Expert: Dr Don Howe - 9/20/2009

Question
 This question is related to some false claims made by the world against Christianity, especially against Jesus Christ. I'm a recent believer in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, but I was completely distressed when I've watched an extremely vile video that tried to explain Christianity in association with the zodiac signs, constellations, etc. The documentary portrayed Jesus as being identical with other man-made gods such as sun gods, hinduism and Greek mythology I'm sure you have heard of this abominable idea presented in movies such as Zeitgeist.
 My question would be: how can I not let myself affected by these lies? I do trust the Bible as being the perfect Word of God but these attacks are very upsetting to me.

Answer
   Andra, thank you for your question. As a recent believer, you do not need to be seeing anything that is contrary to the Word of God. If you see something on TV that is contrary to Word of God, turn it off and watch something else. The stuff you were watching is what he Devil wants you to watch so he can torment you. The devil can not torment the Christian, unless the Christian allows it i.e. watching such garbage. The way to denounce the devil, is to read your bible daily, get in a weekly bible study, pray daily, and worship in a bible believing church. Another way to put down the devil, is to start serving in your church. The SERVING BELIEVER IS THE STRONG BELIEVER. Serving the Lord Jesus is an exciting adventure, and He does not want you to be tormented by such garbage. Remember, this garbage bothers you because your are letting it bother you. Denounce openly to yourself that Jesus Christ is one true God and not atrology, or anyother new age beliefs.

   Andra, let me tell you something. Buddha is still in the grave, Mohammad is still in grave, Confusious is still in the grave, and anyother false propher, but the Lord Jesus was raised from the dead on the third day and he sitting at the right hand of the Father right now as you read this. He is praying intercessory prayers on your behalf to the father right now. Jesus is the real deal and not Islam, Hinduism, Buddhaism, Confusionism, or New Age belief system.

  The one thing that can strength the faith of the new believer is reading the Word of God daily, believing what the Word says, confess daily that Jesus is Lord of your life, and again, serving in local bible believing church. Notice I said a bible believing, bible preaching, kick the devil in seat of the pants church. You need to get fellow believers around you and pray with you.

  The United Kingdom and America are becoming lukewarm and compromising in the faith and belief in Jesus Christ. New age churches have watered down the Word of God, and they do not preach the truth and they do not know the truth. Islam and its false teaching are taking over the United Kingdom.

  Look what 1 Tim. 4:1-3 states "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron." The Latter times
times that Paul is talking about is the latter times in the Church age. Which is right now just as you are breathing. Here and now. The "seducing spirits and doctrines of devils" are the very things that you have been watching that denounces what Jesus did on the Cross.

  Apostle Paul gets even more straight forward in 2 Tim. 4:3-4. Verse 3 states "For the time will come (which is the present age we live in)  when they (non-believers or weak Christians) will not endure sound doctrine (which means sound bible preaching and teaching); but after their own lusts (lusts of the flesh and pleasure) shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears. We are presently living in this time that Paul is talking about. People do not want hear sound doctrine, bible believing preaching and teaching, and they rather live after their own lust and sins and they seek teachers who will scratch their ears and give the lust filled person what he wants to here. This is exactly what you were watching on tv dealing with astrology, new agism, anything that ridicules what Jesus did on the Cross. This is why the gay agenda has gone as far as has today, because they are trying to satisfy thier own lusts. This is hedonistic lasvicousness at its best.
    In verse 4 Pauls says "And they shall turn away [their] ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables."  Weak Christian and non-believers have turned away the truth. What truth? Jesus himself tells us what that Truth is in John 14:6 "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." Jesus said I am the way (not Mohammad, Buddha, Astology, Confusious, Dally Lami, etc) but he himself is the only way to be saved and go to Heaven. Jesus said I am the truth which corresponds back to 2 Tim. 4:4 referring people turning away from the truth. The truth they are turning away from is the Lord Jesus Christ.
   People are turning away from the truth of the Lord Jesus and listening to fables (astrology, new agism, false prophets, false teachers, false religions, anything that denounces the Lord, etc). Why. Because they seek teachers who will scratch their ears and tell them what they want here so it will reienforce in their mind to carry out the desires of their flesh and lusts. These are the exact times we are living in.

