Monthly Archives: June 2024

CLOSE THE CIRCLE

Christian Life, ,

Philippians 4:6-9 NLT‬
[6] “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. [7] Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

We love this Scripture, don’t we! When problems come, we run back to it for comfort and reassurance. We revel in God’s peace when we turn over our anxieties and worries to Him. We trust Him and we wait in joyful anticipation for His response to our cries for help but….

We stop there! We don’t pursue the greater blessing of what follows if we do what Paul tells us to do.

Anxiety, first, is an attitude that settles into a state of mind. Anxiety becomes a diagnosed ‘disorder’ when we allow our troubles and problems to dominate our thinking. We endure ‘panic attacks’ and swallow medication because it’s all part id the ‘disorder’ of which we are the unfortunate victims.

Paul gives us a solution to the anxieties and worries that control us. Change your thinking. Since we cannot think two thoughts at the same time, (especially two opposite thoughts!), we can teach ourselves to focus on positive, good, helpful thoughts by yhe simple discipline of our minds. Push anxious thoughts (lies) out by thinking about what is true and right, helpful, and good.

[8] “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. [9] Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.”

Did you notice the outcome of changed thinking? “THEN THE GOD OF PEACE WILL BE WITH YOU.” When the Bible states that God will be with you, it means much more that His passive presence. It implies His active intervention to bless and prosper you.

‭Genesis 39:2 NLT‬
[2] “The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master.”

‭1 Samuel 18:14 NLT‬
[14] “David continued to succeed in everything he did, for the Lord was with him.”

What a promise! Since what we think has such a powerful influence over what we become, the key to getting rid of anxiety, and experiencing both God’s peace and His favour is simple, if not easy.

‭Romans 12:2 NLT‬
[2]”Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

How do we change the way we think? We do it by filling our minds with the truth of God’s promises. There is a promise in the Word for every issues we face. Let me give you an example.

Financial problems?

‭Philippians 4:18-19 NLT‬
[18]”At the moment I have all I need—and more! I am generously supplied with the gifts you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God. [19] And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.”

Do you get it? There is an answer to financial needs in the Bible.

‭Luke 6:38 NLT‬
[38]”Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.”

Generosity begets generosity. And so with every other issue we face. Anxiety gets us nowhere. Changing our thinking will change our circumstances. It’s a daily walk of faith in God and a partnership where He, the senior partner, takes care of all our issues when we think the right thoughts.

WHAT IS TRUE WORSHIP?

Devotion, ,

John 4:23-24 NLT‬
[23] “But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. [24] For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.”

Worship, like prayer, is a mystery. The relatively modern movement born from ‘Pentecostal’ and ‘charismatic’ practices which have filtered into mainline denominations of the church, have redefined worship in terms of what we do in formal church services. Many extremes have crept in to corrupt what the Bible calls ‘true worship’.

Worship in the Old Covenant was concentrated in a designated place with rituals and practices which God ordained for the people to express their loyalty to Him. This system had its specific tribe, the Levites, and their ordained leaders, the priests, whom God designated to represent the people to Him, Him to the people, and who did everything on their behalf.

The entire government of Israel was a theocracy, under God’s direct command, until the people insisted on having their own king to rule over them as did the surrounding nations.

Jesus came to change everything. No longer was worship to happen in a certain place, and in certain ways, and at certain times.

‭John 4:21 NLT‬
[21] “Jesus replied, “Believe me, dear woman, the time is coming when it will no longer matter whether you worship the Father on this mountain or in Jerusalem.”

His conversation with a despised Samaritan woman who still had the notion that worship was after the style of the Jews, revealed a radical new way.

First, God’s intention for true worship in the Jewish worship system, was to be of the heart and in the lifestyle of every child of God, but they didn’t understand. They made it mechanical and ritualistic.

Jesus stated the pattern for worship in the New Testament, and the authors and interpreters of Jesus` intention, fleshed worship out in their writings.

