Are you serious? I can guarantee that I get no comments on this blog! I cannot even believe that I have been driven to write this; however here I go.
Over the past few days I have had more than a few unique conversations concerning “Smoking Weed”. Just yesterday I had 2 youth tell me that smoking weed is not a sin; God created it, how can it be a sin to smoke it? He also told me that it cured cancer, obesity, depression, and other physical diseases. I must be honest, there are a lot of these thoughts going around in our culture. Last week I had a conversation with a co-worker who says smoking is beneficial for her and her boyfriend. Actually her boyfriend deals with anxiety issues when he is around people so he hits the pipe before work and other social gatherings.
I would like to argue (I cannot believe that I even have to) that smoking weed is a sin and does not honor your creator. Just because our laws are getting lighter on the issue, does not make it honorable and pleasing to your creator. In Massachusetts having under an ounce of weed is a $100 fine and they confiscate it. In North Carolina having 1 ½ ounces of weed has the same consequence. That’s equivalent to speeding in your car. However, the question is whether or not Smoking weed is a sin?
Let me clarify something and get it out in the open. In my years of existence, I have smoked my share of reefer. It's been Blunts, Joints, The Pipe, Gotties, Bowls, Bongs, cigaweed; I’ve smoked good weed, dirt weed, laced weed and everything in between. I say that not to glorify my sin, but instead to inform you that I know first hand the effects and will not be fooled with the thought that it just relaxes us and doesn’t effect our judgment. You cannot tell me that smoking a little tree does not have a similar effect as having a few to many beers.
Before you call me a dogmatic, legalistic, fundamentalist; Lets see what scripture says about this.
Ephesians 5:18
And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,
1 Corinthians 3:16-17
Do you not know that you are God's temple and that God's Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy him. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.
1 Peter 5:8
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
1 Corinthians 6:19-20
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
Romans 13:13
Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.
Titus 3:1
Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work,
Galatians 5:19-21
Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
1 Corinthians 6:19
Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own
As Christ Followers, there is no way that people filled with the Holy Spirit can walk without any conviction on this issue. The vast majority of the people who I talk to concerning this issue, usually deal with some sort of peer pressure from a culture that is trying to rob us from God’s very best. Next time your presented with the opportunity of a little “puff-puff-give” Ask yourself why you will absolutely neglect what God has spoken on this issue? Instead, why not rise up and be a leader for the Glory of Christ and stop cowering in the presence of pressure. Again, I say this to those who consider themselves Christ Followers.
Taken from http://www.drugfree.org/Portal/drug_guide/Marijuana
What is Marijuana?
Marijuana, the most often used illegal drug in this country, is a product of the hemp plant, Cannabis sativa. The main active chemical in marijuana, also present in other forms of cannabis, is THC (delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol). Of the roughly 400 chemicals found in the cannabis plant, THC affects the brain the most.
What are its short-term effects?
Short-term effects of marijuana include problems with memory and learning, distorted perception (sights, sounds, time, touch), trouble with thinking and problem solving, loss of motor coordination, increased heart rate, and anxiety. These effects are even greater when other drugs are mixed with weed. A user may also experience dry mouth and throat.
What are its long-term effects?
Marijuana smoke contains some of the same cancer-causing compounds as tobacco, sometimes in higher concentrations. Studies show that someone who smokes five joints per week may be taking in as many cancer-causing chemicals as someone who smokes a full pack of cigarettes every day.
Romans 1 says to "Worship your Creator and not his Creation."
Factors For A Successful Race
Several common ingredients can be found in the lives of godly, effective leaders. Here are a few.
1. Learning Attitude. Effective leaders are coachable. It is hard to imagine that we have it all figured out. I was just having a conversation with my brother who is looking to land a new job. He just received an offer letter from a company with a contract and I asked him to review it. His initial reaction was that I didn't feel he was smart enough to make a decision on his own. However, that was not the case at all. Instead I wanted to help put him in the best possible position to make the best possible decision. The same is true in our ministry. I think it is important to always have an attitude of humility and coachability. As believers, we should lean on each other to put ourselves in the best possible position to be used for the Glory of Christ.
The most successful Christian leaders continue to grow, right to the very end of their lives. Hebrews writes, "Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever." (13:7,8) The growing leader will carefully observe how other spiritual leaders have overcome and will then equip himself to run in a similar fashion. I do things like this by studying Biblical leaders, by reading biographies (John Edwards, Calvin, Lewis, Spurgeoun, have been some of my favorites and articles on these guys can be found at desiringgod.com) or by drawing near to godly leaders around me. Utilize the Godly people that God has surrounded you with, he hasn't put them there by mistake.
