Measurable Evidence

 

"What gets measured gets attention.” The first time I read that phrase it was on a six-inch ruler at a Kiewit job site. Each of our immediate family worked for Kiewit at one time or another - even I had a temporary position. I wanted to use that quote with another, from BigThink.com:

But extrapolating beyond the limits of your measurable evidence is a dangerous, albeit tempting, game to play.

My next thought was to find the source for the Kiewit quote - which brought me to a page about Lord William Thomson, Lord Kelvin, who actually said:

When you can measure what you are speaking about, and express it in numbers, you know something about it; but when you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge is of a meagre and unsatisfactory kind; it may be the beginning of knowledge, but you have scarcely, in your thoughts, advanced to the stage of science, whatever the matter may be.

Measuring is a valid business process.  It is an asset to be able to measure. Measuring evidence is a key phrase, I used it myself when testing software. But what happens when something is immeasurable?

From Job 38:4, God gives Job a mass of unanswerable questions, beginning with:

Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. (Job 38:4 KJV)

The next verses, then chapters, show us how immeasurable God is. The answer Job gives is what I also believe:

Then Job answered the LORD, and said, I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee. (Job 42:1-2 KJV)

We see our God as omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent, as well as being eternal. He cares for His creation (check out John 3:16!) and provides:

But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19 KJV)

God also takes care of those who follow His instructions:

But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: (2 Corinthians 9:6-8 KJV)

Christians cannot measure God. As the Big Think quote said, we should not extrapolate when explaining what we believe He is. The Bible describes God and His dealings with mankind. Our belief in Him comes only from His word and how He works in our lives. We love Him based on faith, which comes from:

So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. (Romans 10:17 KJV)

Christians also know what happens without faith:

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6 KJV)

Faith is mentioned twice in the Old Testament – Deuteronomy 32:20 and Habakkuk 2:4. Worth reading, then read Hebrews 11 and see how faith plus work can show measurable evidence of our faith in God. Or Esther, where God’s name isn’t mentioned, nor is praying to Him, yet through Esther’s faith He provided “enlargement and deliverance”for the Jewish people.

Although God is immeasurable, is there visible evidence of our faith in Him? James felt very strongly about that:

Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? (James 2:17-20 KJV)

This blog exists to continue what John wrote:

But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name. (John 20:31 KJV)

Mountains and Valleys

 

I looked for a graphic that would show a valley, not just a mountain, because life brings us valleys as well as mountain top experiences. For a Christian, a mountain top experience doesn’t have to be anywhere near a mountain. I’ve had, and seen others have, such experiences on an ocean cruise with only the sea from a 360 degree horizon.

For a Christian, a mountain top experience is a closeness to God, Word@Work defines it as:

This expression has originated from the Bible because of the dealings God had with His people on various “mountain-tops”. So the phrase has come to mean a moment of transcendence – or epiphany; and in particular an experience of significant revelation given by God.

Monday night last week, at our Ladies Meeting, our speaker was Tina Pugh, our pastor’s wife. She presented a number of biblical mountain top experiences. As another attendee put it: “For mountain top experiences you must plan and use considerable resources and have faith. God makes it worth the effort when it is to His glory.”

The opposite experiences are termed “valleys,” where we experience a significant distance from God. King David was described as being a man after God’s own heart when the kingdom was taken away from Saul:

And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever. But now thy kingdom shall not continue: the LORD hath sought him a man after his own heart, and the LORD hath commanded him to be captain over his people, because thou hast not kept that which the LORD commanded thee. (1 Samuel 13:13-14 KJV)

Saul’s indictment was specific – he had not kept God’s commandment to Saul, thus Saul lost the kingdom. David would make errors that kept him from building the Temple – that was left to his son Solomon. David also knew about the valleys that come to us, the opposite of “mountain top experiences.’ Those times when we are certain we are alone. Trust God, we are not alone.

When Elijah felt alone he said:

and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. (1 Kings 19:14b KJV)

God responded:

Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him.
(1 Kings 19:18 KJV)

David, when confronting his own sinfulness wrote:

Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. (Psalms 51:2-4 KJV)

He also wrote about God keeping us through the valleys, whether they are of the world’s making – as Elijah, or of our own – as David:

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (Psalms 23:4 KJV)

Yes, God is with us in the valleys of our lives – when we listen to Him. Today we “see” Him as the Holy Spirit, the Comforter sent to His followers.

