Where Do Dinosaurs Fit In The Bible?

The 2nd "Christianity Questions and Answers" podcast CQA 002

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Hey friends, this is my second podcast on “Christianity Questions and Answers.” The purpose of the podcast is to help people answer questions about the Christian faith.

In this episode I cover a question many ask: “Where do dinosaurs fit in the Bible?”

Great question, huh? Some people think that evidence of dinosaurs proves there are inaccuracies in the Bible or that science and the Bible somehow conflict.

In this episode, we’ll see how they don’t conflict at all. Dinosaurs fit in the Bible. In fact, dinosaurs are actually another evidence of the existence of God and the accuracy of the Bible.

 To listen, just hit the play arrow above.

 To listen in iTunes click HERE. 

BTW, most of my recent written blogs have audio versions, which you can hear by hitting the play arrow at the top of those blogs.

But this “Christianity Questions and Answers podcast is different—it is audio only (at least until I find a way to have the words transcribed).

I will be answering other questions in later podcasts, such as:

• Where did God come from?

• Are Christians accountable for what they do?

• Is it OK to be angry with God?How can I get closer to God?

Sound interesting? Then please stay tuned!

Finally, it would help to spread the word if you rated and/or reviewed my podcast in iTunes. To do so just click HERE, then click “View in iTunes,” then “Ratings and Reviews,” then “Click to Rate” and/or “Write a Review.”

To learn more about my podcast and how to submit your own questions click here.

Can A Christian Support Gay Marriage?

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Several friends have mentioned how disappointed they are to see others who are supposed to be Christians supporting gay marriages and the recent Supreme Court Ruling. Many are wondering: Can a Christian Support Gay Marriage?

Here are the issues to consider in this question: Can a Christian Support Gay Marriage?

01. The Bible is Clear that Practicing Homosexual Acts is Sin

Some want to say that this is debatable, but it is not, as you can see in my article, “What Scripture Says About Homosexuality: Uncut, Uncensored and Unedited”

Notice the wording above as I have said, “practicing homosexual acts is sin.”

It is not a sin to be tempted. People face temptations all day every day to do all kinds of things that God’s Word says are wrong. Some are tempted to lie, steal, commit adultery, covet, gossip, to commit acts of violence and so on.

While being tempted is not a sin, acting on temptation IS sin. 

The Bible is clear that practicing homosexual acts is sin, whether it is in so-called “marriage” or out.

The Bible is clear that homosexual acts are sin, whether in so-called “gay marriage” or out. | CLICK TO TWEET

02. A True Christian Obeys Scripture

Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 7:21 ESV)

How could Jesus have been more clear? 

But how do we know the will of God?

Is it whatever we FEEL is right or wrong?Is it whatever the current state of the culture says is right or wrong?Is it what the Supreme Court votes is right or wrong (by just 1 vote!)?Is it what our friends & family say is right or wrong?

No, the will of God is what the Bible, God’s written revelation, says is right or wrong:“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness” (2 Timothy 3:16 ESV)

You will see “Artful Dodgers” who try to use verbal twisting to avoid what the Bible says about homosexuality, but that is to be expected—see 2 Timothy 3:1-5. (I answered many of these twistings in my article, “What Scripture Says About Homosexuality: Uncut, Uncensored and Unedited.”)

Entire “Christian” denominations are capitulating to societal pressures. But that is also to be expected. Even in Jesus time on earth the most hard-hearted were the religious leaders. They were the primary cause of His crucifixion! These same denominations allowing “gay marriages” are the ones who are denying the essential doctrines of the Christian faith (such as the resurrection of Christ, His substitutionary atonement, etc.)

Some Christians might not know what the Bible teaches about homosexuality. They certainly need to be informed. (Please share this article with them.)

But for those who know what the Bible clearly says (as you do now after reading this), and who simply refuse to obey and instead encourage homosexual sin or practice it themselves, here is the Scriptural challenge: “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves.” (2 Corinthians 13:5 ESV)

You might also want to study the issue “Why did God Create Marriage?” See the article I wrote on the topic HERE.

In conclusion, the basic issue is clear-cut. A Christian cannot support “gay marriage.” How people respond will be a purifying factor for the church.

Answering this question brings up some other great and difficult questions:

• Should I attend a “Gay Wedding” to be supportive of my friend or family member?

