The God of the Universe
A well-known atheist died, and spoke at his own funeral. While his body lay quietly in the coffin, his voice sounded forth from a tape recorder. Launching one final attack on God, he declared, This is my funeral. Then he assailed religion, belabored the Bible, and belittled Christians. I have the utmost contempt for this theological nonsense, he shouted. The Bible and religion have done nothing but spread ignorance and impede the progress of the human race. When he came to the end of the attack, he paused briefly, and then added, That's all.
Even in death this man expressed his hatred for God and Christian values. But such foolish assaults can no more harm the eternal God and the everlasting Word of God than the barking of a dog can hurt the moon. We are told in Psalm 2:4, He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision.
I am sure the atheist realizes his mistake now. Gladly he would accept a second chance to live his life again to rectify his error. But, of course, this is not possible. I am certain if he had the opportunity he would humbly bow before Christ and acknowledge Him as Savior and Lord.
The oration closed with the words, That's all. He knows better now. He realizes that he must stand before God in judgment. But even this will not be the end. Like countless thousands who have rejected the Savior, the atheist will have eternity to think it over, and regret his mistake.
How can anyone possibly doubt the existence of Almighty God with all the visible evidence He has given? As every building demands a builder; so we know that the universe demands a Creator. We read in Hebrews 3:4, For every house is builded by some man; but He that built all things is God. In Romans 1:20 we read, For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse. And, in Psalm 19:1, The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth His handiwork. Regardless of which direction we look, if we are honest and sincere, we realize that all of creation is the result of God's creative power.
Long ago, during a star-lit night, on a warship on the Mediterranean Sea, Napoleon overheard a group of his officers mocking the idea of God. He went to them, and sweeping his hand toward the stars, said, Gentlemen, you must get rid of those first!
May I invite you to look heavenward some clear night at a cluster of stars in the northern sky? It is possible to count 6,000 stars in that group, and each one is larger than our sun. Our sun, on the other hand, is so big you could put a million of our little earths into it and still have room to spare. Who is responsible for all this? Who created it in the beginning? If God did not, how did it come to be? Who holds the universe together year after year, century after century, so everything continues in its planned pattern? These things cannot just happen. They demand a supernatural mind and power. God is the only answer. Psalm 86:10 is absolutely correct in speaking of God, For Thou art great, and doest wondrous things: Thou art God alone.
We boast about our modern technology. But nothing has ever been produced as efficient as man himself. Where can we find a pump as perfect as the human heart? If treated right it works continuously for about 600,000 hours, making 4,320 strokes and pumping fifteen gallons of blood an hour.
There is no telephone system equal to our nervous system; no radio or TV as efficient as the voice and the ear; no camera as perfect as the human eye; no ventilating plant as wonderful as the nose, lungs, and skin; and no electrical system can compete with the spinal cord.
Consider also the wonders of memory. The wisest man who has ever lived (second, of course to our Savior, Jesus Christ) has come nowhere near using the full capacity of his mental storehouse. Most people employ only ten to fifteen percent of their brain's capabilities. It has been estimated that after seventy years of activity, the brain may contain as many as fifteen trillion separate bits of information. Your memory is a treasure house whose size and strength are almost beyond human comprehension. Who but God could create such phenomena?
Don't be too quick to turn God off. He is the most faithful friend you could ever have. Give Him a chance to prove this. Receive Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord and you will discover a part of life you have never known before. J. Allen Blair
God is Leading
Pastor Geoffrey Janes
After living in the wilderness for nearly 40 years, Moses saw a bush that was on fire, but was not being consumed. Upon investigation, he discovered that it was the LORD, appearing to him with a message: I have surely seen the affliction of my people which are in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians (Ex. 3:7-8). The LORD then called Moses to the task of gathering the elders of Israel, approaching Pharaoh, and leading the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage.
Now, as most of us do when called to such an immense task, Moses began to make excuses: Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh? What if they don't believe that I talked to you? I am not a public speaker; I might not know what to say! Moses thought of every reason why he should not go. But God knows more than we do. In fact, God replied to Moses by saying Who hath made man's mouth (Ex. 4:11)? In other words, I am God; I know what I am doing!
When God calls us to action, He does so with clarity. It may take a little time for us to discover God's leading and direction for our lives. But He will always be very clear when He leads. And God will always prepare the way, and make the way possible for us to complete the task to which He has called us. We may not understand how it will work, or why God is leading us in a certain direction, but we must trust that He knows what He is doing. He created us, and He knows what we can handle. It won't always be easy, in fact it rarely is. By following and obeying God's call we will reap amazing blessings.
Is God calling you to to into action? Go!
God is faithful, by whom ye were called
unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ
our Lord (1 Corinthians 1:9).
Death Can Be Pleasant
There he was, a young man sauntering through the airport, hat hanging off to one side, feet dragging along the corridor, wearing an oversized blue tee shirt with a yellow caption:
DOWN TO NOTHING.
Where is a person when he gets DOWN TO NOTHING? James 4:14 says, For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. Death will surely bring each of us DOWN TO NOTHING. What will you do then? The free printed message for this month is titled, Death Can Be Pleasant. We're sure to be down to nothing at that time. If you're not prepared for a pleasant death experience, then perhaps you should write and ask for this message in print by Dr. Blair.
IT'S ABOUT BEING FREE
by Gary Janes
A most misapplied passage of Scripture stuck in my mind on my annual journey through the Bible, which I'm doing in six months this year. Jesus said, Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free (John 8:32). He was not talking about learning facts that are found in the libraries where we see the caption over the doorways. Rather, it is clear that He was talking about the freedom that comes from knowing Him as Lord and Savior. Jesus clarified The Truth by saying I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh to the Father, but by Me (John 14:6). Separating church and state will include removing the caption from the doorways.