Month: January 2018

Regeneration and renewal – Praying for the Earth

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It’s time for me to get grounded and remember the eternal impacts of the Holy Spirit on our lives is more important than the physical state. It’s important for us to renew and regenerate, not just our minds and bodies but this should extend to our world – the Earth.

Regeneration is mentioned in the New Testament and renewal only five times in various forms. Regeneration means to birth again. The connection to our salvation is well established and doesn’t need much explanation here. Renewal in its variations is a little more challenging to describe, especially because there’s the possible linguistic connection to the washing of regeneration. That is, the section could be translated the regeneration bath of the Holy Spirit and renewing, thus equating the two terms.

However, most translations treat terms as separate actions or conditions for which the Holy Spirit is responsible. This works best with the rest of biblical data. Probably the most well-known passage focusing on renewal is Romans 12: 1-2.

In this reference, we’re commanded to present our bodies as holy and acceptable living sacrifices, and also to refuse to be conformed to the world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

The instrument through which the transformation takes place is a new mind, by the Holy Spirit. This renewal happens internally, and man is renewed in knowledge by the image of the Creator.

Therefore, the renewal comes about intellectually, throughout the ministrations of the Holy Spirit, as we seek, study, store, and obey the spectacular word of God.

I pray for the rebirth of our Earth and all of God’s creations.

Robots and The Future of Humanity

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The scientist Stephen Hawking says that technology must be controlled by to safeguard the future of humanity. In these troubled times, artificial intelligence is set to take over the world. In our grandparents’ era, people did everything my hand. My Grannie stayed at home and did wonderful work bringing up her brood of five. She cooked the meals with love and care, swept the house with a broom and mopped the floor by hand.

I’m reminded of my Grannie’s time on earth whenever I feel like the whole world is trying to sell me a car that talks or a toaster that sings. These days, nobody sweeps or mops any longer. There’s a vacuum cleaner for everything, and the advertising just spins my mind. Just Google “Best vacuum for pet hair” (why does a pet need a special vacuum? The mind boggles!) or “Best pool vacuum” and you’ll see hundreds of slick-looking sites selling the latest gadgets. I could close my eyes and pick one of those online stores like this one, or this one and the machines they’re touting are all the same soulless contraptions that are polluting the earth.

I tend to agree with Stephen Hawking that we need a world government to save us. And I do think that it should be a world government of individuals who serve God. This could be our only hope.

Never before have we been so threatened by nuclear or biological war. Not since the beginning of civilization has our Earth been so threatened.

I’m not sure that God intended us to advance so quickly with technology. The pace is so aggressive that this growth could well destroy us all.

Humanity has proven that mankind is prone to make war. And the only way a world government won’t turn into a tyrannical rule is for God’s government to prevail.

Overpopulation, climate change, and disease are threats we face that could wipe us all out. People have to retrain to cope in a world where their jobs will be replaced by robots.

Yes, it’s happening right now! Think of my Grannie, who mopped the floor with her hands and got on her knees and scrubbed the toilets. Now, we just go out and buy the latest robotic vacuum cleaner. Now we have digital assistants, and self-driving cars are coming to every household soon.

Like the scientist, I’m worried for the future of our planet.

The people of the Earth face monumental environmental challenges such as climate change, overpopulation, epidemic disease and the acidification of the oceans.

Do we need to add to our problems by allowing technology to accelerate? Are our days on Earth numbered?

The Earth that God gave us is at risk of being wiped out by a nuclear war or a genetically engineered virus. I pray that there are enough God-loving people on Earth to keep our planet safe.

Amazing Places God Created on Earth

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The world is a beautiful place that God has created for us all. Of course, there are many other natural wonders to see, but these five are breathtaking. God gave an incredible gift to us! Below is a list of the wonders of the natural world that God has gifted our generation.

