Idolatry Is Not Dead!

by Betty Jackson 

The Lord God said in Exodus 20:2-3, “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage before Me.” The Lord’s reminding the Israelites of his rescuing them from Egyptian slavery, causes one to recall how he did that.The miracles of the ten plagues were grand demonstrations of his power in contrast to the impotent Egyptian gods.They also declared his sovereignty and authority over the earth and its inhabitants. (See Ex. 7-14.)                        (cf.https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/563-israels-exodus-from-egypt .)

Because of who he is, our God commanded that they were not to have any other gods before him. Only he is worthy of worship. But who are these “other gods?” Are they living beings? The Bible describes these “gods” in Ps. 115:4-7, “Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men’s hands.They have mouths, but they do not speak; eyes they have, but do not see. They have ears, but they do not hear; noses they have, but they do not smell. They have hands, but they do not handle; feet they have, but they do not walk; Nor do they mutter through their throat…”

The Bible makes it clear that these gods were man-made idols. “For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; He also is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the people are idols; but the Lord made the heavens” (1 Chron. 16:25-26).

It is a verifiable fact that human beings are generally worshiping creatures. Archaeological discoveries have shown that idolatry existed in earlier known civilizations.The relics of ancient Mesopotamia, otherwise known as the Cradle of Civilization, demonstrate that false gods were worshiped there.

Leaving the truth of God can lead to being seduced by the doctrines of false teachers (1 Tim. 4:1-2) or idolatry. The apostle Paul wrote to the Romans concerning the foolishness of worshiping images of creatures.Those who sink into that hole of darkness are without excuse because the evidence for the power and divinity of God is declared by the created universe and all that is in it (Rom. 1:20-26). 

The Lord further instructed the Israelites, “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them…” Sadly, they didn’t always obey that command. Like people of the ancient past, and the nations around them, they began to make and worship idols. The result was a spiral into deep, dark wickedness. Immorality and abuse of children as sacrifices to these false gods was common. Even Manasseh, one of the kings of Judah, sacrificed his sons by fire (2 Chron. 33:6). When one leaves biblical principals and the true God, evil can abound with debauchery.

Elijah, the prophet, challenged Jezebel’s so-called prophets of her god, Baal, to a contest. Elijah chided them saying why doesn’t Baal answer? Is he using the bathroom, on a vacation, or taking a nap!? Of course, the Lord won the contest (1 Kgs. 18:25-29). Why did Baal lose? Because he was a man-made idol. 

What about idolatry today? It still exists in our world. In India, and other countries ancestors are worshiped. According to Hinduism animals have souls. The cow is considered a caretaker, and so beef is not eaten by strict Hindus.The Hindu religion celebrates many gods and goddesses. Pictured above is one of these.

There are people who worship the stars. For some, this resides in astrology. Astrology or divination (telling the future by the stars or planets) is invalid and condemned in the Bible (Isaiah 47:13-15). If astrology is able to reveal secrets, King Nebuchadnezzar’s astrologers could have helped him with his dream (which was given by the Lord). Instead, Daniel, by the power of God was able to tell the king his dream and interpret it. (See Daniel 2.) Others are involved with witchcraft, the occult, and even the worship of Satan. More wickedness cannot be found on the face of this earth than in Satanism. The abuse and self-indulgence by these wicked people cannot be described here.

But even those who may not slip into the sins associated with such things may be guilty of idolatry. Paul, the apostle, explained that covetousness is idolatry (Col. 3:5). What is covetousness? It is defined as excessive desire for what another has (wife, husband, property), or obsession with pursuing riches, power, popularity, loving possessions, or loving a person more than God. (cf. Matt. 19:16-22.) “Covetousness, therefore, is basic to the commandments against murder, adultery, stealing, and lying” (cf. https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/covetousness/.)

Let us beware! If we are more concerned with things of the earth (even things not intrinsically wrong) than setting our minds on things above (Colossians 3:1-2), we need to follow the example of the Christians of Thessalonica and turn to “God from idols to serve the living and true God” (1 Thess. 1:9).

