Mommy & Brennan

Brennan, "I finished my book before you Mommy!"

Brennan Walking

It is not official walking just yet, but Brennan has taken a couple of stumble steps on his own. At his last check-up, we were told that Brennan would most likely be walking by his first birthday. Looks like that could be true, and Connor will just love that! Brennan getting into everything now!



Brennan has now fully discovered the fun of the cabinets!

Deception Point

I have just recently completed reading Deception Point by Dan Brown. This is the author of the famous or infamous DaVinci Code and Angels and Demons.

I would give this book 3.5 stars on a scale of 1 to 5. The story really moved very quickly and it was very easy to read. It was entertaining, but the storyline was far fetched. There were many instances where I was saying, "Give me a break!" It was entertaining and that is what I read it for. The only awards it may ever win are for the number of copies sold. But in the end, books are written so that people will read them.

If you are looking for an entertaining book to read, read this book. If you have trouble reading books that are far fetched and often unbelievable then find something else. This is not fantasy like Lord of the Rings or Star Wars, this is just farfetched.

A Reality of Perfection

Genesis 2:4-17

It was a game to be remembered. There had not been a single walk, hit or base runner for any reason for the opponents this night. The rituals and superstitions of the baseball player were abounding. The excitement of the game leads some of the teammates of the winning team to set cleats on fire in the dugout. Tonight was a night to be remembered. It was the ninth inning and three more outs were needed to win the game. The pitch came with fury towards the catcher’s glove. The ball was spinning and dancing through the air in hopes of reaching the big padded glove of the catcher. The batter swings and his bat cracks as the ball flies through the air toward the gap in the outfield. The outfielder jumps to a start at the sound of the hit. His eyes glued to the ball hurling through the air. He comes nearer and nearer to meet the ball before it hits the ground. He realizes he won’t make it in time and makes a daring leap forward. With his glove stretched as far as it will go he flies through the air and barely grasps the ball before it hits the ground. After completing three outs that inning the Texas Rangers look at the scoreboard in amazement. The opposition has recorded zeros across the board. No runs. No hits. In fact the scorer’s book shows that the opposition had no base runners all night long. Kenny Rogers one of the great pitchers of the 90s for the Rangers completed a feat that few will, a perfect game. Most pitchers do not regularly pitch for an entire game, yet alone pitch a no hitter. Yet Kenny Rogers pitched a perfect game. Perfection is desired and sought after. A sign of domination in any sport is to shutout the opposition. Kenny Rogers next start went far into the game as another perfect game until one fateful hit that set the opposition rolling to a victory. Sometimes we get it sometimes we don’t. Yet we all desire it.

Genesis 2 is a retelling of the creation account. The complete and utter focus of this account is man. The first account gives us the details of what was created on which day, but here we see that the point is man. In our text today we see three truths concerning the reality of perfection.

The first truth we see is man is the crown of God’s creation. The account here gives us very little detail about anything except the creation of man. In fact if you were to just take this account without consideration of the first account nothing is created until after man was created. Why would the author leave so much information out? Why would he leave it to appear that nothing was created until after man was created? Well it could be that there was more than one author, and their views were competing and so they added both and you are to decide which is right. Or it could be that there is one author and he knows that there is a fuller and more detailed account already provided and so he wants you to take this second account as a supplement to the first. Which makes sense, since the Bible does not contradict itself. This account is intended to give you a more clear idea of the fact that man is important above all the rest of creation. God breathed life into Adam through his nostrils. We are made from the dust of the ground. I have heard one atheist say, “You Christians tell us evolutionists that we believe some crazy stuff. You think it is crazy and preposterous to believe that man evolved along with the rest of the world from a tiny microbe in some really hot water. That man today is the product of thousands of tiny mutations over time through various stages of monkey and man. Well, you guys are crazy, we were created from dirt?” Well, that is what the Bible says, and does God not call himself the potter? He formed us into being. It is through the work of God with dust and breath that gives us life. The Lord planted a garden for this man. When we look at genesis 1 and then look here we see that creation is for man. God made it then made us in order that our needs be met immediately. Not only does the garden provide for our needs of nourishment but we see in verse 15 that the garden met our needs for work. A need that God himself put in us. The garden met many of the needs of man. Yet the only need we truly had was for God and in him man was created with a perfect fellowship.

Perhaps you've heard the story of Johnny Lingo, a man who lived in the South Pacific. The islanders all spoke highly of him. He was strong, good-looking, and very intelligent. But when it came time for him to find a wife, people shook their heads in disbelief. The woman Johnny chose was plain, skinny, and walked with her shoulders hunched and her head down. She was very hesitant and shy. She was also a bit older than the other married women in the village, which did nothing for her value.
But this man loved her. What surprised everyone most was Johnny's offer. In order to obtain a wife, you paid for her by giving her father cows. Four to six cows was considered a high price. The other villagers thought he might pay two or even three cows at the most. But he gave eight cows for her!!
Everyone chuckled about it, since they believed his father-in-law put one over on him. Some thought it was a mistake.
Several months after the wedding, a visitor from the United States came to the Islands to trade, and heard the story of Johnny Lingo and his eight-cow wife. Upon meeting Johnny and his wife the visitor was totally taken aback, since this wasn't a shy, plain, and hesitant woman, but one who was beautiful, poised, and confident.

The visitor asked about this transformation, and Johnny Lingo's response was very simple. "I wanted an eight-cow woman, and when I paid that for her and treated her in that fashion, she began to believe that she was an eight-cow woman. She discovered she was worth more than any other woman in the islands. And what matters most is what a woman thinks of herself."

Psalm 8:3-8 gives us a clear picture of what our attitude should be toward God and his concern for us. Think through your life and what even very small sins you committed. Think about how many of those little ones that you committed. When I think about what all that I had done, I often ask what am I that you care for me? Look what I have done. Do you not remember? Look at how I acted toward this person or that person. Look at how I treated my parents at times. Look at how I thought of others during that time of my life. Look at the fact that I didn’t care about you for so long in my life. What am I that you should care for me? What am I that you should give me the ability to rule over your creation? Who are we that you would care to save us from our sins? Who are we that your Son would die for us? Who are we that God would live the life of His creation? We are the crown of His creation, and it was for us that He died. It was for His creation that He shed His blood. It was for us that He came and accomplished a work that His heavenly Father gave to him.

The second truth we see is man possessed a pure enjoyment of beauty. You might be thinking where are you going with this? Verse 8 tells us that God planted the Garden of Eden and placed man in it. Verse 9 tells us, “Out of the ground the Lord God caused to grow every that is pleasing to the sight and good for food.” Now first, just because this is not in the same order as Genesis 1 does not mean that this is the actual order of events. The focus of this passage is man. Therefore when this was written down under the inspiration of the Spirit, the order was not the main focus but the idea of who is man. We are the crown of God’s creation and because of that the garden was planted for us. Thus the need for food was necessary and the story is now being told with man in the center and God in control. In our world today, beauty is supreme. Someone somewhere sits in a huge office all by themselves and determines what is beautiful and what is not. It is their prerogative and not ours. We all have a sense of what is beautiful and what is not. We all have a desire to be beautiful. But in our world for the most part, beauty has become distorted and twisted. Especially when it comes to people, beauty is supreme and if you are not beautiful according to the current chosen standard then you are not of true value to this world. That is sick and twisted. But here in the garden, before sin, man knew what was beautiful. Man enjoyed the sight of trees and found them pleasing to his sight. It was not sin! Some people grow plants, flowers, bushes and all kinds of plants in their backyards. It is a beautiful sight. God has given us the ability to enjoy the beauty of his creation.