Since God’s dwelling is established in the heart of every believer, our bodies are being transformed into His temples individually,

‭1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NLT‬
[19] “Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, [20] for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.”

and together as His temple and priesthood.

‭1 Peter 2:5 NLT‬
[5]” And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God.”

‭Revelation 1:6 NLT‬
[6] “He has made us a Kingdom of priests for God his Father. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen.”

Therefore, worship is no longer confined to a specific time and place and to singing songs of ‘praise and worship’. We cannot categorise our activities and tick boxes when we gather as the church on a special day. How wrong we are, then, to think and believe that we go to church to worship God, or that Sunday services are ‘worship’ services.

The stance of the New Testament is completely different.

First, since our bodies are God’s temple and He lives in us by His Spirit, everything we do is worship, whether we are consciously worshipping the Father or not.

Paul clarifies this new perspective.

‭1 Corinthians 10:31 NLT‬
[31] “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”

Eating and drinking are basic human activities for our survival. However, the way we eat and drink should reflect our attitude towards both the Father and His ownership of our bodies. We cannot stuff our bodies with excessive and harmful food if we are aware that we are revealing our fear of the Lord by what and the way we eat and drink. We cannot use our bodies for sinful behaviour as this dishonours God and defiles His temple.

‭1 Corinthians 6:15 NLT‬
[15] “Don’t you realize that your bodies are actually parts of Christ? Should a man take his body, which is part of Christ, and join it to a prostitute? Never!”

‭1 Corinthians 6:18 NLT‬
[18] “Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body.”

This brings me to another thought. The fact that our bodies are aging and deteriorating is no excuse for us to neglect them since they are going to die anyway. As long as we are alive in these bodies, we must care for them because God lives in us.

Second, since we are to worship the Lord from the inside, with our hearts, and minds – our attitudes, and intentions – we are to be guided by the truth, which is God’s Word. Paul had this to say about, greedy, gluttonous people…

‭Philippians 3:18-19 NLT‬
[18] “For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. [19] They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth.“

Attending church on a Sunday and singing ‘worship’ songs does not qualify as worship, nor does it cancel out what we do with the other parts of our lives. Conduct reveals all. What we do in our bodies mirrors the attitude of our hearts and reveals our understanding or misunderstanding of the truth.

Our first and daily act of worship then, because of what God has done for us in Jesus Christ, is…

‭Romans 12:1 NLT‬
[1] “… To give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.”

Everything we say and do in this life is done in and through our bodies. If our bodies are polluted by abuse and ungodly living, how can we offer to the Lord true worship?

Third, the Bible gives us specific ways in which we worship the Lord by our actions which are directed by the attitude of our hearts.

  1. Our bodies

‭Romans 12:1 NLT‬
[1] “And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your BODIES to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.”

  1. Our hearts

‭Psalms 51:16-17 NLT‬
[16] “You do not desire a sacrifice, or I would offer one. You do not want a burnt offering. [17] The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a BROKEN and REPENTANT HEART, O God.”

This sacrifice is the way we deal with sin, the barrier that destroys our fellowship with God.

  1. Our praise

‭Hebrews 13:15-16 NLT‬
[15]”Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of PRAISE to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name.

  1. Our loving service

[16] And don’t forget to DO GOOD and to SHARE with those in need. These are the sacrifices that please God.”

Praise is our motive for blessing others. God’s goodness moves us to be good to our fellow believers.

Our tongues, which praise God, must never be used to curse people. Our tongues are dangerous weapons, when they are out of control.

‭James 3:7-12 NLT‬
[7]”People can tame all kinds of animals, birds, reptiles, and fish, [8] but no one can tame the tongue. It is restless and evil, full of deadly poison. [9] Sometimes it praises our Lord and Father, and sometimes it curses those who have been made in the image of God. [10] And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right! [11] Does a spring of water bubble out with both fresh water and bitter water? [12] Does a fig tree produce olives, or a grapevine produce figs? No, and you can’t draw fresh water from a salty spring.”

