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Gigantic Trees Testify of Creation

Gigantic California Redwood trees are able to raise water to the height of a 30 story building, but how?

Redwood trees, which grow in California, are some of the tallest trees in the world. Their height soars to 110 meters. The age of some trees reaches 2,000 to 3,000 years! It’s hard to explain the indelible impression a walk through a forest of these trees leaves on you. The truth of Creation is seen here unmistakably. The cells of the trees are organized in such a way to tie together the roots, trunk, bark, branches, and leaves. The tree resembles a gigantic factory, performing extremely hard chemical processes in impeccable order.

What is most interesting is that this enormous tree grows from a small seed that weighs only 58 grams. Just think, all the information on the development and organization of these giants is held in the DNA of a tiny, round seed. The seedling follows all the instructions that are in the seed, and develops into this gigantic structure, incomparable in looks or size. Amazing, don’t you think!

A great example is the sequoia tree by the name “General Sherman”. It is 83.8 meters high and 7.7 meters in diameter. The age of this tree totals 2,500 years. This tree is believed to be the biggest living organism on Earth. Its weight with the root system is 25,000 tons. The volume of this tree is 17,000 cubic meters which is 10 times bigger than the volume of the blue whale.

The Bible tells us: “Behold, God exalteth by His power: who teacheth like Him? Who hath enjoined Him His way? or who can say, Thou has wrought iniquity? Remember that Thou magnify His work, which men behold. Every man may see it; man may behold it afar off.” Job 36:22–25. Indeed, all people can see His work.

Through its leaves the sequoia tree releases 6,000 liters of water each day; therefore, it constantly raises the water from the roots to the branches, overcoming the force of gravity. How is it able to do it without having any mechanical pumps? These 100 meters is really an impressive height, comparable to two 14 story buildings. As it turns out, inside the sequoia trunk is a special system of narrow, interconnected vessels, called xylem.

This complex inner tissue of the tree serves to transport water from the roots to the stems and leaves, reaching all parts of the plants. It is also used to replace water lost during transpiration and photosynthesis.

The Tree Maintains Water Pressure throughout Its Life

Think of how a strong wind bends the tree and its branches. But because the conductive tube is made up of millions of small segments joined together, the flow of water is constant. One solid tube would not be able to accomplish such a task. Since water usually does not flow up, how does a tree manage to pump it to such a great height? The roots “pull” the water up, and capillary action (the ability of water to rise slightly along the walls of the tube) adds pressure. However, this force lifts the water in a sequoia only 2–3 meters.

The underlying upward force is evaporation and attraction between water molecules. The positively and negatively charged particles of a molecule adhere to each other with great force, which, according to experimental measurements, is 25–30 atmospheres (1 atmosphere is equal to normal atmospheric pressure at sea level).

This is enough to push a submarine from the time of World War II, sailing at the depth of 350 meters under water. Sequoias easily maintain a pressure of 14 atmospheres at the top of the water column. Water, evaporating from the leaves, gives rise to the force of absorption. The water molecule evaporates from the sheet and, thanks to the force of molecular attraction, pulls other molecules around it. This creates a slight absorption in the water column and draws water from the neighboring leaf cells. These molecules, in turn, attract the surrounding molecules. The chain of motion continues to the ground itself and moves water from the roots to the top of the tree, just as a pump lifts water from a column to the surface.

We understand that the tree itself could not come up with such a complex system, having learned to use water, physics, and the energy of the sun so wisely. We give all glory to God, the Creator of heaven and earth. Giant trees testify to the historical accuracy of the book of Genesis, which reveals to us their true origin: “And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so. And the earth brought forth grass, and the herb yielding seed after his kind, and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: and God saw that it was good.” Genesis 1:11–12.

Dmitriy Kurovskiy

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Why Do We Blame God?

How Could God Let This Happen?

No one will ever be able to forget the tragedy that shook the world on 9/11. Blasts, burning, destroyed skyscrapers, and the death of thousands of people.

We believe that God is just as shocked by what happened as we are. But I would want to point out something, for many years, we told God to leave our schools, government, and our life in general. And God – like a true gentleman, quietly left. How can we ask Him to bless and keep us safe when we plead Him to leave us alone?

A Few Examples

♦ I think it all started when Madalyn Murray O’Hair achieved in getting the prayer canceled in schools. To this we said “OK”. (soon after, prayer was killed off)

♦ A bit later Benjamin Spock said that even if the children don’t behave themselves, we don’t have the right to punish them. Their self-esteem will supposedly suffer from this. And again, we said, “OK”. (Dr. Spock’s son later committed suicide)

♦ Then, someone decided that our daughters are free to get an abortion and we, the parents don’t have to know about it. And we said, “OK”.

♦ Then, some members of the pre-council predicted that the boys are still going to do it, and instead advised to give them condoms so that fear wouldn’t stay in the way of getting pleasure. And again, we said. “OK”.

♦ Then someone from the higher end said that it doesn’t matter who does what in their personal life, as long as he’s good at his job at work. We agreed and said that everyone, including the president, can do as they wish in their personal time as long as he manages his work and the economy functions as it should.

♦ Later on, someone got a great idea. “let’s make magazines with pictures of naked women on them and call it ‘a healthy admiration of the beauty of a woman’s body’” And we all said, “Whatever”

♦ Then, someone extended his admiration on child pornography in the Internet, so that the immoral gawking on nudeness became available to all. And to this we said, “Who cares”.

