by Emmett Smith

A common argument against the existence of God is that a truly "good" god would not allow evil. Could not an omnipotent god restrict his creation to only good, and not evil? Of course he could. And He did!

When He had finished the creation, He said that it was "very good". According to Genesis 2:16-17, God told Adam and Eve that they could eat the fruit of any tree in the garden, save one. The fruit of the tree of "the knowledge of good and evil", was forbidden. So when they were created, Adam and Eve had no knowledge of good versus evil.

It’s been said that ignorance is bliss. And where Adam and Eve were concerned their ignorance of good versus evil certainly fits that old cliché. But all was not well. There was an evil one in the garden, but he wasn't human. He used Eve's curiosity against her, and subsequently against all humanity since.

Ironically, it was the human thirst for knowledge that caused death, and all the evils associated therewith, to enter the world. There are many things that we need to have knowledge of. Jesus invoked blessedness on those who hunger and thirst after righteousness.

But there are many things a Christian is better off not knowing. Inevitably we will acquire knowledge of evil. But we certainly shouldn't hunger and thirst after it. The apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesians (5:11,12) that certain evil things done in secret are shameful even to speak of. Surely we're better off without knowing the details of those types of things. Don't you think that's at least partly what Jesus was getting at when He told us we must be converted and become like little children? (Matthew 18:3)

Philippians 4:8 pretty well sums it up. And I wonder how much better off the church would be if we all were more conscientious about what we allow into our thoughts. What do you think?

"Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things" (Philippians 4:8).

By Michael E. Brooks

“When I consider Your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have ordained…” (Psa. 8:3)

The skies over southern rural Bangladesh are different from those where I have lived most of my life. Looking up into the stars, seeing the beautiful moon – this is a moving experience anywhere, anytime. But remove the lights of a metropolitan area, and the pollution of industrialized regions, and they become even more amazing and awe-inspiring. The stars seem even more numerous, the moon so near as to almost be touchable. And the wonder of God’s power, love and grace is more evident than ever.

Paul taught that the very nature of God is revealed in his creation (Rom. 1:18ff). His wisdom is seen in its intricate design. His power is manifest in its awesome size. His love shines through its beauty and the pleasures the creation provides. Perhaps one reason why so many in our increasingly urbanized world grow remote from God is that we do not commune with his work. We spend our days immersed in the concrete jungle, inside buildings or cars, insulated by air conditioning, never looking up. And our nights are devoted to the television, the theater, the places of artificially constructed entertainment or rest. Bright lights, thick ceilings, busy schedules all shield us from the simple act of looking up and seeing God, or at least the evidence of his existence.

There are still rural villages in this world without electricity, industry, pollution or neon. There are still people whose lives, poor though they may be in the things the world considers vital, are far more attuned to the one who made them. We pity them because of their poverty, hunger, medical needs and other deficiencies - in many senses rightly so. Their physical needs are great, and “development” is much sought after that their suffering might be reduced. But their world is one in which the works of God’s fingers are known and appreciated. And therefore the One who made them is much more easily taught, believed in and accepted. Illiterate they may be of the wisdom of the world, but sometimes they may read the more permanent and important signs far more accurately than others considered much wiser.

The Psalmist looked into the heavens and saw God. When our busy lives overwhelm us and faith wavers, let us get away from the bright lights and obstructions and look into the those same heavens. He who made us is still there, still revealing himself to us, and still waiting to receive us with love and grace.

by Tim Hall

Why is it that age so often brings bitterness? I've not come across any scientific studies on the subject, but it's a phenomenon frequently observed. Long before the movie was released, "grumpy old men" was a familiar phrase. It's something none of us want to become, but so many do. What happens?

The writer of Ecclesiastes offers one prescription for keeping bitterness at bay as the years advance: "Remember now your Creator in the days of your youth, before the difficult days come, and the years draw near when you say, 'I have no pleasure in them'" (Ecclesiastes 12:1, New King James Version). Without God, old age becomes an experience of growing frustration. We helplessly watch as strength and vitality wane. We become unable to pursue those things that once brought pleasure. "September Song" is not a song godless people enjoy singing.

But there must be more to it than this. There are older Christians who seem to have little joy in their later years. Without question, they have remembered their Creator since the days of their youth, but they seem to have little more happiness in life than those who have taken a pass on religion.

Perhaps there is an answer that we have forgotten. It's another bit of advice, this time found in Psalm 100. The unnamed psalmist wrote, "Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to all generations" (Psalm 100:4,5).

How we approach God is as important a consideration as the fact that we approach Him in the first place. Entering God's presence should be done with an attitude of thanksgiving and praise. Doing so is an acknowledgment of His goodness and His awesome nature. Those who stand before God without these qualities show that they are more concerned with the externals of religion rather than the focus of our religion -- the Lord Himself.

