Eagles and God

Eagles and God

The imagery God uses to describe His nature and the way He works on this earth is so remarkable. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus used the imagery of God’s careful attention to the lily of the field. His clothing of a lily whose “lifespan” is so brief is God’s assurance He will cloth us. In that sermon, He talked of God’s care for birds who make no provision like sowing and reaping, yet God is still so involved in their lives. God has placed in His creations imagery that helps us understand Him.

Consider God's imagery regarding eagles.

Consider God’s imagery regarding eagles.

Take as example of this truth His creation of the eagles. Solomon, the wisest man of the Old Testament, mentions four things which far surpass his ability to comprehend. Heading that list is “…the way of an eagle in the air” (Prov. 30:19). For thousands of years, men have watched birds soaring in the air. Yet, it was only about a hundred years ago that mankind began to fly. The majesty of the eagle is so remarkable.

When God brought the Jews from Egyptian bondage He manifested His power. His ten plagues of judgment on the Egyptians brought more devastation on Egypt than we can begin to imagine. The mightiest power of that time was driven to its knees as the holocaust from heaven destroyed their lives. They even lost their precious jewels and gold, yet not a single battle was fought. When they arrived at Mt. Sinai, God said to them, “You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you unto Myself” (Ex. 19:4). The imagery is not of them being plucked by an eagle with its talons and snatching them from bondage but of them soaring out of that land on the wings of a majestic eagle.

In the last month of Moses’ life, he taught Israel to sing the song of Moses. In the early verses of that song, they sang of God’s concern for His people as shown in their deliverance from the bondage of Egypt. The song describes how the eagles of that land taught the young eagles to fly. The older eagles fluttered over the nest and urged the eaglets to leave the safety of that nest. If and when they wearied in flight, they could find rest on the wings of their parents (Deut. 32:11). This is how those young eagles learn to soar. This is also how He deals with us.

The application of this imagery is so vivid in our lives. His eyes are over us, and His ears are open to our prayers. He knows our needs before we ask, and He promises to answer our fervent prayers. As the eagle takes its young and places them on its back, so He takes us. He promises that “…those who wait on the Lord shall…mount up with wings like eagles” (Isa. 40:31).

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Bring about Change

Can One Person Make a Difference?  Absolutely!

20 Ways to Get Involved and Make Your World a Better Place

The world needs change. Are you ready?

The world needs change. Are you ready?

It happens just about every weekend. A sincere Christian will approach me and ask: “What can we do about it.” I, myself, am not one to quickly grab a picket sign, so I can appreciate their question. What they really want to know is what the average person can do to help effect change in our nation. The following suggestions are meant to be starting points and not final answers. In fact, we would welcome additional suggestions from our readers. But here are just a few things Christians can do to help turn this world upside down—again.

  1. Read the Bible—it’s probably the simplest thing that Christians can do; unfortunately, the one thing that is often left undone. If the Word does not reside in our hearts, then we won’t be convicted and desire a change. Staying in the Word helps combat desensitization from worldly morals.
  2. Pray—another simple but powerful act. Take time each day to pray for the leaders of our country and the direction our nation is turning.
  3. Start at home—the remaining suggestions will be in vain if we neglect our own families. If we are going to repair the moral compass of this nation we must first ensure our own family knows right from wrong. Use daily activities to teach them biblical principles. [This one is a serious danger for many preachers, teachers, and business men who try to help “save the world,” but lose their own families. I speak from experience. I am on the road roughly 40 weekends per year, and thankfully my family is able to travel with me a great deal of the time.] Our family must see us live a wholesome life that honors God.
  4. Teach and preach the Truth—the time to worry about “political correctness” is over. Preachers and teachers must speak out where the Bible speaks out. The Bible condemns many of the actions taking place in the world today. It’s time people are reminded that these actions are still wrong! People seeking spiritual food do not need a bland, watered down version of the Truth. They need the whole Truth!
  5. Speak up—how many times have we heard Christians complain about television programming or the foul language used in movies? Now ask yourself: How many of those same Christians actually do anything about it? The FCC makes it simple and convenient to file a complaint. Just visit their Web site at http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/complaints.html. In addition, do not be afraid to let advertisers know that you are going to turn off particular shows or events because of the immoral content—and remind them that if they continue to support that particular type of material you will take your dollars elsewhere. (Most advertisers are easily found on the Web.) Additionally, contact your local networks. Pick up the phone and call your local station, and lodge a complaint with the network headquarters as well.

