Creationism vs. Evolution...

Read this Yahoo! news story. Interesting to say the least: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101227/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_israel_ancient_teeth

Then read this related earlier post that I did:
http://boundaryhomestead.blogspot.com/2010/12/read-book.html

And then, when you have some time on your hands, listen to John Lennox on the subject. He is an Oxford mathematician: http://vimeo.com/12835145

Three wise men came...

Bethlehem was the hometown of Joseph's ancestor, King David.  The Old Testament says this about the lineage of King David, There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse (King David's father), and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit. (Isaiah 11:1 ESV) We also find this verse, But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days. (Micah 5:2 ESV)

So, three wise men visited Jesus after His birth and brought gifts, but when did this happen?  Folklore has it that they visited Jesus at his birth, at the manger in Bethlehem. Let's see what the Bible says.  Let's start with the Gospel of Luke.  Luke was a physician and is also well known as a reliable historian of the time period.

[2:1] In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. [2] This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. [3] And all went to be registered, each to his own town. [4] And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, [5] to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. [6] And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. [7] And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. (Luke 2:1-7 ESV) In the preceding verses from Luke, we find that Joseph and the pregnant Mary traveled from Nazareth to Bethlehem to be registered for a Roman required census. Here Mary gave birth to the "Fruit" of Joseph's lineage, the baby Jesus.

Did the three wise men (or Magi) then visit Jesus in Bethlehem, at the manger?  Here is what Luke tells us, [8] And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. [9] And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear. [10] And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. [11] For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. [12] And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” [13] And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, [14] “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!” (Luke 2:8-14 ESV) Then Luke says that these shepherds went and visited Jesus in the manger. And then Luke tells us, [22] And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord [23] (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”) [24] and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, “a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.” (Luke 2:22-24 ESV) Luke has said that shepherds visited Jesus at the manger in Bethlehem, and then after their visit he said that Joseph, Mary and Jesus traveled to Jerusalem. They went to Jerusalem because it was Jewish religious law to offer a sacrifice to God in thanks for the their firstborn male (the law from Leviticus 12:2-8). On a side note, those people who sold the pigeons in the Temple market... they were part of the crowd who Jesus got very mad at in a later Bible story, when he overturned tables and told them they were making the House of God a den of thieves (Mark 11:15-18).  These people really took it to the average guy with the mark up they made on the sacrificial birds they sold for a huge profit, ticked Jesus off. But we did learn from Luke the historian that the Magi did not visit Jesus at the manger in Bethlehem.

When did the wise men travel to meet with Jesus? In the following verse we learn that Joseph, Mary and Jesus left Jerusalem for Nazareth, [39] And when they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own town of Nazareth. [40] And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him. 

(Luke 2:39-40 ESV) There are many places in the Bible where we learn what a Magi is in the scheme of things, one being this verse, Then the king commanded that the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans be summoned to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king. (Daniel 2:2 ESV) They weren't necessarily magicians, but in this and other Bible verses we learn that they were counselors to kings. In the languages of that time, "wise men" can sometimes be translated to "magician". They may have been astronomers also, we can not be sure, but we know that they were counselors. At this point in the story we now know that Joseph's family then for some reason moved back to Bethlehem. King Herod, a descendant of the clan of Esau (Isaacs other son, Jacobs brother), heard of the story about a Messiah, a baby boy, being born in Bethlehem. He sought his counselors for an answer as to where this "child" was now. Jesus was a threat to him. We need to go to Matthew to find out what happened next, [2:1] Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, [2] saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” [3] When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; [4] and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. [5] They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: [6] “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’” (Matthew 2:1-6 ESV) We know Jesus was not a baby at this time, he was a few years older. Herod then called in the Magi and we find these verses, [7] Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. [8] And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.” [9] After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. [10] When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. [11] And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. [12] And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way. (Matthew 2:7-12 ESV) So, now we know the Magi visited Jesus in Joseph's "house" in Bethlehem, not in a manger. The Magi then went home via another route, rather then go back to King Herod to tell him the exact location of the small boy, Jesus. That they had been warned in a dream, not to go back and tell King Herod. At this point we hear in Matthew that Joseph has a dream of warning, [13] Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.” [14] And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt [15] and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.” (Matthew 2:13-15 ESV) So, "he gets the heck out of Dodge", as the saying goes, and takes his family to Egypt. King Herod is ticked when he realizes that the Magi did not come back and let him know where Jesus was, that the Magi skipped town instead, and went home another way. It is then that King Herod ordered that all male children under the age of 2 must be murdered by his men in hopes of killing the threat to him, the child Jesus.  But Jesus was with his family in Egypt, and Joseph kept his family there until the death of Herod.


