God’s Random Creation

 

I am working on a telescope mirror making project. I am grinding and polishing an 8” mirror by hand. So far I’ve put about 7 hours of work into it, and I estimate that I will put another 14 hours. These time estimates do not account for me messing up. One screw up will add two or three hours to the work load. Many people have asked me why I am doing this. I have access to a machine that can do the work for me, and I can buy a piece of glass that has been done by a professional company. So, why am I spending so much time on this project? Because I can do a better job than they can. And that is because of the power of randomness. Our hands and arms produce random motion and random pressure. And it’s that randomness that produces a near perfect spherical telescope mirror. A machine just can’t reproduce the kind of random motions our hands can. And the funny thing is we don’t have to try to be random. It happens automatically.

In the world of astrophysics the terms; random, chaos and uncertainty have become an important part of how science describes the creation. Let me give you an example. A photon can have mass or it doesn’t, depending upon how you experiment on it. A photon can be a wave length rippling through the cosmos or it isn’t. A photon can be in two places at once, or it can’t. What matters is how the experiment is set up. Different experiments give seemingly contradictory results. However, photons have to be this way in order to do their job. And that is, to give us heat and light, without killing us. Thus randomness is an important part of how the creation works.

Now us Christians do not like these terms. We believe that God has a plan for everything, and that chaos, randomness and uncertainty do not fit in with God’s plan. For us, these terms fall outside of God’s organized universe. But, what if God uses randomness in God’s creation? Let’s take a look at the book of Ecclesiastes and see what it says about this subject.

If clouds are full of water,
    they pour rain on the earth.
Whether a tree falls to the south or to the north,
    in the place where it falls, there it will lie.
Whoever watches the wind will not plant;
    whoever looks at the clouds will not reap. (Eccl 11:3-4)

This passage acknowledges the seeming randomness of our world. The clouds and rain come when they will; a tree falls where it may. A person who does not work regardless of these chaotic circumstances will not harvest a crop. Here is another passage that explains it further.

As you do not know the path of the wind,
    or how the body is formed in a mother’s womb,
so you cannot understand the work of God,
    the Maker of all things. (Eccl 11:5)

This passage acknowledges the seeming randomness, the path of the wind, and says that it is all a part of the work of God. And so, randomness is an important part of God’s creation. Just because we don’t fully understand why this is, doesn’t mean that God does not use randomness to make things work. Even chaos is a part of God’s amazing plan.

Soon I will return to the grind stone, literally, and attempt to create my near perfect mirror. Funny, it is the seeming imperfection of how I work that creates the seeming perfection of the star images in my eyepiece. Praise God today my friends, this is how God created the universe.

God bless you,

Pastor Bill
Uncovering God in Everything

Pray for the People of Syria

 
It's been 15 months since sects in Syria began their attacks against President Assad's regime. The violence is getting worse, and more innocent people are being killed.

President of Medical Teams International Bas Vanderzalm says, "There are over 100,000 people who are now receiving food. There are 65,000--and many more--now on the way as refugees, because it's just too difficult of a place. A number of them are Christians who are finding persecution and difficulty."
 
To Read More…

Why God Says No

 
Last week’s essay on this subject brought up the ages old question; why do bad things happen to good people? Why do people get cancer? Why do wars happen? Keeping in mind that this question is very difficult to answer, I will try to help with some of my ideas.

1 - All of us have freewill. We are unique in the universe. We have distinct personalities that contribute to the overall miracle of creation. Because we are created in God's image we make our own decisions, forge our own path in the cosmos. If God controlled our decision making, we would be robots. We would not be unique, and thus could not contribute to God's glory. As a result of God's great gift of individual personalities, we make mistakes and even commit evil actions. God wisely does not stop us from doing this because that would take away our freedom, would take away our uniqueness.

2 - The accidents of time. The core of the earth is hot, molten, and contains a lot of metal. This creates the magnetosphere which protects us from solar radiation. If we did not have a magnetosphere, our planet would be as dead as Mars. The same forces which create this shield, also cause earthquakes and volcanoes. Every natural catastrophe has something beneficial as the cause. Even cancer comes from biological processes that make our lives possible. We are concerned for ourselves and our loved ones. But God is concerned for everyone, and for all time. The accidents of time benefit more than they harm.

