Another Name For God Is Biology

“For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.” ― Romans 1:21-23

I was watching the latest episode of 60 Minutes this last Sunday night.  They were interviewing a famous geneticist about the research he is doing with DNA and cell regeneration.  He talked about the marvel of Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and Ribonucleic acid (RNA).  (No! I am not going to make this a biology lesson, so read on!) To paraphrase, he said that he was amazed at how biology could bring such order into being. He stopped short of suggesting that there was a God in heaven.  That comment reminded me of Romans chapter 1.  As Christians, we should not marvel at a world that rejects the notion of a creator God – an intelligent Designer who brought about an intelligent – ordered design.  In the absence of acknowledging God, people have come up with all kinds of theories as to how it happened – none of which are proven and none of which require any less faith than believing that there is a Creator God. 

“For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.” – Romans 12:20

So what about us who believe there is a Creator God? And beyond that believe that He loves His creation and made a way for life with Him beyond this mortal life? How should that impact or thinking and doing?  I received an email from a friend this morning asking about Martie’s recovery.  I wrote, “Appreciate your concern.  As you know – it is not long after a critical incident that well-wishers focus on other things.  I, sorry to say, have been guilty of that myself from time to time. Not a criticism – just a reality in the course of life. So thanks for not forgetting.”

People get busy with life.  The world needs to see God – not just in the order in biology and DNA, but in the lives of His children.  It is easy to “forget” to have your attention drawn to worldly things – not bad things – just things that crowd out God. 

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” – John 13:34-35

This season is all about John 3:16.  I was just going to post that verse until I re-read the verses that follow.  What a great reminder as we face down another Christmas celebration.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.” – John 3:16-21

My encouragement is that you celebrate Jesus more and gift giving less.  Let the world see Jesus in you. Shine Bright.  Love one another.

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone

Keeping Your Devotion In Its Proper Place

“The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him. From there he went on toward the hills east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. There he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord.” ― Genesis 12:7-8

The life of Abraham – the father of faith – set an example for us.  God blessed Abraham and the first thing that Abraham did was to acknowledge God’s provision.  Then he looked to his own needs and pitched his tent, but then built another altar to God.  The point, I think, is that Abraham kept who God was and is and who Abraham was in light of who God was and is.  As we live each day we should be like Abraham.  Always keeping in mind that we belong to God and our purpose is to glorify him through our lives and actions.

“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.  Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.” – 1 Peter 2:9-10

An interesting contrast is Lot, Abraham’s nephew and his response to Abraham giving him his choice of the land. 

“So Abram said to Lot, ‘Let’s not have any quarreling between you and me, or between your herders and mine, for we are close relatives. Is not the whole land before you? Let’s part company. If you go to the left, I’ll go to the right; if you go to the right, I’ll go to the left.’ Lot looked around and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan toward Zoar was well watered, like the garden of the Lord, like the land of Egypt. (This was before the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. The two men parted company: Abram lived in the land of Canaan, while Lot lived among the cities of the plain and pitched his tents near Sodom. Now the people of Sodom were wicked and were sinning greatly against the Lord.” – Genesis 13:8-13

While Abraham demonstrated humility and trust in God, Lot took the best and then embraced the people in the city of Sodom.  You know how that turned out. My point is that often times, Christians fall victim to their flesh.  They accept the good things and turn toward the world and away from God. It could well be that Lot saw nothing wrong with living close to Sodom, except recall that eventually he moved out of his tent into the city. Embracing the world is such a subtle thing.  It makes sense – Lot need to be closer to the markets.  It was better to live in a house than a tent.  Nothing wrong with having nicer “digs” is there? I guess that depends on what you have to trade off to get them.  If it costs you your devotion to God, perhaps a tent was not so bad. 

“Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them. For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but whoever does the will of God lives forever.” – 1 John 2:15-17

The point for today is to encourage you to be careful in your life choices.  Keep God first in your heart. And if He isn’t, perhaps today is a good day to start.

