It’s really pretty simple and scientific.

Yeah, some people can make it complicated, but I try not to live in that world.  I live in a world of computers and technology.

Ones and Zeroes.

Yes and No.

True and False.

Things just have to add up and equal out.  It’s the way the universe works.  There is order.  There is reason.  There is logic.

So for me, I have to look and go where did this come from?  This doesn’t happen on its on.  Order does not come from chaos, never has.  Nothing becomes “perfect” over time, it only gets worse.  Chaos comes from order when it breaks down.  It’s simple to see.  Simple to believe.  Tested & Proven.

So if this universe has order, it didn’t just happen.  It was planned.  So something / someone had to plan it.  Why?  Because that is how this existence works.  I plan my breakfast.  I eat.  I make choices, I get the results of those choices.  Simple.  Results come from thoughtful choices.  Thoughtful choices come from someone with thought.

So if there is order and there is logic, it came from somewhere that had the power to put it there.  Something bigger than me.  Something smarter.  Something simply greater.  Something not like me.

So is this God?  I believe so.  But the universe shows me something else.  It shows me personality and uniqueness.  Stuff is not just stuff.  Not just grey.  There is variety.  There is beauty.  There is warmth.  You can see it in the gas clouds in space and in the flowers in front of your house.  It is not bland.  It is not boring.  It is alive.  So for me, whomever put this together must also have those same sort of qualities.  Why?  Well, you don’t create something that isn’t part of who you are.  It has to come from within not without.  Art is that way.  Technology is that way.  It is created by someone who has personality and puts part of who they are and how they think for the world to see.  So, what I see and can experience is a result of someone’s / something’s personality, and it appears that they want to be known.  They make it obvious.  You don’t hide art.  You don’t hide what you create.  You show it.  You are proud of it.  You want others to experience it and you through it.  True?

So this creator of all this has logic and has personality and wants to be known.  So now, I realize that I am part of this creation.  I am part of what exists.  I am, because it wants me.  You don’t create something you don’t want.  You create something that you believe will add to what you have already done.  I am art, at least to Him, and I will use “Him” because again, I see personality in this creation.  An “it” didn’t do this.  An “it” doesn’t have the ability to do this.  A “something / someone ” does.  So for now, the creator is a “He” and “He” added me to this mix.

Again, I’m being logical.  Nothing off the wall.  No mystical experiences.  Just facts that are easy and natural to see.

So, now I come back to the fact that I’m created and part of this, but something I notice is that I am somehow “different” than the rest of this creation.  I can do something that the rest of the creation can’t seem to do.  I can realize that I am.  I can see that I exist and that the opposite is also true that I once didn’t exist and will one day not exist in this creation.  Rocks don’t seem to be able to do this.  Dogs don’t seem to sit and contemplate the meaning of life.  Only creations like myself, people.  So for some reason, He has made me different.  He has given me the ability to realize I exist.

So why do this?  Well again, logically, it would have to be for a reason.  Why give an aspect of your creation this ability unless you had a plan to use it or for them to use it.  So what use could it be?  Well, it I wanted to create something that could know me, I would have to give it that ability and make it aware that it exists and that there is more than just their physical needs that exist.  More than just hunger and thirst.   I would have to make it so that it could make choices and choose not to do something if it wanted to and then contemplate what it should do.  I would have to give it the ability to ask questions and ponder what those answers mean.  The ability to be aware of itself and the ability to be aware of others.  I would have to make it so that it wanted to know more or less of me as I revealed myself.  Only then, could it learn who I truly was.  Not just facts but what makes me, me.  And since He has a personality as I can see from what He has made and that I have a personality and He made me, then logically, I have this ability, because He wants me to know Him.

But, how do I get to know Him?  I am not Him although He made me.  I am not of his nature because I know that what I am could never do what He has done.  I can not make stars.  I can not make planets.  So, somehow He is going to have to reach out and communicate with me beyond just what He has made.  He is going to have to reveal Himself and do it in such a way that He makes it clear that He is the one doing it and I can understand what He is saying.  I have the ability to receive information and process it, I just need it in a form I can understand.

So what form would this be?  Logically, it would be the way I think.  I think in pictures.  I think in words.  I think in emotions.  I would need Him to communicate like this to me.

How do I receive this communication now?  Through print.  Through people.  Through media.

Does this communication come out of nowhere now?  No.  It doesn’t.  There is thought behind it.  There is logic.  There is a plan and a purpose otherwise it would be just a jumble of nonsense.  I don’t spend hours listening to static on TV because there is nothing to comprehend.  I need a logical message.

