Author Archives: Lee

Birds of the Bible – Lord Who Is There

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White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) ©USFWS

White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) ©USFWS

I am currently taking a Ladies Bible study, “Disciples Prayer Life.” One of our lessons suggested using some of the different names of God while praying. There is quite a list of God’s names in our lesson. Some of them are:

  • God (Elohim) – Sovereign, Power, Creator
  • Lord (Adonai) – Master, Ruler, Owner
  • Jehovah (the self-existing Lord) – eternal, changeless, faithful
  • The Lord our Provider (Jehovah-Jireh)
  • The Lord our Peace (Jehovah-Shalom)
  • The Lord who is there (Jehovah-Shammah)

It is this last one, Jehovah-Shammah, that has really caught my interest. As you can see, it means “The Lord who is there.”

When we read Genesis 1:1, it begins with “In the beginning, God…” The word for God here is Elohim – אֱלֹהִים ,  ‘ĕlôhı̂ym,  el-o-heem’ There is much to be said about this, but, for now, that is not my purpose. The Lord God is the Creator, Sovereign and all-powerful. God has no beginning, or ending, He is the Alpha and the Omega.

Because God has always been, the word, Jehovah-Shammah, “The Lord who is there” is also true. God’s Word chose not to use that word here.

Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum) by Ray

Grasshopper Sparrow (Ammodramus savannarum) by Ray

All of this to explain a passage about the sparrows, which I have used many times before, that could have used the word ” Jehovah-Shammah.”

“Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.” (Matthew 10:29-31 KJV) (emphasis mine)

When a sparrow or any bird falls and/or dies, their Father, knows all about it because HE IS THERE.

If a fallen sparrow is noticed by the Father, who is there, should we not receive comfort from knowing that our Lord God knows and sees us also. As that passage goes on, there is comfort given to us because we are of more value than the birds. We, mankind, were made in the image of God, animals and birds were not. Because of sin, the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s Son, provided salvation for us. It cost the Lord His blood to save us from our sins. We have a choice whether to receive that Sacrifice or not.

Anyone for a Sparrow Snack?

Every since I saw this photo, Matthew 10:29, has meant more to me than just a bird dying of old age. That whole cage is packed with sparrows to be eaten. That sickens me, but maybe I eat things that sicken others in another culture. I just found another photo of a roasted sparrow. I refuse to post it.

I love Sparrows of all kinds and the other birds. Most of all, I am thankful for a Creator God who cares for those birds and for us. When we KNOW that the Lord IS THERE, we can have comfort knowing we can pray and bring our requests to the Lord, knowing that He cares and already knows all about our needs.

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Birds of the Bible

Birds of the Bible – Sparrows

Birds of the Bible – Worry and Sparrows

Sharing The Gospel

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Lee’s Two-Word Tuesday – 1/26/16

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American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) by Lee

 

Birds Fly

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Then God said, “Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens.” (Genesis 1:20 NKJV)

American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) by Lee at Circle B Bar Reserve

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Sandra’s New Kooky Challenge

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Lee’s One-Word Monday – 1/25/16

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Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus) by Robert Scanlon

Sing!

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Sing unto the LORD, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day. (Psalms 96:2 KJV)

Sedge Warbler (Acrocephalus schoenobaenus) by Robert Scanlon

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Sandra’s New Kooky Challenge

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Lee’s Seven-Word Sunday – 1/24/16

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House Sparrow nest in Sign

Yea, the sparrow hath found an house

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Yea, the sparrow hath found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God. (Psalms 84:3 KJV)

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Sandra’s New Kooky Challenge

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Sandra’s New Kooky Experiment

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Guira Cuckoo by Dan

Guira Cuckoo by Dan

My friend, Sandra Conner, over at The Right Word Makes All The Difference, has come up with a new kooky experiment. Instead of, or in addition to, her Six Word Saturday posts, she came up with this schedule:

Now, this week, I got a really kooky idea. Why not do a post every day of the week — each day receiving its own number of words?

Monday = One-Word Post
Tuesday = Two-Word Post
Wednesday = Three-Word Post
Thursday = Four-Word Post
Friday = Five-Word Post
Saturday = Six-Word Post
Sunday = Seven-Word Post

So that’s what I’m going to do for the next three weeks. Now, I will be posting other regular posts as well, as the mood strikes me, but I’m going to challenge myself to say something relevant — or at least that means something to me — in the restricted number of words for each day.

