God—Creator—Nobody Made It?
Many years ago Sir Isaac Newton had an exact replica of our solar system made in miniature. At its center was a large golden ball representing the sun, and revolving around it were small spheres attached at the ends of rods of varying lengths. They represented Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, and the other planets. These were all geared together by cogs and belts to make them move around the sun in perfect harmony.
One day as Newton was studying the model, a friend who did not believe in the biblical account of creation stopped by for a visit. Marveling at the device and watching as the scientist made the heavenly bodies move on their orbits, the man exclaimed, "My, Newton, what an exquisite thing! Who made it for you?" Without looking up, Sir Isaac replied, "Nobody."
"Nobody?" his friend asked.
"That's right! I said nobody! All of these balls and cogs and belts and gears just happened to come together, and wonder of wonders, by chance they began revolving in their set orbits and with perfect timing."
The unbeliever got the message! It was foolish to suppose that the model merely happened. But it was even more senseless to accept the theory that the earth and the vast universe came into being by chance.
How much more logical to believe what the Bible says, "In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth." The Word also declares, "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God." (Ps. 14:1)
God —Creator—It Works!
The body is a masterpiece of exquisite design. Beautifully "engineered," it is governed by several hundred systems of control each interacting with and affecting the other.
The brain has 10 billion nerve cells to record what one sees and hears.
The skin has more than 2 million tiny sweat glands about 3,000 per square inch all part of the intricate system which keeps one's body at an even temperature.
A pump in one's chest makes the blood travel 168 million miles a day, the equivalent of 6720 times around the world!
The lining of the stomach contains 35 million glands secreting juices which aid the process of digestion.
And these are but a few of the involved processes and chemical wonders which operate to sustain life.
A young student had been impressed with the fact that most new products have some glitches that must be ironed out before they can operate efficiently. As he stood gazing at a chart showing the organs, nerves, arteries, and glands in the human body, he suddenly exclaimed, "Just think, the first time God put it together, it worked!"
Smarter but Not Wiser
"Human life today isn't becoming easier, in spite of prosperity and opportunity. We may have more but we enjoy less; we may be smarter, but not wiser; we may gain more knowledge, but less discernment. Why? Because we have too many distractions, too many contradictions, too many choices, too many opportunities, a fullness that keeps us jumping and empty, a variety that leaves us suspended, half-fulfilled." -Haim Kemelman, How to Live in the Present Tense
A Recipe for Christian Living
Measure the following ingredients in the bowl of eternity. All your talents, life, health, strength, and means, the leaven of a fully yielded heart, the oil of gladness, the milk of human kindness.
Add the life of Christ, completely submerging all ingredients. Stir in thoroughly with a consecrated will the graces of the Spirit. Thicken with the flour of an undivided purpose, enrich with the vitamins of good works. Strain out all selfishness, criticism, and indifference. Purify in the cleansing blood of Christ. Season distinctively with the love of the brethren.
Pour out and evenly distribute with a fine sense of balance on the plane of human experience, guarding against extreme positions of fanaticism on the one hand, and a treacherous attitude of self-righteous allsufficiency on the other.
Bake in the furnace of trial with a spirit ready to learn all of life's lessons.
Cut with the Sword of the Spirit into squares of daily living and influence.
Await with eager intensity the soon coming of "him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy." Donald F. Haynes
The Indestructible Bible
Generation follows generation, yet it lives.
Nations rise and fall, yet it lives.
Hated, despised, cursed, yet it lives.
Doubted, suspected, criticized, yet it lives.
Condemned by atheists, yet it lives.
Scoffed at by scorners, yet it lives.
Exaggerated by fanatics, yet it lives.
Misconstrued and misstated, yet it lives.
Ranted and raved about, yet it lives.
Its inspiration denied, yet it lives.
Yet it lives as a lamp to our feet.
Yet it lives as a light to our paths.
Yet it lives as a gate to heaven
Yet it lives as a standard for childhood.
Yet it lives as a guide for youth.
Yet it lives as an inspiration for the mature.
Yet it lives as a comfort for the aged.
Yet it lives as food for the hungry.
Yet it lives as water for the thirsty.
Yet it lives as rest for the weary.
Yet it lives as light for the heathen.
Yet it lives as salvation for the sinner.
Yet it lives as grace for the Christian.
To know it is to love it.
To love it is to accept it.
To accept it means life eternal. -Willard J. Johnson
Two Ways of Meeting Needs
"There are two ways of adapting one's ministry to the times. One is falling in with the requirements of the times, and the other is going dead against them, and both of these methods have to be pursued.
"Paul felt that if he were to give the Corinthians what they needed, he must refuse to give them what they wanted, and that while he crossed their wishes he was consulting their necessities .... for what the Jew needs most is not a sign, and what the Greek needs most is not wisdom, but what they both need most is deliverance from the guilt and power of sin.... Therefore, any man that comes with a sign, and does not deal with the sin of the human heart, and any man that comes with a philosophical system of wisdom, and does not deal with sin, does not bring a gospel that will meet the necessities even of the people to whose cravings he has been aiming to adapt his message." -Alexander McClaren Comments, on 1 Corinthians 2:2, p. 27.
Claims Christ Made for Himself
1. He claimed to be God (John 10:28-30).
2. He claimed pre-existence (John 8:58; 6:38; 17:5).
3. He claimed to be the long-awaited Messiah (John 4:26).
4. He claimed omnipotence (Matt. 28:18; John 3:35).
5. He claimed infallibility (Matt. 24:35).
6. He claimed to be the way, the truth and the life (John 14:6).
7. He claimed to be the light of the world (John 8:12).
8. He claimed to be the resurrection and the life (John 11:25).
9. He claimed to be without sin (John 8:46).
10. He claimed to be omnipresent (Matt. 28:20).
11. He claimed to have foreknowledge (John 13:19).
12. He claimed to forgive sins (Matt. 9:2).
13. He claimed to know the hearts of men (John 2:25).
14. He claimed He would never forsake us (Matt. 28:20). -Phyllis Bailey
Henry Feyerabend is speaker for It Is Written, a telecast program in Canada.
