The Wonder of Creation

Posted on May 4, 2016 by Steve Foster

In the beginning God…

Is there any statement more radical, more revolutionary, more real?

In the beginning…

Time has a beginning. It is a created segment of eternity. It is a short story written by the infinite God. We feel trapped in it, dominated by it. Time is too short, too quick, too fleeting, too demanding. But it is created by the unhurried God. The eternal one. The uncreated, uncaused, unchanging One.

God.

He is.

Elohim. The Strong One. The True One. The Only One.

You can ask where He came from. But it cannot be answered. He simply is. I AM. Self-existent. Eternal. Immutable. Immortal. Incomprehensible.

The Creator of the heavens and the earth.

He spoke and it came into existence. The I Am said, “Let there be” and there was.

All that exists exists because God exists. He created. Out of nothing. He took absolute nothingness and created this incredibly complex, expansive, intricate, diverse universe.

The heavens are declaring the glory of God and the earth is showing forth the work of His hands.

The message of God is all around us…but like cosmic illiterates we analyze the letters but fail to read the message.

Aristotle once observed that if we lived underground and interacted with works of art and mechanism and then afterwards we were brought up into the open day and saw the many glories of the heavens and earth, he would immediately pronounce them the work of such a Being as we define God to be.

The earth, the sky, the water, the grass, the trees, the birds of the sky, the fish in the water, the beasts of the field. All manifest the glory and creative power of God.

And we are His highest and greatest creation.

Made in the image of God. Formed from the dust of the earth. Animated by the breath of God.  

In Him we live and move and have our very being.

After all, what is life? Can you touch it? Feel it? Capture it? Create it? Can you take basic matter and make it alive? Give it consciousness? An imagination? A will? A heart that loves? A mouth that speaks? Ears that listen? Eyes that delight in what they see? A body that moves at the impulses of a mind?

We are created beings…created by an eternal, transcendent, magnificent God.

He creates. He speaks. He sees.

He sets boundaries, establishes laws, gives names that provide things with their identity and purpose.

He blesses.

He is not only powerful but good. He is not only transcendent but immanent. He is separate from creation but intimately involved with it.

He gives. He empowers. He loves.

And He rests.

He sees His work and takes joy in it. He rejoices. He sings. He takes delight in His creation.

It is very good because it comes from the hands of a very good God.

God is our Creator. He is great and He is good. He is life and He is rest.

And our hearts will be restless until they find their rest in Him.

Posted in Creation and Humanity | 1 Comment

Unfathomable Friday

Posted on March 25, 2016 by Steve Foster
Good Friday.
 
It seems like a misnomer. We remember the unjust, ugly, cruel crucifixion of an innocent Man with the word "good." From an earthly perspective, "good" is the wrong word for such an event. But from an eternal perspective, "good" is the only word that can be used. And it may even be a little weak. Incredible, awe-inspiring, redemptive, amazing, unfathomable may be better words.
 

Unfathomable Friday.

 
On this day, we remember that God redeemed sinful humanity by taking on human flesh, taking on our sin, taking on our punishment, and dying in our place. Because of the cross of Christ, we can have forgiveness from sin, freedom from guilt and shame, and hope for eternity. We can have a new identity, a new heart, a new start, a new family, a new kingdom, and a new future. And we can have the assurance that we are loved with a love that cannot be comprehended by us, that cannot be separated from us, and that will not go into eternity without us.
 
And it's all by God's free, unmerited, amazing grace. It is not about what we have done but what He has done. It is a gift that we can only receive by humble, thankful, child-like faith.
 
That's why, as believers in Jesus Christ, we can have peace, give thanks, and rejoice even in the midst of the unjust, ugly, cruel realities of this world. Because the cross reminds us that God has the power to redeem such things for our good (Romans 8:28).
 
And Easter Sunday assures us that He will!

Posted in Random Thoughts | 1 Comment

A Few Thoughts on American Politics

Posted on February 29, 2016 by Steve Foster

How is a Christian to live in this current political climate?

It is a tough question. One I wrestle with all the time, especially as a pastor.

Our political process seems broken. Political debates are driven by entertainment and sound bites. Political ads are thirty seconds of overexaggeration and character assassination. And politicans are often elected more for image rather than substance, for personality rather than policy, for eloquence rather than experience, for bluster rather than character.

It is easy for a Christian to be caught up in the rancor.

Here are few basic thoughts to keep in mind:

1. The kingdom of God is much, much bigger than American politics. God is sovereign. The Most High rules in the kingdom of men and gives it to whomever He chooses (Daniel 4:17, 25, 32). He can direct the heart of political leaders like the channels of water, He turns it wherever He wishes (Proverbs 21:1). We do not have to fret or fear or lose our focus (or our testimony) in the midst of the madness.