"Can I see my baby?" the happy new mother asked. When the bundle was nestled in her arms and she moved the fold of cloth to look upon his tiny face, she gasped.
The doctor turned quickly and looked out the tall hospital window. The baby had been born without ears. Time proved that the baby's hearing was perfect. It was only his appearance that was marred.
When he rushed home from school one day and flung himself into his mother's arms, she sighed, knowing that his life was to be a succession of heartbreaks. He blurted out the tragedy. "A boy, a big boy...called me a freak." He grew up, handsome for his misfortune. A favorite with his fellow students, he might have been class president, but for that. He developed a gift, a talent for literature and music. "But you might mingle with other young people," his mother reproved him, but felt a kindness in her heart.
The boy's father had a session with the family physician. Could nothing be done? "I believe I could graft on a pair of outer ears, if they could be procured" the doctor decided.
Whereupon the search began for a person who would make such a sacrifice for a young man. Two years went by. Then, "You are going to the hospital, son. Mother and I have someone who will donate the ears you need. But it's a secret" said the father.
The operation was a brilliant success, and a new person emerged. His talents blossomed into genius, and school and college became a series of triumphs. Later he married and entered the diplomatic service.
"But I must know!" He urged his father. "Who gave so much for me? I could never do enough for him."
"I do not believe you could," said the father, "but the agreement was that you are not to know...not yet."
The years kept their profound secret, but the day did come...one of the darkest days that ever pass through a son. He stood with his father over his mother's casket. Slowly, tenderly, the father stretched forth a hand and raised the thick, reddish-brown hair to reveal...that the mother had no outer ears.
"Mother said she was glad she never let her hair be cut," he whispered gently, "and nobody ever thought mother less beautiful, did they"?
Real beauty lies not in the physical appearance, but in the heart. Real treasure lies not in what that can be seen, but what that cannot be seen. Real love lies not in what is done and known, but in what that is done but not known.

Often times when it comes to beauty we take pride in our personal outward beauty. We fixate on the outward appearance and do not concern ourselves with the inner beauty that the Lord requires. He requires holiness and obedience. 1 Peter 3:3-5 is directed specifically for women, but that is a passage of warning to us all. We are to be concerned with the inner self and not the outer self. We must be concerned with what our hearts and its condition and not the condition of our clothing. The Lord has promised to give as we need for the physical care of ourselves. Men if we are to be the head of our homes, should we not be as our wives and focused on the inner beauty of our spirits? Galatians 5:22-23 tells us the fruits that our lives ought to be producing as children of God. Christ died that our spirits might be made alive not that our bodies would be beautiful in this life.

The third truth we see is the Garden of Eden was a real place. Verses 10-14 detail the location and characteristics of the area of the Garden of Eden. Verse 10 tells us that a river flowed out of Eden to water the Garden. Then from there the river divided and became 4 rivers. The name of the first is Pishon. No one knows where this river is today. There is not substantial documentation to help us locate this river. This river flowed around the whole land of Havilah. Again no one knows where this was or is there substantial documentation to determine a probability of the location. I would venture to guess that there was still some who knew where this was when Genesis was written. The story would have been passed from generation to generation until Moses was inspired to write the words down. But one detail about this land is there is gold. Also in verse 12 it says that the gold is good. Then we are told some of the stones that can be found there. Items of information that would have verified to the people that this was a real land. A real place. The name of the second river is Gihon. Many have taken this to be the Nile River. If that is the case then over the course of time the land has changed because we know that the Nile does not flow anywhere near the Tigris and the Euphrates. Because remember that the text says that a river flowed out of Eden that divided into four rivers. The other two rivers are the Tigris and the Euphrates which we know where they are today. Some would say that these are not the original rivers, but they have been known as this for a long time and most believe that these are the same as we read here. Now we do not know where the Garden of Eden was but we do know where it might likely have been. The point is this: it was real. It had a real location. The Garden of Eden is not an idea to represent the peace that we all desire, but it was a real, physical reality that the original readers of this word would have known about.

In 1 Corinthians 15 Paul tells the Corinthians that if the resurrection is not real then Christ was not raised. If Christ was not raised then our faith is pointless and worthless. If our faith is worthless then we are above all others to be pitied because we hope needlessly. If the Garden of Eden was never real then how do we know to trust the other historical materials written in God’s Word? If the Garden of Eden was not real then how do we know that David was real? If David was not real then how do we know that Jesus was real? If Jesus was not real then our faith is worthless. If the credibility of the historical facts of the Bible are destroyed then how do we know that we can trust any of it? The Bible is not a history book as we would study in school, but in telling the story of God’s work to redeem mankind it is accurate in its historical matter. If the Bible can not accurately give historical material then how can we trust it to provide accurate spiritual material? The Bible has been validated many times over through archaeological discoveries. The greatest evidence points to the fact that the truths portrayed in the Bible are accurate and viable.

Do you understand that you are a part of the crowning of God’s creation? Do you have within you the spiritual ability to discern true beauty in the manner that God intended? Do you have faith to comprehend the spiritual truths of God’s Word? God has entered our sinful, broken and fallen world in order to pay our price for our sin so that we might enter into an ability to worship him. Because Christ died and shed his blood for us, we can now worship him in spirit and truth, but he must first be our Savior by our faith in him.

Marks of a Believer

3 John

So often we are concerned with the outward workings of our own lives and especially of the church. In many ways that should be a rightful concern because what we do is a reflection of what is taking place in our hearts. What we do dictates to others whether or not we are what we say we are. Do you claim to be a Christian? Do your actions back up what you claim? The questions could go far and reaching into the very personal aspects of your life, but our passage today gives us three marks of a believer. This letter was written to an individual named Gaius, but the application for him can apply to the church as well.

First we see that Gaius had a great testimony (vv. 5-6). The text tells us, “Beloved, you are acting faithfully in whatever you accomplish for the brethren, and especially {when they are} strangers.” Gaius was known for his personal generosity. His reputation was one of faithfulness. His actions were known beyond the borders of where he lived. Verse 6 tells us that, “and that they have testified to your love before the church.” The ones to whom he acted generously and kindly have testified before the local body of his actions. They were giving praises to the one who deserved them based on his consistent actions.

· What actions ought to exemplify a Christian life? Why?

· How should the characteristics of holiness and righteousness be exemplified in our lives? What should they look like?

· Colossians 4:5, “Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity.” How could this be applied to our lives? What key should we make a priority to add to our lives?

