A tap-root needs deep rich soil to flourish and grow.  Fortunately for the believer the ground we have been planted in is the soil of God deep and rich grace.  A grace that stretches from eternity past to eternity future and sustains us all our days.  A grace that is infinite, marvelous, matchless, amazing and wonderful.  The riches of His grace never exhausted or depleted.  Grace and mercy that no matter how often tapped will never run bankrupt.  Listen to these scriptures:

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accord-ance with his pleasure and will– to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.  ~ Ephesians 1:4-7

For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile– the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him,  ~ Romans 10:12  

I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, ~ Ephesians 1:18

so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ~ Ephesians 3:17-18

The LORD appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.  ~ Jeremiah 31:3

This is the only soil our lives in Christ can grow, mature and bear fruit.  Our work is to believe in the One who shows us His grace in Jesus Christ.  We rest and sink our hearts, mind, soul and strength into the soil of God.  Our works or efforts are not the soil in which we grow, mature and bear fruit.  Spiritual disciplines or sacraments are not the soil.  The only soil that will strengthen, sustain and establish you is God Himself.  Spend much time in the presence of Him – His holiness, love, truth, grace, mercy, righteousness, Word. 

Listen to these great words :

1. The love of God is greater far
   Than tongue or pen can ever tell;
   It goes beyond the highest star,
   And reaches to the lowest hell;
   The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
   God gave His Son to win;
   His erring child He reconciled,
   And pardoned from his sin.
   • Refrain:
     Oh, love of God, how rich and pure!
     How measureless and strong!
     It shall forevermore endure—
     The saints’ and angels’ song.
2. When hoary time shall pass away,
   And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,
   When men who here refuse to pray,
   On rocks and hills and mountains call,
   God’s love so sure, shall still endure,
   All measureless and strong;
   Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—
   The saints’ and angels’ song.
3. Could we with ink the ocean fill,
   And were the skies of parchment made,
   Were every stalk on earth a quill,
   And every man a scribe by trade;
   To write the love of God above
   Would drain the ocean dry;
   Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
   Though stretched from sky to sky.

At the restaurant the other day and was almost paralyzed by the amount of choices and selections.  With so many choices how does one decide?  Took a walk through the mall this weekend – and wow the plethora of choices just in sneakers and shoes alone!  Take sometime to look through a Christian Bookstore and again all the choices and options available to help you grow spiritually are overwhelming.

How is it that in an age where we have access to more helpful information, more resources, more access to knowledge that- at least in our country- marriages fail at a more frequent rate, parents are becoming less effective, morality and values seem to be declining and things -on the whole -seem to be getting worse?  How is that when we have more ways to communicate and connect with people that our relationships seem fragmented and frazzled?  Ever feel that amid your hundreds of Facebook friends or no matter how many friend requests you get you just seem to feel more disconnected than ever before?

I believe that all the choices, resources, information, ideas available to us actually keep us from being rooted and established.  My dad used to work with an agency that tried to get Bibles into Russia.  At the time it was called the Iron Curtain and the organization my dad worked for tried to get Bibles behind and into the Iron Curtain.  I remember stories of Christians having access to only one or two pages of the scriptures that they would share.  They didn’t have much but what they had kept them and rooted them and established them. 

Today – we’re confronted with not just the choice of a Bible but what version, what edition, what kind of cover, what carrying case, what size font, what color print and even the option of having our name engraved on it.  A Bible has become another fashion accessory to match our shoes.  Afterall, as long as it looks cool does it really matter if I’m actually and really reading it? Applying its truths to my life?

Once the Iron Curtain fell the world was amazed to discover that the Christ’s Church not only survived but flourished and grew.  Shouldn’t have been a surprise because God’s Word tells us that God’s people are like trees planted by streams of living water who yields fruit no matter the weather.  Those Christians didn’t have much to choose from – just a few pages of God’s Word- but they were rooted and established in what they had.

