Messages of God's Love: 1982

Memory Verse: “As it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: so Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many.” Hebrews 9:27-28

Most of us like a thrill. One of the biggest thrills you can have is skiving where men and women jump from airplanes and perform acratic tricks in the air. They wait as long as they can before opening (popping) their parachutes. Skiving has attracted many thrill seekers. The thrill of the air rushing past you is exciting. Practicing tricks with your friends is fun. Those moments of suspense are exciting as you wait for your parachute to “pop” while the ground speeds toward you just a little too fast. Then, with a jerk, it opens, and you are floating gently in the breeze. Soon you are on the ground, wanting to try again! It gets into your blood!

Not long ago a young man in southern California tried it again. Nothing went wrong with the plane. Nothing went wrong with the parachute. The weather was good, a bit windy, but nothing to worry about —or so he thought. But it was the wind that caused the problem. It carried the young man’s parachute over some high-tension electrical wires. The exciting day and the great dive turned into a terrible tragedy. The parachute got hung up in electrical wires. When his feet touched the ground he was immediately electrocuted!

It was a very sad group of friends and other skydivers that watched the rescue squad cut the young victim out of his parachute. One of the other divers, a young lady, began to cry hysterically. One of the instructors turned to her and said sternly, “Don’t cry, lady! If you can’t pay the price, don’t throw the dice!”

You might think this was an awful thing to say. The parachutist had gambled his life for a thrill and had lost. But how many people today are gambling away their lives for the pleasures that sin has to offer. “If you can’t pay the price, don’t throw the dice!” God has said, “The wages of sin is death.” Romans 6:23. He also warns, “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” Hebrews 9:27. Are you really willing to pay the price?

How much better it would be to accept God’s loving gift— “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23. Don’t gamble away your life. Accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your own Saviour today.

“For 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.

ML-01/03/1982

Something Worth Telling

“I’m only 11 years old, and I can’t do very much for the Lord Jesus,” sighed Noni as she looked out the window. Big snowflakes were gently falling onto an already snow-covered yard. How pretty it all looked. The dark green pine trees were loaded down with snow. Their lower branches were bent so low that they almost touched the snow on the ground. Even the bare branches of the oak trees stood out as the smallest twigs carried a layer of snow.

“God’s creation is so beautiful,” she thought. “I don’t understand why people don’t love God or His Son when they see all the beautiful things He made for us.”

Looking at the big oak tree, Noni could see her swing hanging from the lowest main branch. She had played on it so much last summer. As she thought of those happy times she recalled how pretty everything looked then, too. She could remember the pretty flowers in her mother’s garden. What deep, rich colors the asters had. Now they were all gone, and the garden was covered with a beautiful snow blanket. Noni really enjoyed what God had created since she knew the Lord Jesus Christ as her Saviour. Now her heart seemed to bubble over with a special happiness, and everything looked so beautiful.

“Oh, Mother,” she said as her mother walked into the room, “if only everybody knew Jesus! How happy they would be! I think I’ll take a walk down the street and if I see somebody I’ll tell them about Jesus.”

“Noni,” said her mother, “most people don’t want to hear about the Lord Jesus. They would probably laugh at you and maybe even get angry.”

Noni turned back to the window again, deep in thought. Then turning to her mother again she said, “But maybe someone wants to hear about Jesus. May I go to the store?”

“We really don’t need anything, but your school shoes do need to go down to old Aldo at the shoe repair shop.”

“Good, I’ll take them,” Noni exclaimed jumping up. “Maybe I’ll tell old Mr. Valentini about the Lord Jesus. He’s such a nice, friendly old man.”

On went her boots, her heavy-hooded jacket and mittens. Then putting her school shoes in a bag she started to leave. “Don’t worry if I’m a little late. I do want to tell Mr. Valentini about Jesus.”

Mother smiled as she said, “Good, you just do that, and I’ll be praying for you. But don’t be disappointed if he doesn’t listen to you.”

Noni said her own little prayer as she walked through the snow tards the shopping center. She asked the Lord Jesus to give her the right words to say.

Mr. Valentini was the only person in the store when Noni got there. She showed him what had to be fixed on her shoes. Looking at them closely he said that it would be a couple of days before he could finish them.

“That’s all right,” Noni said. “I’m on vacation now for two weeks.”

As Mr. Valentini was writing up the order ticket Noni told him about the Saviour who loved him so much. The old man sat down on a chair and listened. Noni continued with, “We are all sinners. We have sin inside of us. We were born that way. Nothing can save us except the blood of the Lord Jesus. He died to wash away our sins. His blood can wash them all away. He was punished for our sins so that we can go to heaven. And the best thing of all is that He is alive today. He’s coming back very soon to take everyone back to heaven who knows Him as their Saviour.”

Old Aldo sat quietly. He was amazed. What could he say to this child with her simple story? Noni noticed tears in Mr. Valentini’s eyes. “Pray for me, little miss,” he said.

Noni left the store and raced home. She told her mother the whole story. She ended it by saying, “I’m sure Mr. Valentini loves the Lord Jesus after I told him about Him.”

“Let’s pray for him, just like he asked us to,” Mother suggested. Then she and Noni kneeled down and asked the Lord Jesus to save dear, old Aldo Valentini.

Two days later Noni went back to the shoe repair shop to pick up her shoes. When Mr. Valentini saw her a big smile crossed his face. He came right around the counter and took Noni’s hand. “Little miss,” he began, “your Saviour is now my Saviour, too. My sins are all gone now. Thank you for telling me about Jesus.”

Mr. Valentini heard about the Lord Jesus from Noni. Many others heard about Him from Mr. Valentini. He gave gospel tracts to everyone that came into his little shop and told them a little about his Saour. He also found the love of the Lord Jesus to be “something worth telling.”

Have you accepted Him as your Saviour? If you have, why not tell someone about Him today? There are many sad people who would like to hear about your Saviour. Wouldn’t it be nice if they heard about Him from you?

“Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood... be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” Revelation 1:5,6.

ML-01/03/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: The World's Best Flying Machine

“Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap... yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?” Matthew 6:26.

The Creator made birds to excel as flying machines. Like an airplane they have wings, propellers, steering apparatus and provisions for take-off and landing. All of these functions are performed beer by a bird than any plane.

In the previous article we noted the intricate design of their light feathers. The bone structure also shows the wisdom of the Creator. Everything about the strong, flexible skeleton is designed to avoid excess weight. Its reinforced tubular bones are hollow, yet strong. They contain a spongy network which fills with air as the bird breathes.

In fact, the whole breathing system of a bird is an important part of its being able to stay in the air. The lungs are a series of spaces around breathing tubes. These are connected to additional air sacs among the muscles and flesh. By pushing all exhausted air out of its lungs, a bird is able to draw back in an unusual amount of oxygen for its bloodstream. The circulation of air inside the bird has a cooling effect, too. How wisely the Lord provided for these lively, feathery creatures.

Most of the bird’s flying power comes from the muscles of its breast which are connected to an unusually large breastbone. The breastbone is located in the underpart of its body so the bird will not be top-heavy. The neck, the most flexible part of its body, also helps balance it in flight. It has 14 vertebrae—twice the number of a giraffe!

Almost all birds are excellent fliers, but many heavy ones have difficulty getting airborne. Some, like swans, need a runway. While running down it, they beat their wings furiously to lift in the air. They all take off into the wind, just as airplanes do. Occasionally, water birds, after landing on small lakes or ponds, have to wait for a good breeze in order to leave.

Still others, aware of the difficulty of taking off from level ground, try to light on a high spot. From there they can benefit by the pull of gravity to later get themselves well launched. But whatever the situation with any particular bird, God has provided it with the means and skills to take care of itself in ways that amaze us.

The Psalmist, thinking perhaps on these and other wonderful things, wrote: “Let them praise the name of the LORD: for He commanded, and they were created... Praise the LORD from the earth, ye... flying fowl: Kings of the earth, and all people.. Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children: Let them praise the name of the LORD: for His name alone is excellent; His glory is above the earth and heaven.” Psalms 148:5-13.

ML-01/03/1982

"There's an Animal in My Room!"

Memory Verse: “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

One evening a missionary and his wife were reading together in their African home. They were startled by the loud voice of a young native woman calling through the door.

“Lady,” she called, “tell this poor girl about the good God.”

The missionaries went to the door to see what was going on. There stood a young woman whose face was covered with dirt, and her hair was matted and dirty. The missionary’s wife thought to herself, “She looks more like a wild animal than a girl.”

They were told that the girl had come a long way to hear “the words from the missionary.” They invited the girl to come in and spend the night with them. She was taken to her room, and then the missionary and his wife prayed together. They prayed for help and guidance to say the right things to this girl so that she might understand that she was a sinner and needed to be saved from her sins, and that the Lord Jesus Christ was the only One who could save her.

Suddenly, a few minutes after the girl had been shown to her room, there was a loud scream. Before the missionaries could move they heard her running down the stairs. The terrified girl ran into the room. She was breathing hard, and she looked as though she were about to faint.

“Why didn’t you tell me there was an animal in my room?” she gasped.

“There is no animal in your room,” said the missionary. “My wife will go back to your room with you.”

“No! No! It will jump on us!” said the girl, pulling back.

Taking the girl by the hand, the missionary’s wife led the frightened girl gently, but firmly, back to the room. “Now, show me what scared you,” she said.

The girl pointed to the mirror on the wall above the dresser. Then the missionary realized that the girl had never seen a mirror before. It was her own reflection that had frightened her.

“That’s you,” she explained to the girl. “It’s a reflection just like when you walk beside a river and see the nearby trees in the water.”

After watching a few of her motions copied by the mirror’s reflection, the girl was convinced that the “animal” was herself. “I’m so dirty and ugly,” she said to the missionary. “Can I be clean like you?”

The missionary’s wife saw to it that the girl got a bath. Then she washed her hair and braided it for her. She was given a clean, flowered-print dress to put on. Looking at her new image in the mirror the girl said, “I’m clean and pretty now.”

“Yes,” agreed the wife, “but only on the outside.” Then she went on to tell the young girl that on the inside she was just as “dirty” as she was before. She showed her from the Bible that God sees us “dead in trespasses and sins.” “Each one of us is like that,” she explained to her. “Everyone in your village, everyone in Africa, everyone in the whole world is a sinner. To make things worse,” she added, “God hates sin and sin cannot be in His presence"

The young woman looked sadly at her missionary friend. “Then can I be clean on the inside, too?” she asked.

“Yes,” answered the missionary, “but it’s not by taking a bath and putting on a clean dress. The only way that we can be clean on the inside is to be washed by something that can wash away our sins from God’s sight.”

“What will do that?” the girl asked anxiously.

The missionary turned to 1 John 1:7 and read, “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” She went on to explain to the girl how the Lord Jesus suffered on the cross for the sins of those who believe on Him. She showed the girl other verses from the Bible that told of the love of God and His Son for sinners just like her.

The girl listened carefully to everything. Then in simple faith she asked the Lord Jesus to wash away her sins and be her very own Saviour.

Now she was clean on the inside, too.

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17.

ML-01/10/1982

Blind Since Birth

“He’s just as handsome as I always thought he was,” said Debra when she-saw her husband for the first time. The bandages had just been removed from Debra’s eyes following a successful eye operation. The first person she saw was her husband.

Debra had been almost completely blind since birth. Doctors had told her many times that there was no hope she would ever see.

And now her nine-month-old son was being handed to her. “Our little boy!” she cried and laughed at the same time. “Everyone used to tell me about all the cute things he was doing. I could never see these cute things, but now I can see all of them. That’s the biggest joy of all!”

All her life Debra could only see things as they appear when you look through a shower curtain or a steamed-up window. As a child one of her eyes had to be removed.

The new kind of operation that gave Debra sight in the eye she still had is called a cornea transplant. The cornea is the clear part of the eye that covers the pupil and iris. This cornea is removed from the eye of one person (called a donor) and transplanted to the eye of the blind person. The donor is usually a peon who has just died who had good, healthy eyes. The donor for Debra’s eye was an 18-year-old girl who had been killed in an accident. Debra could now see with the eyes of someone who had died.

We read of many blind people in the Bible. In John’s gospel there is a story of the Lord Jesus Christ giving sight to a young man who had been born blind. No operations were needed. He gave sight to eyes that had never seen. How did the young man respond after he could see? In the 38th verse of the 9th chapter it says, “he worshipped Him.” He knew Who it was that had given him his sight, and he worshipped Him.

In 2 Corinthians 4:4, God speaking through Paul says, “The god of this world (Satan) hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

Which group are you in? Are you worshipping God like the young man in John’s gospel, because He has made you see that you need a Saviour? Have you seen that you are a sinner, and that there is nothing you can do for yourself? Have you seen the wonderful gift of salvation that the Lord Jesus has for you? The Lord Jesus died on the cross for your sins. He wants to wash your sins away, if you will just ask Him. Will you accept His gift of salvation?

Don’t let Satan continue to blind your mind. The light that the Lord Jesus is offering is not just for new eyes, but it opens the mind and the heart. This salvation is free, because of Christ’s work on the cross. All you have to do is believe that He died for you.

Debra received a new eye that allowed her to see and enjoy the beauties of sight. God is offering you something much better—a new, happy life that goes on forever with Him in heaven.

“Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood... to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” Revelation 1:5,6.

ML-01/10/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: Inside Your Ear

“Hear the word of the Lord... and let your ear receive the word of His mouth.” Jeremiah 9:20.

Sound results from changes in air pressure. The human ear detects these changes as wave-lengths, vibrating from 40 to 40,000 times each second. They range from the quietest whisper to the explosion of a bomb.

The outer ear “catches” sounds and sends them to the inner working parts of the ear. Without the outer ear we still would hear plainly, but many sounds would go by unheard.

Between the outer ear and the eardrum is a twisting canal. It is lined with hairs and wax that trap insects, dirt, water, etc., that could cause damage. The eardrum is a membrane about one-half inch across where the transmission of sound begins. As the sound waves hit this membrane it acts much like a drum, and the sound travels through it to the middle ear. This has three tiny bones connected together called the anvil, the hammer and the stirrup. These magnify the drum’s vibrations by about 20 times. The tiny stirrup then taps it all against the fluid of the inner ear.

The inner ear is a hollow area protected by hard bone. It is filled with a watery fluid and contains the cochlea, a twisted snail-like tube. This is lined with thousands of sensitive cells, each of which responds to just one certain sound. When the fluid vibrates from the tapping of the stirrup, only the nerves corresponding with that particular wave-length rise up to wave back and forth. When this takes place a small electrical signal is made and sent to a corresponding circuit in the auditory nerve, which carries it instantly to the brain. There are about 30,000 of these circuits ready to respond! While each tone is kept separate from every other one, confusion could easily result with so many sounds arriving at the same time. And yet in a remarkable way our brain separates everything into its proper order and makes it intelligible.

All of these processes are done at the same time by two ears, and the brain gets the messages exactly the same from both of them. This is another example of the wonders of God’s creation. No human could ever invent anything like it, nor could the body develop such remarkable parts by itself.

Since God has given us this remarkable sense of hearing, we should be careful how we use it. The Lord Himself said, “Take heed what ye hear.” Mark 4:24. He knew that many things would reach our ears, and we must learn to separate the good from the bad. And so He has invited us to “Incline your ear, and come unto Me: hear, and your soul shall live.” Isaiah 55:3. May each of us desire to hear God’s wonderful Word, not just in our ears, but in our heart, as well.

“Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto My knowledge.” Proverbs 22:17.

ML-01/10/1982

It All Happened in 30 Minutes

Memory Verse: “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:13

Judge Donald Goodwille had been out fishing Labor Day morning two years ago. Suddenly, the winds had come up strong from the northwest. He quickly turned his boat around and returned to his home in South Haven, Michigan, overlooking Lake Michigan.

As he sat on the patio behind his home, he could hear the eight-foot waves crashing against the steel sea-wall. Although the winds had increased to 35 MPH it was still quite warm. Because of the trees and thick brush growing down the steep side of the bluff, he could not see the violence of the waves—he could only hear it.

Suddenly, he thought he heard something else. Caught up and carried with the sounds of the wind and waves were human voices screaming.

Goodwille ran down the bluff shouting back to his wife: “Call for help!” When he got down to the sea-wall all he could see were the huge waves and their spray. “It was complete turmoil down there,” he recalled.

And then, 20 yards out in the water he caught sight of a man floating limply in the toss of the waves. The man was unconscious and possibly dead. Goodwille kicked off his shoes and went over the seawall.

His family had owned this home for many years, going back to his grandfather. For years the judge had been swimming in this area. He knew the shore well, but he also knew that it often changed. Lake Michigan changes daily—its strength, its current, its undertow, its mood. And it was in an angry mood when Goodwille jumped in.

Fighting the violent waves, the judge swam out to the man. He thought the man was dead as he dragged the limp body back to the seawall. Using the lift of the crashing waves as a push, he heaved the man up and over the wall.

“I started mouth-to-mouth resuscitation on him. All of a sudden he came to and started choking. The color came back to his face, and I knew he was alive! I was bushed,” he remembered as he told the story again.

Just then Goodwille’s brother-in-law, John Kohn, came running down the bluff from the house. At the same time John Rettig of the Coast Guard, alerted by the call from the judge’s wife, arrived by car. Although the Coast Guard station was just a short distance up the shore, the lake was much too rough to bring a boat close in to shore.

Then they heard more yelling coming from out in the lake. Loong out they saw three more men clinging to pieces of an old wooden pier. The men were struggling to keep from being washed off their fragile support.

We don’t have to look very far to find people who are struggling to keep afloat in this life. Satan is dragging them under, and they have no strength to fight against him. They struggle to hold onto “a good life,” “going to church,” or anything else that they think will keep them afloat. What they really need is help from a saviour. The Lord Jesus Christ is the only Saviour for sinners. He is ready, willing and wants “to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him.” Hebrews 7:25. This is the only way a sinking sinner can be saved. The Lord Jesus died on the cross for everyone who will believe in Him. “For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.” Matthew 18:11.

“I was completely worn out,” Judge Goodwille remembered, “and I told Rettig there was no way we could go the 30 yards out to the three men without life preservers and a rope.” So while Rettig ran to get life preservers and rope, Goodwille and Kohn shouted words of encouragement to the men in the water. They didn’t seem to understand and kept calling back in Spanish.

Rettig returned with preservers. Putting them on, he and Goodwille went over the wall and into the water. Immediately Rettig was swept under by the undertow. Unable to fight against it, he was lifted by a wave and slammed into some metal pilings. His leg was ripped open. Later, 22 stitches were needed to close the wound.

Rettig called for help. Together, Kohn, who was still on shore, and Goodwille got Rettig out and back over the wall. Then Goodwille alone swam back out for the three men in the water.

“I reached one of the men. He was so tired I don’t think he could have made it too much longer. I motioned for him to grab onto my back. We struggled toward shore. When we finally reached the wall Rettig and Kohn pulled him up by the shoulders and I pushed.”

Goodwille went out for the next man. He brought him in the same way on his back. Then he went back out once more and brought in the last man. “I was really fighting the waves and swallowing a lot of water,” Goodwille remarked.

When the last man had been pulled in from the lake and up over the seawall, Goodwille was too tired to get himself out of the water.

Afraid of being smashed against the wall, he pushed himself off and floated down to a lower part of the wall. Then, just as he had hoped, a giant swell picked him up and hurled him over the top.

“I couldn’t move,” the judge recalled. “I had to rest for 15 minutes. The four men we rescued were in better shape than I was.”

Completely exhausted, the judge had to be helped up the bluff. In 30 minutes he had saved the lives of four men whom he had never seen before.

Goodwille was sincerely thanked by the four men and their relatives who had watched the whole rescue operation from the top of the bluff. The Coast Guard awarded him the Silver Lifesaving Medal for his efforts. Kohn and Rettig were also given awards for their assistance in the rescue. Why were these three brave men recognized in this way? Because the Coast Guard and those who were rescued knew that if it had not been for Judge Donald Goodwille, four men would have drowned.

Those of us who have accepted the Lord Jesus as our own Saviour also recognize that except for the love of God we could not have been saved. The Lord Jesus died for us. He was punished on the cross for our sins. He did all this for us because we were “dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1) and could not rescue ourselves.

Now what about you? The Lord Jesus is patiently waiting for anyone who will trust in Him. We know that very soon the door of salvation will be closed. If you are not inside when it is closed, you will be lost in your sins, and there will be no rescue then. The Lord Jesus wants to save you right now.

“Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” John 6:37.

“For 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.

ML-01/17/1982

The Square

One day Matt went to the barn. He got his father’s tools and some old boards and started to build a dog house. He measured, sawed and nailed. After a few hours’ work he had the dog house almost completed.

Soon he heard his father driving up to the barn on the tractor. “What are you building, Matt?” he asked climbing down.

“A house for Midnight,” answered Matt.

His father looked at the house carefully and said, “Well, it’s pretty good, but your boards aren’t very even.” He picked up a tool, called a square, and placed it on the corners of the house. Matt quickly saw that his work was not very good. None of the corners were square. Matt realized that if he had used the square when he was cutting and building, it would have been a straight and true house.

Many of us look back on our lives and think we have done “pretty good.” But if we would measure our lives by the Bible, the true square, we would see how crooked and out of line our lives are. As we build life’s “house” day by day, we should measure it by the Word of God. Then our lives will be true, straight, and beautiful.

“Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psalms 119:105.

ML-01/17/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: The World's Strangest Animal

“Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world. “Acts 15:18.

The 18-inch Duck-Billed Platypus, which is found only in Australia and New Guinea, looks like a mixture of several animals and birds. It has a bill like a duck, fur like a beer, a lizard’s short limbs, claws of a muskrat, monkey-like cheek pouches and lays eggs like a turtle. No wonder evolutionists can’t fire where it came from.

But the Bible record assures us this is another of God’s creatures, adapted by Him to its way of life. Its duck-like bill makes it possible to get food from the muddy bottom of a stream or pond. Its beaver’s fur, which is waterproof, keeps it warm in and out of water. The short limbs help it to cross its two-foot-long burrow easy. It is able to store food in its cheek pouches while continuing its hunting. And its webbed feet make it an excellent swimmer. In addition to all of these features its hind legs are equipped with poisonous spurs for protection from enemies. When the webs of its front feet are pulled back, claws are exposed.

It is hard to get a look at this little fellow, because it stays in its burrow during the day and hunts only at night. Even though no ears can be seen (just ear slits), its hearing is usually good, as well as its sense of smell and touch.

When preparing for a family, the mother increases the length of the burrow to about twenty feet with a hidden opening out on the land. She brings in leaves and grass to make an underground nest where she lays two or three eggs. She curls her body around the eggs for a week or ten days until the little, one-inch-long babies hatch. She has glands in her body that give off milk. This collects on her fur, and the babies soon find that by licking her fur they are well fed. The mother stays with them in the burrow for about four months. Then they are nearly full grown and ready to leave the den.

We may wonder why God made such a distinctly strange animal. We can be sure He had a definite purpose in doing so, and that He gives it the same care and attention that is given to all His creation. And we may say about ourselves that we are “fearfully and wonderfully made” also, because the human body is a marvelous structure, equally amazing in its many parts.

Have you stopped to think that God made man with a special purpose in mind? He has said of those called by His name: “I have created him for My glory, I have formed him; yea, I have made him.” Isaiah 43:7. This assurance is given to anyone who has put their faith in the Saviour’s work at Calvary: “Who hath saved us, and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus.” 2 Timothy 1:9. Can you apply this promise to yourself?

ML-01/17/1982

A Living Snowman

Memory Verse: “The holy Scriptures ... are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” 2 Timothy 3:15

Most boys and girls know what a snowman looks like. Maybe some of you have even made one using pieces of coal for the eyes and mouth, a carrot for the nose, plunking an old hat on top of his head, and tying a scarf around his neck. As much fun as it is to build a snowman, he is just a figure made out of snow and not really alive.

But this is a true story about a young Korean boy, Kim Bin Lin, who was a living snowman.

This little snowman lived in South Korea. Korea is many thousands of miles away from our land. It is on the other side of the Pacific Ocean. At the time of our story it was early winter. The farmers of South Korea were getting ready for their usual snow and ice. After they had sold their crops and paid their bills, they did not have much money left.

Kim lived about 50 miles away from the big city of Seoul. He lived on a farm with his parents and younger brothers and sisters. His father and mother were Christians, and so was he. They did not have a Bible to help them learn more about the Lord Jesus. And they lived far away from any other Christian that might have one. To get to the nearest village they had to climb over a high mountain.

One day a man came to a village 12 miles away from them selling Bibles. Most people were too poor to buy his Bibles. The man told them they could pay for a Bible with rice, beans, chickens or whatever they raised on their farms.

That was a good idea. Soon the man’s van had no more Bibles, because he had sold all of them. Instead of his van being full of Bibles, it was full of rice, beans, chickens and eggs when he returned to Seoul.

The next week the man came back with more Bibles. The market place inside a building was crowded and noisy. People pushed and shoved to find room to stand. Chickens cackled, ducks quacked, and boxes of eggs, bags of rice and beans took up much of the space. Outside the wind was howling, and the snow was swirling around.

Suddenly there was a pounding noise on the door. The door was pushed open, and a flurry of snow blew into the room. Then something looking like a snowman slowly hobbled in. Everyone stared at the walking snowman. Some people began to scrape off the snow.

Under all that snow was Kim Bin Lin. His face was icy cold, but it also glowed with excitement. His legs were stiff from the cold, because his clothes were heavy and icy with snow. He walked very slowly toward the man who was selling the Bibles. Kim was struggling with a big bag of beans.

“I live on the other side of the mountain,” said Kim. “I have walked 12 miles. I want to buy a Bible with these beans. May I have one?”

The man looked at Kim. Was this really true? Would a young boy walk 12 miles over such a high mountain pass in such a blizzard? The trail was narrow, slippery and accompanied by strong winds even in good weather. But in this blizzard it was even more dangerous. However, there he stood. Kim had done all that for a Bible.

“Yes, you certainly may have a Bible,” answered the man. “Now tell me, how did you find your way in this storm?”

“I lost the trail a couple of times. Once I nearly fell over the edge. The path was so slippery and narrow; I could hardly find it because of the snow. I was afraid I wouldn’t get here in time. I hurried as much as I could, because this was my only chance to get a Bible.”

Kim got his Bible. He stayed in the building until the blizzard was over. Then a very happy Kim started for home. He carefully carried the well-wrapped Book for which he had risked so much. He was taking home the Word of God!

How many of us who have a Bible in our home prize it the way Kim did? We will if we stop to think about its wonderful message. It explains how God loves us so much that He sent the Lord Jesus, the only Son He had, to go through an awful death. He died for us so that we can go free. The Bible also shows us how we can live to please the Lord Jesus. Something else it tells us is that He is coming back very soon, maybe even today, to take everyone to heaven who is free from their sins. (Have you asked the Lord Jesus to take away your sins so that you can go to heaven too?) How wonderful it is to have a copy of God’s Word! Are you reading it every day?

“The Word of God is quick, and powerful.” Hebrews 4:12.

“Thy Word have I hid in mine heart.” Psalms 119:11.

“Thy Word is true.” Psalms 119:160.

“Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psalms 119:105.

ML-01/24/1982

The $1,500 Pet

Mr. and Mrs. Morgan really valued Mickey their Macaw. Not only was he a family pet, but he cost $1,500! A Macaw is a long-tailed parrot with beautiful blue, red, yellow and green feathers. These birds come from the warm climates of Mexico and South America. So Mickey had to live indoors at the Morgan’s Illinois home.

One September day Mickey escaped from the Morgan’s house. No one seemed to know just how he got out, but there he was at the top of a tree! Mr. and Mrs. Morgan called the fire department which arrived at the scene with a large snorkel truck to try to capture Mickey. The snorkel would lift a fireman right up to the top of the tree. But each time a fireman would get within reach of Mickey, off he would fly to the next tree. It certainly looked like an impossible job to catch Mickey, the $1,500 pet.

Have you ever thought of your value to God? Matthew 10:30 tells us that God values us so much He knows exactly how many hairs we each have on our head! We also know that God’s love for us is so great that He sent His only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to die on the cross to wash away our sins. Have you asked Him to wash away your sins and be your Saviour? Those who love the Lord Jesus are called His jewels in Malachi 3:17—“They shall be Mine, saith the LORD of hosts, in that day when I make up My jewels....” Are you one of His valuable jewels?

After several attempts to capture Mickey had failed, a fireman came up with a great idea—and it worked! The fireman hooked up the fire hose and sprayed Mickey lightly with water until his feathers were soaked. Poor Mickey was now so heavy with water that he could not fly anywhere. Now it was an easy job to raise the snorkel and catch Mickey. How glad the Morgans were to have Mickey safe indoors again—even if he was all wet!

Just as the Morgans would not leave Mickey in the tree top, the Lord Jesus will not leave His own children in this world. The Lord Jesus values His children so much that He has prepared a place for them in heaven. Very soon He will come to take those who have accepted Him as their Saviour to that home. Will He take you? “I go to prepare a place for you.” John 14:2. “I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” John 14:3.

ML-01/24/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Polar Bear

“Who is like unto the LORD our God, Who dwelleth on high, Who humbleth Himself to behold the things... in the earth!” Psalms 113:5, 6.

It is in the white, cold, lonely world of the Arctic where the Polar Bear lives. The Lord shelters it from the cold with a thick layer of fat underneath long, shaggy fur. Its fur has insulating air spaces between the hairs. This impressive animal is about five feet high at its shoulders, seven feet or more in length, and may weigh half a ton. It is extremely strong, and can pull a 500-pound seal out of the water with just one paw. It is much like its brown and black bear cousins, except for its color, a long pointed head, and a more streamlined body.

God has prepared it well for its surroundings. When the sun shines on snow and ice, Eskimos have to take special care to avoid painful snow-blindness. But the Polar Bear has been given built-in protection. It has three eyelids and a special membrane over its eyes. Then too, this big fellow must be very careful when walking across ice floes or traveling over ice and snow. It would find it difficult to walk on such slippery surfaces if it were not equipped with a covering of tough hair on the bottom of its feet that gives it a good grip.

Polar bears eat mostly seals. They lie on the thick ice, waiting for one to pop up at its breathing hole. Sometimes it will quietly swim to the end of the ice where a seal is sunning and catch it. Cold water does not bother the Polar Bear. God has given it partially webbed feet and specially jointed legs which help make it a very good swimmer.

While its sight and hearing are poor, its sense of smell is keen and can alert it to prey as much as twenty miles away. It makes its home in an icy den where the female gives birth late in winter to two or three cubs which are about the size of chipmunks. Two months after they are born she takes them out of the den and begins their two-year training.

Besides seals, Polar Bears eat salmon, foxes, birds and occasionally a reindeer. Hunters have to keep a wary eye open when one is around since they will kill sled dogs and steal animals from their traps.

It seems cruel that the Polar Bear must kill so ruthlessly. It was not like this in the beginning. It was sin that brought this change into the world. However, there is a time coming when “the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.” Isaiah 11:7.

But before that peaceful time comes, God is going to bring punishment on this sinful world and all those who have refused the gift of salvation He has offered. The Lord Jesus Christ is the Saviour who died to bear that punishment in your place if you will only accept His invitation: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” Acts 16:31. Won’t you accept His invitation today?

ML-01/24/1982

So Near to Help

Memory Verse: “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way: and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:6

Ellen was having a good time visiting her cousin Alice who lives at the edge of the “bush,” as the Canadians call the north woods. Today she was going blueberry picking with Alice and Uncle Bill. Uncle Bill had left a pail of blueberries in the woods on Saturday that they wanted to find. Then they were going to pick more berries.

They soon found the big pail of blueberries without any trouble, and then Ellen picked enough berries to fill her six-quart pail. She was so thirsty that she decided to go back to the little spring they had passed earlier. She thought she knew right where the spring was, but she walked for quite awhile and couldn’t seem to find it. “That’s funny,” she thought, “that spring isn’t where I thought it was. Maybe I’d better go back to Alice and Uncle Bill.”

After turning around to go back the same way she had come, everything looked different. She walked a long way through the “bush.” Branches scratched her legs and tore her dress. She protected the pail of berries that she had picked for Aunt Ruth, but her arms were scratched until they bled. She began to wonder why it was taking so long to find Alice and Uncle Bill. Nothing looked familiar. She began to get scared when she realized she was lost. To make matters worse it was starting to get dark. She called Alice and Uncle Bill until she couldn’t call anymore. Would she have to stay in the woods all night?

She was too scared to go to sleep anywhere, so she walked and stumbled through the woods. She came to a road that crossed a little bridge to a school. The school was dark, and there was nobody around. She knew this was not the place she wanted. Strange to say she turned and went back into the woods. She was so close to help, but she didn’t know it.

Boys and girls, as well as older people, are wandering around in sin. They keep thinking that they can find their own way out of it. They don’t like to admit that they are helpless and “dead in trespasses and sins.” Ephesians 2:1. Then when they find that the way out is simply through believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, they think it’s too easy, and they won’t accept it. They turn back to their wandering when help is so close. “For there is none other Name under heaven ... whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12.

All the following day, Tuesday, Ellen walked still carrying her precious pail of blueberries. She ate some of them and some raspberries that she found, and drank water from a river.

Tuesday night it started to rain. Ellen’s dress, what was left of it, got soaked. She crawled under some bushes and fell asleep. She dreamed about the layer cake that Aunt Ruth had made just before they left to go blueberry picking. It even had chocolate icing on it. In her dream Alice asked her if she would like a piece. But just before she could say “yes,” she wakened, cold, wet and hungry. “That’s when I wanted to cry,” she said later, “but I didn’t.”

Five hundred men were searching the “bush” all that day and night. Three airplanes circled overhead joining in the search, but none of them caught sight of Alice.

On Wednesday the area received the hardest rainfall that it had had in some years. The search continued, but with each passing hour their hopes faded. They began to wonder if they would find Ellen alive. The area that they were searching was so dense that even two of the rescuers got lost and had to be rescued themselves.

There was a cold wind blowing. Ellen’s dress was torn and her sandals had fallen apart. Her legs and arms were scratched and bleeding. She had fallen many times, but had not gotten seriously hurt. That night she slept on some soft grass beside a big log. She had put the berries beside her, but when she wakened they were gone. She didn’t hear or see what took them.

That Thursday morning she walked a little way and then came to the same bridge that she had seen bore. But this time Howard Bosley, one of the searchers, saw her and called, “Are you Ellen?”

“Yes,” Ellen answered.

“Come with me. You’re safe now. I’ll take you home,” he said with a very tired but happy smile.

Ellen was first rushed to the hospital where she was examined by a doctor. Once her scratches and sores were treated, she was released to her parents. The three of them went back to Aunt Ruth’s house where there was food to eat and a soft bed to curl up in. She will never forget that blueberry-picking trip.

Ellen was rescued. She was found by one of the concerned people who was searching for her. Jesus is also searching for those who will trust in Him. The Bible says, “The Son of man (the Lord Jesus) is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10. Do you realize that you are lost and in need of a Saviour? Why not accept Him right now as your Saviour. He is waiting.

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.” Revelation 3:20.

ML-01/31/1982

A Saving Word

A Mount on which a king was slain?

(1 Sam. 31)

A Bride brought home with camel train?

(Gen. 24)

A Shepherd by his brother slain?

(Gen. 4)

A Brook dried up through want of rain?

(1 Kings 17)

A Queen who for her people prayed,

And by her means had judgment stayed?

(Esther 7)

Initials form a precious word,

Which those know best who trust the Lord.

ML-01/31/1982

"Mfazhi!"

“Oh, Edith, the ‘mfazhi’ (driver ants that travel in armies) are here. One just bit me!”

I had gone to sleep as usual under the mosquito nets. But this bite woke me up. Once before Edith had gotten some mfazhi in her long hair. What a time she had combing them out!

So Edith quickly lit the candle and looking around exclaimed, “They surely are here! They are all over the place! The walls are black with them!”

There was no question about it, we had to leave the house. Carrying as much bedding as possible in our arms, we headed for the neighbor’s house. It was all dark over there, so we knew they were sound asleep.

After much loud knocking on the door, we finally heard our neighbor call out, “Who is there, and what do you want?”

When they found out who we were and what had happened, they opened the door and welcomed us. We all had a good laugh to think those little insects could drive us out of our home. We made up our beds on the floor. Then after an uncomfortable night we returned home.

It was our fault the mfazhi had raided the house. We had gone to bed without checking to see if the two doors were tightly shut. The houses were built of sun-dried bricks, and the windows and doors did not fit tightly. It was easy for insects and other tiny things to get in under the doors. They got in because of our carelessness.

Doesn’t this experience suggest to us what can happen if we do not read our Bible and pray each morning. Reading His Word and praying helps to keep us close to our Saviour. If we get away from Him (out of communion), then the enemy (the devil) comes in like a flood, just like those thousands of mfazhi. Then he tempts us, and because we are not walking closely with the Lord we fail. Perhaps we get angry, hit our friends, tell lies or take what does not belong to us, etc.

The Word of God is powerful. If it is hidden in our heart we will be able to resist the devil. “Thy Word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee.” Psalms 119:11.

The mfazhi ate everything they could find that was good to eat. They even ate the flat, thin spiders that hide behind the pictures on the walls and also the mosquitoes and other little pests that are hard to keep from getting indoors. They got what they came after, then left. Not one remained behind. But even if they did eat some of our other pests, both of us would have preferred if the ants had not gotten in. We were more careful after that.

“Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psalms 119:105.

ML-01/31/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: A Living Bomb

“And God made... everything that creepeth upon the earth after his kind.” Genesis 1:25.

There is a beetle called the Bombardier that baffles scientists! It bombs its enemies with a bad-smelling, boiling-hot fluid which it shoots out by an explosion inside its body! They know what chemicals make up this fluid, but cannot fire out how the beetle controls its exploding.

The Bombardier has two chambers inside its body where chemicals which it manufactures are stored. In addition it has another room where it mixes them. Before mixing, it adds a third chemical, called an inhibitor. This mixes with the other two chemicals to keep them from exploding. These mixed chemicals are stored in its body until needed.

As long as the inhibitor is present the “bomb” cannot go off. But this little bug, in one of the many wonders of God’s creation, can “explode” this bomb whenever it wants. The beetle makes sure it is in front of its enemy. Then it forces the chemical mixture into a final chamber. There a liquid from another part of its body is present. This liquid overcomes (inactivates) the inhibitor, causing the whole mixture to explode with a definite “bang.” It is discharged through a special nozzle in this chamber with considerable force. It either kills or chases its enemy away. It is so well equipped with ammunition that it can explode this mixture 10 to 20 times before having to stop. Then, within a day, its tanks fill up again.

How did this beetle get its storage tanks? When did it learn about making the chemicals and how to mix them without blowing itself up? Who taught it how to make the explosion at the right time? Could we believe for one minute the theory of some who claim that these things just happened? Or could we believe the theory of others who say that the beetle added one part at a time over millions of years? Of course not. Such teaching is not only unreasonable, but it is contrary to God’s Word, the Bible. It can easily be seen that any Bombardier that did not have all its functions working correctly would destroy itself before it could add or change other necessary ones.

The Lord God, the divine Creator, designed the Bombardier and made it complete with its amazing features when He first placed it on the earth. Scripture tells us “Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did He.” Psalms 135:6. All His wonderful works show the pleasure He had in creating them. The many varieties of them also show us His unlimited power and wisdom.

But we should pay attention to another scripture that says, “Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding.” Psalms 119:73. When He made mankind He had a special purpose in mind. It is His delight to give understanding to every person concerning His love. Everlasting life is given to all who love His Son and trust in Him as the Saviour of sinners. Has that understanding worked in your heart?

ML-01/31/1982

"It's Not for Sale!"

Memory Verse: “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. Ephesians 2:8-9

Bert was a young boy, active and full of energy, as most young boys are. He liked to be busy and was often in the basement of the big family home tinkering with an old motor or working on some other project. His father sometimes took Bert and his brothers fishing in the bay. Each boy had to take his turn at the oars in the rowboat. They tried to make every stroke count, because it was hard work. But the hard work usually rewarded them with fish, often a gunnysack full of fluke, porgies or weakfish. Bert loved boats and would stand on the dock just watching them come and go. The harbor near his home was one of the busiest in the world, so there was lots to see.

One day at school Bert’s friend, Walter, reached into his pocket and pulled out something and showed it to Bert. “My father is teaching me how to carve,” he said as he held up a little block of wood just beginning to take the shape of a boat. Bert was immediately interested. How he wished his father knew how to carve. Each day he hurried to school eager to see how the boat was coming along. Sometimes as he held it he would run his fingers over its small shape, feeling the little dips and grooves from the carving tools and the silky-smooth sides already carefully sanded. He wished it were his. How proud he would be to have a little boat just like that.

One day after school when the boat was finished, Bert said to Walter, “How much would you sell your little boat for?”

His friend looked at him and answered, “It’s not for sale.” Then reaching over he placed the little boat in Bert’s hands and said with a smile, “But you may have it.”

Bert stood there a moment looking at the boat. It was too good to be true. Then he thought of all the hours of work and patience, all the careful carving and sanding. “I can’t just take it,” he said. “You’ve spent so much time making it. I’ll pay you for it.”

The smile left Walter’s face. With an indignant look he reached for the boat. “It’s not for sale,” he repeated.

Bert kicked at the pebbles as he walked home. He was upset with himself. Why hadn’t he just taken the boat and said thanks? Walter had wanted him to have it or he wouldn’t have offered it to him. Why did he think he had to pay for it? Now he really felt ashamed, but it was too late. It was a gift that he had refused by trying to pay for it.

Bert’s father and mother were Christians and prayed that their children would come to know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour. God is also offering a gift, and money cannot buy it, either. He is offering a pardon from the punishment our sins deserve. He can offer this to us because the Lord Jesus paid the punishment we deserve when He died on Calvary’s cross. Bert usually went to Sunday school, but it was not until he was 14 years old that he began to think seriously about that great and wonderful gift that God had offered him. His heart was touched, and in faith he reached out to accept that gracious gift. He did not deserve to have it, and he could not buy it, but he has thanked God many times for it. The little boat was offered once, but God offers His gift day after day. One day very soon this gift will no longer be offered. What will that day be for you? Will it be a happy day because you accepted His gift, or will it be a terribly sad day because you refused His gift and then have to take God’s punishment for sin yourself?

The years have passed and Bert has learned to carve boats, too. He has also taught other little boys to carve boats. He still loves to watch the boats come and go, but most of all he loves to tell of the “greatest gift of all” which is everlasting life through Jesus Christ our Lord. And it is not for sale. Bert never forgot the lesson he learned from his friend Walter.

“Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near.” Isa. 55:6.

ML-02/07/1982

Caught!

One sunny autumn afternoon I was walking in the woods, enjoying the sound of the gentle breeze in the birch trees. It was all so peaceful. Stopping for a moment to take a rest, I heard a strange noise close by. At first it was difficult to find the source of the noise. Then, looking closely in among the sticks and leaves, I discovered a snake with his jaws wrapped tightly around a small wood toad. Try as he might, nothing Mr. Toad did could free him from his terrible enemy. All his struggling only made him weaker and weaker. He was caught!

Boys and girls who do not have Christ as their own Saviour are caught by a dangerous enemy who is much stronger and more powerful than they. Satan, “that old serpent,” (Rev. 12:9) has them (and older people, too) held in his grasp through sin. “All have sinned.” Romans 3:23. “The wages of sin is death.” Romans 6:23.

I knew Mr. Toad could not save himself, and if I left him much longer he would certainly be killed. I found a stick close by and hit the snake. Reluctantly, he let Mr. Toad go and slithered off among the leaves—his meal lost. A very weak Mr. Toad hopped away from that spot and stopped to regain his strength on a nearby stick. I had saved his life.

Just as I was the one to save Mr. Toad, there is Someone who is ready and wants to reach down to save boys and girls out of Satan’s grasp. The Lord Jesus Christ, in love to you and me, went to Calvary’s cross to die for our sins. He shed His precious blood there, and anyone who accepts Him as their Saviour is set free forever.

“Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear.” Isaiah 59:1.

“If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” John 8:36.

ML-02/07/1982

Who Am I?

The prophet stood midst glaring host of men and priests of Baal

No answer from the brassy skies, their shouts to no avail.

The altar laid—the trench was digged, the barrels of water drained

They looked in fear and terror at the fire of God unchained.

The drought and famine now soon o’er; God’s power and might made plain

This prophet ran before the king; he’d heard the sound of rain.

ML-02/07/1982

In Love With the Author

A few years ago a young lady was reading a book. She found it very dull and boring. Losing interest, she put the book back on her bookshelf. It lay forgotten for several months.

One evening she met a young man. She liked him and became very interested in him. When he told her his full name she exclaimed, “Why, I have a book at home whose author has the same name as yours!” She told him the name of the book which she had found so boring.

The young man replied, “I wrote that book.”

That night the young lady sat up until the early hours of the morning reading the book. The book which she had found so boring and uninteresting a few months before was now very interesting, because now she knew and loved the author.

How often people think the Bible is dull and uninteresting, because they do not know its Author. The only way to know Him is to accept Him as Saviour. When they realize what a wonderful Saviour they have, they find that His Book, the Bible, is a living, wonderful Book.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” John 1:1.

“We love Him, because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19.

ML-02/07/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: A Tale of Two Fishes

“The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of the sea.” Psalms 93:4.

The Betta Siamese Fighting Fish of Thailand has an unusual way of making a home and raising a family.

The male does the work, going to the surface and blowing a nest of bubbles, adding a cement to hold them together. Then he finds a female companion and takes her to look it over. Usually she is excited about this lovely home and decides it is a good place to raise about three dozen babies.

However, she doesn’t know how to get her eggs into the nest. Each egg that she lays drops to the bottom. The male takes care of this problem. He swims after each egg, picks it up in his mouth, swims to the nest, and blows it into the bubbly home. How do you think they learned to work together this way?

When the babies hatch the parents stand by to guard them. The babies are not allowed out of the nest until they are big enough to take care of themselves.

These are little fish, not over three inches long, but they are under the watchful eye of the Lord, their Creator, just as much as the largest fish. The Bible tells us, “The eyes of all wait upon Thee.” Psalms 145:15. How nice to think of the Creator, the Lord God, not only creating them, but always taking care of them in their never-changing ways. He is the One who gives them the ability to work together in this interesting way.

The Stickleback has this name because its back has spiny fins sticking up sharply as a warning to its enemies. Like the Siamese Fighting Fish these also have an unusual method of nesting.

The male picks up pieces of vegetation that he finds floating on the water and weaves them together to form a home. This home or nest has tunnels at each end and is attached to a living plant just beneath the surface. After the nest is finished he looks for a mate and brings her to see what he has built. Soon they move into this double-ended nest and raise their family in it.

There are so many unusual and interesting kinds of life throughout the world, and only a relatively few have been seen by man. But the eyes of the Lord are always on each of His creatures. He cares for every one of them and takes delight in watching how they always obey Him—each one following the pattern He set up in the days of creation.

We must never forget that He is our Maker, too, as the Psalmist rinds us, “Know ye that the Lord He is God: it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves.” Psalms 100:3. We should obey His Word and please Him by accepting the salvation He so kindly offers through faith in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. “To-day if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.” Hebrews 4:7.

ML-02/07/1982

"Chanticleer"

Memory Verse: “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God.” James 4:6,7

Chanticleer was a rooster—a fine, proud bird that belonged to Andrew. He was very large with a coat of lovely white feathers, long yellow legs and a bright red comb. He strutted in front of the hens and crowed loudly from the tallest post. “Look at me!” he seemed to say. Everyone stayed out of his way, especially the little chicks, but he and Andrew were friends. Andrew kept special snacks for him, and they “understood” each other.

But the other children were afraid of “Chanti.” “Don’t get too close. Chanti will chase and peck you!” they warned. Finally, Mother decided that Chanti must be kept in the chicken yard with the hens.

The children took care of the chickens, feeding them, keeping their nests clean, and bringing in the fresh eggs for Mother.

One afternoon Mother was baking a cake. She went to the refrigerator for an egg, but there were none left. Since the children were in school she knew this meant she would have to get the eggs from the chicken house herself. The only trouble with this was Chanti. Taking her basket, she went to the chicken house and opened the door a crack. There he was, that huffy bird, strutting around like he owned the place! She did not like the idea of getting pecked, but she had to get some eggs. “If only Andrew were here,” she thought. She peeked in again. Chanti was now at the far end of the house where he had hopped onto a box to crow. Quickly, Mother slipped in the door and down against the wall by the nests.

As she reached into a nest, suddenly an explosion of white feathers came rushing at her! Mother grabbed a long board that was lying on the floor and swung it with all her might! (Now, she did not want to hurt Chanti, but he scared her, and besides, she needed the eggs.) The board caught Chanti in midair, and board and rooster landed with a thump in the corner. Mother quickly snatched some eggs and ran out, slamming the door behind her. Then peeking back in she saw poor Chanti unhurt, but quite ruffled, looking around in surprise. His dignity had been badly shaken.

Sometimes, I’m afraid we act like Chanticleer—proud and boasting of what we have or what we can do. We love to have our friends think nice things about us. God tells us in the Bible that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23. Chanti was very surprised to meet with that board, and we are often surprised when God shows us how He sees us—as sinners! But He says, “Come, ye children, hearken unto Me: I will teach you the fear of the Lord." Psalms 34:11. What a lovely invitation! The more we learn of the love of God the more we will want to be like Him. Then we will try to do everything for His praise and glory. There will be no more room for pride and boasting.

“Blessed is every one that feareth the Lord; that walketh in His ways.” Psalms 128:1.

ML-02/14/1982

Mrs. Ashton and the Boys

Mrs. Ashton’s husband had died. Now she had to sell her home in the country and find a place to live in the city. As she looked for an apartment to rent, she asked the Lord to help her find the right place.

She found a small apartment across the street from a park. She felt that this was the place the Lord had for her, and so she rented it.

