Archive for June, 2023

God – Part Three

Design argues–there is a God.  Where there is design there must be a designer.  A watch operates by design. Logically it can be concluded there was a designer of the watch. The earth operates by design, the rotation and tilt of the earth causes the seasons showing design. Earth is tilted 23 degrees. This allows a turning, allowing all parts exposure to the sun. If there were no tilt the poles would accumulate masses of ice and the center part become unbearably hot and life impossible. This operates by design. Therefore, there must be a Designer.

The authors of “I Don’t Have Enough Faith to be an Atheist” offer an argument for the existence that goes something like this.

A young boy wakes up one morning and goes down for breakfast to find his mom has left for work. He notices on the breakfast table a box of cereal has fallen over and pieces have spelled out on the table reading, “God loves you.” He assumes when the box fell over, the cereal formed the design.

He hurried down to the beach in hopes of seeing a girl named Sue he liked. There in the sand was drawn a large heart with an arrow through it and the message “Sue loves John.”  He assumed the waves just washed up and made it.

Looking up he sees puffy white clouds spelling, “Eat More Chicken.” Immediately he assumes the wind blew them in such a design.

It never occurred to him the message on the table had a design and his mom must have designed it.

The message in the sand had a design. Sue and John must have designed it.

The message in the sky had a design. There must be a designer. Sure enough, there is a skywriting plane.

All of the effects had design. That required a Designer.

All the designs in the universe have a Designer.

Law is an evidence. Where there is a law such as the 55 mile speed limit, there must be a lawmaker.  There are laws of science at work in the universe; thus, there must be a Lawmaker. The existence of law evidences His existence.

Without Him there can be no binding moral law, no absolutes. There can be subjective law, laws made by individuals, but no objective law, law made by an objective source, God. Subjective law allows for every individual to make his or her own standard law. Where individuals set all the law there are no absolutes. Hence, man is god.

Evil, such as the holocaust, is absolute. Everyone agrees such is evil. For there to be such an absolute law there must be an object, God, who established the standard.

However, if morality is merely subjective, then moral choices are simply personal preferences. For example one likes war, one likes peace, one likes hate, and one likes love. However objective law requires an object, God who sets the standard.

Love, mercy, optimism, hate, and hope can’t be put in a test tube and proven by scientific method; but by faith we believe in them.

The law of cause and effect argues for the existence of God. For every effect there must be an equal or greater cause. The effect is the universe, the cause has to be greater… He is.

Scientists concur that the universe is running down. This is known as the law of entropy. If it is not self-sustaining, neither was it self-creating. It has a beginning. The answer, “In the beginning God…”

Anthropology reveals a universal God consciousness among all people. Yet, there are some people who do not believe in God. People in general do, however. Their disbelief doesn’t discredit the general rule of God consciousness, any more than the fact that some people have only one leg disproves the general principle that people have two legs.

God – Part Two

The teleological argument for the existence of God, comes from the word “telos” meaning “the end.” It argues everything has an end, a purpose. Amidst the marvels of science indicating order is the human brain. Sir Henry Fairfield Osborn said, “…the human brain is the most mysterious object in the universe.” The human brain weighs approximately 3.3 pounds. It can perform what 500 tons of electrical and electronic equipment cannot do. It consists of 10 to 15 billion neurons, each a living unit in itself. Together they perform unimaginable feats. 

Yet, “And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting.” (Romans 1: 28)

To believe in Him is good, but not good enough. We must obey Him.

God has given us clues of His existence, but still He can’t be proven by scientific method. This is simply true because history can’t be rerun. However, His fingerprints are everywhere. 

To say there is a God and not obey Him is little better than saying there is no God. Only when you can say, “He is my God and I love Him, and seek to obey Him” is there a difference. Then, “Keep seeking the things above…set your mind on things above; not on the things that are on earth.” (Colossians 3:12)

Faith is not static, it is growing and vibrant. Knowledge of the word of God is a stimulant to faith. Knowing more of what God promotes and provides is an encouragement to faith. A blend of knowledge with experience is a catalyst to faith. God becomes more trustworthy when trusted. 

Likewise, it should be kept in mind that one of the laws of logic is that you can’t prove a negative. Start with the question regarding the existence of God. Non-believers should start by asking themselves what percentage of all knowledge they considered themselves to have: 10%, 25%, 50%, 75%, or maybe 98%. It just might be that 10% would be high for most folks. Could there be that in the unknown 90% there just might be a God? You don’t know what you don’t know, you know. Thus, to prove there is no God, you would have to be greater than and know more than God. Then you would be god; and therefore, there would be a god — you. That is what some people make of themselves.

Therefore, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Rom. 15: 13)

God – Part One

 “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God….’” (Psalm 53: 1)

        “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Genesis 1: 1)

                You don’t know what you don’t know, you know.

In one generation, Americans doubting the existence of God has doubled from 31% to 61%. Two-thirds of Millennials question His existence. Most churches teach from the basic assumption He exists, and are offering little evidence He does. This leaves God with few advocates. It is expedient that evidences of His existence be taught. This is the first of several Posts on the subject. Consider sharing them with others and saving all of them for further reference.

