The Master's Plan

Presented in the Kansas State Capitol, January 2006

Introduction

My father owns a fossil watch. In spite of its deceptive name, he purchased it several years ago at Dillard’s for a substantial sum of money. If someone were to find this watch, lying neglected in an out of the way place, they would likely make the assumption that someone had designed that watch. As they observed the hands, moving in perfect timing they might be tempted to open the back and see the intricately formed gears that keep the watch ticking. The thought would never enter their head that the watch came by chance—unless they wanted to believe that the watch was owned by no one.

Someone Made the World

Our entire universe runs on the same system as that watch: sunrise, sunsets, days, weeks, seasons and years, all in perfect order and continual repetition.
In good science, a hypothesis is an educated guess at an explanation and can be tested for truth. A theory is a tested and proven hypothesis, and once a theory has been sufficiently proven, it becomes a scientific law. The Law of Gravity can be proven time and again—if I toss a watch into the air, it will fall to the ground again. Anything that cannot be scientifically replicated moves into the realm of faith. And any faith that contradicts scientific law is on shaky ground.
As I studied chemistry in high school, I came across two scientific laws—known as the laws of thermodynamics, that knock a hole in the belief that the world happened by chance. The first law states that “matter cannot be created or destroyed”—that means what is here in the world is all we’ve ever had and all we are ever going to get. The second law states that “without the addition of energy, the entropy (or disorder) of the universe must always either increase or remain the same—it can never decrease.” The world doesn’t get more orderly, unless energy is added from outside the system. These two scientific laws make two facts clear—you don’t get something from nothing, and world conditions do not improve with time.
We see these laws at work all the time. If you want to make a watch, you have to start with the rough materials for a watch—you can’t just wish it into being. And as soon as you finish making that watch, it will slowly begin to fall apart. It doesn’t get more reliable and durable with use—it runs down, just like the universe.
It doesn’t take a stretch of faith or an assault to intelligence to believe that someone made my watch. Nor is it a blind leap of faith to believe in a Creator of the world—all good science points to an intelligent designer for any useful design.

Someone Owns the World

The issue is simple: if someone made the world, then someone owns it—just like the watch. Most creations are made to fulfill the purpose of the designer. The only reason to believe that anything is unintentionally created, is if you do not wish to acknowledge the creator. After all, if someone made the watch, you owe him praise for his workmanship as well as acknowledging that only he knows how it should properly be used. And if you find a watch lying neglected on the road, it was created by someone, belongs to someone and must be returned.
Complex manufactured items usually come with an owner’s manual, written by the creator of the item, detailing proper use and care. Humans also come with an owner’s manual, filled with useful history about our origins, and directions on how to live a life that will be pleasing to the One who made us. The Bible also contains prophecies about the future, some of which have already come true. And just like He made scientific laws to govern the universe, so the Creator made moral laws to govern our lives—“You shall have no other Gods before Me,”, “Love the Lord your God with all of your heart, soul and mind,” and “Love your neighbor as yourself.”


