Author: petebeck3

Pete Beck III ministered as a pastor and Bible teacher in Burlington for over 35 years. He is married to Martha, with whom he has four children, ten beautiful grandchildren, and five amazing great grandchildren. He ministers in his local church as a Bible teacher and counselor. He has written several books, including two that are available on Amazon - Seeing God's Smile and Promise of the Father - as well as a wide variety of Bible-related articles.

What Is the Point?

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Paul continued his testimony to the Jews in Jerusalem who were seeking to kill him by making the point of what his encounter with Christ years earlier meant to him. When Jesus addressed Paul after knocking him from his horse on the road to Damascus, the future apostle asked a revealing question.

“I asked, ‘What should I do, Lord?’ “And the Lord told me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told everything you are to do.’ Acts 22:10 (NLT)

It is all well and good to have a religious experience like Paul’s. Plenty of celebrities bandy about the name of God in their award acceptance speeches, but a bigger question is, “What difference has our relationship with God made in our lives?” Sadly, many who profess to be Christians live as though they are not. If our professions of faith have made little or no difference in how we live day to day, we have to ask ourselves, “What’s the point?”

If the gospel never properly impacted my life, perhaps it is because it was never properly presented to me.

We live in a consumer-oriented world in which we receive appeals from various people and companies to purchase or use their products, based on what it will do for us. If I first heard the “gospel” as a sales pitch instead of a call to surrender to the Lord of lords, perhaps I see Jesus more as a benevolent genie or fairy godmother than as the Lord of my life.

That was not the case with Paul. His encounter with the risen Christ on the road to Damascus profoundly altered the course of his life. From the very beginning, Paul understood that this person who so overpowered him was the “Lord,” who has the right to command our lives from this moment forward. He understood that following Christ potentially could cost him everything, but that it would be worth it to serve the him.

The point of the gospel and a good testimony is that we now recognize that Jesus is the Lord .

In fact, the essence of the gospel is in these three words – Jesus is Lord.

When we share our testimonies, we should include how we, as did Paul, came to this realization. Knowing that Jesus is Lord is vastly different from knowing him as savior. Being forgiven makes no demands upon us, but when we surrender to Jesus the Lord, are lives are no longer our own. Perhaps this is a good time for each of us to consider if this is actually our story. If not, now is the time to make Jesus our Lord, too.

Prayer

Jesus, I never completely realized that your being the Lord means that my life belongs to you. I surrender to you every aspect of my life from this day forward. Help me to faithfully love and serve you. Amen.

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Where Is God?

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Most of us have been taught to think of heaven as a spiritual “place” that cannot be physically located. This is a necessary belief in a Big Bang, ever-expanding universe that has no absolute up or down and in which we are less than a speck in comparison to the whole. It might surprise you that the Bible specifically locates heaven where God dwells. 

(Now, before you object too strenuously that God is a Spirit whom heaven cannot contain, understand that this is a “both/and” situation, not an “either/or” scenario. He is a spirit, but he also dwells in heaven in bodily form as the Lord Jesus. This is a mystery that boggles the imagination but is true.)

Why should the nations say, “Where, now, is their God?” 3 But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases. Psalm 115:2–3 (NASB95)

Now all we have to do is locate heaven, which the Bible does for us. It tells us that heaven is “above” the earth.

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His 
lovingkindness toward those who fear Him. Psalm 103:11 (NASB95)

For those who accept the biblical cosmology of Genesis Chapter One, this is easy. We understand that above is “up.” For those who spiritualize the Bible account and accept the globe and heliocentric model, “above” is a relative term that can locate nothing, since “above” to someone on one side of the “globe” is the opposite of what “up” is on the other side. (As a side note, whenever absolutes become relativized, it is an indication of the work of the great deceiver.)

The Bible tells us that after his resurrection Christ “ascended” (went “up”) into heaven.

He who descended is Himself also He who ascended far above all the heavens, so that He might fill all things.) Ephesians 4:10 (NASB95)

Now we know that when Christ rose from the dead, he did so bodily. This is a key doctrine of Christianity. His disciples were able to touch his risen body. He ate and drank with them. Therefore, the risen Christ’s body must be located in a physical place called heaven, which the Bible tells us is above.

hebrew earthThis corresponds to the creation account of Genesis, which informs us that God created a giant dome to cover the earth called the firmament. (To read more about the firmament, click here.) Although we do not know a great deal about this structure, the Bible tells us a few things.

  • It separates waters above from waters below.
  • It is crystalline in nature and looks like glass or sapphire.
  • It is as strong as molten metal.
  • It has multiple layers.

The Bible tells us that God’s throne is atop the firmament.

