Vision Scriptures

One Sunday, while visiting Destiny Church in Fort Worth where James Womack is pastor, we were given a card with a number of Bible verses on it tagged "Vision Scriptures."  We visit Destiny several times each year.  Here are the helpful passages:

Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint,

    but blessed is he who keeps the law. Pr. 29:18 (ESV)

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good,

for those who are called according to his purpose. Rom. 8:28

What is impossible with man is possible with God. Lk. 18:27

For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jer. 29:11

O Lord, you are my God;

    I will exalt you; I will praise your name,

for you have done wonderful things,

    plans formed of old, faithful and sure. Is. 25:1

But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. Acts 20:24

No weapon that is fashioned against you shall succeed,

    and you shall refute every tongue that rises against you in judgment.

This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord

    and their vindication from me, declares the Lord. Is. 54:17

Commit your work to the Lord,

    and your plans will be established. Pr. 16:3

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,

    and do not lean on your own understanding.

In all your ways acknowledge him,

    and he will make straight your paths. Pr. 3:5,6

Be strong and courageous.  Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you.  He will not leave you or forsake you. Dt. 31:6

I know that you can do all things,

    and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted. Job 42:2

Is anything too hard for the Lord?  At the appointed time I will return to you, about this time next year, and Sarah shall have a son. Gen. 18:14

Ah, Lord God! It is you who have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm! Nothing is too hard for you. Jer. 32:17

But he is unchangeable, and who can turn him back?

    What he desires, that he does. Job 23:13

For the Lord of hosts has purposed,

    and who will annul it?

His hand is stretched out,

    and who will turn it back? Is. 14:27

Declaring the end from the beginning

    and from ancient times things not yet done,

saying, "My counsel shall stand,

    and I will accomplish all my purpose." Is. 46:10

I can do all things through him who strengthens me. Phil. 4:13

In him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will. Eph. 1:11

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Eph. 3:20,21

Notice how these passages emphasize creation and God's sovereignty and providence.  But that brings up the question "Who is the Intelligent Designer?"

Our helpful ebook gives a complete compilation of all Scriptures on God as Creator and God as Sustainer.  This answers the question that Ben Stein has brought to the attention of today's culture conflict with his film "Expelled." Who is the Intelligent Designer?  Is it an alien as Clinton Richard Dawkins proposed?

What are the implications of Creation.  Can we find any good news along this cosmic odyssey? Is it true that, "Intelligent Design is Creationism?"  Why trust the Bible?  What about theistic evolution?  Get the book today and find out.

Was Francis Schaeffer a Creationist?

Francis Schaeffer and former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop made a groundbreaking video series Whatever Happened To The Human Race? on  abortion, euthanasia and related topics.  There is also a book version of this shocking documentary.  Life issues are critical, but what about the origin of life itself? 

Francis Schaeffer (d. 1984) helped popularize the importance of worldview.  Schaeffer, looking at his teachings  overall, falls into the creationist camp.  Schaeffer held to a non-tranquil Universal Flood, the possibility of man-dinosaur coexistence and that nuclear decay rates may not be constant. [1]  Schaeffer said this in his commentary on Romans:   

There is a tendency in our day to view the first three chapters of Genesis as merely myth or parable, an idea or an allegory.  But considering that both Paul and Christ accepted those chapters as real history, if we reject them we are rejecting the authority not only of Paul but even of Christ Himself. ...  There was a historical Fall, bringing death to all people, even those who lived before the giving of the law. [2]

That sure sounds like traditional creationism.  Genesis is indeed history.   Schaeffer was weak on certain points of the Biblical chronology, but if one takes the time to read his complete works, he clearly took a very conservative view on the book of beginnings.

Biographer Colin Duriez states that Schaeffer was "undoubtedly a  creationist" but the term itself has a number of shades of meaning. [3]  Sadly, theistic evolution is still popular among Christian academics.  A better term would be “Theo Evo.”  Francis Schaeffer said Theo Evo is not an option,

… I will now mention two limits that seem to me to be absolute. … The Bible gives a specific limitation:  Adam was created by God, and then Eve was made from Adam by God. … I have never heard anyone holding any form of theistic evolution who follows these two limitations [the 1st was that bara means original creation]. …even if I were still an agnostic, as once I was, I would not accept the concept of evolution from the molecule to man in an unbroken line. …this concept is weak and certainly has not been proven … [4]

Frank Schaeffer, who worked on the fantastic animated film The Great

Evangelical Disaster, in contrast, should not be tagged as a creationist.

For another interpretation of Schaeffer's vision for understanding origins, see the creation statement straight from L'abri itself (last page).