We Don’t Want to be Accountable

God has a plan. He’s had a plan from before the first day of creation, and nothing that has ever happened through history has had Him over a barrel. The issue is that we are so desperately rebellious, so driven by the desire to live apart from Him, that we are willing to delude ourselves with the belief that He does not exist. We try to tell ourselves that we are self-made men and women, subject to no one’s rules but our own. Unfortunately, it is not only possible, but also easy to whole-heartedly and sincerely believe a lie.
The state of Kansas built Highway 400 and endowed it with certain laws to govern the traffic. I may not want to obey these laws—it’s not always convenient to drive 65 miles per hour—and I may even convince myself that no one made the highway, and that no one owns it, so that I can drive as fast as I want, but that belief will not save me from punishment. When I stand before a judge in a court of law, faced with a speeding fine, I will find out very quickly who owns that Highway. My belief didn’t change the facts, and by the time I am faced with the undeniable truth, it will be too late, and I will have to pay the penalty.
Beliefs don’t shape facts—but the facts should certainly shape our beliefs. Even if everyone driving Highway 400 decided that the highway had come by chance, and drove as they chose, it wouldn’t change the history of that highway.
And the Highway is clearly marked with signs that say “US 400”. There should be no doubt to anyone with eyes wired directly to their brain who owns that highway.
The same is true of the world. God built His universe, and posted signs pointing toward Himself—all of creation points to Him—He also placed scientific rules that can’t be broken, and moral rules that can be, to show His ownership of the world. And when His laws are broken, and His truth is denied, there are penalties.
In the book of Romans, He details the laws that we witness today. “The wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power, His divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for an image in the form of corruptible man and of birds and four-footed animals and crawling creatures. Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, that their bodies might be dishonored among them. For they exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen!” (Romans 1:18-25)
God says He made it obvious within us—only those who don’t want to live by His laws engage in futile speculations about the origin of the earth. Only those with foolish hearts exchange the knowledge that they are made in God’s image for the lie that they came from animals.
Satan hates our bodies, made in God’s image, and hates to see us worship and adore God, because he is the ultimate rebel. The goal of evolution is the goal this devil has had from the beginning—to do away with God and therefore accountability to a creator. Even Satan has deluded himself, hoping that he will not be punished for his sin of rebellion to God.
But just like disbelief in the law does not make you exempt from it, so denial of God does not set you free from accountability to your Maker.


Conclusion: Surrender or Surrealism

Everything we see today was made by Someone—including man, one of the most complex creations in the universe. We marvel at a watch, and admire the designer, why do we look at ourselves and deny a Maker?
Because God created and owns the universe, He is the only one who can break the laws—that’s how He proves His deity. If we choose to obey the moral laws He has laid out for us, He will reverse the downward cycle, and make our lives increasingly more orderly and eventually give us eternal life.
Some day, the Bible says that God will roll up this universe like the worn-out garment that it is, and He will create a new heaven and a new earth with new laws—no more death and decay, the lion will lie down with the lamb, and He Himself shall be our Sun.
Today, you have two choices: you can choose to surrender to the Master’s plan, or you can continue on in surrealism—blindly living in your own little world, making your own rules—headed straight for destruction. God warns you that your little world is still a part of God’s creation and therefore subject to His laws.
Which will you choose? Delusional surrealism, trying to deny a God who made you in His image, or surrender to an Intelligent Designer who has everything under control.

I was raised in a Christian family...

I used to think that my Christian testimony was boring and uninspiring. But it's not really about me.

Recently I've been convicted and convinced of God's perfect plans, and I realize that whatever way He chooses to work is for His glory.

My parents both trusted the Lord in college shortly before meeting and marrying. I was born 10 years later, while they were a part of a New Testament fellowship in Hutchinson, KS. My Papa took to heart Deuteronomy 6:7 “You shall teach [God's commandments] diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.” As soon as I could talk, he was teaching me to memorize scripture, and when I was three, I overheard my Mom talking to my older brother about trusting the Lord, and I decided I wanted to ask Jesus into my heart. I was baptized 4 years later, at a lake in Topeka, KS.

But a child that young doesn't really count the cost and make a life commitment. Shortly after I turned 13 a kid I knew drowned and I was brought face to face with the shortness of life. I went through a period of floundering, trying to decide what I wanted to do with my life—and eventually made the choice to lose it to the safe keeping of Jesus. I could see His works around me, had seen His dealings in the lives of my parents and others that I loved and respected and knew that only He could redeem a stubborn teenage girl.

That's been almost seven years ago, and the Lord has proven Himself faithful over and over again to me. He has often broken and healed, and He still has much more to break and heal.

Around my 16th birthday I developed an eating disorder—the product of a lack of trust in the Lord and a desire to control my own life. I also became very rebellious and angry. It was like throwing a wet blanket on my relationship with Christ because I knew that if I surrendered myself to Him, I would have to give it up. At the end of the summer, I confessed that I had lost control, and gave it over to the Lord. The eating disorder had broken down my previously excellent health, but the Lord restored that as well as the joy of my salvation. A year or so later, He convicted me to humble myself and confess this to my parents and seek their accountability.

