Messages of God's Love: 1993

“Let’s build something,” said Philip as he picked up a hammer. He and his family were visiting Grandpa and Grandma for a few days. He was always looking for things to do.

“How about building a birdhouse?” suggested Grandma. She helped him choose scraps of wood from the woodpile and got a bag of nails.

Grandma held the pieces of wood while Philip nailed them together. He made a floor, walls and a roof. When he had it all put together there was even a perch for the birds, and the floor extended forward for a little porch.

“We’ll screw in a hook for hanging it in a tree, then your daddy can drill the entrance hole,” Grandma explained. They put the finishing touches on the birdhouse.

Later that week Philip and his family returned home from Grandpa and Grandma’s. Daddy drilled the entrance hole, then got a ladder and hung up the birdhouse in a fir tree close to the house where they could watch it.

A few days later Mother noticed a twig poking out of the hole. Soon a small brown bird landed on the perch with another stick in its beak and it carried it inside the birdhouse. “It looks like we have a bird family, Philip,” Mother said.

Getting out their bird book, they learned that the little bird was a house wren. It had a very clear, musical song which it sang throughout the day.

Philip and his family watched the busy little bird that day and the next. They were surprised at the energy of such a small bird, bringing so many sticks to the nesting box. The third day, however, that little wren was nowhere to be seen. Its beautiful song, like a gurgling mountain stream, was absent too.

Mother got out the bird book again and read that male house wrens try to attract females by singing and nest building. If this doesn’t work, they will leave the nest and search somewhere else. So that explains why our little wren didn’t stay, Philip thought to himself. It was a daddy bird who couldn’t find a mommy bird.

Our heavenly Father created these birds and gave them their special instincts. We can’t help but be reminded of another home being prepared for a bride. It is a beautiful home in heaven. “I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2), the Lord Jesus told His disciples. And this includes each one who puts his trust in Him by coming to Jesus to have his sins washed away. This makes each one fit for His presence since sin cannot enter that wonderful home in heaven.

That little wren could only prepare a nest and wait, singing his most beautiful song. But since it failed to attract a mate, he had to leave, alone.

Our Lord Jesus was alone with His Father in heaven. In order to have a bride with Him there, He had to become a man and die for our sins. In this way He prepared us for that home, if we will accept His offer to remove our sins.

In John 14:3 the Lord Jesus went on to tell them that “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.”

Soon He will come again to receive His bride, all believers, to Himself. We know that heaven will be filled, and a new song will be sung. It will be a beautiful song of worship and thanksgiving to the Lord Jesus for His love to us. Will you be there with Him?

Oh what a home! But such His love,

That He must bring us there,

To fill that home, to be with Him,

And all His glory share.

“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13.

ML-01/03/1993

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 out, 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 with his sins unforgiven. 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 His forgiveness 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 by our Chinese word picture.

“Behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2.

ML-01/03/1993

El Alemán, the Beggar Boy

The townspeople called him “El Aleman,” which means “the German,” because he had green eyes and blonde hair and looked more German than Mexican.

As he walked through the marketplace, El Aleman’s leather sandals slapped the dusty cobblestones. It was getting to be late morning with the bright sun rising higher and hotter, and still he had not tasted a bite of food. He looked into the faces of those he passed, searching for someone kind who might give him something to eat.

He walked by a fruit stand full of crates of brightly-colored ripe fruit. The seller, an elderly, heavyset woman eyed him suspiciously.

No handouts here, he thought to himself.

El Aleman rubbed his empty stomach. Hunger was twisting it into a knot. Then the wonderful odors of food coming from an outdoor cafe made him turn. He walked over and stood at the edge of the cafe staring. A man and a woman were eating ham and eggs and sipping steaming coffee at a table. He could tell they were Americans. He had no problem begging from the people of his own town, but these people were strangers. El Aleman watched them eat. He watched as they pushed in their chairs and were about to pay the bill. He went up to the man and woman, meaning to beg only a coin to buy a piece of fruit. He stood before them, but the shyness he felt made him quiet. He didn’t speak.

“Have you eaten breakfast, boy?” the man asked.

“A coin, Se-or, a coin?” the boy begged, hoping to buy only a piece of fruit.

“A coin, no. I will buy you all you can eat. Sit down. Se-ora, cook this boy all he can eat and give him something to drink. I will pay the bill.”

El Aleman ate a meal like he had not eaten in a long time.

How kind that man was to El Aleman. But do you know the kindest man there ever was? The Lord Jesus, like the man who bought the meal, is a kind and generous giver. If we come to Him in our misery and unhappiness He knows exactly what we need. He knows that sin brings us into misery in this life and will take us into hell after death. He knows that sin is too big a problem for us to handle by ourselves. It is such a big problem that even other men, although they may be wise and kind, cannot free us from the burden of sin. The Lord Jesus, the greatest giver of all time, is the only One who can save us from our sins and from eternal punishment. And He has already made all the arrangements.

To save us from our sins, the Lord Jesus died on Calvary’s cross. The very One who in the beginning created man, died for His creature’s sins. Now all who are truly sorry about their sins and believe on Him receive the gift of eternal life. “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.

Don’t search for happiness apart from God, but come to the Lord Jesus and receive the greatest gift of all. “The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23.

The Lord Jesus will do more for us than we could ever think -“Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think.” Ephesians 3:20. Come to Him by faith and you will certainly find out what a giver He is!

ML-01/10/1993

A Sweet Story of Love

A few years ago I heard a sweet, true story that reminded me of the precious Saviour’s love. I would like you to hear it.

Olin Brown told me about his son who was a soldier in the Army in the 1950’s during the Korean war. Near the end of the war Major Brown spotted some little Korean children playing near a small lake. The children were war orphans. (This means each child’s father and mother had both been killed.) These children were living near the lake in a home for war orphans. They were dirty, poorly dressed and were eating little dead fish that had washed up on the shore of the lake.

Major Brown was a very kind man. He immediately felt pity and love for these children and wanted to do something for them. One dear little girl caught his eye. It was love at first sight on his part.

Major Brown gave some money to the orphanage to help care for the children. Every time he visited the orphanage he thought more and more about adopting the one little girl he loved. He talked it over with his wife in the United States, and they decided they would adopt this little girl if they could.

Major Brown talked to the people in charge at the orphanage and assured them that he and his wife wanted the little girl very much.

After a few months the adoption papers were signed. Soon the little girl and Major Brown flew to New York where they were met by Mrs. Brown. It was a very happy time for the Browns.

The darling little Korean girl was taken into the Browns’ home where they gave her everything she needed - they showered her with lots of love, taught her what was right and wrong and how to obey, and gave her lovely clothes and toys. Major and Mrs. Brown adopted other children with whom she could grow up and whom she could learn to love.

When I heard the story from Olin Brown, the little Korean girl was a grown-up woman and was teaching school. She was most grateful for all that the Browns had done for her.

Though the Browns did everything that could be done to make their adopted daughter happy, the Lord Jesus has done so very much more for poor sinners like you and me. He not only loved us, but He gave His life for us that we might be brought to God. “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” Romans 5:6.

When Major Brown first found his little girl she was in deep need. She was helpless, hopeless and needed everything the Browns could give her - especially love. Boys and girls, have you ever felt helpless, hopeless and in need of someone to love you? The Lord Jesus offers you a Saviour’s love. Accept Him as your Saviour, and you will be able to say of Him, “The Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20.

ML-01/10/1993

Playing With Danger

“What a beautiful day,” said Faye as she looked out the window. Then she saw something that wasn’t so beautiful. “That bad cat!” she exclaimed. “He’s caught another chipmunk!”

Feeling sorry for the chipmunk, Faye ran out into the front yard and grabbed the cat by the scruff of the neck, forcing it to drop the chipmunk.

All of us, from the time we are born, are like that chipmunk in the cat’s mouth. God tells us that Satan is the god and prince of this world, and we are under his power until the Lord Jesus sets us free. We know that chipmunk could not have freed itself from the cat’s jaws, and we cannot free ourselves from Satan’s power either. Only the Lord Jesus can free us, because He broke Satan’s power when He died on the cross. “Through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them, who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” Hebrews 2:14,15.

The little chipmunk was still very lively and didn’t seem to be hurt. He ran a few feet, then turned to face the cat. Sitting on his little haunches he scolded the cat, almost as though he were daring the cat to catch him.

You can guess what the cat did. Of course, he soon had the chipmunk in his mouth again.

Faye released the chipmunk a second time, and then scolded the cat. But still the chipmunk didn’t run far away.

Sometimes young people are much like that chipmunk - they seem to love dangerous things and like to play with sin. They are like those in Proverbs 2:13 “who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness.” But God gives the warning, “Go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.” Proverbs 4:14,15.

Finally when Faye took the cat indoors the chipmunk ran away. But she couldn’t help wondering how long that chipmunk would live if it kept on daring its enemies.

God gives more warnings about our enemy: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” 1 Peter 5:8. Trust in the Lord Jesus who loves you and died for you and escape from the enemy and the wrath to come.

ML-01/17/1993

Willie's Homework Paper

Willie was in fourth grade. Sometimes his teacher, Mrs. Snyder, gave the children assignments to begin working on in class. What they didn’t finish at school had to be taken home and finished that evening. A parent was supposed to sign the finished homework paper, and it was to be turned in at school the next day.

After a week of rain nearly every day, the weather had finally turned nice. Willie and his friends had played outside after school until time to go in for supper. Then after supper Willie had found other things to do, so the homework hadn’t been finished.

One day soon after, the telephone rang and Willie’s mother answered it. She was surprised to hear Willie’s voice on the other end. She knew something was wrong because Willie was almost crying.

“What’s wrong, Willie?” she quickly asked.

“I . . . I . . . I didn’t finish my homework,” he choked out.

“Is that all, Willie?” she asked doubtfully.

There was no mistaking; Willie was crying now. “Th . . . that was last week,” he added tearfully.

“Willie, is that the only reason you’re calling me from school?” she questioned him.

“Well, you were supposed to sign that paper,” he explained.

“Willie, is that all?”

“Well, there were really two papers,” he admitted.

“Is there anything else?”

“Well, yea . . . I signed them,” he confessed.

“You signed my name, Willie?”

“Yea, and I spelled it wrong,” he blurted out tearfully.

Willie was in trouble. The first thing he had done wrong was not finishing his homework. Then to cover that up so his teacher wouldn’t notice, he had done something else wrong - he had signed his mother’s name on his papers. This made it look like his mother had seen the papers and knew about the homework. But, he had spelled his mother’s first name

Mrs. Snyder had seen the misspelled name on both papers and knew what Willie had done. Willie’s cover-up job had fallen apart. “Be sure your sin will find you out.” Numbers 32:23.

We all understand Willie’s sinking, guilty feeling when Mrs. Snyder called him up to her desk and asked him about his homework and pointed out his mother’s misspelled name. Every one of us has done something that we knew was wrong. We usually got caught and had to confess what we had done. Punishment followed.

But sometimes our cover-ups worked and we didn’t get caught. We thought we had gotten away with it. But we hadn’t. Even though our parents or teacher never found out, God saw what we had done. “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” Proverbs 15:3. God saw what we did and He calls it sin. The Bible tells us that all sin must be punished by God. That punishment is being reserved until after we die, in an awful place called hell. “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment [punishment].” Hebrews 9:27.

However, God loves you and me, and He wants to forgive all our sins. But still, there is punishment necessary for those sins. Because He loves you and me dearly, this is what He did. He sent His only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to bear that punishment for sin on the cross - “Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many.” Hebrews 9:28. If you are truly sorry about your sins and confess to the Lord Jesus that you are a sinner, He promises He will forgive you. Then you will not have to be punished for your sins, because He already was punished for them when He died on the cross. “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Proverbs 28:13.

Are you still covering up your sins, or have you told the Lord Jesus about them and been forgiven?

Won’t you confess to the Lord Jesus that you are a sinner and accept His forgiveness?

ML-01/17/1993

The Light Hurts

“You should just kill it, lady.”

The lady ignored the teenager who offered his advice.

“Those things carry rabies,” the teenager added.

The lady continued bending over the tiny grey-black creature.

“It must have fallen from under the bridge, poor thing. It doesn’t look hurt, only stunned,” the lady said to the people who were gathering around. “Does anyone have a paper sack?”

Another woman took a blouse she had just purchased out of its bag and handed the bag to the lady. The lady scooped the bat up in her gloved hand and gently placed it in the bag.

“Thanks,” she said. “I think it is only stunned by the sunlight. I’ll keep it in the bag until it gets dark out tonight and then I’ll let it go in the park.”

“Hope you get it home okay,” the woman said. The two rescuers exchanged smiles and went on their ways, as did the people who had been watching.

Later that night the bat was released. It flew off into the darkness. What the lady said was right - the bat was not injured, but only stunned by the bright light of sunshine.

The light of God’s Word, the Bible, stuns us when we are not familiar with it. It clearly shows us that we are sinners. Romans 3:23 tells us that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” And as sinners, we can do nothing right toward God, no matter what we do or how hard we try. The light of Isaiah 64:6 shows us why: “We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses [good deeds] are as filthy rags.” As a result, our sins are leading us to the darkness of hell. The light shows us a very frightening picture of ourselves - the truth that each of us is a sinner and headed the wrong direction!

But the light of God’s Word also shows us that there is a remedy for sin. “The Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.” 1 John 4:14. The remedy for sin is to believe in Christ as your Lord and Saviour. The suffering for sin He bore on Calvary’s cross is more than enough to put away every one of your sins.

Don’t run away from the light. It may hurt at first when you see yourself ruined by sin, but God loves you, and He has provided the remedy for sin. He offers salvation in Jesus Christ. “The Lord is not . . . willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9.

Are you willing to step out of the darkness of your sins and step into the light of God’s wonderful love and forgiveness? “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-01/24/1993

Road Signs

CHILDREN
CROSSING
DON’T
EVEN
THINK OF
PARKING
HERE

When we travel on the highways, it is interesting and also important to watch the road signs. They are placed there to help us, and they are meant to be obeyed. Many times we would be in serious trouble if we did not obey the road signs.

God’s Word, the Bible, is something like road signs. It is there to guide us each day. Do you read the Bible? Do you believe it? Just like missing one road sign can cause real problems, not paying attention to God’s Word will also give us serious problems.

Have you ever seen a sign that said “IMPORTANT INTERSECTION”? We usually think of all intersections on roadways as places to be extra careful, but this one was especially important. There is one “intersection” in life that could be marked “Important Intersection.” It’s the intersection of the way to heaven or hell. Perhaps this little paper has brought you to that intersection. “Broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction [hell] . . . narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life [heaven].” Matthew 7:13,14. Which road are you on? The Lord Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” John 14:6. The only way you can get onto the “road” to heaven is by accepting Him as your Saviour. Have you done that?

In the mountains, the sign “CHAIN-UP AREA AHEAD” is often seen. When the roads are icy in winter, you are supposed to pull over right there and put chains on your tires. That would be a bad sign for you if you didn’t have any chains for your car. Someone had warned us about that sign, so we were prepared and had brought chains along with us. God wants to prepare us for all the difficult things we will come across in our lives, so He has given us His Word. But, are you reading it? Have you memorized verses so you are prepared when the bad times come? We are told to “study” the Bible in 2 Timothy 2:15, and that’s a good plan for every boy and girl.

If you saw a sign that said “DON’T EVEN THINK OF PARKING HERE” you certainly would be foolish to disobey it. That sign on a street going up a very steep hill would certainly be a clear warning. God gives each of us who are Christians some very clear warnings too. In 2 Timothy 2:22 we are told to flee youthful lusts - to run away from things that would cause us to sin. “Don’t even think of parking here.” A little Sunday school song we often sing says, “Yield not to temptation.” That means, don’t give in to things that are wrong. That is something we need to ask the Lord Jesus for help in doing each day.

Another sign that we have noticed several times is “ROADSIDE TURNOUT.” Sometimes it was a place to stop for a good view of the countryside. Sometimes it was a place where there was a trash barrel, or even just a place to pull out of traffic. This is a sad sign when we think of some children. They accepted the Lord Jesus as their Saviour and so are saved, but they just got tired of following Him - they have turned out of the way. They stopped coming to Sunday school and even stopped reading their Bible and praying. Each of us should make this little song our prayer:

Ask the Saviour to help you,

Comfort, strengthen and keep you;

He is willing to aid you,

He will carry you through.

ML-01/24/1993

No More Suppers

Grandpa and Grandma Morris have only one grandchild. Her name is Christy and she is 11 years old. She is a lovely young lady who is loved very much by her parents and her grandparents. Christy also knows that God loves her and that “God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.” 1 John 4:9.

While Christy’s dad was out of town on a long work assignment, Grandma Morris was also out of town caring for her mother who was very ill. During this time Grandpa Morris was often invited to Christy’s house for supper. Can you imagine what happy times these were for Christy, her mother and Grandpa Morris?

I hope that all of you are like Christy in this way too. All her sins have been washed away because she knew she was a sinner and opened her heart to the Lord Jesus and accepted Him as her own Saviour. This makes Christy all the more dear to Grandpa Morris, because he also loves the Lord Jesus Christ. The Word of God, the Bible, warns us that “if any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be [accursed - the Lord comes].” 1 Corinthians 16:22. What a terrible thing it will be for anyone to have to spend eternity in outer darkness because he or she does not love the Lord Jesus!

Christy may be like many of you in another way. She has a cat for a pet, and the whole family loves her cat. One time Christy and her mother went out of town to stay awhile with her dad where he was working. Grandpa Morris stayed home alone, and it was his job to take care of Christy’s cat while they were gone. Though he had never been very fond of cats, Grandpa Morris did enjoy Christy’s cat while they were both at home alone.

One evening after Christy and her mother were back home again, they invited Grandpa Morris over for supper. He was teasing Christy about her cat. He said, “One of these days, I am going to come over and put that cat in a bag and take him away.” Christy quickly said, “Grandpa, if you do that there will be no more suppers!”

Of course, Grandpa Morris would never do such an awful thing as to be cruel to Christy’s beloved pet.

Such happy times as Christy and her grandfather enjoy are very pleasant to think about. They remind us of a supper invitation in the Bible where a certain man made “a great supper, and [invited] many.” Luke 14:16. He sent his servants out with the invitation, “Come; for all things are now ready.” But those people who were invited as guests began to make excuses. They were so busy with family plans, business deals and other things that they didn’t want to go to the supper. They said, “I pray thee have me excused.” v.18.

Can you imagine how hurt Christy would be if her grandpa made excuses why he could not come to their house for supper? The man in the Bible story was also terribly hurt. In fact, the Bible says he was angry. The man then told his servants to go out into the streets of the city and bring in the poor, the homeless, the helpless, and the crippled, “that my house may be filled.” v. 23.

The servants did as their master told them and replied, “It is done as thou hast commanded, and [still] there is room.” The man then told his servants to go back into the streets and urge others to come to his supper. Then the man said, “I say unto you, That none of those men which were [invited] shall taste of my supper.” The rich man’s reaction was very much like Christy’s reaction to her grandfather of “no more suppers!”

Boys and girls, this story from the Bible shows you and me that our sins have taken us far away from God. We must accept God’s invitation to salvation’s supper if we are to have our sins washed away. We are hopeless and lost in our sins until we do accept God’s loving invitation. We are very much like those “street people” the servants were told to bring in to the supper. We are needy and helpless and unable to do anything to get rid of our heavy load of sins. But the God of all grace and love has prepared the supper by sending His only Son to be the sacrifice for our sins. When we accept God’s invitation, we receive the forgiveness of our sins. “Be it known unto you therefore . . . that through this man [Jesus] is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins.” Acts 13:38.

Do not refuse God’s wonderful invitation. Certainly you do not want to be like those who refused the man’s supper invitation who shall never “taste of my supper.” Be like Christy. Say “yes” to the Lord Jesus. He stands at your heart’s door knocking. Will you accept His loving invitation?

ML-01/31/1993

The Ox Knows His Owner

Farmer Goodrich took me with him when he went out to call his bull in from the field. When we arrived at the pasture, there wasn’t a bull or any other creature in sight. It was a very long stretch of pasture, going downhill for quite a distance, and at the bottom was a lot of brush and small trees.

With a high-pitched voice, Mr. Goodrich began making the strangest moo calls that I have ever heard. He mooooooed over and over again. Seemingly out of nowhere, out of the brush and up the hill, a large bull and two cows came running. They came right up to Mr. Goodrich as though they were saying, “Here we are. What do you want?”

Not being from the country, this was all quite interesting to me. As I watched, it reminded me of a verse from the Bible that says, “The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib [stall].” Isaiah 1:3. Watching the animals obey as they came running to their master’s call was a lesson for me.

And you know, boys and girls, the Lord Jesus is calling to you also. What is He saying? Just simply - “Come unto Me.” COME TO ME! Have you come to Jesus? Do you know Him? If you haven’t done so yet, won’t you listen to His voice and come to Him right now? Just tell Him that you have heard Him say “Come unto Me” and that you want to come to Him to have your sins washed away. Won’t you do that now?

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

ML-01/31/1993

Are Bumblebees Fuzzy?

Bumblebees are pretty with black and yellow bands of color. They make a noisy buzzing sound as they fly around, busily gathering pollen and sweet nectar from flowers. Have you ever wondered if bumblebees were fuzzy?

Nathan was a little boy who wanted to find out if bumblebees were really fuzzy since they look fuzzy. He also knew they could sting, so he figured out a plan to find out the answer to his question. He decided he would very quickly wipe his finger across the back of the bumblebee and then very quickly pull his hand away. Do you think he had a good plan?

You can guess what happened! “Ouch! OOOOWW!” The bumblebee was quicker than Nathan’s finger and it stung him!

Some things in this world are very pretty. Many things seem like they would be fun to do.

Adam and Eve lived in the Garden of Eden. They were allowed to eat anything they wanted except the fruit of one tree. God was testing them to see if they would obey Him and trust Him. Even though there really was plenty to eat, Eve listened to Satan’s suggestion and went over to the tree. Eve saw that it was good for food. Its fruit looked so pretty, so she ate some. Then she gave some to her husband and he ate some too.

It may have tasted very good but it had a sting in it! What was the sting? SIN AND DEATH! “The sting of death is sin.” 1 Corinthians 15:56.

The Bible warns us of other stings. One is in Proverbs 23:31,32. “Look not thou upon the wine when it is red . . . in the cup. . . . At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder [snake].”

When people talk about sinful things, they make them sound so nice, but they don’t tell you about the sting in them. God’s Word gives us many good warnings about sin. Here are some of them. “My son, if sinners entice thee [tell how good something is], consent [agree] thou not.” Proverbs 1:10. “Go not in the way of evil men.” Proverbs 4:14. Look up these verses in your Bible and read on a few more verses. You will find the sting for disobeying the warning.

Nathan’s bumblebee sting was painful but it did not last long. However, the sting of sin is very bad. It brings sadness in life, then death and after death the punishment. (Hebrews 9:27.)

“All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23. What can be done for those who have been stung by sin?

In the Old Testament there is an interesting story about some very bad stings. In Numbers 21 we are told that the people of God were discouraged and were angry with God and with Moses. They complained about the food God gave them faithfully every day.

God sent fiery serpents (poisonous snakes) that bit the people and many died. The people soon realized they had done wrong by complaining and came to Moses and said, “We have sinned . . . against the Lord. . . . Pray unto the Lord, that He take away the serpents from us.” v. 7. Moses prayed and the Lord told him to make a fiery serpent and set it on a pole. When anyone who was bitten looked at this serpent of brass he lived!

What does this story mean? Jesus explained it when He said, “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.” John 3:14,15. Jesus is the Son of man. He was “lifted up” on the cross to die. Any sinner who “looks” at Him by faith and believes that Jesus died for him or her is saved from their sins. That terrible sting of death and judgment is gone forever. The saved person has eternal life. That is the life that God gives.

Do you have eternal life? Will you look to Jesus now? Then instead of trying the sinful things that bring a sting, you can trust God for your happiness and obey Him. “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” James 1:17.

ML-02/07/1993

Robby's Seed

On the last day of school in June, Robby’s teacher gave each child a different kind of seed to plant in his yard at home. Robby took his home and planted it, but it was a long time before he knew what kind of plant grew from his seed. In September the children brought what they had grown to school with them. Tracy had a big red flower. Mike had a tomato. But Robby told his teacher that his plant was still growing in his yard and he still didn’t know what kind it was.

“Wait a few more weeks,” his teacher said, “and you will soon find out.”

How happy Robby was a few weeks later to discover that it was a pumpkin vine! His mother made some delicious pumpkin pies out of the pumpkins.

Every Christian boy and girl is planting seeds during his life. I don’t mean real seeks like Robby planted. We are planting seeds of love, kindness, hate, lying or unkindness. What kind of seeds are you planting? What you plant in your “garden” you will harvest later. If you have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, ask Him to help you plant seeds of love and kindness. You will collect love and kindness in return, and He will give you a reward in heaven too.

“Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Galatians 6:7.

“Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.” Galatians 6:9.

ML-02/07/1993

Mistaken Identity

Jim and Charlie were strolling down the deserted streets of Lunenberg. They had their hats pulled down almost over their eyes and the collars of their raincoats pulled up to cover their ears. They were trying to keep out the chilling drizzle of the cold November day.

They had been driving along Nova Scotia’s scenic shoreline when Charlie mentioned that he’d never been through Lunenberg. So they decided to stop to have a look at the interesting old fishing village. They were enjoying the smells and sounds of the ocean and the sight of the many boats tied securely to the docks with their nets and traps and other gear. As they wandered slowly along the road, they saw that dock after dock had large signs warning trespassers to keep off the docks. Finally, they came to one without a sign, so they walked slowly out onto it as they talked.

Suddenly a man came running toward them through the fog. He stopped and introduced himself as a ship salesman. “Yes,” he said, “I had three ocean-going ships for sale. Two of them are sold, but there’s one left. Would you like to buy it?” Without even a pause he went on, “I was on the phone until a couple of minutes ago. I told my friend I could see two Mafia men (secret criminals) looking over the boats and I was sure they wanted to buy one, so I’d better get down there and look into the matter. You do want to buy a boat to ship cocaine out of here, don’t you?”

Jim and Charlie looked at each other in surprise, but the man kept pressing them for information. “What are you doing down here?” he asked. “You are Mafia men, aren’t you?”

“No,” answered Charlie, pulling a gospel tract out of his pocket and handing it to the man. “Read this. It will tell you what our business is down here. We’re only interested in people getting saved from their sins and knowing that they are on their way to heaven.”

The man took the tract and looked it over carefully.

“See,” said Jim, “It tells you that we are all sinners, but the blood of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, cleanses us from all sin.”

But the man still wasn’t convinced that they weren’t Mafia men. He looked at them as if to say, “I’ve heard of lots of cover-ups, but this is the strangest one yet.”

God tells us that man looks on the outward appearance, but God looks right into your heart. “The Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7. He knows what’s really there. He knows whether you’re truly saved or just pretending to belong to the Lord Jesus. Pretending doesn’t work with God. You have to be real!

God loves you. He sent His only begotten Son to die for you. But you must come to Him to have your sins washed away. “God . . . now commandeth all men every where to repent: because He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man [Christ Jesus] whom He hath ordained.” Acts 17:30,31.

What does God see in your heart?

ML-02/14/1993

The Dangerous Toy

Earl was playing in a field near his home one day when he found something interesting. It was a heavy metal canister that looked like it would be a lot of fun to play with, so he tugged and rolled it home to his yard.

There, for the next four years, Earl enjoyed his new toy. When he played “Spacemen” it was his rocket ship. When “Cowboys and Indians” was the game, he rode the canister as his horse. It got dragged here and there and was used in many different ways as he and his friends played together.

Then one day Earl’s mother got a surprise. She was reading the local newspaper and a picture caught her eye. The object in the picture looked a lot like the canister Earl so often played with, so she quickly read what the article had to say about it.

The more she read, the more worried she got. She laid down the paper and went and looked out the window at Earl’s toy. The newspaper story described a live U.S. Army bomb that had recently been found nearby and told how the army had been called in to dispose of the bomb safely.

Earl’s toy wasn’t another bomb, was it? No, it couldn’t be. After all, he had played with it for four years and nothing had happened. Just the same, the longer she looked at it, the more worried she got until finally, just to be on the safe side, she called the police.

The police came promptly to investigate, and after checking with the army they decided that what Earl had been playing with for the last four years was indeed another live bomb! Working very, very carefully they removed the bomb to a safe place for disposal.

Earl had been playing with death for four years without knowing it. How about you? I know you aren’t sitting on a live bomb, but are you doing something just as foolish? Are you playing around with the serious matter of your soul’s salvation?

The Bible warns us that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23) and that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Have you taken that warning seriously? God’s Word is serious, and His warnings are plain and clear.

God does more in His Word than tell us of sin and its punishment. He also tells us lovingly of the way we can get rid of our sins and enjoy happiness instead of judgment. He tells us in Romans 6:23 that “the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” John 3:16 tells us that “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Don’t play around with something as serious as your soul’s salvation. Accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour today.

“The Lord is good to all: and His tender mercies are over all His works.”

Psalm 145:9.

ML-02/14/1993

The Truck That Disappeared

José had a large five-ton truck that he used to carry supplies. It was a big help to him in earning a living for his family. He lived in Bolivia, a country in South America with many mountains. The only problem with having a truck was the River Pirai near his house. In the dry season the truck could be driven right through the river because it was shallow then. But in the wet season the water level in the river would rise and could become a raging torrent. José built a strong stone bridge across the river at one point so he could drive his truck across. However, the road went right along beside the river for miles, and it had to be crossed in two other places to reach his house.

One day after some heavy rains, he was driving his truck when he found that the river had risen and had washed out the road in front of him. He couldn’t go on. He decided to turn around and go back where he came from. Then he suddenly discovered that the river had now washed out the road behind him too! José was stuck on the road with the raging river both in front of and behind him. That part of the road had a high cliff on the one side and the river on the other side.

José didn’t know what to do. It looked like the river was still rising, and he was now worried for his own safety. José’s only hope was to leave the truck right where it was and get out himself. He climbed up the cliff and then walked out until he came to a nearby town - safe at last!

A man in the town found out that José had left his truck in the middle of the river and said to him, “Sell me your truck.” José was worried about the truck, so he sold it on the spot for half of what the truck was worth! The man was pleased, but not for long. During the night the river rose even higher and washed the truck away. They never saw it again. The only place that hadn’t washed out was José’s stone bridge.

José had abandoned his truck in the river because he wasn’t about to stay with it and maybe drown. But there is a wonderful promise in the Bible that even if waters (troubles) start to overflow you, God will stay with you. He says, “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.” Isaiah 43:2.

José did not think his truck was worth enough to stay with it in the waters. But God’s love is so great that He has promised that when we pass through difficult times, He will stay with us! Now this promise is for God’s own children. If you are not a child of God, you can’t really claim this promise. If you are still going your own way in sin, far from God, then you do not have the wonderful promises that God gives to His children. But you can become one of God’s children. The Bible says that all who receive the Lord Jesus as their Saviour are born again into God’s family. “As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” John 1:12.

A truck isn’t worth risking your life for. José knew that. But suppose it were you in the river. Would your parents just say, “Give me a thousand dollars and you can have my child?” No! A person is worth far more than a truck! So when we belong to the Lord Jesus, He has lovingly promised, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Hebrews 13:5.

The man who bought the truck was quite angry when he found out that the truck had disappeared. He demanded his money back from José. But the judge in the town told the man, “You knew where the truck was when you bought it. The truck is yours; the money is José’s.”

If you have never trusted in the Lord Jesus for salvation, then you are in the same danger as the truck. Soon God’s judgment is going to sweep away into hell those who have turned down His offer of salvation. José wisely would not risk his life to stay in the river with his truck, but the Lord Jesus did not just “risk” His life. He gave up His life on purpose so that we could be saved. Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth His life for the sheep.” John 10:11.

Will you trust in the Lord Jesus so that when the waters of trouble come you will have the Saviour to stay with you? He loves you and wants to care for you.

ML-02/21/1993

Attracting Wild Life

“The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptation.” 2 Peter 2:9.

There are times when people want to attract a wild animal or bird to come closer. For instance, a photographer may want to get a close-up picture, a scientist may be doing research work, or perhaps a hunter wants to get a good shot at closer range. Many devices have been designed to help do this, a few of which are mentioned below.

In the days before North America was settled, Indians hunting for food had a clever way of getting pronghorn antelope to come closer so they could shoot them with their bows and arrows. The Indians discovered that these animals, which normally would run from anything approaching them, are curious about anything unusual. If an Indian hid himself in tall grass and waved a white cloth above his head, the antelopes’ curiosity would slowly draw them closer to investigate. Of course, they had no way of knowing they were soon going to become the Indians’ food. This method of attraction has been used ever since.

Another trick with deer, elk and moose is for the hunter or photographer to clash a pair of antlers together, over and over again. A nearby buck, thinking this noise is coming from two males fighting, comes cautiously to investigate. The person making all the racket gets his reward.

Turkey hunters have some tricks too. The most successful one is to imitate turkey calls, which takes lots of practice. The person has to stay out of sight while waiting until a gobbler comes to chase away what it thinks is an intruding bird.

Smaller birds also are often tricked the same way by people wanting to take pictures or just to see one up close. Tapes of the songs and calls of many birds are available at some sporting goods stores. When one is played in the woods, it will often bring several of the desired species.

Water birds such as ducks, geese and loons will often respond to decoys placed on a pond or lakeshore, especially if the person placing the decoy is also good at imitating the calls of these birds.

Some people have learned how to imitate the sound of an injured rabbit, cat or dog, any of which may cause a coyote, bobcat, cougar or other animal to show up, thinking it will find a good meal waiting for it.

Well, there are many things in this world that our enemy, Satan, uses to cause us to act foolishly or mischievously. It is well to ask ourselves, “What things attract me? Am I being fooled by them?” A Bible verse warns us of this: “Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived.” Deuteronomy 11:16.

The Lord Jesus invites you to put your trust in Him and to let the Word of God, the Bible, be your guide in all you do. Following this guide is safe and sure. “Thy hands have made me and fashioned me; give me understanding, that I may learn Thy commandments [instructions].” Psalm 119:73. Ask the Lord to help you do this and He will.

“I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth His life for the sheep.” John 10:11

ML-02/21/1993

The Sol E Mar

There is a two-way radio channel for boats out at sea that is reserved for those who are in danger. The Coast Guard listens to this channel day and night for any calls. They are always ready on a moment’s notice to send out rescue ships or helicopters. Boaters or fishermen are permitted to transmit messages over the air waves, but they must be sure to use a different channel than the one reserved for emergencies, unless they are really in trouble.

At the Coast Guard station on Martha’s Vineyard, an island just off the coast of Massachusetts in the Atlantic Ocean, the operator sat at his radio sipping coffee. He wore a pair of headphones and in front of him were the many dials and meters of a very complex radio. Rain mixed with ice pelted the window of the station. The gusty wind whipped the flag back and forth on the flagpole in front of the building. Looking out the window, the radio operator could see huge wind-driven waves crashing against the rocks on shore and sending their spray high into the air.

Suddenly, over the emergency channel the operator heard a man’s anxious call, “This is the Sol E Mar . . . we’re sinking . . . send help now!”

Yes, there is someone on shore that people who are on ships and in danger of drowning can turn to for help -someone who is both listening and prepared to help.

Yes, there is Someone in heaven who can help boys and girls who are sinking under their weight of sin. How heavy is the load of sin? So heavy that any who die still in their sins are sunk into hell. But the Lord Jesus is listening for their call and is prepared to save. “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” 1 Timothy 1:15. Their only hope is to call on the Lord Jesus. “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:13. He has never lost a single boy or girl who has called to Him to be saved from their sins. His record is perfect. But the Coast Guard’s record is not perfect. They do their best, but sometimes something interferes.

“Send help now!” was ringing in the Coast Guard radio operator’s ears when the transmission was suddenly cut off . . . then he heard only static. The radio operator tried feverishly to return their call. He needed to contact the ship to get a location so that he could send help.

“Come in, Sol E Mar, I need your location!”

No answer.

He turned several dials on the radio and tried again. “Come in!”

There was a moment’s pause and then the operator received another disturbing message on the emergency channel.

“SOS . . . I’m sinking!” a man’s voice said, and then this same voice started laughing.

It was obviously a hoax, a false call for help. The operator connected both calls together and thought they both were a hoax. Someone was playing games on the emergency channel. He stopped trying to locate the distress signal and never sent out planes or boats to search for the Sol E Mar.

Five days later the Coast Guard operator learned his mistake. The Sol E Mar was reported missing with a father and son on board. They immediately sent out planes and ships to search the area, but it was too late. The ship had sunk with both men on board.

The man who played the hoax reminds us of Satan who does all he can to keep boys and girls from coming to Christ. He will tell them that their sins are not so bad and that they don’t need the Lord Jesus. This is one of Satan’s lies. Or he will tell them that their sins are so bad that the Saviour won’t have anything to do with them. Another of his lies. Whatever it is that keeps any boy or girl from trusting in the Lord Jesus for salvation, you can be sure that Satan, that cruel hoaxster, is behind it.

“Him that cometh to Me,” the Lord Jesus said, “I will in no wise [no way] cast out.” Come to the Lord Jesus, and don’t let anyone or anything stop you from coming - right now!

ML-02/28/1993

Am I Too Little?

“Am I too little?” asked little Deena after the talk to the hobby class children was over. Most of the children had gone into the next room for cookies and juice, but Deena stood right in front of me. She looked up at me, waiting for me to answer.

“Too little for what?” I asked, not knowing just what she meant by her question.

Her head dropped, and she looked down at the floor. I continued since she seemed too shy to answer my question. “You’re not too little to come to the hobby class. We like to have little girls here.”

Deena still stood looking down as if her question had not been answered. Then as she raised her head I could see that her eyes were filled with tears. She asked, “But am I too little to be saved?”

I picked her up and wiped her tears. Then we sat down on some nearby chairs.

“No, Deena,” I answered, “you are not too little to be saved. It was about children just your age that the Lord Jesus said, ‘Suffer [allow] the little children to come unto Me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God.’ ” Mark 10:14. Then I slowly and simply explained to her the story of the love of Jesus and how gladly He receives and saves anyone from their sins, even little children who will accept Him as Saviour.

When we finished talking and praying, she was a happy little girl. She had some juice and cookies and said to me as she left the room, “I’m going to tell Mommy that Jesus died for me, and I can go to heaven now because my sins are gone!”

Wasn’t that a nice confession? But there is more. The next week she came to the hobby class bringing another little girl with her. Deena brought her friend right up to me and said, “Ann wants to be saved too.” Yes, Deena had both believed in her heart and confessed with her mouth (Romans 10:9) that the Lord Jesus had saved her from her sins. Her joy was so great that it attracted others, just like a magnet, to the 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.

“Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power: for Thou hast created all things.” Revelation 4:11.

ML-02/28/1993

The Busy Airport

“It’s a good thing there are lots of kind and courteous people in this airport, or we’d have been lost long ago,” I said to the attendant at the airport train station.

“Yes,” she laughed, “there’s lots of it to get lost in. The Dallas-Fort Worth airport covers 29 acres. It’s bigger than Staten Island!”

It’s a good thing, too, that the baggage checker had directed us promptly and accurately to the ticket counter, or we’d have been late for our flight and missed it.

Some day very soon all of those who have come to the Lord Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins are going on an instant flight to heaven. “For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17. We’d like to direct each one of you to the ticket counter for THAT flight. The ticket you will get there is to the best possible destination-heaven-yet you can get it without any money. God knew that none of us could ever afford to pay the price for this “ticket,” so He sent His own Son to buy it for us. Jesus paid for it with His blood. “In whom we have redemption [payment] through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” Ephesians 1:7.

We got to the ticket counter with just a few minutes to spare. But there we were told that our flight had been canceled due to mechanical difficulties. We are happy to tell you that this flight to heaven can never be canceled, but YOU must be ready on time. “Now is the accepted time . . . now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2.

We were kindly directed to another airline for a substitute flight. That meant we must take a ride on the airport train to another gate far away. Again the directions which we were given were clear and plain. We were quite impressed with how pleasant and efficient all the workers at the airport were. The Lord wants us to “be courteous” (1 Peter 3:8) and kind (1 Corinthians 13:4), and to “be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear [reverence].” 1 Peter 3:15.

The workers at the airport set a very good example for us. God has set an even better one. “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given Himself for us.” Ephesians 5:1,2.

Do you have the necessary ticket to heaven, the forgiveness of your sins? It has already been paid for. Why not be sure and get it right away so you are ready.

“Ye know that ye were not redeemed [paid for] with corruptible things, as silver and gold . . . but with the precious blood of Christ.” 1 Peter 1:18,19.

ML-03/07/1993

The Biggest Piece of Money

I t 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 kind man repeated.

Jimmy put the dime back 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 for us? 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.

Have you accepted God’s “biggest piece of money?”

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

ML-03/07/1993

A Picnic Surprise

Don’t you love picnics? They can really be a lot of fun, especially in the spring when everything seems to be waking up from a long winter’s sleep. The grass is new and fresh and the trees have new green leaves on them. Picnics are even more fun when relatives visit and join in the food and activities. I especially remember one family picnic many years ago when I was young, like many of you boys and girls.

Aunt Mary came with her four children to spend the day with us. The three boys and three girls in our family plus our four cousins made ten children to keep an eye on and to feed. It was such a beautiful spring day that Mother and Aunt Mary decided a picnic would be a good way to keep all of us children busy and let us use up some of our energy.