One day after she had moved in, she was startled by a lot of noise in the park. Looking out the window she saw a dozen boys playing over there. She watched them for awhile and could hear their rough talk and bad language. All of a sudden she thought, “Maybe it is for boys like these that the Lord gave me this apartment.” She remembered the calendar verse for that day: “Go in the strength of the Lord God.” Psalms 71:16.

Although she was shy Mrs. Ashton went over to the park and called to the boys, “Won’t you come over to my apartment to hear a Bible story?”

The boys stopped their noise and seemed too surprised to answer right away. Finally, one of the oldest boys smiled and said they would. So in they all came. Some sat on the floor and some on chairs. They were all curious and amused, wondering what would happen next.

Then she read the story of Joseph and told them about the Lord Jesus Christ and how His blood was shed for boys just like them. After she finished talking to them she gave them cookies and juice and invited them to come again next week.

Every week all winter Mrs. Ashton had the boys over. Sometimes she had little games for them, and sometimes she read to them, but she always told them how the Lord Jesus loved them.

After that winter Mrs. Ashton had to move to another part of the city to live with her daughter. She lost track of “her boys,” because she did not get to see them anymore.

Seven years passed. One day a tall young man spoke to her in a shopping plaza.

“Are you Mrs. Ashton?” he asked. “Yes, that is my name.”

“Don’t you know me?” he asked.

“You look familiar, but I can’t remember who you are,” she answered.

“I am one of the boys on the west side that you read Bible stories to,” and he told her his name.

Then Mrs. Ashton remembered him as one of the biggest troublemakers of the group.

“I’ve accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as my Saviour,” the young man told her. “I never forgot the things you told us during that winter. Five years ago I admitted that I was a sinner and was saved. Thank you so very much, Mrs. Ashton.” After talking a little longer, he said good-bye and went on his way.

Mrs. Ashton returned home with a happy heart thanking the Lord for this encouragement, another proof of His love.

“He that trusteth in the Lord, mercy shall compass him about.” Psalms 32:10.

ML-02/14/1982

Held by God

Mr. Anderson and Mr. Kennedy were talking about the safety of anyone who is a child of God. Mr. Anderson said that once we are truly saved we cannot be lost. Mr. Kennedy did not believe that. He thought that as long as a child of God stays in the “lifeboat” he is safe, but if he jumps out he is lost.

Mr. Anderson replied, “You have just reminded me of something that happened to me recently. I was in a motorboat with my little son. He is so small that he did not understand the danger of falling or jumping into the water. So I held him on my lap the whole time so he could not fall or jump out of the boat.”

“But suppose he twisted and struggled and got away from you anyway?” asked Mr. Kennedy.

“Wait,” said Mr. Anderson. “You misunderstand me if you think that I was just holding him gently. I was holding him tightly in my arms! He couldn’t get away!”

How thankful we can be to know that God our Father is holding us tightly instead of our trying to hold onto Him.

“I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father’s hand.” John 10:28,29.

“I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness.” Isaiah 41:10.

ML-02/14/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Barbary Ape

“The eyes of all wait upon Thee... Thou openest Thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.” Psalms 145:15, 16.

The antics of monkeys in zoos are fun to watch, especially when they perform tricks taught them by their trainers. Even Solomon found them interesting and brought some to Jerusalem, probably as part of his zoo.

There are many species of monkeys and apes in God’s creation, and He has supplied everything they need. Since they do look a little like humans some people think that humans and monkeys are related, but this is definitely wrong. There are many differences both in body structure and intelligence. Apes and monkeys are part of the animal creation. Man was formed separately and is distinct from, and superior to, all other created things. The Bible tells us “God created man in His own image.” Genesis 1:27.

The Barbary ape is not an ape, but a monkey. It is actually a native of Africa, but is also a famous resident of the Rock of Gibraltar where it was found when the British came there in 1704. These apes live in large colonies of several dozen with a powerful male as their leader. He is responsible for the behaviour of all in his colony, although the young, full of play and mischief, are given lots of freedom. Babies are lovingly nursed by the mother and they cling to her fur for the first few weeks of their lives. They eventually grow to be about three feet tall. They have excellent memories and are always curious about anything new or strange.

Like most monkeys the Barbary ape is a great climber and very acratic, even though it has no tail. Most of its time is spent searching for food, which includes fruit, leaves, roots, seeds, locusts, lizards, etc. Its sense of smell is poor, but its sight and hearing are excellent.

Barbary apes live where there are many dangerous scorpions that have deadly poisonous stingers on their tails. But this ape has no fear of them. When a scorpion is spotted it is quickly pounced on in just the right way. Then the tail is twisted off, and the ape has a scorpion dinner. How long do you think it took them to learn this trick? Actually, they did not need to learn it at all, because God gave them that ability when He created them.

We are impressed with God’s watchful care over these interesting apes. But the Psalmist was thinking of something even more impressive when he exclaimed, “How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!” Psalms 139:17. Have you thought of His loving care in providing a Saviour for you? He invites you to come to Him through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, that you might have your sins forgiven and have everlasting life. (Matt. 11:28.)

ML-02/14/1982

Hero in Feathers

Memory Verse: “Our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world.” Galatians 1:3, 4

When the doorbell rang no one expected the surprise Mother found as she opened the door. Nestled in a basket on the front step was a round, yellow ball of fluff. It had two black, shiny beads for eyes and a bill that constantly poked into everything. It was a little baby duck—a present from an unknown friend.

Neither Mother nor Father was very happy about this gift. They both knew that baby chicks and ducks are often mishandled when given to small children. But to Susie, their three-year-old daughter, this present was just for her. From the moment the little duck came into the house, all of Susie’s other toys were forgotten for this tiny bit of quacking life.

Much to the surprise of her parents Susie was very gentle with the soft, fragile body of the duckling. So it didn’t take long for the duck to show that Susie “belonged” to him, too. Wherever she walked he walked along right behind her. When she would run, in his hurry to catch up he would fall over himself with loud quacking that demanded “Wait for me!”

Susie spent hours that first day cuddling him, talking to him and showing him her toys. She showed story books, dolls, and blocks to the small duck which was nestled by her side clacking contentedly. Trying to make him understand, she would bend over, with her nose to his bill, explaining everything. He seemed to answer by stretching his little neck and making little quacking noises. Sometime during that first day the yellow ball of fluff got a name—Waddles!

Mother and Father did not really want to keep this fluffy gift. From the beginning Father insisted it should go to a pet store or a farm. They decided to keep it only for one day.

It was raining the next morning. This made it easy to delay taking Waddles out to Grandmother’s farm. Every day after that for a week some reason seemed to come up for waiting to get rid of Waddles. Finally, it was decided that he could stay.

At last Susie had her first playmate. There were no children her age living nearby, so Susie and Waddles did their exploring together in the high-fenced backyard. It was amazing how a funny little duck could so quickly and completely take over what at times had been a real job for her parents—keeping track of a three-year-old.

The two friends chased butterflies, built castles in the sandbox, played hide-and-go-seek among the shrubs and lawn furniture, or just sat in the sun “talking” to each other.

As the summer wore on Waddles’s yellow down was replaced with a thick coat of gray feathers marked with black. He grew larger than most ducks and was quite a sight as he waddled proudly about the yard.

Waddles was about two years old when Susie’s baby sister, Carol, was born. Carol was brought home from the hospital and placed in the crib. Susie and Waddles had been watching the new arrival for a few minutes when Susie asked, “Where are her teeth?”

But it was Waddles who was the biggest surprise. Except for different ways of quacking, he had never made any other sound. Now, he suddenly beat his large wings against his sides, let out a trumpeting honk, and sat down beside Carol’s bed! With that one wild honk Waddles was telling the world that he was now an adult. He was now going to take on a new job—protecting the new baby. From that moment Wales’s attention switched from Susie to Carol.

This loss of a friend was very hard for Susie at first. But starting to kindergarten, and a new family moving into the neighborhood with a little girl her age, helped her over the problem.

Waddles began guarding Carol whenever she was put in the backyard. No one, except the family, could go in the yard without being attacked by Waddles. This included the local dogs and cats and even the milkman. The yard belonged to Waddles when Carol was being guarded.

One Saturday afternoon all the neighborhood children were in the yard for games and a picnic lunch. After they left Susie had to go inside to take a nap. Carol was placed in her buggy in the backyard to take her nap. Mother went back into the house, and Waddles took his usual place underneath the buggy in his “guard position.”

Five minutes later the phone rang. A friend down the street said, “I just saw a dog turn into your driveway, and it looks like a mad dog to me!” Rabies had broken out among some of the dogs in the town. Whenever a stray dog was seen in the neighborhood everyone was sure it had rabies.

Thanking her friend, Mother hung up the phone and then thought, “The back gate!” She hadn’t checked it to make sure it was closed after the children left. Frightened, she hurried for the yard. Before she reached the back door she heard, for the second time in her life, that loud, wild honk from Waddles!

Bursting through the door, Mother saw something she will never forget. Not three yards from the baby buggy was an ugly, shaggy dog with a swollen head, red, wild eyes and foaming mouth. Flying at him was Waddles, wings outspread, neck stretched out, and beak snapping and cracking like a gun! Grabbing Carol, Mother ran back into the house and called the police.

Mother couldn’t see the fight going on in the yard, but she could hear it. The blood-chilling growls and the thrashing around told her that the shaggy dog and Waddles were fighting all over the backyard.

Mother knew there wasn’t anything she could do. She hoped that Waddles would realize his danger and fly up on something out of reach before it was too late. But all the time she knew he wouldn’t. Wales simply would not stop fighting until his enemy was driven out of the yard. This time, however, the enemy didn’t have enough sense to run, no matter how much he was beaten.

The pain-filled squawks and barks gradually lessened, as did the sound of the fight. Then, all was quiet in the backyard. The police arrived, and there was a muffled pistol shot. One of the officers came to the back door and said, “I want you to see a sight you will never see again.”

The backyard was in shambles! Chairs had been upset, flowers and shrubs were beaten down, even the buggy had been overturned! In the open gateway, with a wing tip touching the fence on either side, lay Waddles. Just beyond him in the driveway lay the dog’s body.

“The dog was almost dead when I got here,” said the officer. “I don’t think the bullet was really necessary. Your duck had really torn him apart!” Then looking down at the still warm but motionless body of Waddles he added, “He protected his own, didn’t he?”

Yes, Waddles had “protected his own.” Somehow he had managed to hold out until he had driven his last enemy out of his backyard. He had given up his life to protect his little world and the ones he loved.

Doesn’t this story describe what the Lord Jesus Christ has done for each of us? He gave up His life that we might be saved and have everlasting life. The Bible says that “when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” Rom. 5:6. Each of us is “without strength” when it comes to doing anything about our sins. Just as Carol would not have been able to fight against the mad dog, we cannot do anything about our sins. We need someone to help us, just like Carol did. The Lord Jesus Christ saw that we were helpless and died to save us. His love for us was so great that He suffered on the cross for the sins of everyone who will believe in Him. “For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost.” Matt. 18:11. He did this because He knew we were on the way to hell, a lost eternity. He wanted to rescue us from that terrible punishment. He has already done everything that is need for us to be saved. All we have to do is believe.

Do you believe that you are a lost sinner “without strength"? If you do, why not ask Him to wash your sins away and be saved right now. “The Lord is... not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9.

ML-02/21/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: Janitor Ants and Their Guards

“Blessed be the Lord my strength... my shield, and He in whom I trust.” Psa. 144:1, 2.

There are thousands of kinds of ants throughout the world. Some are so small they can hardly be seen, others are one-half inch or more in length. There is something interesting about each kind and the way the Lord, their Creator, takes care of them.

Janitor ants have very clean habits and make strong, comfortable nests. Some of the ants in their colonies are larger and stronger than others and act as guards. They keep intruders from entering the nest. They are ready to die, if need be, to protect the colony.

These guards do not go out on the warpath, like the Army ants, but are soldiers ready to serve in a very unusual way. When making a nest doorways are formed, and the entrances made by the busy little workers are carved into just the shape and size of a guard’s head. Once the nest is occupied the guard takes up his position as a moveable door for this entrance. He stands with the front part of his head plugging the hole, and the rest of his head and body in the nest. His eyes are exposed so he can see everything that approaches. Actually, his head looks so much like the wall that it would be difficult for an enemy to find any of the entrances. Even if it did and tried to enter, it would have a fierce guard to fight off.

Of course, the colony ants have to work outside during the daytime. When they return they go right to the guard and give the “secret password” by brushing antennae tether. The guard then backs away and lets them in, immediately returning to his post.

There is more than one species of ant that uses this same method of protection. In the nests of some others the guard does not back out of the entrance to let friends in. Instead, he crouches down and lets them crawl over the top of his head. Sometimes when an ant is too big to come in that way, the guard comes out of the nest headfirst, lets the ant through, then backs up into its position again.

This article began by expressing David’s complete trust in the Lord as his shield against his enemies. How wise it is to follow the advice of scripture when it instructs: “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” Prov. 3:5.

The Janitor ants seem quite safe and secure with faithful guards protecting them. However, there are times when, in spite of their best efforts, they cannot keep the colony from danger. But for every boy and girl there is sure safety in God’s promise: “Whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.” Prov. 29:25. The Lord confirmed this in His own words to those who love Him, saying: “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Heb. 13:5. Are you trusting in Him for all things?

ML-02/21/1982

A Strange Mother

Early one summer morning Weldon Schlameus was walking in his wooded pasture near San Marcos, Texas. His small ranch, which is located about eight miles from town, is in rough brush country and is home to many small animals as well as a few deer.

Following a small gulch about one hundred yards from the highway, Mr. Schlameus heard the faint bleating of a fawn. As he approached a thick live oak grove he found the fawn beside its dead mother. It looked like the doe had been shot by a lawbreaker, and she had run back into the brush and died from the wound.

Picking up the orphan fawn in his arms, Mr. Schlameus carried it back to his home where their collie dog had a litter of small pups. Wondering how the dog would react to nursing a fawn, Mr. Schlameus held the mother dog while his son showed the little deer where to get its dinner, and the fawn got the idea immediately. The mother dog accepted the stranger without any problem. The fawn grew up with the pups, ate with them, played with them, and always slept near them.

This little deer grew to be a fine spike buck. Although still a pet, playing with the children and the young dogs, each day it wandered farther and farther into the woods. Eventually it joined its wild family, returning to the instincts that it had been born with. It lost all its habits as a pet. When the family occasionally saw it afterward, there was no sign that it had ever been tame.

This fawn had every opportunity to be tame and stay a pet of the Schlameus family. For awhile it forgot about the woods in which it was born. For awhile it was a pet. But it was not a dog or cat—it was a deer. The time came when it returned to the life it had been born into.

In the same way there are children, and older people too, who are pretending to be Christians without being born again. The only way the deer in our story could really live and act like a dog would be if somehow it could be reborn a dog. We know this cannot happen. But the Lord Jesus told a man in the Bible that, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3. He then explains that being “born again” has to be “of water and of the Spirit.” John 3:5. The deer could not be a dog, because he was born a deer. God cannot accept us because we are sinners. We are born sinners, we live as sinners, and we would die as sinners if God had not made a way for us to be saved. In His love for us He has shown us how to be “born again.” This gives us the new life that is from God and is entirely different from the life we had when we were born the first time. God gives this new life to anyone who will accept the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour. It is a life that wants to please God and will never die. It is a life that can only be given by Him. He is ready right now to give this new life to anyone who believes on Him. Won’t you ask Him to be your Saviour right now?

“Whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:15.

ML-02/28/1982

David Brainerd and the Indians

David Brainerd was a missionary to the North American Indians many years ago. When he left home to tell the Indians of God’s love, his friends thought they would never see him again.

David traveled by foot deep into the wilderness with the gospel. One day he knew he was nearing the large village he had been walking several days to reach. After a night’s sleep he was breaking camp to start on the trail again. He knelt down by his tent and asked the Lord for special help that day. He knew he would be in contact with Indians from the village that very day. He asked for special help to reach them with the Word of God.

As David knelt praying he thought that only God was watching. Actually, a scouting party of Indians from the village was watching him. As they watched they saw a large rattlesnake crawl from under the log where David was kneeling. When it reached David’s feet it reared back as if to bite him on the leg. Suddenly, instead of striking, it turned and slithered off into the grass.

The watching Indians were amazed. For sure, some unseen hand had kept the snake from injuring the white man! They went back to their village and told the chief what they had seen. The council decided that the white man was under the protection of the “Great Spirit,” and they did not hurt him.

When David reached the village he was surprised when the whole village came out to greet him. They listened to his preaching as he told them about he Lord Jesus Christ. Many of them accepted the Lord Jesus as their savior. The same God that saved David Brainerd from the snake saved many Indians and many white people from their sins. He wants to save you from your sins, too. The way to have your sins forgiven is still the same way that David explained to the Indians. It is by believing that the Lord Jesus died on the cross. He suffered there and was punished for sinners. Did He take the punishment for your sins and die in your place? He did if you will accept Him now as your Saviour.

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” Acts 16:31

ML-02/28/1982

Cindy's Swim

Susan and Cindy were two little friends, and this was going to be a day of fun. Their families were going on a picnic down by the bay. Gathering up the children, towels and food took awhile, but finally they got there.

It was hot and the water looked so cool and splashy. The girls ran as fast as they could down to the water with their buckets and shovels. Susan tossed hers down on the sand, then slowly put only her toes in the water. She was used to coming here since her mother often brought them here on hot summer days. She hesitated, then slowly took another step, letting the cool water gradually get her wet. She looked down but couldn’t see her toes buried in the sand. Ooooh, it felt so good. “Cindy,” she called looking around. “Cindy, where are you?” Right at that moment she saw her mother running towards her, but she ran right past her and out into the water! Susan watched her grab and pull up a sputtering, dripping Cindy.

Mother knew how fast little children sometimes go into the water. Checking around, she had seen Cindy’s dark little head disappearing under the water. Cindy was so interested in getting wet that she didn’t think about the danger. Each step had carried her deeper into the bay until the water was over her head.

Little friend, are you aware of your danger? Every day you are encouraged to step boldly along in this world. But like the cool, inviting water of the bay, each step will take you deeper into its dangerous pleasures until you are “over your head.” Someone saw Cindy, and Someone sees you. His arm of love will go around you and lift you from the deep waters of sin and bring you to safety, if you will trust Him.

“Preserve me, O God: for in Thee do I put my trust.” Psa. 16:1.

ML-02/28/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: Shearwater Travelers

“And out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air. " Gen. 2:19.

Every bird is a marvel of God’s creation and defies the foolish theories of men who teach evolution. It was on the fifth day of creation that God made “every winged fowl after his kind.” Ever since, they have reproduced their own kind and spread throughout the world.

Among the birds that migrate are several species of Shearwaters. Some are about the size of a pigeon, others are as large as sea gulls. These ocean birds have long wings that enable them to fly and glide long distances. They enjoy skiing along the water, catching a fish for dinner without stopping.

The Greater Shearwater is an Atlantic Ocean bird, nesting and hatching its young in the Triston da Cunha Islands of the South Atlantic from January to March. As the north begins to warm up in the spring, they fly to Newfoundland and then on to Greenland. But they do not settle anywhere very long. In another three months they move on to Iceland, Scotland and Ireland. Then in October or November they migrate south along the coast of France. Soon great flocks are returning to their nesting spots in the South Atlantic, traveling thousands of miles on this round-trip journey.

The Short-Tailed Shearwater is just as busy in the Pacific area. From September through November it nests along the coasts of South Australia and Tasmania. The female lays only one egg, but millions are nesting in the same area, so when the chicks hatch it is a busy community.

In April or May both young and old travel north along the Japanese Coast, taking about a month to reach the Aleutians and other Arctic Islands. Well insulated against the cold, they thrive on the abundant seafood of these chilly waters. But, like their cousins of the Atlantic, they become restless, too, and start south in August. They return by a different route, traveling down the Pacific Coast to California and then southwest across to their breeding grounds in Australia. This way they take advantage of prevailing winds which help them to travel swiftly.

What wonderful navigators these birds are! No one knows how they find their way over such long distances or how they all decide to leave their surroundings together and fly on to their next spot. But we do know they are following God-given instincts which are passed on from generation to generation.

But the Bible tells us “There is a path which no fowl knoweth.” Job 28:7. That is the path of salvation made possible by God’s love to every boy and girl. He invites everyone to come to Him to be saved from their sins through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ the Lord. Is He your Saviour?

ML-02/28/1982

The Strong Tower

Our family was taking a vacation. We all happily squeezed into our family camper, my father, mother, four brothers and I. What interesting sights we saw along the way. Green forests, lakes and rivers, the endless prairies and majestic mountains were beautiful with rich farms tucked away in the valleys. We saw herds of elk and deer, and even a big black bear with a cute, curious little cub. One hot afternoon the family drove into a town near the great Canadian Rockies. After checking at many camping sites we found out that everything was full. But Dad was not discouraged, and said, “Let’s go out by the river to cool off and let the boys go fishing.”

He found a nice grassy spot near the dam. Everyone tumbled out, and the “fishermen” were off. It was peaceful and quiet, but Mother and I did wonder where we would camp that night.

Several hours later the “fishermen” came back. They had not caught any fish, but had an interesting conversation with the dam keeper. He assured Dad that it would be perfectly safe for us to camp right where we were, and nobody would bother us.

My brothers and I played while Mother cooked supper. After eating and cleaning up everyone was ready for bed. It had been a long day, and there were some sleepy yawns as Dad read a few verses from the Bible. Then he prayed and asked the Lord for His care and protection over us as we slept and thanked Him for His mercies and help as we traveled. It wasn’t long before we were all asleep, and all that could be heard were the little crickets singing their nightly tune.

Hours later, Mother suddenly awakened. What was that noise? She lay very quiet, listening. There it was again—men’s voices. What did they want? Suddenly there was beating on the door—bang! crash! “Come on out here!” they yelled. “We’ll take care of you!” with more banging.

The camper door was locked and had a safety chain, but it would not hold for long with all that banging. Dad was out of bed at the first banging and opened the door a crack. There were three angry-looking men with clubs and sticks. They shouted again, “Come out here! We’re gonna take care of you!”

Dad calmly replied, “I belong to the Lord Jesus Christ. He has saved me with His precious blood, and He takes care of me. Now would you please go away and not waken my family.”

There was a surprised silence. Finally one man tipped his hat and turning to leave muttered, “Sorry, reverend.” The other two men followed, and then they were gone.

Mother told us later she had been terribly frightened, but suddenly that verse came to her mind, “The Name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.” Proverbs 18:10. She turned to Dad, “Why, here we are safe and sound. Wasn’t this a perfect example of that verse?” Dad agreed, and before going to sleep again they thanked the Lord for His protection and care and that we children had not been wakened.

Do you have somewhere to go when trouble comes, a place that is strong and safe from all danger and harm? The Psalmist could say about God, “Thou art my hiding place.” Psalms 119:114. Our safety is in the Lord, and He promises His care and protection to all those who trust Him by faith. “Whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:13.

ML-03/07/1982

Collar of Iron

Little Danny, age three, busied himself with toys in the backyard. Somehow playing with his favorite trucks in the sand and crawling through the car tire was boring, and he felt like finding a new toy. Since his parents collected things old and rustic, he had some “goodies” to look over. Suddenly his eyes rested on a rusty iron ring. It was the inside ring of a large wooden wheel from an old farm wagon. Daddy had made a neat “something-or-other” from the wheel and had tossed the ring on the pile for a future project.

Danny rolled his new toy around the patio until he was tired of doing that. Sitting on the grass, he remembered how he used to put the ring over his head to make a collar around his neck. Since small-children’s head bones grow very fast in the early years of life, Danny found that this iron collar did not go over his head like it used to without a few good tugs. At last he got it to go on. “Mommy, look at me!” he called.

About an hour later Danny’s father was called to the telephone where he works. He was heard to say, “Oh no! What did he do now? Yes, I remember he used to put it over his head. Well, try lathering him up nice and slick with shampoo. If you can’t slide it off then, you’d better bring him over.” Hanging up the phone Daddy sighed, “That Danny!”

A little while later Mommy shod up at Daddy’s work with Danny. Sure enough, a dripping, soapy, sad-faced Danny came in with his worried Mommy. Daddy, Grandpa, and some of the other employees kept wanting to smile as they looked him over. But poor Danny did not know whether to cry or to smile. He decided that they could be trusted, however, and he stood bravely through the “rescue operation.” Mommy padded his neck well with a towel as Daddy slowly cut through the hard metal ring with a hack saw. Soon a relieved Danny was free from his iron collar.

What a cruel iron band! How like the band of sin it is! Romans 3:23 tells us that “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Sins are like iron bands from which we cannot possibly get free by our selves. Then, the wages, or payment, for sin is still to come: “The wages of sin is death....” Romans 6:23. Call right now to the Lord Jesus Christ, the only One who can deliver you. Then you will find that those bands of sin are replaced by God’s bands of love. As God said to His people of old, “I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love: and I was to them as they that take off the yoke....” Hosea 11:4. He will do this for you, because He took those very sins upon Himself and bore the punishment for them so that we do not have to reap everlasting death as our wages. All you have to do is believe that He was punished for your sins. Do you really want to serve sin and Satan and be bound tighter and tighter by those cruel bands?

Children who have already accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour can still be tempted and sin against the Lord Jesus who died for them. When this happens they are not free to talk or pray to their Saviour because of this sin. It must be confessed to God and judged. Then they can know from the Bible that they are forgiven: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9.

The secret is to know what God wants us to do and then walk just as close to Him as we can. If we ask Him, He will help us to walk in a path that is pleasing to Him.

ML-03/07/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Mighty Elephant

“Behold now [the elephant], which I made... he eateth grass as an ox... his bones are like bars of iron... the shady trees cover him... he drinketh up a river... his nose pierceth through snares.” Job 40:15-24.

Except for whales, African elephants are the largest creatures on earth, some weighing five or six tons. Those in India are smaller.

When a baby elephant is born the excited herd groups around the mother to protect her, and an “aunty” comes to help with the baby. The 250-pound baby cannot walk immediately after it is born. It has to be helped to its feet over and over again until it can stand alone. It grows to full size in about 20 years and may live to be 70 years old or more.

The elephant is a very friendly and curious animal. It eats leaves, grass, roots, water plants, etc. Sometimes fresh tree fruit may be shaken to the ground and eaten. Each day an adult eats at least 400 pounds of food and drinks 50 gallons or more of water. The Lord God, in His care over all He has created, placed them where there is plenty of food for these huge animals to eat.

Although elephants have thick skin it is very sensitive to touch. An elephant trainer will demonstrate this by lying down and allowing an elephant to place a foot on his chest. The elephant can do this gently, although its enormous weight could easily crush him to death. Its ivory tusks are often several feet long and may weigh 200 pounds or more. God compensated for the weight of the tusks by lightening the head bones with numerous air pockets. The tusks can push heavy objects out of the way, dig for roots and even become weapons when the elephant is angry.

The elephant’s trunk is an amazing structure. It has 2500 muscles and is really a stretched-out nose and lip. With it the elephant can pluck a single blade of grass, uproot a large tree, or pick up water, dust or mud to spray on itself when it is hot or bothered by insects. It is also used as a trumpet to call its companions. When the occasion arises it becomes a weapon, and sometimes is used for spanking a baby.

An African elephant’s ears are three times the size of its cousin’s ears in India. When the elephant is angry its ears stand out threateningly, but they have also been given a more practical use by the Creator. An elephant is not cooled by perspiring like most other animals. Instead, it cools itself by waving these big ears back and forth. An entire herd doing this is an impressive sight.

The elephant not only follows its God-given instincts, but it is very intelligent, too. However, no matter how smart these and other creatures are, it cannot be said of them what is said of man: "(His) spirit shall return unto God who gave it.” Ecclesiastes 12:7. Man’s spirit will never die and will either go to heaven or hell, depending on what each individual’s decision is concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” John 3:36. In which group will you be?

ML-03/07/1982

Detour!

Memory Verse: “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man; but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Proverbs 14:12

“How long before we get there? How many more miles?”

Carol and Anne were awfully tired. The family had spent all day in the car going to Aunt Beth and Uncle Steve’s house. It had been exciting crossing the bridge from the United States into Canada and going through customs. But now, a few hours later it was too dark to see anything, and they were tired.

Daddy was tired, too, but probably more tired of answering the girls’ questions. He pulled to the side of the road and got out a road map and the directions Aunt Beth had mailed to them. As he studied the map and the directions, he discovered a shorter way to get there than the way Aunt Beth had suggested. So at the next exit they got off the highway, and Daddy told the girls it should only be another five miles by taking this “shortcut.”

Carol and Anne were so glad to hear this and started cleaning up the back seat that was cluttered with all their books and games.

They had been following a country road for several miles when they saw a big orange sign off in the distance. As they got closer they could see the road was blocked off and that the orange sign said “DETOUR!”

“Daddy, what does that mean?” asked Carol.

“I guess the bridge is out, and we’ll have to follow the orange detour signs to get around it and back onto this road again,” Daddy answered.

So Daddy turned off the road and onto another, following the big orange signs. They drove for miles and miles until they saw an orange sign pointing down another road. It seemed like they were driving in circles. Mother kept asking, “Are you sure we’re still going in the right direction?”

On and on they drove. Again Daddy decided that by following the signs they were going too far out of the way, so he decided to find a shorter way. They turned down a gravel road, but came to a dead end in a farmer’s field.

“I think we’re lost, Daddy,” said Anne.

“I think we are, too,” Daddy admitted. “I guess I should have followed Aunt Beth’s directions from the start instead of trying to find a shorter way.”

They turned around and went all the way back to the highway and then started following Aunt Beth’s directions. This was the right way to go, and soon they pulled into the driveway. As they walked into Aunt Beth’s house, Anne sighed, “I sure am glad to be here!”

Many people today think they can choose which way they want to take to get to heaven. There is a verse in the Bible that says, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man...” (Prov. 14:12) and this is just what Anne and Carol’s daddy thought when he tried to find a shorter way. He thought his way was better, but it wasn’t. Many boys and girls think that being good and going to Sunday school will get them to heaven, but they are on the “wrong road!” Jesus said, “I am the Way.” You must put your trust in the Lord Jesus, and believe that He died for your sins. These are the right “directions.”

“I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” John 14:6.

ML-03/14/1982

The Treacherous Coyotes

The word “wolf” brings a little shiver of possible danger to our minds. But “coyote,” well, everyone knows that they are not a threat —they are cowards that run away from people and howl and yap at the moon. When those of us who live in bustling, smoke-filled cities are able to visit areas where wild animals may occasionally be seen, we are delighted. We are tired of noise and people and like to think that nature is all pleasant and a healer of tired nerves.

In settlements on the west coast nestled against the foothills, there are places where coyotes and people have lived together for many years. People began to feed the coyotes that roamed the hills behind their homes so that they could enjoy the thrill of seeing maybe five or more slink across their patio at night. However, this thrill was soon spoiled by the regular disappearance of cats and small dogs, all family pets. Ungrateful rascals—those coyotes!

We are reminded of the danger to ourselves of feeding that old untamed and sinful nature within our hearts. God has said, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked....” Jeremiah 17:9. We can be saved and be made fit for heaven if we turn in faith to the Lord Jesus Christ who “was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities... and with His stripes we are head.” Isaiah 53:5. However, we still have that old nature within us, and it only needs feeding to give us lots of trouble. But back to the coyotes.

The cats and dogs of the neighborhood were not enough. Since the coyotes enjoyed easy prey and plenty of food, their numbers grew rapidly. (In nature, hard conditions and natural enemies tend to hold down the population.) Just as sin that is allowed and is not judged encourages more sin, the coyotes kept wanting more. One old coyote actually began stalking a little girl. Alarmed, her parents took every precaution possible. They watched her carefully every day.

One day the family was planning an outing, and in the scurry to get everything and everybody together their watchfulness was forgotten. They were almost ready to walk out the door to the waiting car in front. Someone left the front door open, and the little girl ran out to sit on the curb to wait for the others to come. It was just the opening that the sly, old coyote needed! He had been watching all the time, so when this opportunity came along he attacked the little girl. Hearing his little girl’s screams, the father rushed out—only to see her being dragged away. The beast was driven off, but it was too late. The injuries to the little girl were very serious. She died a little while later.

The devil is a far more treacherous and powerful enemy to us! He knows all our weak points. But he was defeated at Calvary’s cross when Jesus bore the punishment for our sins in His own body. Yet Satan continues to slink around trying to take away our joy in Christ. He never quits watching. He will tempt us with things that seem nice. God’s Word, the Bible, should be our guide so that we will not be tricked. “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” James 4:7.

ML-03/14/1982

From the Author

A young girl, who recently had asked the Lord Jesus to be her Saviour, bought a Bible as a gift for her father. As she started to wrap it she wondered what to write on the flyleaf. “From Amy,” didn’t seem nice enough. “From your little daughter,” didn’t seem quite right either, because she wasn’t very little anymore. “From one who loves you,” would not do either, because there were lots of other people who loved him, too. Finally, she decided to go into her father’s library to see what other people had written in books they had given him.

On the flyleaf of one book was written, “From the author,” followed by a signature. Amy thought to herself, “This book really is from God to my father, and God is the author.” So she decided to write, “From the Author” in the flyleaf, and then she carefully wrapped it.

When Amy’s father opened his gift and saw what Amy had written, he realized that he did not know the Author of the Bible. He began to read it, and it wasn’t long before he learned about the Author’s love for him, and asked Him to be his Saviour, too.

When we read our Bibles, let us always remember that it is a gift to us from God, “the Author.”

“I have given them Thy Word.” John 17:14.

ML-03/14/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Miracle That Is a Bee

“Eat thou honey, because it is good; and... sweet to thy taste: So shall the knowledge of wisdom be unto thy soul... " Proverbs 24:13,14.

The honey bee is much too interesting to describe just in one article, so let’s consider its specially designed anatomy (body structure) this week.

Bees have six legs and each pair has a special purpose. The front pair is especially adapted to clean off the insect’s antennae or wipe pollen from its face, mouth and eyes. The hinged middle pair is used to pack pollen into the collecting baskets on the hind legs. In addition to carrying these baskets the hind pair work with the middle pair to tamp the pollen into pellets. These pellets are used in the hive. Each leg al has sharp tips for walking over rough surfaces, and cushions between the tips give a grip on smooth surfaces.

Two flexible antennae on the front of the bee are covered with thousands of tiny plates. These give the bee sensitivity to touch and also a keen sense of smell. Then there are the two specially-designed wings which enable the bee to carry heavy loads of nectar and pollen for long distances. When flying, the front and back wings attach to each other by hooks which then make one large, strong pair of wings. Hover, to enter small flowers, or the hive cells, these wings separate, fold down and overlap. Incidentally, a bee flies with its wings moving in a figure-eight pattern which allows it to move up or down, backward or forward, or hover like a humming bird.

Two huge compound eyes surround three smaller ones. The big ones, with many smaller plates called facets, somehow pick up the sun’s rays and act as a compass wherever the bee may be at any time.

There is a wonderful “chemical factory” inside the bee. This changes the nectar it gathers into honey. The same organs produce beeswax, too.

No other insect has a mouth and tongue designed like a bee’s. It is designed to penetrate into deep pockets of flowers and blossoms. The body shape and structure are also just right to carry pollen from one plant to another. It is God’s chief pollinator of flowers, and in the course of a busy day each bee visits thousands of blossoms.

We read in Proverbs 16:24: “Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.” How happy life would be if we all used pleasant words with as much energy as the bees use in gathering their honey. But it is only by knowing the Lord Jesus as our Saviour that we have a new nature which delights in pleasant words and helpful works. It is also written: "... apply thine heart unto My knowledge. For it is a pleasant thing if thou keep them within thee; they shall withal be fitted in thy lips.” Proverbs 22:17,18.

Have you acted on the pleasant words of the Lord which invite you to come to Him and be saved?

ML-03/14/1982

Davey's Predicament

Memory Verse: “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” John 8:36

It was a rainy afternoon, and the children decided it was a good afternoon for one of their favorite games, hide-and-seek. Mother was baking, and there was still plenty of time before supper. The old barn with its many hiding places was the very best place of all to play. The upstairs loft was full of spiders and mice, and the boys knew their sister would never go up there. Then there was the grain room with the old barrels and boxes and the tack room with its funny straps and leather harnesses, saddles and bridles, even a big round thing with two knobs that Daddy said was a horse collar. Down where the hay bales were stacked was a good place, too. Sometimes you could even hide where the horses feed—if they didn’t come in and scare you.

“Andrew’s IT,” someone shouted. “Close your eyes and count to 50!” As Andrew began to count the other children scattered, each searching for the “best” place to hide.

Little Davey ran here and there and finally dashed into the grain room. Finding a small barrel, he pulled off the lid, climbed in and scrunched down. “Nobody will find me here,” he thought.

“Here I come, ready or not,” called Andrew, and the search was on. “One, two, three on Bobby—I see you!” In ran Jimmy and Kris. “Free! free!” they shouted. Now to find Davey.

Andrew had just begun to look for Davey when they all heard a loud wail coming from the grain room. Rushing in they found little Davey stuck tightly in his “best” hiding place. His little hands were gripping the sides and two very frightened brown eyes filled with tears looked up from the barrel. “We’ll get you out, Davey,” Jimmy said. “Don’t cry.” But no amount of tugging and pulling could even budge him a little. “Let’s get Mother,” they said. And off they ran while Davey, feeling left alone, cried even louder.

Mother came running and the other children, now frightened, also began to cry. Mother could see that Davey was really stuck, and she didn’t know if she could help him. First she sat the children down and stopped all the crying. Next she asked for help from the One who hears even the faintest whisper, the Lord Jesus. Then she looked over the situation to see how he had gotten stuck. After several tries she finally managed to get Davey out of the barrel. The children all whooped and laughed, and as Mother hugged Davey she laughed, too. “You did look awfully funny in that barrel,” she said. “But you better not hide in such a small place like that again.”

Now, we all know that most children like to play hide-and-seek, but do you also know that sometimes children try to hide from God? The Bible tells us that “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked....” Jeremiah 17:9. They know they are doing naughty things, so they try to hide. Perhaps they forgot that “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” Proverbs 15:3. But the Spirit of God shines His light on everything so it is not hidden anymore. Now what? You’re found out! You cannot hide your sins, so what can you do? You cannot do anything, because Christ has done it all on Calvary’s cross. He invites you to come and confess your sins and be saved. He will bring you out of your hiding place and into that wonderful light where you never need to be afraid again. And He will be your dear Friend forever.

“I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” John 8:12.

ML-03/21/1982

The Crows' Ball Game

It was a cold January morning when I first noticed a crow in the field. I was driving out of the driveway on an errand in town. Returning about 30 minutes later, and seeing two crows at that same spot made me wonder what was attracting them. The road passed close by the crows, so I tried to see what they were doing as I drove past. I passed so quickly that it was difficult to get a good look, but it appeared that the crows were playing with a black ball about the size of a tennis ball! It looked like they were letting it roll down a glassy smooth band crusted with snow.

Although they did not fly away when my car passed, I knew that stopping would scare them, so I continued up the hill to the house. I quickly found my binoculars and hurried to a window where I could watch them. Still having lots of fun, they would allow the ball to start rolling down the slope. Once it started moving each bird would try to stop or deflect it with their wings, beak or claws. As soon as it passed the crown of the slope and rolled too fast, one crow would fly up a few feet, drop into the little gully, pick up the ball in his claws, and carry it back to the starting place.

I watched them go through this routine several times before a boy and his dog coming along the road frightened them. The boy was able to get quite close to the crows before he was spotted, because they were so busy playing.

After the boy and his dog passed I waited to see if the crows would return. When they didn’t, I walked over to the gully near the road to see if the ball had been left behind. It was gone. But across the hard-packed snow were crow footprints and little tracks where the ball had rolled down. When the crows left they made sure to take their “game ball” with them. I wonder where they keep it?

God’s creatures thrill and entertain us in so many different ways. These two crows were playing a game, completely occupied with it, and so were not as watchful as they should have been. We can smile when we think of how funny they looked playing with a ball.

But it also reminds us of something that is not at all funny. Many people today are so occupied with the world, its “fun and games,” that they don’t see the danger coming. Satan has “blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ... should shine unto them.” 2 Corinthians 4:4.

The Lord Jesus loves you and wants you to be saved. He is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9. He died on the cross for sinners. The Bible says that we are all sinners and that the only way that we can be saved is by accepting the Lord Jesus as our Saviour.

Each of you reading this should ask yourself if you are saved. Be honest about it. Do you know the Lord Jesus as your very own Saviour, or are you so concerned and busy with everyday things that you just keep putting it off? Please do not put it off any longer, because there is danger coming for you if you are not saved. The Lord is soon going to close the door of salvation that is wide open now. When that door is closed it will be too late to be saved. Look up and see that there is safety in Christ and His work on the cross. If you continue to be so busy with other things, you may end up lost forever.

“Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:13.

ML-03/21/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: What Goes on Inside a Beehive?

“We were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children.” 1 Thessalonians 2:7.

A beehive may contain 20,000 to 40,000 or more bees, including the all-important queen, a few male (drone) bees, and workers. The whole activity of a hive centers around the queen, who often lays 2,000 eggs or more daily. In addition to the queen’s area, the section of the hive set aside as a nursery is also very important. Here the queen deposits the eggs, one to a cell. While she does this “nurses” feed her bee milk from glands in their heads and keep her spotlessly clean.

The nurses also take care of these eggs until they hatch into grubs. The nurses then prepare “royal jelly” which is fed to the grubs for two days. After this the diet is changed to a mixture of pollen and honey, called “bee bread.” When a grub grows big enough to fill its cell it weaves a silken web around itself, and a nurse makes a wax cover for it. Twenty-one days later a fully developed bee comes out.

What responsibilities these nurses have! Although they have no leader, each one seems to have its own duties and knows just what to do. Such wonderful instincts were given to honeybees when the Lord God first created them, and He never allows them to change.

The hive workers also take nectar and pollen from the outside workers (foragers). They change it into honey, royal jelly or bee bread, as required using special chemicals in their bodies. Other workers are used as guards at the entrance of the hive. In hot weather they all work to make air-conditioning by vigorously fanning their wings to circulate the air. When it gets cold they group together and go through exercises that raise the temperature to just the right degree. Who do you think taught them to do these things?

Some of the eggs produce male bees, called “drones.” These drones do no work and are fed by the workers. Once a year the queen chooses one of them for a mate, the father to the thousands of little ones she will produce in coming months. The workers then lose patience with all the other drones, and they are killed or driven out of the hive.

At the end of two to three weeks nurses give up their inside work and become foragers. Their work is so difficult that their life span in this activity is only a month or so. During this time each bee collects enough nectar to make about one and a half teaspoonfuls of honey.

The beehive and its busy bees pride an amazing display of God’s creation. It shows us His power in preserving His works over the ages of time. The activities of the bees are also an example for all of us who know the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour. We see how the bees work together, are never lazy and never quarrel. This is just what the Bible tells us to do: “Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works.” Hebrews 10:24.

If you know the Lord Jesus as your Saviour how happy it is to encourage and work with others in ways that are pleasing to Him. The Scripture again tells us: “That ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2.

ML-03/21/1982

A Goose Named Dudley

Memory Verse: “Ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God: and to wait for His Son from heaven.” 1 Thessalonians 1:9, 10

Johnny lay quietly in his bed listening to the rain hitting the window. “This hard rain and wind will finish off the rest of the snow,” he thought as he snuggled down under the covers. “I’m glad I’m not out in it, ‘cause that wind sure sounds cold.”

Just before Johnny drifted off to sleep he thought about the good winter he’d had. All the snow they’d had was great for his new snowmobile. Then there was good ice on the pond in January and the fast hockey games. But probably the best fun of the whole winter had been Dudley, the Canadian goose that had been his pet since November.

Yes, Dudley had added more fun to their home. He was almost like another child, and Johnny already had three brothers and two sisters. But he was the oldest and, well, Dudley was different from his brothers and sisters. In fact, Johnny did have more fun with Dudley than with anyone else.

It was near the end of November when Johnny and Dudley first met. Johnny was riding home on the school bus. His father’s farm was the last one on the bus route, so just he and his brother Steve were still on the bus. Johnny was looking out the window at the plowed fields. They had a light covering of snow, and he could see that the pond had a little ice around the edges. Just then something moving in the pond’s drainage ditch caught his attention. It looked like a big bird.

As the bus turned around in their driveway Johnny gave his books to Steve to take in and said, “Tell Mom I’ve gone to look at something in the ditch.” Then, hopping down from the bus he took off towards the pond.

As Johnny got closer he slowed down to a walk and then very slowly crept to the edge of the ditch. Sure enough, there was a big goose! Many geese flew over their farm in the spring and fall, but usually they did not stop at this small pond. As Johnny watched, the goose came up out of the marshy grass and up the side of the ditch. It was then that Johnny could see that its left wing and leg were injured. The goose could barely walk and apparently could not fly. It would flap its good wing, but the hurt wing barely moved. He saw that the injured leg could not support the goose’s weight at all.

Johnny ran home and told his mother about the injured goose while he changed from school clothes into “goose-chasing” clothes. “We can keep it in the old chicken house,” he called back to his mother as he dashed out the kitchen door.

Johnny ran to the barn first to get an old burlap gunny sack. Slowly and cautiously he approached the ditch again. When he was about 15 feet away he ran at the goose, holding the sack open, only to be met with a snapping bill that stopped him in his tracks!

Again another chase, and this time the goose tried to fly, but could only flop along on the grass. “I’m only trying to help you,” said Johnny gently. “You’re going to die out here if someone doesn’t help you.” Finally, after several more tries an exhausted goose was carefully placed in the sack and the heavy load gently carried home.

Many of us are like this goose. God has said in the Bible that we are “dead in trespasses and sins,” and God cannot accept us with our sins. Yet there are millions of people still trying to get to heaven themselves in spite of their sins. If God says we are dead in our sins, how can we possibly do anything?

And then, just like the goose struggled and fought with Johnny who was trying to help him, so many of these same people struggle against God’s efforts to save them. God loves each of us so much that He sent His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to die for us. The Lord Jesus suffered on the cross for the sins of those who would believe in Him. He is able to give “new life” to those who are dead in sins. Do not fight against God. He wants to save you if you will let Him.

Johnny and his mother fixed up the goose as well as they could and put him in the fenced-in chicken yard. When Daddy got home and looked at the goose, he told them that the injuries were wounds from a hunter.

The name “Dudley” was suggested for the new member of the family. They gave him mash to eat, and he could go in the chicken house to get out of the snow and wind. Dudley seemed happy in his new home, and his wounds healed rapidly. Johnny and Dudley soon became good friends, and Johnny would play with him in the chicken yard.

One day the gate into the chicken yard was left open by mistake. Dudley went out into the yard, stretched his wings a few times, but did not fly away. From then on they left the gate open, and he went in and out as often as he wanted.

For those of us who have accepted the Lord Jesus as our Saviour, we are cared for by Him every day. He shows us the right path in the Bible. He supplies everything we need and shows us His love. He also shows us the love of others who know Him as their Saviour. Dudley was in a place where he could be happy, at least for awhile. As Christians we have been left in this sinful world to live for Christ and to be happy, too.

The winter passed quickly for Johnny and Dudley. Now it was late March, the beginning of spring.

One sunny Saturday morning chores were nearly finished when Johnny first heard them, Stopping, he listened. He heard them again—geese! They were flying high overhead making their continual “honking” calls. Johnny ran outside and looked up into the clear morning sky. There they were—a big vee of geese. Johnny quickly turned and looked at Dudley. Dudley had heard their calls, too. As Johnny watched, first sadly and then happily, Dudley stretched his wings, started to run and took off. His great wings beat the air as he rose into the sky. Within a minute he was part of that vee heading north. Dudley was heading home!

The hope of every Christian is to hear that shout—that call: “The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout... then we... shall be caught up together... in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17. It is this call that will lift us “in the twinkling of an eye” out of this sinful world. We will be home! Everyone who has trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour will be with Him forever!

But what about you? Are you waiting for His call? Is the Lord Jesus your Saviour? If not, we urge you to accept Him right now, before it is too late. Don’t wait any longer. Accept Him as your Saviour today.

“To-day if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.” Hebrews 3:15.

“Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2.

ML-03/28/1982

"Let Me Buy the Book"

A missionary in Africa saw a native coming towards him whom he had never seen before. The man was leading a goat. The missionary could tell that he had been walking a long time. Tying the goat to a tree, he came over to the missionary. He asked, “Has God’s Book arrived in our country?”

Without answering his question the missionary asked, “Do you know about God’s Book?”

“Oh, yes,” answered the native. “My son brought me pieces of paper. On them are some of God’s words and I have learned them.” Then he quoted John 3:16. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

The native went on to explain that he had walked for five days to find God’s Book. The goat was to pay for the book, he said.

The missionary showed him a Bible. It was printed in his own language. He showed him where John 3:16 was written.

“Let me buy the book,” begged the native.

“You may have it for nothing,” said the missionary handing the Bible to him.

The native pressed the Bible against his heart. Walking back and forth he repeated over and over again, “God’s Book! God’s Book! He has spoken to us. Oh, how I love God’s Book.”

ML-03/28/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Potto

“Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for Me?” Jeremiah 32:27.

In the forested areas of Nigeria the Potto, also known as the Bush Baby or Bush Bear, shares its surroundings with other little animals that are similar to it. The Potto is a small, reddish, woolly animal with just half a tail. It also has a sharp, pointed nose and small ears that are shaped like a human’s. It seems to be pleased with its furry coat, because every night the coat is carefully licked clean and combed with its teeth.

God has created the Potto to make it possible to follow its peculiar way of life. It has special limbs (arms and legs) which allow it to hang upside down from branches most of the time looking for leaves, fruit and insects to eat. To give it strength to move this way under the limbs of trees, the Creator has given it strong muscles. It uses these muscles even when sleeping, since it spends the night in the same upside-down position, clinging to the tree so tightly that no one could pry it loose. In fact, even death will not cause it to let go.

