Chris Vonada's Blog, page 5

Are We Alone In The Plot With An Eternal Result?: Part 2

This is Part 2 in a 2 part series. To read Part 1 please click here

Is there intelligent life elsewhere? What does the Bible say about that? Did God create life on other planets?

Well, here goes my take on it:

An interesting concept of creation is that God created earth on the first day. Does that infer the earth is the center of all creation? He also created light on the first but didn’t work up the sun until the 4th day. While we currently revolve around the sun, that apparently wasn’t the case on days 1, 2 or 3. And where did the light come from before the sun?

Why did God create such a massive universe? Maybe to show us how omnipotent He is and to glorify Him. When I think about all that, He created it certainly focuses my attention to how awesome and great He is.

Do I believe there is intelligent life other than man and the animals? Yes. Why? Well, first off I believe in God. Ok, I know, no brainer. Other than the trinity? Yes. The Bible describes the angels, Seraphim, and Cherubim, right? I think they must all be intelligent.

The Angels are mentioned throughout the Bible. We all know what they are about. Wikipedia describes the angels as “often depicted as benevolent celestial beings who act as intermediaries between God or Heaven and Earth, or as guardian spirits or a guiding influence. Other roles of angels include protecting and guiding human beings and carrying out God’s tasks.

Next up, the Seraphim. Considered like an angel, they are only mentioned once in Isaiah. They are described as the “burning ones,” nobles, and the “ones of love.” They hover OVER the throne of God and are considered His personal attendants, continually glorifying and praising God. Their eternal song “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” Again, we’re centering in on the earth.

Now, the Cherubim. These are the throne angels as they are seen AROUND God’s throne. Their role is to guard God’s holy domain and presence from any sin and corruption. Thus, they protect the Garden of Eden (Is it still here today?).

Hey what what about “The Four Living Creatures?” Hmmm. Well, the way I understand it this tetramorph  doesn’t come about until the apocalyptic end of this world and the universe as we know it. It’s described in the book of Revelation. It is said to be like a Cherubim with eyes all around, so we can assume this is an intelligent life as well. Or will be, when we get to the times described in Revelation Chapter 4. References to The Four Living Creatures are also found in the books of Ezekiel and Daniel. These seem to be visions of the same thing.

Scripture doesn’t say these intelligent life forms are just hanging around our planet. I’m confident if the Lord told an angel to head out to the Andromeda Galaxy the angel would have no problem making that journey.

What about Carl Sagan? Didn’t he prove there is extraterrestrial life? Well not exactly. Here’s a famous Sagan quote:

“I’m frequently asked, “Do you believe there’s extraterrestrial intelligence?” I give the standard arguments- there are a lot of places out there, the molecules of life are everywhere, I use the word billions, and so on. Then I say it would be astonishing to me if there weren’t extraterrestrial intelligence, but of course there is as yet no compelling evidence for it.

Often, I’m asked next, “What do you really think?”

I say, “I just told you what I really think.”

“Yes, but what’s your gut feeling?”

But I try not to think with my gut. If I’m serious about understanding the world, thinking with anything besides my brain, as tempting as that might be, is likely to get me into trouble. Really, it’s okay to reserve judgment until the evidence is in.”

Indeed, despite the years of research and a life dedicated to trying to find the answers, Sagan ended up saying we don’t know. Or do we? I guess Sagan came to that conclusion as he must have never accepted the presence of the Lord. I know, that’s not how we usually thing about “artificial intelligence” or the ET. If we think of an extraterrestrial being as one from outside the planet Earth, then we can list God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the Seraphim, Cherubims, and the angels. Just saying. Perhaps Sagan was just looking in the wrong place?

With all that said it begs the question: Are we alone in the universe? No, we are not. However, I’m not looking for a bunch or space aliens, Martians or little green men to arrive. I don’t expect that will happen.

Is there intelligent life on other planets? The Bible doesn’t say. However, it is inferred that the earth and all of other planets and stars in the solar system will one day be destroyed, and a new earth and heaven will be created.