We lived in West Texas in a small community of 10 or 12 families. Our dads all worked for the same oil refinery where they made gasoline. Though there was a lovely city park in Big Spring, a town only a few miles away, Mother and Aunt Mary decided to have our picnic in the country rather than to go into town. They chose a lovely meadow only a short distance from where we lived. There was plenty of room for all ten of us children to run and play.

Because my brother Dee and I were the two oldest, it was decided we should take the younger children on a nature walk while our mothers got the food ready. As we explored the area our mothers had chosen, everything went quite well . . . until another part of nature decided to wake up from its winter’s nap.

Dee was in the lead and I was bringing up the end of the line, right behind my 2-1/2-year-old sister, Jan. We were going along a trail Indian style, single file and up a little hill. Everyone had reached the top of the hill except Jan and me. As Jan passed a small bush just off the trail, a deadly rattlesnake began its frightening buzz. Little Jan froze with fear and screamed! But “big brother” was right behind to quickly pick her up, carry her to safety and comfort her.

This story reminds us of the very serious threat that Satan is to each of us. He is lurking nearby all the time. God’s Word, the Bible, warns us to “be sober [serious], be vigilant [watching closely]; because your adversary [enemy] the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” 1 Peter 5:8. Revelation 12:9 also speaks of him as “that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan.” Whether as the roaring lion or the hissing serpent, Satan uses sin as a tool to attract boys and girls to cause them to ruin their lives now and to plunge them into hell in eternity. The Bible tells us “the pleasures of sin” are only for a little while. It also says of those who must bear the penalty for their sins, “the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever.” Rev. 14:11.

Thankfully, on that spring day I was right behind little Jan to save her from harm. Later Dee and I killed the snake. It could do no harm to little Jan then. In the same way, the Lord Jesus is nearby for every boy and girl. He will deliver you from your sins and from Satan if you will let Him. When He died on the cross, bearing the penalty for sin, and rose from the dead, He crushed Satan’s power over any who turn to the Lord Jesus for safety. The Bible says, “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.

If you have not already turned to the Lord Jesus for safety, believe on Him now and confess Him as your Saviour. Tell someone you have believed on the Lord Jesus and that He has washed all your sins away. He will do far more for you than I did or could have done for my little sister. He will save you from the penalty of your sins forever and give you power to live for Him and tell others of Him.

ML-03/14/1993

David, I Want You!

Walking down the street one afternoon, I saw a group of boys playing football in the field by the school. Some of them had on helmets, shoulder pads and jerseys. Others did not have this equipment, but that did not seem to make much difference. It was a rough game of tackle, and they sure seemed to be having fun.

I stopped to watch, wishing I could join them, but knowing they did not need me. It did look pretty rough. While watching, I heard someone’s mother calling from the back door of one of the houses near the field. She called, “David, I want you.”

I wondered which one of the boys was David, but none of the boys seemed to pay attention to the voice.

“David, I want you, right now!” she called again a little louder.

“What do you want?” one of the boys finally answered, taking a few steps toward the house.

“I said, I want you right now!” she told him sternly.

“Oh, all right,” answered David, walking slowly away from the group of boys and the game.

It was obvious that David was having a good time and did not want to go home. He did not know why he was wanted at home. What he did know was that he was having fun. How many of us can remember times like that -when we did not answer a call or a question because we did not want to hear. The call was loud enough for David to have heard it the first time. He just did not want to listen. It was only when the call was repeated that he finally obeyed.

Have you heard the Lord Jesus Christ calling you? “Jesus stood still, and called them.” Matthew 20:32. Each time you hear the Bible read or read it yourself, it is the Lord Jesus talking to you. He is saying, “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28.

I remember when I heard Him calling me. He called because He loved me and wanted me to be one of His children. I am so glad that I listened and came to Him. He washed away all my sins and gave me everlasting life. Now He is close by me all the time, because He wants me to be happy.

He will do the same for you, but you must obey His voice. If you do not pay attention to Him, you cannot be saved. Do not get so involved in your “games” that you do not want to listen to the voice of the Lord Jesus. When you know He is calling, listen to His voice, obey Him, and you will be happy forever.

“I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee.” Jeremiah 31:3.

ML-03/14/1993

The Princess Sophia

In any month of the year cold winds can blow along the rocky, barren coasts of Alaska, churning up the sea into towering waves. By October, winter has already set in with its deadly chill and fierce storms. It was in the month of October in 1918 that the ship, The Princess Sophia, left Skagway, Alaska, with close to 300 people on board for the warmer port of Seattle, Washington.

At 10:00 p.m. the ship pulled away from the lights of Skagway. Captain Locke, a captain of many years, stood at the helm. In order to reach the open sea, The Princess Sophia would have to pass through the Lynn Canal. The weather was usually poor in this area, and as the ship entered the region it ran into a blinding snowstorm. The captain, feeling sure of his decision, ordered the ship to sail at a normal speed. He did not know that this decision would result in one of the largest maritime disasters of the northwest Pacific coast.

If you have not come to the Lord Jesus to have your sins forgiven, your life is like The Princess Sophia, sailing into the blinding snowstorm. You are speeding straight ahead, unaware of the dangers in front of you. Because of not wanting to think about dying and life after death, you don’t want to look at what God tells us about what it is to die without your sins forgiven.

How many people have begun the last day of their lives thinking that it was just like any other day. They never supposed that before the day was over they would die and pass into eternity.

God offers forgiveness of sins to anyone who will receive His Son by faith. No one needs to die unforgiven and have to pay the penalty for their sins. Look at the danger ahead for all unforgiven sinners and come at once to the Lord Jesus for salvation. “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 Princess Sophia was a comfortable ship and most of the passengers were sound asleep in their berths. At 3:00 a.m. they were suddenly awakened by a tremendous jolt! At full speed, the ship had struck an underwater part of the Vanderbilt Reef. Its steel hull was jammed between two submerged rocks.

The captain sent some of his crew to investigate the damage done to the ship. Fortunately, the double-plated hull had not been pierced and there were no leaks. However, the ship was not able to pull itself off the rocks.

Sensing their danger, several passengers put on life jackets. Captain Locke sent out a call for help over the wireless telegraph, requesting all ships in the region to come help. By morning several rescue ships had reached the area where the passenger ship was grounded on the rocks.

One of the ships, named The Cedar, was commanded by Captain Leadbetter. Standing on the pitching deck of his small ship, he shouted through a megaphone to the ship in distress, “Do you want to transfer passengers from your ship to my ship?”

Captain Locke studied the heavy seas which he could see would make the transfer difficult. He didn’t think his ship was in any immediate danger, so he called back, “No, we will wait for more favorable weather.”

The favorable weather did not come. The winds became stronger, driving the waves into The Princess Sophia. All hope of transferring any passengers disappeared as the storm grew worse. They did not know that there would not be another opportunity of escape.

Are you delaying your decision to receive Christ as Lord and Saviour until a more favorable time? Let me ask, “Can you guarantee such a time will come?” If you are truthful, you will have to say, “No.” You cannot be certain that you will be here a year from now, or even six months from now. You cannot be certain even about tomorrow! Waiting may bring disaster. God plainly tells us, “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2.

The rescue ships circled the stranded The Princess Sophia for a day and a night. They anxiously watched for a break in the weather so that they might transfer the passengers. By the second day the storm had grown so bad that the rescue ships had to protect themselves from the fierceness of the wind by finding shelter behind various islands. Around 5:00 p.m. they received an urgent message over the telegraph from Captain Locke that pleaded for their immediate help. The rescue ships steamed out to see what they could do, but they could not even find The Princess Sophia in the blinding storm.

The next day at dawn they found the broken mast jutting out of the water where the ship had been grounded. A black film of fuel oil covered the area. Apparently the ship had broken in half from the constant pounding of the waves. The ship and all the people on board were lost. No one escaped.

The Bible asks, “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?” Hebrews 2:3. The answer is simple. There is no escape for those who neglect to come to Christ. Won’t you come to Him to have your sins forgiven and receive the gift of eternal life? “The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23.

ML-03/21/1993

Love as Strong as Death

The swift waters of the Surutu River in Bolivia can drown a man but they cannot drown love. The Bible says, “Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it.” Song of Solomon 8:7. Little Abel found out the truth of this verse one day.

His father, Juan, had taken Abel along to visit Christian friends on the other side of the Surutu River. As they returned home, they saw that the waters of the river had risen considerably. The river was muddy so they could not see the bottom. This made it dangerous to cross the river, and they knew that many people had drowned trying. Little Abel and his father did not know how to swim, so another Christian friend crossed the river first to see if it was safe. They all knew that the swift river often digs holes in the bottom. Their Christian friend, who knew how to swim, walked across safely and then motioned them to come across. It appeared that the water was only waist deep all the way across. Juan carried his son in one arm and grabbed their bag of clothes with the other hand and started to cross.

It was difficult to know exactly where their Christian friend had walked so Juan took each step cautiously. In the middle of the river, Juan suddenly stepped in a hole and went under the water. He was terrified as he realized that he could not touch bottom. In a panic he wildly felt for the bottom and then pushed with all his might to come to the surface. He gasped for a breath but quickly went under again.

In a moment Juan knew that he had to make a choice. He could let go of the bag of clothes and try to save himself and his son, or he could let go of both the clothes and his son and have a better chance of saving himself. Not much choice! He let go of the bag of clothes but grabbed little Abel tightly and pushed off the bottom of the river again so he could gasp for a breath. Juan continued to jump off the bottom, gulping for a breath whenever he could and clinging tightly to his son. In his wild effort to save their lives, he finally managed to jump out of the hole to a higher place where he could again touch bottom and the water was only waist deep. The bag of clothes was lost, but Juan and Abel were safe!

Juan could have gotten out of the hole much easier if he had let go of his son, but “love is strong as death.” Juan’s love for his son was as strong as his fear of death. He did not just think of saving himself, but he held his little son tightly, even if it would mean death for both of them.

Does this make you think of an even greater love when you read this story? The love of the Lord Jesus for you and me was even greater than Juan’s love for his son, but the Lord Jesus’ love was also a love that was stronger than death. Juan didn’t have to die, but the Lord Jesus gave His life when we were His enemies so that you and I could be saved. “Scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:7,8.

The waters of the river did not drown Juan’s love for his son, and the waters of the judgment of God against our sins did not drown the love of the Lord Jesus for us. Listen to the words written about the Lord Jesus when He was on the cross: “Save Me, O God; for the waters are come in unto My soul. I sink in deep mire, where there is no standing: I am come into deep waters, where the floods overflow Me.” Psalm 69:1,2. The Lord Jesus could have called 10,000 angels to rescue Him, but His love was as strong as death. He stayed on that terrible cross to pay the price for our sins so we could go free.

Is there any love like the love of Jesus? Has it touched your heart? Have you ever thanked Him for dying for you? Do not turn away from His love! Receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour today and you can begin to enjoy His love that was as strong as death for you.

Love that no tongue can teach,

Love that no thought can reach,

No love like His

God is its blessed source,

Death never can stop its course,

Nothing can stay its force;

Matchless it is.

ML-03/28/1993

Snooky's Escape

What a sad day it was for Snooky’s family! Their three-year-old German shepherd was sentenced to die. Snooky was a big dog, but she was friendly. She even liked to stand on her hind legs and greet their neighbors with a loving lick. But one day someone left the front door open just as the mailman walked past on his rounds. That’s when Snooky’s troubles started.

The proof was strong - teeth marks in two mailbags and one shredded pair of pants. Biting the mailman was what brought Snooky’s sentence of death.

Snooky’s owners, their lawyer and several neighbors came to the dog’s defense. They went to the judge and insisted that Snooky was not a mean dog. “It was her first time, her first offense, and we don’t think she should die,” they explained to the judge.

The judge thought about it, and then he changed his mind, saying that Snooky could stay with her family. What a relief!

The judge was able to save Snooky from death even though she deserved punishment. Each one of us also deserves punishment because we are sinners. The Bible says that all have sinned (Romans 3:23), and we each deserve to be punished for those sins. Revelation 20:15 tells us that our punishment will be the lake of fire (hell), and that will be forever. But when we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ we are saved (Acts 16:31), because the Lord Jesus was punished for those sins. “Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree.” 1 Peter 2:24. The judge could remove Snooky’s punishment and save her from death, but he could not take her punishment for her. The Lord Jesus Christ is the only One who could be punished for our sins so that we can be saved. Have you asked Him to be your Saviour - to take away your sentence of death?

ML-03/28/1993

Kelly

Kelly was the most wonderful puppy in the whole world. To anyone else he might seem like just an ordinary dog, but to Robbie he was everything. Daddy had brought home the playful black and white puppy for Robbie’s eighth birthday, and a new world opened up to him.

Robbie and Kelly were soon almost inseparable. Even running errands for his mother was fun when Kelly was along. When he came home from school, Kelly was always waiting to meet him. But one day Kelly was not waiting when Robbie got home.

“Where’s Kelly?” he asked his mother.

“He’s probably curled up sleeping somewhere in the back,” she replied. “He’s around here somewhere.”

When Daddy came home, Robbie still had not found Kelly. “Where did you last see him?” he asked Robbie.

“He followed me part way to school this morning. Do you think he could’ve gotten lost and can’t find his way home?”

“We’ll go out and look for him after supper,” his father promised.

But when bedtime came, Kelly still had not been found, and Robbie cried himself to sleep. Long, lonesome days followed, and still no trace could be found of the little dog.

“I’m afraid a car has run over him, Rob,” his father said. “But never mind, we’ll get another puppy for you.”

Another puppy? Robbie felt as if his heart would break. There would never be another dog like Kelly!

Several weeks later Robbie was on his way to the store for his mother when suddenly a low whimper caught his attention. Peering through a hedge he saw Kelly straining on a rope that was tied to his collar. Quickly Robbie opened the gate into the yard and began untying the knot that held Kelly.

“Hey, kid, what do you think you’re doin’ to my dog?” demanded an angry voice. Robbie looked up and saw a big boy several years older than himself.

“This is my dog,” answered Robbie. “I lost him a few weeks ago. How did you get him?”

“Since when is he your dog?” sneered the older boy. “He’s mine now, and don’t try to take him!”

Robbie could hardly keep from crying and he was really scared, but he didn’t want to leave Kelly there. Suddenly he had an idea. “Would you sell him to me?” he asked.

The boy thought for a minute. “How much is he worth to ya?” he asked finally.

“I’ve only got seven dollars, but I’ll give it all to you.”

“Okay, tell you what,” said the boy, “You give me the seven dollars. Then I’ll untie the mutt and if he wants to go home with you, you can have him, but if he wants to stay with me, then he’s still mine.”

As Robbie ran home to get his money, questions kept racing through his mind - What if Kelly has forgotten me? What if he stays with the other boy? He ran back as fast as he could with his wallet and gave all his money to the boy.

“Okay, mutt, it’s up to you,” said the boy as the knot was untied. With one excited bark Kelly raced through the gate to Robbie, jumping all over him, and together they ran home.

“You know, Rob,” said his dad, “that reminds me of what the Lord Jesus did for us. We really belong to Him because He made us. But we were lost, just like Kelly was, and tied up in our sins. But the Lord Jesus loves us so much that He came and paid the price to buy us back. It cost Him all that He had - He gave His life to buy us back. And now, those whom He has bought back with His precious blood He has set free to follow Him and to be His forever.”

Whenever Robbie thinks of the time that Kelly was lost, he remembers that he was once a lost sinner that the Lord Jesus bought back with a great price, and that now he belongs to Jesus.

The Lord Jesus saw us in our sins and came down here to redeem us. All who put their trust in Him and accept Him as their Saviour will be included in heaven and will sing, “Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.” Revelation 5:9.

“Our Saviour Jesus Christ . . . gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity [sin].” Titus 2:13,14.

ML-04/04/1993

Pyrophoric Carbonization

Do you know what pyrophoric carbonization is?

You are probably saying right now, “Whatever is that? I can’t even pronounce it!”

Pyrophoric carbonization is a very serious condition that can cause fires. The chemical composition of wood and other flammable materials changes when exposed to heat for a long time. This change lowers the temperature at which it will burn. A fire can start at a very low temperature. In fact, the heat from an ordinary light bulb may be enough to start a fire.

A man mounted a hot-water heater tank directly on a wall. The instructions told him to leave a four-inch space between the heater and the wall, but he paid no attention to the instructions. A few years later the wall caught fire and the building burned down. Maybe he thought he was smart enough and did not need to read the directions. He had made a serious mistake by ignoring the directions, and the result was tragic.

There are many people like this man. They must think they are smarter than God because they ignore God’s directions and get into trouble as a result. God’s Word, the Bible, gives us directions for our lives. It warns us that “the wages of sin is death.” It also tells us how to avoid the danger: “but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23.

If you do not follow God’s directions, your end will be tragic -the lake of fire. Do not be so foolish as the man in our story and think it does not matter. You and I are not wiser than God. He loves us and tells us to “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” Acts 16:31. You will not only be saved from hell, but saved for heaven and be given a happy new life while you wait.

The long exposure to heat makes it easier for wood to burn. You and I are exposed to sin every day. It is all around us. We forget how easy it is to do those bad things. It happens so easily. We don’t even think that we have done bad, but God says we have. He tells us in the Bible that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23.

The Bible gives us directions for our own safety. Are you reading it?

READ IT!

BELIEVE IT!

OBEY IT!

ML-04/04/1993

It Wasn't a Mouse!

Supper was over and it was dark outside. It had been a busy day, but the dogs still needed to be fed. Esther got their food ready and opened the kitchen door to go out to feed them. She stopped on the top step when she saw the cat looking intently at something. She must be watching a mouse, thought Esther, as she waited quietly on the step.

But the cat didn’t pounce as she would have at a mouse. Esther was curious. She looked down at the bottom of the second step. There in the corner where the step met the cement walk lay a long, rope-like thing.

Just then the cat moved forward a little and Mary heard a warning rattle. “John!” she called. “I think there’s a rattlesnake out here!” She jumped back into the house, grabbed their 22 rifle and aimed it at the poisonous snake’s head as it flipped its tongue in and out. After she shot it, John grabbed a hoe and chopped off the snake’s head to make sure it was dead. They took off the rattle and hung its body over the fence.

The serpent in the garden of Eden was an attractive creature, not something we would run away from. He was able to talk to Eve. But he was sly and deceiving. He made Eve doubt what God had said by asking her if God had really told them not to eat of every tree in the garden. Then he made Eve distrust God by telling her that she and Adam would not die if they ate the fruit. He told her that eating the fruit would make them be like gods, knowing good and evil. But the serpent did NOT tell Eve that even though they’d be able to tell good from evil, they would have no power to do what was good. And that’s the way it’s been ever since Adam and Eve sinned in the garden by eating the fruit and disobeying God. All of Adam and Eve’s children, all the way down to you and me, are sinners. We have no power to do what is good; we just keep sinning. We need to have all those sins put away.

Although God hates our sins, He has never stopped loving people and wanting to have them close to Himself. John 3:16 tells us, “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 and Esther wanted to get rid of that poisonous snake; they wanted to put it out of the way permanently. On the cross the Lord Jesus defeated “that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world.” Revelation 12:9. And another verse tells us what God is going to do with Satan: “The devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone . . . and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.” Revelation 20:10. God is going to put Satan away permanently.

Don’t choose to follow Satan and spend eternity with him in that awful place of suffering. Choose the Lord Jesus Christ and follow Him. He loves you and gave Himself for you so that you could be forgiven and spend eternity with Him in heaven. “Our Lord Jesus Christ . . . gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world.” Galatians 1:3,4.

ML-04/11/1993

A Deadly Game

To hear of someone winning a fight with a shark would be exciting, but I once tangled with a tarp and I nearly lost the battle. (A tarp, or tarpaulin, is made of waterproof material.)

We lived on a farm in western Colorado near the great fishing and camping areas of the Rocky Mountains. As you might suppose, my father had plenty of equipment for these sports which he eagerly unpacked each spring to air out. On this particular sunny morning, Dad had spread a large, heavy canvas tarp out in the yard. I was only ten years old and full of fun. Using the tarp as a “stage” on which to perform, I played and danced around until I dropped. Then I stretched out on it to rest.

As I gazed lazily up at the blue sky, a sudden gust of wind flipped a corner of the tarp over me. Crazily, I started rolling and unrolling myself in the heavy old canvas. Had I been told I had to do this, I likely would have complained, “Roll up in that musty old thing? No way! I might suffocate!”

Young people sometimes behave this way. If someone casually suggests it, they might take the first step with an evil or dangerous habit, perhaps not even enjoying it at first. But if someone dares them to do it, the bait is almost sure to be swallowed. And that’s what I did; I just kept adding one more roll-over each time, always hurrying to unroll in time to breathe. Then, you guessed it . . . I suddenly reached the “point of no return.” The old tarp held me tightly . . . I couldn’t unroll.

My frantic struggles only used what little air there was more quickly. I tried to call for help. My air was running out. Within moments, I drifted into the long, dark tunnel of unconsciousness.

I was just another victim of doing something foolish, such as we hear of all the time. How often has a young person, daring to try some dangerous habit, been trapped while thinking that they were in control and could just stop when the fun was over. But no . . . the habit holds them tightly, and many go down to death.

And what then?

“The wages of sin is death.” Romans 6:23. “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this [death] the judgment.” Hebrews 9:27.

But there was someone who loved me and cared enough about me to check what I was doing. Mother, no doubt led of God, had heard my last muffled cry. Instantly, she unrolled me from the tarp and quickly breathed the breath of life back into my limp body. Mother’s loving care of me was wonderful.

You may or may not be involved in a dangerous habit that looks tempting and exciting, but don’t be tricked; “the soul that sinneth, it shall die.” Ezekiel 18:4. There is nothing funny or brave about sinning. It is your sure ticket to death and hell. That is the bad news. The good news is, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” 1 Timothy 1:15. As my mother loved me enough to check up on me in my foolishness, so our loving Saviour, who knows everything about you and yet loves you anyway, offers the only remedy for sin. He bore the punishment for those sins “in His own body on the tree.” 1 Peter 2:24. He can finish your story of sin with a happy ending - “the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23.

ML-04/11/1993

Where a Tree Falls

“If the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be.” Ecclesiastes 11:3.

Did you know that verse was in the Bible? Have you ever stopped to think about why God put it there? Is it just a lesson in chopping down trees? No, it’s much more. This verse has an important lesson for us to understand. It’s a warning that a tree cannot move itself after it falls, even if it has fallen in a bad place.

My friend Arnie was in northern Canada doing some survey work for the Canadian government. One day it was very cold, so the men working with Arnie made a campfire and sat around it to warm themselves. They asked Arnie to cut down a tree for more firewood, but he was not careful as he cut it down.

Suddenly, the men around the campfire heard Arnie shout, “TIMBER!!!” They looked up to see the tree coming right toward the campfire! The men jumped into the bushes to escape, and the tree landed right on the fire, sending a shower of sparks in every direction. Thankfully, no one was seriously hurt, but they stared in surprise at the tree that landed right where they had been warming themselves.

It was certainly not a good place for the tree to fall. If Arnie had read the verse at the top of this page, maybe he would have picked a tree farther away. He also could have chopped on the other side of the tree so that it would fall in the opposite direction. Or he could have even tied a rope to the tree and asked someone to pull it away from the men as he chopped. But Arnie’s tree stayed right where it fell because the tree could not move itself . . . just as the verse tells us.

God has told us about the tree that falls in order to warn us of another place that is also firmly fixed and cannot be changed. The place where you “fall” after you leave this world can never be changed once you are there. Jesus Himself told us about the rich man who woke up in hell. When he cried for a drop of water to cool his tongue, he was told, “Between us and you there is a great gulf fixed: so that they which would pass from [here] to you cannot; neither can they pass to us, that would come from [there].” Luke 16:26.

This is why it is so important that you think now about where you will go when you leave this world. If you are still stained with your sins, you will be thrown (not just sent, but thrown) into hell. If your sins have been washed away by the blood of Jesus, you will be forever in God’s home in heaven. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7. Once you are in either place, you can never change it. The Bible says that once we stand before God, “he that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.” Revelation 22:11.

Right now you can still change. You do not need to continue on your way to hell. You can change that direction right now and follow the Lord Jesus. The Lord Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” John 14:6.

Remember that Arnie’s tree did not fall in a good place. Where will you “fall” when you leave this world? Will it be in the good place? Or will it be in the bad place?

ML-04/18/1993

The Stolen Bag of Candy

John had just come home from the store where he had bought a bag of candy. How good it looked! He set it on the kitchen table and thought of how a few pieces would be such a treat after supper that night. Then he ran outside to play.

Soon John’s younger brother, Steve, came into the kitchen. He saw the bag of candy sitting on the table. How tempting it looked. Steve quickly looked around to see if anyone were watching. Nope, there was no one around. He snatched the bag and took it to his bedroom and closed the door.

Now, where will I eat it? he wondered. An idea came to mind. So under the bed covers he crawled and started eating the delicious candy.

Boys and girls, do you know that there is One who is watching you every minute? There is nothing that you can do to hide from God, not even hiding under the bed covers. “Thou God seest me.” Genesis 16:13. The Bible also says, “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” Proverbs 15:3. Have you ever stolen any candy or maybe some money from your brother or sister? Perhaps no one else knows about your secret sin, but the Lord Jesus knows about it and everything else about you. And He loves you. He wants you to confess to Him that you are a sinner and believe that He died on the cross for your many, many sins.

Soon John came back into the kitchen from playing and noticed his bag of candy was gone from the table. “Hey! Has anyone seen my candy?” he called.

Mother came into the kitchen, and they both began looking around for the missing bag. Mother happened to notice that Steve’s bedroom door was closed. She decided to check this out.

Opening the door, she went into the room with John right behind her. What do you think they saw? A great big hump in the bed covers! Pulling them back, they found a very guilty-looking little boy. “Be sure your sin will find you out.” Numbers 32:23.

Steve returned what was left of the bag of candy. Then he had to be punished for stealing.

The Bible says that “stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant. But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell.” Proverbs 9:17,18. Your sins will take you to hell. Oh, won’t you come to Jesus now and confess to Him that you are a sinner and let Him wash your sins away? “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.

Did He bear the punishment for your sins?

ML-04/18/1993

The Runaway Cat

Have you ever lost a pet? If it were a pet you really loved, you may have been very sad. Maybe you put up notices around your neighborhood, describing your dog or cat. The notice probably included your phone number. And how you waited and waited for a phone call, hoping someone had found your pet.

Jeanette put an ad in the paper about her cat that was lost. She hoped if somebody found Oscar, that they would be checking the “Lost and Found Pets” column and would call her.

Oscar had taken off one evening and hadn’t come back. Normally he would return a few hours later and jump up on the windowsill to wait to be let in. But by the next morning he still hadn’t returned. Jeanette went out looking for him, calling his name over and over again. When she couldn’t find him she began to wonder what had happened to him. They had moved to this house a few months earlier, so maybe he was lost in the new neighborhood. Maybe he had gotten hit by a car. Maybe he had taken off to go back to their old home. She waited and wondered, and how she missed her pet. A week went by with no news and no cat.

Jeanette couldn’t understand why Oscar would run away. She loved him and he had everything he needed. There was always plenty of food and fresh water, and he had balls and string to play with. She brushed his fur and gave him cat treats. And he had a nice warm bed. What more could a cat want?

Cats aren’t the only things that run away from owners who love them. Every one of us has run away from God, and He loves us very much. Do you wonder why we run away when God has given us so much and cares for us? The Bible says it’s because of our sins. “Your iniquities [sins] have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you.” Isaiah 59:2. We are lost in our sins. And God misses us terribly, because He loves us so very much.

Jeanette kept looking for Oscar every day and hoping the phone would ring with some news. She put cat food in a little plastic dish out on the windowsill where he would sit. She left the garage door open five or six inches so he could get in out of the cold and snow. But another week went by. The cat food was untouched, and the weather turned colder.

Maybe we don’t understand why pets sometimes run away, but we can understand why people run away from God. Our sins make us guilty before God, and sometimes it’s hard to admit our guilt and that we are sinners. Some of us think we’re pretty good, and after all, we’re doing the best we can. But that really doesn’t make any difference - we are still sinners lost from God. “There is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:22,23. Yet, He still loves us and wants us back, so much, that He sent His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus, to take the punishment for our sins on Calvary’s cross. “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.

At the end of the second week, Jeanette came home one evening at 5:30 and went in the front door. She noticed that the cat food on the windowsill still hadn’t been touched. Just as she turned to pull the storm door closed, in the darkness she saw something coming up the front walk. It sure looked like a cat, but was it Oscar? She looked closer at the skinny, muddy creature, then she threw open the door and scooped up her meowing pet, hugging him and burying her face in his muddy, matted fur. Oscar had come home!

Have you heard the Saviour calling your name? He has been looking for you for a long time. He misses you and is anxiously waiting for you to come back. If you’ll just come to Him and tell Him you are a sinner and that you are sorry about your sins, He’ll gladly wash every one of them away in His blood. Jeanette was so glad that Oscar had come back that she never once thought of scolding him for running away and coming home muddy. And the Lord Jesus will never scold you or tell you that your sins are too dirty - He’ll be so glad that you’ve come back!

After Jeanette welcomed Oscar home, she cleaned him up and put out fresh food and water. He went right over and began to eat. Oscar was glad to be home.

The Saviour is waiting for you with open arms no matter where you’ve been. Will you come back to Him? He will be so glad if you will, and so will you.

“The Son of man [Jesus] is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10.

ML-04/25/1993

Space Is Important

One summer I planted a packet of Chinese cabbage seeds in my garden, and I think every one of those seeds must have sprouted, they came up so thickly. So I took some of those little cabbage plants and moved them farther down the row, leaving six to eight inches of space between each one. But I didn’t finish the job that day, and I never did get the rest of them transplanted.

The crowded ones, that were left as they had come up, grew tall and weak and spindly, and finally went to seed without ever giving us any food at all. But the ones that had been transplanted and had more space grew into nice, thick heads of cabbage and helped us out with many a salad during the spring and early summer.

Each time I walked by that row of cabbages it was a good object lesson to me of how we do need to give space in our day to the Lord Jesus, to read His Word, the Bible, and to pray so that we will grow to be strong Christians and bear fruit for our Saviour.

ML-04/25/1993

Listen Carefully!

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 listened 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 because it tells us something very important.

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 used what he had learned. 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 later how he knew to do that - to crawl out using the good air close to the floor - he said the firemen at school had 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-05/02/1993

Be Forewarned

The long airplane ride would soon be over. Since we were from another country, the flight attendant handed us forms to fill out for the immigration authorities in Malaysia. On the card in bold print were these words:

BE FOREWARNED,
DEATH FOR DRUG
TRAFFICKERS
UNDER MALAYSIAN LAW

This warning is given in many other places too, so everyone knows what happens if you sell illegal drugs in that country. There is no excuse for those who are caught.

They actually do put to death those who are proven guilty. You might think that no one would take the chance and risk their lives by selling illegal drugs. This is not so. Many are willing to risk their lives, trying to make a lot of money. In 1990 there were 94 people arrested for selling illegal drugs! If they are proven guilty in court, they will be hung. The death sentence is mandatory! This means that the judge has no choice but to condemn a guilty person to be hung.

Are you thinking how foolish those 94 people were? A life is worth more than money! Yes, those 94 people were very foolish to sell illegal drugs. You may think that you would not be so foolish, but are you doing the same thing in a different way? God has given us an important warning too. He says, “The wages of sin is death.” Romans 6:23.

Does that stop people from sinning? No, it does not. Does God actually carry out the penalty? Yes, He does. There is much proof of it. Everywhere you go in the world there are graveyards.

If a citizen of another country is proven guilty in Malaysia, his own country is not able to save him from the penalty of his crime. He has broken a Malaysian law. He is guilty! Some countries call this punishment brutal, but there is no excuse. Many warnings have been given. He is guilty and must pay the penalty. There is no remedy - he must be put to death.

Men may say that God is too kind and loving to put people in hell. They prefer to think that He will not carry out His warning that the wages of sin is death. Not so! God will enforce His penalty.

God is indeed kind and loving, and although He will enforce His penalty, He offers each person a remedy. In fact, the Bible tells us that God has provided the remedy Himself. “God is love. In this was manifested [shown] the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him . . . not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation [sacrifice] for our sins.” 1 John 4:8-10.

It is not now a question of whether or not we are sinners. We are guilty and the penalty must be paid. The only remedy is to trust in the Lord Jesus, because He paid the price when He died on the cross. He says, “He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life.” John 6:47.

If you will accept the Lord Jesus as your Saviour, your penalty is canceled because He paid it for you. If you refuse to accept this remedy, there is no hope. You must pay the penalty yourself. How sad this would be since God has made a way of escape. You have sinned, but God says He will forgive you if you believe on His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

“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.

Will you accept His remedy?

ML-05/02/1993

The Birdhouse That Wasn't Safe

Some kind friends gave Russ and his sister Elsie a very pretty birdhouse. Russ pounded a tall, strong post into the ground and set the birdhouse on top of it. “All I have to do now is nail the house to the post,” he said. But before he got around to it, a pair of titmice built a nest in it and laid their eggs.

One morning several weeks later they saw that a raccoon had been at work during the night. The birdhouse had been knocked off the post, the nest was destroyed, and the tiny eggs were eaten.

Russ, Elsie and their family were all very sad. And the little mother and father titmouse must have been sad too. The house had looked so pretty, but it wasn’t safe.

Without even knowing it, the poor little birds were an illustration of the unhappiness we cause when we put off doing something that should be done. Many of you children have heard the story of Jesus and how much He loves you. You have read in the Bible that you are a sinner. You also have been warned many times that you need to come to Jesus to have your sins washed away in His precious blood. But some of you haven’t done it. Maybe you intend to do it, but only intending to do it is still not doing it.

Russ picked up the house and set it back on the post. He intended to nail it there firmly. However, time passed, and the nails never found their way into the pretty little birdhouse to make it safe.

The next spring a pair of wrens reminded Russ and Elsie that they hadn’t put in any nails. But it was already too late - the nest was built and the eggs were laid. Many times every day the wrens sang them their beautiful little song. Russ and Elsie were glad to have the happy little birds there, and they hoped and hoped the birds would be able to raise their family safely.

Then one night there was a terrible storm. The rain poured down and flooded the yard and the wind blew branches off the trees. And in the morning when Russ and Elsie looked outside, the little birdhouse was sadly on the ground again.

Russ picked up the birdhouse and set it on the post. “Please, don’t put that there unless you are going to nail it and make it safe right now!” Elsie pleaded.

“God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not [doesn’t pay attention].” Job 33:14. We all make lots of mistakes, but it’s very sad when we make the same mistake over and over. And not coming to Jesus to have your sins washed away is a very serious mistake. God warns us in the Bible of a terrible storm of judgment that He is going to bring on this sinful earth. But He has also told us that there is a safe place to be during that storm. That safe place is in heaven with Jesus. And you can be there!

Will you come to Jesus right now? Just tell Him that you know you are a sinner and are sorry about your sins, and believe that He died for you. He’ll wash every sin of yours away and carry you safe to heaven before He sends that terrible storm of judgment.

“The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7. “Whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.” Proverbs 29:25.

ML-05/09/1993

Little Rebel

Teena was a lively three-year-old who was always running. She was not, however, quick to obey. A command to “stop” or “come here” more often made her want to do just the opposite, with a teasing laugh.

One day a friend of the family took her to a beautiful hotel which had a pretty fountain inside that changed colors. There were many other interesting things to see there too. It was an exciting new world to the little girl. Teena ran here and there, and seeing a lovely patio outside, she made a dash for it.

Her friend, realizing that the little girl might not see that there were sparkling-clean, sliding glass doors onto the patio, called, “Teena, stop! Stop right now!”

But Teena only laughed and ran faster.

THUD! Down she went! Oh, how her head hurt. Now all her fun was ruined, and she had a big red bump rising on her head to show for failing to obey. At least her lesson was learned with a glass door and not a speeding car.

Are you thinking that she was a foolish little girl not to obey? Yes, she was. But are you any wiser? Do you laugh when you hear warnings about Satan’s lies and the punishment ahead for sinners? The Bible clearly tells us that “the soul that sinneth, it shall die.” Ezekiel 18:4. “The wages of sin is death.” Romans 6:23. “Turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die?” Ezekiel 33:11.

Naturally, none of us likes to obey. But a person who does not learn to obey will always have trouble. It is only when we listen to God’s command to repent of our sins and turn to Him that we can be forgiven. And oh, how He wants to forgive us. He is a loving, giving, gracious God who punished His precious Son, Jesus, so that He would be able to wipe clean our awful record of sins. “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.” Isaiah 1:18.

Will you obey God?

ML-05/09/1993

Which Weighs More?

Which do you think weighs more? A cup of water or a cup of snow?

Mrs. Davis asked her first grade class this question one day. One by one, all the children answered, “A cup of snow!” All except for one little girl named Danielle. She answered, “A cup of water.” And she was right!

It takes courage to say or do what you know is right when everyone else is saying or doing the opposite.

Matthew 7:13,14 says, “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: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” These verses tell us that not many people choose the narrow path that leads to heaven. However, many people choose the wide path that leads to hell. Isn’t this solemn. The more popular way is the WRONG way!

We must be careful to listen to God’s Word, the Bible, and believe it and do it, whether it is the popular way or not. What God tells us is always right. Don’t always follow the crowd and be afraid to be different, or you may be WRONG.

Are you afraid that your friends may laugh if you accept the Lord Jesus as your Saviour? The Lord Jesus in John 3:3 said, “Verily, verily [truly, truly], I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God [heaven].” And in verse 7 of that same chapter He said, “Ye must be born again.” That doesn’t mean that you have to become a baby again and be born a second time. It means that you need to receive a new life that God will give you when you accept His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, as your Saviour. John 1:12,13 says, “As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

After class Mrs. Davis asked Danielle, “Were you scared to say ‘a cup of water’ when everyone else was guessing that a cup of snow weighed more?” Sometimes we are afraid to be different, but we may be the only one who is right. “The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.” Proverbs 29:25. “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1.

If you already have been born again and have that new life, you can ask the Lord Jesus for strength to do what is right, even if it means being different from others. We have no strength on our own, but the Lord can give us the courage to shine for Him. “Ye are the light of the world.” Matthew 5:14. When the Lord Jesus was down here, He was the light that shone in the darkness of the sinful world around Him. So He knows how it feels to be different from everyone else. He always said or did what was right, and He was often the only one who did.

“Follow not that which is evil, but that which is good.” 3 John 11.

ML-05/16/1993

Buffy's Close Call

Buffy was a big dog, full of fun and adventure. He was part of a happy family where four children saw to it that he was fed and cared for every day. But Buffy would sometimes run away to find some excitement. Then the children would hunt through the neighborhood to find him. One cold afternoon late in the spring he set off on an adventure that almost cost him his life.

Buffy had not gone far from home when he found some open water in the frozen river, just big enough for a dog his size to enjoy a refreshing swim. He had often gone swimming with his owners at a lake during the summer. So it must have been with these pleasant memories in mind that he plunged into that icy water! It wasn’t long before he felt the cold through his thick fur. Buffy scrambled out and climbed, wet and shivering, up the riverbank. He was cold and looked around for a warm spot to rest before heading home.

Nearby, the gleaming railroad tracks shone in the afternoon sun. Buffy had been scolded a time or two for playing on those tracks. Trains regularly used them, making them dangerous to be near. He had keen ears, and right now they told him that all was safe. He could depend on his keen hearing to alert him when a train was coming while it was still a long way off, and his strong legs could take him to safety. Buffy stretched out contentedly on the warm tracks and fell asleep.

A short while later he awoke with a start, sensing something was wrong. He tried to scramble to his feet, but found himself held fast to the track. He squirmed and fought with all his strength, but something would not let him go. Finally poor Buffy gave up and slumped down exhausted, whining pitifully. His keen ears had heard the rumblings of a train far in the distance, but his soaking wet fur had frozen fast to the steel train track. The river water which had looked so inviting and the warm, gleaming track had combined to hold him fast. Now his life was in danger.

Boys and girls, stop here and answer these questions. Have the pleasures of sin attracted your eyes and led you into hidden danger, like Buffy? Have you turned away from the pleadings of God and the loving invitation of the Lord Jesus to come to Him? What seem to be harmless pleasures often can hold us prisoner. God’s Word says, “He, that being often reproved [warned] hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.” Proverbs 29:1.

Our story has a happy ending. Buffy’s frantic yelps were heard by three boys on their way home from school. Rushing to rescue him, they cut away the frozen fur and freed him from the tracks before the train came rushing by.

Are you willing to admit that sin has a tight hold on you? And are you willing to admit that you are helpless to do anything for yourself? It only takes one cry from your heart to the Lord Jesus and He will deliver you from the coming destruction that follows a life of sin. He is waiting for your call. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2.

ML-05/16/1993

Two Sets of Keys

Have you ever lost anything? Did you find it again? Recently I was shopping in a department store and had baby Ruthie along with me. When I had finished, we went to our van to drive home, but when I looked in my purse for the keys to the van, I couldn’t find them.

I searched all through my purse and in the van, but couldn’t find the keys. I decided that I must have dropped them somewhere in the store. So, we went back in and looked for the keys in all the areas where we had shopped.

Still no keys.

I went to the Customer Service Department and asked them if anyone had found a set of keys and turned them in.

No, no one had.

For the next two hours I searched everywhere in the store, in the van, in the parking lot, and in my purse for those keys! Finally, I gave up and called Grandma on the tele-phone and asked her to come pick us up. I couldn’t waste any more time because my sons would be coming home from school soon.

Ruthie and I were waiting for Grandma out in the van. Just as she drove up I thought I would check in my purse one more time. Once again, I dumped everything out of it, and then I thought I heard the keys rattle! But where were they? (Can you guess?)

