Is it true that it never rained until Noah and the ark?
Let's start with what we know to be true from the Bible. Genesis 2:5 tells us that there was no rain prior to the creation of man. Instead, "springs would well up from the earth and water the whole surface of the ground." (Gen. 2:6) The next place the Bible mentions rain falling on the earth is Genesis 7:12, "the rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights." The Bible says nothing about it raining (or not raining) after the creation of man until the rain fell during the world-wide flood. Based solely on the truth of the biblical text the answer must be "we don't know if it rained prior to the flood."
Good "logical" arguments can be made to explain why it did or did not rain prior to the flood, but none of these theories can claim to be any more "biblical" than another. (read more about these theories) What we DO know from the Bible is that there were major changes among creation after the flood. Genesis 9:2 says, "every living creature of the earth and every bird of the sky will be terrified of you." It appears that prior to the flood there was no fear of man among animals. We could walk right up to the wild animals and pet them! Another major change is that prior to the flood all humans were vegetarians, but after the flood God told Noah and his sons in Genesis 9:3, "You may eat any moving thing that lives. As I gave you the green plants, I now give you everything." (Maybe that is why God caused the living creatures to be terrified of humans!) Finally, after the flood the average human lifespan dropped dramatically. Prior to the flood people were living close to 1,000 years with Methuselah clocking in at 969 years/old. The genealogy of Shem in Genesis 11 reveals that just a little over 200 years after the flood, the lifespan had dropped to under 200 years. In fact, if you do the math, Shem [Noah's Son], would have been alive to see his great, great, great, great, great, grandson die. (Shem would have still been alive when Abram [later, Abraham] was born!)
Could the pre-flood environment been so different that vegetation, animals, and even humans thrived without rain? Certainly! Do we know for certain that it did not rain prior to the flood? No.
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Where did these questions come from? In early April 2010 I was invited to join our Engage youth (junior & senior high student ministry at Geist Community Church) for a Q&A session. The students had been given the opportunity to anonymously submit questions that they wanted me to attempt to answer. The quality (and quantity) of the questions that were submitted really impacted me in a big way. The questions they asked are questions that people have wrestled with for centuries, if not longer. In fact, the questions were so good that I decided to spend time interacting with them on my blog. While I may not have time (or the knowledge) to fully answer each question, my hope is to at least point us in the right direction in Scripture so that we can continue to dialogue and seek the truth.
Monday, June 21, 2010
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Question #3 - Why did God create humans if He doesn't need us?
I haven't had much time to work on these while packing for our big move next week. Hopefully, I'll have more time after the move since I still have over 30 questions to go! :-) Here is the third question:
Why did God create humans if He doesn't need us?
It is true that God doesn't need anything. The theological term that is often used to describe this attribute of God is His "self-sufficiency." A.W. Tozer says it this way, "Whatever God is, and all that God is, He is in Himself." The apostle Paul wrote in Acts 17:23-25 that the world's Creator God "is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else." Tozer also correctly states that "to admit the existence of a need in God is to admit incompleteness in the divine Being."
Back to the question at hand: why did God create humans? In Isaiah 43:7 God says, "everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made." Romans 11:36 tells us that "for from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen." In Revelation 4 we see the 24 elders fall down before God's throne in heaven and proclaim, "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being." (cf. 1 Cor. 10:31; Rom. 9:20-24)
God created everything, including humans, for His glory. Humans are unique among all creation because we alone are created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26-27). Bearing the image of God, our Creator, means that humans reflect the glory of God by being His representatives in creation. As a side note, this also means every human has value and worth because we reflect God's image in our own unique ways.
2 Corinthians 3:18 says, "And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord." As you seek to live for God and allow yourself to transformed into the likeness of Christ, do your actions and words (your life) accurately reflect God's glory among creation?
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Where did these questions come from? In early April 2010 I was invited to join our Engage youth (junior & senior high student ministry at Geist Community Church) for a Q&A session. The students had been given the opportunity to anonymously submit questions that they wanted me to attempt to answer. The quality (and quantity) of the questions that were submitted really impacted me in a big way. The questions they asked are questions that people have wrestled with for centuries, if not longer. In fact, the questions were so good that I decided to spend time interacting with them on my blog. While I may not have time (or the knowledge) to fully answer each question, my hope is to at least point us in the right direction in Scripture so that we can continue to dialogue and seek the truth.
