“I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me.” -Matthew 18:2-5

more about “Good Times Moment – Kevin and Quinn H…“, posted with vodpod

Liz asked:

“What do you think about evolution? Do you think that Adam and Eve were the first humans that came from primates? And if you don’t believe in evolution –why? Many other Christians believe in it.”

Liz, first of all, thank you for your question.   I apologize for taking so long to get back to you, but I wanted to take some time to gather my thoughts.  Evolution is an issue that is highly debated by Christians, and like you mentioned, there are individuals who stand on both sides of the issue.

So where do I stand?  Well, after lots of research in my own personal journey towards God, I have concluded two things in regards to this issue: that there is insufficient evidence in support of evolutionary biology, and that accepting evolution leads to several conflicts with the Christian faith.

You may ask, “What are the issues with the evidence for evolution?” Well, I am going to break it down for those of us that don’t hold a doctorate in Biology.

Issue #1 – Biochemical Complexity

The meat of this argument is that cells are incredibly complex working machines that could not possibly have been formed by random chance.  Rather than finding more evidence in support of evolution with advances in modern science, we are actually finding that the evidence points more strongly toward an intelligent designer, who was actively involved in the creative process.  Below, Biologist Michael Behe explains in detail the basis behind this challenge to evolution:

RESOURCE: Unlocking The Mysteries of Life

Issue #2 – The Fossil Record

Charles Darwin wrote in his 1859 book, The Origin of Species, that “…by this theory, innumerable transitional forms must have existed, why do we not find them embedded in countless numbers in the crust of the earth?” and continued later in his book by saying, “The case at present must remain inexplicable; and may be truly urged as a valid argument against the views here entertained.”

What Darwin plainly admitted in his own work was that if we could not find ‘innumerable transitional forms’, than this lack of evidence could be ‘truly urged as a valid argument’ against his theory of evolution.  So where are these uncountable number of transitional forms almost a century and a half after Darwin wrote these words?  The answer is that we don’t know.  After 150 years of discovery and technological advances, we still have not found any of Darwin’s required transitional fossils.

OK, so great, what does all of this really mean?  It means that the fossils we have found are of numerous different species, none of which show attributes of a transition between one species into the next.  In other words, there are no land animals with ‘half fins’ left over from their transition from the sea, or ‘half wings’ indicating their transition to the sky.  In order for a chimp to become a man, there would have to be evidence of millions of minute changes from generation to generation in our fossil record, and it just doesn’t match up.

RESOURCE: The Case For a Creator

My next set of issues, Liz, is how I believe evolution is in conflict with the Christian faith.  Now don’t get me wrong, I am not saying that you cannot be a Christian and believe in evolution (being a Christian is not dependent on your beliefs about science, it is dependent on your beliefs about Jesus), but what I am saying is that evolution will keep you from a complete acceptance and total understanding of the majesty and sovereignty of God.

It all begins with the book of Genesis and the story of creation:

“1In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” -Gen 1:1

For the sake of brevity, I will summarize the events of the first 7 days, but I suggest you read the first book of Genesis if you haven’t already, it’s action packed! (Gen 1)

• Day 1 – God created Light (Day) and Darkness (Night)
• Day 2 – God created the Ocean and the Sky (both with bodies of water… the waters of the sky later to fall in Noah’s Flood)
• Day 3 – God created Dry Ground (Land) and separated the waters into Seas… then allowed the land to produce Vegetation
• Day 4 – God created the Sun, the Moon and the Stars
• Day 5 – God created all the Creatures of the Sea and the Birds of the Air
• Day 6 – God created all the Land Dwelling Creatures and created Man and Woman
• Day 7 – God rested

This brings me to my first conflict:

Issue #1 – The Bible Is Clear That Adam Was The First Man (A uniquely designed living creature)

The book of Genesis continues on with the story of Creation in Gen 2 as it elaborates on the creation of Adam (the first man):

