Autumn and God's Revelation
2006-10-22 19:06:16
Early yesterday morning I took my wife to the airport in Westchester County. On the way home I was crossing the Hudson River and was suddenly hit with the realization that the autumn colors had peaked. The foliage was full of brilliant reds, yellows, browns, oranges, and purples. The bright blue morning sky just after sunrise helped with the tapestry. This onto itself is nothing; however, what I finally grasped is that the colors had been there, I just wasn't seeing them. It doesn't help that my morning commute begins at the pre-dawn hour of 5:20 a.m. and I come home in horrible rush hour traffic across the Tappan Zee Bridge on the New York Thruway (this changes next week and I'm so thankful). The point is, in the course of our daily lives, we don't slow down enough to take in God's creation. The first of God's revelations is in nature. David, in his ever so eloquent glorification of God, had a song in his heart:
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim th
Read more: Autumn
, Revelation
Excerpt from my book...............chapter on Science.
2006-10-08 15:30:57
Every now and then, I'll share excerpts from my book with this blog's subscribers and readers. As with many projects, I'd like to be finished and have the book to the publisher now (wouldn't we all?), but I'm still tracking to a February publication date.
Science
- the Paradox
The secular and atheist view of science with regard to Christianity is a study in contradiction. On one hand, secular scientists will claim to be in pursuit of the truth, but on the other hand, they make causal jumps without supporting evidence when it fits their agenda. Keep in mind that most scientists, whether academic or corporate, are not working from an entirely impartial footing; there is always an underwriting of their particular pursuit which tends to bias research in favor of conclusions that support said underwriter's objectives. That's not to say that all scientific conclusions are biased and wrong, not in the least - we wouldn't have any medical or technological progress if
Comments
2006-09-28 15:05:29
I have made a decision to start allowing comments on the God Knows Physics blog site. The site has reached milestones in both readership and the number of podcast downloads that give it the critical mass of a burgeoning community. Two weeks ago, the number of podcast downloads since June 2006 reached 1,000 and now stands at over 1,100 (mostly through iTunes). The number of visitors (real visitors, not search spiders and bots) stands at over 3,300. The audience is growing, so allowing comments is a natural progression for the site.
The comments will be moderated, meaning I will control what gets posted, and spam is verboten. I am looking for cogent, well thought out discussions and I will not just be posting those comments that parrot my views, I'd like to see some diversity of thought. I will not get baited into arguments with Christian bashing secularists and atheists who cannot conduct themselves in a civil manner - if you can make a clear point that is not a diatribe, but mak
Read more: Comments
Political Idolatry podcast
2006-09-04 18:11:23
As we head into another political silly season, it's important to look at politics from a Christian perspective. The primary dilemma for Christians is putting party loyalty ahead of God. The extreme politicization in our current environment is a form of idolatry - putting party politics ahead of God.
You are the example by which non-believers will either see Christ's glory or they won't.
Shut Up and Listen
2006-08-21 16:11:07
A little rude, but it got your attention didn't it? If you're like me, the cacophony of digital devices and boom box car stereos is beginning to wear thin. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a technophobe, I own an iPod, a cell phone, a wireless router for the home, a "boomer" home theater system with a flat panel high definition screen (how did I ever watch football without high def?), and I'm one of the first to try out various beta software programs. The point here is not the use of these neat digital toys, it's the over use and over reliance.
Tell the truth, when the boom box car goes down your street, you start to have homicidal thoughts, don't you? When that self-important guy blathers loudly on his cell phone on the train, you want to grab it and throw it out the window? You want to tell that guy with the Bluetooth wireless earpiece stuck permanently to his ear that he looks like a dork? My question is, with all of this digital dissonance, where is God?
Go
Read more: Listen
The Dog Days of Summer
2006-08-08 19:48:22
On a personal note, my book, God Knows Physics - A Christian Worldview in a Secular World, is on schedule to be completed in November. From a publishing standpoint, I'll miss the Christmas holidays, but the book should be ready for sale around February 2007 - I'll keep everyone posted through this blog site. I've bought a new laptop so that I can work on the train; 20-30 minutes of additional writing time every weekday amounts to an extra 30+ hours towards completion of the book. Considering the little time I have available, this is HUGE.
