The 4-Finger Pianist

What would you do if you were born with a total of four fingers?  For 25-year-old Hee Ah Lee, she became a concert Pianist.  Lee was born with some severe physical deformities.  She was born with two fingers on each hand and only half of her legs.  Despite her small stature and physical challenges, she has done amazing things with the talents she was blessed with.  Please watch this video.

Hee Ah Lee has unbelievable talent on the piano, even with the roadblocks she has had in her life.  As we think about what this amazing young lady has achieved in her life, hopefully it makes us think about our talent and potential.  Too often we focus on what we can’t do, and not what we can do.  We tend to look at other people and wish we could be them, not ourselves.  God has blessed each and every one of us with talents and abilities.  Sometimes we let these skills sit and collect dust, never using them in the way God had intended.  Sometimes we let discouragement prevent us from becoming great.

Surly Hee Ah Lee has had moments of severe discouragement and depression in her life, but clearly this has not dampened her spirit or her drive to be something exceptional.  And exceptional she has become.  She kept working on what she could do, and became quite good at it.

What skills has God blessed you with?  Whatever it may be, let’s be sure to use them to His glory.  Like Lee, let’s never get discouraged by the difficulties we may face, but keep on honing our talents.  God has always been able to take something small and insignificant and make it extraordinary.  Hee Ah Lee might be considered small and insignificant in some people’s eyes, but clearly she took what God gave her, and has become extraordinary.  So, we will leave with this question: What can God do with you and your skills?

Namaqua Chameleon

Chameleons are just awesome.  Period.  Some of the abilities they possess are unlike any other.  They are able to change color to camouflage themselves.  They are able to hunt prey by launching out their sticky tongues.  But even with all of these abilities, there is one chameleon that stands above the rest.  It is the Namaqua chameleon.

This chameleon can only be found in the southeast areas of Africa.  Most chameleons are known for living in forest habitats, but this chameleon actually thrives in the desert.  How is it able to do something like this?  Well, God has blessed this creature with some very unique abilities.  Let’s examine some of them:

(1) Special feet. Since most chameleons live in forest areas, their toes are fused into groups of three and two.  They use their feet like forceps and grip onto the branches.  If the Namaqua chameleon had the same feet as other chameleons, it would have a difficult time moving through the desert.  Unlike the others, this chameleon is able to spread its toes.  This provides more surface area on its foot and gives it the ability to walk on the sand without sinking.  Think of it like a “snowshoe” effect.  While this may seem small and insignificant, it is rarely seen in any other chameleon.  It is a specialized characteristic of the Namaqua.

(2) Hunting abilities. Not only can it move easily through the desert sand with its specialized feet, it is even able to run to catch prey.  If you have ever tried to run in sand, then you know how difficult it can be.  Most chameleons can’t run at all, much less run in sand.  Chameleons normally just wait around for the opportunity, or move slowly towards their prey.  The Namaqua can sprint in the sand and run down its prey.  It needs to be able to do this since food is scarce in the desert and it can’t afford to waist an opportunity.  So, it is able to run and launch out its sticky tongue, making it superior in the chameleon family.  This chameleon is perfectly equipped to catching prey in a tough environment like the desert.

(3) Color changing abilities. Like all other chameleons, the Namaqua chameleon changes the color of its body for camouflage.  But unlike most chameleons, the Namaqua has to deal with scorching temperatures in the day, and near freezing temperatures at night.  The Namaqua uses its color changing abilities to overcome this.  In the morning, when it needs to warm up, it will change to a very dark color to absorb the heat.  In the hottest part of the day, it will change to a very light color to keep cool.  Sometimes this chameleon will even turn one of its sides dark and keep the other side light depending on how it wants to regulate its body temperature.  Not only is this color change going to keep the chameleon cool, but it will also help it conserve water; something that is just a little bit important in the desert.  Once again, the Namaqua is completely equipped to handle life in the desert.

