My Favorite Verse

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” Gen 1:1

Thus begins the explanation of our existence. I could not think of a better beginning. In that statement our existence is explained. First it says by whom: God. Then what was done: creation. Then when it was done: In the beginning.  I particularly like the first four words of this verse. They explain so much. I have always wanted to know when and where our existence began and it began with these four simple words. It is a perfect beginning. It answers a question that humanity has been asking since it lost the answer. These four words answer the question with such brilliant simplicity we all but miss it.

Before anything was, before any matter of any kind existed, before nothing was identified, before the emptiness of space, before time itself, God stands in the beginning. The genius of the verse is that it starts with “In the beginning” because nothing existed before the beginning. How else would you start the story?  Nothing existed before the creation and yet standing in what would become the doorway of existence is God. God in all his power and majesty stands alone ready to bring forth life. In that marvelous moment of creation God brings everything we need to exist into existence. He is responsible for everything. This is the perfect place to start because everything has a beginning except for God who has no beginning or end. As mind boggling as the concept of an eternal being is it is the only explanation for a being that could create us.

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Cutting The Chains

Something to think about.


"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 Jn 1:9 (ASV)

Forgiven and free.

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The Weight Of The World

Something to think about.

"Cast thy burden upon Jehovah, and he will sustain thee: He will never suffer the righteous to be moved." Ps 55:22 (ASV)

"Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time; 7 casting all your anxiety upon him, because he careth for you." 1 Peter 5:6-7 (ASV)

If you let him he will sustain you and give you peace.

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Something to think about.

So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, 33 but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven. Mt 10:31-32 (NIV)

Be known or be unknown your choice. 

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Inheritance

Something to think about.

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. Rom 8: 16 - 17 (ASV)

To share in the inheritance of God what more could you possibly want?

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Question and Oberservations Part Two

As a result of my new appreciation of time I have thought about the theory of evolution and am deeply saddened by the people who have been duped into believing that it is even remotely possible. Beside all the obvious objections we could discuss on this topic I really only have few questions. Why?

If you believe In evolution answer me, why did it happen? When scientists try to explain a process they are constantly asking why and how did this process occur. If a star goes supernova they try to explain the steps required for that to occur. When a phenomenon occurs in science they are looking for practical, realistic explanations for the occurrence. I have never heard an explanation in science that says “it just happened just because” except for the beginning of evolution. It happened by chance, just because.  If you come up with an explanation that comes from a particular field of science that only the utmost elite in that field can truly understand, then how can you question it?  How do you know if they’re correct? What if they made a mistake and they did not know it – who would find it, who could correct them, who would know they were wrong?

Let’s ask another question: if there is no God, what is morality and who defines it? What are the limits? Are there limits? Is there such a thing as right and wrong? Does anything we do matter? We will all live short, unimportant, pointless, purposeless lives. To me, a life without God is a painfully, empty, horrible, pointless exercise. If we came from nothing arrive at nothing the journey in between accomplishes nothing. If God does not exist? why are we even so interested in living; what would living mean?. “Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we die.” Would that not be the motto of existence? What would be the purpose of order, why would anyone care? Justice would be a meaningless concept because who would be the one to establish acceptable behavior and based on what premise? The concept of good and evil is based on the existence of God. Without God, there is no standard that can define good or evil. The concept would be as transient as the wind in the desert.

Having faced my mortality and realizing the brutal reality of life being as long as a yoctosecond (being the smallest measurement of time) of time. You see, life is lived in the here and now; in this moment, in this second, in this place and it is always that way; there is never a tomorrow.  We can plan for tomorrow, we have memories of yesterday, but we exist now. What makes God, “God”, is his ability to live in this expanse of time simultaneously, meaning he lives in every moment – past, present and future – at the same time. He exists outside of our reality. He is not bound by the physical laws that bind us. On this blog there is a picture of the world being in two hands; it is meant to symbolize that God has the world in his hands. However, that is incorrect; God has the entire universe in its place.

I have a fish tank. The fish are dependent on me to feed them water, clean their tank and so on. I own the fish. Or is it more correct to say we own each other. I have to give them of my time in order for them to survive. I am bound by their needs. If I don’t take care of them, they will die. Everything we own is that way; we need to invest time or whatever it is that is needed or it  will deteriorate and become useless.

