With super fast computers to crunch data,  underwater sensors, deep space satellites, and a plethora of other technological tools that weren’t available in the past,  humans have increased our understanding of God’s creation at an unprecedented rate.  One area of creation that we have been learning tons about recently, are oceans, and the activities that occur below this once undiscovered part of our planet.

The scientific names of various depths in the ocean.

For example, did you know that there are underwater trenches deeper than the grand canyon, that are thought to have formed over 142 million years ago?  In fact, we now know that this is where tsunamis are formed, such as the one in Tailand, in 2004, that took the lives of 220,000 of God’s children.  These acts of God have been occurring for thousands of years.  In fact, we’ve recently been discovering entire cities, buried under hundreds of feet or hardened ash.  From buried murals, artwork, and structures, there is no doubt of God’s power.  In fact, the 2004 tsunami has the power of 600 million Hiroshima atom bombs!

So how does science aid in the knowledge we have, and why does it matter?  While the why is vastly complicated, the short of it is this.  Through underwater sensors, we can record the sound waves that occur when these massive ruptures in the earth’s crust form.   While not audible to the naked ear (the deep, rumbling sound waves are simply too low for our ears to hear), we can slow down time when listing to these recordings, and actually map the topography of the bottom of the sea, as well as how the event spreads across the oceans.  Science is able to figure out a plethora of information about a tsunami from data collected at the bottom of these massive underwater trenches, helping save millions of lives, by better predicting tsunamis.    Going back to the 2004 Thailand tsunami, we know that the crest was 300 miles apart…quite a massive crack in the earth’s crust, isn’t it?

Exploration is an innate part of our God given nature, and we have repeatedly tried to visit the depths of the sea. which is thought to be some of the oldest parts of the earth.   This area is so hostile, the zone name, The Hadalpelagic Zone‘s name is derived from the Greek word for HELL.

From this, you can imagine that exploration has been difficult in a place where there is 8 tons of pressure per square inch.  In other words, imagine that you are a McDonald’s hamburger on the highway.  Now, imagine an 18-wheel semi running over that hamburger.  That, is how hostile this area of the ocean is.  Making matters worse, over 20,000 volcanoes, along with earthquakes (that induce deadly tsunamis) occur frequently here.  Despite this though, these events help us map out the history of creation.  You see, when volcanos erupt in these dark, frigid depths, the magma turns instantly into glass when it comes in contact with the water.  Therefore, each eruption spreads its contents throughout the ocean, creating layers of mineral rich substance.  In fact, this magma turned solid, is how underwater mountains are formed.  How cool is that?

Despite the risks, our efforts to explore this area prevail, as there is so much to learn about our origins from it.    One thing we’ve learned, is that the bottom of the ocean has layers of plant and animal “silt”.   These layers of dead plant and animal fossils,  is one of the methods that scientists use to date how old the earth and ocean are.  This is one reason we can so accurately estimate the history of events on this earth… by analysing these layers of silt, and seeing what fossils, minerals, etc that we find.  This principle is similar to how we date dinosaur fossils we find encased in rock.

Back to the exploration of the ocean…In 1960, a submersible craft was created, and two brave men traveled for 5 hours, going down to the depths of the deepest trench, a staggering 36,000 feet, where the region is far more hazardous than that of Mars.  This hadalpelagic zone expedition paid huge dividends.  You see, up until this point, we expected the complete blackness, crushing pressure, and frigid waters, to be too hostile for complex animals to survive.  However, when the two man “landed” on the bottom of the ocean, they were in for a real surprise (up until this time, we could only theorize about what we’d find).

Hadalpelagic Zone Sea Cucumber

When they turned on their spotlight, they discovered that not only were there vast amounts of colorful, other-worldly creatures surviving, but that these sea creatures were thriving.  These animals, whose lineage has evolved over millions of years, have the ability to withstand the pressure, see in complete darkness, and live in abundance.  By eating the remains of dead plants and animals whose remains make up the silt bottom, the plants and animals in this region prosper.

In conclusion, the burning desire that science has to explore the depths of the ocean, has lead to a vastly increased understanding of the creation that God has created.  Without technology and scientists that have a burning desire for answers, we would have never discovered the abundant, colorful ecosystem that God has allowed to exist.   Through these types of discoveries, we learn more about God, and the earth he created for us.

