The Bible says that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.

Does this mean in order to be wise we need to be afraid of God? Is God supposed to terrify us? Why would a loving God want his children to fear him?

Telling people we should fear God is biblical, but if we're not careful to explain what we mean, we run the risk of misrepresenting God to people, or distorting what a relationship with God truly looks like.

In this Quick Questions video, we explain what the fear of the Lord is, and what it means for life with him.

To watch the video, visit preparedtoanswer.org/afraid-of-god

For more great answers to faith questions, visit us at preparedtoanswer.org.

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Why isn't living the Christian life easier?

In pondering this, you might have asked yourself these next two questions:

1. Why do I still sin? Why can't I stop? Why can't I just live like a Christian?
2. Why don't people accept my beliefs? Why do they hate that I'm a Christian? 

First, it's important to know if you're a Christian, because if you're not one to begin with, you can't live the Christian life. There's no point considering the Christian life until you've made that decision. Jesus said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God" (John 3:3). 

But after becoming a Christian, how do we explain that so many believers find it difficult to live the Christian life? Shouldn't it be easier?

It's critical to know that the key to living the Christian life is not something, but someone: The Holy Spirit. God gifts him to us the moment we're born again. 

He empowers youto live out God's plan for your life and also enables you to be a bright light for him in a dark and often hostile world.

Find encouragement and practical guidance for living the Christian life today.

In this audio from an online event hosted by Prepared to Answer, guest presenter Pastor Dan Johnson explains how Christians can find the daily power they need to live a joyful and victorious Christian life.

Read the full presentation summary: preparedtoanswer.org/hard-christian-life

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Conspiracy theories are nothing new. It's an important topic, because conspiracies do happen. And, where people in positions of power conspire to abuse that power for immoral ends, good people ought to oppose it.

Discussing conspiracy theories, however, is difficult:

1. First, as Joseph Uscinski points out, the term “conspiracy theory” can be weaponized and used to deride ideas and people.
2. Second, conspiracy theories are often political, and therefore evoke our own biases. 
3. Third, conspiracy theories may be true or false, which can complicate how we view or use the term itself.

 Perhaps even more important than the truth behind conspiracy theories is the truth behind our motives for being drawn to them in the first place.

So, how can we do our best to avoid falling prey to or becoming complicit in promoting false conspiracy theories? 

Since conspiracy theories will always be with us, we want to give you three biblical principles to help you.

Prefer to read it?  preparedtoanswer.org/conspiracy-theories

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Even if we can make a sound argument for a divine creator from scientific evidence, is there any way of showing that this divine Creator is the Christian God who revealed himself as Jesus Christ?

In this video of a live online event hosted by Prepared to Answer, Dr. Kirk Durston lays out a clear argument for rationally justifying why we can believe that the divine creator who science points to is the Christian God of the Bible.

Without favouring any one religion, an objective and honest approach would be to ask three questions of any religion:

1. Is there reason to believe the founder of this religion had any special connection to the creator of the universe?
2. Is there reason to believe that the sacred text of this religion came from a supernatural source?
3. Is/are the god(s) of this religion easy to explain, or is it/are they difficult to explain?

Christianity is the only religion in history that supplies a broad and sound base of reasons for believing that the divine creator has revealed himself as the God of the Bible and Christianity.

What reasons to believe does Christianity offer?

• Reason 1: Jesus as God
• Reason 2: The Bible as a supernatural text
• Reason 3: God as a triune being (the Trinity)

There’s strong reason for believing that Jesus Christ, who claimed to be God in the flesh, is indeed the Creator of the universe and one true God.

Read the full presentation summary: preparedtoanswer.org/creator-christian-god

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What’s the real meaning behind why Jesus’ was born? 

More specifically, what’s so significant about the incarnation?

Jesus’ virgin birth as “the Son of God” defines history. After all, if God the Creator was really born in human flesh, then there’s only one question that really matters, namely, “Why did he do that?”

The miracle of the incarnation supplies the only foundation for the gospel of God’s love. 

