Where's our focus?

One of the things that has driven itself into my head over the last few weeks is the relevance and importance of where and what our focus is. This is relevant from a Christian perspective in both the areas of worship and application of scripture, but also on a life determining and life changing level as well.

Who we are is comprised of two elements: what our focus is on, and what our motivation is. As a simple reading or contemplation of these two things will reveal, they are quite inextricably linked. What our focus is, that will also become our motivation.

The problem seems to be that for most of us, our focus is either on ourselves directly, or on the things that concern our desires. For exmple, we are focused on our health, our strength, our wealth; or we are focused on the health of those we care about, the companies we have interest in, and the crime rate in our neighbourhood.
Simply put we are self centred.

What then is to be done about this?
Well, since this site is directed primarily at Christians, I would offer the following advice: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your soul and all your strength" (Deut. 6:5). For all of you who deny any relevance of the Old Testament for modern believers, consider that Christ quotes this verse to the pharisees when He is asked "what is the greatest commandment?"

to be continued...

Intelligent design

This seems to be the new scientific phenomenon that is sweeping across western society like an epidemic. The really amazing thing is that Christians have known about intelligent design for thousands of years. I guess the rest of the world is just catching up.

But seriously, it is somewhat refreshing to see that there is some responsible action being taken now to actually get intelligent design (ID) into the school systems. Do I think that it's as good as creationism? No; but I do think that carried through to its natural conclusion, creationism is the end result; one that many are not willing to either accept or acknowledge. I just read an article at www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9536260/ where a woman in Pennsylvania was upset about ID being introduced to the school system. What children are being taught in evolution is being presented as fact; something which many secular scientists are now refuting as having no scientific basis.

Aside from the multitude of creationist books that are published regularly, I would recommend some of the books being published on ID; notably "Darwin's Black Box" by Michael Behe, and "The Universe in a Nutshell" by Stephen Hawking. Above all else, I would seriously recommend that more Christians in researching the matter, turn to that oft-overlooked book, the Bible, as an actual solution to Christian disputes over faith. After all, after 3500 years, scientists are finally beginning to realize that Genesis chapters 1&2 were right. Maybe it's time we started paying more attention to what scripture says, and less time listening to the world.

What the Lord has done...

I'm still not sure exactly what it is that I will have to post on this site; but I do have something that I can share and that is what God has done for me in my life.

Without getting into any major details, suffice it to say that every morning when I get up, I know that God has seen me through another day. When I get through a week of schoolwork, I know that He has been with me all the way, whether I realized it or not. And every time I have ever preached, I know that if there is anything that comes from my lips that is true of Him, or that blesses someone; it is only beause He has been with me in saying it.

I could give some major examples of God's grace in my life, but I'm not going to do that here. Instead I'm going to encourage those who come here to think about the little graces in your life. We so often become enmeshed in the big things ( or at least things that we think are big) that we totally lose perspective of what God is actually doing in our lives.

Remeber, the big things are made up of all kinds of little things, and so it's the little things that make up life.

This is blogging...?

I suppose with t he crafting of this, my own blog, I have finally, in some way, joined the ranks of the elite; though truth be known I am surely no more than "standing on the shoulders of giants."

The puposes of this blog are threefold; (1) to allow me to criticize what others have to say (the real purpose for the internet existing is so that people can tell other people that they disagree with them and have no fear of retribution). (2) to provide other, as well as myself but primarily peers and friends, a forum to share opinions and leave comments; and (3) just because I wanted one. That is to say that I enjoy the overinflated sense of ego that I get from having my own blog. Looking around I see I am not the only one.

God willing, other updates on this blog will be of more relevance, but right now I just feel the need to rant a little. TBS homework can have that effect on someone!