Two men decided to go fishing one day, so they went to the water.
After casting their lines, nothing happened. They did this for some
time, using worms as bait, but they could catch no fish. One of them
took a piece of dried meat that he had brought with him, and cast it
into the water. After a moment, there was such a fierce tug, that the
man was afraid he would lose his line, so he called on his friend to
help. The two of them tugged and tugged, afraid of what was pulling on
the line.
With one final pull, the men were afraid to
see the creature that came to the surface. It was the size of a calf,
with a broad tail and dark fur: a bunyip cub. With a screech, the cub
called for its mother, who answered from the other side of the lake.
The men were astonished to see a head that was larger than a horse
emerge from the water. Its sharp teeth gnashed, and the mother bunyip
let out such a wail as has never been heard before.
The men turned and ran, leaving their fishing poles behind.
-From Australia
Friday, August 26, 2016
Friday, August 19, 2016
Obedience
Lately, I've been struggling with obedience, not just in one
area, but in every area of my life. The more I resolve to obey, the
harder and faster I fall. The problem, I think, is that I'm trying to
obey; more specifically, I spend my time asking God to help me obey.
This is a problem because what it does is put my sin at the center of my
life while, at the same time, still leaves me in control. It's
counter-intuitive to think that resolving to obey would cause me to sin,
but if my sin remains the center of my life, then it becomes my
god, because constantly thinking negatively about my sin is still
constantly thinking about my sin. Ask any Christian if he or she
is happy with their obedience, and, if they are honest, they will tell
you "no." This is because they keep trying to obey - which is both good and possible (see Deuteronomy 30) - but most of us as Christians are trying to obey for the sake of obedience, rather than for the sake of Jesus. History - both world history and my own personal history - has proven that.
Here's the cool thing, though: as disciples of Jesus, we have the Holy Spirit indwelling in us, right? I mean, God resides in us. If we can count on God to do one thing, it's for Him to be obedient to Himself. So why on earth are we trying to do something we can't accomplish, when we've got God Almighty Himself willing and able to be obedient? Maybe we don't need to try harder, and maybe we don't need His help. Maybe we just need to get out of the way and let Him work. After all, isn't that what surrender really is?
Think about it this way: if I'm steering the car on my own, then I'm in control, right? Years of addiction, anger, laziness, and greed have proven that to be a disaster. So I become a disciple of Jesus, I invite Him into the passenger's seat, and I ask Him for direction. That's what we do - let Him guide us. The problem is that I'm still steering the car. He might say, "Slow down," but I can still floor it. He might tell me to turn right, but I can still ignore Him and turn left. If I have any shot at all of getting to where I need to be (and staying away from places where I have no business being), it seems like I need to get out from behind the wheel and let Him drive.
"My grace," God tells Paul, "is sufficient." I think we usually take that as meaning that God's grace is given to us so that we can be forgiven. And that's certainly part of it, make no mistake, but God's grace is also Him. It's His presence in our lives, not leading us, but living in us. So maybe obedience isn't so much about walking with Christ, or resolving to give up sin, or praying harder. Maybe obedience is about falling on our faces and admitting that we are poor in spirit - spiritually bankrupt before God, with no hope on our own - and letting Him pick us up and carry us. He will, after all, obey Himself.
Here's the cool thing, though: as disciples of Jesus, we have the Holy Spirit indwelling in us, right? I mean, God resides in us. If we can count on God to do one thing, it's for Him to be obedient to Himself. So why on earth are we trying to do something we can't accomplish, when we've got God Almighty Himself willing and able to be obedient? Maybe we don't need to try harder, and maybe we don't need His help. Maybe we just need to get out of the way and let Him work. After all, isn't that what surrender really is?