When the Magi visited Jesus at Joseph's "house", they were said to have brought with them gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh. Those gifts are actually a representation of Jesus' life. Gold shows us the royalty of Jesus as King. Frankincense was the key ingredient used in the incense used in the sacrifices by the priests at the temple, representing Jesus as the new Priest, or way to God as Messiah. Myrrh was a burial spice of the times, representing the sacrifice to come, with Jesus dying for our sins as Saviour.


Addendum: An ancient text about the Magi has recently been "rediscovered" in the Vatican treasures.  You can hear about it at this site, http://news.yahoo.com/video/world-15749633/mystery-of-the-magi-23613928

Trinity...

I was flying home from LA yesterday, reading a book.  I was on a page reading about the Trinity, I looked out the window of the plane and this is the image I saw of Mt. Rainier.  I didn't have a camera, my view was more from above, but this photo shows the angle I was looking from. Chills ran through me, beautiful...

Read a good book...

Here's my thought for today.  Read a good book, in addition to the Bible.

Suggested here is One Heartbeat Away, your journey into eternity. By Mark Cahill.

A few quotes from the book:

George Greenstein (astronomer), "As we survey the evidence, the thought insistently arises that some supernatural agency - or, rather, Agency - must be involved. Is it possible that suddenly, without intending to, we have stumbled upon scientific proof of the existence of a Supreme Being? Was it God who stepped in and so providentially crafted the cosmos to our benefit?"

Mark Cahill, "Micro-evolution is limited by the genetic code. No features that are not already present in a creature's DNA can ever be produced by natural selection." i.e. A beak can become larger over time due to the bird's environment, say to break a hard to crack nut for food. A beak is part of the birds DNA. But, a fish did not just take a walk on shore and then grow wings to fly, etc. These kinds of changes between species cannot happen, because, for example, feathered wings are not in the fish genetic code, according to Cahill. "Thus, there are always natural limits to biological change. Natural selection is just that - selection. It cannot create anything new; it can only select from information contained in the organism's genetic blueprint."

Sir Fred Hoyle (British astrophysicist), "A common sense interpretation of the facts seems to suggest that a Super Intellect has monkeyed with physics, as well as with chemistry and biology, and that there are no blind forces worth speaking about in nature. The numbers one calculates from the facts seem to me so overwhelming as to put this conclusion almost beyond question."

Moses, the Burning Bush, the Ten Commandments...

[3] And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.” [4] When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.” [5] Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” [6] And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. (Exodus 3:3-6 ESV)

[13] Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” [14] God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’” [15] God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations. 

(Exodus 3:13-15 ESV) Again, we must go to the New Testament for the answer about who Moses is speaking with in the above verses, [56] Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” [57] So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” [58] Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” [59] So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple. (John 8:56-59 ESV) And in Mark we find these verses, [61] But he remained silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” [62] And Jesus said, “I AM, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” (Mark 14:61-62 ESV) Then in Revelation we find this verse, [13] “I AM the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” (Revelation 22:13 ESV)

[18] And he gave to Moses, when he had finished speaking with him on Mount Sinai, the two tablets of the testimony, tablets of stone, written with the finger of God. (Exodus 31:18 ESV) In finishing this Bible study of the past few days about who has seen the face of God, we must say that no one has seen the face of God the Father. But many people, both in the New Testament and the Old Testament, have seen God the Son, Jesus. Based on this evidence, we can also conclude that God the Son actually wrote the Ten Commandments for Moses, Jesus, in the above verse, being the Finger of God. And then in this verse we hear Jesus as Lord, [27] And the LORD said to Moses, “Write these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel (Jacob).” [28] So he was there with the LORD forty days and forty nights. He neither ate bread nor drank water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant, the Ten Commandments. (Exodus 34:27-28 ESV) Jesus then, again, wrote the Ten Commandments with His finger, during His earthly days.  This time to convict the religious or righteous, and this time sin is 'erasable' through Him as Messiah.  Go here for this explanation: http://boundaryhomestead.blogspot.com/2010/11/word-in-sand.html

Abraham saw three...

[18:1] And the LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day. [2] He lifted up his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing in front of him. When he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth [3] and said, “O Lord, if I have found favor in your sight, do not pass by your servant. [4] Let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree, [5] while I bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh yourselves, and after that you may pass on—since you have come to your servant.” So they said, “Do as you have said.” [6] And Abraham went quickly into the tent to Sarah and said, “Quick! Three seahs of fine flour! Knead it, and make cakes.” [7] And Abraham ran to the herd and took a calf, tender and good, and gave it to a young man, who prepared it quickly. [8] Then he took curds and milk and the calf that he had prepared, and set it before them. And he stood by them under the tree while they ate. (Genesis 18:1-8 ESV)


Sure sounds like God was speaking with Abraham. The three were obviously important to Abraham, he bowed down to them, he called one of them Lord, he washed their feet, and he served them his best food and watched while they ate.  Later in the story we see these verses, [17] The LORD said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do, [18] seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? (Genesis 18:17-18 ESV) Here the Lord is referencing what he is about to do for him, and that all nations will be blessed in him. Was He referencing His work to come at the cross as Messiah again, and that all who believe in Him will be saved? Then, in the New Testament we find this verse, [56] Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” [57] So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” [58] Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” [59] So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple. (John 8:56-59 ESV).


