Is the Big Bang necessarily excluded by the account in Genesis?
I don't think so. In fact I find it much more coherent to see an event that in some measure approximates a "big bang." It is not being unscientific to posulate the origin of the universe with a "big proclamation", "BE."
Neither is it unspiritual to see the natural universe as reflecting what is seen in scripture.
Saturday, February 12, 2005
Friday, February 11, 2005
Making the Choice: Guidelines
Drink that cafe latte or not--marry this mostly wonderful person or not?
Whom you marry is a much more difficult choice than whether you will keep your New Year's diet resolution. As hard as ou try to avoid it, you will make a choice.
Everyone uses a check list to make decisions: the source may be upbringing, friends, schooling, or perhaps religious teaching.
What is the principle you follow to make decisions? If it is a good guide, you make a good choice. If it is a bad one, you make a bad choice, and the consequences can be disastrous.
Some decisions have a cumulative effect. For example, if you drink cafe latte and then eat that brownie, you may gain a pound of losing it. Two or three similar choices and a whole new wardrobe will be in order. Conversely, your choices may add up to something good: choosing to date only someone who has a habit of being kind and loving to others means they will probably be kind and loving to you!
A mirror is a good guide to your eating habits, whether to cafe or not to cafe? Every life decision needs a reliable guide. I use the Bible. It is a mirror that accurately shows me where I need attention. It is also a light to show the way in dark places. David, the little shepherd boy who later became a king, said, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." I follow the Scripture as God's guide for making good choices and, as a result, for success in life. There, we find God revealed as our creator and our world, and He knows how it runs best. To paraphrase what God said to Moses, "If you do what I say, You can't miss!" This is excellent advice.
I have never been harmed following God's advice. I have lived and worked in several countries on two continents and eaten food and drunk coffee that was less than sanitary. I never became sick when I chose to eat with those to whom God sent me. When I accidentally put my hand in the hiding place oa a spitting cobra, I was not bitten. The snake died! When bandits tried to break into my home, they were scared away.
You cannot go wrong when you choose to follow the Creator's advice found in the Bible. I made the best choice when I listened to God and married someone whith the same desire to follow His plans for a good life.
Choose a good mirror for your life, and it will be good for you. Choose a good light and you will not become lost. Choose God's word, the Bible The Apostle James says something like this: the man who looks intently into God's prerfect law, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has sen, but doing it --he will be blessed in what he does.
Whom you marry is a much more difficult choice than whether you will keep your New Year's diet resolution. As hard as ou try to avoid it, you will make a choice.
Everyone uses a check list to make decisions: the source may be upbringing, friends, schooling, or perhaps religious teaching.
What is the principle you follow to make decisions? If it is a good guide, you make a good choice. If it is a bad one, you make a bad choice, and the consequences can be disastrous.
Some decisions have a cumulative effect. For example, if you drink cafe latte and then eat that brownie, you may gain a pound of losing it. Two or three similar choices and a whole new wardrobe will be in order. Conversely, your choices may add up to something good: choosing to date only someone who has a habit of being kind and loving to others means they will probably be kind and loving to you!
A mirror is a good guide to your eating habits, whether to cafe or not to cafe? Every life decision needs a reliable guide. I use the Bible. It is a mirror that accurately shows me where I need attention. It is also a light to show the way in dark places. David, the little shepherd boy who later became a king, said, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path." I follow the Scripture as God's guide for making good choices and, as a result, for success in life. There, we find God revealed as our creator and our world, and He knows how it runs best. To paraphrase what God said to Moses, "If you do what I say, You can't miss!" This is excellent advice.
I have never been harmed following God's advice. I have lived and worked in several countries on two continents and eaten food and drunk coffee that was less than sanitary. I never became sick when I chose to eat with those to whom God sent me. When I accidentally put my hand in the hiding place oa a spitting cobra, I was not bitten. The snake died! When bandits tried to break into my home, they were scared away.
You cannot go wrong when you choose to follow the Creator's advice found in the Bible. I made the best choice when I listened to God and married someone whith the same desire to follow His plans for a good life.
Choose a good mirror for your life, and it will be good for you. Choose a good light and you will not become lost. Choose God's word, the Bible The Apostle James says something like this: the man who looks intently into God's prerfect law, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has sen, but doing it --he will be blessed in what he does.
Making the Choice: A Savior
Colored Easter eggs, chocolate Easter Bunnies, white Easter lilies; it all started with slaves in Africa praying for freedom. God heard, and sent to them Moses. He led them to liberty.
Moses said to Pharaoh, "Set my people free" or else God would send plagues on Egypt. Pharaoh had big plans for his "work force' and laughed Moses out of his palace.