If any other chameleon was put in the desert to survive, it simply would not last.  The desert is an incredibly harsh and unforgiving environment.  So, how is the Namaqua chameleon able to survive?  Most scientists stick with the popular answer of evolution.  But how could a chameleon learn such abilities and adaptations to survive?  If it wasn’t able to spread its toes, it wouldn’t be able to move around the desert well and certainly would have a very tough time catching prey.  Not to mention it had to learn to run.  Also, how did it know to change color to regulate its body temperature?  If it didn’t learn to change color to keep cool in the day, it would fry in the desert heat.  Like we just stated, the desert is cruel and doesn’t exactly give second chances.  The Namaqua chameleon is unlike any other chameleon.  It is able to survive in the desert because that is exactly how God made it.

God is almighty.  God is great.  The Namaqua chameleon is just one more brilliant creation that tells of God’s magnificence.

Click Here For Video

Namaqua chameleon camouflaging.

Absorbing heat in the cool morning.

Cooling down in the desert heat.

Rattlesnake Ambush

While hunting deer in the Tehama Wildlife Area near Red Bluff in northern California, Jay Rathman climbed up a slope of a rocky gorge.  He raised his head to look over the ledge and sensed movement to the right of his face.  As he turned, a coiled rattler struck with lightning speed, just missing Rathman’s right ear.  The four-foot snake’s fangs got snagged in the neck of Rathman’s wool turtleneck sweater, and the force of the strike caused it to land on his left shoulder.  Then it began to coil around his neck.  He grabbed it behind the head with his left hand and could feel the warm venom running through the sweater and down the skin of his neck, the rattles making a furious racket the entire time.  He fell backward and slid headfirst down the steep slope through brush and lava rocks, his rifle and binoculars bouncing beside him.

“As luck would have it,” he said in describing the incident to a Department of Fish and Game official, “I ended up wedged between some rocks with my feet caught uphill from my head.  I could barely move.”  So, he got his right hand on his rifle and used it to disengage the fangs from his sweater.  Unfortunately the snake had enough leverage to strike again.

“He made about eight attempts and managed to hit me with his nose just below my eye about four times.  I kept my face turned so he couldn’t get a good angle with his fangs, but it was very close.  This chap and I were eyeball to eyeball and I found out that snakes don’t blink.  He had fangs like darning needles…I had to choke him to death.  It was the only way out.  I was afraid that with all the blood rushing to my head I might pass out.”

Soon after this, Rathman made his way to game warden Dave Smith.  Warden Dave Smith said of his meeting with Rathman: “He walked toward me holding this string of rattles and said with a sort of grin on his face, ‘I’d like to register a complaint about your wildlife here’” (Story from: The Quest for Character, by Charles R. Swindoll).

What a vicious ambush by this rattlesnake!  Rathman had almost no time to do anything but defend himself.  While hopefully we will never be ambushed by a rattlesnake, people are ambushed daily in different forms.  Most of the time ambushes come in the form of an angry and emotional person.  Such a person strikes like a snake and words become like venom.  When this happens, our most natural response is to get defensive and argumentative.  Unfortunately, getting defensive usually just turns up the heat and can result in tempers rising and uncontrolled words flying off the tongue.  So, when we are ambushed like this, what can we do?

Scripture offers several solutions.  (1) REACT IN LOVE.  Love and pray for such people (Matthew 5:44-48).  Don’t get immediately defensive.  Let’s first respond in a loving way, and then remember to pray for this person and the situation later when we get a chance.  (2) REPAY WITH GOOD.  We should never repay evil for evil, but always seek to repay evil for good (1 Thessalonians 5:15; Romans 12:17; 1 Peter 3:9).  Our response should not be to attack the person back.  Take the high road.  Just because they acted this way doesn’t mean we should.  (3) RESPOND GENTLY.  Kind words turn away wrath, but harsh words will just stir things up (Proverbs 15:1, 18; 25:20).  It is difficult to respond gently to an ambushing attack on us.  But as we see in these Scriptures, a harsh response is just going to make it worse. A gentle answer is always going help the situation.

Being ambushed is not fun on any level, but the reality is that it happens.  So, when it does happen, let’s remember to react in love, to repay evil for good, and to respond with a gentle answer.