But the day of the Lord will come as a thief; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are therein shall be burned up. 2 Peter 3:10.

I believe we are the sole beneficiaries of fellowship with God. While God certainly could have created other life forms, His timetable for the existence of the earth and our universe is directly tied to His itinerary for humanity. The Bible teaches that we were created in His image. When He did so, He gave us dominion over all things on earth. God created us out of His great love and to fulfill His eternal plan. We play a part in His plan, including defeating satan. Through the freedom of choice, we have an opportunity for eternal life through His “ministry of reconciliation.” How refreshing to know and to be a part of His plot with an eternal result.

Image courtesy of Adrian Senn on flickr.com

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Are We Alone In The Plot With An Eternal Result?: Part 1

I was watching an Andy Andrews podcast recently, and he was talking about how we have to escape thinking through an incomplete thought. Incomplete thoughts are dangerous. Well, not like tornadoes or anything, but still. We want to think things through. Granted sometimes that can take time. Sometimes when I write here at I’m Just Thinkin’ I will end an incomplete thought with an ellipse (…). In fact, I do it quite frequently. Why? Well, it generates thought process that leads to conversation. Conversational exchange broadens the thought. Questions come up that might not have emerged.

Questions. A major turning point for me in my faith journey was when my faith grew more substantial than the issues I had. Questions? Yes, some of them I still have. Here’s one: Is there intelligent life elsewhere? That’s a pretty big concept to wrap my mind around. Are we alone in the plot with an eternal result? Let’s think this through and we’ll be coming back to that shortly.

Forging ahead to plot. It’s not super complicated. We have to think cause and effect here. It’s a series of events that make up a story and lead us to “and so.” You got it, babe, the climax of the tale. Many a novel follow the same general plot. The circumstances change, but the plot remains the same. There are even templates for Fiction plots. Many start off with character development; the conflict is introduced; rising action leading up to the climax, and then winding up the story. All the loose ends are tied up. Incomplete thoughts? Well, sometimes we do encounter them in a novel or movie, but we want to know how the story ends.

The power of story – so let’s take this notion and apply it to humanity. You know, the plot with an eternal result. Really? Yep, just wait. One cool aspect that I love about my church is that it is Gospel centered. We keep it simple. We learn how events that occur in the Old Testament will relate or point to the Gospel, and to Jesus. For example, many a Prophet offered the foreshadowing of Jesus’ arrival, ministry, and resurrection.

“The Old Testament is in the New revealed and the New is in the Old concealed.” Augustine

Jesus clearly says in Matthew 5:17 that He came to fulfill the foreshadowing through the Law and the Prophets.

“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” Jesus, in Matthew 5:17

Moses is the clearest Old Testament person whom we can look to as one of the greatest types of Jesus. Time and again, Moses’ life story pointed us to Jesus through his faith and leadership. And where was the conflict introduced for humanity? Hmm, pretty early on right? Like in the Garden of Eden? Yes! The cross was the climax? Yes, the cross was the point from the very beginning. It was the fulfillment mentioned in Matthew 5:17. So now we’re just tying up the loose ends.

The power of truth…

So all that leads us back to this question: Is there intelligent life elsewhere? What does the Bible say about that? Did God create life on other planets?

This is part 1 of a 2 part series. Please check back next week for part 2.

Image courtesy of Adrian Senn on flickr.com

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Turning Thoughts Into Action

Holy cow I haven’t written on here for a long time! God took me on a bit of a tangent for a while. That was great working at my church, and I learned a lot about people and ministry. Oh yeah, and a wee bit more about Information Technology. I felt God nudging me along in a different direction near the end of last year. So I did some thinking and took some action steps to figure out what exactly that would look like.

I sure have missed writing every day. While I looked at several other options, He seems to be intent on making this my full-time gig. So I’m pretty stoked about that. Part of my return to writing full time will involve writing here. That’s right; you can expect regular content on my blog again. I am going to be laser focused on two writing projects here:

One of my previous books is pretty short. I have been working on content that will expand that theme, and I will be rebranding the book. Much of the new material will be posted here as I fill in the gaps for the new release.
I will also be working on finishing up a new release that is currently 85% written. This one is a blend of my faith story and finding your calling.