It is possible that many of our own valleys remain because we do not see God leading us back to those mountain top experiences. He does it through the Comforter Jesus prayed for:

And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
(John 14:16-17 KJV)

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
(John 14:26 KJV)

The Comforter’s presence with us in the valley allows us the strength to continue towards those lifting mountain tops where we do remember our place in God’s plan. If we’ve forgotten that God has a plan for us, the Comforter will “bring all things to your remembrance.” Easiest way for us to know what Jesus said is to read the Bible, isn’t it?

Maintenance Required

 I was watching my grandson work on his pickup this morning. He needs it to pull his equipment trailer for his welding business. Without that truck, he is unable to fulfill his commitment to his employer or his clients.

This is true of so many things in our lives. Every day living is filled with maintenance items. Some are as simple as putting fuel in our vehicles in order for us to bring food into our house so that we provide sustenance for our bodies. Yes – we need to do maintenance on our bodies daily. There will be times we need help in maintaining our bodies, so we call upon doctors. Seems as though I’ve called on them too often since October 2019, but each time they’ve done well in aiding in maintaining my body.

My Beloved Husband and I have maintained our marriage – celebrating sixty years of marriage since May of 1961, Oh, yes, we had to work at that! Marriage definitely takes maintenance on the part of both husband and wife. It does takes both working on that because at any given time, one of us wasn’t doing our part. When one spouse is working alone, the marriage will fail. Many do.

Children take maintenance, too. Lots of it. Somehow, our society thinks that babies can take care of themselves once they are born. They are not only viable, but no longer need mothers, fathers, families, or sustenance. That having a woman provide maintenance alone during pregnancy is a point of contention to the point of removing the child from any needs, denying them life. For mothers accepting the responsibilities of children, maintenance is necessary for years. The return on loving, caring maintenance is continued love and care for parents. That is a beautiful circle of life.

Too often, poor maintenance on our bodies, marriage, and children can be compared with poor maintenance on our souls. Neglecting maintenance on our souls, as seen by Christians, is death. Thomas Aquinas wrote:  “Three things are necessary for the salvation of man: to know what he ought to believe; to know what he ought to desire, and to know what he ought to do.” That reminds me of a very good definition of what is necessary to become a Christian:

For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.  (Romans 10:13-18 KJV)

Do you believe that last sentence? It wasn’t a full truth in Paul’s day, though he spent his life taking that gospel to a large portion of the Roman world. Today, is there a place that has not had an opportunity to hear that which Paul preached to Agrippa:

Having therefore obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to small and great, saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come: That Christ should suffer, and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles. (Acts 26:22-23 KJV)

Look for yourself what is necessary for maintaining a soul. The results are eternally important:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:16-18 KJV)

Let’s Look At Pernicious

 

The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. (2 Peter 2:9-10 KJV)

Paul begins this chapter:

But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. (2 Peter 2:1-2 KJV)

“Pernicious” is a beautifully defined word: having a harmful effect, especially in a gradual or subtle way. The example used in the Google dictionary is “the pernicious influences of the mass media.” The additional information includes:

What is pernicious effect?     pernicious, baneful, noxious, deleterious, detrimental mean exceedingly harmful. pernicious implies irreparable harm done through evil or insidious corrupting or undermining.

The serpent’s conversation with Eve in Genesis was certainly pernicious:

Now the serpent was more subtil than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? (Genesis 3:1 KJV)

The serpent called attention to the one detail that would have a “No” in it. The beginning of temptation. I hope you’ve thought of a number of other “No”s that have given others temptation into failures.

Solomon is a good example – considered a very wise man, except:

But king Solomon loved many strange women, together with the daughter of Pharaoh, women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Zidonians, and Hittites; Of the nations concerning which the LORD said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not go in to them, neither shall they come in unto you: for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods: Solomon clave unto these in love. And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines: and his wives turned away his heart. For it came to pass, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the LORD his God, as was the heart of David his father. (1 Kings 11:1-4 KJV)

A thousand to one? Certainly it was easier to just give in and let them bring with them their comfortable things. A very wise man ending up:

Then did Solomon build an high place for Chemosh, the abomination of Moab, in the hill that is before Jerusalem, and for Molech, the abomination of the children of Ammon. And likewise did he for all his strange wives, which burnt incense and sacrificed unto their gods. (1 Kings 11:7-8 KJV)

What pernicious things have we allowed in our lives? I think there's a common list as our world has changed over the last few decades. I don't have to list them here, it's really obvious by the fact that I'm writing and you're reading. The world has more information available to the widest percentage of people since the Tower of Babel. 

There is a falling away from believing "In the beginning, God created," " For God so loved the world," and especially "I am the way, the truth and the life." There are Christian organizations that do not adhere to the fundamental truths given in the Bible, even saying the Bible is no longer relevant. How perniciously has this happened? No one person can be held accountable for such a movement.

Yet - it was prophesied. Want to know what else has been prophesied and fulfilled? Better yet, what else has been prophesied and NOT yet fulfilled?

Turned Away

 

As they rode on the bus together, night overtook them, and the child commented on how dark it was:

“Oh, sweetie,” said the white-haired lady sitting next to him. “It sure is. Did you see the sun going down when we went across the bridge a little while ago?” 

Shane looked at her with wide eyes. It was his turn to be amazed, his three-year-old linguistic system still interpreting everything literally. “Oh, no,” he replied. “The sun did not go anywhere. We just turned away from it.” (Blest Atheist)

 After a long time, mankind did realize we are not the center of the universe, nor the galaxy, nor even our small solar system. Youngster learn that our earth turns, the sun does neither rises nor sets, but we move around it without being able to change that. We just turn away - and back again.

It's easy to turn away from God. Paul worked with people that did:

For Demas hath forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica;  (2 Timothy 4:10a KJV)

The Bible is filled with examples of people who knew God, turned away from Him. Some of them turned back - and He was still there. The one who wrote most about that relationship was was David:

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bathsheba:

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. (Psalms 51:1-2 KJV)

How best to come to the Lord on our knees and tell Him we know how wrong we were and beg for His forgiveness, to heal the relationship.

For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me. (Psalms 51:3-5 KJV)

He broke both of the greatest commandments - he not only ignored God, denied Him the love of his heart, mind, and soul, but he failed to love his neighbor, to the point of stealing his wife and having him killed. Literally a neighbor, for it was from his window David watched Bathsheba. What hope is there after breaking the fundamental commandments God has repeated for ages?

This is what David requested from God, and offered in return:

Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee. (Psalms 51:10-13 KJV)

Teaching. Just what God had requested of Israel:

Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. (Deuteronomy 6:4-7 KJV)

His Son did the same to the Disciples just before He returned to His Father:

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:19-20 KJV)

One of the things we are to teach is that there is no one turned away when they come to our Father. Matthew 15:11-32 tells that story so well. Even after his father welcomed him home, the son told him:

And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. (Luke 15:21 KJV)

I've read that non-religious people are turned off by the word repent. I'm not certain why - perhaps they expect that their entire life will change if they repent, and they are afraid. Look at the people who actually lived their repentance - their lives did change when they took the path to God. They did live with consequences from their action, but once they turned back to God, their lives were better.

That's all repent means - turn away from the way you are going, back to the way God has for all of us. Come, join us and learn of the strait and narrow way. It is so rewarding.

We Are Allowed to Crawl

 

I've had the distinct pleasure of watching a number of babies crawl. Each does it in their own way, finding the best way to move about to reach their goals. I was reminded of that in a recent book where a spina bifida child asks

"Are people allowed to crawl in this house?"

"If they prefer, yes," I answered.

That made me stop and think how we press people to do what we think is best, whether it really is or not. Why shouldn't a handicapped child crawl in freedom instead of safely ensconced in wheelchair? I don't have an answer for that at all, but I do believe people often need to crawl before their next step.

And, I believe that is applicable in Christian growth, too.

There is a lot Christians are called to do. I mentioned the two greatest commandments yesterday. I do use them a lot. They are among the most important, not just my favorites. Here's a reminder, if you didn't read yesterday's blog:

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:37-40 KJV)

Did you get that part "ALL the law and the prophets." Based on that, I'm assuming this is of utmost importance. In fact, if we don't do both of these, we've definitely broken God's commandments. 

Also yesterday I mentioned there might be an unlovable person. A new Christian might find this an insurmountable obstacle, right? I believe we all know a person we do not under any circumstances want in our lives. Yet we are supposed to love them? We may be crawling awhile getting that done.

