Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

March 26
Tuesday


OUR FATHER'S
WORLD

READ:
Genesis 1:26-28
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The earth is the
LORD's, and all its
fullness, the world
and those who dwell
therein. __Psalm 24:1
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When Amanda Benavides was a sophomore at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, California, she began to rethink her views on Christian stewardship of the earth. Amanda had grown up thinking that being conscious of the environment had nothing to do with her relationship with Jesus. All this changed when she was challenged to consider the Christian's role in caring for the planet__especially how that relates to reaching the most needy in the world.

Our stewardship of the beautiful world God gave us, our care for the people in it, express our reverence for God and is grounded in two biblical principles.

First, the earth belongs to God (PS. 24:1-2). The psalmist praised the Lord for His creation and His ownership of it. The heavens, the earth, and all that are in it are His. He created it, He is sovereign over it (93:1-2), and He cares for it (Matt. 6:26-30). Second, God delegated the responsibility for the well-being of His earth to us (Gen. 1:26-28). This includes appreciation of and care for both nature (Lev. 25:2-5,11; Prov. 12:10) and people (Rom 15:2).

This is our Father's world. Let's show Him how much we love Him by respecting it and caring for the people who populate it. __Marvin Williams

``````````````The natural world that God has made````````````
``````````````````Must not be used at whim;`````````````````
``````````````We serve as stewards of His earth,``````````````
```````````````Responsible to Him. __D. DeHaan`````````````
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To mistreat God's creation is to offend the Creator.

*****************Today's Bible Reading __ Genesis 1:26-28****************

26 Then God said, "Let Us
make man in Our image,
according to Our likeness;
let them have dominion
over the fish of the sea,
over the birds of the air, and
over the cattle, over all the
earth and over every
creeping thing that creeps
on the earth."

27 So God created man in
His own image; in the
image of God He created
him; male and female He
created them. 28 Then God
blessed them, and God said
to them, "Be fruitful and
multiply; fill the earth and
subdue it; have dominion
over the fish of the sea,
over the birds of the air, and
over every living thing that
moves on the earth.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

On the 6th day, God created and blessed both animal life (vv.22-
25) and human life (vv.26-28). However, the epitome of creation
is humanity. We are given significance, dignity, purpose, and place
in God's plan. We are the only part of creation that was made "in
the image of God" (vv.26-27). We have attributes of personality
just as God Himself has: self-consciousness, will, reason, knowledge,
feelings, creativity, morality, spirituality. As God's representatives,
we have dominion over the earth (v.26). We are to "tend and keep"
it (2:15)__to take care of it and use its resources responsibly.