“WELL HERE WE GO AGAIN, OUR NATIONAL AERONAUTICAL SPACE AGENCY (NASA) IS AT IT AGAIN. ON MARCH 2, 2004 THEY GLEEFULLY ANNOUNCED THE TWIN ROVERS THAT LANDED ON MARS, HAVE DISCOVERED WATER THERE, HENCE MARS WAS ONCE WAS TEEMING WITH LIFE”

 I’m Dennis Finnan, host and speaker on the World, the Word & You! Broadcast and in a moment we’ll talk about extraterrestrial life, NASA’S holy grail…

…A startling announcement was made by scientists and space agency officials at NASA, the beginning March 2004. They said that one of their twin Martian robotic rovers had discovered “strong evidence that liquid water drenched and possibly even formed an ancient rock formation on Mars.” The discovery, credited to the rover “ Opportunity ,” increased the prospects that the now cold, dry planet once hosted a warmer and wetter climate that was favorable to the formation of life. Such conditions, of course, are no longer evident on contemporary Mars, but some scientists believe that the large volumes of water once flowed across the planet billions of years ago, but retreated underground, where it mixed with the soil and froze or pooled in vast undiscovered reservoirs. NASA officials further said that, "this area would have been a good habitable environment."

Indeed, this groundbreaking news has caused NASA scientists to salivate over the idea that life exists outside of this planet called earth, and has caused a great stir in the quest for the “holy grail” of NASA; that is, to find extraterrestrial life past or present in our universe. However, today I want to examine this from a non-biased perspective, for NASA is but a hotbed gathering of rabid evolutionists, bent on nothing less that proving their theory of the origins of life. But first, we’ll pause one more time for another musical moment then I’ll return with today’s talk entitled: NASA & THE HOLY GRAIL…

…The recent findings in the spring of 2004 reported by NASA scientists have startled the world. Their Mar’s project of landing twin rovers on the planet appears to have been successful in that soil samples have been taken and examined to show that water once abundantly flowed on the surface of Mars. If so, this proves, they say, that Mars was once teeming with life! However, this quantum leap of evolutionary dribble proves nothing of the sort. The fanciful minds of evolutionists bent on proving their premise that life evolved on earth rather than being created by an intelligent designer called God, is a must for their religious faith to exist. For decades now evolutionists who have failed miserly to prove their theories of origins have retreated into the NASA organization where they use taxpayer’s money to do one thing – prove evolution is true. That’s the purpose and plan of NASA and its recent quest to explore the planet Mars. This recent finding of water existing on Mars for them proves evolution true.

Yet, is this proof that water’s been found? Well, if you read the news reports and listen to the media rhetoric, one would feel it’s an established fact. However, even other non-Christian scientists have their doubts. For instance, planetary geologist, Ken Tanaka, at the United State Geological Survey warns, “it isn’t productive to always grab at the first available earthly explanation to explain extraterrestrial geology.” Tanaka was referring to the leap of logic NASA has taken to propose water existed on Mars. Why? Because Mars is so cold that whatever water may be there should be deeply frozen, many miles below the surface. Secondly, the atmospheric pressure is so low that there is a minute difference between water’s melting and boiling point, which indicates if ice were to melt, it would become water vapor instantly!

The idea of NASA’s evolutionists is the craters and outflow channels that exist on Mars are the result of massive water flows millions or billions of years in the past. But the truth is other scientists say “water is not the liquid of choice.” A different possibility exists that these geological features were caused by liquid carbon dioxide or a substance called “clathrate.”

The point is, NASA is again jumping to conclusions as it did at the end of the 20^th century with the Martian rock findings in Antarctica , which proved to be nonsense. The real findings today are that evolutionists are at their wits end, for what is really evaporating, is not water on Mars, but supposed proofs of evolution. Less and less are any relevant arguments that life evolved in the universe! But the most important question is, has extraterrestrial life existed in the past on Mars? Now from a biblical creationist point of view. Followers believe that the biblical record tells us the truth of our origins and all life that exists in the universe. We read in the Bible,

The History of Creation

Gen 1:1-3 (NIV)  In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. 3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.  Exo 20:11 (NIV)  For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

