Knowledge of the Truth
We are so thankful to have the knowledge of the truth through our access to the Word of God, and we are also very thankful for the generous and gracious manner in which Institute for Creation Research (ICR) has been helping our small, struggling Northwest Science Museum for over five years now. They send us a box of 40 to 50 copies of their outstanding magazine, Acts & Facts, each month and a box of their insightful devotional booklets, Days of Praise, each quarter so we can distribute them to share the truth of Biblical Christian worldview. Why do they do this? Probably because:
- In early June 2014, I wrote to ICR asking if they had any left-over copies of the June issue of Acts & Facts (in which the lead article by Henry M. Morris III stressed the truth that Jesus Christ Is the Foundation)! I mentioned that our “Grand Opening” day for our Vision Center would be June 14. To our surprise, they sent us a box filled with May and June issues of Acts & Facts. Month by month they have continued this generous and gracious practice!
- Obviously, they believe Jesus’ statement that, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
Now in honor of ICR and appreciation for their generous support of NWSM, I want to announce that ICR plans to open to the pubic their big, beautiful Discovery Center for Science and Earth History on September 2, in Dallas, Texas. (I’m looking forward to the opportunity to go see it myself, and I hope you get to as well!)
Also, I want to share with you the devotional thought in Days of Praise for Sunday, August 4, by Henry M. Morris III, entitled “Knowledge of the Truth.”
“For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:3-4)
“The phrase ‘the truth,’ referring to a certain vital body of doctrine, is found often in the New Testament, and the text quoted above is one of the most important, indicating as it does that fully understanding ‘the truth’ is equivalent to being saved.
“The theme of ‘the truth’ is especially emphasized in Paul’s two letters to Timothy, the first reference being in our text. He next points out that, in his capacity as an apostle, he must ‘speak the truth in Christ,’ teaching ‘in faith and verity’ (same word as ‘truth’—-1 Timothy 2:7).
“The church is called ‘the pillar and ground of the truth’ (3:15). An attitude of thanksgiving is proper for those who ‘believe and know the truth’ (4:3). On the other hand, those false teachers who teach with selfish motives are ‘destitute of the truth’ (6:5).
“In the second epistle, Paul urges believers to be diligent in studying the Scriptures, because they constitute ‘the word of truth’ (2 Timothy 2:15). Then he warns of teachers ‘who concerning the truth have erred,’ teaching false doctrine and destroying the faith of some (v. 18). Those who are faithful teachers, however, are exhorted to help the unsaved come to ‘repentance to the acknowledging of the truth’ (v. 25).
“Then, in his prophetic description of the humanist teachers of the last days, Paul says they will be ‘ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth’ (3:7). This is because they ‘resist the truth’ and ‘turn away their ears from the truth’ (3:8; 4:5). Thus, ‘the truth’ always emphasizes its vital importance in salvation and the Christian life. Most of all, the Lord Jesus said; ‘I am . . . the truth’ (John 14:6). HMM (Used by permission.)
Are you tired of the devolving of our formerly great American culture (based on Biblical Christian principles) deeper and deeper into immorality, impurity, cruelty and craziness? Tired of lawsuits to take down crosses, ban prayers, eliminate, “under God,” from our pledge and destroy, “In God we Trust,” as our national motto? Tired of crazy laws that allow a “trans” man to participate in women’s sports, that protect any confused man who claims he feels he’s a woman to enter girls’ bathrooms and shower stalls, permits the bodies of unborn babies to be cut in pieces and ripped from their mothers’ wombs, coddles brazen obscenity and flagrant pornography to be pumped into society as “free speech” and promoted in children’s classrooms as “sex education?” Are you feeling frustrated and helpless? What can we do to stop this? Take heart! There is something you can do! Let’s band together to cut the roots of the problem first! This should be top priority!
The root of the problem is an atheistic, anti-God worldview that is teaching our children from kindergarten through academia that we are nothing but animals. Why be surprised when they act like animals when our society has been teaching them for decades that we are nothing but animals?
WE HAVE THE TRUTH!
