Rob Bell, former pastor of the emerging Mars Hill Bible Church of Grand Rapids, Michigan, said recently about “gay marriage” that “we think it’s inevitable and we are moments away from the church accepting it” (“Former Megachurch Pastor Rob Bell,” Christian Post, Feb. 17, 2015). Bell made the comment when he and his wife Kristen appeared on Oprah Winfrey’s Super Soul Sunday television program to discuss their new book The ZimZum of Love: A New Way of Understanding Marriage. Having rejected the Bible as the infallible Word of God, the Bells have lurched from one heresy to another. Their final authority is their own thinking and the pop culture of which they have deeply partaken in their zeal to be “relevant.” Bell said, “I think culture is already there and the church will continue to be even more irrelevant when it quotes letters from 2,000 years ago as their best defense...” We would say, first, that “the church” that Bell is talking about is a hodgepodge of professing Christians that is no church at all in a Scriptural sense. As for being irrelevant, the churches that stand on the testimony of Scripture are the most relevant institutions on earth. They alone are standing on the rock of God’s eternal Word rather than the shifting sand of human thinking and feeling. They alone are giving a prophetic voice into the darkness of this present world. Bell is right about one thing, though. He is right that many churches will accept “gay marriage” and that we are on the cusp of a great turning point in church history. Many “churches” have already accepted homosexual marriage, and others are caving on the issue daily. The apostle John had a different message from Bell’s: “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever. ... And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness” (1 John 2:15-17; 5:19).

(Friday Church News Notes, February 27, 2015, www.wayoflife.org, [email protected], 866-295-4143)

There is a snail that lives in extreme depths of the Indian Ocean that has iron plating. Iron plating! The black scaly-foot snail is covered with iron plates made of three layers, making the armor pliable and yet super strong. There is a top layer of iron sulfide, a lower layer of a calcified material, with a “thick, squishy organic layer in between” (“Absurd Creature of the Week,” Wired.com, Feb. 12, 2015). The creature thrives on the deep ocean floor by hydro-thermal vents that spew out 750-degree F, toxin-laden water. Among other things, the iron-plating is thought to deflect the tiny poison harpoons of predatory snails. Scientists believe that bacteria living on the snail help create the iron sulfides. Other bacteria live in a gland inside the snail and provide it with sustenance. “Its digestive system is practically nonexistent, but it does have a gland--which is 1,000 times bigger than in other snails--where the bacteria live and produce food. Like the kind of bacteria that builds the snail’s shell, this type takes the chemicals in the neighborhood and synthesizes them into grub for the snail” (Ibid.). Since the snail cannot live without the bacteria, I want evolutionists to explain how it lived while it waited millions of years for the right bacteria to evolve and join hands in this incredible symbiotic relationship. Everything about this and every other creature shouts “divine design” for those who have eyes to see.

(Friday Church News Notes, February 20, 2015, www.wayoflife.org, [email protected], 866-295-4143)

Proverbs 12:20
"Deceit is in the heart of them that imagine evil: but to the counsellors of peace is joy."

In October of 1999 scientists announced the discovery of a new fossil at the National Geographic Society in Washington. Scientists from the Dinosaur Museum in Blanding, Utah, and the Institute of Vertebrate Paleontology and Paleoanthropology in Beijing, China, announced the discovery of a so called "missing link." The feathered fossil was clearly a bird, but it had the tail of a small dinosaur. They named it Archaeoraptor.

The fossil from China was not excavated by scientists and its history was uncertain. It possessed the specialized shoulders and chest typical of birds, but it had the long tail identical to some small dinosaurs. After the announcement, scientists proceeded to study the fossil in detail. They found that a few bones that would have connected the tail to the bird body were missing. After more study, they concluded that they had been fooled. Someone had taken the fossilized tail of a dromeosaurid and made it look as if it had been part of the fossil bird. The scientists involved admitted they made a mistake by not examining the fossil before they announced the discovery of a "missing link." Like so many "missing links" before, this one was a hoax.

Every uncontested "missing link" that was ever "discovered" has suffered the same fate as Archaeoraptor. That these "discoveries" are announced before they are studied illustrates that evolution is nothing more than a faith. It is a deceitful faith, and the truth will only be found in the Bible.

Notes: "All mixed up over birds and dinosaurs," Science News, 1/15/00, p. 38.
Photo: This article from the November 1999 issue of National Geographic was retracted after the fossil Archaeoraptor liaoningensis was shown to be fraudulent. (FAIR USE)
Creation Moments, Inc., P.O. Box 839, Foley, MN 56329 www.creationmoments.com

Egyptian scholar Amar Ali Hassan is demanding that Israel return the treasures they took from the Egyptians when they left Egypt 3,500 years ago. In an interview with Egypt’s Channel 1 in July 2014, Hassan said, “When they left they stole Egypt’s gold and treasures. We demand that they return the treasures they stole from us” (“Egyptian Academic Demands Jews Return Exodus Gold,” Israel Today, Sept. 15, 2014). Hassan is referring to the Bible’s statement that children of Israel “borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment” (Ex. 12:35-36). In fact, that was the just wages that the Egyptians owed Israel for abusing them as slave labor to build their cities. It is interesting that Hassan, Ph.D. in political science, author, and Middle East research center scholar, acknowledges that Israel has a long history in the region and that Israel’s history in Scripture is accurate. This flies in the face of the Israel denial movement since Yasser Arafat.

(Friday Church News Notes, February 20, 2015, www.wayoflife.org, [email protected], 866-295-4143)

2 Timothy 3:2
"For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy…."

Popular psychology has for years declared that troubled young people, especially those who become violent, suffer from low self esteem. But three studies released in the summer of 1999 conclude the opposite: young people who become violent have too much self esteem.

One of the studies, published by the American Psychological Association, observed 540 undergraduate students. After answering standard questions designed to measure self esteem and narcissism, the students were put into different situations. They were given the opportunity to act aggressively against someone who had praised them, insulted them or did nothing to them. Researchers found that the most narcissistic students were the most likely to react violently. They also found that narcissists were especially aggressive against anyone who had offended them.

Another study found narcissism is prevalent among prisoners convicted of rape, murder, assault, armed robbery and similar crimes. When their self esteem was measured against the general population, it was found to be above average. The researchers involved in this study pointed out that the primary focus of prison rehabilitation is on building self esteem. This, they concluded, is definitely the wrong approach, since such people already have an inflated view of themselves.

The Bible warns against narcissism. Many of the problems in our society today are undoubtedly the result of this condition.

Notes: "Studies link violence and narcissism," Toronto Star, 12/99, p. J6.
Creation Moments, Inc., P.O. Box 839, Foley, MN 56329 www.creationmoments.com

The countries of the European Union have been described as “post-Christian societies,” and atheism has increased dramatically in the past few decades. Currently there are three countries in the EU with atheist prime ministers: Greece, France, and Croatia (“Greece’s election of first atheist PM a trend,” OneNewsNow.com, Jan. 30, 2015). According to a 2010 Eurobarometer Poll, only 16 percent of the Czech and 27 percent of French believe in God. Overall, 20 percent of residents in the EU claim to be atheists.


(Friday Church News Notes, February 20, 2015, www.wayoflife.org, [email protected], 866-295-4143)

1 Chronicles 16:12
"Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth…"

Those who believe that all living things are the product of millions of years of evolution tell us that living things develop features that aid their survival. They are quick to point out how some unusual feature of a plant or animal aids in its survival. That's why it's noteworthy that evolutionists cannot explain why kangaroos hop.

The kangaroo has several special designs built into it that make hopping its most efficient form of transportation. For example, every time it hits the ground, 70 percent of the kangaroo's downward energy is stored in its tendons to be released for the next hop. By contrast, a running human only stores 20 percent of this energy. Also, kangaroos are designed in such a way that it is actually easier for them to breathe when hopping than when standing still. With each hop, the kangaroo's organs move within its body, pushing air out of its lungs. It uses its muscles only to inhale. Add all these features together and the faster a kangaroo goes, the less energy it uses for the same distance!

If the kangaroo didn't have these special designs, hopping wouldn't be an advantage to it. At the same time, if the kangaroo originally didn't hop, its special design features would be of no value. In other words, the kangaroo is a complete package of special designs that had to come into existence all at the same time … just as it left the hands of a wise Creator.