How can we keep ourselves free from idolatry? We must be aware that Satan is alive and aims to destroy us. However, we can resist him, and “he will flee” (James 4:7). He cannot overcome us against our will. He is powerful, but we have freedom of choice. When we choose to ignore the Lord, it is not Satan “making us” choose. There is due reward in hell for the devil and those who give him homage.

We need to have a deep faith in God. How can we do that? Have a good and honest heart (Lk. 8:15). “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God”(Rom.10:17). Study and obey the Holy Bible. Assemble with God’s people, as they faithfully carry out his plan for worship. 

Jesus has the answer for avoiding idolatry: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”  (Lk. 10:27).     

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Note: Biblical references are taken from the New King James Version of the Bible (NKJV).

Suggested reading:

https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/46-christianity-and-world-religions

https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/997-1-thessalonians-1-9-conversion-a-turning-process

https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/458-a-realistic-look-at-sin

 

Will Your Child Keep the Faith?

by Betty Jackson

The grip of unbelief is carrying our children away from the Lord. Are we unaware that humanism fostered by evolutionary propaganda has infiltrated the thinking of many young people? 

Research by David Kinnaman revealed that “three out of ten young adults with a “Christian background” feel that “churches are out of step with the scientific world we live in” (29%).  Another one-quarter embrace the perception that “Christianity is anti-science.” And nearly the same proportion (23%) said they have been “turned off by the creation-versus-evolution debate.” (cf. https://www.barna.com/research/six-reasons-young-christians-leave-church/).

In his book, Already Gone, Ken Ham reported that some young people began losing their faith during the middle grades. Evolution was aggressively taught as a fact and that the Bible contradicts science. In a companion book, Already Compromised, Mr. Ham indicts numerous so-called “Christian universities.”  Many schools across the country, both denominational and those affiliated with the church of Christ are no longer strictly creationist. (cf. http://www.christiancourier.com/articles/760-creationism-in-our-schools).

Evolution with all of its tenets is the tool of humanistic predators. In 1930, Charles F. Potter, the founder of the First Humanistic Society of New York, wrote, “Education is thus a most powerful ally of humanism, and every American school is a school of humanism. What can a theistic Sunday school’s meeting for an hour once a week and teaching only a fraction of the children do to stem the tide of the five-day program of humanistic teaching?” (cf. http://creationrevolution.com/2011/03/charles-f-potter-on-secular-humanism-excluding-god-from-schools-society/).

Humanist John J. Dunphy wrote, “I am convinced that the battle for humankind’s future must be waged and won in the public school classroom by teachers who correctly perceive their role as the proselytizers of a new faith… These teachers must … be ministers of another sort, utilizing a classroom instead of a pulpit to convey humanist values in whatever subject they teach, regardless of the educational level …  The classroom must and will become an arena of conflict between the old and the new — the rotting corpse of Christianity, together with all its adjacent evils and misery, and the new faith of humanism.” (Dunphy, John, A Religion for a New Age, Humanist, Jan. - Feb. 1983, p. 26. See at: http://www.allaboutphilosophy.org/secular-humanism.htm.)

Isolation of our children will not protect them. Christianity is based on facts and reason (See Romans 1:20-21.) We need to prepare ourselves to teach children how to think logically. Otherwise, Charles F. Potter will be right—an hour a week will not be enough to keep our children from drowning in the mire of evolution and humanism propaganda. 

The fact is the fruits of atheism are discernible in world-wide culture. “Atheism is a bleak, worthless ideology. It robs the brain of reason, the conscience of moral guidance, the mind of tranquility, and the soul of hope.” (Wayne Jackson: https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/1533-atheism-the-no-god-religion.)

Let us as parents, grandparents, Bible class teachers, youth ministers, church leaders seek to counter Satan’s working, snatching our children out of the fire of humanism. (cf. Jude 23). We cannot stand by and just let it happen. 

