Torn between two worlds

I'm finding myself in a bit of an odd space right now.  I'm torn between two worlds, and yet they flow perfectly together, feeding off each other.  It sounds like a contradiction, but let me explain.

We've been back from Israel for a week and a half, but my thoughts keep going back to the trip.  In my spare moments, I find myself drifting back to some of the sights we saw, experiences we felt, the listeners I met who I now consider friends, and our guide Raffi and fearless driver David.  It's a bit like living in a constant nostalgic state, thankful for our fantastic trip but missing it at the same time.  I think of Raffi and David specifically because I don't know if I will ever see them again, in this or the next life.  With the listeners on the trip, we've agreed to keep in touch and do a reunion, and if we do lose touch years down the road at least we'll be reunited one day up above.  I wish I could say the same for Raffi and David, and it breaks my heart that (for now) I can't.  And that is the biggest part of the nostalgia to me, friends I will never see again and who won't share in our joys.  Hence, they will remain in my prayers.

And while I'm wresting down the nostalgia, I'm being thrust into the Christmas season.  I say 'thrust' because 1) it's happening so fast, and 2) I'm a bit stuck in the past three weeks as explained above.  Nonetheless, I'm getting really excited as I hear the Christmas music and see decorations going up.

So those are the my two worlds right now, how are they flowing perfectly together?  I'm finding more and more that my trip to Israel has set the perfect backdrop for Christmas.  As I read through the Christmas story (I was reading the first few chapters of Luke this morning) I better understand the text.  Names that I normally would have glossed over suddenly jump off the page as I recognize their significance.  The words and places have so much more context, and the story seems so much more real.  The more I read in the bible, the more I think about the trip.  And the more I think about our trip, the more I want to read my bible.

It's a vicious cycle, but one I don't mind being caught in.

How Satan Deceives

AJ the Wonderdog has inspired me.  I heard him talking about this a few days ago and I've decided to take on the challenge - read the bible in one year, chronologically.  I started today, a few days late, but I'm excited about it.  And I've already been hit with something new.

Today I read Genesis 1-3.  It was when Satan tempted Eve (chapter 3, verses 4 and 5) that hit me:  “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Satan did not lie when he told Eve she would know the difference between good and evil - in fact, that's exactly what happened - verse 22: And the Lord God said, “The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil."

In every temptation, there is a shred of truth. That's how Satan can trick us so easily. And that's why temptation is so hard to resist.

When I'm angry at someone, Satan brings to mind all the things that annoy me about that person. When he tempts me to indulge in lust, drinking, gambling, smoking, etc., he tells me that it will feel so good (and that's especially powerful when I'm in a down spot). When he tells me to not give money to someone who needs it, he tells me that I don't have a lot of money to begin with and I can't really spare it.

None of those are lies. And yet falling for these half-truths just makes things so much worse - I become more angry; I feel worse after a 5 minute high of indulging; I feel greedy and guilty for not helping out someone in need.

Lesson for today - watch out for 'truths' from Satan.

Is the Bible true?

A couple days ago, I posted a question on the LIFE facebook page - how do you know the Bible is real and/or true?  Generated some great discussion, although most of the answers were the same - "faith".

Faith is a great answer and is obviously one of the absolute cores of Christianity, but is there more?  What about physical proof?  I'll explain what I mean in my answers below.  Here's how I personally know the Bible to be true:

1) Common sense - the world around us is too perfect, the universe too incredible, the human body too complex for it all to be an accident. Science has been studying them for thousands of years and continues to do so , and with all the modern advances we have, we still don't know how the human body works (what makes the heart tick), how the universe started (the big bang is a theory), etc. And the more we discover, the larger and more complex we realize everything is.  And them more that comes to light, the more it seems to me that it can't be an accident - and that it's more proof that God exists.  (It's funny how science always changes too - one day this is 'the truth', the next day we've made a new discovery and it's actually 'this' instead...and tomorrow it will be something new.  The Bible doesn't change like that)

2) Faith - I know I was saying above that there could be more, but to be honest, this is the most crucial part of it.  No one can disprove your story. That's your PERSONAL experience of what God has done in your life, and that can't be argued. If God has changed your life, helped you to break a habit, done miracles in, through, and around you...then tell it!  People can't argue that God miraculously healed you, or brought you out of an addiction, or saved you from suicide.  Tell your story of God's work and touch on you. And live it, people will see the change.  "Your life is the only Bible some people will read."

And finally, but where I think we are lacking:

3) Research - I truly believe that as Christians we don't know enough about what proof exists TODAY of the Bible, myself included.  There are lots of great resources like Answers in Genesis, Creation.com, Louie Giglio (looks at creation and the universe), and Ravi Zacharius (he's apologetics, but good stuff!)  Archaeologists are constantly making discoveries that reaffirm the Bible.  And, the bible we have today is remarkably identical to what was written in the dead sea scrolls (found in 1947). 

*** One key note though - BE CAREFUL with research.  There will always be someone smarter than you who will win an argument.  And regarding the body of proof, not everything has been discovered.  I've been told that proof of King David wasn't found until 1993.  Does that mean he didn't exist before that proof was found?  Of course not.  But trying to argue based on evidence alone before the '93 discoveries would have been a lot more difficult.  Same deal today for things that have not been discovered yet.

In the end, I think all of these are crucial aspects to have.  They all complement each other.  And it's good to be well rounded, to be able to discuss on many different fronts instead of just one.  I write these things based on where I am, and I know I could be a lot more educated.  What about you?