Sin Is A Sticktight

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit. 1 Peter 3:18

I had been walking around the edge of a pond. When I got back to my car I saw the entire right arm of my hoodie was covered in stickers. I looked down and my legs were as well. I had seen these sticker seeds before. There is an entire family of them. They are generally called Sticktights. They are very aptly named as the only way to remove them is pulling the prongs of each seed out of your clothing one at a time. And just when you think you have gotten them all, you find a few more that you have missed. So it is with sin.

I firmly believe most people, even Christians, have a poor understanding of sin. Everything I say about this subject you should research for yourself, and be sure it aligns with scripture. Indeed, you should always do this with every Christian teacher or preacher or fellow Christian who speaks about what the Bible means. I have found throughout my life that even preachers I fully align with will occasionally get off of track. Yet I would have no idea if I had not read the Bible and studied it for myself.

It is shocking how even so-called mature believers can find themselves so easily swamped by sin. Yet we live inside a body prone to sin, and live in a world that thrives on sin. Sin is packaged so nicely that at times we barely recognize it as such. It doesn’t help that too many preachers barely touch on sin or the reality of hell. People get the general idea that we are all prone to do bad things, but they think that if we become believers in Christ that’s all over and done with, right?

Christ died to save us from our sins. We are born into this world as sinners and live our lives sinning. Even the nicest Christian you meet is still prone to sin. So what does it mean to “Be Saved From Our Sins?”

First off, it means Jesus is now the Master of your destiny. You have been forgiven of all of your sins by the sacrifice of Jesus on a Cross. He is now your Lord.  You have received the Holy Spirit within you. When the time of your death comes you will be with Jesus in heaven. 

It means that until you go to heaven the Holy Spirit will help you in the here and now. He will help you to overcome and avoid sins if you will let Him. Yet as long as you live in a human body, and in this sin-prone world, you will never be completely free from the tendency to sin. However, Jesus died to save you from your Past, Present, and Future sins.

If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. 1 John 1:10

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:19

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 1 John 2:1

I have seen the same people go up week after week in church to be “Saved Again”. What they are really trying to do is recapture that initial joy and good feeling of being free from sin. Jesus gives us that great joyful experience when we first become believers. But we are not in heaven yet. We are still surrounded by sin on this earth, and Jesus doesn’t want us relying upon our feelings but the fact of our salvation through Faith. 

There is much debate over whether you are Saved once and forever, or if you can lose your Salvation and must find it again. I am clearly in the doctrinal camp that once you are Saved–You are Saved! Do Christians backslide and displease the Lord? Yes. Are there times it is good to get on our knees and ask God to renew us spiritually? Of course. But how would part-time-Salvation work? Today you are saved, but tomorrow you will lose it? Next Tuesday you will be Saved again, but not next Wednesday?

Our Salvation in Christ is not a fickle thing. It is not a “Probationary Salvation”. But there are people who will say: “Great! Now I’m Saved and can do anything I want and still get into heaven!”

Good luck with that. The same God who Saved you is a loving Father who will correct and disciple you–I speak from experience. And while you can’t lose your Salvation, you can lose your life. Look at Ananias and Sapphira in the Bible book of Acts who even though they were believers, God took their lives because of a horrible sin against God (Acts 5:1-11) . Look at the scripture where the Apostle Paul warns believers that God will end your life if you take communion without respect to the meaning and purpose of it (1 Cor. 11:25-31). Some Christians had already lost their lives from disrespecting the Body and Blood of Christ by treating this Sacrament like some kind of pagan party. You can’t play games with sin. Christian or not. Rejoice in your Salvation, your eternal future is secure. Nevertheless, do not fool yourself there is no repercussions for willful sins against God. You must always respect your Heavenly Father. For just like a human father He will discipline and correct His children.

In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,

“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,

    and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,

because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,

    and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. Hebrews 12:4-11.

