July 2024 - Page 2 of 3 - Creation Beckons

The Hidden Is Revealed

1 Corinthians 2:6,7 The Hidden Is Revealed

“We do use wisdom when speaking to people who are mature in their faith. But it isn’t the wisdom of this world or of its rulers, who will soon disappear. We speak of God’s hidden and mysterious wisdom that God decided to use for our glory long before the worlds began” (CEV).

The picture is of what is known as Thousand Springs. It is in south central Idaho and stretches for a long distance. The water in the springs hasn’t seen the light of day for a hundred years. Its continuous flow is mysterious. Why has the water been underground for a hundred years? I don’t know why it has been underground so long, but I am pretty sure that it flows out in these particular places because of cracks in the surrounding rock. It is not known how long these springs will last, but they do present us with an appealing and interesting sight that can be seen from the road for miles.

In the Scripture, Paul tells us that he uses wisdom hidden by God to speak into the lives of those who are mature in the faith. There are some things that become more understandable and of more use as we grow in faith and trust in our Lord. The one big difference between these thousand springs and the spring that brings forth the hidden mysteries of God is that God’s spring will never, that’s right, never run dry. He has good words for us, appropriate to our level of growth in the faith, as long as we live. I’m glad that I serve a God who knows what I am ready to learn as well as when I’m ready to learn it. His mind is infinite, so I expect to learn hidden mysteries throughout eternity. What an exciting time that will be. For the time being, I am looking forward with great expectation for the mysteries I’ll soon see.

Everything Beautiful in Its Time

Ecclesiastes 3:11 Everything Beutiful in Its Time

“He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has put thoughts of the forever in man’s mind, yet man cannot understand the work God has done from the beginning to the end” (NLV).

I had the opportunity and the privilege of having an extended conversation this past week with a photographer like me, who not only takes great joy in the beauty of God’s creation, but also recognizes the call of the Creator through His creation. As we talked, we came to realize that we have been blessed to easily find the call of God everywhere in His creation. I believe that photographers see things in nature around them that are not always obvious to most people. It is a blessed gift from God, but it is also one that takes developing of the gift. Part of the developing is involved with the intricacies of the camera, and part is spending time looking at the scene before snapping the shutter. But to the Christian photographer, the development of the gift of seeing God in every photograph is done through reading the Word and keeping God in mind every time he or she looks through the viewfinder. I’m sorry if I have made it appear that photographers are special people who have abilities/gifts that most people don’t have. These abilities are available to everyone who is willing to think of God whenever he or she looks deeply into the magnificent beauty of His creation.

I challenge you to “stop and smell the roses” the next time you walk outside. Think of God as the Creator as you take in the superb view in front of you. He has put within the beauty He created a calling that will bring you to Him if you will allow it. It’s worth it. More than your eyes will be blessed by what you see.

Jesus Loves Me a Lot

John 3:16 Jesus Loves Me a Lot

“God loved the people in the world so much that he gave his one and only Son to save them. As a result, everyone who believes in the Son will not die. Instead they will live for ever with God” (EASY).

I prayed this morning for God to give me a message, and this is what He said. “Tell them how much I love you.” He didn’t say to tell them how much I love them. He made it personal—“…how much I love you.” In response to His direction I write the following.

First I must say that I don’t think I will remember to mention everything that shows how much He loves me, and for that I ask His forgiveness.

The first daily reminder of His love for me is when I awake and see my wife, Norma. He loves me very much to have given me this terrific lady to be my bride for sixty years so far. He loves me enough to have given me three wonderful sons, Tim, Brian, and Jason; three great daughters-in-law, Michelle, Adrienne, and Danielle; and seven of the world’s best grandchildren, Josh, Megan, Emily, Jonathan, Benjamin, Haley, and Noah, and one grand son-in-law, Joshua. He surrounded me with loving parents, grandparents, and a sister. It’s hard to recall, let alone list all the good friends He has given me, and He continues to add new ones. Numerous Minsters of the Gospel have poured God’s love into my life.