To contact ABC    http://abc.net.au/contact/

To contact NBC    http://www.nbc.com/Footer/Contact_Us/

To contact CBS    http://www.cbscorporation.com/contact_info/index.php

(A quick Google search will provide contact information for other networks.)

  1. Bump into people—Why not get your message across using a bumper sticker? (For those who don’t like to permanently place stickers on your car consider taping them to the back window) Consider this: If 1,000 people see your message every week that translates to more than 50,000 people per year. Also, many states have license plates that read “Choose life” or “In God We Trust.” Yes, they do cost more, but consider the message you are helping to spread. Custom stickers can be created at online stores.
  2. Turn the page—Libraries are used today more than ever. Why not donate Christian material to libraries or offices that have waiting rooms? This is a great way to get material into the hands of neighbors and coworkers.
  3. Talk it up—do politicians listen to their constituents? Well, ask yourself this question: Do they want to get re-elected? The best way to contact your congressman is by telephoning their local office. You can also email or send them a letter.

To contact the president of the United States: http://www.whitehouse.gov/contact/

To contact a US Senator, go to:

http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

To contact a U.S. congressman, go to:

http://www.visi.com/juan/congress/

Or you can use Web sites such as http://www.ooida.com/call_to_action/congaddr.htm. Don’t forget about your local state politicians as well. Let your voice be heard.

  1. Take back the schools—it may be time to become an activist regarding public education. Many of the changes that have been made to the educational system are not “family” or “Christian”-friendly. Why not attend school board meetings (or join!)? Speak out when decisions are made that are wrong. Be an active parent who volunteers and is present on the campus. Ask teachers what you can do to help them in the classroom. In addition, find out how textbook committees are formed in your state and submit letters of recommendation. Select individuals who will not allow the tenets of atheism, evolutionary lies, and humanism to go unchallenged in textbooks.
  2. Write it up—Letters to the editor are a powerful “advertising” method for getting the word out to your neighbors. Form an “Editor’s Club” with friends who can monitor “Letters to the Editor” in local papers. Take turns writing responses whenever letters appear that are unbalanced, unfair, or immoral. Do not be afraid to correct people (in love), when they misstate that embryos are not human, evolution is a fact, or they espouse that our Founding Father’s were atheists.
  3. Consider alternatives—According to John Stauber, 40% of newspaper content—or more—is the result of organized PR campaigns. Consider alternative sources for news and information (see Media Bias in this issue). For instance, you might check out www.newsmax.com and www.worldnetdaily.com. Many Christians are turning off regular programs and tuning into conservative talk radio.
  4. Blog it out—Blog is short for “Web log,” an online journal for the public. Consider starting a blog devoted to Christian principles, pointing out problems in the community around you and as well as solutions for making things better.
  5. Boycott or attend—Many museums, plays, musicals, and cultural events provide are enjoyable and provide great information. However, some are unabashedly promoting corrupt values or ungodly ideals. If museums or theaters promote ungodly material make sure they know that you (and your entire congregation) will not be in attendance. However, if they bring wholesome material to your community, do your best to support their efforts.
  6. Clean it up—Ask store managers to remove “trashy magazines” and other immoral material from children’s eye level. If stores want to embrace those types of ideals then maybe we should rethink where we spend our shopping dollars.
  7. Get the Vote Out—Oftentimes Christians don’t bother voting because they have not taken the time to register. Many Web sites exist that help register voters. For more information see www.eac.gov or www.govote.org. Also, consider adopting someone who might need a ride on Election Day. When you enter the voting booth, ask yourself which of the election issues (i.e., tax reform, immigration, abortion, embryonic stem cell research, education, etc.) will really matter in eternity. If Jesus Christ returns the day after the election will it really matter how we voted on tax reform?
  8. Huddle up—seems like many Christians are reluctant to join groups or clubs because we don’t want to send the wrong message about supporting non-Christians. However, there are groups and organizations that are non-religious that we can support. There is something to be said for group of voices speaking out for a common good.
  9. Stay informed—frequently people utter the phrase “I didn’t even know about that” in regards to the latest onslaught in the Culture War. Take it upon yourself to know both sides of the argument so that you can effectively communicate an issue with friends and neighbors.
  10. Why not volunteer or even run—if you are aware of someone running for office who holds to the Old Paths, why not support them both financially and with your time and energy? If we are unwilling to put forth some effort then how do we expect things to change? For those who are able, why not consider running for local offices in your community?
  11. Wear it—One easy thing that Christians can do is wear shirts, pins, etc. that acknowledge Christianity. Many in society are doing their best in order to silence God. Why not wear something that says: “In God we Trust” or “As for Me and My House We Will Serve the Lord?”
  12. Stay active—Part of the reason we have to work so hard today is because we let our guard down for many years. Be proactive and get busy defending God’s Word today!
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Denying Genesis

