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A Word from Samuel Logan Brengle

SLB

“First Things First”
(An excerpt from “Take time to be Holy” edited by Bob Hostetler p. 41)

Take Time to Be Holy

“What shall have primacy with us? What shall have our last thoughts when falling asleep and our first thoughts on waking?

Many thinks make so subtle, so reasonable an appeal as to usurp first place:
1) Our work. Is it not to build God’s Kingdom on earth, to rescue men and women from sin? Yes, it is all that. But it must not have first place.

2) Our position. “Searching for honor is not honorable” (Proverbs 25:27). Those who overlook such truths, while they may attain the desire of their heart, miss the glory that God gives.

3) Our family. This may become a deadly snare. “Whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” (Matthew 10:37), said Jesus.

4) Our education. The better informed and wiser we are, provided we are dedicated wholly to God, the more effectually we can glorify Him. But woe to those who put this first.

What, then, shall be first? That must be first, the loss of which is the loss of all. To lose God is the sum of all loss. If we lose Him, we lose all. If we lose all and still have Him, we shall in Him again find all.”

Let me just add this:
I have often found that one of these other things had suddenly taken God’s place as the #1 priority in my life! How true Samuel Logan Brengle’s words are still for us today! Is God truly on the throne in your life today? If not, perhaps it’s time to do some digging and soul searching so that each of us can get back to serving Him in all that we do and say!

A Blessing and Bane (A poem)

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this slurping, soupy arrangement 
stays my amused satisfaction.
cars skidding and skirting
orbiting each other
a cacophony of incompetent
unorganized Ice Skaters.
It spills out, splashes down
drowning sashes of sorrow
in the middle of my selfish parade…
after all this circus act
cut from blistering fingers
ripe with sweat and hardened calloused hands
this stampede of interruptance
has caused ME to suppress my de-testment  of 
these frosted inconvenient deposits underfoot.
I will trample them
trump their self worth into the soles of my 
black leather shoes…
Howling madly at their existence 
here on the eve of smiling spring
on the prowl
like a careful cat at the door

I store my response,
predator ready,
fist clenched and half raised
yet frozen in traction
taking aim to wandering eyes
peering back at me. 
my son, snow suited and 
prepared
joyfully standing at the ready
for me to take him out into it
and catch a glimpse of
my childhood again.

 

My Feelings About Fred Phelps Sr. – Pastor of Westboro Baptist Church

“Whenever you are confronted with an opponent. Conquer him with love.” 
― Mahatma Gandhi

 

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Pastor Fred Phelps Sr. is dying.  Over the course of many years now the Westboro Baptist church has been at the forefront of many controversial public protests.  You might remember them for their many anti-gay signs and their now infamous quotes like “Thank God for dead soldiers” and “Thank God for 9/11”!  (Link: http://nypost.com/2014/03/16/westboro-baptist-pastor-in-hospice-care/)

I’m not here to slam Pastor Fred.  He’s already taken a lot of heat and his “church” has even been labeled a hate group.  I will say however that I seriously doubt Jesus would have ever stepped foot in the doors of a church like this…okay maybe He would have to confront them perhaps…I digress.  But I’m not here to judge them on their merits or lack there of.  I’m not even here to condemn this pastor.

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I wonder what it would be like to go to the hospice facility that Pastor Fred is now located at and hold signs not of hate and condemnation, but signs of love and concern?  I’m not saying we should do this but it certainly would be interesting to see the response.  Another thought that came to mind when hearing about his impending death – every person should face death with human decency and dignity including Pastor Phelps.  

At the end of the day if we stoop to the level of outrage and hate like these protests conducted by the Westboro baptist church, we in essence are no better.  I’m not implying that we’re better than they are, don’t get me wrong, I’m just suggesting that instead of celebrating his soon to be passing, let’s pray for Pastor Fred and others like him in our world.  

