LVII

IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD, AND THE WORD WAS WITH GOD, AND THE WORD WAS GOD. THE SAME WAS IN THE BEGINNING WITH GOD.

JOHN 1:1, 2

DESTINY KNIGHT-STORM (WIFE OF BROCK STORM)

(THEIR STORY IS TOLD IN THE E-BOOK ‘KNIGHT STORM’ BY JOHNATHAN EMBERS)

I have been doing lay ministry for more than three years now. I mostly help my Aunt Belle with the ministry she started over thirty years ago helping girls escape the sick, slippery world of adult entertainment. She probably never guessed she would one day help her own niece in the aftermath of her own career in porn. Especially after I had been an embarrassing mark on her ministry.

But she did just that four years ago now. She herself had been an exotic dancer for almost 20 years. She like me almost ended her own life. She like me followed some still small voice that told her not to do it. She like me had a profound spiritual occurrence soon after that. She like me experienced a Christian conversion not long after that.  I like her began to minister, mostly to young women.

(My Aunt Annabelle Knight’s story is briefly told in the e-book by Johnathan Embers titled ‘Spoiled Produce.’ A quirky little love story that took place in the mid 1980’s while the main protagonist worked for a wacky produce company.)

Recently I found myself doing just that, helping and guiding two young women who were possibly in the process of conversion. I was at Sevenia Sallie’s Bible prophecy study with two former exotic dancers. One thing I’ve learned doing ministry, whenever God’s people are at work, the dark side is there to disrupt, harass and get in the way.

I noticed immediately, right after we sat down, that there was a strange dynamic going on with Seven, Sevenia’s father, and two women I thought were just his friends. One of the women, Zella LaStella, who I really liked and wanted to get to know better, talked of spiritual struggle at the beginning of class.

The other woman, Salena, who I had only met once but thought was really nice, actually became rather snarky. She complained that we weren’t immediately getting to the subject at hand. She also seemed to belittle people struggling with faith.

Zella got up and stormed out. Then to my surprise, Salena followed after her. Seven followed her but stopped just outside the door and watched them. Apparently he was making sure a cat fight was not about to ensue. Especially since Salena appeared to be about six months pregnant.

I felt horrible for Sevenia. She’s such a sweet, Godly young lady. I love her immensely! She appeared so confident and filled with energy before the study began. After this incident, she looked like a deer in headlights. I hopped up and went to stand beside her.

“Everything will be alright,” I whispered to Sevenia with what I hoped was a relaxed smile. Then I spoke to everyone. “Why don’t we sing a hymn or two while this little disagreement gets settled?”

“Thank you,” Sevenia whispered back to me.

By the time we decided on the first hymn and sang it, the two women and Seven came back in. It was clear on the countenances of the two ladies that they had made peace. However Seven looked forlorn. The two women apologized for the disturbance. Especially Salena, insisting she was to blame.

Sevenia welcomed everyone again and opened her study lecture with prayer. Then she introduced us to the outline of her study. She said it would take at least eight to ten sessions to get through her various topics. She said that although our group was relatively small, all of our places in our spiritual journey were different.

Sevenia said that the first couple of lessons were going to deal with the question of God’s existence and whether or not we can have faith in the Bible. She said that although some of us have been over these topics many times, it never hurts to have spiritual realities reinforced. Yet if anyone chose to leave, she said she would understand completely and take no offense.

Sevenia paused briefly and glanced uneasily at Salena. Salena didn’t budge. But looking humble, even embarrassed, she smiled apologetically and nodded. Sevenia smiled back and began. As my custom was at a sermon, lecture, or study, I began to furiously take notes.

My husband Brock often teased me about my note taking. He never took notes himself. His usual comment was something like, ‘are you trying to write down every word they’re speaking?’ Well, my diligent writing didn’t go unnoticed at the study. So I was asked to write this addition to Seven’s blog, and to also include my notes at the end.

I politely declined, saying no one could probably understand my scribbling. They laughed and said it would be on the computer, not my own handwriting. I replied that I wasn’t just talking about penmanship. Then my husband, who had shown up late to the study due to a conflicting engagement spoke up.

“I think you should do it, Dee,” Brock said. “You don’t how much reading your notes after a sermon has helped me process the teachings.”

My mouth dropped open in surprise. The man who often teased me about being a note nerd read them! I couldn’t help teasing him a little and punching him playfully in his midsection. “You cheater!”

Brock put a hand to his stomach and doubled over as if my punch actually hurt his massive, bulging bicep. Then he looked up and grinned. “Not so sweetheart. There’s never been a test on a sermon, so how could it be cheating? Just the opposite as a matter of fact. Your notes might shed light for somebody in the ultimate test, the test of life and how we live it.”

“Point taken,” I said as I hugged and kissed my husband.

So, even though it makes me feel somewhat self-conscious, here are my notes if you’re interested.

(DESTINY’S NOTES ON THE EXISTENCE OF GOD)

The universe and time itself had a beginning: Genesis 1:1

My argument is that the best data we have are exactly what I would have predicted had I nothing to go on but the 5 books of Moses, the Psalms, and the Bible as a whole. (Arno Penzias: Physicist and astronomer.)

Sir Fredrick Hoyle, the cosmologist who proposed a “steady state” a universe with neither a beginning nor an end, was compelled by Dr. Penzias to abandon his theory. (New York Times 1978).

There could not have been an infinite number of days before today, or we could not have arrived at today. The data seems to indicate that it is open, this is precisely the universe that the Bible tells of.

David Berlinski: Author of books on mathematics and science: “The hypothesis of God’s existence and the facts of contemporary cosmology are consistent.”

Robert Jastrow: Astronomer, physicist, and NASA scientist: “For the scientist who has lived by his faith in the power of reason, the story ends like a bad dream. He has scaled the mountains of ignorance. He is about to conquer the highest peak. As he pulls himself over the final rock, he is greeted by a band of theologians who have been sitting there for centuries.

It’s not that the universe is astonishing, beautiful, and unlikely. It’s that we know it is.

Life comes from life, comes from life, comes from life…

Anthony Flew: western philosopher and long time atheist changed his mind after studying DNA.

Something about DNA proved to him that a higher intelligence must have been involved in getting these extraordinarily diverse elements together. The enormous complexity with which the results were achieved. The intricate ends, self-replicating capabilities, and coded chemistry.

Even before DNA was discovered. People always knew that children often resembled their parents.

John 11:25: Jesus said, “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.”

The best explanation of a mind is a mind.

Albert Einstein: “The most incomprehensible thing about this world, is that it is comprehensible. The eternal mystery of the world is its comprehensibility. The fact that it is comprehensible is a miracle.”

C.S. Lewis in his book ‘Mere Christianity.’ “If the world had no meaning, we wouldn’t know that it had no meaning.”

The human brain is the most complex organism in the world.

The human brain is made up of 100 to 200 billion neurons. An average of 7000 connections/neurons. More potential neuronal connections than electrons in the universe.

There are actual universal ought’s and ought not’s.

‘The Golden Rule’ of the New Testament. (Do as you would be done by). Is a summing up of what, at bottom, had always been known to be right. (C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity).

The moral law tells us the tune we ought to play. Our instincts are merely the keys. (C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity).

If God does not exist everything is permitted. (Fyodor Dostoevsky).

God’s love can be known personally and certainly.

Jesus answered and said unto them, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word; and my Father will love her or him, and we will come to her or him and make our home with her or him.” (John 14:23).

Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. (1 John 4:8).