Messages of God's Love: 1994

I remember the day when Queen Elizabeth visited Canada. All the school children trooped to the football stadium to greet her. There were thousands of us sitting in the grandstand, practicing our songs and watching our cheerleader for the signal to cheer.

The queen arrived almost on time. She was not dressed in her royal robe and royal crown, but in street clothes. Sitting on a decorated platform, she smiled at us as we sang our song of welcome. When she thanked us, we got the signal from our leader and we really let go and cheered ourselves hoarse. She was our queen and our hearts were loyal!

It made me think of another royal visit. The King of kings once stood before a great crowd, and the governor announced, “Behold your King!” They saw Him standing there wearing a royal purple robe, but on His head, instead of wearing a crown of jewels, He wore a crown of thorns! He had fed thousands when they were hungry, and He had healed many sick ones by His holy hands. And yet this crowd didn’t love and cheer for Him as we did for our queen. They cried out, “Away with Him, crucify Him!” It was a mighty roar as they shouted for His death!

What had He done to make them so angry?

Nothing. The leaders were jealous of Him and afraid of losing their own power. Crowds are easily swayed by their leaders, so they persuaded the people that He was a deceiver. They were tools in Satan’s hand to try to destroy the Son of God, whom the Father had sent to be the Saviour of the world. The voices of that shouting crowd won out, and the Lord Jesus was crucified.

I thought of this that day as I heard the shouting crowd of school children. When our leader ordered a pause in our cheering, the queen told us how she enjoyed our beautiful country, and she praised our city and added some good advice. She also brought us greetings from her children who were still in school.

Then she made a final statement which lifted us right out of our seats. “And now,” she added, “I declare that you may have the rest of the day as a HOLIDAY!”

How we roared, stamped, clapped, and cheered! A holiday! It was hard for our leader to quiet us so that we could be dismissed in an orderly manner.

What happened next?

Our teachers and some of our parents were very upset. No preparation, broken plans, no one to take care of us. Who could handle such a jumble? Some of us got into trouble, and some had a boring afternoon because they were locked out at home and had no place to go. Even when given a happy surprise, nothing in this world works out perfectly.

But what happened after Jesus was crucified?

He rose from the dead! His precious blood, shed on the cross for sinners, is still worth more than gold. Because He died for our sins, God offers you everlasting life, and He has everything planned according to His perfect wisdom. Satan is defeated. There is no disappointment in the hearts of those who accept His gift of everlasting life and say, “Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift.” 2 Corinthians 9:15.

Which crowd do you join? With those who do not want Him, or with those who receive Him? If you receive Him now you may not find yourself one of a crowd. But wait until the day when Jesus is crowned as Lord of all, and then you’ll sing His praise with over 10,000 times 10,000, and not one voice will be against Him. God’s most costly gift is the only one that works perfectly, right now and forever.

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

ML-01/02/1994

Lion Fight

The leopard is a member of the “big cat” family. Some others are the lion, panther and jaguar. A full-grown leopard is a beautiful animal, tawny-white in color with black circular spots shaped like roses all over its body. Both its teeth and claws are long and sharp. It weighs up to 180 pounds and can be more than seven feet long from its nose to the end of its tail.

The leopard’s strength is unbelievable! When cornered it can fight well beyond its weight and size. This was seen in an incident in one of the zoos in Chicago.

At this zoo in the “lion house” a pair of large leopards had a cage with both an inside and outside area. Beside the leopard cage was a cage with three young lions in it.

One day while the leopards and lions were outside, the keeper was cleaning the inside cages. When he finished he forgot to close the door between the two inside cages.

When the animals went back in, the lions found the door open into the leopards’ cage and attacked the leopards. A terrible fight began!

The three lions charged the two leopards. The attack was met by the male leopard. Keeping his body between his mate and the lions, he fought savagely. The snarling and growling of the leopards mixed with the roars of the lions increased as they sparred and tore at each other until the building almost shook with the noise of the battle.

The keepers tried to stop the fight by spraying water from fire hoses directly at the fighting animals. Finally, with the help of the hoses the keepers forced the lions back and into their own cage. The door was closed and locked.

The noise ended; the battle was over. But it was too late for the male leopard. His back was broken during the fight, and he lay helpless and died shortly after. Yet he had fought so strongly, defending his mate, that the keepers found she was almost unharmed.

The male leopard died defending his mate. In a far more wonderful way the Lord Jesus Christ died to save all who would believe in Him. There on the cross He endured Satan’s power, but more important, He endured God’s punishment against sin -our sins. The Lord Jesus did not sin and could not sin. He died for sinners like you and me. How great His love is! “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13.

We did not love Him - He loved us. For those of us who know Him, that love came to where we were and saved us. “While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8. Will you let Him be your Saviour?

ML-01/02/1994

Mary Jones and Her Bible

This is the true story of a girl named Mary Jones, who loved God’s Word. She worked and saved her money for six years to buy a Bible and then walked 25 miles to buy it.

Mary was born in 1792 in the country of Wales. Her parents were quite poor and Mary’s father was ill. However, Mary and her mother went to the mission hall for Bible reading, prayer and hymn singing each week. This was the happiest time of the week for Mary. She was only eight years old, but even the grown-ups noticed how eagerly she listened and how her face shone when the Bible was read.

There was no school in the district of Abergynolwyn where Mary lived, so she could not even learn to read. But Mary’s friend, Mrs. Evans, told her that when she learned to read she was welcome to come and use their Bible whenever she wished. This meant that she would have to walk the two miles to their house since there was no other way for her to go.

When Mary was ten years old a school was opened in her district, and she finally learned to read. She soon started walking the two miles to the Evans’s house each Saturday afternoon to read their Bible and study Sunday’s lesson. But how she wished for a Bible of her own so she could read it every day for herself and also read it to her mother and father. She decided to earn money to buy one and asked her father to make her a money box. She had a colony of bees and some hens and sold the honey and eggs. She picked up sticks for a lady who was not able to pick them up herself, and she did some baby-sitting, housework and sewing for other people. Yet, for all her work, her little pile of money grew slowly.

Mary continued to work and save her money, as she longed for a Bible of her own. Welsh Bibles were very expensive and also very scarce in those days.

After six long years, Mary finally had saved enough money for a Bible. She was told that she would have to go see a clergyman in Bala to find a Bible to buy. Bala was 25 miles away! But that did not discourage her.

When she left for Bala with her money, Mary walked from dawn till dark to cover the 25 miles. The next morning she was able to buy a Bible. She hurried as she walked the long 25 miles back home, but her heart was full of joy and her face shining because of the treasure she held in her arms.

“Holy Bible, Book Divine,

Precious Treasure,

Thou art mine.”

Do you love God’s Word? Do you read the Bible every day? The person who wrote Psalm 119:24 loved reading God’s Word. He wrote, “Thy testimonies also are my delight, and my counselors.” Jeremiah also loved God’s Word. He wrote, “Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart.” Jeremiah 15:16. Little Christians as well as bigger Christians need to read God’s Word every day in order to grow in the things of God. His Word will also guide us in making decisions in our lives. “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119:105.

ML-01/09/1994

Are You a Seagull or a Mouse?

It was a beautiful day and the air was very still. So why was the plastic bag in the garbage barrel moving like that? Walking over for a closer look, I decided to see what was going on. There must be something alive in that barrel!

Sure enough, I found a bird—a sea gull—looking up at me. It had a frightened look in its eyes.

The bird must have been looking for food and thought it would find something good in the garbage barrel. But when it wanted to get out, there was no room for its large wings to flap, and so it was stuck in the barrel. It could not get out by itself.

Sea gulls were one of the birds included in the list of creatures that God called “unclean.” (We read about this in the Bible in the book of Leviticus.) Not only were there other birds in the list, but also certain animals, fish and insects. They were called “unclean” because of their dirty habits of living or eating. You can easily understand sea gulls being in this list when you see them eating garbage. God told the children of Israel that they could not eat any of these creatures that had “unclean natures.” But He also gave them another list of the creatures that they could eat. These creatures had “clean” habits of living or eating - they had “clean natures.”

In Romans 3:23 we learn something about ourselves that is not very good. “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” You and I have an “unclean nature”; it is our nature to sin! Often this sinful nature gets us into trouble - trouble we cannot get out of by ourselves. And our friends cannot help us. “None . . . can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him.” Psalm 49:7.

Back to our trapped sea gull. Was there any hope that it could be freed? Oh yes. The sea gull was easily released from his prison when I tipped over the barrel. He walked out and flew away. As he glided over the water, he seemed glad to be free.

Is there any hope that a sinner can be freed from his sins? Oh yes. God is able. “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. Do you know that you need to be saved? “The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10. Do you know that you are lost? If you still have not had your sins forgiven by trusting in the Lord Jesus as your Saviour, you are lost and need to be saved from your sins.

Do not wait any longer. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2. The sea gull did not waste any time getting out of that barrel. Be wise and do not waste any time being saved from your sins.

Here’s a story about another “unclean” animal and what happened to it.

While two men were camping they heard some scratching sounds in a garbage can. They discovered a mouse inside. The steep, slippery sides of the can kept him trapped in there. He could not get out of his prison. One of the men tipped over the can to let him out. The mouse came up to the edge and looked around . . . then he turned and went back in again. There were a few scraps of food in there and he wasn’t going to leave them. The men stood the can up again. So the mouse was left inside and in a short time would starve to death.

Do you think the mouse was foolish to do that? He could have had his freedom, but instead he chose to stay in his garbage can prison. Millions of people are just as foolish as that little mouse. They would rather stay in their sins than to be free of them and become Christians.

Which one of these “unclean” creatures are you like? Neither one was “good,” but one was set free and the other died. If you trust in the Lord Jesus, you will be free from your sins. “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” John 8:36. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7. If you refuse to trust in the Lord Jesus, you will die in your sins. “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation.” Hebrews 2:3.

Are you a sea gull, or are you a mouse?

ML-01/09/1994

BIBLE

No Talking in Class

It was exciting to receive an invitation to Mark’s birthday party. In just a few days some of the boys in Mrs. Glendenning’s third-grade class were supposed to go to Mark’s house after school for a game of football and some cake and ice cream.

When Mark’s birthday finally came it seemed as if the math, reading, spelling and other lessons would never end. The boys were more interested in whispering about the fun planned for after school.

One of Mrs. Glendenning’s schoolroom rules was, “No talking in class.” One penalty for breaking the rule was to be kept after school. This is called a detention.

When the bell rang at 3:30 to dismiss school that day, Jordan couldn’t go with them because he had to stay in school. In his excitement he had disobeyed the “no talking in class” rule and was serving his detention.

God’s penalty for sin is far more severe: “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” Ezekiel 18:20. The Bible tells us that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23. He is coming soon to take all the boys and girls and men and women whose sins have been washed away to be with Himself. If you, a sinner, have never had your sins washed away by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, you will be left behind.

Mrs. Glendenning was kind and let Jordan go after about 15 minutes, and he ran all the way to Mark’s house, getting there in time for most of the birthday party. The football game had just started.

Accept the Lord Jesus right now so you won’t be left behind when He comes again. “The Lord . . . is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9. He is still waiting for you now, but He is coming very soon - maybe even today. After He comes for His own, you will have no more opportunity to be saved. Make sure that the Lord Jesus is your Saviour so you won’t be left behind. We cannot promise that you will have a second chance to be saved, as Jordan had to go to Mark’s birthday party.

“Now is the accepted time . . . now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2.

ML-01/16/1994

Tippy the Squirrel

Poor Tippy. He was only two months old and already he was in real danger. Only a few hours before, the little squirrel had been safe and secure in a nest his mother had made, high up in a tree. His trouble began when he fell out of the nest down to the ground.

Some nesting material Tippy had held onto during the fall had gotten tangled around his back legs, along with some twigs and leaves. After he landed he was trying to free himself from this mess when a neighbor’s dog started to bark at him. Frightened, he tried to run to safety.

He jumped up onto a chain link fence and then tried to crawl through one of its small holes. Halfway through, he got stuck. Tippy struggled to get free, but the fence only held him tighter. The frightened and confused little squirrel was stuck tightly and couldn’t go either way.

Just as Tippy had a dangerous problem, we have a dangerous sin problem. Sin doesn’t only cause problems for grown-ups, it causes problems for little children too. Because we are born with a nature that wants to sin, that’s just what we do. Romans 5:12 plainly tells us that “by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” We are caught in our sins and anything we try to free ourselves only tangles us up tighter. Tippy couldn’t free himself from the fence, and we can’t free ourselves from our sins. Tippy needed someone to help him, and so do we.

Carol came out of her house to see what was going on. “It’s a little squirrel caught in the fence, and he may be hurt,” a neighbor told her. Carol and the neighbor kept a safe distance from the squirrel, knowing that a scared and injured animal will sometimes bite. As they inspected the trapped animal, Carol and her neighbor could see that it was a young squirrel and its tail had been injured. It was a hot summer afternoon, and they saw that the little squirrel was panting. “Just keep talking softly to him,” Carol told her neighbor. “I’m going to get him some water.”

Tippy nervously scolded Carol as she slowly came closer to him. But her soothing voice seemed to calm the frightened little animal as she held the small bowl of water in front of him. Tippy eagerly lapped it up.

“He’ll die if we don’t get him out of this mess,” Carol said. She found a pair of thick gloves and a blanket, then called the police to come help. Her neighbor gave her a plastic pail in which to catch the injured animal.

“I’m not sure what I can do,” said the puzzled policeman when he arrived.

“That’s okay. I think I know what needs to be done,” replied Carol. With the policeman’s help they were able to set Tippy free. They all gave sighs of relief when the little squirrel was safely in the plastic pail. Soon, tired little Tippy curled up in a ball and went to sleep.

The Lord Jesus knew that each one of us is caught in our sins. He also knew what He could do to free us, but it was going to be very costly. He was going to have to die and shed His blood to wash our sins away. Because He is the sinless Son of God, He was the only One who could do that for us. And that’s just what He did, because He loves you and me so very much. He shed His blood on Calvary’s cross so that you and I could have our sins washed away. “Our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world.” Galatians 1:3,4.

Carol saw to it that Tippy was taken to a wildlife refuge where they bandaged his injured tail and gave him medicine for a cut they found on his back leg. Several months later, Tippy was well enough to be released back into the wild.

The Lord Jesus wants to free you from your sins right now. You only need to tell Him that you are sorry for your sins and that you believe that He died to wash yours away. Will you do that right now?

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

ML-01/16/1994

Stranded

In the far western part of the large state of Texas, the towns are very far apart. Those traveling in that area often have no other thought but to get through it as quickly as they can.

My friend, Mr. Roberts, and his family were traveling by car through western Texas. Not only Mr. Roberts, but his wife and each of their children are born-again Christians. They were visiting other Christians on this trip and so were doing a lot of driving.

It is 282 miles from Odessa to El Paso, and there are only three towns of any size between the two cities. Freeways bypass these small towns, which are the only places where you can buy gas. So there are no reminders along the way to fill your gas tank. People who are familiar with the area know that it is always wise to be sure to have plenty of gas when traveling these long, lonely distances.

Have you already guessed what happened to my friend?

As they drove mile after mile on one of those lonely stretches, Mr. Roberts did not notice that the needle on the gas gauge was moving closer and closer to “empty.” Suddenly the car slowed to a stop. They were stranded on the roadside - out of gas!

At first Mr. Roberts tried to flag down one of the passing cars to give him a ride to the next town where he could buy gas. But no one stopped to offer help. Car after car sped by without even slowing down.

Their car was a small one, so Mr. Roberts thought, Maybe I can just push it to the top of this little rise and coast down the other side. Of course, this would still leave the family pretty far from help, unless a gas station were over the hill. But poor Mr. Roberts could not push the car as far as the top of the little rise.

Still no one stopped to help. Mr. Roberts sat down wearily and heartsick in the driver’s seat. As he sat pondering what to do, from the back seat little Pauline said, “Daddy, I asked the Lord Jesus to help us.” Even though she was very young, Pauline not only had accepted the Lord Jesus as her Saviour, but she knew she could ask Him for help in times of trouble. Psalm 50:15 instructs us to “call upon Me [the Lord Jesus] in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify [praise and thank] Me.”

How this simple statement from his daughter spoke to her father’s heart! Troubled by having run out of gas and tired from his efforts to do something, he had forgotten to pray. Only if you have received the Lord Jesus as your Saviour and know to pray can you believe what happened.

As the family sat in the car, and before Mr. Roberts could do anything else, a car pulled up behind them and stopped. The driver of the car came up to the Roberts and said, “You folks having trouble?” Mr. Roberts said, “Yes, sir, we are out of gas. Could you give me a ride to the next town where I can buy some?”

“It won’t be necessary,” the man said. Then he opened the trunk of his car and brought out a 5-gallon can of gas. He poured it into the Roberts’ stranded car.

“How much do I owe you?” Mr. Roberts asked.

“Not a penny,” said the kind man. “I am glad to help.”

How thankful Mr. Roberts felt that his little daughter had called on the Lord Jesus for help when he had forgotten to do so. Boys and girls, if young Pauline had not already belonged to the Lord Jesus, she would not have had such a source of help in the time of need. The Bible says, “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:13. When you have called on the Lord Jesus to be saved, to have all your sins washed away, you may call on Him also when you and your loved ones have a need.

If you have not felt your need for a Saviour because you have not realized that you are a sinner, listen to what the Bible tells us: “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23. Then if you will call to the Lord Jesus, He will forgive everything that you have ever done that is sin. The Bible also says that “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9. Call on Him today and He will forgive your sins and make you His very own child. He will come into your heart that He has washed clean with His precious blood. Then, like little Pauline, you will have a Saviour on whom you can call in a time of need.

ML-01/23/1994

The Lightning Storm

Lightning can be very frightening for some people and also for some animals. Our dog is one of those animals that is spooked at the first flash of lightning or crack of thunder. We have seen him try to hide under a small stool that is less than half his size, or, if the bathroom door is open, we sometimes find him hiding in the bathtub. When this happens he is also trembling.

What our dog doesn’t know is that he is already safe when he is inside the house during the storm. How foolish it is for him to hide under such a small stool or in the bathtub. The stool does not hide him or protect him, and the pipes to the bathtub might even act as a lightning rod to attract lightning.

Do you think you can hide from God? There is nothing big enough or safe enough to hide you or your sins from God. “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” Proverbs 15:3. But God has promised that all who will accept His Son, the Lord Jesus, as their Saviour will be safe in His house when He carries out His fierce punishment of sin. The Lord Jesus said, “I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved.” John 10:9.

Won’t you come to the Lord Jesus now? He loves you and offers a place of safety. “Flee from the wrath to come.” Matthew 3:7. “I flee unto Thee to hide me.” Psalm 143:9.

ML-01/23/1994

The Rearview Mirror

A rearview mirror is an important item to have on every car, van and truck for safe driving. I appreciate ours even more after something that happened a short time ago.

Our family went on a camping trip to Indiana this past August. We wanted to enjoy a last outing before our four children had to go back to school for another school year. We packed our van and got an early-morning start before rush-hour traffic. We had a safe trip and arrived at the campground in good time.

The weather was very warm, and we all agreed that a visit to the campground swimming pool would be a good way to cool off. It was a short but hot drive to the pool.

As we parked the van a funny thing happened to our rearview mirror - it fell off of the windshield! Apparently, the inside of the van had gotten so hot that the glue just lost its holding power, and the mirror came down.

Maybe that doesn’t sound like a big problem, but it was a problem just the same. Perhaps we can compare it to the common problem that we all have. That is the problem of SIN. Sometimes it doesn’t seem so important, yet we know inside that all is not right. We need to face our sin problem seriously and agree with God, that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23.

What is truly wonderful is that God has a remedy for our sins. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7. I was going to learn too that there is a remedy for reattaching a mirror to a windshield.

At first, when we returned home, I tried using my own ideas on how to solve my problem. I found a tube of glue which was good for metal and plastics. I thought, That’s close to what I need. Glass is almost like plastic. I’ll give it a try.

I was careful to do a good job cleaning the windshield and then gluing on the mirror. But it didn’t do the job. It held the mirror on for only 3 1/2 weeks.

Next, I tried a different kind of adhesive, and it didn’t even last 3 1/2 weeks.

We, as sinners, often try our own ideas for dealing with our sin problem. Adam and Eve tried wearing fig leaves to cover themselves, but they found that fig leaves did not solve the problem. Some people hope that God will be pleased if their good deeds outweigh their bad. But the Bible, God’s Word, tells us that “all our righteousnesses [good deeds] are as filthy rags.” Isaiah 64:6. Others think that giving up certain things they like will help remove the burden of sin. But the Lord Jesus tells us how to remove the burden of sin: “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28. He is the one to go to with the problem of our sins.

And I finally went to the right place with my mirror problem -the hardware store. After I explained my problem, they sold me a “Rearview Mirror Kit” containing just what I needed to reattach my mirror.

But we can all understand that my mirror didn’t reattach itself; the glue had to be applied. And you may know about God’s remedy for sin, but the remedy must be applied to your own heart.

The kit had two parts: a primer and an adhesive. This reminded me of the two steps which are necessary for salvation to do our souls good. “Repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” Acts 20:21.

There was just enough primer in the kit to mount one mirror. It was in a glass vial which had to be broken in order for the primer to be used. Repentance is an individual matter. I must confess to God that I am a sinner, deserving to go to the lake of fire. “A broken and a contrite [sorry] heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.” Psalm 51:17.

The second part of the kit was the adhesive. Here the instruction was beautifully simple. Only one drop was to be applied, and the job was finished. Faith is simply believing what God says in the Bible. “When I see the blood, I will pass over you.” Exodus 12:13.

Faith is a very simple thing,

Though little understood;

It frees the soul from death’s dread sting,

By resting on the blood.

There was enough adhesive in the tube to mount a lot of mirrors. And so the work of Christ on the cross is enough for every sinner who trusts in Him.

I’m thankful to say that our rearview mirror is still on the windshield. Another hot day may mean I’ll have to do it all over again. But not with salvation; salvation is forever! “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. Won’t you trust the Saviour now?

ML-01/30/1994

Disobeying and Its Results

When Tommy was 11 years old, he knew the verse, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.” Ephesians 6:1. But Tommy liked to swing on a gate in the basement of his house. Even when he had been told not to do it, he tried it once more. The gate swung open. What a nice ride it was! Then . . . SMASH! . . . the ride ended when Tommy’s toe hit the wall.

How it hurt! His disobeying could not be hidden. During the night his toe hurt so much he couldn’t sleep. The next day his parents had to take him to the hospital where the toenail was removed.

Although Tommy is a grown man now, he still has trouble with that toe. It continues to remind him that we don’t get away with it when we disobey.

You boys and girls who know the Lord Jesus as your Saviour, do you want to do something that will please Him? Here is something any boy or girl can do for the Lord Jesus: “Children, obey your parents.” (Do you remember where this verse is found?)

ML-01/30/1994

The Good Black Doctor

The doctor was a busy man. That is why, as his train sped across the English countryside, he rested his head on the back of the seat and closed his eyes. Two ladies sat across from him, facing him.

“Mabel, look at that African gentleman,” said one of them in a low voice. “He’s probably an African prince who has come to visit London.”

“Yes,” said Mabel. “He is probably a poor heathen, and knows nothing about God or heaven.”

The black doctor opened his eyes. “Heaven?” he said.

“Yes,” said Mabel quickly. “That is the place where good people go when they die. It says so in the Bible.”

“Bible?” said the doctor.

Mabel was glad of the opportunity to explain. “Yes, the Bible. That is God’s message to us, and it tells us that if we pray and go to church and keep the commandments, then when we die we will go to heaven where God lives.”

“Pardon me,” said the black gentleman, “but I would like to see those words in the Bible. Could you show me?”

“I don’t have my Bible with me,” she answered. “Elizabeth, do you have yours?”

Elizabeth fumbled through her bag. “No,” she answered, “I’m afraid I don’t, but I know the words are there, just as you said.”

The doctor reached into his pocket. “Is this the book?” he asked.

“Yes, yes, that’s it,” they both answered.

“Would you please show me the words you spoke of?”

Mabel turned the pages nervously. “I can’t really find it now, but I know it’s there. I could give you the address of our clergyman and he could help you.”

The doctor reached for his Bible and turned the pages, first to Titus 3:5. He read out loud, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us.” Then he turned to Galatians 2:16 and read, “By the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.”

“Ladies,” he said politely, “I appreciate your effort to help me, but the Word of God does not agree with what you say. God’s Word tells me that I am a sinner, and that I have broken God’s law. It tells me in 1 Timothy 1:15 that ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.’ It tells me in 1 John 1:7 that ‘the blood of Jesus Christ [God’s] Son cleanseth us from all sin.’ If you try to do as you have said, you will stand before God with your sins still on you, for going to church and trying to keep the ten commandments cannot remove even one sin. Please read this book for yourselves and learn what the Lord Jesus has done for you.”

The ladies were silent.

None of us are smarter or wiser than God. Please search God’s Word for yourself and find out what God says about your sins and His salvation.

Not long after this conversation the good black doctor caught a serious illness from one of his patients. He has gone to heaven where sinners go who have come to the Saviour of sinners and received everlasting life.

ML-02/06/1994

Discovered!

Mr. Johnstone yawned and stretched. The morning sun shining through his window had wakened him after a good night’s sleep, and now he was ready to get up and go to work.

Suddenly, he noticed something and jumped out of bed. Something was wrong! His clothes were not neatly folded as he had left them. In fact, some of them weren’t there. He hurried from room to room, checking to see if anything else had disappeared. Sure enough, his watch was gone, his wallet and several other small, valuable items also were gone. Mr. Johnstone knew that he had carefully locked the doors before he went to bed, and he did not see how anyone could have gotten in. Continuing his search, he found that one of the windows at the back of the house had been broken. He also noticed that there was blood on some of the glass. Looking more closely, he found spots of blood in the different rooms where the thief had been.

Mr. Johnstone called the police who came quickly. He showed them the broken glass and the blood, and told them about the things that had been stolen. Then he showed them the trail of blood which led out the door and down the sidewalk.

Two of the policemen set off together to follow the trail of blood. They followed the drops up the steps of a house and stopped at a closed door. The policemen knocked loudly on the door, called several times, and finally pushed the door open and went in. Inside they found a man with a bleeding hand. The policemen questioned the man, but he claimed he knew nothing about any robbery. Spying a large bag under the bed, the officers pulled it out and opened it. There was Mr. Johnstone’s watch, his wallet, and all the other things that had been stolen from his home. The thief had been discovered!

I doubt that you have ever broken a window and stolen from anyone. But you don’t have to be a thief to be a sinner. God tells us in Romans 3:23 that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” He also says, “Be sure your sin will find you out.” Numbers 32:23. God is looking at your heart right now and He can see the stains of sin which no one else can see.

The thief who stole from Mr. Johnstone was put in jail for his crime, but God has good news for you and me. Although we are sinners, God offers us forgiveness through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7.

Don’t try to hide from God. Admit that you are a sinner and need forgiveness for your sins. Trust His Word, the Bible, which says, “Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” Hebrews 10:17.

ML-02/06/1994

Beware!

John was a young man who enjoyed farming. On this particular day, he was disking, which turns the soil over. He went back and forth across the field, working the soil so that it would be loose and fine and ready for planting.

At break time, John went over to watch where his partner was digging a ditch with a backhoe. The big machine dug into the ground and scooped out big piles of soil. As John watched he saw a couple of snakes. Curious to find out what kind they were, he picked them up and put them inside his toolbox up on his tractor. Then it was time to get back to work.

For several more hours John worked the fields. And meanwhile, unknown to him, inside the closed toolbox, which was near the tractor’s warm, noisy engine, the snakes wriggled and writhed and coiled up.

At supper time, having driven his tractor to the shop, John called to the other workers to come see the snakes he had caught. He lifted the lid of the toolbox and the snakes shot up out of the box and hissed angrily! John jumped down from the tractor, his heart beating fast.

We all know that snakes can be dangerous, and most of us are frightened of them. The Bible tells us that Satan is dangerous and an enemy to be resisted. In fact, the Bible calls Satan a serpent, or snake. “That old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world.” Revelation 12:9. Do not think that you can fool around with Satan and sin. If you think that you can handle sin a little bit, just to see what it is like, you will soon find that it is far too powerful and dangerous for you. God’s Word, the Bible, always instructs us to “depart from evil.” Proverbs 3:7. It also instructs us to “enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.” Proverbs 4:14,15. We read in Proverbs 7:7 of a young man who went to an evil place, and he was called “a young man void of understanding.” That means he was foolish and not wise.

Do you want to have a happy life that pleases God? The Bible tells you how in Psalm 34:12-14: “What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good? . . . Depart from evil.”

John found out that one of the snakes he had caught was a poisonous water moccasin! He and his friends killed the snake, and were thankful that none of them had been bitten by it.