Second we see that Gaius lived a life of sacrificial giving (vv. 7-8). Verse tells us, “they went out for the sake of the Name.” Those who went out were going out to spread the gospel. These were not the ones who left because they were unbelievers but because they were believers and were compelled to share the gospel with those who were outside of the body of believers. Look at verse 6, “you will do well to send them on their way in a manner worthy of God.” John is encouraging Gaius to send these people out in such a way that God would be honored. How could we send someone out in a manner worthy of God? How could we honor God when someone goes out from among the body to do the Lord’s work? Within a healthy church there will be times where someone from among the body is called out to service and must leave that body. I was always amazed by those in seminary who were so attached to their home church. They talked about what their congregation did for them before they left for seminary. One family we knew would receive a sizable check every Christmas. What are ways that a church could send someone ought in a manner worthy of God? This is more than just money. What about a special service or prayer during a time of worship to send out these people? A prayer of dedication followed by a commitment to prayer for them on a regular basis would be a considerable encouragement to them in their task. Those who are called out by God for a ministry are usually committed wholehearted to that task. There is nothing a church could do for them better than supporting them in that calling. Verse 8, “Therefore we ought to support such men, so that we may be fellow workers with the truth.” We can support such workers in more ways than financially. Since we live in a money-driven world, we ought to support with money and finances. Money is a necessary aspect of all of life. Those given to the ministry are relying on the support of other believers in order to meet their needs and the needs of their families. What are ways that we currently support the work of those called to ministry service? Lottie Moon, Annie Armstrong, 10% of all undesignated receipts to the Cooperative Program, prayer support of Greenwich family, Shippensburg Community Church. May we be known as people and a church that is marked by sacrificial giving.

The third mark we see is a great healing (vv. 9-10). Now this may sound odd but when we look at the passage, John is saying that when he returns to this congregation that the troublesome one will be dealt with. John says that Diotrephes was causing disruption because he desired to be first. His desire was that others would pay attention to him and that he would be first among all of the others. An attitude that is completely contrary to the expressed will of God in his word. God in His word has set an order of leadership for the local church. Diotrephes was attempting to place himself in a position he had not received from God. Not only was he attempting to be first but he was attempting to undermine the God-called leadership through false testimony, namely lying. Diotrephes was not accepting the words and teaching of John and the other elders of the congregation. He would also not receive other brethren called of God. He would put them out and do the same to those who attempted to receive them. Gaius may have been one of those who Diotrephes was seeking to put out for receiving the brethren. The brethren were others called of God to ministry. They were likely traveling missionaries such as Paul was. Diotrephes was one who exemplifies those who are not of God. In order to be of God there must first be a healing within our souls. We must be born again. There must be a healing among the body when events like this take place. There must be healing between those who were wronged and the one who offended the other. In order for the body to work as a whole, there must constantly be healing taking place. If we are to be about the work of God, we must constantly be seeking to be in the righteousness of Christ.

· When a conflict arises within a congregation what must take place in order for the wounds to be healed?

· When a conflict takes place what must happen with those who were involved? Should they be kicked out or should there be a seeking for restoring them to proper fellowship?

· What should happen with those who were offended and received the wrongdoing?

Is New Hope marked with these same characteristics?

If not what do we need to work on in order to grow in these areas?

The Boys While at DC

Here are a couple of pictures we took of the boys while in DC the other day.

The Sabbath: A Day to Honor the Lord

Genesis 2:1-3

Eric Liddell, the subject of the well-known movie Chariots of Fire, was a man who sought to honor God in everything. He was a man of deep conviction and sacrifice. During the 1924 summer Olympic Games, Liddell’s 100 meter race was scheduled for a Sunday, and instead of campaigning to boycott the Olympics he asked for an unprecedented switch in events. He was allowed to compete in the 400 meter run instead. And we now know that he won the gold in that event. Many were criticizing him until he won the gold. From that point in his life he became a missionary to China. A man who could have embraced fame and fortune instead embraced God. He embraced God for the world to see the day he refused to race on Sunday. He embraced God the day that he refused fame and instead took obscurity and went to China as a missionary. He embraced God everyday of his life. He committed that everyday would be for God, but he chose to consistently set aside one day a week to honor the Lord. Liddell in his commitment to the Lord demonstrated a deep love for his God and a desire to honor him despite any cost and that is shown with the words of his biographer, “It is rare indeed when anyone has the good fortune to meet a saint, but he comes as close to it as anyone I have ever known.”

When we look at the Sabbath there are two reasons for observing this day.

The first reason we observe the Sabbath is that the Lord rested. Verse 1 tells us that the heavens and the earth were completed. There was not a thing lacking because the work was perfected and completed. Verse 2 tells us that by the seventh day God completed His work which He had done. This is a reiteration of verse 1, and again clarifies that God himself performed the work. This is again a statement to tell us that God created without the use of evolution. Then it says in the second half of the verse that He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Again, the Lord God performed the act of creation. But here it tells us that the Lord has rested from His work. Some people would say that this rest of the Lord continues to the end of the age, and He will never be involved in our world again until then. But here we see that it says that he rested on the seventh. The Lord worked and completed that work and then on the seventh he now rests. He has not remained out of our world but through his spirit and Jesus we know for certain that he has maintained a place of involvement within our world. The Lord has continued to be intimately involved with us and through us. But when we look at The Ten Commandments in Exodus 20, specifically verses 8-11, we see that our observance of the Sabbath is specifically tied to the fact that the Lord rested.

In Exodus 20:8-11 we are told, “Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of the Lord your God.” Throughout the Old Testament Law there are numerous instances where the seventh is a time of Sabbath or renewal. For instance, the land was to be given rest on the seventh year. The field would be planted and plowed for six and then the seventh the field was to not be planted. We now know that during that year the nutrients in the ground would be restored for the planting of crops the following six years. Slaves or servants working to repay a debt were to be freed from their debt after six years of service. The need for rest is continually mentioned within the Scriptures.

In Matthew 11:28, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” We are called to bring our burdens to the Lord, and He will give us rest. Revelation 14:13, And I heard a voice from heaven, saying, "Write, 'Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on!'" "Yes," says the Spirit, "so that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow with them." We are promised that we will rest from our labors for eternity. We have a need for rest, and one day we will be in a continual rest in the Lord.

The second reason we observe the Sabbath is that the Sabbath is a day made holy by the Lord. Verse 3 tells us that the Lord blessed the seventh day and sanctified it. He put his blessing on this day. The word sanctified means the process of making holy. We are being sanctified by the Spirit. But the process for making the Sabbath holy has been completed. There is no more need for making it holy, it is done and complete. The reason the Lord made it holy is because he rested from his work on that day. The reason we should observe the Sabbath is because it is holy and should be set aside for worshipping the one who created the world. We do not rest because we want to but because the Lord has told us to rest. He did not rest because he needed to, but because he wanted us to. How often do we allow work to overshadow and preoccupy us and distract us from God? How often do we truly focus on the Lord as we should? The world and life are about Him and not us therefore the day of rest is to be set aside for Him. This is not a day to just sit around and watch TV but to focus and refocus on the Lord. It is a day to be reminded to whom we belong.

In the world of baseball there are certain teams that many players wish to play for, but on certain teams there are certain standards for how you represent the team. For instance if you want to play for the New York Yankees, you are allowed no facial hair. The standard is set in order to maintain uniformity and team unity. Without the set standards and others in order to develop these attitudes there will be many different expressions that will ultimately lead to different attitudes and mindsets ultimately leading to conflict and disunity.

1 Peter 2:9, But you are A CHOSEN RACE, A royal PRIESTHOOD, A HOLY NATION, A PEOPLE FOR {God's} OWN POSSESSION, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. Just as the Yankees require certain standards in order to be a part of the team, the Lord requires that His people be holy and righteous. The Yankees want everyone to act the same in order to win a trophy, but what the Lord desires is of eternal significance. The Yankees requirements are for the outward appearance only but the Lord’s is of eternal value. Remember when Daniel would set aside time to pray even when the law of the land decreed otherwise. Set aside time for God even when the world says we don’t need to.

