Recognized

We recognize things and people by their outward visual characteristics. We do that so automatically -- an Iris is distinct from other flowers because of its unique form of petal.

While we also recognize people by outward features we judge them by another standard -- their inward characteristics displayed outwardly in their words and actions.
For Christians, who represent to the world the 'image' or reflection of Jesus, this becomes very important.
Often we are the only gospel people read and what they 'read' in us is the basis of what they believe about God.
I think we tend to forget this as we go about our daily duties.

I read something in the Jewish Talmud the other day that sharply reminded me.
Here is the quote that caught my attention....
"Therefore a distinction was made between a wrong done to a Gentile and to a co-religionist on that ground. “More serious is the defrauding of a non-Jew than the defrauding of a brother Israelite on account of the proclamation of the Name’ "

It immediately brought to mind the verse... Rom 2:24 For "THE NAME OF GOD IS BLASPHEMED AMONG THE GENTILES BECAUSE OF YOU." (Rom. 2:24)

In the Talmud quote above... I considered why they would say it was a worse crime to defraud a non-jewish person than a jewish one and I realized that their thinking was this - If they wronged a fellow Jewish person the offense remained between the two of them but if they wronged a Gentile the offense would reflect back on God and cause the Gentile to think less or evil of God Himself.

Do we consider what people, because of watching us , believe about God?
Before we react.. before we speak... do we ever stop to think -- how will this reflect back on God?

We have evidence in scripture that God is concerned about how He is represented to those who do not yet believe in Him... His name is important to protect -- His reputation is at stake!

Even to David, the prophet came with this admonition ,
"However, because by this deed you have given great occasion to the enemies of the LORD to blaspheme, the child also who is born to you shall surely die." (II Sam. 12:14)

Does God care what the non-Christian world thinks of Him? Yes.. He does!!! and it is up to us to uphold the honor and integrity of His name and character.

Look at Rahab words to Joshua and Caleb when they came to spy out Jericho. She said.. "And as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath." (Joshua 2:11)
Rahab had listened and watched God revealed through His people and she changed her life accordingly.

"Dear Father, help us to be the kind of witness that will cause people to turn to you as Rahab did and not be the cause of people turning away from you in anger, thinking evil of Your holy Name!"

Excellent Reads

If you are looking for some good books to read this summer, I just read a couple that I would highly recommend !

On is "The Torn Veil" by Gulshan Esther. Gulshan was born into a rich and highly revered Pakistan family. Her family being deeply religious, she too closely followed the Islam religion. She did not have many distractions in her pursuit of pleasing Allah, since she was a cripple and needed help with the simplest tasks.

When she was 19 her whole life changed! In seeking Allah for healing, it was Jesus she met. But I won't give away the story -- the book is very moving, inspirational and encouraging to your own faith. After I read it, and read it aloud to my husband he went out and bought several more copies and we have been passing them out.

I have also read the sequel, "Beyond the Veil" which is also good.

Another book I thoroughly enjoyed is "Flight to Heaven" by Capt. Dale Black. It is not your usual NDE testimony ... and again I don't want to give away the book. There is one section that gives the account of his experience in heaven. It is the most believable, beautiful description I have even heard or read.

I know you will enjoy these books ... and if you read them, come back and tell me what you thought of them!

It was Good !

My neighbour friend rang the door bell tonight to bring me some Bing cherries from the Okanagen. They were perfect and delicious!!




My patio baskets are blooming. I marvelled today at the delicate petals arranged in endless variety.

My husband came across this video tonight - a slideshow of an amazing array of God's artistic creativity in bugs that are rarely seen.

How different from each other were my three reminders today of God's wondrous creation. Yet each one conveyed the same message -- Our God is indeed a God that inspires awe in our hearts as we observe His amazing handiwork.
It IS indeed GOOD, even as He said when He created all things.

I believe in the six day creation --- because it is what God said He did.

Exo 20:11 "For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. "

The cherries, the flowers, the bugs all need very specific conditions to grow, to bloom or to reproduce. If any of the conditions are not met, there will be no cherries or flowers or bugs.

I understand atheists clinging to evolution because it is their only alternative to believing in a creator. But I do not understand Christians who try to find some middle ground by believing that God created all things but allowing that He used evolution or millions of years to do it in. The days of creation, they say, are not twenty-four hour days.

If each creation day is perhaps a million years and since each day is made of up day and night... was the earth alternately dark and light in 500,000 year cycles? And what vegetation would survive in 500,000 years of darkness? And when did the very long days finally become the 24 hour length we have today?

We recently listened to someone who believed that the Genesis creation days were not literal 24 hours but rather much longer. In the same conversation he showed a video of a hummingbird that could only survive if it had access to one particular flower. And this flower could only survive if this same hummingbird pollinated it. Since the flower and hummingbird were not made on the same creation day , they were separated by perhaps millions of years. How did the flower survive all that time waiting for the hummingbird to come pollinate it?

More and more scientists are admitting that the evolution model does not work. In
The Origin of Species, Darwin writes: “If it could be demonstrated that any complex organ existed which could not possibly have been formed by numerous, successive, slight modifications, my theory would absolutely break down.” He believed that the basic cell, the building block of life, was 'simple' and on this supposed fact based his theories. Science has proven the cell to be anything but simple; it is unbelievably complex. That pulls the rug out from under Darwin's feet.

There is no reason to doubt God's Word. What is so hard about believing that a God who is all powerful and wise created a world in six days? If He didn't do it in six days, would He not have told us ? I like what someone said in answer to someone who stated that a scripture passage did not mean what it said. They retorted ..."If God didn't mean what He said, then why didn't He say what He meant?" I believe God said exactly what He meant.

A God who could create all that we see in the minutest detail of complexity and order, could easily have done it in LESS than six days had He so chosen .

" He is your praise, and He is your God, who has done for you these great and awesome things which your eyes have seen." Deu 10:21

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