Nobody Does it Better

A TV commercial had a high-impact phrase that was designed to capture attention, build trust, and cause immediate action. The phrase was, “Nobody Does it Better.” Of course, there have been several companies who have used this phrase including Safeway (food), L.J. Hooker (real estate), Wella Balsam (hair care), and Ford (auto manufacturer). Each of these companies wanted people to know that their product, or what they do, is the very best. When seeing the commercial with that phrase, my thoughts focused on God, not on the product they were trying to sell. Companies and people do not do anything better. It is always God who does things better than anyone or anything. What God has created and what he personally possesses is obviously bigger and it is better than anything we could ever imagine. What he does is best. Think about this.

 1)    God’s ways are higher and best. The Bible says, “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” – Isaiah 55:9.

2)    God’s power and insight are best and stronger. “Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit” – Psalm 145:7.

3)    God’s creation is best, purposeful, and excellent. “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good.” – Genesis 1:31.

4)    God’s wisdom and strength are best and far beyond ours. “For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength” says 1 Corinthians 1:25.

God’s greatness is not measurable. His power, His peace, and His wisdom surpass understanding. The Bible reminds us that what He does is colossal. It says, “Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He [God] who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name” – Isaiah 40:26. This verse asks the question and highlights God’s sovereignty over creation by showing that nothing is beyond His reach. Similarly, Psalm 147:5 declares, “Great is our Lord, and mighty in power; His understanding is beyond measure.” These ideas should reassure us that God is not only immense in His presence but also infinite in His wisdom. No matter what challenge we face, we can trust that God is bigger than our struggle and better than anything the world has to offer. Think about this:

God is Transcendent and Powerful.  He is also the Creator and Knowledgeable. And of course, God is Joyous as noted by his “very good” comment that was made about all that he created. We could say that no human could do it better because God always does the absolute best. He is a God of Excellence. Together with the Psalmist we could proclaim, “Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! – Psalm 8:1. Yes, nobody does it better than our wonderful God who always does what he does best.

Summer's Lesson

When people think about “summer” the name seems to conjure up different meanings.  For those of us who live in the Northern Hemisphere, summer is the season that falls between spring and fall, from late May to late September.  To others summer is the three months of June, July and August.  Still others consider summer to be the months of July and August – the hottest months of the year.  Can you believe that some people consider summer as just the month of August? The Bible has a lot to say about summer and here are some of the things it explains.

1)      God created the summer.  “It was you who set all the boundaries of the earth; you made both summer and winter” (Psalm 74:17).

2)      Summer will always bring heat.  “For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer” (Psalm 32:4).

3)      As the earth exists there will be summer.  “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease” (Genesis 8:22).

4)      Some people use summer for saving food.  “Go to the ant, you sluggard; consider its ways and be wise!  It has no commander, no overseer or ruler, yet it stores its provisions in summer and gathers its food at harvest” (Proverbs 6:6-8).

5)      Wisdom considers summer a time to gather produce.  “He who gathers crops in summer is a wise son, but he who sleeps during harvest is a disgraceful son” (Proverbs 10:5).

6)      Living water will one day flow in both summer and winter.  “On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half to the eastern sea and half to the western sea, in summer and in winter” (Zechariah 14:8).

All of these things are interesting; however, think for a moment about another idea regarding summer.  Summer and harvest represent God’s opportunities for us to repent. That is an interesting concept, but even those times will pass as the scripture states.  “The harvest is past, the summer has ended, and we are not saved” (Jeremiah 8:20).  How would you answer these two questions: (1) Have you repented?  The Scripture says, “Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord” (Acts 3:19).  (2) Are you ready for the Lord’s return?  The Bible says, “So you also must be ready, because the Son of man will come at an hour when you do not expect him” (Matthew 24:44). So, let’s learn a lesson from summer and take the action that God suggests in His Word.

