Evolution criticisms

The world is very good at attacking Creationism and Christians are quite good at replying, especially if you have read some the literature that is around, however, I personally have found that once you are in that conversation I find it hard to criticise Evolution even though I can defend Creation to a point.

So how do you make that move, well here are a few of the main holes:

1. How to get from proteins to living cells, things don't just come alive, I think you would be a bit creeped out if your sofa started breathing and requiring food! It's the same principal. Creation God "breathed the breath of life into Adam" Gen 1

2. Mutations (required for one species to turn into another) are hardly ever beneficial. Generally they cause abnormalities that are a disadvantage eg. Cystic Fibrosis or there are a few "beneficial mutations" that actually aren't. Examples are 1. If you have one allele for sickle cell anaemia you have a greater resistivity to malaria, except if 2 people with one allele each may well have a sickle cell anaemia child who will be very poorly. 2. Some flies in the mountains don't have wings so they don't get blown off but this is loss of information not gain which doesn't make new species. If there are no helpful mutations there is no Evolution

3. Where are the transitional fossils?

The thing is it takes faith to believe that these difficulties will be solved, the same criticism evolutionists have of Christians and Creationists!

Sucess

I've just been on a school trip to Cambridge University which was no.2 in the world last year. Many people's view on success would be to go there and study and even become a fellow there.

The word around us is telling us what we must do to be successful: Work hard at school and get a good job, buy a nice car, get famous, get on TV, become a manager.

But do those things bring happiness? I think not.

There is nothing wrong with having those things but chasing after them is like "grasping for the wind"* The thing is that many famous people are on drugs to cope with their stressful life - doesn't seem very happy. Many managers are stressed - doesn't seem very happy. Even things like having a nice car don't bring true happiness only momentary pleasure.

So what is success. I believe that Colossians 3:23 gives us a clue "and whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men;" success in God's eyes is to find rest and peace in Him and to worship Him in all that we do, for Him to be our motive in doing everything.

*Ecclesiastes 1:12 NKJV

Training Children

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it

Proverbs 22:6 (KJV)

This is a very controversial verse as there are many children who have wandered and gone their own way, despite being taken to church every week and being from a respectable family.

However, it is my belief that it is all in the quality of the training. Read that again. That means that it is a great responsibility that church kids clubs/VBS workers and that parents have. To give the child the best possible quality training. If the training is up to scratch then I believe that this promise is true.

Of course the decision is up to the child ultimately, but with the right structures in place, they shouldn't ever want to leave God and so are much less likely to go astray.

A few practical tips

1. Make sure discipline is tight, letting children get away with things is implicitly telling them that sin is OK, which I'm sure you don't want to do.

2. Watch your implicit messages in other ways

3. Clearly teach the Bible and be well prepared. Have a theme for the whole club so that they can really understand it, do crafts that relate to the theme you are doing

4. Have a natural transition from childrens work to teenagers, this is the pitfall of many churches and have teenage bible studies relavent to them.

Your thoughts on this issue?

God is worthy of our praise

Psalm 95:6-7

O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker. For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand.

With the intimacy that God wants with us it is easy to forget who He is.

Reflect. The maker of the universe that knows the stars in the sky, knows the hairs on your head, The God with ultimate power on everything loves you personally, not just the sloppy love the world talks about but a real deep love that wants the best for you, no matter what the cost.

This demands a response methinks! But this isn't always easy. 

3 Reasons to remember why God needs worshipping, even when we don't feel like it:
Because He is God! His majesty alone is worthy of our worship. He demands our worship
Because He died for us.
Because He made us.

When I'm coming up with every excuse under the sun why I shouldn't worship God I remember these 3 things and I realise my folly. God is worthy of everything we can give and more

The Christian Family

Ephesians 2:19

Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God;

Wow! Read this verse over a few times to yourself. Let it sink in. We are citizens in the household of God through His Son Christ Jesus.

Question. Do we always treat everyone like they are fellowcitzens? I know I am often guilty of proud thoughts and actions but in reality I'm no different to them. We're all sinners.

Another thing. Often we put certain people on a pedestal. Bible "Heros" like David, Gideon, the disciples; celebrities; The Queen. However, all of us have made mistakes, some more visible than others. None of us have any right to be proud or to idolise anyone because God loves us all the same.

Equality in God

Galatians 3:28
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.

This verse reminds me of a song I used to sing when I was four. The title is "Father God loves us all the same." 

The thing is, you've got nothing to prove to God because He already loves you for who you are. Many people think that you have to cleanse yourself before coming to God, in fact the opposite is true. You come to God in a mess and He cleanses you and heals and restores you. 

God is waiting for you with open arms. Will you respond to His passion for you? He died to save you from you mess and bring you back to God. All you have to do is pray a simple prayer:

Dear Jesus, I'm sorry for the mess I've made and the wrong things I've done. Thankyou for dying for me, please come into my life and change me for the better. Amen

The Body of Christ

Romans 12:4-5
For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.

I have to say that this is one of my favourite verses because it reminds us that it is OK for us all to be different, in fact it is a good thing! If we were all the same, we would have all the same strengths so we would be fighting to do certain things but we would all struggle with the same things too, there would be no-one to help us when we found things hard.

God didn't make us like this. God made us all different and all valuable. Think about what your strengths and skills are. Now think about who could benefit from those and go help them out today.