Posted on October 3, 2014
Number Identity Crisis
The time had finally come for NASA to send the spacecraft into orbit around Mars. In the early morning hours of September 23, 1999, the Mars Climate Orbiter disappeared behind the red planet. A team of scientists waited for this spacecraft to reappear on the other side of Mars, but it never did. The $125 million Mars Climate Orbiter was lost forever to the Martian atmosphere. What went wrong with this mission? It’s actually quite simple. The two teams working on the spacecraft, one in located in Colorado and the other in California, were using different units of measure in their calculations (e.g., one team measured in feet and the other in meters) and failed to communicate about this difference.
Units of measure – miles, meters, pounds, grams, quarts, liters, etc. – are crucial for practicing good science. You might have heard that normal letter-sized paper is 8 ½ by 11. But is it 8 ½ by 11 centimeters, inches, miles, or what? From the context, you know that it’s safe to assume we’re talking in inches here (really – who’s ever heard of paper 8 ½ by 11 miles?), but it isn’t always this obvious. If you get into chemistry very much, you will find that many of the scary looking calculations hinge on units and converting between units.
Chemistry was one of my favorite subjects, both in high school and college (seriously, I would have added chemistry as a second major if I hadn’t been too practical for that), and I enjoyed helping many of my classmates with understanding the calculations. Often, people want to just take numbers they have been given, put them into a mathematical formula, and solve for another number to write down as the answer. There’s a fundamental flaw with this – they are just calculating with numbers, not the units as well.
So what? Why does it matter if you write the units or not? It’s not just that I’m being some nit-picking, perfectionist scientist – the issue is that calculating with units teaches people how to think rather than just what to think (e.g., knowing that one number is in feet and another is in pounds reminds you that it makes no sense to add those numbers). Identifying what we’re working with is the first step to good reasoning. In the same way, identifying who we are as people, made in God’s image, helps us to put our lives in perspective and solve the problems that come up in life. Is your identity found in Christ or does it depend on the people around you? Be sure you know your identity as a person created in the image of God and redeemed by the Blood of the Lamb so that you do not meet a similar fate to the Mars Climate Orbiter that is forever lost.
More information about the Mars Climate Orbiter Here
Posted on September 26, 2014
Brotherly Love?
I stopped suddenly in the middle of the bridge as I walked across early one morning. The scene that met my eyes was completely captivating. The sun glistened through the thick layer of mist above the lake, creating a stunning silhouette of two ducks floating on the distant waters. Could life get much more ideal than being surrounded not only by natural beauty, but also by like-minded Christians? It’s incredible to see how quickly Christians from many different backgrounds can easily have fellowship . . . and how easily we can hurt, offend, and tear each other down.
Relationships have been wrecked. Congregations have been crushed. Ministries have been marred or maimed. Families have been fractured. Individuals have ended up consumed with bitterness. All of this we find happening in “good” Christian circles, primarily because of “good” Christian leaders (or just individuals) doing hurtful or selfish things. This is a very real issue for all committed Christians today, and especially for young-earth creationists. Sooner or later, just about every Christian is going to encounter leadership that lets him or her down and brothers and sisters in Christ that do hurtful things.
“For it was not an enemy that reproached me; then I could have borne it: neither was it he that hated me that did magnify himself against me; then I would have hid myself from him: But it was thou, a man mine equal, my guide, and my mine acquaintance. We took sweet counsel together, and walked unto the house of God in company.” ~ Psalm 55:12-14
Whether we are dealing with those who are compromising, corrupt, or merely careless, it’s important to remember that the offender should not be our focus – our focus needs to be on the Lord and His glory! No, we should not ignore or belittle the damage they have done in the past and be naïve about how they might hurt others in the future. Just don’t let it control our lives and steal our joy in the Lord.
I know from personal experience that it isn’t easy to move on when a Christian leader you look up to does something wrong. The question is, did you look up to them and want to learn from them because you were seeking God’s wisdom, or theirs (more on this topic here)? Just as the natural beauty around us is marred by sin (“the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain . . .” Romans 8:22), all of us have a sinful nature. But, just as God promises to make a new heaven and earth, so He promises to give each of us new life, cleansed from sin (an encouraging hymn on this topic here).