You and I need God’s help and power to avoid evil. In 1 Chronicles 4:10 we read about a man named Jabez who prayed to God and asked His help: “Keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me.” Sin is not worth the sorrow and judgment it brings with it. “Bread of deceit is sweet to a man; but afterwards his mouth shall be filled with gravel.” Proverbs 20:17.

ML-02/13/1994

A Chinese Chicken

“Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.”
Proverbs 4:14,15

In 1947 Mr. Chang was a gospel preacher and he lived in a little village in China. The Communists were then trying to take complete control of China from the Nationalist soldiers.

One day some Nationalist soldiers, retreating from the Communists, asked Mr. Chang if they could sleep in the room that he used to preach the gospel. Mr. Chang allowed the soldiers to sleep there, even though he knew what the Communists would do to him if they found out about it.

Several days later Communist soldiers arrived. They soon found out that Mr. Chang had put up Nationalist soldiers for the night. They arrested him and put him in prison. Poor Mr. Chang! He knew what the punishment would be - he would be killed for what he had done.

The day before Mr. Chang’s trial, his wife and several other Chinese Christians were in the gospel hall praying for him. A chicken from the neighborhood wandered into the hall cackling loudly and laid an egg right on the floor. The chicken made such a racket with its cackling that it disturbed the prayer meeting. Mrs. Chang got up and caught the chicken. She wrote a short note about the egg and tied it to the chicken’s leg along with some money to pay for the egg. Then she took the chicken outside and let it go.

About an hour later the lady who owned the village inn came down the street, bringing a man with her. Following them came a crowd of curious villagers. Arriving at the door of the little hall, the lady said to the man, “This is where the Christians are.” Then she turned and left.

The man said he was the Communist judge who had come to judge Mr. Chang’s trial the next day. He asked Mrs. Chang some questions: “Did you write this note that was tied to the chicken’s leg? And did you include money with the note?”

“Yes,” answered Mrs. Chang to both questions.

“Well,” said the judge, “that chicken belongs to the lady who owns the inn where I’m staying.” Then he asked her several more questions about her honesty and why would she pay for an egg when it had been laid on her own property?

Mrs. Chang told him about her Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, and of how He not only saves us from our sins, but He gives us a new life that wants to please Him in all things.

The Communist judge was impressed. “There will be no trial for your husband,” he stated. “I will have him released from jail, and we will forget the whole incident about the soldiers.”

How wonderful are the ways of God! The prayers of those Chinese Christians were answered in a way they did not expect. There is a wonderful verse in the Bible that says, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me.” Psalm 50:15.

Let’s not forget the last part of that verse, “and thou shalt glorify Me.” How often we take God’s loving care for granted and forget to thank Him. He sent His own Son, the Lord Jesus, into this world to save sinners like us. As believers we know that He took our place and died for us on that awful cross. Now He is risen, gone back to heaven, and He wants us to trust Him as our Saviour and to thank Him for all He has done. We now have a new life that will want to please Him in all things.

“If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled [restored] us to Himself by Jesus Christ. . . . We pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.” 2 Corinthians 5:17,18,20.

ML-02/13/1994

The New Keys

Brian was a new employee at the general store where we went to have some keys made. He turned the rack of key blanks until he found one he thought would match our house key. “Great!” he said as he laid it against our key to see if it matched. “I chose the right blank the very first time . . . but this is a double-cut key, and I’m not sure I know how to operate the machine to make that kind.” He tried for a few minutes, then went to find someone who knew more about it than he did.

“Brian,” said the second man, “as soon as I have an opportunity I must teach you how to make double-cut keys.” And to me he said quietly, “He chose the wrong blank too.” Then as he inserted the blanks and began cutting, he added, “The girls usually run the key machine, but I’m sure these keys will be perfect.”

When the four keys I had asked for were finished, I paid for them and took them home.

Earle, my husband, tried the first three keys in the lock. None of them fit. The fourth key went in and with some difficulty opened the door, but Earle could not get it out of the lock. During the next half hour he used all the tools we had to try to get that key out of the lock, but with no success. Finally, there was nothing left to do but go back to the store.

We find everything is imperfect in this world even though some people boast that the world is getting better and better. Paul tells us in 2 Timothy 3:1-3 “that in the last days . . . men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy . . . trucebreakers.” These are just some of the things in a long list that describes what we are and how we act without God. All of us are included in this sad description, for “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23. But you can be perfect in Christ Jesus, but not with your sins. Wouldn’t you like to have all those sins washed away and to be made perfect in God’s sight?

This is how God has made it possible. When the Lord Jesus died on the cross He bore the sins of every person who would trust in Him for their salvation. God loves us so much He punished His own dear Son so that He wouldn’t have to punish us. We simply need to come to God and confess our helpless, sinful condition, and He will forgive us for the sake of His beloved Son.

Earle went back to the store to tell them about the problem with our imperfect keys. They gave him a special lubricant to spray into the lock. With the help of the lubricant and another half hour’s work, he was finally able to get the key out. Then he had to make another trip to the store to get four new keys.

This time one of the girls cut the keys. “That was the boss that made the first set,” she said as she examined them closely to see why they hadn’t worked. “And he used the wrong blanks.”

Even the boss, or other people who seem very important to us, can make mistakes and lead us astray. We can’t afford to make mistakes with our never-dying souls. We must trust our lives to the risen Lord Jesus who said, “I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.” Revelation 1:18. Trust Him. He loves you. He died and rose again to open the door of heaven for you. And He makes no mistakes - ever.

“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.” 1 John 4:9.

CRASH!

ML-02/20/1994

The Snow Storm

“What was that?” everybody asked at the same time.

“It sounded like a branch of a tree breaking and falling,” said Dad. He went to the front window. “Wow, look at all the snow!” he exclaimed.

The whole family came to the window to see. The night was very still, but large, heavy snowflakes were falling fast. Everything in the garden was already covered with a thick blanket of wet, heavy snow.

“It must be nearly a foot deep already,” said Dad. “I’ve never seen it snow so hard before.”

CRASH!

“Look over at Kennedy’s house!” said Dad. “That was a big branch that just came down from their old oak tree. The snow is too heavy for the trees!”

Through the night it continued to snow, with the temperature dropping and the wind picking up. Anyone who was awake would have heard branches breaking and falling from the weight of the snow on them.

The next morning showed the damage that had been done by the snowstorm. Abandoned cars were everywhere. Great branches of trees had fallen. Telephone wires were down, and even some telephone poles had fallen.

When we think of all the damage that a snowstorm can do, we must remember that a pretty little snowflake is what caused it. Snowflakes may be small and one of them will melt quickly on your finger, but their habit of sticking together makes them dangerous. One seems to attract another, and when they meet they stick together. If the snow is wet it will pile up on everything and become so heavy that things start to break. Sin is very much like this too. Most of us think we are pretty good. At least we can always think of someone who is worse than we are. We don’t really understand how awful sin is in the sight of God. Sometimes we see what sin has done to a person; one sin leads to another, then another, until finally something terrible happens. The Bible tells us that actually all it takes is one sin for something terrible to happen - we cannot go to heaven to be with the Lord Jesus.

God who cannot have one sin in His presence, yet loves you and me, opened the way for sinners like us to be with Him in heaven. He sent His only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to be punished on the cross for sinners. If you believe that He was punished for you - that He died for your sins -and accept Him as your own Saviour, you are saved - your sins are washed away in His blood. Why not accept Him right now?

“The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life.” John 3:36.

ML-02/20/1994

Bibles in Russia

One of the most amazing events of the past few years has been the fall of Communism in Russia. Under the Communistic government, any form of religious worship was discouraged. Sometimes those who attended churches or Bible meetings were put in prison. Now, after more than 70 years of Communism in Russia, the good news of Jesus Christ is being allowed in that country. People are hearing for the first time that Jesus loves them and died for them. This wonderful news is now soothing and filling empty hearts there, as it has here.

However, the Russian people find it hard to trust others, because of the years with no freedom and many being thrown into prison unjustly. There are still many hardships in that vast land of 148,000,000 people. But many Christians are finding ways to help them and show them love, and tell them about the Saviour.

The village of Provideniya, one of many, had no meat, fruit or vegetables in the stores this past summer. So the Olson family flew the hour-and-twenty-minute trip from Nome, Alaska, to Russia. Their small plane was full of cabbages, potatoes, carrots, onions and medicines to give away. They also gave away many Bibles as they told the Russian people of God’s wonderful message of salvation. The people eagerly took the Bibles and are thinking about God’s kind and loving offer of free forgiveness for their sins. The Olsons saw tears on the Communist guards’ faces as they received those precious Bibles, a freedom they have never had before.

Another Christian family flew to Russia in a small airplane for the same purpose. On their return trip the airplane ran out of fuel just 10 minutes before they would have landed at Nome. Their plane went down into the Bering Sea. In the 1-1/2 minutes before the plane sank, the seven people got out with empty five-gallon gas cans. They used these to help them float in the 35-degree water with five-foot waves for 45 minutes before a helicopter came and lifted them out. Miraculously, every one of them survived the experience and are thanking the Lord Jesus for saving their lives. Only two were hospitalized overnight.

This dramatic event caused the city of Nome, Alaska, to think about God’s miraculous power. To the people who know the North and the cold water of the Bering Sea, the family’s survival is a real demonstration of God’s mercy.

God is speaking to people all around the world, not just in Russia and Alaska. Time is running out for people everywhere to accept His offer of forgiveness for their sins. He tells us in 2 Peter 3:9 that He “is long-suffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” The time to accept His loving offer will soon be over. He tells us in the Bible that He is going to come to take to heaven all those people who have trusted the Lord Jesus as their Saviour. We believe that time is coming very, very soon. Then the opportunity to accept God’s offer of free forgiveness for your sins will be over.

Many of those people in Russia who are hearing the good news of salvation for the first time are believing it and accepting Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. What about you? Can you say that Jesus died for your sins and that you are forgiven?

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

ML-02/27/1994

The Doctor

Harry was a young man in the army. He had been brought up in a Christian family. His father and mother loved the Lord Jesus and both had accepted Him as their Saviour and had taught their children about Jesus. But Harry had never accepted Jesus as his own Saviour. He knew how to be saved, he knew all about what Jesus had done on the cross, he had even memorized many verses in the Bible. But, he had never taken that step of admitting that he was a sinner and accepting the Lord Jesus for himself.

Now he was in Korea during wartime. Even with some of his buddies being killed in the war, he still did not seem to be concerned about being saved from his sins. If anything, the war seemed to make him hard-hearted. “God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not.” Job 33:14. Some of his buddies were killed almost beside him. Still Harry did not seem to feel the need of settling the “heaven or hell” question for himself.

One night while Harry and his squad were on patrol, they were ambushed by the enemy. Harry was wounded and several others were killed. He was taken prisoner by the Communists.

For many days he lay in a North Korean army hospital where he had lots of time to think. Still, his close call with death and God’s mercy in sparing his life did not seem to soften his heart.

One day a young doctor in that Communist hospital came to Harry and asked him many questions. To Harry’s great surprise he discovered that the young Korean doctor was a Christian! The doctor had to be very careful not to say too much about God, or he would be punished. It was the beginning of Harry’s “waking up.” He thought to himself, Here I am, brought up in a Christian family, having gone to Sunday school, having read the Bible, and still I am not a Christian. Yet now I am being urged to become one by a North Korean army doctor in Communist territory!

For the first time in his life, Harry was ashamed before God when he thought of how long he had ignored the Saviour who loved him. The Lord Jesus wanted to bless Harry. He had followed Harry all the way to Communist North Korea to bring him that eternal salvation that only Christ can give. When Harry thought of that love and the prayers that he knew were going up for him every day, he broke down. He surrendered to God and thankfully accepted the Lord Jesus as his own Saviour.

If you, like Harry, have not yet surrendered to Him who “loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20), why not give up your fight and let Him wash away your sins and be your Saviour too?

“God be merciful to me a sinner.” Luke 18:13.

“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” 1 Timothy 1:15.

ML-02/27/1994

Hide and Seek

Almost everybody knows how to play “hide and seek.” I think it is one of the first games that children learn to play. What fun it is to have your daddy hide and then try to find him. Where could he be? In the closet? Behind a curtain? Under a bed? “MAKE A NOISE, DADDY. WE CAN’T FIND YOU!”

It does not take long for children to learn how to find someone. They soon know all the good hiding places. But it is harder to teach children how to hide. They have to learn to be very quiet, to stay completely out of sight, and to keep very still. All three of these are hard for children to do.

I can remember when my children were quite small and just learning to play hide and seek. I had told them to go hide while I counted up to 50. They ran off squealing as I counted, “1 . . . 2 . . . 3 . . . . . . 48 . . . 49 . . . 50! HERE I COME, READY OR NOT!”

I looked carefully all over downstairs and then went upstairs into their bedroom. What do you think I found? They were very quiet and they were perfectly still, but they were not out of sight! They both were lying on the floor with their heads under the bed. They couldn’t see anything, and so they thought they were hidden. But the rest of their bodies, from their shoulders down, were in plain view!

Are you trying to hide from God? Some people are. What they are really trying to hide from Him are their sins. How foolish! The Bible says that “[God’s] eyes are upon the ways of man, and He seeth all his goings.” Job 34:21. What does God see? “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. Yes, He sees and knows everything about us, so why try to hide? It is impossible! We must bow before Him, admitting that we are sinners, and accept His Son the Lord Jesus as our Saviour. Then we won’t want to hide from Him any longer, but we will want to be as close as we can be to Him “who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20.

ML-03/06/1994

Alligator Attack!

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”
1 Peter 5:8

Bradley was a fun-loving, 10-year-old boy who lived in south Florida and loved to play baseball.

Last June, Bradley and his parents, along with some other friends, were canoeing down the Loxahatchee River in Jonathan Dickinson State Park. This is a shallow, winding river with many lush, tropical plants and trees lining the banks. People enjoy paddling their canoes on this river to see the many birds and animals in their natural surroundings.

Everyone was aware that alligators were living in that river. The park rangers warn visitors to stay out of the water and not to feed them.

Alligators have a natural fear of man, but they will lose their fear if fed by people.

In spite of the warnings, it was a common practice for canoers to get out of their canoes to push them in the shallow water when they got stuck on tree roots. Some would even go swimming when they got too hot.

Bradley and his parents and friends were wading in the shallow water when his father noticed that Bradley was missing. Seeing something white being pulled through the water, his father grabbed it. It was Bradley with his white T-shirt on! Trying to pull his son out of the water, his father felt him being tugged back in. To his horror, his father discovered that a huge alligator had Bradley in his jaws! He grabbed his son’s leg and refused to let go while others began beating the alligator with canoe paddles.

When the alligator finally let go of Bradley, his father and others wrapped his head with the T-shirt to try to stop the severe bleeding and paddled feverishly to the nearest place where they could call for help. Even though Bradley was taken by helicopter to the nearest hospital, it was too late, and he died.

When the alligator was later caught and killed, they said it was 11-1/2 feet long and weighed 350-400 pounds. Its snout was 11-1/2 inches long and 10-1/2 inches wide. They also said its stomach was empty, so it had been hungry. The huge alligator had just quietly slipped through the water and grabbed Bradley.

This alligator reminds us of an even more dangerous enemy who is sometimes quiet and sly in the way he deceives and then destroys boys and girls (grown-ups too). Some people think the devil is just a joke, but the Bible, God’s Word, tells us, “Your adversary [enemy] the devil . . . walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” 1 Peter 5:8.

Satan (the devil) deceived Eve in the garden of Eden, and he has been trying to deceive people ever since. But Jesus defeated the devil at the cross of Calvary where He died for our sins. Some day the devil is going to be cast into the lake of fire forever (Revelation 20:10). But boys and girls who have believed that Jesus died on the cross for their sins are forever safe in Jesus’ hand. “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. My Father, which gave them Me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of My Father’s hand.” John 10:28,29.

Bradley’s parents said at his funeral that he went to be with God. We truly hope that Bradley had asked Jesus into his heart to be his Lord and Saviour. But what about you? If that had been you instead of Bradley, would you be in heaven now? Jesus is coming very soon to take all the Christian believers in this world to be with Himself in heaven. Boys and girls need to be sure that they are ready. Are you?

ML-03/06/1994

Stranded in a Tree

Twyla was getting worried. She looked up at the huge tree in front of her home and, sure enough, there way up in the tree sat Beau Joe, her lovely white cat, still stranded! They had let him out of the front porch a day and a half ago, and he had climbed the huge tree. At first she hadn’t been concerned, but Beau Joe didn’t seem to be able to come down by himself. She knew he must be thirsty and hungry! He would have to be rescued.

First Twyla phoned a fireman she knew, but he told her that firemen rescue people, not cats. She talked to a few other people who felt sorry about her cat, but they couldn’t help her either. Finally, one of the city departments told her that they would help. They sent out a truck which was a cherry-picker with a bucket.

At last Beau Joe was about to be rescued! Up, up went the bucket with a man standing in it. The truck made a lot of noise revving its engine, as the bucket went higher and higher into the air, closer and closer to where Beau Joe was sitting on a branch. As the man reached out to pick up Beau Joe, Twyla was horrified to see her cat fearfully climb even farther up the tree and out of reach of his rescuer!

Beau Joe didn’t realize that this man wanted to save him. Beau Joe was in great danger of falling out of the tree to his death 55 feet below! How could the cat be so stupid as to run away from the very help he needed?

And yet you, too, face even greater danger if you are turning your back on the Saviour of sinners, the Lord Jesus Christ. Revelation 20:15 says, “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” We have all sinned and will not be permitted to enter heaven unless we have our sins forgiven and our names written in the book of life.

The Saviour is waiting to enter your heart,

Why don’t you let Him come in?

There’s nothing in this world to keep you apart,

What is your answer to Him?

After moving the truck into a better position, the men tried again to rescue Beau Joe. Up, up went the bucket with the man in it. Because the cat was afraid of him, the man put on two pairs of gloves in case the cat should scratch him.

Would Beau Joe let this man rescue him? Everyone watching below held their breath as the man reached out and lifted Beau Joe from the branch where he was clinging fearfully. The cat was very nervous and upset. The man was glad he had put on gloves because the cat scratched and bit him. When the bucket was lowered to the ground and Beau Joe was let loose, he took off across the yard as fast as he could run!

The Lord Jesus loves us and wants to save us from our sins. Revelation 3:20 tells us how badly He wants to save us: “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 [eat] with him, and he with Me.” Will you open your heart’s door and let the Saviour rescue you from the danger of the lake of fire?

“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.

“Whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe.” Proverbs 29:25.

ML-03/13/1994

Saved from Two Fires!

Isidoro was an Indian farmer who lived in Bolivia near the jungle. He farmed his land in an old way called “slash and burn.” First, they would cut down the tall trees and brush out of the jungle, then burn them, and then plant their crops among the stumps.

This was a poor way to farm, and Isidoro never made much money from his crops. He had a small hut made of sticks and a roof made of palm leaves. But Isidoro was poor in another way too. He had never accepted the riches of God’s grace. He did not 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 [becoming poor] might be rich.” 2 Corinthians 8:9.

It was not that he had not heard about God’s love to sinners. His cousin had told him that God sent His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus, into the world to die on the cross so that sinners might have their sins forgiven. His cousin had also warned him of the danger of turning away from such an offer of salvation. He had told Isidoro plainly that the Bible says that those who die in their sins will spend eternity in the lake of fire that burns forever and ever.

Sad to say, Isidoro didn’t bother listening to his cousin’s talk of “religion.” But God Himself planned to speak to Isidoro, for God sometimes gives His own warnings in order to help us know that His Word is true.

One night Isidoro was alone in his hut in the jungle. He settled down for the night, planning to have a good rest. During the night he woke up knowing something was wrong. FIRE! His hut was in flames! He did not have a moment to grab anything out of his little home. He ran out and escaped with only his night clothes. Without even any shoes, Isidoro had to walk barefoot in the dark night through the jungle to the next village.

Poor Isidoro. Everything had been lost . . . or was there something saved after all? Yes, his life had been saved. He had not died in the fire. Isidoro began to think about his cousin’s warnings about what happens to those who do not obey the gospel. He had been terrified to wake up in a hut that was on fire. How awful it would be to wake up in the lake of fire that will never be put out!

Isidoro knew now that he needed the Saviour. He believed God’s Word that Christ had died for his sins. He was still poor in this world’s goods, but he was now “rich” in God’s grace. Now he knew for sure that he would someday be in God’s home in heaven.

Boys and girls, have you found this treasure in God’s love? Are you sure that you will be in God’s home in heaven? If you die in your sins you will wake up in the flames of hell. Turn to Christ today, just as Isidoro did, and you will have God’s riches and be safe from the judgment 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.

ML-03/13/1994

Smart Jake

One mild day in March, even though snow was still on the ground, the ice on the pond was getting very soft and not at all safe. Our two grandchildren came to visit us, bringing two of their friends. We warned all of them not to go near the pond since the ice was very soft. They said, “Okay, Grandpa.”

The Lord Jesus has warned us of wrath to come. “Who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” Matthew 3:7. God knows that judgment is not far away, and so He has given us a way to escape this “wrath” through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

The children took our dog Jake outside with them and were having a good time in the wet snow. They would make snowballs and throw them so Jake would chase them. Grandma and I were watching all this through the living room window.

Suddenly, one of the boys got the idea to throw snowballs out on the ice to see if Jake would go after them. But Jake knew the ice was unsafe and would not go out on the pond. (God has given some animals instincts that we humans do not understand.)

However, one boy decided to try the ice. He got out about two feet and broke through! If the children had obeyed us, this would not have happened. “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.” Ephesians 6:1.

The children knew who they could turn to for help. They came straight to the house as fast as they could run. We were waiting for them at the door. Off came the water-filled boots and wet pants.

“What happened?” Grandma asked. She knew all along what had happened. And God knows all things too. “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” Proverbs 15:3.

“Jake pushed me in,” answered the boy.

“Well,” Grandma said, “if Jake pushed you in, why isn’t Jake wet too?”

Now what could he say? “Be sure your sin will find you out.” Numbers 32:23.

These children finally very sheepishly admitted they had done wrong, and we immediately forgave them.

BUT . . . work had to be done to clean up their sin. Clothes had to be washed and dried. So our Lord Jesus Christ has completed the work for our salvation on the cross of Calvary through His own precious blood. He will wash your sins away if you just run to Him. He is waiting for you at the door.

Will you trust in the finished work of Christ? “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.

ML-03/20/1994

Which Banner Are You Standing Under?

Some of you are familiar with Bible conferences, because you have been to one. But there may be some who have never been to a Bible conference where Christians come together to pray, study the Bible, preach the gospel and remember the Lord Jesus in His death.

Our family was attending one of these conferences held at a college one summer. We slept in one of the dormitories, ate in the college cafeteria, and had the meetings in the gymnasium. I want to tell you about a conversation after one of the gospel meetings between my five-year-old daughter, Marty, and me.

The speaker that evening had read John 1:29, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world!” These are the words of the prophet John, pointing out the Lord Jesus as the Saviour. The speaker then read John 19:5, “Behold the man!” These words were spoken by Pilate, the ungodly Roman ruler who delivered up the Lord Jesus to be crucified. The speaker made the point that these two verses were like two banners, and each of us is standing under one or the other. If you are standing under the banner of the Lamb of God, your sins have all been washed away by the precious blood of the Lamb (the Lord Jesus). If you are standing under the banner that says “Behold the man!” you are standing with the cruel men who put the Lord Jesus to death. Each of us was born under the second banner because we are born with a nature that wants to sin. I must open my heart and believe that the Lord Jesus shed His blood for my sins to stand under His banner.

As Marty and I were walking back to the dormitory after the gospel meeting, I asked her if she understood what the speaker meant when he said that each of us is standing under one of the banners. She asked, “What is a banner?”

My reply was, “A banner is like a flag with a message on it.” I then asked Marty, “Which banner are you standing under?”

She answered, “Under the first one.”

Then I asked, “How long have you been standing under that banner?”

She replied, “Ever since I have been saved.”

Wanting to be sure that Marty really understood what it meant to be saved and to have all her sins washed away, I said that I had been standing under the first banner ever since I had been saved too. Marty responded, “Then we can stand there together.”

Yes, all who have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ are standing together under the first banner. All their sins have been washed away in the “precious blood of Christ . . . a lamb [sacrifice] without blemish and without spot [without sin].” 1 Peter 1:18,19.

Which banner are you standing under? This very serious question must be decided by every boy and girl (and grown-up) in the whole world. The Lord Jesus loves you and invites you to come and stand under His banner. He will show you the nail marks in His hands and feet from the cross. He will show you the wound in His side when He shed His blood. He truly was God’s Lamb that was sacrificed for sin in our place.

Are you willing to come to Him, admitting that you are a sinner, and let Him wash your sins away? Are you willing to stand under His banner of love?

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

ML-03/20/1994

Tornado Soup

The large can of tomato soup had been pushed to the back of the cupboard shelf for the last time. It was the end of the week, and there were no other groceries left in the house that would make a quick lunch for Joseph before he ran back to school.

Even though Joseph loved food, somewhere in his six years of life he had firmly decided that he did not like tomatoes! However, today there was no choice. Joseph’s mother opened the can, heated the soup, but not too hot, and poured it into a soup bowl. Joseph watched with keen interest.

“What is that?” Joseph asked, as he got a whiff of the good smell.

Joseph’s mother had hoped that he would not ask any questions. There was no extra time today to discuss what he did and did not like for lunch. But suddenly she realized that she had to make a quick decision. If she told him the truth, that it was tomato soup . . . but, of course, all mothers must tell their children the truth, so the decision was easily made.

“It’s tomato soup,” she said softly, trying to be casual about it.

“TORNADO SOUP!” Joseph exclaimed. He misunderstood what his mother had said, and excitedly swooped his spoon into this new lunch food. His mother had barely realized what had happened when she saw that the soup was already gone!

Then Joseph’s mother had another decision to make. This time it was easier.

“That was tomato soup, Joseph,” she said calmly.

“I don’t care what it was!” Joseph exclaimed. “I love it!”

You know, it is not always easy to tell the truth, but it is always wise. Even when we do not have good results as quickly as in this story, God always blesses the truth, because He is Truth, and telling the truth always pleases God. Lies, however, do just the opposite. God’s Word of Truth, the Bible, warns us in John 8:44 that the devil is a liar and the father of lies. This means that when we lie we put ourselves on the devil’s side, and he is not a good father. He knows telling one lie calls for telling another to cover up the first one. Besides training us in a very bad habit, telling lies is sin and hardens our consciences so that all too soon we begin to think a lie is not really so bad.

Have you told even a small lie to your parents or teacher or friend? It is very hard to confess that we told a lie, but when we do, it clears our conscience, makes us happy, and opens the door to God’s mercy. God says, “He that covereth [hides] his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.” Proverbs 28:13.

Along with this story are prayers that you will be helped to always tell the truth. The Lord Jesus and His holy angels and your parents will all rejoice for this great victory in your life.

ML-03/27/1994

A Wise Decision

Some years ago the New England states were hit by a blizzard that will be remembered by many for years to come. The weathermen had predicted a “northeaster” that would dump several inches of snow.

Before lunch I told my work crew that we would leave work early so that everyone could reach home safely before the storm set in too heavily, snarling traffic. I decided 3:00 would be early enough.

At lunch time I walked next door to a restaurant for a quick lunch, but on the way back the wind was blowing fiercely, and snow was blowing sideways instead of falling.

Arriving in the office after lunch, our plans for leaving at 3:00 were immediately changed, and I informed the crew to head straight home without waiting any longer.

This decision proved to be wise, because by 3:00 all major highways were already jamming up. All roads were slippery, snow was blowing and drifting, and soon all traffic completely stopped. This hindered the snowplows from doing their job. Those who waited too long to go home were stranded on the major highways in a serious situation. It took several days for all the snowplows the state could call in, including the U.S. Army, to pull the buried vehicles out, one by one, and clear the highways.

How this should warn us of the terrible storm that is going to fall on this world. God warns us in the Bible to “flee from the wrath to come.” Matthew 3:7. God loves us and wants us to listen to His warnings and come to Jesus for safety. Boys and girls, will you make it safely home with Jesus to heaven before God’s storm of punishment falls on this world?

Jesus said, “Come unto Me.” Matthew 11:28. He also said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” John 14:6. And we are told that “NOW is the accepted time . . . NOW is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2. Don’t wait any longer to escape from the coming storm! “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” Acts 16:31.

ML-03/27/1994

Where Did He Come From?

It was early morning in a little British railway station many years ago. There had been no trains during the night. The stationmaster arrived early to turn off the one light that hung by a long cord from the ceiling and to prepare for the first train.