Notes:

1) Complete Works of Francis Schaeffer by Francis Schaeffer (Crossway, Wheaton, IL, 1982), Vol. 2, pp. 94, 95, 132, 134.

2) The Finished Work of Christ by Francis A. Schaeffer (Crossway, Wheaton, IL, 1998),  p. 141

3) Francis Schaeffer: An Authentic Life by Colin Duriez (Crossway, Wheaton, IL, 2008), p. 201.

4)  The Complete Works of Francis A. Schaeffer, Vol. 2, 2e (Crossway, 1996), pp. 136, 137.

Al Mohler, Jack Collins, Francis Collins & YES

In February of last year, Al Mohler and John “Jack”Collins (OT Prof @ Covenant Seminary) had a debate on "Genesis and the Age of the Earth."  The debate did not follow the traditional formal structure, but the interaction was very engaging.  Here's more info on the event.

Dr. Mohler on the question of whether Old Earth Fallacies (OEF's) constitute heresy (@ 20:00 mark).  He pointed out that some doctrines are more essential than others - "theological triage."  We do not need to separate from a brother because he denies the young earth view.

Church leaders throughout history have mostly held that we live in a youthful world (@ 46:30).  Mohler concluded that OEF's may have "potentially dangerous consequences" (@ 40:00).  He also admitted that much of the data argues for an ancient earth yet at the same time pointed out that the basis for many scientists view on the age-of-the-earth controversy is based on a Darwinian framework with its billions of years.  I hold that one can make a strong cases for a relatively new planet based on history, philosophy and science and have written a book on this, YES - Young Earth Science.

Is there a connection between Francis Collins and Jack Collins?  Francis Collins founded BioLogos, led the Human Genome Project and is director of the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda (where I was born).  As you see there is a connection, but the last man on the list is probably a different Jack Collins (☺).  We responded to Francis Collins' views on origins here. 

  

Andrew Kulikovsky has written an excellent review of Jack Collin's Science and Faith: Friends or Foes.  Jack should listen to the Duke.  John Wayne's character finally realized that Jesus was the Son of God indeed, but what did Jesus have to say on this issue?  He clearly supported the young earth view (Mk. 10:6, Mk. 13:19, Lk. 11:50,51).  Furthermore, God's sovereignty demonstrates consilience with the young earth position.  Collins seems to endorse some form of the gap theory which has serious flaws.

There was discussion of the scientific consensus, but is should not be forgotten that there have been frauds in science as well as undue political influence.

Creationism 101 with Joel Heck

Joel Heck has written In the Beginning, God: Creation from God's Perspective which is a superb coverage of the basics of creationism (Concordia, 2011). It’s short (80 pages) and is only $3.99 (what a bargain!).

Dr. Heck has a ThM in Old Testament from Trinity Evangelical Divinity and a ThD in Exegetical Theology from Concordia Seminary. He gives a detailed explanation of Genesis chapter one. He lists 17 reasons why yom means a normal day in Ge 1, including #12, the years lived chronicled in Ge 5 & 11 make sense only if day in Ge 1 refers to a regular 24 hour day. That is, if day means millions of years for Creation Week, then how do we understand Methuselah living 969 “years.”
Dr. Heck also argues against scholars who oppose taking Genesis chapter one as historical narrative. He also discusses OT & NT references that bolster a traditional reading of Genesis (a comprehensive compilation of these may be found here). There is an excellent 10 page summary of scientific research supporting fixity of kinds, the Flood and Young Earth Science (YES). If you know anyone who is sitting on the fence on the crevo issue please give them Dr. Heck’s book! Few other works provides so much bang (a BIG one too) for the buck.

It is a rare pleasure to find a theologian courageous enough to take the first chapter of Genesis at face value, disregarding those of his peers who feel they must kowtow to the latest fad in “science.” Dr. Heck explains the passage clearly, showing it is historical narrative supported by true scientific research—not myth, poetry, or vague allegory. -- Russell Humphreys

To Dembski with Love

William Dembski, the well known ID advocate, has written a book promoting the view that the death, destruction and disease seen in the fossil record are the retroactive punishment of the Fall. The book is called The End of Christianity and Terry Mortenson (of Answers in Genesis) has provided an excellent response to Dembski’s thesis. Dembski accepts the standard geochronology where man appeared on the planet many millions of years after the lower animals. Such scripture twisting is not kosher.