“When the Lord God made the earth and the heavens – and no shrub of the field had yet appeared on the earth and no plant of the field had yet sprung up, for the Lord God had not sent rain on the earth and there was no man to work the ground, but streams came up from the earth and watered the whole surface of the ground – the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” – Gen 2:4-7

As you can clearly see, from the very beginning, Genesis is absolutely clear that Adam was the first human being.  Why couldn’t he have evolved from Cromagnon man?  Well, for one the bible says that both land dwelling creatures and man were created on the same day (Day 6), but if you have yet to be convinced of the ‘6 days’ creation issue, you cannot deny the clarity of the statement, “There was no man to work the ground.” This statement puts to rest any doubts about other humanoids being around before man as we know him today.

Issue #2 – If Humans Are A Result of A Random Evolutionary Process, Than Genesis Is Nothing More Than Symbolism

Let me explain why this is a problem.  If Genesis is simply a compilation of stories and symbolism, than you must infer that the story of Original Sin is nothing more than symbolism as well.  Without Original Sin, there is no longer a need for a savior.  Without the savior, you no longer have Christianity.  You cannot sacrifice the truth of any part of God’s Word without doubting the truth behind the remaining scriptures.  This is why I believe that accepting evolution requires you to sacrifice the completeness of your understanding and acceptance of God.

RESOURCE: Can Christians Believe In Evolution?

Liz, I hope that I have adequately answered your questions and motivated you to do more research into this topic on your own.  I know that what I shared here with you is only scratching the surface of these topics and there are tons of books and videos out there, filled with wonderful information to supplement these arguments.  I hope and pray that you are encouraged to keep seeking out the Lord and that He will fill you with His abounding love as you seek to know Him more intimately.

Thank you again for your questions… I leave you with the great and endless wisdom of Dilbert and Dogbert.

Be blessed,

-God’sWings

SpiritClips Films

Louise Asked:

“At every funeral mass I attend , the priest recites “he/she is in a better place”. It is sometimes difficult for me to understand, especially when a child or younger person dies, that the better place would not be with the parents and the opportunity for that child to do work for Jesus on earth. The obvious answer is that God is the better place but is there more?  And, why are some chosen and not others?”

Well Louise, you may have just asked one of the most puzzling questions that almost every Christian deals with at some point in their life.  Let me start by saying, thank you for your questions.  This is a sensitive subject for many, so rather than try to answer these questions personally, I am going to refer you to another blog.  It is written by a father who has actually experienced the loss of a child and writes about his journey of faith as He tries to understand the very questions you are asking.  He has served in Christian ministry for a large portion of his life and is very insightful.  I pray that his experiences and reflections can help you to come to a more complete understanding of who God is.  An excerpt from one of his blog entries is below:

Tuesday, June 9, 2009 7:18 AM, CDT

I identify with Job in one way.

I don’t identify with being blameless.  God and I are all too aware of my many sins.  I don’t identify with the degree of Job’s suffering.  Our suffering is distinctive and intense, but pales compared to his.  I don’t identify with having my friends gather to accuse me of bringing all this on myself.  Rather, our friends graciously keep telling us that we’ve walked well.  And I don’t identify with feeling God must have made a mistake.  Ok, I’ve thought that thought.  But I’ve not sustained it with protracted arguments as Job did.

But I DO identify with having a disorienting head on collision with who God really is.  I do identify with being slapped in the face with how little I really understand.

John Claypool calls this slipping into the Mystery.  I identify with Pastor Claypool.  He wrote Tracks of a Fellow Struggler back in the 1970s.  His book has helped me more than any other I’ve read since Ian’s death.  It is composed of 4 short sermons.  The first was preached a few weeks after his 8 year old daughter was diagnosed with cancer.  The second was given nine months later, a few weeks after her relapse.  The third was delivered a few months later, just weeks after her death.  The last was preached 3 years later.  He speaks with unnerving honesty… yet I find comfort in his authentic wisdom and perspective.