3 - God knows what is best for us. We know about yesterday and today. But God knows what is in our future. And God has prepared a wonderful future for all of us. God knows that the temporary afflictions of this day, will be quickly forgotten as we join Him in the eternal future. Having faith in God's plan for us is the greatest gift God has given to us, and the greatest challenge we face. It is very easy to give up hope. But the old saying is true; it may be dark on Friday, but Sunday is coming!

Peace,
Pastor Bill

Amazing Grace on Gas Can and Psaltery

The ingenuity of people is simply amazing. Not a bad sounding gas can!

Happy Friday, Pastor Bill

Why God Says No

If I ask God for something, and I have faith, will I get it? This question has been raised to me on many occasions. Today, I am pondering it anew. My daughter was recently in a production of 42^nd Street by the Rahway High School theater program. It was a great show, and I was present every night. I like to sit way up in the back of the theater. One night a young mom was in the nose bleed section with me watching her little girl run up and down the stairs. The little girl didn’t want to sit and watch the show, so she was scrambling all over the place. I was a little nervous about her getting hurt. But there didn’t seem to be anything I could do about it, so that was that. Now, if that were my daughter, she would have been sitting in her seat and if she didn’t like it I would have found a corner for her to stand in. My kids keep telling me what a tough dad I was, but I think I was just trying to protect them and teach them the rules of proper behavior. After all when children become adults, they have to live within the rules of society. If not they end up hurting themselves, hurting someone else, and/or in jail. So I see it as my job to teach my children how to function in the world, and that includes knowing when to say yes to them, and knowing when to say no.

When do I say no to my kids? The simple answer is, when I thought it was in their best interests. When do I say yes? Same answer. Job asked a simple question of God, why did this disaster happen to me? The answer he received was equally simple; I know what is best for you. Just like a wise parent knows how to guide his/her children into their future, God knows how best to prepare us for the long haul. “Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God” (Psalm 90:2). God is timeless and is not limited by time like we are. Therefore, God knows our past, our present and our future. “Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit” (Psalm 145:5). Each one of us is unique in the creation, and yet, God knows everything there is to know about us. “The LORD has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all” (Psalm 103:19). As a result, God is the wise ruler of the heavens, and knows what is best for us. As a result, when we make our petitions to God, sometimes He says yes and sometimes he says no, according to His Will for us.

Ah, but what about this quote; “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (John 15:7). The answer to this question resides in the words; if you remain in me and my words remain in you. What this means is that if we are connected to God through our faith in Jesus Christ, that spiritual connection will give us the ability to do God’s will. And if our petitions are in accord with God’s will, we will always receive the answer yes. In other words, getting what we want from God depends upon whether what we want is in accord with God’s plan for us. Just like the situation with my kids. When they ask for something that is good for them, they’ll always get a yes.

Now my kids are becoming adults and are almost on their own. The day is coming when they will be making decisions that are in my best interest. Man - that is going to be seriously weird.

God bless you,
Pastor Bill

More Prayers Needed for Iran

I have asked for prayer for Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani, now I am asking you to pray for his attorney, Mohammad Ali Dadkhah. He has been accused of acting against National Security because of his defense of Pastor Yousef. He could go to jail for nine years. Meanwhile, Pastor Yousef and his family wait to see if Iran will execute him. Please pray for these victims of persecution. Below is a statement from Attorney Dadkhah.

"I have been convicted of acting against the national security, spreading propaganda against the regime, and keeping banned books at home," Dadkhah told the Guardian.

Dadkhah has also reportedly been banned from teaching at universities or practicing law for 10 years.
The American Center for Law and Justice, which has been working to secure the release of Nadarkhani, fears the decision to jail Dadkhah puts the Christian pastor at greater risk.

"The news that this renowned human rights attorney has been sentenced to prison by Iranian officials is very troubling," Jordan Sekulow, executive director of ACLJ, said.

"With his attorney facing nine years in prison, and no other lawyer likely to take the case, Pastor Youcef has no legal advocate, which places him at greater risk," he said.
 
God bless you,
Pastor Bill

Cornell West, Prophet of the Poor

 
Below is an excerpt from New York Magazine about Cornell West, professor at Princeton University. He is an exciting speaker and an interesting person. He says he is a modern day prophet, read the article and decide for yourself.

