From Grandpa With Love: Volume 2
Lorne Yade
Table of Contents
The Baby Swallows
Hello again from Gramma and Grampa!
I will start out by answering the question about the swallows that were nesting in our barn. Yes, we had two nests, and each nest had four eggs. And, yes, the eggs all hatched into cute little baby swallows. Gramma and I were interested in the one nest that was right over our heads where we walked into the barn.
We enjoyed watching the parents catch bugs as they flew around outside. Then they would fly into the barn to feed the babies. As the days passed, these babies grew big enough to sit on the edge of the nest. I took a picture of them, which you can see. Look closely and you will see all four of them sitting there, all lined up, waiting for their parents to bring them a bug or two.
Shortly after, I told Gramma, “These birds will soon be leaving the nest.” So Gramma, Chelsea (you’ve all met our dog in earlier stories), and I went out into the barn, found a piece of wood to sit on, and enjoyed watching what was going on. We hoped to see the babies fly away. Well, we were disappointed, because they did not fly away. However, next morning when Chelsea and I went out to look, there were only three baby swallows in the nest! Then, after breakfast, we had another look ... there were only two! The parents were calling them out of the nest one at a time! And now there were only two baby swallows left, and both were ready and waiting for their turn to go!
That reminds me of a Sunday school chorus:
Two shall be together, grinding at the mill;
Two shall be together, sleeping sound and still;
One shall be taken, the other left behind.
Will you be ready, when Jesus comes?
Children, are you ready and waiting for the Lord Jesus to come and take us to heaven? He said, “I will come again, and receive you unto Myself” (John 14:3).
One of you may ask, “How can I be ready, Grampa?”
That’s a good question, and it’s very easy to answer. Look in your Bible at Acts chapter 16 and verses 30 and 31. A grown-up man asked the question, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” The answer is this: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved”! And not only was he saved, but verse 34 says the man “[believed] in God with all his house”! What a happy home that must have been!
Now I almost forgot to tell you the end of the story. The three of us went back out to the barn a little later, and guess what?
“One was left, Grampa?”
Nope ... not even one! They were all gone! The nest was empty! Gramma and I were real happy, and Chelsea must have known we were happy, because she was wagging her tail! How wonderful is God, our Creator! We sometimes sing,
Isn’t He wonderful, wonderful, wonderful;
Isn’t Jesus my Lord wonderful!
Eyes have seen, ears have heard,
it’s recorded in God’s Word;
Isn’t Jesus my Lord wonderful!
Yes, dear children, He is a wonderful Lord, and He has given us a wonderful salvation!
Lots of love,
Gramma and Grampa
A Showdown in the Snow
Dear Children,
Hello again from Grampa. I am writing this letter as I’m looking out our kitchen window at the four inches of brand-new, beautiful, white snow. All the while we were sleeping, the snow was gently coming down from the heavens and landing on the earth.
Gramma asked me what Bible verse I think about when I look at the snow. I answered, “Job chapter 38 and verse 22: ‘Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow?’” Yes, children, snow contains many treasures.
It is now 6:45 in the morning, and the birds are waiting for their food. So that means I must hurry and feed them. As I stand looking out the window at the snow, Chelsea, our dog, jumps up on the chair beside me to see what I’m looking at. So I put my arm around her neck and give her a playful hug and say, “Okay, we’ll put your coat on and you can help me feed the birds.” You see, children, Gramma has made a nice, warm coat for Chelsea to wear when it gets cold. So then I put on my boots, coat and hat and out we go!
Chelsea and I walk together into the barn and scoop up a pail of birdseed, along with some stale bread that we feed to the crows. We put seed into all the bird feeders, then walk down to the creek and put some bread on the ground for the crows. All the while we hear the crows cawing and the blue jays scolding. During this cold weather we feed the birds twice a day.
Now then, Chelsea and I get back to the house, and I brush off my boots and clean the snow off Chelsea’s paws and legs. Then we step into a nice, warm kitchen for breakfast.
While Gramma and I are eating, we love to look at all the different kinds of birds, and now we have five regular-visiting crows to watch too. Uh-oh, we see another bird zooming in ... it’s the marsh hawk! He’s the number one enemy of these birds! Immediately all the birds explode into flight!
Mr. Hawk was a bit too slow today — he missed them all. So he lands in the big oak tree and sits on a branch. All the birds have flown away except the crows.
Gramma looked at me and asked, “What do you think will happen now?”
I replied, “It won’t take long to find out.” I had just spoken those words when the five crows took off right in the direction of the hawk! They flew straight for the hawk! When he realized that they were after him, he dove out of that tree just ahead of the crows ... they just missed him!
You see, children, those crows would have killed that hawk, as hawks and crows are enemies of each other. Now that the hawk was gone, it wasn’t long until all the birds returned and went back to eating their breakfasts at the bird feeders.
Children, you and I have a very vicious enemy, and his name is Satan or the devil. He is working very hard to trap every one of us in our sins and keep us out of heaven. But just as the crows rescued those birds that day, we have a Saviour who will rescue us if we trust Him. Have you trusted Jesus as your very own Saviour? There is a very important verse in the Bible which says, “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).
Another important verse says, “Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts” (Hebrews 4:7). That means listen to Jesus, and don’t put it off! Those birds did not waste a second of time in getting away from their deadly enemy, and don’t you waste any time in coming to the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation! Remember, God loves you!
We sing this little song in Sunday school:
He loves me too,
He loves me too,
I know He loves me too,
If God so loves these little birds,
I know He loves me too.
And Gramma and I love you too, and we end this story today with lots of love from both of us,
Grampa and Gramma
Expecting Gramma
Dear Children,
Let me tell you what happened to Chelsea and me one Sunday recently. Gramma had to go to Sunday school and our worship time by herself because I was still very sore from an operation I had had a few days before. Gramma and I never miss going together on Sundays unless one of us is sick. We hope that you never miss going to Sunday school or saying your memory verse. Those are important verses to always remember. You may ask, “What is your favorite verse, Grampa?” Here it is, and maybe you have already memorized it too: “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).
Gramma and I usually leave the house on Sunday mornings about 8:30 a.m., but this Sunday she went alone. While she was gone, I had a hard time walking, so I lay down on the bed and Chelsea, our dog, lay down beside me on the floor. I could reach her head, so I rubbed her ears and tickled her under her chin. She loves it.
I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I knew I heard Chelsea moving around and whining a little bit. But then she came back and lay down on the floor beside me again. I checked the clock and it was 12:15 p.m. But soon she was up again and whining a little. Then she looked out the window in the door and looked back at me. So I said to her, “Chelsea, do you want to go outside?” But she came back and lay down again. The clock said 12:25 p.m. Suddenly it came to me why she was acting like this.
“Okay, Grampa, what’s the answer?”
Chelsea knew that Gramma would be home any minute. So I said to her, “Chelsea, do you want outside to go meet Gramma?” Her reaction was instant! She jumped up on all four paws, started to pant and puff, ran to the door and back twice, as if to say, “Hurry up! It’s about time you get up off the bed and let me out ... I don’t want to miss her driving in!”
Chelsea was right! We hardly got out the door and down the steps when Gramma turned into the driveway! What a welcome for Gramma! Chelsea did everything but knock her down and lick her face!
It was right then that I thought about when the Lord Jesus returns to take all the men, women, boys and girls who have trusted Him as their Saviour up into heaven. What a wonderful moment that will be! And it could be today! Chelsea knew Gramma would be coming any minute, and we know that Jesus will be coming any minute. He tells us in the Bible, “The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:1617). What a happy reunion that will be — happier than Chelsea welcoming Gramma home! But, boys and girls, are you ready? Are your sins washed away? Look back at my favorite verse again and read what it says. That’s the answer! Come to Jesus right now to have your sins washed away so you will be ready.
“Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of Man cometh” (Matthew 24:44).
Lots of love,
Grampa
Skamper and the Prodigal Son
Dear Children,
Today I would like to tell you about Skamper our cat and also the prodigal son. First I need to tell you about Skamper. Our dog Chelsea and Skamper get along really well together. In fact, sometimes they will chase each other just for fun. Usually Skamper will end up climbing a tree, and that’s the end of the fun.
Four nights ago we let Skamper go outside like we usually do, but this time he didn’t come back. Each morning and through the day Gramma would call, “Skamper, Skamper,” but Skamper never showed up. Chelsea wandered around the property sniffing tracks in the snow, wondering where her friend had gone.
Now I’ll tell you about the prodigal son. This story is found in Luke 15:11-32. If you don’t know the story already, it would be good for you to read it. But I will tell you a little about it. A certain man had two sons, and the younger son asked his father to give him the portion of goods that belonged to him, and so the father divided his goods and gave each son his share.
Now this younger son is called the “prodigal” son because he was a careless, reckless and wasteful person. He took the money his father had given him and went on a journey to a country far away, and he wasted all of it on the way he lived. Soon he had nothing left and was in danger of starving. What a shameful son he was!
In the meantime, the father was waiting and watching for his prodigal son to come back home. But will this shameful son ever turn around and come back to his father?
Children, I will tell you later what happened to the son. But now let’s go back to Skamper who had left home too.
Gramma and Chelsea and I were wondering what had happened to Skamper. Four days is a long time. Had he died? Did some wolf or coyote catch him? Skamper has a nice bed to curl up on, food to eat and water to drink, so why would he leave all this behind and go away? Sounds like the prodigal son, doesn’t it?
On the fourth night after supper when it was dark outside, Chelsea started to bark, just like someone had come to the house. So Gramma and I went to the front window and looked out. Nope, nobody was there. But Chelsea kept walking around, trying to tell us that someone had come! So I said, “Okay, okay, Chelsea, we’ll look out the back door.” I don’t like opening the back door in cold, windy weather with snow on the ground, because cold air blows into the house. But I opened the door, and guess who we saw sitting as close to the door as possible and meeeowing?
Yes, it was Skamper! And was he ever glad to see us, and Chelsea’s tail was wagging a-mile-a-minute! Our prodigal cat had returned, but he was not in very good condition. His eyes had blood around them, his nose was scratched, and his front leg was cut and bleeding. So Gramma had to clean him up before we fed him and put him into his bed. If Skamper had stayed at home, this would not have happened, but we were so glad to have him back again!
The prodigal son in the Bible story wasn’t in very good condition either after his money ran out. The only job he could get was feeding a farmer’s pigs, and he finally got so hungry he wanted to eat the pig food. He had no bed to sleep in and nobody gave him anything.
Finally he said to himself, Why am I living like this? Even my father’s servants have plenty to eat. I will go back to my father and say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you, and I’m not worthy to be called your son. Make me one of your hired servants. So the prodigal son went back home, starving and dressed in his dirty rags.
What a joy it was for the father to see his son coming along that dusty road! It makes us think of the words of the Lord Jesus in John 6:37, “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” When the son reached his father, who ran to meet him, he said, Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight and am no more worthy to be called your son.
And this is what the father said to his servants: Bring the best clothes and put them on him, and kill a fat calf and let us have a feast! For my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found!
