The Animal Creation

As we saw last week, the animal kingdom (land and water) was created before man and they were placed in the Garden of Eden, flew across the expanse of the sky, and were in the depths of the sea.

Genesis 1:20-23, "On the fifth day of creation GOD created life teeming with living creatures in the water  and birds flying across the expanse of the sky (after all their own kind). He created the GREAT CREATURES OF THE SEA and every living and moving thing in which the waters teem. He told them to be fruitful and multiply."

Let's look at some of those animals:

There are so many of the beautiful  birds all over the world! Some live only in certain areas while others move all about the planet in 

their migratory flight. Even some don't fly at all such as the different species of penguins. Where I live, we have the Sandhill Cranes  

and Ibis all about our yards and owls in the woods of our backyards. Below are my pet birds that I've had for many years. What a joy they are!

Jerry is an African Gray Congo Parrot. I got him when he was 4 months old. I hand fed him until he was a year old. He is now 24 years old!   
  

Cuddles is a Cockatiel that flew onto the school campus where I was a teacher. The vet said he was about 8 months old. He is now 18 years old and talks "up a storm" as does Jerry, even to each other, ha!

Max is a Blue and Gold Macaw that I had for 13 years. I gave him to a friend who built an outside 25 foot flight cage that he spends part of his day then back inside the house he goes. I taught him to say, "I want out!" I surely miss him, but I know in my heart I'll see him again in eternity as so my other pets (future post).

The LORD also created the animals in the sea on the same day as He did the birds. Let's look at some of them.

Some of those animals are schools of fish after their own kind. Not only fish were created, but also mammals such as dolphins and whales.

They breath air where fish have gills which extract oxygen from the water. But some of the most fascinating animals 

of all are the GREAT CREATURES OF THE SEA. Sperm whales, which are mammals.

A GREAT CREATURE in the fish category are the Basking Sharks which feed on plankton, Krill. See the diver?

What about reptiles in the ocean? Not only sea turtles with flippers instead of feet like the land turtles, but there are also other reptiles such as 

Plesiosaurs which no longer are with us (future post).  There are so many animals but I'll list one more that is a reptile that spends most of its time in the water and that is the sea iguanas.

They look much like those that are on land, but as you will see in the next picture of a pet iguana, it has a slight difference.

One day we found an iguana that was in our yard. He loved to eat the hibiscus flowers as a snack! We never did find out to whom he belonged.

Frenchy was a French Angel fish we found around a bridge piling. She was only an inch long, but grew to 6 inches in the tank. In the wild they grow much bigger! Next week we will take a look at the animals GOD created on the sixth day before He created mankind.

Jesus Prays For Future Believers

John 17:20-26, "...I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their (disciples) message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I Am in You. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that You have sent Me. I have given them the glory that You gave Me that they may be one as We are One. I in them and You in Me...complete unity that the world may know You sent Me and have Loved them even as You have Loved Me. Father, I want those You have given Me to be with Me where I Am and to see My glory because You have Loved Me before the creation of the world. Righteous Father, the world does not know You. I know You and they know that You have sent Me. I have made You known to them AND WILL CONTINUE TO make You known in order that the Love You have for Me may be in them and that I Myself may be in them."

If you have accepted Jesus as your Savior, He is in you by His Holy Spirit. You know without a shadow of any doubt you belong to Him and His forever Kingdom. Hallelujah! If you don't know our Almighty GOD's salvation, come to Him today by confessing your sins to Him and asking Him to come into you and save you. It's that simple to know our Awesome, Almighty, Creator, Savior, Holy Father GOD!

What About GOD's Animal Kingdom?

Psalm 36:6, "O LORD, You preserve both man and beast."

Psalm 145:21, "Let every creature praise His Holy Name forever and ever." That sounds like eternity to me!

