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!

“GOD!  SAY SOMETHING!  Where are YOU!!!”

Silence.  Where has he gone?  Did he abandon you? us?  Was He really ever there in the first place?

“WHERE ARE YOU GOD!?!”

And our prayers bounce against the ceiling of the room.  Nothing.  Nothing comes.  No heavenly hug.  No peaceful feeling.  No spiritual tug to say “I’m here child.”  Nothing.  The lush green fields of spiritual communion are gone leaving  the dryness of memories of what once was.

“God?  Are you there?  Do you hear?  Do you care what I’m going through?”

What kind of God leaves us in the middle of our battle?  What kind of God becomes the deaf blind mute we can’t understand and who can’t seem to communicate with us?

That’s how it feels, doesn’t it?  That’s how life appears to be when God goes silent.  But, it’s not the TRUTH.  Take a moment and think about this.

Have you thought maybe this period of God’s silence is a time of cleansing?  A time of growth?  A time of blessing?

“Wait a minute!  God’s silence a time of blessing?  No Way!  I HATE IT!  I want HIM not this cold desert of nothing!”

Really?

Why do we REALLY get scared when we can’t “experience” God?  What makes us wonder if all that we’ve been through and all that He’s shown us and told us was just a figment of our active imagination?  Could there be another reason?

Let me ask you this.

Are we really wanting Him or are we wanting the “feeling” of His closeness?  Are we truly searching for Him or for a warm fuzzy hug that says, “You’re safe.  I’ve got you.  Go on, you’re okay.”

We SAY we want Him, but our actions scream more like a toddler lost in a store wondering where their mommy has gone.

Could it be that God is letting us experience His silence, so we can be purged of our need for feelings to reassure us and instead begin to truly rely on our faith.

Hebrews 11:6 says, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

We can’t please Him unless we have faith, but we can’t have faith unless we experience the pool of life without our emotional floaties on.  It’s not that He’s left us, He’s just letting us swim learning to trust He’s watching and waiting to assist us should we get in trouble.

Without God’s silence how will we be able to truly please Him if we are more in love with how He makes us feel than with the giver of the feeling?

When you are in the silence of God, remember this:

All Teachers are silent when their students are taking a test.

Be patient.  Continue on the path He showed you.  Trust in Him and thank Him for loving you enough to grow your faith so that you may bring Him more pleasure and joy.  Enjoy His silence and rejoice in the growing of your faith and the pruning of your feelings.

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But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure…  James 3:17

When you wake up in the morning, one of the first things you do is look in a mirror. You brush your teeth and comb your hair. But no matter what, people don’t typically leave the house until they’re confident that all basic grooming behaviors have been covered. The goal is to have that polished look—clean, spotless, pure.  It’s ironic that we can spend so much time trying to perfect our outward appearance, yet neglect our most important feature—our hearts.  No matter how well put together we may be on the outside, we will constantly find our lives in disarray if we lack God’s wisdom and guidance in our hearts. Without that, our hearts become dusty, dirty, unkempt, creating a less than desirable living space for the things that matter most.  Spiritually, God is the only one who can make us clean. And when we seek His wisdom, the “wisdom that comes from heaven,” we are seeking the one thing that can truly make us pure—inside and out.

Dear God, I know that the only thing that can make me pure is You. Help me each day to look into the mirror You have provided, the Bible, to find that wisdom, direction and hope as I keep my heart and life pure for You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

And he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:30)

Many of us are afraid to ask someone if they would like to give their life to Jesus Christ for one simple reason: We’re afraid the answer will be no. And it just may be. But there are those wonderful times when someone will surprise you and say, “Tell me more.” Or maybe even, “I want to give my life to Jesus Christ.”

Many years ago, I had the opportunity to be reunited with a man, when I was a young boy was the last time I had seen him. Years later, when I had an opportunity to preach on the East Coast, he invited me to stay at his house for the weekend.  After dinner that night, his wife said, “Tell me about how you came to put your faith in Jesus Christ.” As I shared my testimony and what Christ had done for me, my friend sat there listening with his hands folded. I thought, He’s not buying this at all. But later that night, he asked me to go walking with him the next morning.

As we walked out into the cold morning air, he said, “I was listening to what you said last night. I want to know what I need to do to give my life to Jesus Christ.” He made a commitment to Christ that day, and he faithfully served the Lord for the remaining fifteen years of his life.

Sometimes, when you share your faith, you don’t think you’re getting through. But you never know. That is why we need to simply “throw out the net.” We need to give people the opportunity.

[Jesus] said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”  Matthew 16:15

Matthew 15:13-20 recounts an important conversation Jesus had with his disciples. He asks them who people usually say he is. Then Jesus directs the same question to the disciples: “Who do you say that I am?” He is pointing out that the disciples need to think for themselves. With Peter’s answer, he goes further: All who follow Jesus can have their thoughts renewed by divine revelation.

 Often we look to other people for guidance rather than turning to God. As a teenager, I attended Christian conferences where I met lots of young adults. I looked up to them as children look up to older siblings. They became examples for me. One day, though, God showed me that I couldn’t go on simply acting as I had seen others act. If I did, my first trial would show that my foundations were not right.  In each of our spiritual lives, we come to the point that we must look at what Christ means for us, personally. If the disciples had depended on what other people said, even good religious folks, they might not have seen who Jesus was. Like Peter, each of us can turn our eyes to God to see God’s revelation for us, individually. Living according to this revelation is what the Bible calls “walking by the Spirit.” (See Rom. 8:13, Gal. 5:16, 25.)

