Day 28: Is God Worthy of Worship?

Is God Worthy of Worship?

In today’s devotional, Strobel interviews Norman Geisler. Geisler has written several books including, Philosophy of Religion. Strobel and Geisler are discussing the character of God in the Old Testament verses the New Testament. Strobel’s main question in this chapter is: “Isn’t there a big difference between an often cruel God of the Old Testament and the loving God of the New Testament?

The word Mercy is found in the bible around 260 times. (The exact number depends on the translation) but about 70% of the references to God’s mercy can be found in the Old Testament. Geisler also throws in that the word Love is found near 320 times, about half in each testament.  The bible says: “I the Lord do not change.”

For I am the Lord, I do not change Malachi 3:6

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever Hebrews 13:8

Strobel continues to argue with Geisler: How can people be expected to worship a God that ordered the execution of every first born Egyptian, flooded the world, killed thousands of thousands of people in battle (Old Testament) and today allows disease and natural disasters that kill millions of innocent people? How can the “wrath of God,” come from the same “Loving Father?”

Geisler responds to this issue by stating that nobody is truly innocent. We are all born with the ability to sin, think about it no one taught us how to lie, cheat, or steal… we were born sinners and we have all fallen into temptations.

For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God Romans 3:23

For I was born a sinner--yes, from the moment my mother conceived me Psalm 51:5

This being said, God created life and created us with free will to choose the sinful world, or choose him. Since He is the creator of life, shouldn’t he have the right to take life away? If you cannot create life, then you do not have the right to take it away. “People assume that what’s wrong for us is wrong for God. However, it’s wrong for me to take your life because I didn’t make it and I don’t own it. I think that sometimes we fail to forget this world is temporary; God takes the life of every person, its called death. It is up to God to decide when an how life will end.

I truly believe that God is our merciful savior and that He gives every living being a chance to hear the truth and decide who they want to serve: their loving creator or this sinful world. We cannot comprehend his reasoning’s or his plan, but we have to trust that when he allows such awful events or takes the life of an innocent person, it is all part of his plan. I keep going back to the verse: 

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose Romans 8:28

Lets get back to the sad events showing the “wrath of God,” such as the flood and the destruction of Old Testament nations. God gave each individual several chances to repent. God does not want to harm anyone, but He will allow unfortunate things to occur in order to save his children! For example Geisler talks about the destruction of the Amalekites. In Deuteronomy 7 God commands the Israelites to destroy them. This nation was far from innocent & their mission was to destroy Israel, God’s people. The destruction of their nation was necessary by the gravity of their sin. The Amalekites wanted to kill every living Israelite! “God took action not only for the sake of the Israelites, but ultimately for the sake of everyone throughout history whose salvation would be provided by the Messiah, born among the Israelites!”

In a less dramatic light, lets relate this question to us. Most of you reading this have never experienced this type of wrath, but God allows our own personal tragedies to work for his Glory and our salvation. Most of us have never truly been alone, starving, or deathly ill. Still it is extremely hard for us to fully trust the Lord when stressful or tragic events occur. Maybe we lose our job, break up with a loved one, lose a loved one, battle an illness or depression, or in my case feel alone and claustrophobic at times! We are all struggling with something because our life is never perfect. We should embrace these struggles because God is teaching us something or using our situations to benefit his plan. I promise, there is a light at the end of the tunnel! He wants you, and me, to be Joyful… not just happy. Happiness is a temporary emotion that can be lost, but Joy is a trait that can last forever. In my bible study last night, a new friend name Sarah said:  “Joy is peace dancing, and peace is joy at rest.” If we are seeking Joy instead of happiness, we can be peaceful through the storm of life.

I don’t know about the rest of you, but I am tired of being on an emotional roller coaster. God has blessed me with so much and I so often forget I was put on this earth to praise him and love others, not become a CEO, celebrity, or millionaire. His plan for my life, my “purpose” is simple: Love God and Love others! That is it… everything else shouldn’t matter.

