Daily Devotional – June 27

Paleontology

Recently (2012) in Lianonig, China, the fossil of a dinosaur (Sinocalliopteryx gigas) was uncovered that was so well-preserved that even its stomach contents were identifiable. Its last meal must have been a Thanksgiving feast because researchers found not one, but three partially digested birds in its stomach. The birds were intact enough to identify them as pigeon-sized birds (Confuciusornis sancutus) with fully-formed characteristics of modern birds. The fact that this dinosaur had not one, but three partially digested birds in its stomach, indicates it was an active hunter. The report noted that the birds found in the dinosaur’s stomach were “capable of powered flight” with fullyformed feathers and beaks rather than teeth. But wait, haven’t we all been told that dinosaurs slowly turned into birds? The evolutionary story that dinosaurs evolved into birds has never been observed in the fossil record. We find either fully functional birds--complete with wings and feathers—or fully functional dinosaurs without wings or feathers. Dinosaurs evolving into birds? Not in this fossil find; the dinosaur was eating the birds! From a biblical perspective, this dinosaur was simply caught in a worldwide Flood, rapidly buried, fossilized, and dug up some 4400 years later to reveal its last meal - birds.

And God created… every winged fowl after his kind :  and God saw that it was good.

~ Genesis 1:21 (emphasis added)

Source: "Pearls in Paradise" by authors Bruce Malone and Jule Von Vett

References for this devotional.

Daily Devotional – June 26

Paleontology

Scientists recently uncovered five remarkably well preserved octopus fossils. Octopuses are soft-bodied animals with no internal skeleton, yet each of the octopus’ eight arms was fossilized with traces of muscles and rows of suckers intact. Several even had their internal gills and ink fossilized! Today, when an octopus dies, its body rapidly decomposes into a slimy blob. Within days, scavengers and bacteria reduce a dead octopus to nothing. To fossilize an octopus would require extremely unique conditions - fast coverage in sediment so thick that no oxygen could exist to support the growth of microorganisms. These special conditions would have been met in the Flood of Noah’s day.

Furthermore, these five octopuses were enclosed in limestone. Limestone is always assumed by evolutionists to take long periods of time to form. But the Flood of Noah’s time would have provided the perfect conditions for rapid limestone formation. The very nature of many fossils testifies to the Flood ofNoah’s day.

And the Lord said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air;

~ Genesis 6:7a

Source: "Pearls in Paradise" by authors Bruce Malone and Jule Von Vett

References for this devotional.

Daily Devotional – June 21

Paleontology

The following commentary on the fossil record appeared in World Magazine:

Darwin, while not having the benefit of cellular technology that is available to scientists today, did recognize that the fossil record posed a problem. He wrote, “Why then is not every geological formation and every stratum full of such intermediate links? Geology assuredly does not reveal any such finely graduated organic chain, and this, perhaps, is the most obvious and gravest objection which can be raised against my theory.” 2 Unfortunately for Darwinists, the fossil record still does not support evolution, but it does fit [a biblical viewpoint].

Jonathan Wells, a biologist who holds Ph.D. degrees from both Yale University and the University of California, Berkeley, has written a book, Icons of Evolution, which demonstrates that much of what is taught about evolution is wrong or even fraudulent. Wells notes, “Although the abrupt appearance of animal fossils in the Cambrian [period] was known to Darwin, the full extent of the phenomenon wasn’t appreciated until the 1980s.” 3 He further notes, “The fossil evidence is so strong, and the event so dramatic, that it has become known as the ‘Cambrian explosion,’ or ‘biology’s big bang.’” 4 Thus, the fossil record does not support the theory that living things developed gradually over long periods of time, but instead appeared rather abruptly in their present form. Henry Gee, chief science writer for Nature, is quoted by Wells as saying, “To take a line of fossils and claim that they represent a lineage is not a scientific hypothesis that can be tested, but an assertion that carries the same validity as a bedtime story—amusing, perhaps even instructive, but not scientific.”

Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

~ Colossians 2:8

Source: "Pearls in Paradise" by authors Bruce Malone and Jule Von Vett

References for this devotional.

Daily Devotional – June 13

Paleontology

How long does it take a fossil to form? People are conditioned to think about millions of years and evolution whenever they hear the word “fossil.” But is this really a valid conclusion or just storytelling?

Near York, England is the Dripping Well of Yorkshire. This place is famous for turning soft cuddly teddy bears into stone. Since the 1600’s, this has been a tourist attraction where people have hung clothes, hats, shoes, and, yes, even teddy bears under a waterfall that has turned each into stone.

The waterfall’s water originates underground and has an extremely high mineral content. As the water splashes onto the hanging objects, the mineral calcite (calcium carbonate) is deposited along with small amounts of other minerals. Over the months, these deposits build up and coat the object with a crust of rock. Petrifaction time depends on the size and porosity of the object. Small teddy bears turn to stone in three to five months. Larger teddy bears take six to twelve months.

This is not the only place in the world where petrifaction has been observed. Australia has its own petrified waterwheel that has become totally encased in stone in only decades, while New Zealand has a petrified bowler hat on display. It does not take millions of years for petrifaction; it just takes the right conditions.

