Last week, I was able to attend a pastor’s regional conference. At the conference I had the opportunity to share a little about AOI’s ministries, and to hear from pastors about some of the victories and defeats they experienced this last year. I heard lots of good “stuff”, but one talk really got me to thinking. In John 4, we read the account of Jesus meeting the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well. As a result of this woman’s encounter with...
Read MoreFreaked Out!
I just received these thoughts from a man in Texas who we have had the privilege to help train in creation. What he reports really concerns me: The Spanish pastor at my church shared with me that our denomination’s theology conference was taking place at our local church and that there was a Genesis & Science session. Without even thinking about it (and doing my due diligence), I asked for a free pass to this session and eagerly attended. It all seemed fine and...
Read MoreCreated by Nothing
I am writing a news article on the origin of everything, and wanted to blog on a couple of thoughts. There are basically two ideas about how everything came to be. One is that an intelligent “being” created all things. As a Christian who believes the Bible is true, I say this intelligent “being” is none other than the eternal living God of the Bible, Who has the power to do all things. The second idea is that an eternal nothing created all things. However, this idea...
Read MorePolar Bears and Dogs Playing!
I just saw a short video on the Mercoloa.com website showing adult polar bears playing with sled dogs. They were quite friendly with each other. The bears actually gave the dogs “bear hugs.” Both the dogs and the bears are carnivores and could be quite vicious. It made me think of what the original creation was like with all the animals getting along with each other — perhaps playing like these were. Likely, Adam & Eve were also thoroughly enjoying them....
Read MoreTaken For Granted
Some evolutionary proponents teach that fingernails are left over claws from our early ancestors, and that they are disappearing for lack of use. Lack of use? I recently lost the fingernail on my left index finger because of a workshop accident. Since then, I have realized how many uses there are for fingernails. We use them for scratching itches, peeling fruit, dealing with price tags, access hatches, battery covers, product labels, can tabs, duct tape, masking tape, and...
Read MoreFruitfulness
In my past 2 blogs (His Workmanship and Chosen to Bear Fruit), I have looked a little bit at what it means to be a new creation in Christ and how we can bear fruit. The Bible talks much about fruitfulness – and bearing fruit for His Kingdom is one of the greatest desires of my life. But the question might be asked: What is this fruit? We often think of souls won for the Kingdom of God, and certainly this is wonderful fruit for which we can be grateful. But fruitfulness is...
Read MoreGod’s Handiwork! Amazing!
I was just thinking about the marvel of God’s Creation. The detail He put into His creation is absolutely amazing. Look at the exquisite designs of the snowflake (earlier blog), the wonderful design of our eyes, or think about the intricate details and bewildering complexity of the cell. Looking deeper we see even more supreme technology in the inner workings of the cell, including sophisticated molecular motors and the computer instructions we call the DNA. Contrast that...
Read More“Historic-earth” Creationist
“Are you a Young Earth or an Old Earth creationist?” This is a question we get quite often, especially when trying to set up seminars with churches or groups that have never seen or heard of our program. My answer used to always be “Young Earth”. However, I now give a different answer to the question. Now don’t get me wrong … I do believe in a young earth, recently created about 6000 years ago. I believe in that age because of the genealogies...
Read MoreChosen to Bear Fruit
In my last blog (His Workmanship), I shared some thoughts from Andrew Murray about being God’s workmanship and being “in Christ” by His work. We become a “new creation” when we are joined to Christ, and bear much fruit as we stay connected to Him. Let’s explore these truths a bit further. Have you ever thought about how a vine produces fruit? It’s certainly not by thinking or effort on the part of the vine. Fruitfulness comes naturally as the branches are connected to the...
Read MoreEvolution and Rudolf the Red-nosed Reindeer!
I just received a call from a friend of mine who had watched a Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer Christmas/New Year’s program on television. They must have worked really hard to weave it into the story, but sure enough, they managed to squeeze evolution into it! They went back through “Father Time” to the first “Father Time” “millions of years ago.” Of course, in keeping with the true spirit of evolution, “Father Time” back then was a hunched over half-man/half-ape caveman....
Read MoreBlack Bart the Friendly Pirate
Just before Christmas, we had a visitor adopt us … a coal black raven. I have been putting scraps, left over from butchering an elk, out near our pond for the wildlife to enjoy. The birds have really enjoyed this “manna” from heaven. Within minutes of putting out the scraps, magpies show up, followed by ravens, blue birds, and then an occasional red-tailed hawk. Coyotes and bobcats have also visited the banquet. One day I was kneeling on the ground out in the...
Read MoreHis Workmanship
In his classic, Abide in Christ, Andrew Murray powerfully reminds us: “God Himself Has United You To Him.“ According to I Cor. 1:30, “Of God are ye in Christ Jesus … ” We are “in Christ,” not of our doing, but of God’s – and therein lies our confidence and our fruitfulness. Murray writes: “You are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works”: grafted by Him into Christ, unto the bringing forth of much fruit. Whatever God creates is exquisitely suited to its...
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