https://youtu.be/oqZu3CSy-b4

The old heroes are gone.  For the last month, I have regaled you with the amazing stories of brave men and women of faith.  They have taught us many things.  They have taught us the incredible power of faith.  Those who have genuine faith possess amazing strength, vitality and hope.  We learned that we can live a Mighty Life even if we only have the faith of a mustard seed.  We have learned to Believe God for the Impossible.  We have learned that Life demands faith;  you cannot live life well without faith. And we have come to realize that faith is required to make it though both the trials and triumphs of life.

But now it is time to turn our attention away from the old heroes.  Now it is our time.  Now it is our turn.  From this moment on, let it be known that we are looking for new heroes of the faith.  And the question is, will you step up and be one of the new heroes of the faith.  This is our time.

If you are willing to say yes to God, and consecrate your life entirely to Him, great things can happen.  Today I am addressing the man and woman of faith.  And I am going to give you three essential directions that will enable you to live the supernaturally empowered life of faith.  Here is what you need to know.

#1 Never forget the Cloud of Witnesses

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.

Strap on your running shoes, step up to the starting blocks, the baton has been passed to you.  You have a race to run.  What we see in verse 1 is that each one of us has a race that is set before us – this is the race of your life.  Your race is different than my race.  None of us will run the exact same race.  Some of you are marathon runners, others will run a sprint.  The idea in this verse that everyone of us is appointed to run a race that God has uniquely prepared for you, and you alone.

The first pointer that I have for you, is that in running your race, you must never forget that many others have already run the race of faith.  Never forget the cloud of witnesses.

Now there are a few different ideas about this cloud of witnesses.  The first one is that they are our dearly departed brothers and sisters in chapter 11.  I want you to notice that 12:1 begins with the word therefore.  Therefore is a connecting word which tells us that because of the men and women of faith in chapter 11, we are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses.  That is who this cloud of witnesses is.

The first viewpoint is that these witnesses are the dearly departed saints of chapter 11, who have witnessed to us by the way they lived their lives, and the stories of their great faith.  We are surrounded by the saints of the past not as spectators, rather, it is a figurative representation and their lives of faith are a witness to us.

The second viewpoint is an interesting one.  It suggests that these witnesses, having passed from this life to the next, are currently looking down on us from the grandstands, witnessing our race right now, cheering us on to victory just as those in a coliseum witness a sporting event!  Are the citizens of heaven watching us from the grandstands?  Is it possible?  Could It be true?  Yes it could be.  It is an intriguing thought.

The main point, however is this, that we never forget the heroes of the faith, and their heroism, so that it will inspire us to live faithfully when trying times come!  Now it is your turn.  Others have done it and so can you.  Their stories witness to you!  Never forget their stories and it will give you a shot of encouragement when you are fainting.

#2 Lay aside all excess baggage

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.

There are two things we are supposed to lay aside if we are going to run the race of faith with endurance.  The first one is “every weight.”  And the second one is “The sin that so easily ensnares us.”

A weight is anything that slows us down. The expression “every weight” tells us that there are many different weights that can slow a runner down.  A weight is not the same thing as a sin. There are many things we do as Christians that hinder our run even though those things are not listed in the Bible as sins. The apostle Paul put it this way:

“All things are lawful for me, but all things are not profitable: all things are lawful for me, but not all things build me up.” (1 Corinthians 10:23)

There are no rules against wearing heavy trench-coats in a race, but simply because it is legal for you does not mean you should!  Do you have some weight that is slowing you down from living for Jesus? Perhaps it’s an unhealthy friendship, or your free time entertainment. Maybe it is your overzealous work ethic. These things, while not sin themselves, keep us from fulfilling the will of God in our lives, and need to be cast aside.

The second one is the sin that so easily ensnares us.  In case you didn’t know it, sin is a snare.  Once you are caught in it, it becomes extremely difficult to free yourself.  There is no such thing as only a little indulgence in sin.  A little lie turns into a big lie.  A little lust turns into an addiction.  A little anger turns into a tidal wave.  And so it is with any sin.  Don’t toy with sin, even a little.  You can’t handle it.  You will be overcome by it.  It will stop you from running the race.  If you sin, confess your sin and throw it off so that you can become one of those heroes of the faith.

This is your race!  It is your turn to run!  If you want to run the race of faith, you must be disciplined and avoid anything that will trip you up.

#3 Maintain a proper focus

2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

While it is important to remember the heroes of Hebrews 11, the writer takes a turn… He wants to turn our attention to THE hero, Jesus, who is a greater hero than anyone before him or anyone after him.  Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith.  He is the beginning and the end.  To start the race you must begin with Jesus.  To end the race, you must end with Jesus.

The reason so many of us are exhausted from the race of life is because we have taken our eyes off Jesus!   Have you heard of the principle of the GAZE and the GLANCE?  When we gaze at our problems, they loom so large and look so insurmountable!  Look at those mountains!  They are so big!  And somehow we expect that if we come to Jesus once in a while and glance at him in prayer, that our little prayer will take care of the problem.  When all along what we really need to do is GAZE at Jesus, and only GLANCE at our problems.  What are you focusing on.

Let me show you how Jesus is the ultimate hero that we need to focus on.  Let’s reread verse 2:

2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. 4 You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.

Let me tell you about my Jesus.  He endured the cross.  The cross where all the sin and hatred and evil of the world was cast upon him.  He bore it all.  The pain from the nails in his hands was nothing compared to bearing the sin of the world.  He despised the shame.  It was shameful that Jesus should die like a common criminal in my place, but Jesus didn’t care!  He cared for only one thing:  my salvation.

I want you to think about the hostility that sinners directed against my Savior.  They beat him, mocked him, placed a crown of thorns on his head.  They made him carry his own cross.  They drove nails in his hands and feet and hung him naked for 6 hours one Friday night.  And he did it willingly.  Thank God for that.

But let me ask you these questions?  How much have you suffered for Jesus?  Has anyone ever mocked you?  Has anyone ever persecuted you?  Has anyone ever physically assaulted you for your faith?  I would guess, that for most of us in this room, few if any, have every had to shed their own blood in the line of duty for Jesus!  That’s exactly what this verse says!

Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. 4 You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.

It’s your turn.  The baton has been handed off to you.  You are now running the race of faith.  When you become weary of the difficulties of living a life of faith, when you become discouraged from trying to live like Jesus lived… #1 Bring to your memory the life of faith of the cloud of witnesses, #2  renew your commitment and lay aside every weight and sin that could sideline you, #3 focus on Jesus and what He did for you.  His love will make you a man or woman of faith!

Do you ever wonder why one couple stays together for 50 years, even if things are bad, and other couples give up within 6 months over petty nothings?  Ever wonder why one man can get back up time and time again while facing failure after

failure, never giving up, while others wimp out and can’t even take the slightest struggle?  Ever wonder why some people can be so disciplined and others can’t keep even the simplest things together?

Say a group of men, all friends, decide one weekend to go for a hike in the woods.  Let us also assume that all of these guys are in nearly the same physical condition and have had similar training.   After they have been hiking for hours, their legs begin to hurt.  One of the men sits down and says, “I can’t go on. I’m finished.  You guys go on without me.”  No matter how much the other men try to encourage him, or harass him, he just won’t go on.  So they must finish the hike to the top without him.

Why did he quit and the others continue on?  What gives the others the determination to press on even though they are in pain?  What is the difference between the men who continued and the man who sat down down?[i]  And how do you become the one who makes it all the way to the end?

Today I want to help you to strengthen your resolve.

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In this new year when so many are making new year’s resolutions, and breaking them, I want to help you develop a faith that will not let you down, no matter how tough the going gets.

Making New Year’s resolutions, for many people is like making a wish.  Wish-making is a passive activity in which the wisher hopes that good things will happen to him.  But if losing weight is too hard, or if quitting smoking is too painful, hey it was only a wish any way!

However when you firmly resolve to accomplish something the experience is quite different than when you merely wish for it.  At such a time, three obstacles and four devils will invariably appear, and the man of faith will persevere, while the wisher will tear up his wish list and retreat.

Today’s message is a sweeping review of the trials and triumphs of the men and women of faith who persevered when the going got tough.  And I need to let you in on a secret:  Just because you have a strong faith, doesn’t mean that everything is going to go well for you.  Sometimes faith leads us to be triumphant!  But sometimes resolute faith leads us to be trampled, tortured, tried or martyred.  Sometimes faith leads us to great victories, but sometimes our faith leads others to write amazing songs and ballads of our great valor as we battled to the end and died with honor.

Let’s start with the triumphs of the faith:

The Triumphs of Faith – Sometimes we will be triumphant

There are no guarantees that we are going to win every battle, but the good news is many have done so before and many of you will fight to great victories.

I love how the writer of Hebrews begins verse 32 “And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell it!”  He’s going to list seven victorious people, but there are so many more he could have chosen to tell the story of.  And there are some interesting characters here!  Some of them have a checkered past, yet God used them to win great victories.

Gideon is best known for his battle against the Midianites.  In Judges 7 God chose this unlikely hero to stand against idolatry and win a great battle with just a handful of men.  God had Gideon send home his army of over 30,000 men, leaving him with only 300.  And under cover of night, shouting, “The sword of the Lord and of Gideon,” the valiant 300 defeated a horde of Midianites.

Barak is the man who lost honor to Deborah the prophetess.  Judges 4.  He was too timid to fight the Caananites, so Deborah had to go with him into battle.  In the end the Caananites were routed and a woman named Jael struck the decisive blow against the enemy commander by driving a spike through his head.

Samson is another unlikely hero of Judges 16.  He was a He-man with a she-problem.  God gave him the gift of un-natural strength and he misused it.  He was captured and blinded.  But in his death, he conquered the Philistines, took down their leaders and killed more at his death than he had killed in his life.

Jephthah is another interesting choice.  Judges 11.  He won a great victory for God, and when he got back, he promised to dedicate, and perhaps sacrifice to God the first thing that came through his door.  It turned out that it was his daughter!  Bad choice.  Great victory.

David seems like a good choice for this list.  Even he had his flaws.  He had many exploits, and under his reign, he consolidated the power of Israel into one cohesive nation and defeated all the nations around him.

Samuel, one of the prophets was certainly a powerful victor.  He successfully led Israel for years and he had the distinction of being the last, and perhaps the greatest of Israel’s Judges.  As far as we can tell, he never strayed.

Like these men, sometimes we are triumphant!  Sometimes we win great victories.  How do you get the resolve to be a Samuel or a David?  You have got to become a spiritual man or woman and follow God with all your heart.  The answer is in verse 33 along with a long list of their accomplishment:   It takes a firm commitment to the faith.

Verse 33:  Through faith!  That is what this chapter is about, and that is what you need if you are going to develop the kind of firm resolve you need to win your battles.  The world has underestimated the power of faith.  A mighty faith is necessary for greatness.   Look at the list of accomplishments in 33-35.  In that list we even find more men and women of faith.

Sometimes faith leads us to be triumphant!  But sometimes resolute faith leads us to be trampled, tortured, tried or martyred.

The Trials of Faith – Sometimes We will be Trampled

Verse 36 – 38 tell of the trials, tortures and tears of the saints.  Not every story has a happy ending.  God does not guarantee the Christian that there will be no dark times.  What He does guarantee is that He will walk through the dark times with us.

One of the ways that we Christians witness best is when we are going through the valley of the shadow of death, and we fear no evil!  Then the world knows that the Lord is with us!  Then  the world marvels that there is something different about us.  But if we are just like everyone else, then there is no difference, and something drastic needs to change.

Let me be brutally honest.  A sequence of events is unfolding so fast in our world today, that it will only be a matter of days, months or perhaps a few years that we Christians will have the privilege of sharing the trials of Hebrews 11 with those that have gone before us.  There is quickly coming a day when you may be able to visit me behind bars, or perhaps together we will face persecution or martyrdom.   Verse 35-38 tell our story

And then verse 38 says, “of whom the world was not worthy.“  At least there is comfort in knowing that we left this planet better than we found it, and yet it was not appreciated.  We love, and will not be loved in return.  We bless, and are not blessed in return.  We pray and receive persecution for our prayers.

