Tag Archives: faith
De-Grandeurization of God
Proud Doubter
Last night I was scrolling through the Facebook posts of a friend. Actually, I wouldn’t exactly call the person a “friend” as much as a former acquaintance. The person I used to know as a young, vibrant Christian student, one who boldly proclaimed his faith, has now become proud doubter.
Look, let me be the first to say that moments of doubt are not uncommon, and far be it from me to cast judgment on those who do. I have had my moments of doubt, and there have been many times when I’ve had to pray, “Lord, help my unbelief.” But one thing I’ve never done is boast about my doubting. G0d forbid!
Yet, as I scrolled through the posts and the comments of my young friend of years gone by, what I saw was one who was proud of the fact that he felt free enough to doubt, even to allow his doubts to affect what he believed about God.
A Blown Mind
Come to find out, my young friend has been doing some study. He has become fascinated with astronomy, specifically the “Big Bang.” As many have done, he has proudly ditched the supposed illiterate belief in a Young Earth creation and taken off full bore down the road of “true” science. He has been blown away by the scientific “evidence” that led him not only to doubt his earlier beliefs, but to look forward to other areas in which his understanding of God may be changed.
In other words, because of what my young friend has now learned, he is looking forward to the de-grandeurization of his God.
Did God?
If you will remember, it was Satan, in the Garden of Eden, who posed the first doubt-inducing question, “Did God…?” This led to Eve questioning the motives of her Creator.
Unfortunately, developments in modern science have been used in the very same way to create doubt, to cause believers to question the abilities of their Creator. They look at the marvelous works of creation and ultimately conclude that it was natural forces which created what we now see, not God. By doing so, they unwittingly fall prey to the gradual undermining of their faith, going from one “enlightening” conclusion to another, saying: “Well, if what I believed there is not true, then what else about God is not true?”
They proudly march forward with a presupposition of doubt leading the way, redefining God and His creation.
The Declaration
Credit: NASA, ESA and Allison Loll/Jeff Hester (Arizona State University). Acknowledgement: Davide De Martin (ESA/Hubble)
But here’s the thing: Psalm 19:1 says that “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.” Even more, Psalm 97:6 says, “The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory.”
Is the universe expanding? Yes, it is. But what does that necessarily mean about God? The universe is expanding, and men are made up of the same elements found in stars. Does this mean that believing God created the heavens, including man, “as is” is out of the realm of possibility?
The God I serve is so big, so powerful, so awesome, so grand that when He said, “Let there be…” it was. There’s no reason to doubt, even if it doesn’t all make sense.
After all, the grandeur of creation was created out of nothing. If God could do that, then nothing is impossible for Him. Science doesn’t have to disprove anything; it should be declaring.
I’m a proud believer.
Filed under Apologetics, Faith, God, World View
From Regret to Radiance
No Regrets
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard someone say of life, “I have no regrets.” It amazes me, for I don’t see how it’s possible. How can one look back on one’s life and find nothing regretful?
To be honest, the only people I’ve encountered who actually said that were people who were unwilling to admit they’ve ever done anything wrong. They are the type of people who, when confronted with some wrongdoing which caused pain in others, refuse to accept any responsibility. Therefore, I believe the person who says he has “no regrets” is either lying or in denial.
Many Regrets
Look, I’m not perfect. I’ve done a lot of things I regret. I’ve broken things, lost things, wasted things, and hurt things. I’ve wounded hearts, scarred lives, and wasted ungodly amounts of irreplaceable time.
Photo credit: Katie Baker
Besides the things I’ve done, there’s also the things I didn’t do. For example, I could have told my dad I loved him the day he died instead of storming out of the house and speeding away.
I could have walked away from that relationship before our hearts were broken and our innocence lost.
And speaking of lost, I could shared Jesus with those people before they went out into eternity. But I didn’t, and I regret it.
Moving On
Every once in awhile my past creeps back into my mind, bringing with it the pain of regret. There has even been times when I could echo the words of David when he said:
“I am worn out from sobbing. All night I flood my bed with weeping, drenching it with my tears.” – Psalm 6:6 NLT
But like King David, I’ve had to move on. After being judged by God for his sin, David wrote in Psalm 51:8, “Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have broken rejoice!” (ESV). He begged God for forgiveness, then he accepted it. We must learn to to do the same.