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Other articles: 

Wayne Jackson: https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/764-fortifying-the-faith-of-our-children

https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/866-the-value-of-youth-to-the-cause-of-god

Jason Jackson: https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/1221-will-our-children-trust-in-the-lord

More about: Life Without Parole

by Betty Jackson

You may have read the previous article, Life Without Parole, posted almost a year and a half ago. Shyrl Lamar attempted several times over the past few years to obtain a parole. It was denied, until she had new legal representation. The Governor commuted her sentence to 34 years to life. Having served 35 years, she appealed the Parole Board again. The board agreed to her parole, based on her sincere regret for her past behaviors. There were a couple more hurdles, but she was paroled in December of 2020.

Shyrl did her best to honor Christ under difficult circumstances. Because of the Covid virus issues, she did not have to go to a type of "half-way" home for women. She is now living with her son and his wife and children. She is so excited to be there. 

I pray for Shyrl. I believe she will do her best to be faithful to the Lord. 

Life Without Parole

Posted by Betty Jackson

      Shyrl Irene Lamar is my dear sister in Christ. But she is serving a life without parole sentence at the Central California Women’s Facility. Many years ago, our friends, Jack and Edie Wheeler, wanted us to meet and visit with Shyrl. After the required paperwork, we met the Wheelers at the prison to visit Shyrl. We felt affection for her right away.  
      I asked Shyrl for a brief autobiography to share with Women of Hope readers.

Shyrl explains her reason for telling her story:

     I have thought about how to discourage a person from doing the kinds of things that eventually led me to prison. We think our lives are hopeless and so we turn to people. When they let us down, we may turn to alcohol or drugs. Nearly 19 years of my life were wasted chasing drugs, alcohol and people. I have had to look within myself to find out exactly how, when and where those desires had warped me.

     At the age of 35 I was sentenced to life without the possibility of parole for the deaths of two people due to my drug addiction. I have realized all the unhappiness I have caused others. Discovering my indifference and lack of empathy has helped me move forward towards correction. Now I know this is a lifetime process of healing. I have dropped the blaming of others.

     I was abandoned and unloved growing up. So I drank, took drugs, slept around to rid myself from the emptiness I felt. I was lost in shame, lying, fear, and denial. Yet, by the grace of God, like a thermostat being turned down, those emotions are diminishing and less painful. I have learned to love myself, and others (Matthew 22:39).

     This year I will have been incarcerated for 31 years. My prayer is that you never let yourself get caught up in a lifestyle to take anything, especially another human being’s life. You will have to live with this pain for the rest of your life. Please don’t think I am making excuses or that I seek pity. I do seek that you never have to be behind bars. Thank you for letting me tell my story.

Shyrl’s story:

     At the age of one month old my mother abandoned me and I was raised by my grandmother in Madera, California. My step-grandfather would get drunk on the weekends and start shooting his shotgun in the house. My grandmother and I would hide under the bed, or run down the road where my mother lived about a mile away. 

     While growing up there, my grandmother had to work in different homes, taking care of elderly people, occasionally spending the night at their homes.That left me with my step-grandfather who molested me. If I wasn’t with him, I was left with my next door neighbor whose grandfather also molested me. After learning how to avoid them, my boy cousins picked up the abuse where they left off. The molestation went on for about five years.

Being afraid and ashamed of what was done to me, I never shared it with my grandmother or any other family member. During my school years I was made fun of because I was more developed than the other girls my age and because of my dark skin. As I grew older, sex was the way to get attention and feel loved. I never felt loved by my mother. I know my grandmother loved me, though she never said the words. It was different seeing my cousins having that love from their mother.

     I never knew the man that my mother hoped was my father, except for the time he brought his daughter to compare us. We didn’t look anything like each other. My mother had a one night affair with my father. I only knew my real dad a few years before he died.

     My mother would stop by my grandmother’s house and bring my brothers and sister on occasion. I remember being ten years old, when she spanked me just to let me know she was my mother. I can’t recall what I did, but she kept saying, “So you are not going to cry.” 

     When I was twelve years old, she took my half siblings and moved to Michigan. My step-father said I was too black to go. All of his family were lighter skinned.