But in the end it doesn’t matter.  There is only one thing that matters.  Verse 39-40

39 And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, 40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.

What matters is this; that you obtain a good testimony through your faith.  Whether or not you receive the promises and live in triumph, or whether or not you receive tribulation and face persecution.  God has provided something better for us!  That is the ultimate triumph!

Our hope is not in this world.  It’s not in winning the lottery, or in living debt free, or in living your days out in peace… Our hope is in heaven where God has provided something better for us.  Now this is how you get your firm resolve.  You choose to trust God, no matter what happens to you in life.  You choose to hang on to hope no matter how hopeless this life is!  Be careful around this place. It may look safe and comfortable, but it really is very dangerous.

A young pastor from Zimbabwe once wrote: “I’m apart of the fellowship of the unashamed. I have the Holy Spirit power. The die has been cast. I have stepped over the line. I’m a disciple of his. I won’t look back, let up, slow down, back away, or be still. My past is redeemed, my present makes sense, my future secure. I’m finished and done with low living, sight walking, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed visions, worldly talking, cheap giving and dwarfed goals. I no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions, plaudits or popularity. I don’t have to be first, tops, recognized, praised, regarded or rewarded. I now live by faith, lean in his presence, walk in patience, am uplifted by prayer, and I labor with power.” This young pastor was later martyred for his faith in Christ.

[i] http://www.jasonsummers.org/will-power-resolve-and-determination/

Responding Appropriately when Attacked

“If you don’t know that our entire civilization is in crisis, I hope you had a nice vacation on the moon” ~ Peter Kreeft

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.” (Matthew 5:43-44).

Over a thousand people had gathered at St James church in South Africa on Sunday, July 25, 1993. Outside, the wintry Cape winds whistled through the streets and tore through the trees that lined them. Inside, the voices of God’s people rose as one in praise to their King and Savior.

Suddenly, four young men from the Azanian Peoples’ Liberation Army burst into the meeting firing semi-automatic weapons and lobbing hand grenades with long nails glued on to inflict maximum damage.

The attackers intended to torch the building with petrol bombs to kill all who were inside. Grenades were exploding in flashes of light. Pews shattered under the blasts, sending splinters flying through the air. An automatic assault rifle was fast ripping the pews and whoever, whatever was in its trajectory, to pieces. They were being attacked!

One of the congregation members, Charl Van Wyk, was carrying a concealed weapon.[i]  Instinctively, he knelt down behind the bench and pulled out his .38 special snub-nosed revolver.  When the attacker’s attention was diverted from him, he drew and cocked his handgun, then opened fire, injuring one of the assailants.  Fearing for their lives, the terrorists fled.

11 people were murdered and 50 people were severely maimed, One Visiting Russian seaman lost both legs and an arm.[ii]. Hundreds sustained wounds.

The lone defender, a missionary who has written a book titled “shooting back,” said, “I firmly believe that the most Biblical action I could take at the time was to protect the lives of my brothers and sisters in Christ from the onslaught.  In fact, if I did not try to protect them when I had the opportunity to do so, I would have broken the commands of Scripture.”[iii]

Another man, who cradled his dying wife’s head in his lap waiting for paramedics to attend to her fatal injuries, was asked how he felt towards the perpetrators of such evil.  Without any chance to be coached or rehearse his answer, he looked at the camera, paused and said, “I will love my enemies. I will pray for my enemies. And I will never, ever, give in to revenge.”[iv]

Two men; one of them a shooter, the other a victim.  One shot back, the other forgave.  Which is the biblical response?  Is one, the other, or perhaps both ok?

Statistics vary, but Carl Chinn who keeps track of Deadly Force Incidents in churches across America says that they are growing at about a 35% rate per year!  In 2008 there were only 64 Deadly Force Incidents.  That increased to over 100 in 2011, and in 2014 there were 176 Deadly Force Incidents!  Last year 74 people were killed in church shooting incidents.[v]

Church shootings happen often enough that there’s a national church shooting database.  Staffers at the Center for Homicide Research in Minneapolis decided to come up with settings in which shootings don’t occur.  “We were having discussions internally about, ‘Is there any place that hasn’t had mass shootings or mass murders?’ and somebody came up with the idea of perhaps churches,” says Dallas Drake, the principal researcher for the center, “Of course, we proved that wrong.”[vi]

In some ways, churches may be especially tempting to shooters. They are typically light on security. Many people come to them at once, at predictable times. And for those who are motivated by hatred of people of a certain color or creed, they also have that crucial symbolic heft. (Read the endnotes for a list of examples of church shootings.).[vii][viii]

We are in a spiritual war, the enemy is recruiting.  His eternal task is to tempt, distract, persecute and destroy God’s people.  He uses the people of this world as pawns in the struggle.  When persecution comes, how is a Christian to respond?  That is our question today.  We know the normal state of the Christian is persecution, not peace; now we need to discover just how a persecuted Christian is supposed to respond to oppression.

In one way or another, the Christian church is always being persecuted. Author Allen Hertzke notes that the suffering church constitutes nearly a third of the total Christian population.[ix]

Satan threatens a believer by saying, “If you witness, you might lose your job, your status–or someone might think you are strange. The persecution can be financial, political, personal, or religious. One of the greatest persecutors of true Christianity is religion itself. Peter warns,

“Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you;  but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.  If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you.” (1 Pet. 4: 12-14).

The world is rapidly deteriorating into chaos because of sin.  We cannot stop the inevitable end of the story. No source of renewable energy, no politician, no world leader and no peace treaty can change the fact that we are rapidly headed to the time of Jacob’s trouble.  No amount of social justice or climate change will alter the fate of this world, spelled out in the Bible.

We are hurtling toward the 70th Week of Daniel, and we need to act like we are.  We are witnessing the end of western civilization.  The good ol’ USA is not our blessed hope.  Let’s not act like it is.

Our declining culture will continue to grow more evil and hateful of God. We may soon be forced to choose between preaching the gospel, or compromise. We may face arrest one day for promoting hate speech because we preach against sin.

Our public education system will never again be a place where our children can hear our Christian values supported or reinforced. Instead they will be increasingly marginalized, perhaps even bullied, for standing on their Christian beliefs.

