Matthew 6:26: "Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them."

Most people know that if they are stranded at sea without fresh water they should not drink sea water. While we need salt, the amount of salt in sea water would kill a person more quickly than thirst. Have a little too much salt on your popcorn and your kidneys will filter out the extra. But to do so, they need extra fresh water.

The marine iguanas of the Galapagos islands drink too much salt water every day. They feed on the algae that grow in sea water, but they lack a good freshwater supply to flush the salt out using their kidneys. Since God knew what kind of environment this iguana would one day be living in, He gave the marine iguana a special gland. Located in its head, it removes excess salt from the iguanas' blood and holds it. Periodically, the iguana will sneeze, expelling the salt-saturated fluid. As it dries it leaves a salty crown on the top of its head that dissolves back into the sea during the next swim. Several other reptiles also have salt glands, but each of these work very differently. This means that evolutionists must explain how these salt glands evolved at least ten times.

God gave the marine iguana these unique glands because He knew what they would need for the life He gave them.

Prayer: Thank You, Lord, for providing so wondrously for all Your creatures, even as You have provided for my salvation. Amen.

References: Answers, 3-4/09, pp. 20-22, Mary Mitchell, "Salt-Sneezing Lizards."

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On this episode of ID the Future we’re featuring an excerpt from an Academic Freedom Day talk given by Casey Luskin at the University of Arkansas. The talk is titled “The Positive Case for Intelligent Design and Why It’s Being Expelled from Academia,” and in this first of two parts, Luskin gives two positive, testable predictions of ID that are confirmed by the empirical data.

1 John 1:9: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."

Perhaps you have a self-cleaning oven in your kitchen, and if you have small children in your house, you've probably wished for self-cleaning walls. Self-cleaning clothes would be nice, too!

Lotuses often grow in muddy water where mud can accumulate on leaves. Yet, for efficiency in collecting sunlight, their leaves need to be clean. And, yes, they stay clean despite the environment in which they grow. Close examination under a powerful electron microscope reveals why. The top of the leaves are covered with tiny spikes that feel waxy. They are so tiny that they can even hold up a particle of dust that settles on a leaf. As a result, any water that lands on the leaves rolls right off. As it rolls off, it collects any dirt that may be on a leaf. These leaves are self-cleaning! Researchers realized that this microscopic spike structure could be used to make self- cleaning products. For example, self-cleaning paint for homes is already in use under the product name Lotusan. Self-cleaning food containers are being developed as well. And one day we may even have self-cleaning clothes, including swimming suits that never get wet.

However, when it comes to our standing before God, we are not self-cleaning. We must rely on the cleansing from our sin won for us by our Lord Jesus on the cross.

Prayer: Father, thank You for the forgiveness of sins I have through my Lord Jesus Christ and the life He gives me. Amen.

References: Science Illustrated, 7/8/08, pp. 62-69, "Inspired by Nature," ("Mr. Clean," pp. 68-69).

Genesis 1:30: "And to every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the air... I have given every green herb for meat: and it was so."

In the perfect world that God created there were no meat eaters. In today's sinful world it is hard to imagine meat eaters, like spiders, being vegetarians.

Some spiders have occasionally been observed tasting plants. The male crab spider has been seen tasting plant nectar. Some baby spiders eat spores that they find in their webs. But now a small jumping spider that lives on acacia trees has been discovered that is vegetarian. Acacia trees are often home to vicious ants that protect the tree from other gnawing insects. In return, the tree offers the ants protection and tasty nectar. So the little jumping spider must constantly avoid the guard ants when it heads out for a meal of nectar. One of their strategies for avoiding ants is to build their nests on mature leaves. These leaves are the least guarded on the plant. Researchers noted that they did observe four instances of a spider eating ant larva, but this was out of 140 feeding observations.

Our experiences in a fallen world do not begin to prepare us for what God is able to create, despite all the wonders around us. If it pleases God, He can make vegetarian lions, tigers and even spiders. Who of us would ever have thought of His plan to rescue us from sin through His Son, Jesus Christ?

Prayer: Thank You, dear Father, for providing for all of Your creatures, even in a fallen world. Amen.

References: Science News online, http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/35121, 8/12/08, Susan Milius, "Vegetarian Spider."