With all of the chaos and fighting going on in the Mideast and around the world, we need to take the time to pray that hearts will be softened, that lives will be spared, and that the lost will find redemption and salvation through Jesus Christ. As Christians, we need to be diligent as warriors in faith - to ask that God cover the afflicted regions with the Holy Spirit, that men at arms might find peace through the Cross. We must
Read more: Summer
Finding Christ in the Rockies
2006-07-19 00:03:02
Rarely does a vacation have a profound effect other than a respite from the daily grind. Our recent vacation at the Latigo Ranch in the Colorado Rockies
proved to be the exception. Not only were our expectations met, but we found ourselves in the presence of humble Christ
ian servants who exuded love and compassion. The scenery and hospitality were as advertised; however, there was something extra, something intangible that made the experience transcendent.
The folks at Latigo Ranch don't overtly proselytize or evangelize, nor do the advertising materials make mention of the owners and staff having Christian roots - we had no other expectations than to relax in the majestic countryside and ride horses in the same. As I have written before, our actions and demeanor represent 90% of our ability to bring people to the Lord, we are the example by which non-believers will either see Christ's glory or they won't. The owners and staff at Latigo Ranch are definitely walking a d
Purpose podcast
2006-07-07 14:08:48
Podcast of a previous article - Purpose
.
My Odeo Channel (odeo/cdd1a19dff40fe10)
An Aggressive Freedom
2006-07-06 15:52:32
When we think of freedom, we tend to think in terms of government, individual rights, the Constitution, etc. This is the worldly view of freedom - good to have, but hollow in the absence of Christ. Nothing of this world is permanent, nothing of man has true meaning, and the temporal is extremely limited. We are created in the image of God and we are endowed with the gift of free will. This comes with a great responsibility - a responsibility that cannot be discharged through human reason, for reason without God is baseless and false. So how are we supposed to fulfill our roles as creatures of heaven when we are constrained by worldly limitations? Paul had a simple answer for the church in Ephesus and the surrounding churches in the province of Asia:
Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Ephesians 5:1-2 (NIV)
When Jesus was asked b
Read more: Aggressive
, Freedom
Cool...
2006-06-27 15:28:52
Our culture puts a great deal of emphasis on being cool, especially for young people. The definition of cool is somewhat elusive and malleable. That said, there is a definition of cool that stands out as the high bar - Jesus Christ. Jesus was a rebel, he had to be. Jesus, God incarnate, had a singular mission, to save mankind from sin, basically to save mankind from itself. To do this Jesus had to go against embedded social and political norms that put a large target on his back. Even so, he had the single mindedness of his mission which was fulfilled on the Cross. I can't think of a single person in history that's cooler than Jesus.
I grew of age in the 1970s, which was accurately portrayed by one of my favorite movies, Dazed and Confused. I can easily slide people I grew up with in and out of the characters in the movie and my character was portrayed by Pink (sans the choke necklace, I never wore those). Pink was the popular football player who fit in with every cliq
Podcast problems and solutions
2006-06-12 02:26:19
If you are experiencing problems
running any of the God Knows Physics podcasts from your browser or from any RSS feed, you can either download the MP3 file directly to your hard drive or subscribe to the podcasts via Apple iTunes. The iTunes route is the simplest and least problematic way to subscribe to the podcasts.
Read more: Podcast
, solutions
Don't Dilute Your Faith podcast
2006-06-11 20:14:25
Podacst of a previous article - Don't Dilute Your Faith
.
The Offer Not Accepted podcast
2006-05-28 19:20:03
Podcast of a previous article - The Offer
Not Accepted
.
Memorial Day
2006-05-26 15:00:19
I want to wish everyone a blessed Memorial
Day weekend and my prayers go out to all military families, especially those who have loved ones in combat theaters of operation. I want to thank all members of the military and their families for their daily sacrifice - the military life is difficult, but this country is ever grateful. For those with loved ones that have given their lives for our country, may God grant you peace and the contentment of knowing that our Lord Jesus Christ has them in his arms in an eternal embrace of boundless love.
To race fans like me, this Sunday is a wonderful day indeed! The Indianapolis 500 and Coca Cola 600 on the same day - and it looks as though the weather is going to cooperate for a change.
A housekeeping note - I'm endeavoring to get most of my previous articles recorded for Podcasts, so look for them on this site and on Apple iTunes. I have noticed a substantial up tick in the podcast traffic for God Knows Physics, so I've decide
Read more: Memorial Day
Introduction to my book...God Knows Physics
2006-05-11 03:06:32
This blog site is a proving ground of sorts - most importantly, it's an outlet to share the good news of Jesus Christ with all comers, but additionally, it's a trial run at portions of my book:
God Knows Physics
- A Christian Worldview in a Secular World.
Here is an excerpt from the Introduction
:
See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.
