Tag Archives: Pastor

Thoughts and Prayer for those in Newtown, CT

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And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7 KJV)

Yesterday during our morning service at Faith Baptist Church in Winter Haven, FL, our pastor had some thoughts and prayer for those in Newtown, CT. They are not the only ones affected by what happened there this last week at the Sandy Fork Elementary School. I feel all of us here and around the world  find what happened hard to “get our minds around it.” We were all moved by what was said and prayed.

Here is that part of our service. I just wanted to share it and also let those who are affected by this know that you are in our prayers. We love you and feel your pain and sorrow. Lord Bless you with a peace that only He can give.

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(There is about a 2 minute spot where there is an echo, but it clears back up.)

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Christmas Gospel Presentation

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Last Saturday, at Faith Baptist Church, we had a Free Shopping Day for about 400 less fortunate ones in our community. It was a great day and you can see some of the photos taken by either Pam or Dan and I. Check out the links below to see all the activity. .

Preparations Friday – Dec 11th
Faith Free Shopping Day – Dec 12th
Free Shopping Day Photos – Dec 12th

But most of all, watch the Christmas Presentation that was produced by Sean Fielder and our Pastor Jerry Smith for the visitors.

April Lorier’s Article about the Ravens

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Northern Raven (Corvus corax) by Ray

Who is Worth More – Me or Ravens?
The price of everything – that’s gas, groceries, utilities and other essentials – is going up weekly. Sometimes I feel like asking, “Are You aware of this, God? What are You going to do about this situation?

It was during one of these pessimistic periods that I thought of ravens. [I cant explain it, so don’t ask.] I decided to run a concordance search on these less-than-beautiful birds and was surprised at all the references in both the Old and New Testaments……” To see the whole article – Click Here

To see more of April’s articles here – Click Here

Some of April’s more recent articles on her site worth reading (they are all worth reading)

See more of April’s articles.*

The Secret Only God Knows About Hummingbirds – by April Lorier

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HummingBirdSMAll of my neighbors have hummingbird feeders on their porches. Why? Well, everyone knows there’s something very special about these birds. Yes, they are birds, and there’s a secret only God knows about them.

Hummingbirds are birds in the family Trochilidae, and are native to the Americas. They can hover in mid-air by rapidly flapping their wings 12–90 times per second (depending on the species). They can fly backwards, and are the only group of birds able to do so.

Hummingbirds do not spend all day flying, though. They don’t have the energy for that! The majority of their activity consists simply of sitting or perching.

Hummingbirds feed in many small meals, consuming many small invertebrates and up to five times their own body weight in nectar each day. They spend an average of 10-15% of their time feeding and 75-80% sitting and digesting.

Hummingbirds feed on the nectar of plants and are important pollinators, especially of deep-throated, tubular flowers. Like bees, they are able to assess the amount of sugar in the nectar they eat; they reject flower types that produce nectar which is less than 10% sugar and prefer those whose sugar content is stronger. Nectar is a poor source of nutrients, so hummingbirds meet their needs for protein, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, etc. by preying on insects and spiders, especially when feeding young.

Their English name derives from the characteristic hum made by their rapid wing beats. They can fly at speeds exceeding 33 mph.

What is awesome about humming birds is that aerodynamically, these birds are not able to fly, and yet they do!

As scientists try to figure out how hummingbirds are flying, I think God is smiling. It’s just another thing only The Creator knows, and that’s fine with me. Life should have some mystery, don’t you think?

(c) 2009 April Lorier

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. Romans 1:20

Supplied by and reprinted with permission of April Lorier

See:
More of April’s Articles here

Lesson from Smallest Bird – by April Lorier

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Lesson from smallest bird”

I was sitting in my car, waiting — I do not like waiting! — and a flock of birds fluttered up to me with expectant looks and frantic behavior. There were birds of all colors, including some with vibrant yellow eyes. I watched them display their pecking order and smiled. Just like people I thought.

Their chatter increased in volume and rhythm as they tried to convince me they would settle for the smallest crumbs of anything I had to offer. I especially noticed one little bird, the smallest of the flock, because the larger birds kept belaboring the point that he was least among the birds. Poor baby, I said as I leaned towards my glove compartment. Let’s see what I can find.

