Deep Thoughts: Infinity - Theory or Fact

"We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord" 
- 2 Corinthians 5:8

What does infinite mean?  By definition, finite means that something has a definite end, is measurable, bounded, and restricted by a known or unknown endpoint.  Examples of those things that are finite include oil, coal, natural gas, mathematics (a set of numbers), hours in a given day,  or pages in a book.  So, if infinite is the opposite of finite, what does it mean?  Something that has an unknown or unperceived end, not measurable or bounded.  

Is water finite, or infinite?  What about oxygen, hydrogen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and other gases?  What about the sand on all the beaches, ocean floors, mountains, and deserts, or blades of grass, or leaves on trees?  What about time?  What about life?

Water, gases, grains of sand, and vegetation are all resources that are renewable by nature.  They are likely immeasurable, but they are finite to our earth and universe.  We know that through the water cycle, rain falls to the land and seas, and is then evaporated back to the skies through humidity and recycled again.  Condensation and morning dew form as a result of thermodynamics, drawing water droplets from the humidity around us, but this water is then evaporated as well.  In essence, water is a renewable resource, but there is no scientific evidence that it is limitless or infinite.  Similarly with gases.  They are consumed and exhausted through a natural, unplanned, unprogrammed process.  In the oxygen-carbon dioxide cycle, we see a simple example.  Animals breathe in oxygen and exhale carbon dioxide; vegetation draws in carbon dioxide and emits oxygen back into the atmosphere.  Science continues to investigate the finite parameters of our natural resources to determine if we indeed will exhaust them at some future point in time.  They look beyond the earth, to the universe, to determine if there are resources we can tap into, to extend the hypothesized endpoint.  Let's be clear, there is no fact-based argument that says water or other natural resources will be fully consumed, but there are many hypotheses and projections that many believe will come to fruition.

Mathematics and science have many laws and philosophies about the topic of infinity.  In math, integers have no defined end, because you can always use the principle of addition and extend whatever that number is by 1.  Also, there is the infinitely small measurement in fractions.  1/2, 1/4, 1/8, 1/16, . . . . . . can go on infinitely.  In science, there are infinite space philosophies that suggest the universe is infinite, because we have not achieved knowledge of its entirety yet.  There is also the theory that there are infinite universes; we just haven't discovered them yet.  Some scientists can say that time is finite, because they hypothesize of a known beginning (Big Bang) and therefore it must have a known end.  This truly remains hypothetical, though, because there is no definition of what was before the Big Bang, and if there was something, how did it exist with no time element?  It is a statement of theory, but often pointed to as fact by many in the world of education.

Life, as we know it, on this planet is finite.  Every person, with one exception, in the world that has ever been or ever will be, has a conception date, a birth date, and will have a death date.  The number of days any individual person lives between the birth date and death date varies, but assuredly, we all have a finite number of days walking this earth.  But what is life?

Is life the physical existence of a human's body, or is it the spirit and soul within the body?  No scientist can define the soul or the spirit of a human.  These are terms held in the highest order by those with a vision and hope for something beyond this life.  The scriptures tell us that we are spiritual beings contained within a physical flesh form.  If this is not true, then this life (100 years (+/-)) is all there is.  We are finite, we have an end date, and the only forever remembrance will be what is written upon our tombstone.  As a Christian, though, I believe we are infinite spirits.  We are here, earth, for a short period of time on our way to an infinite eternity with God the Father after we have breathed our last.  This God-shaped spirit is what differentiates every human from every other living creature in this universe.  

According to Genesis 1:27 - "So, God created man in His own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them". God is a spirit; if He created us in His image, He created us as a spirit being, with a physical form.  As a believer in Jesus Christ, Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:8 that upon our death, absent from this body, we are in the presence of the Lord.  This defines the life after this life on earth, and to this afterlife there is no end.  Eternity is infinite, to the best of our knowledge, according to the definition of infinite, without end, immeasurable, and unbound.  You see, with the understanding that there was a Creator, and an established beginning of time, space, and matter, we can now establish that there are infinite realities.  Without a Creator, infinity will always be just a theory of practice to help define the unknown.

Fear No Evil

 “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me. Your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” - Psalm 23:4

 

I’ve always found comfort, picturing the Savior as a shepherd with a small lamb flung over His shoulders walking up a hill.  The simple truth of knowing that He is there as my protector, my guide and my provider puts at ease the pressures of dealing with everyday problems in life.  Think about that for a moment.  A sheep has very limited defenses against the wolves, bears and lions of the wilderness.  They are slow and lack any true abilities to fend off an attack in the open wilderness.  The shepherd was their protector, and King David (author of the 23rd Psalm) had great experience as such.  With a watchful eye, he would fend off the invasion of any enemy on the prowl, ready to strike at any time in a possessive, loving manner.

What is your reaction when the path in life goes through a valley?  Perhaps the death of a loved one, a lost job, a divorce or fighting an addiction has cast a shadow over your horizon.  It is easy to fall prey to the evil one when we are in the valley’s of our own life, and yes there are valley’s even though you are walking in God’s path of righteousness.  We need only to look at the life of Job as an example of a man that was following God’s path of righteousness to every detail.  Yet, he became the center of a battle between God and Satan, good and evil.   Did Job ever fear the evil that encroached upon his life?  He lost his children, his wealth and his health to the very edge of dying, yet never lost hope or faith that God was with him.

Life will have valleys.  You need to be resound in your faith and strong in your walk with the Lord to know that He will never leave you.  “Satan is alive and well on planet earth” was a book from the 1970’s written by Hal Lindsay, which clearly outlines the battle of God and Satan over the lives of mankind.  Satan is not a fable, he is very real and very jealous.  He wants control over the lives of man in order to spite our Lord, and in order to overthrow God’s will of righteousness, love and mercy.  It is a battle as old as time and will continue right up until the end of days.  You will face temptations, trials, disappointments and strife in your life all at the hands of the devil himself. 

The Lord reminds us countless times throughout the Old and New Testament that He will not leave our side.  We are mighty warriors of the one and only God of the Universe and we will overcome the evil one in life and in death.  Lean upon God’s righteousness and the Holy Spirit for strength in times of weakness.  David writes of the “rod and the staff”, we likewise find comfort in our Lord’s rod and staff.  The rod of the shepherd was used to keep the sheep in line and to hook them if they were to wander off.  The staff of the shepherd was used as a club to defend against the enemies of the wild.  The Lord has provided tools for you as well, we have the Holy Spirit within each of us as a rod to keep us in line when the temptations arise.  The Lord has provided His Word as a mighty sword to fend off any enemy.  The more you are in it, the stronger you become to use it in times of need.  Here are just a few scriptures to give you confidence in knowing that the Lord is with you always, even in the valley’s of life.

Psalm 18:2	The LORD is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.
Psalm 18:32	It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect.
Psalm 27:1	The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalm 121:1-2	I lift my eyes unto the hills, where does my help come from?  My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth
Isaiah 40:29	He gives power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increases strength
Isaiah 41:10	Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness
Philippians 4:13	I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.
2 Corinth. 12:9	And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me

Let these verses bring you comfort when you are struggling to find your way in the valleys of despair.  The Lord is our fortress and our comforter, in Him you can find peace.

Pay to Ceasar

 “A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent. Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.” – Mark 12:42-44

What I have noticed in life is that the more we have the harder it is to give it away.  There was a time in my career when I would scrape and dig just to find a few quarters or a dollar to put enough gas in the car to get home.  It was at those times, though, I was certain to put a tithe in the offering plate on Sunday morning’s.  This tithe was often times quite small, but fully represented my heart in giving back to God what He had given to me.  As we draw toward the tax day in the U.S., I look at the unjust economic system and cringe as I realize that, even in retirement, my Government is demanding nearly 3X what my God requests from me.  Where should my loyalty rest?

 I have been truly blessed in my life, not by any of my doing.  Certainly, my fingers may have been on the keyboard, and my mind has been at work to shape and mold successful business structures, and models that have helped the companies I have worked for flourish.  But all of that comes from the Lord.  He alone has given me the wisdom, passion, gifts, and strengths to achieve what my employer had asked me to accomplish.  I was able to deliver on projects at work only because the Lord gave me the strength and knowledge at the right time to provide guidance and leadership as necessary.  If it were not for His love for me and His desire to see me move forward in my career, I dare say I would still be digging for quarters in the back seat of my '73 Buick Lesabre.  My philosophy is simple: everything I have is from the Lord – money, material possessions, health, family, love, talents, skills, knowledge, and passions.  For how could I have created a brain cell or a muscle or a tongue or eyes in order to do the things I have done since birth. 

Do not get me wrong, I am certainly aware that my life is an amalgamation of experiences, learnings, wisdom acquired through trial and error, and many mistakes along the way.  Just like you and every other one of the 8 billion people on this planet, I learned that a stove is hot, either by touching it or by listening to my parents.  I’m saying that before that, from the very moment of birth, my brain was already functioning to the point of capability to take in these new experiences.  At birth, only minutes old, you have already learned to breathe, cry, speak audible tones, hear, move your muscles, suckle, and sleep.  Who taught you to do these things?  Where did that knowledge come from?  Your brain started to create knowledge long before you actually began experiencing life. 

There is no denial that something greater than I created myself.  By acknowledging this simple fact, we must then come to realize that this greater force is still working within your mind and soul to survive and succeed in this world.  Nothing you have is without His doing, for at the core of your capability to achieve anything in life is His design, creation, and execution.  You are a result of His creative process, and therefore, He is responsible for all that you have obtained.  Humble yourself to realize that though you are extremely knowledgeable, wise, and capable in this life, only because He designed you to be.

What are you giving back to Him who created you?  Malachi 3:10 we read, “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows.”   Why do we find it so hard to follow this simple guidance from the Lord?  A tithe is 10%.  This means 10% of your time should be focused on expanding God’s Kingdom, 10% of your talent should be given back to serving those in need, and 10% of your treasure.  We pay taxes to our Government because it is legal, but we shouldn’t tithe for the same reason.  We should be tithing because it is our way to demonstrate our faith, love, and thanksgiving for the Lord’s provision in our life.  You may not have a church family to tithe to.  If this is the case, then tithe to a local charity, food bank, shelter, or ministry.  Give back to God what He has given to you, and trust in His promise to bless you.  As my Pastor has said multiple times, “I would much rather have 90% of my income with God’s blessings, than 100% without.”  Seems pretty logical to me.

Who Are You?

