Who Created God?

 Natural laws point us to God.

Joshua Earle

WHEN GOD CONFRONTED Job, he used rhetorical questions to reveal his omnipotence. He spoke of the sea, of rain in the desert, and of mysteries beyond the grave. Toward the end of the chapter 38, God also asks Job about the stars and the sky, saying:

Do you know the ordinances of the heavens?

Can you establish their rule on the earth?

Job 38:33

In using the word ordinance, God reminds Job that the universe doesn't spin by accident. The galaxy rotates on purpose at the command of the creator. In fact ordinance, as defined by Merriam Webster, means, "a law set forth by a governmental authority."¹

This is an important distinction, because laws—whether natural or not—point to a lawgiver. Consider what physicist Isaac Newton had to say about natural laws:

Cancel Your Plans: God Has Something Better for You

Freedom comes with responsibility.

Parabol

 

IF YOU ASK me, one of the great mysteries of human existence is the tension between freedom and the sovereignty of God. I have strong opinions on the matter, but even the most studied scholars would be foolish to claim they've unraveled the matter in totality; the wisest among humans is still a fool compared to God.

Some sects claim free will is an illusion. God controls everything like a master puppeteer or perhaps a computer programmer. Though it seems like we can decide things for ourselves, we can't.

Others reside on the opposite end of the spectrum. They say God does not intervene or regulate anything in our reality. Everything is up to us.

Is There a Deeper Meaning behind the Virgin Birth?

Do you ever wonder why God sent his son as a tiny zygote in the womb of a teenage virgin?

The story is totally bizarre and, quite frankly, outlandish without some context.

I'm not questioning the virgin birth; I'm convinced it's true. But you could see how someone from the outside might consider the story mere fable.

Anuja Mary

Nevertheless one can be convinced of the veracity of an event without in the least understanding its cause. Take, for instance, NBC's television program, The Voice, in which singers compete for a cash prize and a record deal with Universal Music Group.* I know the show exists, but I can't for the life of me explain why.

*At least that’s what Wikipedia tells me.

Still, why didn't Jesus appear as a grown man on earth? Why didn't he come from the sky and boldly announce his arrival?

Another Age of the Earth Theory

You might remember my crazy age of the earth theory I wrote about a couple of years ago. In that post, which you can read here, I argued that since we measure time by the earth’s rotation and since that rotation is slowing down a little every year, it follows that time, at least as we used to measure it, is not constant. Therefore it is possible that the first seven days were seven literal days as marked by one full rotation of the earth on its axis, but measured in thousands of days as measured by the cesium second, which is constant. In this theory then, God gradually set the earth in rotation rather than set it at top speed from the beginning.

Photo by Greg Rakozy

As I wrote in the article, the theory is just that; theoretical. It is pure conjecture. Additionally, I have no stake in the age of the earth arguments. My theology, worldview, salvation, and security—none of these things hinge on how old the universe is. As for those who say the Bible would be invalidated were the seven days in Genesis not literal? Well, I’ve already offered one possible reconciliation between the two sides, but nevertheless even if the days were not literal, my faith would not be shattered and neither should yours be. Why not? You might ask.

Maybe It's Time We Redefine Ourselves

What do you do?

Isn't that the first thing you ask after meeting someone? Other than first name, it seems to be the most important piece of information you can obtain. Once we get those two data points, we can begin to accurately triangulate our new acquaintance's identity.

And since we place such a high value on occupation (I use the term loosely), it's no wonder that the loss of a job leads to a loss of identity. It's no wonder stay-at-home parents despair when their children leave home for good to go to college. Their job is done.

InAweOfGod'sCreation (CC)

We wrap up our identities in what we do. When we lose that thing—whatever it is we do—we feel a loss of purpose. As an author I have struggled with this. If a book doesn’t sell well or isn’t reviewed well, then I must not be worth very much. It is hard for me to separate my worth from the books. 

But the truth God has been reminding me of is this: Your identity lies not in what you do, but to whom you belong.

Easy to say, right? But unfortunately for us humans, it’s not as simple as that. And the more I’ve thought about that statement, the more I’ve realized just how deep the problem goes.

How Has the Evolution Argument Become So Predominant?

We Christians have been duped.

We’ve been snookered into believing the theory of evolution is an argument worth having. It’s not really.

How has this happened, and why won’t the issue go away?

Yes, I believe evolution is a false theory. From what I’ve read and understand, the fossil record doesn’t bear out what we’d expect to see if all life came from one single-celled organism spawned from a lightning strike or carried to earth by aliens.

Kevin Dooley (CC)

The Genesis narrative depicts distinct and unique creations by a Creator, Yahweh, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

But what if I’m wrong? What if evolution is a thing? What if we all came from a blob of organic material?

Dear Flawed Person: God's Not Done with You

Hi. My name is Andy, and I’m a perfectionist.

It sounds romantic, I know, but it’s not. It’s paralyzing. I don’t take on new endeavors because of fear of failure. I never believe I’m good enough because there’s always room for improvement. Tasks take twice as long while I work on every detail.

kellinahandbasket (CC)

Yet no matter how hard I work, one thing has become clear: I’m still flawed. Maybe you are too. But there’s good news for imperfect people like you and me.

Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People?

After I puked the second time they gave me a shot in the butt.

I was in the Vally View Hospital emergency room in Ada, Oklahoma. That was over two decades ago. But despite not being from Ada or anywhere near Ada I didn’t have to look the name of the hospital up; you don't soon forget a needle piercing your ass.

But the sting of the syringe hurt much less than the loss of pride at having to drop my drawers in front of the nurses.

