I'm afraid of God - so I avoid Him

God is holy and I am not. When I read the bible I find that it is hard to face the fact that God is perfect and expects it of me as well. It is easier to ignore the bible and believe that God loves me as I am -  a sinner in rebellion against God. It is easier to think that God understands my circumstances and will look the other way because he loves me. It is easier to believe that it takes an expert to interpret the bible and I must be misreading the parts that talk of God's expectations for me. It is easier to say that I am too busy with work and family than to be too extreme as a Christian. It is easier to think that God wants me to be comfortable and not have problems. It is easier to believe that God does not want me to be persecuted and looked down upon for teaching and acting upon His Word. It is easier to agree with unbelievers and not shove my religion in their face. I should just show them my faith by my works but I really shouldn't do anything differently than unbelievers and make myself look like some religious nut. It is easier to believe that God loves all people as long as they are sincere. It is easier until you stand before God. Pure absolute terror!!!
Don't avoid the plain hard truth of God. Go to Him in humility knowing that he does forgive. He is God supreme! He will not only save you from the penalty of your wickedness but he has the power to help change you from your wickedness to righteousness. He will make a son or daughter of you. You will represent his name by your thoughts and actions. It is not easy. You will be persecuted but He was killed. You will suffer but you can pray to your father as Jesus did. You will feel guilty and shameful but it will drive you to holiness. You will stand before God almighty with an unbearable sense of His absolute greatness without fear because you are forgiven and He can say truthfully with meaning "well done my son my good and faithful servant who has endured and bore my Name well."

Worship - The most abused word in the Christian language

Worship..... This word has caused more fighting, division, resentment, bickering and just plain silliness than anything else in modern church history. While by definition "Worship" is a putting aside of yourself and all else for the glory of another (God) it is hardly the case that this is true of modern Christianity. You can see the contradiction just by listing to people's comments about perceived worship. They speak of how they liked or disliked the music or how worship made them feel such as a sense of feeling alive or dead in worship. Everyone has their own ideal of how worship should be with complete disregard for the one whose opinion matters most. I have been in dozens of church splits over music style where young people forsake the dignity and authority of those elder to them and openly rebel for the sake of a song or drum set. I have seen older believers so set in tradition so as to no longer have a mind for others or their wishes in things of no consequence. I have seen families divided, churches split and a disunity of Christianity over selfish desires on how to preform a selfless act.
  When my wife and I got married I tried to use the golden rule in all things. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. That did not work....at all. The problem was we had different wants and dreams and desires. I treated her how I wanted to be treated and she treated me how she wanted to be treated. We both missed out on who the other person was. We were being selfish in our love by promoting our own wishes rather than discovering the wishes of the other. Some of the things my wife likes me to do for her would have no meaning if she did them for me. Some of the things I want from my wife have never even crossed her mind as having value. You cannot worship another based on your own desires.
  God would have a worship based on obedience, brotherly love, humility with each other, and respect for each other.Worship is not singing a song I like and waving my hands about in the air but living in a way that honors and cherishes our brothers and sisters in Christ. Are they not God's children as well. Are we not loving Him as we love each other? Did God not say to not enter into worship if you are having an an argument with another believer? Have you ever considered if your songs or beliefs are actually describing the God of the Bible or just one of your imagination?

  I think God must often be repulsed by our gift of worship because it meets our desires rather than His. We are not like Him! Discover what God wants in worship and sacrifice your desires for the sake of Him and His children.

A Nation in Constant Mourning

I have noticed over the past year that most flags have remained at half staff for the majority of the year. We jump from one tragedy to the next with  no break in between. This week a school shooting  the next a plant explosion, the next a tornado, the next a hurricane, and on and on it goes.Memorial day is soon approaching with yet another reason to stay in mourning. If lowering the flag signifies the distinction of a nation in mourning then America is a very sad place to live. I think there was only about 20 days last year that I saw all flags in town flying high. In some cases it was due to neglect such as the McDonald's that never remembers to raise it back up after an appropriate time. In other cases I think it has become more of a marketing scheme. All churches jump on any occasion to show how much they care. Businesses want to be known as sympathetic to draw in customers. Does this symbol mean anything anymore. There are 7 billion people in this world which makes the likelihood of tragedy very high. With that number of people I wonder that these catastrophic events are not even more frequent. When I hear my friend tell his story of fighting in Vietnam, or my mother and father in law telling of the Pol-pot  regime in Cambodia where millions died or my friend who grew up in Nazi Germany these modern tragedies seem small in comparison. Life is full of death and suffering and I think most people would do well to celebrate the good things in life and accept the risks that these good things come with. They would do well to stop worrying that they are the next one to suffer hardship. They would do well to focus on the good and not on he bad. They would do well to see what they still have after a loss. Who has not heard the inspirational story of those who have lost much and still celebrate life! They would do well to raise he flag and celebrate life and America. Thank God for each day no matter the circumstance knowing that even in hardship He is there and in control.

STUPID PERSON OF THE DAY

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A VERY INCONVINIENT TRUTH: POWER: GORE MANSION USES 20X AVERAGE HOUSEHOLD; CONSUMPTION INCREASE AFTER ‘TRUTH’:

The Tennessee Center for Policy Research, an independent, nonprofit and nonpartisan research organization committed to achieving a freer, more prosperous Tennessee through free market policy solutions, issued a press release late Monday:

Last night, Al Gore’s global-warming documentary, An Inconvenient Truth, collected an Oscar for best documentary feature, but the Tennessee Center for Policy Research has found that Gore deserves a gold statue for hypocrisy.

Gore’s mansion, [20-room, eight-bathroom] located in the posh Belle Meade area of Nashville, consumes more electricity every month than the average American household uses in an entire year, according to the Nashville Electric Service (NES).

In his documentary, the former Vice President calls on Americans to conserve energy by reducing electricity consumption at home.

The average household in America consumes 10,656 kilowatt-hours (kWh) per year, according to the Department of Energy. In 2006, Gore devoured nearly 221,000 kWh—more than 20 times the national average.

Last August alone, Gore burned through 22,619 kWh—guzzling more than twice the electricity in one month than an average American family uses in an entire year. As a result of his energy consumption, Gore’s average monthly electric bill topped $1,359.

Since the release of An Inconvenient Truth, Gore’s energy consumption has increased from an average of 16,200 kWh per month in 2005, to 18,400 kWh per month in 2006.

Gore’s extravagant energy use does not stop at his electric bill. Natural gas bills for Gore’s mansion and guest house averaged $1,080 per month last year.

“As the spokesman of choice for the global warming movement, Al Gore has to be willing to walk to walk, not just talk the talk, when it comes to home energy use,” said Tennessee Center for Policy Research President Drew Johnson.

In total, Gore paid nearly $30,000 in combined electricity and natural gas bills for his Nashville estate in 2006.”

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

CAN I TELL THAT YOU HAVE HAD AN ENCOUNTER WITH GOD WITHOUT YOU TELLING ME ABOUT IT?

 Let’s imagine that I show up late and I run up here on the platform, and all the leaders are angry with me and say, “Brother Paul, don’t you appreciate the fact you’re given an opportunity to speak here and you come late?”

And I’d say, “Brothers, you have to forgive me.”

“Well, why?”

“Well, I was out here on the highway, and I was driving and I had a flat tire and I got out to change the tire, and when I was changing the tire, the lug nut fell off, and I wasn’t paying attention that I was on the highway and I ran out and I grabbed the lug nut, and as soon as I picked it up in the middle of the highway, I stood up and there was a 30-ton logging truck going 120 miles an hour about ten yards in front of me, and it ran me over and that’s why I’m late.” 

Now, there would only be two … I know no one studies logic anymore, but there would only be two logical conclusions.  One, I’m a liar or, two, I’m a madman. You would say, “Brother Paul, it’s absolutely absurd.  It is impossible, Brother Paul, to have an encounter with something as large as a logging truck and not be changed.”

And then my question would be to you––What is larger?  A logging truck or God?  

How is it that so many people today profess to have had an encounter with Jesus Christ, and, yet, they are not permanently changed?  

"Do you see why there's no power in that thing they call 'the Gospel'? Because it's not the Gospel that they're preaching. It's not, and I'll take any man to task who says it is. It's not." Paul Washer

MY LOLLIPOP MINISTRY

I want to share with you some things about my lollipop ministry. I distribute lollipops in the name of Jesus Christ. I give them to the homeless, prisons, people in hospitals, door to door, stray dogs, anyone I can. I believe this brings great joy to the world and exalts our Lord. I distribute lollipops in Jesus name,  I score touchdowns in Jesus name with my football ministry. I share my beautiful voice with my band which is also my ministry. I also go to other countries to share my talents helping distribute food and helping build houses and teaching skills to poor ignorant people who need my ministries. Whatever I like to do and everything I am good at is my ministry because I do it in the name of Jesus. 
This is backwards and a perversion of the word ministry but, I see and hear people in churches talk this way all the time. Youth pastors promote this line of thinking and it makes believers look stupid. If you like to do things for people then just do them. PLEASE stop calling it ministry. You don't have to stop doing the things you like but you do not have to attach some spiritual significance. If you show good sportsmanship and friendliness when you play football and treat people with respect at work or even help people in need let that be nothing more than the normal out flowing of your Christian character. There is no need to draw attention to yourself by advertising these things as a ministry. 
 This blog is not a ministry. I may write about things that pertain to the Christian faith and I may say things that promote Christian values but that is only what you should expect from someone who is a Christian. This is just a blog where I say what is on my mind. 
 A true ministry is God's and not yours. it promotes his truth at your expense for His glory. You will not become popular or get recognition for a true ministry. You will not be thanked. You will probably be persecuted if the ministry is rooted in God because it will expose sin and exalt holiness which is abhorrent to the natural carnal human mind. You will know that any success is the result of a divine miracle and not because you do anything better than someone else. You will praise God and shy away from any attention given to you. This is ministry. 

GET TO WORK!

Work is not the most important thing in life. It is very necessary but God and family should always come first. You have a responsibility to care for yourself and your family for the honor of God. If you caught that you now see that to honor God and provide for your family you do have to work. The question now is, how much do I work and how hard? That is up to you and your family. You can live comfortably in an affordable mobile home while eating Raman noodles every night for supper. ( I do ) You may also want a 100 room house on a private island with 20 servants. (I do not). It is your job to balance time for your family and God with your work hours. If God and family suffer then it could be that your standard of living should come down a bit. If your family is starving and you sit in front of the television most of the day, it could be that you need to get off your lazy rear and get a job. The bottom line - you are responsible for yourself and your wife and your parents as they age and for all your children. Do your best for them. If you have a brain and your arms and legs work then you can provide. If you are not giving 100% and you have to ask for handouts then you are not trying hard enough. You are not doing your job. Don't make excuses. Even if you have to (as they say) flip burgers at McDonald's you can afford an apartment and food. You may not be used to these living conditions but you are providing for yourself and your family.Be proud of that and try to become the manager of that McDonald's. 

DO NOT HAVE SUCCESS

I have noticed new movements of God over the years that start out with the purest of motives and the focus is on honoring the Lord and good work is done. Then they become successful. I remember when the YMCA was the Young Men's Christian Association , when World Challenge was a Christian based organization rather that annoying people that sit outside Walmart selling worthless trinkets and donating 10% of proceeds to a 'cause". When my local church met on hay bales out in a field and everyone knew and loved each other personally, instead of the impersonal multi-campus mega church it has become. When my favorite bloggers were not afraid to be unpopular or say things that might offend their friends. Now they are pastors and leaders and need to be safe. They now quote puritan's bold remarks instead of making their own. When people that wrote songs for the love of God rather than to sell more albums. The minute my old home church got a building we were more careful in our conversation so as to not offend new believers. Most saddening of all is how I remember my own boldness before I had a family and a career. You want to stay quiet and blend in and not do anything to jeopardize your  stability. You don't want to say the wrong thing and loose your job. Truth has a cost. We must pay the cost or Truth will not be Truth. You will only have a shadow of it. If you stand with truth there is a price to pay. I have friends that lost their jobs standing for truth. I have seen good pastors that were fired for correcting their congregations. I have lost friends when they find out about my beliefs. I think I have the faith in my God to defend truth. I am willing to pay the price. Jesus paid the price. I will stand. Will you?

STUPID PERSON OF THE DAY

Stupid person of the day will be a new feature. These posts will be without comment. If you cannot figure out why these people are void of intelligence then I have nothing more to say.

Genesis 9:3

English Standard Version (ESV)

³ Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything.

DO I QUALIFY FOR GOVERNMENT HANDOUTS ?

DO YOU LOOK LIKE THIS?

IF NOT....NO YOU DO NOT. GET A JOB!
GET 2 JOBS IF YOU NEED TO. 
If you do look like the above photo, I am more than happy to help you out provided that you have no children to take care of you. In fact I am honored to help. 

ARE YOU A THIEF?

Our selfish lazy society has lost it's conscience concerning programs and institutions designed for those very rare occasions when people cannot provide for themselves. I am around lots of people each day and overhear hundreds of conversations. The media will have you believe that abuse is very limited and rare. This is not true , in fact it is widespread.
 I see on a weekly basis people talking about food stamps or some other government giveaway.  The first person is explaining with joy how they have been approved and now they will have extra money ( they did not say I will now not starve but that they would have more money) then the second person (who was doing well enough without a handout) gets excited when they learn they might qualify as well.
 I remember during the last hurricanes (Katrina and Ike) the rumors that the government was giving out free money to anyone that wanted it. There really were some places that were distributing pre loaded debit cards with thousands of dollars on them. People were using different names and going through the line multiple times. There was a form you could fill out listing any loss you had and the government was giving reimbursements (isn't this why we buy insurance) People were making stuff up just to see what they could get.



 I see lines 2 miles long each Christmas where people get in line days before to receive toy donations. These people would rather spend 48 hours in line for $50 worth of toys than get a job and work 20 hours for the same amount of money or more.
 I cant give much detail about the lawsuit abuse cases I know about. I have a friend that worked in insurance and she says that most cases are fraudulent. My brother failed to slow down fast enough and lightly tapped the ear end of another car a few years ago. The lady basically said it was no big deal. When she got home her daughter must have seen an "opportunity" . All the sudden this lady was on crutches and a body cast calling for money every day. My brother's insurance company paid $10,000 to this woman. I saw another similar event recently. People know how to work the system so they do.
 I have another website where I try to promote small business. I try to teach people how to make money selling things on eBay. This is a great way to do work to support yourself. I do the hiring at a local business. There are jobs out there. The problem is most people are very lazy and do not want to work. They want people to work around their schedule, they do not want to move quickly, they do not want to learn or do things that make them feel awkward at first. They want more hours then they call in "sick" 3 days a week. No one wants to do anything to make themselves valuable to a company. People do not believe in self improvement. They don't have to. They have no incentive. They don't even go to an actual interview until their unemployment benefits expire. If people get everything the need for free they will not strive to improve their usefulness to society and business will not grow and neither will the economy because people will not be more productive.
 These people are thieves , leaches on society. They do not mind taking money from those that work hard.
Here is the Biblical , God given rules for charity. See how strict they are. There is a thin line between compassion and plain stupidity.


1 TIMOTHY 5
But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God. The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help. But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives. Give the people these instructions, too, so that no one may be open to blame. If anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for his immediate family, he has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband,and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the saints, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds.

As for younger widows, do not put them on such a list. For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry.Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge. Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also gossips and busybodies, saying things they ought not to. So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander. Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan.

If any woman who is a believer has widows in her family, she should help them and not let the church be burdened with them, so that the church can help those widows who are really in need.

If you can work then you should. If you can support yourself then do it. Stop stealing from others.

OUR RESPONSIBILITY

ACCEPT THE THINGS THAT GOD HAS COMMANDED YOU TO DO

As believers we are managers of the gifts that God has given us. We are to manage the short time that God has given us - not wasting it on our own vein pleasures but using it always for the exclusively to the glory of God. We are to manage the money and resources that are given to us by God - not as if it were ours to be wasted on anything but for your necessities (basic and not extravagant food - clothing - shelter) and for the glory of God. We are managers of this body of ours which is also the temple of the very Spirit of God. As the dwelling place of God's spirit we are not to defile God's temple with sin and should care for it as if it were not our own but as a caretaker of the temple of God. We are managers of one another and are to not only be watchful of ourselves but are to care for God's sheep. We are also managers of the grace and mercy of God. God freely gives these gifts of grace and mercy and we are not to despise them by returning to our old wicked ways. God has freed us from sin by His grace. To undo the work of grace and return to sin is to despise God's grace and considering it to be of no value to you. We are to use the grace of God to be transformed into the image of Christ. There are far too many that squander the gifts of God and live a wasteful life accomplishing nothing. ^{MATTHEW 25}

¹⁴   " For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them.
¹⁵   "To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey.
¹⁶   "Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents.
¹⁷   "In the same manner the one who had received the two talents gained two more.
¹⁸   "But he who received the one talent went away, and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.
¹⁹   "Now after a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them.
²⁰   "The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, 'Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.'
²¹   "His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.'
²²   "Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said, 'Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more talents.'
²³   "His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.'
²⁴   "And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, 'Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed.
²⁵   'And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.'
²⁶   "But his master answered and said to him, 'You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed.
²⁷   'Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest.
²⁸   'Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.'
²⁹   " For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away.
³⁰   "Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 

If you are going to call yourself a "Christian", a "believer", a child of "God", ect..., you should act in a way as to not shame the name of Christ. Constantly examine yourself to see that your life is within the will of God. People will judge the whole body of believers based on one person's actions. A Christian should have a loving spirit with an attitude that puts the needs of others before and instead of his own. There must be no pride, selfishness, arrogance, haughtiness, envyness, lustfulness, greed or any evilness in the mind of a believer. We must make a constant, daily effort to transform our mind from a mind based on self, greed and wickedness, to a mind focused on godliness, holiness, righteousness......and above all, love. The mind is the battlefield of good and evil. If no evil enters the mind, then no evil will be done. Righteousness will not be accomplished by trying to follow rules and laws. Righteousness is accomplished through the constant desire and through constant praying for the perfect mind of Christ. This should be the goal for all believers. Avoid anything that could possibly tempt you to sin, as we are a lot weaker than we would like to admit. The best way to prevent yourself from stumbling is to avoid temptation in the first place. You know the things that easily tempt you. You know how to avoid them. If you purposely place yourself in a situation that you know will be difficult to resist, you will most likely stumble. I know that there are times when temptation cannot be avoided. Sometimes it seems no matter how careful you are it can sneak up on you and take you unaware. Always pray to God for strength during these moments, pray for God to protect you from them. Also, do not become overconfident and think that you have mastered temptation, as you may not be as strong as you think. Do not take on too many obligations or activities as time easily slips away. If you do not find time for prayer, studying God's word, and fellowship with other believers, you will not find the strength to walk the path of righteousness. We must always remind ourselves that we are to live for God and not for ourselves. Also, Christians should look after one another and encourage each other so that no one becomes discouraged and falls back into sin. This has become very difficult to do as many churches are very large and a person can be "lost in the crowd".I recommend a very small church or a home church, as it is easier to get to know everyone. How can you give effective encouragement to another believer that you hardly know? Encouragement is very important, as is discipline. A person can hide his sin in a large crowd but it is much more difficult in a smaller assembly amongst close friends. Finally, a Christian's most important responsibility is to help others see that they need to acknowledge God and be reconciled to Him. Someone at one time has to have shared Jesus with you. Show your gratitude for that person and for Christ and tell someone else! Learn to show love to others especially to those that don't deserve it. Showing your love can usually have a greater effect on a person than anything you can say to them. Be sure that you always read the Word of God and pray for correct understanding as you don't want to be a false teacher and lead someone in error. Remember action speaks louder than words. Do not only be a hearer but be a doer. Knowing what it is to be righteous is not the same as being righteous. JAMES 1 22   But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.

(NKJV) Ephesians 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.  2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.   3But fornication and all uncleanness or covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints;   4 neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.   5 For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.   6Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.   7 Therefore do not be partakers with them.   8For you were once darkness, but now [you are] light in the Lord. Walk as children of light   9 (for the fruit of the Spirit [is] in all goodness, righteousness, and truth),   10finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.   11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose [them.]   12 For it is shameful even to speak of those things which are done by them in secret.   13 But all things that are exposed are made manifest by the light, for whatever makes manifest is light.   14Therefore He says: "Awake, you who sleep, Arise from the dead, And Christ will give you light."   15 See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,   16redeeming the time, because the days are evil.   17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord [is.]   18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,   19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord,   20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,   21 submitting to one another in the fear of God.   EPHESIANS 4      17So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. 18They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. 19Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more. 20You, however, did not come to know Christ that way. 21Surely you heard of him and were taught in him in accordance with the truth that is in Jesus. 22You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;23to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. 25Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26"In your anger do not sin"[4] : Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27and do not give the devil a foothold. 28He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need. 29Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.

COWARDS

Komen Foundation reverses funding decision of Planned Parenthood

Is there no one strong enough with true conviction to resist public opinion? Often the public is absolutely wrong. The trouble is most people are cowards. No one is willing to take risk for the betterment of society.Right now I lay next to my wife and I can see my daughter kicking in her womb. I hear her heartbeat. We already love her. She will not be born for another 2 months. It is legal for me to murder her and there are millions of people that not only would allow us to murder our child they would celebrate the right and privilege to have this wonderful ability to kill an inconvenient person. 

I was going to post a photo of an aborted baby here. I couldn't do it. It was terrible to see.

(CNN) -- Faced with a deluge of opposition that included pressure from lawmakers and internal dissent, one of America's leading breast cancer advocacy groups on Friday reversed itself on a decision that would have cut off funding to some Planned Parenthood projects.

"We want to apologize to the American public for recent decisions that cast doubt upon our commitment to our mission of saving women's lives," the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation said in a statement. "We will continue to fund existing grants, including those of Planned Parenthood, and preserve their eligibility to apply for future grants, while maintaining the ability of our affiliates to make funding decisions that meet the needs of their communities."

The group's earlier decision not to renew part of its longstanding partnership with Planned Parenthood, which operates hundreds of family clinics that perform abortions, triggered strong emotions across the country. It provoked objection even from some of its own affiliates.

LETS BE SUPERMEN

My last post was one part of the issue, the problem. It is easy for anyone to criticize so here is a plan for the solution. As believers we should take our faith seriously. We dedicate years of education for our career and hours a week on television and the internet but when it comes to understanding God not as we wish Him to be but as He really s we all the sudden get a headache because it is just too complicated. The complication lies in unbelief. God makes a tough statement and rather accept it like a child we rationalize our way out of it. That gives me a headache too. The alternative would be to simply accept truth , strive to achieve it and pray for God's grace when we come up short. The beginning is simply to acknowledge right as right and wrong as wrong - black and white. I remember as a young man reading parts in the Bible that scared me because I did not want to live up to certain standards. I skipped these chapters. I think a lot of people skip chapters. 
 Secondly we need to feed the struggling new believers instead of using all our resources and time trying to attract more unbelievers. If we are always wasting time on trite shallow watered down messages so we do not scare any new believer off (they are all just so fragile) we will never row our own. If you actually read your Bible you would know that you need not worry about scaring anyone off. God says that He opens the ears to hear and the heart to believe. It is a miracle hat anyone would come to Him. He gives each person the faith to believe so why do we try to do His job by manipulating His message to accommodate those that are not His. If we were to not remove the offence of the gospel and unbelievers  did take offence they would not hang around.    We might start to look different from the world as a church.
 If when we worshiped we sang to God for His praise and not our entertainment. I have to laugh to myself when almost every time people say "I really felt God's presence in worship today" They felt God's presence when the drum beat increased , the chorus came to a climax , or when they had entered a trance like state after singing a one line chorus for the 67th time.They felt His presence when the stage performers closed their eyes , raise their hands and start gyrating like an old Elvis Presley  performance. They don't even remember the words. Worship should come because you are singing something meaningful to our God without the distraction of a performance. I feel "God's presence" when my heart agrees with the message of the song and I am in communion with God in this profound message. 
 Finally when we do a work for God, let it be standing up for His truth and living Holy and upright, encouraging and correcting other believers and living a simple life. We do not need any more so called missions where do-gooders invent new acts of kindness in the name of our Lord with no message about who our Lord is or what He expects.

 

WHY HAVE WE CREATED STEREOTYPICAL PARODIES OF OURSELVES?

FROM THE DICTIONARY OF COMMON PERCEPTION
CHRISTIAN : A feminine do good-er that does trite nice things for the praise of others and the uplifting of their own self esteem. A person that knows nothing of what they believe and cannot defend their position in a thoughtful logical way - but they believe what they believe and defend it with anger and name calling. They need a person to read the same book over and over to them each week explaining in detail the simplest concepts. The book is constantly having to be reduced from a high school reading level to a second grade reading level with pictures,video,and stage props because the majority of Christians are just too stupid to read the Bible for what it says, understand and follow directions. An amazing fact considering that most of the book was written by uneducated fishermen , shepherds , from a third world country. This isn't MIT material. They sing songs that are reduced to hypnotic trances and mantras of the same 4 words over and over lead by a kid with uncombed hair, dirty clothes with holes in their pants who sing so loud that they drown out the congregation. They then get so caught up in their performance they don't notice that no one can keep up with their new version of a song they thought they knew.
 They beg everyone for money and think that getting others to help them in their cause is some kind of sacrifice on their own part. When confronted with the strong statements that they claim to believe (it is in the Bible of course) they back down and explain that the Bible doesn't really say what it really says and apologize for the offence. 
Then there are the zealots where everything small unimportant thing is an offence. I am offended at your smoking,drinking,language,heathen ways,and I AM VERY ANGRY AND UPSET!!!! Why is that? If there is an offence it is not against the Christian but against God. Why take offence? Don't you expect people to act like people? Why are you surprised?
They claim that Jesus saved them then try to save themselves by good works because as we all know all good people go to heaven. Then they say we are all sinners. They claim to believe the book of Genesis is true and then say we are also decedents of apes. They believe in marriage and then welcome gay lovers into their membership and fellowship without any judgement. They sing and dance and do mission work with poor people then divorce their wives , cheat on their taxes, step on others climbing the cooperate ladder,run of the older church members who do not like the most recent fads in the church. They create a carnival like atmosphere to get you in the door , tell you how wonderful you are and how with God you can succeed, then ask you to please invite Jesus to live in your heart (whatever that means).. They shake your hand and give you a fake smile , tell you how great it is to have you here with them today , show you the donuts and coffee , lead you to a Bible study where no one actually brings a Bible or even mentions it. They give you another fake smile as you go and wish you come back again. 


WE HAVE MADE A JOKE OF OURSELVES AND I AM NOT OFFENDED WHEN PEOPLE LAUGH AT US. I LAUGH TOO , THEN I CRY.

SAFETY NET TRAMPOLINE OR HAMMOCK

How do you view sin in light of God's grace. God knows that we will never be perfect and that is why he provides grace. He does not have to show us mercy or grace. We have no claim on it. We have no right to it. We should be thankful for it. It is to be used as a safety net for those times when we slip and fall. We are not to abuse God's grace by jumping into sin like a play trampoline knowing God will forgive us or even falling asleep completely and using the safety net as ha hammock where we put no effort at all into living as a child of God.

IT IS NOT WRONG TO DO RIGHT

It is not wrong to live like you believe Jesus is God
It is not wrong to believe in marriage and traditional Biblical family with no option of divorce.
It is not bad to work hard and EARN money for your family
It is not wrong to judge between right and wrong and to call evil as evil
It is not wrong to expect others to be responsible.
It is not wrong to push people to provide for themselves.
It is not wrong to teach a child self discipline instead if giving them an excuse with medication and a "condition"
It is not wrong to say that scientists ALWAYS contradict themselves and the scientific method is a logical fallacy and evolution is a religion.
It is not wrong to correct a fried or neighbor or family member for the betterment of faith and society.
It is not wrong to pray in public or worship with enthusiasm. 
It is not wrong to stand your ground against political correctness.
It is not wrong to call a man a man and a woman a woman even if they believe they are otherwise.
It is not wrong to make a judgement on a person's character if they are a different race.
It is not wrong to do right. 

YOU DO NOT BELIEVE GOD IF YOU BELIEVE EVOLUTION

TWENTY REASONS WHY GENESIS AND EVOLUTION DO NOT MIX
Many people believe that they can add evolution to the Bible. They think that by doing this they can explain life coming about as a result of God’s use of evolutionary processes. This position is known as "theistic evolution." However, this is totally inconsistent with Scripture. (An offshoot of theistic evolution, which is sometimes promoted by Christians who are sensitive to criticism of evolution, is known as progressive creation. This idea holds that while life was developing through the vast ages imagined by evolutionists God stepped in at various times along the way. At each point He created something new which the evolutionary process could not accomplish without this help from God. Progressive creation implies that God’s forethought in creation was not adequate for the complete evolutionary process at the beginning. It will be seen that the arguments against progressive creation are covered by the arguments against theistic evolution, particularly with reference to death and struggle existing before man.)
1. NO DEATH BEFORE ADAM’S FALL
Evolution teaches that for millions of years before man things have lived and died. They have fought and struggled, killed and been killed. It was a world without mercy—"nature red in tooth and claw." This history of evolution is a history of death. Death has been "from the beginning."
The Bible clearly teaches that death, particularly the physical and spiritual death of man, entered the world only after the first man Adam sinned.
In #Ro 5:12 the Apostle Paul wrote: "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." In #1Co 15:21-22, "For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." In #Ge 3:22-23 we read: "And the Lord God said, ‘Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever:’ Therefore the Lord God sent him forth from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken." Adam was sent out of the garden so he could not live forever. In other words, he would have to die.
But what about the animals? Was death a part of the created animal world? There are a number of reasons why I believe animal death as well as human death did not occur before the Fall.
(a) Could animals have died from old age? Before the Fall animals could not have died of old age because #Ro 8:1-11 reminds us that corruption and decay entered the world only with sin. Death by old age would have meant that animal bodies would have been wearing out and corruption would have existed. This would not fit with the description that before sin everything in God’s creation was "good." #Isa 51:6 tells us that after sin "the earth shall wax old like a garment...." In #Ro 8:22 we read that because of sin "the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now." Thus, it is obvious that the whole of creation, which must include all living creatures, has been subject to "the bondage of corruption" (#Ro 8:21) only as a result of the curse because of Adam’s sin. Death from old age, therefore, only began with the curse.
As we live in a world where everything wears out, it is difficult to understand how aging could not happen in the pre-Fall world. However, we are shown a glimpse of the solution in #De 8:4. God reminded the Israelites that during their wanderings in the wilderness their "raiment waxed not old" upon them, "neither did thy foot swell these forty years." Clearly, this was an unusual, supernatural preservation provided by God for His people’s particular circumstances.
We do not see this happening today. Our clothes wear out quickly. However, when God sustains something totally, this wearing-out does not happen. It is obvious that before the Fall everything had been created "good," and nothing would have worn out.
(b) Could animals have died when Adam, or other animals ate them for food? Again, the answer would be "No!" Not only animals, but man and woman were told they were to eat only plants (#Ge 1:29). Animals could not have died from eating each other; #Ge 1:30 tells us their food was also to be only plants. Also, as God created everything "good," animals could not have killed each other for the sake of killing. This would be opposite in meaning to "good." God, being a good God, would not create animals so that the stronger tried to eliminate the weak in a fight for survival. Also, as everything was created good, there could not have been disease to kill off animals or man. Diseases today contribute to our bodies’ wearing out, but this would not be consistent with what has been pointed out earlier.
(c) Could animals have died accidentally? Again, this would go against the concept of "good." Such a question overlooks the sovereignty and greatness of God. As we have seen, God can sustain things so that even clothes do not wear out. Before sin came into the world, death was not even a question—God had total control of the creation and sustained it 100 percent! There was no corruption and no decay. Hence, death was not even a possibility. Adam was made in the image of the all-caring God, and the animals were in his charge. He cared for them. Death and bloodshed came into the world as a judgment from God for man’s rebellion. But at the same time death was the very means by which man was to be redeemed. So bloodshed could not have exited before man’s fall.
There was no bloodshed before Adam sinned: everything was perfect and death was not a part of animal existence. However, Adam did sin; and God, in giving His covenant to Adam, had laid down the condition that death was to be the reward of disobedience. We then read that God Himself was the first shedder of blood, because He gave Adam and Eve coats of skin to cover their nakedness (#Ge 3:21). There is no specific command recorded, but we do know that "And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering" (#Ge 4:4). It is evident, then, that the requirement was understood. The writer of Hebrews (#Heb 9:22) observes that "without shedding of blood is no remission." God fulfilled two undertakings after the Fall: (a) that man should die as the penalty for his sin; and (b) that the Seed of the woman should bruise the serpent’s head, and the serpent should bruise His heel. So death and bloodshed are the consequences of sin; the penalty which Christ, the last Adam, bore by His death and shedding of blood on the cross but triumphed over in His glorious resurrection for the redemption of man. If death and bloodshed existed before man sinned, the redemption message is nonsense.
Evolution teaches that death and bloodshed existed virtually from the beginning. Millions of years of animals fighting for survival—shedding blood and eating each other—is part of the mechanisms of evolution which brought man into existence. It is completely contrary to the Biblical history of the world.
Evolution says death plus struggle brought man into existence; the Bible says man’s actions led to sin, which led to death. These two are totally contradictory. If evolution is true, then the reason Christ died on the cross has been destroyed.
2. ADAM DID NOT FALL "UPWARDS"
Christians talk about the fact that Adam "fell." The "Fall of Adam" refers to the fact that when God made everything it was perfect. However, because of his action, Adam was responsible for something terrible happening to the whole of creation. #Ro 8:22 says, "For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now." Because of Adam’s sin, God cursed the whole of creation, including the stars, the ants, the elephants and people.
In Genesis we read, "Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field" (#Ge 3:14). "Cursed is the ground for thy sake" (#Ge 3:17). God placed a curse on the world because of Adam’s rebellion. Therefore, the creation went from a perfect state to a cursed state. As a result of the curse, the whole of creation has been running down ever since—groaning and travailing in pain.
In other words, things are getting worse, not better. The evolutionary belief tells us that things have been improving—life has been evolving into more and more complex forms. For those Christians who believe in evolution, man should be improving—not getting worse. In fact, if Adam was part of an evolutionary progression, how could he fall upwards? What is sin? Is sin an inherited animal characteristic, or is it due to the fall of man through disobedience?
As scientists come to understand more of what is going on in this world, they find that our whole genetic make-up is degenerating. Mistakes in our genes are causing our physiology to have more and more problems.
3. NEW HEAVEN AND NEW EARTH
In #Ac 3:21 we read: "Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began." The Bible speaks of a time when this creation will be restored that is, put back to what it used to be. This itself indicates that something is dreadfully wrong with today’s world. For Christians who accept evolution, Paul’s words about the whole of creation groaning and travailing in pain are meaningless.