 "Jesus said, I am; and you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven."  Mark 14:62

"I AM"

God said these words to Moses in Exodus 3:14, "And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ”  God established His identity to the Israelites at that time.  They would forever know that "I AM" means the sovereign Lord, Yahweh, Jehovah, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  No mortal could make such a statement, a claim of divinity, as to declare equality with the Father.  

Yet, in Mark, as well as Matthew 18:20, 28:20, and John 8:58, Jesus claims this very thing.  It ends up being the final straw that condemns him to the cross.  Standing before the High Priest, Caiaphas, with Pharisees and Sadducees all around, they point-blank asked him, and in his response set his fate.  Their claims of blasphemy resounded through the halls that night, and without haste, they moved to have him judged by Pontius Pilate.

Pundits will say Jesus never claimed to be God.  This argument is empty, though, because they don't take the time to study the completeness of the scriptures.  Jesus made claims throughout his ministry that were relevant to the audience at that time.  These Jewish leaders knew without a doubt that Jesus was claiming to be the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God.  In their understanding, this meant he was claiming to be equal to God the Father, and have the authority of God the Father.  Yet, they knew him as a humble man, from a small fishing village in the north, Nazareth, and the son of Mary and Joseph.  They could not in their simple minds, piece together the fullness of God's plan of redemption through this humble man.  They had seen him turn over the tables, argue pointedly with the Pharisees on the temple mount, and call them all hypocrites in the public square.  They despised him in his ministry for accomplishing miracle after miracle to the point that their authority had been challenged.  

When Jesus claimed I AM, they had one of three thoughts.  1) He was truly who he claimed, and they had been accused justly, therefor he was a threat to their authority, or 2) He was a deceiver, a con man, and therefore a threat to the children of God, or 3) He was crazy, insane, and needed to be removed.  Because of his wisdom of scriptures and his previous preaching in the temple, they knew he wasn't insane.  We all know they pressed in to have him crucified, claiming option 2 as their reason.  There must have been some concern amongst them, though that option 1 was a real possibility.  They had witnessed his miracles, they had witnessed his parables, they had witnessed his preaching, they had taught him in the synagogues as a young man, and were astounded by his wisdom.  They had respected his faith right up to the point that he started accusing them of unrighteousness.

I feel many of us are the Pharisees of today.  We believe we know the heart of God and what God would say in any situation, based on our understanding of the scriptures.  But, do we really?  There is only one authority over heaven and earth, and we are not it.  Jesus claimed to be the great I AM.  When he returns, he will judge the righteous and unrighteous.  Until then, we are to live by his words of truth and love our neighbor as ourselves.  Condemnation is the Lord's; we are here to serve and love.  Let us not fall into the trap of the Pharisees by allowing our perception of right/wrong and righteousness to become a judgment over our neighbor.

The Value of Life

"For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made."  - Psalm 139:13-14

I'm typing this on a 2020 MacBook Pro.  There were over 15 million made that year.  Mine was made just like everyone else's (for the most part, some have Intel, some have Apple M1 CPU) but the data and the use of my MacBook is unique to me.  There is not one other 2020 MacBook Pro in the world that is exact to mine.  But, they all operate the same way.  Data comes in through the keyboard, mouse, wi-fi router, internet, or USB device and goes out to the display, printer, wi-fi router, internet, or even television.  There is input and output.  The CPU does the calculating, the SDD stores the data, the RAM is for temporary memory storage,  and the rest is the electronics to make it all work.  If we can comprehend the uniqueness of our own personal computer, phone, or tablet, then it is no different when it comes to the human being.

We are all made up of atoms, molecules, cells, and DNA.  The uniqueness in every person is encoded within this DNA from the very start, the very point of conception.  We are a uniquely created identity with flaws, shortcomings, aptitude, possibilities, and longing for discovery.  So, what separates you from another sitting in the chair next to you or across the restaurant?  Your life experiences have brought you to this point, and theirs have brought them to their point.  You may have been raised together, but your experiences are different.  You may have been raised in different cities, states, countries, and cultures, to which you would have a very different life experience.  The internal workings though are exactly the same.  You have a unique DNA, a code that defines you.  It is the design criteria for everything about you.

We know that the brain is made up of cells, and neural pathways (called synapses).  It is in constant active state, even when your sleeping.  As long as blood is flowing to the brain, it is moving data around.  In today's world it is like the "cloud".  It stores data, it computes, it provides answers, it holds onto the entirety of your memories, it is the instructor for your bodily functions - breathing, blinking, feeling, heart beating, digesting, excreting, walking, talking, hearing, seeing, and so on and so on.  It is the mastermind behind how it all works.  But, is your brain different than the person across the room from you?  It functions in many of the same ways as it needs to operate the complexities of the physical body, but the thoughts, the memories, the emotions, the experiences that are stored in your brain are 100% unique to you only.

So, why would Richard Dawkins then compare the human fetus to nothing greater than a pig?  His quote in 2013, "With respect to those meanings of "human" that are relevant to the morality of abortion, any fetus is less human than an adult pig." There is the atheistic view of the wonder of humanity. In the eyes of evolutionary atheists, we are all nothing more than evolved cells over billions of years and that the human evolved into a more intelligent being than other animals. The standard belief on value of life comes only from the subjective goodness that one can contribute to the greater good, not from the moral fiber which makes you - you.