So yes, as believers we are Saved and Eternally Secure in Him and His finished work of Salvation through His death on a cross. That doesn’t mean we can behave like devils on this earth and our Father will just put up with anything. We are called to be Holy just as our Father is Holy. We will always fall short of His glory for He is God and we are not. We live in weak human flesh with a sinful world all around us. But just because we may never have perfectly pure lives on this side of heaven, it does not mean we are unable to make progress. We will with His help. We can do much good if we allow the Lord to work through these weak human bodies by His Spirit working within us.

But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. Romans 8:10

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 2 Corinthians 4:7

For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. 2 Corinthians 5:1

God’s enemy Satan once led a rebellion of angels in heaven against God. Then Satan in the Garden of Eden tried to lead humanity in a similar rebellion against God. Yet God had a glorious plan. God was not shocked at Adam and Eve’s sin against God’s Will. 

God’s plan would lead to a Human born of a woman, through God’s indwelling Spirit,  to redeem all of humanity. God would live beside us through Jesus, suffer with us, begin to reveal His glory through miracles, then shockingly be willing to die on a cross to carry humanity's sins away once and forever. God would have us as willing children who have tasted sin and seen its resulting death. Children who will receive Jesus as our Lord. Children who will wisely choose and serve God in eternal bliss rather than eternal separation from God which is Hell. 

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.Romans 8:28-30.

Even though we are weak and prey to sin, through the mercy and grace of God we are redeemed. And not conditionally, but because God had determined to Save us from the beginning of our existence. God may sometimes be disappointed in us, and we may be disappointed in our own sins and failures, but we are never completely lost or forgotten. We will finish our days in the faith. We will do so with the New Spirit He placed in us when we called upon Him for Salvation. We will finish our race with His help. Sometimes tripping and having to get up again. Sometimes standing strong and bold because of our Lord. Through it all we are His and He is ours forever. Jesus will see us through until we step into eternity.

Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;

    we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:33:39

Sin is a Sticktight. It clings to us and is hard to remove. Jesus, through His sacrifice for us, has set us free from the eternal consequences of Sin. You don’t have to go through life covered in sins. When you notice sin, you take it to God and ask for His help and deliverance. He is faithful and helps His children just as we help our children in this life. We do not abandon them, and God does not abandon us. When your children are in trouble you do everything in your power to help, and so it is with God and us. 

What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? Romans 8:31

Do not despair when you sin, take it to God. And when you see others sin, do not be quick to condemn as we are all subject to sin. Thankfully, we have an Advocate in heaven, interceding for us, delivering and forgiving us. Recognize sin for what it is, and be honest about your own weaknesses for we are all sinners Saved by His grace.

Prayer: Dear Lord, we are all sinners in need of both Your Salvation and Your Saving Grace daily in our lives. Be patient with us Lord, and thank You for your everlasting mercy and forgiveness. Amen

(If you have not asked Jesus to forgive you of your sins and to become your Savior please do so. You cannot get into heaven without Him. You will be lost without Him.)

Ministering Angels

Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation? Hebrews 1:14

My grandma had a picture on the wall of her house showing two children dangerously near the edge of a bridge. Behind them was an angel protecting them, the angel was there to prevent them from falling.

From the late 1980s through the mid 2000s there was a craze about angels. It was at its peak during the 1990s when the television show “Touched By An Angel” was airing. It was preceded by the show “Highway To Heaven” with Michael Landon playing an angel. In 1986 the book “This Present Darkness” was first published. The author was Frank Peretti. Many Christians will remember reading that book about Angels and Spiritual Warfare. There were also lots of other books and documentaries about angels around that time period.

Today there is not much mention of angels in the culture. Yet angels are often mentioned in scripture and play a big part in the life of believers.

Did you know that every child has a guardian angel?

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven. Matthew 18:10

In the first verse at the top of this post you will see that angels minister to believers. I will often add during my prayers a request that God have His angels watch over my family, and myself. Especially when traveling. I fully believe God sends His angels to watch over and protect us.

Jesus was strengthened by angels when He was praying on the Mount of Olives just before He went to the cross.

An angel from heaven appeared to him and strengthened him. And being in anguish, he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat was like drops of blood falling to the ground. Luke 22:33-34

I’m convinced that angels strengthen us as well. 

