BIRDS EGG EVOLUTION
Job 39:14-15
"Which leaveth her eggs in the earth, and warmeth them in dust, and forgetteth that the foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may break them."
The creation is literally filled with millions of what those who believe in evolution call "happy coincidences." But when you encounter millions of instances of what appears to be thoughtful design, the obvious conclusion is that there is a Designer. Take the example of bird eggs.
The shape of the egg makes it strong. This strength comes in handy in a busy nest. Mom and dad are coming and going, and they turn the eggs periodically during incubation. But all eggs are not equally egg shaped, and there is a pattern to their shapes. Birds like robins that build a nice, dish shaped nest tend to lay eggs that are more round in shape. Screech owls, which lay their eggs at the bottom of a hole in a tree, also have round shaped eggs. Birds like the killdeer barely build any kind of nest and lay eggs on the ground where almost-round eggs could roll away. For this reason, birds such as a kildeer lay much more sharply pointed eggs which are designed to pivot on their small end. Likewise, eggs that are laid where predators are not likely to see them are usually pale or solid in color, but eggs laid out in the open are camouflaged. Moreover, baby birds that hatch in protected nests, like the bluebird, tend to be naked, blind and helpless. But the unprotected killdeer hatchlings are ready to leave the nest within minutes of hatching.
All coincidences? It seems more scientific to say that here we have a few of the many fingerprints of our wise Creator!
I praise You, Father, for how Your glory is reflected in the creation. Amen.
Jim Williams, "Bird basics: egg size, color and shape", Star Tribune, 7/29/99, p. 8. Illustration: Long elliptical egg of a loon. (PD)
Job 39:14-15
"Which leaveth her eggs in the earth, and warmeth them in dust, and forgetteth that the foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may break them."
The creation is literally filled with millions of what those who believe in evolution call "happy coincidences." But when you encounter millions of instances of what appears to be thoughtful design, the obvious conclusion is that there is a Designer. Take the example of bird eggs.
The shape of the egg makes it strong. This strength comes in handy in a busy nest. Mom and dad are coming and going, and they turn the eggs periodically during incubation. But all eggs are not equally egg shaped, and there is a pattern to their shapes. Birds like robins that build a nice, dish shaped nest tend to lay eggs that are more round in shape. Screech owls, which lay their eggs at the bottom of a hole in a tree, also have round shaped eggs. Birds like the killdeer barely build any kind of nest and lay eggs on the ground where almost-round eggs could roll away. For this reason, birds such as a kildeer lay much more sharply pointed eggs which are designed to pivot on their small end. Likewise, eggs that are laid where predators are not likely to see them are usually pale or solid in color, but eggs laid out in the open are camouflaged. Moreover, baby birds that hatch in protected nests, like the bluebird, tend to be naked, blind and helpless. But the unprotected killdeer hatchlings are ready to leave the nest within minutes of hatching.
All coincidences? It seems more scientific to say that here we have a few of the many fingerprints of our wise Creator!
I praise You, Father, for how Your glory is reflected in the creation. Amen.
Jim Williams, "Bird basics: egg size, color and shape", Star Tribune, 7/29/99, p. 8. Illustration: Long elliptical egg of a loon. (PD)
GOD'S MERCY IS SWEET
Psalm 119:103
"How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!"
We hear many warnings these days that tell us not to eat this food, it's full of cholesterol, or that food, it's loaded with fat. It's easy to come to the conclusion that the curse of sin has turned the whole creation against us. But God is a merciful God. He has given us the ability to learn about many of the beneficial foods and medicines that He has created.
One good example of this is Xylitol, also known as birch sugar. Earlier research showed that birch sugar, used more in Europe than America as a sweetener, inhibits growth of bacteria that cause tooth decay. Researchers in Finland wondered if birch sugar inhibited any other bacteria. They gave one group of pre-school children sucrose-based chewing gum and a similar group birch-sugar gum five times a day. The group that used the birch sugar gum had only about half as many ear infections. Scientists aren't sure how the birch sugar reduces ear infections. They suspect that it somehow prevents the bacteria that cause the infections from attaching to cells in the mouth and ear. If this is what happens, there is an added bonus. Since the sugar does not attack the bacteria directly, the bacteria would be unlikely to develop any defense against it.
In His mercy, God has given us more than just solutions to our problems in this life. Through His Son, Jesus Christ, He grants us the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. And through His Word, He tells us what salvation means.
I rejoice in You, dear Father, because you are merciful in all things. Your saving Word is sweeter than any honey. Amen.
N.S., "A sugar averts some ear infections", Science News, 10/31/98, v. 154, p. 287. Photo: Xylitol crystals. Courtesy of Anders Østergaard Madsen. (CC-BY-SA 3.0)
Psalm 119:103
"How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!"
We hear many warnings these days that tell us not to eat this food, it's full of cholesterol, or that food, it's loaded with fat. It's easy to come to the conclusion that the curse of sin has turned the whole creation against us. But God is a merciful God. He has given us the ability to learn about many of the beneficial foods and medicines that He has created.