They had fallen through a hole in the plastic lining of the purse and were caught between the lining and the outer fabric. Although I was sorry to have caused Grandma an unnecessary trip, I was very glad to finally find those lost keys!

Later that night, my husband and I were startled out of our sleep at 2:00 in the morning. It sounded like someone was trying to start the truck my husband uses for work! He jumped out of bed and yelled out the window, “Hey, get out of my truck!”

We quickly turned on a light and ran out the door to the truck. The man had pushed our truck down the driveway and tried to start it, but was scared off when my husband yelled at him. He had left the truck door open but had taken the keys! I thought to myself, Oh, no! Not two sets of keys lost in one day!

When the police came, the officer told us that this same man had tried to steal a carpenter’s truck a few hours before at a house not far from us. In trying to catch him, the carpenter had chased the thief over into our area. He was on foot and was trying to find a car or truck to drive. Not thinking of any danger, my husband had left his keys in our truck when he came home from work. Now the thief had taken the keys and could come back later to steal our truck!

In case he did come back, we took the battery out of the truck so he couldn’t start it even with keys. Then we parked the van right behind it. Trusting the Lord for its safety, and knowing we had done all we could to protect our truck, we went back to bed. We also prayed for the salvation of that thief.

The next morning we looked for our keys in the bushes where he had run, but the thief had not dropped them.

We had lost two sets of keys in one day. The one set we found, but the other set is still lost. That reminds me of boys and girls. Some have been found by the Lord Jesus and been washed clean of their sins, but some are still lost. Which are you - found, or still lost?

If you are still lost in your sins, Jesus is looking for you. Why don’t you let Him find you? “The Son of man [Jesus] is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10. He loves you and wants to wash your sins away with His precious blood that He shed on Calvary’s cross. He wants to make you ready to live with Him forever in his happy home in heaven.

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

Jesus told a story once about three things that got lost: a lamb, a coin and a son. Why don’t you read the story in your Bible in Luke chapter 15? See if the owners found the things they had lost.

ML-05/23/1993

At the Count of Three . . .

We were two little girls full of fun and foolishness, that day over 50 years ago when Mother sent us to the spring for a pail of water. The dirt around the spring had been dug out about four feet and lined with smooth stones. The water level was down about two feet and was usually about two feet deep as well.

We had been acting silly as I carelessly stooped to fill the pail. Oops! . . . slipped!

After my big splash, I looked up expecting to see my sister’s laughing face. Instead, there was a huge diamondback rattlesnake slithering up on the rocks just a few feet from me. He had come for a drink, too, and maybe wasn’t too pleased that I was there. I knew that I must stay just as still as possible, and also that I could never get past that snake. In a quiet voice I told my sister, “Go get Mother.”

It was only a matter of minutes until the two of them came up quietly. Mother had Dad’s double-barreled shotgun. Speaking softly, my normally timid mother coolly and firmly gave me instructions: “At the count of three, drop flat into the water and stay down until I pull you up.”

I knew that I must obey exactly. My eyes tightly shut, heart pounding, I heard the clicks as she cocked the old gun.

“One, two, three!”

Believe me, I dove as flat to the bottom of that two feet of water as possible.

Even underwater the boom from that shotgun was deafening. I was sure that the whole pool also had been blown up! Mother wasted no time grabbing me up in her arms. There wasn’t much left of that snake!

What mercy God showed to me that day! A strike in the face from that huge poisonous snake might well have meant death to a small child like me. I had been so careless- so foolish not to watch for danger when we knew these poisonous snakes were around.

The “old serpent,” as the Bible calls the devil, quietly came onto the scene in the very first chapter of Genesis, and he is still in the world today. He is the smartest, most deadly enemy of all. Many boys and girls and men and women go along being deceived by him, living only to find and follow fun when suddenly, as I did, they come face to face with the “king of terrors.” Death is that “king of terrors.” “The sting of death is sin,” we read in 1 Corinthians 15:56. God says that “it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” Hebrews 9:27. Here is that terrible “sting” -judgment for all those sins you and I have done. (Would you dare say, “I have never sinned”?) God, however, loves us and is not willing for us to come to the point of judgment. There is hope. “Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many.” Hebrews 9:28. He bore the punishment, so that in Hebrews 10:17 God can say, “Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” You can be one of the “many” whose sins He suffered for, if you will receive the message by faith, believing that He suffered for your sins.

As God held back the strike of death for me that day long ago, so also He is still holding back the day of judgment for you, so that you might be rescued from sin and the devil. Reach out and “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” Acts 16:31. Don’t fool around. God expects and honors the sincere, urgent cry to Him.

ML-05/23/1993

Hand-Dug Wells

How many of you boys and girls have ever seen a hand-dug well? They are found in many parts of the country where water is close enough to the top of the ground that it can be reached by digging for it by hand. Most wells are drilled with large machines that are able to bore very deeply into the ground. I remember helping to drill a water well that was 4,600 feet deep (that’s nearly a mile) in a Texas town. I also remember my brother Dee and I helping our dad hand-dig a well when we were teenage boys.

Hand-dug wells must be “walled up” with brick or stone to prevent the dirt walls from caving in. A cave-in would not only be dangerous to the person digging, but after the well is dug, a cave-in could fill up the well with dirt and shut off the water supply. These brick or stone walls are usually extended above ground a couple of feet to mark the well’s location and also to hold a cover to protect the water supply.

When we were digging the well in our backyard, we came to some very hard rock that had to be blasted with dynamite to break it up. Our Uncle Allen had experience blasting, so he agreed to place the charges of dynamite in the well and light the fuses. Dee and I were working the hand-operated hoist to lift him out of the well. We were told not to be in a hurry bringing Uncle Allen up, because a long fuse would be placed on each charge to allow time for us to bring him safely to the surface.

We were following our orders bringing him up when, to our surprise, Uncle Allen’s head popped up over the cross-bar of the hoist. He had climbed up the rope, hand over hand, to get out of the well quicker than we were bringing him up!

Three charges of dynamite were “planted,” and Uncle Allen had difficulty getting the last fuse to burn. With the first two fuses already burning, he was afraid Dee and I might not get him out of the well before the first charge exploded. He surely would have been killed if that had happened.

The danger of death and judgment coming upon one who has not received the Lord Jesus as his or her Saviour is just as real as death was to Uncle Allen in that well with the fuses burning on the dynamite charges under him. The Bible tells us, “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” Hebrews 9:27.

The Bible also asks this question: “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation.” Hebrews 2:3. The Lord Jesus came from heaven to bring salvation by giving up His life on the cross. The entire cost of that salvation was paid by the Lord Jesus Christ. He offered Himself to God as a sacrifice for sin. Now the sins of those who believe on Him can be freely forgiven. The need for each boy and girl to believe this testimony and receive salvation is even more urgent than it was for Uncle Allen to get out of the well before the dynamite exploded.

Because of Uncle Allen’s strength and skill in climbing a rope, he was able to save himself from the danger of death that threatened him. But those who are “dead in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1) have no strength or skill by which they can save themselves. However, there is good news from God for all who will admit they are sinners and realize they are without strength. “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly [sinners].” Romans 5:6.

Though you may still be in your sins and helpless, God loves you. He has proved His love by giving His beloved Son to die in your place and pay all your debt of sin, if you will accept the Lord Jesus. He is waiting and longing for you to receive the Lord Jesus as your Saviour. When you believe God’s report of His love and believe on His Son, you have the danger of death and judgment taken away, just as Uncle Allen was free from the danger of being killed by the dynamite exploding in the well when he climbed the rope to safety.

If you asked our uncle if he was relieved to be free from the threat of death had he not gotten out of the well, he most certainly would tell you, “ABSOLUTELY!”

Trust the Lord Jesus to save you, receiving Him into your heart as the One who died for you. You will be relieved to be free from judgment and also be happy that you have a home waiting in heaven with Jesus. Won’t you accept Him today?

ML-05/30/1993

Favorite Toys

Most little boys and girls have a favorite toy. It might be a truck, or an airplane, or a doll, or something else. I’m sure if you would ask your daddy or mommy if they can remember their favorite toys, they would say, “Yes,” and they could probably tell you what it was.

Most of us have favorite things or favorite friends. Sometimes school teachers have favorite students. And some parents might have a favorite son or daughter. However, God does not have favorites like we do. He does not love some of us a little more than others. He loves each one of us so much that He sent His own Son to die for our sins, if we will accept His love.

Have you ever tried to count the grains of sand at the beach? Well, God’s thoughts about you are a higher number than all the grains of sand on all the beaches of this world added together! The Bible tells us this in Psalm 139:17,18: “How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand.”

ML-05/30/1993

Wild Whipped Cream

Beth was holding the pressurized can of whipped cream over the strawberry shortcake, pressing the valve on the top this way and that, but no cream would come out. Then I tried - still no cream would come out.

Dad had invited an important businessman for dinner and Mom was away on a visit, so Beth and I had prepared the meal. So far things had gone well. But now. . . .

“We’ve gotta get this stuff out of here,” said Beth. “You can’t serve strawberry shortcake without whipped cream!”

“I know it!” I agreed. The minutes ticked off on the kitchen clock as we reshook the can and tried everything we could think of. Then I saw around the base of the can, printed in large letters, the instructions, “DO NOT PUNCTURE OR INCINERATE THIS CAN.” “It says not to puncture this can, but what else can we do? I know there’s whipped cream in there, and we have to get it out, now!”

The Bible has very definite instructions for you too. It says, “GO NOT IN THE WAY OF EVIL MEN. AVOID IT, PASS NOT BY IT, TURN FROM IT, AND PASS AWAY.” Proverbs 4:14,15. Are you obeying these instructions? They are from God.

I hunted through the kitchen drawer and found a can opener with a pointed, triangular end. As we both leaned over the can I poked a hole in it.

A second later we were looking at each other in amazement! Our faces, hair, arms and clothes were covered with whipped cream. Some of it had shot past us and landed on the wall behind us and even on the ceiling. “Well, at least it’s out of the can,” I giggled.

“Now what do we do?” Beth mumbled through her coating of whipped cream.

“Well, we’ve gotta get some of it on that shortcake. I know that. Stand still!” Beth obediently stood still as I scraped the whipped cream from her face and arms onto the dessert. Then she scraped whipped cream off of me. The shortcake looked pretty good.

“Now we’ve got to make you look presentable,” I told her and we both began removing the whipped cream from her hair and clothes as quickly as we could. Finally, Beth put on a cover-all apron and carried the dessert into the dining room.

“What on earth took you so long?” asked Dad.

“Oh, we just couldn’t seem to get the whipped cream out of the can,” Beth said.

Sometimes we get ourselves into difficult situations and fail to ask the Lord for His directions. Because He is so gracious, He sometimes makes things turn out all right for us anyway. But there are always sad consequences when we disobey Him. We had not obeyed the instructions on the can, and now we were faced with some big clean-up problems. “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice [doing something else].” 1 Samuel 15:22.

God gives us all the instructions we will ever need in His precious Word, the Bible. First, He tells us to trust His Son, the Lord Jesus, to save us from our sins, and then He wants us to walk hand-in-hand with Him all the rest of our lives. If we do these things we will have a happy and fruitful life that pleases Him. “If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.” John 13:17. So don’t forget to read your Bible every day and ask God for help to walk according to the instructions He gives you in it. “Thy word [the Bible] is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119:105.

ML-06/06/1993

The Missed Flight

Recently I was standing at the counter at one of the gates at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois, asking for some information from the agent. While I was waiting for him to get the answer for me, an older, well-dressed man came up to the counter. He asked one of the other agents when he and his wife could board flight 700 for Miami, Florida. The agent’s mouth dropped open in surprise. She turned around to point out the window behind her.

“Sir, flight 700 is that plane, just backing away from the gate,” she said. “There is no way that you can get on that flight now. I started announcing it was time to board that flight over half an hour ago, and I made several announcements, telling people to get on the plane.”

The man and his wife evidently had sat through all of the boarding announcements and for some reason either had not heard or responded to a single one of them. The agent told them that the only thing they could do now was to go to the ticket counter and try to get a new reservation for the next flight to Miami later in the day.

That man and his wife thought they were all ready for their trip. They had checked in and received their seat assignments, they had all their luggage with them, and they were very close to the door of the plane they wanted to take. But because they did not actually go through the door and get on the plane, all their preparation was useless. They were told by the agent, not just once but many times, to board the plane, but still it did them no good.

This reminded me of many boys and girls and men and women in the world today. They know that there is judgment ahead for every lost soul. They know how to be saved from that judgment. They may think that they are very close to being saved by going to Sunday school, memorizing Bible verses, and living good and honest lives (which are all good things). And yet, if they do not put their faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour, they are still lost; they are still in their sins, heading for the judgment. In that condition they can never get to heaven, where they would like to go.

God has warned you many, many times to “flee from the wrath to come.” Luke 3:7. God commends His love to you “in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8. God invites you to accept His beloved Son as your Saviour today while there is still time. Some day very soon the door of His mercy will be shut forever, and then you will never have another chance to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved. That man and woman probably were able to get on another plane a few hours later to go to Miami. But if the Lord Jesus comes or if you die, and you have not accepted Him as your Saviour, you will be lost forever. There will be no second chance for you. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2.

ML-06/06/1993

Has Your Life Been Changed?

The man had a happy look, and I wondered if he could be a Christian. Then he asked me, “Are you a Christian?” It is exciting to be asked such a question.

When Mr. Waslim asked me this, I was thrilled and said, “Yes, I am, and are you a Christian too?”

“Yes,” he said, and told me this story.

He had gone to church every week. The service didn’t change and he didn’t change. His heart was the same, and he still had all his sins. Realizing this, he did something that was very good. He got a Bible and began reading it.

Mr. Waslim knew he was a sinner, but he found in the Bible that Jesus is the Saviour of sinners and that He loved him. He accepted the Lord Jesus and was cleansed from his sins, just as Acts 16:31 says: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.”

His life started to change right away. He stopped drinking alcohol and gave up using illegal drugs. I wish you could have seen the joy in his face as he told me how the Lord Jesus “cleaned the dirty sins” from his life. Now he wants to learn more about his Saviour.

Has Jesus changed your life? What about your “dirty sins” -those evil thoughts, bad words and naughty things that you have done? Are they still on your record?

Oh, you may have been brought up in a Christian home. That is a good thing, and that may have kept you from some of the more gross things people do. But what about disobeying your parents? And do you respect them? Lies and cheating are sins too. Are those things still a part of your life? Or have you put your trust in the Lord Jesus and had your sins washed away in His precious blood?

If you say you believe on Him, is there any change in your life? Does your mother notice any change? Have your school friends noticed anything different about your life?

The Apostle Paul’s life was changed a great deal after he accepted Christ as his Saviour. He was not an apostle then, of course. He had been very religious, but tells us he was really “a blasphemer and a persecutor and injurious.” He hated the name of Jesus. After he became a true believer, God used him to preach and teach “those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ.” Acts 28:31. He also warns any that “love not the Lord Jesus Christ” that he or she will be cursed when Jesus comes. (1 Corinthians 16:22.)

Mr. Waslim likes to sing this hymn:

I would love to tell you what I think of Jesus,

Since I found in Him a Friend so strong and true;

I would tell you how He changed my life completely,

He did something that no other friend could do.

No one ever cared for me like Jesus,

There’s no other friend so kind as He;

No one else could take the sin and darkness from me,

O how much He cared for me.

In what way has your life been changed?

ML-06/13/1993

Some Helpful Dogs

“They are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.” Isaiah 56:10.

George Washington had a beautiful home overlooking the Potomac River where he kept riding horses, a small flock of sheep and some Doberman pinscher dogs. The dogs were not just pets; they were also guards of the valuable property.

Dobermans, as well as German shepherds, are still excellent police dogs. They are highly intelligent and can be trained for police work. It’s interesting that some city police departments have as many as two dozen or more for emergency work.

Both kinds of dogs are considered top performers for police work; however, the Dobermans are preferred where summer heat is a problem, for they don’t have the thick coats of the shepherds. They are trained by experts while still pups. When older they are put in the charge of a policeman or guard with whom they will live and develop a strong friendly bond. The dogs don’t mix with other people or other dogs and have deep loyalty to their master.

A typical kind of work for a policeman and his dog is to patrol department stores or other businesses during night hours. They go through each floor. The dog is on a long leash, held by his human partner and goes behind each counter and among the mannequins - paying attention only to what may be hidden behind them.

The dog’s keen sense of smell immediately detects a thief who may think he is well hidden. Moving close to him, the dog growls fiercely, with its strong teeth exposed, until his master, sizing up the situation, may command, “Watch him!” The dog will guard the thief while the policeman calls on his shortwave radio for backup help. If the thief tries to escape, the dog will quickly move in and cause him to change his mind, but will not harm him otherwise.

But this isn’t the only service the dogs do when in these buildings. As they move from place to place, the dog’s sharp sense of hearing and keen sense of smell may lead the policeman to some piece of equipment that is overheating or making an unusual noise. The intelligent dog seems to sense that this needs to be taken care of or it will cause some damage or even start a fire. Often the shortwave radio is used again with a request to send help.

The opening Bible verse, describing dumb dogs, is what the Lord says about those who did not return His love in past days, compared with those who did return His love. Of those who did respond to His love and kindness He said, “Even them will I bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful.” Isaiah 56:7. And that’s where true joy is found today -in the hearts of those who know Him as their Saviour. Just as there are helpful dogs and dumb dogs, there are people who return God’s love and those who do not return God’s love. Which are you?

ML-06/13/1993

Fire!

A friend of mine was awakened in the middle of the night by the cry of “FIRE!” Running to the window, he saw that it was the house across the street. He quickly dressed and ran out to help.

He found that all the people who lived in the house had gotten out safely, except for one little girl. She was still asleep in her bedroom on the second floor. The mother was panic-stricken, not knowing what to do.

My friend decided to try to save her, even though flames and smoke were pouring from the house. He rushed up the burning steps to the second floor, through the heat and smoke.

The child was still sleeping and did not know she was in any danger. My friend quickly picked her up, wrapped her in a blanket, then made a dash down the flaming stairs. About five minutes after he handed the little girl to her mother, the roof fell in with a crash! She was saved just in time!

Although the little girl was not hurt, my friend suffered much to save her. The fire burned his arm and hand badly, leaving one of his fingers permanently scarred and twisted because of the burns. Whenever I shake hands with him, the twisted finger seems to whisper over again the story of the house on fire.

Perhaps you, like that little girl, do not realize that you are in danger! You are sleeping on in sin, not thinking that at any moment you might die, and your soul would be lost forever. Listen now to the good news that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” He let cruel men who hated Him nail Him to a cross, hammering nails through His hands and feet. He suffered and died on that cross, because He loves you and me. One of those men thrust a spear into His side, and blood and water flowed out. God tells us this blood from the Lord Jesus can wash away sins, yours and mine, if we will just believe in Him. (This is called being “saved.”) When those of us who are saved are in heaven with the Lord Jesus, we will see the nail marks in His hands and feet and the spear mark in His side from His suffering on the cross for us. They will always remind us of how much He loved us and what He went through to save us.

“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” 1 Timothy 1:15

ML-06/13/1993

The $10 Bill on the Sidewalk

Homer is a senior citizen who, for many years now, has enjoyed sharing the good news that “Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures.” 1 Corinthians 15:3. But he also sometimes feels the need to tell the rather amusing, but very serious lesson he learned when he was a young believer. He was a salesman and was beginning to do quite well in his job. He had gotten away from the Lord and was rebuked for his worldliness in a very unexpected way.

Homer had a brother, Howard, living in another state. Everyone who knew Howard knew he was very sly in his dealings with others. In fact, he told so many “half-truths” to get whatever he wanted that many people finally no longer trusted him, including Homer.

News came that Howard had accepted the Lord Jesus as his Saviour and was a changed person. However, those who knew Howard and his sly ways couldn’t help but wonder, “Now what is he after?” Finally, Homer decided to go and find out for himself if his brother was really a changed person.

Upon arriving at his brother’s home, Homer found it was really true. Both Howard and his wife were bubbling over with the joy of the Lord. Their joy, however, only made Homer realize how far he himself had gotten away from the Lord. Then he made a wrong decision.

Homer tried to cover up his lack of interest in following the Lord, and he pretended he was more godly than they were. What Homer did not realize then was that when we are cold and we get next to someone who is warm, one of two things happens. Either we want to get closer to the warmth and get warm ourselves, or we bring our coldness to others and chill them. Because Homer did not want to “confess and forsake” his sin of worldliness, and only pretended that he was following the Lord, his coldness was easily seen and felt by Howard and his wife. Scripture says, “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Proverbs 28:13. Although Howard and his wife were very sad to see Homer acting this way, they said nothing at first, but we can be sure they prayed for him.

Sunday morning arrived and they all walked to the gospel hall together. When the time for the collection box came, Homer was all ready to prove that he was enjoying the Lord. Out of his billfold flashed a $10 bill. (It would be more like a $100 bill today!) Very casually, he put it in the box, but inwardly he was hoping that it was seen by the others.

It was when they were walking home that the unexpected happened. As Homer glanced down at the sidewalk, he saw a $10 bill right in front of him. Quickly picking it up, he excitedly said, “Look at this! The Lord rewarded me for putting a $10 bill in the collection box this morning!”

Howard’s wife could hold her thoughts in no longer. Immediately she heard herself saying, “God didn’t reward you for putting your $10 bill in the box this morning! He gave it back to you, because He didn’t want it!”

Do you know, children, that God isn’t pleased with our gifts or good deeds if they are done for man’s praise, or to pretend that we are more godly than we are. God says if we have the praise of men, that’s all the reward we get - there will be no reward in heaven for those things.

Do you know what God does want? He says, “My son, give Me thine HEART.” Proverbs 23:26. After that, whatever we give or do, however small, will be His work in us - flowing out in blessing to God and man. He will multiply those things into great rewards for all eternity.

The reason Homer can now laugh with us about this incident is because he sees how Satan was defeated by the faithfulness of his sister-in-law’s remark. It proved the scripture to be true again, “He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favor [respect] than he that flattereth with the tongue.” Proverbs 28:23. Also it helped him to look at his worldly life through God’s eyes, and to begin to change his ways.

Has anyone rebuked you lately? If so, have you thanked him? Even if you think that person was being unkind, it may be that God is using him or her to tell you something you need to know. Don’t let what you may think of that person cheat you out of a message from God that will clear the way for the many blessings He has planned for you when you obey Him day-by-day. “Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the Lord. Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto God in the heavens.” Lamentations 3:40,41.

ML-06/20/1993

There Is No If

Tommy and his mother were looking at a children’s book of Bible stories. The story about Noah had a big picture called, “Noah Entering the Ark,” which was very interesting to Tommy. He could see the animals, birds and Noah and his family going into the ark, all escaping to safety from the flood that God was going to use to punish the people on the earth.

“What if the ark had wrecked and sunk?” asked Tommy. “Then everybody in the world would have been drowned!”

“That couldn’t happen, because God was in control,” his mother answered. Then putting her arm around Tommy she added, “There is no ‘IF,’ Tommy, when God says ‘should not perish’ in the Bible verse John 3:16 that you know.”

Tommy repeated the verse slowly, “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.”

“God means what He says in that verse, Tommy,” Mother continued. “If you trust in the Lord Jesus Christ and take Him as your Saviour, you will be safe, just like Noah, his family and all the animals that were in the ark. There is no ‘IF,’ Tommy.”

How true this is! God says to all who trust in Him that they shall have “everlasting life,” or as it says in another verse - they “shall be saved.” It is also true the opposite way. To those who choose not to believe, Psalm 1:6 says they shall perish. There is no “IF” about that either.

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

ML-06/20/1993

Wells

A few weeks ago you read the story of how my brother Dee and I helped our dad dig a well in our backyard many years ago. Before Dad decided to dig our own well, we had to haul all our family’s water needs from a community well nearly a mile from our house.

Almost everyone in Sand Springs, where we lived, went to this common well for their water. The well was very shallow, no more than eight or ten feet deep, and located close to a small stream that ran through the area. It was owned by one of the families in Sand Springs, but it was accepted that anyone who wanted to could get water from that well. It was the never-ending job of having to haul water that made Dad decide to begin to dig our own well.

The water from the community well was clear and sweet, very good for cooking and drinking. It was what is called “soft” water. That meant it had few minerals and other impurities in it. That also made it good to use for bathing or washing clothes. Mother often mentioned what good water it was.

Can you imagine the disappointment of our entire family after our well was finally finished and we discovered that the water we worked so hard to find was almost unusable? It was “hard” water with many minerals and impurities in it. Ways of treating hard water were not very good back in those days. Mother and Dad had to remove the minerals in our water by adding lye, a poison, to the water. Even with this harsh treatment, the water from our well was still too “hard” to use. The water was so bad it was like taking bad-tasting medicine when we tried to drink it. We had to go back to hauling water from the community well.

In Bible times there were wells very much like our well - they were dug by hand. There was one called Jacob’s well and the Bible says it was deep. Jacob’s well must have been like our community well with clear, sweet water, because many people came there to draw water for their needs. This well was near a town called Sychar in a country called Samaria.

One day as the Lord Jesus was traveling through Samaria, He came to Jacob’s well. John 4:6 tells us, “Jesus . . . being wearied with His journey, sat . . . on the well.” John 4:6. Can you imagine how wonderful it would have been if one day Jesus had been sitting on our community well when I went to haul water? It proved to be really wonderful for a Samaritan woman from Sychar when she came to haul water that day.

Just like you and me, this woman was a sinner. God’s Word, the Bible, plainly tells us that we are all sinners, but this woman’s life had been a long history of living in sin. Some of you boys and girls may say, “I have not done very much wrong.” But the Bible says about each one of us, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way.” Isaiah 53:6. Though this woman who found the Lord Jesus sitting on Jacob’s well was a very bad sinner, she discovered He had a tender heart and that He loved her and wanted to cleanse her from her sins.

The Lord Jesus began a conversation with the woman, that led her to see and admit she was a sinner and to want to receive Him as her Saviour. Jesus, being the Son of God, knew all about the woman’s sins and knew exactly how to win her poor, sinful heart. He simply started the conversation by asking for a drink of water from the well.

She was surprised that Jesus, being a Jew, would even speak to her because she was a Samaritan. In those days the Jews and Samaritans didn’t even talk to each other.

Boys and girls, Jesus loves you just the same no matter what country you live in or what color your skin is. And Jesus answered the woman’s question by saying, “If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give Me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of Him, and He would have given thee living water.” John 4:10. The Lord Jesus was not talking about good sweet water like the water from our community well or from Jacob’s well. He was talking about the water of life -eternal life which He will give to any sinner who will come to Him.

Jesus wants to give you eternal life. To receive eternal life you must, like the Samaritan woman, admit that you are a sinner and “believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name.” John 20:31. You can be sure you will not be refused if you simply come to Jesus, admitting that you are a sinner, and receive from Him that drink of “living water.” He said, “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise [no way] cast out.” John 6:37.

Will you come to Jesus for that drink of “living water”? “Let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.” Revelation 22:17.

ML-06/27/1993

Tammy's Doll

Tammy used to pass a store that had a beautiful doll in the window. One day when she and her older brother Tim were passing the store, Tammy said, “I would just love to have that doll!”

What a surprise Tammy had a few weeks later! Her brother gave her a box, and what do you think was in it? It was that very same doll she had seen in the window. How she thanked Tim over and over again for such a wonderful gift.

Do you think Tammy paid her brother for the doll? Oh, no! She just accepted it and thanked him for it. And that is what God wants us to do with His wonderful offer of salvation - just take it as a gift. He has sent His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus, to die for you. If you will come to Jesus, telling Him you know you are a sinner and accept Him as your Saviour, God will make you one of His own children. Why not come to Him today? God’s gift of salvation is the best of all gifts.

If you have already accepted God’s gift of salvation, have you thanked Him for it? “Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift.” 2 Corinthians 9:15.

“The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23.

ML-06/27/1993

A Solid Rock

Halifax, Nova Scotia is a hilly city. Many times we were invited to visit our friends whose home was built at the very top of one of those hills. As we drove round and round up to the house, we could look down on the roofs and yards of the houses we had just passed. Finally, we parked behind our friends’ house where we had come to visit.

After dinner, we adults were still sitting at the table chatting while our boys, ages one and three, ran outdoors to play. Suddenly, Earl, my husband, shouted, “LOOK!”

There was our car rolling slowly past the dining room window! Earl was out of the house in a flash! Before he reached the car, it came to the very edge of the front yard and was just about to plunge down onto the roof of the house below. But something stopped it! The front wheels came to rest against a huge rock firmly set into the earth.

King David explains in Psalm 18:2 what the Lord was for him: “The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.” And the Lord certainly was all those things to our boys that summer afternoon.

Earl took them out of the car. Christopher, who had put the gear shift in neutral, was old enough to see what could have happened if the rock had not stopped the car. He was white as a sheet and shaking all over. John, the one-year-old, was just enjoying the ride.

Every one of us in this world is headed on a downward plunge into hell if we are not stopped by the Rock. In 1 Corinthians 10:4, God tells us “that Rock was Christ.” He has taken our place in death. “God . . . hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21.

May we, like Christopher, realize where we are headed if we are still in our sins and trust in the Rock, Christ Jesus, to keep us from plunging into a lost eternity.

Are you resting on that solid Rock of safety?

ML-07/04/1993

A Forgotten Food

“[The Lord] giveth food to all flesh [living things]: for His mercy endureth for ever.” Psalm 136:25.

Early American settlers in the New England area enjoyed a food called groundnuts, that has since been almost completely forgotten. These grow wild, not only in that part of the country, but in other places all the way south to Florida and west to the Mississippi River. The Indians told the Pilgrims about groundnuts, and then they enjoyed them too.

What are groundnuts? They are part of the root system of a vine that is related to peanuts and beans, but climbs over bushes. To find the groundnuts, their purple-flowered vines are given a tough pull, which uncovers the long roots growing just a few inches deep. Each root may have as many as 40 round or oval “nuts.” Some are about the size of a hazel nut and others are more like a golf ball in size. They are attached to the root, a few inches apart from each other.

A man who discovered some of these growing wild just a few years ago took a supply home and cleaned them. His wife cooked them in a pot of boiling water for about ten minutes, until they became soft. After mashing them and adding butter, they found them every bit as good as baked potatoes and went back to the woods for more. In addition to boiling, they discovered they were also good roasted in hot ashes.

The result of this new discovery is that now there is one berry grower who has become so fond of groundnuts that he raises them to sell. Properly cared for, the plants produce tons of groundnuts on just an acre or so of farmland. He hopes that people living in areas where they grow may again include them in their diets.

It would seem that many farmers, hearing about this, would start growing them. But, like many wild things, there are some problems. For one thing, they are rather hard to cultivate, as they not only prefer wet, marshy soil, but the vines easily get tangled up. To avoid this they have to be staked. Harvesting is also time- consuming, similar to digging up carrots, beets, potatoes, etc.

But perhaps some day this tasty food will be on the market in some places. As a rediscovered part of God’s creation, the nutritious food will once more be helpful in providing a tasty variety on many dinner tables.

Although they have been forgotten all these years, groundnuts were included in what God the Creator said as He prepared the earth for every living thing: “Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.” Genesis 1:11. We should never forget to thank Him often for the wonderful way He has provided all necessary things for us.

ML-07/04/1993

Does Your Tongue Hurt or Heal?

“Many years ago,” a woman wrote in a small farm magazine, “I learned what real Christian love can be like. Mother was struggling alone to provide for us three children. She did her best, but we barely had enough food and clothing. A Sunday school nearby began inviting the neighborhood children to attend, and Mother said I could go. I used to slip in quietly and leave quickly, ashamed of how I was dressed.

“One day we were told there would be a special treat for us the next Sunday. For each child there would be a small gift and delicious food. How I wanted to go! But how I wished I had something better to wear! I knew some of the children laughed at my shabby dress, so I asked Mother to be sure my best dress was clean.

“That Sunday I was so excited as I went off to Sunday school. How I was looking forward to the special treat!

“ ‘Just look at that poor child over there in such a terribly wrinkled dress! Couldn’t her mother at least iron it for her!’ a well-dressed mother whispered loudly to her friend. ‘My Amy is in the same class with her, and she tells me that she always looks that way. There’s just no excuse for sending a child to Sunday school looking like that. And to the treat too!’

“I had overheard what they had said, and the words were like a knife to my heart. I couldn’t think about anything else, and the delicious cookies just stuck in my throat. My only thought was to run home and never, never return. As I sat miserably alone blinking back the tears, the smell of perfume made me aware that someone was very near to me. And just then I felt an arm slip around my shoulders. I looked up into a face so sweet and kind that I shall remember it the rest of my life.

“ ‘Katy,’ she was saying, ‘we are so glad you came! When you finish eating I’d love to walk you home. I’ve been wanting to get to know you better. Would that be all right?’

“She did just that, and as we walked she asked about my family. After a while she very casually asked if my mother possibly needed an iron. ‘Anyway,’ she said, ‘we have one that I would like to bring over . . . if she can use it, that is.’

“Would Mother like an iron! Needless to say we accepted the gift, and through other kindnesses from this lovely Christian lady my wounded heart was healed.

“This incident,” she added, “influenced and colored my whole life.”

This story has a real message for those of us who love the Lord Jesus. Do you stop to think how you hurt other children when you make those sly, unkind remarks to your friends about someone who perhaps isn’t as nicely dressed or as popular as you are? Or if someone is standing alone and feeling strange, do you try to make friends with them? Have you ever thought that failing to do so really hurts the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ? This puts a serious light on actions like these.

Among the six things that the Lord hates is “a proud look.” Proverbs 6:17. The Lord Jesus wants His children to “preach the gospel to the poor” and “to heal the brokenhearted.” Luke 4:18. Jesus also said in Matthew 11:5 that “the poor have the gospel preached to them.” It is wrong to look down on or make fun of poorly dressed children who need the Saviour and whom He loves and wishes to save. “The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10. Why not dare to be different, and reach out to “heal the brokenhearted”? Your friends might snicker, but then again, they just might decide to do the same. The wonderful woman in Proverbs 31 had, among her other qualities, one jewel which we should desire- “In her tongue is the law of kindness.” v. 26.

“The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust.” Psalm 18:2

ML-07/04/1993

A Life Changed

It has been over 50 years ago now, but I can still see my older brother’s happy face when I walked into the kitchen that morning. Yes, his face actually shone, and I knew something very special had happened. What could it have been?

Jim had lived a reckless life and had gotten into a great deal of trouble, usually with his teenage friends. He often stayed out very late with these friends. A concerned neighbor had seen Jim several times and warned him to “get on home,” knowing he should not be roaming the streets at such hours.

Jim was a worry to our dad who was having to raise us alone since our mother had died several years earlier. Dad had gotten calls from the police station to inform him that they were holding Jim and a friend. The two teenagers had been picked up for stealing something from a local store. Other times these boys had vandalized property and were even required to report to a judge for several weeks as a part of their punishment.

Jim was certainly on a path that could only take him deeper and deeper into trouble. Our dad was deeply concerned. Both Dad and Mother were born-again Christians. I had also accepted Christ as my Saviour. Dad and I had been praying that Jim would see his sinful condition before God and come to the Lord Jesus for His forgiveness. We both knew what the Apostle Paul said in 1 Timothy 1:15 - “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” Paul called himself the chief of sinners because of the many evil things he had done to those who followed the Lord Jesus. If the Lord Jesus could change Paul and turn him around, could he also change a sinner such as Jim? Both Dad and I knew that He could, and He did.

Jim agreed to attend a Bible conference with me, and that’s when it happened. All of Jim’s life he had heard of God’s plan of salvation for sinners through the sacrifice of His only Son. Many times he had repeated the Bible verse 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.” However, it was during this Bible conference that once again he heard the invitation to accept Christ as his Lord and Saviour. And this time he did! An immediate change took place in his heart, and what a change it was! His happiness shone on his face.

But what about his teenage friends he enjoyed so much, the ones who were always ready to join him in doing wrong? He would be tested very soon!

The first one he met when he went back to school began to tell him a story which Jim knew was not something a Christian should listen to. Jim stopped his friend immediately and told him that he was now a Christian and didn’t want to hear the story.

How important it was for Jim to take a stand with his old friends. In doing so they knew that he was a different person, and they no longer asked him to join them in doing wrong.

How happy Dad and I were to know and see that he had accepted the Lord Jesus as his own Saviour. And we also knew that it brought much joy to the heart of God. “I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth.” Luke 15:7.

ML-07/11/1993

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. Some day this new heart will finally stop beating too.

Do you know we have a Physician who 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 that he needs a new heart.

Do you believe what the Bible says about your heart - that it is wicked? Do you know that the Lord Jesus is the only One who can give you a new heart? In Psalm 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. One way you can thank Him is by saying, “I have trusted in Thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in Thy salvation. I will sing unto the Lord, because He hath dealt bountifully with me.” Psalm 13:5,6.

ML-07/11/1993

How Do I Stop?

“Aw, come on, get on. You can do it! It’s not very steep.” Beth’s cousins were trying to teach her to ride a two-wheel bike down their long, bumpy driveway. She was only six years old and it didn’t look very easy for her first ride. The boys finally talked her into it, and Beth slowly climbed on as they held her steady.

“Just hang on and go! Turn the handlebars the way you want to go,” they all yelled as they ran along beside her.

She bumped along slowly, then as she picked up speed Beth started to giggle. This is fun! Why was I ever scared? she thought. Brushing under tree branches and splashing through a puddle, she passed the house halfway down the hill.

Now Beth began to think about how she was going to stop at the bottom. She’d left her cousins far behind, so there was no one to help her. Here came another puddle . . . then another branch to duck under . . . then . . . oh no! . . . the end of the driveway! “HOW DO I STOP?” yelled Beth.

But it was too late, and she disappeared over the edge of the driveway and landed right smack in the middle of a stickery old blackberry patch!

“Ouch!” Those stickers hurt. She even had some in her mouth.

Beth’s rough ride landed her right in the middle of painful trouble. Are you on a downhill ride through life? Do you know how it will end? Are you on your way to a lost eternity? Maybe you are going along having fun, unaware of what’s ahead. Halfway down the hill Beth was cruising along having fun, but she didn’t know there was a blackberry patch at the bottom, and she didn’t know how to stop. “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Proverbs 14:12. You need to be warned that a lost eternity in the lake of fire is ahead for you if you go on through life without trusting the Lord Jesus Christ to forgive your sins. He loves you and died for you on the cross so He could wash away your sins with His own blood. “In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” Ephesians 1:7.

Don’t wait any longer. Confess your sins to Him today and be saved. Your ride may be almost over.

ML-07/18/1993

A Special Picnic Time

It was time again for everyone in the little Sunday school to make plans for the Sunday school picnic. This was always a special time for the children. All of the children who had been going to Sunday school were invited, and they could each bring a friend along too. There would be games, races, prizes, hot dogs and other good things to eat. But most importantly there would be singing and a Bible talk. The children could hardly wait for Saturday to come.

Mr. Riley always brought a car full of children because many of them had no other way to get there. He had stopped to pick up several other children, then drove to Marie’s house.

As they drove up they saw a lot of people standing around in front. In the middle of everyone was a big red rescue truck from the fire department. Then they saw that two men were carrying a stretcher out of the house. They were so startled and concerned when they recognized that the person on the stretcher was Marie! She looked so white and still. They couldn’t tell if she were even breathing.

Everyone in the car sat very quietly. They were all thinking of their little friend and her serious trouble. Mr. Riley suggested that they all close their eyes while he prayed for Marie. He prayed that, if it were the Lord Jesus’ will, she would be made well again and be back with them soon. He prayed for Marie’s family too, and asked the Lord Jesus to comfort them. Then they drove on to the picnic.

At the park everyone was quiet for awhile after they heard about Marie. But soon they began to play. They ran races and played games. They had a wonderful time. Everyone got a prize. Then it was time to sit on the grass to sing and listen to a talk from the Bible before they roasted the hot dogs for supper.

Each of the children got to pick a song to sing, and then they sat quietly while Mr. Riley talked to them. They soon found out that he had not forgotten about their little friend, Marie. He told them that several weeks earlier Marie had told her Sunday school teacher that she had asked the Lord Jesus to wash her sins away and knew she was going to heaven. Her teacher asked her how she knew that for sure.

“Well,” answered Marie, “the Bible is God’s Word, and it tells us that the Lord Jesus came here from heaven and died for me, so I won’t have to go to hell. He’s coming soon to take me back to heaven with Him too. You see, sinners can’t go to heaven even if they sinned just one sin.”

How wonderful that Marie knew this and believed it, and that she had told her teacher so.

Mr. Riley asked the children at the picnic, “If that had been you being carried out on a stretcher and rushed to the hospital by the rescue squad, would you know for sure where you were going if you died? Would you know if you would be in heaven or in hell?” He wanted them to really think hard about it. Then he told them that boys and girls who know the Lord Jesus as their Saviour would never go to hell because Jesus has washed their sins away. The Bible calls that being “saved.” “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.

Several days later they learned that little Marie was going to be well again. She had been very sick. Without knowing it, she had also been a real help to her friends. The children had learned from what had happened to her how important it is to be saved right now. To wait might be too late! “Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” Proverbs 27:1.

Ask the Lord Jesus to save you right now, and HE WILL!

“What must I do to be saved? . . . Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” Acts 16:30,31.

ML-07/18/1993

Disobedient

When I was a boy I lived in a small, west Texas community of families living near the oil refinery where our dads worked. As in most neighborhoods, there were some rowdy boys in this little group of families. Because of their bad language and bad behavior, we were not allowed to play with the boys in the Young family. Our parents knew that they were a bad influence on us.