We don't find any references as to who two of the three were that visited Abraham, but One of the three that visited and then spoke to him, was God the Son, Jesus. Jesus said that Abraham saw Him, and was glad, and rejoiced to see Him.

UFC 124 pick...

Koscheck vs St. Pierre

This is a tough choice, bad guy or good guy? I like the good guy, I hope he prevails, but this may be Koscheck's night. He's hungry and feels he has a lot to prove, with no father in his life, and with taking a lot of crap all his life because he is mulatto. Playing the ultimate bad guy most of his life, he took himself thru elementary, high school, was a Collegiate Nat'l Champion wrestler out of Edinboro University, and now a shot at the UFC Championship. Maybe this title can change things around for him, and he can then change his persona. I think he just might win it.

I'm picking Koscheck in a dog fight, bad guy becomes king of the hill.  Fight goes the distance with Koscheck winning a split decision, or Koscheck knocks him out.

Jacob leads to...

In my Bible study yesterday on Jacob, my eye was caught up in seeing references to Jesus throughout the whole Jacob story. The following verse is the Lord speaking to Rebekah, Isaac's wife, the mother of Jacob and Esau. “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you shall be divided; the one shall be stronger than the other, the older shall serve the younger.” (Genesis 25:23 ESV) On the surface, of course, it seems as if God is talking of Jacob and Esau being foes, which they were, over the birthright through Isaac. But under the surface, it's almost like God is speaking of the Jewish nation being divided among the saved thru Jesus, and the unsaved.  Or...the Old Testament being subservient (probably not the right word to use, but tired here right now) to the New Testament, the older serving the younger, the younger being stronger than the older.


[11] And he came to a certain place and stayed there that night, because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones of the place, he put it under his head and lay down in that place to sleep. [12] And he dreamed, and behold, there was a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven. And behold, the angels of God were ascending and descending on it! [13] And behold, the LORD stood above it and said, “I am the LORD, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac. The land on which you lie I will give to you and to your offspring. [14] Your offspring shall be like the dust of the earth, and you shall spread abroad to the west and to the east and to the north and to the south, and in you and your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed. [15] Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” [16] Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it.” (Genesis 28:11-16 ESV)
Stay with me here... In John, we find this verse,  And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” (John 1:51 ESV) Here, in this verse from John, Jesus just described Himself as that Ladder to heaven in Jacob's dream. And who in Jacob's dream, says that He is the Lord, the God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac? When Jacob awoke he said, The Lord is here and that he didn't realize it, he thought he wrestled with God the Father, but the Lord here, is God the Son. Well, just as I thought in my Bible study yesterday about who Jacob wrestled with, it can only be God the Son, Jesus.  Also, on what did Jacob lay his head, before he had the dream? A rock, and what did Jacob do with that rock? He made it the cornerstone of God's house. The "Cornerstone" is found in these verses, [17] And he was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.” [18] So early in the morning Jacob took the stone that he had put under his head and set it up for a pillar and poured oil on the top of it. [19] He called the name of that place Bethel, but the name of the city was Luz at the first. [20] Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat and clothing to wear, [21] so that I come again to my father's house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God, [22] and this stone, which I have set up for a pillar, shall be God's house. And of all that you give me I will give a full tenth to you.” (Genesis 28:17-22 ESV) In the New Testament, these verses are found about Jesus, [17] But he looked directly at them and said, “What then is this that is written: ’The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’?” (Luke 20:17 ESV) And in 1 Peter, this verse about Jesus is found, For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” (1 Peter 2:6 ESV) In the earlier verse about Jacob's dream, the Lord of Abraham and Isaac said he was going to give all of the land to "Jacob's" people. How was the Lord going to do that? At the cross as the Messiah. Christian believers are the "offspring" of the lineage to Jesus.


Jesus is all over Jacob. Jacob leads to Jesus.

Jacob wrestles with God...

