New Beginnings

Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." Revelation 21:5

In two days we will celebrate and usher in a new year. In so many ways, nothing changes. I will wake up on Friday and go to the same job I’ve gone to for the past 20 years. I will owe taxes again this year, I will dwell in the same residence, I will be married to the same great wife, and I will drive the same cars – one of them having the same need of new brake rotors that it has had for awhile now.

But what the New Year does do for us is to allow us to take stock of where we are, to re-evaluate, and to commit to making some changes. Not that we can’t do this at any time, but the New Year just seems to lend itself to that. It’s like a natural trigger mechanism in our wiring.

On a personal level, I have four things I will be seeking to accomplish.
1. To better fulfill the Great Commission. I admit it; I am really weak on personal evangelism. I do OK in group settings with some type of a “program,” but to simply share my faith with someone off the street? It rarely happens.
2. To better fulfill the Great Commandment: “love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.” (Matt. 22:37) This one can be accomplished in a variety of ways. The two I’ve chosen for this year round out my list of 4.
3. To be a Micah 6:8 man. “He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?” (Emphasis mine.)
4. To strive for utmost integrity in everything I do. I know that my life is a reflection of Christ in me. If I am not living with utmost integrity, if I am not striving to “be holy as I am holy” (Leviticus 19:2), what statement does that make?

For Great OutDoor Endeavors, that means some exciting new opportunities. We are planning a full schedule that includes a wide variety of diverse activities. We will be making overnight canoe/kayak camping trips, as well as some day trips. We will be watching the stars. We will be hiking. We will be camping. If time and opportunity allows, we will be making another trip to the Creation Museum. And of course, we will be making our long awaited trip to Arizona this summer. Keep your antennae up, and watch for some great chances to Meet Your Maker.

Of course, God doesn’t have to wait for the New Year to fulfill His promise, quoted above. That will be the subject of my next post. I hope, and pray, that your Christmas was merry, and that your New Year will be prosperous and happy. Most of all, I pray that you will put some thought, and effort, into making some “new things.”

God bless!

Real Love

Scripture records the story of a king, in the Old Testament book of Daniel, by the name of Nebuchadnezzar. He was a powerful king, in the most powerful country on Earth at the time - Babylon. The problem was, he knew it. Instead of glorifying God for his success and position, he took credit himself; Dan. 4:30 is a good illustration: " The king spoke, saying, 'Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?'"

Because he failed to give glory to God, he was warned in a dream that he would be driven mad: They shall drive you from men, your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field, and they shall make you eat grass like oxen. They shall wet you with the dew of heaven, and seven times shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses. Dan. 4:25

He was driven from his palace, and all of the comforts, privileges, and authority, that come from royalty, to live with the wild beasts of the field. "That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles' feathers and his nails like birds' claws." Dan. 4:33. He crawled on all fours, in the dirt and mud, among the waste from the animals. He slept and woke outdoors, under the stars. His hair and nails grew long and unkempt, like a wild animal.

He did this because he was driven insane. Really, would anyone do this if they weren't?

Well, Scripture records the story of another King. He left the most glorious of Estates, one beyond imagination. He, too, left all of the comforts, privileges, and authority, that comes with royalty, to live with "beasts". The beasts He came to live with are so unclean, the essence of who they are is compared to as "filthy rags," and are said to be infected and impure with a deadly disease. (Is. 64:6)

The difference between the two kings? The latter King chose to leave His kingdom because of His great love for the beasts.

You see, the King is Jesus. The "beasts" He came to live among? You and I! The deadly disease we are infected with? Sin. Without this King's intervention, we are "dead men walking". We would already be dead, it would simply be a matter a of time before the results showed! We would have no hope of everlasting life with this King.

But we do have hope! That's why we celebrate Christmas! It's the story of this great King coming to dwell with men! It's the story of real love.

"This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins." 1John 4:10 (NLT)

Though the sacrifice comes as an adult Jesus being crucified, the Christmas story tells of the baby Jesus stepping into our world. The amazing thing about this act of love is that it occurs while we are the enemy of God. (Romans 5:10) It's an amazing thing, an act of heroism, when someone gives their life for a friend. John 15:13 says there is no greater gift than for a man to lay down his life for his friends. Who am I to argue against God, but giving my life for my enemy? Unheard of! And yet, that's exactly what God did for us!

So, here it is, the reason to celebrate - "The Reason for the Season" -
“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

Have you accepted the gift of God this year? The gift of His One and Only Son and the eternal life that comes with it. It's only a prayer away, and He's waiting just for you ...

Choosing Wisely

I've been reading through the Gospels the last few weeks and I've picked up a thread in two stories - both involving choices.

The first is found in the Christmas story, the story of Jesus' birth, in Matthew, chapter 2. It's the story of the Wise Men - the Magi, and of Herod - the king.

Let's begin with the Magi. Somehow, these men, no one is 100% sure who they were - exactly, had heard the prophecies, no one knows how - exactly, of a King to be born in Jerusalem. Verses 1 & 2 say that when they saw a "star" in the East, they made a decision, a choice, to follow that star and to come and honor this King. Upon finding this King, they made another decision to worship Him. They had already sacrificed their time to seek Him; later they would sacrifice from their treasure, with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh, to honor Him as well. They were filled with hopeful expectations and excitement to find this King. After a brief visit with Herod, they resumed their search and Scripture says they "rejoiced with exceedingly great joy" when the star again appeared to them to finish leading them to the King.