What a joyful reunion for all! And so, children, the prodigal son and Skamper remind us of the sin of disobedience. But the prodigal son was willing to confess his sin to his father, and his father forgave him! And God our Father is willing to forgive your sins if you will come to Him and confess that you are a sinner and that you believe that Jesus shed His blood to cleanse you from your sins. God tells us in Jeremiah 31:34, “I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.” What a wonderful promise for anyone who will come to the Lord Jesus to be washed clean from his or her sins!
So our two stories about Skamper and the prodigal son both have happy endings ... Skamper came home and the prodigal son came home. Now, how about you? Are you still out there in this world of sin thinking that nobody loves you? You are wrong, because God loves you very, very much, and He is waiting and watching for you to “come home” to Him to have your sins forgiven. Will you come right now?
“God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). “The Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).
Lots of love,
Grampa and Gramma
The Tale of Two Tails
Dear Children,
My letter to you this time will be partly happy and partly sad. I’ll tell you the sad part first, as I always like to finish my letters on the happy side.
You have read many happy stories about our dog Chelsea, a beautiful Dalmatian, and also about some of our other pets. But Chelsea was getting pretty old, and she had a big problem with her legs. The animal doctor sadly told us that she would not be able to walk anymore.
Yes, we enjoyed having Chelsea as our devoted, loyal companion for twelve years. Gramma and I were very sorry and sad to part with her. We buried her over by the tall pine trees. We both thanked God for giving us Chelsea for those happy years. As Gramma and I buried Chelsea, a number of Bible verses came to mind. One was Psalm 90:12, which says, “Teach us to number our days.” Now notice that the verse says “days” and not “years.”
“Why is that, Grampa?”
That’s a good question. Let’s look for the answer in Proverbs 27:1: “Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” And so, children, we live one day at a time! Chelsea had reached the end of her days, but we have many happy memories of her and lots of pictures.
“Will you get another dog, Grampa?”
Well, Gramma and I prayed to God about this very question. We are getting older, and we know that a puppy takes a lot of work and training. We still weren’t sure, but then one morning our phone rang.
When I answered the phone, the voice of a man whom we did not know said, “I hear you are looking for a Dalmatian dog. I have one here. He is five months old and needs a home. Will you take him?”
Wow! Gramma and I did not know what to say. So I said, “We will think about it.”
“Grampa, didn’t you and Gramma want the dog?”
Yes, Gramma and I wanted the dog, but at our age we know that a puppy means lots of work, so it was a big decision. So Gramma and I asked God for wisdom about what to do. We hope and trust that anyone who reads this story always takes time to ask for God’s help on any decision, big or little, in life.
A few days later the man called back about the dog, and we told him, “Yes”; we would take the dog. The man lived fifty miles away. When we drove to the house to pick up the dog, his three children were very sad, yet happy to see this last puppy of the litter going to a home where they knew he would be happy and well cared for.
So now we have another Dalmatian, and we’ve named him Wesley. As of today, he is seven months old. He has learned to sit up, sit down, beg, shake a paw, and catch food, and he knows his name. But he also gets into a lot of things that he is not supposed to. Wesley and our two cats, Mittens and Spunky, are great friends already. In fact, Wesley will go looking for Spunky if the cat is not at the back door in the morning. You see, Mittens and Spunky are barn cats, but they come to the house for breakfast.
Yes, this letter does have a happy ending. And for each person who reads this story, we hope and pray that when your life is finished, it will have a happy ending with the Lord Jesus in heaven. Psalm 144:15 says, “Happy is that people ... yea, happy is that people whose God is the Lord.”
Lots of love,
Grampa and Gramma
Grampa’s Dalmatian Wesley
Run, Wesley, Run!
Dear Children,
This letter will probably make you laugh a little and still pass on a serious message as well.
“Okay, I’m listening, Grampa.”
Well, here is what happened. Gramma and I were sitting outside beside the side door to our house. We were watching the birds come and go to the feeding stations and admiring our God’s wisdom in creation. Wesley, our new dog that I’ve told you about before, was behind the barn, doing some hunting on his own. Suddenly, he came running from behind the barn as fast as his legs could carry him! Then he stopped, looked back, then started running again ... right up the steps to where we were sitting. He stopped in front of the door and wanted inside. Something was chasing Wesley and flying right behind him!
“Grampa, what was it?”
It was a big bumblebee! Children, those bees can sting! And Wesley, as young as he is, was smart enough to know that.
Now, do you know that the word “sting” is in the holy Bible? Get your Bible and open it to 1 Corinthians chapter 15 and find verse 56. This is what it says: “The sting of death is sin”! Oh, my! That means that every time you break just one of God’s commandments, that sin is a sting of death! Have you ever thought about this? Telling lies, cheating, swearing, disobeying your mum and dad, and breaking other commandments are all stings of sin.
So how many times have you been stung by sin? Yes, lots of times. What is the result of all these stings? The result is hell and the lake of fire! But our loving God, our Creator, does not want you to end up in that terrible place. He has given us a way of escape. In other words, He has provided a remedy or healing for all those stings of sin. The remedy is found in your Bible. Turn to 1 John 1:7: “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” And remember, God’s remedy is FREE! Ephesians 2:89 says, “By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.” Children, a gift is FREE and you don’t work for it — it is GIVEN to you!
When I was growing up, I had lots of sin stings. But you have a terrible sting out there today that I never had to deal with — it’s called drugs! Do what Wesley did when that bumblebee was chasing him ... run, run as fast as you can away from it! But if you have been stung by drugs, remember this, our Lord Jesus Christ came into contact with ten men who were lepers. That means they had the hopeless disease of leprosy, and He healed them all! And He can forgive your sins as well. You can read about those ten men in Luke 17:11-19.
“Grampa, what happened to Wesley? Did the bee sting him?”
No, Wesley didn’t get stung. I picked up the broom that stands beside the door, and using it as a baseball bat, I swatted that bee and made a home run! Boy, was Wesley ever happy! His tail was wagging, and he wanted to give me a big lick!
And you’ll be happy too when you come to Jesus and tell Him that you want Him to heal all your sin stings by forgiving them. Will you do that today? You’ll be happier than Wesley was!
Lots of love,
Grampa and Gramma
Wesley’s Warning
Dear Children,
Hello again from Grampa, and a big “WOOF WOOF” from our dog named Wesley. At 6:45 this morning, I was taking him out for our usual walk. It had snowed overnight, and many tracks of various animals were very plain to see — rabbits, squirrels, foxes and even an opossum. Wesley wasn’t paying attention to the animals’ tracks because he had found a mouse tunnel under the snow, and he was determined that he was going to catch that mouse.
By this time, I was heading back to the house. I had given him plenty of time to catch that mouse, but he couldn’t seem to do it. As I reached the door, I turned and called, “Wesley, Wesley,” and then I whistled for him. He lifted up his head both times, looked at me, but kept right on digging in the snow. I wondered what I should do next. Get the broom? Get the leash? He heard me and knew I was calling his name. But Wesley was being real stubborn and disobedient!
Boys and girls, do you ever act like that? Are you sometimes just plain stubborn or pretend you don’t hear and don’t bother to answer? Sure you do, and God sees it and calls it sin! Well, God took care of this Wesley problem for me, real quick!
“Grampa, how did He help you with Wesley?”
Here’s what God did. In our backyard down by the edge of the creek, we have a very tall oak tree, and a blue jay had landed on a branch right near the top. I didn’t see that blue jay land in the tree, but I sure heard him begin screeching about something! Up here where we live, these blue jays are nicknamed “sentinels” or “watchdogs of the forest.”
“Grampa, why are they given those names?”
I’ll tell you why. When blue jays know or see that danger is near, they screech as loud as they can. This is what they are saying: “Be on guard! Be on guard!” And all the creatures in the forest will fly or run for cover instantly! Wesley heard that screech from the blue jay, and he ran to me as fast as his legs would carry him through that deep snow. He wasn’t worried about the mouse now, because he knew the blue jay was calling, “Be on guard! Be on guard!” This blue jay was sitting where it could see the danger that was near, and it was warning all the other creatures to run for safety. So Wesley ran straight to me, because he knew I would protect him.
Boys and girls, listen to what our God says about you and me. We read in Genesis 2:7, “The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” So young or old, we are each a living soul. God gave the first man a name; He called him Adam. But Adam became disobedient and would not listen to his Father God. So then what happened?
Disobedience is sin, and God must punish sin. We read in Ezekiel 18:4, “Behold, all souls are Mine. ... The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” Those are very serious words from our Father God. But our Father in heaven is a very loving Father God, and He has given you and me a choice to make. Will you choose heaven or hell? We read in Acts 16:30 about a big, strong prison guard who cried out for help: “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And the immediate answer is in verse 31: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved”!
Even though neither Wesley nor I knew what the danger was that made the blue jay screech its warning, Wesley was wise to run to me for protection. Now, will you be wise and come to the Lord Jesus Christ today to be saved? Or are you going to be stubborn and have to face the awful punishment of hell?
“I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life” (Deuteronomy 30:19).
With lots of love,
Grampa
An Uninvited Critter
Dear Children,
Early this morning, our dog Wesley and I went to the barn to get birdseed and food for our wild geese and also for the fish that are in the creek at this time of year. Wesley was busy running around outside the barn with his nose to the ground. When I went inside, guess what I saw. It was a possum looking right at me with its big, bright eyes. This possum had chased our cat Spunky out of his house in the barn and had taken it over! I walked back outside and called Wesley. I wanted him to help me chase this critter out of the barn!
When we went back inside, that possum was gone! But Wesley smelled him and was jumping all around the woodpile, which is inside the barn to keep it dry. I happened to look up, and there was Mr. Possum looking down and smiling at us! He was sitting high up on top of the lumber pile that I use for repair work. So I wondered, What should I do now?
Have any of you children ever been in trouble and asked yourself, “What should I do? Where should I go? What will I say or answer?” Sure you have, and so have I. It is not a happy feeling to have.
In the Bible we read about a jail guard who heard about two preachers, named Paul and Silas, who had been telling the people about God’s great love for sinners and how they could have their sins forgiven. This would save them from going down to hell and the lake of fire. Sorry to say, a lot of people didn’t like to hear preaching like this. So they took Paul and Silas to the jailer, and he put them down into the deepest part of the prison.
But Paul and Silas didn’t think about what they should do now. Instead, they prayed and sang praises to God! Then suddenly at midnight there was a huge earthquake! The earth shook so hard that all the prison doors flew open, and the chains on the prisoners fell off!
The jailer, who had been asleep and was now wide awake, thought that all the prisoners had escaped. He pulled out his sword and was about to kill himself. But Paul called out with a loud voice, “Do thyself no harm: for we are all here” (Acts 16:28). When the jailer heard these words, he called for a light and trembling fell down before Paul and Silas and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (vs. 30).
Children, the jailer thought he had to do something to be saved. Paul and Silas told him the true Word of God and said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (vs. 31). And that jailer listened to those most wonderful words from Paul and Silas, and he was saved right then and there! He only had to believe, and that’s what he did!