To help it live this unusual lifestyle it was created with its thumbs and big toes heading in opposite directions from its other fingers and toes. Its wrists and ankle joints are also turned so that its feet and hands are at right angles to its legs and arms.

But the most amazing thing about the Potto is its hip joint. The connection of the thigh bone to the hip has an unusual swivel “ball and cup” arrangement. This allows either the lower or upper part of its body to completely turn around while the rest of its body remains stationary. When the Potto wants to change direction while hanging from a limb, it remains upside down holding tightly with its hind feet. Then it tucks its head in and crawls over its chest and stomach and out through the hind legs, with its head pointing to the ground. Next, it reaches over its head with its forepaws, firmly grasping the branch. Then, releasing one hind leg at a time, the rest of its body turns over so it resumes a full upside-down position, now headed in the opposite direction. Isn’t this an amazing performance?

Throughout God’s creation there are vast numbers of unusual animals with peculiar habits adding greatly to the wonders of His creation. The Bible tells us that “The Lord hath made all things for Himself....” Proverbs 16:4. It was His joy to make so many different creatures, and He watches over each one carefully.

This reminds us that He has also made us and wants each of us to know Him, not only as our Creator, but also as our Lord and Saviour and to be obedient to His Word, too. To do this we are called upon to control and direct “every thought to the obedience of Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5. Are you doing this?

ML-03/28/1982

Hurricane!

Memory Verse: “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knoweth them that trust in Him.” Nahum 1:7

The “hurricane alert” quickly spread over the island soon after it was announced. Already the wind had become so strong that it was bending the palm trees over so that the island looked like it was sliding into the sea! Hurricane Allen had switched direction: it was now heading right for the island.

The natives were hurrying around gathering up things to take inside and tying down anything else that could blow away. Out in the harbor they were also securing their boats as best they could, preparing them to ride out the storm.

Bernie walked around the deck of his boat again, checking for anything that might still be loose. He had not owned this boat very long and hoped to earn a little money sailing tourists around the island. Once the full force of the wind hit, Bernie knew anything loose would tear and be blown away. He realized that he could easily lose the whole boat.

The boat had been turned so its nose faced into the wind, with three sturdy anchors carefully set out. These were tied securely to the boat so that they would not loosen or be damaged by anything rubbing against the strong ropes.

It was hard just waiting for the storm to hit, but already the wind was shrieking at 45 MPH and steadily rising. He was glad that at least he was in the harbor with some protection.

This scene is similar to one we see every day. God tells us of judgment that is coming on this world. People are busy trying to prepare themselves to escape. Some are very honest and upright, doing good deeds like helping their neighbors. Others go regularly to church, give money to the poor, and all of them hope to escape the coming storm of punishment by their good works.

Isaiah 32:2 tells us, “And a Man shall be as a hiding place from the wind....” Who is that Man who can hide us from the punishment God requires for sin? It is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ who endured the punishment of God for those who would believe in Him and be saved. 1 John 1:7 says, “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.”

By now the sky was dark. The air was filled with a choking spray as the waves grew higher and higher. Palm fronds, pieces of buildings, tin roofs and other debris were being whirled through the air. Lightning danced along the ragged clouds, then split the heavens in deafening crashes of thunder. Everything seemed bathed in an eerie, greenish light. The wind was now screaming at 90 to 110 MPH! It did not seem like anything could possibly survive!

In his little sailboat Bernie was having a difficult time. Hour after hour his boat had taken a steady pounding from the seas. The cabin was in shambles, and Bernie was tired and sore from being banged around. One giant wave had nearly rolled the boat over, and he did not know if she could take much more.

Suddenly there was a wrenching, splintering sound and then a roar. Bernie looked toward the hatch cover overhead which had been torn away. He saw a cresting wave above him! Water poured into the cabin, and he started to bail frantically. Would this terrible storm ever end? Then he became aware of a new motion of the boat. He quit bailing and quickly went to the forward hatch and looked out. One of the anchor lines had broken, but the other two still held the little boat securely.

Hours later, the storm now past, the islanders began the massive cleanup. Smashed boats littered the beach, and destruction was everywhere. Hurricane Allen had been one of the worst storms ever known. Weary, but happy, Bernie was glad that his boat had survived the storm.

What careful plans are made by people who try to make peace with God in their own way. Then when the storms of this life smash their efforts, it leaves them in despair. Christ has died to make peace for us—He now is our peace. When we accept Him as our Saviour we have a hope that is an anchor to the soul, both sure and steadfast (Heb. 6:19).

If you, too, are weary of the storms and trials of a sinful life, why not come to the harbor of safety? The Lord Jesus Christ will save you from the awful storm of God’s judgment and be an anchor for your soul forever.

“Thou art my hiding place....” Psalms 119:114.

ML-04/04/1982

The Kindness of a Crow

Crows are rather interesting birds. A few weeks ago there was a story about two crows playing with a ball. Today we have one about a crow that was kind. This happened in the peanut-growing area of Georgia.

As I was looking outside one morning several years ago, I saw a large flock of crows flying across the morning sky. I watched what seemed to be an endless line of the big black birds leaving their winter roosts miles away to the west and heading for the peanut fields a few miles north of our farm. Every morning during the winter months they made this trip, and each evening they returned by the same sky route.

Watching the crows, two of them left the flock and flew directly toward our garden. One of them was a small, rough-feathered, scrawny bird with a broken leg. He landed on the ground where a few scraps from the kitchen had been thrown out. The other crow, an extra-large, sleek bird landed on a tree limb overhanging the garden. From his perch he kept watch while the crippled crow fluttered here and there picking up food. Every now and then the big crow would fly down and scratch around exposing some more tidbits for his crippled friend.

This continued for almost an hour. Then the big crow gave a loud “caw-caw,” and he and his crippled friend took off. I watched them until they disappeared over the distant oak trees. I could easily imagine the big, strong crow making sure that his crippled friend was comfortably perched for the day and then, his work done, flying on alone to join the peanut feasters.

The crippled crow was being cared for and protected by a friend who was able to help him. We, too, are crippled. Sin has crippled us. We have a Friend that is “able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him.” Hebrews 7:25. This Friend is the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Each one of us without the Lord Jesus is as weak and helpless as the crippled crow. We would die in our sins if there were not Someone who is able and willing to save us. He can save us from the punishment our sins deserve, because He took the punishment for these sins on the cross. All we have to do is accept Him as our Saviour. How strange it is when we do not accept the help someone wants to give us, the very help we need. Yet there are many people who are doing just that by refusing God’s gift of everlasting life. It is free to anyone who will accept the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour.

"(He) is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.” Ephesians 3:20.

ML-04/04/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Melodious Frog - Part 1

“For He looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven.” Job 28:24.

Most people who live in the city have never had the pleasure of listening to frogs sing. During warm spring and summer nights their chorus of singing is something not easily forgotten. Most frogs spend their lives in or near water, but some are land residents. These must seek out damp places to live since their skin requires constant moisture. They have special glands which help keep their skin moist by supplying a coating which slows moisture evaporation. This makes their skin seem cold and wet to the touch.

Frogs have no ears, and their protruding eyes (which can be drawn in when the frog senses danger) are only attracted to moving objects. However, they have sensitive organs that transmit sound, and they also have a good sense of smell. All frogs are excellent swimmers.

In parts of Africa frogs disappear when their ponds dry up—they bury themselves in the bottom of the pond. They can exist like this for months. Then when torrential rains come and the ponds fill again, they come out of hiding. Some superstitious natives, seeing frogs after a rainstorm, mistakenly think they have come from the sky.

The females lay thousands of eggs in the spring, floating them in the water in large jelly-like masses. There, warmed by the sun, they hatch into tadpoles. The fish-like tadpoles do not look like frogs. Their little bodies have long tails but no legs. Nor do they have eyelids or lungs. They remain that way for many weeks, breathing like fish through their four pairs of gills. Eventually hind legs appear—just little “buds” in front of the tail at first—soon followed by front legs.

Then eyelids and jaws develop, and the tail gets shorter and shorter. Finally, when the four legs have developed, the tail absorbs completely. The gills also disappear, and lungs develop, changing it into an air-breathing frog. It announces the change by croaking (singing), a habit it continues the rest of its life.

But think of this: where frogs live in moist vegetation and cannot get to water, the eggs are laid in damp leaves or rotten wood. These do not hatch out as tadpoles, but as little frogs with their parts already ford! It is easy to see that the Lord God, the Creator, made this special provision for these particular frogs. It did not and could not happen by “evolution,” as some try to teach.

As the opening verse expresses, the Lord God at all times sees each part of His creation and supplies even the frogs and tadpoles with everything they need. Solomon knew that God is watching over people as well and said, “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” Proverbs 15:3.

When He looks so kindly on you does He see someone who loves Him, knows Him as Saviour and Lord, and thanks Him for His great kindness?

ML-04/04/1982

The Great Net

Memory Verse: “Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.” Isaiah 45:22

Most children have gone to the store at some time to buy bread and milk or some other food. But what would you do if there were no store to go to? In some places that is exactly the way it is. Maybe there is a goat tied to a tree and perhaps a few chickens pecking around. There might be a little garden patch and a pig in a little pen. That is the grocery store!

One of our most abundant sources of food is the sea. One afternoon we watched fishermen using a net to fish in the sea. First the net was carefully piled in the back of a small boat, nearly sinking it when the men got in. Next they paddled out and together began to let down the net. They kept rowing in a large half circle and back in again to the beach.

Out beyond the net, about a mile or so, was the white, foaming reef where the waves were breaking. Earlier we had been swimming out there in the quiet waters of the lagoon. Using a mask and snorkel we had spent some time just floating on the surface of the water and gazing into this fascinating world of fish. What bright, beautiful colors they were against the white coral sand. They were neither afraid nor curious, but went about their business of swimming. I wondered if any of these fish would get caught in the net.

The fishermen now gathered at the water’s edge ready to begin the long pull. Now, a half mile of wet net, rope and fish takes a lot of hard work to pull in. However, many hands took the rope, and shiny, wet bodies, glistening in the sun, bent to the task of pulling at both ends of the long net. There was talking and laughing as the piles of net grew higher, and the arc of the net drew closer to the two lines of pulling men. Then, with a mighty heave, the final, bulging mass of net was rolled onto the sand, its silvery contents of fish wiggling to be free. What a catch! There were a few of the same kind of fish we had seen on the reef, but most were other kinds. Some were small, and others were large. They flopped and wiggled as the natives picked out the fish that were good for food and threw away the others. As we looked around, sure enough, here came the women to the “fish market.” They had their baskets with them and bought what they needed for their supper. There was plenty for all with some left over.

As we thought about that long net and the graceful are it made in the sparkling, blue sea it reminded us of the gospel net in Matthew 13:47-50. Here the gospel is pictured as a net that is used to draw in those who are floating about in the sea of this world. The net was cast into the sea and gathered some of every kind—red, yellow, black and white. “When it was full (the net), they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away.” Matthew 13:48.

The same “old story” of the gospel has been told for nearly 2000 years. The net is almost full. It holds two kinds of people—those who really know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour and those who are just pretending to know Him. Sometimes we cannot tell the difference, but God can. He will be the One to decide. There is a day coming very soon when God will gather all those who have trusted in the Lord Jesus and will take them to heaven. The rest will be cast into hell and will be lost forever. Today might be the day He will come! Will you be one that will be cast out? He invites you now to “Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.” Isaiah 45:22.

ML-04/11/1982

Better Than a Bike

Lori never expected a bike for her birthday. But that is just what Grandpa bought her—a bright blue tricycle. She rode it outside in nice weather, and she rode it in the basement in bad weather. However, there was something Lori liked even better than her bike. It was her mother’s old sewing basket. Mother had told Lori she could have it for her bike to keep things in, and that is just what she did. Daddy mound it on the front of the bike for her. Now when she found something she wanted to keep, into the basket it would go. Then she would snap down the cover and know it was safe. Sometimes she showed these “treasures” to special friends, but she was always careful to tuck them all safely back into her basket again.

One morning Lori was riding her bike on the sidewalk in front of her house. Mr. Winston, their next-door neighbor, stopped to talk to her. Looking over her new bike and airing it, he asked her what she carried in the basket. Lori opened it up to show him her “special things.” He could see pieces of ribbon and cloth, buttons, a few shiny stones and some pictures. There were other things, too, but he could not tell what they were.

“Well, Lori,” he said, “I see you have lots of treasures in your basket. Have you ever thought of putting treasures in heaven?”

Now “treasures” was a big word for Lori, but she knew it meant something valuable and worth keeping. So she answered, “No, Mr. Winston. How do you do that?”

“It’s this way, Lori,” he explained. “You love your little basket of play things, don’t you?”

“Yes, I do,” answered Lori.

“You would feel very sad if your basket were lost and you never found it again, wouldn’t you?”

“Oh, yes! I don’t ever want to lose my basket of special things!” Lori said thinking about it.

“That’s just it, Lori. The Lord Jesus Christ says, ‘Where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.’ You love your basket of precious things. They belong to you, and you like them very much. But someday they will be gone.

“In the same way the Lord Jesus loves you and wants to be your Treasure, Lori. He died for your sins, if you will accept Him as your Saviour. He wants you to love Him and trust Him, and He will never leave you. If you come to the Lord Jesus and ask Him to save you, He will be your Treasure, and you will be His treasure—He will belong to you, and you will belong to Him.”

Lori listened to everything Mr. Winston said. She went to Sunday school every week and learned about the Lord Jesus. She knew that her father and mother loved Him. She memorized a Bible verse each week and prayed every night before she climbed into bed. But she knew she did not have the Treasure that Mr. Winston was talking about.

This little talk with Mr. Winston started Lori thinking. It was not long before she decided that she wanted the Lord Jesus to be her Treasure and asked Him to forgive her sins and be her Saviour.

How many of you boys and girls are so busy with things going on around you that you have forgotten about the Treasure that is in heaven? The Lord Jesus Christ cares for you and wants to save you. He died on the cross for sinners. If you know that you are a sinner, and accept Him as your Saviour, then you can say, “He died for me.” Why not accept Him as your Saviour right now?

“For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.” Luke 12:34.

ML-04/11/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: Some Unusual Frogs - Part 2

“The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.” Psalms 111:2.

There are thousands of kinds of frogs. The tiniest one, a tree-dweller, is less than half-an-inch long. The largest frog in the world is the Giant Frog of Queensland, Australia, which is almost 12 inches long. It is so huge that it can swallow a rat! The largest frog in North America is the Bull Frog which is more than 6 inches long It has a big appetite and eats insects, mice and crayfish. It can stay underwater a long time, keeping its nostrils closed and absorbing oxen from the water through its skin.

Tree frogs have suction cups on their fingers which are moistened with a sticky substance. One very small species enjoys clinging to leaves and swaying in the wind like a boy or girl on a swing. One kind of tree frog in the tropics is so well camouflaged (hidden by its coloring) that it is almost impossible to distinguish from the leaves. It lives in the topmost foliage of tall trees and never comes down to the ground. These frogs are clever builders—they cement leaves tether to collect pools of rainwater in which they lay their eggs.

The four-inch, green Bornean Flying Frog has skin between its toes that stretches out to enable it to make long, parachute-like leaps.

Most frogs dig with their front feet in a forward position, but the European Spadefoot digs with specially designed back feet. If in danger it will quickly disappear backwards into a hole it has dug in this way. This frog has a specially reinforced skull to protect it from injury in case the earth and rocks around it cave in.

The female Pouched Tree Frog has pouches on her back. She lays only a dozen or so eggs at a time. The male picks up these eggs with his hind feet and places them in these pouches where they remain until they hatch out as tadpoles.

In another species the male takes on the responsibility of hatching the eggs. As the eggs are laid by the female, he swallows them. The eggs pass into a special pouch in his throat. They incubate there until they hatch into tadpoles and swim out of the father’s mouth.

The male Midwife Frog takes care of eggs in another way. He takes the eggs from the female, wraps them around his hind legs, then scoops a hole in the mud where he waits while they incubate. After a few weeks he jumps into the water with the eggs still wrapped around his legs. The force of the water breaks open the eggs, and the little tadpoles swim out.

Surely the Lord was pleased to create such an interesting variety of these creatures, and we know He takes care of them day by day. But for men, women, boys and girls who know Him as their Saviour, His care is even greater. It was shown in the great love that led Him to die on Calvary to save them from their sins. He says of them: “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with Mine eye.” Psalms 32:8.

Have you put your trust in Him? And do you now ask Him to be your guide through life?

ML-04/11/1982

Listen Carefully!

Memory Verse: “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.” John 5:24

Do you listen carefully when someone speaks to you? You should, especially if the person is telling you something that might save your life.

Paul Nordin was only five years old, but he listened carefully to the two visitors who spoke to his kindergarten class at school. It was Fire-Prevention Week, and two firemen from their town were showing the children some of the dangerous things that might be in their homes. These were things like matches, dirty, greasy rags, frayed electrical wires, and aerosol cans. Paul learned that these and many other things could be dangerous. The firemen showed the children what to do if their clothes caught on fire. They also explained how to crawl close to the floor if they were caught in a smoke-filled room. Yes, Paul listed carefully to the two firemen that day, and it was a good thing he did!

Aren’t we glad that there are firemen, policemen and others who help us and protect us? It is good that they explain to us what to do when there is danger—especially when there are dangers close to us that we don’t even know about.

This is why we should also be glad the Bible, God’s Word, is available for us to read. I am sure that most of you have at least one Bible in your home. But how many of you have read it? If you have not, then you are in great danger!

God tells us in the Bible that we are all sinners. Because we are sinners we are in terrible danger of missing heaven and of having to spend eternity in hell. But the Bible also tells us that God loves us and wants us in heaven with Himself. It explains that God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, loves us so much He willingly was nailed to Calvary’s cross. He took the punishment for our sins, if we will accept Him as our Saviour.

If any of us were trapped in a burning building and could not get out, would we tell a fireman who came to rescue us to “go away"? No! We would be glad he came and would do exactly what he said and let him lead us out to safety. The Lord Jesus has said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” John 14:6. He is the only “Way” that will lead to safety. Do not be misled by Satan and continue on the path that leads to destruction (hell).

Two weeks after listening to the two firemen, Paul found what he had learned to be very useful. After getting off the school bus he walked toward his house and saw smoke. Running in he tried to smother the fire with a pillow. But sparks caught his pants on fire, so he dropped the pillow and quickly took them off! Then he immediately got down on his hands and knees and crawled out of the smoke-filled house to safety! He was home alone at the time.

Paul’s mother came home just five minutes after he did. She found smoke pouring out of the windows, and when she opened the front door the house burst into flames! She ran around to the back of the house and found Paul crawling out onto the back porch. When she asked him how he knew to do that—to crawl out using the good air close to the floor—he said the firemen told him how to do it.

The firemen had given Paul the right instructions. But it was just as important that Paul had listened carefully and followed those instructions. The best instructions cannot help us if they are not followed.

God has some instructions for us: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” Acts 16:31. These are the instructions that we must follow. If we do, we have this promise in the Bible: “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” John 6:37.

ML-04/18/1982

The Knotted Handkerchief

Many years ago there was a missionary who served the Lord among the American Indians. His name was John Eliot. He was a kind man who was always helping poor Indians. He bought food and clothing for them, usually using his own money. Sometimes he had no money left to buy his own food.

One day a friend wanted to give him some money after noticing the missionary himself needed some things. However, this friend knew that Eliot would probably give away every penny before he reached home. So he asked Eliot for his handkerchief. After folding the money into the center, he tied several tight knots in the handkerchief before giving it back to Eliot.

On his way home Eliot met a poor Indian woman who was in real need. Eliot told her about the Lord Jesus Christ and His love for sinners. Then seeing that she needed some warm clothes and food, Eliot pulled out his handkerchief to give her some money. He struggled with the knots, but could not untie them. Finally, he placed the handkerchief in the woman’s hand saying, “I can’t get the knots untied. I think the Lord meant that you should have all this money.”

This little example from the life of John Eliot should speak to each one of us who is a Christian. The Lord Jesus has done so much for us, but how much do we do for Him? Do we give Him the best part of our lives? The gospel hymn, “I Gave My Life For Thee,” expresses it plainly:

I gave My life for thee,

My precious blood I shed,

That thou might’st ransomed be,

And quickened from the dead;

I gave My life for thee,

What hast thou given for Me?

I suffered much for thee,

More than thy tongue can tell,

Of bitterest agony,

To rescue thee from hell;

I’ve borne it all for thee,

What hast thou borne for Me?

"... The Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20.

ML-04/18/1982

The Knight's Challenge

Many years ago a knight decided to see if there were a God. He put on his coat of armor and went out into a field. There he threw his gloves down on the ground. (That was what the knights used to do when they challenged another knight to fight.) Looking up at the sky he called in a loud voice, “If there is a God, I call Him to fight against me with His power and might!”

The knight stood looking around waiting for an answer. A gust of wind blew a small piece of paper towards him, and it landed at his feet. He picked it up and found writing on it. The writing said, “God is love.”

When the knight read these words he knew that this was his answer from heaven. This verse from God’s Word, the Bible, made him see how small and unworthy he was before God. He knelt down and called upon God to save him.

“For 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.

ML-04/18/1982

Who Am I?

A child so small, he heard the call

though yet so young and tender

His mother gave him there to live and

helpful service render.

Three times now, wakened in the night.

Who was it called his name

The One that searches heart and soul and

Israel’s will could tame?

His presence known, the answer came in

words not loud but clearest

“Speak Lord” (for I am but a boy)

“Speak for Thy servant heareth.”

Oh child so small, have you heard a

call; a voice that speaks in love?

“Come unto Me and ready be, to dwell

with Me above.”

ML-04/18/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: More About Frogs - Part 3

“O Lord, how manifold are Thy works! in wisdom hast Thou made them all: the earth is full of Thy riches.” Psalms 104:24.

When God looked at His creation He “saw everything that He had made, and, behold, it was very good.” Genesis 1:31. It is well to remember that, while some things seem unattractive to us, they all have a purpose in God’s arrangements for the good of the whole world.

This is certainly true of frogs. They are of real benefit to mankind in eating great quantities of insects. They have been designed by the Creator to do this efficiently.

Adult frogs are interested in eating only living things. Their tongues are placed in the front of their lower jaw for lightning-like action (faster than a human eye can follow). A frog is a model of patience, sitting quietly without any movement until an insect flies or crawls near it. Then, flicking out the whole length of its sticky tongue, the frog catches and swallows the insect. Its diet includes flies, grubs, slugs, beetles, grasshoppers, mosquitoes and other insects. No wonder farmers consider frogs their friends and encourage them to stay on their property.

Many frogs hibernate in various ways through the cold months. The Leopard Frog spends the winter under the ice, but most others bury themselves in the mud. In Australia where it gets very hot, they do not hibernate. However, one large frog, known as the Water Reservoir, is able to hold a great amount of water in its body and stays alive this way through dry spells. Natives who are dying of thirst have often been saved by killing some of these frogs and drinking their stored water.

To escape its enemies, such as snakes, turtles and large birds, some frogs are able to change their color to that of their surroundings as they move from place to place. But more important, they have the ability to leap quickly to safety. Even a two-inch tree frog can jump four or five feet, and the big ones can jump much farther.

Much time and money has been spent by scientists who are curious to know how frogs got these interesting traits. Some say, “It must have taken millions of years, by means of evolution.” Those who believe God do not have problems like this, since they know that God, through His Son the Lord Jesus Christ, created everything perfectly. He caused all functions to be passed on without change from generation to generation.

Can you join us in saying, “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created"? Revelation 4:11.

ML-04/18/1982

Searched!

Memory Verse: “He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He hath raised Him from the dead.” Acts 17:31

If a citizen of the United States leaves the country, when he returns he is required to pass through Customs where U.S. officials check his baggage. I recently returned from such a trip, and while in the Customs area was searching for the shortest line to get through quickly. It was then that I was approached by a man and a woman. I saw from their uniforms and badges that they both were Customs officials. They asked me many questions: “Where do you work? Where have you been? Where do you live?” Then they wanted to see my business card, residence card, passport, airline ticket and driver’s license. Finally they asked me to follow them, and they led me to a private examination room at the back of the Customs area. I realized then that they were going to search my baggage, probably for illegal drugs.

“Please open your bags,” said the Customs man. “Do you have any drugs?”

I answered “no” and unlocked my suitcase and unzipped my carry-on bag. Without another word they opened every package and looked inside. They carefully checked along the soles of my shoes. They even read some notes I had in my Bible and generally made a nice mess of my carefully packed bags.

Then the man asked the woman to step outside, and he proceeded to check every place on me where I could have hidden drugs. When he was satisfied that I had none, he informed me that if I wanted a lawyer present before answering his questions I could have one. I assured him that I did not need one. So he proceeded.

“Before you left the other country did you swallow any capsules with drugs inside?”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Would you submit to an X-ray to prove your claim?”

“Yes, I would.”

“Okay,” said the man, “you can pack and leave.”

Very relieved, I repacked my bags and rushed to catch my next flight.

This reminded me of the time soon to come when every man, woman, boy and girl is going to have to stand in front of the Lord Jesus Christ and be searched. Only they won’t have travel bags to be examined. He will search our hearts. Anyone whose heart is still stained with sin will be sent out of the Lord’s presence into the lake of fire (hell) forever. Here they will be punished for those sins forever.

In my suitcase I had three bottles of prescription medicine to use in case I got an upset stomach while abroad. I had forgotten about them when the official asked if I had any drugs. Well, the Customs officials completely missed those bottles, for which I was very thankful.

Boys and girls, when you stand before the Lord Jesus Christ, He will not miss a thing! Every sin that you have ever committed has been recorded, and you are responsible for every one of them. He will only “miss” the sins of those who have had them forgiven by putting their faith and trust in Him and His death on the cross of Calvary. If you are still a sinner without the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, He will not let you into heaven.

The Bible tells us in Revelation 21:27: “And there shall in no wise enter into it (heaven) anything that defileth....”

While you still have the opportunity, accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour so that when you are searched your sins will have been forgiven, and you will be found fit for heaven and allowed to go in.

“Whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:15.

ML-04/25/1982

Bringing up Daisy

One cold April morning a neighbor boy brought me a baby squirrel in a cardboard box. He had found the squirrel under a large oak tree in his backyard. He knew that I sometimes cared for injured birds and animals. We could see the squirrel was cold and barely breathing. Its body was only about two-and-one-half inches long with a tail about the same length. Since it did not even have any fuzz on its body or tail, we knew it was not very old.

I brought the tiny squirrel into the house and fixed up an incubator to keep it warm. I filled the bottom of a large wooden box with crushed newspaper. Then wrapping a hot-water bottle in a wool blanket, I placed this in the middle of the box. A nest of cotton was placed on top of the blanket, and into the nest went the tiny squirrel. I wondered if she would live.

Warming some canned milk, I tried to get a few drops into her tiny mouth by using an eye dropper. Getting six drops into her tummy this way took all day. Finding one of my daughter’s doll bottles, I tried it, and it worked much better. The little squirrel quickly learned to drink from it, and for the next 36 hours feedings were three hours apart. I named her “Daisy.”

Like all baby squirrels Daisy had been born blind. It was two weeks before her eyes opened. Her fur began to show when she had been with me for a week. After two weeks her body and tail were pretty well covered with a furry coat.

As Daisy grew larger she got feelings of orange juice or grape juice in between milk feedings, until she was about two months old. Then she began to eat solid food. She liked oranges, watermelon, cantaloupe, avocado, rose petals, dandelion leaves and leaves from the tips of branches. The food from the backyard was carefully washed.

This story makes me think of how the Lord Jesus takes care of His children—those who have accepted Him as their Saviour. Just like Daisy, we were helpless and without any way we could please God. But God knew that we needed to be saved and sent His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to save us. He came into the world to rescue us. As sinners there was no hope for us, except by the love and grace of the Son of God. He was perfect and could not sin. But His love for us was so great that He took the punishment for our sins on the cross. All that we have to do is admit that we are helpless sinners, and accept what the Lord Jesus has already done for us. Ask Him to be your Saviour now, before it is too late.

Daisy would have died if someone had not taken such good care of her and given her the food that was just right for her. God has given us the Bible, which is the best food that we can have. It helps our Christian life grow so that we can please Him. Daisy could not have grown if she had not eaten the food that was given to her. We cannot grow in the things of God if we do not read the Bible and use what we have learned from Him.

Daisy lived in the house for two years. I kept a branch for her to exercise on, and she learned to follow orders. Squirrels can be trained indoors so that when the time comes for them to be released outside, they are ready for life in the open. Daisy was released among the trees in our backyard. She has lived there for almost three years and has raised several families of her own.

Daisy was cared for until she could take care of herself. God has promised to be with us and take care of us until He takes us to be with Himself in heaven. The apostle Paul expressed his own trust in these words: “I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.” 2 Timothy 1:12.

ML-04/25/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: Bacteria - Invisible but Important

“The invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead... " Romans 1:20.

Bacteria are a tiny form of life. Some are so small that 50,000 in a row would cover only one inch. Yet they are a very important part of God’s creation, and without them life, as we know it, could not exist. They are in water, in air, and a teaspoonful of garden soil contains billions of them.

Just what do they do? One main purpose is to break down other materials. They take chemicals from these materials and change them into forms that can be used by other living organisms. For instance, gardeners often make “compost piles” of grass clippings, leaves, kitchen garbage, weeds, etc., sometimes adding dirt and manure. Bacteria attack these materials, and in the process of breaking them down, generate heat. Different kinds of bacteria work this material over and over and, aided by the heat, change most of it into rich, soft humus. This, when added to gardens, helps to produce fine crops.

Other kinds of bacteria convert material into ammonia which is picked up by the roots of plants.

Some change materials to carbon dioxide which is released into the air for use by plants and trees. The plants and trees in turn give off oxygen which is essential to animal life. Still other bacteria are used to make butter, cheese, vinegar, yurt and many other food products.

Did you know that you have many billions of bacteria inside your body? Some are harmful, causing sickness and disease. Some harmful bacteria live on your teeth and others on your skin when they are not carefully cleaned. Cavities in your teeth are caused by bacteria, and when you cut yourself those on your skin can cause infection or blood poisoning.

This makes us think of Satan, a greater enemy, who does great harm to us when we are careless about our manner of life. We read that he “as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may dour.” 1 Peter 5:8. When this evil one comes to us with his temptations, we should immediately turn to God and pray just as David did: “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalms 51:10. He can deliver us out of any temptation.

But most of the body’s bacteria are helpful and necessary to maintain life—one of the most important functions being the digestion of food. Without them much of the food you eat could not be used by your body.

Isn’t it wonderful how God has created such a tiny form of life to do such a big job? ".. God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.” 1 Corinthians 1:27. Do you know our Creator as your God and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, as your Saviour?

ML-04/25/1982

Timmy's Taste of Trouble

Memory Verse: “O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him.” Psalm 34:8

Timmy was the delight of the children. He was a cute little kitten with lots of energy and was always getting into things. The whole family liked having him as a pet. One day Timmy’s curious nature got him into serious trouble.

He was playing alone in the basement when he found something new to play with. He probably smelled, licked and played with the object before he finally sank his sharp teeth into it. What he had found was a tube of “super glue” left on the desk by one of the children. Poor Timmy quickly found out that “super glue” is not good to eat. That little taste of glue was enough to make Timmy foam at the mouth and roll on the floor in pain, because the glue had burned his lips and tongue. The family took Timmy to the vet who told them he might even lose part of his tongue. Poor Timmy had bitten into and tasted something that was harmful.

The Bible tells us to “taste and see that the Lord is good.” Psalms 34:8. We are never told to taste (try) things of this world to find out if they are harmful. We are only told to taste of the Lord. Isaiah 7:15 says, “Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.” Only by feeding on (reading) God’s Word, the Bible, will each boy and girl (and older one, too) know what is good and be able to refuse the evil of this world. I am sure if Timmy had known the pain he would have from that little taste of glue, he would have gladly chosen a bowl of warm milk. God’s Word tells us that the sad end of going on in a sinful path and refusing the Lord Jesus Christ is hell. Do not be foolish and refuse to taste of the Lord by accepting Him as your Saviour. How much wiser to be able to say as 1 Peter 2:3 tells us, “ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.”

ML-05/02/1982

Fish Catches Man!

Pancho was a teenage native who lived in one of the Indian tribes in the jungles of Venezuela. An 18-year-old living where Pancho lived has a different life than most of us have. For instance, he could not just go to the refrigerator, pantry or store to get food to eat. He had to go out and hunt or fish for it. As a young man he spent many hours hunting and fishing for the food and clothing his family needed.

One day Pancho prepared his canoe to go fishing. (He did not use a hook and line like some of us use. Instead, he used a long spear with a line attached, called a harpoon.) It was a pretty morning, cool and quiet. It only took a short time to check his knives, lines and harpoon. He was not going fishing for just any kind of fish. Pancho was one of the few skilled fishermen who knew how to catch the “paiche,” a fish that is actually a freshwater mammal. He knew that these fish grew very large, some weighed over a hundred pounds!

A few strong pulls with his pale took the canoe into the current of the river. The current would carry him along so he did not have to paddle, but could pay full attention to the surface of the river. With his harpoon in hand ready to throw, Pancho looked for the air bubbles that any mammal under water must release from time to time.

The water was not clear enough to see the fish, but paiche fishermen learn from experience how deep and how far they must plunge their harpoons. If they are able to spear the fish, the fight begins. The strong line attached to the end of the harpoon is used to help bring the fish into the boat. A big paiche will fight for a long time.

As the morning got warmer Pancho, still watching, began to relax and his mind wandered to other things. One of these thoughts, which he did not like, kept coming back even though he tried to forget about it. A missionary had explained to Pancho that he was a sinner and needed to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as his Saviour.

As Pancho thought about what the missionary had told him, he became more upset. “Is there not plenty of time to ask Jesus to save me?” he thought. He admitted that he was a sinner. He knew it would be good to have those sins forgiven and not be afraid to die or to meet God. “But I’m still young and strong,” he argued with himself. “I don’t need to be saved now. I’ll wait until I am old.”

Bubbles! Pancho stiffened to attention. His hand gripped the smooth surface of the harpoon, every muscle tensed as he watched. More bubbles! Pancho’s harpoon hissed into the water as he threw it with all his strength. Moments after the harpoon disappeared below the surface, the rope grew taut. Pancho knew he had made a strike!

Then it happened! Pancho never knew exactly how. Somehow, the heavy line from the harpoon had looped around his ankle. When it tightened around his leg the jerk pulled him off balance, toppling him into the water. In terror Pancho found himself being dragged through the water by the huge fish. Frantically he struggled with the line, but it only seemed to tighten more.

As he swirled helplessly through the water, his lungs crying for air, Pancho’s past life and many of his sins flashed through his mind. His greatest sin of all seemed to be in not receiving the great gift of salvation while there had still been time. In his mind he called upon the Lord Jesus Christ to forgive his sins and save him.

Suddenly, he was free—the line was gone! He struggled to the surface and gasped for air. “Thank you, Lord Jesus,” he cried.

That night as Pancho sat with his family, friends and the missionary, he told them the whole story. They could see a change in him and knew it was not just the relief of escaping death. Life in the jungle had many dangers. The firelight reflected the glow in his eyes. Pancho was saved twice—first from his sins and, send, from drowning. He had called upon the Name of the Lord Jesus to forgive his sins and then became one for whom Christ died.

Pancho came very close to putting off God’s offer of salvation once too often. He almost died without hang his sins forgiven. If that had happened Pancho would have been lost forever, to be punished for those sins in hell. Instead, he accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his Saviour, believing that Jesus had died for his sins.

We hope that each one of you realize that you are a sinner and have trusted the Lord Jesus to forgive your sins before it is too late.

“For whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:13.

ML-05/02/1982

The Highway Robber

John Wesley was once traveling in the country. A robber stopped him and said he would kill Wesley if he did not hand over his money. Wesley gave the robber his money.

Then he said, “Let me just say one thing to you. The time may come when you will be sorry for the life you are living. You may be sorry then about your sins. When that time comes remember God’s Word says, ‘The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.’ "

Many years later, a well-dressed stranger came up to Wesley. He asked Mr. Wesley if he remembered the time he was robbed on the highway. Mr. Wesley said, “Yes, I remember.”

“I am that man who robbed you,” said the stranger. “The verse you quoted from the Bible that night changed my life. I am saved, and now I am telling others about God’s love.”

The Bible says, “For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword.” Hebrews 4:12. It also says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.” Romans 1:16.

ML-05/02/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Anteater

“The mighty God, even the Lord, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof.” Psalms 50:1.

The Anteater, a very unusual animal, makes its home in Mexico, Central and South America. There are a number of species ranging in size from just seven inches long to the more common Great Anteater, which is almost as big as a small bear. If you came across one of these in the wild with its long, shaggy, Gray hair striped with white, its bushy tail almost as big as the rest of it, and its odd-shaped head, you might well be frightened. Actually they do no harm unless they are attacked. Anteaters live in burrows, hollow logs, or sometimes in trees. They are mostly active at night or at dusk. Some live for 25 or 30 years.

This animal has been designed by the Lord God to serve a very special purpose. God has given it features that look odd to us, but they are exactly right for what it has been designed to do. As its name indicates, the Anteater searches for and eats large numbers of ants and termites. By doing so it serves a useful purpose, keeping down the populations of these insects. Otherwise they would multiply beyond control and do great damage.

What is so unusual about the Anteater? Its head, nose and mouth are its most outstanding features. It has a long skull with tiny ears and a long snout that tapers down to a point, forming a long, hollow tube with a small brain at the top. The mouth is so small that a pencil could not fit into it, and it has no jaws or teeth.

The main working part of its usual head is its long tongue. This sticky tongue, about two feet long, whips out with lightning speed to snare its meal, and is drawn back into its mouth where the food passes along to the stomach.

Equipped with strong legs and sharp claws, the Anteater can defend itself well, and most animals know better than to attack it. Hover, the claws are not primarily used for fighting, but as tools with which to tear open the strongly built ant hills. With its home torn open, the ant or termite colony is soon wiped out. Strong leg muscles also help it roll over rocks where ants hide.

The Anteater is not aware of it, but it depends on God to direct it to food. As the Psalmist wrote: “The eyes of all wait upon Thee; and Thou givest them their meat in due season.” Psalms 145:15.

Are you aware that this is true of you, too? “In (God’s) hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.” Job 12:10.

How important it is to remember our dependence on Him. He not only has provided the way of salvation through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, but He also prepares the hearts and souls of those who will trust in Him. Can you say, “We are in Him that is true, even in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life"? 1 John 5:20.

ML-05/02/1982

Out of Control!

Memory Verse: “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

The day was clear and sunny as the students gathered around their instructor at the Sunset Pilot Training School. These young pilots had already learned much about flying. Now they were going to learn how to “recover” when the airplane goes into a spin. One at a time the students went up with the instructor to practice what they had learned in the classroom.

John Roberts, one of the students, waited for his turn. He was a good student who learned easily and now was anxious to show the instructor what he could do. Finally, his turn came. He listened carefully as his instructor reviewed some last-minute points with him.

They climbed into the small plane and taxied down the runway. Soon they were in the air, climbing steadily over an unpopulated area until they reached 12,000 feet.

The instructor told John to put the plane into the spin. John eased back on the control stick, kicked on full rudder, and put the plane into its spiral dive toward the earth. That part was rather easy to do.

When the order was given to pull the plane out of the spin, John found this hard to do. He tried his best, but nothing seemed to work. Sweat poured down his face as he realized that he had lost control of the plane! As it hurtled closer and closer toward the ground, the plane shuddered as it spun round and round. It looked to John like there was no hope. The plane was going to crash! He fearfully looked over at his instructor.

The instructor calmly spoke to John over the intercom: “Relax, it’s all right. I have control of the plane.”

A few minutes later they were safely on the ground again. John was still visibly shaken knowing that if it had not been for the instructor, he would have been killed instantly in the crash.

What about your life? Have you lost control? Are you spinning downward and not able to help yourself? Do you realize that, unless you accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your own Saviour, you are heading for a crash landing in your sins?

Your life does not have to end that way! The Lord Jesus loves you and will take over the controls of your life if you will ask Him. He does not want you to crash—to die in your sins.

The Lord Jesus Christ was wounded and died on Calvary’s cross for you and me. Accept Him now as your Saviour and know for sure that He will pilot you safely through this life to heaven. His promise is found in Isaiah 41:13: “I the Lord thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.”

ML-05/09/1982

"He Careth for You"

Most of us find it very interesting to watch tree trimmers at work. What a noise their saws make, and what crashing as trees and branches fall to the ground! We often feel sad when whole streets of large trees have to be cut down because of disease in the trees.

A row of beautiful trees lining a street in Hamilton, Ontario had to be cut to the ground. The workmen started at one end of the street, but they discovered that the very first tree had a bird’s nest with eggs in it. The foreman must have loved nature, because he told his men to start cutting the trees at the other end of the long street. So the mother bird and her nest of eggs were left safely in the tree.

The men worked cutting down trees and cleaning them up until, once again, they reached the tree with the nest in it. By now many weeks had passed, and the baby birds had hatched and left the nest so the tree could be cut down. One of the workmen was interested in the nest. He lifted it out of the tree, and as he examined it he found a piece of paper wound into the nest. He was very surprised to find it was a bit of an old Sunday school paper with the words, “He careth for you” on it. 1 Peter 5:7.

What a wonderful way God took care of those birds in not allowing the trees to be cut down until the birds were able to fly. The Bible tells us that God knows even when a sparrow falls (Matt. 10:29,31), and how much more important each boy and girl is in God’s sight. God cares for each of us in marvelous ways every day—at home, at play, at work and at school.

“Every moment of the day—

My Father cares for me,

Every moment of the day—

My heart from fear is free.

He who sees the sparrow fall

Will hear my call,

Every moment of the day—

God watches over me.”

ML-05/09/1982

The Biggest Piece of Money

It was cold, very cold, one night many years ago. Jimmy stood by his small newsstand on the corner trying to sell papers. There was hardly anyone on the street that night. Those passing by were bundled up against the cold wind, hurrying to get inside. No one wanted to stop long enough to buy a paper.

Jimmy wanted to buy a cup of coffee to help him warm up. His clothes were old and nearly worn out, and his coat was not very warm. But he did not even have a nickel, and that is what a cup of coffee would cost. If only he could sell a paper.

“Here comes another man,” he thought as he shivered again. “Buy a paper, mister?” he asked.

The man looked at Jimmy. “I don’t need a paper,” he said. “But would you like some money to buy a cup of coffee?”

“I sure would,” replied Jimmy. “That’s why I wanted to sell you a paper.” The man pulled a handful of change out of his pocket and handed it to Jimmy saying, “Take one piece of money.”

Jimmy picked out a nickel and said, “Thank you, sir,” and turned to go to a nearby restaurant. Then thinking about it, he turned back to the man who still stood holding the handful of money. “Did you say I could have one piece of money?” he asked. “Could I have a dime?”

“Yes,” replied the man. “I told you that you could have one piece of money.”

Jimmy put the nickel back and took a dime. “But there is a quarter and there is a fifty-cent piece,” he thought, still looking at the handful of money. “Mister, could I have the fifty-cent piece?”

“I told you that you could have one piece of money,” the man repeated.

Jimmy put back the dime and took the fifty-cent piece, the biggest piece of money in the man’s hand. “Thank you,” he said again and turned to leave.

“Wait a minute,” said the man. “I am glad you took the biggest piece. That’s what I wanted you to take, but you took the smaller piece first. Did you know that God has many gifts? You use them every day. He gives you air to breathe, food, a home, a mother and father—many things that you take for granted.

“But God has a much better gift for you. He wants you to accept this gift—His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And if you will receive His best gift, believing that you are a sinner and that Christ died on the cross for your sins, He will give you everlasting life. There will be a home ready for you in heaven, besides His other gifts to you while you are here on earth. Won’t you accept His best gift now and thank Him?

“For 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.

ML-05/09/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: A Day at the Seashore - Part 1

“Even the winds and the sea obey Him!” Matthew 8:27.

How refreshing the salt air is as we arrive at the oceanside. Each in our group wants to be first to the water, but first someone asks the question, “How many things here remind us of God’s creation? For instance, where did all this sand come from?”

The answer: A microscope would show that it is made up of tiny particles of rock (mainly quartz which keeps the sand from grinding to powder), seashells, bits of minerals and even material from underwater volcanos. All of this, tossed up by the waves, continually adds to the freshness and beauty of what was placed here when the world was made by the Creator. The sandy beach is also a barrier to keep the ocean from washing away the adjoining soil. Someone recalls a verse: “Here shall thy proud waves be stayed.” Job 38:11

We have arrived at the beach at low tide, and the water is far out. As we walk across the sand someone exclaims, “Look at all the pretty stones I found! Soon all are searching for other pretty stones. Where did they come from? The action of waves pounding rocky beaches and inflowing streams break and carry chunks of rock into the water. These are tumbled over and over which smoothly polishes them. Finally, some of them tumble close to the shore where they can be seen. Someone asks, “Isn’t there a verse that says, ‘For Thy pleasure they are and were created'?”

“Yes,” is the answer, “in the very last verse of Revelation 4. Think what happiness must be God’s to see all the beautiful stones and gems He has created on beaches throughout the world.”

Something else catches our attention—seashells—all kinds of them—round, oval, spiral, ribbed and smooth. Many of them have fantastic colors! Each one used to be “home” for a live shellfish, and after its death the shell was washed ashore. Surely this must be part of Revelation 4:11, too.

A large stone is rolled over, and we see a scurrying of little crabs and other creatures objecting to having their hiding place discovered. Some of these are sand hoppers with their 14 pairs of legs. They dig furiously to escape while sand fleas hop indignantly about. Look, there goes a seaworm and right behind it, a centipede. Do all rocks on the seashore hide these different kinds of life? Yes, nearly all of them do. It is just a small display of the many creatures God has made that live on the ocean shores.

As we walk toward the water, the shells also remind us that death follows life. For these creatures of the sand and sea, there is nothing after death. But every human being has a soul that never dies. During his life on earth, he is the only one of God’s creation who has the opportunity to find God’s way of preparing for the more important life that is yet to come. God’s Word, the Bible, says, “The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23. Have you accepted this wonderful gift?

We have spent so much time watching these interesting things that we will have to wait until next week to resume our walk across the beach to the ocean.

ML-05/09/1982

Tippy

Memory Verse: “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.” 1 John 4:9

Tippy was the pet of a farm family who lived in Iowa. He was a friendly dog that loved children and his master, Wayne. He often went into the fields with Wayne or rode with him in the pickup truck. Tippy was a very good “mouser” and liked to catch mice and rats around the farm.

One day Wayne drove over to a friend’s house to help with corn shelling. As usual, Tippy rode along in the back of the truck. As the corn was moved from the corn bin to be shelled, Tippy kept busy catching the rats that lived in the bin. The farmers were happy to have Tippy around, since the rats were eating the corn. They all agreed that Tippy was a good and helpful dog.

There are many boys and girls who are both “good” and “helpful.” They do many good things for their parents and friends. But if they think that those good things will help them get to heaven, they are wrong! The Bible, God’s Word, says in Isaiah 64:6 that “all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.” Also, in Ephesians 2:8 and 9 we read, “For 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.” Do not let anyone confuse you by saying that all you have to do is be good and believe in God. God’s Word is true.

It was late afternoon when the job was finally finished. Hot, tired and dirty, Wayne and Tippy headed home. Tippy jumped into the back of the truck as usual. He was tired, and the sun was still hot.

Sometime on the trip home Tippy must have gotten too hot riding in the back of the truck. Maybe he saw how cool and shady the corn fields looked. Wayne did not notice that Tippy had jumped out of the truck. But Tippy had decided to go home another way.

God’s way of salvation is the only way any of us can be saved. The Lord Jesus Christ said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father but by Me.” John 14:6. Some of us might have other ideas of how to be saved, but always go by what God says: “My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways.” Isaiah 55:8.

Wayne had driven the truck seral miles before he noticed that Tippy was missing. Wayne turned the truck around and went back along the same roads he had come. He stopped frequently along the way and called, “Here, Tippy! Come, Tippy, come!” But there was no answering bark, and Tippy did not come. Wayne drove all the way back to where they had been working, but there was no sign of Tippy.

It was not until later that night that Tippy finally got home. Even then it was not without help. A neighbor found Tippy wandering along the road and recognized him. It took several phone calls and more driving, but finally Tippy was back home again.

Wayne had been calling Tippy for a long time. How long has the Lord Jesus been calling you? He says in the Bible, “Come unto Me.” Matthew 11:28. Have you answered the Saviour’s call or are you still wandering along the wide road that leads to death? (See Matthew 7:13,14.) Why not answer His invitation to “Come,” and bring joy to the heart of the loving Saviour. “Joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth.” Luke 15:7. Admit that you are a helpless sinner on your way to hell, and believe that it is only the Son of God, the Lord Jesus, who can save you. By believing Him and what He did on the cross, you can be sure that your sins are washed away in His blood. Accept Him now as your Saviour.

“Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28.

ML-05/16/1982

Exposed by a Shark!

In 1799 an American ship, the Nancy, was carrying illegal, stolen cargo to the West Indies. This was discovered, and the ship was boarded and searched by the authorities when it docked in the West Indies.

Before the police came on board, the captain threw the papers overboard describing the cargo. He knew that if these papers were found they would show that he was guilty of smuggling. The police, although not finding the papers they searched for, arrested the captain and he was brought to trial.

At the trial, without enough evidence against him being presented, the captain’s lawyer was winning the case. However, before the trial was over the captain of an English ship, the Ferret, was called forward. He told the following account: “While sailing along the coast of Jacmel, near the island of San Domingo, my crew spotted a large shark. It was shot and hoisted on board for examination. Inside the shark’s stomach we found a bundle of ship’s papers that listed the cargo of the ship Nancy.”