Dad and Mother had trusted the Lord Jesus as their Saviour, and they wanted us to believe on Him and love Him as they did. They believed and followed what the Bible says in Proverbs 22:6: “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

There was pasture land not too far from our little community. During occasional heavy rains, there was one place where water rushing down a hill had washed out a deep ditch. We called this “the canyon.” There was also a little creek that twisted and turned through this pasture land. It was not fed by springs, so there was only a trickle of water most of the time. About all we could do was get muddy and dirty if we played there. Like many sinful things in the world that Satan makes so appealing, the canyon and the creek were real attractions to us boys as places to play. And one day, Les, my younger brother, and I disobeyed our parents and went with the Young boys to play in the canyon.

The cut in the hillside we called the canyon was not a part of the creek. It was higher and a little distance from the flat area we called the creek bottom. As we were playing on the upper ledge of the canyon, we caught sight of our dad walking along the creek. Les and I knew he was looking for us, and we could tell by the determined way he walked that we were in trouble. We had been caught in our disobedience, just like the Bible verse says: “Be sure your sin will find you out.” Numbers 32:23.

Since Dad hadn’t seen me yet, I decided to run home. Les continued to play until Dad found him. Dad gave him a pretty good whipping right there in the pasture. As I continued my run to the house, I heard Dad whistle. I knew then he must have seen me running from him and knew by his whistle that he was calling me. Looking back though, I could not see him so I continued my run to the house. I was going to act as though I had done nothing wrong, hoping to avoid punishment.

I was beginning to think I had escaped, because when Dad got back to the house he did not say anything to me about my disobeying him or my running from him. He went on with some chores at home for a while. This gave me a false feeling of safety, even though I knew Dad always punished disobedience. However, Dad later called me in to give an account of what I had done. My heart sank at the thought of having to answer to Dad for my disobedience. Dad had not forgotten and I was punished, not only for disobeying, but also for running away from him.

Boys and girls, I was completely wrong when I thought I was getting away with my disobedience. It is a reminder of the way God deals with every one of us. Each of us has been disobedient and done things that make us guilty. And God does not forget our sins. The Bible says “there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.” Ecclesiastes 7:20. He has called to each one many times, “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28. He is not calling you to punish you for your sins, as Dad was calling me. God calls to you so that you may accept His Son, the Lord Jesus, as your Substitute and have all your sins washed away through His precious blood. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7.

Dad delayed my punishment for a little while, but I ended up getting what I deserved. The Lord Jesus is waiting in grace and mercy for you to hear His call and receive Him as your Saviour. He does not want you to have to be punished. He died on the cross, bearing the punishment for the sins of every person who will come to Him for forgiveness. But if you continue to run away in disobedience, as I ran from Dad, the time will come when you must give an account to God for not listening to the call of the Lord Jesus. Won’t you respond to His love and grace now? He loves you and wants you to take Him at His word, “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” John 6:37. Why not do that right now! “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2.

ML-07/25/1993

Too Late

John, Dean and Nelson left in plenty of time to reach the airport long before Nelson’s plane was expected to leave. As they drove along enjoying each other’s company, they were suddenly startled by a loud bang and a sudden lurch of the station wagon. The right rear tire had blown.

“Oh well, it won’t take long for the three of us to change one tire,” said Dean, the owner of the station wagon.

They hopped out and had soon dug the spare tire out of the back of the wagon where it had been kept for the last year. But when they got it on the car, they discovered that it was just as flat as the one they’d taken off !

Nelson kept looking at his watch. They still had about an hour before takeoff time.

Realizing they had no way to pump up the spare tire, Dean kept asking himself, “How could I have been so stupid as to take that tire pump out of the car?”

They began waving down cars, hoping someone would have the pump they needed so desperately. Finally, a man with a small hand pump stopped and loaned it to them. Frantically, they began to take turns pumping as fast as they could.

Time was running out, and they well knew it. Time is running out for other people too, but it doesn’t seem to bother them. God warns us that the time to accept the Lord Jesus as our Saviour and settle the question of our sins will soon be over. The Lord Jesus will be coming very soon to take to heaven all those who are cleansed from their sins. Everyone else will be left behind for judgment. 2 Corinthians 6:2 warns, “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”

As soon as the young men thought they had pumped enough air into the tire for it to be safe to drive on, they took off for the airport, driving as fast as they dared. When they stopped at a red traffic light in sight of the small airport, Dean said, “There’s the taillight of your plane, Nelson, so it’s still here.” But as the traffic light turned green and they crossed the intersection, Nelson said hopelessly, “It’s moving . . . I’m too late.” Even so, the three young men raced up to the ticket counter, and Nelson plunked his ticket down, saying, “I guess I missed the plane.”

“Yes,” said the agent, picking up the ticket and examining it, “and your ticket’s no good for future flights.”

Nelson watched the plane rising above the airport and turning west. What a sinking feeling it was to see the plane he had hoped to be on take off without him, knowing that his seat on that plane was empty.

But your salvation is not just a matter of missing an airplane; it’s a matter of life and death. The Lord Jesus offers you life -eternal life - if you will simply come to Him, confessing that you are a sinner and believing that He died on the cross and was punished for your sins so you can have total forgiveness.

Poor Nelson was very dejected. His ticket had cost a lot of money, and now his ticket was useless. He walked back over to the agent and asked, “What should I do?”

The agent was very understanding. He said the very same thing had happened to him only a week before, and so he would do Nelson a favor. He exchanged Nelson’s ticket with no extra charge. Nelson was elated!

And the Lord Jesus is still offering you another opportunity, today, to have your sins washed away in His precious blood. Won’t you take it? “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7. “It is time to seek the Lord.” Hosea 10:12.

ML-08/01/1993

Ann's Cats

One time I was visiting an old friend in another city and I stayed in her home. 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 with 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 find a new home for 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-08/01/1993

Renee's Bus Ride

I glanced at the clock in the Akron bus station. It was 12:20 p.m., and the bus Renee was to take to Pittsburgh was due. Within seconds several passengers from that very bus came walking into the station. The bus had broken down and was sitting on the expressway ramp.

The passengers had all bought tickets to Pittsburgh, with a stop in Akron. They had boarded the bus, expecting to arrive safely. The bus came close. It was within 200 yards of the Akron station - but it did not make it.

We asked the ticket agent what they would do about the trip to Pittsburgh. He told us, “We will bring in a replacement bus. You can expect an hour and a half delay.”

So we settled down in the station for a long wait. It would be an hour and a half before Renee would hear the bus driver’s call for passengers to board the bus for Pittsburgh.

Trains have mechanical failures. Automobiles and buses have flat tires, run out of gas and need new parts. Even airplanes have mechanical problems that have to be repaired. These ways of transportation are designed and made by man, and they depend upon man to do good mechanical work. Everything must be kept in good working order.

Renee’s experience gives us something good to think about. She bought her ticket for Pittsburgh. She was on time at the station, and she expected her bus to arrive on time to take her there. But she was depending on man - the bus driver and the bus company mechanics.

Each one of us will be taking a trip, and the date has already been set - some sooner and some later. This is the trip that will take us from the earth to either heaven or hell. No one wants to go to hell; we all want to spend eternity in heaven. Heaven is the place the Lord Jesus has prepared for those who love Him and have been washed from their sins. Each of us, like Renee, needs to be ready for our trip. We need to be on time, and we need to have that “ticket” to heaven in our hearts. We can depend on the Lord Jesus Christ to take us there safely.

Perhaps your mommy and daddy love the Lord Jesus and have both had their sins washed away. But that won’t count for you. Even though you may go to Sunday school every week, say your prayers, and try to be very good, these things will not buy a ticket to heaven. It is what you have done with Jesus that counts. You have to depend on Him. Have you told Him that you have done things that you should not have done (sin), and that you want to be His child? He wants to live in your heart.

If you have any doubt, don’t wait any longer. If you have not accepted Jesus as your Saviour, simply tell Him you want to do it right now. Be on time and be prepared.

The promises of the Lord Jesus are sure. What He has said He will do. We can depend on Him because He said, “Whosoever believeth in Him [Jesus] should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16.

Renee’s bus ticket cost money. What God offers us is free - Jesus paid the price. You simply open your heart and say, “Yes.” Then He says, “Fear not: for I have redeemed thee [paid the price for you], I have called thee by thy name; thou art Mine.” Isaiah 43:1.

Renee finally heard the bus driver’s call to board the bus for Pittsburgh. And one day soon the Lord Jesus is coming back in the clouds and will call all who have said “yes” to go up to heaven with Him. Will you hear the shout that calls us up to be with Him? The door will be closed after that and there will not be another “come.”

Come on board little ones, and big ones, too. Come before it is too late. “Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.” Luke 12:40.

ML-08/08/1993

Mmmmm, Coconut Ice Cream

Tom was standing on a long extension ladder that was leaning against a coconut tree. That tree must have been about 30 feet tall. He had in his hand a long pole with a saw on the top. Soon a cluster of coconuts came crashing down to the ground. We all helped carry them over to the compost pile. Then Tom took a large machete, over two feet long, and began slicing through the tough outer husk. Working only on one side of each nut, he soon exposed the hard inner shell. Then he made two holes through that shell into the nut and drained off the “coconut milk.” Finally, after opening a half-dozen coconuts he had collected a pitcher full of coconut milk and a big pan full of coconut meat. “Thou shalt eat the labor of thine hands: happy shalt thou be, and it shall be well with thee.” Psalm 128:2.

We were soon to have a real treat, something that we had never had before -fresh coconut ice cream! Cream, eggs and sugar were added to the chopped coconut meat. This was all poured into a container inside the ice cream freezer. Ice and salt surrounded it. The handle of the freezer was turned and turned, until the thick, rich ice cream was just right.

It had taken Tom all afternoon to prepare this treat for us to share. We all ate it slowly and greatly enjoyed the delicious, fresh flavor. We really appreciated all the work he had done to make this possible. We told him how much we enjoyed it and thanked him.

When we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour, we confess to Him that we are sinners. God sent His Son here to open the way for sinners into heaven. That way is open for all who trust in the finished work of Christ. In John 17:4, the Lord Jesus, speaking to His Father, says, “I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do.” The work is all done, never to be done again. “But this Man [the Lord Jesus Christ], after He had offered one sacrifice [Himself] for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God.” Hebrews 10:12. There is nothing now for us to do but believe. Then we know that our entrance into heaven is sure.

We really enjoyed our fresh coconut ice cream. Perhaps someday we will taste it again. But there is not a pleasure nor a treat on this earth which could be as wonderful as the joy we have as Christians. We have the joy of knowing that our sins are gone and of soon being with our Saviour in heaven! There is nothing for us to do but believe and then thank Him.

“These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life.” 1 John 5:13.

“Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.” Luke 12:40

ML-08/08/1993

What Happened in the Fog

The young Scottish preacher had been walking across the moors for hours, but now the sun was setting and the village was still far away. He was a stranger in this part of Scotland, with a wonderful message in his heart. It was a message too good to keep to himself - the good news of Jesus, the Saviour of sinners.

Asking God to show him where to go, he turned his steps toward a lonely house, hoping he might find shelter for the night.

At first no one answered his knock, though he could hear a scurry of footsteps inside. Then the mother opened the door, just a crack, to tell him that her husband was away, and he must find some other place to spend the night.

Was his prayer not answered?

He had not gone very far before a boy of about 12 caught up to him and said, almost in a whisper, “You can go to the shed for the night.” Thankfully, the young preacher followed him back to the shed.

It was a filthy place, used by animals and beggars, but he found a spot in the corner clean enough to sit down and rest his head against the rough corner wall. He prayed there, thanking God for His Son who gave His life for him. He also prayed for the family in the nearby house, as well as for his own weary bones and empty stomach.

In the little house, Robert set the candle on the table and said, “It’s dark early tonight, Mother.”

Grandma looked out the window. “There’s a fog rolling in over the moors,” she said, “and it shuts out the light.”

“Oh,” cried the mother, “we should never have turned that young man away . . . he will be lost in the fog.”

“He isn’t lost,” said Robert. “I told him he could go to the shed.”

“Go at once and bring him in,” his mother said.

At that moment, the young preacher awakened from an uneasy sleep and remembered the story of Joseph in the Bible and how he was brought out of prison and stood before the king. As he thought about this, the door creaked open and a lantern shone into the darkness. Robert invited him to come into the house.

When he entered the little kitchen he was greeted with eight welcoming faces and the warm smell of supper stew. He felt as though he had been brought from a prison into a palace, just as Joseph had.

The children were pleased to see him. Best of all, they were eager to listen when he read the Bible and prayed, and explained to them God’s way of salvation. Four of them received Jesus as Lord and Saviour that night, but not the old grandmother. It was harder for her, because she had her own ideas of what God required in order for her to be accepted into heaven.

“I have prayed,” she said. “I have been a good, faithful wife and mother. Will God be pleased with me?”

The young preacher read the words from Romans 3:23 to her, “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”

“I have been a sinner sometimes,” she said, “but Jesus died for us all. Isn’t that enough?”

The man turned to Romans 10:9 and read, “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.” “That’s very personal, isn’t it? Not just for us all, but one at a time.”

But somehow Grandma could not see that Jesus must be her Saviour personally, or she would be left out of heaven forever.

Not then, but later, Grandma did accept the Lord Jesus as her very own Saviour too.

And that’s what happened on that foggy night. Has this happened also in your life and in your home?

“This day is salvation come to this house.” Luke 19:9.

ML-08/15/1993

Protection

Since we had always lived in the eastern part of the United States, we thought that the high boots and broad-brimmed hats of the southwest were just a fancy way to dress. We didn’t know that cowboys and others wore these for a purpose. But we changed our minds after we had wandered for a while under a blazing sun through the knee-high grasses of a Texan meadow, keeping close watch for scorpions, rattlesnakes and other poisonous critters. Then we understood the very real advantage of those high boots -to protect the legs from poisonous bites. And those big hats acted as umbrellas, not only to keep the eyes shielded from the bright sun, but to protect the head and neck from sunburn and sunstroke.

But we need protection from something even more dangerous-the penalty of our sins. Only the Lord Jesus Christ can protect us from the penalty that each of us deserves. “[Jesus] was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement [penalty] of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed [protected].” Isaiah 53:5. Have you told the Lord Jesus that you know you deserve the punishment for your sins and that you want Him to save you from them? Have you thanked Him for loving you and dying for you? If you haven’t done those things yet, please do them right now. You’ll always be happy that you did, and so will He. “Joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.” Luke 15:7.

ML-08/15/1993

Quail Hollow

Lizzy’s family was on a vacation. As they drove toward their aunt’s cabin in California, the children tried to imagine what it would look like. They hoped there would be a lake or stream and maybe even some deer. Now they were almost there. They drove slowly so they wouldn’t miss the turnoff. Up a hill, under tall trees, a few more turns and there it was. No lake. No stream. Just a little gray cabin. How boring!

But wait! Lizzy spotted something. There was a quaint little sign that said, “Quail Hollow.” On it was a picture of a little round bird with a cute topknot. Lizzy wondered if maybe they would see something interesting after all!

When supper was over the children asked their aunt about the sign, so she turned off the living room light. Then she told them to remain still and quiet and left them by the big side window. As the sky grew darker the children watched, and out of the bushes they saw some mother quail and their peeping chicks creep cautiously to the feeder on the ground to eat crumbs and seeds. A cottontail rabbit even came to nibble at the lettuce and carrots.

Quail Hollow was a safe place for these little creatures to come eat, and before the week was over the children had seen many kinds of birds, more rabbits and even a raccoon!

Just as Lizzy’s aunt loved the quail and other animals and provided safety and food for them, so the Lord Jesus loves you and can provide safety for you if you will let Him. Have you ever admitted to Him that you are a sinner and come to Him to have your sins washed away with His precious blood? He died for you so that you could be safe forever. “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.” John 10:28. He loves you so much, won’t you come to Him today?

“The beloved of the Lord shall dwell in safety by Him.” Deuteronomy 33:12.

ML-08/22/1993

Rescued

During World War II, Lieutenant Jack Richards was shot down in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. His plane sank almost as soon as it hit the water. Rolling over on his back, he floated for some time in his rubber suit, thankful that he had escaped without being injured. But for all he knew, he might be in enemy territory. Anyway, he knew he was stranded.

Darkness began to creep over the ocean, and Jack could just make out the wooded outlines of an island. He decided to swim to it. But distances were confusing, and he wondered if he could swim that far. Overhead he could see the star of the Southern Cross. Thoughts of home raced through his mind as he swam on. Ahead he could see the island dimly outlined by the moonlight. Jack prayed for strength and help, talking to that blessed One who was his Saviour and Lord.

It was after midnight when he reached the shore. He crawled into a cave and thanked God for helping him. Exhausted and hungry, he soon fell asleep.

In the morning he awakened to see the sun through the fringe of bushes. What would he find on the island? Well, he would soon know! Emerging from his “hotel room,” he looked around. Everything was still; the island was thick with trees and other brush.

Carefully, he slipped along through the cover of the brush, feeling that he was being watched, but seeing no one. Toward noon he saw an open space ahead and approached more slowly. Then a bend in the path exposed a little building that looked like a little church. Throwing caution to the wind, Jack broke from cover and ran. He lifted the latch, and the door swung open. Sure enough, it was a little gospel hall. Kneeling down, he gave thanks to God for saving his life and asked Him for help and safety. Rising, he went back outside, closing the door behind him. He was startled to see at the edge of the clearing a large group of natives - men, women and children.

Connecting them in his mind with the gospel hall, Jack began to greet them with words and smiles and motions, only to be met with a stony silence. Puzzled to know what else to do since they did not understand English, he began to sing. He first tried “Amazing Grace,” but there was no response from the natives. He tried another, “What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” but the result was the same. Again he spoke to them, but there was not the slightest response. The natives watched every move he made. They did not seem to be hostile, just curious.

He decided to try one more song. He began a favorite childhood hymn that everyone knows, “Jesus Loves Me.” Instantly those faces came to life, rippling with smiles. By the time the first verse was finished Jack was almost overwhelmed by their friendliness. They brought him food and drink, and the next day helped him to return to his camp.

God’s care of Jack brought him to a place where he could be rescued by those who also loved his Saviour. Although they could not speak the same language, their hearts were the same, because of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

“I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth.” Romans 1:16.

ML-08/22/1993

Endless Mice

I was having a wonderful vacation all by myself up at the Muskoka Lakes. The place where I was staying was built overtop of a boathouse. A long window ran along two sides of the dining room, giving a beautiful view of the bay. I loved the sound of the water lapping against the dock and inside the boathouse. But there was one sound I did NOT like - mice scurrying around in the loft.

The loft could be reached from the kitchen by a short, brown ladder. It was full of the most interesting books, so I spent quite a bit of time up there. But when I snuggled into bed at night, I would lie quite tense, until I heard the mousetrap snap. Then I could relax and drift off to sleep, knowing that mouse would not be running all over the place while I slept.

But the next day I’d hear another mouse. Again I’d set a trap, and again I’d lie fearfully in bed until I heard it snap. Then I’d relax and go off to sleep. Each night for the two weeks I was there I caught a mouse, and each night I’d settle down to sleep as soon as I heard the trap go off. But I’m sure that when I left there were still many mice in that loft.

And there’s never a time in our lives when we don’t need to be on our guard against the tricks of the devil. His tricks never run out. The Bible warns, “My son [or daughter], if sinners entice [tempt] thee, consent thou not [say ‘no’].” Proverbs 1:10. We can turn away from Satan’s tricks if we walk closely with the Lord Jesus and follow His loving directions. But Satan will continue tempting us with his tricks all through our lives down here.

Each of us needs to be sheltered from the penalty of our own sins by the precious blood of Christ. Then we can be kept from the power of sin in our daily lives by reading and obeying the Bible, the precious Word of God, and prayer. When we belong to the Lord Jesus we can count on His help because He lives in our hearts. The Lord Jesus promised, “If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make Our abode [live] with him.” John 14:23. Can you think of anything more wonderful than having the Lord Jesus as your Saviour and your closest friend? No one loves you as much as He does. “We love Him, because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19.

ML-08/29/1993

Ruthie and the Popcorn

The family was all over by the river. They were watching the water-skiers while the two little boys were fishing. The grown-ups sat in lawn chairs. What a lovely fall day it was.

Ten-year-old Ruthie came and hung on the arm of Mother’s chair. She swung back and forth and began to coax for some popcorn.

Daddy said, “Let Mother rest awhile. She has had a busy day, Ruthie. Do you know how to make popcorn?”

“Oh yes,” answered Ruthie. “I know just how to do it, and I can do it all by myself too.”

Mother agreed to let her pop some popcorn and added a few instructions. “Be sure to use the big heavy pan with the tight-fitting lid.” Then she told Ruthie just how much oil and popcorn to put in the pan and reminded her to keep the burner low so as not to scorch the popcorn.

Ruthie was so excited that she skipped the whole way to the house. You see, she had three older sisters, and she seldom got to do things all by herself. Older sisters and brothers sometimes forget to be kind and usually tell the younger ones what to do. They forget that the Bible tells us in Ephesians 4:32, “Be ye kind one to another.”

Soon the heavy pan was on the stove. The oil and popcorn were carefully measured and put in the pan. Ruthie made sure she turned the burner on low. Then with anxious eyes she watched to see the first kernel pop in the sizzling oil.

There it went! “POP!” It was so white and fluffy. Then, “pop-pop-pop,” and the corn was making such a happy sound as it began to fill the pan. Suddenly one kernel shot right up and out of the pan as it popped, then another, and another! Soon popcorn was flying all over the kitchen!

Ruthie was really frightened and didn’t know what to do next. She ran out of the house over to the river screaming, “Mother! Mother! Help! Help!”

Everyone came running. What a popcorn snowstorm met them in the house! Popcorn was all over! Ruthie had tried her best to do a good job of making the popcorn all by herself. But she hadn’t followed one important instruction of her mother’s - put the lid on the big pan.

God’s Book, the Bible, gives many instructions for us to follow. But one of God’s instructions is the most important and must be followed if your life is not going to end in disaster. “Without faith it is impossible to please [God]: 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.

Everyone helped clean up the kitchen. Even the dog was invited into the house for a popcorn feast. Then Ruthie started again, but this time, after she had measured the oil and popcorn, she set the burner just right, and then she carefully placed the lid on the pan. All the popcorn stayed in the pan this time.

Soon it was finished, and Ruthie salted it just the way she had been told. She started for the river again with the apple basket in one hand and the big pan of popcorn in the other. When the family saw her coming, they all clapped their hands and cheered her along. They were pleased that Ruthie had done everything right this time.

“If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land.” Isaiah 1:19. Have you obeyed God’s instructions? If you will confess to Him that you are a sinner and believe that the Lord Jesus died to save you, He will wash away your sins so that you can go to heaven. “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” 1 Timothy 1:15. All you have to do is come to Him and believe. This is the most important instruction from God and must be followed first. Have you done this?

ML-08/29/1993

Sonya

Sonya and her family are refugees. Refugees are people who have had to flee from their native country because of danger to their lives. They usually go to another country that will protect them.

Several years ago, conditions in Sonya’s native country of Albania were so dangerous that Sonya and her family and some of their friends and neighbors left Albania and went to live in Switzerland.

Last year Mr. Richards, a gospel preacher, went to Switzerland. When he heard of the group of Albanian refugees, he decided to go visit them. He wanted to tell them about the Lord Jesus who loved them and died for them.

When Mr. Richards met seven-year-old Sonya, he found that she did not even know who God is. So he sat down to talk to her. He wanted to introduce her to the God in heaven who loved her.

Mr. Richards did not understand the Albanian language, and Sonya did not speak English. They soon found that both of them could speak some French. So Mr. Richards told her about God who loved her so much that He sent His only Son, the Lord Jesus, down to this earth to suffer and die for the sins of all who will trust in Him. He repeated this verse to her, which she had never heard before: “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.

Sonya was so happy to hear of such a loving God that she wanted to thank Him for what He had done. She closed her eyes, and, in a mixture of French and Albanian, she prayed a very simple, four-word prayer. What she said was, “Merci, Zot, pour JŽsus.” Do you know what that means? It means, “Thank you, God, for Jesus.”

Do you think God heard such a short, simple prayer? Yes, He certainly did, and I’m sure He was very happy to hear Sonya’s “thank you” for His wonderful gift.

Have you ever thanked God for sending Jesus to die for you? You do not need long prayers or fancy words to talk to God. Sonya spoke only four words, and in a mixture of two languages, but the prayer came from her heart, and God heard it.

Recently Mr. Richards went back to Switzerland and visited Sonya again. He found that she was happily telling all her Albanian friends about the God who loved her so much He sent His Son - Jesus.

Have you ever told anyone about the God who loves them? If not, why not tell a friend today.

ML-09/05/1993

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 that described 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 The 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 some time 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 you out.” Numbers 32:23.

As certainly 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 judge could not offer him a pardon, but a pardon 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 that you are a sinner to the Lord Jesus now, and accept Him 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.

ML-09/05/1993

Carrie

Carrie was a pretty little blond-haired four-year-old. Her mother and father, sister and brother, and grandparents all loved her. But there was something wrong with Carrie. As I sat in the hospital room holding her, I wondered if she would ever open her eyes again. She groaned and whimpered as I gently washed her face and put clean pajamas on her.

I was Carrie’s nurse for the night, and later I read on her chart what had happened to her. I felt like crying. Carrie had been a normal baby, then grew to the toddler stage, and then to a little girl. Then one day for some unknown reason she suffered a stroke. Now she was unconscious, her brain had stopped working right, and she lay there helpless. There was not one thing her parents could do, and there was not one thing even the very best doctors in the children’s hospital could do.

Children, as you are reading this do you realize that you have a worse sickness than Carrie has? It is the disease of sin. You know that you have done many naughty things. Just one of those sins is enough to keep you out of heaven, that happy place where Jesus lives. But there is Someone who can save you from the disease of sin. God loves you so much that He sent His only Son to die on the cross for you. Now God is offering to give you free forgiveness from all your sins, through the blood of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no one else who can save you from the disease of sin. Carrie’s condition seems hopeless, but yours is not. There is a remedy for sin. Come to Him today before it is too late.

ML-09/12/1993

Tornado!

As Mrs. Torrey cleaned up her kitchen, she thought how strangely the weather was behaving for this time of year. It was the month of January and was unusually warm -almost 70 degrees! The sky was growing dark and it looked as if they were in for a storm. As she looked out the kitchen window, she could see the trees swaying in the wind.

Hearing the rumble of thunder, Mrs. Torrey suddenly remembered that her little dog was outside. She dried her hands and went to the front door to call her dog. As she opened the door a flash of lightning clearly showed a tornado off in the distance and coming toward the house! Horrified, she urgently called, “Tippy, Tippy, come, quickly!” She searched the growing darkness for the little dog and frantically called again, “Tippy!” The little dog sprang into the house, and together they hurried to the basement stairs to go down to a safe spot. As Mrs. Torrey started down to the basement, she knew that the tornado had reached them. She could hear the fury of the wind and the frightening sounds of the tornado.

Storms often speak to us of judgment. Exodus 9:23,24 tells us what happened in the land of Egypt. “The Lord sent thunder and hail, and the fire [lightning] ran along upon the ground; and the Lord rained hail upon the land of Egypt. So there was hail, and [lightning] mingled with the hail, very grievous.” The Egyptians had been persecuting the children of Israel, so the Lord was judging the land of Egypt because of it.

When King David cried to the Lord for relief because of the persecution of his enemies, Psalm 18:13,14 describes how the Lord answered that prayer - “The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave His voice; hail stones and coals of fire. Yea, He sent out His arrows, and scattered them [David’s enemies]; and He shot out lightnings, and discomfited [distressed] them.” God used that severe weather for good - to get rid of David’s enemies.

Many people, especially children, do not enjoy thunder-storms. At night some will pull the covers over their head and plug their ears! And certainly we all would fear a tornado. Sometimes God may send severe weather to remind us that judgment is coming on this world full of sin. Hebrews 9:27 tells us that “it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” The next time there is a thunderstorm, remember that it is reminding you of the power of God. But remember, too, that “there is therefore now no condemnation [no judgment] to them which are in Christ Jesus.” Romans 8:1. “God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:17. God loves you and wants to save you from the coming judgment.

Mrs. Torrey, who is a dear Christian lady, and her dog were kept safe during the tornado. Later on when she looked outside, she was shocked and saddened to see the destruction from the tornado. A tree had been uprooted in the neighbor’s yard on one side, and on the other side the tornado had taken away her neighbor’s garage. Three houses away, four of her neighbor’s houses were missing -completely gone except for the foundations. Other homes had been completely destroyed in the town, but not one person was killed. The tornado had come on a Saturday evening, and many people were not home. However, they all had a big cleanup job ahead of them - rubble was strewn everywhere.

The Lord Jesus is in control of the weather. In Mark 4:37-41 we read about one time when He was on earth and a storm came up. “There arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full.” And this is what He did: “He arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.”

Let’s remember that God wants all men to be saved from that storm of judgment that is coming. He sent His Son, the Lord Jesus, for that very reason. He will save us from our sins so that we may be safe in heaven when He sends that judgment. “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.

Have you come to the Lord Jesus to be washed clean from your sins? Are you safe from the coming storm of judgment?

“God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.”

John 3:17

ML-09/12/1993

Follow the Leader

We were visitors from another state. Soon after we began driving through the mountains of northern Idaho, a local pickup truck loaded with household goods pulled out in front of us. At first I was a little annoyed because I had to slow down quite a bit until he picked up speed. But when we went around that first hairpin curve on the narrow mountain road, with its drop-off shoulder on one side and its high embankment on the other, I began to think differently of that truck driver. In fact, I was thankful he was in front of us. If he hadn’t been directly in front of us, I’m sure I’d have gone too fast around that curve.

I pictured myself crashing through the guardrail and hurtling through space to the bottom of the canyon. I thanked my heavenly Father for sending that pickup truck to go ahead of us.

Obviously its driver was very familiar with the road. When he slowed down, I knew that it was a necessary thing to do. When he speeded up, I knew it would be safe for me to do the same. He was a wonderful leader through all the twists and turns and ups and downs of that winding mountain road, and I was very glad to be following him.

We have a wonderful leader too. As the Lord Jesus walked through this world He set a perfect example. He always did only things that pleased God His Father. As a child He obeyed His parents. As a man He went about doing good, healing many who were sick and teaching people about the kingdom of God.

When wicked men wanted to kill Him because they thought too many people were following Him as their leader, He never hesitated even once to go to Jerusalem, even though He knew that He would be taken captive there. He also knew that He would be mocked, beaten and finally nailed to a cross like a common criminal.

But it was all part of God’s plan so you and I could have our sins forgiven. In Proverbs 8:23 we read of the Lord that He “was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.” He says in verses 31, 35, 36: “My delights were with the sons of men . . . whoso findeth Me findeth life, and shall obtain favor of the Lord. But he that sinneth against Me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate Me love death.”

The Lord Jesus loved you enough to leave the glory of heaven and come to earth to die for you. He wants to forgive your sins and lead you safely to heaven. Will you trust Him as your Saviour and Leader?

“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.

ML-09/26/1993

Alexander's Answer

Alexander Brown was a mischievous little six-year-old boy whose adventures sometimes got him into trouble. But Alexander found out one thing for sure -God answers prayer.

Several times his grandmother had warned Alexander not to go into the river nearby. But one day he did, and he almost drowned.

As his grandmother tells the story, “He had gone to mail a letter for me and then wandered down to the river. Soon after, some of his little pals came banging on my door, shouting that he had fallen into the river. I ran down, but I could not see him. I thought he must have drowned because the water was so high and the current was really strong.”

Alexander had decided to paddle his little raft across the river. He thought that if he stayed close to the wooden footbridge that crossed the river he would be safe. He told himself that he could hang onto it if he ran into trouble.

A wall of water caused by a heavy rain farther up the river turned Alexander’s ‘play river’ into a raging torrent. He was halfway across the river when the flash flood swept him away.

Alexander was not a very good swimmer. Even if he were, the current was too strong to swim against. He found himself tossed like a piece of driftwood in the swirling current. Using his dog-paddle swimming stroke, he fought to keep his head above water.

Alexander was in trouble! But how many children today are in trouble much the same. They find themselves caught in the flash flood called “sin,” being swept downriver toward death! Remember, the Bible says, “The wages of sin is death.” Romans 6:23. God says we have all been caught by sin, for “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23.

For a while Alexander was able to keep his head above water. Then, “I just went down,” he explained later. “I was scared and when I came up again I shouted for Mummy to help me.” But Mummy could not help him because she was miles away.

“Then I shouted for God to help me,” he said. “All at once there was a branch hanging down in the water. I grabbed it and pulled myself out.” Soon he was safe on the riverbank.

God answered a six-year-old boy’s prayer! And He saved him from drowning in the flash flood. But what about boys and girls who are still caught in the river of their sins? Will God hear them shout for help? And will He give them a branch to pull them safely out of sin? Oh yes, He certainly will!

Jesus is called “The Branch” in several places in the Bible (Isaiah 4:2, Jeremiah 23:5, Zechariah 3:8). He is the One who will pull you safely out of your sins. “Christ died for our sins.” 1 Corinthians 15:3. “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:13. Just call to the Lord Jesus to save you, and you will find that you are safe -just like Alexander found himself safe on the riverbank.

ML-09/26/1993

Pesky Flies!

Oh those flies! What an awful problem they were! The ceiling of the barn was black with them. They were all over the cattle, but the flies on the cows’ faces were the worst. The flies would land in the filth of the manure piles, then come with their germ-laden bodies and cling to the faces of the animals, especially around their eyes. The cows’ eyes would become infected and that would attract more flies. They almost drove the cattle crazy.

The cows would rub against the rough wood of their stalls or against the fences to scratch the flies off their bodies. Often they would rub so hard they would break the skin, and the flies would infect the sores. They were constantly swishing their tails and stamping their feet to chase away the flies, but the flies just kept coming. The poor little calves were so bothered and nervous they didn’t eat properly or gain weight as they should.

Then the farmer found a remedy.

Flies mentioned in the Bible are a picture to us of sin. Exodus 8:24 tells us that when the Lord God sent swarms of flies into all the land of Egypt, the land was polluted and spoiled by them. And our sins spoil us too.

But God has a remedy. He sent His own beloved Son to bear our sins on the cross, and now “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7.

Cows love to lick salt, and the remedy the farmer found was a special salt with medicine in it that would go all through the cows’ bodies. Then, when the flies bit the cows, the medicine killed the flies. Soon the cattle were free from flies. They were able to rest contentedly in the fields and grow strong and healthy.

Salt is often spoken of in the Bible. It preserves and helps in healing. When the cows licked the salt they got the medicine all through them, and we need to feed on the Lord Jesus and have Him truly and thoroughly in our hearts and lives. Then our lives will help others. Matthew 5:13 says, “If the salt have lost his savor [saltiness] . . . it is . . . good for nothing.” We must be real! We cannot pretend with God. We cannot walk with Him and have our sins too. The Lord Jesus is God’s remedy for our sins. Tell Him from your heart that you are a sinner and that you need His blood to wash your sins away, and then He will guide you in every step you take. Jesus said, “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise [no way] cast out.” John 6:37.

“Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood.” Revelation 1:5.

ML-10/03/1993

Bucky

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 Cheryl, his little sister.

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 from your sins. He loves you so much that He came into this world and died on the cross, shedding His blood to wash away sins. 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 sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” Ephesians 2:13.

ML-10/03/1993

Storm Warnings

Fall is hurricane season in the southeastern United States as well as in the Caribbean islands. These violent, tropical storms usually have winds over 70 miles per hour and are often accompanied by heavy rains. Ocean tides rise much higher than normal, causing lots of damage to coastal areas. Hurricanes can even start small tornadoes when they reach land, which can cause further damage to homes and lives.

A few years ago, while I was working in the southern part of Florida, a hurricane developed in the Caribbean. The weathermen named it Hurricane Floyd. As I was going to work that morning, it was already moving toward the southern tip of Florida at about 15 miles per hour. Within the hurricane itself the winds had risen to about 80 miles per hour. That was strong enough to cause a lot of destruction, and so this was not a storm for people to ignore.

By noon, the weather reports were still warning that the storm was moving in the direction of south Florida, so all children were sent home from school early. The teachers didn’t want any children to be in school when the storm struck; they wanted them all safe at home.

Early in the afternoon, with the storm moving still closer, businesses closed down and also sent their workers home early. At each company before they went home, workers put up aluminum panels over every window. This would keep them from being broken by objects which were carried by the strong winds, if the hurricane or a tornado came close to their building.

On their way home many people stopped at grocery stores to buy extra food. If the storm stayed in the area for several days, nobody wanted to be stuck at home without enough food.

As I saw all of the preparations being made, I was impressed with how seriously everyone accepted the report that there was a dangerous storm moving in their direction. The fact of a coming storm also reminded me that God has warned us of another coming storm - the storm of God’s righteous judgment against our sins. We have all sinned; the Bible clearly tells us in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” And not one sin can ever enter heaven. Instead, the storm of God’s punishment must fall on us, if we do not use the shelter He has provided from that storm.

Like many other people, I went home early that afternoon and stayed inside all evening. At any moment I was expecting to hear the wind howling outside and the rain start beating down. But when I got up the next morning, everything was calm outside, and it looked as though only a little rain had fallen. It turned out that the storm had moved back out to sea without touching much of the coast of southern Florida. Even the weathermen decided to rename Floyd a “tropical storm” instead of a “hurricane.” A tropical storm isn’t as powerful as a hurricane.

God has not only told us about the coming storm of judgment, He has also told us about the shelter He has provided for us because He loves us. He sent His own Son, the Lord Jesus, into this world. At the end of His perfect life in this world, the Lord Jesus was crucified. While He hung on that cross, God punished Him for sin. The awful storm of all God’s righteous anger against sin beat on His blessed head until, at the end of the three hours, He cried, “It is finished.” John 19:30. He suffered the full force of all that storm. Now, everyone who believes that the Lord Jesus bore all the punishment for their sins is safely sheltered from ever themselves having to go through that storm. “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 [judgment]; but is passed from death unto life.” John 5:24.

Just like all of the people who believed the weather reports that warned of the soon-coming storm and got ready for it, we also should believe God’s report and accept the only shelter that He has provided by believing in the Lord Jesus, our Deliverer from the coming wrath.

The next morning after the storm had passed, I heard many people laughing and even mocking the weathermen and all of the preparations that had been made for nothing. And there are many people who mock at God’s warnings also. But that does not change the fact that the Lord Jesus is going to come “in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Thessalonians 1:8. Those who are not sheltered by believing in the Lord Jesus and His precious blood which He shed on the cross to cleanse from all sin will spend all eternity in hell. There they themselves will be punished for all of their sins, and that punishment will never end.

How is it with you? Are you sheltered from that storm by the Lord Jesus, or will you have to face it alone?

ML-10/10/1993

Do Grandpas Ever Die?

Davy and his mother were looking at old photographs. There was a funny one of his dad when he was only three years old, and one of his mother when she was only one year old. Davy saw some pictures of his grandparents and great-grandparents too. He knew his two great-grandpas, “but where are the great-grandmas?” Davy asked. He didn’t know them.

His mother explained that they had died before he could remember them, and were right now in heaven.

Davy thought about this for a while. “Mom,” he finally said, “do grandpas ever die?”

To five-year-old Davy, his 88-year-old great-grandpas seemed so old he thought they must have always been around! His mother told him, “Yes, someday they will also die, unless the Lord Jesus comes first.”

Davy learned this Bible verse, “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” Hebrews 9:27. Then he told his mother that he was ready to die, because he had asked the Lord Jesus Christ to wash his sins away.

So when Davy gets to heaven he will meet his great-grandmas, but best of all, he will see the face of Jesus who loved him and died for him. That day is coming very soon.

What about you? Are you ready if the Lord Jesus comes or if you should die?

“Be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” Matthew 24:44.

ML-10/10/1993

Fun With Friends

Do you have friends in your neighborhood you like to play with? My four-year-old son, Tom, has two little friends who he plays with often.

Every morning at about 10:30, Micah comes over and rings the doorbell. “Can Tom come out to play?” When I say “yes,” Tom always smiles, stops what he’s been doing inside, and goes outside to play with his friend. Sometimes they ride their bikes, and sometimes they just run around the yard. They play together happily almost every day.

But I have noticed something—Tom copies everything his friend Micah does! If Micah hops around, Tom hops along behind him. If Micah screams, Tom screams. If Micah picks a flower, Tom picks a flower. When they ride their bikes, Tom rides right behind Micah, turning where he turns and stopping where he stops.

Sometimes Tom gets into trouble when he copies his friend. They are not to pick flowers, and they are not to scream at the top of their lungs. And sometimes Tom listens to his friend rather than obeying me!

And sometimes we do the very same thing. Rather than obey what the Lord Jesus tells us about accepting Him as our Saviour, we follow our friends instead. We want to be like them and have their approval.

When the Lord Jesus was here on earth, He went everywhere doing good and teaching the people. He told them many wonderful things. The people listened to Him eagerly, but the religious leaders were jealous because the people paid so much attention to the Lord Jesus. They warned the people not to say (or confess) that Jesus was the Christ, or they would be in trouble. And yet John 12:42 and 43 tells us that many of the chief rulers did believe on Him, but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him. They were afraid they would be thrown out of the synagogue for saying that Jesus was the Christ. Those chief rulers loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

Isn’t this terribly sad? Those chief rulers knew that the Lord Jesus was the Messiah that Israel had been waiting for, but they went along with their friends rather than confess that He was the Christ. And we are being just like those chief rulers when we go along with our friends. We need to accept the Lord Jesus as our Saviour and then confess to others that He is our Saviour. Romans 10:9 says, “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.”