This world is already too full of hate, too full of extremist fundamentals (and to be fair on the other side of things extreme leftist liberals as well)…this world is already too full of condemnation as well.  We don’t need to fall into these ranks as well.  Jesus once said; “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

2 reasons to love our enemies and pray for them: 

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1) It frees us of hate

This section is hard for me.  I personally want to retaliate when someone wrongs me, I want to inflict the same kind of pain on any person who dares do me wrong…but I shouldn’t because it only empties bitterness into my heart.  They say you become what you think about most often, and if I allow this thought of hurting my enemies and vengeance inside me then I am no better a person than they are.  When we open our hearts, as Jesus suggested, to love we catch a glimpse of the divine original purpose for all of humanity.  If I love that person, if I love Pastor Fred despite his actions, I free myself of a kind of hate that destroys hearts and lives.  

Does this mean that justice isn’t pursued or sought out?  Of course not, but remember that God is the judge and ultimately every person will have to stand before Him, so be careful that we have sorted out our own hearts and motives for wanting such justice on others.   

When we are freed from hatred, we can learn to love more…and this leads to being like Christ in our pursuit and His workings of Holiness.  

2) It opens up opportunities for our enemy to find salvation

 

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What takes place when we extend grace to those who have spurned us and done us wrong?  One it really messes with their heads (not our purpose of course) but two, it hopefully causes them to want to change!  Obviously not every one of our enemies will change because we loved them, I don’t want to sell you a pipe dream here, but God can and still does perform miracles does He not?  Enemies still need salvation too, and perhaps someone to show them what real authentic love looks like.  

I want to pray for Pastor Fred Phelps Sr, and for His church.  I know that hate is our natural response to others who show hate, but if we’re to be like Christ, no matter how hard it may be for us, we ought to show love as our response.  Shining dark into dark will only make things darker, but if we shine the light of Christ into that absence of light, lives can be redeemed and drastically changed!  

Pastor Fred, I pray for the remaining hours of life that you have here on earth.  You have a Father in heaven who loves you and wants you to love Him back in return.  May His grace, peace and especially love find its place in your heart.  To the members of the Westboro Baptist church I say, love opens doors that hate never will.  Repent, seek grace and forgiveness and know that other Christ-followers are praying for you with the love of Christ.  We also pray that you will once again see what God is truly saying to you and that you seek to bring peace and grace into the doors of your church.  

-Sincerely in Christ.

“The Bible tells us to love our neighbors, and also to love our enemies; probably because generally they are the same people.” 
― G.K. Chesterton

A Soldier’s Soul-check

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A solider is never alone in the fight.  When they enter into combat they trust their partner and team to cover their flank while pursuing the enemy.  If one soldier is wounded, others come to their aid and they are still never alone.  

In the Lord’s Army it should also be the same…yet sometimes it’s not.  

It could be because of pride and for the fear of looking weak.  Other times it could be because of trust issues or other kinds of troublesome elements in the relationship.  These excuses ought not prevent us from standing together on the fields of spiritual combat.  We wage a very real war with very serious eternal consequences, often times we may lose sight of how dire a toll this war can have on its fighting forces.  Yet while we continue to fight this spiritual war, with the Holy Spirit as our guide, we must also find those moments of soul-repair and spiritual check-up.  By this I mean we cannot fight forever, and we all need 3 crucial elements in order to continue on.  

3 Elements: Friends, Lends & Mends

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Friends: 

“Many people will walk in and out of your life, but only true friends will leave footprints in your heart” 
― Eleanor Roosevelt

Perhaps what we need isn’t only surfaced friendship with a “how ya doin’?” but more of a deeper kind.  A kind that asks the hard questions of us.  The kind of friendship that demands more of our time and commands us to consider our points of view while realigning us with God himself.  Godly friendships are more than placating our conversations and our concerns, but should have a way of challenging our preconceptions and our value systems.  Sometimes these Godly friendships are also called Accountability partners, but in a long and winding road of life this long-term mentor/mentee relationship can lead to a deeper friendship.  We need Godly friends like these in our lives.  Some may come and go while others may walk with us for years to come, each will leave a mark on us if we are vulnerable enough to let them.  A good solider in God’s army needs other fighting friends within whom they can confide and find solace in.  Do you have friendships like this?   