So how do we not let all the choices paralyze us and keep us from being rooted and established?  Here are some things that help me:

• Read your Bible.  Sounds simple, but seriously - read your Bible.  It may be outdated, and not look fashionable but I’m here to tell you standing before God someday you’ll want to have spent more time caring for the fashion statement of your soul and life than the fashion statement of your Bible.
• Don’t go get something new.  Look at what you already have.  Be content.
• Pick up a book you’ve read in the past and ask yourself, “Am I applying the things I learned?” 
• Re-read that book and ask God to impress those truths deeper into your heart and life.
• When you read or learn something stop and think about what you just learned.  How are you going to apply it?  What do you need to do in response to what you have lust learned?  Come up with a list of action points or steps to build this into your life.  Ask God to help you be a doer of what you hear.
• Take a book of the Bible and imagine that it is the only Bible you know.  Read and pray over it over and over and over again.  Wear it out.  Imagine that all the other choices have been stripped from you and that is the only thing left for you to grow and mature in the Lord.  Let His words be like fine gold – sweeter than honey.  Treasure them.

Don’t let all the choices paralyze you.  Choose this day whom you will serve.

We begin this week looking at the root system.  It all begins with the seed that shoots out a taproot.  This taproot is the primary root for the tree.  All other roots branch off from this and there is no life without the taproot.  For Christians that taproot is grace.  Grace that leads to repentance, salvation and a new life.  Jesus told Nicodemus that if he wanted to see the kingdom of God he had to be born again.  Nicodemus had been born once and couldn’t understand how an old man could be born again.  He was focusing on the external while Jesus was explaining an internal spiritual reality.

Already in Deuteronomy God had revealed that his kingdom would not be one of external conformity to a list of rules or moral behavior.  His kingdom would be one of an inner reality that would grow and transform people’s, communities and the nations.  It would be, is and always will be a heart thing.  God will give us new heart and new spirit.  He will take our hearts of stone and give us hearts of flesh able to respond to His grace a desirous of His ways.

This taproot is sola gracia - by grace alone – and gives us a new birth into a living hope.  We become new creatures – the old is gone.  Our hearts are cirumcised and we are never the same again.  As we look at Nicodemus coming to Jesus he was still dead.  He knew the Bible – had studied it is whole life.  He observed all the laws – and then some.  Externally he looked righteous.  Yet, he was dead.

Jesus tells Nicodemus that he should not be surprised.  According to Jesus Nicodemus should have been aware of the spiritual reality of being born again (born from above).  In fact, it appears as if Jesus is the one surprised by Nicodemus’ lack of understanding.

The bottom line - you can go to church, play by the rules, complete the check list, study the Bible and even teach others and still be without spiritual life.  It takes a movement from above – a move of the Spirit to make you alive to the Spirit.  No amount of deeds, works or effort done in the flesh can quicken you spiritually.  You must be born again.  The fruit of being born again is salvation. 

Grace is like breathing air.  Without being born again worship, spiritual disciplines, good works are merely empty external exercises - playing church.  Imagine trying to get up in the morning, work, play, live all without breathing – you’d die.  You cannot do it without oxygen.  Grace is the oxygen for worship, service and all the things we do.  Otherwise we are like the character Bernie from Weekend at Bernies  – going to all the parties, even going water skiing all the while DEAD.  No matter how we dress up our deadness with morality or good works – we’re still dead.

Grace is that which quickens us and makes us alive to respond to the good news of Jesus Christ.  Let us breathe deep the breath of God – His grace and goodness.

Happy New Year!  Hard to imagine another year gone- another decade past – and I’m 40.  Woah!  Our daughter started drivers ed – I’m officially a little grayer:) 

As we begin another year our congregation will be looking at the theme of being rooted and established.  We are focusing on these scriptures:

Psalms 1:3 ~ He is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. 

and

Jeremiah 17:8 ~ He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.” 

