Tag: creation

Consider God

Psalm 93

Mountains peak, and valleys stretch far and wide. But, if you think that’s something, consider God. Oceans run deep, and great waves flow continuously. But, if you think that’s something, consider God. The sun shines bright from millions of miles away, and the moon, the same at night. But, if you think that’s something, consider God. The sky is filled with countless stars, that twinkle and sometimes shoot across the vastness of the heavens. But, if you think that’s something, consider God. Man and woman were made with an anatomy and systems more complicated than the space shuttle. But, if you think that’s something, consider God.

Our God, is awesome. He created the heavens, and the earth. He sustains and maintains His creation by His very word. It is a good thing, to give thanks and praise to the God of all creation.

The Butterfly Song

If I were a butterfly
I’d thank you Lord for giving me wings
If I were a robin in a tree
I’d thank you Lord that I could sing
If I were a fish in the sea
I’d wiggle my tail and I’d giggle with glee
But I just thank you Father for making me, me

For you gave me a heart and you gave me a smile
You gave me Jesus and you made me your child
And I just thank you Father for making me, me

If I were an elephant
I’d thank you Lord by raising my trunk
If I were a kangaroo
You know I’d hop right up to you

If I were an octopus
I’d thank you Lord for my fine looks
But I just thank you Father for making me, me

If I were a wiggly worm
I’d thank you Lord that I could squirm
If I were a fuzzy, wuzzy bear
I’d thank you Lord for my fuzzy, wuzzy hair

If I were a crocodile
I’d thank you Lord for my great smile
But I just thank you Father for
making me, me

For you gave me a heart and you gave me a smile
You gave me Jesus and you made me your child
And I just thank you Father for making me, me

(Written and composed by Brian M. Howard 1980)

Natural Vs. Technological

Jeremiah 27:5

“I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are upon the ground, by my great power and by my outstretched arm…”

Sitting by the water, trying to understand some verses of scripture I read, I looked into the sky, then saw a bird, and an airplane flying directly over my head simultaneously. Immediately, I considered God’s beautiful, and natural creation, in contrast to man’s inventions. God made all things very good, and has sustained His creation for thousands of years. Man, through God’s wisdom, has developed countless technological advancements that can only mimic what God originally set in motion. Man cannot fly like the birds of the air, so they made airplanes to soar through the skies, in order to travel from place to place without restriction. Fish can swim at various depths of the sea, but man can’t withstand the pressures at lower levels. For this reason, the submarine was invented, so that men could traverse the deep waters of God’s great oceans. Man can only imitate, what God spoke into existence, so all should honor and appreciate the mighty God of all creation, and His magnificent handiwork.

Deeply Rooted

Ephesians 3

When God created the world, He planted a great variety of trees, plants, and flowers all over the earth. Many tress and other types of flora are good for food, and offer a variety of other beneficial uses, but the most important part of any tree or plant is, it’s roots. According to easytogrowbulbs.com, the roots of a plant have several important functions. The roots anchor the plant in place, resisting the forces of wind and running water or mud flow. The root system takes in oxygen, water and nutrients from the soil, to move them up through the plant to the stems, leaves and blooms.  Roots often store the energies created by the plant through photosynthesis, to make them available to the plant as it is needed. Plant roots also stimulate and support microorganisms in the soil that benefit plant life.

Roots are vital to the survival and overall wellbeing of plant life, but what the roots are planted in, is the major benefactor in what it can bring forth. Jesus spoke a parable in Matthew 13 that reads, “Behold, a sower went forth to sow; And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.”

When roots are planted in good ground, the probability of the tree bringing forth fruit is extremely high, but when tress are planted in unfavorable areas, they’ll bring forth little to no increase. When those who claim to be sons and daughters of God have their hearts rooted and grounded in love, they’ll undoubtedly bring forth much fruit for the kingdom of God. But, to those who have set their affections on things below, including money, power, wealth, careers, cars, or celebrity, they’ll never be fit for God’s kingdom. Although many aren’t rooted in God’s love, they have been blessed with limited time to get their hearts right with the Father. Are you deeply rooted in love, or are you planted in unfavorable, and unprofitable ground?