Why did God create humans if He doesn't need us?
It is true that God doesn't need anything. The theological term that is often used to describe this attribute of God is His "self-sufficiency." A.W. Tozer says it this way, "Whatever God is, and all that God is, He is in Himself." The apostle Paul wrote in Acts 17:23-25 that the world's Creator God "is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else." Tozer also correctly states that "to admit the existence of a need in God is to admit incompleteness in the divine Being."
Back to the question at hand: why did God create humans? In Isaiah 43:7 God says, "everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made." Romans 11:36 tells us that "for from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen." In Revelation 4 we see the 24 elders fall down before God's throne in heaven and proclaim, "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being." (cf. 1 Cor. 10:31; Rom. 9:20-24)
God created everything, including humans, for His glory. Humans are unique among all creation because we alone are created in the image of God (Gen. 1:26-27). Bearing the image of God, our Creator, means that humans reflect the glory of God by being His representatives in creation. As a side note, this also means every human has value and worth because we reflect God's image in our own unique ways.
2 Corinthians 3:18 says, "And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord." As you seek to live for God and allow yourself to transformed into the likeness of Christ, do your actions and words (your life) accurately reflect God's glory among creation?
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Where did these questions come from? In early April 2010 I was invited to join our Engage youth (junior & senior high student ministry at Geist Community Church) for a Q&A session. The students had been given the opportunity to anonymously submit questions that they wanted me to attempt to answer. The quality (and quantity) of the questions that were submitted really impacted me in a big way. The questions they asked are questions that people have wrestled with for centuries, if not longer. In fact, the questions were so good that I decided to spend time interacting with them on my blog. While I may not have time (or the knowledge) to fully answer each question, my hope is to at least point us in the right direction in Scripture so that we can continue to dialogue and seek the truth.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Question #2 - When did forever begin?
The second question is one of those that will short-circuit your brain if you think about it too long!
When did forever begin and how was God just there?
Eternity (forever) is not something that has a beginning or end. It is infinite or boundless, meaning that no boundaries can be placed around it. Eternity exists outside of the boundaries that time exists within. In fact, the Bible teaches us that God is eternal, which means He had no beginning, has no end, and dwells outside of the boundaries of time. As part of God’s creation it is very difficult (actually impossible) for us to fully understand this attribute of God. From birth we are taught that everything around us came from something. And for everything except God, that statement is true. Genesis 1:1 tells us, “In the beginning God.” The Bible never talks about the “beginning” of God because He had no beginning. God has no origin (beginning) and it is this concept of no-origin that distinguishes that which is God from that which is not God (cf. Colossians 1:15-17; John 1:1-3).
Moses prayed in Psalm 90:1-2, “O Lord, you have been our protector through all generations! Even before the mountains came into existence, or you brought the world into being, you were the eternal God.”
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Where did these questions come from? In early April 2010 I was invited to join our Engage youth (junior & senior high student ministry at Geist Community Church) for a Q&A session. The students had been given the opportunity to anonymously submit questions that they wanted me to attempt to answer. The quality (and quantity) of the questions that were submitted really impacted me in a big way. The questions they asked are questions that people have wrestled with for centuries, if not longer. In fact, the questions were so good that I decided to spend time interacting with them on my blog. While I may not have time (or the knowledge) to fully answer each question, my hope is to at least point us in the right direction in Scripture so that we can continue to dialogue and seek the truth.
When did forever begin and how was God just there?
Eternity (forever) is not something that has a beginning or end. It is infinite or boundless, meaning that no boundaries can be placed around it. Eternity exists outside of the boundaries that time exists within. In fact, the Bible teaches us that God is eternal, which means He had no beginning, has no end, and dwells outside of the boundaries of time. As part of God’s creation it is very difficult (actually impossible) for us to fully understand this attribute of God. From birth we are taught that everything around us came from something. And for everything except God, that statement is true. Genesis 1:1 tells us, “In the beginning God.” The Bible never talks about the “beginning” of God because He had no beginning. God has no origin (beginning) and it is this concept of no-origin that distinguishes that which is God from that which is not God (cf. Colossians 1:15-17; John 1:1-3).