Contrast their mood and expectations with that of Herod, the king. Verse 3 says that when Herod heard that the Wise Men were seeking the new born "King of the Jews," he was "troubled." In verse 8, rather than put the time and effort in seeking out the child, he sent people to find the child for him. And finally, in verse 16, we see that Herod did not desire to worship the King, he desired to kill Him. There were no sacrifices to the king in either time or treasure, and there was no worship.

The other story of choice comes from the end of Jesus' life - at the Crucifixion (Luke 23). The people gathered around the cross, with few exceptions, were mocking and blaspheming Jesus. Two thieves were being executed with Jesus. They represent the same two choices we all have to make.

One of the thieves is openly mocking this crucified King along with the rest of the crowd. That's the easy thing to do, isn't it, to kind of go along with the crowd and mock and ridicule?

The other thief makes the wise choice. Verses 40 - 42: But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, "Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong. Then he said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom."

What's the reward for his stand, for his faith? Eternal life with the King! Verse 43: And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."

So how about you? I wonder this Christmas - which choice have you made? Will you seek the King? Will you honor Him with your time and treasures? I usually dislike "bumper sticker" theology, but this one I like - "Wise Men Still Seek Him." Are you making the wise choice this year?

Thanksgiving

I've noticed as I walk through the stores these days, that Thanksgiving seems to get overlooked more and more. After the ever-increasing-in-popularity-with-grownups Halloween passes, the hype starts for a secularly stolen Christmas holiday. I'm not here to complain about the all encompassing "Happy Holidays" versus "Merry Christmas" (that's for a later blog), but about the disappearance of Thanksgiving. These days, Thanksgiving is the trigger for the shopping season, starting with Black Friday.

I've got a couple of theories about this, but that's all they are, really.

First, aside from the grocery stores, with turkeys, and stuffing, and cranberry sauce, and pumpkin pies, and everything else that goes into a Thanksgiving Feast, there really aren't any good "tie ins" for the other retailers. I mean, when was the last time you saw anyone put up cardboard turkey decorations, or horns of plenty, or Pilgrim heads? So, there just doesn't seem to be a financial incentive for the retailers to pump this holiday up or hype it with their advertising dollars.

That leads to a related point: Is what we find important in our culture directly related to the advertising budgets of these same retailers? Do they influence us that much? It seems they can make, or break, just about everything. Think of some of the "non-holidays" that have their own greeting cards now. When you walk into a store during any "season" and see all of the advertising and sales and themes (Valentine's, Halloween, 4th of July, even Back to School), doesn't it make that season seem more important?

The biggest problem, I think, is the increasing irrelevance of God to most people's lives. More and more, God is not seen as the source through whom all blessings flow. That's the government's job! More programs - welfare, nationalized insurance, homeowner assistance - the list goes on; the government can do it! Or, YOU are the one to get it done! You were born with some talents, so you were hired to do a job. You work hard and are reliable, so your employer gives you a paycheck. You've saved and are able to afford your home, that Holiday feast, and all the gifts. You've been able to do all these things because you worked hard to make them happen. It's been by the sweat of your brow and your diligence. If that is the case, why would you think to give thanks to Him, you've done all the heavy lifting?

Well, let's start at the very beginning. Who decided that you would be born, or born healthy, or born with any ability at all? Who decided that everyday you woke up that you would be able to draw breath? Or walk? Or think clearly? Who decided that you would continue to be employed in an economic downturn? Who decided that the finances you've so carefully set aside for the holidays weren't erased by some unforeseen tragedy? It's not like it's never happened to anyone before. All of these things are completely out of your control. You could no more decide yourself that you'll wake up tomorrow than you can control the weather! However, there is One who can!

Yes, there is One who is in control and He's the One to whom we should be thankful. He makes the lame walk, the mute talk and the blind to see. He controls nations and their economies and their plans. Nothing happens outside of His knowledge and influence. He does not sleep and He does not take vacations; He's always at the helm. He's bigger than our economy. He's bigger than you. He knows the outcomes and the plans He has for you and I. For that, I can honestly say, "I'm thankful."

So, this Thanksgiving, let's look beyond our little world and give "Thanks" to the One who really makes it all possible - God! The Creator, and Sustainer, of the universe! He truly is the Giver of all good gifts!

"Thank You, God, for all the blessings you've poured out into my life! You've given health and wealth, family and friends, joy, peace of mind and contentment. You've given blessings I've not even been aware of: protection from disease and accident and more. There have been events that You've delayed (that irritated me at the time) for my benefit, and it wasn't until later that I saw the reason (I'm sorry for complaining at the time). Thank You, Lord, for working all things for my good, even the things I've tried to mess up. Help me to never take any of the blessings You've sent my way for granted and to always turn them back to you in the form of praise. You are an awesome God, friend and Savior, and again, I say, 'Thank You!' Amen!"

Pet Peeves

Pet peeves. Everyone has at least one, maybe two. And, by the attitude displayed by some people, it would seem that everything is a pet peeve. You’ve got to love those folks.

I too have one thing that really bothers me. Well, two really. One is, people going the “wrong” way down the lanes in a parking lot. I mean, seriously, the parking spaces are angled a certain way on purpose. On top of that, there are usually arrows at the entrance to the lanes that indicate direction of travel! It’s really not that difficult folks! Ah, but that one is not really germane to this article.