It is He who sits above the circle [not "sphere"] of the earth, And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers, Who stretches out the heavens like a curtain And spreads them out like a tent to dwell in. Isaiah 40:22 (NASB95)

We are given “snapshots” of this place called heaven in Exodus, Ezekiel, and Revelation.

Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, 10 and they saw the God of Israel; and under His feet there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself. 11 Yet He did not stretch out His hand against the nobles of the sons of Israel; and they saw God, and they ate and drank. Exodus 24:9–11 (NASB95)

And above the firmament over their heads was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like a sapphire stone; on the likeness of the throne was a likeness with the appearance of a man high above it. 27 Also from the appearance of His waist and upward I saw, as it were, the color of amber with the appearance of fire all around within it; and from the appearance of His waist and downward I saw, as it were, the appearance of fire with brightness all around. 28 Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. So when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of One speaking. Ezekiel 1:26–28 (NKJV)

Out from the throne come flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God; 6 and before the throne there was something like a sea of glass, like crystal; and in the center and around the throne, four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind. Revelation 4:5–6 (NASB95)

Moses and the elders of Israel, in their physical bodies, were in this physical place eating in God’s presence. Its description matches what Ezekiel and John saw. Paul visited what he called the “third heaven,” not knowing whether he was in the body or out of his body. (2 Corinthians 12:2) This implies that it is possible to be there “in the body,” which agrees with Jesus’ being seated there in his resurrection body.

Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Colossians 3:1 (NASB95)

Putting all this together, we see that the scriptures do not allow us to merely spiritualize heaven without locating it. It is a real place where the Son of God now sits on his throne, which is above the earth, atop the firmament. One day, God will open the heavens to reveal Christ in all his glory for all to see at once. (Revelation 6:14)

Yes, the Bible is literally true and heaven is an actual place. All we have to do is look up.

Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. 28 Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” Luke 21:27–28 (NKJV)
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The Sky Is the Limit

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Are there any limitations placed on mankind? Some think not. Others believe we live in an enclosed system designed by God. The Bible says that God created something called the firmament on Day 2 in Genesis Chapter One. This is a massive solid dome of unknown height, width, and composition. In it the Creator placed the sun, moon, and stars. He put waters above and below it. On top of this crystalline-like dome, God’s throne is located.

The firmament serves as a barrier between God’s realm and ours.

O LORD, our Lord, How excellent is Your name in all the earth, Who have set Your glory above the heavens! Psalm 8:1 (NKJV)

Nimrod, according to tradition, was behind the first failed attempt to penetrate this barrier. The tower of Babel was an attempt to “make domea name” for himself, rather than glorifying God. Tradition says that Nimrod wanted to shoot God with an arrow. Although this is not in the Bible, I think it fits with the depraved heart of man. God cut off this plan by confusing the language of the builders and scattering them over the face of the earth. In case you did not realize it, mankind has not given up on this quest. Every rocket launch is another attempt to breach the firmament.

God placed the earth under man’s authority and dominion, but he reserved heaven for himself.

The heavens are the heavens of the LORD, But the earth He has given to the sons of men. Psalm 115:16 (NASB95)

Heaven is a real place that is reserved for God, the holy angels, and those purchased by the blood of our Lord Jesus. No one from NASA, ESA, or Space X will ever go there with a rocket. Outer space is a hoax. According to the Bible, the sky is the limit.

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Sharing How God Showed Up

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Paul continued his testimony by sharing the supernatural part of his story about how God showed up unexpectedly.

As I was on the road, approaching Damascus about noon, a very bright light from heaven suddenly shone down around me. 7  I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’ 8  “‘Who are you, lord?’ I asked. “And the voice replied, ‘I am Jesus the Nazarene, the one you are persecuting.’ Acts 22:6-8 (NLT)

Our testimony is about how God intersected our lives.

Unless God intervenes, all of us are headed for hell. We don’t need any help to pull that off. That was certainly the case with Paul. He was “hell bent” on persecuting Christians in an attempt to stamp out what had become known as “the Way.” As the chief enemy of the faith, he was perhaps the most unlikely of all people to have an encounter with the risen Christ, which is exactly the point. Later he wrote the following.

This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all. 16  But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life. 1 Timothy 1:15-16 (NLT)

A good testimony invites people to consider that God is real, cares about us, and can communicate effectively.

Most people are unaware that this sort of thing can happen, and, even if they know it can, they do not believe it will happen to them personally.

If we convince our hearers that they are candidates for divine intervention, just as we were, perhaps they will seek God for themselves.

God does not turn away any sincere seeker. If our listeners will honestly turn to God and ask him for help, the Lord will not turn his back on them.