From a religious perspective, we believe that God created mankind. We believe that God is in the creation of every new zygote at the point of conception, as stated in the scriptures - Psalm 139, "I formed you in your mother's womb." God created Adam, and God created Eve, to rule over the other creations in Genesis 1:26. You are a uniquely created being by the Creator of the universe. You have over 30 Trillion cells at any one time in the makeup of your body. Each of these cells serves a purpose, not randomly, not because of evolution, not because of coincidence, but because of your DNA and the unique purpose the Creator gave them. You have value because you were created for a purpose. Your value is not determined by your financial statement, your success at work, your parenting skills, the grades on your test, the results of that last project, or whether other people love you. Your value is determined by God alone, and because He is your creator, His love for you is eternal. You are here for a purpose to impact those around you for the kingdom. This life is just an infinitesimally small drop of water in the huge ocean of eternity. Lift your head up and realize that you are on track to meeting Jesus face to face one day and hear those words, "Well done."

Finish Strong

 “He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, but which became the chief corner stone.  And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved” – Acts 4:11-12

Do you not know?
What was the point of it all?
When you started, did you know where the finish line was?’
How will you ever achieve all you strive for if you don’t know what it is?

There is a Supreme Being, God Almighty, who reigns over mankind.  He created man from dust, gave life to the world in which we live.  Do you not believe that these things happened?

Is the Bible nothing more than a fantasy for you, or is it a factual recording of our human history?  If we are not capable of realizing the truth that exudes from the pages, and claim them as an interesting compilation of stories, then how can we claim that the Almighty even exists at all?  Can you believe in the Creator and yet claim that He has mislead billions of people?  What a ludicrous thought this is.

If indeed you claim to believe in and follow the One called Jesus Christ, than is it not bestowed upon you to study, learn and fully embrace His teachings?  Are we content in claiming our Christianity, simply to avoid Hell, yet not be concerned with living out the truth that is so blatantly provided through His Word.  He died for you to live, not to exist, and to live with conviction, love and purpose.  It is upon you to spread His love, not to simply accept and be done.

The God, we claim to serve, has created the world and all that is in it.  He has provided for your every need, and continues to work on your behalf in the unseen and unknown days that lie ahead.  Our excuses are compiled in a manner to justify our lack of interest in actually recognizing His plan.  We are enamored and enticed by the world around us to pursue our personal interests and have consistently chosen to put God on hold.  Yet, we feel fully justified in claiming our right of passage into eternity.  Just stop and think about it for a moment.  Are you truly committed to God, or are you using Him?

Make a stand Christian.  Take up your armor and fight for the freedom that He died to provide for you.  For life in Christ is truly freedom, and is the only freedom you will ever have.  The freedom discussed in the media and tabloids is still subjective to the world’s perception and understanding.  Pursue God and re-discover the path that He has laid out for you.  The finish line is not far off in the distance, but we must finish strong.

Life's Purpose from Birth

 “Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord" – Psalm 27:14

As the oxygen fills her lungs for the first time outside of her mother’s womb, her eyes separate, and the brightness of the room dilates her pupils.  The coolness of the air and the uncertainty of her new surroundings stimulate her senses, and the only reaction her mind can create is one of helplessness and crying.  As the surgical blade cuts through the umbilical cord, the newborn little girl is brought to her mother’s bosom and comforted.  Wrapped in swaddling clothes, her ear presses to her mother’s flesh and hears the all too familiar sound of her heartbeat.  A calmness comes over her body, and she instinctively curls into a fetal position, drawing her tiny legs up to her chest and bringing her fingers to her lips.

For 40 weeks, this baby and this mother have been inseparable.  The blood of the mother has flowed through the baby, delivering oxygen, nutrients, and growth hormones.  The baby’s body has been formed and shaped by the hand of the Almighty Creator of the Universe (Psalm 139:13), and a purpose-built spirit was placed inside this beautiful child.  For nine months, the mother has loved this child, sung songs, prayed, and wept over this life and the amazing things her little girl would one day accomplish.  Their hearts beat as one during the development, as the images were displayed through months 6, 7, and 8, leading right up to the moment of delivery.  They had a relationship before birth that no other could ever replicate, and one that would be tried from every angle throughout her upbringing.

The mother’s heart is designed with patience, love, and strength all wrapped up in one.  Patience for the birth, the years of growth & maturity, and the rebellion that is sure to come.  Love for the unlovable moments, the unconditional expression of emotion, and the foundation for the development of a new personality.  Strength for the emotional rollercoaster that will ensue throughout this child’s life, and the ability to stand firm on the principles and values that make up a woman of character in today’s world.

The baby’s heart is designed with patience, curiosity, and courage to take on the adventures that lie ahead.  Patience for the unfolding of life, the ever-challenging desire to do more, to excel and succeed in life, and for those around her that will break her heart countless times as she grows.  Curiosity for the wisdom, knowledge, and mistakes that will be made as she develops into a woman of character, always striving to reach that next rung on the ladder of life.  Courage to stand strong in the face of adversity, to take on the challenges in life, and to overcome the obstacles that will mark her pathway in finding her purpose, while living the life God has so wisely directed for her.