It’s Not Just Genesis: Denying The Historicity of Genesis Does Not Uphold Biblical Christianity

When you deny Genesis, you deny the Bible as a whole.

When you deny Genesis, you deny the Bible as a whole.

A few years ago my wife’s employer, a professed believer and follower of Jesus Christ, informed Beth of her belief that the events of the book of Genesis (the creation of the world in six days, Adam and Eve, the global flood, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, etc.) was fictional.  When Beth asked her why she believed this, she cited the genealogical timelines recorded in Genesis (Gen. 4:17-5:32) which, when taken into account alongside the historical fact that Jesus Christ lived about two thousand years ago and the biblical genealogical records tracing his lineage back to Abraham and Adam (Matt. 1:1-17; Luke 3:23-38), would promote the conclusion that this world is only around six thousand years old.  She then explained how this contradicted the scientific “facts” of evolution which promote a rather lengthy age of 4-6 billion years for this planet.  She also pointed out that the historical existence of Adam and Eve contradicts the “proven facts of evolution” which proclaim that mankind evolved over millions of years from animals.  As for the global flood, she dismissed it as an obvious fable and myth.

Sadly, this was not the first time (nor would it be the last) in which I had heard of a supposed Christian denying the authenticity of Genesis in favor of upholding the erroneous, unproven, and inconsistent man-made theories of evolution.  About ten years ago, I was involved from time to time in a college ministry.  On one occasion, the college minister had invited a brother in Christ who taught at a university to speak to these college students about how the six days in which Genesis says the world was created in reality were each symbolic of millions of years.   When asked by me and a few others why he believed this, he said that due to the “proven fact” that this world is millions and millions of years old, we should not take these six days in Genesis chapter one literally.  According to him and many others, the six days are obviously representative of much longer periods of time, which would then back up what science has supposedly proven to be true.

However, much scientific, archeological, and historical evidence exists which contradicts these notions.  My purpose in writing this article is not to directly present such evidence; therefore, I encourage the reader to examine the material published by Apologetics Press to which I have already provided links in this article.  I encourage the readers of this blog who do not believe in Christianity and/or are atheists to examine the material at Apologetics Press with an open and honest heart.  To my Christian readers, I commend you to them in order for you to learn more and thus be “prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you” (1 Pet. 3:15).  To further help us obey this scriptural command, this article will consider the biblical evidence which supports the historicity of Genesis so that we can see how logical consistency would force those professed followers of Christ who deny Genesis’ authenticity or try to change its message in favor of man’s evolutionary theories to also deny Jesus Christ and his teachings.

Why Do You Believe In Jesus?

