I was doing some research last week on Old Testament prophecy fulfilled in the New testament and came across the following calculation:
Peter Stoner a mathematician, came up with these probabilities in his work titled Science Speaks. The odds of one man living throughout history and up to today fulfilling just eight of the hundreds of prophecies of the coming messiah in the OT are 1 in 10 to the 17th, or 100,000,000,000,000,000. Let me give a visual. Take the entire state of Texas cover it two feet deep in silver dollars, mark one of those silver dollars with a red x, and mix them all up. Blindfold a person, tell them to go as far and wide as they would like, they can reach down and pick up one coin. The odds of coming up with the right coin are the same odds of one man fulfilling just eight of the hundreds of prophecies fulfilled by Jesus. In other words, it’s mathematically impossible for one person to fulfill eight prophecies, Jesus fulfilled hundreds.
The following probabilities are taken from Peter Stoner’s work in Science Speaks to show that coincidence is ruled out by the science of probability. The analysis is concerned with the following eight prophecies:
1. Messiah is to be born in Bethlehem (Micah 5:2; fulfilled in Matt. 2:1-7; John 7:42; Luke 2:47).
2. Messiah is to be preceded by a Messenger (Isaiah 40:3; Malachi 3:1; fulfilled in Matthew 3:1-3; 11:10; John 1:23; Luke 1:17).
3. Messiah is to enter Jerusalem on a donkey (Zechariah 9:9; fulfilled in Luke 35-37; Matthew 21:6-11).
4. Messiah is to be betrayed by a friend (Psalms 41:9; 55:12-14; fulfilled in Matthew 10:4; 26:49-50; John 13:21).
5. Messiah is to be sold for 30 pieces of silver (Zechariah 11:12; fulfilled in Matthew 26:15; 27:3).
6. The money for which Messiah is sold is to be thrown “to the potter” in God’s house (Zechariah 11:13; fulfilled in Matthew 27:5-7).
7. Messiah is to be silent before His accusers (Isaiah 53:7; fulfilled in Matthew 27:12).
8. Messiah is to be executed by crucifixion as a thief (Psalm 22:16; Zechariah 12:10; Isaiah 53:5,12; fulfilled in Luke 23:33; John 20:25; Matthew 27:38; Mark 15:27,28).
This Easter remember, we worship the Lord of the universe who is all and in all.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Friday, March 13, 2009
One Month Later
Almost a month has come and gone since my return from Kenya. The images, smells, and sounds of the slums are somehow fading. I find that fact almost surreal, images I thought would never leave me, are slowly fading into the past. That's a shame. To say I will never forget would be folly, everything fades, Kenya, my father, everything.
I will remember some things though, I will remember people care, I will remember people are working towards meeting the needs of others. I will remember the dying words of my father, "Remember the poor." I will dad. I will remember how a small amount of money in the right hands can do so much good, I will not allow all of the memories to fade.
Faith Akini Opondo, I may have seen her in Baba Ndogo, I will never be sure. I see her everyday on my refrigerator and on my office wall. $35.00 a month, she will be in school, educated in Christ, fed and clothed. I have two sons, they always wanted a sister, today they do, she's adorable.
I opened my 401k statement last week for the first time in months, I should have waited, 50% of my investments are gone. My first reaction was to think of all the hard work gone, my second was to think of all the "stuff" I could have purchased, I could have paid off the mortgage. God sees it differently, he asked how many people could I have helped with that money? Max Lucado calls it crying over spilt champagne, we just don't seem to get it. We have so much more than most of the world, they cry over not having milk, I'm crying over the spilt champagne.
We are blessed to be a blessing to others and to point them to Christ, bless some one today.
I will remember some things though, I will remember people care, I will remember people are working towards meeting the needs of others. I will remember the dying words of my father, "Remember the poor." I will dad. I will remember how a small amount of money in the right hands can do so much good, I will not allow all of the memories to fade.
Faith Akini Opondo, I may have seen her in Baba Ndogo, I will never be sure. I see her everyday on my refrigerator and on my office wall. $35.00 a month, she will be in school, educated in Christ, fed and clothed. I have two sons, they always wanted a sister, today they do, she's adorable.