[22] The same night he arose and took his two wives, his two female servants, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. [23] He took them and sent them across the stream, and everything else that he had. [24] And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day. [25] When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he touched his hip socket, and Jacob's hip was put out of joint as he wrestled with him. [26] Then he said, “Let me go, for the day has broken.” But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” [27] And he said to him, “What is your name?” And he said, “Jacob.” [28] Then he said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” [29] Then Jacob asked him, “Please tell me your name.” But he said, “Why is it that you ask my name?” And there he blessed him. [30] So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.” [31] The sun rose upon him as he passed Penuel, limping because of his hip. [32] Therefore to this day the people of Israel do not eat the sinew of the thigh that is on the hip socket, because he touched the socket of Jacob's hip on the sinew of the thigh. (Genesis 32:22-32 ESV)


Well, it sure sounds like Jacob wrestled with God.  But was it God the Father, or God the Son? In Exodus when Moses is conversing with God, we find this verse, “But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” (Exodus 33:20 ESV) In a previous Bible study from Dec 8th I talked of this verse found in John, No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known. John 1:18 ESV. If, as a Christian, I believe that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God the Father, then I have to conclude that Jacob did not see the face of God the Father. Even Jacob was marveled when he said, “For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered.” It has to be God the Son, because as John states, God the Son makes God the Father known to us, and this has to include Jacob. Jacob's whole being is in the lineage that leads us to Jesus.

God's face...

Has any human ever seen the face of God? Well, that's a tough question. There are many places in the Bible where it seems that God is present during face-to-face encounters with human beings.  But, the Bible also states:
No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known. John 1:18 ESV (the ancient manuscripts use a word that can also mean unique or one-of-a-kind where the English word only is placed in the above verse, the same ancient word, meaning only, is used in John 1:14)


Huh? The first part of this verse, No one has ever seen God, is speaking of God the Father.  The second part of this verse, the only God, who is at the Father's side, is speaking of Jesus, or God the Son.  Jesus is at the Father's side, because He always was, or as John states in an earlier verse, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1 ESV). If you go back to the beginning of the Bible in Genesis, you will find this verse, Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” (Genesis 1:26 ESV). Did you see the US and the OURs? So, God the Son, Jesus, the Word, has always been, He was there in the beginning with God the Father.  And also, in the beginning, in Genesis, there is another Being, the third part of the "always was". God the Spirit is revealed in these verses, 1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. (Genesis 1:1-2 ESV) In the story of creation in Genesis, we have only 3 super natural beings, none others are mentioned, besides animals, and then humans when Adam and Eve were created. The Trinity is present in the beginning, God the Father, God the Son and God the Spirit. We know that God the Spirit is present with us now, because Jesus said he would leave us with Him, but we can't physically see Him. The Bible, the inerrant Word of God, says that no man has ever seen God the Father. But many people saw, mingled with, ate with,  fellowshipped with, learned from, eventually hanged on the cross, and then witnessed in resurrection, God the Son. At the end of John 1:18, he tells us that God the Son (Jesus), has made God the Father known to us. When you know Jesus, you know God. This is the New Testament, the Gospel, the Good News about God, the Messiah, the Son of God, the Son of Man, the Saviour, come to earth to mingle with little old us.

So, yes, man has visually seen/saw God, in God the Son. How about God the Father, have any humans ever seen His face? Again, John 1:18 says no, but what about Abraham, Moses, Jacob? Who did Abraham serve food to and talk with? Who did Moses see and talk with? Who did Jacob talk to and actually touch? That's another Bible study.

Tithing...

[23] “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faithfulness. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. [24] You blind guides, straining out a gnat and swallowing a camel! [25] “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. [26] You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean.  (Matthew 23:23-26 ESV)
Money, oh the problems it can cause. The worry about it will tear you up, at least in my case. My wife always tells me that my worry about money is probably my worst fault. I have to agree, this worry is probably the main reason I lose sleep, weather the worry is about my company's product issues and losing an account that I service, or worrying about a bill that's coming up, or worry about my 401k performance. The list could go on and on. Then comes tithing, should you tithe to the church? A tithe is an amount of monetary value, specifically 10% of your income, and some people believe that 10% is the minimum giving amount. Whether it's based on the gross, or take home, I just don't believe that is important, but it is a substantial amount, that's for sure. What does Jesus say?  Well, he basically states that the tithe is a given. If you follow Him, the tithe is important, but it's only part of the picture. From what I gather from his views on the subject, you need to come to faith in Him first, then everything that is important will follow, you'll want to do what is right, including a tithe.  Some religious people tithe just to show PEOPLE that they follow the law, and that because they follow the law, they are right in God's eyes. Jesus says, nonsense! Work on the important stuff, you, and following Him. Everything will fall into line behind Him. Salvation is not based on "works", "lest any man boast", it is based on Grace, Him. Don't do things to show people you are righteous, it is between you and Him, it's no one else's business. He knows what is in your heart.

(What image is on the Roman coin?) They said, “Caesar's.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.”  (Matthew 22:21 ESV)

Jesus wasn't talking about money here, he was talking about the giving of ourselves to God, that's the most important thing.  The religious people were trying to trap Him here, to get Him to say things bad about the government in order to get Him arrested based on secular, or non-church, law breaking.

Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.  (2 Corinthians 9:7 ESV)

Here, again, I think the overall thought is that you'll do what is right, not because it's the law, but because you follow Jesus.  When you follow Him, the other stuff will eventually just fall in line.  Start giving, and eventually you'll give more and more, it will just come naturally. Clean the inside of the cup first, the outside will eventually take care of itself.  It's just the way it works when you follow Him.  I'm definitely still working on this issue, and I talk to Him often about monetary worry. I think that helping other people is just as important as tithing, and the giving of yourself could be be a bigger part of the equation when you are a Christian. This money stuff is between you and God, no one else. Just my take on the subject. Debate back and forth on the money subject need not pull the Christian community apart, let's give it to God.  He'll take care of us, he know's what is in our heart, and in Hope, for our sakes, it's in following His teachings. I have to give this worry to Him.

P.S.  Someone must have been listening during my Bible study this morning...one of those God moments I guess? In church later in the morning after my study, the sermon was about God speaking in the story about Zechariah and Elizabeth (John the Baptist's parents), after a 400 year silence from God since the Book of Malachi was written.  (Don't quote me on the 400 year silence being exactly between the two references above, I think thats what the pastor said, I was busy running a camera in the tech booth).  Anyway, in Malachi it talks about tithing and one of the pastor's points was, how can you expect God to care about your finances, if you don't care about Church finances as part of your giving abundance?  I think he was referencing Malachi 3:10, saying that if you give abundantly, God will abundantly watch out for you needs. This is all a bit sketchy to me as I'm still growing in my walk with Christ. However, the Bible states it, and as Christians we believe the Bible is the inerrant Word on all subjects.  For another take on giving, go here: http://mind-your-head-jim.blogspot.com/2010/12/four-main-keys-to-abundance.html

Born again...

[3:1] Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. [2] This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” [3] Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” [4] Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?” [5] Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God."  (John 3:1-5 ESV)


What does it mean to be "Born Again"? Jesus says that with faith in Him, your old life is gone, and a new Life is here (you're born again). Read about Him with an open heart/mind, I dare you. It doesn't matter what happened in the past, it's all forgiven. The old is on Him, you're forgiven in Him. What matters is a rebirth with Him in your heart/mind. A new Life for you, and for me, promised to all who accept Him. This isn't exclusive, you don't have to become 'religious'. Unlike religion, there are no limitations with Him. However, even with Him, life will still have it's struggles. Will being Christian gain you wealth?  No, Jesus was not wealthy in monetary terms.  Before Solomon was a believer, he was probably the wealthiest person of his time.  But, wealth did not bring him happiness, happiness came thru God. When Solomon started listening to God, it filled the hole in his being. God's will will be done, and we can't understand His plans for us, nor His plans for those surrounding us. But with Christ in your life, how you handle those struggles will be different, to the positive different. Persistent faith in Him, and study of Him, will get you through anything that is thrown your way. Talk with Him daily, throughout the day, as a friend.  I used to call this my daily prayers, but now I just call it talking with Him. It's amazing the clarity that can be gleaned from Him when things are bothering you.  Somehow, just talking with Him and studying His Word will help to clear up problems or roadblocks in life. I don't know how, I just know that it happens. He said that He is with us right now as the Holy Spirit, some might call this your conscience, I believe it's Him. Who do I follow?  Not self, I know self. Learn about Christ, listen to what He tells us.  I didn't choose Him, He first chose me, and now I listen.  Why?  Because He loves me, and you. We are why He died on the cross, He died for you, and for me. Why? Because He said we're broken, and we need Him. No matter what, He doesn't change, He's there for you. Learn from Him, hear His call. One of His favorite sayings is, "Let him who has ears, hear Me."  To hear real life stories about how God turned things around for the wealthy, or the broken, go here: http://iamsecond.com/#/seconds/Wayne_Huizenga/

Foresaken...

 About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"—which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"  Matthew 27:46

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?  Psalm 22:1

King David wrote Psalm 22 about 1000 years before Christ died on the cross.  The beginning of this Psalm is a prayer of longing to know if God really hears us, or really cares about us.  David writes that, amidst the ultimate pain and suffering, Jesus is asking (yes, David is writing about Jesus 1000 years before Jesus completed His Mission on earth), "Where are you my God?  Can't you see what they've done to me?  They have taken every last thing that I have, they are mocking me, they have pierced my hands and my feet, what now my God?  Where are you?"  We've all felt this, haven't we?  Of course, not in the same way as Him, but we've all asked, "What the heck, Lord?"  Why this? Are you really there, do you really care?  But when we continue reading Psalm 22, it is ultimately a chorus, a song, about the end of the earthly life of Jesus, the completion of God's plan for helping broken men and women come to Him.  In the end it is a Psalm about the greatness of God's plan, and a Psalm of praise to God.  It is the beginning of the Great Commission, to tell all people about Jesus, all corners of the earth.  Before they came to take him away, remember what Jesus prayed in the garden?  His prayer there was one of hope, "Please, Lord, if this doesn't have to happen, then take it from me."  But in the end, he said, "Your Will [Plan] be done." He was like, let's get this going, he submitted to God even though he knew what kind of suffering was about to take place.  When Psalm 22 is complete, what are the last words he cries out on the cross?  "It is finished!"  And then the curtain tears, and the heavens open, our sins are forgiven, the fences of religion are torn down, and then Psalm 23 follows with the promise to all who believe in Him, Jesus. Unbelievable?  Not to me, what a God I serve and praise, my hope is him!  My hope certainly is not in self, not in man, not in chance. What hope have you?