In fact, every normal human being has the truth – and knows that we have a Creator. “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them. 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 1:18-20 (NKJV). The problem is that those who reject the truth and suppress the truth are very good at confusing gullible children (and adults). But God is not the author of confusion! Northwest Science Museum has the Biblical evidence and the scientific evidence to expose the Satanic lies of evolutionism and clarify the TRUTH to children of all ages! The Bible is true, God is real, Christ is risen, and God Himself is the original scientist!
NWSM has been exposing Satanic lies and promoting Biblical truth for over five years from our Vision Center at 1831 N. Wildwood in Boise, but it is time for us to expand – greatly expand our exposure, influence, and impact by moving to a larger facility in a better location. We can certainly use your help! Would you like to partner with us to teach the truth by showing the censored science, exposing the lies, and promoting the TRUTH?
Two of my favorite displays at our Vision Center expose the falsehood of the evolutionary timetable of millions of years for the formation of the rock layers in the so-called “geological column”:
- One is a fossil of a fish in the process of swallowing a minnow. This had to happen instantly! The logical and Biblical reason for the rock layers containing billions of fossils is the worldwide flood described in Genesis, Chapters 6-9.
- We also have the record and evidence of a mammal that ate a baby dinosaur and was buried and fossilized by the Flood. According to the evolutionistic timetable this would be impossible because the evolutionists dogmatically assert that dinosaurs died out many millions of years before mammals “evolved.” We have the contrary evidence!
Unalienable Rights!
Remember, the sanctity of life and the sanctity of human sexuality is contingent on the fact that we are created in the image of God, and that He created us male and female!
“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.” Declaration of Independence (the most foundational document for our American republic!)
If we continue to allow our unalienable rights to be destroyed by Marxist/atheist indoctrination that discounts our Creator and robs us of our children, then who do we have to blame but ourselves? Rise up, O men of God! Women of God! Speak up for our Creator! Take a stand for the TRUTH of His Word!
This is our invitation to you to partner with us to reach the younger generations with the TRUTH and train them to understand and believe the Biblical Christian Worldview instead of the Satanic lies from an atheistic, godless worldview.
Also, I offer you your choice of the following books for an offering of any amount to Northwest Science Museum:
Ready to Give an Answer
More than Conquerors in Cultural Clashes
Millions of Miracles: The Evolutionist’s Dilemma
Is the Bible without Any Errors?
Note: To accept this offer, please designate which book, provide your mailing address, and write NWSM on your check. You can mail to our Overseas Outreach address.
Along with whichever book you choose, I also want to send you Bruce Malone’s incredibly inspiring DVD, Pearls of God, which shows how creation science verifying the truth of the Word of God is transforming island nations.
Knowledge of the Truth can be Transforming
This true story is from one of my students I met in Ukraine, Paul Sudhakar.
“This happened over 25 years ago. There used to be a girl named Padma in a small coastal village in Southern India. She was from a Hindu family. Although from a lower caste, their family was well respected in their village. They were of a good economic and social status. After she finished her high school, she started college in a nearby town. So she had to travel every day from her village to this town to attend classes. It is during this time that she got introduced to Christ. Some of her Christian friends evangelized to her in college and took her to church one Sunday. It was not usual for a Hindu girl to go to church. So, without letting her parents know she went to church one Sunday.
But it wasn’t her own interest that drew her to church. It was God’s plan. He chose her and called her to Himself. She got drawn by Christ the very first time she went to church. She kept going again and again. And soon she accepted Christ into her life. She had to lie to her parents that she had extra classes in order to go to that town on Sundays to attend church. She accepted Christ into her life and even got baptized, all without the knowledge of her family members. She used to pray quietly after everyone fell asleep. But somehow her family members came to know that she was going to church and that she even got baptized. All of her family members turned against her – her parents, brothers and sisters. Her mom even got paralyzed due to shock upon knowing that she became a Christian!