The secular media will never again be friendly to Christians. It will continue to ignore Christian persecution and sensationalize the protests of the world against the Jews. Christian media will begin to look more and more like the secular culture with each passing year.^[x]

Code red!  The situation is critical!  What is the biblical response to the coming persecution?  Is it a public protest?  Is it packing heat?  Is it the ballot box?  Is it shouting down the opposition?  Is it fiery preaching from the pulpit?  Is it public condemnation from atop the soap box in the park?  Is political action the answer to the problem?

Let’s try to remember our purpose.  Why did Jesus leave us here?  It is not my mission to civilize the culture so that I can live my nice middle class life.  It is not my Christian mission to become politically active so I can enforce the sanity of the Judeo Christian ethic on the country.

We don’t preach against sin just because sin turns our cities into war zones.  We preach against sin so that people will repent!  Our message is not merely that sin is bad and it must be stopped, our message is that sin is so bad it separates you from God and if you don’t repent, you will likewise perish!  Our response to the culture war must be Gospel Centered or it will be useless for the Kingdom of God.

Our job is “to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.” (Acts 26:18).

The first step is to stop calling this a culture war.  Culture wars are fought with culture (politically).  If you fight a spiritual war with politics, you lose.  That is why Christians are so frustrated and why we appear to be losing.  This is not a culture war. It is a spiritual war.  We have been using the wrong weapons. [xi]

In the last chapter we saw that Persecution is the normal state of the Christian and we should expect it.  This chapter we will give you six biblical ways to respond to persecution.  Let me say, that there is not just one proper way to deal with those that oppose us, as though “one size fits all.”  We need to be wise as serpents in dealing with the world.

Different circumstances bring different responses, and sometimes we may respond in two or three different ways.  We should respond in a different way to the sheriff than we do to an angry mob; and we may react one way to someone who argues with us and another way to a thug who is attacking us.  All I can say is that if you have to face persecution, you had better be ready and armed with the knowledge on how to respond in a variety of situations.

#1 When Challenged, Stand

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.  Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” (Ephesians 6:10-11).

The first thing every Christian should be ready to do is to stand his ground.  When people challenge your faith, don’t back down!  Stand courteously, kindly and firmly.  The book of 1 Peter is a primer on persecution.  Read it.  Chapter 3 explains how we should stand against persecution.

“But even if you should suffer for righteousness’ sake, you are blessed. “And do not be afraid of their threats, nor be troubled.”  But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear;  having a good conscience, that when they defame you as evildoers, those who revile your good conduct in Christ may be ashamed.  For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.” (1 Peter 3:14-17).

We may suffer for righteousness sake.  We may be mistreated for our good conduct. It may be the will of God for us to suffer for doing good.  If persecution happens to you, settle in advance how you will deal with it.  Don’t be afraid of your persecutors.  Instead, always be ready to give a reason for the hope that is in you.  Stand kindly and firmly for Jesus.

#2 When Opposed, Love Your Enemy

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you.” (Matthew 5:43-44).

We Christians are to live a counter intuitive life.  It feels right to strike back at our enemies, but God wants us to use even more powerful weapons that are so covert and unexpected that the world has no real defense against them.  In response to hate we are to love.  In response to cursing we are to bless.  In response to evil, we are to do good.  And in response to persecution, we are to pray.

“Repay no one evil for evil. Have regard for good things in the sight of all men.  If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.  Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord.  Therefore ‘If your enemy is hungry, feed him; If he is thirsty, give him a drink; For in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head.’ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”  Romans 12:17-21

#3 When Thugs Attack, Defend Yourself

“Then He said to them, ‘But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.  For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me: ‘And He was numbered with the transgressors.’ For the things concerning Me have an end.’  So they said, ‘Lord, look, here are two swords.’ And He said to them, ‘It is enough.’” (Luke 22:36-39 36).

In Luke 22, Jesus tells His disciples to get a sword. He knew that the time was coming when they would be threatened, persecuted or killed. Jesus was giving approval of the fact that one has the right to self-defense.  Why tell them to get a sword unless there was an appropriate use for it.  It certainly wasn’t for hunting!  No one in their right mind uses a sword to hunt with.  There is no animal in the world that will let you get close enough for the sword to do any damage.  Swords have one purpose and one purpose only: for battle!

There is a Biblical Obligation to Preserve Life.  Jesus never overturned the Old Testament Scriptures which tell us to defend our family or our safety, to defend the weak, or to defend our country.  Here are a few Scriptures that speak to the need to use force for self defense:

Psalm 82:4 “Rescue the weak and needy; Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked.”

Ezekiel 33:6 “…But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet, and the people are not warned, and a sword comes and takes a person from them, he is taken away in his iniquity; but his blood I will require from the watchman’s hand.”

Exodus 22:2 “If a thief is caught breaking in at night and is struck a fatal blow, the defender is not guilty of bloodshed;

Matthew 24:43 “But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into.”

But what about when Jesus said to turn the other cheek in Matthew 5:38-42?  Doesn’t that mean we should not fight back?  This is one of the most misunderstood sayings of the Bible!  It doesn’t mean that at all!  “That expression is a Jewish idiom that describes an insult, similar to the way challenges to duels in the days of King Arthur were made by a backhand slap to the right cheek of your opponent.”[xii]

1. Kent Hughes in his book The Sermon on the Mount: The Message of the Kingdom, states “When Jesus spoke of being slapped on the right cheek He was describing an insult that comes because of one’s faith. It was an insult for which a Jew could seek legal satisfaction according to the law of Lex Talionis. That is, he could seek damages.”[xiii]

In other words, if someone slaps you on the cheek, don’t agree to the duel!  Let him have the satisfaction of slapping you on the other cheek, rather than escalate to a fight.

The principle taught in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:38-42 would seem to be that Christians should not retaliate when insulted or slandered (see also Romans 12:17-21). Such insults do not threaten a Christian’s personal safety. The question of rendering insult for insult, however, is a far cry from defending oneself against a mugger or a rapist.

It is significant that although given the opportunity to do so, none of the New Testament saints–nor even Jesus–are ever seen informing a military convert that he needed to resign from his line of work and become a pacifist. (Matthew 8:5-13; Luke 3:14).

