Pride

Eze 16:49  Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. 

Just think about this thing called pride, I think we all have it. 

 "If there is a sin that is universal, it is this. Where is it not to be found? Hunt among the highest and loftiest in the world, and you shall find it there; and then go and search amongst the poorest and the most miserable, and you shall find it there. There may be as much pride inside a beggar's rags as in a prince's robe; and a harlot may be as proud as a model of chastity. Pride is a strange creature; it never objects to its lodgings. It will live comfortably enough in a palace, and it will live equally at its ease in a hovel. Is there any man in whose heart pride does not lurk?"

 "Wherever pride is found, it is always hateful to God. Why! pride is even hateful to men. Men cannot bear a proud man; and hence it is that a proud man, who has any sense left, often sees that it is so, and he therefore tries to affect manners of modesty. He will seem to be humble, when he really is not, if he has the suspicion that all about him will dislike him if they know him to be proud. But God cannot bear pride; it is a part of his daily business to put down the proud." (Spurgeon)

Psa 101:5  Whoso privily slandereth his neighbour, him will I cut off: him that hath an high look and a proud heart will not I suffer. 

1Pet 5:6  Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: 

The Moses bird

At the edges of the river and ponds a lovely Great Egret stands. This bird is the symbol of the Audubon society, and in the nineteenth century it became almost extinct because it's plumes were used in women's fashions. They became a protected bird and so now they are plentiful. It lurks quietly and catches fish by spearing them with it's long sharp beak. A friend called these birds Moses birds because they were always standing before the water, reminding her of Moses standing before the Red Sea. The white reminded her of Jesus, but there is only one Jesus in his white apparel, and he is not a bird or an angel; he is God the Son. We do not worship the creation, but we do worship the Creator who made this lovely bird for us to enjoy.

The Egret is so perfect for it's environment. Just look at his big feet for wading in the mud. Tiny feet may get stuck in the mud, but not these wide pitchfork toes.

Psa 40:1  To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David. I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. 

Psa 40:2  He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. 

Psa 40:3  And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD. 

Psa 40:4  Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. 

Psa 40:5  Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered. 

He watches for fish motionless his white making him invisible against the bright sky. His neck is coiled like a snake, ready to spring forward.

Mar 13:35  Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: 

Mar 13:36  Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. 

Mar 13:37  And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch. 

I watched as he thrust his spear beak in the water.

 These birds do not let you get close to them. I was fifty yards from it behind a tree. I wanted a closer view so I moved to thirty yards from him behind another tree, but it was too close. Effortlessly the enormous fan like wings lift it into the air. For such a large bird it just lifted into the air from a dead start, with feet straight behind him.

Exo 19:4  Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself. 

He glides across the river, perhaps saying a prayer? Thank you LORD for making me so special.

Ch 29:11  Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all. 

1Ch 29:12  Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give strength unto all. 

1Ch 29:13  Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and praise thy glorious name. 

Eaglewings Ministries

Chasing the sunset

There were only a few clouds that reflected the warm rays of the setting sun. I drove west in my car to find a place with no wires to get a picture of the sunset. I remembered chasing the sunset when I first moved north  in the early 1970's. I was living in a small cabin rental in the midst of the oaks and manzanitas.  Color slide pictures were taken then and when the sunset was glorious I would take my 35mm camera and run looking for a tree to silouette against the sunset. One such picture was called the black oak sunset and was used in the camera club competition. I found the sunset last night against a few slender trees near the highway.

Pro 16:17  The highway of the upright is to depart from evil: he that keepeth his way preserveth his soul. 

Pro 16:18  Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. 

Pro 16:19  Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud. 

Near the highway is the train tracks. My photography business was next to the train tracts in the center of the old town. The train used to stop in town in the early days of California, but now the trains pass through. The train cars would pass by my store window and sometimes I would watch them. They were covered with gang graffiti. There is little respect; I remember in the 70's that the hippies would throw rocks at the new cars brought in on the trains. They were against materialistic America. This spirit is still out to destroy our nation, throwing rocks at our laws and the constitution. We look to Jesus. He is coming, make his way straight.

Isa 40:3  The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 

Isa 40:4  Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: 

Isa 40:5  And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it. 

We have a nice Senior Citizen hall. Each friday morning my wife meets there with a crochet group. There is a small country western music band that plays their guitars singing old songs. These are old guys too, getting together loving to play music even if their are few to hear them.  Often I will listen to their music while reading the Bible or the newspaper. At the end of each song muffled applause follows and the rapping of my coffee cup on the table. A little encouragement is good. As we were leaving the center I noticed the trees blooming, the blossoms do not last very long, but I had left my camera at home.

These trees were on my mind as I parked my car at the senior center in the dim light, I wanted a picture of these trees. 

Jer 6:16  Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. 

The light was dim, but it was soft. At home I was able to bring out the features of this lovely tree of early spring. We must capture the glory of God when it comes in his creation. The creation glorifies the Lord and so must we. Forget the evil news and let us focus on the goodness of our LORD. Let us praise God with continuous prayer.

Rom 15:4  For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. 

Rom 15:5  Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: 

Rom 15:6  That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

Eaglewings Ministries

Music in the way of the word

I have been placing the Bible with commentary on the Internet in a web site called  eaglewingsministries.com . The Bible studies were from sharing the Bible each day to disciple new believers. The oldest entries were in 2001. Having gone through all of the New Testament and several books in the Old Testament, I find there is a problem when trying to access a page, often it freezes up. I figured out that the problem was I had embedded midi music files in the lessons, it may be that new antivirus safety practices block the music. I am now removing all the music that I put in the chapters of the Bible. Almost every chapter had music to stir the soul, now I have the task of removing it. There are 260 chapters in the New Testament, Isaiah, has 66, etc. A lot of chapters to open and to delete the music. After all, the word of God is more important than the music.

Thinking on this as applied to the church, the word is still more important, and music should glorify the LORD. Most of the old hymns had great music and great words from the Bible. Maybe we should go through our music selections and remove the music that does not exalt the LORD or give a truthful message from the Bible?  May we glorify the LORD and speak his truth to a world in need.

In a private Bible study it was mentioned that when the ark of the covenant was taken captive, that it was returned on a new cart because the world's people did not know the proper handling of the ark. When Israel received the ark, they should have used the poles to transport the ark, instead they moved it the world's way and when Uzzah put his hand out to steady the ark he was killed.

1Ch 13:9  And when they came unto the threshingfloor of Chidon, Uzza put forth his hand to hold the ark; for the oxen stumbled. 
1Ch 13:10  And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Uzza, and he smote him, because he put his hand to the ark: and there he died before God. 

1Ch 13:11  And David was displeased, because the LORD had made a breach upon Uzza: wherefore that place is called Perezuzza to this day. 

Apparently God was displeased in the careless handling of his holiness. When the world's way in music gets into the church, is God honored, or upset? We should remove anything that does not honor the LORD, including examining ourselves, for we are the temples of the Holy Spirit.


Psa 26:2  Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.