The Immeasurable Mercy of God - October 26th, 2014 sermon

By Pastor Greg

Let me read something to you this morning that perhaps you have never heard before.  You may find that it sounds a bit familiar.  "You know the city Shurrupak, it stands on the banks of the Euphrates. That city grew old and the gods that were in it were old. There was Anu, lord of the firmament {earth}, their father and warrior Enlil their counselor, Ninurta the helper, and Ennugi, watcher over canals; and with them also was Ea. In those days the world teemed, the people multiplied, the world bellowed like a wild bull, and the great god was aroused by the clamor. Enlil heard the clamor and he said to the gods in council, 'The uproar of mankind is intolerable and sleep is no longer possible by reason of the babel {everyone talking at once}.' So the gods agreed to exterminate mankind. Enlil did this, but Ea warned me in a dream. He whispered their words to my house of reeds, “Reed-house, reed-house! Wall, O wall, hearken reed-house, wall reflect; O man of Shurrupak, son of Ubara-Tutu; tear down your house and build a boat, abandon possessions and look for life, despise worldly goods and save your soul alive. Tear down your house, I say, and build a boat. These are the measurements of the barque {boat} as you shall build her: let her beam equal her length, let her deck be roofed like the vault that covers the abyss; then take up into the boat the seed of all living creatures."

This is an excerpt from The Epic of Gilgamesh, part of the Chaldean Flood Tablets that were found in the ancient southern Iraqi city of Ur (Which, by the way, is where Abraham was born. See Genesis 11:28).  This story sounds somewhat similar to the familiar story of Noah (Read Genesis 6:5-22).

In this Genesis record of the flood, God was angry at humanity’s sin, not irritated at all the noise as Gilgamesh describes.  Plus the dimensions of the Ark are much different.  Gilgamesh describes a cube six stories high, a box that would have never floated.  A box has no buoyancy.  But the Ark in Genesis was much different.  Depending on what measurement you use for a cubit (which is the distance between the fingertip and the elbow; about 18 inches), the Ark was at least 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high; that’s over 1.5 million cubic feet inside, equal to about 569 railroad cars.  But, in spite of the differences in the two stories, they both depict a great flood that would destroy all living things.

The story about Noah and the Flood is one that is hotly debated.  Many people feel it’s nothing more than a fable designed to teach some lesson about morality.  Sadly, you’d be surprised who the skeptics are.  It is not limited to just the Atheists and Agnostics.  Many Christians do not view this as an actual event.  They can’t seem to get their minds wrapped around the concept that the whole earth was covered by water.  They can’t seem to grasp how 1 million different species of animals would fit on the Ark.  Some Christians and most non-Christians cannot comprehend the possibility, so they discredit the story.  I’d say these people need to find themselves a bigger God.

If the crust of the earth were leveled (mountains lowered and ocean depths raised), the land would be covered with water over a mile and a half deep[1].  A theory among some geologists is that at one time only one large continent existed on the earth.  But something happened that split the earth’s crust apart and separated that land mass into the continents we have today[2].  It’s as if the land was broken apart from beneath the surface of the earth, and drove the continents apart (compare Genesis 7:11).  And here’s something interesting; if you look at the ocean floor, you will find deep trenches that bear the scars of this catastrophe.  The Mariana Trench, for example, just off the coast of Japan, is almost 36,000 feet deep.  It’s as if the crust of the earth split apart.

In regards to the animals, of the 1 million different species, only about 35,000 would have needed to be rescued from the water.  And if we disregard the variety of breeds, that number drops to about 16,000[3].  For instance, 4500 years ago there was not the broad variety of dogs we have today.  Creation experts like Ken Ham and John Woodmorappe have averaged the size of these animals and concluded that these 16,000 different animals would have filled about 37% of the Ark, leaving plenty of room for food and Man.

There are many other objections people have raised.  What about feeding all these animals for the 371 days they were on board?  What about cleaning up after them?  How did Noah get all these animals to come? What about the fish and other aquatic life?  People raise these doubts all the time.  And you know what?  They need to have their minds opened to conceive a bigger God.  We’ve all heard of hibernation, have we not?  And fish have been known to move from fresh water to salt water and back again.  Why, even at the National aquarium in Baltimore they have tanks that display fresh and saltwater fish in the same tank.  So instead of thinking whether this flood or the Ark could have happened, maybe we just need to allow our minds to conceive a bigger God.

As I thought about the Genesis account of the flood, one thing struck me; if it was nothing more than a fable, then why include it in the Bible in the first place?  Why did the patriarchs of the Old Testament feel this story was necessary?  And why did Jesus mention this story as if it were fact (Matthew 24:37-39)?  I’ll tell you why, because it demonstrates the immeasurable mercy of God.

In His mercy, God plans for a means to escape the flood.  God uses one man to preserve life.  As God looked upon the wickedness of humanity He saw one man who was righteous.  And because of his righteousness, that one man rescued God’s creation from destruction; a destruction by water.  In the same way, God is preparing another time when the earth will be destroyed, only this time by fire (see 2 Peter 3:3-7).  And in the same way He is, or has, prepared a means to escape this destruction; this time of judgment.  And just as in Noah’s day, a Man was found that could rescue humanity, not from destruction by water, but destruction by fire.  That Man is Jesus Christ.

In God’s immeasurable grace, He has sent His own Son to rescue all who believe.  He has provided a means to escape judgment.  But sadly, just as in Noah’s day, people ignore the signs and disregard the impending judgment.  These are the people who will find themselves standing on the outside wishing they had heeded the warnings; wishing they had accepted the outstretched hand of Christ and allowed Him to be their Savior.

Those safe in the Ark were spared the wrath of God.  Those resting safely in the arms of Jesus will be spared the wrath of God as well.  And His wrath of destruction is coming.  Where will you be when it comes?

Prayer of Confession and Faith

Read John 3:14-17

Father, I am a sinner bitten by sin and destined to die.  But today I believe the promise of Jesus; that if I turn to Him and believe in my heart, I will be saved and granted Eternal Life.

Jesus, I call upon Your name.  Cover my sin and heal me; transform me, and move me from darkness to light.  I accept You as my Savior and my Lord.  I pray this in Your name.  Amen

---

[1] http://christiananswers.net/q-aig/aig-floodwater.html

[2] http://geology.com/pangea.htm

[3] https://answersingenesis.org/noahs-ark/how-could-noah-fit-the-animals-on-the-ark-and-care-for-them/

The Master of Life - October 19th, 2014 sermon

By Pastor Greg

          A bald, wrinkled little man was in a rocking chair on his porch, smiling happily.  A passerby, charmed by his smile, came up to him and said, "I couldn't help noticing how happy you look. What's your secret for a long happy life?"  "I smoke three packs of cigarettes a day," he said with a toothless grin. "I drink a case of whiskey a week, eat fast food, and never exercise."  "No way”, exclaimed the visitor.  “How old are you?"  "Twenty-six", the old man proudly proclaimed.

          Okay.  So much for maintaining that youthful appearance.  Can you imagine his tenth high school reunion?

It’s amazing the difference medicine and hygiene has had on the health of humans.  At the beginning of the 20^th century the average life expectancy in the United States was 49.2 years.  In 2003 it had reached an average of 77.5 years.[1]  Occasionally people will live longer.  Every now and then we read about someone living to be 100 or even 105, but it doesn’t happen very often.  For the most part, the words of the psalmist hold true.  “As for the days of our life, they contain seventy years, or if due to strength, eighty years” ^[2] (Psalm 90:10a).  For all our research and dieting, humanity has not made any significant leaps in life expectancy since this Psalm was written by Moses 3500 years ago. 

          Science has not been able to discover why we die.  They speculate, and every year a new theory emerges (remember the hype on eliminating free radicals by eating antioxidants?).  Science has discovered, though, that most of the body is replacing itself.  New cells are being made to replace old cells that have died.  According to Jonas Frisen, a stem cell biologist from Sweden, most of the cells in the human body are replaced every 7 to 10 years.  He discovered that cells from the chest area of a person in their 30’s were in fact only 15 years old, on average.  Red blood cells last about 120 days before being replaced.[3]  But no one seems to understand why this process eventually slows down.  Science cannot explain why most people seldom live to be 100.  For some, that’s good news.  It’s a means to escape a lifetime of sickness.  But could you imagine 120 being considered quite young?

          Read through Genesis 5. It’s a real eye opener.  I mean, look at the age of some of these men; Adam – 930, Seth – 912, Methuselah – 969, Noah – 950.  Did they really live that long, and if they did, then why and how?  Well, before we write this off as biblical nonsense, let’s take a look at some events that unfold in the Bible. First of all, humanity was not created to die.  Death was not part of Adam’s DNA because death later became the curse of sin.  In Genesis 2:17 God warned Adam that to eat the fruit of the forbidden tree would result in death.  Granted, that verse does say “for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.” ^[4]  We could argue why Adam didn’t die instantly, and bring in all sorts of scripture references which point out that Adam didn’t live a thousand years, which is like a day to the Lord.  But the point is that death became a reality.

          The second biblical lesson is found in Genesis six.  After the wickedness of Man had become worse, God made another pronouncement about the age of Man.  Then the Lord said, “My Spirit will not put up with humans for such a long time, for they are only mortal flesh. In the future, their normal lifespan will be no more than 120 years.” ^[5] (Genesis 6:3).  And if you consider the age of those who lived after the flood, there is a sharp decline in the average lifespan from Noah to Abraham.  It’s pretty clear that God changed something after the flood that made it nearly impossible to live longer than 120 years.  God placed a boundary on the age of Man, yet the power of science has not been able to unravel the mystery of death.

          So the age of the men listed in Genesis 5 is quite possibly true.  People lived longer back then because it was natural to live that long.  But God intervened and changed something that caused us to live much shorter lives.  And by the way, since these men did live longer, it’s interesting to note that Adam would have been alive to pass the creation story along to Methuselah, who would have been alive to tell it to Noah.  But maybe the length of years isn’t the point we are to learn from this.  Maybe the significant part of this family tree is found in God’s fulfilled promise.  Except for Enoch, each of these men died.  Death claimed them just as God said.

Do you want to know what lesson I’ve learned from this?  I’ve learned that God is the Master death.  Death is the servant of God, and for a time He has made us its slave.  And I know this because God is true to His word.  He spoke the curse of death as the consequence of sin, and death entered our reality.  He placed a boundary on the age of Man.  He is true to His word.  He spoke destruction to Sodom and Gomorrah, and those cities fell.  He spoke a plague of death to the Pharaoh, and the first-born died.  He spoke of judgment and punishment for Israel’s sin, and used Assyria and Babylon to take the nation captive.  He is true to His word.

          But God is also the Master of life.  Life is also the servant of God.  God spoke of deliverance and protection to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph.  He caused death to pass over Moses and Israel.  He delivered David from the giant.  He promised restoration to Israel after 70 years of Babylonian captivity.  God spoke of a Messiah who would grant eternal life.  God’s word is faithful; it endures forever.

          Marvel not that Adam or Noah lived over 900 years.  Instead, marvel that God’s word is forever faithful and true.  And God, whose word does not change, is the giver of life.  If God’s word was seen to be faithful in the past, His word will be faithful in the present.  God’s word is faithful and true yesterday, today, and tomorrow.  And in this I find hope, strength, and assurance.

          In pursuit of a bigger God I have found a Creator that holds death in one hand and life in the other.  He is Master of both.  And true to His word, God has said, “For I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord God. “Therefore, repent and live.” ^[6] (Ezekiel 18:32).  And true to His word, God has provided a means to be freed from the shackles of death.  For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. ^[7] (John 3:16).

God is faithful.  His word endures forever.  Just as His word was faithful and true in Adam’s day, so too is His word faithful today.  Believe in Jesus, and at the end of your life, a life held captive by death, you will find life.  Adam found life after death.  Noah found life after death.  So too did Moses and David, and Josiah, and Peter, and John.  And I’m wondering what you will find.  You see, no matter how long we might live (even 969) we will all face death.  Each of us has an appointment with death (see Hebrews 9:7).  But for those who believe in Jesus the promise is life.

---

[1] According to a 2003 report from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC)

^[2] New American Standard Bible : 1995 update. 1995 (Ps 90:10). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

[3] From a 2005 New York Times article.  See http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/02/science/02cell.html?pagewanted=all

^[4] New American Standard Bible : 1995 update. 1995 (Ge 2:17). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

^[5] Tyndale House Publishers. (2007). Holy Bible : New Living Translation. (3rd ed.) (Ge 6:3). Carol Stream, IL

^[6] New American Standard Bible : 1995 update. 1995 (Eze 18:32). LaHabra, CA: The Lockman Foundation.

^[7] Tyndale House Publishers. (2007). Holy Bible : New Living Translation. (3rd ed.) (Jn 3:16). Carol Stream, IL

A Taste of Paradise - October 12th, 2014 sermon

By Pastor Greg

After God created Man, Adam became lonely.  Oh sure.  He had a pet rabbit, and he could hug him and squeeze him and pet him and call him George, but he was still lonely.  In the Garden there was no companion for him.  And God said, "No problem! I will create a companion for Man that love him and make him feel special.  This new companion will adore Adam.  This new companion will worship Adam, regardless of how selfish or childish or unlovable he may be.  This new companion will accept Man and love him as I do."  So God created a new animal to be a companion for the Man.  And it was a good animal.  And God was pleased.  And the new animal was pleased to be with Man, and he wagged his tail.  And Dog lived with Adam and was a companion to him and loved him.  And God was pleased.  And Dog was content and wagged his tail.

After a while, it came to pass that an angel came to the Lord and said, "Lord, Adam has become filled with pride. He believes he is worthy of adoration.  Dog has taught him that he is loved, but perhaps too well."  And God said, "No problem! I will create for him a companion who will be with him forever and who will remind him of his limitations, so he will know that he is not always worthy of adoration."   And God created CAT.  And Cat would not obey the Man. And when Adam gazed into Cat's eyes, he was reminded that he was not a supreme being.  And Adam learned humility.  And he was greatly improved.  And God was pleased. And Dog was happy and wagged his tail. . . And Cat didn't care one way or the other.

Sometimes I find myself wondering what life would have been like in the Garden of Eden.  I wonder what the animals would have been like before the Fall.  What must it have been like to walk with God?  This new creation must have been a dream world; a paradise Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.

Then the Lord God planted a garden in Eden in the east, and there he placed the man he had made. The Lord God made all sorts of trees grow up from the ground—trees that were beautiful and that produced delicious fruit. In the middle of the garden he placed the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

A river flowed from the land of Eden, watering the garden and then dividing into four branches. The first branch, called the Pishon, flowed around the entire land of Havilah, where gold is found. The gold of that land is exceptionally pure; aromatic resin and onyx stone are also found there. The second branch, called the Gihon, flowed around the entire land of Cush. The third branch, called the Tigris, flowed east of the land of Asshur. The fourth branch is called the Euphrates.

The Lord God placed the man in the Garden of Eden to tend and watch over it. But the Lord God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden—except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.” (Read Genesis 2:7-17).

This was a world at peace.  There was no strife, no tension, no conflict, and no death.  It was a world blessed by its Creator.  God looked at it and said that it was very good because all of creation and certainly this Garden of Paradise was a reflection of God’s eternal character.  Too bad it didn’t last very long.  It didn’t take very long for the Man to sin and defile this Garden Paradise.

Another contrast between the story of Creation and the theory of Evolution is the downward spiral of sin as opposed to the upward climb of humanity.  The Creation account talks about a perfect beginning.  Evolution teaches of a harsh and painful beginning.  Creation depicts Man falling down while Evolution speaks of Man picking Himself up.  And it’s important that we see this contrast because it determines how we see the fate of the World.  The Bible says God created things very good, but because of Man’s sin things have become very bad.  Evolution teaches that the world was very bad, but things will become better and better. 

According to the Creation story, Man was given paradise.  But shortly after his first taste of paradise[1], the Man threw it all away.  He disobeyed God and thus began the downward spiral of sin.  And death destroyed the Garden, the World which God had created, and even Man’s relationship with God.  Because Adam sinned, the future that awaits humanity is one of death.  As time marches on, things will only get worse.  The general fate of the world as depicted by Jesus (see Matthew 24) and other New Testament writers (see Revelation 8-11) is one of ultimate destruction. However, according to the Secular Humanist, the fate of the World rests in the hands of Humanity (a Secular Humanist is someone who believes human reason, intelligence, cleverness, and ethics has brought us to where we are as a people, and that the fate of humanity rests in our skills and abilities).  This is why we hear so much about reducing our carbon footprint.  This is why science and health are the idols worshiped by modern Man.  Mankind controls the destiny of this earth.  Humanity will march onwards and upwards thanks to advances in technology and science.  We are working to create paradise.  So it’s no wonder the Christian is at odds with the Humanist.  Creation speaks of Paradise lost.  Evolution teaches of Paradise found.  And truthfully they both can’t be right. 

There is a third voice in this debate; a voice almost like the Christian, but one without hope.  This voice speaks of certain doom, but it is silent on salvation.  As the fate of the world is debated between the Humanist and the Christian, there is also the alarm of the doomsday prophets; people who continue to shout out alarms that the world is about to fall apart.  “A great catastrophe is coming”, they exclaim.  Sometimes it is a cosmic event (like a giant asteroid).  For others it is a social event – where society completely falls apart.  And for some people it is economical; where a great crisis of economy will drive this world back to the Dark Ages.  These Prophets speak of a future filled with Pain, Disease, Suffering, Struggle, and Death (remember the whole Mayan prophecy from 2012?).  So in a culture that exults the cleverness of Man, it’s no wonder people roll their eyes and shake their heads.  Many in our culture believe that the fate of humanity rests in the hands of science and technology, and they are angry and frustrated with those who feel differently.  This is why those who have embraced this philosophy become so angry with the Doomsday Prophets.  The prophets are telling the Humanists that there is a problem coming that no one can solve.  And then will come the end.

Now although what these doomsday prophets are shouting sound similar to what the Bible teaches, their cries omit the greatest news the world has ever received.  They omit the promise of God.  The Bible clearly speaks of humanity’s future; a future filled with pain, disease, war, financial ruin, and death.  However, there is a glorious ending promised to those who accept Jesus as their Lord.  God has provided a way to regain all that we lost in the beginning.  He is offering humanity salvation.  For those who confess Jesus as Lord, their sins will not only be forgiven, but they will experience an ending far more glorious than the beginning.  In the end, they will be with God in paradise.

For the Humanist their only hope lies in a science that can fix all that is wrong in this world.  For the Doomsday Prophet there is no escape from the eventual destruction and extinction of humanity.  But for the Christian there is hope in a God who promises to rescue us from this destruction.  The Christian will be spared from the annihilation of the earth and eternal separation from God (see Revelation 21:1-8).  Redeemed Humanity will once again be placed in paradise.  ¹⁴ Blessed are those who wash their robes. They will be permitted to enter through the gates of the city and eat the fruit from the tree of life. ^[2] (Revelation 22:14).  Their ending will be more glorious than the beginning all because of what God has done through Jesus Christ, the Son.

Humanity has been struggling to regain paradise almost from the moment it was lost.  But how can an imperfect humanity make itself perfect again?  It can’t.  Humanity is on a downward spiral to destruction that no one will be able to stop.  But in His great love and mercy, the Father has sent His Son so that those who believe will be spared the horrific ending the world must face.  And I beg you this morning to take the outstretched hand of God and be saved.  Be saved through the promise of Jesus.

Prayer of Confession and Faith - Read John 3:14-17

Father, I am a sinner bitten by sin and destined to die.  But today I believe the promise of Jesus; that if I turn to Him and believe in my heart, I will be saved and granted Eternal Life.  Jesus, I call upon Your name.  Cover my sin and heal me; transform me, and move me from darkness to light.  I accept You as my Savior and my Lord.  I pray this in Your name.  Amen

Prayer of Confession and Faith

Read John 3:14-17

Father, I am a sinner bitten by sin and destined to die.  But today I believe the promise of Jesus; that if I turn to Him and believe in my heart, I will be saved and granted Eternal Life.

Jesus, I call upon Your name.  Cover my sin and heal me; transform me, and move me from darkness to light.  I accept You as my Savior and my Lord.  I pray this in Your name.  Amen

---

[1] I say that Adam and Eve spent a very short time in the Garden because they never did have the opportunity to be fruitful and multiply.  They did not have any children while still living in the Garden because the child would not have been conceived in sin.  And the Adam’s sinful nature would not have been passed along into that child.

^[2] Tyndale House Publishers. (2007). Holy Bible : New Living Translation. (3rd ed.) (Re 22:14). Carol Stream, IL

Which Came First; the Chicken or the Egg? - October 5th, 2014 sermon

By Pastor Greg

       The Great- Great- Great Grandson of Dr. Frankenstein had successfully reanimated dead human tissue.  But instead of creating some monster, Dr. Frankenstein decided to start a business.  He took human stem cell DNA and was able to successfully grow replacement parts for humans.  When someone needed a new heart, a perfect replacement could be grown in the laboratory.  New lungs, a new liver and kidneys; all of this was now available to modern science.  Eventually the technology grew so advanced that he felt he no longer needed God.  One day Dr. Frankenstein even told God, “We're to the point that we can clone people and do many miraculous things, so we don’t need you anymore."

          God listened very patiently and kindly, but said, "Very well, how about this, let's say we have a man making contest.  We’ll do this just like I did in the beginning; back in the old days with Adam."  Dr. Frankenstein heartedly agreed and bent down and grabbed a handful of dirt ready to get to work.  But God interrupted him and said, 'No, No, No, you get your own dirt".

          It is here that we see the immense gap between human arrogance and God’s majesty.  God creates something from nothing while we boast about what we made from a box of Tinker Toys.  Humanity feels so proud; so confident in its scientific progress and discovery.  But truthfully, modern science has only discovered what already exists and merely manipulated what has already been created.  The only thing we’ve accomplished is to shrink God down to a manageable size. 

          In the past few weeks I’ve shared some facts that truthfully can be hard to accept, especially considering what some people want us to believe.  They want us to believe that there was death millions of years before Mankind ever walked the earth, yet the Bible says otherwise. They want us to believe that it took Billions of years for the universe to evolve, yet the Bible says something different.  And we’ve been told that all of life is nothing more than the combination of complex proteins, yet the Bible says it was God.  Part of the reason some people cannot conceive in the Creation story is because they are imagining a world or a universe that needed to be assembled.  They imagine grabbing a big handful of dirt and assembling this complex world in which we live. And of course something so complex would take a great deal of time.  However, for the Christian the answer to these mysteries is quite simple (Read Genesis 2:1-4a).

          The issue of Time is probably the greatest difference between the Biblical account of Creation and the scientific theory of Evolution.  In order to assemble a universe so vast and so complex, Evolutionary Scientists need a great deal of time, 4.5 Billion years to be precise.  And the more complex the world becomes, the more time they need.  But the Bible tells a different story; a story that makes many people scoff.  According to the Bible God only needed 6 days.

          And as difficult as that six day number can be for some, let me give you another number that will throw a wrench into the Evolutionary Machine.  According to the biblical timeline, God created the heavens and the Earth about 6,000 years ago.  Just hearing that number raises a few eyebrows, doesn’t it?  It’s a difficult number to imagine, especially considering all the research that says otherwise.

          The Bible records a span of about 4000 years from the creation of Adam to the birth of Christ.  And interestingly, archeological evidence will corroborate that time frame.  Discoveries from other cultures confirm or punctuate the date of certain events in biblical history.  From the kingdom of Persia comes the Cyrus Cylinder or from Assyria we have the Qarqar Tablet.  Using these as a cross reference, historians have been able to date the events as described in the Old Testament according to our modern calendar.  One only needs to then add up the years mentioned in the Bible, such as the reference given in Genesis 5 or Genesis 11.

I know.  This seems to contradict the “scientific” evidence found in measuring distant stars or conducting radiometric dating of the earth.  There is the idea of a “Gap Theory”; where a huge time gap is inserted between Genesis 1:1 and Genesis 1:2.  There is where the great span of time took place.  I’m not going to spend time arguing about any of that.  But what I do want to point out is that there is a huge difference between how old something is and how long it has existed.

Now I know you’re probably thinking “Huh?”, so let me explain.  If you had the ability to create a house out of thin air, what sort of house would you create?  Would you create a pile of bricks and mortar that needed to be assembled, or would you create a house ready to be occupied?  Would you order a truck load of lumber and nails and shingles, or would the roof already be in place?  Now any sane person who had this ability would imagine what they wanted then say Bibbidy, Bobbidy, Boo and watch the entire house appear.  In an instant that empty lot would contain a house fully assembled and ready to move into.  This just seems to make sense.  However, if some scientist came along, he would discover lumber that might be hundreds of years old, which naturally makes sense.  You certainly don’t frame a house with green lumber.  The same could be said about the bricks or the sand in the mortar.  And yet you know perfectly well that the house just came into existence.

It is the same with the universe and this earth.  Looking at day 1 and 2 of creation it’s quite clear that God spoke the universe and this world into existence ready to be occupied, not waiting to be assembled.  We see the same thing on day 3.  The plants were created old enough to bear seeds and reproduce.  An oak tree doesn’t start producing acorns until it is 50 to 60 years old.  An apple tree is usually six years old before it bears fruit.  And the same could be said about the animals.  To answer the age old question, it was the chicken that came first, not the egg.  Even Adam and Eve were created old enough to reproduce.  God did not create mankind as infants.  Adam would have appeared perhaps 21 while being only a day or two old.  So although our modern-day dating methods point to how old something might be, that doesn’t indicate how long that thing has been in existence.

What does all this mean to you and me?  It means that God is far bigger than we can possibly imagine.  It means that nothing in this world, on this world, or in this universe is beyond His ability to control or manage.  It means that when we become fearful of what tomorrow might bring or when we lose faith that God is even watching over us, we have actually shrunk God down to a size we can fathom or understand.  It means that when doubts assail us we just might need a crisis in order to see the mighty power and authority of our God.

I sense great fear from a lot of people now days.  I sense worry and concern.  So many people are deeply stressed about what might happen in the future.  There are wars and rumors of wars.  Everywhere you look there is a crisis – from health to finances.  And for some the crisis is personal.  But I suspect that there is fear in our lives because we have shrunk God down to a manageable size.  If Jesus were here today I’m sure He would ask us the same question He asked the Apostles while facing a terrible storm that threatened their lives.  “Where is your faith”, He asked.  And what He meant is “Do you really think all of this is out of God’s control?  Do you really think this is more than He can handle?”

Do you want faith to remain steadfast through a crisis?  Do you want courage to face a trial?  Remember this: your God spoke everything into existence.  That’s right: spoke.  And this same God has numbered the very hairs of your head.  So the next time you are experiencing a storm in our own life or when it seems the whole world is falling apart, hold your crisis next to a God so majestic and powerful that He could create all of life in just six days.  Trust me.  The bigger God becomes, the stronger your faith will be.

In Response to The Harbinger, by Jonathon Cahn

A while back I was asked to read the book The Harbinger by Jonathon Cahn and to watch a companion DVD. A few folks from the church wanted to know my opinion on the book and the topic it addresses. I’ve been meaning to sit down and talk with them about my reaction to the book and DVD, but I just have not had the chance. I plan to still do this, but I began to wonder if there might be others who had the same questions. So I am sharing my thoughts and questions here in hopes that someone else might look at the topic from a different perspective.

Jonathon Cahn is a Messianic Jew, meaning that he is Jewish by race and a Christian by faith. Nowhere did I read that he believes in substitute theology; where Christianity has replaced Israel. But he does seem to insist that what God spoke to Israel He also spoke to the United States; as if the Unites States has a privileged relationship with God that no other nation has at the moment. These assumptions set the tone for much of what he has to say in the book.

Here are a few of my reactions to what he says:

• He says that he was able to discern some hidden meaning from the Bible in light of current events. First of all, the Bible interprets current events, not the other way around. Also, we need to be skeptical of someone who comes along claiming to have some new revelation from God or to have discovered some new hidden meaning in scripture that no one else has been able to see. What they are claiming is that they, apart from all the other biblical scholars who have lived in the past and those alive today, have finally made sense of what God has been trying to tell humanity. We are wise to be skeptical because it is this attitude that we find at the foundation of every religious cult; every “Faith” that is not quite Christian.
• Another point we need to keep in mind when we read this book is that the Bible was written not just for American citizens, but also for every other person in this world. There are Christians and have been Christians living in many other nations, not just America. So I can’t help but wonder what makes these verses in Isaiah apply to the Unites States alone and not the other nations of this world. Other nations have been just as ungodly. Other nations have suffered tragedies. Other nations have lost their status in the world (Spain and England come to mind). Why, out of all the nations in this world, do these verses just now apply to America?
• To answer that question, Jonathon makes the claim that the United States was founded as God’s light to the nations; that the Unites States is the only other nation through which God is working and reaching. I’m not sure where he got that information, but historically it is not correct. Israel was called as a nation directly by God through a covenant He made with one man and his descendants (Abraham). The United States was formed on Christian principles and Christian morals, not called apart by God.
• It’s important to remember that Christ came to redeem ALL of humanity, not just America. As a matter of fact, God was disappointed with Israel for failing to reach the people of other nations, not to be simply concerned about themselves. In the Old Testament, Israel was supposed to be God’s witness in this world (see Isaiah 43:10). The promised covenant God made was for one nation – Israel. But through that nation (Israel) other people would be blessed. In the New Testament Jesus call His apostles and disciples to do the same thing. They were to be His witnesses in Jerusalem, Samaria, and into the ends of the earth, not to stay in Jerusalem and worry about themselves. In John 10 Jesus speaks of sheep that He will gather who are not presently part of His flock – a clear reference to the Gentile people. So the message of Christ is not a message for one nation, but a message for all people.

The main thing we need to keep in mind is that God’s word is read by more than simply Americans. And if we are going to make any application of a promise that was intentionally made to one nation, then we MUST apply it to all. In other words, if we are going to take a warning that was intentionally spoken against the 10 northern tribes of Israel and apply it elsewhere, then it must apply everywhere. To do anything less is simply a heresy. For example, we can apply the message of Grace found in John 3:14-18 to everyone because that was its intention. But we cannot apply Jeremiah 25:8-11 to the United States because it was specifically written to a nation. Babylon will not take the United States captive for 70 years. And to claim that they will is nonsense. Yet Jonathan wants me to believe that the curse God speaks against Israel I must now apply to America? Why? Why does he believe these harbingers apply to America and not any other nation that has existed, does exist, or will exist?

Jonathon claims that somehow or in some way God has assigned America the great task of being the “New Israel”; the great nation that represents Him in this world. I’m not sure where he found this claim, for it is not printed in the Bible. No nation replaces Israel. No “nation” is given the task of being a light unto the Gentiles. Christians have been given this task. The Church is to represent Jesus to the world, but not another nation. This idea of a New Nation is actually quite similar to Mormon teaching and is similar to what some Messianic Jews are teaching in North America today.

Some North American Messianic Jews claim that the lost ten tribes of Israel have migrated to the United States. When Assyria conquered the northern kingdom of Israel (which is what Isaiah 9:8-21 speaks of), they took the people of Israel captive. All but the poorest of poor were taken and scattered throughout the Assyrian Empire. But some people insist that rather than being absorbed into the culture, these ten tribes of Israel remained nomadic; wandering from place to place, ending up in Europe. It’s been claimed by some that these ten tribes became known as the Celts, Angles, Saxons and Danes; people, oddly enough, who were not nomadic. These people then conclude that America must be the land of these people since so many of these people came to America as settlers. This, they claim, is why America is such a great world power, just as England was once a great power. It’s where the lost tribes of Israel have settled. But the truth is, these people were not lost in another culture, but rather did maintain their identity (see James 1:1). This whole idea of British & American Israelism is based upon a book called “The United States and Britain in Prophecy” which is not based upon historical fact. The fact is that some of the people from these Northern Tribes did remain in the area. They became known as the Samaritans. Some even returned to the God of their forefathers. Your should read the article at http://www.askelm.com/prophecy/p900703.htm

I do need to stress that there are certain elements in Jonathon’s book that bear much truth. Indeed. Any church that drifts from the truth and turns its back on God is going to suffer the consequences. When the people of a church turn from love, grace, and peace, that church will eventually fall apart. In the same way any nation filled with greed, selfishness, and vain conceit will eventually collapse. But it will collapse because of an absence of moral behavior, not because God removes His “Hedge of Protection”. I agree that America needs a moral awakening. I agree that this nation has turned its back on God. But it is not the Nation of America that concerns the Lord. It is the people.

We are living in New Testament times. Today God works through people. Christ died to save people. The great mystery Paul talks about in his letters is God’s plan to bring about the Church (people who confess Jesus as Lord, not the organization). Presently we are living in the Time of the Gentiles (Luke 21:24). At the end of this period Christ will return again to fulfill His promise to one nation; only one nation. And that nation is Israel. He will rescue Israel from her oppressors, not America. Jesus will establish Himself as King in one nation. Again, that nation is Israel.

So today it is the Church (the people) who represents God in this world. It is the Church who will not fall, even though the gates of hell might come against it. And in this Church there is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male or female. We are now all one in Christ. And ALL who believe belong to Christ. We have become Abraham’s offspring; heirs to the promise of God (Galatians 3:28-29). Since this is true, then American’s are no more blessed as a people then the believers living in other parts of this world.

I really have a hard time believing that the events of 9/11 represent the first harbinger. How can Jonathon make that claim? What sets this attack above all the others that have occurred before? What of all the other Christians who have lived in other nations? What of their attacks, disasters, and sufferings? Why do we not consider them? I guess what I’m trying to say is that we Americans had better not be quite so selfish with God. I think it is dangerous to assume that we, apart from all the other people on this earth, hold the highest favor of God. Christ came to redeem humanity and build a Kingdom not of this earth. We would be wrong to try and build one for Him.

For more information about the future of Israel reed Zechariah 12:8-14. And for the future of the Church read 2 Thessalonians 2:3-8.

If Christ were born today.

I recently finished a book by Bill Myers entitled "Eli".  It's a quantum physics/alternate universe story with a Christian twist.  The main character finds himself transported to an alternate reality where the Messiah had not yet been born.  The story really caught my attention.  Finished it in two days.  But it did make me ponder a few deep questions concerning our world in which we live and the only reality you and I have before us.
The author raised the question what it would be like if the Messiah were born today.  What would it be like if Jesus (or "Eli" as he calls Him) were born right here in the good old USA? The story is filled with a pleasant mixture of modern-day images and the old-world stories we know.  For example, there is a modern-day feeding of the 5,000 using McDonald's burgers and fries (which made me hungry), the raising of a woman's son where the minister and the funeral director objected to opening the coffin.  Even one of Eli's followers lost a brother but later was raised to life (of course, after getting a permit to open the grave).  It really was a charming blend of the old story in a new setting.  But as charming as the story was, I was bothered by the assumption that the United States would still exist even if the Messiah had not yet been born.

Lets just stop here a moment and consider what caused the United States to become a colony in the first place.  What was it that drove people across the Atlantic?  They were looking for a land where they could practice their faith without government influence.  They were groups of what?  Christians who were tired of living in a land that enforced a different form of Christianity.  And considering that almost every article of the Constitution reflects Christian teachings, would this nation, as we know it, truly exist?  I seriously doubt it.  I doubt you and I would even recognize this world.  I almost wonder if the world would even exist.

Considering the social and ethical standards found in the great empire of Rome just prior to the first advent of Jesus, I suspect the wars, the famine, the corruption, and the lust for power would have devoured humanity.  I almost wonder if humanity would have survived another 2,000 years had Christ not come.

I don't think we realize the influence Christianity has had in this world.  I don't think we realize the difference the Holy Spirit has made.  When Christ ascended, ten days later the Spirit came, filling and transforming the group of people who had been following Jesus.  And He, the Spirit, working through those early believers, transformed this world.

Because of the Church (a body of believers filled by God's Spirit), this world was suddenly turned right-side up.  Because of the Spirit dwelling in the hearts of Christians, there were tremendous advances in social justice, in health care, in benevolence toward the hungry, the naked, and the widow.  People began to care for one another.  People started doing for others as they would have them do for themselves.  People laid aside their own selfish ambition and vain conceit, and considered others as more important than themselves (Philippians 2:3-4).  Because Jesus came and ascended, and because the Spirit came and remained, there was and continues to be a sharp contrast between what is right and good and holy, and that which is wicked and vile.  So I'm pretty convinced that if Christ had not come when He did, this world would not be the same as it is today.  

When you think about the Holy Spirit, please do not think of Him as someone less than Jesus.  He is equal to Christ.  It is only His role that is different.  Jesus came to offer His life as a ransom for many.  The Spirit came to transform the world through those who have been redeemed.  He came to make this world a better place by working through the Church.  And He also came to hold back evil.  It is the Spirit which restrains the Man of Lawlessness.  And He (the Spirit) will accomplish this until the day He is withdrawn from the earth (2 Thessalonians 2:1-12). 

I'm pretty sure Christ came exactly when He was supposed to, and not just because of the prophecies of Daniel (see Daniel 9:25-26), but because I seriously doubt the world would have lasted much longer without Him.

Let us then submit ourselves to the work of God's Kingdom.  He is transforming this world through His believers.  And, most importantly, He is making this world a better place in which to live by His Spirit working through the hearts of people like you and me.