The Sabbath is a day consecrated to the Lord for his glory. It is not a test of our loyalty that will ultimately lead to higher financial gain, but a test of set loyalties.

· Are you willing to set aside one day a week for rest and refreshment and refocus on the Lord?

· Are you willing to set aside your life for the work of the Lord?

· The Lord requires rest of us today, but do you hope in the eternal rest promised from our Lord?

National Air & Space Museum

We went to the National Air & Space Museum on Thursday. Besides seeing historic flying machines we watched Connor throw 2 huge tantrums! Great Trip.

Enjoy the pictures.

Battling Deceivers

2 John

In 2 John we see a progression of instructions. First he talks about the Truth. Within verses 1-4 John uses the word truth 5 times. In verse 4-6, the word commandment is used 4 times. Then we will only go through verse 11, but in verses 7-11, we see instructions concerning the false teacher. Within 1 & 2 John, we have seen many great teachings concerning love and truth. This is at the heart of these books and without love then truth would be merely harsh realities. Without truth, love would be a great action of sacrifice. The two together bring people into God’s reality of eternal life.

In this book John, the elder, is writing to the chosen lady. This is the church that God has called out. This is not just people who chose to follow but the wording is clearly the chosen people of God. The chosen lady is the elect of God, the church. Now when we look at Scripture, the church is clearly those who are chosen of God. So if you are a believer then it is real and evident in your life that you were chosen of God. The verse then goes on to say and her children. This being the individual believers within the church. As individuals we are God’s chosen. In our salvation we demonstrate that God has chosen us.

First we see in verses 1-4 the foundation of truth to obedience. When you were growing up did you obey your parents? Seriously, did you do what they told you and follow the rules they had set to being a part of that family? For most of us, the truth was that if we did not obey they were consequences and depending on your disobedience the consequences would be great. In my home growing up, if you wanted to play sports, even in elementary school we had to pass our classes. If we had poor classroom conduct or failed a class we could not play. Parent’s rules. If we wanted to go with the youth on fellowships or other outings, pass your classes and behave. Depending on the disobedience the punishment would come, but the truth of consequences was what the punishment would hang on. Our obedience in our walk with the Lord hangs on the Truth. What is the truth? What is the constant in all of the teaching of the Bible that we should cling to? What causes SBC to serve others in dire times of catastrophe that we would give of ourselves instead of demanding attention? Jesus is the only means to eternal life. In John 14:6 Jesus says, “I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father but by me.” Whenever Jesus would say I Am he was making a direct reference to YHWH. He was claiming to be the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Do we get that? Do we truly understand that Jesus is God? Not just yes I know Jesus is God, but the fact that when you look at the Old Testament and that God that was Jesus? Seriously, think about the fact that the God who was offended by the sin of Adam and Eve was Jesus. The God who condemned the world to death through the flood was Jesus. And yet this same God comes to us in the flesh to die for our redemption. No longer condemning the world to death but through his death that they might have eternal life. The Truth is that Jesus is the only way to eternal life. According to verse 4 we are to walk in the truth. Our lives are to be conducted within the reality of the Truth, “Jesus is the only way to salvation.” If Jesus is the only way to salvation then how should we live?

Second we see in verses 4-6, that there is one commandment to obedience. “Love the Lord your God.” In verse 4 John says that He is encouraged to have found some of them walking in the truth. It appears not everyone was walking in the truth, but some of them were. How did they know how to walk? They received a commandment from the Father. What is that commandment? Where is it found? Deuteronomy 6:5. Every other commandment will fall into place when you seek to love God. Sounds simple but it is true. Have you ever had one of those jobs where there just seemed to be too much to learn? No matter how hard you worked you would everyday do something wrong. In the complex nature of the job you just could not get everything down. But you wanted to do well so you kept trying and everyday you tried to keep in mind the mistakes you made the day before so you would not repeat them. And everyday you would do better and better until finally every detail of the job was second nature. When you seek everyday to love God you will grow more and more sensitive to the leading of the spirit. As you seek day by day to follow his leading you will grow more in tune with his voice. To walk in the Lord’s commandments will slowly become more and more normal and more and more second nature. We are told in Romans 13:10, “Love is the fulfillment of the Law.”

We are told in verse 6 that we are to walk in His commandments. The Spirit will change us and grow us. We are to be conformed through the convicting work of the Spirit. The standard of God’s commandment never changes. The truth never changes. The fact is that salvation has always been through Christ alone. God’s commandments have always been the same.

Because these have never changed we can always know if someone is bringing us the truth or if they are bringing us a lie. Third in verse 7-11, we see that the deceiver goes beyond the commands and truth of God. They have gone out into the world. Likely to mean that the deceivers are going out into the world just as Christian missionaries do. They are penetrating the world with their false teaching with zeal and enthusiasm. They are leading others astray and they believe they are doing the right thing. They believe they are correct which would make them dangerous to those they are attempting to convert. Do you believe that those who are Mormons know they are wrong yet they still follow the lie? Do you believe that the followers of Islam know they are wrong yet follow that false teaching? They believe they are right in their beliefs. Why do you think they are willing to die for what they believe? They believe they are possessed with the truth. Their assurance drives them to fulfill the truth in their religion. Yet for us, the truth should drive us to fulfill the truth in our world. We should be just as possessed with the zeal to see the truth fulfilled in our world. Yet our truth brings life and freedom. When we follow the Truth we live in love and service and submission. In verse 9 we are told that anyone who goes too far. The idea is to run ahead. It is as if john is telling us that those who are deceivers will go beyond or farther than the commandments tell us to. But he also adds and does not abide in the teaching of Christ. If you are going ahead of Christ then you are not abiding in Christ because you are beyond him. We are told that if you are not for Christ then you are against Christ. If you are not in his teaching then you are not abiding. Abide in Christ. A true teacher of Christ will admonish you to live within the teaching of Christ and not to go beyond it or take away from it. What are some teachings that you have heard that are not of Christ but were passed off as acceptable biblical teaching? What about the ecumenism shortly after 9/11? Muslims, Mormons, Catholics and Protestants along with others praying together as if they are praying to the same God. We may name him the same, but the fact is that we do not all worship the same God. What are some additional teachings taught that some try to pass off as required to be saved? What about you can not dance or play cards or go to the movies? Now many of these were taught with a motive to keep Christians away from impurities and in many ways that is a good thing, but over the years many would had come to equate following these teachings or requirements as necessary to be signs of your salvation. What about books that you can and can not read? What about places you can eat or can not eat? The only truth that can bring us salvation is to Love the Lord your God. If you love God then you know you are born again. If you love the things of God, then you know you are born again.

Do you come to church services and gatherings out of a love for God or out of a desire to check off your religious deed for the day? Do you come to church because you desire to draw closer to God by hearing his word taught and worshipping him or because you are supposed to? We are supposed to, but why do you actually come? We talk about the need for those who do not come to be here but why do they not come? May we pray that they would have a desire to come. There are many reasons why people do not come to church but may we seek to have the come because that is the desire of their hearts. May we pray that the church would be committed to the truth and the commandment of God. May we pray that those who are outside of the church would become committed and submitted to the Truth and commandment of God.

Preaching & Preachers

I have just completed the book Preaching and Preachers by D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. This was an excellent book. I would highly recommend that any pastor and/or preacher read it. The book covers a variety of topics concerning the pastor and preaching.