♦ And finally, began to spread out more books, movies, and songs promoting rape, drug use, suicide, satanism, and contact with the dark evil spirits. This was all looked upon as a joke that wasn’t intended to do any harm. And we agreed to this.

Why Did Children Lose Remorse?

And with all this in mind, we ask ourselves why our children lack a normally functioning conscience, why they are incapable of telling right from wrong, and why aren’t they outraged by the death or suicide of a classmate? Why do we blame God in the trouble and crimes of evil people?

If we critically analyze, then we can surely be convinced that everything in life is based on an unwavering principle, “for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”

Here is one letter children wrote, “Dear God, why didn’t YOU save a small girl that was recently shot in our school? With respect, classmates of the murdered.” What can God answer on such an accusation? Can’t He say, “Dear classmates of the murdered girl, I am not allowed to be in schools, I was exiled, I can’t help you anymore. With respect, God.”?

♦ It’s strange how lightly people disregard God and later wonder that humanity goes straight to hell.

♦ It’s strange that we fully believe the media, but easily doubt what the Bible says.

♦ It’s strange how we constantly and with great interest read magazines and all other sorts of books and easily forget about the Bible, the Book of books!

♦ It’s sad that we can forward thousands of funny memes and jokes very quickly via our phones and computers and it spreads as though wildfire, but when it comes to forwarding a gospel message, it gets stuck as though a car in the sand.

♦ It’s strange how fast and freely spreads all that is mean, sarcastic, and vulgar, and how quickly subsides any open conversation about the Bible.

♦ It’s strange how some church members that regularly go to church on Sundays become numb and unrecognizable on weekdays.

Are you laughing it off? Crying would be more suitable in this situation. If these examples are worth thinking about, tell others about them! But if you don’t need them and keep being quiet, them stop complaining about the grave conditions going on in the world, families, politics, society, and at work.

Our world is definitely mortally ill, and nations are on the verge of spiritual and moral bankruptcy. But the global problems are not in the imperfect health systems or social protection, they are also not in terrorism or drugs on the streets. The main reason is sin. It is the root of all evil.

Nature has immutable laws. The Bible tells us “If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.” Ecclesiastes 11:3

The same laws are applied in the spiritual life. What a person sowed he will indeed need to reap. The way he lives is the way he’ll die, and whoever he becomes here on earth, he will continue on being in eternity. Death won’t save you from anything.

Jesus Christ is the only One that can save you from sin and eternal wrath. He is the Savior of the world. He died for the sins of all humanity. He arose from the dead and has the power to save anyone who comes to Him in prayer. And you, dear readers, are in need of Him. Without Him, you will forever perish.

If you ask Him to forgive your sins, He will do it immediately and the heaviness of your guilt will disappear. If you in prayer ask Jesus to come into your life, you will become His son or daughter and will have eternal salvation.

I ask you to do it today, right now.

The Lord helps those who acknowledge their need of help.

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He Died So We Could Live

“…I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life.”

Deuteronomy 30:19

What do people treasure most in this world? I think it’s their health and life. As soon as a person becomes ill or starts battling a disease, that is when it dawns on him just how precious life is and how much longer he wishes he could live. No one can truly understand the value of life as much as a person who is on his deathbed.

The quality of life is pretty important also. People spend hundreds of dollars, thousands even, to improve the quality of their lives. Some people, after suffering for a long time from a disease, don’t have the desire to live anymore. That’s how important life quality is. If they can’t enjoy it, why live?

Life is precious. Some people die, and, because of their death, others have a chance of living. Terminally ill people often spend years on a donor waiting list, just waiting for a match in hopes of prolonging or bettering their life. Many die in their sufferings, never receiving what they hoped for.

Imagine a terminally ill patient lying in the hospital. He is in urgent need of a heart transplant. Without it, he’ll die. Without it, life is painfully dull. He is restricted to his bed. In the next room, a healthy person dies from a tragic accident. He is an organ donor and a perfect match for the ill person next to him. When doctors offer the patient a heart transplant, he rejects it. All he wants to do is live, but for some unknown reason, he doesn’t want to take the heart next to him. Maybe it’s his fear of having a surgery, his new life afterward… I don’t know. But, for whatever reason, he declines the offer and soon after that dies. The unused heart stays where it was. Unused.

Jesus Christ came to this earth to die. He came to die so we could live. Not just to have a life of better quality here on earth praising Him, but also to join Him later in our heavenly home in eternity. He died, to give each one of us a chance. A chance to live. How dare we reject His offer, His gift of life? And yet, many do. For some reason, they choose to live in sickness, shattered and broken. They can only wish to improve their life in some way. The devil used them, leaving them with a guilty conscience and in fear of death. And the gift of a joyful, meaningful life through the death of Jesus is left unused.

Dear reader, today is the day when you have the opportunity to check your life. If you are alive and still breathing – then the gift of life through Jesus’ death is still available to you. By accepting this gift, your life will be changed. The quality of your life here on earth will drastically improve. You know why? Because Jesus heals. He puts the broken pieces together. He is the God of order, the God of peace. By accepting His gift of life, you will be made new again. The quality of any life in which Jesus exists not only improves, but changes into something miraculous that only He can do. Ask Him to give you the gift of everlasting life today!

Marina Damyan

The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the Gospel.

Mark 1:15
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So Important?

Unfortunately, many don’t realize that evolution is not science but simply a belief that everything created itself without God. This faith contradicts the facts and is not capable of explaining the creation of this complex world.

Why Is Biblical Creation So Important?

