ANSWERS TO THE LATEST SO-CALLED SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE FOR EVOLUTION

The videos being produced by both Creation Ministries International (CMI) http://www.creation.com and Answers in Genesis (AIG) http://www.answersingenesis.org are brilliant and they need to be promoted and used.

In the first video, Don Batten answers many of the common arguments used to criticize a Biblical worldview. Can I suggest you use this video clip when ministering to family and friends. CMI is producing many of these clips for use on social media: particularly YouTube and more recently TikTok.

The following video is one produced by AIG each Monday at 2 p.m. (ET) on YouTube or later that day on Answers TV for Answers News. It addresses current events from a Biblical worldview. For example, NBC is promoting in June (Pride Month in the USA), a video on Queer Animals suggesting that of all the animals only humans have a stigma towards being queer. After all, what can be more natural than following who you are? AIG does a great job showing the absurdity of this view.

HOW FOOLISH IT IS TO CURSE ISRAEL?

More powerful revelations from Jonathan Cahn – behind the world events of our time – The recent striking down of the Iranian President: could this be related to ancient prophecies? Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi died in a helicopter crash just one month after he sent missiles into Israel. We know that God said that He will curse those who curse Israel. Are we seeing that happen in our time? What about the Turkish lawmaker who declared that Israel “will suffer the wrath of Allah” went into cardiac arrest and collapsed on the floor of Parliament mere moments after delivering the curse.

Jonathan Cahn is God’s prophet in our time. What he reveals in this video is Biblical end-times prophecy unfolding in our time. We are getting closer to the Jesus return. How exciting it is to live at this time.

I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.Genesis 12:3

Let peoples serve you, and nations bow down to you. Be lord over your brothers, and may your mother’s sons bow down to you. Cursed be everyone who curses you, and blessed be everyone who blesses you!Genesis 27:29

And on that day I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.” Zechariah 12;9

MEDIA CRUCIFY NFL STAR FOR SHARING HIS FAITH

Most Americans were probably surprised to hear the media cover a Kansas City Chief not named Travis Kelce. But while Taylor Swift’s latest boyfriend is away on her European tour, the mob stayed very busy crucifying his Catholic teammate, kicker Harrison Butker. His crime? Daring to talk about his faith on a college campus that shares it.

Once clips of the speech started circulating, out came the media buzzsaw. Feminists, leftists, and well-known personalities skewered Harrison as misogynistic, extremist, hypocritical, sexist, homophobic — and those were the kind adjectives. LGBT activists at GLAAD described the kicker’s comments as “a clear miss” and “woefully out of step with Americans…” — an assessment that fans wasted no time debunking.

Butker’s sin, at least in the eyes of the far-left, is refusing to keep quiet about the woke cancer eating its way through American culture.

To the graduates of Benedictine College in Atchison, the three-time Super Bowl champion spoke plainly — about Joe Biden’s phony Catholicism, about the horrors of transgenderism and abortion, about the church’s refusal to speak into the moral issues of the day.

“These are the sorts of things we are told in polite society to not bring up,” he admitted to the Class of 2024. “You know, the difficult and unpleasant things. But if we are going to be men and women for this time in history, we need to stop pretending that the ‘Church of Nice’ is a winning proposition. We must always speak and act in charity, but never mistake charity for cowardice.”

He explained that he “never envisioned” himself, “nor wanted, to have this sort of platform, but God has given it to me, so I have no other choice but to embrace it and preach more hard truths…” But the reality, he told the crowd, is that faith “has always been countercultural.” “Our Lord, along with countless followers, were all put to death for their adherence to her teachings. The world around us says that we should keep our beliefs to ourselves whenever they go against the tyranny of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We fear speaking truth, because now, unfortunately, truth is in the minority.” The time has come, Harrison urged, “to [say] the difficult stuff out loud.”

What Butker said is so important as Scripture shows us that we are living in the time of the end when persecution of Christians intensifies.

Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.Matthew 24:9-14

“Affirming motherhood and praising your wife,” Tavia continued, “as well as highlighting the sacrifice and dedication it takes to be a mother, is not bigoted. It is empowering to acknowledge that a woman’s hard work in raising children is not in vain. Countless highly educated women devote their lives to nurturing and guiding their children. Someone disagreeing with you doesn’t make them hateful; it simply means they have a different opinion.”

Her daughter, Grace, echoed those comments on “Fox and Friends,” telling the audience that she was blessed by her own experience growing up with a stay-at-home mom. “And I understand that there are many women out there who can’t make that decision but for me in my life, I know it was really formative in shaping me and my siblings to be who we are.” Steve Doocy asked, “So you understand what [Butker] was talking about?” “For sure,” she replied, “and I really respect Harrison and his Christian faith and what he’s accomplished on and off the field.”

Some surprising celebrities also came to Harrison’s defense, including firebrand Whoopie Goldberg, who stunned viewers by suggesting, “These are his beliefs, and he’s welcome to them. I don’t have to believe them,” she pointed out. “I don’t have [to] accept them.”

Outlets like the Babylon Bee mocked the NFL’s double standard — bashing a positive role model on one hand while elevating questionable characters on the other. “Harrison Butker does not reflect our values,’ says League of Woman Beaters,” the parody account jabbed. Others, like the New York Post’s Kirsten Fleming, piled on. “Never mind the NFL could support its own police blotter every season. Players charged with domestic assault or drunk driving aren’t uncommon. Dolphins star Tyreek Hill, who pleaded guilty to domestic violence in 2015 and was briefly suspended by the Chiefs in 2019 during a child abuse investigation, had two paternity suits slapped on him last year. But we need to get rid of a man who teared up while speaking lovingly of his wife’s unconditional support?”

Meanwhile, as the PR storm swirls on, visitors to Butker’s X account will see a single pinned tweet: “We mustn’t squander this period of the world’s history which God has entrusted to each one of us (St. Josemaria Escriva).” It’s safe to say the only thing squandered was the media’s chance to respect truth when it finally encountered some. 

BIBLICAL PROPHESIED END TIMES SIGNS

Watching the anti-Israel protests raging on campuses across the country reveals the demonic nature of the hatred of the Jewish people and their control of the land that God has given them. It also shows how easily the entire world under the influence of Satan can believe a lie, and then turn on any group and hate them. Jesus reminds us that we are destined to face this before His return. Regardless, the gospel will be preached worldwide, and the end will only come then.

Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:9-14

MASS BAPTISM OF 12,000 PEOPLE IN CALIFORNIA

A recent massive gathering of Christians across California reportedly broke a record when participants collectively held the world’s largest-ever baptism. Baptize California, an event that unfolded over a Saturday and Sunday at various locations throughout the Golden State saw a historic number of people immersed at individual churches and during a main-stage event at Huntington Beach. The two-day extravaganza showcases countless examples of life change and spiritual renewal, featured speakers, worship music from leaders like Sean Feucht, and more. According to preliminary numbers, there were over 6,000 people baptized at the Huntington Beach location, alone, with an additional 6,000 people immersed in churches across the state. “You can smell another Great Awakening in the air like rain before it hits,” Pastor Francey, who founded the event said. “God lit a match! If God can do this in the church in California, it can — and it will — happen in the rest of America!”

“It was a surreal and extraordinary day!” Francey told CBN News. “It felt like we were living in the pages of the book of Acts!” And the individual stories coming from Baptize California are truly incredible. Francey shared just one such story, telling CBN News how a Satanist accepted Jesus and “immediately got water baptized.” “You could see the change immediately,” he said. The preacher said 1,000 people accepted Jesus at Huntington Beach, with thousands coming to watch the event unfold. “The crowd steadily swelled to — at one point — as much as 14,000,” Francey said. “Hundreds of churches linked arms to accomplish what happened.”