Think about it this way: if I'm steering the car on my own, then I'm in control, right? Years of addiction, anger, laziness, and greed have proven that to be a disaster. So I become a disciple of Jesus, I invite Him into the passenger's seat, and I ask Him for direction. That's what we do - let Him guide us. The problem is that I'm still steering the car. He might say, "Slow down," but I can still floor it. He might tell me to turn right, but I can still ignore Him and turn left. If I have any shot at all of getting to where I need to be (and staying away from places where I have no business being), it seems like I need to get out from behind the wheel and let Him drive.
"My grace," God tells Paul, "is sufficient." I think we usually take that as meaning that God's grace is given to us so that we can be forgiven. And that's certainly part of it, make no mistake, but God's grace is also Him. It's His presence in our lives, not leading us, but living in us. So maybe obedience isn't so much about walking with Christ, or resolving to give up sin, or praying harder. Maybe obedience is about falling on our faces and admitting that we are poor in spirit - spiritually bankrupt before God, with no hope on our own - and letting Him pick us up and carry us. He will, after all, obey Himself.
Friday, August 12, 2016
The Polyp
In the mid-to-late first-century A.D., Pliny wrote of a 700-lb. Polyp that used to come on shore off
the coast of Spain. He described it as having twelve arms, a head the
size of a cask, and quite a disgruntled temperament. It was
long-dismissed as fanciful by many marine biologists, because it was
assumed that octopi and squid could not survive outside of the water. This little guy has demonstrated that they were mistaken.
Friday, August 5, 2016
The Iroqois Creation Story
Before the world, there were two worlds. The first world, lower, was
in shadow and chaos, ruled by the Great Monsters. The upper world was
inhabited by mankind. One of the women became pregnant with twins, and
as her labor commenced, she was in great distress. Her relatives
fashioned a mattress for her, and bade her to lie down on it. She did
so, but while she was resting, it slipped and fell into the dark world.
The monsters of the dark waters grew dismayed, and convened to
determine what they should do.
One of them searched the deep for land, and, retrieving it, brought it to the surface of the water. The land sank, however, for nothing was supporting it. As the woman, who was falling from a great height, drew closer, the Turtle volunteered, saying that he would support the earth. So the monsters retrieved more land, and placed it on the back of the Turtle. The woman landed comfortably on the back of the Turtle. As she reclined there, her labor pains increasing, the Turtle expanded and became a great portion of earth.
When the time of her labor arrived, one of the twins took it into his evil mind to deliver himself through her armpit. His brother, he of the good mind, labored to prevent it, but in vain. As the children were born, the woman died. The children, however, sustained themselves without her, and dwelt in the dark region for many years. In this time, the Turtle became the Great Island [North America], and the twins became men.
The monsters named the first man Enigonhahetgea [Bad Mind], for he had only evil in his heart. The second child was named Enigorio [Good Mind], for he was of a gentle disposition, and loved light. Enigorio desired to create light in the dark world, but his brother tried to prevent it.
Enigorio took the head of his mother and made it into a great orb, which gave light during the day, placing it in the center of the sky, so that the Island could move around it. He then took his mother's body and formed an inferior orb of light, so that it could give light upon the earth at night. He also created numerous points of light, and placed them in the sky, so that they may govern seasons, days, and years. Whenever the Great Light was extended, the monsters became displeased and hid themselves in the deep. Enigorio continued to create, making rivers, lakes, and numerous animals. He created these from the smallest to the largest, and bade them to fill the Island.
"Who shall possess this land?" he asked himself. So he created two images from the dust of the ground, male and female. He breathed into them and gave them life, and called them Ea-gwe-howe [Real People]. Then the rains came, bringing vegetation, and gave the Ea-gwe-howe sustenance.
In the meantime, Enigonhahetgea moved around the island, attempting to undo what his brother did. He made great mountains and waterfalls with treacherous drops, so that the people may die. He also created serpents and dangerous animals, which may harm the people. He also made two images out of clay, and they became apes.
Enigonhahetgea took the animals that his good brother had created and enclosed them up in part of the earth, but Enigorio released them, so that they could benefit mankind. Today, the drawings of these animals are located in the cave of their confinement.