God loves me enough to have given me life in the United States of America and is allowing me to live in this exciting, spiritual time. He has given me the opportunity to visit 47 of the fifty United States. He called me to serve Him in two different Christian Schools, Grace Christian Schools, and Desert Christian Schools in Tucson. I have worked with and for devoted followers of Him, my brothers and sisters in Christ.

God provided me with His written Word, has spoken to me through numerous pastors, and has spoken to me personally in answers to prayer. He has given me opportunity to both write and speak concerning Jesus and His love for us. The great beauty of creation has been a special gift that draws me to Him. He has provided me with comfortable homes and useful automobiles.

He shows me more times in a day how much He loves me than I can keep track of. The greatest gift He has given me here on earth is the relationships with other children of His creation, not all of whom have accepted Him as Savior yet. I have the joy and responsibility to speak to some of my friends about their need for Jesus and His love.

But, the greatest way he has shown His love for me is also the greatest way He has shown His love for you, by sending His Son, Jesus, to grant me forgiveness of my sins, to obtain for me victory over evil, and providing for me a home with Him for eternity.

Father God, you have given me the world and more. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Love with Action

1 John 3:18 Love with Action

“Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and with truth” (NIV).

“I love you” may well be the most used words, and perhaps even the most over-used words in the English language. Many phone calls end with these treasured words, and they are often said when greeting someone we haven’t seen for a while, be it a week or a few years. I don’t mean to belittle the use of these words for they can have great meaning, but are we sure that we really mean them every time we say them? The Apostle John would have us put feet to these words. A paraphrase of John’s message in 1 John 3:18, may be “Love in action speaks much louder than love in words.”

In John 13:34, Jesus tells us, “A new command I give you; Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another” (NIV). Jesus spoke these words to His disciples at what we call the Last Supper, the last conversation He would have with them before He was crucified. As such, they had to have had special significance.

How had Jesus shown His love up to this point in time? Before He walked among us, He showed His love through the magnificence of creation. When He walked among us, He healed those who were sick. He promised hope, and He promised eternal life. He taught the ways of God not only in the Synagogue, but He also taught them in the streets, and He taught them in the countryside. No, Jesus was not one to spend all His time with the “important” people of the land. He walked and talked with John Q. Public, and He sat down to eat with him. People stopped Him along the road and asked Him to heal them. Even though he may have been on urgent business, He took the time to touch lepers and heal them, and He stopped when a blind man called for Him from the crowd. He held children in His lap even though His disciples tried to shoo them away. How did Jesus love? He loved with His actions, with His life.

Not long after Jesus spoke these words of command to love, He showed His love for all of us by giving His life as a sacrifice for each of us. He died to save us from our sins and to provide us with eternal life with Him.

Jesus commanded His disciples and us to love as He loved. I may not be asked to give my life for someone, but many have. I may not be asked to preach to large groups, but many have. I may not be asked to serve in a foreign mission field, but many have. I may not have been asked to show the love of Jesus through any of these very visible means, but I do believe that he expects me to show His love the ways He did—serving people’s needs on a daily basis, spending His time helping others in their day-to-day lives. When I do that, I believe that I obey Jesus in His command of John 13:34.

Love Is for Real

1 Corinthians 13:2 Love is for Real

“If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing” (NLT).

Wow, that’s quite a statement. Don’t you think that it would be impressive to others and draw them to God if I could move mountains? Well, it would certainly be impressive to their minds and perhaps make them wonder about this “faith” thing, and maybe want it. That’s a move in the right direction, but does the person really understand all that’s needed to get this “faith” thing to work? It takes a commitment to God and to His conditions, and it takes time to develop faith. There is a responsibility that goes along with that kind of faith. That kind of faith is not used for personal gain. It is used for the betterment of someone else. To get to the point where I use my faith to help someone else, I have to realize that God expects me to love. That’s the basic condition upon which He operates because God is love. God does not prefer love, God does not use love. God does not say that we should love, but it is His commandment to love. As Jesus spoke in Matthew 22:37-40: “Jesus replied, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and will all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments’” (NIV). There you have it in the words of the master, Jesus, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” That’s a command and not a suggestion. “But I don’t like my neighbor, he’s a real pest.” You are still commanded to love him. He may well need it more than some of your best friends.