Voila! There was a package of two power bars! Excitedly, I smashed them up and threw them outside the window. That started a race for the crumbs! I noticed all of the birds except one rushed for the smallest crumbs as they pushed the little one out of the way.

I kept watching, hoping he would find at least one crumb. Then a funny thing happened. The smallest bird eyed a very large piece of the power bar and snatched it up. Then he quietly waddled away.

Meanwhile, the larger birds kept frantically scrounging for more crumbs, totally unaware that the best had already been taken away.

“Look at that,” The Spirit whispered, “all of the others settled for crumbs while one bird got enough to eat on all day. How many times do you settle for crumbs?”

It was like a light bulb went off inside my soul. God desires to give us riches beyond our wildest expectations, but we are living frantically in the moment and settling for what we can have NOW: mere crumbs, compared to what we could have if we but trusted in the character of God, our Heavenly Father!

Oh, God, thank You for the gift of this lesson. You not only provide for the birds, but use them to take Your children deeper in You.

(c) 2007-2009 April Lorier

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. Romans 1:20

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Supplied by and reprinted with permission of April Lorier.

See more of April’s Articles

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Sparrows and God Care – by April Lorier

July 15, 2009 by Lee

The Birds, the Economy, and My Provider – by April Lorier

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There I was, snoozing in my lazyboy when I was awakened by such a clatter, I rose from my chair to see what was the matter! I felt like Tippi Hedren and it was The Birds all over again. Just outside my window were dozens of sparrows fighting over a snippet of orange peel! I mean fierce terrorist fighting!

I watched in amazement as one of those little sparrows actually made off with the orange peel, unnoticed, and the rest of the birds were still doing battle. I thought, “Isn’t that the way it goes? Anger got the best of them.”

No one has to tell you the economy is pinching your style. As more and more people enter the survival mode we will see anger rising in more people. Fear does terrible things to people. It’s not displayed as fear, but as anger. And as the economy gets worse, we will see more and more vigilante behavior.

People tend to forget that God said He watched over the sparrows and I am worth far more to Him than a sparrow. That fear takes over and we lose sight of our Provider who is far greater than any recession or depression.

I’m so thankful for the reminder from Him of His Sovereignty over all things. Were it not for these birds, I might have forgotten Who’s actually in control.

(c) 2009 April Lorier

You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being. Revelation 4:11
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Supplied by and reprinted with permission of April Lorier.

See more of April’s articles.

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Sparrows and God Care – by April Lorier

July 15, 2009 by Lee

April Lorier writes great articles on her “Christian Nature” blog and has agreed to be a guest author. She is allowing us to reproduce some of her very thoughtful and inspiring challenges about birds and the Creator. I trust you will be as blessed by her writings as I am. This is the first one.

Sparrows and God Caresparrow-whiteThroat1 I have written about sparrows before and feel a need to revisit the subject. There are just so many sparrows flying around!Ethel Waters made “His Eye Is On The Sparrow” famous many years ago, and it’s still a master piece. It serves to remind us that if God values sparrows and cares for them, then certainly He does the same for us. He created human beings for companionship, and through Christ we can have that relationship.

One Sunday morning at church, we sang “His Eye Is on the Sparrow” as a congregational hymn. It was a rare opportunity to give voice to a song usually performed by a soloist.

During the first chorus, I noticed a friend who was weeping so hard that he couldn’t sing. Knowing a bit of what he had been through recently, I recognized his tears as ones of joy at realizing that, no matter what our situation, God sees, knows, and cares for us.

Jesus said, “Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Matt. 10:29-31). The Lord spoke these words to His 12 disciples as He sent them out to teach, heal, and bear witness of Him to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (v.6). He told them that even though they would face persecution for His sake, they should not be afraid, even of death (vv.22-26).

When threatening circumstances press us to lose hope, we can find encouragement in the words of this song: “I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free. For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.” We are under His watchful care.

If God sees the sparrow’s fall,
Paints the lilies short and tall,
Gives the skies their azure hue,
Will He not then care for you? —Anon.

When you put your cares in God’s hands, He puts His peace in your heart.