     When I was sixteen, I met some kids from San Francisco and went to visit their family. They gave me some kind of pill and something to drink. I passed out.They said they thought I was dead; the only reason they did not throw me in the San Francisco bay was because I took a breath. They put me out at my grandmother’s house. This was my first experience with drugs and alcohol.

     After my mother came back from Michigan, she moved to Sacramento. My grandmother sent me there for the summer. I ended up getting pregnant by an older man. I went back to my grandmother to tell her. She said I was an adult now. I decided to go to San Francisco to visit a childhood crush guy. I always gave my grandmother the addresses of where I would be. My mother got the address, and called the police and had me placed in juvenile hall. After that, my grandmother did not let my mother interfere with trying to raise me “on the side.”

     Growing up I witnessed the immorality of family members drinking, fighting, and wild behavior. This was what was normal was to me. I was taught you don’t call the police, or tell anyone what happened in the house. Keeping everything a secret was the core belief of my rearing.

     My son was born when I was seventeen. Then I married my high school boyfriend. Less than a month after we were married, he was drafted into the army and sent to Germany. My mother gave me Valium to help calm me down. When they drank, I was offered some. That was the true beginning of my addictions.

     A year later, my husband wrote me a “Dear Jane” letter while he was overseas, so he could live the single life. Again, I felt abandoned. I started drinking a lot. When he came back, we were reunited. We had a son. But after five years of being beaten by my husband, I left him. Later on, my daughter was born.

     In 1980 I was introduced to crack cocaine. It was an intense high that made me want more and activate my sex drive. My nightmare began. I wrote bad checks, stole from family members, whatever it took to buy drugs. During that time I met my co-defender. We were getting high together. We lived with family members because all the money we got was spent on drugs.

     From there, the nightmare went to rock bottom. On the night of September 18, 1986, my co-defendant and I planned the burglary of William Gruver and Barbara Brien. We had sold them furniture. Later that evening, we went to their apartment and asked them if we could spend the night. Both Mr. Gruver and Ms. Brien were killed in the course of that burglary. My addiction and dishonesty, contributed to ending their lives.

     On December 20, 1990 I began serving a life without parole sentence at Central California Women’s Facility. While in the county waiting on my sentence, I asked God not to give me more more than I could bear: life without the possibility of parole or the death sentence. The night before sentencing I got on my knees and prayed about it. The next day, I felt God had answered my prayer.

     My grandmother always took me to church (church of Christ). I remember hearing them talk about someone always being there for you. I have memories of her carrying me in her arms when we went. But I was too young to understand. While I waited for my sentence in the country jail, I studied the Word on my own. I pretty much knew the plan of salvation while growing up. I surrendered, and knew what I must do. I prayed to God about my wish to be baptized.

     After coming to the prison, I spoke to the chaplain about being baptized. He stated they did not do it. So I filed a grievance and won, so they purchased a “pool.” My next prayer was for someone from the church of Christ to baptize me. Joe Boe,* the minister for the Madera church of Christ at the time, came to visit me. On May 8, 1994, I was baptized for the remission of my sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16). That was the happiest day of my life, to be added the Lord’s church (Acts 2:47). God heard my cry and knew I truly wanted to be His child.The feeling on that day cannot be described in words! The joy of knowing that I had been added to Christ’s church was the best thing in my entire life. (Matthew 16:16-18.)

     I continued to study correspondence courses through the mail, and reading my Bible. Today I am able to do this time knowing there is Someone who loves me without any strings attached. I continue to turn my life over to God, and learn how we are to live righteously. To me that means to live with good and correct behavior. In addition to conforming with the laws of the justice system, we must be humane with honest principles. The knowledge that I have gained from reading my Bible and the self-help groups has helped me to learn and deal with all my character defects and contributing factors which led me to prison. I am grateful to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation for their restorative justice program that they have provided for me here. I take total responsibility for my actions.

     I am no longer a slave to drugs and alcohol because every day I call upon the power of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, to face the person I’ve feared the most, the “drug me” and asked Him to guide me. I thank God who has shown me freedom from alcohol and drugs through His Word.

