Why all the hype about finding water on Mars?

by Alpha Omega Institute on April 10, 2013 in Stepaneks from the Front with No comments

 

Why all the hype about finding water on Mars? Below are some quotes from articles about finding evidence of water on Mars.

 

“Mars once had conditions favorable for microbial life, NASA scientists announced”

“It shows veins of sediments that scientist believe were deposited under water and was an environment once hospitable to life.”

“We have found a habitable environment that is so benign, and supportive of life, that probably if this water was around and you had been on the planet, you would have been able to drink it,”

“The question about habitability goes just beyond the simple observation of water on Mars to recreating the environments in greater detail, with an understanding of the chemistry that was going on at that time, to ask if this is the kind of place that micro-organisms could’ve lived,”

“There is life virtually wherever there is liquid water on Earth, and the possibility that there were once oceans on Mars leads many to wonder if life ever evolved on Mars and, if so, whether it might be extant. Answering these questions might help shed light on how common life may or may not be in the rest of the universe.”

 

It seems to me these people are wanting to find water on Mars so they can speculate if life evolved there, since we know it cannot evolve here on earth.  Where there is water, there must be life… right?  Not necessarily.  Through decades of scientific research, scientists have developed the ‘Law of Biogenesis,’ which states that life can only come from pre-existing life.  People used to believe in the myth, or faith statement, of abiogenesis (spontaneous generation), but science has disproven this false idea.

So the only way life could be on Mars is either it was brought there from earth by our Mars rovers or space probes for example, somehow the material from earth made its way there, or God created it there.  I doubt the truth of the latter idea, because as I study Scripture, I do not see any indication of God making life anywhere else in the universe except here on earth.   But with the scientific knowledge provided by the ‘Law of Biogenesis,’ we know it could not have evolved there.

 

Rich Stepanek

If you would like to see if an AOI seminar is right for you, or you would like to help the work of Alpha Omega Institute, please visit our website events page or our donate page. Keep up to date with what AOI is doing.  Thanks for your partnership.

Geology Field Trip 2013

by Alpha Omega Institute on April 9, 2013 in Nuttings from the Front with No comments

 

Once again, I’m with another group of energetic and fun-loving Bible college students from Jackson, Wyoming, on a geology field trip for the better part of 2 weeks (24 students and 15 staff).  Some of these high energy students (usually the guys) like to climb on anything they find, and showoff how close they can get to the edge.

As you can see from the picture below, that could be a deadly mistake. Sandstone tends to be undercut. If one would walk out to the edge without knowing this, the already cracked slab and the unfortunate person on it would likely fall over 1000 feet straight down to their death below. So, one of the very first things I warn those students before they have the opportunity to try their wings is, “WATCH OUT and don’t get close to the edge!”

Today, a woman who happened to overhear my talks on the rim told me she wouldn’t have enough nerve to take college students to places like this. Since she was a college professor, she knows the nature of the breed.

We not only warn and point out hazards, but also do a lot of praying and careful watching. This group is doing great and is taking the warning seriously. For that, we as the staff are very thankful. So please pray with us for safety on this trip, and also for the educational and spiritual results as these students see first-hand evidence for the Flood of Noah’s day.

Dave Nutting

If you would like to see if an AOI seminar is right for you, or you would like to help the work of Alpha Omega Institute, please visit our website events page or our donate page. Keep up to date with what AOI is doing.  Thanks for your partnership.

Water on Mars!

by Alpha Omega Institute on April 5, 2013 in Stepaneks from the Front with 1 Comment

 

Lately there have been a number of articles on the web, tv, and in newspapers, stating: Flowing Water on Mars? Strange Red Planet Features Stir Debate; Mars Water Mystery: NASA Rover’s Ancient Streambed Discovery Is the Latest Clue!  The 2,000-pound Mars rover, Curiosity, has been sending back information and images of what looks like sedimentary rock layers that were laid down by water. Also, what looks like evidence for an ancient, flowing stream on Mars, as well as evidence of lakes and oceans.

They are excited about this information, and rightfully so, but it should not be unexpected or surprising.  As we study Genesis chapter one, God makes everything directly or indirectly out of water.  So with this knowledge, we should see evidence that at one time there was probably an abundance of water on Mars.  Today, water on Mars is usually only in the solid or gaseous state, and not in the liquid state, because of the planet’s low atmospheric pressure being about 1/100th of Earth’s.  With this low pressure, liquid water will not last long on the planet’s surface. So there is evidence that at one time there was liquid water on the surface of Mars. But why all the hype? We will touch on this with my next blog.