These papers were then presented as evidence to the court. Upon examination they clearly showed that the Nancy was carrying illegal cargo. The captain was found guilty of smuggling and sent to prison.

The head of the shark was on display for sometime after this strange occurrence at Port Royal, Jamaica. The jaws can still be seen in the Museum of the Royal United Service Institution in London.

Those who were part of this strange story died long ago, but what is illustrated still holds true today. In this age of freedom and independence, people think they can go anywhere they like and do as they please. They often will make up stories to cover their actions. God’s Word, the Bible, warns everyone, “Be sure your sin will find your out.” Numbers 32:23.

As certain as the captain of the Nancy had to pay for his sin, so will you, but to a higher Judge. God “hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom He hath ordained.” Acts 17:31. The apostle Paul wrote: “God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.” Romans 2:16.

All of us know that what the captain of the Nancy did was wrong, even as there are many who are “secretly” putting their beliefs or faith in something that is not right.

It could be an idea, a teaching or a religion. But if it is anything other than the Lord Jesus Christ and His love and grace to sinners, then it is wrong. The Lord Jesus tells us in the Bible that “many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.” Matthew 24:11. Being sincere is not enough. You may “sincerely” believe something, yet be sincerely wrong.

Believing in the Lord Jesus Christ is the only way to be safe and sure.

The captain of the Nancy had to go to prison for the crimes he had committed. The pardon that could not be offered to him is being offered to you—God is offering to forgive your sins and save you from the punishment your sins require. “Through this Man (Christ Jesus) is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins” (Acts 13:38), because “Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God.” 1 Peter 3:18. He is now risen from the dead, and seated on the throne at the right hand of God. He has the authority to forgive your sins.

You must settle the question of your sins. You cannot afford to make a mistake about this matter. Do not let it wait any longer. If you die it will be too late. Confess your sins now, and accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour.

“If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Romans 10:9.

Just as I am—without one plea,

But that Thy blood was shed for me,

And that Thou bidst me come to Thee:

O Lamb of God, I come! I come!

ML-05/16/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: A Day at the Seashore - Part 2

“Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, Thou stillest them.” Psalms 89:9.

Last week we began a visit to a saltwater beach. We were interested in finding things that remind us of God’s creation. Now as we walk on toward the water, the roar of the waves is plainly heard. A little squirt of water pops up at our feet, signaling clams below. How do they breathe and what do they eat down in the wet sand? God has designed them for this life with long, tube-like necks, called siphons. These extend to the surface to keep their breathing and eating vent open. When waves come, water flows down the clam’s siphon bringing food with it. Can God see them buried in the sand? Yes, He can. As the Bible says, “The darkness and the light are both alike to Thee.” Psalms 139:12.

Our interest is drawn to the cries of the sea gulls which occasionally drop down for the food their sharp eyes have spotted. And the sandpipers, how swiftly they run, chasing receding waves for bites of food left behind on the sand. Suddenly, as if on signal, all the birds take to the air. Oh, how gracefully they fly, all turning in unison as though following some given instruction. Along the shore there are also avocets, their curved bills pecking at the sand as though making a meal of it. Actually, they are finding food that we cannot even see! Someone comments that there is a wonderful Provider for everyone of these, and that a Bible verse says, “The Lord is good to all: and His tender mercies are over all His works.” Psalms 145:9.

Still heading for the waves that are breaking on the beach, we cross a rocky area where we inspect pools left behind when the tide went out. Some of these pools almost look like flower pots with colorful sea anemones showing a display of delicate tentacles as little fish swim around them. Periwinkles cling to the bottom and sides of their prison. In some pools there are pretty shells, starfish, snails, barnacles, mussels, sea urchins and crabs. We think it must delight the Creator to look into these pools and see all these things that are under His care.

Leaving the tidal pools we have to step around piles of kelp and brown or red seaweed left on the beach. These look like snakes or whips, although some are delicate and lacelike. They tell of storms which have torn them loose from the sea and washed them ashore. Mixed among them are sand dollars, little jellyfish stranded high and dry and sometimes a dead fish, reminding us of the many live ones still out in the water.

How interesting to look on all these strange things and realize they are part of the wonderful creation of “The Mighty God, The Lord of hosts, is His name; great in counsel, and mighty in work.” Jeremiah 32:18,19. Did you know that in His Word He has invited you to be one of His children through faith in the work of His beloved Son on Calvary’s cross? “By Him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law.” Acts 13:39.

We expect to finish our visit to the ocean next week.

ML-05/16/1982

What Saved the Bird?

Memory Verse: “Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered.” Romans 4:7

“Tell me a story, please, Uncle Ed,” said Mark as he lay in bed. Mark was recovering from the flu and had been in bed for two days. His Uncle Ed, who lived in the same town, had come over to cheer him up.

Uncle Ed had just returned from South America and had lots of wonderful things to talk about. He liked children, and they all liked him and the stories he told.

“I’ll tell you a snake story,” Uncle Ed replied.

“One beautiful morning I started on a day’s hike into the jungle. I carried a small lunch and a gun for protection. I had been hiking for several hours when I found a nice shady spot beside a stream. I sat down on the trunk of a fallen tree to rest and eat my lunch. It was a beautiful tropical day. The jungle was beautiful with color and full of life. The quietness was broken only by the music of the birds and the humming of countless busy insects.

“While resting there I noticed a bird fluttering around in a tree near where I was sitting. As I watched, the fluttering of the bird increased. It was noticeable that this mother bird was upset about something. I slowly walked closer to see what was bothering her.

There was her nest, but why was she so upset?

“Looking around, I quickly understood her problem. Slithering slowly towards the tree was one of the most poisonous snakes in South America. Its small eyes were focused on the nest as its forked tongue flicked out and in.

“I was getting ready to shoot the snake when I saw a strange thing happen. The father bird flew away, returning moments later with a small twig covered with leaves in his beak. Perching near the nest, he laid the twig carefully across it, covering the nest and the mother bird who was now sitting on the nest. Then he flew to the top of the tree and quietly waited.

“The snake moved closer and closer. He twisted himself around the trunk and climbed up the tree. Then, gliding along the branch, he came close to the nest. His small eyes watched the nest, his tongue flicked several times, and then...” Uncle Ed paused.

“Oh! What happened, Uncle Ed?” cried Mark anxiously.

“The snake suddenly jerked his head back as if he had been hit with something. Then he turned around, slithered back down the tree, and disappeared in the long grass.

“Curious to see what had caused this reaction by the snake, I climbed up the tree and examined the small leafy twig still covering the mother bird and her babies. Not finding anything unusual, I gently removed the twig and carried it home with me. I showed it to a native friend and told him the whole story. He told me that the twig came from a bush which was poisonous to the snake, and which they are never known to touch. The bird had used it to protect his family from the snake.”

In the Bible Satan is called, “that old serpent” or snake. Satan wants to destroy not only boys and girls, but men and women as well. He is a powerful enemy, and none of us can fight against him. The bird could not fight against the snake. Instead, he found a twig that would give protection. In the same way we are no match for Satan. But Christ is the One who can give us perfect protection from Satan. It was on a tree, the cross of Calvary, that He died for sinners. "His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree.” 1 Peter 2:24. Are you as wise as the bird that protected its nest? Are you protected by the blood of the Lord Jesus shed on Calvary’s tree?

Isn’t it wonderful that God should teach the bird which tree would give protection from the snake? And isn’t it wonderful that He has provided the cross for our protection from Satan? There that great work was finished by our Lord Jesus for those who would trust in Him. It is the most remarkable fact in the whole universe that “the Son of God...loved me, and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20. This salvation is for “whosoever will.” Will you? “Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” Revelation 22:17.

ML-05/23/1982

The Downward Course

Almost 20 years ago the Chief of Naval Operations in the U.S. Navy had to make a difficult and sad announcement.

His message began with the sad words: “To those of us who have been brought up in the traditions of the sea, it is a sad occasion when a ship is reported lost.” The stunning news was that the Thresher, the pride of the U.S. Nuclear Submarine Fleet, was lost at the bottom of the sea.

Sometime in the early morning of that day, the Thresher had begun a series of deep test dives. Routine reports were exchanged with the Skylark, the surface ship accompanying her. At 9:13 a.m. the Thresher reported: “Experiencing minor difficulties. Am beginning to ascend. Will keep you informed.”

Four minutes later the Skylark received a garbled message from which only two words could be made out, and they were, “test depth.” The Thresher was heading toward the bottom unable to surface from her downward course!

The Bible warns us that we are on a dangerous downward course. It says in Matthew 7:13, “Enter ye in at the strait (narrow) gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat.” We are on a downward course that leads to a lost eternity, whether we realize it or not.

How tragic and terrifying it must have been to the crew of the Thresher to realize that they had no power to pull out of their descent to the bottom of the ocean. We, too, are absolutely helpless about doing anything that will keep us from slipping into that place of everlasting darkness without God.

But listen to this wonderful news from the Bible: “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” Romans 5:6. This means that because there was no way for us to be saved, God sent His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to die for sinners. He is waiting to save you. You can only say “no” to the Lord Jesus for so long. Do not put off accepting Him as your Saviour. There is a “point of no return” after which it will be too late to be saved. For those on the Thresher, it was a “minor difficulty” that took their lives. For you it could be a car accident, an illness or the return of the Lord Jesus Christ. The only time you can be sure of accepting salvation is right now! “Now is the accepted time; bold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2.

Receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour and let Him be the Captain of your life, and your downward course will be turned around to an upward course that leads to heaven.

“For there is none other Name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12.

ML-05/23/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: A Day at the Seashore - Part 3

“And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above. " Genesis 1:7.

In the first two parts of this visit we spent so long looking at the many interesting things on the beach that we did not notice the tide coming in. Suddenly the water is almost at our feet. What fun it is to run and splash in it! But what makes the tide go in and out? We know that it is under the control of the One of whom David said, “He gathereth the waters of the sea together as a heap: He layeth up the depth in storehouses.” Psalms 33:7.

This is one of the very important things the Lord God designed for the needs of the world. If there were no tides the ocean would long ago have become a stagnant pool with no life in it. The tides, together with the action of the waves, stir up these great bodies of water, mixing them thoroughly and aerating them with life-giving oxygen. They help to maintain just the right conditions for the fish, plants, and all marine life. This is also most important to man and all life on earth, since the sea’s products are vital to us.

To give tides their motion God set the sun, the earth and the moon in exactly the right relationship to each other. The sun aids in setting the tides, but it is principally the moon with its pull of gravity, like a huge magnet, that pulls the water after it as it passes over. It takes the moon 24 hours and 51 minutes to make its circle, providing two high tides each day. This action is so precise that tide tables for any part of the world can be prepared as far in advance as desired. Only divine power could maintain such a system! No wonder the Psalmist said: “I know that the Lord is great... whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did He in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.” Psalms 135:5,6.

Waves add a great display to the tidal force as they roll in, rise to a crest, break and spill over with a crash. The action of the wind on the surface of the ocean is the principal contributor to the size of these waves, some of which travel hundreds of miles before reaching shore.

Another example of the Creator’s wisdom is also seen in the waves. Moving through the ocean in a rolling action, waves do not push water ahead of them, but transmit their energy to the adjoining water which passes it on in the same way. Otherwise, the water would pile up to tremendous heights and flood the land with great destruction resulting.

How wise is the Lord God, the Creator of heaven and earth. And what wise counsel He has given to all young people: “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth.” Ecclesiastes 12:1. Think about this invitation and place Him above all else in your life, knowing His love and accepting Him as your Saviour and Lord.

ML-05/23/1982

Are You Safe?

Memory Verse: “Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 3:11

Years ago in a farming town near Winnipeg, Manitoba in Canada, the ground under a grain elevator suddenly began to settle. This huge elevator, which was filled with wheat, slowly began to tilt—5, 10, 20, then 25 degrees. Would it stop, or would it topple over, spilling its contents and possibly causing damage or injury in the surrounding area?

Experts were called in to see if there were an answer to the proem. They found that the elevator was built on a “floating foundation.” This means the foundation was a large concrete “mat” built to spread the load over a wide area of soil. Since the bedrock (solid rock) in this area was 50 feet down, the construction company that built the elevator had chosen this method of construction. Although it had been used before, this time it did not hold the tremendous weight of a loaded grain elevator. The soil held for some time, but then it could no longer bear the great weight.

A company skilled in difficult engineering problems was hired to fix it. After much work they were able to bring the elevator back into position. It did not rest on a “mat” foundation anymore, but on concrete piers sunk down to the bedrock 50 feet below the ground level.

Although the event in Winnipeg was serious, there are many other things built upon “floating foundations.” Every day men, women, boys and girls are building their hopes of reaching heaven on things just as unreliable. The Lord Jesus said they are just like a foolish man who built his house on sand. It is quite likely that the house was carefully constructed, perhaps even nicely decorated. But a time of testing came: “The rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.” Matthew 7:27. Then the owner must have realized that what matters most in building houses is not what it looks like, but its foundation. However, it was too late—the storm had done its damage.

There is one Foundation you may safely build on that will stand firm. God says, “Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation.” Isaiah 28:16. He is talking about the Lord Jesus Christ. “Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 3:11. Have you accepted Him as your Saviour? This is what is most important for your foundation. Do not rest on the good life your are living, or going to church, or on anything else. If you do, your foundation is only a “floating foundation.” Then when the storm breaks you will find your foundation completely broken up, and you will be lost in your sins forever.

If you will ask the Lord Jesus to forgive your sins, He will be your firm foundation forever. You can be happy and secure knowing no storm will ever crack or even shake this foundation. This foundation is solid rock!

“He is the Rock, His work is perfect.” Deuteronomy 32:4. “The Lord is my rock...in whom I will trust.” Psalms 18:2.

ML-05/30/1982

Giving Our Best

An English queen, who lived many years ago, went to Scotland each summer for her vacation. While she was there she would often walk alone to the nearby town. One afternoon when she was out walking, a thunderstorm suddenly developed. Dark clouds gathered in the western sky, and soon it began to rain. The queen walked quickly up a nearby lane to a small cottage and knocked on the door. When the door was opened the queen asked the woman if she could borrow an umbrella. “I’ll return it tomorrow,” the queen promised.

The woman, not recognizing the queen, did not want to lend her good umbrella to a stranger. Thinking fast, she remembered that she had an old umbrella that she could loan her. She found it and gave it to the queen.

The next day there was another knock at the door of the cottage. This time it was a man in a uniform trimmed with gold braid! He was holding her old umbrella.

“The queen sent me to return the umbrella she borrowed from you,” he said. “She also asked me to give you this letter.”

“The queen!” The woman was stunned. She opened the letter and read a sweet thank-you note from Queen Mary. The woman burst into tears. “The queen! Oh, what an opportunity I missed when I didn’t give her my best!”

Christian children, do not hold back from giving your best to your Saviour. He has done so much for you. Should your best not be reserved for Him? This would include your love, your time, your energy and everything you have. If your best is given to Him or used for Him, it will be honoring to Him and for your blessing. How happy we shall be when we stand in Jesus’ presence if we have always given Him our very best!

“Follow righteousness, faith, charity (love), peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.” 2 Timothy 2:22.

“And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord... for ye serve the Lord Christ.” Colossians 3:23,24.

ML-05/30/1982

Who Needs a New Heart?

An ambulance rushes to a hospital. The doctors and nurses hurry to their appointed duties. The operating-room staff prepares for two operations. One operation will be on a person who has already died! (What is going on? What kind of a hospital is this?)

The siren has barely died down as the stretcher is rolled rapidly to the waiting operating-room team. On the stretcher is the body of a young man who has been killed in a car accident. His family knows he wants his body used as a “donor.” This means healthy organs from his body are to be used for other people who need them. His body is being taken to the operating room so that his healthy heart can quickly be removed and used to replace a diseased or worn-out heart in another person.

Think how complicated this type of operation must be! A team of perhaps 12 doctors, specially trained nurses, hospital equipment and sterilized rooms are all needed. All of this is required to make the operation a success. It can lengthen the life of a person whose body might still be healthy, but whose heart is diseased or worn out.

But remember, as wonderful as this kind of operation is, the results are only temporary. Someday this new heart will finally stop beating too.

Do you know we have a Physician that is greater than all of the expert heart doctors? This Great Physician is Jesus Christ. He has been giving new hearts to people for thousands of years. His “operation” is needed by everyone, because we all have the heart disease called SIN. The Bible tells us how bad our hearts really are: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.” Jeremiah 17:9.

The Lord Jesus will replace a sinful heart only for someone who is willing—someone who knows that he is a sinner and needs a new heart.

Do you believe what the Bible says about your heart—that it is wicked? Do you realize that the Lord Jesus is the only One that can give you a new heart? In Psalms 51:10 David prayed: “Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.”

The Lord Jesus Christ has already done the work. He suffered and died on the cross for the sins of those who would believe in Him—for the sins of those who know that they need this “new heart.” “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Romans 10:9.

After the Lord Jesus has given you a new heart, you will want to thank Him. Perhaps you can thank Him by saying, “I have trusted in Thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in Thy salvation. I will sing unto the Lord, because He has dealt bountifully with me.” Psalms 13:5,6.

ML-05/30/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: Africa's Flying Squirrel

“I will meditate also of all Thy work, and talk of Thy doings... Thou art the God that doest wonders.” Psalms 77:12,14.

It is easy to see how this animal got its name, even though it is not really a squirrel, nor does it actually fly. It makes its home high in the trees of Africa and is not seen very often because it is active mostly at night.

This pretty little fellow, which the Creator clothed in smooth, soft, mole-like fur, is about the size of an American gray squirrel. It has a bushy tail as long as its body, and it has been supplied with several special features for its survival.

The first of these features is its legs which are enclosed in a thin web. This makes them look like a kite when they are spread out. The web is attached to and supported by the head, body and tail, with leg and arm bones acting like reinforcing rods. It is by means of this web that it seems to fly.

Its method of climbing trees is very unusual. It looks like a huge measuring worm when climbing. Grasping the trunk with its front claws, it arches its body, pulling up both hind feet. Then, with the claws of the hind feet clinging tightly, the front feet let go and move upward. In spite of this seemingly awkward way of climbing, it moves quickly up the tree. It is helped in its climb by a number of tough scales covered with sharp, hard spikes which are found near the point where the tail and body are joined. These spikes dig into the trunk, not only helping the hind legs to hold tightly, but also helping to push the body upward.

Because this webbing is attached so securely to its body, this squirrel cannot walk or run like other animals. Most of its traveling is done by leaping from one tree to another. When ready to leap, it puts its head down and pushes off with its hind legs. Using its bushy tail as a rudder, it soars through the air to a selected spot on another tree. Anyone watching this spectacular leap would think it would surely crash, but at the last instant it turns in the air and lands head up, ready to explore the new tree. This is the way the Lord God created it, so it does not need to practice these moves. Those of us who know the Creator can easily see in this little animal one more wonder of His creation.

God has made a way of life for each of His creatures. Man, God’s special creation, has been told in God’s Word, the Bible, of two “ways.” Man is warned in Proverbs 14:12: “There is a way which seeth right unto a man; but the end thereof are the ways of death.” But in John 14:6 the Lord Jesus is called “the Way, the Truth, and the Life.” He is also called the “new and living way” by which we can “draw near (to God) with a true heart in full assurance of faith.” Hebrews 10:20,22. His invitation is, “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28. Which “way” are you following?

ML-05/30/1982

The "Prayer Well"

Memory Verse: “Without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6

Mr. Hsiung’s school needed a new well. It was just as simple as that. As principal of the new school in Chungking, China, he knew that they had to have good drinking water for the students. Like most other wells in Chungking, the closest well to the school building was very shallow. Rain water would run into the wells every time it rained, carrying harmful germs into the water. Mr. Hsiung could not use this water for the students.

The new school in Chungking was a Christian school. Principal Hsiung and the teachers all loved the Lord Jesus and had accepted Him as their Saviour. This was the first Christian school in this part of China, so many of the townspeople were watching them.

Mr. Hsiung talked with some of the townspeople about the water problem. They all told him the same thing—there were no deep wells because of the solid rock under the whole area. But Mr. Hsiung did not give up. He and the rest of the teachers prayed that good water could be found.

After much prayer Mr. Hsiung felt that God would answer their prayers for good water. So a spot in the schoolyard was chosen to begin digging a well.

“Why spend your money for nothing?” asked the people. They laughed at them for trying to dig a well when they could even see part of the rock in several places in the schoolyard.

But Principal Hsiung was sure that the place they had chosen was right where God wanted them to dig. With some difficulty he hired workmen who began digging by hand. They used shovels until they hit rock, and then hammers and chisels were used to break the rock.

Four weeks of steady, hard digging passed, but still no water was found. Behind the principal’s back many people laughed. Most came to find fault, none came to encourage. But Mr. Hsiung did not lose faith. Two months passed, then three. Even the paid workmen wanted to quit. It looked hopeless.

After much prayer, Mr. Hsiung said, “No, I believe this is the place where God wants me to dig. Let’s keep digging until we strike water.”

And so they continued, week after week, hammering, chiseling and digging in the dry, rocky ground. Four months later and 50 feet down they still had not found water. Not even a drop of moisture trickled into the bottom of the well or dampened the walls. Mr. Hsiung and the teachers were very discouraged, and there was much criticism. But once again after much earnest prayer, this man of prayer felt that God would answer his prayers soon.

The hammering continued until one morning one of the workmen hit the side of the well with his chisel. The chisel broke through the rock, and water poured into the well! It came in so fast that the men had to be pulled to the surface quickly, leaving even their tools behind. Within a few minutes there was 10 feet of water in the well, and it was still rising!

The news traveled through the town: “Water! Water! Water! There is water in the well!”

Many people ran from the town to see this impossible thing that had happened. One hour after first striking water they watched the water reach a depth of 30 feet.

The “prayer well” gave them plenty of water—good, clean water —not only for the school, but enough for the whole village! No matter how much was taken out the level remained the same. Later, during a long dry spell when many wells went dry, the “prayer well” continued to produce plenty of water. Far and wide the people recognized that God had answered the prayers of the Christians.

The principal and the teachers used this experience to show the students the power of prayer in a Christian’s life. For those of us who know the Lord Jesus as our Saviour, this story should be an encouragement to pray about everything in our lives—all the little things as well as the big things. God tells us in the Bible that “His ears are open unto their prayers.” 1 Peter 3:12. He also says, “Let him ask in faith.” James 1:6. God wants to bless His children and “to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.” Ephesians 3:20.

ML-06/06/1982

Charlie and the Bear

It was a warm spring day, and Mother put two-year-old Charlie in his playpen on the porch. She was busy in the kitchen when she heard Charlie jabbering excitedly.

Looking out, she was shocked and frightened to see a big black bear in the yard standing on his hind legs looking at Charlie in his playpen! Charlie was smiling at the bear and trying to talk to it. Mother rushed out, grabbed Charlie out of the playpen and ran back into the house, slamming the door behind her.

“Charlie did not seem frightened at all,” she told Daddy later. “In fact, he was upset because I took him away from his ‘friend.’ " The bear must have wondered, since it watched the back door for a while before going back to the woods.

Charlie would have no idea that there was anything dangerous out the bear. Perhaps there wasn’t. Perhaps the bear was the friendliest bear in the woods. But what loving mother is going to allow her child to find out if a bear is friendly or dangerous? She did what had to be done—she took Charlie to a safe place.

There are many people who are “playing” with danger. It concerns where they will be after this life—heaven or hell. When they are told they need a Saviour, they do not seem to care; they do not seem to fear God. Even when they are told about spending eternity in hell it does not impress them. They just wonder why we are concerned.

Are you saved and ready for heaven? Have you received the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour? We cannot be saved by doing good things. The Bible says it is “Not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:9. It also says we have all sinned against God. We must come to the Lord Jesus and have our sins forgiven, or we will never be accepted into heaven. God cannot accept us with our sins.

The Lord Jesus is the only One who can forgive our sins and put them ay. He can do this because He took the punishment for our sins in His own sinless body on the cross. “Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree.” 1 Peter 2:24. Do you believe this good news? Why not put your trust in His precious blood and accept Him as your very own Saviour?

Ask Him to forgive you and save you. He will give you a new life with peace and joy you have never known before. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7.

ML-06/06/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: Man's Friend - The Horse

“In that day shall there be upon the bells of the horses, HOLINESS UNTO THE LORD. " Zechariah 14:20.

Isn’t it amazing that some large animals like horses, which can weigh a ton or more, can be taught to obey a boy or girl weighing less than a hundred pounds? God arranged this in creation, declaring that man should have dominion over them. Centuries ago men discovered that a horse’s mouth could be used to control it. Between its front and back teeth there is an open space. A metal bar called a bit is placed there, and a bridle is attached to it. This is then used to lead the horse wherever the rider wants it to go.

King David in the Bible spoke of horses: “Be ye not as the horse... whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle.” Psalms 32:9. This advice warns us not to resist God, so that He does not have to turn us in the right direction by some stronger action.

A horse keeps its “baby teeth” until it is five years old when new, strong teeth replace them. But over the years these wear down, so an experienced horseman can tell a horse’s age by looking at its teeth!

Have you noticed that a horse’s eyes are more on each side of its head than in front like yours? The Creator gave it this extra safety precaution so it can see to each side, even when munching grass.

A horse’s entire body helps it receive sounds. In addition to its ears, its hooves sense noise and pass it on through its bones and nerves. A horse can swivel its ears, too, turning them almost half-way around in the direction from which a sound is heard. It does not have to practice this, because God made it that way. Its ears are a clue to its disposition as well. Straight forward—it is interested and usually friendly. Turned back—look out—it may be in a bad mood!

The legs and feet of horses were especially designed at the time of its creation. As a horse runs its foot hits the ground with a powerful force. An elastic ligament above the hoof stretches out, so the lower part of the leg does not get hurt by the full force of the animal’s great weight. If it were not for this feature, the leg bones would break and become useless, but this allows it to gallop and jump without harm. Yet a horse can sleep standing upright. At such times its legs, provided with “lock-joints,” remain firm and straight even though the horse is sound asleep.

In spite of what some people teach, these wonderful animals did not develop their unusual abilities by themselves. Everything about them shows the wisdom of the Creator when He placed them among earth’s animals.

The Psalmist said: “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God,” and the invitation is given: “O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in Him.” Psalms 20:7 and 34:8. Have you taken hold of this gracious invitation and promise?

ML-06/06/1982

The Playful Kitten

Memory Verse: “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear.” Isaiah 59:1

Kathy got a wonderful birthday present—a playful little kitten which she named Sparkle. Kathy loved her new kitty even though sometimes it got into things that it should not. One of these things was Mother’s yarn. Sparkle loved to play with the ball of yarn when Mother was knitting. Mrs. O’Riley, Kathy’s mother, would scold her and put her into another room.

One afternoon Mrs. O’Riley was busy in the kitchen. Sparkle quietly crept into the sewing room and found the yarn. Soon the big ball of yarn was rolling around the room with Sparkle chasing it and pouncing on it. The yarn unwound and before long it was all over the floor.

I’m sure you know what happened next—Sparkle got all tangled up in the yarn. She tried to get loose, but only got more tangled up. She could not get herself free.

Mrs. O’Riley heard the noise in the sewing room and came in to see what was going on. And what did she see? Not Sparkle, because she was hiding under a chair. But Mrs. O’Riley knew what had happened. She saw the mess all over the floor—tangled yarn that disappeared under the chair. Would she help kitty?

Each one of us is something like this naughty kitten. We are sinners because we have done things that are wrong. We have gotten tangled up in sin, just like Sparkle got tangled up in the yarn. Sometimes we try our best, but we cannot free ourselves from our sins. Can anyone help us?

Mrs. O’Riley still loved naughty Sparkle. She carefully cut the yarn that was tangled around her. Then Sparkle was free.

God still loves you, too. He wants to free you from the tangle of sin. The Bible tells us God sent His only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, into the world. But it was not just His coming into this world that will free us from our sins. He died on the cross and was pushed, not for anything that He had done, but for sinners like you and me.

Will you accept Him as your Saviour? If you know that you are a sinner and know that you cannot help yourself, then the Lord Jesus is waiting to help you. He loves you and wants to free you from your sin and make you His child.

A kitten would be a nice gift for almost any child. But God’s gift, the Lord Jesus Christ, is far better than any gift that we can ever have. Won’t you accept this wonderful gift from God?

“God commendeth His love tard us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8.

ML-06/13/1982

Why Snakes Do Not Have Legs

Did you ever wonder why snakes do not have legs? If you have ever gone to the zoo you have probably seen all kinds of snakes—big ones and little ones, black ones, brown and green ones. But I am sure you have never seen a snake that had legs. Do you know why snakes do not have legs? The answer is in God’s Word, the Bible.

When God created the first man and woman He placed them in a beautiful garden. It was filled with all kinds of good things for them to eat. God told them they could eat the fruit from any tree except one. If they ate the fruit from that tree, God said they would die.

But the wicked one that the Bible calls the devil, went into that beautiful garden in the form of a serpent (snake). We do not know what it looked like then, but I do not think it looked anything like a snake does now. The devil told the woman they would not die if she and her husband ate the fruit that God told them not to eat. So the woman disobeyed God and ate fruit from that tree. Then she gave some to her husband, and he ate it too. They both disobeyed God, and this is sin. We know that later on they did die, just like God said they would. So you see, boys and girls, what God tells us is the truth. What the devil tells us is a lie.

After the devil lied to the woman, God said that the serpent would crawl on the ground. And that is what the snake has been doing ever since.

All boys and girls sometimes disobey their parents or do other things that they know are wrong. The Bible tells us “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23. This means all boys and girls are sinners.

The Lord Jesus loves each one of us so much He let wicked men nail Him to a wooden cross, and He suffered, shed His blood and died. The suffering from the nails in His hands and feet was terrible. But suffering for our sins was far worse! During the three hours of darkness that covered the world while He was on the cross, Jesus took the punishment for the sins of everyone who would believe in Him.

Maybe you have never asked the Lord Jesus to be your Saviour. Wouldn’t you like to come to Him right now to be forgiven and have your sins washed away? “The blood of Jesus Christ His (God’s) Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7.

Jesus died and was buried, but He rose out of the grave alive and is now waiting to save you. “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man (or boy or girl) hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.” Revelation 3:20.

Just think, the Lord Jesus, the Son of God is alive in heaven right now. He is inviting you to be saved from your sins. Won’t you do it right now? Just close your eyes in prayer, and ask Him to wash away your sins and be your Saviour.

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life.” John 5:24.

ML-06/13/1982

Sheep's Wool

When I was a boy my job was to take the sheep out to the pasture and bring them back. This was an easy job, especially when the weather was nice.

One warm day in June my father said it was time to cut the wool off the sheep. First, the sheep had to be washed, and I remember how I enjoyed helping. The sheep were taken down to the stream. One by one they were led into the water, and their coats were scrubbed clean.

The sheep were kept in a clean part of the barn for two or three days and then were led to the shearing pen. The shearers, using big hair cutters, cut away the fleeces from their skins. The sheep did not seem to mind when their heavy coats were removed.

The wool that we use for coats, suits and sweaters is still obtained the same way. Man has not invented any other way of growing wool. We still need the sheep. Today sheep shearing is done in much the same way as when I was a boy. However, the wool is no longer washed before it is cut off the sheep. This is done later at the mill where the fleece is cleaned carefully.

My mother used to comb the wool out by hand, dye it, and then spin it into yarn on a spinning wheel. Now, all of that is done by machine in the mills. Finally, the yarn is woven into cloth and made into clothing.

The sheep supply wool so that we can have a warm garment or coat. In the Bible we read of being “clothed... with the garments of salvation.” Isaiah 61:10. This garment is not supplied by sheep, but is given to you by the Lord Jesus Christ, because He loves you. This garment is the gift of having your sins washed away and is being offered to anyone who will accept it. He suffered on the cross for sinners such as you. Now He wants to clothe you with the salvation that only He can give. Won’t you accept Him as your Saviour so that He can put the “garments” of salvation” on you?

“Come now, and let us reason tether, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Isaiah 1:18.

ML-06/13/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Comical Puffin

“Hast thou not heard, that... the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary?” Isaiah 40:28.

On islands near Greenland, and other regions of the North Atlantic, lives a colorful bird called the Puffin. Its bright orange, oddly-shaped beak with blue and red stripes attached to a white, puffy face, topped with a black skullcap, give it a very funny look. Add to this a white body with a black cape and dark collar—all mounted on stubby orange legs and feet, and it presents a very comical appearance. Though it seems to be a strange bird, it is well suited to its environment.

It is a splendid diver and excellent at catching seafood. Not content with one victim at a time, its beak can hold several fish, eels or shrimp while pursuing and catching others. Then all are brought to a rock where they are eaten. No one understands how the Puffin can do this, but some people think it holds the first victims with its tongue while opening its beak to catch others.

Some colonies of Puffins contain hundreds of thousands of birds. Sometimes they make their homes in burrows, but usually they build nests on cliff ledges where the female lays one white egg. The eggs are a remarkable example of the Creator’s special care of their needs. Instead of being oval like a chicken’s or round like some woodland birds, the Puffin’s egg is round of only one end and pointed on the other.

Why do you think the Lord made their egg such an odd shape? When He created the Puffin He knew that their eggs would be laid on rocky ledges. A round or oval egg would easily roll off the ledge if left unattended even for a moment or two. However, a pointed egg just turns around in a circle and can easily be returned to the nest. Only a Creator who loves His creatures would design such an egg. It could never develop through so-called “evolution.”

It takes almost a month for the chick to hatch. It remains in the nest about six weeks and is fed a continual diet of fish. When the parents tire of this chore, and leave it, the young bird goes to the edge of the cliff and flies down to the water. There it feels comfortably at home, and soon it is diving for its own food. Forgetting its parents it becomes an active part of the colony and later migrates south with them, returning in the spring to the same rock on which it was born.

These birds live in a remote part of the world, but are not forgotten by the One who created them. The Lord once said, “Consider the ravens (and might well have added the Puffins): for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?” Luke 12:24. He is making it plain that He thinks more highly of human beings than of all else. He has shown this by giving us a never-dying soul and He wants us to prepare for heaven by trusting in Him.

Our preparation for heaven is by seeing that we need to have our sins forgiven and by confessing Him as the One who alone can save us. His kind invitation is, “Those that seek Me early shall find Me.” Proverbs 8:17. Have you done this?

ML-06/13/1982

Found Out

Memory Verse: “Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God.” 1 Peter 3:18

Carl and Benny were friends and had many good times together. It seemed that when one of them was good or did something nice, so did the other one. But it was also true that when one of them got into trouble, the other one got into trouble with him.

One day the two boys went to the shoe-repair store so Carl could get new rubber heels put on his shoes. They waited while Mr. Brown, the shoe repairman, put on the new heels. On the way home Benny told Carl he had discovered something while they were waiting.

“There’s a peach tree in back of that store, and it has ripe peaches on it. Let’s sneak over and get some."

“That wouldn’t be right,” Carl told Benny, but his mouth watered when he thought about the peaches. “That would be stealing, wouldn’t it?”

“Oh, we won’t take very many,” answered Benny, “just enough for the two of us to eat. I’ve got a basket just the right size. Let’s go over there tonight and take just a few of them. Nobody will ever miss them.”

“But what if we get caught? They’ll put us in jail!” Carl said, worried.

Benny laughed. “Oh, we won’t get caught. Don’t worry about that. Anyway, they won’t put us in jail for taking a few peaches.”

That night after it was dark, Carl and Benny crept through the tall grass near the tree and reached it without being seen. Carl held the basket while Benny picked the peaches—one from this branch and one from another branch. “This way,” he whispered to Carl, “no one will miss them.”

As soon as the basket was full they crept back through the grass and then ran to Carl’s barn. They planned to hide the peaches there and eat them in the next few days.

By the time they reached the barn Carl was feeling very uneasy. He was pretty sure no one had seen them, but even that did not seem to help him.

“Benny, we are thieves!” he said shaking his head.

“But nobody saw us,” Benny replied.

“That doesn’t matter. We know what we did. Just because no one else knows about it doesn’t make any difference. We are still thieves!” Carl continued.

The two boys argued for some time about it until Benny asked, “What are you going to do about it? If I’m a thief, so are you.”

“I’m returning my share tomorrow,” answered Carl. “I don’t want to have this awful feeling all the time. I’ll tell Mr. Brown that I took them.”

Benny called Carl a quitter, and they went home mad at each other.

The next morning Carl put half of the peaches in a bag and slowly walked back to the shoe-repair store.

“Hello, young man,” Mr. Brown said cheerfully as Carl entered the store. “What can I do for you today?”

“I have some peaches here....”

“Well, well,” Mr. Brown said, “so you brought back part of the peaches you took last night. Where is Benny with his peaches?”

Carl’s mouth opened in surprise! “Who told you?” he finally managed to ask.

“Something that can’t talk,” Mr. Brown said. “Come with me and I’ll show you.” Out under the peach tree Mr. Brown kneeled down and pointed to some footprints in the soft dirt. “You know those new heels I put on your shoes yesterday? I put the very same kind on Benny’s shoes last week. They were the only two pairs of that kind that I had left. Look, they fit exactly into the prints in the dirt. As soon as I saw these footprints this morning, I checked the tree and could see that some peaches had been taken, and I knew who had taken them. I’m glad you brought them back. Go find Benny and bring him here. I have something to say to both of you.”

As Carl ran to find Benny he was thankful he had gone back to Mr. Brown. He had no trouble finding Benny, and they went to Mr. Brown’s together.

“Boys, I could have reported both of you either to the police or to your parents, but I decided not to. Instead, I want to talk to you about what really made you take my peaches.”

Mr. Brown, who loved the Lord Jesus, explained to the boys that every person is born a sinner, and that every one of us acts like a sinner, and that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23. Since that is what we are, we need the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour. He is the only One who can save us from the punishment our sins deserve. Mr. Brown explained that they must come to God, admitting they are sinners, and accept the Lord Jesus as the One who died for their sins on the cross and shed His blood as payment for them. He told them how much God loved them and wanted them to be saved. They also heard that “as many as received Him (Jesus Christ), to them gave He power (authority) to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” John 1:12.

Boys and girls, have you realized that “your sin will find you out"? Numbers 32:23. You cannot do wrong and get away with it, as Benny thought. God sees everything we do, and sooner or later we will have to pay for our sins. Have you admitted that you are a sinner and cannot please God, and that you need the Lord Jesus to save you from sin and punishment? Why not come to Him and confess your sins and ask Him to be your Saviour.

“Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Galatians 6:7.

“For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the Just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God.” 1 Peter 3:18.

ML-06/20/1982

The Rockslide

Early one morning a rockslide developed near the top of Snoqualmie Pass in the state of Washington. Boulders crashed thunderously down a mountainside, splintering trees as they rolled and bounced. As it swept onto a highway, it demolished and buried two trailer trucks in its path.

When the rumbling was first heard a flagman, knowing what was happening, stopped both trucks and shouted, “Don’t go any further! Run for your lives!”

One driver obeyed the warning. He jumped out of the cab and barely escaped the crashing boulders. The other driver stayed inside his cab, thinking he would be safe. Hours later his crushed body was removed from the smashed cab by rescue workers.

There is another “flagman” calling out a warning to you. Will you listen? The Bible tells us there is judgment coming on this world, because we are all sinners. It also tells us there is a safe place for anyone who will listen to God’s Word and obey it.

God saw that we were lost in our sins and on our way to hell. God loves us and sent the Lord Jesus to save us. On the cross He took the punishment that we deserved for our sins. If you will believe that He died for you and accept Him as your Saviour, He promises to save you. Do not wait any longer. The warning has been given. Run to the place of safety before it is too late.

“Boast not thyself of to-morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” Proverbs 27:1.

“He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.” John 3:18.

ML-06/20/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Importance of the Oceans

“And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called He Seas: and God saw that it was Good.” Genesis 1:10.

The oceans cover about three-fourths of the world’s surface. Although God created billions of stars and planets, none except the earth, as far as we know, has more than a trace of water on it. This is understandable, for He had special purposes in mind when the earth was made. “He created it not in vain, He formed it to be inhabited.” Isaiah 45:18. The abundance of water found on the earth is essential to preserve every form of life He placed here.

Without the oceans great extremes of temperature would make life impossible, since it is the action of the oceans that makes up for, the uneven heating of the sun. The earth receives the greatest amount of heat at the equator. North or south of the equator the heat becomes less and less so that the North and South Poles are very cold. But between the equator and these icy places millions of people make their homes and are busy with life’s activities, with plant and animal life about them. This would not be possible if it were not for the ocean’s effect on the climate.

As the sun heats the waters near the equator they expand, creating currents which move to the north and south. These currents travel thousands of miles and carry the heated water on their surfaces (because warm water rises). This, in turn, causes the cold water they meet to drop below (cold water falls) and flow in the opposite direction, back toward the equator where they in turn are warmed, and the process is repeated.

Warm ocean waters are a large reservoir of heat that have a great influence on air temperatures. Great amounts of heat are stored in these sun-heated waters. This heat is not lost through radiation as fast as it is from land. That is why the air above the oceans is cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter than the air above land.

Solomon wrote: “All the rivers run into the sea; yet the sea is not full: unto the place from whence the rivers come, thither they return again.” Ecclesiastes 1:7. His observation was true; the flow of waters into the oceans is balanced by evaporation from it, and the seas never overflow! Only a divine Creator could so delicately control these great actions so that they are always in balance.

It is estimated that in one hour the heat of the sun will raise over 5,000 tons of water from one square mile of ocean. Think of the great amount of vapor that is lifted into the skies when the sun shines on millions of miles of ocean!

Surely God’s ways are past finding out. Isn’t it wonderful to consider how He made the oceans to contribute to the comforts of His creatures? Have you thought about His ways and purposes for you?

ML-06/20/1982

Blind Loi Faat

Memory Verse: “For 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

Yes, it was true—he was going blind! Eighteen-year-old Loi Faat walked slowly down the dusty road of his small Chinese town. A smallpox epidemic had killed many of his family and friends. He himself had almost died, but his strong, young body had been able to fight off the disease. He thought he had completely recovered until his eyes began bothering him. At first he did not think much about it, but then his eyes got worse. Within a few weeks he was almost totally blind. Now, a doctor had told him he could not help him—there was no hope!

Loi Faat thought about what he would do now. He wondered if it would not be easier to die than to live as a blind beggar. He knew his family could not take care of him. Like many others he would have to spend the rest of his life begging— “Alms? Alms?” What a future for someone who had made such good plans for his life!

The weeks passed and Loi Faat’s eyes were now completely blind. Life for him was useless. Most days he thought about the easiest way to end his life. Nearby was a river that he had enjoyed swimming in many times. Now he decided that drowning in this river was the only thing left to do.

For Loi Faat this seemed the easiest way out of his difficulty. He had never read a Bible nor heard about the love of God. He did not know anything about the Lord Jesus Christ. In China they worshipped idols. To him it seed that death would be far better than the unhappiness of being one of the blind beggars of China.

It was a cold night. Loi Faat put on his heavy winter clothes before walking down the path toward the river. He had followed this path many times, so he did not need a guide. At the edge of the river he waited only a moment before jumping into the water.

But God was watching. He loved Loi Faat, and He had another plan for his life. The quilted clothes he was wearing held many little pockets of air and acted like a life preserver. Instead of sinking, Loi Faat floated and was carried down the river by the current.

About a mile down from where Loi Faat had jumped into the river, God had sent a Christian fisherman to fish during the quiet night hours. Hoi Chun was using a large net to catch fish. Just as Loi Faat was floating by, the old fisherman began to draw in his net. God’s plan was unfolding.

As Hoi Chun pulled in the net, he said to himself, “My net is very heavy! I have caught something large!”

As he pulled the net to shore and reached in for the fish, his hand touched Loi Faat. “Oh, it’s a man, it’s a man!” cried the old fisherman. “And he is alive! Yes, it’s a man, and he is still alive!”

With great difficulty Hoi Chun half carried and half dragged the nearly unconscious Loi Faat to his little hut up on the bank. He built up a fire to warm Loi Faat and to dry his clothes.

Hoi Chun was not only a man who caught fish, but he knew the promise of the Lord Jesus— “I will make you... fishers of men.” Mark 1:17. At once he cast in his “gospel line.” Tears came to his eyes as he talked to Loi Faat and told him about the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who loved him and wanted to save him from his hopeless life and everlasting judgment.

Hoi Chun remembered the stories in the Bible about the Lord Jesus healing blind men’s eyes and he told Loi Faat all about them. Then he explained that Christ may not cure his eyes of blindness, but could cure his heart of blindness.

Loi Faat listened closely to everything Hoi Chun told him. He soon saw his need of a Saviour, and looking up through blind eyes he said, “Lord Jesus, I give my life to Thee. Save me now.”

The Lord Jesus always hears these simple calls from hearts that accept the love and mercy He offers. Loi Faat was saved, and it was not long before others heard his story.

He began to tell others about what Christ had done for him. Many listened to the amazing story that he told, of how God had pulled him from the river, saving him from both drowning and from everlasting judgment. He told the gospel in a simple but effective way. The old fisherman was his teacher, and later Hoi Chun passed him on to others who were able to teach him more. But Loi Faat’s gospel message along with his Christian life was a miracle in itself. When he spoke others saw that it was from his heart, and many believed.

God opened China to Loi Faat, the blind gospel preacher. He traveled the dusty roads from village to village and into the big cities. He learned to read the braille Bible, and carried it with him every place he went. Walking the dusty roads or riding the river boats, his message was the same: “I have been snatched from death by the hand of God, and I have been saved by the blood of Jesus.”

Although this story took place in a country far from where we live, Loi Faat’s good news is for us, too. If any of you reading this story have not accepted the Lord Jesus as your Saviour, you are on your way to a lost eternity. God saved Loi Faat, and He wants to save you. We are telling the very same message— “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7. Won’t you accept this salvation that is now being offered? It may not be offered again, so do not wait any longer. Admit that you are a sinner and need to be saved. Call on the Lord Jesus to save you. He is waiting.

“All have sinned.” Romans 3:23.

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” Acts 16:31.

ML-06/27/1982

Mr. Squirrel's Hiding Place

“Get your trowel and check the new concrete at the bottom of the steps,” Grandpa called out to me from the house. It had been a busy day of pouring concrete. The steps had been one of the last things we had worked on.

When I looked at the steps, I saw that a patch of the new, wet concrete had been all dug up. As I smoothed out the spot again, my trowel uncovered an acorn. Digging around with the end of the trowel, I found four of them!

When I told Grandpa about it, he laughed and said that he had seen Mr. Squirrel digging in the new concrete. That is why he had asked me to check the steps. Mr. Squirrel had found the soft concrete, busily dug holes in it, and then buried his acorns.

Smoothing out the concrete, I thought about what would have happened if the acorns had stayed there. Mr. Squirrel would have returned later and found the concrete as hard as rock. He thought he had found a good hiding place. But he had buried his acorn treasures, causing a lot of damage and he would never find them again!

The Lord Jesus said, “Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth... but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.” Matthew 6:19,20. Some people are just like Mr. Squirrel. They only worry about “treasures” for themselves in this life. They work hard for food, clothing, cars, houses and other things which are not bad in themselves. But they become so concerned about these things that they do not think about God.

Where are your treasures? Are they in heaven, because you have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour? Or are they only on earth, because you are still a lost sinner? Think about it—Where are your treasures?

“Christ; in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Colossians 2:2,3.

ML-06/27/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: Those Marvelous Muscles!

“I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are Thy works.... in Thy book all my members were written.” Psalms 139:14,16.

Everyone is aware of muscles. They are apparent when boys show off their arms. Older men feel the ache in their muscles after strenuous exercise. Probably the most important muscle in our body is the cardiac muscle that pumps blood through the body thousands of times a day. There are over 400 muscles in the body, although we are completely unaware of some of them.

Without muscles you could not blink or turn your eyes. Muscles open your mouth and move your jaws as well as direct your tongue in its many activities. You turn or tilt your head with muscles, and every smile or scowl is produced by muscular actions. Food is moved down your throat to your stomach by muscles. The action of the stomach and much of the remaining digestive system is also under their control. Without their help you could not use a fork, sew a dress, hammer a nail or play the piano. Feet, legs, arms and fingers would all be useless without them, nor could you sit in a chair or even get out of bed. Walking requires the use of about 300 muscles, and just standing uses 144 back muscles to keep a person from falling.

Some muscles, called “skeletal muscles,” only perform when the brain instructs them. Others, the “smooth” muscles, act on impulse. All consist of thread-like fibers, blood vessels and tissue, bound in bundles and enclosed in a tough membrane. Upon command from the nervous system these provide the strength for their specific job. When God created man He designed every muscle perfectly and gave each one its own power plant through chemical energy. Calcium, potassium and other chemicals help supply this energy.

Some people falsely teach that man required millions of years to develop his wonderful body. But the Bible gives the true account. In it we read: “The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life... God is greater than man.” Job 33:4,12. Man’s body was made complete in every detail the day he was created by the Lord God. “His way is perfect.” Psalms 18:30. He left nothing to develop in later years. Sickness and death of the muscles and the rest of the body have come into the world because of sin. But the time is coming when those whose faith is in the Lord Jesus Christ will be given perfect bodies, as it is written: “We look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body.” Philippians 3:20-21.

Isn’t this a wonderful promise? But it is made only to those who know their sins are forgiven because they have trusted in the Lord Jesus and the salvation work He completed on Calvary’s cross. Have you accepted Him as your own Lord and Saviour? Are you included in this company?

ML-06/27/1982

Follow the Leader

Memory Verse: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” Acts 16:31

“Follow the leader!” yelled Jim. Jim and his friends took off running across the field. Three of the boys were old friends and were together almost all the time. From morning until evening during the summer, they played ball and lots of other things that boys 10, 11 and 12 years old can find to do. But the best thing of all about these three, was that they all loved the Lord Jesus. Each boy had accepted Him as his own Saviour.

However, as of yesterday their “gang” had grown into four. Wayne was the new boy. They had watched Wayne’s family move into the big red house at the end of their street. Although shy at first, Wayne was happy to find some boys his own age to play with.