Babies are also fed milk before they are ready for meat. That makes a great analogy, and we need to understand that time may take longer than we would like, and there's a time to move from milk to meat:

And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? (1 Corinthians 3:1-3 KJV)

Do read the rest of this chapter where Paul defines why growth is needed. When we evidently remain mere babes in learning about Christ, have only some of the first principles, we need to continue to mature. We need not be proud of our wisdom and knowledge when there is so much more to not only learn but apply in our lives.

It is our own failing, and we need reminding, when we do not improve as Christians. When we do not keep either one of those two greatest commandments.

Which brings me to the situation that did come to mind - a long time Christian who expects a new Christian to walk and eat meat when there is still a need to crawl and drink in all the newness of accepting Jesus for what He is - God's gift to mankind:

Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip. For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; (Hebrews 2:1-3 KJV)

It's easier to slip when we are less mature, or when we become complacent. We always need to give heed to what we have heard, and pass them along to those who are still learning. Remember, we always have something to learn!! If you don't think so, go back and read some of the books of the Bible you haven't been spending time reading. Pray for God to show you something new in what we considered old.

We need to keep that first faith, where we understand the future holds so much more. The Bible puts it this way:

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (Hebrews 11:1 KJV)

For new Christians, that faith gave them cause to step out publiclyy and tell people: "I believe in Jesus!" Their hope is placed in pleasing God:

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6 KJV)

Let's apply our own due diligence and enjoy those who are on the same path we are, they just joined at a different time. That applies for the new Christian as it does for the mature Christian.  Our goals are the same even if our experiences vary widely.

Yes, Christians are allowed to crawl in God's house.

What Label Would You Apply?

 

Here we have a view of labels available to a pharmacy to let us know more than the names of the medication and the prescriber. I was reminded of labels when I was reading "Blest Atheist". Elizabeth Mahlou (a pseuodonym) wrote:  "I am not a label. I am a person. I have a right to be a person."

All of us wear labels - some of mine are wife, mother, tester, and the loved: grandmother. I had titles that were labels, too: Assistant Staff Manager-Contributions and Support. It was the title for a position my boss created to fit the needs of our department. I do not know if it was ever used it again since it required two separate backgrounds. Most people chose one or the other, uninterested in both.

Often labels express opposition, as in "right", "left", "centrist" but those were insufficient and "far", "activist", and other labels are added. The same works within religions. It's not simply Buddhist, Christian, Jew, or Muslim. Over the years additional labels were added.  I am a follower of Jesus as defined in the Bible:

And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. (Acts 11:26 KJV)

I belong to a Baptist church. Centuries ago they were called other names, most familiar is Anabaptist because we believe baptism follows an individual's belief in Christ as stated in John 3:16. It is done as obedience and a public statement of faith. However, there is not a single Baptist organization. There are additional labels as Bible, Fundamental, Independent, Northern, Seventh Day, Southern, and if you start reading the list of Baptist denominations, it will take you more than a few moments. 

It used to be that belonging to a Christian church meant believing what Paul preached about Jesus' life:

For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: (1 Corinthians 15:3-4 KJV)

As we know today there are leaders of churches who no longer accept that belief - yet call themselves Christian. That's not the same as being a wolf in sheep's clothing:

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. (Matthew 7:15 KJV)

Or, as Paul said:

For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. (2 Corinthians 11:13-15 KJV)

There are many examples in the Bible where a person misuses God's name, His plans, to the detriment of those who follow men rather that God. Some are not living up to the label they carry, which allows me to state: Labels do not define those who wear them. Beliefs, words, and absolutely actions speak louder than labels, no matter their source.

Jesus said it better:

Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. (Matthew 7:16-20 KJV)

We are told a couple of times not to judge people - which means not to condemn them - but we are encouragead to be fruit iinspectors and not accept sour, rotten fruit when God provides the good. How do we know it is good? There are many examples in the Bible, but my favorite is:

Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you. 

(Philippians 4:8-9 KJV)

By what standard should we find things to be true, honest, just, pure, lovely or of good report? I personally believe if they fit in these verses, we are in good shape:

Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:36-40 KJV)

Keeping these two commandments aren't easy, are they? You just thought of somone you absolutely do not love? Pray for them and yourself. It becomes easier. Loved should be our best label.