We are going to look at how the life of the righteous and the blessed man or woman of God is rooted and established.  Imagine a life unaffected by the heat and drought of life.  Imagine a life never wanting for nourishment or lacking in resources needed (The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want) A life where the leaves of your life are continually green and the production of your life fruitful.   Imagine a life rooted and established – not moved or shaken – not blown about by the shifting winds of the day – not affected by changing circumstances!

Now, more than ever, God is calling his people to be rooted and established in Him, in His love, in His Word – in Christ.  So, as we journey through this year we will look at the root structure, soil composition, soil compaction, how to care for a tree, how a tree produces fruit and so much more so that we can, by the grace of God, live into being rooted and established.  So that the words of Psalm 1 and Jeremiah 17 become a living reality and picture of our lives. 

This week we look at the tap-root - the root that get’s everything started.  If you had to identify what was the tap-root of your life, what would it be?  Why did you identify that? 

That’s it for now and I pray you’ll join me and our congregation in being rooted and established.  I’ll share next week what God’s Word says about the tap-root of our lives.  Until then may the Lord bless you and keep you and make His face shine upon you.  May He smile on you today and grant you His peace.

Christ Reigns!

For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge– that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

                                                                  – Ephesians 3:14-20

We live in stormy waters – government bailouts, conflict in the Middle East, unemployment, downsizing, erosion of the family, loss of a moral compass, wrong being called right, school shootings, economic uncertainty, political chaos, reality TV, global warming (if you buy the hype), relativism ruling the day, attack on biblical authority, marriages and families falling apart, worship wars, pigs gone wild (oops sorry not politically correct: meant to say H1N1 virus), shortage of the flu vaccine – add to all of that and now visitors from outer space have come to live at peace with us…no wait that’s only on television, whew!

Evidence would seem to suggest the world’s going to hell in a hand basket. In the midst of such conflicting demands upon our life, where will we find shelter from the storm? In such a tsunami of uncertainty, fear and anxiety how will we ever survive? How will we be carried along and be navigated through the storm? What will give us stability? Where will we find comfort? Where will our weak and frail and tired souls find strength?

We heed the advice of God through Jeremiah, “This is what the LORD says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.‘ (6:16).” We look for the ancient path. We search for the good way and then we walk in it.

Noah lived in stormy waters both socially, figuratively and eventually for real (a global flood- now that’s a storm!).   Scripture records that mankind was so wicked and perverse and every inclination of their heart was “only evil all the time” that the Lord was grieved. Imagine living in that kind of world. Imagine trying to walk with God in that social climate? Man was so wicked God was going to destroy everything and everyone and start over.

Think of Moses.  His family living under cruel conditions as slaves in a foreign country.  A government and power that was systematically ensuring population control and permanent slavery by extinguishing all male babies that were born.  Life was hard for Moses’ family. 

Yet in each of these instances and stories a tebah (this word used only in these two accounts in scripture) provided stability, comfort, strength and hope in the midst of the difficulties and overwhelming circumstances.  One a tiny wicker basket the other a slightly larger basket made of gopher wood. In each instance God provided a “lifeboat”.  

One of these tebahs has been the focus of much study and debate – Noah’s tebah – or ark.  One particular study of interest to me is a 1993 scientific study headed by Dr. Seon Won Hong (a world-class research scientist) at the world-class ship research center, KRISO, in South Korea.  They wanted to see if the dimensions for the ark as recorded in scripture would produce a seaworthy vessel.   Their discovery, “The proportions of Noah’s Ark carefully balanced the conflicting demands of stability (resistance to capsizing), comfort (“sea-keeping”), and strength.” The instructions for the Ark given by God to Noah were optimal for what it would go through. While the study is more clinical than spiritual, the researches found Noah’s Ark is clearly one of the top performers. It was not manipulated to become the outright winner in the final ranking. This study certainly answers any skeptic who would claim Noah’s Ark is not a feasible wooden vessel. Did you know that the Ark was able to endure waves over 100’ feet high!

Another interesting side note is that the study was conducted and headed by Dr. Hong- an evolutionist. One who does not claim to believe in God or His Word discovered that God’s Word is true! Isn’t exciting to believe in the Bible and to know that God’s Word is true! Isn’t exciting to be a Christian!

