BIRD ATTACK

Hello Bird Lovers...Back in the 1950's and 1960's...there was a place that I use to go just about every Saturday (more in the 60's than the 50's)...where I could lose myself in the convolutions of my imagination...THE PRINCESS THEATER. Where else could you go and see an absented minded professor fly a FLUBBER mobile...a magical coin become powerful by uttering the words ZOTS...or Hercules performing mighty feats of strength while Jason and the Argonauts met with Cyclops. It was at THE PRINCESS THEATER that I would sit and watch the movie A HARD DAYS NIGHT starring a little known rock and roll band from England called THE BEATLES. What was strange was...I could not hear the movie for the girls screaming. Saturday afternoons you could get in for a double feature...and sit and watch it again and again and again...and not get asked to leave. Milk Duds...popcorn...cokes...Sugar Daddy's...Chocolate Covered Peanuts...seeing friends...girls you liked...and oh yes...ELVIS MOVIES. I remember in 1965...standing in a line for the movie TICKLE ME...that wound down the street...past the Post Office (later the library)...curving around and extending down the block. On the side of the theater there was a large billboard advertising the coming movies. I remember one day...passing by the theater in 1964...and seeing a gigantic billboard advertising the latest Elvis movie...ROUSTABOUT. Elvis straddles across a motorcycle...looking back... and the promise of a rocking good time. Wow...what sweet memories. Oh yes...there was that little thing called RACISM...where the "coloreds" had their own entrance and designated area to sit...upstairs in the balcony...behind the white people...and separate drinking fountains and separate access to the candy counter. Some call it the "good old days"...but that part of the "good old days"...were really the "bad old days."

It was in 1963...that I went to see an Alfred Hitchcock movie called...THE BIRDS. It was a movie based on a novelette by Daphne Du Maurier...aka Lady Browning. Ms Du Maurier also wrote other books that Alfred Hitchcock made into movies including...REBECCA...and JAMAICA INN. This movie was about...a quaint, little, quiet San Francisco town...whose peace was disturbed by a sudden uprising by BIRDS. They appeared...and began to attack the people from little children to old women...and everyone in between. The BIRDS did not discriminate with their attacks.

After the movie let out...I had to walk home down Maple Street that was surrounded by row after row of trees on each side of the street...lining the sidewalks like a parade. Guess what was hovering in those trees. You got it...what appeared to be hundreds...no...thousands...wait...tens of thousands of BIRDS....watching me take step by step...in an effort to get home before they could attack. Well...so much for imagination unrestrained. The only thing that may have happened... would be a little bird poop on my shirt (or did I imagine that also).

You may be asking yourself..."Self...why the Bird Blog?" Well...I'm glad you asked. The other day...I was driving down Rucker Lane...on the way to church...and I noticed a field of freshly planted SEEDS of some sort. At the time I did not know what the SEEDS were...but later found out it was soybeans. SIDE NOTE :(aka Bunny Trail)...growing up in the midst of the soy beans were scattered remnants of the old crop...corn. That got me to thinking about the parable of the WHEAT AND THE TARES...but that is for another Rambling...another time. BACK TO THE BIRDS: As I was thinking about the Princess Theater...and the movie THE BIRDS...I began to think about the BIRDS in my spiritual life since I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Saviour back in 1970. Various scriptures speak of if God provides for the fowls/birds of the air...will He not provide for you/me? In the Old Testament...ravens brought food...God sent quail for food. Back in the New Testament...God knows when one bird falls...again how much He cares for you.

One negative connotation of BIRDS...is found in THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER/SEED/SOIL (depending on how you view and read it). There are three places where this parable is told and explained...(1) Matthew 13:1-23 (2) Mark 4:1-20 (3) Luke 8:4-15

Now...this Ramblings is not meant to go into detail about this parable...that is for another time...but there are some common threads that deal with THE BIRD.

In all of the parables there are some common threads.

1. The SEED is the Word of God.
2. The SOIL is the heart.
3. The condition of the SOIL will determine the amount of production/fruit.

In Luke...the GOOD SOIL is defined in Luke 8:15..."And the SEED/WORD in the GOOD GROUND...these are the ones who have (1) heard the word in an
(2) honest and good heart (3) and hold it fast (4) and bear fruit (5) with perseverance/steadfastness

One of the attacks was by THE BIRDS. This was not just a random attack. It was not just an uprising of THE BIRDS like in the movie that was never explained. No...these attacks are thought out...well orchestrated...schemes. The BIRDS in all of the versions liken the BIRD ATTACKS to (1) the evil one (2) satan (3) the devil.

In the Matthew account it says..."the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart."

In the Mark account it says..."...the word is sown...and when they hear...immediately satan comes...and takes away the word which has been sown in them."

In the Luke account it says..."then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart...so that they may NOT BELIEVE and be SAVED."

This attack...this snatching....this taking away of the seed...the Word...is deliberate and malicious. This comes as no surprise to many who are aware of the devil...satan...the evil one...the liar...the stealer...the killer...the destroyer. We see in Ephesians 6:11-12..."Put on the full armour of God...that you may be able to STAND against the SCHEMES of the devil. For our STRUGGLE is not against FLESH and BLOOD ...but against (1) rulers (2) powers (3) world forces of this (present) darkness (4) spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places (realm).

We see the nature of this WARFARE/BIRD ATTACK in II Corinthians 10:3-6..."For though we WALK IN THE FLESH (not flesh nature but the physical being)...we do not WAR ACCORDING TO THE FLESH...for the weapons of our WARFARE are not of the FLESH...but DIVINELY POWERFUL for the destruction of FORTRESSES. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God...and we are taking every THOUGHT captive to the obedience of Christ...and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete."

This attack by the bird/satan...just like in the movie...wants to peck your eyes out so you cannot see. This is why we need to WALK BY FAITH...AND NOT BY SIGHT (II Corinthians 5:7)

The question still remains...why the attack on the SEED/WORD. Here is my humble opinion...

1. Faith comes by hearing...and hearing by the SEED/WORD of God. (Romans 10:17)
2. If you have faith..you will not be moved by what you see...hear...feel...you will only be moved by the Word that is real...the Word that
came to life...that came to me. Thanks and a Tip O Da Hat To Janny Grein for Covenant Woman (Hebrews 11:1)
3. The bird/devil/evil one...does not want the WORD OF GOD IN YOUR MOUTH (Romans 10:6-17)
4. If faith comes...and you begin to walk by faith and not by sight...you will PLEASE GOD...by coming to him...believing that He is...
believing that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him and not be a passive inquirer. (Hebrews 11:6)
5. You are now a danger to the bird/devil/evil one.

NOTE: In the book by Frank Peretti...called THIS PRESENT DARKNESS...it is about how when a believer...begins to PRAY...he becomes a danger to the enemy...and the schemes are thwarted. As the enemy faces one of the characters in the book...he hisses out...Oh...it's you praying one."

FINAL THOUGHTS FINALLY

It is time for us to deal with the birds in our lives....protect that SEED/WORD. Keep going to the FEED MILL (gathering of believers) for some more SEED/WORD. Start CULTIVATING your SOIL on a regular bases...get rid of the WEEDS (cares of the world)...and begin to BEAR MUCH FRUIT.

Love and SEEDY Kisses
Rodney "GET OUTTA HERE BIRDS" Boyd