This was a big blow to her. Her brothers warned that if anything bad happens to their mom, she would be made responsible! At such a hard time, she knelt down and prayed. She asked God “Lord, what should I do now? I want you. Should I lose my mother for You or should I lose You for her and thereby lose everything? Please give me knowledge and strength to bear these tough times.” And as she opened her Bible, she saw the verse that says, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” That moment she decided, “no matter what happens, I’m not leaving Christ. Even if it means being hated by my whole family!” But our God is faithful. That very moment, her mom got healed!
But troubles continued to torment this young believer. Her parents started looking for bridegroom for her. She kept rejecting everyone her parents showed her for only one reason – they were not believers! She faced severe accusations from the family for her stubbornness and she faced shame in the society. But she waited on the Lord’s promises and believed in His sufficiency. Finally she accepted one guy, which none of her family members liked. He was not rich. His educational qualification was much less than hers (she studied pharmacy!). He didn’t have a job. He didn’t have a proper house to live in. He didn’t have any farm land or cattle (which were (are) the key parameters that decide a person’s status in the society, apart from caste.) The only qualification he had was that he’s Christian!
Having no other choice, her parents reluctantly accepted giving her to him in marriage. They got married in the same church in which she got saved and they started a new life at the guy’s place. It wasn’t an easy life for them! As I mentioned already, that guy was very poor. They didn’t even have a home to live in. A rich guy in their village allowed them to stay in his cattle shed. They cleared a small portion of that shed and lived there! Imagine what a terrible life it was, living with cattle in that dirt and mess with paper and cloth walls! She came from a (although not a very rich family) considerably wealthy family. And here she was, living in a cattle shed! She might have never imagined that something like that would ever happen. All this pain and suffering because she chose Christ!
However, they both remained faithful to God through all their hardships. And our God is a faithful and just God. He won’t forsake those who put their hope in Him. He blessed them and brought them up from their poor state. He blessed them with a daughter and a son. And that same son is writing this now! He blessed us to buy a small house in the middle of our village and He gave us a small farm land. And by His grace, we have a pharmacy store too in that same village. Although we still struggle with finances, we never lacked our daily food or good clothing! His grace has been sufficient all these years and it would be sufficient furthermore too.
He was very gracious to me personally too. He blessed me richly from my childhood. He blessed with some talents and so much of love. It is by His sovereign grace that I, who came from such a small family managed to win third place in an international contest conducted by NASA and by His grace I managed to visit U.S.A. thrice to attend space conferences! He gave me so many things that I never even asked for! But He withheld one thing from me that everyone asks and wishes that He would give to me – Health! Yes! From childhood, I suffered from bad health. There was never a year I was completely healthy or without pills. I’ve been on high power steroid dosages for the past 7 years. I don’t know how long more I should continue with them. They did more damage to my body than my illnesses did! They effected my bones, muscles and digestive system. They are the ones responsible for my mood swings too. They made me utterly weak. This recent pain that I was suffering from (still) when you wrote to me first is also a side effect of those drugs. They not only weakened my bones, they also caused problems with my spine. I’m now diagnosed with mild scoliosis and multiple disk damage. That’s the reason for the unbearable pain I experienced. I’m taking treatment and I’m doing much better now… I see my parents crying and pleading God for my health. Not just my parents, my friends and many churches as a whole! But God didn’t respond yet. Maybe He won’t, at all! I’m not even worried about it ‘cause I’m strong in my weaknesses. I believe He has a purpose in allowing this sicknesses and troubles in my life. However, I appreciate your prayers. I only have one prayer request. Please pray that my spiritual life won’t catch any sickness!”
Note: Paul Sudhakar came to Kharkiv, Ukraine, to study astrophysics, completed his four-year degree, and is now working on his master’s degree at a university in Australia. He has a passion for sharing the gospel as well as Christian evidences, so was chosen by his peers to lead the evangelical campus group. Please pray for Paul’s ministry, his health, and his future.
Beware of Propaganda Words!
Have you heard of the loud crowd using manipulation and threats with the propaganda words, “homophobia,” “islamophobia,” etc.? Please, please don’t bow to politically loaded, false scare tactics. It is true that a fear can become a phobia, but it is also true that a healthy fear can be good for you – such as a fear of rattlesnakes in the Owyhee’s and loose rocks on the edge of cliffs! By the way, do you know where the concept and terminology for “politically correct” comes from? You will find it on page 147 of the little red book entitled, Quotations from Chairman Mao Tsetung. Who was Mao Tsetung? No less than the worst mass murderer in history!