Across the field, over the pasture fences, a leap over Pebble Creek, and on they ran. It was lots of fun! Up the hill and through the woods they ran. Jim was a good leader. Sometimes they jumped over fallen logs, sometimes they crawled under branches, then down narrow trails and across mounds of rocks, but they were always running.

Wayne noticed that they were running near a small river. As they continued on up a hill, he could hear the sound of rushing water. They came out of the woods into a clearing, and there was the top of a waterfall! The river flowed over a rock cliff and fell 30 feet to the rocks below. It was so pretty that Wayne stopped to look. As he watched the falls and rushing river, he quickly saw that the rest of the boys were already on the other side. He wondered how they had gotten over there. Looking around he saw their “bridge.” It was an old board about eight inches wide. He could see that if he wanted to get to the other side, their “bridge” was the only way to cross. He guessed Jim and the other boys had crossed it many times, but he was not too sure he wanted to cross it.

Wayne looked down at the water splashing on the rocks below. A cold shiver ran up and down his back. The boys were looking back at him and waving for him to come over. If he refused to follow, they might think he was a sissy. Looking down at the rocks again, he thought to himself that maybe he was. He wasn’t sure he wanted to cross that skinny-looking board.

“Come on!” yelled Jim. “The board is good and strong. Just don’t look down at the waterfall and the rocks—look only at the board. Trust it to take you across. It held us.”

Wayne thought to himself, “I can believe that it will hold me, but that won’t get me across. I’ve got to walk on it and trust it to hold me.” He hesitated as he took his first step, and then it was just a few more quick steps and he was over. “Safe!” he sighed out loud.

After more “follow the leader” the boys rested by the river with their shoes off and their feet in the cool water. They talked about the bridge and how scared each of them had been the first time they went over it. Jim, who was the oldest, said that it reminded him of how Jesus had saved him.

“There was a big gap between God and me,” he explained, “because I was a sinner and He is holy. But Jesus, God’s Son, came and stood between us, just like that board is between the two cliffs. The board is the only way over the river. Jesus is the only way that we can cross over to heaven. We have to see that we cannot get into heaven by ourselves, because our sins are in the way. We have to trust in the Lord Jesus. He is our ‘bridge.’ "

Jim went on to explain: “God cannot accept us with our sins. He loves us so much that He sent the Lord Jesus into this world. On Calvary’s cross Jesus took all God’s punishment for the sins of anyone who will believe on Him. If we believe that He died for our sins, then we are saved. I am just as sure about going to heaven as you were, Wayne, when you said ‘safer after you got across the board.”

Wayne had never heard anything like that before. It seemed to make sense, but it also seemed too easy. He thought about what Jim had said for a couple of weeks. He watched and listened to Jim and the others as they played. He had never met boys like them before.

Jim invited Wayne to go to Sunday school with him. Wayne wanted to go, but his parents would not let him. Now, three weeks later, they said he could go.

At Sunday school he heard the story of God’s love again, just as he had heard it from Jim and the other boys. Hearing the story of God’s love, and seeing his need as a sinner, he accepted the Lord Jesus as his Saviour, too.

He said to Jim on the way home, “I’ve trusted in Jesus just like I trusted in that board to hold me. He is my Saviour now, too.”

“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” Acts 16:31.

“If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Romans 10:9.

ML-07/04/1982

Ann's Cats

One time when I was visiting in a certain city, I stayed in the home of an old friend. My friend’s little daughter Ann had two cats which were interesting to watch.

One cat was a plain white cat named Dewey. He was a gentle cat that was very nice to have around. The other cat was a large angora cat which had the funny name of Mother Grundy.

Now, Mother Grundy was a pretty cat with long, silky hair. But her nature was not nice. In fact, she was the meanest cat that I have ever seen. When visitors would come to Ann’s home they would usually say something about what a beautiful cat she was. But after being there for a while, they would find out what Mother Grundy was really like. She was nasty and mean, and you never knew what she might do next. She could be lying quietly on your lap while you petted her and then suddenly she might reach out her paw and scratch you!

Once Ann tried to keep a puppy in the house, too. The puppy and Dewey got along fine, but Mother Grundy was so mean that the puppy was terrified! She would chase him and hiss at him. The poor little puppy always seemed to have some scratches on his nose and face from her sharp claws. They finally had to get rid of the puppy.

Mother Grundy reminds me of some people who are so nice at times, but mean and nasty at other times. There are some boys and girls who are like that, too. How nice it is to meet children who are always friendly to other people.

If you have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, then you can be cheerful all the time. This is because God’s Holy Spirit is living inside of you. God your Father would have you do only good things. But sometimes we let that “old self” show and tell us what to do. Then we can be just as mean and nasty as we were before we were saved. This is sin, and we should confess to God what we have done and ask Him to help us. This is the way to please Him and live our life for Him.

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.” Galatians 5:22,23.

ML-07/04/1982

Bible Acrostic

The Name of Jacob’s youngest son? (Gen. 35)

A Stone that told what God had done? (1 Sam. 7)

A Saint who showed great unbelief? (John 20)

One who to God poured out her grief? (1 Sam. 1)

A Man to save his life who fled? (Gen. 19)

A Queen who filled another’s stead? (Esther 2)

A King who had God’s witness slain? (Acts 12)

And One whose prayers stayed the rain? (1 Kings 17)

Who lived the longest here below? (Gen. 5)

The first letters give the place you know. (Matt. 2)

ML-07/04/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Cute Baby Chick - Part 1

“The birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay His head.” Matthew 8:20.

Aren’t baby chickens cute? They are so tiny, with bright eyes, little beaks, soft, yellow fuzz and dainty legs and feet! The Lord Jesus looks happily on these little creatures, too, for they are part of His marvelous creation.

Where do they come from?

“Oh,” you say, “they come from an egg.”

Right, but where did the egg come from?

“It came from a hen,” you reply.

Both answers are correct, but let’s see just how the Creator arranged for this to happen.

Most eggs laid by hens are “infertile” and end up on the breakfast table or in a cooking recipe. Baby chicks never come from these, but there are times when the hen produces fertile eggs which are the beginnings of baby chicks. Fertile eggs begin inside the hen’s body as a single cell too small to see. This single cell is a little white spot smaller than a pinhead.

A microscope would show the white spot resting on the yolk, which is formed first and is made of six separate rings. Albumen (the white of an egg) forms around this cell in another series of layers. The first layer is just a thin covering. Next to it a tough, flexible film grows which is strong enough to protect the inside of the egg when it later drops into a nest. Then a third, almost liquid layer develops against the yolk, enabling it to float and keeping it safe from everything except very rough treatment. All this time the original cell is resting on top of the yolk, awaiting the right moment to start becoming a living chick.

Over all this two more sheets of white film form to become a lining under the four-layered shell. In every egg a small chamber is left vacant at the rounded end—right where the baby chick’s head will lie when developing. Later we will see why this is necessary. Now the cell is ready, in God’s marvelous programming, to develop into a living chick. We will outline in the next issue just how that takes place.

Of course, in addition to chickens, there are millions of birds hatching each year in all kinds of sizes, shapes and colors. However, all of them begin life in the same way except that some take longer to hatch than others.

As the verse at the beginning of this article reminds us, the birds (and chickens) have nests in which to lay their eggs, but when the Lord Jesus was on earth He had “not where to lay His head.” What a long Saviour He is. “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich.” 2 Corinthians 8:9.

The riches He gives bring everlasting life and glory in heaven for all who will accept Him as their Saviour. Do you have these riches?

ML-07/04/1982

Mike Takes off

Memory Verse: “The Son of man is come to save that which was lost.” Matthew 18:11

Mike overheard his mother tell Patty, his older sister, that there was some money on the table to buy some hot dogs. “Will you please run to the store for me?” she asked. “Daddy will be home in an hour, and I haven’t started dinner yet.”

Mike, who was just 4 years old, thought to himself, “I know where the store is. I can do it.” So he took the money off the table and ran off al] alone. He really thought that he was doing the right thing and was hay that he could be Mother’s helper.

Although it was summertime there was a cold wind blowing off the lake It had been warm whey. Mike had played outside earlier in the day. But now as he walked, skipped and ran to the store, he started to get cold.

Mike was gone only a few minutes when Mother wondered where he was. She went all through the house calling and looking for him. “Mike, Mike!” she called out the door several times. Then she asked Patty to look around for him before she went to the store. She called him, too, but there was no answer. No one had seen Mike leave, so no one knew where he was. Mother was very worried. Where could he have gone? She decided to call the police.

“Are you lost, little boy?” a gentle voice asked Mike.

He looked up into the face of a kind lady and started to cry. “I can’t find my mommy,” he sobbed, “and I’m cold.”

The lady picked up little Mike and held him close as she walked down the street to the nearest phone. She called the police and told them about Mike. They thought he was probably the same little boy that they were looking for. Soon a police car came to take Mike, and it was not long until he was safe at home with his parents.

The first thing Mike said when he got home was, “Look, Mommy, I got the hot dogs!” Sure enough, he had brought a bag home with him, and in it was a package of wieners and the change from the money.

Now Mother figured out what he had done. “Couldn’t you find your way home?” Mother asked holding him tightly.

“No. I couldn’t find our street, and I walked and walked,” explained Mike.

Poor Mike. He had turned the wrong direction after coming out of the store. He had been going the wrong way!

Mike was really lost. He had walked and walked trying to find his own way home, but couldn’t. He needed someone to help him, to show him the way. The lady that found him knew just what to do to get Mike back home.

The Bible tells us that “the Son of man (the Lord Jesus Christ) is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10. It also tells us that we have all turned our own way. Each of us is a sinner and going away from God. We are lost and cannot find our own way back to God. It is sin that keeps us away from Him. We are lost—lost in sin.

But God sent His only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, into the world to save the lost. God says you need a Saviour. Little Mike admitted he was lost. We know he was glad to accept the kind lady’s help. He did not tell her to go away, that he would find his own way home. Will you admit that you are lost, and accept the Lord Jesus as your Saviour? God cannot accept you with your sins, but the Lord Jesus Christ shed His blood to wash away sins. Accept Him as your Saviour so that He can take you to His home in heaven forever.

“For 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.

ML-07/11/1982

We Can Sing for Jesus

Mrs. Lang loved to sing, and her friends loved to listen to her. She sang all the time—when she rocked her baby to sleep, washed the dishes, or worked in the garden. She said that singing while she worked made the work seem easier. She loved the Lord Jesus and loved to talk to other people about Him. Even her singing was about Him and His love. Yes, she was a happy Christian.

A neighbor who lived next door to the Lang’s was a grumpy, grouchy old man. He was always yelling at the children or arguing with the neighbors. Mrs. Lang prayed for her neighbor, Mr. Stewart, but she could not find an opportunity to talk to him about the Lord Jesus.

She knew that he was getting old, and she knew that he did not love her Saviour. She wondered how much he had heard about Him. Would Mr. Stewart die in his sins? How sad that he knew nothing of the happiness that she had by knowing the Saviour.

One day Mrs. Lang was working at the kitchen sink. It was a warm summer day, and the window in front of her was open. Mr. Stewart was working in his garden in full view of her open window. Mrs. Lang thought, “If I can’t talk to him, maybe I can sing to him.” She started to sing in her strong, clear voice:

Just as I am, without one plea,

But that Thy blood was shed for me,

And that Thou bidst me come to Thee,

O Lamb of God, I come, I come.

She sang all the verses of this wonderful gospel hymn. She could tell that Mr. Stewart was listening. He stood up straight, not actually looking her way, but not working either. When she finished singing he slowly turned and walked back into the house.

Several times over the next two or three weeks Mrs. Lang sang hymns that she knew Mr. Stewart could hear and understand. Sometimes they were simple Sunday school songs and choruses. Other times they were about the love of the Lord Jesus for sinners and how He died on Calvary’s cross for them.

One day, about a month after she first started her “gospel singing” to Mr. Stewart, he spoke to Mr. Lang when they were both working in their yards. He asked questions about the Lord Jesus and the need of a Saviour. Mr. Lang was able to show him from the Bible what God has to say. He explained to Mr. Stewart that it was not enough just to know about God, but it was important to know Him as your own Saviour.

This first talk between Mr. Lang and Mr. Stewart opened the way for more talks. And in God’s time Mr. Stewart saw his need as a sinner and accepted the Lord Jesus as his Saviour. After that he was a happy Christian, too, and thanked Mrs. Lang for singing to him.

“Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.” Ephesians 5:19.

“Is any merry? let him sing psalms.” James 5:13.

ML-07/11/1982

Shutting Out the Noise

A man was standing in a telephone booth trying to talk on the telephone. He kept repeating, “I can’t hear you! I can’t hear you!”

A friend was waiting outside. He leaned in and said, “If you would close the door you could hear.”

Sometimes our lives are so busy with doing things that we cannot hear God speaking to us. It may not be only the noise and commotion of this world that blocks out God’s voice. Sometimes we are so busy trying to serve Him that we do not have time to listen to His instructions. Are we so busy that we do not have time to be alone in quietness with the Lord? Our prayer should be that “we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.” 1 Timothy 2:2.

ML-07/11/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Cute Baby Chick - Part 2

“How often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!” Luke 13:34.

Last week we reviewed how a fertile egg is formed, which is the beginning of how a chicken or bird is brought into the world. What takes place after this fertile egg is formed and dropped into the nest is also interesting.

The warmth of the mother hen’s body, at 99.5°, is exactly right to incubate the egg so that the various parts of its little body can develop inside of it. First, the head develops. The next day a beating heart appears with blood vessels to carry food nutrients to the different parts of the chick as they form.

Then, as days pass, skin, bones, the brain, nerves and other parts develop. By the eighth day everything is well formed, including areas where feathers will later appear. All this growth requires food from the yolk and a constant supply of oxygen inside the egg. The Creator arranged this supply of oxygen by designing the shell with thousands of tiny pores that allow air to come in. (You didn’t know an eggshell was so full of holes, did you?)

Up to now the process has taken about three weeks. Then, while still being incubated by the mother and just two days before hatching, the fully-formed chick begins to breathe with its lungs for the first time. But this requires more air than can enter through the shell. How is it going to get more air? The answer is that the flat spot at the rounded end of the egg (which we talked about last week) has been holding extra air for just this purpose. As we noticed before, the little chick’s head has been formed right at this very spot. Its beak reaches into this spot where it finds enough air for the last two days of incubation.

The chick now begins to break out of its shell by pecking at it with a temporary hard “tooth” that has grown on the end of its beak. This “tooth” is in place just long enough to help it escape and will drop off later.

How can anyone doubt that this wonderful process is the result of God’s creation? All the things that take place could not come one by one over the years, because while supposedly waiting for all this to gradually “evolve,” there soon would be no hens or birds left to lay any more eggs. Aren’t you glad to know it was the Creator, the Lord God, who designed this wonderful process?

The mother hen or bird anxiously waits for the little ones to hatch and then gives them her protecting care. The Lord Jesus was thinking of this when He spoke sadly in the verse at the beginning of this article, about foolish people who would not accept His love and care. He wants to let His love rest on each one, inviting you to cast “all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.” 1 Peter 5:7.

Have you made Him happy by accepting this kind invitation?

ML-07/11/1982

Everyone but Me!

Memory Verse: “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat.” Matthew 7:13

“But, Mom, everyone else is going—and I mean everyone! Why do I always have to be different from the rest of the boys?”

“No, Ted. Please don’t ask again. Your father and I feel that that park is not anyplace where the Lord would want us to go. There are things there that we feel are not pleasing to Him, and we are trying to please Him. If you were a Christian and loved the Lord you would understand.”

“Well, I don’t think I ever want to be a Christian if I can’t do what everyone else is doing,” Ted replied angrily. He let the screen door bang behind him as he clumped outdoors.

When Ted found out later that he also could not go to the Boy Scout summer camp with his friends, he grumbled again. Some of the Sunday school children were going to spend a week at a lake where they would have Bible studies in the morning and outdoor activities in the afternoon. Ted’s answer to this idea was, “I don’t want to go! There are only a couple kids I know who are going there.”

Ted did not realize it, but the only things he ever wanted to do were the things everyone else was doing. He talked and acted like everyone else. Even when he knew that what the rest of his friends wanted to do was wrong, he did not speak up for what he knew was right. If “everyone else” was doing it, he wanted to do it too!

When Ted arrived at the lake with the other Sunday school children, everything seemed strange to him. At first he was not very happy, but soon the activities at the beach and lake and the games made him happy. Before he knew it he had made some new friends and was glad he had come. To his surprise even the Bible lessons were interesting!

His teacher for the Bible lesson in the morning had a big chart on the wall that said, “Two Roads and Two Destinies.” It was covered with diagrams and pictures which Ted found helped him to understand the Bible stories better.

A drawing in the center of the chart showed a wide road with many people walking on it. This road went downward until it ended in a place called “the lake of fire.” Near the center of the drawing was a small road turning off the wide road. This road could only be entered through a gate which was shaped like a cross. This narrow road led upward to heaven. Ted noticed that there were only a few people walking on this road compared to the number that were on the wide road.

Their teacher explained that the wide road was the easy one, because it is the road “everyone else” is taking. They see it as an “exciting” road, because it is pleasing to their sinful hearts. Only a few people see that this road is dangerous. The others don’t see the danger because their eyes have been blinded by Satan. They think that since “everyone else” is on this road it must be all right.

Suddenly Ted could see that he was one of those people going down that wide road that ended in everlasting punishment! He knew he had always wanted to do what his friends were doing. Now for the first time he could see the great danger in doing that. As he studied the chart his eyes followed the “broad way” back to where the narrow road turned off. Right away he saw that to start on that narrow road he had to go through the “cross gate.” He knew from what his parents had taught him and what he had learned in Sunday school that he needed to be saved. He had to come to the One who had died on that cross, and accept Him as his Saviour. He knew his sins had to be washed away.

At the end of the lesson Ted felt nervous about going up to talk to the teacher, but he knew he had better do it.

The two of them went for a walk along one of the trails while the teacher explained what it all meant. They were sitting on a mossy log with a red squirrel scolding from a branch overhead when Ted accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his Saviour.

Ted had walked down that wide road for several years before he really understood that he was on his way to a lost eternity. The love of God rescued him from that road, and now he is walking on the narrow road that leads to heaven.

God loves you, too, and He wants to rescue you from that dangerous wide road. Won’t you accept Him as your Saviour right now?

“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat.” Matthew 7:13.

“Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed.” Romans 10:11.

ML-07/18/1982

Those Bad Fingers!

Lisa was 5 years old. She was a happy little girl, full of things that “she just had to do.” But sometimes these “things” got her into mischief and trouble. Each evening just before her bedtime, Daddy or Mommy would kneel down with her to talk in prayer to the loving Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.

One night after they had finished praying, Lisa said to her daddy, “This finger and thumb were very bad today.” She held up the finger and thumb for Daddy to see.

“Why, what have they done?” he asked.

“Can you guess?” Lisa asked with a frown.

Daddy mentioned several things, but Lisa just shook her head “no.” Finally she had to tell.

“They took some raisins out of the raisin jar,” she said, and then after a little pause she added, “and put them into my mouth.”

“Did anybody tell those bad fingers to do that?” asked Daddy looking at Lisa.

“I didn’t hear anybody,” answered Lisa.

“Well,” said Daddy, “I don’t think you should blame your finger and thumb. What told them to take those raisins? Was it your curly hair, or your ears, or was it something from inside?”

“I think it was something from inside,” Lisa said with a sad look on her face.

Daddy explained to her that what she had done was sin. Then in a simple way he told her what the Bible tells us about our hearts and our thoughts. He explained that God says our hearts are dishonest and that our thoughts are full of sin. He told her that God sees everything we do, He hears everything we say, and He even knows what we think.

Daddy got his Bible and read some verses about God loving us and sending the Lord Jesus to die for us. Now God wants to blot out (or cover over) all of our sins, those bad things that we do and think and say. He can blot them out with the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Although Lisa had been told this wonderful story about the Lord Jesus for as long as she could remember, she was beginning to understand that it was not for the other “bad” people that Jesus died—it was really for her. She knew that she did bad things, too, and she needed Him to wash away her sins.

Not long after this talk with her daddy, Lisa told the Lord Jesus that she was a sinner and that she wanted Him to wash these sins away and be her Saviour.

What about you? Can you say that you have never done anything wrong? No, of course not! Each of us knows that we have sinned. But have you admitted that you need the Lord Jesus and accepted Him as your Saviour? This is the question that you must answer. Won’t you accept Him right now? “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” 1 Timothy 1:15.

“And out of the ground the Lord God formed... every fowl of the air.” Genesis 2:19.

ML-07/18/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Pretty Plovers

“And out of the ground the Lord God formed ... every fowl of the air.” Genesis 2:19

There are many varieties of birds known as Plovers, most of which live on the seashore. They dart among the waves searching for food churned up by the water. They “dine” on pieces of oysters, clams or other bits of sea-life.

Two of these varieties are known as Golden Plovers, because of the pretty golden markings on the upper parts of their bodies.

The American Golden Plover is the smaller of the two varieties. It nests in northern Canada and Alaska from spring until fall. One feature of God’s remarkable care over Plovers is seen in the way He protects their eggs and young. Nests, scooped out of the sand or gravel, usually hold four eggs. These eggs are spotted and so perfectly camouflaged (hidden by their coloring) that a person could walk right by without seeing them. When the young hatch they are speckled with black and will “freeze” at the mother bird’s command, making them well hidden.

The parents are careful never to fly directly to or away from the nest, like most birds do. Instead, they first walk away from it so anything watching cannot easily tell where the nest is. Where do you think they ever learned these tricks or discovered how to hide their nests, eggs and little ones? We are again reminded that these things were not gradually developed over centuries of time, but were created within the birds when God made them.

In August or September they fly in great numbers to Labrador. From there they fly nonstop in V-formation over two thousand miles to Brazil by way of Bermuda and the Caribbean Sea. In March they return across the Gulf of Mexico and up the Mississippi Valley, back to their northern breeding grounds.

The Pacific Golden Plover is a foot-long bird with an even more amazing life. Nesting in Northern Alaska and Siberia, it flies to Hawaii in the autumn, then on to Malaysia, New Zealand and other Pacific Islands.

The beginning of this journey to Hawaii requires a nonstop flight of over two thousand miles. The adult birds take off first, leaving the young ones to follow later. Doesn’t it seem impossible for these young birds to do this since they have never made the journey before, and Hawaii is just a pinpoint in the mile of the ocean? How do they know they should go there, and how do they ever find their way? Once more the answer is that God has given them instincts that never fail, generation after generation. He tells them when to migrate and sends them safely to their destination.

These birds obey the will of the Lord, their Creator, and are an example of how we should obey Him, too. His Word, the Bible, has instructions for us at every age of our life, and if we walk in His way He will always bless us.

ML-07/18/1982

Randy's Adventure

Memory Verse: “Call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me.” Psalm 50:15

The day promised to be a challenge. Mother had an extra hot drink as she read the morning’s scripture verse: “My grace is sufficient for thee.” 2 Corinthians 12:9. “How good!” she thought. “I might need that today.” Already she could hear them tumbling out of bed —seven little ones under one roof. The weather was rainy, Bennie was sick, and Randy and Sie had house guests for the day.

It was a lively, noisy morning, but Mother felt the truth of her Lord’s faithful promise. Then—joy!—the sun came out and the clouds blew ay. Naturally the children wanted to go outdoors. So they were bundled up against the chill breezes, and rubbers were found for all—all except Bennie, of course, who was coughing with every breath.

Now Randy was a born leader with an unusually strong voice for a nine-year-old. He loved history, and wilderness exploring was on his mind that week, so....

“Now, men,” he boomed, “are you ready to explore that woods out there? It’s never been done before, and we’ve got to blaze a trail!”

Everyone shouted that they were ready, even sister Suzie. They left happy and eager.

“Surely they can’t get lost on just eleven acres,” Mother reasoned with herself. Just in case, she called, “Randy, be sure to be home in an hour!”

He waved to her (a leader of an “expedition” of course could not say “Yes, Mother").

One hour passed, two hours, and the shadows began to grow longer.

“Oh dear,” worried Mother. “How can I go after those rascals with Bennie like this!” Even so, she began to wrap him up warmly. “I can at least drive the car up there and toot the horn.”

Meanwhile, the “expedition” was in trouble.

“Randy! You know what Mamma said! You take us home—right now!” Suzie cried.

“Yeah, we’re cold!” shivered the others. “There’s nothin’ out here but rocks and trees.”

The truth was that Randy had been trying to be obedient and go home for an hour, but they had “explored” too far, and now he was lost. He dropped all his pretending. He knew the Lord Jesus as his Saviour and really was a little man of prayer. “We’d better pray, you guys. I—I’m a—a little confused.” Randy took the lead again, this time in humble trust, leading his shivering troop in prayer.

“Hey, Randy!” Bobby suddenly shouted, “There’s a light! Maybe it’s your house over there!”

“But, but I... I was sure it had to be that way over there, because...,” Randy stammered, pointing the opposite way.

“Well, silly, we just came from ‘over there,’ and you were wrong,” Suzie put in matter-of-factly. “Listen! I hear a...a horn tooting!”

“It’s coming from where the light is! YEA— we’re safe!” They all took off running and crashing through the brush towards the tooting horn.

Lost—right on their own property, But you can be far more hopelessly and dangerously lost sitting right there on your chair. Without the Lord Jesus as your very own Saviour, you are lost in sins. “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” Isaiah 53:6. Jesus came to “seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10. As you follow the paths of sin, Satan is taking you further and deeper into darkness. At last he, and you too, will end up in everlasting darkness where “there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 8:12.

Look to the “light.” Admit you are lost, as the children did, and pray. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” John 8:12. He is waiting to enfold you in His light and warmth and love, washing all your sins away in His blood which He shed for sinners. Then He will take care of you until He takes you to His Father’s house.

Would you really choose “the blackness of darkness forever?” Stop and make a decision about this very serious question. “I have set before you life and death...therefore choose life.” Deuteronomy 30:19.

ML-07/25/1982

Turned Away

It was in the early hours of the morning when I awakened and heard the sickly cry of my 10-month-old nephew who was visiting us along with his mother, my sister.

I could hear my mother and sister trying to soothe Ryan by rocking him, singing to him, feeding him—but nothing seemed to help.

The day before they had taken Ryan to the emergency room of the hospital. The man on duty took a quick look at him and said, “He can wait until Monday morning when the specialist is in.” But Monday morning would have been too late!

As I lay in bed listening to Ryan’s sick, helpless cry, I thought to myself, “What if he died? What would it be like if he or any of my family died right now?” I knew that a person of any age could die. Death can take a 10-month-old baby, or a 12-year-old child, or an 80-year-old person. This verse in the Bible came to my mind: “Prepare to meet thy God.” Amos 4:12. How terrible it would be to meet God as a sinner! Would you be afraid to meet God if you died? I knew that if I were to die right then I was ready to meet God, because I trusted in the Lord Jesus, God’s Son, and my sins were washed away in His blood. So I settled back to sleep with a prayer that God would take care of Ryan.

The next morning Ryan still looked very sick. His face had lost its rosy color, his eyes looked so big and round and sunken in, and his weak, little cry was hoarse and raspy. The family knew something was terribly wrong, because he could not keep any food down, and as we held him he passed out. There was no question but that Ryan was going back to the emergency room. His little life was slowly slipping away!

As the car pulled out of the driveway to take Ryan to the hospital, my father, brother and I knelt down by the living room couch and asked the Lord Jesus to take care of Ryan. In my father’s prayer he thanked Him for bringing Ryan into our lives, and asked Him to help us accept it if He took Ryan out of our lives. I cried when I heard this, because then I realized that Ryan might not return home again!

When they arrived at the emergency room, the same man was on duty that had turned them away the day before. As they walked in carrying Ryan he said, “I thought I told you not to return until Monday!” Hearing this, they insisted that a doctor be called at once. Ryan was put in a hospital crib and placed under a concerned doctor’s care.

Doesn’t it seem unusual that the man on duty at the emergency room did not want to call a doctor to care for a sick little boy? He must not have wanted to bother a doctor on the weekend. This man’s response was exactly opposite to how the Lord Jesus responds to any “sin-sick” person that comes to Him. The Lord Jesus says: “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” John 6:37.

You may ask, “Why do I need to come to the Lord Jesus?” The reason is clear—because we “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23. Little Ryan needed the care and medical treatment provided by the doctor, or he would have died. It is the same for each of us. Without the death of the Lord Jesus and His rising from the dead, there would be no hope for you and me. By accepting what He has done for us when He died on the cross and shed His blood for our sins, we can know that our sins are forgiven. There is no need for any of us to die in our sins, because the Bible tells us “Whosoever believeth in Him (the Lord Jesus) should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16.

After Ryan was under a doctor’s care, many tests were run and his problem was discovered and treated. He was a very sick little boy and had to spend two weeks in the hospital. He finally got well enough to come home again. What a happy day that was for all of us!

ML-07/25/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Deadly Scorpion

“Light is come into the world, [but] men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” John 3:19

Those who live in tropical climates or in the deserts of the southern part of the United States try to stay away from Scorpions. They know a Scorpion sting is very painful and sometimes can be fatal. This creature, which will strike anything it thinks is threatening, fits the description of the above scripture. Although sometimes seen in daylight, it prefers the dark and will scurry to a dark hiding place if light reaches it.

A Scorpion looks rather scary. It has a five to eight-inch jointed body covered with a dark shell which protects it from heat and injury. Its four pairs of legs are covered with hair, and two sharp pincers extend in front. A poisonous stinger is at the end of its tail, usually curled over its back, ready for action. They are not even friendly among themselves and prefer living alone. When an insect comes close the sharp pincers catch it, and the tail arches over its back, plunging the poisonous stinger into its victim.

Some Scorpions have as many as twelve eyes, but most have only six or eight. When it molts (sheds its shell), some of these eyes drop off, but they grow back in when the new outer shell is formed. This happens four to eight times in its short life. Its brain is very simple, but it has been given a keen sense of touch through the hairs that cover its body. In addition, the comb-like parts on its abdomen pick up ground vibrations.

When hatching from their eggs, the little ones are exact miniatures of the parents and stay with their mother until their first molting. She is unusually kind to them and lets them cling to her back, legs and tail. Sometimes there are so many of them that they completely cover her.

We cannot help but marvel at the way God has equipped Scorpions with features that allow them to fit so well into their harsh way of life. We know that He has a place for them among all His other creation. He has even made them helpful to mankind in one way—they destroy many harmful insects.

But they also remind us of those people who are without God in their lives, of whom the Bible says that “denying the Lord that bought them...bring upon themselves swift destruction.” We are further told that these same people “speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption.” 2 Peter 2:1,12. What a sad contrast these are to those who through faith claim the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour. To these the promise is to know “the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, (which) shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:7.

This is what God desires for everyone, because He is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9. Are you one of these happy people?

ML-07/25/1982

Little Red

Memory Verse: “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?” Hebrews 2:3

Little Red was a fine, little red rooster with glossy feathers flashing all the colors of the rainbow in the Southland sunshine. He was “boss” over a dozen pretty Rhode Island Red hens. Their pen had a high chain-link fence around it, and it was at the edge of a range of rugged, rocky hills that had a large coyote population. Little Red, the hens and two large “guard” dogs lived at Mr. Steven’s place. Since both the dogs and coyotes liked catching chickens, life for them outside of their pen was dangerous. Little Red, however, loved to live dangerously. He often flew over the fence right into the jaws of danger! Soon some daring hens followed their exciting leader.

All went well at first, but high among the rocks greedy coyote eyes were watching all that was going on below. This was bad enough, but even worse the very guard dogs forgot their manners in a hungry moment of temptation one day and... crunch! (Delicious, those little fat hens!) Sad to say a couple of the hens did not make it back to the pen. Even cocky Little Red himself had a close shave with death when Mrs. Stevens, just in time, spied the larger dog carrying him off behind a rock! Do you think he learned his lesson? As usual, he crowed and bragged the next day as he flew over the fence again!

Would you like to be compared with a silly chicken like that? Of course not! But just what kind of “wisdom” do you use when you slip out into Satan’s world with friends you know will lead you in a wrong path, as Little Red led the foolish hens of his flock? You may be living in the shelter of a Christian home and attend a lovely Sunday school, but you know that you are not really saved and safely in the Good Shepherd’s very own fold. Does this describe you? Or perhaps you are saved, but you love to do just what you want to do. Jesus said, “I am the Good Shepherd: the Good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep.” John 10:11. In 1 Peter 2:24 we are told how He took on His own self that awful punishment from God which had to be poured out against sin—our own wretched sins for which we deserve everlasting death. You see, sin is a very, very serious thing in God’s sight. Hover, Jesus is a trustworthy keeper of His flock. He is not at all like the treacherous dogs who ate those poor hens. No one out in Satan’s world can be fully trusted. Remember our great Enemy has had thousands of years of practice in ruining boys and girls and men and women. And he has many helpers.

Now back to the chicken pen. One bright moonlight night about six coyotes made a bold, well-planned raid right up to the pen in the very sight of Mr. Steven’s house. They outnumbered the dogs and chased them away and almost got into the chicken pen. But Mr. Stevens heard the noise and came running. A shot from his rifle rang out, and the battle was over as the coyotes slipped off into the darkness.

By now Little Red should have been frightened into being a sensible chicken. He might have lived to a good, old age in the shelter of the high fence and Mr. Steven’s care. But we are sorry to say that he would not or could not learn the ways of wisdom. The last time we visited the little home, he was no more. Some dirty red and black feathers were blowing sadly among the rocks above his once happy home. He had played outside the protection of the pen and lost his life.

You, too, are in danger of losing your opportunity to have everlasting life. You have everything to lose by waiting or refusing God’s offer to be saved. But you have everything—even heaven itself—to gain by accepting God’s free salvation.

“How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?” Hebrews 2:3.

“Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2.

ML-08/01/1982

Lost in Tall Grass

Henry, John and Bob suddenly realized that they were lost—lost in the tall prairie grass that grew in North Dakota. Only minutes before they could still see the cows they were chasing home, but now they could not see them or hear them. The grass was so tall, the boys could not see over it, and so they could not see any landmarks to help them find their way home. Not knowing where they were going, the boys kept on walking, hoping they would come to something they recognized. They were lost for several days, so they must have been frightened many times by strange noises, especially at night.

Finally, after three days when they were nearly exhausted, they spotted a small sod-roofed house. Can you imagine their relief? Safe at last, so they thought. But the people who lived there did not know the boys and would not let them in. What a disappointment!

Are you lost in your sins and wandering around not sure which way to turn? The boys in the story had no map to help them find their way back home, but we have God’s Word, the Bible, to tell us the way to be saved. “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10. If we have trusted Him as our Saviour, He will never turn us away to continue wandering in our sins, because the Lord Jesus says, “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” John 6:37.

It was not long until Henry, John and Bob found another homesteader’s cabin where they were taken in and given shelter and food until they could return home. The Lord is coming soon. He has told us in John 14:3, “I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself.”

For those of us who have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour, we can look ahead to this promise. Even while we are still on earth, we can know that “I (the Lord Jesus) will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Hebrews 13:5.

ML-08/01/1982

The Ring

One day a six-year-old boy asked his mother, “Where did God come from?”

“It is hard to understand,” she answered, “but maybe this will help us.” She took off her wedding ring, handed it to him and asked, “Where does this ring begin and where does it end?”

The boy turned the ring over and over in his hands and finally answered, “There isn’t any starting place or stopping place.”

Then his mother explained, “It is exactly the same way with God—there was no beginning to God, and there will be no end to God. He always has been, and He always will be.”

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made.” John 1:1-3.

ML-08/01/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: Dugong, the Sea Cow

“O Lord, how manifold are Thy works! in wisdom hast Thou made them all.” Psalms 104:24.

Most of us have never seen a Dugong, because they usually live south of the equator in areas around Australia. In many ways their hats are like the porpoise’s, but they are bigger, often between 8 and 15 feet long and weigh up to 750 pounds. They are air-breathing mammals, but like the sea lions of the north, they have heavy bones which help them submerge quickly. Their nostrils automatically close when under water where they can remain from five to eight minutes before having to return to the surface for air.

Like dolphins and whales Dongs stay close by their mates usually traveling as a family with a small “calf” beside them. If one is injured the other stays close by, helping it rise to the surface for air if unable to do so by itself. The mother, which usually has one calf each year, floats on her back and cradles the little one in her flippers when nursing it so the baby can breathe while getting its meal.

Unlike dolphins and whales, these animals do not eat fish or marine life. Their diet is strictly seaweed and grasses that grow beneath the surface of the water, and that is how they have gotten the nickname “Sea Cow.” God has equipped them especially for this kind of life. Since they feed mostly in the twilight or dark, they have been given large eyes which have a protective, transparent covering itead of eyelids. They have no outside ears—just openings on each side of their head—yet they have very good hearing.

Besides having efficient flippers Dugongs have paddle-like, forked tails, similar to whales, which help them to maneuver swiftly. Their upper lip is covered with long, tough, bristle-like hairs which help them to select plant food. Their teeth are designed to quickly cut through the tough stems of seaweed and other water plants. An adult will eat almost 100 pounds of food each day. Where large numbers of these animals group together, they use up the food supply so they must move to another location. However, these underwater plants grow quickly, and they soon can come back to these same feeding grounds.

Dugongs have been around since the days of creation and were given all their abilities to survive when the Lord God created them. Contrary to what some people teach, they have not had to develop their skills and physical features over millions of years. All their needs were provided for when they were placed on the earth.

As the many wonders of God’s creation come to our attention, it is good to think about His counsel: “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth.” Ecclesiastes 12:1. He is certainly the Creator of all things, but He is more than that to those who will respond to His Word: “Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth... (and to believe in) the man Christ Jesus; who gave Himself a ransom for all.” 1 Timothy 2:4-6. Besides being your Creator, is He also your Saviour?

ML-08/01/1982

Missing Sheep

Memory Verse: “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 2 Corinthians 3:17

Jack was a hard worker on his father’s sheep ranch in Montana. There was always work to be done after school and on Saturdays: sheep to watch, shearing, fences to repair, and other jobs.

One day his father reported that during the last month four lambs were missing. They decided coyotes must have gotten them. The number of coyotes had been increasing the last few years, and now they were causing problems. Although they probably could not kill a full-grown sheep, lambs were an easy catch for a pack of coyotes.

A two-day coyote hunt was organized by Jack’s father. Several were found and shot. One of the ranchers found a coyote pup which they also wanted to kill. As Jack watched the pup, it reminded him of a small dog, so cute and helpless. The pup looked at Jack as if it expected him to take care of it. Jack decided that it would make a nice pet for his little sister, Cheryl. He finally convinced his father to let him keep it, but his father did not like the idea at all. When he finally agreed he reminded Jack, “It may be a cute puppy now, but it is a coyote, and a coyote it will always be!”

Jack wrapped the pup in his jacket and carried it back to the ranch for Cheryl. Soon the pup was another member of the ranch and was named Bucky. Everybody, including Jack’s father, enjoyed the playful pup. At night Bucky slept near the door since his watchful eyes and good hearing made him a good watchdog. No one really thought of him as a coyote.

One night when Bucky was about a year old, there was a full moon and the night air was cold. Some restless feeling within Bucky stirred him. He went to the edge of the yard and gave the long, mournful cry of the coyote. Jack, who had not gone to sleep yet, heard the call and looked out the window. In the moonlight he could see the shadows of several other coyotes, and without looking back Bucky ran off to them. Bucky’s coyote nature had stirred within him and he had gone to live with his own kind.

Bucky had acted like a dog and lived like a dog. He even looked very much like a dog. But he was a coyote, and he had a coyote’s nature.

Some of you may act like a Christian and in every way pass as a Christian, but if you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, you are not a Christian at all. You were born a sinner, and you have a nature that sins. You may even have Christian parents and live in a home where the Bible is read and obeyed. You may go to Sunday school and repeat your Bible verses perfectly every week. But remember, you will always be a sinner in God’s sight unless you are born again—unless you trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and accept Him as your Saviour. He died for sinners and He wants you to be saved. He loved you so much that He came into this world and died on the cross, shedding His blood. Won’t you accept Him as your very own Saviour? If you do, God will give you a new heart and a new nature that cannot sin. Your sins will be gone, and you will no longer be a sinner in God’s sight. He will see you as a new person because of what the Lord Jesus has done.

“But now, in Christ Jesus, ye who sometime were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” Ephesians 2:13.

ML-08/08/1982

Blind Grandma Ruth

Grandma Ruth was a dear, old, Christian lady. For many years she had worked very hard, because she lived on a farm without any electricity or plumbing. Now she was almost 90 years old and spent most of her time sitting quietly in a chair by the window. It was hard for Grandma Ruth just to sit and do nothing. What was even harder than having to sit was the fact that she was going blind. She had known the Lord Jesus as her Saviour for many years and was a happy Christian. By her love and kindness to others she had let her “light shine before men” (Matt. 5:16), but because she was quiet and shy she had found it difficult to tell others about the Saviour she loved.

The days were rather long for Grandma Ruth now, so she welcomed visitors. Often old friends, neighbors and relatives would drop in to see her, people she had wanted to tell about her Saviour, but never had. So when these visitors would ask, “Is there anything I can do for you?” Grandma Ruth’s immediate answer would be, “Read my Bible to me,” and then she would tell them what verses to read. Grandma often said she was thankful for her very poor eyesight. Because of it she was able to “tell” her visitors the way to be saved by having them read God’s Word to her.

How often we who know the Lord Jesus as our Saviour want to tell a friend or playmate about Him and then just do not seem to have the courage to say the right words. “Whosoever therefore shall confess Me before men, him will I confess also before My Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 10:32. We do not want to wait until we are 90 years old to tell others the way to be saved. The Lord Jesus is coming very soon for those who have trusted Him as their Saviour, and then it will be forever too late to tell others about His love.

Have you asked Him to be your Saviour? If so, have you told someone else about Him?

“If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Romans 10:9.

ML-08/08/1982

A Wonderful Chinese Word

There are some beautiful gospel pictures hidden in the writing of the Chinese language. In the old Chinese writing they had thousands of characters to represent things. In our language we have the alphabet with letters which we put together to make words to describe things or thoughts.

The Chinese character for MAN is like this, as if a boy put his hands in his pockets and then spread his feet apart.

The Chinese character for COME is quite interesting. First, a cross is made. By itself it stands for the number TEN in Chinese, reminding us of the Ten Commandments. No one has ever in his life kept them completely; only the Lord Jesus did, because He was without sin. All of us are sinners and deserve death.

God said, “The wages of sin is death.” Romans 6:23.

But if we put a MAN on the CROSS, like this, how wonderfully we see what Jesus the Saviour did for us when He was lifted up on the cross that we might be saved from the punishment for our sins. We must confess what we are and have done, and then trust in Him for our eternal salvation. We have each sinned and broken God’s laws and commandments in one way or another. But the Lord Jesus was made sin for us, suffering there on the CROSS; then He died, and His blood was poured forth, making it possible for sins to be taken away.

Now in this large character what else do we see? “Oh,” you say, there are two other MEN, one on each side of the MAN on the CROSS.” That is exactly right. And that is the Chinese word for COME. When Jesus was put on the cross there were two thieves crucified with Him, having to die for their own sins. One of these two men repented of his sins, trusted the Lord Jesus as his Saviour, and asked Him to remember him when He came into His kingdom. Jesus said to him, “Verily I say unto thee, To-day shalt thou be with Me in paradise.” Luke 23:43.

We do not read in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 23, that the other thief believed. He did not repent of his sins, and so he died as he lived—he must spend eternity forever away from God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Have you heard the earnest message of welcome from the Lord Jesus when He said, “Come unto Me"? Matthew 11:28. Oh, do not miss the great salvation which is offered free to sinners. Jesus is no longer on the cross, but at God’s right hand, still waiting for you to COME to Him, as is so wonderfully illustrated on our Chinese word picture.

“Behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2.

ML-08/08/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: About Your Liver - Part 1

“Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts: or who hath given understanding to the heart?” Job 38:36.

In earlier issues we have considered various parts of our bodies and how God has made all of them work together in such special ways. The liver is one of the most important parts of our bodies. It is involved in more than 500 functions for the needs of the body. It is certainly the most complex organ of all and is the largest internal organ. Isn’t it strange that we rarely think about it unless some trouble develops?

The liver is the body’s master laboratory which no chemical plant made by man could ever begin to duplicate. It filters out impurities and waste material from the blood, manufactures organic compounds, and stores and releases nutrients required by the blood. Its work is carried on by millions of cells and enzymes, each a marvel in itself. It supplies the all-important amino acids which, among other things, control the balance of salt and water needed for the blood stream.

A principal job performed by the liver is regulating the blood so it will be neither too thin nor too thick. The most skillful scientists do not fully know how this is done. But we know that it is one of the wise provisions of the Lord God, the Creator, who has made every part of our bodies work in harmony with every other part.

When we cut our skin blood immediately appears. This flow of blood not only helps clean any dirt and germs from the wound, but it soon thickens and forms a clot which becomes a scab, permitting the injured part to heal over. The liver is responsible for supplying the chemicals in the blood that allow this to happen. Yet, it is the same liver that keeps the blood from clotting inside the veins and blood vessels where clotting would be very dangerous and perhaps fatal.

When food reaches the stomach, the liver receives a signal and stands by to add vitamins, chemicals and minerals to the blood stream. It sends its own signal to the gallbladder, instructing it to release bile to aid in the final digestion of this food. For fatty food the gallbladder automatically sends an extra supply of bile; otherwise a severe stomach ache would result.

The liver performs without any instructions that we have to control, which is good, because it senses needs that we are not even aware of. These instructions were implanted when God created man, and it has followed them faithfully ever since.

How good it would be if man would hear and follow God’s instructions just as faithfully: “He that hath My commandments (teachings), and keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him.” John 14:21.

Next week we will consider more of the remarkable performances of this important part of the body.

ML-08/08/1982

Boats in Trouble!

Memory Verse: “Our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world.” Galatians 1:3, 4

In 1973 the propeller of a small boat, carrying three young adults and a baby, struck a rock, disabling the boat. In calm water this would not have been a serious problem. However, this boat was less than half a mile from the famous Horseshoe Falls of the Niagara River. The water was not calm at the point in the river where the accident happened. Instead, it rushed and churned along at 20 mph and increased in speed as it got closer to the falls.

The people in the boat somehow missed or ignored the huge warning signs farther upriver. Now, realizing that their boat was heading for the falls, they jumped overboard. With their backs to the 160-foot falls, they battled the 3-foot-deep current for more than two hours before being rescued.

In 1975 a much larger boat, the 725-foot Edmund Fitzgerald, was nearly across Lake Superior when a storm struck. Within hours it broke in half and sank, killing all 29 crewmen on board.

Life is often like the sea; sometimes it is calm, other times playful, and at times quite dangerous. We all have at some time ignored the warnings which appear. The result is trouble which may make us fear that we will die.

But here is a happy thought. In the Bible we read of Someone who came to earth for the very purpose of rescuing wrecked lives. This Man, the Lord Jesus Christ, said, “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10.

He loves us and wants to save us, but two things are necessary. First, we need to see the danger we are in because of our sins. Second, we need to realize that our best efforts cannot help. In other words, we must admit that we need to be saved by another; that we cannot save our selves. The Lord Jesus Christ is the only One who is able to save us. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12.

With the Lord Jesus as our Saviour, our “Captain on board,” we can be sure that He has control of our “boat.” He can either quiet the storm by saying, “Peace, be still,” as He did one time to a real storm, or He can give us the extra strength to endure it. Either way, we are safe in Christ.

Have you received Jesus as your Lord and Saviour? If you ask Him He will take over the controls of your life and bring you to a safe landing.

Jesus said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” John 14:6.

ML-08/15/1982

Do You Believe in George Washington?

George Washington was the General who led the early colonies to victory and independence. He was also the first President of the United States. His service and dedication won him the title, “Father of His Country.”

Do you believe all this? “Yes,” you say, “and I believe a lot more about him. I believe the story about the cherry tree when he was a boy. I believe he was truthful, honest and noble. And I believe that he refused a third term as President.”

What makes you believe these things? Why, these are facts of history preserved in writings from the 1700's. And Washington’s birthday has been a United States holiday for many years. Do you think the whole nation can be mistaken in celebrating his birthday?

Your reasons are accepted by every American as well. But now apply the same thinking to the facts concerning Someone greater than George Washington or anyone else. This One, the Lord Jesus Christ, will save everyone who accepts Him as their Saviour from going to a lost eternity (hell). The facts of His birth, life, death, and especially His rising from the dead are recorded as truth more than all the other historical facts of ancient times.

“Yes,” you say, “I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ just as I believe in George Washington.” But what you are really saying is that you believe about Him. You believe that what is written about Him in the Bible is true and that He once actually lived.

Today we can only believe about George Washington and honor his memory. He cannot do a thing for us today. But the Lord Jesus is a risen and living Saviour. He is able to save and care for anyone who will believe in Him.

To believe in Him means to understand that you are a sinner and that you need your sins forgiven. Then, seeing your need, trust (put your confidence) in His work on the cross. Believe that He suffered and died for your sins and that His blood can wash you clean from sin. Then you can say as the Apostle Paul said in 2 Timothy 1:12: “I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep that which I have committed unto Him against that day.”

As a guilty, perishing sinner on your way to hell, turn now to Him, the only One who can save you, take care of you, and bring you safely to heaven. Believing facts will not save anyone. Trusting Him will save your soul.

“For 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.

ML-08/15/1982

A Sky Without God

Aunt Jenny had been painting a picture all morning. It was an oil painting of the barn, lake and woods which she could see from her living-room window. The picture was about half finished as she put her brushes away to stop for lunch. As she stood back to study the picture, her little niece, Ann, burst through the kitchen door. Running into the living room, Ann saw Aunt Jenny looking at the picture. She stopped and looked at it, too, and said, “What a pretty sky, Aunt Jenny. Are you going to put God in it?”

