Faith

Science is not God

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I was reading a prayer that Martin Luther King Jr. prayed. That man could pray. In his prayer, he prayed:

We are mindful, O God, that man cannot save himself, for man is not the measure of things and humanity is not God. Bound by our chains we know we need a Savior. We thank thee, oh God, for the spiritual nature of man. We are in nature but we live above nature.

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

One of the myriad things that trouble me is the idea that science is above God. If given a choice between trust in science or trust in God, I think most people in Europe and America would choose science. Not Martin Luther King Jr., though, because science is the study of nature, but man is above nature for he has a spiritual nature.

I closely follow science on my other blog, National Tech Front, and only theoretical scientists speak in absolutes (those are the Sheldon’s of the world). The scientists that work in the applied sciences nearly always couch their comments in “should,” “perhaps,” “maybe,” and “expected.” They understand that humanity knows almost nothing about God’s Creation. 

One Example

A quick example of the instability of science can be found in the study of DNA. Nearly all scientists have (had) reached the point where DNA was old science, that was until 3D VR of DNA (“Step inside your DNA”). Oops,  genes are also turned on and off by physical interaction between specific parts of DNA. Well, that wasn’t expected!

However, the message of God’s desire and intent to reconcile humanity back to Himself is consistent, clear, coherent, and cohesive from Genesis all the way through the Book of Revelation, spanning thousands of years. So, who should we place our faith in? Should it be science with its instability or “Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD himself, is the Rock eternal.” (Isaiah 26:4 NIV)

“I think we often don’t trust God because we measure Him with the yardstick of man.” – G.W. Moore 

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Small Things

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Mother holding a baby

Oh, be careful little eyes
Oh, be careful little eyes what you see
Oh, be careful little eyes what you see
For the Father up above is looking down in love
So be careful little eyes what you see

It’s The Small Things

Our lives consist of small things, fleeting moments, activities that barely qualify as actions or events. Yet it is in the tapestry woven by all of these that display our character; our commitment to Jesus. When we pause to look at our lives, the big things seldom accurately depict ourselves.

Within our worlds, people know us as teachers, bank tellers, homemakers, auto mechanics, and so forth. And perhaps within our world, we have achieved something exceptional, or we have suffered something horrible. Nevertheless, we still live our lives moment by moment, day by day. It’s still our small decisions that display our virtues.

See Yourself As God Sees You

If we allow a great success, a great defeat, or a great loss to define us, then we have surrendered ourselves to a thing rather than to our Lord Jesus. Don’t allow something from this world to have sway over your thoughts, intentions, or activities in life. 

For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. – Romans 12:3

We aren’t to think badly of ourselves, just realistically, and from God’s perspective. And remember, the Father up above is looking down in love, so be careful little heart, who you trust.

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Doubt Can Be Okay

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man standing at edge of a cliff

Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. – Matthew 28:17 ESV

Since the eleven Apostles had already believed, with Thomas being the last, the reference to doubters means that there were others present. It seems reasonable that at least some of the five hundred (1 Corinthians 15:6) were present and that the doubters were within this group.

Jesus Understands Doubt

What is encouraging to us is that Jesus didn’t call out the doubters, or focus His “Great Commission” to the exclusion of the doubters. No, what we see when we read Matthew 28:16-20 is Jesus addressing the whole crowd.

The doubters “showed up” which means that they were still disciples of Jesus. It was just so difficult for them to believe that they had witnessed the promised Messiah. It would be like us being in the courtroom when Dr. Martin Luther Jr. received the message from the Supreme Court that outlawed “legal” segregation. For those in that room, it would have been difficult to believe that a bunch of old, white guys had finally destroyed hundreds of years of “legal” inhuman treatment of African-Americans.

Peace Comes In When Doubt Leaves

When it comes to Jesus, doubt can be okay unless we hold on to it. This is true for the lost and the saved. For Christians, many times the Holy Spirit will speak to our hearts things that we “can’t believe.” Yet, through prayer, fasting, and the counsel of church elders, we can move from doubt to trust. Peace comes in when doubt leaves. 

When you move to trust you have this promise from God: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.” Romans 15:13

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Eye Salve

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Much has been preached and written about the Laodician church. One of Christ’s statements to the church of Laodicia was, “I counsel you to buy from Me…salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see.” (Rev.3:18) A salve is rather amazing to me because it is placed on the surface of our skin but it penetrates through our skin and attacks and kills the bacteria below the surface.

Laodicia’s disease was below the surface. They may have seemed just fine, but they weren’t. The Christians in Laodicia needed to see their true condition, but the they were too blind to see. At one time or another, all of us need Christ Jesus’ eye salve. 

