Silent Preacher

A new world: holding hope

I want to write about how were looking at Paris and London hotels. Should we go on an excursion or have fun on the hop on/hop off busses. In Paris it’s a boat! Yet, the past few years have spooked me. Why do I get the feeling that this Russian war is going to ruin my vacation? To further this thought, it’s already ruining some Ukrainians vacation. I went to Disneyland on the day that the USA went to war against Saddam Husain. It was a mix of wild emotions as we played with Mickey Mouse while bombs dropped. Yet, we did indeed eat, drink, and be merry.

I don’t want to down play having fun. Every hour someone dies. I get it. If I sat here and did nothing in honor of Ukraine then that’s that. How can I end this war? All this little tiny Canadian can do is pray that God has a way through this. So, I have been praying and planning. Will we go on this cruise? Right now, I think we will. It’s been a smooth planning adventure. Yet, that little voice says what if? Ukraine is not that far from my trip.

Ok, let’s talk planning. Part of my plan is to take an excursion that will pick us up from the boat and drop us off at the airport in Barcelona. Haven’t found it yet, but I’m looking. My Travel agent gave me the heads up that there are a ton of baggage storage in Barcelona. A lot really! That will work as long as I can remember where we left them. I really want to see the Picasso Museum. I have never laid eyes on a real famous painting. We will do the same in Paris. To see the Mona Lisa will be surreal. I did not think the hotel prices in London and Paris were that bad. I kind of expected the 200-dollar mark more or less.

I do like trips that take time. Just relax and get to know a new area. Maybe even understand the people and culture. This trip will not be that way. At the Olive Garden restaurant, they have a dish called Tour of Italy. Just a taste of something much deeper. That is what this trip will be. We will taste Italy (Barley) in Naples and Pompeii. There will be just a snack of Sicily. I will try and consume Santorini Greece as best as we can. We will get just a little helping of Athens, Paris, and London.

There is a point of no return. I workout on a platform called IFit. It uses exercise equipment to take people on a workout journey around the world. Sometimes on social media the IFit community has individuals that say I can’t get motivated. In other moments they say I am having a hard time working out. They are real excuses. Yet, I have a small suspicion that it’s a modern excuse. It’s not the human way. I am betting that through the ages humans survive because they could; rather than, they didn’t feel like it.

Let’s talk about two things. The first is war veterans. One veteran was asked a hard question about WW2 “Why fight if you might die?” He answered that it never crossed their minds. “We had to do what we had to do.” That statement seems inconceivable in the modern setting. The second is on Darwin. Why did he think it’s survival of the fittest? It’s because generally the smartest, fastest and most cunning survive. Each animal around the world has somehow adapted just enough to stay ahead of nature or predators. The Venus Fly Trap only resides in the Carolinas. Surviving in a certain habitat. Humans used shelter and fire to survive the winters. They found ways to shield themselves. The Chamaeleon can blend in cunningly hiding from disaster. It’s like they all did what they did to survive.

Society talks about obesity, smoking, and lifestyle. Yet, we claim these things as a victim. Modern society wants to know how you will protect them. People are not trying to survive by protecting themselves. We all have short lives. What can harm you? What can we do to (at-least) attempt to outsmart death? Generally, it’s a dumb question. Death will win. Yet, can we make the runway to the afterlife any easier or further down the road? I believe we can. At-least we could try. I try and exercise three things in my life: my body, soul, and mind. I won’t let a sick body, that I control, kill me. People say reading, learning, and memorization is good for our minds in old age. So, I read and learn. Finally, I have tried to let God into my soul. He made my body but I possess it. God is the fuel to utilize our body, mind, and soul. We need that fuel! I am proactive about surviving!

What does God have to say? God said to Cain “don’t you know that sin is crouching at your door? You must learn to master it.” I know God will survive. He is eternal. Yet, will we? How many ways to humans find to die? To further that, how many ways do we intentionally try and die? How many drugs or alcohol is enough? What cliffs edge is close enough? So many people are just doing enough to tempt death to win. It’s like we have a god complex. Darwin said we are the fittest! We beat the dinosaurs, monkeys, and Mother Nature. God said there would be nothing we couldn’t accomplish!

Yet, we do die in great numbers. Our life span is so small. I feel that humans have begun to stand still. We don’t need caves anymore. Medicine will save us. Our vices are not sin. There are agencies, programs, and governments to help us. People don’t need to survive because the world is working on saving us all with new discoveries and technologies. Yet, death becomes us. We haven’t solved that.

I see people on IFit that have lost great amounts of weight. Some of them did twice as many workouts as most and miraculously they disappear from social media for a time. Why? Eventually they return with a story of over working. They got injured. Some of the weight lost has hurt people with extra skin and destroyed joints. I see these things everyday. Off the treadmill are those who smoke, drink, and have sex. I also see the stories of car crashes, cancer, and sexual pregnancies and disease. Yet, we have pills to fix that. Abortion centers to fix that. Rehab facilities to help you. We have it all. The one thing we’re still missing is the fight. We leave that to others.

What if we trained our kids to eat better? What if we drank less and worked more? Worked? Yes, worked out and worked at being more productive. Worked at being better fathers, mothers, friends, and servants. What if we valued taking care of our own well being more than we value drugs, sex, and danger? How can owning a gun in a gang spare you certain pain in the future? How can sleeping around further your life span? What if depression was a starters gun shot telling you to begin running? Running towards life and away from the things that shorten it like stealing, promiscuous sex, and drugs? Why treasure the things that ruin lives. Why stand in it!

Just don’t stand still! I will come to church when I am clean. I will work out when the doctors say I might die. I know a woman who is over weight. She is around 50 years old and confined to a wheel chair. Her fault of someone else’s fault? I know a woman who is willing to sit even though her doctor recommended against it. A guy who blames his Ex for his anger. A boy for his parents’ divorce. I knew a lady who claimed victim status for 28 years in an abusive marriage. At what point is standing still in pain a stupid idea. Being the victim is a bad choice? The war veteran can’t understand why you’re standing still when the enemy is crouching at your door?

It’s astounding to me that a social experiment always comes down to children. The Chinese little red book was taught in schools. Hitler had the Nazi youth. We have all heard of the child solider in Africa. Yet, many of us think that those are distant things. That we don’t experiment on people, little alone kids anymore. We know better now! We don’t enslave people. We don’t kill people in mass quantities thorough genocide and war. Somehow the 2000’s have not gotten the memo.

I still can’t believe that Russia decided to go to war. In this day and age how can killing to take land be a thing? I thought we were past that? Are the Russian people just going to sit by and let themselves be tarnished by their government? I noticed that killings in Israel/Palestine is back in the news. Oh, so the covid peace era is over? They say that crime was down during the pandemic. Yep, even riots stopped for the most part. Now the world is slowly opening up. Is death and destruction back in business as usual?

I have said this before but it needs repeating. As a kid I played in the mud and dirt. We got toys for Christmas. I was pumped to get play-dough. We collected sports cards and played sports. Recently in the news there has been a silent war between sexual groups and parents. Who has the right to teach the kids about sex? When is the right time to open up kids to their sexual desires? Someone said in a podcast, why can’t kids eat, play, and learn math? What is really going on? I believe it’s a silent war to gain control of the next generation. To move children away from societal concerns and towards a modern sexual revolution.