On the long wooden bench near the corner he noticed a bundle. Some traveler probably forgot his baggage, he thought, as he went to pick it up. But to his surprise the bundle responded with the cry of a newborn baby! When he opened the bundle he found a little note pinned to the baby’s blanket. It said, “Call him John.”

There were many people who felt sorry for the tiny abandoned baby, but no one could keep little John. He was sent off to the nearest orphanage as soon as possible.

“You found him at Cheam station?” they said. “Then his name will be John Cheam.”

I suppose there was a frightened little mother some place who knew where John came from, but no one else knew, and no one ever found out. The mystery remains.

John grew strong and healthy in the orphanage, and he was well trained in manners and religion.

One day he boarded a British steamship and came to find work in Montreal, Canada. That is where he met Rose. And that is where he and his new wife found a home behind a Sunday school hall. They also took on the job of cleaning the building.

Sunday school was for children, but John and Rose were near enough to hear the message too. John soon realized that religion was not enough. Religion would not get him to heaven. John needed the Saviour of sinners for himself. And that is where John made the “yes” decision and took the gift that God Himself offers, not only to John but to you too.

What is the gift? First, as John 3:16 tells us, the gift is God’s only Son. This gift includes the forgiveness of sins through His precious blood shed on Calvary. It also includes a new nature, and a new home in the Father’s house, and a new family - the list is too long to write it all here.

A few years ago, John died. Where did he come from?

No one knows.

Where did he go?

That we can answer. He is where all God’s children go who have been “born again” into God’s family. All who are redeemed with the precious blood of Christ go to be with Christ which is far better. Which is more important? Where you came from or where you are going?

God’s gift is only for sinners. Will you just take God’s wonderful gift right now, and thank Him for it?

“Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift.” 2 Corinthians 9:15. “By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.” Ephesians 2:8,9.

ML-04/03/1994

The Stolen Fork

Richard was ten years old. He and his brothers loved to go with Dad and Mother to the Automat, a restaurant where almost all the food was displayed in shiny coin-operated dispensers. First they would go to the cashier and exchange dollar bills for nickels, dimes and quarters. Then each one would choose a tasty beef or chicken potpie or a plate of franks and beans, put the right coins in the slot, open the glass window, remove the food, and put it on his tray. Drinks such as milk or chocolate milk came out of a faucet shaped like a lion’s mouth.

When each one in the family had their meal, they would find a table and Dad would thank the Lord Jesus for their food. Then the boys would dig in to the feast.

The knives, forks and spoons they had there for people to use were plain metal, but of good quality. Each one was stamped with the words, “Horn and Hardart,” the name of the company owning all the Automats in New York and Philadelphia.

Imagine how Mother felt one day when she was emptying Richard’s pockets before putting his pants in the wash and out fell a shiny fork with the name “Horn and Hardart” on it. She felt sorry that Richard had taken the fork, but she did not say anything to him about it until Dad came home and they could talk it over together.

Dad and Mother showed Richard the fork and asked him how he got it. With the evidence right in front of his eyes, how could he deny that he had stolen the fork from the Automat? Richard was ashamed. Almost at once he confessed what he had done. Dad told him it was stealing and needed also to be confessed to God. Richard knelt by the living room couch and confessed to God the sin of stealing. Then instead of the punishment Richard was expecting, his father did something different. He made Richard take the fork back to the manager of the Automat.

“Aw, Dad,” he complained, “can’t I just put it back in the tray with all the other forks? I don’t want the manager to know I stole it.”

“No,” answered Dad. “You must take it to the manager and tell him you took it.”

Richard’s wise father then went with him and stood next to him while he told the manager what he had done. And the equally wise manager did not make a joke of what Richard had done. He explained that every year many forks, spoons and knives disappear from Automats, costing the company thousands of dollars. Then, to Richard’s relief, the manager forgave him and thanked him for bringing the fork back.

Richard is now a grandfather, but he never forgot the lesson he learned at the Automat.

Boys and girls, God says, “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. Jesus died on the cross of Calvary to pay the penalty for the sins of all those who would receive Him as their own Saviour.

Have your sins been forgiven?

ML-04/03/1994

A Strange Hiding Place

Not long ago my husband was visiting a neighbor. The neighbor’s wife had a number of mother hens with baby chicks. She did not keep them in a pen, so they wandered all around the yard scratching, clucking and looking for food. Most of the baby chicks stayed close to their mothers, but one baby chick wandered around the yard more or less by itself.

Whenever there was danger or a sudden noise in the yard, all the mother hens would cluck to their chicks, and the baby chicks would quickly run under their mothers’ wings. They felt quite safe there.

As my husband chatted with our neighbor, he was surprised when he suddenly felt a baby chick up his pant leg! “Why did the baby chick do that?” he exclaimed.

“That’s an orphan chick. He doesn’t have a mother,” explained the neighbor. So my husband kept his leg very still, and the baby chick nestled close to his leg until it felt warm and thought it was safe to come out.

Later, when my husband told me this story, he exclaimed, “Imagine that such a tiny chick with such a tiny brain wanted love and security! The chick knew when it had these and missed them when it didn’t.”

Boys and girls, God has made your heart with even a greater need to find love and security. All the entertainments and activities of this world will never satisfy and fill your heart. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” John 14:6. Unless you come to the Lord Jesus and receive Him as your Saviour, you will never find the lasting love and true security that your heart searches for.

The little chick found a place of security that day in the leg of my husband’s pants. He felt safe there. You also need a place of safety from God’s judgment that is about to fall upon this world. The Lord Jesus bore God’s anger against sin while He was on the cross so that He could freely offer you the forgiveness of your sins. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” John 3:36.

The little orphan chick found a safe place. Have you? “Flee from the wrath to come.” Matthew 3:7.

APRIL 10, 1994

ML-04/10/1994

No-U-Turn

Most four-lane highways with a median strip down the middle have cross-over places every few miles where police cars and other authorized vehicles can make a U-turn. Usually they also have a NO-U-TURN sign for all other drivers. To disobey that sign can cause a major catastrophe, just as to disobey the directions in God’s Word, the Bible, can bring calamity into our lives. Proverbs 6:12,14,15 warns us: “A naughty person . . . walketh with a froward [rebellious] mouth. . . . Frowardness is in his heart. . . . He soweth discord [conflict]. Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.”

One day we were driving south on the New York Thruway when an older gentleman discovered that he was driving in the wrong direction. He was driving north and realized he wanted to go south. So he decided to correct his mistake by turning illegally from the fast lane on the northbound side to the fast lane on the southbound side by using a NO-U-TURN crossover.

The traffic was heavy on both sides of the Thruway and traveling along at 65 miles per hour. So the gentleman had to make his U-turn quickly. As he was making the sharp turn from north to south, the car stalled at a right angle to the oncoming traffic, blocking two lanes on the southbound side.

Our fully loaded station wagon was the first vehicle to come upon this dangerous situation. My husband was able to bring our car to a screeching stop within inches of the old gentleman’s car. His face had turned white with fear and his wife looked just as frightened, as he tried frantically to get the car started again.

Our oldest son was next behind us in his little car, and he was also able to stop. However, the cars behind him quickly switched over into the right lane, the only lane not blocked. This forced a heavily loaded U-Haul truck in that lane to careen off the fender of the car ahead of him and plunge down the steep embankment on his right, mowing down the young trees in his path.

The old gentleman finally roared his car into action, opening up the lanes he was blocking. Traffic once again filled the three lanes. But I wonder what happened to the poor folks and their belongings in that U-Haul truck, don’t you?

We can never disobey the guidelines that God gives us without affecting others. The Bible tells us in Romans 5:19 that “by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners.” That first man who disobeyed God was Adam, and the results of that first sin are still affecting each of us today: “By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” Romans 5:12.

You and I are sinners, not just because Adam committed the first sin, but because we also have committed many, many sins. God says that all sin (big or little) carries the penalty of death followed by punishment. “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” Hebrews 9:27.

But God loves sinners, although He hates their sins. He loves you so much that He sent His Son, the Lord Jesus, to take your place and bear the punishment for your sins. The very next Bible verse says, “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many.” Hebrews 9:28.

The next step is yours - admit to God that you are a sinner and are sorry about your sins, and then accept His Son, Jesus Christ, as your very own Saviour.

Will you take that step? Will you accept God’s loving offer? “The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23.

ML-04/10/1994

You Choose

(Read Acts 16:25-34.)

“Which kitten would you like?”

This was not a hard choice for me. There were six of them - a sleepy one, a sick one, a cross one, a homely one, a frightened one, and then the cutest, friendliest, prettiest one you ever saw. Guess which one I chose?

Perhaps you have been scratched by one, or for some other reason you don’t like cats and wouldn’t choose any. But let me tell you something. The great and powerful God who made all things does not choose as I did, or as you might do. He has good reason to not want any one of us, for it was sinners like you and me who nailed His dear Son to a cruel cross. But instead of not wanting us, He has chosen to love us and invites lost sinners like us to accept His Son as our Saviour and to live in His home forever.

He does not choose those who are the prettiest or the friendliest or the smartest. He chooses sinners, just because He loves us.

And more than that, when He saves us He keeps us. My kitten ran away and I never saw it again. But the Saviour is able to keep His chosen ones forever and ever. And no one can take us away from Him either. “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand.” John 10:28. We are kept by the power of God.

When you read His invitation, remember that He is not calling good people; He is calling those who need Him most. If you think you don’t need Him, you will go where sinners go who refuse Him - to that place of suffering -the lake of fire. He has chosen to invite you to come to Him to be saved from your sins right now. Is your answer “Yes”?

“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” 1 Timothy 1:15.

ML-04/17/1994

Lost

The police and volunteer searchers were stumped. They had searched the outskirts of the wooded area, but there was no sign of the barefoot three-year-old boy.

It was a pleasant August day in Morden, where neighbors took turns in assisting each other with the harvest. That day in 1935, Dad was with a threshing crew two miles down the road. Mom was cleaning wild chokecherries for canning, and little Valdy wanted some. Knowing he would swallow the cherry pits, she did not give him any.

Life was hard and lean in those years. There was no money to hire farm help, so it fell on Mom to do the farm chores during threshing time.

She glanced at the kitchen clock and was surprised to see it was already 6:00 p.m. The cow needed to be milked and fed. She stopped short in her tracks. “Where’s Valdy?” she gasped. Hastily she searched the hay loft, then the chicken coop. He was not there. Terror seized her.

Mom realized she needed help immediately. She ran a quarter of a mile to the nearest neighbor and blurted out her anguish. “We’ve got to tell Dad, quickly!” she said. They rushed to the grain field where he was working to notify him.

Neighbors figured it would be no problem finding Valdy because his dog Trixy was with him. They were sure the dog would come to them when called, and then would lead them back to the child. This was not to be. They searched until darkness closed in. Exhausted, they trudged on anyway, hoping Valdy would answer their calls.

As the hours dragged on, there was no rest for this worried young mother and father. Rain began pelting down on the roof. Their hearts sank as they pictured their son hungry, cold and wet. The hours dragged on unbearably through the night. Finally, at the crack of dawn, they again joined the search.

Grandpa arrived just before breakfast to find Mom and Dad wet and exhausted from their futile search. Valdy was extra special to Grandpa. This grandchild had been born in his home and had lived there for 18 months. He was more like a son than a grandchild. But Grandpa was too feeble to join in the search.

Shortly after 8:00 a.m. the police and a group of fresh volunteers joined the search party. By mid morning the search had extended down to the creek in the deep ravine.

Grandpa paced back and forth along the driveway, watching and waiting for news. As the hours passed, Mom began to worry if her rain-soaked little boy could last through another day in the woods.

As her anxiety grew, the kitchen door suddenly flew open and there was Grandpa with Valdy in his arms! What a tearful and joyous reunion!

Dad and a faithful neighbor shared how they had found tiny footprints in the deep ravine. These led them near the creek, and then they heard a faint cry -“Mama.” Overjoyed, they found the limp, dehydrated little boy among the dense bushes along the creek. Picking him up, Dad pressed him to his chest. “We’ve found him, we’ve found him!” he shouted. His cry, echoing through the ravine, brought shouts of joy from every searcher.

Apart from a chest cold and wrinkled feet and hands, Valdy was in good shape. In unraveling the events, it was discovered that Valdy, having been refused the wild chokecherries he loved so much, had decided to pick some himself.

Seventeen years later, Valdy, now called Walter, found himself lost again - not in the woodlands of Manitoba but in a cold, stony prison near Winnipeg. His aim had been adventure, and no one warned him about the company he kept. One of his friends had needed some fast money. There was only one way to get it - steal it.

So began a series of break-ins which provided excitement for the two friends. They didn’t get caught for a while.

But one night, after committing another burglary, six plainclothes detectives stormed their getaway car and arrested them.

While sitting in prison one night, Walter realized that there was more to life than a search for fun and games. A visiting preacher, who traveled over 200 miles every month to visit Walter, shared 1 John 1:7: “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” He explained that he needed to act on this verse by sincerely confessing to God that he was a sinner and having God forgive all his sins through the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross.

There, in the privacy of his cell, Walter fell on his knees and cried out to God for forgiveness. A peace that words could not describe came over him. The Bible became precious, and a new life began for him.

Walter thought back over his life and remembered being lost as a three-year-old. Years later he had been lost again. Totally helpless and alone, he had been brought to his knees before God. How thankful he was to be rescued from a wasted life of crime. Now he was not just a sinner, but a sinner saved by the grace of God. “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:13.

ML-04/24/1994

Stay in the Backyard

Daddy called Danny and David over to him. “Boys,” he said, “I’m going to visit Mommy and your new baby sister at the hospital. You be good boys and obey Aunt Helen. Stay in the backyard, and be sure you don’t go into the barnyard.”

For a while Danny and David rode their tricycles around and around the backyard. Each time they made the circle on the bumpy grass they thought of the smooth, hard-packed gravel in the barnyard. Finally, the boys decided that the barnyard was the only good place to ride.

Do you remember when Adam and Eve were in the garden of Eden and God told them not to eat the fruit of the tree in the middle of the garden? They picked and ate that fruit anyway. Wasn’t that sad? And now ever since, each of us has a sinful nature that loves to do things that we know we should not do.

Danny and David worked at the gate latch until they got it open and happily rode their tricycles into the barnyard. But riding tricycles makes little boys thirsty, and they knew just where to get a drink in the barn. Soon they were in the room where the milking equipment is cleaned, climbing up on the sink to turn the faucet on.

When they both had gotten a good drink, Danny tried to turn off the water. His curly-haired head bobbed up and down as he worked at the faucet, but the harder he worked the faster the water gushed out. David couldn’t turn it off either. Both the boys began to feel guilty about coming into the barnyard and turning on the water. They knew they were disobeying. They decided to shut the barn door so their daddy couldn’t see them when he came home.

That’s what Adam and Eve did too. When they sinned they made themselves fig leaf aprons to cover their nakedness and then they hid among the trees of the garden. How foolish we are when we think we can hide from God who sees everything at all times. David said in Psalm 139:11,12, “If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me; even the night shall be light about me. Yea, the darkness hideth not from Thee. . . . The darkness and the light are both alike to Thee.”

Back in the closed barn the water soon filled the sink and began to splash over the edge. Soon the water was an inch deep all over the barn floor, then two inches, then three. The frightened boys ran back over to the barn door to open it again. Although the door had been easy for them to close, the handle was too high for them to reach, and they couldn’t open it. They began to pound on the door and cry out for help.

Meanwhile, Aunt Helen decided it was far too quiet in the backyard, so she left her ironing and came out to see what Danny and David were doing. Soon she was close enough to the barn to hear the boys pounding and crying.

Poor little boys! By now they were really scared. They needed someone to rescue them, but they were afraid to be found because they had disobeyed their daddy. Do you ever feel like that? You know you need God to forgive your sins, yet you are afraid of Him because you’ve sinned against Him. God is holy and He cannot overlook one sin, but He loves you and me so much that He gave His only Son, the Lord Jesus, to die for us. Danny and David knew they had disobeyed their daddy and deserved to be punished. We have disobeyed God and deserve to be punished too. But if we come to God and tell Him we are truly sorry for our sins, He will forgive every sin we’ve ever committed because He punished the Lord Jesus for them. Isn’t that wonderful?

Aunt Helen opened the barn door. Out ran the boys and the water. She ran in and turned off the faucet. Just then the boys’ daddy drove into the driveway. He was sad that his boys had been disobedient, and their sin had to be punished. But when the punishment was over, the boys were completely forgiven. You can be completely forgiven for your sins right now, if you will believe that “Christ died for [your] sins.” 1 Corinthians 15:3. God says, “I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto Me; for I have redeemed thee.” Isaiah 44:22.

Have you come to the Lord Jesus to have your sins forgiven?

ML-05/01/1994

Come

Four-year-old Ann and her mother were on a vacation at the sea shore. They both were enjoying the sun and sand and especially the water. Although Ann was just a little girl, she was having great fun playing in the sand and splashing in the shallow water along the shore.

As Mother watched Ann playing in the little waves that lapped the sand, she suddenly saw a huge wave rushing toward the shore. The wave was much higher than Ann, and it was almost to shore. There was not time for Ann’s mother to run and snatch her out of danger! The only thing she could do was to shout “ANN, COME!” Ann turned and ran as fast as she could, straight to her mother as the wave crashed on the sand where she had been playing. How relieved Mother was to have her little girl safe.

What if Ann had not paid attention to her mother’s call to come? She certainly would have been swept out to sea and drowned! Ann had been taught to obey her mother’s voice at once. Even the reply “just a minute” would have made it too late. She heard her mother’s voice and acted.

The Lord Jesus Christ has told sinners, “Come unto Me.” He has said it to save sinners from an awful punishment for their sins. He went to the cross and took that punishment on Himself. He is now saying, “Come . . . and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28. Have you obeyed that call from the Saviour? Don’t wait any longer! Accept Him as your own Saviour. Danger is very near. Don’t say “just a minute,” or “in a little while”; accept Him right now! “Now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2.

ML-05/01/1994

A Scary Afternoon

My brothers, sisters and I often spent our weekend afternoons hiking through our woods or following the creek that ran through the properties near us. This fall afternoon was no exception. We decided to meet two cousins of ours at a certain place and hike together along the creek and then hunt for crayfish. The five of us had no idea what would happen that afternoon.

We were having a good time splashing around in the creek near some culverts and lifting rocks to see what was living under them. We hollered into the culverts just to hear our voices echo. These culverts had just been put in so a new road could be built over the creek.

My brother and I wandered out of the water and away from the rest of the group. All of a sudden we came to a hole in the ground with what looked like a stuffed figure lying down holding a shovel. I kicked at the shovel. We both thought the stuffed figure must have toppled over from where it had been propped up, probably to scare off trespassers. We knew there had been trouble with trespassers coming in and destroying property and partying in the vacant, old, crumbling farmhouses on the hill. We called back to the others and told them to come and see what we had found.

My cousin Merle no sooner took a look than he yelled, “That’s no stuffed figure! That’s Herman Thiel!”

I was so scared that my legs felt like jelly as we all took off running as fast as we could. We ran up to the main road, and my brothers and I ran to our home, and our cousins ran to their home. Their dad was a volunteer fireman and knew what to do. He immediately called the police and then went to the place where we had found Herman. He quickly realized that there was nothing he could do for Herman. Herman was dead.

It was such a solemn experience for us children to come face to face with death. We later learned that just that morning his daughter had taken him shopping. Then that afternoon Herman had been busy digging post holes for a new fence he intended to put in. But one of those post holes became his temporary grave after he had a massive heart attack.

Herman had been preparing for the future. A new road was to be put in, the land would be divided up and sold. Herman was planning to make quite a nice profit for himself. How often we prepare for the future of our earthly lives, but what about preparing for after death? The Bible reminds us how short life is: “Your life . . . is . . . a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” James 4:14. It also tells us to “prepare to meet thy God.” Amos 4:12. We need to prepare for our eternal future. We don’t know if Herman prepared for his eternal future, and so we don’t know where his soul is now -with Jesus, or suffering in that awful place called hell. Where would yours be?

God has made a way possible to spend eternity with Him. All we have to do is accept His offer of salvation to be sure of that wonderful eternal future. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7.

“What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul.” Mark 8:36.

ML-05/08/1994

Faith

A missionary was in Africa for many years, telling the natives the wonderful story of the love of the Lord Jesus Christ for sinners. One day he was trying to explain to a group of them the meaning of faith. He said, “Do you see that pool of water over there? Have you ever seen that water get as hard as rock?”

“Oh, no!” they answered in surprise, since they had never seen ice.

“Believe me,” the missionary continued, “in the country where I come from the water gets so hard that you can stand on top of it!”

The natives did not understand this. One boy was heard whispering to another that the missionary was telling lies.

The missionary went on to explain that even though they had never seen ice and did not understand how it could occur, the fact was still true. To believe it required faith. First, they needed faith in the missionary himself that he would tell them only the truth. Second, they needed faith to believe that water could turn to ice, even though they had never seen it happen.

It is the same way with God. He tells only the truth. He has spoken to us in His Word, the Bible. Have you read it and believed it? He has told you that you are a sinner and that there is nothing that you can do to save yourself from your sins. He has also told you that He loves you, and to show His love He sent His only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to die in your place. If you will accept Him as your Saviour, you will be saved from the punishment your sins require. Faith is believing God, because He says it.

Some months later the missionary returned to his northern homeland for a short visit. He brought back with him the native boy who thought he was lying when he told them about ice. It was winter, so the two of them went for a walk to a pond that was being used as a hockey rink by some boys.

Remembering what he had said in Africa, the missionary asked the boy if he would like to walk on the “hard water.”

The boy was afraid to at first, but the missionary took his hand, and together they went out on the frozen pond. Then, jumping hard on the ice, the missionary asked him, “Now do you believe what I said about water getting hard as a rock?”

“Yes,” he answered, “I believe it now.”

That native boy did not have faith. He would not believe the missionary until he saw the ice. If he had believed what the missionary had told him in Africa, that would have been faith . . . even though it sounded impossible to him. “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1.

Do you have faith in God and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ?

ML-05/08/1994

Jesus' Hands

Mother settled on the couch for her morning break. Little Carla grabbed her dolly and scampered over to join her, hoping for a story or just a cozy chat. One thing Carla did love to talk about was the Lord Jesus and His coming. When she was scarcely four years old she had come to Him to have Him wash away all of her sins, and in her fresh, young faith she had received and was so happy in many of the great promises spoken by our Lord Jesus Himself.

“Mommy,” she asked with wonder in her eyes, “is the Lord Jesus really going to just catch us up to heaven?”

“Why, yes,” Mother answered. “In John 14:3 Jesus said, ‘I will come again, and receive you unto Myself.’ Then He told the Apostle Paul to write in 1 Thessalonians chapter four just how He will do it. We know He will keep His word as He always has.”

“But, Mommy,” she pursued anxiously, “are you sure that every single one in our family will go up? And . . . and . . . you won’t have to get to be a grandma and die first, will you?”

“Now, honey, one question at a time! Yes, Mommy feels sure that everyone in our family has, one by one, come to the Lord Jesus, just as you did. They asked Him, just as you did, to wash their sins away, because only Jesus’ precious blood can do this great work. ‘The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin’ (1 John 1:7). You don’t need to worry that Mommy will have to get old and die first. We all expect His coming to be very, very soon.”

Satisfied, Carla enjoyed a few more moments of thought. Then with some excitement she exclaimed, “Oh my, Mommy! The Lord Jesus must have BIG hands!”

“Big hands? Yes He does, Carla! Why, one hand is all that He needs, for we read in Deuteronomy 33:3, ‘All His saints are in Thy hand.’ And Jesus said in John 10:28 that no one could ever pluck one of His children (sheep) out of His hand. So you see, when we’re already in His hand, it would be a sure thing to lift us right up safely to heaven. Just think of His dear hands, Carla. Always He will have those scars from the cruel nails they hammered in them that day when He took our place suffering for our sins. He uses them now too - lifts them up to God when Satan accuses us of being naughty. Lifting up His hands, He says, ‘There is no accusing this one, because he is cleansed by My precious blood.’ ”

Are you safe in those BIG, strong hands that can never let you go and will catch you up to heaven some happy day soon?

“The Lord upholdeth him with His hand.” Psalm 37:24.

ML-05/15/1994

I Love to Go Fishing! Do You?

“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

One warm spring day I was sitting on a big, flat rock, soaking up the sunshine. My fishing line was baited and out in the water. I hadn’t been sitting there very long when a bug crawled out of the water and sat on the rock in front of me. I thought it was unusual that it came so close, so I sat very still as I watched it.

Suddenly the bug began to look as if it was falling apart. I wondered if it was dying. I forgot all about my fishing and watched the bug. The skin along the top of its back was splitting open, and pretty soon out crawled this strange, wormy-looking creature with legs. It kicked itself free of the old skin and started rubbing its sides with its legs. It wasn’t long before some wings began to unfold from the sides of its body. It fluttered them a little, then rested a bit, letting the sun dry out these new gauze-like wings. Then this strange creature used its legs again to loosen its wings some more and spread them out. Every few minutes it would flutter them a bit and then rest while the warm spring sun I’d been enjoying warmed and dried its whole body.

In about half an hour that ugly, wormy-looking creature had turned into a beautiful double-winged dragonfly!

Do you know that in less time than it took that ugly wormy creature to change into a lovely dragonfly you can be changed from a lost, guilty, hell-bound sinner into a pure, clean child of God? John 1:12 says, “As many as received Him [the Lord Jesus Christ], to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.” That’s right! Just as sure as a caterpillar can become a butterfly or a nymph can become a dragonfly, you can be saved from your sins and be a new creature ready for heaven. “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:13.

A dragonfly cannot return to live in the muddy bottom of the stream where it lived as a nymph. It has a new kind of life. God has given it the ability now to dart through the air at 50 or 60 miles an hour as it does its good work of catching flies and mosquitoes.

The next time you see a dragonfly, remember that it was once a wiggly bug living in the mud at the bottom of a lake or stream. Then it went through an amazing change which gave it a new life that could only live in the air.

After a person has been saved from his sins, he becomes a new creature. The Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that “if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” God gives us a new life that does not want to live in the filth of sin. It is a clean, pure life that has the power to live above all sin. This new life also has the power to do works that are pleasing to God. King David happily explained his new life this way: “He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.” Psalm 40:2.

Do you have this new life that makes you ready for heaven?

ML-05/15/1994

The Indian Interpreter

When David Brainerd went to preach to the American Indians in 1744, he could not talk to them in their own language. He lived with them, ate the same food, and did his best to talk to them, but could not.

You might wonder how he could possibly tell them about God’s love if he didn’t know their language. He used an interpreter. An interpreter is someone who listens to what you say in your language and then tells it to others in the language they can understand. We read of Joseph speaking through an interpreter in Genesis 42:23. The Indians among whom David Brainerd worked had never heard of the “one true God.” They still worshipped many gods. They had learned very little except wickedness from their white neighbors in the Delaware Valley. The only Indian David could find who could speak English at all was Tinda Tautamy, a thief and drunk most of the time.

Tinda Tautamy did try to stay sober while he interpreted for David. However, he was not interested in the gospel of God’s grace which he heard and translated to his own people. He was not suitable for this work, and he took little interest in making the Indians understand God’s message to them.

One day David was speaking to an audience of English men and women. Tinda Tautamy was there but was not needed to translate, so he had nothing to do but sit and listen. And he did listen. The Holy Spirit used the message David was bringing to those unsaved English-speaking people to awaken the conscience of that poor Indian. He became deeply aware of his sin and its consequences. For many days he was greatly burdened, knowing that he needed to be saved from his sins.

One night in a fitful sleep he dreamed that he was trying to climb a steep mountain up to heaven. The way was covered with thorns, and he could not find a path. He tried climbing again and again, but he kept slipping back. He made no progress and there wasn’t anyone around to help him. He was ready to give up when he thought he heard a voice speaking to him quite plainly - “There is hope, there is hope, but you must come My way.” He woke up and knelt right down and accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his Saviour, confessing his sins, and the burden was lifted and he had peace. “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 that Tinda Tautamy was more than an interpreter. He was eager to tell others about his Saviour. When David Brainerd spoke to the Indians about salvation through Jesus Christ, Tinda Tautamy would put his own heart, his own faith and love that he now had, into the words. The Indians who listened, knowing what kind of sinful man he had been, knew now that Tinda was a new man in Christ. “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.

Each one of us, like Tinda Tautamy, is an interpreter. If we know the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour, our lives as well as our mouths should be telling others about Him. Are we telling the story well, or do we sometimes cause others to misinterpret it? Does what we do each day tell others that we belong to Christ?

ML-05/22/1994

Puppy-Puppy

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

Mrs. Grady lives high up in the Jacinto Mountains in Idyllwild, California. She loves dogs and has two of her own. She takes good care of her pets. A nearby neighbor has several unlicensed dogs which are allowed to run loose.

