Back To Basics

Scripture: (Gen 1:1 & 2 KJV)  In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

    Let’s get back to the basics. For some of us this basic concept of God creating the heavens and the earth is too simple for them. They would much rather complicate the entire matter of creation by messing with the send law of thermal dynamics and let complex organisms evolve from less complex organisms and matter, well how that came about doesn’t matter, or does it. True scientist today are coming back to the realization that the universe is a wonderfully complex design and therefore there most be a designer. True science refers to Newton’s third law and realizing that there is a cause and effect process and there had to be a first cause, which can only be explained as God. True science can observe the changed lives of millions of individuals and come to the logical conclusion that it can only be God. On the other hand bad science will tell us that we do not need a creator and we ourselves are the highest form of being. There cannot be anything higher thinking then us therefore there is not God. The intellectual weapon that they use to defend their life style is wrongly called a theory. Evolution has so many holes in it that it can not , nor ever would be able to be scientifically proven, therefore it can not even be given the term theory. Yet it is taught to our children and even college students as truth. So what does all of this have to do with our day-to-day lives anyway? I believe a lot more then we even know.

            I want us to read just a little further in this first chapter of Genesis where God decides to create man.

 (Gen 1:26-31 KJV)  And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat. And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, wherein there is life, I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so. And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

            Now before I go any further I think it is important that I let you know the direction that I am going. I know for myself that self image is of great importance to my success or failure in every area of my life. So the first thing I want to remind us of is the truth that we have been created in the image of God. We are the most favored creation of God and within us is the very essence of God Himself. Three things that I want us to be encouraged with today. First is the truth that we have been created in the very image of God the second is that we have been redeemed. I do hope that you have at least come to the realization that we are no longer in the Garden of Eden and so we are indeed in need of redemption. The third thing that I know encourages me is the realization that God loves us. He loves you personally. You are His beloved. God loves you with an everlasting love and will never, ever leave you or forsake you.

            But the first thing we each have to come to is a firm foundation of the truth that God is.  (Hebrews 11: 6 NIV)  “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” We must first come to the point where there is no doubt in our hearts or minds that God has created us in His own image. Otherwise you have nothing to even live up to. Evolution tells us that we are just some cosmic accident, a freak of nature. With this philosophy being taught to our young people and so many of us buying into it there is no wonder that we have such a problem with our self-esteem.  I remember teaching a success motivation seminar back in the 80’s. Nepeoplan Hill and W. Clement Stone, as well as Og Mandino and Anthony Powers would all agree that we are who we think we are. The foundation of your self-image is paramount to your personal fulfillment in life. Much of this foundation is formed when we are very young. Many of us refuse to give up on that foundation even when we know that it is on shaky ground. Some of us are not of aware of the cracks in our foundations and others simply have no foundation at all and just go through life being taken by every wind of doctrine. In order to save time today I am going to move unto our second point but before I do I want you to give some deep thought of what ground you are standing on. In the New Testament John tells us that “In the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God.” He then goes on to explain how “the word became flesh and dwelt among us…full of grace and truth.” Search the scriptures, seek the truth and you will find the one true God who desires that His glory shine through you.

            The difficulty is, we live in a fallen world. There is poverty and sickness and hatred and deceit. There are trials and tribulations and lusts of the flesh along with every other twisted imagination of the heart. There is no doubt that all of us have fallen short of the glory of God. None of us deserve to stand in His presence. Since the time that Adam and Eve eat of the forbidden fruit and became aware of their nakedness a sacrifice had to be made. God shed the first blood when He took the flesh of an animal to cover up their nakedness. From that time on men have known that a sacrifice had to be paid for our wrongdoing. Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin. In our own disobedience we alienated ourselves from our true purpose for living and that is to bring glory to God.

  (1 Pet 1:18 - 23 NIV)  For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.

Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

            God has made a way where there did not seem to be a way. He gave himself as a once and for all sacrifice to deliver us from the kingdom of darkness, transforming us into the kingdom of light. The Day of Atonement was fulfilled and the perfect sacrifice has been made. Forgiveness is spread abroad, and all you have to do is accept it. Then show that you accepted forgiveness by giving it. Forgiving yourself, forgiving others, forgiving God. Yes sometimes we need to forgive God. Even though He has always been working things out for the good, we could not see it that way. Did you ever have to forgive someone for something they never did wrong? God paid the price for your freedom. He paid the price because you are worth it to Him. Like a devoted father He gave His life so that you can live. This takes us to the third point that you are loved with an everlasting, unconditional, supernatural love.

  (John 17: 20 - 23 KJV)  Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

            There is so much more that needs to be said on this subject. I urge you to seek the truth. Seek the truth of your creation. Seek the truth of your redemption. Seek the truth of your love and esteem. The God of all creation esteems you most highly favored. If God in His wisdom looks upon you with such love how then should you now start to look upon yourself? Are you a child of God or are you an orphan of evolution? Are you a child of God or are you an unredeemed castaway? Are you a child of God or are you lost and alone? At this point the choice is yours. Some times we just do not take or make the time to even talk to God. Now’s that time. It is going to take faith but with it you will please your heavenly Father and once again or maybe for the first time you will know that you are highly favored of the Lord. Creation, redemption and love await your decision to accept them and in so doing you are a new creation. Now as my friend Steve Brown always says, you think about that. Amen