God Exists

God exists
In the book of Genesis we read,

"In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth." 

                                                                                    Genesis 1:1.

The Bible does not debate the existence of God. It was written to believers and believers need no convincing when it comes to the existence of God.
The Bible does however say,

"The heavens declare the glory of God; 

the skies proclaim the work of his hands. 

Day after day they pour forth speech; 

night after night they display knowledge. 

There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard." 

                                                                                         Psalm 19:1-3

Stephen Hawking one of the greatest minds of the twentieth century is quoted as saying,
"It would be very difficult to explain why the universe should have begun in just this way, except as the act of a God who intended to create beings like us,"Stephen Hawking.
Dr. Arno Penzias 1978 Nobel Prize winner in Physics
"Astronomy leads us to a unique event, a universe which was created out of nothing, one with a very delicate balance needed to provide exactly the conditions required to permit life and one which has an underlying (one might say ‘supernatural') plan." Dr. Arno Penzias.
Louis Pasteur said,
"A bit of science distances one from God, but much science nears one to Him... The more I study nature, the more I stand amazed by the work of the Creator" Louis Pasteur. 
All of that being said belief in God is an act of faith. The writer of Hebrews telling us,

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for 

and certain of what we do not see." 

                                                   Hebrews 11:1

"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." 

                                                                              Hebrews 11:6.

Having faith in anything is very hard for many people. Yet scientist do it all the time. They look into the universe and theorise that something exists or is happening that they at that moment can’t really see. Then go on to believe what they have theorised until it is proved or disproved by scientific observation. Many scientist like Albert Einstein never lived to see their theories proved yet they believed in them.
So it is with those of us who believe in God. We have read the Bible, and looked around us and are sure God exists and if He doesn’t we have lost nothing. As Blaise Pascal wrote,
“Belief is a wise wager. Granted that faith cannot be proved, what harm will come to you if you gamble on its truth and it proves false? If you gain, you gain all; if you lose, you lose nothing. Wager, then, without hesitation, that He exists.” Blaise Pascal.
Please think about it. 

My Shepherd in the words of others

My Shepherd in the words of others

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 

He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, 

he restores my soul. 

He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, 

I will fear no evil, for you are with me;

 your rod and your staff, they comfort me. 

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. 

You anoint my head with oil; 

my cup overflows. 

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,

 and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

                                                                                                                                 Psalm 23
The above is a Psalm of David. It tells how God comforts and protects him and of his choice to be faithful to him.
Over the years I’ve come across several interesting Psalms inspired by the twenty-third psalm. I put them here for you to think about.

Psalm of Tranquility

                                                                                  by Joan Stephen

Everything that’s needed

Is given us each day;

Reflected in still waters

and grasses by the way.

Our souls are guided daily

By an unseen welcome hand,

Leading ever onward

To some sweet peaceful land.

There is no fear of evil

Or death or shades of gloom.

Constant is our comfort 

Even beyond the tomb.

Goodness will always follow;

Forever and a day

So all may live in paradise

With no need to repay.

                     Joan Stephen

The Nun’s Twenty-Third Psalm

The Lord is my pace-setter, I shall not rush.

He makes me stop and rest for quiet intervals;

He provides me with images of stillness, 

which restore my serenity.

He leads me in ways of efficiency 

through calmness of mind.

And His guidance is peace.

Even though I have a great many things to

accomplish each day,

I will not fret, for His presence is here.

His timelessness, His all importance will keep me in

balance.

He prepares refreshment and renewal in the midst of

my activity

By anointing my mind with His oils of tranquillity.

                                                                                                     All Saints convent
                                                                                                     Cantonville, Maryland
                                                   
                                                My Shepherd is the living Lord,
                                                                              by Isaac Watts

My shepherd is the living Lord,

Now shall my wants be well supplied,

His providence and holy word

Becomes my Safety and my guide.

In pastures where salvation grows,

He makes me food - he makes me rest -

There living water gently flows,

And all the food divinely blessed...

Through I walk through the gloomy vale,

Where death and all its terrors are,

My heart and hope shall never fail;

For God, my Shepherd’s with me there.

                                                                                                          Isaac Watts
Is the Lord Jesus Christ truly the Shepherd of your Life?
Please think about it.

From the Psalms

From the Psalms

The Lord is my light and my salvation -

whom shall I fear? 

The Lord is the stronghold of my life- 

of whom shall I be afraid.

                                                                                                  Psalm 27:1

Where is your trust. Is it in the Lord. Do you desire to do the work of the Lord. Our lives should be fully devoted to God.
We live in a very uncaring world. We live and for that matter have always lived in a world that has been hostile to Christians. That’s life.
The Psalmist here is asking God to be with him. He saying God is with him through everything that happens to him.
As Christians we should remember this. That no matter what we are going through God is with us.
The cry of the Psalmist is for God to lead him in the strait path to teach him His ways.
No matter what circumstance we are in God is there. I think it was Cory Tenboon that said “there is no pit to deep that God cannot reach into and touch us.” This is true.
I fully believe the book of Acts was put there to show Christians throughout the generations what they can expect.
Within the book of act there is great rejoicing. While at the same time those who took the Gospel out underwent a great deal. Peter and John heal a man, preached to the people as a result they were arrested and put in prison. Stephen was stoned to death. Paul shipwrecked, stoned left for dead and put in prison where he witnessed to his jailor.
There was also a lot of evangelization. Peter preaching from the house top on the day of Pentecost. Peter and John witnessing to the crowd and the religious leaders of their day. Philip leading the Ethiopian Eunich to Christ. Paul being asked by Stoic and Epicurean philosophers to speak at the Areopagus in Athens. Telling non believing intellectuals of his day about Christ.
These men went through a lot for the sake of the gospel and they laid the foundation of the church. They showed God is with them no matter the circumstances.
They believed the words of the Psalmist,

“The Lord is my light and my salvation -

whom shall I fear? 

The Lord is the stronghold of my life- 

of whom shall I be afraid.”

We need to be witnessing like the early church. We need to be using our abilities to further the gospel of Christ, even if that ability is just to invite someone to church.
Think about it.