Since John Paul II, there have been a string of “apologies” about Rome’s past that, upon examination, prove to be empty. The most recent is Pope Francis’ January 25 apology. It was characterized by U.S. News & World Report and many others as a “sweeping apology for Catholic wrongs committed against other Christians,” but it was nothing of the sort. Here is what the Pope said in St. Peter’s Cathedral: “As the bishop of Rome and pastor of the Catholic Church, I would like to invoke mercy and forgiveness for the non-evangelical behavior of Catholics toward Christians of other churches” (“Pope Francis ... makes sweeping apology,” U.S. News & World Report, Jan. 25, 2016). That is the sweeping apology! “Non-evangelical behavior” is a most amazing way to describe the imprisonment, robbery, torture, torment, burning, and crusading slaughter of millions of “Christians of other churches”! This is not an apology. It is arrogance; it is presumption; it is a lie; it is a further affront. John Paul II’s “apologies” were of the same caliber. Consider “Memory and Reconciliation: The Church and the Faults of the Past,” published in December 1999. It was written by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, who later became Pope Benedict XVI, and it was approved by Pope John Paul II. The latter stated that the “apology” contained in this document would lead to a “new springtime of Christianity.” This report stated that “doubtful means were employed in the pursuit of good ends” and spoke of “intolerance and even the use of force in the service of truth.” That’s it. That’s the “apology.” A genuine papal apology would go something like this: “I am the head of a false church that was formed from rebellion against God’s Word 1600 years ago and that is actually more akin to the whore of Revelation 17. I renounce my false and blasphemous claim to represent Christ on earth and to be the head of all churches. I renounce as heresies the priesthood, sacramental salvation, infant baptism, Mariolatry, purgatory, saints, relics, monasticism, and every other thing that is contrary to God’s holy Word and the doctrine and practice of the original churches that Christ founded. I accept the holy Scripture as the sole authority for faith and practice according to the teaching of the apostle Paul in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, and I renounce every Catholic tradition contrary to Scripture. I decry all claims of supremacy. I denounce all of the horrible things that the Roman Catholic Church has done to people throughout its history. I renounce all of the moral filth that has been committed by popes, cardinals, bishops, priests, monks, and nuns under the guise of Christianity. I repent of these things in sackcloth and ashes before the whole world. I renounce baptismal regeneration and cast myself wholly upon the blood of Jesus Christ for my salvation. May God have mercy on my soul for my participation of Rome’s false affairs.”

(Friday Church News Notes, February 12, 2016, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143)

Psalm 31:24

​Since Creation Moments stands firmly on the side of creation as described in the Bible, we disagree at times with the Discovery Institute, the recognized leader of the Intelligent Design movement. But we do have to recognize and applaud them for putting together a list of several hundred scientists who do not agree with Darwinism.

I'm talking about the "Scientific Dissent from Darwinism" list. To get on the list, scientists had to agree with the following statement: "We are skeptical of claims for the ability of random mutation and natural selection to account for the complexity of life. Careful examination of the evidence for Darwinian theory should be encouraged."

One such scientist – Dr. Stanley Salthe – is quoted as saying: "Darwinian evolutionary theory was my field of specialization in biology. Among other things, I wrote a textbook on the subject thirty years ago. Meanwhile, however, I have become an apostate from Darwinian theory and have described it as part of modernism's origination myth."

According to the Discovery Institute, they launched the list in 2001 because "the public has been assured that all known evidence supports Darwinism and that virtually every scientist in the world believes the theory to be true. The scientists on this list dispute the first claim and stand as living testimony in contradiction to the second."

Now ask yourself this: If these scientists were courageous in standing up for what they believe, can you – as a believer in Jesus Christ – do anything less?

Notes: The full list can be viewed and downloaded at http://www.dissentfromdarwin.org/about.php.
​Photo: Courtesy of the Discovery Institute. Creation Moments, Inc., P.O. Box 839, Foley, MN 56329 www.creationmoments.com

Marcus Pointe Baptist Temple in Pensacola, Florida, illustrates the slippery slope of messing with contemporary music and embracing the accompanying heresy that grace equates with non-judgmentalism in matters such as music. The pastor, Gordon Godfrey, spoke at Southwide Baptist Fellowship in 2006 and 2009. In fact, Marcus Pointe hosted the Southwide Fellowship meeting in 2009. Evangelist Tim Lee reported in his blog that year that the meeting “was awesome” and that Marcus Pointe is one of his supporting churches. This “awesome” church has been on the slippery slope of spiritual compromise for years, and the effect is obvious. This January the Marcus Pointe choir backed up entertainer Barry Manilow on his One Last Time Tour. The church’s choir accompanied Manilow in a worldly rock & roll show that included Manilow’s hit song “Copacabana.” The lyrics begin like this: “Her name was Lola, she was a showgirl/ With yellow feathers in her hair and a dress cut down to there/ She would merengue and do the cha-cha/ And while she tried to be a star/ Tony always tended bar/ Across the crowded floor, they worked from 8 til 4/ They were young and they had each other/ Who could ask for more?” When a concerned brother in Christ communicated to one of the Marcus Pointe choir members that Manilow is a homosexual who “married” his long-time partner in 2015, the choir member did know and “didn’t seem to care.” One day, it will be evident to such people that the true grace of God is not non-judgmental tolerance of sin and error. “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world” (Titus 2:11-12). “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them” (Ephesians 5:11).

(Friday Church News Notes, February 12, 2016, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143)

The spiritual emptiness of professional sports was illustrated by Peyton Manning’s comments after his second Super Bowl win on February 7. Manning, quarterback for the Denver Broncos and idol of millions of boys, in a post-game interview with CBS’s Tracy Wolfson, said, “I want to go hug my family, I’m going to drink a lot of Budweiser tonight. ... And I’m definitely going to say a little prayer and thank the man upstairs for this great opportunity” (“Peyton Manning Deflects Retirement Question,” New England Sports Network, Feb. 7, 2016). A few minutes later, on the winner’s podium, Manning again pushed beer. “What’s weighing on my mind is how soon I can get a Bud Light in my mouth.” These statements gave Budweiser millions of dollars in free advertising, and it might not be a coincidence that Manning is part-owner in two Anheuser-Busch distributors (“Why Peyton Manning Gave Budweiser $3 Million in Free Advertising,” Everyday Money, Feb. 7, 2016). It was called “the most valuable endorsement in history.” We wonder how “the Man Upstairs” liked it. Manning has made $385 million in career earnings, but he is only #32 among the world’s highest paid athletes. The 2016 Super Bowl was the third most-watched program in U.S. television history, with an estimated 115 million viewers. When America was truly great, a vast majority of the people filled their minds with God’s Word on Sundays. Now they fill their minds with things that are as void of eternal value as a pretty balloon.

(Friday Church News Notes, February 12, 2016, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143)

Noah Webster, author of the Blue-Backed Speller and the American Dictionary of the English Language, was one of the most important and influential figures in early American history. His spiritual conversion in 1808 at age 49 had a dramatic impact on his thinking, and his passion from then to the end of his long life was to encourage Bible education in America. He was convinced that a free republic could only exist if the citizens were righteous and wise, and he believed that only the Bible has the power to produce such citizens. In 1835, he issued the following warning: “God has provided but one way, by which nations can secure their rights and privileges: by obedience to his laws. Without this, a nation may be great in population, great in wealth, and great in military strength; but it must be corrupt in morals, degraded in character, and distracted with factions. This is the order of God’s moral government, as firm as his throne, and unchangeable as his purpose; and nations, disregarding this order, are doomed to incessant internal evils, and ultimately to ruin” (Noah Webster, Instructive and Entertaining Lessons for Youth, 1835).

(Friday Church News Notes, February 5, 2016, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143)

1 John 1:7

​"One, two, three … don't touch me." Do you know what I'm talking about? I'm talking about poison ivy, a plant with three leaves connected closely together on each stem.

There's a good reason why poison ivy is the most well-known toxic plant in North America. Most poisons that work by touch are usually quick to lose their effect, but poison ivy leaves are covered with a sticky oil that makes the poison cling to skin and clothing. And that poison can cause a really nasty allergic reaction.

But there are folk sayings that are useful in identifying poison ivy. "Longer middle stem; stay away from them." This points out that the middle leaf of the three has a long stem while the two side leaves attach almost directly. "Side leaflets like mittens, will itch like the dickens." The side leaves are smaller and may be shaped like mittens. "Red leaflets in the spring, it's a dangerous thing" and "berries white, run in fright" can also help you steer clear of poison ivy.

When you think about it, sin can be compared to poison ivy. Like poison ivy, sin is fairly easy to recognize. We have the Bible's admonitions, for one. And we can count on the Holy Spirit to warn us when we are tempted to sin. Best of all, though, we have Jesus, who gives us power to resist sin and then forgives when we fall into sin.

Notes: Some of this material came from "How to Identify Poison Ivy" at the wikiHow website.
​Photo: Uploaded to Wikimedia Commons by SWMNPoliSciProject. (CC BY 3.0).
Creation Moments, Inc., P.O. Box 839, Foley, MN 56329 www.creationmoments.com

The very liberal United Methodist Church has banned the Discovery Institute from sponsoring an information table at its upcoming General Conference. The Discovery Institute promotes the intelligent design position. Dr. John West, Vice President of the Discovery Institute, observes, “Preventing United Methodist leaders from even hearing about intelligent design isn’t open-minded. It’s intolerant and exclusionary. Maybe United Methodist officials should change their slogan to ‘Closed Hearts, Closed Minds, Closed Doors’” (“United Methodist Church Displays Intolerance,” Evolution News & Views, Jan. 18, 2016). In 2004, the United Methodist Church passed a resolution stating that it “opposed the introduction of any faith-based theories such as Creationism or Intelligent Design into the science curriculum of our public schools.” Of this statement, the Bible says, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Heb. 11:6).

(Friday Church News Notes, February 5, 2016, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143)

Psalm 146:1-2

​I admit it. I enjoy reading comic strips from time to time. I especially love the single-panel "Far Side" cartoons by Gary Larson. He's one of the only cartoonists who has repeatedly focused on the foolishness of evolution and gotten away with it.

But perhaps my favorite cartoonist is the late Johnny Hart. He is famous for his award-winning "B.C." and "Wizard of Id" comic strips. Chuck Colson once referred to Hart as "the most widely read Christian of our time."

In one of my favorite comic strips, a character named Wiley sits under a tree, writing a poem called "The Seed." Let me read some of it to you.

"A seed is such a miraculous thing," Wiley writes. "It can sit on a shelf forever, but how it knows what to do, when it's stuck in the ground, is what makes it so clever. It draws nutrients from the soil through its roots and gathers its force from the sun."

Wiley then writes about how the seed reproduces itself, and how the new plant receives everything it needs from its environment. In the last panel, Wiley writes, "Perhaps all of this is a product of love." And finally he wonders: "And perhaps it happened by chance" … which he quickly answers, "Yeah, sure."

Imagine that – creation truth in a comic strip! Hart often sparked controversy by incorporating overtly Christian themes and messages like this into his work. Perhaps he set an example that all Christians should follow!

Notes: Comic strip reproduced in Bruce Malone's book Search for the Truth, p. A-13 (Search for the Truth Ministries, 2001).
Creation Moments, Inc., P.O. Box 839, Foley, MN 56329 www.creationmoments.com

“Baptismal regeneration--the belief that one becomes a member of the body of Christ through baptism rather than through faith alone in the person and work of Jesus Christ--is a false gospel embraced by many of the major ‘Christian’ denominations. Pope Francis recently stated that Christian baptism not only brings salvation to the sinner, but it is the key to unity with all Christians--Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant. In his general audience during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, the pope declared that ‘the mercy of God, which works in baptism, is stronger than our divisions’ (Catholic News Agency, ‘Pope Francis: For Christians, Baptism Is Stronger Than Differences,’ Jan. 20, 2016). According to the pope, baptism creates ‘an indissoluble bond between us Christians, such that, by virtue of baptism, we can consider ourselves truly brothers.’ The CNA report described how the pope pointed to a 12th century baptismal font in the Lutheran Cathedral of Riga in Latvia and said the font signals the origin of faith recognized by all Christians which ‘is our common baptism.’ The culprit for disunity, according to the pope, is ‘egoism, which plants seeds of division, closure, and contempt in our minds and hearts.’ Christians today need to understand--especially as evangelicals continue to laud the pope and strive for unity with Rome--that the false gospel of baptismal regeneration embraced and propagated by the Roman Catholic Church is truly a damnable heresy. Baptism is simply an ordinance to be practiced by those who have already trusted in Christ as Savior--an outward testimony of one’s relationship with God. And it should be noted that ‘egoism’ does not create division in the church--false doctrine does! God’s Word commands believers to not only separate from false doctrine and those who practice it, but it commands Christians to ‘earnestly contend’ for the faith and warn about the ‘wolves in sheep’s clothing’ who attempt to destroy the flock and draw away disciples after themselves.”

​Matt Costella, Fundamental Evangelistic Association, Jan. 26, 2016

Genesis 2:1-2

​On our previous Creation Moments program, we told you about several esteemed scientists with advanced degrees who believe in biblical creation. Today I'm going to tell you what some of these scientists – and others – have said about a recent creation.

First up is Dr. Russell Humphreys, who holds a Ph.D. in physics. He said that the facts of science "support a recent creation and go strongly against the idea of billions of years which the theistic evolutionists uphold."

Dr. Danny Faulkner, with a Ph.D. in astronomy, said he believes "the universe is 6,000 to 8,000 years old" and that "we have a very clear indication from scripture that creation took place in six ordinary days."

Dr. John Baumgardner, with a Ph.D. in geophysics, said this: "To make sense of the world as the Bible lays it out does not allow for millions of years but does require that there be a catastrophe which destroyed all air-breathing land life except for that preserved on Noah's ark."

Finally, with a Ph.D. in chemistry, Dr. Jonathan Sarfati said, "Ninety percent of the methods that have been used to estimate the age of the earth point to an age far less than the billions of years asserted by evolutionists."

As you can see, each scientist comes from a different scientific discipline, and they all accept the Bible's account of creation without hesitation. And there are thousands of other scientists in the U.S. and around the world who agree with them!

Notes: Bruce Malone, "Creation Scientists Are Abundant," Search for the Truth, p. V-16 (Search for the Truth Ministries, 2001). The original sources for all of these quotes can be found in Malone's book.
​Creation Moments, Inc., P.O. Box 839, Foley, MN 56329 www.creationmoments.com

“Chinese President Xi Jinping called on Thursday for the establishment of a Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital. Speaking to the Arab League in Cairo while on a tour of the region, Xi said China supports the peace process in the Middle East and backs a Palestinian state along the 1967 borders with Israel. Xi also said his country would provide $7.6 million to the Palestinians in support of a new solar power project. He announced billions of dollars in special loans and investments in the Middle East, as Beijing seeks to boost its economic ties and clout in the region.”

“Chinese Leader,” Times of Israel, Jan. 22, 2016

Colossians 3:23

​How often have we heard the statement – "No real scientist believes in creation" – as we talk to people about why creation is actually more credible than evolution. If you ever hear someone say something like that, you'll want to listen closely to what I am about to share with you today.

When Ph.D. scientist Russell Humphreys was asked to estimate how many practicing scientists believe in biblical creation, he said: "It's a conservative estimate that there are in the U.S.A. alone around 10,000 practicing scientists who are biblical creationists." And he said this over 15 years ago. This means there may now be many thousands more.

In the book Search for Truth, author Bruce Malone lists many esteemed scientists who are biblical creationists. In addition to Dr. Humphreys, Malone mentions: Dr. Danny Faulkner, who has a Ph.D. in astronomy; Dr. John Baumgardner, with a Ph.D. in geophysics and space physics; Dr. Andrew Snelling, who has a Ph.D. in geology; and Dr. Eric Norman, a pioneer in vitamin B12 research and who holds a Ph.D. in biochemistry.

I don't have time today to tell you about other highly credentialed scientists mentioned in Malone's book who believe in creation. Each and every one has published numerous papers in journals related to their fields of expertise. And each one has said some startling things about biblical creation and evolution that I will share with you on our next broadcast. You won't want to miss it.

Notes: Bruce Malone, "Creation Scientists Are Abundant," Search for the Truth, p. V-16, (Search for the Truth Ministries, 2001).
Creation Moments, Inc., P.O. Box 839, Foley, MN 56329 www.creationmoments.com

Kuwait is supposed to be a “moderate” Muslim nation, but it has shut down a coveted London to New York service rather than carry Israelis as ordered by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait does not allow Jews even to visit the country. The following is from The Times of Israel, Jan. 17, 2016: “Kuwait Air is ending its New York to London service over the carrier’s refusal to carry Israeli passengers.’ The U.S. Department of Transportation will not tolerate unlawful discrimination, and has mandated that the airline immediately cease that practice and allow Israeli passengers to travel between the U.S. and London,’ Anthony Foxx, the transportation secretary, said in a statement on Friday. ‘In light of our demands, Kuwait Airways has chosen to cease passenger service from New York JFK airport to London Heathrow by January 18.’”

(Friday Church News Notes, February 5, 2016, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143)

2 Timothy 2:15

​Today on Creation Moments we bring you a bit of old news. I mean really old news. Though this news is nearly a hundred years old, few people even today know that the massive stone heads on Easter Island are actually sitting atop tall stone bodies buried in the ground.

The statues – carved from volcanic rock between A.D. 1100 and 1500 and put in place by Polynesians on Easter Island – range in size from 3 feet to a towering 33 feet in height. The largest statue – named El Gigante – tips the scales at about 165 tons.

In 1919 pictures of the first excavations to Easter Island revealed that some of the heads were full sized. But over the following decades, the discoveries were gradually forgotten. Since 2010, the Easter Island Statue Project has been excavating two of the buried bodies. According to project director Jo Ann Van Tilburg, most people think the statues are only heads because there are 150 of them buried up to the shoulders on the slope of a volcano, "and these are the most famous, most beautiful and most photographed of all the Easter Island statues."

Think of it – if archaeologists had never dug deeper, they would not have uncovered the whole truth about these massive stone statues. Similarly, if we want to get a more complete understanding of what the Bible teaches, we need to dig deeper. In-depth Bible study takes time and work. But it is well worth the effort!

Notes: Natalie Wolchover, "Do the Easter Island Heads Really Have Bodies?", LiveScience, 9/25/12. Photo: Courtesy of Aurbina. (PD). Creation Moments, Inc., P.O. Box 839, Foley, MN 56329 www.creationmoments.com

“UK scientists have been given the go-ahead by the fertility regulator to genetically modify human embryos. It is the first time a country has considered the DNA-altering technique in embryos and approved it. The research will take place at the Francis Crick Institute in London and aims to provide a deeper understanding of the earliest moments of human life. It will be illegal for the scientists to implant the modified embryos into a woman. But the field is attracting controversy over concerns it is opening the door to designer--or GM--babies. DNA is the blueprint of life--the instructions for building the human body. Gene editing allows the precise manipulation of DNA. ... The experiments will take place in the first seven days after fertilisation. During this time we go from a fertilised egg to a structure called a blastocyst, containing 200-300 cells. ... The work will be led by Dr. Kathy Niakan, who has spent a decade researching human development. Earlier this year, she explained why she had applied to edit human embryos: ‘We would really like to understand the genes needed for a human embryo to develop successfully into a healthy baby. The reason why it is so important is because miscarriages and infertility are extremely common, but they’re not very well understood.’”

“Scientists get ‘gene editing’ go-ahead,” BBC, Feb. 1, 2016

Recent research by astrophysicist Mathieu Ossendrijver, using ancient tablets at the British Museum, has found that from about 1800 BC the Babylonians used a “complex geometrical model that looks like a rudimentary form of integral calculus to calculate the path of Jupiter” (“Babylonians tracked Jupiter with fancy math,”Live Science, Jan. 28, 2016). The tablets analyzed by Ossendrijver date from about 1800 BC to 50 BC. The Babylonians developed “abstract mathematical, geometrical ideas about the connection between motion, position and time that are so common to any modern physicist or mathematician” (“Math whizzes of ancient Babylon figured out forerunner of calculus,” Science, Jan. 28, 2016). Alexander Jones of New York University says, “Such concepts have not been found earlier than in 14th century European texts on moving bodies. Their presence testifies to the revolutionary brilliance of the unknown Mesopotamian scholars who constructed Babylonian mathematical astronomy.” The path of Jupiter was important to the Babylonians, as their chief god Marduk was identified with this planet. “And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth” (Genesis 11:4).

(Friday Church News Notes, February 5, 2016, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has announced a plan to build a new worship site at the Western Wall that will accommodate both sexes. Currently there are segregated worship areas at the Wall, a large one for men and a smaller one for women, with the sections divided by a wall. For years, the Women of the Wall organization, which represents the “liberal streams of Judaism,” has been demonstrating for mixed-sex prayer. In Herod’s Temple women were restricted to the Court of the Women. It was also called the Middle Court, because it was between the Court of the Gentiles and the Court of Israel which was for Jewish men. The synagogues were also traditionally divided into men’s and women’s sections until recent times when the more liberal ones integrated worship. The Israeli government plans to build a mixed-sex worship area to the south of the existing worship areas in a place currently occupied by an archaeological dig. The Western Wall Plaza was built in 1967 immediately following the Six-Day War when Israel gained access to eastern Jerusalem. The area of the plaza near the Wall, known as the lower plaza, functions as a synagogue.

(Friday Church News Notes, February 5, 2016, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143)

Matthew 9:38

​Considering the decades of evolutionary indoctrination going on in schools and the media, you might think that most Americans no longer believe in a Creator. But that's not what a recent survey from LifeWay Research reveals.

In a phone survey of 1,000 adults, 72 percent of Americans overall and 46 percent of those who don't identify with any religion agree with the survey statement: "Since the universe has organization, I think there is a creator who designed it." This view is most strongly held by evangelicals and by older adults. And most respondents – 79 percent overall, and 43 percent of those with no religious affiliation – agreed with the statement: "The fact that we exist means someone created us."

According to Mary Jo Sharp, assistant professor of apologetics at Houston Baptist University, "The infinitesimal odds that life arose by blind chance is a formidable argument" for a creator.

Ed Stetzer, executive director of LifeWay Research, said that the findings are newsworthy because the study shows that nonreligious people believe the same thing as Christians at a surprisingly high rate. Stetzer said, "This points to the possibility of a lot of conversations – if Christians would just have those conversations – telling people about the creator that they see in creation."

We couldn't agree more. Think of these Creation Moments as conversation starters to help you tell people that there is, indeed, a Creator. And then tell them that this same Creator entered His Creation and died on the cross so that their sins might be forgiven.

Notes: Cathy Grossman, "Religious or not, many Americans see a creator's hand," 10/8/15, Religion News Service.
Creation Moments, Inc., P.O. Box 839, Foley, MN 56329 www.creationmoments.com

Psalm 104:24

​What tiny shrimp-like creature is a bright iridescent blue one moment and then – in the blink of an eye – invisible the next? It's the Sapphirina copepod, also known as the "sea sapphire." Though the sea sapphire is only about a tenth of an inch long, it is surely one of the most amazing creatures in God's creation.

As an article at the Deep Sea News website points out, "The secret to the sea sapphire's shine is in microscopic layers of crystal plates inside their cells. In the case of blue sea sapphires, these crystal layers are separated by only about four ten-thousandths of a millimeter, about the same distance as the wavelength of blue light."

Now here's where the creature's vanishing act comes into play. "When blue light bounces off these crystal layers, it is perfectly preserved and reflected. But for other colors of light, these small differences in distance interfere, causing the colors to cancel out."

And what happens when they cancel out? The creature vanishes! You really need to see this. If you go to the Creation Moments website and search on the term "sea sapphire," you can then click on a link that will take you to a video of the sea sapphire in action. (Video below)

No one can deny that the sea sapphire's vanishing act doesn't rival what the most accomplished illusionists can do. Its unique abilities clearly point to a Creator who never ceases to amaze and delight us with His magnificent creatures!

Notes: R.R. Helm, "The Most Beautiful Animal You've Never Seen," Deep Sea News. Photo: Courtesy of http://drista.ti-da.net.
Creation Moments, Inc., P.O. Box 839, Foley, MN 56329 www.creationmoments.com

“What is our general disposition towards the literary classics produced by the revered geniuses of our age? Shall we assume the worst or the best of them? ... In most cases, Christian universities incline towards viewing these authors favorably for several reasons, both legitimate and illegitimate. ... In higher academia, there is a strong academic hubris that gives too much glory to the intellectual accomplishments of men. Within these institutions, men and women imbibe deeply at the trough of the knowledge that puffs up (1 Cor. 8:1). A fraternity of the intellectual elite forms, wherein critical treatment of the fundamental ideas produced in the brotherhood becomes the ultimate faux pas. Hence, the ‘great’ authors are beyond criticism, and they stand in a class of their own. Their novels, plays, and treatises may be fawned over, appreciated, reviewed, and analyzed, but none dare accuse the writers of wicked, rebellious heart motives or render their literature heterodox and dangerous.” The Word of God commands, “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).

​Kevin Swanson, Apostate: The Men Who Destroyed the Christian West

Psalm 7:11

​Here at Creation Moments, we frequently get upset with the National Geographic Society for misleading their readers and viewers with stories supporting evolution. But when a scientist at the Smithsonian Institution writes a scorching letter to them to express his outrage, this is something that doesn't happen every day!

Let me quote from that letter, written in 1999 by Storrs Olson, who, at the time, was Curator of Birds at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History.

Olson's letter begins: "The hype about feathered dinosaurs in the exhibit currently on display at the National Geographic Society makes the spurious claim that there is strong evidence that a wide variety of carnivorous dinosaurs had feathers. A model of the undisputed dinosaur Deinonychus and illustrations of baby tyrannosaurs are shown clad in feathers, all of which is simply imaginary and has no place outside of science fiction."

He continues: "The idea of feathered dinosaurs and the theropod origin of birds is being actively promulgated by a cadre of zealous scientists acting in concert with certain editors at Nature and National Geographic who themselves have become outspoken and highly biased proselytizers of the faith. Truth and careful scientific weighing of evidence have been among the first casualties in their program, which is now fast becoming one of the grander scientific hoaxes of our age."

Unfortunately, Olson's wise words fell on deaf ears. From 1999 to the present day, the National Geographic has never stopped peddling evolutionary science fiction as fact.

Notes: http://dml.cmnh.org/1999Nov/msg00263.html.
​Creation Moments, Inc., P.O. Box 839, Foley, MN 56329 www.creationmoments.com

“The United Nations Assistance Mission in Iraq (UNAMI) released a report estimating the slave population of the Islamic State (ISIS/ISIL/IS) in Iraq at 3,500. ... ‘Those being held are predominately women and children and come primarily from the Yezidi community, but a number are also from other ethnic and religious minority communities.’ The Islamic State has targeted Yazidis as they spread their Caliphate across northern Iraq. The terrorist group considers the Yazidis, a religious minority, devil worshippers. As militants storm through Yazidi areas, they demand Yazidis convert to Islam or die. Iraq Human Rights Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has claimed the militants have buried over 500 Yazidis alive in Sinjar. Kurdish forces managed to retake the town in November 2015. The liberators found one grave filled with 78 elderly women and another with at least 50 people. ... Yazidi activists released a video showing the Islamic State tearing families apart and abducting girls and women to be their sex slaves.”

Breitbart, Jan. 20, 2016

2 Peter 3:10

​On today's program, we bring you the end of the world. Well, not exactly. I'm going to present an alphabetical list of global catastrophes supposedly being caused by global warming. Never mind the fact that there has been absolutely no global warming for over 18 years.

Here's another fact. Carbon dioxide is an essential gas in our atmosphere. Without it, there would be no life on our planet. Plants take in carbon dioxide and release oxygen for us to breathe. However, carbon dioxide is now considered to be a pollutant by global-warming alarmists. Carbon-pollution, they call it.

Now, let's take a look at all the bad things in store for our planet because of "carbon pollution", shall we? I only have time today to begin the list … and I'll try to read it with a straight face.

According to so-called climate-change experts – and their friends in the media – we can thank global warming for an African holocaust, aggressive weeds, airport malaria, Al Qaeda being helped, allergy season will be longer, alligators will appear in the Thames, the Alps will melt, the Amazon will be turned into a desert, the American dream will end, anaphylactic reactions to bee stings will increase, Arctic ice will grow, while Antarctic ice will shrink.

Though I don't have time today to complete the "A" list, I will close by mentioning that some climatologists even blame the crash of Air France flight 447 on global warming.

Notes: Stories about all of these events can be found on the Internet. A long list with clickable links to many of the stories can be found at http://www.numberwatch.co.uk/warmlist.htm.
​Creation Moments, Inc., P.O. Box 839, Foley, MN 56329 www.creationmoments.com

A popular narrative today is that Islam is a religion of peace, and terrorists are not true Muslims. It is one of the most ridiculous things ever invented in this world of crazy inventions. Today’s Islamic fundamentalists are not “extremists.” They are the true Muslims who are taking their religion seriously. They are walking faithfully in the footsteps of Islam’s founding father. Islam means surrender, and the Islamic definition of peace is Islamic control over the world. According to Islam, the world is divided into Dar al-Harb (the world of war or the non-Islamic people) and Dar al-Islam (the world of peace or the Muslim world). “The presumption is that the duty of jihad will continue, interrupted only by truces, until all the world either adopts the Muslim faith or subjects to the Muslim rule” (Gene Gerganus, Peril of Islam: Telling the Truth, pp. 59, 60). Within 200 years after Muhammad, Muslim armies had conquered many kingdoms and created an Islamic caliphate that covered more than five million square miles. They had conquered the Sassanid Empire (Persia, Mesopotamia, Assyria). They had conquered much of the Byzantine Empire. They had conquered north Africa and Spain. This was done by the edge of the sword and was accompanied by unspeakable cruelty. This is an irrefutable fact of history, and facts are stubborn things that always outlive the naysayers. (For extensive documentation, see Islam and the Bible, available at the Way of Life web site in print and free eBook editions, www.wayoflife.org.)

(Friday Church News Notes, January 29, 2016, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143)

Genesis 1:21

​As the fierce T-Rex approaches its prey, the dinosaur is suddenly hit from above with something white that spatters on its upturned head. Yes, it's the same kind of bird droppings that you'll find all over your car when you park under the branches of a tree.

What's that again? Evolutionists have been telling us that modern-day birds evolved from dinosaurs. The two kinds of animals weren't around at the same time, they say. But now, a report tells us that one "ancient bird's intricate arrangement of the muscles and ligaments controlled the main feathers of its wings, supporting the notion that at least some of the most ancient birds performed aerodynamic feats in a fashion similar to those of many living birds."

Dr. Luis M. Chiappe, the investigation's senior scientist, said, "The anatomical match between the muscle network preserved in the fossil and those that characterize the wings of living birds strongly indicates that some of the earliest birds were capable of aerodynamic prowess like many present-day birds."

Of course, the research team didn't want people to end up thinking that birds haven't evolved over the past 125 million years, so they mentioned that the bones of the fossilized bird is "skeletally quite different from their modern counterparts." In addition, the press release was accompanied with an artist's rendition of the bird. To preserve the evolutionary story, the drawing shows a bird with an open beak filled with sharp teeth.

Notes: "Tiny ancient fossil from Spain shows birds flew over the heads of dinosaurs," ScienceDaily, 10/6/15, Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. Guillermo Navalón, Jesús Marugán-Lobón, Luis M. Chiappe, José Luis Sanz, Ángela D. Buscalioni. "Soft-tissue and dermal arrangement in the wing of an Early Cretaceous bird: Implications for the evolution of avian flight." Scientific Reports, 2015; 5: 14864 DOI: 10.1038/srep14864. Illustration: Courtesy of Stephanie Abramowicz.
​Creation Moments, Inc., P.O. Box 839, Foley, MN 56329 www.creationmoments.com