Biblical Creation identifies God. Today we see confusion in the word “God”. For different people, this word may be a set of moral standards, high power or idea, the universe, or the person himself. The first verse in the Bible tells us who God is. He is the Creator, not just an idea or a moral standard. The whole Bible testifies of that. The first 11 chapters of Genesis point us to Him Who is this only historical Creator.

Creation defines a person. A person is not just the body. He is created in the image of God for eternal communication with Him. This means that we are moral and spiritual creatures, with the ability to trust, choose, and love. Creation is the foundation of our worship and praise to God. “Let them praise the name of the Lord: for he commanded, and they were created.” Psalm 148:5

In this way, worshipping God is not just a hobby in the lives of people, but the main point. Not worshipping God means being unthankful and ungrateful to the Creator. Evolution teaches that a person is the result of an accidental naturalistic process, differing very little from animals. Acceptance of evolution is one of the reasons why so many people do not reverence God.

The value and meaning of a person’s life were established during creation. Each one of us is valuable because behind our existence stands the eternal God, and not the blind power of nature. God tells us that His purpose for us is to learn His ways, to have eternal communication with Him and to fulfill His blessed will. This is what He created us for. Unfortunately, many people live meaningless, pointless life. They reject God and His plan. The evolution propaganda steals the meaning from people’s lives, starting from the very first grades. This lie plunges millions into an empty life. Look around, and notice how many people aimlessly wander through their senseless life. Careers, money, and other values can not replace the purpose that was established by Christ in creation.

Biblical creation is the foundation of the Gospel. What is the Gospel? The answer seems obvious. The Gospel is the story of Jesus dying for the sins of humanity and rising from the dead.

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein I stand… for I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures” 1 Corinthians 15:1,3,4

However, the apostle doesn’t stop defining the Gospel here; he continues: “For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” 1 Corinthians 15:21, 22 “And so it is written, the first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit.” 1 Corinthians 15:45

When explaining why Jesus dies for sins, Paul points to the Book of Genesis and the story of Adam and the first sin. What is sin? Sin is a person’s rebellion against God. The only way to understand and define sin – is accepting the creation story in the Book of Genesis. Evolution teaches that there was no creation, no Adam, and no sin (though there were evolving and dying monkey-people) and therefore, sin doesn’t exist, and Jesus never died for a problem that doesn’t exist. According to evolution, death itself is the creator of a person. In such a way, evolution attacks the very base of the Gospel.

What Is Historical Creation and Fall of The Man?

All people, being Adam’s successors, are sinners who have lost holiness and purity and moved far away for the standards of the Holy God, replacing His truth with their lies. The death of a person (both physical and spiritual) came with sin as a result of casting out God.

People are in need of salvation. The fall of man was a moral, spiritual, and intellectual collapse. Now a person is spiritually dead. Instead of having peace with God, he resisted Him, doing sinful deeds. Converting to God leads to a rebirth of the soul and renewal of the mind.

Biblical Creation is the foundation of hope and restoration of the creation. In the creation itself is hope for resurrection. He Who created us has the power to resurrect our mortal bodies. When mankind sinned, death came into the world and God condemned all creation, which is now in the bondage of death. “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.” Romans 8:22. According to the Bible, we don’t live in an evolving world, but in a world dying from sin.

However, on the cross, God redeemed not only mankind, but all His creation, which will be restored in the future into “a new heaven and a new earth”. Evolution steals any hope of eternity by teaching that death and extinction were always present.

Conclusion

How vastly different are the worldviews that are founded on either creation or evolution! Many people do not understand and defy the Gospel of Jesus Christ by thinking (even unconsciously) that the story of origins is evolution, death, and extinction over the course of millions of years. May many people find out more of the bankruptcy of evolution and that the scientific facts are on the side of the Bible, God’s Word. All of creation, without mistake, very beautifully testifies of its Creator!

Dmitriy Kurovskiy

“Seek the Lord and His strength, seek His face continually.”

1 Chronicles 16:11
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Come Home

“And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! I will arise and go to my father, and I will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before
thee, And I am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. And he arose, and came to his father.”

Luke 15:17–20

Arose and Came

Here we need to pay attention to a very important detail. The Prodigal son had set out on a trip before: the trip that took him away from home. What we saw in that instance was that some time passed between his decision and the execution of the decision.

This time, all was different. This time it all happened in an instant. “I will arise and go to my father,” he decided. And right then and there he arose and went. This is very important. If you want to turn to the living God, do it today. Conversion happens very quickly or never.

There are deep reasons for saying this. We can turn to God only if the Holy Spirit calls and admonishes us. And if this happens, we need to answer His call hastily.

A strange story is told about Alexander the Great. When besieging a city, he kindled a fire. If the city surrendered while the fire still burned, he showered it with mercy and honor. But if the fire went out, no mercy was to be expected, only wrath, sword, and judgement.

In a similar way God kindles a fire of mercy for us. And while it burns, we need to arise and go to our Savior. Because later on there will be only wrath and God’s judgement.

“And he arose…” Many times I have caught myself wondering, “But what happened to the pigs?” Oh yeah, that is not important at all! He who wants to leave shouldn’t take his time declaring to Satan about his “departure” and bargaining with him. If you do, you’ll never be free from your past.

What Did He Take Along?

“And he arose…” Was there anything he took with him? He brought along that which every converted soul takes with him: his rags and tatters of clothes. He didn’t get dressed up. His father dressed him up later. He who wants to convert, can and should come just as he is, with his sins, faults, doubts, and unbelief. The things that you are missing will be given to you later by the Father. He who has the courage to ask for mercy, must also muster up strength to fall into the Father’s embrace. A sinner, just as he is.