One chapter covers the issue of the congregation controlling the pulpit. Some churches make demands upon the pastor when it comes to the preaching. Some will demand the sermon only be a certain amount of time or what the topic of the sermon will be or the style of the sermon, but he argues that the preacher is the one called of God to lead the congregation spiritually and it is his responsibility to make those decisions. In another chapter he discusses the issue of the length of the sermon and makes several compelling points.

This book is a series of lectures that he gave at a seminary. He brings in many historical arguments and current events that compel him to the positions and stances he takes. He often mentions that the 19th century was the downfall of the Protestant church. He states that if it were not for many of the changes that took place in the 19th century the Protestant church would be in much better shape spiritually today.

Ultimately, I would highly recommend the book. In fact I would give this book 4.5 stars on a scale of 1 to 5. I wish that I had been required to read this book in seminary, but it was of a greater value now having been in the ministry and experienced many of the issues that he discusses in this book. If you are a pastor and do not own the book or have not read it: BUY IT and READ IT!

Besides, you will find one hilarious quote about Charles Finney. I am not going to repeat it. You have to read it to find it!

The Image of God

Genesis 1:26-28

Often sons want to be like their Daddy’s. Any boy who wants to be like his father, that father is a Daddy. Think about it men, did you ever at some point want to do what your father did? Did you admire him to the point that you wanted to be like him? I remember a commercial from when I was a child, you know how boys would shave when their dad would shave. He would have a face full of shaving cream and then use a comb or a closed razor to shave his face. Well, to help boys be like their dads they had a lawnmower for them. In the commercial you see a mom standing at the window watching whatever was taking place outside, and then the camera turns and shows you the outside. There is the dad mowing the lawn, clean and handsome because no one ever truly sweats when you mow a lawn, and then trailing behind the dad is the son with his lawn mower blowing bubbles as he goes. That son is desiring to be in the likeness of his daddy.

As believers we should desire to be in the likeness of our heavenly father. And thankfully we were created in his likeness and in His image, but unfortunately sin has marred that likeness but through the renewing of the Spirit in the life of a believer we can and will be made to resemble Christ. Through the inner working of the Spirit the former glory that dwelt in us will dwell again, but that glory is a mere reflection of the greatness and grandeur of our Savior Jesus Christ. What was it about our original state of creation that made us possess the Image of God? What is the Image of God? These are some of the questions that will hopefully be answered this morning. By a simple definition the Image of God is “A biblical description of the unique nature of human beings in their relationship to the Creator God.” (Holman Bible Dictionary, p. 687) We are created in the likeness not sameness but to resemble and reflect our God. We were never created to be equal to him but to display him.

This is a exposition of many Scriptures that further define and demonstrate what is told here in Genesis 1:26-28. First this morning we see the dwelling place of God is the heart and mind. This is the way that it has always been. The God of the Universe would dwell in our hearts. We are told in Colossians 3:15 to let the peace of God rule in our hearts. We are told that the Spirit will dwell in the hearts of the believer. We are told in Proverbs 4:23 “Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it {flow} the springs of life.” Our hearts and minds are important. Look at Genesis 1:26-28 again. In verse 26, God says let us make man in our image, according to our likeness. Verse 27 says, and God created man in his own image; in the image of God he created them. What does God look like? Does he have two arms and two legs? They say moms have eyes in the backs of their heads, and God knows more than moms so he must have eyes in the back of his head. What color is his skin? What color is his hair? What brand of clothes does he wear? You see, God is spirit. So if God is not flesh like us, then what about us would resemble him? Our spiritual nature. Where does our spiritual nature reside? What in words do we know as our spiritual nature? It is our hearts and minds. What died the day that Adam and Eve sinned? Their spirits. What caused them to die physically? The corruption of sin in their spirits that affected their entire being. What matters more than anything else in this world is the condition of your soul. What will determine your eternal destiny is the condition of your soul. If your soul is not made new before your physical death, then you are doomed. It is our spirits that makes us in the image of God. It is not the fact that we walk upright. It is not that we can drive a car. What makes us in the image of God is our spiritual nature. You see that Christ was human and divine and we wonder how could he have been fully God and fully man. How can Christ be 100% man and 100% God stuffed into one body, but already we possess a human, fleshly nature and a spiritual nature. We are not God so we do not have the wonder of that issue.

While these groups were longing and praying for revival in western India, God was doing simultaneous work in northeast India in the Khasi hills of Assam. Ramabhai got word of the early outpourings of the Spirit in Assam and the evangelistic witnessing that followed. She asked for volunteers from among her Mukti girls to give up their secular studies and go out into the villages to preach the Gospel. Thirty young women volunteered and met daily to pray for the endowment of the Holy Spirit. After some days of praying, on June 29, 1905, the Holy Spirit came upon a larger group of the girls, with weeping, confession of sins, and prayers for empowerment.
One of the thirty volunteers was so set aflame spiritually that the other girls saw a vision of fire engulfing and surrounding her. One of the other girls ran across the room to grab a pail of water to throw on her, only to discover that the fire, though visible, was not literal. It was the fire of the Spirit as seen in Old Testament times and at Pentecost.
The next day, June 30, while Ramabhai taught from John 8, the Spirit came in power. All the women and girls began to weep, confess their sins, and pray for an endowment of the Holy Spirit. Girls became stricken down under conviction of sin while studying, attending the industrial school or at work. Lessons were suspended, and all Mukti began seeking God. Two young girls were so gripped with the power of the Spirit that they prayed for hours and hours, until their faces literally shone with a heavenly light.
As soon as the girls had fully repented and received the assurance of forgiveness, they began to pray for sanctification and baptism by the Holy Spirit. They searched their hearts before God until He showed them their inner impurities. Many girls had visions of the “body of sin” within themselves. They testified that the Holy Spirit came into them with holy burning, which they called a baptism of fire that was almost unbearable. The girls then became flooded with peace and joy until their faces radiated God’s glory. A report sated as follows:
“One little girl of twelve is constantly laughing –her face, plain, even ugly, is beautiful and radiant. She does not know it. She is occupied with Jesus. You think you have looked on an angel face. Some claim to have seen the Lord – one, a blind girl. All speak of His coming again. One sang hymns, composing them as she sang – lovely hymns to Indian tunes.”
June 30, 1905 is the day revival truly began in India. It spread across the country to Pune, Mumbai, Yeotmal, Manmad, Hoshangabad, Ratnagiri, Dhond, Allahabad, Aurangabad, and towns in Gujarat.

Psalm 51:10 ¶ Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me. When David sinned before God, what he needed more than a correction in his actions was a correction in his spirit. David did not need to go to counseling what he needed was the counsel of God within his heart. He needed to be corrected within his spirit. So often we determine our spiritual state based upon our actions. How many times did I look at someone lustfully? How many times did I lie today? How many times did I think an angry thought? How many times did I roll my eyes at people? How many times did I intentionally avoid my children and the responsibilities that I have to them? How many times did I ignore the Spirit’s prompting to share the gospel with someone? All of these are markers within our lives we should pay attention to but if this is all we are checking then we have a serious problem. What matters the most is the condition of our spirit. If we were to be taking in God’s regularly and consistently then our spirits would be changing and our actions would be changing. If God is gaining more and more control of us through our submission to him in spirit and prayer then our actions will change. If we let God control us then we will not want to be angry. If we let God control us then we will be concerned for the spiritual condition of others and not thinking angry or other sinful thoughts about them.