If you have thoughts on this post, please feel free to share them below, or discuss your convictions on this subject with friends, by commenting using the Facebook “Like” button.   As always, I encourage you to continue exploring your faith through reading Christian books, discussing why you believe what you believe, and actively seeking truth.

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You shall not kill the child by obtaining an
abortion. Nor, again, shall you destroy him
after he is born. Barnabas (c. 70-130, E), 1.148.

Tertullian, Early Christian Priest

You shall not murder a child by abortion nor
kill one who has been born. Didache (c. 80-140,
E),1.377.

They bear children, but they do not destroy
their offspring. Letter to Diognetus (c. 125-200),
1.27.

We say that those women who use drugs to
bring on abortion commit murder. And we also
say they will have to give an account to God for
the abortion. So on what basis could we com-
mit murder? For it does not belong to the same
person to regard the very fetus in the womb as a
created being (and therefore an object of God’s

care)-yet, when he has passed into life, to kill
him. We also teach that it is wrong to expose an
infant. For those who expose them are guilty of
child murder. Athenagoras (c. 175, E), 2.147.

In our case, murder is once for all forbidden.

Therefore, we may not destroy even the fetus
in the womb, while as yet the human being
derives blood from other parts of the body for
its sustenance. To hinder a birth is merely a
speedier way to kill a human. It does not matter
whether you take away a life that has been born,
or destroy one that is not yet born. Tertullian (c.
197, W),3.25.

Among surgeons’ tools there is a certain
instrument that is formed with a nicely-
adjusted flexible frame for first of all opening
the uterus and then keeping it open. It also has
‘a circular blade, by means of which the limbs
within the womb are dissected with careful, but
unflinching care. Its last appendage is a blunted
or covered hook, by which the entire fetus is
extracted by a violent delivery. There is also a
copper needle or spike: by which the actual
death is brought about in this treacherous rob-

bery of life. From its infanticide function, they
give it the name, “killer of the infant” -which
infant, of course, had once been alive. Tertullian

(c. 210, W), 3.206.      ’

Indeed, the Law of Moses punishes with
appropriate penalties the person who causes
abortion. For there already exists the beginning
stages of a human being. And even at this stage,
[the fetus] is already acknowledged with having
the condition oflife and death, since he is already
susceptible to both. Tertullian (c. 210, W),3.218.

Are you to dissolve the conception by aid of
drugs? I believe it is no more lawful to hurt a
child in process of birth, than to hurt one who
is already born. Tertullian (c. 212, W), 4.57.

I behold a certain ceremony and circumstance
of adultery. On the one hand, idolatry precedes
it and leads the way. On the other hand, murder
follows in company …. Witness the midwives,
too! How many adulterous conceptions are
slaughtered! Tertullian (c. 212, W), 4.78.

There ate some women who, by drinking
medical preparations, extinguish the source of
the future man in their very bowels. So they
commit murder before they bring forth. And
these things assuredly come down from the
teaching of your gods. Mark Minucius Felix (c.
200, W), 4.192.

Women who were reputed believers began to
resort to drugs for producing sterility. They also
girded themselves around, so as to expel what
was being conceived. For they did not wish to
have a child by either a slave or by any common
fellow–out of concern for their family and
their excessive wealth. See what a great impiety
:he lawless one has advanced! He teaches adul-
tery and murder at the same time! Hippolytus (c.
225, W), 5.131.

In conclusion, this issue is obviously a very touchy one.  People have very strong opinions.   My objective in discussing these things, is to make people think about the real reasons they believe what they do.  Do they believe them because someone told them to?  Or do they believe what they believe, based on prayer, Bible study, and thoughtful dialog with other people…including people who have differing viewpoints.

Explore Your Faith.

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Broken Words by Jonathan Dudley

While reading this book, I had to constantly remind myself that Dudley is merely presenting Biblical quotes, and historical background.  Because I had believed certain things for so long, it was a truely hard book to read.  However,  there are hundreds of references from periodicals, books, theologians, etc.  Because of the vast amounts of research that have gone into this book, I feel confident in saying that what he writes, is factual and objective.  For the purposes of this review, I’ll focus on the first of the controversial issues discussed, abortion.

