BEAR NECESSITIES
Genesis 8:22
“While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.”
A recent science article in the UK’s Telegraph newspaper suggested that grizzly bears may have dropped their carnivorous ways in favor of a life of eating berries. Apparently, the streams and rivers on Alaska’s Kodiak Island are replete with salmon. Normally, 75% of these salmon are killed by grizzlies, but in recent years, the salmon have remained untouched, while bears stay in the hills eating elderberries. This change in behavior, which is billed as a form of evolution, is said to have occurred because elderberries are said to be ripening earlier every year. The normal diet of the grizzly bear would involve eating salmon at the end of summer and early fall, followed by gorging on the high-energy berries in order to fatten up for the winter hibernation. But the berries are ripening early, so the bears are missing out on the salmon in order to consume high energy berries. The Telegraph’s article thinks that it knows the culprit for this situation, which it sees as problematic. Early berry ripening has been caused by our old friend climate change.
Apparently, this will affect the ecosystems of the rivers. Bears do not consume the whole salmon. The discarded carcasses rot and enrich the soil in the riparian region. Worried scientists suggest that bears will have completely given up on salmon by 2070.
There has, of course, been frequent warming and cooling of environments before. More to the point, the Bible reminds us that “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.” (Genesis 8:22)
Thank You, Father, that we can rely on You, even in the midst of weather turmoil. Amen.
Genesis 8:22
“While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.”
A recent science article in the UK’s Telegraph newspaper suggested that grizzly bears may have dropped their carnivorous ways in favor of a life of eating berries. Apparently, the streams and rivers on Alaska’s Kodiak Island are replete with salmon. Normally, 75% of these salmon are killed by grizzlies, but in recent years, the salmon have remained untouched, while bears stay in the hills eating elderberries. This change in behavior, which is billed as a form of evolution, is said to have occurred because elderberries are said to be ripening earlier every year. The normal diet of the grizzly bear would involve eating salmon at the end of summer and early fall, followed by gorging on the high-energy berries in order to fatten up for the winter hibernation. But the berries are ripening early, so the bears are missing out on the salmon in order to consume high energy berries. The Telegraph’s article thinks that it knows the culprit for this situation, which it sees as problematic. Early berry ripening has been caused by our old friend climate change.
Apparently, this will affect the ecosystems of the rivers. Bears do not consume the whole salmon. The discarded carcasses rot and enrich the soil in the riparian region. Worried scientists suggest that bears will have completely given up on salmon by 2070.
There has, of course, been frequent warming and cooling of environments before. More to the point, the Bible reminds us that “While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.” (Genesis 8:22)
Thank You, Father, that we can rely on You, even in the midst of weather turmoil. Amen.
DON’T TAKE THIS LITERALLY
2 Timothy 3:16-17
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
The Bible’s authority is constantly questioned, and so-called scholars constantly attempt to undermine it. As I write this, a new attempt is being made to undermine people’s trust in God’s word.
Interest has recently been shown in a 100-page document in Latin, written by the fourth-century Italian bishop Fortunatianus of Aquileia. Dr. Hugh Houghton of the University of Bormingham has translated the work and reports that it provides an allegorical interpretation of the Gospels. Houghton says, “There's been an assumption that [the Bible is] a literal record of truth... But for people teaching the Bible in the fourth century, it's not the literal meaning which is important, it's how it's read allegorically.”
Houghton’s claim is that, because the document dates back to the fourth century, it should carry more weight about methods of interpreting the Bible than, for example, the works of Augustine. But is the antiquity of the document any evidence for its authority?
The answer to that question must be a resounding “No”. It should be a surprise to nobody that there were people in the early post-apostolic church who were already casting doubt on the authenticity of New Testament books. After all, the first record we have of someone casting doubt on the authority of God’s word is recorded in the Bible itself, when the serpent, in Genesis 3, does exactly that. There are many scholars who have shown that many post-apostolic writers accepted the authority of the entire Bible, and the New Testament documents themselves are self-authenticating – such as Peter’s acknowledgment of the Scriptural authority of Paul’s letters in 2 Peter 3:16.
Your Word, Lord, is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Help us always to be guided by Your word. Amen.
ARE LIZARDS IN BRAZIL EVOLVING?
Genesis 1:25
�And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.�
There was a certain hydroelectric dam built in Brazil. This involved the flooding of a region of countryside, which left some populations of geckos isolated. Gradually, the populations of other lizards in the area died out. After about 15 years, it was noticed that the geckos in the area had �developed� larger mouths in order to eat large insects that would formerly have been eaten by larger lizards. Is this evolution?