Christmas was the activation of God’s eternal plan to provide the payment of ransom that would rescue sinners from their sin. 

Slow down in the rush of the Christmas season to reflect on and worship God for the great miracle of Jesus’ incarnation.

Prefer to read the article? Find it at preparedtoanswer.org/meaning-jesus-birth

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Christians are often concerned at Christmastime with “keeping Christ in Christmas.” But maybe we should spend a bit more time thinking about which “Christ” it is we’re “keeping.”

Unfortunately, even sincere attempts to “keep Christ in Christmas” can lead us astray. 

Heart-tugging reflections on how Mary or Joseph must have felt, or the humble circumstances of Jesus birth, surely have their place. But only as backdrop for the true significance of the event. 

The meaning and miracle of Jesus’ birth was the pivotal moment in creation history. 

It was that instant in time when the Creator took the human nature of the creature upon himself forever. 

God becoming one of us is the power behind the Christmas story.

Prefer to read the article? Find it at preparedtoanswer.org/keeping-christ-in-christmas

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Is the Christmas story historically reliable?

It’s often presented with an almost “mythic” quality. It’s no wonder then that skeptics are quick to write it off as nothing more than an invention of early Christian imagination. 

But if you take time to really look at the Christmas story in Luke’s gospel, you’ll find the markings of a carefully composed record of history.

Aside from being a medical doctor, Luke was also a trained historian whose New Testament writings show all of the signatures of a carefully constructed historical document. 

Skeptics claim that Luke got it wrong about the census. They see this as proof that Jesus’ birth account wasn’t historical. 

A closer look, however, gives us some of our best reasons for accepting it as historical fact.

Prefer to read the article? Find it at preparedtoanswer.org/christmas-story-historical

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Since we don’t have the original copies of the New Testament writings, have God’s actual words to us somehow been lost over time?

This has become an extremely important issue for Christians today, as more and more skeptical voices in our culture cast doubts on the trustworthiness of the Bible.

In this podcast episode, we welcome Wesley Huff, a Christian apologist who specializes in the study of how the New Testament was transmitted and preserved through the centuries since Jesus walked the earth.

Wesley joins us to discuss some of the important issues related to Biblical inerrancy - whether the Bible contains mistakes. 

Skeptics, and even some Christians, have confused God’s inspired and living Word with the physical copies of the scriptures themselves. Wes helps us make some very important distinctions between the original copies that no longer exist, and the text that they contained. 

You'll leave with some great resources to dig deeper and grow your confidence that the Bible we possess in the 21st Century is as much the Word of God as the original copies penned by the apostles.

Join Scott and Wesley as they explore the question of Biblical inerrancy in this week's new podcast episode. 

Show resources available here: preparedtoanswer.org/episode9

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“Why does God let bad things happen to me?”

We all face difficult, challenging, and even hurtful events in life. Being a follower of Jesus does not exempt us from this.

These experiences can often leave Christians wondering why, if God loves us, he still allows such things to happen.

Really, this a ground level question. Before we dive in, we need to make sure that we have a proper perspective of the whole picture. A 30,000 foot view.

Join Scott as he explores these critical questions:

1. Who is God?
2. Why does he do anything?
3. Why would God allow evil?

And ultimately, "Why would God allow bad things to happen to me?"

In this video, from a talk to high school students during a live online event, Scott develops a biblical, gospel-centred understanding of why God allows even bad things into our lives.

Show page at preparedtoanswer.org/why-does-god-allow-bad-things

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Should Christians be concerned about social justice? 

The question almost answers itself. Of course, we should. After all, since God is unquestionably concerned with justice, can his children be any less? Indeed, it was for justice that Jesus came.

One of the increasing difficulties Christians face is that while we use the same words as the world around us, we often don’t attach the same meaning to them.

As we seek the pursuit of social justice as God desires, we must be sure to let Scripture, and not culture, guide our understanding of what “social justice” really means.

Prefer to read the article? Find it at preparedtoanswer.org/how-should-christians-view-social-justice

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