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2) Lends

The second thing a good Soldier in God’s army needs to do is lend support to other fighters out there.  If you have made a commitment to Christ to proclaim His name to a lost world then you’ve made a long term commitment.  This isn’t some short term mission trip or a weekend warrior drill, this is for life.  Does that scare you?  Consider what Christ has done for us…and what does He ask of us in return?  He calls us to stand up, speak up and fight on.  So what about other fighters out there?  Don’t they require encouragement and accountability too?  YES!  A part of our calling as a Solider is to step up, step out and lend a hand to others.  These fellow soldiers may just require a listening ear, others might require some solace and rest on your behalf while others might benefit from your guiding hand as a more “seasoned” solider of the Cross.  You are also vital to their survival.  Make no mistake about it!  You a matter to their well-being and their success.  So step up and know that your contributions to others can make a drastic difference in their continuance in this fight!  

3) Mends

 

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This is a play on words of sorts, because this last point is two-fold: 

a) Make A-mends:

sometimes while in the fight we may inadvertently burn bridges that we need to re-cross.  In the heat of the battle we might face off against other well-meaning soldiers and have to separate ourselves from them.  Does that mean we should never speak again or never come face to face with that person again?  Absolutely not!  What it does mean is that we will find differences of opinions.  Sometimes we will be in the right while other times we will be in the wrong.  Yet we shouldn’t hold grudges against fellow children of God.  Sometimes we can find ways to make amends and re-pave that bridge.  Other times we might not necessarily ever see eye to eye with a fellow Christian, yet we can find our commonalities and get back out there into the thick of the fight!  There are bigger, more important battles to wage for the Kingdom than wasting time on the needless bickering and disharmony amongst fellow soldiers.  When we can make amends when then can face the second portion of this “Soldier’s Soul-check” – 

b) Mend.

Our hearts can become so compartmentalized when we face disharmony and issues with other believers.  When we seek peace within the body of Christ we also find a salve for our wounded souls as well.  Mending one mends the other and in so doing we become healthier and better equipped to face the real enemy of this world.  

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Getting to the point: 

Every soldier needs a break from the fight.  Every battle worn fighter needs a friend, a comrade a support system.  Every Christ-follower who wages war, through the power of the Holy Spirit, needs harmony within armor and body of Christ!  How’s your soul doing today?  Is it in need of a tune up?  Are you desperately in need of an accountability partner or friend to confide in?  Can you contribute and breath encouragement into other weary soldiers?  Are there charred remains of bridges that you need to repair before you can move on?  Don’t wait to make things better.  Don’t wait until you’re all alone in battle fit for an army.  God desires us to stand strong side by side, encouraging each other and healing the hearts of the wounded.

How’s your soul?

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Why I stopped listening to “Christian” Music

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I probably just offended a few Christians out there, sorry that was not my intent, let me get to the point.  I have a problem with certain types of music that has become exclusive.  By this I mean Christianity isn’t a show in which we sell tickets and make money.  U2 once wrote in one of their songs, “Then they put Jesus in show business, now it’s hard to get in the door.” (If God will Send His Angels, 1997)  Is it hard for outsiders to hear the gospel of Jesus in some of the “Religious” music today?  

I like what Jon Foreman, singer/song writer of ‘Switchfoot’ said when asked if their band was a “Christian” band; “…There is a schism between the sacred and the secular in all of our modern minds. The view that a pastor is more ‘Christian’ than a girls volleyball coach is flawed and heretical. The stance that a worship leader is more spiritual than a janitor is condescending and flawed. These different callings and purposes further demonstrate God’s sovereignty. Many songs are worthy of being written. Switchfoot will write some, Keith Green, Bach, and perhaps yourself have written others. Some of these songs are about redemption, others about the sunrise, others about nothing in particular: written for the simple joy of music. None of these songs has been born again, and to that end there is no such thing as Christian music. No. Christ didn’t come and die for my songs, he came for me. Yes. My songs are a part of my life. But judging from scripture I can only conclude that our God is much more interested in how I treat the poor and the broken and the hungry than the personal pronouns I use when I sing. I am a believer...”  (http://ctkblog.com/2013/12/05/why-switchfoot-wont-sing-christian-songs/