Thou coverest it with the deep as with a garment: the waters stood above the mountains. At thy rebuke they fled; at the voice of thy thunder they hasted away.

~ Psalm 104:6,7

Daily Devotional – May 30

Paleontology

In modern-day Cambodia stands the ancient temples of Angkor, which were built in the 12th century. These temple buildings are decorated with thousands of animal images carved into the stone. Hundreds of these decorations are circular reliefs with a central animal. Many of these carved animal images are familiar - such as deer, water buffalo, monkeys, parrots, swans, and lizards. In every image, the representation is of a real creature that the artist has seen. In one of those decorative stone circles is the carving of a stegosaurus.

A stegosaurus is a dinosaur that looks like a heavily armored tank with spikes on its tail and large plates along its spine. Evolutionists say that dinosaurs became extinct over 65 million years ago. If this really were the truth, no human being could ever have seen a stegosaurus. Yet, we have seen one carved on a temple dating about 900 years ago. If school children were shown a picture of this carving, they would instantly recognize it as a stegosaurus. On page 213 of his book Angkor, Cities and Temples, Claude Jacques describes this carving as “an animal which bears a striking resemblance to a stegosaurus.” What does this mean? The relief carver had to have seen a stegosaurus. This should not surprise us for we were both made on the same day of creation week, Day 6. Dinosaurs and man did live together, and ancient man recorded it in his artwork. Dinosaurs today seem to have finally gone extinct, just like the dodo bird and the passenger pigeon, but only 900 years ago, there is evidence to support the reality that at least a few were still around.

Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee….

~ Job 40:15

Source: "Pearls in Paradise" by authors Bruce Malone and Jule Von Vett

References for this devotional.

Daily Devotional – May 26

Paleontology

Textbooks, TV programs, and museums place distinct 12 geological rock strata in a vertical order and name this sequence, “the geological column.” In this geologic column, the rock layers or strata form a sequence from top to bottom. Yet, the complete geological column is not found at any location on earth, it is only found in diagrams!

Before the 1800s, the sequence of different rock layers (and fossils found within these rocks) were known, but the general order was acknowledged to exist as a result of these rock layers being formed during the year-long Flood of Noah’s time. First buried were the sea creatures and later, as the flood waters increased, land creatures were buried. The geologic column was the order of what was caught in the Flood. During the late1800s, evolution became popular, so the meaning of the geological column changed. It now was a tool for promoting the evolution of life - from bacteria to people, over millions of years. But what do we find in the fossil record of this geological column?

Near the very bottom of the geological column is the Cambrian layer. In the Cambrian layer, we find fossil remains of complex creatures from most of the major animal groups. In fact, we find representatives of every major animal phylum both alive today and those that are now extinct. This explosion of complex life is called the “Cambrian Explosion.” The Cambrian Explosion is actually explosive evidence against slow and gradual evolution! When we study the facts, we find God’s word is true. The Bible states in clear straightforward terms that God created all plants and animals on earth in six literal days. Over a thousand years later, the Flood of Noah took place, leaving behind the fossil evidence. The “Cambrian Explosion” testifies to the accuracy of Scripture.

For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

~ Exodus 20:11

Source: "Pearls in Paradise" by authors Bruce Malone and Jule Von Vett

References for this devotional.

Daily Devotional – May 12

Paleontology

Carbon -14 (14C) dating can only be done on the tissue of something that used to be alive. All plants and animals contain carbon, including some 14C. As they continue to live, carbon is added to their tissues. After they die, no more carbon is added; the unstable 14C begins to decay to nitrogen-14. To determine the age of a sample, scientists measure the amount of carbon-14 left. Scientists have found that 14C has a half-life of about 6,000 years (5,720). So after 6,000 years only ½ of the original carbon-14 would be left. After another 6,000 years ¼ would be left and so on.

Since the 14C keeps decaying, after about 18 divisions (representing a supposed 100,000 years), there is not enough left for a mass spectrometer machine to measure. After about 40 divisions (representing about 220,000 years), there should not be a single atom of 14C left. For years, Bible-believing scientists have been radiocarbon dating (14C) materials found at various levels in the geological rock layers. Evolution-believing scientists never bother to radiocarbon date artifacts found in rock layers because they have been conditioned to believe in evolution, and evolution requires these rocks to be millions of years old. Therefore, in their minds, it is impossible to find any 14C within any creature found in these “millions-of-year-old” rock layers.

Yet, fossils found within the rock layers still have LOTS of 14C. And the amount of 14C left in the samples always seems to fall within the same range - 5% to 12% of modern levels. This same 5-12% level is found regardless of where the sample came from in the rock layers. Thus the very earliest forms of life in the rock layers (assumed to be 500 million years old) have essentially the same amount of radiocarbon as fossils found in upper rock layers (assumed to be 5 million years old). This means ALL the rock layers were laid down during one event because all the life found in these rock layers is essentially the same age!

