Standing Firm on the Authority of the Word of God

 I went to hear Dr. Ken Ham speak.  He's an apologetic speaker.  I don't mean he apologizes.  He's a creationist, but also more than that.  He insists that we must stand on the authority of the Word of God.  If we don't, we have LOST the fight against evolution ALREADY without having started the fight yet.  We must remember what Ham said: "If we give up our starting point: the Bible, we can only have the opposition's starting point: man's word."  Some people might try to stay "neutral", but that simply doesn't work.  We either stand on God's Word or man's word.  You decide.  As Dr. Ham said, "You're either for God or against God."

  Many people will insist science is evolution's ally.  It's the very opposite.  Science is CREATION'S greatest ally?  Why?  Look around.  Evolution states that over millions of years, animals evolved and GAINED information.  Wrong.  Animals, when they are born, get some information from both parents, but they don't get ALL information from each parent.  Thus, they don't gain, but they LOSE information.

  People could go on and on debating, but the point is that the Bible supports creation in many ways.  Here's a look at a few:

                       1.  We have melanin.  Descendants of Noah were scattered, their languages were confused, and they split up.  Some have a lot, some have little, and some are in between.  The Human Genome Project found research of all the genes, and they confirmed there is only ONE race: the human race.

                        2.  The forming of the Grand Canyon didn't take millions of years of rock layers to form.  It took 150 DAYS, less than a year.

What if I Had Given Everything?

1 Corinthians 10:31:  So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.

  What if I had given everything?  This is a question I ask myself often.  The reason I ask this to myself is because I find Christians, such as us, often "go through the motions".  We go to church, we pray.  You get the idea, we do everything we should do as Christians, but ONLY because we're EXPECTED to or for a good REPUTATION.  Remember this: "Reputation is what people think you are. character is truly what you are.  Take care of your character, and your reputation will take care of itself."
  We shouldn't have to be told to give everything.  We're told to in the Bible.  Joe Namath, the quarterback that led the New York Jets to their first Suber Bowl win, once said: "If you aren't going all the way, why are you going?"  This is a great question that today's Christians must ask.  Why do you do what you do for Christ?  Is there any motivation for glorifying the "One who made you".  Why do you go through the persecution?  Is there a greater reason for doing things for Christ?  I say, "Yes." If there's no motivation in what we do, why are we doing the things of Christ?  We are better off doing drugs or alcohol than doing the things of Christ if our motivation is not to glorify Him and bring others to Him and ourselves closer to Him.
  In the end, what everyone else thought about you won't matter.  Only God's opinion counts.  It won't matter if you had a good reputation or not.  He'll look only on what you did with a willing, whole heart.  So, in closing, what will you do?  Will you continue through the never-ending cycle of "the motions"?  Or, will you join Christ, and NOT have to ask, "What if I had given everything?"
 

What I''ve Come To

  I always wonder, "Why, God, why?"  I can never get the thought that I'm just not good enough.  I struggle with my parents.  I can NEVER please them.  I wonder what God says about this.  I'm in an almost strained inner-relationship with them.  It begins and ends in argument.  Why does God not STOP what's happening?  I've given EVERY ounce of sweat JUST to make this work.  It WAS getting better.  Then, it just stopped, like a train.  Why does God STOP what He STARTS?  I just don't get it.  Do I believe in a God that doesn't care?  I know that's a stupid question, but I wonder.  What's the answer to it?  I've got so many questions that don't have answers.  That's the hard part.  I, to put it simply, don't know what to believe anymore.  I'm beginning to regret my decision for Christ.  Life didn't become harder, it became IMPOSSIBLE to believe almost anything.  Well, now you know what's been on my mind the last few weeks.