Years ago I was in the throes of depression. One day I was going to town and I noticed a guy with a backpack walking on the sidewalk. As my car drew near to the guy he stopped walking, turned and faced me with a big beaming smile on his face. His face and that smile followed me until my car was moving out of his sight. On the way back from town there he was again. The process repeated itself. He turned toward me and beamed that big beautiful smile until the car was out of his sight. It seemed such a ludicrous, crazy situation that I couldn’t help but smile and laugh, and I found joy rising up inside of me. And the depression lifted.

You can say that was not an angel, but anyone who has suffered serious depression knows that depression doesn't just fade away over a few minutes.

The Bible tells us we may meet many angels throughout our lives and not realize who they are. They do appear in human form.

Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. Hebrews 13:2.

There are those who have taken an unhealthy interest in angels. Indeed, some people seem to be more interested in angels than in God.  But for the believer, angels are there for us as messengers, ministering spirits, to strengthen and protect us. We should always be on our guard when it comes to how we treat strangers, you never know, it may be that you are looking at an angel in disguise.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You so much for angels. How wonderful it will be to see You face to face in heaven, and to also meet the angels who have guarded and helped us throughout our lives. Amen.

Apex Predator

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

I saw a photo of a coyote. The coyote was looking at the photographer like it wanted to eat him/her. It had a dangerous look in its eye. Predators are always on the lookout for prey.

In the air you have a variety of hawk, eagle, and owl predators. In the water you have sharks, killer whales, even a variety of bass that prey on smaller species. On land that dangerous looking coyote, wolves, bears, snakes, lions, and too many others to list. 

But the Christian has just one Apex Predator: Satan, who along with his servants wants us dead. 

Back in the 1980s-90s there was great interest in spiritual things and spiritual warfare. Frank Perretti the best selling author helped to start things off with his book “This Present Darkness”. A powerful story about spiritual warfare. Even Stephen King got things going with his self described book of dark Christianity “The Stand”. Then there were numerous shows like “Highway To Heaven” with Michael Landon. “Touched By An Angel” with Roma Downey. The famous “Left Behind” series of books by LaHaye & Jenkins. Lots of occult stuff, movies and books dealing with evil, demons, and Satan himself.

I would say at its Peak there was an almost unhealthy interest in all things supernatural. And that can be a danger, focusing more on the Supernatural realm than upon God. 

The good that came out of those decades was that Christians had a growing awareness that we need to be alert to the fact there is a spiritual realm that can help and hurt us in our lives. When you are on guard against your enemy, and at the same time understand that we have angels watching over and helping us at the Lord’s command, you are much more in tune to the dangers that are unseen. And also the importance of prayer for protection, strength, and deliverance, as well as keeping us in continual contact with Jesus.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. John 10:10

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6:12

The Devil was not always against God and God’s people. It is hard to believe but he was at one time an angel of the highest order. He was one of the angels who had great authority in heaven. Satan was a Guardian Cherub, close to God's throne. We get a glimpse of what Satan must have been like in the Bible Book of Ezekiel.

“‘You were the seal of perfection,

    full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.

You were in Eden,

    the garden of God;

every precious stone adorned you:

    carnelian, chrysolite and emerald,

    topaz, onyx and jasper,

    lapis lazuli, turquoise and beryl.

Your settings and mountings were made of gold;

    on the day you were created they were prepared.

You were anointed as a guardian cherub,

    for so I ordained you.

You were on the holy mount of God;

    you walked among the fiery stones.

You were blameless in your ways

    from the day you were created

    till wickedness was found in you.

Through your widespread trade

    you were filled with violence,

    and you sinned.

So I drove you in disgrace from the mount of God,

    and I expelled you, guardian cherub,

    from among the fiery stones.

Your heart became proud

    on account of your beauty,

and you corrupted your wisdom

    because of your splendor.

So I threw you to the earth;

    I made a spectacle of you before kings.

By your many sins and dishonest trade

    you have desecrated your sanctuaries.

