Those of you who have been following my blog these past years know that, generally speaking, I have commented on everyday issues, comparing what society says to what Scripture says, and giving my best interpretation of the Word – all to give enlightenment wherever and whenever I can. It’s not that I am veering away from that course, but I have been fascinated with what other people have to say on similar topics – especially on You Tube.
Now, many people are of the firm opinion that YouTube is a complete waste of time (except for the odd old-time movie that one can locate now and again). But something led me to explore YouTube in an entirely different fashion and for a different reason (which I will explain in my next blog). And I have discovered a wealth of Christian material for the inquiring mind.
Today I would like to highlight a scientist by the name of James Tour. He was brought up in the Jewish faith, but Jesus broke into his life, and he became what is now called a “Messianic Jew.” Fifty years ago, people like James Tour were called “completed Jews,” but do NOT get hung up on terminology. We change phrases in our language all the time – some because we like to be deemed “woke,” and some because we aim for accuracy in a world that spills words on to a page that have no essential purpose or meaning.
Back to James Tour. He is a respected scientist, with many different credits to his name and many different “titles” in his jobs – entrepreneur, inventor, teacher, etc. I actually learned of him through a “Jews for Jesus” video, and was won over immediately by his first assertion: God is an awesome Creator – yes, Creator. Everything that Tour uncovers in the field of science amazes him more and more, and lifts up his spirit to the Holy Spirit Who first moved upon “the face of the waters” (Genesis 1:2). His video “James Tour: The Mystery of the Origin of Life” is available on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zU7Lww-sBPg . I recommend that you start with that, and then explore his own testimony about Jesus on the “Jews for Jesus” YouTube channel.
Why do I mention this person at all? Because, despite my protestations that I am a well-read individual (and the British still “read” for a degree in this-or-that, rather than “study” the subject), I do not have an “Ed.D.” after my name (another story for another time). This seems to indicate to certain people that I cannot possibly understand a concept unless I have been awarded a degree in it. How absurd! How many of my readers have no degrees in cooking – and yet, despite having no degree, turn out excellent dishes? How many people have no degrees in farming, and yet expertly bring meat and / or vegetables to market? The idea that a degree confers confidence in learning is certainly overblown! Yet I present to you a person who has satisfied the requirements of several degree-conferring institutions, yet he loves to poke fun at himself. He asserts (humorously) that he is a “practicing scientist,” and his audience in the video I have mentioned appreciates his declaration in light of his humility.
I do not wish to give a brief summary of this brilliant person’s lecture. If I did, you might think it OK to skip really listening to his points. The object of his talk is not to convince his audience of the truth that is rooted in God the Creator; rather, it is to affirm your own faith in a mighty God Who is personally involved in the universe that He took the “time” to create. I invite you, as one would invite a friend, to settle in on sofa or recliner, refreshments at the ready, and spend an hour with this personable speaker. No one is too busy to feed the mind or the soul. Go do just that.