2. Spiritual Renewal. Jesus modeled the importance of pulling away from ministry activity in order to seek fresh intimacy and direction from the Father. In order to finish well, leaders need repeated times of inner renewal. The alternative is a drift toward complacency and a plateauing of growth. I love to go to things like Catalyst Conference, where thousands of church leaders get together to renew their mind on culture, leadership and ministry. For the past 3 years God has used that conference to fuel my soul and stir my affections for Christ. I also love to get away from work, family, and friends to just get alone with the Father. While in NJ for my grandfathers funeral, I spent hours in airports, in hotels, etc just alone with Jesus. He used those times to grow my faith, encourage my heart and increase my passion.
3. Disciplines. Leaders who finish well have learned the value of the spiritual disciplines. The basic disciplines involving the devotional life and the study of the Bible, along with such practices as solitude and fasting can deeply shape character and increase the probability of a good finish. After he had been in ministry for about 21 years, Paul wrote, "I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." (1 Cor. 9:27) Some 15 years later, when he was probably between 65 and 70, Paul shared time-tested advice with Pastor Timothy, "Train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." Lifelong spiritual training made it possible for Paul to finish strongly.
Lets be honest, discipline at times totally sucks. However, if as leaders we will not discipline ourselves for Godliness, than we have no business leading. We NEED to be in his word, Everyday! We should desire his word more than our food. We need to be feeding ourselves. I hear Christians all over say that their not being fed; that is a maturity issue. Babies can cry because they are not being fed; however, adults need to get up and go make food. Feed Yourself. Their are a ton of ways to do this. Podcasts, Worship Music, Bible Study, Books, Bible on audio, etc. Discipline yourself and make this a priority.
4. Accountability. The issue of accountability is critically important anywhere you go, and probably what I am most passionate about. No one can survive all by himself. We need one another. If I'm going to overcome moral problems, there has to be a group of people that I confide in. A group that I can be open with. We all face our own struggles, these struggles are overcome, not only because we read our Bibles and talk to God, but also because we talk to other Christians about our problems. And we know that they will minister to us in these areas. A lone ranger is a dead ranger! You will die; scripture confirms that.
Here is the real freakin deal on accountability. You've got to want it. If you don't want it than it wont matter. As leaders, we should want to protect our freedom so bad that accountability is something that is natural. If you are a leader and do not have several people who you have confessed your struggles to and have given them an open line to say anything and everything that may concern them about you; than you have missed it. YOU WILL FAIL!!! Just two days ago, Beth called me and said, "We're not moving to Boston." I was like what? She said, "Yeah, you have no accountability out there." She is right, however here is the key. If I want accountability, it is not hard to find. However, if I am passive about this area, accountability will never find me. When I move, my #1 priority before anything is to grow an accountability group. That comes before a core launch team or anything else that comes with planting a church.
A top Zimbabwean church planter reflects, "When God called me to ministry, the first thing I needed was to surround myself with godly men. I gave them permission to counsel and rebuke me. These are my mentors. As busy as I am, I try to get time with these men to pray with them and share my problems and successes. They are the secret to my effectiveness. Wherever there is a successful man, there are good mentors behind him."
Research has revealed that most leaders who have finished well have had ten to 15 significant people who came alongside to help them at various stages in life. Dr. Richard Clinton advises, "Simply put, if you are serious about finishing well, you need to find mentors who can hold you accountable in every area of your life and ministry and who will help you avoid the pitfalls that will arise as you move through life. An effective mentor will ensure that you continue to grow and develop." (R. Clinton, p.24)
God's Desire
How do you want to finish your ministry?
1. Learning Attitude. Effective leaders are coachable. It is hard to imagine that we have it all figured out. I was just having a conversation with my brother who is looking to land a new job. He just received an offer letter from a company with a contract and I asked him to review it. His initial reaction was that I didn't feel he was smart enough to make a decision on his own. However, that was not the case at all. Instead I wanted to help put him in the best possible position to make the best possible decision. The same is true in our ministry. I think it is important to always have an attitude of humility and coachability. As believers, we should lean on each other to put ourselves in the best possible position to be used for the Glory of Christ.
The most successful Christian leaders continue to grow, right to the very end of their lives. Hebrews writes, "Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever." (13:7,8) The growing leader will carefully observe how other spiritual leaders have overcome and will then equip himself to run in a similar fashion. I do things like this by studying Biblical leaders, by reading biographies (John Edwards, Calvin, Lewis, Spurgeoun, have been some of my favorites and articles on these guys can be found at desiringgod.com) or by drawing near to godly leaders around me. Utilize the Godly people that God has surrounded you with, he hasn't put them there by mistake.
