Question Of The Day

Since camp, when and/or where did you feel closest to God?

Today's Reading...

Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your Name give glory; because of your love and because of your faithfulness. Why should the heathen say, “Where then is their God?” Our God is in heaven; whatever he wills to do he does. Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but they cannot speak; eyes have they, but they cannot see; They have ears, but they cannot hear; noses, but they cannot smell; They have hands, but they cannot feel; feet, but they cannot walk; they make no sound with their throat. Those who make them are like them, and so are all who put their trust in them. O Israel, trust in the LORD; he is their help and their shield. O house of Aaron, trust in the LORD; he is their help and their shield. You who fear the LORD, trust in the LORD; he is their help and their shield. The LORD has been mindful of us, and he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron; He will bless those who fear the LORD, both small and great together. Psalm 115:1–13

(don't) Check Your Brain At The Door

When you decided to follow Jesus, did you have to take a stupid-pill? One of my greatest frustrations with the problems some people have with Christianity (or just faith in general) is the misconception that faith and science can't co-exist. The crazy thing is that there are many Christians and non-Christians who believe this. Here's how I view this problem:
To some Christians, science is the attempt to prove that God doesn't exist. If there's a rational explanation for everything, then we can't have faith, and therefore, God cannot exist. To them, God is not a rational being.
To some non-Christians, faith is merely an excuse for lack of knowledge. They see people who have faith and wonder why they don't use their (God-given) brains to figure some things out rather than being ignorant. Example: "I was looking for change for the parking meter, and when I reached into my pocket, there was a quarter there! I just KNOW God heard my prayer." (The quarter was probably there all morning, but this person didn't realize it.) This could be why so many people think faith is childish: it takes faith (and ignorance) to believe in Santa, and to them that's the same faith needed to believe in God.
I believe that science and faith are closely tied together. God created everything and He is the master designer. God wasn't ignorant of science, He created science. Being human, we are limited creatures and couldn't possibly understand all the ways of an infinitely wise and powerful God, and so we need to trust Him (have faith) when we don't understand something. This is why Christians don't have to fear science: if all of creation's secrets were laid bare, it would prove how God created everything, not that He doesn't exist; it would prove mankind's dependence on God, not our independence.
We are fooling ourselves if we believe that we can know everything about science, philosophy, or anything in general while we're here on earth, but we're also fooling ourselves if we don't seek to try and understand glaring issues and questions like: "How can there be a God with so much evil in the world?" or "Man evolved from apes, and scientists just found proof!" We can't afford to be ignorant Christians and not back up our faith with a little research. So if you're a Christian, ask "why" and look for answers to tough questions. Don't settle for pat answers you heard somewhere, discover science together with your friends and family. Have faith and know that all true discoveries, scientific and otherwise, will only clarify how God exists rather than show how he is absent!

Christ Is Risen!

I have been crucified with Christ and yet I am alive; yet it is no longer I, but Christ living in me. The life that I am now living, subject to the limitation of human nature, I am living in faith, faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20