What does God have to say? If you really read the Bible, you will find that sex is prominent in God’s word. From Song of Solomon to Lot’s Daughters, sex is in the Bible! David’s greatest mistake was sexually driven. God has no hang-ups with sex. Its God approved. But we have an issue with sex. Throughout history societies have made sex the main issue. There were temple prostitutes, Greek boys were sexual partners to men. Temple Gods were sexual in nature. Everyone has an opinion and issue with sex. Yet, most people (when asked) will say God has a problem with sex. Compared to us? Oh no, God has very little concern. Do sex right and things go well. Do sex wrong and all hell breaks loose.

What do war and kids have in common? They don’t get a say. We hand them a gun and force them to shoot. We tell them they are sex slaves and they can’t argue. The new war on kids is to give them choices. We have evolved! The choices are what kind of sex do you want. What kind of things do you want sex with? Now, in those school rooms and social media platforms, is playing with toys, mud, and hockey sticks among the choices? The silent war wants to remove parental rights. Who gets to give kids planned choices?

Today, we say that women’s rights gave then the freedom to choose. Yet, they are forced to compete with males who claim they are women. Many female toys are banned, and female clothing is being turned into gender neutral clothing. Freedom of choice? Oh no, it’s forced choices. Sexual orientation choices. Are kids free to choose their gender and sexuality? Sort of? Is the hertosexual community part of that conversation? Not in the alphabet community. There are only forced choices. Forced to take the classes. Forced to choose their sex. And forced to wear what the new society chooses for them. This freedom (me too) movement is by far not about freedom of choice. You are; however, free to choose their choices for you.

In Florida the government passed a law that bans sexual discussion from k-6 grades. Let kids play in the mud and be kids for a time. The alphabet community disagrees. They want their choices to be included. They have rights to give their opinion on your kids. The war is centred on kids. They want them and we got them. The battle continues. The crazy part is people who adore sexual freedom don’t generally have kids. Yet, they want yours. They want to own kids’ freedom of choice. They want heterosexual couples to make babies for them to indoctrinate the little ones about sexual choices. Once the baby is out, it’s not yours anymore. Who owns these kids?

The rule of thumb in the Christian world is that God owns your kids. They are His souls. We birth them and are allowed to raise them for a time. Yet, in all reality they are God’s kids. In my way of thinking the alphabet community wants to be God. Yes, you birthed them, but in the end, they are theirs. They get to give the choices. They get to decide the schooling. They choose the cloths and toys to play with. This new war wants kids to know that there is no freedom of choice in this new sexual freedom movement. The only movement you get is towards their choices for you. Who loses? The parents, kids, or society? Honestly, I think it’s all of the above. A country fought for freedom but are now losing the battle in 2022. I’m astounded how far we are from the hope that the original Star Trek portrayed. What the Hippies marched against. What the race riots wanted. It’s freedom to chose freely. Like all the other evil groups in history. They don’t want you to be free. Not by a long shot. So, as per usual, let’s go after the children.

Christianity and religion (for that matter) is an interesting cat. People on the outside think it’s boring, serious, and rigid. They could all say it’s legalistic and about rules and laws. Funny enough, it is! Yet, there is tremendous freedom in religion. It seems so hard to believe that. I don’t think I’ve ever met a non-believer who thought religion was about freedom and fun. It reminds me that even some Christians have a face that looks like they were weaned on a pickle. In Christian circles they talk a lot about Joy and peace. One pastor said he would rather have peace if he had to choose. Many people think we have to choose. You can’t have both?

I have had the best of times as a Christian. Has it been all been joy and peace? Well, no but it has been wonderful. That seems to be contradictory. The other night a friend was angry as we talked about following God appointed authority. As I have been reading through 1 Samuel it occurred to me that David honored authority almost neurotically. Even as that authority tried to kill him, David tried to honor who God appointed over him. It seems nuts. My friend was angry because we were telling him to respect and honor those who make poor decisions. Is there peace and joy in that?

Where is the peace and joy in honoring those who lead poorly? How can we be happy with bad leadership? I think there are a few things to consider. The first thing to consider is: are you right? Is your view of leadership, correct? What if God was telling them to lead that way? What if God appointed the leadership we deserve? Instead, we have an opinion. We have better ideas. Do we? One of the reasons people hate the Christian faith is Gods seemingly poor judgments. He allows sin to run amuck. He let His own Son die. God kicked us out of paradise for eating fruit. I could go on and on. Our thoughts on holiness and judgment don’t really ever line up with God or those He puts in leadership.

What does God have to say? James 1:2 “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds.” Let’s look at one more. Philippians 4:7 “And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” God gives us knowledge and perseverance. He gives us strength by knowing how things work. That in-turn brings joy and peace. It’s odd but that’s how it works. The non-believer hopes it will work out. They use their own wisdom to win. What happens when they lose? The Christian can look at the cup half full. If we lose then God will win later. If we win then God has blessed us with perseverance and blessings. God never wants the Christian to fret. Believe it or not but God does not consider losing a thing. He does; however, want us to have peace and joy in all things.

2 Corinthians 3:17 “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” I could equally say that where God is winning: understanding and good choices reside. We were not meant to lose. We were not meant to worry or get angry. God has this! Now trials make it look like were not winning. Yet, to the Christian winning is just a matter of the Lord’s timing. I was divorced and poor. I got in an accident and all seemed lost. I met my wife a week later. We lost a trip to Greece from Covid. It looked like the credit was lost. Then I got an email asking if we wanted to use our lost credit still? Yep, were going to Greece. The wife got cancer and the wife got healed. God does not like to lose.

This week I have had trials at work. I still wonder if I will be disciplined for my mistake. Friday my work was done before I got there. I immediately worried that they were replacing me to suspend me. As it turned out, they did my work by mistake. Yet, that is not what I immediately thought. Did I think it was a blessing or help from the Lord? Was my first thought that God was working it out for my good? No, I thought all was lost. I was wrong yet again.

The real answer to freedom and fun is in that darn cup. All through the Bible are references to cups. Yes, some of those themes are about what we drink like death. Yet, to God the cup is always half full. Moses was backed up against the Red Sea. David was running for his life much of the time. Even when Jesus died His disciples thought all was lost. Remember, God does not like to lose. This generation smugly will reject God. I have seen the memes. People are pretty pessimistic towards our current times. This world is sick. Humans have been less than stellar lately. Yet, the human race refuses to let freedom and joy come. If it’s from God then we veimently refuse. Why? Don’t you hate to lose too?

Genesis 11:3-4 “They said to each other, “Come, let’s make bricks and bake them thoroughly.” They used brick instead of stone, and tar for mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise, we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.”

God gave humans a directive to rule creation. What have they done with that directive? Welcome to the bonus study of the ten commands of creation. For all intents and purposes God created our world in Genesis 1. Genesis 2 is just a deeper look into Gods creative work. In so many ways Genesis 2 is a continuation of how God works. He created it all in chapter 1. Then in this second chapter he is giving creation context. Some people have said this was a second re-creation account. I believe it’s a bunch of individual statements that give us insight into the intent of God. It was never about creating a planet. No, it’s always been about making a home for humans.

