Creation Devotional February 25 - Biology
Daily Devotional – February 25
Biology
Wouldn’t it be fun to walk right up the side of a wall or dash across the ceiling without tumbling to the floor? Only in comic books can fantasy heroes accomplish such feats. Inspiring such fiction are spiders, flies, and many other insects that have no trouble scurrying upside down across the ceiling. But no creature defies gravity like the gecko. Scientists have spent decades trying to discover how this heavy lizard, weighing hundreds of times more than an insect, can run upside down across surfaces as smooth as glass.
Originally, it was believed that tiny features on the gecko’s feet functioned like suction cups to suspend the lizard. Later, the real secret was discovered – hundreds of millions of microscopic hair-like filaments on the gecko’s feet exploit weak electrostatic attraction (van der Waal forces) that act as tiny magnets to hold the lizard to the ceiling1. But the mystery of how the gecko could turn these forces on and off to prevent its foot from remaining stuck to the ceiling remained.
More recent work has shown that the gecko hairs are curved like little bent hairs that can be snapped back and forth as the lizard moves across a surface allowing a rapid attachment/detachment mechanism to take place. Even researchers who believe in evolution describe the gecko with words like, “…amazing, finely balanced, and finely tuned this whole system is...” Mankind can invent imaginary wall-clinging heroes like Spiderman, but only God can create real creatures capable of displaying such amazing abilities.
The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings’ palaces.
~ Proverbs 30:28
Source: "Pearls in Paradise" by authors Bruce Malone and Jule Von Vett
Creation Devotional February 24 - Botany
Daily Devotional – February 24
Botany
Michael Faraday (1791-1867) is second only to Isaac Newton as the greatest physicist who ever walked the Earth. Faraday was credited with the invention of electromagnetic induction, the electric motor, the electric transformer, the electric generator and made major contributions to our understanding of magnetism, polarized light, the liquefaction of gases, the development of rubber, optical glass, alloys of steel, electroplating, and artificial rubies. In addition, his greatest contribution to science was the development of field theory in physics. He is ranked by science historians as the greatest of all experimental physicists – adding a whole new vocabulary to modern science – anode, cathode, ion, electricity, electrode, anion, cation, magnetic field, lines of force, and electrolysis.
Faraday’s work so changed modern science that two basic units of physics were named in his honor – the faraday (a unit of electrical quantity) and the farad (a unit of capacitance). Yet, as much as Faraday contributed to scientific advancement – he drew more from his deeply held Christian faith. His actions were strongly guided by Biblical truths, and his Bible contained nearly 3000 meticulously written notations in the margins. His good friend John Tyndall wrote of Faraday, “I think that a good deal of Faraday’s week-long strength and persistency might be due to his Sunday exercises. He drinks from a fount on Sunday that refreshes his soul for the week.”
Just like Newton before him, Faraday drew strength and meaning from the reality that the universe displays order and meaning as a direct result of being created by God. It is not a meaningless assembly of atoms which created itself, but an orderly arrangement – designed by an incredible intelligence outside of the physical universe. This acknowledgement did not hinder the incredible discoveries of these great scientists, but provided the foundation which motivated them.
And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men
~ Colossians 3:23
Source: "Pearls in Paradise" by authors Bruce Malone and Jule Von Vett
Creation Devotional February 23 - Cosmology
Have you considered how well archaeological evidence provides support for the recent creation of mankind? All anthropologists know that key human technological advancements – agriculture, the wheel, pottery, and horse domestication – were developed less than 10,000 years ago. The oldest plow is about 4,000 years old. It was discovered in Lavagnone, Italy in a peat bog. What about agriculture in general? Archaeological excavations have shown that agriculture has existed less than 10,000 years. What about the wheel? Even secular history books admit the wheel was invented 5,000 - 6,000 years ago and not in just one area but in Germany, Switzerland, Slovenia, and Mesopotamia. What about pottery? The earliest pottery found was in Iran, Japan, and China and has been dated less than 7,000 years old. Some of the pottery was found to be just as sophisticated in design as recent pottery. What about horse domestication? Again, the most ancient date advanced is that horses were domesticated less than 6,000 years ago. Archaeological evidence shows that the three most ancient civilizations, the Egyptian, Mesopotamian, and Indus civilizations, arose 6,000 (or less) years ago.
Even the oldest written languages date back about 5,000 years, and these languages show no evidence of evolving in complexity. In fact, the most ancient languages were just as complex and sophisticated (often more so) than modern languages – having complex grammar and structure. When we examine the evidence of human activity through archaeology, we find overwhelming support for a recent creation of man. If man had been evolving over millions of years, we should find evidence to support this, but we do not. What we find is man leaving his evidence dating back far less than 10,000 years. This is exactly what we would expect by reading the Bible as accurate, literal history.