  1. Our material and financial resources

‭Philippians 4:18 NLT‬
[18]”At the moment I have all I need—and more! I am generously supplied with the GIFTS you sent me with Epaphroditus. They are a sweet-smelling sacrifice that is acceptable and pleasing to God.”

Generosity is a fragrant offering to God because the way we handle our money and resources reveals the object of our love, God or mammon.

‭Matthew 6:24 NLT‬
[24] “No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money.”

So, Paul says, our entire lives, bodies, hearts, actions, words and deeds belong to God, and we are freely to share them with others. In this way, we reflect God’s image in us and shine the light on His nature. This is true worship.

‭Colossians 3:17 NLT‬
[17] “And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father.”

Oswald Chambers sums up for us….

“There are not three stages in spiritual life – worship, waiting and work. Some of us go in jumps like spiritual frogs, we jump from worship to waiting, and from waiting to work. God’s idea is that the three should go together. They were always together in the life of Our Lord. He was unhasting and unresting. It is a discipline, we cannot get into it all at once.”
(My Utmost for His Highest – Oswald Chambers)

IN IT OVER THEIR HEADS

Christian Life, ,

Matthew 17:1-9 NLT‬
[1] “Six days later Jesus took Peter and the two brothers, James and John, and led them up a high mountain to be alone. [2] As the men watched, Jesus’ appearance was transformed so that his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as light. [3] Suddenly, Moses and Elijah appeared and began talking with Jesus. [4] Peter exclaimed, “Lord, it’s wonderful for us to be here! If you want, I’ll make three shelters as memorials—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” [5] But even as he spoke, a bright cloud overshadowed them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy. Listen to him.” [6] The disciples were terrified and fell face down on the ground. [7] Then Jesus came over and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” [8] And when they looked up, Moses and Elijah were gone, and they saw only Jesus. [9] As they went back down the mountain, Jesus commanded them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.”

Have you ever pondered the significance of this incident? Jesus takes three of His disciples up the mountain, reveals His glory to them in a shockingly physical manifestation, and then tells them not to talk about it to anyone. What was the point?

Paul found himself in a similar situation. He was given an out-of-body experience of the glories of heaven that could have set him apart from all other humans…someone so special that he had privileges no other could enjoy but…

‭2 Corinthians 12:2-7 NLT‬
[2] “I was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether I was in my body or out of my body, I don’t know—only God knows. [3] Yes, only God knows whether I was in my body or outside my body. But I do know [4] that I was caught up to paradise and heard things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words, things no human is allowed to tell….

[5]…That experience is worth boasting about, but I’m not going to do it. I will boast only about my weaknesses. [6] If I wanted to boast, I would be no fool in doing so, because I would be telling the truth. But I won’t do it, because I don’t want anyone to give me credit beyond what they can see in my life or hear in my message, [7] even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.”

What was the purpose of these excursions into the spiritual realm that sent them reeling? The natural inclination would be to run around telling everyone about what they had seen instead of keeping quiet as they were instructed to do.

Why would God show these things to them if they were not to share their experiences with others? I have learned that sharing my high moments with someone else often gets the wrong response. Instead of focusing on God, the attention shifted to me and I became the object of admiration and even jealousy.

I think that Peter, as spokesperson for his fellow disciples, and Paul give us the answer.

‭2 Peter 1:16-19 NLT‬
[16] “For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We saw his majestic splendor with our own eyes [17] when he received honor and glory from God the Father. The voice from the majestic glory of God said to him, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.” [18] We ourselves heard that voice from heaven when we were with him on the holy mountain. [19] Because of that experience, we have even greater confidence in the message proclaimed by the prophets. You must pay close attention to what they wrote, for their words are like a lamp shining in a dark place—until the Day dawns, and Christ the Morning Star shines in your hearts.”

This was not a ‘holy moment’ to boost the disciples’ ego but to convince them that Jesus is the Son of God and to confirm their confidence in the message foretold by the prophets. How they needed the imprint of this vision to steady them in times of great trial and testing!