Bad days, we all have them...

Today was one of those days at work.  I didn't like the way some things went, and boy, did I revert back to the pre-Christian days.  The words flew, and I became everything I want and try not to be.  Last week in church, one of the themes of the sermon was praying in Psalms, just as Jesus did.  More on that tomorrow.  We all have bad days, and today won't be the last bad day that I'll have.  But I will try to handle people obstacles a little better in the future.  It's one of the do-overs we are offered in being Christian.  I'll wake up, and I'll ask Him back.  For tonight, my prayer is Psalm 5.

[1] Give ear to my words, O LORD;
consider my groaning. 
[2] Give attention to the sound of my cry,
my King and my God,
for to you do I pray.
[3] O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice;
in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch.

[4] For you are not a God who delights in wickedness;
evil may not dwell with you.
[5] The boastful shall not stand before your eyes;
you hate all evildoers.
[6] You destroy those who speak lies;
the LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

[7] But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love,
will enter your house.
I will bow down toward your holy temple
in the fear of you.
[8] Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness
because of my enemies;
make your way straight before me.

[9] For there is no truth in their mouth;
their inmost self is destruction;
their throat is an open grave;
they flatter with their tongue.
[10] Make them bear their guilt, O God;
let them fall by their own counsels;
because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out,
for they have rebelled against you.

[11] But let all who take refuge in you rejoice;
let them ever sing for joy,
and spread your protection over them,
that those who love your name may exult in you.
[12] For you bless the righteous, O LORD;
you cover him with favor as with a shield.
Psalm 5 ESV

We are no accident...

The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your love, O LORD, endures forever - do not abandon the works of your hands.  Psalm 138:8

From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.  Acts 17:26

"You are not an accident.  Your birth was no mistake or mishap, and your life is no fluke of nature.  Your parents may not have planned you, but God did.  He was not at all surprised by your birth.  In fact, he expected it.  Long before you were conceived by your parents, you were conceived in the mind of God.  God never does anything accidentally, and he never makes mistakes.  He has a reason for everything he creates.  Every plant and every animal was planned by God, and every person was designed with a purpose in mind."  Rick Warren - The Purpose Driven Life

It is comforting to know that God created me, for a purpose, and he knows me intimately.  I can't hide anything from him, he knows all about me.  I am what I am. What a sense of relief... To know that I can live my life free from guilt, with no trying, or needing, to hide things.  What a friend.  I talk with him daily, I used to call this prayer, but now I call it a daily conversation with a great friend.  Someone I can call on in need.  Someone who knows my pains.  Someone who knows what I meant to say, not how what I said was taken.  Someone to celebrate with, and someone to complain to.  Someone to be thankful to.  Someone to praise.  Someone to lifelong study.  Someone who never changes.  Someone who had me in mind before time began.  And sometimes, someone to yell at.  He is there always, always will be, and he created me, sense of humor that he has :)   And then, he gave me someone to share this crazy thing called life with, my other buddy, Jessi.  And 4 great kids to boot.  What a cool God he is!

30 pieces...

14  Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests 15  and asked, "What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?" So they counted out for him thirty silver coins. 16  From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.  Matthew 26:14-16

1  Early in the morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people came to the decision to put Jesus to death. 2  They bound him, led him away and handed him over to Pilate, the governor. 3  When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and the elders.4  "I have sinned," he said, "for I have betrayed innocent blood."  "What is that to us?" they replied. "That's your responsibility."  5  So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.  6  The chief priests picked up the coins and said, "It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money." 7  So they decided to use the money to buy the potter's field as a burial place for foreigners.   Matthew 27:1-7

The book of Zechariah was written about 550 years before Judas took the bribe:

12  I told them, "If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it." So they paid me thirty pieces of silver.  13  And the LORD said to me, "Throw it to the potter"-the handsome price at which they priced me! So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the LORD to the potter.  Zechariah 11:12-13 

Thankful...

Well, Wed morning I got a call from one of my customers saying they are out of my product, and that they need my product...NOW.  So, I rented a truck and I was on the road at 11 a.m.  Then I drove 1200 miles to pick up my product which was stuck in a Southern Oregon trucking terminal, then I delivered the product to my dealer at the Canadian border, then I made it home at 8:30 a.m. Thanksgiving morning.  My wife asked me, "What the heck, was this really that important?"  Well, it was, it's my job and people rely on me, I don't let them down.  It's just the way I am.