Ok – now back to the Ark and its optimal dimensions. If you change the dimensions so that you have more comfort (lengthen the ship), then you risk fracturing the hull. If you alter the ark to make it stronger (make it higher and shorter), then you risk capsizing. If you want greater stability (making the ark shorter and wider), then you have seasick passengers with greater potential for injury. You can have some fun by going to http://www.worldwideflood.com/ark/hull_form/hull_optimization.htm  to learn more.

All in all, as the study revealed, Noah’s Ark was optimal in height (strength), in breadth or width (stability) and in length (comfort). It, as well as the little wicker basket that housed Moses, provided the strength, stability and comfort that were needed. Amazing how God provides! Amazing how wide and long and high and deep is God’s provision for his people! The love of Christ is our tebah – our “lifeboat”. Christ’s love provides the strength and comfort and stability our souls long for. Christ is the optimal “lifeboat” that carries us and sustains us not just for 40 days and 40 nights but for all eternity!

Listen to these words from Jesus: “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:20 “As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.” – John 15:9-10 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.” – John 14:1 “I” – John 14:16-17  “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” – John 14:27  “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” – 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest”. – Matthew 11:28

There are so many comforting, stabilizing and strengthening words for us as God’s children that no matter how high the waves get or stormy the seas of life become we can trust in our God – words that bring comfort, confidence and calm. Listen to the Psalms: Psalms 27:1-4 – “The LORD is my light and my salvation– whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life– of whom shall I be afraid? When evil men advance against me to devour my flesh, when my enemies and my foes attack me, they will stumble and fall. Though an army besiege me, my heart will not fear; though war break out against me, even then will I be confident. One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.”  Psalms 46:1-3, 10-11 – “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.” 

I believe that Paul was thinking of God’s provision for Noah and Moses along with his knowledge of the comfort, strength and stability from the Psalms as he -carried along by the Spirit- wrote these words, “For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom His whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge– that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

Christ’s love inwardly renews us day by day while outwardly we and things waste away. Christ’s love is our tebah that allows us to look upon our present sufferings and trials as light a momentary. Christ’s love keeps us from capsizing in the storms of pressure, perplexity, persecution, and beatings so that we are not crushed, not in despair, not abandoned and not destroyed. With Christ’s love we do not loose heart! (2 Corinthians 4). With Christ as our tebah we say, “If God is for us, who can be against,” and “We are convinced that nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8 ) A tiny tebah carried Moses, a bit larger tebah carried Noah, his family, and the animals he took but it is not some thing that carries, comforts, strengthens and stabilizes us.  It is someone- a person whose love is everlasting, eternal and secure.  Jesus Christ is my lifeboat – all of my life is in Him. We sing it, “My life is in You, Lord. My strength is in You, Lord, My hope is in You, Lord” Or at camp we sang, “With Christ [as your boat] (original words Christ in your boat) you can smile at the storm”. Or perhaps we need to stand at the crossroads and ask for the ancient path of our foundation. Let’s look and listen to this good way and walk in it:

1. How firm a foundation ye saints of the Lord,

Is laid for your faith in his excellent word;

 What more can he say than to you he hath said?

 You, who unto Jesus, for refuge have fled.

2. “Fear not, I am with thee; O be not dismayed!

For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;

I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,

Upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

3. “When through the deep waters I call thee to go,

The rivers of sorrow shall not thee o’erflow;

For I will be with thee, thy troubles to bless,

And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.

4. “When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,

My grace all-sufficient shall be thy supply;

The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design,

Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.

5. “The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose,

I will not, I cannot, desert to his foes:

That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,

I’ll never – no, never, no, never forsake!”

