Sign Posts Pointing to God

God's creation is fascinating! During our SCUBA VBS, the kids learned about different undersea animals. Did you know that the octopus has a tiny brain at the end of each of its 8 tentacles? That allows each one of its arms to move faster and independently. An octopus also has 3 hearts; 2 pump blood to the gills, and one to the rest of the body. 

It was on the 5th day of creation that God said, "Let the water team with living creatures..." An octopus is just one type of species among 242,000 living in the oceans according to the 2022 census by the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS). 

The other day my son was watching a YouTube video about earwigs. These small insects have large pinchers they use to catch their prey. But guess where God chose to place their pinchers? On their tail! They also have complex wings that unfold to 10 times their size and allow them to fly! And despite popular belief, earwigs DO NOT
climb into people's ears while they are sleeping. That's a myth and pure superstition. 

It was on the 6th day of creation that God said, "Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals..." 

The uniqueness of the animal kingdom and the creativity of our God is amazing. Some would say these animals evolved slowly over time or morphed from one to another. Those theories just don't hold water. These animals have unique features that allow them to exist, survive, and thrive. Each and every species, genus, and family are different with various traits and bodies. Every one of those points to a creator - a brilliant mind who not only thought up each creature but also how each creature would interact with all other creatures including man. 

So for me, each time I learn about the unique abilities or traits of an animal, I immediately attribute them to a creator, God. They are like sign posts pointing directly to Him and his omnipotence. From the animal kingdom, my mind then goes to mankind, the solar system, and the earth itself. Indeed, the heavens (and all creation) declare the glory of God. 

Seasons of Life

Life seems to ebb and flow like waves on the ocean. Change is a constant in our world. Today you may be young and single living alone and going to school. Tomorrow you are middle-aged, married, and working 40 hours a week. Today you may be standing up at your best friend's wedding. Tomorrow you are mourning with family as you say "Goodbye" to a loved one. 

Life can drag on for years or come at us in a second. The Dire Straits "Walk of Life" is unpredictable yet there is no escaping it. We can look back to the "Summer of '69," but ultimately we must "Turn the Page" and move forward. 

Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes:

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens"

Like chapters in a John Grisham book or like quarters in a basketball game, we all live in a particular season of life. One season will meld into another and then another. A time for everything and a season for every activity. Solomon writes about a time to plant, heal, laugh, dance, embrace, and love. He also says there are times to tear down, weep, mourn, give up, tear, and hate. 

It is human nature to think the "grass is greener" on the other side of the fence, but your "grass" will be just as "green" if you just "plant" yourself in it today. The past is gone and will soon be forgotten. Additionally, you can not change the past, so let it rest. Have hope for the future, but don't let your mind linger on it for too long. The future will always be there, but the present is fleeting and seeks our undivided attention now.

Solomon continues:

"He (God) has made everything beautiful in its time."

Whatever season you are in right now, embrace it. Enjoy it. God made it beautiful. The good seasons and the bad ones. Of course, you will immediately say, "How can pain, sickness, or even death be beautiful?" That's a fair question. It comes down to recognizing that seasons are connected. They don't come usually like the slamming of a door, but rather like a sunrise. Slow and steady unfolding before us.

In the movie Shadowlands, a 1993 British biographical drama film about the relationship between academic C. S. Lewis and Jewish American poet Joy Davidman, there is a poignant line that goes something like this: "The pain you feel now is part of the joy then." In other words, the future joy is only as joyous in relation to the depth of the pain felt today. Or think of it this way. Without the rain, there isn't a rainbow. And again, the oyster has to have an irritating grain of sand to create a pearl. The "beautiful" bad times usher in the good times. 

Finally, Solomon says:

"...there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. That each one of them may eat and drink, and find satisfaction in all their toil-this is the gift of God."

Live today in your season to the fullest. Enjoy it now because it will not last. You will soon be in another season complete with all its joys and pains.  Don't long to return or advance. Make the best of your current season and God will gift you with satisfaction and contentment. 

Lessons from Eve

The first mother, Eve, had 2 sons,  Cain and Abel. Cain worked the soil; Abel kept flocks. When taking their offerings to God, Cain was jealous of his brother, because Abel's offering was accepted by God, whereas his offering was not. Cain killed Abel over this jealousy. 

Does this make Eve a bad mother? Was it Eve's fault that Cain acted out so drastically? Hardly. But it was in fact, the sinful nature of mankind rearing its ugly head resulting in death. Cain was Eve's firstborn child. His name means "brought forth" or "acquired." Eve exclaimed, "With the help of God I have brought forth a man." Wow! What a proclamation! And credit was given to God. I'm sure she loved him as much as any mother could. 

Eve's heart had to break when she lost her second son, Abel. God did not abandon the first family but blessed them with a third son, Seth. Seth means "substitute." He would take the place of Abel. Scripture indicates that Adam had many other sons and daughters until he passed away at age 930. 