I opened my 401k statement last week for the first time in months, I should have waited, 50% of my investments are gone. My first reaction was to think of all the hard work gone, my second was to think of all the "stuff" I could have purchased, I could have paid off the mortgage. God sees it differently, he asked how many people could I have helped with that money? Max Lucado calls it crying over spilt champagne, we just don't seem to get it. We have so much more than most of the world, they cry over not having milk, I'm crying over the spilt champagne.
We are blessed to be a blessing to others and to point them to Christ, bless some one today.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
After Africa
During the past two weeks I have come to view the world through a different lens, the blinders I have worn in the past have been raised enough for me to realize things are not exactly as they appear. The trouble with the new lenses, is that they allow me to see, not only the failures of politicians and governments, I also see my own failures. That is never comfortable.
As a Christ follower, I have the tendency to assume growing in faith means daily bible reading, praying, the occasional fast, tithing, and lending a caring and compassionate ear when needed, because I do these things I am mature. These are all good practices, and they help in the maturing process, they are not however what defines a mature Christian. Maturing in Christ means responding to him as he reveals his will for us through those practices. I am not mature because I do those things, rather I mature as I respond to God's leading that resulted from practicing spiritual disciplines. I am mature in Christ when I make myself available to his leading's, and when I act act upon those leading's. Biking is a release for me, I train so I can race. The training does not make me a racer, entering and competing in races makes me a racer. It is always the doing that shows the maturing of the believer. James paraphrased: Faith without deeds is dead, I show my faith by what I do.
Two Kenyan women, Elizabeth and Frieda, I am sure neither one reads. Both former prostitutes, neither keeps the same spiritual practices I do, yet they are more mature in Christ then I. Christ followers, they turned away from their former lives to embrace Christ. Frieda, a widow has 23 people living in her 10'x 10' shack, she recently opened her home to her orphaned nephew, both parents dead from aids, she no longer has a source of income, yet opens her home to an orphan. Becoming a Christ follower has made her life harder, for the first time in my life I see firsthand, suffering because of loving Christ. I see maturity as she relies on God for her daily needs, if they are to be met, it will be a miracle, in the Marthae Valley, miracles happen. Elizabeth, a young mother of two, has a business selling tortillas, men reject her, she will not do what they want her to. She turned her life over to another man who lived 2000 years ago, her life was easier before she did, she is mature in her reliance on the promise offered in the next life.
These new lenses have shown me my immaturity, my self deluded pride, and my failures as a Christian. These new lenses have shown me hope.
As a Christ follower, I have the tendency to assume growing in faith means daily bible reading, praying, the occasional fast, tithing, and lending a caring and compassionate ear when needed, because I do these things I am mature. These are all good practices, and they help in the maturing process, they are not however what defines a mature Christian. Maturing in Christ means responding to him as he reveals his will for us through those practices. I am not mature because I do those things, rather I mature as I respond to God's leading that resulted from practicing spiritual disciplines. I am mature in Christ when I make myself available to his leading's, and when I act act upon those leading's. Biking is a release for me, I train so I can race. The training does not make me a racer, entering and competing in races makes me a racer. It is always the doing that shows the maturing of the believer. James paraphrased: Faith without deeds is dead, I show my faith by what I do.
Two Kenyan women, Elizabeth and Frieda, I am sure neither one reads. Both former prostitutes, neither keeps the same spiritual practices I do, yet they are more mature in Christ then I. Christ followers, they turned away from their former lives to embrace Christ. Frieda, a widow has 23 people living in her 10'x 10' shack, she recently opened her home to her orphaned nephew, both parents dead from aids, she no longer has a source of income, yet opens her home to an orphan. Becoming a Christ follower has made her life harder, for the first time in my life I see firsthand, suffering because of loving Christ. I see maturity as she relies on God for her daily needs, if they are to be met, it will be a miracle, in the Marthae Valley, miracles happen. Elizabeth, a young mother of two, has a business selling tortillas, men reject her, she will not do what they want her to. She turned her life over to another man who lived 2000 years ago, her life was easier before she did, she is mature in her reliance on the promise offered in the next life.
