Saturday, March 21, 2009
Is God Hiding?
You may have heard someone ask: “If God is so big and powerful, then why is He so hard to find? Is He Hiding?” The answer to the latter question is, “Yes, God is hiding in plain sight.” He will only be had by those who really want Him. I am confident in that answer because of the answer Jesus gave His disciples when they asked Him about the subject:
“The disciples came up and asked, "Why do you tell stories?"
He replied, "You've been given insight into God's kingdom. You know how it works. Not everybody has this gift, this insight; it hasn't been given to them. Whenever someone has a ready heart for this, the insights and understandings flow freely. But if there is no readiness, any trace of receptivity soon disappears. That's why I tell stories: to create readiness, to nudge the people toward receptive insight. In their present state they can stare till doomsday and not see it, listen till they're blue in the face and not get it. I don't want Isaiah's forecast repeated all over again:
“Your ears are open but you don't hear a thing. Your eyes are awake but you don't see a thing. The people are blockheads! They stick their fingers in their ears so they won't have to listen; They screw their eyes shut so they won't have to look, so they won't have to deal with me face-to-face and let me heal them.”
"But you have God-blessed eyes—eyes that see! And God-blessed ears—ears that hear! A lot of people, prophets and humble believers among them, would have given anything to see what you are seeing, to hear what you are hearing, but never had the chance. " (Matthew 13:10-16 MSG)
Consider how this plays out in the real world. God created a universe so complex and amazing that everyone has a chance to see and admire His handiwork. (Romans 1 states than no one has an excuse not to believe in a Creator.) However, because God does not force Himself on us, He allowed arrogant men to concoct unscientific theories such as evolution, and indoctrinate grade-school children with the foolish notion that there is no God. As a result, only those who are willing to be honest with observable science will press past the deception and discover truths like:
· the earth is young
· there was a world-wide flood
· dinosaurs and mankind coexisted
· man has only inhabited the earth for thousands of years
The above are easily proven from observable science – real science -- but only those who are willing to believe will see. Those too stubborn to believe will be “always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth.” (2 Timothy 3:7-8 NIV)
God is secure. He has no need to prove Himself. He does not do tricks for those who demand for Him to show His power. He runs the universe on His terms. He has no need or obligation to jump through hoops so men will believe in Him. He has already provided sufficient proof. He was born of a virgin. He healed the sick and raised the dead. He accurately predicted His own death and resurrection. He ascended into heaven in the sight of 500 witnesses. If people refuse to believe after all of that, why would some new miracle convince them?
God is not desperate for a relationship with us. He demonstrated His love and now He waits for those who will respond in kind. His Gospel is plain to those who will believe, but hidden from those who are willing to let theories, philosophies and religions hide them from the One True and Living God.
“The disciples came up and asked, "Why do you tell stories?"
He replied, "You've been given insight into God's kingdom. You know how it works. Not everybody has this gift, this insight; it hasn't been given to them. Whenever someone has a ready heart for this, the insights and understandings flow freely. But if there is no readiness, any trace of receptivity soon disappears. That's why I tell stories: to create readiness, to nudge the people toward receptive insight. In their present state they can stare till doomsday and not see it, listen till they're blue in the face and not get it. I don't want Isaiah's forecast repeated all over again:
“Your ears are open but you don't hear a thing. Your eyes are awake but you don't see a thing. The people are blockheads! They stick their fingers in their ears so they won't have to listen; They screw their eyes shut so they won't have to look, so they won't have to deal with me face-to-face and let me heal them.”
"But you have God-blessed eyes—eyes that see! And God-blessed ears—ears that hear! A lot of people, prophets and humble believers among them, would have given anything to see what you are seeing, to hear what you are hearing, but never had the chance. " (Matthew 13:10-16 MSG)
Consider how this plays out in the real world. God created a universe so complex and amazing that everyone has a chance to see and admire His handiwork. (Romans 1 states than no one has an excuse not to believe in a Creator.) However, because God does not force Himself on us, He allowed arrogant men to concoct unscientific theories such as evolution, and indoctrinate grade-school children with the foolish notion that there is no God. As a result, only those who are willing to be honest with observable science will press past the deception and discover truths like:
· the earth is young
· there was a world-wide flood
· dinosaurs and mankind coexisted
· man has only inhabited the earth for thousands of years
The above are easily proven from observable science – real science -- but only those who are willing to believe will see. Those too stubborn to believe will be “always learning but never able to acknowledge the truth.” (2 Timothy 3:7-8 NIV)
God is secure. He has no need to prove Himself. He does not do tricks for those who demand for Him to show His power. He runs the universe on His terms. He has no need or obligation to jump through hoops so men will believe in Him. He has already provided sufficient proof. He was born of a virgin. He healed the sick and raised the dead. He accurately predicted His own death and resurrection. He ascended into heaven in the sight of 500 witnesses. If people refuse to believe after all of that, why would some new miracle convince them?