So, He would have to have a purpose, plan, logic behind how He communicates with me.  He also would have the option of doing it directly or through another party / entity since this is how I communcate.  He would have the option of direct communication or relaying this information through others with the understanding He would have to do it in such a way that the communication didn’t get garbled as it was being passed to me.  Plus, if He did communicate through someone else, He would need to “prove” to me that was what He originally meant by “confirming” His message through either direct communication or another relay so that the proof showed by two separate, distinct sources that what I received is what He said.  At least two “witnesses” to testify to the same message.  I need evidence and proof it was Him, the Creator talking.

Ok, so do I have anything in this creation that provides me this information and at the same time does not contradict itself?  It has to be true and in a form I understand and consistent with the nature and personality of the Him, the communicator.

Well, when I look at what form it would best look like, I have to come down to the fact that the best form of communicating with me would be Him communicating directly with me and doing it in a way that I would best understand which would be like me doing it as I do it now.  So His communication would require Him to become like me, in my form, thinking similar thoughts, experiencing life as I do.  Only then could I receive His message as clear as He intended it to be.  In essence, the Creator would have to be come like me, a Man.

Now is there anywhere since this creation was created by Him that He decided to communicate directly with man as a man?  Honestly and truthfully there is only ONE where the Man claimed he was the Creator and communicated directly with other men AND demonstrated he was the Creator by performing actions that match what the Creator had already done and these actions were witnessed and verified by outside observers who had nothing to gain by testifying to what they saw.   This man being the one who was called JESUS.

So what would he have had to do to demonstrate he was the Creator?  Well, for me, logically, it would have to be that 1.  He states he is the creator.  2.  Acts in complete and perfect harmony with how the Creator has already demonstrated he acts as witnessed through his creation.  3.  He does NOTHING that goes against what is already known about the Creator.

Simple.  He states who he is, acts like who he is, and doesn’t do anything that goes against who he is.  He simply is true to his nature.  Pure.

Again, history shows that this JESUS has done all three things and there is NO recorded information that shows he did otherwise.  Now, it there was evidence that said different, it would come to light.  Why do I say that?

The world I live in has problems, lies, falseness, evil.  Why?  Because I am in it and this is how I am.  I make decisions that I believe are best for me at the time but since I do not have the ability to see how those decisions will affect others, they ripple on to others and create change both good and bad.  So, if this JESUS had done something that was inconsistent with the creator, it would be revealed.  I would want it to.  Why?  Because logically, I want to be right.  I am wired this way.  If I believe something and discover it is not right, I want to know.  I want to become right again.  So if this JESUS is false then I want to know it.  Research has shown that no evidence exists that he is NOT who he claims to be.

What evidence would there have to be?  Well, logically, his own words saying something that goes against or is opposite of what the Creator has already communicated.  If that didn’t happen, then multiple witnesses that testify against his words and actions and they would all have to be in agreement, all speaking the truth, and no witnesses to go against the multiple witnesses who were also telling the truth.  The truth would have to be just that, truth.  Again.  1 is always 1.  On is always on.  True is always True.

Does this exist with this JESUS?  Again, no research or history from any outside source / witness testifies that any statement or action he did went against what was known about the Creator.  Even after 2000+ years, there is none.  If it existed, it should have been revealed by now.  Even today, lies and falsehoods have a limited shelf life.

So, if this JESUS is the Creator with a direct message, then logic would stand I should listen to what He says.

But, I don’t “hear” him in my ears.  So how do I do this?

I must then “hear” what He said to others who did hear him with their ears.

Is this AS reliable?  Logically, no.  So what I “hear” from them again must not go against what is already known about the Creator; otherwise, I know that what I am “hearing” is not from Him.  What they say must be in agreement and must again match the truth of what the Creator has said.

Do I have a source that states what JESUS said to others and they then “reported?”  Yes, I do.  I find this in the first 4 books of the New Testament in the Bible.

Are these 4 books written by ear witnesses to words told by Jesus?  3 of 4  Yes.  Matthew, Mark & John were ear witnesses  to JESUS.  Luke did not, but did compile his from direct ear witnesses, so we can say that his is very close to being a direct ear witness much like a reporter interviewing someone which even now all consider very, very close to hearing the actual person themselves.

Do these testimonies in these books sound the same and testify to the same?  Yes, they do, but they are also unique which adds extra validity to them.  Logically, if they were written by the same person, they would sound and be the same.  These books are not.  They do contain similar elements and reported communications of JESUS, but they also choose to present different aspects of JESUS and do not report the exact same messages.  Since the compilers are unique what they have compiled is unique as well.

