I just read a post by radio host Bob Lonesbury titled "The Earth Is Not My God". http://www.wham1180.com/pages/boblonsberry.html The point he is making really hit home with me and inspired me to record my own thoughts on the subject.
I believe what God tells us about the earth in His word. God created the earth and reveals His power to us through His creation. "For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature-have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse." (Romans 1:20; NIV) "The heavens praise your wonders, O LORD... The heavens are yours, and yours also the earth; you founded the earth and all that it has in it." (Psalm 89:5,11; NIV) All of creation is crying out, "If God can create this incredible universe just imagine what He can do for you." In Luke chapter 19 the gospel account of what Christians call Palm Sunday is given. As Jesus rode into Jerusalem "the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: 'Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!'" Some of the pharisees told Jesus to rebuke His disciples but "he replied, 'if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.'"
Jesus teaches about worry in Matthew 6 by first telling how our Heavenly Father cares for His creation and then expressing how He cares even more for us. ""'Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink;... Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?" (v. 25-26; NIV) "Why do you worry about clothes? Look how the wildflowers grow. They don't work hard to make their clothes. But I tell you that Solomon with all his wealth wasn't as well clothed as one of them. God gives such beauty to everything that grows in the fields, even though it is here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow. He will surely do even more for you! Why do you have such little faith?" (v. 28-30; CEV) In Matthew 10:29-30 Jesus says "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows."
In Genesis chapter 1 at the end of each day of creation God looked at what He had made and "saw that it was good." But on the sixth day when God created man He said that "it was very good" (v. 31) In verse 26 we read "Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.'" "God loved the people of this world so much that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who has faith in Him will have eternal life and never really die." (John 3:16; CEV) I like the way the Contemporary English Version says it because it's clear that it is the people of the world and not just the world or the earth that Jesus died for.
Yes God does love all of His creation. Certainly the verses I've shared give a glimpse of that. But as much as God loves His creation nothing can compare to His love for mankind; that means you and me. When we take good care of the earth it is not to please people but to show our love for God. People will be pleased when we are good stewards of God's creation but that should not be our main motivation. Instead we should act for God's pleasure.
As I wrote earlier, Romans chapter 1 tells that God created the world to reveal Himself to man but He knew that some would not acknowledge Him. "They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator-who is forever praised. Amen." (v. 25) I have included a link to a video of an environmentalist group wailing as they surround a dead tree. Without sound it appears that they are engaging in earnest prayer and worshiping God while surrounded by the beauty of His creation. Sadly they are worshiping creation and missing out on the blessings that their creator God has for them. How much better it would be for them and for all of us if we seek to honor God as we care for the earth.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Monday, April 19, 2010
Weighing In
This morning I was reading the chapter "Try Something New" in Joyce Meyer's book Never Give Up. The verse from Romans 12:2-3 came to mind. "Do not be conformed any longer to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is-his good, pleasing, and perfect will."
I was talking to the Lord about my food struggles of late and wondering why I was able to be so disciplined a year ago and I am failing miserably now. I know it isn't His will for me to be regaining the weight I've lost and it isn't His will for me to be so focused on food. It seemed the Lord was saying, "You're struggling so much because you were doing it in your own strength for a while and you ran out of strength. Now do it in my strength because you can never use that up." Whoa, did God say that? When those thoughts come to mind I just know that I'm not smart enough to come up with them so it has to be the Spirit speaking to my heart.
It gets better. Suddenly this morning as I was reading the thought comes to me, "You're thinking like the Israelites in the desert. God gave them manna and they were complaining. God gave them the best food ever and they were tired of it." Then I realized, "God has given me the best food ever and I have the same attitude." I heard a woman speak on weight loss (she too had lost a lot of weight) and she talked about those prepared foods that we love so much being designed by chef Satan to tempt us when we want to put good food in our bodies but at the same time crave junk food. Just like Eve in the garden of Eden, Satan has me thinking that I am missing out and he is getting my eyes off of all that God has for me. That is not to say that there isn't ever a time that I can have treats that fall under the man-made food category rather than the God made.
Now let's not get legalistic here. I realize that much of our food supply has been altered and that even things as close to their original source as possible (think fruits and vegetables) aren't quite what God gave us. But we live in a fallen world where nothing is quite what God gave us so it's the best we have and God will honor our use of it. Certainly a fresh apple is less tampered with than a doughnut.