In November 2007, Cornel West got onstage at the Apollo Theater in Harlem and before a hollering crowd of more than a thousand people, with much arm-­waving and wrist-flapping, along with a certain amount of ass-wagging, introduced his candidate for president of the United States—“my brother, my companion, and my comrade”—Barack Obama. “He’s an eloquent brother,” preached West. “He’s a good brother, he’s a decent brother.” Obama returned the sloppy kiss and pronounced West “an oracle.”

That compliment could not have been more apt, for West regards himself as a prophet more than a professor. He believes that he is called to teach God’s justice to a heedless nation. “There is a price to pay for speaking the truth,” reads the signature on e-mails coming from West’s office. “There is a bigger price for living a lie.” So when his view of the commander-in-chief changed from adoration to disappointment, West was moved to proclaim it out loud. He had already been lobbing rhetorical grenades in the direction of the Oval Office, calling the president “spineless” for his failure to make poor and working people a policy priority and “milquetoast” for kowtowing to corporate interests during the economic crisis. But in an interview with Truthdig, ­published last May, West went nuclear. He called Obama “the black mascot of Wall Street oligarchs.” And then he said he wanted to “slap him,” as the article put it, “on the side of his head.”

In the white world of mainstream media, the interview made a few headlines. But in precincts of the left, and among certain African-American scholars, it unleashed a tide of anguish. West has been an intellectual celebrity for three decades, protected and cherished by his like-minded comrades, but the nasty tone of his Truthdig comments caused many of his closest colleagues to question their devotion, to suspect his motives, and to wonder whether West’s prominence had finally exceeded his merit. Their concerns were in part pragmatic: As the 2012 election approached, some thought West might make his case better if he weren’t quite so mean.
 
Read the Rest of the Article from New York Magazine…

Arming Clergy in the Philippines

“Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword. (Matthew 26:52.)

THE SPATE OF KILLINGS perpetrated against Philippine journalists in recent years may have compelled the drafting of a Senate Bill which seeks to arm not only accredited media people, but the clergy and other professionals as well.


Senate Bill 2993, principally authored by Senator Panfilo Lacson, proposes to arm members of the Philippine Bar, Certified Public Accountants, accredited media practitioners, cashiers, bank tellers, priests, ministers, rabbi, imams, physicians and nurses, engineers and businesspersons.

To read more…

Pray for FBC Rahway’s Senior Ministry

 
Howdy Friends, I wanted to give you an idea of what we are doing at Atria Assisted Living in Cranford. This is a new ministry we are putting together at a local senior home. I was over on Tuesday singing and praying with a few of the ladies (so far no men have attended, what’s up with that?) and I figured I would talk a little bit about the people there.
 
Nancy is a lovely lady originally from North Carolina. She speaks with a slight southern accent, which tipped me off right away that she wasn’t from around here. She moved up to NJ to be with her children and came to Atria just a few months ago because she became confined to a wheelchair and her kid’s home couldn’t accommodate her. Nancy is slightly hard of hearing but that doesn’t stop her from singing along with the old gospel songs I sing with the guitar when I visit.
 
Marge is another of the women who come and enjoy the music we sing. She lived in Florida for 30 years after retiring there with her husband. Sadly he died of cancer a while ago and she decided to stay there because she had so many friends in the area. Marge came to NJ because she fell and broke her hip. She to is confined to a wheelchair and she choose Atria because it was close to her children. Marge’s vision isn’t so good, but she can hear well and has a good sense of humor. Her favorite songs are “Amazing Grace” and “In the Garden”.
 
I teach a Bible Study at Atria on Thursday’s at 6PM. I hope to write about some of the other people who attend that meeting. Please pray for Nancy and Marge and all of the folks at Atria. Thank You.
 
Blessings,
Pastor Bill

Worldwide Ministry on the Web

Global Media Outreach is a global ministry presenting the good news of Jesus Christ online 24/7. Our goal is to stay on the cutting edge of global communication technologies to share Jesus and help believers grow in their faith worldwide.

Learn More…

Amazing Grace Aretha Franklin 1972

Just a glimpse of how awesome a singer this woman is.