Second we see that being made male and female reflects the Trinity. You might be thinking well there is only two of us and three of them. That is true that is why it is a reflection. You might be thinking well, how can our marriages demonstrate the Trinity when we are only people? How can we demonstrate in any way what God looks like when we are people and he is perfect? Again we are a reflection. We are not a perfect representation we are a reflection. And honestly, I do not believe we were ever intended to be a perfect representation otherwise he would have made us like him. We are expected to be perfect, but we will never be perfect. We are to resemble him but we are never going to be a perfect copy of him. Look at Adam and Eve were they ever exactly like God? No. We are not to be God. Only God can be God. Satan tried to be God and that was his problem. You can never be like God. We are to resemble and reflect him. God is three in one. Look at Jesus’ Baptism. There Christ is baptized in demonstration of a submission to the will of God. He did not need to repent but he had to submit. The Father proclaims that Jesus is His Son. The Spirit descends upon Him in order to fill Him. The three work together and fulfill their roles in the work that God has initiated in our world. The roles of marriage demonstrate this principle of the Trinity. God has given the head to the man. A great responsibility and not to be taken lightly, but his actions as head are actions of sacrifice and commitment and devotion. The role of submission and caretaker is given to the wife. She cares for the children more as often demonstrated by the tendency of women on the average, but she also is to support and encourage her husband. Men, could you make it without your wife? Women, could you make it without your husband? There is no less value for either, there is merely different roles. We submit to God and demonstrate our faithfulness through how we submit to the roles in life he has given us.

"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." (Gen 1:27 NIV)
When I went to work that Friday morning, I had no idea that later in the day I would fulfill one of my oldest son's wildest dreams. I was busily working on a project in my office when, for some unknown reason, I had the urge to go to another department. It is highly unusual for me to go there without some specific purpose, but the urge was strong, and a few moments later, I found myself standing inside the door.
The receptionist was busily admiring a large box of shells on the counter when I entered. Since one of my son's passions is Conchology, the study and collection of shells, I was immediately intrigued, and I walked over to look at them more closely.
"Are you sure you want to get rid of those?" the receptionist was asking a technician.
"Absolutely!" responded the technician. "I have no room for them in here." Then he turned and left the room.
I nonchalantly picked up a shell and began to examine it. "What are you planning to do with all of these?" I asked.
"Oh, I will probably pick out a few of them to decorate the plants in the entrance," the receptionist responded. "Don't you think that will look nice?"
"I'm sure it will," I said. "You have a keen eye for such things!" I waited a few seconds, then I told her about my son and how much he loved shells. "He's fascinated by how the shells form and how the animal survives," I said, "and he can name almost any shell and tell you where it can be found."
I didn't really intend to be dropping hints, and I couldn't have been more surprised when, later that day, our receptionist brought a huge box to my office. "Take these home to your son," she said simply.
She couldn't have known how much this gift would be appreciated, for to my son, receiving a shell is like receiving a precious treasure. When I tried to thank her, she simply responded with, "He can come and check out my plants, if he likes. If there's something I kept back that he would like, he is more than welcome to take it as well!"
You can imagine my son's excitement when I brought that box of shells home that evening. He checked each shell, named it and told where it was from, and when his younger brother joined in the fun, he gladly shared the duplicates. Wow!
"Why did I get these?" he asked.
The answer was simple. God's perfect timing and a kind receptionist. As I reflected on all of this, I couldn't help but think about His love towards us. These words came to my mind: "Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me." (Mark 9:37 NIV)
We were created in the "image of God" for a reason: to act and love the way He does towards each one of us.
"Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ." (1 Cor 11:1 NIV)
"Follow the way of love." (1 Cor 14:1 NIV)
Will you share your treasure with others?

Ephesians 5 demonstrates how the marriage is to demonstrate the work of Christ. As the husband loves his wife he is to work for her purity and holiness. Men do we pray for our wives and their spiritual growth? Men do we seek to encourage them in their faith and spiritual development? Men are we willing to lay our lives down for them if that is what is required? Men are we willing to give of our own time and energy and forsake our ambitions in order to better them? Church are we willing to place God’s work above our own ambitions? Are we willing to give of our own time in order to see God’s work accomplished and forsake that extra time at work trying to get ahead? Are we willing to give up that extra time in front of the TV, fishing, hunting, shopping, or even in quiet solitude in order to be with others serving them and leading them to Christ? Are we willing to sacrificially give of ourselves on a regular basis in cooperation with the church in order to accomplish God’s will? Are we willing to be a demonstration of God’s love and of even who he is? Are we willing to serve our families and spouses and grow them spiritually in order to be a better reflection of God and his nature? To what lengths are you willing to go? Would you be willing to help lead a portion of VBS? Would you be willing to serve even where others will see what you do? Are you willing to even reflect Christ likeness in giving of yourself in a tiring and exhausting and sometimes stressful way? Are you?

As we close today, three thoughts of response on how we can reflect Christ in our lives. We are to demonstrate him to this world. Col. 1:15 tells us that Christ was the Image of the Invisible God, may we be an image of Christ to others.

• As our hearts and minds are the dwelling place may we seek to develop inner spiritual holiness that will change our actions. May our lives demonstrate holiness and purity by our devotion to the things of God. May we be devoted to His Word. Already this year you could have read through Proverbs once and now working on another book. May we be devoted to studying his word. Those opportunities that are in place are Sunday mornings at 9:15 and Wednesday evenings at 7 pm. For children there is Sundays at 6 pm as well. May we be devoted to worshipping him and that opportunity is at 10:15 am Sundays. Are you making the effort to be devoted to him? What does your personal devotion time look like? How often do you regularly meet with him? Busyness does not necessarily mean godliness.
• May you seek to make your marriage a reflection of the Trinity by serving within the roles God has given. Simply this. Fulfill the role in your marriage that God has given you. Women if your husband has made an unwise decision, support him by encouraging him as you together seek to work out the consequences. Men, listen to the advice and counsel of your wives. Just because you are the head does not mean your wife is unimportant. Listen to them. But most importantly, be tender and gentle with them. Some translations say that the woman is the weaker vessel. Well one translation says they are the fragile vessel. Easily broken. Serve them in their needs. Make them know they are important to you however that is most clearly demonstrated to them. Also, fulfill your role in the church that God has given you.

Get Fuzzy

Enjoy.

These strips are marked with the copyright of Darby Conley. I will remove if violating any copyright laws.

Connor Update

Nothing new going on with Connor really, but here are a couple of new pictures of Connor from the other day. Hope you enjoy.

We were supposed to get some snow last night but alas nothing. Heather said we got a very small dusting last night but everything was gone by this morning. It has been extremely cold and dry. Of course our cold is nothing compared to others, but when January had highs of the 70s and lows only in the 50s, highs in the lower 20s is cold!

God's Testimony

1 John 5:5-12

Here in chapter five John is concluding his letter, and he begins the ending with a plea to receive the testimony of God or at least a plea to the believers to not give up on the testimony of God. Who is greater? Man or God? If you give up on God why go down to a lesser testimony? God’s testimony is greater. Do not fret or fear or worry, but keep your faith in God’s Word. In our passage today we see the what, how and why of God’s Testimony.

