By Ricky Smith

Sooner or later, it happens to almost every parent in our church. Your son or daughter comes home from school, or from a conversation with a friend, and says some version of the same thing: “My teacher said the universe is billions of years old. Is the Bible wrong?”

If you’ve had that moment, you know the flash of panic that comes with it. It can feel like your whole faith is suddenly on trial at the kitchen table, and you have about ten seconds to defend it or lose your kid to doubt forever.

Take a breath. That’s not actually what’s happening.

This past Sunday, as part of our ongoing walk through Genesis 1, we sat with a question a lot of us carry quietly: how old is the earth, really, and does the Bible actually answer that? We looked closely at the text itself, especially the strange detail in Genesis 1:14-19, where evening and morning happen three separate times before the sun is even created on day four. 

Every serious view of this passage, whichever way it lands, has to reckon honestly with that detail. We also looked at Exodus 20:8-11, where God ties our own workweek directly to His creation week, which is likely the single strongest piece of evidence for reading the days as ordinary, literal days.

Faithful, Bible-believing, inerrancy-holding Christians read this differently, and that disagreement doesn’t belong in the same category as whether Jesus rose from the dead, or whether Adam was a real man whose real disobedience brought real sin into a good world. Those things aren’t up for negotiation. The number of years in Genesis 1 is a matter where we can hold a real conviction and still extend real charity.

Here’s what we don’t want you to miss. Genesis 1 was never mainly trying to answer a modern science question. It was answering a much bigger one for its first readers: whose world is this, and can He be trusted? The sun and moon that the ancient world bowed down to and feared, Genesis calls “lights,” ordinary objects hung in the sky by a God who needs no help holding anything together.

So this week, if your kid brings home that question, you don’t have to panic, and you don’t have to have a perfect answer to every objection. You can say, “that’s a great question, here’s what I believe and why, and here’s what matters even more than the number.” That’s confidence without combat. And underneath the whole debate is an invitation that matters more than winning any argument: rest, in the God who made it all, and who made you.

Dr Charles Stanley

One of the most difficult things we’re to do as Christians is to “[wait] in silence for God only” (Ps. 62:1). We tend to think of waiting as passively sitting back until something happens. However, in the midst of a stormy life event, we don’t like inactivity. Our instinct is to react quickly and force things to change.

But in this psalm, the word wait has a different meaning—it connotes “pause for further instructions.” Instead of opting for passivity, we must choose to stop our actions and listen for God’s directive. Sometimes the Lord is silent for a season, but He always has a purpose. He knows the perfect time for us to act, and until that moment, we need to wait. It takes more strength and character to be still in the midst of a storm than to frantically seek our own solution.

I can tell you that I, too, at times wait impatiently. When that happens, I can become nervous and question God or complain. But those reactions do not fit who we are as Christians. Paul tells us plainly to “be anxious for nothing” (Phil. 4:6); he instructs us instead to pray to the Lord, who offers peace. We’re to wait in silence without complaining, which means we must have patience. In order for that to happen, we must trust in God’s wisdom, love, power, and timing. We can’t go wrong when we rely on Him.

The key to finding peace in the storm is waiting for God only. When we refuse to do so, we are more likely to make bad decisions. He hears our every prayer, but we must be willing to wait in silence and listen for His reply.

Baseball in Heaven ?
Two old men have been best friends for years, and they both live to their early 90’s, when one of them suddenly falls deathly ill. His friend comes to visit him on his deathbed, and they’re reminiscing about their long friendship.
Then the dying man’s friend says, “Listen, when you die, do me a favor. I want to know if there’s baseball in heaven.”
The dying man said, “We’ve been friends for years—this I’ll do for you.” And then he died.
A couple days later, his surviving friend is sleeping when he hears his friend’s voice. The voice says, “I’ve got some good news and some bad news. The good news is that there’s baseball in heaven.”
“What’s the bad news?”
“You’re pitching on Wednesday.”

The Test
A young pastor, fresh out of seminary and new in town, entered a small “Mom and Pop” store. “Mom” was the only person there. The pastor ordered what he needed, chatted a bit, paid the lady, shoved his change into his pocket and left.
Later, when he took time to put the change into his wallet, he realized that the woman had given him more money than she should have. He looked at it awhile thinking about the situation. Should he take time out of his busy schedule ?to go back and return the extra money? Should he bother to rectify the situation at all? He recalled other occasions in his life when he’d been given back too little change. Wouldn’t it all even out if he just kept the money?
Heeding his conscience, he drove back to the store to make things right. “You gave me too much change,” he said to the woman.
“I know,” she replied, almost as though it didn’t matter.
“But you gave me $20.00 more than you should have.”
“I know,” she replied again.
“You knew that you gave me too much change?”
“Yes.”
“But why would you deliberately do that?” he asked.
Her eyes twinkled as she answered, “I know who you are and I know what you’re doing in town. I just wanted to see what you’d do if I gave you too much change. And you did the right thing.”  

Four Ways To Know We Are Trusting God
?Text: Psalms 119:41Let thy mercies come also unto me, O Lord, even thy salvation, according to thy word. 42 So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me: for I trust in thy word.
43 And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; for I have hoped in thy judgments.
44 So shall I keep thy law continually for ever and ever.
45 And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts.
46 I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed.
47 And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved.
48 My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes.

??The difference of God’s true work in our lives is amazing. ?Religious people are not very impressive to the world and are really not very impressive to themselves. ?When God does His work in our hearts then it is the greatest possible experience we can enjoy.??Verse 41: “Let thy mercies come also unto me, O LORD, even thy salvation, according to thy word.”??1. The first thing is to be sure “what you got is what God gives.” Paul told us to ‘test ourselves to see if we are in the faith’. True Salvation is:?a. God’s Gift (His mercy to us)?b. According to His Word (don’t twist God’s arm but claim His promise to find salvation)?1) Saved on God’s terms – based on His promise?2. When you are truly saved then you have something in your life the world needs to hear.?Verse 42: So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproacheth me: for I trust in thy word.?3. What are your answers when the world scrutinizes your so-called relationship with God? Emotion? Excitement? More blessings than they have? ?Church membership? Sinless life??a. Those people down at that church are sinners just like me. EXACTLY: That is the whole point of the Gospel. We all have sins but the question is where are they now??b. I trust in Your word: Lit. I have a ‘confident expectation’ because of your promise. ?1) I know that you won’t PULL THE RUG out from under me. ?2) It is to ‘attach yourself’ firmly to something for support. ?3) CHAIR. (Anybody not putting all their weight down right now?) Home after a hard day…not put all your weight into that lazy boy???FOUR WAYS TO KNOW WE ARE TRUSTING GOD??1. The Way We Wait ?Verse 43: And take not the word of truth utterly out of my mouth; for I have hoped in thy judgments.?a. How do you wait on God? What word is in your mouth as you wait for God’s timing? Doubt, bitterness, anger??b. When we are truly trusting God then our faith will demonstrate itself through our choice of words.?c. What would you have said if your were:?1) Noah pounding a nail?2) Joseph counting prison bars?3) David looking for rocks?They all inspired faith in spite of their circumstances.?d. Proper waiting brings a greater capacity for service; (School of Trials)?ISA 40: 31 “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”??2. The Way We Walk ?Verse 44, 45: “So shall I keep thy law continually for ever and ever. And I will walk at liberty: for I seek thy precepts.”?a. Waiting is not meant to be a time we do nothing. (Doctor’s WAITING ROOM). b. Every moment is a preparation for the next in God’s plan. ?When we don’t see the big picture then we don’t understand the small parts. (JIGSAW) ?Faith means leaving the big picture as God’s concern. My part is:?1) Continual Obedience: Lit; ‘without interruption’??3. The Way We Witness ?Verse 46: “I will speak of thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed.”?a. Who does this verse remind you of in the Bible? Paul/ Daniel/ Nehemiah/ Joseph/ Esther. ?b. Who do you see in our day like this? Willing to tell it like it is, take a stand regardless of the cost? (Political correctness)?c. What is your testimony? What you have done? Go to church or live a respectable life…. Or what God has done? Speak of YOUR testimonies!??4. The Way We Worship ?Verse 47: “And I will delight myself in thy commandments, which I have loved.?My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in thy statutes.”?1. How long is the list of the things that you really get excited about? Family, NFL football, favorite show, tax rebate??a. Where is knowing God’s will on that list??2. DELIGHT: Have an intense emotion towards. ?a. I worship on the inside.?b. I worship on the outside