Abortion

Growing up in an evangelical household, I was always under the impression that the issue of abortion was essentially a non-issue.  Life begins at conception.  Period.  However, several pages into this, I was amazed at how manipulated I was, along with millions of others. Dudley clearly outlines the history of the issue of abortion, and agrues against absolutism on abortion, as well as opposition to embryonic stem-cell research.  Throughout the chapter, Dudley tells us that most Christian theologians throughout history, including Augustine, Aquinas, and many American evangelicals (up until the 1980s) have believed that life does not begin at conception.

This was an absolute shock to me.  I had thought for all of my life, that the issue of abortion went back to the early church, and there was a clear stance on it.  However, this was clearly not the case.  Instead, the book provides clear evidence of political manipulation.  When evangelical leaders compare abortion to the Holocaust (Rick Warren), and call it a nonnegotiable issue for Christians in voting decisions, it is clear why so many Christians believe what they believe about abortion.

“The reason I believe life begins at conception, is ’cause the Bible says it,” declared Rick Warren in a 2008 interview.  In its literature, Focus on the Family claims to provide “Scripture verses that speak to the value of preborn life created in God’s image from the moment of fertilization.”

But is the Bible really clear about this controversial issue?

In the case of Focus on the Family’s claim, their cited support for this conclusion about the moment of incarnation comes from several verses including Luke 2:6-7, Luke 1:41, 44 and Genesis 9:6 (NIV Bible):

“While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son.”

“When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit…[saying] ‘As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.”

Whoever sheds the blood of a human by a human shall that person’s blood be shed;for in his own images God made humankind

Dudley argues that “The implicit suggestion that this verse provides us with information on when moral life begins (along with interpretations of Psalm 139 and Jeremiah 1) reflects the willingness-evidenced also in the creationist movement-of modern, populist evangelicalism t0 interpret any part of the Bible, including its poetry and narratives, as conveying precise factual information about contemporary moral and scientific issues”.

Taking the last verse, Dudley explains that “there is no logical path from the belief that humans are created in the image of God to the conclusion that the embryo, therefore, is a human created in the image of God.” (page 29)

All of these are good points, but the Bible verse that really made sense to me (in helping me understand that the issue is not as cut and dry as politicians and evangelical leaders would like us to believe), comes from Exodus 21:22-25

When men have a fight and hurt a pregnant woman, so that she suffers a miscarriage, but no further injury, the guilty one shall be fined as much as the woman’s husband demands of him, and he shall pay in the presence of judges.  But if injury ensures, you shall give life for life.”

Basically, this says that the accidental destruction of fetal life requires a fine, while injury to the mother requires “life for life”.  This clearly suggests that there is a difference in the moral status of a fetal verses maternal life.  And throughout history, this passage has been used by both Jewish and Christian traditions, as a basis for holding the belief that the life of a mother is more important to that of the fetus.

Drawing from this passage, the Evangelical periodical Christianity Today published a special on contraception and abortion, written by a leading professor of Old Testament from famously conservative Dallas Theological Seminary’s Bruce Waltke:

“God does not regard the fetus as a soul, no matter how far gestation has progressed.  The Law plainly exacts: “If a man kills any human life he will be put to death” (Lev. 24:17).  But according to Exodus 21:22-24, the destruction of the fetus is not a capital offense…. Clearly, then, in contrast to the mother, the fetus is not reckoned as a soul,

History (remember that the hard line on abortion started in the mid 1900s) documents Christianity’s stance on abortion throughout the years.  The Christian theologian, Augustine stated:

“If what is brought forth is unformed but at this stage some sort of living, shapeless thing…then the law of homicide would not apply, for it could not be said that there was a living soul in that body, for it lacks all sense, if it be such as is not yet formed and therefore not yet endowed with senses”

Moving to the Jewish faith, you’ll see that they take a much more liberal stance on abortion:

The Mishna (a main part of the Jewish Talmud), states:

“If a woman has difficulty in childbirth, one dismembers the embryo within her limb from limb, because her life takes precedene over its life.  Once its head (or the greater part has emerged, it may not be touched, for we do not set aside on life for another.

When George W. Bush came out as an opponent to human embryonic stem cell research, Orthodox Jews issued the following statement that supported human embryonic stem cell research:

Our Torah [the first five books of the Christian Old Testament] places great value upon human life…each human was created in God’s image….The Torah commands us to treat and cure the ill and to defeat disease wherever possible’ to do this is to be the Creator’s partner in safeguarding the created… [M]aximizing the potential to save and heal human lives is an integral part of valuing human life.  Moreover, our tradition states that an embryo in vitro does not enjoy the full status of human-hood and its attendant protections.  Thus, if cloning technology research advances our ability to heal humans with greater success, it ought to be pursued.