Remarkably, this prompting happened before the Asbury University revival took form — and before Francey found out about “Jesus Revolution,” the feature film about Greg Laurie’s life and the Jesus movement. The movie, which made more than $52 million at the box office, sparked mass intrigue and spiritual fervour in many nationwide. All of this was confirmation for Francey that God was at work. Just weeks after Baptize SoCal took place May 28, 2023, and broke baptism records, Laurie’s own event inspired by “Jesus Revolution” — also held at Pirate’s Cove — shattered the Baptize SoCal record, with over 4,500 baptisms.  Francey’s vision went well beyond his Baptize SoCal efforts. He said he also felt God call him to expand the efforts, which brings us to Baptize California, this year’s endeavour. With the success of Baptize California, Francey is already planning to launch Baptize America next year, setting his sights beyond California. “Now we are gearing up to do this and unite the church all over America,” he said.

This good news of the “gospel of the Kingdom” needs to be read in the context of Jesus’ warnings about the state of the world in the end times. It will be like the days of Noah when lawlessness abounded “and you will be hated by all nations for my names sake“.

Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.Matthew 24:9-14

U.K. – REVIVAL OF FAITH AMONG GEN Z

A new study reveals a significant shift in religious attitudes among Gen Zers in the United Kingdom, those born in 1997 or later, suggesting a potential revival of faith and increased spiritual questioning. The research found that individuals aged 18-24 exhibit higher levels of religiosity than any other age group.

The study shows that 69% of respondents aged 18-24 believe their faith significantly impacts their lives, compared to only 51% of those older than 65.

Further, 72% of young adults in this age group stated that their religion helps them find purpose in life, a stark contrast to the 47% of those older than 65 who said the same, according to the survey conducted by the Institute for the Impact of Faith in Life and carried out by Whitestone Insight.

One notable aspect of the study, involving over 2,000 U.K. adults, is the diversity and openness among younger believers. It was found that 76% of 18- to 24-year-olds have friends with different faiths or beliefs, suggesting a higher degree of tolerance and acceptance. This contrasts with older generations who are less likely to have diverse friendship groups.

Moreover, 45% of Gen Z respondents expressed openness to changing their religious beliefs, compared to 22% of those older than 65.

The survey also found that Gen Zers are more likely to view faith as a positive force in public life. They support the idea of politicians discussing their faith publicly and believe in the involvement of faith leaders in social and political matters. This contrasts with the overall low confidence in religion as a force for good in society, as only 36% of the general population agreed with this sentiment.

Among religious respondents, 55% saw religion as a positive force, highlighting the generational divide in attitudes toward faith.

Charlotte Littlewood, a senior research associate at IIFL, noted that while the U.K. has been on a general course of secularization legally and politically, British youth increasingly value faith. “The results have shown that whilst legally and politically the U.K. has been on a general course of secularization, British youth are more believing than those half a century their senior,” Littlewood said, according to Christian Today. “Faith is seen of higher value, significance, and impact to Gen Z, compared with previous generations.”

The survey also examines broader societal views on religion.

For instance, while there is general resistance to religion in the workplace and politics, 42% view religion in the workplace positively compared to 41% who disagree. Younger generations see more value in religious discussions in public spheres.

The media’s portrayal of religion also came under scrutiny in the study. A significant 71% of respondents agreed that the media is biased, and 63% did not favor more media coverage of religion. This mistrust suggests a gap between the media’s representation of religion and the public’s experience.

Despite these challenges, the study highlights positive aspects of faith in the U.K. For example, 62% of respondents agreed that Christian heritage is important to the U.K., and there is a perception that the country welcomes religious diversity. Further, 73% of respondents reported having friends of different faiths, indicating strong interfaith relationships.

Faith’s role in education is also seen as crucial by many respondents. The survey found that 61% of participants believe religious education is important in schools, and 80% agree that knowledge of other faiths is essential.

The study’s findings resonate with broader trends observed in the United States and elsewhere.

The Survey Center on American Life noted generational shifts in religious affiliation and participation in the U.S. While young adults in the U.S. are less religiously affiliated than previous generations, those who engage with religion often show a strong commitment to their faith.