Here is her Seven-Word Sunday – 1/24/16

She has challenged us to try to do the same for three weeks. Many times she inserts a picture along with six words on Saturdays.  I think I will take the challenge, except the photos or videos here will be, you guessed it, birds. Also, something honoring the Lord.

Since it’s late Sunday evening, I’ll give it a try. Watch for the next post.

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Seven-Word Sunday – 1/24/16

One-Word Monday – 1/25/16

Two-Word Tuesday – 1/26/16

Three-Word Wednesday – 1/27/16

Four-Word Thursday – 1/28/16

Five-Word Friday – 1/29/16

Six-Word Saturday – 1/30/16

Seven-Word Sunday – 1/31/16

One-Word Monday – 2/1/16

Two-Word Tuesday – 2/2/16

Three-Word Wednesday – 2/3/16

Four-Word Thursday – 2/4/16

Five-Word Friday – 2/5/16

Six-Word Saturday – 2/6/16

Seven-Word Sunday – 2/7/16

One-Word Monday – 2/8/16

Two-Word Tuesday – 2/9/16

Three-Word Wednesday – 2/10/16

Four-Word Thursday – 2/11/16

Five-Word Friday – 2/12/16

Six-Word Saturday – 2/13/16

End of Challenge

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Sunday Inspiration – Old World Sparrows

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Italian Sparrow (Passer italiae) ©WikiC

Italian Sparrow (Passer italiae) ©WikiC

Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. (Matthew 10:29 KJV)

Our Lord mentions Sparrows in six verses of the Bible. There are various reasons why, but one of them has to do with how He knows if one of His sparrows dies. If the Lord, Our Creator, cares about a little sparrow falling, how much more does the Lord God care about His people?

Swahili Sparrow (Passer suahelicus) ©WikiC

Swahili Sparrow (Passer suahelicus) ©WikiC

This weeks Passerine Family, Song birds, is the Passeridae – Old World Sparrows, Snowfinches Family. There are two Sparrow families, the other one is the Emberizidae – Buntings, New World Sparrows and allies Family which we will cover later.

The Old World Sparrows, Snowfinches, Weavers and an Ibon make up the 51 members of this family.

White-winged Snowfinch (Montifringilla nivalis) ©WikiC

White-winged Snowfinch (Montifringilla nivalis) ©WikiC

“They are also known as true sparrows, or Old World sparrows, names also used for a genus of the family, Passer. They are distinct from the American sparrows, which although similar in appearance are placed in the family Emberizidae, and from a few other birds sharing their name, such as the Java Sparrow. Many species nest on buildings, and the House and Eurasian Tree Sparrows in particular inhabit cities in large numbers, so sparrows may be the most familiar of all wild birds. They are primarily seed-eaters, though they also consume small insects. Some species scavenge for food around cities and, like gulls or Rock Doves, will happily eat virtually anything in small quantities.”

White-browed Sparrow-Weaver (Plocepasser mahali) ©WikiC

White-browed Sparrow-Weaver (Plocepasser mahali) ©WikiC

“Generally, sparrows are small, plump, brown-grey birds with short tails and stubby, powerful beaks. The differences between sparrow species can be subtle. Members of this family range in size from the Chestnut Sparrow (Passer eminibey), at 11.4 cm (4.5 in) and 13.4 grams (0.47 oz), to the Parrot-billed Sparrow (Passer gongonensis), at 18 cm (7.1 in) and 42 grams (1.5 oz). Sparrows are physically similar to other seed-eating birds, such as finches, but have a vestigial dorsal outer primary feather and an extra bone in the tongue. This bone, the preglossale, helps stiffen the tongue when holding seeds. Other helps towards eating seeds are specialized bills and elongated and specialized alimentary canals.” (Wikipedia with editing)

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Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows. (Luke 12:6-7 KJV)

I know this hymn “His Eye Is On The Sparrow” has been used before, but this family of sparrows cannot be present without it being played. Forgive the repetition. :)

“His Eye Is On The Sparrow” by Don Marsh Orchestra

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Sunday Inspiration

Passeridae – Old World Sparrows, Snowfinches Family

Emberizidae – Buntings, New World Sparrows and allies Family

Birds of the Bible – Sparrows

Bible Birds – Sparrows

Sparrow – Wikipedia

Hope for Hard Times

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Bald Eagle Blessing

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Bald Eagle on Old Bartow Rd

Bald Eagle on Old Bartow Rd -1

Bald Eagle on Old Bartow Road - cropped

Bald Eagle on Old Bartow Road – 1 – cropped

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31 KJV)

Bald Eagle on Old Bartow Rd

Bald Eagle on Old Bartow Rd – 2

Last evening while on the way back from Bartow, a seven mile journey, we spotted not one, not two, but three Bald Eagles. Unfortunately, I again did not have anything with me except the cell phone. Dan was able to slow down a little, but with someone coming, we could not stop.