There are just a few things I want to touch on here. The first is that it appears God had made the man outside the garden of Eden. Big deal! It’s just consistency. God creates and then God places that creation in motion. In chapter 1 we did not have that. The second is Eden. The Bible actually gives context as to where this place is. It places Eden somewhere near turkey and Iraq. The point really is that everything flows from God. In context, everything flows from the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The introduction of woman and how she was made continues God’s way. What flows from God flows through Adam. From there it flows through the woman, animals and into creation itself.

I just want to conclude creation with what I call defining statements in the Bible. There are a few. One is in Judges 21:25 “In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit.” I feel that another is in 2 Chronicles 20:12 “O our God, will you not execute judgment on them? For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.” I also think that there is one right here in Genesis 2:25 “And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.” These are defining moments where God is about to move. These verses are also points in time where humans are made to choose their fate. Will they look to God or humans for direction?

The Bible is really four sections. We have the history of the Israelites beginning in Genesis 12 with the focus and introduction of Abraham. We also have the four Gospels and the work of the disciples and Paul in the New Testament. With that said, I wanted to touch on an interesting story in Genesis 11. The first section of the Bible covers chapter 1-11. This period of time marks almost half of Bible history yet it’s only the eleventh chapter. A lot happens in these eleven chapters. So, for me, this story in Genesis 11 is a point in time where humans are going one of two ways.

Remember that God said in Genesis 1:26 that they made man in God’s likeness. I believe that the Spirit of the Lord was meant to flow through humans. What potential does human kind have? If a powerful God made us then what power do, we hold? Through Christian history we have seen miracles and divine healing flow through people. Amazing insights into God’s word has shaped our theology of God. I do believe that it was always meant to be that way. The four rivers flowing out of Eden represent God flowing out to the four corners of the earth. Look at another defining statement in Matthew 28:19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”

Here in Genesis 11, we find humans deciding to take heaven. I just want to touch on two verses that are interesting. The first is Genesis 11: 6 “The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language, they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them.” Clearly creation was formed so that humans could be fruitful and multiply. This is the second time that humans have tried to be like God. The first was with the fall of Adam and Eve. The second verse is Genesis 11: 4 “Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, with a tower that reaches to the heavens, so that we may make a name for ourselves; otherwise, we will be scattered over the face of the whole earth.” Look at the wording. These people are saying “let us” build. Humans have always wanted to be God.

I have added this to our creation study because God made and God enacted his creation to move. Here in chapter eleven, Man “made” and man is trying to enact his will on God. As God was consistent with creation, humans have been consistent in trying to be God. Adam and Eve have tried. These people in Genesis 11 tried. I would also say that though history the church has tried. We talked in the beginning of this study about the theme of separation. God separated Adam and Eve from the garden. He separated the people of Babel by scattering them all over the earth. Ironically, by their kinds. Notice, humans were the one creation that God did not separate by kinds when he made them originally.

Recently I have been listening to several Bible podcasts.  It’s become part of my routine. I like Mike Winger (The Bible Thinker) and former Zoe Girl band member Alisa Childers. Both of them claim to be Apologists. What does that mean? There are people who love the Bible. Yet, they are not fans of those who bash Christianity and the Bible. These Apologists have a passion to defend the Bible and encourage others to return to the word of God. I could call them Christian explainists.  Funny enough their field of passion is not my bag, yet I listen

I’m pretty sure God does not need me to defend Him. Mark 4:11-12 explains my thoughts On Jesus and the word of God “He said to them, “The secret of God’s kingdom has been given to you, but to those who are outside everything comes in parables. 12 This is so that they can look and see but have no insight, and they can hear but not understand. Otherwise, they might turn their lives around and be forgiven.” God will give you understanding of His word. The Spirit of the Lord will reside within you and search the depths of God for knowledge and understanding. In many ways there are two types of listeners: those who don’t want to know God and those who might be open. I do feel there are two types of Apologists. Those who argue theology and those who are searching for people who might be open to God. Can we really explain the Bible?

I suppose I am an apologist because I want to help people understand God. Is it my role? I thought the Spirit has that job? Jesus said in John 6:44 “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.” I use that verse as a guideline. Who is God drawing towards me? I should help explain the Bible to them. Yet, should I argue theological points? Should I defend God’s word? People that love to argue the Bible always turn to easy arguing points. Why does God allow evil? Why does God let children die? They love to pronounce that a loving God would not send people to hell. What am I to do with those who want to confront God?

What does God have to say? 1 Corinthians 4:5 “Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God.” In God’s time He will draw you to Himself. Is it by knowledge or by death? They say that God is pure love. He is always searching and drawing people to be near Him. Yet, we also have a nature that wants to resist God. Apologists sit in-between. They are reasoning God to unbelievers. Yet, they also defend difficult passages. I suppose they are modern day prophets.

When God enters your life everything changes. Your understanding of the Bible changes. The view of church and Christian things change. I remember those early days. It was horrifying and stunning. Horrifying because all of a sudden, I knew so little. Then we are stunned because God provides clarity to the world around us. The Big Bang and Darwin become ridicules. The Bible becomes reasonable. It literally changed for me in the twinkling of an eye. Yet, this other thing happened. I began to talk about God. I wanted to defend my new faith. That did not sit well with family and friends.

Over the years I have grown in my knowledge of God and the Bible. I get church and Christian ministry. There is; however, so much more to learn. The Christian world is so big that you could never know it all. I was stunned at how little I knew before. How little I was willing to know. The unbeliever needs to keep their grasp of understanding in a very small manageable box. Why? It’s because if the great wide open were to be released in your head and heart, you might realize your very small. That you’re not as smart as you thought you were. We can learn from God in small doses.

That leaves me with apologists. They gain wisdom and understanding from God. Some of them feel the need to share and argue. The problem is in understanding. In our time on earth, we get just a glimpse of who and what God is. There are passages in the Bible we will never fully understand. God is love! It’s true but a generic understanding. God is powerful! Isn’t a God supposed to be powerful? The Book of Revelation tries to explain future events by describing iron things. Incomprehensible things in their day. We see the words of God and sometimes it looks odd. I have felt His work inside of me. Heaven and Gods kingdom has touched me. It's brought about radical change. Explain it?

Here is my best shot. God is Spirit. Yet, He is able to become physical. God is outside of time, yet He works within time too. God loves but He does get angry. We will die but we will also live. The Christian world is not definable for the most part. All we really understand is that God is God and we are not Him. He is that iron thingy. Explainable by frail human terms. I suppose an apologist has their place. Yet, confronting unbelievers is futile if God does not open their minds and draw them to Himself. To them, God is just what they want to believe, not what He really is. I think that to Christians it’s similar. God is what we hope He is. Is He in either case?

Creation Command Ten: The Gatekeepers of Creation

Genesis 1:26 “Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”

I heard a story of Michelangelo being asked how he made a statue from a slab of marble. He said that it begins with him seeing the finish product and not a slab of marble. That is how God does it. Do you think that he just randomly made creation? I’ll make a fish and then add water. Did he make plants and then make light? No! God made everything in a certain order. An order that makes something and then puts it in motion. Everything God created was built so that the next thing needed it. Plants need light. Fish need water. What if I said that humans needed creation to survive?

