Daily Devotional – August 22

Design

One of the most beautiful moths in the world is the Atlas moth (Attacus atlas) from the forests of Southeast Asia. Most people are impressed with this rare moth’s incredible 12-inch wingspan, making it one of the largest living insects of today. The patterns on the moth’s wings are gorgeous. But take a closer look at the moth’s wing tips. They resemble a cobra’s head, complete with staring eyes and a grimacing mouth. What better way to scare off predators than to have a poisonous snake “painted” on your wings!

The Chinese even call this moth “snake’s head moth” in Cantonese. So, here we have a moth scaring off its predators by looking like a cobra. If that’s not amazing enough, the moth even drops to the ground and fans its wings in a movement similar to a snake’s head when threatened. Evolution would have you believe that this moth’s disguise happened by accident and chance over millions of years. Random changes do not produce patterns that look like other animals. So, how do you explain a cobra pattern on a moth? The pattern-maker gave it this defense mechanism from the fall, and that patternmaker is God.

All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.

~ John 1:3

Source: "Pearls in Paradise" by authors Bruce Malone and Jule Von Vett

References for this devotional.

Daily Devotional – July 28

Design

What are scientists up to now? They are making a “robosnail,” a snail-like robot. Why would a scientist be copying a slimy snail? If you want to build something that moves over all terrains, what better creature to copy? A snail creeps forward on a layer of gooey slime; thicker goo allows it to move faster, while thinner slime offers more resistance. The ten-inch “robosnail” is a mass of gears, wiring and pieces of plastic that creates a series of slow, undulating waves along its rubbery membrane “foot”, which allows it to creep forward slowly. “Robosnail” is only able to move on flat surfaces.

Today, surprisingly, scientists are finding that liquids on a smaller scale behave in a different way. The smaller the scale, the more “sticky” a liquid seems to be. For example, when maple syrup is on a plate and you move your finger back-and-forth, the area covered by the thinnest layer of syrup is the hardest to move through. Scientists still have much to learn. You could say we trail the snail in technology. God knew what He was doing when he designed such a “slick” way of moving.

Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name;

~ Psalm 29:2a

Source: "Pearls in Paradise" by authors Bruce Malone and Jule Von Vett

References for this devotional.

Daily Devotional – July 24

Design

Ships traversing the ocean have to be regularly cleaned of barnacles, or they lose significant streamlining and efficiency. Even many whales can be seen with barnacles clinging to their skin for a free ride. As a matter of fact, the vast majority of whale species have barnacles clinging to their skin, and each of these whales are home to their own specific species of barnacle. Yet, the pilot whale is barnacle-free. Why don’t barnacles cling to pilot whales?

It’s all in the skin; tiny nanostructures on a Pilot whale’s skin inhibit barnacle larvae from attaching. These “nano-ridges” are microscopic pores that ooze a parasite-resistant gel to keep the barnacles from attaching. Marine researchers are trying to copy the whale’s skin so that it can be painted onto ship hulls. Here is yet another invention derived by “thinking God’s thoughts” and copying the Master Designer’s handiwork!

Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done.…

~ Psalm 40:5

Source: "Pearls in Paradise" by authors Bruce Malone and Jule Von Vett

References for this devotional.

Daily Devotional – July 9

Design

Have you considered the snowflake? It has been said that no two snowflakes are alike. Is this true? The average snowflake contains 1018 or 1,000,000,000,000,000,000 water molecules. How many ways can these molecules be arranged? Let’s compare this to arranging 15books on a shelf. There are 15 choices for arranging the first book, 14 for the second book, 13 choices for the third book and so on. When we multiply this out there are over a trillion ways to arrange only 15 books. If we took one hundred books and figured all the possible ways of arranging them, the number is 10158 or a 1 with 158 zeros. This number is greater than the atoms in the universe! Remember, a snowflake contains 1018 water molecules, which can be arranged. The number of possible ways is far greater than arranging 100 books.