The neighbor’s dog had a large litter of puppies, among which was a friendly, little, female puppy. Mrs. Grady often saw the little puppy sitting outside, cold and hungry. She would call, “Here puppy, here puppy,” and when the puppy came running she would get some food. The puppy grew to be a beautiful, friendly dog, but she had never been given a name. She often came to Mrs. Grady’s home for treats, and when it was cold or rainy outside she would stay in the house all night. As Mrs. Grady continued calling to her, “Here puppy-puppy, here puppy-puppy,” it soon became the name everybody used for her. She had a name at last - Puppy-Puppy.

Most children are given a name soon after they are born. Not only do their parents know their names, but the Lord Jesus knows each little one by name too, because He loves all children. The Bible tells us that He is the Good Shepherd, and “He calleth His own sheep by name . . . and . . . they know His voice.” John 10:3,4. Are you one of His sheep, and do you recognize His voice?

When Puppy-Puppy was two years old, the neighbor’s dog had another litter of puppies. In that litter there was one little puppy which soon became Puppy-Puppy’s best friend. They were always running and playing together.

When the little puppy was about five months old, there was a terrible scare in that neighborhood. A large, hungry mountain lion, which weighed almost 200 pounds, came down into Idyllwild and caught several little dogs. Mountain lions sleep during the day and prowl in search of food at night. A mountain lion is very strong and moves about quietly seeking food. It is also very quick and suddenly leaps on its prey, killing it, and then carries it off to its den.

One night when Puppy-Puppy was sleeping at Mrs. Grady’s home, the dog became very restless and excited. She ran to the door and scratched frantically to get out. Mrs. Grady knew something was very wrong, and so she let Puppy-Puppy out.

The dog ran furiously to her home where the mountain lion was crouching and creeping slowly towards the sleeping little puppy. The neighbor saw it and threw a pop can at the mountain lion to scare it off, but it didn’t move. Just then Puppy-Puppy ran between the mountain lion and her little puppy friend. Instantly the lion grabbed Puppy-Puppy and hurried off to its den.

The Bible warns that you are in danger from an enemy that is stalking you: “Your adversary [enemy] the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.” 1 Peter 5:8. But the Lord Jesus, the Son of God, gave His life at Calvary to save you from death and judgment, the result of your sins. If you accept Him as your Saviour, you will be safe from the power of Satan. Jesus loves you and gave His life that you might be free.

Mrs. Grady works at an animal sanctuary near her home. There are many dogs and cats wonderfully cared for there. Any who visit there can see a granite marker in memory of brave Puppy-Puppy! Many families visit this sanctuary, called “Living Free,” to enjoy the animals and sometimes adopt a dog or cat. There they can take a dog for a walk, and have a picnic, and see the marker about Puppy-Puppy who gave her life for her friend.

How wonderful it is for those of us who have accepted Jesus as our Saviour to remember Him and thank Him every day for giving His life to save us. The Lord Jesus said: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” John 15:13.

ML-05/22/1994

Great-Great-Great Grandpa John

Let’s turn our clocks back about 200 years to a time when my great-great-great-grandfather, John McGowan, was living. Grandpa John was a pioneer in Indiana in about 1800. He brought his family from Pennsylvania across the Appalachian Mountains by horseback in 1798 to a home near Vincennes, Indiana. He was a gunsmith and found plenty of work fixing the muskets of the local frontiersmen. Sometimes the Indians also came, and he fixed their guns too.

In 1812 the area was greatly disturbed by war. Many of the men took warning and set up guards around their houses to protect them. Grandpa John knew he should set up a regular guard over his house at night, but he put it off. He had seven dogs, and he thought they were enough to warn him against intruders.

One day a neighbor lady died, and Grandpa John went to work building a coffin in which to bury her. That same day a local man involved in the fighting brought his broken musket to Grandpa John to fix.

“No, I can’t fix it,” he said. “My poor neighbor’s wife has died, and I have to make a coffin to bury her.”

The man was insulted and went away very angry. He felt it was just an excuse and was determined to “get even.”

That night Grandpa John was so tired he decided he would wait just one more night to set up a night guard. He felt his seven dogs were enough to warn him. But after nightfall the insulted man and some of his friends quietly approached Grandpa John’s house. They were too smart for the dogs. They approached downwind, and the dogs never smelled their scent or heard them.

Are you putting off being saved from your sins for some reason? It may seem like a good reason to you, but what about tomorrow. Do you really know that you will be here tomorrow? There are two things that might happen today. The first is that the Lord Jesus Christ may return: “Behold, I come quickly.” Revelation 22:7. If He returns before you settle the matter of your sins, it will be too late. “The bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.” Matthew 25:10.

The second thing that might happen is sad to even think about. You might die in your sins. The Bible warns us - “Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.” Proverbs 27:1.

The men looked through a small opening in the log cabin wall. They could barely see by the flickering light from the fireplace, but there asleep on the bed was Grandpa John. One of the men took careful aim - one shot - and Grandpa John was dead! The men ran to the door and tried to break it down.

The family was awakened by the shot and the banging on the door. They quickly grabbed buckets of drinking water and milk and threw it on the fire to put out the light. Fortunately, the dogs were awakened by the noise and attacked the men. The family grabbed a musket and fired toward the barking dogs. To their relief the men ran away and were not seen again.

But for Grandpa John it was too late. He had waited too long to post a guard.

Don’t be like Grandpa John and wait until the last minute and hope to do something then about your sins. Accept the Lord Jesus now as your own personal Saviour. “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.

ML-05/29/1994

Who Wants Roy?

Nobody wanted Roy. He had been found all alone in a poor little shack in Toronto, because his father had deserted him when he was a very sick boy. The Children’s Hospital had given him medical care, and now he was up and around and a big trouble to everybody there in the hospital.

Howls from the playroom were very common. “Roy pushed over my tower.” “Roy took my doll.” “Roy crashed my truck.” Nothing was any fun if Roy was there, and he was only five years old.

On Sundays the hospital gave permission for a Sunday school class, but it was impossible for anyone to listen if Roy was there. So Roy was locked in a little room by himself until the lesson was over.

One Sunday Mr. Willis visited the hospital, and they told him about the little boy in a room by himself. Do you know how that Christian man felt about that little boy? How did the Lord Jesus feel about unwanted sinners, like the poor man in Mark chapter 5? Did Jesus set out to find good people and stay away from that poor man that nobody wanted to go near? Oh, no! Jesus said, “I came not to call the righteous [good people], but sinners to repentance.” Mark 2:17.

Mr. Willis chose to be locked in the little room with Roy, and he began at once to tell the boy that Jesus loved him.

“That’s not true,” Roy answered. “Nobody likes Roy.”

“But Jesus does,” insisted Mr. Willis. “It says so in His book, right here.”

“Who is Jesus?” asked Roy.

“He is the Son of God. And He gave Himself, His whole self, and He died for you because He loves you.”

“I want to see it in your book. Where does it say that Jesus loves Roy?”

Mr. Willis opened the Bible to Galatians 2:20. “Here it is,” he said, pointing to the verse.

Roy took the Bible and studied that spot for a long time. Finally he said, “Where’s the R?”

Roy had never learned to read anything but his own initial, and it was not there.

“No,” said Mr. Willis, “it is not there. But if it said, ‘Jesus loves Roy’ we might think it meant Roy Johnson who always seems to be a good boy. But it says, ‘The Son of God, who loved ME, and gave Himself for ME.’ I like it best that way, because it means ME.”

“Does it really mean that Jesus loves ME?” asked Roy.

“Yes, and He gave Himself for YOU.”

“Really?”

“Yes, really. That’s exactly what it says. Do YOU want the Lord Jesus, Roy?”

Yes, Roy wanted Jesus. And the love of Jesus changed Roy’s whole life.

Do YOU want Jesus? Has He changed your life?

“They that are whole have no need of the physician, but they that are sick: I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
Mark 2:17

ML-05/29/1994

Teasing Isn't Always Fun

Is there someone in your family who especially likes to tease? Denise was nine years old and thought it was fun to tease her brothers and sisters.

One summer day she and her younger sister and younger brother, Anne and Daniel, were having fun climbing around on an old lumber pile near a sawdust shed on their farm. It was not long until the lumber pile did not seem high enough, so they climbed onto the roof of the shed. The roof was on a slant, and they started at the low end and were going to crawl up to the high end to look over the edge. They knew very well that it wasn’t safe to be up there, but they decided to climb up anyway.

It so happened that an electric wire hung quite low over the lower end of the shed. Denise decided she was going to tease Anne and Daniel. Standing up, she yelled, “Watch me touch this wire!”

They all knew that wires can be dangerous. Anne and Daniel were sitting higher up on the roof, and immediately both of them screamed, “NO!”

Oh, but Denise was having fun. She moved her hand a little closer to the wire.

That really scared Anne and Daniel. As they yelled for her to stop, they did not realize that they were scooting higher on the roof - backing away from that dangerous wire.

Denise refused to stop. Finally, her hand was so close it nearly touched the wire, and just then Daniel suddenly disappeared! He was so badly frightened that he had scooted right off the edge of the roof and fell to the ground below.

Now it was Denise’s turn to be frightened. Her fun was over. She and Anne peered down at their brother lying motionless on the ground below.

“The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” Proverbs 15:3. The three children knew what they were doing was dangerous, but as long as they were careful they thought no one would know the difference. The Lord Jesus knows our hearts. If we can get away with something once, we’ll do it again. Sometimes He allows something to stop us.

The girls called to their parents who came running. Their dad carried Daniel right to the house. Poor Daniel was in a lot of pain and moaned and cried quietly. It was punishment enough for the girls to see their brother hurting so badly.

How thankful they were when they found out he had not broken any bones, and he soon recovered from the fall.

Often we may be doing something where we hope no one sees us. If it hadn’t been for the accident, no one would have known about the three children climbing on the shed roof. How important to realize that “Thou God seest me.” Nothing is hidden from God. “All things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.” Hebrews 4:13. He not only sees what we are doing, but He can look right down into our hearts. Some of us have hearts that are filled with sin. Some of us have hearts that are washed clean from sin. Which kind of heart does He see in you? “Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” Psalm 51:7.

ML-06/05/1994

Chico's Witness

“Shine, mister?” beamed Chico as he stopped in front of the businessman with scuffy-looking shoes who was absorbed in reading a newspaper. The cabin of the Staten Island ferry was crowded this cold morning. A sharp wind kept most of the rush-hour passengers from strolling on the open decks during the 20-minute ride to downtown New York.

“Why not?” answered the businessman. He placed his right shoe on Chico’s shoeshine box and went back to reading his paper.

Chico worked quickly and whistled a happy tune as his brush and rag kept time to his music.

“What are you so happy about?” grumbled the businessman.

Chico flashed a broad, toothy smile and tapped the businessman’s left foot to indicate he was ready for the other shoe. While the businessman changed shoes on the shine box, Chico prayed for courage to speak a word for his Saviour.

“Mister, you’d be happy too if you knew Jesus as your Saviour. A few months ago I was headed for real trouble. I was runnin’ around with a gang that was stealin’ and fightin’ most of the time. My mom was at work all day, my dad’s in jail, and my grandma’s almost blind, so I came and went as I pleased. One day some of us went into a storefront meetin’ to make trouble. We started cursin’ as loud as we could, but the preacher just asked everyone to sing a hymn, ‘Christ is the Saviour of sinners.’

“As they sang, my buddies all left. Somehow I felt glued to my seat. Every time they sang the part,

Saviour of sinners

Saviour of sinners like me,

Shedding His blood for my ransom,

This is the Saviour for me.

I felt something inside that wanted to know more about this Saviour. I sat through the whole meetin’, and at the end I just sat there with my head down, wishin’ for all the world I could say He was my Saviour. I guess the preacher saw me, because he came and put his hand on my shoulder and asked me if I wanted to have peace and joy and know for sure that my sins were forgiven. I said, ‘You bet I do!’

“Well, mister,” Chico continued as he put the finishing touches to the second shoe, “that preacher explained it all to me, and I got down on my knees and accepted Jesus as my Saviour . . . and I’ve had a heart full of joy and peace ever since then. My old gang thinks I’m nuts, but they know somethin’ has happened to me. And it can happen to you too, mister, if you’ll accept Jesus as your Saviour.

“That’ll be $1.50,” he said, tapping the businessman’s foot to indicate the shine was finished.

“Here, keep the change,” said the businessman, handing Chico a couple of dollars. He tucked his paper under his arm, picked up his briefcase and headed out to the windswept deck as Chico moved to his next customer.

Here we must leave the businessman with his thoughts and alone with God. But what about you? Do you know Chico’s Saviour?

“The Son of man came . . . to give His life a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28.

“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-06/05/1994

Left Behind!

One sunny spring day in May, Harold and I decided that since we had gotten all our duties finished, we would go for a ride through the woods. We started off on our A.T.V.’s (all-terrain vehicles), not sure just where we should go. After talking it over, we decided to go to the great sand pit.

As we raced along the trails to the sand pit, we stopped occasionally to admire the landscape and have a little fun. When we reached the sand pit we saw that it was a great place to ride A.T.V.’s. There were huge high walls to climb, water puddles to drive through and get wet, and sand bumps to jump with the machines.

We were having a great time. As we raced up and down the pit wall, I decided that I could climb all the way to the top, then right over the edge and onto the plateau.

Harold waited at the top. I got ready and went flying up the side of the pit. But then the fun stopped . . . I did not make it. When I got nearly to the top, I began to fall. I yelled out for Harold. “Harold, help! I’m going to fall!”

How many of us are not going to reach another goal - heaven? We all want to get there, but some of us are trying to make it on our own. I was counting on my powerful A.T.V. to get me to the top of the sand pit, but I failed. And those who are counting on their good, clean lives to get them to heaven will fail too, because that is not God’s way.

A good, clean life is the right way to live, but it cannot get anyone to heaven. Our sins keep us out of heaven. And in case you don’t think you have any sins, God reminds us in Romans 3:22,23, “There is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory [approval] of God.”

There was nothing Harold could do to keep me from falling back down the wall of the sand pit. But God has provided a way, His way, of removing those sins that will keep you out of heaven. It is through a person, His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. When He was on Calvary’s cross, He bore the penalty for every sin of every person who will come to Him, admit that he or she is a sinner, and accept His love and forgiveness. The Lord Jesus Himself said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” John 14:6.

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

It is that simple, and it is God’s promise.

Will you come God’s way?

ML-06/12/1994

Last Stop

The wind and the damp, cold air made us shudder as we hurried from the airplane into the bleak airport terminal in Gander, Newfoundland. It was two o’clock in the morning, and the passengers were tired and stumbling with weariness after a long flight across the Atlantic Ocean. This was the last stop before home, and we were all looking forward to the end of the journey.

The immigration official announced, “Please have all passports and vaccination certificates ready for inspection.”

The line of weary passengers shuffled forward, and at last it was our turn.

“Your passports, sir.”

We handed over our passports, and they were carefully checked. “All in order, sir. And may I see your vaccination certificates?”

These were handed over at once, but after a moment’s inspection the officer frowned and said: “Something’s wrong here, sir. You have just four certificates, and there are five in your family.”

“But, officer, our baby is just a year old, and the doctor at home told us that he didn’t need a certificate.”

“I’m sorry,” replied the immigration official, “but regulations say that not one person is permitted to enter the country without a vaccination certificate. The plane must go on without you.”

What could we do? Just one little thing wrong with our papers, and they would not let us into the country. We could only stand and watch as our suitcases were taken off the plane and it left without us, leaving us stranded 2,000 miles from home!

Boys and girls, you are all on a journey too, and sooner or later that journey is going to end in eternity. Is everything ready for you to enter heaven? Thinking that “everything will be all right” is not enough. We thought our papers were in order, but they did not satisfy the officials, and we were refused permission to enter the country.

The Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross of Calvary is our only passport to heaven. God tells us in 1 John 1:7 that “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” Have you accepted the Lord Jesus as your Saviour? If so, you are ready to enter heaven to spend eternity with Him. If not, you are not ready, and if the Lord Jesus were to come today and call all those who have accepted Him as Saviour home to be with Himself, you would be left behind for punishment!

As we watched the plane take off, leaving us behind, we wondered what would happen next. The officials directed us to a building that had once been an army barracks. He said we could sleep there for the rest of the night while they decided what to do with us.

The next morning they called a doctor who came out and vaccinated the baby, and then, after a phone call to the capitol for permission, we were allowed to board a plane and finally arrived safely home.

Soon the Lord Jesus will come to call those who have trusted Him to be with Himself in heaven. Are you ready? Or will you be left behind?

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

“Prepare to meet thy God.” Amos 4:12.

ML-06/12/1994

Cougar Tracks!

A few years back four of us were camping in the hills of eastern Washington while we cut our winter’s supply of firewood. One morning when we got up, we saw many fresh cougar tracks around the camp. The cougar had frightened our horses, and three of them had run off into the woods.

We cut our quota of firewood as quickly as we could and then started off to look for the horses. It was late in the fall and we had quite a hunt. When we finally found them, it was starting to get dark.

The hillside where we had been cutting wood was almost straight up and down, so steep that there was no way we could ride two people on a horse. So the three older boys gave me the double-barreled shotgun to carry for protection, and they rode back to camp on the three horses, cutting across the fields and over the hills. Since I was alone and walking, I followed an old trail.

I wonder if you’ve ever been as scared as I was that evening, alone out there in the woods. Knowing that a big hungry cougar was lurking around, looking for a tasty meal, I could only think he might have his eyes on me! I can tell you I was mighty scared and alert to every little movement or sound that might be a sign of danger.

But do you know something? Every one of us ought to be even more scared of sin. It’s the biggest killer there is! And it can get every one of us, if we haven’t trusted the Lord Jesus to wash us clean of sin in His precious blood. I was thinking some pretty serious thoughts that night as I walked along that dark trail. And each of us needs to think serious thoughts about life and death as we walk through this dark world. There is no way we can get safely to heaven unless we come to the Lord Jesus and tell Him we’re sorry we’ve been so sinful, and accept His forgiveness. 1 John 1:9 tells us that “if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Pretty soon I came to a big tree branch about ten feet high growing out over the trail. I stopped dead in my tracks. It was a perfect place for a big cat to wait. I was so scared by that time that I was sure the cougar was on that branch.

I crouched down behind a bush, hoping he couldn’t see me or smell my scent, all the time keeping my eyes fixed on that branch. But there’s no hiding from God. No. God sees us wherever we are and whatever we are doing. No sin is hidden from God. Proverbs 28:13 tells us, “He that covereth [hides] his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”

I kept staring at that branch in the darkness, and all at once I could pick out a dark shape. It looked like a cougar. I lifted the shotgun, took aim, and let go with both barrels! Immediately a big horned owl swooped down out of the tree. All I had done was scare an owl and probably every other animal around. There was no cougar.

After that all I wanted to do was to get back to camp as fast as my legs could carry me. And I did just that.

I want to get safely home to heaven too, don’t you? God tells us in the Bible how we can be sure of safely reaching heaven. “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” Romans 10:9,10.

Are you willing to get down on your knees and talk it over with God right now?

ML-06/19/1994

What Time Is It?

When I was a little boy, an older boy several years older than I was came to my house to keep an eye on me while my family was away for a few hours.

We went outside so I could show this boy our tall maple trees, our apple and plum trees, and our swing set. All these things were special to me.

“Big deal” was all he said.

Then I showed him our cats, my dog and my sisters’ pony.

He wasn’t interested.

I remember slowly coming to understand that this boy didn’t like me.

We went into the kitchen. He stood looking at the clock. Turning to me he said, “You don’t even know how to tell time, do you?”

“Of course I do,” I lied.

“I don’t believe you,” he answered.

“It is very easy; anyone can do it.”

Then he said, “If it’s so easy, tell me what time it is.”

I looked at the clock. There were three hands of different sizes. I saw the little one moving fast, and the other two not moving at all. I heard a steady tick, tick, tick. What it all meant, I didn’t have a clue.

“3:30,” I guessed.

“3:30 I wish! It’s only 2:00. I knew you didn’t know how to tell time.”

I don’t remember anything else about that afternoon. I only remember that I was ashamed that I got caught lying. That was one of the sins that was washed away when I accepted the Lord Jesus as my Saviour many years later.

That older boy asked me if I knew how to tell time. I didn’t know how. Now I have a question for you about time. What time does God want you to receive His Son, the Lord Jesus, as your Saviour?

If you don’t know, I can tell you. It’s right NOW! Not at 2:30 or 11:30, but right NOW. Now is the time to receive the Lord Jesus and have your sins forgiven. The Bible tells us, “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2.

If you already are saved from your sins, that is wonderful. I have another question for you. When is the best time to live to please the Lord Jesus?

When I am finished playing with my friends? No. Maybe tomorrow? No. Now? Yes.

Now is the time to be saved from your sins if you have not already done so. Now is also the time to please the Lord Jesus if you are saved. Now is the most important time in God’s thoughts for us! Tomorrow could be too late.

Do you know what is going to happen tomorrow?

ML-06/19/1994

Danger

This is a story of a mother duck and her baby ducks. We were vacationing at a lake called Kenogami. We really enjoyed seeing the wild ducks and the other water birds that live there.

One mother duck and her ducklings that we often watched always seemed to show up for breakfast and supper. You could hear mother duck quacking as she led her babies up the lake toward our campsite. Mother duck always gave a loud “quack,” but her babies just gave a little “peep.” She was very careful with her babies as she never let them get too close to shore. She knew there was danger on shore.

It made me remember that God has warned us of danger ahead. He has said in His Word, the holy Bible, “Flee from the wrath to come.” Matthew 3:7. Romans 5:9 says, “Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.”

When those baby ducks got too close to shore, mother duck gave a loud “QUACK,” and they all dashed right back to her.

God has spoken very loudly to us too, through the Bible. Hebrews 1:1,2 says, “God . . . hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son.” His name is Jesus Christ.

Boys and girls, God says in 2 Corinthians 6:2, “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”

Just as those baby ducks were quick to obey their mother, will you be as quick to obey God? Isaiah 1:18 says, “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.”

Come to the Saviour,

make no delay;

Here in His Word He has

shown us the way.

“Thy [the Creator’s] way is in the sea, and Thy path in the great waters.”
Psalm 77:19.

ML-06/26/1994

Wanna Fight?

“My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.”
Proverbs 1:10

Many of you have accepted the Lord Jesus as your very own Saviour. Are you glad to share what Jesus has done for you with your unsaved classmates, neighbors or other friends? Or do you find it more important to be liked by them and do what they do?

Ricky belonged to the Lord Jesus, but he found it very hard to stay out of fights when he was in first and second grade. Although he was big for his age, certain boys in his class were always looking for a chance to fight anybody. When Ricky was in third grade, he decided to stay away from the boys who picked fights and got into trouble. Instead, he had fun playing games with others at recess time.

One day, Ricky was playing with some friends at recess when Mike and Scott came up to him. “Hey, Ricky,” they said, “we want to beat up Mark. Will you help us?”

Ricky was surprised. These two boys used to pick fights with him, and now they wanted his help to beat up somebody else! Everyone knew they were troublemakers because they were always starting fights. But it made Ricky feel really good that they wanted his help.

Ricky had learned a Bible verse to help him at such a time. “My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not [say ‘no’].” Proverbs 1:10. If Ricky had just thought of that verse, the Lord Jesus would have helped him to do what was right. But he sure liked the idea that Mike and Scott wanted his help. He didn’t stop to think that what they wanted him to do was wrong - it was sin. And he didn’t remember that the Lord Jesus had died for his sins. He told Mike and Scott, “OK.”

While the three boys were talking, Mark saw them looking over at him, so he started to run. Mike, Scott and Ricky took off after him. Mark ran off the playground and went around the side of the school. Then he ran out onto the front lawn and headed for the street.

Mike, Scott and Ricky followed him. Just as Mark reached the street, Mike picked up a rock. Thinking he was close enough, he threw it at Mark.

Do you know what was on that street? There were cars parked in a row. Do you know what was behind those boys? There were classrooms with big windows where people could see outside.

It was a terrible thing for Mike to want to hit Mark with a rock. But that rock did not even come close to hitting Mark. The boys watched as it hit one car and bounced off, hit another car and bounced off, and then hit a third car before it fell to the ground.

Now it was the three boys who were scared, and they ran as fast as they could back to the playground for the rest of recess.

As he returned to his classroom, Ricky secretly hoped no one would ever find out about the rock thrown at Mark. But if Ricky had been a little older, he would have understood that the Lord Jesus loved him too much to let him get away with doing wrong. Ricky had something to learn. “Be sure your sin will find you out.” Numbers 32:23.

A half hour later, there was a knock at the classroom door. In came the principal. “I want Mike, Scott and Ricky to come with me to my office immediately.” The boys knew they were in trouble, and they were scared.

They soon found out that a teacher and all of her class had been watching them through their classroom windows. They had seen the rock thrown at Mark and how it had hit the cars. The principal also told them that the windshield of one of the cars was broken. Word was sent home to Mike’s, Scott’s and Ricky’s parents.

Ricky had to be disciplined at home. He felt even worse that his Dad had to share the cost of paying for a new windshield. How he wished that he would have had the courage to say “no” to Mike and Scott.

We hope the next time Ricky will quickly pray and ask the Lord Jesus to help him do the right thing. If you belong to the Lord Jesus, a good verse to remember is Psalm 18:2, “The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust.”

ML-06/26/1994

A Hungry Bear

Have you ever followed your nose? The big black bear follows his nose because there is nothing else for him to follow. When something smells good, his nose says, “Let’s go!” And he never stops to think about stealing or trespassing. He just takes whatever he can reach!

That’s what happened in a Canadian lumber camp. It was spring, after the bear’s long winter hibernation, and he was very hungry. When he lifted his nose he smelled the strange, sweet smell of baked beans drifting through the pines. Do you know what he did? He just followed his nose!

Why not? If you want something, why not get it? When it’s just a hungry bear, God has no Bible, or Saviour, or heaven, or hell for bears, but He does have a Bible, a Saviour and heaven for people. He wants us to know there is also a hell. Before you follow your nose to get what you want, stop and think . . . Is this what God has chosen for me? You can find out by reading His book, the Bible, and by asking Him to make your choices for you. If you do, He will give you His best choice - the Saviour of sinners for today and forever.

The bear’s nose led him to the cook’s tent, where 20 hungry men expected to have their dinner in an hour or so. The tent door was open so the bear walked right in. The oven door was wired shut, but that was no problem for a hungry bear. One or two good swats of his big paw, and that oven door was open! In a moment the bear was seated on the floor with the bean pot in his lap, the wonderful smell in his nose, and his big paw for a scoop.

The beans must have been scalding hot, but that didn’t slow him down. He cleaned out every scrap and tossed aside the empty pot. Then, without bothering to look for the door, he tore a huge hole in the side of the tent wall and ambled off into the forest with 20 men’s dinner in his stomach. Some job, Mr. Bear!

Have you ever stopped to think that God made hell for the devil and his angels? But thieves will go there too, if they are not saved from their sins. Big thieves and little thieves. Those who steal money and those who steal pencils or snacks. God will not have one sin in His home. Revelation 21 tells us that. Stealing isn’t sin for bears; it’s quite natural for them. But God has given you and me a conscience that knows right and wrong. It is wrong for us to take things that are not ours, and God will not let us get away with it. The settling day will come. “After this [death] the judgment.” Hebrews 9:27.

What happened when the lumbermen came in for dinner? Not much could be done about it, so it was a hungry afternoon. However, the work had to be done. They really appreciated their supper that night.

What happens when you take what doesn’t belong to you? There are two answers to that question. One is that you must spend eternity in hell to pay for that sin (Revelation 21:8). The other is that the Lord Jesus loves you so much that He suffered and died for you on the cross, and gave His precious blood so that your sin could be forgiven. There are only two answers. Which do you choose?

If you really want to have the Lord Jesus as your Saviour, kneel down and tell Him so. Don’t just put this paper down and forget it. Bears just turn into dust when they die and that’s the end of them, but God has a wonderful future for you if you will accept the Lord Jesus as your Saviour. If you put it off, that first answer will be yours.

“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.

Are you included in that “many”?

ML-07/03/1994

A Costly Mistake

“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

Mike was an active little beagle dog, in spite of the fact that he looked somewhat overfed. He guarded his territory, fearlessly chasing away any trespassing dog, cat or wild animal. The size of a trespassing animal didn’t bother him at all, for he was a brave little dog.

One day Mike chased a trespassing rabbit out of the yard and followed it into the surrounding brush. He barked fiercely as he trailed it. His master stood by, smiling at Mike’s scrappy spirit.

Suddenly the fierce barking changed to a frightened, shrill yelping. Moments later Mike tore out of the brush, raced across the yard and leaped for safety right up into his master’s arms.

At the edge of the clearing appeared two coyotes who were hot on the trail of their next meal . . . so they thought. They backed off when they saw Mike’s master and slunk away to look for something else for dinner.