In conclusion, the intent of the author was not to persuade people that abortion is OK.  That is a deeply personal decision that should be made with extreme caution.  However, Dudley believes in shedding light on the entire story…not just the story that a small group of evangelical leaders want you to believe.  Stating that the Bible clearly says that life begins at conception, is simply not true.   There is valid evidence that supports both sides of the issues.  However, due to the political gain to be had by polarizing the American public, the issue has been distorted and made into an undeniable truth.

If you are looking to understand why you believe what you believe, Broken Words by Jonathan  Dudley, is a great book, available in my Christian book store.  You may disagree with what he says, but you’ll know why you believe it.

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This week God revealed something to me that is probably pretty simple, something that most of you have already grasped and understand completely. Discipline is for my own good.

How many of us have looked our kids in the eyes and have said “I love you too much to let you continue________________” or “I am disciplining you so that you will learn ______________”. I know I have. And with 4 kids it happens several times a day. This Sunday, our pastor talked about teaching our children to obey us. He explained that when our children don’t know how to obey and honor authority, they grow up not knowing how to honor and obey authority including the Lord God himself. I don’t know about you but I want to raise respectful, other’s-minded, humble kids who love the Lord with all their heart. In essence I love them, so I discipline them.

What types of discipline work most effectively?

When my youngest daughter was about four or five, she had done something that required discipline (I can’t remember what), so I sent her to her room and called her down a few minutes later to give her a spanking. As I turned her around I noticed her back side was lumpy and very well-padded. While she was upstairs, (knowing she was about to receive a spanking) she had stuffed her pants full of socks.

Isn’t that what we do when we try to avoid the discipline of our Father? We know we did wrong, we know the consequences, but instead of thinking “this is for our own good”, we decide to pad our backside. Or, like so many children, we cry out “God, this isn’t fair, you’re mean!” But oh how we get it all wrong.

I admit, sometimes I will discipline in anger. I will raise my voice, threaten empty threats, and give the evil mom eye (you know the one…the one that says “you better knock it off now” without ever saying a word). God, on the other-hand, NEVER rebukes in anger but always in love. He never impulsively sends us to the corner or smacks our hands. He never raises His voice or spurts out threats that never come to fruition. Our Daddy is firm, yet gentle; unyielding, yet trustworthy. The Bible says, that we should count it a blessing when we face the Lord’s discipline “because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son” ~Hebrews 12:6. The Lord’s discipline is evidence that we are His children. And just as I say to my children, “I love you too much to let you do that or act that way”, God lovingly looks at us and with a soft whispers says, “I love you so much that I am going to show you a different way.”

So next time you face a trial or difficulty or maybe even a consequence of a bad choice, you should thank the One who loves you and desires to show you just how much. I know I will.

Here are some corresponding NIV Bible verses:

Deuterotomy 8:5 Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you.

Psalm 94:12 Blessed is the man you discipline, O LORD, the man you teach from your law;

Psalm 119:75 I know, O LORD, that your laws are righteous, and in faithfulness you have afflicted me.

Proverbs 3:11 My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline and do not resent his rebuke,

Proverbs 3:12 because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.

Lamentations 3:39 Why should any living man complain when punished for his sins?

Revelation 3:19 Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.

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Pat Robertson Quotes

1.  “Many of those people involved with Adolph Hitler were Satanists, many of them were homosexuals–the two things seem to go together.” “The 700 Club,” 1/21/93, ADL report on Religious Right, page 131

2.  “My personal feeling is that oral sex is against nature.”

3.  “I’d like to say to the good citizens of Dover: If there is a disaster in your area, don’t turn to God, you just rejected him from your city. And don’t wonder why he hasn’t helped you when problems begin, if they begin. I’m not saying they will, but if they do, just remember, you just voted God out of your city. And if that’s the case, don’t ask for his help because he might not be there.”(commenting after the city of Dover, Pennsylvania voted to boot the current school board, which instituted an intelligent design policy that led to a federal trial)

4.  “God considers this land to be his. You read the Bible and he says ‘This is my land,’ and for any prime minister of Israel who decides he is going to carve it up and give it away, God says, ‘No, this is mine.’ … He was dividing God’s land. And I would say, ‘Woe unto any prime minister of Israel who takes a similar course to appease the E.U., the United Nations, or the United States of America.’ God says, ‘This land belongs to me. You better leave it alone.’” (commenting on why Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon suffered a massive stroke)