“Christian” music shouldn’t be a label that bands slap on themselves to sell records, it should be a lifestyle no matter if they fill stadiums or play in churches.  I think there’s a misnomer that if you don’t make it big on a secular label one can just “crossover” and produce mediocre tunes and still be successful…I honestly don’t think that mentality is truly an effective source of genuine evangelism. 

1. Get out of the bubble:

 

 

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I applaud musicians who see the world around them as Jon does.  There shouldn’t be a schism in our society that differentiates and divides.  I recognize the need to be “set apart” as Christians, but does that mean that we should also be separated and exclusive in our music too?  Understandably there are certain forms of music that are foul in language and sexual in nature that we should avoid. This isn’t about worship music on Sunday mornings either, this is about how we perceive the world around us and breaking down the walls of an “Us against Them” mentality.  

We can’t build walls around the Christian church, if anything Jesus came to tear down those walls.  Sometimes I get frustrated with the “Christian bubble” affect that Christian music has on people.  You know the old phrase “don’t become so heavenly minded that you’re of no earthly good”?  This is exactly what happens, in my opinion, when all that we live and breathe is the Christian radio station in our cars.  This is what happens when our worldview becomes so small that it just includes the four walls of our church and our homes. God has a bigger outlook on His people than just for the purpose of insulating themselves in the bubble of the “Christian world”.  

If we are to be His mouthpiece in the world we have to be willing to step out of our little bubbles and stop looking at “non-Christians” as “Them”…we’re all people who have been created by a mighty God and He loves people and He longs for a restored relationship with ALL people!  His desire is that all will hear of His amazing love.  

2. Don’t Disguise Jesus: 

 

 

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I am not saying we shouldn’t proclaim His name either.  We shouldn’t have to dress up Christ in a disguise in order to fool people into listening to “Christian” music either, and I don’t think that Bands like Switchfoot do this.  Jesus doesn’t need a disguise in order to fit into the lives of any who are lost in this world.  Jesus wasn’t bothered by the social norms and constraints of the Ancient Jewish customs and neither would He be in our day and age.   God doesn’t get stuck in our socially accepted roles and rules, He is above them and He sees how things should be not how things are right now.  Jesus doesn’t need a disguise and will work through the hearts of those who are genuine and real.  He will work In the hearts of those who have a real passion to reach the lost, the poor, the hurting. We can’t box God in and say that He doesn’t love “those” people because He is still seeking and willing to save anyone who needs Him.

 

 

 

3. Dear Musicians, Lay off the cheesy lyrical cliches of “Christianese” 

 

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I am trying not to offend anyone, but there are some annoying Christian lyrics out there being played on the radio today.  For example, “If you don’t know what to say, just say “Jesus”…”  Are you kidding me?  Is that the best we can do?  How is that reaching out to those who have never heard the truths and love of God?  Sorry, my critical side is showing and I’m sure I will receive some feedback on this, but any genre of music should make the attempt to produce quality music and not settle for the (churchy) old, tired cliches.  From an outsider’s perspective it just comes across as cheesy and who wants to listen to something thrown together that doesn’t even come close to the level of quality listeners come to expect in modern music?  

Don’t compromise the message, but also don’t settle for mediocrity either.  In all things we ought to strive for excellence and keep the passion to reach a dying world at the forefront of our mission.   Christ came for the whosoever not the “whatever”.  He still longs for His people to actively engage in relevant evangelism so that the truth of His Word can penetrate hurting hearts, but we can’t rely on tired old cliche’s that no one understands to deliver that message.  

