Dreams Unlocked

I answered some questions that some smart kids in our church asked me. Here they are: 1. How did God come to be? 2. When do you think literally or symbolically about the Bible? 3. Why are there so many old fashioned or hard to read words? 4. Regarding translations and language- Why and how are there so many languages the Bible had to “get through” to get to us? 5. Where is heaven? How high above or far away, etc.? 1. God did not come to be. God was not created. God is eternal - meaning he has always existed. 2. You think literally or symbolically about the Bible by understanding the specific literary genre of what you are reading - this requires a little bit more studying by you - how to read the bible for all its worth by Gordon fee and Doug Stuart can help you do this. 3. This question depends on which translation you are using. A contemporary translation will not have old-sounding words - these include New Living or The Message...

 The gospel is the power of God for salvation. Therefore, all ministry must be gospel-centered. Any other focus will lead a church or ministry out of balance. This gospel-centered and gospel-driven ministry must rest completely and totally on the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. If we are not relying on the Spirit then we are laboring in vain and are only building human-powered programs or institutions.

Recently I've been involved in a number of conversations here in Ithaca between other faith leaders, the Department of Social Services and a family court judge. We are jointly seeking a way to better care for the children in foster care. Children who have been removed from their birth parents due to neglect or abuse. The stories the judge has shared are incredibly heartbreaking. I am glad churches and synagogues are seeking ways to partner with the State in caring for these children. One of the most powerful books I have ever read was about a pregnant woman who was told the child she was carrying had a very rare defect that would result in malformed lungs. If she chose to carry the child to term the child would be in a lot of pain during delivery and would die very soon after birth. She and her husband wrestled with the ethical implications. Both were Christians and felt abortion was a sin - but..... would a termination of the pregnancy actually be more loving in this case? Seei...