2022-01-11
Romans 1:20 NLT
They say, “There are none so blind as those who will not see!” Richard Dawkins, the well-known atheist said, “It is absolutely safe to say that, if you meet somebody who claims not to believe in evolution, that person is ignorant, stupid or insane.” But the truth is, most great scientific minds from the past – brilliant men who founded and developed key disciplines of science – were creationists. For example: (1) Physics: Newton, Faraday, Maxwell, Kelvin. (2) Chemistry: Boyle, Dalton, Pascal, Ramsay. (3) Biology: Ray, Pasteur, Mendel, Linnaeus. (4) Geology: Steno, Woodward, Brewster, Agassiz. (5) Astronomy: Kepler, Galileo, Herschel, Maunder. Were these men “ignorant, stupid or insane”?
Sir Isaac Newton managed to discover the composition of light, deduce the laws of motion, invent calculus, compute the speed of sound, and define universal gravitation – while believing our universe “could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful being.” In a 2007 Newsweek magazine survey, 78 percent of those polled attributed creation to God, while only 13 percent believed in naturalistic evolution.
Don’t be intimidated by nonbelievers. Push back! The Bible says: “They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities…So they have no excuse for not knowing God” (vv. 18-20 NLT). Yes, there is a God – and He wants you to know Him on a personal level.
Soul food: Gen 24:1-25:18; Luke 2:8-20; Ps 71:1-16; Pro 2:1-2
2022-01-10
Hebrews 3:4 NKJV
Imagine a human skull evolving with holes and sockets in just the right places. “Then,” as one author writes, “by accident came the brain, interconnected to two eyes, two ears, one nose, skin, blood, nerves, mouth, teeth, tongue, salivary glands and taste buds, connected to a neck and a body with heart, liver, kidneys, lungs, in both male and female with complex, complementary reproductive systems – and that a similar thing happened throughout all the animal kingdom.”
Atheists claim something can bring itself into being from nothing, and given enough time, complex systems can be constructed by chance through random, unguided developments. It doesn’t make sense. The Bible says, “Every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God” (v. 4 NKJV). If the first man to walk on the moon had discovered a Coca-Cola can, would it be sensible to imagine it had evolved over millions of years? Or would he know it was devised and constructed, and therefore someone must have been there earlier? Think about how simplistic a Coca-Cola can is compared to your design.
“But don’t the most intelligent people, like great scientists, believe God didn’t create the world?” you ask. No! Albert Einstein, perhaps the world’s greatest scientist said, “The deeper one penetrates into nature’s secrets, the greater becomes one’s respect for God.” And Sir Isaac Newton said, “The most beautiful system of the sun, planets, and comets, could only proceed from the counsel and dominion of an intelligent and powerful Being.” Yes, there is a God, and one day you will stand before Him. Are you ready for that event? If not, you can be, by putting your trust in Christ today.
Soul food: Gen 20-23; Luke 2:1-7; Ps 46; Pro 1:32-33
2022-01-09
Acts 14:17 NLT
Do you believe there is a God who made all things, including you? Yes? Then you’re blessed. On the other hand, if you don’t believe in God, try to make an eye, an ear, or a brain. Only make one…from nothing! Or create a flower that can produce nectar which can be collected by bees you made and make them transform it into honey for you to eat. You breathe in life-giving oxygen released by trees, then you breathe out carbon dioxide giving the trees what they need for their survival. Brilliant, right? And since atheists believe all this came into being without an intelligent guiding power – there was no “mind” behind creation – imagine having your brain removed and then being asked to create it.
Perhaps that’s why the majority of people in a Newsweek poll said they believe in God. So, what about the tiny 3 to 5 percent who claim to be atheists? Are they just smarter than the rest of us, or are they missing some apparent evidence? An atheist is defined as someone who doesn’t believe in God. But since it is impossible to prove scientifically that something doesn’t exist, atheists can’t know for sure that there is no God. Their view is based solely on the lack of evidence.
However, believing there is no God doesn’t mean one does not exist. The Bible says, “He never left them without evidence of himself and his goodness. For instance, he sends you rain and good crops and gives you food and joyful hearts” (v. 17 NLT). The “evidence” is all around us. God’s existence can be proved. And you can have a personal relationship with Him!