2. There is no political Messiah. No politician is going to save us or fix all our problems. Any politician that claims as much is denying his own humanity and any person who believes as much is living in his own fantasy. Our biggest problems are not political; they are matters of the heart. And no politician can change that. Sin and death are our biggest enemies. And no politician can defeat that. We live in a world impacted by sin, selfishness, decay, disease, disaster, and death. And no politician can reverse that. There is still only one Messiah and He isn't running for office.

3. National revivals and "great awakenings" begin not with politicians but with people. People seeking after God, acknowledging sin, finding forgiveness and grace in Christ, taking responsibility for their own actions, and voluntarily caring for and loving their neighbors and fellow citizens. True charity and compassion emerges from the heart; it cannot be imposed by the government. 

4. Our system of government was not designed for a "Messiah" or a "king." There was a balance of power to assure that no one person could rule exclusively. Our forefathers were wise enough to recognize that "power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely." To their credit, they were aware of the sinfulness of the human heart and thus they designed a governmental structure to limit a person's power and to make everyone accountable to everyone else.

Thus, as John Adams recognized, "…We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." (October 11, 1798)

5. The leadership of our nation is important and vital. We are privileged in this great republic to be part of the political process…and we should be involved. We should research candidates and vote wisely, based on a candidate's character, experience, conduct, and commitment to the values of life, marriage, family, justice, and freedom. We should also pray for our leaders…for their salvation and for the protection of religious liberty (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

But we should also keep things in perspective. The type of leaders we have are generally a reflection of the type of people we are. The best of leaders, at best, can only stem the tide of immorality in a nation while the worst of leaders, at worst, can only accelerate it. Thus, if true change is going to happen in our nation, it won't be through a change in political leaders but rather through a change in human hearts.

And there is still only one Messiah who can accomplish that…and His name is Jesus.

Thus the hope of our nation, and any nation, still lies in the nail-pierced hands of the Nazarene.

As Christians, may our thoughts, words, and actions reflect that we know Him.

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

Declare these things; exhort and rebuke with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people. (Titus 2:11-3:2)

Posted in Government/Politics | Leave a comment

Man’s Search for Meaning

Posted on February 23, 2016 by Steve Foster

Viktor Frankl's book is a classic. A story of survival in the Nazi concentration camps and a manual for finding meaning even in the most difficult of circumstances.

Frankl's book has one overriding premise. Man's most essential quest is not the quest for pleasure or for power but for meaning. When our life has no meaning, then we lose hope. And when we lose hope, then we have lost everything.

Imprisoned in a concentration camp, Frankl was confronted with the cruelty of humanity. Prisoners fought each other for survival. Guards demeaned, mocked, tortured, and killed, intending to break the spirit as much as the body of those under their control. Many prisoners simply gave up. They commited suicide or entered a stage of apathy and "emotional death." But some survived.

How?

Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms–to choose one's attitude in any given set of circumstances. …Any man can, even under such circumstances, decide what shall become of him–mentally and spiritually.

Frankl survived by choosing to find meaning in his suffering–by looking toward the future and holding onto a purpose, onto hope.

It is a peculiarity of man that he can only live by looking to the future. And this is his salvation in the most difficult moments of his existence, although he sometimes has to force his mind to the task.

From his experience, Frankl designed what he called "logotherapy." Rather than focusing on the past to find reasons for one's problems, Frankl encouraged people to look toward the future and to find a purpose toward which to live.

Frankl believed that most psychological "problems" are not problems at all but merely manifestations of the reality of human existence. As humans, we are meant to live with tensions and problems. "What man actually needs is not a tensionless state but rather the striving and struggling for a worthwhile goal, a freely chosen task."

As Frankl analyzed "American culture," he predicted that meaningless would be the biggest problem facing many Americans. This lack of meaning would manifest itself "mainly in a state of boredom."

"People have enough to live by but nothing to live for; they have the means but no meaning."

In pursuing happiness instead of purpose and meaning, Americans would miss out on both. Happiness is not a goal in itself but rather a by-product of having a meaningful life. But because Americans elevate happiness to a goal in itself, "the burden of unavoidable unhappiness is increased by unhappiness about being unhappy." (Stop and read that one again.)

This inevitable boredom about life and increasing unhappiness would lead to "sexual compensation" and "addiction."

In such cases, "meaning orientation had subsided, and consequently the seeking of immediate pleasure had taken over."