Now, what about the possum? We left him there on top of the lumber, but that night I set a trap. Next morning Wesley and I found Mr. Possum in the trap. I carefully picked up the trap, set it in the truck and drove to the conservation area to release him. When I put the trap on the ground and opened the door, did I have to tell him what to do or where to go? Nope! He knew what to do and where he was going.
Dear children, there might be someone who reads this letter who knows how to be saved and knows that they will never be in heaven if they are not saved. Remember, “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). Please don’t go to bed tonight without being saved. I want to meet each one of you in heaven!
Lots of love,
Grampa and Gramma
Boys and Snakes
Dear Children,
Hello again from Grampa and Gramma. Just recently some of our grandchildren came to visit us and stayed with us for three days. They sure had a lot of fun with our dog Wesley. He followed them everywhere they went. When the two boys climbed a tree, Wesley sat there and waited until they came back down. If they walked along the creek, Wesley was right beside them, splashing in and out of the water.
Mitch asked, “Grampa, do you have any snakes here?”
I replied, “Yes, we have lots.”
“Are they poisonous, Grampa?”
“No, Mitch. We have garter snakes and big black water snakes, which are five or six feet long.”
Mitch exclaimed, “Wow! That’s big!”
So I said to Mitch and Ethan, “Do you know that snakes are mentioned in the Bible?”
“Yes,” they replied, “and they are called serpents. Our Sunday school teacher told us that.”
The very first mention of serpents is found in Genesis 3:1. That’s where we read that the serpent, or the devil, also called Satan (he has several names), is talking to Eve, Adam’s wife, our first parents. Satan is telling Eve a lie! This is the very first lie in the Bible. God calls Satan the father of lies. You can read this in John 8:44. Notice the words of the Lord Jesus: “He [Satan] is a liar, and the father of it.” Wow! So we can see that telling lies is not something new.
Lying is a sin against God. Have you ever been in trouble because you told a lie? Children, all sin must be punished by God, even what we call a little lie. Because the Lord Jesus Christ loves us so much, He willingly laid down His life on Calvary’s cross for you and me. His blood that was shed there can wash us clean from every sin, including lies. He became our substitute, if we will believe by faith that He took the punishment that we deserve.
If you know and understand that you need to accept the Lord Jesus as your Saviour, don’t wait until tomorrow! God doesn’t promise any of us that we will have a tomorrow. He says, “Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth”
(Proverbs 27:1).
Mitch and Ethan found lots of snakes, played with them, and then let them all go. Wesley watched them closely and may have been wishing that he could have one to play with too.
Mitch and Ethan and Wesley really enjoyed the time together. But, the fun times come to an end. The boys had to go home, and their home is a long ride from our house. These two young boys have both trusted the Lord Jesus as their Saviour, and they would say to you,
Come to the Saviour, make no delay;
Here in His Word He’s shown us the way;
Here in our midst He’s standing today,
Tenderly saying, “Come.”
Let all the children now hear His voice;
Let every heart make Jesus the choice;
And let us freely trust and rejoice;
Do not delay, but come.
Lots of love,
Grampa and Gramma
Wesley in Training
Dear Children,
Some boys and girls, and grown-ups too, have asked us what we are training Wesley to do now. For anyone who may not know, Wesley is our Dalmatian dog that we’ve had for about a year. We started training him when he was six months old. Right now we are training him to bring the newspaper to Gramma. The newspaper is delivered down at the end of our loooong driveway, and neither Gramma nor I like to walk all the way down there in the rain or snow to pick it up and bring it to the house. So we are training Wesley to be our helper.
You will notice that I use the word “training.” It means to understand, or it can mean to learn a certain way to do things. Now, when a person joins the army, there are instructors who train the soldiers what they must do, so that there is no confusion. And in a family, the father and mother train their children. You see, boys and girls, the Bible, God’s Word, tells us about training children. Proverbs 22:6 tells parents to “train up a child in the way he [or she] should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” And so the things that you learn from the Word of God in your early years you will never forget! Gramma and I had three children, and we taught them when they were very young that Jesus loved them and died for them and how to live to please Him. And then we all went to Sunday school together so they could learn and understand more about Jesus and His wonderful love.
Now, when you train a pet when it is still quite young, it will learn quickly and not forget. Wesley is sixteen months old, and he has not forgotten what he has already been trained to do. So now we are training him to pick up the newspaper and bring it to Gramma.
Wesley sits with Gramma on a chair, looking out the window and watching me as I walk down the driveway and pick up the paper. When he sees me start back to the house, he leaps off the chair, Gramma opens the door, and he races down the driveway to pick up the paper that I throw to him. He picks it up and proudly carries it in his mouth back up the driveway, up the steps and into Gramma’s outstretched hand. He is so happy, and his tail is wagging like crazy. Gramma gives him a big hug and sometimes a little treat.
“Grampa, how long did it take Wesley to learn what you wanted him to do?”
You know, it only took Wesley three times to understand what he was to do. On the fourth time, he carried out his instructions perfectly! You may ask, “Do you give Wesley a lot of treats?” No. He loves being obedient, and we tell him, “Good boy, good boy.” Friends who come to visit us ask if they can watch Wesley carry the newspaper to Gramma, and Wesley loves to show how it’s done. Some people have said that Wesley obeys better than some children they know!
In the Bible we read, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right” (Ephesians 6:1). Boys and girls, do you obey your parents? Are you happy to be a helper for Mom and Dad? That not only makes them happy, it makes the Lord Jesus happy too.
Lots of love,
Grampa and Gramma
The Little Possum Visitor
Our dog Wesley and I were just returning to our house after taking a long walk in the snow around our little farm. Suddenly I heard Gramma shouting, “There’s a possum on the barbecue!” I quickly decided this was something I needed to check into since the barbecue is right beside our back door.
I watched Wesley very closely as I did not want the two of them to fight. Possums can be vicious fighters! I grabbed Wesley’s collar and led him upstairs and into the house. It was a struggle, but I won. He sure wanted to get at that possum!
With Wesley safely inside, I took a close look at the possum and saw that it was very young, perhaps two months old. It studied me very intently with those beautiful eyes that all possums have. So I began talking to the little animal very softly. (I better tell you right now that I had leather gloves on.) Then I slowly reached around it with my left hand, as it watched my hand very closely. Then with my right hand I caught it at the back of the neck and picked it up, just like we pick up cats. It did not struggle at all. I was still talking to the possum, and then I stretched out my left hand and placed it right in the palm of my hand!
I asked Gramma to go inside and get our son Doug, who was visiting us, to take a picture of it in my hand, and now you can see it! Isn’t it a beautiful little creature? Look at its fur with a little bit of snow on it, its dark eyes, pink nose and a mouth full of teeth. Notice its pink toes and claws and a little bit of pink on the tips of its dark ears. Beautiful!
This is a picture of one of our God’s creations! Immediately Genesis 2:19 came to my mind: “Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air.” This is a good verse to always remember, especially when you hear people trying to say that we came from monkeys or frogs or something else. I just politely ask them, “Well, where did the monkey and the frog come from?” And I point them to those Bible verses that we just read. Those verses are from the holy Word of God, and it never changes. Why? Because Malachi 3:6 says, “I am the Lord, I change not.” And another good verse to remember is Hebrews 13:8, which says, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.”
Our cute little possum sitting in my hand started to crawl up my arm. So I picked it up and turned it around, and it never tried to bite me! Next, I asked Gramma to get me some food for it. Then I carried it to the barn, put the food on the ground, set the possum down next to the food, and watched to see what would happen. That little fellow looked up at me and then started eating. I left the barn and shut all the doors. Two days later I found little possum tracks in the snow going away from the barn and heading down to the trees along the creek. Our little possum friend is FREE!
Children, at one time I was a slave to sin and Satan, because I was a sinner. Then when I found out that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15) and that “the blood of Jesus Christ [God’s] Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7), I accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as my Saviour right then and there! I knew my sins were gone and I was free and headed for heaven!
“How old were you, Grampa?”
I was fourteen.
Boys and girls, are you saved and free from your sins? Are you headed for heaven? Do not remain a slave to sin habits and other evil things. Accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour right now. This will be the happiest day of your life, knowing that your sins are gone and you are headed for heaven!
Lots of love,
Grampa and Gramma
Grampa’s Animal Friends
Number One Enemy
Dear Children,
Hello again from Gramma and Grampa! I would like to tell you what happened this morning while Gramma and I were eating breakfast together and watching all the birds at the feeders. I usually try to feed the birds between 6:30 a.m. and 7:00 a.m., and sometimes they are waiting for me! We have nine feeders to take care of, so this takes a little time to get the seed and fill the feeders that are empty.
This morning we had lots of birds — about sixty! We have juncos, sparrows, blue jays, nuthatches, lots of mourning doves and others.
It was about 7:30 a.m. when suddenly, all at once, the birds took off flying in every direction as fast or even faster than they usually fly. That is...all but one dove. Before Gramma and I could even blink an eye, what made the birds take off so fast was coming around the corner of the house, flying as fast as a jet. It was a marsh hawk — the Number One Enemy of all the birds that come to the feeders!
“Grampa, why is the marsh hawk the birds’ number one enemy?”
Well, children, the marsh hawk, as well as the sparrow hawk, will make a meal out of any bird they can catch. The birds know this and are always on the lookout for such an attack at any time. When they spot a hawk coming, they only have a split second to get out of there! They can get away IF they are warned in time.
And so, children, when your dad and mom or Sunday school teacher read to you from the holy Bible that God says, “Flee from the wrath to come” (Matthew 3:7), these are words of warning from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. And He means it! How can you and I escape from going down to the burning lake of fire? God has provided a way that is free for all who will accept it!
“What is it, Grampa?”
Listen to these words: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31). Don’t be like that one dove that waited too long.
Perhaps it did not believe the warning; maybe it didn’t care or thought the warning was a joke. We do not know. But when this dove realized the other birds were all gone, it was too late for him. The hawk grabbed the dove in his sharp talons and flew away to eat it.
How sad. Just a split second too late!
Children, and grown-ups too, Satan is your Number One Enemy! Don’t let him cheat you out of going to heaven. One of his favorite lies is, “Don’t worry ... Jesus won’t be back for a looooooong time! Tomorrow there will be time.” Jesus tells us that Satan “is a liar, and the father of it” (John 8:44).
The Lord Jesus lovingly tells us in John 14:3, “I will come again, and receive you unto Myself”! And He will come again, faster than that hawk that caught the dove!
Children, you can be late for a bus, late for dinner, late for a lot of things ... BUT ... don’t be late for salvation! You will not have a second chance!
Seek the Saviour early, Jesus says TODAY,
While you’re young and tender, choose the narrow way;
Lest when you get older, Satan snares your feet —
And you miss the way to heaven’s golden street!