So, at this point, I have 4 books in the Bible that detail what JESUS who reveals himself to be the Creator of all that is, including me.  What should I do?  Again, logic dictates that I read these communications and see what they say to me.  I’m looking and comprehending to learn.  I am also looking to know why He wants to communicate with me.  Why did He do this?  What is the logic?  What is the plan?  What has He communicated to others?

In reading, I find this.  I will not re-quote all His words  out here because then I would be rewriting what has already been written.  But after reading, I realize that this JESUS has a plan and a reason for coming and it is personal.  It is unique.  It matches what I know of the Creator.  It reflects the Creator.  It also shocks me in that it is NOT what I had thought it would be.  Not completely.  JESUS message does match with all aspects of the Creator, but He puts the message together in such a way that I now understand more about the Creator and myself.  I understand that He is perfect.  That He resides in perfection.  Because He is, again logic dictates He has a place where He exists and it is perfect.

I am not there and can not be there as I exist.  I am not perfect.  My actions, thoughts, beliefs are not always true.  I can know something is “right” and choose not to do it.  That makes me not perfect.  The Creator has a word for this.  He calls it “sin.”

I also learn through JESUS that the Creator wants me to be perfect and to be able to exist where He exists.  He wants to dwell with His creation, but can’t because His creation is no longer perfect due to the choices of others.

So the Creator has a problem, and I, in my power, do not have the ability to fix it.  He needs for “sin” to be gone so that He dwell with us and we with him.  But only He can make it go away, and because this creation exists based on logic, then He must follow logic, otherwise, He would not be who He is.

This “sin” or “imperfection” has to be canceled out or negated like a “base solution” negates an “acid solution.” He has to do it since I am already impure and tainted with imperfection / sin.

So what can cancel out “sin” or “imperfection?”  Again, something pure absorbing something that isn’t.  Base to Acid.  Hot to Cold.  On to Off.  The Creator would have to give up His perfectness and take our imperfectness on himself to the point that it was all taken.  No leftovers.  Complete.  And it would have to be for the entirety of all the imperfectness created through as long as His creation would forever exist because it couldn’t be done again since there would be no “perfect” left.  Only once and it would be complete.

The Creator chose to do this.  Through himself.  As a man since this is where the imperfection and sin existed.  JESUS being the Creator communicated that he came to absorbed all sin and allowed his perfectness to cancel out the imperfect.  This He reveals is the message of what He came for and what He did while allowing himself to take the sin created by His creation and take it all the way to the end of what we know to be the end of creation, death.

But here is what I found strange.  Perfectness died taking sin with it.  JESUS died.  The Creator in the form of a man, died.  End of story.  Death is the end for the creation, is it not?

According to the Creator.  No.  For an attribute of His remains.  He who Creates is not created and is not bound by the end of creation or death.  Again, though He chose to communicate in the form of JESUS, all that the Creator is that can not exist here exists elsewhere and remains.  He remains who He is and He remains the Creator.  So that which created what I know as Life is still able to do this and can create it anytime He chooses.  He chose to give that Life back to JESUS, Himself revealed to His Creation as recorded by multiple witnesses in the 4 books.  JESUS took it all and then returned back to His nature, Life.  The Creator must be who He always is.  And yet, He reveals more.  Much more.  For the Creator communicates what all this means which He has done and THEN communicates what I must do to communicate back with Him.  As logic dictates, communication is a two way conversation.  He has initiated the conversation, I must respond and the Creator tells me what response He hopes I choose to give.  My choice.

Amazing.  From a logical sense, my faith in Christianity makes sense.  Truth and logic.

That’s why I am a Christian.  It just makes sense!

Jesus said . . . “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”   John 14:6

Years back,a professor asked my college class, “Why do people believe in God?” The students offered several reasons: “People believe in God because they are afraid to die,” or, “because they are uneducated,” or, “because they are unaware of other options.” I remained silent, unnerved by what I had heard as hostile words from my classmates.  The professor listened carefully and then replied, “Suppose people believe in God because it’s true, because God is real.” His surprising response filled me inwardly with laughter and a sense of freedom.  Because we can trust that what the Bible says about God is true, we can face each day with joy, seeking to love and obey Christ. He speaks the truth and lives the truth; he is the Truth who sets us free. (See John 8:32.)

Lord Jesus, help us to love the truth and always to speak the truth in love. May our lives and words reflect your truth and your love to others every day. As Jesus taught us, we pray, “Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.”

You were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.  1 Peter 2:25

Sheep roam over the hills in Germany. Do they belong to someone? If you ask a local shepherd, he will say, “All the sheep on this side of the hill belong to me. They’re a hardy breed. They stay out in all kinds of weather, and they find their food up in the hills. They are brought down for dipping, worming, lambing, and shearing.”  “But what if they wander off?”  “They don’t. They’re heafed to their leader’s hill.”  Heafed is a new word to me. Even without fences, these sheep know their own patch of ground. The mother sheep teach each generation of lambs where they belong.