"This pursuit of sexual pleasure becomes self-defeating. Indeed, what is called 'the pleasure principle' is, rather, a fun-spoiler."

Regarding addiction, Frankl noted that 90 percent of alcoholics had "suffered from an abysmal feeling of meaningless." And of drug addicts, 100 percent believed that "things seemed meaningless."

Thus, for Frankl, "man's main concern is not to gain pleasure or to avoid pain but rather to see a meaning in his life."

Frankl proposed that ultimate meaning is only found in love.

The more one forgets himself–by giving himself to a cause to serve or another person to love–the more human he is and the more he actualizes himself. …The salvation of man is through love and in love.

There is no doubt that Frankl was on to something. His book has touched the hearts of countless lives and his story itself is a testament to the power of meaning in the most adverse of circumstances.

But Frankl's search for meaning unfortunately can not transcend death. His hope is primarily fixed in this life. For those who died in the concentration camps, Frankl's quest for meaning offers no real comfort.

Hope truly is the necessary cure for meaninglessness and the enabling power to get through suffering. But true hope is found in only one place…actually in only one Person.

Jesus Christ.

The One who conquered sin on the cross.

The One who conquered death through His resurrection.

The One coming back to bring peace and righteousness to a broken, unjust world.

And the man who embraces Him finds not only meaning in this life. He finds Life itself.

Posted in Recommended Books | Leave a comment

Ten Reasons to Be Humble

Posted on February 8, 2016 by Steve Foster

You would think that an honest look at ourselves and at our condition would make us all humble. But there is something in our hearts that still rises up in self-focused, self-justifying, other-comparing pride.

If the "fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge" (Proverbs 1:7) then just coming to the place where you recognize that "God is God and you are not" is the first step toward real knowledge. It is Knowledge 101. Fail this class and you fail all the rest. 

There are at least ten reasons why we should be humble and approach life with a sense of reverence and awe.

1. I didn't give myself life.

What did I do to gain life? Absolutely nothing. It was given to me. All I can do is receive it and be thankful for it.

2. I am weak and limited.

As humans, we get tired, sick, and hurt easily. Even at maximum strength, the average human operates at about 1 horsepower and this power can only be sustained for a short amount of time in a short period of one's life. And though we like to think that we are smart, we only possess a minuscule fraction of all knowledge and, scientifically, we cannot even be sure what "consciousness" and "thoughts" even are.

3. Much of the functioning of my own body is outside of my control.

My heart is beating. My lungs are breathing. My cells are regenerating. My immune system is fighting off germs and infection. All outside of my direct control.

4. My own thoughts, emotions, and volition fight against my control.

I find myself at war with myself! Struggling against thoughts that could easily lead me astray, trying to understand my own emotions, fighting against my own will. Our biggest battle is often within ourselves and we often lose this unseen battle.

5. I am not in control of the hearts of others.

Yes, I can try to force or manipulate people to do what I want but, in the end, I can't control their thoughts, hearts, or will. Every parent wishes that they could guarantee that their kids will turn out well, but even the heart of one's own child is outside one's control.

6. I cannot control nature.

Even with all our technology, we stand utterly powerless and terrified before an F5 tornado. We can't stop a storm, hurricane, or earthquake. And right now, our planet is flying through space at 1000 miles per minute, spinning at 1000 miles per hour, and rotating around the sun in an orbit 580 million miles long with such exact precision that we can set our watches on it. Such power is unfathomable…and completely outside our control.

7. I cannot control the future.

I make choices that impact my future but I can't control all the circumstances around me that will shape and possibly change my future in a moment's notice. As we stand at the beginning of 2016, none of us are in control of all the events that will happen in this world by the end of this year.

8. All that I build and possess is temporary.

Nothing that I build will last. No possession that I hold onto right now will I be able to keep forever. As the rock band Kansas reminded us: Same old song, just a drop of water in an endless sea. All we do crumbles to the ground, though we refuse to see. Dust in the wind, all we are is dust in the wind.

9. My strength and my life pass quickly.

For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away (James 4:14). Time may seem like forever when you are young but as you get older you realize how quickly it passes away…along with the strength to do the things that you once could do.

10. I am subject to death.

Whether we are rich, poor, young, old, strong, weak, educated, or clueless, we are still subject to death. No amount of money can buy immortality. No Ph.D. can solve death's riddle. No politican can abolish its power. We are mortal, fragile, and limited in time.

We have no reason to boast and every reason to be humble.

Come to grips with these realities and the Bible says that you are finally ready to listen, ready to learn, and ready to live.

Posted in Random Thoughts | Leave a comment