Mike had left the safety of his master’s side. Chasing that rabbit took him beyond his boundaries and into an enemy’s territory. This mistake nearly cost him his life. But when trouble came, he knew that he would find safety in his master’s arms.

Those who know the Lord Jesus as their Saviour have a place of safety for their souls. “The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe.” Proverbs 18:10. We are safe only when we stay close to our Saviour. Satan is just like those coyotes - he is “seeking whom he may devour.” 1 Peter 5:8. But the Lord Jesus saves all who come to Him. He loves you and wants not only to save your soul, but to protect and keep you safe. “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:13. Won’t you accept Him today as your Saviour? “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” Acts 16:31.

ML-07/03/1994

Regina, the Captive

This story took place over 200 years ago, before the United States became a nation. A little girl named Regina lived where the state of Pennsylvania is now. She lived among the tall dark trees in a wigwam with an old Indian woman and another little girl. Regina and this other little girl had been taken captive and were slaves to the old woman. They worked very hard for her and often thought of their fathers and mothers and cried for the happy homes they missed.

The thought of being held as a captive is something all of us shrink from. But if you are still a lost sinner, you are being held captive by your sins and the devil -Satan. Luke 4:18 tells us one of the reasons the Lord Jesus Christ came to this earth was “to preach deliverance [freedom] to the captives.” He came to set you free from your sins and Satan.

As Regina thought of her parents, she was reminded of the many Bible verses and songs they had taught her when she lived at home. God used these to bring her to believe on the Lord Jesus while she was a captive. In Him she found a loving Saviour whose blood, shed on the cross, had taken away all her sins and a Friend who could make her happy. She would often sing this song with a thankful heart:

“Alone, yet not alone am I,

Though in this solitude so drear;

I feel my Saviour always near,

He comes my weary hours to cheer,

I am with Him, and He with me,

Even here alone I cannot be.”

Have you ever felt lonely and sad or brokenhearted? Luke 4:18 tells us another reason the Lord Jesus came was “to heal the broken-hearted.” If you belong to Him, He promises to comfort you and help you in any circumstances. He can give you joy, no matter where you are. And He did this for Regina. She began to tell her little friend the Bible verses, and then she would sing her favorite song.

The little girl listened to Regina with tears in her eyes. At last she, too, accepted the Lord Jesus as her very own Saviour and Friend.

Regina and her little friend lived as captives for nine long years. Except for the Bible verses and songs they sang in English, they forgot the English language and could speak only the Indian language.

Then one day when Regina was 18 years old and her friend was 11, deliverance came! The English Colonel Bouquet had the Indians give up their slaves, and 400 young people were taken to the town of Carlisle where notice was given that all parents who had lost children could claim them.

Regina’s mother came, but after so many years she didn’t know Regina and Regina didn’t know her mother! The poor mother was so disappointed. Then she remembered a song she used to sing to her children, and with a shaky voice she began to sing,

“Alone, yet not alone am I.”

She had hardly reached the second line when Regina ran from the crowd, joined in the song, and threw herself into her mother’s arms!

Are you still a captive? Do Satan and your sins still control your life? You can be set free this very minute if you will listen to the call of the Lord Jesus. He cries, “Come unto Me, all ye that labor [toil for Satan] and are heavy laden [with your sins], and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28.

Will you run to His loving arms?

“Incline your ear, and come unto Me: hear, and your soul shall live.” Isaiah 55:3.

ML-07/10/1994

The Barometer's Warning

The fishing fleet was ready to leave port and go out to sea, but just before they left the fishermen checked the barometer. They were amazed to see that during the night the indicator had dropped from “fair” to “stormy.” Looking out over the water they could see no sign of a storm; the sky was clear and sunny and the sea was calm, so it wasn’t even windy. The only possible warning of trouble to come came from the barometer.

The men didn’t know what to do. They did not want to lose a day’s fishing with the weather so good, so they decided that something must have gone wrong with the barometer, causing it to give a wrong reading. Only one captain believed the barometer’s reading. Every boat but one went out to sea.

Everything went well for a while. The boats arrived in good time at their fishing grounds and let down their nets.

Rather quickly the sky clouded over and the wind began to howl. Soon a fierce storm hit, and the men were frightened. The barometer was right after all! Leaving their nets behind, they headed back to the safe harbor, but some of them never made it. The storm became so violent that several of the boats sank and their crews drowned . . . all because they refused to believe the barometer’s warning.

God has given us warnings too. “God . . . now commandeth all men every where to repent: because He hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world.” Acts 17:30,31. “Prepare to meet thy God.” Amos 4:12. “The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23.

What are you doing about God’s warnings? Are you believing and acting on them? Or are you ignoring God’s warnings? The fishermen ignored the warning and died. Do not refuse to believe God’s warnings, but accept the Lord Jesus as your Saviour today.

ML-07/10/1994

Two Tiny Ticks

“Dad, do you think you could fix my washing machine?” Esther asked as we talked together on the back porch where the washing machine stood. “But if you try, please be careful. You know we’ve killed several rattlesnakes and scorpions lately. I’ve seen a couple of black widow spiders, and I hear there are quite a few copperheads in this area.” Esther knew that something like a washing machine sitting outside on a porch would be an ideal place for any of these dangerous creatures to crawl into and hide.

With a warning like that, I was on my guard as I tackled the job.

It was necessary to lie on my back and reach up inside the machine to get at the part that needed repairing. All the while I was on the lookout for the poisonous creatures Esther had warned me about. After two hours of work, the machine was repaired, and I had not met up with any poisonous snakes, spiders or scorpions. But what I had not seen were two tiny ticks that had burrowed their way into my back.

Sometimes our lives are like that too. We manage to avoid the big sins; we don’t murder anyone or rob a bank. But what about the “little” sins that burrow into our hearts and minds and produce an unkind word, disobedience, a lie or jealousy? Sometimes we don’t even notice these things, but they are all sins just the same and do a lot of damage.

Two days later when we left Esther’s place, I still did not realize that I was carrying a couple of ticks. It was not until that night when they started to swell and itch that I noticed them. I couldn’t reach them in the middle of my back, so my wife carefully picked them off for me, but they left two hard, itchy lumps.

Hopefully, they’ll go away soon, I thought and tried to forget about them. And we usually try to forget about our sins. But that won’t make them go away. Only the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ can remove our sins. The Bible assures us that “the blood of Jesus Christ His [God’s] Son cleanseth us from ALL sin.” 1 John 1:7.

We’d been back from our trip about a week when one day at work I broke out in an awful rash. All over my body were strange red circles, and the itch was terrible. I called the doctor and he told me to come in immediately. He looked me all over, got out his big medical book and started flipping pages. After he asked a lot of questions and learned that I had been bitten by two ticks, he said, “I’m going to treat you for Lyme disease.”

The doctor gave me an injection and a prescription for special pills. It ended up being very expensive to get rid of the Lyme disease caused by two tiny ticks. But it takes only one “little” sin to separate us from God, and there is nothing we can pay to get rid of our sins. The gift of salvation that God gives to every repentant sinner is absolutely free for us. But it was very, very expensive for God. It cost Him His beloved Son, and it cost the Lord Jesus everything He had. He gave His life on Calvary’s cross so we could be forgiven. “In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” Ephesians 1:7.

What are you going to do about your sins, even the little ones you have forgotten? Either you must thankfully accept the death of the Lord Jesus as payment for your sins, or you must accept the punishment for them yourself in the lake of fire. Which will you choose?

ML-07/17/1994

In the Raspberry Patch

In the cool of an overcast July morning, Mother and Sally hurried to pick all the raspberries before the sun broke through and it turned hot. Sally seemed to be less eager than Mother about picking, although she loved the plump, juicy raspberries. “Mother,” Sally said laughing, “there you go again! I really think you would stand on your head to catch one silly raspberry before it drops. See, your scarf is caught on the bush, and now you’ve scratched your arm! Why do you worry about one raspberry dropping when there are so many? I don’t think we’ll ever finish picking them. What is one raspberry more or less when there are so many?”

Loosening her scarf and glancing at the scratch on her arm, Mother smiled a little sheepishly. “You know, I’ve wondered that myself sometimes, but it seems a shame for a beautiful juicy berry to lie in the dirt and rot. I just can’t let them fall.”

“Huh, it doesn’t bother me” was Sally’s response.

Mother’s thoughts took a serious turn, and after a few minutes she asked, “Sally, what if the Lord had felt that way about you and me? I’m glad it wasn’t too much trouble for Him to concern Himself about silly Sally and stubborn Mother who showed no desire to do anything but go on in their own sinful ways. He didn’t say, ‘Why bother with them when there are many other people who might be less trouble to Me?’ Like the wonderful Shepherd He is, our Saviour went out, searched for, and found the lost sheep!”

Sally could see her mother’s point. She repeated the Bible verse, “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth His life for the sheep.” John 10:11. Then she said, “I’m sure glad He found me, and He won’t ever throw us out. You throw out any raspberries that have dried-up or bad spots on them, but the Lord doesn’t. He really cared about the people who had problems, like those who were poor, blind and sick.”

Have you met the seeking Saviour, that Good Shepherd who wants to carry you home to heaven on His shoulders?

“The Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10. “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” John 6:37.

ML-07/17/1994

Escape from an Orca

The Raven Princess, a large chartered fishing boat was rolling with the waves. Twenty people were standing along the rails fishing. They would lower and lift their fishing rods to give a lifelike action to the lure on the end of their lines. From overhead the cries of sea gulls were heard. A half mile to the east the passengers on the boat could see the large waves breaking on the rocky shore of Vancouver Island.

Every few minutes somebody would call out, “Fish on!” Then after a short battle between fisherman and fish, one of the crew members would use a long-handled net to scoop the shining coho or king salmon on board, its scales glittering in the sunlight.

“Hey, what’s that black thing moving in the water?” Jason asked his dad, pointing to it.

“It looks like the fin of an orca whale, Jason.”

“An orca whale!” a neighboring fisherman exclaimed. “Hey, everybody, come over here and see the orca!”

In just a few moments all the passengers on the Raven Princess had reeled in their lines and stood on one side of the boat, watching.

The orca was rapidly swimming toward the Raven Princess. Its black dorsal fin protruded about six feet out of the water. The orca arched out of the water as if it were trying to spot something, and its white spots could be seen.

“Look, it’s chasing a seal!” someone pointed out. All eyes strained to see the much smaller seal darting through the water. The orca was chasing its dinner, and the seal was fleeing for its life. The chase was bringing them close to the boat.

“Dad,” Justin asked, “how will that seal escape?”

“I have a hunch that the seal is swimming to our boat for protection. Maybe it knows that the orca will not want to get too close to it.”

“I hope the seal makes it,” Jason replied.

Jason’s father was right. The seal, swimming just out of reach of the orca, came up to the side of the boat and circled it nervously. From its panting for breath, the passengers could tell it was tired from its race with the orca. The orca stopped its chase about 30 feet away from the boat, apparently not wanting to come any closer. It seemed to be waiting for its prey. Occasionally it would blow spray through its blowhole.

The people on deck could see the seal’s whiskers and dark eyes as it swam around the boat. One of the crew members pointed out that the seal was little more than a pup and hadn’t grown to full size yet.

“Isn’t there anything we can do to help the seal get away?” Jason asked the skipper of the boat.

“Well, we’re out here to fish, not to save seals from orcas. They have to eat too.”

Several people at once disagreed with the skipper and wanted to do what they could to save the seal.

“Okay, since most of you feel so strongly, we will do what we can,” the skipper said. Then he picked up his microphone and announced, “I’d like everyone to move to the front of the boat. We are going to catch the seal in a net and swing it onto the deck of the boat. Then we’ll drive it back to shore.”

Most of the people applauded this message and were pleased.

In a few moments one of the crew members lowered a fishing net into the water. Then, just as if the seal understood that this was its only escape from the orca and death, it swam right into the net. It took two crew members to lift the seal onto the deck. The seal was tired and didn’t try to move much once it was on board.

The skipper turned the Raven Princess toward shore. The orca followed the boat all the way to the harbor before turning around and heading back to sea. They safely released the seal in the harbor. The people on board the Raven Princess had quite the story to tell their friends about the seal that was snatched from the jaws of death. If it had not been for the boat and the people on board, the seal would have ended up as dinner for the orca. That is something like sinners and the Lord Jesus. The sinner’s constant enemy is Satan, but the Lord Jesus provided a place of safety that a sinner can escape to. He made the place of safety by dying on Calvary’s cross, taking the punishment for sin and breaking the power of Satan. Now any boy or girl can run into His loving arms and be safe forever. If the Lord Jesus had not come to earth and died on the cross, there would have been no place for sinners to flee. Any who choose not to flee to the Lord Jesus will have to pay the awful price for his or her own sins. And that terrible price will be paid in the place of never-ending separation from God called hell. Fleeing to the boat was the only hope of escape for the seal, and coming to the Lord Jesus and letting Him wash away your sins is your only escape.

The Lord Jesus said, “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” John 6:37. Won’t you come to the only Saviour of sinners today?

“How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?” Hebrews 2:3.

ML-07/24/1994

A Stray Kitten

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

One day a stray kitten came to our house. It stayed around, and now it seems to love us. All we did was give it something to eat, show it a little love, and name it Teeny. Now Teeny comes and rubs against our legs, purring so loudly it sounds like a little motor. Teeny was only a little stray kitten, but how the children love him.

Doesn’t this remind us of the Lord Jesus? He picks us up, lonely stray sinners, and brings us to Himself. He shows us His loving-kindness, watches over us, and sees that we have everything we need. We are just drifting in this world with no purpose to our lives. But when we come to the Lord Jesus, we find a purpose for living and a home.

I came to Jesus as I was,

Weary and worn and sad;

I found in Him a resting place,

And He has made me glad.

Oh, how happy He must be when we thank Him for all that He has done and when we tell others about Him.

“Blessed are they that dwell in Thy house: they will be still praising Thee.” Psalm 84:4.

ML-07/24/1994

One Stolen Grape

Carlos Alberto had been taught from infancy that stealing was wrong. So when he and his cousin were walking through the supermarket and his cousin began taking grapes, one by one, from the produce counter and eating them, he was surprised and refused to join his cousin in stealing.

Still, the grapes looked awfully good, and no one had even noticed his cousin taking the grapes. Finally, Carlos Alberto could resist no longer. Carefully, when he thought no one was looking, he reached out to take a grape -only one - from the bunches of luscious grapes on the counter. Imagine his surprise when, instead of a single grape, he found a whole bunch in his guilty hand! The single grape just would not come loose from the bunch.

“Hey!” shouted one of the supermarket employees at Carlos Alberto. Frightened, he raced out of the supermarket, looking for a place to hide. But the only place he could find to hide was under a jeep parked at the curb. His heart pounding with guilty fear, Carlos Alberto lay there under the jeep, wondering what would happen if the owner of the jeep were to come out and start his vehicle.

What a mess Carlos Alberto had gotten himself into! And all because of a single grape! Boys and girls, let us remember that little things we do can have big consequences in our lives. Adam’s one disobedience shut him out from fellowship with God and from the Garden of Eden.

I am happy to tell you that when Carlos Alberto was 15 years old he came to realize that he was a lost sinner and he received God’s gift of eternal salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ and His death on the cross of Calvary. Today, Carlos Alberto is one of the happiest Christians I know, but he has never forgotten the lesson of the one stolen grape.

“There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Proverbs 14:12.

ML-07/24/1994

Shimbi

It has been many years ago now since we pitched camp near a river where there was a group of villages. We wanted to bring the good news of salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ to these Africans, some of whom probably never had heard of His great love.

The caravan was rather large. Many things had to be taken with us. In those days there were no stores along the roads. Food for a three-week trip plus tents, folding cots, chairs and a table had to be carried on the shoulders of men.

After the tents were pitched and before it got dark, the carriers went into the forest to find wood to build a fire for the people to sit around. Each man brought a long log and then piled it on top of others until the pile of wood was three or four feet high. What a big fire it made!

Messengers were sent to the villages inviting the people to come hear words read from God’s Book. When they would see the flames of fire (which could be seen a long way off) they were to come to a meeting.

The dry logs soon burned down to bright red ashes. It was an interesting sight to see the people come. The men came with a blanket draped over one shoulder, the women carried babies on their backs, and children ran happily beside them. While waiting for the meeting to begin, little girls sat close to the missionary, chattering about lots of things. They liked also to peek into the tent to see how we sat on chairs, not on the ground.

When all were seated on the ground around the ashes, the head man of the caravan, who also was the evangelist, stood up, started a well-known hymn, prayed and read a chapter from the book of Mark. (Mark was the only part of the Bible translated into their language at that time.) He spoke faithfully to the people about the love of God in sending the Lord Jesus Christ into this world to die for sinners. On the cross He was punished for the sins of all who would accept Him as their Saviour. The evangelist explained that each of them was a sinner and that without Christ they would not go to heaven.

There did not seem to be much response at the meeting. But what a surprise awaited us the next morning when a young boy came to the tent door. Greeting us by clapping his hands together and the usual “mutende” (peace), he said he wanted to believe. He had not been able to come to the evening meeting, so came in the morning. His name was Shimbi. He not only wanted to accept the Lord Jesus as his Saviour, but wanted to attend the boys’ school on the mission station so he could learn to read. He wanted to read God’s Book.

When school opened he was there. He was a bright pupil and told others in the village about the Lord Jesus. His sister came to the mission station saying she also wanted to believe. She said, “Shimbi has believed, and I do not want to be left out.”

Have you accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour? There is still time, but the opportunity will soon be past. Don’t wait any longer. The Lord Jesus loves you and wants you to be saved right now. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” Acts 16:31.

ML-07/31/1994

The Forest Fire Story

Bad news! After a long hot summer with very little rain, the radio crackled its report: “Forest fire near Chalk River, Ontario!”

Mr. Clookie wasted no time. In two minutes he had his truck loaded with spades and flamethrowers and 20 young men from the forestry station. They roared down the highway in the direction of the thin column of smoke.

They might have included a jug of drinking water, but Mr. Clookie was not very careful of his men. As they rounded a corner, all the equipment slid one way, and on the next corner, it all slid the other way. His men jumped nimbly from side to side to save their bones, while he stepped on the gas.

The column of smoke spread into an ugly gray wall before them, colored with leaping flames. When the truck stopped, the men went instantly to work. Using flamethrowers to start a long, new line of fire, they beat their fire toward the oncoming flames, in hopes that the two fires would meet and burn each other out for lack of fuel.

It was an excellent plan. BUT IT DIDN’T WORK!

The oncoming flames leaped over the burned-out area where they were working, trapping the 20 men in a ring of fire and blinding smoke with no exit in sight. Mr. Clookie quickly moved the truck to a safe distance.

You have never been in such a position, have you? Be careful! You are in such a position right now if you are a sinner still in your sins, because “our God is a consuming fire.” Hebrews 12:29. Do stop and think of this before you read any more of this story.

For the trapped men, there was one way of escape, and only one. One of the men found that the ring of fire was not closed in one spot only. He didn’t need a second invitation; he quickly stepped out to safety.

What next? He stood there and shouted, “THIS WAY! . . . THIS WAY!” with every ounce of strength he had. And as he coughed and shouted and coughed and shouted, one by one the men followed him to safety. Then each joined his coughing shouts to those still trapped, until 19 voices shouted the good news, and the 20th man came safely through that one way of escape. The fire burned on but the men were saved, all of them.

Are you listening? Do you hear our call, telling you that we know the One who is the Way, the Truth and the Life? There is no one to save you but Jesus. There is no other way but Him. “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. Why not come to Him now?

There was no jug of water for those tired, thirsty men to drink from, but they were too thirsty to care. They lay down flat on their stomachs and drank from a pool of standing water nearby. Thankfully, nobody got sick.

If you are saved from God’s judgment against your sins through the precious blood of His only Son who died for you, then we have more good news. He knows that our hearts thirst to know more about that One who gave up His life for us, and He has promised, “Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst.” John 4:14. Nothing else will take away that thirst. God’s Word is always true, and we who are drinking of His living water are proving that His promise is true. He gives everlasting life, now and forever. “The water that I shall give Him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” John 4:14.

ML-08/07/1994

The Foolish Monkey

“What a silly monkey! No one could ever catch me that way,” said Andy.

“Me either,” said Alice.

“What are you talking about?” asked Bruce who had just joined them.

“Oh, the missionary was telling us, this afternoon in Sunday school, how they catch monkeys in Peru. He said the Indians there like to eat monkeys. So, to catch them they cut a round hole in a coconut just big enough for the monkey to stick his hand in. Then they put a peanut inside the coconut and tie the coconut to a tree. Along comes Mr. Monkey. He likes peanuts very much, you know. When he discovers there is a peanut inside the coconut, he puts his hand in to get it. But when he holds the peanut, his hand becomes a fist and it’s too big to pull out! But the silly thing about Mr. Monkey is that he won’t let go of the peanut. When the Indian sees Mr. Monkey he says, ‘Now, I will have a nice monkey dinner.’

“Mr. Monkey sees him coming. He is afraid and squeals and chatters. Mr. Monkey pulls harder and harder to get his fist out of the coconut. But still he will not let go of the peanut. Then the Indian grabs him!”

“Silly monkey!” said Bruce.

“Yes,” said Andy, “but that is not all of the story. The missionary said that we think the monkey is silly, but we are just as silly.”

“Why?” asked Bruce.

“He explained that we are all sinners, and Satan has us trapped. If we do not run to the Lord Jesus Christ for safety, Satan will have us forever! We are just like that silly monkey, because we hang onto our sins and won’t let go of them. Anything that we hang onto that keeps us from coming to the Lord Jesus is like the peanut that made the monkey lose its life.”

“I’m glad I’m not like that monkey,” said Bruce. “I’m glad I know the Lord Jesus as my Saviour. My sins are gone forever!”

Boys and girls, what about you? Are you trying to hold onto the things of this world, rather than letting them go and turning to the Lord Jesus who loves you? No matter what it is, if it keeps you from asking the Lord Jesus to be your Saviour, you are just as silly as Mr. Monkey. Don’t wait any longer. Satan, your enemy, has his eye on you! He does not want you to come to the Lord Jesus. But Jesus is lovingly welcoming you to come, just as you are. Once you admit to God that you are a sinner and accept His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, as your Saviour, you are saved and on your way to heaven to be with the Lord Jesus. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2.

ML-08/07/1994

Real Angels in Bolivia

Are there such things as angels? There surely are! The Bible tells us about them in many places. Psalm 103:20,21 tells us that angels are very strong and they do what the Lord Jesus tells them to do: “Bless the Lord, ye His angels, that excel in strength, that do His commandments, hearkening [listening] unto the voice of His word . . . that do His pleasure.”

Hebrews 1:14 tells us more. It says that angels are all “ministering spirits, sent forth to minister [to serve] for them who shall be heirs of salvation.” They help those who belong to the Lord Jesus. Here is a story about a missionary who believes he was specially helped by an angel of the Lord.

Mr. Smith was a missionary in the country of Bolivia in South America. He had come to tell the Inca Indians the good news of the love of God. He worked hard to learn the Spanish language so he could talk with the people. He also passed out Spanish gospel tracts so that the people could read for themselves about God’s love and His plan of salvation. But Mr. Smith and his message were not liked by the people and their religious leaders. They disliked him so much that often his life was in danger.

One morning just after he had finished passing out many gospel tracts, a large, angry mob of people followed him, yelling, “Kill him! Do away with him! Get rid of him!”

Mr. Smith continued walking and praying to the Lord Jesus to protect him. He was doing what God tells us to do when we are in any trouble: “Call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee.” Psalm 50:15.

The angry mob followed him down the street, and some picked up stones to throw at him.

Just ahead was a pile of stones ready to be used for a new building, and Mr. Smith was afraid the pile of stones would be used to throw at him. But just then a little blond-haired boy came across the street and threw his little arms around Mr. Smith. The little boy looked up at him with loving blue eyes as if to say, “Don’t be afraid!”

The missionary was so surprised to see such a blond-haired boy in a country where everyone has dark hair! He gently stroked the little boy’s head and spoke lovingly to him.

Suddenly the mob stopped and quit their shouting. Then someone was heard saying, “Leave him alone; he must be a good man. See how he loves that little boy!” Dropping their stones, the crowd left, and Mr. Smith was left alone with his little blond-haired friend. Soon after, the boy crossed the street and was gone.

Although Mr. Smith purposely went that way every day to see if he could see the boy again, he never did. He came to the conclusion that the little boy had been an angel of the Lord, sent in answer to his prayer. “The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him, and delivereth them.” Psalm 34:7. And he certainly had been delivered from that angry mob.

It is wonderful to belong to the Lord Jesus and to know that you can count on Him to protect you. The Bible is filled with many stories of the Lord Jesus protecting and delivering His own, sometimes using angels. The well-known story of Daniel in the lions’ den is one example.

The king was so relieved to find out the lions had not killed Daniel. Daniel told the king, “My God hath sent His angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me.” Daniel 6:22.

Another wonderful example is in Acts 12. Peter, who was God’s servant, was thrown in prison with 16 soldiers guarding him in shifts. He was bound with two chains and sleeping between two of the soldiers when an angel of God came and delivered him. “And, behold, the angel of the Lord came upon [Peter], and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands. And the angel said unto him, [Dress] thyself, and bind on thy sandals. And so he did. And he said unto him, Cast thy garment about thee, and follow me. And he went out, and followed him; and [knew] not that it was true which was done by the angel; but thought he saw a vision. When they were past the first and the second ward, they came unto the iron gate that leadeth unto the city; which opened to them of [its] own accord: and they went out, and passed on through one street; and . . . the angel departed from him.” Acts 12:7-10.

When the Lord Jesus was about to be crucified and His disciples wanted to fight to save Him, the Lord Jesus told them, “Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He shall presently give Me more than twelve legions of angels? But how then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?” Matthew 26:53,54. It was the will of God that the Lord Jesus should die for our sins, and so He was not delivered; He went all the way to the cross. “He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” Philippians 2:8. He could easily have gotten away from those wicked men who hated Him, but He did not.

“Himself He could not save,

He on the cross must die,

Or mercy cannot come

To ruined sinners nigh,

Yes, Christ the Son of God must bleed

That sinners might from sin be freed!

“Himself He could not save,

Love’s stream too deeply flowed,

In love Himself He gave

To pay the debt we owed.

Obedience to His Father’s will

And love to Him did all fulfill.”

Won’t you trust in the Lord Jesus, and accept with joy this provision that God has made for you to have your sins removed?

“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-08/14/1994

A Strange Refuge

I’m sure that children everywhere enjoy seeing wildlife as they travel through the countryside. The Stanley family is no different. Dad, Mom and the three children were driving home from a trip and were talking about all of God’s beautiful creatures they had seen. There were mountain sheep, deer, elk and even an eagle. This had been an interesting vacation.

Suddenly Dad said, “I think we just missed the turn that takes us to our town.” They were still three hours from home and were anxious to get there after a long day of driving.

Dad checked the map and decided they could still get home on back roads instead of turning around to go back to the main highway. Although slower, it was a nice drive through rolling hills and farmland.

“Oh, look! I think those are buffalo,” shouted seven-year-old Albert as they came to the top of a hill. Dad pulled to the side of the road and stopped the car so they could get a better look at them. A large herd of buffalo was grazing close to a barbed wire fence. Electric fence wire also surrounded them.

Rolling down the car window, they could all hear horns clashing together as two of the great animals lowered their heads and charged at one another. What a sight! They watched for quite a while, glad for the strong fence between them and the buffalo. Their huge shaggy heads and humped backs, together with the sharp, curved horns, made the beasts look powerful and scary.

Dad started the car and was ready to go on when the Stanley family saw two birds dart over the fence toward the buffalo herd. One was a little sparrow and it was being chased by a sparrow hawk. They swooped and circled around with amazing speed. Suddenly, the small sparrow dove down and landed at the feet of a buffalo. The hawk flew off; its prey was unreachable now. The tired, helpless little bird had found a refuge, a safe hiding place, at the foot of a powerful animal that could have crushed it instantly.

As they drove off, the Stanleys talked of what they had just watched. The helpless sparrow being chased by its enemy, a sparrow hawk, was like a sinner, doomed to die because of his sins. The buffalo was a little picture of the strong refuge that a sinner can find in the Saviour of sinners. The Lord Jesus can “save them to the uttermost [completely] that come unto God by Him.” Hebrews 7:25. Jesus paid the penalty for our sins on the cross and is now the refuge from God’s judgment for any who will trust in Him. “I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust.” Psalm 91:2.

“Maybe God ordered for us to miss the highway so we would see those buffalo,” said Albert.

“He may also have shown us the birds,” added Mom and Dad. God often uses His wonderful creation to teach us about His power and His love.

