Apologetics: Part 2-The Sun and The Son

The Sun and The Son.

The sun is such a magnificent creation.  I use the word magnificent because the pure beauty of the sun doesn't deserve anything less when describing it.  The maker of the sun had a special purpose in mind when He created it.  If you look at the probability of millions of other stars being created all the time it's beautiful.  Then you see a creation of the sun.  The probability than another sun will ever be created is near impossible.

Another beautiful aspect to this probability is looking at what makes a star illuminate light.  Normally we only see the brightness of a star in all in greatness until it is dying or colliding with another star.  So it's fair to say we only see a star's true beauty in its death.

Now lets look at the sun.  Also considered a star it never loses it's brightness and it also never decreases in size.  Just one inch of the suns surface is equal to 650,000 birthday candles.  Further, the temperature of the sun's surface is 10,832 degrees fahrenheit.

I think it is equally magnificent in what the sun does.  It is not just merely a big ball of light and heat existing for its own sake.  It helps things grow.  We are uniquely situated far enough away from the sun so that we don't burn up instantly.  How perfect is it that we are just the right distance away to heat up the earth's atmosphere and provide food via photosynthesis for our plants and food.

Plants need two things to grow 1.) Light and 2.) Heat.  How many people take for granted how marvelous everything works together.  A plant cannot survive on just heat or just light.  It needs both to survive and thrive.

Now lets look at The Son.  A man who can never be duplicated.  While still a man no one will ever be perfect and without sin as He is.  He is described as "The Light of the World".

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."  (John 8:12)

He is the one who gives us life and helps us to grow and thrive.  Without Him we would be hopeless.  His light shines on us and through us as believers.

Is it really a coincidence we pronounce these two names exactly the same?!  It may be easy for a non believer to look at these two things and opposites or not in relation to one another.  Is it a coincidence that the sun was created as a foreshadowing of The Son.  Before the Sun was created there was nothing but darkness.  When the Sun was created life could flourish.

if you are reading this you are most likely a child of God.  If for some reason you are not lets take a look at a scientific method known as Occam's Razor.  It is the principle that when looking at multiple hypotheses the simplest explanation is the right answer.  When looking at this process we must also take into account our personal definition of a simplest explanation is indicative of our personal beliefs.

Jesus said it best multiple times when he said..."He who has an ear, let him hear..."

The Desire to Belong

As I read "The Inner Ring" a speech by C.S. Lewis I felt a kindred spirit with one of my favorite authors.  He touched on a major desire planted in all our hearts.  That desire is to feel like we belong.  I've been meditating on this subject for quite some time.  I have noticed how often people want to make connections with others.  I see it a lot with my job as we are in the business of helping others.  At times I talk to people that just want to tell you their story.  They just want to feel like someone cares about what they are dealing with.  It is with this deep desire to feel like we are "in the know".  As Lewis points out it is good to feel that you are "in the know" as it builds fellowship and connections with our fellow brothers and sisters.  We were created for relationship. 

I've lived in Colorado now for two months which has been a radical change from the tropical island we were on.  From a lush tropical landscape to a high desert climate.  I can imagine Adam and Eve felt the same as they walked out of the Garden of Eden.  They walked away from what they knew into unknown dangers and obstacles.

I have moved a lot throughout my life because I love change.  I don't like to get comfortable and laxidasical.  I love change because it always presents new challenges for me to be better.  Because of my desire for change I haven't felt really tied or close to a community in a long time.  For the first time in a long time it is nice to see people I know in the grocery store and for them to remember my name.  I value that sense of belonging.  Especially as I get older it is becoming more important.  My heart burns for that desire to be fulfilled. 

Our society has been engrossed with the idea that because you have been to places so radically different from where you grew up, that somehow equals success.  As I'm sure we have all heard someone say, "Wow he/she is really going places".  Where is the value in going to these places?  Is it to pride ourselves on tropical islands or obscure cultures?  Somehow the unfamiliar has become a pursuit.  That being said I like to experience the unfamiliar but I think we have to look at our motive for this pursuit.