A much more serious peeve, are Christians who take the Bible stories from Genesis as “myth” or as allegories illustrating Biblical, or moral, truths. To these Christians, the stories can’t be literal history. There is a real danger in doing that. Before we go there, however, let’s take a look at what Scripture says on the issue.

2Timothy 3:16 says that “all Scripture is given by inspiration of God.” Titus 1:2 states flatly, and other passages indicate the same truth, God cannot lie. If all of Scripture is literally God’s Word, and He cannot lie, it stands to reason that the entire Bible is true and won’t contradict itself. In fact, He often references one part of His Word to defend another part. If the referenced section is untrue and unreliable, the whole point being defended or explained is invalid. Worse, it makes God a liar!

Well, what are some examples? I’ll look at two dealing with Noah, his Ark, and the flood, and on dealing with the first humans, Adam and Eve.

In Genesis 7, God’s Word says that a man named Noah built an Ark to escape a coming judgment in the form of a world-wide, catastrophic flood. It’s easy to see in this passage, based on the details given, such as Noah’s age, what and how much he is to take on the ark, time durations, details of the flood, etc., that this is not an allegory. It’s interesting that at least three different writers in the New Testament refer back to this story in Genesis as an illustration.

The following passage from the book of Matthew, it’s important to note, is a direct quote from Jesus. Jesus, being fully God, would share the same attributes as the Father; specifically for this article, the verse from Titus stating that God cannot lie. Jesus, comparing the coming judgment on the world, refers back to the judgment of Noah’s time in Matthew 24:37, “But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” Jesus’ word choice, as well as the authoritative tone and statement of fact, “As in the days of Noah”, indicates that this was literal history and not just some myth.

In 2Peter 3:5-6, the Apostle Peter refers back to Noah. Peter states flatly, “For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water.” If this wasn’t fact, what would it matter if people “forgot” the events? If they were just a nice story, they wouldn’t really matter in the first place. If this was an allegory or myth, would Peter state them as facts? That would be akin to me making a reference to some long ago event and beginning by saying, “When Hercules roamed the earth …” or “In the days of Paul Bunyan …” Automatically, credibility would be destroyed.

Finally, the writer of Hebrews 11 includes Noah and the flood events in a long list of other Biblical characters. Now, if Noah was not a true, historical person, and the flood was not a true historical event, no one in the list can be considered a true, historical person and none of the events listed can be considered true, historical events. Conversely, if any one of the other events or people is accepted as true and historical, all of them would have to be considered that way.

Our last example, this one pertaining to Adam and Eve, can be found in Genesis 2. God makes references to “the” man he had created, refers to this same man by name, Adam, creates “a” woman for “the” man, and refers to them as “the” man and his wife. All of these references are singular. In other words, it does not say God created “men” and “women,” or “husbands” and their “wives.” As the story continues in chapter 3, we continue to see references to “the” woman and her husband. Verse7 says that the eyes of “both” of them were opened. I could keep going, but the idea is obvious that there were two literal people, one man and one woman, in the Garden of Eden. Why that is important is related to what happens in verse 6 of chapter 3. In this verse, both man and woman rebel against God by eating from the tree they were forbidden by God to eat of.

Let’s forward to the Apostle Paul’s words in Romans 5:19, “For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous.” Now, if Adam was not a real person, Paul’s words are untrue and completely undo the one man/one Man correlation. Again, it also makes God a liar if, after telling us Adam was a real man and Paul using Adam’s fall to show why Jesus’ obedience was necessary, it turns out the story of Adam and Eve is untrue.

So what are the dire consequences of not being able to take God at His word?
The first is obvious. If you can’t ever tell when God is telling the truth and when He is lying, why would you believe any of it? The complete authority of His ordinances, commands, admonitions, doctrines, etc., are completely undermined. If the reason we were trying to live moral lives is a fraud, why should we try to live moral lives? Why should we obey any authority, if there is no reason for that authority to exist in the first place? What does it say to the unbelieving world if Jesus’ own followers don’t believe that the words he spoke are true and accurate?

All of that, and all of the other conclusions you can reach, pale in comparison to the ultimate conclusion. Many of the miracles in Scripture are just that – supernatural miracles. They can’t be explained by human means. The virgin birth is a good example. Science says it can’t happen in humans. God says it did happen. Who will you believe? The same goes for those raised from the dead throughout scripture. That goes for Jesus’ own death, burial and resurrection. If we can’t trust God to tell the truth here, on this fundamental truth, than the Apostle Paul is correct and our faith is empty and futile; sadly, we would still be in our sins and have no hope of ever being, one day, with our Father in Heaven.

I don’t know about you, but I choose to believe that the Author of life and the Creator of the universe can get His facts straight and is a dependable witness!

Of Mary & Martha and Choosing Wisely

Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus' feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, "Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me." And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her." Luke 10:38 - 42

I love walking through the woods on our hikes these days. This time of year it's so quiet and peaceful out on the trails. The leaves have changed color and are beginning to fall. The leaves make for a soft rustling sound as you walk through them and add some color to the ground. Through the bare trees, you can see quite far back into the woods and pick out the squirrels and chipmunks playing in the leaves. You can see (occasionally) grouse on the downed logs and, theoretically (because we typically don't, to our disappointment), deer and bears. You can hear the sound of the rivers and the falls for good distances because of the stillness. It's absolutely peaceful and easy to worship God in the peacefulness.