So what do evolutionists do with such evidence? Basically, they assume the 14C is just “background contamination.” What the evidence of measurable levels of 14C in fossils actually reveals is that these layers were laid down a short time ago and all at once. When we put on our Biblical glasses, these fossils were laid down about 4400 years ago in the Flood of Noah’s time. The C14 level is so low because before the flood less C14 was produced and spread through more biomatter.

And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands: They shall perish; but thou remainest; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment;

~ Hebrews 1:10-11

Source: "Pearls in Paradise" by authors Bruce Malone and Jule Von Vett

References for this devotional.

Daily Devotional – April 14

Paleontology

When living creatures look exactly like their fossil counterparts, they have been called “living fossils.” There are actually thousands of examples of fossils (many believed by evolutionists to be hundreds of millions of years old) that are identical to modern counterparts. For example:

• Bacteria fossils are found identical to bacteria today. This means that some bacteria stayed the same while other bacteria mutated and turned into human beings?
• Sponge fossils have been found identical to sponges today. So, some sponges stayed sponges while others turned into other complex sea life such as whales?
• Starfish fossils are identical to starfish today. So, some starfish stayed starfish while other starfish turned into sharks, tuna, and octopuses?

The list goes on and on. The only reason these fossils exist is because they were buried during Noah’s Flood. The similar creatures alive today are not “living fossils”; they are just the same kind of creatures that survived the Flood.

Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.

~ Psalm 145:16

Source: "Pearls in Paradise" by authors Bruce Malone and Jule Von Vett

References for this devotional.

Daily Devotional – March 31

Paleontology

Soft tissue found in dinosaur bones has been found in over a dozen documented examples. Laboratory studies indicate that soft tissue decays within about 1 YEAR, and it is known that even the most stable biological proteins would break down within 30,000 YEARS. So how do evolutionists explain soft tissue within fossilized bones - yet still hang on to their belief that these bones are over 65 million years old?

According to research results from evolutionist, Dr. Mary Schweitzer (the discoverer of the original soft tissue found in a T-rex fossil reported in a 2005 paper), iron from our blood can bond to tissue immediately after death and decrease the decay rate of biological tissue by orders of magnitude. Dr. Schweitzer used TOTALLY unrealistic conditions in her experiments.

Dr. Mark Armitage is a creationist who was fired from the University of California in 2013 after publishing the implications of his discovery of soft tissue in a Triceratops horn (found in the Hell Creek formation in Montana). He makes the following observations about Dr. Schweitzer’s latest paper, “There is no way the iron could have preserved the tissues (blood vessels) which Schweitzer is talking about because blood clots within 20 minutes [locking up any available iron]…iron could not have preserved the soft BONE sheets I found because they are in impermeable bone and they never come in contact with the blood. PLUS Schweitzer used an ANTICOAGULANT in her experiment and separated all the other blood products in order to isolate and highly concentrate the iron. She also kept it sterile (i.e., no fungi, microbes, plants, water, ice) which is way different from [any natural conditions]...”

In other words, evolutionists start with the assumption that the huge time periods are true and then manipulate experiments to get the results they desire - even though such conditions or experiments in no way reflects reality. They then present the findings as proof that the huge time periods are true. This type of research is poor science. We need to do good science and go wherever the facts lead us. Soft tissue in dinosaurs is puzzling for evolutionists but not for Christians. Finding many examples of soft dinosaur tissue means they died in the recent past.

Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee;….

~ Job 40:15

“April hath put a spirit of youth in everything.”

~ William Shakespeare (1564-1616), poet, playwright, actor

“the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come…”

~ Song of Solomon 2:11, 12

Source: "Pearls in Paradise" by authors Bruce Malone and Jule Von Vett

References for this devotional.

Daily Devotional – March 16

Paleontology

In Peru, there is a 370 acre deposit containing at least 346 wonderfully preserved fossil whales. A whale graveyard! These bones are buried in a sedimentary rock called diatomite. Diatomite is made from theremains of diatoms - or single-celled algae. Today when diatoms die, their microscopic glass-like skeletons accumulate on the ocean bottom. It takes about 400 million skeletons to make one gram of diatomite. An inch of diatom skeletons on the ocean bottom would currently take about 1,000 years to accumulate. These whales are buried in 260 feet of fossilized diatoms.

That means--if the evolutionary timeframe of the earth is correct--it would have taken millions of years for these whales to be covered. If it took millions of years to cover these bones, there is no possibility that they would exist! Scavengers and bacteria would have decayed these whale bones long before they could have been covered, yet we find them well-preserved and intact - with no evidence of decay. Along with these 346 whale fossils, fossils of porpoises, turtles, seals, ground sloths, and penguins are also found. For these dead creatures to avoid decay, they had to have been buried rapidly, deeply, and catastrophically. The biblical model of a recent catastrophic Flood of Noah’s day would fit such evidence far better than the millions of years of slow sediment accumulation. This whale graveyard shouts that the Flood of Noah’s day was a real event!

And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth.

~ Genesis 6:13

Source: "Pearls in Paradise" by authors Bruce Malone and Jule Von Vett

References for this devotional.