What We Can Learn From Flowers

There's an old saying: “April showers bring May flowers.”  So, what can we learn about flowers from the Bible?  Here are some things I have discovered.

• The tabernacle had cups shaped like almond flowers (Exodus 25:33-34; 37:19-20).
• The temple had carvings of flowers on the walls and on the doors (I Kings 6:18. 20. 23. 35).
• Flowers appear on the earth (Song of Solomon 2:12).
• Flowers of the field are man’s glory (Isaiah 50:6).
• Flowers wither and fall (Isaiah 40:7-8; I Peter 1:24-25).

God must really enjoy flowers because he made them so beautiful and He gave instructions for instruments and ornamentations to be shaped or carved like flowers.  Flowers are beautiful—but they will not last.  However, there is something that will last—God’s Word.  Here is how the Apostle Peter puts it: “For, all men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord stands forever.  And this is the word that was preached to you” (I Peter 1:24-25).

What this tells me is that we should enjoy the beauty of the flowers that God has created, but we ought also to focus on enjoying the beauty of God’s Word.  His Word will last; flowers will not.  His Word will never fade away; flowers will.  Where are you spending your time?  I encourage you to make sure some of your time is spent in reading and listening to God’s Word.  That’s what we can learn from flowers.

Trees and You

Each fall those who live in Minnesota get to enjoy the beauty of the changing colors revealed in the trees.  Each time I see the vast array of orange, brown, red, and yellow I am reminded of the beauty and splendor of God.  The Bible has some interesting things to say about trees in which we can also find a parallel application to our lives.

1)    God created the trees.  The Bible says, “And the Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground” (Genesis 2:9). Trees didn’t just happen—they were created by a loving God.  You and I are creations of God.  The Bible reminds us that “God created man in his own image, in the image of God He created him, male and female He created them” (Genesis 1:27).

2)    Trees reflect beauty.  In the creation story there is a phrase that speaks directly to the beauty of color in the trees—whether in summer, autumn or fall.  The Bible further notes: “And the Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground—trees that were pleasing to the eye and good for food.  In the middle of the garden were the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” (Genesis 2:9).  You and I are a reflection of the beauty of the Lord.  The Bible says, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do” (Ephesians 2:10).

3)    Trees are fruitful.  Trees have been gifted with fruit which they produce after their kind.  The Bible records, “Each tree is recognized by its own fruit...” (Luke 5:44).  People are blessed and strengthened by the fruit that a tree yields.  You and I are told to be fruitful.  A command from the Bible says, “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last..." (John 15:16).  In order to be fruitful we need the strength and power that God gives.  We are further reminded, “Remain in me, and I will remain in you.  No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine.  Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me” (John 15:4).

4)    Trees are expressive.  The Bible says: “Then the trees of the forest will sing, they will sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth” (I Chronicles 16:33).  In the Bible the psalmist expresses it this way,“Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them.  Then all the trees of the forest will sing for joy” (Psalm 96:12).  You and I were created to be expressive toward God.  Psalms further notes, “He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God.  Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord” (Psalm 40:3).  Still another psalm says, “Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation” (Psalm 95:1).

5)    Trees grow.  The Bible notes, “Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds of the air can perch in its shade” (Mark 4:32).  You and I need to grow in our relationship with God.  The Bible says, "But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen." (II Peter 3:18).

As you observe the trees this fall, think about the spiritual application of trees to your life.

The Sea and God's Glory

While recently cruising through the Gulf of Mexico I was impressed with the vast amount of water all around - its length,  its width and its depth. Everywhere I looked all I could see was water. Where did this water come from? How did it get here? As the earth rotates, what makes it adhere to the earth and not fling away into space?  The Bible says, "And God said let the waters under the heavens be gathered together unto one place and let the dry land appear and it was so. And God called the dry land earth and the gathering together of the waters he called the seas and God saw that it was good" (Genesis 1:9-10).

