Biblical or World

There are basically two views of life or creation. Commonly called by people in both camps, The World View and The Biblical View. I have known about these two views for a long time now. But, unfortunately for me, I have not spent much time analyzing the differences. And, there are some significant implications. 

First, let’s think about the origin of the each view. How were these view formulated? What are the foundational principles of each view? Were they formulated objectively? That is formed by people who had no preconceived bias to either view. Do you think that is likely? Would any of us be able to approach this task in an unbiased manner? I wonder if Maslow consider the two views when he formulated his hierarchy. 

Do people who hold to the Biblical View, or say they do, really understand they cannot accept Maslow’s hierarchy because of the goal of achieving self-actualization? 

People who hold to the World View either knowingly or unknowingly have to believe there is no controlling force in the universe. They have to believe the universe just happened accidentally or was created by a force that didn’t care or know about what it was doing. 

How hard is it to formulate a purpose for your life using either of these two views? Have you tried it? Can you do it? Or maybe you don't need a purpose to live and keep on living?

Think about the definition of good and evil…right and wrong. How are these opposing factors handled under the umbrella of the views? Who decides what is right?

I can see how we might have accidentally gotten to hydrogen if all the subatomic particles were already present. But I can’t for the life of me figure out how subatomic particles appeared out of nothing. 

Some of my teachers tried to teach me things they could not logically support. Did they really believe them to be true? Why would we not at least raise the question or cast some level of doubt on theoretical principles like Maslow’s hierarchy?

Which view do you like better?

IF YOU BELIEVE.....

If you believe in the one true living God? You know that it His intention and your fate, the world will be redeemed. Can you imagine how this might happen? No one can know except by the learning the truth. Where do we find the Truth? Read through the gospel of Matthew. Matthew explains why God sent Jesus to live on the earth.

So, if God is busy redeeming the world, then what would be behind the battles and wars of the third world…especially in the middle east? Wars and battles fought by people who don’t believe in the one true living God does have a purpose and an expected outcome. I expect the evil one to lose because all the ones in bondage to the evil one will end up either converting or killing each other. There are no other options. If you have another option, I would like to hear it. 

Which option should we pursue? People suffer the fate of the nation where they live. Do they have a practical choice? Perhaps, there are thousand of missionaries all over the world loving and witnessing for God. Consider the fate of people and how it might be different depending on the option of choice. Do non-believers believe in free choice? Does what they believe really make a difference? Is freedom of choice a truth? I like to think about how our circumstances affect our beliefs. Believing a lie is our biggest problem. Passing along a lie as a truth may be the greatest hurt we can inflict on a friend. If we don’t know the truth or believe the truth, we should probably keep our thoughts to ourselves. It would not be fair to our friends to ask them to consider as truth anything we think might not be true. Sounds like gossip. No one can change you. But, they may be able to influence you to take the wrong road. I believe we should be responsible for ourselves. We should make our own decisions. I also believe I need a higher power to help me in that endeavor. 

You might guess that I don’t believe the universe started out using evolution to create its self. The first atom was most likely hydrogen. Where did the first sub-atomic particle come from?

Why Believe? Or, Find a Purpose for Life!

Things on my mind today.

Jim Howard’s surgery to correct the problem of having no valve in the top of his stomach. This missing part causes lots of problems. Is this a birth defect? What are the chances? How can we reconcile this with evolutions and/or creation? Is it my choice to believe which ever? Can I change my mind? Is it my choice to believe in God? If it is my choice, then does it follow that I can cause my own salvation? 

I should explain. Jim Howard is our senior pastor at Dillion Community Church. I was on the team that spent about nine months searching and finding Jim. We ended up after a huge internal struggle selecting him with an unanimous decision. Was this effort directed and finalized by God?Or, did we the members of the team make an independent decision? Anyway, he had this surgery for the fourth time this morning. Sounds like the procedure went well and he is recovering. Praise the Lord and thank you doctors. 

The Bible says we are all born as sinners because of the fall of Adam and Eve. Otherwise, we might have been created, born into a very blessed and sin free state or condition. If Adam and Even had not eaten the forbidden fruit (sought the knowledge of good and evil) would we still have been subject to free will and able to choose. Am I able choose eternal damnation or eternal salvation?