After his daughter’s initial diagnosis a friend said to Claypool, “Those of us who have not been there wonder what it is like in the Darkness.  Can you tell us?” Claypool said, “See me… as your burdened and broken brother, limping back into the family circle to tell you something of what I learned out there in the darkness.” He refused to offer tidy answers that conform to our limited ability to understand… but distort either God or reality.

Claypool also had promises from God coupled with deep submission to the Father’s will.  Like us he said, “I did not realize just how hopeful I really was until that afternoon as I knelt by her bed and saw her stop breathing.”

In the aftermath of that collision Claypool said, “I have looked down three alternative roads that seem to lead out of this darkness.”  Two were dead ends: the road of unquestioning resignation and the road of demanding total intellectual understanding.

The third road is the road of gratitude.  I am trying to find my way down that road.  Ian was loaned to us for 13 wonderful years.  Each week with him was a gift, right to the end.  I am grateful that God gave us more than a year beyond what human medicine had to offer.  I am grateful that in that year Ian became the young man I longed for him to become.  I am grateful for the many ways that God has flooded our lives with the love of friends and family.  I am grateful for how our family has grown together through it all.

With less enthusiasm I thank God for allowing this suffering in our lives.  My sister Linda says that she would not want to go back to her pre-cancer life, because cancer ushered her into a new way of Living.  She’s ventured further down the road of gratitude than I have.

And yes, I am grateful for the promises God spoke to Renee back in February.  I believe God is beginning to give us deeper insight into all that.  (More on that later)  But for now I just know that those promises transformed the way we lived the last weeks of Ian’s life.  Rather than mournfully waiting for his “inevitable” death, our home was filled with hope and joy and LIFE.  We were freed to utterly love him to the last moment of his life.

And I am more than ever grateful for the fundamental assurance of the Gospel, that Ian is with Jesus enjoying heaven.  I miss him badly.  It hurts, as it should.  But now I have one foot in heaven.  Part of me lives there now.  And my life here is mysteriously tilting, or being set right, by that reality.

If you wish to continue to follow this father’s journey to better understand God through the loss of his child, click on the link below:

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/ianlyons

Thank you again for your questions.  I am sure that many others will be blessed by your willingness to ask.

May the God of love be with you in a real and intimate way as you continue on this journey of understanding,

-God’sWings

Rock Church Homeless Ministry

more about "Open Your Eyes", posted with vodpod

Although I don’t completely agree with Dr. Schroeder’s theology (Seen here in his most recent book: God According To God), he is an expert in Physics and Earth Sciences (Bachelors, Masters, and Doctorate from MIT) and gives a thought provoking explanation for the ‘6 days’ of creation issue. 

Check it out here (Make sure that you read all the way to the end)

Marianna wrote:

“God created Adam and Eve and they procreated Cain, Abel and Seth, so my bible tells me. How did procreation continue or was this just symbolism?  Is this the reason at my Catholic Sunday service the priest says, “My brothers and Sisters”, as we all are related?”

Marianna, thank you for your question.  I am sure that many others have similar questions and will benefit from hearing an explanation.  I would like to break down my answer into two parts, because I think we are dealing with two different subjects.  Your two questions are:

1) The Bible tells us that God created Adam and Eve, and they procreated Cain, Abel and Seth.  How did procreation continue or was this just symbolism?

2) Is this the reason that the Priest says, “My Brothers and Sisters” at Catholic Mass, because we are all related?

I will begin with your first question:  How did procreation continue or was this just symbolism?

Well, in order to answer this question, I will share with you two beliefs that I have about the Old Testament.  First of all, I believe the Old Testament to be an accurate and inerrant document of recorded human history – meaning that I don’t believe that any of the stories of the Old Testament are merely symbolic.  Now this is not to say that there is no symbolism in the Bible, but when you are talking about details and events and people, I believe these to be accurate.  We can talk more about the 6 “days” that God created the universe, but I will save that discussion for another day.

My second belief about the Old Testament is that not every event and every person is recorded.  I think that is a fair assumption we all can accept.  So with these two beliefs in mind, I will try to help you to better understand the events following the creation of Adam and Eve (note: we will fast forward through the creation of Adam and Eve and Original Sin, if you want to know more about these topics, click here).