When we fail to accept God’s unmerited grace, we not only waste away (2 Corinthians 7:10), but we open ourselves up to the Enemy’s attacks (1 Peter 5:8). And in case you haven’t noticed, Satan is always ready to attack where we are weak.
Press On
I know it’s hard to do, but we must do even more than move on – we must “press on.”
“…But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 3:13-14 ESV
When those painful regrets come to mind, don’t let depression hold you back and weigh you down – press on! Be tough, push the past aside, be disciplined, and press on toward what lies ahead.
Be Radiant
God saw our future, along with our past, when He purchased us with His blood. Therefore, what He has forgiven we must also forgive, and that includes forgiving ourselves. Accept that the past happened, but learn from it and rest in the grace of God.
“I sought the LORD, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed.” – Psalm 34:4-5 ESV
Turn your regrets over to the God of mercy and grace and quit living in shame. He can work miracles with broken things, including your past. You survived for a reason.
You have a hope this darkened world needs to see, so don’t be regretful; be RADIANT!
Filed under Depression, self-worth
“What Must I Do…?”
The Philippian jailer (Acts 16:30) asked Paul and Silas a question that is still asked today, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” In response that question, I have written the following, simple post and included it in a permanent page, Eternal Life. Please, take the time to read it, then consider what you read. This is what I believe, and I’ve staked my eternity on it.
“Now is our chance to choose the right side. God is holding back to give us that chance. It won’t last forever. We must take it or leave it.” – C. S. Lewis
My Story
One day, when I was a boy, I took the chance. I placed all my eggs in one basket (and we’re not talking Easter eggs). The fate of my eternal soul, as much as I could grasp the idea, was placed in the control of a Man I had never seen in person, nor heard with my ear, but one I believed loved me and died for me.
Now that I’m older, I can use words I never knew back then, such as justification, atonement, and propitiation. But the simple truth that led me to surrender my heart and soul to this Man can still be explained with simple words…words written thousands of years ago… “For God so love the world, that He gave…”
What did God give?
Do you know what a gift is? Sure you do. It is something you give to another when you care. It is something you give with no expectation of payment in return. It is best when it is something that required some sacrifice, but it was a joy to purchase. It means even more when you know the gift was something needed, but unexpected.
A gift is something that is received. I have a friend that has no more family, so for Christmas he goes out and buys things for his self, wraps them, and places them under a Christmas tree. On Christmas morning, all alone, he opens them. How sad is that? Those are not real gifts – he bought them!
According to God, as written in His Word, the Bible, eternal life is a gift. That’s right, a gift. In the letter to the Romans we read that the “gift of God is eternal life…” (Romans 6:23). God is offering it to you for the taking. He is offering it to you for free! But it wasn’t cheep. It cost Him a whole lot – it cost him his Son.
“God loved the world so much, that He gave his only begotten Son…” (John 3:16). Why did God give his Son? Well, so that you and I could be rescued from the eternal penalty we owe for our sins – our breaking of God’s laws. Our lies, our lusts, our broken promises, you name it: all of these things are sins. Each one deserved separation from a holy God. But God “so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son (Jesus), that whosoever [puts his whole faith] in Him, would not perish (be separated from God), but have eternal life.”
Why did He give?
All men and women have broken God’s laws. And even though you may have not actually committed murder, or robbed a bank, or abused a child, James 2:10 (RSV) says, “For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it.” So, you see, we need a Savior. We need the Gift that God is offering. Won’t you accept it?
The whole verse in Romans (6:23) goes like this: “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.” This is why C.S. Lewis said those words above. Eternal life is a gift, but it will not be offered indefinitely. You see, all of us will die, one day. Hebrews 9:27 says that it “is appointed unto man once to die; but after this, the judgment.” One day we must either give an account for our lawbreaking, or rest in the fact that our account has already been settled by putting our faith in Jesus.
“From death to life”
Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life” (John 5:24 NIV).
Jesus also said, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him” (John 3:36 NIV). And to those that put their faith in Jesus, he said, “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any [man] pluck them out of my hand” (John 10:28 NIV).
The Apostle John wrote, “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:11-12 NIV).
The Invitation
What can I say about the greatest gift ever, especially in a thousand words or less? I can’t cover all the bases, answer every question, or defend every point – but I can offer you Jesus.