In all honesty, this verse might be the greatest. What if humans were made to reflect their creator. What if we survive as spiritual beings directly because were made by a spiritual creator? Everything needs the creation before it. It’s not enough for God to just make fish or land. He must ask them to go forth and multiply. To not only survive but thrive. The big part is the push. God says “let them.” To me, it’s God giving it a push forward like a boat. I would also say it’s like a baby bird being pushed out of the nest. God makes and then he enables. What if humans were enabled (spiritually) to take care of creation.

Through a study I did in university, I found a correlation between the land, animals, and our sin. In so many ways sin is spiritual. Humans don’t do well mentally when we do wrong. There is mentally anguish, guilt, stress, and fear. All of these things work on our body in a negative way. You plainly see that sinful humans have hurt this earth? From water to animals, this planet is becoming unlivable as we get more violent and complicated. God said in Genesis 3 that man would have to struggle with thorns and thistles while he took care of creation. I think humans have struggled knowing their place in creation.

1 Corinthians 11:3 “But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the husband is the head of his wife, and God is the head of Christ.”

God began human life by saying “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness.” Humans began as a reflection of God. Maybe even a reflection of the very best God could create. People love to say that we are His image. My kids reflect my parenting. They mildly look like me, but they do act like me in so many ways. They are my kids. We are God’s creation (kids). We were supposed to be like Him. The verse above has been used to enact authority over wives and kids. What if that verse was really all about how we affect wives and kids? God spiritually affects His Son, Jesus. Jesus affects humans that are under him. Jesus embodies goodness and God’s likeness upon those who believe. Those male believers are supposed to embody that spiritual likeness on their family.

Look at the creation commands. They are about building and enacting. Each part is helpful to the next part. Nothing was created that hurt the next creation. God is always moving forward by the Spirit of the Lord. This whole study has proved that God is consistent and purposeful. All creation was made for humans to thrive under God. Yet, God is going one step further in this tenth and final command of creation. Humans are made and now they are asked to Go forth and multiply? No, they are told to rule over all that has been made. Rule with an entitled iron fist? No, they are to tend to God’s creation, not dominate it.

If you read on in the rest of Genesis 1, you will see that God then asks humans to be fruitful and multiply. To subdue creation. God said to humans that He gives to them all the plants and animals. It’s like it’s a gift. Gods final act as creator. Humans are part of creation. Yet, they are clearly so much more. We are the only creature made in God’s image. We are the only one that is asked to rule over. I would even go further by says that humans are given the opportunity to be God’s gate keepers to creation. It comes back to what Paul said in 1 Corinthians. First there was God. Then he created the earth and all that is in it. Creation needs God. Then God creates humans from that very dust of creation. Don’t miss that. The land and creation are connected to us. We need creation to survive. So, we better take care of it!

When should you start living? I contend it should be yesterday! Over the years I have spent far too much time pondering what went wrong. Maybe know one else does but this guy has a degree in pondering. It all began with childhood dreams. I had parents that were far too busy destroying their marriage than making me see dreams. Everything I talked about was met with shrugs, silence, and criticism. What we ended up with is three boys that are a hot mess. That was yesterday’s news.

Fast forward to my divorce. I most certainly was devastated with the best of them. Yet, three months in I a had a good day. A day where the mirror wasn’t all that terrifying. Where I felt a ton of pressure lift off my back. What changed? Was there an angel or a new love interest? Well, no it was time knocking on the door asking if I wanted to come out and play. I felt guilty for feeling good. I felt guilty because I was addicted to feeling bad. I suspect hope joined us outside that day. What really happened? I went for long walks. A ton of long walks. Inside I had always wanted to be loved. So, a fight broke out inside my sole. Was I condemned or saved?

For months I had spent far too much time in front of the mirror. Admiring my incredible physique! No, I was judge and jury of yesterday. What had I done wrong? How can I fix me? I was solely to blame. It’s good to take a small look into the past and see patterns and choices. Nobody wants to burn their hands twice. Do we really want to be divorced twice? Yet, regrets about not going to university began to creep in. Thoughts about the wrong choice in a spouse and even who my parents were owned me. Around and around went the accusations and hair brained solutions to yesterday.

What does God have to say? A few things! Luke 9:62 “Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” This verse scares me. Actually, it should scare us all. Could it be that everyone who believes (or not) will be unfit for heaven if they look to the past? Does your yesterday define your future? In the Bible, God is all about the future. He is not interested in past lives and past sin. What He is interested in is what will you do today. With what you have been given? Given? Yes, your money, time, and talents. Who will you bless? What good actions will you do? Will you build this planet up or tear it down?

Yesterday is a life killer. I know! Imagine, for over 40 years I did not run in an outdoor race. All that time I spent dieting and eating. Yet, I love running. I enjoy working out. In my teens I always did. Why is there a 40-year gap then? It’s just surviving today. It’s saying I can’t. It’s letting the weight of regret and disappointment crush my hope. At 50, a light went on. What my parents think is theirs and not mine. God believes in me so that must mean something. It’s taken time but recently I realized that God is still molding me. Then it hit me: He must be still interested. That shocked me!

My life is two halves’. The first 33 years was spent running from me. Believing all the lies about me. My Ex did me a massive favor by pushing me out of her life. I was forced to grow up. The next 23 years has been a journey of discovering me. There have been rungs. One step at a time I have gained more hope. Gained more confidence. Tomorrow I am running a race for the first time in 40 years. Yet, I don’t look behind that and regret. Instead, I built a calendar of my future. I will be running more races. I will be on a cruise. I am planning workouts and books to read. Funny, my mirror is now one of my happy places.

Imagine being raped at 16. Who would? Yet, I know people who had some sort of terrible tragedy that happened years and years before. They say it still affects them 40 years later. We live on average 72 years. I know bad things affect us. Yet, will we let it destroy the rest of our short lives? We make a massive mistake at 18. At 60, are you still destroyed? I know, I know our first response is “you just don’t know the pain.” God says he will take pain away. How? Is it a kind word? Is it a soothing movie or book that inspired us? Those things will help. Yet, God says it’s yesterday. Leave yesterday behind. Throw it away and give it no importance. Why? Because it’s a dead body you can’t resurrect or change. Yesterday is done, finished, and gone. It’s time to let it go.

God has so many verses that choose hope. That lead to prosperity and second chances. Yet, we claim pain, hurt, and failure. Why? I hope for a good future! So, get on a treadmill. I want to succeed! So, sign up for a course. I have always wanted to travel. Book a flight. Read a book or don’t read a book? Take a walk or sit. The hard choice is being a victim of yesterday or a recipient of tomorrow. The hard truth is that you didn’t cause your pain, but you choose to live in it. Far too many people have overcome. So many people that your victimhood looks silly. People can overcome. They can make an amazing future. They chose to. Will you, or do you prefer yesterday?