The beginning of creation and the advent of man are not separated by millions or billions of years, “But at the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female’” (Mk. 10:6). God asked Job, "Where were you when I laid the earth's foundation? … while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?” (Job 38:4,7). That is the angels were around when the earth was created, but why are the angels around anyway? “Are not all angels ministering spirits sent to serve those who will inherit salvation?” (Heb. 1:14). That is man and angels are contemporaries and not separated by millions of years. So man has been around since the creation of the earth (Day Six of Creation Week).

Satan was a murderer from the beginning (Jn. 8:44). Cain slew Abel and did not resist demonic influences (Ge. 4:6,7). Murder implies man was around – angels don’t die.

Scripture’s first verse tells us that the earth existed at the beginning and not billions of years after the alleged Big Bang. “In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands” (Ps. 102:25).

Prophets have existed since the world began: “As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began” (Lk. 1:70, KJV). Was not Adam speaking prophetically in Genesis 2:23 when he called Eve “bone of my bones.” Did not Adam make a prediction when he indicated that Eve would be the mother of all living (Ge. 3:20)? Enoch was definitely a prophet (Jude 14). So, human prophets and the beginning of the earth are not separated by billions of years, “… which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began (Acts 3:21, KJV). Isaiah concurs:

Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the earth was founded? He sits enthroned above the circle of the earth, and its people are like grasshoppers. He stretches out the heavens like a canopy, and spreads them out like a tent to live in (Is. 40:21,22).

Consider the witness of general revelation: “since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse” (Rom. 1:19,20). Bert Thompson rightly comments,

Who observed and perceived these things that were made from the beginning of the world? If no man was there for billions of years, because man “is a relatively new comer to the Earth,” who was observing - with rational, human intelligence - these phenomena? An amoeba? A dinosaur? Without question Paul is contending that man has existed since the creation of the world… [1]

“I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?” (Jn. 3:12).

All quotes are from the NIV unless otherwise noted.

Note:
1) Creation Compromises by Bert Thompson, (Apologetics Press, 1995, Montgomery, AL), p. 180, emphasis in original.

- - - +++
Just say “YES” (Young Earth Science)!

QED

MOL = Math Out Loud

Who Is The Intelligent Designer?

This groundbreaking new book answers the question that Ben Stein has brought to this planet’s attention with his film "Expelled." After reading WHO IS THE INTELLIGENT DESIGNER? you will be able to answer the question, “Is there more to creation in the extra-cosmic message from the Intelligent Designer beyond Genesis chapter one?” The emphasis on creation is displayed throughout the Creator’s authentic revelation. The Intelligent Designer made the world and owns everything. Because of creation we are responsible to God. We have been made in the image of God and have been called to care for the earth. We did not make the world and so we are not completely self-reliant. Read about the origin of the world from Moses, through the Psalms and in the Prophets. Creation is a foundational teaching that shows us who God is and both who and why we are (Col. 1:15-17). The Intelligent Designer did not just make the world and then ignore it. God sustains the world he made and gives food, air and water to his creatures. Who is the Intelligent Designer? provides genuine information confirming God’s providential care of the universe. The value of this must-read creation is its comprehensive scriptural content and thoughtful discourse.
Are you thankful for the Intelligent Designer’s blessings of Creation and Providential Care? God not only made the galaxies, he also takes note when a sparrow falls. Our knowledge of creation comes from an extra-cosmic data source (the Bible). Is this ancient book reliable? Who is the Intelligent Designer? gives compelling reasons for faith and that the worldview of the Bible is the only one that gives meaning to life. There are many scriptures that deal with the implications of creation. Does the Bible give us a hint of physical laws? What about our own creativity? Some try to combine Darwinism with Design. Is that possible? Evolution in any form runs counter to the character of the Intelligent Designer, the Word of God and the solid facts of science. We may have a personal relationship with our Creator and Sustainer through Jesus Christ.
Have you ever wondered what the Bible teaches about creation? Here in one source are all the scriptures verses on creation and providential care arranged by topic. God not only made the cosmos, he also holds it together (Col. 1:17). There are dozens of scriptures showing the importance of the Intelligent Designer as Creator and Sustainer. Have you considered the evidence that supports the Bible as a reliable source of truth? The special message from our Creator, from Genesis to Revelation, tells us that we were specially created and not the result of some transformational process starting with a single-celled organism. This innovative work tackles the controversial statement “Intelligent Design is Creationism.” Let’s get back to the Bible by reading the Bible! The reality of Intelligent Design wins the future!
This work is highly literate and makes for a quote-miners delight, but it could have been improved with an index. A topical index of all the scriptures would have been helpful as well.
Be the first on your block to get this creative and vital tome. No Global Flood checks. Not available in all stores. Quantities virtually unlimited.
**NOTE** >> this is a Kindle edition