Tom’s other little friend is a three-year-old neighbor named Nicolas. He likes Tom and loves to come over and play with his toys. Nicolas is not at home during the day, so we don’t see him till about 4:00 in the afternoon.

Nicolas has a different problem than Tom has. Whenever I see him doing something that is wrong, all I have to say is “Nicolas!” Rather than listen to me, Nicolas takes off running!

The Lord Jesus said many times in the New Testament, “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” We need to be willing to listen. It is important to listen to God’s Word because this wonderful book is where we learn all about God and His heart of love towards us. “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.

Nicolas is starting to get to know me, so sometimes now if I say, “I want to talk to you; come here, Nicolas,” he’ll come and listen. He doesn’t have to be afraid of me because I want to be kind to him. And you don’t have to be afraid to come to the Lord Jesus. He loves you! “Hereby perceive [understand] we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us.” 1 John 3:16.

ML-10/17/1993

ATTACKED by an Octopus!

The most serious damage appeared to be to the ship, the S.S. Dunvegan Castle which had collided with the pier. There had been damage to both the ship and the pier, but it was hard to tell how bad the damage really was.

To learn how much damage had been done to the ship, an underwater diving company was hired. John Palmer was sent to make the inspection dive. With him was his support crew which stayed on the ship to assist him during the dive. John reviewed with his crew the signals he would use during the dive, especially in an emergency.

John went overboard in his diving suit with attached air hoses and with ropes to pull him back to the boat. The sea was calm, and he was able to make a good inspection of both the ship and the pier. He was about to signal his crew to pull him back to the surface, when suddenly something darted out from a crevice in the rocks and gripped his arm as if it were in a vise. In a moment of awful horror, John realized that he was in the grip of an octopus! Then another tentacle flashed around his chest, and he was held in a deadly embrace!

John was helpless. There was nothing he could do to get free. He knew his only chance was to get help from above!

Are you still being held captive by your sins? Sin is deadly! Only the Lord Jesus Christ can save you and break you free from its tentacles of power. If you have never come to the Lord Jesus to have your sins taken away, you have no more power to free yourself than John had. Call to the loving Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, and He will set you free. “Whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Acts 2:21.

Up on deck lay John’s only hope to get out of this alive! With all his might he desperately pulled the emergency signal. Almost immediately he felt himself rising . . . they had gotten his signal and were pulling him up. But his enemy, the octopus, was going up with him! Still, he didn’t lose hope - he would soon reach help. Up, up, up he went. It seemed to take forever, but finally he could see daylight. He soon reached the surface of the water.

“An octopus!” yelled the first man to see John. “Quick! Get a knife!” Using the knife and a small ax, they worked at releasing John. It was not an easy job since octopus tentacles are lined with hundreds of tiny suction cups. But at last John stood free - no longer the captive of an octopus. What a relief!

Would you like relief from your sins? Jesus is able and willing to save anyone who comes to Him. “He sent from above. He took me; He drew me out of many waters.” 2 Samuel 22:17.

ML-10/17/1993

My Best Friend

Our class had been on a tour to an art gallery and historic buildings in another city. It was all very interesting, but it wasn’t only a pleasure trip. We each had an assignment that was hard work too. So our teachers thought we deserved an evening party at a country club just outside the town.

I was a young Christian then and I didn’t like the thought of the party, but our group went and I had no place else to go. I remember the loud music and the chatter that I might have shared in if I had not known the Lord Jesus as my Saviour.

As I stood there feeling uncomfortable, I noticed another girl sitting at the back near the exit door. I had never seen her before, but somehow I felt like sitting beside her.

She smiled a welcoming smile as I sat down. “God doesn’t want me to join in this party,” she said. “I can’t fit in here because I belong to Jesus.” And then I knew I had found another young Christian!

“Let’s go outside and talk,” she said, and we slipped away without being noticed.

The grass was long and wet with dew, but it was a beautiful summer evening. Wet feet did not bother us at all. We walked on and on, and what a lot we found to talk about! (It’s a wonderful bond to meet a real Christian, isn’t it?) Her name was Marilyn. “Tell me how you were saved,” I said to her.

“Even when I was little I always went to Sunday school,” she said, “and I loved to see the teacher smile when I repeated Acts 16:31: ‘Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.’ But I did not like to be told that I was a sinner. The stories of Jesus were interesting, but I wished they would leave the sinner part out.

“But I clearly remember one day when I was five years old. I had my dolls all lined up on the bed, and the bright sun was shining in, lighting up each of my little treasures, when suddenly I thought, ‘I’m a bad girl.’ It came to me just like that, and I knelt down by the bed and said, ‘Lord, I’m a bad girl. Save a bad girl.’ And he did! And it has been real in my heart ever since.”

We shared so many happy things that evening, telling each other how wonderful the Lord Jesus had been in the past, and what He meant to us right then, and what it will be like when He takes us to His Father’s house in heaven as He has promised. We were just so happy as we talked about all these things.

The party was ending as we returned, and the teachers had begun to worry about us, but it ended up all right. The other students were thrilled, excited, exhausted, or jealous and depressed after their party. They had probably tasted the pleasures of sin that only last for a short while, but we had tasted the pleasures that will be ours forever.

Marilyn has been my best friend ever since. Others have told me, “There are lots of things the other girls do that Marilyn won’t do, but she is always ready to help anybody.”

If you don’t have a good Christian friend like that, will you ask God to give you one?

“I am a companion of all them that fear Thee.” Psalm 119:63. “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life.” 1 John 5:13.

ML-10/24/1993

Lost and Found

“Scoot . . . go outside!”

Hearing that angry voice and with a little help out the door, Nipper seemed to know that he was not wanted in that house. Down the back porch steps and out into the cold rain, the little brown and white dog was led to the cold garage.

Poor Nipper was lost. He had followed a little girl home from school who had petted him and seemed friendly. But her mother had not seemed so friendly. They had found out from his collar tag that his name was Nipper, but he was not welcome in their house.

He had wandered away from his home and gotten lost. For two days he had roamed around looking for his home. No one seemed to care about a little lost dog, and he had not found very much to eat. He could not have known that there were four children at home crying for him, and that they had been hunting and calling for him during those two days.

That evening the friendly little girl told her daddy about the little dog that had followed her home from school. Later, as he was reading the paper, he suddenly asked her, “Is that little dog brown and white?”

“Yes, he is.”

“Is the name on his tag Nipper?”

“Yes it is, Daddy.”

“It says here in the ‘Lost and Found’ column that someone has lost a little brown and white dog with that name. Is he still around?”

“I think he’s out by the garage, trying to keep dry,” his daughter answered, relieved. “Want me to check?”

Nipper was still there, and after a telephone call Nipper heard the familiar voices of four children calling him. Their parents had driven them over to pick up their lost pet.

I wonder if any lost boys or girls are reading this story today. Do you know that in the Bible God talks about “lost” and “found” people? Some boys and girls are “lost,” but some have been “found,” and they are so happy!

God describes the lost ones very carefully. He says they have sinned and cannot go to heaven. The name they carry is “sinner.” They cannot find their way to heaven by themselves.

Someone is searching for lost boys and girls like you. “The Son of man [the Lord Jesus Christ] is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10. He loves you very much. If you will let Him find you and wash away your sins, you will no longer be “LOST,” instead you will be “FOUND.” Then someday He will welcome you into His home called heaven.

“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.

ML-10/24/1993

The Trade for Marbles

Rosa was a young girl of about eight years old when she first heard that the Lord Jesus loved her and wanted to be her Saviour. For many nights she had prayed and cried and wondered how she could be saved from her sins. Then one day she told God that she was sorry about her sins and asked Him to make her heart clean with the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ. Rosa was so happy! She told her parents, brother, aunts and cousins about her Saviour, and some of them came to know and love Him too.

But several years later Rosa got to worrying. As we sat talking one day she said, “Sometimes I ask God to forgive me. I ask and ask and ask, but I don’t feel forgiven. Isn’t there something more I can do?”

I told Rosa, “No there isn’t. Jesus paid the whole price for your sins when He died on the cross. He rose from the grave and is now in heaven, and there is nothing for you to do. Just trust Him. How you feel has nothing to do with your forgiveness. You will always be forgiven.”

I had Rosa take a red pencil and underline some words in her Bible. One of them was John 5:24: “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.” Notice that it doesn’t say “might have eternal life,” or “probably will not come into condemnation,” or “might pass from death unto life”!

I think these words helped Rosa, and I hope they will help you if you are wondering if you are really forgiven. Why not look in your Bible for some more “for sure” words. Look in John 3:16, Acts 16:31, and Romans 10:9 for starters.

ML-10/31/1993

Forgiven

Has anyone ever talked you into doing something you knew you should not do? Sometimes our friends can talk us into doing things that are wrong, especially when they offer us something we like. Another way they might get us to do something wrong is to say, “If you don’t do this, we are not going to be your friends any more.” Often they may try to get you to do for them what they are afraid to do for themselves.

When I was a young boy about 9 or 10 years old, some older boys said they would trade me some marbles if I would do something for them. They wanted me to buy them some cigarettes by charging them to my dad’s account at the store. I knew better and I was afraid to do it, but I really wanted those marbles.

Not only did I want those marbles, I wanted to have those older boys as my friends. Those two reasons were enough to overcome my fear of doing something I knew was wrong. I bought the cigarettes and charged them to my dad’s account. Then I gave those cigarettes to the older boys and they gave me some beautiful marbles. They were pleased, and so was I.

Now, I did not understand how charging to an account actually worked. The store clerk made a record of the charge, of course, and gave me a carbon copy of the sales slip. So I just tore up the copy he gave me, thinking I had destroyed the record of what I had done. I did not know that the clerk kept the first copy of the sales slip.

You may be thinking that I was foolish. Yes, I had done a very foolish thing, and the end result was not what I expected. I thought I had covered up my sin, but the Bible warns us in Numbers 32:23, “Be sure your sin will find you out.”

Wanting those marbles caused me to do what I knew was wrong. Very often the pleasure of sin “right now” is used by the devil to persuade people to go ahead and do just what they want, even though they really know it is wrong. The very temporary fun “right now” causes them to forget that God’s Word says they will have to answer to Him for everything they do that is wrong. Nothing is covered up.

When Dad went to the store to pay his bill, there was the record of my purchase. When he asked about the charge, the store clerk said, “That red-headed boy of yours got them the other day.”

I was found out!

Many boys and girls, and many grown-ups too, foolishly go on doing whatever they want, wrongly thinking that no record is kept. For those who do not come to the Lord Jesus to have their sins forgiven, it will be an awful thing to discover that every sin, big or little, was written down in God’s perfect record book. Just as the record of my sin was in the charge book at the store and I was going to have to answer to my dad, so every person whose sins are unforgiven will have to answer to God for them. The Bible says, “I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened . . . and the dead [those who died with their sins unforgiven] were judged out of those things which were written in the books.” Revelation 20:12. The Lord Jesus, before whom all must stand as judge, is the very same One who loved them and shed His precious blood so that all who believe on Him (receive Him into their hearts as Saviour) might have all their sins forgiven.

You can be sure my dad punished me, not only for having bought the cigarettes, but also for hiding from him what I had done. When my sin was discovered, it was too late for me to escape my father’s punishment. If you put off receiving the Lord Jesus as your Saviour until the awful day when you must stand before Him as your judge, it will be too late for you to escape eternal punishment.

But you may still come to the Lord Jesus right now, confessing to Him that you are a sinner and have all your sins forgiven and be saved forever. “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 Lord Jesus is telling you right now, “He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation [judgment].” John 5:24. If you wait until you have to stand before the Lord Jesus as your judge, He can only say to you, “Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire.” Matthew 25:41.

Won’t you come to Him right now and be forgiven?

ML-10/31/1993

A Tornado and Rachel's Prayer

On a spring day in April in Bermuda, seven-year-old Rachel went off to school as usual. She thought it would be just another ordinary day. But it wasn’t.

About 11 o’clock a tornado hit the island. Its strong whirlwinds tore roofs off 20 homes and scattered furniture and belongings over the fields. Large hailstones pelted the school. The windows rattled and the building shook.

Rachel screamed, closed her eyes and covered her ears. She screamed again and again. She was so frightened that she crawled under her table and continued crying.

Her classmate tried to comfort her. “Why are you crying? You’ll be all right.”

Rachel replied, “But my daddy is outside working in this awful storm.” Then Rachel said to herself, What am I doing? I belong to the Lord Jesus, and many of these children don’t know Him and I am making such a fuss . . . I’m going to pray. So she quietly asked the Lord Jesus to keep her daddy safe. Then she got out from under her table and said, “He’ll be all right.”

Sometimes those of us who belong to the Lord Jesus forget to ask Him for help when we are in trouble. The Bible reminds us what to do. Psalm 56:3 says, “What time I am afraid, I will trust in Thee.” And Psalm 86:7 says, “In the day of my trouble I will call upon Thee: for Thou wilt answer me.” When Rachel remembered that she belonged to the Lord Jesus, she asked Him for help. What do you think happened?

Soon, the storm lessened and the children went back to their schoolwork.

After school Rachel hurried home as fast as she could. When she got there she found, to her great delight, that her daddy was safely at home. She gave him a big hug and said, “Oh, thank the Lord you are safe.”

Do you know why Rachel knew she could ask the Lord Jesus to keep her daddy safe? It was because several years ago she accepted Him as her Saviour and she belongs to Him. If He loved her so much that He died for her sins, she knew she could trust Him to take care of her daddy in that terrible storm.

Rachel learned this little hymn in Sunday school and then she opened her heart to Jesus.

At the heart’s door

the Saviour’s waiting,

At the heart’s door locked in sin.

Can’t you hear Him gently

knocking?

Open the door and

let Him in.

Have you ever opened your heart to Jesus? He loves you and He is knocking right now. Why not let Him come in?

“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man [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.

ML-11/07/1993

Looking for a Friend

“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

Tony was looking for an old friend. When he got near the place he was looking for, he stopped to ask someone how to get to his friend’s house. The man giving him directions lived in the area. After receiving the directions to his friend’s house, Tony asked, “Is that the best way?” The man who gave him the directions answered, “That is the ONLY way.”

Boys and girls, there is no other way to heaven except through the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us that “all have sinned,” and “that through this man [Jesus] is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins.” Acts 13:38. If you and I are going to be in heaven, it must be through faith in one Person, the Lord Jesus, and the blood He shed on Calvary’s cross. We must open our hearts to receive Him as our very own Saviour. The Bible tells us this is the ONLY way to heaven.

The good news of the gospel must be believed, and God expects us to believe what He says. “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. . . . He was buried, and . . . He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” 1 Corinthians 15:3,4. Do you believe what God says about the way to heaven? You must if you want to be in that happy place where we all want to go. “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.

Have you noticed that part of the “verse to memorize this week” is printed in darker type? Here is why.

We are happy that many of you learn these verses every week. Memorizing God’s holy Word is very important. Can you think of some reasons why? One very important reason is given to us in Psalm 119:11. It says, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee.” If a verse has been learned, the Lord Jesus can bring it into your mind just when you need it most - to help you do or say what is right and what will please Him.

Some of you children probably learn these verses by yourselves. Some of you younger ones may have someone help you learn them. Perhaps there are some very young children who are only able to learn part of the verse each week. Since our memory verse this week is longer, we have printed in darker type a part for beginners to learn. We do this often when we have a longer verse.

We hope this will encourage everyone, even the very young, to memorize Scripture.

ML-11/07/1993

Please Put on Your Crown!

When you get dressed today, boys and girls, don’t forget to wear your crown! Or did you think that crowns were only for kings and queens? Certainly kings and queens do wear crowns, but there are other kinds of crowns too, and some of them can be for you.

Some of the first crowns ever made were not of silver or gold at all. They were made of leaves and flowers and given to the winners of races or poetry contests. Of course, these crowns wilted and faded, but at the time the winners considered the crown to be a grand prize.

King Henry V of England had a special crown. He wore it on his helmet during a battle. Some say the crown saved King Henry’s life when part of it was chipped off during the fighting. When Queen Victoria was to be crowned she was only 18 years old and too small to be able to wear the heavy crown that was usually worn at the coronation. So they made a new crown for her that had 2,783 diamonds, 277 pearls, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds and 5 rubies. Even with all those jewels it was lighter than the other crown.

The present Queen of England, Queen Elizabeth II, has a crown made of silver. It’s trimmed with many jewels, like the Koh-i-noor diamond which is one of the most famous diamonds in all the world. But the crown is so heavy and uncomfortable that they had to line it with ermine fur, and even then the Queen cannot wear it for very long. Most of the time it sits in a heavy glass case with guards around it. When the Lord Jesus comes back to rule the world and the earth and heaven flee away before the face of Him that sits on the throne, this heavy crown will return to nothing, as it was before God created the world.

But none of these crowns are for you and me. We will never be the king or queen of England. But the Bible does tell us of other crowns that can be for us. The “crown of life” is for those who have been faithful to the Lord Jesus unto death. The “crown of glory” is for those who have helped take care of God’s sheep. And the “crown of righteousness” is for those who love the appearing of the Lord Jesus. These are crowns that the Lord Jesus will give in heaven to those who have been faithful. These crowns will not fade away like the crowns of leaves! And no one will find them to be too heavy, like the English crowns!

But do we have to wait until we get to heaven for all the crowns? What about the one I suggested that you wear today? That crown is found in Psalm 103:2,4. “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits . . . who crowneth thee with loving-kindness and tender mercies.” This sparkling crown is very comfortable, even in bed! It will not fade and it will not disappear when the heavens and the earth melt away. You can even wear it in heaven. This crown is the loving-kindness of the Lord Jesus and His tender mercies. How the Lord Jesus loves to see you with this crown on! If you aren’t wearing it, maybe it’s because you’ve never accepted the greatest loving-kindness ever given - the forgiveness of your sins. “In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” Ephesians 1:7.

There are some people who seem to wear this crown of loving-kindness all the time, and how it sparkles! You don’t have to do anything to earn it, for it is given by the loving favor of the Lord Jesus. One dear Christian lady in Canada used to wear this crown every time I saw her. She was old and had health troubles and very often she was alone. But her joy in the Lord Jesus shone out so beautifully that it was clear that she was wearing her crown of loving-kindness and tender mercies.

One day this Christian lady came to our house for supper when we had invited some of the children from the Sunday school. These children, I’m afraid, not only did not have a crown but they also did not have the Saviour. They spent quite a lot of time complaining and running noisily up and down the stairs. My smile faded as I tried to calm down these children, and I’m afraid any crown that I might have had faded too. But this dear Christian lady’s crown kept shining. She saw more than just the naughty children. She saw their precious souls that needed salvation and called them “dear children” and wanted a kiss from each one as they left. I’ve never forgotten that visit even though it was many years ago, because our dear old friend was wearing her crown, and I saw it sparkle.

Before we stop talking about crowns there is one more special crown that I must tell you about. If it were not for this crown, then it would not be possible for you or me or even that dear old lady to have a crown at all. This crown was made of thorns and it was placed upon the head of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. Although He is truly King of all kings and Lord of all lords, He came into this world to die on the cross for our sins. Wicked men placed that crown of thorns on His head, and Jesus wore it for you and for me. Have you ever thanked Him?

If you have never received the Lord Jesus as your Saviour, then you cannot have any of the crowns in heaven and you cannot wear the crown of loving-kindness now. But that can be changed if you will do what this Bible verse says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” Acts 16:31.

If you have already accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, then don’t forget to let your crown be seen! You’ll enjoy it, and I’ll be happy to see it sparkle. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16.

ML-11/14/1993

Skipper the Hero

Jason was spending a day at Muskrat Lake. He brought his dog Skipper along since the two of them went everywhere together and enjoyed playing outside.

They were having a good time when suddenly Jason and Skipper saw a rattlesnake in the grass. It was ready to strike at Jason! Before he could think of what to do, Skipper attacked the snake. Instead of biting Jason, the snake bit Skipper. The snake was later killed, but Skipper’s life was in danger.

Jason’s family rushed the dog to a vet who helped him recover from the snake bite. Skipper is fine now, and no one is more pleased with his brave dog than Jason. Skipper even had his picture in the newspaper with Jason beside him. How thankful Jason was that Skipper saved his life.

How thankful we should be, too, that the Lord Jesus took the punishment on Calvary’s cross for every person who would accept Him as their own Saviour. He suffered there for us so that we wouldn’t have to bear our own punishment for our sins in hell. What a wonderful Saviour He is! “Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” 1 Peter 2:24.

We hope that everyone reading this story can truly say, “The Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20. Can you?

ML-11/14/1993

Colombe, the Indian Child

Way back in pioneer days, Rose played by the door of her log cabin. The dark pine forest seemed to fence her in, and she was wishing for the hundredth time that she had someone to play with. Suddenly, a little Indian girl came out of the trees, walking all by herself, right toward her.

Rose was delighted. Smiles were better than words. Everything was new and wonderful for both of them now that they could share things together. Her new friend’s name was Colombe, a gentle Indian child, and every moment they were together was golden.

The afternoon passed quickly, and as the shadows grew long, Colombe turned to the forest path to leave. But Rose’s father would not let her go alone. The evening forest was full of hidden dangers, but the child walked ahead without a trace of fear. He followed along behind her to the edge of the forest, but he stopped there. He felt, rather than saw, that the path was lined with the brown bodies and watchful eyes of Indian braves who would guard her the rest of the way. She must be a chief ’s daughter, he thought. There was no need to follow her any further.

Colombe returned day after day, and Rose talked of nothing else. They were very best friends and they shared everything, and that is why Rose eagerly shared with her friend her Saviour -Jesus! The One dearest to her heart must be shared with her friend, and Colombe understood. Her heart opened to the love of Jesus and she learned to pray to Him.

But there came a day when Rose watched and waited, and her little Indian friend did not come. Day after day she waited, and then asked her father to please follow the forest path and see what had happened. He returned with the news that the wigwams were gone and the fires were cold. They had moved on.

There were many tears and prayers in the log cabin in the months that followed. It seemed a long, long time until finally the smoke of the campfires rose into the sky again. The Indians had returned, but still Colombe did not come to Rose’s log cabin.

And then one day a tall Indian came from the dark forest to the cabin of the white settler. Clearly, he was the Chief of the tribe. Both men knew a little French, enough to be understood. The white man stood silent, waiting for the Chief to raise his downcast eyes and tell his sad story. He had three sons who had died of fever, one by one. One little treasure was left to them, his little gentle daughter, the light of her parents’ eyes and the princess of the tribe. But recently she also had died of fever.

“But this was different,” he told Rose’s father. “She was very, very sick but she was not afraid. She talked of Jesus who is alive, and who was so real to her. She said she was going to Jesus, and she died with joy. I have come,” said the Chief, “to learn of Jesus.”

If someone came to you and asked to learn of Jesus, could you tell them? You might be able to tell something about Him, but if Jesus is really your living, loving, coming Saviour, you will be able to tell who He is. Do you know Him? It is only Jesus who can give you joy when you die.

Everybody ought to know

who Jesus is.

On the cross He died for sinners

And His blood makes white

as snow;

Living, loving, coming Saviour,

He’s the One you ought to know.

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

ML-11/21/1993

Wallace the Artist

Wallace was different from most artists. He did not have a special room where he painted, nor did he travel around the island where he lived to find beautiful scenes to paint. Wallace had his canvas, colors and brushes in a hospital ward.

Mr. Albert, a Christian preacher, sometimes visited this island and went to the hospital to read the Bible to the sick people there. For many years Mr. Albert had a picture of a beautiful sunset scene on the wall in his home that Wallace had painted from his window in the hospital ward.

One day Mr. Albert visited this island hospital with two Christian ladies, Pearl and Shirley. They sat at one end of the ward singing hymns and reading the Bible to Wallace and other patients. As Mr. Albert read and told of the love of God, he heard a little gasp from Pearl and Shirley. Then he saw where they were looking.

At the other end of the ward, something was moving under a white sheet. The sheet completely covered the person in that bed. Soon up came a poor, blind and horribly disfigured man. You see, every man, woman and young person on that island and in that hospital was a leper! Some were so terribly disfigured that they spent day and night under a white sheet so that no one could see them. You would have gasped too if you could have seen that poor man.

Why do we tell you this? Wallace, the artist, and that poor blind man at the other end were both lepers. You could not see one sign of leprosy on Wallace, but the other man was pitiful to see. Both, however, had the same disease.

Maybe you also have seen some pitiful people: a homeless person, a drunk lying in the gutter, a woman in prison - and then you have also seen some fine people. They are “good neighbors” or “nice church people.” Maybe some put on their best clothes and walk with a Bible under their arm. But in the sight of God before whom all shall stand, they are all sinners. “For there is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:22,23.

Wallace looked just fine and could paint beautiful pictures, but he was a leper just like the other man. Maybe you are growing up in a Christian home and know many verses or even whole chapters from the Word of God. But God still says, “There is no difference.” Everyone is either a lost sinner and on the road to hell or else a saved sinner and on the road to heaven. Even if you are one of the best students at your school, you still need the same remedy for your sins that the worst troublemaker in your school needs. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7.

Could you imagine how foolish it would have been for Wallace, the artist, to refuse to accept any treatment for his leprosy just because there was someone at the other end of the ward who was much worse? No, Wallace realized that the remedy the other man needed was the same one he needed. Do not refuse to come to the Lord Jesus to have your sins washed away just because you know someone who is worse! “There is no difference . . . for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:12,13.

ML-09/19/1993

"Not Worth Visiting"

Before Mr. Albert left the hospital that day he asked, “Have I visited all the patients?”

“Yes,” was the reply, “at least, all but one.”

“What do you mean, all but one?” asked Mr. Albert.

“There is one lady who is not worth visiting.”

“Why not?” asked Mr. Albert.

“She doesn’t believe that there is anything wrong with her. She won’t pay any attention to us or to the remedy we offer for her leprosy. There’s no use in going to see her.”

But Mr. Albert asked to see her anyway. He walked in and spoke to the lady. There was no response. She didn’t even look up from the book she was reading.

“Could I read to you?” asked Mr. Albert.

Again there was only silence. The lady did not act as though she even knew that he was in the room. Mr. Albert read out loud from the Bible anyway, and then he knelt down and prayed.

“Good-bye,” Mr. Albert said.

Still, she never said anything nor even looked at him.

Mr. Albert left a little sad, but he knew that he had met other people whose attitude toward their sinful condition was just as foolish. Even many boys and girls don’t believe that they have sinned or need a Saviour, just as that lady didn’t believe that she was sick or needed medicine. We hope you will not be like this lady. Your own memory will tell you that the Bible is true when it tells you that you are a sinner. “For there is no man that sinneth not.” 1 Kings 8:46.

I hope you will be like Mr. Albert who knew that he was a sinner and came to the Saviour, the Lord Jesus, to have all his sins washed away.

Christ is the Saviour of sinners

Christ is the Saviour for me;

Long I was chained in sin’s darkness,

Now by His grace I am free.

Saviour of sinners,

Saviour of sinners like me,

Shedding His blood for my ransom,

This is the Saviour for me!

ML-09/19/1993

Hit and Miss

While they were waiting for their parents to finish chatting, Robby and Eric were busy cramming their pockets with stones to throw at the sturdy old oak tree in the front yard.

“Look at me, Grandma! Watch me hit that big tree!” Robby called, nodding his head toward the oak tree and winding up like a baseball player eager to strike out the man at bat. But the stone flew right past the tree, followed by several more stones that also flew right past the tree.

Six-year-old Eric watched the younger boy for a while, then threw his stone. A direct hit!

“Good aim, Eric. You directed that stone right to the center of the tree. That’s like our Bible memory verse for this week, isn’t it? ‘The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.’ 2 Thessalonians 3:5.”

Then Eric said, “You’d have to take your heart right out and put it in the Lord Jesus’ hand for Him to do that.”

We can’t actually do that, can we? Yet the Lord Jesus does say, “My son, give Me thine heart.” Proverbs 23:26. We can let Him control our hearts and guide us in all our ways.

ML-09/19/1993

Bows' New Home

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

Emily was really concerned. This was the third day of watching the little stray dog wander around her neighborhood. It was also the third day in a row of very cold weather. Emily decided she just had to bring that poor little dog inside.

It wasn’t much of a job to catch the dog, as he was just as eager to get inside as Emily was to bring him into the house. But what a shock she got when she picked him up! His coat was dirty, tangled and full of burrs. The dog could not stay in Emily’s house in that condition, so she carried him to the basement and headed for the laundry tub.

It took plenty of soap and warm water and a sharp pair of scissors before the dog was clean and free of burrs. As Emily finished up she was surprised to see that he was a white dog rather than the dirty brown one she had carried in.

Each one of us was at one time wandering around in need of someone to save us, just like this dirty, ragged little dog. That Someone we need is the Lord Jesus Christ who loves us. The little dog needed a good bath, and our hearts need to be washed clean of sin. 1 John 1:7 tells us: “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” Without that clean heart we never would be fit for His home in heaven.

When Emily saw that he was a white dog, she remembered that the school crossing guard at the corner had told her that one of the school boys had lost a white dog. Emily waited until she knew the children would be getting out of school. Then she walked down to the corner to talk to the guard about the dog. The guard spotted the boy who had lost his dog, but when they talked to him he said he had found his dog earlier that week.

Poor Emily, she had been so sure that the little white dog belonged to that boy - now she had to decide what to do with the dog. She lived with her brother Joe, and while she walked home she decided she would talk to him about what she should do with the dog. Maybe he could come up with an idea.

Well, it didn’t take Joe long to make a decision: “We’ll keep him.” And that’s just what they did. Emily tied a big bow around the neck of the little white dog to celebrate that he was now part of the family. Then Joe suggested, “Let’s call him Bows!”

How very kind of Emily and Joe to give Bows a home and take good care of him and love the little dog. Have you ever thought of God’s kindness and love in preparing a home for those who have accepted His Son the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour? “I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee.” Jeremiah 31:3. “I go to prepare a place for you. . . . I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” John 14:2,3. In love, God sent the Lord Jesus Christ to die on the cross to make a way for us to become part of His family and be accepted in His home in heaven.

Are you part of His family and on your way to His home? Have you accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour?

ML-11/21/1993

A Trip to the Gin

One of my favorite memories of my early childhood was a trip to a gin with my grandfather. Are you wondering what a gin is?

In West Texas where we grew up, cotton was the main crop grown on most of the farms. Cotton grows in boles with several sections in each bole, and each section has cotton fibers (called lint) clinging to a seed. A gin is a large building with machines that separate the cotton fiber from the seed. A very strong vacuum system lifts the picked cotton from the farmer’s wagon and moves it through the machinery to separate the fiber from the seed.

The cotton fiber is packed tightly into large bales, each weighing 500 pounds or more. It takes around a thousand pounds of picked cotton to make a bale of ginned cotton. The seed is stored in large bins surrounding the gin. The farmer could sell his cotton and seed separately, or together at the time of ginning, or he could pay the gin company to store each of them until a time when they might bring a better price. It was not uncommon for the farmer to save some of his seed for next year’s planting. He took this seed home with him and stored it in a seed bin on the farm.

As children we loved to play in the cotton seed. Since the seed was to be used for next year’s crop, our parents did not exactly smile on our pastime. However, it was not uncommon for the children of the cotton pickers to sleep in the seed bins. Cotton pickers were people who moved from farm to farm to help with the harvest.

Can you imagine my excitement when I was told I could go with Grandfather to the gin? We had to leave very early since it was several miles to Big Spring where the gin was located. Farmers’ wagons lined up to have their cotton ginned in the order they arrived on the “cotton yard.” You may have guessed by now that the wagons were drawn by horses or mules. Very few farmers had tractors and trucks like they use now to haul crops to market.

There is a wonderful event about to happen that you can look forward to with excitement, but only if you have received the Lord Jesus as your Saviour. It is the Lord Jesus coming again to take all who have believed on Him home to His Father’s house, the place called heaven that He has prepared for them. He said to His disciples before He died on the cross, “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.” John 14:2,3. For me to be able to go with Grandfather, I had to be ready to leave by the time he got the team of horses harnessed. To be ready to go with the Lord Jesus to that wonderful place He “has prepared for them that love Him,” each one of us must admit we are the sinner for whom the Lord Jesus died, and trust Him and His work on the cross to take away all our sins.

How I enjoyed sitting atop that wagon load of cotton with Grandfather all the way to the gin! And a wonderful thing about belonging to the Lord Jesus while we are waiting for Him to take us home to heaven is that we can enjoy His company now and all the way there. We had to wait quite a while for our turn to get our cotton “ginned,” but how I enjoyed Grandfather’s company and the stories he told me during the waiting time. And do you know what? After I grew up I learned that Grandfather also enjoyed my company on that trip. The Lord Jesus enjoys the company of those who open their hearts to let Him in and to have their sins washed away by His precious blood.

What if I had overslept or played around with my breakfast until it was past time for leaving? I would have missed all the joy and excitement of that wonderful day. The Bible warns of delaying to take advantage of God’s wonderful gift of free salvation. If you wait too long to accept it, or ignore it, you will miss heaven. The Bible asks, “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?” Hebrews 2:3. What if Grandfather had been careless and had not gotten the wagon and horses ready for our trip? We would never have made it to the gin that day.

The Lord Jesus, the Son of God, has done everything that was necessary to make it possible for you and me to spend eternity with Him in the Father’s house in heaven. Will you receive the Lord Jesus today and make sure you are ready when He comes for His own?

My trip to the gin with Grandfather was over 60 years ago, and I have enjoyed the memory of it all those years. If you begin your journey to heaven now while you are young, you will enjoy the company of the Lord Jesus now, and you will have the promise of eternal joy when He comes again to “receive you” unto Himself.

What if He should come today? Better be ready!

ML-11/28/1993

Tree Climbers

Recently I watched Eddie (shown in this picture) climb a tree. He loves to do this and he climbs quite well.

It reminded me of a man in the Bible who once climbed a tree. His name was Zaccheus, and he was a short little man. He climbed a tree because he wanted to see Jesus who was coming along the road in the middle of a crowd of people.

But when Jesus came by the tree where Zaccheus was sitting, He looked up and said, “Zaccheus, make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at thy house.” And he did just what Jesus told him to do.

Zaccheus was a sinful man, just like you and me. But before the day was over, Jesus said to him that salvation had come to him. This meant that Jesus had forgiven all his sins and someday he would go to heaven to live with Jesus.

Boys and girls, Jesus knows all about your sins, but He wants you to come to Him. He is calling you just like He called Zaccheus. He wants to come into your heart and live with you until He takes you home to heaven. Won’t you make room for Him and tell Him now that you would like Him to be your Saviour? “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” Acts 16:31.

You may read the story of Zaccheus for yourself in your own Bible in Luke 19:1-10.

ML-11/28/1993

An Unpleasant Surprise

It was a perfect day for swimming. It was very warm, the sun was shining and the sky was bright blue with fluffy white clouds. As Jill and her friends ran down the road to the creek, the pavement was hot on the bottom of their bare feet. They ran quickly to the little bridge and then down the bank to the water below. Throwing their towels on the rocks, they stepped into the cool water, ready for a good time.

Jill paddled around in the water for some time, enjoying herself. She was not a very good swimmer, but it didn’t matter because the water wasn’t deep. She and her friends called back and forth, just feeling happy to be outside on such a lovely day. Jill flipped over onto her back and looked up at the beautiful sky. One of the few things she could do was float on her back.

“Hey, Jill, come over here! Let’s play Marco Polo,” called Diane. Jill stood up and then pushed off a rock with her feet to paddle over to her friends.

Suddenly she felt a pain in her big toe. She lifted her foot out of the water and found a big gash in her toe. When she looked back down in the water, she saw broken pieces of glass at the bottom! Someone had carelessly thrown a bottle into the creek. It had broken on the stony bottom, and now she had stepped on the broken pieces!

The Bible says in Proverbs 27:1, “Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” When we get up in the morning we do not know what the day will hold for us. Life is uncertain in many, many ways, but this is no reason to be frightened or depressed. There is good news! And that good news is that “God is love.” 1 John 4:8. God is for us and not against us! And whatever comes our way in life, the Lord Jesus is able and wants to take care of our problems for us, if we will let Him.

Once the problem of your sins has been settled with God, you have every reason to start each day happy, knowing He will help you through the day. Here are several promises He gives us in the Bible. “The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His ears are open unto their prayers.” 1 Peter 3:12. “He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear.” Hebrews 13:5,6.

Some of Jill’s friends helped her out of the creek and up the bank while others ran to get her mother. Then Jill had to go to the hospital to have the gash sewed up.

If you would like to have the Lord Jesus as your own Saviour and wonderful Friend, God has already provided what is necessary, because He loves you. Romans 5:8 tells us that “God commendeth [shows] His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Even before we had any thoughts toward God, God loved us and was making a way so that we might be able to come to Him. “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son [Jesus] to be the propitiation [substitute] for our sins.” 1 John 4:10. If you are troubled about your sins and want to be right with God, He already loves you and has prepared a way! You only need to come to Him, confessing you have sinned, and He will forgive you. Then He promises, “I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” 2 Corinthians 6:17,18.

ML-12/05/1993

Trouble Inside

“What’s wrong with our clock?” asked Mr. Kelly 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. “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 30 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 silky web.

When Mr. Kelly took the back off the clock, the little spider that had made the web ran away as fast as its eight little legs could carry it.

“Good thing you got out of there in a hurry!” scolded Mr. Kelly. “You tied up the parts of our clock with all of your spinning. You and the clock are both busy workers, but you cannot work together. You had better make a home somewhere else!”

He brushed the spider’s web away. Then the parts started working 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 minds. This is why it says in Romans 10:9,10, “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-12/05/1993

Christopher's New Minibike

When Christopher was 14 he saved up enough money to buy himself a new minibike. He liked to ride it and he often asked me, his mother, if I would like to try it out. I wasn’t very eager, but one summer day there were about a dozen young people at our place, and they were taking turns riding the minibike. Christopher insisted, “Come on, Mom, you take a turn too.”

Now I was used to riding my pedal bike. The brake on my bike was a hand lever right up by the handle grip, so when I squeezed tightly on this brake lever the bike would stop quickly. But the minibike was altogether different. Right beside the handle grip was the lever that controlled the gas, so when you squeezed that lever you went faster instead of stopping.

Becoming a Christian is just the opposite of our old way of life too. 1 Corinthians 15:22 tells us, “As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” In Colossians 3:9,10 it tells us that when we have become a Christian by accepting the Lord Jesus as our Saviour, we “have put off the old man [old nature] with his deeds; and have put on the new man [new nature], which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him.”

I hopped on the minibike. As long as I stayed on the driveway things went pretty smoothly, but when I started to ride out across the field, the going got a lot rougher. I got scared, so I automatically squeezed what would have been the brake lever on my bike. The minibike speeded up and started flying over boulders, mowing down saplings, shooting down little hills and over potholes. The faster I went the tighter I squeezed; the tighter I squeezed the faster I went!

The young people watching me were having a good laugh at my expense. I was beginning to think things over. You can’t ride a minibike the same way you ride a bicycle, and that’s the way it is in life too. When we become a Christian our whole way of life is changed. Romans 6:13,14 tells us, “Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.”

As I realized the change I needed to make in the handling of the minibike, I let go of my grip on the gas lever . . . and gradually came to a stop.

We need to let go of our hold on our lives too and let God control them. “For our conversation [way of life] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: who . . . is able even to subdue all things unto Himself.” Philippians 3:20,21.

“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-12/12/1993

Flash Flood!

“Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” Proverbs 27:1

As Bill and Bea rounded the curve in the road at Bent Creek, Virginia, they were startled to see dozens of large trees uprooted and lying in the mud with their huge roots pointing in every direction. Then they noticed a lovely little home, the back of which had been crushed by the raging water-driven mud. They stopped to take a picture.

As they stood looking at the damaged house, they saw a lady standing nearby whom they hadn’t noticed before. Bill turned to her and said, “It’s so very sad. I wonder if the people were able to get out?”

“Yes,” she answered. “This is my home, and five nights ago my husband and I were wakened by a loud banging on our door and a voice yelling, ‘GET OUT! GET OUT! THE FLOOD WATERS ARE COMING!’ We quickly got out of bed, and before we were fully awake we saw the water rising so quickly it began to fill our first floor. We raced for the door and barely made it outside to higher ground before the wall of water, wildly surging down the creek, tore away the side of the mountain, throwing down all these trees and throwing mud with such force it crushed the back of our house.

“I couldn’t bear to come until now to see the damage. I’m going to try to find my watch and wedding ring. They were on the table right beside my bed, but I didn’t have time to pick them up that night.”

One day soon the Lord Jesus is going to come even faster than that water. “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead [whose sins are forgiven] shall be raised incorruptible, and we [believers who are still alive in this world] shall be changed.” 1 Corinthians 15:52. There will be no warning for those still lost in their sins. They will be left behind for God’s judgment. Those of us whose sins are forgiven will be safe in heaven before that awful time comes. Are you ready if Jesus should come today? Are your sins forgiven?

How thankful that lady and her husband were that the driver of a semitrailer truck had seen the wall of water rushing down the narrow creek behind their house and ran to waken them before it was too late. And right now we desperately want to awaken you to your need of running to a place of safety. David tells us what he did in Psalm 61:2; I will “cry unto Thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” And 1 Corinthians 10:4 tells us, “That Rock was Christ.” All of us are sinking in the muck of our awful sins. Each one needs to run to Christ for safety. He loves us and died for us so that you and I can have our sins forgiven. God will not allow even one sin in heaven, but He made a way to rescue us: “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7. Not one stain of sin is left on us after we come to Him for cleansing.