This is where the renewing of the mind, or the new way of thinking, comes in. So next time I want a treat and I know it hasn't been very long since I've had one I need to remember what God showed me this morning. I need to use that renewed thinking to keep me on God's path so I don't find that lost weight. I'm sure I could benefit from some changes. It's probably time to rethink my plan. Maybe I need to add some different healthy foods to my diet or try the frequent small meals concept.
I need to do something different because I know that God did not direct me to lose 120 pounds only to gain it back again. I know God has something planned for me that requires the maintenance of this weight loss. I'm not sure yet what He has planned but I know He will show me when He knows I am ready. God has already used the weight loss for His glory but I know He has so much more. I need to keep that in sight when I am tempted to indulge in the immediate gratification of junk food rather than waiting on the better things God has for me or when I grumble because I feel deprived when others are eating junk.
At church yesterday we sang the chorus "More love, more power, more of you in my life." Our speaker (Dr. Duane Durst, Assemblies of God Lakeshore District superintendent-there to officially install our new pastor) said his version is "More love, more power, less of me in Your way." He said we already have all the Jesus we need it's just that we stand in the way of Jesus working in our lives. But God doesn't force us to get out of the way because of His great love for us He allows us to choose. The problem is our short sightedness. We think standing in God's way is us exercising our freedom but if we had a God's eyeview of our lives we would see that walking in our version of freedom is actually a bondage. Aren't we just like kids? How often do parents watch as their kids make the same mistakes they made knowing that experience is the best teacher. God knows what's best for us if we just trust Him. It's easier said than done but I know what I'm doing now isn't working so it's time to try it God's way.
I was talking to the Lord about my food struggles of late and wondering why I was able to be so disciplined a year ago and I am failing miserably now. I know it isn't His will for me to be regaining the weight I've lost and it isn't His will for me to be so focused on food. It seemed the Lord was saying, "You're struggling so much because you were doing it in your own strength for a while and you ran out of strength. Now do it in my strength because you can never use that up." Whoa, did God say that? When those thoughts come to mind I just know that I'm not smart enough to come up with them so it has to be the Spirit speaking to my heart.
It gets better. Suddenly this morning as I was reading the thought comes to me, "You're thinking like the Israelites in the desert. God gave them manna and they were complaining. God gave them the best food ever and they were tired of it." Then I realized, "God has given me the best food ever and I have the same attitude." I heard a woman speak on weight loss (she too had lost a lot of weight) and she talked about those prepared foods that we love so much being designed by chef Satan to tempt us when we want to put good food in our bodies but at the same time crave junk food. Just like Eve in the garden of Eden, Satan has me thinking that I am missing out and he is getting my eyes off of all that God has for me. That is not to say that there isn't ever a time that I can have treats that fall under the man-made food category rather than the God made.
Now let's not get legalistic here. I realize that much of our food supply has been altered and that even things as close to their original source as possible (think fruits and vegetables) aren't quite what God gave us. But we live in a fallen world where nothing is quite what God gave us so it's the best we have and God will honor our use of it. Certainly a fresh apple is less tampered with than a doughnut.
This is where the renewing of the mind, or the new way of thinking, comes in. So next time I want a treat and I know it hasn't been very long since I've had one I need to remember what God showed me this morning. I need to use that renewed thinking to keep me on God's path so I don't find that lost weight. I'm sure I could benefit from some changes. It's probably time to rethink my plan. Maybe I need to add some different healthy foods to my diet or try the frequent small meals concept.
I need to do something different because I know that God did not direct me to lose 120 pounds only to gain it back again. I know God has something planned for me that requires the maintenance of this weight loss. I'm not sure yet what He has planned but I know He will show me when He knows I am ready. God has already used the weight loss for His glory but I know He has so much more. I need to keep that in sight when I am tempted to indulge in the immediate gratification of junk food rather than waiting on the better things God has for me or when I grumble because I feel deprived when others are eating junk.
At church yesterday we sang the chorus "More love, more power, more of you in my life." Our speaker (Dr. Duane Durst, Assemblies of God Lakeshore District superintendent-there to officially install our new pastor) said his version is "More love, more power, less of me in Your way." He said we already have all the Jesus we need it's just that we stand in the way of Jesus working in our lives. But God doesn't force us to get out of the way because of His great love for us He allows us to choose. The problem is our short sightedness. We think standing in God's way is us exercising our freedom but if we had a God's eyeview of our lives we would see that walking in our version of freedom is actually a bondage. Aren't we just like kids? How often do parents watch as their kids make the same mistakes they made knowing that experience is the best teacher. God knows what's best for us if we just trust Him. It's easier said than done but I know what I'm doing now isn't working so it's time to try it God's way.
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