A 2023 report in the U.S. revealed that while younger generations of Americans are less religious and less engaged with the Bible than older generations, roughly half credit the Bible’s message for transforming their lives.

The American Bible Society’s State of the Bible USA 2023 report showed that although a higher percentage of Gen Zers identify as agnostics, atheists or “nones” (34%) compared to older generations, 58% of Gen Z respondents identify as Christians.

Despite the lower levels of Scripture engagement among America’s youth, about half of Gen Z respondents agreed with the statement, “The message of the Bible has transformed my life.” Specifically, 49% of Gen Z adults aged 18 to 21 and 52% of those aged 22 to 26 felt the Bible had a transformative effect on their lives.

What a good truth to end the post on “The message of the Bible has transformed my life“. It always will if you spend time in it, and even more so if you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Saviour and received the Holy Spirit. He is your teacher, counsellor, and comforter. He will lead you into all truth.

WHEN DID SATAN REBEL AGAINST GOD?

The Scripture Ezekiel 28:12-15 (below) indicates Satan was in the garden of Eden when He first sinned against God. The three major passages that deal with the fall of Satan: Genesis 3, Isaiah 14, and Ezekiel 28, in all three, Satan is in the Garden of Eden, and God pronounced the immediate judgment of being cast to the ground and the future consequence of his slander.

His rebellion was prompted by God giving sovereignty over the Cosmos to Adam. Satan became enraged by the notion that he, the great Angel, must be a servant to Adam, made of dust. So the root of jealousy and bitterness began festering within him.

Satan came to Adam and Eve as God’s chief steward, prime minister, and high priest who oversaw everything and was charged with protecting the sacred place they occupied. They had no reason to question his motives. They had known him since the day of their creation. Therefore, Satan could come to them in his unfallen, glorious state and they listened.

Adam and Eve were childlike in understanding the great cosmos, and their wisdom could not compare to Satan’s. Satan was charged with watching over the creatures made of dust, guiding and serving them in any way needed. This obviously brought out the worst in him.

Adam and Eve ejected from the Garden of Eden

Satan’s deadly, slanderous weapon was a simple question: “Has God indeed said? (Genesis 3: 1). This tiny question was an insidious, but subtle slander of God’s character. He was asking, can you really trust what God said? Next, he lied about the consequence of eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. “You will not surely die” (Genesis 3: 4), and then proceeded to truthfully tell the purpose of the tree: to be like God.

Satan subtly slandered God in the Garden of Eden because he did not want to serve anyone, but instead wanted all to serve him. He persuaded Adam and Eve to curse themselves. He used slander to incite Adam to eat the fruit God forbade, knowing Adam would “surely die” (Genesis 2: 17), and he would subsequently commit all his progeny to perpetual death (Romans 5: 12; 1 Corinthians 15: 21– 22). Adam’s transgression caused an imbalance, a debt, a legal lien upon the Earth which must be balanced or paid.

You were the signet of perfection, full of wisdom and perfect in beauty. You were in Eden, the garden of God; every precious stone was your covering, sardius, topaz, and diamond, beryl, onyx, and jasper, sapphire, emerald, and carbuncle; and crafted in gold were your settings and your engravings.
On the day that you were created they were prepared. You were an anointed guardian cherub. I placed you; you were on the holy mountain of God; in the midst of the stones of fire you walked. You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created, till unrighteousness was found in you.
Ezekiel 28:12-15

How you are fallen from heaven, O Day Star, son of Dawn! How you are cut down to the ground,
you who laid the nations low! You said in your heart, I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God
I will set my throne on high; I will sit on the mount of assembly in the far reaches of the north; I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.’
Isaiah 14:12-14

SATAN: PRINCE OF THIS WORLD

What does God reveal to us about our principal enemy, Satan: “Thus says the Lord GOD: You were the seal of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty” Ezekiel 28: 12

Because the passage is about Satan, what God has to say about the anointed cherub is all the more significant. In just six Hebrew words, Satan was revealed to be the “seal of perfection, Full of wisdom and perfect in beauty.” This description, coupled with the word measurement/proportion [תכנית tochnit], means Satan was the absolute greatest of God’s creatures. His proportions were pristine, sublime, and impeccable. His form was exquisite in every capacity. It is hard to imagine what this truly means in real terms. But he was absolutely it: the seal of perfection.