For those of you who follow my blog, you may know that I have been searching for my purpose and questioning what God has called me to do with my life. I do not know God’s big plan for my life or where I will be five years from now: what job I will have, what relationship I may or may not have, or what city I will call home; but what I do know is God’s purpose for my life! TO LOVE HIM AND LOVE OTHERS! If I can invest my time, energy, and efforts into loving God and loving people, He can do amazing things! New York City is full of lost and lonely people. Most come to this city in search of something… and it is not usually in search of Christ. I think I came here searching for some kind of purpose too, but what I have found is just that simple.

I need all of you to pray that God places the right people in my life, so far there have been lots of ups and LOTS of downs… I want to have peace and patience and rest in God’s plan for my life! I am excited to see what is in store and why the Lord has me living in this crazy city!

Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. Hebrews 13:20-21

Day 27: Arguments for God

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Hebrews 11:1

Faith is believing in something that you cannot physically see. I think it is safe to say that we have “faith” that George Washington was our first president. Yes, there is evidence….but there is no one alive today who physically saw George Washington’s presidential term. Our “faith” comes from written evidence. Just like there are documents supporting American history, there is also written evidence of Creation and the resurrection.

1)    God Makes Sense of the Universe’s Origin

“ In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Gen 1:1)

“ He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea” (Job 9:8 NIV)

“ Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” (Heb 11:3 KJV)

A theory of origins may also agree with Genesis. The big bang theory acknowledges that the universe had a beginning.  Something cannot just come out of nothing, there has to be a transcendent cause beyond space and time that brought the world into existence. Meaning, whatever begins to exist must have a cause. The universe, at one point, began to exist and therefore there must be a cause. In the second chapter of The Case for Faith, Craig explains that only things that at some point “begin to exist” must have a cause.  God never began to exist and thus does not require a cause. He never came into being because He is eternal.

2)   God Makes Sense of the Universe’s Complexity

It is far more probable for a lifeless universe to exist than a life filled one.  “If the rate of the universe’s expansion one second after the big bang had been smaller by even one part in a hundred thousand million million, the universe would have collapsed into a fireball.” –Hawking

The complexity of the universe suggests that there is a purposeful Designer who created our universe and maintains it today.

3)   God Makes Sense of Objective Moral Values

If God doesn’t exist, then objective moral values do not exist. Lee Strobel explains it like this:

“If there is no God, then moral values are merely the products of socio-biological evolution. Moralities are a biological adoption no less than are hands and feet and teeth, and morality is just an aid to survival and reproduction. If there is no God, then morality is a matter of personal taste. After all, if there is no God, then what’s so special about human beings? The are just accidental byproducts of nature that have only recently evolved on a tiny speck of dust and are doomed to perish forever in a relatively short time.

However, we all know that objective moral values do exist! Actions like rape and child abuse aren’t just behaviors that happen to be socially unacceptable- they are clearly moral abominations. They are objectively wrong! Since objective moral values cannot exist without God, it is logical to believe that God does exist!”

4)   God Makes Sense of the Resurrection

In my earlier posts, I talked about miracles. If we have good reason to believe in a God, then we can also believe in these miracles. Miracles themselves are also an argument towards God’s existence.  If Jesus Christ really did come back from the dead, then we have a divine miracle pointing to the Father God.

There are several facts about Jesus’ fate that are widely accepted by New Testament historians:

a)   Jesus was crucified and buried by Joseph of Arimathea

·      This proves that the location of the tomb was known to all

·      It was recorded by Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth less than 5 years after the resurrection (meaning it was not a” legendary” tale)

·      It would be strange for anyone to make up Joseph’s involvement because he was apart of the Sanhedrin (the group who condemned Jesus)

b)   The tomb was found empty by Women.

·      In those days, it was embarrassing to admit that Women found the tomb empty because women were not allowed to testify in the Jewish Court. A women’s testimony was not evidence of a first hand witness. The fact that all the gospel writers were faithful to the truth “women found the empty tomb” proves that they were giving an accurate account.

c)    Other Evidence to read:

·      http://www.gospelway.com/god/resurrection_evidence.php

5)   God Can Immediately Be Experienced

“Ultimately, the way a Christian really knows that Christ exists is through the presence of God’s spirit.” Jesus is the only savior that not only claims to be God, but who asks for a personal relationship with his children. (Believers)

Of all the spiritual figures, for example: Jesus Christ, Muhammad, Krishna, Gautama, Confucius, or Gandhi…. Jesus Christ was the only one who claimed TO BE GOD. All these other figures claimed to be religious leaders or figures. And only Jesus/ Christianity asks for a personal relationship with Him. Christianity is not only about evaluating evidence or proving ourselves worthy (Because none of us are worthy!) It is about a life changing experience and surrendering. Our religion does not have a book of rules that you must follow to be saved. The only thing you have to do for salvation is accept Jesus Christ as your personal savior and live your life for/with Him! Jesus wants to be your friend…. WOW!

