God spoke the world into existence

"In the beginning God created heaven and earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep water. The Spirit of God was hovering over the water. Then God said, "Let there be light!" So there was light. God saw the light was good. So God separated the light from the darkness. God named the light day, and the darkness he named night. There was evening, then morning--the first day." Genesis 1: 1-5

God spoke the world and all things came into existence. For those who have been given the faith to believe, that's not a hard concept to swallow. God is God and He can do anything, in any way He desires to do it. One thing we notice by reading the Scriptures is that as man continues to find proof about the creation, the history of the world, how things are...they seem to find that Scriptures has already given them the answers.

Once again God's own laws prove that the Scriptures are from God. Yes, there will be many who will try to disprove and refuse to believe, but as most things that have come to light in the world of science over the years, I believe man will find that God does things by His own Laws to show us who He is. Follow the links.

http://www.wbko.com/home/headlines/6010621.html
http://www.scienceprovescreation.com/

"The Wild One - Part 3"

"When John's messengers had left, Jesus spoke to the crowds about John. "What did you go into the desert to see? Tall grass swaying in the wind? Really, what did you go to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? Those who wear splendid clothes and live in luxury are in royal palaces. Really, what did you go to see? A prophet? Let me tell you that he is far more than a prophet. John is the one about whom Scripture says, 'I am sending my messenger ahead of you to prepare the way in front of you.' I can guarantee that of all the people ever born, no one is greater than John. Yet, the least important person in the kingdom of God is greater than John." Luke 7:24-28

Wow...can you imagine Jesus saying this about you? "Of all the people ever born, NO ONE is greater than John". What commitment John had to God and to the people. To give up all that was around him and to call people to repent. No other agenda. Repent. Be baptized and repent! Change you ways. Change the direction you're going! Repent. Someone much greater is coming and you need to repent! He's coming to baptize you with fire! Repent. Repent and be baptized!

We need to hear those words more often...but more than hear it, we need to heed them. Jesus is coming just like He did before...and we need to repent and be prepared. He's coming to reign on earth and He's coming and many will reign with him as servants in His kingdom. I want to be one of them. I want to serve our risen Saviour and I hope all of us desire that.

May we become what Jesus said after he talked about John being the greatest ever born up to that time: "Yet, the least important person in the Kingdom of God is greater than John."

The Wild One "Part 2"

"But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to be baptized, he said to them, "You poisonous snakes! Who showed you how to flee from God's coming anger? Do those things prove you have turned to God and have change the way yo think and act. Don't think you can say, 'Abraham is our ancestor.' I can guarantee that God can raise up descendants for Abraham from these stones. The ax is now ready to cut the roots of the trees. Any tree that doesn't produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into a fire. I baptize you with water so that you will change the way you think and act. But the one who comes after me is more powerful than I. I am not worthy to remove his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing shovel is in his hand, and he will clean up his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into a barn, but he will burn the husks in a fire that can never be put out." Matthew 3:7-12

It seems pretty obvious that the Pharisees and Sadducees were coming to John for the wrong reasons. Being religious leaders, I'm thinking they thought that if they were to show the people that they respected John and were baptized, the people would still respect them and continue under their leadership. They really weren't interested in changing their ways or wanting to repent and follow God. It's kind of like it is today within our religious systems. We have leaders that refuse to teach the truth for fear of losing their "flock" losing the position, or losing their "job".

John goes on to tell them that God is about to use His ax to cut out the roots that are useless. Roots that will be thrown into a fire. God was about to bring in a people who desire to follow Him and He was capable of making true followers out of the stones that were laying about! Their physical relationship to Abraham didn't matter...it was about their heart.

Our God is a consuming fire. He will clean the threshing floor of our hearts and burn the husks which does not glorify Him. We will become pure wheat. The One John was foretelling would baptize them with the Holy Spirit and fire. A message that the "religious" could not comprehend.

May we lay down our "religion" and follow Jesus.

John the "wild one".

"Later, John the Baptizer appeared in the desert of Judea. His message was, "Turn to God and change the way you think and act, because the kingdom of heaven is near." Isaiah the prophet spoke about this man when he said, "A voice cries out in the desert: 'Prepare the way for the Lord! Make his paths straight!'" John wore clothes made from camel's hair and had a leather belt around his waist. His diet consisted of locusts and wild honey. Jerusalem, all Judea, and the whole Jordan Valley went to him. As they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River." Matthew 3:1-6

What I find amazing about John the Baptist is that he was obviously a strange man who refused to be a part of the religious system. He hung out outside the towns, wore strange clothes, ate weird food, and told people to repent and change their ways. To hear his message...people had to find him! What was it that drew them?

We don't talk about sin much these days. We are so bombarded with stuff from the world that we have allowed ourselves to think that looking, speaking, or even doing things that we know should not be part of our character, is just the way it is and it's no big deal to allow it in to our lives. I think that's what drew people to John...they were tired of the sin in their lives and wanted more out of life. They wanted to change and searched the one out that encouraged them to really change and be a part of something much more real than their religious system or their religious leaders provided. It was a heart change...a way to become what God had created them to be. To be more like Him.

In the past 30 and more years, we have seen so many religious leaders fall because of great sin in their lives. We have seen ourselves fall because of sin in our lives...because some of us really refuse to truly repent. To really turn from our sins.

God loves us so much that He sent Jesus to save us from our sins. Not only our sins, but the sins of the whole world. May we hear the message of John the Baptist...the message he spoke to the religious ones! May God send more people like John to the church and bring us a new understanding of what it means to repent and what it means to follow Jesus.