Posted on September 23, 2014
The Cleansing Wave
Do you ever feel weighed down by your past mistakes? Wondering if God can use you for His glory, in spite of your sin? This beautiful hymn – one of my favorites – is an encouraging reminder of what the Bible says in 1 John 3:16, “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as He is pure”. If you have accepted the grace of God, you are cleansed by the blood of the Lamb – made to be His spotless Bride and no longer a slave to sin. You can be not only free from sin, but free to live a life that brings glory to God. The offering for our sin has been paid, once for all. “For by one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified” ~ Hebrews 10:14
Oh, now I see the crimson wave,
The fountain deep and wide;
Jesus, my Lord, might to save,
Points to His wounded side.
I see the new creation rise,
I hear the speaking blood;
It speaks! Polluted nature dies –
Sinks ‘neath the crimson flood.
I rise to walk in heav’n’s own light,
Above the world and sin;
With hearts made pure and garments white,
And Christ enthroned within.
Amazing grae! ’tis heav’n below,
To feel the blood applied;
And Jesus, only Jesus know,
My Jesus crucified.
Chorus:
The Cleansing stream I see, I see!
I plunge, and oh, it cleanseth me;
Oh praise the Lord, it cleanseth me,
It cleanseth me, yes, cleanseth me.
By: Mrs. Phoebe Palmer, Music: Mrs. Joseph F. Knapp
Taken from: Christian Service Songs hymnal, published by Rodeheaver Co., 1939
Posted on September 19, 2014
Busy Bees
A sudden movement caught my eye amid a cluster of flowers. I leaned in a little bit closer to see a plump, fuzzy bee hovering above the flowers. She seemed a little hyper for a photogenic pose, as she franticly gathered nectar before the cool autumn weather claimed the flowers. The nectar she was gathering would later be turned into honey and saved for the winter food supply of the bees in her hive.
“How sweet are Thy Words unto my taste! Yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!” ~ Psalm 119:103
When we see a bee the two most common things that come to mind are honey and stingers. However, there is a lot more to bees than just the delicious food we enjoy and the dangers these creatures can pose if they feel threatened. According to Texas Honey Queen, Hayden Wolf, bees are a very important part of our ecosystem. Their most important job is not producing honey for us, but pollinating plants as they gather nectar to make honey. Without bees leaving a trail of pollen dust behind, the plants couldn’t produce enough seeds for the next year, causing a shortage in plants. Of course, a shortage in plants (like clover that cows eat) would cause a shortage in other food supplies like beef and dairy.
Our ecosystem has many different parts (bees, plants, animals, and humans) that are dependent on each other. This is yet another big problem for evolution. Bees need nectar from flowers to make their food. Flowers need bees to spread pollen so they can make the seeds that will grow into the next generation of flowers. Bees and flowering plants need each other to survive and thrive. This presents a big problem for evolution, because flowering plants and bees would have to evolve individually over millions of years. It makes much more sense to believe that God created flowering plants on day 3 of creation week and bees on day 5 than to believe in chance.
In a similar way, every Christian has an important role to play in the Church (meaning the Body of Christ – everyone who has been made pure by the blood of the Lamb). As believers, we were not meant to minister alone, but to work together by using our gifts to bless others and ultimately bring glory to God. It’s tempting to let pride get in the way and want to be completely independent. I know that I have turned down offers for help or gifts out of pride or fear. At first glance a bee may look rather small and insignificant, just like our own daily work and lives may seem. But as long as you are following the leading of the Lord and using the gifts He has given you for His glory, He can truly use your life as an irreplaceable part of His bigger plan.
“He should have fed them also with the finest of the wheat: And with honey out of the rock should I have satisfied thee” ~ Psalm 81:16
Posted on September 12, 2014
Flying High
The airplane lurched forward as we suddenly sped up on the runway for takeoff. I watched out the window as we ascended high in the sky and my familiar city shrank into patches of green and brown, dotted with tiny lights. Seeing my home from a birds-eye view like this always reminds me of what a frail, finite being I am in God’s beautifully vast creation.
I’m glad God created birds to inspire us to fly and get outside of our own little world. However, evolutionists typically say that birds have evolved from dinosaurs. There are three basic types of dinosaurs: Sauropods (those heavy footed, long neck “behemoths”), Theropods (the dinosaurs that walk on two legs and have short “arms” like t-rex), and Ornithischians (those odd balls with horns and plates and other strange features like triceratops or stegosaurus). The word “Ornithischian” actually means bird-hipped lizzard. Can you guess which of these three types of dinosaurs evolutionists say birds evolved from?