To fully understand Satan’s Origin, Fall and his goals get Douglas Hamps’s three books: Corrupting the Image series. The information in this and my next post is extracted from these books.

God also created Satan completely full of wisdom [maleh chochma מלא חכמה]. Satan was not lacking in any area of understanding. Satan perfectly understood the workings of God’s creation. He understood the laws governing the Earth, the stars, and life itself. He understood the process of photosynthesis, cellular biology, quantum physics, and science beyond our grasp.

While God gave him perfect wisdom, Satan has always lacked a complete perspective because he does not know the future as God does.

For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose.” Isaiah 46:9-10

Lastly, God created him “perfect in beauty” [kalil yofi כליל יפי]. The Hebrew kalal means “entire, full, all.”[ 62] Thus, Satan was lacking nothing in his appearance. God withheld no aesthetic quality when He created him;[ 63] He endowed Satan with phenomenal and outstanding beauty that equaled Him in splendor. These descriptions give us insight into why Satan thought he was on equal footing with his Maker. These qualities would eventually spark his rebellion and lead to the Beast’s creation.

Satan belonged to a special class of beings known as the cherubim. Judging from his vesture, Satan had the role of high priest. He was covered with an array of precious stones, inlaid in sockets of gold and silver. Satan’s stones were in a breastplate like that of Israel’s high priest. Satan’s role as priest was to serve as the leader to communicate God’s instructions, directives, and will to others. Just as priests taught and interpreted God’s commands.

Satan had been given everything, why spoil it? God gives us the answer: “Your heart was proud because of your beauty; you corrupted your wisdom on account of your splendor” Ezekiel 28: 17

He was the one who caused the decay of his endowment of wisdom due to his arrogant confidence in his own beauty. This means that he made a conscious choice. He was not preprogrammed to be bad or to fall from God’s grace. He mindfully chose to stage a coup against his Creator and rightful King.

Satan thought that creation should serve him because; “Look at all I have. Look at all that I am.”

The path to truly being like God required Satan and the other angels to sacrificially serve others, especially those lower than themselves; This feat is perfectly demonstrated by Jesus going to the cross. Satan was unwilling to do this. Satan boasted in the attributes he shared with God, but the one that he was required to demonstrate himself, which was to sacrificially love and serve; he refused. He set the example that rulers of the nations would later practice, as Jesus said: “The rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them” (Matthew 20: 25).

My next post will be on the timing of Satan’s rebellion: Rebellion first in the Spiritual Realm.

DEFENDING THE BIBLICAL WORLDWIDE FLOOD

How Large Was Noah’s Ark? The length of the ark 300 cubits, its breadth 50 cubits, and its height 30 cubits. (Genesis 6:15) Unlike many whimsical drawings that depict the ark as some kind of overgrown houseboat (with giraffes sticking out the top), the ark described in the Bible was a huge vessel. Not until the late 1800s was a ship built that exceeded the capacity of Noah’s ark.

The dimensions of the ark are convincing for two reasons: the proportions are like that of a modern cargo ship, and it is about as large as a wooden ship can be built. The cubit gives us a good indication of size.1 Using the most likely cubit length, an ancient royal cubit of at least 20.4 inches (0.518 m), we know that the ark must have been no less than 510 feet (155 m) long, 85 feet (26 m) wide, and 51 feet (16 m) high. In the Western world, wooden sailing ships never got much longer than about 330 feet (100 m), yet the ancient Greeks built vessels at least this size 2,000 years earlier. China built huge wooden ships in the 1400s that may have been as large as the ark. The biblical ark is one of the largest wooden ships of all time—a mid-size cargo ship by today’s standards.

A Korean study was performed at the world-class ship research center (KRISO) in 1992. The team of nine KRISO researchers was led by Dr. Hong, now the research center’s director-general. The study confirmed that the ark could handle waves as high as 98 feet (30 m) and that the proportions of the biblical ark are near-optimal—an interesting admission from Dr. Hong, who believed in evolutionary ideas. The study combined analysis, model wave testing, and ship standards, yet the concept was simple: compare the biblical ark with 12 other vessels of the same volume but modified in length, width, or depth. Three qualities were measured—stability, hull strength, and comfort.

The Biblical verse below tells us Noah didn’t have to search or travel to faraway places to bring the animals on board. The world map was completely different before the flood, and based on Genesis 1, there may have been only one continent. The animals arrived at the ark as if called by a “homing instinct” (a behavior implanted in the animals by their Creator) and marched up the ramp themselves.

But I will establish my covenant with you, and you shall come into the ark, you, your sons, your wife, and your sons’ wives with you. And of every living thing of all flesh, you shall bring two of every sort into the ark to keep them alive with you. They shall be male and female. Of the birds according to their kinds, and of the animals according to their kinds, of every creeping thing of the ground, according to its kind, two of every sort shall come in to you to keep them alive.Genesis 6:18-20

Juveniles of even the largest land animals do not present a size problem, and, being young, they have their full breeding life ahead of them. Even most dinosaurs were not very large — some were the size of a chicken (although absolutely no relation to birds, as many evolutionists are now saying). Most scientists agree that the average size of a dinosaur is actually the size of a bison. As far as the number of different types of dinosaurs, it should be recognized that, although there are hundreds of names for different varieties (species) of dinosaurs that have been discovered, there are probably only 60–80 different kinds.

Was Noah’s Flood Global?And the waters prevailed so mightily on the earth that all the high mountains under the whole heaven were covered. The waters prevailed above the mountains, covering them fifteen cubits deep.Genesis 7:19–20

Noah’s flood was much more destructive than any 40-day rainstorm ever could be. Scripture says that the “fountains of the great deep” broke open. In other words, earthquakes, volcanoes, and geysers of molten lava and scalding water were squeezed out of the earth’s crust in a violent, explosive upheaval. These fountains were not stopped until 150 days into the flood—so the earth was literally churning underneath the waters for about five months! The duration of the flood was extensive, and Noah and his family were
aboard the ark for around a year.

Scientists once understood the fossils buried in water-carried sediments of mud and sand—to be mostly the result of the great flood. Wanting to debunk the Bible and the worldwide flood of Noah’s day, Charles Lyell of Darwin’s era introduced the ideal of slow gradual change over millions, now billions of years. Geologists now realise the evidence for catastrophism is everywhere. It can be seen all over the earth, from seabeds to mountaintops. Whether you travel by car, train, or plane, the physical features of the earth’s terrain clearly indicate a catastrophic past, from canyons and craters to coal beds and caverns. Some layers of strata extend across continents, revealing the effects of a huge catastrophe. The earth’s crust has massive amounts of layered sedimentary rock, sometimes miles (kilometers) deep! These layers of sand, soil, and material—mostly laid down by water—were once soft like mud, but they are now hard stone. Encased in these sedimentary layers are billions of dead things (fossils of plants and animals) buried very quickly. The evidence all over the earth is staring everyone in the face.

There are hundreds of stories and legends about a worldwide flood. Why do diverse cultures share a strikingly similar story?
Did you know that stories about a worldwide flood are found in historic records all over the world? According to Dr. Duane Gish in his popular book Dinosaurs by Design, there are more than 270 such stories, most of which share a common theme and similar characters. So many flood stories with such similarities surely come from the flood of Noah’s day.