Meanwhile, those same leaves that make the hikes up in the Shenandoah National Park so stress relieving and meaningful are also piling up in my front and back yards. They are a relentless assault on my yard requiring more time and effort than I really want to give. But, I have to. Left unraked, bagged or burned, they completely overwhelm my poor yard. They call for attention, and for awhile, mock my efforts to stay on top of them. For the last few weeks of October and first few weeks of November, those leaves crave my attention!

The leaves remind me of all the "pressing" needs of my life. You have them, too. The things that really need attention NOW! It's easy to get lost in the busy-ness and let it take complete control of our time. But, as the story of Mary and Martha reminds us, and as my weekly hikes remind me, it is absolutely necessary to not let busy-ness rule our lives. There is no substitute to being alone with God and just taking time to be still and know He is God.

Every week, I have to decide to take time out, put things aside, and go out into God's Great OutDoors. I mean, do I really have time to go hiking when things are piling up (literally) around me? Like Mary (Mary has chosen that good part), we have to make that choice. There are so many things to do, many of them "good" in their own right, but they are not the "main" thing. Our time with Jesus is irreplaceable. That time, the part where Scripture says "one thing is needed," is like the air we breathe and the food and water we consume. It is life to our souls. Jesus Himself says that He is the Source of Living Water (John 4:14) and Bread of Life (John 6:35). Looked at that way, I really don't have time not to! As with any relationship, the more attention you pay it and the more work you put into it, the closer and stronger it will be.

This week, do yourself a favor, choose to - - - SLOW DOWN! Choose to spend time with your Maker. Choose to seek the One Who gives life - and joy - and peace. In abundance (John 10:10) and beyond all understanding (Philippians 4:7).

If you need some help getting there, you're more than welcome to join us out in "creation." Psalm 19 says, "The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard." There is NO better place to find, and meet with, God than in the place where His glory is declared and His handiwork is on display. It's soooo easy to worship Him when you are in the midst of Him. Romans 1:20 says, "His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead." Amen! I couldn't agree more. And you will too if you join us. Come Meet Your Maker with a Great OutDoor Endeavor!

A Vote That Pleases God

"Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God." 1Corinthians 10:31 (NKJV)

Have you ever thought of your vote that way? We rarely think of such things as something God would care about, at least I don't, but He does. As the above verse from Corinthians states, we should do everything in our lives so that God is glorified - even voting.

So, what kind of vote would glorify and please God? I'm glad you asked! I won't reveal who I will be voting for, but I'm guessing you'll be able to tell by the end of this blog. I will also not tell you who you should vote for. Hopefully you are praying about that and becoming as informed as possible to make the best possible choice. Your choice is a matter between you and God. In the end, no authority is given to anyone that isn't given by God Himself (Romans 13:1).

Most people I talk to mention one or two specific reasons, often times both, they are voting for, or against, a certain candidate. Those reasons are the economy and the War in Iraq. Don't get me wrong, both of these are important, and both impact this country, but they shouldn't guide your vote. God probably will not speak audibly to you and tell you who you should vote for, but He has left some principles in the Bible that will help guide you.

The overriding principle is found in the book of Matthew, chapter 6. It says, "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." Stated another way it means, "seek out and do the things that honor and please God and He will take care of the things that you need, like food, clothing, IRA's, 401K's, etc..."

Another principle at work is this: Scripture says, "Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD." Psalm 33:12 (NKJV) How do we show that God is the Lord of our nation? I mean, beyond our just saying He is. It works the same for a nation as it does for an individual. The Bible says, "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven." (Matthew 7:21 NKJV) and, "If you love Me, keep My commandments." (John 14:15 NKJV) If we don't put a candidate in office who is willing to keep God's commandments or to do His will, how can our country be "blessed?" The answer is, "It won't be."

In a candidate, what are the things to look for that show he will honor God and show that He is the Lord of our nation? Here are three:

1. Thou shalt not kill. (Exodus 20:13) This is one of the 10 Commandments. Coupled with God's desire for us to help those who can't help themselves (Isaiah 1:16-17; 58:6-7; Matthew 25:36, James 1:27), and the fact that He formed us in the womb and knew us before we were born (Jeremiah 1:5), we should look for the candidate that defends the life of the unborn. Some may say that wars and capital punishment are killing and ask why that should be any different. The answer is simple, they fall in a different category. God has given the state a responsibility and permission to punish for certain crimes and war is certainly allowable, for the state, in certain cases. In no instance is any individual, working outside the dictates of the state and as a representative of the state, to kill. Period. In the case of unborn children, the state has no reason to impose the death penalty. One candidate has promised that the first thing he'd do is to sign the Freedom of Choice Act - not exactly being a defender of the defenseless.

2. God says that He will bless those who are a blessing to Israel and He will curse those who curse Israel. Which candidate is going to bless Israel and which will be a curse to them? That doesn't mean backing them even when they are clearly in the wrong, but it does mean being an ally to them when they are threatened, supporting them on the world stage, and, well, being a blessing to them whenever and however we can.