From simple water vapor condensing on dust and changing into ice, we find endless amounts of six-sided, complex, symmetrical patterns. Who is the creative genius who came up with such endless variety and design? God is the master designer. Just as He asked Job, “Have you entered the treasury of the snow?” May we take the time to see these treasures of beauty that God created for our enjoyment.

Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow?

~ Job 38:22

Source: "Pearls in Paradise" by authors Bruce Malone and Jule Von Vett

References for this devotional.

Daily Devotional – June 22

Design

Golf balls made during the 1800s were made with a smooth surface. It seemed logical that the smoother the ball, the farther it flies. At some point, golfers noticed that older balls covered with nicks and grooves seemed to fly farther. By the 1930s, the standard golf ball was covered with dimples. Just as golf balls are designed with “dimples,” so is shark skin.

Shark’s skin is made of tough, enameled, tooth-like scales called denticles that point in the direction of the tail. When running your hand over a shark’s skin, toward the tail, the skin will feel smooth. When running your hand in the opposite direction, the shark’s skin feels like rough sandpaper. In the past, shark skin was even used as sandpaper.

To swim faster, a shark bristles with its denticles, causing tiny whirlpools to form within the cavities between the denticles. These tiny vortices reduce the drag. This same design can be observed with dimples on a golf ball. As the dimpled golf ball flies through the air, tiny whirlpools are created, reducing drag. Golf balls are made with dimples to create less drag in the same way the shark skin with its “dimples” was designed.

Would we say a golf ball happened by chance? Hardly! Neither can we assume the shark’s skin made itself. God created and designed the shark’s skin to maximize its speed.

So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.

~ Psalm 104:25

Source: "Pearls in Paradise" by authors Bruce Malone and Jule Von Vett

References for this devotional.

Daily Devotional – June 9

Design

From peacocks to porcupines; bacteria to blue whales; raindrops to oceans - everyone in the world sees the design in nature. This is called general revelation. God has communicated about Himself to all persons, in all places, throughout history. He has done that through nature. When someone studies a leaf, the Moon, or the smallest cell, he sees evidence of order, design, and purpose.  Who is the One who created this or that? Who is the designer? That should drive the person to find the designer.

Who is this Designer? That search leads to what is called special revelation, that is, the Bible. It is there, in Scripture, that a person discovers the Designer, Creator, and Redeemer of the universe. Then, the God of the Bible will tell him about how sin entered the world, how a Redeemer was sent, and how he can spend eternity with the God of the universe. Special revelation is “special” because it is the key that opens the door between Heaven and Earth. Nature (general revelation) is meant to be the drawing card that leads us to the God of the Bible (special revelation).

For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

~ Romans 1:20

Source: "Pearls in Paradise" by authors Bruce Malone and Jule Von Vett

References for this devotional.

Daily Devotional – May 20

Design

God has put many design features into our world. For example, the earth has a built-in thermostat to help keep the earth’s temperature moderated. When an ocean warms, it causes the amount of water vapor entering the air to increase. If the heating continues, the water vapor will be forced higher into the atmosphere and form icy cirrus clouds. These clouds then reflect the incoming sunlight that decreases the temperature on earth. God uses the clouds as a built-in thermostat. Do we say a thermostat happened by accident and chance? Evolution is based on random changes over time (accident and chance). Why would anyone believe that God’s “cloud thermostat” happened by accident and chance?

Also by watering he wearieth the thick cloud: he scattereth his bright cloud: And it is turned round about by his counsels: that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth.

~ Job 37:11-12

Source: "Pearls in Paradise" by authors Bruce Malone and Jule Von Vett

References for this devotional.

Daily Devotional – May 9

Design

Imagine a box. How did it come about? Evolution? Let’s examine this possibility.

Billions of years ago, there was a tree that fell down into water. The tree became very mushy. Many animals walked through this water stirring up the shredded tree and water. Later, the water dried up leaving a mat of shredded “paper.” The wind soon picked up this paper and folded it into corrugated cardboard - each dip and ridge was nicely lined up. Then the wind folded the corrugated paper into a four-sided box with a top and bottom. Of course, glue was needed, so it came flying through the air at the right moment and hit the right parts of the box to glue it together. As time passed, black paint fell from the sky and formed the word “Amazon” on the side of the box. Is this true? Of course not! We know when we see a box, there must be a box maker.