To begin with, let’s examine exactly why we believe in Jesus Christ.  Why are you a Christian?  What is the basis for your faith in Jesus?  Is it only because your parents were churchgoers and taught you to be the same?  Similarly, is it “because I’ve always believed”?  While both of these reasons are important and should not be discounted, our faith must be built on more.  Why?  Because both the skeptic and the honest seeker of truth will, legitimately, be dissatisfied when they ask you, “Why should I become a Christian?” and the only answer you give them is, “The reason I’m a Christian is because my parents brought me to church and taught me since childhood, and so I’ve always believed.”  “Fine,” they will say, “but why have you always believed?  Why did your parents believe?  Why did the Christians who taught them believe?  Why should I believe?”

“When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child…” ( 1 Cor. 13:11).  I went to church because my parents wanted me to, and I believed in Jesus because they believed in Jesus.  That needed to change as the years passed, because when “I became a man, I gave up childish ways” (1 Cor. 13:11).  My faith needed to be my own, and it needed to have concrete, thought out, scriptural, logical, and consistent reasons (Rom. 10:17; 1 Thess. 5:21).  Therefore, I as an adult believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, my Savior, and my Lord because God raised him from the dead (Rom. 1:3-4; 1 Cor. 15:12-19) after he lived a sinless life (1 Pet. 2:22; Heb. 4:15) in order to die on the cross as the saving propitiation for our sins (1 John 2:2; Rom. 5:6-11).

If Jesus Was Not Completely Truthful About Genesis, Our Faith Would Be Meaningless

There are additional reasons for my faith in Jesus, but for the purpose of this article I want us to focus on the fact that our faith in Christ is meaningless if he wasn’t raised from the dead…after having died on that cross to save us from our sins…after having lived a sinless life.  If Jesus hadn’t lived a sinless life, then his death on the cross would not have been the propitiation for our sins.  Therefore, God would not have raised him from the dead to prove to us that he is our Savior.

The key to this which I want us to focus on is the necessity of Jesus having lived a sinless life.  Specifically, I want us to focus on the fact that no deceit was found in his mouth (1 Pet. 2:22).  Think about that for a minute.  If Christ had been dishonest in any way, he could not be the propitiation for our sins and God would not have resurrected him.  Therefore, he could not be our Savior, which means that our faith, the Christian religion, is meaningless.

Bringing this back to the historicity of Genesis, we will see below how both Jesus and the apostles and prophets his Holy Spirit inspired (John 14:26; 15:26-27; 16:12-15; Acts 2:1-4ff; 1 Cor. 2:9-13; 14:37; Eph. 3:3-5; 2 Tim. 3:16-17; 2 Pet. 1:19-21) talked about the events recorded in Genesis as if they were factual, historical events.  This is significant because if they in fact were mistaken or lying, then Christ could never have been our Savior.  Therefore, Christianity as a whole would be completely false.  Those who deny Genesis while professing to be followers of Christ need to realize this.

The Flood

For example, Jesus while describing how Judgment Day will occur compared it to the day when the Genesis flood came (Matt. 24:35-39; Luke 17:22-27; cf. Gen. 6-9).  Peter also used the flood to illustrate the importance of immersion (1 Pet. 3:18-21) and the importance of not being a false teacher (2 Pet. 2:1-5, 9-10).  Notice that they did not imply nor refer to the flood as a story or myth in any way.  If the global flood did not actually occur, then by talking about it as if it did occur Jesus and his apostles were being less than truthful, and therefore sinned.  If that was the case, why are we Christians?

Sodom and Gomorrah

Again, Jesus on several occasions referred to the Genesis account of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah during the days of Lot as illustrations of lessons or warnings he wanted to give to cities or people he or his apostles were teaching (Matt. 10:14-15; 11:23-24; Luke 10:10-12; 17:22-32; cf. Gen. 19:1-29).  Paul, Peter, Jude, and John also referred to Sodom to illustrate warnings God gave to Christians (Rom. 9:27-29; 2 Pet. 2:1-10; Jude 6-7; Rev. 11:7-8).  Again, notice that they talked about what happened to Lot and Sodom as if it was an actual historical event.  If in fact it wasn’t, then we’ve put our faith in liars and our religion is meaningless.