One good example of this is Xylitol, also known as birch sugar. Earlier research showed that birch sugar, used more in Europe than America as a sweetener, inhibits growth of bacteria that cause tooth decay. Researchers in Finland wondered if birch sugar inhibited any other bacteria. They gave one group of pre-school children sucrose-based chewing gum and a similar group birch-sugar gum five times a day. The group that used the birch sugar gum had only about half as many ear infections. Scientists aren't sure how the birch sugar reduces ear infections. They suspect that it somehow prevents the bacteria that cause the infections from attaching to cells in the mouth and ear. If this is what happens, there is an added bonus. Since the sugar does not attack the bacteria directly, the bacteria would be unlikely to develop any defense against it.
In His mercy, God has given us more than just solutions to our problems in this life. Through His Son, Jesus Christ, He grants us the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. And through His Word, He tells us what salvation means.
I rejoice in You, dear Father, because you are merciful in all things. Your saving Word is sweeter than any honey. Amen.
N.S., "A sugar averts some ear infections", Science News, 10/31/98, v. 154, p. 287. Photo: Xylitol crystals. Courtesy of Anders Østergaard Madsen. (CC-BY-SA 3.0)
THE ROCKS BEAR WITNESS
Luke 19:40
"And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out."
We have always been told that it takes millions of years for muddy deposits to turn into rock. Those who believe in creation have always disagreed. It seems pretty clear to us that much of the sedimentary rock we see today was deposited during the Great Flood at the time of Noah, which was not millions of years ago. Creationists generally place the Flood at about 4,600 years ago. Until recently, evolutionists dismissed this date as impossible: sedimentary rocks simply could not form that fast. Well, now it seems that they spoke too soon.
While digging some trenches in a salt marsh, a team of sedimentologists found stony nodules in the mud. Further research on how the nodules formed revealed that a mud deposit can be transformed into a layer of sedimentary rock in as little as six months! They found that two bacteria are responsible for this. One species gets its energy from the sulphates in sea water. In the process, it produces hydrogen sulphide. The second species of bacteria can do the same thing. But if there is too much hydrogen sulphide, it can also change iron compounds so that they react with hydrogen sulphide and other salts. The result is stony lumps of iron sulphide and iron carbonate - sedimentary rock that is hardened quickly enough to fossilize any animal before it decays.
Science has now confirmed what creationists who believe the Bible have always suspected. There are natural processes that can form sedimentary rock within the limited timeframe allowed by a literal reading of scriptural history.
Father, I thank You that Your entire creation bears witness to You. Amen.
Andy York, "Set in Stone", New Scientist, 9/19/98, p. 25. Photo: Banded iron sedimentary rock sample. Courtesy of Woudloper. (CC-BY-SA 1.0)
Luke 19:40
"And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out."
We have always been told that it takes millions of years for muddy deposits to turn into rock. Those who believe in creation have always disagreed. It seems pretty clear to us that much of the sedimentary rock we see today was deposited during the Great Flood at the time of Noah, which was not millions of years ago. Creationists generally place the Flood at about 4,600 years ago. Until recently, evolutionists dismissed this date as impossible: sedimentary rocks simply could not form that fast. Well, now it seems that they spoke too soon.
While digging some trenches in a salt marsh, a team of sedimentologists found stony nodules in the mud. Further research on how the nodules formed revealed that a mud deposit can be transformed into a layer of sedimentary rock in as little as six months! They found that two bacteria are responsible for this. One species gets its energy from the sulphates in sea water. In the process, it produces hydrogen sulphide. The second species of bacteria can do the same thing. But if there is too much hydrogen sulphide, it can also change iron compounds so that they react with hydrogen sulphide and other salts. The result is stony lumps of iron sulphide and iron carbonate - sedimentary rock that is hardened quickly enough to fossilize any animal before it decays.
Science has now confirmed what creationists who believe the Bible have always suspected. There are natural processes that can form sedimentary rock within the limited timeframe allowed by a literal reading of scriptural history.
Father, I thank You that Your entire creation bears witness to You. Amen.
Andy York, "Set in Stone", New Scientist, 9/19/98, p. 25. Photo: Banded iron sedimentary rock sample. Courtesy of Woudloper. (CC-BY-SA 1.0)
SPIRITUAL HEALTH PROMOTES PHYSICAL HEALTH
Exodus 20:8
"Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy."
Most Christians realize that going to church, and worshiping in earnest, keeps them spiritually healthier. A study by Duke University researchers backs up an earlier study that people who attend church at least once a week do have better health and live longer lives.
Researchers interviewed almost 4,000 people between the ages of 64 and 101 each year for seven years. They asked about general health, their social activities and alcohol and tobacco use. During the seven year period, weekly churchgoers were 28 percent less likely to die than those who were not regular worshipers or did not worship at all. The head of the study cautioned that the study does not show that those going to church for health reasons will get better. Rather, he said that it shows that those who attend worship for religious reasons have better health and live longer. An earlier study in California tracked over 5,000 people ages 21 through 65 over 28 years producing similar results. Other studies have shown that regular churchgoers tend to have lower blood pressure, less depression and stronger immune systems than those who don't worship regularly.