Moses prayed in Psalm 90:1-2, “O Lord, you have been our protector through all generations! Even before the mountains came into existence, or you brought the world into being, you were the eternal God.”
------------------------
Where did these questions come from? In early April 2010 I was invited to join our Engage youth (junior & senior high student ministry at Geist Community Church) for a Q&A session. The students had been given the opportunity to anonymously submit questions that they wanted me to attempt to answer. The quality (and quantity) of the questions that were submitted really impacted me in a big way. The questions they asked are questions that people have wrestled with for centuries, if not longer. In fact, the questions were so good that I decided to spend time interacting with them on my blog. While I may not have time (or the knowledge) to fully answer each question, my hope is to at least point us in the right direction in Scripture so that we can continue to dialogue and seek the truth.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Question #1 - Why can Satan still go into God's presence?
This past Sunday evening I was invited to join our Engage youth (junior & senior high student ministry at Geist Community Church) for a Q&A session. For the past couple of weeks the students have been given the opportunity to anonymously submit questions that they wanted me to attempt to answer. The quality (and quantity) of the questions that were submitted pleasantly surprised me. The questions they asked are questions that people have wrestled with for centuries, if not longer. In fact, the questions were so good that I decided to spend the next several weeks interacting with them on my blog. While I may not have time (or the knowledge) to fully answer each question, my hope is to at least point us in the right direction in Scripture so that we can continue to dialogue and seek the truth. Take a look at question #1:
If heaven is a perfect place where no sin can enter, why could Satan go into heaven?
Let’s start with what we know to be true from the Bible. First, we know that Satan and the fallen angels (demons) were cast down to earth at some point in history when they rebelled against God in heaven. Revelation 12:9 says, “the ancient serpent, the one called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world – was thrown down to the earth, and his angels along with him.” Currently, he is roaming around the earth “like a roaring lion…looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8) We also know that Satan indeed enters the presence of God. In Job 1:6-7 we read, “the day came when the sons of God (angels) came to present themselves before the Lord – and Satan also arrived among them…‘from roving about on the earth’.” Back in Revelation 12:10 we also see that Satan (literally “the accuser” or “adversary”) is before God day and night accusing believers.
The real difficulty in answering this question is the complex nature of the term ‘heaven.’ The Jewish rabbinic idea of ‘heaven’ involves a multiplicity of ‘heavens,’ usually in the neighborhood of seven different heavens. Again, however, we must look at what Scripture teaches. Heaven is sometimes used to refer to the expanse of the sky above the earth. (cf. Gen. 1:14-16) Heaven is also frequently referred to as the dwelling place of God. (cf. Dt. 26:15; 1 Ki. 8:30; Jon. 1:9) Believers are encouraged by our Savior, Jesus, to “store up treasures in heaven” (Matt 6:20). We are also told we have been given an inheritance in heaven which can never perish, spoil, or fade. Still other passages such as Isaiah 65:17, 2 Peter 3:10-13, and Rev. 21:1 tell us that God will create a “new heaven and a new earth for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.”
Based on that very quick survey of Scripture, there are at least 3 primary uses of the term heaven.
(1) the sky
(2) the current dwelling place of God and his host of angels (current heaven)
(3) the future eternal home of God, the ‘good’ angels, and all believers (new heaven)
In order to answer our original question, we’ll focus on the second use of heaven: “the current dwelling place of God.” Biblical language certainly alludes to the fact that heaven is a place of perfection (and it must be in order to be the dwelling place of the perfect God). However, as we have already established, Satan is still clearly given access to heaven. How can the great “accuser” be given access to a place that is perfect? The only answer can be…GRACE. God’s amazing, wonderful grace.