The lady continued telling her story to Bill. “Yes,” she said, “we were so thankful to get out alive. Just two years ago the floods buried my sister and her husband so deeply in the mud their bodies were never found.”

Don’t wait until tragedy strikes you. You may not have time to escape and repent of your sins. Come to the Lord Jesus NOW. “Behold, now is the accepted [very best] time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2.

“Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” Proverbs 27:1.

ML-12/12/1993

The Little Fisherman

Dave had asked the Farrell family to pray for his friend, Anne, who as yet had not accepted the Lord Jesus as her Saviour. The Farrells were glad to pray for her. They usually prayed as a family, including their little boy Steve who was four years old.

Little Steve loved the Lord Jesus. As small as he was he repeated his Bible verse in Sunday school and loved to sing the hymns too. Steve had often told his parents that he was saved from his sins and would go to heaven, because the Lord Jesus had died for him too.

Mrs. Farrell suggested that they invite Dave and Anne for dinner one evening. They were happy that the young couple accepted their invitation.

After dinner and a Bible reading Steve went over to Anne and asked, “Why aren’t you saved? Don’t you want to go to heaven with us when the Lord Jesus comes back?”

Anne looked down into that little face and found herself giving an embarrassed giggle, and then she said, “Oh, I don’t know.”

Little Steve, still looking up at her, said in a very serious voice, “It isn’t funny . . . you shouldn’t laugh, because you could go to hell if you’re not saved.”

We know that in 2 Peter 3:3 we are warned “that there shall come in the last days scoffers.” These are people who make fun of the Bible and laugh at its wonderful words!

With tears in her eyes Anne reached down and hugged that serious little boy. Although she did not accept the Lord Jesus as her Saviour that night, what little Steve had said made her think very seriously about her sins.

Sometimes in Sunday school we sing:

I will make you fishers of men,

If you follow Me.

In the Bible in Matthew 4, we read how the Lord Jesus found Peter and Andrew fishing. He called them and said, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” v. 19. From that time on, Peter and Andrew “fished” for men by telling them about the Lord Jesus and His love for them.

We can be fishermen for the Lord Jesus today too, and little Steve was being a good fisherman when he talked to Anne about the Lord Jesus.

Some time later, the telephone rang and Mother told Steve that the call was for him.

The voice said, “Steve, this is Anne, the lady who had dinner at your house some time ago. I called to tell you that today I accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as my Saviour, and I wanted you to be the first one to know about it. So now when the Lord Jesus comes we will both be taken to heaven. I want to thank you, Steve, for praying for me.”

The Bible says, “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.

Wasn’t that a nice telephone call for a little boy to receive! Steve and his family were so happy to hear the good news, and they thanked the Lord Jesus for answering their prayers.

Someone is praying for you too, that you will come to the Lord Jesus to have your sins forgiven. Will you come?

ML-12/19/1993

The Really Bad Storm

There had been a very bad storm lasting several days along the east coast of the United States. Nearly two feet of snow came down, driven by 75 mile-per-hour winds. Over 3,000,000 people had lost their electricity, and more serious, over 100 had lost their lives. Now the storm was over and the Sunday school teacher was asking the children, “How many people would have to lose their lives in a storm for you to think it was a REALLY bad storm?”

Joseph answered, “Just one person.”

The teacher agreed that it would be very serious for even one person to die and go into eternity, especially if he did not know the Lord Jesus as his Saviour.

Joel’s answer was “200 people.”

The teacher agreed with Joel’s answer too and said, “That would really be serious, if 200 people had died on account of a storm.” He went on, “But what if a storm came that killed so many that only 8 people were left alive in the whole world! Can you imagine a storm that bad? What do you think I’d be thinking about if there was a storm that bad?”

“You’d be glad it wasn’t you who died in it,” Mike said.

“Do you think there ever has been a storm that bad?” the teacher asked. None of the children answered, so he said, “Let’s read about it in our Bibles in Genesis 6:13,14. ‘And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence through them; and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make thee an ark of gopher wood.’ ”

The Sunday school teacher explained that God Himself was going to send that storm to destroy all those people because they had been wicked. But God was going to save Noah out of that storm because he had obeyed God. Noah believed what God told him about the storm that was coming, and he started right away to do as God told him. He built the ark 75 feet high (that’s 3 stories high, which is higher than lots of trees). God also instructed him to build it 45 feet wide and 450 feet long (that’s as long as 1-1/2 football fields).

Up until that time it had never rained. God watered the ground with a mist from the earth. But Noah never stopped to ask how God was going to make the ark float away from the dry land where he was building it. And he never asked God how he was going to find all those animals and get them to go into the ark. He simply trusted God and went ahead with what God told him to do.

When the storm came, Noah and his family were ready for it. They were safely inside the ark along with all the animals. Then God sent heavy rain from the skies and water came up out of the earth. For 40 days and 40 nights water poured out, until even the highest mountains were completely covered. But everything inside the ark was safe, because Noah had obeyed God and was ready.

After the flood and its destruction were over, God gave the rainbow to remind us of His promise that the earth will never be destroyed by water again. But many people living in the world now are again violent and wicked. God tells us in the Bible that it won’t be long until He finds it necessary to destroy everything that lives on the earth once again. This time it will be with fire. In 2 Peter 3:10 we read that “the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” Then God asks each of us a question in verse 11. “Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness?” Are you ready like Noah was? Trust in the Lord Jesus who loves you and died for you, and you will be safe in heaven when God’s judgment comes on this world. “Whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.” Proverbs 29:25.

“What shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” 1 Peter 4:17.

ML-12/26/1993

Purple Crayons

When Nancy opened the clothes dryer she found purple all over the clothes. Somehow she had overlooked a purple crayon that had been left in Nathan’s pocket when she did the wash. What a mess! Purple crayon had melted in splotches all over that dryer load of light-colored clothes. What could she do?

Sin has made a mess of our hearts too. It has left a red stain on everything that we do.

Nancy called a friend and asked, “How can I get rid of these purple crayon stains?” And we have a Friend who knows all about the red sin stains on our hearts. This Friend loves us and would like nothing better than to wash those stains away in His precious blood and make us clean and happy. Won’t you call on that Friend, the Lord Jesus Christ? He loves you more than any earthly friend ever could. Will you let Him wash away those stains of sin from your heart?

It took Nancy a long time and a lot of work to get all those purple crayon stains out of those clothes. But the Lord Jesus will take all your sins and their stains away the minute you call on Him. He did all the work necessary long ago on Calvary’s cross when He bore all the judgment of God against sin. “Come now, and let us reason together, 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-12/26/1993

In a Crowd

“Master, the multitude throng Thee and press Thee, and sayest Thou, who touched Me?” It is Peter and those with him who are asking the question.

Jesus is on His way to Jairus’s house, a house that is filled with sorrow because Jairus’s little daughter, his only daughter, is dying. He has come to Jesus in his distress, and falling down at His feet he has begged Him to come and heal her. “My little daughter lieth at the point of death: I pray Thee, come and lay Thy hands on her, that she may be healed; and she shall live.” And Jesus goes with him, and so do His disciples and lots of other people.

Among the crowd is a poor suffering woman. She has been ill for years. It is not the same sort of illness as Jairus’s daughter, for her sickness has not made her die. But she has gone on from year to year, never feeling well and always suffering. At first she had hoped to get better and had been to one doctor after another. But all her money has been used in doctors’ fees, and still she is no better and has only gotten worse. But as she goes along in the crowd following Jesus, hope has sprung up once more, hope that has gotten stronger and stronger, because it is founded on faith, faith in Jesus.

If I may touch but His clothes, I shall be healed, she tells herself. Then coming up behind Him, she reaches out her hand and touches the hem of His garment.

At once she feels herself well, not just better, but well -cured of her disease!

And then she hears Jesus asking, “Who touched Me?”

No one is coming forward, and Peter and the others are surprised that Jesus would ask that question when all the people are crowding and pressing around Him. But Jesus does not mean the kind of touching they are thinking of. It is the touch of faith He is speaking about, the touch that has drawn healing from Himself. So He says, “Somebody hath touched Me: for I perceive that virtue [good] is gone out of Me.”

And when the woman sees that she cannot hide, she comes, trembling, and falling down before Him she explains to Him, in front of all the people, the reason she has touched Him, and how she has been immediately healed.

Why is she so scared that she trembles? Because she does not know the heart of Jesus. She knows something of His power to heal her body, and if He allows her to slip away into the crowd, she might never learn any more than that about Jesus. She might never know that the One who healed her also loves her. It takes a lot of courage to tell Him why she has touched Him, especially in front of all those people. But what a reward she gets when she hears what He says to her: “Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.”

We do not know her name. She is only one poor suffering woman in a crowd, but she has faith in Jesus. She touches the hem of His garment and she is healed; she confesses to Him and receives comfort, assurance and peace. (Read Luke 8:49-56 to learn what Jesus also did for Jairus and his daughter that day.)

Have you come to Jesus for the healing of your disease of sin? It only takes a little faith to come to Him, confessing that you are a sinner and in need of His healing touch. He loves you so much and says in Matthew 11:28, “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden [with your sins], and I will give you rest.” If you will take that step of faith, He will say to you just what He said to that woman: “Thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.” Luke 8:48.

ML-12/19/1993

Dandelions for Lunch

“The eyes of all wait upon Thee; and Thou givest them their meat [food] in due season.” Psalm 145:15.

How would you like a nice, scrumptious dandelion salad? Sounds like a joke, doesn’t it? But actually, people in many places enjoy this rarely-known treat. There are some fine restaurants in the United States and other countries that offer it on their menus. Dandelion leaves are served not only in salads mixed with onions and hard-boiled eggs, but are used in other recipes as well.

These include dandelion soup, pancakes, dandelion gelatin, coffee and sweet dandelion juice. Actually dandelions are healthful, having vitamin C, iron, potassium and other important minerals in their leaves. It also is quite possible that at some future time there may be dandelion medicines for certain kinds of sicknesses.

To meet the demands of these restaurants, as well as people who want to use their own dandelion recipes, there are farmers who now grow great quantities of these plants. They are not grown out in open fields where they might get spray or dirt on them, but in greenhouses where they are carefully irrigated and protected from harmful insects. This all started about 15 years ago in Vineland, New Jersey, which is now called the “Dandelion Capital of the World.” Dandelions are also grown in Ohio, Texas and a few other states, including California. Many supermarkets and food stores now sell them.

Young leaves of the dandelion plant are used for most recipes, but the flowers are sometimes added to a salad or hot food. The roots are dried and ground up to make a good-tasting coffee substitute.

Actually, many other flowered plants have long been used as food, prepared in restaurants in other countries. These include rose petals, marigold blossoms, hibiscus flowers, nasturtium petals, Johnny-jump-ups, violets and others, as well as the blossoms of some trees.

Although animals can eat dandelions and other outdoor plants and not get sick, we don’t recommend picking dandelions or other wild flowers and eating them. It is hard to tell if there are harmful insects or even poisonous spray on them. Markets must get them from farmers who have carefully grown them in licensed greenhouses.

The Bible verse quoted above reminds us of the care the Creator gives to all living things. We can be thankful that He has given us so many more varieties of food than what wild creatures enjoy. When we think of the wonders of His ways with us, we agree with the Psalmist who said, “The Lord is good to all: and His tender mercies are over all His works. All Thy works shall praise Thee, O Lord.” Psalm 145:9,10. Have you ever thanked Him for His goodness to you?

ML-01/03/1993

Unwelcome Leeches

“Remember His marvelous works that He hath done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth.” 1 Chronicles 16:12.

A leech, also called a bloodsucker, is a worm-like creature. Hundreds of varieties are found especially in tropical countries. They range from 3/4-inch to 18 inches long and can stretch or shorten their bodies. Most are black, brown or gray, with lighter stripes. The horse leech is dark green. Suckers on both ends of their bodies enable them to move as some caterpillars do - the front end holding firm while the back end pushes the body forward in a loop. Then the front end lets loose and moves forward as the body drops down flat. This is done over and over until the leech reaches its goal.

The leech’s usual food is the blood of fish, frogs, worms and snails and some animals like pigs or cows. The wound it makes when attaching to its victim is not painful. When its sharp little teeth puncture the victim’s skin, a pain-killing chemical comes out of its mouth. A thirsty leech sucking blood for a long time may swell up to three times its normal size. If not removed, half a dozen of them all working on a small animal, like a puppy, could take so much blood that in a short time it could die.

How does the leech attach itself to a victim? In water it slowly swims to a sleeping fish or other creature and attaches itself so gently that the victim is not aware anything is going on. In wooded or bushy areas, particularly where forests have frequent rain, great numbers of leeches crawl a short way up tree trunks or tall bushes and rest on moist leaves until an animal, or even a bare-backed person, walks below them. At just the right moment they slide off the leaf and drop so gently that the target doesn’t know what has taken place. How would you like to walk through a place like that?

In times past before modern medical treatments were available for sick people, doctors kept a number of leeches available. They thought many illnesses were due to something wrong in the blood. They used the leeches to remove blood from the sick person. Most people didn’t know any better either, and probably often asked for that kind of treatment.

It is rare to find a doctor doing that today. But in some places medical science uses leeches to study blood and the treatment of it in a modern way.

We may wonder why the Creator ever made such things as leeches, but we do know that they are a part of His creation, to which the opening Bible verse refers. Let us also remember another Bible verse that tells us, “For by Him were all things created. . . . All things were created by Him, and for Him.” Colossians 1:16. How good of God to give us such a clear explanation of creation. Man has come up with his own ideas, but God’s Word is the truth.

“The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23

ML-01/10/1993

Lovely Sun Bitterns

“I [the Lord] know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are Mine.” Psalm 50:11.

The sun bitterns’ homes range from Mexico on south through Central and South America. Fully grown, they are about 18 inches in length and have small heads with rather long necks. Their bodies are plump, and they have pretty tails composed of 16 feathers. The first part of their name was given because of their bright colors. Their small heads are a mixture of green, white and black, with sharp, blue beaks. Tails are decorated with bands of dark brown and spotted with crimson where they join their bodies. They have dark brown and white wavy lines on their wings. As a final decoration their legs are orange.

While this coloring is very pretty, when one is excited or challenging another bird, the more visible beauty of its body shows more clearly with its wings extended. The tail, raised high at such times, has added beauty as well, and its whole appearance is quite amazing. With its long neck, head and long beak lifted high, it looks threatening. All in all it is easy to see why they don’t experience many challenges from other birds or animals.

Sun bitterns have a very graceful way of flying, usually with slow wing-beats, like those of pelicans. But if they become alarmed without warning, they quickly fly high into a tree. If this should happen late in the day, they just spend the whole night there.

Their nests are made of mud, leaves and grass and are built in the forks of tree branches, usually not very high above the ground. However, sometimes they are built right on the ground. Unlike most other birds, they make no effort to hide these nests, probably because they are aware that they are not likely to be attacked.

Mother and father birds take turns incubating the two or three eggs for about a month. They also share in bringing food to the newborn chicks as soon as they hatch. One reason they like to nest near water is that they need a good supply of insects, small fish, frogs, lizards and other small creatures that are plentiful in such places. Just as soon as the chicks hatch they are fed this kind of food.

The Bible often speaks of birds and the Creator’s ever-watchful eyes looking out for them. For instance, in Matthew 10:29 it says, “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father [knowing it].” Then verse 31 says, “Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.” God the Father and His Son, the Lord Jesus, love you very much and want you to return that love from your own heart to Them as well. Do you enjoy Their love and return it?

“Go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.” Proverbs 4:14,15

ML-01/17/1993

Glaciers and Icebergs: Part 1

“He [God] saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain.” Job 37:6.

A glacier is formed by vast amounts of snow turning into ice as more layers of snow press down on the top or sides of a mountain. As this goes on year after year, a long, deep mass of ice builds up and a glacier is formed. Eventually the great weight of ice begins to slowly move downward, pushing ice, soil and loose rocks ahead of it like a giant bulldozer. Though it doesn’t appear to be moving, it is actually moving very slowly, perhaps only a few inches a day.

A glacier may cover so much area that its lower end could be melting in a warmer part of the land, changing into a stream or lake. But most often a glacier moves toward the ocean where great chunks break off and float out into the water. These huge floating chunks, many of which weigh thousands of tons, are called icebergs.

These masses of glacial ice are often beautiful to look down on from a nearby hillside. People are sometimes tempted to climb up a glacier. But that should never be done without a guide’s help, for there are often hidden holes (crevasses) where an inexperienced person might fall through, causing serious injury or even death. Huge caves are often formed, too, but these are also dangerous to explore without a guide’s help. What most frequently happens to glaciers, adding to their beauty, is that as the force behind keeps them moving, they break into innumerable chunks of ice - pretty to look at, but dangerous to climb on.

The greatest number of Alaskan glaciers end their journey in the North Pacific ocean, where warmer salt water splashes against them, breaking off chunks, large and small. This is an example of the wisdom of the Creator, using the melting of glacial ice to add fresh water to keep the oceans of the world from becoming too salty.

The Lord God, Creator of all things, invites each of us to spend eternity with Him in heaven where even more wonderful things will be seen. How can we get there? The Bible tells us, “He [Jesus] is able also to save them to the uttermost [forever] that come unto God by Him.” Hebrews 7:25. Have you done this? Have you confessed to Him that you are a sinner and accepted His payment on the cross for your sins? If you have not yet done this, will you do it today?

In the next issue we will consider the place icebergs have in the Creator’s plans.

(to be continued)

“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-01/24/1993

Glaciers and Icebergs: Part 2

“He [the Lord God] gathereth the waters of the sea together as a heap: He layeth up the depth in storehouses.” Psalm 33:7.

Last week we took a look at glaciers originating on Alaskan mountainsides and their long, slow journeys to ocean waters. Now let’s consider what happens to icebergs formed that way. (Incidentally, the part of an iceberg under water is almost ten times larger than what is seen above the water.)

Some icebergs are quite flat on top, making a suitable place for seals to climb up and rest. Birds also appreciate them as places to rest too. Skilled Eskimo hunters, spotting game on icebergs, silently paddle their kayaks near enough to get shots at them. Sometimes they are particularly pleased to discover a polar bear asleep on one.

But the icebergs most often referred to in books and magazines are the huge ones found in Arctic Ocean waters above Newfoundland. Many of these icebergs are carried by ocean currents and winds into the shipping lanes of the Atlantic Ocean. It was one of these that was hit in the dark by the “unsinkable” ship named Titanic many years ago. The Titanic sank and many people drowned. Many other ships have in past years crashed into icebergs in the dark or fog. Today these iceberg areas are patrolled by boats with radar and radios which warn ships to keep far away from them.

These larger icebergs are most frequently huge chunks of ice that have broken away from the thick ice caps of the North Atlantic Ocean. Some have been measured and found to be as much as three miles wide and 1600 feet thick, weighing thousands of tons.

In former days of fishing it was quite common for sailors to pull alongside these great icebergs to chip off enough ice to fill their storage tanks with good clean drinking water - for icebergs have no salt in them. It is estimated that an iceberg one-half mile long, one-half mile wide and 500 feet thick, holds frozen water worth $4,000,000, if it could be towed to one of the hot, water-scarce countries down near the equator. So far, there are too many problems to try doing this.

Our opening Bible verse reminds us that glaciers, icebergs and other waters are all included in God’s creation and are also included when the Bible says, “For Thy pleasure they are and were created.” Revelation 4:11.

But the Creator has far more pleasure in a higher form of His creation. We are told in Psalm 149:4, “For the Lord taketh pleasure in His people.” Who are His people? Those who love Him and trust in Him as their Saviour. Are you one of His people?

“Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins.” Acts 13:38

ML-01/31/1993

Unseen Helpers

“For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven [the sky], and that are in earth, visible and invisible.”

Colossians 1:16.

There are a great number of creatures that, unknown to most people, are very helpful to us. Worms, for instance, munch their way through the soil day and night, fertilizing it as well as opening it for water and nitrogen to reach plant roots. Bats too, in many places, fly unseen through dark nights, feeding on great numbers of mosquitoes and other insects.

But there are other forms of life not visible without a microscope - billions and billions of microorganisms. One of these is bacteria, without which we couldn’t survive! Some bacteria cause a chemical change called fermentation. So these helpers are essential in making alcohol, bread, cheese, buttermilk, yogurt and many more food items. Bacteria which live in the digestive tracts of man and animals help in the digestion of certain foods.

Bacteria are also very important and useful to man in other ways. Certain of these helpers cause decay of dead animal and vegetable matter and dissolve this matter into plant food in the soil and gases in the atmosphere. Even oil spilled on the ground or in a lake is dissolved by bacteria in time. Their activity is most important in garbage dumps where tons of waste materials are discarded every day. If it were not for the bacterial process of decay, the earth would become covered with dead material and all living things would gradually die out.

Even in the mining of copper, zinc, uranium, gold, etc., it wouldn’t be possible to make metal out of the ore without these tiny assistants.

No matter how clever scientists are they could never produce such microscopic forms of life that do such a vast number of helpful things and without which we could not exist.

But these invisible specks of life didn’t just happen to be in the world by chance. They were planned! Our beginning Bible verse explains that they are here because the Lord God, the Master Designer and Creator of everything, has placed them here as helpers for every kind of life. They serve us in many ways, helping men and women, boys and girls, in making their ways through life. He alone has made them, and they will continue in their unseen activities while the world lasts.

When we think of bacteria and other wonders of God’s creation, may we declare with the Psalmist: “O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker. For He is our God; and we are the people of His pasture.” Psalm 95:6,7.

He will be pleased with your worship and thanksgiving after you have accepted His Son, the Lord Jesus, as your Saviour. He loves you and has said, “[He or she] that cometh to Me I will in no wise [no way] cast out.” John 6:37.

“The sting of death is sin.” 1 Corinthians 15:56

ML-02/07/1993

The Interesting Least Tern

There are several varieties of terns, and a very pretty and lively one is called the least tern. It did not get this name because there are so few of them, but because it is the smallest at only nine inches long. It is not a songbird like a robin or a meadowlark, but it does have a distinctive chirping call of its own.

How pretty they are with pure-white, smooth feathers over the entire lower parts of their bodies, throats and heads. This is beautifully contrasted with tan-black forked tail feathers trimmed in dark brown. Tops of their heads are coal black, and the long sharp beaks, legs and feet are orange.

Favorite nesting places are in California and Long Island, where they nest close together in great numbers along flat ocean beaches or at the sides of streams. Nests are scooped out of the sand, and soon sand-colored eggs produce sandy-gray chicks - all well camouflaged. Both parents share in the care of the chicks, which are able to walk almost immediately after hatching. In fall large groups migrate to Mexico, Central and South America and then return north to the same nesting spot in spring.

Feathers of these birds used to be in demand for decorating women’s clothing and hats. Hundreds of thousands of these lovely birds were killed for that purpose. But bird-lovers are happy that killing the least tern is no longer allowed, so their numbers are increasing. However, enemies, such as foxes and dogs, and some people too, still kill many of them.

To attract new ones to protected areas, wooden birds, made to look exactly like mature terns, are placed in exposed spots along with tapes automatically making tern-like calls. When passing birds see and hear these, many fly down and make their nests there.

When waters are smooth, a tern glides swiftly close to the surface with its lower beak open. When it spots a fish of the right size, it scoops it up and swallows it or takes it to the nest for its family. Other food includes insects, flies, beetles and sandhoppers, many of which are captured in midair. Incidentally, if the male tern doesn’t provide enough food for the baby chicks, the mother will sometimes find another companion to help.

Do you think the Creator cares about these little birds and their problems? He certainly does, as the above Bible verse assures us. As we learn of the wonders of God’s creation, may we realize that it is in the Bible, His Word, that we learn the truth of all the earth’s wonders. How it should cause us to agree with what the prophet Isaiah wrote: “O Lord, Thou art my God; I will exalt Thee, I will praise Thy name; for Thou hast done wonderful things.” Isaiah 25:1.

“The Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.”

1 Samuel 16:7

ML-02/14/1993

Snails with Mobile Homes: Part 1

Snails with shells are part of the mollusk family, related to clams, oysters and mussels. They can be divided into three groups, according to where they live: on land, in fresh water, or in salt water. There are more than 80,000 kinds, with some as small as a pinhead and others growing two feet long. They may live from 2 to 20 years. All have spiral-shaped, hollow shells, to which they are attached, although they can extend most of their bodies outside of their shells when hunting for food or moving about.

Most of us are familiar with the kind found in gardens. During the night they climb on plant stems and eat leaves and blossoms, but hide in daylight. Their brown or blackish round shells are not very appealing, but provide camouflage against birds or small animals that like to eat them. Many other kinds have unusually pretty shells and odd manners of life, some of which we’ll consider below.

One of the largest land snails is named giant shell, making its home in east Africa. It grows more than eight inches long and lays eggs as large as those of some small birds. Photographers are very pleased when able to get pictures of their handsome shells.

Among the salt water snails are two found in the kelp areas off California shores, with names longer than themselves. One is called calliostoma annulatum and the other calliostoma ligatus. Food for these includes parts of kelp plants and small water insects. Sometimes they’ll even attack a jellyfish.

The calcium in ocean water gives unusual strength to the shells of these and others living in the ocean. Most of the species, when fully grown, look amazingly like long ice cream cones. Their shells spiral from a small point at one end and increase in diameter and length to the large white opening at the other end. Many are a pretty light tan, streaked with white and are solid white at the front.

The lignus tree snail, making its home in trees growing near water spots in Florida, is one of the interesting land varieties. These have an extra-long body which stretches out full length beyond its shell (to which it remains attached) when climbing a tree trunk as it searches for a meal of insects and tender foliage. Its top-shaped white shell is striped with gray and blue ribbons.

The above Bible verse tells of the Creator’s pleasure in all the things He created and now watches over. After every other living thing was created, then He placed mankind into a world complete and ready for us. He has since shown His great love in giving His life on Calvary’s cross to pay for all the sins of every boy or girl, man or woman, who will confess that they are sinners and put their trust in Him. Have you done this?

(to be continued)

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

ML-02/28/1993

Snails With Mobile Homes: Part 2

Last week we considered some of the unusual and pretty snails in various parts of the world. Here are a few more.

Let’s look at some that make their homes in Idaho on the shores of the famous Snake River and other streams. These include the Bruneau Hot Springs variety, the Idaho Spring snail, the Bliss Rapids snail and several others. All of them have pretty shells, but unfortunately, a related one, the mud snail, is gradually taking over the limited food supply along most of these streams. Biologists are afraid it may wind up as the only survivor.

Another serious problem is that harmful things are being dumped into these waters, and many snails die because of this. Also, many cows and horses graze on the banks of these streams, eating the brush that shaded the snails, and they cannot survive very long in the direct sunshine that results.

People are becoming alarmed by what is happening to these snails and the beautiful streams. They are aware that the change is not only harmful to snails, but to fish, animals and birds, as well as the people themselves. Let’s hope something will be done to keep the waters clean and help our friends the snails, and other things, before it is too late.

The little agate snails of Hawaii are considered to be the most beautiful snails on earth. A typical variety has a many-colored shell, deep black over most of the center, behind a pure white disk around the open end and a tapered brown, white and tan pointed end. Another variety in that family has a shell totally green in the front half and followed by tannish-brown sections, out to a pearl-white point at the back.

Still another Hawaiian beauty is the Oahu tree snail. The pointed end of its shell is white, ringed with a pink band and followed by a deep brown section, then a narrow black portion, separated from the front and back by narrow white and pink rings, with the remaining front portion all black.

In New Zealand there is a species referred to as the giant land snail, which has a shell different than the others. It is flat, about an inch wide and spirals around its side to the front opening. Some of this group are agate-colored and others a variety of brown with a dark raised top center. It emerges from this pretty home by an opening on the side, rather than the front or bottom as most others do.

If you find snails interesting, go to your library and you will find this branch of God’s creation is very interesting to study. How amazing to think that God created 80,000 different kinds of just lowly snails. He designed each one in His own wisdom. We should thank Him that we have such interesting creatures to enjoy.

“Ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ.” 1 Peter 1:18,19

ML-03/07/1993

The Common Gannet

“I will praise Thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will show forth all Thy marvelous works.” Psalm 9:1.

A while ago one of our articles, entitled “Birds of the Cliffs,” mentioned gannets along with petrels, puffins and others and their group-nesting habits. Today we’ll look at the gannet named common in more detail. In the summer they make their homes along the north Atlantic coast, as well as the Gulf of St. Lawrence. They migrate as far south as the coast of North Carolina for the winter.

The common gannet is a large bird, about three feet from the tip of its beak to the end of its tail and weighs about six pounds. It is snow-white except for a pretty light-tan head and neck. It has a long, narrow tail and wings, as well as four-toed webbed feet and a long, sharp bill for catching and eating fish. Its tapered bill is sharply pointed and makes a good weapon. Sealed nostrils keep water from seeping in when it is under water.

They eat nothing but fish, which they go after sometimes in groups or just alone. Depending on the weather, they look for fish while flying just 10 or 12 feet above the water’s surface, or at other times 50 or 60 feet high. Spotting a fish of the right size, a gannet will break away from the group in a quick dive, pulling its wings close to its body at the moment it hits the surface, but opening them under water to help provide swift swimming. The fish rarely gets away.

They can swallow a foot-long fish in one gulp. However, if there is a hungry baby in the nest, the parent will take the catch back to the nest. Then he or she will eat it and bring the digested food back to its throat where the hungry little one can reach it.

Mothers usually lay just one egg on a grass-lined spot of bare rock which is sheltered under an overhanging part of a cliff. It takes about a month to incubate the egg, and the mother does this by placing it under her warm webbed feet. After hatching, both parents guard the baby bird from vicious birds until it is able to fly. At that time it boldly leaps off the side of the cliff, perhaps as much as 200 feet above the water, and promptly discovers why the Creator has given it such strong wings. Reaching the water, it swims around for a long time, gaining strength in legs and body and never returns to its parents.

Isn’t it nice to know that the Creator is always watching over these interesting birds? A Bible verse tells us this: “Thou, even Thou, art Lord alone; Thou hast made . . . the earth, and all things that are therein . . . and Thou preservest them all.” Nehemiah 9:6. What does He see as He watches over you?

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” 1 Peter 5:8

ML-03/14/1993

Magnificent Pearls

“When he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.” Matthew 13:46.

Pearls are valued everywhere for their special beauty. Some of the most valuable are found mostly in the Persian Gulf where delicate cream-colored pearls come from a little, three-inch oyster. Other larger pearls, silver-white in color, are quite valuable and usually come from big Australian oysters. Black pearls, which are really a dark, shiny gray, are probably the most valuable.

Pearls are found in many other ocean waters also, including along the shores of Japan, China, South America, Europe, North America and elsewhere. Some come from freshwater oysters too, particularly in the Mississippi River and other rivers running into it. Although these pearls are very pretty, they are nowhere near the quality of saltwater pearls. These freshwater pearls usually are used in bracelets, necklaces and rings.

The Japanese produce great quantities of “cultured” pearls by placing a tiny bead to be the irritant inside the shells of three-year-old oysters they are “farming.” When the oysters are seven years old, their shells are opened. A valuable pearl is found in about one out of every 20 opened. The imperfect pearls will, however, still be sold and used. Cultured-pearl “farming” is done in other places as well, but Japan does the most.

How is a pearl formed? Usually an irritant, such as a small grain of sand, gets inside the shell and up against the oyster’s body. The oyster cannot get rid of it and relieves the discomfort by covering it with a thin coating of a substance called nacre. The oyster continues coating it, and over a long period of time the tiny particle gets larger - a little each year, until eventually a pearl is formed. Its color may be cream, pink, black, brown, silver-white or even orange or gold.

Natural pearls that are perfect may be worth thousands of dollars. The imperfect ones are valuable too and often are used in jewelry. Sometimes no pearl is found in an oyster’s shell, but the inside of the shell may be covered with a coating of “mother-of-pearl.” This can be sold to a button factory or be used on the side of a vase, table lamp, decorative plate or other place.

The Bible verse quoted at the beginning was spoken by the Lord Jesus. He likened Himself to the merchant who spent all that he had (gave His life on Calvary’s cross) to purchase a pearl of great price (those who will thank Him for that wonderful sacrifice and accept Him as their Saviour). What wonderful love He showed in doing this. Are you part of that precious pearl? You can be. You only need to confess to Him that you are a sinner and accept Him as your Saviour by believing that He died for your sins. “They shall be Mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up My jewels.” Malachi 3:17.

ML-03/21/1993

Life in a Monsoon

“He that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what is His thought . . . The Lord, The God of hosts, is His name.” Amos 4:13.

In North America and other parts of the world, heavy rains accompanied by hurricanes or tornados are never welcome. But monsoons which take place every year are welcomed in parts of Africa, India, southern China and some islands above Australia.

What is a monsoon and why is it welcome? It is an extra-strong wind that blows regularly in definite seasons in those countries. It is caused by large differences in temperature between land and sea air. This difference occurs because land heats and cools faster than water. Cooler air always rushes in over warmer areas. This causes a wind. A summer monsoon is usually accompanied by rain. It is called a wet monsoon. A winter monsoon is called a dry monsoon.

Without the monsoons these land areas would be too hot and dry for growing crops or supporting people, animals or birds. Planting crops would be useless because there is no other water available for irrigation, and they could not grow in such hot conditions. So it is not difficult to see why the people in those areas are extremely happy to welcome the monsoons with their great supply of rain. The people hold great celebrations right out in the heavy rain. Some go into their fields in the rain, plowing them up so the water will soak in.

During a monsoon the streets of many towns look more like rivers, stopping all traffic for many days, but the people don’t mind. Some may try to get through on bicycles, but usually find the water too deep and swift to pedal and have to push their bikes through.

Knowing just when the monsoon will come, wise farmers prepare the dry soil and plant seeds beforehand, and people do the same in some home gardens. When we think how hard they work, hoping for rain, it is not difficult to understand why they celebrate when it does arrive.

But there are many places where care needs to be taken. Airplanes can’t fly in a monsoon, and the ocean becomes so rough with huge waves that fishermen offshore, even in big boats, head home quickly. Those big waves also crash against heavy walls built to protect property and many fish are often washed clear over them, which the people collect later.

It is the Creator’s provision that sends the welcome rain each year, for without it the hot sunshine would dry everything up and there would be no local food at all. We hope many of the people of those lands have heard about the Lord Jesus and thank Him for His care over them. We know that many Christian people do tell them about the true, living God who loves them. What a change from their stone or wooden idols which they worship fearfully. Do you know this living, loving God and His Son, Jesus, who died for you?

ML-03/28/1993

Kestrels and Peregrines: Part 1

“And God created . . . every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.” Genesis 1:21.

Kestrels and peregrines are closely related birds of prey; both are falcons and members of the hawk family. The kestrel, for instance, is often called a sparrow hawk and the peregrine, duck hawk. Today we’ll consider the kestrel and we’ll look at the peregrine in the next issue.

The kestrel is a pretty bird with a cap of bluish gray, brown and rust colors on its white head and an outstanding display of rust, bluish-gray, black and spotted-white feathers mixed over the rest of its body and wings. It makes its nest in a tree, on the side of a high cliff or even on a ledge of a tall building. Don’t ever reach into its nest or you may learn how sharp its curved beak and powerful claws are!

Kestrels make their homes in just about every part of the United States and Mexico, and in southern Canada. Many live in the Pacific Coast areas. Where winters are cold they migrate south in the fall, but in the southern states they remain year-round.

Like all hawks their food is mainly small animals, such as mice, moles, rats and fish. They also dispose of many insects, like caterpillars and dragonflies. Being the size of a blue jay, they don’t attack even the smallest birds in the air, for they are not swift enough to catch them. However, if they see one of the smaller birds, like a sparrow or chickadee, hopping or resting on the ground, they will fly silently over it and then drop down and capture it. People are not happy to see them catch birds, but are glad when they catch mice, rats and insects.

They spend much of the daytime hovering over open fields or perching on posts, wooden fences or electrical wires near open fields. Their sharp eyes are alert for food to eat on the spot or take home to a mate or little ones in the nest. They have a peculiar habit which will help you identify them. When perched on a post or stump they often pump their tails up and down, as though impatient to spot prey and go after it. They also have an unusual call; it sounds like they are repeating, “klee-klee-klee.”

The mother bird lays about five eggs in springtime and the young hatch in about four weeks. A month later they are ready to fly and are soon on their own.

Kestrels are part of God’s creation and He has much delight in them. But their lives are for this world only, compared with human beings who have a never-dying soul. God gives us a special invitation: “And [let] the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God.” 2 Thessalonians 3:5. Are you aware of God’s love for you? Do you know His Son, the Lord Jesus, who loves you so very much that He died for you?

(to be continued)

ML-04/04/1993

Kestrels and Peregrines: Part 2

“I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are Mine.” Psalm 50:11.

In our last paper we looked at kestrels and now will take a close look at their near relative, peregrine falcons. You may recall that both groups are members of the hawk family and live in the same places throughout the world, including the United States and Mexico, as well as parts of Canada. Their nesting habits are similar - sometimes in the hole of a tree trunk, or on the ledge of a rocky canyon, or even on a flat area high on the side of a skyscraper.

Male peregrines are mostly mottled brown and tan over their bodies and legs, with darker brown on their wings and tops of their heads. Females have lighter grayish feathers over their backs and heads, contrasting with soft white throats and chests.

Compared with the blue jay-size kestrel, peregrines are about the size of a big crow. One look at their hooked beaks and long sharp claws (talons) would convince you they can be very tough enemies, not only to rats and mice, but to rabbits, squirrels and other land animals, as well as birds as big as sea gulls.

“Peregrine” means “traveling or wandering,” and that’s how they got their name, for they will at times fly hundreds of miles searching for a meal. While kestrels don’t have enough speed to catch other birds in the air, the peregrines are different. They can overtake many birds. They fly as high as 1000 feet, their sharp eyes all the while searching far below.

They could not do all this remarkable hunting if the Creator had not provided them with eyes like telescopes. They can spot a squirrel on the ground a thousand feet below, or see a flying bird a great distance off and soon overtake it. Sometimes when mates are flying together and the male captures a bird, the female will fly upside down below him and let him drop the captive into her open claws to take home for food for their little ones. At other times, flying alone and capturing a bird at a time when he’s not hungry, the peregrine will kill it in the air and then drop it to the ground. When he comes back later to pick it up, he might catch a rat or other animal nibbling on it.

Adam and Eve brought sin into the world. After that many animals and birds, such as these hawks, became meat eaters for the first time. But another time is soon coming when everything will be happy and at peace again.

Before that takes place those who have accepted the Lord Jesus as their Saviour will be with Him in heaven and will happily look down on a renewed world that will then be in perfect peace. Will you be one of those looking down from heaven on that happy sight? You can be.

“Our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world.”

Galatians 1:3,4

ML-04/11/1993

Migrating Caribou: Part 1

“O Lord, Thou art my God; I will exalt Thee, I will praise Thy name; for Thou hast done wonderful things.” Isaiah 25:1.

A tourist tells of hiking in a remote part of the Arctic in the summertime, when he spotted a small group of caribou watching him. Then he was startled to see a huge number coming his way and realized he was in the path of a migration. Soon the caribou were all around him, but they ignored him completely and soon passed by. How would you like an experience like that?

Every spring about half-a-million of these deer-like animals migrate northward from the northern part of western Canada, parts of Alaska and the Yukon territory, traveling hundreds of miles to the meadow-covered shores of the Arctic Sea. There the Creator has provided great meadows of nourishing grass and big fields of a tasty plant called lichen (pronounced “liken”), or reindeer grass, which is part of the tundra growing over marshy areas.

The females, which have made the trip ahead of the males, give birth to little ones there. Baby caribou are such tough little creatures they can stand as soon as they are born and in less than a month can outrun a threatening grizzly bear. The males arrive some time later and stay with their families for several weeks. These large herds often share the grazing grounds with other caribou groups without quarrelling, except for the big males that sometimes fight each other. But when it is time to leave, the groups never get confused with one another.

How about wild animals living along the routes they travel? Bears, cougars and wolves all eat caribou meat. They stalk the little ones particularly, and do capture quite a few on the outside edges of the herd. But these vicious animals don’t dare chase very deeply into the herds or they’d be trampled by the big hoofs or meet up with the sharp horns of the males. In any event, so few caribou are caught by these enemies that it doesn’t noticeably affect the size of the huge herds.

There are half-a-dozen or so species of caribou involved in both the northbound and southbound migrations, but they don’t try to move together. If one group happens to overtake another along the way, they are almost always quite friendly. Then somewhere along the route each group knows instinctively when to turn off, and the others continue straight on.

As our opening verse says, our Lord, the Creator of all things, has “done wonderful things.” As we consider these vast numbers of beasts, large and small, traveling such great distances each year with never a mistake as to their destination, we cannot help but be impressed with His ways with all He has created.

In the next issue we will look more closely at some of the individual groups that make up these tremendous herds of caribou.

(to be continued)

“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.”

John 14:6

. ML-04/18/1993

Migrating Caribou: Part 2

“O Lord, Thou preservest man and beast. How excellent is Thy loving-kindness, O God!” Psalm 36:6,7.

As mentioned in the last issue, there are about half-a-dozen distinct but closely related species of caribou making their homes in Alaska and northwestern Canada, including the Yukon. Each group stays by itself in its winter home area and, with few exceptions, migrates hundreds of miles north to the Arctic in April and May. There they enjoy the cool weather and ample food provided for them by a loving Creator. During their stay, the little ones are born. Then in late June or July they return south to their winter homelands.