Realizing that his brother thought only evil all the time, Enigorio bade Enigonhahetgea to walk with him. In short time, however, Enigonhahetgea feared for his life, and, whimpering and tearful, begged for a contest. They would fight, and whoever won would rule over the universe. Enigorio accepted.
On the day of the contest, the two brothers fought ferociously, ripping out trees and mountains. Finally, Enigorio pinned his brother to the earth with antlers. As Enigonhahetgea died, his last words were that he would govern the souls of the dead. He then sank into eternal darkness, where he became the Evil Spirit. Enigorio then went to earth, where he visited the peoples there. Afterwards, he retired.
-The Iroquois People
One of them searched the deep for land, and, retrieving it, brought it to the surface of the water. The land sank, however, for nothing was supporting it. As the woman, who was falling from a great height, drew closer, the Turtle volunteered, saying that he would support the earth. So the monsters retrieved more land, and placed it on the back of the Turtle. The woman landed comfortably on the back of the Turtle. As she reclined there, her labor pains increasing, the Turtle expanded and became a great portion of earth.
When the time of her labor arrived, one of the twins took it into his evil mind to deliver himself through her armpit. His brother, he of the good mind, labored to prevent it, but in vain. As the children were born, the woman died. The children, however, sustained themselves without her, and dwelt in the dark region for many years. In this time, the Turtle became the Great Island [North America], and the twins became men.
The monsters named the first man Enigonhahetgea [Bad Mind], for he had only evil in his heart. The second child was named Enigorio [Good Mind], for he was of a gentle disposition, and loved light. Enigorio desired to create light in the dark world, but his brother tried to prevent it.
Enigorio took the head of his mother and made it into a great orb, which gave light during the day, placing it in the center of the sky, so that the Island could move around it. He then took his mother's body and formed an inferior orb of light, so that it could give light upon the earth at night. He also created numerous points of light, and placed them in the sky, so that they may govern seasons, days, and years. Whenever the Great Light was extended, the monsters became displeased and hid themselves in the deep. Enigorio continued to create, making rivers, lakes, and numerous animals. He created these from the smallest to the largest, and bade them to fill the Island.
"Who shall possess this land?" he asked himself. So he created two images from the dust of the ground, male and female. He breathed into them and gave them life, and called them Ea-gwe-howe [Real People]. Then the rains came, bringing vegetation, and gave the Ea-gwe-howe sustenance.
In the meantime, Enigonhahetgea moved around the island, attempting to undo what his brother did. He made great mountains and waterfalls with treacherous drops, so that the people may die. He also created serpents and dangerous animals, which may harm the people. He also made two images out of clay, and they became apes.
Enigonhahetgea took the animals that his good brother had created and enclosed them up in part of the earth, but Enigorio released them, so that they could benefit mankind. Today, the drawings of these animals are located in the cave of their confinement.
Realizing that his brother thought only evil all the time, Enigorio bade Enigonhahetgea to walk with him. In short time, however, Enigonhahetgea feared for his life, and, whimpering and tearful, begged for a contest. They would fight, and whoever won would rule over the universe. Enigorio accepted.
On the day of the contest, the two brothers fought ferociously, ripping out trees and mountains. Finally, Enigorio pinned his brother to the earth with antlers. As Enigonhahetgea died, his last words were that he would govern the souls of the dead. He then sank into eternal darkness, where he became the Evil Spirit. Enigorio then went to earth, where he visited the peoples there. Afterwards, he retired.
-The Iroquois People
Tuesday, August 2, 2016
The Queen of Sheba's Goldmine
Archaeologists just discovered what they believe to be the Queen of Sheba's goldmine.
It's nice to see the archaeology world finally coming around to the
idea that her kingdom was in Ethiopia, something the residents have been
claiming for centuries. For the account of the Queen of Sheba's visit
to King Solomon, click here.
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