     The person that I was, no longer exists. By the grace of God, I have learned that all I did was wrong and it will never happen again. Though my life was not a bed of roses, I now know I had choices and I took the wrong ones. I have felt so much shame that it held me hostage. Nothing I can say will undo the pain and suffering I caused the Gruver and Brien families. I have written them to try to apologize, but they have not answered. They have a right to their feelings about me. They still consider me a monster. I understand.

     When I came to prison, I talked to all of my kids and explained how sorry I am for being a bad mother. I had wronged them. They said they understood, but some still hold out, and I can understand how they feel. I pray that one day they will forgive me.

     Beginning in 2003, I began sharing the word of God every Sunday with the women at CCWF. I am an active representative for the Sliver Fox and Senior Committee. This is for women 50 years and older. I work for the Facility Lieutenant’s/Sergeant’s, and am an elected Unit Representative for Building 512, acting as a liaison between inmates and staff. This experience will give me an opportunity to share should I ever be able to enter into society.

     Thank you for seeing me through my experience of life outside and inside a correctional facility. That monster, drugs, had a hold on me. But by the grace of God it doesn’t exist anymore. If by sharing my shame and my story only one person will stop using drugs, it will be a blessing.

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• Joe Boe told me that Shyrl’s brother who was a Christian asked him to visit Shyrl. He did, and later baptized her. Though I don't know all the details, I was told the "co-defendant" did the actual killing of those two people.
• Shyrl plans to request a parole by filing with the California governor. Please pray for Shyrl that she will be faithful to the Lord, regardless of the outcome of her appeal.

Photo attribution: 123rf.com: Copyright: George Tsartsianidis - Greece 

Cultivating a Merry Heart

by Alice Moore

            

            The year was 1959, and a classmate from second grade had just moved back to our little town after an absence of four years.  There was only one sixth grade class, and Mrs. Wortman, our teacher, asked Teresa, the returning student, if she remembered any of us.  "Yes," Teresa said, "I do," and she pointed to me.  Mrs. Wortman asked her, "Why is it that you remember Alice?  Teresa answered, "Because she smiles all the time."
            I still treasure that comment after all these years, but the credit for my happy attitude toward life should go to my parents and Bible school teachers who taught me from a very early age that life is easier when one has a merry outlook.  A heart that is consumed with unhappiness is a bleak existence indeed.  As I grew and discovered God's word for myself, I truly began to understand the need that each of us has for a merry heart.  Yet it is sometimes so very challenging to cultivate and maintain a sense of joy.

            Still, developing a merry heart is a process, and a happy viewpoint is a viable achievement for each of us.  There is a poster in my home library which I read often.  It simply states, "One day I shall be what I am now becoming."  Am I working daily at nurturing a happy heart?  The attitudes that I am fostering this day will determine my mindset in the future.

            It is true--life can be difficult even during the best of times.  Pick up a newspaper, turn on the television, or read about current events online.  One can read of war-torn countries, mass shootings, turmoil at the border, and epidemics of frightening illnesses.  On a personal level each of us, at some time or another, will have to deal with disease and death, with lost hopes and opportunities. 

            If a beloved child is catastrophically ill or a mother has dementia or financial difficulties loom, how can I choose joy?  A merry heart is not only possible but necessary in order to deal with this world's burdens, yet how is it possible to maintain a merry heart in the midst of such turmoil? 

            First of all, one should remember that for the Christian, any crisis in this life is a temporary dilemma.  Our problems are transient, and eternity offers joy untold.  I love the inspired words of Paul to the church at Corinth, "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.  For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal" (2 Corinthians 4:17-18).  A merry heart has its focus on the unseen, on spiritual matters which can see us through our temporary heartaches.  When one focuses on the Father and His blessed Son, it is possible to find joy even in the most excruciating circumstances.  If Paul could be joyful in tribulation (2 Corinthians 7:4), we can be also.

