Does Science Disprove God?

Part of my morning ritual is reading the news through Flipboard. I love that I can customize the news to my interests. The app allows me to scan a great deal of content in a short period of time and dig deeper if I desire.

This morning a headline caught my attention. "God is on the ropes: The brilliant new science that has creationists and the Christian right terrified". You can read the article for yourself Here. Although, the article is reporting on the work of Jeremy England, an MIT professor, it is very clearly an attack on Christian's beliefs in creation. Paul Rosenberg, the author, did a good job in explaining England's theory. I am a self proclaimed geek and I love science. But I need to confess that I have always been annoyed by the constant war between science and religion. Why must they remain separate? Does the existence of science negate God? Does the reverse have the same effect? I don't think so. I believe both sides have been wrong and hurt their own position when they base theories and arguments on personal grievances against each other.

I believe the two can exist and support one another. Here is how I see science and Christianity. Think back to when you were a child. Remember that magical moment when you ask for money to buy a gumball and your dad or grandpa would "pull" a quarter from your ear? It was amazing!! When you got older you learned how they did it. That the quarter really came from their pocket, not your ear. Does this new knowledge change the fact that your dad gave you money for gum? No. If God created the earth and everything in it and we discover how He did it, does that change the fact that He did? I don't think so.

The fact is that both sides are required to have faith. A theory is an educated assumption. It does not become irrefutable scientific law until it can be recreated and proven again and again. So any theory in evolution is just that, until non-living matter can be changed to living matter again and again. Even then it only proves how God did it. Because after all, where did the matter come from?

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A New Year, New Season and New Hope

It has been almost a year since I posted that I intended to start blogging again, and not a single post since then. Time seems to pass so quickly as of late. Finally I am making the time to put together my thoughts and take the time to write. So, here it goes.

2014 has been an interesting year. It was full of change. As a family we moved, Becca started high school and got her drivers permit, I have changed jobs, Kari took a promotion at Explorers and both of our vehicles died and through generous gifts we are driving new cars. It has had it's struggles, like health issues, but overall it was really a great year. As a church family, Lighthouse has seen change as well. Staff has shifted, some leaving, some coming and some moving position to new roles. Ministries have also come and gone. Many have seen change and others have grown.

I am included in the latter. I am shifting into a new role at Lighthouse. For the last 2 1/2 years I have been primarily responsible for the Awana ministry. However, through God's faithfulness and guidance I am taking on more responsibility as we head into 2015. I will be filling the Family Ministries Pastor role, and will continue to serve and lead Awana, but will also be overseeing all children, youth, family and parenting ministries in the church. I am so excited to see what God will do this year and forward.

There is something about the New Year. People make resolutions and goals for the upcoming year, yet others dread their future. Some look back at the past year with regrets, yet others hold on to beautiful memories. One of our elders, John Gordon, preached this last Sunday. He shared that the cultural climate right now can be depressing and discouraging. With all the "bad" news on TV and other media, from crime, racial issues and terrorism. However, for those of us in Christ we can raise our heads towards where our Salvation comes from and find Hope.

As you both look back and look forward during this New Year remember, that our hope is not in the things of this world (money, things, government or other people) but in the Grace of God through Faith in Jesus. I'll leave you with this verse.

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

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Are You A Threat

I don't want to make a habit of posting a lot of material from other people or resources but I get an email devotional each day from a marketplace ministry and this one really stood out to me and I wanted to share it.

"One day the evil spirit answered them, 'Jesus I know, and I know about Paul, but who are you?'" - Acts 19:15

Are you a threat to the kingdom of darkness? If satan and his demons had a board meeting and your name came before the board, what would they say? Would they say that you are one of their most feared enemies and they needed to keep many demons harassing and opposing you? Or would they say, "Gentlemen, this person poses no threat to our activities. Leave him alone. He needs no help from us." There are millions of church-going believers sitting in pews Sunday after Sunday who pose little threat to the kingdom of darkness.


