As many of you are aware….following the youth outreach, I was invited to a ’debate’ at a local high school. The kids were calling it:
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“An epic battle between good and evil.” Not too far from the mark, actually. I got off the train at the station. The nice man at the town hall
handed me a trail map, waved vaguely at the ‘Oden-Wald’ ( a dark forested ridge that looms over the town ) and cheerily informed me that: “A short, brisk hike will see you to the school.”. It was ( curse these athletic Europeans! ) two hours of rigorous climbing later ( having become lost several times in an incomprehensible tangle of goat-trails! ) that I found myself near the summit of the Oden-Wald, and at the entrance of the school, where I was welcomed warmly by the students…and their instructor, who had prepared a lovely plaque apon which to mount my head. It was a long hour and a half….but it was a wonderful hour and a half. The Lord had told me the day before that:
( Luke 21:13-15 ) “It will be an occasion for testimony. Settle therefore in your mind, not to meditate how to answer, for I will give you a mouth, and wisdom which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict!”
And so it was….God allowed me share the gospel fully…no interruptions…just rapt attention….very spooky. Every time I would stop speaking, their teacher would graciously compliment my presentation….and proceed to laud the desirable goal of “finding ones ‘Path’.” ( whichever path that might be ) and then point out that: “As we all know, there is no factual proof for the bible.”. I would then compliment him apon his objectivity…and return to speaking about Jesus! The the students posed many hard questions, earnest ones it seemed, not simply provocative….God provided the answers.
And as I watched their faces, I could clearly see a consensus form;
…..of the two men before them, one wore his prejudice and uncertainty like chains…while the other stood free, absolutely convinced of his God’s presence’. Its hard to miss the difference.
“The foolish things….to confound the wise.” The Lord, is a mighty fortress….a rock, from which we cannot be moved.
One more round of ‘debate’. The techer said that the current Koran was chosen out one hundred versions, by one powerful Caliph, thus clearly showing ALL religious documents to be merely the writings of man!” He took the opportunity to point out one last time that: “There is no proof that the bible is true!”
I could almost see the Lord nod… ”Can I borrow your chalk?” He handed me his chalk. I drew a quick outline of the big dipper. “Anyone know what this is?” Lots of raised hands.
“The big dipper!”
I told them how God had questioned Job: “Can you tighten the cluster of Pleiades…loose the belt of Orion?” I explained how the other constellations were formed of stars in different galaxies….but Orion and Pleiades alone…were in the same gravitational ‘wells’….and that, four thousand years later ( and yeah, I stole this from Chuck Missler ) the Hubble telescope tells us that Pleiades in contracting…and Orions belt is loosening. “So yes…the bible is easily proved sir…the difficulty lies inobeying what it says, not in believing what it says.”
“Every word of God is pure;He is a shield
to those who put their trust in Him.”
Proverbs 30:5
bless you all for your prayers
Mike, Amberlea, Mercy and Zion Macy
PS Please keep praying for these kids,that the seed would take deep root…and not be snatched away….and as for their instructor. Well, he and I connected somehow in the midst of this! I hugged him as I left…thumped him on the chest, and whispered: “You know bro….you’re going to make a fine pastor when you quit running from Jesus!”
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