but afterwards he said notify rose from the dead, another another one of the theories that they have for not believing in the resurrection is that somehow Jesus just passed out and he never really dies and is considering himself and better yet to be resuscitated know this all goes back to Paul identifies it in. I believe it. Second Timothy chapter 3 talks about the last days men will be lovers of their own selves on their always pursuing knowledge, but never coming.

There's this form of God, they deny the power thereof is just dark and you we been in first Corinthians which is by the way Greeks in the ancient world. They were they were at the center of all learning me that is great philosophy, then these guys that were they paid a lot of money to come stand up a little town to speak right these orators with great eloquence right you had Socrates and Plato and Aristotle, and Sophocles all these guys it would speak right so Paul comes to them in first Corinthians is having come to you with eloquence of speech to first it is chapter 2 verse 20 says I did not come you with these wonderful sappy smooth words I did not come you like these big paid orators right have movies back then you have all these gizmos, we have a united port United to turn to show off right now and watch the most amazing videos right our phone if we could speak hours upon hours entertained as long as our battery life.

Your last on our phones and honor tablets that have all that stuff they would pay people to come and speak and they would be captivated spellbound by their articular language. But Paul says this in chapter 2, first Corinthians verse two, he says this is the one thing that I want have I don't want to know anything is undetermined as we determined knew nothing except this thing Jesus Christ and him crucified and even says in chapter 1 verse 18. He says listen the message of the cross is foolishness is foolishness to those who are perishing to all those people you said to come up with these all kinds of concoctions of Jesus, a twin brother in this and that and everything is relative in whatever you whatever flavor ice can you and he is all go to get you and your stomach if you have whatever those people are perishing and they believe the message of the cross that God would come to us that we were so bad and simple to we need to save her to come and take on. You know our flesh and die for us it's foolishness to those who are perishing, but to those who are being saved.

It's the power of God. So they went Paul fast forwarding to chapter 2, he says, look, there's all kinds eloquence out there is only that only the slick rhetoric you better watch it. If your pastor who's giving you all kinds of just absolutely juicy stories and he's got you bowled over in laughter. But you walk out the sermon, like where's the beef that you know what the what had just happened there.

Also, as I want to know Jesus Christ and him crucified. So what those two things are right there. Chapter 2 verse one verse two first gradients are. Who is Jesus, why did he come in if you camp out there, even in apologetics because you you can give some compelling arguments all kinds of arguments. The ontological evidence of God teleological. I was going to epistemology, the study of knowledge the study are all things that you can know going all these things going to history, going to astronomy going all these things you can convince logically. Someone of the truth of the creator. You can usually evidence of Jesus Christ is more evidence of Jesus Christ exist. There is you Julius Caesar existed same initials more evidence for the existence of Christ enjoys his or you can show someone. In fact, Michael. I've done this and witnessing before I've said to people who I've been gone back and forth with it in in. I'm nowhere near smart as they were, but showing the evidences and all that I have and I finally said hey masses if if if Jesus Christ raised from the dead would appear right now to us and answer all your questions and we took him down to the memorial hospital any any any literally sealed everyone on every floor and we walked out. Would you would you then fall on your knees call him your Lord and follow him.

The rest your life and they've looked me dead in the eye and said blank. No why that's what I'm talking about. And so it really is in a head issue okay.

It's a hard issue and the children of Israel 40 years wandering will. They saw Riso 95 read Hebrews 2 and three for 40 years. They saw his wonderful works with a sharp turn right there mandate a basalt turned rocks in the interbrand they saw Manna come to their were hungry for something different in here comes a meal from heaven like a week.

Another carnivore part of us wants to meet with her gums. The quail were thirsty. There comes water from the rock hey we got the largest enemy army in history pursuing us to kill us and the Red Sea opens right and they give you a side note in the water comes down and crushes the Egyptian army. They see the miracles, the mighty miracles of God or talk about all throughout Scripture, God's deliverance and all that and what they do is as they did not enter into their rest. Hebrews chapter 2 and three.

Because of their unbelief right there. So what is so evidence yourself. So just because you give somebody some evidence that necessarily mean and and I've had that before and I've explained narrative explain all these things that happen in people still know they don't want to believe in and and they just, and I think that's what it is they don't want to believe because if they believe and I think some of them know this is that then they're responsible their count in there accountable and if there accountable.

That means they're gonna have to face God for their sins and they don't want to have to be accountable on the center trying to find God is like a bank robber, Robert Jason after cop okay and it just doesn't happen. The prophet Jeremiah said this way said the heart is deceitful and desperately wicked who can know it. And so there is this sense to wish that there is a reason that the preaching of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing.