Nope – it’s not the Ornithischians (the ones with hips like a bird). Evolutionists say that Theropods like t-rex evolved into our modern blue-jays, chickens, and hummingbirds. And no, that does not make any sense, but the whole idea of birds evolving from dinosaurs is pretty silly. Bird feathers form incredibly complex, interlocking system. They grow and molt in specific, balanced patterns and must be maintained with oil from the bird’s preening gland.
There’s no way feathers could have evolved from simple scales – rather, both the dinosaurs and the birds were created by God to fill their purpose. God created birds not only to be highly functional in flying, but also to be gracefully beautiful (although there are a few that I think He created to make us laugh a little). I feel tiny and insignificant any time I fly in a plane or helicopter, yet it is to us that God sent His Son to resscue.
“Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? And one of them shall not fallon the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not, ye are of more value than many sparrows.” ~ Matthew 10:29-31
Posted on September 5, 2014
Speaking Up, Part 3
“So, you’re an atheist, right? What made you come to that decision?” I asked my archery classmate one day between rounds. She perked up to that question, saying she was excited to meet a young earth creationist. Before long, we were in a friendly, but intense debate on worldviews and several other classmates were getting involved in the discussion. I offered to get together with my atheist friend and talk more outside of class, which she agreed to. But, the next week, she had to drop the semester due to health issues and because she was in and out of the hospital, we never did get together. I really regretted not bringing up the topic earlier with her.
Time flies at a breakneck pace in college. A semester goes by in a hurry and before long it’s time to graduate or transfer somewhere else (though sometimes feels like it’s taking forever). As a college student, you have a chance to impact the lives of those around you, but that chance will not last forever. Verbally speaking up in class to defend your faith is probably one of the most efficient ways to make an impact on the lives of your classmates. However, speaking up like this is not necessarily for everyone. Many great creationist research scientists chose not to speak up verbally about their beliefs until after they graduated, and I have great respect for them and their work. Speak as the Lord convicts, remembering that to whom much has been given, much will also be required
Remember that you are representing Christ – although you will not be perfect, your attitude should reflect Christ. Speak graciously out of a humble heart. Instead of raising your hand and telling your professor about all the evidence that goes against evolution, try asking questions that you know will make people think (e.g., ”Professor, where do scientists say the singularity, the point where the Big Bang started, came from?”) Try your best to have a good relationship with your professors by being respectful (don’t skip class), studying as hard as you can (try to get good grades, but a B is not the end of the world), turning in your assignments on time, and thanking them. As the years go by, your classmates probably will not remember all the clever answers you had to defend your beliefs, but they will remember the attitude you had when you spoke.
“And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth” ~ 2 Timothy 2:24-25
In some classes you will have opportunities to do a class presentation. Use it wisely! That persuasive presentation for speech class is a golden opportunity to practice your apologetics. Once I did a speech on radioisotope dating (as a young earth creationist) for a geology class. Yes, it’s terrifying, and you will probably never feel like you are really ready to face this, but it teaches you to lean on God. You shouldn’t be doing this because you think you have it all figured out – just humbly share the gifts you have been given. Don’t be discouraged by those who doubt you because you are young – dismissing a person’s argument because of his or her age is fallacious reasoning (it’s the “ad hominem” fallacy – attacking the person rather than their argument).
If you are a college student who chooses to be vocal about your beliefs, you need to know how to watch your back. You don’t need to be scared or anxious (God is in control!), but it is wise for any student on campus to be aware of your situation: where you are, who you’re with, and where the door is. Be wise as serpents, but harmless as doves. The responsibilities that come with speaking up in class can become a very heavy burden, but don’t let it steal your joy. You will want to find some kind of legal, moral, and inexpensive form of relief. For me, it was music: on the days when there wasn’t time to play piano, I loved singing along with some good CDs in the car during my comfortably long commute. Buddy Davis’ songs “I Don’t Believe in Evolution” and “Billions of Dead Things” as well as David Rives’ “The Evolution Song” can really be refreshing after dealing with evolutionist professors all day. Remember the presence of the Lord will be with you wherever you go.
“Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest” ~ Joshua 1:9
Posted on August 29, 2014
Speaking Up, Part 2
“Who here likes to think?” asked my chemistry professor in class one morning. As I slowly raised my hand, I came to the horrifying realization that I was the only one in the room raising my hand. “It’s okay,” my professor assured me, “I like to think too”. Seriously – none of my classmates liked to think? Not even the girls I sat next to who were aspiring medical doctors and nurses?
If you are a conservative Christian young person in college it will not take long for you to realize that you are often the odd one out of the group, whether you speak up or not. If you do decide to verbally speak up in class, then you’ll really be remembered by classmates as the weird one. Remember your identity is found in Christ, not the team mascot. Loneliness is going to be one of the hardest things you will have to deal with as a committed Christian in college. Lots of people will be coming and going in your life, but you need to make Jesus your constant companion, holding everyone else with an open hand (here is a poem on this topic).
Don’t count on student ministries to help you keep your faith – often your biggest challenge will not come from the atheists but from the compromising, worldly Christians (more on that topic here). The Word of God is your life line, so be sure to read it every day and have a small Bible in your backpack or car. The best college year I ever had was when I created my own plan to read through the Bible in a year and stuck to it. Praying for your professors, classmates, and yourself is absolutely essential as well.
“Princes also did sit and speak against me: but Thy servant did meditate in Thy statutes” ~ Psalm 119:23
Be sure to prepare yourself for the situations and wrong ideas you will encounter and don’t let being labeled “intolerant” bother you . Sooner or later, you will need to defend the Biblical view of marriage, whether in class or among friends. You are going to encounter lots of moral relativism. Of course, you will also need to know how to defend Biblical young earth creation. Don’t think that evolution is only taught in science classes – many subjects like psychology, sociology, philosophy, education, and government will present evolution as fact. Ideally, you want to do a lot of independent pre-study on these hot topics during your breaks or early in the semester. I highly recommend keeping a journal and/or blog recording what you are learning and where you are learning it from.
You don’t necessarily have to verbally speak up during class to stand up for what you believe. Be creative in finding ways to share your faith. I enjoyed writing some choice notes for posterity in some of the textbooks I sold back. You can leave a nice trail of gospel tracts at the library (they make great bookmarks), casually share your knowledge about the big cultural questions with classmates and friends, or witness to someone over lunch in the cafeteria. You might try to get your library to put the technical research article by the Institute for Creation Research and Answers in Genesis in their system (Here is a great place to go if you’d like help doing this). Tell your librarian that it will give students a greater “diversity”– they really like that.
Next week I will share some tips specific to verbally speaking up during class. Even if you aren’t a college student, I encourage you to read it to get a better understanding of what is really going on in our American education system and know how to best encourage the students you might know.
Updated on February 17, 2016
Speaking Up, Part 1
You pick a seat in a large room full of strangers. You shuffle through your backpack, check your phone, and try to have a friendly conversation with the people around you as you wait. Finally, a professor walks in and welcomes you to the first day of class. After going over the course syllabus, your professor begins his lecture on scientific method. This professor tells you that a true scientific hypothesis must be testable and provable, then he says, “Here’s another example of a non-provable idea: ‘Jesus loves me’. You can’t prove that because love is a subjective emotion that cannot be tested. ”* He pauses for a minute. What do you do? Should you say something?
The popular movie, God’s Not Dead, that came out earlier this year focused on the topic of Christians speaking up for what we believe in class and elsewhere. I do not endorse the movie because it portrays the Big Bang and evolution as being in harmony with the Bible, but I’d like to discuss the point this movie brings up about Christians speaking up in class. As Christians, we must not be asking ourselves “should I stand up for my beliefs” rather, “how should I stand up for my beliefs”.
Going head-to-head against a professor may seem like the most obvious way to speak up, but the question of exactly how you should stand up for your faith does not have a cookie-cutter answer that works for everyone in all situations. Take it one step at a time, humbly seeking the Lord for His will. Personally, I chose to verbally speak up for my beliefs in young earth creation in class quite frequently and I can tell you it was sometimes terrifying. Looking back, I don’t regret any of the times I spoke up, but I do regret some of the times when I didn’t speak up and should have. Don’t hide your faith, but you don’t necessarily need to play t-shirt wars with your professor either (though I have done that).