Please inquire of past generations, And consider the things searched out by their fathers.
~ Job 8:8 (NASV )
Source: "Pearls in Paradise" by authors Bruce Malone and Jule Von Vett
Creation Devotional February 22 - Design
Most animals flee from forest fires, but not the black fire beetles (Melanophila acuminate). They flock toward the fire! These unique beetles mate, and then the female lays her eggs in the bark of the still smoldering wood. The eggs hatch and burrow into the tree, free to munch away on trees without interference from the tree’s protective defenses.
During its lifetime, any given black fire beetle is statistically unlikely to ever experience a forest fire where it lives, so how does it find a burning forest for reproduction? On the underside of these beetles are tiny pits equipped with infrared radiation detection sensors. This infrared radiation detection system can detect the invisible heat rays given off by a forest fire up to 50 miles away! Do infrared radiation detection systems happen by accident and chance? Hardly! In fact, scientists are trying to copy this system in order to install them around forests to alert foresters when there is a fire. Scientists are only copying a good design. When we see an infrared radiation detection system, we know there must be an infrared radiation detection system Maker! And that Maker is God!
O Lord, there is none like thee, neither is there any God beside thee, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
~ 1 Chronicles 17:20
Source: "Pearls in Paradise" by authors Bruce Malone and Jule Von Vett
Creation Devotional February 21 - Design
Automakers are busily developing self-driving automobiles which are capable of sensing danger and instantly reacting to it. Imagine that you are in such a car and it senses that a large tree has fallen across the road, blocking your path forward. The response from such a vehicle would be to slam on the brakes and come to an immediate stop.
Now think about that response. Why did the car stop? Did the fallen tree in some way communicate with the car and cause it to stop? Not at all. The car had internal sensors to identify the barrier and internal programming to adapt to the changing circumstances. To believe that the tree caused the car to stop would be both naive and misguided. Yet, this is exactly how biologists are trained to think about life. Their literature is filled with examples that imply that the environment in which an organism lives causes it to adapt and change. The idea that the presence of drugs causes a bacteria to evolve or a sooty environment caused the peppered moths population to shift from light to dark coloration is the common perception among biologists. This is as misguided as believing that the fallen tree caused the car to stop.
Life adapts to changing environments because it has been designed with programming that allows it the flexibility to adapt. It is the organism, guided by prior programming, that adapts to changes, not the environment that causes the changes to happen. The primary reason biologists do not think in this manner is because it implies that a source of this programming is required, and they are trained to believe the environment made the organism. Thus, they miss the One who did the programming. God, the great programmer!
Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.
~ Proverbs 2:3-5
Source: "Pearls in Paradise" by authors Bruce Malone and Jule Von Vett
Creation Devotional February 20 - Biology
Daily Devotional – February 20
Biology
The dragon fish lives 1,500 to 4,500 feet below the surface of the ocean – it is what is known as a “deep-sea” animal. At that depth, light is minimal, and most deep-sea creatures can only see blue light because other wavelengths do not penetrate the ocean to such great depths.
In spite of this, the dragon fish can see red light because he has chlorophyll in his eyes. Yes, that’s right, chlorophyll - stuff that makes plants green. This chlorophyll allows the dragonfish to see in the red spectrum, giving the dragonfish a secret weapon. It pulses far red light which allows it to see its prey without itself being seen. You could say that a dragon fish’s eyes act like a night vision scope on a sniper’s rifle. How can evolution explain a dragon fish evolving chlorophyll, the stuff of green plants, within its eyes? And how did it know that this chlorophyll would help it to see in the red spectrum? And why would it evolve the ability to see in the red part of the light spectrum when it could not have known that red light even existed? Does anyone believe that a night vision sniper scope happened by accident and chance? The dragon fish’s sniper scope eyes bear witness to a powerful and unique designer, God Himself.
And the light shineth in darkness…
~ John 1:5a
Source: "Pearls in Paradise" by authors Bruce Malone and Jule Von Vett
Creation Devotional February 19 - Botany
People are fascinated by insect eating plants such as the Venus flytrap. Venus fly traps are designed to snap their leaves shut, trapping the insect inside. This provides the nutrients for the plant that the soil does not provide. Another mechanism of trapping insects is seen in the pitcher plants. Their leaf-like structures form a cavity that fills with liquid in which insects are attracted and then drown. The dissolved insects provide nutrients which the plants need.
