These snowflake photos from photographer Alexey Kljatov are incredible. They instantly inspire awe in all of us, and for good reason. They also create questions.
Photos like these spark a debate among those who believe in a Creator, and those who adhere to evolutionary theory. The “discussion” (which quickly digresses to an argument) is usually centered around explaining how these came to be.
But the question for these snowflakes with regard to their genesis is not “how” but “why’?
I was recently asked by a friend how I plan my time as a full time ministry worker. In other words, how do I know when to work and when to have time off? Do I take a day off? Do I work 9 to 5 (that’s a joke)? What do I do?
America is no longer a Christian nation. I don’t mean that there are not plenty of Christians in America. What I mean is that our leaders and our neighbors are no longer basing their decisions on biblical truths. To deny that is to deny reality. The America with the Bible as her belt and the buckle in the South is no more. So what does this mean for our churches?
The apostles were tasked with selecting someone to replace Judas, who had betrayed Jesus and subsequently hanged himself. In their selection process we gain an insight into the reason for the selection: the need to have another witness among the people.
And this reason gives us an insight into the focus of their witnessing.
Therefore, of these men who have accompanied us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John to that day when He was taken up from us, one of these must become a witness with us of His resurrection. Acts 1:21-22
The apostles were not focused on the fact that Jesus was a great teacher, or that following Him meant a better lifestyle, or that He was a pretty nice guy. They were witnessing to the fact that Jesus is God, that He had risen from the dead, and that He had walked among them, alive, and ascended miraculously back into Heaven.
To them, the truth that Jesus is God the Savior was an overarching, all encompassing, wonderful, powerful truth.
As church leaders, we often preach and teach our people about having fellowship with God. But how many of our people really know what we mean by that? Do we really know what we mean by that? What is our fellowship with God?