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because servants do not know their master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. John 15:12-15

Day 26: Evidence that: “His strength is made perfect in weakness.”

Hello from the New York Public Library! I was just in the neighborhood and decided to take my own tour of this fabulous building… and also take advantage of the free wifi. I am sitting in what they call the “reading room,” and reading my devotional book. Looking around, I am having an out of body experience; fascinated by the walls, carvings, and décor of the room! A tour guide and some 20+ people just stopped by my table and I overheard the guide explaining the old catalog card system. It is amazing how the amount of records and data they were able to keep organized before computers! In this very room, there were over 9000 catalog cards, each card holding between 15-17 titles. Speaking of records and historical information, I now have a smooth transition into today’s reading.

In chapter 2 of The Case for Faith, Lee Strobel addresses the on going debate of miracles. In my last entry I talked a little about proving miracles against science. As I continue reading in this chapter, Strobel gives accounts of historical records that give evidence for such miracles. In the gospels, Matthew, Mark, & Luke provide similar accounts of Jesus’ miracles…. But what about miracles in other religions? For example, Islamic tradition says Muhammad ascended to heaven on a mule, healed broken bones, fed large groups with little food, and that he was responsible for many other mystical accomplishments.  How can Christians say that their stories are more significant or truthful than the teachings in the Koran?

As I continued reading, I stopped and pondered this question? The Islamic teachings come hundreds of years after Muhammad’s life and thus cannot be compared to the gospels that are written from the actual eyewitnesses of Jesus’ miracles. It is like the game of telephone, as the story is passed down the assembly line, certain details are extracted or exaggerated.  One generation says the doctor put bobby in physical therapy and after months and months of tears, struggles, and fighting, bobby was able to move his legs. Then the next generation gets the same story but that Bobby was able to stand, then its Bobby can walk, then Bobby can run, and by the time we skip 20 generations: “The doctor placed his hands on Bobby’s legs and he ran a marathon the next day!” That may be exaggerating a little, but you get the idea.

The next question Strobel addresses to Bill Craig, “If God loves you and he has the power to heal you, why doesn’t he make your physical afflictions disappear?” I recently had a discussion with a friend in New York about this topic. This friend told me about a family that was destroyed from multiple members battling cancer. “How can a loving God allow so much pain?”  This question keeps coming up in my readings or daily conversations. A few entries back, quoted Romans 8:28-

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. (New Living Translation)

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. (NIV)

I have looked up several versions of this verse. In every translation it says all things WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD… not ALL THINGS ARE GOOD. Bill Craig says, “ The apostle Paul had what he called ‘a thorn in his flesh’ the he asked god three times to remove.” God’s answer was this: 2 Corinthians 12: 9-

“My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” (American Standard)

“I am all you need. I give you My loving-favor. My power works best in weak people.” (NLV)

Craig continues answering the question and shares that as a child he had asked God to heal him, but He didn’t. He goes on: “as I look at my life, God has used this disease in so many remarkable ways to shape me and my personality. Because I couldn’t play sports, I was driven into academics. I really owe my existence as a scholar to my having this disease.”

None of the testimonies from this book give an explanation as to why God uses suffering to make us stronger, or why God does not always reveal his plan, but they all share a common them: Suffering, Pain, or struggles working together for good! What a miracle.

