Reliable Truth

Is there credible evidence that shows that the Biblical story is in harmony with secular history?

Unlike other religious literature, the Bible is not centered in a series of moral, spiritual, and liturgical teachings. The Bible centers around what God did in history and what He revealed in history. Peter Moore, the founder of Trinity Seminary said that Christianity is the only world religion to make spiritual truth depend on historical events. English historian and author Paul Johnson bolsters this truth by stating, “Christianity is essentially a historical religion. It bases its claims on the historical facts it asserts. If these are demolished it is nothing.”

Last week I shared stories of people who were convinced the Bible was a book full of myths. But once they were confronted with the strong possibility that the Bible was historical and true, it led each of them down a path to Christ. If the Gospels are true, then Jesus, the Son of God coming into the world would be even as talk-show host Larry King has admitted, the defining moment in all of history. And so today I want to talk with you about Christianity and the historical record. For me, it all started when I stumbled upon a history book of ancient Rome over 30 years ago. 

How do we know that the Bible is truly God’s written revelation? It’s a legitimate question. This question always seems to come up in our culture and in our world today, and it plagues the skeptical mind. 

And how can such an ancient document have any relevance to modern life? As C.S. Lewis was on his search, he stated honestly, “What I could not understand was how the life and death of someone else 2000 years ago could help us here and now.” I asked the same question years ago. I realized that I first accepted the Bible as God’s written revelation because several people that I trusted told me that it was. But I was never given a good reason. You know, just believe it. Just have faith in it. 

As I look back, I felt that I was being told not to doubt. I believe this can be dangerous in a person’s life because it can take us in many different directions. For me, personally, I needed to know why I should believe it is God’s word. What kind of evidence is available, to show that the Biblical story is in harmony with secular history?

How well do we know ourselves? How well do we understand the deep longings of the heart?

I believe that the better we know ourselves, the healthier we are and the better we can relate to others. Healthy people know themselves.

Each one of us is searching for something, but sometimes we're just not sure what we're after. I contend that if we could peel back all the layers of our lives and get to the innermost being, we would all discover that we're attempting to satisfy the hunger and thirst of the soul that only Jesus Christ can satisfy. Today, I'll share some key ways that we can find true contentment and lasting joy in life.

Where is God in the midst of our pain and our suffering? Is it possible that God has a much different view of pain than we do? In the book of I Corinthians, Paul tells us that the wisdom of God often appears to be foolishness to mankind. 

I contend that often God’s greatest blessings are a result of the painful events of life. And the opposite of that is true as well - that often prosperity and comfort can corrupt us - they can corrupt us spiritually. I believe that God transforms pain, using it to teach and strengthen us, if we allow it to turn our hearts toward Him. Character, wisdom, compassion, Christlikeness. These are what God desires for us. This is the door, He says, that leads to our ultimate happiness and to a high quality of life. 

Pain and suffering may be the road that gets us there.

If there is a loving God, if He is kind and loving, why is there so much pain and evil and suffering in this life? Maybe this is not important to you. Maybe right now you’re at a point in your life where you’re kind of insulated from it, you haven’t had any big waves of difficulty come your way, but this question will be important to you one day, I predict.

I had lunch Wednesday with a guy who, a year ago said that life had never been better. But this past November he had to bury his 18-year-old son. And he said to me, "Now, every day I think about this. I think about the pain, and the hurt, and the why." 

Today I want to consider some of the questions that are naturally raised when we see dreadful suffering among our fellow man. Maybe you’re experiencing suffering right now, and you have questions. I pray that this message will bring you fresh courage and hope in the God who is there for you.

In celebration of Father’s Day today, Richard‘s guest is Jeremiah Castille, University of Alabama football legend and All American, who went on to play for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Denver Broncos. Jeremiah has a heart for mentoring young people, and currently serves as the chaplain for the University of Alabama football team. Jeremiah gave this message to a large gathering of fathers and sons. 