2. Spiritual Renewal. Jesus modeled the importance of pulling away from ministry activity in order to seek fresh intimacy and direction from the Father. In order to finish well, leaders need repeated times of inner renewal. The alternative is a drift toward complacency and a plateauing of growth. I love to go to things like Catalyst Conference, where thousands of church leaders get together to renew their mind on culture, leadership and ministry. For the past 3 years God has used that conference to fuel my soul and stir my affections for Christ. I also love to get away from work, family, and friends to just get alone with the Father. While in NJ for my grandfathers funeral, I spent hours in airports, in hotels, etc just alone with Jesus. He used those times to grow my faith, encourage my heart and increase my passion.
3. Disciplines. Leaders who finish well have learned the value of the spiritual disciplines. The basic disciplines involving the devotional life and the study of the Bible, along with such practices as solitude and fasting can deeply shape character and increase the probability of a good finish. After he had been in ministry for about 21 years, Paul wrote, "I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize." (1 Cor. 9:27) Some 15 years later, when he was probably between 65 and 70, Paul shared time-tested advice with Pastor Timothy, "Train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." Lifelong spiritual training made it possible for Paul to finish strongly.
Lets be honest, discipline at times totally sucks. However, if as leaders we will not discipline ourselves for Godliness, than we have no business leading. We NEED to be in his word, Everyday! We should desire his word more than our food. We need to be feeding ourselves. I hear Christians all over say that their not being fed; that is a maturity issue. Babies can cry because they are not being fed; however, adults need to get up and go make food. Feed Yourself. Their are a ton of ways to do this. Podcasts, Worship Music, Bible Study, Books, Bible on audio, etc. Discipline yourself and make this a priority.
4. Accountability. The issue of accountability is critically important anywhere you go, and probably what I am most passionate about. No one can survive all by himself. We need one another. If I'm going to overcome moral problems, there has to be a group of people that I confide in. A group that I can be open with. We all face our own struggles, these struggles are overcome, not only because we read our Bibles and talk to God, but also because we talk to other Christians about our problems. And we know that they will minister to us in these areas. A lone ranger is a dead ranger! You will die; scripture confirms that.
Here is the real freakin deal on accountability. You've got to want it. If you don't want it than it wont matter. As leaders, we should want to protect our freedom so bad that accountability is something that is natural. If you are a leader and do not have several people who you have confessed your struggles to and have given them an open line to say anything and everything that may concern them about you; than you have missed it. YOU WILL FAIL!!! Just two days ago, Beth called me and said, "We're not moving to Boston." I was like what? She said, "Yeah, you have no accountability out there." She is right, however here is the key. If I want accountability, it is not hard to find. However, if I am passive about this area, accountability will never find me. When I move, my #1 priority before anything is to grow an accountability group. That comes before a core launch team or anything else that comes with planting a church.
A top Zimbabwean church planter reflects, "When God called me to ministry, the first thing I needed was to surround myself with godly men. I gave them permission to counsel and rebuke me. These are my mentors. As busy as I am, I try to get time with these men to pray with them and share my problems and successes. They are the secret to my effectiveness. Wherever there is a successful man, there are good mentors behind him."
Research has revealed that most leaders who have finished well have had ten to 15 significant people who came alongside to help them at various stages in life. Dr. Richard Clinton advises, "Simply put, if you are serious about finishing well, you need to find mentors who can hold you accountable in every area of your life and ministry and who will help you avoid the pitfalls that will arise as you move through life. An effective mentor will ensure that you continue to grow and develop." (R. Clinton, p.24)
God's Desire
How do you want to finish your ministry?
Are you encouraged by the trends in your life or are crucial changes needed?
What practices and safeguards are being built into your leadership now that will make for a good finish later?
Take heart! God wants you to finish well! He is earnestly committed to develop you toward maximum potential as a godly leader. And if you fully cooperate with His shaping wok, you will join those who run successfully to the finish. May Paul's passion as a leader burn within our hearts, "I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me."
Six Barriers to a Good Finish
1. The Misuse of Money Many leaders are careless in the handling of finances, both in their personal lives and ministry. Greed can sway sound judgment, leading to sin and eventual downfall. Too often God's resources have been diverted to personal use. Clothes donated to the poor have been taken by those handling them. Pastor's salaries have been supplemented from funds for evangelism. I really hope that God will protect me against this. In my career, I have had the ability to make above average money, and I do not want that to hinder what God wants to do through. It will be so easy to turn things that are wants and put them in the category of needs. I love this quote from Francis Chan; "We need to be less concerned with our standard of living and more concerned with other people actually living."