5.  “It may be a blessing in disguise. … Something happened a long time ago in Haiti, and people might not want to talk about it. Haitians were originally under the heel of the French. You know, Napoleon the third, or whatever. And they got together and swore a pact to the devil. They said, we will serve you if you will get us free from the French. True story. And so, the devil said, okay it’s a deal. Ever since they have been cursed by one thing after the other.” (commenting on the earthquake in Haiti that destroyed the capital and killed tens of thousands of people, Jan. 13, 2010)

6.  ”I think the sky is blue because it’s a shift from black through purple to blue, and it has to do with where the light is. You know, the farther we get into darkness, and there’s a shifting of color of light into the blueness, and I think as you go farther and farther away from the reflected light we have from the sun or the light that’s bouncing off this earth, uh, the darker it gets … I think if you look at the color scale, you start at black, move it through purple, move it on out, it’s the shifting of color. We mentioned before about the stars singing, and that’s one of the effects of the shifting of colors.” on a telecast of the 700 Club

7.  ”[The] feminist agenda is not about equal rights for women. It is about a socialist, anti-family political movement that encourages women to leave their husbands, kill their children, practice witchcraft, destroy capitalism and become lesbians.” Fundraising letter from Pat Robertson that was an in- kind contribution to the Iowa Committee to Stop ERA, as reported in The Washington Post, August 23, 1993

8.  ”There is nothing in the U.S. Constitution that sanctifies the separation of church and state.”

9. “Just like what Nazi Germany did to the Jews, so liberal America is now doing to the evangelical Christians. It’s no different. It is the same thing. It is happening all over again. It is the Democratic Congress, the liberal-based media and the homosexuals who want to destroy the Christians. Wholesale abuse and discrimination and the worst bigotry directed toward any group in America today. More terrible than anything suffered by any minority in history.”

10.   “When I said during my presidential bid that I would only bring Christians and Jews into the government, I hit a firestorm. `What do you mean?’ the media challenged me. `You’re not going to bring atheists into the government? How dare you maintain that those who believe in the Judeo-Christian values are better qualified to govern America than Hindus and Muslims?’ My simple answer is, `Yes, they are.’” “The New World Order,” page 218

Controversial Pat Robertson Quotes

11.  ”A lasting peace will never be built upon man’s efforts, because man is sinful, vicious, and wicked.”

12.  ”If you go all the way back to the days just following creation, men lived nine hundred years or more.”

13. “I would warn Orlando that you’re right in the way of some serious hurricanes, and I don’t think I’d be waving those flags in God’s face if I were you, This is not a message of hate — this is a message of redemption. But a condition like this will bring about the destruction of your nation. It’ll bring about terrorist bombs; it’ll bring earthquakes, tornadoes, and possibly a meteor.”(commenting on “gay days” at Disneyworld)

14.  ”The key in terms of mental ability is chess. There’s never been a woman Grand Master chess player. Once you get one, then I’ll buy some of the feminism…” (According to the Chess Federation of the U.S. there were already two women Grand Masters at that time, both from Georgia. Since Robertson’s gaffe, three more women became Grand Masters)

15.  ”People have immortal spirits with incredible power over elemental things. The way to deal with inanimate matter is to talk to it.” quoted in San Francisco Examiner

16.  ”It is interesting, that termites don’t build things, and the great builders of our nation almost to a man have been Christians, because Christians have the desire to build something. He is motivated by love of man and God, so he builds. The people who have come into (our) institutions (today) are primarily termites. They are into destroying institutions that have been built by Christians, whether it is universities, governments, our own traditions, that we have…. The termites are in charge now, and that is not the way it ought to be, and the time has arrived for a godly fumigation.” New York Magazine, August 18, 1986

If you enjoyed this post, like and  share it via Facebook or e-mail.  Even better…start a discussion with your friends and family, about what they think about these quotes.  Share your Faith!

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It’s easy to say the words, but are words enough? Does saying, “I forgive you” mean we have forgiven as God forgives us?

These questions have haunted me most of my life. They still haunt me.

No matter how many times I say I forgive, I wonder…Have I truly forgiven?

Understanding came when I learned this important truth: Forgiveness is a choice.