“…. an expert in the law, tested him with this question: ‘Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?’ Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.’” – Matthew 22:35-40

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone

In God’s Economy There Are No Coincidences

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” ― Romans 8:28

I was talking with a friend who called from California just the other day about Haiti when he told me that he felt the Spirit urging him to bring a team to help with our work in Texas.  WE spoke about it briefly. Even talked about a time from, January.  Martie and I would love to see him and the folks he brings with them again.  They are like family as are people from other states who have joined us in our work in the past.

The next day, I visited a home and listened to the homeowner as she described what needed to be done and why things were the way they were after 2 years.  The effects of the disaster on a home are obvious, but I always ask the Lord to show me the effects of a disaster on the homeowners which are not so obvious.  It was clear that this homeowner was trying to persevere, but was heart weary.

As it turns out, the husband is a firefighter – working three jobs actually – just to make ends meet. And guess what, my friend from California is also a fire fighter and an expert builder.  Were the call and the visit a coincidence, I don’t believe they were.  I believe they were a “God-incidence”, something that was brought together by God not some stochastic event – like the roll of the dice.

God weaves a web of relationships that is improbable and, more likely, impossible for man to orchestrate. When I meet people, I always ask the Lord ― “Why am I meeting them?” I can’t see very far down the path He has me on ― but I know that some of the people I meet along the way will play a part in my journey and my mission which is to point people to Jesus.

I believe that the Holy Spirit works at “both ends of the stick” at the same time. If He is leading, then He is also preparing hearts to agree that “This is the way” (Isaiah 30:21). If we look at people as the source of our provision, we are looking too low. We must look to the hills! (Psalm 121)

There are no coincidences in the life of a Saint. God is always at work, all around you. The question is, “Can you see Him at work?” Even in the mundane, simple things, God is at work.

Very often we think of Romans 8:28 in terms of bad things happening, and God making something good out of them. Well, that would not be “all” things now, would it? Be on the alert, Christian. There is a reason you meet who you meet, for things to happen the way that they happen. God is weaving all of those life events into a beautiful tapestry for His glory and our good. Meeting people is primarily not for your benefit, but for God’s purposes. God is amazing, the original multi-tasker. Having trouble seeing how God can use anything that happens to you? If you are born again, you are now walking in a new reality, a spiritual reality. You need to have spiritual perspective and understanding. That does not come by magic but by maturity.

Like Paul wanting all the Saints to walk in a manner worthy of their calling, I share this encouragement with you:

“For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” ― Colossians 1:9-10

I can hardly wait to see what the next thing is that God is going to do, how about you?

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone

Our Responsibility Is Not To Save But To Shine

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen” – Ephesians 3:20-21

Times have changed since I was a young boy.  I suppose that is true for every generation.  Our country is in moral decline and that decline seems to be accelerating.  A preacher said that the greatest spiritual growth is happening in third world countries.  Perhaps that is because great wealth and possession encourages independent thinking – “I don’t need God” thinking.

We should be concerned for the souls of the people who think that way – who reject God, shun the Spirit and mock the Way and Truth and Life. Can things get any worse in this land? The answer is “Yes they can.”  But I would encourage you to rest on this one thing – Our God Reigns! That will never change – generations will come and go – the morality of the nations will rise and fall – like the tides of the sea – but God will always be God –  Jesus will always be the Way – people will always need a Savior.

Our place in all of this is to shine brightly in the midst of the darkness. The darker the night – the brighter the light.  When ever I write that, I remember flying a helicopter in the desert. No lights anywhere. Sometimes hard to see the horizon – the sky blending in with the ground – but then – someone would break a chem-stick – just a small thing – it produced a soft glow – green or red – but I could see it from far off.  That is like our light.  Our responsibility is not to save but to shine.

Don’t for a minute think that all hope is lost – our God reigns – He is an eternal source of hope – spanning the generations – even ours and that of our children and their children.

“Vindicate me, O God, And plead my cause against an ungodly nation; Oh, deliver me from the deceitful and unjust man!