Lots of love,
Grampa
Fishing With Ethan
Dear Children,
Grandma and I would like to tell you all about our camping trip this past summer. We usually camp in the same place every year because we like the lake, the swimming is good, and there are lots of fish to catch!
One of our great grandchildren, named Ethan, was also camping nearby with his family. Nathan is four years old, and he loves fishing and catching butterflies. He also catches dragonflies. He puts them in a big cage and then lets them go and they fly away.
One day he was going fishing with us and he was all excited! First, he put his life jacket on, and then he brought his fishing pole, his landing net and his bait. We put it all into the boat and away we went.
Yes, we caught nine or ten fish, but we only kept four since six were too small to keep. Ethan was learning that we must obey the law that says if the fish are too small, we must not harm them, take them off the hook carefully, and release them back into the lake.
When we arrived back at the dock, it was time to clean the big fish we kept. Ethan asked me, “Great Grampa, can I help you clean these fish?”
I answered, “Sure, I would be happy to have you help me clean these fish. You can pump the water for me when it’s time to wash off the scales.” I picked him up and let him stand beside me so that he could see what I was doing. He was watching very closely. Then he asked a very important question.
“Great Grampa, is the fish dead?”
I answered, “Yes, Ethan, the fish is dead.”
He thought for a moment and then asked another question. “Great Grampa, is the fish in heaven?”
You see, dear children, Ethan has been taught many verses from the Holy Bible by his parents and Sunday school teacher and learned that there is a real heaven and a real hell. He was worried about this fish because it was dead, and he wanted to know where its soul went. So I very carefully explained to Ethan that this fish was neither in heaven nor in hell because God did not give it a soul that lives forever, like you and I have. Genesis 2:7 tells us that God made people very special with a living soul: “The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.”
I said to Ethan, “Have you ever watched Great Gramma make bread?” He answered, “Yes.” I went on, “So you have seen Great Gramma put the bread into pans, then into the oven to bake, then bring the bread out of the oven and set it on the counter to cool off. Then she takes a knife and cuts a nice big slice for you to eat. Did you eat it?”
“Yes I did, and it’s really good!”
“Yes, Ethan, and Great Grampa loves fresh bread just like you do! You see, Ethan, we read in the Bible in Genesis chapter 1 and verses 20, 21, 22 and 23 that God made the fish, the birds and every living creature that moves. He told them to be fruitful and multiply on the earth and fill the waters in the sea, and it was so. Just exactly as God had said. Like Great Gramma making the bread and cookies and cakes for us to eat, so God made the fish in the ocean, the lakes and the rivers for us to eat!”
Ethan was very happy to hear why God made all these fish. And, yes, he sure helped us eat them!
Gramma and I thought about this Sunday school chorus. Maybe you can sing it too.
Who did make the fish that swim?
Flowers that bloom?
Birds that fly?
Who did make both you and I?
It’s God in heaven above.
Lots of love,
Gramma and Grampa
The Trapped Blue Jay
Dear Children,
Hello again from Gramma and Grampa. As most of you know, Gramma and I get out of bed every morning between 6:00 and 7:00. The first thing I do is take Chelsea, our dog, for her morning walk. Then Chelsea and I open the barn doors and go into the barn to get bird seed to fill up the bird feeders.
One morning we found a blue jay flying around inside the barn. It sure didn’t sound too happy! It was screeching like it was trying to say, “Thief! Thief!” and it was trying to get back outside through the skylight in the roof of the barn.
I knew that the blue jay would never get back outside that way, because those skylights are made out of fiberglass. The only way that jay was going to escape was by coming down out of the rafters and flying out through the open door!
As Chelsea and I stood there watching and listening to the noisy jay, I got to thinking about a man in the Bible who had to come down from where he was sitting. Can you guess who it was?
If you said, “Zaccheus,” you are RIGHT!
Poor Zaccheus, he wanted so hard to see Jesus, but he was a short man. And perhaps he wasn’t strong enough to push his way through the crowds that were following Jesus.
Have you ever had that problem? Sure you have. Remember that last parade you went to and the people were packed together so tightly that you just couldn’t see anything, until your daddy picked you up?
Well, Zaccheus had that very same problem, but he didn’t have a daddy there to pick him up. So he got to thinking about that big sycamore tree that was just down the road.
He ran as fast as he could ahead of the crowd and climbed up into that sycamore tree. He found a big branch to sit on and waited there so he could see Jesus when He came by.
Soon Zaccheus heard the crowd coming, and he probably got excited because he was about to see Jesus! As Jesus passed right under the tree where Zaccheus was sitting, He stopped. Then He looked up right at Zaccheus and called him by name and said, “Zaccheus, make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at thy house” (Luke 19:5). Zaccheus was so happy to hear those words that he came down from the tree very quickly and received Jesus into his house joyfully!
What a happy meeting that was, right under the sycamore tree! Jesus told Zaccheus that “the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). Zaccheus did not care who saw him or anything else. He was just too happy to know that Jesus had found him!
And now I need to get back to my story about that blue jay sitting up there in the rafters all by himself. I spoke to the blue jay and said, “Mr. Jay, if you don’t come down and save yourself, you are going to die of thirst or hunger. Chelsea and I have opened the doors for you to fly out, but you must come down!”
I know what you’re asking: “Grampa, is this the end of the story?”
No. A little while later we went back out to the barn, and Mr. Blue Jay was gone! He finally came down out of the rafters and flew out the open barn doors to freedom!
Gramma and I hope that all of you children, and grown-ups too, who read this letter will receive the Lord Jesus as your Saviour joyfully, just like Zaccheus did.
Lots of love,
Grampa
Josh and the Fish
Dear Children,
Hello again from Gramma and Grampa. We are happy to write to you again and tell you that we spent a little time up north at our favorite campground. It is named Finlayson Point Park. A North American Indian named Grey Owl was the first person to camp there many years ago.
While we were sitting by the dock one sunny morning, we were watching a young boy catching fish. He was very good at catching fish. He is eight years old, and his name is Joshua. One fish he caught was too small to keep. When he pulled it in, the fish fell off the hook! The fish started flip-flopping all over the dock, trying to get back into the water. This little fish needed help and Josh was trying real hard to help it, but the fish didn’t understand what Josh was trying to do.
Why did that fish bite the hook in the first place? Because there was a fat, juicy worm hiding that hook, but the fish didn’t know it. As soon as the fish bit the worm, he was caught!
Children, Gramma and I would like to warn you about the one who is our deadly enemy. The Holy Bible calls him Satan, and he is the father of lies! Look in your Bible at John 8:44 to see what the Lord Jesus Christ says about him. Satan has many hooks out there, trying to make us do what is wrong. He will whisper in your ear, “Go ahead ... do it” or “Go ahead ... try it” or “Come on, nobody will ever see you.” And then there is the terrible temptation to try drugs. And when we listen to Satan and do what he tells us, it is sin.
Satan will not tell you that the Bible says, “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good” (Proverbs 15:3). No, he will not tell you this, because he hates the Word of God! If you are not sure what to do, ask your parents or your Sunday school teacher, and stay away from strangers! Remember, Satan teaches you how to sin, and sin will keep you out of heaven! The Bible says in Ezekiel 18:4, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” But the Bible also has good news. It says in 1 John 1:7, “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” And John 3:16 says, “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
“Grampa, what about Josh and the flip-flopping fish?”
Well, finally Josh was able to pick up that fish and gently put it back into the water, and in a flash...that fish was gone! It was so happy to be free! And all three of us, Josh, Gramma and I, were very happy to see that little fish swim free too!
So, children, beware of Satan’s hidden hooks that will cause you to sin. Every morning when you get up, ask the Lord Jesus to help you do what is right and what will please Him.
Lots of love,
Gramma and Grampa
Who Cares for Baby Birds?
Dear Children,
I would like to tell you about three of our great grandchildren. Their names are Justin, Aiden and Makayla, and they have two friends whose names are Carter and Grace. They call themselves “The Genesis Nature Club.” They play together in their own little forest where they have a tire hanging from a tree that they use as a swing. All these children love animals and birds, just like Great Grampa and Great Gramma. The children put out peanuts, lettuce, carrots and birdseed to feed the rabbits, squirrels, raccoons, birds and mice. All these children love going to Sunday school where they learn about God and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. They also learn to sing Sunday school choruses about the animals and birds that God created, which we read about in the very first chapter of Genesis in the Bible. Maybe you children know some of these songs, like “Daniel in the Den of Lions” or “God Sees the Little Sparrow Fall.” They learn their memory verses each week and are always ready to tell their Sunday school teacher their verse. We hope that every boy and girl who reads this paper memorizes the verse for each Sunday.
Now then, one day when it was time for the Genesis Nature Club to all go home, Justin came across a baby bird that had fallen out of its nest but just couldn’t fly! Very carefully he put it into his bug box, using a piece of cardboard. His bug box had grass, leaves and small sticks in it. Oh my, there was lots of excitement around this baby bird! They couldn’t leave it on the ground, since some stray cat or raccoon would get it! So they took the baby bird to Mrs. Teal’s house, and she promised that she would take good care of it for the night.
The next morning Aiden was over to see how the baby bird was doing. Mrs. Teal had placed an old Tshirt on the lawn and set the baby bird on the Tshirt.
Can anyone guess what happened? Okay, I’ll tell you ... something really nice!
The mother bird saw her baby on the Tshirt and started bringing food to it! When Aiden told Justin what he had seen, Justin said, “Praise the Lord! God is taking care of the baby bird!” And then all the children rushed to get dressed, eat breakfast and race over to Mrs. Teal’s house to see the mother bird feeding her baby!
Yes, the mother bird continued to feed her baby until late that afternoon. Then the baby flew up into the lower branches of a tree!
Now, any of you children who know this Sunday school chorus can sing it with me. Okay, here we go ...
God sees the little sparrow fall,
It meets His tender view;
If God so loves these little birds,
I know He loves me too!
He loves me too, He loves me too,
I know He loves me too,
For God so loves these little birds,
I know He loves me too!
Thanks for singing with me! Yes, our friends in the Genesis Nature Club can sing this song as well.
“Grampa, how do we know that God really, really loves us? Is there a verse in the Bible that tells us this?”
There certainly is! Here are the words of the Lord Jesus Christ Himself in John 15:12: “This is My commandment, that ye love one another, as I have loved you.” And here’s another one: “We love Him, because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19).
Yes, children, God loves each one of you and wants you to be in heaven with Him.
Lots of love,
Gramma and Grampa
Agata Has Many Enemies
Dear Children,
As many of you know, we live in the country, and we set out birdseed for the many wild birds that live in our part of the country. During the cold, snowy winter, we sometimes put out scraps of food for the wolves, coyotes and foxes. And I’ve told you in other letters about Chelsea our dog and Skamper our cat. Sometimes when boys and girls visit us they ask, “Grampa, where did all these animals come from?”
Well, children, we read in Genesis 1 of God’s Word, the holy Bible, that our God created all these animals and birds. Some of you grown-ups and children who read this Sunday school paper also have pets. And if you are like Gramma and me, you spend a lot of time training your pets to do what you want them to do and not do.