Hoping to have both of these finished up before the end of 2016. In the meantime, I am also working on several other projects; freelance writing for sailing magazines (3 articles submitted and ALL accepted so far!), web content, writing copy and paid blogs for other sites. It’s a lot of variety that I thrive on. Plus, BONUS: it’s all transportable!! What’s that mean? Well, I can write from wherever… so I’m thinkin’ Caribbean!! Heck yeah.

I feel a fresh perspective from the time off and glad to be back!

Image courtesy of Ian Kennedy on Flickr

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Inhale… Exhale… And Thank God For The Stromatolites!

Stromatolites at Shark Bay Australia

Next time you take a breath of fresh air thank a Stromatolite. And God. Why? The cauliflower-looking “rocks” are responsible for the development of our atmosphere and bio-diversity. So are they rocks, or not? Well, yes. And no. Let me explain… these layered rocks are formed by cyanobacteria, also called the blue-green algae. The microscopic cyanobacteria form colonies under favorable conditions. They trap sediment with their sticky surface coatings and the sediment reacts with calcium carbonate in the ocean water to form limestone. So, to answer the question rock or not, the Stromatolites are rocks that form as a by product of the organism’s activity.

These slimy creatures produced oxygen. That’s the stuff that created our atmosphere. Now listen here I don’t care if you believe creation or evolution there is a certain amount of science in God. It’s just a fact. God showed up and what He created in our Planet Earth is amazing. One of a kind.

Way back in the olden days (Precambrian), bacteria such as the Cyanobacteria that form Stromatolites were the only game in town. These critters are photosynthetic – they take energy from light and convert it into chemical energy (sugars)  synthesized with carbon dioxide and water. Interestingly, oxygen is released as a “waste product!” So the Cyanobacteria are the agent responsible for converting our atmosphere from a reducing one to an oxidizing breath of fresh air. And the stuff we dig on breathing is a waste product. Get out… but it’s a true story.

“Stromatolites are bizarre fossils whose biological origins were debated until only a few decades ago. Today, scientists generally agree that stromatolites are layered colonial structures predominately formed by cyanobacteria. Stromatolites are the oldest fossils on earth, dating back to more than three billion years ago. They were the dominant life form on earth for over 2 billion years and are thought to be primarily responsible for the oxygenation of the atmosphere,” says the National Park Service. On their page discussing the occurrence of Stromatolites in the Navajo Sandstone, the NPS

The creation of our atmosphere is something that just fascinates me. So the next time you get an itch to take a breath of fresh are remember the Stromatolites, the Cyanobacteria, and especially God. Thank God for the Stromatolites.

And breathe on…

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia

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Oh For The Acts Of God And An Orogeny Or Two

Acts of God. It’s written into many contracts. I contemplated it recently…

The burning bush was an act of God.

As was the flood.

The parting of the Red Sea? Yep. Would have loved to see that one!

“It’s funny Lieutenant Dan said that because right then, God showed up!” F.G.

Did Forrest experience an act of God? Yep yep, ON THE BOAT!!!

Winner winner chicken dinner! or should I order shrimp po-boy on the menu? This act of God turned out to be a blessing to Forrest and his Bubba Gump Shrimp Company. By the grace of God, Forrest was blessed with the only shrimp boat that survived the hurricane.

Then I got to thinking; maybe referring to the commonplace, physical events here on earth are simply acts of God! Think about it this way: God made our planet and all of the processes that we see actively in the world today. Plate tectonics, vulcanism, erosion, landslides and earthquakes, just to name a few. And, as those events occur, how more appropriate than to describe them as acts of God.

Every time it rains it’s an act of God? Pretty much. Maybe He’s not intentionally orchestrating every cloud but He made the atmospheric system work, along with the other processes that form the lay of the land and the currents through the depths of the oceans. This is all so fascinating to me, as a scientist, to think of how perfectly He created our planet.