For You are the God of my strength; Why do You cast me off? Why do I go mourning because of the oppression of the enemy?

Oh, send out Your light and Your truth! Let them lead me; Let them bring me to Your holy hill And to Your tabernacle.

Then I will go to the altar of God, To God my exceeding joy; And on the harp I will praise You, O God, my God.

Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; For I shall yet praise Him, The help of my countenance and my God.” – Psalm 43:1-5

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone

Why Is The Spirit Of God Important

“So he [an angel] said to me [Zechariah], “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel [the leader of the tribe of Judah at the time of their return from captivity in Babylon]: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.’” – Zechariah 4:6

I am an observer of people. I think most of us are.  I am not one who sits on a bench in the mall to watch people walk by. I observe the people that I meet every day to discern the condition and motivation of their hearts.  I listen to what people say and what they don’t say.  One thing that I have noticed is the deafening silence among Christians when it comes to the presence and significance of the Holy Spirit in their lives.  The angel told Zechariah, the prophet, to tell Zerubbabel, the leader, to not forget that what God had tasked him to do – built the temple – could only be accomplished by the power of the Spirit of God – not by the effort of men.

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” – Philippians 4:13

I would venture to say that most if not all Christians are familiar with that verse. And, no doubt, they would nod their heads in agreement that it is true.  But I doubt that they understand the implications.  That being that all things are, well, all things.  Every aspect of our lives, not just the hard things.  Our new life in Christ is spiritual in its essence.  It is not merely a ticket in our pocket that says “Free Pass Into Heaven”. So we can continue to live and trust in ourselves but everything that is too hard then we scurry off to God asking for relief.

“For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” – Romans 8:13

The Spirit enables our new life and His presence is essential to it.  Ephesians 1 says God sealed us with His Spirit. The Spirit of God is in each of us.

“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?” – 1 Corinthians 6:19

It is so easy to do something that God has called you to and quickly, but not intentionally, lose sight of the importance of the Spirit of God in the accomplishment.  Apart from God’s Spirit being active in what I do in disaster relief, I am nothing more than a benevolent contractor. It is merely a job that does not pay very well. But it is so much more than that! I see God at work, bringing the impossible into the realm of possibility. Not by might, nor by power, but by the Spirit.  Hallelujah! Amen!

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone

Our Struggle With Wanting To Stay In The Boat

“Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, ‘I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!’” – Mark 9:24

I met a homeowner yesterday – a thirty something-ish wife and mother.  She and her husband need help with their home.  They have been living in a “mess” for two years.  Although I could see she was tired of seeing the “mess” day after day, she seemed to be at peace with it.  After we walked through the house we were also given to get a glimpse of her heart for the Lord. She is a Christian and when she talked about her faith – her eyes brightened and her smile widened. It was then that she shared that she taught American Sign Language and wanted to use that skill in the church she attended to help the deaf community engage in the worship service in a deeper way. But, she said – she was concerned that doing it would be seen as vanity and pride.

I told her that my wife just had spinal surgery.  The neuro-surgeon did an amazing job and not once did I see him as being prideful or vane – but as someone exercising his skills and abilities for the good of others. I told her that, in the same way, what the Spirit was prompting her to do was merely exercising her skills and abilities for the good of others. Why did I say the Spirit was prompting her? Because it was clear to me that He was.  What she was lacking was faith and what she was struggling with was fear.  Serving God is no small thing – knowing who you are – a jar of clay – and what He is calling you to do – to do something with spiritual consequence – is cause for the one who is called to be a bit trepidatious. (love that word!)

God calls, prepares and sends.  We typically don’t have a problem with the first two – it is the last one – that one is the cause of our trouble and our missing God’s best.  When we look at ourselves and consider who we are and who God is – we doubt that we can or should do what He says. Dr. Henry Blackaby in Experiencing God said that knowing what God says is not really the problem. Obeying what He says to do is the problem.

