Thursday, 17 June 2010
Wednesday, 16 June 2010
Creation
Revelation 4:6-8
Around the throne, and on each side of the throne are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind :the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an Ox, the third living creature with a face like human face, and the fourth living creature like a flying eagle. The four living creatures, each of them with six wings are full of eyes all around and inside. day and night without ceasing they sing, 'Holy,Holy, Holy, the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come.'
If you find yourself a little bored, try drawing the creatures described in the passage above.... it's nearly impossible! The reason for this, is that they are symbols, meant to be seen through the written word. If anyone knows anything about Hebrew, it is a very pictorial language which is why this would have been understood by the readers of that time. traditionally the four creatures were seen as the four evangelists, Mathew, mark, Luke and John who were so central to the new testament, but this is quite unlikely.The more compelling explanation is that they represent all of creation, animals and people of all nations. Through all of Creation GOD is present, aware of what is going on(the eyes) receiving praise that he alone is worthy of.
The Bible is full of the picture of creation praising GOD, and it's a picture we lose to our own downfall. The Human attitude and especially the western modern one, is that creation exists for our own use, abuse and pleasure, other than meeting our needs has very little place in our thoughts in general. The current climate change has made it all very fashionable to think in terms of energy saving, lowering fuel usage and many other types of actions which show we are a caring people regarding our planet. Yet we must go further in our thinking, as the world is primarily God's creation made for his pleasure and Sovereign use. What does this mean then? it means we should respect the World we inhabit, not only because it is useful for resources, or because we endanger ourselves by abusing it, but because God made this World valuable in of it's own right as the work of the Creators hand in which we can give thanks and praise to his name.
It worth considering that John sees the creature with a human face as part of creation, not separate. Which i think is part of the problem, thinking we are something other, outside of God's created order. In fact we are in fact all part of the creation, which should spur us into not only thinking about our relationship with God, but our relationship with God and the planet he created.
Question?
Other than having wonderfully clever answers to the issue of climate change, what affective things can Christians do to help the world, living conscientiously and live using a Biblical view of the use and freedom of this World?
I have been ever more challenged by this, the above is not all my own thoughts, but this made me think about the world through the context of it being Gods Creation made for his pleasure. I have lived in this world thinking only about what i need from it to get, go or do what i wanted. the reality is that it is very difficult to live in the western world without using some sort of energy, or a car for instance,. the issue here is i think living with full faculty, truly thinking about what we use, why we use it and the affect it has....very challenging indeed!
Around the throne, and on each side of the throne are four living creatures, full of eyes in front and behind :the first living creature like a lion, the second living creature like an Ox, the third living creature with a face like human face, and the fourth living creature like a flying eagle. The four living creatures, each of them with six wings are full of eyes all around and inside. day and night without ceasing they sing, 'Holy,Holy, Holy, the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come.'
If you find yourself a little bored, try drawing the creatures described in the passage above.... it's nearly impossible! The reason for this, is that they are symbols, meant to be seen through the written word. If anyone knows anything about Hebrew, it is a very pictorial language which is why this would have been understood by the readers of that time. traditionally the four creatures were seen as the four evangelists, Mathew, mark, Luke and John who were so central to the new testament, but this is quite unlikely.The more compelling explanation is that they represent all of creation, animals and people of all nations. Through all of Creation GOD is present, aware of what is going on(the eyes) receiving praise that he alone is worthy of.
The Bible is full of the picture of creation praising GOD, and it's a picture we lose to our own downfall. The Human attitude and especially the western modern one, is that creation exists for our own use, abuse and pleasure, other than meeting our needs has very little place in our thoughts in general. The current climate change has made it all very fashionable to think in terms of energy saving, lowering fuel usage and many other types of actions which show we are a caring people regarding our planet. Yet we must go further in our thinking, as the world is primarily God's creation made for his pleasure and Sovereign use. What does this mean then? it means we should respect the World we inhabit, not only because it is useful for resources, or because we endanger ourselves by abusing it, but because God made this World valuable in of it's own right as the work of the Creators hand in which we can give thanks and praise to his name.