2. The Abuse of Power There is a tendency for leaders to wield power over followers beyond its intended use and to view special privileges as their personal right. Their leadership style is more reflective of a "chief" than a "shepherd." Rather than empowering followers for service, they lead for their own personal benefit. Usually these leaders have no accountability system. They stand at great risk. This is another area that can be any man/woman's downfall. Being only 25 and in leadership is very dangerous if I do not have the right people around me to lead and guide me through this.
3. Pride Success in ministry can pave the way for inappropriate pride to develop within a leader. Self-centeredness can set in, leading to poor decisions and ungodly behavior. We do well to heed James' counsel, "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up." (Jas. 4:l0) Of everything on this list, I think that this is what I am most prone to. Since I got to college, I just about had success in every area of my life. Sports, Career, Ministry, Family, etc. This is dangerous because at times I consider my success "MY" success. I forget that without the grace of God, nothing is possible. he had gifted me in certain areas, but without his gifts and continued hand on me, I am nothing.
4. Sexual Misconduct Illicit sexual relationships have been a powerful tool in the enemy's hands against God's leaders. David's sin with Bathsheba has been repeated countless times in our generation, with no less devastating effects. Sexual sin has absolutely destroyed some of our best Christian men. Personally, I am not naive enough to think that I will not be tempted in this area. I tell Beth often, that the goal is not to "not Cheat"; that's a bad goal. "The goal is to never even allow myself to be in a possible position where being unfaithful is something that is a remote possibility." I refuse to allow my life and ministry to be destroyed because I cannot keep my pants on. Just shooting straight.
5. Family Issues Unresolved conflicts between husband and wife or between parents and children can have repercussions on leadership effectiveness. Leaders such as Eli and David, paid a dear price in leadership due to family problems. 1 Timothy 3 says that what qualifies me and you as a pastor is our homes. If I cannot lead my family, I cannot lead God's flock. If I cannot be a Godly Husband, how am I to lead the husbands? If I cannot be a Godly Dad, how am I to lead the Dads? If I can't make God saturated decisions in my home, how am I to do that in my church?
6. Complacency As a leader becomes complacent in ministry there is often a tendency to relax and rely on the successes of the past. I cannot lead people further than I have gone yourself. I cannot take people (spiritually) where I am not going. There is always work to be done; there is always a deeper measure of Jesus that we need to strive for.
It is important to note that each barrier is deeply rooted in character issues, rather than in lack of ministry skills. Personal integrity lies at the heart of the matter.
Tomorrow I will share what leads people a good finish.
How will you finish the race?
1 Corinthians 9:24 "Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way to get the prize."Did you know that only 30% of leaders in the Bible finished well. This means that 70% fell short of God's plan for their lives. This fact should jolt any present day leader who desires to count for God. These leaders are categorized below according to how they finished their ministry.Ways They Finished
1. Running Leaders like Abraham, Joshua, Daniel, Paul and Peter enjoyed deepening intimacy with God throughout life. They never stopped learning and growing, even as mature leaders. They led with spiritual authority, for their followers recognized God's hand on their lives. Fully submitted to the Lord, they were developed toward full potential and used significantly to advance His purposes. They completed what God gave them to do.
2. Walking Other leaders were slowed down in their ministry because of sin. They fell short of what God intended for their lives. The ramifications of disobedience to God at some point in their leadership continued to plague them, even though they may have been walking with God at the end. Such persons may include David, Jehoshaphat and Hezekiah.
3. Limping These leaders finished the race in poor shape. They were on a decline in the latter phase of their ministry. This may have been reflected in their inner life with God or in their ministry effectiveness. Leaders in this category include Gideon, Eli and Solomon.
4. Disqualified Some leaders were taken out of the race prematurely. They were removed from leadership by assassination, killed in battle, denounced or overthrown. We are not referring here to an honorable end like that of Stephen. Rather, God removed leaders such as Samson, Absalom and Ahab because He was not pleased with them. It is a tragic thing when God regrets placing someone in leadership. The price is great: personal shame for the 1eaderd and damage to God's Kingdom.While the interpretation of the date may be open for debate, the overall conclusion is abundantly clear. Few leaders finish well!
Only one in three biblical leaders fully cooperated with God over the long haul and experienced the corresponding results in ministry. Do you think the ratio has improved over the past 2,000 years? A quick survey of scandals in involving Christian leaders today would indicate that the situation hasn't improved at all.
A recent study that I read has detailed analysis on the lives of over 1,200 contemporary and historical Christian leaders. When compared with the study of Biblical leaders, it is clear that there are certain barriers that commonly prevent leaders from finishing well. I will post them tomorrow.