Many years ago when Gramma and I went to school, we had teachers to teach us, train us and also discipline us in the way that we should live. God has said in Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” When a young person joins the army, the first thing they are trained in is discipline and obedience. Training is very important, not only with children and young people, but also with pets. I want to tell you about a well-trained dog named Agata.
She is a beautiful five-year-old golden retriever living in Colombia, South America. Since she was a little puppy, she has been trained to sniff out illegal drugs. The police use her in airports, bus terminals, schools or wherever drugs might be hidden. She always obeys the officer who is handling her.
Children, do you always obey your parents and schoolteachers? Remember, they are doing their very best to train you for the life you will live when you graduate from school. God’s Word gives us instruction in Ephesians 6:1: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.” When they tell you to stay away from drugs, OBEY THEM! Illegal drugs are a big part of Satan’s tools that he uses to make children and adults sin. He does that so he will have them in hell with him where he will be forever with no escape! God says so in Revelation 20:10. See if you can find it in your Bible and read it.
Agata will never touch a drug with her tongue, because she has been trained only to sniff them out. If Agata came to your school, do you think she would find any illegal drugs? I hope not! Taking illegal drugs is a very terrible sin! The drug dealers in Colombia hate Agata. Why? Because she exposes their hidden sin! In fact, the drug dealers hate her so much that they have offered a huge reward of money to anyone who will poison her. Isn’t that sad?
When the Lord Jesus was here, listen to what the people said about Him: “They cried out, saying, ‘Crucify Him, crucify Him’” (John 19:6). Why do people hate the Lord Jesus? Because He exposes their sins! And so one of the followers of the Lord Jesus sold Him to His enemies for thirty pieces of silver. Then His enemies took Him and nailed Him to a cross at a place called Calvary. And while hanging on that cross, the Lord Jesus looked down at all those people whom He loved and said, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do”
(Luke 23:34).
Those wicked drug dealers cannot hide those drugs from Agata; she will find them wherever they are. And you and I cannot hide our sins from God. Hebrews 4:13 says, “All things are naked [unhidden] and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.” Children, do not die without having your sins forgiven by the Lord Jesus. We can go to heaven without a lot of things, but we cannot go to heaven without having our sins forgiven. What a wonderful thing it is to know they are forgiven and to have peace with God!
You’ll be glad to know that Agata is still alive and sniffing out drugs. Her enemies haven’t been able to poison her. One of the officers who guards her says, “We take special care with her food.”
The Lord Jesus loves you and wants to forgive your sins. Then He will lovingly care for you until it is time for you to go to live with Him in heaven.
Lots of love,
Grampa
The Geese and the Coyotes
Hi there, children!
Where we live Gramma and I see lots of Canada geese, and we often see their enemy, the coyotes. Early this spring when the geese came back, it wasn’t long until we also had a few coyotes showing up in the backyard. These coyotes were probably thinking that one or two of those fat birds would make a mighty good supper!
Since the weather was still cold, there was lots of ice on the creek. At times the geese and the coyotes would both be walking on the ice, and they would be watching each other pretty closely.
“Grampa, aren’t the geese afraid of the coyotes?”
Yes, they are afraid of the coyotes. You may be surprised to know that the coyotes are also afraid of the geese! If there are twenty or thirty geese, the coyotes will not attack. That’s because the geese are fearless fighters!
Today we saw that there were only three geese on the ice and one coyote, and they were watching each other very closely. The coyote was creeping very, very slowly towards one of those three geese. Gramma and I were also watching them very closely from the window.
Then Gramma said to me, “Doesn’t that coyote remind us of the devil?” I said, “He sure does!” We read in the holy Word of God in 1 Peter 5:8, “Be sober, be vigilant [watchful]; because your adversary [enemy] the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour [destroy].” For those of us (men, women, boys and girls) who are saved from our sins, we know that we have protection, because God has told us in Psalm 34:7, “The angel of the Lord encampeth [camps] round about them that fear Him, and delivereth [rescues] them.” What a Guardian we have!
But, if you are not saved, you are in BIG trouble! Why? Because you don’t have any protection from the devil at all. He can deceive you into thinking there is nothing wrong with what he is telling you.
Maybe you are thinking, Not me, Grampa. The devil does not deceive me.
Oh, no? What about that little thing you took that wasn’t yours? You knew you really shouldn’t take it, but you took it anyway. That’s called stealing. Or what about the bad words you said. You knew it was wrong to say them, but you said them anyway. That’s called swearing or cursing. That’s two broken commandments already! Those things are called SIN, and SIN will keep you out of heaven! You are no match for the devil. The only One who is stronger than the devil is the Lord Jesus.
Children, the moment you trust the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, your name is written down in the Lamb’s book of life, and you are saved and ready to go to heaven. Now listen to what happens if your name is not written down in that book. The Bible says, “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15). That is tragic! I’m so glad my name is written down!
But now you’re wondering what happened to the geese. Well, the coyote was slowly creeping towards the geese. Suddenly he CHARGED! But his paws slipped on the ice, and as he was sliding the geese took off! The coyote tried to stop, but he just kept sliding. He slid for seven or eight feet before finally stopping, and then he watched the geese fly away. Gramma and I had a good laugh! And you might say, “Hooray for the geese!”
Yes, the geese escaped, but what about you? Can you escape going down into the lake of fire? Yes, you can escape! God’s Word says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31). “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).
Children, if you are thinking that it’s time to trust the Lord Jesus as your Saviour, you are right! Don’t let the devil give you any excuses for not doing it right now! You may miss a lot of things in life, but don’t miss God’s salvation! Remember, “The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).
Lots of love,
Grampa and Gramma
Colorful Birds
Dear Children,
It is seven o’clock in the morning, and I have just come back into the house after feeding all the birds. It snowed most of the night, leaving about ten to twelve inches on the ground. Most beautiful ... but the snow has covered up most of the birdseed that I had scattered around on the ground last night. So I needed to get back outside to scatter more seed on the ground.
Gramma and I really enjoy feeding all these beautiful, different-colored birds. These little creatures always remind us of our God and His wonderful creation. When Gramma and I see all these different colored birds coming to eat, it reminds us of children around the world.
“Grampa, what do you mean?”
Well, we sing a little song in Sunday school, and maybe you sing it too. Here are the words, and they will explain what I mean:
Jesus loves the little children,
All the children of the world:
Red and yellow, black and white,
All are precious in His sight;
Jesus loves the little children of the world.
Jesus died for little children,
All the children of the world:
Red and yellow, black and white,
All are precious in His sight;
Jesus died for all the children of the world.
When our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, was here on earth, there were some mothers who brought their children to Him. Luke 18:16 says, “Jesus called them unto Him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.” Did you notice, children, that He called them to Himself? He is calling YOU today, whatever color your skin is! Will you come and accept Him as your Saviour?
Gramma and I are so glad that God made birds in different colors. When we see a blue jay, we think of the clear, blue sky that our Saviour left behind when He came down to His earth that He created. And the cardinal reminds us of the precious blood that He gave for you and me at the place called Calvary. The black bird reminds us of hell and outer darkness, where every person will be sent if they do not trust in the precious blood of Christ for salvation. And the little yellow bird, the goldfinch or wild canary, reminds us of the golden street of heaven where every person who has trusted the Lord Jesus as his or her own Saviour will walk together. And the little white snow bunting? Why it reminds us that our sins are gone.
“Grampa, you forgot about all the little brown birds!”
Oh my, yes I did. These little brown sparrows and wrens remind us of the wooden cross where our Saviour was so cruelly nailed by those who hate Him. We hope that you love Him and do not hate Him.
God takes care of all the birds, no matter what color they are. And it does not make any difference to God what color skin we have. He loves each and every one of us! John 3:16 tells us “that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” Yes, He is still waiting for you today. Will you come? “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).
Lots of love,
Grampa
A Litter of Nine Puppies
Dear Children,
I want to tell you about a litter of nine puppies that were born to a mama dog that belongs to our niece. The puppies looked like little teddy bears, so we called them the teddy bear puppies. They were so roly-poly and cute, but I am sad to tell you there was something wrong with one of the puppies.
“Grampa, what was wrong with the puppy?”
Before I tell you about it, I want to say something about each one of us. We read in the holy Bible, God’s Word, that you and I were born in sin and that we have a sinful nature. You see, children, our first parents, Adam and Eve, when they lived in the Garden of Eden, sinned against God when they disobeyed Him. And so now it is very easy for us to sin by being disobedient, telling lies, stealing, cheating, saying bad words and other things we do. We know it is wrong to sin, but we do it just the same. Romans 3:23 tells us very clearly that “all have sinned,” so every single one of us is guilty — every one of us has something wrong — SIN.
Now I’ll tell you about the puppy that had a problem. When the animal doctor looked at all the puppies one by one, he discovered that one puppy was blind in one eye. Gramma and I could not tell which puppy had a blind eye, because they all looked the same to us, except for their different colors. They played together and ate together. They did not understand that one of them couldn’t see out of one eye. But my niece knows the puppies so well that she knows exactly which one of these puppies has the blind eye, just by looking at them. But you and I wouldn’t be able to know just by looking at them.
Children, we do not look at ourselves the same way that God sees us. He looks right down into our hearts! The Bible tells us in 1 Samuel 16:7, “The Lord [sees] not as man [sees]; for man [looks] on the outward appearance, but the Lord [looks] on the heart.” He knows whose heart is still full of sin and whose heart has been cleansed from sin.
“But, Grampa, what will happen to the puppy with the blind eye? Would anybody want it?”
Well, I have very good news for you. That little puppy was already promised to a good home where it is loved and cared for. I know that will make you happy, and it made Gramma and me very happy as well.
Children, listen closely now. Do you and I have any right to be in that happy place called heaven where there is no sin? No, we do not! Our sins will keep us out! But our Father in heaven loves us so much that He sent His only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to a place called Calvary. And on that cross at Calvary, the Lord Jesus Christ gave His lifeblood for you and me! Galatians 2:20 says, “The Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” He paid the price to cleanse us from our sins so that we can be in heaven, and He wants us there with Himself. Will you be the boy or girl who will believe that Jesus died for your sins and accept Him as your very own Saviour today? Remember what 2 Corinthians 6:2 tells us: “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”
Boys and girls, will I see you in heaven someday? I surely will if your sins are gone.
Lots of love,
Grampa
Caught in a Raccoon Trap
Dear Children,
Some time ago I wrote to you about a blue jay that was trapped in our barn. Now this time I’m going to tell you about a black bird that got caught in our raccoon trap! This trap is not made to trap birds. It’s made to trap small animals — like raccoons, possums and, yes, even skunks! But if any bird gets too curious ... ZAP! — CAUGHT!
Do you know who is a master at trapping boys and girls and men and women into his traps of sin? It’s Satan. He uses all kinds of bait, like bad drugs, smoking, drinking alcohol, lying, stealing, swearing and lots more. Sad to say, many boys and girls and older people get caught in Satan’s terrible traps and never get out! Have you ever been caught in one? It’s very easy to get caught ... and then how do you escape? If you really want to know, I’ll tell you in a minute.