However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. John 6:37 (NLT)
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The Primary Importance of Genesis Chapter One

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Genesis Chapter One describes how God created the cosmos – the seas, earth, firmament, sun, moon, and stars, as well as living creatures. As such, it is of primary importance.

The battle of the ages is being fought over Genesis because, if it can be shown that it is not literally and actually true, then there is no reason to assume that anything else in the Bible is true.

This is why Satan has worked so hard to convince us that the story proposed by those who espouse evolutionary astrophysics is real. If we accept the Big Bang theory and the heliocentric model as reality, we must conclude that the Bible is an archaic fairy tale.

I have conversed with numerous Bible-believing Christians who insist that it is not necessary or even correct to accept that Genesis is literally true. They believe that Jesus rose from the dead. They believe that the gospel message is true and tell me that insisting on a literal interpretation of Genesis is an unnecessary obstacle to people’s accepting the gospel’s claims.

Without fully realizing it, those who reject the literal truth of Genesis have set foot upon the slippery slope of deciding which parts of the Bible are true and which merely contain truth, which is exactly the position of the more liberal denominations which have departed from the faith.

By the way, how can something untrue contain truth? That is the equivalent of saying that God can use a lie to lead us into truth.

Why do any of us who believe the Bible think that it is necessary to reject a literal interpretation of Genesis Chapter One? Is it not because we regard the claims of what is called science to be of greater value than God’s Word?

If we accept the proclamations of theoretical science above God’s Word, we have become idolators who worship at the altar of “Scientism,” which has its own high priests and prophets who tell us what we must believe.

I admit that people come to faith in Christ and his resurrection without believing that Genesis is literally true. I did. But this does not mean that believing Genesis is true is not important. Jesus said the the scripture cannot be “broken,” (John 10:35) meaning that every word of God is true. He said in another place that we are to live by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Matthew 4:4). People who already believe in Jesus will continue to do so regardless of whether they accept a literal interpretation of Genesis. To them, it is whether Genesis is literally true is non-essential. However, those who are in the process of exploring the claims of the Bible and who read Genesis are faced with a huge obstacle to faith. Everything they have been taught from infancy rejects the creation account of Genesis. They must decide what to do with the Bible. Many decide that Genesis is not true and therefore reject all the Bible’s claims.

The goal of evolutionary astrophysics, geology, paleontology, and biology is to convince us that our universe and all life sprang from nothingness by random chance without any input from a Creator.

We have to admit that Satan’s plan has wonderfully succeeded. He has successfully eliminated the Bible from public education and the halls of what is called science. Any reference to a Creator is rejected as being unscientific. Science must be able to explain everything without any reference to God, using only mechanistic processes. The Bible takes the exact opposite position: in the beginning – God.

Therefore, the best way to combat the lie of evolutionary “science” is by reestablishing faith in the literal truth of Genesis.

Is this too great a leap for those who say they believe in the virgin birth and resurrection of Jesus? Have we allowed the world to slice off our faith in Jesus and place it in a little box called “religious truth,” which has no bearing or impact on the “real” world?

It is impossible to accept that the Genesis account is true and arrive at a heliocentric “solar system” in an ever-expanding universe.

Until we are willing to repent for our unbelief in the literal truth of the Genesis account, we are shooting ourselves in the foot. Any thinking person who examines the gospel’s claims and sees that we do not think Genesis is true would do well to question why we believe anything in the Bible. Cannot we see that?

But when we come face to face with the truth about the heavens and earth that God made, we can only arrive at one conclusion. There must be a Creator because no matter how truth is twisted, evolutionary processes cannot explain the existence of the solid dome-like firmament.

It is not a far jump to show those who acknowledge the Creator that the one who made everything is named Jesus, the Eternal Logos, who became a man and died for our sins and then arose as Lord of Lords, who will come again in glory when God dissolves the firmament. (2 Peter 3:12)

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shined in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. John 1:1–5 (NKJV)

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Resources for Researching Biblical Cosmology

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Pete 2026It is not easy to find confirming resources and information regarding biblical cosmology because big tech censors have developed algorithms that feature almost all negative information to lead people away from this amazing truth. This page contains information I have assembled while doing my own research. I hope it is helpful to you.

Everyone is on a life journey that hopefully will lead us to Christ, but not everyone who holds to the biblical version of the shape of the earth is a follower of Christ or a Bible believer. Some apparent proponents may be putting out information just for the money or to achieve notoriety. Other advocates of biblical cosmology may be truth seekers who have yet to find the One who is the Truth, Jesus. In addition, some who hold to the “flat earth” also have some very strange non- or anti-biblical theories. I have found that Satan always injects weirdness into anything God is revealing to try to bring confusion and demoralize truth seekers. As a result, we may need to glean truth from people with strange beliefs. We have to learn to “eat the chicken and spit out the bones.”

