The Logic of God

So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,... (John 8:31)

The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Cor. 2:15-16)

Many of us can probably quote the beginning of John's Gospel. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made." John 1:1-3. Many of us have probably heard that the Greek for 'Word' is logos. Logos in the Greek can mean word or reason, intelligence or proposition. It is the very word which forms the basis of the word logic. And logic is that discipline that forms arguments through premises that lead to certain conclusions that can be provable. 

There are laws of logic. Like gravity one cannot see them but we know they are there for they hold true in every situation at anytime. We use logic in philosophy, theology, mathematics and the sciences. It is how we prove something to be true. And God is true. Like the sun and moon logic is also a creation of God.

There is a logic to creation. God spoke it into being. "Let there be light and there was light." (Gn. 1:3) But many people refuse to believe this choosing instead to believe random coincidences of molecules changing and becoming something we call earth and even more improbable human beings. And all of this just happened! Many people believe they can do anything they want as they are their own authority. Apply the laws of logic to any of these assumptions and you will see how illogical that person's worldview is. 

I was engaged in a conversation with an atheist about the meaning of Psalm 82. His argument was that Judaism was originally pantheistic. Since I know Hebrew I showed him how the meaning of 'el' is used by both God and local judges. This is not too different from 'lord' and 'Lord' used in England distinguishing between the nobility and God. His response was not a reasoned (logos) one. No, he resorted to calling me names. This happens when people hold onto false assumptions. The Bible says so. (Ps. 14:1) And this is why reading the Bible is so important. It is God's word that points to The Word of God. Reading the Bible makes sense of the world. It makes sense of man. As a pastor I have lost count the number of times parents become flummoxed when their small children tell a lie for the first time. Their response is usually, "We have never taught them to do that" or "Where did they learn that?" Actually, the bible is clear that lying is a part of our fallen nature. (Ps. 58:3) Hence, the need for Jesus and His word in our heart. Meditating on Scripture and applying the truths of the bible to our life helps us make sense of the world. We can see the world as God sees it. From His most awesome design to man's corruption and our need for redemption, the truth lies in God's book. It is no wonder St. Paul exhorts us to "not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Rm. 12:2)

God And Money

Money is an essential part of life. We need it to buy food and clothing. It pays for our cars and fuel to get us to work and back so that we can earn the money to get those things we want in life. But the love of money ( 1 Tim. 6:10) can also get us into problems that not even money can get us out of.  When we focus on money rather than the provider of money. We begin to fall into the trap of idolatry.  (Col. 3:5)

Jesus, The Son of God, says to us, “You cannot serve God and money. You will either love one or hate the other or hate one and love the other.”  (Mt. 6:24) We can trust Jesus’ words for they exhibit to us the knowledge of God’s love for us. It was he who said do not be anxious for tomorrow for our Father in Heaven will take care of us better than He will take care of the animals of creation. (Mt. 6:25-34) Service to God is knowledge that He will provide for us.

And God will provide for us as He is the creator of the universe. He owns the world. And we are a part of the world. Remember the Bible begins with the story of creation. Everything was good. Then God made man and put him the Garden. Everything was provided for him. But because of disobeying God’s word, we could not remain in the Garden but had to work the ground. (Gen. 3:19) Yet the ground was there to be worked provided by God.

King David was well aware of this as he took up a collection for the new Temple his son was to build as he prayed, “ …for all that is in heavens and the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom O Lord and you are exalted as head above all. Both riches and honor come from you and you rule over all…. For all things come from you and of your own have we given you.  (1 Chron. 29:11-14)  Everything belongs to God! Everything comes from God. Our money belongs to God! And so how do we say thank you?

Like King David, we give back what God has given us. We use what belongs to God for His purposes. This means in every area of our life, our money and our possessions which are not ours to begin with are to be used as God wills it.  The Old Testament set guidelines for giving back our first fruits. (Dt. 14:22) In other words, we put God first. We give Him our best. When we get paid we should set aside our first fruits giving to the church for the spread of the Kingdom.