These new lenses have shown me my immaturity, my self deluded pride, and my failures as a Christian. These new lenses have shown me hope.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Africa Friday
The sights, sounds, smells, images of the week confuse and anger me, angry that our governments know this exist, angry that it is allowed to exist, angry that little is done. I am confused and left speechless by the seemingly lack of importance placed on helping these needy people. I am confused that the nations of the west ignore the plight of the poor; I am confused why until now I have ignored the cries of the desperate. I am a different person today than I was last week. My eyes are open, my God has shown me his children, God loves these people so much is moving hearts around the world to help.
Once our eyes are opened, once we have shown by God his will for us, we can never be the same. We are called to serve one another; we are to love others as ourselves. The time has come to spend a little money on the needy of the world. We can change this slum ridden, poverty infected world by being obedient to the word of God and the will of God. Now that we have seen, a day will come when we stand before God and he will ask what we did for the least of his brothers, we are accountable. In that moment every chance we had to serve God by serving others will be brought forth. May we all be able to say, “When you were naked I clothed you, when you were thirsty I gave you drink, when you hungry I fed you.” In that moment may we hear God say “Well done my good and faithful servant, well done.”
The week in Kenya is over; the work to help our brothers and sisters in Christ living in poverty is just beginning. This week will always be remembered as a turning point in my life, turning away from self and turning towards others. I pray that though you were not here, that someday you will come to witness first hand how plentiful the work is. I pray you will not wait to help support the efforts in Nairobi another day. I pray through your financial support you will become a fellow worker in the harvest. May God lay on your hearts the needs of your brothers and sisters in Christ as he has laid it on me. We have been blessed, to be a blessing to others, and to point them to Christ. God Bless you from Kenya. Bwana asa feeway (God is great)
Once our eyes are opened, once we have shown by God his will for us, we can never be the same. We are called to serve one another; we are to love others as ourselves. The time has come to spend a little money on the needy of the world. We can change this slum ridden, poverty infected world by being obedient to the word of God and the will of God. Now that we have seen, a day will come when we stand before God and he will ask what we did for the least of his brothers, we are accountable. In that moment every chance we had to serve God by serving others will be brought forth. May we all be able to say, “When you were naked I clothed you, when you were thirsty I gave you drink, when you hungry I fed you.” In that moment may we hear God say “Well done my good and faithful servant, well done.”
The week in Kenya is over; the work to help our brothers and sisters in Christ living in poverty is just beginning. This week will always be remembered as a turning point in my life, turning away from self and turning towards others. I pray that though you were not here, that someday you will come to witness first hand how plentiful the work is. I pray you will not wait to help support the efforts in Nairobi another day. I pray through your financial support you will become a fellow worker in the harvest. May God lay on your hearts the needs of your brothers and sisters in Christ as he has laid it on me. We have been blessed, to be a blessing to others, and to point them to Christ. God Bless you from Kenya. Bwana asa feeway (God is great)
Africa Thursday
We all have our own stories, our hopes, dreams, and aspirations; the common thread in all of these is our desire for an improved way of life. We are blessed and fortunate enough to live in the greatest country in the world, with hard work, perseverance, and a little time we can realize most if not all of our wants and dreams. Sadly the world does not work like that for everyone.
Work is hard to find, 60% of Kenyans are unemployed, every day they attempt to get casual labor jobs, some days they do, some they don’t. If they are fortunate enough to find work, they can maybe earn 100- 200 Kenyan Schilling, which is$1.50-$3.00 American. Most of the people in the world who live on less than $1.00 a day live in Africa. In Africa, that dollar does not go far enough. Rampant corruption runs the government; food designated to the poor is often redirected and ends up padding the wallets of officials rather than feeding the stomachs of the nation. Give us this day our daily bread, a very real and urgent daily prayer, sounds so different in Africa than it does back home.