We have a symbiotic existence with our possessions and relationships; we depend on them and they depend on us for meaningful purposeful existence. God is not that way; he will be just fine without us. He existed before we were created and he will exist after this world ceases to exist. He was before us and he will exist after us.

We have developed the idea since we were created by God in his image that he is somehow like us. We have placed around God the ideology that God is somehow bound by the same limitations as we are that he exists within the limits of our intellectual capabilities.

God created everything in time and space; he created the limits our existence. He is responsible for substance, he is the one that created everything we need to survive. So the only logical conclusion is that there is more in existence than we are aware of. In other words, he is bigger than his creation. He is not bound by our restrictions our intellectual limitations. He is so much bigger than we are in every area that we cannot begin to understand the fullness of God.

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JUST A LITTLE MORE QUALITY TIME

By Tony Gulledge

No one must have heard the gunshot, since his cousin found Don a couple of
hours later. They said it wasn’t a pretty sight. He had become another sad statistic.
Another troubled soul seeking release from the prison of addiction and mental illness -
another case of suicide.

As I sat in an unfamiliar church beside my wife and son, I was pleased to see our
former minister officiating the ceremony. As the sketchy details began to emerge, I soon
conclude it must have all ended in an instant. With guns so accessible, how could Don
have known the one he purchased years ago would become his nemesis?

One by one, I listened as close friends and family members reminded me of the
great father, friend, and dedicated Christian man Don had been. Someone had left the
backdoor open. Cars along the street could be heard passing by. I could only conclude
they’d left the back door open in case anymore guests came late to pay their respects.

Wouldn’t there be more people attending? I wondered. How sad that the shame
of Don’s demise had further distanced the family from the warmth, strength, and
presence of friends they now needed.

The passing cars outside distracted, yet reminded me that life goes. For Don’s
family, life would never be the same. He left behind a former wife, a grown daughter
and a now grown son – The son who had been my son’s best friend as a child.

When we first entered the church, I spotted Don’s son standing up front and
watched as my mine headed toward him. As our sons embraced and held one another
for awhile it broke my heart. Their unspoken words would have been inappropriate.
What this son needed was my boy’s presence and pledge to be there for him. In a sense
it was a shared grief between the two of them. Don had been like a father to my son.

Sitting there in that padded pew reflecting on Don’s life, I realized that I couldn’t
really call Don a friend. He was just an acquaintance. Growing up our son’s friendship
was tighter than any two brothers could be. I was the one who was always too busy
working to tag along with their little trips. It was Don who drove the boys through the
forest, gave them a ride along the beach, and taught my son to shoot. Regrets haunt me
still.

They say it happened when Don’s self medicating became ineffective. How could
his physician have prescribed more pills needed to balance his brain chemistry if he was
abusing his script? It was an inevitable catch twenty-two.

When the disabling headaches began, I knew where Don lived, yet never visited.
After his wife and children left, I could have stopped in to encourage him, but didn’t.
Why? The old worn out excuses that I had to work or didn’t have much in common with
him sounds heartless and insensitive now. Some call it survivor’s guilt. I had to own
my part in Don’s death. Could my friendship have really made a difference? Saved his
life?

The eulogy and pictures displayed on the communion table up front spoke of
Don’s great character of the admirable man of God he had always been. Soon a co-
worker stepped forward telling how Don had spent every holiday with his family for the
last two years. He validated the life that had been lost. To my surprise, God had
provided this special friend for Don at his greatest time of need.

I couldn’t help wondering if quality time hadn’t been the love language Don had
been longing to receive all his life? The love and companionship Don had so freely given
to my son, I’d failed to return.

By the time the service had ended, I cornered this Christian co-worker who had
befriended Don - pumping him for more information. The longer I listened the more I
could see what a true friend he had been. This Christ-follower who had ministered to
Don’s troubled soul had lessened my guilt, but did little to erase my sense of shame.
Whether this man had been a guardian angel or angel of death I’ll never know. Yet, I
hugged and thanked him for being there for Don.

Those lost years of opportunity with Don can never be re-lived, yet I can
exchange my regrets for the prospects of others I can help today. There’s a world of
misunderstood people out there just trying to do the best they can. These folks need
little more than a hug, a vote of confidence, or simply a smile.

The lesson I learned from Don’s life is not to depend upon the angels to do what
God has equipped me to do for other. For most of us - all we need is to offer a little
more quality time.

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