Regardless of whether you believe this or not, it is what is written in a book that is completely reliable yet unexplainable in human terms. The Bible is a book that reveals the origins of man and more, reports on scientific truths virtually unknown to Moses and others who penned the God’s divine revelation. Indeed, God created all life some time in the indeterminate past. Now it’s good to know that most recent geological findings lean more heavily to a creation no longer than 10,000 years ago. This of course, totally rules out evolution that needs millions or billions of years. Yet the NASA finding on Mars, which is totally speculative, proves nothing at all! What’s worse what they have proposed is “if there is water present there some time in the past, that is conclusive evidence life once existed there.” Have we forgotten the conclusive findings and proven experiments of the great scientist and microbiologist, Louis Pasteur? Does anyone remember what he discovered and has become an absolute? Pasteur proved that SPONTANEOUS GENERATION of life is an impossibility! “Without intelligent, creative input, lifeless chemicals cannot form themselves into living matter.” Now don’t be bamboozled by those who will go to any lengths to prove there is no God. Evolutionists stretch truth, twist it and even fake it at times to gain some credibility. For example the latest news reports said, “The geologic signs of Martian water include Opportunity 's discovery that its nearby outcrop was full of sulfate salt deposits arranged in layers, with spherical particles that can be formed by liquid water.” Sounds conclusive doesn’t it. However, they failed to tell the public that these deposits and now famous gully features they were supposedly caused by water flows, could also possibly be formed by explosive flows of hot gas that might be related to volcanism, where outbursts of gas might create the fluid-like flows, which could rush downhill, carrying dust and debris, creating the newfound features.

The point of all this is NASA and its evolutionists often leap from science to faith to support their religiously philosophical views of evolution. Is NASA really bent on supporting evolution? Let’s listen to the words of Ed Weiler, NASA associate administrator for space science who said in one of his interviews, “The Mars program needs a clear-cut vision. The real reason to go [manned space flight] is to find out if life is there or not.” Well, there you have it, the billions of dollars being ear-marked for NASA exploration is to prove one thing – evolution!

Now a second carefully twisted report of information given by NASA and media news is that a substance called “hematite” was found on the surface of Mars. Hematite is essentially “rust” formed when iron is exposed to water and oxygen. Hematite is found on the earth and is red colored, hence why Mars is seen as the red planet. NASA scientist rushed to conclude this is further proof water once existed all across Mars. However, again they failed to report that hematite can also be formed by volcanic activity. When it is, it is usually found in a gray color rather than red. However, Arizona State University geologist Victoria Hamilton says, “If you ground up the gray hematite into fine powder, it would turn red because the smaller grains scatter red light.”

My point is this, don’t be quick to believe reports that tend to lean toward proving evolution is true because those on this side are not reliable to tell the whole truth, and often slant it dishonestly to prove their point of view.

Nothing on Mars has been found to prove life ever evolved or existed. Even if water were to be conclusively found to have existed there, it is a quantum leap to say life evolved. Dr. Henry M. Morris, PhD, Professor of Hydrogeology, and former Director of the Institute for Creation Research says,

“ Life, at least such as we know it, requires a very complex combination of environmental factors to be possible, and only this planet, so far as is known, provides this combination. Water must be abundant, for example. Little if any water exists on the moon, or Mars, or Venus, or the other planets, and certainly not in liquid form. The temperatures on all the other known planets are either too cold or too hot for life in any higher form comparable to the earth’s human life.

In addition, many complex chemicals must be present in abundance in order to support life processes. An atmosphere essentially like our own would also have to be present. In general, life in any form comparable to human life would require a planet essentially the same as our own planet in every respect. There is no evidence, however, other than speculation that such a planet exists anywhere else in the universe.”

This still stands true my friend. Conditions must be absolutely right for life to exist, not to mention evolved from lifeless chemicals.  Just having liquid water is completely insufficient, despite the excitement created by this supposed finding.  Some years ago this same fervor was generated around Jupiter’s moon, Europa. Now though the fluid there is thought not to be water but sulfuric acid. However, as hard as it is for NASA to face the fact that Mars cannot ever have supported the evolution of life, will cause them and every honest rational thinking human being to realize – we are not the product of mindless evolution, rather the unique creation of an intelligent designer who has identified himself as the God of creation, found only in the Bible. 

Yes, this Creator God tells us He alone fashioned all things out of nothing, and He did so for His own pleasure. Therefore, you and I and everything exist because God created us to be with Him as His companion for the ages. The sad story of the Bible is mankind rebelled in the beginning and refused to be just that. All humanity has been born from this Edenic first man and woman in their rebellious fallen state, and we all like them, want nothing to do with the God who created us. Hence, the invention of the theory of evolution, which is just an excuse to say, there is no God we are accountable to. Yet we are accountable. The Bible tells us one day we all shall meet our Creator upon death, and there we will be held to account for living without God, in our borrowed world and universe.