A new world: Let’s try Again

Ok, let’s try again! I love reviewing things and countdowns. I have 4 days until my first live running race in 40 years. Yeesh! We now have a cruise! It will be in 212 days. Oct 6th-19th. We begin by Flying to Athens. I love messing with travel. Why do it the conventional way. Besides it makes my wife nervous and that is fun. We just booked a flight to Athens that has a horrendous 8 hr. layover in Paris. Yet, we could walk out of the airport and visit a friend for a few hours and then return through customs. Will that work in the post covid world? I will check it out. Then we land at midnight in Athens. I hate arriving at night in a place I’ve never been. We plan on having the hotel arrange a cab.

Then I picked a hotel within a six-minute walk to the Acropolis in Athens. They are about 30 minutes from the Airport and cruise port. Seems like a win-win. Then we are on a cruise with Princess Regal for 7 days. Bring on Santorini, Kotor Montenegro, Sicily, and Naples Italy. Then we finish up in Barcelona Spain. Why stop there? I looked at Barcelona and was thrilled to see this interesting city. Yet, we are not that far from Paris and London. Oh, the pull to see the Eiffel Tower and Buckingham Palace! I decided to drive my wife even more crazy. Let’s take a tour of Barcelona that will drop us off at the Airport. Then we will fly to Paris. Let’s stay there for a few days and then take the train to London. Now were having fun! I already book the return flight from London to home.

Let’s get back to racing. I have big plans. A trainer in IFit said she started running in different cities all over the world. She thought that was thrilling. Yep, I’m doing that! Certainly, I’m running in Paris, London, and possibly Sicily. I plan on hiking up 1350 steps in Kotor. Oh, and I’ll be running on the track atop the boat! Yet, I have to be reasonable. The wife isn’t a runner. I do want to tour and shop. I want local food in every place. I heard that Santorini wine is delicious. The wife wants French pastry. I’m in on that. I look forward to trying a princess cruise. There has always been a desire to do that since the Love Boat show.

Creation Commandment Nine: Getting ready for Humans

Genesis 1:24 And God said, “Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind: cattle and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind.” And it was so.

Ah the bug spot! This command of creation number 9 is our introduction to animals and bugs. I always wondered how bugs fit in. For the most part humans have spent an eternity trying to kill them. I have heard it said that the one thing that would survive a nuclear holocaust was bugs. Not to underscore animals. All that the Lord made, so long ago, has survived. Whether it’s Darwin to random evolution, creation has survived.

God is not one dimensional. It’s like humans to make a singular God do one thing. Zeus is the god of thunder. He is not the god of love. There is Hades the god of the underworld. The Jewish God is odd. He does not conform to the ways of the deities in the human world. Why can’t you make an idol to God? It’s because he is the multi-dimensional God. Zeus is called Zeus. Hera is called Hera. The Jewish God is called Yahweh (Lord), Adonai (master), El Olam (everlasting). It makes sense that God is also called the Trinity (three in one). This God head is made up of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. What I’m getting at is that God would create multi-dimensional creatures. Why? It’s his nature to be more than one thing.

With that said, God created plants and their kinds. We have several different pine trees and roses. The birds of the air and fish in the sea were commanded into being. Then God made them by their kinds. We have the ostrich and the dove. The Whale and the Mino. Yet, each time God made the template and then expanded on it. I have heard guys say that you should never buy a car that is a first edition. They have to work the bugs out. God worked the bugs in by the 9th command of creation.

Is that why we survived all these years? Are plants adaptable because God made different kinds? I have been so stunned when people say it was random creation. Did that person ever think about (and study) a pelican and a humming bird. Have you taken a good long look at a crocodile and a lion? People try and link an ape to a man. Yet, two types of creatures in their own species like the humming bird and pelican can’t be more different, yet their birds. What exactly does a crocodile and a lion have to work with? The multi-dimensional God made multi-dimensional creatures by their kind.

I am fascinated with anti-God people. They accept that an explosion made a humming bird and a newt. They also except that we were vegetarians in the beginning. Some have even quoted the Bible to bolster their point. We were not meant to eat meat. Yet, God created cattle. He created fish and plants. Ironically, humans eat them all. Ok, back to the bugs. God basically told us not to eat them. Why are they here! It even says God created wild animals. Cattle are not wild or domesticated. Cows do what cows do. Same with bugs!!

Genesis 1:25 “God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good.”

This book is going out of its way to say God made the kinds. The Bible is drawing a line in the sand in regards to Darwin. A line in the sand with the Big Bang Theory. I still think that theory is possible. That does not deny that God didn’t do it. How do people reconcile that bears are all over the planet, yet the Venus Fly Trap is in a swamp in North and South Carolina only? I’m not a fan of being a God Apologist. Yet, only a blind man can’t tell that every creature and plant on this planet is unique and different.

If you went back and scrolled through my other blogs you will see a pattern. Clearly, I have emotional issues. One week I’m fine and then I go on some crazy rant. Is it church or politics? From time to time, I get a clear head and write something useful. Hopefully that will be today. I have always dabbled in athletics. My dad had a sports room full of unwashed hockey gear. From sticks to bats we had it all. He coached me in lacrosse and hockey. In grade 7, I joined the running club. I loved that stuff. Oddly enough, from time to time I lost it. My body is probably about a 160-pound man at 6’. Yet, I have dabbled at being 200-220 at times.

How to fix the weight problem 101? I am not an expert in fitness. However, to be fair, I know a thing or two. From long jump to power walking, I understand the basics. Yet, my fitness level has been like a yoyo. I even tried to be a vegetarian for a year. It worked well until I got sick and found out my vegan friends were popping B12 pills. Yes, I hit 155 pounds but I was unhealthy. Fast forward to last march and I’m 55 and about 200 pounds. It’s was about 30 years of being in and out of shape. I walk 10 miles a day at work as a mailman. I thought I was in some sort of shape. Wrong!

That brings me to a shameless plug for IFit. We bought a fancy treadmill so that I could keep limber on holidays from work. Imagine having to work out so you can do your job. Even the sales person made me think it’s only a machine. IFit is a gimmick. Oh, how wrong they were. One day I decided to walk on my treadmill just for fun after work. I did not think I could walk all day and exercise too. Then my legs started to improve. After a while I began to hear teachings from the trainers on breathing, fitness, and blood balance. My whole body improved as I began to run and lose 30 pounds.

What does God have to say? Yes, Even God works out on a treadmill. Just kidding, but am I? Paul tells us to run the race. He mentions being healthy and mindful of everything about yourself. God gave the Israelites a diet. Ok, he did not give them a workout routine but Jesus said to love your God with your body, mind, and soul. Again, Paul mentions not getting drunk on wine but rather the spirit. People always want to spiritualize these statements. It’s not about wine. It’s not about doing things perfect for God. It is about having a well-balanced life of eating, drinking, and exercising your whole body to the fullest and in moderation.

IFit asks me to meditate and do yoga. They asked me to take days off. To run slower and let my body break and heal. Why? It’s to get faster, stronger, and healthier from the inside out. In about 15 months I have lost 30 pounds but my body now looks chiselled. Yet, I feel good. I walk with purpose and happiness. They say that people look to three areas to improve when they exercise. It’s the chin, butt, and tummy. Yet, if you have ever worked out you know the last to fall are the chin, butt, and tummy. It takes time. One trainer said it could take years. If I have any areas that could lose weight it’s the chin and tummy. My butt is gone but buns of steal are rising.

