God cares about how we spend our resources - not just our money, but also our time and energy and gifts because how we spend our resources reflects and reveals what's really important to us.

Both creationists and evolutionists have biases - what I think can be accurately called faith - that they then read into the evidence. Evolutionists probably don't like someone accusing them of faith, but they have to have faith to believe what they believe, just as creationists do (I think more so). Last week we looked at exhibits A, B, and C. The existence of the universe, the precision of the universe, and a planet finely tuned for life. This week I want to introduce exhibit D and then briefly consider some common objections to creationism.

Both creationists and evolutionists have biases - what I think can be accurately called faith - that they then read into the evidence. Evolutionists probably don't like someone accusing them of faith, but they have to have faith to believe what they believe, just as creationists do (I think more so). Last week we looked at exhibits A, B, and C. The existence of the universe, the precision of the universe, and a planet finely tuned for life. This week I want to introduce exhibit D and then briefly consider some common objections to creationism.

When I look up into the stars at night, I feel small, but not worthless or meaningless. Because all that I see was hung there by God, created as an expression of His love for mankind. And we feel so deeply, what am I that You are mindful of me? And yet the answer is that the infinite God who can effortlessly create everything that exists not only knows us but He loves us intimately - numbering the very hairs on our heads - and sent His Son Jesus to die on a rough wooden cross in order to save us from our sin and restore us back to loving relationship to God.

When I look up into the stars at night, I feel small, but not worthless or meaningless. Because all that I see was hung there by God, created as an expression of His love for mankind. And we feel so deeply, what am I that You are mindful of me? And yet the answer is that the infinite God who can effortlessly create everything that exists not only knows us but He loves us intimately - numbering the very hairs on our heads - and sent His Son Jesus to die on a rough wooden cross in order to save us from our sin and restore us back to loving relationship to God.

There's always a danger of trying to mandate proper behavior, language, and thinking through authoritarianism. I am sure that many of these students sincerely want to see an end to hate speech, racism, mistreatment of gay people, and other forms of intolerant, offensive behavior. As Christians we can join them in wanting to see an end to these things. But the truth is, true tolerance, kindness, civility, respect, and ending bias and hate can never be accomplished by authoritarianism.

There's always a danger of trying to mandate proper behavior, language, and thinking through authoritarianism. I am sure that many of these students sincerely want to see an end to hate speech, racism, mistreatment of gay people, and other forms of intolerant, offensive behavior. As Christians we can join them in wanting to see an end to these things. But the truth is, true tolerance, kindness, civility, respect, and ending bias and hate can never be accomplished by authoritarianism.

There is a growing concern in this nation that there is a new kind of Newspeak emerging: it's called political correctness. Political Correctness ostensibly claims to be encouraging greater sensitivity and respect for diversity in our communication, but there is a growing sense that PC-ness is getting out of control, and, more ominously, that there is an agenda behind PC-ness that is not civility or respect at all, but the control of language (and thereby having a greater control on thought).

There is a growing concern in this nation that there is a new kind of Newspeak emerging: it's called political correctness. Political Correctness ostensibly claims to be encouraging greater sensitivity and respect for diversity in our communication, but there is a growing sense that PC-ness is getting out of control, and, more ominously, that there is an agenda behind PC-ness that is not civility or respect at all, but the control of language (and thereby having a greater control on thought).

Paul has learned the secret of being content in every. single. situation. When he has a lot, and when he has very little. When he is riding high, and when life brings him very low. When things are going good…and when things are going bad. Paul's contentment is folded into every circumstance he finds himself in. That isn't easy, that is impossibly hard and we need the help and grace of God to learn this lesson in our lives.