Forgiveness doesn’t mean erasing what happened or ignoring the past. Forgiveness stops the past from controlling your mind, will, and emotions and from stealing the joy of your present and the hope of your future.

One of the hardest things I’ve had to do and the biggest challenge I’ve faced in my walk with God was in forgiving my ex-husband of the abuse that occurred in our marriage. Now, I’m not going to expect you to believe I was totally innocent in the events of my life and the failure of that union.

Whether victim or perpetrator, we all play a part in domestic violence.

However, this has been the utmost test of my willingness to obey God’s command
that I forgive as He has.

Sometimes I wonder if I’ve yet to arrive.

However, I have reached a place of peace.

Now I can look back without bitterness, anger and resentment; only a deep, abiding sorrow for the entire situation.

How did I reach that place of peace?

Prayer, ranting, raving, crying, begging for release from the bitterness in my heart, and resting in His gentle assurance that as I continue to say the words and release the situation and my former husband to Him, the heart change would come. And it did.

Or so I thought.

My book Tempered Dreams (#2 in a series ISBN# 0-9769960-3-0) deals openly and candidly with domestic violence. Believe me when I say it was sheer torture to write. Any author knows that writing pulls your emotions, rips your heart, and sometimes, tears your very soul. So it was with this book. But the story had to be told. The hardest part, however, was the dedication.

In the middle of a difficult chapter, God instructed me to dedicate the book to my ex-husband “in the spirit of forgiveness.”

Are You crazy, Lord?

You want me to put in writing for the whole world to see that I was abused?  No way! I just can’t.

Forgive as I’ve forgiven…

Still I hesitated, praying for a way out; begging the Lord to change His mind just this once.

In the end, I knew I had to be obedient.

My prayer became, “Okay, Lord. You win. Just help me get through the last few chapters then I’ll write the dedication.”

He did, then came the moment of truth.

How could I do it? I’d already ripped my heart out to tell the story. I’d searched every corner of my mind and soul to ensure readers understood healing is possible through love, mercy, grace -and yes-forgiveness, forgiving your perpetrator and yourself.

Still….How could I lay the remaining shreds of my heart on the altar? How could I bare my soul in such a public display? How could I know others wouldn’t think I was being self-serving nor doing this out of false pride or worse false humility?

I couldn’t.

The only thing I could do was trust God and obey.

I wrote….For James, in the spirit of forgiveness.  Though painful, what we experienced was nowhere near this horrific or dramatic; for that I am eternally grateful.

Was it easy?  No.

Did it help?  Maybe. I still have moments of intense feeling –not always good- toward my ex-husband and I still have to release him to God.

Am I glad I did it? Yes. Not only because of the blessings and peace that result from being obedient, but because of the comments I’ve received from others who found courage to do the same because of that dedication.

Have I arrived at the victorious destination of true forgiveness? I doubt it…Has anyone?

The Art of Forgiveness By Pamela S. Thibodeaux (© 2009)
Tempered Dreams is availble for Kindle & Nook for only $1.99! Print copies can be purchased directly from the author.
Bio: Award-winning author, Pamela S. Thibodeaux is the Co-Founder of Bayou Writers Group in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Multi-published in romantic fiction and creative non-fiction, her writing has been tagged as, “Inspirational with an Edge!” ™ Find out more about Pam and her work by visiting her websitehttp://www.pamelathibodeaux.com or blog: http://pamswildroseblog.blogspot.com

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• Listening to the Voice of God – A Devotional
• Beautiful Imperfections

I want to be worthy of respect, not double-tongued, not addicted to wine, not fond of dishonest gain, upholding the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience.

- (1 Timothy 3:8-9)

Your grace, O God, has appeared, bringing salvation to all people, teaching us to deny ungodliness and worldly passions to live sensibly, righteously and Godly in the present age.

- (Titus 2:11-12)

Listen to the Voice of God

The first verses give a list of sins that go against God’s law.  These are things that many very dedicated Christians struggle with on a regular basis.  The second verse brings a little bit of hope.  It tells us that Jesus has come to give us salvation (while teaching us about how to best live).  One thing that I especially like about the second verse, is that it clearly speaks about living in the present moment… The present age.

We all struggle with sin.  Oneof the main reasons Jesus is so amazing.

He didn’t sin!