The porcupine variety is one of two species that number in the thousands. This name identifies them as living south of the Porcupine River in the forests and meadows of Canada and up into northeast Alaska. A full-grown male will weigh 300 pounds or more and measure six feet long and four feet high at the shoulders.

They have remarkable upswept antlers, reaching about four feet above their heads and five feet across, with many sharp-pointed sections on them. Along with these is a pair of smaller sections, pointing forward from their foreheads with more “spikes.” No other animal is likely to attack a male caribou. The antlers on the females are smaller. (By the way, female caribou are the only American female deer that have antlers.)

The other outstanding group is known as the western Arctic. These are similar in size to the porcupines but are more handsome. The males have brown fur from the backs of their necks to the fronts of their stubby tails, contrasting with snow-white fur on their chests and stomachs. The females don’t have these outstanding colors. This seems to display the kind provision of the Creator in helping to conceal them from bears and wolves when giving birth and nursing their little calves.

Another species is the Prudhoe’s caribou. This is a much smaller group of only about 18,000. They are named this because their homes are on Prudhoe Bay, in seaside meadows about 100 miles wide. They do not migrate since the weather is mild with ample year-round food.

The most numerous species is the Barren Ground caribou who make their homes in what is known as the Barren Ground region of the Arctic. A big male will weigh more than half a ton and has an appropriately loud, harsh roar which can be heard three miles away.

If space permitted, a few more could be added. But they are very similar, and each species is an additional wonder of God’s creation. As we think of these beasts and the Creator’s care over them, we should think of how He cares for us too. We should be happy to say, as the Psalmist did, “Thou art my hiding place; Thou shalt preserve me from trouble.” Psalm 32:7. The important thing is to know Him as your own Saviour, and then stay near Him and see the proof of His loving care.

“The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10

ML-04/25/1993

We Should Like Lichen

“Many, O Lord my God, are Thy wonderful works which Thou hast done, and Thy thoughts which are to us-ward.” Psalm 40:5.

Lichen (pronounced “liken”) is a flowerless plant that grows in the northern areas of Alaska and some other parts of the world’s cold spots. Though it may appear to be dead, it contains starch and serves as a valuable food for man as well as animals. One kind is called reindeer grass as in many places it is the only food available for reindeer during freezing weather. There is another kind, called Iceland moss, that people in Iceland make bread out of. Lichen often covers acres of marshy ground, called tundra. It also grows on trunks and limbs of trees, some of it standing very tall and colorful. In other places it is a covering for huge rocks, where it sometimes displays bright coloring.

The Creator has designed lichen for purposes other than food too. Though it does not require soil to grow, over long periods of time it will turn parts of the rocks it covers into soil. Here’s how that is done. The thin but tough roots growing from it penetrate tiny cracks in the rock and swell with water from rain or dew. The acid the roots produce helps to break off tiny particles of the rock. This starts the soil-making process. Dust from the surface of the rock, along with decayed lichen, mixes with the tiny rock particles. This combination makes new soil that will sooner or later wash out in a rainstorm and drop over the side of the rock onto soil below. This is such a tiny amount that it may hardly seem important. However, when a rock is completely covered with lichen, over centuries of time it helps to not only add to the soil but to enrich it as well.

Most of the year there is no rainfall to nourish other kinds of plants in those areas, but the lichen gets along very well without it. It gets enough moisture from the air itself and the dew clinging to the plant which drips down to its roots.

Once established, a lichen plant continues its slow growth, regardless of the weather or apparent lack of nourishment. Scientists inform us that this amazing plant may live a thousand years or more, growing steadily even where winters are fierce. At times it is the only food available for some of the animals living there or migrating through.

The earth certainly is filled with the wonders of God’s creation, whether we look at mountains, deserts, tundra, great forests, or rivers, lakes or oceans. As you look at any of these or other marvels, remember that they didn’t just come by chance. All have been put in their places and preserved there by the Lord God Himself.

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

ML-05/02/1993

Carbon Dioxide and You

“Let every thing that hath breath praise the Lord. Praise ye the Lord.” Psalm 150:6.

Some time ago we gave our readers information on the effect of oxygen and nitrogen on our lives and on other living things. Today we’ll consider carbon dioxide - what it is and what it does. The dictionary describes it this way: “a heavy, colorless, non-burning gas.”

Trees and plants need great quantities of carbon dioxide, which they get from the air moving around them. Humans and animals, however, can’t use it. We have to have oxygen every moment to stay alive. The Creator has designed a wonderful arrangement to maintain this balance. Every breath you take draws both oxygen and carbon dioxide into your lungs. The lungs immediately separate the two, sending the oxygen to your heart and discarding the carbon dioxide when you exhale.

But that’s only part of the story. By a process called photosynthesis, plants and trees use the carbon dioxide out of the air and release oxygen back into it. Thus, vegetation which uses the part harmful to people releases the oxygen so necessary to people. Isn’t that an amazing design!

Of course, we need to be careful about going into unused caves, or hiding inside a big box, or entering a small space where there is no fresh air. Workmen having to go into dangerous places are wise to wear special masks. And there are some miners without special ventilating equipment who take caged canary birds into mines with them. These cute little birds always fall off their perches if too much carbon dioxide accumulates. When that happens, the miners grab the cages and don’t waste any time getting outside with them, saving the lives of both the canaries and themselves.

But in spite of some dangers, carbon dioxide, when properly used, has some very good things about it. For instance, it helps give flavor to some soft drinks and adds the fizz to them as well. That’s where the name “carbonated soda” comes from. Another important use is in fighting fire with extinguishers loaded with this gas. Blown over a flame soon enough, the vapor from the carbon dioxide will put it out. And yet another use is sometimes in bakeries, where controlled amounts are applied to the yeast used in making dough for bread, cookies, cake, etc. This helps them hold their shape and stay fresh longer.

Surely when we think of this wonderful gas created by the Lord God, we should praise Him for His loving care over us, as the opening Bible verse tells us to. That love was most wonderfully expressed when the Lord Jesus gave Himself on the cross as a sacrifice to God for all the sins of each one who comes to Him to be their Saviour. Any who do this are assured a happy home in heaven with Him when life on earth is over. Come to Him today, if you have not yet done so. He will warmly welcome you.

“Whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.” Proverbs 29:25

ML-05/09/1993

What Would We Do Without Wheat?

“Thou shalt not sow thy field with [mixed] seed.” Leviticus 19:19.

A list of all the seeds planted for food would definitely be very long, for that is the way most plants begin. The Bible speaks of wheat in many places as a type of an outstanding, good seed.

Since wheat is the world’s most important grain crop, millions of acres of it are grown throughout the world. Much is produced in Canada and the United States, especially in the big open areas of the midwestern and western provinces and states. It is quite a sight to look at vast acres of it standing, golden-colored, two to five feet tall, gently swaying in a light breeze. There are two kinds of plantings - one is known as winter wheat, planted in the fall where winters are not too severe - and the other is spring wheat, which is planted in spring.

Good quality seed is most important, and it must be planted in rich soil, well prepared. This is done usually by huge pieces of planting machinery followed by cultivating and then harvesting equipment.

Wheat kernels are so small (an eighth to a quarter of an inch long) it would take about 15,000 to equal just one pound. Have you ever looked closely at one of these tiny kernels? The hard outer covering is called bran, and the tiniest part at the bottom is the germ. This is the part that starts a new plant when the kernel is put into soil. The entire inner part is given the name endosperm. For whole-wheat flour all parts of the kernel are ground up together and then used for making whole-wheat bread, as well as many breakfast cereals. Refined wheat, with the bran left out, is used for making white bread or cake.

Of course, farmers don’t normally sell their wheat directly to bakeries or grocery stores. It is usually taken to big cement buildings called grain elevators. These are often placed alongside railroad tracks for wheat storage, and then the wheat is delivered to mills in smaller lots from there.

A Bible verse tells us, “Except a corn [kernel] of wheat fall into the ground and die [is planted], it abideth alone: but if it die [is planted], it bringeth forth much fruit.” John 12:24. The death of the Lord Jesus on the cross is the most wonderful example of this. Through His death, many, many millions of sinners (much fruit) have been cleansed from their sins and given everlasting life. Heaven will be filled with the great number of people who know Him as their Saviour, and we hope every reader will be included in that happy company.

Many try to make their way to heaven by good deeds, but that would be like mixing seed as the beginning verse warns. There is only one way to that wonderful, happy place, and that is to “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” Acts 16:31.

ML-05/16/1993

Helpful Oxpeckers

“The glory of the Lord shall endure for ever: the Lord shall rejoice in His works.” Psalm 104:31.

South of the Sahara Desert in Africa are forests and fields where many wild animals and birds live. Among the animals are giraffes, rhinos, buffalo, and warthogs. These feed on grass and foliage which often contain insects that leap or fly onto the grazing animals or those passing by. These insects get into the skin of the animals, causing much discomfort and pain. Some animals will roll in a dusty spot in an effort to get rid of the insects. But that doesn’t work very well, for the pests seem to just hang on a little tighter.

But the Creator has provided relief for the animals. A bird about the size of a large pigeon, with the name oxpecker, finds the bugs quite tasty and easy to get. The oxpecker clings to the animal’s back, side or head where, gently swinging its bill back and forth through the hair, it finds and eats the ticks, lice and other insects.

There are two varieties of these birds—one called red-billed and the other yellow-billed, both of which have dark wings over light-brown bodies, short legs and strong claws.

These birds spend most of the daylight hours on the backs, sides, legs and faces of the troubled beasts and remain there several hours or even a full day, eating the insects. They may take naps, or even get into noisy fights with one another. But the animals pay no attention and never try to shoo them off, even when they peck insects from tender spots like eyes, ears and nostrils. The animals seem to know the birds are doing them a big favor.

As a matter of fact, if the Creator had not provided such relief, none of these animals would survive very long, for the raw spots the insects cause would result in infections that would have wiped them out long ago. Of course, the animals don’t understand that, but God has given them a sense that oxpeckers are really their friends.

The Creator has been kind to send these helpful birds to the animals, don’t you think? But some may ask, “Why does He allow the harmful bugs to bother them?” When God created the world and all things in it, every insect was harmless. But when Satan tempted man and he became a sinner, all things, including insects, were harmed.

Those sins will keep us from entering heaven forever when life on earth ends. But Christ has died on the cross to put those sins away forever from all who ask Him to be their Saviour. A Bible verse tells us, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins.” 1 John 1:9. When we do this we are assured of a home with Him in heaven when our lives on earth end.

Have you confessed to Him that you are a sinner and asked Him to be your Saviour?

“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

ML-05/23/1993

The Strange Chameleon

“God that made the world and all things therein . . . is Lord of heaven and earth.” Acts 17:24.

Some time ago we looked at chameleons in general, and now we will look at some individually. There are more than 100 varieties of these lizards in the warm ocean-water areas of the world. They range in size from three-inches to nearly two-feet long. All of them look fierce but are actually harmless, except to the insects and bugs that become their food.

Some chameleons have long, stilt-like legs, lifting their bodies quite high; most have short legs with strong claws, helping them climb trees and rocks. Their tails are as long as the rest of their bodies. Their tongues can, in a split second, stretch out even farther than the length of their bodies to snatch an insect. Their eyes are most unusual - each moves independently of the other, so that they may at the same time look ahead with one and behind with the other. They can also see what’s going on at both sides without turning their heads.

But the most amazing thing about chameleons is the beautiful blending of a wide variety of colors and the ability the Creator has given them to change these colors in a few moments to match their surroundings if they need to hide from an enemy.

One of the most striking in color is the female panther of Madagascar. To attract a mate she takes on a lovely blend of bright red with areas of deep yellow, green and white. The base of her throat is decorated with white-tipped red spear heads, which are actually quite soft and harmless.

Another, the yemeness of Saudi Arabia, will often dress himself in an amazing combination of light and dark green, with areas of light yellow and deep orange. To us this looks frightening, but to another yemeness it is very attractive.

One that looks really vicious is named Parson’s and lives in the jungles of an island in the Indian Ocean. It is commonly a mixture of pale green and bright blue on its lower parts, with the upper section tan, spotted with green, brown and white. From the top of its back, coal-black stripes reach clear around its body. Its jaws when closed look very much like a corncob with two rows of big kernels of yellow corn.

Another, named Jackson’s, in the highlands of Africa, is most odd-looking. One unusual feature is that each jaw has a pink carrot-shaped horn -one a little above the other - sticking straight out, with sharp points looking like vicious weapons, but which are only used to pick up food.

The above Bible verse assures us chameleons are one more interesting display of God’s creation over which He shows loving care. And His invitation to each of us is to “[cast] all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.” 1 Peter 5:7. Have you accepted that wonderful invitation?

“For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” Romans 5:6

M ML-05/30/1993

Wrasse Fish Are Beauties

“And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth . . . after his kind.” Genesis 1:21.

Wrasse (pronounced “rass”) are among the most colorful and interesting of all fish. They range in size from a few inches to some as big as 200 pounds, but the small ones are the most appealing. All have been given gorgeous coloring by the Creator and are found in ocean waters off the coasts of Europe, in the Mediterranean and the Great Barrier Reef of Australia. Many divers find the Red Sea a favorite spot for them.

Those in the northern waters include the red wrasse, the green, the black, the rainbow, the ballen and several more. An outstanding one in the Great Barrier Reef is called moon. It is different than most others, with a rather small mouth and pointed head. It has a beautiful narrow blue and pink ridge all along its back, which matches big fins that are a soft pink in the center, but otherwise a bright blue. Its pretty, pointed, narrow head is also blue.

A big 200 pounder in the Red Sea is called the humphead, because at first glance it looks like a big turtle is getting a ride on its blue and green back. Huge lips covering its big mouth are a smooth, deep blue, but the rest of its body is pale blue, except for big green fins matching the hump on its back.

One of the interesting activities of the smaller wrasse is cleaning the teeth of big fish. When a huge fish is uncomfortable with bits of food caught in its teeth, it holds its huge mouth open when it sees a wrasse approaching. The wrasse swims right inside, checking out each tooth for bits of food, which are often parts of other fish that were eaten.

If the big fish should shut its mouth at such a time it would be the end of the little visitor, but they never seem to do that. When the little wrasse finishes its job it swims away, having had a free meal. The huge fish, with its teeth now clean, goes its way also, perhaps never again to see its tooth-cleaner. Isn’t it wonderful how the Creator has provided such an arrangement for them?

If space allowed we could consider many more varieties. Each one is a little different from the others, but all dressed in gorgeous colors provided by the One named in our opening Bible verse.

These provide one more example of the wonders of God’s creation and they are always under His watchful eye. But, more important, the Bible also tells us, “The eye of the Lord is upon them that fear [love] Him. . . . Our heart shall rejoice in Him, because we have trusted in His holy name.” Psalm 33:18,21. Can this be said of you?

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

ML-06/06/1993

Rockhoppers Are Tough!: Part 1

“Many, O Lord my God, are Thy wonderful works which Thou hast done. . . . They are more than can be numbered.” Psalm 40:5.

There are many varieties of penguins, from the largest emperor species which is about four feet tall, to the smallest species which is about one foot tall. The rockhoppers are about two feet tall. These don’t make their homes on big ice fields, but on the cliffs of islands in the Atlantic Ocean near the tip of South America.

They have white bodies, but their heads, backs and flippers are black, with a row of yellow feathers below the scalp and standing out from each side of their heads. Their beaks are pink, matched by short pink legs and webbed feet.

For some reason they avoid sheltered bays and beaches for nest sites and prefer bare shores exposed to the winds or bare areas atop rocky cliffs where the winds are even stronger. Nests are only shallow scrapings in the ground and extremely close together -thousands of them in colonies called rookeries. A colony sometimes makes an awful racket with their sharp shrieks. One visitor said they sounded like thousands of rusty wheelbarrows being pushed too fast.

These odd little fellows swim to more northerly islands as winter draws near. But they are not gone for long. When they return the males go first to claim territories for their nests, and the females arrive two weeks later. Just one egg is laid in the simple nest, and they both take turns incubating it until the little chick breaks out of its shell, a blackish, nearly blind baby. After three weeks the chick can look out for itself while the parents are off getting food for it. It leaves the nest for good when about eight weeks old.

But when the parents are both away, the little ones are particularly exposed to a vicious enemy - a big dark gull called skua. These hang around the colony as continual threats, every once in a while swooping low with head stretched out to snatch up an unguarded egg or exposed chick. Also, just as quick to capture an unattended chick is the giant petrel. It stealthily makes its way into the colony and carries away a victim, accompanied by the shrieks of all nearby rockhoppers, which are unable to do anything about it.

Next week we will take a close look at the adult rockhopper’s activities in the water and learn how it makes its way back home.

Isn’t it nice to know that these odd birds, so far away from people, are always under the watchful eye of their Creator. He has fitted them well for the peculiar kind of life they lead. They are part of His creation, in which He has great pleasure, but His greatest pleasure is in men and women, boys and girls, who have thanked Him for that loving and gracious care and know Him as their Saviour.

(to be continued)

“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Proverbs 28:13

ML-06/20/1993

Rockhoppers Are Tough!: Part 2

“O Lord, Thou preservest man and beast. How excellent is Thy lovingkindness, O God!” Psalm 36:6,7.

How did these birds get the funny name of rockhopper? Let’s imagine we’re following one of these penguins around and we’ll soon learn the answer.

Leaving the female on the nest caring for the little chick, the male, early in the morning, hops along the edge of their high cliff to where there is a way down to the seashore below. It is rough and full of huge rocks, but these don’t bother him a bit. He just hops up and over them and soon is at the bottom where big waves are crashing in.

He immediately dives into a wave and is soon swimming in smooth water. Then he gets to work and, diving fairly deep, spots a small fish which also spots him and tries to swim away. But a rockhopper can swim faster, and soon the fish’s tail is in his mouth, and then . . . good-bye fish!

He may do this a few more times until his stomach is full. But then he needs one more to take to their little chick. So the next catch, instead of going all the way to his stomach, just goes to his crop.

When he and several others decide to head back to their nests, they may find that a storm has brought immense waves which are pounding against the rocks they need to reach. Before they are able to get a foothold on the rocks, they may find themselves washed back out time after time, until they finally get a foothold and climb out of the water.

Now they have a tough climb ahead of them, but one they are used to. Is a big rock in the way? Just hop to the top, and hop down the other side. This is done many times until they reach the top of the cliff and can scamper home, hopping over gullies and other things along the way. So you see it was only natural for these interesting penguins to be given the name rockhopper by those first discovering them.

When the male gets back to the chick, he will bring up the partially digested fish from his crop into his open beak where the hungry chick can reach it. The little one drops off to sleep after its meal, while the parents stand guard over it. They sometimes lean against each other and doze off too, giving the father a well-earned rest.

The manner of life and needs of people and other creatures are often quite different. How happy it made the Psalmist to think of the Creator’s preserving care over all living things, as expressed in the opening Bible verse. The birds, of course, don’t know He is caring for them, but we who do should always remember to thank Him, not only for His care, but also for His love, and that He has provided a way for us to know Him as our Saviour. Have you thanked Him for this?

ML-06/27/1993

Cheerful Dolphins: Part 1

“But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee . . . and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.” Job 12:7,8.

There are about 40 varieties of dolphins (sometimes incorrectly called porpoises) throughout the world’s warm ocean waters. These include some 3 feet long and others up to 15 feet long and weighing 1000 pounds or more. They are all great swimmers, sometimes covering more than 70 miles a day and reaching speeds above 30 miles an hour.

They travel in large schools, enjoying one another’s company and often leaping out of the water, individually or several together, apparently having a great time doing this and other playful things. They communicate with one another, sometimes when more than a mile apart, by whistles, squeaks and barks. Each dolphin has a distinctive tone, just as your voice is different from that of your brother or sister. They can communicate this way with each other even when it is too dark to see one another.

Their bodies have been streamlined by the Creator, enabling unusually fast movements, and they are particularly designed for catching fish for their entire food supply. Their short snouts look like beaks and streamlined bodies taper off to large flat tails divided in the middle, used both as a rudder and a contributor to their unusual speed.

They are so friendly with each other and with people that it almost seems as if the “smile” on the face of a newly born dolphin is only a starter, and as they grow bigger the smile does the same. Incidentally, babies are born underwater, and the mother immediately pushes the little one to the surface for its first breath of air -sometimes with a little help from another dolphin. If she were too slow doing this, the little one would gulp water into its lungs and drown. Dolphins are not really fish, but mammals, like seals and whales which also come to the surface regularly for that life-giving breath of air.

There are apparently no reports of these intelligent creatures ever purposely harming a swimmer. In the next article we will consider in more detail their relationship with humans, which you will find extremely interesting.

Perhaps the Creator has given us these delightful creatures as an illustration of a part of His creation that lives in peace and happiness, because they do not associate with cruel and evil things. Let’s apply this to the opening Bible verse, for they are an example to us in their happy, peaceful lives.

The Saviour’s words to those who trust in Him are, “My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth.” John 14:27. If you are trusting Him and are obedient to His Word, you will have that promised peace.

(to be continued)

“I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth.” Luke 15:7

ML-07/11/1993

Cheerful Dolphins: Part 2

“I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee.” Jeremiah 31:3.

Last week we commented on the friendly nature of dolphins, not only among themselves, but with people as well. For instance, often people who are friendly with the dolphins swim at the same spot at certain times of the year, and the dolphins seem to sense when they will be there. Swimming among the people, they are as friendly as pet dogs, even with some people they have not seen before, but definitely remembering others and swimming up close to them for a friendly pat or hug.

A group of tourists in the Bahama Islands also told how they found dolphins swimming around them, some even coming alongside and welcoming their gentle strokes over their smooth bodies. One of the ladies, swimming among them, tossed her bright red scarf into the water and then promptly snatched it up and swam a short distance with it. Sure enough, the dolphins immediately showed an interest, and the next time she tossed the scarf one of them immediately grabbed it and from then on they all joined in the fun. They never tried to take the scarf away from another dolphin, but in a short time it would drop it and, fast as a wink, several would go after it. They seemed to enjoy playing this game, and the swimmers and dolphins stayed with it for four hours. Actually it seemed to give them something new to do, and some were seen later playing the game with pieces of seaweed.

These pleasant experiences are becoming more and more common at beaches in the Bahama Islands, as well as along the Atlantic Coast from North Carolina to the southern tip of Florida, and no doubt along South American shores as well.

The most amazing thing that has happened several times over the years is the help these kind creatures have given to people in danger of drowning. A typical instance was related some time ago by a sailor who had to abandon a sinking ship. Jumping fully clothed into the ocean quite a distance from shore, he found the water rough and soon gave up hope of making it to shore. But suddenly he felt a gentle but strong support underneath him. To his amazement it stayed with him all the way to shallow water where he could stand. Then he finally saw his rescuer, a large dolphin heading back to deep water.

The manner of life and kindness of dolphins is outstanding and perhaps makes some of us ashamed that we do not show more of it to one another. But there is a kindness that far outshines all others, expressed by our loving Lord in our opening Bible verse. That love took Him, the Creator of all, to Calvary’s cross, where, in a cruel death, He became the Saviour of all who put their trust in Him. Can you claim Him as your Saviour?

(to be continued)

“In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” Ephesians 1:7

ML-07/18/1993

Cheerful Dolphins: Part 3

“Thou . . . art Lord alone; Thou hast made . . . the seas, and all that is therein, and Thou preservest them all.” Nehemiah 9:6.

In the two preceding issues we have looked at the activities of dolphins found throughout the world. There are about 40 species, ranging from 3 to 15 feet long, some weighing 1000 pounds or more. Following is a partial listing of some of the more common ones.

The bottle-nosed dolphins are big, up to 12 feet long and weigh as much as 1200 pounds. Their name comes from their long, round snouts which look like they would fit in a bottle. Many of these dolphins are found in the warm waters off the coasts of Georgia and Florida, where they enjoy swimming with large groups of people who swim and play in the water there.

They get along well with other dolphin species, but don’t let them intrude into their community. The bottle-nosed are the ones usually performing at aquariums and water shows.

The spotted are well named and familiar to swimmers in the Bahama Islands where they share the water with them. They are an outstanding variety with bodies completely covered from nose tip to tail with a pattern of small black and white spots. On some the spots are just in certain areas, but with others the spots are in long rows between narrow, coal-black stripes. When swimming near the surface they leave long white patches of air bubbles behind them.

The spinners are among others preferring Hawaiian waters and are a great attraction to tourists. Some make their homes in the Gulf of Mexico. They usually swim in groups of from five to ten and make an attractive display of their graceful ways.

The Indus River dolphins are most unusual, making their homes in the waters of India. These are nearly blind, their pinhole-like eyes not seeing much more than darkness and light. They range from four to eight feet in length and have long bony snouts lined with sharp teeth. They sweep their long snouts from side to side along river bottoms, using their “echo systems” to direct them to their meals of fish in the dark waters.

Just to name a few others, there are the humpbacked, dalls, soto, vaquites, beiji, and many more. Each represents another display of the wonders of God’s creation and a reminder of the way in which He cares for them all, as the above Bible verse tells us.

There is another verse that invites us to trust in Him: “[Cast] all your care upon Him; for He [cares] for you.” 1 Peter 5:7.

When we think of His loving care, we should follow what another verse tells us: “[Give] thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 5:20. He would delight to hear that you are thankful for His loving care.

“Be sure your sin will find you out.” Numbers 32:23

ML-07/25/1993

Are There Really Any Good Bugs?

“But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee . . . or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee.” Job 12:7,8.

The answer to our question about good bugs is a definite YES, for there are many kinds of insects that are beneficial. And one way in which they do good is by killing and eating certain other insects that are harmful. Much of this we are not aware of, because it goes on so quietly and in places we are not likely to visit.

One good insect is called the mealybug destroyer. It makes its home in certain plants and trees where mealybugs do lots of damage by boring into plant stems and eating the sap that is as important to the plant as blood is to an animal. The mealybug destroyer and other “destroyers” do a tremendous amount of good.

Another good one in the garden is the lacewing. This is a pretty green little creature with delicate lace-like wings and a pair of long “feelers” coming out in front of brilliant eyes. Possibly some of us have killed these with insect spray without realizing they are good helpers. They eat countless destructive aphids and other harmful bugs.

Still another is a little wasp by the name of El Formosa. It has a special appetite for whiteflies which are harmful insects doing tremendous damage to all kinds of plants and trees. Some garden stores have these for sale when whiteflies are particularly troublesome, and gardeners use large quantities of El Formosas to help fight them.

Ladybugs are probably known by most of us as good and helpful in gardens. We should be careful to treat them kindly, and be thankful if you see some of them on your plants and flowers.

While many snails are harmful in gardens, there are some helpful ones. One of these is the Decollate variety, marked with a pretty corkscrew tail. Its principal food is the harmful common garden snail.

Then there is the praying mantis that feeds on many harmful insects, and a beetle by the name of seven-spot that has an appetite for aphids. Many farmers purchase them in big quantities from garden stores every year.

Of course we all know the value of honey from bees and silk threads from silkworms. Altogether there are more than 600 “good bugs” that farmers and plant nurseries use to help fight a continual war against harmful ones.

These harmful insects remind us of what sin has brought into the world. The good insects speak of the Creator’s wisdom in providing ways to overcome the bad. It should make us think, too, of the love and grace of God in providing a way for boys and girls, as well as adults, to overcome their sins. God sent His Son, the Lord Jesus, into the world to bear the sins of all who will trust in Him as their Saviour through His death on Calvary’s cross.

Have you let Him wash away your sins?

ML-08/01/1993

Two Unusual Storks

“Yea, the stork in the heaven [sky] knoweth her appointed times [to migrate or fly elsewhere].” Jeremiah 8:7.

The open-billed stork makes its home in Africa and parts of Asia. This bird certainly would never win a beauty contest. One reason would be because of its big brownish-black beak. It looks rather strange in that the upper and lower sections do not come together except at the very tip, leaving an open space. This is how it got the name “open-billed.” Another reason would be because its black feathers, contrasting with the white ones, always look like they need straightening out. Also, its long, stilt-like, red legs, with three big toes spread wide, don’t help its appearance either.

Its most important food is a large underwater snail that clings to stems of underwater plants -especially where rice is growing. When it finds a snail it grasps it with its strong toes and uses its lower bill to force it from the shell. Then, flipping the shell away, the stork enjoys this bite of food, with help from the opening in its beak. Strangely, the snail’s pretty shell is not damaged in the process and makes a good collector’s item for anyone finding it.

The African wood stork is an all-white bird, except for a black head mottled with brown and a beak that is similarly colored. Its home is in the southern part of Florida, where it feeds on both freshwater and saltwater fish.

These storks are very good at fishing. They catch fish with their long, strong toes and place them in their beaks where they are promptly swallowed. When little ones are fed, the parent eats the fish, snail or other food first. After digesting it, the parent brings the food back up into its open beak. The babies reach in from the sides, each trying to get the biggest bite, hoping there will be more as well.

When the mother is incubating the eggs or taking care of little ones and her mate has been absent for a long time, he makes a gentle honking and snapping of his bill for her on his return. If she is happy to see him, she does the same thing. Then they settle down peacefully together.

Isn’t it nice to think of the Lord God, the Creator of all things, taking pleasure in placing so many varieties throughout the world? It’s nice, too, to think how He cares for them, even feeding them, as the Bible verse says: “These wait all upon Thee; that Thou mayest give them their meat [food] in due season.” Psalm 104:27.

Do you thank Him for the food and other things He provides for you?

ML-08/08/1993

The Barrel Cactus

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

The full name of the desert plant we’ll consider today is compass barrel cactus. It grows in the low deserts of Arizona and California. Full-grown at about 25 years, this barrel-shaped cactus may measure five feet tall and about two feet wide. The “compass” part of its name comes from the fact that it always grows leaning toward the south. Knowing this has helped many a hiker who has been lost without a compass.

Because of the “barrel” part of its name, some think it must be full of water, but it was given this name mostly because of its shape. However, it actually does store water in rainy weather and the whole plant swells. Then in dry hot weather it will draw on this supply, as arranged by the Creator. If the top of a barrel cactus is sliced off, several quarts of water can be gotten from mashing the pulp inside. This has saved the lives of thirsty travelers lost in the desert.

In spite of the hot summers in the desert, there is always some dew in the air at night. The cactus, leaning over, has sharp-pointed spines arranged in rows all over it. These not only provide some shade from the hot sun, but the nighttime dew forms drops of water on them. These drops fall to the ground, seeping in to provide moisture for the roots.

The sharp spines also protect the cactus from the teeth of large desert animals. However, there are others, such as rabbits, that with their small mouths can gently nibble on the spines and get a little moisture for their thirst without damaging the plant.

Like its relatives, the giant saguaros, organ-pipe cactus and others, the roots of the barrel cactus have been designed by the Creator to store water when heavy winter rains come. Then in spring the cactus produces very pretty yellow blossoms on the top.

Many people think deserts are horrible places, but they are actually full of many varieties of plants, trees and flowers, as well as interesting birds and animals that have been placed there by their wise Creator. He took delight in every part of His creation. At the end of each of the six days detailed in the first chapter of the Bible we read, “And God saw that it was good.”

When we look closely at the innumerable, marvelous things around us, how good it is to remember what God’s Word, the Bible, tells us: “For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven [the sky], and that are in earth . . . all things were created by Him, and for Him.” Colossians 1:16. We can fully trust God’s Word and believe the Bible’s account of creation rather than man’s ideas.

“All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23

ML-08/15/1993

Who Likes Dust?

“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.” Genesis 2:7.

Your answer to the question, “Who likes dust?” will probably be, “Not I.” But dust does have many good things about it, helping us realize that nothing of God’s creation has been put in the world without His best purposes for us.

Perhaps you know that there is always dust all around you, even if you do not see it. A man usually waits for clear weather to wash his car. When he is finished he is pleased to see how nice the car finally looks. But, even if it is parked in a closed garage for two or three days, he will discover that dust has again settled on it.

His wife may have cleaned the house and gotten everything bright and clean. But in a few days she has to do it all over again, even though the doors and windows have been closed most of the time.

The dust experienced by this man and his wife may not be visible in the air unless a strong wind is blowing. However, in a dark room where a bright shaft of sunlight comes through a window, dust particles may be seen in great numbers, whirling and dancing where the light hits them. Yes, dust is always there, day and night.

What benefits does dust give us? A great many. For example, the beauty of the sky is visible only because of dust in the air. It is only because of sunlight shining through dusty air that the sky appears blue and that those beautiful sunsets show up.

Then too, without dust there would be no rain, for every drop is formed around a tiny speck of dust before it can leave the cloud. The same is true of every snowflake and piece of hail. Without dust particles we would perhaps just experience huge deluges of water instead of gentle rains. Also, the brilliant flash of a shooting star entering the earth’s atmosphere is at its brightest when encountering dust particles.

If space allowed we could give more examples, but let us consider the beginning Bible verse telling of the relationship of man to dust. It does not mean that God made man into an existing statue of dusty dirt, but that He formed him out of the “dust,” or soil. After Adam sinned he was then told, “Dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” Genesis 3:19.

This explains what, in time, becomes of our bodies after death. But something else also happens with those who have accepted the Lord Jesus as their Saviour. The Bible tells us their spirits go immediately to heaven, and someday very soon will be united with new bodies that will never die.

Will that be true of you? The Bible says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” Acts 16:31. If you have not yet done so, accept Him as your Saviour right now.

“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-08/22/1993

A Great Imitator

“The heart is deceitful above all things . . . who can know it? I the Lord search the heart.” Jeremiah 17:9,10.

Known as walking sticks, or stick insects, these relatives of katydids, crickets, grasshoppers and earwigs come in many varieties throughout North, Central and South America, as well as the Orient. Some measure only 2 or 3 inches long, but in Oriental countries some may be 12 inches long when stretched out on a limb. The larger ones are considered a very tasty food when roasted by the natives.

These insects usually lie perfectly still on narrow branches of trees, or even flat blades of grass or leaves. They look so much like a part of the tree or plant that insects coming from behind innocently climb up and along their backs, not knowing that they will soon be gobbled up. When approaching from the front, the insect expects to climb over the “stick” in its way, but at just the right moment the “stick” opens its mouth and devours it.

These strange, dark-colored creatures have no wings, but have four, long, flexible, skinny legs that are a big help in climbing over twigs and branches. Their legs look like a part of a branch itself when folded under their bodies.

Walking sticks remain motionless on the twigs, branches or leaves, blending so perfectly and nearly invisible except when capturing the prey that ventures too close, or when they decide to move on. But most of the time they just lie snugly still against whatever is supporting them. Even people, searching for these odd creatures, may walk right by one lying on a bare branch and not discover it until by chance the person thinks he is grabbing a branch for support and discovers it trying to wriggle away from his hand.

Long string-like feelers rise straight up from the foreheads of walking sticks’ small heads, providing an awareness of some tasty meal approaching. After the discovery of something approaching, these fold back silently and snugly over the tops of their long skinny necks.

In many ways these walking sticks represent an illustration of the deceitful ways of Satan and his efforts to spoil our personal lives. How much better to have our trust in the Lord Jesus, our Creator, and ask Him to help us do what these Bible verses tell us: “For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain [keep] his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile [dishonesty]. . . . For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous [honest and true], and His ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.” 1 Peter 3:10,12.

“My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.”

Proverbs 1:10

ML-08/29/1993

Delightful Squirrels: Part 1

“O Lord, Thou preservest man and beast. How excellent is Thy loving-kindness, O God!” Psalm 36:6,7.

Squirrels are interesting little animals, aren’t they? There are some 200 species throughout the world. People cannot help but be interested in them, because their antics are fun to watch. The Creator has made them so nimble in scampering up and around a tree trunk, as though playing hide-and-seek. Other times they scamper out on a narrow branch, hunting for a hazelnut, acorn or walnut.

Squirrels have no difficulty holding a nut between their front paws while sitting upright, with their big bushy tails raised in a big loop over their backs. Their sharp teeth and strong jaws can crack open a nut shell very quickly, and they are soon enjoying the treat.

Brave ones in public parks will often come timidly to the outstretched hand of a boy or girl squatting on the ground and holding a peanut or other treat for them. They finally will snatch the food and scamper away, often up a nearby tree to a nest hidden there. When they do this they often are taking the treat to a mother squirrel caring for a nest of baby squirrels, or as a treat to a younger one.

There are several varieties of these active little creatures in North America, including the fox, ringtail, chicaree, tuft-eared, ground and others. They are all part of the same family, but each a little different from the others. For instance, the ringtail, one of the smallest, is distinctive with an extra-long tail, thickly covered with wooly fur which forms wide black and white rings over its entire length. The rest of its body is grayish-brown. It has large sharp eyes and high-pointed ears atop a head that tapers to a sharp point at the snout.

The smallest of all is the African pygmy, only five inches long, including a short tail. The largest is the Indian giant, about three feet long, with a bright red, black and pale yellow coat.

Tree squirrels are commonly seen in parks or trees along a wooded trail or road. With powerful hind legs they easily jump from limb to limb, their bushy tails helping them to keep their balance. They can run amazingly fast head-first down a tree trunk, sharp claws clinging to the bark. Most of their time is spent in trees, but they also search on the ground for nuts, berries, seeds and mushrooms.

The Bible verses quoted above remind us that these attractive creatures are never left alone, for there is One in heaven above looking after them, as He also looks after each of us. Have you ever thanked Him for His loving-kindness to you?

(to be continued)

“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-09/05/1993

Delightful Squirrels: Part 2

“For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth.” Colossians 1:16.

Some time ago we considered the “flying squirrels” of Africa. There are some flying squirrels in North America as well. Their scientific name means “gray mouse that flies.” Now let’s take a look at the ones usually referred to as the gray and a close relative, the red. Although referred to as flying squirrels, it would be more appropriate to call them “gliding” squirrels, as the following description of their activities will make clear.

These are most outstanding in their ability to make their way from tree to tree through the air without going to the ground. They have been known to “fly” more than 150 feet and always seem to make a perfect landing on their target. They do this by launching themselves from high up in a tree and gliding through the air with legs outstretched. Here’s how it’s possible.

The Creator has provided them with special furry loose skin (flight membranes) stretched between their front and hind legs. These membranes are very loose when they are not flying, in contrast with other squirrels which have smooth, tight, furry skin. But when gliding through the air with all four legs stretched out, this loose skin becomes a perfect parachute under their full control.

They also have flat tails which act like a rudder when gliding. These are most important also for stopping their flight. A squirrel suddenly will lifts its tail straight up just before landing, which greatly reduces its speed.

They always land upright, with strong claws of the hind feet grabbing the tree trunk before the front ones make contact. Then they immediately scoot around to the opposite side of the tree - a God-given instinct in case they may have been spotted by an owl or hawk that would like a squirrel supper. When the young squirrels are only five or six weeks old, the mother begins their flight training. She has them make short glides at first, gradually lengthening them until they become experts.

Aside from the ability to glide, which other squirrels would never attempt, their lives are much the same. They make nests in decayed holes in large trees, with enough space for food supplies. Their food is mainly nuts and seeds, but at times includes berries, grasshoppers and an occasional bird egg.

The Bible tells us the Lord God took pleasure in all His creation, and nothing came “just by chance” as is often taught. You are a part of His creation too, and He wants you to know Him personally as your Saviour. Receive Him into your life as your Saviour and then follow the words of His promise: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness [sin].” 1 John 1:9.

If you have not yet done this, do so today!

ML-09/12/1993

Rubber From Trees

“And God said, Let the earth bring forth . . . the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind . . . and it was so.” Genesis 1:11.

We are so used to rubber in many forms, particularly the tires on automobiles, airplanes, bicycles, etc., that it’s hard to think of times - a hundred years or so ago - when there was not much of it around. But today it is a very important item throughout the world.

What is known as pure India rubber is sometimes called gum elastic, as well as a technical name pronounced “coochook.” Much of it comes from rubber vines in India and Africa, as well as from large rubber trees in South America, particularly in the forests of Brazil.

The method of getting rubber from the trees is interesting. In some ways it is quite similar to that used to draw sweet maple sap from trees in northeastern United States and Canada.

For many years great quantities of pure milk-white latex, which is made into rubber, has been coaxed from these trees by workers called “rubber tappers.” Without seriously harming the trees, workmen with sharp curved knives reach high up the bare part of the trunk and cut shallow circles into the thin bark, slanting them downward. At selected spots they attach buckets into which the latex drops after winding downward in the tapered grooves. These buckets are carefully watched to make sure they don’t overflow and waste any of the precious liquid.

The pails of latex are taken to a shed and dumped into a large vat for heat-treating and partial drying. Soon a workman brings a big roller with a bare wooden handle on which he carefully pours the treated latex. He slowly rotates this, and when it gets to a proper thickness, takes it to another area where it is fully dried and stripped from the roller. Then it is flattened into smooth sheets about two or three feet wide and five or six feet long. This, in turn, is packaged and shipped to rubber factories, some in South America but mostly to the United States and Europe.

Rubber trees continue producing latex for many years. People who own groves of rubber trees and properly work them have discovered that they make more money per acre producing rubber than by cutting down the trees and using the land for farming. That makes many people happy, because cutting down trees in Brazil over the years has meant destroying many forested areas and depriving some of the world’s most beautiful birds and animals of their homelands.

The above Bible verse reminds us that the world itself and all things in it or on it were created by God and that He well knew the benefits His creation would bring to people all over the world. There is another Bible verse that has an important message for children and young people about their Creator. Read it in Ecclesiastes 12:1.