Theologians J. P. Moreland and Norman Geisler say that “to permit murder when one could have prevented it is morally wrong. To allow a rape when one could have hindered it is an evil. To watch an act of cruelty to children without trying to intervene is morally inexcusable. In brief, not resisting evil is an evil of omission, and an evil of omission can be just as evil as an evil of commission. Any man who refuses to protect his wife and children against a violent intruder fails them morally.”[xiv]

What’s the lesson?  Learn to use the sword (or handgun) defensively.  However, the sword is not always the appropriate response.  Self-defense is “protecting oneself from injury at the hand of others.” Self-defense is not about taking vengeance. Self-defense is not about punishing your enemies. Self-defense involves preserving one’s own health and life when it is threatened by the actions of others.

#4 When Mobbed or Persecuted – Flee

“When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes. A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.  It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household!  Therefore do not fear them.” (Matthew 10:23-33).

Sometimes self defense is not possible.  Sometimes it is unsafe to stand your ground.  There is no shame in fleeing to safety.  Running is not our first choice, but sometimes we have no other choice.  We have seen many modern examples of the need to flee from persecution; the latest is in Iraq where in some cities an entire population has fled.

On the other hand, persecution is never to be sought out or endured for the sake of ego or heroism; nor should we intentionally bring it on ourselves. It is not Christian to provoke animosity or ridicule.  Christ urges us to escape persecution when possible. We are not obligated to put our lives in danger until we are imprisoned or killed.

That is the pattern Paul followed throughout his ministry (see Acts 12–14, 17).  That is the pattern that Christians, pastors and missionaries are to follow until the Son of Man comes.  When danger strikes most mission organizations ask their missionaries to pack up their things and board a plane. When they do, some may feel abandoned and others may view the missionaries as cowards.  But most mission agencies weigh in favor of missionary safety in times of revolution and targeted persecution.  It is better to plan a strategic retreat today, so that you will live to share the Gospel tomorrow.  Christian lives and trained Christian ministers are too valuable to lose if we can help it.

#5 When Arrested, Stand Strong and Preach Jesus

“But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name’s sake.  But it will turn out for you as an occasion for testimony.  Therefore settle it in your hearts not to worry beforehand on what you will answer; for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist.  You will be betrayed even by parents and brothers, relatives and friends; and they will put some of you to death.  And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake.” (Luke 21: 12-17).

If a mob of angry thugs is coming for you, I suggest that you use every means at your disposal to evade, avoid, impede, or escape your persecutors.  However if your persecutor is the local police department who have their dogs and guns pointed your way, you may want to come down to the precinct peaceably.  When the state is the persecutor and you have no way to resist, you must do your very best to stand strong and tell them of the reason of the hope that is in you.

Living in the United States, we enjoy the right to speak freely. That isn’t true in places like China where they punish and torture those who stand up for Jesus.

1 Peter 4:15-16 warns, “Let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters.  Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter.”

Every circumstance, good or bad, in our life is meant to lead to the occasion of a testimony of our faith in Jesus Christ.  None of us in this room should be thieves, rapists, murderers or criminals.  If you are going to be arrested, there is nothing better to be arrested for than your faith in Christ.  And if you are to be arrested for your faith, you should be well versed in what you believe so that you can share that faith when you are on trial.  If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?

#6 When Possible, Appeal to Caesar

“So Paul said, “I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged. To the Jews I have done no wrong, as you very well know.  For if I am an offender, or have committed anything deserving of death, I do not object to dying; but if there is nothing in these things of which these men accuse me, no one can deliver me to them. I appeal to Caesar.” (Acts 25:1-12).

Paul had been unjustly arrested and his accusers brought unsubstantiated charges against him.  The trial was easy enough.  He should have been acquitted.  He had been bold in sharing his testimony and making a clear public defense.  The only reason he was in chains was because of his faith in Christ.  But like so many judges, Festus wanted to do the Jews a favor, so he was about to make a decision that would have resulted in a miscarriage of justice.  That is when Paul appealed his case.

When the day comes and you are arrested for your faith, go ahead and use the legal system to the best of your ability.  It is the duty of those in authority to protect law abiding citizens, not to throw them in jail for their faith.  But if a lower official fails to do justice, appeal to a higher court.

Our rights as citizens can be effective tools if we use them in a loving but firm way.  The apostle Paul had not only appealed to Caesar to get a fair trial, he was also going to Rome to preach Jesus.  He was firm in his insistence, “I stand at Caesar’s judgment seat, where I ought to be judged.” (Acts 25:10).

Persecution is nothing new.  It began even before the church was born.  There were five organized efforts within eleven years to persecute the church in Jerusalem.  Saul the persecutor exported a reign of terror to Damascus, and persecution exploded into the empire.

Persecution became so common that books were written about it like Fox’s Book of Martyrs, and more recently “Jesus Freaks; stories of those who stood for Jesus.”  In an early book written by Tertullian called “The Apology,” he writes, “The Blood of the Martyrs is the Seed of the Church.  Kill us, torture us, condemn us, grind us to dust; your injustice is the proof that we are innocent…. The oftener we are mown down by you, the more in number we grow; the blood of Christians is seed.”

In the first 200 years of Christianity there were ample opportunities for martyrdom. It is estimated that 80,000 Christians died for their faith in those early years.

One prominent martyr was Polycarp. He was converted as a child and was a personal disciple of the Apostle John. John appointed him as pastor or bishop of the church at Smyrna. Jesus gave this man a personal message:

“Do not fear any of those things which you are about to suffer. Indeed, the devil is about to throw some of you into prison, that you may be tested, and you will have tribulation ten days. Be faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.” (Revelation 2:10).

It was under the rule of Emperor Marcus Aurelius that persecution of Christians became more intense. Polycarp was arrested because he would not worship the emperor as required by law. When they came to arrest him, following the biblical mandate of Romans 12:20 he welcomed them as friends and offered them food and drink. He only had one request: that they allow him to pray before they took him. He prayed for two hours! The officers were so convicted that they had second thoughts! What were they doing arresting an 86 year old man? When given the opportunity to renounce his faith he answered;

“Eighty-six years I have served Him. He has never done me wrong. How then can I blaspheme my King who has saved me?”