As Paul tells in the Scripture above, “…but didn’t love others, I would be nothing.” Being a person who will stand beside someone in his hour of need, lend a helping hand, speak encouragement, go beyond what the world would think is enough, and pray for him, will touch his heart even more than moving the mountain with faith. Moving the mountain is a “once and done” act, but being a friend in need, a friend indeed, touches the heart over a long period of time, and that touch will demonstrate God’s love and will draw the person to Him.

If you want to be “something,” love somebody with the love that God gives you to share. P.S. It might be harder than moving a mountain, but more satisfying.

Because God Said So

Psalm 114 Because God Said So

“When the Israelites escaped from Egypt—when the family of Jacob left that foreign land—the land of Judah became God’s sanctuary, and Israel became his kingdom.

The Red Sea saw them coming and hurried out of their way! The water of the Jordan River turned away. The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs! What’s wrong Red Sea, that made you hurry out of the way? What happened, Jordan River, that you turned away? Why, mountains, did you skip like rams? Why, hills, like Lambs?

Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob. He turned the rock into a pool of water; yes, a spring of water flowed from solid rock” (NLT).

Here’s a quick answer to the questions about the Red Sea and the Jordan River moving out of the way, and the mountains and hills skipping—Because God said so! God wanted it that way, and He made it happen that way in order to establish His nation, Israel, in the land of promise, the land He had chosen for them. “Israel became His kingdom,” and it still is His kingdom that He gave to His people, Israel—and so it shall remain forever, whatever man may say.

And on the way, He brought water out of solid rock, He fed them with food from the sky, both manna and quail. He kept their clothes from wearing out. Some may have seen that as a mixed blessing. The clothes never wore out, but they never got a new wardrobe. All this, God provided for forty years. Yet, only two of those who walked out of Egypt walked into the Promised Land. When they were presented with the first opportunity to enter the land, all but two who had been sent into the land to check it out decided not to enter in because the current residents were seen as giants, and even after all God had done for them, they didn’t believe that He would carry them to victory over the giants. The people believed the ten who thought the inhabitants of the Promised Land were too big to defeat, so only Joshua and Caleb walked in.

So, what’s the meaning for me today? When God calls me to do something, and He begins to lead me, I need to follow Him, not just at the beginning, but until He tells me that I have arrived—have completed the task He asked of me. That’s easy for me to say, but it’s harder for me to do. Would I have had the faith of Joshua and Caleb, or would I have shied away, been scared off by the bad reports of men? Do I have the faith and trust today to follow through with God’s assignments, or will I fail the test and see my assignment completed by someone else? My prayer is like that of the father of the son who was tormented by an evil spirit, who said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.” (KJV) The translation for me is “I believe for this moment. Please help when I begin to falter.”

Proclaim Peace and Salvation

Isaiah 52:7 Proclaim Peace and Salvation

“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’” Isaiah 52:7 (NIV).

In the musical, “The Sound of Music,” there is a title song, “The Hills Are Alive with the Sound of Music.” It’s a beautiful scene. The heroes have escaped the Nazis, and they are singing in a grassy meadow strewn with wild-flowers with a background of majestic snow-peaked mountains. How much more beautiful is the scene when the songs they sing are those of praise and worship to our Lord!

We are encouraged by the Scripture above to “bring good news, to “proclaim peace,” to “bring good tidings,” and “proclaim salvation.” Then we are to say, (I really think we are to shout), “Your God reigns!” When we do that, we top the scene from the Sound of Music no matter what our voices sound like. Our God enjoys the praises of His people in song from those “who can’t carry a tune in a bucket,” to those who sing classical opera, to those who sing in a modern, popular style, and even those who sing with a country twang. We benefit from singing His praises, He enjoys hearing us sing them, and others who may have never heard of salvation, peace, and joy are equally blessed. By singing His praises, whether it be on a mountain-top or in a jail cell, we are spreading the Good News of Jesus and perhaps presenting it for the first time to the lost. Let our feet be beautiful as the Word says in Isaiah 52:7.