HU Queer Press – Homosexuals at Harding University

Controversy has been swirling around Harding University.  About three weeks ago, a group of homosexual students came together to produce “HU Queer Press” and their self-published magazine called “The State of the Gay at Harding University.”  This work included the testimonies of several gay and lesbian students at Harding.  In it, these students discuss personal stories and feelings, political critiques, and religious thoughts.  The goal of this magazine was to have their voices heard, gain and give support, and to express what it meant and felt like to be gay at a Christian University.  So, that night, the students swept through campus and put a copy of their publication in every dorm and under almost every door.  Knowing that Harding would respond negatively to this magazine, they also put it online.  Soon after it appeared on campus, Harding blocked the website, addressed the student body, and either expelled the students or enrolled them into a therapy program.

Since this story came out, their publication has appeared on at least six different campuses, in publications like the New Yorker, Arkansas Times, Jezebel, Huffington Post, and in many other blogs and media sources.  Change.org has even put together a petition, with over 1,000 signatures, to tell Harding to change their rules.  When this came out, many students on campus went around getting signatures for a similar petition.  It seems like the majority of people are furious about Harding’s decision.  Some have said that Harding has violated the right of “free speech” and others say that Harding has misunderstood Scripture.

So, with so much controversy on this issues, where should Christians stand?  Let’s address several categories.

Harding’s Rights.  Many people have claimed that Harding is in the wrong for blocking HU Queer Press’ magazine online and expelling students.  In reality, Harding actually had every right to do what they did.  Being a private, Christian University, Harding has the right to enforce the rules they make.  Also, every student who goes to Harding is given a copy of the handbook and knows (or is at least expected to know) the rules and must follow them.  So, according to Harding’s handbook, these students violated at least three rules.  (1) Any literature to be displayed or distributed (physically or online) must have prior approval.  HU Queer Press did not do this.  (2) The handbook states that the students are not allowed to put up material that is “threatening, obscene, discriminating, harassing, defamatory, or contrary in any way to the mission of Harding University.”  Their publication includes cursing, descriptions of homosexual feelings and acts, and more.  Clearly HU Queer Press violated Harding’s rule on this.  (3) The handbook states that sexual immorality in any form will result in suspension from the university.  Homosexuality is certainly a form of sexual immorality.  Harding had every right to do what they did.  They were not violating “free speech” or any right.  These students violated Harding’s rules and were met with just punishment.

What the Bible Says. Throughout Scripture we see God directly approve of only one type of intimate relationship: the relationship between a man and a woman (Genesis 1-2; 2:18f; 2:24; Matthew 19:1f; 1 Corinthians 3:18f; Ephesians 5:22f; 1 Peter 3:1f; etc).  Nowhere in Scripture is a homosexual relationship approved of.  Those who claim this are twisting the text, speculating details, and assuming unsupported conclusions.

Here is one example of such twisting and assuming.  In the account of Sodom (Genesis 19) when Lot was housing two angels, the men of the city came to Lot and told him to “bring them out to us that we may have relations with them” (vs. 5).  Some claim this is a sin of “inhospitality,” not homosexuality.  But once again, one has to twist and assume things to reach this conclusion.  Genesis 18:20 states that Sodom and Gomorrah’s sins were exceedingly grave and were soon after destroyed (Genesis 19:27-29).  So, these cities have exceedingly grave sins and yet “inhospitality” is the only sin that is listed?  It just doesn’t make sense.  It does make sense if it is a homosexual act though.  Not only does the text itself tell of homosexuality, but Scriptures such as 2 Peter 2:6-8 and Jude 5-7 also claim that the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah were homosexual ones.  The sin here is homosexuality.

Besides this account, the Old Testament directly condemns homosexuality (Leviticus 18:22, 29; 20:13; etc).  So does the New Testament (Romans 1:26-28; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; 1 Timothy 1:9-10; etc).  Not only does the Bible teach that homosexuality is a sin, but it also claims that these sins can be controlled and changed.  In 1 Corinthians 6:11, after talking about some of the sinful behaviors people were engaging in (homosexuality is mentioned), Paul said, “Such were some of you….”  In other words, they changed their ways.

People try by many means and many ways to justify homosexuality.  The problem is, the writers of the Bible were given by God the exact words to say.  They didn’t say anything about “inhospitality” or “idolatry” or “temple prostitution” or whatever else people try to claim.   The reason is because this was not what God said or wanted.  These biblical writers claim that homosexuality is sinful, and this is exactly what they were inspired by God to say.