Since this time He has continued to work in my heart—teaching me submission, joy, and humility. I wish I could say I'd learned them all well, but I imagine there will be plenty more lessons in the future. As I've been meditating on the Lord and His deeds, I've been brought face to face with my own unworthiness and weakness. I used to want to be another “hero” of the faith—famous for what I accomplished for the Lord. But I realize that I often try to serve the Lord on my terms—my timetable, my comfort zone, my talents, but He is glorified through weakness, not strength.

He's opposed to the proud because he can't use them—but He pours His grace on the humble. He needs us, not as good little Christians, but as broken, repentant and surrendered vessels, willing to be filled by Him, and to bring glory to Him.

That's why God saves sinners like me—to glorify Himself!

Father, glorify yourself through me!

JUST CHILLIN’

Deep in the frozen wastes of the Siberian tundra lives a super cool little creature—so cool in fact that it has been known to survive years of freezing! This little creature, the Siberian newt, is an amphibian: it can live in the water, or on the land. In this amphibian’s case, it can also live in the frozen ground or encased in ice. The newt is different from humans in how it reacts to the cold weather. While human bodies use more energy, working harder to warm you up, the newt’s body adapts to the cold and slows down until it almost stops working at all!

Most creatures’ bodies are made up largely of water, but a newt’s works in such a way that only certain body parts freeze. Many scientists believe that God gives the Siberian newt its own “anti-freeze”, allowing it to maintain liquids at 40 degrees below freezing! This way the newt can freeze almost completely, while the important organs, like the heart and brain, remain alive and well.

In some cases newts have been found, suspended in ice nearly 50 feet deep. Local legend supposes that some of these newts were frozen alongside woolly mammoths nearly 12,000 years ago. That wouldn’t sound so ridiculous if it weren’t for the fact that, when thawed, these tough, little creatures jump up and scamper away. However long they’ve been there, the woolly mammoths are still frozen. Fascinating.

Like many other animals living in cold regions, the newt takes a long nap during the winter. In fact, the newt ends up sleeping more than half of the year. Imagine spending most of your year sleeping—that would pretty much cover the entire school-year. Alarm clocks can’t even be set for that long, which is good, since a newt wouldn’t use one anyway. Their bodies wake them up in the spring when the weather begins to warm up, just in time to breed and lay eggs.

After a fancy courtship dance, the female may lay as many as 300 eggs. That’s a lot of kids for one couple! Then she leaves without even saying good-bye, and never comes back. The babies, or larvae, that hatch from the eggs a few weeks later are smaller than your pinky toe. They gobble up tiny water creatures, keep an eye out for hungry predator insects and develop lungs that will allow them to live on the land. In a short time they’ll be crawling into their water bed for that long, cold nap their parents just finished!

Many people are discovering that newts make great pets. They seem to thrive in home aquariums, and prove to be pretty quiet and unobtrusive. Plus, they’re easy to take care of—they don’t have to be walked, or groomed, or potty trained. They are pretty light eaters, and slugs and bugs don’t cost a bundle. They sleep about half of their lives.

And, best of all, if you’re going on a week vacation and can’t take your pet Siberian newt, it’s not a problem. Just pop ‘em in the freezer and let ‘em chill.

Now that’s pretty cool.

Be Still

Men Who Cry

We’re told that crying tears shows weakness

Spineless are the men who cry

Yet as we make our boys dry tears

We cause their tender hearts to die.

There’s not a single wasted tear

Watering the graves of martyrs

Or shed with other’s pain in mind

Or poured repentant on the altar.

If tears be weakness, then I say

We need more weak men’s tears these days

For in Christ Jesus, weak are strong.

The Lord Himself wept loud and long.

