The Gospel of Creation

From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky and all that God made. They can clearly see his his invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse  whatsoever for not knowing God.

Romans 1:20

The Milky Way, the Great Barrier Reef, the northern lights, the miracle of birth... the universe is filled with wonders that humans cannot replicate on their own, wonders that point to the existence of Someone as Creator. People disagree over who this Creator is and whether he is actively involved in the world today. Yet the intricacy, orderliness and sheer awesomeness of the natural world confirm what the human heart has felt since the dawn of time - there is more to this life than meets the eye.

What is visible proclaims the existence of something invisible. Some people have rejected this truth, but that doesn't make it any less true. Paul discussed in his letter to the Romans how people knew God was there but did not thank him or give glory to him for what he'd done. They chose instead to go their own foolish ways. The good news is that God is real. His fingerprints are everywhere and you can understand more about who he is by simply studying what he's made.

Knowing about God's character is not the same thing as knowing him. However, recognizing there is a God is the first step to seeking him. Through the wonder of creation, God has left no room for anyone's choosing to do anything less.

You can make the truth found in Romans more real to you by exploring the world around you, thereby discovering new things about God's character. Praise God for everything you learn.

Source: The 100 Most Important Bible Verses

Pray and seek God in your daily life that you may be prepared for his calling for your life.  ~ MME Team

Life-or-Death Decisions

This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and cures. Now choose life.

Deuteronomy 30:19

After forty years of wandering through the desert, the Jordan River was all that stood between the people of Israel and the Promised Land. Most of the generation of Moses called together to speak to on that day had never known the Egyptian captivity of their parents. Their home had been the desert, and their hope had been the land across the Jordan. From where the Israelites stood, it looked like the hard times were finally over. Stability and prosperity lay ahead.

Yet Moses knew that even in a land of promise and plenty, every individual had a choice. The choice Moses shared with the people of Israel is the same choice to follow God and receive the benefits of an obedient life. Or you can make a choice to dishonor God and reap the natural negative consequences of your actions.

Although crucial to determining your eternal destiny, accepting or rejecting God's gift of salvation is only one choice you make in this life. Every minute is filled with choices, choices that draw you closer to God or farther away from him. Choosing life means choosing God. When you choose life, you prevent curses (which are simply the opposite of blessings) from taking hold. Moses's words are a reminder that your choices, both big and small, matter, choose wisely. Choose life.

God's grace gives you the freedom to choose between good and evil. God's love allows consequences to act as a guide, helping you make decisions that honor God while improving the quality of your life.

Pray for wisdom from God to make the choice of the Father and not of our will. ~ MME Team

Watching and Waiting

See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand. 

James 5:7-8

          God's timing is always perfect. He parted the Red Sea when his people needed it most - when they were trapped between the rushing waters and an approaching army. God allowed the water to flow again, but only after Moses and the Israelites had made it safely across. God provided what the people needed at the precise moment that it would make the greatest difference.

          For a human vantage point, it isn't always easy to recognize that opportune moment. Waiting for God's answer, when your own internal timer has already gone off, can make you feel as if God isn't listening or he simply doesn't care. When you find yourself in that situation, take a lesson from this important verse in James and put yourself in a farmer's shoes. You can't rush a perfect harvest or an answer to prayer. As a farmer waits for the fruit of his labor, he doesn't just sit around complaining about how long the growing season is. He continues to work. He trusts God, and his patience grows right along with his fruit.

       James provides a valuable tip for those who wait. He advises you to establish your heart, which means "to firmly plant your life and expectation in the fertile soil of God's truth." There is a bountiful harvest as certain as the fulfillment of God's promises: the Lord will return; the hard times you face will end; and God will answer your prayers when the time is right.

          The image of a patient farmer is an encouraging visual picture for prayer. Picture every prayer as a seed planted in God's will. As you wait, picture them ripening, trusting in God's perfect harvest time.

          Pray for God's grace to intervene and plant in your heart patience rooted in faith as big as a mustard seed. ~ MME Team

Stop , Look, Listen, and Trust

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, even though the earth be removed, and through the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea... "Be still, and know that I am God."

Psalm 46:1-2

          The Psalms are a tapestry of human emotions. The poetry of prayer weaves together anger, fear, joy, longing, despair, praise, and passion. These verses sum up God's response to those prayers. Their truth is the thread of peace and comfort that runs through he entire book of Psalms, as well as the rest of the Bible - and the life of every individual who walks with God. God's answer to those who are emotionally troubled is brief and straight forward: stop and remember who is on your side.

          Psalm 46 talks about earthquakes falling mountains, cities being destroyed, nations being in an uproar, kingdoms crumbling. It talks about the final destruction of the world itself. The overall tone of the psalm is anything but quiet and still. One sentence, however, says to "be still," and the focal point of emotion changes from outside chaos to internal rest. That's why this psalm was written as a song. It proclaimed a message everyone needed to hear.

          Let the truth of these verse find a home in your heart today. When  life gets busy or chaotic, it's easy to get distracted. You wind up focusing on problems instead of the One who holds the answer to your problems in his hands. When that happens, stop. Focus on who God is and how much he loves you. Share your own heartfelt psalm of prayer with the God of power and compassion. Be still and know God is near.

          The words in Psalm 46 hold incredible power when it comes to knowing God is near in any and every situation. Memorize them. Meditate on them. Keep them close at heart for when you need them most.

          Pray to God to be still and know that he is in control at all times. ~ MME Team

Special Delivery

The WORD became a human and lived among us. We saw his glory - the glory that belongs to the only Son of the Father - and he was full of grace and truth. 

John 1:14

          The day God came to earth is much more than a sweet tale on which to base a holiday. It is a miracle of dynamic proportions, and John tells the wonder of it all. God himself came to live on earth. That is the heart of the Christmas story. The God of the universe made his home here on earth so that people could better understand him, connect with him, and experience his kindness. The Word is God's most intimate, and informative, communication with those whom he created. 

        It is interesting that such a pivotal verse about Jesus does not even contain his name. That's because Word was a powerful symbol in both Greek philosophy and Jewish tradition. The Greeks referred to logos or Word as the creative force that brought the world into being. Everyone at the time understood that referring to Jesus as the Word was the same as calling him the eternal Creator. 

        If you're going to believe in this eternal Creator, you need to understand who he is. The biggest mistake people make about Jesus is to minimize either his deity or his humanity. In his earthly life, Jesus was both fully God and fully human. John emphasized this point throughout his entire Gospel. Although both the Old and New Testaments are filled with important verses about Jesus, John 1:14 clearly states who Jesus is and what he wants to impart to you.

          Jesus's humanity enabled him to relate to your human problems, while his divinity gave him the power to help you overcome them.

         Pray that the words we share today be the reflection of the grace and truth that the WORD all mighty who is our Creator first revealed to us when he sent his only Son to earth to save us. ~ MME Team