The Endless Surprises in God’s Creation

January 30, 2024 Gracie

Discovering Endless Surprises in God’s Creation

Webster’s dictionary defines the word “surprise” as a “feeling of wonder or astonishment.”¹

How about the endless surprises in God’s creation?

There’s so much to discover!

You could spend hours learning about the amazing animals inhabiting our planet.

Take the Long-wattled Umbrellabird, for example.

The Long-wattled Umbrellabird²

Personally, I’ve had interesting hairdos before, but this little guy takes the cake.

Is anyone else seeing an Elvis impersonator here?

Besides the little pompadour “umbrella” on the bird’s head, they also sport a feather-duster-like waddle from their necks.

Quite the unique-looking bird.

Don’t tell me that God does not have a sense of humor.

Found in some of the humid regions of South America, the Umbrellabird enjoys eating fruit and the occasional lizard.

I delight in God’s creation, don’t you?

Delight in God's creation

The oceans teem with life; the forests are full of His creatures; pastures and mountains are the habitations for His handiwork. Storks among the firs, badgers among the rocks, young lions in the bush, and goats in the mountains (Psalm 104:17-22)—all these things silently testify to the wonders of God’s creative mind, the glory of His wondrous skills, and the beauty of all that He has made. – Stuart Briscoe, Author and Bible Teacher.³

Each and every creature, every plant, every inch of land, and every depth of the seas – all tell a unique story of God’s perfectly-created design.

And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. – Genesis 1:31, (NASB).⁴

God’s Extraordinary Creation and its Endless Surprises

As humans, we can barely comprehend the complexities of our world.

We’re constantly discovering and learning new things.

And, the more we learn, the more we realize just how marvelous God’s creation and its endless surprises really are.

Evolutionary philosophy holds that ingenious biological features were invented by the unknowing, uncaring, purposeless laws of nature, but it is clear that they were instead engineered by our wise, benevolent, and powerful Creator. Nature has never been observed inventing these kinds of complex structures, each well-suited to its task, and there is not even a theoretical, realistic step-by-step evolutionary explanation for how they could have developed. Thus, in the same way that we infer a painter from a painting, or an engineer from an engine, we infer a Creator from a creation. – The Institute for Creation Research.⁵

Every living thing, no matter how insignificant it may seem, has a part to play in God’s grand design.

Thank You God for all that You do and for all that You have done.

The fact that we are living witnesses to His works is extremely humbling.

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¹ “Surprise”. (n.d.). In Websters1913.com. Retrieved from Websters 1913 Dictionary

² “Cotingidae – Cephalopterus penduliger” photo by Hectonichus, own work, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository. 15 September, 2010. Accessed and retrieved January 27, 2024.

³Stuart Briscoe quotation courtesy of TellingTheTruth.org. From “Everything Beautiful.” n.d., Web. 26 November, 2023. Accessed January 29, 2024. Retrieved from https://www.tellingthetruth.org/read/individual-post/read/2023/11/26/everything-beautiful

⁵Quotation courtesy of The Institute For Creation Research. From “God’s Design is an Engineering Wonder”, n.d., Web. Accessed 27th January, 2024. Retrieved from God’s Design.

Our Exceptional God

Biblical Christianity vs. Christianity-Lite

January 23, 2024 Gracie

The Hidden Danger of Christianity-Lite

Cinnamon vs. Cumin Every morning I look forward to having the same breakfast.

I call it “the smoothie of champions.” Lol.

There’s a chocolate protein liquid to start, and then I mix in cucumber slices, chia seeds, frozen strawberries, bananas, blueberries, and more.

This shake tastes so good!

Except for one day . . . when it didn’t.

I grabbed what I thought was cinnamon and sprinkled a nice helping into my little blender.

I didn’t realize it at first, but it was cumin!!!!

The bottle looked the same, the color of the ingredient was the same, but in my morning fog, I wasn’t careful and grabbed the bottle at face value and went to town.

Blech.

Cumin and cinnamon certainly aren’t the same, and on a lot more serious note, neither are Biblical Christianity and Christianity-lite.

Not even close.

A watered-down version of Christianity is not authentic Christianity.

Biblical Christianity vs. Christianity-Lite Sadly, millions can be led astray by the dilution of God’s Word offered up by a world of disturbing re-interpreters.

Do any of these sound familiar?

The Bible needs to change with the times

We need to remove certain sins from “the list”

Jesus isn’t the only way

Faithfulness to God equals material wealth

Cultural Relativism

Sadly, the list of cultural dilutions goes on and on.

Without practicing discernment in matters of our faith, continuing to follow ear-tickling Christianity-lite will have disastrous eternal consequences.

Biblical Christianity vs. Christianity-Lite

What in the world is going on?

Sadly, the question also contains the answer.

The world.

