BREW BY DESIGN
Genesis 1:29
"And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat."
You might not all agree with me, but I love to start the day with a cup of coffee. It was not until I came to live in the US, that I fully began to appreciate quality coffee, and this appreciation is enhanced all the more here in the Pacific Northwest, where every block’s corner seems to host a wooden shack, serving this delicious honey-colored beverage.
I love the flavor, but I also love the waking boost that it gives me. That boost, of course, is due to the presence of caffeine. As its name suggests, the chemical caffeine derives its name from roots associated with the word coffee. But coffee is not the only place where it is found. It is also found in tea, cacao (from which chocolate is made), kola, and even the flowers of orange and grapefruit trees, giving the bees a buzz!
The range of plants, in which caffeine is found has caused much discussion among biologists. One study has suggested that caffeine production must have evolved independently at least three times. Not only that, but plants contain at least two different biosynthetic routes for its production. Yet evolutionists claim that caffeine production fulfills just one main evolutionary purpose – to modify the behavior of other organisms. For example, pollinating insects will like the caffeine contained in the nectar, and will prefer to return for more caffeine, rather than non-caffeinated plants.
The problem with such opinions is that evolution is supposed to be a process of blind, random, disinterested chance. The widespread occurrence of caffeine is much better explained by its creation by God.
Thank you, Lord, for all the plants that You have put in this world, which are good for food. I want to thank You for coffee, and for all the ingenuity of people that has gone into preparing it. We marvel once more, Lord God, that You have done all things well. Amen.
Ref: F. Denoeud et al., “The Coffee Genome Provides Insight into the Convergent Evolution of Caffeine Biosynthesis,” Science 345, no. 6201 (September 5, 2014): 1181–1184. Mitchell. E. (2014), Caffeine: Convergently Evolved or Creatively Provided, Answers in Genesis, < https://answersingenesis.org/evidence-for-creation/design-in-nature/caffeine-convergently-evolved-creatively-provided/ >, accessed 04/24/2017. Image: Julius Schworzman. License: Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic.
Genesis 1:29
"And God said, Behold, I have given you every herb bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for meat."
You might not all agree with me, but I love to start the day with a cup of coffee. It was not until I came to live in the US, that I fully began to appreciate quality coffee, and this appreciation is enhanced all the more here in the Pacific Northwest, where every block’s corner seems to host a wooden shack, serving this delicious honey-colored beverage.
I love the flavor, but I also love the waking boost that it gives me. That boost, of course, is due to the presence of caffeine. As its name suggests, the chemical caffeine derives its name from roots associated with the word coffee. But coffee is not the only place where it is found. It is also found in tea, cacao (from which chocolate is made), kola, and even the flowers of orange and grapefruit trees, giving the bees a buzz!
The range of plants, in which caffeine is found has caused much discussion among biologists. One study has suggested that caffeine production must have evolved independently at least three times. Not only that, but plants contain at least two different biosynthetic routes for its production. Yet evolutionists claim that caffeine production fulfills just one main evolutionary purpose – to modify the behavior of other organisms. For example, pollinating insects will like the caffeine contained in the nectar, and will prefer to return for more caffeine, rather than non-caffeinated plants.
The problem with such opinions is that evolution is supposed to be a process of blind, random, disinterested chance. The widespread occurrence of caffeine is much better explained by its creation by God.
Thank you, Lord, for all the plants that You have put in this world, which are good for food. I want to thank You for coffee, and for all the ingenuity of people that has gone into preparing it. We marvel once more, Lord God, that You have done all things well. Amen.
Ref: F. Denoeud et al., “The Coffee Genome Provides Insight into the Convergent Evolution of Caffeine Biosynthesis,” Science 345, no. 6201 (September 5, 2014): 1181–1184. Mitchell. E. (2014), Caffeine: Convergently Evolved or Creatively Provided, Answers in Genesis, < https://answersingenesis.org/evidence-for-creation/design-in-nature/caffeine-convergently-evolved-creatively-provided/ >, accessed 04/24/2017. Image: Julius Schworzman. License: Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic.
BEETHOVEN AND THE LAMB OF GOD
John 1:29
"The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."
One of my favorite classical composers is Ludwig van Beethoven. While Bach wrote theological notes in the margins of his manuscripts, and his well-thumbed Bible also contained comments, Beethoven’s music is honest in its skepticism. There is power and passion in it, as well as a great deal of anger.
Beethoven rarely wrote church music, but, when he did, he gave it everything. His own assessment of his work suggests that he considered his Mass in D Minor (the Missa Solemnis) to be his greatest work. Following the liturgy of a Roman Catholic mass, in five sections, the work concludes with Agnus Dei – a liturgical prayer, sometimes used in certain Protestant churches. For example, the Church of England Prayer Book has this prayer, translated thus:
O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.
O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, grant us thy peace.
In this section, Beethoven keeps repeating the word miserere (“have mercy”) over and over again, as if he is saying he is unable to find mercy. After this, the music suddenly breaks into an angry fugue.