Then I was still was able to join my family for Thanksgiving dinner at my son's (Joseph) house.  And our other son, Ryan, was able to celebrate Thanksgiving with us from Juneau, AK, via Skype.

I am blessed, I know it, and I am truly thankful to God for everything that I have been given.

I AM...

After these things the word of the LORD came to Abram in a vision: “Fear not, Abram, I AM your shield; your reward shall be very great.”  Genesis 15:1 ESV
God said, "I AM".  Here, God tells Abram (known as Abraham later, when God renames him) that he will be rewarded for serving God faithfully, that the Messiah will come thru Abram's lineage.


57 So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”  John 8:57-58 ESV
What was Jesus claiming here?  It's pretty big, this is why the religious folks killed Him.


61 But he remained silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?”  62 And Jesus said, “I AM, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” 63 And the high priest tore his garments and said, “What further witnesses do we need? 64 You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?” And they all condemned him as deserving death.  
Mark 14:61-64 ESV
He remained silent on all accusations, until they asked him if he was the Messiah.  His response? 
"I AM".


I AM the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.”  Revelation 22:13 ESV
Jesus was crucified, on a legal basis in those times, because he claimed to be God.  These two single words got him murdered, "I AM".

Jesus freaks...

"The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!"  Mark 1:15

While I was growing up, the word repent used to really bother me.  It made me conjure up images of people I deemed as holy rollers, bible thumpers, Jesus freaks...I always thought people like that were weird.  What does the word repent mean?  Simply, to recognize your sins and turn away from them, to make an attempt to sin no more.  We'll never achieve being sinless, we are human.  But each day if we try, we can get better at it.  Being Christian means we get do-overs, I like do-overs.

Remember an earlier verse I talked of, in John? 
7  When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." 8  Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.  9  At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10  Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"  11  "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."  John 8:7-11
Jesus showed compassion and forgiveness, and then asked her to go and sin no more, to repent.  Whatever sin we have, whatever problem we have, we need to acknowledge it, then ask Him for help to turn things around for us.

UFC 123 picks...

Machida over Rampage
Hughes over Penn
Satiropoulos over Lauzon

The curtain torn...

 36  One man ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. "Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to take him down," he said.  37 With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.  38 The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. 39 And when the centurion, who stood there in front of Jesus, heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, "Surely this man was the Son of God!"  Mark 15:36-39

Why was the curtain torn in two?  Some believe it was the curtain inside the temple that separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the temple.  Only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies, and then only enter it once a year to offer a sacrifice to God for the sins of the people.  When Jesus died, the curtain was no longer needed, as the way to God was now through Jesus.

Others compare it to the verse below, when Jesus was baptized:

9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."  Mark 1:9-11

There were two curtains in the temple, one at the entrance of the temple, the outer veil, and one separating the Holy of Holies from the rest of the temple, the inner veil. The curtain at the entrance of the temple was said to be a Babylonian tapestry with a pictorial of the heavens on it.  And because the centurion saw Jesus die and and then he saw the curtain tear, that it was the outer veil that he had to see.  Mark may have compared the two, baptism and death, as the bookends of Jesus' ministry on earth.  Or, he may have thought of both instances as respective beginnings for Jesus.  The opening of the heavens at his baptism as the beginning of his earthly ministry, and the tearing of the temple curtain as the beginning of his real reason, to save those who believe in Him as Savior. The centurion may have been the first saved.

Roadwork...

Being a Christian is a lot like road construction.  Life with Him is a continual process; wake up, ask Him back, wake up, ask Him back, wake up, ask Him back.  We are human, and we will fail.  But He will always accept us back (the Bible says with wide open arms) if we are truly sorry for our daily failures.  We are not perfect, only One was/is, Jesus, and no amount of religiousness can make us perfect.  But in Christ, unlike any religion, we can have constant do-overs, and with each do-over, we'll get better at it.  Then, at the end of our time here on earth, we we will be able to put up the road sign, "End of construction, thanks for Your patience!"

Predestination...

When you start to really break down the nuts and bolts of the Bible, you will start seeing a lot about Predestination in it.  Paul talks about the "Elect" a lot, meaning we are chosen by God, we didn't chose him.  Jesus says that His sheep will hear the Shepherd's call, again, He chose you, you didn't choose Him, you just heard the call.  I have no problem with God foreknowing everything, He created it all.  The Bible talks about Predestination, and the Bible is the inerrant word of God, so it is true.  But, banter back and forth about such things need not worry us, disagreement on it need not pull the people in Christ apart.  I like Martin Luther's view on the subject, "it's true, but don't fret about it, give it to God".  Luther's take on the subject can be read here; http://www.orlutheran.com/html/mlpredestination.html

No mere man...