3. This will sound like I'm singling one group out for condemnation, but I only mention them because they are a focal point this election. One candidate has stated that he'd repeal the Defense of Marriage Act. If you are not familiar with DOMA, it protects marriage as being between one man and one woman; in other words, the way God meant it from the beginning (Genesis 2:24). While we all are sinners, and homosexuals are no more condemned then say - adulterers - God is clear that the behavior is abhorrent to Him, so we should not condone the practice. In fact, God says of those who would like to make immoral (by God's standards) behavior acceptable, "Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" (Isaiah 5:20, NKJV) Which candidate will honor God by defending His original blueprint for marriage and not calling wrong "right"?

"Change," on it's own is neither "good" nor "bad." It's the direction of the change that's important. Change can take one of two forms, for the better or for the worse. Change for the sake of change is not the issue. It's which candidate will implement change that is more God honoring? Remember, God looks at the heart of the man, not at the "stature" of the man. If you'd like to read examples of "good" change, the stories of King Manasseh (2Kings 21 & 2Chronicles 33) and King Josiah (2Kings 22-23 & 2Chronicles 34-35) are good places to start.

I know the answer I've arrived at. I pray as you seek God, He will reveal the best choice to you - mine! ;-) Relax, I'm just kidding about that. I know He will reveal who He would have you choose, if you diligently seek the answer.

After the election, let's remember that this is still the greatest nation on earth, we are still one people, tribe and tongue, God is in control and he only allows to happen what He allows to happen. Let's be unified and subject to whomever He allows to rule over us.

Creation Scientists and Secular Arguments

OK, so I have a question. Hopefully, you to help me understand something.

Why is it that when someone one the evolution side wants to argue against Creationism, they never argue against the merits of Creation models. Rather, they will bring up everything from the Supreme Court (a legal body, not a science body) ruling against the teaching of Creationism, on the grounds of "separation" of Church and state (even though the Intelligent Design movement, generally, does not advocate a specific creator or religious point of view), to the simplistic argument that "virtually all" scientists believe in evolution.

I actually had someone respond to a letter to the editor I had written with those, exact words. Whether they were spoken in ignorance or in a deliberate attempt to mislead, I don't know. Either way, the argument is ridiculous.

First of all, the statement is simply not true. There are Creationists, whether Christian Biblical "young earthers" or from the I.D. movement, everywhere. These are not just some quack, no-one-takes-seriously fringe types, but solid, quite rational people with PhD's in their fields. What they have done, is to re-examine the evidence and assumptions and found better explanations for the data observed. If you search, you can even find folks on the secular side offering praise for the same Creationists secular work, then turn around and attack them for their Creationists views. If you'd like an example of this, do a search on Dr. Andrew A. Snelling. Dr. Snelling has a B.Sc. with first class honors in Applied Geology from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia, and a Ph.D. in Geology from the University of Sydney. I'll even give you a starting point for you search: noanswersingenesis.org. On the one hand, Dr. Snelling is praised for his credentials and work, then blasted for his creationists views. If you'd like a rebuttal to Dr. Ritchie's ("noanwersingenesis") criticisms, may I recommend the recent movie Expelled? You'll see why Creationists aren't published in mainstream journals, for example. But again, it's always the "messenger," not the model that is attacked and criticized. If the evolution model is so superior, compare the models and let them speak for themselves. What is the evolution side afraid of?

Secondly, even if the statement was true, does that make it "right?" Seriously, back in the day when "virtually all scientists" thought the world was flat, did that make it "true?" Of course not! And when you examine the "evidences" and assumptions of the evolution side (with an open mind), you'll see, like the aforementioned PhD's, that the "proof" they offer does not make for quite such a solid argument as they would have you believe.

Here are two other links if you'd like to see what the Creationist side is doing: icr.org and answersingenesis.org. Do a search on RATE and FAST at either, or both, sites to see some of the problems with evolutionist assumptions and to see some of the latest Creation models. Remember, though, they are just models, and like the evolutionist side, they are subject to change as new data and interpretations arise. The only "assumption" not open to change on the Creation side is "In the beginning, God created..." At least the Creation side is intellectually honest enough to make that statement, and not try to push their views as absolutely proven fact "this-is-definitely-the-way-it-happened."

Odds and Ends

I promised to write about "science" and "religion" in the same blog last time, but I after a little more thought, I had two more ideas to add. So, here they are ...

The first thought is this: everyone dies. I don't mean to sound morbid or uncaring; it is a fact though, everyone dies. They may be young, they may be old, they may be somewhere in between, but everyone dies. The Bible says that "it is appointed for men to die once" (Hebrews 9:27, NKJV). Do you happen to know anyone of whom this is/was not true? If so, you can make big money by contacting the National Enquirer. It only seems unfair from our perspective when someone passes at a "young" age.

The second thought is this: The Bible teaches that sin entered this world through one man, Adam, and through his sin death entered the world and extended to all mankind (Romans 5:12). It also teaches that all of mankind is sinful and that there is not one single person who, on their own, is "righteous" before God (Romans 3:10, 23). God also says in His Word that the "wages of sin is death" (Romans 6:23).
Now, again, not wanting to sound uncaring, but if you follow the logic, if we are all "sinners", and the penalty for being sinners is death, why are we surprised when the penalty is enacted.
The real question isn't, "Why would God allow innocent people to die?" What we should ask is this: "Why is God so generous to allow some of us to live and breathe for any length of time?" "Why, if we are condemned to death, would He allow us to carry on even one second?" Remember, no one is "innocent;" we are all guilty.
The answer is easy - He is a merciful judge and it's only through His kindness and mercy that we live.