What is the purpose of life? How is it that I and many others are motivated to live out our lives in a vigorous and purposeful manner while not really knowing the purpose of life? 

If you are one who chooses not to believe in God, how do you come to that conclusion? I am truly curious. Is my decision to believe a free will choice? Or, is there a sovereign creator who sets my heart on the believing setting? Did He set your heart on the “Don’t Believe” setting? This would be the same creator I believe exists and you don’t believe exists. There is another option. I know some who claim to believe but choose not to follow. I am greatly puzzled by people who choose this option. Why not choose eternal life???

So, I can think of a couple of other options, However, they might be variations of the two primary options. Believing and not believing in the One True Living God. Do you think there might be some who simply pretend to believe?

Consider the presence of a being in the spiritual realm who works to make people not believe. Believing in the One True Living God would make one aware of the optional controlling spirits. One is the Holy Spirit. The other is the Sinful Nature. Control by the Sinful Nature can manifest  itself in several ways. Perhaps the individual might pretend to be a believer. Or, the person might join a cultic or mythical belief. The person might work to redefine God to be the god he desires to serve. Or, the person might claim to not believe in any god. (Does this person need a god in order to have something not to believe?)

I would enjoy hearing your take on this discussion. I believe we are people who were born to share our experiences with those we meet and share our lives. Our experiences turn out to be the only part of our lives we can share and be absolutely certain they are true. If the One True and Living God controls all our lives, then these experiences are true representations of Him and His creation. If not, then I don’t know why sharing is so important. 

Any one out there interested in my stories? Read my blogs. These are thoughts from my life experiences. 

Doing Whatever You Want..Is it always that easy?

Am I my own person. The American Way. Self-actualization. Do you search your heart every time you have a pressing decision? Are we able to know our own hearts? Or, are we driven by other forces? Government? Friends? Culture? Political Correctness? Right and Wrong? Good and Evil? If we leave the decision to our own thinking can we avoid all evil? Then, why go to school? Why send our children to school? Why read the newspaper? Or, books? Why read at all?

Who controls your life? Is control even a possibility? When you read something controversial, do you pick a side? Why? What is your favorite food, color, shape, book, movie, TV show, car, sports team, sport? Why do we have favorites? What is your pet peeve? We do have likes and dislikes. We have opinions. We know some things "For a Fact". Do you have beliefs? Do you believe things you can't prove? Have you ever believed a lie? Have you had friends who are no longer friends? Do have friends who used to be enemies? Do your have friends you do not like?

Today I re-read John 21:1-25 from the Bible. This story is told after the time Jesus rose from the grave. He has appeared to seven of his disciples beside the Sea of Galilee. The disciples had been fishing all night and had nothing to show for their efforts. Jesus told them to cast their net or the other side of the boat and they caught a boat load. Why did they cast their net on the other side? Did they do what they wanted? Were they influenced by and outside force? An amazing but highly reliable historic event.

Later Jesus was talking to John and ask him about love. This is another remarkable story. Jesus asked him three times if he love Jesus. John said, You know I do. Jesus said, Feed my sheep. Do you get it? Who are Jesus' sheep? Are you one? Can we avoid being one of his sheep?

Oh by the way, one of things I believe my heart wants me to do is ride on the back of a tandem with my son Bill this next Saturday. We are attempting to ride 100 miles in one day and raise $2,000 for Arkansas Valley Young Life. I am asking you to help. Not ride the bike, raise the money. Send money and ask others to support Bill and I in our endeavor. We have ridden 100 miles in one day before. In fact, we have done it several times. Bill has ridden this same ride two times before by himself. But, it is still an accomplishment. Bill has been training for 70 miles and I have been training for 30 miles. Of course, he is much younger. Thirty three years younger. I just read about a 91 year old lady who "ran" a marathon. WOW! That's remarkable. She wasn't raising money for a worthy cause. Just competing. We are promoting a worthy cause. It is a cause that attempts to get young people to focus on a valuable goal for their lives. Considerable success has been achieved by the efforts. I believe in and am passionate about Young Life. Please help us support it. You can give by going to www.ministrysync.com/event/website/?m=1885220 . Take a look. Give some support and pass it on.

Thanks

Please checkout this link to help me with this fund raiser.


http://www.ministrysync.com/event/website/?m=1885220&profile_settings=1

Our Hope is Found...