I never thought (in all my days) that I would truly be an athlete. It’s for other guys and gals. Not me! Then it hit me. What if our mind is the only thing between healthy living and years of dieting and being overweight? What if we could run and stay fit? The trainers asked us to slow down and take the time to let our bodies build fitness. To build a lifestyle of exercise. Do you know that it builds power and energy rather than take it? So many people think working out would drain them. Oh no, it’s rather the opposite.

Generally speaking, I can eat what I want. Let’s not get crazy! I have extra energy to burn. I look amazing for 56. No really, I look amazing! The treadmill is part of me. My goodness, I now also run outside and just adore my new runners. The kicker isn’t weight. It’s new clothes and a new desire to look good and feel awesome. Why do diets not work? It’s because we never let our bodies train to pump blood better. Train our blood to carry oxygen better. We don’t convince our mind to take time and not rush. Those tough areas? They are disappearing but, in their time, not mine. It’s not easy to fix the weight problem if you lack patience. It’s not easy to fix the weight problem if you won’t slow down and listen. It’s never been about losing weight. It’s never been about looking good or new years resolutions. No, it’s always been about long-term lifestyle. A desire to listen and be patient for results. Funny enough, diets always offer fast change. It’s something our bodies were never meant to do.

What is proper Bible (Christian) etiquette? My wife is always suspicious of men who shake with soft hands. Where has the firm handshake gone while looking you in the eye, man to man? Shouldn’t Christian men have soft gentle hands? What about the soft-spoken men who never get mad or ever raise their voice? Should Christians be kind, gentle and polite as a Danish nun? I know people who can quote the Bible better than a cursing drunken sailor cusses. They know the verses and swear by them. Are these people more holy than others? There was a man who stated that he did not knowingly sin anymore. Has he cornered the market on goodness because he’s Christian?

I just want to know? There was a big man who had very large hands. The first night I met him, he took those big mitts and warmed my frozen hands. He was a rough man with a loving heart. This same person was quick to challenge the pastorate to do better. His wife was the church secretary. In time, that church let her go due to financial constraints. They hired a new and cheaper girl. My large friend did not appreciate the lack of commitment from that church towards his wife. Is he a good Christian man or a rough stock Christian wannabe? Was that church respecting the Lord when they made decisions based on money and not love, respect, and honor?

I know, it’s not always as it seems. Churches to need to keep a tight belt, right? Godly men should be serving and silent, right? There has not been a church I’ve attended where the top elders are not rich. It never happens because pastors are trained to find wealth anchors. Is it biblical, proper etiquette, and smart? Is it the way the Lord intended? Do I bring this up as a disgruntled pew sitter? Actually no, I just want people to see that church plays the corporate game as well as Bill Gates. That God has little to do with the Christian charade. I believe that Christian etiquette is good as long as it’s not being used to hide the real you. Mice do know how to run around behind the walls.

What does God have to say? Matthew 23:27 ““Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean.” It’s interesting that Jesus was not a synagogue insider. He wasn’t an elite like the Pharisee or Sadducee. Jesus didn’t grow up as a pastor’s kid. It’s not even clear if his parents were regular synagogue attenders. Yet, Jesus knew what goes on in the hearts of those behind church closed doors. As God’s Son, He had watched them all from afar. God wants good hearts over good looks and clean tassels on robes. God probably wanted the rough hands of fishermen over the soft hands of priests.

Jesus didn’t even pick one religious’ man within His twelve disciples. Ecclesiastics 7:20 “Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins.” Paul was a Pharisee. He knew the religious game. It should be a warning when he wrote Romans 3:10-12 “As it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” The righteous Paul leaned the hard way that God is not impressed with lofty religious etiquette. He wants action and heartfelt Christian living the right way.

So, what is the right way? Ask a thousand pastors and you will get two thousand different answers. There will be a lot of pausing and soft hand sweating. Yes, it’s speaking in tongues. Its all in the fruit we bear. Certainly, God is impressed with our faith. Works has its place. The prosperity Gospel has its merits. Yet, the little church mouse games continue while hiring the PK kids and excluding those with a seedy past. Are the worship teams in big churches beautiful? The best of the best. Are church ministry leaders picked based on bank accounts and career choices?

Then there is the outside world. I had a friend challenge me on my Bible etiquette. He didn’t see a Bible fearing man in my daily actions. Now, this was also a man who did not believe in God and has never darkened the door of a church. What does he know about goodness and religion? Yet, he had a position. He had thoughts on the matter. How could the unchurched know what the church should look and act like? It’s called general revelation. God created it all. He made each one of us and owns the church. Deep inside each one of us is the fingerprint of God. We know goodness when we see it. We know that miracles are not human. Somehow and some way we know what morals should look like.

Ok, I am a spark plug on social media. I call out bad leadership in my country. I will challenge pastors on playing silly church mouse games. Martin Luther was inside the church pastorate. His passion for God got the best of him. He wrote 95 scathing theses based on the state of the church. The current Pope decided to put a price in Martin’s head rather than discuss the concerns. Oh, his beef was over money, power, and hypocritical church games. Imagine that! Martin and I are cut from the same cloth. Christian cloth? I want good church etiquette. I do! Should I act better in public some times? Yes, I should! Yet, I feel that my zeal for the Lord is not that much different than naked dancing King David or an irate monk hammering theses on a church door. I’m Christian with all my faults, sins, and outspoken words. It’s interesting that I make church mice and some unsaved people so uncomfortable being real.

Creation Command 7: The Earth is set-up for Blood

Genesis 1:20 And God said, “Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures.”

Have you noticed that throughout this whole study I have ignored the ending of each day? It says there was evening and morning. Jesus called himself the Alpha and omega. We know that is the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. We also know that the definition of those terms is the first and the last respectively. Did you know that the Jewish day begins a 6pm? That it ends the next day (by our standards) at 6pm. I actually don’t think this was by accident. God began by separating the darkness. It begins to get dark at 6pm. What do we look forward to? It’s the daylight.

If we could have witnessed creation it might have looked like this. God created light, waters, land, plants, and then he set the heavens in motion as time begins. That is where the setting up of life began. It’s also where it’s finished. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. That is done. The earth is complete within itself. God could have stopped there and created a terrarium. Yet, he is not done quite yet. There is still something more.

All of a sudden two things are different now. It’s all in the blood. Sea creatures have blood. Well, that is any of them that have a circulatory system. Some creatures have red blood and others have blue. All creatures need oxygen to survive. God is building something. I love the creation account because it has purpose. Everything we need to exist was being built one step at a time. In the Bible is this statement 2 Peter 3:8 “But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.” I think it’s pointing out that God does not need time to do what he wants. Yet, I believe time was needed to make creation work. Why make oceans first and fish second last? Was time needed to make the ocean habitable for sea creatures?

I will admit that I think creation was done in more than 6 days. Christians love to argue “our God is so powerful that he did it in 6 days.” Yet, they equally say God is patient. I suspect 2 Peter is a hint. It may have taken thousands of years to populate the earth. Setting up an ecosystem and shaping the land. Yet, to God (who is outside time) it was a day. I truly go down this road because of this creation account. It’s done in a certain order. This is thought out and calculated. I find it interesting that the oldest creatures alive today are sea creatures.