Those of us who already know the Lord have a guide, the Holy Spirit, and a map, the Bible. When we discover something new that is confirmed in the Bible, we can be sure it is the truth. Blessings to you on your journey.

Below I have broken down my information into categories, each with a separate page.

Pete Beck III

 

A Place to Start…

A Short Introductory Video

Other good articles

Recommended Video Series

Documentaries

Stand Alone Videos

Recommended Rumble Channels

Recommended YouTube Channels

Recommended Books

 
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Sealed

flat earth

Contrary to the popular straw man argument against flat earth, it is impossible to sail off the edge. This is because God designed the earth with a rim to contain the water.

When He assigned to the sea its limit, So that the waters would not transgress His command, When He marked out the foundations of the earth, Proverbs 8:29 (NKJV)

These water-containing edges, which are also called the “ends” of the earth, consist of an ice wall that surrounds the circle of the earth. The continent of Antarctica does not exist, which is why it is so closely guarded today. The powers that be do not want us to find out that we live in an enclosed world created by God.

God told Job that the earth was formed like clay under a seal. We do not use these devices any longer, but the picture below shows how edges are formed when the seal is pressed into the soft medium. This is how the seas are contained on the “flat” earth.

clay seal 2

God created it. He should know.

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The Importance of Sharing Our “Back Story”

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Paul continued his testimony by telling his Jewish listeners the back story of how he previously opposed the gospel, just as they were doing at that time. This let them know that he understood their motives.

And I persecuted the followers of the Way, hounding some to death, arresting both men and women and throwing them in prison. 5  The high priest and the whole council of elders can testify that this is so. For I received letters from them to our Jewish brothers in Damascus, authorizing me to bring the Christians from there to Jerusalem, in chains, to be punished. Acts 22:4-5 (NLT)

If people are meeting us for the first time, they have no context for understanding how Christ has impacted our lives. It can be helpful for us to relate what we were like before we became followers of Christ. This is especially important if we are speaking to someone with whom we share a common background. Our listeners can profit from knowing that we were not always as we are today.

Sharing our “back story” is another way for us to establish common ground with our listeners and sets the stage for relating how Christ intersected and transformed our lives.

People may argue with our doctrine and conclusions, but they cannot deny our personal story. This sets us up to share the gospel as the “how” and “why” for this transformation.

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Establish Common Ground

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One of the most important things we can do when we share our testimony is show our listeners what we have in common with them. Paul was in Jerusalem when hostile Jews attacked and falsely accused him. In order to quell a riot, Roman soldiers took him into custody. On his way to the military outpost, the commander granted Paul permission to speak to the crowd.

Paul provides us with a model for sharing our personal testimonies.

Then Paul said, “I am a Jew, born in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, and I was brought up and educated here in Jerusalem under Gamaliel. As his student, I was carefully trained in our Jewish laws and customs. I became very zealous to honor God in everything I did, just like all of you today. Acts 22:3 (NLT)

The first thing Paul did was identify with his persecutors, who thought that he had turned his back on his God and nation. Most people do not understand what motivates Christians to follow Jesus. Hopefully they noticed something different about us after we professed faith in Christ, but sometimes being different is viewed suspiciously.

If I find myself conversing with someone who admits to being a Roman Catholic, I will usually mention that I, too, was once a Catholic. This communicates that I understand them and what they believe, while simultaneously arousing curiosity as to why I no longer identify as one.

If we want to increase our chance of being heard, we might try showing our listeners that we understand them.

Since Paul was addressing Jews, he first established that he was one, too, and understood their issues. Not only was Paul Jewish, he also had been a man of stature in the community, having studied under the finest teachers. In other words,

Paul told his audience that he was one of them.

Secondly, Paul complimented them on their zeal, however misplaced. As mentioned in a previous article, if we can find common ground with our listeners, it helps a lot. It is rarely a good idea to launch an attack on those whom we are trying to lead to Christ. Even though his antagonists hated him, Paul found something for which to praise them: their zeal for Jewish beliefs.

We can also look for something we can acknowledge as being good in our listeners in an effort to establish solidarity prior to sharing the gospel.