Psalm 50:7, 10-11, "GOD claims His animal kingdom for Himself when He says, "I Am GOD...every animal of the forest IS MINE, and the cattle on a thousand hills (ARE MINE). I know every bird in the mountains and the creatures (of all kinds) of the field ARE MINE." GOD claims His animal kingdom! I believe the word "creatures" includes the bugs, insects/spiders right on up through what we label as the animal chain.

Genesis 2:30, "GOD brought the animals to Adam to give them names." Modern man has classified the animal kingdom into the categories of mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, amphibian, insects (bugs of all kinds), spiders, and even other groups into the microscopic level.

Genesis 2:19 states the animal kingdom (as was man) was formed out of the dust of the earth. However, man is the only one GOD mentions of breathing the breath of life into making man to become a living soul. (Genesis 2:7)

Genesis 1:27 Also speaks of man being created in the image of GOD. What is this image? It is 1. Personality - GOD is perfect, sinless, and hates sin. Each individual person has their own individual personality recognizable by other individuals.

2. GOD became flesh in the Man of Jesus Christ. - We all have a body of flesh. Christ has always existed. Genesis 1:26 says, "Let US make man in OUR image." We each have a body of flesh recognizable to others.

3. GOD is also Spirit. At the first of the Creation, GOD's Spirit was hovering above the waters. (Genesis 1:2) We each possess a spirit which became dead at the fall. Now our spirit becomes reborn in the acceptance of Jesus Christ as our Savior. "To all who receive Him, to those who believe in His Name (Jesus Christ) He gave the right to become children of God." (John 1:12, 13) The rebirth of our spirit occurs at salvation in Jesus Christ.

The animal kingdom is paralleled in that they have a body of flesh (according to their own kind) which also entails their individual attitudes and characteristics. (Genesis 1:21, 25) Some animals are even spoken of by being "spirited," dealing with their personality.

Animals and man were vegetarians before the fall of man. Genesis 1:29 says for man, "GOD gave every seed bearing plant for food." Genesis 1:30 says for the animals, "To the animals GOD gave every green plant for food."

Genesis 1:31 says, "GOD saw all that He had made and it was very good."

Genesis 3:8, Everything was heavenly bliss as our Almighty GOD walked in the Garden of Eden with man, woman, and the animals that surrounded them.

BUT THEN...THE FALL

Genesis 3:1-11 Shares  when man chose to disobey ONE rule, "Do not partake of the fruit of the Tree of Life." Once Eve and Adam did, the Fall occurred! Sin entered and corrupted everything GOD had created! It wasn't the animal kingdom's fault that man chose to sin and bring down all creation including them! Some may want to blame it on the snake (as Eve did) but it wasn't the snake, it was Satan through the snake that tempted Eve. (Revelation 12:9) In the Garden did animals have free will to talk? Possibly so, since Eve was not surprised when the snake began talking to her. However, today, I think we would think twice if a rattle snake slithered up to us and started talking to us! Of course we are now in the fallen world, where even the animal kingdom has had the curse of death through predator/prey, food source for man, old age, and disease come upon them as well. 

The animals along with man were expelled from the Garden of Eden. (Genesis 3:23) Man was cursed to till the soil by the sweat of his brow for food. (Genesis 3:15)

The joy of all is: GOD has His Eternal Plan

                       For the animal kingdom and man.

Continued next Sunday!

Jesus Prays For His Disciples

John 17:6-19, Jesus continues His prayer to His Father, "I have revealed to those whom You gave Me out of the world. They know everything You have given Me comes from You. I gave them the Words You gave Me and they accepted them. They know with certainty that I came from You. I PRAY FOR THEM. I Am not praying for the world, but for those You gave Me for they are Yours. All I have is Yours and all You have is Mine. Glory has come to Me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, I Am coming to You, Father. They are still in the world, protect them by the power of Your Name, the Name You gave Me, so they may be as one as We are One. My prayer is that You not take them out of the world, but protect them from the evil one. They are not of this world as I Am not of this world. Sanctify them by the Truth, Your WORD. I sanctify Myself that they too may be sanctified."