Beethoven spent much of his life in anger. He was angry with God for his various infirmities, especially his deafness, which was total by the time of the premier of Missa Solemnis.
We praise God for creative geniuses like Beethoven. Unlike the man himself, we give Him all the honor and glory, for the mercy He has shown us.
We praise You, Heavenly Father, for the wonderful gift of music, and for the great men and women who use their talents for this art form. Help us to give You the honor and the glory for all the creativity, with which You have endowed us. Amen.
John 1:29
"The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world."
One of my favorite classical composers is Ludwig van Beethoven. While Bach wrote theological notes in the margins of his manuscripts, and his well-thumbed Bible also contained comments, Beethoven’s music is honest in its skepticism. There is power and passion in it, as well as a great deal of anger.
Beethoven rarely wrote church music, but, when he did, he gave it everything. His own assessment of his work suggests that he considered his Mass in D Minor (the Missa Solemnis) to be his greatest work. Following the liturgy of a Roman Catholic mass, in five sections, the work concludes with Agnus Dei – a liturgical prayer, sometimes used in certain Protestant churches. For example, the Church of England Prayer Book has this prayer, translated thus:
O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.
O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, grant us thy peace.
In this section, Beethoven keeps repeating the word miserere (“have mercy”) over and over again, as if he is saying he is unable to find mercy. After this, the music suddenly breaks into an angry fugue.
Beethoven spent much of his life in anger. He was angry with God for his various infirmities, especially his deafness, which was total by the time of the premier of Missa Solemnis.
We praise God for creative geniuses like Beethoven. Unlike the man himself, we give Him all the honor and glory, for the mercy He has shown us.
We praise You, Heavenly Father, for the wonderful gift of music, and for the great men and women who use their talents for this art form. Help us to give You the honor and the glory for all the creativity, with which You have endowed us. Amen.
LIFE ON OCEAN WORLDS?
Psalms 147:4
"He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names."
I recently talked about ideas concerning a possible planet-covering ocean on Enceladus � one of the moons of Saturn. There are other moons of Saturn and Jupiter thought to be covered by similar ice-crusted oceans. The reason why such findings excite evolutionists, is that they think these oceans might contain hydro-thermal vents, like those found on Earth.
At the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, and other places, such hydro-thermal vents spew extremely hot material into the cold ocean. This material contains organic sulfur compounds, and there are bacteria which can feed off these minerals, at the right temperature.
The correct chemicals, and the correct medium � that is water � are assumed to combine, to enable evolution to take place. However, it is not inevitable that the existence of such vents, if found on these Jovian and Saturnian worlds, means that bacteria will be present. And, even if they are, this does not provide evidence that such bacteria have evolved. It is a mark of the strong bias that evolutionists have, that they assume a false logical syllogism. Their assumption is that:
1. Organism A requires chemicals B to survive.
2. Chemicals B exist Enceladus.
3. Therefore organisms A must have evolved on the planet in question.
The syllogism appears logically sound, until we realize that it is actually an error known as Affirmation of the Consequent. The existence of chemicals B on Enceladus does not imply the existence of the organisms. God has reminded us that His purposes for us are focused on the Earth, which He caused to be inhabited.
Thank You for the wonder and the beauty of Your creation that we see in this Solar System. We thank You for the intelligence and skill of those who design long-term space explorations. We pray that we, too, at all times will use the talents that You have given us, for Your Glory. Amen.
Psalms 147:4
"He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names."
I recently talked about ideas concerning a possible planet-covering ocean on Enceladus � one of the moons of Saturn. There are other moons of Saturn and Jupiter thought to be covered by similar ice-crusted oceans. The reason why such findings excite evolutionists, is that they think these oceans might contain hydro-thermal vents, like those found on Earth.
At the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean, and other places, such hydro-thermal vents spew extremely hot material into the cold ocean. This material contains organic sulfur compounds, and there are bacteria which can feed off these minerals, at the right temperature.
The correct chemicals, and the correct medium � that is water � are assumed to combine, to enable evolution to take place. However, it is not inevitable that the existence of such vents, if found on these Jovian and Saturnian worlds, means that bacteria will be present. And, even if they are, this does not provide evidence that such bacteria have evolved. It is a mark of the strong bias that evolutionists have, that they assume a false logical syllogism. Their assumption is that:
1. Organism A requires chemicals B to survive.
2. Chemicals B exist Enceladus.
3. Therefore organisms A must have evolved on the planet in question.
The syllogism appears logically sound, until we realize that it is actually an error known as Affirmation of the Consequent. The existence of chemicals B on Enceladus does not imply the existence of the organisms. God has reminded us that His purposes for us are focused on the Earth, which He caused to be inhabited.
Thank You for the wonder and the beauty of Your creation that we see in this Solar System. We thank You for the intelligence and skill of those who design long-term space explorations. We pray that we, too, at all times will use the talents that You have given us, for Your Glory. Amen.
SUB CREATION
Colossians 1:16-17
"For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they bethrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: and he is before all things, and by him all things consist."