Yes, God is holy and can have nothing to do with sin. (cf. Lev. 11:44) He is also a God of justice and promises to judge sin and eternally punish those who have not trusted in the work of His Son, Jesus Christ, to save them. (cf. Psalm 11:7, 89:14; Revelation 20:11-15) While sin has already been defeated through the work of Jesus Christ (cf. Rom. 6:8-10), the ultimate judgment of sin by God has yet to happen because God is also a God of great patience (cf. Rom. 2:4; 9:22). 2 Peter 3:9 is perhaps the clearest picture of his patience: “The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some regard slowness, but is being patient toward you, because he does not wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”
Why does God allow Satan to still enter His presence? The same reason Adam and Eve didn’t die the exact moment they first ate the forbidden fruit. Grace. Yes, Adam and Eve both immediately died spiritually (separated from God) and eventually died physically. However, it was purely God's grace that they didn't immediately drop dead when they disobeyed God's command, because the "wages of sin is death."
Of this we can be sure: Satan’s eternity in the lake of fire is sealed and his reign on this earth is quickly coming to an end (cf. Rev. 20). God will bring His justice to heaven and earth. Remember, justice delayed is not justice denied…it’s grace.
If heaven is a perfect place where no sin can enter, why could Satan go into heaven?
Let’s start with what we know to be true from the Bible. First, we know that Satan and the fallen angels (demons) were cast down to earth at some point in history when they rebelled against God in heaven. Revelation 12:9 says, “the ancient serpent, the one called the devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world – was thrown down to the earth, and his angels along with him.” Currently, he is roaming around the earth “like a roaring lion…looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8) We also know that Satan indeed enters the presence of God. In Job 1:6-7 we read, “the day came when the sons of God (angels) came to present themselves before the Lord – and Satan also arrived among them…‘from roving about on the earth’.” Back in Revelation 12:10 we also see that Satan (literally “the accuser” or “adversary”) is before God day and night accusing believers.
The real difficulty in answering this question is the complex nature of the term ‘heaven.’ The Jewish rabbinic idea of ‘heaven’ involves a multiplicity of ‘heavens,’ usually in the neighborhood of seven different heavens. Again, however, we must look at what Scripture teaches. Heaven is sometimes used to refer to the expanse of the sky above the earth. (cf. Gen. 1:14-16) Heaven is also frequently referred to as the dwelling place of God. (cf. Dt. 26:15; 1 Ki. 8:30; Jon. 1:9) Believers are encouraged by our Savior, Jesus, to “store up treasures in heaven” (Matt 6:20). We are also told we have been given an inheritance in heaven which can never perish, spoil, or fade. Still other passages such as Isaiah 65:17, 2 Peter 3:10-13, and Rev. 21:1 tell us that God will create a “new heaven and a new earth for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.”
Based on that very quick survey of Scripture, there are at least 3 primary uses of the term heaven.
(1) the sky
(2) the current dwelling place of God and his host of angels (current heaven)
(3) the future eternal home of God, the ‘good’ angels, and all believers (new heaven)
In order to answer our original question, we’ll focus on the second use of heaven: “the current dwelling place of God.” Biblical language certainly alludes to the fact that heaven is a place of perfection (and it must be in order to be the dwelling place of the perfect God). However, as we have already established, Satan is still clearly given access to heaven. How can the great “accuser” be given access to a place that is perfect? The only answer can be…GRACE. God’s amazing, wonderful grace.
Yes, God is holy and can have nothing to do with sin. (cf. Lev. 11:44) He is also a God of justice and promises to judge sin and eternally punish those who have not trusted in the work of His Son, Jesus Christ, to save them. (cf. Psalm 11:7, 89:14; Revelation 20:11-15) While sin has already been defeated through the work of Jesus Christ (cf. Rom. 6:8-10), the ultimate judgment of sin by God has yet to happen because God is also a God of great patience (cf. Rom. 2:4; 9:22). 2 Peter 3:9 is perhaps the clearest picture of his patience: “The Lord is not slow concerning his promise, as some regard slowness, but is being patient toward you, because he does not wish for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”
Why does God allow Satan to still enter His presence? The same reason Adam and Eve didn’t die the exact moment they first ate the forbidden fruit. Grace. Yes, Adam and Eve both immediately died spiritually (separated from God) and eventually died physically. However, it was purely God's grace that they didn't immediately drop dead when they disobeyed God's command, because the "wages of sin is death."
