Evolution or Creator?

"Keep me as the apple of Your eye;
Hide me under the shadow of Your wings," Psalm 17:8

Ovenbird in her nest

     Animals that are born on and must stay on the ground have the unique ability to, not only hide themselves, but their homes. 
      For instance, the ovenbird has plumage that looks like leaves that have fallen to the forest floor, their nest is built like a ‘Dutch oven’ that is almost impossible to spot from any angle. 
​      Wild piglets are striped to resemble the leafy shadows of the forest floor as are the fawn of the white-tailed deer, whose speckled coat looks like sun specks against the ground. These fawns are also odorless so that any predators with a keen sense of smell will not find them that way.
      Evolutionary thought indicates that the peculiar attributes of the plant and animal world are the result of ‘natural selection’ or ‘survival of the fittest.’ There are many of these attributes that are better explained or, in my case, more believable when attributed to a Loving Creator Who designed them to adapt to the world changed by sin. Otherwise, how can these characteristics be explained?
      We cannot hope to survive this world of sin on our own strength, He is our only hope in the harsh and hostile environment created by the adversary of all who proclaim the name of the Son of God. Let us pray we will always choose Him.

Snowflake Perfection?

“Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are like scarlet, They shall be as white as snow; ​... Isaiah 1:18

“Snowflakes are all extremely symmetrical.”  Or are they?
But most people think that all snowflakes form symmetrically, each with six sides.  And yet, most snowflakes are less ideal shapes, less perfect six-fold symmetry. You can prove this for yourself if you simply go outside and take a close look at some falling snow.  You will soon realize that the beautifully symmetrical specimens are hard to find!  The rather unattractive irregular crystals are by far the most common.  Even on the best of days, you can search for hours to find just a few beautifully symmetrical specimens. Alas, the vast majority of snow crystals are not even close to being perfectly symmetrical. 
​ 
God designed man to be perfect in the beginning. And yet today, we find ourselves anything but perfect! We all have our flaws, failures, and unattractive characteristics; although we try to hide them. But just as God can form irregular crystals of snow into beautiful, winter wonderlands of white, He can and will recreate us, with His miracle of love, to reflect His beauty and glory! We can be whiter than snow! All we must do is ask.

Secret Messages

"A cheerful look brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones."  Proverbs 15:30  New International Version (NIV)

"Ad twinkle in the eye means joy in the heart, and good news makes you feel fit as a fiddle."  Proverbs 15: 30  Message Bible

"A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."  Proverbs 17:22  NIV

   Everyone sends secret messages to each other, It's called "body language." If you watch closely, you can tell a lot about people just by watching what they do. For example, if a person has a long, unsmiling face, you can guess that all is not well with him. He may be sad, sleepy, worried, or struggling with something in their life.
​   Sometimes our faces reflect how we feel inside, but the reverse is also possible. We can start feeling good inside if we turn our lips into a smile, whether we feel like smiling or not. Start and keep a "blessings book", recording everything that you are thankful for. 
   Try this experiment. Put a frown on your face and say "Go away!" Now smile and say the same thing, You can do it a smile, but harder...

 
Keep smiling the rest of the day! ...When you are tempted to feel down, put a smile on your face and sing this little song. Sing it over and over again as you ask God to help you and change your heart to joy.

The Bible & Morse Code?

Study to show yourself approved by God, a workman who need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. 2 Timothy 2:15

Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
Ps. 119:11

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Ps. 119:105

A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: To understand a proverb, and the interpretation, ... Prov. 1:5,6

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
​Rom. 10:17

An army instructor for a class in Morse code told a story intended to create more interest in learning the code. The story went like this:

There was a telegraph office wanting to hire operators. Those interested in the job were invited to come to the office to apply. While they were waiting and chatting together before the scheduled interviews, one of them suddenly got up, walked to the interviewer’s office, and said, “Good, I’ll take the job.”