 

Richard Stepanek

If you would like to see if an AOI seminar is right for you, or you would like to help the work of Alpha Omega Institute, please visit our website events page or our donate page. Keep up to date with what AOI is doing.  Thanks for your partnership.

The Bursting of Nothing

by Alpha Omega Institute on April 3, 2013 in Johnsons from the Front with No comments

 

For 20 some years I believed in the evolutionary cosmology of the Big Bang, but today, after looking at the supposedly “scientific evidence,” I have rejected that cosmology and now believe 100% in the statement, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1). And because of my belief today, I have sometimes been mocked and ridiculed – under the guise of “science.”

Secular cosmology today teaches: “The universe burst into something from absolutely nothing – zero, nada. And as it got bigger, it became filled with even more stuff that came from absolutely nowhere.” (DISCOVER, April 2002). In other words, a big explosion created everything from NOTHING!*

The North American Space Agency (NASA) contends: “The Big Bang Theory is the dominant scientific theory about the origin of the universe. According to the big bang, the universe was created sometime between 10 billion and 20 billion years ago from a cosmic explosion that hurled matter in all directions.”

The key to evolutionary cosmology seems to be that if you leave NOTHING alone long enough it will eventually explode. Consider … can an explosion create space, time, matter, and energy? You can’t have an explosion without energy, and you can’t have an explosion without something (matter) to explode, and the explosion can’t happen in some point of time, if time does not yet exist!

Others have proposed a “vacuum fluctuation” as an explanation for the beginning of the universe, where in a moment of time, in a spot no bigger than a dime; a fluctuation in nothing created all the matter and flung it out into space.

However, this idea also has the same problems – a vacuum is the absence of matter, and a fluctuation requires energy, neither of which was supposedly yet in existence.

The beginning of the universe was not a natural event … nothing exploding is certainly not natural! Nothing can’t do anything by itself without help – the help of a supernatural being or force. That force was God … a Creator who can speak into existence all things out of nothing.

No, my belief in God the Creator is not based on science – but neither was my previous evolutionary beliefs. Both must be taken by faith!

*Ideas for this blog derived from http://www.truthandscience.net by Dr. Arv. Edgeworth.

 

Lanny Johnson

If you would like to see if an AOI seminar is right for you, or you would like to help the work of Alpha Omega Institute, please visit our website events page or our donate page. Keep up to date with what AOI is doing.  Thanks for your partnership.

“Roly-Poly Theology”

by Alpha Omega Institute on April 2, 2013 in Nuttings from the Front with No comments

 

Like me, I’m sure many of you enjoyed watching pill bugs or “roly-polies” when you were kids. This common little bug rolls up into a tiny, hard ball when threatened. The pictures from Wikipedia Commons will remind you. (My search for how to spell the pill bug’s nickname brought quite a revelation in itself. Various sites had: “roly poly” or “rolly polly,” rolie-polie!) But what do roly-polies have to do with theology? Just what can we learn from these little bugs?

The other night, Mary Jo and I were at a dinner where we met Janis. She shared with us her “Roly-Poly Theology” story. You will understand why I am passing this on to you as you read on.

Janis told us she was sitting next to a swimming pool and noticed a roly-poly crawling around. The little bug walked right over to the edge of the pool and fell in. Oh, no! The poor bug was doomed to drown with absolutely nothing it could do on its own to get out of its predicament. But then, Janis reached into the water and scooped that bug out of the grips of death and lifted it to safety on dry ground, where it quickly unrolled and walked away.

As Janis thought about it, God gave Janis her “Roly-Poly Theology.” This is a picture of exactly what God had done for her (and for all of us). God reached down while we were hopelessly drowning in our sin, and with no means of saving ourselves. He lifted us up out of certain death (through no action on our part) and gave us life.

You can likely add many other aspects to this theology, such as Christ placing our feet on solid ground, etc.  So, have fun with it as you think of various ways to apply Janis’ “Roly-Poly Theology” to your own life. I am certain that I will remember this theology lesson every time I see a roly-poly and would hope that you do, too.

Thankfully lifted up in Jesus’ arms.

 

[Note: Pill bugs are not really insects, but crustaceans and actually have gill-like structures. They can survive for a short time in water, but eventually will die. Likewise, we might be able to “survive” in sin for a time, but will eventually die if we reject the gift of life in Jesus.]