When Jesus stood before the tomb

His heart and soul were deeply moved

Those watching did not think Him weak

His tears said plainly, “How He loved”.

If tears be weakness, then I say

We need more weak men’s tears these days

For in Christ Jesus, weak are strong.

The Lord Himself wept loud and long.

The One who holds my heart and soul

Wept tears of pity, love and grace.

In every man who cries such tears

I see my Savior’s tender face.

Psalm 27:1, 4, 14

1. The Lord is my light

He is the one who lightens my path so that I don’t stumble and shows me the proper way to go

And my salvation

He saved me from the penalty of sin

He is saving me from the power of sin

He will save me from the presence of sin

Whom shall I fear?

Do not fear men who can kill the body, and after that can do nothing

The Lord is the defense of my life

Do not take your own revenge beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God

I am silent, because the Lord is my answer

Whom shall I dread?

4. One thing I have asked of the Lord, that I shall seek:

There’s only one thing important enough to ask and seek it

Seek first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness

That I may dwell in the house of the Lord, all the days of my life

I want eternal life with Jesus! That’s the important thing!

To behold the beauty of the Lord

No man can see God and live…until perfected in His image

And to meditate in His temple

Not the earthly temple…the one that is in heaven!

14. Wait for the Lord

Let God work in His own timing

Be strong and let your heart take courage

Waiting is hard work…it takes strength and courage of heart

Yes, wait for the Lord!

God is able to do exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we ask or hope, and He will delight to fulfill the desires of our hearts. We have only to wait for His timing.

Here Lies a Sword

Here lies an unpolished sword—still sheathed

Rusted with doubt and the lies we’ve believed

Neglected, forsaken, left unretrieved

While we create fire-breathing dragons.

The monsters we’ve made with our own traitor hands

Have lept to our throats with murd’rous demands

Vicious in depths only hell understands

Are the horrors required by our dragons.

Upon the stone alter our own hands have piled,

Grown cold with our hearts, with our own hands defiled

We willingly cut out the throat of each child

A sacrifice meet for the dragons.

We loathe and despise the tyrants we’ve made,

Still, we surrender, too weak and afraid

To unsheathe our Weapon and sharpen the blade,

To annihilate devilish dragons.

Yahweh is My Shepherd

Psalm 13: The Howling Psalm

1-2: The Complaint

God has forgotten

God only forgets when His law has been forgotten (Hosea 4)

Deuteronomy 4:31 ³¹ "For the LORD your God is a compassionate God; He will not fail you nor destroy you nor forget the covenant with your fathers which He swore to them.

God is hiding

In the scriptures, God threatens to hide His face from those who practice evil deeds. David knows how to prevent God from hiding His face, and He knows how to remedy it.

I’m alone

I have to take counsel in my soul, because there is no one else to take counsel in!

I’m sad

He’s pretty sad if He has sorrow all the day.

My enemy exults

They are excited about how poorly I am doing. They think they won!

3-4: The Prayer

Take thought

Think about my complaints and then answer them

Answer me

Enlighten my eyes

Don’t let me die!

Don’t let my enemies rejoice when I am shaken.

He who is righteous won’t be shaken (Psalm 15, 55, 126, 10)

5-6: The Praise

I have trusted

You are faithful. I’ll believe that you won’t forget me, that You won’t hide from me or allow me to be shaken, as long as I am righteous.

I will rejoice

I will praise and rejoice because You will save me.

I will sing

You have dealt kindly with me

You’ve given me better than I deserve:

You remember me

You are friends with me

You speak to me and I to you

You give me joy

You avenge me on my enemies

You give me life

Dear Lord,

Thank you for the assurance that You have not forgotten us, for the promise that, if we seek You, we will find You, and for Your gift of eternal life. Be with us every day to counsel us and cheer us and to lift us up so that the wicked won’t exult over us. We know that, if we are righteous, You will not allow us to be shaken, and if we remember Your law, You will remember us. We praise You for Your faithfulness and Your mercy. Thank You for all Your kindness!