"Is it for His glory or for yours"?

Part 1 Apologetics: Reflections on book "Indescribable"

I just started reading the book "indescribable".  It is simply amazing to say the least.  First, let me start off by stating how small I feel which is suppose to happen.  Looking at how big the cosmos are and how intricate the details of creation had to be in order for things to work together is nothing short of perfect.  As scientists have proved if something like the moon was just a little bigger it would cook planet earth quicker than electrolux on steroids.

The glorious darkness that so accentuates the lights of heaven lifts up upward and draws us into its chorus.  The longer we look up the freer we become, lost in the wonder and mystery that surrounds us, lost in praise of the One who set each star in place.  Broken humanity has a ferocious gravitational pull, constantly shrinking us down to earth.  But as we lift our gaze to the skies, how can we not know in our hearts that there must be more?"  
(Giglio, Redman, pg. 27).

Redman also asks a very important question, "Why create stretches of the universe that will never be seen?"  Some would say why wouldn't God just give us the answers.  Why is he making us search for answers or why is He making it nearly impossible to get all the answers in our life time??


God does not want us to be lazy.  As any loving parent would act God also wants us to work and not be lazy.  A good parent does not hand His child all the answers.  After all, what would be the point of teaching if you wouldn't one day have to dig for answers yourself?  More importantly what would be our drive in life if we were able to be overwhelmed with information and what-ifs?

“The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied."

-Proverbs 13:4

S.O.S.

As I was studying Psalm 40 tonight i came across this scripture:


"I waited patiently for the lord;
he turned to me and heard my cry.
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.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God."
-Psalm 40:1-4


Wow is all I can say really.  As some of my previous posts have talked about being rescued. Do you need to be rescued??  This week's service at my local church (Fellowship Church-Grand Junction, CO) made me realize how many people were not ready to proclaim how desperate they are to be saved.  How many of us can read this verse and in the quietness of our home say "Yes Lord" I want that.  However, when we get around our church family our pride kicks in and prevents us from doing so.


It is like we need a rescue to get rescued.


God wants to save you.....His precious and chosen children.  fear starts to cloud our egos and tries to prevent us from getting on our hands and knees and begging our heavenly father for this rescue.


God not only wants to rescue you but He wants that close relationship with you.  He will take you from your weakened foundation you are standing on in order to put you on a firm rock solid foundation.  Through these acts we can learn about faith in such a deeper level than before.


God wants to rescue you but the question is will you let him?

Silence

Silence can be uncomfortable.  As I write this I am half tempted to have the radio on.  Tempted is actually the perfect word to describe my feelings right now.  Lately I have realized how I do not need to have the radio on all the time.  My brain is on sensory overload and being busy does not mean you are closer to God. In my opinion when our pursuit for God becomes real and from the heart it is when we are at perfect peace with silence.

In this silence we can quiet our ego and even negative thoughts to allow God's thoughts and ideas to take over.  Only a foolish child keeps talking and does not allow their parent to respond.  That is being disrespectful when we behave that way.  I will be the first to admit I have been caught in that trap.

Does silence make you uncomfortable??  I know I use to feel uncomfortable within the silence not knowing where my thoughts would lead to.  If we are really pursuing God we do not have to worry about these fears.

"Whoever will listen will hear the speaking Heaven.  This is definitely not the hour when men take kindly to an exhortation to listen, for listening is not today a part of popular religion.  We are at the opposite end of the pole from there.  Religion has accepted the monstrous heresy that noise, size, activity and bluster make a man dear to God.  But we may take heart.  to a people caught in the tempest of the last great conflict god says, "Be still and know that i am God." and still He says it as if He means to tell us that our strength and safety lie not in noise but in silence."  
-A.W. Tozer  The pursuit of God

A Theistic Worldview: Why Do I Believe in God?