The first time Christ’s eye salve is applied to us is when the Holy Spirit opens our eyes to ourselves and we see our lost condition for what it is. If we accept Jesus as our Savior, Christ’s eye salve heals our eyes for God’s Word. We see more than just words on a page; as we read we receive Truth through the work of the Holy Spirit. 

The fact is, salve heals even what may not be obvious. If you need healing, even for things that others may not see, ask Jesus to apply His eye salve to your eyes. Then look and see the truth of your need. And then, in faith, pray and act. Receive the healing you need.

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Jesus Cares About Our Faith

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man praying

As I was reading my Bible this morning, I was reminded, again, of the importance Jesus placed on faith. Our personal salvation begins with the grace given to us through the faith given to us (Romans 12:3). And without faith, it is impossible to please God. Through faith, we gain access to God (Hebrews 11:6).

“When faith ceases to pray, it ceases to live.” – A.C. Dixon

Jesus Cares About Our Faith

Through faith our prayers do the impossible because God comes into the need through faith (Mark 6:5), and nothing is impossible with God (Luke 1:37). To understand just how much importance Jesus places on faith, He said, “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. (Mark 11:24)” Only God can move mountains, but the prayer of faith moves God (Matthew 21:21). This doesn’t mean faith changes God’s will, but it does mean that faith gives us the ear of God (Matthew 7:7).

So important is faith that Jesus said to Peter, “but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail…(Luke 22:32) At a time that would test the Apostle Peter perhaps more than any other time, the concern of Jesus for Peter was that Peter’s “faith may not fail.” It was Peter’s faith that needed guarding.

When Jesus spoke of His return to Earth after His ascension, Christ’s first concern was, “I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth? (Luke 18:8)”

Through faith the Spirit of Truth leads us into the unknown. We enter in the name of the Man we’ve not seen, for Him who’s greatness is unsearchable, to do a work that is not ours, by abilities we don’t possess, so that our heavenly Father may glorify Christ Jesus, His One and Only Son. That is the purpose of our faith in God.

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Ask God for More

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picture of a dove

Since God is Spirit, let us do as the Holy Spirit inspired the Apostle Paul to write in 1 Corinthians 14:15 (ESV): I will pray with my spirit, but I will pray with my mind also; I will sing praise with my spirit, but I will sing with my mind also.

Let Us Be Bold When We Pray

Because we serve the God of all Creation, the One who declares the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46:10), let us be bold when we pray and ask God for things that are beyond our abilities. Be confident because, “It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” (Deuteronomy 31:8 ESV)

We must always remember our purpose. Our purpose is to point people to Jesus. Jesus is the hope for all who are lost (Luke 19:10 ESV) and the living hope for all who are saved (1 Peter 1:3 ESV). 

God desires to use us, to use you, in ways you may never have considered. The Holy Spirit does wonderful works through God’s servants. If you want more, if you hunger for people to see Jesus, then pray and ask our heavenly Father for more of the Holy Spirit in you. Ask God for all that He desires for you.

Aligned With God’s Will

As the Holy Spirit of God fills you to overflowing, remember He never asks anyone to do or say anything that contradicts the Bible. And as you grow, keep yourself aligned with God’s will, as the Apostle Paul wrote in Philippians 4:4-7 (ESV):

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

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This is the way you should go

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A picture of Earth from space

As we draw closer to a new year, I hope each of us will find a time when we can be alone with the one true God. Through Jesus, our Lord and Savior, let us draw near to God and worship Him, praise Him, and, through the Holy Spirit, listen to Him. 

Has the World Lost Its Mind?

We live in a time of significant changes and great challenges. Powerful countries are redrawing their borders, engulfing other sovereign states as they reposition themselves to carry out their agendas.

America is fractured; even many family members hate each other because of their political views. The UK wrestles with Brexit, its most divisive issue in decades. Countries in Central and South America struggle economically and politically. Europe, too, struggles with many of their EU countries experiencing minimal economic growth and social issues that expose old wounds and old hatred (i.e., anti-Semitism). India, Asia, and many countries in Africa are experiencing political strife and regional violence.

Peace and Good News

Nevertheless, through Jesus, we always find peace and good news. And we should remember that, in His own time, God moves rapidly. We see this in Isaiah 48:3 (ESV), “The former things I declared of old; they went out from my mouth, and I announced them; then suddenly I did them, and they came to pass…“

As the prophet Isaiah spoke God’s Word, let us ask God to say this to us, also: Your own ears will hear him. Right behind you a voice will say, “This is the way you should go,” whether to the right or to the left. (Isaiah 30:21 NLT)

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One of those people

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subway entrance in Toronto, Canada

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. (Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV)

There was a time, shortly after I’d recommitted my life to Jesus when God sent me to boot camp. Not a military camp, but one of which God created just for me. God’s boot camp lasted several years. He was teaching me to trust him. I won’t bore you with all the details, but I will share one odd thing God had me do. He had me go to Canada.

I knew no one in Canada except Jesus. I had some vacation time that I needed to use, and I had a bit of money so I headed to Toronto. I learned how to book an international flight and I learned how to go through Customs. These experiences were very worthwhile since I ended up doing a lot of international travel.

Upon my arrival, I walked down to the baggage claim in Toronto, Canada with no agenda, nobody to help me, and no apparent reason to be there; the Holy Spirit just said to me, “Go.” 

It’s a bit strange when you’re standing in the arrival area of an airport and you have no idea where to go. So, I prayed. I saw a phone with a list of hotels. I scanned the list, picked up the phone, and asked if I could get a room for several days. Yes! And it was downtown and close to the subway. Cool!

During my visit, I learned to find my way around the city on a subway. I met a Christian that owned a recording studio so we hung out there while he and his crew recorded several songs for a Canadian Christian group. After I left him, I called the switchboard of the Canadian BBC and asked if I could see their operation. They connected me with the Chief Engineer. He was a Christian, and he arranged to meet me at a side door to their building. I got a personal tour and met a very interesting Christian. Several other “divine appointments” happened. 

When I was ready to go home, I entered the airport just when an announcement came over the speakers saying that the Canadian pilots had gone on strike! Everybody started calling hotels. It was a madhouse. I went back to the sign that listed hotels. I picked up the phone and called one. I got the last available room. I needed a taxi, but all the taxis were full, but God made a way for me to share a cab with a Japanese couple that spoke no English. A couple of days elapsed, the strike ended, and I got home in time to go back to work without being late.

I learned so much on that trip. The most important thing I learned was to look for Jesus in people. When I saw Him, I saw a Christian that I could receive whatever help I needed. That lesson has served me well and challenged me to be one of those people. I pray the same for you. Amen.

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It is well

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Rich Mullins was an influential, talented Christian singer/songwriter. It’s been many years since he was killed in an automobile accident. Before his death, he wrote songs that are now standards in Christian music. Songs such as “Awesome God,” “If I Stand,” “Hold Me Jesus,” “Calling Out Your Name,” and my favorite, “Creed.”

One of Rich Mullins’ songs is called, “Everywhere I Go I See You.” It’s a very simple song, unlike many other songs he wrote, but the Lord just laid it on my heart today.

Yes, the world is complicated, full of dissent, lies, and pain. And yes, God is complex. And yes, churches struggle to preach Jesus to a world that doesn’t deny Christ but hates Christ.

Nevertheless, if we look, no matter where we look, we can see God at work. The world hasn’t won the battle. The “Gospel Ship” isn’t shipwrecked. God still answers prayers. God still saves. The Bride of Christ is still listening for her call. Hearts are still open; lives are still changed; fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ is still sweet. God is still good. We, as followers of Jesus, can still sing, “It is well, with my soul.”

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Tying up loose ends

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man tying a knot in a boat's rope

The clock keeps moving us closer to the end of the year. As we draw closer to the closure of this year, it’s wise for us to do some spiritual house cleaning. Have we paid our tithe, have we forgiven everyone that may have caused us harm, whether through intent or ignorance, are we reconciled with our fellow descendants of Adam? Is there anything we promised that we’ve left undone? Have we gone to the Lord our God and sought His forgiveness for sins of commission and sins of omission?

The way God forgives us, so we are to forgive others. “For You have cast all my sins behind Your back.”, King Hezekiah proclaimed (Isaiah 38:17 ). As God forgives, so we should forgive others.

Forgiveness

Corrie ten Boom, in her book Tramp for the Lord, wrote: It was 1947–. I had come from Holland to defeated Germany with the message that God forgives. It was the truth they needed most to hear in that bitter, bombed-out land, and I gave them my favorite mental picture. Maybe because the sea is never far from a Hollander’s mind, I like to think that that’s where forgiven sins are thrown. “When we confess our sins,” I said, “God casts them into the deepest ocean, gone forever–. Then God places a sign out there that says ‘No Fishing Allowed'”

Thankfully, the one true God is long-suffering (2 Peter 3:9), He is impartial (Acts 10:34), and He stands against the mistreatment of people (Zechariah 7:10). Our God has relieved us from retribution for He has said, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” (Romans 12:19). 

Good Deeds

God keeps track of us, and none of our good deeds go unnoticed by Him (Hebrews 6:10). He is righteous and just. (Psalm 89:14). And, He forgives (Peter 2:24; Isaiah 43:25)

No, I’ve not forgotten about Christmas, Christ’s mass. We’ll talk about that as that time draws nearer. But, today, I thought it best to remind us of God’s character and His extraordinary expectations of us in 2019.

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