This prayer of Jesus is also for us today for we too are chosen by Him. Jesus says in John 15:16, "You did not choose Me, but I chose You." Each one who has salvation in Jesus has Jesus to thank! For, in Ephesians 1:4-5, it says, "For He (Jesus) chose us in Him before creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In Love He predestined us to be adopted as His sons (and daughters) through Jesus Christ in accordance to His pleasure and will." Accepting Jesus' call to salvation is so simple a child can understand! Confess you are a sinner and ask Jesus Christ to forgive you of your sins and begin living your life in Him. His Holy Spirit will enter you and confirm your salvation in our Awesome, Almighty, Creator, Savior, Holy Father GOD! Amen!

Jesus Prays for Himself

John 17:1-5, "After Jesus spoke, He looked toward heaven and prayed, 'Father, the time has come. Glorify Your Son, that Your Son may glorify You. For You granted Him authority over all people that He might give eternal life to all those You have given Him. Now this is eternal life:  that they may know You, the only true GOD, and Jesus Christ, Whom You have sent. I have brought You glory on earth by completing the work You gave Me to do. And now, Father, glorify Me in Your Presence with the glory I had with You before the world began.' "

"The world is a tremendous battleground where the forces of Satan's power and those under GOD's authority are at war. Satan and his forces are motivated by bitter hatred for Christ and His forces. Jesus prayed for His disciples, including those of us who follow Him today. He prayed that GOD would keep His chosen believers safe from Satan's power, setting His followers apart and making them pure and holy, uniting them through His truth. How do we get eternal life? Jesus tells us clearly; by knowing the Father Himself through His Son, Jesus Christ. Eternal life requires entering into a personal relationship with GOD in Jesus Christ. When we admit our sins and turn away from it, Christ's Love lives in us by the Holy Spirit.  Before Jesus came to earth, He was One with GOD. Now at this point in His mission on earth was almost finished, Jesus was asking His Father to restore Him to His original place of honor and authority. Jesus' resurrection and ascension (and Stephen's dying exclamation in Acts 7:56, attest that Jesus did return to His exalted position at the right hand of GOD (where He makes intercession for the saints Romans 8:34)" Bible Commentary explanation.

Do you know Almighty GOD? You can! Romans 3:23, "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of GOD" and it continues to say in verse 24-25, "(We) are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Jesus Christ. GOD presented Him as a sacrifice of atonement through faith in His blood (shed for the sins of mankind.) But you must accept Him by asking for forgiveness of your sins. With a truthful heart in doing so His Holy Spirit will confirm with you your salvation. 2 Corinthians 5:5, "It is GOD Who...has given us His Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come (eternal life with Him.)" Repent of your sin and He will guide your path.   

Jesus Continues Teaching

John 16:29-33, "Then Jesus' disciples said, 'Now we can see that You know all things and that You do not even need to have anyone ask You questions. This makes us believe that You came from GOD.' Jesus answered, 'You believe at last! But a time is coming and has come when you will be scattered, each to his own home. You will leave Me all alone. Yet, I Am not alone, for My Father is with Me. I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. IN THIS WORLD YOU WILL HAVE TROUBLES. But, take heart! I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD.' "

"In spite of inevitable struggles (we will) not be alone. Jesus does not abandon us to our struggles. If we remember that the ultimate victory has already been won, we can claim the peace of Christ (that passes all understanding of lost mankind) in the most troublesome times." One Day, there will be no more troubles, trials, heartaches, or pain. Our Awesome, Almighty, Creator, Savior, Holy Father GOD has promised to us in Revelation 21:4, "He (GOD) will wipe away every tear from (our) eyes. There will be no more death or mourning, or crying, or pain, for the old order of things will have passed away."

As we venture in this fallen world, hold on to the Truth and righteousness in Christ Jesus. For one Day all these former things will pass away and behold the New Heavens, New Earth, and New Jerusalem will be our Eternal Home with our Awesome, Almighty, Creator, Savior, Holy Father GOD forevermore! Hallelujah!