From the moment we are born, we are faced with the challenge of patiently waiting for the next great thing.  God has created you for unbelievable opportunities in life, and oftentimes it is difficult to slow down and wait for these opportunities to evolve.  Many times, we charge forward following our own plans rather than waiting for His guidance, because we lack patience.  It’s good to remind yourself when you are feeling impatient that God created you in your mother’s womb to do great things,ves but it will require that you let Him lead you to that place.  It is my fear that the majority of us have a hard time discovering God’s purpose in our life, because we are too far blinded by our own ambition and drive.  There is nothing you can dream up for your purpose in life that will exceed the plans He has destined you for.  I suggest that you take a step back, slow down, and simply ask Him where you should go next, and what He would have you do.  Then be patient and listen, even if it takes a lifetime for Him to reveal it to you.

Becoming a Champion - Go Blue

"For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.  Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?"   1 John 5:4-5

There is a sign that hangs in the University of Michigan locker room which reads - "Those Who Stay Will Be Champions".  This came to fruition in 2024 for the UofM Football team, and then again last night for the 2026 UofM Basketball team.  This team started the season with one target in mind - the National Championship.  The team was built by recruiting the right talent from around the league through the portal to achieve that target.  But there was one very key contributor who came straight out of high school.  A young man named Trey McKenney, an 18-year-old basketball phenom from Orchard Lake Saint Mary's in Michigan.  He wasn't a starter in any game this year, but came off the bench, and although he had incredible talent was humble enough to accept his role on the team.  Trey had a wonderful freshman season with the Wolverines, averaging 10 pts per game, and led the team in 3 pointers.  He contributed in all 40 games and was instrumental in several through his strong defense, shooting skill, and quickness.  Although he had schools all over the country trying to get him to come and play for them, he chose Michigan, and before he ever stepped foot on the hardwood with the large block "M" he declared they were going to win the National Championship.  On paper, Trey McKenney is a great athlete, but he's so much more.

You see, his Grandfather was a Pastor in Flint, and Trey came to know the Lord early in his life.  He is a young man of strong faith in Jesus Christ as his Savior and Lord.  In an interview following the game, he was quoted as saying, "It's amazing to be on this platform. I give all the glory to God for why I'm here.  He's given me this journey to follow on, and I'm really grateful and blessed for it."  He is not alone either; several other coaches and players on this Championship team, including Dusty May, Yaxel Lendeborg, Morez Johnson Jr., and Nimari Burnett, all very public with their faith after the game as well.  God is recognized on the biggest stage by incredible athletes every day, but it is so heart-warming to see a team with such amazing talent giving credit back to their Savior in front of the bright lights.

Being a champion in life, though, has nothing to do with bright lights, basketball, football, or any other sport for that matter.  Being a champion in life has to do with overcoming the temptations and sinful nature of this world.  This is only done through faith in Jesus Christ.  For you see, this life is temporary, a simple drop in an ocean of eternity.  The game plan for this life then is to stay focused and intent on living for Jesus Christ, engaging with the Holy Spirit daily to walk through each day.  We are going to fall behind at times, and even lose a battle now and then, but the game is not over until He says it is.  There is no shot clock or time-outs.  We spend each breath either lifting Him up and living for Him, or living for the world.  There is no other option.  It's very black and white.  

Based on the casual observation, we are definitely in the fourth quarter of the game.  We have the ability to become Eternal Champions by remaining strong in our faith and focus.  Sure, there will be some with a last-minute Hail Mary pass (the QB throws a long pass as time expires to try and win the game), but did you know that, on average, less than 5% of Hail Mary passes are successful in the NFL?  With no insight into the remaining time, a Hail Mary is even less likely to be successful when we are talking about our eternal destination.  Stepping into a relationship with Jesus Christ today and then living out the remainder of your life as an overcomer in this world has a much higher probability.  

Congratulations to the Michigan Wolverines on their 2026 National Championship, and congratulations to all of you reading this on your pending Eternal Championship.

The Shepherd of the One

  “Let my soul live, and it shall praise thee; and let thy judgments help me.  I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments" – Psalm 119:175-176

You can take it!   My life is nothing more than a temporary passage to what the scriptures have promised me.  In my current state I am weak, I am tempted, I am prone to wrong doing.  I am born of the seed of Adam and therefore I am rich with sin and unrighteousness.  From the moment of my creation, as the blood from my mother and father blended in creating the mass of tissue and life of my very being.  I carry with me a bent towards sinning, as do you, for you also are from the seed of Adam.

But, the good news is that He who is in me is greater than he who is in the world.  When I came to know Jesus as my Savior and Lord, I was just a small child, but I knew without a doubt that if He loved me enough to die in such a brutal way so I could go to heaven, then He was someone worth following.  I was baptized at 12 years old in First Baptist Church, Tecumseh, Mi. with my brother and my sister.  I left the church that night, and have never considered that He was not my God and my Savior.  I didn't understand His love or His grace, but I knew He was righteous and holy.

Over the last 50 or so years, I have slowly begun to understand just who He is and what He truly did for me.  I’ve never gone too far from the straight and narrow, because I knew in my heart it would lead to life of fear, sorrow and regrets.  By no means have I avoided the unrighteousness of this world.  As a matter of fact I sin each and every day, and yet I continue to strive for holiness because He is holy.  I have come to realize that there is no way for me to withstand the temptations and sin of this world within my own power and authority.  As much as I try, and chastise myself, I continue to fall short of His glory, as do you.

We must come to realize that in this world there is only good and evil.  Everything else is used in a demonstration of these two things.  We learned in Science that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.  When there is good there will be evil; when there is cold there will be warmth; when there is light there is darkness; when there is truth there are lies.  We make thousands of choices every day, from mundane to intricate in detail.  Your brain is sending 10’s of thousands of signals to your body and your surrounding environment every second.  You, with or without your awareness are choosing good or evil, right or wrong at this very moment.  How therefore are you ever capable of making 100% consistently decisions for the good, for righteousness?  That’s it, you can’t !!

Because you cannot be 100% righteous and holy, you are a sinner.  Your sins must be accounted for.  In the Old Testament laws, recorded in the books of Genesis and Leviticus, Moses recorded the words of God to His people.  You must sacrifice an animal, not just any animal, but a perfect and white as snow lamb, each year for the redemption of your family’s sins.  This was done in Jerusalem, at the temple every year during Passover, right up to the year Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a colt.

For you see, when Jesus came into Jerusalem for Passover, He very well understood He was the sacrificial lamb of God, coming to the slaughter.  Throughout the week, He pressed upon His disciples this reality, in preparation for what was to come.  When He was crucified, and breathed His last, the sacrifice was done and the sins of the world were washed away once and for good.  Jesus was the perfect, spotless, holy lamb of God; without sin or in need of a sacrifice Himself.   His blood was not from Adam but from God directly through the Immaculate Conception.  His birth broke the chain of history and His death broke the chain of sin bondage.

Through His death, He redeemed those who had sinned up to that point.  Through His resurrection, He provided an eternal redemption for all of mankind going forward until He comes again to take us with Him to heaven.  We are incapable of not sinning, but through Him we are made Holy as He is Holy.  Upon accepting Him for who He is – our Savior and Lord – we receive the Holy Spirit, who dwells in our very soul.  Our soul is heaven-ready, from that moment, but our flesh is still weak and full of sin.  We follow His lead and abide in Him to bring those two things closer together.  Align your flesh to the Spirit, and others will see it in you.  At your death, your flesh will be destroyed 6 feet under, but your soul will move in Spirit to Jesus’ side to forever sing out praises to the Father.  Won’t you release the hurt, anger, pain, and suffering in this life to allow your flesh to align with His spirit?  Let your life reflect the Holy Spirit within, so that your life in sin will be repentant.  You must open up to Him who lives within you; the choice is all yours.

They Didn't Listen - Do You

 “We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”  – Isaiah 53:6

Tell me what will happen tomorrow?  What about next week?  What about next year? and the next 5 years?  You can easily answer these questions to some degree.

Now, tell me what will happen in the year 2526?

If indeed you took a stab at it and tried to predict what might happen 500 years from now, there is no way you would have the specificity or details that Isaiah revealed in Isaiah 53.  It was written 500 years or more before the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Yet, it specifically calls out the things that would happen to this man.

The story of God’s plan of salvation was foretold precisely to the leaders of Israel, long before they brought charges against Jesus Christ. 
“But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities;” (v.5)
“he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,” (v.7)
“By oppression and judgment he was taken away.  Yet who of his generation protested?” (v.8)
“Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer, and though the LORD makes his life an offering for sin” (v.10)
“After he has suffered, he will see the light of life and be satisfied; by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many, and he will bear their iniquities.” (v.11)

We move about our daily lives and carry on as if all is well.  The bible is the Holy Word of God.  Written over the course of thousands of years, but intricately woven together with precision and accuracy that could never have been contrived by mankind.  What God revealed to the people of Israel through the prophet Isaiah was ignored when it actually happened 500 years later.  Here we are 2000 years (or so) later since the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and we are lost sheep, following our own way.  Jesus told his disciples about the end days.  Paul, through several letters, told those who would listen about the return of Christ, and Daniel, Zachariah, Ezekiel, and John captured the prophecy of the end times in many places throughout the Bible, yet how many of you actually believe that Christ will return at any moment and usher us into eternity?  Are you living like He could return while you are reading this?  What are you going to do when that prophecy comes to fruition?  You’ve heard it told a thousand times, you know we’re supposed to be living as if it could happen at any moment, yet we continue to live as if it’s just a nice story.

I’m challenging you today to think about the Bible as more than a book of stories, but as the Word of God.  Handed down and given to you that you might become educated and know what is to come, so you will not be caught off guard on that day of reconciliation.  Our Lord is coming just as He promised.  I want to be ready on that day, even if it’s today.

Refreshing and Life Sustaining

 “But no one who drinks the water I give will ever be thirsty again. The water I give is like a flowing fountain that gives eternal life.”   –John 4:14

Eleven pounds, in 9 days, mind you.  Earlier this year, when I stopped drinking soda (pop), white chocolate mochas, and Arnold Palmer’s (lemonade/iced tea mixed), and drank only water for nine days, I lost 11 pounds.  Tell me once again how important water is to a person’s daily diet.  I remember watching the movie “Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader”, and it’s uncanny how important the symbol of water is throughout the movie, but none more so than in the last scene.  I won’t spoil it for those of you who have not yet seen the highly recommended movie, but the last scene depicts the essence and importance of water in the existence of mankind and all of creation.  In the creativity and imagination of C.S. Lewis, a wall of water separates the world of Aslan and the world of Narnia.  Now refer to Genesis 1:2, “Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”

Water was there before any other thing.  Before the earth was formed, before there was light and darkness, before there were stars in the sky, water was.  Were you aware that there is significantly more water inside of the Earth than what we see on the surface (oceans, seas, rivers, and lakes)?  We require it to live.  The Earth requires it to sustain plant, vegetation, and animal life.  The planets require it to sustain balance in the galaxy.  The next time you pick up a glass (or bottle) of water, consider that it was created before there was time or any other thing.  It has recycled itself, through every living thing for centuries and millennia.  It surrounds you in the air as humidity, invisible to the eye, yet present nonetheless.  Don’t believe me, set a glass of ice water on a counter and within minutes water bubbles will form on the outside of the glass through condensation.  We didn’t create the bubbles, they were formed from what exists around us.

Jesus Christ told the woman at the well, He was the living water.  To drink of this water meant she would never thirst again.  Are you thirsty for the truth in this world of misguided deception?  Are you thirsty for rest from the busyness of life?  Are you thirsty for love in a world filled with anger and sorrow?  Come and drink from the well of life – the Savior Jesus Christ.

Not an Illusion

 “So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”  But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.”  – John 20:25

I have always found optical illusions interesting.  The fact that what we know to be true is challenged by what we see with our eyes.  This causes a conflict in the brain to try to comprehend what is beyond logic and knowledge.  You have seen the optical illusions displayed in art galleries or shopping malls, which depict an impossible geometric image.  For example, the Penrose Triangle, which appears at first glance to be a normal 3D triangle, yet when you look more carefully 2 of the 3 legs of the triangle do not actually intersect based on our knowledge of how they should intersect.  Perhaps you've seen artwork where steps appear to lead upward, yet when you follow them to the top, the surface is actually on the same planer surface as the bottom of the staircase.  Our knowledge, logic and understanding of this world is in a 3 dimensional perspective.  There is height, width and depth to everything we look at.  Our eyes and brain are able take in the images we view and rationalize them into something we are familiar with. 

So it was with Thomas.  He knew that Jesus had died on that cross.  He knew that he had been buried and the tomb covered with a stone.  Everything he knew about life, death and resurrection up to that point was based on human thinking and comprehension.  He was limited by what he knew, and when the disciples explained to Thomas that they had seen the risen Savior, he could not transition to a comprehension of what that meant based on his experiences up to that point in his life.  I propose that Thomas did not suffer from a lack of faith.  Even though Thomas (Didymus) had traveled and associated with Jesus for quite some time, he had not fully comprehended the deity of who Jesus Christ was.  He had a hard time getting beyond the logical knowledge of Jesus the man to see Jesus as God.  In Matthew 26:61, Jesus tells the Pharisees and teachers that he will rebuild this temple in 3 days.  In John 14:1-6, Jesus tells the disciples that He will go to the Father and prepare a place for them and then return to take them with Him, and he tells Thomas specifically in John 14:6, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”  Thomas had a hard time comprehending the completeness of what Jesus was telling them though.

We do the same thing today.  We limit our acceptance of what God can do based on our understanding from a human perspective.  We see a problem and look at it from a human perspective with limitations and restrictions.  When we take a Godly perspective on a situation and accept that God is truly omnipotent and sovereign, we immediately realize that absolutely nothing is beyond His capability, if it is within His will.  Just because we want something to come to fruition doesn’t mean that God the Father wants the same thing.  It may seem completely logical and normal within our thinking, but from His vision of the full cycle of life He has a better perspective.

Like Thomas, we must accept that God can do whatever He wants to do.  We must be able to accept things in life without fully comprehending them.  Most of all, we must learn to trust that God’s plan is best for us, and the sooner we decide to align to His plan the more fulfilling our life will become.

The Complexity of Creation

 

"Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding"  Job 38:4

Think, don’t react, just think for a moment about everything around you.  Take a look at the trees, the bark on the trees, the heartwood and sapwood inside of the tree, the budding flowers as new leaves are formed, the roots stretching far underground and of course the leaves on the trees.  It draws nutrients from the soil, water from earth and from the sky, carbon dioxide from the air and distributes all of this throughout the entire ecosystem of its structure so that every part gets exactly what it needs to survive.  Its branches grow toward the light, its roots extend in every direction to provide strength and support, its leaves fall off and are recreated, and each one is unique in its design.  Tell me who designed this infrastructure and ecosystem so perfectly.  Was it Pascal, Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, Aristotle, Socrates  . . . . .   You get my point, right? 

We know the formula for water, but can we create it?  Can you tell me how to create a single grain of sand or dirt?  Where do I go to learn how to create wood? 

There is a Creator of everything that makes up this incredible sphere called Earth, and the universe around us.  He spoke it into being.  There was nothing but an expanse. He spoke, and it began.  He is the only one who has created water, soil, and air.  He formed the trees, the rocks, the mountains, and the depths of the oceans.  He created light from nothing to shine through the darkness.  The perfection of everything around could not just happen in such intricate detail to sustain itself in perfect harmony. 

Why do we continue to believe that we are here simply by happenstance?  We were created by God with unbelievable, intricate detail as well.  There is nothing about you that is not known by Him.  He has created to do amazing things.  It’s time to recognize that God is God, He made you perfectly, and He doesn’t make mistakes.  Today is your day to make use of everything He has given you.  Ready, Set, Go!