Where Should We Stand? There are two areas in which a Christian should stand.  (1) Just like with the BYU controversy with premarital sex, we have the option to either stand with our culture, or we can stand with the Bible.  I would much rather stand with the wisdom of God than with the wisdom of men (Isaiah 55:9).  We should stand against our culture, against homosexuality, and stand with Scripture.  (2) We should stand against bullying and acting hateful towards homosexuals.  We should never speak or act in a hateful or bullying way towards homosexuals.  We should hate the sin, not the sinner.  Just like we would talk with someone dealing with any other sin, the truth needs to be told boldly, but in love (Ephesians 4:15).

It is tragic that Harding has had to deal with so much ridicule and controversy over HU Queer Press the last few weeks.  However, from what we see in Scripture, Harding stands exactly where God has commanded in Scripture concerning homosexuality.  Our culture says homosexuality is acceptable.  More people and churches are swaying with our culture in accepting homosexuality.  We can either stand with our culture, or we can stand with the Bible. Where do you stand?  I hope and pray it is with God and against the sin of homosexuality.

Angels

Angels are incredible and mysterious beings.  We read about these beings throughout the Bible and it is always interesting to read about them.  So, what exactly do we know about angels?  Let’s see what Scripture reveals about them.

1. While angels have many different roles, the Greek and Hebrews words for angel simply mean “messenger.”

2. Some people have thought that people turn into angels after death, but according to Scriptures like Psalm 148:2, 5; Nehemiah 9:6; Colossians 1:16-17, angels were created by God.  We don’t know exactly when this happened, but perhaps it was done when God created the “heavens” in Genesis 1:1, or perhaps even before this (Job 38:4-7 – “sons of God”).

3. The appearance of angels is tough to pin down.

- Many times angels appear in the form of humans (Genesis 18; 19:1, 5; Hebrews 13:2etc).

- Angels appear as men, not women or children (Genesis 18:2; Genesis 19:1, 5; Mark 16:5; etc).

- Angels can have a terrifying appearance.  Matthew said the angel he saw had an appearance “like lightning’” (Matthew 28:2-3).  Many times when people see an angel, they instantly become afraid (Luke 1:12; 2:9; Matthew 28:5; etc).

- Angels are sometimes referred to as “spirits” (Hebrews 1:14).  So, it’s possible that they can be invisible.  While it doesn’t quite seem to fit, it’s possible that the great “invisible army” in 2 Kings 6:16-20 was actually an army of angels.

Overall, angels only are seen when they want to be.  They are truly incredibly being that can appear like normal people, or “like lightning.”  That’s amazing.

4. Angels are incredibly powerful.  In Matthew 28:2, an angel removed the stone in front of Jesus’ tomb, a stone which would have been very difficult for several people to move.  In 2 Kings 19:35, we see the “angel of the Lord” go out and kill 185,000 people in one night.

5. Angels are not all knowing.  Not even angels know when the Lord will return (Matthew 24:36).

6. Not all angels are good.  It appears that Satan is actually an angel who disobeyed God and was cast out of heaven (Luke 10:17-18; 2 Corinthians 10:14).  Angels are capable of sin, and when they did this, God cast them out of heaven (1 Peter 2:4).

Angels are certain amazing beings.  There is a lot we know, and even more that we don’t.  I look forward to the day when we are able to see these beings.  It will be even better when we are able to praise God together with the angels in heaven.

“I Missed It Again!”

About a month ago Julie’s uncle Rick nearly passed away.  For most of his life he has struggled with an inoperable brain tumor.  As his condition worsened, so have his chances of living.  In fact, he has come near to death many times now.  In his latest “close call,” Rick was in ICU and was unresponsive for days.  The doctors really did not see much hope and it was looking like his time had come.  But, as he has done several other times, he made a turn around.  He started improving.  He began responding.  Soon, he was even able to speak again, and out of his mouth came some very powerful, encouraging, yet thought provoking words.  Realizing he almost had died again, he said, “Ah man!  I missed it again.”  Rick was saying that he missed going away to heaven!