Persons who have a viable faith in God that governs their life are often criticized. Pragmatists demand proof before action. Yet, they will drive 75 miles an hour in heavy traffic and they have no proof their brakes will work the next time applied. That takes faith.

The first form of elemental faith is simply belief that “He is….” This is the starting point for all Christian faith.

Pierre Simon de La Place, considered one of the most outstanding astronomers, said it was infinitely more probable that a set of writing implements thrown promiscuously against parchment would produce Homer’s “Iliad,” than that creation was organized by any cause other than God. The effect, the universe, demands a cause, God.

One of the most outstanding writings on science is entitled “Cosmos, Bios and Theos” in English. “The Universe, Life, and God” is a compilation of the writings of sixty notable scientists, twenty-four were Nobel prize winners. Nobel prize winner Professor Henry Margenau was the editor. He concluded that “there is only one convincing answer” for the intricate laws that exist in nature. He concluded the answer is “creation by an omnipotent omniscient God.”

Indeed, “The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork.” (Psalm 19: 1)

The cosmological argument for the existence of God is viable. Cosmos means “universe.” It speaks of “order and beauty.” Consider the beauty and function of our moon. Without our moon life on earth would be impossible. If the moon were deflected from its orbit all life on earth would cease. God has made the moon to serve as an orderly to clean land and seas. Without the tides which are controlled by the moon all of our ports and shores would become vast cesspools. Life could not exist near them. The waves breaking on shores serve to aerate the oceans providing oxygen for plankton, which is the foundation of the food chain of earth. Without plankton there would be no oxygen and life would be impossible. 

God created the moon the right size and placed it the proper distance from earth, making life possible. It’s a wonderful earth – – – and moon.

There Are Things You Can See When You “Just Can See”

With World War II looming on the horizon King George VI of England prepared to deliver his Christmas broadcast to the nation. His little daughter, Elizabeth, who was destined to become queen, handed him a paper with these words on it by Minnie Louise Haskins. At the last minute he worked it into his address. It is timely for us in this turbulent time.

“And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year:
“Give me a light that I may tread safely into the unknown.”
And he replied:
“Go out into the darkness and put your hand into the Hand of God.
“That shall be to you better than light and safer than a known way.”

May these words inspire you as it did England in their dark hour. Bolstered by that wisdom Sir Winston Churchill later challenged his countrymen with his immortal lines which have been distorted from this actual presentation: “never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never-in nothing, great or small, large or petty — never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense.”

Tenacity of will reaches its zenith in this text: “That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.”  II Corinthians 4: 16 – 18 Got it? Let that text be your spiritual night goggles.

When “we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen,” that is a good time to “…put your hand in the hand of God.”

For a person of faith life’s weight on you is not to be compared with the strength within you.

It is a grand time to respond to what Sir Winston referred to as “convictions of honor and good sense.”

In this hour when it seems our nation is about to be swept into the vortex of senseless dishonor and virtue dethroned, character must be revived.

It appears we are further down the road spoken of by the title of a book by Robert H. Bork, a former United States Court of Appeals judge, entitled “Slouching Toward Gomorrah.” 

Our society has been spoken of illustratively as a store front display window with select and valueless items on display. Overnight someone had slipped in and reversed the price tags. Tags indicating an item of value had been switched with those for valueless items.

The ancient prophet Isaiah spoke of such a day: “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, And prudent in their own sight!“ (Isaiah 5:20, 21)

Later the Apostle Peter wrote, “For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge” (II Peter 1: 5)

Those who do are more likely to have that for which I pray, a happy year.

What Now?

T’was the season to be jolly, but with Christmas long in the rear view mirror, now what?

Jesus Christ, “the Prince of Peace,” knowing His followers would be aliens in an antagonistic society said, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” (John 14: 27)

At His birth an angelic messenger said, “Peace on earth, good will toward men…”  Cynics scoffed at such an idea. Mockery is still made of the idea. 

Misanthropists delight to say it has been nearly 2,000 years and this promise hasn’t been realized.

Henry W. Longfellow penned the words resulting from hearing Christmas bells during the un-Civil war and despairing. It sums up the concept held by many. 
“I heard the bells on Christmas day 
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth good-will to men.

“And in despair I bowed my head:
‘There is no peace on earth,’ I said.
“For hate is strong, and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good-will to men!”

True, hate is strong. Read it in the headlines of international news. Observe the daily local news of lives taken. Note it in schools where students have so much going for them, yet, they show disregard for one another and inflict physical, emotional, and psychological pain on each other.

In despair we might agree, “There is no peace on earth!”

A biblical perspective seems to have swept across Longfellow’s thoughts as he continued to write:
“Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
God is not dead, nor does He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good-will toward men!”

It was to people in the antagonistic environment where hate was strong that Christ said, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16: 33)

This message is misunderstood by many to be a prophecy of peace. Instead it is a prescription for peace. Only when taken does it work.

Even in the acid soil of discontent, bitterness, hate, and tribulation  the sweet fruit of peace grows. 

Resolve to learn from Him the precepts and practices resulting in personal peace that enables you to “be of good cheer.”