A Journey Called Life

A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package. “What food might this contain?” the mouse wondered. He was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap. Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed this warning: “There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!”

The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, “Mr. Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it.”

The mouse turned to the pig and told him, “There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!” The pig sympathized, but said, “I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured you are in my prayers.”

The mouse turned to the cow and said, “There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!” The cow said, “Wow, Mr. Mouse. I’m sorry for you, but it’s no skin off my nose.”

So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer’s mousetrap—alone.

That very night a sound was heard throughout the house—the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey.

The farmer’s wife rushed to see what was caught. In the darkness, she did not see it—a venomous snake whose tail was caught in the trap. The snake bit the farmer’s wife.

The farmer rushed her to the hospital, but when she returned home she still had a fever. Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup. So, the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup’s main ingredient: fresh chicken.

But his wife’s sickness continued. Friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig.

But, alas, the farmer’s wife did not get well. When she died, so many people came for her funeral that the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for the funeral luncheon.

And the mouse looked upon it all, from his crack in the wall, with great sadness.

So, the next time you hear someone is facing a problem, and you think it doesn’t concern you, remember —when one of us is threatened, we are all at risk. We are all involved in this journey called life. We must keep an eye out for one another and make an extra effort to encourage one another.

Remember—each of us is a vital thread in another person’s tapestry. Our lives are woven together for a reason. One of the best things to hold onto in this world is a friend.

Copyright 2015 Mike Atkinson |

The Shepherd’s Tools

The Shepherd’s rod is used for protection,

Over His fold, His hand guides their direction;

God’s Word is there, with instruction to teach,

There’s no one His lovingkindness won’t reach!

The Shepherd staff is long, thin, curved on the top,

Used in direction, bringing strays inside the flock;

His rod and staff comfort us if darkness appears,

No need to worry when God’s presence is near!

The Shepherd’s tableland has unending greens,

Where unrestricted resources of God are seen;

Anyone who feeds at God’s marvelous table,

Will become fulfilled, willing, and able!

The Shepherd’s oil is applied upon His sheep,

So good health & strength, they might always keep;

His cup overflows with the goodness of God,

Praise God! It’s ours to drink, as on earth we trod.

Actor and TV teacher Bill Nye, “The Science Guy,” is set to square off in a Feb. 9 debate against Answers in Genesis — USA founder Ken Ham, at the Creation Museum in Petersburg, Ky., founded by Ham to advocate for the Old Testament account of creation.

In a recent wire service interview, Nye said: “If we raise a generation of students who don’t believe in the process of science, who think everything that we’ve cone to know about nature and the universe can be dismissed by a few sentences translated into English from some ancient text, you’re not going to continue to innovate.” “I say to grown-ups: If you want to deny evolution and live in your world, in your world that’s completely inconsistent with everything we observe in the universe, that’s fine. But don’t make your kids, because we need them.”
A few verses came to my mind when I read this. Seems to me that the devil is up to his same old tricks trying to not only steal our souls but our children’s.
Proverbs 22:6 Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. (notice it does not say the way the child wants to go or the way the world wants the child to go)
1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: (our children)
1 John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
2 Corinthians 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. (listen to how quickly they call us Christians “closed minded”, while they are denying the Word of God.)
And of course we cannot forget the very first verse in the Bible.
Genesis 1:1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
WHO ARE YOU GONNA BELIEVE?
Proverbs 14:25 A true witness delivereth souls: but a deceitful witness speaketh lies.26 In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.
Romans 3:3 For what if some did not believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?4 God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged.