2009 April Lorier

Ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you. Which of these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? –
Job 12

Supplied by and reprinted with permission of April Lorier

Cockatiel Bird Brain Wisdom – by April Lorier

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Cockatiel Bird Brain Wisdom

cockatielsm1 It is pretty bad when God has to use Bird Brain Wisdom to get through to His daughter, but He did. I tried my best to avoid Dave at every church function. Most people did. His inordinate need for attention and his obvious emotional and spiritual immaturity embarrassed me. I went out of my way to not be associated with him. Intellectually, I understood people are often needy because they had been damaged in some way, so I would have moments of guilt for acting as I did. Then he would say something totally inappropriate and I’d be right back where I began – embarrassed for him.

At the same time I was hand feeding baby cockatiels every two hours, and one of them who I affectionately called Ernie, just couldn’t eat enough to make him grow. I tried everything, but to no avail.One night, still bleary-eyed from little sleep, I prayed, God, please help me! Ernie isn’t going to make it if You don’t help us out. He’s just too weak. And into my spirit, clear as a bell, came the thought, Ernie is the weakest of your birds, and yet you love him the most. Why doesn’t his weakness embarrass you?
Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To his own master he stands or falls. And he will stand, for the Lord is able to make him stand. (Romans 14:4 NIV)

The comparison was too obvious, and I hung my head in shame. God loved Dave the same way I loved Ernie! His heart broke with tenderness over this man’s weakness the same way my heart broke over my baby bird. He would persist with Dave just as I had with Ernie, spending extra time with him. And God didn’t need a judgmental child getting in the way of Dave’s growth.

I went to bed that night wiser, but much sadder with the knowledge that I had, in my arrogance, dared to pass judgment on another human being that I really didn’t know. By judging Dave, I had positioned myself to be judged by God.I realized God wasn’t half as embarrassed by Dave’s spiritual and emotional immaturity as He was by my arrogance. And worse was my underestimation of God’s power to work in Dave’s life and make him stand strong. I had, with my attitude, questioned the sovereignty of Almighty God!

O Father, forgive my arrogance. Thank You for the wisdom You taught me through my precious little “bird brain!” Let me never lose sight of Your sovereignty and Your compassion towards Your weaker children. I, too, am one of your weak ones. (c)1996-2009 April Lorier

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. Romans 1:20

Supplied by and reprinted with permission of April Lorier.

See more of April’s articles.

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Eagles and The Atmosphere of Grace – by April Lorier

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EagleFlySM1Today I am learning from the Eagle. This is appropriate since I have always been a bird watcher and even raised birds for several years. Eagles, in particular, have always fascinated me – especially the Bald Eagle. Did you know there are over a hundred species of eagles? But because our National Emblem has been the Bald Eagle since 1782, it has had more “face time” in the classroom. It is no longer on the endangered list since June of last year.

Every state in our Union has eagles except Hawaii, so people are constantly reporting “eagle sightings”. The Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is a member of the sea and fish eagle group, and once it mates, it mates for life! That’s right: no hanky panky in the bald eagle world!

Mama Eagle lays from one to three eggs and the pair share the 35 days of incubation. (No deadbeat fathers here!) The nesting cycle is about 20 weeks.

The female bald eagle is 35 to 37 inches, slightly larger than the male, and has a wingspan of 72 to 90 inches. She flies at altitudes of 10,000 feet, and during level flight, she can achieve speeds of about 30 to 35 mph. She weighs only 10-14 lbs, and her bones are light because they’re hollow. She is known for exceptional eyesight at far distances.

The most fascinating fact, I think, is that the eagle has the ability to adjust her body out of joint in order the ride the storm. Wow! What a lesson we humans can take away from that!

The eagle waits for a draft and rides it – no struggle, no wing-flapping! It’s sort of an “atmosphere of grace” similar to the Christian who “waits upon the Lord” and has less wing-flapping, less struggle. The eagle is definitely a “storm rider”!

As mothers go, the bald eagle is the best metaphor for human parenting and parenting by Father God that I can think of. Since the outside of the nest is made with sharp materials to withstand invasion from intruders, she and her mate lined the inside with fur from their prey. They made a big old feather bed!

When the time comes for those little ones to leave the nest and start fending for themselves – some where around 4 years of age — Mama Eagle starts pulling the soft material out of the nest to make it uncomfortable for them. Seems mean, but it is necessary to motivate the babies.