God is not desperate for a relationship with us. He demonstrated His love and now He waits for those who will respond in kind. His Gospel is plain to those who will believe, but hidden from those who are willing to let theories, philosophies and religions hide them from the One True and Living God.
Friday, March 06, 2009
Who Has The Right to Complain?
We are living in unsettling times; so unsettling that people are ready to forfeit their basic liberties to those who they think just might be able to save them. Christians are in awe as they watch economies collapse and world powers rise just as scripture predicted, but we are still shocked and saddened at the sight. Of late, most of the American public feels like they have been violated. Millions of dollars have been swindled, trillions in taxes are being levied, and our entire nation is morphing into something very different than was intended by our founding fathers. All these developments have generated a great deal of complaining. I pose the question: Who has complaining rights?
Wall Street was greedy. Executives lied and cheated. Politicians manipulated and sold out their constituents. Contracts were broken. Schools became dangerous. History was rewritten. Decency disappeared. It seems like the world is spinning out of control!
For America the problem is painfully simple. Over time, many Americans have chosen to change their basic value system. Every honest historian will tell you the same thing the engravings on our nation’s federal buildings and monuments declare – we are a nation that was founded under God. Our government was founded on the principles of the Ten Commandments - that’s a fact. It is incredible that we should seem so shocked that the building is crumbling when we have systematically allowed every branch of government to remove the very foundation of our country. We have no right to complain, if we did not resist this trend.
The truth is some of you may have complaining rights. If you have rejected the status quo morals of our day that allow for cheating on spouses, little white lies, and self-centered living then you have a right to complain when executives and politicians live out those values. If you are committed to being honest on your taxes, paying your bills, sacrificing for your family, and spending your money wisely, they you have a right to complain when others in your society do otherwise. If you have remained true to the Ten Commandments, then you’ve earned the right to complain about a nation gone rogue.
Of course, complaining does little good. Even prayer only goes so far. God answers prayer, and God could do some things to intervene, but it will always come back to the will of the people. Unless America, as a whole, chooses to live by God’s morals and values, it will continue to crumble. We should pray for our country, but God won’t cheat for any nation or individual.
Here’s the good news. If you live in a nation that does not choose wisely as a corporate entity, you can still succeed as an individual. You can be a bright light in a dark world… a rose among thorns… a wise person among fools. Then you will discover that complaining is a waste of time, but helping other individuals rediscover things like purity, honesty and integrity will change the world – at least your world. More important than a right to complain is the God-given right and power to choose. You may have been violated, but you have the opportunity to see that no one is violated as a result of your actions. No world leader will solve this crisis, but your right personal responses will insure a strong personal foundation. If enough other people choose well, entire nations will be blessed. If not, at least you and yours will be blessed, both now and forevermore.
Wall Street was greedy. Executives lied and cheated. Politicians manipulated and sold out their constituents. Contracts were broken. Schools became dangerous. History was rewritten. Decency disappeared. It seems like the world is spinning out of control!
For America the problem is painfully simple. Over time, many Americans have chosen to change their basic value system. Every honest historian will tell you the same thing the engravings on our nation’s federal buildings and monuments declare – we are a nation that was founded under God. Our government was founded on the principles of the Ten Commandments - that’s a fact. It is incredible that we should seem so shocked that the building is crumbling when we have systematically allowed every branch of government to remove the very foundation of our country. We have no right to complain, if we did not resist this trend.
The truth is some of you may have complaining rights. If you have rejected the status quo morals of our day that allow for cheating on spouses, little white lies, and self-centered living then you have a right to complain when executives and politicians live out those values. If you are committed to being honest on your taxes, paying your bills, sacrificing for your family, and spending your money wisely, they you have a right to complain when others in your society do otherwise. If you have remained true to the Ten Commandments, then you’ve earned the right to complain about a nation gone rogue.
Of course, complaining does little good. Even prayer only goes so far. God answers prayer, and God could do some things to intervene, but it will always come back to the will of the people. Unless America, as a whole, chooses to live by God’s morals and values, it will continue to crumble. We should pray for our country, but God won’t cheat for any nation or individual.
Here’s the good news. If you live in a nation that does not choose wisely as a corporate entity, you can still succeed as an individual. You can be a bright light in a dark world… a rose among thorns… a wise person among fools. Then you will discover that complaining is a waste of time, but helping other individuals rediscover things like purity, honesty and integrity will change the world – at least your world. More important than a right to complain is the God-given right and power to choose. You may have been violated, but you have the opportunity to see that no one is violated as a result of your actions. No world leader will solve this crisis, but your right personal responses will insure a strong personal foundation. If enough other people choose well, entire nations will be blessed. If not, at least you and yours will be blessed, both now and forevermore.
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