One is being led to believe that the ability to have bigger mouths is a brand new piece of genetic information in the geckos, causing it better to survive. This is not the case. The information to produce these large mouths was already present. There would, previously, have been the occasional gecko hatched with a big mouth. But it would have had no survival advantage, and possibly some disadvantage, so would not be able preferentially to breed. However, in the new circumstances, supplies of bigger insects were more readily available, so the big-mouthed geckos would find it easier to survive, compared to their small-mouthed relatives. Therefore, the big-mouths would be preferentially selected. It is important to notice that no new genetic information was created in this process. This is an example of adaptation. The evolutionist, however, likes to refer to this process as microevolution so that they can claim that Darwinian macroevolution is simply a step up in complexity. This deliberate attempt to use the same term for two different phenomena is known as �bait and switch� and is a recognized logical fallacy.
Thank You, Lord, for making everything well. Thank You for putting variation into the genetics of so many creatures to help them survive. We pray, Lord, that You will make us to be good stewards of the portion of creation for which we are responsible. Amen.
HE WALKS ON WATER
Matthew 14:25
�And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.�
What happens if a man tries to walk on water? The answer is that his feet would sink into the water.
Of course, it is possible for people to float. This is because of the buoyancy produced by the force of the displaced water. But if you tried to set your feet on the surface of a body of water, the pressure produced by the weight of your body, through the small surface area of the soles of your feet, is too great for the buoyancy to counteract it.
So, scientifically speaking, Jesus could not walk on water. But Matthew�s Gospel reports in chapter 14 that He did just that. At the beginning of John�s Gospel, we are reminded that all things were made for Jesus, by Jesus and through Jesus. Jesus is, therefore, the One who invented gravity and buoyancy. As the Creator of these forces, He could do what He likes with them, even subverting them, if He so chose.
It is interesting that most Christians can accept that Jesus had control over gravity. And yet, so many Christians still fail to believe that God made the world the way He said that He did in Genesis 1. Why is it so difficult to believe that the One who could walk on water, in defiance of what modern scientists say, could create a universe and inform us in His word of exactly how He did it?
We praise You, Lord, that You made all things well. When we look at all that You made, we just have to stand in awe at Your Holy Name. Amen.
PRODUCT PLACEMENT IN THE GARDEN
Matthew 6:28-29
�And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: and yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.�
The purpose of an advertising billboard would be to grab the attention of the passerby � or, in today�s world, the person driving by. One way of attracting the attention of prospective customers might be to use bright colors. Suppose that the more brightly colored paint was more expensive. The increased business would be mitigated against by a greater cost involved in getting the necessary paint or ink.
This is the sort of situation faced by a flowering plant. The flowers are the organs of the plant used for reproduction. The plant needs some sort of mediator to transfer male pollen cells from one flower to the stamen of another. The mediator is a pollinator and would typically be an insect or occasionally a mammal or a bird. The flower has to attract the pollinator, who does not visit the plant out of the goodness of his heart. Therefore, the petals of the flower become advertising billboards. Different shades and brightness of hue will attract different insects.
However, what is not often considered is the amount of energy expended by the plant to produce such a colorful display. Consider that, in the early supposed evolution of a flowering plant, the plant would have had to use up a lot of energy to attract a pollinator. What if it hadn�t worked? The weakened plant would have wasted energy without any reproductive advantage. That clearly would not have occurred. In fact, from whatever angle you examine this, there is no evolutionary mechanism for the brightness of flowers. Instead, this is a clear design feature, illustrating the greatness of our Creator.
We are humbled and grateful, Lord, by Your great and wise provision for us because You consider us more important than the beautiful flowers of the field. Amen
2 Timothy 3:16-17
“All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.”
The Bible’s authority is constantly questioned, and so-called scholars constantly attempt to undermine it. As I write this, a new attempt is being made to undermine people’s trust in God’s word.
Interest has recently been shown in a 100-page document in Latin, written by the fourth-century Italian bishop Fortunatianus of Aquileia. Dr. Hugh Houghton of the University of Bormingham has translated the work and reports that it provides an allegorical interpretation of the Gospels. Houghton says, “There's been an assumption that [the Bible is] a literal record of truth... But for people teaching the Bible in the fourth century, it's not the literal meaning which is important, it's how it's read allegorically.”
Houghton’s claim is that, because the document dates back to the fourth century, it should carry more weight about methods of interpreting the Bible than, for example, the works of Augustine. But is the antiquity of the document any evidence for its authority?
