Does Creation Continue?

Psalm 104:30 (KJV) Thou sendest forth thy spirit, they are created: and thou renewest the face of the earth.

(Proverbs 30 also read)

I almost breezed over this because of all the figurative language and great word pictures in this chapter.  Then I noticed the word “created”.  Now keep in mind that this is written in David’s time or later, and the author is probably not thinking about the seven days of creation, yet he uses that same word that is used in the first verse of the Bible.  It is also used about halfway through the creation account with the large sea animals, and then about man being created.

One of the mysteries of the people pushing evolution is something called the Cambrian explosion where suddenly a vast number of new species appeared.  They seem to have come from nowhere.  There is no fossil record of them developing.  Add to that the fact that all the links are missing when someone talks about the “missing link”.  All the links are missing.

This verse may be the reason why the links are missing because God continues to send forth His Spirit and create.  I’m not looking for a doctrine here or an article of faith.  This is just an observation of the creativity and continued involvement of God in His world.

So?  Man is still the only one that was created in His image.  Don’t forget that.  Honor Him. Worship Him.  

Happy Law

Proverbs 29:18 (KJV) Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.

As Christians, we tend to look at the law in a negative way.  The apostle Paul certainly goes out of his way to make sure that we’re not trusting the law for our salvation.  That’s fine.  One of the things, though, that I’ve noticed is that the Old Testament does not promised eternal salvation through the law.  The promises of the law in the Old Testament have to do with Israel being guaranteed the promised land, that their cows would have healthy calves and their harvest would be adequate.  All of those are every day realities.

So how do we respond to the law?  In a general sense we still follow it, but we don’t follow it for the same reasons.  We don’t refuse to steal or commit adultery because we think we’re earning our way into salvation, we do it because it makes for a better life here on earth.  Following God's principles goes a long way towards establishing happiness in your life.

So?  Get right with Jesus.  Trust Him and His death and resurrection and God's grace as it extends towards you.  Having established that foundation, live a righteous and moral life.  It will pay off.  

Grace Applied

Psalm 103:10 (KJV) He hath not dealt with us after our sins; nor rewarded us according to our iniquities.

(Proverbs 28 also read)

Just in case you’re one of those people that gets hung up on the difference between the law and grace, you need to take another look at this verse.  I don’t think the law was mentioned at all in this chapter.  But I do see grace at work here.  I see God extending His patience, forgiveness, and yes, grace towards us as He watches us and follows our activities.

What better way to express the idea of salvation than to admit that God does not deal with us as we deserve.  He is ready, willing and able to forgive our sins.  He sent His son to die on the cross so that the justice that is in His heart could be fulfilled.  What a balance of love and justice.

So?  Don’t relax in your sin, relax in your forgiveness.  Enjoy the knowledge that God will not deal with us as we deserve.  

Details, Details

Proverbs 27:20 (KJV) Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.

I was listening to a podcast where a Bible teacher named Stephen Gregg was talking about the different historical views of hell.  Evidently before Augustine there were various views that are still around today, but are not quite as popular.  It was interesting.  Here though we get some insight into what hell would be like.

The keyword here that I’m looking at is the word “satisfied”.  What doesn’t come through in the KJV, but is there in the NASB, is that the word “full” is the same word in Hebrew as "satisfied".  This is giving me an insight into what hell will be like.  Excepting the lake of fire and the torment this would give an explanation of a part of the torment.

Just as we as human beings in this life seem to be never satisfied, we always want more, so it will be if we spend an eternity in hell.  In addition to the torment, there will be this unremitting sense of incompleteness.

So?  Anyway you look at it, eternity without Jesus is going to be utter misery.  This just makes it a little worse.  Of course the alternative is to trust in Him and have eternal life.  It seems an easy choice to me  

It Is Not Supposed to Be Easy

Romans 1:17 (KJV) For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

(Proverbs 26 also read)

How glibly we quote this verse and toss it off.  It is used so often in terms of evangelism or just in the matter of now you’re saved, don’t worry about things from here on out.  It is often used as an excuse to live in unrighteous ways.

Today is a reminder to me that I am to walk every day with the kind of trust that trump’s the vicissitudes of life.  Life keeps throwing us curve balls, then a change up, then that fast ball down the middle.  We need to remember that living by faith means that we understand that we are part of the team that is going to win the World Series.  We may not be the one who gets a home run.  We may go 0 for 4.  But we’re on the winning team

So?  God is with me even when the water gets deeper.  He’s with me as it comes up to my neck.  He’s with me even if I go under because He is a lifeguard who will pull me out when I need it.  I walked today in faith.  I walked today in trust.  

Refined, Not Carved

Proverbs 25:4 (KJV) Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.

The Bible has numerous spots where it talks about how we mature and grow spiritually.  One of the things that occurred to me about this recently was shown in this verse.  When God talks about molding our character or deepening our spiritual strength, He uses the illustration of smelting precious metals.  I don’t see any place where it talks about carving things or sanding things down.

In fact, when it talks about adjusting the outward looks, it usually is referring to man-made idols.  God works on the inside, which then is reflected on the outside.  The world tends to look at the outside and make it adjustments there and not worry about the core.

So?  This doesn’t mean that we don’t work on our discipline and our behavior but we need to be focused on allowing God to change our heart.  

Incongruence

Psalm 99:8 (KJV) Thou answeredst them, O LORD our God: thou wast a God that forgavest them, though thou tookest vengeance of their inventions.

(Proverbs 24 also read)

We see two sides of God in this verse.  On one side, we see forgiveness.  On the other, we see vengeance.  God is the same in both cases.  Israel also seems to be the same.  Are both necessary?  How serious is the vengeance in the company of forgiveness?

One of the clues I see for this is in how many of the Psalms I have read where the writer is calling upon God for His mercy, but is not expressing confession or repentance.  I think that’s really key.  God wants to forgive.  He does forgive.  The problem is if we don’t repent sincerely then what is in store for us is the vengeance God.

I would guess if the vengeance comes on different levels the first level of God’s wrath would be designed to bring us to repentance.  God’s patience is very real and He continues to try and turn us.  When we refuse repeatedly, it’s time for vengeance.

So?  Walk and live in repentance.  Be willing to listen to what God has to say.  He really wants to forgive.  Take advantage of that.