Jerimiah 23:24 “Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the Lord.”

There are three places in creation to fill on this earth. The first is found in the oceans. God separated the waters and put sea creatures in the oceans below. Then it says that God created a dome, vault, or expanse and called it sky. Here in the seventh command of creation, God fills the sky with flying things. Next week we will see God create creatures to fill the land. This is technically picky but it does not say that God created the bugs. Are the bugs part of the creatures or flying birds? I have always thought that bugs are part of death. They eat our food and eat our dead bodies. Were bugs not a part of the original creation?

Again, the Bible story of creation is consistent. God tends to make something and then tweak it. He obviously made the earth then he tweaked it. He separated the waters and then filled the oceans and sky. The sky is filled with birds and lights. The heavens are filled with celestial beings like stars. Each piece of creation is commanded into being. Then later on a second command fills them. Although this is a very small account, it has tremendous purpose. Clearly each first command sat for a bit while he made the others. Then he methodically filled each one in the same order.

Anger and fear dominate this current North American generation. That includes me. My wife is super annoyed with my anger. Now, I’m not abusive or violent. Instead, I am a slow boiling complainer. I can’t stand the current governments in North America as a whole. This woke generation is driving me over the wall that Trump built. Yet, I posted a meme yesterday that sums me up. I struggle with being a Jesus follower while wanting to slap people. It’s honesty and a frustration all at the same time. I have been through some tough times. We all have. I cannot remember a time when I was so infuriated as I am these days. Old?

The Bible is chalked full of verses about anger. There is no leg to stand on or excuse when it comes to bad behavior. We should trust in the Lord. God says He will avenge. The Psalms and Proverbs are riddled with verses telling us not to be angry. Genesis 4:7 “If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” It’s a daunting verse. Anger and other forms of hatred will be our undoing. I think the worst part of that verse is “you must master it.” Yes, but it’s a pretty big tiger to tame.

One time a roommate had a party when I was gone. I came home and was so angry. I told him I was going to put my Christianity aside for a minute. Is it that simple? I mean, you still have to repent after. You still have to read your Bible and look for better ways to handle stuff. It’s tricky. People like to say Jesus had a right to be angry in the temple because He was God. Yet, others say a little righteous anger is fine. So, which is it? God gets angry. He says He can handle anger far better than we can. Maybe that is the key.

What does God have to say. Ephesians 4:26-27 “In your anger do not sin” Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold.” This verse is no different than Genesis 4:7. You could say sin or anger is crouching at your door, and you must master it. God controlled His anger throughout the Bible. He could have toasted humans and evil at any time. Honestly, God’s worst detractors complain that He is not avenging and killing people who sin. Where is God in times of rape and child abuse? Numbers 14:18 “‘The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, to the third and the fourth generation.” At Some point you will have to face God and His judgment or anger.

As humans we have a strange anger. Jesus makes many people angry. Why? Most of them don’t even know Jesus or what He stood for. They just hate Him. I can’t stand some political leaders. I might even hate them. Have I met them or try and understand them? Instead, my anger wants what it wants. Yet, God hates sin. I don’t hate all my sin. I don’t pass judgment on every person who sins. I let this pass and that slide. Certainly, I ignore this sin and secretly don’t care about other sin. My anger hates injustices I care about. My anger does not hate what God hates.

This is interesting. Most public speakers talk about things they are knowledgeable and passionate about. Yet, if you listen, they tend to leave out the things that they sin in. A politicians will talk about Black Lives Matter while ignoring poverty in all cultures. They point out the oppositions sin and give excuses for their own. Pastors talk about porn or adultery while ignoring sex before marriage. They raise the alarm on gossip while ignoring smaller things like laziness or spiritual abuse of their congregation. We all have secret sins. They fuel a strange anger towards other things different than our own sin. It’s how humans roll.

Ok, God does not sin. They say Jesus did not sin. People also say we should be like Jesus. Be holy because the Lord is holy. We are humans and on this side of the cross we will sin. God mis gracious. His anger is subdued because He loves us so much. It means He is giving us a chance to accept Him and allow Jesus to turn our lives around. To head towards heaven and away from hell. Our strange anger wants us to turn around and head back towards hell. How to be a better human 101. Walk towards the God of love and light. How to be a better hellion? Walk towards your anger and hate. It comes back to my meme. Is there a way to live in love while hating? Unfortunately, the answer is no.

Matthew 7:14 “But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

Imagine not voting for the leader? In some countries that is the way it is. I will admit that it’s practically useless who we vote for. In western Canada our vote is more than worthless. The whole country is run by two provinces out of 10. I get it. In a democracy the will of the people counts. Unfortunately, the majority of people live in eastern cities. We vote by people and not by a region and it’s killing our democracy. Yet, I believe in one vote per person. It just does not work well when your country is spread out like Canada.

In America it’s different. The popular vote does not pick the president. Yet, there system sort of works on a state level. In Canada, we get a few choices for Prime Minister. America gets basically two. What happens when the choices suck? What if the party is terrible but the leader is good? We need a better way. What is that way? Somehow and someway, we need a system that represents all people and all regions. Why is there such a mess in our political climate right now? Let’s face it, people are not voting. The ones that are have an agenda more than a candidate. What does the party stand for? What will they give you? Voting has ironically become political and ideological. We need a better way.

There was a time when people lined the streets to see a leader. A time when the police did public services to help the community. I stood on the streets for hours just to see the queen drive by. Those days are gone. Who cares about any leader? The police are the enemy in so many places now. Judges seem to be the friend of the guilty and crucifier of the innocent. I tell people about those good old days. Days of real freedom and they seem horrified.

What does God have to say? Deuteronomy 32:7 “Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past. Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders, and they will explain to you.” The Bible talks about the old haired people knowing stuff. They remembered the ancient of days. Over and over the Bible saints asked us to remember the for-fathers. Sometimes the Bible repeats stories and phrases. Why? It’s because the Bible is not an exact timeline. There are jumps in years all over the place. It does not take long for people to forget the past. How many of us are mad at Hitler or Stalin? Even 9/11 is becoming distant. Yet, (just a little) we must remember.

Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it.’ - George Santayana

Why do politicians get re-elected when they fail? In my country the Prime Minister is a corrupt goof yet, he has won three times. Why? People don’t care and time heals memory. Apathy is rampant all over the world. I have wondered if the world is getting old. Just a little exhausted! It’s not all doom and gloom. But... it kind of is. It seems impossible for Russians and Canadians to work together. How can the east work well with the west? Were having enough trouble with skin color and gender playing ball in the same park. We need a better way.

History tells us that strife between nations does not go well. Strife between cultures, tribes, and skin color has its problems. Many nations have killed their own people because of differences. Are those differences color, religion, or historical rivals? How easy is it not to vote! How easy is it to blame another group or party! Isn’t that how Jews died and Rwanda got turned upside down? How close are we to killing the other side? We scream no! It can’t happen. Yet, I know deep down you hate and despise another group. It’s just not true you plead. Yet, I see twitter. I see the comments by the local politicians. These people are repeatedly voted in because they wear nice clothes, right? It couldn’t be they stand for what you stand for?