I’m not sure I have ever heard a negative comment come from Rick.  He has always been happy and cheerful.  Despite the depressing and troubling fact that he nearly died, he still came out with a joyful comment.  As a member of the church, he obviously has been looking forward to heaven.  What a great statement!  What a great attitude to have!

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 describes the coming of Christ and what glorious day that should be to us.  2 Timothy 4:8 talks about people who will “love” the appearing of Christ.  Philippians 1:21 talks about how living is for Christ, and dying is an achievement (going to heaven).

There are two mindsets for the Christian.  (1) We are either happy to die and for Christ to come, or (2) we don’t want to die and are fearful of Christ’s return.  It is somewhat natural to be afraid of death and Christ’s coming because there are mysterious details that make these events kind of scary.  However, if we are living faithfully, then what is there to fear?  In either death or Christ’s coming, a faithful person will go to heaven.  However, if we are living sinfully, then we certainly do not want to die and face the punishment of hell, nor for Christ to return and realize our time is up.

We can know where we are going by comparing our lives to Scripture.  1 John 1:5-10 talks about how we are either living in the light, or we are living in the darkness (living in sin).  Like the apostle Paul, Rick is one who is clearly looking forward to dying and going to heaven. Like Rick, let’s have a, “I missed it again,” type of attitude.  Every day let’s look forward to being with the Lord.

So, the question is, are we happy about dying and Christ coming?  Or are we afraid of these events?  Wherever our spiritual lives are right now, let’s get them to the point where we can look forward to the next life.

Nothing New Under The Sun

 

BY DENNY PETRILLO

The wise man Solomon observed “there is nothing new under the sun” (1:9).  He had noted that generations come and go, like they always have(1:4); the sun rises and sets as it always has (1:5); the wind continues to blow and rivers flow (1:6-7) – as they always have.

There are two ways of viewing this fact – that there “is nothing new.”  First, one might consider it proof that there is a hopeless monotony to life.  Life is, basically, boring, unchanging and wearisome.  Second, one might find the fact that there is nothing new under the sun as a comforting, stabilizing truth.  There are some things we can count on.

Solomon wanted to demonstrate a very important point: life without God is wearisome, repetitive and hopeless.   Yet life with God is comforting, exciting, stable and hope-filled.

Considering the point that there is “nothing new under the sun,” there are several truths related to God that is not new:

1)     The nature of God is not new.  He is still the all-powerful Lord of the universe.  In the NT this idea is comforting because we know that God won’t change (cf. with Jesus Christ – Heb. 13:8).

2)     God’s work is not new (3:14).  It will (a) remain forever; (b) not be added to; (c) not be taken from.  Men may attempt to change the gospel or the plan of salvation – but those are part of the immutable, unchanging will of God.

3)     The plan of God for man is not new.  God wants men to (a) fear Him – 3:14; (b) live holy lives; (c) to prepare to face Him in eternity.  God “set eternity” in man’s heart (3:11).

4)     The nature of man is not new. It remains true that God made men upright but he has sought out many devises.  This teaches us that it is not “natural” for men to sin – in other words God did not create man so that he would sin.  This would have been against the basic characteristic of God (cf. Jas. 1:13-14).  Rather, man was created good.  Nevertheless, all sin (Rom. 3:23).  This was true in Solomon’s day and remains true today.

Solomon emphasized that all men must seek to do good and live to please God.  So also is it today.  God wants all men to “conform to the image of His Son” (Rom. 8:29-30) and to obey His word (John 12:48).

A Life Changing Mistake

The last time the BYU men’s basketball team was this good was 23 years ago.  The number 3 ranked cougars have had an incredible year and were most likely going to be one of the number 1 seeds going in the “the big dance,” the NCAA Basketball Tournament (aka March Madness).  Everything was looking great until Brandon Davis, a key part of their team, was suspended.  Davis had been averaging over 11 points, 6.2 rebounds, and was a dominant defensive force.  In the first game without him, his presence was greatly missed and the cougars went down 82-64 to a very average and unranked New Mexico team, which was BYU’s worst loss of the season.  This was the first home loss they have had all year long.

