Accept No Substitutes

 

 

The sun setting over a wave of mountain ridges in North Carolina. A rainbow at the base of a waterfall in California. A field of wildflowers at an elevation of 12,000 feet in Colorado. These are among the scenes that I’ve been privileged to see and photograph. But even if I could show you multiple images for each of these areas and was able to describe them in intimate detail, it still would not be the same as you being at these locations and experiencing them for yourself.

Philip was a first century man who had a personal encounter with Jesus. Philip’s experience was so incredible that he went and found Nathanael. But even after Philip’s enthusiastic report of his meeting, Nathanael was skeptical:

Nathanael: There’s nothing special about anybody from Nazareth!
Philip: Words are really inadequate for me to tell you about this Man. You have to meet Him for yourself.
– my paraphrase of John 1:46

One of the purposes of this website is to inspire anyone who is able to enjoy the beauty of God’s creation personally. Another purpose is to encourage every person to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Because, as Philip explained to Nathanael, there is no substitute for first-hand experience.