Stories of the flood—distorted though they may be—exist in practically
all nations, from ancient Babylon onward. This evidence must not be lightly dismissed. If there never was a worldwide flood, why are there so many stories about it?

The reason for these flood stories is not difficult to understand. When we turn to the history book of the universe, the Bible, we learn that Noah’s descendants stayed together for approximately 100 years until God confused their languages at Babel (Genesis 11:1–9). As these people moved away from Babel, their descendants formed nations based on the languages they were given by God. Through those languages, the story of the flood was shared until it became embedded in their cultural history.

The Bible declares that the earth-covering cataclysm of Noah’s day is an obvious fact of history. People “deliberately overlook this fact, that . . . the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished” (2 Peter 3:5–6). The flood left much evidence—from the fact that over 70% of the rocks on continents were laid down by water and contain fossils to the widespread flood legends. Both of these evidences provide compelling support for this historical event.

God clearly sent a worldwide flood to punish humankind for their evil and corrupt ways (Genesis 6:5, 11). Even though flood-affirming evidence from geology and other areas of study is abundant, we don’t need this evidence to know what happened. Starting with the Bible and the history that God faithfully recorded there, Christians have a tool to interpret the evidence that evolutionists and non-Christians do not. We have the record of what happened from the one who was there.

Get all this information and more in a free booklet, Noah’s ArkA Biblical and Scientific look at the Genesis account produced by Answers in Genesis (www.answersingenesis.org)


GENDER TRANSITION SURGERIES DRASTICALLY INCREASES RISK OF SUICIDE

An extensive study published last month entitled “Risk of Suicide and Self-Harm Following Gender-Affirmation Surgery” evaluated patient data from nearly 60 U.S. healthcare organizations, comprising millions of patients. The data analyzed covered a full 20 years, from February 4, 2003, to February 4, 2023.

Over 1,500 patients, called “Cohort A,” were “adults aged 18-60 who had gender-affirming surgery and an emergency visit”; nearly 16 million patients, called “Cohort B,” were a “control group of adults with emergency visits but no gender-affirming surgery”; while almost 150,000 patients, called “Cohort C,” were “adults with emergency visits, tubal ligation or vasectomy, but no gender-affirming surgery.” A fourth group, called “Cohort D,” were examined to “validate the results from cohort C.”

The study concluded, “Individuals who underwent gender-affirming surgery had a 12.12-fold higher suicide attempt risk than those who did not…” Those who had undergone gender transition surgeries were nearly five times more likely to attempt suicide than those who had undergone tubal ligations or vasectomies. The study warned, “Gender-affirming surgery is significantly associated with elevated suicide attempt risks, underlining the necessity for comprehensive post-procedure psychiatric support.”

The study’s findings align with the conclusions of numerous other studies. For example, research published in the BMJ Mental Health journal earlier this year found that gender transition procedures such as hormone drugs and surgeries have “not been shown to reduce even suicidal ideation, and suicidal ideation is not equal to actual suicide risk.” An extensive 30-year-long study from Sweden concluded that suicide rates increase after gender transition surgeries, rising to at least 20 times the suicide rate of the general population.

Countless other studies have shown that gender transition procedures are actually harmful, especially to children. A study published in March suggested that puberty blockers have numerous harmful effects on children, including an increased risk of cancer in boys.

What is driving this madness? The Bible gives us the correct answer:

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.Ephesians 6:12

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.Ephesians 2:1-3

They are blinded to the truth by Satan “the prince of the power of the air“, “carrying out the desires of the body and the mind“. Godless people will make up their own rules to satisfy the lusts of the flesh regardless of the consequences.

Thankfully, because of Jesus, Christians have been given the Holy Spirit who leads us into all truth as our counsellor and teacher.

But now in Christ Jesus, you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For he himself is our peace… and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility… For through Him, we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God. Ephesians 2: 13, 14, 16, 18-19

How wonderful it is to know God, our Creator. To know He loves us enough to send His own Son to pay the price for our rebellion against God brought about by our distant relatives, the first man and woman, Adam and Eve.