Soul food: 1 Sam 3:1-11; Acts 9:1-9
2022-01-08
Matthew 22:37 NLT
When a lawyer asked Jesus what the greatest commandment was, He replied that he must love God, others, and himself (See vv. 37-39 NLT). Observe that He said, “You must love” (emphasis added). This tells you a lot about the true nature and behavior of love. If love can be commanded, then it can’t be only emotional, or a matter of feelings. Genuine love is much more than feelings; it’s a matter of the will. That’s why Jesus could command us to express it. It’s a commandment followed by a commitment. Although feelings are important, true love functions regardless of how you feel.
In his book The Fred Factor Mark Sanborn writes: “I learned a long time ago that liking people and loving them are different. Liking someone is an emotional response. Unlike love, ‘like’ is a feeling. The tough part is that we can’t control our emotions. We can control how we choose to express those emotions but not the feelings themselves. A healthy person can choose to be angry and still choose to act lovingly…A feeling is a reaction. Maybe that’s one reason Jesus didn’t say, ‘Like your enemies.’ He knew that liking or not liking someone was not always in our immediate control…I have learned that love is, among other things, an action. I can love someone I don’t necessarily like. I can do something or act toward that person in a certain way because I know it is the right thing to do even if I don’t feel warm and fuzzy doing it.”
And here’s the thing: When you act lovingly toward another person, your emotions begin to line up with your actions. Go ahead, try it and see!
Soul food: Gen 17-19; Luke 1:67-80; Ps 42:6-11; Pro 1:28-31
2022-01-07
James 3:2 NLT
When it comes to your tongue, here are three rules: (1) Don’t speak too quickly. “We all make many mistakes. For if we could control our tongues, we…could…control ourselves in every other way” (v. 2 NLT). Because you can never be totally aware of all the sensitivities of a person, you must rely on the Holy Spirit to direct your speech in a way that doesn’t tap into their pain or other negative experiences. Everybody has a different sensitivity level, depending on their past experiences. That includes you too. So practice not being easily offended, and giving others the benefit of the doubt when they say something that could be misconstrued as offensive.
(2) Don’t respond too quickly. “To answer before listening – that is folly and shame” (Proverbs 18:13 NIV). Before you speak, listen carefully and make sure you understand what is really being said. And if you don’t – say so. Your need to “look good” can cause you to lose respect in the eyes of the person you’re seeking to impress.
(3) Don’t commit too quickly. Solomon writes, “Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart utter anything hastily before God” (Ecclesiastes 5:2 NKJV). Then he goes on to explain how we shouldn’t try to drop out of a commitment by saying we made a mistake. Your word is your bond, and when you break a promise, you hurt people and forfeit their trust.
So pause before you speak, and if need be, take time to pray. Your time and your words are two things that can never be taken back, so carefully weigh what you say.
Soul food: Gen 13-16; Luke 1:57-66; Ps 42:1-5; Pro 1:20-27
2022-01-06
John 15:2 TLB
You must submit to the pruning process. “He prunes those branches that bear fruit for even larger crops.” Pruning entails cutting off dead branches and cutting back living branches. Both are necessary to shape the tree and stimulate growth. Professional pruners will tell you that most people are too hesitant when it comes to pruning.
But God is not. He not only cuts off that which is sinful and superficial, He cuts back that which is alive and successful; a business that’s doing great, a satisfying relationship, or a plan that seems to be working well. God doesn’t just cut off the “bad,” but the “good,” in order to give you the “best.” It’s not pleasant, but it’s absolutely essential for spiritual growth.
What does God want in your life? “Much fruit” (John 15:8). So, you are going to be pruned! You may be undergoing pruning right now, and it may not all be deadwood. God cuts off things we view as productive so that more fruit may be produced in our lives. This can be perplexing. We believe we’re being faithful, so we are puzzled, even frustrated, by His pruning.
“Why are you doing this, God? I have given my business to you, but it’s unprofitable. I have committed my health to you, now I’m in the hospital. I’ve been tithing faithfully, yet I’m going bankrupt.” What’s happening? “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:11 NIV). You’re being pruned for greater fruitfulness.
Soul food: Gen 10-12; Luke 1:39-56; Ps 10:12-18; Pro 1:17-19