Who are you?  We can communicate our worldview in a way society understands with a simple phrase such as, “I am a Christian” without going into a lot of detail to describe our identity and people basically understand.  “The question of identity is the key issue at the center of most of the important issues of Western culture” (Phillips, Brown, Stonestreet).  How we view the world and how we process what happens to us is dependant on our worldview.  Some people may classify this process as a religion but to me it is faith.  As described in The Merriam-Webster Dictionary, faith is defined as a “belief and trust in and loyalty to God” and it is further explained as a “firm belief in something for which there is no proof”.  The Theistic worldview is based on having faith in an intelligent being we cannot see but have full trust in.  The faith I have in God is to help me discern His truth in The Bible as well as how I handle worldly concerns.  My identity and worldview as a Christian-Theistic individual is dependant on my faith in God as not just a God but also the one and only true God.

As previously stated I have a Theistic worldview and more specifically a Christian-Theistic worldview.  As a Christian I draw strength from God and use The Bible as a guide to learn and discern the commands of God.  The Bible is a true source from God.  While other books compliment the word of God The Bible describes how to live life in every situation.  It is the only word from God that will never change.  This is a reflection of His everlasting love and goodness for His people.

I believe The Bible to be the truth and the only truth that was inspired by God and penned by man.  C.S. Lewis said it best as he described how Christianity has transformed his life, "I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else”.  Further, as a Christ follower I believe both the Old Testament and the New Testament are important with my walk in life.  These Testaments are covenants God has made with His children.  Even though the Old Testament was a covenant God made with a previous people it serves as an example of who God is.  God is not just His name it describes who He is, Holy and Sovereign.  These promises He made were the first promises in revealing His awesome authority.

Furthermore, The New Testament is also imperative to current and future believers to show His love for His children.  It also gives hope to the lost and weary.  The entire Bible is full of emotional terms to help us to relate and interpret what is written.  One of the closest human relationships we have is a parent and child relationship.  God sent Himself in the form of His son to show relationship and unconditional love for His people.  What is more loving than sending your perfect and unblemished son to die for mans sins?  “The Bible is not a book of abstract, technical information.  It is a book about relationships, primary relationships between God and people” (Duvall, Hays, 2005).  While some people may feel certain parts of The Bible are harsh these terms strike the heart in a deep and profound way.  It is no mistake on God’s part that people have a sharp reaction.  It was meant to shock and restart the deadened heart similar to the process of defibrillation.

The Bible is also true because God tells us so in 2 Timothy 3:16, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness” (New International Version).  Not only do I know this to be true in my heart but also I believe it makes sense how creationism is explained.  In the words of a book by Norman Geisler and Frank Turek, “I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist”.  If I did not believe in God I would be forced to adopt the natural selection theory that life just appeared without a rhyme or reason.  How can life exist without an intelligent being as the creator?  We may be able to assume how things survive and evolve (as in micro-evolution) but first we must look at how we were created.  As Geisler points out even the Wright brothers needed some form of intelligence to create the first airplane.  Airplanes did not just appear without two things:  1.)  A Creator and 2.)  Intelligence.  “If intelligent scientists cannot break genetic barriers, why should we expect nonintelligent natural selection to do so” (Geisler, Turek)?

When we look at the validity of The Bible it is important to look at what evidence society has as well as what evidence we do not have to prove a certain issue.  A large majority of The Bible is prophecy and history has proven some of the predictions of what was written by authors cited in The Bible.  “The Bible contains nearly three hundred predictions concerning Christ.  Even critics agree that the latest of these come from some two hundred years before His time; many come hundreds of years earlier” (Geisler).  One large point that separates Christianity from any other Theistic belief is that prophecy foretold that Jesus would perform miracles.  Jesus performed miracles that are apart of historical evidence, which was both predicted and proven.  No other religion can say that about the one who rescues them.  Also, in regards to the writings testifying to Jesus the prophets are making themselves a target speaking about Jesus and the meaning of true salvation.  Some critics of The Bible claim these prophets lied but my question is how would they profit from lying about issues they could be jailed and killed for?  It is my belief that they would be the last people to lie about Jesus’ title as The Messiah.  People like the Apostle Paul would not be willing to die for something they did not know to be true.