Traditions Of Men

Mark 7:1-8

Fighting the good fight of faith ain’t always easy, especially when there are always those who are content with finding fault in literally everything you do. As I approach the 40 year age mark, I’ve come to the conclusion, when a person receives God’s salvation, they are automatically assigned certain haters, who will make it their business to slander their name, no matter the cost.

Whether you do go, or not so good, your haters will make everything you do, seem as if it’s the end of the world, while at the same time, neglecting to correct the faults and issues in their own lives. This was an accurate account of the life of Jesus and those who followed after Him. Whether Jesus taught in synagogues, or in desert places, there would oftentimes be certain groups of Pharisees and scribes, who would investigate all that Jesus and His disciples did, in order to find fault in them. The sole purpose of those who hated Jesus was, to silence Him from speaking truth, but Jesus knew how to handle them in a way that actually should have change their hearts. Unfortunately, some had hearts of stone, and were too engulfed in themselves, until even the Son of God recognized when to let them be.

In our text, the Jews had a tradition that involved washing themselves in a proper way, before eating. Even after coming in from the market, the Jews would wash themselves accordingly, and only eat after they were considered clean. On a certain day, while performing their usual investigation, the scribes and Pharisees noticed some of Jesus’ disciples eating bread, without washing themselves beforehand, according to their tradition. As expected, these shallow-minded men were quick to bring their concern to Jesus. The Pharisees and scribes asked Jesus, “Why walk not thy disciples according to the tradition of the elders, but eat bread with unwashen hands?” If these men truly knew God as He was taught from generation to generation from the days of Moses, until their present time, they would have understood that man’s traditions can never supercede God’s commands, and would have refrained from mentioning this issue altogether. But, Jesus knew the intent of the men’s hearts, and exposed their wickedness by using Scripture. Jesus mentioned how the prophet Isaiah spoke of the future, when men would honor God with their lips, but not from their hearts. The Son of God continued and spoke how men were prophesied to worship God in vain, and teach doctrines of man’s commandments, while ignoring the commandments of God. Obviously, Jesus was referring to the scribes and Pharisees before Him, and literally called them, hypocrites, for caring more about keeping traditions to look holy in the midst of others, rather than humbling themselves by honoring the commandments of the Lord.

Never allow yourself to get caught up in what men deem as proper living, especially if it’s not taught in Scripture. Learn to live, not by the experiences of others, instead, by aligning your life with what’s taught in the Word. This way, you’ll never be deceived into making the traditions of men, more honorable than the commandments of God.

All Of You

Jeremiah 29:10-14

“…Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” (Matt. 22:37). Why does God require total soul surrender, and unrestricted dedication in order to receive all that He has prepared for those who love Him? Being the creator of all things, and the one who sustains creation, why doesn’t God freely grant blessings, long life, and health to all men, despite what standards they choose to live by? In His defense, God is willing and able to do “exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,” but He can only stay true to His promises, when man meets certain conditions. In other words, you can’t withdraw money from a bank or institution of which you have no account with.

God requires all of us, because He made us for His purpose, and He takes pleasure in those who delight themselves in His Word. Man was created in the image of God, and after His likeness, then was placed in a garden where the Spirit of the Lord dwelled. Unfortunately, the perfect union between God and man was severed, after Adam disobeyed a simple command from the Lord. Adam lost his account with God’s bank, and was forced to leave the premises.

God desires all of us, including our hearts, minds, and souls, because He understands the great things we can accomplish in His strength. The Father is also aware of the fact that man can be influenced by satan, and submit themselves to his deceptive will as well. For this reason, it’s imperative that all men cling to godliness, and make daily meditation in the Word a priority. This way, the mind can be filled with the knowledge of God’s Word, the heart can be softened by the words of Scripture, and the soul can eventually become more bonded with the truth that’s revealed in the Holy Bible.

What Do You Believe?