Aunt Jenny did not expect that question, so she asked, “What do you mean, Ann?”

“Well,” answered Ann, “if God lives up above the sky, shouldn’t you put Him in your sky picture?”

Ann did not know what David said about God in Psalms 139. David said that God is everywhere! He said, God is before me and behind me, He is above me and beneath me. How can I run away from Him? If I rise up to heaven, He is there. If I go down ever so deep, He is there. Even the darkness cannot hide me, because darkness and light are both the same to God.

Yes, David found out that God is everywhere! He saw Him when he woke up and in everything he did during the day. So David just cried to the Lord and said, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalms 139:23,24.

I hope Aunt Jenny and Ann make the big discovery that David made. And I hope that you do, too.

ML-08/15/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: About Your Liver - Part 2

“But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased Him.” 1 Corinthians 12:18.

The human body contains about 25 trillion red blood cells. Each cell lasts only about 125 days, which means over two million die every second! What happens to all these dead cells? Although dead, there is still some good in them. The liver dismantles them (something like a mechanic removing valuable parts from a smashed car before throwing the rest away) and uses the good parts of the cells to make new ones. The unusable parts are sent into the waste system. Isn’t that a wonderful performance?

When blood from the heart circulates through the body, it loses some of its contents en-route. The liver replenishes it by providing nutrients, vitamins and essential minerals before it goes back to the heart to be pumped through the body again. If excitement or fright causes a sudden surge of blood, the liver expands itself temporarily to take up this surge so the extra blood does not reach the heart all at one time. Surely “The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.” Psalms 111:2.

The liver is a safety valve for the heart in another way also. Some things that we eat could cause serious problems to the body if there were not some provision made to overcome them. God has given the liver this assignment, too. It has thousands of enzymes which neutralize a certain amount of these materials before it is damaged and cannot function in its protective way. That is one reason why we should always be careful what we eat, drink or breathe.

The liver also turns starch (glycogen) into glucose, providing food for the muscles. When the muscles are active they produce lactic acid, and the liver helps remove this from the bloodstream also. (My, what a wonderful machine it is!) “Antibodies,” also manufactured in part by the liver, are present in the bloodstream providing protection against viruses and bacteria that cause infectious diseases.

As we think in amazement of all the marvels of our bodies, it should make us realize how completely God has provided for us. The Psalmist exclaimed: “In Thy book all my members were written, which in continuance were fashioned, when as yet there was none of them. How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God!” Psalms 139:16,17.

These wonderful thoughts were expressed so well when God said: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you...thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” Jeremiah 29:11.

Do you know Him as your Saviour, and have you thanked Him for all that He has done and is doing for you each day?

ML-08/15/1982

"I'm Alive!"

Memory Verse: “Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger: and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst.” John 6:35

“I’m alive!” exclaimed Steve Callahan in a telephone call to his brother Ed. “I always wanted to spend a few months at sea, but not like that!” Steve had just been rescued from a six-foot rubber raft near the West Indies in the south Atlantic Ocean. He had survived for 76 days and had drifted almost 1,800 miles before being rescued by some fishermen.

Steve’s ordeal began when his 22-foot sailboat sank near the Cape Verde Islands off the west coast of Africa. He had planned a five-week trip and was on the way only four days when the boat struck a reef and began sinking. Steve was asleep at the time.

“I woke up when I heard a huge ‘bang’ on the side of the boat,” he recalled from his hospital bed. "I barely had time to get on deck when water started gushing in like someone had turned on 50 water-hoses!” He quickly inflated his life raft and piled supplies into it before his boat sank. Steve’s survival gear included two pints of water, a fishing line, a protractor and charts for navigation, a few pencils, a few days’ supply of food and a cheap speargun. Not very many supplies for a 2 ½ month trip. But Steve had no idea what was ahead of him.

Most people today are poorly supplied with what is really needed for this life. They are sailing through life, much like Steve was in his sailboat, with many of this world’s supplies—things like a job, a home, family and friends, and good health—all of which are usually taken for granted. But when these are taken away people become miserable, because they have lost what they feel are the things necessary for happiness. Steve had the “basic emergency supplies” for his life raft. God is offering you far more than just the “basics.” He is offering a complete RESCUE to “whosoever will.” For all those who realize that without the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour they are lost and on their way to hell, God has the “navigational chart” that can lead them to safety. It is His Word, the Bible, which tells us about His Son, the Lord Jesus: “For there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12. Before you go any further on this life’s journey, be sure that you have the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour and Navigator. He will guide you on a safe course that leads to His home in heaven.

The food that Steve had managed to throw into his life raft did not last very long. But he was able to spear fish with his speargun. Eating fish and barnacles kept him alive.

Day after day he drifted with the westerly current. He watched seven ships pass by without seeing him. “When you’re by yourself, there is no one to calm you down when you get panicky,” he recalled.

Finally, 76 days after his boat sank, Steve was rescued. Birds flying around the raft attracted the attention of the fisherman who found him and rescued him.

Although Steve was in pretty bad shape from lack of water, sunburn and starvation (his weight had dropped from 150 to 110 pounds), he recovered quickly after being taken to a hospital.

News of Steve’s rescue was sent by CB radio to other fishermen in the area. After all, it is not often that a person spends 76 days in an open raft in the ocean and lives to tell about it! The news was eventually heard by the Coast Guard in Miami who notified Steve’s family of his rescue.

Do you think that Steve had any thought of saying “no thanks” to those fishermen who wanted to rescue him? No, of course not! Yet there are boys and girls who are saying “no thanks” to the Lord Jesus. They are refusing His offer to save them. Are you one of them? You are if you have not agreed that you are a sinner and believed that it is only His blood shed on the cross that can save you. If you believe that He was punished for your sins, then you can say that “The Lord thy God, He it is that doth go with thee; He will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.” Deuteronomy 31:6.

ML-08/22/1982

Happy or Sad

Did you ever know someone who, no matter what was done for him, found something to complain about? If you gave him a gift it was either something he did not want or something that did not fit. When he sat down to eat nothing was right—too hot, too cold, or he just plain did not like it. What a sad way for a Christian boy or girl to act!

A person who is happy and thankful does not need to say so with his mouth. Just the expression on his face and his attitude show us he is happy and not a grumbler. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 gives us a guide for the life of a happy Christian. “Rejoice evermore. Pray without ceasing. In everything give thanks.”

ML-08/22/1982

"Help Me!"

Mrs. James arrived home later than she had expected to, so she hurried from her car to the front door. She was holding the house key in her hand just ready to unlock the door when she heard a small boy’s voice calling, “Help me! Help me! Will you help me?” Mrs. James was rather startled since she had not seen anyone around when she pulled her car into the driveway. Setting her purse down on the doorstep, she started towards the front sidewalk when she heard the voice again call, “Help me, please.” There she found Timmy, a little boy from down the street, almost hidden by a large evergreen tree, and he was in real trouble!

Mrs. James arrived home just in time to hear Timmy’s call for help, but the Lord Jesus is able to hear our cry at all times. He tells us to “Call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee.” Psalms 50:15.

Poor Timmy! There was his bicycle turned over on its side and one of his long shoelaces was wound many, many times around the pedal. All poor Timmy could do was to stand beside his bicycle with his foot all twisted to the side! There was no way a little five-year-old boy could get that tangled shoelace off the bicycle pedal.

Mrs. James worked quickly, pulling the shoelace this way and that way, until it finally came free of the pedal. Timmy was so happy to get his foot free from that twisted position and to be able to ride away on his bicycle again, and Mrs. James was glad she had returned home just when Timmy needed help.

How like Timmy each sinner is—tangled in sin and completely unable to help himself. The Lord Jesus Christ is able and willing to free from sin all who ask Him to wash their sins away. He is the only One who can do that, “For there is none other Name under heaven... whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12. Mrs. James was able to free Timmy from his tangle, but so could Mr. James if he had been there, or their neighbors, the Richards. But the Lord Jesus Christ is the only Saviour. He died and shed His blood to wash away sins. Won’t you accept Him as your Saviour right now and be free from the tangle of sin?

“I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” John 14:6.

ML-08/22/1982

Who Am I?

Called to come out from a land of culture and great riches

Across the burning desert sands with servants, tent and dishes.

What made him come, great man of old, the “father of the faithful"?

The man that was the “friend of God” had faith that “He is able.”

The counsels of his God were known, the promises were given

As sand that is beside the sea, as stars that fill the heaven.

A city glorious, not made with hands, his eye of faith could see

Still trusting God with confidence, who could this person be?

ML-08/22/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: His Promise in the Sky

“I do set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a token of a covenant [promise] between Me and the earth.” Genesis 9:13.

How lovely is the big arch of a brilliant rainbow reaching across a stormy sky with both ends appearing to be anchored to the ground. What an amazing sight this must have been to Noah and his family. The rainbow that they saw was the first time in the world’s history that God produced this wonderful sight. It was a promise from God that flood waters would never cover the whole world again. This is something to remember every time you see a rainbow.

Scientists, have a very correct explanation of what causes this colorful display. They tell us, “It is an arch of prismatic colors caused by refraction, reflection and dispersion of light in falling raindrops.” But they cannot tell us how pure, clear light can carry in it seven distinct colors, nor how they show in perfect bands so vividly. They are always in the same order: violet, indigo, blue, green, yellow, orange and red—the red always on the outside in the prime rainbow, but on the inside when a second rainbow appears as a reflection of the first one.

They also cannot tell us how a raindrop, multiplied many millions of times, can bring the colors out in this order with the rainbow remaining stationary while the raindrops are falling rapidly through the air. Surely, if there were not a control over this remarkable display, the colors would merge together and the rainbow would lose its shape many times over. We know the power of the very Creator of the universe is the control. It is He who, while supplying the world daily with clear, brilliant light from the sun, can conceal those colors. Then, according to His promise, they shine out in the “bow in the cloud” to remind the world that He rules both the heavens and the earth— “The heavens are Thine, the earth also is Thine: as for the world and the fullness thereof, Thou hast founded them.” Psalms 89:11.

The seven colors are called “cardinal” because, by mixing any of them, other colors may be produced. For instance, red and yellow make orange; red and blue become purple. But in the rainbow we see them as pure colors.

While the rainbow is a reminder of God’s earthly promise, there is something more important as a reminder of His great love. That is the value He saw when His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, shed His blood on Calvary. For it is “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son (that) cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7. It is the value of that blood that protects everyone whose faith is in the Lord Jesus from the terrible punishment that is coming on this world. Before that fearful time comes everyone whose faith is in Him will be safe with Him in heaven.

Have you put your trust in that shed blood and accepted Him as your Saviour?

ML-08/22/1982

Born Lost

Memory Verse: “The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10

“Daddy, are we lost?” Dad was a bit surprised at this question from his six-year-old son, Caleb. Before he could answer Caleb was saying, “Mr. Boulton said the Bible tells us we are all lost sinners. What did he mean by ‘lost'? How did we get lost?”

“Slow down,” said Dad, “one question at a time. First of all, we have all done things or had thoughts that are not pleasing to God. These are sins, so that means we are sinners. Our sins make us afraid of God, so we try to hide from Him. Every time we sin we try to hide or get away from God, so we get farther and farther away from God. Since we can’t find our way back by ourselves, God says we are lost—lost sinners.”

“But, Daddy,” Caleb continued to question, “is Cindy lost, too? She can’t even walk or talk yet.” (Cindy was the newest member of the Thompson family, only eight months old.)

“Maybe you had better sit here with me,” suggested Dad, “and I’ll try to explain.”

“On your lap?” asked Caleb.

“OK,” answered Dad, “on my lap.” Caleb loved to talk things over with him, just like grown-ups do.

“First, there is a verse in the Bible,” began his father, “that tells us we are all lost sinners. Romans 3:23—’All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.’ It doesn’t use the exact words ‘lost sinners,’ but it means that. When our first parents, Adam and Eve, disobeyed God and sinned they became lost, and all their children who were born after were lost, too.

“Do you remember when Uncle Ben’s sheep found a hole in the fence and wandered away and were lost? Well, while they were lost a little lamb was born, so this little lamb was lost too. If there had been more lambs born they all would have been lost, just like their parents. All the children who are born into this world are born lost, because their parents are lost.

“Now, do you remember what Uncle Ben did when he discovered that his sheep were gone?”

“He looked for them a long time before he found them,” remembered Caleb. “And then he went with his truck to bring them all home.”

“That’s right,” said Dad, “but that wasn’t all. He had to pay another farmer for all the damage they did to his farm while they were lost.

“That’s the way it was with Adam and Eve. God created them and they belonged to Him, just like the sheep belonged to Uncle Ben. Adam and Eve disobeyed God and tried to hide from Him. That’s how they became lost, just like the sheep. Just as Uncle Ben looked for his sheep, God sent His Son the Lord Jesus into this world to seek and to save us by dying on the cross for us.”

“Why did Jesus have to die, Daddy?” asked Caleb. “Uncle Ben didn’t.”

“Because,” explained Dad, “even though God loves us He must punish our sins, and the punishment for sins is death. God says in Romans 6:23, ‘The wages of sin is death.’ Uncle Ben could pay for the wrong things his sheep had done with money, but the Lord Jesus had to die to pay for our sins. That’s why the Bible says we were not redeemed (bought back) with silver or gold (money), but with the precious blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:18,19). Tor God so loved the world (that means you and me and everyone), that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life (John 3:16).’ "

“What does perish mean, Daddy?”

“You remember we said that God must punish sins?” asked Dad.

Caleb nodded yes.

“Well, to perish means that God will put sinners into a place of great darkness and terrible suffering forever and ever. But God loves us and doesn’t want that to happen. If we believe that Jesus died and shed His blood to pay for our sins, and ask God to save us from the punishment of our sins, He will. God has promised in Romans 10:13, ‘Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ That’s how we are saved.

“But little Cindy can’t understand all this, so God has promised that if the Lord should come, or if she should die now, Jesus’ blood would pay all that is needed so that He can take her to His home in heaven.”

“How do you know she will be in heaven, Daddy?” asked Caleb.

“The Bible tells us that too,” answered Dad. “The Lord Jesus was talking about little children when He was here on earth and said, ‘The Son of man is come to save that which was lost’ (Matt. 18:11) and, ‘Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish (Matt. 18:14).’ The Lord Jesus was telling us that little children will go to be with Him in heaven even though they were born lost.”

How about you boys and girls who are reading this? Are you thinking that it’s not your fault that you were born lost? That may be true, but whose fault is it if you are still lost after God has made a way to save you?

“The Lord... is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish (or be lost), but that all should come to repentance (be saved).” 2 Peter 3:9. “God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners. Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8. God does not want us to perish. He loves us and has made a way to save us. If you are still lost it is really your own fault, because you have not asked God to save you. He is able and willing to save you right now. If you will confess the Lord Jesus with your mouth, and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved (Rom. 10:9,10). “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved (Rom. 10:13)" is God’s promise to save all who believe on Him.

ML-08/29/1982

Don't Be Afraid to Speak

When I was about ten years old and in public school, there was another boy in my class I wand so much to speak to about my Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. Somehow I could never get up the courage to do this. More than once I prayed and asked the Lord Jesus to give me an opportunity and the courage to speak to Leslie about the uncertainty of life, and how important it is to know the Lord Jesus as Saviour. Timidly and shyly I went up to him one day in the schoolyard and gave him a gospel tract. I trembled as I told him about Jesus dying for sinners. He promised to read the tract, and I sure hope he did, because that was the very last time I ever saw Leslie alive.

It was either that same evening or the following day that he stood behind the boards by the rink to watch an inter-class hockey game. Just as the final whistle blew one of the players hit the puck at the boards. The puck lifted just high enough to clear the boards, and it struck Leslie on the temple. He fell over backwards—DEAD!

You can never speak to the “wrong” boy or girl about the Lord Jesus and His love for sinners. And no one is ever too young to tell others that “Christ died for our sins.” 1 Corinthians 15:3.

ML-08/29/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Mussels

“Lord, Thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is.” Acts 4:24.

Like other bivalves, mussels have twin shells with the two parts hinged with a strong ligament in the middle. The shells are made of limestone which they manufacture themselves. Mussels are most commonly found on offshore rocks at ocean beaches where they are alternately covered with water and exposed to the air. Food from the waves is sucked in through a long siphon and passed on to their gills where thousands of microscopic hairs trap it and force it on to their mouths.

Living in groups, the edible Blue Mussel attaches itself to ocean rocks using an adhesive from a gland in its “foot.” Thousands of tons of water beat against it from tides and waves, yet it clings tightly to its home. Isn’t it amazing that such a small form of life can resist such great power?

Another amazing fact is that mussels do not die when the tide goes out and leaves them exposed to the air. They stay alive by retaining water in their shells, during this temporary dry spell, and by moist seaweed and moss draped over them—all a planned part of God’s protective care.

Freshwater mussels are like their ocean cousins, but live on the bottom of a stream or lake. There the female lays thousands of eggs, carrying them in a mantle (a fold in the body wall) attached to her shell until they hatch. Coming out of the egg each little mussel, which is equipped with numerous tiny hooks, attaches itself to a passing fish. It remains there for several weeks, sucking the fish’s blood. This is not very pleasant for the fish, but fortunately does not kill it. After the mussel has grown to a good size it drops to the bottom of the stream to live as an adult, and the fish soon recovers from its ordeal.

One of the mussel’s greatest enemies is the muskrat. Knowing its teeth cannot break the hard shell, the muskrat takes the mussels out of the water one by one, spreads them on the ground and occasionally turns them over. Soon, uncomfortable in the heat of the sun, they open their shells. This is what the muskrat has been waiting for, and he quickly eats them.

Everything about these small creatures reminds us of the wonders of God’s creation and His delight in making such great varieties of all things. Not one of them came through any evolutionary process, for as the Bible tells us, “By Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible... all things were created by Him and for Him.” Colossians 1:16.

While they all act by God-given instincts, they cannot know anything about the One who takes care of them. Yet a day is coming when the Lord will be honored by everyone, both small and great. But boys and girls, and adults too, do not need to wait for that future time to praise Him. We can today join the Psalmist in declaring: “Because Thy loving-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise Thee.” Psalms 63:3. Do you know what it is to praise Him?

ML-08/29/1982

Trapped!

Memory Verse: “By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin: and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” Romans 6:12

“If I can just loosen this nut,” thought Clinton as he struggled with a nut that was stuck on his car. He was working under the car which was supported by blocks on either side. As he positioned his wrench on the stubborn nut, he thought again, “One more time with all my strength....” He braced himself and with one mighty pull again tried to loosen the nut. But instead of loosening the nut he found himself trapped with the weight of the car pressing down on his chest. His mighty pull had made the car slip off the blocks supporting it, and now he was pinned underneath!

How many of you realize that, unless you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your own Saviour, you are trapped by Satan. Satan is not the pitchfork-carrying devil that we sometimes see pictured, but he is a strong power in this world. In 1 Peter 5:8 the Bible describes the devil “as a roaring lion... seeking whom he may devour.” He is also called the one which “deceiveth (betrays) the whole world.” Revelation 12:9. He does this by saying that sin is not important, so just forget about it.

But what does God say about sin? “As by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” Romans 5:12. As a sinner without Christ, you are trapped in your sins and on the way to hell! But there is a way of escape if you will admit that you are helpless and need someone to help you.

Clinton knew right away that he was helpless—trapped under the car with the car’s weight slowly crushing his chest. He frantically called for help!

Clinton’s wife Deborah was in the house. Hearing his calls she ran to the garage to help him. He explained that the car could be lifted with the loader attachment on the front of their antique tractor. She ran to the barn after first phoning the neighboring farm for help. As hard as she tried, she could not start the old tractor. Neither could the two men from the neighboring farm who hurried over to help. Meanwhile, Clinton was finding it harder and harder to breathe.

Deborah happened to recall that their six-year-old son, Clinton, Jr., had helped his dad with a few jobs using the tractor. She ran into the house to get him. He quickly showed the men how to start the tractor and operate the loader. Now they were able to lift the front of the car, setting Clinton free!

Clinton was treated for only bruises and a sprained wrist. Paramedics who had arrived said that he would have died in just a few more minutes if the car had not been lifted off his chest. Clinton says today that he would have died if his son had not known exactly how to start that old tractor.

Clinton was rescued because the right person was there to help him. There were three other people who wanted to help him, but did not know how. Only young Clinton knew how to get the tractor started to help his dad. And it is the same way with those of you who want to be saved but do not know how. There may be people who will tell you ways that they think you can be saved. But if it is not God ‘s way it is not the right way and will not help you. The Lord Jesus Christ said, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” John 14:6. Yes, this is the only way that anyone can be saved. Every person must believe that the Lord Jesus suffered and died on the cross for their own sins. They must believe it is only the blood of the Lord Jesus that can wash their sins away and free them from Satan’s trap. Won’t you accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour now?

“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on Him.” John 3:36.

ML-09/05/1982

The Most Valuable Things First

The great disaster had a very small beginning. There was a house on fire. Soon it would be under control. But it was not brought under control! The wind picked up, and the fire spread to the next house and the next. Soon, the great city of Constantinople (now called Istanbul) was like a roaring furnace! When it was finally over, nearly 40,000 people were homeless, and many had been killed or injured.

There was a missionary family with a young daughter, Mary, living in Constantinople during the great fire. At the time of the fire Mary’s father was out of the city, and Mary and her mother were at home alone. When the fire got out of control and began to spread, people all around them were terrified as they tried to save themselves and their belongings. Already some had been killed and others badly injured. Mary and her mother were frightened, too, not knowing just what to do.

For the first time in her young life, Mary realized that she was not ready to meet God. “What if I’m killed in this fire! What will happen?” The thought scared her so much that she ran to her mother and told her. Her mother held her tightly and told her the wonderful story again of the love of the Lord Jesus Christ for sinners. Mary knew the story well, but had never thought that she needed to be saved. After all, weren’t her parents missionaries?

Now Mary saw herself as a helpless sinner and needing a Saviour. She understood that the Lord Jesus had died on the cross for her sins. Now she believed that her sins had been washed away in His blood, and she was clean. She told her mother, and they both knelt down and thanked God for saving her soul.

As they got up from their knees there was a loud knock at the door. Opening it they found two sailors from one of the Navy boats in the harbor. They were offering their help.

“Your house is in the path of the fire, and we’re here to help. Now, Ma’am,” they said to her mother, “the most valuable things first! You direct, and we’ll work.” The sailors worked as fast as they could to get the most valuable things out of the house. The house and everything that was left was burned to the ground.

After they moved into a shelter with many other people whose homes had burned, Mary got to thinking about what the sailor had said, “The most valuable things first.” He could not speak English very well, but she knew what he meant—there wasn’t much time, because the fire was coming fast.

She could see that this was exactly what she had not done as far has her own young life was concerned. She had spent very little time taking care of what her soul needed, and it would go on living forever. But she had spent lots of time every day taking care of what her body needed, and some day it would die and turn to dust. She knew she had not been obeying God, because His Word, the Bible, tells us, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness.” Matthew 6:33. She was so happy now that she had believed in her heart and confessed with her mouth that God had raised up the Lord Jesus from the dead (Rom. 10:9).

“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” Mark 8:36.

ML-09/05/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: Houses Under the Sea

“O Lord... the earth is full of Thy riches. So is this great and wide sea, wherein are things creeping innumerable, both small and great beasts.” Psalms 104:24,25.

Clams, scallops and oysters are included in the family known as Bivalves. They all live in double shells hinged with a strong ligament, opening or closing them according to conditions.

Most Clams live in soft sand or mud into which they disappear quickly when danger threatens. The Razor Clam, considered an especially tasty treat, can dig its way to safety faster than most people can dig with their shovels to catch it. But some clams, such as the Quahog, do not dig at all.

The Boring Clam, which needs to be loosened with a pick ax, can burrow into hard clay or sandstone using the sharp edge of its shell as a tool. Its extended “foot” anchors it in place while working, and a tube, called a siphon—as much as a foot long, goes up to the clean, surface water for its food supply.

In the tropical waters of the Indian and Pacific Oceans, giant clams, up to four feet long and weighing several hundred pounds, thrive in big colonies. Stories of them trapping people in the water are probably not true since clams cannot close their shells fast enough to do this.

Scallops are similar in many ways to clams. Their orange flesh, contained in a pretty, brown-marbled and ribbed shell, is a favorite of seafood lovers. The unusual thing about a scallop is its ability to swim through the water by jet propulsion while its double shell opens and closes.

Oysters, found in most of the world’s oceans, have their own way of life. They do not burrow, but remain on the bottom or cling to some solid object. They do not need a siphon, but receive microscopic food particles from the constant flow of water passing over them. Because this tasty food is in great demand, “oyster farms” raise them commercially in many places.

Pearls, found in oysters, are the result of an irritant that gets inside the shell. The oyster tries to relieve this irritation by covering the grain of sand with nacre (a substance called mother-of-pearl). As the layers of nacre build up they eventually produce a lovely pearl—white, pink, black or gray and usually have a shiny luster to add to their beauty.

None of these shellfish are aware of their dependence on God, yet “These wait all upon Thee; that Thou mayest give them their meat in due season.” Psalms 104:27. How gracious a provider He is to all His creation. But we ourselves should be aware of our dependence on Him, as the question asks, “Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this? In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.” Job 12:9,10.

Let us never forget to thank Him for every blessing, and more than anything else for the gift of His beloved Son “Who gave Himself a ransom for all.” 1 Timothy 2:6.

ML-09/05/1982

"Fangs"

Memory Verse: “When we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son.” Romans 5:10

Life is not easy for an alley cat... especially in the wintertime when it is cold, and stray cats have to dig for food in the garbage. “Fangs” was this kind of cat. Having to live this way had made him wary and mean. Besides that, he was skinny and had a problem which made it hard for him to breathe in cold weather... and this day was really cold. Poor Fangs! He just did not know what the “good life” really was. He was used to alley life and not the warmth of a nice building or house.

This is just like some people of whom the Bible says that although they say they are rich and have need of nothing, they are really “wretched and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.” Revelation 3:17. If you do not know the Lord Jesus, you are much worse off than Fangs. You may think that your life is “good,” but without the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour you are still, just like Fangs, in the alley.

One day, while searching for a warm place to get out of the storm, Fangs found a garage door open and secretly crept through. How nice and warm it was inside, and even better, somewhere inside he could smell food! Fangs’ new home was a print shop, and nearby in the same building was a lunchroom. There was just one problem, however, and that was—there were people around, and Fangs did not care one bit for people!

Trying hard to stay hidden, Fangs was still looking for food in nearby garbage cans while using the print shop as a shelter from the cold. But one day he was seen running across the print shop floor! The people that worked in the print shop left food and water in his very own dish and even made a nice home for him out of a cardboard box. Well, that should surely have made a nice, friendly kitty out of Fangs... but no, he was just as scared of people as ever, and whenever anyone came near him he would hiss and bare his teeth. (That is how Fangs got his name.)

One day, however, Fangs was offered food from one of the men’s hands. Fangs hissed and backed off, but the man talked gently to him while still offering the food. Fangs caught a whiff of that delicious food and he could not resist the smell! He timidly crept forward and snatched the food out of the man’s hand with his claws. While he was eating his food, the man gently petted him. That didn’t feel so bad... and so with more food and love, soon mean, old Fangs was purring and enjoying all the attention.

The Bible tells us to “taste and see that the Lord is good.” Psalms 34:8. The Lord wants to bless us and feed us with that living Bread from heaven. If we simply repent and put our trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, He will wash our sins away with His own precious blood. Then we can enjoy the happy privilege of being God’s own children.

Well, old Fangs never hissed again, and soon the building became his very own home. He no longer had to wander outside in the cold. How about you? Have you tasted and seen that the Lord is good, or are you still out in the cold, away from God’s love? He wants you to have His forgiveness and love, and then give you a home with Him in heaven.

“All that the Father giveth Me shall come to Me; and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” John 6:37.

ML-09/12/1982

"Don't Worry About Your Clothes, Son, Save a Life!"

Standing on the muddy bank of a canal near Miami, Florida, Jim Polowy saw bubbles coming up from a car which had just plunged into the murky water.

Jim and his wife saw the accident happen as they were driving to the airport for a flight to their home in Chicago. Graciela Rodriguez, the driver of the car that nose-dived into the water, had lost control when the car’s hood flew open, blocking her view.

“We quickly turned our car around and went back,” Jim recalled. “I knew that I was going to have to go in after her, so I took my wedding ring off and got my wallet out of my pocket.”

“Everyone was saying Jim was crazy to go into that water,” his wife added. “It was black and deep and full of snakes and alligators! But nobody else among the 50 people who stopped seemed to want to help.”

This story reminds me of the story of the good Samaritan that is found in the Bible in Luke 10:30-35. The Lord Jesus Christ, God’s Son, is pictured as the Samaritan who helped the poor man who was robbed and beaten by thieves and left to die. At least two other men passed by him, but they could not, or did not want to help him. They did not have the love that was needed to help the poor man who could not help himself. The only person who could help him was the Samaritan, a stranger from another land. It was he who in love to the poor man chose to help him.

It is just the same with us as sinners. It is only God, in His own love to sinners such as you and me, who can save us, because we are helpless. There is no one else who can help us. “For there is none other Name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12.

The Lord Jesus Christ is that good Samaritan, that “Stranger” who has come to poor sinners like us, and has done all that could be done to save us. He became poor, that we through His poverty might be made rich (2 Cor. 8:9).

He changes places with the wounded traveler, getting down from His own horse and setting the wounded man on it, and arranges to take care of him.

As Jim pulled off his shoes, someone called to him from the crowd standing around, “Don’t worry about your clothes, son, save a life!” Although his good clothes and his flight to Chicago that he was about to miss were on his mind, Jim dove into the 15 feet of black water to try to find the car. Coming up for air, he dove again and again. On the fourth dive he finally came back up with the young lady in tow and pulled her to shore.

“I couldn’t see my hand in front of my face in that water,” he said later. “I didn’t think I was going to find the car. I was amazed when I touched it.”

Although nearly exhausted and out of air, Jim forced open the car door and found the unconscious driver.

On the shore they found Graciela not breathing and apparently in shock. Others gave her artificial respiration until the paramedics could take over.

Jim’s quick action and the equipment and training of the paramedics saved her life. After a short hospital stay she was released in good health.

Graciela’s life was saved because of Jim’s concern and quick action. There were 50 other people around who either could not or would not help. We may ask why, and not come up with a very good answer. But how many of us who are saved are standing around seeing people going on in their sins towards hell, and are not trying to rescue them. Christ loved us, He was punished on the cross for our sins, and His blood shed there has washed all our sins away. We have everlasting life because of His love and work. But are we telling others about this good news? Are we concerned enough to “not worry about our clothes and save a life?”

“I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.” Romans 1:16.

“He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already.” John 3:18.

ML-09/12/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: Little Joey and Big Boomer

“All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made.” John 1:3.

In Australia kangaroos are a familiar sight. Sometimes they are a pest, because they eat grass needed by the many flocks of sheep and they also trespass into people’s gardens. Even traffic signs warn drivers about them.

These animals have small heads and rather large ears, but what is most noticeable is their legs. Their front legs (used more like hands) are about half the size of their hind legs, which on some species are three feet long. They also have a very large tail which gives them support when grazing or leaping. Both their tail and the strong claws on their hind feet can be used as powerful weapons when needed.

The Great Gray and the Great Red kangaroos are the largest of all. Before man came to Australia great numbers of them covered the plains, but shepherds have killed many of them. These big fellows, about seven feet high, weight 200 pounds or more and travel in 15-foot leaps. They have no trouble clearing tall bushes and even nine-foot-high fences.

Small kangaroos are called Joeys. They are born naked and helpless and are not much bigger than a lima bean. It is amazing that they survive. But God, in creating them, provided protection for these little ones. The mother has a pouch close to the ground where the baby is sheltered from anything that might harm it. Within three minutes after it is born, the Joey has crawled into this pouch. It could not live any longer than that if it were not for this safe hideout. How remarkable that God gave it this instinct to search for a hiding place so promptly. He also wisely limits the mother to only one baby at a time. Otherwise there would be problems with several trying to reach the safety of her pouch at the same time.

When little Joey is hidden away he quickly finds his mother’s milk. As soon as he reaches this spot the mother pumps milk into his tiny mouth, because he is not strong enough yet to suck. This continues for about four months; meanwhile the mother goes about her activities as usual. Soon fuzzy fur begins to appear on Joey. Still he remains in his safe hideout until, weighing about ten pounds, he ventures outside. But he is more than a year old before he changes from milk to a grass diet. Then he is no longer a Joey but is known as a Boomer, or sometimes he is just called a “Roo.”

Do you think God knows about these strange animals? Yes, and He cares for them as well. The Bible speaks of this care in Psalms 145:16: “Thou openest Thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.” We are again told in Acts 17:28 that “In Him we (all) live, and move, and have our being.”

Animals are not able to thank God, but we are. We should not only thank Him for His care over us, but we should also acknowledge His love and accept His gift, the Lord Jesus Christ. It is only through His work on the cross that we can be saved from the punishment of our sins and have everlasting life. Have you accepted Him as your Saviour and thanked him for dying for you?

ML-09/12/1982

The Special Dog

Memory Verse: “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.” Revelation 3:20

Skippy is an unusual dog. He has a glossy, brown coat, loves to be petted, and has endless energy. But that is not what makes him special. Skippy is a hearing-ear dog. He has been trained to help people who are deaf, like his owner Janet.

What a change Skippy has made in Janet’s life! Before Skippy came Janet was not able to hear sounds most of us hear every day. Skippy has been trained to alert Janet to the sound of an alarm clock, a smoke alarm, a doorbell or knock on the door, a telephone ring, or the buzz of an oven timer.

“Before I got Skippy, the house could have been on fire, and I wouldn’t have known it,” said Janet. “Now if the smoke alarm goes off, he’s jumping all over me.” Janet showed Skippy’s skill by setting off the smoke alarm. Skippy cocked his ear and almost immediately began running in circles. Then he went directly to Janet and pawed at her dress. When she got up to follow him, Skippy headed for the smoke alarm on the ceiling, looking back to make sure Janet was following him.

“If the phone were ringing Skippy would take me to the phone. If the doorbell rings or someone knocks, he leads the way to the door,” said Janet. “When my alarm clock goes off in the morning, he jumps up on the bed and licks my face to awaken me.”

Skippy must not get his sounds mixed up, or he would be of no help to Janet at all. If when he heard the smoke alarm he led her to the telephone, or if when the alarm clock rang he ran to the door, Janet would not get the correct message.

Just as Skippy has to listen carefully to the sounds he hears, we must listen carefully to what God has to say to us. In Revelation 3:20 He says, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.” Do you hear His knock? Have you answered it by accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour and confessing Him with your mouth as your Lord (Rom. 10:9)?

Once we have accepted Him there are many things the Lord tells us that we must listen to if we want to be really happy Christians: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord” (Eph. 6:1); “Love one another” (John 15:17); “Be ye kind one to another” (Eph. 4:32); “Rejoice in the Lord always” (Phil. 4:4).

Just as Skippy has to listen carefully all the time, we need to read the Bible every day so we can hear and understand what God has to say to each of us.

ML-09/19/1982

Almost Home

“It happened so suddenly,” the fisherman said sadly. He went on to tell me the story. He was one of five businessmen who had left the morning before on a fishing trip. All five of them were familiar with the dangers of small boats on large bodies of water. They had had a very good day of fishing and were returning about 10 o’clock that night with their catch. Rounding the point of land which hid the fishing lodge from view, they could see the lights of the cottages on shore.

Suddenly, without warning, a huge wave broke over the back of the boat, flooding out the motor! The boat turned broadside to the waves, and the next wave filled the boat, swamping it. All five men were thrown into the cold, choppy water.

All five of the men had life preservers on. One of them, apparently had a heart attack and died within minutes. The others clung to the overturned boat. They managed to tie the body of the dead man to the boat. Then, since the shore was only 300 yards away, they decided to swim for shore. Each of them was confident he could swim the distance quite easily. Two of them made it, but two did not! The cold and the waves made the “easy swim” a very difficult one. The two that reached the shore called and searched for their two friends—but with no success. Finally they stumbled through the dense woods to the lodge for help. They did not find their friends’ bodies until the next morning.

All of them had seen the lights of the cottages— “home,” but only two made it there. For the others—almost home was not enough!

There are many people who think that they are going to reach heaven, but they are still far away. They know about the Lord Jesus Christ, they know the way to be saved, they can repeat Bible verses, but they have never asked the Lord Jesus to wash away their sins and save them. What a tragedy when a person so close to accepting Jesus Christ as his Saviour dies and slips into eternity!

But you do not need to make this mistake. Take sides with God against yourself (repent), and believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for you. If you believe that His blood was shed for your sins and accept Him as your Saviour, then God says you are saved—from an eternity in hell, separated from God. Accept Him right now and be safe!

“Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” Hebrews 10:17.

“Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:13.

ML-09/19/1982

Giving God the Glory

A friend once asked Professor Samuel F. B. Morse, inventor of the telegraph, “When you were making your experiments, did you ever come to a standstill, not knowing what to do next?”

“Yes,” said the famous inventor, “many times.”

“And what did you do then?”

“Then,” said the professor, “I prayed. Whenever I could not see my way clearly, I prayed for more light.”

“Did the light usually come?”

“Yes, and when flattering honors came to me from America and Europe because of my invention, I never felt I deserved them. I made a valuable application of electricity, not because I was superior to other men, but only because God, who meant this invention for mankind, had to reveal it to someone. And He was pleased to reveal it to me.”

It is not strange that the humble inventor, Morse, received light after prayer. It always follows after obedience, for God has said, “Be still, and know that I am God.” Psalms 46:10. Nor is it at all strange that Professor Morse’s first message on his invention, the telegraph, was this: “WHAT HATH GOD WROUGHT!”

ML-09/19/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Tidelands

“Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world. " Acts 15:18.

Traveling along a highway, the changing views of ocean, woods and meadows can be very pleasurable. But occasionally the road may pass a swamp or a backwater bay which, when the tide is out, is so muddy and unattractive that it is passed by with hardly a glance. Perhaps one wonders why God made such places in His otherwise beautiful creation.

But He made no mistake in any of His creation, and you may be sure that these areas which are called “tidelands” form an important part of His “balance of nature.” Most of these areas are covered permanently or at least part of the time with a shallow mixture of salt water from the ocean and fresh water from a stream or river. For birds, fish, small animals and many insects this is a real paradise, and many of them could not live anywhere else.

Let’s take a closer look at a tideland. At first it appears ugly with the only visible life being some birds here and there. But there is quite a bit more to it than that. First are low bushes, reeds, cattails, sea grass, clumps of flowers and other vegetation, many kinds of birds, and numerous other wild life that enjoy the privacy of all this greenery. We can see that over long periods of time this vegetation has dropped blossoms, leaves, and stalks, producing a soggy mat over the area. This, added to material floating in from the sea or washed down from the land, has made a very rich “soup” for the lives of many creatures.

Here is a wonderful home for all kinds of creeping, flying and hopping insects, as well as small animals—mice, muskrats, rabbits and others. The tidelands also provide a “rest stop” for migrating birds, which arrive in great numbers to eat and regain their strength before continuing their travels.

In this wetland many kinds of shellfish thrive, enjoying the rich food as the water flows over them. Many fish also swim in with the tide and feed on the “soup.” Before departing on the outgoing tide, some will lay eggs in selected spots. The more we investigate, the more life we find. We know, too, that much invisible food for the water-dwellers is there as well.

Don’t you think that our stop at the tidelands has been worthwhile? Through this inspection we realize a little more how the Lord God so graciously and wisely supplies for every need of the creatures He has brought into the world. But none of them are able to think about the One who takes care of them, or ever give thanks to Him for this kindness. We do not expect them to know that “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.” Psalms 24:1.

But from every boy and girl, every man and woman who is able to understand how He has provided for us, our reply should be: “O give thanks unto the Lord; for He is good: for His mercy endureth forever.” Psalms 106:1. Do you remember to thank Him every day?

ML-09/19/1982

"What's Wrong, Son?"

Memory Verse: “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” 1 Corinthians 15:3,4

Donny just sat on the old log at the top of the hill behind his house. It was a beautiful fall day with bright sunshine, blue sky and drifting white clouds. But Donny was not seeing much of this beauty. He was not enjoying the red and yellow leaves or the sounds of the combine harvesting corn at the farm down the road.

Today Donny’s thoughts were on Spotty, his dog that had just died. Donny and Spotty had played on this same hill many times. They had often sat together at this same spot, but not anymore. Yesterday Spotty had been hit by a car and had died.

Donny Alloyne was a lonely boy and did not make new friends easily. His father’s job had made them move every couple of years. Donny did not even like his last name, Alloyne, which was pronounced “alone.” He was really alone now without Spotty.

As Donny sat staring off into space, he was so sad and lonely. Suddenly, his attention was caught by the rustle of leaves and cracking of a twig. Turning, he saw old Mr. Turner climbing up the hill.

Mr. Turner was a nice old man who lived in a small house down the road. He was usually either working in his garden or walking in the woods. Donny had met him before up here on the hill.

Mr. Turner stopped and talked with Donny for a couple of minutes. Then realizing something was wrong, he sat down and asked, “What’s wrong, son?”

Donny could not hold the tears back, and with a choking voice he told Mr. Turner all about Spotty’s accident. Mr. Turner listened quietly to the whole story. He tried to comfort Donny. But it was no use—without Spotty, Donny was all alone.

Sitting beside the sobbing boy, Mr. Turner silently asked his Saviour, the Lord Jesus, for just the right words to say to Donny. Mr. Turner understood what loneliness was. His wife had died a number of years before. He also knew that it was only the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, who could really fill Donny’s heart with happiness.

As he sat on the log beside Donny, Mr. Turner began to tell him about this “Friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” Proverbs 18:24. He told about His promise of always being with us. Gently and simply he told the story to Donny, picturing the love of God in giving His Son, and of Jesus’ love in being willing to die for sinners. He then read to Donny from his small pocket Bible about the birth, death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus.

Donny listened carefully. He had never heard anything like this before. He had, of course, heard about Jesus, but he never knew about His love for sinners. Donny also saw for the first time that he was a sinner and needed his sins forgiven. Right there on the log beside Mr. Turner, he accepted the Lord Jesus as his own Saviour.

After that things were different. A new happiness and friendliness came into his empty, lonely heart. The love of God and his newfound Saviour filled his life. It wasn’t long before his parents and school friends noticed the difference. When they asked what had happened, he told them about how lonely he had been and what Mr. Turner had told him. He explained to them how the Lord Jesus was now his own Saviour and was always with him.

Are you lonely and searching for something like Donny was? The Lord Jesus Christ can fill and satisfy that need. Will you let Him? “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.” Revelation 3:20.

ML-09/26/1982

A Little Love and Kindness

Mr. and Mrs. Wilson moved hundreds of miles away from their home in the United States to a small town in Mexico. They wanted to tell the people there about the Lord Jesus Christ. The first few months in their new home were very difficult for the Wilsons, because they could not understand Spanish and the people did not understand English.

The Wilsons lived next door to an old lady named Maria. Although they could not understand each other, they smiled and nodded whenever they met.

One day, Mrs. Wilson heard Maria calling in alarm. Maria did not call “help,” but Mrs. Wilson could tell that Maria needed help. So she hurried next door. There she found Maria flat on her back on the floor! She had fallen and injured her arm, and she was in much pain. Mrs. Wilson was so thankful she had come when Maria called. She helped her up off the floor, bandaged her arm, and gave her medicine to take away the pain. Then Mrs. Wilson went home and prepared a meal for Maria. For some time she continued to take food to her, until her arm had healed and she could take care of herself.

Months went by, and gradually Mr. and Mrs. Wilson learned to speak Spanish. They began telling the way of salvation and of the Lord Jesus’ love. There was real joy in the Wilson home one day when their old neighbor and friend Maria accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as her Saviour. She told the Wilsons that it was the love and kindness shown to her by Mrs. Wilson that made her very interested in hearing the gospel.

What a lesson this story can be to each one of us who love the Lord Jesus. Are we showing real love and concern for those around us who do not know the Lord Jesus as their Saviour? Or do we just go on our way not caring about them? There are seral verses that encourage us to show love and kindness to those around us.

“Let us do good unto all men.” Galatians 6:10.

“Be ye kind one to another.” Ephesians 4:32.

“By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another.” John 13:35.

Then let us thank God for His love that sent the Lord Jesus to die for each one who would trust Him. “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.” 1 John 4:9.

ML-09/26/1982

What Do You Weigh?

Many children like to step on the scales to see how much they weigh. Johnny liked to do this, and he always wanted to weigh more than anyone else! One time, trying to be the heaviest, he puffed up his cheeks full of air. One of his friends called, “Johnny, you can only weigh what you are. Puffing up your cheeks won’t make you weigh more!”

This is true of each one of us in God’s eye—we can only “weigh what we are.” Unless we have our hearts washed clean of our sins in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are only sinners in God’s sight and on our way to hell.

In Daniel 5:27 we are told of a king who was “weighed in the balances, and... found wanting.” This means when he stepped on God’s scale he did not “weigh enough.” God could see that his heart had not been washed clean of its sins, so he was not ready to go to heaven when he died. And he died that very night!

How terrible it will be when the Lord Jesus comes if you do not “weigh enough"—if your heart has not been washed clean of its sins. Why not ask Him to wash away your sins right now?

“Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall he whiter than snow.” Psalms 51:7.

“Jesus Christ, who... loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood.” Revelation 1:5.

ML-09/26/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: Swat That Fly

“Lord, Thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is.” Acts 4:24.

Of the 85,000 kinds of flies in the world, the most pesky and best known is the common House Fly. It has been called “the most dangerous insect in the United States,” because of the germs it spreads. Although I’m sure none of us like House Flies, let’s take a closer look and see what things the Creator has given them.

Starting from a tiny egg laid by a female fly, a white grub hatches. This grub grows rapidly and within a few days changes to a pupa and then into an adult fly. In proportion to its size, its eyes are huge, each eye having some 4,000 six-sided lenses to give it outstanding vision. (No wonder it’s so hard to sneak up on them!) Its body, made up of five segments, is covered on the underside with stiff hairs through which six hairy legs protrude. These hairs are always loaded with harmful bacteria (germs). Looking closely, we see that each leg ends with a combination of a tiny claw and a sticky pad, where more germs cling.

Did you ever wonder how a fly can walk as easily up a window as on a smooth table top? Or, how can it walk upside down on the ceiling? The claws help it get a grip on smooth surfaces, but it is the pads, coated with a sticky fluid, that enable it to climb or walk upside down without difficulty.

Then there are the amazing, balanced, transparent wings that move 330 times a second. As the wings move, rod-like structures, called halteres, vibrate at the same rate to give the fly its sense of balance. More than one-tenth of the fly’s weight is in the muscles that control its wings.

The House Fly multiplies rapidly. During her short, two-week lifetime a female will lay half a dozen clusters of 100 to 150 eggs each. If every egg became a fly and none were destroyed, it has been calculated that within four months the descendants of a single pair of flies would cover the earth! But God does not allow them to reach so great a number, keeping them under control with many enemies. In addition to people who swat them with a fly swatter, they have many other enemies—spiders, hornets, frogs, birds, mites and parasites, all keeping them under control.

When the Lord God created the first flies they were in no way harmful. But when sin came into the world, He allowed them to have their present bad habits as a reminder that “the wages of sin is death,” and they became one of the ways by which death-resulting diseases are spread. In a future time all will be restored to order again, and these insects will no longer be harmful. That time will be after the Lord takes all who love Him into heaven.

Yes, even the House Fly is under the Creator’s control and shows again how wonderfully He has made every creature. Actually, every boy and girl is a much greater marvel of His creation. The Psalmist said, “I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are Thy works.” Psalms 139:14. He has not only made us His highest creation, but wants us to know His great love. Have you responded to the invitation, “O taste and see that the Lord is good"? Psalms 34:8.

ML-09/26/1982

A Morning Walk

Memory Verse: “When we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” Romans 5:6

She had gotten up early like she always did. But this morning, while everyone else in the house was still sleeping, she decided to go for a short walk outside while the streets were still quiet. She would be back in just a few minutes, she told herself as she headed down the block. Since she did not know this city, she would stay close to her daughter’s home.

This was Mrs. Chen Kan Chang’s first visit to her daughter’s home in Chicago. Except for the word “Taiwan,” which was her native country, she could not say anything else in English. She knew it was not very wise for a 74-year-old lady to go too far away from home in a land she did not know or understand. So she decided it would just be a short walk around the neighborhood before the rest of the family got up.

But somewhere on her short walk she took a wrong turn, and then a second wrong turn, and then a third. Suddenly, Mrs. Chang realized she was lost. She did not have any idea how to get back home. She did not know where she was, and she could not ask anyone because she could not speak English.

Mrs. Chang was lost—lost in a large city, and she could not help herself. As bad as this seems, there is something even worse, and that is being lost and not knowing it. There are not only older people, but many boys and girls who are lost and on their way to hell. Most of them do not know it. Satan has fooled them by making them think that everything is just fine. But they have “taken a wrong turn” and are really on the road that leads to destruction (Matt. 7:13). Satan has “blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ... should shine unto them.” 2 Corinthians 4:4.

Are you one of these? Have you heard God’s way to be saved but have not accepted it? If so, Satan has you blindfolded and is leading you the wrong way! Satan is telling you that you do not need to be saved, or that you are too young to think about it. But let’s take off that blindfold and listen to what God says: “Now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2.

God loves you and wants to set you on the right way. He sent the Lord Jesus Christ, His only Son, to “seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10.

Do you want to be saved? You cannot be saved if you will not admit that you are lost. Believe that the Lord Jesus died on the cross for your sins and that His blood can wash all your sins away. Then you can have peace, knowing that you are on that road “which leadeth unto life.” Matthew 7:14.

Mrs. Chang kept on walking. She hoped that she would walk in a circle and end up where she had begun. She walked for hours and hours, covering many miles. She walked the whole day and never stopped.