ML-09/19/1993

Two African Lizards

“These also shall be unclean unto you . . . the chameleon, and the lizard.” Leviticus 11:29,30.

The above instructions given to God’s people in Bible times defined lizards as “unclean.” This meant they were not to be eaten, but it did not mean that God, the Creator of all things, didn’t care for lizards. He has always provided well for their every need. We’ll look at just two types of lizards.

One, named aporosaura, lives on the hot sandy Namib desert near the tip of Africa. It has been given long, husky legs to cope with its hot sandy homeland - far too hot for any of us to walk on barefoot. In bright sunshine temperatures reach 150 degrees, but at nighttime it becomes chilly.

Moving about in that heat, searching for flies and other insects, the aporosaura’s long rubberlike legs raise its body high enough so it doesn’t rub against the hot sand. But it stops often to cool one leg at a time by raising it and waving it in the air.

Each afternoon fog blows in from the ocean, and our lizard friend, not pleased with the cool change, buries itself completely under the sand and stays there until the sun shines again.

If the fog comes in too early for it to stay there for the night, it will lie flat on its stomach on the still-warm sand, scooping some over itself. If the sun breaks through again, it will lift its tail in the air and raise its legs and head to get what warmth it can from the sun that had been too hot for it earlier.

Another unusual lizard, known as the leaf-tailed gecko, makes its home on Madagascar Island off the coast of Africa. It is very odd looking, with mottled brown and gray skin from its sharp nose to the end of a long tail, as well as on its long legs and clawed toes. It is about a foot long. The “gecko” part of its name refers to its call, which sounds like that word.

It hunts at night, and the Creator has given it large eyes, standing out like yellow balls, well back of its pointed nose. With jaws wide open it looks like a small dragon. The toes have suction cups enabling it to cling to steep branches and smooth boulders, or even climb a wall and cross a ceiling when chasing an insect. If an enemy grabs its tail, the tail breaks away and the lizard escapes. A new tail grows back in a short time.

These are just two of about 2000 kinds of lizards in the world. The Bible assures us that the Lord God, their Creator, watches over them night and day. But He watches more carefully over you and invites you to know Him as your Saviour and give thanks to Him for all His loving-kindness to you. Is He your Saviour, and have you thanked Him today?

“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

ML-09/26/1993

Amazing Migrators

“Many, O Lord my God, are Thy wonderful works which Thou hast done. . . . They are more than can be numbered.” Psalm 40:5.

The more we learn about migrating birds and other creatures, the more amazing it is to think how they find their way from one place to another. Scientists can only guess, and if the migrators could talk they couldn’t tell us either. But those who believe in God as the Creator of all things plainly see that He has given them that ability.

Birds such as geese and storks make flights of more than 1000 miles over land and water, traveling north in the spring and south in the fall. Arctic terns make the longest migrations of all - about 12,000 miles twice a year, between Antarctica and nearby islands to the Aleutian islands, Greenland and the northernmost islands of the Arctic Ocean, where little ones are hatched and raised. Leaving the little ones behind, they return late in August by way of Hawaii - a long, long trip over water. The young ones, never having made that flight, nonetheless follow them later on the same route. How can they do this with no guide to help them? Oh, but they do have a Guide - the Creator who directs them all the way.

Many more birds, such as robins and geese, make long flights in the spring and again in the fall. They stay on the right course through rain, fog, storms and dark nights to reach their destinations. Sometimes their numbers are so great they become spread out for many miles, and none get lost.

The migration of animals is also amazing. In a past article we told of thousands of caribou that travel in the spring and fall between the United States and Alaska. In Africa there are also great migrations of wildebeests, gazelles, elephants and other animals that migrate back and forth many miles.

Fish of all sizes, from tiny sardines to huge salmon and tuna, are among others that migrate, as do a great number of insects that find their way over great distances every year. Their true Guide is the One who created them and who is always watching over them.

These long-distance travelers need no maps or signals to tell them where or when to go, but the journeys and food supply along the way are all scheduled by their kind Creator.

Do you know the very same One has prepared a way for those who know Him as their Lord and Saviour when it is time to leave this world? His Word, the Bible, tells us: “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9. How important it is to accept the Lord Jesus now as your Saviour. Then when that important moment comes He will take you to His wonderful home in heaven.

“Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood.” Revelation 1:5

ML-10/03/1993

Snakes and Their Ways: Part 1

“Every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents . . . hath been tamed of mankind: but the tongue can no man tame.” James 3:7,8.

Snakes live in every part of the world except icy areas. Of the nearly 3000 varieties, the longest is a python, which may grow over 30 feet long. An interesting contrast is the thread snake, which is only about as long as your hand. The heaviest of all is the anaconda, which may weigh over 500 pounds.

Snakes never close their eyes, even at night. This is because they have no eyelids; their eyes are protected only by a thin, transparent cover. Something else interesting is that they shed their outside skin several times a year. As they grow larger and their skin becomes too tight, they rub their heads back and forth against something hard until the skin splits open. Then they wiggle out of it from head to tail, turning it inside out and leaving it behind in one complete piece. To come across one of these snake skins in the woods might startle you, for it looks so lifelike.

Many snakes make their homes underground, but some just hide under a pile of dead leaves or in deep grass, and a few others prefer living in trees or in the wetness of swampy places. The Creator has given them extremely flexible bodies, composed of strong ribs almost their entire length, enabling them to move amazingly fast by crawling. When a snake moves, it does not raise its body off the ground; it bends it from side to side.

Many snakes are harmless, but others are poisonous, and some, the boa constrictor, for instance, could wrap itself around a person and squeeze him to death. But this seldom happens, and almost all snakes try to hide from a person who comes near.

Snakes are often referred to in the Bible, usually as an evil thing. Because Satan appeared in the form of a serpent to tempt Adam and Eve, he is later referred to as “that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan.” Revelation 12:9.

We should remember that all snakes are definitely a part of God’s creation and show a lot of God-given wisdom in making their way through life. It is in that respect that the Bible tells us, “Be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.” Matthew 10:16. This God-given instruction is important for us to follow if we want to stay out of trouble and please a loving Creator who is always looking on us.

We are also told in our opening Bible verse that although snakes and other creatures are tamed by mankind, no one can tame his own tongue. So we should always look to the Lord Jesus for help to keep our tongues from evil and our lips from speaking guile (deceit or dishonesty). (See 1 Peter 3:10.)

In the next issue we will take a detailed look at a few outstanding snakes.

(to be continued)

“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

ML-10/10/1993

Snakes and Their Ways: Part 2

“And God made . . . every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.” Genesis 1:25.

In the last article we looked at some of the unusual characteristics of snakes, so now let’s examine a few more closely. Almost all snakes are beautifully patterned in a wide range of colors, stripes and unusual markings. But some, like the eastern green mamba, are just one solid color from nose to tail-tip.

The most common snake in North America is the garter snake. All have plain dark coloring, often with stripes down the sides and back which may be yellow or green, making them rather pretty. These are harmless and try to hurry away if a person comes near them. Their principal food includes worms, insects, tadpoles, small frogs and fish.

One called the common boa of South America may grow to 14 feet long, but most are somewhat smaller. They live mostly above ground in trees. Their food is usually birds and rodents. These snakes have narrow, white heads and patches of white and dark coloring over the rest of their bodies.

Another boa in the southwestern United States is called the rubber boa, because that’s what it looks like. Most of these are solid black, but others are yellow, brown, or rather pretty mixtures of color.

The cobra of India and South China is one of the most poisonous. Some are plain black, but mostly they are a speckled orange or brownish olive or often a variety of several mixed colors. These are the ones snake charmers in India train to entertain people.

The Western Hemisphere has several varieties of coral snakes. These are all poisonous and have beautiful color patterns, including rings of black or dark purple, red, and yellow or white circling their entire bodies. They are quite a contrast to copperhead snakes of the eastern United States. These are well-named for quick identity since copper is the only color on their heads. The rest of their bodies have a beautiful pattern of copper, brown and beige. They are also poisonous.

There is a great variety of other species, such as vipers, pythons, puff adders, bushmasters and many more. You would find it extremely interesting to look some of these up for more detail in most public libraries.

Because sin has marred much of God’s perfect creation, snakes are now associated with evil, but there is a time coming, called the millennium, when the world will be a happy, peaceful place. The Bible tells us that then “the [small] child shall play on the hole of the asp [poisonous snake] and the [older] child shall put his hand in the cockatrice’ [poisonous snake] den.” Isaiah 11:8.

But before that takes place, God will have called to heaven every person who has accepted the Lord Jesus as his or her Saviour, and these will have the joy of looking down on that happy millennial scene. Will you be among those who will be in heaven?

“Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us.” 1 John 3:16

ML-10/17/1993

The Smallest of Their Kind

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish.” John 10:27,28.

On some Mediterranean islands there are mouflons which make their homes on high pastures. These wild sheep have very long reddish-brown hair mixed with a few patches of white. Their short legs and small bodies combine to make them the smallest sheep in the world.

A newborn lamb is about the size of a kitten, and a full-grown one is not much more than half the size of the sheep we commonly see. The males appear somewhat larger, with two big wrinkly horns nearly three-feet long rising from the top of their heads before curving downward and then upward again when reaching the sides of the mouths. They each look like a big “C” shape on each side of their heads.

As their numbers have become greatly reduced by hunters, concerned people have provided protected areas in Texas for several years. They also have imported quite a few of these adult mouflons to the protected areas. This has resulted in giving them a new name of Texotics, and some United States zoos now display a few of them. You would find them very interesting little animals.

“[God] doeth great things and unsearchable; marvelous things without number.” Job 5:9.

The smallest pig in the world is nicknamed “potbelly.” This miniature pig is about the size of a large house cat; the adult is only about 18 inches long from its snout to its curly tail. They were introduced from China into Canada and the United States only a few years ago, but have become quite popular with those who like house pets.

Unlike most pigs, this little black fellow is extremely clean and has no objectionable odor. It makes an ideal house pet, never seems to have fleas, and enjoys being held on a leash while the owner takes a walk -obedient all the way along.

It makes quick friends with other animals, especially cats and dogs, and often cuddles up with them for a nap, or they may sleep beside each other at night. Some potbellies, however, prefer to be with people and even spend nights cuddled up against their owners, on top of the covers.

Both of these cute little animals are another example of the marvelous things the Creator has placed on the earth, as the earlier Bible verse in Job tells us. Another verse says, “Ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee.” Job 12:7. The beasts don’t tell us with their voices, of course, but just to see them and their happy ways of life assures us that there is a Creator who looks after them. And that very same Creator is also looking with greater love on every boy and girl.

Are you one of His sheep, one who knows the Lord Jesus as your Saviour?

“These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life.” 1 John 5:13

ML-10/24/1993

Fooling the Enemy

“Hide me under the shadow of Thy wings, from the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies.” Psalm 17:8,9.

There are many creatures who wouldn’t have a chance of fighting back or escaping from their enemies, which often would devour them with one bite, if the Creator hadn’t provided a means of protection.

For instance, several small beetles are colored bright red, orange or yellow, others are plain-colored, and still others are a combination of the two. Each of these beetles is either poisonous, tastes terrible, or smells bad. As a result, many creatures have learned to avoid them as well as those with similar color combinations, as they are not able to distinguish one from the other.

There is a wide variety of insects, caterpillars, wasps, bees, flies and even small birds that have been given distinctive markings of various kinds. These creatures are protected from harm because they don’t look like they are edible. Some resemble stones, sticks, blades of grass, etc. There are some caterpillars that cover their backs every day with flower buds, leaves or grass. An unusual variety of beetle plasters its back with mud each day. Another, making its home on chalk-white cliffs, powders its entire body with fresh white dust, which makes it practically invisible to its enemies.

One of the most amazing insects is an orange and black fly by the name of zonose. Its wings, which are spread out while resting, are transparent but have black matched markings on both sides that look exactly like a jumping spider’s legs, as well as other black spots on its body - all contributing to its disguise.

In the oceans in many parts of the world, large fish will gobble down smaller ones, but one called the cuttlefish can change its color in less than a second to blend perfectly with its surroundings. In fact, there are a great many fish that can do the same thing. When they see an enemy approaching, they seem to sense that their coloring hides them, so they just remain perfectly still while the enemy swims by without even being aware they are there.

These are just a few examples of helpless creatures being protected from cruel enemies by means of fooling them or being invisible to them, through the remarkable way the Creator has provided protection for them. Of course they are not aware of His care, but He kindly looks after them just the same.

Those who know the Lord Jesus as their Saviour are often aware of our enemy, Satan, who never tires of trying to discourage or harm us by evil teachings. The Bible verse above should be our constant prayer, guide and encouragement. Do you know the Lord Jesus as your very own Saviour?

“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-10/31/1993

Red-Tailed Hawks

“Doth the hawk fly by thy wisdom, and stretch her wings toward the south?” Job 39:26.

There are many species of hawks, most of them quite pretty in a variety of colors. An outstanding one is called the red-tailed hawk because its tail is made up of beautiful red feathers, each with a black base and a pure white tip. The rest of its body is pretty too, either a tannish-brown, a bluish-gray or soft white. It is the best known hawk in the United States and Canada, found in areas from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. It is also found in Central Alaska and down in Central America as well.

Because this hawk is found in so many places it has been given a variety of names, including red hawk, chicken hawk (unjustly), squealing hawk, buzzard hawk and white-breasted hawk, but the more official name is red-tailed. It measures about two feet long from its beak to the tip of its tail. When full grown and with wings outstretched, it measures about four feet across.

It usually nests in open areas near trees where mice, rats, squirrels and moles abound. A hawk will perch still as a statue on a tree limb or fence post until one of these animals is spotted. Then swiftly and silently it swoops down and captures it, killing it instantly. Its appetite also includes fish, rabbits, snakes, frogs, lizards and insects.

Besides hunting in wooded areas these hawks often soar in the sky at great heights, often in pairs, making wide circles in the sky. Suddenly a pair of sharp eyes spots a prey far below. Then it dives silently at great speed and catches the prey in its sharp curved talons.

Pairs of these birds stay together for life. They often use the same nest year after year, which can measure two feet wide or more in the fork of a tree top. Two or three eggs are usually laid during March or April, and both parents share incubating them for about a month. The little ones learn to fly in a surprisingly short time and soon leave the parents, to be on their own.

An answer to the question asked in the opening Bible verse is given in Psalm 104:27, which says, “These wait all upon Thee [the Creator]; that Thou mayest give them their meat [food] in due season.”

When we think of all the birds and other creatures dependent on God, their Creator, for their needs, we are also reminded of His wonderful care over us. The Lord Jesus tells us, “The very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.” Matthew 10:30,31.

Do you know the Creator as your Saviour? Can you say what the Psalmist said, “I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember Thy wonders of old. I will meditate also of all Thy work, and talk of Thy doings.” Psalm 77:11,12.

ML-11/07/1993

Preparing for Winter: Part 1

“For He [God] saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth. . . . Then the beasts go into dens, and remain in their places.” Job 37:6-8.

Many of God’s creatures live in areas with cold winters. He has provided them with special ways to survive. Some migrate to warmer areas, but an amazing number live year-round in the areas which the Creator has provided for them. It is, of course, His provision for their special needs in the freezing temperatures that enables them to survive through winter months. These creatures include a great variety of birds, animals, insects, fish, seals, whales, dolphins and others.

Often a rocky cave in a hillside, soon to be buried in deep snow, is used by bears year after year, and other creatures know well enough not to try to occupy it. In fact, in many areas all bears go into hibernation on the same day, with their spots selected well in advance.

How do they know to prepare for winter? It is all through God-given instincts, including not only preparing a place beforehand, but of even more importance, by eating extra amounts of food in the fall. The increase in weight is mostly fat and helps to keep them warm as well as nourishing them while hibernating (sleeping all winter until spring weather permits venturing outside again).

Surprisingly, it is during hibernation in the darkness of a cave that a mother bear usually gives birth to two little cubs. In spite of the darkness, they promptly find a ready milk supply from their sleepy mother who goes right back to sleep after she nurses them. Actually these cubs are no bigger than small kittens. It is one of the marvels of God’s creation that they can survive in the darkness and know just where to feed when they are hungry and then cuddle up to their mother’s warm body until the next feeding time.

Deer, elk and caribou, even in extremely cold places, do not hibernate. In the fall months they build themselves up with heavy eating, which not only provides fat for warmth but also causes their specially insulated hair to grow thick to provide a heavy overcoat for cold weather. They search daily, even in snowstorms, for grass, leaves and other vegetation. They have to paw through the snow with their sharp, strong hoofs to uncover much of what they eat.

These are typical examples of the Creator’s care, as the Bible verse tells us: “O Lord, Thou preservest man and beast. How excellent is Thy loving-kindness, O God! therefore the children of men put their trust under the shadow of Thy wings.” Psalm 36:6,7.

Have you thanked Him for His loving-kindness to you and put your trust in Him? Always remember that “it is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.” Psalm 118:8.

(to be continued)

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16

ML-11/14/1993

Preparing for Winter: Part 2

“While the earth remaineth . . . cold and heat . . . summer and winter . . . shall not cease.” Genesis 8:22.

In our last article we reviewed a number of large creatures of the north which hibernate or have other ways of surviving the cold winter months. How the Creator arranged for the smaller creatures to survive is also interesting.

Chipmunks and squirrels do not really hibernate in winter. During summer and fall they are busy burying hazelnuts, acorns and other foods or carrying them up tree trunks and hiding them in a nest-hole. They are storing up food for wintertime when they will be snug and warm in their tree-trunk nests. They spend much of their time in long naps, but wake up often to satisfy their hunger. Then they drop off to sleep again.

Arctic hares and weasels do not hibernate either, but each fall the Creator provides them with warm, thick coats of snow-white fur that keeps their bodies warm. They also are equipped with special winter “snowshoes” which enable them to move easily over the snow when searching for food.

Many mice and other small rodents spend the entire winter in nests and tunnels they have made in the ground or grass beneath deep snow. There they feed on vegetation and insects and are safe from hawks and larger animals. This also gives them good protection from the cold weather above the thick blanket of snow.

Red foxes of the north keep active through the winter too. They are provided with beautiful, thick, red winter coats. There is a dash of white at the tip of their long tails. For sleeping, they curl their long tails tightly around their curled-up bodies on top of the snow.

Many birds keep active in the winter, including bobwhites. A dozen or more will cuddle snugly together on the snow in a tight circle, each with its head pointing outward as a lookout against a fox or other threat. Ruffed grouse also stay on top of the snow. Their close-fitting, insulating feathers keep them warm. They, too, are provided with feather “snowshoes” on their feet in the winter, enabling them to walk or run over the snow with ease.

How interesting it is to look briefly into the lives and experiences of these creatures which are not aware they are under God’s care. But it is far more important for us to thank Him for His very special care over us, as the Bible verse in Psalm 23:6 tells us: “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.”

This is God’s promise to all who will let Him wash away their sins by trusting in the Lord Jesus. He bore the punishment on Calvary’s cross for the sins of all who will trust Him as their Saviour. Have you let Him wash your sins away?

ML-11/21/1993

Are Those Really Eyes?

“The Lord openeth the eyes of the blind: the Lord raiseth them that are bowed down.” Psalm 146:8.

The eyes of many animals, birds and insects can perform in remarkable ways. One of the most outstanding animals with unusual eyes is the horny-toed lizard, which makes its home in the deserts of Arizona. It is an amazing creature not seen by many people. This is an ugly little fellow with a wrinkly brownish-tan body, capped with a pair of reddish ears on top of its horny, grim-faced head. It also has two big areas of red flesh around its dark eyes.

On occasions this little fellow curls up into a wrinkly ball, its body resting on legs pulled under it. It confronts an enemy by sitting upright, and with its head raised it will suddenly shoot out a series of dark red globs of blood over its head in such an amazing manner that its attacker is frightened away. The bloody shots may reach up six feet or more and may have a bad smell that makes the enemy leave it alone.

Another interesting example is the strange-looking jumping spider which has two big black eyes above its jaws, while slightly higher and a short distance away are two more, smaller, dark-colored eyes. It appears that the big eyes look ahead and the small ones see only what is behind.

There is a small fish called anableps that spends much time at the water’s surface. The upper half of its unusual eyes sees things in every direction above the surface, while at the same time the lower half sees only things below the surface. Thus, while resting right at the surface, it can keep fully alert to everything in front, behind, above, and below it.

The eyespot grasshopper has been provided with light green round spots on the back of its dark brown body that look like huge eyes. These keep enemies away that otherwise would attack it. Something similar takes place with the silk moth, colored mostly in bright red. When a bird sneaks up from behind, it is suddenly frightened away when the moth, sensing its approach, opens its wings and two snake-like “eyes” are exposed.

The pretty yellow butterfly fish is often the target of larger fish. On swimming closer, the larger fish discover two big white-rimmed coal-black “eyes” with a partly open mouth below them and turn away in fright. But what is actually there are markings that fooled them. The Creator provided these to preserve this pretty little fish from hungry enemies. The actual eyes on the front of the fish are concealed by wide black stripes.

These are just a few of the many wonders of God’s creation. Perhaps in the delights and wonders of heaven, we who know the Lord Jesus as our Saviour will hear from His lips about many other created wonders. Will you be there?

“How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?” Hebrews 2:3

ML-11/28/1993

Berries for Birds and Beasts

“Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord . . . for he shall be as a tree . . . yielding fruit.” Jeremiah 17:7,8.

Dogs, cats, birds, fish, or whatever kind of pet you may have, do not need to worry about getting enough food at the right time because you make sure they get fed. But wild creatures must find their own food. However, the Creator does not neglect them, and this is particularly shown in the fall months when many birds are getting ready for their migrations. They could not make these flights without first building up their bodies with large quantities of food to provide the needed “fuel” for the long journey ahead of them.

And that is, no doubt, one reason why the Creator has designed so many bushes and trees with abundant tasty and nourishing berries ripening in the late summer. Let’s take a look at some of these and the creatures that enjoy eating them.

In states along the Mississippi River, a bush called pokeweed produces clusters of deep purple, juicy berries late in the summer. Because of the dark juice, it is sometimes called the inkberry bush. This is a favorite, not only with birds, but with some small animals as well.

A similar bush in Ontario produces quantities of red, purple or black chokeberries - also a favorite treat for squirrels and other small animals, as well as numerous birds. And in Florida mocking birds, which are great fruit eaters, eagerly eat the bright scarlet red berries growing in clusters on holly bushes, that are at their peak in the fall months.

In some areas of Northeastern United States wild cranberry bushes are favorites of birds, mice and other animals. Deep snow helps the mice and other small animals reach the tasty deep-pink fruit on taller bushes. In the same area there are approximately 100 different kinds of bushes and trees that produce tasty berries and wild fruits all through the winter months. These are favorites not only with birds, but with all kinds of animals - from the tiny field mouse to huge bears.

These are just a few examples of a vast number of plants, bushes and trees arranged by the Creator to provide the necessary nourishing food for His creatures during fall and winter months.

The Psalmist, a faithful observer of God’s goodness, expressed it so well in Psalm 107:8,9 when he declared, “Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.”

Have you thanked Him for His goodness to you?

“Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” 1 John 4:10

ML-12/05/1993

Likable Sables

“Unto Adam also and to his wife did the Lord God make coats of skins, and clothed them.” Genesis 3:21.

Although a member of the weasel family, sables look very similar to pine martens, both being about the same size. They have cute small pointed faces, with sharp little button noses, dark eyes and large pointed ears, usually held upright.

A typical full-grown sable will be about 20 inches long, including its 5inch-long, bushy tail. They are nimble little beauties. The color of most varieties is a rich-looking, glossy, dark-brown on the upper parts of their bodies and gray on their heads, with a pretty yellowish shade under their throats and underparts. However, the ones of highest value are those that are almost black on the backs and sides, with an orange or white portion under their chins.

Furriers love to receive these beautiful furs from the trappers. They make warm, snug-fitting hats for both men and women, as well as luxurious, expensive coats and jackets. A choice fur will sometimes bring the trapper enough money to live on for a year, and a well-made lady’s sable fur coat might sell for $100,000!

Sables are found in many places, including Siberia, Mongolia, China, Korea and some of the north Pacific islands. But because of the extremely long, very cold winters where it lives, the Siberian sables are the choicest of all - their fur being thicker, glossier, softer and more durable than all others. Many refer to them as “soft gold” and over 100,000 of these are bought yearly by furriers in many parts of the world who pay high prices for them.

Actually, since the entire world is plagued with troubles of many kinds, these high-priced pieces of fur clothing may not remain popular very much longer because of their high cost. Perhaps the rare sable may not be in such extreme danger of being wiped out by trappers much longer. Many of us will be happy to see that take place.

How about the sables themselves and their way of life? They do well (as long as trappers leave them alone) with a mixed diet of nuts, berries and an occasional small animal or insects, as well as birds’ eggs and fish available in shallow waters. These nimble little beauties are surprisingly clever at avoiding the many traps that are set out for them by trappers. Hopefully, if the demand for their fur does actually decrease, perhaps their numbers will increase.

The Bible verse quoted at the beginning does not mention sables, and it is not likely that Adam and Eve had coats made from them, for the Creator purposed for these nimble animals to live in colder lands than the Garden of Eden. But they were, and still are, part of His creation, in which He delights.

ML-12/12/1993

Don't Argue With a Bluefish

“They that go down to the sea . . . see the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep.” Psalm 107:23,24.

Huge schools of bluefish make their homes in the Atlantic Ocean, off the shores of Eastern Canada and the United States to the southern tip of South America. They have been known to migrate in immense numbers, at times in schools more than 50 miles wide, from which individual groups separate from time to time to go their own way. It is estimated that many thousands of tons of them are caught by fishermen throughout the world, but mostly off the eastern coasts of North America.

These fish are large, about 15 to 24 inches long and usually weigh 1 to 4 pounds. But some grow over 3 feet long and may weigh more than 30 pounds. Their name comes from their bluish color. They are fierce and usually hungry, never seeming to have enough fish and eels, their main food. They catch these with mouths wide open and often swallow them whole.

Fishermen call the bluefish the fiercest fish in the ocean. When hooked they fight hard and sometimes even attack the person taking it off the hook, severely biting hands, fingers and arms with their dagger-like teeth. When a bluefish catches a fish too large to swallow whole, it will bite it in two. Another bluefish looking on will immediately grab the other half.

They are not the least bit afraid of people. If a person falls into water close to a bluefish, it may not hesitate to attack the person with its razor-sharp teeth. If not quickly rescued, it may cause the person’s death.

Bluefish are not in demand as a commercial fish, as they do not keep well and freezing them spoils the taste. Therefore, they are mainly a sport fish for fishermen (and sometimes fisherwomen as well), who are not only interested in fishing the ocean waters, but who want some excitement. A hooked bluefish will fight and leap into the air as it tries to shake the hook out of its mouth.

The opening Bible verse speaks of the wonders of God’s creation in the depths of the oceans. It is certainly wonderful to think of the wonders of His creation of this great world on which we live and realize that its great oceans cover more than 70% of the surface. Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 1:7, “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.”

Some researchers have marveled at the wisdom of the Creator who arranged for such perfection. In Psalm 139:6,14, David, speaking of the wonders of creation, said it so well: “Such knowledge is too wonderful for me. . . . I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are Thy works.” We all should agree with David.

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

ML-12/19/1993

Animals of Many Stripes

“I [the Creator] know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are Mine.” Psalm 50:11.

Most zebras graze on the grassy plains of Africa. They group together in both small and large bands, usually on the open plains, but some prefer the rough mountain areas. When the grass is fresh and tall they eat only the tops, but keep nibbling a bit lower as food begins to get scarce. Eventually they move to a new location, but each band waits for its strong stallion leader to give the signal before moving on.

Most adult zebras are four to five feet high at the shoulders and weigh around 500 pounds. They may live 25 years or more. They are members of the horse family and live very peacefully when with them. However, the different species do not mix in breeding.

Snouts, ears and tips of tails are usually plain black. On some the tail reaches almost to the ground, but on others only as low as the knees.

They have parallel black and white stripes arranged in exact designs, but on some species the stripes are more a combination of brown and yellow. The stripes help to hide them from their enemies. Each animal’s stripes are distinctive, although they all may appear the same. On some the stripes cover the animal’s complete body, including head, neck, back, stomach and legs, but there are some species with plain white stomachs; also the legs of some have ring-like stripes clear down to the hooves, while on others these are just half-circles and the insides of the legs have no stripes.

Zebras have been provided by the Creator with special characteristics to help them survive in their often-threatening homeland. They have excellent sight, as well as keen hearing and noses that quickly detect an approaching enemy. Their reaction to such a threat is interesting. When their sense of smell tells them a lion is dangerously near they immediately form a tight circle, with heads inside and strong, sharp-hoofed legs outside, kicking out as the enemy gets near. The lion, sensing the danger of a hard kick from one of those hooves, wastes no time in leaving.

A Bible verse warns us that we have an enemy seeking to get at us: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” 1 Peter 5:8. But verse 10 tells those whose faith is in the Saviour to resist that enemy by faith in “the God of all grace, who hath called us unto His eternal glory by Christ Jesus.” Do you know Him as your Saviour?

“What shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” 1 Peter 4:17

ML-12/26/1993

Keeping Guard

You have a little prisoner;

He’s nimble, sharp and clever;

He’s sure to get away from you

Unless you watch him ever.

And when he once gets out, he makes

More trouble in an hour

Than you can stop in many a day,

Working with all your power.

He gets your playmates by the ears

And says what is not so;

He uses many ugly words

Not good for you to know.

Quick, fasten shut the ivory gates

And chain him while he’s young;

For this same dangerous prisoner

Is just . . . your little tongue.

“Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.” Psalm 141:3.

ML-02/21/1993

Grow a Garden in Your Heart

Ask your heavenly Father

To help prepare the ground,

He will plow and soften it,

And till it all around.

Then you must plant the holy seed

That’s found in God’s true Word,

He will keep it safe from blight,

And every hurtful bird.

But you must water it with prayer,

And pull out all the weeds,

Sweet thoughts of Christ will fertilize

All those living seeds.

You’ll be the happy reaper, soon,

Of baskets full of peace,

And love and joy and kindness.

Your fruit will never cease

ML-07/25/1993

"Paul's Companions" Word Search

This word search uses the names of some of Paul’s companions. See how many of the names listed below you can find among the letters. Look up, down, diagonally, backwards, across - every direction.

AQUILA MARK TIMOTHY

CLEMENT PHEBE TYCHICUS

LUKE PRISCILLA

ML-07/25/1993

"Paul and Silas" Word Search

This word search uses words from the story of Paul and Silas in jail. First read Acts 16 in your Bible. Then see how many of the words listed below you can find among the letters. Look up, down, diagonally, backwards, across - every direction.

BEAT KEEPER PRAYED SILAS

BELIEVE LIGHT PRISON STOCKS

EARTHQUAKE LOOSED SANG STRIPES

FLED MIDNIGHT SAVED SWORD

FOUNDATIONS PRAISES SHAKEN WASHED

JAILER

ML-05/30/1993

"Rich Man and Lazarus" Word Search

This word search uses words from the story of the rich man and Lazarus. First read Luke 16 in your Bible. Then see how many of the words listed below you can find among the letters. Look up, down, diagonally, backwards, across - every direction.

ABRAHAMS BOSOM DOGS LINEN SUMPTUOUSLY

ANGELS FIXED MERCY TESTIFY

BEGGAR FLAME PURPLE TORMENTS

BURIED GREAT GULF REMEMBER WATER

COMFORTED HELL REPENT

CRUMBS LAID RICH MAN

DIED LAZARUS SORES

ML-04/25/1993

"Rahab and Jericho" Word Search

This word search uses words from the story of Rahab and Jericho. First read Joshua 2 in your Bible. Then see how many of the words listed below you can find among the letters. Look up, down, diagonally, backwards, across -every direction.

CORD GATE ROOF TERROR

COUNTRY HID SAVE THREAD

COURAGE JERICHO SCARLET TOKEN

DELIVER PURSUED SECRETLY WALL

FLAX RAHAB SPY WINDOW

ML-03/07/1993

Fiery Furnace Word Search

This word search uses words from the story of the burning fiery furnace. First read Daniel 3 in your Bible. Then see how many of the words listed below you can find among the letters. Look up, down, across, diagonally, backwards- every direction.

ABEDNEGO GOLD

ABLE IMAGE

ANGEL MESHACH

BURNING MUSIC

DECREE NEBUCHADNEZZAR

DELIVER SERVE

EXCEEDING SHADRACH

FIERY SON OF GOD

FURNACE TRUSTED

GARMENTS WORSHIP

ML-02/21/1993

Scripture Verse Word Search: Isaiah 55:3

Can you find the words of this Scripture verse in this word search? Look up, down, diagonally, backwards, across - every direction. Use a ruler if necessary.

Circle each word in the diagram as we did with “and” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

“Incline your ear, and come unto Me: hear, and your soul shall live.” Isaiah 55:3.

ML-01/03/1993

Scripture Verse Word Search: Romans 6:23

Can you find the words of this Scripture verse in this word search? Look up, down, diagonally, backwards, across - every direction. Use a ruler if necessary.

Circle each word in the diagram as we did with “the” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23.|{}|

ML-01/24/1993

Scripture Verse Word Search: John 10:11

Can you find the words of this Scripture verse in this word search? Look up, down, diagonally, backwards, across - every direction. Use a ruler if necessary.

Circle each word in the diagram as we did with “the” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

“I am the good Shepherd: the good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep.” John 10:11.

ML-01/31/1993

Scripture Verse Word Search: Matthew 3:17

Can you find the words of this Scripture verse in this word search? Look up, down, diagonally, backwards, across - every direction. Use a ruler if necessary.

Circle each word in the diagram as we did with “and” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

“And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3:17.

ML-02/07/1993

Scripture Verse Word Search: Matthew 5:8

Can you find the words of this Scripture verse in this word search? Look up, down, diagonally, backwards, across - every direction. Use a ruler if necessary.

Circle each word in the diagram as we did with “the” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.” Matthew 5:8.

ML-02/14/1993

Scripture Verse Word Search: Hebrews 4:13

Can you find the words of this Scripture verse in this word search? Look up, down, across, diagonally, backwards - every direction. Use a ruler if necessary.

Circle each word in the diagram as we did with “but” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

“Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.” Hebrews 4:13.

ML-03/21/1993

Scripture Verse Word Search: Ezekiel 18:4

Can you find the words of this Scripture verse in this word search? Look up, down, diagonally, backwards, across - every direction. Use a ruler if necessary.

Circle each word in the diagram as we did with “it” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

“The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” Ezekiel 18:4.

ML-04/11/1993

Scripture Verse Word Search: 1 John 1:7

Can you find the words of this Scripture verse in this word search? Look up, down, diagonally, backwards, across - every direction. Use a ruler if necessary.

Circle each word in the diagram as we did with “of” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

“The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7.

ML-05/09/1993

Scripture Verse Word Search: John 3:18

Can you find the words of this Scripture verse in this word search? Look up, down, diagonally, backwards, across—every direction. Use a ruler if necessary.

Circle each word in the diagram as we did with “the” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

“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-05/16/1993

Scripture Verse Word Search: Psalm 119:11

Can you find the words of this Scripture verse in this word search? Look up, down, diagonally, backwards, across—every direction. Use a ruler if necessary.

Circle each word in the diagram as we did with “thy” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee.” Psalm 119:11.

ML-06/06/1993

Scripture Verse Word Search: John 5:24

Can you find the words of this Scripture verse in this word search? Look up, down, backwards, diagonally, backwards -every direction. Use a ruler if necessary.

Circle each word in the diagram as we did with “and” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

ML-06/13/1993

Scripture Verse Word Search: John 10:27

Can you find the words of this Scripture verse in this word search? Look up, down, diagonally, backwards, across—every direction. Use a ruler if necessary.

Circle each word in the diagram as we did with “and” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

“My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.” John 10:27.

ML-06/20/1993

Scripture Verse Word Search: Galatians 2:20

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Circle each word in the diagram as we did with “and” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

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

ML-06/27/1993

Scripture Verse Word Search: Ezekiel 18:4

Can you find the words of this Scripture verse in this word search? Look up, down, diagonally, backwards, across - every direction. Use a ruler if necessary.

Circle each word in the diagram as we did with “it” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

“The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” Ezekiel 18:4.

ML-07/04/1993

Scripture Verse Word Search: Job 34:21

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Circle each word in the diagram as we did with “of” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

“For His eyes are upon the ways of man, and He seeth all his goings.” Job 34:21.

ML-07/11/1993

Scripture Verse Word Search: Hebrews 13:8

Can you find the words of this Scripture verse in this word search? Look up, down, diagonally, backwards, across - every direction. Use a ruler if necessary.

Circle each word in the diagram as we did with “and” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.” Hebrews 13:8.

ML-08/15/1993

Scripture Verse Word Search: Exodus 12:13

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Circle each word in the diagram as we did with “the” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

“When I see the blood, I will pass over you.” Exodus 12:13.

ML-08/22/1993

Scripture Verse Word Search: John 3:17

Can you find the words of this Scripture verse in this word search? Look up, down, diagonally, backwards, across -every direction. Use a ruler if necessary.

Circle each word in the diagram as we did with “the” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

“For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.” John 3:17.

ML-08/29/1993

Scripture Verse Word Search: Acts 16:31

Can you find the words of this Scripture verse in this word search? Look up, down, diagonally, backwards, across -every direction. Use a ruler if necessary.

Circle each word in the diagram as we did with “the” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

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

ML-09/05/1993

Scripture Verse Word Search: Isaiah 26:3

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Circle each word in the diagram as we did with “him” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

“Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he trusteth in Thee.” Isaiah 26:3.

ML-09/26/1993

Scripture Verse Word Search: Proverbs 14:9

Can you find the words of this Scripture verse in this word search? Look up, down, diagonally, backwards, across—every direction. Use a ruler if necessary.

Circle each word in the diagram as we did with “the” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

“Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favor.” Proverbs 14:9.

ML-10/03/1993

Scripture Verse Word Search: Luke 19:10

Can you find the words of this Scripture verse in this word search? Look up, down, diagonally, backwards, across—every direction. Use a ruler if necessary.

Circle each word in the diagram as we did with “the” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10.

ML-10/24/1993

Scripture Verse Word Search: John 6:63

Can you find the words of this Scripture verse in this word search? Look up, down, diagonally, backwards, across—every direction. Use a ruler if necessary.

Circle each word in the diagram as we did with “the” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

“It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing.” John 6:63.

ML-10/31/1993

Scripture Verse Word Search: Matthew 7:26

Can you find the words of this Scripture verse in this word search? Look up, down, diagonally, backwards, across - every direction. Use a ruler if necessary.

Circle each word in the diagram as we did with “the” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

“And every one that heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand.” Matthew 7:26.

ML-11/07/1993

Scripture Verse Word Search: Joshua 24:15

Can you find the words of this Scripture verse in this word search? Look up, down, diagonally, backwards, across - every direction. Use a ruler if necessary.

Circle each word in the diagram as we did with “for” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

“As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Joshua 24:15.

ML-01/10/1993

For Little Folks

If you are between the ages of five and nine years old, there is a hidden message for you in this diagram. Starting at the top row, work from left to right and then go on to the next row. Find all the times that your age is shown, writing down each letter that is shown under your age. This will be your message from the Bible.

ML-03/14/1993

Fill in the Verse

Try to fill in the missing letters and complete this Bible verse from John 14.

ML-04/18/1993

Fill in the Verse

“Our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity.” Titus 2:13,14

Try to fill in the missing letters and complete this Bible verse from Psalm 86.

ML-04/04/1993

Fill in the Verse

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

Try to fill in the missing letters and complete this Bible verse from Psalm 23.

ML-03/28/1993

Fill in the Verse

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

Try to fill in the missing letters and complete this Bible verse from Proverbs 18.

ML-08/01/1993

Messages of God's Love: 1993

Table of Contents

Philip's Birdhouse

A Wonderful Chinese Word

El Alemán, the Beggar Boy

A Sweet Story of Love

Playing With Danger

Willie's Homework Paper

The Light Hurts

Road Signs

No More Suppers

The Ox Knows His Owner

Are Bumblebees Fuzzy?

Robby's Seed

Mistaken Identity

The Dangerous Toy

The Truck That Disappeared

Attracting Wild Life

The Sol E Mar

Am I Too Little?

The Busy Airport

The Biggest Piece of Money

A Picnic Surprise

David, I Want You!

The Princess Sophia

Love as Strong as Death

Snooky's Escape

Kelly

Pyrophoric Carbonization

It Wasn't a Mouse!

A Deadly Game

Where a Tree Falls

The Stolen Bag of Candy

The Runaway Cat

Space Is Important

Listen Carefully!

Be Forewarned

The Birdhouse That Wasn't Safe

Little Rebel

Which Weighs More?

Buffy's Close Call

Two Sets of Keys

At the Count of Three . . .

Hand-Dug Wells

Favorite Toys

Wild Whipped Cream

The Missed Flight

Has Your Life Been Changed?

Some Helpful Dogs

Fire!

The $10 Bill on the Sidewalk

There Is No If

Wells

Tammy's Doll

A Solid Rock

A Forgotten Food

Does Your Tongue Hurt or Heal?

A Life Changed

Who Needs a New Heart?

How Do I Stop?

A Special Picnic Time

Disobedient

Too Late

Ann's Cats

Renee's Bus Ride

Mmmmm, Coconut Ice Cream

What Happened in the Fog

Protection

Quail Hollow

Rescued

Endless Mice

Ruthie and the Popcorn

Sonya

Exposed by a Shark

Carrie

Tornado!

Follow the Leader

Alexander's Answer

Pesky Flies!

Bucky