I made a fire come out from you,

    and it consumed you,

and I reduced you to ashes on the ground

    in the sight of all who were watching.

All the nations who knew you

    are appalled at you;

you have come to a horrible end

    and will be no more.’” Ezekiel 28:13-19

That last part is important. If Satan had a wonderful, even glamorous beginning as one of God’s top angels, he will have an infamous end. While he persecutes the Church and God’s people, he does not have unlimited power over us. And he has an expiration date.

But fire came down from heaven and devoured them. And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Revelation 20:9b-10.

Nevertheless, until that end comes we have an Apex Predator that we need to be wary of and on guard against. His method of operation has never changed. He wants to kill, steal, and destroy (John 10:10).

We have a deadly enemy that comes at us through our body, our appetites, our desires, and our straying thoughts. He will kill us if he can, or make us wish we were dead. We can never defeat him alone, but thanks be to God we are not alone, nor are we unarmed.

We must not only remain vigilant against this predator, we must be armed and ready. Putting on the full armor of God as outlined in Ephesians chapter 6.

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

   And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. Ephesians 6:10-18

Believer in Christ. Stay well armed for the battles ahead. Testing and Trials come around again and again as much as we would like to avoid them. Stay strong in the Word, diligent in Prayer, stay close to Jesus. And always be aware that our Apex Predator Satan is out to destroy us.

Prayer: Dear Lord, help us to be wise and stay alert knowing that we have an enemy who is out to destroy us. But with Your help we will not only overcome, but have the ultimate victory! Amen.

Wasted Talent

“For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey. The one who had received the five talents immediately went and did business with them, and earned five more talents. In the same way the one who had received the two talents earned two more. But he who received the one talent went away and dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money. Matt. 25:14-18

The value of a single talent in the Bible was a huge sum of money. A talent was approximately equal to 6,000 denarii and a single denarii was a day’s wages for workers at the time.

The talent in Jesus’ parable is metaphorically something of tremendous value.

When I was very young I would hear this story being read or would read it myself in the Bible and in the back of my mind my common sense would want to excuse the guy because at least he didn’t lose or throw away the talent his master gave to him. But reading it now I realize he did something much worse than throw it away–he buried it. 

“Now the one who had received the one talent also came up and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed. And I was afraid, so I went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you still have what is yours.’ Matt. 25:24-25

The previous servants had made good use with the talents given to them by their master. They had increased, built upon what had been given them. But not the “one talent guy”. He dug a hole in the ground and buried the talent. All he had to do was take a trip to his local bank and deposit it. Just make a little interest on the money. But instead he hid it away.

“But his master answered and said to him, ‘You worthless, lazy slave! Did you know that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter seed? Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest. Therefore: take the talent away from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.’ Matt. 25:26-28

Looking at this parable as a metaphor we could come at it from a few angles, but from my perspective I see the talent in the parable as Jesus Himself. Jesus is the priceless gift God has given to us and what we do with Jesus will determine whether we hear “good and well done faithful servant” or are rebuked and cast out for squandering the greatest gift ever given to mankind.

When the Lord is presented to us our reception and actions afterward matter. Those faithful servants took the great gift and did something with it. They varied in their outcomes but they at least had an outcome. They had something to show for a life lived after receiving the greatest gift. But not the foolish man. Taking Jesus as metaphorically being the talent this foolish man not only failed to appreciate the gift, not only failed to be seen with the gift at his local bank, he quickly buried it out of sight. He did nothing with Jesus but hide Him as if He had never been in the man’s life. He not only failed to increase what had been given to him, he left Jesus in the ground. The risen Lord was never manifested in the life of the man!

What we do with Jesus means everything. There are great ones like Billy Graham who go on to lead incredible numbers of people to Christ. There are others who work quietly but make a difference in the lives of those around them because Jesus shines through them. When you belong to the Lord you can’t help but do some good, have some increase in the blessing you have received. But never be like the fool who was presented the gift of Jesus, and instead of receiving Him and being changed, he buried and hid the most important thing in this world in the ground for no one to see. What will you do with Jesus? Are you letting others see the risen Lord in your life?