There has been a pouring out of emotions over Brandon Davis’ suspension.  The majority of people are very upset about this situation and feel Davis has the right the play.  In a recent poll conducted by New York Daily news, 57% did not think he should have been suspended (NYdailynews).  So, what did Davis do that was so bad?  He had premarital sex with his girlfriend.

BYU is a Mormon school.  According to their honor code, any premarital sex is prohibited and is subject to punishment.  In Davis’ case, he was suspended from the team and will not be allowed to play for the rest of year.  Despite this rule, most people are looking at this situation and saying, “This is ridiculous!  It’s college!  What did you expect?  Guys are guys.  You can’t put those kinds of rules on people!”  Since his basketball team has been so good and this situation has been so influential, this has truly been a life-changing mistake.

Since this story has come out, media sources like ESPN, radio stations, newspapers, and blogs have been bashing BYU for this rule.  Even though people are upset and this will probably ruin their championship hopes, I applaud BYU.  While there are certainly many parts of the Mormon doctrine that are in direct violation of the Bible, this one is 100% correct.  The Bible clearly states that fornication, which generally is defined as sex outside of marriage, is a sin (1 Corinthians 6:9; Matthew 15:19-20; Acts 15:20; etc).  Hebrews 13:4 states,  “Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled, for fornicators and adulterers God will judge.”  The way that we dishonor the marriage bed is though premarital sex and adultery.

Between 1954-2003, Lawrence B. Finer did a study about the “Trends in Premarital Sex in the United States.”  He found out that by age 20, 75% had had premarital sex, and by age 44, 95% had had sex before marriage.  After finding these results, Finer stated, “This is reality-check research.  Premarital sex is normal behavior for the vast majority of Americans, and has been for decades” (Click Here For Full Study).  It’s no wonder people disagree with suspending Brandon Davis.  The overwhelming majority of our culture believes premarital sex is okay.

Our society is becoming more sinful all the time.  Clearly our culture approves of and participates in premarital sex.  This is a good time for us to be reminded that while we are in this world, we are not to follow the world in their sins (John 15:18-19; Romans 12:2; 1 Peter 1:13-14).  Our culture endorses premarital sex, God clearly does not.  If we wish to please God, we must stand against our culture on issue like these.  Standing with our culture and even doing what they think is right would not only be a life changing mistake, but quite possibly a mistake that changes our eternity.

Despite what everyone else is saying, BYU was absolutely right in having and enforcing this rule.  I applaud BYU’s courage to have a rule like this, uphold this rule, and standing against all the negative weight our culture has placed on them.  Shouldn’t we also stand against our culture like this?  Everyday more people are straying away from the Bible and standing with our culture in sin.  When all of the cards are laid, where will we stand?  Will we stand with our culture, or will we stand with God?

Handling the Pressure

(William Beebe (pictured left) and Frederick Otis Barton, Jr. standing next to the bathysphere)

The ocean is an incredible part of our world.  It is beautiful and essential for life.  Yet, it is also vast and mysterious.  For ages people have wondered what was on the ocean floor.  On August 15, 1934, Otis Barton and William Beebe came closer than ever before.  On that day they descended to a depth of 3,028 feet into the dark ocean, a record which remained unbroken for 15 years.

The way they achieved this was through a spherical deep-sea submersible called a bathysphere.  This submersible was made with very thick cast steel in order to handle the remarkable pressure at such depths.  The water pressure is so great that no person can survive without protection.

The most amazing part of this journey was when they went down and then turned on the lights.  What did they see?  Fish!  These fish were just roaming around as free and careless as ever.  How could the fish do this?  They simply compensate for the pressure outside by having equal pressure on the inside.  These fish did not need thick cast steel to swim around; they were just made that way by God.

In our world there is an unfair amount of pressure on people.  This pressure comes in all forms from almost every angle.  Sometimes the pressure of this life is truly enough to break someone.  So, how can we handle such pressure?  The answer is not to become thick-skinned.  It’s not to become cold and unfeeling.  The way to handle the pressure of this life is to compensate with the right power on the inside.

Psalm 27:1 says, “The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread?”

Isaiah 41:10 states, “Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God, I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.”

There are countless Scriptures that talk about the strength we have when God is in our life.  Truly there is no greater way to handle the outside pressure than to have God’s great power working within us.