So how did procreation begin?  The Bible breaks it down like this:

“Adam lay with his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain.  She said, “With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man.”  Later she gave birth to his brother Abel.” -Gen 4:1-2

Now in case you haven’t heard, Cain was jealous of his brother, Abel, and decided to kill him (Gen 4:3-8).  As you know, God is good, and He hated to see Adam and Eve mourning over the loss of their son, so He blessed them with another:

“Adam lay with his wife again, and she gave birth to a son and named him Seth, saying, “God has granted me another child in place of Abel, since Cain killed him.” -Gen 4:25

After Seth is born, the bible goes on to say that Adam had other sons and daughters and lived to be 930 years old (Gen 5:3-5).  These verses are the only recordings of Adam and Eve’s children.  But let us rewind for a moment…

Before the Bible even mentions Seth being born, it says that “Cain lay with his wife, and she became pregnant…” (Gen 4:17).  So somewhere between Adam and Eve giving birth to Cain and Abel, and before the Bible mentions their next child, Seth, some other woman comes out of nowhere!  What possible explanations can we give for this mystery woman?  Well, the two options are: (a) God created her or (b) Adam and Eve had other children that weren’t mentioned in the Old Testament.

Going along with my original assumptions about the Old Testament, it would be fair to say that Adam and Eve had other children that weren’t mentioned in Genesis.  This also conforms to the fact that women are rarely mentioned by name in the bible with the exception of major players like Ruth and Esther, and wives of major male figures like Issac and Jacob.  These consistences would allow us to presume that the female children of Adam and Eve did exist, but weren’t mentioned.  It is also more likely that this is the case, rather than God creating other people that aren’t mentioned by name (for more on this, click here).

So this brings me to the question I am sure you are hinting at: “Was Cain’s wife his relative?”  Believe it or not, I think the answer is yes.  So what does this mean for God’s view of incest?  Well, in a similar way to polygamy, it seems that God allowed incest at the origin of the human race in order for us to fulfill his command to “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.” (Gen 1:28)  Unlike polygamy, however, God specifically forbids incest later on in Leviticus (Lev 18).  This is probably due to the harmful biological effects that incest would eventually have if it continued and the fact that it was no longer necessary to sustain humanity.

Incest today leads to many birth defects because of an increase in genetic abnormalities caused by recessive genes.  When two members of the same family procreate, there is a better chance of a shared recessive gene becoming a part of their child’s genetic makeup.  In other words, it is easier to pass on disease and genetic mutations if both parents have the similar genetic code.  This was less of a problem at the start of the human race because it takes many iterations of incest in order for the recessive genes to begin to become a problem.  For more information of the effects of genetic ‘inbreeding’, click here.

Now for your second question: “Is this the reason that the Priest says, “My Brothers and Sisters” at Catholic Mass, because we are all related?

Although I am sure that many are confused about this terminology, it is actually a reference to several places in the New Testament in which Christ calls His followers brothers and sisters.  Here are just a few as a reference:

“While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, His mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to Him.  Someone told Him, ‘Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you.’  He replied to him, ‘Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?’  Pointing to his disciples, He said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers.  For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” -Matthew 12:46-50 (Mark 3:33-35)

“Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father.  Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.” -1 Timothy 5:1-2

I hope that these verses help clear up any confusion you may have been having with what your Priest meant by saying, “brothers and sisters”.  Christ called us to treat each other as brothers and sisters, all of us sharing the same Heavenly Father.

Thanks again for your questions and hopefully my answers helped you to better understand these issues.  Please feel free to ask more questions as they come up.

Thanks for asking!

-God’sWings

Then you will love these movies!

They cover a variety of topics presenting scientific evidence in support of a Creator of the Universe.