Amen.

Eulogy for an Unborn Baby

Little fingers,

Little toes,

Only God who made you knows

Why you’re born into a world

That hates you.

Tiny eyes

With unshed tears

Whether you live days or years

The world of men will try

To legislate you

Helpless,

Hated,

All alone

Though you call a womb your home

A burden to the one

Who now sustains you

Nestled near

the faithless heart

Waiting the day you depart

Sharing blood with one

Who seeks to shed yours

Cast out

By the world of men

A victim of their vice and sin

You’ll find a reason

For the life that fled you

In the mind of God above

You are the object of great love

So you could live,

He gave His life blood

For you.

Apology

I dream the dream of an apology

The tender sorrow beautiful to see

The precious words that set my heart free

It dies upon my tongue.

I hear the steps I dread draw near

How can I face the eyes I fear?

And say the words I want to hear?

When looking at that one?

It breaks my heart to plead inside

That somehow God would gently guide

When all I want is most to hide

From what is not undone.

And then he goes back where he came

The air condemns me just the same

For it is I who am to blame

For having not begun.

Sanctity of Life

I’ve been pondering the phrase “Sanctity of Life” lately. With so much repetition of these words, the question comes to mind, “why is life sacred?”

I think Satan, the usurper, has it figured out. He knows that our lives belong to God because only God can create life. And He creates life in order to bring glory to himself. So any life that is taken by man, is stolen from God and offered as a sacrifice to Satan. Abortion, euthanasia, murder, infanticide and suicide are all the human sacrifices of a culture that Satan has convinced to offer him what rightly belongs to God.

We like to think of our lives as a gift from God, but this idea is a bit flawed. You may do what you want with a gift—even throw it away. But our lives are on loan—they don’t belong to us. For this reason it is our responsibility to use life wisely and to cherish it as a fragile and sacred thing. Someday we will have to render account for how we have used our lives, and how we have valued the lives of others.

“I urge you, therefore, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God which is your spiritual service of worship, and do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good, acceptable and perfect.”

Concerning Praise

It was my turn to teach our family devotion yesterday morning, from Psalm 33. It would be a lovely thing for you to read right about now… (pause while you read it)…I made some interesting observations about praise.

Why should we praise?

#1. Praise is appropriate for us as believers

It makes us acceptable and attractive to Yahweh

How should we praise?

#2. Musical instruments are recommended to help stir us up to praise

It seems like we are often reluctant to praise, and should use outward means to get ourselves into a spirit of praise

#3. We are told to sings new songs

We’re encouraged to write new songs of praise to Yahweh. We’re not limited to “classic hymns” and we should be careful that, whatever we sing, we don’t allow ourselves to fall into a comfortable groove and loose focus on what we’re saying

#4. We should play “skillfully”

Even though our praise shouldn’t be to show-off, skillful playing requires practice and shows time and effort. David said he wouldn’t offer Yahweh anything that cost him nothing.

What should we praise?

#5. We should praise Yahweh’s character

He is trustworthy and faithful—a good friend

He is righteous and just—a good judge

He is so merciful that the world is full of his mercy—a good king

#6. We should praise Yahweh’s creation

He can create by the word of his mouth

He can also destroy by the word of his mouth

#7. We should praise Yahweh’s counsel

He thwarts the plans of men

His plans are never thwarted

Those who live by his plans are blessed

#8. We should praise Yahweh’s care

He humbles himself to look into the earth

He tests hearts, not actions

He is our defense

Spiritually—salvation from Hell

Physically—He shields us from famine

Where should we praise?

#9. I never found any limits…

When should we praise?

#10. No limits there, either!

Psalm 100:4 says “I will enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise.”

Are you feeling spiritually dry? Can’t seem to connect with Yahweh in prayer, or focus on his word to read or study it? Here’s the answer…the secret pass-word: PRAISE! Start telling God what he’s done and you’ll find yourself in his presence.