            Secondly, feeding your soul on the word of God fosters a merry outlook.  A psalmist wrote, "But my heart stands in awe of Your word.  I rejoice As one who finds great treasure" (Psalm 119: 161-162).  It's true--the word of God brings gladness to the soul of the Christian.  The delight to be found in Scriptures promotes the development of a merry heart.  David, the shepherd boy and king, wrote, "In Your presence is fullness of joy" (Psalm 16:11).  What better place to step into the presence of God and find that joy than in His holy word?

            Thirdly, God provides comfort during times of sorrow, and He enables us to possess a merry heart during life's challenges.  The Father also uses Christians to comfort one another when a merry heart seems unattainable.  The Apostle Paul wrote, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted of God" (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).  When we help others to cope with unhappiness, we aid ourselves in dealing with our own sorrow. It is impossible to cheer up someone else without making our own hearts gladder as a side effect.  A merry heart really does good like a medicine (Proverbs 17:22), not only for the one who possesses that type of heart, but also for those with whom she comes in contact.

            Fourthly, prayer and praise to God will cause our hearts to be merry.  When we read God's word, God speaks to us, but when we go to Him in prayer, we are speaking to the Father directly, placing our needs before His throne or thanking Him for His care of us.  Paul instructed the church at Thessalonica to pray without ceasing, and just before that admonition, he told them to rejoice always (1 Thessalonians 5:16-17).  The two activities are connected; a prayerful heart will increase one's joy.  It is impossible not to feel encouraged when we willingly approach God, giving Him our concerns and heartaches.  Then, too, offering our praise and adoration to the One who made us facilitates a joyful heart.  Paul said we can rejoice in hope and be patient in tribulation as we continue to be steadfast in prayer (Romans 12:12).

            Fifthly, generosity aids in developing a merry heart.  Sharing whatever one possesses is uplifting behavior.  Scripture instructs us to show mercy with cheerfulness (Romans 12:80) as well as give of our means with a cheerful heart (2 Corinthians 9:7), and cheerfulness is a trait we can develop as we do those things.  A giving attitude toward our fellowman engenders joyfulness, and that happiness has a rebound effect.  It is like a boomerang that continually comes back to us, making our own hearts glad. We can be generous with our time, our financial assets, our talents, or simply our concern for others, and our hearts will be merrier for it.  Sometimes something as simple as the gift of a kind word makes for a joyful heart (Proverbs 12:25).

            Sixthly, in order to possess a merry heart, one must come to terms with the past, learn to celebrate the present, and plan for the future.  Dealing with past misdeeds and the guilt they engender can dampen the joy in our hearts.  Even though we have sought and been granted God's forgiveness, we often have difficulty in forgiving ourselves.  We must learn to honor what is good in our past and put aside those things we cannot change.  I was a bad-tempered young teenager--so very irritable and hard to get along with, and I am ashamed of that.  Because my mother died when I was thirteen, I could never go back and make things right with her.  I think she would be pleased with the adult I became, and knowing that I will see her again has helped me to move on.

            Sometimes our hearts are not merry because we don't enjoy the present.  We are constantly thinking about what we should be doing instead of embracing the joy of the current moment.  We allow anxiety to quench the fire of our merry hearts.

            We can enable our hearts to be merrier by planning for the future with God at the center of  our activities.  Paul demonstrated that he knew how to pay tribute to the future when he wrote, "Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:13-14). 

            Finally, we must practice joy; we must choose joy; we must hold joy close and welcome it into every corner of our lives.  Rehearse joy; train for joy; prepare for joy as a daily occurrence. Learn to recognize it in the ordinary events of daily life.  Laugh out loud when there is no one to hear but you.  Smile as though you mean it; prepare to have a merry heart.  Remember that one day you will be what you are now becoming.