The Privileged Planet

Unlocking The Mysteries of Life

Liz Wrote:

“Just curious when/ why you think God stopped allowing polygamy, from a biblical standpoint. … I’m curious what [caused] the evolution of marriage being between a man and his wives, to it being between a man and a woman. How did that change –is polygamy considered legitimate to God?”

First of all, thank you Liz for asking such insightful and difficult questions.  I am sure that you are not the only person that has struggled with this issue.  It seems that these questions would lead to a conflict between the perfect, unchanging will of God, and what seems to be a clear example of God changing His mind.

Let’s break down your questions individually…

1) When and why did God stop allowing polygamy?

2) How did marriage go from being between a ‘man and his wives’ to a ‘man and his wife’?

3) Is polygamy considered legitimate to God?

We’ll begin with the first question: When and why did God stop allowing polygamy?

In order to answer this question, it is important to first understand that polygamy did exist in the Bible, and God did use it to accomplish His divine will (Gen 4:19; 2 Samuel 12:8).  However, it is undeniable in scripture that God’s ideal plan for marriage always included one woman and one man from the very beginning, with Adam and Eve (Gen 2:24).  So the question becomes, why did God allow polygamy in the first place?

There are many possible explanations for why God would allow polygamy in Old Testament times, but the bible does not give a clear answer as to why.  One reason could be that it allowed for a much faster expansion of the human race (Gen 1:28; Gen 9:7).  As we all know, men are capable of impregnating numerous woman at once, whereas women can only conceive one child at a time (every 9 months or so).  Another point to consider is that men can continue to have children into old age, whereas women have a ticking biological clock.  In an age prior to prenatal care, another issue may have been a high infant mortality rate (more wives = more chances for success).  Needless to say, it is reasonable to accept that God could have used polygamy for a purpose.

So when and why did God stop allowing polygamy?  Well, the bible doesn’t actually ever say that polygamy is unacceptable to God.  God does warn that having multiple wives may lead your heart away from Himself (1 Kings 11:3-4; Deut 17:17), but He never prohibits polygamy as He does with many sexual sins in the Old Testament (Lev 18).

This brings me to your second question: How did marriage go from being between a ‘man and his wives’ to a ‘man and his wife’?

Well, as I mentioned above, it didn’t really go from polygamy to monogamy.  In fact, the Bible doesn’t actually record an instance of polygamy until after the concept of marriage is established by God to be between one man and one woman (See Gen 2:24 and Gen 4:19).  It seems that polygamy was more of a shift from the ideal that God laid out for us, in order to serve a purpose for a time.

The New Testament is the first time that God seems to put any restrictions on polygamy, but in a similar way to the Old Testament (Deut 17:17), it is targeted at leaders (this time spiritual leaders, vice kings).  Both the books of 1 Timothy and Titus list the qualifications for spiritual leaders (elders, overseers, deacons).  Both books parallel each other stating that they be ‘the husband of but one wife’, among other qualifications (1 Tim 3:2, 12; Titus 1:6).  Again, this does not necessarily ban polygamy, but seems to support that monogamy is God’s ideal.

I can think of two reasons why being ‘the husband of but one wife’ would be important for a spiritual leader from what we know about God.  One, this shows the members of the church what God wants for His people.  By listing this as a qualification for the leadership, He is setting the standard from the top down, as we so often try to do in all types of leadership roles today.  Also, this supports what God said to the kings in the Old Testament, warning them about the dangers of having multiple wives.  God wants our full attention and devotion.  Can you imagine trying to love God with all your heart, mind, strength and soul, when you have multiple wives to love as well?

Finally, your last question: Is polygamy considered legitimate to God?

Well, I’ll be honest with you Liz, I don’t think I can answer that one.  Sometimes there are questions that I have for God that no matter how much I search, no matter how many people I ask, I just can’t find the answer.  God hasn’t given us every answer to every question.  He hasn’t laid down every rule for every situation.