“Christian faith is not merely believing there is a god. It is believing that there is a god no matter what the evidence on the question may be. ‘Have faith,’ in the Christian sense, means, ‘believing that there is a God without regard to evidence.” Critiques of God

Faith is commitment to something you believe to be true. The definition of faith does not include a reason. One person may believe in Jesus because they have a personal connection with a God who speaks to their heart. Another may believe after an intellectual investigation of the evidence. Neither of these individual come to faith until they are truly committed to this belief. However; In The Case for Faith, the phrase “if God exists…. Then xyz…abc…. Must be true or is possible.” For individuals needing a rational explanation prior to “committing,” this “If” stirs even more questions.

In my next entry I will continue with this “If.” Craig addresses the topic with five main arguments.

1)   God makes sense of the Universe’s Beginning

2)   God makes sense of the Universe’s Complexity

3)   God makes sense of Objective Moral Values

4)   God makes sense of the Resurrection

5)   God can Immediately Be Experienced

A more personal update:

It is amazing how God can make connections in my personal life through spending time with him and digging in his word. I recently joined a bible study with 14 New York women and we are walking through Genesis. Who would have thought I could relate the story of Noah to my personal life?

Recently I have found myself frustrated with God. “What do you want me to do… Things are not going as planned…. This is not as easy as I had hoped… Are you trying to teach me something… where do you want me to get involved… Can I or will I make a difference… Can I really do this, I often feel that I am failing?” These are all questions and thoughts that have daily been running through my mind. I find myself frustrated because I do not get any response? GOD I AM WILLING TO OBEY JUST GIVE ME DIRECTION!

While meeting with my new small group on Monday evening I had an “ah ha!” moment. God gave noah specific instructions: “make the arc this big, use this material, bring this as food, only take this many of each animal.” It was so perfectly clear what he was and was not to do. Even if we date back to Adam and Eve, God told them specifically: “You can eat from any tree except the tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil.” Again, very clear and specific. As I read God’s instructions I find myself envious. “God, where are my directions?” Our generation is so full of distractions. Even while I was in bible study, I had my iphone in my lap. It is so hard for us to turn off the TV, put down the phone, and set all drama aside. We hear multiple voices and look for guidance through all sorts of methods. Back to my “Ah Ha” moment, Maybe I need to slow down. The more I stress about my situation, relationships, money, time…. The less likely I am to hear God. Noah did not have all the distractions we have today. He was able to truly rest and seek the Lord. This week, I am going to detoxify my life.

“Lord you know my situation and my struggles, I have tried to figure it out on my own and I end up stressed. I am going to trust that you have an awesome plan. Satan is not going to get me down and make me axious. Please guide me and keep me focused on you, because truly, you are all that matters!”

Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs it down, 
But a good word makes it glad. Proverbs 12:25

“Miracles contradict science & therefore they cannot be true.”

The second chapter of The Case for Faith brings up the objection: “Miracles contradict science & therefore they cannot be true.”

If miracles are in direct violation of natural laws, then how can a reasonable person believe they could ever occur?

For example, How can a rational person believe that a baby was born from a virgin, a man walked on water, and bodies rising from the dead? These are all biblical miracles that many struggle to accept because scientifically, they are not possible. Those of us that call ourselves Christians, believe in a God that created the universe. For those of us who believe God was capable of creating the world, it is easy for us to believe he intervened in a virgin birth and had the power to rise from the dead.

Lets go to the meaning of the word “miracle.” A miracle is a an event that scientifically is not producible by natural causes in a specific time & place. A miracle lies outside science, as the goal of science is to find natural explanations. Miracles are in violation with the laws of nature. If a supernatural agent is at work, then the idealized conditions described by the “law” are no longer in effect. For example, If I were to drop a pen, the law of gravity says it will fall to the floor. If someone reached out and caught the pen, they are not opposing the law of gravity, rather they are intervening with the Law. That is essentially what God does when he causes a miracle to occur.

In my own life I have several stories that resonate with this idea. For example, today I was carrying a bunch of things with me: umbrella, jacket, workout bag, computer, & my journal. It was first of all a miracle that I was able to carry all of these things through the rain in New York City… but something really awesome happened this afternoon. Struggling to exit the subway (during rush hour) I left my journal (full of all my personal thoughts/information/notes) on the train. With my hands loaded with items, I didn’t even notice it was missing until a nice lady, named Stephanie, called to tell me she had found it. WOW… there are good people here!! What a miracle, I was completely shocked to A have my journal returned, but B to meet someone in this city who was kind enough to deliver it to my building!! In my mind that is a miracle. I had old receipts in the pockets, personal letters, and notes that I would have never been able to get back. I will never forget Stephanie’s kindness and I pray God blesses her for going out of her way to help another person.  This act of kindness made me realize that God has my back; He is still there! Even when I mess up, he can fix it!

