Sometimes it helps us learn by trying to figure it out for ourselves ...such as a story problem. But if we are working out a story problem, don't we use what we already know to help us figure it out? And there are also times where it is just better to know the answer ...as some situations are more critical than others.

I am one of six children.  Suppose my parents gave each of us ---when we were kids and living together --- a jigsaw puzzle for Christmas.  I get done eating first ...okay, anyone who knows me well, knows that wouldn't be true, but we are just supposing.  And suppose I had opened all six jigsaw puzzle boxes, and poured the puzzle pieces out, mixing them all together.  Everyone stares at me in disbelief, and are a bit agitated, to say the least.  I quickly provide a solution: "All the puzzles have 500 pieces, so I will just count out 500 pieces and do that six times.  Then all the pieces will be back in the boxes, and everyone will be happy."

They were not happy ...they were contemplating how someone so dumb, could be their brother!!

Okay, Christmas has a lot of happy memories, and some unhappy ones too.  But let's not forget what Christmas is all about ...the birth of Jesus.  And that was not all birthed in splendor, but it is in my heart ...and I hope you can look at it that way too.  We should all be thankful for the birth of Jesus.

Speaking of Thanksgiving (well, not really ...as 'thankful' was just mentioned, but this is my segue), let's say you're thinking about what Mom is going to make for Christmas dinner, still thinking about the apple pie, pumpkin pie, turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, and green bean casserole ...that fabulous Thanksgiving meal, that Mom took hours to prepare, and we all just snarfed it in the equivalent of a football game's halftime.  I know that gravy is made from spooning off juice from the turkey, but unless I am there to watch, I don't really know the order in which she makes the things, but I know when she serves it to us ...it is just right!!

Well, after the big dinner, you grab more to eat during each time out or change of possession.  And at the end of the football game, you get more to eat.  Now, you are really stuffed.  You feel like you can barely move, so you stay in front of that television. I don't know what you relax watching because I don't know the TV schedule, or what's on on what night. One of the more popular shows is: "The Big Bang Theory".  I do not watch the show, I am only mentioning it because of it's title, and as far as I know it's title has nothing to do with my next reference ...which is to the 'big bang'.

It has been years since I've studied the "big bang theory" to any extent anyway ...I think it was when I was in college, I found it rather fascinating.  That is, until I studied so in depth that I came to the conclusion (like some scientists have) that it is not possible.  But, the 'big bang' is supposed to be an explosion of dense, hot matter ...henceforth, the creation of stars, inclusive of our sun.

Now, the Bible says that God created in six days, everything that many of you believe came about over millions of years. Some people like to believe that God exists, but that He saw it adequately fulfilling to observe the universe as it slowly evolved over millions or even billions of years. Some people say that the six days actually refer to six eras, and that Moses understood it as eras when he wrote it down, but that he felt everyone was in a daze and would only understand 'days' ...as we witness them by the rising and setting of our sun.  

If I believe that, would I also have to believe that Moses was confused as to the order in which he listed the six days, or eras (to some)??  If we were to think of it as eras, instead of days, then light and water would exist in the first era; followed by our earth and plants in however thousands or millions of years the era would be estimated to be; and then would come the era of the stars, inclusive of our sun.  

I would propose that to be errors, not eras.

If we go back to my description of trying to work out a story problem, we begin with what we know.  We know we have the Bible. With us trying to figure out the beginning of time, without the Bible as our guide ...it is like trying to piece together 500 random puzzle pieces from that mixed up mess from all six boxes.  We should just leave the pieces in their proper boxes, and look at the picture on the box.  And we should take the six days of creation just the way it is. After all, it is like Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner ...we don't know how it all comes about, unless we are the ones who prepare it. God created everything, and I don't think He let His Word become that confusing.  The first day, He created light, and I don't want to live in the dark on this one.

I know that plants can live in the dark for a couple days, but not an era.  Of course, I know there was light first ...which I believe seems to be drawn back into focal points and centers on the fourth day.  But, that is my Biblical belief, not the way evolution is described.

Evolution is based upon the concept that "one thing leads to another" ...it's not just a simpleton phrase, it's a huge, significant tendency.  But, I hope my understanding of it can be communicated here.  

For many who do believe in God, there is a very diverse view on the character of the Supreme Being they hold in esteem.  Some people believe in temperamental God. Some people portray (inerrant as it may be) Him as an angry God.

How would it sound, if the Father said: "Look, they made a golden calf; and I said, no making idols!!  Someone is going to pay for this!!"

Then as if the Son said, "Settle down, Father, don't get so angry!!"

Father: "It's on you, then!  If you, my Son, are going to be so soft ...I'm putting it all on you!!"

As if this happened over and over again, where every time the Father got angry, and He said it was on His Son, until all the sins were on the Son.  But, this is absurd, as the Father & Son are One, and there is not a personality conflict.  

But, while the huge burden of everyone's sins was placed on Jesus while He was dying on the cross ...isn't dying burden enough??  Why the extension of saying Jesus became the murderer, became the rapist, became the worshiper of Baal ...though all sins were covered by Him, I find difficulty seeing that He became like them in thought, as it has been said that the thoughts are also sin, and Jesus was & is without sin.   And furthermore, who really thinks of the Father, as an angry Person who is not satisfied until blood is shed, and someone dies ...because of all the anger caused Him?  I certainly don't look at it this way.

I read in the Bible that a blood offering was required, but I also read (much before Jesus came to earth) that the Father was sick of their sacrifices ...and made it clear He wanted their obedience.   If you think we have not only an angry Father, but also One who couldn't make up His mind, you are wrong!!