I hear you out there - "But, I thought God is a God of love! How can anyone be condemned to death?"

While it's true God IS love (1John 4:8), not just a God of love, He is also completely HOLY and cannot tolerate the slightest hint of imperfection in His presence.

Two last thoughts -
1. This life is but a brief span compared to the life we will have in eternity. And rest assured, you will live forever after your life here on Earth is done. The only question is, will it be with God in Paradise, or will it be spent in a place of misery, "weeping (or, "wailing") and gnashing of teeth" (Matthew 8:12; 13:42, 50; 22:13; 24:51; 25:30), separated from God for eternity.
2. If you prefer the former over the latter, remember He made a way of escape for you. You simply have to choose the "lifeboat" called Jesus. The Bible is quite clear that "whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved" (Romans 10:13; NKJV).

Alright, so next week we mix "science" and "religion." Hopefully, I will surprise you. Come with an open mind ...

Who's In Charge? (part 2)

We know that in everything God works for good with those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 (RSV)


OK, so what is the answer? If God is able to control events and circumstances, why doesn't He? Why does He allow Satan to work evil in this world (check out 1John 5:19 - "...the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one.")?


These are the types of questions humans have been asking since after the days of Adam and Eve. Remember, they were there. They knew the answer to those questions. They were the cause of these questions in the first place.

The answer is ... it depends! Don't you hate that answer? It's like your parents answering you with - "maybe". It just leaves a lot to be desired. I told you there is no "one size fits all" answer to this question, though. Here, I'll give you five reasons why, however, there are more. I'll leave it to you to try to apply the correct reason to each situation. That's part of our relationship with God - seeking Him to find the answers.

The first reason: Adversity breeds toughness. Ever heard the expression, "tough times don't last; tough people do"? I've heard that when a bone is broken, that particular point is "stronger" and less likely to re-break than anywhere else along that bone. Now, I'm not sure if that's 100% true or not, but the principal it illustrates is a good one. When you face adversity, you come out stronger on the other end. Kind of a "that which doesn't kill us makes us stronger"deal. It's also been said that God is more interested in our character than our comfort. The overwhelming goal of the Christian is to become more "Christ-like". The Bible refers to God as a refining fire. Just as raw ore is sent through the fire in order to drive out impurities, so we sometimes are allowed to go "through the fire" in order to drive out impurities in our own lives. This thought leads me to the next, which is ...

Sometimes trials, suffering, adversity, etc..., are allowed, because God knows they are likely to drive us to Him. That's what occurred in my life; that's what occurs in many lives - people have to hit "rock bottom" with nowhere else to turn; that's when they look for God. That's His goal after all, to save us from eternal separation from Him to eternal residence with Him. That's why God sent His only begotten Son - so that whoever believes that He is God and that He died for their sins, can be saved for that purpose. These people are called "joint heirs to the Kingdom of Heaven" and "children of God". Those titles are reserved ONLY to those who have accepted Jesus and His work. He also says in His Word, the Bible, that if we seek Him, He will be found. It's a promise. This reasoning also answers the question, at least partially, of, "Why would/How could a loving God send anyone to hell?" I'll cover this, eventually, in more depth, but for now, let's make it clear. God doesn't send anyone to hell; they send themselves. I can hear you out there saying "What? Who would send themselves to hell?" They don't do it intentionally, for the most part, but they have a choice. We already covered how humans are responsible for our present condition through sin. We haven't covered the fact that God is absolutely pure (but, we will), and that He cannot stand any hint of imperfection in His presence (but, we will). Without Jesus (I'll explain "how" later), we stand no chance of entry into Heaven, but are condemned to hell. God did everything possible and gave everything possible, to provide a way for us to not go to hell. Whether we choose to jump in the lifeboat to escape the sinking ship or not, is exactly that - our choice.

Third reason: Its a test - for obedience, for patience, for trust, for faith, etc... It's there for your sake. It's there for you to see exactly where you are in your walk with God. Will you obey? Do you believe God will make a way? Do you believe He will provide? Just as in school, if there were no tests, neither you, nor the instructor, would know how much of the "material" you've mastered. The whole thing of walking with God is preparing you for your eventual citizenship in Heaven. Again, the standard is "Christ-likeness". By the way, did you know that that is what "Christian" means? It's a "disciple of Christ". What does a disciple do, but copy the one they follow.

Reason number four - and by the way, these are in no particular order - by suffering and enduring through trials, we develop empathy for others. The worst thing in the world (OK, maybe not the worst, but it's not good) is to say to someone who is suffering, "I know how you feel" if you've never suffered similar circumstances. You can't know. The other person knows you can't know. Your words carry no further weight from that point forward and is likely to cause anger or more hurt. The flip side is this - if you have indeed suffered in like manner, you are in a unique position to minister to that person that no one else can reach. You are in a position to be "Christ-like" to that person. I know God is thrilled when we are His "hands and feet" in this hurting world. It blesses the one we are able to minister to AND it blesses the one able to do the ministering. Parents who have lost a child in an accident can use their walk through the shadows to reach and encourage another set of parents enduring the same fate. A cancer survivor can use their battle to reach and encourage someone you and I couldn't even begin to relate to. You get the idea. Reason #4 here is the one reason where you'll be able to say, "I see why now." You might not be able to at the time, but looking back, you'll definitely see the connection.