There's a reason that in first Corinthians chapter 2 after Paul says I don't know anything except Christ and him crucified. Paul goes on to say that the wisdom of this world leads to nothing and that in ignorance, the rulers of this world crucified the Lord of glory. The very God that brought salvation to this earth. Michael we execute a notice I said we as you have a part guess well sent by an apartment in in. If not for God.

If we would be bound toward a judgment torment and in hell. So there's two judgments there's two judgments and here's what they are number one, a judgment that took place 2000 years ago on the cross of Calvary were got the God man hung on that cross. The only as a man died and took our sin and our shame our blame our guilt and died a death that we deserve to die and IRS in our place.

The San Sherry tow it so much depth packed in the mess.

The first judgment.

The second judgment is a lake of fire forever, so you decide right now listen where's looking in, and point you can point your life into a powerful testimony on your college where you are confronted with the death of Christ for you and you made a decision to take his judgment in your place and change your life forever. Did I mean it in and you know it's when when Jesus died on the cross for our sins on who he got on the cross for all of our sins. And I don't if it was a book that you would get me or not but there was a Muslim man and he had killed many, many people I don't know if was 2030 people, whatever, but he started to have these dreams where in his dreams he had all of this blood all over him.

There was a man who came to him and the man said I can help you get rid of all this blood and so he kept trying to find Try to find what was going on where in a what what is it what is what is it well and I'm going off memory, but they had in Islam.

They have some sort of Ramadan and he actually went to his team.

Imam wasn't and he asked and he said you know what I had this dream. Whatever. And the guy said don't eat anything for three days and pray, and you receive your answer and so when when he did that he prayed and I don't know if he had a vision or was a dream but somebody had given him a Bible and so he went out. He said I gotta find a Bible, or so you give me a Bible. He finally found somebody and they said not only did they give him a Bible, but they share the gospel with them and after he became a Christian on Jesus forgave all of that. I mean, you know we we we look at some sins and we say some sins are really big in some sense our arena really not that big of a deal was speeding 15 over the speed limit. That's not as big of a deal or something else but according to God.

It says you know the only way that we can get into heaven by ourselves is, is to live a perfect life and Romans 323 says that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God and in Romans 623 says that the wages of sin is death and that's that lake of fire, that you talk about mean it, but the gift of God. It's a gift is eternal life and he can't do anything to earn it. Anyway, we talked about it before and I know Pastor Jay your friend at the Baptist Church with the name of the church Oakland at Oaklawn Baptist Church. He talks about it.

Ephesians 8 tooth 288 Ephesians 2839 he says what is it stupor. I grace you are saved through faith and that not of yourselves.

It's the gift of God not of works, lest anyone can boast and we can get before God and boast of our great intellect that fought our way into heaven.

All I figure this out. I figured out the sole treasure map and I'm here because of my great mind or I did another I did a little better than this other guy didn't kill anybody in and you know that you know my wife this and that so I am unworthy know or I didn't do any other country. We we can. There's nothing we can boast of his totally his gift is totally of grace. And that's kind of the essence of what Paul is saying there. He says look I can't there's not there's no eloquence of speech, or worldly wisdom, and this is what were Serrano light bite. By the way, we are surrounded by worldly wisdom or the wisdom of the word godly wisdom and their contrast in the first three chapters 1st Corinthians, their contrast in James chapter 3 wisdom of this world is this and it's full of greed. It's full of sin is full of vice. It's full of evil all kinds of debauchery and depravity. The wisdom of God is full of fruit. It's full of peace.

It is full of grace, right and in then the whole book of Proverbs 31 chapters in real property day – 31 days right great devotion might my dad had me do this when I was a little guy. He would read it with me out fidgety and looking go to any other thing is like worrying. Proverbs 7 diseases out of the whole book of Proverbs contrast lady wisdom God's wisdom lady wisdom with lady world with this lady in Proverbs 9 she's crying out wisdom does not wisdom cry out common eat of my bread and come to my house all you are simple.

Come and learn of me, and it culminates in chapter 9 verse 10 the fear of the Lord is is the beginning of wisdom. The knowledge of the holy one is understanding because this kind of wisdom the wisdom that will change your life and transform you comes in the presence of Almighty God comes into experiencing the Lord of glory in a personal way were his glory comes in and forgives you of your sin.

Were you repenting you deal with your sending you go to his cross, and you let him wash you is your dirty and he can make you clean. He died in your place. That's the wisdom of God Almighty. Chapter 9 but then it goes downhill at the chapter 9 cousin.