God sent plagues. Nine different annoying, bothersome, painful plagues to convince Pharaoh that he should listen to Him. Foolishly, Pharaoh chose instead to suffer: frogs in his cereal, flies in his ears and gnats in his eyes.
Then the tenth and final plague came. God will not be ignored. Every firstborn child would be touched by an angel of death. Pharaoh chose to wait and see if God wold do as predicted.
Everyone, rich and poor, Egyptian and Israli, was offered the means to avoid the deadly touch. Each family was to kill a "Passover Lamb" and mark the doors of their homes with its blood. The death angel did not cross the blood but passed over the Israelites' home.
The Egyptian homes would have been passed over as well, if they had chosen to kill a lamb. They made the devastating c hoice to reject the Passover Lamb. The Israelis were able to go rejoicing into freedom because of their savior, the one who commanded the slaying of the little lamb. Egypt wnt into mourning for her slain children. They had refused the little lamb that would have saved them. God loved the Egyptians; He offered them salvation. Ignoring God is painful.
Centuries later, John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!"
God Himself gave a Passover Lamb for all the world. It is written in the book of Hebrews, without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. Jesus was killed on Passover Eve--Passover became Easter when Jesus became the Passover lamb.
As a young child I realized I could not save myself from Judgment. I knew I needed a savior to make god happy with me. It is a terrible thing to know that God is angry with your sin. The author of Hebrews writes: It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
I wanted freedom from the slavery of fear. I needed a Passover Lamb; the one God provided. I asked God to forgive me and take away my sins because of the blood of His Lamb. I knew then, and I know today, forgiveness. Just as surely as the Israelis knew they wee free as they walked out of Egypt, I knew God was satisfied.
You may choose to think only about colored eggs or cholcolate bunnies. Or, you can choose to have the blood of the Lamb put on the door of our life. You can chose to be free from judgment, or like Pharaoh, choose to reject what God said and wait to see if He really means it. God loves you. He gave His Passover lamb, Jesus, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. d!:
Moses said to Pharaoh, "Set my people free" or else God would send plagues on Egypt. Pharaoh had big plans for his "work force' and laughed Moses out of his palace.
God sent plagues. Nine different annoying, bothersome, painful plagues to convince Pharaoh that he should listen to Him. Foolishly, Pharaoh chose instead to suffer: frogs in his cereal, flies in his ears and gnats in his eyes.
Then the tenth and final plague came. God will not be ignored. Every firstborn child would be touched by an angel of death. Pharaoh chose to wait and see if God wold do as predicted.
Everyone, rich and poor, Egyptian and Israli, was offered the means to avoid the deadly touch. Each family was to kill a "Passover Lamb" and mark the doors of their homes with its blood. The death angel did not cross the blood but passed over the Israelites' home.
The Egyptian homes would have been passed over as well, if they had chosen to kill a lamb. They made the devastating c hoice to reject the Passover Lamb. The Israelis were able to go rejoicing into freedom because of their savior, the one who commanded the slaying of the little lamb. Egypt wnt into mourning for her slain children. They had refused the little lamb that would have saved them. God loved the Egyptians; He offered them salvation. Ignoring God is painful.
Centuries later, John the Baptist saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!"
God Himself gave a Passover Lamb for all the world. It is written in the book of Hebrews, without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. Jesus was killed on Passover Eve--Passover became Easter when Jesus became the Passover lamb.
As a young child I realized I could not save myself from Judgment. I knew I needed a savior to make god happy with me. It is a terrible thing to know that God is angry with your sin. The author of Hebrews writes: It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
I wanted freedom from the slavery of fear. I needed a Passover Lamb; the one God provided. I asked God to forgive me and take away my sins because of the blood of His Lamb. I knew then, and I know today, forgiveness. Just as surely as the Israelis knew they wee free as they walked out of Egypt, I knew God was satisfied.
You may choose to think only about colored eggs or cholcolate bunnies. Or, you can choose to have the blood of the Lamb put on the door of our life. You can chose to be free from judgment, or like Pharaoh, choose to reject what God said and wait to see if He really means it. God loves you. He gave His Passover lamb, Jesus, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. d!:
Thinking
Thinking is good, if you do good thinking!
I've been thinking about some things. Things that one sees as they walk along in life. Sometimes things come our way that bring us up short. I want to include some observations about life.
Some of those observation will be from my own experiences. Things that I have seen, thoughts that I have had, hopefully to help myself and perhaps others.
I have been following Abraham's trail for many years. "Looking for a city that was built by God."
I've been thinking about some things. Things that one sees as they walk along in life. Sometimes things come our way that bring us up short. I want to include some observations about life.
Some of those observation will be from my own experiences. Things that I have seen, thoughts that I have had, hopefully to help myself and perhaps others.
I have been following Abraham's trail for many years. "Looking for a city that was built by God."
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