We’re talking about a secular world inhabited by over “8 billion people”. (worldometers.info, n.d.)¹

A devastating majority of our fellow men and women do not want to believe the authority of the Bible – God’s Word – because they consider it harsh, archaic, or it convicts them of their sins.

World population of an estimated over 8 billion people

I believe that one reason why the church of God at this present moment has so little influence over the world is because the world has so much influence over the church. – Charles Haddon Spurgeon, pastor and author.²

Friends – there are millions of lost people in need of a Savior.

I’m talking about the true Savior we read about in God’s Word.

He died for our sins so that repentant sinners could have eternal life with Him in Heaven – proof of God’s love for us.

But, God’s love does not include tolerating unrepentant sin.

Eternal separation from God would be agony, grief, regret, and sadness to a degree unimaginable.

The only just punishment for high treason against our perfect Creator is eternal separation from Him. That separation means the absence of goodness, light, relationship, and joy, which are all facets of God’s nature. To excuse our sin would require God to be less than just, and to allow sin-tainted humans into His perfect heaven would render that place less than perfect. That’s why only the perfect Son of God could go to the cross in our place. Only His perfect blood was an acceptable payment for the debt we each owe God (Colossians 2:14). When we refuse Jesus as our substitute, we must pay the price ourselves (Romans 6:23). – Got Questions.org.³

I pray for a spiritual revival.

Will it happen as it has in generations past?

That remains to be seen depending on God’s providence and grace.

In the meantime, as discerning believers we know that compromising God’s Word isn’t Christianity at all.

Beware.

God’s Word will never pass away, but looking back to the Old Testament and since the time of Christ, with tears we must say that because of lack of fortitude and faithfulness on the part of God’s people, God’s Word has many times been allowed to be bent, to conform to the surrounding, passing, changing culture of that moment rather than to stand as the inerrant Word of God judging the form of the world spirit and the surrounding culture of that moment. In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, may our children and grandchildren not say that such can be said about us. – Francis Schaeffer, theologian.⁴

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¹World population statistic from “Worldometer | Current World Population Clock”. Web. Accessed January 19, 2024. Retrieved from: World population stats, updated.

²Quotation by Charles Spurgeon, influential Christian pastor and author, (1834-1892) courtesy of courtesy of Christian quotes.info.

³Quotation from gotquestions.org, from “How can a loving God send someone to hell? n.d., para. 8. Web. Accessed January 19, 2024. Retrieved from a loving God send someone to hell

⁴Francis August Schaeffer, (1912-1984), evangelical Christian and theologian. Schaeffer quotation courtesy of AZquotes.com. Accessed 20 January, 2024. Francis Schaeffer quotation

Our Exceptional God

The Faithfulness of God

January 16, 2024 Gracie

The Faithfulness of God

One of the best things I’ve heard in a long time was said to me by a dear friend recently.

She said, “If you’re wondering what God is doing, think about what He has done.”

That is so true!

When I take the time to reflect on my years past, I can see the fingerprints of God all over my life.

Challenges that seemed daunting at the time are now distant memories – part of the progression in my spiritual walk to make me stronger and more bold for Christ.

The faithfulness of God When your life goes off center, and it seems like there’s no end in sight, remember what God has already done.

You are not alone, and you never were.

Like a shining beacon in any storm, the faithfulness of God is our spiritual lifeline.

We can count on the fact that God is already there at the end of it – no matter what our circumstances.

When our hearts struggle with fear, discouragement, loneliness, pain, or grief, reminding ourselves of the constancy of God’s love can be a tremendously encouraging game-changer. If our faith falters, we must remember God’s immovable, undying, steadfast love. – gotquestions.org.¹

Great is the Faithfulness of God

As the Creator, God has the power to carry out His perfect plan for our lives and to accomplish His perfect purposes through our suffering. And as the faithful Creator, He can be counted on to do it. Therefore we can consciously entrust ourselves to His care with complete confidence, and hand the safekeeping of our lives over to Him, believing that He will do what is best. When we do that, we will have peace in the midst of adversity. – Richard L. Strauss, Author and Theologian.²

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¹Quotation from gotquestions.org., “What does it mean that the steadfast love of the Lord never ceases (Lamentations 3:22)?” n.d., para. 4. Web. Accessed February 3, 2024. Retrieved from His love never ceases.

² Richard L. Strauss quotation is courtesy of bible.org. from “Great is Thy Faithfulness”, para. 37, May 18, 2004. Web. Accessed January 13, 2024. Retrieved from https://bible.org/seriespage/great-thy-faithfulness

Our Exceptional God

Attitude of Gratitude

January 8, 2024 Gracie

An Attitude of Gratitude – Count Your Blessings!

Have you heard the old expression, “oil and water don’t mix”?