1 Thessalonians 5:18 says “in everything give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Are you feeling lost and looking for Yahweh’s will? You can’t miss it if you’re praising Him!

The Hem of Your Robe

Such a world of humanity, needing Your care,

Yet I grope through the crowd with a skeleton prayer.

I wish to escape all the eyes that would probe,

But, Lord, let me just touch the hem of Your robe.

Unclean, I approach You, ashamed of my sin

And reach out to know that You’ve healed me within.

You know it—You’d planned it—the powerful touch.

Only the Christ loves a beggar so much.

Of all those who touch You, who press You this day

The power comes only to those who will say:

“Lord, I’ll pursue You. Lord, You may probe.

But, Lord, let me just touch the hem of Your robe!”

In church, Sunday, Nathaniel shared from Colossians 4 about prayer, exhorting us to pray like beggars. I’ve been mulling over his words since, meditating on a beggar’s relationship to a king. It’s not unthought-of of that a kind king would look at a beggar—might even give her a gift, speak to her or touch her. In the story of the woman with the issue of blood (Luke 9:43-48), our King proves the power of His love: in one instant, he adopted a beggar.

“Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace.”

Psalm 23

1. Yahweh is my Shepherd, I shall not want

This verse sums up the whole Psalm. Because God cares for us, we lack nothing and should be content. (John 10) Jesus says “I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep, my sheep know me (thus God’s covenant name) and I lay down my life for my sheep.”

2. He makes me lie down in Green pastures

Phillip Keller says a sheep will not lie down unless they are free of four things:

Fear, friction with others, parasites and pests, and hunger

When our Shepherd makes us lie down in green pastures, it is a symbol that he gives comfort, rest and plenty. In order for Him to best achieve these things, He needs to be present. Our Shepherd is always present, never sleeping, always caring for us.

He leads me beside quiet waters

Quiet waters will be pure. They will be peaceful. Jesus said, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come unto me and drink.”

3. He restores my soul

“Why so downcast, O my soul? Put your hope in God” He will set upright. He will save, and repair the soul.

He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake

Sheep (and humans) are creatures of habit. Healthy sheep must be kept on the move so that bad habits don’t arise. If left to ourselves, we will go astray like sheep. But if our Shepherd leads us, we can stick to the paths of righteousness, and bring glory to His name.

4. Even thought I walk through the valley of the shadow of death

I will fear no evil, for You are with me

Sometimes the paths of righteousness lead into danger or pain or sorrow, but we know we won’t be overcome by evil because the Good Shepherd is with us—always.

Your rod and staff comfort me

A rod was used by Shepherds, both as a defense and as a disciplinary tool. It’s comforting to know that God will defend us, and will also prevent us from leaving the path of righteousness. It was also used every day to count sheep.

5. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies

A Shepherd often takes his sheep to a mesa (or table) where he has strewn minerals. We know the master has gone ahead to prepare the way, so that we will be safe and well-filled.

You anoint my head with oil

The oil keeps flies and other annoyances from bothering a sheep. Our Shepherd strengthens us to block out the buzzing world and focus on filling our minds with Him.

My cup runs over

Even in the presence of danger, Christians have been full of hope and praise—running over with the joy of the Lord.

6. Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life

God has been merciful to us in giving His life for us. Won’t He continue to be merciful and good to us, all the days of our life on earth?

And I will dwell in the house of Yahweh forever.

“One thing I have asked of the Lord: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord, all the days of my life.” After our life on earth ends, we have something even better to look forward to: We get to live in God’s house forever.

Yahweh is my Shepherd, I want nothing. Lord we know that you supply all our needs, according to the riches in Christ. You give us You Holy Spirit, and You guide us in Your ways. While we are following you we are safe, comfortable, well-fed and joyful, and if we stray you discipline us to bring us back. Thank You, Shepherd for Your tender care. Keep us free from worldly distractions. Lift up our souls, and let us bubble over with Your joy. Thank You for Your promise of eternal salvation. Glorify Your name. Amen.