New Scientific Theory

Pangaea means “all lands” in Greek. It is the theory that all of the continents around the earth today were once one large land mass. This land mass was called Pangaea. Eventually the one continent began to drift apart to form the continents we have today.

This theory was treated with much skepticism when it was first presented. But since then there has been much evidence to support the concept. Below is a video of how the land mass drift may have begun. “A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance (Proverbs 15:13a).” Sorry for the commercial at the beginning. Enjoy!

Occupy Wall Street and the Boogey Man

Haunted houses, ghouls, zombies, mad men with chain saws ready for mayhem, witches, horror movies and “Occupy Wall Street”. It must mean one thing, Halloween! I mean, really; have you seen the protestors?

When the Occupy Wall Street protests began a few weeks ago conversation about the demonstration centered on the protestor’s grooming and hygiene (or lack thereof for some). But looking on with disdain from our Ivory soap tower there was a growing, grudging awareness that the protest against corruption in Washington and Wall Street had some merit. Is there corruption in government and business? Yes, there is corruption; there always has been and there always will be until the time of “the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory (Matthew 19:28).” I’ll get back to this last thought in a moment.

At first we were unsure of what the protestors wanted. But now the protest has continued for a while and we know what many of them want. Some of them desire a revolution where communism and or socialism overthrow capitalism.  But as Margaret Thatcher, former Prime Minister of Great Britain once said, “The trouble with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people’s money.” And as far as communism is concerned, is there anyone at the protest who really desires a one way ticket to Cuba or Venezuela or even some third world country? How would they live without their smart phones allowing them to upload YouTube clips on the go while they sip Starbuck’s coffee?

Other protestors have argued for the overturning of the US Constitution, mortgage and student loan forgiveness, extended unemployment benefits, green energy jobs, free health care, even an expropriation of other people’s property and money for redistribution to those who are “less fortunate.” This is all pie in the sky thinking. The protestors don’t want to compete in the free market, they want to be supported.

Do these people realize where their demands have brought Greece, Spain and Portugal?  Do they understand that Europe is tottering on collapse? The welfare state is doomed. It seems none of this matters, however. The protestors are so serious about their demands that there is now violence in the similar protests in Europe. And it may not be long before it happens here. There is also a large anti-Semitic sentiment in the protests rearing its ugly head—watch out.

I jokingly said all of this must mean Halloween. But there really is a “Boogey Man” behind all of this. Oh, yes there are those puppet masters like billionaire (a hundred times over!) George Soros, who funds leftist radical groups for his own benefit and who made his money in the good old capitalist system. And there are some unethical union and political leaders pulling strings, taking advantage of opportunities and working in various ways for a new world order. But there is a more evil one behind the curtain. The real “Boogey Man” is Satan. And he stirs up chaos on both the left and the right side of politics. The course of human history is always changing and yet always the same. Ever wonder why?

The Bible tells us that at some point all of us live life “according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience (Ephesians 1:2).” What this means is that Satan manipulates the world order, setting up values, philosophies and standards of living that are ungodly. He is the instigator of class warfare, hatred, greed and corruption. He is “the god of this age (2 Corinthians 4:4)” who blinds men and women to the truth. The only way to not live according to “the course of this world” is to be rescued by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Knowing the truth about Jesus Christ, trusting in him for salvation and obeying his word “shall make you free (John 8:32).”

The “Boogey Man” will not operate freely forever. The Bible says that his rule over the earth will come to an end. Jesus Christ will return to this earth to rule it justly and righteously. As I mentioned earlier this will be the time of “the regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory (Matthew 19:28).”

There is a day coming when our world will be renewed and healed. There will be no more injustice, no more hatred, greed or corruption when Jesus Christ rules as “King of kings and Lord of lords (Revelation 19:16).” And so I encourage you to discover Christ if you have not and to commit yourself to him. If you trust in Christ follow him more completely in every way. And I pray in the words of Scripture “Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! (Revelation 22:20).”