Have you been searching for meaning, for hope, for unconditional love, for eternal life? Give your heart to Jesus. Make Him the Boss of your life. Confess your sins to Him, repent of the things that caused Him to have to die so that you could have life, and cross over “from death to life.” For “whosoever shall call upon the name [Jesus] of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).
You could even pray a prayer, in your own words, similar to this: “Dear Jesus, I believe you are God’s Son, and that you died for me, and rose again, that I might have eternal life. I know I have sinned, and I confess. I also confess that I cannot earn heaven on my own. I need You! Please take my life. I give freely give it to you. Be my Lord, and my God. Amen.”
If you prayed this prayer, honestly, and from your heart, then I would love to hear about it! I am sure many others would love to hear about it, too! If you accepted God’s gift of eternal life, let the world know in the comment section below.
If you would like to talk with someone, there is a phone line open 24 hours a day. Call 1-800-NEED-HIM (1-800-633-3446). Someone will be happy to show you how to be sure you have eternal life. Don’t wait.
Filed under God, salvation, Witnessing
And the Verdict Is…
But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold. – Job 23:10
Our Example
Whenever things get bad, who is it that we think of? We think of old Job, the man who endured the worst the Devil had to offer, yet without losing his faith in God.
Job lost everything he owned, plus his children, and even ended up sitting in a pile of ash while he scraped boils with broken pieces of pottery. Even his wife, probably out of a combination of desperate pity and blame, said, “Curse God, and die” (Job 2:9).
But what made it worse was Job’s friends! Yes, his own friends, trying to help, assumed everything he was enduring was a judgment from God, because surely Job must have done something terribly wrong, right? Why else would God be doing all this to him?
Nevertheless, Job was faithful; he never cursed God. As a matter of fact, Job said, “Though he (God) slay me, yet will I trust in him” (Job 13:15). What an example to follow!
The First One
But what most people tend to miss is this: Job didn’t have a Job-like example to follow. No, Job was the first of his kind.
When Job said “when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold,” he wasn’t talking from experience, or from the learned lessons of others. If you’ll look back to the first chapter, Satan had never done all this “sifting” before. So, Job had no precedent on which to base his assumption that the circumstances he endured would produce a 24-Karat ending.
All Job really had going was his faith in a good and faithful God. Actually, he had no idea that what he was enduring was a trial by fire. A careful study of the context of Job 23:10 will show that all Job wanted was an audience with God – the God who couldn’t be found – so that he could plead his innocence. “If I could ever get the chance,” thought Job, “I’d argue my case, He would try me, and I’d be proven innocent – I’d come forth as gold.”
God Is Working
But God was working on Job, only Job didn’t know it! Even though he couldn’t find God (Job 23:3-4), Job was in the cradle of God’s hand. The trial was removing all traces of dross, refining Job, and he was well on the way to becoming “pure gold.”
So, consider Job, the one who never gave up or blamed God, even when his world was collapsing. It may not seem like it, but the furnace you’re enduring right now could be nothing more than the Refiner’s fire.
Like Job, God “knows your way” – He knows all about you. So remain faithful, remain hopeful, and rest assured that one day you will come forth as gold.
“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.” – James 1:2-4 NLT
Filed under Christian Maturity, Faith
Just the Sound of BB’s
This post was first published in 2013.
Now that it’s an election year, it’s time for a reminder.
The attached video is not graphic, but hopefully disturbing. It is not gross or disgusting, only sobering.
Please listen to the sound of BB’s in a tin can.
I agree with the author of this video – God help us!
Here is another video you should watch. It is of an abortion survivor. Very powerful.
But you know what, I would be remiss if I didn’t tell you that there is hope for those who have had abortions. Watch and listen to my friends (who I used to play bass guitar with), Adam and Kathy Glover (Adam is now a pastor). This was from several years ago.
We were at their home when this aired, and you should have seen the emails that flooded Kathy’s computer.
Kathy had abortions, but God has brought healing. Now they devote much of their time reaching out to those who struggle with the guilt of past and hidden sin.
Filed under Abortion, America, current events, Relationships and Family, Uncategorized, voting
We’d Love to Have Ya!
“This Sunday”
I’d love see you at church this Sunday.
It would make me happy to see you there.
It doesn’t matter what you wear,
Or if you’re late. I don’t care!
I’d just love to see you in church this Sunday.
Of course, you know, we’re not all perfect.
For crying out loud, it’s not a secret!
We’re all messed up, and I admit it,
So would you just come to church this Sunday?