Prayer: Dear Lord, we may not always be the best servants, but help us never to be fools. Help us to let the world see You, the greatest most priceless Gift we have ever received, and transform the world around us through Your presence. Amen.

Genesis Part 2 - Humanity

Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” Genesis 1:26

God had done it. The Artist put upon His canvas a beautiful background of the starry heavens above, the sky, water, and ground. He filled the earth with amazing, unique, beautiful, and strange creatures to fly through the sky, swim through the waters, and tread upon the earth. But all of that beautiful backdrop was just a setting for his most amazing creation: Humanity.

Unlike all the other creatures on the earth humans would be something special. Not just amazing beings dreamt up from God’s great imagination, but something worthy of God’s companionship, friendship, creatures to walk with God Himself.

The Greek Philosophers defined the difference between humans and other creatures as mankind having a divine spark, a fragment of God. The Hebrew word for the human soul is Neshama. God breathed a part of Himself into us when we were created. Our ability to reason, comprehend, fashion and shape objects, and to become artists like the Great Artist Himself all comes from that divine spark. Though we are not God, we are godlike because He made us like Himself.

If we ever get a full revelation of the fact of our godlikeness we will have a better understanding of much of what follows in the Bible.

So God created mankind in his own image,

    in the image of God he created them;

    male and female he created them. Genesis 1:27

So we have this perfect garden set within a perfect creation. Then God makes humans in His image/likeness. Everything is going very well. What happens next has been a question for theologians to debate for centuries. 

God gave humans free will. We have the ability to decide things for ourselves apart from God’s will. He could have made humans into robot-like creatures who simply did everything they were told. But He wanted beings to interact with Him, to be companions who could choose and reason. People who could decide to worship God and be part of His family.

Now the Lord God had planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he had formed. The Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food. In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Genesis 2:8-9

The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it. And the Lord God commanded the man, “You are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die.” Genesis 2:15-17

All Adam and Eve had to do was take care of the Garden of Eden and enjoy being with God. The only rule they had to follow was to leave a single tree alone within the Garden of Eden.

I do not believe God was shocked when Adam and Eve ate fruit from the forbidden tree. God was “playing 3D Chess” as it were. He was many moves ahead and had already prepared for what was to come and how He would see humanity ultimately placed into a position worthy of full fellowship with Himself.

God at some distant point in the past had dealt with one rebellion already. A being called Lucifer had turned against God and led astray a number of angels in a revolt against God. (Isaiah 14:12, Revelation 12:3-4). Humanity’s rebellion against God’s law would come early and their redemption would unfold in an elaborate plan that is woven throughout the Bible and culminates in the arrival, life, death, and resurrection of God Himself on earth in the Person of Jesus. God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit would work to save humanity from the fate of an ultimate death and separation from the Creator.

Something I want to touch on regarding our likeness to God is how closely it is connected to God’s anger, His great wrath toward sin. There are sins we commit against God personally, acts of rebellion, misusing His Name, and acting in an ungodly manner. But God is equally as angry toward the sins we commit against each other.

When we sin against each other, mistreat or abuse each other in numerous ways, we are hurting a godlike being. God takes such actions personally. Because we are made in God’s image our sins are an insult to God’s holiness and perfection. God did not create us to wallow in filth like hogs, or to maim and kill each other. Such actions bring on God’s wrath and judgment.

 

Jesus came to earth to free us of our tendency to sin. Jesus gave Himself as a sacrifice to re-establish the relationship we had with God in the Garden of Eden. And to move beyond that early stage of humanity to become members of God’s family through a new relationship, a Covenant between ourselves and God made through our acceptance of Jesus as the atonement for our sinfulness.

God the Creator of everything made mankind to join Him in the heavenly realm. It began on earth as an elaborate plan that would unfold over thousands of years. God had this story written in His mind before the first page of Genesis was ever recorded. He knew what He was doing. Our Sovereign God in His kindness and mercy not only made us, He wants us to be with Him in an eternal Holy relationship. God made us to be like Him and with Him forever. No wonder we praise, worship, and love our Lord.