Steve Jobs And Changing The World

Last Wednesday, October 5, 2011 Steve Jobs died at the age of 56. Mr. Jobs was one of the pioneers of the personal computing era and the founder and CEO of Apple.

Many years ago Jobs asked a now famous question of John Sculley. At the time Sculley was the head of Pepsi and Jobs wanted to recruit him to take the lead at Apple. Jobs asked, “Do you want to sell sugar water for the rest of your life, or do you want to change the world?” Who would not rise to a challenge and opportunity like that?  And in fact, in terms of how technology affects how we live, work and play Steve Jobs revolutionized our world. There is no question about this.

But here is another Jobs quote to ponder. “The problem is I’m older now, I’m 40 years old, and this stuff doesn’t change the world. It really doesn’t. I’m sorry, it’s true. Having children really changes your view on these things. We’re born, we live for a brief moment, and we die. It’s been happening for a long time. Technology is not changing it much, if at all.” Jobs words are sobering and 180 degrees opposite the first quote.

So, why would Jobs say something like this? Well, as Jobs said, “It’s true.” Technology doesn’t change why we are born, why we live and why we die. Technology doesn’t answer any of the big questions in life. It doesn’t get to the heart of the matter. There is only one thing that does—the good news of Jesus Christ and the kingdom of God.

In the first century the apostle Paul walked by foot into the city of Thessalonica and made known the good news of Jesus Christ. A great many people came to the faith. But there were also many merchants who were angry at Paul and his companions because the market for idols was declining. So they accused the missionaries before the local authorities saying that they had “turned the world upside down (Acts 17:6).”

In one sense what these critics said was true, though in its natural state our world is already upside down. Our world was turned wrong side down at the fall of Adam and Eve and it’s been lying flat on its back ever since. The only way to get turned around in the right direction is by faith in Jesus Christ.

So let me paraphrase Jobs and ask you a question. Do you want to live like everyone else, or do you really want to change your world? Only the believer in Jesus Christ has the power to live right-side-up in a topsy-turvy world. Only a person who has faith in Jesus Christ can escape being “conformed to this world (Romans 12:2).”  In fact he or she can be transformed more and more into the image of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18).  Only the person who has faith in Jesus Christ has the sure and certain expectation of everlasting life. The promise is “And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son (1 John 5:11).”

 Scripture declares, “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new (2 Corinthians 5:17).” Do you want to change your world? Jesus Christ changes everything.



The Church is Beautiful

The picture above is a church in Tanzania pastored by Augustino Otieno. This church is affiliated with the church I serve Grace Ministry. Look at the picture again. Isn’t this a beautiful church?

Perhaps some of you are thinking what does Chuck mean by “beautiful?” The building is just a wooden frame with corrugated tin walls, no windows and a dirt floor. I know. But I am not talking about the building I am talking about the church—the people!

The Greek word translated “church” in the Bible is ekklesia and it means a called out assembly of people. The Bible calls Christians “the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth (1 Timothy 3:15).” The church is in reality the called out assembly of the one true living God. We are called out of a sinful, hopeless world and into the family of God. We are called to obtain everlasting life and glory. The church; you and I and every Christian everywhere, are the pillar and ground of the truth.

Like the magnificent pillars of a great temple we stand out offering hope through the good news of Jesus Christ. We are the ground, the foundation upon which God’s truth rests. Each and every believer in the church is filled with the Spirit of God. We have Christ in us the hope of glory. And we have been commissioned to bring the good news of Jesus Christ, the salvation he offers from sin and the gift of everlasting life in his coming kingdom, to every man woman and child.

The church is beautiful! It doesn’t matter what kind of building we have in which we gather to worship. It doesn’t matter if we have a building at all. The church is not a building of brick, stone, stained glass windows or corrugated tin; it is the assembly of the one true living God. The church is God’s called out community. It is His family. God’s people are “a holy temple” the “dwelling place of God in the Spirit (Ephesians 2:21, 22).” Awesome!

The next time you gather with the church look around at all the people gathered with you. Aren’t they beautiful? The church is the most glorious thing in the world. What a privilege it is to be a part of “the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.”