Does it seem sometimes that the challenges and pressures of the confusing world around us crowd out the really important things that we can do to eternally influence the lives of the people in our lives?
I’ve got an invitation for you to share with your friends today that I think you’ll want to make special note of, so you might want to be ready to write down some details that I’ll share more coming up in our program today.
While you’re getting your pen and paper, I’d like to share some timeless Bible thoughts with you. They could make a big difference in how you process the perplexing circumstances that challenge us to trust God… and maybe in ways that many of us have not experienced before.
Have you read Psalm 34 recently? These verses are particularly encouraging – reminding us to focus on God and His solutions to trust Him for help to overcome the seemingly hopeless conditions of a world that seems to have abandoned common sense and discernment. The confessions of dependency on Him are timeless. When we seriously take to heart God’s merciful help for His children and justice for His enemies, our perspective turns from depressed to hopeful. I found that it’s helpful to write out the thoughts that God’s Holy Spirit helped me process as I meditated on the passage. Listen to what I wrote.
This is a psalm of David, regarding the time he pretended to be insane in front of Abimelech, who sent him away.
1 I will praise the LORD at all times. I will constantly speak his praises.
2 I will boast only in the LORD; let all who are helpless take heart.
3 Come, let us tell of the LORD’s greatness; let us exalt his name together. …Let’s rediscover the joy of worshipping with like-minded believers…
4 I prayed to the LORD, and he answered me. He freed me from all my fears. …Talking with Him opened my spiritual ears to listen to His calming comfort…
5 Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy;
no shadow of shame will darken their faces. … the joy He gives me makes it my delight to smile and share the joy with those I encounter…
6 In my desperation I prayed, and the LORD listened;
he saved me from all my troubles. …what a promise to change my focus on problems that seem hopeless without Him…
7 For the angel of the LORD is a guard; he surrounds and defends all who fear him.
8 Taste and see that the LORD is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!
9 Fear the LORD, you his godly people, for those who fear him will have all they need.
10 Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry, but those who trust in the LORD will lack no good thing.
11 Come, my children, and listen to me, and I will teach you to fear the LORD.
12 Does anyone want to live a life that is long and prosperous?
13 Then keep your tongue from speaking evil and your lips from telling lies!
14 Turn away from evil and do good. Search for peace, and work to maintain it.
15 The eyes of the LORD watch over those who do right;
his ears are open to their cries for help.
16 But the LORD turns his face against those who do evil; he will erase their memory from the earth.
17 The LORD hears his people when they call to him for help.
He rescues them from all their troubles.
18 The LORD is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed.
19 The righteous person faces many troubles, but the LORD comes to the rescue each time.
20 For the LORD protects the bones of the righteous;
not one of them is broken!
21 Calamity will surely overtake the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be punished.
22 But the LORD will redeem those who serve him. No one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.
………
Don’t you think it’s amazing to see how God’s word supernaturally helps us embrace courage and resist cowardice? It’s naturally human to allow our highly biased preconceptions to overrule our ability to think biblically or even with a healthy degree of skepticism. Those thoughts have been manipulated and programmed by years of various forms of cultural propaganda – like the news media, secular education, peer pressure and entertainment. So, it’s vital for us all to do ourselves a big favor. Let’s ask the Holy Spirit to help us set aside our predispositions and follow the recipe of Psalm 34. Read it yourself as soon as you get a chance. You’ll see a valuable Biblical prescription for “detoxing” your anxious thoughts and centering yourself on Jesus.
Now, many of our listeners know that my particular specialty in ministry for the last 40 years has been biblical creation, and how the historic record of Genesis is confirmed by true science. In a world that has rejected the love of the truth and given itself over to the deceptions of evolutionism, humanism, and secularism, it’s not hard to see that many people have bowed to self-destructive idolatry! It puts crazy modern philosophies preeminently above God. They disregard the truth and power of God and His Word. They do exactly what Paul declared in Romans 1:25. “They exchanged the truth of God for a lie and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator…” But it’s so refreshing to see how the natural world beautifully exalts the glory of our Creator. And I’ll share a bit about that from my new book… 7 Keys to Discover Genesis is True.
But first, are you ready to write down your invitation? This week –– on Saturday June 26th – I’ll be giving a couple of informal workshop sessions on Biblical creation up in the foothills of El Dorado County, east of Placerville.