He brought along his heavy conscience. Our conscience is freed only when God forgives our sins through the blood of Jesus.

He also brought along a great trust in his Father. “Even though I have failed my Father’s love, I know He won’t kick me out,” he thought. Without such trust in Jesus, conversion is impossible.

What Was His Goal?

“And he arose and came to his father…” Many years ago, a young man came to me and said, “My life needs to change.” Today, he is still in the same phase where his life needs to change. He didn’t get far. It was an unsuccessful trip. Some reach only the city church. Others reach the point of the decision making. Some reach emotion. Still others reach Christian convictions. But they need to reach God. The prodigal son came to his father. A sinner needs to reach the destination of a Living, Resurrected Savior. Blessed is he who reaches Him!

“Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.”

Isaiah 45:22

Meeting The Father

“But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him…”

Those who have regularly and carefully studied the story of the prodigal son have probably noticed how little it says about the father. The father was quiet when his son laid claim to his property. He was quiet when his son left for a far land. He was quiet when his son wasted all his money. He was quiet when his son was in need. That’s how God is. You can reject God. You can violate His laws. You can live without Him. God is quiet during all that time. But then your life will become like the prodigal son’s. The word of God regarding a life like this is what the prophet Jeremiah said to the nation which had turned away from God: “…know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God…” Jeremiah 2:19

Dante, the great Italian poet, wrote in his poem “Divine Comedy” about the journey to hell. In it, he says that above the entrance to hell are written the words, “Abandon hope, all those who enter here.” I personally think that above the entrance into hell are words that say, “Know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God.”

The prodigal son experienced this. But he wasn’t in hell. He could still return. And he did just that. And only then, finally, we hear something about the father.

While the prodigal son was still far away, his father saw him. He didn’t see him accidentally, or he wouldn’t have seen him when he was still far away. No, the father was waiting for his son. There is a beautiful picture drawn by Ejen Byurnan depicting a flat rooftop on a big house. On the roof stands the father, peering into the distance. He raises his hand to his eyes to block out the sunlight to see better. He doesn’t care what is happening around him. His whole figure expresses expectation.

Notice this secret of the prodigal son’s life. When he left, his loving father watched him go. And at that moment, the long wait began. The father waited. The son was in trouble and great need. The father still waited.

Do you know that this secret is also in your life? Your God is waiting for you.

The God Who Waits

The God Who waits. This is the way He is depicted to us in the Bible. There are two passages with these amazing words: “All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.” Romans 10:21; Isaiah 65:2. The Bible also shows God as a wine producer, waiting on His servants to bring Him fruit. (John chapter 15)

Apostle Paul reminds us that God has a plan for the end of the world. However, He holds it off, patiently waiting on this or that person, hoping he will turn in his ways. Peter says, “But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgement and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:7–9

Father’s Attention

Now I will touch on such an important topic, that I need to ask God to help you correctly understand it. “But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him…” This is the first thing we read about the father. Doesn’t He have more important things to do than peer into the distance for His long lost son? No. Waiting for His son is His priority. He doesn’t see anything else. Anyone who has read the story to the end probably knows that later on His older son complained about not getting enough attention. And the older son was right. What is most important to the father is watching to see if his lost son will return. And all this reminds us of the fact that God awaits all those who left Him.

Today, many people count themselves “religious”. Do you think your God cares about this? All He waits for is your return.

In Jerusalem in the days of prophet Isaiah, there was a lot of religion. There were many celebrations in the temple that included sacrifices. Hands were raised up in prayer. We probably think that this surely made God happy! So much external religiosity! But what do we hear from Him? “Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide Mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear…” Isaiah 1:14–15. And another time He says, “Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols.” Amos 5:23. After which He commands: “Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil… if ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land.” Isaiah 1:16, 19. God doesn’t want religion, culture, or a pious point of view if we’re lacking what is most important – our return to Him.

There are people who say, “I’m a good and honest person.” This, of course, is great! But what will you, overly confident person, answer to the words written in the Bible? “…and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags…” Isaiah 64:6. God doesn’t pay any attention to all our accomplishments. Quite the opposite, He waits in hope that you will turn to Him in repentance.

To fully understand this, we should know that when talking about the father in the parable, Jesus meant Himself. Jesus is the Father, the Savior of sinners. The hands that are reaching out now were nailed to the cross. The eyes that are peering into the distance were once beaten by fists.

Jesus is the Father “Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.” Romans 4:25. And until we return to Him with sincere words of repentance and heartfelt trust, His suffering and death for us will be in vain. That is why the words of the crucified Savior are still heard today: “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth.” Isaiah 45:22.

From the book of Wilhelm Busch “Come Home”

The will of God will never lead you where the grace of God cannot keep you.

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Creation – What Is It

You may not even realize it, but this question strongly affects your life. It greatly defines your actions and goals, imperceptibly forming your opinions. No matter the importance, it is often ignored. This question is the origin of the world.

Where did I come from and why am I living on this earth? How did it all happen? Is God, Who created everything (including each person) – a reality, or is it just a myth that has been long refuted by science? Is death the final end? What has meaning in life? What should we dedicate our time, talents, and resources to? Our life is a reflection of our answers to these and many other questions related to the origin of the world. What we believe about creation (or evolution), and what we think of the origin of the earth and about the book of Genesis, has colossal consequences in understanding life and our place in it. The question of origins is the key to all of a person’s thought patterns. Without the correct answer, it’s impossible to understand the meaning of our existence.