The same is true when one speaks of the new heaven and new earth in which, as Scripture tells us, "righteousness dwells." Why is there need of a new heaven and new earth unless there is something wrong with the old one? #Isa 11:6-9 tells us what it will be like in the new heaven and the new earth:
"The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea." Here the description indicates that animals will not eat each other, but will eat plants (vegetarian) and that there will be no violence or suffering.
#Re 22:3 tells us, "And there shall be no more curse." #Re 21:4 states: "And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away."
The description of what will happen in the restoration of all things can be summarized as follows: no death, no suffering, no bloodshed, no curse, vegetarian animals, no tears, no crying, no pain. This certainly is not a description of today’s world yet it is a description of a restoration, of something that reflects its former state.
When we read #Ge 1:1-2:25, we find a description of the original creation no death, no violence, animals vegetarian. In other words, this present creation will be restored to what it used to be because there is something dreadfully wrong with it at the moment. If a person accepts evolution, then what is the restoration going to be? Death, struggle and violence as we see today? Of course, this makes nonsense of the teachings of the new heaven and new earth given in Scripture.
4. ANIMALS CREATED TO BE VEGETARIAN
When we observe today’s world, we notice that many animals eat other animals. Humans also eat the flesh of animals. The fact that we see violence among animals has been described by one poet as "nature red in tooth and claw." Evolutionists label the struggle as the "survival of the fittest." They see it as part of the evolutionary process. For theistic evolutionists, carnivorous (meat-eating) animals are just a part of this "creation" that God has supposedly used in the struggle towards man’s evolution.
However, #Ge 1:29-30 says: "And God said, ‘Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to everything that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat:’ and it was so."
Man and animals were created to be vegetarians. This, of course, fits with the fact that there was no death before Adam’s Fall. But, because of the entrance of sin into the world, death resulted. Sin affected the world so much that God caused a flood to come upon the earth in judgment. #Ge 6:12-13 states: "And God looked upon the earth, and, behold it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth." Part of this violence could have been animals starting to kill each other and perhaps man, and vice versa. Actually, though, man was not given specific instructions from God that he could eat meat until after Noah’s Flood. #Ge 9:3 tells us: "Every moving thing that liveth shall be meat for you; even as the green herb have I given you all things."
Many people think that because animals have certain kinds of teeth they must have been created to be meat-eaters. However, there are many animals living today that have sharp canine teeth that eat only plants. Originally the teeth of these animals were used to eat the plants which God had made for them. As a result of the Fall, some animals now eat meat. Also, the Bible does not exclude the possibility of direct action by God at the time of the Fall having a direct biological effect on the creatures in relation to feeding habits.
5. CREATION IS FINISHED
The Bible teaches clearly that God finished His work of creating and making things on the sixth day of creation. "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made" (#Ge 2:1-3). God’s work of creation finished at the end of the sixth day, when God completed all He had set out to do. However, because of man’s fall God now works at reconciliation.
Those who believe that God used evolution must believe that the same processes God used in this supposed evolutionary "creation" are going on today. When the evolutionist looks at the world today, he observes mutations (mistakes or changes in genes) and natural selection (survival of the fittest) and sees these as part of the mechanisms of evolution. Given enough time, natural selection and mutations are said to enable organisms to change from one kind into another. What the evolutionist is doing, then, is using processes he observes today to extrapolate into the past. He believes these processes over millions of years are the basic mechanisms of evolution.
Christians who say God used evolution to bring everything including man into being have a real problem. If evolution is not occurring today (that is, if God is not "creating" through evolution), there is no basis to extrapolate into the past to say that evolution has ever occurred, as there is now no mechanism for it.
In other words, modern evolutionary theory accepts that evolution is still going on (therefore, man must still be evolving!), so if a Christian accepts evolution he has to accept that God is still using evolution today. Thus, He is still creating. But God tells us that He finished His work of creating. This is a real dilemma for the theistic evolutionist.
6. DUST TO ADAM—RIB TO EVE
We read in #Ge 2:7 how God made the first man: "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul."
According to the verse, taken at face value God made the first man Adam from the dust of the ground. His wife Eve was made in a different way. "And the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the Lord God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. And Adam said, ‘This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called "Woman," because she was taken out of Man’" (#Ge 2:21-23).
The first woman, Eve, was made from Adam’s side. There are many Christians who, having accepted evolution, say that the "dust" in Genesis 2:7 actually represents the chemicals that God used to start the evolutionary process. Thus Genesis 2:7 represents a summary of evolution that is, chemicals-to-man. Yet people who hold this belief have an insurmountable problem: if dust-to-Adam represents chemicals-to-man, then what does rib-to-Eve represent? To be consistent one needs an adequate explanation, and there is none if one accepts evolution. Eve did not come directly from dust, but from an already fully functional created man.
7. RETURN TO DUST
Some people say that "dust" in Genesis 2:7 represents the animal (e.g., ape-like creature) that God breathed into and made a man (Adam). They say that when the Bible tells us God took dust and made Adam, it is symbolic of the evolutionary understanding that ape-like creatures evolved into human beings. But again, one must be consistent. #Ge 3:19 states, "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return."
If the dust God used to make Adam represents an ape-like creature that God used to make man, then according to the Bible the dust from which man was made is what he returns to when he dies. To what "animal" does man return when he dies? Anyone can observe that when we die we return to dust just as the Bible says. Dust of the ground, to which we return, is what we were created from in the first place!
8. GOD IS GOOD
In #Ge 1:31 God pronounced of His creation that "it was very good." What did He mean by "good?" The only way you would know is if you had an absolute with which to make a comparison. Jesus said in #Mt 19:17, " there is none good but one, that is, God." In #Ps 25:8 were are told, "Good and upright is the Lord." Therefore, when God pronounced His creation as "good," what existed reflected the attributes of a God who is good. When we look at the attributes of God we see, for instance, as exhibited in the New Testament through Jesus Christ, that He cared for the sick, He healed the suffering, He raised the dead, He had compassion, He helped the weak. He is a loving and good God.
Now think about the methods of evolution: elimination of the weak, survival of the fittest, death and struggle in an evolutionary progression, elimination of the unfit, and so on. Would God have used this method in bringing all life being and then describe it as good? Of course not—this would be totally inconsistent with God’s nature as revealed in the Scriptures, Christians who believe that God used evolution must consider Him an ogre!
9. GENESIS IS LITERAL HISTORY
Many claims that Genesis is only symbolic—a kind of analogy. They claim it is not important what Genesis says, only what it means. Actually, it cannot mean anything unless it says something anyway. Many Christians say that Genesis is meant only to teach us that God is Creator, but it is done in symbolic terms, because in reality the words really mean God used evolution.
However, if applying this idea—that Genesis is only symbolic—then one has to ask the question, "Where do we learn that God is Creator?" We can, of course, go to #Ge 1:1 which says, "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth." But if Genesis is only symbolic, to be consistent we would have to question whether the words "God created" are also symbolic. We would have to ask what this really means.