The last reason will leave you a bit dissatisfied, but it is where your trust and faith live and work. Here it is, are you ready? You may never know why. At least, not on this side of eternity. God may choose not to reveal it to you and you may never be able to look back through life and see the "why" of it all. Did you read through Job like I asked? If you did, you'll see that God never did answer that question for Job. We get to see it, of course, but Job never does. What was Job's response, though? I'll paraphrase - "The Lord gives and the Lord takes. Though He slay me, I will still praise Him." Job understood what I said earlier - everything on the earth is God's, created by Him and for Him. He has the right to do with it as He sees fit. That would be scary if God were not pure, holy, and good, but He is, so it's not. You just have to have faith and trust that God will honor His Word and be true to His revealed character. He says that every good thing comes from above.

God says in Ecclesiastes that He will make everything beautiful in its time. That, basically, says what the verse at the top of this blog says. Did you read it? Here it is again to keep you from having to scroll, "We know that in everything, God works for good with those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28 (RSV). What does that mean? It means this - no matter what it is you are going through, God will use that for good in your life, if you are His.

Remember, all of us are subject to some kind of catastrophe in our lives; no one is exempt. The thing is, what are you going to do with it? Will you let it push you from God, or to God? Smart money says, let it push you to Him.

Talk to you later. Next time we'll look at using science to prove "creationism".

"Egad," you say. "You can't be serious. You can't mix science and religion"

I am, and I will ...

Who's In Charge?

We know that in everything God works for good with those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 (RSV)


This weekend's hiking trip to White Oak Canyon's lower falls went nicely. It was slightly overcast and a bit on the cool side. The baptism was an adventure; late September + mountain stream = COLD! Both Pastor Matt and Tabatha said, in effect, the same thing - the cold just sucked the breath out of both of them. Too bad for them; the scenery was awesome for the rest of us. :-)

We did have an incident along the trail, though. We encountered a swarm of bees along the way. Unfortunately, one of our dogs (we took our two boxers along, much to their regret) was stung repeatedly. She started to vomit, she had difficulty breathing and she developed hives on her legs and up her back. She was miserable. And that was on the way UP to the falls. To make it worse, we had failed to pack our Benadryl. Poor dog was really glad to make it home finally.

She's doing fine now, thanks for asking ...

Her story kind of ties into what I wanted to talk about this week. It brings us to this: God may not have meant it to be this way, but why doesn't He fix it now that is this way? Is He in control? Does He not care? Surely He could have made it so that bees wouldn't have stung our dog. Surely He could have healed her once she was stung.

This one will require some time and space, because there is not a "one size fits all" answer. I promise, if you bear with me, probably over the next two posts, I'll give my best answer. Part of the answer may leave you slightly dissatisfied; that will be where trust and faith will come into play.

Before we get into answering our questions, please allow me to tell a story and ask a few questions of my own.

In the course of conducting my business, I've come to know a young man whose father is very wealthy. The father wanted to help the son, so he bought a business and allowed the son to run it. The father was quite "hands off;" it was almost like the son was the owner. He made all of the decisions, paid the bills, hired the help, etc... Well, the son did not have much business background and there were some setbacks, some of them were not really controllable, that made it a bit more difficult for the son. The father would offer some advice here and there, but like I said, he really did not push the son or interfere. Eventually, you guessed it, the business went under.

My questions: Who owned the business, the father or the son? The father owned; the son ran it. Did the father have the right to step in anytime he wanted and take over? Of course he did. What would that have done for the son? Would he have learned anything for the long haul? What may it have done to their relationship?

Ah, you're sharp! You're right, I'm going to relate this to God and us (try to anyway).

First, it's important to remember that all of this exists only by God, through God and for God. (Colossians 1:16) It's His. He owns it. He has the right to do whatever He wants in it and to it. The "it" includes us and our surroundings and circumstances.

Second, with God, all things are possible! He can make the blind to see, the lame to walk and the deaf to hear. He can cure diseases, He can give and He can take away. That doesn't mean He always will, however.

And the final point for tonight, just as the father turned the keys to the business over to his son and kept his hands off, God has done a similar thing. When Adam and Eve rebelled (we often don't like to see it that way, but that's what it was), the keys to this world were turned over to another party - Satan. ( John 12:31, Ephesians 2:2; among others)

"What!" you say, "Satan is in control of this world?"

Yes, but with limits. (just read the 1st two chapters of Job) This fact alone explains a lot of the evil we see occurring, but I'll fill in more detail. Just remember this verse: "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour ..." 1Peter 5:8.

But also remember this - there is one key that frees us from Satan's rule. I'll give you a hint in advance - John 14:6.

See ya later ...

God Created This? (part 2)

So ... the question is still out there - Did God create this?

The answer is really simple - absolutely YES! And definitely NO!

"Huh?", you ask. "What's up with that answer? It can't be both." OK, here we go. Just remember, you asked.