This may be hard if we have bills to pay.  But everyday is an opportunity to turn back to God. The first step is to look at what 90% of your income looks like.  This is what God wants you to be a steward of.  Look at your necessities. Is there anything you need to trim or cut back such as cable programs or phone plans. God says he will provide for us but all too often we want more than what God is providing. It is no wonder the very last commandment of the Decalogue is “Thou shalt not covet!” Like Adam and Eve in the Garden, we see what appeals to our eyes and we reach for it. Let us not forget our God will cleanse us of our sins when we confess them to Him. (1 Jn. 1:9) He is in the heart changing business.  Begin with asking God to help you rearrange your priorities. Ask that your finances be Christ-centered and not self-centered. Once you begin to do this, you will be trusting in God’s promise of provision.  And once you start living for Him in all aspects of your life, you will be free to give to God what already belongs to Him. And God loves a cheerful giver! (2 Cor. 9:7)

Return to me and I will return to you says the Lord of Hosts. But you say, “How shall we return?” Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, “How have we robbed you?” In your tithes and contributions. …..Bring the full tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. And thereby put me to the test, says the Lord of Hosts, if I will not open the windows of heaven for you and pour down for you a blessing until there is no more need. (Malachi 3:7-10)

Can We Be Good Without God?

Can we be good without God? The answer is no! The Word of God states that what God creates is good! (See Genesis chapter 1) Goodness flows from God. And yet the Bible is quite clear that if we deny God there cannot be any good in that person (see Psalm 14)

It follows then that to be good one must seek the Lord while He wills to be found! (Is. 55:6, Ps. 122:9, Pr. 28:5)

Are You A Judge Over God?

Do we ever question God? Have we ever wondered why God allows evil to occur? Why a prayer is not answered? Or even made statements defining God is such a way that unbeknownst to us contradicts Scripture? We all do it. It’s a part of human nature.

Adam and Eve questioned God. They did not believe God’s Word. Sure they were tempted by the serpent. But they listened to the serpent rather than trust what they heard from God’s mouth.

Our minds are like that. We may read something in Scripture and then we have our doubts about its truthfulness. Surely God doesn’t mean this or that? But who are we to judge God?

Think about that. We judge God. We put Him in the dock questioning His motives, explaining what would be better in our world. And not once do we think about how sinful that is. Us, wickedly sinful people, corrupt in our very nature, judging God.

You see, God is King, the one true King. He governs all things. Nothing escapes His notice. He rules over what He made. He can do that. After all, He made the heavens and the earth. By His very Nature, He is holy, perfect and true. Yet, we are more than willing to judge Him, the One who gives us life.

A lot happens in the world. A lot of what happens causes unhappiness. There is a lot that we just don’t understand. God remains holy, perfect and true. What we don’t understand is a reminder that we are not all-knowing like God. As we go about our lives we must remember that whatever happens, it is a part of God’s plans. He is not capricious. There is no confusion about Him. He knows what He is doing. As His children we are called to trust in Him.

King David trusted God. He knew that each of his days have been planned. He knew that God gave him life. And that being the case, whatever happened to him was planned as a part of His good promises to him.

Our lives have been planned by God. What happens to us that we do not understand, is a part of God’s sovereignty in our life.

For you formed my inward parts;
you knitted me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
Wonderful are your works;
my soul knows it very well.
My frame was not hidden from you,
when I was being made in secret,
intricately woven in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw my unformed substance;
in your book were written, every one of them,
the days that were formed for me,
when as yet there was none of them.  (Ps. 139:13-16)

A Labor Day Meditation

Jacob de Backer - Garden of Eden

And God blessed them. And God said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth." And God said, "Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food." And it was so. And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. (Genesis 1: 28-31)

For the first six days of history, God did all the work. On the seventh He rested. Man was to enjoy God's labor. All man had to do was to reap what the earth yielded along with the animals. But Adam and Eve ruined this gift by trying to usurp God's place in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:5) Henceforth, man was to labor in order to feed oneself and woman was go into labor in childbirth. (Gen. 3:16-19) But this did not mean God abandoned us. While we must live with our consequences, He still provides for us. Although Adam and Eve were banished from the Garden, they were given clothes far superior to the ones they tried to make.