Of this we can be sure: Satan’s eternity in the lake of fire is sealed and his reign on this earth is quickly coming to an end (cf. Rev. 20). God will bring His justice to heaven and earth. Remember, justice delayed is not justice denied…it’s grace.
Monday, March 29, 2010
It's not fair...it's grace!
Today I read an article about a recent study published in the March 2010 issue of the journal Science. The lead author of the study, Joe Henrich, is an evolutionary anthropologist at the University of British Columbia. He suggests that fairness is not an innate human attribute, rather a learned behavior. Shocker! Ask any parent of a toddler and I guarantee (since I am one) that they will all agree they never had to teach their child to be selfish. The last thing on the mind of a 3 year-old is whether or not they are being fair as they rip a toy from their siblings grasp. Deep down inside we all naturally desire what is best for old #1 (our self).
Whether the researchers who conducted this study realize it or not, they actually bolstered the claims of the Bible. David proclaimed in Psalm 51 that he "was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me." In fact, travel all the way back to Genesis chapter 6 and the description of the people in the days of Noah was that "every inclination of the thoughts of their minds was only evil all the time." (Gen. 6:5) The text tells us that God was not only grieved that He created mankind, but "he was highly offended." Why? Because God can have nothing to do with sin.
Romans chapter 3 tells us that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." We have all sinned and "highly offend" God. We are all outlaws who deserve punishment for breaking God's law. In all "fairness" God has every right to punish each of us for daily turning our backs on Him. Thankfully, God chose to love us by sending His Son to pay a debt that we could never pay in order to free us from our much deserved punishment. (John 3:16) That is grace! What do we have to do to have our debt paid? The Bible tells us it is just a matter of believing...
... that the events we celebrate each year on Good Friday and Easter actually happened
... that God sent His one and only Son to die for YOU and rise again three days later
... that you are now justified (made right with God) "freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." (Romans 3:24)
I am so thankful that God was not "fair" with us, but instead chose to show His eternal glory by extending His grace. Have you trusted in God's amazing grace to bring you new life in Christ?
Whether the researchers who conducted this study realize it or not, they actually bolstered the claims of the Bible. David proclaimed in Psalm 51 that he "was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me." In fact, travel all the way back to Genesis chapter 6 and the description of the people in the days of Noah was that "every inclination of the thoughts of their minds was only evil all the time." (Gen. 6:5) The text tells us that God was not only grieved that He created mankind, but "he was highly offended." Why? Because God can have nothing to do with sin.
Romans chapter 3 tells us that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." We have all sinned and "highly offend" God. We are all outlaws who deserve punishment for breaking God's law. In all "fairness" God has every right to punish each of us for daily turning our backs on Him. Thankfully, God chose to love us by sending His Son to pay a debt that we could never pay in order to free us from our much deserved punishment. (John 3:16) That is grace! What do we have to do to have our debt paid? The Bible tells us it is just a matter of believing...
... that the events we celebrate each year on Good Friday and Easter actually happened
... that God sent His one and only Son to die for YOU and rise again three days later
... that you are now justified (made right with God) "freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." (Romans 3:24)
I am so thankful that God was not "fair" with us, but instead chose to show His eternal glory by extending His grace. Have you trusted in God's amazing grace to bring you new life in Christ?
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Creation
Earlier this week the warm weather enticed me to leave my office for a quick stroll around the pond next to our church building. It was marvelous to walk outside without a coat weighing me down, allowing my skin to soak up the warm life-giving sunshine. I marveled at all the things the snow had hidden from sight over the past several weeks. Grass, trees, shrubs, even the fish that had been held captive under thick layers of ice were now bursting forth in anticipation of the changing seasons.
My quick trip outside in the spring-like air reminded me of the psalmist’s words in Psalm 102:25, “In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.” He proclaims that all we see in this amazing world is the work of God’s hands. From the top of the mountains to the depth of the sea, all that we marvel at and enjoy in creation is the “work of his hands.”
The great King David would later proclaim in Psalm 139 that it was with the same wisdom and power that God created each human and “knit us together in our mother’s womb.” The prophet Isaiah proclaimed that “we are the clay” and God is the potter, which means we are the work of His hands!
The next time you feel the urge to take a stroll outside and marvel at the amazing creation, look no further than your own life. God created you, knit you together in your mother’s womb, and loves you enough to send His one and only Son to pay the penalty for your sin (John 3:16).
My quick trip outside in the spring-like air reminded me of the psalmist’s words in Psalm 102:25, “In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.” He proclaims that all we see in this amazing world is the work of God’s hands. From the top of the mountains to the depth of the sea, all that we marvel at and enjoy in creation is the “work of his hands.”
The great King David would later proclaim in Psalm 139 that it was with the same wisdom and power that God created each human and “knit us together in our mother’s womb.” The prophet Isaiah proclaimed that “we are the clay” and God is the potter, which means we are the work of His hands!
The next time you feel the urge to take a stroll outside and marvel at the amazing creation, look no further than your own life. God created you, knit you together in your mother’s womb, and loves you enough to send His one and only Son to pay the penalty for your sin (John 3:16).
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Are you being rescued?
We are all reminded on a daily (if not hourly) basis that we live in a world surrounded by and stuck in sin. In Galatians 1:4 the apostle Paul refers to this current period of history in which we live as "the present evil age." Everyone knows and admits the world has problems. People get sick, people steal, people harm other people, and all people ultimately die. We are told that "the world is getting better," but one look around or glance at the news would compel us to disagree. This world is rotting and wasting away because of sin. Thankfully, in the same verse (Galatians 1:4) Paul gives us hope. Jesus "gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age." There is nothing we can do to save ourselves from sin, we must trust in Christ to save us through His unbelievable sacrifice of Himself on the cross. That is the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ. As Christ followers we still deal with the effects of living in a sinful and messed up world, but our ultimate rescue is secure in Christ. We are in process of being rescued. Are you being rescued?
"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." - Isaiah 41:10
"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." - Isaiah 41:10
Monday, February 1, 2010
What kind of fruit do you have?
I am getting ready to begin preaching through Galatians in a few weeks and thought I would share a quick thought from my studies....
In Galatians 6:7 the Apostle Paul gives a stern warning to the Galatians. He warns, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.”
The world would like us to believe that it is OK to have “little” sins in your life because, after all, “they won’t hurt anyone”, or “no one will find out.” HOWEVER, “God cannot be mocked.” God knows everything that you do or even think! Ultimately we will face the consequences of our actions whether good or bad. Those who live a life of sin will ultimately be judged by God, just as he judged the wicked in the days of Noah by destroying them with a great flood.
The question is what type of a life are you sowing? Are you living to please your sinful human nature, or are you living each moment to please God? Contrary to what many people believe, you can’t do both. Galatians 5:17 says, “the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other.”
HOW do you know if you are living for the Spirit or for your sinful nature? The only way to begin to answer this question is to look at the fruits of your life, which are reflected in what you do and say. If you are living for the Spirit then the fruits of the Spirit will be evident in your life. Galatians 5:22-23 tells us that, “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”
What kind of fruit are YOU cultivating in your life?
In Galatians 6:7 the Apostle Paul gives a stern warning to the Galatians. He warns, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.”
The world would like us to believe that it is OK to have “little” sins in your life because, after all, “they won’t hurt anyone”, or “no one will find out.” HOWEVER, “God cannot be mocked.” God knows everything that you do or even think! Ultimately we will face the consequences of our actions whether good or bad. Those who live a life of sin will ultimately be judged by God, just as he judged the wicked in the days of Noah by destroying them with a great flood.
The question is what type of a life are you sowing? Are you living to please your sinful human nature, or are you living each moment to please God? Contrary to what many people believe, you can’t do both. Galatians 5:17 says, “the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other.”
HOW do you know if you are living for the Spirit or for your sinful nature? The only way to begin to answer this question is to look at the fruits of your life, which are reflected in what you do and say. If you are living for the Spirit then the fruits of the Spirit will be evident in your life. Galatians 5:22-23 tells us that, “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.”