In my first geology class, I chose to be very vocal about my beliefs in Biblical creation because I realized that all my classmates were going to believe my professor when he said that they didn’t have to compromise the Bible to believe in millions of years. I couldn’t stand by and just let their souls be deceived like that. I felt compelled to share the truth I know out of love for them and their families. I have been blessed beyond belief, but we are meant to share the gifts that God gives.
“ . . . for unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.” ~ Luke 12:48
Next week, I will share some practical tips I have learned about speaking up in class.
*Paraphrased from the author’s experience
Updated on February 17, 2016
Light Rays to Brighten Days
One day as I was driving down the highway I glanced out a window and saw a stunning scene that took my breath away for a second. Several distinct rays of bright light shone through a tight grouping of pure white clouds and down onto an arbitrary place out in the middle of a field. Have you ever noticed light rays like this before? They are called “crepuscular rays” (pronounced “kri-puss-cue- ler”).
These beautiful rays can form at sunrise, sunset, or any other time during the day. Crepuscular rays are a lot more common than most people would realize. They are up there, but it’s easy for us to get so caught up in our busy lives that we forget to look up and notice the beautiful light rays shining down on us. Crepuscular rays are probably my favorite thing to see in the daytime sky and I love pointing them out to whoever I’m with.
Sometimes a very thin, high, icy layer of cloud (usually “cirrostratus”) that is almost invisible makes its way across the blue sky. One of the ways you can discover this layer of cloud is if you see a ring, technically called a “halo”, around the sun or moon. Halos are frequently missed because they are so close to the sun. Another thing that you might see close to the sun is brilliant iridescence in the clouds (was that iridescence or is it just my eyes going crazy from looking too close to the sun???)
Now, don’t go looking close to the sun for a corona or iridescence. There’s a much less painful way to enjoy the beauty. You can use tinted glass to see and take pictures of the reflection of cloud formations close to the sun. I bought a large, black, plastic plate with a very shiny finish that I enjoy using to look at clouds. I discovered this handy tip in one of my favorite weather books, The Weather Identification Handbook, by Storm Dunlop.
Crepuscular rays, coronas, and iridescence are truly magnificent – yet, common – things in the sky that often go unnoticed. How much beauty in God’s creation just outside your window do you miss every day? What beautiful blessings has the Lord given you to brighten up your day? Please, take a minute to notice those things and thank God for the beauty He has placed in your life.
Posted on August 8, 2014
Reveling in Rainbows
Clouds alone can be breathtakingly beautiful, but when clouds and sunlight get together they can create many different stunning pictures in the sky. Of course, the most obvious cloud/light phenomenon that comes to mind is a rainbow, but there are many others. One rare light/cloud phenomenon that looks like an upside-down rainbow is called a “circumzenithal arc” (pronounced sir-come-zin-ith-el . It’s actually pretty fun to say). It’s called “circumzenithal” because it occurs around (“circum-“ like the circumference of a circle) the point called the “zenith”. The zenith is the point in the sky directly above your head. Personally, I have never seen a circumzenithal arc, though I’ve been on the lookout for a while.
Have you ever seen a double rainbow? If you see one, there are two interesting features to notice. First, the colors on the outer, fainter bow are a mirror image of the main rainbow. Second, the space between the two bows is darker than the rest of the sky. This darker section is called “Alexander’s dark band” and it is darker because light is going away from your eyes.
We mostly see rainbows as arches, but a full circle can be seen under just the right conditions. Although I have always wanted to see a full circle rainbow, I have never seen one occur natural . I have managed to “simulate” one, though. “Simulating” a rainbow is not very hard – you can try it at home. This is best done outside on a warm, sunny day in clothes you don’t mind getting wet.
The first thing you need to do is clear the area of people who might not understand your quirky side (we all have one). Your back needs to be facing the sun. Turn on a reliable hose and put your thumb over the hole to get the widest and thinnest spray you can. Adjust the position of the hose until you see a rainbow. You will probably need to do a lot of adjusting and change positions before you see it. To see a full circle rainbow the sun needs to be high in the sky and you need to spin the water around in a circle very quickly (try not to get tangled in the hose). Finally, if someone laughs at you, laugh with them.
In our culture today, the rainbow is often used as a symbol to mock the way God created marriage and family. However, we must remember the original meaning God gave to rainbows (see Genesis 9:9-17). The rainbow is the symbol of God’s promise never again to destroy the entire earth with water. “I do set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant between Me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud: an I will remember My covenant, which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh” ~ Genesis 9:13-15