In the same way, the ear has many parts. Sound enters through the eardrum - a tough, tightly-stretched membrane. The airwaves move the surface of the eardrum like a beating drum. The sound is transferred to three tiny bones; the anvil, hammer, and stirrup. These tiny bones amplify the sound 22 times, and they pass the amplified sound into the inner ear via an oval window. In the inner ear is the cochlea, whose twisting exterior looks like a snail shell. In this twisting, fluid-filled cavern are thousands of microscopic hair-like nerve cells, each tuned to a particular vibration. If a middle C has been sounded, then the cochlear middle C hair cells vibrate. These vibrations then make a wisp of electricity that feeds into an auditory nerve that leads to the brain where the electric signal is interpreted as a sound. The ear is FAR more complex than a box!

Each part of the ear had to be in its proper place and fully functioning - right from the beginning in order for us to hear. A hearing ear could not happen by chance, just like a box could not happen by accident. When we see an ear, we know there must be an ear-Maker, and that ear-Maker is God.

The hearing ear, and the seeing eye, the Lord hath made even both of them.

~ Proverbs 20:12

Source: "Pearls in Paradise" by authors Bruce Malone and Jule Von Vett

References for this devotional.

Daily Devotional – April 25

Design

It is often stated that belief in God is a “leap of faith.” Yet, the Bible, from the Old Testament (Psalm 19:1-4) to the New Testament (Romans 1:18-23), clearly states that the reality of God’s existence is absolutely apparent to everyone, everywhere -- simply by observing creation. In other words, creation could only exist if a Creator made it.

The September 2013 journal Science describes a set of perfectly formed gears at the base of a lowly 2 mm-long leafhopper nymph. This creature has the ability to jump several inches using a mighty thrust from its hind legs that propels the creature with an acceleration of nearly 400 G (fighter pilots risk blackout if accelerating much past 10 G). This feat would be equivalent to a man accelerating from 0 to 200 mph in less than a second and jumping 400 feet in a single bound!

What makes the leafhopper’s feat even more amazing is that the nerve impulses cannot travel fast enough to allow both legs to push off in a coordinated fashion – meaning that with every hop, the insect should spin out of control. So how did the Creator solve this problem? He added a set of interlocking gears to the base of the leafhopper’s legs so that they are forced to move in exact coordination.2 This design is currently being studied as a prototype for new kinds of high-speed, directional gears. The marvels of the microscopic world and the wonders of God’s creativity never cease. The belief that such a gear could “make itself” via random changes over time is equivalent to believing that a gear could be produced in a machine shop via random hammering of a piece of metal. When we see microscopic gears solving a leafhopper’s leap, we stand in awe of our Creator!

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.

~ Psalm 19:1-3

Source: "Pearls in Paradise" by authors Bruce Malone and Jule Von Vett

References for this devotional.

Daily Devotional – April 24

Design

Have you considered that the winds have weight? Winds move the air, and air has mass. If the air had no mass, then the winds would have no force. This is just what is stated in Job 28:25, “To make the weight for the wind.”

It was once believed that air had no weight. Evangelista Torricelli designed an experiment to test this belief in 1641. He filled a 3 foot glass tube with mercury. He quickly turned it upside down and placed it in a bowl of mercury. The mercury in the tube dropped to 30 inches. Torricelli noticed that when the mercury rose in the tube, there were clear skies. The mercury level decreased as stormy weather approached. Torricelli had invented the barometer, which measured the weight of the air. God told Job of this idea, the “weight for the winds,” some 3500 years earlier. Too many people are trained to think of the Bible as unscientific. The very opposite is true. Whenever God’s Word speaks of science, it is true. In reality, we are just catching up with God.

To make the weight for the winds;

~ Job 28:25

Source: "Pearls in Paradise" by authors Bruce Malone and Jule Von Vett

References for this devotional.