What kind of fruit are YOU cultivating in your life?
Monday, January 25, 2010
KCP
One of my professors at Dallas Theological Seminary used to tell us KCP....KCP....KCP. It is far more than a clever acronym (which most pastors tend to overdose on while trying to convey their sermon points). For a Christ-follower, KCP must be a way of life.
I was recently reading a very familiar, yet deeply troubling passage in Genesis 22. God commanded Abraham to physically sacrifice his son, Isaac, whom he loved. In an incredible act of obedience to God, Abraham did just as God had told him to do. As the knife was raised, ready to plunge into his boy laying bound on the alter, an angel of the Lord called out to Abraham and intervened to save Isaac's life. While there are many lessons we can draw from this amazing passage, we as the reader have been given a special preview of God's redemptive plan for creation (the main theme of the Bible). God didn't ask Abraham to do something that He Himself hadn't already planned on doing before the creation of the world....to sacrifice His one and only Son, Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 1:20 tells us that Jesus "was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake." God the Father, in the most amazing act of love, sacrificed His Son, that those who believe in Him might be "redeemed from the empty way of life." Once we realize what God has done to redeem us from the penalty of our sin, we should be driven to KCP in all that we do; for without Him, we are lost.
Keep Christ Preeminent!
Remember, you can't live the way you used to live because you aren't who you used to be! (Colossians 3:5-17)
I was recently reading a very familiar, yet deeply troubling passage in Genesis 22. God commanded Abraham to physically sacrifice his son, Isaac, whom he loved. In an incredible act of obedience to God, Abraham did just as God had told him to do. As the knife was raised, ready to plunge into his boy laying bound on the alter, an angel of the Lord called out to Abraham and intervened to save Isaac's life. While there are many lessons we can draw from this amazing passage, we as the reader have been given a special preview of God's redemptive plan for creation (the main theme of the Bible). God didn't ask Abraham to do something that He Himself hadn't already planned on doing before the creation of the world....to sacrifice His one and only Son, Jesus Christ.
1 Peter 1:20 tells us that Jesus "was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake." God the Father, in the most amazing act of love, sacrificed His Son, that those who believe in Him might be "redeemed from the empty way of life." Once we realize what God has done to redeem us from the penalty of our sin, we should be driven to KCP in all that we do; for without Him, we are lost.
Keep Christ Preeminent!
Remember, you can't live the way you used to live because you aren't who you used to be! (Colossians 3:5-17)
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Avatar - Longing for a 'Utopia'
I have not yet seen the movie 'Avatar’ but this morning I read a sad, yet not so surprising, article about different reactions people have had after viewing the movie. According to the article I read, the movie could be on pace to become the highest grossing film of all time, which means a TON of people will see this movie. Apparently, the movie portrays a fictitious world called Pandora, which is a “beautiful, glowing utopia” compared to life on earth. One of the movie’s actors said, “Pandora is a pristine world and there is the synergy between all of the creatures of the planet and I think that strikes a deep chord within people that has a wishfulness and a wistfulness to it.”
Unfortunately, when moviegoers leave the theater many have been finding it difficult to deal with the reality of living in the world we live in here on planet earth. Here are just a few of the discussion topics on the fan site “Avatar Forums” that reveal how deeply the movie has impacted their lives: “Ways to cope with the depression of the dream of Pandora being intangible” (currently over 4,600 views); “Depression and thoughts of suicide;” “I feel lost and alone.”
While there are a myriad of possible reactions to those posts, they show us that God has placed on the heart of mankind a realization that there is more to life than this world we live in. As Solomon reminds us, “He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” (Ecc. 3:11) I am always amazed that even those who are not followers of Christ and know nothing of the Bible, still understand that we live in a dying world. We all have a deep longing to be a part of something more because sin has made us less than we were created to be. Unfortunately, without faith in Jesus Christ, there is no hope, which should spur us on to share the hope that we have with as many people as possible.