He was burned at the stake, but according to eyewitnesses, the flames didn’t singe him! They finally had to run him through with a sword, and when they did, his blood put out the fire! His martyrdom inspired many watching to turn to Christ.

So profound was the impression of the martyrs on the church, that early Christians used to celebrate the dates of courageous martyrs. These were the birthdays they cared about–for them, the day of martyrdom was the day they were “born” into the presence of God.

But persecution also had a powerful effect on the crowds.  They saw how unjust it was.  They saw the powerful character of the martyrs, and many trusted Christ.  Many more had strong sympathies for Christians.

And so as Revelation 12:11 says, “They conquered them “by the blood of the Lamb and by the world of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death”

In 300 years Christianity went from one man who claimed to be the Christ to 20 million believers scattered throughout the empire.  In Rome itself there were some 15,000 believers and 150 pastors!

Be ready to stand, protect, flee, surrender or die for your faith.  That is the result of daring to live boldly in chaotic times!  That is how to survive and thrive in a hostile society.

(Excerpt from the book “Survival Guide” available on Amazon

[i] https://withmeagrepowers.wordpress.com/2013/07/25/forgiveness-and-the-tragedy-of-the-st-james-massacre/

[ii] http://www.sahistory.org.za/dated-event/st-james-church-massacre

[iii] http://www.wnd.com/2008/07/70372/

[iv] http://sydneyanglicans.net/blogs/graceflow/the-st.-james-massacre

[v] http://www.carlchinn.com/Church_Security_Concepts.html

[vi] http://www.psmag.com/politics-and-law/research-on-shootings-in-churches

[vii] Here’s a sampling of church shootings:

• February 14, 2010 – Richmond, California – Three hooded men walked into Gethsemane Church of God in Christ, opened fire and fled the scene, as the singing of the choir was replaced by frightened screams. Two were hospitalized.
• March 8, 2009 – Maryville, Illinois – Terry Joe Sedlacek, 27 , walked into the First Baptist Church, and shoots pastor Fred Winters dead, point blank. Several church members are injured by a knife in the struggle to capture after the attack, The suspect also had stabbed himself, but survived, when his gun jammed.
• July 27, 2008 – Knoxville, Tennessee – A gunman opens fire in a church during a youth performance, killing two people and injuring seven.
• Dec. 9, 2007 – Colorado – Three people are killed and five wounded in two shooting rampages, one at a missionary school in suburban Denver and one at a church in Colorado  Springs. The gunman in the second incident is killed by a  guard.
• May 20, 2007 – Moscow, Idaho – A standoff between police and a suspect in the shootings of three people in a Presbyterian Church ended with three dead, including one  police officer.
• Aug. 12, 2007 – Neosho, Missouri – First Congregational Church – 3 killed – Eiken Elam Saimon shot and killed the pastor and two deacons and wounded five others.
• May 21, 2006 – Baton Rouge, Louisiana – The Ministry of Jesus Christ Church – 4 killed – The four at the church who were shot were members of Erica Bell’s family; she was  abducted and murdered elsewhere; Bell’s mother, church  pastor Claudia Brown, was seriously wounded – Anthony Bell,  25, was the shooter.
• Feb. 26, 2006 – Detroit, Michigan – Zion Hope Missionary Baptist Church – 2 killed + shooter – Kevin L. Collins, who reportedly went to the church looking for his girlfriend,  later killed himself.
• April 9, 2005 – College Park, Georgia – A 27-year-old airman died after being shot at a church, where he had once worked as a security guard.
• March 12, 2005 – Brookfield, Wisconsin – Living Church of God – 7 killed + shooter – Terry Ratzmann opened fire on the congregation, killing seven and wounding four before taking his own life.
• July 30, 2005 – College Park, Georgia – World Changers Church International – shooter killed – Air Force Staff Sgt. John Givens was shot five times by a police officer after charging the officer, following violent behavior.
• Dec. 17, 2004, Garden Grove, Calif.: A veteran musician at the Crystal Cathedral shoots himself to death after a nine -hour standoff.
• Oct. 5, 2003 – Atlanta, Georgia – Turner Monumental AME Church – 2 killed + shooter – Shelia Wilson walked into the church while preparations are being made for service and shot the pastor, her mother and then herself.
• June 10, 2002 – Conception, Missouri – Benedictine monastery – 2 killed + shooter – Lloyd Robert Jeffress shot four monks in the monastery killing two and wounding two, before killing himself.
• March 12, 2002 – Lynbrook, New York – Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church – 2 killed – Peter Troy, a former mental patient, opens fire during Mass, killing the priest and a parishioner. He later receives a life sentence.
• May 18, 2001 – Hopkinsville, Kentucky – Greater Oak Missionary Baptist Church – 2 killed – Frederick Radford stood up in the middle of a revival service and began shooting at his estranged wife, Nicole Radford, killing her and a woman trying to help her.
• Sept. 15, 1999 – Fort Worth, Texas – Wedgewood Baptist Church – 7 killed + shooter – Larry Gene Ashbrook shot dead seven people and injured a further seven at a concert by Christian rock group Forty Days in Fort Worth, Texas before killing himself.
• April 15, 1999 – Salt Lake City, Utah – LDS Church Family History Library – 2 killed + shooter – Sergei Babarin, 70, with a history of mental illness, entered the library, killed two people and wounded four others before he was gunned down by police.

[viii] http://www.defensivecarry.com/forum/general-firearm-discussion/98256-18-church-shootings-11-years-comprehensive-list.html

[ix] http://www.patheos.com/blogs/manhattanproject/2013/11/the-church-must-respond-to-religious-persecution/

[x]  The Suicide of American Christianity: Drinking the Cool Aid of Secular Humanism

By Michael D. Lemay https://books.google.com/books?id=bJJYcnfl8dYC&pg=PA292&lpg=PA292&dq=we+are+in+a+battle+for+the+hearts+and+minds+of+america+christian&source=bl&ots=39hKvDxd1y&sig=nvts9IanelarUAgB6cfCGLzlzm4&hl=en&sa=X&ei=8nEuVbv1JIu1oQS6sYDACw&ved=0CCUQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q&f=false

[xi] http://www.thegospelintheendtimes.com/christian-living/stop-calling-it-culture-war/

[xii] http://home.earthlink.net/~ronrhodes/qselfdefense.html

[xiii] http://preparedchristian.net/should-christians-practice-self-defense/#.VXBW-nnbLhc

[xiv] http://home.earthlink.net/~ronrhodes/qselfdefense.html

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There was once a tiger who woke up early one morning, and just felt great (just like Tony the Tiger: GREAAAAAAT).