For Paul, his out-of-this-world experience had a different purpose. His upbringing, training, and religious fervour put him in a dangerous position. Only after his conversion did he realise how much pride in who he was had become his spiritual `war zone’.

Paul was a Pharisee, the ones with whom Jesus battled the most. They were unteachable bigots and hypocrites, to the extent that they had Jesus executed to protect their interests. Paul was one of them, so confirmed by his persecution of the early church.

All his standing as a revered religious leader came to nothing when Paul came face-to-face with Jesus. However, in his position as the spiritual father of many, he still had authority. How would he use it in his leadership role? On top of this, he has visions of glory that set him apart from all other believers! What an opportunity to get the attention and admiration of the church!

So, God intervened with a knockout blow….suffering! Paul pleaded with him to get this burden of his back so that he could get on with his ministry unhindered.

And God said, “NO!” Suffering was the perfect way to keep Paul where He wanted him, on his knees in utter dependence on Him for grace. Paul’s danger zone was pride…that attitude that says, “I can do this on my own.” it’s the way he had lived before his conversion, self-righteous and self-sufficient. Now he had a new reality to face and overcome, two natures locked in mortal combat, and he had no power to win the fight.

‭Galatians 5:17 NLT‬
[17] “The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions.”

So, much about what Paul wrote came out of his own spiritual journey. The whole of Romans 7 is auto biographical. Imagine how his fleshly nature would rise up in anger, indignation, and thoughts of retaliation at the treatment he was receiving for preaching the truth about faith in Jesus alone.

‭Galatians 5:11 NLT‬
[11] “Dear brothers and sisters, if I were still preaching that you must be circumcised—as some say I do—why am I still being persecuted? If I were no longer preaching salvation through the cross of Christ, no one would be offended.“

The Jews hated him for preaching a message that took away their self-righteous works for salvation upon which they so fervently depended. Circumcision was their passport to God’s favour but Paul’s preaching negated circumcision.

So, you see, God will use the most effective means in our lives to deal with our pride. Since pride killed Lucifer and Adam, and kills all humanity, pride will destroy our fellowship with God and separate us from Him, if He does not intervene to destroy our pernicious and arrogant self-sufficency.

Jesus said, “Apart from me, you can do nothing!” and He meant it.

Let’s not despise suffering. Let’s welcome and rejoice in God’s goodness because He uses our struggles to hold us close to His heart.

WE CANNOT BE GOD IN ANOTHER’S LIFE

Christian Life, ,

Isaiah 45:6-7 NLT‬
[6] “…. I am the Lord, and there is no other. [7] I create the light and make the darkness. I send good times and bad times. I, the Lord, am the one who does these things.”

I believe that one of the worst deceptions that came from Adam’s rebellion against God is the notion that, not only do we not need God, but that we can be God for ourselves and others, and that we can make the rules for ourselves and for others.

God’s mandate for the first man was to rule over the earth, including all the creatures on the earth. Conservation was God’s priority and to man He entrusted this role. Conservation and agriculture would guarantee the wise use of all the resources God provided to foster human progress and prosperity.

Rebellion against God’s authority and mandate set the earth on a course to destruction. We who live in the 21st century can look back over human history to see just how far we have come. We have done an excellent job of destroying what God has given to us to survive.

However, we have done even worse than our exploitation of the earth in direct disobedience to God’s command. Our intent is to destroy one another by this persistent idea that we can play God in other people’s lives.

Nowhere did God give us the mandate to rule over one another. Quite the opposite! The New Covenant’s instruction is to preserve unity by mutual submission and humble service.

‭Ephesians 4:3-4 NLT‬
[3] “Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. [4] For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.”

‭Ephesians 5:1-2 NLT‬
[1] “Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. [2] Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.”

‭Ephesians 5:21 NLT‬
[21] “And further, submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.”

‭Philippians 2:1-4 NLT‬
[1] “Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from his love? Any fellowship together in the Spirit? Are your hearts tender and compassionate? [2] Then make me truly happy by agreeing wholeheartedly with each other, loving one another, and working together with one mind and purpose. [3] Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. [4] Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.”