You can sit with me or sit alone.
You can read your Bible on your phone.
We all just want you to feel at home.
Just know you are welcome with us this Sunday.
by: Anthony C. Baker
Why Complain About Lemons?
Why is it that people say, “When life gives you lemons…”? What is wrong with lemons?
Why not cherries? Or grapes? Why not suggest what to do when life gives us avocados? I hate avocados!
What if life gave you tomatoes for your iced tea? You’d be wishing you had some lemons, I bet.
No, it’s always the poor lemon. It’s like everyone is prejujuiced. What’s wrong with a little sourness every once in a while? Why did “tart” have to become linked to women with questionable moral standards?
The fact is that God doesn’t just allow lemons, He sends them as a gift! Unfortunately, most people never take the time to recognize the benefits of a little acidity.
So, the next time when life gives you lemons instead of strawberries, don’t be so negative; you might have been spared an allergic reaction from hell without knowing it.
“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:18
If nothing else, add the lemon to your tea.
Filed under Christian Maturity, Food, General Observations, wisdom
Lying Athletes?
My Analogy
Last night I shared with my congregation the following analogy:
Let’s just suppose I told people I was a member of Riverside Sports Gym. And let’s just suppose I said to them, “Look, I’m an athlete!” What do you think people would think? All they would have to do is look at me (all 215 pounds) and conclude that something about my statement wasn’t very honest. People could rightfully judge my statement by what they see.
An athlete is one whom, by definition, is athletic. With a gut like mine, how could that be possible? If asked to prove my athlete claim, shouldn’t I at least be able to jog a mile or two, do 20 or 30 sit ups, or something like that? Or, is it possible my profession of athleticism was only wishful thinking, if not a bold-face lie?
On the other hand, is is possible that calling myself an athlete would be accepted as a valid profession…if it was sincere…and if I had a totally different understanding of what a true athlete is.
My point was that a lot of people may have joined a church and have a membership card to prove it, but that doesn’t make them any more a Christian than joining a gym makes them an athlete.
Disciplines
Beside joining the gym and signing up for the team, what determines the difference between a true athlete and one who just claims to be? Discipline.
“Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, WORK OUT your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of [his] good pleasure.” – Philippians 2:12-13
A genuine follower of Jesus Christ should be one who lives in such a way that others SEE their salvation. To “work out” one’s salvation is to not keep it hidden on the inside, but bring it to the surface, evident to all. It’s like the sweat of an athlete; it comes to the surface when we’re doing what we’re supposed to be doing.
An athlete will take advantage of his gym membership, use the weights, run on the tread mill, and all that stuff. He will discipline himself to go at least 3 times a week (if not more) and spend a certain amount of time on some things, more time on areas in which he’s deficient. On top of that, a real athlete will exercize outside the gym, too.
A Christian should be like an athlete (as the Apostle Paul has hinted – see 1 Cor. 9:24-27), acting with discipline, staying in shape, growing stronger, shedding excesses, turning into what would appear to be the outward evidence of an inward determination.
Prayer, church attendance, worship, meditating on God’s Word, thanksgiving, forgiveness, compassion, contentment, kindness, encouragement, love: these are the spiritual equivalents of push-ups, sit-ups, crunches, jogging, cardio, and weight lifting. It’s what “athletes” do.
Will Power
But you don’t have the will power? Strange that you should say that. Was is not Philippians 2:13 that said it is God who works in us both to WILL and to DO His good pleasure?
Honestly, many of us need to make sure of our “gym” membership. More than that, we need to make sure our claim to being on the athletic team is legitimate. Because, if we are nothing but overweight, out-of-shape wannabe’s with no desire to do better, just wasting away in our own undisciplined, broken-down bodies, what does that say about the Life that is in us?
Work Out
I have one of these. I just need to use it!
In 2016 I want to work out more (I NEED to). This temple of the Holy Spirit needs a total renovation! But even more, I also want to “work out” my spiritual life. I want there to be more evidence that I take the race before me seriously, like I’m actually out to win it, not just run it.
My thanks to all of you who’ve read my blog this year (2015). Now, as we head into a new one, let’s challenge each other to not only run the race of faith, but run as those who want to win (1 Cor. 9:24). Let’s not lie about our spiritual fitness; let’s be athletes worthy of victory!
Happy New Year!
Filed under Bible Study, Christian Living, fitness
The Recovering Legalist 