Here are a couple biblical truths that I was reminded of while reading the reactions to the movie:
(1) The world we live in is not as it was intended to be. Sin has so deeply scared everything in creation that the Apostle Paul said, “the whole creation has been groaning” as it awaits redemption from the curse of sin. It is this “hope” that we who have trusted in Jesus Christ alone for salvation can have. Paul also wrote in Romans 8 that he considered “our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” and it was “in this hope we were saved.” Do you daily remind yourself and everyone around you of this incredible hope?
(2) Our days in this world are very short as the Psalmist reminds us “as for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.” Yet, the choices we make in this world impact how we spend eternity, either with God in eternal paradise or without God in eternal punishment. Have you made the most important decision of your life to trust in Christ alone for salvation and is that decision evident in the way you live your life?
(3) We need to live life with an eternal perspective. The "utopia" that is portrayed by 'Avatar' is no better than the sinful, dying world we live in when compared to the place that Christ Jesus has prepared for those who trust in Him. And we don't even need to take a futuristic looking spaceship to get there! In fact, we need to do nothing but have faith in Christ and His work for us upon the cross. "For it is by grace you have been saved through faith - and this not from yourselves - it is the gift of God." (Eph 2:8)
What do we do with our short life God has given us on this earth? We focus on the things we cannot leave behind.….because as a Christ follower this is not our home…but we are all going home…so walk on…
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matt 6:19-21)
Unfortunately, when moviegoers leave the theater many have been finding it difficult to deal with the reality of living in the world we live in here on planet earth. Here are just a few of the discussion topics on the fan site “Avatar Forums” that reveal how deeply the movie has impacted their lives: “Ways to cope with the depression of the dream of Pandora being intangible” (currently over 4,600 views); “Depression and thoughts of suicide;” “I feel lost and alone.”
One post read, “When I woke up this morning after watching Avatar for the first time yesterday, the world seemed…gray. It was like my hole life, everything I’ve done and worked for, lost its meaning. It just seems so…meaningless. I still don’t really see any reason to keep…doing things at all. I live in a dying world.”
Yet another post read, “Ever since I went to see 'Avatar' I have been depressed. Watching the wonderful world of Pandora and all the Na'vi made me want to be one of them. I can't stop thinking about all the things that happened in the film and all of the tears and shivers I got from it. I even contemplate suicide thinking that if I do it I will be rebirthed in a world similar to Pandora and the everything is the same as in 'Avatar.'”
While there are a myriad of possible reactions to those posts, they show us that God has placed on the heart of mankind a realization that there is more to life than this world we live in. As Solomon reminds us, “He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.” (Ecc. 3:11) I am always amazed that even those who are not followers of Christ and know nothing of the Bible, still understand that we live in a dying world. We all have a deep longing to be a part of something more because sin has made us less than we were created to be. Unfortunately, without faith in Jesus Christ, there is no hope, which should spur us on to share the hope that we have with as many people as possible.
Here are a couple biblical truths that I was reminded of while reading the reactions to the movie:
(1) The world we live in is not as it was intended to be. Sin has so deeply scared everything in creation that the Apostle Paul said, “the whole creation has been groaning” as it awaits redemption from the curse of sin. It is this “hope” that we who have trusted in Jesus Christ alone for salvation can have. Paul also wrote in Romans 8 that he considered “our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” and it was “in this hope we were saved.” Do you daily remind yourself and everyone around you of this incredible hope?
(2) Our days in this world are very short as the Psalmist reminds us “as for man, his days are like grass, he flourishes like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.” Yet, the choices we make in this world impact how we spend eternity, either with God in eternal paradise or without God in eternal punishment. Have you made the most important decision of your life to trust in Christ alone for salvation and is that decision evident in the way you live your life?
(3) We need to live life with an eternal perspective. The "utopia" that is portrayed by 'Avatar' is no better than the sinful, dying world we live in when compared to the place that Christ Jesus has prepared for those who trust in Him. And we don't even need to take a futuristic looking spaceship to get there! In fact, we need to do nothing but have faith in Christ and His work for us upon the cross. "For it is by grace you have been saved through faith - and this not from yourselves - it is the gift of God." (Eph 2:8)
What do we do with our short life God has given us on this earth? We focus on the things we cannot leave behind.….because as a Christ follower this is not our home…but we are all going home…so walk on…
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matt 6:19-21)
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