In order to practice what The Bible teaches is good and righteous I look to Galatians 5: Life by the Spirit.  I can choose to either live to glorify God as The Bible states in Galatians 5:22-23, “…the fruit of the spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control”.  Or I can choose to not follow God’s commands and live in the flesh or sinful nature as Galatians 5:19-21 states, “The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies and the like”.  I know for a fact that sinful nature results in feeling empty, lost, and without purpose so I choose to live in the Spirit.

In addition, I can also scrutinize discourses throughout the Bible in order to learn from it.  By using logical arguments such as deductive reasoning I am able to learn about what I am observing.  We do not have all the answers about God and His beautiful creations but He provides us with intelligence to seek the answers to our questions.  God also helps us discern the text especially when we connect with Him through prayer.  By reading and re-reading His word He can reveal more information to us that helps us to apply His word to our life.  That is the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Along with stories in The Bible there is also a communication between God and the reader, which shows how compassionate and loving God is for His children.  Specifically, Psalm 139:13-16 states, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb”,” My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.  When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body.  All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be”.

My identity and my worldview is of a Christian-Theistic view and my faith in God as the one and only true God.  “Worldview in a Christian perspective implies the objective existence of the Trinitarian God whose essential character establishes the moral order of the universe and whose word, wisdom, and law define and govern all aspects of created existence” (Sire).  God speaks to His elect through The Bible and has used others to teach us what is good and what is disobedience.  Physical evidence has proven in a very specific way that the word of God is not merely written by man but inspired by God.  Apostle Paul is an excellent example of how God can use people to teach and encourage others.  It was a supernatural event that happened when Paul was filled with the Holy Spirit and is further proof of the transformation that God can do.  Matthew 6:25-34 talks about His specific love for us to take care of us.  God takes care of the birds and the flowers and trees He loves us much more so how much more will He care for us if He provides for these small creatures.  These small creatures and plants do not worry about storing food for tomorrow so certainly we do not need to worry.  Through God’s tone in the scripture He emphasizes what breaks His heart.  There are no mistakes in His word and He often will repeat words and stories to get our attention.  God is our intelligent creator and loves us like a parent loves a child.  That is why He is called our Heavenly Father. 

Duvall, J. S., Hays, J.D.  Grasping God’s Word

Geisler, N.  Systematic Theology.  

Geisler, N., Turek, F.  I Don’t Have Enough Faith to Be an Atheist.  

Lewis, C.S.  Weight of Glory.  

Phillips, W., Brown, W., & Stonestreet, J. Making sense of your world: A biblical worldview 

Sire, James, W.  Naming the Elephant.  

Do You Need to be Rescued??

This past sunday our pastor at Fellowship Church (Grand Junction, CO) spoke a message titled, "Rescue me".  He talked about a very important point and pardon if this seems too aggressive but, "Stop talking about your problems to people who cannot rescue you".

How often do we gossip to others about our own personal issues??  What good does it do us or anyone for that matter by telling others about it?  They certainly cannot rescue us from that pit no matter how deep it is. Only one person can do that....God.

God loves you and wants you to trust Him with everything from the smallest problem to your biggest life changing event.  After all it is the attention God wants from us.  Especially when we are constantly seeking Him in prayer.  It is in that constant relationship that our faith develops and we start to pursue God with a unrelenting spirit.

In thinking about this how beautiful is this transformation that God is doing in our lives when seeking Him results in Him giving us more than we asked for.

So if you need to be rescued no man on earth can help you but our Heavenly Father is waiting for you to ask Him.  He is not going to force you to seek him.  Don't try to hide or bury the fact that you need to be rescued.

Seek help in our Father who first loved us.

1 John 4:19, "We love because he first loved us".