When he returned, the others asked him why he had done that. He responded, “Well, while I was sitting there mentally rehearsing Morse code, I heard a code message coming over the PA system that said, ‘The first person to hear and decipher this message has the job.’ ”

They all got the point that in order to utilize Morse code, one had to be dedicated in listening, learning, and deciphering it.

This story contains a deep spiritual lesson. In order to have a personal experience with Jesus, we must be dedicated in our study of the Bible to learn, understand, and memorize, while constantly listening for the messages that the Holy Spirit sends. 

Love Your Enemies

"...Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which spitefully use you and persecute you; That you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven..." Matthew 5:44-45
​ 
"Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me."
Psalm 51:10

Think about it.... 
Maybe the person you are having difficulty with in your life is not for the purpose of you changing them, ....but it may be God's way of changing you. 

My Prayer:  "Lord, help me to show patience, caring, and love to those with whom I struggle. Guard me from their negative spirit and help me to be more like You every day."

Words to Live By

"Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them.
Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good.
Love each other with genuine affection
and take delight in honoring each other.
Never be lazy, but work hard
and serve the Lord enthusiastically.
Rejoice in our confident hope.
Be patient in trouble and keep on praying.
When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them."
--Romans 12:9-13; NLV

 Ask God to show you ways that you can share His love enthusiastically. Be loving, kind, and understanding to everyone.

Decide to do something special, a personal project to be the love of God to another person. Ask God to impress upon you the special thing(s) that you can do for others.

Read these Bible verses often. Memorize them. Live by them....

Attitudes

Hebrews 4:12 NIV
"For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."

Ephesians 4:22-23
"You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds;"

God wants to change us from the inside out; even at the depth of our soul and spirit. And He will do this in many ways, if we are open to the word of God. He begs us to "Repent", which simply means "to change".

He want us to have a NEW heart and mind; to be new in our attitudes and thoughts. Listen to His teachings by reading His Word, the Bible, and hearing His voice, praying out-loud and silently listening.

Thought:  Maybe the difficult person(s) in you life are not there for you to change them, but it may be God's way of changing you.

A Guide for Life

Psalms 32:8 TLB
"I will instruct you (says the Lord) and guide you along the best pathway for your life."

Have you ever seen a real desert? Have you walked very far into a desert? It is easy to get lost because there are no landmarks, and the sand dunes can change constantly, almost like magic.
   A story is told of a certain guide in Arabia that never got lost. He was amazing! It didn't matter what time of day or what time of the year, this man could lead folks out of the desert with uncanny accuracy, and all because of a secret companion. ...A homing pigeon.
   The guide would take his homing pigeon on every trip into the desert. He tied a long length of twine onto the bird's foot and would toss the pigeon into the air to fly home. Without fail, the pigeon would tug on the cord as it flew in the direction of home. By following the pigeon, he made it back home every time. He knew that he could trust the pigeon's instincts to find it's way home.
   As we journey in the world's desert of life, may you always rely on the only faithful and trust-worthy Guide, Jesus Christ. He has promised to "guide you along the best pathway for your life". And when He returns, He will take you to your heavenly home with Him forever.

Peace and Unity

Matthew 5:9 NKJ
"Blessed are the peacemakers,For they shall be called sons of God."

John 17:20-23  emphasis added
"My prayer is not for [my disciples] alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."

John 13:34-35
"A new commandment I give to you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

When peace and unity characterize your relationships with other people, you show that you are God's child and he is present and working in you life.
    However, the converse is true:  When your life is filled with unresolved conflict and broken relationships, you will have little success in sharing the good news about Jesus' saving work on the cross.
    One of the most powerful statements on peace and unity is in Jesus' prayer shortly before he was arrested and crucified. (see John 17:20-23)
    Jesus focused on a single concept of top priority during the final hours of His life. He did not pray that his followers would be always happy, that they would never suffer, or that their rights would always be protected. Jesus prayed that His followers would always get along with one another. This was so important that He tied His reputation and credibility of His message to how well His followers would display unity and oneness.