The answer is, God did create everything, but what we see today is but a remnant, a shadow, of the original. "In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth." Genesis 1:1. But the heaven and earth that God created was perfect. In fact, during the account in Genesis, God says that what He had created was "good" five times, and "very good" once. He was quite satisfied with what He had created. There was no death, disease, sickness or suffering. James 1:17 reminds us that "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above." God desired us to have good then; He desires us to have good now. "Good" definitely would not have included suffering, mental anguish, etc... If it did, God would be a masochist and totally unreliable in His word. Scripture teaches that God IS love (1John 4). In 1 Cor. 13, God tells us what love is. It includes the following: love is patient and is kind, is not provoked, thinks (much less does) no evil, and does not rejoice in iniquity.

Unfortunately, Adam and Eve (yes - they were real people) sinned in the Garden of Eden (part of God's perfect creation), which was the beginning of the problems we see now.

"How so?" - you ask, and I'm glad you did. It all comes down to "personal responsibility." Sometimes, our actions carry consequences, in spite of our sorrow at, and apologies for, our own actions. Sometimes, they don't. The point is, whether we face consequences or not, we would deserve consequences, received, or not. As a general rule, our actions don't occur in a vacuum either; someone is usually affected by our deeds.

God, though He had created everything perfectly, had also told Adam and Eve there would be consequences for their actions, if they did not do what He asked of them. The penalty for one specific act of disobedience was death (Gen. 2:17). You guessed it, they did it. And because they did it, we too suffer the consequences of their actions. Not just humankind, either. All of creation "groans" because of their disobedience (Romans 8:22). Severe? Maybe. But when you are the Creator of everything and hold everything together by Your power, you sort of have the right to set the rules - don't you? Is it Congress' fault if you don't pay your taxes and end up in jail? Hardly. And guess what - if you pass away before your debt is settled - your estate pays up before your descendants receive a dime. In other words, someone else is affected by your actions.

Oh, and remember those earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados, etc that we said weren't "natural?" That's right - caused by the "curse" of Adam and Eve's disobedience. Not that they couldn't have happened before, but I don't think they did. If God created everything "good," and we know the destructive power of these "natural" catastrophies, it seems logical that, at the very least, God restrained them from occurring. There's more bad news, I'm afraid. Not only will they continue to occur, but they will get worse as time moves forward. You don't have to take my word for it, God says so, too. That's right, Matt 24 (among others) talks about the things to come. Also, don't forget the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics: "'In a simple manner, the second law states that "energy systems have a tendency to increase their entropy (chaos)" rather than decrease it.'" (Wikipedia) In other words, this "law" of physics, which by the way, God would have created, and used Himself, says that things will continue to "run down," or degrade, as time passes by. Science proving the Bible - what a concept!

So here's the deal - God absolutely did create everything, perfectly, in the beginning, but it has been corrupted. He is definitely not responsible for what we see today. Humans are. What we see now is but a faint, barely intelligible remnant of the original. That's not to say you can't still get a glimpse of God in this creation (Romans 1:19,20), you just have to look a little harder to find Him.

I think I'll end here tonight. In the next few posts, I'll look at: God's role now; is He still in control, or not? Is this all there is to look forward to? How about mixing "religion" and "science," can it be done?

Just one thought for you until next time, from the book of Jeremiah, "And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart."

GOD Endeavors

God Created This?

"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." Romans 1:20 (NIV)

As Valerie and I have been hiking over the last several weeks, the thought has occurred to me that anyone looking at the world as it exists presently, may have a hard time finding God in it.

As we've hiked the trails, we've come across more than one little bird that had made its last flight. Not only had they flown their last, but it was obvious they had been another creature's dinner. We've come across numerous berry-pit filled evidences of bear along the trails. The thought has crossed my mind that, if hungry enough, those same bear wouldn't mind having us share the same fate as those birds.

We've seen plants that are struggling to survive the drought of summer. We've been on trails that were nearly overgrown with tangles of branches and thorny berry bushes (and possibly bear hiding among them, just out of eyesight, waiting for the right moment for "carry-out").

The last trail was strewn with loose rock that made descending very difficult. They also choked out any, and all, vegetation.

The thoughts extend off the trail as well. They go to the family of a young girl killed in a car accident trying to understand "why." They go to babies born with defects and diseases. They go to victims of "natural" (though, eventually, I hope to show they aren't "natural" at all) disasters such as earthquakes, floods and tornados.

One can hear the voices asking, "Where was God when ...," or, "How could God allow ...," or "What kind of God would cause ...."

So, what are the answers? How can what we see in our world be reconciled with a God of love (1John 4:16) and compassion (Lam. 3:22-23)? What happened? Where is God in all this?

There are answers. It begins with a proper understanding of God and His character. It begins with a proper understanding of the way things were meant to be. It begins with a proper understanding of man's intended relationship with God and the relationship between actions and consequences. If you'll indulge me over the next couple of posts, I'd like to re-assure you that God does care and that He is still in control and that you can find Him if you look for Him. He's still here. He hasn't moved, and He's waiting for you - patiently - to give you a hope and a joy and a peace beyond comprehension.

Our beginning verse said that God should be seen and understood by what He's made. If you're having trouble seeing Him, or maybe you don't even believe, but you're curious, this is what I say to you tonight: Come along on some great big ole' GOD adventures. Discover Him for Who He is and the plans He has for you. Join in and discover the One who said He formed you in the womb. He knows you and wants to be known by you. Its possible, and its a journey worth taking!

Until next time ...