Bald Eagle on Old Bartow Rd

Bald Eagle on Old Bartow Rd- 2

Here are my attempts to show two of the eagles. These are more “proof shots” than good photos. The other Bald Eagle caught us by surprise down the road another 1/2 mile or so. I had put my phone back down. :(

Bald Eagle on Old Bartow Rd

Bald Eagle on Old Bartow Rd – 2

We have been rather busy lately and haven’t had time to go birdwatching. But, the Lord knows how to give us unexpected blessings along the way to brighten our days.

It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22-23 KJV)

Bald Eagle on Old Bartow Road - cropped

Bald Eagle on Old Bartow Road – 2 – cropped

The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. (Proverbs 10:22 KJV)

I have shown photos of the Old Bartow Road before. Because of the decline in Ospreys, many years ago, they placed platforms on top of various power poles. These are some of them. The Osprey come back from about the middle of January on through February. They raise their young on the platforms and then around May to June they seem to disappear. Polk County has numerous Bald Eagles come down for the winter and are one of my favorite “snow birds” (that is a term for our winter human vistors). Since most of the Osprey haven’t arrived yet, the Bald Eagles have been sitting on these lately. Not sure who will give way when the Osprey do arrive. Hummm!

Osprey Road by Dan - (Old Bartow Road)

Osprey Road by Dan – (Old Bartow Road)

Actually, the fact that these platforms were placed are a good thing and shows one of the responsibilities that man was given by the Lord. Man was given dominion over the earth and the critters included. Dominion did not mean dominance, but one of the meanings is to help preserve them.

So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” (Genesis 1:27-28 NKJV)

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Birds of the Bible – Heron Update

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Tricolored Heron at Gatorland (5)

Tricolored Heron at Gatorland by Lee

And the stork, the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat. (Leviticus 11:19 KJV)

Great Blue Heron 2

Great Blue Heron camouflaged by Lee

And the stork, and the heron after her kind, and the lapwing, and the bat. (Deuteronomy 14:18 KJV)

The original Birds of the Bible – Heron article was posted on July 17, 2008. Seems like it’s time for an update and to keep our Heron family visible. Actually, some of the family members are very good at hiding or blending in with their surroundings. Their Creator, the Lord Jesus Christ, designed them to be slim like the reeds they hide in, called camouflage, and gave them the ability to move back and forth again like reeds. Notice the Tricolored Heron in the first photo. Even though he is blue, the sky color reflecting in the water actually is helping keep him “hidden in plain view.”

CLASS – AVES, Order – PELECANIFORMES, Family – Ardeidae – Herons, Bitterns, Egrets

Here in central Florida we can see many Herons, such as the:
(Click link for photo from Dan’s website)
Great Blue Heron (L46″ Wingspan 72″)
Little Blue Heron (L24 Wingspan 40″)
Tri-colored Heron (L26 Wingspan 36″)
Green Heron (L18″ Wingspan 26)
Black-crowned Night Heron (L25″ Wingspan 26″)
Yellow-crowned Night Heron (L24″ Wingspan 42″)

Around the World the Ardeidae family, now with 72 species, includes Herons (46), Egrets (9) and Bitterns (15). From Thayer Birding Software, “Most herons nest in dense or dispersed colonies; a few species, including most bitterns, are solitary. Nests are platforms of interlocked sticks in trees or piles of vegetation in reeds or on the ground, built mainly or entirely by the female of material brought by the male.”

Most of the Herons rest and fly with their necks in an “S” curve. They can be seen along or in the edges of water fishing. Many stand perfectly still looking in the water and then thrust with a quick movement to either spear or catch their prey. You can see that in the video I posted yesterday.

This video of a Great Egret was watching something so intently. Also, notice how his neck sways like they do in the tall grass or reeds. Egrets are part of the Heron Family group.