Creation vs Naturalism (not evolution)
I received a question on my view of Creation. I am setting out to answer it the best that I can. ENJOY!!!
I would like to stress that Genesis was not written as a scientific textbook. Rather, it is a theological narrative written to reveal the God of creation, which means it emphasizes God, not creation. As one example, Hebrews 11:3 says, “By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.”
The Bible in general, and the opening pages of Genesis in particular, are far more concerned with the questions of who made creation, how he made creation, and why he made creation than when he did. Therefore, as Galileo said, “the Holy Ghost intended to teach us how to go to heaven, not how the heavens go.”
Among Bible-believing, Jesus-loving Christians, there are at least six primary interpretations of the creation account in Genesis 1–2.
View #1 – Historic Creationism (Probably where I would stand.)
In this view, Genesis 1:1 records the making of all creation by God out of nothing, or “ex nihilo.” The merism “heavens and earth” means the sky above and land below, or the totality of creation. Since the word used for “beginning” in Genesis 1:1 is reshit in Hebrew, which means an indefinite period of time, it is likely that all of creation was completed over an extended period of time (anywhere from days to billions of years). Genesis 1:2 begins the description of God preparing the uninhabitable land for the creation of mankind. The preparation of the uncultivated land and the creation of Adam and Eve occurred in six literal twenty-four-hour days, as echoed in Exodus 20:11. This view leaves open the possibility of both an old earth and six literal days of creation.
View #2 – Young Earth Creationism (this would be my 2nd option)
In this view, God created the entire universe, including Adam and Eve, in six literal twenty-four-hour days. This view is almost always accompanied with a belief in a young earth as it seeks to be faithful to the biblical text while not giving much credence to the scientific claims of such things as an old earth. A young earth is probably between 6,000-10,000 years old. Some people may argue that science stated that the earth is billions of years old. The argument to this is that maybe God made the earth mature. For example, when God created Adam, he created him mature (a man) and not a fetus. The other argument is that possibly the flood did cataclysmic damage to the earth and seasoned it beyond it's actual years.
View #3 – Gap Theory (I don't believe this, I don't think scripture supports it very well at all)
In this view, Genesis 1:1 explains a first creation that happened perhaps billions of years ago. Then, a catastrophic event, likely the fall of Satan from heaven, left the earth in the destroyed condition of Genesis 1:2. God responded to this disaster by recreating the earth again a few thousand years ago in six literal days and repopulating the earth as is recorded in Genesis 1:3–27. According to this view the earth is old from the first creation and mankind is young because of the recent creation. The problems with this view include the fact that nothing in the Bible speaks of two creations. Also, at the end of the six days of creation, God declared all that he had made “very good,” which does not correlate with the claim that the earth had been destroyed and made “very bad.”
View #4 – Literary Framework View
In this view, Genesis 1–2 is intended to be read as a figurative framework explaining creation in a topical, not sequential, order. The six days of creation listed in Genesis 1 are also to be interpreted metaphorically and not as literal twenty-four-hour days. It is true that Genesis 1 is written in poetry form. Some people argue that it should be taken as figurative rather than literal, however I do not agree with that. It would not shock me that our Creator may have decided to express his story of creation in a creative way using poetry. The Literary Framework View is outlined here:
Forming
Day 1 - light and darkness separated
Day 4 - sun, moon, stars (lights in heaven)
Day 2 - sky and waters separated
Day 5 - fish and birds
Day 3 - dry land and waters separated; plants and trees
Day 6 - animals and man
Filling
However, there are some problems with this view. Most obviously, Exodus 20:11 clearly states that the six days of creation are literal; it ties our seven-day week with one day of Sabbath to the six days of God’s work in creation and his one day of rest.
View #5 – Day-Age View
In this view, God created the universe, including Adam and Eve, in six sequential periods of time that are not literal twenty-four-hour days. The problem with this view is that the six days of creation seem to clearly be literal days. Also, as we saw above, Exodus 20:11 clearly states that the six days are literal.
View #6 – Theistic Evolution
In this view, God essentially began creation and then pulled back from working directly in creation to instead work through the process of evolution. The only exception would be God involving himself directly again in the making of human life. For the most part, this view accepts the hypothesis of evolution but seeks to insert God as the creator of matter and overseer of the evolutionary process. This view also believes that species evolved over a long period of time, which requires an old earth. The biblical problems with theistic evolution are many. First, Genesis 1 repeatedly states that creation and its species came into existence because “God said,” and not because of evolutionary process. Additionally, Genesis 1 also continually states that after God commanded creation to come into existence, “it was so”; thus, God’s commands brought about the instantaneous response of creation rather than a long evolutionary process detached from God. Second, evolution teaches that one species evolves into other species while Genesis 1 says that each species had offspring “according to its kind” (e.g., 1:21, 1:24, 1:25) and not another kind as evolution postulates. Third, the rest of Scripture portrays God as continually involved in the details of creation, including making the grass grow (Ps. 104:14; Matt. 6:30), feeding the birds (Matt. 6:26), and feeding other creatures (Ps. 104:21, 25–30). Scripture clearly does not paint God as remote or only indirectly involved in creation.