This brings up so many questions. How many sons and daughters did Adam have? Did he have all of them with Eve, his wife? Did Eve pass away earlier than Adam? Then he may have had a second wife. A third wife? Did they reach an age when they could no longer bear children? Today, women are at more risk having children after the age of 40. What age would Eve have been taking more risk? 500? 800? 

Why don't we read more about Eve in the Bible? You know she homeschooled! There were no schools to send her kids to. What curriculum did she use? She obviously wrote her own. On stone, right?! What would Eve have taught her children? 

History - She walked with God. Knew him intimately. Her story of creation would have been first-hand.

Bible - No. No Bible yet. But faith? Yes, Eve would teach her children about God. She would teach about paradise, about obedience, and about the consequences of disobedience. She would have first hand experience with the wages of sin. The loss, the heartache, and devastation of not obeying God. Imagine Eve teaching on prayer! Talking to God. Listening to God. Worship. Offering sacrifices to God. 

Arithmetic - Somehow they had to keep track of days, months, and years. She would have taught how to count brothers, sisters, cousins, etc. 

Reading & Writing - Possibly. Stick writing in the dirt. Probably not letters, but maybe symbols or pictures.

Humanities - Yes. I'm sure Eve taught her children love, empathy, forgiveness, giving, serving, and so much more.  

If you are a mom, here is what I want to say from the Life of Eve

Don't blame yourself for your children's faults - Your children are going to make mistakes. The Bible says "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." It's not your fault. Don't blame yourself. Continue loving them. Keep supporting them. Comfort them. Set the example for them. And be there for them. 

Recognize God's help in your own life - "With the help of God I brought forth a man" is what Eve said when she had her firstborn. "With the help of God" Eve gave credit to God for her help. We don't do anything on our own. God gave us breath. God gave us life. 1 Corinthians 10:31 "Whatever you do - whether you eat or drink or not - do it all for the glory of God." 

Teach your children - Eve taught her children about God, life, forgiveness, and so much more. You don't have to homeschool to teach your children. Teach your children your faith. Teach them how to love by loving them. More will be "caught" than "taught" by your children. Remember Proverbs 22:6, "Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it." 

It may be Friday, but Sunday is coming!

Easter Sunday will be here in a few short days. Christians all over the world will celebrate our Savior's victory over sin and death. The entire Christian faith is centered on Jesus' raising from the dead. However, we rarely think of Easter without first being reminded of Good Friday. Of course there is nothing "good" about it since that's the day we remember Jesus nailed to the Jewish cross and crucified. There seems to be a theme that emerges from these two events - a sad, devestating event followed by victory and celebration. A terrible loss or tragedy and then a joyful outcome.  

Cross with "I am" sayings

Dr. Tony Campolo shares a great message called "It's Friday, but Sunday's coming!" It's a bit dated, but has always stayed with me. This is our message each and every day we live on this earth. 

We're living on "Friday" now. Let me explain.

• It's a Friday when a loved one passes all too soon.
• It's a Friday when we lost our job.
• It's a Friday when we are told we aren't the one.
• It's a Friday when the doctor's report is that the cancer has spread.
• It's a Friday when the bill is due, but our checking account is overdrawn.
• It's a Friday when our children fail to share our beliefs. 

Jesus promised that in this world you will have trouble. He had trouble. Look at what Jesus experienced when on earth. His friends forsook him. He was mistreated. He was rejected. He lost loved ones. And ultimately he experienced an ugly, painful death. 

However, that is not the end of the story. It wasn't the end for Jesus and it's not the end for us! Because Sunday was coming! When Sunday comes, what happens?

• It's Sunday when a loved one accepts Christ as Lord and Savior and is born again.
• It's Sunday when we realize our value rests in God seeing us as sons and daughters.
• It's Sunday when we know we have been chosen by Almighty God.
• It's Sunday when we embrace the eternal life promised to us.
• It's Sunday when we realize our inheritance is immeasurable riches.
• It's Sunday when Jesus conquered death, the grave, and Satan once and for all time!

So as Paul writes to the Corinthian people in 2 Corinthians 4:17, "our light and momentary troubles" do weigh us down, they are nothing in comparison to the "eternal glory that far outweighs them all." The key is in verse 18. We must "fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."

Take heart, because even though today might be "Friday," Sunday's coming!!

Your Teen and Social Media

Let's discuss three areas that can help you as a parent better understand and connect with you teen when it comes to using Social Media. It can be very daunting for some parents, when their children know more than they do about the Social media platforms available on the Internet and Smart phones. Here are some tips to help level the playing field. 

1. Keep an open dialog with your teen. Don't be afraid to ask questions. What app are you using? Who are you talking to? How do you know them? Do you have any concerns about using that platform? What are they? Listen when they talk to you. Resist being judgmental about what they are using despite what you may have heard. Your goal in talking with them is to create a non-judgmental space where your child is comfortable communicating with you. 

