"Were you there?"

What you do with the Bible depends on what you do with the first sentence of Genesis. The Bible opens with a simple statement, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth" (Gen 1:1). If you believe that, you can believe everything else that follows. If you reject that statement, you will also deny every other cardinal truth in the Scriptures.

Joe and Charlie were arguing about Genesis 1:1. Joe said he believed the record of creation just as it was written. Charlie was an unbeliever, and went to great lengths in giving his own theory of how tha world began and then how life developed from a primordial cell through reptiles, monkeys, and up to man. When he was all through, Joe looked at him and said, "Were you there, Charlie?" It was a good question. "Of cource I wasn't there," he replied. Joe said, "Well, God was. He was the only one there and I'll take the word of the Eyewitness rather than the gueses of those who rely on their own imagination."

In a court of law, eyewitness testimony carries the most weight. Heresay testimony is thrown out. The same is true of creation. God asked Job the question, "Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?" (Job 38:4) God was there, and His Word can be trusted.

You will be able to trust the Bible when you have come to trust its Author.

Who needs to pray?

A proffessor who teaches Christianity in a graduate was participating in a group discussion on a serious matter. When someone suggested that they ask God for guidance, the proffessor protested, "Pray! Who needs to pray? We're men. We can solve our own problems!"

Even some people who claim to be Christians have that kind of self-sufficient attitude. They think because they have brains, experience, and technology, prayer isn't necessary. How wrong they are!

Henry Stanley (1841-1904), the famous African explorer, wrote, "On all my expeditions, prayer made me stronger, morally and mentally, than any of my non-praying companions. It did not blind my eyes, or dull my mind, or close my ears; but on the contrary, it gave me confidence. It did more; it gave me joy and pride in my work, and lifted me hopefully over the 1500 miles of forest tracks, eager to face the day's perils."

Jesus prayed. And He told us to pray always "and not lose heart" (Luke 18:1). Without prayerful dependence on God, we lack what it takes to do His will day after day. Prayer enables us to draw on our Father's limitless resources of grace. Who needs to pray? We all do!

Nothing is too great or too small to bring to God

Winning Big

Tennis Champion Hana Mandlikova ws once asked how she felt after defeating great players like Martina Navratilova and Christ Evert Lloyd. She responded, "Any big win means that all the suffering, practicing and traveling are worth it. I feel Iown the world." When asked how long that feeling lasts, she replied, "About 2 minutes."

The Bible telles about the fleeting nature of fame and fortune. I Ecclesiastes, Solomon cited th endless repetion of temporary accomplishments (Eccl. 6). Isaiah compared life to a wildflower that quickly wilts and fades (Isa. 40:6-8). And the apostal John said that "the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will od God abides forever" (1Jn 2:17).

That's Paul's attitude in today's text. He knew the pains of personal sacrifice in going for the big win. The difference between him and an athlete, however, was his purpose. He ws striving for more that 2 minutes of ecstasty; he was going for an "etrnal weight of glory" (2 Cor. 4:17).

Winning big has earthly rewards. But we must dedicate ourselves to achieving a more important victory--the eternal approval of our heavenly Father (Phil. 3:7-14). That's the biggest win of all.

A wise person gears earthy goals to heavenly gains

When it's okay to judge others

It used to be that I couldn't tolerate a Bible know-it-all---the kind of person who knows more about the Bible than most people, and who is quick to show it off by correcting others. In my heart I was quick to condemn such a person---and I didn't always keep it to myself.

To my chagrin, I discovered that I was doing the very thing I despised in others. The more I learned about the Bible, the prouder I felt. Then on one occasion after making an insensitive arrogant remark, I saw the hurt in my friend's eyes. God's Spirit used that incident to convict me of my pride. I confessed my sin and asked God's help to overcome it.

Another important thing happened. I found myself having much more understanding and compassion toward others like me. I realised that they are driven by the same insecurity and pride that I was.

There's a key principle in today's Scripture: First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly. ---Matthew 7:5. Instead of being quick to point out the sins of others, we need to judge our own sins-the "planks" in our own lives. It's a painful process. It hurts. But it will make us much more patient and sensitive toward other sinners like us.

Lord, help me to judge myself before I judge others. Make me as compassionate to them as You are to me.

Be slow to judge others, but quick to judge yourself