In a nutshell:

 

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 I listen to all kinds of music.  I enjoy many, many genres, and I don’t want to place myself in an unbreakable Christian bubble as I look out into the “outside” world.  We all are called to step out and be available to show His love to anyone we can reach.  We can’t compartmentalize our Church life from our social life…It’s all life and there is a real mission to fulfill in it.  This is more than just music, this is the great commission and we can not afford to waste our time living in an exclusive world while millions die without seeing the real, tangible Christ in our walks of faith and in the words we say and live out loud.  

 

To quote again one of my favorite bands – U2 “There is no them, there’s only Us” (Invisible, 2013)

-Just a thought.  

 

 

***Disclaimer: It’s not that I don’t listen to “music with a message” or Christian music, it’s that I long for a deeper more impacting quality of music in the Christ-following realm that is played on radios. I love the Lord with all my heart and I want to serve Him the best that I can, but I also don’t want to cheapen that relationship by settling for a poor quality of music. Long story short, I’m a music snob…sorry about that!***

He Lifted Me! (Word Art)

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Psalm 40

 

Psalm 40:1-17 (NIV)
1 I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry.
2 He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand.
3 He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.
4 Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods.
5 Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare.
6 Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but my ears you have pierced burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not require.
7 Then I said, “Here I am, I have come– it is written about me in the scroll.
8 I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”
9 I proclaim righteousness in the great assembly; I do not seal my lips, as you know, O LORD.
10 I do not hide your righteousness in my heart; I speak of your faithfulness and salvation. I do not conceal your love and your truth from the great assembly.
11 Do not withhold your mercy from me, O LORD; may your love and your truth always protect me.
12 For troubles without number surround me; my sins have overtaken me, and I cannot see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my heart fails within me.
13 Be pleased, O LORD, to save me; O LORD, come quickly to help me.
14 May all who seek to take my life be put to shame and confusion; may all who desire my ruin be turned back in disgrace.
15 May those who say to me, “Aha! Aha!” be appalled at their own shame.
16 But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation always say, “The LORD be exalted!”
17 Yet I am poor and needy; may the Lord think of me. You are my help and my deliverer; O my God, do not delay.

 

Dear Lord, this heart…

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2 Timothy 1:6-14 (NIV)
6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.
7 For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
8 So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God,
9 who has saved us and called us to a holy life–not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time,
10 but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
11 And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher.
12 That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.
13 What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus.
14 Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you–guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

 

For the love of God…

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Definition:   re·lent·less
 
riˈlentləs/
adjective
 
  1. 1.
    oppressively constant; incessant.
    “the relentless heat of the desert”
    synonyms: persistent, continuing, constantcontinualcontinuousnonstopnever-ending, unabating, interminableincessantunceasingendless,

    God’s love for us is relentless.

    Perhaps, even “relentless” isn’t a good enough description of how God loves us.  Yet, perhaps it adequately speaks to the nature of God who never quits on His creation.  Do you remember the story of the prodigal son?  In that parable of Jesus what does the Father do?  Despite the son asking for his inheritance and wishing his father to be dead, the father lets him go.  One of the hardest things to do as a parent is to let a child go and have them make their own choices even if those choices are harmful.  Tough love has the capacity to hurt your heart while you relentlessly pursuit reconciliation and renewal of that lost loved one.  

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    The father waited for his son to come to his senses.  The story is more than just about this lost or prodigal son.  This story is about the relentless kind of love that is embodied in the father.  He waits, and even while his son is still a long way off, the father goes and runs to him.  (Luke 15:20) It was unbecoming of an adult in the culture of Jesus to run anywhere, and this father runs to his undeserving and wayward son.  

    Isn’t that what God the Father has done for us through His Son Jesus Christ?  He relentless love took Jesus to the cross for us. His relentless love brought about a way for us, the undeserving and wayward sinner, to experience right relationship with Him once again.   

    For the love of God – Our Response

    What is our response to this relentless love?  Can we recognize how undeserving we are and how amazing it is to have a God who pursues us like this?  Secondly, if we accept this relentless love through Jesus Christ alone, the next step in the reciprocation of that love is our desire to become like Christ.  By this I mean we ought to recognize that Jesus embodied for us in His living and dying what Holiness in human form looks like.  Thus we are to place our feeble feet in the very footprints of Christ for the salvation of humanity!  Our response to His love will take us to places we would never have wanted to go. (John 21:18)  Perhaps it won’t take us to suffering and death like the Apostle Peter, but His love will propel us to do outrageous things for the cause of Christ!  