It really goes back to Lucifer, who went against God.  We usually refer to him as the devil, or Satan, but whatever name we give him, it was his action which brought on the condition. And it comes to us because of our actions.  But, our actions do not wholly define our condition ...it is the choice we make, in spite of our actions.  

Let's look at the Garden of Eden, that stage of influence which certainly was no curtain call.  The curtain that mattered would be ripped from top to bottom when Jesus died.  But, meanwhile, let's address the confusing notion of death ...and how it equates with disobedience, sin, and separation from God; and how it all came to play right here, confusing our understanding of it.

Eve was told, "You will not surely die!"  It seems she did not fully understand the concept of "one thing leads to another".  

Do we??

This is what evolutionists claim, but they mostly ignore the true significance of it ...with sin. God says that He looks at all sin as the same.  It would seem difficult for us to think how one little lie could be as bad as murdering someone. Every time someone lies, it does not lead to a murder ...but if we defend the wrong and minimize the importance of telling the truth, we are supporting an ideology that slowly accepts one wrong, then another, then another ...each time potentially more severe, until we have a society that accepts things that should shock every one of us.  

I don't mean to point the finger at one sin (God certainly doesn't), yet there are a few obvious progressions that have shown their ugly heads.  And one of them is in reference to a process that prevents some from showing their beautiful heads ...the act of abortion.  It went from ending the life, at any age before birth, to partial birth abortion, to now allowing death paths through starving the babies after they are born.  Yes, one thing does lead to another ...and it is horrific.

So, in view of that, would we understand when God would view all of us worthy of death.  All sin is separation from God, and separation from God leads us to what?   It leads to the worst that we've heard of, witnessed, or could ever imagine.   

Some people would prefer being separated from the hell-like conditions of torment they experience in their lives. The fact is, both God's influence and Satan's influence are present here on earth.  Disobedience, sin, separation from God ...however you'd refer to it, is Satan's pathway.  Jesus is the other pathway. 

There will be an end, but it will not be the sort of death that many imagine ...there will be a separation, with only two destinations.  One of those destinations is Heaven, the eternal promised peace that can only be possible because Lucifer will not be there to rebel like he compelled one third of his angelic buddies to do with him, and neither will those who follow blindly on that path be present.  

Sadly, even a peaceful atheist stands against God, as how does that person encourage others to take the correct path. How can the incorrect path lead to the correct destination ...it can't.

We then say, how can our loving God send a peaceful and loving atheist on a path he/she does not even believe in. First of all, God does not send anyone on that path.  But, you may also ask why God allows people to suffer here on earth. Consider the person you think has went through the most horrific life here on earth ...that person is not you. 

If you've read this far, you should have some hope, others feel they have none; and you probably don't know the person because if you do, I can't imagine you've not attempted to comfort that person.  And the worst life is one that has no comfort ...so, if they knew you, they'd likely would've had some comfort.  Yet, I believe there are those who experience no comfort around them.  So, just imagine if you could reach that person and comfort them ...well, also consider that many missionaries don't just imagine this.   

But wouldn't you think that a person living the worst life would one day want to be rid of all the torment?  They would ask it, and beg for it.  

We are the ones who really are asking for the separation.  If God were as angry as some would depict Him to be, then He could just forget about us ...but our loving God wants to give us the relief we desire.  

But part of love is righteousness.  Where does He draw the line? 

We can recognize some bad things we wouldn't want to be present, but we say other things aren't so bad ...though we can't forget the progression either, of where it could lead to, and all the not so good followers.

So, we often beg to be separated from certain things ...but sin is sin, and it all is separation from God, so how do we reconcile our own thoughts.  The great Flood during Noah's day was a catastrophic separation.  Sodom and Gomorrah was a separation.  Let's look at that:

We are not looking at it very clearly if we think of an angry God who demanded blood ...and therefore, destroyed those two cities.  I read of God's discourse with Abraham.  God was not reasoning it out in His own mind, and letting Abraham convince Him ...God wanted Abraham to reason it out. Abraham asked God to spare the city of Sodom if 50 righteous lived there ...45 ...40 ...30 ...20 ...10, and for 10 righteous God agreed to spare Sodom.  Likely, Abraham was concerned because his nephew lived there. 

Abraham was learning about God, as he kept asking God not to be angry.  There weren't 10 righteous living there, but Abraham was to continue to learn how loving God really is. 

God had the city destroyed, but He did spare Abraham's nephew, as well as his nephew's wife and their two daughters.  

We ask for righteousness, and often demand it.  God loves us, and He is also righteous ...He will give us peace, that can only exist with the separation we don't ever quite experience in this life, and some not at all.  This end, is everlasting life ...for some; and everlasting separation from God for those who separate from Him in this life.  

We have a loving God, who knows who are accountable and who aren't.  A poor tormented child who has never heard of the path, but knows they don't want to continue on that path, wanting a Savior ...often turns towards what they don't fully understand.   The Book of Romans describes how "...that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God shows it unto them."

We call out for righteousness all the time.  We demand it!! We holler, "Tax the rich!!  We want our fair share!!"  

We complain of unfairness, "The Packers would have won that game if it hadn't been for that bad call!!"  

My call is that we complain too much, and are seldom content.  

Should not the child who has known no joy, not get a chance at a bit of separation from evil?

God forgives, but without repentance being a part of it, sin abounds.  There is no righteousness within ourselves ...that we beg for, and demand.  We ourselves have no standard among ourselves ...unless we look to when Jesus was among us.  If He hadn't died, God's righteousness would not have been able to fairly save any of us ...we would all perish.  

All we can do is attempt to bear good fruit ...and let God deal with the perishable.