The seas with all the water they contain did not appear by chance; they were planned and created by God. In fact, the world and everything in it was created for God's glory. The Bible says "The whole earth is full of his glory" (Isaiah 6:3). So when we look at creation we should think of God - His greatness, His power, and His majesty - not just for us to enjoy, but for our minds to be focused on Him and His glory. When you look at creation - be sure to enjoy it, but also be ready to give glory to God.

The Beauty of Fall

When I think of the fall season the one word that comes to my mind is beauty.  As fall sets in we begin to experience cool mornings and notice that the leaves on trees begin turning color.  Have you ever wondered why and how leaves change color? Why does a maple leaf turn bright red?  Where do the yellows and oranges and browns come from?

To answer these questions we must remember that leaves are food factories.  Plants take water from the ground through their roots and receive carbon dioxide from the air.  They use sunlight to turn the water and carbon dioxide into glucose, which is a kind of sugar.  A chemical called chlorophyll helps make that happen and gives plants their green color.  As the days of fall get shorter, trees shut down their food-making factories and live off the food they have stored during the summer. When the green chlorophyll disappears it leaves small amounts of yellow and orange, which unbeknown to us, have been in the leaves all along.  In maple trees glucose is trapped in the leaves and the sunlight plus the cool nights cause them to turn into a red color.  The brown color in the leaves of oak trees is made from wastes that are left in the leaves.  It is the combination of all these things that make the beautiful colors we enjoy in the fall.

When we think of the beauty in the trees and the leaves we need to remember that all this began with creation.  “Then God said, ‘Let the land produce vegetation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds.’ And it was so.  The land produced vegetation: plants bearing seed according to their kinds and trees bearing fruit with seed in it according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good” (Genesis 1:13-14).  The Apostle Paul reminds us of God’s creative and sustaining power when he said, “For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him.  He is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:16-17).  What a wonderful God we have who gives us this wonderful beauty all year long, but particularly in the fall.  With Solomon of old we can affirm, "He has made everything beautiful in its time” (Ecclesiastes 3:11). I’m so glad that God enjoys beauty and delights in sharing that beauty with you and me.

Breath-Taking Beauty

The grandeur of the Alps is something that cannot be contained in words or even pictures – although we have several pictures form a recent trip to Europe.  On a cloudy day it was impossible to see much of Mt. Pilatus from the base of the mountain not far from the town of Lucerne, Switzerland.  However, we decided to ride on cable cars up two levels and a gondola the final level just for the experience.  As we neared the top of the mountain we emerged from the clouds to a beautiful sunny day.  The splendor of God’s creation was unmistakable.  Our experience was a great reminder to us that “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.” (Psalm 19:1).  After returning to Lucerne our response was similar to the words the psalmist used to conclude the Psalm, “May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer” (Psalm 19:14).

Impressed by Creation

As the Fall season has rolled around, I am once again impressed again by the beauty of creation.  In the northern hemisphere, fall is known as autumn and begins with the September equinox.  This year that date was on September 22.  On that day both day and night were each about 12 hours long.  The Sun crossed the celestial equator going southward and it rose exactly due east and set exactly due west.  The change of the season is determined by shifting sunlight according to how our planet orbits the Sun ans well as the tilt of its axis.  So, why does all this take place with each season in in such a precise way?  Scripture helps us get a grasp of what has been done, what continues to be done, and what our response should be.

 

The Bible reminds us: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1).  God is Creator.  The Bible also says, “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:17).  God is Sustainer.  Scripture additionally tells us “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies  proclaim the work of his hands” (Psalm 19:1).

So what can we say?  God created the beauty we see in the natural world around us.  He also sustains it or holds it up and keeps it going by the power of His hands.  His glory is revealed by the beauty we see in creation.  We, like the heavens themselves, should declare His glory.  All of the beauty we see and enjoy during the fall season (and the other seasons of the year) are directly related to God, our Creator and Sustainer.