I do however believe in micro-evolution, in that species can adapt to environments. I do not believe in macro-evolution which states that one species can evolve into another species. That thought originally came from Darwin in his book "The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or The Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life" Please look again at the full title of that book. The underlining argument was that whites had out-evolved blacks and were superior. Darwin's book was a book that was out to prove favored races. I believe that we all descend from Adam and that all races are equal. In the further study of this theory, it has been proved that with the complexity of DNA and the study of the "single simple cell" (which is not simple at all), this theory of macro-evolution has never been factually proven. Also, fossil records do not have any evidence of this in its findings.
Sooooooooooooo. I hope this gives some thought on what I believe. I must say that I am no expert in this at all. My beliefs come from a basic scientific study of this topic and my view on scripture. I am interested to know other peoples thoughts.
I would like to stress that Genesis was not written as a scientific textbook. Rather, it is a theological narrative written to reveal the God of creation, which means it emphasizes God, not creation. As one example, Hebrews 11:3 says, “By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.”
The Bible in general, and the opening pages of Genesis in particular, are far more concerned with the questions of who made creation, how he made creation, and why he made creation than when he did. Therefore, as Galileo said, “the Holy Ghost intended to teach us how to go to heaven, not how the heavens go.”
Among Bible-believing, Jesus-loving Christians, there are at least six primary interpretations of the creation account in Genesis 1–2.
View #1 – Historic Creationism (Probably where I would stand.)
In this view, Genesis 1:1 records the making of all creation by God out of nothing, or “ex nihilo.” The merism “heavens and earth” means the sky above and land below, or the totality of creation. Since the word used for “beginning” in Genesis 1:1 is reshit in Hebrew, which means an indefinite period of time, it is likely that all of creation was completed over an extended period of time (anywhere from days to billions of years). Genesis 1:2 begins the description of God preparing the uninhabitable land for the creation of mankind. The preparation of the uncultivated land and the creation of Adam and Eve occurred in six literal twenty-four-hour days, as echoed in Exodus 20:11. This view leaves open the possibility of both an old earth and six literal days of creation.
View #2 – Young Earth Creationism (this would be my 2nd option)
In this view, God created the entire universe, including Adam and Eve, in six literal twenty-four-hour days. This view is almost always accompanied with a belief in a young earth as it seeks to be faithful to the biblical text while not giving much credence to the scientific claims of such things as an old earth. A young earth is probably between 6,000-10,000 years old. Some people may argue that science stated that the earth is billions of years old. The argument to this is that maybe God made the earth mature. For example, when God created Adam, he created him mature (a man) and not a fetus. The other argument is that possibly the flood did cataclysmic damage to the earth and seasoned it beyond it's actual years.
View #3 – Gap Theory (I don't believe this, I don't think scripture supports it very well at all)
In this view, Genesis 1:1 explains a first creation that happened perhaps billions of years ago. Then, a catastrophic event, likely the fall of Satan from heaven, left the earth in the destroyed condition of Genesis 1:2. God responded to this disaster by recreating the earth again a few thousand years ago in six literal days and repopulating the earth as is recorded in Genesis 1:3–27. According to this view the earth is old from the first creation and mankind is young because of the recent creation. The problems with this view include the fact that nothing in the Bible speaks of two creations. Also, at the end of the six days of creation, God declared all that he had made “very good,” which does not correlate with the claim that the earth had been destroyed and made “very bad.”
View #4 – Literary Framework View
In this view, Genesis 1–2 is intended to be read as a figurative framework explaining creation in a topical, not sequential, order. The six days of creation listed in Genesis 1 are also to be interpreted metaphorically and not as literal twenty-four-hour days. It is true that Genesis 1 is written in poetry form. Some people argue that it should be taken as figurative rather than literal, however I do not agree with that. It would not shock me that our Creator may have decided to express his story of creation in a creative way using poetry. The Literary Framework View is outlined here:
Forming
Day 1 - light and darkness separated
Day 4 - sun, moon, stars (lights in heaven)
Day 2 - sky and waters separated
Day 5 - fish and birds
Day 3 - dry land and waters separated; plants and trees
Day 6 - animals and man
Filling
However, there are some problems with this view. Most obviously, Exodus 20:11 clearly states that the six days of creation are literal; it ties our seven-day week with one day of Sabbath to the six days of God’s work in creation and his one day of rest.
