The Circle of the Earth

Those of us who grew up in the United States learned about the Italian-born explorer Christopher Columbus. Back in 1492, the purpose of Columbus’ voyage across the Atlantic Ocean was to find a shorter route from Spain to Asia but ended up discovering the Americas. I was also taught Columbus wanted to prove the earth is round (though that truth was already widely believed).

Over 500 years later, it surprises me how some people still believe in a flat earth despite photos from space proving otherwise. Many travelers have embarked on round-the-world trips. The recent solar eclipse should be additional evidence of a round earth. Still, flat earthers have resorted to spreading lies such as Donald Trump supposedly being one of them.

There are even Christians promoting a flat earth gospel. This past summer, I talked with one at a friend’s machine shop. I pointed out Isaiah 40:22 says, “It is He who sits above the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers” This man replied the earth is really a flat circle like a pancake. By using an online concordance, I learned the Hebrew word for circle is chûwg, which can mean a sphere or ball-shaped body. That same Hebrew word is used in Proverbs 8:27, “When He prepared the heavens, I was there, when He drew a circle on the face of the deep.” Job 26:10 says, “He drew a circular horizon on the face of the waters, at the boundary of light and darkness.” If flat earthers want to dispute these Scriptures, how about going to the edge of the earth and take some pictures as proof?

I’ve declined friend requests from Christian flat earthers who proudly promote their religion in their Facebook profile photos. A person’s belief regarding the shape of the earth doesn’t determine their eternal destiny. True science confirms what the Bible has already stated regarding creation, which points to evidence of a Creator.

“For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse” - Romans 1:20

How Big is Your God?

How big is your god? From your heart, can you sing the Rich Mullins song “Awesome God” or Chris Tomlin’s “How Great is Our God?” Do you believe God is big enough to do incredible things in your life? Before you answer that question, let’s examine how big God really is. 

First, you need to have it settled in your heart that He created the entire universe… 

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” - Genesis 1:1

“The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork.” - Psalm 19:1

“All things were made through Him [Jesus Christ], and without Him nothing was made that was made.” - John 1:3

“For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.” - Colossians 1:16

“By faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that the things which are seen were not made of things which are visible.” - Hebrews 11:3

Atheists and agnostics have told me they believe in science, which I do also when it’s based on proven facts that line up with Scripture. Some so-called intellectuals promote evolutionary theory, claiming creation came “from goo, through the zoo and wound up as you.” How unscientific is the idea that man came from monkeys? Every seed produces after its own kind. (Genesis 1:11-12)

Then there are scientists who don’t believe in God but talk about the universe resulting from a “big bang”. In the natural, how can something come from nothing? I like what Frank Turek says, “I believe in the big bang. I just happen to know Who banged it!”

One way to understand the awesomeness of God is to look at the characteristics of light. 1 John 1:5 says, “…God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.” The speed of light is over 186,000 miles per second. It takes about eight minutes for our sun’s light to reach the earth. A beam of light can travel around the equator seven times in one second. Can you now see how God can be omniscient and communicate with multitudes of people at once?

Now consider the stars in the sky. There are more of them than all the grains of sand on earth. Distance in space is measured in light years, which is 5.88 trillion miles. Our galaxy called the Milky Way spans 80,000 light years across and has over 100 billion stars. The Milky Way is one of approximately 125 billion galaxies that make up the universe. God has a lot more than just the whole world in His hands. As in the words of an old Disney song, “it’s a small world after all.”

Man created in the image and likeness of God has been around for about 6,000 years. But the light seen in the sky from distant galaxies has taken up to 13 billion years to get to us. This is how scientists have determined the age of the universe and yet God has been around longer than that.

So if God is so big, why do we often think too small with our prayers? One reason is we allow our present circumstances to consume our thought life. Some people magnify the devil too much. As I heard another minister say, “If you talk more about what the devil is doing than what God is doing, then you are really a devil worshipper.” Many will be surprised when in eternity they see Satan for who he really is. Isaiah 14:16-17 says, “Those who see you will gaze at you, and consider you, saying: ‘Is this the man who made the earth tremble, Who shook kingdoms, Who made the world as a wilderness and destroyed its cities, Who did not open the house of his prisoners?’”

Some of us would just be happy if God made a way for us to pay all our bills. Jesus said in Mark 9:23, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” If the Creator of the Universe can part the Red Sea, make the sun stand still and multiply loaves and fishes, why wouldn’t He do things that by comparison are rather insignificant? Instead of just concerning ourselves with our own needs, God wants us to think bigger…to be a blessing to others.

1 Corinthians 2:9-10 says, “But as it is written:’Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.’ But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.” Just think, this great big God who created the universe lives inside of you through the person of the Holy Spirit…that is, if you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. All you need to do is seek Him for revelation on the big things He wants to do through you and for you. Ask Him today!

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.” - Ephesians 3:20

Lucy

One morning a young man came to my door promoting his tree-trimming business. I took the flyer he offered and then handed him a gospel tract, hoping to have an opportunity to lead him to the One who died on a tree for his sins. Instead this man said he believed in evolution because “it makes sense.” I then asked if he had any proof that evolution is true. 

He replied, “Lucy.” 

I then asked “Who’s Lucy?” Certainly he wasn’t talking about the Peanuts character. This man was referring to a so-called missing link discovered in Ethiopia over 40 years ago. “Lucy” is the nickname assigned to several hundred pieces of bone representing about 40% of the skeleton of a female hominid that supposedly lived 3.2 million years ago.

I’ve heard other nonbelievers tell me, “I believe in science.” Well, so do I. True science never contradicts the Bible. Various archaeological discoveries such as the Dead Sea Scrolls have proven the validity of Scripture. Many famous scientists have also been Christians such as Blase Pascal and Isaac Newton. Louis Pasteur was a Catholic who demolished the evolutionary theory of spontaneous generation of life.

Genesis 1:11-12 says that every seed produces after its own kind. Nevertheless, evolutionists continue promoting their beliefs as scientific fact without any solid evidence to back it up. One infamous incident involved a fossil allegedly found in England known as the Piltdown Man that was later shown to be a hoax.

Faith in a fossil won’t cast out devils, heal a person’s body, or result in eternal life. Only a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ will provide those things.

“‘And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover’ ...And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen.” - Mark 16:17-18, 20

Save With Fear

This past week while walking by a table at a coffee shop, I noticed a Time magazine from earlier this year with the cover story “What If There’s No Hell?” My initial reaction was the title should instead read, “What If There IS a Hell?” Christians have nothing to lose by following the Lord except for their sin, sickness, and poverty. The heathen risk spending eternity in the lake of fire. I posted my thoughts about this magazine cover on my Facebook page. One friend responded with her belief that using hell for a fear tactic is satanic.

Romans 2:4 does say it’s the goodness of God that leads one to repentance. Personally, I prefer to hear more about the love of God than “fire and brimstone” preaching. On the other hand, Jesus gave many warnings in the gospels about hell. 

A fellow minister shared an interesting analogy with me. If you saw your children playing on a busy street, wouldn’t you immediately holler at them to come back into the yard? Of course, you would. A car might hit them otherwise. That’s not being judgmental. That’s love!

The mere suggestion that hell may not exist is a vain imagination that must be cast down (2 Corinthians 10:5). Sinners who refuse to repent must be made aware of the consequences. The eternal destinies of these precious souls are at stake.

“And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.” - Jude 22-23