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A SONG OF PRAISE TO OUR GOD
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He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; Many will see and fear And will trust in the LORD. (Psalms 40:3 NASB)
American Yellow Warbler (Dendroica aestiva) singing by Jim Fenton
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Tag Archives: Christianity
Lee’s Six-Word Saturday – 1/30/16
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Mount Up With Wings Like Eagles
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“But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31 NKJV)
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) Flying by Aesthetic Photos
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Lee’s Five-Word Friday – 1/29/16
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Green-breasted Mango (Anthracothorax prevostii) by Judd Patterson
Wonders Which You Have Done
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Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders which You have done, And Your thoughts toward us; There is none to compare with You. If I would declare and speak of them, They would be too numerous to count.
(Psalms 40:5 NASB)
Green-breasted Mango (Anthracothorax prevostii) by Judd Patterson
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Lee’s Four-Word Thursday – 1/28/16
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Southern Double-collared Sunbird (Cinnyris chalybeus) ©WikiC
HEAVENLY FATHER FEEDS THEM
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Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?
(Matthew 6:26 NKJV)
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Lee’s Three-Word Wednesday – 1/27/16
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Under His Wings
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He shall cover you with His feathers, And under His wings you shall take refuge; His truth shall be your shield and buckler. (Psalms 91:4 NKJV)
Baby Chick Peeping Out From Under His Mom’s Wing – ©©
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Birds of the Bible – Lord Who Is There
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
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 – Worry and Sparrows
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Lee’s Two-Word Tuesday – 1/26/16
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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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Bald Eagle Blessing
Bald Eagle on Old Bartow Rd -1
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 – 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- 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 – 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 – 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)
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
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 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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Ardeidae – Herons, Bitterns, Egrets
Lord’s Avian Wonders – Little Blue Heron – Searching
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
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:
- Little Blue Heron – All About Birds
- Little Blue Heron – What Bird
- Little Blue Heron – Wikipedia
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Sunday Inspiration – Sunbird and Spiderhunters
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
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.
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.
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.
Sunbird – Wikipedia
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The Amazing Mosquito Hawk Video
Dragonfly cropped by Lee at Circle B
“Does the hawk fly by your wisdom, And spread its wings toward the south?
(Job 39:26 NKJV)
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.
Dragonfly by Raymond Barlow
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.
Prayer: I thank You, dear Father, for the beauty and wonder of the dragonfly. You are truly to be glorified! In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Notes: 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)
©Creation Moments Published on Jan 23, 2015
This topic from Creation Moments has been posted before, but this time they did it with a video. Trust you will find this amazing. Our Lord has shown his Great Wisdom again in the Dragonflies design.
Lee's Birdwatching Adventures Plus 