View #5 – Day-Age View
In this view, God created the universe, including Adam and Eve, in six sequential periods of time that are not literal twenty-four-hour days. The problem with this view is that the six days of creation seem to clearly be literal days. Also, as we saw above, Exodus 20:11 clearly states that the six days are literal.
View #6 – Theistic Evolution
In this view, God essentially began creation and then pulled back from working directly in creation to instead work through the process of evolution. The only exception would be God involving himself directly again in the making of human life. For the most part, this view accepts the hypothesis of evolution but seeks to insert God as the creator of matter and overseer of the evolutionary process. This view also believes that species evolved over a long period of time, which requires an old earth. The biblical problems with theistic evolution are many. First, Genesis 1 repeatedly states that creation and its species came into existence because “God said,” and not because of evolutionary process. Additionally, Genesis 1 also continually states that after God commanded creation to come into existence, “it was so”; thus, God’s commands brought about the instantaneous response of creation rather than a long evolutionary process detached from God. Second, evolution teaches that one species evolves into other species while Genesis 1 says that each species had offspring “according to its kind” (e.g., 1:21, 1:24, 1:25) and not another kind as evolution postulates. Third, the rest of Scripture portrays God as continually involved in the details of creation, including making the grass grow (Ps. 104:14; Matt. 6:30), feeding the birds (Matt. 6:26), and feeding other creatures (Ps. 104:21, 25–30). Scripture clearly does not paint God as remote or only indirectly involved in creation.
I do however believe in micro-evolution, in that species can adapt to environments. I do not believe in macro-evolution which states that one species can evolve into another species. That thought originally came from Darwin in his book "The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or The Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life" Please look again at the full title of that book. The underlining argument was that whites had out-evolved blacks and were superior. Darwin's book was a book that was out to prove favored races. I believe that we all descend from Adam and that all races are equal. In the further study of this theory, it has been proved that with the complexity of DNA and the study of the "single simple cell" (which is not simple at all), this theory of macro-evolution has never been factually proven. Also, fossil records do not have any evidence of this in its findings.
Sooooooooooooo. I hope this gives some thought on what I believe. I must say that I am no expert in this at all. My beliefs come from a basic scientific study of this topic and my view on scripture. I am interested to know other peoples thoughts.
View on Scripture
Having read a lot of definitions of how people perceive the Bible, I think that this is the most accurate and what I would align most with. Please take the time to read this, I believe that it is very well written. You can tell that there was a lot of thought that went into this.THE BETHLEHEM BAPTIST CHURCH ELDER AFFIRMATION OF FAITH
I believe that the Bible, consisting of the sixty-six books of the Old and New Testaments, is the infallible Word of God, verbally inspired by God, and without error in the original manuscripts. I believe that God’s intentions, revealed in the Bible, are the supreme and final authority in testing all claims about what is true and what is right. In matters not addressed by the Bible, what is true and right is assessed by criteria consistent with the teachings of Scripture.
I believe God’s intentions are revealed through the intentions of inspired human authors, even when the authors’ intention was to express divine meaning of which they were not fully aware, as, for example, in the case of some Old Testament prophecies. Thus the meaning of Biblical texts is a fixed historical reality, rooted in the historical, unchangeable intentions of its divine and human authors. However, while meaning does not change, the application of that meaning may change in various situations.
Nevertheless it is not legitimate to infer a meaning from a Biblical text that is not demonstrably carried by the words which God inspired. Therefore, the process of discovering the intention of God in the Bible (which is its fullest meaning) is a humble and careful effort to find in the language of Scripture what the human authors intended to communicate. Limited abilities, traditional biases, personal sin, and cultural assumptions often obscure Biblical texts. Therefore the work of the Holy Spirit is essential for right understanding of the Bible, and prayer for His assistance belongs to a proper effort to understand and apply God’s Word.
Child-like Faith
Matthew 18:3 Jesus says, "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven."
Beth is out having a girls night, making cookies with her momma, Abby, Jen and Alyssa. I'm here chillin w/ D and El's. El's just went to bed and I am here next to D watching him play Wii golf. The kid is amazing.
Anyway, we got some Hillsong on, Mighty to Save, which goes like this:
"Savior, he can move the mountains,
My God is Mighty to Save, he is Mighty to Save."
D, who is probably the most Godly person I know...Seriously, the kid prays like a theologian already; just asked me this question.
D: Dad, Can Jesus move mountains?