Why do we exist? And why do we put up with this world? Do you feel the frustrations? Fear and suffering abound. If you have not experienced it I’m sure you have several friends and acquaintances who have. Still, we live on in HOPE? Help Oppressed People Everywhere. 

In what(whom) do you place your hope? Wealth, health, children, community? Do you believe in God, a god, any god? Do you worship or idolize anything? Why? Do you not believe in God, a god, any god? Do you worship or idolize nothing? Why? Do you have a purpose in life? Do you not have a purpose in life? Why? Why not? Google “My hope is found…”.

 Do you work toward making yourself better? Do you work toward making your friends better? Do you have enemies...people you do not like or respect? If we have no purpose why would we like or dislike anything or anybody? If we have no purpose, why would any thing be important enough to like or not to like? Be honest...you do have a purpose right! Have you tried to analyze your purpose? Do you have any idea what you desire in and from your life? Is everything and everybody around you ok? If not, what’s wrong? What needs to be corrected? Is our government operating just the way you want. Are the schools good? Nothing that you want to change or have changed? All is just perfect! We live in a paradise! There is nothing to fix or make better?  Let’s just leave it alone. Let’s allow everyone to do their own thing. And, then whatever anyone does we just say great and live with the result. Sound good?

Or, are we on a journey somewhere? Is there a destination? Are we striving for some thing better? Do we desire better for our families and friends? Is there something we can do about that? Where do we start? Can we do anything about it? 

When having trouble at work what do you do to correct the problem? Talk to a friend, talk to a co-worker, talk to the boss.Get help, change jobs. When asked to do a job and don’t know how we must get further instructions and education. Maybe the job is difficult and no one has been able to do it well. Can we get someone to show us how? Life can be like that. If you pack your own lunch and then don’t like it, who’s fault is it?

Is it possible someday for all people on Earth to dwell together in unity? A day when each of us is more concerned about our neighbors than we are about ourselves…is it possible?

More on Coal andTrees

The situation we find ourselves in today you might call steady state. Some say that's not entirely true and that we are burning ourselves to death by consuming too much "fossil" fuel. I'm not disputing there opinion. Rather lets think about "In the beginning". Did trees come before Coal? How might that have worked? Imagine a time way back when and one tree appears. That tree needs Carbon Dioxide and Water to survive. It needs just the right amount. Its in an atmosphere that is mostly Oxygen and Nitrogen perhaps. I wonder what the ratios were? Most sources say the current atmosphere is 21% oxygen and 78% nitrogen. All the other gases make up the remaining 1%. It is estimated that the earth's atmosphere weighs 5.5 quadrillion tons. Less than .05% is carbon dioxide. About one third of the carbon dioxide is carbon. So maybe a bit less than .01% carbon. Rough numbers should work for this discussion. Or, .005 quadrillion tons of carbon. That's the amount we need to start in order to have one tree. Now consider the weight of the tree. How much carbon is consumed as the tree grows? The wood is largely carbon. Do you see where I am going with this? As the first tree and then other trees begin to consume the carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere the concentration in the atmosphere with drop unless there is some other source of carbon entering the atmosphere. Ah Ha! Animals breathe out carbon dioxide. They replace it. Where do they get the carbon? Oh yes, they eat trees. It is a cycle. So trees need animals to sprout and grow. And likewise, animals need trees to provide the oxygen . But wait, one tree and one cow... easy to explain. These two won't change the total amount of carbon required on earth. But, billions of people and even more trees represent lots of carbon. Where did the carbon come from? Two much in the air to start with might well upset the nature of the cycle. Maybe there was already enough carbon stored in the earth? Could it have been stored as coal in the beginning? If it came from the trees that died and decayed, where did the trees get the extra amount needed to grow and then die? The big bang is a mystery. The growth after that is an equally puzzling mystery. This one event might well be considered a miracle. Can you think of others? Other question are: Should  be be increasing, decreasing or holding steady the amount of carbon stored in the Earth? Is the overall process increasing, decreasing or holding steady the amount of carbon contained in the Earth and its atmosphere? We can ask the same questions about oxygen and hydrogen and their combined product water. These elements and there products are pretty important for sustaining life as we know it.