God, show us how to walk in the Spirit of Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Amen.                                                                                                                                                                   

And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.  Luke 2:52

Life is a lot like a road trip. Sometimes things run smoothly. We hit the highways and byways and enjoy the scenic view. Other times we find ourselves growing impatient, asking, “Are we there yet?!”  No matter how well life is going, it’s never bad to evaluate whether or not we’re on the right track. To do that, we have to pull out the supreme road map, the Bible, and make sure we’re headed in the right direction.  Heaven is our final destination, and Jesus Christ is the only one who can get us there. When we decide to follow Christ, it doesn’t mean the trip will be absolutely smooth. But we will find that we are headed in the right direction with the ultimate guide.  As we start this New Year, don’t grow impatient by continually asking, “Are we there yet?” Instead, rely on the ultimate road map, the Bible, and get moving forward in your relationship with God! Look to Christ as your guide and begin to grow in “wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.”

Lord, thank you for providing direction for my life. I know that when I follow you I will be able to enjoy a life of growth, wisdom, and stature. Help me to live favorably in your sight as we continue this journey together. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?  Romans 8:31-32

We’ve all heard of high-profile celebrities donating large amounts of money to charity. And in our minds, a $1 million gift to a charity is an enormous gift—something many of us can’t imagine. Yet, the generosity we see in those times pales in comparison to the generosity of God. We cannot even fathom the generous nature of our Creator!  That is the point of this passage in Romans 8. If God willingly gave his only Son for you, what would he possibly keep from you?  We all have areas that we are tempted to worry about. And during those times, the evil one is doing his best to get us to doubt God’s provision for us. But when you realize the power behind God’s generous gift of his Son, you will begin to see that God has a plan to provide for all of your needs, no matter how big or small we may think they are.

Dear Father, It is so easy to get caught up in the worries of life. Please help me to trust in you and your promise to me that you will give me the provisions I need. Thank you for the generous gift of your Son, the greatest blessing I could ever receive. In Jesus Christ’s name I pray, Amen.

All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching the truth, rebuking error, correcting faults, and giving instruction for right living.  2 Timothy 3:16

Mornings on my way to work, I see two farmers carefully checking their fence that borders a busy road. They make sure the posts are secure and the wire is intact to keep their cattle safe from the dangers of the road and from wandering onto property that doesn’t belong to the ranchers. Their diligence is necessary, since many times I see cattle leaning over the wire trying to snatch a mouthful of grass or to satisfy their curiosity. Without that fence, the cattle would wander.

In many ways, God’s word is like that fence. The Bible tells me how to set safe boundaries in my life to keep me from the dangers of sinful actions and bad decisions. Whatever the day brings, God’s word offers me the answers I need for living that day. But, like the ranchers, I need to “check my fence” daily. Some days I don’t want to hear from God’s word because I’m “leaning on the wire” trying to go my own way. But daily Bible reading keeps my spiritual fence in good repair and helps me remain in God’s safe pasture.

Heavenly Father, thank you for the power, practicality, and truth of your word. Help us to be faithful in reading it and doing what is right as we seek to honor you in all things. Amen.

Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Matthew 6:34

IN my yard are several bird feeders that I try to keep full of seeds. Sometimes when I return from traveling or run out of feed, I notice that no birds come to check the feeders. Sometimes I worry and feel guilty that I have let the food run out. But as soon as I fill the feeders, within hours the usual assortment of birds finds its way back. I wonder who takes care of the birds when I cannot. In a similar way, when my church’s Boy Scout troop collects canned food for the hungry, I worry that as much as we give, it never seems to be enough. When I think about how many people go hungry or need to hear God’s word each day, the challenge seems overwhelming. There will always be more than we alone can do. What is the answer?

Christ tells us to put our faith in God. To be concerned is a call to action, but that does not mean a call to worry. Instead, we do what we can with what God puts at our disposal, and we trust God to take care of the rest. (See 1 Cor. 3:6-8.) We do our best and trust God for the rest.

Dear God, remind us to share what you give us with those in need and then to be still, waiting for your will to be done. Amen.

Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?  James 2:7

The word “Christian” dates back to the early days of the Church, after the gospel had begun to spread throughout the world. The ironic thing is that, originally, the term was meant as an insult toward those who were walking in the footsteps of Jesus.  In today’s culture, the term Christian is one that those who accept Christ as Savior have chosen for themselves. But like then, many Christians still face ridicule.  If you find yourself being slandered because of your beliefs or ridiculed because of your faith, don’t give up hope. And don’t allow it to keep you from reaching out the way God wants you to.   Instead, use the opportunity to show people what it truly means to be a Christian. Let your reaction be to show them God’s love. And pray for them in the name above all other names, Jesus Christ.

Dear God, I know that everyday there are people who slam your name. They use your name as a curse word or in a manner that insults the whole family of God. Help me to not react, causing them to justify their onslaught. Help me to instead pray for them to see the value of an eternal relationship with you. In the name of your son, Jesus Christ. Amen.