Sure, there are others, but these call to me and they remind me that God gave us a fantastic gift! One of the things they all have in common are the people are focused on environmentally friendly living, from saving water, recycling. You might also want to get used to using a composting toilet too!

1- Jordan’s Desert Landscapes

Moses gazed across the Jordan River at the promised land. If you have been to Jordan, there is no denying the strong sense of past and a foreboding of what was yet to come. Nevertheless, there is nothing more special than gazing at the landscapes of Jordan that were gifted to us by God.

2- Australia’s Tarkine Forest

A Tasmanian devil

A Tasmanian devil

40,000 kilometers of ocean separates the Edge of the World from Argentina. It’s my dream to stand and stare at this long expanse of sea and soak up the power of the land God gave us. This remote place (Gardiner Point) in North West Tasmania has seen few humans and is one of those special places blessed by divine energy.

3- Canada’s Wild Yukon

aurora borealis

The Aurora Borealis

The Yukon Territory in Canada is one of the last great places on earth that has not been polluted by man. Get away from the main city of Whitehorse, and the land is a peaceful place to escape from the overdevelopment that has happened in many other national parks in North America. Some say that if you’re looking for God in the wilderness, the Yukon is where you should go.

4- South Dakota’s Badlands National Park (USA)

Badlands National Park is a stunning display of a natural wonder, located right at home in the USA. Many people choose to see the Grand Canyon or even Redwood forest but don’t fall for advertising and the greed of man. The Badlands are much more beautiful and certainly worth a visit.

5- Madagascar’s Stone Forest

In Madagascar’s Stone Forest, you see the limestone “needles” in Tsingy de Bemaraha Strict Nature Reserve. These otherworldly trees are God’s creation indeed! Most people have never heard of this wonder in Madagascar, and it seems almost unbelievable that this is a place on Earth and not on another planet.

Green Awakenings Report

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How To Choose An Environmentally Friendly ToiletIn the 21st century, we’re facing planet-sized challenges. Climate change and environmental crises is crippling us and leading us to the temptation to think that we cannot make a huge difference. Nevertheless, it isn’t about what we may do on our own to make a huge difference. It is about what we may do whenever we mobilize together as a movement, and we unite for community action. The sons and daughters of this generation need to come together and take care of the earth in a manner that previous generations have failed to do. Small things could make a big difference whenever we all work together.

We have the opportunity to show the world what it looks like when Christians take care of the planet that God gave us so that generations to come could live sustainably.

The 21st century is our moment.  This is our time.  The Green Revolution is here to stay.

The Green Revolution

If you stop to think about it, I’m sure you feel the pull to serve the earth with your heart and soul and brain, as opposed to the Creator God who made the earth. The term spiritual retreat could lead to expectations about closer communion with God through his Word.

The consistent aim of a spiritual retreat is not to hear or spread God’s voice and God’s Word, and much more, to work toward justice by providing a passionate voice on the planet and its people.

But is the Green Revolution this merely a nice dream following the teachings of Psalm 19?

I guess the answer to this question depends upon whether or not we hear the planet announcing the glory of the God of the Scriptures and directing us into these Scriptures and a revival of the spirit.

It depends upon whether we specify justice biblically and a justice flowing from the nature of God himself.

I guess it ultimately depends upon whether we believe God is talking through us or that we humans can give the planet its passionate voice.

If we think the latter, then, in planning to serve the ground and give it a passionate voice, we’re ultimately serving yourself and listening to our voices.

When our eyes are on the ground rather than about God, who made the earth, our entire view changes. Think, by way of example, of the view of redemption, which work of God to do brand new his fallen creation, throughout the ideal life and death and resurrection of his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Consider one college’s report which, because its pupils work to make a neighborhood garden, they’re taking part in redeeming a broken connection, between each other, invention, and God. Such a focus on humanity’s part in salvation, in providing the planet a voice, and so on, suggest the third party observation.

Also read:

How to choose an environmental toilet

Robots and the future of humanity