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Alice Moore indeed has a ready smile for everyone. She is a pleasant and godly sister in Christ. Alice resides in Humbolt, Tennessee with her husband, Mark. They have five children and nine grandchildren. Alice and Mark are members at the North Jackson church of Christ. They are active in mission work each year. Alice is a retired teacher. She is a speaker and teacher for ladies events and Bible classes.  Her excellent book Lift Me Up has recently been published by Publishing Designs Inc.  http://www.publishingdesigns.com/newest.php

Paths in the Sea

by Betty Jackson

There is a monument in Goshen, Virginia that honors Matthew Fontaine Maury as the pathfinder of the seas. The monument reads:

“Matthew Fontaine Maury, pathfinder of the seas, the genius, who first snatched from the ocean and atmosphere the secret of their laws. Born January 14, 1806. Died at Lexington Virginia, February 1,1873 ... Every mariner for countless ages, as he takes his chart to shape his course through the seas, will think of thee. His inspiration: Holy Writ, Psalms 8 and 107, Verses 8, 23, and 24, Ecclesiastes Chapter 1 Verse 8” (quoted in Science in the Bible, p. 119).

     Charles L. Lewis wrote a book titled: Matthew Fontaine Maury: Pathfinder of the Seas that was published by the U.S. Naval Institute in 1927. (It is available as a free ebook. See: http://openlibrary.org/books/OL6710231M 

     Mr. Lewis records many events in the life of this great man. It is said that one of his children typically read from the Scriptures each night. On one such evening, Mr. Maury was ill and confined to bed, when the child read Psalm 8:8 “...the fish of the sea that passes through the paths of the seas.” Maury exclaimed, “If God said there are paths in the sea, I am going to find them when I get out of this bed.” From all that I can determine, this story was true. However, he had been researching ocean currents before this incident. 

     In his book Physical Geography of the Seas, Mr. Maury eloquently wrote about how one must conclude that the design of a watch points to a designer. Then he wisely stated concerning the ocean:

“So, too, when one looks out upon the face of this beautiful world, he may admire the lovely scene, but his admiration can never grow into adoration unless he will take the trouble to look behind and study, in some of its details at least, the exquisite system of machinery by which such beautiful results are accomplished. To him who does this, the sea, with its physical geography, becomes as the main spring of a watch; its waters, and its currents, and its salts, and its inhabitants, with their adaptations, as balance-wheels, cogs and pinions, and jewels. Thus he perceives that they, too, are according to design; that they are the expression of One Thought, a unity with harmonies which One Intelligence, and One Intelligence alone, could utter.” 

(http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Physical_Geography_Of_The_Sea_1855/2. Scroll to p. 53-54 #68.) (Note: You will need to copy and paste the entire title to bring up the source.)

     King David lived around 1,000 B.C. He was not a sailor, yet he recorded facts discovered about 2,800 years after him. Scientific accuracy and foreknowledge in the Scriptures is a wonderful faith-building study.

     Others such as Prince Henry of Portugal and Benjamin Franklin knew about the existence of the ocean currents. However, Maury was the first to realize that the ocean is a circulating system, with specific patterns of wind and water movement which causes paths or currents. Using the wind and currents, he plotted shipping routes which have saved shipping companies great amounts of time and money.

     Surface currents are wind driven. The greatest of these are the Gulf Stream and the Japan Current. Interestingly, there is a subsurface current which runs in the opposite direction. These were not discovered until the twentieth century. In 1964 photographs were taken of the ocean floor where subsurface currents had caused paths in the sand! What’s more, there is what is called “upwelling.” This occurs when the nutrient dense cool water churns from the bottom to the top to replace the depleted warm water. The movement is not only by currents but also by an amazing circulation from beneath the surface!

     The design of the circulating ocean keeps us all alive! If the ocean did not keep moving, it would become stagnant; without oxygen fish would die. The ocean is responsible for our well-being in many ways: rain, food, oxygen, and regulation of the temperature of the earth, etc. God is Almighty!

Recommended Reading

Note: This article was adapted from the section "For the Teacher" in a lesson in my class material "We Believe Because..." a series of Christian evidences lessons for young children.

