What About Israel?  

1. God's covenants with Israel were literal and eternal 

     In the Old Testament God made unconditional promises to Israel that were in His character, not Israel's obedience. He promised Abraham a nation and blessing; and he promised David an everlasting throne and kingdom. 

2. Paul explicitly rejected the idea that God had cast Israel aside

     Paul addressed Israel's unbelief directly. In Romans 9:11, he confronted the painful reality that many of his fellow Jews had rejected Christ. Paul's conclusion: "Hath God cast away his people? God forbid." (Romans 11:1). Paul described Israel's unbelief as real, tragic and serious - but not final. He taught that God still intends to bring about a future turning of the Jewish people to their Messiah.

3. Israel's restoration and the church's mission are complementary, not conflicting

     The New Testament never presents the church as a replacement for Israel. Instead, it presents the church as a distinct body with a distinct mission. After his resurrection, Jesus' disciples asked, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" Acts 1:6. Jesus spoke not of cancellation, but of timing: "It is not for you to know the times or the seasons." 

     The church was not given the task of establishing the kingdom. It was given responsibility for proclaiming the Gospel. That mission includes Jewish and Gentiles alike.   - Pastor Paul Chappell

Friday: Teenagers on the loose

Cambrian Explosion 

     Darwin didn't have all the facts when he assumed evolution is the answer. 

     Paleontologists determined that an "explosion" of life happened around 540 million years ago. There appeared many characterizes of modern animal life. Over a period of a few million years, about 70 different animals appeared. The New York Times reported in 1991, "Spectacular Fossils Record Early Riot of Creation." Yes, the NYT headlined the word "creation." Scientists called this the "biological big bang." 

     Our book: "The evidence shows a top-down pattern, wherein animal body designs appear first, followed by variations. This is the opposite of the bottom-up Darwin model. The Cambrian explosion reveals the sudden appearance of all basic designs, so distinct that they have to be categorized in different phyla. A leading Darwinist, Richard Dawkins, admitted, 'It is as though they were just planted there, without any evolutionary history.'"  

     "After the explosion, almost no new animals appear in the fossil record...for the last half-billion years." 

     Views: Darwin was on the fence about Christianity. We guess, had he lived long enough to know about the Cambrian discovery, he would have attended the next church service. As for today's Darwinists, their self-importance will destroy them.

Evidence of Truth 

  Found on our computer.

     Historians Josephus, Tacitus and Celsus did not believe Jesus was the Son of God. But one wrote that "James was the brother of Jesus." And that "their leader was put to death by Pontious Pilate." And they "did not deny Jesus was a real person. A Roman official and Jewish historian both talked about the same 'rebel.'"

     "Gospel stories line up with 1st Century Palestine: economics, politics, architecture and names. Outsiders get things wrong. Bible authors knew the region. It is not possible to start a movement founded on a non-existent person in a small community. Judean community was closeknit. Rumors spread. Records were kept. If the Jesus story was fraudulent, critics had every means to prove it." 

     While we believe God provided Matthew, Mark, Luke and John with Jesus' words years after He ascended to heaven, there are a few inconsistencies. So, the gospels were not edited.

     "Most humans lie to avoid trouble. Christ's earliest followers were tortured and mocked. If they were making up a story, it would have ended when Romans invaded Israel (Judea). Myths don't create martyrs."

     As for martyrs, there were more in the 20th century than ever before. The Lord calls us to believe and follow him, with faith, hope and love.       

Tomorrow: The Cambrian Explosion 

         Jimmy

     

 Twenty Days to Go 

     We can't say we won our 200th year of nationhood in 1976. Will we win our 250th July 4th? We did win a soccer game. And SpaceX. 😉

     Jamey Cheaney: "Pride in America is at an all-time low, especially among the young." One poll shows only 41% of young Americans have pride in their country. And 29% are embarrassed. A poll: 38% are extremely proud. Some of these polls were taken 2-3 years ago, in Biden America, or recovering from it. Will Lee Greenwood sing I'm proud to be an American again this summer?       

     Our Founding Fathers were not certain about America's future. Ben Franklin replied to a woman's question, A republic, if you can keep it. Mrs. Cheaney says, "Jefferson and Adams wouldn't recognize the nation they birthed in 1776." Slavery continued in the South for more than 60 years.  