The Borneo giant pitcher plant, Nepenthes rajah, is so large it can hold almost a gallon of liquid. With a reservoir so large, any nutrients from insects would be too diluted to do the plant much good. So biologists were curious how the Borneo’s giant pitcher plant got its nutrients. They discovered an amazing process whereby the plant lures rats and tree shrews with sweet nectar, not to eat them, but to feed them. During the day, the tree shrews come to lick the nectar from the rim and defecate into the plant. During the night, rats come to lick the sweet nectar and also use the pitcher plant as a toilet. The tree shrew/rat gets a valuable food source, nectar, while the pitcher plant gets to catch and absorb the “poop” from the shrew/rat, which supplies it with much-needed nitrogen. The plant needs the rat, and the rat needs the plant. Did this mutualism happen by accident and chance? When we see such a mutually beneficial design we know it points to a Designer.
And he answering said unto him, Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it.
~ Luke 13:8
Creation Devotional February 18 - Anatomy
Daily Devotional – February 18
Anatomy
Two United Kingdom twins turn heads because one twin sister is white and the other twin sister is black! Lucy is “white” with blue eyes, and Maria is “black” with brown eyes, yet they are twins. Their father is “white” and their mother is part-Jamaican. These two girls help answer a troubling question about the Bible. If there were only one man and one woman in the beginning, then where did all the “races” come from? Why do people of such diverse facial appearance and skin color exist?
Lucy and Marie show that it is simply a matter of genetics. Skin color is based on a pigment called melanin. If you have a lot of melanin you will be dark; if you have just a little melanin, you will have light skin. If Adam and Eve were medium brown, subsequent generations would have had melanin skin colors from very dark to very light. Following the Genesis Flood, the people built the tower of Babel, God caused confusion in their languages, and people spread out across the world (Genesis 11). This resulted in the genetic pools being isolated and the different people groups developing. We are all literally sons and daughters of Adam and Eve. Twin sisters Lucy and Maria Aylmer from the UK show us that we are all related. Skin color is only skin deep and nothing more. We are all one race, the human race.
And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth…
~ Acts 17: 26
Source: "Pearls in Paradise" by authors Bruce Malone and Jule Von Vett
Creation Devotional February 17 - Biblical Accuracy
Daily Devotional – February 17
Biblical Accuracy
Are unicorns real? AnAPreport coming out of an Italian nature preserve announced, “Single-Horned ‘Unicorn’ Deer is Found in Italy.” Sounds like fantasy, doesn’t it? But unicorn merely means “one horn”, and that is what was discovered in Italy.
Interestingly, its twin has two horns, so in this case, the one horn is probably a genetic flaw or birth defect. What is interesting is that the horn is positioned in the center of its head. Unicorns are mentioned in the King James Bible multiple times (Deuteronomy 33:17; Numbers 23:22, 24:8; Psalm 22:21, 29:6, 92:10; Isaiah 34:7). Ancient artwork also has images of unicorns. Remember that a unicorn is just a one-horned animal but depictions do not look like rhinos. They could be a one horned deer, goat, or some other animal. Unicorns were some kind of four-legged mammal with either a genetic mutation for a single horn (like the one found in Italy) or an extinct variation of a species still alive today.
God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.
~ Numbers 23:22
Source: "Pearls in Paradise" by authors Bruce Malone and Jule Von Vett
Creation Devotional February 16 - Biology
Daily Devotional – February 16
Biology
Each fin on a fish is needed to move the fish. If the tail fin (caudal) was not there, the fish could not propel itself forward. If the pectoral fins and the pelvic fins were not present, the fish would not be able to steer. If the dorsal or anal fin was missing, the fish would not be able to stay upright and would tip sideways. All the fins are needed AND at the same time. Darwinian evolutionists believe that living organism developed and diversified from simple to complex during earth’s history. Yet, a fish with only two or three fins would not survive. All the fins, with their functions, were needed from the beginning in order for the fish to successfully swim.
Evolutionists believe that hundreds of millions of years ago fish evolved from some worm or sponge or other invertebrate. Not one single fossil has revealed this intermediate form of half-fish and half invertebrate. And as J.R. Norman, an evolutionist from the Department of Zoology, British Museum of Natural History, London, states, “The geological record has so far provided no evidence as to the origin of the fishes…” Fossils of invertebrates have been found, and fossils of fishes have been found, but nothing in-between! There are no transitional fossils showing the evolution of a fish. Scripture states that God created the swimming creatures, including fish, on Day 5 of the creation week. He created them as fully formed fish.
O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!....
~ Psalm 8:1
Source: "Pearls in Paradise" by authors Bruce Malone and Jule Von Vett
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