Jeremiah says that when he looks back on his life, he can see how God prepared him for the ministry work he does today.  He knows that God used his mother and his Coach Bear Bryant to influence his life to help his fellow man. 

The Jeremiah Castille Ministry provides ministerial programs for marriage, family and individual Biblical counseling in addition to individual and group discipleship, motivational speaking forums and evangelist engagements. Find out more by visiting www.castillefoundation.org.

With Father's Day coming soon, I wanted to share this talk to fathers and daughters. I believe one of the most important responsibilities that we have as fathers is to teach our children to be wise - that when they leave our houses, they would possess great wisdom. 

Proverbs 3 says, “Wisdom is more precious than jewels and nothing you desire compares with her. Long life is in her right hand and in her left hand are riches and honor. Her ways are pleasant ways, and all her paths are peace. She’s a tree of life to those who hold her and happy are all who hold her fast.”

Dads, we must be very proactive in teaching our daughters about what it means to be wise. In today's episode I cover four important issues that your daughters really need to understand, along with specific ways we can pray for our daughters. Happy Father's Day!

The greater the power anything has for good, the greater the power it correspondingly has for evil. This is called the Principle of Double Effect. An example of this might be nuclear power. When you harness nuclear power, it can be used for such good in generating electricity for people's homes and for businesses. But when it's made into a bomb, it can be incredibly destructive. 

Another application of this principle goes like this: the greater the power anything has for joy in this life, the greater the power it also correspondingly has for pain. You see, God has given us a number of wonderful gifts that bring much joy and goodness to our lives, but they bring this joy and goodness when they're used and enjoyed the way God intended. But, when these same gifts are misused and abused by us, they can bring an incredible amount of pain and sorrow to our lives. 

I believe this is particularly true of sex. Our sexuality is one of the most meaningful and powerful sources of joy in this life, but it's only when we experience it in the way God designed it. However, when our sexuality is misused and abused, it is the source of unbelievable pain and heartache. Unfortunately, large numbers of young people are finding their lives damaged emotionally, psychologically and physically because of careless and ill-advised decisions they've made with their bodies. Today I'm presenting the Biblical view of sexuality - the way God designed it. I contend that the healthiest, most meaningful, most satisfying and most pleasurable sexual experience is found between a man and a woman in a covenant relationship called marriage.

What does the farmer expect from the fruit trees he plants? To bear fruit, of course! Today I want to look at the parable of The Sower and the Seed, and it’s found in three of the Gospels. Today we'll study it from Matthew 13. 

The seed is God’s Word, and the soil is man’s heart. Who is the sower that sows the seed? It’s not God. It's you and me! We’re called and have been given the privilege to plant and water God's truth in people’s lives. So God basically has chosen to make His appeal to the world through us.

But Satan desires to blind the mind, to snatch away the message. To snatch away the Gospel. There’s a great verse - it’s Acts 26:18, where the apostle Paul said, “God’s desire is to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the dominion of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those that have been sanctified by faith in Me.”

This should be our objective: to be growing and maturing in our faith, in our relationship with God, so that our life is useful to the Master and has the ability to bear fruit, wherever God chooses for you and for me to be fruitful. 

I encourage you to pray consistently Colossians 4:2-3, "...That God would open up a door..." I don’t believe that you should go and barge into somebody’s life and say, "This is what you need to do." Instead, pray this: "Lord I pray that you would open up a door. I’m ready to be used by You, I’m looking to you to open up a door to be used in the life of somebody else." 

I promise you, if you will pray that, it will happen. Just get ready.

What is the role of truth in our lives? 

I believe we must learn the importance of finding out what is true - because truth is paramount in the Christian faith. King David warns us in Psalm 15, of the importance of speaking the truth in our hearts. Healthy people are willing to confront the truth about themselves - and take appropriate action. 

People who have the habit of not facing the truth, have a habit of having trouble living in every aspect of their lives, in their jobs and in their personal relationships as well. Being centered on the truth is crucial to a healthy, vital human life.

How healthy are you?