Are you ready to meet God? Are you ready to answer His conditions to live and exist in His universe? The Bible tells us this Creator God is a God of love. He cares for us, and wants us to be with Him throughout all eternity. But, there is a problem. God is a holy, just and perfect Being who cannot exist in the present of imperfection and what is called sin. God’s Word has also told us that all that is not in harmony with His will and Being must be destroyed. Mankind is not in harmony with God and the Bible calls this sin. Sin we are told will be finally punished with destruction. The Bible says,

Eccl 7:20 (NIV)  There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins.

Rom 3:23 (NIV)  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Rom 6:23 (NIV)  For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

You see, all of us are born sinners and we live our lives filled with it until we die. At death we will face God with all our transgressions and disobedience. The result, the Bible warns, God will cast all out of His presence into a place called the Lake of Fire (Hell), where man will continue to exist forever with the a loss of everything God is and provides for us. But the Good News is this, my friend.

God is love and doesn’t want to punish us, but He is also just and must punish sin and rebellion. So God solved this problem by coming to this earth and fashioning Himself as a human being. This being was and is the person of Jesus Christ. Why did God do this? The answer is - to pay the debt of our sins and thus free us from its just penalty. Yes, Christ died for our sins and God the Father punished Himself in Jesus on the cross where sinful man placed Him. There Christ became sin for us all, and God’s holy wrath against sin was unleashed upon Him. The Bible teaches us Christ suffered our Hell, paid the full penalty for all sin there, as He gave up His infinite life for the sins of the whole world.

Now God offers to transfer this sin payment to every human being’s account on one condition ¾

You and I turn our lives over to God, believing God’s love saved us through the Person and Work of Jesus Christ. To do this, one must look up to the Heaven and cry out in their heart for God to save them from their sins; for God to grant them eternal life, and for full forgiveness because they acknowledged Jesus Christ as their sin bearer and Savior. It sounds complicated, but it isn’t. The Bible says,

John 1:11-12 (NIV)  He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—

Acts 16:31 (NIV)  They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”

Regardless of whether water is found in the universe outside of planet earth, one thing is sure. Water alone does not make life. Water indeed is a miraculous substance that can sustain life, but not alone. Even if more planets are confirmed existing as the new recent findings of a 10^th planet in our galaxy’s solar system, it is extremely improbable that any of them would fulfill all the requirements needed for life to exist, not to mention evolve.

As far as the Scriptures are concerned, they teach unequivocally that the earth is uniquely the abode of man.

Psa 115:16 (NIV)  The highest heavens belong to the LORD, but the earth he has given to man.

Acts 17:20 (NIV)  You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we want to know what they mean.”

It was to this earth, alone among all the uncounted billions of heavenly bodies, that God Himself, in the person of Jesus Christ, came down to suffer and die for man’s salvation. For anyone to neglect so great salvation is the deepest and highest crime in the universe. Today if you know not Jesus Christ as your Savior and God, turn to Him confess Him and trust Him alone to grant you His forgiveness and gift of eternal life.

Then be leery of all these supposed reports of proofs life evolved on other planets. What’s important today is to question the billions of dollars being spent and more to come, to further explore Mars even with possible human astronauts to discover nothing of any value to us here and now. How much better to spend billions, on the needs of mankind right here on earth, and to search not for extraterrestrial life, but improve terrestrial life in the form of God’s highest creation mankind. One day the great Creator God will return to His creation, the earth, to see how many of us have believed the real truth, that God created us, and that we are accountable to seek Him and turn to His Son Jesus Christ. The Psalmist of old declared,

Psa 2:10 (NIV)  Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. 11 Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling. 12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

It’s time for all to truly take refuge in Christ. He will enable us to weather the storms of life, but also the storm of God’s coming wrath. May God grant you an open mind and spiritual eyes to see your need to be saved, and to turn to the living God, Jesus Christ...

...Water on Mars proves life evolved? What a stretch of the imagination, not to mention lunacy of thought and scientific nonsense! Yet, that’s what we are being fed and millions are believing it. Yet God predicted this long ago when He penned His word,

1 Cor 1:18-21 (NLT)  I know very well how foolish the message of the cross sounds to those who are on the road to destruction. But we who are being saved recognize this message as the very power of God. 19 As the Scriptures say, “I will destroy human wisdom and discard their most brilliant ideas.” 20 So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made them all look foolish and has shown their wisdom to be useless nonsense. 21 Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never find him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save all who believe.

May God’s wisdom and righteousness open your heart and mind to receive Him in the Person of His Son Jesus Christ. In Him we all live and have our being. Without Him we have nothing.