42 Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the seed of David and from the town of Bethlehem, where David was?” 43 So there was a division among the people because of Him. 44 Now some of them wanted to take Him, but no one laid hands on Him. 45 Then the officers (soldiers) came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, “Why have you not brought Him?”  46 The officers answered, “No man ever spoke like this Man!”   John 7:42-46 

7:46 The uniqueness of Jesus, “I know men and I tell you that Jesus Christ is no mere man.  Between Him and every other person in the world there is no possible term of comparison.  Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and I have founded empires.  But on what did we rest the creations of our genius?  Upon force.  Jesus Christ founded His empire upon love; and at this hour millions of  [people] would die for Him.”  Napoleon Bonaparte

The Word in the sand...

2  At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3  The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group  4  and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5  In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" 6  They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.  But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7  When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." 8  Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.  9  At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there.10  Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"  11  "No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."   
John 8:2-11

What was he writing on the ground?  Some say, because he is God, he was proving his knowledge to the accusers by writing their sins in full view for all to see.  Others say he may have been listing the 10 commandments, each commandment as convicting of sin as the other.  This is probably the correct view as God wrote the 10 commandments (The Law) for Moses with His finger,  Exodus 31:18.  The Law was written in stone, uncompromising.  Jesus wrote them in the sand, removable (or forgivable thru Him).  Oh, oh, religious people were starting to get ticked.  This Guy was claiming to be able to forgive sin, only God could do that in the Law (the Old Testament).

The first miracle...

6  Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.  7  Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim.  8  Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet."  They did so,  9  and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside  10  and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."  11  This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.   John 2:6-11

The significance of the first miracle?  In the Old Testament, Exodus 7:20, the turning of water into blood was the first of the public miracles that Moses did in Egypt. Moses’ miracle was one of destruction, a payment for sin.  In the New Testament (or in the Good News), turning the water into wine was the first of the public miracles that Jesus did.  Not only did he turn water into wine, it was the best wine, served last, a taste of the Messiah come to earth.  It was served in the “washing jars”.   My take on the "washing jars"?  This signifies that the forgiveness of sins is to be done by Him.

"I’ve tried to read the Bible, but I can’t understand it." I've heard this said before.

"A person who isn't spiritual doesn't accept the teachings of God's Spirit.  He thinks they're nonsense.  He can't understand them because a person must be spiritual to evaluate them."  1 Corinthians 2:14

 

The Scriptures tell us that the "natural man" cannot understand the things of the Spirit of God. Most of us would find it difficult to understand the Chinese language. However, a child who is born into a Chinese family can understand every word. That’s why you must be born again with God’s Spirit living within you (John 3:3  Jesus replied to Nicodemus, "I can guarantee this truth: No one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above."). The moment you become part of God’s family, the Bible will begin to make sense.

Genesis 22:1-14 Worth the long read...

1 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!"  "Here I am," he replied.  2 Then God said, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about."  3 Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. 4 On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. 5 He said to his servants, "Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you."  6 Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together,  7 Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, "Father?"  "Yes, my son?" Abraham replied.   "The fire and wood are here," Isaac said, "but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?"   8 Abraham answered, "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." And the two of them went on together.  9 When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. 10 Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. 11 But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!"   "Here I am," he replied.  12 "Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."   13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, "On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided."  Genesis 22:1-14 NIV

The "region of Moriah" is not a single peak, not even a mountain.  It is a ridge of hills that runs through the city of Jerusalem.  The highest hill in the ridge is Golgotha (Calvary) at 777', where the crucifixion of Jesus is thought to have taken place. "On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided."

In the beginning was the WORD...

"In the beginning the Word already existed.  The Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was already with God in the beginning.  Everything came into existence through Him.  Not one thing that exists was made without Him."  John 1:1-3

One thing I've always struggled with is the Trinity; Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  3 being 1 and 1 being 3.  John says that Jesus was able to tell God's message to people accurately because Jesus was fully God and fully man at the same time.  How could this be?  But again, John tells us that Jesus (the Word) ALWAYS was, He was there with God in the beginning.  And Jesus told the disciples that He ALWAYS will be.  The Always with us being the Holy Spirit with us, or Jesus with us.  But what about the beginning, was He there with God as John claims?  We don't have to read very far into the Bible to find out.

Then God said, "Let US make humans in OUR image, in OUR likeness.  Let them rule the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the domestic animals all over the earth, and all the animals that crawl on the earth."  Genesis 1:26

Ironically, this passage was pointed out to us by a Mormon who was trying to show that many gods exist in heaven.  But we knew better, this was the first time we ever saw evidence of the Trinity in the Bible.  We were always taught about it, but there it was, right before us in the beginning.

Here is a good site to visit to hear some great philosophers of this era talk about the beginning of the world; http://fixed-point.org/index.php/video/35-full-length/164-the-dawkins-lennox-debate;