These scriptures connect to each verse of the song

v.1 Hebrews 13:6 – So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” 

v.2 Isaiah 41:10 -So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

v.3Isaiah 43:2 – When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.

v.4  2 Corinthians 12:9 -But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

v.5  Joshua 1:9 – Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

 Oh may I, we grasp, how high!, how wide!, how long!, and how deep! Is the love of Christ so that in these stormy and unstable times, we may find the strength, comfort and stability our hearts and souls long for and need. I’ll close with these wonderful words of comfort, strength and stability from Psalm 19 and let us rest in the tebah of Christ our Savior and Lord! For the director of music.

A psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world. In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun, which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is hidden from its heat. The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer. (NIV)

150 years since Charles Darwin postulated and published his theories and opinions concerning the origins of life.  Amazing – for his theories based on human understanding and ideas has permeated and even trumped God’s revealed Word.  A recent survey conducted area colleges by the Grand Rapids Press found that “all [including those considered Christian] of the institutions that teach biology teach Darwinian evolution” (Grand Rapids Press, Saturday, September 26, Religion Section).  The only institution that provided an alternate view that questions Darwinian theories of evolution was Cornerstone University.

Liten to a quote from Thomas Bultman a Hope College biology professor, “The controversy is rooted in how Christians interpret the book of Genesis.  Many view it as a literal account of creation, which is a mistake.  It’s not a story about how the world came to be, but of what our place in the world is.”  He went on to confirm the presses findings, “For us, it’s [Darwinian theory of origins] a fundemental guiding principle for understanding the diversity of life on the planet…how all these species got here – the best explination for that is the thoery of evolution.”

Does not this concern the Christian church.  His words reminded me of Satan’s tactics with Eve.  “Did God really, literally mean you would die?  Eve God was only speaking figuratively so that you would know your place in the world.”   Eve’s  response, “God did say something but you know I didn’t hear it myself.  Adam related the message to me.  Maybe something got lost in translation or in giving the message to me.  You know come to think of it some time passed between the time God gave the message to Adam and when I came on the scene.  Maybe God didn’t Ireally say…”   Satan’s theory was that God didn’t really mean what he said- there could be another explination.  Well, how did that work out for the human race?

Again, through Charles Darwin and countless others after him, we are faced with that question, “Did God really say?”   Here we ask, “Did God really mean, ‘In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth?’”  No, because you see science proves that earth and species have evolved over millions of years.  Actually observable science proves otherwise if we stop and take the time to think about it and research it.  ‘Day’ doesn’t really mean a 24 hour period of time it represents a long period of time.  When God said that He created things according to their kind that really meant molecules (one kind) could evolve into man (another kind).  [They postulate this although there is not even one instance of matter producing or creating a code or a means by which to interpret that code.  Even depsite a missing link that has never and will never be discovered.  Even as obsertvable sicence confirms that molecules do not eventually become man.  Even though observable science shows no evidence of Darwins theories.]  So you see, its not about taking the Bible literally we have to make sense of it accroding to our (man’s) ideas and thoughts and opinions.

Alcoholics Anonymous says it well on page 305 pf the Big Book, “The third step said: ‘Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understood Him.’  Now they asked us to make decision!  We’ve got to turn the whole business over to some joker we can’t even see!  And this chokes the alcoholic [I would add every human heart].  Here he is powerless, unmanageable in the grip of something bigger than he is, and he’s got to turn the whole business over to someone else!  It fills the alcoholic with rage [every human being is filled with rage at such a notion].  We are great people.  We can handle anything.  And so one gets to thinking to oneself, Who is this God?  Who is this fellow we are supposed to turn everything over to?  What can He do for us that we can’t do for ourselves?  Well, I don;t know who He is, but I’ve got my own idea.”   Have a familiar ring that continues to echo from the our first parents Adam and Eve.

Creationsism doesn’t breach the science-religion divide.  Rather observational science actually confirms what we observe today as the Bible explains it.  Now we can’t scientifically prove to you there was a global flood and the tower of Babel but the Bible’s historical account of a six day creation and a young earth and global catostrophic event explains much of the fossil record.  Even today observational science is discovering that processes originally thought to have taken hundred or thousands of years actually occur within a matter of a few hours or days.  The Bible’s account of God diversifying the people at Babel through confusion of languages explains the many different people groups that exist today. 