Colossians 2:8 (NIV)
The tragedy of contemporary man is the belief that we are more intelligent and enlightened than those that preceded us. Billions of people have gone before us, but we are under a delusion that there is something special about this generation, that somehow we have crossed into a realm of truth and knowledge that previous generations did not possess. I suspect that every generation suffered this malady; however, as we progress, the delusion grows. Modern perceptions are distorted by an occlu
I Respectfully Disagree...
2006-04-27 03:08:45
Over this past weekend I was browsing news sites on the web and came across a CNN clip of an interview with Neil Young outside his recording studio. Neil Young's new album is focused entirely on an anti-Bush, anti-war message. Being one who believes that history will be a far better judge than the hysterical media and partisans in today's rabid political climate, the interview caught my attention. I was immediately struck by several realizations that were contrary to my preconceptions:
• Though we are political polar opposites, I genuinely liked Neil Young and enjoyed listening to him.
• His arguments didn't change my mind, but they were reasonable and made me pay attention.
• He acknowledged not everybody agrees with him and that everybody sees this issue differently.
• Most importantly, I felt no hatred or venom coming from him; his feelings were heartfelt with no hint of political motivation.
How does this apply to Christians and our unique worldview?
First, ther
Read more: Disagree
Are You Ready to Go Over the Wall?
2006-04-15 22:58:40
I am incessant in my desire to find the right message, at the right time, at the right place, for the right reason. Last week, as I watched Pat Morley's weekly bible study, the message struck me as a perfect segue to my last discussion on this blog. Rather than attempting to translate the message for this audience, I thought it best to let the message speak for itself. Below is a link to Pat's weekly bible study of April 7, 2006 entitled:
THE BIG IDEA: Jesus did something important with his life, so I will do what he did.
Pat is the founder, CEO, and Chairman of Man in the Mirror, a ministry dedicated to building men's ministries within Christ's church. Women, don't let the emphasis on men keep you away from Pat's message - it's profound regardless of gender. Here's the link - you'll need Windows Media Player to view it:
http://www.revcmpsys.com/mitm/asx/mitm_3_17_2006_high.asx
Are you ready to go over the wall?
Purpose
2006-03-12 21:01:12
Everywhere I turn, I run into publications dealing with "finding your purpose" or some derivation of that theme. This is true for both Christian and secular media. For example, my latest issue of New Man magazine features an article on finding your purpose in life. While I find no fault with these types of articles, stories, books, etc., I do wish to clarify the subject.
If my ministry is nothing else, it's about simplicity, so let me make it simple - our purpose is God. That's it, it's that simple! Our purpose in life - everyday - is to put God in front of everything we do, to square with God in every matter and at all times, so that we're living our earthly lives just as Jesus and his apostles taught us. The salvation of the Cross was a reconciliation between our sinful selves and what we're supposed to be, so quit looking for something more. As C.S. Lewis once said, let all questions die away.
Every Saturday morning my daughter and I go to Starbuck
Read more: Purpose
American Hedonism
2006-02-27 23:24:03
Apparently, not many American
s watched the 2006 Winter Olympics; however, whether they watched or not, there is a story that most are familiar with - Bode Miller. His story has become a cautionary tale, but I feel it's much more than that. Bode Miller represents the counterfeit philosophy of hedonism - the doctrine that pleasure or happiness is the sole purpose in life - maximizing pleasure and minimizing pain is the goal. Biographical exposes of his upbringing indicate Bode Miller is the product of a "drop out" communal lifestyle that is full of pretense, projecting a veneer of goodness, but enveloped in selfish hedonistic desires. "If I'm not hurting anyone else, then it's okay," being the primary mantra.
Bode Miller exemplifies the hypocrisy of hedonism. He, his sponsors, and NBC waged a relentless public relations campaign around Bode's lifestyle and skill. Bode then complained voraciously about the media attention given to him. Bode came into the Olym
Read more: Hedonism
Don't Dilute Your Faith
2006-01-24 03:19:03
In the course of our day-to-day responsibilities it's easy to lose sight of our faith. Though we may mean well, letting down our guard opens the door to secular suggestions and worse, the constant bombardment of evil. Further, we lose perspective on our primary job as Christians - to share the good news of Jesus Christ through his loving grace. If we allow ourselves, and our faith, to be diluted by a secular world, then we lose our true selves. We need to stand firm in the face of opposition - not in a warrior sense, but with disciplined faith. We need to act in accordance to Christ. A stronger statement would read, "Be who you profess to be"
During the early days of the Church - within the natural generation of Jesus and several generations thereafter - Christians were widely known to be extremely disciplined in their faith, as expressed by their day-to-day lives. Publicly professing their faith was very dangerous and quite often led to torture and martyrdom.
