" ...even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist." - Rom 4:17 (NASB)    Typically speaking, when we think about creation, our minds immediately go to Genesis. There we read how the LORD spoke and the universe as we know it came into being. After six days God rested or ceased. But is this the end? Is it possible that He is still creating, even as you read this?     The verse above is speaking about Abraham and his faith. As he writes to the Roman believers Paul is presenting the concept that we are made right in God's sight by faith. (You'll have to read the entire chapter to get the context.) While he is doing so, he briefly touches on a powerful principle that we do not often think about. He writes that God calls into being that which does not exist . That's creating! Not reallocating what He has already created, but bringing not existence.    So what is God is bringing into existence?  W...

"Indeed, has God said...", (Gen. 3:1, NASB).     It seems to me that one of the most effective tools Satan has in his arsenal is his ability to twist and misconstrue the Bible. A thorough reading will uncover that he often attempts to discredit and undermine the Word of God. And, since God's Word is our foundation for life and godliness, Satan compromises truth at its very.  Notice, Satan said to Eve,  "Indeed, has God said..." In contemporary language, "Did God really say that?     Satan is the master of taking God's truth and turning it into "if".  I would not go as far as saying that doubt is the exact opposite of faith (see Mk. 9: 14-27), but I am comfortable stating that when Satan can cause a child of God to take an "if" attitude towards the Bible, or even Jesus himself, then disaster is on the way. God's Word is God's Word , whether we believe it or not. Our unbelief does not change reality per se; it simpl...

*** Today's post is an updated repost from 2014, but was one that was on my heart this morning.  "...This man will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir."      - Genesis 15:4 (NASB)    When God first told Abraham he was going to make him a great "nation", he was 75 years old. Abraham was directly promised a son by God. Not a bad source for a blessing. What Abraham did not know is precisely how the LORD was going to cause this to happen. After some time past, without a child,  he and Sarah (his wife) decided to "help" God by providing a physical means for His promise to arrive. (Gen. 16:1-4) The result was Ishmael's birth, Abraham was not age 86. (Gen. 16:16) Thirteen years later, after the birth of Ishmael, the LORD reaffirmed His covenant to Abraham. One year later, Sarah gave birth to her only child Isaac: She was 90, Abraham was 100. If you do the math, from the time the LORD thirst spo...

"Say you are my sister, that it may go well with me because of you, and that my life may be spared for your sake.” - (Gen 12:13, ESV) It seemed like a good plan. They were married, but they also were related. Technically speaking, Abraham and Sarai were siblings, half-siblings, so pretending that they were not married as they settled in Egypt just might work. If Pharaoh were to take a liking to Sarai, then Abraham would not be killed. Perfect! Well, not really. Abraham encountered an age-old problem that we still struggle with today. We trust God to a certain point. Once that point is reached we take matters into our own hands. The LORD told Abraham to "Go...to a land I will show you..."(v.1) , and  "I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse...”(v.3). A braham trusted God enough to guide Him, but not enough (yet) to protect him. He allowed his fear to override his faith. Eventually Abraham's plan was found out, but onl...

"And after seven days the waters of the flood came upon the earth." - (Gen. 7:10, ESV) As many times as I have heard the story and read it myself, I still am amazed at God's mercy and grace. If you are not familiar with the Biblical account of the flood you may say, "Where's the mercy? Among the destruction and lives that were lost, I missed the part about mercy." For 100 years Noah built that massive boat on dry land, in obedience to God's command, knowing that judgment was coming. Even after the boat was built and after all the animals came aboard, and after Noah and his family boarded, the ark sat in "dry dock." Until God himself closed the door( see v. 16), thus sealing them in, and locking everyone else out.  You may have a theory or two as to why God did this, but I will share mine with you: God is always working to show mercy and grace to those who will accept it. I believe that God would have allowed anyone to walk into the a...