When God led Israel out of the bondage of slavery, He gave them the Law stating, "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your male servant, or your female servant, or your livestock, or the sojourner who is within your gates." (Exodus 20:8-10) Since we had wanted to be like God, we can work His land for Him. But it is God who still provides. In the wilderness manna rained from Heaven and God provided for them never taking away their rest. But not all understood this, "On the seventh day some of the people went out to gather, but they found none. And the LORD said to Moses, "How long will you refuse to keep my commandments and my laws? See! The LORD has given you the Sabbath; therefore on the sixth day he gives you bread for two days. Remain each of you in his place; let no one go out of his place on the seventh day." So the people rested on the seventh day." (Exodus 16:27-30)

Today we labor for our food. But it is still God who provides. Is it no wonder then that Jesus reminds us to pray, "Give us this day, our daily bread"? (Mt. 6:11) We labor because all of creation is fallen. But we are not abandoned as God will give us what we need, not what we want!

Proof That God Exists: logic

This link - Proof That God Exists: logic will take you to a website dedicated to using the laws of logic and science to prove God exists. One can only image how Mr. Spock would have dealt with skepticism of his day!

Labor Day - Questions for the Church

What if 100% of all churches prayed for the unemployed this weekend?

What if 100% of all unemployed workers prayed to God for His mercy and guidance?

What if 100% of all believers repented of those things that contribute to our unemployment?

What if this weekend 100% of all Christians got on our knees asking God's guidance for our nation.

What if 100% of our citizenry prayed for all elected officials and business leaders that they all may do God's will.

What if 100% of all church goers read their bibles this Labor Day weekend seeking answers from God's Word?

What If..................................?

Heavenly Father, we remember before you those who suffer want and anxiety from lack of work. Guide the people of this land so to use our public and private wealth that all may find suitable and fulfilling employment, and receive just payment for their labor; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Almighty God, who hast given us this good land for our heritage: We humbly beseech thee that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of thy favor and glad to do thy will. Bless our land with honorable industry, sound learning, and pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion; from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitudes brought hither out of many kindreds and tongues. Endue with the spirit of wisdom those to whom in thy Name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that, through obedience to thy law, we may show forth thy praise among the nations of the earth. In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness,and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in thee to fail; all which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

God is writing your story!

Just finished a meditation on Genesis 1 & 2. These verses plumb the depths of creation that only in eternity can we know God's love for us.

I am struck by the number of times the phrase "And God said" is expressed followed by "And it was so" followed by "And God saw that it was good" followed by "And God blessed them saying..."

We are created by God's Word. He is the authority of our creation as He alone authored us. We are the pages of God's story. Look in a mirror today. Look closely. Do you see God's reflection? (Genesis 1:26)

We cannot change the past. Those pages have turned. But now at this very moment in time God, the author, is still writing your story. His desire is a happy ending. (Romans 8:18-25)

Is there any part of your life you are ashamed of, past or present? The prophet Jeremiah reminds us God will not count our sins against us (Jer. 31:34) Neither should we. This same prophet reminds us God knows the ending of our story,'For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.' (Jeremiah 29:11) God will not abandon what he wonderfully made. He is just not finished with you yet. Part of our story is Jesus and His cross (I John 2:2) As the author of Hebrews states, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2)

Look in the mirror today. Literally, I mean this. Take a few minutes and stand before a mirror. See what God, our Father in Heaven, sees". Do you see Him?

IHS,

Allen+