DIG for Sunday the 8th of January…..we are stewards, not owners…..Colossians 1 v 16

One of the things I have been learning lately is that we do not actually own anything here on earth.

All that we have is from God and we are His stewards here on earth.

All in this earth, including money and resources, belongs to Him and we are here it use it wisely.

What we think we own is not actually ours, as everything in this universe (including your wallet and purse and their contents) belongs to the Lord.

The Word is clear that Jesus created everything (Hebrews 1 v 3).

The Word is also clearly that everything that was created was for Him as well, so He is the owner (Colossians 1 v 16).

What we have has been given to us by God, what we earned was earned through the skills He gave us.

Once we realise this truth is makes it easier t olive out verses such as Hebrews 13 v 16 and 1 Timothy 6 v 18.

We are meant to share and distribute what we have among others, especially those of the household of faith (Galatians 6 v 10).

This is easier to do once we realise that what we are sharing and distributing is not ours.

All that we have belongs to the Lord.

This is not an easy concept, especially for those of us living in the “consumer madness” that is the Western world.

But it is a Biblical concept that we need to grasp in order to help those in this world less fortunate than ourselves.

Speak this out today…..”Thank you lord that you have blessed me through the work of my hands and thank you that you have blessed me with abundance”.

Colossians 1 v 16…..For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him

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DIG for Friday the 16th of December…..Emmanuel, I just cannot stop thinking about this…..Matthew 1 v 23

I know I wrote about this same topic just over a week ago, however I cannot get over the amazing truth of Jesus being Emmanuel.

This is a truth that I find absolutely astounding.

We know that Jesus is God.

We know that Jesus was the agent of creation; God created everything through Jesus (Hebrews 1 v 3 and Colossians 1 v 16).

We know that Jesus was pre-existent as part of the Godhead (Revelation 1 v 8).

Yet we also know that Jesus was made flesh and dwelt among us (John 1 v 14).

We know that Jesus came among those He created, even though most would reject him (John 1 v 11).

We know that He would live a life of ministry before giving up His life to deal with all our sin, to make it possible for us to be saved and made righteous.

This is of course a truth that we focus on at this time of year.

However this amazing truth is like a puppy; it is not just for Christmas!

Our God became our Saviour by coming to earth in the flesh.

What’s even better is that we can all say, My God became My Saviour by coming to the earth in flesh for me.

Speak this out today…..”Thank you Lord that Jesus came to earth as Emmanuel, to become God with us”.

Matthew 1 v 23…..Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us

DIG for Tuesday the 15th of November…..there must be a Creator, there is no other answer…..Hebrews 1 v 2

There is a new wildlife series on at the moment here in the UK, with amazing photography of wonderful plants and animals.

There are whole communities of flora and fauna that cannot survive without each other, showing us that the theory (not fact) of evolution is not true.

There are plants that cannot survive and reproduce with out a certain animal, and that animal cannot survive without food from the plant.

So answer me this question; which evolved first, that plant or the animal?

One cannot live without the other, so they could not have evolved separately.

They can only now live in this symbiotic relationship; they cannot live other than in this perfect state that they are now in.

This could not have evolved; this has to be there by design.

I also think of my body in the same way.

Our bodies function in such a way that without certain organs being the way they are we would not function properly.

We could not live with half a brain, with a partly developed liver or a developing pancreas.

We can live and function because of the state we are in now; we only function as a whole.

Evolution just does not make sense, Creation does!

This world and all that is in it was created by the Lord Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1 v2 and Colossians 1 v 16), this is the only answer to the wonderful and amazing world we see around us.

Speak this out…..”Thank you Lord for this wonderful creation and thank you that man is the pinnacle of that creation”.

Hebrews 1 v 2…..Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds

DIG for Friday the 25th of March…..one God but plural…..Genesis 1 v 1

As I have written many times, it is imperative that we look at the Greek or Hebrew meaning of words as we study the Bible, as sometimes the English translation does not convey the true meaning.

For example, in Isaiah 53 v 10 it says that it pleased the Lord to bruise Jesus; bruise means to pulverise, crush and destroy, so bruise really does not express the magnitude of what it pleased the Lord to do to His Son for our salvation.

Another example like this is found in Genesis 1 v 1.

The Hebrew word for God here is Elohim, and it is a plural noun.

Yes, it is plural, talking about a God that is more than one.

The English translation does not express this, but right here in the first verse of the Bible we have a word describing the Trinity, one God yet three.

I am just starting to study out some of the names of God, to preach at church in the coming weeks, and I spent some time meditating on this word today.

It is marvellous to know that as well as God the Father, Jesus and the Holy Spirit were involved in creating the universe and everything in it.