First we see what is the Testimony of God (vv. 6-8). In verse 5, John says that the one who will overcome the world is the one who that Jesus is the Son of God. Now in case you don’t know who the Son of God is John is going to tell you. He is the one who by water and blood. Now, some have taken this to mean the blood and water that flowed from the side of Jesus when it was pierced with the spear. Others say that this is a reference to the beginning of his life and the death of his life. There is no reason to not until you understand why John was writing this letter. There are those who are called Gnostics. There are signs of these kind of people in our world today. Read The DaVinci Code to find some of them. But these people find the death of Jesus to have been meaningless and not necessary. Your salvation to them is in a secret knowledge not in Christ’s shed blood. So if his death was necessary and so was the shedding of his blood as any Israelite would know, then what does the water refer to? It refers to the beginning of his ministry when Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. It was at this time that God declared Jesus His Son and bestowed the Spirit upon Him. Not that Jesus was not His Son beforehand but at this point the Lord, God made it known that Jesus was His Son. At his baptism, the beginning of His ministry, Jesus was pronounced to the world of His origins and who would be His Lord. This was the first sign that He was the Messiah. So the baptism and the blood are both equally necessary. Then blood was necessary in order to atone for our sins, but also to submit himself to the utmost humility in order to perfectly accomplish what was needed. Then he says that the Spirit testifies. So not only do we see within the life of Jesus elements that testify to Jesus being the One sent of God but the Spirit of God testifies to this fact as well. Then John reminds us that the Spirit of God is truth. If the Spirit of God is truth then what is the Truth? That Jesus is the Son of God who died for the redemption of those who have faith in Jesus Christ. Moving to verse 8, verse 7 tells us that are three who testify to Jesus, but verse 8 tells us what those three are: the Spirit, the water and the blood. But here is the important part: The three are in agreement! There is no contradiction in them. The testimony is unanimous and without any disagreement!

Second we see the Greatness of God’s Testimony (v. 9). When you are attempting to discover the truth in a given situation or about a certain issue which would hold more weight, the testimony of one person or the testimony of three? Most people would go with the word of three people and not the one. In verse 9, John says if we receive the testimony of men. We take people at the word. How many times have you heard important information from one person and taken them at their word? We do it rather frequently. Think about how many times you take a news anchor or a newspaper article at its word without researching the facts. It is almost second nature which information we will trust depending on the source. John says that the testimony of God is greater than the testimony of men. Yet, even though it is greater, there are three bearing testimony to God’s Son. Why would we trust the testimony of men who are changing the message after the fact rather than the one who was submitting the proof and signs to authenticate the one bearing the message? God was demonstrating through the signs and miracles that Jesus was sent from Him. At the time of Jesus’ baptism God was demonstrating and proclaiming that Jesus was His Son. At the time of Jesus’ death it was being demonstrated that he was the Son of God. Remember that the sky turned dark. The temple veil was torn in two. In Matthew, it tells of saints already dead rising from the dead and preaching the gospel in the city. The signs and the events were to demonstrate God’s testimony that Jesus is the Son of God. Which is better is not the right question, but which is greater is the correct question. Which is greater the word of twenty men or the word of God testified to by three? Which will you believe the never changing word of God or the ever changing word of man?

Third we see the plea to receive the testimony (vv. 10-12). Verses 10-12 are a demonstration of a plea to receive the gospel message. The testimony is that Jesus is the Son of God and that God has testified concerning His Son. John says that those who believe in the Son of God have the testimony. We bear it and we accept it. To bear the testimony is to have accepted and received it. If you believe that Jesus is the Son of God then you accept the testimony which has been testified to by the Spirit, the water and the blood. But the opposite is true for those who do not believe or accept the testimony. Twice we are told what the testimony is. The first time we are told that God has testified concerning his Son. The second time we are told that God has given us eternal life. God has testified to the work He accomplished through Jesus Christ His Son. Not only has the work been accomplished but that through Christ we now have life. It has been said that you can turn to any page of your Bible and find Christ on it. God’s Word testifies to Christ and his work. What God has done is to provide the means for those who have faith in Christ to have eternal life and forgiveness of sins. In order for others to possess that faith we must tell them. This life is in Christ alone.

Points of Response:

· There is no other Word more faithful or greater than God’s Word. No other Word can transform a life. May we make a priority to take in His Word.

· If we believe God’s Word that we can have eternal life through Christ, then may we believe the parts that state that we must deny ourselves in order to be great in God’s Kingdom.

· If God’s Word is to be proclaimed in order for others to believe then may we be found faithful in proclaiming His word so that others may come to Him.

Man's Uniqueness

Genesis 1:20-31

They are precious and valuable. Laws abound as to the rights and privileges of their unborn. Any mistreatment such as injury, intentional or unintentional killing of their unborn is punishable by judgment of the courts of law. The parents are so valuable that some have had CPR performed on them in order to maintain their lives. Many people have picketed and protested to protect the sanctity of their lives. Who could in their right mind think that these beings are not important and that their lives are not valuable? If you think that I am talking about the lives of unborn human babies then you will be surprised to find out that you are wrong. The life that I am talking about has more laws protecting their unborn than human babies, and these beings I am talking about are lab rats. There is more punishment doled out for the aborting of a lab rat baby than a human baby. There are more laws in place to protect a lab rat than a human unborn baby. In high school a friend of mine witnessed a lab technician perform CPR on a lab rat, but that was more out of the thought of the cost of that rat than care for the duration of its life. Many people value the life of a rat above the life of an unborn human baby. There is a philosopher here in the United States that says that there is no value in a human baby because it contributes nothing to the betterment of society. This man also says that many senior adults have no value for the same reason. If you can’t contribute to society you are worthless because you just take up space and resources. How pathetic that anyone would believe this. How pathetic that someone would not see the value of any and every life on this planet.

Looking at our passage today we see three unique characteristics of the human.

The first characteristic we see today is that man is the only creature made in the image of God. We will look next week at what it means to be made in the image of God. But notice that the fish, the birds, the animals are not made in the image of God. Only man is made in the image of God. Here in this account the reference to man is likely a reference to all genders. In our creation we have a characteristic, a factor that separates us from all of the rest of creation. It is that we are made in the image of God. The image of God could be a reference to our ability to think rationally rather than merely instinctually. It could be that we have the capacity to feel emotionally. It could be a reference to the fact that we possess a spirit or soul. Whatever the actual meaning of this phrase, being made in the image of God is what gives us sanctity of life that no other aspect of creation could or should possess. Why should an animal possess more sacredness in life than a human? Why do we seek to protect life that many might consider worthless? Because we are all made in the image of God.

There were two men who were brought before a city official. Their crimes? They both took a life that was not their own to do with as they pleased. The first man was required to make a defense for his actions. “Sir, why did you take this life?” “Your honor, it was an accident. The bull came charging at my son and he stopped ten yards away. I was so mad and angry that the bull caused me to worry. So I killed it.” “Sir, you are sentenced to repay the owner of the bull for the loss. Plus, you are to also pay him an extra ten percent to cover lost income due to the loss of this bull.” Speaking to the other accused, “Sir, please give a defense for your actions.” “Your honor, I was having a bad day and was deep in debt. I saw her leave the bank and put this envelope stuffed with cash into her purse. So I tracked her and caught her alone. She wouldn’t give me her money so I tried to take it, but she struggled so I killed her in order to get her money.” “Sir, you are being sentenced to death for the senseless killing of this lady.” “Your honor, but it was just one person. You are letting this other man repay the losses but why not me? Why can’t I work to repay the losses of this lady?” “Sir, you cannot repay the loss of a person. You could never fully repay all loss experienced when a person dies. There is more at stake than property. You have destroyed more than just flesh. You ended the ability of a person to enjoy God’s creation.”