 I wandered far from God because it is my nature to stray. But when I came to Jesus Christ, he “heafed” me to himself. Now, when I am inclined to wander, the shepherd’s voice speaks to my heart, calling me back.

Lord, we are glad that you are our shepherd. Help us; change our hearts so we never want to stray, as we pray, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.”* Amen.

At that time Michael, the great prince, the protector of your people, shall arise. There shall be a time of anguish . . . But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone who is found written in the book.  Daniel 12:1

AS winter approaches, the sky is darker and darker when I get up every morning. Usually, many stars shine brightly in the predawn, giving me something to enjoy and praise God for even as I shiver in the rural cold.  But for a week recently, cloud cover hid the stars from view. I resented this especially because I wanted to see the pretty conjunction of the waning moon and the planet Mercury. Then I realized that whether or not I could see it, the great drama of the night sky would still go on. I don’t have to see it to know it is happening.

Today’s reading from Daniel seeks to reassure a persecuted people by reminding them — and us — of the truth that whether or not we can see it, a great drama is going on that is every bit as real as the stars in the sky. The archangel Michael is described as “the protector of [God’s] people.” Because of this reality, we can rest assured that God’s story is being played out, seen or unseen. Whether we realize it or not, God is at work.

Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? But you have insulted the poor…  James 2:5-6

As we go through life, we can tend to look at things from a certain perspective. This is especially true when deciding on what and who are truly valuable.  Leaders are viewed as important; servants don’t matter. If someone is rich, we jump at the chance to assist them with the hope of impressing them. But if someone further down on the socioeconomic ladder is in need, we go out of our way to avoid them.  James tells us that we’ve got to turn that thinking upside down. Throughout the gospels, Jesus talks about an upside down kingdom. He says that if you want to be great in God’s kingdom, you have to be willing to become a servant. If you want to be strong, become weak. If you want to be first, be willing to be last. 

Do you jump at the chance to rub shoulders with the boss, yet neglect the opportunity to help a fellow coworker? Remember, when it comes to seeing things from God’s perspective, it’s not about the position of the person, but the position of your heart that enables you to think upside down.

Dear Lord, Help me to look at things upside down. Help me to realize that wealth, possessions and stuff have nothing to do with a person’s worth. And help me to treat everyone I meet equally, the way you do. In Christ’s name I pray, Amen.

Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet,” have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?  James 2:2-4

During biblical times, it was common for the rich to wear very ostentatious and outlandish garments. The rich were easily identified. Even in today’s fashion-friendly world, we know money when we see it.  When you see someone dressed in the latest name-brand clothes that are tailor-made for the perfect fit or driving an expensive car, you think, “They must be someone of importance to have that kind of cash!” Then, if you see someone wearing hand-me-downs or disheveled clothing, you may write them off as being someone of less importance.  The saying, “Don’t judge a book by its cover” is simply echoing what James wrote hundreds of years ago. When we discriminate; when we show favoritism and don’t look beyond the surface, we miss so many opportunities that God has intentioned for us. However, you and I can overcome this attitude of judgment. Instead, we can learn to look past the make-up and designer suits to discover the true value of each person who crosses our path.

Dear God, It can be so easy to judge people just by what I see. As I go through my life, help me to look past the surface and instead see the value that you place on each person. Help me to see them as you see them. In Christ’s name I pray, Amen.

 “‘… Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'” Matthew 4:4

Is it really that important to have a quiet time with the Lord everyday? I mean the Lord knows how busy my life is, so if I just toss up a few prayers and listen to a Christian song on the radio while rushing into my day, that should suffice. Right?  It’s easy to let the busyness of life crowd out time for prayer, Bible reading, and sitting with the Lord.  There are a million things on all of our to-do lists, time is tight, and quiet moments seem few and far between.  But I’ve learned that if I make the choice to be with the Lord first thing in the morning, my outlook on life that day and my ability to handle things seems to go so much smoother.

Also, I’ve had to change my mindset on having a quiet time. Spending time with the Lord in the morning doesn’t end when I say “amen” and put my Bible back on the shelf.  I’ve just invited the King of kings to participate in my day.  So, I get up from spending time with the Lord in the morning and start eagerly looking for His hand of activity in my life.  I think about the Bible verses I read that morning and look for ways to apply them to my life that very day.  I watch the circumstances that come my way hour by hour and ask the Lord to constantly give me wisdom to process life in the way that would be most honoring to Him.  My mindset is healthier, my attitude more positive, and my ability to extend grace to those who rub me the wrong way is increased just by setting aside some time to be with the Lord.