   Andra, keeping this in mind, this is not the time to be in despair. This is time to live for God Almighty, serving him, loving Him, worhsipping him, and reading daily in His Holy Word. As a new believer, it is overwhelming at times. But keep your eyes on the cross and not your situation and you will always win. These are exciting times to be living in. Reason for the excitement is that Lord Jesus is coming back for his church which is called the Rapture. Listen to what Paul says in 1 Thess. 4:16-17 "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive [and] remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." Jesus himself with his angels will descend from Heaven, there be a shout, voice, and trump of God, and in twinkling of an eye the dead in Christ will be raised first and then Andra (and all believers), you will be raised next and to be with Lord in Heaven. Notice the Lord did not come to the earth. When he comes to the earth the Second time, will be at the end of Tribulation, but when the Lord Comes at the Second Coming all the believers will be coming with Him  from Heaven. That promise is better than anything you can get out of astrology. The Lord is coming just as sure as He was raised from the grave and sits on the right hand of the Father.

   So do not despair over all this crap you see on tv, but revel in the Glory of the Lord everyday. Because he is coming back. What are we suppose to do in the meantime? Paul tells us in 1 Thess. 4:18 "Wherefore comfort one another with these words." So we are to comfort one another and build up the body of Christ right now.  So Andra, there is no time for you to be "affected by these lies."

   You stated "I do trust the Bible as being the perfect Word of God but these attacks are very upsetting to me." If you truly believe that Bible is innerrant and believe on it, then there is nothing that the devil can throw at you that will upset you unless you let. When ever the devil is bothering you, you can denounce him with all the authority in Heaven just by saying "I cast you out Satan." The devil does not want to here that. But stop all this stuff from upsetting you is to stop reading and watching it on tv.

   You stated "I've watched an extremely vile video." Problem here is why didn't you turn it off if you knew it was vile and contrary to what the Bible says. See what I mean that you can control what see and hear.

   There was a story about a very talented Christian French tightrope walker named Bloudin. Bloudin was in the circus and he walked everything was around in Europle. Bloudin was big believer and loved the Lord Jesus with all his heart and mind. Some wealthy business men in America invited Bloudin to come to America to walk across Nigara Falls, so he took them up on it. He came to America and he got on the high wire, grapped a hold of a wheelbarrow, and  Bloudin walked  on the high wire across Nigara making it look so easy. Now, one pesky newspaper reporter kept asking him "Did you really walk across. Did you really walk across." Bloudin got tired of the reporter asking the same question, and he told the reporter, "get in the wheelbarrow and let's walk back across and see if did make it." The pesky reporter left him alone. How many times does God ask us to get in the Wheelbarrow of life we are living, and do we have complete faith in Him that he will get us across us whatever our circumstances are to the other side? Most Christian do not have that faith to completely let God be in control of their life. They  no longer listen to sound doctrine and give over their lust (2 Tim. 4:4).
   Another reporter who much nicer than the pesky one, asked Bloundin "how did you walk across that swirling body of water and make it look so easy." Here is a lesson just for you, Andra. Blondin told the nice reporter, "I had a big silver star put up on the other side. As I walked across the wire I never took my eye off that star." Bible says Jesus is the Bright Shinning Star. The Day Star. The lesson just for you. No matter what the journey is on your high wire of life that God has put you on,  always keep you eyes upon Jesus the Bright Morning Star. He is the Day Star.  Do not look down, that is when the devil will try to tempt you and try to knock you off the wire, but keeping looking upon Jesus in his Word, prayer, and service in local body of believers. This how you can stop all this crap from upsetting you.  Keep your eyes upon the Day Star and not your Situation.

   Blessings,

   Dr Don Howe, RN, PhD, ThD