     Freedom made possible prosperity, peace, ambition and innovation (bad for some, overcoming poverty for others). Author Wilfred McClay says, "Being a land of hope will also sometimes mean dashed hopes. A nation that professes high ideals makes itself vulnerable to criticism. All humans are flawed, as is human enterprise. Much of what passes for cynicism is lack of naivete (wisdom, experience and judgment)." 

     Cheaney says "The political scene isn't too encouraging, but by God's grace we're still here. We can love our homeland. She needs it."

Views: 250 years ago, there were no vehicles, airplanes, TV, telephones, education...little cash and no oil. Families more or less remained neighbors and church goers until after WWII. Our young generation - some of them - hate what we've become. They may be listening to the wrong people or thinking for themselves. They won't find a better country. Different people have different views, so not everyone will sing along with Lee Greenwood.  

Who to Credit for Miracles? 

Old Testament: Remember the wonders he has done, his miracles and the judgments... 1 Chronicles 16:12.

He (God) performs wonders that cannot be fathomed, miracles that cannot be counted. - Eliphaz, Job 5:9.

He divided the sea. He made the water stand firm like a wall. He brought streams out of a rocky crag. - Psalm 78:13. 

New Testament. The whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen. - Luke 19:37. 

The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me. - John 10:25. 

Believe me...or at least believe the evidence of the miracles. - John 14:11 

Men of Israel...Jesus of Nazareth was a man credited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs... - Acts 2:22 

Therefore...what Christ has accomplished...by the power of signs and miracles through the power of the Spirit. - Romans 15:17-19 

God has appointed...workers of miracles. - 1 Corinthians 12:28 

Does God...work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard? - Galatians 3:5. 

God also testified to it by signs, wonders and various miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit. - Hebrews 2:4 

Jesus did miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples. - John 20-30.

Many wonders and miraculous signs were done by apostles. - Acts 2:43 

Spiritual gifts include miraculous power. - 1 Corinthians 12:10 

Miracles by bad guys. False Christs and prophets will...perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect. - Matthew 24-25 

The coming of the lawless one...the work of Satan in all kinds of counterfeit miracles. - 2 Thessalonians 2:9 

#

Three Final Miracles 

23. Another Awe. The emotion of wonder and exhilaration. Awe makes one happier, healthier, more socially connected. Awe is a crucial facet of human life: flowers, stars, loved ones, the universe. 

24. Earth fine-tuned for life. Formed with nitrogen and phosphorus on the crust to support life. The earth's core is a magnetic field to protect it from harmful solar particles and cosmic radiation. Water is necessary for chemical processes...the "Goldilocks zone" vs. the sun, a star's habitable zone...neither too hot or too cold. 

25. Photosynth thesis turns light into energy, constantly at work as green plants transform light energy into chemical energy, producing carbohydrates from carbon dioxide and a hydrogen source.  

Got that? 

Thanks to Epoch Times and Walker Larson, freelance journalist, who collected the "miracles" we shared. He is a former teacher at a private academy. His quote: 

"I am a writer dedicated to pursuing the good, the true and the beautiful in a spirit of wonder and faith." 

     

Miracles, part 3 

16. Brains. Better than technology. The 86 billion neurons in the brain process more information in 30 seconds than the Hubble Space Telescope processes in 30 years. Our brain can store 200 exabytes of information. 

17. Your DNA stretches for galaxies, and to the end, 10 billion miles. Quote by Bill Bryson: "There is enough of you to leave the solar system. You are in the most literal sense, cosmic (distinct from earth.)" 

18. Music heals. Music activates the brain, releases endorphins, alleviates pain, and can restore access to lost memories. It can restore strength and health to an elderly person. Music engages multiple regions of the brain, including memory, emotion and movement. 

19. Good relationships, health and happiness. The biggest prediction of a happy, healthy life is quality of relationships...not fame or fortune. Longer life expectancy may also result.

20. Our hearts can synchronize. Two lovers see eye to eye. Heart rates synchronize. Seeing the picture of a loved one can reduce physical pain. 

21. NDE - near death experience. This occurs in 15% of people in intensive care. Common sense perception happens apart from the physical body, passing through a tunnel, a mystical light, review of past life, meeting deceased loved ones. Some people cannot possibly know about events unless separated from the physical body. 

22. Awe. It can transform one's life. People may experience awe two or three times a week. Extraordinary in the ordinary. Generosity to a homeless person. The scent of a flower. Watching tree leaves play. Hearing a song that takes one back to a first love. 

We said 3 blogs. We need a 4th.

Back on Saturday