 If you are struggling with having quiet time with the Lord each day, try these helpful ideas:

1. Be honest with God and admit your struggle.  Ask God to give you the desire to set aside time to be with Him.
2. Start with just a small amount of time.  Even if it is just 5 minutes at first, give this 5 minutes solely to the Lord without any other distractions.  Over the next weeks and months, your desire for more time with Him will increase.
3. Use a version of the Bible that lends itself to study.  It helps to understand the context each book was written in with commentaries to understand specific verses.  
4. Ask God for understanding as you read the Bible.  When I first started reading the Bible I had a hard time.  So, I started praying that God would open my spiritual eyes to see the truths in a life changing way for me. 
5. Write some of the verses that seem most applicable to your life on 3×5 cards and use them in your prayers.  For example, Matthew 6:19-20 says, “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth… but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven.”  So, I could use this verse in my prayer time by praying, “God, help me to know how to store up treasures in Heaven.  Help me to relinquish my tight hold on my earthly possessions so I can use them to build Your kingdom now.  Show me how to best use that which You have blessed me with.  Give me Your mindset for the money I have.”
6. Get involved in a Bible Study with friends.  This will help hold you accountable to getting your study time done and will open up great discussions to deepen everyone’s understanding of applying God’s truths to everyday life.

I’ve found a daily quiet time with the Lord is very important and very doable as well.

Dear Lord, I want a more vibrant relationship with You and I know having a daily quiet time is an important part of that.  Help me make this my most important priority each day, no matter how busy life is. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone.  James 1:13 

The Bible says that each of us will face temptation. You can’t go through life on this earth without facing it. But if we’re going to be victorious over those temptations, we have to understand one thing first“God is not the one tempting us.  It is so easy to blame God or use him as an excuse when we face temptation. But it isn’t God. He will never tempt us. In fact, the Bible tells us that God is the one who can give us the power to overcome temptation. He wants to make us strong. It is Satan who tempts us to do wrong. 

So when you are facing temptation, don’t blame God. Instead, look to him to help you through that temptation. Ask him to give you the strength. And realize that as you fight that temptation, you are not alone. God is standing there with you to help you win.

Dear God, I know that as I go through life I am going to face temptation. When that happens, I pray that you give me the strength to overcome it. Help me to turn to you in those moments and to rely on your strength to make it through. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

The world and its desire are passing away, but those who do the will of God live forever.  1 John 2:17

In the early hours of the morning, I began to think about these words from John’s epistle. What did John mean by them? Reflecting on this question, I realized that God desires us to focus attention on everlasting values. In today’s text, the world’s passing values are contrasted with God’s eternal values. This world with its variety of desires is destined to perish, but those who do the will of God live forever.

How are things with me today? Am I eagerly looking to do God’s will, following the example of Christ, who said, “I seek to do not my own will but the will of him who sent me” (John 5:30)? Am I living according to God’s will? This is a key question for the Christian life.

Only Christ can save us from this world corrupted by sin and give us a new life here, as well as eternal life to come. The Holy Spirit provides us with the power to understand and to live according to God’s will. As Paul wrote, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God — what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Rom. 12:2).

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.  Mark 1:35

What do you think would happen to your body if you only ate one meal per week? You would probably be very sick because your body would not get the nutrition it needs to keep its natural defense system in tact. Your body would be left vulnerable and the slightest germ could result in a total body breakdown.  Many of us suffer from spiritual malnutrition. We come to church once a week and think that we will be equipped to fight Satan’s daily schemes and tactics. But no matter how incredible the pastor’s message is, it will not sustain you. True spiritual health requires regular spiritual meals. You must spend time with God, regularly dining on his Word—the Bible—and enjoying his company through prayer. 

Even Jesus spent time alone with God, his Father. Jesus spent most of his public ministry teaching and talking about God’s truth, letting God work through him. But he knew that was not enough. Jesus knew he needed to spend regular time with God in order to stay energized and carry out his demanding schedule.  Jesus knew he couldn’t be a successful servant of God if he starved himself spiritually. And we need to realize that same truth today. God gave us his Word so that we could be equipped for the different situations in our lives. We need to feed on God’s Word everyday so that we can be spiritually strong and healthy and carry out the tasks God has placed in our lives.

Lord, I want to develop a strong, intimate relationship with you. Help me to be consistent in reading your word so that I will be equipped to handle spiritual attacks and able to encourage others in their faith. In Jesus’ name, Amen.