Herons amaze me in how perfectly still they stand and wait. They seem so patient to me. Herons are on the “unclean” list of birds found in Leviticus 11:19 and Deuteronomy 14:18. Because they are so “patient” and “wait,” it reminds me of:

Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. (Psalms 37:7 KJV)
And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise. (Hebrews 6:15 KJV)
The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season (Psalms 145:15 KJV
And of course our great verse from last week:
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31 KJV)

Hymns mention “waiting” and being “still” and “patient. Here is a favorite:

Be Still, My Soul by Katharina von Schlegel,
1697-Trans. By Jane L. Borthwick, 1813-1897

Be still, my soul: the Lord is on thy side;
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to thy God to order and provide;
In ev’ry change He faithful will remain.
Be still, my soul: thy best, thy heav’nly Friend
Thro’ thorny ways leads to a joyful end.

Be still, my soul: thy God doth undertake
To guide the future as He has the past.
Thy hope, thy confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still, my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.

Be still, my soul: the hour is hast’ning on
When we shall be forever with the Lord,
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still, my soul: when change and tears are past,
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.

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Birds of the Bible – Herons

Birds of the Bible

Ardeidae – Herons, Bitterns, Egrets

 

Lord’s Avian Wonders – Little Blue Heron – Searching

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Little Blue Heron searching at S Lk Howard Park crop

Recently we were on our way home from shopping and stopped in the little park at the south side of Lake Howard. All we had with us were our phones. Not much was going on, but one Little Blue Heron was searching for his lunch. It was interesting watching him move his head from side to side. Not sure if the bird was looking around the plants or just trying to see better. It was an overcast day. Our special Avian Wonder this time from the creator is this Little Blue Heron.

The “Little Blues,” as I many times refer to them, are another favorite of mine to watch here in central Florida. This one just seemed so intent on what he was doing, that it reminded me of the verse about the lady who was diligently searching for a coin. How diligently do we search God’s Word?

Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? (Luke 15:8 KJV)

And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13 NKJV)

Little Blue Heron with catch at S. Lake Howard Park

Little Blue Heron with catch at S. Lake Howard Park

Bad photo, but you can see the results of one of his searches.

The Little Blue Heron “stalks its prey methodically in shallow water, often running as it does so. It eats fish, frogs, crustaceans, small rodents and insects.” (Wikipedia)

Find out more about them at:

Is There A God?

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Sunday Inspiration – Sunbird and Spiderhunters

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Lovely Sunbird (Aethopyga shelleyi) ©WikiC

Lovely Sunbird (Aethopyga shelleyi) ©WikiC

Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food”; and it was so. (Genesis 1:30 NKJV)

The 143 Nectariniidae – Sunbird Family members are beautiful birds from their Creator’s Hand, who has equipped them to be perfectly suited for their habitat and food sources.

The sunbirds and spiderhunters make up a family, Nectariniidae, of passerine birds. They are small, slender passerines from Old World, with long, usually decurved bill and some species with long tail; many brightly coloured, most with some iridescence, particularly in male. They are living from Africa to Australia, across Madagascar, Egypt, Iran, Yemen, Southern China, Indian subcontinent, Indochinese peninsulas, Philippines, Southeast Asian to nearby Pacific Islands and just reaches northern Australia. The number of species is greater in equatorial and tropical areas.

Malachite Sunbird (Nectarinia famosa) ©©Rainbirder

Malachite Sunbird (Nectarinia famosa) ©©Rainbirder

Most sunbirds feed largely on nectar, but also take insects and spiders, especially when feeding young. Flower tubes that bar access to nectar because of their shape, are simply punctured at the base near the nectaries. Fruit is also part of the diet of some species. Their flight is fast and direct on their short wings.

The sunbirds have counterparts in two very distantly related groups: the hummingbirds of the Americas and the honeyeaters of Australia. The resemblances are due to convergent evolution brought about by a similar nectar-feeding lifestyle.[1] Some sunbird species can take nectar by hovering like a hummingbird, but they usually perch to feed.

Spectacled Spiderhunter (Arachnothera flavigaster) by Peter Ericsson

Lovely Sunbird (Aethopyga shelleyi) ©WikiC

The spiderhunters, of the genus Arachnothera, are distinct in appearance from the other members of the family. They are typically larger than the other sunbirds, with drab brown plumage that is the same for both sexes, and long, down-curved beaks. (Wikipedia – Sunbird with editing)

I am going to risk having the video for you to hear this beautiful music, fearing you will watch her more than the birds. :) This is so beautiful and amazing by such a young harpist.