Some other creature was eating all the birdseed and bread that I put out at night for the early birds in the morning, and this uninvited animal was eating all of it! So I put some peanut butter and bread and a few raisins inside the trap to catch the critter, but I caught nothing.
While Gramma and I were eating breakfast, we watched some black birds coming close to the trap. They hopped around the trap, on top of the trap, and then ... you guessed it! ... right into the trap and ZAP! — CAUGHT!
This black bird was jumping around and doing its very best to escape, but no way. The trap door had slammed shut, and I am the only one who could release the bird.
Some traps set out by Satan to trap children, teenagers and grown-ups are very difficult to escape from. But, there IS an escape, if you really want it. Someone asked this question years ago: “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?” (Hebrews 2:3). If you are caught in one of Satan’s traps, it leads down to hell and the lake of fire! However, God is offering His free gift of eternal life in heaven. First John 1:7 says, “The blood of Jesus Christ [God’s] Son [cleanses] us from all sin,” and we are immediately set free! And then in Luke 15:7 it says, “Joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that [repents].” Will you be that one sinner set free today that will give God thanks for saving you from Satan’s trap?
Within ten minutes of that black bird being trapped, I went down the stairs, opened the trap door, and away the bird flew! Free!
Dear children, thank God for the open door into heaven. Jesus said, “I am the door: by Me if any man [woman, boy or girl] enter in, he shall be saved”
(John 10:9).
Lots of love,
Grampa
The Little Lost Duckling
Dear Children,
This is a story about a poor little baby duckling that got lost from his mother and brothers and sisters. Somehow he got separated from them while swimming along in the river. The little duckling just wasn’t strong enough to swim back upstream against the current of the river to find his way back to his family. The mother duck and the other ducklings had stayed together where the current of the river wasn’t so strong. But this fuzzy little fellow had wandered into the river current, and now he couldn’t get back.
A large white swan saw the little duckling struggling and immediately came to rescue the little lost fellow. The swan guided the duckling to a safer part of the river by dropping its large beak into the water and gently pushing the duckling into calmer water. The swan along with its mate became foster parents to the little duckling and took good care of it.
Boys and girls, this is a wonderful picture of God’s love and care for you and me. We do not deserve His love or His care because of our sin, but He loves us just the same. We read in God’s Word, the holy Bible, “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). But we also read, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15).
You may ask, “Who is a sinner?” Here is a very simple answer: Anyone who breaks one of God’s commandments is a sinner. Have you ever told a lie? Have you ever disobeyed your mother or father? Have you ever taken a piece of candy without asking? I know all of us would have to hang our heads and say, “Yes.” That makes each one of us a sinner, and it only takes one sin to keep us out of heaven!
Now then, this poor little duckling made a big mistake by swimming away from his mother. I wonder how long it took him to understand he needed help. When the big white swan came along to help him, do you think the duckling said to the swan, “Go away! I don’t need your help!” That would have been very foolish for the duckling to say to the swan.
You know, Gramma and I are very happy that our God looked down from heaven and saw us in our lost and sinful condition, even though we did not realize it at the time. Because He loves and cares for each one of us, He sent His only Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to die on Calvary’s cross to rescue us from our sins so that we would not end up in the lake of fire! What a great love He had for you and me! Those of us who have accepted His offer of love and have been washed clean of our sins through the blood of the Lord Jesus can now say, “Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15). And I’m sure if the duckling could speak swan language, it would have said to the big white swan, “Thanks for rescuing me!”
Have you ever sung this little song of thankfulness to the Lord Jesus?
Thank You, Lord, for saving my soul;
Thank You, Lord, for making me whole;
Thank You, Lord, for giving to me
Thy great salvation, so rich and free.
Lots of love to each one of you,
Grampa and Gramma
How Do You Catch a Snapping Turtle?
Dear Children,
Our great granddaughter, Makayla, had just gotten home from school and was sitting at the kitchen table eating a snack. Looking out the big kitchen window, she saw something in the yard inching towards the pond. She called out, “Mom, there’s a big cat in our yard out by the pond! Look!”
And so her mother came to see this cat. But as she watched it, she realized it was moving so slowly that she didn’t think it could be a cat unless it was ready to pounce on something. Not seeing anything else, she decided, no, it wasn’t a cat. It was a huge snapping turtle!
Makayla ran out the front door to tell her brother Justin and his two school friends, Scott and Jeremy. They had been shooting hoops in the driveway, but she sure got their attention! The boys took off to see this monster turtle, taking hockey sticks with them ... maybe for protection! Everybody knows you don’t fool around with a snapping turtle.
It only took a minute or two until they were close to the snapper. What would they do now?
Now a snapping turtle is very smart. It does not move very fast, but its head can dart out, much like a snake, and its jaws are like a vise and will not let go! It will lie very still underwater, about eight to twelve inches below the surface. Then when a fish or frog or baby duck swims past, out darts its head, and “SNAP!” The snapper gets it and never misses!
Children, this turtle reminds us of our enemy Satan.
You may ask, “Why is that, Grampa?”
Think about when you are in a store and you see something you want but you don’t have enough money to pay for it. Satan will whisper to you, “Go ahead and steal it.” If you steal it, you have just broken God’s commandment, “Thou shalt not steal” (Exodus 20:15). Stealing is sin.
Then someone finds out about it, and Satan whispers to you to lie about it. So you say, “I didn’t steal it!” Now telling a lie is also sin. Then you start to use bad language, which is also sin. That’s three sins right in a row!
Boys and girls, it only takes one sin to keep you out of heaven! But I want to tell you right now that God has made a way to have our sins forgiven so that we can go to heaven rather than spend eternity with Satan in that terrible place called hell. If you have a Bible, read 1 John 1:7: “The blood of Jesus Christ [God’s] Son cleanseth us from all sin.” If you will tell the Lord Jesus that you are sorry for your sins and want Him to wash them all away, He will do that immediately and make you one of His very own children. Then when Satan bothers you, trying to make you do something bad, you can ask the Lord Jesus to help you do what’s right. “The Lord is my helper” (Hebrews 13:6). Asking the Lord Jesus to help you is the only way to overpower Satan.
Now, how were Justin, Scott, Jeremy and Makayla going to overpower that big snapping turtle and get it out of the yard and away from their pond? The children’s dad soon arrived home from work and came to the rescue. They found a very large tub and rolled the turtle into it. Then they tied a rope around the tub and pulled it over to their van and lifted it in. Everyone climbed into the van for the ride over to the river where they let it go. That snapper was one happy turtle! And everyone was happy to see it swim out into the river.
We like happy endings, and that was a happy ending for everyone, including the turtle. And Jesus wants you to have a happy ending with Him in heaven.
Lots of love,
Grampa and Gramma
No Room for the Cardinal
Dear Children,
As most of you children know, we have many bird feeding stations for all the birds that visit us in spring, summer, fall and winter. Our most popular feeder is just outside our kitchen window where we can watch these birds while we are eating our meals.
On a cold morning recently, we had two inches of soft, white snow on the ground. Before I spread birdseed on the ground, I use a broom to brush away the snow off the feeders and then off the ground. That morning it seemed like all the blackbirds in the area came to eat! Then one lonely, beautiful red cardinal landed on a branch just above all those blackbirds. He looked down and then started hopping from branch to branch. He was probably saying to himself, “There is no room for me down there.” And he was right; there was no room for him.
As Gramma and I sat there at the table watching all this through the window, she said to me, “Doesn’t this make us think about the Lord Jesus when He was born? There was no room for Him in the inn, so He was born in a stable, and they laid Him in a manger.”
And then think about Zaccheus. He wanted to see the Lord Jesus, but he was a small man. And because he was small, he was too short to see ... no room for a small man in this crowd of people! But Zaccheus did not give up. He ran ahead and climbed up into a tree where he could look down and see Jesus. After Jesus saw him and spoke to him, he came down to the ground to be with Jesus.
And this pretty red cardinal did not give up either. He was going to find a way to get some of that good seed for himself. He was hungry! Then suddenly all those blackbirds just up and flew away! Now there was plenty of room for him to feed on the birdseed. He lost no time hopping off that branch and down to the ground where all that food was waiting for him.
Do any of you boys and girls ever get the feeling that you are all alone — you are left out — you think, No room for me? Remember this — God loves you! Yes, as you read this story, there is still room for you in heaven! But don’t waste time! Your time is very precious! If you want to be in heaven, you must have your name in the Lamb’s book of life! If your name isn’t written down in this book, you will never be in heaven. You must be saved from your sins! The very moment you trust the Lord Jesus as your Saviour, your name will be written down in the Lamb’s book of life.
Children, remember, there is room for you in heaven! Don’t miss out! In Bible times, a man wanted to know how he could be saved. He asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” (Acts 16:30). The answer they gave him was, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31). He did believe and was saved, and he is in heaven right now.
Boys and girls, remember — the Lord Jesus loves you too, and there is room for you in heaven! Do you have room in your heart for the Lord Jesus?
Lots of love,
Grampa & Gramma
More Lessons from Grampa
Lost $15,000 Cash!
Dear Children,
This letter will be a bit different from my other letters, because what I am going to write to you about took place about seventy miles from here. Gramma and I read about this in our newspaper, and she said I should tell you this story. So here is what happened ...
A man was taking $15,000 in a money bag to deposit at the local bank. On his way he stopped at a fast-food restaurant to have a hamburger and a cup of coffee. When he left the restaurant, he forgot to pick up the money bag that he had set down beside him!
Horrors! How could he possibly forget something like that! It’s hard to believe, but he did. When he went back and found it was gone, he said he felt like he was having a heart attack. When he told his wife, he kept saying, “There is no God; there is no God.” But his wife said to him, “It will be found!”
So what do you think happened to that bag of money? Now, don’t read the end of the letter to find the answer, because I want to tell you what happened.
Shortly after the man left the restaurant, three teenage boys went into the very same restaurant and sat in the very same seat where the man had sat. They saw this bag, picked it up and walked out to the parking lot, and then opened it up. They saw money! Lots of it!
Now, what will they do with it? Keep it? or give it back?
I have a question for each one of you right now. What would you have done with it? Be honest now.
Before I tell you what the boys did with all that money, let me tell you about four men in the Bible who had the terrible disease of leprosy and what happened to them. (I hope you’ll read this story for yourself in 2 Kings, chapter 7.) Nobody wanted anything to do with lepers because the disease can spread to others, and a person with the disease dies a very slow death.
The city where these four lepers lived was surrounded by their enemies, and the people in the city were slowly starving to death. But one day God told them that the very next day they would have lots of food to eat. However, the people did not believe Him. But what God says is always true, and that very night the Lord God made a noise so loud that the enemies who surrounded the city thought a great army was coming and that they all would be killed! So, in the darkness they all ran as fast as they could. They left everything behind so that they could run even faster.