What a different picture from what we see happening in the world around us! The level of honour, dignity, and respect we give one another in the body of Christ is the guage of our understanding of what life in God’s kingdom is meant to be.

Some local fellowships are dominated by leaders who believe that they are have absolute control of their congregations. The leader calls the shots and all his underlings must fall in line or else…!

Other congregations have a plurality of leaders who do the same thing.

God’s mandate to leaders is…

‭1 Peter 5:1-4 NLT‬
[1] “And now, a word to you who are elders in the churches…. As a fellow elder, I appeal to you: [2] Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. [3] Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example. [4] And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honor.”

Since every person is a leader at some level in their lives, the same principles that apply to appointed leaders must apply to us all.

‭Romans 14:1, 4, 7-9 NLT‬
[1] “Accept other believers who are weak in faith, and don’t argue with them about what they think is right or wrong….
[4] Who are you to condemn someone else’s servants? Their own master will judge whether they stand or fall. And with the Lord’s help, they will stand and receive his approval…
[7] For we don’t live for ourselves or die for ourselves. [8] If we live, it’s to honor the Lord. And if we die, it’s to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. [9] Christ died and rose again for this very purpose—to be Lord both of the living and of the dead.”

‭Romans 14:12-13 NLT‬
[12] “Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. [13] So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.“

God’s mandate to humanity is to live in harmony with one another, recognising and honouring the boundaries we set for ourselves and one another. In this way, we acknowledge and function in the freedom that every person is given to choose their own way, be it good or bad.

Jesus demonstrated the honour He gave to human freedom by His treatment of all people. He spoke the truth but did not enforce it on anyone.

‭John 12:48 NIV‬
[48] “There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day.”

Note the way He reacted to the rich young ruler.

‭Mark 10:17-23 NLT‬
[17] “As Jesus was starting out on his way to Jerusalem, a man came running up to him, knelt down, and asked, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” [18] “Why do you call me good?” Jesus asked. “Only God is truly good. [19] But to answer your question, you know the commandments: ‘You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not testify falsely. You must not cheat anyone. Honor your father and mother.’” [20] “Teacher,” the man replied, “I’ve obeyed all these commandments since I was young.” [21] Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him. “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” he told him. “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” [22] At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions. [23] Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!”

Not a word of judgment or condemnation, not a plea to the young enquirer. The man had made his choice and Jesus let him go.

Every sin we commit against another person when we inflict our own will on them, is a violation of God’s image in us. He gave us the gift of self-determination, even if our choices destroy us because, together with self-determination goes accountability. They are two sides of the coin.

Blame shifting will never cut it with God. Honesty and accountability go a long way towards the kind of life He has prepared for us in His kingdom. Imagine a world where people allow each other to be themselves without pressure or interference! So it will be in God’s forever family.

So, why do people insist on playing God in others’ lives when God holds every person accountable for his own life?

I believe that some people want to control others because of their own insecurity. In the context of the family of God, our security lies, not in who we are in ourselves or our achievements, but in who we are in Christ, holy and beloved.

Until our identity is firmly fixed in Jesus and our beliefs and behaviour flow from our true identity, we will always be insecure. We will manage our insecurity by manipulating, dominating, and intimidating others to gain control, the very tactics the devil uses to manage people.

I must constantly make the choice. Does Jesus in me allow me to let others be who they are or… Do I further the work of Satan by insisting on inflicting my will on others? Do I think that I can snuff out another’s life, either literally or by destroying their freedom to live who they are?

Knowing when to get involved and when to let go is a powerful work of God’s grace.

‭Galatians 6:1-2, 4-5 NLT‬
[1] “Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. [2] Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ….
[4] Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else. [5] For we are each responsible for our own conduct.”

DUST TO DUST

Bible Study, ,

Genesis 1:26-27 NLT‬
[26] “Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.” [27] So God created human beings in his own image. In the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”

‭Genesis 2:7 NLT‬
[7] “Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.”