Calling these events “Acts Of God” is catchy. It simplifies, making the big picture of catastrophic events black and white.  And while we’re at it let’s have an orogeny or two. Orogeny? Yes, you know, the forces and events that lead to large, structural deformation of the Earth’s lithosphere as tectonic plates collide and move about. Greatest in Mastodon scale are the orogenies.

Lest we forget the thunderstorms, floods and tornadoes. Ah yes, these common culprits that put insurance companies at risk. They know that rising water only began with Noah.

Speaking of tornadoes I’ve never shared my cyclone experience here at I’m Just Thinkin’. I took a sabbatical while attending the University of Florida. Yep, headed off for 18 months to live on the Apalachicola Bay. A friend had purchased a house on the bay, and we gutted the place, fixing her up to a new glory. It was there that I acquired a few handyman skills, serving as chief apprentice for the roofer, plumber, electrician and drywall experts. One day while hanging out we noticed a waterspout off in the distance through the bay window overlooking the water. This started to get a bit creepy when the funnel cloud didn’t go left or right and kept getting bigger. It didn’t take us too long to realize being in front of the bay window was not going to be a good idea, so my friend and I each grabbed a dog and huddled down in the hallway.

Indeed the tornado roared through the property, tearing the room off the adjacent guest house. Meanwhile, in the main house, all the windows were shattered. It was just like I’ve heard others speak of these deadly storms, the sound and energy of the freight train coming through the house. The atmospheric pressure changed and it got really cold. We looked at each other and confirmed all was ok. It seemed to last forever, but I’m sure our experience was less than 30 seconds. That same twister went further inland and killed 3 people in a mobile home park. It made national news with coverage on CNN. Pretty crazy. It was then and there that I realized tremendous appreciation for the weather, and for these acts of God.

Is a tornado more dramatic than an orogeny?

Packaging my tornado story with various other ramblings…

What to do when God shows up?

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More Than We Could Have Imagined…

I arrive back from 8 days on the mission field with a new and refreshed perspective. Amazed once again to see God working through and in the people we touched as well as within me and my teammates who made the trip, it is so hard to process and articulate completely what happened.

The journey to the northern border of Panama was a long one… 3 planes through 4 airports (yes you read that right!) and 3 shuttle buses. Getting there wasn’t so bad, only one minor glitch a flat tire on one of the buses that was quickly swapped out. Our journey home included a 6-hour delay in the Miami airport that turned an already long day into the longest – 24 hours from start to finish!

The first day in Panama set the tone for the rest of the trip. Our hosts, the folks at Faithful Servant Missions, organized a pastor’s conference. Everyone was invited and quite a few showed up! We welcomed them with communion and a foot wash. Then we asked about their needs. So many shared, and we took notes – following up as much as possible throughout the week.

While this was my first mission trip, many of our teammates who had been on trips previously all said this was no average trip. Our routine day was a long one…

“One thing we did every morning while on missions, was to spend 30 minutes reading the Word, a chapter a day, starting in 1 Peter. We would then spend 30 minutes in small group discussing it.” Doug Powell

FSM was awesome!! Great venue for a mission trip/adventure. They’re connected in the local community and with many local churches. Bonus: their facility is on the slope of a volcano! Excellent place to pick up a few rocks and ponder God’s creation :-). And that I did…

We often felt jealous of the locals and how they were connected with the Lord. We could see it in their bright faces as they worshiped in church. How they were excited to see us and hear our stories. How they prayed, wept and talked to God. We saw the Lord working in every nook and cranny. Our ventures into the community were heartwarming. Add into the mix a few projects at FSM and we were spent. Wiped out, giving it all to God and His mission to the point of exhaustion for 8 straight days. It was so overwhelming I went to bed every night with the thought “I don’t know how to process all of this…”

William’s baptism. Photo courtesy of Clint Capps.

