Tag Archives: chance and circumstance

Tony Funderburk Posted on by

If you’re a Christian, you know accidents happen. Right? Especially when Jesus, Himself, said they happen. And, by definition, miracles are rare. So, a baby isn’t a miracle. And things DO happen by chance. Again, Jesus, Himself, said they do.

If you disagree that accidents happen, this might flip your lid.

Here’s a tough one, even for Christians. God does NOT hold this world in His hands. Not currently. And again, Jesus tells us that. Three times! He WILL rule this world one day. But He currently does NOT rule this world. And the evidence should be as clear as the daily news.

Your righteous, loving Creator did NOT plan THE course of all human history.

Yes, he does have an ultimate PLAN. And He will not allow you and me and everybody else to mess up His ultimate plan for eternity. But not infinite plans for the infinite potential directions billions of lives could go each and every day. God is infinitely more brilliant than that. He’d never design men and women, in His image and likeness, only to have to plot out their every move. That would be what marketers call “make work.”

No, God designed us to be able to think. And work. And build things. On our own. Because He’s like the ultimate, dazzling, loving father. It brings Him joy to see what you come up with. At least until you come up with ways to ignore and even remove Him from your life.

If you currently find yourself with that attitude, my suggestion is to change your mind. Because you CAN change your mind. And you CAN change the course you’ll take for eternity. Where you’ll end up, forever, hasn’t already been planned.

Yes, there IS such a thing as unplanned. Heaven or hell, for you, is unplanned. Until you choose. And don’t just make a plan to choose.

Choose now.

Because, as Elvis sang all those years ago, “Tomorrow may be too late. It’s now or never…”

I wrote…a sad life story…
Just words one could soon forget.
Learn from…this allegory
“Too late” hasn’t happened yet.

© 2014

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

Slim and None. Those are the probable answers to the question. But, naturally, that begs the question. And at least one version of the question would be, “What are the odds that everything happens for a reason?” And I’d say chances are also slim and none that people who believe everything happens for a reason would agree with Jesus on that.

Uh-oh. I done went and done it that time. So, before I move on, I’d like to know if you agree with this:

Chances are slim and/or none that God didn’t author the Bible.

My option, on that statement, is NONE. But I’ll play the Lord’s advocate (because I prefer never to advocate for the devil) and assume not everyone agrees with me.

If that’s you, bear with me as I blast out some info that maybe you haven’t considered before. And this doesn’t come from some marketer. It’s not from a metaphysicalized so-called “pastor” or “minister.” This word, that affirms accidental circumstances, comes right out of the Bible in at least three different places. Actually four places. And maybe even five. But I don’t want you to start with the first place it’s found in case you’re the type who’s easily confused.

So. Are you ready for the affirmation word? Are you sure? Because this gets kinda complicated and it triggers people.

OK, if you’re still reading, it means your mind is fortified and you’re ready to hear some truth.

So, here’s the word. Chance.

Bam! Oh yeah, that word IS in the Bible. Four times when you do a search in the New King James version. And are you ready for the high octane Spirit chaser? One of the times the word “chance” is used, it’s in RED. Bam again! (for the initiated, red letters mean those words were spoken by Jesus)

Anyway…

The reason I brought it up is because I see, literally every day, Christians debating whether or not everything happens because God ordained everything. And anyone who says He does has NOT yet comprehended the book He wrote. Because He’s infinitely creative (meaning His creative abilities have no end). And He’s infinitely brilliant (meaning He knows how to create worlds and beings that don’t require Him for day-to-day operations.

So, that means God designed you to be able to think for yourself. And decide for yourself.

But THAT is why there is so much evil and horror in the world.

Because there seems to be no depth of depravity that human beings aren’t willing to go. People have done things to each other so horribly wicked that it never entered God’s mind they would do them.

Sure, God knows everything knowable. And everything He wants to know. But do you think for a moment, that God, for eternity past, had any thoughts of burning children on altars to sacrifice them to Baal? No, that’s not His nature. It’s ours.

OK, I just had to get that out there for your consideration. And I know chances are slim that everyone will agree with me. But I also know there’s a chance somebody’s mind could be changed. And that notion motivates me to share the info. Here’s a little outro rhyme of chance…

Maybe. Maybe not.

Will the sun rise in the morning?
Will the temperature be hot?
And will skies be blue and sunny?
Well, maybe…maybe not.

Will the songbirds all be singing?
Will the breezes blow a lot?
And will leaves lift up their laughter?
Well, maybe…maybe not.

Will some words of wisdom visit?
Will the books all have a plot?
And will we read some happy stories?
Well, maybe…maybe not.

Will the world go on forever?
Will the getting all be got?
And will we all be nice to others?
Well, maybe…maybe not.

© 2022

Tony Funderburk Posted on by

Complex molecules make up every little bit of your body. Your DNA is so complex it boggles the mind. And it’s so unique that you’re the only one exactly like you. Well…aren’t you something?!

Now, don’t get the “big head” full of complex molecules over this revelation.

The same could be true of every other person on the planet. So “you” means any person who happens to be reading this at this moment. Still…it’s an awesome thing to ponder.

And while you’re pondering that…eyeball this. Your eye. See if you can wrap your retinas around this: if you tried to simulate, on a computer, just 10 milliseconds of the complete processing of a single nerve cell from one retina, here’s what your computer would have to be able to do.

It would have to be able to solve 500 simultaneous nonlinear differential equations 100 times. Remember…that’s every 10 milliseconds…and it’s only one nerve cell in one retina. That would require a super duper supercomputer. Now…when you consider that there are “10 million or more such cells interacting with each other in complex ways, it would take a minimum of 100 years of [1985] Cray time to simulate what takes place in your eye many times every second.” *

And that’s just one eye. In case you hadn’t noticed…a lot of people have two.

Here’s a couple more little facts about complex molecules and organs…just in case that last tidbit didn’t impress you. An adult human brain contains 1014 electrical connections. That’s a hundred thousand billion, and it’s more than all the soldered electrical connections in the whole world. And that’s one brain. And take the heart…it’s only about 10 ounces, and it’s a pump that keeps pumping on its own for about 75 years. Now that’s complex.

But of course, you can still pass this off as serendipitous fate if you want to. But as I always say…give me God. I’d much rather take my “chance” with Him than mere chance and circumstance.

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