Notes: "Kangaroos: God's amazing craftsmanship," Creation, 6 8/98, pp. 28 31.
Photo: Courtesy of SatuSuro. (CC-BY-SA 2.5 Australia)
Creation Moments, Inc., P.O. Box 839, Foley, MN 56329 www.creationmoments.com

“You may have heard advertisements for the film Fifty Shades of Grey. Launched to coincide with ‘Valentines’ Day,’ the promoters would like to think this is a romantic tale, but that is far from the truth. The film, based on a three-volume series of so-called ‘erotic novels,’ shows sexual exploitation and domestic violence, and is pornographic. Dawn Hawkins, executive director of the National Center on Sexual Exploitation (USA), writes, ‘This is not entertainment or a fairy tale, as Hollywood is claiming. This is glamorization of violence and abuse.’ Dawn continues, ‘Hold up a mirror to Christian Grey [the main character] and you’ll see the reflection of a culture saturated in exposure to violent pornography. This is the porn that has and continues to groom the next generation of men to believe that they are entitled to violent sexual behavior, and that women should enjoy it. Fifty Shades of Grey models and reinforces this, while Hollywood is cashing the check. We will not accept what Hollywood is offering.’ At a time when sexual exploitation and domestic and family violence are being highlighted and severely criticized, this film should be shunned by everyone.”

“Romance vs. Pornography and Abuse,” Saltshakers.org.au, Feb. 12, 2015

Isaiah 51:5
"My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust."

The ages of human history are frequently divided into periods named after rocks and minerals. There was the Stone Age, the Bronze Age and the Iron Age. This evolutionary way of describing human history is based on the materials people used to make weapons and tools. On the other hand, the Bible describes man as developing his knowledge of metalworking within a few generations of his existence.

Researchers in 2000 were studying an ancient steel factory in Turkmenistan. The 1,000 year old steel factory produced the legendary Damascus steel, which was the strongest and most durable steel produced in ancient times. When the factory was operating, steel was heated to temperatures up to 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit. Researchers examined the pottery shards that are the remains of the crucible. They found traces of the steel they once held on the shards that told an amazing story. Some of the shards had traces of low carbon steel, while others had traces of high carbon steel. They concluded that the ancient steel makers were mixing the two together in a process called co fusion. The result was a strong, durable steel. What is amazing is that it was previously thought that co fusion was discovered in the 20th century!

While our knowledge may be growing today, we need to avoid false pride. The Bible teaches that the highest knowledge is the knowledge of God. His protection is better than any provided by the hardest steel.

Notes: "Medieval Metal Masters," Discover, 1/00, pp. 20 21.
Photo: (CC-BY-SA 3.0)
Creation Moments, Inc., P.O. Box 839, Foley, MN 56329 www.creationmoments.com

“In an age where Christian-owned companies are being penalized for denying customer services that violate their morals, InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (IVCF) won a major victory in Federal Court. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit in Conlon v. InterVarsity Christian Fellowship affirmed the freedom of faith-based groups to make employment decisions consistent with their beliefs. Here’s the backstory: Alyce Conlon filed a lawsuit against IVF after she was terminated for failing to reconcile her marriage. She was put on paid leave so she could work on her marriage. In Dec. 2011, IVF fired the spiritual director because the group didn't see the progress it hoped for. Conlon's husband later filed for divorce. ‘Because IVCF is a religious organization and Conlon was a ministerial employee, IVCF’s decision to terminate her employment cannot be challenged under federal or state employment discrimination laws,’ the three-judge panel [of the 6th Circuit Court] declared. ‘The Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses do not permit federal or state courts to adjudicate such matters when the defendant properly asserts the ministerial exception as an affirmative defense.’”

“Christian Ministries Win Right to Fire Workers Who Violate Beliefs,” Charisma News, Feb. 12, 2015

Leviticus 19:28
"Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the LORD."

The Old Testament explicitly forbids God's people from getting tattooed. It might be argued that believers in God have refused to get tattooed because they view the body as the Holy Spirit's temple. But research conducted in 1999 is beginning to suggest that there is more to the issue.

Dr. William Cardasis, a Michigan criminal psychiatrist, sees a possible link between criminal behavior and tattoos. In his study of 55 patients at a maximum security hospital, Dr. Cardasis found statistical links between sociopathic behavior and the tendency to wear tattoos. He found that patients with tattoos were much more likely to have no regard for the rights of others, behave impulsively and lie and steal with no remorse. Another study of cadavers in New York City showed that the bodies of teen drug addicts had twice the number of tattoos compared to the general population. One tattoo artist told the press that he refuses to tattoo the face, neck or hands. He pointed out that some people consider tattoos in these places to be "serial killer territory." Dr. Cardasis adds that simply having a tattoo doesn't mean one is a criminal – that depends on what the tattoo means to the person wearing it.

Getting a tattoo is a permanent commitment to the symbol represented by the tattoo. Believers should have a permanent commitment only to Jesus Christ.

Notes: "What do tattoos say about the soul?" The Toronto Star, 12/26/99, p. J6.
Photo: Courtesy of Javier Ramirez. (CC-BY-SA 3.0)
Creation Moments, Inc., P.O. Box 839, Foley, MN 56329 www.creationmoments.com

Relevant, the magazine for hip emerging Christians, has a new report by Rob Fee on “11 Phrases that Freaked Me Out as a Kid.” These include “the Lamb that was slain,” “washed in the blood,” “on fire for God,” the Holy Ghost,” “born again,” “I’m not of this world,” “the Lamb’s book of life,” “the devil as a roaring lion,” and “guard your heart.” Of “the Lamb that was slain,” Fee remarks, “As a kid, when I heard everyone celebrating the murder of sheep, I really began to get nervous about taking friends from church to the petting zoo.” Of the Holy Ghost, Fee says, “My mom tried to explain it as part of the Trinity, but that definitely didn't help. ‘You see, honey, God is the guy in charge, Jesus is His son, and the Holy Ghost is, uh, their pal. Technically, God is Jesus’ dad, but they all join forces to become one. It’s kind of like Planeteers from Captain Planet, except it’s not a sin to watch TV shows about them.’” Of “washed in the blood,” Fee comments, “I pictured Jesus standing next to a giant bathtub that He was bleeding into while trying to make me dive into it like a Steven Curtis Chapman song in ’99.” And of “the Lamb’s book of life,” Fee says, “Is this the same lamb we killed earlier? Now it seems as though murdering him wasn't enough, we’re also going to take his books. How about we just leave the farm animals alone for a bit, OK, pastor? It’s making me legitimately sad.” I suppose it doesn't get more hip than making comedy out of the new birth, ridiculing washed in the blood and the Lamb’s book of life, and mocking the Trinity. Relevant magazine claims to “reach about 2,300,000 twenty- and thirty-something Christians a month.” It is a window into 2 Timothy 4:3-4 Christianity.

(Friday Church News Notes, February 20, 2015, www.wayoflife.org, [email protected], 866-295-4143)

“About 14% of China’s youths may be addicted to the Internet, says a psychologist; he runs a rehab center, or ‘boot camp,’ that takes a tough approach to the weaning process, the Telegraph reports ... Others, however, take action on their own. Witness the case of teen known only as ‘Little Wang,’ who, in an effort to end his addiction, cut his left hand off. ... China is one of several countries grappling with what the Telegraph calls an addiction ‘epidemic’; in China, it’s known as wangyin, the New Yorker reported last year. Taiwan has established fining systems for parents who let their kids spend too much time on their computers. Japan, like China, has addiction-fighting camps; China now has some 250 of them, Kotaku reported last year. China sees such addiction as a clinical disorder that’s among the top dangers to young people, though there may be a political side to that, the New Yorker noted, given that the government is concerned about people organizing online.”

“Teen’s cure for Internet addiction,” Fox News, Feb. 3, 2015

“Welcome to Paris 2015, where soldiers are walking every street that houses a Jewish institution, and where keffiyeh-wearing men and veiled women speak Arabic on every street corner. ... In modern-day Paris, you see, Jews are barred from entering certain areas. ... For 10 hours I quietly walked down the streets and suburbs of Paris, with photographer Dov Belhassen documenting the day using a GoPro camera hidden in his backpack. Given the tensions in Paris, which is still reeling from a wave of terrorist attacks (including the murder of Charlie Hebdo magazine journalists), I was assigned a bodyguard. ... Areas known as tourist attractions were relatively calm, but the further from them we walked, the more anxious I became over the hateful stares, the belligerent remarks, and the hostile body language. At times it was like walking in downtown Ramallah. Most women were wearing a veil or a hijab, most men appeared to be Muslim, and Arabic was prevalent everywhere. We decided ahead of time that I was to walk through these areas quietly, without stopping anywhere, without speaking to anyone, without so much as looking sideways. My heart was pounding and negative thoughts were running through my head. I would be lying if I said I was not afraid. Walking into a public housing neighborhood, we came across a little boy and his hijab-clad mother, who were clearly shocked to see us. ‘What is he doing here Mommy? Doesn't he know he will be killed?’ the boy asked. ... Over at a nearby street I was lambasted with expletives ... At a nearby cafe, fingers were pointed at us, and moments later two thugs were waiting for us on the street corner. They swore at me, yelled ‘Jew,’ and spat at me. ... Two youths were waiting for us on the next street corner, as they had apparently heard that a Jew was walking around their neighborhood. They made it clear to us that we had better get out of there, and we took their advice. ‘A few more minutes and this would have been a lynching,’ the bodyguard told me as we were getting into the car. ‘Leave this area right now.’”

Photo: Thousands of troops have been deployed on the streets of Paris this week to reassure France's Jews
“Ten Hours of Fear and Loathing in Paris,” nrg.co.il, Feb. 17, 2015

Psalm 91:3
"Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence."

The Peruvian Andes gave the world the potato, which is one of the largest crops in the world today. The problem is, the modern potato is plagued by potato beetles and aphids, which also carry some viral diseases to the plant. Now a wild potato found in the Bolivian Andes is being studied because it seems to be quite resistant to these pests.

The Bolivian potato defends itself using tiny hairs on its leaves called trichomes. There are roughly the same number of tall and short trichomes on the leaves, and they work together to provide a complete defense system for the plant. The hairs are so closely spaced that even a tiny aphid cannot avoid them. The end of each hair has a sack filled with defense chemicals. The short trichomes release their chemicals only when disturbed. The longer trichomes continuously release their chemicals. When an aphid gets on a leaf, its legs cannot avoid coming in contact with the sticky fluid the short trichomes release. To make certain that the aphid collects enough of the sticky stuff, the plant also releases a chemical that agitates the aphid. This gooey liquid finally sets up into a hard mass, leaving the aphid to starve. It also appears that a scent emitted by one of the trichomes makes the leaves completely distasteful to potato beetles.

A potato may someday be developed that can save itself from the pestilence of aphids and beetles. But we cannot save ourselves from the pestilence of our sin. That's why God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for our sins.

Notes: Bombardier Beetles and Fever Trees, William Agosta, pp. 22 25.
Photo: Sticky trichomes of a carnivorous plant, Drosera capensis, with a trapped insect. Courtesy of Noah Elhardt. (CC-BY-SA 3.0)
Creation Moments, Inc., P.O. Box 839, Foley, MN 56329 www.creationmoments.com

“H.H. Savage of First Baptist Church in Pontiac once remarked that it took about four times the prayer and energy to get a soul saved during the 1960s as it took during the 1930s” (One in Hope and Doctrine, p. 185).

“All our lives we have challenged Christian people in any endeavor to distinguish between essentials and non-essentials in the Word of God. For anyone to say that the Word of God contains matter that is not essential, is to disparage the inspiration and revelation and the Author of the Bible itself” (Oliver Van Osdel, “A Very Great Sorrow,” Baptist Temple News, Wealthy Street Baptist Church, Grand Rapids, Michigan, June 18, 1930).

(Friday Church News Notes, February 13, 2015, www.wayoflife.org, [email protected], 866-295-4143)

Genesis 8:19
"Every beast, every creeping thing, and every fowl, and whatsoever creepeth upon the earth, after their kinds, went forth out of the ark."

Many lines of evidence support the Bible's claim that Noah saved two of every kind of creature on the Ark, including dinosaurs. This means that humans and dinosaurs lived at the same time rather than separated by millions of years, as evolutionists claim. Long before modern science discovered dinosaurs, many histories offered descriptions of these creatures.

Britain's history contains hundreds of stories about the large reptiles we now call dinosaurs. Even if many of these accounts are not accurate, it is unlikely that so many similar stories were invented. According to ancient historical accounts, a large reptile killed and ate King Morvidus in about 336 B.C. In 1405, villagers near Sudbury drove what they called a large dragon into a swamp after the creature terrorized the area. It had killed and eaten a shepherd, then proceeded to eat the sheep. It was said that it had a huge body, a crested head with sharp teeth and a long tail. As recently as a hundred years ago, the older Welsh residents of Penllin in Glamorgan reported winged reptiles that lived in a colony in the nearby woods. They were described as brightly colored and reportedly stole the villagers' chickens.

It would appear that the reason most dinosaurs became extinct after the Flood has as much to do with human expansion as it does with a cooler, dryer Earth. But these widespread stories are just what we would expect if the biblical history is true.

Notes: After the Flood, Bill Cooper, pp. 131 135.
Creation Moments, Inc., P.O. Box 839, Foley, MN 56329 www.creationmoments.com

Communist China is tightening control of the Internet by requiring users of blogs and chat rooms to register with operators and promise not to challenge the political system (“China tightens Web controls,” AP, Feb. 4, 2015). China is also blocking private networks that have been used to circumvent its filters. Every Internet service provider must have users sign a pledge to refrain from “illegal and unhealthy” activity, which means any activity forbidden by the communists. There is perfect liberty in China, which is the liberty to do exactly what the government tells you to do. Saudi Arabians enjoy the same liberty. And this is the “liberty” that is fast becoming the rule in America and, in fact, every nation on earth. It is a fulfillment of Bible prophecy and therefore evidence that the Bible is the infallible Word of God. The hour is very late, but this present world is not the end of the story.


(Friday Church News Notes, February 13, 2015, www.wayoflife.org, [email protected], 866-295-4143)

Romans 8:22
"For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now."

The sea holds some of God's most creatively designed living things. Just as on land, the variety of creatures in the sea was much greater in the past. One good example of this is an extinct sea going reptile known as Ophthalmosaurus. A full grown Ophthalmosaurus was about 12 feet long and shaped like a dolphin. What made it unusual were its eyes. They were each about the size of a dinner plate.

Scientists estimate that Ophthalmosaurus could see its prey clearly even in the dim light that is available 1,600 feet below the surface. Based on its body structure, Ophthalmosaurus appears to have been a strong swimmer. Adding these facts together, scientists concluded that Ophthalmosaurus regularly swam deep in the sea to find prey or avoid predators. This led researchers to examine Ophthalmosaurus' bones more closely. When a diver rises to the surface too quickly, the nitrogen dissolved in his blood forms bubbles that can block circulation and destroy tissue. Scientists wanted to know if Ophthalmosaurus also suffered from this condition, known as the "bends." They searched for and found depressions in the joints typical of the bends.

While God's creation was initially perfect in every way, Adam's sin introduced imperfection and suffering. Even Ophthalmosaurus, deep in the sea, suffered because of human sin. Thankfully, God has given us a solution for human evil in His Son, Jesus Christ.

Notes: "My, What Big Eyes You Have," Discover, 1/00, p. 28.
Photo: Courtesy of Captmondo. (CC-BY-SA 3.0)
Creation Moments, Inc., P.O. Box 839, Foley, MN 56329 www.creationmoments.com

CCM artist Kari Jobe understands the ecumenical power of contemporary praise music. In an interview last year, she said: “I think that we’re just in a really exciting season of seeing some denominational barriers come down. I COULD LITERALLY WALK INTO A CHURCH AND LEAD WORSHIP AND NOT KNOW WHAT DENOMINATION I WAS IN THAT NIGHT. We’re doing a lot of different churches FROM ASSEMBLY OF GOD TO METHODIST TO BAPTIST” (Kari Jobe: Pioneering New Roads in Worship,” FamilyChristian.com, March 20, 2014). Contemporary musicians glory in the ecumenical power of contemporary music, whereas the Bible-believer understands that ecumenism is a loud warning sign. True Christian unity according to Scripture is unity in one mind, unity in sound doctrine, unity in truth, not a “unity in diversity.” Unity in one mind is godly; unity in diversity is a devilish deception. “That ye may with ONE MIND and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 15:6). “Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in THE SAME MIND and in the same judgment” (1 Cor. 1:10). In Independent Baptist Music Wars we document the ecumenical power of CCM. This book is available in print or as a free eBook from www.wayoflife.org.