2. Encourage boundaries using Social Media. One the the best ways to do this is to model it for your child by having boundaries on your own usage. Set an example for them and share with them what you are doing. Maybe you leave your phone outside your bedroom so as to not use it at night. Perhaps as a household you can have the rule that no cell phones are allowed at the table. Of course, one given boundary is build-in by many Social Media apps. For example,  you have to be at least 13 years old to have a Facebook account. Don't allow your child to break that rule. It's there for a very good reason. Talk about Catfish accounts, fake accounts, spam posts, and the like. Pick their brain. They have probably heard about these. Make sure they are aware that not everyone are who they seem to be on the Internet. 

3. Portray a positive presence. Talk with your teen the about the value of having an honest and responsible online presence. Discuss who may see your teen's profile and comments in the future (potential employee, family members, etc). Explore the topic of mental health and how comments, posts, and questions can make another person feel. 

Finally, as a parent, educate yourself as to the various Social Medias that are out there. There are new ones popping up all the time so it takes some work. Google the name of it. Download the app. Make your own account. Just be wise. There are some platforms you and your teen would just be better off avoiding all together. Talk with a friend or fellow parent about various social medias and how they are used. 

How to have a Digital Faith

A digital faith? What does that even mean? Well, if you think of a computer or more specifically, a computer language, you can get some insight. When you dumb down a computer language whether it be Perl, C++, Python, Cobol, or whatever, it boils down to bits and bytes. Those bits and actually 0's and 1's. Like a light switch, they are either on or off, yes or no, true or false. It's pretty simple. 

What does that have to do with faith? Well, the Bible should shed some light on that. In the letter to the church at Laodicea in Revelation 3, Jesus writes, "I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm -neither hot nor cold- I am about to spit you out of my mouth." 

Basically, the Lord is saying, there are two settings for faith and deeds-cold or hot. On or off. And this church is set to "lukewarm" - that's not even a setting! Jesus says in Matthew that whoever is not with me is against me. There is no other option. Just like computer bits - your faith is on(hot) or off(cold)? 

There are many other illustrations of this digital on/off, yes/no computer bit setting in the Bible. What side do you fall on? 

• You can't serve both God and mammon (money). (Matthew 6:24)
• You either live in Light and Darkness (2 Corinthians 6:14)
• To save your life is to lose it; To lose your life is to save it. (Matthew 16:25)
• Do you live by the Spirit or by the Flesh (Galatians 5:17)
• Do you Believe in Jesus or Reject Him (John 3:36)
• Are you an Old or a New Creation (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Bob Dylan put out a song on his album "Slow Train Coming" in 1976 entitled, "You're gonna have to Serve Somebody." I remember first hearing that song and thinking of the novelty that a secular musician is singing about faith. The song refers to the digital nature of life. We have one of two choices. We have to make our choice to serve someone. The chorus went like this:

But you're gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed

You're gonna have to serve somebody

Well, it may be the Devil or it may be the Lord

But you're gonna have to serve somebody

The devil or the Lord. That's our digital choice to make. Each one of us. Sadly, it seems more and more people are making the wrong choice. Jesus said some haunting words in Luke 18:8 when He said: "...when the Son of Man comes will He find faith on the earth?" That is troublesome. Certainly, there will be those who choose faith, but those on that path are few and the way is narrow (Matthew 7:14). May you be one on that pathway!

A Christmas Story Quiz

In October, we shot a Christmas video with children from our Wednesday After School Program (WASP). These are kids in Kindergarten through 2nd grade. We'll premiere the video at our church's Christmas Eve program this month. We sat the children down and asked them questions about the Christmas story. Overall, they did quite well recalling the story of the Nativity. However, some of their answers raised an eyebrow. 

Here is a quiz on the Christmas story based on some of the children's answers. Good luck. 

1. What 3 gifts did the Wisemen bring baby Jesus?
• Gold, Diamonds, Gun Powder
• Gold, Frankenstein, Myrrh
• Baby Food, Diapers, Baby Stuff
• Gold, Frankincense, Myrrh
2. What is Christmas all about?
• Family
• Birthdays
• Jesus
• Sharing together and most importantly, Have Fun!
3. Where was baby Jesus born?
• In a Spot
• In a hut
• In a shed
• In a tiny cabin
• In a barn
• In a mini shack
4. Where did the Wisemen come from?
• China
• The Castle
• India
• The East
5. What did Mary ride to Bethlehem?
• A donkey
• A camel
• A horse
• She pulled a donkey
6. How did King Herod feel when he heard that was a new king?
• He was mad-ish
• He was angry
• He wanted to KILL him.
7. Why was Jesus born in a barn?
• They didn't have enough money
• The hospital was full
• They didn't have a plan
• There was no room in the Inn

Thanks for taking the short Christmas quiz. You can read the Christmas story in Luke 2 or Matthew 1-2 and get all the facts there. Don't forget to join us for our Christmas Eve Service at 7:00 PM at the Kalkaska Church of Christ to catch the Children's Christmas video. If you can't make it, we'll be posting the video to our socials. Merry Christmas!