This has been a pretty difficult week for me. I wont bore you with my problems, or the details of my situation, but I am struggling with a number of things. When I returned home this evening I read one of Rick Warren’s daily emails. Today the topic was “Refuse to listen to your fears.” I can’t even being to tell you how many things I am fearing today. I think the list of fears I have is larger than it has ever been in my entire life.  Although the loss of my journal was not really “dangerous” it was the icing on the cake for my week. Here is the verse I read minutes after speaking with Stephanie:

“And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us.” Corinthians 1:10

God has promised his children that no matter what, he is working for our good. If you Love Jesus and truly long for a relationship with him, He can use all circumstances life throws your way for good! Romans 8:28 says that All things work together for good for those who believe in him! Not all things are good, but they are working for good.

Wow… So if this is true, I can stop stressing!!!!! I can tell all my fears and doubts: GOD HAS MY BACK! There is nothing that I am currently dealing with that God isn’t going to use for Good. Like the bear that was trapped and couldn’t see that the hunter was trying to help him, God is currently in the process of helping me! (Read my entry from day 23: The case for faith, and you will understand the comparison).

My fears, Your fears, indicate where we do not trust the Lord. Today’s Challenge: Make a list of your fears and ask God to help you identify why you have those fears in your life? Then ask that he will replace those fears with Trust!

“My hope is in You Lord 
All the day long
I won't be shaken by drought or storm 
A peace that passes understanding is my song 
And I sing
My hope is in You alone.” Lyrics from Aaron Shust: MY HOPE IS IN YOU

Day 24: "A Smooth Sea Never Made a Skilled Mariner"

Continuing the discussion from last week’s entry, think about how difficulties, challenges, and pain have shaped your character and values. In the book, The Case for Faith, Kreeft says: “I believe all suffering contains at least the opportunity for good.” When we are in the mist of a difficult situation, it is hard to see any good that could come from it. I don’t think any of us can honestly say we enjoy struggles in our lives, but through those situations, we become a stronger person.

Our generation is all about instant gratification. We want everything now and so many of us think things should be handed to us. So many people in our culture coast through life and are too lazy to fight for something. Sadly, we are comfortable with just settling. Hard work can be painful and cause extra stress, but God didn’t make us to be “comfortable.” He has made each and everyone of us in His image & wants us to use the talents He has given us. When we “go after” something or do something extreme, it takes courage and often there is pain, struggles, and obstacles associated.

Think about some testimony’s or sermons that have touched your life. Can you recall any that didn’t require a leap of faith? or decision to surrender & trust in the Lord’s plan? No, I highly doubt you have ever heard any type of motivational speaker that said, “Life should be easy, carefree, & simple… Expect things to be handed to you.” If we know that challenges are what shape us into a better person, why do we run from them?

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy. ~MLK

My family was in town this past weekend and wanted to visit Redeemer. (A church in NY) I looked online to confirm the time & location, as I have never visited this church. When we arrived, there was a notice on the door: “The 6pm service will be held at first Baptist church on 79^th & Broadway.” (Which is on the other side of the city) As I saw people approaching the building, I could hear several of them say: “Well I guess I will wait until next week,” “Hungry? We can just go to dinner,” “We will never make it to the other location in time!” To be honest, I was one of the ones who thought we could never make it to the next location in time.

I thought about how so many of us are looking for God in all the wrong places. We “look online” to confirm where the world says God should be (in the mist of happiness and all things good). So when we are dealing with difficult issues in our life, we look past Gods plan and become selfish. “Why would God do this to me!” We forget that he has not abandoned us, He has a different plan, a new direction. But, in order to fulfill his plan for our lives, we must be willing to “travel across the city to the correct destination.”

Proverbs 16:9: A man’s heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps