Genesis 1:14-15
“And God said, Let there be lights in the firmament of the heaven to divide the day from the night, and let them be for signs, and for seasons, and for days, and years: And let them be for lights in the firmament of the heaven to give light upon the earth: and it was so.”

Our sun is, of course, a star although it is now becoming evident that it is a very special star that permits life to exist on planet Earth. If the Earth were only one percent closer to the sun, we wouldn't be here to worry about any “greenhouse effect.” And if the Earth were only one percent farther away from the sun, there would be plenty of snow and ice on Earth, but no one around to ski on it. The distance from the Earth to the Sun is very precisely set to allow life to live comfortably here. The chances of that happening without design are virtually nil.

Many stars, perhaps most stars, vary much more than our sun does in the amount of energy they give off. Life as we know it would not be possible around those stars, no matter where the planet might be located. But our sun varies its energy output by only about one-tenth of a percent.

Scientists now speak less frequently about our sun being an “average star.” The facts show that it is a “very special star.” Our growing knowledge of the universe is helping us to see that God created this special star with precisely those characteristics necessary to support life on Earth. Modern science is only now learning what the Bible has always taught!

Notes: Ivars Peterson. “More Than Just Your Average Star.” Science News, Vol. 134. July 2, 1989, pp. 8-9.
Creation Moments, Inc., P.O. Box 839, Foley, MN 56329 www.creationmoments.com

Judge deals NSA defeat on bulk phone collection;
Harvard buildings evacuated because of report about explosives;
Mega Millions jackpot climbs;
Harry Styles wins court order against paparazzi.

Kerry announced Vietnam deal;
Bus in Philippines falls onto van;
Fatal NJ carjacking investigated;
China lands spacecraft on moon.

"Since 2004, 13 nations have joined the European Union and 10 of them either prohibit or do not recognize homosexual marriage, while the remaining three allow some legal 'partnership' recognitions but not on the same level as heterosexual marriage. In the most recent vote on the issue, in Croatia on Dec. 1, the Catholic and Orthodox churches led a strong campaign against same-sex marriage. ... Besides Croatia, 12 other nations, all from Eastern Europe, have joined the EU since 2004. Not one of those nations legally recognizes homosexual 'marriage' and only three permit some legal standing for same-sex couples. The 12 nations are Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia."

("10 of 13 Newest EU States," CNSNews, Dec. 9, 2013)

Daniel 2:21
“And he changeth the times and the seasons: he removeth kings, and setteth up kings: he giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding.”

Our bodies have many different rhythms. For example, your body temperature and your blood pressure cycle throughout the 24-hour day. Other body rhythms complete their cycle in 7 days or 28 days and so on.

Some bodily rhythms are controlled through the hypothalamus, some by the pituitary gland, but there are other glands that control the rhythms of other organs. This arrangement sounds sort of like standing in a room with hundreds of clocks ticking away. And to make matters worse, each clock goes off on its own time – none are set to the same time. It could be a confusing mess.

But now it has been learned that the brain has one master clock that coordinates all the other clocks in the body. This master clock goes by the initials SCN. It was once thought that the hypothalamus did this work. But the hypothalamus is just an assistant to the SCN. Together they turn out a bewildering array of chemical signals for the rest of the body so that everything keeps humming along in fine order.

So here we have one more example of the intricate and wise design of our loving Creator and how He leaves no detail of life to chance. If He can do this, He certainly wants you to bring all the details of your life to Him as well.

Notes: Science Digest, Nov. 1984, pp. 56-61.
Photo: The influence of light and darkness on circadian rhythms and behavior through the SCN.
Creation Moments, Inc., P.O. Box 839, Foley, MN 56329 www.creationmoments.com

Senator McCain on Robert Levinson disappearance;
Mandela final farewell;
Actor Peter O'Toole dies;
Santa goes running in Spain for charity.

A two-year working group has proposed that the Church of England "be able to recognize and celebrate same-sex marriages and partnerships in church services" ("Church of England Proposes Celebrating Gay Marriage," Newsmax.com, Nov. 28, 2013). The group said the Church of England should "welcome and affirm the presence within the church of gay and lesbian people both lay and ordained." The report will be discussed by key church groups. Earlier this year the Church of England "dropped its ban on gay clergy in civil partnerships becoming bishops." The worldwide Anglican Communion is composed of some 80 million members* in 164 countries, including the "mother church" (the Church of England) and the Episcopal Church in America. (* A large percentage of Anglican members are non-existent in practice because they are church members due to the fact that they were baptized as infants and perhaps catechized, but they do not participate in the functional life of congregations.) The Anglican Church is permeated with the most wretched theological liberalism at every level, as we have documented in the report "Fifty Years of Anglican Liberalism," available at www.wayoflife.org.

(Friday Church News Notes, December 13, 2013, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143)

Newtown shooting anniversary;
Colorado school shooting investigation;
Severe weather takes aim at Northeast;
Mandela's body arrives at hometown for burial.

A recent report in The Week magazine warns that a post-antibiotic world is a possibility because bacteria are gaining resistance to antibiotics. "Before antibiotics were widely available, any accident, injury, or medical procedure that allowed pathogenic bacteria into the body was potentially deadly. One in nine skin infections was fatal. One in three cases of pneumonia led to death. Invasive surgeries including caesarean sections left the patient open to killer infections. Insect bites, burns, and blood transfusions frequently became a source of infection. So the discovery of the first antibiotic, penicillin, by Alexander Fleming in 1928 remains one of the high points in medical history. Antibiotics kill bacteria, which meant wounds were no longer death sentences. Yet when Fleming won the Nobel Prize for medicine in 1945, he warned of the dangers of antibiotic resistance. ... Fleming's prediction was right. ... Each new class of antibiotics since then has soon been greeted by resistant bacteria. ... The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recently warned that drug-resistant bacteria kill at least 23,000 people annually in the U.S, and cost the health care system $20 billion per year" ("Why the post-antibiotic world is the real-life version of the zombie apocalypse," The Week, Nov. 26, 2013). This is an interesting report in light of Jesus' warning about the end times: "For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, AND PESTILENCES, and earthquakes, in divers places" (Matthew 24:7).

(Friday Church News Notes, December 13, 2013, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143)

White House quiet on Levinson's CIA ties;
Mandela interpreter murder charge;
Rodman still going to North Korea;
Mega Millions jackpot.

The Black Kite (Milvus migrans ) is another of the wonderful creatures that God made for His glory and man's pleasure. It is a medium-size bird of prey that occupies a wide range of territory throughout the temperate and tropical parts of Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and Oceania. The name would suggest that it is black in color, but actually it is predominantly various shades of brown, with dark brown or black feathers toward the edges of its wings, a black beak, yellow legs, and black talons. There are some white markings under its wings and on its belly, and its head and neck tend to be paler than its body. It glides effortlessly on air thermals searching for food with its excellent eyesight, soaring 1,000 feet and more above the ground. Its magnificent eyes set into a head that can swivel 180 degrees gives it full awareness of its environment. The Black Kite is an aerial acrobat, maneuvering quickly and easily in any direction, soaring, wheeling, diving. It swoops down on its prey with legs lowered, grabbing it with its powerful talons. It eats fish, rodents, insects, reptiles, and other small creatures, as well as household refuse and carrion. It likes to fly above garbage dumps and along the edges of fires to catch escaping prey. The natives of Australia believed that the bird would start fires for this purpose by transporting burning branches and dropping them on dry brush. Black Kites usually stay near bodies of water, such as rivers, ponds, or lakes. They are gregarious birds and can form huge flocks. I have seen probably 100 or more soaring above dumps in Kathmandu, Nepal. They issue a fascinating shrill cry that ends with an extended warbling effect that varies considerably in speed and intensity. The Black Kite is believed to be monogamous, perhaps even pairing for life. They have a ritualized aerial courtship during which they "perform a dangerous display known as grappling, where they lock their feet together in mid-air and begin to spiral towards the ground" ("Black Kite," University of Michigan Museum of Zoology). The eggs are incubated by the female while the male feeds her. The chicks are cared for by both parents until the young are self-reliant. Everything about this beautiful, self-reproducing creature shouts "divine design," from its DNA to its brain to its flying feathers.

(Friday Church News Notes, December 6, 2013, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143)

Habakkuk 1:14
“And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?”

One of the strangest creatures in the world is a rather reluctant fish called the mudskipper. Even though it is a fish, it can dig burrows, travel miles on land and even does a mating dance on land that can last up to an hour. Some species of mudskipper can even climb trees.

The mudskipper has the ability to absorb oxygen from water on its skin. All it needs to do is stay wet. It also has sponge-like sacks around its gills that hold a supply of water. And should any of these systems not be enough, the mudskipper can also take in air directly. And just as our eyes do not see well under water, most fish cannot see well out of the water. But the mudskipper has special eyes that give him good vision in and out of the water.