Now these four leprous men were starving as well. The lepers said, Our enemies have lots and lots of food, and we’re dying of hunger. Maybe they will have mercy on us and give us food ... or they may kill us. Either way, we are going to die.
So the lepers left the city. But to their great surprise, there were no enemy soldiers out there! God had chased them all away, just like He said He would! Now everything the enemy left behind was theirs!
The joyous lepers started to hide the money and to hide the food ... until one of them said, This is wrong! All the people in the city are dying, and there is enough food here to feed everyone!
So the four lepers ran back into the city and told the king, The enemy is gone! There is lots of food out there that the enemy left behind! So the city and the people were saved!
“Okay, Grampa, we’ll read the story ourselves. Now, what about the boys and the bag of money?”
First of all, the three teenagers knew it was wrong to keep the money. I would like to think that they had learned from the Bible that God says, “Ye should do that which is honest” (2 Corinthians 13:7). They should give the money back to the owner.
So off to the police station the three boys went along with their parents. The true owner was found! The owner was so happy with the boys’ honesty that he hugged them and thanked them over and over. Then because of their honesty in returning the money, he gave each one of the boys a very large gift of money.
The owner was happy, the police were happy to meet three honest boys, and the parents were very happy that their sons had done what was right. Now then, maybe the owner who had said, “There is no God; there is no God,” changed his mind and was saying, “There is a God; there is a God!” I hope so. Don’t you?
As for Gramma and me, we got to thinking about a gift that God has given us, and it is priceless! All the money in the world cannot buy it! God has given this gift to us through the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, His Son! Listen to these words: “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). What a gift! Do each of you children have it?
Lots of love,
Grampa
P.S. Don’t forget to read 2 Kings, chapter 7.
Risk … Your Life?
How much money would you be willing to spend for a cell phone? Ten dollars? Twenty dollars? Maybe even a hundred dollars? Would you even risk your life for a cell phone? No, I’m not kidding ... I said, your life?
Twice in the Word of God, the holy Bible, we find recorded in Matthew 16:26 and again in Mark 8:36-37 these words: “What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” The man I am going to tell you about almost lost his life over a cell phone! He was a tourist who was enjoying the winter scenery in Niagara Falls so much that he accidentally dropped his cell phone over the guardrail. He watched it slide down the very steep embankment towards the river. It stopped sliding just yards away from the icy, rushing Niagara River above the falls.
Let me take a moment to explain why these glass-like, icy conditions are so common in the winter at Niagara Falls and why they are so dangerous. The mist that rises from the falls three hundred to four hundred feet into the air causes this glassy ice! And if the wind conditions are right, it will carry this mist as far as two miles. Wherever the mist settles down, it freezes into glassy ice. Even in the city itself there are signs that warn motorists and pedestrians:
BEWARE OF ICY STREETS AND .ROADS IN WINTER MONTHS!
At times the trees, shrubs and buildings all look like glass — most beautiful — and at the same time most dangerous!
And so our tourist, ignoring all the warning signs, climbed over the guardrail and started out very carefully to retrieve his cell phone. Almost immediately he began to slide down, down, down towards the rushing, open river! Thankfully he stopped sliding before he reached it.
Now then, do you think he was worried about where his cell phone was? No way! He couldn’t even see it! There he was, standing on glassy, slippery ice, only a few yards from the rushing Niagara River and hardly daring to move! If a strong wind came up, it could blow him into the river.
At that point, the man was probably thinking what a fool he was to climb over the guardrail to try to get his cell phone back. This makes me think of the fools the Bible tells us about: “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God” (Psalm 14:1). Then Luke 12:16-20 tells us about a man who made lots of money, owned buildings and had everything he needed and more. God said to him, “Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?” God is warning you and me not to be a fool about our sins.
The foolish tourist, stranded on dangerous ice, needed help and needed it right away! There wasn’t anything he could do to help himself. His friends ran to get help from the police. And when you and I realize we can’t do anything to rescue ourselves from our sins, we can turn to the living Word of God. Romans 5:6 says, “When we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.”
The police and firemen arrived with ropes, ladders, safety harness, and most important of all, they wore boots that would not slip on glare ice. The first thing they told the man was “DO NOT MOVE! WE ARE COMING TO YOU!”
Were they able to rescue the man? Yes, but at quite a cost to the park officials. Was the cell phone worth it? No! In fact, it slid down the ice and into the river.
Boys and girls and grown-ups too, are you chasing riches, sports, fame or anything else that is useless for eternity? These things will only keep you out of heaven. God is telling you that He has a gift for you — eternal life. What a gift — heaven forever! It is free to everyone and anyone. You can find it in Romans 6:23: “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Don’t be a fool — take it!
A Caring Bus Driver
The bus driver had gotten out of bed early that morning ... he didn’t want to be late for work. It was a cold morning, snowing and very slippery in places. As a bus driver, Scott Griffiths had gotten to know most of the passengers who rode his bus regularly, and he always tried his best to pick them up on time and get them to their destination on time. Today’s weather would make it a little more difficult.
At his third stop, a passenger getting on the bus said to Scott, “A car just slid down the ravine on the other side of the road. It will probably end up in the creek at the bottom!”
Immediately Scott called his dispatcher to send help. Then he drove his bus over to where the car was last seen sliding down the ravine. What he saw was not good. The car had flipped over and was now upside down in three and a half feet of icy cold water at the bottom.
Without thinking of his own safety, Scott got out of the bus and slid down the side of the ravine to where the car was in the creek. There was snow and ice on the ground, making it very difficult to find firm footing. But Scott’s heart and mind was on the person or persons who were in the car and needed his help.
Can any of you boys or girls think of somebody in the Bible whom this story reminds you of? Some of you might think of the story of the good Samaritan. That’s a good one, but there was Someone who did so much more and who was far more loving and kind than even the good Samaritan. It’s the Lord Jesus Christ. When He saw you and me totally ruined and helpless in our sins, He left heaven and came down here for one purpose — to rescue us. The Bible tells us in 1 Timothy 1:15, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” And He paid a terrible price to be able to save us. He gave up His life on the cross after He paid the penalty for the sins of each person who would accept Him as his or her very own Saviour. That is how much He truly loves us and cares about us.
The bus driver was very kind and caring and wanted to rescue whoever was inside that upside down car in the icy water. When he reached the car, he saw a woman inside. She was still alive and saw Scott beside the car. She was able to open the car window and tried to crawl out. Scott pulled her through the window and then out of the icy, cold water to safety. He immediately put his coat around her to shield her from the bitter cold.
At this point, the paramedics and police arrived and took over. Scott’s job was finished, so he climbed back up the slippery ravine. As he got into his warm bus and dried himself off, the passengers all clapped and cheered, as they had watched his heroic deed from the bus windows. Then he slid into the driver’s seat and continued driving his route to deliver his passengers.
Scott was considered a hero for rescuing that woman from her upside down car. But when we think of what Jesus did to rescue sinners from eternal punishment for their sins, He isn’t considered a hero. Many people insist they are good and will get to heaven their own way — they don’t need Him. They pass up His kind and loving offer of mercy and choose to ignore Him. The Bible warns us that there is only one way to be sure of getting to heaven, and it is “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us” (Titus 3:5).
The woman in the car was grateful and thankful for Scott’s kind help, and she had a police officer pass on the message to Scott. What about each of you boys and girls? Have you accepted Jesus’ loving offer of rescue from your sins? Have you thanked Him for what He did for you on the cross?
Caught!
Dear Children,
I want to tell you about something that Gramma and I saw when we went shopping. We were both very sad when we saw it.
“What did you and Gramma see?”
Well, when we drove into the store parking lot, we saw a police car parked right in front of the store. The backseat door of the police car was wide open. Then we saw two policemen bringing a young man over to the car. The young man’s hands were handcuffed behind his back, and it looked like he was crying. The policemen pushed him into the backseat of the police car and then drove away.
“Grampa, why was the man in handcuffs?”
I’ll tell you why in a minute. But first, Gramma and I had to go into the store to find out what happened. I spoke to the doorkeeper, and at first he did not want to talk about it. But when I told him that I write Sunday school lessons for children about things like this, he was very willing to explain to us what had happened.
Maybe some of you boys and girls have already guessed what happened. The young man was caught stealing, and he was putting up a fight as he tried to escape! But it didn’t work, because the people who work at the store held him until the police arrived. So the police had to handcuff him so he would stop struggling to get away.
Now, children, be honest when you answer this question I’m going to ask you. Have you ever stolen something and never been caught? Or has someone caught you when you were stealing something? It’s not a very nice feeling to get caught stealing, is it? God’s Word, the holy Bible, says in Exodus 20:15, “Thou shalt not steal,” and because it is the holy Word of God, it never changes! In Malachi 3:6 we read these words: “I am the Lord, I change not”! In the eyes of God, stealing is SIN! Even if you don’t get caught, it is still SIN! There are other commandments, and when you disobey any one of them, it is SIN! Romans 3:23 says, “ALL have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
Now, you may never get caught, but you know that you have sinned, and so does God. And not a single person is allowed into heaven unless God has forgiven those sins. Remember, God sees everything we do, He hears everything we say, and His record of you and me is right and perfect. He doesn’t make mistakes! God loves sinners, and He wants to forgive your sins.
“Grampa, how can I know that my sins are all forgiven?”
Now, children, listen to what God tells us in the Bible. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). Here’s another good verse: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31). Now this one makes it really plain: “We have redemption through His [Jesus’] blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7).
I’m pretty sure that if this young man had known he was going to get caught stealing, he never would have done it. But he DID steal, and he DID get caught. Now he must stand before a judge, and the judge will say, “GUILTY!” And so he must pay the penalty for that sin and perhaps go to jail.
Children, here is a reminder for those of you who do not have your sins forgiven by God. The Bible tells us what the penalty is: “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15). That is so solemn and very sad.
As for Gramma and me, we are on our way to heaven because our sins are forgiven! When I was fourteen years old, I trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as my Saviour. Gramma was seventeen years old when she trusted Him as her Saviour. Our names are written down in the book of life in heaven because our sins are forgiven, and we are going to be up there with Jesus forever!
Is your name written down in God’s book of life? If you really, really want to have your sins forgiven and your name written down, you can do it right now. Remember, God loves you and Jesus died for your sins. All you need to do is believe it in your heart, and God will forgive your sins!
Lots of love,
Grampa
“Thou Shalt Not Steal”
Dear Children,
Gramma and I were just talking about some of the children that came to Sunday school a few years ago. She said I should tell you about the two boys that got caught doing something that was wrong.
Now these two boys were really nice boys, but like Samuel in the Bible who was a young boy, 1 Samuel 3:7 tells us, “Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord.”
“But, Grampa, you just said that these two boys were ‘really nice boys.’”
Yes, that’s what I said, but they didn’t realize they were sinners. Romans 3:23 says, “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” And so one night after a gospel meeting, these two boys found out that “all have sinned.”