He rose above every single time.  No matter what he was feeling, Jesus practiced what he preached.  He was the first and only one to talk the talk, and walk the walk. This is incredibly humbling to me.  Before Christ fulfilled ancient prophecies and rose from the dead, Jesus lived a miracle.  He went through his entire life making perfect decisions.  No other religion has a savior or prophet that lived a sinless life.  I think that is pretty cool.

Going back to our own lives, we know that we all mess up sometimes.  Sometimes we consciously make decisions to say and do things we shouldn’t.  God understands this and makes it very easy for us to still be called followers of Christ, despite our shortcomings.  It’s a simple little thing called forgiveness.

However, God clearly calls us to attempt to live a sinless life. (knowing we’ll all fall short now and again)  For example, when Abraham was 99 years old, God came to him and said, “Serve me faithfully and live a BLAMELESS life.”

Remember that the Bible is God’s collection of writings, designed to light our path throughout life.   There are countless instructions contained within the pages of the Bible.  Deuteronomy3:20 says ”by loving the LORD your God, by obeying His voice, and by holding fast to Him; for this is your life and the length of your days”.

Attempt to obey the instructions God spoken to us through the Bible.  Next time you’re about to do or say something you know doesn’t align with God’s instructions, think to yourself, “I am breaking the law  if I do/say this.  I am breaking God’s law.”  It’s a pretty big deal to break the law in real life.  Why do we take breaking God’s law as a less serious offense?

We all sin.  God knows it, and is cool with it…as long as we go to him in prayer, and try to do better next time.  However, it is also clear that the ultimate goal should be to live blamelessly…without any sin.

I encourage you to continue to serve God and explore your faith.

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This year, three U.S. born physicists won the prize.   So what did these three men discover?  In short, they discovered with a large amount of certainty, that the Universe is expanding…and expanding at a more rapid rate than ever before. If you’re like me, you are skeptical.  How in the world could they figure out something like that?  However, after researching the events surrounding the claim, I began to understand a little more.

The Expanding Universe

I’ve talked in several previous posts about light, and how the Bible teaches us that light is God’s most used method to spread his creation.  In my article, Let there be light, I talked about light’s role in the creation process at the very beginning, as told to us in Genesis (check out our creation section to view more articles).  Science matches up with the theory that light started it all (remember, God started creating with the words, “Let there be light.”).

From the dawn of time, people have seen light as a connection to God.   For example, did you know that Egyptians built a “window” that was positioned in conjunction with the sun, that would allow the mummified Pharaoh to ascend with the light into the heavens?  The native people of Central and South America built elaborate pyramids that, in conjuction with the equinox and solstice, created elaborate visualizations that utilized the sun’s (light’s) position in the sky.

Going back to the discovery of the expanding Universe, I was curious whether there was any biblical support for these findings.  I specifically searched for topics surrounding change, a journey,

“But forget all that—it is nothing compared to what I am going to do.
For I am about to do something new.
See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?
I will make a pathway through the wilderness.
I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.”
Isaiah 43:18-19 (NLT)

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature:
old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)

“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
2 Corinthians 4:17-18 (NIV)

The Old Testament is one big journey.  From Abraham, to Noah, to Moses, they all were going somewhere.  To me, this notion that we are really moving, matches up so well with our earthly home, that is moving around our sun at a staggering 67,000 miles per hour!  Our solar system spins around the Milky Way Galaxy at a mind bending 550,000 miles per hour.  Since God uttered the words “Let there be LIGHT.”, the earth has made 18 full rotations around the galaxy. Note that the earth and the solar system are spinning around in a circle.

So what about the expansion and movement of space itself?  Well, as crazy as it sounds, the galaxy is moving approximately 550,000 miles per hour 24/7!

If you’re having a hard time visualizing all of this speed, check out the short clip below, which shows how our galaxy (the thing moving 550,000 MPH) is being stretched farther and farther away from other galaxies (the space between them is getting bigger).  *Please note, this video mentions the big bang, which I believe can match up with Biblical understandings of creation (despite years of misunderstanding).  However, I wanted to mention this preemptively.  Just remember, the big bang theory says, with 100% certainty, that LIGHT is what started the creation of everything (kind of sounds like Genesis doesn’t it? )

Whether we like it or not, we are on a continuous journey.