The mudskipper is an excellent example of God’s unbridled creativity. Imagine giving such a wondrous design to a fish! The prophet Habakkuk compares men to fish when he asks why God allows men to be caught by evil people, as fish are caught by men. But God reminds Habakkuk that when the evil attack the godly, they are storing up punishment for themselves. Ultimately, the Lord tells Habakkuk, and us, that all things serve the glory of God.

Notes: “A Fish out of Water.” Discover, Feb. 1985, pp. 56-61.
Photo: Courtesy of Bjørn Christian Tørrissen. Licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2.
Creation Moments, Inc., P.O. Box 839, Foley, MN 56329 www.creationmoments.com

Gun violence vigil at National Cathedral;
Kerry in Middle East for Israeli-Palestinian talks;
South Africa, interpreter apologize for sign language debacle;
Mega-millions jackpot worth 400 million.

Senate talks through night;
Hawaii plane crash;
Student death investigated;
Sign language controversy.

“A renowned South African missionary is cautioning against a new film that praises the life of Nobel Peace Prize winner Nelson Mandela, whom he says was actually a terrorist that promoted abortion, pornography and homosexuality in the nation. Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom is set to open in theaters in the United States this weekend, as it follows the anti-apartheid activist from his humble childhood through his inauguration as the first elected president of South Africa. ... However, Dr. Peter Hammond of Frontline Fellowship of Newlands, South Africa recently told Todd Friel of the television and radio broadcast Wretched that Mandela was deeply involved in terrorist activity and is responsible for promoting wickedness in the land. ... ‘[H]e plead guilty to 156 acts of public violence and terrorism.’ Hammond outlined that Mandela was the head of the military wing of the African National Committee (ANC), which Hammond also referred to as ‘the abortion, necklacing and corruption party.’ He said that 1,000 Africans were killed by necklacing in the country through the ANC, an act where terrorists would ‘put an automobile tire over someone, pour petrol over them [and] set them alight.’... The South African missionary stated that Mandela’s wife Winnie also participated in violent acts. ‘Winnie Mandela actually was found guilty in court of the murder of a 12-year-old boy,’ he explained. ‘And it was upheld on appeal. She was sentenced to five years in prison, [but] she hasn't served a day.’ In 2010, following the release of the Clint Eastwood film Invictus, which also celebrated the life of Mandela with Morgan Freeman playing the lead role, Hammond likewise issued strong warnings. ‘There’s a lot of Christians out there who idolize Nelson Mandela because they've been given false, misleading and incomplete information,’ he said. ‘He has pushed for the legalization of abortion, pornography [and] homosexual relationships. … [He was] trying to legalize prostitution. He’s a radical liberal.’”

(“African Missionary Cautions,” Christian News Network, Nov. 26, 2013)

1 Kings 7:23
“Then he made a molten sea, ten cubits from the one brim to the other; it was round all about, and his height was five cubits: and a line of thirty cubits did compass it round about.”

Everyone knows that when you divide the circumference of a circle by its diameter, you get three and one-seventh, the value of Pi. Even the ancients knew about Pi. But 1 Kings 7:23 tells us that the bronze sea which Hiram made for King Solomon was 30 cubits in circumference and 10 cubits in diameter. Those measurements only give a value of three, not Pi. Is this a mistake in the Bible?

For years, Bible critics have pointed to 1 Kings 7:23 as an error, or they use it to claim that the ancient Israelites were too ignorant to know about Pi. This was answered in the second century A.D., but critics still bring it up today. The solution to the problem is that the circumference of the vessel is measured from the inside walls of the vessel, while the diameter is measured from the outside walls. The wall thickness of the vessel makes up the missing “one-seventh.” When confronted with this explanation, even many modern critics find it reasonable.

God has given us His Word without error because He knew that the last thing mankind needed was another book with human error in it! And He did this for a good reason: because it is in the pages of the Bible that we learn of the saving work of Jesus Christ for us.

Notes: Dr. Crypton. “Circular Reasoning.” Science Digest, May 1985, p. 91.
Photo: Mosaic outside the mathematics building at the Technische Universität in Berlin. Courtesy of Holger Motzkau. Licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2.
Creation Moments, Inc., P.O. Box 839, Foley, MN 56329 www.creationmoments.com

Sign-up trend for Obamacare turns positive;
NTSB reports on Asiana Airlines crash;
Biden eulogizes Mandela at DC memorial service;
Time Magazine picks Pope Francis as "Man of the Year."