(Friday Church News Notes, February 13, 2015, www.wayoflife.org, [email protected], 866-295-4143)

Hebrews 13:6
"So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me."

According to evolution, biological history is one of "red in tooth and claw." In this view, living things compete with one another. The fittest survive at the expense of the less fit. In a forest, this means that trees compete with one another for light, water and nutrients. Taller trees benefit from the light they prevent shorter trees from receiving. But as it turns out, the true law of the jungle is cooperation.

What goes on beneath the forest floor is essential to the forest itself. Tree roots gather water and nutrients from the soil. In addition, fungi live among the roots, feeding off the sap and other carbon compounds produced by the tree. In return, the fungi help make nutrients in the soil available to the tree. The picture of cooperation goes even further than this. Researchers have learned that the trees themselves cooperate with one another. This cooperation even exists between species. Researchers shaded some trees, leaving others in the sun. Tagging trees with different isotopes of carbon, scientists were surprised to find carbon compounds made by the sunbathed trees present in the shaded tree! The trees that were doing well were helping the trees that were not able to photosynthesize, even if they were a different species.

The true law of the jungle turns out to be cooperation. Rather than survival of the fittest, this cooperation between living things reveals a carefully designed creation made by a loving Creator.

Notes: "Sylvan Symphony," Creation, p. 56.
Photo: Courtesy of Luca Galuzzi. (CC-BY-SA 2.5)
Creation Moments, Inc., P.O. Box 839, Foley, MN 56329 www.creationmoments.com

As the keynote speaker at the National Prayer Breakfast, race car champion Darrell Waltrip preached that every person who dies without Jesus Christ goes to hell. The NASCAR legend gave his testimony of salvation before a crowd of 4,000, including President and Mrs. Obama and the Dalai Lama. He told how that he was a heavy drinker and a selfish, “brash, ruthless, pushy, cocky, conceited, aloof, arrogant” man, but his life was changed by the power of Jesus Christ. He said: “I thought I was a pretty good guy, but folks, let me tell you something. Good guys go to Hell. If you don’t know Jesus as your Lord and Saviour, if you don’t have a relationship [with Him], if He’s not the master of your life, if you've never gotten on your knees and asked Him to forgive you of your sins, [and] you’re just a pretty good guy or a pretty good gal, you’re going to go to Hell. Think about that. I did. ... I got down off my high horse [and] got down on my knees. And Dr. Cortez Cooper and Stevie [his wife’s nickname] and I prayed that the Lord would come into my life and forgive me of my sins and be my Lord and Saviour. And that was the greatest day of my life. That changed everything. ... When the Lord comes into your life, you’re going to be different. You have to be different. If He comes into your life and you’re not different, you better go back and try it again, because the Lord changes you.” (“NASCAR Legend,” Christian News Network, Feb. 6, 2015).

(Friday Church News Notes, February 13, 2015, www.wayoflife.org, [email protected], 866-295-4143)

Job 42:2
"I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee."

As fall comes to the temperate regions of North America, Europe and Asia, many birds head for warmer climates, and insects enter suspended animation. While it might appear that nature is shutting down for the winter, amazing things are happening. About 50 species of moths are awakening from spending the summer in suspended animation. Winter is when these moths are active, despite the fact that they don't have any of the biological antifreeze that some other creatures do. The metabolic costs of such chemicals would hamper their way of life.