Then Mama Eagle starts pushing the babies towards the edge of the nest, ignoring their screams. As the babies flap their wings, they are strengthening them without knowing it. Eventually, she pushes them out of the nest, one by one. As each eaglet free-falls, screaming and squawking, Mama Eagle flies under him, spreading her massive 90-inch wingspan, and catches him before he hits ground.

Mama Eagle’s eyes are never off of her baby! She swoops up her baby and takes him back to that nest she and Daddy Eagle built out of touch from intruders. He’s safe for the time being. But tomorrow he’ll get another flight lesson from Mama Eagle. And finally, one day, he’ll figure out he can fly on his own! (Probably when there’s no more fur inside that thorn nest!)

God seems to parent me the same way. There are times when He allows this wounded child to feel safe in His feather bed. Then He knows it’s time for me to be forced out of my comfort zone. But always, His eye is on me and His protective wings are under me.

I actually felt Him lift me up on wings of eagles at my mother’s funeral after she had been killed. It was a visceral feeling, not just a spiritual one, and I floated through the day with total peace. So I know (experientially) the truth of this scripture.

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

(c) 2009 April Lorier

Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth.” I have an obligation to God. I am twice His. First, I am His because of creation, and secondly, I am His because of redemption through Jesus Christ. He made me and He bought me.

Supplied by and reprinted with permission of April Lorier

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More of April’s Articles

A Song Greater Than The Nightingale’s Song – by April Lorier

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A Song Greater Than The Nightingale’s Song

Nightingale

Nightingale

Who hasn’t heard Manhattan Transfer sing A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square? And did you know it was a Nightingale that inspired Tchaikovsky when he was composing his Humoresque opus 10-2? Even my grandson knows about the beauty of the Nightingale’s Song from Hans Christian Andersen’s story The Nightingale. In short, the Nightingale’s Song is a sound of pure beauty with quite a reputation. Ever heard a greater song?

Nightingales are named so because they frequently sing at night as well as during the day. The name means ‘night songstress’. As is usual, it is the male who sings, not the female. He does so with ulterior motives: to attract a mate.

The male nightingale is known for his singing, to the extent that human singers are sometimes admiringly referred to as nightingales; the song is loud, with an impressive range of whistles, trills and gurgles. Its song is particularly noticeable at night because few other birds are singing. This is why its name (in several languages) includes “night”.

Singing at dawn, during the hour before sunrise, is assumed to be important in defending the bird’s territory. Nightingales sing even more loudly in urban or near-urban environments, in order to overcome the background noise.

I know an even more beautiful song that helps me overcome the background noise of life. It’s God’s Song! Did you know God sings? The Bible says so!

In Zephaniah 3:17 it says:

The Lord your God is with you,
He is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
He will quiet you with His love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.

Oh! What an awesome thought! The Creator of all nature thinks I’m so special, and takes such delight in me that He sings lullabies to quiet me with His love! It is an intimacy that surpasses the mother-child intimacy, and I depend upon it many nights. I even sing back to Him and drift off to a peaceful, natural sleep. During the most troubled times of my life, it’s been the only way I could sleep.

Me singing to my Heavenly Father is one thing; but knowing He rejoices over me with singing is just too awesome to comprehend. No wonder I love Him so much!

(c) 2009 April Lorier

For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. Romans 1:20

Supplied by and reprinted with permission of April Lorier.

More of April’s Articles

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Maturing Cockatiels and Christians – by April Lorier

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Maturing Cockatiels and Christians

Baby Cockatiels

Baby Cockatiels

There were years when I raised birds, hand-feeding them so they would grow up to be more easily trainable as pets. The fact that I was hand-feeding them meant they would be imprinted by me (a human being) instead of by the mother bird. They would bond to me, therefore, be easily trained by the human who purchased them. Imprinting is the key if birds or animals are to be sold as mature, trained birds.

I was reminiscing today about the clutches of eggs I incubated, then hand-fed after they were hatched. They looked like little aliens with almost no feathers, but soon they would grow into beautiful birds who were not afraid of humans, and it would be time to hand-train them.