Right here I want to ask you a question: Do you know what the eighth commandment is? It has only four words. Okay, here it is: “Thou shalt not steal” (Exodus 20:15). Only four words to remember. That’s easy, isn’t it? And here are four more words found in Genesis 16:13: “Thou God seest me.” Do you understand what these four words mean? Wellllll, I think you know, but you don’t want to admit that God sees everything! These two boys knew the meaning of those eight words, but for a few minutes they forgot all about them. Just read on and see what these two boys tried to do! Like I said, they came to Sunday school regularly, and they knew where we kept the big boxes of candy that we handed out after every Sunday school lesson.
One night after the gospel meeting, these two boys got together and whispered, “Let’s fill our pockets with some of that Sunday school candy ... we both know where they keep it. Okay, let’s do it! You watch the door, and I’ll get the candy.”
So the boys got into position. The one watching the door whispered, “Okay ... all clear!” The other climbed up to the cupboard and started to fill his pockets with candy.
But the boys forgot about one thing — they forgot that there are two doors into the basement! (Even though it was dark down there, they could see well enough to steal the candy.) Suddenly, a light turned on! Then a voice said, “Boys, what are you doing?”
“Grampa, who caught them? Was it you?”
No, children, it was Gramma! And did Gramma ever feel sorry for these two boys. But the truth had to be told — they were caught stealing! Numbers 32:23 has eight words: “Be sure your sin will find you out.” This is what happens to boys and girls who forget God’s holy Word. They end up in deep trouble. Now remember, God still loved these boys even though they had sinned.
This story has a very happy ending. Later on in life, both boys trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour. John 5:24 says, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, he that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.”
Today, one of these boys, now a young man, often tells the story in public of how he and his friend got caught in the act of stealing, and he could then understand those four words, “Thou God seest me.”
The other boy was always happy to tell his friends at school and other places about how he and his friend got caught stealing. It was shortly after this that both boys trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour. One of the boys was so happy that he was saved from his sins that he wrote a story about himself, telling how God had saved him. Shortly after, he was struck with a cruel disease called cancer, and he left earth for heaven.
Now, let me ask you: Are your sins forgiven? Are you ready for heaven?
There is a wonderful verse in the Bible that has twenty-five words, and sometimes we sing them. So pretend you are sitting beside Gramma and me, and I am playing my old guitar, and you help us sing!
Twenty-five words in John three sixteen,
No greater gift has ever been seen,
Twelve about God and twelve about me,
Son in the center, verse sixteen John three.
That whosoever surely means me,
Surely means me, surely means me,
That whosoever surely means me,
Surely means you and me!
Lots of love,
Gramma and Grampa
Ryan’s Scare
Dear Children,
I am sitting in a chair, looking out through the kitchen window at our creek, which is still covered with ice. Last week we had two wolves out there on the ice. Gramma and I were watching them play with a stick. First, one had the stick, then the other had it, and they would chase each other. We both had a good laugh watching them. And then suddenly they stopped, looked around, lifted their noses, and away they went. I wonder what they heard and then smelled that made them take off.
But I’m not writing today to tell you about wolves; I’m writing to tell you about what happened to our young friend Ryan. He was given some gift certificates and went to a shopping mall with his dad to see what he might like to buy with those certificates. (Maybe you children know that gift certificates are just as good as money.) So after parking the car, they walked together into the mall.
After checking some of the stores, Ryan decided what he would like to buy. He reached his hand into his pocket to bring out the gift certificates ... but they weren’t there! He knew he had put them in his pocket, and he blurted out, “Dad, I’ve lost them!” His dad suggested they walk back to the car the same way they had come in, and maybe they would find them. Nope...they couldn’t find them anywhere!
Now then, children, what would you do if this happened to you? ... The money is lost! ... It’s gone!
Let me tell you what happened to a man in the Bible named Peter who almost lost his life and needed help. Peter was in a boat; it was dark and windy; the waves were high. As he was looking out over the sea, he saw someone walking on the water. He got scared, and then he heard a voice say, “It is I; be not afraid” (Matthew 14:27). It was the voice of the Lord Jesus. Peter answered, “Lord, if it be Thou, bid me come unto Thee on the water.” The Lord Jesus said, “Come.” Peter got down out of the boat and started to walk on the water! But, he forgot to keep his eyes on the Lord Jesus, and he started to sink! He shouted out, “LORD, SAVE ME”! Peter really needed help now. And immediately the Lord Jesus reached out His hand and caught him! Peter was rescued! Isaiah 59:1 tells us, “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear.” The Lord Jesus heard Peter and saved him!
Now then, Ryan and his dad both know the Lord Jesus as their Saviour. As they made their way to the courtesy desk in the mall to report the lost certificates, they asked the Lord Jesus to help them find the certificates.
At the courtesy desk, the smiling clerk asked, “What can I do for you?” Ryan’s dad told her the problem of the lost certificates. She listened very closely to their problem. Then, still smiling, she reached down into a drawer and picked up an envelope and gave it to Ryan’s dad and asked, “Is this what you are looking for?”
Oh, joy! There were the gift certificates!...all of them! Some honest person had already found them and turned them in! “Thank you, Lord Jesus, for that answer to our prayer!” “Before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear” (Isaiah 65:24).
This story has a very happy ending. But, dear children, you have something far more precious than gift certificates. It is your soul! Your soul is going to live forever and ever. Children, do not be careless with your soul and lose it in the lake of fire! The Lord Jesus paid a great price to have you in heaven with Himself! You know, when Ryan realized his gift certificates were lost, he did not waste a moment in searching for them. Have you found the Lord Jesus as your Saviour? If not, do it now! “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31).
Lots of love to all of you,
Grampa
Should I or Shouldn't I?
Have you ever faced this decision? I’m sure you have and so have I. But when it comes to the matter of life or death, be very careful how you handle that decision. We each have only one life!
This decision was running through a man’s mind as he climbed over the icy steel and concrete fence that was installed years ago. Millions of people come from around the world to view the majestic splendor of Niagara Falls, and the strong fence was built for the safety and protection of these people.
The day was cold and wintry, and everything was coated with thick ice. Heavy mist that is always rising from the falls had been freezing on trees, roadways and fences, including the safety fence in front of Horseshoe Falls, the most popular area of Niagara Falls. But the man climbing over the fence didn’t care about the icy conditions. He had only one thought — to jump into that raging, turbulent river and end it all. Life had become meaningless to him. The voices of the onlookers were ringing in his ears — “STOP! STOP! ... DON’T DO IT!” But he shut his ears to their cries. He stopped at the edge of the powerful river and stood still, staring at the rushing water. The voice in his mind was saying, No one will miss me ... I am unloved and unwanted and no one will care.
The man’s thinking was completely wrong! If he had read God’s Word, the Bible, he would have found that God loves him! “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). He would have found that God wants him! He is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). He would have found that God cares for him! “Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you” (1 Peter 5:7). And he would have found that ending his own life would be wrong! “Do thyself no harm” (Acts 16:28).
The poor man’s problems had so filled his mind that he completely ignored all the good things that God wanted to give him. And so he stood alone for an hour at the water’s edge on an icy surface that sloped toward the river. He was only seconds and inches away from a tragic death. Thankfully, there were others interested in his life.
By this time, many people had gathered along the safety fence, shouting encouraging words to him, but not one dared to step out onto the slippery ice. The park police had arrived and talked to the man until firefighters trained in ice and water rescues arrived with their life-saving equipment — cold-water suits, climbing gear, ropes, boots that grip on ice — everything necessary to save this man.
For fifteen or twenty minutes, there was no recognition that the firefighters were there. The man just stared down at the rushing, powerful river. Then slowly he turned and began walking back towards his rescuers. A cheer went up from the crowd as they realized he had been saved from a watery grave.
How many men did it take to rescue this man? Twenty, maybe thirty, just to save one person. Now think of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who came into the world to save every one of us! “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). One man, the Lord Jesus Christ, can save anyone and everyone who will simply put their trust in Him!
Did this poor man appreciate the work of those who rescued him? We don’t know since nothing more was said about him. But for those of us who have been saved from the pit of hell, we can sing the words of this beautiful hymn with heartfelt love and praise to God:
Amazing grace! how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind but now I see.
Two Life-Saving Teens
Dear Boys and Girls,
In this letter I’m going to tell you about two boys who went fishing at just the right time! Little did they think that they were going to be needed as rescuers.
The place where Alex and Danny were going to fish was a pier that people use for launching their boats into the water and taking them out again. The water is the fast-moving Niagara River, which is very dangerous! This pier juts out into the river fifty feet.
When the two young teens started down the pier, it was beginning to get windy and the waves were growing higher. To their surprise, a small boy was already fishing in their favorite spot. As Alex and Danny were looking for another spot to fish, the two friends saw the young boy accidentally drop his fishing pole into the water. Then to their alarm, the boy jumped into the water to save his fishing pole!
Maybe you have read in the Bible in the Book of Luke, chapter 15, about a lost sheep, a lost coin and a lost son. This young boy had just lost his fishing pole. Thankfully we can read that the lost sheep, coin and son were all found! But what about this young boy and his fishing pole that were both in the water?
The boy, who could barely swim, was struggling in the water, with waves washing over his head. Then his father, who couldn’t swim very well either, jumped in to save his son, but he too struggled against the high waves. They both began screaming for help. When the grandmother quickly came and saw waves washing over her grandson’s head, she jumped in to save him since she could swim. Soon she was also in trouble, and the current of this powerful river was beginning to pull all three of them away from the pier and towards Niagara Falls. They needed help and they needed it NOW!
Do any of you children remember the story about Peter who thought he would walk on the water to meet the Lord Jesus? When he took his eyes off the Lord, he started to sink! What a feeling that must have been! So Peter called with a loud voice, “Lord, save me!” (Matthew 14:30). Just three words ... and immediately the Lord Jesus stretched out His hand and saved him! What a Saviour!
Horrified at what they were watching and hearing them all calling for help, Alex and Danny decided they had to come up with an idea fast to save these three people before they were caught in the river’s current. Then it would be hopeless.
The two teens knew it was foolish to jump into the swift river to try to save this family. They decided to tie their fishing rods together to make a six-foot pole that each of the three family members could grab one at a time. They ran to the side of the pier, stretched out this long pole and pulled in the little boy first, then the father and then the grandmother. All three were saved from drowning! What a happy moment that was when the three were standing on the pier with the two boys who had just saved them! And nobody even gave a thought to the lost fishing pole that started it all.
God used these two boys to rescue this family from the threat of death. And now children and grown-ups, just stop and think for a moment about death and what comes after. Will you be in heaven or hell? God in love sent His Son Jesus to save us from spending eternity in hell, because it is our sins that will take us there. And the very moment you or I trust the Lord Jesus Christ to save us from our sins, our names are written down in the book of life in heaven. We are saved for an eternity with Him! And He assures us, “Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art Mine” (Isaiah 43:1).
Children, we hope and pray that one day we will meet each one of you in heaven. And if you haven’t trusted Jesus to be your very own Saviour, please do that right now!
Lots of love,
Grampa and Gramma