Read more: Faith
Hope - A "Must Read" for 2006
2005-12-31 17:54:55
My last blog article, if read in the wrong context, could suggest that all is hopeless with regard to humanity. Nothing is further from the truth. A disclaimer - I am not one to "sugarcoat" an issue, to make statements that will garner unanimity or consensus; I opine on what I see as the truth, especially with regard to scripture as it applies to our lives.
Though, as intimated in my last post, I believe that world peace as defined by secularists is not possible in this fallen world, I do believe that we are capable of "extreme goodness" This goodness is a glimpse of what God has in store for us as creatures of heaven. Scripture gives us, not only hope, but a promise of what's to come. Some of what we are to endure in this earthly life is not comfortable to think about; however, our compass is what Jesus Christ endured for us - the ultimate act of love. History has taught us that God always fulfills his promises. Jesus' sacrifice on the Cross and his resurrect
Christmas and "Peace on Earth"
2005-12-26 21:34:15
As Christmas
2005 has come and gone, I find myself not in reflection, but genuflection, covered in the Holy Spirit and desirous of knowing what Christ means in our lives. A common secular phrase during the Christmas season is "peace on earth" or some derivation of phrases that include the word "peace" Several secular Christmas songs point to living everyday as if it's Christmas and the world would be better off, we could all live in harmony. The more I ponder this theme, the clearer it becomes that this ideal of Christmas is wrong. First and foremost, Christmas is a celebration of the earthly birth of The Word incarnate, Jesus Christ, a fulfillment of God's promise that we read in Old Testament prophesies - there is no other message. I shall leave this to stand on its own and go back to the "peace on the earth" message.
Is peace on earth possible? It is claimed that all we have to do is change our hearts towards one another and we can live in peace - that t
Read more: Peace
, Earth
This says it all...
2005-12-04 01:25:47
Christmas and time for Militancy
2005-11-25 16:27:30
Well, it's that time of year again. Time to unsheathe my sword, break out the shield, strap on the armor, and go to war with the secularists. Christmas
time brings out the militant in me. I suffer fools badly, I'm first to admit that, but I suffer Satan's apologists even worse. Yes, "Satan", not the "evil one", not the "enemy", not the "Prince of Darkness", but plain old "Satan" - I'm naming my demon. The apostasy of churches, the unrelenting attack on Christianity by secularists, and the watering down of Christmas are but a few of the issues that boil my blood - issues that are frontal assaults by Satan himself. My focus this time of year is the attack on Christmas.
Like other red-blooded American males with my Y chromosome intact, I watched football on Thanksgiving. Prior to that I watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (hey, I also like the Rose Parade on New Year's, but don't tell anyone). During the parade broadcast on NBC, there
Selfishness, Sin, and Who Cares?
2005-11-02 02:58:10
The basis of everything evil and un-Christ like is selfishness - all else is but a symptom. All of our worldly problems, all of our fallen nature goes back to a single point of origin - selfishness. Selfishness
removes us from God by putting our own desires, individually and collectively, ahead of God. Christians accept Scripture as the literal Word of God, the Truth. Unpack what Scripture has to say about our sinful nature and you'll find a single essence - selfishness. I challenge any reader or listener to identify one negative element about human nature that is not, at its core, a symptom of selfishness. To be fair, I am strictly talking about those areas of our nature driven by free will. Everything sinful about us is grounded in selfishness. Our depravity is manifested through our selfishness - we are absolutely depraved. Removed from God, we cannot be anything else.
Going back to my challenge, I'll list a few of our depravities to make my point:
Anger is
Read more: Cares
The Offer Not Accepted
2005-10-17 20:15:33
The following offer is a gift of love, can be accepted by anyone at any time, and has been paid ...
Read more: Offer
, Accepted
Resistance to God Podcast
2005-09-25 23:55:58
[Podcast
] For Christians and unbelievers alike, most of the friction in our lives is caused by resistance to God.
Read more: Resistance
Biblical Worldview Podcast
2005-09-19 00:36:17
Podcast of a previous article - Biblical
Worldview
. The best way to subscribe to the God Knows Physics podcasts ...
Read more: Podcast
Truth, Perspective, and Relativism Podcast
2005-09-12 01:05:20
Podcast of a previous article - Truth
, Perspective
, and Relativism
. The easiest way to subscribe to God Knows Physics podcasts ...
Read more: Podcast
Ready to Begin
2005-08-24 03:43:01
We have settled in to our New York home and are eager to get started with the next phase of ...
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