�What is the place of art in the Christian life?�, asked Francis Schaeffer. Many people have pondered the same question. Writers who might, broadly, be considered within a Christian worldview have commented on this issue before. Perhaps the most famous quote on the subject is from J.R.R. Tolkein, who said this about his fantasy stories:
The story-maker proves a successful �sub-creator.� He makes a Secondary World which your mind can enter. Inside it, what he relates is �true�: it accords with the laws of that world. You therefore believe it, while you are, as it were, inside.
Schaeffer gives two reasons why art has value.
First, because a work of art is a work of creativity, and creativity has value because God is the Creator�.
Second, an art work has value as a creation because man is made in the image of God, and therefore man not only can love and think and feel emotion, but also has the capacity to create.
We create, because our creativity reflects the creativity of God, and because we are made in the image of God, who is the Creator. Therefore, Schaeffer is saying that creativity ought to be a good thing, because it reflects the character of God.
There is a difference between our creativity and God�s, however. Our creativity is a creativity of imagination. We use pre-existing materials, and there is no reality behind these forms. God, in contrast, created ex nihilo � out of nothing. And He created the reality, in which we live.
When we look at all that You have created, O Lord, we stand in awe of Your greatness. We thank You that You have created us able to be creative. We pray that we will use our creative talents, to bring You honor and glory. Amen
Schaeffer, F. (1973), Art and the Bible, in The Complete Works of Francis Schaeffer, Volume 2, (Westchester, IL: Crossway), p. 375. Tolkein, J.R.R. (1947), On Fairy Stories, page 12, < http://brainstorm-services.com/wcu-2004/fairystories-tolkien.pdf >, accessed 04/24/2017. ob cit, p. 394. Image: Adobe Stock Photos, licensed to author.
Colossians 1:16-17
"For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they bethrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: and he is before all things, and by him all things consist."
�What is the place of art in the Christian life?�, asked Francis Schaeffer. Many people have pondered the same question. Writers who might, broadly, be considered within a Christian worldview have commented on this issue before. Perhaps the most famous quote on the subject is from J.R.R. Tolkein, who said this about his fantasy stories:
The story-maker proves a successful �sub-creator.� He makes a Secondary World which your mind can enter. Inside it, what he relates is �true�: it accords with the laws of that world. You therefore believe it, while you are, as it were, inside.
Schaeffer gives two reasons why art has value.
First, because a work of art is a work of creativity, and creativity has value because God is the Creator�.
Second, an art work has value as a creation because man is made in the image of God, and therefore man not only can love and think and feel emotion, but also has the capacity to create.
We create, because our creativity reflects the creativity of God, and because we are made in the image of God, who is the Creator. Therefore, Schaeffer is saying that creativity ought to be a good thing, because it reflects the character of God.
There is a difference between our creativity and God�s, however. Our creativity is a creativity of imagination. We use pre-existing materials, and there is no reality behind these forms. God, in contrast, created ex nihilo � out of nothing. And He created the reality, in which we live.
When we look at all that You have created, O Lord, we stand in awe of Your greatness. We thank You that You have created us able to be creative. We pray that we will use our creative talents, to bring You honor and glory. Amen
Schaeffer, F. (1973), Art and the Bible, in The Complete Works of Francis Schaeffer, Volume 2, (Westchester, IL: Crossway), p. 375. Tolkein, J.R.R. (1947), On Fairy Stories, page 12, < http://brainstorm-services.com/wcu-2004/fairystories-tolkien.pdf >, accessed 04/24/2017. ob cit, p. 394. Image: Adobe Stock Photos, licensed to author.
CHERRY BLOSSOM
Isaiah 55:12
"For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.�
What can be more appealing, than the sight of a cherry tree in full bloom? Cherry blossom seems to enhance every environment, of which it is a part. Even urban areas can play host to cherry trees, and concrete city can be made attractive for a while, when the blossoms appear.
Cherry blossom is often fleeting. Many varieties are in bloom for no more than 2 weeks of the year. But for those two weeks, they burst into an explosion of pink, followed by a ground covering of pink snow.
It is often forgotten how much energy a plant uses, in producing flowers and blossoms. Though cherry blossoms are small, there are a lot of them. The colors they reflect, and the aromas released, are attractive to the insects necessary for pollination. But what an awkward method of reproduction pollination sometimes seems to be. The male pollen cells need to travel from the anthers of the flowers on one cherry tree, to the stigma of another. To attract the right pollinator, the blossoms must be the right color, and the right size. But why would they have evolved this way, if the insects were not originally pollinating these flowers?
Whichever way you cut it, the burst of energy needed to produce the annual cherry blossoms is not explicable without presupposing the truth of God�s word. But God made everything in six days, so the inexplicable becomes logical. Like the stars of the heavens, bright flowers tell forth the glory of God.
Thank You, Lord, that cherry blossoms, like the lilies of the field, are beautiful. Yet, like the lilies of the field, they are temporary, and they fade away. You tell us that we are worth more than the lilies, and more than the beautiful cherry blossoms. Thank You for Your great love for us. Amen.
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