I absolutely love the creation account. Preaching on creation and the image of God in humanity has really connected me with God's greatness and grace. I just finished a book called, "Designer Universe," that talks about the irreducible complexity we find all around us, and the overwhelming evidences for intelligent design in creation, from the expanse and balance of the galaxies to the function of the atom. Isn't it amazing that something so big is actually comprised of something so small? When you get to the possibility of life being made of the same stuff as dirt, it gets really amazing.
Did God create it all in 6 days? Why not? He could have created in 6 nanoseconds or 6 billion years. What difference would that make to God? He's in a different time zone than we are in. Time is all relative anyway. It's only measured point to point. When we look back and attempt to figure out when something started, so we can calculate its age, we can only theorize. That's ok, but I still hold the biblical account as a reasonable, viable account. I hold it by faith in the Word of God. I prefer to have faith in Jesus Christ, not Carl Sagan or any other agnostic/atheistic cosmologist. Sagan died in 1996, so all his theories have been put to the test now.
Concerning man in the image of God, or in the Latin, the imago dei, man is the only creature made to have such a unique relationship with God. We are the pinnacle of creation not because of physical prowess, but because of spiritual relationship with the Lord. God created humanity in His image, male and female, God created them. Thank you Lord! I am so grateful for my wife. I truly believe that when we are in right relationship with God, and with one another (love), then men and women compliment one another and add joy to life that would be impossible otherwise. That was God's plan from the beginning.
Finally, God created humanity for a purpose. That means he created you and me for a purpose. What is our purpose? Ultimately it is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. To do that we must each seek to know God's will for our lives and by faith, endeavor to do God's will. It's not enough to be "hearers only," but we must be "doers," of the will of God. God's will is revealed objectively in the Word of God, the Bible, we have all committed to read through. Scripture reveals who God is and how God acts. It reveals who we are and how we are to relate to God and one another. It reveals the movement of God's plan of redemption in history, and we are a continuing part of that history. We have a part to play right here, right now. We must, therefore, know the Word of God as it is. It remains the benchmark, the standard, by which life is measured.
But God also speaks through the Spirit of God directly to our hearts. Should you take a new job or buy a new house, or go on a mission trip to Haiti, or start a new service at church? Not all of these questions are answered directly in the pages of Scripture, although firm guidance is provided there. You should not take a new job if it involves something immoral. You should not buy a new home if it puts you in more debt. You should go on a mission trip if God provides a way for you to go. You should start a new service if God burdens your heart for people and opens the door of opportunity. Scripture offers firm truth on these questions, but it is the Holy Spirit who speaks and confirms it in our hearts.
Last week I went to a prayer service on Wednesday at Union Hill AME. I prayed for an hour and then talked to Joe Pridgen, their young pastor afterwards. He shared some of the challenges he has faced and I shared with him some of mine. In talking to him I became impressed with the urge to act on something that has been on my heart for several years. I have wanted to start another worship service at Live Oak outside of the 11 am Sunday service. Many churches do this with the intent of reaching new people and providing a forum of worship that is somewhat less structured by past expectations. Joe had labored through that same struggle until he finally gave into God's leading and stepped out on faith. I felt so very burdened to finally do the same, and no longer allow my fear of failure to stop me from what God laid on my heart for so long.
Thursday morning I prayed earnestly, "Lord, is this what you want me to do?" I picked up my Bible and continued with my morning devotional in Luke 8. There is found the parable of the sower, and the admonition to not hide our light under a basket. Then I read Luke 8:18. Jesus said, "Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks he has will be taken away." Now I have read that verse many, many times and quite honestly I never understood it. But that morning, the Spirit told me that I must listen to the Lord, for God has given me a heart mind, talent, desire, experience, gifting to do something more for Him, and if I do, He will give more. But if I hold onto only what I think I have in terms of comfort, security, peace, pleasing people, holding status quo, then even what I think I have will be taken away.
Is what Christ has put on my heart easy? Of course not. Is it ever? Will it please everyone? Not likely. But am I constrained by the Word of God and the Spirit of God to do the will of God? I believe so. It's either that or disobey. How can I admonish people week after week to take steps of faith on God's will when I won't take one myself? So that same Thursday morning I went to speak to a trusted adviser and senior member of our church to ask his thoughts. Ultimately he said it's worth a try if we have the hope of reaching souls for Christ. If God is in it, he said, then it will go. If God is not, it won't. So true. But I know I must act now in faith.
What has God put on your heart? What is God speaking to you in His Word, in His Spirit, and through the people He has brought into your life?
I am playing catch up to the rest of you since I started late! I love that God took such care of Adam and Eve even after they sinned and ate from the tree of life. He made them clothes! Amazing.
ReplyDeleteAs for the early service at Live Oak, i was telling my cousin about it and she was somewhat negative about it saying that their church had one and most churches with older congregations dont do well with an early service. I told her the same thing you stated above and in church. It might not go forward but if God wants it to, it will.
I certainly agree that it is very likely that the older folks of most congregations will not do well with the contemporary service, but that's not the point of doing it. The purpose is not to make ourselves more comfortable, but to make ourselves uncomfortable if necessary to reach those who are going to hell. The point of doing it is to reach the unreached who are not presently, and probably will never, attend a traditional worship service.
ReplyDeleteFor some strange reason I just can't seem to be content with appeasing complacency while my neighbors are going to hell. We have baptized 15 people in the 5 years I have been at Live Oak. I am thrilled about every one, but I am not satisfied with that. What if we baptized 15 a year? How about 15 a month? What about 15 a week or a day? Another church in Johnston county has baptized over 250 since January, so it is not true that God is no longer bringing souls to Christ. It's happening. We just need to do some soul searching and decide whether or not we want it to happen here or whether we want to maintain the status quo. We can't do both. We can't walk on water until we get out of the boat. Some people will not do well with that.
God has put this on my heart so strongly that I am constrained by my conscience. I will answer to God on how I act or fail to act in faith on His call. I hope everyone else can do the same. At the end of the day it doesn't really matter what everyone else says. It matters what God says.