The lady harlot she's crying out to when she's clambering she's crying out to the simple ones come in here and eat of my bread and in my in my my husband is gone for a week on a long journey away coming and coming to my bed and that income commit all kinds of evil and sin and its that's the eat drink and be merry. It's the live for yourself right now is to follow your own way in the unit in in the path and and that's described generally in chapter 14 where it says there's a way that seems right to a man but the end that way is the way of death. The wisdom of the world never says hey, take you straight to hell house professors at the secular universities they never say that a company or operative believe in hell right you know they say this is how you live a good life do better. This is what you do you know when yeah and then they only waste your time on that religion that's exactly right. And it's always dressed up and it's always it's always bling bling up to be something that doesn't that looks like it is what the enemy does is he tries to make the trail to hell look really really nice. Never attempt to taxi with some witch with with pus, using out a big wart right now notice for head in his foolish knees, and I thought like this test how the enemy comes becomes the form of relationship of of of if you have a daughter young man who's a good guy who wants to date her. But he's not a God guy run away as fast you can write becomes the form of of of spending more time in the office he do in your family becomes a way of the temptation right in to deliver your heart away from being in love with Jesus Christ. Yeah, I mean it when you're talking about that I think of first Corinthians 3 it's verses 18 through 20.

It says let no one deceive himself. If any of you thinks he is wise in this age he should become a fool so that he may become wise for the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God's sight as it is written, he catches the wise in their craftiness and again the Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile, that the exact opposite of what they're teaching in the universities that's exactly right in so that the him by the way were not knocking learning education, reading readers are leaders. I'm all about the right right but if you they asked yourself this question. How am I informing my soul with God's word you want know the mind of God open the book of God open the Bible, if the end of chapter 2 that same chapter just for chapter 3 of you read first Corinthians, Paul says you have the mind of Christ in, are you studying his word don't say God is silent we are. Bible says there shut my quarterfinal challenges wrap up if not forgot a day journalist and maybe someone has never read the Bible all the stuff out it's interesting and I I I had told this story years ago, but there was a young man who was I went on a trip and we started selling insurance, and he was telling me how to sell insurance. Tony had a sell insurance all the stuff in a few months later I wasn't selling much insurance. My boss ended up coming up to me and he said Mike what's going on you, not so long as it will. There was this guy named Matt who is teaching me all these things, but it will not summons us again.

He said that I was not selling insurance so I guess the first thing you know is is be careful who you listen to. There was a gentleman I was talking to one time and he said you know I found out years ago.

I just I thought God told me to stop reading my Bible, Emily, Woody, what do you recommend that still unbelievable. Well, and so in that in that right there. Nine. I think it you know it starts with having a church that teaches the word of God and only on what will the station you're listening to across the Truth Network.

All the affiliates of if never God. Listen for pastors to bring the word go to that church where you're being discipled and you're being fed the word of God much clever speaks and funny jokes to be part of the sermon, but the asked the question, where's the beef asked the first Corinthians chapter 2 verse two litmus test is it about Jesus and him crucified is in Christ is in his word and my being fed and that's why love this program. Thank you Mike yeah man, and in Elvis to say one more thing the one of the things that you know with reading the Bible is that when I first became a Christian.

Tell me you have to read Bible 20 I would spend hours in the Bible it was because I wanted to know God, meaning you know if if I have a girl enough. I'm sure if I start to date a girl or if you're going to start guy like you find out all these things about them and want to know more about them and it's like you want to know Christ.

The best way you can in no him is by reading his word to be carefully listen to enough anything you don't need to read God. Be careful and I love our mutual friend Pastor John Harvey says never to preach in the room said. He says he said one time, no folks is when I don't read the Bible. One day he says I don't feel guilty that I feel hungry yeah amen amen not forgot how fragile and unpredictable life is not about your landline in their financial security each year with RC 673 Polish Roman Catholic America has been protecting its members and their families financially are like affordable life insurance community right member and lower your income are like transferring 3.71 years hundred dollar man in our work how your life are important in our life protecting my this is the Truth Network say what would you do if you were a new Christian and you didn't have a Bible like a Woolworth my way from Bible, the international you probably say well and hop in my car and go to Christian bookstore or have one shipped to make one of those wart options sing with him due to the faith. I mean I need to know what it means to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus, you know, you would pray that someone, anyone would bring you a Bible and that's exactly the way it is for literally aliens are Christians around the world are part of our spiritual family.

There are new to the faith they want to know what it means to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus but God has them planning where it's very difficult to access the Bible and that's why the Truth Network and Bible league of teamed up to sing God's word to 3500 Bible as believers around the globe.

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