Read His prayer in John 17 once more and think about how important unity is to Him. Is it equally important to you?

The Blessing of "Unanswered Prayer" - The Best Advertising

Colossians 4:2 TLB

"Don't be weary in prayer; keep at it; watch for God's answers and remember to be thankful when they come."

Everyone loves stories of miraculous answers to prayer. When I was young, these were the only kinds of prayer stories that grown-ups told. No one ever mentioned the prayers that seemed to go unanswered. Later, when my prayers were  not miraculously answered as I had asked, I believed that God answered everyone else, but was ignoring me. "Why bother to pray?'
    So, I didn't take many things to God in prayer, although I still prayed about the big things. Although I believe that God spoke to me with guidance, more often than not I went ahead and did what I wanted instead of what I should have done. And when those decisions brought unhappiness, I blamed God.
   "But I prayed about this," I would lament, not admitting that His answer may have been no. I wanted it to be yes so I went ahead with my plans. But no is as much an answer as yes. And sometimes no is more loving than yes.
   Maybe we should change our perspective on prayer. Maybe our prayers should not be a "wish list" for God, but it is a chance for God to talk to us. It may be just a time to talk to each other! You wouldn't give your friends a "wish list" and then expect that they will grant each one. You just share feelings! Make it the same with your best Friend, Jesus. If you do, you will have a peace in your heart that you can not imagine.

I Thessalonians 2:11,12 TLB

" We talked to you as a father to his own children---don't you remember? ---pleading with you, encouraging you and even demanding that your daily lives should not embarrass God, but bring joy to him who invited you into his kingdom to share his glory."

A number of years ago, what is known as Kingsport Press in Tennessee, the southbound bus made scheduled midday stops of 20 minutes so that passenger might freshen up and get a bite to eat.
   As he brought his bus to a stop, one driver said, "Folks, we'll be stopping here for 20 minutes. This line makes it a strict policy never to recommend an eating place by name, but if anybody wants to see me while we're here, I'll be eating a wonderful T-bone steak with french fries at Tony's first-class, spotlessly clean diner directly across the street." With that remark he slowly sauntered into the tiny but tidy restaurant.
   Naturally, many of the passengers on the bus took his advice and went into the eating establishment. It came as no surprise to them that the meals they ordered were very good.

You are a walking advertisement for your faith. If you walk happily into your church on Sabbath morning, your neighbors can see that you highly recommend your church. But if you fuss and fight as you get into the car on your way to church, and then again when you arrive home after church, they may wonder if going to church did you any good after all. People are watching, whether you know it or not. You are a walking advertisement for your God. Are you portraying God's love with the way you live?

Faith vs. Works

James 2:14-26 NKJV

14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your" works, and I will show you my faith by my works. 19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble! 20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect? 23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God. 24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out another way?

26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.

Comments...

A resort hotel owner in Canada has a very unique way of sharing his faith. Each set of oars that he rents with his rowboats is imprinted with the words Faith on one oar and Works on the other one.
   When asked why, the man said, "I think it illustrates so well the necessity of both faith and works. Come on, I'll show you." He took his friend to the middle of the lake. "OK, pull on the 'faith' oar," he said.
   His friend pulled, and they began going in circles.
   "No good! No good! Use the 'works' oar!" he cried.
   His friend did so, and they began going in circles the other direction.
   "Still no good! Now pull on both oars at once."
   When his friend did so, they went in a straight direction. "You see," the hotel owner explained, "how faith and works must pull together. One without the other only makes you go in circles. 

   What do you think it means to have faith and works? Faith means believing in God and Jesus' power to forgive you and take you to heaven. Works means reaching out to others to share what you know about God and showing them His love. It doesn't mean just "following the rules."
   Some people say they believe in God, but they don't live like they do. They gossip and avoid others who don't look like them or dress like them. They don't show God's love through themselves. They have no works.
   Unless our faith in God results in love and concern for others, it will die. Exercise you faith today. Find someone who needs your friendship and concern. Don't go in circles!