Hold On

“When neither sun nor stars appeared for many days and the storm continued raging, we finally gave up all hope of being saved." – Acts 27:20

  I’ve heard a story of a lab experiment in which 2 sets of rats were each lowered into separate tubs of water.  The first set drowned within an hour.  The other set of rats was taken from the water periodically and then placed back in.  They swam for over 24 hours to survive.  Why?  Because there was hope that they might be saved.  

Oftentimes, hope is all we have to hold onto when troubles and storms come up in our lives.  Financial difficulties, death of a loved one, loss of a job, and raising teenagers are all examples of life events that can spin you into a tumultuous storm where it often feels like you are swimming for your very life.  So many times, we can’t see the ending, there is no light to guide our way, and it seems as though our prayers are falling on deaf ears.  This is a classic tool of Satan to bring doubt into your relationship with God the Father.

Is there a limit to the amount of grace and mercy that God will provide?  Is there a breaking point at which God says, “That’s it, I’ve tried to be reasonable, I’m done with you.”?  The answer is no.  God’s love is immutable and unchanging.  He cannot love you one day and not the next.  His grace is not something that is available to you today, but tomorrow it’s taken away.  These characteristics of the Lord are infinitely available to you and can be trusted even in the most difficult of times.

Hope in the Lord is based solely on the belief that His promises are true, despite what the world has placed before you.  It is the faith in Jesus Christ's redeeming blood and His promise to return one day to bring us to heaven.  Life for a non-believer is absolutely hopeless.  For where do they turn when life takes a turn for the worse?  When strife and trouble are piled all around, and there is no avenue of escape – whom do they turn to? 

In Acts 27, Paul’s voyage and shipwreck are described in great detail.  Paul’s strict confidence, hope, and trust in the Lord’s promise that he would stand before Caesar in Rome kept him focused on the end game.  When others on the ship were ready to abandon ship and take their chances against the storm alone, it was because they had no faith in the Lord and no hope of salvation.  Paul ended up in Rome months later, safe and sound, and spent 2 years there.  At this time, he wrote Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon while under house arrest.  His hope in God’s faithfulness brought forth some of the greatest writings in the New Testament.  Millions of people have since come to a relationship and a deeper understanding of Jesus Christ's love and grace because of this storm in Paul’s life.  What does God have in store for you after the storms in your life?  Hold onto the hope of His love and grace, and let’s find out.

Rules Of the Road

 “You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal.” – Exodus 20:13-15

Of the 10 Commandments, these three are the most recognizable or quotable.  Why, you might ask?  Simple – there are immediate consequences, established by the law of the governing body overseeing your community.  If you murder, you go to jail; If you commit adultery, you end up in divorce court; if you steal, you go to jail.  So, because mankind has placed punishment and consequence behind these commandments, but not the others, are they more important?

We look at the other 7 commandments and cannot trace them to an immediate consequence or legal limitation on our lives.  Yet, I propose that they hold equally as much importance as these three because all 10 impact your eternal life.  What is it in mankind, then, that would incorporate these 3 into our legal system and not the others?  Did early governing bodies believe that they came up with the laws against murder, adultery, and stealing on their own?  Is there somehow a belief that these laws did not stem from the recorded scriptures in Exodus?

Imagine a society where these were not the law.  What value does a life have?  What value do love, marriage, or a family have?  What stops me from taking whatever I want from whomever I want?  You can see how these specifically address how we must interact with others around us and establish the universality of righteousness.  If one were to abandon these 3 commandments as if they never existed, one would have the self-centered freedom to take the life of another whenever one felt the need.  Life would be centered around the individual and whatever makes them happy, rather than the goodness of the body of mankind.  Can you imagine a society of selfish, arrogant, and lawless existence? 

In that society, by what power and authority does one governing body have over another to say that it is unlawful to kill someone, or to steal, or to rape, or to commit adultery?  If there is no absolute truth and righteousness, no single authority over all things, then we are free to each determine what is right or wrong based on our own choices.  Who assigns authority of one over another?  I walk down the street in this fictitious world and choose of my own volition that I don’t like someone, so I take their life, without remorse, consequence, or guilt.  It’s simply my choice to reign in authority over them at any given moment.  But, in that society, the opposite is also true, and someone could take my life just as easily.  Without a single ultimate authority, chaos ensues.

The hierarchy of authority must have a single highest endpoint.  That end point is God Almighty, and the laws He established have lasted throughout all time, as the backbone of our moral character, our hope, and our guiding principles for right and wrong.  Governments are put in place to uphold what has been deemed as righteous, but they were not the originators of the code.  If you can accept these 3 as morally and ethically just and righteous, why do we struggle with the other 7?  The 10 Commandments are all of equal importance and significance. When you accept that they are directly spoken from God, the Creator and ultimate Truth in life.  Just because you see the immediate consequence of these 3 and not the others, does not minimize the importance of following God’s word.

11.      Have no other God

22.      Do not make or worship idols

33.      Do not take the Lord’s name in vain

44.      Keep the Sabbath holy

55.      Honor your Father and Mother

66.      Do not murder

77.      Do not commit adultery

88.      Do not steal

99.      Do not lie or give false testimony

11.      Do not covet your neighbor's possessions or wife

Keep them all, and live by His word, for He is our ultimate authority and knows what righteousness is.  Mankind does not.