“She went out for a walk and never came back,” her daughter Gina Kung told the police. “We can’t find her anywhere. I have driven all around the neighborhood looking for her.” Soon others were looking for Mrs. Chang, too.

Night came, but Mrs. Chang kept walking. She was afraid to stop and lie down to rest. She tried to stay on the main streets where the lights were the brightest. She was unable to ask for help, unable to use a telephone, and unable to find out where she was, so she kept walking. She walked all night and on into the early hours of the next day.

She had nothing to eat. But she did find a penny on the ground, and she picked it up, putting it in her pocket. But the penny would not pay for a meal in a restaurant, or even pay for a cup of tea or a glass of milk. She kept the penny in her pocket, just in case.

She passed other people but could not talk to them. How her tired feet ached! She was thirsty, not having had anything to drink all day. She saw a sprinkler on in a yard and got a drink from it. Then she moved on. Passing through one neighborhood after another, she wandered through the city, alone, frightened and lost. No one talked to her and she talked to no one. She felt sure she was going to die.

Have you seen anyone like Mrs. Chang, who is lost and wandering around and nobody seems to care? These poor people are not lost in a big city. They are lost because they cannot find God. Have you offered to help them by giving them the right directions? Have you told them the Lord Jesus loves them and wants to bring them safely to His home in heaven?

By 9:00 that second evening Mrs. Chang had to give up. Her feet were so swollen she could hardly walk. She was so tired that she looked for a place to rest. The only place she could find that would give her a little shelter was under a bridge. At last she sat down. This was the end of her second day and the beginning of her second night lost on the lonely streets.

That is where the two policemen found her. Officers John and Jim were driving their police car slowly on their regular rounds.

“The minute we saw her, sitting back in the shadows under the bridge, we knew something was wrong,” reported Officer John. “Here was an old Oriental woman sitting in a non-Oriental neighborhood all alone in the dark.”

The two men went up to Mrs. Chang. They saw her swollen feet and sunburned face and neck. She was exhausted, but she got up and bowed to them and smiled. All she would do was smile, bow and say “Taiwan.” Finally Officer John called headquarters to see if there was an old Oriental woman reported missing in the city. Their answer was “yes,” so they gently led her back to their car.

Waiting in the car, the report came in over the radio as to who was missing. One of the officers turned to her and asked, “Chen Kan Chang?”

“A big smile came on her face,” said Officer John, “and she nodded her head. When she heard us say her name she knew she had finally been found. She was safe at last. She leaned back on the seat and immediately fell asleep. She slept all the way home.”

Mrs. Chang was found nine miles from her daughter’s home. The police have no idea how far she walked during those two days and one night, because no one, including Mrs. Chang, knew where she had been.

Yes, Mrs. Chang had been found. Now, do you think that after being found she would get back out of the car and start walking again? No, of course not. She knew that those two policemen were her salvation. God is offering free salvation to you also. All you have to do is accept it. You are at a crossroads right now. Are you going to take the right road or the wrong road?

“There is none other Name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12.

ML-10/03/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Mischievous Raccoon

“God Himself... formed the earth and made it; He hath established it, He created it not in vain, He formed it to be inhabited.” Isaiah 45:18.

The sun has set, and in the fading light a family of raccoons, parents and four little ones, comes cautiously out of the woods. Their masked faces make them look like little burglars, which they often are. Tonight they head fora tree loaded with ripe plums. The cubs remain on the ground while the parents climb up and start shaking branches, causing a shower of plums to fall. While the cubs are eating them, the adults continue shaking the tree until the ground is covered with fruit. Then they climb down and join the dinner.

This fruit dinner is an extra treat. They eat mostly frogs, crayfish, turtle eggs and clams taken out of shallow waters. Birds’ eggs are a favorite, too. They will run off from a hen house with an egg in their teeth, never breaking it until they reach safety. Sweet corn is another special treat. Many cornfields have been ruined by their stripping ears from the stalks.

Although they weigh only about 25 pounds, many a dog is surprised at their fighting ability. They do not hesitate to attack a dog two or three times their own size. They are clever also at escaping pursuing dogs by wading in water, running along fence tops, climbing trees, backtracking and leaping down a hillside to break the scent trail the dogs are following. Occasionally one may let a dog chase it into a lake, then grabbing the dog by its neck, force its head under water until it drowns.

In spite of its sometimes nasty nature, a raccoon is a pretty animal. Its fox-like face with a black mask around jet-black eyes, erect ears, black, button nose and whiskers, and bushy, ringed tail all add to its charm. It is also very smart and soon discovers how to open latches on chicken coops, pry up windows, unscrew bottle tops, and even open refrigerators. For “fun” it will open drawers and scatter the contents all around.

This animal is another of the wonders of God’s creation. He has given it many life-sustaining instincts and also an intelligence which allows it to learn things necessary for its survival. It is found both in the meadowed woods of the United States and Canada and in the deserts of Mexico and South America. Its life reminds us of the verse in the Bible: “The Lord is good to all: and His tender mercies are over all His works... The eyes of all wait upon Thee; and Thou givest them their meat in due season. Thou openest Thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.” Psalms 145:9,15,16.

We think of these provisions of the Creator in connection with every creature, but it is also good to remember the prayer that should be in the heart of every boy and girl: “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.... O satisfy us early with Thy mercy; that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.” Psalms 90:12,14.

ML-10/03/1982

David's Treasure

Memory Verse: “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7

David lived in a big, white house with many houses all around it. Not far away was a valley surrounded by hills. There were many trails and caves in these hills that David and the other boys and girls in the neighborhood enjoyed exploring.

David had seen different kinds of birds and animals along the trails. One time a raccoon waddled across his path. It stopped a little distance away and stood staring at him. David thought the black rings around the raccoon’s eyes made it look like it was wearing a mask.

One day as David was walking along one of the trails, he saw something shiny in the weeds at the edge of the path. A sun ray peeking through the trees hit it and made it shine. David bent down to look.

Whatever it was, it must have been there for some time because it was almost buried in leaves and dirt. Even bits of moss were clinging to it.

As David picked away the dirt and moss he discovered it was a glass vase. It was not broken or even chipped. But it was quite dirty and not very pretty. He knew his mother would not want such a dirty thing in the house. He wondered what he should do with it. Throw it back in the dirt? Oh, no! He would not do that.

David knew that he could not take this vase caked with dirt into his mother’s house. Do you know that you cannot go into God’s house in heaven with the dirtiness of your sins still on you? The vase that David found was very dirty. But it only takes one sin to keep us out of heaven. Since each of us has sinned, there is nothing we can do that will make us clean for heaven. God loves you and me, and He wants us to come into His house in heaven. So He has made a way for even the dirtiest sinner to be made clean. The Bible tells us, “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.” Isaiah 1:18.

How can He make us this clean? Through the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. “The blood of Jesus Christ His (God’s) Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7. The Lord Jesus Christ was punished on the cross for the sins of everyone who will believe in Him. Because the Lord Jesus Christ is sinless, His blood shed there can wash away (remove from God’s sight) our sins that would keep us out of God’s house. After we ask the Lord Jesus to wash our sins away, we are presented as clean and white to God.

Looking at the dirty vase in his hand, David thought of Mrs. Weber, the little, old lady who lived in one of the houses down in the valley. She was an artist who painted pretty pictures. She often made other pretty things, too. David remembered how she had fixed his sister’s broken doll one time. Maybe she could help him, too. So he headed off to Mrs. Weber’s house.

He knocked timidly on her door, because he was a little shy. But she heard his gentle knock and greeted David with her friendly smile. She invited him to come in.

“So you found this,” she said as she carefully lifted the vase from David’s hands. “It looks like a real treasure, but it’s not in very good shape, David,” she commented. “But I’ll tell you what, you leave it with me for a couple of days, and I’ll see what I can do with it.”

Two days later David was back again. His timid knock was soon answered.

“So you’re wondering about your vase, are you? Well, there it is over on the table.”

Stepping inside and seeing it on the table, a big smile spread over his face. Could this really be the same dirty, ugly-looking vase he had found on the trail? It was beautiful! It was clean and shiny, and Mrs. Weber had painted some flowers on it.

“Thank you! Thank you very much!” said David. Then taking his treasure from the table, he hurried home with it to give it to his mother.

Now Mother knew Mrs. Weber quite well, so you see the vase became an extra-special treasure to her. First, her son had found it, and then her friend had made it beautiful.

The Lord Jesus could see that we were lost and dirty in our sins. He knew we needed help, and He came to wash away our sins. We were “dead in trespasses and sins.” Ephesians 2:1. He picked us up off the trail, washed all our sins away, and gave us a new life that wants to please Him.

This is what the Lord Jesus has done for me. Has He done this for you? If not, then why not ask Him to wash away your sins so you will be fit for heaven. He wants to make you clean.

“Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood... to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” Revelation 1:5,6.

ML-10/10/1982

Five Little Pebbles

Five little pebbles lay in the brook,

Five little pebbles hid in a nook;

“What are we good for?” one said to the other,

“Little or nothing, I’m thinking, my brother.”

Wearing away day after day,

It seemed that forever these pebbles might stay.

If they were flowers, gaudy and gay,

Doubtless someone would bear them away.

If they were bigger—stones builders use—

Doubtless some builders those pebbles might choose.

Wait, little pebbles, rounded and clean!

Long in your loneliness lying unseen;

God has a fortune awaiting for you,

Five little pebbles sturdy and true.

Five little pebbles hid in the brook,

David came down and gave them a look.

Lifting them swiftly out of the sand,

Five little pebbles, great in his hand,

Hark! there is shouting, there’s fighting today,

Boldly these pebbles are borne to the fray.

One of them chosen and put in the sling,

Who would have thought that a stone could thus sing?

Onward it sped with a might not its own,

Onward it sped by the shepherd-boy thrown.

Swift as an arrow, and straight as a dart,

For the whole nation that stone played a part,

Smiting the giant’s great terrible head,

Laying him low, a mighty man dead!

Five little pebbles lay in the brook

Mentioned with honor in God’s Holy Book.

Be thou a pebble, contented and low,

Ever kept clean by His mercy’s pure flow,

Hidden and ready till Jesus shall look,

And choose you, and use you, a stone from the brook.

ML-10/10/1982

Look in Your Bible

“I’m going to get to heaven by being good,” the little girl at our hobby class told me.

“Let’s see who God says is going to hell,” I suggested. I opened my Bible to Revelation 21:8 and explained, “Here is a list of people who God says are going to be in hell.” As we read the list she told me she was not like those people; she had never murdered anyone, and she did not worship idols. Then we came to the word “liars.” She looked a little surprised.

“Have you ever told a lie?” I asked.

“Lots of times,” she admitted, nodding her head yes.

She saw that all the good things that she was doing to get to heaven were spoiled by her lies and other sins. We turned in the Bible to Romans 6:23 and she read, “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

“How much work do you have to do to get a gift?” I asked.

“None,” she answered. “You get a gift; you don’t work for it.”

“You can’t work your way to heaven by doing good things either,” I answered. “You see, getting to heaven is God’s gift to you. All you have to do is receive the Lord Jesus as your Saviour, thanking Him for dying on the cross for your sins.”

Right then and there she accepted the Lord Jesus as her Saviour, and received the gift of everlasting life now and forever.

The Lord Jesus loves you very much and wants to give you this same gift, too. Won’t you accept Him right now?

“But the fearful, and unbelieving... and murderers... and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” Revelation 21:8.

ML-10/10/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Octopus

“The Lord is good to all: and His tender mercies are over all His works.” Psalms 145:9.

In spite of its frightful appearance, the Octopus is usually a very timid creature and will not attack a person unless he tries to go into its home. There are more than 150 varieties of them. Some are less than an inch long, others are 30 feet or more from tip to tip, but the ones most commonly seen are only about three feet across.

This odd citizen of the ocean has a plastic-like body with a large, dome-shaped head containing not only the brain, but also its stomach and other organs. These are covered by a membrane called a mantle. Behind its mouth and strong, parrot-type beak are huge, humanlike eyes. Eight snake-like tentacles stretch out from its body, each having on its underside a hundred or more suction cups. These suction cups look like buttons and hold whatever it takes hold of in a vise-like grip. Its eight tentacles also act as feet in moving on the ocean floor and as hands to pull it up over an underwater rock or cliff.

A large opening in the mantle is always moving, sucking water over its gills and out through a siphon. This siphon can be pointed in any direction to provide jet propulsion and also squirts inky fluid to make a “smoke screen” when pursued. Attached to its skin are little bags of pigment. When these bags are held open various colors are exposed, which the Octopus can change to appear striped, mottled or a solid color, whatever it chooses. In this way it takes on the color of its surroundings and is well camouflaged (hidden). How wonderfully the Creator has provided for its way of life deep in the ocean!

All in all, it is a very queer and rather terrible-looking creature, so its nickname “Devilfish” seems to fit it quite well. In spite of its fierce looks, it does have enemies, particularly squid, whales and big eels which attack its soft body. Because of this it hunts at night, and in the daytime it hides in a cave where it piles old shells and rocks by the entrance. When an enemy approaches, the Octopus jumps backwards into its cave, scooping up armloads of material from this pile to block the entrance after it is safe inside.

Do you think God sees these Octopuses down deep on the ocean floor? He certainly does. The Bible tells us: “Thy way is in the sea, and Thy path in the great waters.” Psalms 77:19. God sees and cares for everything He has created (including you and me) and never takes His eye off them.

But He has a special care for mankind whom He has created “in His own image.” We are the only creatures invited to come to Him in faith. His Word assures us “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knoweth them that trust in Him.” Nahum 1:7.

If you have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, you may say, like the Apostle Paul did, “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:38, 39.

ML-10/10/1982

A Rude Awakening

Memory Verse: “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Romans 10:9

Dear Aunt Ruth enjoyed telling us many stories about her childhood. One morning, we all sat wide-eyed around the breakfast table as she told us the following story. Although it happened over forty years ago, she remembered as clearly as if it had been last week.

“Well, you know what a stubborn little girl I could be sometimes. But this time I was sure that I was right. Holding our mother’s umbrella, my brother Richard and I looked down from the second-story window of our home to the garden below.

" ‘Come on, Richard,’ I coaxed, ‘It’s easy. Just close your eyes and jump. The umbrella will make you go down nice and slow.’ But Richard did not agree. He said he didn’t think it would work, and the ground was such a long ways down!

“Then my brother watched as I opened the umbrella and pushed up the window. He warned me that I’d get hurt, and that I wasn’t very smart to think that an old umbrella was going to act like a parachute. But I was stubborn and said I’d show him how gently I’d sail down.

“Well, both my legs were now dangling over the windowsill. The breeze felt just right, so I asked Richard to give me a little shove. He refused, so I pushed off myself, holding the opened umbrella over my head.

“Oh! the pain! I landed so suddenly that it seemed like the fall was only a few inches. My feet were crossed, and I could feel my ankles swelling.

“I looked up at Richard and cried, ‘I broke my legs! I broke my legs! Get Mother!’

“Well, it was a wonder that I only had one sprained ankle. But I surely learned a lesson I’ll never forget!”

The Bible tells us, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man; but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Proverbs 14:12. There are people today who believe that they can get to heaven by their own plans. They try to live a good life. They attend Sunday school regularly. They give money to the poor. But these people who stubbornly go on without the Lord Jesus are not safe. Unless they trust Him as their Saviour, they will get a rude awakening!

The only way we can enter heaven and be safe from the punishment that is coming at the end of this world, is through the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus said, “I am the door: by Me if any man (boy or girl) enter in, he shall be saved.” John 10:9.

Are you safe? Have you believed in your heart that the Lord Jesus died to take away your sins? Then you can be sure that “The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.” Deuteronomy 33:27.

ML-10/17/1982

The Foolish Monkey

“What a silly monkey! No one could ever catch me that way,” said Andy.

“Me either,” said Alice.

“What are you talking about?” asked Bruce who had just joined them.

“Oh, the missionary was telling us, this afternoon in Sunday school, how they catch monkeys in Peru. He said the Indians there like to eat monkeys. So, to catch them they cut a round hole in a coconut just big enough for the monkey to stick his hand in. Then they put a peanut inside the coconut and tie the coconut to a tree. Along comes Mr. Monkey. He likes peanuts very much, you know. When he discovers there is a peanut inside the coconut, he puts his hand in to get it. But when he holds the peanut, his hand becomes a fist and it’s too big to pull out! But the silly thing about Mr. Monkey is that he won’t let go of the peanut. When the Indian sees Mr. Monkey he says, ‘Now, I will have a nice monkey dinner.’ "

“Mr. Monkey sees him coming. He is afraid and squeals and chatters. Mr. Monkey pulls harder and harder to get his fist out of the coconut. But still he will not let go of the peanut. Then the Indian grabs him!”

“Silly monkey!” said Bruce.

“Yes,” said Andy, “but that is not all of the story. The missionary said that we think the monkey is silly, but we are just as silly.”

“Why?” asked Bruce.

“He explained that we are all sinners, and Satan has us trapped. If we do not run to the Lord Jesus Christ for safety, Satan will have us forever! We are just like that silly monkey, because we hang on to our sins and won’t let them go. Anything that we hang onto that keeps us from coming to the Lord Jesus is like the peanut that made the monkey lose its life.”

“I’m glad I’m not like that monkey,” said Bruce. “I’m glad I know the Lord Jesus as my Saviour. My sins are gone forever!”

Boys and girls, what about you? Are you trying to hold onto the things of this world, rather than letting them go and turning to the Lord Jesus who loves you? No matter what it is, if it keeps you from asking the Lord Jesus to be your Saviour, you are just as silly as Mr. Monkey. Don’t wait any longer. Satan, your enemy, has his eye on you! He does not want you to come to the Lord Jesus. But Jesus is lovingly welcoming you to come, just as you are. Once you admit to God that you are a sinner and accept His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, as your Saviour, you are saved and on your way to be in heaven with the Lord Jesus. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2.

ML-10/17/1982

Maggie's Special Blood

Maggie is a very special person. It is not because she is a good student or has a happy family that makes her special—it is her blood. Maggie has a kind of blood that no one else in the United States is known to have. In fact, doctors and researchers have not found anyone else in the world with this very rare type of blood even though they have been searching for years. To us this is very interesting, but for Maggie it could be a serious problem. If she should become sick and for some reason need a blood transfusion, who would supply the blood? So Maggie is preparing for the future by donating some of her own blood to a blood bank to be kept for her in case she might need it later on.

Have you prepared for the future? Without the cleansing power of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, you are only prepared for a future in hell. But the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ can cleanse us from all sin (1 John 1:7) which prepares us for a future in heaven with Him.

If Maggie should become sick and need her own blood for a transfusion, this would only help her through that one sickness. She might need several transfusions and still not be well. Maggie’s blood could run out. But the blood of the Lord Jesus will never “run out.” There is enough cleansing power in His blood for everyone who will trust in Him. When the Lord Jesus washes away our sins with His blood, all our sins—past, present and future—are gone forever, and we are saved forever. Have you asked Him to be your Saviour and wash your sins away?

What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus; What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

“Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood...to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever.” Revelation 1:5,6.

ML-10/17/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Fishing Fish

“In His hand are the deep places of the earth...The sea is His, and He made it: and His hands formed the dry land.” Psalms 95:4,5.

One of the odd creatures in the sea is the Angler Fish, which is found in the waters near Java and Malaysia in the Far East. There are sixteen known species of this fish. Most of them are less than a foot long, but some are as long as five feet.

All species of this fish have wide, frog-like mouths, which is the reason they are often called Frog Fish. Their mouths are filled with long, sharp teeth and can stretch many times their normal size, so that they can swallow fish as large as themselves. These fish are found in a wide variety of shapes, but most have a flat, ball of a head with their body tapering down to a small tail. One kind partly buries itself in the sandy or muddy bottom of the ocean and looks just like the brown rocks surrounding it. Others have leaf-like fins protruding and look exactly like sea plants. In each case the Creator has wonderfully camouflaged them to blend in with their surroundings.

But the most outstanding feature of these sea residents is that they come equipped with an efficient fishing rod and bait, and are experts at using them. The “rod” is actually a growth extending from the spine, which comes from the top of the body and may be as much as four times the length of the fish. The longest rods are usually hinged in the middle to make them more flexible.

A rod without suitable bait would not catch many fish, but these rods are already “baited” with a very appealing bait right at the tip. Depending on the species, this bait (which is a fleshy part of the Angler Fish) may look like a worm, a little fish, or a different kind of sea life that will attract a hungry fish.

The well-disguised Angler Fish unfolds its rod which, when not in use, lies on its back or on top of its head. The rod with its bait is “fished” ahead while the fish remains nearly motionless. Using the bait, just like a human fisherman does to attract fish to his line, the Angler wiggles it or causes it to “swim” about until a curious fish comes to inspect what looks like a good meal. The victim discovers too late that it has been trapped. The Angler Fish, with a strong sucking action, draws its victim in a flood of water into its mouth and swallows it faster than the human eye can follow. Sometimes the bait is swallowed as well, but this does not matter, because the Angler Fish quickly grows a replacement for the next fishing expedition.

This clever fish is another evidence of the wonders of God’s creation and the care He gives to all. It also reminds us of our enemy Satan, who seeks “whom he may devour” and often tempts us with “bait” that is pleasing to the eye. How wise it is to turn away from him, and listen to the loving Lord Jesus whose plan for us is one “of peace, and not of evil.” Jeremiah 29:11. Is He your own Saviour?

ML-10/17/1982

Flash Flood!

Memory Verse: “The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23

Phil Townsend’s mouth was suddenly full of dirty water! Instead of being asleep inside his family’s camper, he was swimming, and it was the middle of the night! He could not figure out what had happened. “Things just don’t happen this fast,” he told himself as he struggled, trying to keep his head above the rushing water. He was having a hard time of it since the water was moving fast, and he was not a strong swimmer. He found himself upside down as often as right side up.

The valley where they had parked their camper must have been hit by a flash flood. He could now remember seeing a warning sign about the danger of flash flooding as they turned into the campground. It had not rained here, but it must have rained up in the mountains, sending the deluge of water through the dry canyon, washing them away!

At any rate, the water had come from someplace, suddenly, and with no warning! One minute he had been tightly asleep in their camper with his parents and sister. The next minute he was struggling in this rushing, dirty water!

Where was his family? Where would the rushing water carry him? All he could do was try to stay afloat.

As Phil was being carried along in the flood waters, thoughts of his life and the things that he had heard at Sunday school flashed across his mind. He knew that he was not saved—the problem of his sins was not settled. He had heard about the love of the Lord Jesus Christ, and he had even memorized verses from the Bible. But he knew that he had never asked the Lord Jesus to forgive his sins. One verse kept flashing through his mind: “after death the judgment” (Heb. 9:27.) No, he was not ready to die and meet God!

Phil almost went under as his foot caught on something. He could faintly see that he was passing high walls of a cliff like the one they had parked beside. Maybe there was a bush or something he could grab onto. He strained to see, but a dark cloud blotted out what little light there had been. Lightning flashed, followed by a clap of thunder. In that brief flash of light he saw a little shelf-like ledge. It was a few feet higher than his head, and he was coming to it fast.

He would have to reach up for it and maybe he’d miss. He pushed up as high as he could when he reached the wall and caught the ledge. The rock was crumbly, but he managed to hang on. He dangled half in and half out of the water, gasping for air. He wondered if God had helped him. But God did not know who he was...or did He? God would know everyone, wouldn’t He? But if the person hadn’t believed in Him would He bother to help? Phil wondered about this as he gradually pulled himself up onto the ledge.

The rock began to crumble under his weight. How could he pull himself onto the ledge if it were that soft? But it was his only escape. He dug his toes into the cliff wall and, with a mighty effort, finally got up on the ledge. He was gasping, but relief flowed over him. He had made it!

There are people who think that they are safe and on their way to heaven. They think the ledge that they are hanging on to is going to protect them. But if that ledge or rock is not the Solid Rock (the Lord Jesus Christ), then it is not a safe place. “He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.” Psa. 40:2. “In God is my salvation and my glory: the rock of my strength, and my refuge, is in God.” Psalm 62:7.

What about you? Are you resting on the Solid Rock, or are you resting on something that is going to crumble? The only safe and solid place is in accepting the Lord Jesus as your own Saviour. You must realize that you are a sinner and cannot help yourself. Then believe that the Lord Jesus loves you and died for you. Believe that on the cross He suffered and was punished for your sins. Then the promise from God is: “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish.” John 10:28. Won’t you accept Him right now as your Saviour?

Phil huddled on the ledge and wondered where his parents and sister were. He figured if he had been washed out of the camper, they probably had been, too. Maybe they had drowned! He shuddered, and the lightning flashed again. But by its light he saw a crevice in the wall of rock just beyond him. It looked deep enough for an eleven-year-old to climb into. To get to the crevice he would have to leave the ledge that he was on. His strength was almost gone. Should he stay where he was, or try to reach the crevice? While he was deciding, a large chunk of the ledge near him crumbled and slid into the rushing water. This answered his question!

Phil eased himself back into the water and moved along the wall. He had gone only a few feet when he heard a sliding sound as the rest of his ledge fell into the water!

Soon he was even with the crevice. Once more he put all his strength into the upward climb. Finally, he crawled into the safety of the deep slash in the wall. A crack couldn’t wash away— he was safe!

Yes, Phil had found a safe place in the rock. Those who have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour can say, “Thou art my hiding place.” Psa. 32:7. In Christ we are safe, and He will never let us go. He is the only safe place in this life. Any other “place” will crumble and slide into the water! Make sure that you are safe on the Rock that will last forever.

Phil stayed in that crevice all night. When daylight came helicopters searched the flooded area. They spotted him and helped him out of the crevice with a rope-sling lift. He learned then that his family had been rescued, too. They had been washed along inside the camper for six miles in the wild water. The family was soon united in a happy reunion.

We’re happy that the Townsend family was rescued and united again. Better still, this experience also made them realize that they were not ready to die and meet God. It was not long before each of them accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their own Saviour. Isn’t it time for you to find a place of refuge from the judgment that is coming?

“The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms.” Deut. 33:27.

ML-10/24/1982

Tempted - Deceived!

One day a policeman in one of the big city parks saw an expensive-looking, pedigreed dog following a man who was very poorly dressed. The dog kept sniffing at the man’s pant-leg. This made the policeman suspicious. He stopped the man and discovered that he had placed a piece of meat inside the cuff of his pant-leg. It had been placed there to lure the little dog away from her home. The policeman rescued the dog just in the nick of time, and the dog was returned to its owner.

Satan is a master at tempting and deceiving. He uses many different “baits” to tempt boys and girls away from the Lord Jesus and into sin. But the Lord Jesus came to rescue tempted and deceived people and will keep all who put their trust in Him.

“Be not deceived.” Gal. 6:7.

The Lord Jesus is “able to save” Heb. 7:25, and “able to keep” Jude 24.

Ask the Saviour to help you,

Comfort, strengthen and keep you,

He is willing to aid you,

He will carry you through.

ML-10/24/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Colobus Monkey

“Lift up your eyes on high, and behold Who hath created these things...He is strong in power.” Isa. 40:26.

The most common Colobus monkey has a black body with a fringe of long, silky, white hair, a flowing mane and a long, hairy tail. Several species of this pretty animal live in the rain forests of Africa and are usually named by their color. For instance, one is known as the Black; another is the Green; and still another the Red with its attractive orange and brownish-black colors. All are acrobatic and great tree climbers, spending most of their lives in trees.

All the Colobus species take good care of their young. An observer once watched a mother and father standing close together, teaching a baby to leap from the shoulder of one to the shoulder of the other. Day by day the distance was increased until the little one was able to make long jumps, which it would soon have to do when following the parents through the trees.

Another time a mother was seen sitting on the branch of a tree, looking down at her youngster sitting on the ground unable to reach her. The mother let down her long tail, and the youngster leaped up, grasped it and quickly climbed up.

These interesting monkeys are also called Leaf Monkeys, because they live almost entirely on leaves. When God created them, He gave them a special stomach and digestive system and molar teeth specially suited to chew and grind leaves. These parts of their bodies differ from all other monkeys. The stomach system is composed of three parts. The front section receives the chewed leaves from the mouth. Juices are added, and the more fluid material is passed on to the other sections of the stomach. In each section the leaves are broken down more until finally they pass into the digestive system as nourishment for the body. When the monkey has finished eating, it climbs to a treetop and sits for hours while it digests its food. Isn’t it wonderful how God made the Colobus a distinct little animal, looking like, but different from other monkeys. This is another display of His delight in showing His creative power and wisdom in many different ways.

While monkeys are more clever than most animals, much of their activity is through God-given instincts, without which they could not survive. And as we have noted, their bodies were designed by the Creator to take care of all their needs. They could not have gradually developed this way over periods of time, because they could not live even one day if all their parts were not perfectly formed at the beginning.

These pretty animals do not know about the God who watches over them. But His Word, the Bible, tells us He is not only the Creator, but also the One who loves us and has provided salvation for anyone who will come to His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, for forgiveness of sins. Job said: “I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause: Which doeth great things and unsearchable.” Job 5:8,9. We are urged to accept Him as Saviour and are promised: “Those that seek Me early shall find Me.” Prov. 8:17. Do not wait any longer to turn to Him.

ML-10/24/1982

Stuck in the Mud

Memory Verse: “He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.” Psalm 40:2

Mike, Randy, Tommy and little Timmy were brothers. They lived in the country on a small farm. There was lots of room for them to run and play. Mike and Randy were old enough to go to school, but Tommy and Timmy were still too young.

One warm Saturday in the fall, the boys were all playing together outside. After a while they got tired of playing with their trucks and tractors and other toys.

Randy had an idea: “Let’s go play by the creek in the woods.”

“Okay,” said Mike, “let’s go. But, Tommy and Timmy, you can’t go along.”

Randy and Mike head off across the pasture towards the woods without looking back. They ran fast and soon were nearly out of sight. Little Timmy stayed near the house, but Tommy wand to follow his big brothers. So he took off after them, but he was soon out of breath and way behind.

Soon after Mike and Randy reached the creek they took their shoes off and went wading. They threw stones, chased frogs and tried to trap minnows. It was lots of fun as they splashed around, and laughed when one of them would almost lose his balance.

“This is more fun than playing in the yard, isn’t it?” said Mike.

“Yeah,” Randy agreed.

Suddenly, Mike called, “Randy, help me! My feet are stuck in the mud!”

Randy laughed and ran over to help Mike. He tugged and pulled, but still Mike could not get his feet out of the deep, sticky mud. Then Randy discovered something. “Oh, no! I’m stuck, too!” And even though he pulled as hard as he could, he could not get his feet out.

Now both boys were stuck and could not get out!

Randy and Mike both called as loudly as they could, “Mother! Mother! Help us!”

Mother was too far away to hear them, but somebody else heard them. Tommy had finally gotten to the creek and was looking for his brothers. He had not found them, but he was close enough to hear them calling for help. He poked his head through the bushes near the boys and asked, “What’s wrong?”

“Oh, Tommy!” cried the boys, “Run and tell Mother to come help us! We’re stuck in the mud! Hurry, Tommy, go get Mother!”

Tommy ran as fast as his little legs could go. Mother was already out looking for the boys. She saw Tommy crawling under the fence.

“Tommy!” Mother scolded, “Where have you been? And where are Randy and Mike?”

“They’re stuck in the mud, Mommy! Come help them, quick!”

Mother was frightened! She did not like that muddy creek and had warned the boys to stay away from it. With Tommy leading the way they ran to the creek. “I wish your Father were here,” she said to Tommy as they ran.

When she got to the boys, she was careful to stay clear of the mud. She found some large rocks and set them in the mud near the boys. While standing on the rocks, she dug away at the mud around their legs with her hands.

When the boys were finally free, they were sorry about Mother’s cut and bleeding fingers. Mother did not need to warn the boys about the creek any more. They knew it was not a safe place to play.

There is another place where it is not safe to be, and that is in this world without the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour. Without Him as their Saviour there are children (and older people, too) who are trapped in their sins and have not been set free. Even though they try different ways they cannot free themselves. They are just like Randy and Mike when they were stuck in the mud. They need someone else to help them.

For sinners, the only way to escape the trap of sin is through the Lord Jesus Christ. He tells us in the Bible, “I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” John 14:6. It is only by realizing that we are sinners who cannot help ourselves and by calling to the Lord Jesus for help that we can be set free. He has promised, “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” John 6:37.

If you see that you are a sinner and believe that Christ took all the punishment for your sins on the cross, God promises you everlasting life. But God also says that if you will not accept His plan of freedom through the Lord Jesus Christ, then you will have to be punished for your own sins. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” John 3:36.

Won’t you ask the Lord Jesus for His help? He loves you and wants to set you free. “He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.” Psalms 40:2.

“The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7.

ML-10/31/1982

Who Am I?

The sound of ringing hammer and the ax made chips that flew,

People pointed, laughed and mocked at him, but he had work to do.

He warned of coming judgment and that God would punish sin

But they laughed and said “Who are you?” Still he offered them, “Come in!”

Their safety now was ready—and eight souls were there—no more.

Creation’s kinds came with them and then God shut the door.

His judgment fell upon them, though they cried and beat in vain

No safety now—nor ever, for God had indeed sent rain!

ML-10/31/1982

Trouble Inside

“What’s wrong with our mantel clock?” asked Mr. Kelly one evening when he came home from work. “It’s 6:00, and the clock says 5:30.”

“I don’t know what has happened to it. It has always kept good time until today,” answered Mrs. Kelly. “Elsa missed her school bus this morning because of that clock.”

Mr. Kelly moved the hands of the clock around until the exact time of 5 minutes after 6:00 was reached. He wound the old clock with the key and said, “Let’s see what it’s like tomorrow.”

The next morning when Mr. Kelly checked the clock he saw that it had lost even more than thirty minutes during the night. So he reset the clock again, but still it would not keep the right time. It ran slower and slower. Finally, it stopped and would not run at all.

One night after work Mr. Kelly said, “I’m going to take the back off the clock and see if I can find the problem.”

Elsa and Mrs. Kelly watched him. And what do you suppose they saw? Something had made a little home for itself inside the clock! In among all the clock parts was a fine, silky web.

When Mr. Kelly opened the clock the little spider that had made the web ran away as fast as its eight little legs could carry it.

“That’s right!” scolded Mr. Kelly, “you go away! You tied up the wheels of our clock with all of your spinning. You and the clock are both busy workers, but you cannot work together. You had better fix up a home somewhere else!”

He brushed the spider’s web away. Then the wheels started turning again in the clock, and he set the hands at the right time. The next morning the clock was telling the right time. After that the clock told Mrs. Kelly just when to get breakfast ready, and it told Elsa that her bus was due, and no one was late again because of the clock.

You know, the clock looked okay on the outside, didn’t it? But there was trouble on the inside! That is the very same problem some people have, because there is trouble on the inside—their hearts are tied up in sin. The Bible tells us, “From within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts...murders, thefts...wickedness...pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within.” Mark 7:21-23.

We cannot just take the back off our heart and clean out the bad things in it, like Mr. Kelly did with the spider and its web inside the clock. We have to have our heart washed clean from sin by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. The heart that we are talking about is not the heart inside of us that pumps our blood. It is the part of us that loves, and affects our thoughts and our understanding. We need to accept and believe the message of the gospel with this heart, not just with our mind. That is why it says in Romans 10:9 and 10, “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Won’t you accept Him in your heart as your Saviour?

ML-10/31/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: Who Put the Rings Around Saturn?

“When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the, stars, which Thou hast ordained; What is man, that Thou art mindful of him?” Psalms 8:3, 4.

The expanses of outer space are filled with wonderful displays of God’s creation, but very few of them has man been privileged to examine. With the use of modern spacecraft and instruments, some parts of our solar system have now been seen close up, and we are able to learn more of what the Bible means when it says: “One star differeth from another star in glory.” 1 Corinthians 15:41.

One of these displays is the planet Saturn which is approximately one-hundred times the size of the earth and about a billion miles away. Circling around it is a magnificent halo of rings composed of hundreds of delicate ringlets. These rings have always been there, but they were not known to astronomers until Galileo discovered them in 1610. The spacecraft Voyager 2, which passed by Saturn in 1981, has taken remarkable pictures of these rings, leaving scientists puzzled as to how they ever got there and what keeps them in place.

Imagine a phonograph record about 170,000 miles wide, with its center cut out, slipped around Saturn like a band, but never actually touching it. Then imagine that something has set this immense band spinning around the planet. Then looking closely, you would see that the “grooves” of the band are really open spaces separating the rings. You would also see that some rings are black, some gray and some light or tan colored. Some of them are fat, some are thin and some are even braided like a girl’s pigtail. You would also see that at least two small moons circle around Saturn in between the rings, never crashing into them or bumping one another.

Compared to its great width, the edge of this band looks like it is as sharp as a razor blade when it is viewed from a distance. The braids particularly baffle scientists. They seem to defy all physical laws, twisting around each other in strands about 500 miles long. Without disturbing the other rings they are circling about 50,000 miles above Saturn’s surface. Scientists think the rings are made up of ice and rocks, but pictures show that there are trillions of little particles involved, so no one really has an answer to this mystery.

Those who know the Lord God as the Creator of all things don’t need to wonder who put the rings around Saturn. God Himself did so, and ever since the days of creation, we May be sure He has enjoyed their beauty. He is the One who keeps them in their amazing pattern and does not require the laws of physics to do so. David expressed it well when he said, “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth His handiwork.” Psalms 19:1.

How important it is to recognize the One who has brought all things into being and not listen to the false teaching of those who say this “just happened.” Scripture plainly says, “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth.” Ecclesiastes 12:1. It is important to not only know Him as Creator, but to know Him as your Saviour as well. Won’t you accept His invitation to come to Him right now?

ML-10/31/1982

Abel Moses

Memory Verse: “He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.” Proverbs 29:1

It was a beautiful, sunny morning, and warm for November, when I drove out to visit Mr. Abel Moses. I had been told that he was 94 years old and that, until recently, he had been a very healthy and active man. In fact, he had even driven his own car until a few weeks earlier when he was in an accident. He had been in the hospital for two weeks, but was now at home again. However, he was getting weaker and was not expected to live much longer.

After parking my car I saw Mr. Moses sitting on the front porch of his house. He was bundled up in blankets and sitting in a wheel chair, enjoying the autumn sun.

Walking up, I introduced myself. I explained that I was in town having some special gospel meetings and had heard about his accident.

“If you have come out here to invite me to some gospel meetings, you are wasting your time,” he said.

“It’s going to be a long time before I am able to go anywhere again.”

I told him that I knew he would not be able to get out to the meetings, but wondered if I could visit with him and read some verses from the Bible.

“Well, I’ll be glad to have you stay and talk to me, but I don’t want you preachin’ any. I don’t want to talk religion,” he said firmly.

“Why not?” I asked. “What do you have against the Lord Jesus? He died to save men like you and me, and it seems to me you would be glad to talk about Him.”

This time the old man’s reply was sharp. “I am not a fool!” he said angrily. “I don’t intend to die without being saved first! But I don’t want to talk about that this morning. And,” he added, “if you try to preach to me again, I’m gonna have to ask you to get in your car and leave.”

“Okay.” Changing the subject I said, “I hear that you are 94 years old.”

“Sure am," he said proudly. “I guess I’m the oldest person anywhere around these parts. And I’ve never been sick a day in my life, until that’ man drove in front of me and made me have a wreck. I sure was surprised when I woke up in the hospital!”

We talked about the many things that he had experienced through his long lifetime. He was a great reader and was able to discuss history in detail. He told me that he had traveled upstate as a young man to hear gospel meetings. He mentioned several of the speakers by name that he had heard and enjoyed.

“Doesn’t it bother you,” I asked, “to realize that you have sat through so many gospel meetings, and yet you have not accepted Jesus Christ?”

Instantly, the old man was angry again. “I told you I didn’t want to hear any preachin’ out of you,” he said. “You either change the subject or leave!”

So I changed the subject again and remarked, “Since you are 94 years old I doubt if any of your boyhood friends are still living.”

“Nope,” he said, “I don’t have any boyhood friends still livin', and I don’t have any enemies still livin', either,", he grinned. “It’s nice not to have any enemies, but it sure is lonesome not to have any friends.”

“I know one Friend who loves you very much,” I said, “but you don’t want me to talk to you about Him.”

The old man looked up sternly at me, waiting for me to say something else. I asked him, “How much older do you think you will live to be?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” he answered. “Nobody knows that.”

“Do you think you might live to be one hundred years old?” I asked.

“If I hadn’t been in that car wreck, I would have,” he answered. “But not now...not the way I feel now.”

“What about 99, or 98?” I asked.

He was beginning to lose his patience with me again. “I haven’t thought much about how long I will live,” he said, “and I don’t want to think about that this morning, either.”

“Please don’t be angry with me,” I said. “After all, I don’t often get to talk with a man who is 94 years old. Let me ask you just one more question about your age. This is November; do you think that you will live until New Year’s day?”

Instead of being angry as I had expected, the old man looked down at his blanket-wrapped body, shaking his head as he looked up at me and answered, “Probably not.”

“Mr. Moses,” I said as I put my hand on his shoulder, “you have learned many things in your 94 years of life. Surely, you have learned not to keep putting off something you should have taken care of long ago. God has already given you 94 years. You do not know if you will live another month. So, you must know that you ought to be saved right now. I believe God has sent me out here to talk with you, to give you one more chance to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour.”

The old man went into a rage! “You get away from here this minute!” he yelled.

I knelt beside his chair, looked up into his face and said, “Please, Mr. Moses, let me read some verses to you from the Bible.”

But he would have none of it. “Get out of here!” he shouted, “Get in that car and go! I don’t want to hear another word out of you!”

He began to cough, and I wondered if he would die right there in his chair. Closing my Bible, I turned and slowly walked to my car. Before I drove away, I prayed that God might use the word spoken for blessing.

Although I never saw Abel Moses again, that is not the end of the story. That evening after speaking to a large crowd, I greeted each one as they left the room. To one older, white-haired man, whom I had not seen before, I asked, “Did you come tonight to hear how to be saved?”

“No,” he said with a big smile. “I was saved when I heard you preach this morning.”

“I’m sorry, but you must be mistaken,” I answered. “I did not preach this morning.”

“Oh, yes you did,” he said, “and I heard you. Abel Moses is my father, and I was standing right inside the screen door when you were talking with him on our front porch.”

Yes, it was true! Even though I had not been able to see him, he had heard everything I had said to his father. He had seen that he needed to have his sins forgiven even though his father had not. He had accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his Saviour. Sam Moses was in his early 70's.

Abel Moses died only a few days later. As far as anyone knows he died without being saved, and so he would not be in heaven. He had heard the gospel many times. And still he did not want to talk about dying or about his need of a Saviour.

In 94 long years there were many things that Abel Moses learned. But one thing he did not learn was the danger of putting things off until later. I’m sure that he really thought that he was going to be saved before he died. Most failures in our lives are not caused on purpose. They are caused simply by putting things off that should have been done long ago. I’m sure there are men, women, boys and girls who plan to be saved someday, but who will die in their sins (unsaved and lost) and spend eternity without God in hell, because they put off the decision too long.

Why not decide to be saved right now while you can? The Bible warns us, “Boast not thyself of to-morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” Proverbs 27:1. “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation.” Hebrews 2:3.

ML-11/07/1982

One Verse Will Do It

In a children’s gospel meeting the question was asked, “How does faith come?” A number of children answered: “Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”

Then in answer to another question, “How much of the Word does it take to save a sinner?” A little fellow answered, “One verse will do it!” What verse is that?” the speaker asked. At once he quoted, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

How true and wonderful this is! A single verse of God’s Word telling of our needs as sinners, of God’s love for sinners, and of Jesus as a sinner’s Saviour, if believed, gives eternal life to the one believing—as soon as the Word is believed.

ML-11/07/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: How Many Bones in Your Body?

“I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are Thy works.” Psalms 139:14.

Your body has (not counting teeth) more than 200 bones. You may think your bones are hard and solid, but they contain about 25% water and 30% organic matter, plus important minerals such as phosphate, magnesium, iron and salts. Bones form the framework of your body, storing these minerals and distributing them in just the right amounts to help keep every part of your body healthy.

Your bones also have blood vessels, nerves and marrow inside them, all extremely important to the health of your body. Many of these bones are quite porous to keep them light, yet still strong. What a wonderful designer and provider our Creator is!

The pituitary gland, located at the base of the skull, controls the growth of the bones as well as other organs and functions in the body. Without its controlling hormones one arm might be longer than the other, legs would not match, and fingers and toes would grow to odd sizes and length. Such things would no doubt have happened if man had evolved, but what God does is always perfect!

Did you ever stop to think that your hand, with its nineteen bones, is far superior to the “hands” of animals or birds? Your four, limber fingers and thumb make it possible to firmly grasp, pull or push objects and to operate mechanical and musical instruments. Just think how your eight wrist bones provide strength and enable you to bend your hands backward, forward or sideways. And how wonderful the thumb is! Just try tying a knot or using a hammer, a saw, a needle or a pair of scissors without it.

Your feet are another display of the Creator’s wisdom. Ankle bones extend backward to form the heel while others go forward to make the sole and toes. This arrangement helps you to keep your balance. The arch of your foot, which is flexible and strong, absorbs the pounding that takes place when walking or running. If it were not designed this way, the rest of your body could not stand the shock. Incidentally, the muscles in your back also automatically keep you in balance without your even thinking about it; but if your back, legs and feet were not provided with proper bones, you would not be able to stand at all.

These are just a few of the ways our bodies remind us of how the Lord God has provided for us. The Psalmist said, “How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!” Psalms 139:17.

Our thoughts toward the Lord Jesus should certainly be full of thanksgiving. It was His great love that made Him die on the cross so that, through faith in Him, we might have our sins forgiven. His invitation is: “O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our Maker.” Psalms 95:6. Have you ever stopped to think of this great love and thanked Him for it?

ML-11/07/1982

Left on the Airplane

Memory Verse: “There is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.” Luke 15:10

The last passenger had gotten off the airplane. The stewardesses and the rest of the crew had left, all except for the pilot. He had just finished writing the details of the trip in his log book and was walking down the aisle of the empty aircraft. Empty? Not quite. He noticed the arm of a doll wedged down between two of the seats. It had been overlooked by the little owner when she left, and the stewardesses had not seen it when they checked the plane. The pilot pulled it out and looked it over. It looked well used and well loved.

The pilot knew all about little girls and their favorite dolls. He knew that this rag doll would be greatly missed by the little girl who owned it. Writing down the seat number, he decided to see if the small owner of the doll could be found.

Using the computer information about who was assigned to the seats where the doll was found, the owner was finally located and notified. With the help of some kind people thousands of miles apart on the United Airlines flight system, the doll was returned to its young owner.

The little girl’s mother wrote to thank the pilot. She wrote, “Karen has other little dolls much prettier. But this little rag doll is the only one close to her heart. I cannot tell you how much your returning it means to her, and to us.”

As you think of this story, doesn’t it make you like the pilot and the other kind people who helped return the doll? They went out of their way to make a little girl happy.

Now let me tell you the best story ever told. The Lord Jesus Christ, who made heaven, earth and the sea and everything that is in them, loves boys and girls. He wants to make every one of them happy and has done everything that can be done. He saw that we were sinful (lost), and He came “to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10. He knew that we could not do anything to get rid of our sins, so He died on the cross that we could be saved. “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us.” 1 John 3:16.

The Lord Jesus came into the world specially to save sinners. Everyone has sinned and needs a Saviour, so Jesus died for the sins of any who will believe in Him. As you think of all that the Lord Jesus has done for you to make you happy, doesn’t it make you want to love Him? If you believe that He died for you and that His blood has washed all your sins away, then you are saved, and He is preparing a special place for you in heaven. He has saved you; He will keep you, guide you and use you to help others. Very soon He will take you higher than any airplane can take you—right to heaven to be with Him forever.

“For 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.” Ephesians 2:8,9.

ML-11/14/1982

The Chased Chicken

Bill, who lives on a farm, had a pet chicken which he allowed to run in his yard and garden. One day he heard the chicken squawking loudly and went outside to see what was wrong. He saw his pet running up the path from the garden as fast as it could. Behind it was a strange black dog. Bill stood at the end of the garden path, stooped down and stretched out his hands.

The chicken, seeing its master, ran straight for him, into his outstretched arms. Bill held it close to him. The chicken soon calmed down, because it knew that it was safe. The strange black dog was chased from the yard, and then Bill built a pen to protect his pet.

Have you acted as wisely as this bird did? It knew it could not fight against the dog, so it ran to its master for help and protection. We all have a common enemy—Satan, the devil. If you are not saved from your sins, you are exposed to the power of Satan and will have to bear the punishment for your sins. But there is a place of protection. Jesus, the Friend and Saviour of sinners, is waiting with outstretched arms to save all who will run to Him for help and protection.

When Bill held the little bird in his arms close against his chest, it made me think of what is said about the blessed Lord Jesus in Isaiah 40:11: “He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom.”

Bill ran the strange dog off his land and built a pen for the future safety of his pet. The Bible tells us that anyone who has asked the Lord Jesus to be his Saviour is safe in Christ and that the “wicked one toucheth him not.” 1 John 5:18. This is how the Son of God protects and takes care of His own.

ML-11/14/1982

Saved by a Friend

A missionary and his wife from Venezuela visited us one day and told us this interesting story.

Once when they were in the deep part of the jungle, they met a hunter who had with him the skin of a leopard. The hunter told them he had recently been out hunting with his dog when they came upon the trail of a leopard. The leopard disappeared into a hole in a huge pile of stones, and the dog went in after him. He could tell from the dog’s yelps that he was pinned down by the leopard’s powerful paws. To save the life of his dog, the hunter, with his knife in his teeth, crawled into the dark hole underneath that pile of stones. He found the spot where the leopard was hiding, and he killed it all alone. After the hunter finished telling his story, the missionary bought the leopard’s skin from him and brought it home.