Worldview Conflict

It’s important to realize that neither our earth nor the sun is eternal. This simple fact means that a specific historic process happened here on earth, the result of which is ourselves and all that surrounds us. What was it? What kind of forces were activated? The goal and value of our life depend on these questions. It’s important to also realize that there are only two options; either everything including animals and plants was supernaturally created by the Creator, or all has occurred naturally, without any divine power. There is no third option, and this is an objective reality.

Today, evolution (from molecules to a person) is presented as a historical fact. The theory of evolution is woven throughout school subjects and all modern education. From the very first grades, we are taught that evolution is a scientific fact, and we all are a variety of animals that “evolved” from a broth by the way of an accidental naturalistic process spanning millions of years. We are persuaded to believe that nature, using its own powers, created everything; molecules, stars, planets, mountains, lakes, oceans, air, hundreds of thousands of species of life-forms, and the person himself.

The point is what we believe: the Word of God, Who was present during the amount of everything, or the words of people who were not there when it happened.

The Bible says that in the beginning God “created the heaven and the earth”. By the power of His word He made the animals, fish, and plants; after which He created the first people, Adam and Eve.

The question of the origin of the world is key for human thinking. Without the correct answer, there is no way to understand the meaning of our existence.

Did the story of evolution happen here on earth, from the first cell to a human, where nature is the creator? Or was there a supernatural creation where God is the creator of nature?

Most people have the wrong idea on the subject of evolution vs. creation. They don’t understand that evolution is not a scientific fact that is based on observation or experiments.

Evolution is a belief system about the past, which no one ever observed. All plants, animals, fossils, planets, stars, the universe, all exist in the present. We cannot go back to the past and conduct an experiment. Nobody ever witnessed the big bang, the formation of stars and galaxies, the earth and sun, the origin of life, or the evolution of the reptiles. Evolution is a belief that all the present was created by nature.

Creation is also a belief. The only difference is that this belief is based on the Bible, which many times tells us that it is the Word of God. This Word belongs to Him, Who knows it all and Who was present when the world was created. Only God is able to tell us the true story of the creation of the universe, the earth and the person. We also know that nature doesn’t have the power to create, all that nature does is testify that it was created!

What is Biblical Creation?

First of all, it is a supernatural creation, a direct act of the Creator. Creation happened in the beginning and was finished. “Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them.” Genesis 2:1

It wasn’t stretched out for an indefinite amount of time and doesn’t continue today. Creation happened by the Word of God.

Biblical Creation is also the creation (ex nihilo) which means “created from nothing”. First, there was nothing, then appeared everything. The Creator had no need in previous matter, energy, or time. He created that also. In heathen religions, the gods create from matter that already exists, and simply transform it. The Bible is unique in such, that it teaches of the eternal God. “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.” Psalm 90:2

Biblical Creation is historical creation. The Bible teaches us that historically Adam was the first human created. “This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day that God created man, in the likeness of God made He him.” Genesis 5:1

All genealogy in the New and Old Testament leads to Adam. Eve was the first real created woman. Cain and Abel were also real people.

Besides that, the Holy Scriptures teach of the historical global flood that happened in the days of Noah. From Noah and his sons, the earth was inhabited again, and nations and languages formed. According to the Bible, the early first civilizations (Sumeria, Egypt, and Assyria) were founded by Noah’s successors. The whole Bible story of the creation contradicts the evolution story and strongly differs from it.

Moreover, the Scriptures teach of a recent creation, (less than 10,000 years) and the fact that humans existed from the very start. “But from the beginning of the creation God made them male and female.” Mark 10:6

Beware of half truth, you may have gotten the wrong half.

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A Drawing That Changed My Life

Doctor Gary Rosberg is a well-known consultant specializing in marital questions, an author of many books, a happy father of two daughters, and a grandfather to seven grandkids. But he wasn’t always so successful and positive…

I was sitting in my favorite chair, studying for the final stages of my doctoral degree, when Sarah announced herself in my presence with a question: “Daddy, do you want to see my family picture?”

“Sarah, Daddy’s busy. Come back in a little while, honey.”

Good move, right? I was busy. A week’s worth of work to squeeze into a weekend. You’ve been there. Ten minutes later she swept back into the living room. “Daddy, let me show you my picture.”

The heat went up around my collar. “Sarah, I said come back later. This is important.” Three minutes later she stormed into the living room, got three inches from my nose, and barked with all the power a five-year-old could muster: “Do you want to see it or don’t you?” The assertive Christian woman in training.

“No,” I told her, “I don’t.”

With that she zoomed out of the room and left me alone. And somehow, being alone at that moment wasn’t as satisfying as I thought it would be. I felt like a jerk. (Don’t agree so loudly.) I went to the front door.

“Sarah,” I called, “could you come back inside a minute, please? Daddy would like to see your picture.”

She obliged with no recriminations and popped up on my lap. It was a great picture. She’d even given it a title. Across the top, in her best printing, she had inscribed: “OUR FAMILY BEST.”

“Tell me about it,” I said.

“Here is Mommy [a stick figure with long yellow curly hair], here is me standing by Mommy [with a smiley face], here is our dog Katie, and here is Missy [her little sister was a stick figure lying in the street in front of the house, about three times bigger than anyone else].” It was a pretty good insight into how she saw our family.