Thirty-five people stepped out in faith on our trip. Several were baptized, along with local legend “William,” a Ngobe Bugle Indian. There is no way we could have imagined it would have been what it was. Thirty-five people brought together from all walks of life… every conceivable past situation… for some reason people felt safe in this rural setting of a foreign country. People shared their darkest secrets and as they did we all prayed for them… wept with them… and we compassionate for each other. Transparency was the norm on our trip. People felt safe. We were safe to share about ourselves and our past. It was raw. No matter how dark, we did not feel judged or condemned. That was awesome.

“I see your heart, and I see your soul, and I know who you really are.” Daryl Jones speaking of Ed Perez.

These are people to whom I feel well connected.

I arrive home with a renewed connection with the Holy Spirit. It’s been a few years since I felt so close… I must admit I miss that. But, who’s to blame? Only me and my acceptance of the distractions that take me away on a daily basis. So many of these distractions are choices that I make. I stay encouraged by the people who went on the trip and those we met and how they are molding to be more like Jesus… one day at a time…

This was real. Our people are real. I loved seeing that and God’s love in action.

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The Evil Lure Of Being Busy

Here’s the scenario: a friend asks how you are doing. “Busy,” you reply.

Busy. Great! What does that really say? We’re all busy doing something, right?

We all want to be busy doing good things. However, we miss the point of interaction when we say “I’m busy!” Next time you’re tempted to say it consider what exactly are you so busy doing?

Being busy… I usually get caught up working on or trying to figure out something or another. Or cooking some awesome food. Exercise. Hanging out with friends or family. All good things, right? Watching TV? Not a habit of mine, but maybe that one is ok in moderation. Playing video games or the like? It’s entertainment, right? Reading God’s word? How many of us have good intentions here but when something else comes up we’re putting the Bible on the back burner, so to speak? If you’re so busy that you need a daytime and nighttime nanny to take care of your kids are you too busy? I’m just thinkin’ the answer could be affirmative… you’re too busy doing something other than savoring the moments with your family.

How about this one – have you ever told someone or even yourself “I’m too busy for ____!” Well, you just defined your priorities.

“Success ultimately comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.” Henry David Thoreau

Ha! Great quote! This sounds like doing something one might enjoy to me because how do we define success anyway? So when it’s all said and done, will you be looking back and say you were successful in achieving your goals? Can you say that about last week or last year? If you watch ants move about they stay pretty busy building and carrying around breadcrumbs. They’ve reached their self-actualization or maximum level of achievement. It’s pretty basic for an ant, but how about me and you? The reality for us is a bit more complex.

Here’s something to consider: We live in an age of having vast information at fingertips. How many times a day do you Google? I Google’d this query (LOL) and found that the average person Googles 780 times a year. So more than a couple of times a day. Google’d what? Sure, I Google “Panama Geology” because I’m going there #onmission in a couple of weeks. In contrast, have you ever started looking something up and a couple of hours later realized that you just burned a bunch of time? Since I’m sometimes indecisive, I can look at shoes, sailboats, or even the best bug spray online for way too long. Is this a trap.. the evil lure of being busy? Hmmm…

If we consciously think about how we would choose to spend our time, and about those pesky distractions that draw us away, we can feel better about how we approach and execute in our day to day life.

“You’ll never change your life until you change something you do daily. The secret of your success is found in your daily routine.” John Maxwell

It’s all a matter of perspective. And priorities.

Next time someone asks how are you and you’re busy doing good things with margin just say you’re awesome. And then take the time to interact…

Image courtesy of arbyreed on flickr

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Turning Pain To Gain

When Jesus died on the cross, there was a lot of pain. We feel His pain when we go to church on Easter. Lots of people show up that don’t normally attend church and we hear of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.

When it’s all said and done, we walk about feeling inspired but that feeling is often lost in the daily minutia of life. I hear it all the time from people who ebb and flow. Those who are “onboard” Sunday but step off the path by mid-week. Is it just a function of putting Jesus in a box? Probably something like that.

It happens at work frequently, this notion of turning pain to gain. It’s called hard work. Whether you’re learning a new skill or maybe trying to meet a tight deadline, overcoming the learning curve or sweat equity results in a payoff. Achievement. Or advancement. When we try to take a shortcut, we often loose. The same is true when we give up.