I am especially in awe of the fact that Jesus, the main agent of creation (see Colossians 1 v 16 and 17 and Hebrews 1 v 1 to 3) would come to this earth (that He created) in order to become a man and save us (the pinnacle of His creation).

Read that sentence again and meditate upon it.

This is a truth that if you allow it, will change your whole view and mind-set about God.

God is of course the Creator, yet at the same time is interested in you and me, interested enough to come to this earth and deal with the sin issue through His finished work on the cross.

Take time to think about that this evening.

Speak this out today…..”Thank you Lord for Jesus and thank you that even as Creator he chose to come to His earth to save me”.

Genesis 1 v 1…..In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth

DIG for Wednesday the 17th of February…..He is the Creator…..Colossians 1 v 16

Jesus walked and lived on the earth as man, and this is an amazing truth.

It is even more amazing once we realise that He was actually the Creator of this earth that He walked upon.

Jesus was the Creator and came to live in His Creation as a human being; there is something to meditate upon this morning.

Scripture is very clear in this point.

“For by him all were all things created” is a direct quote from Colossians 1 v 16.

Hebrews 1 v 2 tells us that God created all the worlds through Jesus.

Jesus was not just a good man, prophet and teacher, He was the Creator; He was God.

This “blows my mind” when I then go on to think that this God, this Creator, came in the flesh in order to bring about forgiveness and reconciliation so that I might be saved.

He came so that you might be saved.

Isn’t it wonderful that a God who can set in motion the stars and planets in the heavens is interested in your life and eternity.

Jesus viewed you as being so important and significant that He left the splendour of Heaven to come to this earth to set in motion your salvation.

Ponder that for a few moments this morning.

I hope and pray that this makes you feel special; you should feel special as Jesus, through His actions, shows that you are special.

Speak this out today…..”Thank you Lord for Jesus Christ, and thank you that the King of Creation came to earth to set in motion my salvation”.

Colossians 1 v 16…..For by him were all things created, that are in the heaven, and that are in the earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him

 

DIG for Tuesday the 3rd of November…..what an amazing Creation…..Colossians 1 v 16

I had the most amazing walk yesterday, right in my “backyard” as they say.

In the future I would love to see the Grand Canyon, Machu Picchu and the Norwegian Fjords, these are places renowned for their natural beauty and wonder.

But yesterday walking along the road outside my house I felt as if I was walking in the most beautiful place on earth.

The sun was shining, the sky was clear blue and it was warm, a really unusual combination for early November in the north of Scotland.

The leaves on the trees were green, brown, yellow orange and red; the colours were simply delightful.

I watched a few butterflies, a dunnock, a sparrowhawk and a couple of deer in the fields.

And I thanked God for His amazing Creation, I could feel God in all His splendour.

I really was in awe and wonder at how beautiful the trees, birds and animals were.

The Bible says to rejoice at all times, to pray at all times, and I believe that was what I was doing in His world yesterday.

It is well known that we do not cherish enough what we have on our own doorsteps; I wonder what amazing wonders of Creation you walked past yesterday and didn’t notice.

Go for a walk in His world tomorrow and look with wonder and awe at what He has made.

Ultimately it was all made for you and me to live in and enjoy; that is an amazing truth.

Go out and enjoy His creation tomorrow.

Speak this out today…..”Thank you Lord that you are the great Creator, and thank you Lord that it pleased you to create me”.

Colossians 1 v 16…..For by him were all things made, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him

DIG for Tuesday the 25th of August…..what an amazing Creator God…..Hebrews 1 v 2

I have been invited to give a lecture about whisky nosing at a science festival later this month, and part of the lecture is involved in explaining the perception of smell.

So I spent some time today in college researching the biochemistry behind the sense of smell.

I am now sitting here in awe and wonder at how amazing God is.

The “simple” act of smelling something involves the most wonderful and complex physiology and biochemical reactions involving enzymes, receptors, proteins, nerve cells and the brain.

The most amazing thing that I have learned this morning though is that even new and completely artificial compounds, devised and invented by man, can be recognised and differentiated by the sense of smell.

My initial reaction was that there was not enough time (even if the earth is as old as scientists tell us) for this to evolve, and also that it was impossible to evolve the ability to smell compounds that did not yet exist.

Then came the wonder and awe about our Creator God.

Through Jesus, God created all things, including how the sense of smell operates (Hebrews 1 v 2 and Colossians 1 v 16 and 17).

His Creation displays His Splendour and His Majesty.

His Creation cries out that He is here.

After seeing how the sense of smell works only a fool would say that there is no God.

Next time you smell a rose, a perfume or dare I say it, a glass of whisky, give thanks to the Lord God for His wonderful Creation.