“I love your picture, honey,” I told her. “I’ll hang it on the dining-room wall, and each night when I come home from work and from class, I’m going to look at it.”

She took me at my word, beamed ear to ear, and went outside to play. I went back to my books. But for some reason I kept reading the same paragraph over and over.

Something was making me uneasy.

Something about Sarah’s picture.

Something was missing.

I went to the front door. “Sarah,” I called, “could you come back inside a minute, please? I want to look at your picture again, honey.”

Sarah crawled back into my lap. I can close my eyes right now and see the way she looked. Cheeks rosy from playing outside. Pigtails. Strawberry Shortcake tennis shoes. A Cabbage Patch doll named Nellie tucked limply under her arm.

I asked my little girl a question, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear the answer.

“Honey…there’s Mommy, and Sarah, and Missy. Katie the dog is in the picture, and the sun, and the house, and squirrels, and birdies. But Sarah…where is your Daddy?”

“You’re at the library,” she said.

With that simple statement my little princess stopped time for me. Lifting her gently off my lap, I sent her back to play in the spring sunshine. I slumped back in my chair with a swirling head and blood pumping furiously through my heart. Even as I type these words into the computer, I can feel those sensations all over again. It was a frightening moment. The fog lifted from my preoccupied brain for a moment – and suddenly I could see. But what I saw scared me to death. It was like being in a ship and coming out of the fog in time to see a huge, sharp rock knifing through the surf just off the port bow.

Sarah’s simple pronouncement – “You’re at the library” – got my attention big-time. I resolved right then to change – to be a daddy who was there for his kids, who didn’t spend every moment studying or at the office, who was an active participant in his children’s lives. Sure, it might slow down my career ambitions a bit. But I desperately wanted my daughter to know that she was the pride and joy of my life – and that she could show me her latest drawing anytime.

It was time for this daddy to get back in the picture.

For the next two years I tried to be in the family. I played with my daughters all sorts of games, invited my wife on dates, to sum it up, I tried my best. And only in two years, I received the most precious gift – a drawing of the family. A drawing in which I was in the center. It hangs in my office now. I lived a story of our family’s reconnection thanks to three wonderful women in my life.

You probably all heard the story of the prodigal son who left his father and wandered away in a foreign land but was later on forgiven and accepted back by him. In my case, I wasn’t the lost son, I was the lost father.

Return home fathers. Life is short

“How excellent is Thy lovingkindness, o God! Therefore, the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Thy wings.”

Psalm 36:7

“Family Picture” by Gary Rosberg

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Why Not Destroy All Evil On Earth?

Why Not Destroy All Evil On Earth?

This is one of the first questions which people ask me when they find out that I believe in the loving and almighty God. It would seem that this would be a simple solution – just destroy all evil. Certainly, this idea is not new. It was contemplated and debated by philosophers, scientists, and writers. But they all eventually came to an understanding that this problem was unsolvable.

Where Does Evil Attend?

That which we identify as evil, is not only a war, somewhere far away from home, or an epidemic in Africa, not only hunger, or the problem of orphaned children – it is much closer. It’s a husband who beats up his wife, and a mother who degrades her daughter, it’s a son who humiliates his parents, and a friend betraying his friend in the most crucial moment. It’s a bride, cheating on her groom, and the sales-clerk who sliced off more than it cost. This cruelty is depressing, and we would really like to live in a more pleasant environment.

But if we measure ourselves by God’s measurements, it would be quite easy to notice an unpleasant picture – there is plenty evil inside us. Though we think of ourselves as “not so bad”, upon further inspection we’ll discover many sins that are evil. In the depths of memory, hidden far behind secrecy, lays reminiscence covered by dust. Reminiscence that you are ashamed of. Dostoevsky claimed that the more decent a person looks, the more unpleasant memories he has which he would like to forget. There was a time when we all stole, lied, insulted, or were a reason for someone’s tears…

And yet, every person considers himself better than others. Once, a journal published these driver polls: it turned out that most of them (80%) considered their driving skills above average. But even without statistic numbers, it’s quite clear that most auto drivers don’t deserve such a grade. The questions of morality look similar. As a rule, a person thinks that he is no worse than others and maybe even a little better. It is so firmly engraved in his way of thinking that he’s not capable of giving himself a true assessment. You tell a person of his sinful nature, and he starts defending himself, “I am not worse than others. I drink only on holidays, and almost never cheat on my wife.” He perceives himself pretty decent which gives him the right to judge the whole world. But practice shows that unfortunately, even with minimal power, (at home or work) a person in not able to fully get rid of his egoism. Therefore, if gained all the power, he would most likely have created a planet for himself as a resort, rather than engaged in solving the problem of evil on it.

The Extent of Evil

The problem of the extent of evil was brought up by many philosophers, writers, (both classics and contemporaries) and while they all enclosed their own meaning – still defined it differently. For example, an entrepreneur considers taxes evil, but for government workers, it is a benefit because they get their salary out of the tax budget. For a farmer, drought is evil, but for the grain merchant, it is great, because he makes more profit. Another example; stealing is considered evil, but if we remember how back in the days of extreme poverty and hunger a mother of many children stole grain from occupants to feed her family, it is no longer classified as evil. Fighting is considered evil, but what if you do it in self defense? Even human laws are not able to fully determine the degree of evil since they themselves are constantly being amended.

A question occurs from all this; which evil is subject to be eliminated first? Of course, mentally we all dart off to destroy murderers. And then who? Thieves, adulterers, drug dealers, liars?… This list can go on and on, and the priority will always be the evil that we point on.