We also learn from His Word, the Bible, that God cares about such common little birds as sparrows. If He watches over them, how much more does He watch over us? “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing [a few cents]? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father [knowing]. . . . Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.” Matthew 10:29,31.

Are you going to turn your back on His love and the refuge He has provided for your soul? Why not trust in Jesus as your Saviour today? You can then rely on His protection and care throughout your life. “In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and His children shall have a place of refuge.” Proverbs 14:26.

ML-08/21/1994

A Hooked Loon

Two fishermen were in a boat near Thunder Bay, Ontario, when they noticed a loon which was acting rather strangely. Loons are water birds, much like ducks, that can swim long distances under water as they catch fish to eat. They usually do not let people get close to them. They dive under water, coming up much farther away. The loon that these two fishermen were watching actually came right up beside the boat. It even allowed them to pick it up!

The men lifted the loon into their boat, and then they could see that it had a fishing line wrapped around its beak, neck and wings. It also had four hooks and three wire leaders stuck in its body. The men took the loon to shore where they cut off the fishing line and removed the hooks with pliers. While they worked to free the loon, it remained quiet until they finished.

“I really think this bird came to our boat for help,” one of the fishermen remarked. “During that painful process of removing the hooks, it never struggled or made a sound. We even took a picture of it before we let it swim away.”

The loon seemed to know that it could be helped by the men. Boys and girls, and grown-ups, too, have a special Person they can go to for help. They can be healed not just from illness, but be healed from their sins. This special Person who can help is the Lord Jesus Christ, the Great Physician. He is the only One who can take away sin and give peace and comfort. His blood is God’s remedy for sin.

The Lord Jesus said, “They that are whole need not a physician; but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Luke 5:31,32.

ML-08/21/1994

The Fallen Moose

Shane and I live in Newfoundland, Canada. One day, we decided to take some time off and go hunting. As we drove along, we were watching the side of the road for animal tracks in the snow. Suddenly, Shane noticed a moose lying on the ice of the frozen Southwest River. He stopped the van and both of us got out to see what the trouble was.

Moose are usually very wary of humans, and we fully expected to see the magnificent animal jump up and run off. Instead, as we stood on the bank, it merely looked up at us and did nothing. Shane wondered if the moose had slipped on the ice and broken a leg, while I thought it had fallen through the ice and couldn’t get out. It was hard for us to tell, because the river bank where we were standing was very high and steep.

I fired my shotgun into the air. As the sound echoed off the river banks, again we both expected to see the moose move. Nothing happened. We wondered what could be wrong, but decided to get on with the hunting trip.

After hunting most of the afternoon without getting anything, Shane decided that we should probably start home and try some other day. I agreed, so we called our dogs and started home.

When we got back to the river, we were surprised to see the moose still lying in the same spot. We decided to wear our snowshoes this time so we could climb down the bank to the river. Just as we were going down the bank, a game warden arrived in his pickup truck. He had been told by the highway police about the disabled animal and it was his job to help the moose. Both Shane and I were happy to get a chance to go down to help too.

The game warden thought that the moose had probably slipped and fallen and could not get up because the ice was too slippery. Carrying a rope, a knife and a rifle, we scrambled down the bank. As we got close to the panic-stricken moose, it made a wild struggle to get up. After a number of unsuccessful efforts, it lay still, keeping a wary eye as we moved closer.

Every single one of us is fallen in sin. Like that moose, there is absolutely nothing we can do to save ourselves. The Word of God, the Bible, tells us that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23. There is not one single thing we can do to help our situation. In fact, God says that all the good things we do are about as useful as dirty rags. Totally useless! “We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.” Isaiah 64:6. We need someone else to stoop down and rescue us.

Concluding that there were no broken legs, the warden felt it was his duty to save the poor creature since it would slowly die if left on the ice. He decided that the best plan of action was to go out on the ice and slip the rope around the neck of the stranded animal. This would be much easier said than done, because a fully grown moose is not safely approached and could kill a man if it charged.

After great care and several tries, Shane and the warden were able to get the rope around the moose’s shoulders, while I stood ready with the warden’s rifle. Finally, with all three of us working hard, we pulled the animal off the ice and onto the bank. Then the moose was able to get up on its feet. However, it still was not free; the warden’s rope was still wrapped around it.

We made every effort to free him from the rope, but the moose refused to allow us near him. We could not just leave the moose entangled with the rope. It was not until we had forced him to the ground with the rope around a tree, that we were able to cut the rope and allow him to go free.

Are you still not allowing the Lord Jesus to come near you? He wants to free you from the punishment that will fall on every sinner still bound in their sins. He died on the cross and shed His blood to wash away the sins of those who will accept Him. You cannot free yourself from your sins, but the Lord Jesus can. Why not say yes to Him and accept Him as your own Saviour today?

“When we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.” Romans 5:6.

ML-08/28/1994

Where Is Suzanne?

Suzanne was just a toddler. Suddenly Mother missed her. Mother called and looked through the house, but could not find Suzanne. She went outdoors and called again, but there was no answer. So Mother called to the neighborhood children who were playing nearby. She asked if they would help her hunt for her little girl. Soon they were scattered around, looking in all the stairways and ditches outside where a little child might have fallen. But little Suzanne was nowhere to be found.

Mother finally went back in the house, and there, at the top of the stairs, stood a tearful Suzanne. When she saw her mommy, Suzanne asked, “Where were you? I couldn’t find you.” Mother asked her the same question, as she picked up her little girl and hugged her close. Suzanne did not answer, but as there were some little rolls of dust in Suzanne’s hair, Mother guessed she had perhaps fallen asleep on the floor by the bed and rolled under it out of sight. Or maybe she had just crawled under there to hide when she heard the call, thinking, “What fun to come out after a while and say, ‘Here I am!’ ”

This story is like the Bible story of the shepherd searching for his lost sheep. He left all the other sheep and hunted until he found the lost one. Then he carried it home, rejoicing, and asked his friends to come rejoice with him. Do you know who this Good Shepherd is? He is the Lord Jesus, and He is calling to every boy, girl, man and woman who does not know Him, “Come unto Me . . . and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28.

“Joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth.” Luke 15:7. And there was joy among the children outside when the word was shouted, “Suzanne has been found!”

ML-08/28/1994

Warned

Dorothy leaned out of the car window and scolded Muffin, yelling: “Get out of the way, Muffin!”

But Muffin wouldn’t stop barking and running back and forth in front of the car. So Dorothy tried driving to one side of the driveway, and then on the other side. Nothing worked. Muffin would run in front of the car, barking. Finally, Dorothy drove right across the lawn, and out onto the road.

Just then she heard a terrible, splintering crash behind her. She stopped the car, and turning, she saw that the huge maple tree had fallen right over the driveway where she would have driven if Muffin had not stopped her. Little Muffin was sitting in the driveway near the tree with a look that seemed to say, “See what I saved you from.”

Muffin sensed the danger of that tree falling and tried his best to keep Dorothy away from it. The Bible clearly warns us of the danger resulting from our sins. The penalty for our sins is death and eternity in the lake of fire. But the Bible also explains that God loves us and offers to save us from that penalty. He is offering eternal life to you and me because He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the penalty for our sins on Calvary’s cross. “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. All you need to do is confess to God that you are a sinner and need to be saved from that awful penalty for your sins. Then accept His Son, Jesus Christ, as your very own Saviour by believing that He died on the cross as your substitute for your sins. Another verse simply says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” Acts 16:31.

Muffin warned Dorothy of her danger, and God is warning you of your danger too. Have you done anything about it?

ML-09/04/1994

Playing With Fire

Tim and Terry were having fun. They had found a box of matches and were playing with them in their bedroom where Mother would not see them. Striking matches and lighting pieces of paper and then blowing out the flames was fun. Tim was just nine years old and Terry was seven, but they were both old enough to know that what they were doing was not only wrong, but very dangerous.

At first they had a good time, but suddenly something went wrong. One of the pieces of paper blazed up more quickly than they expected and they found they could not put out the flame.

Tim and Terry should have called for help, but they didn’t. They became frightened when they found they could not put out the fire. In their panic they simply went out and closed the bedroom door, then hurried downstairs and out into the yard. They forgot that their three-year-old sister Lisa was sleeping in her bedroom upstairs.

Boys and girls, you know you are sinners. Your own conscience tells you that you have done things that are wrong. The Bible tells us that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23. You may have tried to get rid of your sins by being good or by going to Sunday school or by reading your Bible. But none of those things will save you from your sins. Tim and Terry tried to put out the fire by themselves, but they could not. You will never be able to get rid of your sins by yourself either. The Bible tells us that only “the blood of Jesus Christ His [God’s] Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7.

Not knowing anything about the fire, Mother got in her car and left for just ten minutes to pick up her older daughter from high school. While she was gone the fire began to spread, and someone seeing smoke coming from the upstairs window called the fire department. When Mother arrived home, firemen with hoses and ladders were fighting to put out the fire. Falling on her knees in the yard between her two sons, Mother prayed that they would be able to get little Lisa out safely.

One of the brave firemen risked his life to rescue Lisa. Facing the smoke and flames, he went in and brought Lisa out alive.

Only the brave firemen with their special equipment and protective clothing could rescue Lisa, and only the Lord Jesus, God’s Son, can save you from your sins. He not only risked His life, He gave His life that you might have your sins forgiven. Won’t you thank Him today for dying on the cross for your sins? He loves you and wants to forgive you.

Little Lisa had been in the burning house too long. In spite of the brave fireman who risked his life to save her, and in spite of all that the doctors and nurses in the hospital did for her, she died the next day.

The Lord Jesus promises us, however, that when He saves us from our sins He never lets us go. He preserves and keeps us forever. Although our story has a sad ending, your life can have a happy ending. If you will accept the Lord Jesus as your own Saviour, you are promised everlasting life with Him in heaven. “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish.” John 10:28.

“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-09/04/1994

A Gift for André

“Who is your best friend, André?”

“Matthew.”

“Well, Matthew has a nice birthday gift for you, but the problem is you must find him.”

Now, this was a challenge, because André was blindfolded. His eyes were not going to be of any help in finding his friend. But he believed the promise that Matthew had a gift for him, and so his ears were going to have to lead him to Matthew. His ears were very alert, and that was a good start.

Since you were not part of this game, the gift could not be for you, and the promise was not made to you. But there is another promise and a gift which are especially for you. You will find the promise in the Bible in John 3:16. See if you can find it.

“André, if you want the gift that Matthew has for you, you must listen for his voice. He will call your name, and he will stand still. He will not run away.”

That sounded easy enough, but there was something else that was going to make it hard. There were other boys who also had gifts for André. Their gifts were wrapped in pretty paper too, but they were no good. They were just junk. And these boys were also going to be calling his name.

When the signal was given, about ten voices began to shout, “André, I have a gift for you. Come and get it. This way! André!!!”

He knew Matthew’s voice very well, but in all the noisy confusion, what could he do? He paused a minute, and then set out with his hands in front of him.

André could only grope along, as he listened for Matthew’s voice. If you want to receive God’s gift, you cannot use your eyes to receive it, but you can believe the promise. You will hear other people telling you how to get it. But be sure you listen to God’s Word only. The voice of the Lord Jesus is the only one to follow. Someday you will see Him, but right now He wants you to listen and believe without seeing.

Timothy’s call was the loudest, and although André was not far from Matthew, he followed the wrong voice. He took Timothy’s gift, and found in it only some sticks. Just junk. He missed the gift.

But then Dad came in, and in loving-kindness he gave André another chance. Will God give you another chance to receive His gift? Maybe not. This could be your last chance. You have probably had more than two already.

André was blindfolded again, and this time he listened more carefully. Nathan tried to offer him a pretty package full of dirty rags! But he followed Matthew’s voice until he found the gift which had been lovingly made especially for him. It was a nice soft pillow for his head, decorated with cows and a big red barn.

Have you found out what God’s gift is? You may also find it in Romans 6:23 which says, “The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” But you will never really know what it is until you receive it. It includes so much more than these verses could ever explain.

If you have received this wonderful gift, have you thanked God for it? Our memory verse for this week tells us how much we have to thank Him for.

ML-09/11/1994

The Weasel

I never knew much about weasels, but when I visited Mr. Thomas, who lives out in the country in southern Maine, I found out why they aren’t liked very much by farmers.

Mr. Thomas had recently gotten four laying hens, which were just enough to supply eggs for his family. The chicken coop was built with thin slits to let air in and with windows to let the light in. The chickens seemed safe and happy and were each laying an egg a day.

One day, Bobby and Richard were asked to go feed the chickens, which they did. However, they forgot to close the door when they left. Later that day someone found the chickens out, roaming around near the barn . . . all but one, that is. She apparently had wandered away and was never found again.

The next day when Mr. Thomas went to the coop to check on his hens, everything looked all right, until he opened the door. It had been closed tightly and fastened, but to his surprise one of the hens was lying on the floor dead.

He picked her up and noticed that she seemed lighter in weight than normal. Very strange! Looking over the hen, he found the feathers had been plucked from her neck and there were slits where an animal had sucked out the chicken’s blood, which, of course, killed it. This was a new and sad experience for Mr. Thomas. Now he knew what had happened to the chicken which had wandered away. He had lost two chickens in 24 hours to the little animal known as the weasel. The weasel is able to squeeze through even a very small opening, as small as slits in a chicken coop, to catch its victim. It is a destroyer that looks for easy victims.

After that, Mr. Thomas let his dog out at night instead of keeping it in the house. He also got himself a barnyard cat. Since then, there have been no more lost chickens. He often wondered what happened to that sneaky weasel.

You and I also have an enemy that is just as sneaky and dangerous as the weasel. His name is Satan, and the Bible calls him “the destroyer” (1 Corinthians 10:10), the one who walks around “seeking whom he may devour.” 1 Peter 5:8. Satan is also called “that old serpent” (Revelation 12:9) because he sneaks around, using trickery to catch his victims.

But what a wonderful thing it is that the Lord Jesus came into the world to defeat Satan. Though we have all strayed and wandered away, the Lord Jesus loves us and can save us. “The Son of man [the Lord Jesus] is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” Luke 9:56. He died on Calvary’s cross to bear our sins and to bring us to God. God tells us in the Bible that Jesus is the victor over Satan. “Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” 1 Corinthians 15:57. What a wonderful Saviour the Lord Jesus is. How good it is to trust in Him and stay in safety near His side each day. “But whoso hearkeneth unto Me shall dwell safely, and shall be quiet from fear of evil.” Proverbs 1:33.

ML-09/11/1994

Caught by the Bait

The spot where we were camping in Oregon was delightful! The rugged coastline with its rocky cliffs and little tide pools, filling with water as each wave crashed against the shore, lured me out early every morning. There were so many unusual shells to collect and interesting things to watch.

As I made my way along the rocky ledges, the sea gulls would swoop and dive and squawk at me. But this morning one of the gulls didn’t fly away as I approached. As I came nearer I could see it was flapping its wings but didn’t take off. It wasn’t until I was right beside it that I saw a trickle of blood running down from its beak and a fishing line coming from its mouth into the water. A fisherman must have left his fishing rod unattended. The gull had swallowed the bait, and the bait had a hook inside that caught in the gull’s mouth. When it tried to free itself, the rod slipped into the water and caught on submerged rocks.

How many times Satan sets out attractive bait and we get caught. For bait to work it must always look like something good to the animal the trapper wants to catch. Satan is a master trapper. He’s been working at it ever since he trapped Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. There’s no way we can outsmart him. He knows just what bait will attract us and lure us into sin, and he never lets us see the hook hidden inside the bait. The only way we can be safe is to be kept by the power of God. We must trust the Lord Jesus first to wash away our sins, and then to keep us from Satan’s baits.

I tried to take the hook out of the gull’s mouth, but it started pecking and fighting me. “If you keep biting me like that, I’m just going to leave you here to die,” I told the gull.

The Lord Jesus tries to show us His love in many ways so He can save us from our sins, but if we keep fighting against Him, someday He may stop trying to win our hearts to Himself. He tells us that “now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” 2 Corinthians 6:2.

Finally I was able to get the hook out, and then I lifted the bird up onto a big rock, but he just sat there. Maybe he’s too weak now to fly, I thought sadly. It kept looking out to sea and then looking back at me. I reached up and gently smoothed its feathers. It wasn’t frightened of me now. As I continued to pet the bird, it actually seemed to appreciate it.

Then another sea gull came. It circled above us several times. Then it gave a loud cry, and the injured gull stretched its wings and followed the one who had called it.

As I stood there gazing after the two birds, it made me think of that day when our Lord Jesus is going to “descend [come down] 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.

Are you ready for when He comes? Are your sins washed away so that you will be included? Or will you be left behind?

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

ML-09/18/1994

Jake and the Mud Wasps

One sunny day in June, Gramma said to me, “Grampa, it’s about time we got rid of that old sandbox by the barn. The children are all grown up now.”

I said, “You’re right.”

So out to the barn I went to get a shovel and a pry bar to dig out the boards. Our dog Jake came along to help. First, he checked in the barn to make sure that Snowflake, our cat, was up in the rafters and not down on the ground where he could chase her.

Now, let me tell you what happened. As I pried up the first board, out flew a swarm of mud wasps! I dropped the pry bar and ran away as quickly as I could. My two old legs could really move that day!

And what did Jake do? Well, he wanted to see what I was running away from, so he went over to investigate. I called, “Jake! Jake! Get out of there! Come here! Hurry up!” But Jake was determined to see what was there, and he wouldn’t listen to me.

This reminds me of God’s Word in Matthew 3:7, “Who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” Flee means to run away as fast as you can. What is the wrath to come? God’s Word tells us in Revelation 20:15, “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” The Lord Jesus Christ wants us to flee to Him as quickly as possible so that we will not be cast into this terrible place of punishment. He wants to save us.

You see, boys and girls, Jake was being bad; he wasn’t listening to me. God’s Word, the holy Bible, says in Romans 3:23, “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Every one of us has been bad, too.

It didn’t take long for those mud wasps to find Jake, and then did he run! He turned in circles and rolled in the grass, trying to get away from those wasps.

Finally, he came to me! I picked up a big pair of gloves and started to pick the wasps out of his hair and squash them. But it was too late for poor Jake. He had gotten stung twice on his lip, and it was all swollen.

After I got Jake all fixed up, I put on a coat and face mask and then carried some oil over to those mud wasps’ nest and poured the oil all over it. Do you think Jake came with me? No sir! He had learned a lesson he will never forget.

Boys and girls, the Lord Jesus is calling you away from the dangers of sin and the lake of fire. Won’t you run to His loving arms right now? Don’t wait, like Jake did, until it’s too late. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 6:2, “Now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” Let’s remember again the warning in Revelation 20:15, “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

“Whosoever believeth in Him [our Lord Jesus Christ] should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16.

Will you trust Him today?

ML-09/18/1994

There's a Bear Ahead!

Have you ever met a bear up close, with no fence in between to protect you? Well, I have, and I’ll tell you, it was rather scary!

A group of us had taken a day hike up a forested canyon near the Teton Mountains in Wyoming. After lunch most of the group headed back down, but the rest of us decided to hike on to the top. The men and boys were soon far ahead up the trail, leaving four of us girls to follow.

It was a beautiful September day and the trail was close to a stream. As we walked along we enjoyed the fresh pine-scented air and the many different bird songs.

Suddenly, Wendy, who was in the lead, ran back to us whispering, “There’s a bear ahead!” We looked to where she pointed, and sure enough, about 60 feet away there was a big black bear. He was standing in the middle of huckleberry bushes looking right at us. Now he had probably been enjoying a feast of nice ripe berries and didn’t like being interrupted, for he stood his ground and didn’t run away. We decided it would be a good idea for us to get out of there! We carefully crept behind the trees for a short distance. Then we ran up the switchback trail as fast as we could until we were sure that we were far away from the bear. As we stopped to catch our breath, we thanked the Lord Jesus for protecting us.

After a short rest, Wendy and Kristen were ready to go on to the top, but Elaine and I decided to stay by the stream and wait for them on their way back down.

We watched little dipper birds near the water and the eagles spiraling up by the peaks until, suddenly, we noticed the sun was soon ready to dip behind the mountains. The girls still had not come back down the trail, and since we were five or six miles from the car, we started back. But, you know, those woods looked rather shadowy, and we thought about the bear we had seen on the way up.

What would you do if you were alone in the woods and a little afraid? We decided to tell the Lord Jesus about our fear and ask Him to help us know what to do. Was that a wise decision? Yes, it was, because He promises in the Bible, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee.” Psalm 50:15. I am so glad that the Lord Jesus Christ has washed all my sins away with His precious blood, so that now I belong to Him, and I know He hears my prayers.

Just as the two of us finished praying, we heard rocks clattering up the trail. We knew something big was coming! We weren’t sure what to do when, around the bushes came two horses with riders. We asked the men if they had seen our group up the trail, but they said no one else was up there. Then they offered us a ride back down the mountain.

What a speedy answer to prayer that was! It reminded me of a verse in Isaiah 65:24, “Before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.” As we trotted down the trail on horseback, I thanked the Lord Jesus for seeing our need and sending those men so quickly. We were soon back at the car and found everyone else there, including Wendy and Kristen. We were all glad that our adventure ended safely.

If you belong to the Lord Jesus, He promises to help you in any circumstance. “In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and His children shall have a place of refuge.” Proverbs 14:26. Do you belong to Him? Have your sins been washed away in His blood shed on Calvary’s cross?

ML-09/25/1994

We All Know the Crow

Christopher was just a little boy, and he loved to go everywhere his father went. One day he went with his father to a gospel meeting - a meeting where his father preached to the people and told them about how the Lord Jesus loves them so much that He died on the cross so that any who will believe on Him will be saved. He died to wash away the sins of everyone who will come to Him and tell Him they need Him to save them from their sins.

As they walked home from the meeting, little Christopher held his father’s hand tightly. His father was feeling a bit sad because no one had said they would come to the Lord Jesus and be saved that night.

All at once Christopher said to his father, “Daddy, I got saved tonight. I asked the Lord Jesus to wash away my sins, and He did!”

You can guess how happy Christopher’s father was to hear his little boy confess the name of the Lord Jesus. Romans 10:13 tells us, “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved,” and this is just what Christopher did.

One day soon after, little Christopher said, “Daddy, there’s an old man in that little house up on the hill, and he is very sick. Could you go and tell him about the Lord Jesus so that he can know how to be saved too?”

His father answered, “Why don’t you go yourself, Christopher, and tell him, now that you are saved.”

But Christopher said, “Oh no, Daddy, I couldn’t do that.”

But the more he thought about the old man so sick and lonely, the more he felt that he should go himself. So one day he went. It took a lot of courage for him to go, but the Lord Jesus helped him, and I’m sure he prayed about it, too.

He didn’t know what to say, but he thought of his memory verse, and so he quoted it to the poor sick man: “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” And, do you know, the old man did just that. He knew he needed help, and so he called on the name of the Lord Jesus and he was saved. How happy he was then, and how happy little Christopher was that he had gone and told him about the Lord Jesus.

If we know the Lord Jesus as our Saviour, He wants us to tell others about Him. He will give us the courage to do it if we ask Him.

ML-09/25/1994

A Different Crime Story

Burke was guilty of many armed robberies. The police searched for him cautiously, for he was a clever and dangerous criminal who had a special hatred for officers of the law.

But finally their net closed in on Burke, and he was thrown into jail. He took all his hatred and all his cleverness into jail with him. He had no fear of God’s judgment for his sins; his only ambition was to do whatever it took to get out of jail the very quickest way.

But God’s judgment against sin is real and no one can escape it. Even though God knew every thought of his wicked heart and every word of his vile mouth, He still loved Burke, and He sent one of His messengers to bring a newspaper into his cell.

One page reported a sermon preached by D. L. Moody the night before, and the title in big, black letters was, “How the Philippian Jailer Got Caught.”

Good, thought Burke, it was the jailer who got caught this time. Burke at once sat on his bench to read it. But the first sentence said that in order to understand the story he must read it in the Bible from Acts 16:16 to the end of the chapter. He didn’t know that the Bible said anything about a jailer getting caught, and he had no Bible. But when Burke wanted something, he did not sit down and wait for it. He made such a commotion in the jail that the Bible was soon brought to him, and with difficulty he found the place. (You would be wise to follow Burke’s example here. Get a Bible and find the story as he did, only do it more quietly.)

Two men locked in jail. Burke identified with them at once, and anger rose within him when he read of the beatings and the chains and the dungeon, and the jailer who could just go to sleep. Perhaps he liked the sound of groans.

But the two prisoners sang -sang praises to God! How could they? Then came the earthquake which flung open the prison doors, loosed the chains for total escape, and scared the jailer to attempt suicide. When he assumed the prisoners had escaped, he knew he would face the death penalty in the morning.

Then came the voice of one prisoner calling, “Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.”

This was beyond Burke’s understanding.

The jailer recognized that this was power greater than the earthquake. No wonder he trembled and called for a light and came to the inner prison and brought out the two prisoners. Suicide was his answer when he thought the prisoners had escaped, but he had no answer to this except to cry out, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

The answer was immediate. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.”

The Philippian jailer had been caught by earthquake and fear, but he was immediately set free by believing in the Lord Jesus Christ, a faith which included his household too, and they were all baptized before morning. Nobody told that cruel jailer to show kindness to his prisoners, but the new life within him soon showed itself. The two prisoners were taken into his home and washed and fed by loving hands before the magistrates came in the morning to deal with the problem.

This was not like any crime story Burke had ever heard of, and he followed it right to the end. He found himself in need of salvation just as the jailer was, and he claimed the same promise, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” It is not just Jesus who lived long ago, but the Lord Jesus Christ who is alive today in heaven and in love offers you the very same salvation that the Philippian jailer and Burke both claimed as their very own.

Will you believe Him also, and claim His eternal salvation for your very own?

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

ML-10/02/1994

Inside or Outside?

How many of you have sung this song in Sunday school?

One door and only one,

And yet its sides are two -

Inside and outside,

On which side are you?

One door and only one,

And yet its sides are two -

I’m on the inside;

On which side are you?

Do you know what this song is asking? Here is a story to help you understand.

One day Tom and Marie went to visit some friends. As they came near their friend’s house, a very large dog ran toward them from a neighbor’s house with a deep “WOOF! WOOF!” Without even knocking, Marie opened their friend’s front door, jumped inside and slammed the door behind her. Marie was safe! She was on the inside. Poor Tom was left on the outside with that big dog.

If you have put your trust in the Lord Jesus, you are safe on the inside. You are safe from the judgment that is coming on sinners. All who are sinners are on the outside and will be cast into the lake of fire. They are not safe; they face terrible danger. “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23. If you believe on the Lord Jesus Christ you are safe. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” Acts 16:31.

What about Tom who was left on the outside? Happily for him the big dog was friendly and did not harm him. Then he came inside, too.

Now let me ask you, “On which side are you?” Are you safe on the inside with the Lord Jesus, or are you in danger on the outside, facing the punishment for your sins? “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation [worth being accepted by all], that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” 1 Timothy 1:15.

ML-10/02/1994

A Bad Pet

One spring day our family drove out to the lake to move some building materials we had left there. Much to the delight of our children, we found under some of the boards a nest in which were three very young skunks. The children said, “Oh, they are so cute! Can we keep them and raise them for pets?”

We found a box to put them in so we could take them back to town. We planned to take them to a vet and hoped he could remove the awful skunk odor.

Though these beautiful little creatures were very young, we quickly discovered that their skunk odor had already developed. This should make each one of us think about the answer to this question: “How soon does our sin nature begin to show itself?” My wife and I were teachers and often saw children who were very much like our little skunks. They were beautiful little children, but their bad behavior showed that their sin nature had already begun to work.

Psalm 51 tells us what King David said: “I acknowledge my [sins]. . . . In sin did my mother conceive me.” He understood that he was born with a sin nature, and you and I were born with one too. Like the young skunks’ odor, our sin nature always shows itself when we are young. When we begin to show our sin nature, we become sinners by practice.

We also learn from Romans 8:3 that God has “condemned sin in the flesh” - the sin nature. It is evil and unacceptable to God. But we can be very thankful that God still loves us and has provided a remedy for both our sin nature and our practice of sin. The Bible says, “Through this man [the Lord Jesus] is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins.” Acts 13:38. Because the Lord Jesus, the only person who never had a sin nature, paid to God full payment for sins, He can forgive our sins. 1 John 1:9 tells us just what to do: “If we confess our sins, He [the Lord Jesus] is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” That settles the matter forever; our sins are gone and God will never give us up. But it was a different story with our little skunks.

We had not gone far toward home before our little pets’ odor became so bad we had to take them back and return them to the nest. We realized, as pretty as they were and as little as they were, they were still skunks by nature. The skunks could do nothing about their nature, but each one of us can come to the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour and receive a new, divine nature and have all our sins forgiven. The little skunks could only grow up to be big skunks. When we open our hearts to the Lord Jesus and receive Him as our own Saviour, though we are little sinners, we do not have to grow up to be big sinners and continue in our old habits and ways of sin. We become one of God’s children. We can enjoy the Father’s house and the joys of heaven.