The church in Africa is alive and well. The church is working with least of my brothers, whatever they do for the least, they do for God. They do more work with fewer resources than is imaginable. They are pressing onward, time is short, people are dying and the workers are few. They keep working.
Joy, hope, and love are found here. We have been first hand witnesses to the living gospel, through our host, at the sites we visited we saw Christ at work in and through them. In these moments that we spent with them the living God, the same God we worship has made the needs of his children known, we have been witnesses to the will of God. The only question left is what we’ll we do now that we know?
Work is hard to find, 60% of Kenyans are unemployed, every day they attempt to get casual labor jobs, some days they do, some they don’t. If they are fortunate enough to find work, they can maybe earn 100- 200 Kenyan Schilling, which is$1.50-$3.00 American. Most of the people in the world who live on less than $1.00 a day live in Africa. In Africa, that dollar does not go far enough. Rampant corruption runs the government; food designated to the poor is often redirected and ends up padding the wallets of officials rather than feeding the stomachs of the nation. Give us this day our daily bread, a very real and urgent daily prayer, sounds so different in Africa than it does back home.
The church in Africa is alive and well. The church is working with least of my brothers, whatever they do for the least, they do for God. They do more work with fewer resources than is imaginable. They are pressing onward, time is short, people are dying and the workers are few. They keep working.
Joy, hope, and love are found here. We have been first hand witnesses to the living gospel, through our host, at the sites we visited we saw Christ at work in and through them. In these moments that we spent with them the living God, the same God we worship has made the needs of his children known, we have been witnesses to the will of God. The only question left is what we’ll we do now that we know?
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Africa Wednsday
Jambo Kenya,
I am not even sure I know what that means, rather I don't know what that means, every time I say it people smile, so I keep saying it.
I pray some day you will know what I know, I pray you will see what I saw, I pray you will be here, the harvets is plentifull my friends, plentifull. Just got back from twelve hours in the savanah, dirty, dusty, smelly, and blessed, we are almost natives.
Today God blew us away again. We went to an area of the slum called the "abyss", I thought we had seen everything, seems we only see what God wants us to see, today he showed us evil. The abyss, bottomless pit, is where the glue boys hangout, they are gone for ever their brains no longer function they sniff glue all the time, the glue makes them forget to eat, they die young. Satan was there, we felt the presence, it weighs heavy on you. The light of Jesus was with us, we were kept safe, you will not believe the photos are real.
Six thousand miles from home, in a corragated steel shed in the middle of the African savanah, at a school called Joska, with the winds swirling, the dust blinding I was called upon to preach to 600 Kenyans. God is good all the time, we love and worship Jesus Christ our Lord and savior together, no matter the time zone or language. Praise Him.
Fun stuff
We saw a #4 jersey, go pack go.
I am really thankful for cipro...
Traffic laws are non existant, pedestrians beware.
Showers, seem to be optional.
Not everything is foreign, we are served mandazi's for breakfast, small fried, sugarless donuts, today we were served something different, Steve expecting some exotic description asked what it was, answer cake.
God bless more later.
I am not even sure I know what that means, rather I don't know what that means, every time I say it people smile, so I keep saying it.
I pray some day you will know what I know, I pray you will see what I saw, I pray you will be here, the harvets is plentifull my friends, plentifull. Just got back from twelve hours in the savanah, dirty, dusty, smelly, and blessed, we are almost natives.
Today God blew us away again. We went to an area of the slum called the "abyss", I thought we had seen everything, seems we only see what God wants us to see, today he showed us evil. The abyss, bottomless pit, is where the glue boys hangout, they are gone for ever their brains no longer function they sniff glue all the time, the glue makes them forget to eat, they die young. Satan was there, we felt the presence, it weighs heavy on you. The light of Jesus was with us, we were kept safe, you will not believe the photos are real.
Six thousand miles from home, in a corragated steel shed in the middle of the African savanah, at a school called Joska, with the winds swirling, the dust blinding I was called upon to preach to 600 Kenyans. God is good all the time, we love and worship Jesus Christ our Lord and savior together, no matter the time zone or language. Praise Him.