If we truly believe that we war against rulers and principalities that cannot be seen, then we must realize that their mandate is to hinder any believer who is seeking to walk in the fullness of God. However, "greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world" (1 Jn. 4:4b KJV).

If you are seeking to fully follow the Lord, you can expect harassment from the enemy. God permits temptation because it drives us deeper into the soil of God. These times reveal God's power to keep us and walk us through the temptations. Our message becomes fruitful when it is born out of obedience and suffering for His name. Do not consider it strange if you find yourself fighting major battles the more obedient you become to the Master. God desires each of us to become a feared enemy of hell in order to affect satan's domain. When you begin to feel harassed, chances are you are beginning to affect the kingdom of darkness, and satan doesn't like this. So, how many demons do you think are assigned to you?


Today God Is First (TGIF) devotional message, Copyright by Os Hillman, Marketplace Leaders.

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To The Ends Of The Earth

Earlier today I was at a pastors conference. We had the privilege to listen to Diane Brask. She was sharing her journey of how God molded her into a missionary. She told us about her very first mission trip. They were in a remote village that had never heard of the name of Jesus. They showed the Jesus film. After the film the tribe wept and repented and excepted Jesus' sacrifice. Later that evening, the leader of the village came to her and started to ask her more questions. She told us that he wanted to know how long ago Jesus walked on the earth and was crucified. She told him it was a long time ago. He was not satisfied with her answer. He asked if she knew how long ago it was. She told him that it had been around 2,000 years. The old man looked at her and asked, "Why has it taken so long for someone to tell us about Him?"

Amid the silence of the room full of pastors you could begin to hear crying as the weight of the question hit us. This question has hunted me all day. I can not shake it. It has driven me to prayer and I want to share with you what the Lord has begun to share with me.

In Matthew 28:19-20 we read the Great Commission. In it Jesus charges us, the Body of Christ, to go into all the World and do two things; 1. share the gospel and lead others to Him 2. disciple them and help grow and mature in their faith. Yet, 2000 years later, half the the world's population still has yet to hear the name of Jesus.

Acts 13:47 says:

For this is what the Lord has commanded us:
I have made you
a light for the Gentiles
to bring salvation
to the ends of the earth.

God's heart is hungry for those at the ends of the earth. Deuteronomy 30:4 says, "Even if your exiles are at the ends of the earth, He will gather you and bring you back from there." Even David sang in the Psalms of God's reign over all people, even to the ends of the earth. "May he rule from sea to sea and from the Uphrates to the ends of the earth.", Psalm 72:8.

Where is the ends of the earth anyways? What first comes to my mind is a small village in the darkest jungle of the Amazon or a remote tribe in uncharted territories of Africa. However, as I meditated on the man's question, I feel the "ends of the earth" is much closer than you might think. "The ends of the earth" is anywhere, and more importantly anyone that has not been told the truth about Jesus. This means that co-worker that always keeps to themselves, or your neighbors and family. How about the rural communities of  America? How many have no remnants of God's people, yet they have five bars? (and I'm not talking about their cell phone reception)

God promised us "the ends of the earth" as an inheritance! All we have to do is ask. Psalm 2:8 He tells us:

Ask of Me,
and I will make the nations Your inheritance
and the ends of the earth Your possession.

Father, give us the nations. Even unto the ends of the earth. Birth in the hearts of your people a burning hunger for those that have not heard the truth about your son Jesus. Empower us with your Holy Spirit to go into all the World with boldness. May you give us creative and innovative ideas to reach the unreachable. Lord thank you that where there is no way, with You there is a way. Activate your people. Call the labors to the vineyard for the harvest is ready. May we be also. Thank you Jesus for loving us and restoring our lives. May your Kingdom continue to expand until every eye has seen your Glory and every ear has heard your Truth and every mouth has confessed that you are Lord. Amen.

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