God and the Cosmic Microwave Background

Promoting Science and Faith



(Photo by Helder Jacinto)

A week ago I was at an astronomy club meeting and I heard a brilliant lecture by Dr. Michele Limon from Columbia University. He talked about the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) and his cutting edge research into this amazing subject. Several days afterwards, my friend Helder and I rushed to take a look at the Horn Antenna, a microwave receiver from the 1960’s that established the existence of the CMB. This very obscure antenna (how many of you reading this right now have heard the name?) is responsible for one of the greatest discovery’s of the twentieth century. This crazy looking object should be as famous as the Hubble telescope, but it is hiding in plain sight in Holmdel NJ right near the Garden State Parkway. In a way it is just like the CMB. It too has been hiding in plain sight since the beginning of time. And why is it important? It is an imprint, or an echo of the creation of the universe.
 
The CMB was discovered by accident. Arno Penzias and Robert Wilson were doing telecommunication research for Bell Labs when they discovered microwave noise that came from every direction and was at a uniform temperature. There were theories about the CMB being written by math geniuses around the world, but these guys nailed it down. When the universe was first created, the energy levels were extreme. So extreme, that if we were exposed to them today all life on earth would be fried to a crisp. Over time the universe has expanded and the energy levels have spread out to the point where we are safe from dangerous exposure. The CMB has slight temperature variations in it, which are due to large galaxy clusters absorbing part of the radiation. Because of this we can ‘see’ how the universe formed and from that derive how it came to look like it does today.
 
LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
   You have set your glory in the heavens (Psalm 8:1)


The psalmist looked up at the sky and cried glorified God, because of how magnificent the heavens are. I say the same thing when I consider the CMB and how it gives us the ability to look back in time and see the creation of the universe. Rather than consider the universe as something mechanical, I see it as a creation of relationships. All of the cosmos is in relationship with itself, even the tiny photons that make up the CMB. While they fly through the vastness of space they experience slight changes in velocity and wavelength, which are due to their interaction with massive material structures such as galaxy clusters. Eventually they are captured by our microwave receivers. Thus with the CMB we can picture and analyze the relationship between energy and matter in the universe. In the same way, God created the world in which we exist upon one of relationships. Large societal structures (governments) interact with people in ways that affect even the most obscure individual. Even if we hide in the woods, we are in relationship with our environment and with the other inhabitants of our world. God created a universe that is in relationship with itself. And that includes you and I.
 
When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place.
What is mankind that you are mindful of us,
   human beings that you care for us? (Psalm 8:3-4)


There is a reason that we are in relationship with the world around us. It is because God cares for all of us. God made a remarkable universe just for you and I to live in. The universe is beautifully balanced to create a place where we can exist. The early universe had to be highly energetic in order for the energy to exist for us to live on a world bathed in sunlight. But at the same time, the universe had to expand in order for the radiation to spread out and become less lethal to living things. The CMB shows us the process that God created that went from high energy to moderate energy, from nothingness to structure. All of this was done so that you and I can exist in this time and place. All of this we done because God cares for us.
 
So, marvel at the creation my friends. It was created for us.
 
LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
 
God bless you,
Pastor Bill

Special Easter Presentation by Rahway Telugu Kids

All Out War in South Sudan

Tragedy in the Sudan. The war is on again and villages are being destroyed. Above is a recent video by Samaritan's Purse on the suffering of the people of Sudan. Please pray for these people.

Below is a link to Samaritan's Purse that has more information.

To Learn More...

Amazing Grace for Jazz Bassoon

Embrace the Adventure

 
I used to get really mad when I was lost while driving. My poor wife has had to suffer through several of my ‘which way do I go’ meltdowns. I really hate the feelings of fear and confusion that wash over me when I don’t know where I am and which direction I should be going in. But I have found a way to defeat these feelings. I try to replace them by filling up my head with the idea that I am on an adventure. Instead of cursing myself and the world, I try and think about how I’ve never been to this place before and the houses are really interesting and maybe we’ll stumble onto a new and wonderful place that we may want to return to again and again. Strangely enough this strategy has worked. I am much calmer when we are wandering around. We are not lost, we are experiencing an adventure. The thing is, by their very nature, adventures can be very stressful.

The story of Joseph in Genesis chapters 37-50 is one huge adventure. It is such a compelling story it was made into a Broadway show and Movie. I call the Joseph story an adventure because it has all of the classic elements of one. It has heroes and villains. It features the suffering and possible death of the innocent. It has God coming to the rescue of our troubled hero just in the nick of time. The guilty are brought to justice and then forgiven. It all ends in a wonderfully happy ending. Who could ask for more?