When people say Genesis is only symbolic, they are inconsistent, for they accept some parts as literal (such as "God created") and other parts as symbolic! If it is symbolic, then it must be written for a purpose, therefore, every phrase that is supposed to be symbolic must be a symbol of something. So one has to ask: What does every verse mean? What does it symbolize? For instance, what does "rib-to-Eve" symbolize? This makes no sense at all. (It is, of course, powerfully symbolic (more correctly a type) of the future relationship between Christ and His church. But what does it tell us, symbolically or poetically or whatever, in its own context, about beginnings? Old Testament types (e.g., Moses as a type of Christ) are always real people and events in real history. It is also important to note that the Jews divided their writings into three groups: history, poetry and prophecy. Genesis was included in their list of historical writings. Thus, they accepted it as real history.) Either you take it at face value, or you do not know what it means, for it has no purpose being there.
10. ALL DOCTRINES FOUNDED IN GENESIS
Any basic study of Biblical doctrines of theology will show that ultimately all doctrines, directly or indirectly, have their basis in the book of Genesis.
In #Joh 5:46-47 Jesus Christ said: "For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?" Jesus was emphatic that the writings of Moses had to be accepted to understand what He was saying because all the doctrines He taught were founded in Genesis. For instance, in #Mt 19:4-6 we read of His answer to the question about divorce that concerned marriage: "And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘for this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh.’ What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder."
Marriage has its foundation in Genesis—the first marriage God ordained is of Adam and Eve. To understand the meaning of marriage one must understand and accept it literal basis and origin as contained in the book of Genesis.
Christ died on a cross because of sin and death and the necessary shedding of blood for the remission of sins. The origin and basis of this is in the book of Genesis. We wear clothing because God gave clothes because of sin. We read this in the book of Genesis. To understand Christian doctrine we must understand the foundations of doctrine given in the book of Genesis. If Genesis cannot be taken literally, there is no foundation for Christian doctrine—therefore, Christian doctrine no longer has meaning.
Many people try to say that in the New Testament Jesus was only quoting the writings of His day—that He did not believe Genesis to be literal. They say that because the Jews happened to believe in the writings of Moses and in Genesis, Jesus just quoted this to go along with them. However, the Bible also teaches us that Jesus Christ is "the way, the truth and the life" (#Joh 14:6). Jesus is the "truth." To say that Jesus would knowingly teach "myth" as fact is to call Jesus Christ a liar. Jesus Christ was not just a man; He was not a sinner; He was the perfect "God-Man." Christians who say that Jesus was only quoting the myths of the day should be careful not to be calling Jesus a liar.
There are other instances where Jesus quoted from, or referred to, and thus accepted Genesis. For example, #Mt 24:37-39: "But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark. And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be."
11. NEW TESTAMENT REFERENCES TO GENESIS
There are many references throughout the New Testament to Genesis, accepting it as literal history—as truth. There are at least 165 passages in Genesis that are either directly quoted or clearly referred to throughout the New Testament. Included in these are more than 100 quotations or direct reference to Genesis chapters 1 through 11.
Every one of the New Testament authors refers in his writings to Genesis 1 through 11. Every one of the first 11 chapters is alluded to in certain sections throughout the New Testament. A complete listing of all New Testament references to Genesis can be found in Dr. Henry Morris’ excellent commentary on Genesis, The Genesis Record, co-published by Baker Book House and Creation Life Publishers.
Throughout the Old and New Testament Genesis is quoted from or referred to more than any other book in the entire Bible. This certainly indicates something of its importance. It also shows that both Old Testament and New Testament writers accepted Genesis as truth. On at least six occasions, Jesus Christ either quoted from or referred to some aspects of Genesis 1 through 11.
12. DAYS CANNOT BE MILLIONS OF YEARS
Many Christians claim that the days of creation actually represent millions of years of earth’s history. They say that God did not create the universe in six literal days but in six periods of time, representing the millions of years held by the evolutionists.
First of all, one has to recognize that science cannot prove the age of the earth. There are many assumptions behind all of the dating methods of which most people are not aware. There is also much scientific evidence consistent with a belief in a young earth. But the Bible itself teaches quite clearly that the days in Genesis are ordinary, literal days (approximately 24 hours).
The Hebrew world for day, yom, can mean an ordinary day or an indefinite period of time. It should be made clear that the word for day in Genesis can never mean a long period in the definite sense. It can mean something longer than a day, but only in the indefinite sense (e.g., in the time of the Judges, in the day of the Lord). #Ex 20:11 tells us that God created the universe in six days and rested on one as a pattern for man. This is the reason God took as long as six days to make everything. He set the seven-day week pattern for us, which we still use today. God did not say He worked for six million years and rested for one million years, telling us to do the same. It makes even less sense to suggest he worked for six indefinite periods of time.
There are many other aspects at which we could look to show that the days must be ordinary days. For example, Adam was created on day six. He lived through day six, and day seven, and died when he was 930 years old. If each day were a million years, there are big problems here, too. It also needs to be made clear that the passage in #2Pe 3:8, that compares a day to a thousand years is not defining the word day as a thousand years. In fact, taken in context II Peter 3:8 has nothing to do with the days of creation, but with the fact that God is outside time.
The word "day" when first used in Genesis cannot be symbolic. A word cannot be used symbolically the first time it is used. It can only be used symbolically when it first has a defined literal meaning. It is given this defined literal meaning in #Ge 1:5,8,13,19,23,31 the first time it is used. Also, the words used for the "evening" and "morning" can only mean exactly that.
In #Ge 1:14-19, concerning the fourth day of creation, the word "day" is used five times in relation todays, nights, seasons and years. If the word "day" here does not mean an ordinary day, it makes absolute nonsense of the way it is used in these passages.
13. AFTER HIS KIND
In #Ge 1:1-31, the phrase "after his kind" or "after their kind" occurs a total of ten times. This phrase is used in reference to the animals and plants as they are to reproduce on the earth. The Bible clearly teaches that God created fixed kinds of animals and plants, each to reproduce after its own kind. One kind could not change into another kind. Today we know there can be great variation within a kind, but fixed boundaries do exist. In fact, the classification system we use in naming animals and plants in groups was first formulated on the Biblical teaching of fixity of kinds, basically as the result of the work of Carl Linnaeus (1707-1778).
There is no indisputable in-between, transitional forms anywhere in the world, living or fossil. What we observe are distinct groups of animals and plants, as we would expect on the basis of what the Bible teaches. Those who believe in evolution have to make up additional theories as to why these in-between organisms are missing (e.g., "we have not found them yet," or "evolution happened so fast that it left no in-between forms").
14. EVOLUTION AND GENESIS HAVE A DIFFERENCE SEQUENCE
For those who try to harmonize evolution with Genesis, the order of evolution must compare with the order of events in Genesis. There are a number of problems here. The basic tenets of evolution totally conflict with the order in Genesis. For instance, Genesis teaches that God created fruit trees before fish—plants on day three, fish on day five. Evolution teaches that fish came before fruit trees. Evolution teaches that first life began in the sea, and after millions of years life was established on the land. The Bible teaches that the earth was first created covered with water: evolutionary teaching is that the earth first began as a hot molten blob. There is no way that the order of events according to evolution and Genesis can be reconciled.
