In this sermon, the speaker shares a story about an American weightlifter named Paul Anderson who traveled to Moscow to compete against Russian weightlifters. The speaker describes the anticipation and pressure Paul felt before the competition, as well as the support he received from his parents and the power of prayer. The sermon also emphasizes the importance of faith and readiness for the second coming of Jesus Christ. The speaker encourages listeners to spread the message of hope and faith, highlighting the need to prioritize the proclamation of the gospel over other worldly causes.

Ray Brubaker's Classic Radio. This is Ray Brubaker's Classic Radio, news-related subjects in light of the Bible. And now, here's your commentator, Ray Brubaker. Thank you, and again we send greetings to our friends everywhere. Well, while all around us the God is dead controversy continues to rage, we want to give evidence to the fact that God is very much alive. After one of our leading news magazines appeared with a bold black cover edition asking the question, is God dead? We wrote the editors to suggest they seek to encourage faith and strengthen morality, rather than present the view of skeptics who would seek to destroy faith. Back came a letter stating, and I quote, the question of the meaning and relevancy of God to contemporary man has been in ferment both in this country and abroad for some time. It has been raised not only by the God is dead theologians and the atheists, but also by other dedicated and religious men earnestly trying to find meaning in today's secular culture. Well, if you are one who questions the relevancy of God, wondering whether he still lives, we would remind you in the words of Holy Scripture, but without faith it is impossible to please him, for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he's a rewarder of those who diligently seek him. Yes, my friends, God's a rewarder of those who will diligently seek him. The Bible's promise is that you can know God if you want to. Well, these are days, friends, when we must do all we can to encourage faith. When we see faith declining and church attendants waning, it is evidence that men are not aware of the Almighty. Certainly God foreknew that as we come to the end of the age, men would depart from his ways, even denying his existence. This is all forecast in the Word of God. In fact, Jesus asked, when the Son of Man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth? Although this question remains up to you and to me to answer, as to whether we will believe God in Jesus Christ, whom he has sent to be our Savior, the fact remains that as the end of this age approaches, the masses of humanity will depart further and further away from God. This was revealed to the Apostle Paul nearly 2,000 years ago. For he writes, 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. That's what we're seeing today. Satanic spirits seducing the people, putting thoughts into their minds, counter to the Scriptures, raising doubts, fomenting unrest, suggesting God is dead, or that Jesus' blood has no atoning merit, or that the virgin birth is a myth. These are doctrines of devils, says the Apostle Paul, which would be propagated in the end time. Thus that we are living in the last days, who among us will deny? Those of us who believe in the Bible should rally together to herald this message of hope, doing all we possibly can to encourage faith in God, in the Lord Jesus Christ. You know recently when I read of the manufacturer of dog and cat food who died and left millions for such organizations as the John Birch Society, and a million dollars for a news commentator championing conservatism and fighting communism, my heart said that such funds are not available to sound forth the greatest message of all, and that is the coming again of our Savior. As great as these organizations may be, like the John Birch Society, and as important may be the challenge to fight communism, I believe the important task of the Church of Jesus Christ is to proclaim the message of faith that will prepare men everywhere to receive the Savior, then to be ready for him when he comes. This we would encourage to be the best way to put all available funds to work, and should be encouraged in a day when we say faith dwindling and morals declining. So to that end we would be found faithful in sending forth this end time message. You know I wonder how many listening today know that Karl Marx, the founder of communism, was one time a devoted student of the Word of God. What happened that made him turn into the world's most notorious atheist we do not know, but I'm convinced he lacked encouragement of his faith. As a high school student Karl Marx wrote an examination paper in which he stated, and again I'm quoting, union with Christ is absolutely necessary. Without him we would be rejected of God. He alone is able to deliver us. That's right, these are the words of Karl Marx in a paper he wrote in high school on the union of believers with Christ. Now somewhere along the line this boy was robbed of his faith. The son of a converted Jewish lawyer, Karl Marx was a convert to Christianity. He was baptized and received into church membership, but then only two years afterward he became an avowed atheist, and eight years later he openly taught that religion is the opiate of the people. What happened? Oh hear me beloved, let's rally to the cry of multitudes reaching out for something to believe today, confused by all this clamor that God is dead. According