Explaining God.....sort of!

A professor asked one of his students, "You are a Christian, aren't you son?". The student replied, "Yes Sir."  Professor: So, you believe in God?  Student: Absolutely, Sir.  Professor: Is God good?  Student: Sure!  Professor: Is God all powerful?  Student: Yes.  Professor: Well, my brother died of cancer even though he prayed to God to heal him.  Most of us would try to help others who are ill, but God didn't. How is this God good then? Hmm?  Student: Silence  Professor: You can't answer can you?  Let's start again, young fella, is God good? Student: Yes.  Professor: Is satan good? Student: No.  Professor: Where does satan come from?  Student: From--God.  Professor: That's right.  Now tell me son, is there evil in this world?  Student: Yes.  Professor:  Evil is everywhere isn't it? And God created everything, correct?  Student: Yes.  Professor: So, who created evil?  Student: again silent. Professor: Is there sickness? Immorality? Hatred? Ugliness?  All these things exist in the world don't they?  Student: Yes Sir.  Professor:  So, who created them?  Student: No answer.  Professor: Science says that you have 5 senses that you use to identify and observe the world around you. Tell me son, have you ever seen God?  Student: No Sir.  Professor: Tell us if you have ever heard, felt, tasted, or smelt your God? Have you ever had any sensory perception of God for that matter?  Student: No Sir, I'm afraid I haven't. Professor: Yet you still believe in Him?  Student: Yes!  Professor: According to Empirical, Testable, Demonstrable Protocol, science says your God doesn't exist. What do you say to that? Student: Nothing, I only have my faith.  Professor: Yes! Faith, and that is the problem science has.  Student: Professor, is there such a thing as heat?  Professor: Yes.  Student: And, is there such a thing as cold? Professor: Yes. Student: No, Sir! There isn't! (class becomes silent) Student: Sir, you can have lots of heat, even more heat, white heat, a little heat, or no heat. But, we don't have anything called cold. We can hit 458 degrees below zero which is no heat, but we can't go any lower than that. There is no such thing as cold. Cold is only a word we use to describe the absence of heat. We cannot measure cold. Heat is energy. Cold is not the opposite of heat, just the absence of it. (Pin drop silence in the room) Student continues: What about darkness, Professor? Is there such a thing as darkness? Professor: Yes, what is night if there isn't darkness? Student: You're wrong again Sir! Darkness is the absence of something. You can have low light, normal light, bright light, or even flashing light. But, if you have no light constantly, you have nothing and it's called darkness. In reality, darkness isn't! If it were, you could make it darker couldn't you? Professor: So what is your point? Student: Sir, my point is that your philosophical premise is flawed! Professor: Flawed? Can you explain? Student: Sir, you are working on the premise of duality. You argue there is life and then there is death, a good God and a bad God. You view the concept of God as something finite, something we can measure. Sir, science can't even explain a thought! It uses electricity and magnetism, but has never seen, much less fully understood either one. To view death as the opposite of life is to be ignorant of the fact that death cannot exist as a substantive thing. Death is not the opposite of life, just the absence of it. Tell me Sir, do you teach evolution? Professor: Yes. Student: Have you ever seen evolution with your own eyes? Professor shakes his head with a smile beginning to realize where the argument was headed. Student continues: Since no one has ever observed the process of evolution at work and cannot even prove that this process is an ongoing endeavor, are you not teaching your opinion Sir? Are you not a scientist but a preacher? The classroom explodes in an uproar. Student continues: Is there anyone in the class who has ever seen the Professor's brain? (much laughter) Is there anyone who has heard, felt, tasted or smelt it? No one? So, according o the established rules of Empirical, Stable, Demonstrable Protocol, science says that you have no brain Sir! With all due respect Sir, how do we then trust your lectures? The room is again deftly silent. The Professor stares at the student, his face unfathomable. After a long pause, Professor: I guess you'll have to take them on faith, son. Student: That is it Sir--Exactly! The link between man and God is faith. that is all that keeps things alive and moving.

The argument above took place in a time quite different than today. Even so, the points made by both the Professor and the Student are still common to arguments today regarding the existence of God. As Christians, we know that we cannot "argue" a person into heaven, but, we can defend our own faith just as the student did in the argument above. More and more scientists are coming to the realization of a "Grand Design". Evolution and Big Bang theories just don't seem to "measure" up in a scientific view, as science is in the business of measurement!

My hope is that someone somewhere might read this and better understand his relationship with God. Faith is the key and, by the way, the Student in the narrative above was____Albert Einstein! Have a blessed day!

Wait on it....Wait!

Have you ever thought about how much time you've spent in your life waiting on something? Most people, including myself, are not good at waiting. We live in a culture that expects instant gratification in all aspects of our lives. When we have to wait on something, we often whine and complain, even lose our tempers, our good sense, and our tongues sometimes!

I don't know anyone who enjoys waiting in a line. We don't like waiting on food at burger joints. We don't like waiting on stoplights (my Pastor says they are instruments of the devil). We don't like waiting on the good things in life such as the fish to start biting or for a good supper to get cooked! Now it's gotten to the point where we snarl and fuss when we click the computer mouse and the page doesn't instantly pull up!

"Have a seat in the waiting room and the doctor will see you in a few minutes."...oh boy!...waiting rooms! All major institutions in our society have designated areas for us to wait....waiting rooms or waiting areas. I don't like waiting rooms one bit! They are usually always nearly full, you have to sit down next to a total stranger, you don't know what sort of germ you might catch from those people, you may have to make conversation with them, and you wonder how long you will have to wait. Once I took my Dad to the eye doctor. My Mom went along as well and we got to the office a few minutes early. After signing in, we moved into the crowded waiting room to sit and wait. Mom and Dad were able to sit next to one another but I had to sit across the room. The nurses were leading people out and taking people back in their usual busy manner. Most of those coming out had dilated eyes from whatever procedure they had undergone, and, because they were nearly blind, the nurses would patiently lead them to the waiting room to deliver them to their family members. One fellow came out on his own and sat down next to a lady who he thought was his wife. He said, "Honey they dilated my eyes and I can't hardly see nothin!". The lady looked at him and smiled as she said, "I believe it cause, I ain't yo wife!....Honey!". I cracked up! His actual wife was there in a flash, gathering him up and both apologizing to the lady. Someone ought to write a book.."Tales of the Waiting Room"...might be a best seller!

Psalm 27:14  Wait on the Lord, be of good courage and He shall strengthen your heart; wait I say, on the Lord!

Why is it so hard for us to wait? Christians ought to be good at it for from the moment of conversion we begin to wait upon the return of Jesus. We wait on God all the time for His instruction, His direction, or His intervention in our lives. God can change our circumstances. The problem with us is that God's timing is usually different from ours and we must wait in our present circumstance when we want to move forward.

Even so, it is always wise to wait on God. We live in the "right now" society. Instant gratification defines it, but, we must hone our waiting skills. God gives clear direction to us but seldom quickly. We must wait till He
gives it. Wait on the Lord.

Psalm 32:8  "I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with my eye".

God uses our waiting time to prepare us for His purpose. Good parents do not give their children everything the ask for. Besides spoiling them, sometimes we know that the timing isn't right. Give them sugary treats or soft drinks just before bed time?...don't think so...the "timing" isn't right! How much more does God know this for us His children? Waiting also strengthens our faith. We cannot have too much of it for it provides us with hope when all else fails. Faith will sustain in whatever circumstance we find ourselves.

Finally, waiting allows us time to sift through our motives. Time allows a good thought process to play in our minds..."Why do I want this?"..."Do I need this?"..."Will I use this enough to justify the expense?"..."Will this benefit my family or just myself?"..."Will this cause a financial burden?"...etc. If we allow God to sift through our motives, the truth will come out, good or bad, and, we can better make a decision. If you need to make a life changing decision, wait a little, think through it carefully and let God direct you.

As I have gotten older, I find that waiting is not as bad for me as it used to be. I can tolerate it much better at my age now than I could when I was younger. A good word and friendly smile seem to expedite the waiting process. Still I must wait till Jesus returns or until God calls me home, we all do, so, let's just call it an "art" and wait on the Lord! He will sustain us.

Could it be true?

In the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century, the polio virus affected many children in the United States and the rest of the world. In the 1950's, a man named Jonas Salk developed a vaccine to be delivered by mouth on a sugar cube. It was promised that the dreaded polio virus could be eradicated. Could it be true?

During the Cold War of the late 1950's and through the 1960's, the U.S. and the Soviet Union entered a competition for space dominance. It seemed that the Soviets were always a half step ahead until in 1961, President John Kennedy vowed that the United States would put a man on the moon by the end of that decade. Could it be true?

By 1880 the population of the United States had grown so large that it took seven years to conduct a census. The government needed a faster way, so, work began on a marvelous number crunching machine that could sort and assemble names and numbers in much less time. The early machines used punch cards and filled large rooms with equipment, but, the census was taken in three years rather than seven. It was said that someday we would all be able to have these machines in our homes, carry them with us, even wear them on our wrists like a watch. Could this be true?

In 1972 Home Box Office (HBO) took advantage of the developing technology and launched its network. The service offered current and past movies directly in the home. The business was formed on the premise that people would pay a fee for the service. Pay good money to watch TV when free TV existed for all? Could it be true?

Some two thousand plus years ago, a man called Jesus preached that He would tear down the temple and rebuild it in three days. He told His followers that he would be tortured and killed for their sake and for all humanity. He also told them that on the third day after his death, He would rise from the grave. Based on proven historical record, we know Jesus lived and was put to death by crucifixion. We have the eye witness testimony of reputable men and women of that day that the stone was rolled away and the tomb was empty. They also testify of seeing and touching His body in the days and months that followed. Jesus also promised that one day He will return and all of us who believe will meet Him in the air, the dead in Christ shall rise first, then those of us who remain. Could it be true?

I hope you have a very fine and happy Easter. As for me, I believe that He lives and will come back someday. If you think about it, it's not a whole lot more incredulous belief than the things mentioned earlier in the post that have come to pass as predicted. So, could it be true?...I believe it could!