Babies are born without a working immune system so they are more susceptible to getting bacterial or fungal infections from your hands, ordinary household objects and an environment that has been contaminated with disease causing organisms. And the job of feeding the formula to them is 24/7, so between the cleaning and the feeding, it’s more than a full-time job! Just making the formula (which must always be fresh) is a chore.

But there comes a time when I had to start weaning these babies from their mushy formula, throw away the syringe, and introduce them to seed/fruit mixtures. They had to switch from baby food to adult food incrementally.

Scripture teaches the same principle both through the mouth of the Apostle Paul, and of Peter. Peter said, in I Peter 2:1-3

1) Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. 2) Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3) now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

And then in Hebrews 5:11-14 we read:

Concerning him [Melchizedek, as a type of Christ] we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing.
12) For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.
13) For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is a babe.
14) But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil.

So what the message of my Bible Study, and also of my cockatiels is, baby food is for babies. And if I am growing in my faith, I need to be desiring the meat of the Word. Sometimes it feels ‘safe’ to run back to the milk, but it will stunt my spiritual growth. Just think how my body would look if I had never eaten anything but milk! Who knows if I would even be alive?

Once again, Father, You have used nature to teach me Your principles. Thank you for allowing my memories to make this Bible Study come to life! I want to be a mature Christian!

(c) 2009 April Lorier

Supplied by and reprinted with permission of April Lorier.

See:

More of April’s Articles

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Sparrows and God Care – by April Lorier

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April Lorier writes great articles on her “Christian Nature” blog and has agreed to be a guest author. She is allowing us to reproduce some of her very thoughtful and inspiring challenges about birds and the Creator. I trust you will be as blessed by her writings as I am. This is the first one.

Sparrows and God Care

sparrow-whiteThroat1 I have written about sparrows before and feel a need to revisit the subject. There are just so many sparrows flying around!

Ethel Waters made “His Eye Is On The Sparrow” famous many years ago, and it’s still a master piece. It serves to remind us that if God values sparrows and cares for them, then certainly He does the same for us. He created human beings for companionship, and through Christ we can have that relationship.

One Sunday morning at church, we sang “His Eye Is on the Sparrow” as a congregational hymn. It was a rare opportunity to give voice to a song usually performed by a soloist.

During the first chorus, I noticed a friend who was weeping so hard that he couldn’t sing. Knowing a bit of what he had been through recently, I recognized his tears as ones of joy at realizing that, no matter what our situation, God sees, knows, and cares for us.

Jesus said, “Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Matt. 10:29-31). The Lord spoke these words to His 12 disciples as He sent them out to teach, heal, and bear witness of Him to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (v.6). He told them that even though they would face persecution for His sake, they should not be afraid, even of death (vv.22-26).

When threatening circumstances press us to lose hope, we can find encouragement in the words of this song: “I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free. For His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.” We are under His watchful care.

If God sees the sparrow’s fall,
Paints the lilies short and tall,
Gives the skies their azure hue,
Will He not then care for you? —Anon.

When you put your cares in God’s hands, He puts His peace in your heart.

2009 April Lorier

Ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds of the air, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish of the sea inform you. Which of these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? –
Job 12

Supplied by and reprinted with permission of April Lorier.

See:
More of April’s Articles
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Merry Christmas

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Christmas of 2008 is here and those of us at Lee’s Birdwatching Adventures; Lee and Dan would like to wish you a very Merry Christmas. We are busy doing things for the special day when we celebrate the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ. We are enjoying the warmth of Florida, but are busy, none the less (but not shoveling snow!). We are off to Tampa to visit relatives tomorrow and try not to eat “too” much. We hope your Christmas Day is just as enjoyable as ours will be.

During all the festivities, pause to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas. We enjoy our birdwatching adventures throughout the year, and try to write and photograph our friends the birds, but our main goal is to show God’s magnificent creation and point you to Him. We do not worship nature, but we do worship the Lord who created it all.

Please watch the video of my pastor, Nathan Osborne, III, as he gave an excellent illustration about birds out in the cold and snow. It helps to explain the true meaning of Christmas. (Part of our Christmas cantata, “From the Manger to the Cross”)

If you have any questions about this, please leave a comment, or email me at:  lee@leesbird.com