This June 26th meeting is a free Saturday afternoon event for the whole family. I’ll be giving two illustrated presentations about some of the 7 keys to discovering Genesis is true. They’ll be especially focused for families who care about giving their children solid Biblical insights for exploring their world. At 1 o’clock I’ll be defusing one of the most insidious deceptions that has crept into practically every corner of society that’s been programmed to think that simple things evolve over time into more complex things. Then at 2pm I’ll be sharing some of the best observations to help open-minded believers sort out some of the most popular misconceptions about dinosaurs, fossils and the history of our planet.
If you know any families living in the upper foothills region east of Placerville and Plymouth, who have some interest in giving their children quality Bible-based learning at home, be sure to tell them about not only the afternoon meeting that I’ll be delivering, but also the morning workshop to help home educators connect with other home educators and resources to help in their assignments. Both sessions on Saturday, June 26th are at Grace Community Church, 4570 Pleasant Valley Rd, in Pleasant Valley. The first is at 9am to noon. My session is from 1 to 3 pm. Call 530-957-3023 for more information. Snacks and refreshments will be provided but you might want to bring lunch for your family. Come enjoy the time with us as we informally share some very insightful discoveries that I’m sure you’ll never forget.
Do you recall ever hearing the great commandment that Jesus quoted from the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy? It says:
“You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.”
It’s in Deuteronomy chapter 6 verse 5. It’s very familiar to most Christians as well as all practicing Jews.
Less familiar, but every bit as relevant, especially for our day and time, is the following verse 7. Speaking of the words that God instructed Moses to write, it says:
“You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.”
It sounds to me like God is telling his family to be purposeful about one thing that is of utmost importance. And we’re supposed to be doing that one thing from morning til night… and when we’re at rest in our homes… as well as while we’re moving around throughout our days between all our various jobs and chores. And what is that one thing?
A lot of us are familiar with the charge to parents in Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
But I wonder if we all could stand to be more deliberate about diligently teaching and talking about the ways of God, His wonderful works and insightful wisdom. Do you think we’ve gotten more lax about this assignment in our generation than perhaps some of our own previous generations?
King David’s prayer to God in Psalm 145 included the declaration that “One generation shall praise Your works to another, and shall declare Your mighty acts.” Psalm 145:4.
Let me ask you a question.
Has the Lord ever changed his mind about His assignment for us as parents to tell our children, grandchildren, and really everyone in our reach, about His wonderful works? Does He still expect us to influence others to honor God in every aspect of their life path?
Whether we choose to commit to all-out home education or to partner with others to educate our sons and daughters, the responsibility for the content and delivery of training our next generation is borne by moms and dads. When you think of it, the familiar quote of 19th century American poet, William Ross Wallace, is more vital to our modern generation than ever: “The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.”
There can be no doubt that the values and beliefs of any generation are the most significant influences on the destiny of the next generation.
Could it be that many of us today, in our busy lives, could stand to reclaim some of the legacy of personally passing on to our children the wonderful discoveries of God’s awesome miracles all around us?
I like the way Psalm 78:4 helps us make a challenging commitment to God. Hear what it says. He’s speaking of God’s awesome works of creation. And He’s including His intervention to display His merciful care for His creation. He says,
“We will not hide them from their children, telling to the generation to come the praises of the LORD, And His strength and His wonderful works that He has done.” Psalm 78:4.
And then, He continues in Psalm 78 to say:
“For He established a testimony in Jacob, and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers, that they should make them known to their children; that the generation to come might know them, the children who would (yet) be born, that they may arise and declare them to their children, that they may set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments…”
Now isn’t that an amazing promise God makes for those who simply obey His command to teach their children? We all want our children to set their hope in God. We want them to keep His commandments. We want them to pass the baton to the next generation.
And then, Moses writes of those godly future generations, that they…
“..may not be like their fathers, a stubborn and rebellious generation, a generation that did not set its heart aright, and whose spirit was not faithful to God.” Psalm 78:5-8
I think that we’d all have to be honest enough to admit that it’s not just the ancient Israelites who missed the mark regarding their loyalty to follow God and His commandments. And that’s why we’re in a place today, to anticipate that God, in His mercy, is giving us all a chance to reclaim the legacy of influencing the next generation to fear the Lord rather than fearing what men and corrupted human institutions can threaten to do to us.
Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes that “to everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” (Eccl 3:1). So, what Do You Suppose Is the Most Fundamental Purpose for Nature?