It worth considering that John sees the creature with a human face as part of creation, not separate. Which i think is part of the problem, thinking we are something other, outside of God's created order. In fact we are in fact all part of the creation, which should spur us into not only thinking about our relationship with God, but our relationship with God and the planet he created.
Question?
Other than having wonderfully clever answers to the issue of climate change, what affective things can Christians do to help the world, living conscientiously and live using a Biblical view of the use and freedom of this World?I have been ever more challenged by this, the above is not all my own thoughts, but this made me think about the world through the context of it being Gods Creation made for his pleasure. I have lived in this world thinking only about what i need from it to get, go or do what i wanted. the reality is that it is very difficult to live in the western world without using some sort of energy, or a car for instance,. the issue here is i think living with full faculty, truly thinking about what we use, why we use it and the affect it has....very challenging indeed!
Tuesday, 15 June 2010
Monday, 14 June 2010
A Conversation with GOD
Me; Dear GOD what is going on in the world?
G; Well, firstly i think we should discuss somethings?
Me; This is what i am trying to do, what do you mean?
G; Well, how about your SIN
Me; Oh yeah, Dear God please forgive me for i spat on the floor.
G; anything else?
Me; I swore at the ref
G; anything else?
Me; i drank a bottle of wine
G; Anything else?
Me; It came back up
G; Anything else?
Me; I saw a naked woman
G; Anything else?
Me; Hold up, that's a bit personal don't you think?
G; yes
Me; Oh, well er, I'm sorry about that too.
G; anything esle?
Me; I was late for work
G; Anything else?
Me; I lied about it
G; Anything else?
Me; nah i think that's it...Amen!
G; How much money do you have?
Me; Not much i lost it on the..Oh, dear GOD please forgive for not winning.
G; I give you all you need
Me; I just don't get it, you know me, I'm alright but it's the state of this world GOD what is to be done?
G; Well, firstly i think we should discuss somethings?
Me; This is what i am trying to do, what do you mean?
G; Well, how about your SIN
Me; Oh yeah, Dear God please forgive me for i spat on the floor.
G; anything else?
Me; I swore at the ref
G; anything else?
Me; i drank a bottle of wine
G; Anything else?
Me; It came back up
G; Anything else?
Me; I saw a naked woman
G; Anything else?
Me; Hold up, that's a bit personal don't you think?
G; yes
Me; Oh, well er, I'm sorry about that too.
G; anything esle?
Me; I was late for work
G; Anything else?
Me; I lied about it
G; Anything else?
Me; nah i think that's it...Amen!
G; How much money do you have?
Me; Not much i lost it on the..Oh, dear GOD please forgive for not winning.
G; I give you all you need
Me; I just don't get it, you know me, I'm alright but it's the state of this world GOD what is to be done?
Evolution
What is evolution, does anyone really think about what it truly means?
The average man to may say well, evolution is the stages in which all life develops at it's own rate separate from any external influences such as a GOD.
Right, so what is evolution and what does that mean?
The scientist may say that evidence of the Galapagos islands prove the reality of evolution.
No-one is telling me what it is, so far i have heard that the average man see's only that without purposeful creator there can only be the fluidity and directionless of animal and human existence. The scientist explaining that a species of bird adapting to it's environment to produce a different yet same species of bird, proves without doubt evolution?
My question is the same, what is evolution and what does it mean?
The average man to may say well, evolution is the stages in which all life develops at it's own rate separate from any external influences such as a GOD.
Right, so what is evolution and what does that mean?
The scientist may say that evidence of the Galapagos islands prove the reality of evolution.
No-one is telling me what it is, so far i have heard that the average man see's only that without purposeful creator there can only be the fluidity and directionless of animal and human existence. The scientist explaining that a species of bird adapting to it's environment to produce a different yet same species of bird, proves without doubt evolution?
My question is the same, what is evolution and what does it mean?
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