As Christians we are commanded to “speak the truth in love,” yet sometimes even when we try to speak truth in the most loving manner possible, still we will be falsely accused and labeled as bigots, haters, intolerant do-gooders, etc. (What’s wrong with doing good anyway? Isn’t that what we are supposed to do?) Jesus “went about doing good”, yet the truly intolerant crowd falsely accused Him, mocked Him, spat on Him, beat Him, and subjected Him to the most shameful and cruel death possible. Jesus told us that the servant is not above his Master. So what are we to do? Wipe the spit off, ignore the mocking, and keep speaking the truth in love! And we may need to practice praying, “Father forgive them – for they know not what they do!” when we hear of or read about other Christians being falsely accused and abused by the intolerant “tolerant” troop. Let’s also remember what Paul wrote to Timothy: “I solemnly urge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will someday judge the living and the dead when he comes to set up his Kingdom: Preach the Word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear.They will reject the truth and chase after myths. But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don’t be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you.”
2 Timothy 4:1-5 (NLT)
The Truth about Tough Love
Most adults and even many children recognize that sometimes “love must be tough!” Parents, police, pastors, coaches, teachers, animal trainers – and all rational individuals know that to discipline someone and to train anyone to become good, better or best in his or her obedience and skills requires tough love. However, in our socially warped, so-called “politically correct” world, tough love is not only being neglected – it is being bad-mouthed and falsified as hate speech. For example, it’s likely that I may be maligned and charged with hate speech because I refuse to bow to the propaganda term “gay” as proper terminology for a practice that God in His Word calls “sodomy” and “abomination.” I believe God means what He says: “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God.” 1 Peter 4:11 The NIV renders this passage: “If anyone speak, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God”! The original and actual meaning of the word “gay” is “carefree and happy.” Some of our relatives have wandered down the immoral path of homosexuality. Carefree and happy? Hardly!
Tough Love Applied
The Word of God also teaches: “Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.” 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (NKJV). Is it “hate speech” for devoted Christians to love a drunkard enough to invite him to turn from his sin, to come Home to Jesus, to repent, to be baptized, and to enroll in rehab and recovery classes to change his corrupted habits? No! Absolutely not! This is the application of tough love! Shouldn’t Christians also have the same compassion for those trapped in any form of sexual immorality? Especially if God labels it an abomination? The bottom line is that “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” All of us are sinners, but some of us sinners have been saved by the grace of God – and our task is to invite others to come Home to Jesus to be forgiven, freed from the chains of sin and death so we can experience “the peace that passes all understanding”! Doesn’t that better fit the definition of “carefree and happy”? Even when we face tough situations, including false accusations and persecution, Jesus said: “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Matthew 5:10-12 (NKJV). (Some translations say “happy” instead of “blessed.”) Do want to be “carefree and happy”? Turn from your sin (repent), be baptized into Christ, receive the forgiveness of your sin and the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38), then cast all your cares on Jesus because He cares for you! Trust Him with your life, your finances, your relationships, your past, your present, your future – your everything! That is the way to be “carefree and happy” here and now – with a glorious future of hope, peace and joy to anticipate! Wow! What are you waiting for? These are the benefits of tough love! When Jesus hung on the cross in agony of body and soul – that was tough love paying the penalty of your sin – and mine! That’s grace! Now out of a heart bursting with gratitude, let’s rise up and serve Him with passion and purity until the day He bursts through the clouds on the white horse conquering and to conquer!