When we look at a firefly, we’re told by scientists that they almost magically display something they call “cold light.” It’s one of the most amazing miracles of nature. The firefly has been called “nature’s chemist.” It’s believed fireflies use their lights in selecting mates and to attract others to a discovery of food, but we don’t really know. Of course, other beetles do quite well without built-in light bulbs, don’t they? So why would a firefly accidentally evolve by nature? Even more puzzling is the question of how a firefly ever could evolve! The amazing ability of living creatures to produce light has been named “bioluminescence.” The firefly produces light by a complex process. Scientists are only beginning to understand it, but they cannot duplicate it. A unique chemical named “luciferin” (that comes from God knows where) combines with an enzyme named “luciferase” plus another compound produced by the bug’s little body called ATP (adenosine triphosphate). Mixed in just the right proportions and in just the right timing, light is produced when oxygen is added to the formula. The light from a lightning bug is produced by an energy conversion process that is so efficient that no measurable heat is formed. Old incandescent light bulbs convert about 80 percent of the energy they use into heat. If it worked that way in a lightning bug they’d fry when they turn on the lights. The firefly was created perfectly to avoid overheating.
How many everyday creations with complex chemistry do we take for granted? Think of the chemistry that converts food into the muscles of your body, or that converts light entering your eyes into vivid full color imagery in your brain! Consider the chemical compounds made in the endocrine glands of your body that stimulate all sorts of emotions just by thinking certain thoughts. You might think of something delicious… maybe something like hot cinnamon rolls fresh out of mom’s kitchen. And in a split second, your salivary glands start producing saliva while your mind is visualizing chomping into one of those scrumptious rolls, Complex chemistry is all around us as a testimony to God’s awesome works.
From the symbiotic relationships between plants and animals to the microscopic mechanical perfections of systems within living cells, God’s awesome creation is filled with millions of examples of the Creator’s intelligent design. The primary purpose of all of this could not be more clear.
The 3rd inspiring key to discovering the truth of Genesis creation is that declaring the reality of God is vividly evident as the Primary Purpose of Nature.
For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. (Romans 1:20, NASB)
These are the kinds of things that we can all guide our children and grandchildren to understand and not just learn – like we were taught to regurgitate facts in school. I’m talking about a deeper level of understanding where we actually own concepts that we can fully embrace and be confident in, no matter how many deceiving influences would try to persuade us otherwise. That’s the heart of God’s brand of understanding. And we need His Holy Spirit… not just for ourselves… but for us to help our young people to grasp as well.
We might intellectually “know” that Genesis declares God made the heavens and the earth in six days and it was all very good at the beginning. But when we truly understand, down deep in our heart as well as our mind, that God really did what He said and the evidence backs it up, we’ll never lack confidence in God’s ability to do anything He declares in His Word. But we won’t necessarily have that deep abiding peace that comes from that kind of confidence if we haven’t taken the time to meditate on His word and test all the things that support it. These are the kinds of things the devil wants to keep God’s children completely in the dark on. And that’s why we’ve got to be diligent about “destroying speculations raised against the knowledge of God.”
And this is why I invite you… if you know anyone who’s interested in home schooling their children. Please invite them to our workshop coming up on June 26th in Pleasant Valley.
Join us Saturday, June 26th at Grace Community Church, across from Holliday Market. It’s at 4570 Pleasant Valley Rd, in Pleasant Valley at 9am to noon and 1 to 3 pm. Call 530-957-3023 for more information. Or call 530-957-5157.
When? Saturday, June 26, 2021
Where? Grace Community Church, 4570 Pleasant Valley Rd, Placerville, CA 95667
Schedule? 9am – noon – Mrs Faith Winger: Tips for starting and resources for your journey
1pm – 3pm – Mr Dennis Petersen: Unlocking the Mysteries of Creation
More info? Call 530-957-3023
Reminder… Recent episodes of Reclaiming Your Legacy that you may have missed are found at ReclaimYourLegacy.com. Listen to the audios there, and see all the transcripts plus all the important links to valuable information worth sharing with friends. We thank God for His guidance and provision to be with you and all our listeners here on KFIA each week. When you’re at the website, see how you can help us continue the research and preparation to equip listeners to strengthen their confidence in God’s word. That confidence is building a God-glorifying legacy as you share what God is putting into you. And your children and spiritual heirs will thank God for your part in making them effective living stones in the kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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