 

Dave Nutting

 

“For the wages of sin [going astray, missing the mark] is death; but the gift of God is eternal through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23

 

If you would like to see if an AOI seminar is right for you, or you would like to help the work of Alpha Omega Institute, please visit our website events page or our donate page. Keep up to date with what AOI is doing.  Thanks for your partnership.

The Bible Says …

by Alpha Omega Institute on March 29, 2013 in Nuttings from the Front with No comments

 

Our 3 year old grandson, Samuel, was instructed by his mother to put on his pajamas. Samuel grabbed what he had worn the night before. However, his mother said that he shouldn’t because he had spilled water on them earlier and they were wet. Samuel responded by saying, “The Bible says they are not wet.”

Ignoring some of the issues, in a way, I like his approach. Samuel is already banking on the authority of the Scripture and applying it to real life situations. I really wish that many young people today would trust in the authority of the Bible instead of taking the words of friends and teachers above God’s Word. This is especially true regarding moral choices and evolution as well.

Of course, my 3 year old grandson’s “standing on the Word” also illustrates that Christians need to read and study the Bible to adequately wield it in a discussion. Some atheists know the Bible (at least select parts of it) better than many Christians. Sometimes un-prepared Christians find themselves in trouble rather than being “salt and light.”

When we speak at the universities, we frequently find atheists who defend their position by telling us what the Bible says. Many times, they do one of 3 things: misquote the Bible, take the passage out of context, or simply pull something out of thin air.

Although we have heard many arguments utilizing the first two items, we had a very vocal atheist student state why he can’t believe the Bible. He said, “It’s because the Bible says the earth rests on the backs of two turtles.” Of, course, we asked him to show us where it says that in the Bible (It doesn’t.)

So just like this atheist’s appealing to the authority of Scripture (falsely), or with Samuel’s attempt, we must be on our toes! The only way to do that is to know what the Bible actually says first.

I also like to try to figure out how the person got what they say. For the atheist, perhaps he was mixing up eastern mystic religions with Biblical thought. One religion does teach the 2-turtle idea. But where could Samuel have gotten the idea that the Bible says his pajamas were not wet? Perhaps it’s just a 3 year old way to not obey and instead do what he wants. Who can fathom the mind of a 3 year old?  Perhaps he heard in Sunday school, or someplace else, the story of Gideon putting out a fleece (Judges 6: 36-40). Yes, one day the fleece was perfectly dry. Since Samuel had ‘fleece” pajamas, in the 3-year old mind, it could all make sense!

Now you know why we tell students, “Context, context, context! Study the full council of God’s Word.”

 

Dave Nutting

If you would like to see if an AOI seminar is right for you, or you would like to help the work of Alpha Omega Institute, please visit our website events page or our donate page. Keep up to date with what AOI is doing.  Thanks for your partnership.

Sacred Delight

by Alpha Omega Institute on March 27, 2013 in Johnsons from the Front with No comments

 

Last Sunday, a pastor friend shared these song lyrics by a vocal group named Sunday Drive. The lyrics were a great reminder of what Jesus Christ did upon the cross for each and every one of us that believe in Him. Have you come to the Savior in search of His forgiveness?

 

Sacred Delight

 

Did you smile when you made the moon
And gave the sky its color?
Did creation dance in rhythm to
Your song of life, I wonder?
Did the angels know you knew my name
Did you tell them out of all you made
Why you gave me your image?

Is it true I’m your heartbeat?
And you love me more than anything?

What sacred delight
What infinite wonder
That I’m precious in Your sight
You love me like no other, no other
Oh, sacred delight

Did you think of me the day you died
That I would dare intend this?
Did you know one day I’d come to you
And search of your forgiveness?

Is it true I’m your heartbeat?
And you chose to die than to live without me?
What sacred delight
What infinite wonder
That I’m precious in your sight
You love me like no other, no other
Oh, sacred delight

 

“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross …” Heb. 12:2a

 

*Sacred Delight lyrics © BUG MUSIC

Songwriters: MATT HUESMAN, WESTLEY WILLETT

 

Lanny Johnson

If you would like to see if an AOI seminar is right for you, or you would like to help the work of Alpha Omega Institute, please visit our website events page or our donate page. Keep up to date with what AOI is doing.  Thanks for your partnership.