Adam and Eve At The Beginning

While teaching about divorce, our Lord quoted Genesis twice (1:27; 2:24), specifically referring to the marriage of Adam and Eve (Matt. 19:4-5; Mark 10:6-8).  By talking about Adam and Eve as if they were historical characters, Jesus himself confirmed their historicity.  The Holy Spirit-inspired Paul would later affirm this by referring to Adam as “the first man” (1 Cor. 15:45), also doing so as if he were referring to a historical figure.  Therefore, to call Adam and Eve mythological would be to imply that Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit, and Paul were at best mistaken and at worst liars.  And since the message of all three ultimately originated with God the Father (John 12:49-50; 16:12-15; 1 Cor. 2:9-13; 2 Pet. 1:19-21), to say that Adam and Eve were not real or were not the first human beings would be to call him either mistaken or untruthful as well.  While one would expect this from an atheist, the Christian who would do so is either ignorant of the Scriptures or rebelliously blasphemous, and in either case has exposed a serious flaw in his faith.

Furthermore, by stating in Matthew’s account, “Have you not read that he (God) who created them (Adam and Eve) from the beginning made them male and female,” and in Mark’s account, “But from the beginning of creation, God made them (Adam and Eve) male and female,” Jesus is placing Adam and Eve at the very beginning of the existence of this world.  The Genesis record does the same by stating that Adam and Eve were created on the sixth day along with the land-dwelling animals (Gen. 1:24-31).  Christians who state that the days in Genesis were in reality symbolic of millions of years each in their attempts to make the biblical account coincide with the flawed and unproven theories of Darwinistic evolution have Adam and Eve coming onto the scene millions of years after “the beginning.”  By doing so, they are disagreeing with their Lord and Savior who said the opposite.  If they choose to persist in doing so, even after “receiving the knowledge of the truth” (Heb. 10:26-31), they make their Christianity meaningless and put their soul in eternal peril.

You Can’t Have It Both Ways

I am continually amazed that some can apparently believe that God raised a Man from the dead after giving this same Man and his followers the ability to perform many miraculous signs which defy the laws of science…all while finding it hard to believe that God could also create the world, animals, and man in six literal days, and later decide to destroy that entire world with water and several cities with fire and sulfur.  I am even more amazed that these same folks proclaim to put their faith in this Man as their Lord and Savior…all while basically stating or implying that he, his followers, the Spirit who inspired them, and God the Father himself are wrong about their testimony as to the beginnings of our race.

Yet, perhaps we should not be amazed at this, because the same God who told us about the beginning of the world in Genesis also told us that false teachers would come, giving preference to empty human theories and philosophies over doctrine, and that many naive brethren who lack knowledge themselves would follow after them (Hos. 4:6; Matt. 7:15-27; Acts 20:28-32; Rom. 16:17-18; Gal. 1:6-10; Eph. 4:11-14; Col. 2:8; 1 Tim. 1:3-7; 4:1-2; 6:20-21; 2 Tim. 3:1-9; 4:1-5).

You can’t confess Christ while denying his Word, but that’s what you do when you do not take Genesis for what it says.  May we all choose to have faith which trusts in our God over men!

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Walk with God

Walk with God

In Micah 6:8 it states, “He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” The people of Israel were trying to buy off God through their sacrifices so they could continue to live in their sins.  But, Micah showed that God wanted them to do, which was, to walk humbly with Him.  How can we walk with God?

Our Life should be a walk with God.

Our life should be a walk with God.

Well, we know that our moral goodness cannot save us without the blood of Christ and outward acts of worship are hypocritical if they are not invested with the power of a virtuous life.  It is terrible to think that people have been duped into believing they can live any life they want to for six days and then go through the motions of worship on Sunday, and believe they are O.K.

We are to daily walk with God.  You should not forget that you have an unlimited resource by your side . . . God!  If you will have the sense and assurance to know this, then you can also know that we are fully equipped to do whatever God calls us to do, which is being justly and having loving mercy for man.  But first, we must walk with God.  You must see yourself as an ant standing next to an elephant because when Christians do not realize that God is next to us, we fail in our lives and in our difficulties.  Let us think of the great men and women of the Gospel.  Look at the greatness of Moses, David and Esther and see if they relied upon God’s power and His presence.  You know they did and we too should daily walk with God.