But one thing I am sure of is this: God wants to bless us.  He wants us to live this life on earth abundantly.  The only way that we can take advantage of these blessings is by striving to live our lives in a way that is pleasing to God.  What does that mean for the issue of polygamy and God’s view for marriage?  Well, let us recap:

God has said…

1) Marriage was originally designed to be between one woman and one man (Gen 2:24)

2) His purpose for marriage is to ‘be fruitful and multiply’ (Gen 1:28; Gen 9:7)

3) Polygamy was acceptable, but not God’s ideal, and came with a strong warning that you may stray from Him (1 Kings 11:3-4; Deut 17:17)

I hope that I have helped to shed some light on this confusing issue.  This is something that many have struggled with and there aren’t always clearly defined answers for some of these controversial topics.  If you are interested in further study, see this link below:

http://www.gotquestions.org/polygamy.html

Thanks again for asking!

-God’sWings

We live in a society today where the traditional definition of marriage (as defined by God) is coming under siege. What used to be considered by both the religious and secular to be a valued, lifelong commitment between a man and a woman has been torn down in recent years to become nothing more than a contract between ANY two people who SAY they “love each other” (at the time).  But before we can understand what is wrong with how our modern society is trying to define marriage, we must understand how God defines it.

Let me share with you a short history lesson…

Once upon a time, there was a man named Adam (literally the Hebrew word for ‘man’).  Adam was a man’s man.  He was a hunter.  He had dominion over all the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature on the earth. He was also in need of a helper.

While Adam was busy naming all the creatures of the earth, The Creator of the Universe (God, Yahweh, The Almighty, The All-knowing… you know, that guy), noticed that it was not good for Adam to be alone, so He made Adam fall into a deep sleep.  While Adam was sleeping, God took a rib from Adam and created a ‘Woman’ from his own body.  Adam named this woman ‘Eve’ (which means ‘living’ in Hebrew) because she would become the mother of all the living.

Eve was in fact created from a part of Adam, which is why Adam said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called ‘women,’ for she was taken out of man.” (Gen 2:23)

The bible then continues to say in Genesis, “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.” (Gen 2:24)

So God’s view of marriage is not just a contract, but it is actually a joining together as ‘one flesh’!  And it is designed to be between one man and one woman for a purpose.  What is this purpose you may ask?  God clearly says to the man and woman, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.” (Gen 1:28)

Now that you know the history behind the creation of the marriage bond, you can clearly see what is wrong with how society views it today.

There are two main issues in my opinion: Divorce and Gay Marriage.

The increase in the divorce rate is due to a shift in our culture that says divorce is an ‘ok’ alternative if marriage isn’t all you thought it would be or if you don’t ‘love’ your spouse any more.  I can tell you right now, that is the wrong answer.  Think about what it means to be ‘joined together as one flesh!’  Let’s imagine for a second that you are literally and physically connected after you are married.  Let us also imagine that your vital organs (the heart seems to make the most sense) are now joined together.  If you tear those two people apart, both would be permanently damaged and may not ever physically recover.  Now also imagine that they have kids, and those kids are physically connected as well.  But for the kids, it is worse, because they need to be connected to both parents to thrive.  You tear one parent away from the bond and you have left those children crippled.

Now I know that this may be a graphic representation, but it is very accurate in the way that all are emotionally destroyed by a divorce.  Our society needs to remember that marriage is more than a contract to be taken lightly and breached whenever things get tough!  Nowhere does it say that marriage is supposed to be easy or characterized by happy feelings all the time.  Marriage is forever.  Write it down.  Tattoo it on your forehead.  Put a bumper sticker on your car.  Don’t forget it… ever.

The other issue, gay marriage, is about redefining marriage to no longer be between a man and a woman.  Pastor Miles McPherson of The Rock Church in San Diego, CA recently went on Larry King Live to discuss the California Supreme Court’s recent decision to uphold Proposition 8, a ban on gay marriage in the state of California.  He was debated by a well known comedian, Carol Leifer, who has been in a relationship with her female partner for over 12 years.  Ms. Leifer is a supporter of gay marriage and wants to marry her partner.  They already have a 3 year old boy as a couple.  Their interview with Larry King is below: