Faith vs Reason?

Does your mind naturally hold faith and reason in a symbiotic relationship?

It seems natural for us as a culture beyond the enlightenment...educated within a system based on the concept that we can test, observe and there by understand all that surrounds us to answer this question in the negative. Clearly faith is in opposition to reason and understanding.

To believe in a DEVINE reality beyond our five sense is in its very nature irrational.

However...today I share the fascinating perspective of Tim Keller from Redeemer in NYC as he purposes that belief in God and Jesus as the self revelation of that God is the most intellectually reasonable choice to make.

A choice that fully embraced can ultimately stretch our minds beyond common knowledge.

That’s so A W E S O M E !

Noah and the Reasons of Faith (download MP3)

God is LOVE

What are the first feelings, ideas and images that come to mind when you think of God? One of the earliest followers of Jesus wrote a letter in which he offered this description of God… “God is love .”

Given his description it’s seems fascinating to read the words of one of the most influential writers and follower's of Jesus, Paul... in his letter to the Church at Corinth like this.

4 God is patient,
God is kind.
God does not envy,
God does not boast,
God is not proud.
5God does not dishonor others,
God is not self-seeking,
God is not easily angered,
God keeps no record of wrongs.
6 God does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
7 God always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
(NIV, ©2010: the word “love” has been replaced with the common name for the creator of the know world)

What do you think… how does this align with your picture of God?

Online Bible Resource (http://www.biblegateway.com/)

Referenced Passages…

7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. - 1 John 4:7-9 (NIV, ©2010)

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. - 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 (NIV, ©2010)

the darkness just before the LIGHT

a two-for Thursday!

Part 1: The Reason for God

In 2008 Timothy Keller wrote a phenomenal book called The Reason for God. Menlo Park Presbyterian is currently in the middle of a great series based on Tim’s book. Today I share the thoughts of Scott Scruggs on the BIG question “Why Does God Allow Suffering?”

(download MP3 here).

Part 2: Willow’s Family Series

Each year Willow Creek Community Church in Chicago has a family series as they encourage their community to cultivate and grow strong families and relationship. Today I share Bill Hybels interview with Henry Cloud as they discuss “Crafting a Healthy Family Environment”.

(download MP3 here)