Saturday, August 17, 2013

Pray for Egypt | Ravi Zacharias


Dear Friend,

I am sure you are all following the news of what is happening in Egypt. Between the media and so much political correctness, few are willing to say what the real story is. At RZIM we received a very heart-rending letter from our colleague there. It is painful to read. The prolonged nationwide disruption and brutality of those supposedly just staging a "sit-in" are horrific. How can anyone so destroy their own country and kill their own people and murder minorities and still claim to be for the democratic process? The tragedy is beyond description.

Please pray for Egypt. Pray for its people. This is the land that once gave our Lord refuge. Now it is an arena of carnage and hate. We must pray fervently. Pray for peace in the country; for opposing forces—for the sake of their children—to be willing to talk and bridge nobly a wide chasm; for wisdom for the government and security forces as they deal with the current crisis; for international leaders to have the courage to face reality and make wise decisions; for protection for the church; for the message of the Gospel to shine amid the darkness and for hearts and minds to be opened to the truth.

Many people are being abused and terrorized. Please do pray for Egypt. Only God is able to change this situation in the land.



Ravi Zacharias

The Cosmological Argument



Dear Friends of Reasonable Faith,

Our team is very excited to share with you the first in a series of short animations that aim to explain Dr. Craig's arguments in a clear, simple, and fresh way. The first video covers the "Kalam Cosmological Argument."

These videos are designed to appeal to both unbelievers and believers alike who are new to Dr. Craig's work. These videos will be a great starting point for newcomers to Reasonable Faith.

Additionally each video will be supported with a page on our website full of resources for further study such as videos, podcasts, articles and books.

Finally, we would appreciate your help in getting the word out about this video via social media and word of mouth. We pray that you are able to use this short video and these resources to help others see the truth of God that is evident in His creation.

God Bless you all,

Lee Koz
Executive Director
Reasonable Faith


Milwaukee Apologetics Conference Sept. 2013


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TACTICS TO DISCUSSING YOUR FAITH CONFERENCE

Milwaukee, WI
September 6-7

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With Paul Nelson, Greg Koukl, John Njoroge, and others

Join us for an amazing weekend of training, with Paul Nelson (featured in “Expelled” with Ben Stein), Greg Koukl (author of "Tactics" and president of Stand to Reason), John Njoroge (speaker and radio host with Ravi Zacharias Ministries), and many more. Topics include: Debunking #1 Bestselling book “Zealot” by Reza Aslan, Why God Allows Evil, Understanding Old Testament Violence, The Difficult Doctrine of Hell, Precious Unborn Human Persons, The Secularized Church, and more.

Thanks to our partners at Illustra Media, every attendee will receive a free DVD copy of Lee Strobel's film "The Case for a Creator."

September 6-7, 2013

Time:

Friday, 7 pm – 9 pm
Saturday, 9 am – 5 pm

Location:

Woodridge Community Church
13800 W Howard Ave.
New Berlin, WI 53151



Costs:

$ 15 - General Admission (Youth *under 18)
$ 25 - General Admission (Adult)
$ 55 - VIP Admission (**Limit 50** Includes meet & greet with speakers, special session on "Christianity & Culture," catered lunch, and VIP goody bag).

Register now: www.solidreasons.com/tactics/

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FALL APOLOGETICS EVENTS
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www.apologeticsevents.com

Thursday, August 8, 2013

Neighbor and Kingdom (Slice)

Neighbor and Kingdom

The Gospel of Luke tells of an occasion when a religious expert stood up to test Jesus as he was teaching. “Rabbi,” the young man asked, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Inviting him to answer his own question Jesus inquired, “What is written in the Law? How do you read it?” The man answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind. And, love your neighbor as yourself.” Affirming this answer, Jesus replied, “Do this and you will live.” But the man, wanting to justify his question, was not yet satisfied. Putting another question before the poised and confident rabbi, he asked, “And who is my neighbor?”

When I read this story, I imagine the impish grin that appears in the aftermath the young man’s words, the satisfied ring of his question echoing into the crowd. Human motivation is so interesting. Did the young man really want an answer to that question? Was he trying to trap Jesus and his words somewhere within a philosophical or theological debate? Did he care about his neighbor in the least?

Wherever the question was intended to take them, Jesus had no qualms commandeering it toward a mysterious kingdom, in a manner that was often his style. He told a parable:

A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coinsand gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have’ (Luke 10:30-35).

Closing the parable then with a question that could not be manipulated, Jesus asked, “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”

It is interesting to note that Jesus did not give us the reasons the Levite and the priest passed the injured man on the road—though there may have been many that came to mind. In his lack of explanation, it is as if Jesus hints that there is no reason that justifies their apathy. In any case, both men in the parable seem to approach the situation with a personal thought in mind: “What will happen to me if I stop and help this man?” They may have reasoned that they didn’t have time, that if they stopped they would be late to wherever it was they were going. They may have reasoned that someone else would eventually stop. Yet in the response of the Samaritan, the question of the former travelers is reversed: “What will happen to this man if I don’t stop?” he seems to ask. What will happen to my neighbor if I refuse to see him?

Jesus once said, “If you are not for me, you are against me.” His words seem harsh, and yet, anyone who has ever suffered from any kind of racial or religious oppression is painfully aware of the truth that is spoken in his words. Those who stand apathetically in the background of persecution, persecute by passivity. If you are not for me, you are against me. To be sure, a non-answer very clearly becomes an answer. So it is with our neighbor. So it is with Christ. In the kingdom he presents, there is a cost to inaction or distraction or calculated dismissal. The words of Christ still ring into a lonely world, “Whatever you did for the least of these, so you did for me.”

Jill Carattini