From Our Mailbox
“Our flight on our way to Vienna was cancelled and Austrian Airlines provided a hotel for us in Kiev…
While we were staying in the hotel we decided to take a walk in the evening and had some ice-cream. So we got our ice-cream and decided take a sit on the bench in the park. In front of us was sitting a man from Africa and he look kind of depressed. I motioned with my hand to him and he seemed to respond. He had a bottle of soda. After I finished my ice-cream I decided to sit next to him and start the conversation. It turned out that he was detained in Ukraine by police. He said that he was innocent and in 15 days police let him out but he has lost his return ticket because he had spent 15 days in the police station. Ukrainian authorities did not deport him and asked him to buy a ticket to go home. The guy did not have any money. Therefore, he wrote to his family to buy a ticket for him. His name is John. Finally he had gotten his ticket and was waiting for his flight. Meanwhile, he decided to spend some time in the park where we met.
I guess it was God’s leading for all of us. I offered to pray for him and told him about the comfort that God can bring. He said, “You know you are like Jesus.” Well, it was too much of a compliment for me. I said to him, “You know John, Jesus said ‘I will not leave you as orphans, I will send you the comforter.’ Holy Spirit, ‘paracletos’ in Greek, is walking now beside you and me and brings comfort to your soul. God is good.” John was so much touched by Holy Spirit and my words that his face immediately became brighter and brighter and he said, “Thank you so much for being here for me! There were days when I thought, I could not stand it and would walk on the road and …” We took pictures together and parted with prayer. John has a family in Nigeria, a wife and three children. He was quite happy afterwards and promised to send me a letter from home. God is good and we are glad that He prepares and uses us as we go into the world.
Another evangelistic episode happened on the flight home. We had an Orthodox Jew stand up in the middle of the flight and began to pray. Some people got really scared of that, afraid of terrorism and God prepared my heart to tell them about God’s plan of salvation. Upon our arrival to Kiev I made a video describing that experience. https://youtu.be/bWfjVgk4jWY…
With love, prayers and thankfulness for our friendship,
Zhenya, Natasha and kids”
Prayer Requests and Closing
- For an expansion of Northwest Science Museum in size, influence, and better location, plus continued wisdom for all of us on the NWSM team.
- As an update concerning Edward and Paul –
*Paul has joined the Ukrainian army, so please pray for his safety and for him to be a bold witness for Jesus to fellow soldiers as well as officers.
*Edward would love to come to Bible college and get training to become a mission pilot, so please keep praying for sponsors.
3. Please pray for healing for Della, and for healing for America and Ukraine.
May the resurrected Lord Jesus be always your joy, your hope, your comfort, your strength and victory! May you come to know Him deeper, love Him dearer and follow Him nearer!
“Now may the God of hope fill you with all peace and joy as you trust in Him so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Romans 15:13
Respectfully yours & His, Rick & Della
Our Creator has designed multitudes of amazing creatures – but only human beings are created in His image! All human beings! “And He has made from one blood every nation of men…” Acts 17:26. We are all “people of color” – some lighter and some darker color, but all are loved by our Father!
Creation Moment
“In 1998, a new type of octopus was discovered – the mimic octopus (Thaumoctopus mimicus). It has the amazing ability to change shape, color, texture and swimming patterns in seconds to impersonate poisonous marine animals. This brown and white striped octopus is 2 feet long with pencil thin tentacles about ten inches long. This octopus lives off the sandy shores of the Indonesian Islands. Scientists are astounded at the wide variety of marine animals that this mimic octopus can transform itself into within seconds. It can transform itself to look like the poisonous flat fish or the poisonous lion fish. When damselfish are near, it transforms itself to look like the poisonous sea snake; sea snakes are a known predator of damselfish.
Scientists have documented the mimic octopus doing 15 different imitations in order to escape its predators. This means that the mimic octopus knows which animals will threaten the predator that is threatening him! How does evolution explain the mimic octopus’s ability to know the predator’s predator and then impersonate it? God gave to the mimic octopus the intelligence to discern which dangerous marine creature to mimic – so the predator would be afraid – AND the ability to mimic the predator’s predator. The mimic octopus testifies to God’s creativeness and skill!”
“Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, Who only does wondrous things!”
Psalm 72:18 (NKJV).
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From “HAVE YOU CONSIDERED”
“Evidence Beyond a Reasonable Doubt”
by Julie Von Vett and Bruce Malone
(Used by permission).