John Barrie (CC)

The first time I threw up was in my Granny’s car on the way to the hospital (so sorry Gran!). I’m pretty sure she drove straight to the dealership and bought a new car after that incident. I don’t know why I puked. Maybe it was the gallon of phlegm I had coughed up from my lungs and then swallowed.

You see I had pretty bad asthma. Attacks would come randomly and often wouldn’t get better even with a breathing treatment.

In this particular episode my family was visiting my grandparents in Allen, Oklahoma for spring break. What was supposed to be a week of fun and relaxation quickly turned south.

The second time I puked, though, I can tell you the exact reason.

My Crackpot Theory Regarding the Age of the Earth

Scientists from 33 countries convened in Paris in 1967. They had a problem.

The earth was slowing down.

Terry Hancock (CC)

This wasn’t a new revelation by any means. Newton’s 1st Law of Motion states plainly that an object in motion will stay in motion with the same speed and direction unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.¹

That force just happened to be ocean tides.² But by the scientists' measurements, the earth’s rotation only slows about 2 milliseconds per revolution around the sun,³ not exactly a stunning figure. So what was the problem?

Why You Shouldn't Care About Saving the Earth

There was this sweater that I loved. I’m kind of a sweater aficionado in general (they’re my grown-up version of the security blanket), but this was everything you could want: soft, versatile, hip, and it fit me perfectly. Oh, and the best part: my lovely bride bought it for me.

Aaron Escobar (CC)

While pulling it over my head one day, I ripped a hole in the armpit. My mother-in-law graciously sewed it back together, but not long after that the sweater got a small hole in the rib area that increased in size with every laundry cycle. Then I managed to stretch out the sleeves to the point where the arms would flop around and slouch toward my elbows. As time went on, the color started to fade. I wore that sweater so much it basically dissolved. 

One day I made the hard decision to throw it away. But instead of doing so, I set it next to the trash can just in case I changed my mind.

Finally one day I did the deed.

3 Pieces of Hard Evidence for the Existence of God

God exists outside of our finite universe.

We are bound by time. He created time.

We are bound by fatigue. God does not tire (Isa. 40:28).

We must eat to survive. God is life itself.

Patrick Feller (CC)

But God gave us three pieces of hard evidence as ways to reveal himself to us.

What Everybody Ought to Know About the End of the World

Did you know that there is enough water in the atmosphere to cover the entire globe?

The United States Geological Survey estimates that there is 3100 cubic miles of water in the air, enough to bury the earth at a depth of about an inch (source). This shouldn't come as a surprise to readers of the flood narrative in the book of Genesis.

Edward Lim (Creative Commons)

To be sure, one inch is a far cry from the twenty-two foot depth described in Genesis 7:20, but thinking about the flood in these terms leads me back to the creation story. Furthermore it offers some interesting insights to the future of creation.

Remember what happened the second day?

One Common Mistake That Could Ruin Your Relationship with God

I've done it countless times. You may have too.

The Lystranians certainly did.

They looked up in the sky and saw something amazing, intriguing, and unexplainable. A distant planet between them and the sun. A tiny but swift rock that we know as Mercury. They were in awe of it, and they worshiped it.

Photo Credit: NASA Goddard Photo & Video (C.C.)

Maybe back then it was obvious. Now it's subtle. It starts out as a hobby or an admiration and blooms into a destructive appetite for more. Though we would never admit it to our ego, our minds' timeclocks betray us; we worship created things instead of the only thing that is not created.

I Am.

We worship an athlete or a musician, but at some point we are always left feeling empty. It's kind of like worshiping a lump of gold made to look like a calf.

And as magnificent as creation is, it is worthless compared to God. The beauty of the ocean is as ordinary as a nap. The brightness of the sun but a firefly.

Which leads us back to the Lystranians and Mercury. Or, as they called it, Hermes.

Don't Let Pride Get in the Way of Purpose: Unleash Your Potential By Listening to Rocks

I know what your thinking: He finally snapped. He's totally lost his mind.

The jury is still out on that, but stick with me; reserve judgement until the end. Then you can call me crazy if you please.

So what do rocks have to do with your divine purpose and potential? I thought you'd never ask:

How to Be in High Demand Without Selling Out: What eBay Taught Me About Self-Worth

I stared at my computer screen in disbelief.

0 bids.

That's what it said. The item had gone unsold.

Photo Credit: Thomas (creative commons)

Back up a bit and I'll explain. Between my dad and my father-in-law I had become hooked on classic rock music. On Saturdays I used to navigate for my father-in-law in his big black pickup truck as we traveled through town looking for vinyl records and stereo equipment at garage sales.

With my meager budget, I usually came home with just two or three records which I would promptly unsleeve and place carefully on my turntable.

One day I saw an album I didn't recognize, but I had a feeling about it. It had the Atlantic imprint and looked pre-rock 'n' roll so I took a chance and paid the unshaven owner the seventy-five cents.

My instinct paid off.

1 Way to Get More Out of Church

Have you ever left a church service and thought to yourself, “Well that was a waste of time”?

I have.

Lest we get confused, this is not a limitation on God’s part. And it is rarely anyone else’s fault either. No, this is on us.

Photo Credit: Chad Kainz (Creative Commons)

So here is one way I have found to help avoid these instances when I feel something is lacking on Sunday:

Why Keeping the Sabbath is Easier Than You Think

Keeping the Sabbath is easy:

Go outside, and watch the sunset.

Hold an infant. Pick a flower. Pet a dog.

You see, remembering the Sabbath means reflecting on God’s creation.