My new friend is in a faith struggle – and perhaps you are in one yourself.  You know what God has said you are to do – He has equipped you to do it – but you struggle with doubt that you can do it.  Well – you can’t.  Not on your own.  The ten spies who said “Don’t cross the Jordan” were not looking to God – they were looking at themselves and the Giants who lived on the other side of the river.  God never calls you to do something that you can do on your own – it is always bigger than you – heavier that you can lift – always ripe with feelings of trepidation.  The only way you can possible succeed is through faith.

I struggle with this all of the time. It is always a temptation to look at the waves rolling around you and remind yourself that you should not have gotten out of the boat. It seems a lot safer there – it is unless it is Jesus who has called you to step out of the boat to walk with Him. We often prefer to define our own space – the limits of what we are willing to do for God. I am reminded of the song lyrics, “All to Jesus I surrender, all to Him I freely give.  I will ever love and trust Him, in His presence daily live. I surrender all – All to Thee my blessed savior. I surrender all.” And that my friend is what is necessary to walk in obedience to your calling.

“‘Lord, if it’s you,’ Peter replied, ‘tell me to come to you on the water.’ ‘Come,’ he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. ‘You of little faith,’ he said, ‘why did you doubt?’” – Matthew 14:28-31

It is time to get out of the boat and let your light shine.

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone

When A Sacrifice Is Not A Sacrifice

“But the king [David] replied to Araunah, ‘No, I insist on paying you for it. I will not sacrifice to the Lord my God burnt offerings that cost me nothing.’” – 2 Samuel 24:24

The back story to this conversation was that David had allowed his pride to get the best of him and wanted to consider what a great and powerful king he was. So he told Joab, his commander, to number the soldiers.  Joab advised David not to do it, but David would not be convinced otherwise.  God’s anger rose up against David because David was robbing God of His glory.  God brought a plague on the land as a consequence.  God stayed His hand at the door of Araunah’s threshing floor.  David wanted to buy the threshing floor and build an altar to God to make a sacrifice for his sin. Araunah wanted to give the building, the oven, and the wooden implements to David, but David refused. 

A sacrifice is not a sacrifice if it does not cost you something.  If you give out of your excess – what is that to God – like giving Him scraps after a meal.  After you have satisfied yourself.  God asks for a tithe – not out of what is left  – but out of the whole.  But God asks for much more than that.  He asks for your whole heart – not just part of it.

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” – Romans 12:1-2

Paul said that we are not to give God 10% of ourselves, but 100%. The world argues that 10% is too much.  Indulge yourself in the world and then if you have some spare change – put in God’s cup like He is a beggar standing on the street corner.  You know the one – the one you try not to make eye contact with when you are stopped at a traffic light.

It is December – Black Friday just happened – our culture promotes the idea that we should buy what is not needed using credit we can’t afford with a promise to pay it off with a tax return that we are not guaranteed.  What if the Spirit spoke to you and said – “Don’t buy anything this Christmas – give the money to those who have nothing to eat.” What reasons would rise up on why that is a bad idea. Do you think that the Spirit of God has bad ideas? What you feel is the tension between the flesh and the spirit. Would you dismiss the idea as too extreme?

We are very willing to sacrifice for others, but not so willing to sacrifice to God if it means it will cost us something.  Some years ago, Martie asked me if I regretted leaving the Army in the midst of a successful career.  The Lord had told me to lay my career in the Army down on the altar.  I told her, “no – I do not regret it – but I do miss it”.  God asked me to sacrifice my career for something greater – my family. A sacrifice is not a sacrifice unless it costs you something.  Even today, I will watch helicopters fly overhead and remember a time when it was me flying it. Making sacrifices of the heart is “true and proper worship”. But if you are not right spiritually, you are not likely to do what is right before God, but will do what is pleasing to the world.

“I [Paul] say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.” – Galatians 5:16-17

I am not suggesting you return the gifts you have purchased.  What I am saying is that this might be a good time to examine your heart and then lay your heart, and its devotions, down on the altar as a sacrifice to God for His glory and the good of others.

By Faith Alone By His Grace Alone And For His Glory Alone