Anyway, he felt so good, he went out and cornered a small monkey and roared at him: “WHO IS THE MIGHTIEST OF ALL THE JUNGLE ANIMALS?” And this poor quaking little monkey replied: “You are of course, no one is mightier than you.”

A little while later the tiger confronted a deer, and bellowed out: “WHO IS THE GREATEST AND STRONGEST OF ALL THE JUNGLE ANIMALS?” The deer was shaking so hard it could barely speak, but managed to stammer: “Oh great tiger, you are by far the mightiest animal in the jungle.”

The tiger, being on a roll, swaggered up to an elephant that was quietly munching on some weeds, and roared at the top of his voice: “WHO IS THE MIGHTIEST OF ALL THE ANIMALS IN THE JUNGLE?”

Well, the elephant grabbed the tiger with his trunk, picked him up, slammed him down; again, and again until the tiger was just a blur of orange and black; and finally threw him violently into a nearby tree.

The tiger staggered to his feet, and as he scampered away, he mumbled over his shoulder to the elephant: “Man, just because you don’t know the answer to a simple question doesn’t mean you have to get so uptight about it!”

It’s easy for an elephant to throw a tiger.  But it is much more difficult for a man to throw an elephant.  The Elephant weighs a great deal.  Many ordinary people weigh a lot, hut none weighs as much as an elephant. Even when elephants are small. they are very, very heavy. Elephants are also tall, even when they are short. Even a short elephant is taller than a tall man.  Beware of elephant hurlers!

Ever heard of  Elephant hurling?  Elephant hurling is a tactic in which a debater will dump elephant loads of irrelevant evidence on you in order to win an argument, while hoping you won’t notice how faulty the information is.  Beware of incoming elephants.

We met one of those elephants last week.  It was the claim that the Darwinist has elephant loads of evidence to back up his theories.  On his side are 150 years of scientific research, while the creationist only has a mouse sized antiquated Bible to back up his claims.  That’s elephant hurling.

But last week we looked at two mighty arguments in favor of Creation.  1.  Design Points to a Designer.  This is one of the main points in favor of creation.  The complex world  could not have come into existence without a designer.  2.  Fine Tuning requires a Find Tuner.  What we discovered was this: There are hundreds of unbelievably precise numbers that all add up to life on planet earth.  If just one of them was slightly out of tune, there would be no life at all!  The universe was engineered by an amazing creator.

Today we are going to get the elephant off our back.  We are going to look at one more powerful evidence for creation.

1. Procreation requires a Pro Creator! 24-25

And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. 25 God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.

10 times in Genesis 1, the bible says that plants and animals were created to reproduce after their own kind.  What does that mean.  Two things:

#1 we were engineered by a creator to reproduce ONLY after our kind. 

In the 1700s A scientist named Lazarro Spallanzani figured this out by sewing tiny silk pants for frogs.  I kid you not.  Spallanzani’s tiny frog pants allowed the animals to assume mating behaviors but blocked the exchange of fluids. And what happened of course was that no frog babies were made.[i]  But once the frogs removed the pants, those frogs had frog babies – every time.

The creation model says that one animal kind cannot turn into a different animal kind.  Protozoan will never evolve into algae, cats will not become dogs, nor will apes ever evolve into humans.

In fact, every living species has its own unique, matching number of chromosomes.  A toad has 11 pairs of chromosomes, an alligator 16, a cat 19, a rhesus monkey 21, a human 23, a potato 24, and a chicken 39.  Mashed potatoes and fried chicken have more chromosomes than we do!  That should tell you something!

An animal with 13 chromosomes cannot mate with a species with 12 or 14.  Whenever that rare mismatch does happen, such as a horse mating with a donkey to produce a mule, the offspring is sterile.  Cats cannot mate with dogs, mosquitoes with flies, lizards with amphibians or humans with monkeys.[ii]  Nor do they want to.

That isn’t to say that change doesn’t happen to animals.  Scientists have determined that many animals have diversified so that today they are typically represented by a whole family. For example, the family Canidae is believed to be made up of animals from a single created kind. This family includes dogs, wolves, coyotes, foxes, and jackals. It consists of 34 species.   But they are all the dog kind.[iii]  And they will always be Canidae, and will never turn into horses or antelope.

Consider that there are over 7.5 billion human beings on the planet and they are all fundamentally exactly the same with only minor differences of color, size or style – surely if we were the result of spontaneous evolution there would be myriad different human derivatives on the planet – such as star trek suggests.  Throughout history there have been an estimated 100 billion human beings born on this planet. There is no evidence that humans ever been anything other than human.[iv]  They have been taller, shorter, whiter, blacker, smarter, and dumber, but they have always been human.

The Ship of evidence that carries Darwin’s theories is full of gaping holes, and yet a huge following will not allow it to sink!  No one has ever shown that one species can change into another.  In all of recorded & archeological history there is not one animal that has ever been noted to change into another.  Yesterday’s fossils may be smaller or bigger, or slightly proportioned differently, but dogs are still dogs, and people have always been people.  The fossil record is now so complete that the lack of transitional creatures must be explained by the fact that they never were!

#2 if we were created by a master engineer, all of our life processes had to be created fully formed at the same time.  In fact we suggest that there is no possible way for them to gradually develop.

Let me ask you this age old question, “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?”  If the egg came first, how did it get there (a chicken laid it)… OK, so the chicken came first.  How did the chicken get there?  From an egg?  Where did the egg come from?  From a chicken.  So when you talk about the chicken, was first chicken a hen or a rooster?  Can you have a fertilized egg without both?  So to have a fertilized egg, you need both a male and a female.  If it was both, what are the chances of both the hen and the rooster luckily evolving at the exact right time, with the exact right plumbing needed to lay eggs?