My pastor said how we do anything is how we do everything. He also mentioned that we are known by our habits. Are we known by who we vote for? What protest sign we carry or pronoun is in our bio. History began with frustration. The inability to fix it. If a chance was given to take over, would you go for it? If a law could be changed, would you vote for it? What if it helped you but inconvenienced another? Would you still vote to change it? I want change. Real change. Would I help my province separate to get it? I believe I would. Is that the best thing for my country? Is the current political climate the best thing for me or my country? Am I slowly being drawn into revolution just to feel better? Maybe we need a better way before all hell breaks loose.

Creation Command 4: let’s sustain life

Genesis 1:11 “Then God said, “Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it.” And it was so.”

I love the critics that say the Bible is old, draconian, and primitive. One thing the Bible is not: is primitive. Why does it talk about the universe and stars well before astronomy found its footing? Why does the Bible warn against eating animals that are harmful like pork and some shell fish well before science had influence? I went to a bird sanctuary in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It gets cold here in the winter. Why do the birds stay at this sanctuary year-round? Birds need three things to stay: food, water, and shelter. This sanctuary sits on a thermal hot spot so the ice never forms. The trees provide berries and shelter. Genesis 1 has 4 commands of creation that set up that scenario for living creatures: light, water, land, and plants. The Bible is pretty smart.

What do we need to survive? The Bible thinks we need water, light, land, and food. Not only food, but food that reproduces itself. I have wondered why God gave the Israelites Manna but not the first creatures on the planet. Instead, God provided fruit for food and trees for shelter. In a way God set up the perfect sanctuary to house living creatures. I guess that God wanted to create survival cycles. We know that water has an evaporation cycle. Light and darkness cycle. I suppose that even the tides cycle too. Everything you need for life to exist, God commanded into creation. Do you put your fish into an aquarium before the water, filter, and rocks? The Bible is smart.

Did you notice? Can you see it? There is a theory that the living creatures like humans were vegetarians. We are not there in the creation story yet, but humans were also naked. They ate fruit. The animals seem to be friendly. What happened when Adam and Eve fell from grace? God pretty much changed the rules. Eve will have pain in child bearing. Was there supposed to be birthing in the beginning? God made them wear animal skins. Were the animals supposed to be killed for clothes? Also, the plants became riddled with thorns. In a way, the fall of Adam and Eve made the sanctuary a living hell.

God tells the humans to tend the garden. Yet, God provided all they needed to make survive. God told the man not to eat of the tree in the middle of the garden. I suppose the tree of life (allowing you to live forever) was somewhere there as well. I just find it funny that people bash the Bible, but they can’t see it. This book begins with an orderly set up for living creatures. It could have begun with man. It could have begun like other creation accounts with a God battle. There was a spiritual war between Satan and God. When did it happen? Yet, the first four commands of creation don’t go there at all. There is no epic battle. Humans are not even the focal point. God is setting the stage by creating a self-sustaining ecosystem first.

If you read Genesis 2 you will see the account of creation focus in on humans. God creates these creatures and then brings all the animals to them. God tries to give the man a helper. At first, He provides animals but the man is not complete. So, God creates a female helper for the man. I only make mention to this because God made all the food and animals to sustain the man. Some people say that humans have ruined nature. I can’t disagree. Yet, God made everything for man. Humans have spent their lifetime trying to outdo God. Occom’s Razor states that the simplest answer is usually the best. How much that humans have created has harmed us?

Finally, I want you to read Matthew 6:25-34. If Jesus is God, then this is his creation statement. Jesus goes on to say that if God made all these things in its spender, are not humans more important? Why say that the earth was not supposed to be for humans? Humans may have ruined it, but creation was spoken into existence for humans. God provided the Israelites a way through the desert. God gave them water from rocks and manna from the sky. God also provided humans a way back to him after being tossed from Eden. I do believe that part of the revelation account is tied to birth pains. Jesus said we will know when the time comes for the end of days. I wonder if all the ruining of this planet will come to a conclusion as well.

I keep hearing over and over that, as Christians, we should be kind and turn the other cheek. In principle this should be our stance. I have been reminded over and over in the Bible that God wants to fight our battle. So, we don’t have to? I just don’t think it’s that simple. Should a bunch of people die in a fight and you still win? Should the enemy be obliterated for our cause? I believe God wants to fight the battle so both sides win. Men will fight a dirty war. Men will fight by any means. God will fight the right way.

The Lord in heaven would rather that I pray, look to God for direction and help. The battle belongs to him. It’s like our enemies. The great equalizer is death. Justice might not come on earth. Yet, at death God will make amends. Our role is to uphold the integrity of God. To rely on the best way to win. There are several instances where God confused or destroyed the enemy without an arrow being shot. God does not need to prove He is strong and we are weak. In battle we could find those things out. Yet, God knows we know. We are strong. He is strong. The greatest power we have is admitting weakness to gain strength in the Lord.

With that said, there is a time to fight. Sometimes our long road is much longer directly because we don’t fight. We don’t pray, call on the Lord, or read our Bible. Sometimes it’s as simple as not fighting. There are moments when the long game is what God needs to make us better people. Sometimes fighting will grow us too. People like to say that God helps those who help themselves. Although, that is not directly in the Bible there is some truth in it. The Bible does say stand firm. It does say be courageous. It is possible that God needs us to stand at the Red Sea as the enemy is barring down upon us.

What does God have to say? Several times Moses asked God to do it! Moses asked God to replace him with another. Yet, God pushed Moses into a corner to fight. Read 2 Chronicles 20. God took the battle to the enemy. Notice that the Israelite army only had to take the spoils of war. Not an arrow was shot. Now remember that Moses had to go to Pharaoh. Moses had to wander in the desert 40 years. Battles are fought and won in many different ways. That does not mean you don’t have to fight. It does mean: who are you fighting alongside? With God?

Matthew 5:26 scares me to death. “Truly I tell you, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.” This verse is a response to taking your adversary to court. I was offered a deal by my Ex before court. In my wisdom it was too much to bear. So, I fought her and lost even more in court. Maybe God had this fight and I didn’t trust Him? About two years later all the monetary hardship disappeared when my kids moved in with me. Fighting was the worst thing I could have done, yet I chose to battle. A battle God had beaten already.

On the other side is a necessary fight. I was a small child for a long time. Kids used to pick on me. One day the biggest kid in the school hit me for no reason. I hit him back. I should have died that day. He said I was dead. Yet, that boy never touched me again. He respected the fight. I fought for visitation rights in court. I fight every day on the treadmill. We all have our battles. Yet, for the most part the battle is the Lords. Praying is powerful. Patience and diligence are powerful. What if we just trusted in God and left our battles in His hands?

Read 2 Chronicles 20. Read Matthew 5 concerning your adversary. Then I suggest that you read Ecclesiastics 3. There is a time for everything. Yet, the Lord will give you direction and timing if you will give the battle to Him. God might solve it or He might ask you to battle and fight. Either way leave those decisions in His hands. Joshua 1:9 is a great way to enter the battle. Begin on your knees and God will show you the way through. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”