What if the sentences were reversed? We would be outraged at the fact that someone could actually fully repay the loss of a person. People are more than just flesh and blood. We are flesh and blood but there is more to us than that. Genesis 9:6, “Whoever sheds man’s blood, By man his blood shall be shed, For in the image of God He made man.” These words are given at the end of Noah’s time on the ark. The sanctity of human life is tied securely to the fact that we are created in the image of God. What sets us apart from all of the creation is being made in the image of God.

The second characteristic we see is that man is to rule over all other creatures. “God blessed them; and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth, and subdue it; and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth.’” We are given the authority and the command to rule over all of creation. So it is up to us to keep everything in line. It is up to us whether we want to eat meat or not. And all of the men said, Steak! It is up to us if we desire to live in an area where animals once called home. They will visit your home at night while you sleep and you can enjoy it during the day. God has placed the animals under our authority. It says it right there in the text. “Let them rule.” This is a God-given responsibility and blessing. May we hold it and wield it justly and responsibly. The idea here is that we have been given and possess the authority to rule over all of the creatures that our God created. Yet, He is still Lord over us. Imagine, according to God’s design we can do what is respectful, just and decent with the animals. Seriously, I am not being silly. We can kill the animals and use their hides for clothing. We can kill them and use their meat for nourishment. Yet, we cannot mistreat them and abuse them. Yet we can use them to do our studies if we so wish. Yet, we must care for them. So, we can raise chickens just to get their eggs. We can raise cattle just o get their milk or T-bone steaks. We can go fishing and bring home our legal limit if we wish. We can have aquariums with fish for pets or we can have dogs for pets. If the law allows you could even have a pet iguana or snake if you really want. We don’t like mice in our homes but you could have one in your home as a pet if you really want. Yet as much authority as we have been given, there is one who holds more authority and authority over us. May God be your authority.

Paul a man of great faith was once documented as being restrained by the Spirit of God. As Paul sought to evangelize the known world he sought to go where he knew the gospel had yet to reach. Yet there was a time where Paul was prohibited from going where he desired. Acts 16:6 ¶ They passed through the Phrygian and Galatian region, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. Why did the Spirit prohibit him from speaking the gospel? I do not know, but it was not the time that the Spirit desired for him to do so. God was Paul’s authority, and Paul submitted to the authority of the Spirit.

The third characteristic we see is that man is to fill and subdue the earth. We are to fill it. I do not think we need to really dwell on this too much because it should rather apparent what the text is saying. The text says, “Every family is required to have at least 6 children. To not have at least 6 children is to deny your faith in God and you shall be banished from the church and shunned until you have 6 children.” Is that what it says? No. Nowhere in this text does it say anything about how many children we should have. Why? Well, because that is not the point. The point is that we are to full the earth with humanity. Fill it. When I think of filling the earth I think of the density of living in New York City and wonder how long until the Northern Neck and every other rural area is filled in that same way. The Lord says to fill the earth. In other words, I do no think we are ever going to have to worry about overcrowding the world. Think of how many people could live on the Northern Neck alone if were filled to capacity. Have you ever driven though West Texas? If you haven’t, you are not missing much, but we have a lot of filling to do out there too? Have you ever driven across northern Arizona? Same thing. A lot of filling left to do. Have you ever taken out your atlas and just looked at the different state maps and looked at how sparsely populated the states really are. Seriously, look at all of that space between cities. There is a lot of it. Some maps are more white than colored. Be free in how you populate the earth. I am thankful that the Lord nowhere has commanded how many children a couple is to have, because in our world today some couples are not able to have children. What would that do to them in their faith if the Lord set a quota? The Lord has called us to faithfulness and may we be faithful to serving him and see that in the blessing of children is an opportunity to serve the Lord. How many of you men have ever enjoyed a day of childish play and it released your stress? That is a blessing. How many of you have ever had one of those teachable moments and you took advantage of it? That is a responsibility. Then the Scriptures tell us to subdue the earth. Many say that this is more in reference to the vegetation. One commentary writer says, “It is very important that we do not touch any of God’s bounty except what we know he has permitted us to; we cannot enjoy anything with a good conscience unless we receive it as from the hand of God.” Whatever we subdue or whatever we rule over is given by God. Whatever we enjoy as food or other means of providing for our needs should first be permitted and allowed for by God. May we trust in him for our provisions. May we seek to obey and live within the parameters that he has provided.

There once a man who was obsessed with living right. He had a plan and charts to insure that he was receiving the proper amount of sleep each day and maintaining a good cycle of sleep over the course of time. He knew that we all need about 8 hours of sleep a night. He kept charts of the regular maintenance on his vehicles. He made sure that he was getting the proper exercise and would chart that as well. He was a man who had his life in order and well documented. He went to the doctor because he was not well. He noticed it because his sleep pattern suddenly changed. He was sleeping too much and his exercise was suffering because he did not have the energy to get out of the house. The doctor did some blood work. The doctor called him in to have a conference to look at the results. The doctor told him, “Sir, I am amazed that you are still alive. Your cholesterol is off the charts. Your blood sugar is much too high and well, you are in terrible health. Are you exercising? What are you eating?” The patient responded, “Doc, I showed you I normally exercise 1 hour a day. What am I eating? Well, I eat three meals a day.” “Really? What are you eating? Are you getting a good balance of fruits and vegetables, plus breads and meats?” “Well, I get my fiber from my Cap’n Crunch, fruits from my Cherry Pop Tarts, and my meats, vegetables and bread from the Big Macs I eat everyday.”

What do you live on? Are you eating right? Spiritually are you eating right? What is your intake of Bible study and devotions from? Are you reading the horoscopes and Ann Landers for spiritual guidance or are you reading the Word of God? Are you reading the latest Wal-Mart cheap but bestseller or are you reading something with spiritual meat that makes you chew and dig deep for guts to keep going? If you want to be challenged in your faith, try this, Imitation of Christ by Thomas a Kempis. The first time I tried to read it, I couldn’t finish it. Talk about conviction. It stared at me everyday. I have finished it once I believe and I am going to try again this year. Read something that will grab you by the collar and push you to depths of maturity you didn’t even know existed. Then after you read one of those take a break and read something lighter. Whatever you read, read something that will challenge you and encourage you to live within the parameters that God has set for your life.

As we close a reminder of three thoughts of response.

1. Protect the sanctity of human life. In James, we are told that true and undefiled religion is to visit widows and orphans in their distress. All of life is sacred. May we live as though we believe it.

2. God is our authority. There is no other. Some would say. You serve your God, and I will serve mine. All religions lead to the same place. Well, we say they do, but they really don’t. How can all religions be right when so many lay claim to the ultimate authority? Islam does leave room for Jews or Christians. Look at the Hindus in Pakistan and India, they do not tolerate the Muslims or Christians. Jesus said, I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but by me. Only one way. Christianity is the way that fulfills of life. Christianity is the one that answers all of life’s dilemmas.

3. Live within the parameters that God provides. God has given us some do’s and some don’t’s. May we live according to his plan and provision for our lives. He is the one who rules all of life. May we trust him for our provision. May we demonstrate our faith by living according to his guidelines for our living.