Here’s one you don’t hear often . . . How about “cooking” oil and cars?

You heard that right.

A few months ago, the local news reported that a truck carrying cooking oil started leaking its cargo along a well-traveled roadway.

A six mile stretch of road was closed down as several cars started slipping and sliding through the oily mess.

leaking oil and cars don't mix

The cleanup took hours. Observers joked that the area smelled like ”fried chicken”.

Joking aside, some things (like leaking oil and cars) just don’t mix.

But, how about gratitude and attitude?

That depends.

A “bad” attitude can send a person right into a never-ending ditch of self-pity.

An attitude of gratitude does just the opposite.

Gratitude is having the right attitude of thankfulness, no matter what our circumstances.

Gratitude is more than a passing trend or a means of glossing over our very real-life struggles and challenges. It is a conscious act of cultivating awareness of the good things in life, expressing this gratitude to others, and creating daily practices that reinforce these positive observations and actions. These efforts result in tremendous benefits for the individual who practices gratitude. – Dr. Monica Vermani, Psychology today.¹

Cultivating an Attitude of Gratitude

An attitude of gratitude

From the old testament to the new, the Bible affirms the faith of grateful hearts.

In Psalm 107, commentators assert that the psalmist is referring to Israel’s deliverance from exile. But, as believers today, we can rest and rejoice in the revealing of God’s character in these psalms and throughout the entire Bible.

God is good.

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good,
For His mercy is everlasting. – Psalm 107:1, (NASB).²

Let the peace of Christ, to which you were indeed,
called in one body, rule in your hearts;
And be thankful. – Colossians 3:15, (NASB).³

Even for what might be considered the smallest of blessings, it’s important to express thankfulness to our Creator.

Choosing an Attitude of Gratitude

keeping a journal What’s a good way to reflect an attitude of gratitude?

You can start by writing in a journal.

I’m sure you’ve heard of gratitude journals.

They are an excellent way of recording your hopes, dreams, and answered prayers.

It’s rewarding to look back on those writings later and reflect on God’s grace and providence in your life, especially during more challenging times.

Bible teacher, the late Warren Wiersbe, eloquently described expressions of “gratitude” this way:

An attitude of gratitude is a wonderful weapon against unbelief, disobedience, a hard heart, and a bitter spirit. Instead of complaining about what we don’t have, let’s be thankful for what we do have, because God always gives His best to those who leave the choice with Him . . . We can’t control the circumstances of life, but we can control how we respond to them. That’s what faith is all about, daring to believe that God is working everything for our good even when we don’t feel like it or see it happening. – Warren Wiersbe, Moody Bible Church.⁴

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¹Quotation from Dr. Monica Vermani. Courtesy of Psychology Today online magazine, “Understanding and Practicing Gratitude.” Accessed December 30, 2023. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/a-deeper-wellness/202312/understanding-and-practicing-gratitude

⁴Warren Wiersbe (1929-2019) quotation from the Give Thanks Commentary, [2015] Courtesy of Precept Austin. Web. Accessed 30 December, 2023.

Our Exceptional God

Happy New Year 2024

December 27, 2023 Gracie

Wishing You A Happy New Year 2024

Happy New Year 2024

Happy New Year 2024!

Where did Christmas go?

It seems like just yesterday we were decorating our home, getting together with dear friends, and baking some yummy holiday treats.

And, most of all, celebrating the birth of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Just like that, the Christmas “holiday” came and went.

That could lead to a little bit of a let-down for some, but now we have a whole new year to look forward to.

Are you ready?

Happy New Year 2024

A sweet friend gifted me a beautiful devotional and year planner for my recent birthday. Thumbing through those decorated pages, I see all of the days and months up ahead, just waiting for my entries of what I am planning.

But, who knows what God has in store?

What we do know for sure is that only God knows the future.

This truth should humble us!

But what the Bible says is that God the Creator established you, made you, gave you all your abilities, all your looks, all of your opportunities; has, whether you understand it or not, ordered your life right up until today. But that God who made you, you are alienated from. And you are alienated with no prospect from your end of reestablishing a relationship. There is no way to do it by good works. There is no way to do it by religious fervency. There is no way to do it by looking in on ourselves and trying to find our spirituality in a quest within. But the good news is that although we ourselves cannot do it, the same God from whom we are alienated has come to do it for us. – Christian pastor and author, Alistair Begg, Truth For life.¹

God provided the Way – Jesus.

Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me. – John 14:6, (NASB).²

For all of our days ahead, I pray that you and your loved ones have a blessed and happy New Year 2024.

¹Alistair Begg quotation, Christian pastor, author, and founder of Truth For Life Teaching Ministry. “Planning Properly-Part One.” para. 39, October 28, 2007. Web. Accessed 22 December, 2023. Retrieved from Planning Properly

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