Natural selection, yes; evolution, no, Part Two

One shortcoming is that natural selection cannot plan ahead-an advantage one day may become a hindrance as the environment changes.  This can ultimately lead us to the extinction of a population despite its current success in the environment.  Natural selection favors specialization into distinct niches; when the environment changes, the specialization becomes a disadvantage.  It seems impossible that this process of undirected elimination could lead to an increase in variety and complexity.

Adaptations are usually presented in a way that makes that seem like a natural extension of natural selection.  There is limited evidence to suggest that natural selection can lead to new adaptations, but ample evidence shows that adaptations can lead to natural selection.  An adaptation must appear before natural selection can act on it.  Evolution cannot explain the appearance of these traits, but the Creator provided the variety needed in the original created kinds.

Science Link: https://creation.com/15-questions-for-evolutionists

GIF Link: https://giphy.com/gifs/science-QyVejAu007WdbnOfUU

There are others that believe like you

I will begin with this statement. I live in Seattle, Washington, there are not many people that believe in the Bible and go to church. There are times when I wonder if I am the only person that believes in God.

Seattle's culture is all about sin and I dislike sin.

I enjoy the first two verses in First Peter, Chapter one. The first statement explains that Peter was an apostle of Christ. The beginning says, "Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ." God gave authority to Peter to tell people about Jesus.

I am sure that many people during this time felt the way that I had. Again, I can think that I am the only believer in the town.  God has placed believers everywhere to promote His Word.

1 Peter 1:1 says, "To God's elect, strangers in the world, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia."  

It is great to know that if an person knows Jesus, God knew that person would knew Him.

1 Peter 1:2 says, "who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance."

If an person are drawn by the Holy Spirit and repents from their sins. That person is God's elect. If an person rejects the drawing of the Holy Spirit, that person is not God's elect. The chose is up to that person. 

Jesus died on the cross and arose from the dead. The cross was the penalty of our sins. We deserve hell forever. Again, if we repent from our sins, we are God's property.

GIF LINK: https://giphy.com/gifs/vote-H7SW6Ii1nQ00FekGlk

Jesus is God

The Old Testament forbids giving worship to anyone other than God (Exodus 20:1-4; Deuteronomy 5:6-9), Jesus accepts worship (Matthew 8:2; 14:33; 15:25; 20:20; 28:17; Mark 5:6). The disciples attributes to him titles the Old Testament reserved for God, such as, "the first and the last" (Revelation 1:17; 2:8; 22:13)," "the true light" (1 John 1:9), the "rock" 1( Corinthians 10:4; 1 Peter 2:6-8; Psalm 18:2; 95:1), the "bridegroom" (Ephesians 5:28-33, Revelation 21:2), "the chief Shepherd" (1 Peter 5:40 and "the great shepherd" (Hebrews 13:20).
They attributed to Jesus the divine activities of creating (John 1:3, Colossians 1:15-16), redeeming (Hosea 13:14; Psalm 130:7), forgiveness (Acts 5:31; Colossians 3:13; Psalm 130:4; Jeremiah 31:34), and judging (John 5:26). They used titles of deity for Jesus. Thomas declared: "My Lord and my God!" (John 20:28). Paul calls Jesus, "the one in whom the fullness of deity dwells  bodily"
(Colossians 2:9). In Titus, Jesus is called, "our great God and Savior" (2:13), and the writer to the Hebrews says of Him, "Your throne, O God, is forever" (Hebrews 1:8). Paul says that, before Christ existed as a human being, He existed as God" (Philippians 2:5-8). Hebrews 1:5 says that Christ reflects God's glory of God, bears the stamp of His nature and upholds the universe. The prologue to John's Gospel also minces no words, stating, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was with God.' (John 1:1).


GIF link: https://giphy.com/gifs/healing-KZqs84pHDMdCP4R8WV

Natural selection, yes; evolution, no, Part One

The definition of the "fittest" individuals makes the notion of natural selection true based on circular reasoning. The fittest are the ones that survive and you can tell which are the fittest by seeing which one survive. (The fact that survival of the fittest is based on circular reasoning does not necessarily mean that the idea is false.) Fitness is controlled by many factors that allow the organism to survive and reproduce. The fastest zebra may be deaf and have a poor sense of smell. This combination would tend to eliminate his genes from a population. The only way to understand fitness is to study the first generation and then track the presence of those traits through time as successive generations are born.