Prayer: dear Lord, in Your amazing grace you created humanity knowing we would be weak and sinful, and yet You chose us to become like You and to dwell with You forever. Thank You for Your Love and Mercy which is beyond our full comprehension. Bless You Lord, we will praise You eternally. Amen.

Genesis Part 1 - Creation

 Genesis Part 1 - Creation

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Genesis 1:1

Years ago God pressed me to watch a documentary by Neil deGrasse Tyson. Now I would just about rather go to the dentist than sit through a long-winded documentary by a blowhard atheist or agnostic that works hard at pushing science above the God that made heaven and earth. To say such people are fools is not name calling, it’s the title God gives them:

The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good. Psalm 14:1

Yet, since I felt God nudging me to do so I watched the show. As expected, Mr. deGrasse had very strong arguments and reasoning that “sounded” smart and convincing. Yet I knew the Who and Why of God’s Creation. I have been reading my Bible since boyhood. And I had my own way of reasoning outside of Mr. deGrasse and his high-sounding arguments.

Intuition. Common Sense. Experience. Intuition can be something that arises from our common humanity. A sixth sense that can warn us of unseen danger, or drives our convictions and beliefs. Intuition can, and often does, come from God through the Holy Spirit. And the longer you live as a Christian in fellowship with God the stronger that heavenly Intuition becomes in your life. 

Then we have Common Sense. Common Sense is the simple logic of the obvious. A complex creation must have a complex Creator. When too many so-called accidents do not add up, then you look for a more obvious explanation. For instance, even hearing and vision involve complex systems tied together in both humans and animals to work properly. How many “endless accidents” are necessary to make even one of those things work correctly? I have long thought that it takes far more “faith” to believe in a creator-less evolution than an Intelligent Creator. My Common Sense defies a godless creation. It is simply unreasonable. While I believe it is possible God used Evolution in the process of creation, I do not think it was necessary that God needed such a process. God has the power to make anything and everything in ways we still cannot fully comprehend. 

When we see a hawk or eagle fly overhead, watch a deer moving gracefully along a fence line, or step outside on a cold winter’s night and see the stars gleaming like diamonds across the night sky–in the depths of our souls we know there was a Maker for all that’s made. This involves both Intuition and Common Sense.

For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. Romans 1:19-20

When God had Moses write down the book of Genesis the explanation of creation was geared toward all of humanity. From the simple shepherd and dirt farmer thousands of years ago to modern humans today. God kept Genesis simple on purpose. He could have defined physics, geology, microbiology, mathematics, etc., in the Book of Genesis, but that was not its purpose. We are given the basics of creation and then the Bible moves quickly into the purpose of creation–us.

The creation reveals a Creator. Pagans saw the creation and rather than understanding the creation was the canvas that God painted upon revealing something of Himself, our pagan ancestors created gods in the image of the creations, animals, reptiles, birds, etc. Today, those who deny God have set up new gods of Science and Knowledge reveling in their pride rather than humbly acknowledging the God who made them. Scientists of all types who refute and reject God carefully study what He has made and are without excuse for their unbelief. Of course some scientists are Christians and they are doubly blessed because they get to study the mysteries of how God created things while fully appreciating that He is the God who mastered nature.

My third tier in ways of knowing is Experience. For a Christian like myself who has lived on this earth over sixty years Experience plays a big part in how we believe and why we believe in God. There was a man not long ago talking to me about preachers. He was not a believer and was expounding upon the fact that he had never seen a miracle, implying that God must not be real any more than miracles are real. He paused, expecting my agreement. Instead, I told him I had seen God do miracles.  I launched into just some of the miracles I had seen God do in my life to his astonishment. I have too much experience at seeing God work in my life and the lives of others to be an unbeliever. I have both seen and believe. But the fact is when you start down this path of faith in God, Experience comes after that initial Intuition, faith, that God is, and the Common Sense that we are not a freak of nature but created beings made by a Creator.