Just look at the evidence.  Darwin and creationst have the same evidence.  Both have facts that exist in the present and both are left to either interpret those facts based upon mans ideas and formulations or upon the revealed, inspired, inerrant Word of God. 

Paul through the Holy Spirit reminds us that God has mader himself known through His creation – His invisible qualities and attributes.  The creation testifies that there is a God – but we as humans reject the evidence and exchange the truth for a lie.  Evolutionary thought as presented from Darwinian theories is a lie.  We have a body.  We have the murder weapon.  We have a suspect.  We have a confession.  The DNA on the weapon matches the suspect.  He did it.  But we have enough money and enough scientific experts and enough smoke screens to cast doubt on the evidence and interject doubt.  So despite the evidence a guilty criminal walks free.  Doesn’t happen you say – just ask OJ.

Parents be discerning where you send you children.  Equip them to defend their faith in a world and even within the Christian community who will constantly ask them, “Did God really say?”   Let your kids know there are many scientists and biologists who are well respected and who hold to intellegent design and that God created the world as He has revealed to us in His Word.  Let them know that to deny evolution is not being ignorant, dumb, uninformed or as silly as saying the earth is flat.  Reject the theory of evolution because it is contray to God’s Word and observational science doesn’t confirm evolutionary theories but does confirm God’s Word.

Some resources for you to consider are-

Anything from John Piper – www.desiringGod.org

www.AnswersinGenesis.org

www.colsoncenter.org

www.breakpoint.org

www.probeministries.org

www.wallbuilders.com

Blessings as you study yourself a worman approved unto God.

Several years ago my denomination, the Reformed Church in America (RCA), entered into a formula of agreement with the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA).  At the time it was a significant joining of the Lutheran and Reformed churches following many years of seperation steming from some of the theological skirmishes in the 1500’s and following years.  A historic uniting of the body of Christ healing many years of hurt and harm.  10 years later the ELCA decides that noncelibate homosexuals in committed monogomous relationships will be allowed to be ordained in the various offices of the church. 

Our denomination’s response – at least from our staff and spokesperson- is that we have no plans to dissolve the union citing this as a small ethical difference between us.   It is more important to be one.  We must maintain the unity of the body of Christ.  Unity at all costs is the mantra.

Forgive me, but unity at all costs is no longer unity.  When we cannot agree on the authority of God’s Word, the message of the gospel, the person and work of Jesus and what He accomplished, the necessity of repentance then how can we be one?  If we will not be one in eternity, then how can we be one here?

“Who are you to judge?” some may ask.  I am nobody but a child of God, but God’s Word is clear that those who practice such things as homosexuality (monogomous, committed or otherwise) will not enter the kingdom of God.  God has established that not all will be saved because those that are saved are those who belong to Jesus Christ and have confessed Him as LOrd and Savior.  The Bible makes clear that there is no fellowship between darkness and light.  There is no unity between believers and non-believers.  We are not to be unequally yoked. 

Since the ELCA has made this decsion we are unequally yoked.  We can no longer be one.  We must call them to repentance.  Not being one doesn’t mean we have to be mean spirited, cruel and the like.  We must maintain Christian compassion, charity and common decency; however, those things do not mean I fellowship with them.  Jesus told me to love my enemies and pray for them but that doesn’t mean we are one or that we can be in fellowship (partners in the gospel) with them.  

Sadly, our denomination is a living reminder of the biblical admonition that bad company corrupts good morals.  Our partnerships with the United Church of Christ (UCC), the World Council of Churches (WCC), the ELCA has eroded away a foundation built upon the Word of God.  Our desire to be tolerant and diverse has corrupted us and we have forgotten God’s call upon His people to be holy and to have a blameless walk so that now unity trumps purity and peace. 