The story of Joseph shows us that God is in the adventure business. Just like Joseph we are often challenged with difficult situations in which there doesn’t seem to be any way out. And just like Joseph when all seems lost, God comes into our life and pulls a happy ending out of nowhere. That is because God is in the happy ending business as well. God always wants what is best for us. Sometimes that means trouble. But if you have faith, it always results in a happy ending.

So the next time you feel like you are lost, just embrace the adventure.
 
Peace,
Pastor Bill

Pray for the People of Sudan

Above is a picture of a church built by Samaritan’s Purse in 2009 and recently destroyed by government aircraft. The civil war continues in that country, and a big part of that war is the animosity between Muslim’s and Christian’s.

Please pray for the people of Sudan.

Read more…

Amish at Play

Two interesting links today. The first link is to an article from The New York Times about a resort in Florida that caters to Plain folks; Amish and Mennonites from Pennsylvania and Ohio (Plain is the word they use to describe themselves). Plain families go during the winter months to relax and play in the sun, just like everyone else. I thought the Plain folk never took vacations. You learn something new everyday.

The second link is to a Blog created by a Plain woman who posts pictures of the Amish enjoying themselves in Florida and interacting with the locals. I found the pictures to be wonderful.

In the purpose of full disclosure, I am not a fan of the Plain folk. My Mom’s family is from Southeast Pennsylvania and my Uncle was a Minister in that area. And so I have a lot of experience with that unique culture. I’ll just say that they are not as cute and cuddly as they appear. However, the men do grow great beards. Peace, Pastor Bill.

NY Times article…

Pictures of Amish at Play…

Why Believe in God?

 
Betsy and I went on our annual Easter Campout this week. Betsy is a teacher and I am a minister, so we both get a little burnt out when Easter rolls around. We packed up our trailer and head out to the wilderness expecting some wonderful experiences. We were anticipating sitting beside a warm fire, we were expecting to meet and talk with other campers, and we were hoping to be able to relax and enjoy a few days with nothing else to do except enjoy each other’s company.
 
Of course, things don’t always go as planned. First there was a ban on campfires. This was because it has been an extremely dry spring, and we were experiencing high winds. We hauled boxes of wood down there for nothing. And it was extremely cold. Too bad so sad, no fire allowed. Second, the campground just opened the day we arrived. That meant that we were one of the very few campers to be enjoying the week. Too bad so sad, no other campers to talk with. However, my third expectation was fulfilled. Betsy and I had a wonderful time together. Even though the nights were cold, the days were clear and warm. We spent time on the beach, did some bird watching and some wine tasting. In general we relaxed and enjoyed each other’s company. And that is what it was all about.
 
Everyone needs a present, and everyone needs a future.
 
By saying, everyone needs a present I mean that we all need to know that there are people in our lives that will be present when and if we need them. Everyone needs to know someone cares for them. Everyone needs to know someone will be faithful to them. Everyone needs to know that they are important to someone else. Betsy and I are comfortable and confident that we will always have someone present for us when we are in need.
 
But, here is an interesting question. What about people who have had terrible break-ups with spouses, friends and/or family? If your present has been blown apart by someone walking out on you, why try again? I have friends who have just recently walked out on their spouses. Not too long after that they walked into the arms of someone new. Why try again? If you had a tough experience living with someone, why take another shot?
 
The answer is in the second concept, everyone needs a future. All of us need to believe that things are going to be better. I think I am not exaggerating when I say that everyone has a set of expectations about their future, and they will pursue those expectations regardless of what has happened in the past. My friends have jumped right back into relationships because they believe that their new spouses will be faithful, supportive and caring. Of course that might not happen, but everyone hopes that it will.
 
“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see” (Hebrews 11:1). So why believe in God? First, because we all need a present. We need to know that someone is here with us right now who will be faithful, supportive and caring. And I can tell you from my experience that this is true. God has been faithfully with me since as far back as I can remember. And I know that God will never leave me. And that leads to statement number two, we all need a future. We need to know that someone is with us who will be faithful and supportive and caring into our future. The Bible promises that God will be with us forever. And the Bible also promises people who have faith, that our future will extend into eternity. Everyone needs hope that the future will get better. God provides that hope.
 
The next time Betsy and I go camping; we will be able to have a fire, we will meet new and interesting people and we will have fun. Now I can’t guarantee the first two items, but I can guarantee the last one.
 
Peace,
Pastor Bill

Chris Tomlin Amazing Grace