By Ricky Smith September 7, 2026

There’s a moment near the end of Genesis chapter 1 that’s easy to read past if you’re moving quickly. God has just spent five and a half days speaking a world into order: light, sky, land, sun, moon, sea creatures, birds, animals. Then, for the first and only time in the whole chapter, the pattern breaks. Instead of the simple “let there be,” God pauses. He says, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.” It’s the only deliberation in the entire creation account, and it’s easy to miss just how loudly that pause speaks.

This past Sunday we closed out a month of slowly walking through Genesis 1, and we finally arrived at the moment the whole chapter has been building toward: the creation of humanity, in the image of God. If you’ve been with us, you know we’ve said, “and it was good” six times over the past three weeks, and each time I promised you a seventh, better word was coming. Genesis 1:31 delivers it: “very good,” spoken for the first and only time, right after humanity steps onto the scene.

Here’s why that matters for your actual week. So many of us walk around quietly convinced that our worth is something we have to earn, through our performance at work, our kids’ behavior, our body, our bank account, our usefulness to somebody. Genesis 1:26-31 was written into a world that believed something similar, a world where only kings were considered worthy of bearing a god’s image, and everyone else was just useful or expendable. Into that world, God says something radical: every human being, not just the powerful, carries His image. Your worth was never a wage. It was a gift, given before you’d done a single thing to earn or lose it.

That truth doesn’t stay private, either. If every person you meet this week- the cashier, the coworker, the neighbor who’s hard to love- carries that same stamp, then how you treat them matters more than you might think. Loving God and loving our neighbor, the very things we say define us as a church family, start right here, in Genesis 1.

So this week, look at three people. Really look. And remember, before you say a single word: this person is stamped with the image of God, the same as me. Then treat them like it.

By Charles Stanley

People love inspiring stories. Biographies of the down-and-out who make great use of a second chance tend to top bestseller lists. But few people experience something so dramatic in their life—most of us are wonderfully ordinary. Sadly, some believers think that being a “regular Joe” makes their testimony unexciting and therefore less valuable. Nothing could be further from the truth.

A personal testimony is a way of expressing what God has done and is doing in our life. No matter how commonplace our words may sound compared to someone else’s, the Lord will see to it that they impact the hearers who need them.

A 6-year-old girl who trusts in Christ will someday be able to tell her friends of God’s greatness. When she is 80, she’ll be able to share about a lifetime of walking with Jesus. Her testimony may not be “exciting,” but it doesn’t need to be. It will be spiritual gold.

No matter what your story is, God can and will use it. You have no idea how far-reaching your testimony can be. God says that His words will not return to Him void (Isa. 55:11). And the story of Jesus’ saving grace is always inspiring.

Look Up

Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson went on a camping trip. After their meal, they lay down for the night, and went to sleep. Some hours later, Holmes awoke and nudged his faithful friend, “Watson, look up at the sky and tell me what you see.”

Watson replied, “I see millions and millions of stars.”  “What does that tell you?” Holmes asked.

Watson pondered for a minute. “Astronomically, it tells me that there are millions of galaxies and potentially billions of planets. Astrologically, I observe that Saturn is in Leo. Horologically, I deduce that the time is approximately a quarter past three. Theologically, I can see that God is all-powerful and that we are small and insignificant. Meteorologically, I suspect that we will have a beautiful day tomorrow. What does it tell you?”

Holmes was silent for a minute, then spoke, “Someone has stolen our tent!”

DONATIONS

George: A man came to my house asking for donations for the town swimming pool.
Brian: Did you give him anything?
George: Yes, I gave him one glass of water.