I’m reminded of Paul’s admonition of expelling the immoral brother.  Today, we would say to Paul, “Now Paul, don’t you think you are being a bit rash?  You know times are different now and we need to build a relationship with him.  We need to be one Paul.  If we kick him out what will people say?  If we expell him Paul, then we are hurting Christ’s witness to the world by tearing the body apart.”

Paul has responded and this was his response (my paraphrase), “By accepting this behavior and not doing anything about it for the sake of unity and oneness actually perverts our witness.  To be one we must excersise accountability so that the one who is sinning may be brought back and restored.  It is not communities of faith living perfectly but communities of faith living in humble obedience to God’s Word and being held accountable to that Word and finding forgiveness through confession, repentance and restoration.”

If you are part of the RCA, this ought not to surprise you.  All we can do is to live as Joshua – as for me and my house we will serve the Lord.  Let us pray for the ELCA that they would come to repentance – that they would recognize the error of their decision.  Let us hold them accountable to agreement we entered together.  Let us hope and pray for their return to the community of faith and the body of Christ.

I have been preparing and gearing up for our adult Sunday School classes that will begin in a few weeks.  I’m having a blast.  Can I say that I am excited to be a Christian and I am excited about God’s Word!  The more I learn, study and grow the more amazing and awesome God is to me.  There is a God and His Word explains the world and life and everything else. 

Our theme this year is rooted in 1 Peter 3:15 where we are called to give a answer to anyone who asks us the reason for our hope.  The word ‘answer’ in Greek is where we get our word for apologetics – a reasoned defense of the faith and a reasoned explanationof the faith we believe.   I have been looking at our nations history and the evolution creation debate.  To arenas where our culture seeks to elimanate God from the picture.  Claims of a godless constitution and that our founding fathers were secular and diests.  Claims that our world and even human life began from a big bang so that through the course of billions of years molecules evolved into man.  The historical effort to remove God from our nation’s history- all history for that matter- is based on enlightenment and humanist foundations.  Obviously the effort to remove God from His creation is called Evolution.  (I use a capital ‘E’ for evolution to delineate from small ‘e’ evolution.  Big ‘E’ Evolution is a belief system that promotes the notion of molecules to man.  Little ‘e’ evolution promotes the notion that things do change within their kind.  In this sense I am an evolutionist (things change according to their kind), but I am not an Evolutionist (molecules to man).) 

As I am studying and researching for these classes – This is my Father’s world keeps running through my heart and mind.  A look at observable science shows and reveals a Divine Creator.  A look into history and specifically our nations history reveals a God of providence and provision.  God created the heavens and the earth.  God was a part of our founding father’s framing of our constitution and nation.  As the weeks unfold I will share tidbits of things we are learning.  Facts and evidence that both Christians and non-Christians have access too.  How you interpret those facts is based upon your foundation.  One foundation is upon God and His Word – the other is a foundation built on sand that takes God out everything and builds upon the material world we see and human understanding and reason. 

Tidbits -

Did you know that 29 of the 55 signers of the constitution were pastors and held seminary degrees?

Did you know that 95% of our founding fathers (those who signed the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights) were professing orthodox Christians?

Did you know that not even Stephen Hawkings can find one instance of matter producing or creating new information or new codes to interpret that information even though according to evolutionary theories this should have happened millions of times?

Stay tuned because as we learn we will discover that THIS IS MY FATHER’S WORLD

Watching the today show this morning and another civilian was tazered by the police.  The story line being the cruelty of the police officer on this poor woman.  Really?  We can see from the video the officer was using force.  But what we can’t hear is the woman’s words to this police officer. 

Police officers put theirt lives on the line every day.  In our area an officer was put on leave because he shot a defensless drug dealer during a drug bust after said dealer pulled something from his pocket.  Really?  Gone are the days where there is a respect for authority.  Never mind what caused this woman to be tazered or the fact that a police officer was heading into a drug bust – the crimnal or the one breaking the law gets the benefit and probably a nice settlement from a civil law suit.  Doesn’t matter what kind of lip this woman gave to police officer.