Roads and Streams Where Needed

Isaiah 43:19 Roads and Streams Where Needed

“I have put roads in deserts, streams in thirsty lands” (CEV).

As desert dwellers, we can perhaps appreciate this verse better than others. My wife and I have driven on a road in the deserts of Nevada that is the flattest road and land that I have ever seen. It is also one of the most desolate places I have experienced. There are no plants or almost no plants in sight to either horizon. The land is so flat and desolate that it doesn’t matter if your car wanders off the pavement, except that you might not get to your desired destination. It’s a featureless plain that appears to have no driving hazards. The insidious and always-present danger of this road is the non-ending boredom of driving it. This stretch of road needs some hills, some turns, and especially, some water.

Thanks be to God that He has provided a more interesting life for us. Living the life of a Christian is the opposite of the land described in the previous paragraph. The reading of the Word provides new insight almost every time I read a passage. The Bible has been written by many different authors from many different places and also at many different times. But the message throughout is central and unchanging. The love and care God has for us, the ones He created for fellowship, shows up everywhere. It is intriguing to discover how God shows His love in the creation in Genesis, in the poetry so beautifully written in the center of the Word, to the salvation He presents to us in the Gospels, to the end of His amazing book, Revelation, where He draws to himself all who will accept His love.

Fellowship with our Lord is interesting and exciting because even though He does describe life on this earth from creation to eternity with Him, He doesn’t show us what might happen tomorrow. Along with the physical streams created by Him long ago, He has given us spiritual streams to carry us and nurture us all the way through our lives. Enjoyment is always present for us when we interact with others who have accepted Jesus. And, to top it off, He has given each of us a job or jobs to do. My boss created the entire universe, and He knows me, He knows what I do, and He provides guidance and help whenever I request it. Thank God that I don’t live on a featureless plain with nothing to do but indulge my desires. God has provided a fantastic planet, amazing spiritual wonders, and He has given me the privilege of living on this planet, experiencing the wonders of His love along with other children of His. Praise be to God!

God Bless America

God Bless America Irving Berlin

God Bless America

God bless America

Land that I love

Stand beside her

And guide her

Through the night

With a light from above

From the mountains

To the prairies

To the oceans white with foam

God bless America

My home sweet home

Flowing, Living Water

John 7:37,38 Flowing, Living Water

“On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, ‘Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.’” (NIV)

Jesus’ brothers had suggested to Jesus that He go to the festival in Jerusalem with them. According to Matthew Henry, their reason, ostensibly, for asking Jesus to go up to Jerusalem with them was two-fold. If He were to gain the support of the people and the Jewish leaders, they could bask in His popularity, but if He were to be disbelieved, they could disavow Him and not be tainted by their relationship with Him.

Jesus refused to go with them, but He did leave shortly after they did. He went not to gain popularity or to justify Himself in the eyes of the Jewish leaders. He went to walk and talk with the people until His appointed time had come. The time had come at the end of the Festival of Tabernacles when Jesus stood and said in a loud voice the words of John 7:37 and 38. To be sure, the time had come, the people were gathered, and He could speak the words of God to the most people without any preamble by the Jewish leaders. The words would not be diminished by any comment the leaders would have made or questions they would have asked before He spoke these stirring words of calling people to Himself.

If we thirst, Jesus has the water that will satisfy thirst and, at the same time, give a desire to drink more and more of the water He offers. Those who drink it will not only be satisfied, but they will become a conduit of the same water, a conduit that calls others to the source, God the Father and God the Son. This living water is the gift of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us to lead us, guide us, and direct us in the ways of our Lord. Be encouraged. Not only do we receive this living water, we can also be the way by which others receive it. We fulfill the desires of our God when we help bless others in this way.