In the early 1900s, Charles Darwin’s (1809-1882) theory of evolution was very popular. He had written Origin of Species and The Descent of Man. Adolf Hitler embraced the teachings and ideas of Darwin and evolution. In the 1900’s people began looking for fossils that could be missing links between apes and human beings.
In 1912, three men claimed they found one of these missing links near Piltdown, England. The skull looked like an ape’s skull, but it also had human features. The fossil soon became famous around the world.
But the skull was a fake. This find was a hoax!! A German scientist closely examined the skull and the finds near it—an orangutan jaw, an elephant molar, a hippopotamus tooth, and a canine tooth from a chimpanzee. It took 40 more years after people were made to believe it was true to know the truth. There were even 500 scientific essays written supporting this find.
Every April 1 (April Fools’ Day), I remind myself that things may not be as they are portrayed.
Darwin was committed to naturalism, the belief that all that exists is the natural world. To him there is no spiritual world, no Creator God.
As Brannon Howse states in his book, Grave Influence, 2009 (p.218):
“If there is no God or Creator, then everything happens by chance or mistake.”
“If there is no God, then man was not created in His image.”
“If there is no God, then there is no right or wrong.”
“If there is no God, there is only the natural world.”
“If there is no God, then man does not have an eternal soul and there is no life after death.”
“If there is no God, life has no meaning.”
“If there is no God, man does not have a free will, for he is the product of his environment.”
When I think of Darwin, I think of Psalm 14:1. “The fool has said in his heart, there is no God.”
The Bible is clear—the “fool” is a person not necessarily lacking in “mental power”, or has intellectual deficiencies. It is rather a person who is morally deficient. The person chooses to ignore the God who created the world and everything and everyone in it. That person is spiritually blind.
Proverbs 14:9 states, “Fools don't care if they sin, but honest people work at being right.”
Don’t be fooled today! One of the ways to not be tricked is to do this—trust Christ. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” This can be the prayer that you pray today.
God bless,
Woody
Extra credit: Look up Jeremiah 17:1
I heard a sermon a few weeks back by my son-in-law, Scott Luck. He used a reference from Joshua chapter 3. The Jewish people had been led out of Egypt—where they had been slaves for 400 years. Over a million Jewish men, women and children waited at the Jordan River to cross over to the “Promised Land” that God said would be theirs. Their future hope and home was across the River which was at flood stage since it was harvest time.
Joshua had told the people to follow the priests into the River when the priest carried the “Ark of the Covenant” before them.
No doubt all the Jewish men, women and children were wondering if they would die in the Jordon River or would God make a way through it.
Joshua chapter 3 tells us that God was “working upstream” at a place called Adam where the Jordan River had started to back up. By the time the Jewish people crossed the Jordon, they were able to walk over on dry ground. Amazing!
God knew the need of His people before they did. Crossing a swollen Jordon River at flood stage is impossible for man. But God, in His Providence was “working upstream” to stop the Jordon River. In everyday language God is always “working upstream” for His people.
I have been at the Jordon River during harvest season, and it really does flood. But God was working ahead of His people to do what He had promised.
Do you believe God is “working upstream” in your life today? I sure do!
Not long ago I visited one of my doctors to deal with a minor physical problem. I had not planned on seeing that doctor or his staff for another month. But one of the workers had lost a friend in a car accident and was grieving. She said she needed to know how to talk to the children of the deceased man. I knew then that God had been working upstream because I have talked many, many times to children about the loss of grandparents and parents. In fact, I’ve done workshops on the topic. That day was a reminder that God had worked in my life for years (working upstream) to help the people in that office.
What problem are you facing now? God is working even if you can’t see evidence of it today. (The Jewish people couldn’t see 15-20 miles upstream either).
The sure confidence of Romans 8:28-29 came to mind. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” Did you see that God works all events in the lives of His people for their good?
Providence means “to see before”. God sees before us and behind us. He knows all things—and He works it all together for our good and His glory. (Read, at your leisure: Ps 104; Hebrews 1:3; Col 1:17; Acts 17:28; Neh 9:6.)
So where is God working “upstream” in your life?
God Bless,
Woody
P.S. Did you know that Roger Williams in 1636, who was a religious exile, named a city in Rhode Island “Providence”? He was struck by “God’s merciful Providence” which he believed God had allowed the early settlers to find and enjoy.
Do you know the name of Wilbert Awdry? He was a pastor and served in Wiltshire England. As a little boy he tagged along on pastoral visits with his father who also was a pastor. Wilbert loved riding the train and engaged railroad workers in conversation everywhere he went.
Wilbert was not a great academic student and barely graduated from college. Wilbert was not very successful as a pastor. In fact, he was fired by his church and at that time considered leaving the ministry. He loved God and he loved people.
Something happened to Wilbert when his son Christopher was a child suffering with measles. Because his son was confined to his bed, the pastor amused his son with a story he made up about a little train engine that was sad because he hadn’t been out of his train shed for a long time.
Christopher begged his father to tell him the story over and over again. Wilbert finally wrote the story down and illustrated it with some crude line drawings of trains with faces on them.
Wilbert’s wife, Margaret, saw more in the children’s story than family entertainment. She urged her husband to take the little book to a publisher. Wilbert was shocked that they liked the book and wanted to publish it. The little book called, The Three Railway Engines, was first published in 1945.
Twenty six books about train engines followed—all with different names. Do remember Thomas or Gordon? Edward? Terrence or Bertie? All these stories were about little train engines with different personalities who interacted in very simple, but very human dramas. Every story had a moral lesson. These train engines, like people, had good and bad times. They learned to laugh, love, give and receive. Wilbert always wrote about redemption—taking selfish or sinful actions and getting God’s help to redeem the people.
Wilbert Awdry said of his little train stories, “The important thing is that the engines are punished and forgiven—but never scrapped”.
Even though he was not a successful pastor, Wilbert Awdry took the gospel message of grace and redemption to all the world. Ask any child if they’ve heard of Thomas the Train or Thomas the Tank Engine and you’ll see how successful the pastor really was.
When Wilbert Awdry was asked what he wanted engraved on his tombstone, he said, “He helped people see God in the ordinary things of life…and he made children laugh.” What a legacy! He died in March 1997.
May I ask a probing question of you? What will be your legacy? How will you be remembered? Will you leave a lot of money to your children and friends? Will they remember you as kind and grateful? Will they consider themselves rich (not in money) for being friends with you? We all will leave a legacy. I’ve been thinking about this. I hope you will also.
A final word from St. Paul in Colossians 3:15-17, “Let the peace of Christ keep you in tune with each other, in step with each other. None of this going off and doing your own thing. And cultivate thankfulness. Let the Word of Christ—the Message—have the run of the house. Give it plenty of room in your lives. Instruct and direct one another using good common sense. And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Let every detail in your lives—words, actions, whatever—be done in the name of the Master, Jesus, thanking God the Father every step of the way.”
God Bless,
Woody