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Baptism is Not Enough

Baptism is Not Enough

The late James Bales, in his book The Hub of the Bible, entitled the fifteenth chapter as “Baptism Is Not Enough.” To a church that is continually stressing the need to be baptized for the remission of sins, it might be puzzling to consider that there is something more that is needed. Nonetheless, more there is and blessed are those who realize this fact.

Grace, Faith, Baptism... is there more?

Grace, Faith, Baptism… is there more?

In the second chapter of Acts, Peter and the other apostles preached the first sermons of the Christian era. Their Spirit-guided words pricked the hearts of the crowds concerning guilt and sin so that they asked, “What shall we do?” (2:37). As we know, these believers were told to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins (2:38), along with many other words of exhortation and instruction (2:40). Many heeded the Divine commands and about three thousand became Christians that day. But they were not through!

Baptism may be called the “door of the church.” It is the portal by which one goes from outside to inside the church. Belief and repentance are the stoop and porch leading to the house of God. Paul told the Galatian brethren that they had been baptized into Christ, indicating that they were now inside the house of God (Gal. 3:27; 1 Tim. 3:15). Under this figure, do we now wander aimlessly about with no purpose nor plan? When we’re tired of being inside, no longer thrilled with the experience, do we walk back out the door? Surely there is something for the newborn in Christ to accomplish which suggests that being baptized into Christ is not an end but a beginning.

Being “born again” is a phrase which does indeed suggest a beginning. When we are converted, we put off the old man of corruption and put on the new man which is created in righteousness and true holiness (Eph. 4:22-24). While we may feel like the same person (and undoubtedly in many respects we are), there must be some aspects of our lives that are different, indicated by our willingness to repent as a part of conversion, a term indicating change from our old ways to God’s new ways. It is necessary that we learn how to live as a part of God’s family, for we rise from the watery tomb infused with neither great knowledge nor wisdom. But we can rise with great desire.

Baptism was not enough for the converts on Pentecost. It is not enough to begin a godly life, for one must continue. The writer noted that these 3,000 converts “continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). Notice how these early Christians continued. It was not sporadically, or when they could slip out from work, or avoid confrontation with their spouses, etc. They continued their Christian journey steadfastly . First, they continued to learn from the apostles, gaining understanding of spiritual principles essential to form the Christian character. Later in life the venerable Peter said, “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that you may grow thereby” (1 Pet. 2:2). We must continue to learn God’s wonderful teachings, and let them influence our thoughts and actions.

Second, they continued steadfastly in fellowship. The term “fellowship” was used to express a relationship involving sharing and communing. Certainly the early brethren shared time in worship, shared material resources, and shared time in one another’s company. Each had entered fellowship with God, Christ and the Spirit, and so had entered fellowship with other Christians. They were a part of a spiritual family! We should so see ourselves. The Hebrews writer said that we should not sin in forsaking the fellowship of the spiritual family found in our worship assemblies on Sunday mornings and evening, and Wednesday evenings. More, we should seek opportunities to be together outside the worship assemblies, sharing our lives and common pursuits.

Third, they continued steadfastly in the breaking of bread. I know of no one who does not continue steadfastly in the breaking of bread for nourishment, so that is not what the record emphasizes. They continued to acknowledge the death, burial and resurrection of the Savior through the Lord’s Supper.

Fourth, they continued steadfastly in prayers. Since prayer is our means of communicating with our Father, these brethren, no doubt together and individually, actively continued this practice. There are proper and improper ways to pray, so the child of God would do well to consider the prayers of Jesus and the apostles in order to know what to pray for, and how to frame acceptable prayers.

When the brethren today continue steadfastly in these particulars, they continue the journey begun at conversion, and they continue to be influences for Christ in their homes and communities. When brethren fail to continue steadfastly in these particulars, they cease to grow spiritually and to be a blessing to others. Baptism is not enough!

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