Speak this out today…..”Thank you Lord that you are the wonderful Creator, and thank you that you created me”.

Hebrews 1 v 2…..Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds

DIG for Saturday the 18th of July…..before all things and holds all things together, that’s quit a role profile…..Colossians 1 v 17

I’m sure I’ve written this before, but I need to say it again; Colossians 1 v 14 to 20 is in my opinion the best description of Jesus in the whole of Scripture.

Sometimes it seems that people think Jesus “came on the scene” when He was born as a man just over two thousand years ago.

The truth could not be further from that.

Jesus always has been and He always will be.

He is the first and the last, the Alpha and Omega (Revelation 1 v 8).

Jesus was the agent of creation (Colossians 1 v 16 and Hebrews 1 v 2).

Yes He was a man and came to dwell among us but He was, and is and always will be, God (John 1 v 14).

Never think of Jesus as just a man; He was all man yet all God.

I marvel that the God of Creation could love me so much that He gave up heaven to come to earth to set in motion my salvation.

I really hope that you can appreciate that truth as well; that Jesus loved you so much that He came here as a man to die for your sins (John 3 v 16 and 1 John 2 v 2).

It is amazing to think (and quite hard to get your head around) that Jesus, while holding together creation and the universe, had the inclination to think about you and I and about the requirements for our salvation.

I think that is just awesome.

I don’t think I’ll ever really understand that or how He did it, but I don’t have to, I just have to believe His Word.

Speak this out today…..”Thank you Lord for Jesus and thank you for His amazing and wonderful finished work”.

Colossians 1 v 17…..And he is before all things, and by him all things consist

DIG for Tuesday the 23rd of June…..why is there such a drive and need to show there is no God…..Romans 1 v 20

In my DIGs I am a regular critic of religion, bad doctrine and bad interpretation of the Bible.

I am also well educated in Mathematics and Chemistry and I am therefore just as big a critic of bad science, or maybe I should say bad journalism about science.

I read this headline yesterday; “the longest running evolutionary lab experiment is letting us watch one major evolutionary change transform an entire ecosystem”.

Wow, I thought, maybe I should read this, and I did.

The article of course was nonsense, a certain type of bacteria was still the same type of bacteria after thousands and thousands of generations, but it was now able to metabolise citrate instead of glucose.

It did not even mutate new genes to do this, it “switched on” ones already there, and the entire ecosystem in question was a petri dish!

This is another example of headline grabbing journalism attempting to prove evolution.

There seems to be a drive or need to prove that God does not exist; man seems to be trying very hard to “get rid” of God.

The truth is that we all have an intuitive knowledge that there is a God, some of us just do not want to recognise that truth and will kick and scream to get away from the responsibility that this truth holds over us.

Creation screams out that there is a God, the universe displays His grandeur and we display His ultimate handiwork (Romans 1 v 20).

The eye, the pancreas and the brain for example are wonderful examples of His creative power not of evolution; evolution does not work and will never be proven in the laboratory, no matter what the scientists and journalists try to tell us.

Jesus is the agent of Creation (Hebrews 1 v 2 and Colossians 1 v 16 and 17).

Speak this out today…..”Thank you Lord that Jesus was the agent of creation, and that He still upholds everything with the word of His power”.

Romans 1 v 20…..For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse

DIG for Sunday the 26th of April…..fearfully and wonderfully made…..Psalm 139 v 14

Wandering over a footbridge this morning I had what I thought at the time was a pretty obvious thought.

I thought, “wow, can’t we see detail really well”.

I was looking at the trees and bushes and just marvelled out how our eyes and brain worked together to produce such amazing detail.

From the thin branches to the different greens on the leaves, from the petals on the cherry blossom to the wisps of cloud in the sky, the detail was astounding.

I then thought back to yesterday when I was watching 5 hares running around in a field, along with a peregrine falcon plucking the feathers from her “lunch”.

The eye and brain (and optic nerve and eye socket and eye lid and all the other bits that facilitate our sight) are amazing pieces of engineering.

And the world tells me that this evolved!

In order for sight to bring a competitive advantage it would all have had to evolve at the same time.

For example what advantage has an eyeball without an optic nerve to take the signals to the brain; what advantage has a hole in the skull without an eyeball etc.

Also, my Bible tells me that everything in this universe was created as an act of God’s will through Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1 v 2 and Colossians 1 v 16 and 17).

Sight is a wonderful example of the creative power of Almighty God, an awesome tool to enjoy this amazing creation that we live in.

Pop out today and have a look around you, or even take a look at your open hand.

What detail, what structure, what a marvellous creation.

Speak this out today…..”Thank you Lord for Your wonderful creation, and thank you Lord that you created me”.

Psalm 139 v 14…..I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well