We should stress that attending church simply to gain better health is not a conclusion of these studies. These studies were concerned with finding possible correlations between attitude and general health. The results indicate a relationship between spiritual health and physical health.
Dear Father, I thank You that You have provided for my spiritual health through Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Gary D. Robertson, "N.C. Study Shows Elderly Who Go to Church Live Longer, Healthier", The Christian News, 8/1/99, p. 24.
Exodus 20:8
"Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy."
Most Christians realize that going to church, and worshiping in earnest, keeps them spiritually healthier. A study by Duke University researchers backs up an earlier study that people who attend church at least once a week do have better health and live longer lives.
Researchers interviewed almost 4,000 people between the ages of 64 and 101 each year for seven years. They asked about general health, their social activities and alcohol and tobacco use. During the seven year period, weekly churchgoers were 28 percent less likely to die than those who were not regular worshipers or did not worship at all. The head of the study cautioned that the study does not show that those going to church for health reasons will get better. Rather, he said that it shows that those who attend worship for religious reasons have better health and live longer. An earlier study in California tracked over 5,000 people ages 21 through 65 over 28 years producing similar results. Other studies have shown that regular churchgoers tend to have lower blood pressure, less depression and stronger immune systems than those who don't worship regularly.
We should stress that attending church simply to gain better health is not a conclusion of these studies. These studies were concerned with finding possible correlations between attitude and general health. The results indicate a relationship between spiritual health and physical health.
Dear Father, I thank You that You have provided for my spiritual health through Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Gary D. Robertson, "N.C. Study Shows Elderly Who Go to Church Live Longer, Healthier", The Christian News, 8/1/99, p. 24.
THE AMAZING MOSQUITO HAWK
Job 39:26
"Doth the hawk fly by thy wisdom, and stretch her wings toward the south?"
Flight is a big problem for those who believe that we owe our existence to evolution. Birds, mammals, reptiles, insects, and even some fish fly or at least glide through the air in controlled flight. So many different creatures fly that evolutionists must say that flight evolved several different times. The dragonfly is among the best fliers in the animal kingdom.
The dragonfly can beat its four wings in unison or separately depending on the maneuver it wants to make. Dragonflies can fly at speeds up to 25 miles an hour and even faster. They can hover, take off backward and even make an unbanked turn. The dragonfly eats small insects, including mosquitoes, earning it the nickname "mosquito hawk." A dragonfly can see a gnat from three feet away, fly to it, capture it and return to its original position in just over one second! One third to one half of its body mass is made up of flight muscles. Its two eyes have a total of 60,000 lenses and are situated so that its range of vision is nearly 360 degrees. Dragonflies not only appear in the fossil record fully formed, but in much greater variety than today. One fossilized dragonfly was the size of a crow! Even the United States Air Force has studied the dragonfly to learn how it flies.
The dragonfly is no product of natural selection. It is clearly a specially designed creature whose Designer understands flight better than we do. This Designer is our Creator God.
I thank You, dear Father, for the beauty and wonder of the dragonfly. You are truly to be glorified! In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Richard Conniff, "The Lord of Time", Reader's Digest, 6/99, p. 142. Photo: Close-up of a dragonfly head. Courtesy of Victor Korniyenko. (CC-BY-SA 3.0)
Job 39:26
"Doth the hawk fly by thy wisdom, and stretch her wings toward the south?"
Flight is a big problem for those who believe that we owe our existence to evolution. Birds, mammals, reptiles, insects, and even some fish fly or at least glide through the air in controlled flight. So many different creatures fly that evolutionists must say that flight evolved several different times. The dragonfly is among the best fliers in the animal kingdom.
The dragonfly can beat its four wings in unison or separately depending on the maneuver it wants to make. Dragonflies can fly at speeds up to 25 miles an hour and even faster. They can hover, take off backward and even make an unbanked turn. The dragonfly eats small insects, including mosquitoes, earning it the nickname "mosquito hawk." A dragonfly can see a gnat from three feet away, fly to it, capture it and return to its original position in just over one second! One third to one half of its body mass is made up of flight muscles. Its two eyes have a total of 60,000 lenses and are situated so that its range of vision is nearly 360 degrees. Dragonflies not only appear in the fossil record fully formed, but in much greater variety than today. One fossilized dragonfly was the size of a crow! Even the United States Air Force has studied the dragonfly to learn how it flies.
The dragonfly is no product of natural selection. It is clearly a specially designed creature whose Designer understands flight better than we do. This Designer is our Creator God.
I thank You, dear Father, for the beauty and wonder of the dragonfly. You are truly to be glorified! In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Richard Conniff, "The Lord of Time", Reader's Digest, 6/99, p. 142. Photo: Close-up of a dragonfly head. Courtesy of Victor Korniyenko. (CC-BY-SA 3.0)
BE SURE TO CHECK OUT MY ALL NEW PROPHECY AND CREATION DESIGN WEBSITES. THERE IS A LOT TO SEE AND DO..........
No comments:
Post a Comment