• Should a Christian practice “civil disobedience” if being forced to participate in gay marriages by providing a location, floral arrangements, wedding cakes, etc.?

• What should churches do if being pressured to perform or host “gay marriages?

• ”Should I confront my friends and family who are Christians? How about those who are not Christians?

I hope to address these questions and others in upcoming articles, and some of the criticisms that are leveled at those of us who speak God’s Truth on this issue. 

To make sure you don’t miss any of it, please subscribe to my updates. 

When you subscribe, you’ll receive my free eBook “10 Prayers to Unlock Heaven on Earth” which I believe can transform your prayer life.

Finally, I also wrote about “Seven Guidelines for Discussing Gay Marriage” and “What to do When the White House Celebrates Sin.”

Why Is There So Much Pleasure In The World?

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If you notice a similarity between this article’s title and the title of so many articles, books, and conversations, “Why is there so much suffering in the world,” then you are on track with my thinking.

Recently I heard about a pastor who decided to live a “year without God” and feed his doubts for that year. One of the biggest things bothering him was the question of suffering—why a good God would allow it.

But as he turned to skepticism and eventually atheism, an opposite and far bigger question arises—“why is there so much pleasure in the world?”

Belief in a universe, world, and life without a Creator is an immense (and I believe insurmountable) barrier to atheism. If you doubt this statement, I suggest you see an article by Eric Metaxas in the Wall Street Journal, “Science Increasingly Makes the Case for God.” (Apparently it is the most read and commented on article in the history of the WSJ online.)

As Metaxas points out, the odds of a creation without a Creator are astronomically impossible. 

The odds of a creation without a Creator are astronomically impossible. | CLICK TO TWEET

But atheism also begs the question, “Why is there so much pleasure in the world?” If the universe is simply a colossal accident, or more accurately the result of an astronomical number of colossal accidents, then why is there so much pleasure?:

• The amazing beauty of nature

• The joy of human relationships and love

• The pleasures of humor and laughter

• The ecstasy of sex and reproduction

• The thrill of accomplishments

• And on and on

Where did all this pleasure come from? Atheists never give God credit for all the pleasure; they only want to complain about the suffering. Talk about seeing the glass half empty!

Many atheists apparently insist that there should be all of these and many more pleasures, with never any pain or suffering, in order for them to believe in God.

Ironically, these skeptics don’t account for the fact that physical pain is what protects us from harm, for instance when we come close to something too hot that would burn us.

(See my article, What if God Eliminated all Suffering?) Without physical pain, I wonder if life could even continue to exist since it is the warning system that keeps us from destroying our bodies.

They also don’t consider the fact that human beings account for the majority of the suffering in the world and to eliminate that would require eliminating human beings! 

The pastor deciding to live a year without God and turning to atheism is like a foolish child who decides that if his parents won’t give him everything he wants, he will run away from home.

You might be wondering, “But doesn’t suffering bother you Mark?” The answer is, “Yes, of course! It bothers me immensely, especially the suffering of those I love.”

Over the years our family has experienced our share of suffering:

• The death of my infant brother

• Family members suffering for years with Alzheimer’s disease

• A nephew killed in a motorcycle accident at age 20

• Another nephew who committed suicide at age 27

• A sister-in-law who died of cancer at 57

• Other family members who suffered from mental illness

• My wife Carolyn suffers from terrible migraines (and is in bed with one right now as I write)

I could go on with more of our sufferings, but you get the idea. And my list is probably not that different from most people’s list of sufferings.

Here’s the point—each of us has two options:

• We can say that life is ultimately meaningless because God would not allow suffering, therefore there must not be a God. OR,

• We can understand that suffering is not God’s original plan, that He loves us through our suffering and that the suffering of this life is very brief compared to the ecstasies of eternity with Him.

The Bible is very clear that this world was originally a paradise and that suffering came as a result of sin—disobedience to God. Suffering is NOT God’s optimal plan for this world.

Suffering is NOT God’s optimal plan for this world. | CLICK TO TWEET

So now we wait for the restoration of that paradise—the new earth (Revelation 21:4).

Until that paradise comes to all who believe, Christians can take great comfort in the fact that God loves us, that He has a loving plan for our lives and that He is working “all things together for good!”