This is also true in many sports: we advance to the next level whenever we experience pain. Pain comes along with growth and advancement in skill; we go farther. Or faster. Or score more…

There’s nothing more rewarding than running a race with painful endurance and closing the deal. Our cross country coach used to tell us everyone who participates is a winner. I like that thought.

“Some people want it to happen; some wish it would happen, others make it happen.” Michael Jordan

Jordan made it happen. He spoke of failure and not giving up. A lot. He also spoke of talent. Did MJ rely on talent to take him to the top? Certainly not. He also said, “The more you sweat in practice, the less you bleed in battle.”

We turn that pain to gain when we follow Jesus. He came for a reason: so that we could have forgiveness for our sins. And eternal life. Why? Well, it’s a basic truth of turning pain to gain: there is no other way.

If you want to learn and grow surround yourself with the best players in the game. (Click To Tweet)

But wait, there’s something over and, above all, that… Jesus did something more in His “labor of love.”

“I have come so they may have life, and have it to the full.” Jesus

What’s that all about? While most of us are probably not going to pass from this life today, eternity starts now, not somewhere over the rainbow…

“The glory of God is man fully alive.” Saint Irenaeus

That’s it. You’ve been set up. Will you convert pain to gain? Will you live out “fully alive” today?

Image courtesy of wikipedia.org

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The Importance Of Our Relationships To God

Why are our relationships important to God?

I think it’s the most important activity here on earth. Think about the “one anothers” in the Bible: love one another, be at peace with each other, be devoted to each other, honor one another, live in harmony with one another, stop passing judgment on one another, accept one another, serve one another, forgive each other… the list goes on.

So who are we going to ___ one another?

Other people silly!

Here’s why:

– We’re created in God’s image. How we treat one another is a direct reflection of the presence of Jesus in our lives. Our relationships with one another are as important to God as our bond to Him. That’s why He said go and make amends with your brother before coming to the altar. We’re impoverished without good, solid relationships with other people. We can’t assemble in a manner pleasing to God unless there’s unity. That’s built on the foundation of one-on-one interaction.

– Relationships with other people often define our best circle of influence. Think about it: from our interaction with our closest, most intimate compadre, to that brief encounter a complete stranger in a foreign country, we’re leaving an impression when we interact with other people. That warm smile in the grocery store several years ago may seem a little fuzzy than the high school sweetheart who’s fond memory is so sharp as if etched in stone.

– Relationships define our presence. They matter more than policies and procedures. Think not? Think again! You’re on an island without other people. Plus, we can accomplish orders of magnitude more when we combine our gifts and talents. God made us that way, to compliment each other.

Introvert? It’s all good, you still need presence. And relationships. Introverts are relationship people too. They just prefer perspective to bubbly socialization. They socialize easily but prefer not to. At least at the same frequency as their extroverted counterparts.

“God is not just looking for performance but is looking for presence.” Joby Martin

This is pretty huge because we can never live by the law. We can fulfill it only by acting in accordance with God’s love.That’s going to involve some other people. Relationships are important. Do all you can to make and nurture the good ones. Start by being likable. That requires transparency. Be genuine and open-minded. Show an interest in one another. Ask questions. Be consistently passionate and at the same time fun. Relationships matter. People matter. Smile, and you’ll go far!

 

“All Sorts And Conditions Of People: The 7 Essentials To Extraordinary Relationships” is my book about people and relationships. You can pick it up by clicking this link to Amazon.com.

 

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The Only Decision In Making More…

Man I love to cook up good memories. I run into old friends occasionally. Two of them just last week that I haven’t seen in many years.

And so circumstance entices a decision: Should we make more memories?

Should we spend more time catching up?

Should we carry on…

I’m finding the only limiting factor is time. While we can’t make more time we do have a choice…

The blink of an eye… it only takes 1/3 of a second. That’s pretty fast.

Can I decide that quickly?

Is it worthwhile in the big picture of things?

Should I go with my gut?

The  only decision in making more…

Image courtesy of kannilc on flickr.com

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