Maybe we should only destroy the worst evil, like murderers and burglars. The problem is that by removing the worst evil, we will continue to destroy the worst of the remaining “lesser” evil with the same enthusiasm.

But our happiness will not last long. Of-course, compared to murder and burglary, lying seems as a very small problem, but after the elimination of these, liars will become the next worse evil. And eventually all will return to its places. Time will pass, and new burglars and murderers will appear, and again, someone will want to cash in on someone’s grief. Some will realize their desire, perverted by sin, while still others will want bloody fights. It is even possible that the situation will become worse than it first was.

Evil Is Impossible to Destroy

As we said before, every person considers himself better than the other and justifies himself with the fact that there are people much worse than him. While suggesting to God to destroy all evil, people themselves, for thousands of years cannot eliminate the corruption in them. If embarking on the journey to eliminate evil, then we all are subject to be destroyed.

Let’s look at simple and logical reasons about eliminating evil once and for all.

For example, what if we block the entry to bad thoughts? Science fiction writers have repeatedly come to the utopianism of such ideas. By limiting himself in evil, a person loses his free will, and that means death to personality.

Understandably, it’s not an escape. It’s not just impossible to forget how to think thanks to some block in the brains, but also a crime against freedom of choice. God wasn’t the One who came up with murder and drugs. It was people who Apostle Paul characterized as inventors of evil things. God gave us freedom of choice, and this makes us individual personalities and not puppets.

“Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth.” Romans 14:22

Evil lives in a person as though an iceberg under water. The attempts to destroy it are equivalent to the removal of just the top of a gigantic iceberg because after it’s liquidation, the bottom part moves up and everything returns to its ordinary cycle.

Is There A Way Out?

People haven’t found a solution to this problem, but there is one in the Bible.

“Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life.” John 14:6

Only He is able to show people the real core of evil. The Bible says,

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked…” Jeremiah 17:9; “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, authorities, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: all these evil things come from within, and defile the man.” Mark 7:21–23

Each person is extremely corrupt and is not capable of eliminating evil without outside help, just like a person who is drowning in mire will not be able to get out of there by himself. If the one who realizes his sad state cries out for salvation, God will be the One Who helps him, He will resolve the problem with evil by changing the heart. And He talks about it in His Word.

“A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh.” Ezekiel 26:26

This is how God shows His powerful almighty hand, He found a way out of a hopeless situation.

Yes, a person will continue living in a world full of evil, but the only difference is that now he can become a source of good and light. And what is most important, in His heavenly kingdom, God will forever take care of the problem with evil – sin and evil will no longer be there!

When it seems hardest to pray, we need to pray the hardest.

V.N.

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God Hears My Prayers

Barry was young, but he could already read and write quite fluently. He was especially happy reading Christian books. He read from the Gospel every day and knew many Bible stories. His dream was to travel to foreign countries, climb high mountains, and hunt tigers or bears.

Once, his father’s friend who was a missionary came to visit them. For many years, he had lived in Greenland among Eskimos, often spending the night in igloos. The missionary told them about Jesus Christ and read the Word of God. This was the reason he went there in the first place.

Barry found the missionary’s stories quite interesting and didn’t miss a word about the far north. His stories were so captivating that Barry would completely forget to eat his food during dinner. Oh, how many hardships this missionary went through!

At first, Barry hesitated to ask questions, but listening to the guest, he moved closer and closer to him. Finally, Barry gathered up courage and asked, “Have you ever seen a real tiger, elephant, or lion?”

“No,” the missionary chuckled, “these animals live only in countries where it’s hot. But I often saw white polar bears. They are wild and dangerous animals.”

“Aren’t you afraid of them?”

“I was,” the missionary replied. “Every time I met them, I was frightened. But the God I serve is strong enough to protect me from all animals.”

“I want to become a missionary also,” Barry burst out. “I want to go with you and tell the Eskimos about Jesus.”

This time, the missionary didn’t smile. He answered seriously, “You need to grow up a bit before going with me. But you can help missionaries, and me also, even now. Do you know how?”

Barry shook his head. He had no idea how he could be useful to missionaries from his home.

“You can pray for all those who preach the Gospel. And not only those who work in the far north. Many missionaries work in Africa, in wild jungles. The dangers and hardships they encounter are plentiful. There are many poisonous snakes, tigers, and lions. Also, tribes of cannibals live there.”

Barry listened to the missionary intently. “To save people from hell, to tell them about Jesus and eternal life, you need to leave everything and forget about yourself. Your prayer can be very helpful to those who preach the Gospel. God, hearing your prayers, will bless and protect His missionaries.” Barry really liked this idea. “I’ll be praying for all missionaries, and when I grow up, I will become one myself,” he decided.

The missionary left and much time went by. Barry never forgot to pray for him. One day, his father received a long letter. It came from the cold, far north. At the end, the missionary wrote several lines for Barry. The boy was very happy and listened intently to what his father read.

His beloved friend wrote that a few days ago, he had had a very close encounter with a polar bear. He was paddling his boat in a narrow strip of water between icebergs. Suddenly, he saw a big polar bear in front of him. The animal stood still, waiting for his victim. There was no way out, and all attempts to escape would have been useless.

The missionary wrote that at first, he had been scared. He thought of the strong claws and the big teeth. But all of a sudden, the fear went away. The missionary remembered his small friend Barry, who promised to always pray for him. “God, please save me. Hear Barry’s prayer!” he called out in his mind.