And we wonder why students don’t respect teachers or parents as they see adults disrespecting the authorities over them?  I have been pulled over a few times.  I figure if I’m being pulled over I’ve done something wrong.  The only person I have to be mad at is myself.  I roll my window down with liscence and registration ready.  Radio turned off and my hands where the officer can see them.  I respond with , “Sir,”  “No sir,” or “Yes, sir.”  (In the case of a female officer it is ‘maam’)  Recently, I was heading somewhere and not paying attention going about 70 mph in a 55mph zone.  I passed the police car- looked in my rear view mirrior and saw him hit his brakes to turn around.  Before he even had his lights on, I was pulled off to the side of the road waiting for him.  Had everything ready.  He asked me why I was speeding.  I told him.  He asked where I was going.  I told him.  He went to his car.  I saw him coming back to my car with only my liscence and registration in his hand.   He told me he appreciated me pulling off to the side to wait for him and that this would just be a warning.  I looked at him in disbelief. 

Why do those breaking the law get upset at the ones upholding the law?  I guess our society is full of spoiled little brats.  Maybe you weren’t thinking?  Maybe you were distracted?  Maybe you were just in a hurry?  Maybe you just weren’t paying attention?  Who knows?  But stop and consider that if you weren’t thinking, were distracted, in a hurry or not paying attention and you killed someone in the process or caused serious damage to yourself and others.  That officer spared you from something far more severe than a tazzer or ticket. 

People are people so let’s teach are kids to respect the authorities over us in how we talk about them, treat them and respect them.   Let’s not teach our kids it’s ok to break the law, disrespect the ones called to uphold it and then try and make money off our lawbreaking and disrespect.

“So, what’s the greatest challenge you face as you minister to youth in Japan.”

I asked this question of Nathan and Nazomi Brownell who serve as missionaries in Japan.  I was expecting something along the lines of immorality, apathy, drugs, alcohol, anxiety or depression.  Their answer didn’t shock me.  With no hesitation Nazomi answered, “Churches getting along and working together.  Churches forgiving one another for past hurts.”

Churches – ones who represent the One who forgave all our sins- not forgiving each other.  Churches not getting along for the common goal of going and making disciples and teaching them everything Jesus commanded us.  I’m glad that problem only exists overseas  

Jesus prayed that we would be one yet a single congregation can be hindered from unity and ministry through unforgiveness.  A city can be left unreached because of competition, jealousy and the like between different parts of Christ’s body.  It seems ironic that the ones who are ambassadors of a forgiving God – ambassadors of a ministry of reconciliation -are unwilling to forgive and reconcile with one another.

It is like the man in the parable whose debt was cancelled who was so filled with gratitude, thanksgiving and awe that he went out and threw the one who owed him a far lesser debt into jail.  This is why the admonition in scripture doesn’t stop at, “Forgive one another.”   No, Jesus commands, “Forgive one another just as in Christ Jesus God forgave you.”   Or elsewhere God desires of His children, “Forgive as you have been forgiven.”

I believe one of the tests of whether or not you truly have believed the gospel is whether or not you bear witness to that in your willingness to forgive as you have been forgiven.  One of the ways in which we can be one is through offering grace and forgiveness to those who have offended us.

We are ambassadors of the ministry of reconciliation.  Reconciliation only comes through the healing waters of forgiveness.  The picture on the top of my blog is me standing in the waters of Engedi.  We had walked and hiked a long time.  We were all hot and dry.  Let me tell you how refreshing those waters were and still are as I bring that moment to mind.

So many lives and ministries are dry, barren and lifeless because bitterness and unforgiveness block those waters.  Imagine how refreshing and life giving it would be to let those waters of forgiveness flow into our lives, relationships, churches, communities – unto the nations!  It starts with you and me.  Choose today to let those waters of Christ forgiveness wash over you and then into the lives of those who have been sovereignly selected, providentially provided, graciously given to be a part of your life.  Forgive just as in Christ God forgave you.