Beyond blueprints by Gary Rose

Those of you who know me well, are already aware that I quite often think about astronomy. With astronomy on my mind, I recently changed my application menu selector graphic ( that button on the bottom left that accesses applications, settings, etc.. ) on my computer to the picture at the very top. I enjoy this over my previous “stairway to heaven” picture because of its color contrast, progression from darkness to light and of course the end result the Christian will receive at the top of those stairs. Now, I had not really intended to use that ascending billowy staircase today and continued to peruse my stock of pictures. Then I came across the second one. Unfortunately, the original color of this was awful, so I reversed image and much to my surprise, it looked like a blueprint to me. At that point, the advice on the “blueprint” seemed very appropriate to me and so I decided to use both pictures.

Wanting to go beyond mere human advice, I turned to the Bible and found this passage within the book of Micah...

Micah 6 ( World English Bible )

8 
He has shown you, O man, what is good. 
What does Yahweh require of you, but to act justly, 
to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? 


While I think the “blueprint” is correct, somehow the word of God seemed more meaningful to me. I will probably think about it for the rest of the day.

I hope you will as well.

Doubt by Gary Rose

When I first saw this picture, I had to do a double-take. The water looked solid; how odd. Now, I know that this is an island in the middle of a river, but still… the water just looked solid to me.

I guess that is just the way life is; it is all too easy to be fooled by appearances and misunderstand something that is right in front of you.

And with this in mind, I thought of the Gospel of John and a man named Thomas.

The Bible says…

John 20 ( World English Bible )

¹⁹ When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were locked where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be to you.”

²⁰ When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore were glad when they saw the Lord.

²¹ Jesus therefore said to them again, “Peace be to you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.”

²² When he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit!

²³ If you forgive anyone’s sins, they have been forgiven them. If you retain anyone’s sins, they have been retained.”

²⁴ But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, wasn’t with them when Jesus came.

²⁵ The other disciples therefore said to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”

²⁶ After eight days again his disciples were inside, and Thomas was with them. Jesus came, the doors being locked, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace be to you.”

²⁷ Then he said to Thomas, “Reach here your finger, and see my hands. Reach here your hand, and put it into my side. Don’t be unbelieving, but believing.”

²⁸ Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”

²⁹ Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen, and have believed.”

Like that picture where the water seemed solid, sometimes we just can’t believe what we see. Yet, most of the time, seeing is believing. For Christians, we believe in God ( who we cannot see ). However, there is overwhelming evidence that God is real, Jesus actually lived and was in truth the son of God. These things give us hope of a life beyond this life, which will be blessed right now because of belief and even more so eternally in heaven.

Believe in God, trust in HIM and do what the Bible tells us to do.

Humm, that last sentence just could be a fairly good definition of a Christian. Add the text of 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 and it just gets better and better.

See what I am saying... no that is not right; believe it because its true.