Won’t you trust the Lord Jesus today to begin your happy life as one of God’s children?

ML-10/09/1994

A Storm in the Bay of Fundy

“And, behold, there arose a great tempest [storm] in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves.”
Matt. 8:24.

One cold November night about 9 p.m. in a small fishing village along Canada’s Bay of Fundy coast, two fishermen set out in a small boat to reach their fishing boat anchored off shore. The older man, Leslie, 59 years old, and his 24-year-old son Charles were about 100 yards from shore in heavy seas and a sleet storm when their small boat was swamped by giant waves. Both were thrown into the water.

The Bay of Fundy is always cold, with temperatures reaching only in the 40’s in midsummer. Many men have died and still do die in these waters where 33-foot tides are the highest anywhere in the world. “For He commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind, which lifteth up the waves thereof.” Psalm 107:25.

Leslie, being unable to swim, was suddenly in very serious trouble.

God’s Word, the Bible, says that “man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward.” Job 5:7. “By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” Romans 5:12. Man is a sinner by nature and needs a Saviour, and God has provided a Saviour for mankind through His Son, Jesus Christ. “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” 1 Timothy 1:15. God is seeking to turn man from his own way, and He may need to raise a storm in your life for you to see your need. Turn to the Lord Jesus now and have your sins washed away by His precious blood. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7.

The wind was in the fishermen’s favor, as it was blowing toward shore and would help to carry them in. But the five-foot-high waves continually washed over them, and each time they swallowed more water. Finally, numbed with cold and exhausted, Charles managed to get his father to shallow water, and then to the rocky shore. He rolled him over to remove his water-soaked coat and then dragged him out of danger.

After lying on the shore for some minutes, both men crawled the 100 yards to their car and then were able to drive themselves home. Both lived for many years afterwards.

Leslie and Charles both are now with the Lord Jesus in heaven. They had put their trust in the only Saviour of sinners. Won’t you?

“The Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them.” Luke 9:56.

ML-10/09/1994

Two Unusual Fish

“Oh Lord, how manifold are Thy works! in wisdom hast Thou made them all: the earth is full of Thy riches. So is this great and wide sea.”
Psalm 104:24,25.

Let’s look at a fish named grunt. It got this name because it makes a grunting noise by rubbing its jaws together when lifted out of the water. It makes its home mainly in the warm waters of the West Indies and Florida, as well as Europe and the Orient. It is a popular fish to eat.

Varieties include the common, the white, the yellow, the French and the gray, which is sometimes called the open-mouthed. A mature grunt will weigh about 10 pounds. It grows about a foot long and four or five inches high, from its stomach to the top of its back, plus a big fin.

Its high back gives it a half-circle shape, with a large pointed mouth and big round eyes. Its body, regardless of color, is covered with long, pretty stripes that give a speedy look when zipping through the water. A large tail, like a bird’s outstretched wing, enables good speed and quick turning - all provided by a kind Creator to help it not only catch food, but to escape enemies.

Mandarin fish are one of the most unusually colored fish seen anywhere. Tiny creatures, only about two inches long, they have smooth skins without the scales common to most other fish. Most of them make their homes in the southern Pacific Ocean, all the way from South America to Australia.

The males have the most unusual combination of colors, including an interweaving of gray, blending into pale green and a background of dark green, with patterns of orange scattered all over it. Quite a lot of color for so small a fish, don’t you think? What they lack in size they make up for with an amazing assortment of these colors and a big, widespread, orange tail that moves them along at great speed.

Searching for small shellfish, which is their main food, they spend most of their time on the bottom of the ocean and are considered too small for fishermen to bother catching.

There are many fish of all kinds throughout the world’s oceans, lakes, rivers and streams, and it is not uncommon for new varieties to be discovered frequently. It is impossible for man to count them.

But they are all known to God, their Creator, and we know He took great delight in creating them, as the Bible tells us: “And God said, Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life. . . . And God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying, Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas.” Genesis 1:20-22.

You are of much more value to God than these fish on the floor of the ocean, and He wants you to accept His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, as your very own Saviour. Have you accepted His loving offer of forgiveness for your sins?

OCTOBER 9, 1994

“Through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins.” Acts 13:38

ML-10/09/1994

The Baseball Bat

Wham! The baseball bat sent the golf ball bouncing across the backyard and into the bushes at the edge of the woods. Russ and Lee had decided to play golf, but since they were very young they had no golf clubs and were using their baseball bats instead. They had set up a three-hole course and had been having fun, until they lost the ball in the bushes.

“I can’t find it,” said Lee, smacking the tall grass and weeds with his bat as he looked for it.

Russ went into the high weeds a little farther to look under some bushes. All of a sudden he let out a yell and came racing back into the yard toward the house with Lee following close behind. He had stepped on a yellow jackets’ nest and the angry wasps came swarming out, stinging both boys quite badly.

Mom comforted the little fellows, put medicine on their stings, and cautioned them to stay away from the nest.

When the boys were feeling a little better, they were looking over their stings and grumbling about those yellow jackets. Lee had more stings because he was younger and hadn’t been able to run away as fast as Russ. “We ought to get rid of that nest,” said Russ. Lee agreed. They thought they could destroy the nest if they hit it really hard with their bats.

Soon they were back in the bushes and had found the nest again. Lee stooped down to get a better look at it just as Russ swung his metal bat toward it. He missed the nest, but as the bat swung up it hit Lee just below his eyebrow.

Blood was everywhere! The boys came screaming back to Mom. She cleaned up Lee the best she could and drove him quickly to the medical center. The doctor sewed up the wound with 18 tiny stitches, took x-rays of Lee’s head, and gave him a tetanus shot.

Poor Lee was in sorry shape! He was covered with wasp stings and now had a bandage around his head. He thought he might even die! And what would happen to him then, he wondered. He knew he had not asked the Lord Jesus to save him from his sins as he should have. He felt sure he wouldn’t go to heaven if he died. Even though he was just a little boy, he was very concerned about his soul. God tells us that “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” Proverbs 9:10. And Lee was afraid he might have to meet God in his sins. He knew he would have to be punished for them in that awful place the Bible calls hell. And that would be forever. But he also knew the Lord Jesus loved him very much and wanted to be his Saviour so his sins could be washed away. Then he could live with Jesus in heaven.

It wasn’t long before he accepted the Lord Jesus as his Saviour. I hope you will do that too.

“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-10/16/1994

The Herring's Enemy

It was a fine spring morning, and I was out enjoying the sunshine, the warm breezes and the newly unfolding leaves. My walk that day brought me to the banks of a quiet stream to watch the yearly migration of herring. Every spring these small fish (about 12-inches long), guided by the perfect instinct given to them by God their Creator, swim from the ocean, upstream, to lay their eggs in shallower water. I sat down and watched these fish gather by the dozens in a small pool before dashing upstream through the rapids on their way to the lake above, which was the end of their journey.

I soon discovered I was not the only one interested in the fish going by. Seeing some movement in the grass and the splashing of water along the stream bank, I moved closer to investigate and saw a curious sight.

A snake had taken hold of a passing fish and was trying to pull it out of the water. How that fish fought! One moment they were in the water, then back on land, moving almost too quickly for my eyes to follow all the action. Back and forth they went as the snake kept a firm hold on the struggling fish.

That snake reminds me of Satan. God’s Word, the Bible, tells us that “your adversary [enemy] the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour [destroy].” 1 Peter 5:8. He is looking for careless ones who are going merrily down the stream of life, too busy to think about God and what He says about their sins. Satan is called “that old serpent,” which points out how dishonest and crafty he is. Once he has a hold on boys and girls and men and women, they can never, by their own strength, break loose from his deadly grasp.

As I watched the battle, the fish grew weaker, and I knew that it had almost no chance of escaping from the teeth of the snake. Feeling sorry for it, I grabbed the tail of the snake. Quickly it let go of the fish and turned to face its own enemy. As the fish flopped back into the water, I dropped the snake, which turned and slithered away in a hurry.

“When we were yet without strength . . . Christ died for the ungodly.” Romans 5:6. The Lord Jesus Christ, God’s Son, came into the world, Satan’s territory, to save us, because we could never save ourselves from such a strong, clever enemy. Christ pitied us in our lost and helpless condition and gave up His life on the cross to take us out of the deadly grasp of our great enemy. Those of us who have put our trust in Him have had our sins forgiven and are safely on our way to heaven to be with Him forever. He is willing to save all who call out for salvation. Why not accept Him as your Saviour today? “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Romans 10:13.

ML-10/16/1994

A Worthless Bird

Joel found another bird! He found it as we arrived at the house of our friends, Mr. and Mrs. Lyons. Our three children quickly called the Lyons’s children, and soon we were all gathered around the bird.

At first we thought its wing was hurt, but soon we realized that the wing was fine, but the bird was very sick.

You may already know that a grackle is not a pretty bird like a robin or a cardinal. They are not well-liked where we live. There are too many of them, and they are noisy pests most of the time.

As we stood around the sick bird everyone had the same idea.

“I think we should put it out of its misery,” said one.

“The world’s better off with one less grackle,” said another.

“Maybe we should just bury it,” said a third.

To our surprise, Mrs. Lyons came out of the house with a towel in her hand. She planned to rescue the bird! “I have a friend who works for the Bird Rescue Center,” she explained. “They rescue birds of all kinds. Please call my friend while I wrap the bird in this towel.”

She gently wrapped the bird in the towel, and Mr. Lyons went to the phone while the rest of us looked on in amazement. She was going to save a grackle? . . . a worthless bird?

But even kind Mrs. Lyons must have had a little doubt because she called after her husband, “Ask them if it makes any difference if it’s a grackle.” We thought it most certainly would make a difference. Surely not even the Bird Rescue Center would want to save a grackle!

We were wrong. They said to bring the grackle over! So as we shook our heads in unbelief, our friends got into the car to take the sick grackle to the Bird Rescue Center.

As we thought about the kindness of the Lyons to this bird, thoughts of a greater love came to our minds. God has proved His love to boys and girls “sick” with sin. The lies we have told, the pride of our hearts, and the unkind things we have said and done have so stained our hearts with sin that we are like that worthless bird. But God in His tender love did not think of us as worthless. He loved us so much that He sent His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus, into this world to die for our sins. “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.” 1 John 4:9.

There was nothing good in us, but the Lord Jesus willingly laid down His life in order to save us from our sins. “Christ died for the ungodly.” Romans 5:6.

God has even taken the care to tell us in His Word, the Bible, that He also notices the birds. And if He cares for each little bird, His loving care for His own children is much greater. “Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.” Matthew 10:29-31.

It did not cost Mrs. Lyons much to show kindness to that grackle. But the Lord Jesus paid a terribly high price for our salvation, even when we did not deserve it. “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God.” 1 Peter 3:18.

Do you know this love of God that rescues sinners sick with sin and makes them His own children? You are worth a lot to Him. Accept Christ as your Saviour today, and you will know God as your loving Father.

ML-10/23/1994

Which Book?

When our flight from Canada arrived in Boston, everyone had to go through the usual United States immigration check. But this time there was a special check for criminals and terrorists. Each person had to step up alone to an official in uniform who had a special yellow book in front of him.

When my turn came, he asked my name and I told him. He opened his book to a page that had a lot of names like mine. Then he asked where I was born. When I told him, he again checked in his book. Then he said, “OK, you may go now.”

I was very glad my name was not found in that yellow book or I would have been arrested.

God has books too. He has written down everything that every person in this world has ever said or done. Even what we think is written down in God’s books. Did you realize when you were telling a lie, or taking something that did not belong to you, or when you were disobeying your mother, that it was being written down in God’s book?

Some day God’s books will be opened. He knows all about you. You will stand before God and He will look up your name and read to you what He has written down. You will remember that all these things are true.

God is very fair, so he has another book He will look at. It is called the Lamb’s Book of Life.

When you accept the Lord Jesus as your Saviour, He gives you eternal life. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life.” John 6:47. Then your name is written down in the Lamb’s Book of Life. You will never have to stand before God as your Judge, because your sins are blotted out in God’s other book.

“I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins . . . I have redeemed thee.” Isaiah 44:22. You will already be with Jesus in heaven when that other book is opened. “I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” John 14:3.

Is your name written down in the Lamb’s Book of Life, or is it still in God’s other book?

“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.

ML-10/23/1994

The Broken Eggs

Chris hadn’t quite learned to walk yet when we went to visit our friends on the farm. It was an interesting place. They had a yard full of clucking chickens, hungry cows and curious turkeys, all trying unsuccessfully to get fat on desert grass.

The turkeys were funny. They seemed interested in everything around them and came over as a flock to look us over as we got out of the car. Probably they were hungry and thought we might have something for them to eat.

Arnold, the farmer, brought the eggs he’d gathered into the house and set them on the table. We were all talking and laughing about the curious turkeys when we heard a CRASH! Chris had crawled over to the table and pulled himself up onto his feet by grabbing the tablecloth. Of course, the cloth slid off the table and with it all the eggs. Now they were all a gooey yellow-and-white mess on the floor.

Our laughter stopped in a hurry. We had no money to pay for the eggs, and our farming friends had no eggs to sell. It was a sad situation. All we could do was help clean up the mess.

We’ve all made a sinful mess of our lives. And in God’s sight we are not just poor, we have no money at all and are in debt. There’s not one thing we can do and no way to pay for our sins. That’s why we are so glad to tell you that the Lord Jesus Christ saw our sad, sinful lives and took pity on us. He left the glory of heaven to come live on earth. He was born a tiny baby just as you and I were, but He never sinned. The Bible tells us in Luke 2:51,52 that He grew to be a fine young boy, obeyed His parents, and “increased in wisdom . . . and in favor with God and man.”

But the Lord Jesus was also the Son of God. 1 John 3:8 tells us, “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested [came], that He might destroy the works of the devil.” He came to pay for our sins.

Later, we were able to pay our friends for the broken eggs, but we’ll never be able to pay the Lord Jesus for what He’s done for us. All we can do is receive Him as our very own Saviour, and thank Him from the bottom of our hearts. “Our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity [sins].” Titus 2:13,14.

Have you accepted His work on the cross for your sins?

ML-10/30/1994

He Had No Fear

It does not make sense to risk your life by taking chances. Teenagers sometimes feel they have to prove they are brave. Children, being young and not understanding what might happen, are sometimes hurt, crippled or killed. God and your parents love you and want you to live and not suffer unnecessarily. Driving a car faster, climbing a higher mountain, or swimming a swifter stream does not prove that a person is better than anyone else.

Our town was located between two rivers and a millrace, so we spent lots of time near and in the river. We boys learned to respect the water and to be very careful not to jump or dive where there was much chance of being hurt. We often fished and swam around a small island above the dam.

One time after it had rained heavily, two of us had gone in swimming up by the island. My friend started to swim toward the dam. After just a couple of strokes, he quickly changed direction and swam powerfully away from the dam. I thought he was just having fun. I did not understand that the strong pull of the current had made him fearful of being swept over the dam. Since I thought I was a strong swimmer, that fear never crossed my mind. But when I reached the dam where I had often stood on the concrete edge, I began to understand.

This time when I reached for the edge with my feet, the current from the water going over the dam was so powerful I was washed away in the churning water. Because of an underwater barrier, the action of the water does not allow anything falling in to get out easily, but the current returns anything (this time, me) up against the dam to be recycled once more in the billowing water. First my feet would come up, and then, sweeping the bubbles away, I would grab a breath of air before being recycled against the dam. After some minutes of this recycling I was sure I was going to die as I was tiring very fast and just about ready to just give up. Having thought that I had been a good swimmer, I wondered what the newspaper would say about it if I drowned.

Some of my friends were on the dam with fishing poles and were trying to set a hook in me to snag me out of the trap into which I had gotten myself.

I am happy to say that they did not have to fish me out like a very large salmon. About the time I was ready to pass out, exhausted, I gave up completely and sank down in the water. It was only then that I was washed clear of the fast, churning, foamy water. Relieved and thankful, I swam ashore and thought about my deliverance.

“There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Proverbs 14:12.

People often struggle with salvation in much the same way. They try everything they can think of that might help them become a better person. But they soon come to realize that it doesn’t last. They are no better off, and they cannot solve the problem. Yet, that is the first step - to admit that our struggling doesn’t work; we can’t do it.

The next step is to understand that the sin problem has already been solved. Christ solved it for us when He died on Calvary’s cross. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7.

The last step is to give up all struggling and just accept the deliverance that Christ is offering you. “Our Lord Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world.” Galatians 1:3,4.

How many of these steps have you taken?

“I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are Mine.”
Psalm 50:11.

ML-11/06/1994

What Frank Learned at School

Frank was a very special boy. His dad and mother wanted the best of everything for him, and they had enough money to buy whatever they wanted. Nothing but the best school would do. They searched for a private school where he would get the best possible education and the standards were high.

One school seemed to meet their requirements, but when they asked about placing him there, there was one serious difficulty. It was not money, for they could have paid twice the fees. The problem was that school began every day with reading from the Bible and singing a hymn. They did not want Frank to have his head filled with such foolishness.

The Bible says that “the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness.” 1 Corinthians 1:18. If the preaching of the cross of Christ, the Saviour of sinners, is just foolishness to you, do you see what class you have put yourself in? “Them that perish”! That is the class that Frank’s parents were in. Do you want to be among those who perish?

Frank’s dad and mother decided to send him to this school anyway, but they said that he must be allowed to stay out of the classroom during the Bible reading. The teacher sadly agreed. But what would you do if you were that teacher? If you are a real Christian, it is not hard to guess what the teacher did. She prayed in secret that God would bring the light of the gospel into that unbelieving family who were going to perish without Christ.

At first Frank went to another room during the Bible reading, but he could hear them singing. They sang, “Jesus loves me,” and he moved closer to listen outside the door. Each day found him more eager to hear. It was the answer to his soul’s need, and it always is, if you listen to the story of the One who loves you, died for you, and rose again. Soon Frank was no longer in the class of “them that perish.” He had found the story of Jesus and His love to be the power of God unto salvation. “The gospel of Christ . . . is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth.” Romans 1:16.

It was not until Frank became very sick and his parents were afraid he was going to die that they realized that their boy had found the Saviour who is real and loving and powerful. They also came to the One who never turns sinners away. They left the class of “them that perish” and started on the road to heaven with Christ forever.

Which road are you on? If you are really saved from your sins, will you pray that those who read this story will be saved too?

“The preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.”
1 Corinthians 1:18

ML-11/06/1994

The Lost Toads

One day last summer as I was on my way outside to mow the lawn, my wife asked me first to try to rescue some toads that had jumped down into one of our basement window wells. She had already tried to lift them out, but her arms were not long enough. She did not want to leave them there, trapped and helpless, because they would soon die. Since my arms were longer, she thought maybe I could lift them out of the well. So I leaned over the edge and tried, but the window well was too deep for me also. I could not quite reach to the bottom where they sat.

I had another idea: if I put one foot down into the well, perhaps I could then lean down in and reach the toads that I hoped to rescue. And sure enough, it worked! I was able to lift each of them out and carry them over to where there was some water on the other side of our yard. Down in the well it was dry. The only food they could possibly get was whatever insects might happen to fly close enough to their hungry tongues. Now they were free and could jump wherever they wanted to find food, and they had plenty of water too.

As soon as I was done lifting each of them to safety, I went on with my mowing job. As I mowed I thought about those toads and how they could be a picture to us of many boys and girls in this world today. That window well is like this world with all of its sin that is in each of our hearts. Boys and girls (and grown-ups too) are lost in sin. Our toads, if left to themselves, would never have gotten out of that well. They would have died right there sooner or later. So we also face death as sinners and, worse still, certain punishment in hell after death, if we are not rescued out of that awful pit of sin.

Thanks be to God, He has provided a way of escape - you do not need to die in your sins. The Lord Jesus, God’s Son, died on the cross and suffered there God’s punishment against sin. He came all the way down from heaven to this earth to provide the way for us to be rescued from everlasting punishment in hell for our sins. If I believe in Him, that He died there for me, bearing my sins, the Bible assures me that I am saved from hell and saved to spend eternity with the Lord Jesus in heaven. You know, the world and all its attractions cannot give people happiness that will last, but once we are saved He gives us happiness and joy and peace in our hearts that nothing in this world can ever take away from us.

Going back to my toad story again, several of them were jumping around in the well when I tried to rescue them. In fact, they would hardly let me pick them up. When I finally did catch them they squirmed in my hands until I let them go again. They made me think of some boys and girls who are quite satisfied in this world and who don’t even want to be reminded or warned of the punishment that they must face for their sins. It makes them squirm to get away.

Another of the toads seemed to have no energy left. He didn’t put up a fight when I tried to lift him out of the pit. But when he got over by the water, he seemed very glad to be free. He is like a boy or girl who is sorry for his or her sins and who is ready to let the Lord Jesus save him or her.

The Lord Jesus is ready and waiting to save you. Have you confessed to Him that you are a sinner and let Him save you? Which of those toads are you like? Are you still squirming away from Him and the salvation that He wants to give you from the awful pit of hell? Or are you going to call on Him right this moment to save you? “Call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me.” Psalm 50:15. “He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.” Psalm 40:2.

ML-11/13/1994

Jesus Loves You

I was sitting in a store when the owner’s niece, who was about 13 years old, walked in. She flopped down in a chair nearby and chatted for a while. Outside, the Fourth of July parade was just over, and a Christian group in the parade had passed out stickers that looked like this:

A look of disgust passed over this young girl’s face as she pulled the sticker out of her pocket and said, “Look what I got, Aunt Cath.” Then she made a face and pitched the sticker into the garbage can.

How very sad to see a generation of young people growing up with little knowledge of God and no love for Him. I’m sure many do not even believe there is a God, much less One who loves them. The Bible warns us in 2 Timothy 3:1,3 that in the last days perilous (dangerous) times will come and that men will despise those that are good. This young girl despised the Christian who gave her the sticker, and she rejected the message on it.

Psalm 11:4 tells us, “The Lord is in His holy temple, the Lord’s throne is in heaven: His eyes behold, His eyelids try, the children of men.” Psalm 14:1 says, “The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God.”

The day is coming when the Lord Jesus will come for His own; we will meet Him in the air “and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” 1 Thessalonians 4:17. There is a solemn warning in 2 Thessalonians 2:12 for those left behind -there will be judgment for those “who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness [sins].”

The Lord God loves you and longs for you to be saved from judgment. “God our Saviour; who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:3,4. “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son.” John 3:16. “Christ Jesus; who gave Himself a ransom for all.” 1 Timothy 2:5,6.

It is really true,

Don’t turn your back on this message or throw it into the garbage. Accept the Lord Jesus as your Saviour today.

ML-11/13/1994

God's Math

How many of you like math in school? Maybe it is one of your favorite subjects, or maybe it is the one you dislike the most. Addition, subtraction, multiplication and division are very important skills to learn, as we continue to use them all through life. Now, we would like to ask all of you young students, can the answer to this little math problem at the beginning ever be zero? Can you think of any way that we could end up with a big 0 at the end? As you read on, you will find out that it can be done!

God has told us that we are ALL very good at adding and multiplying. In the Old Testament He said that the children of Israel had multiplied all kinds of awful transgressions and sins, that they had added sin to sin and iniquity to iniquity. In 1 Samuel 12:19 the Israelites confessed that they had added to their sin by asking for a king.

Don’t you agree that it is very easy to add to our sins, and to multiply them too? For example, most of us have told a lie and then told several more to cover up the first one.

But we cannot subtract them. No matter how sorry we may be for the sin we have done, there it stays. It cannot be undone. But hear the good news! God can subtract! Jesus came to take away sins so that God may subtract them from the account of all the sins that I had multiplied.

John the Baptist recognized who Jesus was and said, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world!” John 1:29. Jesus became the sin-bearer for all who accept Him as their very own Saviour, and where there is true repentance for sin, God delights to subtract. I can come to the Lord Jesus, tell Him I am a sinner with a great number of sins, and ask Him to forgive me. What will He do? Let us suppose that those figures at the beginning are the sum of my sins. God will do His work by writing “minus 430” under my total, and my answer will be ZERO!

What can wash away my sin?

Nothing but the blood of Jesus,

So that not one spot remains,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

ML-11/20/1994

Scared by the Buffalo

Ben was a soldier stationed in Viet Nam. Many times he and others from his unit went on patrol. This always meant wading through big fields of muddy water in which rice was growing. This made the walking very difficult, especially in the hot summer sun.

One day as the company of men reached the center of a big field of rice, the command was given to “halt.” All the soldiers sat down on the dike, tired from wading through the water, and began to talk about going back to camp. They noticed a herd of twenty huge, black water buffalo standing at the edge of the field. The buffalo had stopped their grazing and had turned to watch the soldiers.

“Look at all those buffalo,” Ben said.

“Yes,” replied his friend, Mike. “I sure hope they don’t cause us any trouble.”

Ben and Mike remembered seeing buffalo in the villages they had been through. The animals usually became very uneasy at the appearance of the soldiers, and the owners had to run out and quiet them or they would tear down their small corrals trying to get out.

“Oh no, they have all turned and are walking this way!” exclaimed Ben. Sure enough, the buffalo began walking very slowly towards the soldiers. As they walked, they formed into a group with the biggest and strongest bulls leading the advance. Ben and Mike were a little concerned, for though the buffalo were still some distance away, they moved steadily forward - directly toward them.

“It looks like they mean business,” said Mike. “You’d better tell the lieutenant, and ask what we should do.”

As the buffalo drew closer they lowered their broad heads with their noses straight forward snorting.

“Lieutenant, those buffalo are coming this way!” shouted Ben. “What should we do?”

“If they get too close shoot them!” came the stern reply from the lieutenant.

Ben and Mike knew what they had to do. The soldiers had to be in that field, and if the buffalo started to charge, they would be shot. Though the buffalo were big and strong, they were no match for the powerful rifles carried by the soldiers.

Ben and Mike reluctantly raised their rifles ready to fire, still hoping that the animals would not come closer. Step by step they advanced, snorting and pawing the ground. The soldiers aimed at the nearest one and began to squeeze the trigger. Suddenly, they heard the high, shrill voice of a small child and saw the buffalo stop. A small child was running toward them yelling something in the Vietnamese language and frantically waving a small, short stick at the buffalo. Much to the surprise and relief of the soldiers, all the buffalo immediately turned and ran off.

How this reminds us of the lost sinner traveling the dangerous path of self-will, not realizing the great danger which lies ahead. The Word of God tells us: “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Proverbs 14:12. “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.

How often men choose for themselves paths which only bring unhappiness, and don’t listen to the voice of God speaking to their souls. God invites all to follow the path which leads to everlasting life. Listen to the voice of Jesus and come and live. The buffalo were saved by obeying the words of the little boy. Will you be saved by obeying the words of Jesus?

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

ML-11/20/1994

The Golf Cart

Put the pedal to the metal,” Jeremy sang out to his little brother, Josh, as they rode together on the motorized golf cart. Probably Jeremy just liked the sound of the words. It is a little rhyme that car or truck drivers sometimes say when they want other drivers ahead of them to speed up. It means to press the gas pedal down as far as it will go. Jeremy knew very well that it wasn’t safe to make the golf cart go at top speed. He also knew that his father had told him many times not to try it.

Jeremy loved to drive the golf cart around, and usually he drove it carefully and safely. Today he was feeling extra happy because his dad had let him take his three-year-old brother for a ride. “Put the pedal to the metal,” Jeremy sang out again as he steered the cart around a corner. To Josh it sounded like a fun idea since Jeremy was doing the steering and letting him press the gas pedal. He decided to try pressing it down as far as it would go and see what happened.

And we know that when we do something we shouldn’t, we often end up in trouble. In Jeremiah 17:10 the Lord Jesus says, “I the Lord search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways and according to the fruit of his doings.” Does the Lord Jesus ever look down into your heart and see that you want to find out just how far you can go into sin without getting caught? We’re all like that. Verse 9 reminds us that our hearts are deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Romans 3:22,23 tell us that “there is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” That means that every one of us has failed to meet God’s standard of only doing what is right. But another verse tells us the best news we’ll ever hear in this world. “In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” Ephesians 1:7. Even though we are sinners, we can have our sins forgiven.

Josh was too short to press the gas pedal all the way down while he sat on the seat. He grabbed the steering wheel to steady himself on the lurching golf cart as he slid off the seat and jammed his foot hard against the pedal, pressing it all the way down to the metal floor of the cart. The cart took off like lightening!

Jeremy tried frantically to keep the cart on the path, but he couldn’t do it with Josh clutching the steering wheel. The cart crashed into a tree, throwing Jeremy hard against the steering wheel and Josh against the front panel.

