Material compiled by Pastor Simeon Krastev from “Foundations of Christian Living — A Study Manual” by Bob Gordon and David Fardouly.
As a church, our aim is the salvation of the people of Burgas. We are an evangelical church that preaches Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and our charter and program is the Bible. Through our preaching we do not aim to attach anyone to something or to some organization, but to give people the truth about God, the spiritual world, and humanity. Jesus Christ says: “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” We want this liberating truth to reach you.
Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. (John 8:32)
The first and most basic truth I share with you has for a long time been denied, distorted, and perverted. It is the very simple truth that there is a God, for God says in His word: “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord.” Whoever you are, if you seek the Lord with all your heart, you will find God. He will reveal Himself to you, and you will come to know Him.
You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the Lord, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile. (Jeremiah 29:13-14)
The Lying Propaganda of Atheism
What was taught for so long by the state authorities in Bulgaria during the time of communism was that there is no God. Yet on a global scale this ideology lasted only about 70 years, because socialism as a system failed. Nevertheless, communist propaganda left lasting marks on people’s minds. Several generations grew up without any knowledge of God. Atheism screamed from every direction, “THERE IS NO GOD.” They even set up atheistic clubs whose only concern was to prove that their own Creator does not exist. This reminds me of the story of a dog barking at the moon — but that never stopped the moon from rising again every evening. The fact that some atheists “bark” that there is no God does not hinder God’s existence. The Bible, however, which was finally completed about 1,800 years before Marxist teaching, speaks of God. And it does not busy itself with proving that there is a God, because the Holy Spirit, who inspired people to write it, is not out of His mind. That would be like concerning yourself with the question of your own existence and anxiously asking, “Do I really exist?” If you are asking yourself that question, you belong in psychiatric care.
The Folly of Atheism
Instead of concerning Himself with the question of His own existence, God simply says in Psalm 14:
1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good. 2 The Lord looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. 3 All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one. 4 Do all these evildoers know nothing? They devour my people as though eating bread; they never call on the Lord. (Psalm 14:1-4)
King David, inspired by the Holy Spirit, speaks here and says: “Whoever thinks there is no God is a fool” — which means he is without a mind, a man who has lost his senses. The psalmist is not interested in how useful you are to society, how many degrees and academic titles you hold. Your stance toward God reveals your reason. If you say and believe that there is a God, then you are wise; if you do not believe that there is a God, then you are a fool. Every person has a view and a stance on this question. Whomever you ask whether there is a God, everyone will say something. Everyone has some opinion on this matter. And, as a rule, you cannot hold a view about something that does not exist. The very fact that people have a stance regarding God perhaps hints to us that He exists. Here David divides people into two categories:
- The foolish — those who think there is no God;
- The wise — those who seek God.
The Capacity for Worship
According to Blaise Pascal, the renowned physicist and philosopher, within every person there is a God-shaped vacuum that cannot be filled with anything else. When God created humanity, He placed within us the sense and the capacity for worship, because we were created to be a friend of God. That is why every person has some kind of faith, some object of worship. Even if you are a secular person or an atheist, you cannot choose whether to worship or not to worship. In every case you worship something or someone. You cannot choose whether or not to worship, but you can choose whom to worship.
The Devil Diverts Worship
And the devil, who has been a murderer, a thief, and a liar from the very beginning, has tried to influence your free choice so that you would not worship God, but instead some idol you have made for yourself. Perhaps it is a singer, a band, a movie star, money, a political party, or you yourself. Satan cannot stop your feeling and your desire for worship, so he redirects it in the wrong direction. In this way he cuts off your connection with your Creator — and He is the source of friendship, love, warmth, life, health, success, and joy.
Turn to God
But if the devil is pushing you to do something, do the exact opposite and you will never go wrong. If he is pushing you to worship other things — turn to God and seek Him. Be alone with Him and speak to Him from your heart. He is waiting for you. Right now is the moment to turn to Him and say: “God, please forgive me that until now I have lived in ignorance and have denied You. Now I seek You and ask You to reveal Yourself to me.” If you have said these words with all your heart, expect great changes in your life. There is no one who has said these words — “Lord, forgive me! Lord, reveal Yourself to me!” — and has not been surprised at how God enters his life and begins to change things.
And when we speak of the Lord, do not picture some “Grandpa God.” God is not a gaunt old man with a beard, and Jesus Christ was long ago taken down from the cross, has risen, and is alive. In Exodus 15:3 it says that the Lord is a “mighty warrior,” a fighter, or in another translation “a man of war.” God is strong, mighty, and loving. He loves people, but He is also just enough that He cannot tolerate their sins.
The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is his name. (Exodus 15:3)
The Devil Is a Liar
God loves sinners, but He hates sin. And the greatest sin is unbelief, because whoever does not believe in God has made Him out to be a liar (1 John 5:10). For God says of Himself that He exists, and you say, “God does not exist.” Or you tell Him directly, “You are lying!” — and you make God out to be a liar. That is blasphemy.
Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony. Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. (1 John 5:10)
We simply need to put things in their proper place. God is almighty — He can do everything, but for Him there is only one impossible thing. It is impossible for God to lie (Hebrews 6:18). This is the truth. The devil is a liar (John 8:44). He presents himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14). His greatest weapon is deception. He is a master of beautiful lies. He veils his deception and presents it as truth. Beautiful lies are like rat poison — 99% pure grain and only 1% arsenic. Just a tiny bit of poison, but enough to drag you into hell. In the devil’s lies there is much truth, but he is a liar — do not believe him. One of his greatest lies is that he does not exist. By convincing people that he does not exist, he lays the blame for all the evil in this world on God — God is to blame for everything. Or, worse still, he continues his lie and tells people: “If there is no devil, then there is no God either.” If you are at war and your enemy tells you that he does not exist, will you believe him? Do not believe him, because if you do, you will stop being on your guard, you will stop fighting, and you will become his easy prey. The Apostle Peter says that he “prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). But he does not tell you, “I am a roaring lion and I have come to devour you.” No. He says, “I do not exist.” “Relax, take it easy, do not believe in God, worship your idols” — that is what he says.
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8)
Do not believe the devil when he tells you that he does not exist. Nor should you become friends with the devil, because from the very beginning he has been a murderer (John 8:44). The devil hates you. He oppresses people with sickness and poverty. He keeps them bound in ignorance and in depression. Others he lures with great riches, but afterward he takes their soul.
You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. (John 8:44)
Jesus loves you. This is the very reason He appeared — to destroy the works of the devil (1 John 3:8). Receive Jesus Christ, and your life will never be the same again. God bless you! Amen!
The one who does what is sinful is of the devil, because the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work. (1 John 3:8)