That hunter saved the life of his dog at the risk of losing his own! This is just a little picture of the Lord Jesus going into death on the cross to save you and me from the grip of that roaring lion, the devil.

The Lord Jesus went down into the very jaws of death to set us free. It was our sins that took Him there, for “the wages of sin is death.” Romans 6:23. Such was His love for sinners, even though He, the holy, spotless Son of God, could have gone back to heaven without dying, yet He would not turn back from going to the cross. He laid down His life that we might have everlasting life instead of everlasting death. Now “the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23.

The poor dog in our story was hopelessly trapped. No doubt it was his whines and howls of distress that brought his faithful master to his rescue in that dangerous hole in the rocks. But if you are without Christ, you are in a far worse state, for you are still under Satan’s power. Because of your sins, death and punishment stare you in the face. What the Lord Jesus wants to hear is your cry of faith, like Peter in the Bible, “Lord, save me,” and He will save you in a moment’s time. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:13.

ML-11/14/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Ways of the Owl

“But these are they of which ye shall not eat...the owl...the little owl, and the great owl.” Deuteronomy 14:12-16.

Although owls, as unclean birds, were not to be eaten by the Israelites, they were a part of God’s carefully chosen creation, and He has provided for them in remarkable ways.

The smallest of the 200 species is the little Elf Owl, which lives in the cactus of lonely deserts. The Great Horned Owl (the “tiger of the air") and the Great Gray, standing two feet high or more, are the largest. The most common one is the Barn or “Screech” Owl. It is a dull-brown bird about 14 inches tall, marked with feathered legs and stiff, tufted ears. Since it does not build itself a home, it hides in the daytime, and when raising its young just lays the eggs in a hole in the ground.

Another, the Burrowing Owl, makes its nest five to ten feet underground and sometimes takes over a burrow or shares one with ground squirrels or prairie dogs. Other species live in hollow logs or holes in tree trunks.

Except for the Snowy Owl of the Arctic, which finds its food in the daytime, most of these interesting birds hunt at night. The Creator has provided them with large eyes so they can see better in the dark. They can only see a narrow area ahead, but can quickly turn their heads almost completely around, actually seeing more than most other birds. Their eyes are ten times more sensitive to light than the human eye, so they cannot stand bright daylight. If exposed to it, they have a protective membrane that comes down like a curtain, reducing the glare. Their big eyes, surrounded by a circle of stiff feathers, make them appear very formal and solemn and give them the unearned reputation of being wise. In addition to their remarkable eyes, the kind of life they lead would not be possible if they had not also been given strong, grasping talons and sharp, hooked beaks to catch and hold their prey.

While some owls have limited diets, most eat their share of mice, rats, small birds, rabbits, squirrels, gophers and even snakes, skunks and scorpions. In doing this they are a real help to mankind and are one of God’s ways of keeping these pests under control.

Their soft, downy feathers offer little resistance to the air when flying, so their flight is almost as silent as a puff of smoke. Their keen hearing is helped by face feathers curved in such a way as to direct sounds to flaps of skin around their specially designed ears. Thus they can focus on the slightest sound and go directly to it, no matter how dark the night.

In Psalms 102:6,7 we read, “I am like an owl of the desert. I watch, and am as a sparrow alone upon the housetop.” In these words a picture is given of the experience of the Lord Jesus Christ as He went through this world. He was rejected, except by a few, those for whom He came to be a Saviour. Though He has now returned to heaven, many people still turn away from Him, rejecting His love and mercy. Do not be a part of this Christ-rejecting group, but hear and accept His loving invitation— “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28. He longs to have you know His love and saving power.

ML-11/14/1982

David Learns a Lesson

Memory Verse: “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” Psalm 32:1

Close to David Johnson’s home was a pond. He and his older brother Mark had made a raft, and they had a lot of fun floating it on the pond. One day during summer vacation Mark had to go to the dentist. Since he was also going to shop with his mother, David decided not to wait for him. He would just take the raft out by himself. He and Mark often argued about the raft, because Mark always insisted on steering it, so it would be fun having it all to himself.

Before leaving, David’s mother told him not to go on the raft. She worried about her sons’ adventures on the pond, especially if either one of them would try to take it out alone. But David felt very sure of himself and, sad to say, disobeyed. He said to himself, “Mom just doesn’t understand...as if a nine-year-old can’t take care of himself.”

So off David went to the pond, and after considerable effort he managed to get the raft into the water. As he leaped on board, it floated away and, losing his balance, he fell into the water which was almost up to his chin. With much difficulty he managed to scramble back onto the raft, but he was chilled by the cold water. He guided the raft to the bank again and ran home as fast as he could.

It was impossible to hide what had happened, because his dripping clothes told what he had done. He knew that when his mother got home and saw them she would be very unhappy about his disobeying her. Now he was miserable and felt very sorry, because he loved his mother. He knew that he had to tell her he was sorry, but he didn’t really know how. After some thought David made up his mind.

Getting a piece of paper, he wrote: When Mrs. Johnson and Mark returned home she found the note on the kitchen table. She took a pencil and in big letters wrote her answer on the note. Then folding it, she slipped it under the door of David’s room.

David was scared to look at it, but opening it slowly he found in big letters the answer “YES.” Oh, how relieved he was to know his mother had forgiven him, and he loved her more than ever.

We know from the Bible that we “all have sinned” (Rom. 3:23), and that all sin is against God—every evil thought, word and deed. But God can forgive us, now that Jesus has died. If a person repents and is sorry for his sins, he only has to go to God and tell Him so. God is gracious and ready to forgive, and the blood of Jesus can wash all those sins away.

But God does much more than this. He takes the forgiven person into His family. He becomes a child of God by believing His dear Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. The question of his sins will never come up again, for God says, “I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins.” Isaiah 44:22.

ML-11/21/1982

Safe Under the Rock

It was a hot summer day and a forest fire raged along the slopes of the Sierra Madre Mountain Range. The fire was started accidently by the explosion of a dynamite charge from workers clearing out old stumps. It was soon out of control. Racing up the canyon, it spread from ridge to ridge, where it burned for days.

Old Indian Joe came riding up one of the canyons on his pony and stopped to watch the fire fighters at work on the mountainside. For some time he gazed at the flames and billows of smoke. But as he watched he did not notice the fire creeping up from another side of the slope. Suddenly he realized that he was surrounded by flames and could not go back down the canyon trail. The face of the cliff was too steep for him to climb any higher, but not too high for the fire to cross, and soon it was roaring up to the clearing where old Joe and his horse stood! The fire fighters saw what was happening, but were too far away to help him.

Old Joe had to act fast! Jumping off his horse, he took a leather strap and brought it down with a hard slap on the horse’s flank. The startled horse took off on its own down the slope, going the safest way it knew while Joe looked after it hoping it would reach safety.

After seeing his horse disappear in the smoke, Joe quickly looked for a safe spot to hide. Jutting out from the cliff was a huge rock which had no grass or bushes growing underneath the overhang. Lowering his head, old Joe made a dive though the smoke and flames and reached the shelter of the rock where he crouched down protecting his face and eyes. Looking back, he could see the fire sweeping across the very spot where he had stood with his horse a few minutes before. He had acted just in time!

The fire fighters were certain the old Indian had been trapped and burned to death. But Joe was wise; he found protection—the shelter of the big rock. The flames raged all around him, and the rock itself was blackened and scarred, but Joe was safe through it all. Finally, when the fire died down, he came out from his hiding place. As he gazed at the scene of destruction before him, he was very thankful for the protection of the rock.

I would like to tell you about another Rock and another fire. We read of how “a man (the Lord Jesus Christ) shall be as a hiding place... as the show of a great rock in a weary land.” Isaiah 32:2. In 1 Corinthians 10:4 we read “that Rock was Christ.”

The fire is like God’s punishment against our sins. Now the Lord Jesus bore that punishment on Calvary’s cross for all who trust Him to be their Saviour. There the fire of God’s anger swept over Him, causing Him to cry out, “My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?” Matthew 27:46. The fire burned the brush all around the rock which sheltered old Joe, the Indian, but the rock remained. In the same way, after those awful fires of punishment swept over Calvary, the Rock (the Lord Jesus Christ) remained, but the sins of every believer in Jesus were gone—and gone forever!

The Bible tells us of still another fire—“the devouring fire...with everlasting burnings.” Isaiah 33:14. This is the end for those who reject the only Saviour of sinners and die still in their sins. “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:15.

If you are not saved, do you see the great danger you face? Make Christ your shelter now while you still have time. The Lord Jesus is waiting to become your Rock under which you may hide and be safe forever.

ML-11/21/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: An Unusual Fish Hatchery

“Lord, Thou art God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is.” Acts 4:24.

Among the islands of the South Pacific there are some unusual and pretty little fish called the Mouth-brooding Bettas. Only three or four inches long, they are busy little fish with a most unusual way of hatching their young.

Most fish prepare a place to lay their eggs, and then after laying them swim away and forget them. But not with the faithful Betta. Somehow the mother fish lets her companion know when she is ready to lay her eggs. He stays close beside her and catches them on the back of his fins. He is very good at this and is able to catch nearly all of them.

Finished with the egg laying, the female swims to her mate and with her mouth takes one egg from his fins and approaches him as though to give him a kiss. Instead, she blows the egg into his mouth! Then she returns and gets another egg, repeating the performance until his mouth is stuffed with all the eggs. My, what a mouthful he has! But, surprisingly, he doesn’t swallow one of them, but casually swims around, usually for four or five days, until the babies hatch and swim out of his mouth.

With some species the mother does the mouth-incubating after the father collects the eggs and puts them in her mouth. With other species the one carrying the eggs has to swim around for two, three or four weeks, waiting for them to hatch. But whether the mother or father incubates the eggs, they both stay near the little ones after they are hatched. If danger threatens, both parents open their mouths and the “small fry” swim promptly into them for safety. Of course, they soon grow too big for this hiding place and have to look after themselves.

We might ask, “Why don’t the parents swallow the eggs or spit them out so they can eat a regular meal? When did they learn to raise their little ones this way? The answer is that this is another example of the way in which the Lord God has instructed His creatures. From the very day of their creation, they have followed the way of life for which He has designed them. We know He delights to see all He has created following the pattern He has established. God gave them instincts for this when He created them.

His ways with men are ways of love and direction that are not known to the rest of His creation. David the Psalmist, enjoying His love, declared: “How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!” Psalms 139:17. The greatest display of His love was in providing a Saviour who died on Calvary’s cross. There He paid the penalty for the sins of all who see their need of having their sins forgiven and accept His work in faith. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” Acts 16:31. Have you done this?

ML-11/21/1982

Death at 120 Mph!

Memory Verse: “Prepare to meet thy God.” Amos 4:12

As 45-year-old Julian Kirk made final preparations for the Oak Hollow World Drag Boat Championships in High Point, North Carolina, he had no idea that this would be his last race. But, on Sunday, July 25th, 1982, Julian’s life came to a sudden and terrible end.

As Julian’s boat approached a speed of 120 miles per hour, it appeared to hit a wake from another boat and swerved to the right. This sudden jolt pitched him forward out of his seat toward the front of the boat.

Julian had on all the right emergency equipment, including a parachute. If he were thrown out of the boat, it would open automatically, slowing him down.

Spectators’ hopes were raised as Julian’s emergency parachute snapped open, caught the wind, and jerked him backwards. But in spite of his frantic efforts to leap away, he was thrown into the path of his own boat. Julian bounced off the water, rolled head over heels three times, and was struck by the pointed bow of his speeding boat.

When paramedics arrived seconds later, they found Julian unconscious with a severed spinal cord. He was taken to the hospital where he later died.

The life that God gives can be taken away suddenly. None of us knows when we will be called into eternity. If you died today, where would you go? In Amos 4:12 we read, “Prepare to meet thy God.”

Julian had no time while the race was on to decide where he would spend eternity. You may have very little time to make a decision if you put off God’s salvation and trouble comes. We are told in 2 Corinthians 6:2, “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”

Do not put off salvation any longer! Asking the Lord Jesus to save you is simple: “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” Romans 10:9.

“For 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.

ML-11/28/1982

Treasures

One day I went to a garbage dump where people throw away things they do not want. I was also throwing away some things and was surprised to see three children going through the piles of junk. They seemed to have picked up quite a collection.

They had picked out an old, dirty sweater, a big, torn Panda bear (almost as big as one of the little boys), an old doll with only one arm, and a beat-up drum. They paid no attention to me, since they were having lots of fun finding more “treasures.” Later that afternoon, while cutting my lawn, I stopped to watch the same three children coming down the sidewalk. They were playing parade now, and each one was carrying one of their special treasures. They were in a line. First came the bigger boy beating on the old drum. Behind him followed the little girl wearing the old sweater and carrying the old doll. Last in the parade was the little boy hugging the Panda bear tightly. It was a funny sight to watch, but again, they paid no attention to me. They were busy enjoying their parade.

Watching them, I wondered how many people there are just like those little children, playing in the ruins and junk of this world. So many think that this is happiness, and they do not even think about God and their sins. They only live for right now.

The children that I watched were as happy as they could be for a while, but it did not last long. The next day going to work, I saw the big, torn Panda bear, the old doll with only one arm, the beat-up drum, and the old dirty sweater beside a garbage can that was waiting to be picked up. The children’s mother had seen what these “treasures” really were—JUNK—and she had put them back in the garbage!

Many of our “treasures” are just the same. Today they seem so important, but tomorrow we will have forgotten all about them.

But there is one treasure that is more valuable than any other in this world. This treasure is the Lord Jesus Christ and His love for us. He is a Treasure that will never get old, for in Him is everlasting life, and those who know Him as their Saviour have this everlasting life as well.

Is Christ your Treasure? If not, you may have Him today if you will accept Him as your Saviour. He will wash all your sins away and guide your life in the way that He wants you to go. Then you will know what real happiness is.

“Happy is he...whose hope is in the Lord.” Psalms 146:5.

ML-11/28/1982

How Many Cookies?

Mother had just baked some chocolate chip cookies, and they were all spread out on the table to cool. Joanne came in from playing outside and saw all the cookies. They smelled so good, and she was really hungry.

Mother had gone upstairs, so Joanne called to her, “Mother, may I have a cookie? I’m hungry.”

“Yes,” answered Mother, “but only one.”

One cookie did not last very long, and it sure tasted good. Joanne called out again, “Mother, may I have just one more, please?”

“Oh, all right,” answered Mother, “but that’s all. I don’t want you to spoil your supper.”

So Joanne took another cookie, and as she started to go outside she thought, “Some of my friends might come along and will want a bite of my cookie. I’ll just take a couple more for them.” So Joanne went back and got three more and then sat down on the front porch. But no one else came along, so Joanne ate all the cookies herself.

Even though she enjoyed eating those three extra cookies, Joanne knew what she had done was wrong. “Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant.” Proverbs 9:17. Joanne knew that she had disobeyed Mother. She should have gone right in and told Mother what she had done. But she didn’t, so it was an unhappy little girl who played by herself that afternoon.

Then, just before supper, Joanne got the courage to go tell her mother. She said, “Mother, I did something wrong this afternoon. You told me I could have two cookies, but I took three more for my friends, and I ate them instead. I’m very sorry, Mother, and I won’t do it again. Please forgive me!”

Mother was upset that Joanne had disobeyed her, but she was glad Joanne had confessed her wrong. Mother told her that she forgave her, but she also told her that when we sin, we sin against the Lord, so Joanne must go tell the Lord Jesus that she was sorry for what she had done. Disobeying is sin, and the Lord Jesus had to die for that sin.

Joanne went to her room and got down on her knees and told the Lord Jesus what she had done and that she had sinned against Him. After she had confessed it to the Lord, she felt so much better about it. Joanne was a happier and wiser little girl after that.

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

ML-11/28/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Vain Lyre Bird

“Though the Lord be high, yet hath He respect unto the lowly: but the proud He knoweth afar off.” Psalms 138:6

There is a musical instrument called the lyre, which has two curved arms reaching up from the base and a series of strings stretched between them. When explorers in Australia first caught sight of a pheasant-size bird with feathers spread out just like the lyre, they promptly named it the “Lyre Bird.”

Actually only the male bird has the beautiful feathers, and he displays them only in the winter and spring. He moves around in the forest, busily scratching for worms, snails, etc., with large, powerful feet and curved claws given to him by the Creator. He is not much of a flier, but can run fast, holding his long tail straight out behind him so it will not be damaged by the brush.

The music of the lyre instrument is sweet, but we cannot say the same for the Lyre Bird except when it imitates another bird’s pleasant song. It is a great imitator, not only of other birds, but will quickly imitate the bark of a dog, the noise of a gasoline engine, the wail of a cat, or most any other sound. It is more talented than a parrot with these tricks.

During the winter the Lyre Bird looks for a mate. He sings loudly some of the tunes he has copied from other birds. Finding a clear spot in the forest, he scratches up a mound of dirt, climbs up on it, and displays his 16 beautiful tail feathers. He raises them in lyre-like shape some 30 inches high, waving and bending them forward over his head. This is a beautiful sight to see—looking like a delicate, beautiful fan.

While on the mound, he does a lively dance which lasts an hour or so, as other birds and animals gather round to watch. But if the companion he seeks does not show up, he moves on to another mound already prepared some distance away and repeats the whole act. This may go on for several days, visiting several mounds, until finally a female appears and responds to his charm. Then, having won a mate, he helps build an oval-domed nest in the fork of a tree or in the undergrowth where she lays just one egg. Then he deserts her, going back to his mounds to look for another companion while she hatches out the lone chick. This continues well into the spring.

In spite of his beauty, the male Lyre Bird is really a very vain creature, isn’t he? The way he deserts his companions spoils our admiration of him, too. His actions remind us of Satan and even of some persons who make themselves attractive, but are not really on the inside what they appear to be on the outside. But God is never deceived. The Bible tells us “man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7. How solemn to realize that the Lord “searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts.” 1 Chronicles 28:9. We cannot hide from God. He knows all about us every moment of our lives.

How good it is to confess that we need Him to guide and direct our lives and to know “repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” Acts 20:21. Have you done this?

ML-11/28/1982

Danger! Keep Out!

Memory Verse: “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” John 8:12

One bright, summer afternoon two young men, Charles and Walter, were clambering carefully down a steep mountain trail near Pikes Peak. They had not known each other long, having only recently met at a vacation resort in Colorado. As they rounded a curve, they discovered the entrance to a cave. Boards were nailed across the entrance, and over it hung a large sign: “DANGER! KEEP OUT!”

Charles stopped and tried to see between the boards into the darkness of the cave beyond. “I would like to explore this cave,” he said excitedly. “Will you go with me?”

“No way,” replied Walter, and he tried hard to persuade Charles not to do anything so dangerous. But Charles was determined.

At the foot of the trail Charles obtained a lantern, said “Good-bye” to his new friend, and returned to the cave. He lit the lantern, and, pushing aside the barriers, he scrambled into the dark cave. At first the light from his lantern hardly made any impression on the dense darkness, but slowly his eyes became more accustomed to the blackness. Now he could just see jagged rocks and walls and a path leading back into the cave. He walked very carefully along the path. For a time all was well, and then suddenly he stepped off the end of the path into space. Down, down, down he fell. Landing at the bottom, he was knocked unconscious!

The Bible says in Prov. 14:12, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man; but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Be careful that you are not walking down a path that will end in “the blackness of darkness forever.” Jude 13.

When Charles came to, he found himself bruised and sore. His lantern was smashed to pieces, so he was now in thick darkness. In his pocket he found a few matches, which he struck one by one, only to have them flicker and go out. From their feeble glimmer he could see the cliff over which he had fallen. He could tell it would be impossible to climb back up. Trembling with cold and terror, and with fear of falling again, he crawled carefully along on his hands and knees until his trousers were worn through and his knees were bleeding. He felt sure that he would be there until he died.

In Charles’s darkest hour God was speaking to him. Bible verses came into his mind from years before: “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7), “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31), “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life” (John 3:36).

As he remembered these verses, the sins of his life came before him. He cried to God and accepted the Lord Jesus as his Saviour.

Peace now filled his heart. Still, he was in a terrible situation, but he decided to keep moving as long as his strength lasted. He had no idea of the passage of time as he painfully dragged himself over rocks and stones. He thought of his mother, and, finding a piece of paper and a pencil in his pocket, he scribbled a note to her as best he could in the darkness. He told her not to mourn but to rejoice, because this dreadful experience had been the means of bringing him to his blessed Saviour. He wrote that he was happy in the thought of soon being with Him. He gave her address, asking that his body be sent to her.

Still creeping wearily about, he felt a rope which he followed with wondering hope until he noticed... fresh air! On he went with more hope. Then a pale glimmer of light appeared, which gradually became brighter and brighter until, at last, he reached an opening and came out overjoyed into the brilliant sunshine. It was noon. He had entered the cave at 4:00 the previous afternoon.

When Charles was picked up by a search party, he was ragged, bleeding, dirty and weak. He soon recovered from his terrible ordeal, but the change in his heart could never be erased. For in that dark cave God had met him and turned him from “darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God.” Acts 26:18.

You may never fall into a dark cave. You may go to Sunday school or church each Sunday, but if you don’t have Jesus as your Lord and Saviour you are in as much darkness as Charles was in our story. Like him, you need to be turned from the darkness of your sin into the true light found only in the Lord Jesus Christ. Won’t you accept Him as your Saviour right now?

ML-12/05/1982

Buried Alive

One day a young man named John heard his dog barking excitedly. He looked outside to see what was so exciting. In the farmer’s field next to his house he could see the dog digging in the soft dirt. He would dig for a while and then stop and bark. John thought at first that his dog had found a bone or maybe a gopher hole.

He walked across the field to see what his dog had found. As he came close to the spot, he saw what looked like the arms and legs of a doll. But how would a doll get way out here? Why would someone bury a doll so far from home? Maybe the farmer’s little girl had left it out here while she was with her daddy in the field.

Still watching, he suddenly thought he saw one of the arms move! He ran towards the dog and shouted for it to get away. Picking up the “doll,” he found it to be a tiny baby girl, covered with dirt, but still alive. She looked like she was only a few hours old. “Who could have brought her here and covered her with dirt?” he wondered.

“Now what should I do?” he asked himself. Holding the baby tightly, he ran back to his house and called the police, telling them what he had found. The policeman told John to wait right there for the ambulance which he would send out. As John waited, he gently wiped off the dirt. He could see scratches on the baby’s legs from the dog. “I hope the ambulance hurries,” he thought as he waited. When they arrived he told them what he knew.

“The mother must not have wanted her baby,” said the policeman as he examined the baby, “and so she buried her alive.” They took her to the hospital where they cleaned off all the dirt and treated her scratches. Soon she was in a little crib in the nursery where she got the best care possible.

The police immediately started a search for the mother, but could not find her. The baby was cared for in the hospital until she was placed in a foster home. Soon after, she was adopted by a family who loved the Lord Jesus.

The Lord Jesus cared for the motherless little baby girl and was watching over her. She was rescued and given love and care at the hospital and then given the best home that could be found. She grew up to be a happy little Christian girl, loving the Lord Jesus with all her heart.

“It is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish.” Matthew 18:14. “Suffer the little children to come unto Me.” Mark 10:14.

ML-12/05/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Bald Eagle

“A great eagle with great wings, long-winged...took the highest branch of the cedar.” Ezekiel 17:3.

The Golden and the Bald Eagle are the eagles most commonly seen in North America. The Bald Eagle is the official bird of the United States. Its picture appears on many papers, coins and currency. Many people consider the Bald Eagle to be the most beautiful and impressive of all birds. Fully grown, it stands three feet high, weighs about ten pounds, and has a wingspan of six to seven feet. It has a golden-brown body with snow-white feathers on its head, neck and the lower part of its back. Contrasted with this is the yellow in its eyes, its razor-sharp beak and its legs and claws, all of which make it a striking picture.

The Creator designed this bird for its special place in His creation. It has exceptional beauty, whether sitting on a limb or circling high in the air. Its eyes (eight times sharper than a man’s) can spot a rabbit two miles away or a fish far below. Its food is primarily fish, but it also eats mice, gophers, rabbits, snakes and some birds. It might even snatch a chicken from a farmer’s yard. Spotting its prey, it may circle down swiftly or make a direct dive at a speed of 100 miles per hour, stopping suddenly as the curved talons of its feet grab its victim.

Seeing an osprey or fish hawk flying home with a fish, the eagle often swoops down and frightens it into dropping its food. Then the eagle dives down again and catches the prize for itself. Often, while looking for its food, it will perch on a dead tree high on a bluff, just as they did in Bible days when the Lord asked Job, “both the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high? She dwelleth and abideth on...the strong place. From thence she seeketh the prey, and her eyes behold afar off.” Job 39:27-29.

The male and female stay together for life. Their nest, usually in a high tree, is added to each year and may weigh a ton or more. They like to decorate these nests with bright things like buttons, colored glass, shells, etc. Only one or two eggs are laid each year and take a month to hatch. The eaglets live on food brought to them by their parents. If both little ones are healthy, they gain strength by playing tug-of-war with sticks or having make-believe battles. They first learn to fly by hovering over the nest, but when three months old they will leave it. If a little one is afraid to fly, the mother may push it out, then swoop below and allow it to rest on her back when it gets tired. The Lord spoke of this concerning his people Israel: “As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: so the Lord did lead (them).” Deuteronomy 32:11,12.

Another verse from the Bible states, “But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles.” Isaiah 40:31. If the Lord Jesus Christ is your Saviour you will find Him always able and willing to give you the strength you need for your Christian walk.

ML-12/05/1982

When Satan's Dart Made Its Mark

Memory Verse: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the Lord search the heart.” Jeremiah 17:9, 10

The day was hot and still. Jeff, age 9, and Don, age 7, were two brothers who knew the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour. However, today they were not acting like boys who should be “happy in the Lord.”

Flopping down on his soggy towel (for they had been playing in the sprinklers), Jeff complained, “It doesn’t seem fair! We can both swim now, and here we are like babies playing in the sprinklers! Suzie would have to get sick so that we all have to stay home.”

“Enough of that, boys!” called Mother from the kitchen window. “You ought to be thanking the Lord that you’re not sick. Poor Suzie has quite a fever. She’s asleep now, so try to be cheerful like the good soldiers of the Lord that you both say you want to be. I’ll be on the front porch watching Beth play with Bobby next door.”

After Mother left, and ignoring her advice, a very black, naughty thought began gathering in Jeff’s mind. Instead of countering the thought with a ray of light from God’s Word, he said to Don, “Hey, Don, I just heard the Sims in back of us drive out. They’re so mean they won’t let us swim in their pool.

They’re afraid we’ll drown, and they don’t want to be responsible for kids! Know somethin'? We could climb over the fence and have a quick swim. One of us will watch at the fence and...but then,” he sighed gloomily, “I s’pose you’re too chicken for any fun like that.”

“Me, chicken? Not me...but Mom and Dad....”

“There! See? I knew you were, precious Mamma’s boy!” sneered Jeff.

Don jumped as if pricked with a pin. “I’ll show you, smarty! Just for that you can guard first!”

Soon Don’s “stolen fun” was interrupted by a hiss from Jeff. “Quick! The Sims car just turned in their driveway!”

In a flash the two were “innocently” running through the sprinkler at home again. Mother entered the kitchen just in time to hear an angry voice say, “I thought I told you boys never to swim in my pool!”

Don wilted, speechless. But as often happens one sin calls for a few more. Jeff countered, “But, Mr. Sims, anybody can see we’re just playing in the sprinklers...uh, (glancing at Mother’s face again in the kitchen window) aren’t we—er—weren’t we, Mom?”

“Yeah? Well, anyone can see wet footprints headed over to your fence. Care to try ’em for size?” he sneered.

They were caught! They had to be punished for the things they had done wrong. They also had to apologize to Mr. Sims for breaking his rules. Both boys realized they had ruined any Christian witness to Mr. Sims. What poor soldiers they had proved to be!

Later as Mother spoke further with them, she said, “Boys, had I not been shown the evidence I would have been tempted to say, ‘My boys wouldn’t do a thing like that!’ But I was just thinking that that isn’t what the Bible tells us. God tells us in Jeremiah 17:9 that ‘the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?’ Now you boys have learned the sad lesson that even saved boys can be very naughty. Paul, the Apostle, says to Christians in Romans 6:13, ‘Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness.’ Today you let four of your members (your feet) carry you over that fence into sin. A good prayer each morning would be, ‘Lord, help me to keep my heart, my eyes, my hands and my feet from taking me into evil.’ By the word of Thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer.’ Psalms 17:4.”

“Yes, but Mom, do you think the Lord could forgive us—even today?” asked troubled Don.

“Don, you know the verse. Say it.”

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

“Right. Of course it’s hard to be a good soldier of Jesus Christ. Paul calls it warfare even. But who is our Captain?”

“Jesus—the Lord Jesus.”

“All right now...to your rooms. Remember the Captain’s order—confession, forgiveness and back in the ranks with armor on. Read Ephesians 6 while you wait for Dad.”

ML-12/12/1982

The Cold Rescue

It was a cold December day, but not too cold for Nancy and her parents to enjoy a walk in the woods. But how foolish Nancy’s parents were when they let her walk on the ice of a small lake that they were passing. But God was watching over Nancy, even though she may not have known it.

In the same woods an off-duty policeman, named John, was walking his dog. He happened to see Nancy standing on the ice. While watching her, the ice suddenly broke under her. What a shock it must have been for Nancy to suddenly find herself sinking in icy water!

John was quick to act. In telling about it later he said, “I threw off my jacket and boots and ran onto the ice to help her. I broke through the ice too, but I reached her and started pushing her toward shore. We couldn’t touch the bottom, and she kept trying to grab my face.”

John was finally able to push Nancy up onto the shore where her parents were anxiously waiting. Then John had a difficult time getting out of the icy water himself. “I was so cold I couldn’t feel anything, and when I got out my clothes froze.”

How thankful Nancy and her parents should have been to John for risking his life to save Nancy’s. But, sad to say, there was no mention of anyone thanking John. How often we are just like this! The Lord Jesus Christ did not just risk His life for us, He died on Calvary’s cross to save those of us who trust in Him. Do we remember to thank Him?

In Luke 17:11-19 we are told of the Lord Jesus healing ten men from the disease of leprosy, and only one of them came back to thank Him. How much happier we will be if we are like that one thankful leper, for he “glorified God...giving Him thanks.”

Can a little child like me

Thank the Saviour fittingly?

Yes, O yes, He loves to hear

Praises from the children dear.

I can thank Him o’er and o’er

For my load of sins He bore.

ML-12/12/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: It Fooled the "Wise Ones"

“For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.” 1 Corinthians 1:19.

Many years ago the fossil of a strange fish was found on a shore of the Indian Ocean. It was an unusual fossil with a hollow spine and, unlike other fish, had paddle-shaped fins attached to its body by “stubs.” It was given the name Coelacanth (pronounced See-la-kanth). After much study scientists decided that this type of fish had been extinct for 30 million years and was the great-grandad of present-day fish. They thought that the way its fins stuck out so far showed it was about to change to a land animal with legs and arms. Some scientists even said that man was one of its descendants! Other identical fossils were found, but no one ever thought anything resembling this could be alive today. They all thought that it had evolved into other creatures long ago.

Imagine the embarrassment of these “experts” when, in 1938, off the South African coast a live Coelacanth was caught. All theories about this “extinct” fish were shown to be wrong, as others were caught and exhibited all over the world. Furthermore, the living ones were exact duplicates of the fossils, with identical fins, tails, etc. They hadn’t “evolved” at all, but had continued since the day of creation just as God had made them. The evolutionists were put “on the spot,” where they squirmed uncomfortably.

The Coelacanth is indeed a strange fish. The largest one caught weighed 209 pounds and was five feet long, steel-blue in color, with heavy scales. Seven paddle-fins stick out like limbs, and they have an extra rudder at the tail. Living in depths of 650 to 2000 feet, they have been supplied with big, glowing eyes. This fish is just another example of the interesting variety of creatures that God has put on the earth and in the seas.

We can always trust the Bible, the precious Word of God, in everything that it tells us. We should never pay attention to the false teaching of evolutionists who deny God’s hand in creation. They do not tell us that their theories are only based on ideas and not on facts at all. Since they can never prove their teachings scientifically, or in any other way, it is evident that Satan is using them to try to take away the truth of the Bible and the knowledge that God is “All-in-all.”

Do not let these false teachings enter your head or heart. The Bible tells us, “By Him were all things created.” Colossians 1:16. It also says, in respect to where our hearts should be: “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Romans 10:9,10.

This is the promise of God for everlasting life. Do you truly believe and accept His Word in your heart? Have you confessed this to others?

ML-12/12/1982

"They Shall Never Perish"

Memory Verse: “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” John 6:37

Andy Hadley, who liked to hunt, lived in the woods where there were plenty of deer and other wildlife. One morning, as he was walking across his field, he heard barking dogs in the distance. As the dogs approached he looked through a break in his fence and saw a poor, little fawn. It was worn out from being chased by the dogs. Its tongue was hanging out, and its sides were heaving. The little fawn had just enough strength left to jump the fence and then stood there for a moment looking around with fear in its eyes.

When the first dog came through the fence, the fawn tried to run again. But then, instead of running away, it came and fell down in a heap at Andy’s feet.

Later, telling the story, Andy said, “I couldn’t stand there and see that poor fawn torn to pieces by the dogs...not after it had turned to me for protection. As the dogs gathered round I defended the little creature. I stood there and fought the dogs for half an hour. I did not want any dog to capture that little fawn after its weakness had trusted in my strength.”

Poor sinners who cast themselves upon the mercies of the Lord find Him to be a Saviour and a Defender. Had the little deer depended on its own strength and continued ruing, the dogs would soon have caught and killed it. Those who try to outrun sin, Satan, and the judgment of God will find that they cannot run away from sin and the punishment it requires.

If you are not saved you are in great danger. The Bible says, “Flee from the wrath to come” (Luke 3:7)—run to the Lord Jesus, the only One who can save you. You will find in Him a Friend, One who defends all those who put their trust in Him. At Calvary’s cross He took the punishment and received all the mighty blows of God’s eternal judgment against sin, so that you and I might be spared. Now God can say, “Whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16.

As sinners in need of being saved from our sins, we will never be disappointed if we turn to the Lord Jesus and depend on Him. “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” John 6:37.

“I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.” John 10:28.

ML-12/19/1982

How Many Hairs on Your Head?

Did you know that God knows how many hairs you have on your head? In Matthew 10:30 we read that “the very hairs of your head are all numbered.” The average number of hairs on a person’s head is about 120,000. They grow about half an inch a month, and if you add up the growth of each hair, the total distance your hair grows in a year would be about ten miles!

Sometimes even Christian boys and girls feel discouraged and think that maybe the Lord has forgotten them. Maybe they think life isn’t treating them right. But if the Lord takes the trouble to count even the hair on our heads, surely He will never leave or forget His own dear children. We are precious in His sight.

Satan knows he can’t take our salvation away from us, but he can make us discouraged and unhappy, and cause us to lose our joy in the Lord. A Christian father used to tell his children, “Keep thinking about how much the Lord Jesus loves you. It will make you very happy.” Try doing that, and you will be encouraged, not discouraged.

“David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.” 1 Samuel 30:6.

“I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee.” Jeremiah 31:3.

ML-12/19/1982

Who Am I?

A child so small, he heard the call

Though yet so young and tender

His mother gave him there to live

And helpful service render.

Three times now, wakened in the night

Who was it called his name?

The One that searches heart and soul

And Israel’s will could tame.

His presence known, the answer came

In words not loud but clearest

“Speak Lord” (for I am but a boy)

"Speak For Thy servant heareth.”

Oh child so small, have you heard a call

A voice that speaks in love?

“Come unto Me and ready be,

To dwell with Me above.”

ML-12/19/1982

Carried to Safety

After Sunday school the children ran outside. Some of them ran across the street to a fence that separated the road from a nearby river. The fence was protection for the children, keeping them from falling down the bank and into the river.

Standing on the porch of the meeting room, Lisa noticed that there were no adults with the children, so she walked over to watch them. Crossing the street, she noticed that under one section of the fence the ground had given way, leaving a gap in the fence where a person could easily fall through. As Lisa turned her back to talk to one of her friends, she caught a glimpse of little Becky tumbling under the fence down onto the bank below. Knowing that one more roll of her little body would send her into the river below, Lisa quickly slipped off her shoes. She swung under the fence and jumped down to where Becky was huddled and crying. Becky’s little body shook as Lisa held her tightly until help came to lift both of them back up to the street.

Had no one seen Becky lose her footing and fall and come to her rescue, she might have tried to crawl up the steep bank by herself. In doing this it is likely she would have slipped and fallen into the river. Thankfully, there was help nearby when Becky fell, and she was grateful for the strong hands which carried her to safety.

Becky knew that Lisa had come to rescue her. It is our desire that you know your own danger, and that the Lord Jesus Christ wants to save you. As Becky had to accept help, so we need to accept the help of the Lord Jesus. He loves you and wants to free you from the sin that separates you from Him. Without relying upon Him, are you trying to make it through life in your own power? The Bible says you are in danger because “your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (destroy). 1 Peter 5:8. We also read in Hebrews 9:27 that “it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” The Lord Jesus Christ is the only One who can give everlasting life.

We need the Lord Jesus to carry us safely through this life and into His home in a coming day. We read in John 10:28, “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.” And also in John 14:2,3: “I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself, that where I am, there ye may be also.”

Wouldn’t it be nice to be held tightly by the Lord Jesus Christ and carried safely home to heaven?

ML-12/19/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: Computer Birds-Part 1

“For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; the flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of the birds is come, and the voice of the [turtle-dove] is heard in our land.” Song of Solomon 2:11,12.

The ability of billions of birds to migrate to and from various parts of the world each spring and fall is truly amazing. If humans were to attempt these trips, they would need many kinds of instruments, charts and computers. But God has given these flying marvels the wisdom to stay on their courses perfectly.

Scientists are very interested in the abilities of these birds and would like to learn their secret. This would help men flying airplanes to find their way through storms, fog and darkness. But the secret has not been discovered by man; it is the Creator’s gift to the bird kingdom. This same instinct is shared in different ways by some fish, whales, a small number of animals, a few butterflies and other creatures. But the birds (billions of them) are the outstanding performers. Some fly accurately thousands of miles over land and ocean, as we have seen in some of our earlier articles about storks, humming birds, plovers, terns, etc.

Scientists think that birds are guided by the sun, and they may be right. But the sun travels from east to west, and for the most part birds travel north and south. If guided by the sun, they would need some kind of inner clock to tell them where the sun was in the sky at any time of day. Others think the night fliers (and most do migrate at night) use the stars for direction. But the stars change their positions as the earth revolves, too. So if they are guided by the stars, they have certainly been given something better than man’s best computer to find directions this way. Still other scientists think they follow landmarks such as mountains, rivers and valleys. This might help those migrating over land, but what landmarks are there out in the ocean?

None of these provide a real answer since the migratory find their way just as well in total darkness, through foggy or cloudy skies, and often through fierce storms. When all is said, we must just happily conclude that the Lord God who created and takes care of them is the source. He supplies this superb guidance and the amazing amount of strength and endurance that carries them over these great distances.

It is a wonderful thing to know the Lord as your Saviour and learn that He will provide daily strength for you, too. As the Bible tells us: “Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of His understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might He increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall: but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” Isaiah 40:28-31.

ML-12/19/1982

A Fight With Wolves

Memory Verse: “The Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

Sport was a big, powerful dog who belonged to Andre Minnett, a woodsman who lived at Seguin Falls in Ontario years ago. Minnett’s home was in a clearing in the woods. Sport used to go with his master on trapping trips through the forest. At night he would stand guard by the campfire while his master slept.

Sport was a born wolf-fighter. A timber wolf would normally be more than a match for a dog, but Sport possessed size and strength, as well as being smart and fearless. More than once he had taken on and whipped a wolf that prowled too close to camp.

However, Sport seemed to know he could not defend himself if he went too far into the forest alone where he might meet a pack of wolves. So he wisely stayed close to his master on their trapping trips.

Then one day a little baby boy, Jean, was born into the Minnett household. Jean captured Sport’s affections as soon as he arrived. The dog would lie by the hour beside the baby’s crib or carriage. As Jean grew older and learned to walk he would hang onto the great dog’s fur. He could maul Sport around without any resentment from the dog. So his mother felt her baby was entirely safe while Sport was on guard.

One day, Minnett went to the top of a hill not far away to cut logs. Mrs. Minnett had put little Jean in his carriage out in the yard in the sunshine and, leaving the kitchen door open, she went back to her housework. Sport stretched out on the ground beside the carriage.

Looking up from his work, Minnett caught sight of three large, hungry-looking wolves slinking down the hillside toward the clearing. Supposing that his little son was safe indoors with his mother, and that Sport was around too, he was not really concerned. Still, he watched to see why the wolves came so close to the house in broad daylight.

Dozing in the sunlight, Sport was roused by the hated wolf scent, and springing to his feet he saw the three wolves enter the clearing. Sport seemed to know that he could not handle three timber wolves alone. Behind him was the open doorway into which he could have run for shelter, but this would mean leaving little Jean, whom he loved, at the mercy of the three wolves.

For Sport there was only one thing to do. Sport ran out to meet the invading enemies. He moved around always keeping his own body between the wolves and little Jean. Sparring with his snarling enemies, he finally got the wolves turned with their backs to the baby, while he began edging off into the woods. It seemed that both sides were afraid to make the first attack. Then suddenly, as if terrified, Sport turned and dashed off into the woods, with the three wolves following hard at his heels.

Brave Sport did what he set out to do. The gallant dog made that heroic sacrifice to save the life of little Jean. It was Sport’s last fight. He never returned.

God the Creator has given many of His creatures the devotedness that we see here in Sport. How often we see in a dog the love and devotion that fills our heart with wonder and admiration. But the love and devotion of the Creator Himself is greater than all the love of His creatures—including man.

The devotion of Christ to God His Father and His love to poor sinners whom He came to save, was “unto death, even the death of the cross.” Philippians 2:8. There in those dark hours He stood between us and the enemy—“our sins in all their terror there—God’s wrath and Satan’s power.” Not one stroke of that awful punishment against sin could ever touch even the weakest child who trusts Him as his or her Saviour. He has borne it all.

May the story of a gallant dog’s faithfulness lead our thoughts to the far more wonderful story of Jesus and His love. May it occupy our minds with Him who, when we were yet sinners, died for us, but who now lives again in the glory with God.

If you do not know this precious Saviour, we urge you to receive Him by faith into your heart now, and enjoy His love and companionship all the way from earth to heaven.

“The Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20.

ML-12/26/1982

Who Is the Coward?

Billy watched unhappily from the open window of his back bedroom as his mother hung out the laundry. “Will I have to stay here until Dad comes home?” he asked.

“Yes, Billy, but I’ll be in to have a little talk soon.”

Soon his mother was seated beside him, and the little seven-year-old boy sighed as if his heart were weighed down with trouble.

“If only it wasn’t so hard! I started to come home when the boys began throwing rocks, but they all said I was ‘chicken."'

“Oh, that word again! Really, Billy, it has been the cause of more sin and unhappiness than we can imagine! Why, Billy, it has sent boys into a life of crime—or even death. Who knows how many young folks have wanted to refuse that first cigarette, that marijuana, those drugs and drinks, but couldn’t stand to be called ‘chicken'? Tell me, Billy, would it have taken courage to come home today when you wanted to?”

“Oh, yes, Mom; lots of it!”

“Also, would the Lord have been pleased? As it is He is greatly dishonored. Old Mr. Brown, whose garage window you broke, is very upset, to say nothing of Mommy and Daddy. The poor old man is cross and unpleasant, but we should try to help him if he’ll let us. Those boys made you feel you’d be a coward and a sissy to go home, when the truth is, you were a coward to stay and do what Satan told you to do. The next time someone calls you ‘chicken,’ I hope all the red lights start flashing in your mind and that you won’t let Satan muddle your thinking. Remember that verse, ‘The fear of man (and boys) bringeth a snare.’ (Prov. 29:25.) Then, of course, you shouldn’t even be playing with children who like to destroy property. Do you remember the song about Daniel? ‘Dare to be a Daniel; dare to stand alone....’ And just think, God referred to Daniel as a ‘man greatly beloved.’ That’s of more value than being the most popular person in the world. Jesus said, ‘Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for My sake.'" (Matt. 5:11.)

ML-12/26/1982

Christ Is Risen

Mr. Torry was preaching on the street corner one day. He spoke of the resurrection (raising from the dead) of the Lord Jesus Christ. Suddenly, he was interrupted by a man in the crowd who called out, “How do you know that Christ is risen from the dead?”

Mr. Torry remained silent for a moment, thinking of the best answer to give the man. But while he paused another man stepped out of the crowd and said, in a voice loud enough for everyone to hear, “I work in a large mill near here. I work in the engine room and must keep track of the steam and water pressure and other things that are recorded. How do I know what the steam pressure is? I can’t see the steam, but I can see its power recorded on the gauge.

“Now look at me. I was once a drunk, living on Skid Row. But the risen Saviour laid hold of me and saved me. His power showed itself in my life. He has set me free from the power of sin. I know that He is risen, because of what He has done in my life.”

“Christ died...He was buried...He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” 1 Cor. 15:3,4.

ML-12/26/1982

The Wonders of God's Creation: Computer Birds - Part 2

“Also [Noah] sent forth a dove... But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him into the ark.” Gen. 8:8,9.

Noah’s dove had no difficulty finding her way back to the ark. This is a little example of the billions of birds which migrate over vast oceans and lands throughout the world each year. One, the Blackpoll Warbler, travels a 4000-mile journey between the forests of North America and Brazil. One part of this trip is an 86-hour, non-stop flight over water! The Golden Plover travels 15,000 miles or more each year, and the Bobolink travels some 6000 miles between Canada and Argentina.

Volumes could be written about the mass migration of these birds. What makes them migrate? For one thing, they need a place with long days and enough food to raise their young. Both of these are found in the north where trillions of insects hatch just as the birds arrive in the spring. The Creator has arranged this, priding them with needed food and at the same time having them control the insects that otherwise would destroy the land. Then, aware that winter is coming, they time their flights south to escape the cold of the winter. Birds are the best forecasters on earth and can tell weather changes long before men can.

Young birds seldom fly with their parents. It’s amazing how they fly accurately to their destinations without help from their parents! Only God could give them this ability.

It is not only in the migration along their normal routes that their instinct is revealed. Experiments with birds removed from their normal surroundings and set free are interesting. For instance, on one occasion a number of Shearwaters were taken in covered cages from the coast of Wales to both Italy and Switzerland. Although a water bird and not used to flying over land, when released these birds rose high in the air, crossed the Alps, and flew straight back home.

A Cowbird from Waukegan, Illinois was taken to Denver, Colorado and released. A month later it was back home. This same bird was later sent to Quebec and promptly found its way back from there, too. In another experiment a Bobolink was taken from North Dakota to Berkeley, California. It escaped and was soon back in North Dakota.

Eggs of many birds have been incubated hundreds of miles from their native lands. When the young birds are released at migrating times, where do you think they go? They always fly to the home of their parents rather than with the birds with which they have been raised. There they join their true relatives in their migration route established for them by their Creator. These experiments confirm that birds have God-given abilities to find their way even when taken to strange surroundings.

The love of God points away for us, too—the way to heaven. His Word, the Bible, tells us: “Broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction... (but) strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life.” Matthew 7:13,14. The Lord Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” John 14:6. Have you put your trust in Him as your sure way to heaven?

ML-12/26/1982

Messages of God's Love: 1982

Table of Contents

"If You Can't Pay the Price … "

Something Worth Telling

The Wonders of God's Creation: The World's Best Flying Machine

"There's an Animal in My Room!"

Blind Since Birth

The Wonders of God's Creation: Inside Your Ear

It All Happened in 30 Minutes

The Square

The Wonders of God's Creation: The World's Strangest Animal

A Living Snowman

The $1,500 Pet

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Polar Bear

So Near to Help

A Saving Word

"Mfazhi!"

The Wonders of God's Creation: A Living Bomb

"It's Not for Sale!"

Caught!

Who Am I?

In Love With the Author

The Wonders of God's Creation: A Tale of Two Fishes

"Chanticleer"

Mrs. Ashton and the Boys

Held by God

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Barbary Ape

Hero in Feathers

The Wonders of God's Creation: Janitor Ants and Their Guards

A Strange Mother

David Brainerd and the Indians

Cindy's Swim

The Wonders of God's Creation: Shearwater Travelers

The Strong Tower

Collar of Iron

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Mighty Elephant

Detour!

The Treacherous Coyotes

From the Author

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Miracle That Is a Bee

Davey's Predicament

The Crows' Ball Game

The Wonders of God's Creation: What Goes on Inside a Beehive?

A Goose Named Dudley

"Let Me Buy the Book"

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Potto

Hurricane!

The Kindness of a Crow

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Melodious Frog - Part 1

The Great Net

Better Than a Bike

The Wonders of God's Creation: Some Unusual Frogs - Part 2

Listen Carefully!

The Knotted Handkerchief

The Knight's Challenge

Who Am I?

The Wonders of God's Creation: More About Frogs - Part 3

Searched!

Bringing up Daisy

The Wonders of God's Creation: Bacteria - Invisible but Important

Timmy's Taste of Trouble

Fish Catches Man!

The Highway Robber

The Wonders of God's Creation: The Anteater

Out of Control!

"He Careth for You"

The Biggest Piece of Money

The Wonders of God's Creation: A Day at the Seashore - Part 1

Tippy

Exposed by a Shark!

The Wonders of God's Creation: A Day at the Seashore - Part 2

What Saved the Bird?

The Downward Course

The Wonders of God's Creation: A Day at the Seashore - Part 3

Are You Safe?

Giving Our Best

Who Needs a New Heart?

The Wonders of God's Creation: Africa's Flying Squirrel

The "Prayer Well"

Charlie and the Bear