Having a Mission

  I consider myself a person with a lot of time.  Well, let's face it, I do.  But I, like so many others, waste that time chasing our own interests and wants.  We don't even stop to think of what God wants.  He goes past us, beyond us.  We should use the time we have "having a mission".  We, as Christians, can't waste our time on ourselves.  I'm not saying that we can't ever focus on our goals, but we should put, what I call the "Goal of God", past our own goals.  I once heard someone say, "For you and me, today is all we have.  Tomorrow is a mirage that may not become real."
  So, we must take the time we have, and make the most of what God gives us.  He gives us a mission.  It's called the Great Commission(Matthew 28:19-20).Matthew 28:19-20 says,"Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the holy Spirit.  Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you.  And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age." While I say that we shouldn't waste time on just our goals, I also believe we should concentrate on dreams, if we are showing the difference Christ has made in our lives at the same time.

Finding God's Will in All that You Do

  We often wonder if God has a will, or plan, for our life.  The answer is yes.  But we MUST LISTEN for it.  That is how you find it.  "If you cling to your own life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it."(Matthew 10:39)  I find it highly intriguing that we ask God for His will, and then we don't listen for it or try to find it.  We often ask, "God, will you show me your plans for the near future?", and then we don't listen for it.  It's ironic, honestly.  Instead of asking God, "God, will you answer me?", you should ask, "God, am I listening?"  He will make it clear to you in His answer, very clear.  If you SEEK, you will FIND.  God promises that.  But we mut be willing to seek it or listen for it.  "And Solomon, my son, learn to know the God of your ancestors intimately.  Worship and serve him with your whole heart and a willing mind.  For the Lord sees every heart and knows every plan and thought.  If you seek him, you will find him.  But if you forsake him,  he will reject you forever.  So take this seriously.  The Lord has chosen you to build a Temple as his sanctuary.  Be strong, and do the work."(1 Chronicles 28:9-10)  God will tell us His will if we are willing to ask, wait, and listen for it, all at the right times.  Paul SEEKED God's will, and He found God's will through these steps.  Christ, while on the earth, seeked to "save that which was lost", and He saved many.  Christ has set the standard.  Let's follow it. 
  "For everyone who asks, receives.  Everyone who seeks, finds.  And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened."(Luke 11:10)  People often don't ask for God to reveal His will for their life.  But whenever they DO ask,  they don't wait or listen; they JUST ask.  There is our problem.  It's not the asking, but the waiting and listening.  God reveals in His own time.  Since we know He is the perfect God, His timing is also perfect.

  Four Reasons to Find God's Will in All that You Do:

   1. Christ has set the standard(Luke 19:10)

   2.  It is impossible to please God without seeking and finding His will.(Hebrews 11:6)

   3.  We WILL find His plan for us if we seek it.(Luke 11:10)
 
   4.  We will never find it on our own.(Matthew 10:39)

To Change, to Seek: Boldness: What Today's American Churches Need

To Change, to Seek: Boldness: What Today's American Churches Need: "bold(adj)- fearless before danger; self-assured, confident; prominent What is boldness? It's being a Christian, to put it simply, or th..."

Boldness: What Today's American Churches Need

bold(adj)- fearless before danger; self-assured, confident; prominent

  What is boldness?  It's being a Christian, to put it simply, or that's how it should be.  Christians should be bold.  But we're not.  Christians don't pray because it's maybe uncool or not what you do in public.  But this is what the believers did:  "And now, hear their threats, O Lord, and give us, your servants, great boldness in teaching your word."(Acts 4:29)This is what every Christian should do.  Pray for boldness to teach God's Word.  Here's another encouragement about about being bold enough to share your faith: "For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow."(James 1:3)
  To be bold also means not to be ashamed.  In Philippians 1:20, Paul says this:"For I fully expect and hope that i will never be ashamed, but that I will continue to live for Christ, as I have in the past.  And I trust that my life will bring honor to Christ, whether I live or I die."(for further reading, look up Philippians 1:21-26)  We, as Christians, should live life with boldness in preaching God's Word.  This is what so many churches are afraid to do.  Pastors a're afraid that people will leave if they start telling their congregation the things the congregation needs to hear.  I encourage you to live your Christian walk with boldness.  If you do, you will bring much glory and honor to God, and He, in return, will do the same for you.