Fun stuff
We saw a #4 jersey, go pack go.
I am really thankful for cipro...
Traffic laws are non existant, pedestrians beware.
Showers, seem to be optional.
Not everything is foreign, we are served mandazi's for breakfast, small fried, sugarless donuts, today we were served something different, Steve expecting some exotic description asked what it was, answer cake.
God bless more later.
Africa Tuesday
Hey praise God, for he is good all the time. The sights, sounds, and the reality of the slums have hit hard. Living conditions we cannot begin to fathom, nothing in my background has prepared me for the last two days. Hunger and despair stalk the people of Marthe Valley, witch doctors, gangs, thugs all prey on the people of Marthe. When you have nothing, how can anything be taken from you? Yet, it happens everyday. Just when I though I’d seen everything, when I knew I was jaded, unable to be phased further, God continued to show us the misery and suffering of the valley. Amidst these extreme conditions there is hope, and God is here. I learned to understand the bible deeper, I hear God clearer in familiar verses, and I am beginning to grasp Jesus’ teaching a little deeper.
Matthew 5:11 Give us this day our daily bread, I am slowly comprehended the power in these words, it’s not a simple string of words that have been memorized since childhood. Give us our daily bread is a powerful plea, the only source of food today needs to come from God’s provision, these words aren’t hastily repeated in Marthe Valley, like they tend to be in the US. These words connect the body of believers to the creator of the universe; this plea for daily bread is urgent and powerful. This is the hope they have.
I want to be your hands, I want to be your feet, I want to go where you send me, go where you send me. So the song goes, and that’s good. Matt 9:37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” We can be workers and help with the holy harvest in so many ways, our prayers are felt and needed, our financial resources can buy so much more than a café mocha loca grande, or a value meal. We can come and do kingdom work, we can let He who breathed all into existence use us for his purposes, through the blessings Christ has given us we can bring hope.
Matt 25:40 The King will reply. “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” Did, whatever you did, you did for me. I have met the least of Christ’s brothers. We are to do for them as Christ himself would. Our eyes have been opened to a need greater and far beyond my imagination, this new found awareness requires action and prayer. One day God will say “I showed you need, you met that need, well done good and faithful servant’ or he will say, “I tell you the truth whatever you did not do for the least of these, you did not do for me.”
The first and greatest commandment, Love the Lord you God with all your heart mind soul and strength, the second is like it love your neighbor as yourself. God teach me to love others as you do, teach me to see them as you do. Bless the people of Marthe Valley today
Matthew 5:11 Give us this day our daily bread, I am slowly comprehended the power in these words, it’s not a simple string of words that have been memorized since childhood. Give us our daily bread is a powerful plea, the only source of food today needs to come from God’s provision, these words aren’t hastily repeated in Marthe Valley, like they tend to be in the US. These words connect the body of believers to the creator of the universe; this plea for daily bread is urgent and powerful. This is the hope they have.
I want to be your hands, I want to be your feet, I want to go where you send me, go where you send me. So the song goes, and that’s good. Matt 9:37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” We can be workers and help with the holy harvest in so many ways, our prayers are felt and needed, our financial resources can buy so much more than a café mocha loca grande, or a value meal. We can come and do kingdom work, we can let He who breathed all into existence use us for his purposes, through the blessings Christ has given us we can bring hope.
Matt 25:40 The King will reply. “I tell you the truth, whatever you did for the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” Did, whatever you did, you did for me. I have met the least of Christ’s brothers. We are to do for them as Christ himself would. Our eyes have been opened to a need greater and far beyond my imagination, this new found awareness requires action and prayer. One day God will say “I showed you need, you met that need, well done good and faithful servant’ or he will say, “I tell you the truth whatever you did not do for the least of these, you did not do for me.”
The first and greatest commandment, Love the Lord you God with all your heart mind soul and strength, the second is like it love your neighbor as yourself. God teach me to love others as you do, teach me to see them as you do. Bless the people of Marthe Valley today
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