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He does great things past finding out, Yes, wonders without number.
(Job 9:10 NKJV)

Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out! (Romans 11:33 NKJV)

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“The Fountain” Harp — 9-year-old Alisa Sadikova is an incredibly talented harpist. But hearing her play ‘The Fountain’ is enough to transport you to Heaven! Her gift is truly from the Lord and playing this she sounds like an angel! (from GodVine.com)

After the recent post – Birds of the Bible – Who Colored These Originally? who needs to improve on the beauty and magnificant colors of this Sunbird family.

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Sunday Inspirations

Nectariniidae – Sunbirds

Sunbird – Wikipedia

What will you do with Jesus?

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Goose Greeting

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Here is just a short video shared for you to enjoy from GodVine.

These Geese Are So Polite I Could Hardly Stop Laughing!

Little Jonny went to meet the geese. He bowed to say ‘hello’ and you just have to see how these amazing birds responded. How polite are they!?! I can hardly believe it!

Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. (Psalms 95:6 NKJV)

Birds of the Bible – Who Colored These Originally?

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Blue Jay Photo Chopped in Rainbow Colors - From Pinterest by Richard SequinWho Colored These Originally?

In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (Genesis 1:1 KJV)

My Bible tells me in Genesis chapter 1 that God created everything, including all our avian wonders.

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) at Bok Tower By Dan'sPix

Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata) at Bok Tower By Dan’sPix

In fact, we are told specifically that on the fifth day of creation, God created the Birds:

Then God said, “Let the waters abound with an abundance of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens.” So God created great sea creatures and every living thing that moves, with which the waters abounded, according to their kind, and every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let birds multiply on the earth.” So the evening and the morning were the fifth day. (Genesis 1:20-23 NKJV)

When the birds were brought forth, judging from today, that they were beautifully arrayed. We can look around at the over 10,000 species today, in spite of being corrupted by the curse (Genesis 3), and see that they are magnificently arrayed in beautiful, fantastic colors and hues.

 

Nicobar Pigeon - False

Nicobar Pigeon – Falsely Colored

Nicobar Pigeon at Lower Park Zoo by Dan

Nicobar Pigeon at Lower Park Zoo by Dan

Then again in John 1:1-3 we see that the Word, the Lord Jesus Christ, is the one who made them.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. (John 1:1-3 KJV)

All of that was stated to establish who the birds were created by. Now for the point of this article.

I belong to Pinterest which is a visual discovery tool that you can use to find ideas for all your projects and interests. You can find all kinds of photos and of course, many bird photos.

Now, the irritation, for me, is that lately many photos of birds have been “photo-shopped” or someone has used other editing software programs to change their colors. No harm intended, but the colors they are adding to the birds, messes up the beauty of their Creator’s original design and color for them.

False - A Rare Red Owl - Snopes_com

False – A Rare Red Owl – Snopes_com

Some people, who are not familiar with what the birds actually look like, may think that is the way they look in the wild. One such case fooled people into believing that a rare Red Owl actually exist. When the asked “Snopes” they found out the truth.

Two more examples:

False - Curl-crested Aricari from Pinterest by Virainova

False – Curl-crested Aricari from Pinterest by Virainova

False - Flicker from Pinterest by Spykee

False – Flicker from Pinterest by Spykee

Now for the real birds in nature. Also, do you realize how easy they would be for birds of prey to catch these? They would stand out boldly in the crowd and would be the first captured. Only a Wise Creator, would provide for the safety of the birds by their proper coloration.

Curl-crested Aracari (Pteroglossus beauharnaesii) ©WikiC

Curl-crested Aracari (Pteroglossus beauharnaesii) ©WikiC

Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) red-shafted F-left M-right ©WikiC

Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) red-shafted F-left M-right ©WikiC

I know all the birds of the mountains, And the wild beasts of the field are Mine. (Psalms 50:11 NKJV)

Again, I am not condemning those who color their birds in photos, as long as they don’t try to “pass them off” as the “real” bird.

God’s Wisdom, Majesty, and Knowledge cannot be improved upon.

I am the LORD, and there is no other; There is no God besides Me. I will gird you, though you have not known Me, That they may know from the rising of the sun to its setting That there is none besides Me. I am the LORD, and there is no other; I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create calamity; I, the LORD, do all these things.’ (Isaiah 45:5-7 NKJV)

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Birds of the Bible

More False Colored Birds

Who Paints The Leaves?
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