    Christ’s relentless love will prompt us to take up our crosses too and follow him!  (Matthew 16:24)  If we truly accept His salvation and grace in our lives, we will not be able to just keep it hidden inside of us, we will want to share that ceaseless love to those who are still lost in the darkness of lovelessness.  

    For the love of God…be bold in your relentless pursuit of others!

    For the love of God…be genuine in your passion to serve Him humbly!

    For the love of God…wrap your arms around the unlovable and show them love like they have never seen before!

    For the love of God…be Holy as He (Jesus Christ) is Holy! 

     

    “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases
    His mercies never come to an end,
    They are new every morning
    New every morning
    Great is Your faithfulness, O Lord
    Great is Your faithfulness”
     
    -May all the Glory be to God and that of His Relentless love of You and Me!  

Hey Guess what? You matter!

We are so

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in a very, very, big

 

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yet…we 

           are

                   Not

 

Image We are never

Alone. 

In our 

                   little nature

                                                God

                                                                                Image

In our small view of things

He is…

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So why do we

struggle with our 

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                               Do we falter 

 

                                   why do we 

 

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                                  our 

                               existence?  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is 

                     a  Reassurance: 

                                                                  God.

                             

 

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Loves

 

Image….

-just a thought.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Creator…and the Cosmos

“I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139:14

Recently a new television series on science and the universe began on the FOX television channel.  It is called “The Cosmos” updated and adapted from the the original series by Carl Sagan.  

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It’s host is American astrophysicist, author and science communicator Neil deGrasse
cosmos
Tyson http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neil_deGrasse_Tyson 

Some fundamental Christians might be offended by this television series due to the absence of the Creator and in some cases how the church in the middle ages is portrayed.  I honestly am not offended by either of these, in fact I find myself fascinated by the universe and how far science and our human exploration has come since the original series was aired in 1980.  

You see for me science and our Creator go hand in hand.  When I watch this series and other series’ about the universe I can’t help but marvel at the vastness of God’s creation.  

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Sometimes the Christian view is too small…

Tunnel Vision:

It is my belief that sometimes we of faith in God limit our understanding of a limitless Creator.  We can become so fixated on the details of creation and how it was made and how long it took to make it.  Granted I recognize too that science and those who solely rely on its tangible data can also have tunnel vision when theories of space and the ever expanding universe are completely quantified and accepted as concrete truths.  By this I mean to say that when something becomes accepted as truth it is very hard to change that acceptance if more evidence comes along to shake that truth apart.  For instance at one point people believed that the Sun revolved around the earth but we know now that the Earth actually revolves around the Sun.  

What I am trying to say is that this Universe is amazing and wondrous and we who have faith in God shouldn’t be afraid to explore it and study it because I believe it points right back to Him!  Recently I wrote that we cannot put God in a box and completely quantify his majestic nature, and when it comes to the Universe we can only begin to catch a glimpse of how deep and how wide God’s love is for us (Ephesians 3:18) along side His truly mind-boggling creation of the Universe around us.  

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“Don’t lose the forest for the trees…”

Recently I have been teaching a bible study in our church (Corps) on the book of Revelation.  In this study I have stressed over and over again to our little class not to get so caught up in the interpretation and meaning of the symbolism of John’s vision and even various theories of the apocalypse for that matter.  In other words don’t lose the forest for the tree, don’t get so bogged down in the details that you lose sight of the bigger (much bigger) picture!  In the very same sense, the series of the Cosmos on FOX and other studies of our Universe should be looked at in this way as well.  How amazing is our God and that of His vast creation around us.  How small we are in His Universe, and though we may not comprehend it all, we should begin to see how much He loves us and how precious we are to Him.  

 

“…your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” Psalm 139:14

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