New poll spells trouble for Obama, Congress;
Mandela to lie in state;
Ukraine police back off after protester clash;
Skier uses air bag to survive avalanche.

“The 68th General Assembly has adopted a resolution declaring 2014 as ‘International Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.’ Co-sponsored by more than 30 countries, the resolution received 110 votes in favour, seven against and 56 abstained earlier in the day as the assembly wrapped up discussions on the Palestinian question which began Monday. Australia, Canada, Federated States of Micronesia, Israel, Marshall Islands, Palau and the United States voted ‘no.’ The resolution called for all efforts to promote the realization of the inalienable rights of Palestinians including their right to self-determination, support the Middle East peace process for the achievement of a two-state solution and the just resolution of all final status issues, and to mobilize international support for and assistance to Palestinians.”
(Breitbart.com, Nov. 28, 2013)

2 Chronicles 16:12
“And Asa in the thirty and ninth year of his reign was diseased in his feet, until his disease was exceeding great; yet in his disease he sought not to the Lord, but to the physicians.”

Aristotle is quoted as saying that the main job of the physician is to amuse the patient while nature heals him. Well, medicine has come a long way since Aristotle, but modern physicians can learn from the medicine man.

A few years ago, an American chemist was visiting villages in the East African Bush. There he witnessed entire tribes drinking a tea made by the medicine man from the berries of a local wild bush. It was said that the tea would ward off cholera. A little local study revealed that the tea did indeed seem to prevent cholera. So the chemist collected a quantity of the berries and took them back to his lab for study. He found that the active ingredient in the berry, maesanin, does act as a powerful antibiotic. Yet, it doesn't cause the body to produce antibodies as does other antibiotics, nor does it fight bacteria in the same way as other antibiotics. This means that maesanin may be effective for people who are sensitive to other antibiotics. The chemist concluded, “Nature is still the best chemist.”

Well, it was the God Who created the bush and the berries that offer what appears to be an antibiotic that may well be superior to any before discovered. And He freely gave it to us just as He freely gave us His Son.

Notes: “Nature’s Remedies.” Science 83, June, p. 6.
Photo: Vibrio cholerae, the bacterium that causes cholera.
Creation Moments, Inc., P.O. Box 839, Foley, MN 56329 www.creationmoments.com

President Barack Obama remembers Nelson Mandela;
General Motors names Mary Barra as CEO;
Snow pushes up the Eastern Seaboard;
Woman glued to toilet seat at Home Depot.

Mandela remembered;
Storm charges up East Coast;
Protests in Ukraine
A new robotic arm developed for everyday use.

“Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor--and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me ‘to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.’ Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be -- That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks -- for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation--for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed--for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted -- for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us. And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions--to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually -- to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed--to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn [sic] kindness onto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord -- To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease [sic] of science among them and us -- and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best.”

(Proclamation made by President George Washington in 1789)

Matthew 23:24
“Ye blind guides, which strain out a gnat, and swallow a camel!”

Some Christians give others the idea that Christianity is a dull and joyless faith, and that God is stern and humorless. But God is the One Who created humor.

For example, did you ever hear of the Bug Bible? Published in 1551, the Bug Bible got the name when, for some unexplainable reason, “Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night” from Psalm 91:5 was printed as, “Thou shalt not be afraid of any buggies by night.” Human error was also presumably responsible for The Wicked Bible, published in 1717. The Wicked Bible got its name because the word “not” was left out of one of the Commandments, leaving the Commandment to read, “Thou shalt commit adultery.”

One of the most amusing word plays was by Jesus Himself and is found in Matthew 23:24. Here Jesus warns hypocrites about straining at gnats and swallowing camels. In Aramaic, the language Jesus spoke, the word for gnat is nearly identical to the word for camel. The verbal humor, which is an excellent way of teaching, produced a simple slogan that was easy for the common man to remember: “Blind guides, who strain out a galma, and swallow a gamla!”

Despite occasional human printing errors, we can be sure that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God. And despite God’s sincere earnestness in calling us to Himself, we can also be sure that He created humor.

Notes: Dr. Crypton. “Mathematics in the Bible.” Science Digest, May 1985, p. 78.
Creation Moments, Inc., P.O. Box 839, Foley, MN 56329 www.creationmoments.com