Some people claim that the fact that there's evil in the world proves that God doesn't exist. However, it seems to me to be quite the opposite. The fact that there's any good in the world at all proves that He does exist! If there were no God then would you not expect the world to be evil, indeed even more evil then we see now? If it's merely survival of the fittest, the ends justify the means, every man for himself, then why aren't we all completely hedonistic to the fullest extent! The fact that this world isn't completely over taken to the utter extent by sin is only by the grace of God. If there is even one spec of goodness in the world it is contrary to our sinful nature and therefore only a gift of grace from God. Sorry atheists, what else you got?

Do you suppose the law of increase ("To everyone who has, more will be given, but from the one who has not, even what he thinks he has will be taken away.") contradicts the law of reversal ("the last will be first, and the first last.")? Why or why not?

In reference to my previous post on work and play, this morning I went to hear Dr. Wayne Grudem teach a lecture series about "50 factors within nations that lead to sustained economic growth or continual poverty." Point #15 dealt with the idea of work. He suggests that in nations with sustained economic growth "honor is given to productive work. The 'ideal' life is thought to be a life of joyful productivity that benefits both oneself and others." By contrast, in nations with cycles of sustained poverty "work is viewed as a necessary evil....The 'ideal' life is thought to be a life of ease, simply enjoying oneself and one's friends, never having to work again at a productive job." Is that not the direction that our very own culture is heading? Don't most people today want to get the most money for the least amount of work? We no longer hold to the idea that our work is making a valuable contribution to society. We no longer work as "unto the Lord." I fear this is dangerous water into which we're treading where our culture work ethic is concerned.

It's late and I need my sleep before a long day of driving ahead of me tomorrow, but I was just thinking how cool heaven's going to be where all the cool people I'm friends with will finally all be in the same place. Granted that will be an infintesimally small perk compared to the infinite greatness of being in the presence of the awesome Trinity! But haven't you ever thought how much it sucks that your really cool friends are so spread out that you can't hang out with them nearly as much as you'd like? And how cool it would be if you could all be together in the same place? Not to mention all the really cool people that you'll never get to know because they live in different places! As I spend time with the cool people I know spread out across the country, I look forward to the day when I'll get to hang out with them all together in the same place with Jesus. Reason #1854962 that heaven won't be boring!