to this letter I received from the editors of Time magazine, not only atheists and some theologians are proclaiming that God is dead, but other dedicated and religious men as well. They said in their letter, personally I cannot conceive of any honest soul coming to this conclusion. For the Lord hath said they that seek me shall find me when they shall seek for me with all of their heart. You can know that God is alive, Christ is living, salvation is real. When our quest for the truth, to discover whether God is dead, we want to relate incidents to encourage faith and to prove that he is very much alive. Is God dead? Let's ask Paul Anderson. Paul at the age of seven was losing weight, feeling tired and irritable. One day shivering and feverish, his mother called the doctor. Taken to the hospital and examined, his condition was diagnosed as Breit's disease, a disease that attacks the kidneys, a disease from which some never recover. Paul's mother called all the ministers she knew, asked them to pray. She called her friends too to say, Paul is dying, we need your help. And for five days he hovered between life and death. Doctors expected death to come at any time. Paul's mother called the churches again to ask for prayer. On the sixth day he was somewhat better. His parents were encouraged and they encouraged him, reminding him of all the people who were praying for his recovery. Then slowly by exercising and eating good food, by the time he got into high school, he weighed a hundred eighty-five pounds. He became quite active in sports. Then while in college he decided to work with weights using homemade equipment. Soon he was competing with the best of them and winning a number of events. Then the offer came to compete with Russian weightlifters, which meant a trip to the Soviet Union. When Russia weightlifting is a major sport, like baseball is in the United States, so you can imagine the tremendous interest aroused when the American team arrived in Moscow. The night before the competition, thoughts raced through Paul's mind. He could not sleep. Thoughts of the crowd looking for weakness in the American athletes, a feeling of loneliness in a strange city away from friends and home. When Gorski Stadium, 15,000 spectators, came out to see this event, every seat was filled. In spite of the fact that the rain was coming down, the crowds jammed the open air amphitheater. The crowds roared as Medvedev, the Russian heavyweight champion, stepped up, dried his hands, lifted high the weights in the clean and jerk competition. Then it was Paul's turn. Hoisting the weights high above his shoulders, he heard the Russian announcer say, Paul Anderson, the American, has just set two new world's records. Never have we seen such weights lifted, he cried. Well, you'd have to hear Paul explain in his own words exactly what happened. Says Paul, none of this would have ever been possible but for the prayers of others. Nor would I be alive today if I had been born of godless parents. Realizing this after my victory in Moscow, said Paul, made me grateful all over again for my parents, my country, and my God. Yes, God's very much alive. He not only governs this vast universe, but he lives in the hearts of those who will truly trust him. And to those who will call upon him, he promises to do great and mighty things to prove his power. Not that he needs proof. All around us is evidence of his glory. But my friends, he does delight to prove himself in the behalf of all who will sincerely trust him. How about you today? Will you trust him? Remember he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he's a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. You can know that God is alive, for he will come and live in your heart if you will let him. Knowing these are the last days with iniquity abounding, wickedness everywhere increasing, some are asking, can God become real in my life? Can his presence be felt today? And indeed we would remind you of the prophecy of Joel who declared, it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my spirit upon all flesh, on your sons and on your daughters, and on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my spirit. Did you hear it? It is remarkable what God is doing among dope addicts in New York City and in Chicago, but he will do the same for you if you will let him. You may not have gone into sin like some, but you still need the Savior. You still need the power of God in your life. You still need pardon and forgiveness if you would have assurance of eternal life. And so today right where you are, why not bow your head and pray this prayer? Lord, I know I have sinned. Right now come into my heart and life by your Spirit. Cleanse me, forgive me, and save me. For Jesus' sake. Don the authority of God's Word, I promise you he will do it. For declared Joel, it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. God grant it. Amen. Really friends, why not pray this prayer and mean it? Prove to yourself that God lives, that he is very much alive. Today's message is another in the series entitled, The God of Miracles Still Lives. May I say we are sincere in wanting to see this ministry expanded to additional stations. We believe that Jesus is coming soon, that we need to do all we can to encourage faith and readiness for his soon return. Thank you for listening to Ray Brubaker's Classic Radio. For a free audio of this message, visit RayBrubaker.com on the Internet. May God richly bless you is our prayer. Transcribed by https://otter.ai