The answer to that question must be a resounding “No”. It should be a surprise to nobody that there were people in the early post-apostolic church who were already casting doubt on the authenticity of New Testament books. After all, the first record we have of someone casting doubt on the authority of God’s word is recorded in the Bible itself, when the serpent, in Genesis 3, does exactly that. There are many scholars who have shown that many post-apostolic writers accepted the authority of the entire Bible, and the New Testament documents themselves are self-authenticating – such as Peter’s acknowledgment of the Scriptural authority of Paul’s letters in 2 Peter 3:16.
Your Word, Lord, is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. Help us always to be guided by Your word. Amen.
ARE LIZARDS IN BRAZIL EVOLVING?
Genesis 1:25
�And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.�
There was a certain hydroelectric dam built in Brazil. This involved the flooding of a region of countryside, which left some populations of geckos isolated. Gradually, the populations of other lizards in the area died out. After about 15 years, it was noticed that the geckos in the area had �developed� larger mouths in order to eat large insects that would formerly have been eaten by larger lizards. Is this evolution?
One is being led to believe that the ability to have bigger mouths is a brand new piece of genetic information in the geckos, causing it better to survive. This is not the case. The information to produce these large mouths was already present. There would, previously, have been the occasional gecko hatched with a big mouth. But it would have had no survival advantage, and possibly some disadvantage, so would not be able preferentially to breed. However, in the new circumstances, supplies of bigger insects were more readily available, so the big-mouthed geckos would find it easier to survive, compared to their small-mouthed relatives. Therefore, the big-mouths would be preferentially selected. It is important to notice that no new genetic information was created in this process. This is an example of adaptation. The evolutionist, however, likes to refer to this process as microevolution so that they can claim that Darwinian macroevolution is simply a step up in complexity. This deliberate attempt to use the same term for two different phenomena is known as �bait and switch� and is a recognized logical fallacy.
Thank You, Lord, for making everything well. Thank You for putting variation into the genetics of so many creatures to help them survive. We pray, Lord, that You will make us to be good stewards of the portion of creation for which we are responsible. Amen.
HE WALKS ON WATER
Matthew 14:25
�And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.�
What happens if a man tries to walk on water? The answer is that his feet would sink into the water.
Of course, it is possible for people to float. This is because of the buoyancy produced by the force of the displaced water. But if you tried to set your feet on the surface of a body of water, the pressure produced by the weight of your body, through the small surface area of the soles of your feet, is too great for the buoyancy to counteract it.
So, scientifically speaking, Jesus could not walk on water. But Matthew�s Gospel reports in chapter 14 that He did just that. At the beginning of John�s Gospel, we are reminded that all things were made for Jesus, by Jesus and through Jesus. Jesus is, therefore, the One who invented gravity and buoyancy. As the Creator of these forces, He could do what He likes with them, even subverting them, if He so chose.
It is interesting that most Christians can accept that Jesus had control over gravity. And yet, so many Christians still fail to believe that God made the world the way He said that He did in Genesis 1. Why is it so difficult to believe that the One who could walk on water, in defiance of what modern scientists say, could create a universe and inform us in His word of exactly how He did it?
We praise You, Lord, that You made all things well. When we look at all that You made, we just have to stand in awe at Your Holy Name. Amen.
PRODUCT PLACEMENT IN THE GARDEN
Matthew 6:28-29
�And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: and yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.�
The purpose of an advertising billboard would be to grab the attention of the passerby � or, in today�s world, the person driving by. One way of attracting the attention of prospective customers might be to use bright colors. Suppose that the more brightly colored paint was more expensive. The increased business would be mitigated against by a greater cost involved in getting the necessary paint or ink.
This is the sort of situation faced by a flowering plant. The flowers are the organs of the plant used for reproduction. The plant needs some sort of mediator to transfer male pollen cells from one flower to the stamen of another. The mediator is a pollinator and would typically be an insect or occasionally a mammal or a bird. The flower has to attract the pollinator, who does not visit the plant out of the goodness of his heart. Therefore, the petals of the flower become advertising billboards. Different shades and brightness of hue will attract different insects.
However, what is not often considered is the amount of energy expended by the plant to produce such a colorful display. Consider that, in the early supposed evolution of a flowering plant, the plant would have had to use up a lot of energy to attract a pollinator. What if it hadn�t worked? The weakened plant would have wasted energy without any reproductive advantage. That clearly would not have occurred. In fact, from whatever angle you examine this, there is no evolutionary mechanism for the brightness of flowers. Instead, this is a clear design feature, illustrating the greatness of our Creator.
We are humbled and grateful, Lord, by Your great and wise provision for us because You consider us more important than the beautiful flowers of the field. Amen
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