John 11:38-45

Do you believe that God is really real? Do you believe that He existed for eternity? Do you believe that He spoke the entire universe into existence? Do you believe He made angels, cherubim, and seraphim to dwell in His holy habitation? Do you believe that He created the heaven, and the earth, and filled it with all kinds of amazing creatures? Do you believe that He made a man from the dust of the earth, and breathed into him the breath of life? Do you believe all the people who have ever existed came from the first man and woman? Do you believe that one of the holy cherub, rebelled against God in heaven, and was cast down to the earth? Do you believe a demon possessed serpent deceived one of Gods most coveted creations? Do you believe that sin and death became prevalent in the earth by man? Do you believe that from sin came sickness, disease, hatred, disobedience, dissention, division, malice, grief, headache, heartache, suffering, pain, shame, and countless other unfavorable things? Do you believe that God the Father loves you like CRAZY?! Do you believe that God proved His love by sending His perfect Son to the earth, to undo the mess caused by the first man? Do you believe that while on earth, Jesus healed sickness and disease, cast out demons from innocent souls, and raised some from the dead? Do you believe that the times we are living in today, were prophesied thousands of years ago? Do you believe that all those who died trusting in the Word of God, died in vain? Do you believe God is watching you as you suffer, yet endure during these times of great contention? Do you believe that despite how evil the world is, there are many who are standing strong in the Lord, and haven’t bowed down to idols? Do you believe the Bible is right? Do you believe there is any other way to God, except through His Son, Jesus? What do you believe?

Can You Imagine?

Isaiah 49:1-7

Mankind has lived and abided in this troubled world for thousands of years. We inhabit a world of sickness, disease, violence, and a number of other evil associations, that continue to plague the lives of men today. Oftentimes, it seems as if the hope of even having a good day is hopeless, and the joy that’s promised to come in the morning, will never come. Aside from the obvious and observable truths of this present world, when’s the last time you took a moment to consider an eternity in the new Heaven, and new earth?

Our corruptible bodies will soon be changed to incorruptible, and we will change from mortal, to immortality. An eternity in the presence of the God of all creation, Jesus the Saviour, and the sweet Holy Spirit, will be a daily breathtaking experience. During this timeless experience, All who have received God’s free gift of salvation, will be rewarded for all their labor in the earth. The long days of trial and struggle, the sleepless nights praying to God for provision for family, friends, and the poor, and the countless hours spent, showing godly love to those who worked against us, will pay off.

Remaining steadfast in the Lord is not in vain, but will net the believer eternal rewards. Imagine an endless world, where sickness is non-existent, pain is nowhere to be found, the toils of working paycheck to paycheck are over, and all men will be of one mind, one heart, and one spirit. While it may seem unfortunate to abide in a world that promotes evil and wickedness, God has equipped the church with the necessary resources to withstand in this time of peril.

Look forward to that promised future, where we will live with God forever, and use that blessed hope to motivate you to continue fighting the good fight, especially in times when you feel like giving up.

“Let go of the world, cling to God, and make your life count.” – Ell

Who Is Jesus?

John 10:11-18

I am the good shepherd, and I know my sheep…As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father…I lay down my life for the sheep…other sheep I have, I must bring…I lay down my life, that I may take it again…No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself…I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again…

Jesus is amazing! His love for the Father, extended to those who were committed to His charge. Jesus lived a selfless life, and never hesitated to express His love to anyone. Whether it was through teaching, healing, or rebuking, Jesus was responsible for changing the lives of countless men and women throughout the Scriptures. From the beginning of His ministry, until the end, Jesus held true to His Father’s will; never wavering to the left, nor the right, despite the many temptations presented to Him (some by satan himself).

Jesus is the savior of all mankind, and held the power to literally lay down His life, then take it again, so that salvation could be brought to all who would be willing to receive it. The life of Jesus was literally love in action. His words, works, and behavior were all mirror images of the character of God, and gave a vivid understanding of who God is, but in the form of a man. Just as God is, Jesus was patient, kind, merciful, generous, selfless, meek, compassionate, and all the other fruit of the Spirit found in the very nature of the Creator.

I love Jesus, because without Him, I would be drifting away into utter darkness. I am so glad, He came for me, died for my sins, arose to take victory from the grave, and the sting from death, so that I can have an invitation to spend eternity with Him in peace. This is who Jesus is to me. Who is He to you?

“What do you and God have in common?” – Ell