Friday, August 29, 2008
HURRICANES AND SOVEREIGNTY
As Hurricane Gustav churns out in the Gulf, I find myself once again reflecting on the sovereignty of God as it pertains to weather. I have came away from my study of Scripture convinced that nature is neither controlled by Satan nor does it have its own will. Rather, all of nature is under the control of Almighty God. Consider the biblical evidence: "He covers the sky with clouds; he supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grow on the hills.... He spreads the snow like wool and scatters the frost like ashes. He hurls down his hail like pebbles. Who can withstand his icy blast? He sends his word and melts them; he stirs up his breezes, and the waters flow" (Ps.147:8; 16-18). "When he thunders, the waters in the heavens roar; he makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth. He sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from his storehouses" (Jer. 10:13). "The Lord is slow to anger and great in power; the Lord will not leave the guilty unpunished. His way is in the whirlwind and the storm and clouds are the dust of his feet" (Nah. 1:3). "He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous" (Matt. 5:45). The biblical witness is clear: it is Father God (not "mother nature") who is in control of the weather. Indeed, nature's laws are God's laws. God certainly has the power to stop hurricanes, storms, and other weather-related phenomena. On the other hand, God allows storms to wreak their awful havoc to fulfill His sovereign plan, which from our limited point of view may seem incomprehensible. Thinking about sovereignty and storms brings to mind a great hymn by Isaac Watts. The third verse of his “I Sing the Mighty Power of God” declares: "There's not a plant or flower below, but makes Thy glories known; And clouds arise and tempests blow, by order from Thy throne; While all that borrows life from Thee is ever in Thy care, And everywhere that man may be, Thou, God, art present there." Watts was right: the sovereign God (not Satan or nature) is the One who makes “clouds arise and tempests blow.”
Friday, August 15, 2008
Olympic Christians
Like many of you, I have enjoyed the Olympic games and have marveled at the skill of athletes such as Michael Phelps.
Of course none of us are Olympic athletes, but we Christians are athletes of a different kind. We are spiritual athletes—or, if you prefer, Olympic Christians!
There are a number of places in the Bible where God’s people are spoken of in athletic terms. For instance, Hebrews 12:1 speaks of running with perseverance the race marked out for us.
Have you got your spiritual running shoes on?
The Christian life has been compared to a marathon race rather than a 100-meter sprint. The issue is not how fast we start the race (or even how many times we fall), but how we finish. With our eyes on the prize, we should dedicate ourselves to finishing strong.
I once read a book about three young preachers: Chuck Templeton, Bron Clifford and Billy Graham. Obviously we all know of Billy Graham. But years ago, Templeton and Clifford were better known preachers and had larger crowds than Graham. Many thought Clifford was the most gifted preacher of his generation.
But in only a few short years, Templeton left the ministry and later said he no longer believed the claims of Jesus. By 1954, Clifford lost his family, his ministry, his health and died as an alcoholic at the age of 35.
They did not finish the race well.
As spiritual athletes, let us dedicate ourselves to running the Christian race with perseverance. In fact, let's determine to live as Olympic Christians ... and resolve to finish strong!
Of course none of us are Olympic athletes, but we Christians are athletes of a different kind. We are spiritual athletes—or, if you prefer, Olympic Christians!
There are a number of places in the Bible where God’s people are spoken of in athletic terms. For instance, Hebrews 12:1 speaks of running with perseverance the race marked out for us.
Have you got your spiritual running shoes on?
The Christian life has been compared to a marathon race rather than a 100-meter sprint. The issue is not how fast we start the race (or even how many times we fall), but how we finish. With our eyes on the prize, we should dedicate ourselves to finishing strong.
I once read a book about three young preachers: Chuck Templeton, Bron Clifford and Billy Graham. Obviously we all know of Billy Graham. But years ago, Templeton and Clifford were better known preachers and had larger crowds than Graham. Many thought Clifford was the most gifted preacher of his generation.
But in only a few short years, Templeton left the ministry and later said he no longer believed the claims of Jesus. By 1954, Clifford lost his family, his ministry, his health and died as an alcoholic at the age of 35.
They did not finish the race well.
As spiritual athletes, let us dedicate ourselves to running the Christian race with perseverance. In fact, let's determine to live as Olympic Christians ... and resolve to finish strong!