“I Didn’t Like It – I LOVED It!”

by Alpha Omega Institute on March 26, 2013 in Nuttings from the Front with No comments

 

A young girl, about 9 years old, told Mary Jo that she really enjoyed the Creation evening we did with her church group for kids, saying that it was really fun. Mary Jo asked if she enjoyed the teaching session.
The first part of her answer would cause any speaker’s heart to sink. She said, “No, I didn’t like it!”   After a short pause, she added, “I LOVED it!”     Whew!

The same evening, another 4th or 5th grade girl came to Mary Jo with a question after the teaching session. She wanted to know a commonly asked question – “If God made everything, then who made God?” Mary Jo explained that God was eternal—He was always there –He had no beginning and no end –He is from everlasting to everlasting. She said, “Oh, I’ve been wondering about that for a long time.” She then talked about evolution and that even if there was a Big Bang, then “where did that come from?” She was asking the rhetorical question seeing the problem with the naturalistic (no God) perspective.

These kids are smart! But it shows that the evolutionary squeeze is already tightening around the brains and hearts of even elementary school children. I’m glad for the opportunities Mary Jo and I, as well as the rest of our speaking teams at Alpha Omega Institute, have to impact these young geniuses before they are trapped by anti-God philosophy!

 

Dave Nutting

If you would like to see if an AOI seminar is right for you, or you would like to help the work of Alpha Omega Institute, please visit our website events page or our donate page. Keep up to date with what AOI is doing.  Thanks for your partnership.

Hungry for Answers

by Alpha Omega Institute on March 22, 2013 in Stepaneks from the Front with No comments

 

Well, that Tuesday (see my last blog “Genesis Series on the Road…“) Sue and I, with the help of our son Joel, taught six hours at Faith Baptist Church in Pawnee City, NE.  The seminars went very well.  I taught one hour on dinosaurs, science, and the Bible, and the next five hours we spent on the Genesis Series. We covered Genesis chapters one and two.  Sue, with her changes to the children’s ministry, was a big hit.  The people at Pawnee were truly “hungry” for the information and requested a continuation of the Genesis Series at a future date.

Two boys, who were in either 5th or 6th grade, came up to me after the last evening’s program wondering if there was another two hour program tomorrow.  I was sorry to say that there wasn’t.   It is very encouraging to see young people getting so enthralled about the Word of God!

From March 8th through the 10th,Sue, Joel, and I were at the Fairview Baptist Church near Towanda, KS.  The pastor scheduled eleven hours of teaching, which is quite unique for us since we normally teach for only four to six hours at a church.  The goal of the seminar was to cover Genesis chapters one through three by teaching two hours on Friday night and another five hours on Saturday.  The plan for Sunday was to teach approximately four hours of my creation science series.

I was not able to finish Genesis chapter three Saturday afternoon, and the interest was so great, that many attendees requested two more hours on Sunday afternoon to allow us to finish the chapter!   We were amazed!  Thirteen hours of teaching in one night and two days.  Sue ended up teaching eleven hours for the children.  People of this country are hungry for the foundational teachings of Scripture and science!

 

Rich Stepanek

If you would like to see if an AOI seminar is right for you, or you would like to help the work of Alpha Omega Institute, please visit our website events page or our donate page. Keep up to date with what AOI is doing.  Thanks for your partnership.

Answered Prayers

by Alpha Omega Institute on March 21, 2013 in Johnsons from the Front with No comments

 

Last summer we took our 6 year old (at that time) grandson to a local Bible camp where we were teaching. We were blessed to be able to lead him to the Lord that week. We were also blessed to be there for his professing his faith through baptism just last month.

Last Easter our oldest granddaughter (now 6 years old) gave her life to the Lord, and this past Sunday at her church she went forward requesting baptism. She will be baptized on Easter morning!

This is answered prayer for me and my wife. You see, I never prayed for my children’s salvation, because both were saved before I became a believer. However, since I put my faith and trust in Jesus, I have continuously prayed for my grandchildren, that they might also accept the saving grace of Jesus Christ.

God has answered my prayers for three of my grandchildren! The remaining two are still very young, but I will continue to pray for them!

 “Children’s children are the crown of old men;” Pr 17:6a

 

Lanny Johnson

If you would like to see if an AOI seminar is right for you, or you would like to help the work of Alpha Omega Institute, please visit our website events page or our donate page. Keep up to date with what AOI is doing.  Thanks for your partnership.

← Older Entries
Newer Entries →