This notion that our universe is expanding, and that citizens of earth are moving through space and time at a blistering speed match up with themes of the Bible.   God constantly tells us that we need to be striving to make change in our lives.  As we all know, overcoming sin is a constant battle of will, and it truly is a journey.  We find the strength to rise above some sin, only to begin struggling with another sort of sin later on in our life, whether it be due to circumstance, or inward change.

I encourage you today to recognize that we are on a journey toward something…toward an end goal.  Physics tells us that we are in a state of constant change.  There is nothing in this world that remains still.  Atoms are always moving one way or another.  As humans with tendencies for sin, we need to make a choice…are we going moving toward God, or away from him?

Explore Your Faith.

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If you are in love, or have ever been in love, you are very aware of how intense those feelings can be.  When you first met that special someone, every time you saw them, your stomach may have had butterflies.  Your palms may have gotten sweaty.  Over time though, many of us experience those feelings without even seeing that person.   A picture, a whiff of their perfume, or even a song that you listened to last time you were together, all are enough to remind you of them, and send you into a love-stricken daze.

But what in your brain is going on to illicit such a response?  With increased exposure to someone, you start to need less and less of a cue in order to be reminded of them. In other words, you need increasingly smaller “input cues” (i.e. perfume), to elicit increasingly stronger “output” (i.e. butterflies) responses.

Feel the Presence of God

The principles here extend beyond the feelings of love.  Any time you are talking about behavior or learning, you are talking of strengthening the bonds between different parts of your brain.  Initially, this happens in our short term memory.  However, with enough repitition and reminder, the memory transitions into long term memory, where it becomes more hardwired.  This is why it is better to study for an example 7 consecutive days before an exam, rather than cramming on the day before the test.

In summary, science has given us rock solid evidence that repetition is critical in learning and memory.

Transitioning to faith, do you yearn to feel the presence of God?  Knowing the above science about long term memory, can you see why regular time in God’s scripture is so important?

“Out of sight, out of mind” is a very true statement in my personal experience.  If I am constantly reading my Bible, and exploring my faith, it takes much less of a stimulus for me to be reminded of my faith…and in turn, God.  In turn, I am a better, more dedicated follower of Christ.  Feeling the presence of God in scripture, the NKJV Bible says:

The LORD is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth.

-Psalm 145: 18

For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. {12} Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. {13} And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.

- Jeremiah 29:11-13

Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.

- Jeremiah 29:11-13

Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding.  Cry out for insight and ask for understanding.  Search for them as you would for silver; seek them like hidden treasure

-Proverbs 2:2-4

Draw near to him and explore his word (and your faith). God says that he will be near (i.e. be present in our thoughts),  if we call upon him.

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Several months ago, my wife and I went to visit my grandparents who live in the small rural town of Archbold, OH.  I didn’t have my Bible with me, so before church on Sunday morning, I asked if I could borrow my grandmother’s Living Paraphrase Bible.  This was a very popular Bible several decades ago.  Its predecessor, the NLT Bible (New Living) is the current choice of countless people around the world.

Before the service started, I opened the Bible to the first page of Genesis (written about 700 years after Abraham) and saw the following:

The Account of Creation

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.  The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters

And the Lord said "Let there be light."

After that first verse, the Lord utters the words that start it all… LET THERE BE LIGHT.   Before those words were uttered, darkness covered everything.  Suddenly, an explosion of light, and it was the end of the first “day”.  However, I noticed the footnotes symbol next to the word day, and saw that this translation mentioned that a day could also mean an “era of time”.

Many people may have already known this, but I didn’t realize that the Bible left room for interpretation when it came to how God started the Universe.  Throughout my entire life, I was taught that God created the heavens and the earth in seven days.  Seven sunrises.  Seven Sunsets.  This intrigued me greatly, being my fascination with the beginnings of creation.  From there, I did a little digging into the literal translation.

In Genesis, when there is talk of seven days (the Hebrew word is yom), there are three different kind of “days”.

1.  12 hours

2.  24 hours

3.  Long, Indefinite Period of Time

This was an epiphany.  Creation didn’t have to happen in 7 days. It could have happened very similarly to how the majority of scholars and scientists have believed for centuries (although not fully accepted until recently), that there was a big explosion (of pure LIGHT), that started a chain of events, fully orchestrated by our incredibly creative creator.

Isn’t that the important part?  To know that God was the creator of the heavens and the earth.  That he was behind it all?  That from his command, a chain of events was set into place, that are responsible for you.  From his words, life began.

That is what it’s all about.

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