The bear stood a bit longer, growled loudly, and then slowly turned around and waddled off.

“God hears my prayers!” Barry jumped up and down excitedly as his father finished reading the letter.

Children, do you hear this? God hears Barry’s prayers! What about yours? Yes, if you pray, He hears you too!

“Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”

Psalm 37, 4
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See The Invisible Behind The Visible

We live in a very stressful time. Constantly on the run, we tear around between hundreds of errands and things that we need to do right now, this very instant. And sometimes in this haste, we rush past life itself, not noticing its beauty. Stop and look back- if just for a second!

Stunning mountain peaks, the splendor of an autumn forest, the mirror-water in lakes that reflect the blue sky above and the shining stars. The birds circling above, the travel of fish on their way to spawning. The earth is full of beauty. Even in the indents of a bluebonnet growing under our feet… All we need to do is to pay a little attention when looking around. And listen – not all of the beauty is visible.

The trill of a nightingale, the mewing of a kitten, the rippling creek… How often do we pay attention to all this? The world is full of pleasing sounds. We hear them, and these sounds complement the glory and harmony of the surrounding world. But often, we rush past it without noticing. We are not taken by what is going on around us; our eye is preoccupied with the electronic world.

The flickering phone screens keep us informed of the latest news. We browse through social media and other portals, as well as waste time playing games. And in the evening, tired and weary, we hurry to relax in front of our big home TV screen. Yes, the modern world offers us its own ways. But we shouldn’t stop noticing that which calms and relaxes us best, that which brings us peace and inner clarity. The starry skies, gray clouds bringing thunder, the gentleness of a flower which mysteriously grew through the asphalt, and a uniquely designed snowflake.

Where does this beauty come from? From whence is its strength, its source? What is it for?

Let’s imagine that we suddenly received an amazing gift; for instance, a bouquet of flowers. We don’t know who it’s from, no one saw who brought it, but nonetheless we are very pleased and still want to find out who was the one who gifted it. The bouquet is so beautiful that we are sure this person feels affection toward us, maybe even loves us. That person spent time and money to make us happy. Nothing is too hard for a loved one. The beauty that surrounds us is a remarkable gift from a loving God. Because of it, we can see His amazing qualities. God is invisible, but all that is visible to us tells us about Him.

God is the Creator and the expert in all that is perfect. He placed this desire for all that’s beautiful in humans. The world around us- nature, is truly breathtaking, and it speaks to us about its Creator, and all we need to do is keep our eyes and ears open. People have also created. Architectural buildings and art creations summon feelings of awe and admiration. By looking at them we notice the signature of the author.

It’s especially helpful if we know something about him, like to which era belongs this or that creation. We want to know in what historical times and based on which personal experiences this masterpiece was made. People have created much more than masterpieces; they created an organized way of life. We have shopping plazas, entertainment centers, businesses, and companies. But sadly, not all of this is safe and beautiful. Some cause significant damage to nature, while others damage a person’s body and soul.

“And God saw everything that He had made, and, behold, it was very good.” Genesis 1:31

This is what the pages of the Bible tell us. The holy Word of God also tells us that “God is love.” 1 John 4:8

This invisible but very loving God created the world around us in just six days and has not stopped taking care of it ever since. God continues existing, living in everything that He created. The world exists not because God loved it one day, but because He continues loving it. And the fact that everything, from the atoms to the galaxies, continues to run smoothly is praise to the One Who “hath made the earth by His power. He hath established the world by His wisdom, and hath stretched out the heaven by His understanding.” Jeremiah 51:15

The whole universe consists of the visible and the invisible, from the material to the spiritual. People mostly notice and value that which is visible. However, more often that which is invisible is of much higher value. For example, a person. What is more important in him: his body or his soul? Every one of us surely has visible beauty. It could be our figure, some individual feature that makes us special. For one, it’s his sparkling eyes, the other – a pleasant smile. The beauty trends change with every century and are different in every culture. They also change in the process of life.

A newborn baby, beautiful in its own way; a young girl stunning with her youthful looks; a young mother holding a child; or an elderly lady with silvering hair all have a certain appeal about them. Our bodies, and every carefully designed detail in them, speak about the Creator’s great plan in regard to a person. Even the fact that we age and are prone to sicknesses and diseases tells us a lot. Our soul lets us know about the Creator also, especially when a person dies and leaves this earth to go to a place he can no longer come back from. Who ever saw a soul? No one. But how great is the importance for it to be truly beautiful! It’s so important to have beautiful thoughts, intentions, deeds, actions, and high spiritual qualities.

These things are invisible to the eye, but this important, noticeable beauty of the heart has the ability to change everything surrounding us. It is so significant. The invisible God takes care of His creation. The Lord tells us, “Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin. And yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” And another verse, “Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than them?” Mathew 6:26

God created everything surrounding us with great love, and He really wants us to notice His love toward us. His gentle care was seen throughout history. It became visible when the invisible God, through the birth of Jesus Christ, became seen and available to all people. Jesus said to His disciples, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.” John 14:1–4

Through the cost of His crucifixion, death, and glorious resurrection, people now have access to Heaven. God’s creation is not yet done. “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.” Isaiah 65:17

Looking up at the visible heavens, we know that there is an invisible heavenly kingdom of which the pages of the Holy Bible tell us. Jesus Christ told us about it. Many people think of it as unreal and irrelevant, they are too busy with all that is visible. However, apostle Paul said these words: “for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.” 2 Corinthians 4:18

When you are at your weakest, God is at His strongest.

A. V. Smirnova