Evolution doesn’t just have one problem: the evolution of the chicken, they have two:  the evolution of the male and the female of every species at exactly the same time.  That doubles the trouble!  That means they must roll double sixes every time!

Those who say there is no Creator need to explain how male and female in every species that operate so perfectly together and so intimately came into existence spontaneously with no Engineered design to make sure that the two halves could work together first time – they could not have “evolved” in a random spontaneous way because they only work when they are complete in every way.

The female has the capacity to produce both male and female children.  The male has NO capability to produce offspring.  So how did these two life forms spontaneously evolve and then suddenly reach a point where the male ceased to spontaneously evolve and the female suddenly developed the capability to produce offspring of both genders?  Note that the male needs to know the female exists and vice-versa for procreation to occur.

How about insects?  Some insects have such a short life span which may be measured in days or hours.  At some point sexual reproduction must take place in order for the organism to continue to exist.  So the organism cannot spontaneously evolved over millions of years.  It had to be there complete and functional and able to breed in hours or minutes, or no flies!  Shucks!

This is what we call the law of biogenesis.   The man who discovered this was Louis Pasteur, an outstanding scientist and an opponent of evolution.[v]  The Law of biogenesis says that living things come only from other living things, by means of reproduction.

Let’s talk about what it takes to engineer reproduction and birth.  It is highly complex.  We’ll start with simple.  First a Male and female are required.  The first male and first  female had to be fully formed in order for reproduction to take place.  Unless all of the parts are there and functioning together, you cannot have reproduction.  As we shall see, only a master engineer could do that.

A new life is started the moment a human sperm cell unites with a human egg. Sounds simple, doesn’t it?  It is not.

In order to reproduce, a human male must be attracted to a human female and intimacy must occur.  The male plumbing needs to perfectly fit the female in a way that is pleasurable so that the man and woman will desire to reproduce.  [vi]

Once Sperm is placed inside a woman it finds itself in a very hostile ACIDIC environment.  A woman’s body is created with defenses that destroy microscopic intruders. But it just so happens that the fluids produced by the male seminal vesicles surprisingly have the right components to temporarily neutralize the acid. Once the acid is neutralized, wallah, another incredible thing happens!  The sperm now become activated.  But then they meet a roadblock.  A thick sticky mucus plug blocks their way. However, another male product I can’t pronounce (called prostaglandins) amazingly causes this mucus to become more liquid-like. Now sperm are able to swim into the uterus to fertilize the egg. [vii]

A woman can produce half a million eggs.  But she only releases one at a time.  Once the Egg is released it begins a 14 day treacherous journey, coincidentally moved along by tiny fingerlike structures.  Imagine the Egg popping out of a huge skyscraper with 250,000 windows and then rolling down 30 miles of highway to the other side of town to cross the eighteenth fairway of a golf course it has never seen and then to make a hole in one!   All without a hitch.

Meanwhile, the trek which the sperm takes is equivalent to a 150 mile long journey.  When the journey begins, between 200 to 500 million sperm set out for the eighteenth fairway, but only about 200 total make it to their destination Because some amazing coincidences happen along the way.  The sperm divide up into three teams.  The first team is known as Fertilizers or egg getters.  They head straight for the fairway.  The second team is called blockers.  They follow the egg getters through the cervix and plug up the way behind them to make sure that no other sperm can follow. The third team are called killers.  They are like the secondary.  They linger between the blockers and the egg getters and attack any slow swimming, stray sperm that may have made it past the blockers.

Eventually there will be just one sperm that will be allowed to enter the egg, and it may not be the first to arrive.  [viii]

These are just a few of the amazing engineering feats that must take place in order for reproduction to occur.  It is incredibly complex, perfectly timed, and amazingly designed.

Billions of interactions are needed to make the entire fertilization a success.  If conception does not occur, millions of additional interactions are needed to undo the monthly effort.  The body is designed to keep trying until we are too old.  None of this can happen randomly it has to be the consequence of a master engineer who designed and built the two halves of the whole so that they perfectly fit together.

I’m sorry, but we are out of time.  But let me end with this:

Despite repeated attempts under every reproducible circumstance, scientists have been unable to come up with a reasonable explanation for the origin of life without a creator.  The more that we have an understanding of the chemistry involved, the more we realize we need a designer.  Because of the impossibility of random chance creating life, Many evolutionists have now chosen to dodge the issue by claiming that the origin of life is not part of the theory of evolution.

The optimism of early Darwinism is gone. The mood of evolutionary scientists on Origin of Life is grim-full of frustration, pessimism and desperation.  Sexual Reproduction is a Continuing Mystery to Evolutionists

And one other thing.  So far we have been unable to reproduce life in the laboratory.  All the amazing breakthroughs of outstanding scientists in their quest to create life in the laboratory have one thing in common: If they ever succeed they are only possible under the strictest and most rigorous of laboratory procedures, processes, and protocols, and only under the guidance and direction of the most brilliant scientific minds working with the most advanced equipment available. These procedures and processes will not pop out of thin air; they are themselves built on the collective acquired knowledge and experience of thousands of different researchers and represent, literally, millions of man-hours of intensive labor, contemplation, and analysis. None of them could have conceivably taken place in a prebiotic swamp through undirected processes.[ix]

The bottom line?  Life requires a brilliant creator!

[i] https://www.sapiens.org/column/origins/sperm-and-reproduction/

[ii] What Darwin Didn’t Know, By Geoffrey Simmons, M.D. Harvest House Publishers, P 58

[iii] https://answersingenesis.org/evidence-for-creation/life-designed-by-god-to-adapt/

[iv] What Darwin Didn’t Know, By Geoffrey Simmons, M.D. Harvest House Publishers

[v] https://creation.com/louis-pasteur

[vi] https://theroperreportsite.wordpress.com/2017/09/17/sexual-reproduction-proves-creation/

[vii] https://www.icr.org/article/4314

[viii] What Darwin Didn’t Know, By Geoffrey Simmons, M.D. Harvest House Publishers, chapter 3

[ix] https://www.algemeiner.com/2011/08/17/scientists-prove-again-that-life-is-the-result-of-intelligent-design/