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Confronting the Science Idol

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Have you ever wondered why its okay to believe in the resurrection, but not in the biblical earth and heavens? Both contradict the tenets of science.

resurrection

hebrew earthNon-believers usually will not challenge us Christians when we proclaim that Jesus died for our sins and rose from the dead, because it relegates such professions to the category of “religion,” where Jesus is just one god among many, and our declaration of faith is viewed as a faith in a myth that does not impact any part of the “real world.” Believing that the Bible’s version of the earth and heavens is true, however, challenges a great number of scientific myths that propagandists have convinced people to swallow “hook, line, and sinker.”

The world does not understand that when Jesus rose from the dead, God declared him to be Lord over everything.

Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:9–11 (NLT)

This means that he rules over every aspect of life: religion, family life, sexuality, business, education, entertainment, science, and government. The early Christians were persecuted and martyred for professing Jesus’ lordship over the Roman empire, which included Caesar. This made the Romans and Caesar, in particular, angry. They wanted everyone to profess allegiance to their gods and to their leader over every other god. Christians could not do that. They had one God and one Lord, for whom they were willing to suffer and die.

Whenever we confront society’s idols, we will make people angry.

Jesus is called both the “Word of God” (John 1:14) and the “Truth” (John 14:6). Our Lord taught us that the Word of God is true (John 17:17) and cannot be “broken” (John 10:35) or changed. Since Jesus is lord over everything and the Bible is always true, this makes the Bible our gold standard for truth in all matters which it addresses, not just religion and morals.

If we deny or resist what the Bible teaches on a certain matter, we are in rebellion against God in that particular area and have elevated something above God, making it an idol.

The areas in which the Bible’s authority is being assaulted with the greatest ferocity are the places where Jesus’ lordship is being contested the most and where Satan is working hardest. Presently, the world most seems to hate with great passion what God’s Word says in the areas of abortion, sexuality, and gender. When we rebel against God’s truth in these areas, it is the equivalent of telling God that we don’t like how he made us or how he says we are to live. People do this without realizing that everything God does and says is meant for our good. Our fundamental rebellion is against God’s having any right to tell us what to do, isn’t it? Our greatest sin is that we want to live without any regard to or relationship with the one who created and sustains us.

Sadly, I have observed that many who profess faith in Christ and generally seek to submit to his lordship, have a rather significant area of idolatry  – science. 

Many of us Christians unwittingly have allowed the world to dictate what we are allowed to believe is true “scientifically,” instead of adhering steadfastly to the scriptures. We have been intimidated by those who claim to be smarter than God into thinking that the authors of the Bible were ignorant and rather simple-minded. Satan convinced Eve that to believe what God said was naive and not in her best interests, fueling a desire to go astray from God’s command. Too many of us have been convinced that it is quite stupid or ignorant to believe that the scriptures are literally true when it comes to creation and the nature of the heavens and earth.

Like Eve in the garden, we have been told that if we want to be wise, and we do, we need to believe the scientists rather than what God has told us in the Bible.

The heretics of the Enlightenment, whom the world idolizes, threw off the constraints of the Bible and established what is now considered to be the “gold standard” of cosmological truth, which includes the Big Bang theory and the heliocentric model. This theory of the cosmos has been inculcated into every child for many, many years now, grooving the minds of millions to think in only one direction. We have been so convinced that this way of viewing the cosmos is correct that we manage to overlook or twist what the Bible says to make it fit what we have been taught is “gospel” truth.

However, it is impossible to believe in heliocentrism or the Big Bang while at the same time believing that Genesis Chapter One is true. A decision must be made whether we will believe God or man.

The world (Satan) has convinced many Christians that Genesis and the rest of the Bible are useless for science and understanding the true nature of the heavens and earth. This means that either God is a liar or the Bible is not really his inerrant Word, which is exactly where Satan wants to guide us. This is why so many modern day astrophysicists are atheists. They have believed a false version of the cosmos, which testifies that there is no God. The true version, however, reveals God’s existence. (Psalm 19:1) That is why so many previously atheistic “flat earthers” have come to believe in the Creator God. (Click here to listen to testimonies.)

The earth and heavens as described in Genesis could not exist without a Creator.

Perhaps we Christians who still believe in heliocentrism do so because we have not been challenged to repent of our worship of science. If this article made you angry, perhaps your idol is being confronted. I encourage you to return to faith in God’s Word above every false contender for your allegiance.

Prayer

Lord, I pray that you will open our eyes to any area where we have bowed the knee to man instead of believing your Word. Help us to tear down the altar to science that we may have erected in our hearts that boasts against your Word and calls you a liar. We repent and ask forgiveness. Help us to exalt you and your word, even if it means enduring the scorn of those who choose to regard men’s opinions higher than God’s truth. Help us not to serve anyone or anything except you, Jesus, the one who created the cosmos and certainly knows how it works. Amen.

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