What an amazing statement! Of no other creature does the Bible describe the process of creation. The natural world and its inhabitants came about by God’s spoken word, “And God said.”

Genesis 1:20, 24 NLT‬
[20] “Then God said, “Let the waters swarm with fish and other life. Let the skies be filled with birds of every kind.”…
[24] Then God said, “Let the earth produce every sort of animal, each producing offspring of the same kind—livestock, small animals that scurry along the ground, and wild animals.” And that is what happened.”

However, in one magnificent act, God united heaven and earth in the formation of a human.

The greatest miracle of all is that God breathed into the first man His own eternal life. Since man is dust and divine breath, once made, he can never cease to exist. God can never take back into Himself what came from Him, just as a mother can never take back her offspring into herself. From the moment if conception, that child becomes, another person in whom is God’s breath.

However, when sin intervened, death became a tragic reality. Dust and divine breath are once again separated. Dust returns to the earth from which it came…

Genesis 3:19 NLT‬
[19] “By the sweat of your brow will you have food to eat until you return to the ground from which you were made. For you were made from dust, and to dust you will return.”

And God’s breath in humans….

‭Ecclesiastes 12:7 NLT‬
[7] “For then the dust will return to the earth, and the spirit will return to God who gave it.”

Evolutionists deny this unique event in which God made a being in His image to share His life forever. Evolutionists claim that, since humans and primates share so much DNA, humans must have evolved from primates! That’s like saying that a car is made of so much material similar to a motor cycle that the car must have evolved from the motor cycle! Give it millions of years, and a new species of vehicle will evolve by chance and natural selection!

The logic, for them, is that humans have no more value than animals since humans are only a higher form of animals.

This way of thinking is not even logical. It’s foolishness!

Nowhere in Scripture does God say that animals have divine breath in them or that they will live forever. They simply return to the dust from which they came. Humans alone are uniquely created to have a share in God’s life which will never end.

The problem is that, since humans are born with an impenetrable barrier between themselves and God, sin (i.e. rebellion), their spirit nature is dead. Sin has cut them off from God.

‭Ephesians 2:1-3 NLT‬
[1] “Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins. [2] You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. [3] All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.”

They cannot participate in God’s life without His active intervention.

‭Ephesians 2:4-6 NLT‬
[4]” But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, [5] that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) [6] For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.”

By this mighty act of mercy, God brings dead spirits back to life, reviving the “life” part of human created beings, and reunites them with Himself to live now and forever in His realm.

This raises another question. What happens when this “divided” being separates at death? Humans are now divided beings. Dust will still return to dust because God has said nothing about redeeming dust from death, but the spirits will return to him as disembodied beings. Will we live eternally with Him as another race of spirit beings diffetent from the angels?

No! God added one more glorious ingredient to the mix. He never intended humans, created to live forever, to be without bodies since our bodies distinguish us from all other beings.

Here is the place where the resurrection of Jesus is vital. Jesus was a human who went through the death process but, because He was sinless, death could not keep its grip on Him. He rose again in a resurrection body that can never die.

His death was accomplished on our behalf to forgive and take away our sin. He gives us His perfect righteousness which qualifies us to receive perfect immortal bodies like His when He returns.

He is the beginning of God’s harvest of resurrected bodies to complete His plan for man from the beginning.

‭1 Corinthians 15:23 NLT‬
[23] “But there is an order to this resurrection: Christ was raised as the first of the harvest; then all who belong to Christ will be raised when he comes back.”

‭1 Corinthians 15:51-57 NLT‬
[51] But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! [52] It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. [53] For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. [54] Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory. [55] O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” [56] For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. [57] But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

For those who have faith in Christ, we have this hope, that these mortal bodies, though they will be sown in the ground and return to dust, will rise again in a state of perfection and immortality, to live with Christ forever. So Paul encourages us…

‭1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 NLT‬
[15] “We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. [16] For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. [17] Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. [18] So encourage each other with these words.”

Dust to dust, yes, but not forever.