Jackson, Wayne: https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/1063-psalms-8-8-the-paths-of-the-sea
Major, Trevor: http://apologeticspress.org/apcontent.aspx?category=13&article=361

Mortan, Dr. Jean Sloat (1978), Science in The Bible, (Chicago: Moody Press)

http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/8q.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upwelling

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Fontaine_Maury

Note that the image of the statue is a photo taken by William Maury Morris. His comments about the picture are worth reading. See Wikipedia about Matthew Fontaine Maury.
The picture of the ship on the Red Sea is a stock photograph purchased from 123rf. Please do not copy from this site.

Was Archaeopteryx a Missing Link?

by Betty Jackson

The following article is a section especially for teachers from my class material, We Believe Because... Research has shown that many young people begin to lose their faith in the integrity of the Bible before they even reach high school. No wonder since evolutionary propaganda is taught in schools, as well as through other mediums, at very early grades. This section is part of a lesson on the design of birds. Where there is a design, there must be a designer! My hope is that this article will be helpful.

Evolutionists astound us with their wild claims that mutations and adaptations, along with eons of time, produced our “fine feathered friends.” They believe that birds are the offspring of reptiles. Consider the following information from Wayne Jackson: 

 “Believing that all organisms have derived from a primitive life source, evolutionists contend that the fossil record contains proof for their theory. They claim that intermediate life-forms, which supposedly bridge the gaps between the various kinds of living creatures, are revealed in the fossils of the earth. One such transitional link is said to be Archaeopteryx, a strange and extinct bird. George G. Simpson, popularly known as ‘Mr. Evolution,’ declared that Archaeopteryx is ‘the most famous intermediate…between reptiles and birds… The oldest known reptilian except in one respect: They had feathered wings’ (Simpson, Pittendrigh, Tiffany, Life–An Introduction to Biology, 1957, pp. 31, 591).

While it appears to be true that this ancient creature had some features which are common to both birds and reptiles, this by no means establishes an evolutionary link between the two groups. That link exists only in the mind of evolutionists. Note the following facts: 

(1) Archaeopteryx had feathers similar to modern birds.

(2) Modern birds lived at the same time as Archaeopteryx. Since such was the case, that creature could not have been a link towards the development of modern birds.

(3) It is said that Archaeopteryx had claws on its wings – supposedly an exclusively reptilian trait. However, several modern birds (not considered transitional links) also have claws on their wings. The ostrich is an example.

Some evolutionary scientists even admit that Archaeopteryx is not a missing link in the evolutionary chain. W. E. Swinton wrote: ‘There is no fossil evidence of the stages through which the remarkable change from reptile to bird was achieved’ (Biology and Comparative Physiology in Birds, 1960, p. 1). That would exclude Archaeopteryx! And so, the missing links are just that – missing!”(Archaeopteryx—A Missing Link That’s Still Missing - out of print)

Each species of birds has beaks or bills particularly designed for their life styles. For example, the woodpecker has an especially pointed and hard beak with cushioning tissue between his bill and skull to absorb the shock. Just imagine the scenario if evolution were true. Woodpeckers with dislocated and broken necks, shattered heads, etc. would litter the forest floor.

Others would be flying dizzily about with splitting headaches! If evolution were true, there would be no woodpeckers, for the first attempts to develop into such creatures would have been quickly abandoned. Evolution is simply without basis.

As we consider the marvels of the bird family, we cannot but be awed by the Lord’s creative genius and power. Birds possess so many amazing characteristics. Consider what it takes for a bird to fly: special wing design, lightweight skeletal system of hollow, porous bones, and feathers.Think about the mysteries of migratory patterns; ponder over the unique respiratory, digestive, and nervous systems. Enjoy the wonderful ability of songbirds. Puzzle over the engineering feats of nest construction. How can we not know that “the Lord He is God” (Psalms 100:3)!

All things bright and beautiful,

All creatures great and small,

All things wise and wonderful,

The Lord God made them all. 

        Cecil Francis Alexander

Recommended Reading

Jackson, Wayne. "Those Missing Links." ChristianCourier.com. Access date: July 23, 2018. https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/306-those-missing-links

Jackson, Jason. "Evaluating Evolution in Plain English." ChristianCourier.com. Access date: July 23, 2018. https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/1228-evaluating-evolution-in-plain-english

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