"...Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God." - (Gen. 6:9, ESV) Wow! What a testimony. Three simple qualities. First, Noah was righteous, meaning that he was in right standing before God. Second, he was blameless in his generation, meaning that he lived right before mankind. However,  that does not necessarily mean that Noah was accepted by those in his generation . Yet here is a man who was spiritually right before both heaven and earth.  How did Noah accomplish this? I believe that he accomplished this because of the third quality mentioned above: "Noah walked with God."  When we walk with God, we are made righteous by God. We cannot make ourselves righteous, only God can do that. And, when we walk with God, we find that we live differently before those in the world. A vibrant and continual walk with God will enable us to live like Noah: one who is known in heaven and earth for devotion to God.  In a day where a g...

"In the beginning God....God created man..." - (Genesis 1:1, 27 ESV)      In a world where gods are promoted everywhere, and new ones "created" by the hour, it is helpful to remember exactly where we are in the hierarchy of creation. God is the center, not man. The center of what, you ask? Everything! It is no coincidence that the first four words of Scripture is, "in the beginning God." Before anything and everything that we can know, God was present. He has neither beginning nor ending. These are impossible concepts for us to grasp, and yet neither our ability to understand nor our unwillingness to believe limit Him. And, i t was this God, eternal in nature, that created man of His own design, not the other way around. We sometimes like to think that we are the superior being, but it is not even close. There is one God, and we are not Him.       As we enter a new year on the calendar, consider your own views of this God of the Bible. If He tr...

" but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his countenance fell." (Gen. 4:5, NASB)    The story of Cain and Abel has been somewhat of a quandary for many. The statements I have heard have included:     > "Abel brought the first fruits, where Cain only brought some of his fruits"    > "Abel brought a blood offering, but Cain brought veggies"    > "That's just not fair that God accepted one but not the other."  There is an answer to this situation, and the answer really has nothing to do with what offering they brought.    Cain's offering was rejected by God, but that's not all of the story. A careful reading of the verse reveals that Cain's offering was most certainly rejected, but so was Cain himself.  The reason that Cain's offering was rejected was that Cain was rejected first. Why? Well, his response to God's rebuke gives us some insight into his hea...

"In the beginning God..." ( Gen. 1:1)    Our modern world cannot accept mysteries. Mysteries, those things which have no scientific explanation, are hunted down in a vain attempt to reduce everything to a knowledge subcategory on Wikipedia. So it does not surprise me that the Biblical account of creation is so hotly disputed. However, during research this week I was somewhat taken back by both the volume of views and the complexities of the approaches, primarily from within the "believing" community. As I looked at all the perspectives I noticed something they all seemed to have in common: denial of the supernatural. To some degree, each approach seems to take the supernatural event(s) of creation and attempt to insert some scientific, philosophical, mathematical or historical qualifiers in an attempt to explain what is clearly recorded in the Bible.         Call me old-fashioned, but I still believe in a supernatural God. Exegesis tells me th...

"And God created the great sea monsters, and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarmed after their kind, and every winged bird after its kind, and God saw that it was Good." - (Genesis 1:21, NASB)  I do not usually place disclaimers at the beginning of posts, but this one is needed. I hope I can accurately present what is in my heart. I am not concerned with your understanding near as much as I am with my presentation.    God set a divine order in place in Genesis: things will produce after their kind. It means that bacteria does not produce fish, fish do not produce crocodiles, crocodiles do not produce monkeys, and monkeys do not produce humans. This is also true in the plant kingdom, where we find apple trees producing apples, and not oranges. Within creation, each produces after its kind. A pattern emerges:  plant produces plant, animal produces animal, man produces man. "After its kind."    Several months ago as I was p...

"...the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving..." (2 Cor. 4:6, NASB)    I may catch you off-guard just a little when I tell you that the Bible was not given to prove God. Please do not stop reading. I have neither backslidden nor lost my faith. The Bible most certainly is God's revelation of Himself to humanity, but it does not give definitive proof that the God we serve is truly God. Why is this?    The Bible's first four words provide the answer to this question: "In the beginning, God..." (Gen. 1:1) The Bible begins with an understanding that God does truly exist. It does not entertain the idea that He might not exist, nor  does it give an organized list of evidence or scientific proof. It just tells us that before creation came into being, there was God. Humanity is born with this innate understanding that there is a Creator. It is woven into our being. History validates this claim, for on every continent throughout documented...