She's a'comin down!

Stoically she stands in our rural community. Beulah church was established in 1850, and, the original building was constructed prior to the Civil War somewhere around 1855. Some modifications and modernizations have taken place over the years, but, the original foundation blocks and timbers are still in place under the old sanctuary.

Many of us who still live here grew up in the church. As a child, the building was a wood frame structure with an auditorium filled with old wooden pews. Connected to the back were two stories of Sunday school rooms. There was no air conditioning. In the heat of the summer, two giant fans located on the front walls of the church pulled air through the structure. Gas heaters kept us warm in the winter. It didn't matter. People came to hear the Word preached by men of God who were willing and able to be heard over the noise of the fans and in the still of the winter.

There was no baptistry in the church. Baptisms were held in local ponds and creeks, or, in a bigger church located in an area town. There was something special about these events, and they are ingrained in our memories forever.

Every summer the church hosted a Vacation Bible School. In my youth, there were only two structures on the campus-- the church building and the parsonage. Between the two buildings there were some oak trees, some of which were close enough together that someone had nailed boards to them, making rudimentary tables. These became "refreshment" tables during Bible School, loaded with kool-aid and cookies for the children who attended. During these sessions, we learned Bible verses and stories, we crafted things out of popsicle sticks and pipe cleaners that made us so proud, we learned the pledges of allegiance to the U.S. flag, the Christian flag, and the Bible, we learned the four notes on the piano that signified standing or sitting (I still hear them in my mind!), and we learned that the fabric of our lives is the Christian love that binds us all together. I am ever thankful for the Christian example given to me by the men and women of my community who guided us and loved us during these Bible School sessions. I will never forget them.

The church has hosted countless weddings, revival services, and fellowship meals through her history.  Many of us that still attend were married at the old altar. Strains of "Revive Us Again" ring in my mind every time I hear the word "revival".  Country cooking is the rule at all fellowship meals and I guarantee that the ladies ( and men) of the church can flat out cook! Great food and fellowship abounds every time.

March 8, 2015 is the date of the last services held in the old building. Then, as the old country boy says--"She's a'comin down"! The membership has voted to tear the old building down and rebuild on the same site. A modern structure that will be larger and more energy efficient will replace the old building. Although we are sad to see the old church torn down, we are also anxious to see it reborn in the form of a structure that should last for generations to come. The building that houses Beulah church will look much different, but the church--brothers and sisters in Christ, remain strong and dedicated to follow His will.

Approximately $4.50...

I have found that in today's market, the human body is worth approximately $4.50. That's a pitiful amount, barely enough to buy a Big Mac, a couple of gallons of gas, maybe a gallon of milk. Is this all we're worth? I suppose if a person wanted to sell each organ individually he could get much more, but, not a very practical option for obvious reasons. There are people who have accumulated a lot of wealth and we say that they are "worth" whatever the total of that wealth might be, but, truthfully our bodies are all worth approximately that same, almost nothing, $4.50.

Of course, the value or worth of our bodies to each of us is priceless. There are some lines of thought, even by Christians, that project that in eternity we will not need our bodies. Some believe that we will be spirit entities not housed in flesh and bone. The Scriptures teach us differently.  The resurrection of the dead does not involve the soul really, it is the reformation of the body! Not only is our body important to us, it is very important to others as well. When a person that we love dies, we do not mourn the soul for the Scriptures tell us in II Corinthians 5:8 that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. We mourn the absence of the body before our eyes. We can no longer see, touch, or hear the body of the person we loved, therefore, we grieve the loss of it.

There can be no doubt of the value and importance of the body to God. We were wonderfully and fearfully made by Him. The evidence is clear beginning with Enoch. Genesis 5:24 states "Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him.". God took Enoch body and all...He didn't leave the body and take only Enoch's soul. So it was with Elijah...2 Kings 2:11, "And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.". Lazarus was reunited with his body when Jesus called him from the grave. What do the Scriptures tell us when Jesus was crucified?... "And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose.", Matthew 27:52. Jesus himself appeared after the resurrection to the disciples in His body, inviting Thomas to touch Him to dissuade his doubt. In Jude 1:9 we see the angel Michael confronting the devil over the body of Moses. As the jewel of His creation, God places great value on a person's body.

It may be asked, "Will a person whose body is in the grave have a body until the final resurrection of the dead?"....well...Moses appeared in bodily form on the Mount of Transfiguration. We don't know what type of body it was, but, it was certainly recognizable to Peter, James, and John as they witnessed the event (Matthew 17). I think we will have some type of body during that time, fit enough to house our spirit until that great day of resurrection of the dead, and then, the actual bodies we inhabited here on earth will be resurrected and changed in a way that would suit them to spend eternity with God in Heaven.

It may be true that the value of the trace elements and skin that make up our bodies are worth a measly $4.50, but, in essence it is our most valuable possession. For Christians, the resurrection of the body is the basis of our hope and faith and as we approach the Christmas season, let us not forget that Jesus sacrificed His body on the cross for each of us that we might receive the greatest gift of all....Merry Christmas!