15. THE EARTH CAME FIRST, NOT THE SUN
One evolutionary view of the earth’s beginning is that, 20 billion years ago a Big Bang occurred, which resulted eventually in the sun forming and, subsequently, the earth as a hot molten blob. The Bible teaches that when God first created the heavens and the earth there was no sun. Light was created on the first day, but the sun was to act as the light-holder and was not made until day four. Also, the earth was covered with water when it was first made. In #2Pe 3:5-6 we have a prophecy concerning the last days in which Peter tells us that men will deliberately choose to forget that the earth was created covered with water. The Big Bang theory and the Biblical account of creation are in total conflict.
16. GENESIS 1 AND 2 COMPLEMENTARY—NOT CONTRADICTORY
Since Moses was not an eyewitness to creation, Noah’s Flood or the events of the Tower of Babel, etc., presumably Genesis was a series of earlier records which Moses brought together in one publication under the direction of the Holy Spirit.
Because of the reference in the New Testament by Jesus to Moses and his authorship of the Pentateuch, there is very strong evidence to suggest that Moses was responsible for the book of Genesis. Throughout Genesis the phrase, "These are the generations of..." (e.g., #Ge 2:4), occurs a number of times. From external evidence, such as the use of what is called the colophon system in Mesopotamia, linguists say that these link passages ("these are the generations of") actually end each section. In other words, they are a kind of "signature" to most of the sections. Thus, in Genesis chapters 1 and 2 the first section goes from #Ge 1:1-2:4 a, and the second section goes from #Ge 2:4 b to #Ge 5:1 a.
Many people say that Genesis chapter 1 and Genesis chapter 2 are two contradictory accounts of creation. In reality, it is easy to see that these two accounts of creation are not contradictory but complementary. #Ge 1:1-2:4 a is an account in chronological order (first, second, third, etc.) of the days of creation. #Ge 2:4 b begins the second account, which is a more detailed coverage of certain aspects of Genesis chapter 1. This second account is not meant to be chronological of each day of creation. In fact, it is meant to give a lot more of the details—particularly in relation to man and the garden—setting the scene for the fall of man in Genesis chapter 3.
The second account is extremely necessary for us to understand what happened in Genesis chapter 3. Not only that, the second account includes the actual details as to how God made man and woman, enabling us to understand more about the nature of the marriage relationship. The pattern of placing a more general account before the recording of certain specific events is not confined to the first two chapters of Genesis. We find it again in #Ge 10:2-32 where we have a population distribution table. This is followed by #Ge 11:1-10, which tells us what happened at Babel in about the third generation of the distribution genealogy in Genesis 10.
It should be noted that in #Mt 19:4-5, when Jesus replied concerning the question relating to marriage, He actually quoted from Genesis chapter 1 and Genesis chapter 2 in His reply, showing that He took them as complementary and authoritative. #Mt 19:4 states: "Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female" (#Ge 1:27). #Mt 19:5: "And said, ‘for this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh’" (#Ge 2:24).
17. ADAM COULD WRITE
Those who believe in evolution speculate that as man evolved he first had to learn to grunt, then he had to learn to write. He had to use stone tools and learn about farming before he could develop what is called "advanced technology." However, the Bible tells us Adam was not "primitive" but a highly developed individual. For instance, we note in #Ge 2:20 that "Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field." Adam could obviously speak; he had a complex language.
Further, in #Ge 3:20 we are told that, "Adam called his wife’s name, Eve; because she was the mother of all living." In #Ge 5:1 we read that: "This is the book of the generations of Adam." Presumably, Adam wrote down all the details that God had given him concerning the original creation. He would have recorded the other events under God’s direction, and Moses later obtained this material and compiled it into the book of Genesis. If this is so, then Noah must have taken on board the precious documents that Adam had written, in whatever form they existed.
It should also be noted that Adam’s descendants made musical instruments and worked with brass and iron. #Ge 4:21-22 states: "And his brother’s name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ. And Zillah, she also bare Tubal-cain, an instructor of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubal-cain was Na-amah." They were not primitive savages in the evolutionary progression.
18. NOAH’S FLOOD WORLD-WIDE, NOT LOCAL
Those Christians who accept the evolutionary view of earth’s history believe that the billions of fossils found on earth are the result of the processes occurring over millions of years. These processes are said to have involved the slow formation of sedimentary layers associated with the trapping of organisms and their subsequent fossilization. Therefore, when it comes to the section in Genesis chapters 6 through 9 concerning Noah’s Flood, they have a problem. If there really was a world-wide flood, it would have ripped up this record from supposedly millions of years ago and destroyed it. On the other hand, the Bible teaches that there was no death before Adam sinned. Therefore, fossils could not have formed millions of years preceding Adam’s sin.
However, there has to be an explanation for the millions of preserved animals and plants laid down by water in layers all over the earth. A world-wide flood such as that of Noah’s time certainly is an excellent explanation. Christians who accept the fossil record as a result of millions of years of slow processes usually say Noah’s Flood was only local in extent, not world-wide. The Bible teaches clearly that the water covered "all the high hills, that were under the whole heaven. (#Ge 7:19).
In addition, we are told in #Ge 9:11-13 of the covenant of the rainbow. God put a rainbow in the sky as a sign He would never again destroy the earth by a flood. We have obviously seen lots of floods since that time, but God has not broken His covenant, as He cannot do that. Therefore, these passages cannot be referred to a local event, but something which will never be repeated—a world-wide flood!
19. THEISTIC EVOLUTION EQUALS ATHEISTIC EVOLUTION PLUS GOD
In reality, theistic evolution is no different from atheistic evolution. God is simply added to the story. Christians who believe God used evolution accept what the atheistic view tells them, and then add God to the situation and reinterpret the Bible. Understanding the nature of man, that he is sinful and biased against God and that "there is none righteous, no not one," any view concerning the origin of life which has a consensus of opinion among non-Christians should at least be suspect. As the Bible is the Word of God—the God who knows everything, who has always been there, who does not tell a lie—everything we believe and think must be judged against God’s Word. To understand any area of life we must have a Christian philosophy, which means we must start with the words of God, who was there, and not the words of men who were not.
20. ALL PEOPLE ARE DESCENDANTS OF ADAM
Because of their belief in evolution, there are Christians who consider that some of the cultures around the world are "primitive" in an evolutionary sense. They have not "evolved" as far as other cultures. However, the Bible teaches in #1Co 15:45 that Adam was the first man. There are not different races of men in an evolutionary sense. #Ro 5:12 tell us that because of one man’s sin (Adam) death passed upon all men, for all have sinned. All the different cultures of the world today have arisen since the time of the Tower of Babel. It was there that people began speaking different languages, causing them to go to different places on the earth’s surface.
Every human being has the same ancestor, Adam, which is why we all have the same problem of sin and the same need for a Saviour.
The same question the Lord asked the people of Israel through Joshua should be a stern reminder to us concerning whom we are choosing to believe. This passage states, "Now therefore fear the Lord, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the Lord" (#Jos 24:14).
Perhaps today we should ask ourselves a similar question. "Choose you this day whom you will believe: the words of men who are sinful creatures, who were not there, or the words of God who knows everything, who was there, and who has revealed to us all we need to know."