Me: Yeah bro, he sure could.
D: Yeah I thought so.
That was it. "Yeah, I thought so." Child-like faith. Often God uses my kids to confront me. Today within those 3 sentences, God used D to confront my unbelief. Do I really believe that God can move the mountains? I sure do. Do you?
Want to be faced with your own unbelief?
Watch this video: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7721106190663219700
Beth is out having a girls night, making cookies with her momma, Abby, Jen and Alyssa. I'm here chillin w/ D and El's. El's just went to bed and I am here next to D watching him play Wii golf. The kid is amazing.
Anyway, we got some Hillsong on, Mighty to Save, which goes like this:
"Savior, he can move the mountains,
My God is Mighty to Save, he is Mighty to Save."
D, who is probably the most Godly person I know...Seriously, the kid prays like a theologian already; just asked me this question.
D: Dad, Can Jesus move mountains?
Me: Yeah bro, he sure could.
D: Yeah I thought so.
That was it. "Yeah, I thought so." Child-like faith. Often God uses my kids to confront me. Today within those 3 sentences, God used D to confront my unbelief. Do I really believe that God can move the mountains? I sure do. Do you?
Want to be faced with your own unbelief?
Watch this video: http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7721106190663219700
Black and White Issues / Jesus is the prize
I enjoyed reading these. http://mrabear.blogspot.com/ and its comments. Brian, what I like most is how you are able to fight both sides. Its pretty incredible how you challenge the Christian.I would disagree with the issue on black and white, I think that things are a lot more black and white than we would like to think. I agree with you Brian that Christians are prone to postmodern relativism in the name of Love and not hurting other peoples feelings.
Also, the issue with being led by the Holy Spirit is this; how do we know that the spirit that is leading us is Holy and not Demonic, Selfish, Pleasure seeking, etc; at times Demonic spirits, selfish spirits, can seem very Godly? The answer is in scripture. Paul tells us to test all spirits according to scripture. We never can have any assurance that the Holy Spirit is leading us apart from scripture.
Our current Christian culture is not about glorifying God anymore. Instead it has become a therapeutic prosperity doctrine. Here is what I mean; we present Christ as a way to improve your income, your marriage, your depression, your parenting, etc. So in the end Christ is just a means to something greater rather than Christ being the one who is Great. The bible calls that idolatry. We make comments like, "we need to defend ourselves; stick up for ourselves; we deserve the opportunity to do that, have that, want that; we shouldn't be a doormat." However the one we serve was a doormat; he was a despised, homeless, poor, virgin, who was beaten and killed but yet didn't defend himself at all. That's the Jesus who we serve, that's the Jesus who we worship.
Lets remember this: "JESUS IS THE PRIZE AND NOT THE MEANS TO THE PRIZE. HE IS MOST GLORIFIED WHEN WE ARE MOST SATISFIED IN HIM. "
YACK Anyone?
EWWWWWWWW
Sunday: I came home from NJ on Sunday. My grandpa passed away and I went out to be with the family and show my support. When I came back Daniel was throwing up everywhere. We still don't have the cushions on our couch yet. They have been vomited on many times this week.
Monday: Abby decided to catch it now. She yacked everywhere. She at least made it to the bathroom.
Tuesday: I woke up at about 7:00am and walked into get Ella. As I walked in, she was gagging and about to drop the yackness everywhere. I quick brought her into the bathroom; Nothing. Then I left for work and about 1 hour later, she threw up everywhere.
Wednesday: I woke up at about 6:30 to the most violent noise. It was Beth's turn this time. She was letting lose all of the "East Coast Wings" that we had the previous night. It was not a pretty sight.
Thursday: Beth was back at it again. This time it was at Chic-fil-a. Yucky.
Today is Friday: I'll update you. Nothing yet.
Sunday: I came home from NJ on Sunday. My grandpa passed away and I went out to be with the family and show my support. When I came back Daniel was throwing up everywhere. We still don't have the cushions on our couch yet. They have been vomited on many times this week.
Monday: Abby decided to catch it now. She yacked everywhere. She at least made it to the bathroom.
Tuesday: I woke up at about 7:00am and walked into get Ella. As I walked in, she was gagging and about to drop the yackness everywhere. I quick brought her into the bathroom; Nothing. Then I left for work and about 1 hour later, she threw up everywhere.
Wednesday: I woke up at about 6:30 to the most violent noise. It was Beth's turn this time. She was letting lose all of the "East Coast Wings" that we had the previous night. It was not a pretty sight.
Thursday: Beth was back at it again. This time it was at Chic-fil-a. Yucky.
Today is Friday: I'll update you. Nothing yet.
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