Numerical values can be used to represent the fitness of individuals based on the ratio of individuals with different traits. These numbers can explain fitness, but they have no predictive power-you can only determine the fittest after they survive. Mice that hold still to avoid being seen by a soaring hawk are better able to survive, except when it is safer to run to their burrows to avoid being eaten-each may provide an advantage. If the fact that the survivors survived is used to prove evolution, the circular reasoning becomes a logic problem.

Another misconception is that the fittest variety must be increasing in number. Natural selection can still be acting on a population as its number are declining. There is no direction implied in natural selection-you can be the highest scorer (most fit) on the losing team. Competition happens between species (interspecific competition), but natural selection acts within species (intraspecific competition). The struggle for survival is not between lions and zebras, it is within the zebra population. This intraspecific struggle allows for change within kinds, but not from one kind to another.

GIF Link https://giphy.com/gifs/nature-Q5us4S2RVhKcSG1zR3

Isolation

The word isolation is common now. Many people are staying at home without leaving the house. Many people are feeling lonely because they are not seeing anyone. That is an crime.
We need to each other, zoom meetings only do so much. Hebrew 13:22 says, "Brothers, I urge you to bear with my word of exhortation, for I have written you only a short letter."

Paul wanted to share his life with the Messianic Jews that were familiar with the Old Testament.
He long for friendships and deep conversion. I think that I would get along with Paul.
I enjoy talking about life deep issues. Paul and his friends shared an love for God's Word.
I will be honest, I miss going to church during the Covid lockdown.

I will go on to verse 23. It says, "I want you to know that our brother Timothy has been released. If he arrives soon, I will come with him to see you." Paul had an great friend with Timothy. We all need that one great friend that is by our sides. May we be that for someone.

Timothy, who was well known to the recipients of the letter, had recently been released from prison.
Timothy was humbled was faithful to Paul and the Lord Jesus. May we be faithful in this life.
There was an time before social media, people wrote letters. Then an person sent it by an messenger.

Hebrews 13:24 says, "Greet all your leaders and all God's people. Those from Italy send you their greeting." It is nice to be remembered. It seems that we all just numbers. When God knows us, it makes us not feel alone. We must remember people like God.

We all need more grace. Hebrews 13:25 says, "Grace be with you all."

GIF link: https://giphy.com/gifs/isolation-cJSbl0t7hNkgz1NQXP

Evolution-atheism

"Let me summarize views on what modern evolutionary biology tell us loud and clear...There are no gods, no purpose, no goal-directed forces of any kind. There is no life after death. When I die, I am absolutely certain that I am going to be dead. That's the end for me. There is no ultimate foundation for ethics, no ultimate meaning to life and no free will for human, either."

Dr. William B. Provine,
Professor of Biological Sciences, Cornell University

Romans 3:4 says, "Not at all! Let God be true, and every human being a liar."

Video Link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilkNKxdUXFw&list=PLF2E5FF9EFB84BAD6

Trinity (Jesus)

Trinity simple means "triunity."  God is not a simple unity; there is plurality in his unity. The Trinity is one of the greatest mysteries of the Christian faith. Unlike an antimony or paradox, which is a logical contradiction, the Trinity goes beyond reason but not against  reason. It is known only by divine revelation, so the Trinity is not the subject of natural theology but of revelation.

The word Trinity is not used in the Bible, the concept is clearly taught in the Bible. The logic of the Trinity is simple. Two biblical truths are evident in the Scripture, the logical conclusion of which is the Trinity:

1)There is one God.
2) There are three distinct persons who are God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Jesus is God. The Son is God. Jesus claimed to be Yahweh God. YHWH translated in some versions Jehovah, was the special name of God revealed to Mosses in Exodus 3:14, when God said said "I am who I am." In John 8:58, Jesus declares: "Before Abraham was, I am." This statement claims not only existence before Abraham, but equality with the "I am" of Exodus 3:14. The Jews around Him clearly understood His meaning and picked up stones to kill Him for blaspheming (Mark 14:62; John 8:58; 10:31-33; 18:5-6). Jesus also said, "I am the first and the last (Revelation 2:8).

Jesus took the glory of God. Isaiah wrote, "I am the Lord [Yahweh], that is my name; I will not give to another, or my praise to idols" (42:8) and, "This is what the Lord [Yahweh] says....I am the first, and I am the last; apart from me there is no God" (44:6). Likewise, Jesus prayed, Father, glorify me in Your presence with the glory I had with You before the world began" (John 17:5). But Yahweh had said He would not give His glory to another.

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