Winter moths can live as they do – even though they freeze below 32 degrees Fahrenheit – because they emerge from the leaf clutter on the forest floor where temperatures almost never fall below 37 degrees. But when the air temperature rises above freezing, the moths emerge, shiver for several minutes to warm up, and look for food. Maple sap is among their favorite foods. One stomach full of this high-energy food provides enough energy for one of these moths to hibernate all winter. When active, they are able to increase their metabolism by over 8,000 times, using the same amount of energy that sustains them all winter, in a mere 30 minutes. Summer moths shed heat from the thorax, while winter moths conserve their heat with an entirely different heat exchange system.

Winter moths illustrate that there are no limits to what God can do. So if you are ever tempted to wonder how God could have made the entire creation in six days, just remember His winter moths.

Notes: "Some Like it Cold," Natural History, 2/94, pp.42 48.
Photo: Courtesy of © Entomart.
Creation Moments, Inc., P.O. Box 839, Foley, MN 56329 www.creationmoments.com

The first ever meeting between Salvation Army leaders and a pope occurred at the Vatican in December 2014. Meeting with Pope Francis was the Salvation Army General André Cox, plus four other SA leaders. The gathering was the culmination of six years of ecumenical dialogue which was aimed at “fostering a better understanding of one another, mutual respect and regular collaboration” (“Addresses at the Vatican,” salvationarmy.org, Dec. 12, 2014). The Salvation Army website calls the pope “His Holiness” and describes the meeting in terms of warm fraternity. Cox told the pope that he considered the papal audience “a most precious privilege.” He said, “We clearly recognize your Christlikeness as you seek faithfully to be a true minister of the Gospel. ... It is my hope and prayer that we will not only walk alongside each other, edifying through that is, but will walk together as credible witnesses to the truth that Jesus is Lord.” There is no concern expressed about Rome’s false gospel and false christ and other gross heresies. How can the pope display Christlikeness when he holds to a false sacrament gospel that is under the curse of Galatians 1 and is therefore not saved? The Salvation Army was never theologically sound in some areas, and it has long capitulated to the siren call of ecumenism. In the book Holiness: The False and the True, Harry Ironside described how that Salvation Army heresy about sanctification nearly shipwrecked his Christian life, and that was in the first half of the twentieth century.

(Friday Church News Notes, February 13, 2015, www.wayoflife.org, [email protected], 866-295-4143)

Bible-believing Christians should be the least gullible people on earth. The Bible says, “The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going” (Prov. 14:15). This means that the prudent man is careful and tests everything by God’s Word. Yet over the past 40 years of Christian living, I have been amazed at how easily God’s people can be lured into “alternative health care” programs that have quack written all over them. The most recent example that has come to my attention is Master Miracle Solution (MMS), a toxic bleach solution marketed by Jim Humble as “the Miracle Mineral Solution of the 21st Century,” a cure for cancer, AIDS, hepatitis, herpes, TB, malaria, possibly Ebola, “and many more of mankind’s worse diseases.” “Archbishop” Humble is the founder of “Genesis 2 Church of Health and Healing.” He claims to have “developed a technique for healing by touch.” We have read that he is anti-vaccination, anti-insurance. He encourages his followers not to trust “traditional” medicine, but he would have them trust him explicitly. When mixed with citrus juice, MMS forms chlorine dioxide, a strong bleach. Users of MMS are even told to expect to become ill through ingesting the solution and to understand that this is evidence that it is working to “kill all pathogens, parasites, diseases, and even heavy metals” (“Jim Humble’s MMS Fraud,” The Health Wyze Report, n.d.). A U.S. Food and Drug Administration warning says that MMS “when used as directed, produces an industrial bleach that can cause serious harm to health. ... High oral doses of this bleach, such as those recommended in the labeling, can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and symptoms of severe dehydration.” MMS was banned in Canada after “a life-threatening reaction.” MMS has every mark of quackery. It promises near perfect health and longevity. It makes astounding claims. It is associated with an alleged “Bible diet.” It is tied to a money-making scheme. It is promoted through testimonials, and it is accompanied by an attempt to discredit standard medicine. (For more about quack diets and alternative health programs see our new book The Bible and Diet, available in print as well as a free eBook edition from www.wayoflife.org.)

(Friday Church News Notes, February 6, 2015, www.wayoflife.org, [email protected], 866-295-4143)