The Creation, the universe, planets, water, sea creatures, plant life, birds and mammals, these preceded us. Yet they were merely the groundwork for the pinnacle of God’s creation with a plan in motion that would only fully be revealed over millennia.

Prayer: Dear Lord, as we study and learn more about Your creation and its process help us to handle such knowledge with humility. For it is with humility and awe that Your beautiful artwork should be experienced. Thank you for everything in the heavens and on earth that you made for us! Amen.

Getting Real About Religion

He has told you, O man, what is good;

    and what does the Lord require of you

but to do justice, and to love kindness,

    and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8

I think for many of those outside of the Church looking in that Christians must seem very strange creatures. In one sense, outsiders sometimes think that we are those who “have it all together”. No longer sinners, but Saints. Yet in another sense, too often they see that we Christians not only “don’t have it all together”, we are sinners just like everyone else.

At times we Christians like to pretend to have it together when in fact the big difference between us and everyone else is that We Are Still Sinners, but We Are Saved By Grace. The difference between unbelievers and believers is that we Christians have put our hope in Jesus.

Smart Christians not only know they need God’s Mercy and Grace on a daily basis, they admit they have weaknesses, and with God’s help struggle to do better.

I know my own faults well. And they keep me more humble than I would be otherwise. I have a fiery temper. Always have. Along with it I have a sharp tongue. I mastered the art of cussing at a young age and still struggle with that habit. I can go weeks with hardly a bad word leaving my lips, but give me a rough week and a short fuse and we’re off to the races. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to pray about that.

There is a saying: If you think I’m bad now, you should have seen me before I became a Christian.

I became a Christian at a young age. But ours was not a religious home. Mom insisted we go to church so we could make up our own mind about God. We lived in a trailer park that was not the holiest place on earth. There was a guy who sold marijuana two trailers to our right. At the far end of the park lived several guys in a biker gang. Cussing, smoking, drinking, and drug use were regular occurrences in our neighborhood. Then there was a gay married couple (one guy wore a dress and pretended to be a woman during the ceremony. This was long before gay marriage) living across the road three trailers down. 

I remember once I asked the neighbor lady who would cut my hair to do my makeup as a character from the KISS rock band for a church halloween party. She got the gay guy who lived next to her to do my makeup. I was probably around fourteen years old at the time. Thinking about it today the irony is not lost on me: a gay guy puts makeup on the Christian kid to attend a church party. That’s enough to make some Christian heads explode.

I wrestled with God through my teenage years even as a believer. I didn’t really begin to get my act together until I was around twenty years old. I was still a Christian through those rough years with my teenage angst, but there was not a lot of fruit to show for it. Thankfully, we have a merciful loving Lord who is patient with us all.

There has always been pressure on Christians to act like they are better than they really are, especially in church and around other believers. Even when the truth is we are all far from perfect. We must walk a narrow road of standing with God and His Word when it comes to sin, and yet not lose sight of the fact none of us has fully reached that perfection on this side of heaven. How could we? We live in a sin sick world and are “housed” in a body affected by sin. 

If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:8-9

None of this means we should not strive, with God’s help, to be better than we are on this earth. Indeed, We all need to grow up into the faith, that’s why scripture admonishes us to do better.

A few years ago I was in the McDonald’s drive-through. It’s a two lane situation and I had given my order and started to move up from my lane. The car in the lane next to me leapt forward and the driver ‘went off on me’. For several seconds I was ready to jump out of the car and let him know who was the first in line. I learned from a young age after being bullied that my response would no longer be “flight” but always “fight”. And that’s how I reacted. Somehow,  by God’s grace, I reigned in my temper and settled down. A little later, thinking it over, I started to laugh about the situation. Imagine a Christian in his fifties jumping out of his car at a McDonald’s drive-through and getting into a fist fight over who should get their Big Mac first. Like I said earlier: You should have seen me before I became a Christian.

Prayer: Dear Lord, we fail in many ways. Never let us lose sight of the importance of humility, and the amazing grace and mercy You have shown to us all. Amen.