I'm convinced this is an area in which too many have been negligent (if I may generalize). Striving for precision in our worship and practice of Christianity is absolutely necessary ("in truth", John 4:24). But approaching God with the fundamental attitudes of thankfulness and praise is also necessary ("in spirit", John 4:24). Psalm 100 was preserved for us by the same inspiration of God that also reveals the pattern for Christ's church. We should study it carefully and meditate on its meaning.

Christians who regularly practice thanksgiving and praise will not likely become grumpy old men or women. Their lives will grow more beautiful with each passing year. The wrinkles that will be etched on their faces will be from smiles that arise from deep wells of joy.

What a wonderful God we serve! Blessed be His name forevermore!!

by Michael E. Brooks

"For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God" (Rom. 8:19).

A group of us were traveling in a rhododendron forest high in the mountains of Nepal when one of the men offered the comment, "There are no wild animals in these forests." I asked in some surprise, "Not even any monkeys?" "Well, yes, there are a few monkeys," came the answer, followed by the ironic observation, "Nobody eats monkeys."

The somber fact is all life on this planet is here to some degree at the sufferance of humanity. We have the capacity to denude the earth of almost all other inhabitants. The greatest threats to any animal or plant are the loss of habitat resulting from human population explosion and exploitation or eradication due to its value or lack thereof to humans.

Where do Christians stand on this issue? Does the Bible address our responsibility to the creation? The answer is a resounding "yes."

First, man was given responsibility for creation from the very beginning. God put man in the Garden of Eden "to tend and keep it" (Gen. 2:15). Authority over creation was granted to humans after the flood (Gen. 9:1-3). Biblically, man has the right to use created things, including other animals, for his legitimate needs and purposes.

But there is more than that principle involved. Man's role on earth is that of steward of God's possessions. His authority over creation does not include the right to waste or destroy.

Romans 8:19-22 is a complex passage, with much dispute over its meaning and application. But it certainly includes the teaching that the creation's destiny and fate is bound up with that of mankind. "The creation…will be delivered ... into the liberty of the children of God" (v. 21). The creation is benefited by "the revealing of the sons of God" (v. 19). Christianity blesses God's entire creation. The world is better off because men follow God.

How do we apply that to today's environmental issues? At least, by recognizing that all of creation is God's work, and that he has given man charge to use it productively in accord with his eternal purpose. Being a child of God means being of benefit to the world as a whole. It is a shame when only those things which man won't eat are allowed to remain on our planet.

May we return to tending and keeping this beautiful world which God has made.

by Tim Hall

"You just go through that door down the hallway . . ." "Excuse me for interrupting, but which door exactly do you mean? I want to make sure I go to the right place." It's an exchange we've all had at one time or another. In getting directions on how to get to our desired destination, someone tells us which door we should enter. What happens if we go through a different door? Sometimes, we find ourselves in a place we didn't want to be.

Peter used the word "through" a couple of times in his second letter, and his thought is vitally important for those wishing to get to heaven. For example, in 2 Peter 1:3, he wrote "As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue" (New King James Version). Is it our goal to obtain life and godliness? Certainly. Then in order to obtain those precious gifts, we must go "through" the right door, a door Peter specified as "knowledge". The knowledge of Jesus Christ, to be more specific.

The same concept appears in 2 Peter 2:20: "For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ . . ." Here again is a desired destination for Christians: to escape the pollutions of the world. Sin defiles us and separates us from God (Isaiah 59:1,2), and those who remain in sin have no hope of spending eternity with God. Then how can we "escape the pollutions of the world"? Through that same door of knowledge, Peter affirmed.

"The knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" - Isn't that just another way of saying "Read your Bible"? That's about the size of it. It's an old adage we've heard too many times to count. But how many of us have taken heed? Instead, the world distracts us with its glitter and buzz, and we lay down night after night without having opened the pages of God's word. Far too many Christians neglect their Bible study, and thus do not have the knowledge of which Peter speaks. (But how many of those same Christians neglect their television programs, daily newspapers or favorite hobbies?)

According to Peter, there is only one door through which to enter if we want the blessings of (1) life and godliness and (2) escape from the pollutions of the world. We dare not take a wrong turn on this journey! We must be careful to search God's word daily so we will have this knowledge that leads to so many desirable things.

Oh, did I mention that Peter spoke of the idea a third time in this same short letter? "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" (2 Peter 3:18). As long as we live, we'll never get too much knowledge. It's time Christians took the admonitions of Peter seriously!

"Excuse me, Lord, but which way do I go to get to heaven?" "You just go through this door . . ."