So the boys had the “fruit of [their] doings”; the results were a broken rib and a badly cut knee. Two hurting and sober boys were rushed to the hospital.

With the help of the doctor, the broken bone and cuts were healed. But only the Lord Jesus can heal a sinful heart. Faith in His precious blood shed on the cross will cleanse us from all sin. Have you ever come to Him to have your sins washed away? Jesus said, “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” John 6:37. Won’t you come to Him right now? His offer will soon be over, but right now the Lord Jesus is still calling lost sinners to come to Himself and be forgiven.

How about you?

ML-11/27/1994

Candy's Trust

The front door slammed shut for the last time, ending the family morning rush to school and work. The sudden stillness seemed almost heavy, and perhaps that is why three-year-old Candy slipped onto the couch beside Mother for a little chat. Mother had settled herself there with a sigh and a second cup of coffee to enjoy her small daughter. They often sat together like this, and Mother would share what was on her mind.

The family station wagon had many mechanical problems, being old, and, as we sometimes say, a “lemon.” There was an ongoing dream and prayer with this family of seven to purchase a nice, large van that would end all problems and be perfect for this trip or that. Candy often chattered away about such plans, but today her thoughts went deeper.

At last she asked, “Mommy, how is the Lord going to let us know when our own van is ready? Will He just call down from heaven and say, ‘Your van is ready!’?”

Now, I suppose you are smiling as Mother did, but with her smile was a tear of thankfulness for the sweet child’s simple faith. But you laughingly might say, “God doesn’t call down from heaven!” Oh? But hasn’t He? Since time began He has been calling down, sometimes out loud and sometimes in written words. Then wonder of wonders! He came down in the person of the blessed Lord Jesus. The written words He left us, although not so startling as vocal calls, are really best -because we can read and reread them to be sure we understand their meaning.

God has something for us too -something of far greater value than a nice van. Listen. In Matthew 22 (in the Bible) Jesus speaks of a great marriage supper in heaven which God has prepared for His Son. He wants you to be a part of it and to have a home in heaven with Him. Jesus said, “Behold . . . all things are ready: come unto the marriage.” v. 4. Then in chapter 24 we read, “Therefore be ye also ready.” How does a child get ready for such a wonderful thing? We must be clean, perfectly clean of any stain of sin, for heaven is a holy place. Past sins, forgotten sins, “little” sins - all must be gone! We cannot do one thing to make ourselves clean. So we have a problem. The Son of God Himself came down to help us in our need.

Do you want a perfectly clean heart and the peace and joy it would bring? The Lord Jesus calls this desire “thirsting for the water of life.” For only with a washed heart can one have that life with Him. John 7:37 says, “In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink.” And He promised, “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” John 6:37. On Calvary’s cross He shed His own precious blood that we might be cleansed from our sins. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7.

Now the question is, Are you ready? God is, and He still calls to you from heaven.

ML-11/27/1994

A Picture of You

It was the weekend that the teenagers had been waiting for! They had been invited for a day of fun and recreation, and there were several activities scheduled for the afternoon. A high school gym was rented where they were to play volleyball. Later they were going roller skating followed by a hayride that night.

It happened to be Lynne’s high school gym that was rented. After Lynne and her friends finished their lunch, she took them upstairs where everyone was to meet before going to the gym.

As they stood there talking, Tim sauntered over to Lynne and her friends. With a mocking grin on his face, he said, “Lynne, I didn’t know you were a star!”

Lynne frowned and looked at him with distrust. “What are you talking about?”

Tim shrugged and pointed to the wall. Along with other school pictures was a poster-size picture of Lynne! It was not a good picture of her, and her heart seemed to stop for a moment as she realized how unflattering it was. She was embarrassed. She turned away, unhappy that it was up there for everyone to see.

How would you feel if pictures of your life were mounted on a wall for everyone to see? You would be pleased with the pictures that showed you as a nice, helpful person. But what about the pictures that showed you as mean, miserable and naughty? You would wish that those had been forgotten.

But no, nothing in your life will be forgotten. The Bible says that “all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.” Hebrews 4:13. God sees and knows everything that happens in your life. And He forewarns that “every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” Romans 14:12. You will have to take your turn to stand before God where nothing will be secret any longer.

Has the thought just crossed your mind that you’ll be okay as long as the good things you did outweigh the bad? That isn’t what God says. Isaiah 64:6 warns that “all our righteousnesses [good works] are as filthy rags.” Where you spend eternity will not be based on your works; the Bible states that it will be based on what you did with God’s Son, Jesus Christ. If in your lifetime you truly confessed to Him that you were a sinner and accepted Him as your Saviour, your name was written in God’s book of life, and a place was reserved for you in heaven. If you refused to believe that you were a sinner and did not accept that Christ’s death on the cross and shed blood was for you, your name was not included in the book of life. Revelation 20:15 states your sentence: “And whosoever was NOT found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” Revelation 20:15.

Today you have one more opportunity to make that important decision. The Lord Jesus Christ loves you and is waiting for you to come to Him with your need of salvation. Will you decide for Him right now?

“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-12/04/1994

She Couldn't Swim

It was a lovely sunny day in midsummer. Susan asked Debbie to go fishing with her. Since Debbie was only five she asked her mother if she could go. The answer was “no.” Susan was a few years older so she didn’t feel she needed to ask her mother.

When Debbie’s mother went back to her housework, Susan whispered to her friend, “Oh, I’ll take care of you, Debbie. It’s so safe on the pier, and we’ll be all right.”

Now Debbie really wanted to go because she loved fishing. She liked to bait the hook and was quite good at taking the fish off the line. But she had always gone with a grown-up. Sometimes they took a bucket along and put the live fish in water in the bucket, and she would watch them swim around. Thinking of how much fun they would have, Debbie decided to go with Susan anyway.

What these girls didn’t know was that the day was going to end in near tragedy. The Lord Jesus, who loves them, had His eye on them. He knew what they were doing, and that day they were going to learn an important lesson about obeying. “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.” How important this is, children, even though sometimes you feel you are wiser than your parents.

All went well for a time. The tide was just right for fishing, and the water was so clear they could see lots of fish. They could even see the fish biting the hook!

Suddenly, everything changed when Debbie decided to throw a pebble in the water and watch the ripples. A moment later Susan heard a big splash! You guessed it. Debbie had fallen into the water, but she couldn’t swim! A frightened, struggling Debbie looked up, only to see Susan running away!

Debbie paddled with all her might to keep her head above water. She was so scared. Was she going to die? . . . She knew she was not saved! . . . Would she go to hell? What seemed like a long time to her was only a few minutes until some people came running to the pier with Debbie’s mother in the lead.

Her mother was almost beside herself with fear. She was sure Debbie had drowned by now, but Debbie was still paddling and was, oh, so tired. Debbie was quite a distance from the pier, so a long pole was held out to her. She clung to it and felt herself being pulled to safety.

How happy and thankful her mother was, and how she thanked the Lord Jesus for His goodness to Debbie. Debbie accepted the Lord Jesus as her own Saviour shortly after this happened. Have you accepted the Lord Jesus as your Saviour, or are you going to wait until you are faced with death? Jesus loves you and is calling to you today. All you need to do is answer Him, “Yes, Lord Jesus, I know I am a sinner, and I want to be saved right now.” “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-12/04/1994

He's Got Something!

It was Arbor Day in the one-room schoolhouse. Many schools set aside that day, often in spring, for planting trees. In addition, the day was sometimes assigned as a “cleanup” day for the school. Probably if the children had had all that work to do at home, there would have been grumbles and groans. But at school, cleaning inside and chores outside were more fun than books and lessons, and they all set to work with shouts and laughter.

Pails of water came slopping in from the pump, and with soap and scrubbers and rags they soon had the desks all cleaned and polished, the windows sparkling clean, and the floor washed. Then there was the outside work to be done: the fence to repair, the flower beds to weed, and best of all - a tree to plant.

Everyone had advice to offer about where the tree should be planted. Once this was decided, the hole was dug deep and wide, and pailfuls of water poured in. And then one little maple tree was planted there all by itself, surrounded by a dozen children to stamp down the fresh earth around it, stake it up, and admire it. “Our very own tree!”

Then everyone gathered in the classroom when the work was finished, because the teacher had a surprise for each child. Arthur opened his gift at once. He admired it and then carefully rewrapped it, put it into his book bag, and carried it home.

Mother had not heard the rumpus at school, but she saw the look on Arthur’s face as he came down the lane. “He’s got something!” she said.

I’ll leave you to guess what it was, while I tell you an important message. I’ve got something too! Others around me may be grumbling about their work, or taxes, or the government, or the weather - but I’ve got something! Do you have it too? Does it show in your face? Do you have Jesus as your very own Saviour and Lord? And do you have a home in heaven forever and ever? If you have, then just thank Him and think about Him, and it will show in your face. People will know - you’ve got something!

Arthur carefully opened his surprise at home and showed his mother the special candy treat the teacher had given each child. It was a funny little gumdrop man, complete with hat and feather, bright silver eyes, long arms and legs, pants, and everything. It was too cute to eat. Arthur was pleased, and it showed in his face.

If your face is dark with anger or unhappy with whining and grumbling, then why not set your mind to think about heaven. That’s where Jesus is. People will see by the look on your face that you’ve got something, and they will want to know your Saviour too. You can enjoy this wonderful treasure right now and forever. “Set your affection [mind] on things above, not on things on the earth.” Colossians 3:2.

ML-12/11/1994

Two Rabbits

John was nine years old and lived on a cattle ranch in the western part of Texas. There were coyotes on their ranch which sometimes attacked and killed their new calves. To help protect the calves, John’s father bought a dog, a greyhound, which not only gave the coyotes a good chase, but it was so fast it could catch most of them.

The greyhound is the fastest of all dogs. Some people train them for racing. John’s father was not interested in racing. He just wanted a dog that was fast enough to catch coyotes and big enough to kill them once they were caught.

They named him Blackie, and he was soon trained to catch coyotes. He loved to chase anything. When he could not find a coyote to chase, he could always find a jackrabbit.

The jackrabbit lives in the plains of western United States. It has big, strong hind legs which help it to run very fast. When chased by Blackie, a jackrabbit would lay back both ears and run for its life . . . with Blackie not far behind. John noticed that a jackrabbit never would run into a safe place such as a hole, a cave or heavy brush. It depended on its speed to get away from danger. It almost seemed to be too proud of its speed to use a hiding place. Passing by the safety of holes in the ground or a ledge of rock, the jackrabbit depended on its strong hind legs . . . and always lost to Blackie!

There are those, like the jackrabbit, who think they can outrun sin and Satan. They say, “I’ll take my chances; I’m not afraid.” They depend on themselves and their good deeds to get them through. Their pride keeps them from running to the place of safety in the Lord Jesus Christ. They do not believe that their sins will catch up with them. But God says in the Bible, “Be sure your sin will find you out.” Numbers 32:23. “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Galatians 6:7.

One day Blackie surprised a little cottontail rabbit in the brush and started to chase the tiny animal. The cottontail was only about a third the size of a jackrabbit. John saw what was happening and thought to himself, Too bad, little rabbit. You don’t have a chance!

Suddenly Blackie’s bark changed. At first John wondered if he were hurt. John worked his way through the brush and found Blackie beside a big rock. The rock was huge and had an overhanging ledge. A hole, only about four inches wide, went into the ground, under the ledge, and right down under the rock. The little cottontail had run into that hole under the huge rock, and it was perfectly safe! This scared little rabbit could not depend on its speed to escape, but it had enough sense to hide in a safe place under a rock.

We hope that you, like the little cottontail, will not depend on your own strength and ideas to try to escape your sins, but will find a place of safety. Have you seen your danger without the safety of the Lord Jesus Christ? Run to Christ the Rock for salvation and protection. He is waiting to save you right now with open arms. “A man shall be as a hiding place from the wind, and a covert [shelter] from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.” Isaiah 32:2.

“I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust.” Psalm 91:2.

ML-12/11/1994

I Couldn't Move Her

“Dad, there’s somebody in the water!” screamed Kara.

Frank Kennedy spun around and saw a woman being swept down the Niagara River, about 30 feet from the falls. Without hesitating, he bolted over the metal railing and ran to a spot at the river’s edge where he thought he could reach out and grab the woman. As she swept by, he reached out, but he missed her.

The Kennedy family had left early that June morning to return to their home in Pennsylvania. With relatives in Toronto, they had gone to visit Niagara Falls many times before, but Scott wanted to see them again. So Frank and his wife decided they would stop once more for a short visit.

They were walking on a pathway leading to the railing that overlooked the American Falls when Kara spotted the helpless woman in the swift current of the river. Where Frank first tried to grab her was only 15 feet from the falls. When he missed, she disappeared behind a bush, and Frank feared that she had gone over the crest.

As he rounded the bush, he saw her again just as she lost her grip on the bush. She was grasping at rocks as she continued to be swept along in the 23 mile-per-hour current. Frank instantly jumped onto a rock, braced himself and reached out. He yelled to the woman to grab his arm, and she did. They both held on as tightly as they could, but Frank could not pull her over to the bank. They were only five feet from the crest of the falls, and the strong force of the current kept pulling her away. In Frank’s words, “I couldn’t move her.”

What a frightening spot to be in. We might find it hard to imagine what it was like for that woman to be so close to death. And yet, this could well be your story too. You may think you are standing on safe ground. But does anyone know that he or she will be alive tomorrow? And if you should not live until tomorrow, what about your sins? Have they been forgiven? If not, the Bible warns in Revelation 20:15 what will happen to those who die in their sins: “Whosoever was not found written in [God’s] book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” You may be as close to death as being just five feet from the crest of Niagara Falls. Help came for Frank and the woman desperately fighting to save her life. And there is help waiting for you too.

Four people quickly grabbed Frank to prevent him from being pulled into the water. Then together the five of them were able to pull the woman up onto the bank.

The Lord Jesus Christ cares very much about you, and He is waiting right now to forgive your sins and give you the peace of knowing that your name will be in God’s book of life. Are you willing to admit to Him that you are a sinner and need His forgiveness? “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. Rescue is that close for you.

Will you reach for it?

ML-12/18/1994

Buttons Gets Loose!

One summer day Brandon was playing in the backyard with his younger brother Eric. One game they liked to play was “pirates.” Since Brandon was older, he was in command. He gave the order to Eric, “Sailor, climb the mast and untie the rope!”

Eric asked, “What mast?”

Brandon pointed to the heavy pole that the clothesline was tied to and stated, “That mast, sailor.”

“But it’s too big for me to climb,” explained Eric.

Brandon answered, “Okay, I’ll climb it myself and get the rope down . . . if you’ll let me tie you up like you’re my prisoner.”

Eric agreed.

Brandon got the clothesline down. Then, beginning at Eric’s feet he started coiling the rope around him. It was a long rope, and he kept wrapping it around Eric until it almost reached his head. Brandon had just finished tying the last knot when he noticed something scary . . . Buttons was loose again!

Now Buttons was his sisters’ pony, and Brandon was scared of him. If you didn’t know Buttons, you would think he was a cute, gentle pony. But Brandon had already been bitten by Buttons once. And he wouldn’t get close to Buttons unless his father was with him.

This time Buttons wasn’t very close, and Brandon had enough time to run to the house and up the back steps to the porch where Buttons couldn’t get him. But as soon as he got to the top of the steps, he remembered Eric. He had left his little brother lying on the grass tied up with all that rope, and Eric couldn’t move!

Brandon was terrified of Buttons, but the thought of what that pony would do to Eric was too much for him. It didn’t matter if he died trying, he must save his brother!

Brandon ran back to the spot where Eric lay tied. At first he tried to untie him, but that was taking too long. Brandon picked up his brother with a strength that surprised himself, and carried Eric to the porch. Buttons reached them just as Brandon hurried up the steps with Eric. They barely escaped.

Brandon had tied up Eric really well with all that rope and many knots. It took a lot of work to finally get him untied, but at least they were safe. Boys and girls, do you know that our sins wrap around and around our hearts so that we never can get free from them by ourselves. Jesus the Saviour is the only one who can free us from our sins.

One time Jesus was in a house, and four men carried another man who was very sick to Jesus for help. There were so many people around the house that they couldn’t get through the door. So these men climbed up on top of the house, broke up the roof and let down their sick friend, bed and all, in front of Jesus.

Do you know what the Lord Jesus said to him? He said, “Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. . . . Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk.” Mark 2:3-12. And the man was healed, but more important than that, his sins were forgiven.

We each need our sins forgiven too, just like that sick man in the Bible. If you want your sins forgiven, come to Jesus by faith, believing that He shed His blood on Calvary’s cross to wash your sins away. He loves you and will set you free.

“In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.” Ephesians 1:7.

ML-12/18/1994

The Sick Little Lamb

Have you ever seen a lamb at a gospel meeting? That’s what was up front beside the preacher - a real, live, wooly lamb, noisily drinking milk out of a bottle!

The preacher owned the lamb, so he was its shepherd. He told us that this lamb was one of a set of triplets, but it was the weakest of the three. When its brother and sister pushed it out of the way so they could nurse, this little lamb grew weaker while they grew stronger, until the mother sheep rejected it also. Poor, helpless little lamb!

When the preacher told his family that he might have to kill the lamb, his children begged him to let them try to save it. Because the preacher belonged to the Good Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave up His life for His sheep, the preacher wanted to be kind like his Good Shepherd, so he decided to try to save the lamb.

At first the lamb seemed to improve with the children’s care, but then it became sick and didn’t seem to want to eat, or even to live. The children pleaded with their dad to try to help their lamb. Although he well knew that sick lambs die very quickly, he told his children he would do what he could.

It was already dark that evening and he was very tired, but he found his big flashlight and went out to the lamb’s pen. What he saw when he shone the light on the lamb almost made him sick. Its whole hind quarters were covered with little worms. Again he thought the very best thing to do was to kill the lamb and put it out of its misery. But then he remembered how the Lord Jesus had loved him enough to die for him when he was full of sin. So he got to work and removed as many worms as he could. But more kept coming out of the lamb’s fur. The poor little thing was dying on its feet.

What a picture to us of our sinful condition before God. Our hearts are as full of sin as that lamb was of worms. God tells us that without Christ we are “dead in trespasses and sins.” Ephesians 2:1. We can’t help ourselves, and neither could that little lamb.

The shepherd carried the poor little lamb into his house and filled the kitchen sink with warm water. He gently put the lamb in the water, and soon the surface of the water was covered with floating worms. The shepherd washed them down the drain and filled the sink again and again with fresh, warm water. With each washing the lamb looked a little better. Soon she was willing to drink from her bottle.

About 3:00 in the morning the tired shepherd carried the lamb back to her pen, but she still needed lots of care. The worms had left her covered with open sores and she was very weak.

Our awful load of sins makes us just like that poor little lamb. We need to have them washed away, just like that little lamb needed to have all those awful worms washed away. We have a Good Shepherd who loves us and is able to wash us clean. He died on Calvary’s cross so that we might have every sin washed away in His precious blood. “The blood of Jesus Christ [God’s] Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7.

Under the tender care of the shepherd, his family and friends, the little lamb grew strong and healthy. And that’s the lamb we saw at the gospel meeting. If you will let the Lord Jesus wash away your sins, you can have a happy, useful life that will please Him, and a home in heaven.

Will you come to the Good Shepherd right now and let Him wash you clean? “Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.” Psalm 51:7.

ML-12/25/1994

Earthquake!

Long ago in the city of Philippi, two men, Paul and Silas, had charges brought against them that were not true. They had been telling the people of Philippi about the Lord Jesus Christ. However, there were those who were against the work of God, and they brought Paul and Silas to the officials. Many of the people spoke against Paul and Silas and made the officials believe that the two men were guilty.

After beating them with whips, the two men were turned over to the jail keeper who chained them in the inner prison and locked their feet in wooden stocks. Knowing there was no way they could escape, the jail keeper went off to bed.

Poor Paul and Silas! They were in bad shape. Their backs were cut and bleeding from the beating, and they were locked in a cold, dark prison cell. They were probably hungry too, since it does not say in the story in the Bible that they were given anything to eat.

There were other prisoners in the same jail who probably had been beaten with whips too. They expected to hear the usual groans and swearing from the two new prisoners. But the evening hours passed, and they did not hear them complaining. Instead, at about midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises to God. Imagine the surprise of the other prisoners. These two new prisoners, who had to be feeling miserable, were actually singing and thanking God!

The difference was that Paul and Silas served a wonderful God. They found such joy in serving Him that even prison bars and beatings could not upset them. They knew that God must have a special reason for their being thrown into prison.

God had not forgotten His faithful servants. He had His own plan for that prison and its jail keeper.

Suddenly, the ground all around them began to shake violently. It was an earthquake! The prison walls trembled and the gates flew open. All of the prisoners’ chains fell off, and the stocks came apart that locked their feet. But Paul and Silas did not run out of the prison, and the other prisoners were probably too frightened to escape.

When the jail keeper saw the prison gates open, he thought that the prisoners had all escaped. He knew that the penalty for allowing a prisoner to escape was death. So he pulled out his sword to kill himself.

Paul realized what the jail keeper was going to do and he shouted, “Do thyself no harm: for we are all here.”

The jail keeper more than likely knew about Paul and Silas and what they preached. Perhaps he had even heard Paul preach. He knew that he was a sinner and that he needed a Saviour. After helping Paul and Silas out of the wrecked jail, he asked them, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” Their answer was plain and simple: “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.”

The jail keeper must have done just that, because the next thing we read is the remarkable change which took place in him. This same change takes place by the power of Jesus Christ in the lives of children and grown-ups too. It changes them - it makes them new creatures: “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.

The story goes on to tell of the change in this jail keeper who accepted Jesus Christ as his Saviour. This once coldhearted, cruel man took the two prisoners to his own home. There he washed and treated their bleeding backs and then gave them dinner.

Then Paul and Silas talked more to the jail keeper and his family, and during that night they all rejoiced together.

What a wonderful change takes place in those who accept Christ as their Saviour. This jail keeper was shown God’s power through an earthquake which made him feel his own weakness and see his need of a Saviour. Sometimes God uses earthquakes or hurricanes or floods to get our attention so we will listen to His message. The message that was given to the jail keeper almost 2000 years ago is the same message for us today. Believe that the Lord Jesus Christ died for your sins and trust Him to forgive and save you, and He will!

ML-04/17/1994

Moses and the Ark of Bulrushes

Long ago the children of Israel were slaves in the land of Egypt. Their numbers grew so large that the Egyptians were afraid they might become stronger than themselves and refuse to be their slaves. So Pharaoh, the cruel Egyptian king, gave orders that every baby boy born to the Israelites should be thrown into the Nile River.

All the parents of baby boys were terribly sad when their babies were taken from them and drowned in the river.

One mother, who loved and obeyed God, believed that He would help her. Her name was Jochebed. When her baby boy was born, she just couldn’t let him be taken away from her. She hid him in her house for three months. But as he grew older he cried louder. She knew she couldn’t hide him much longer.

What could she do? She and her husband, Amram, probably prayed much to God about it. Finally, Jochebed decided to make an ark (a small floating bed) out of bulrushes. She smeared the outside of the little ark with slime and pitch to make it waterproof. Then she gently laid her baby in it and carried it to the river. She set it in among the reeds that grew in the shallow water. Leaving the baby’s older sister Miriam hidden to watch the baby, she sadly went home.

A little later Pharaoh’s daughter came down to wash herself in the river. She saw the little ark and told one of her maids to get it and bring it to her. How surprised she must have been to find a baby inside. The baby was crying, and this was used by God to make her feel sorry for the baby and want to save it. Just then Miriam came out of hiding and volunteered to get a nurse to take care of the baby. When Pharaoh’s daughter agreed, Miriam brought her own mother to Pharaoh’s daughter as a nurse for the baby. Now Jochebed could continue caring for her baby boy without being afraid. She could love him as much as she wanted and even be paid by Pharaoh’s daughter for taking care of him. How she and Amram must have thanked God for the way He arranged things. But is there anything that is too hard for God?

Pharaoh’s daughter named the little boy Moses, which means “drawn out,” because she drew him out of the river. He became her adopted son. The Bible tells us that when Moses grew up he was the man chosen by God to bring His people out of Egypt and to lead them toward the land that had been promised to them. So that is how God honored a mother who trusted Him for the care of her son. Are you trusting in Him?

“Them that honor Me I will honor.” 1 Samuel 2:30.

ML-12/25/1994

Mordecai Saves the King's Life

King Ahasuerus, king of Persia, had two guards named Bigthan and Teresh. They kept watch at the door of his palace. When the king went in and out, these two men guarded him carefully and watched to see that no enemy approached to do the king harm. The king trusted these two men and was sure they would keep careful guard over him and his property.

However, while Bigthan and Teresh seemed to be dependable guards, for some reason they hated the king. They even plotted together how they might kill King Ahasuerus and not be found out.

A man named Mordecai was at the palace at the same time. He was a Jew who had been taken captive from Jerusalem to Babylon along with many other captives many years before. Mordecai found out about the plot to murder King Ahasuerus and got word to Esther the queen. Esther told the king of his danger.

The king ordered an investigation to be made, and Mordecai’s report was found to be true. The two guards, Bigthan and Teresh, were hanged on a tree. Mordecai’s having saved the king’s life was written down in the book of events that was kept for the king.

The king’s life was saved because Mordecai, his servant, heard of the plot of the two palace guards and warned him in time. But what if Mordecai had kept quiet and let the king find out for himself? It would probably have been too late.

What if King Ahasuerus had said, “What does that Jewish captive know about what’s going on around here?” It would probably have been the greatest mistake of his life to have ignored Mordecai’s report.

Boys and girls, and grown-ups too, has some friend or servant of the Lord faithfully told you that you are in danger of being lost forever if you go on without accepting Christ as your Saviour? Have you ignored the warning or put off the matter of your soul’s salvation until some other time? It may be the greatest mistake of your life. How sad it will be if it is written down in God’s book that you refused the offer of salvation or put it off until it was too late.

“All have sinned” (Romans 3:23), but God in mercy waits to forgive all who come to Him through the work of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, on the cross. “Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Romans 3:24. But time is running out. The day of grace may end at any moment, and there is judgment ahead for all who are left in their sins.

“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.

ML-10/30/1994

The Honey-Guide Bird

“How sweet are Thy words [the words of God] unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth.” Psalm 119:103.

Many unusual birds and animals live in the Kenya district of Africa. An amazing combination that works together is a sea gull-sized bird with dark brown wings and snow-white body and a four-footed animal with gray fur having a narrow white border and short black legs. These are the honey-guide bird and the honey badger. They both like wild honey and work together to get it.

When the honey-guide bird is flying through the forests and hears a loud humming of bees, she knows a nest is nearby in the side of a split rock or perhaps in a decaying tree trunk. Immediately she flies to where she knows a honey badger will be found and she chatters noisily to attract his attention. Then she flies in the direction of the swarm of bees, making sure he is following.

They may have to go quite a distance, but both know the treat that will be at the end of the trip.

When they get to the swarm of bees, the honey badger starts tearing the honeycomb apart with his sharp claws and teeth. The bees begin buzzing angrily about and swarming over him. But he isn’t afraid of them because their stingers can’t get through his thick fur.

What about the bird? She waits impatiently, for it is not the honey she wants; she’s after the waxy honeycomb that stores the honey. But this will not be available until her friend has first licked out the honey. Eventually she gets the honeycomb and enjoys her treat after the badger has finished and gone on his way. Both will be ready to do it again the next time there is an opportunity.

Sometimes when a native hunter sees the bird leading a badger, he knows what’s going on and will frighten the animal away. Then the bird accepts him as a substitute worker, with the same results. The man gets the honey and the bird gets her fill of the wax which she can handle with a digestive system that breaks down and welcomes the sweet food, usually accompanied by a number of bees eaten at the same time.

We know that when the Creator first brought bees, birds and animals into the world they all lived together peacefully. It was the disobedience of Adam and Eve that brought sin into the world with many sorrows.

But God has promised a happy life in heaven for those who have accepted the Lord Jesus as their Saviour. Heaven is His home where no sin or unhappiness of any kind will ever come. Will you be there too?

JANUARY 2, 1994

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

ML-01/02/1994

Dogs That Are Not Dogs

“I [God] have made the earth, the man and the beast that are upon the ground.”
Jeremiah 27:5.

Early settlers crossing the prairies of the midwestern United States apparently thought the sharp yelping sounds prairie dogs made could only come from an animal related to dogs and so gave them this name. The way they wagged their tails when calling one another also seemed to resemble dogs, but prairie dogs are not dogs at all but part of the chipmunk and squirrel families.

At that time there were great numbers of them, but many farmers and ranchers considered them a nuisance. Over the years these little animals would have completely disappeared if animal lovers hadn’t insisted on protecting some. Today they are kept in controlled areas in the midwestern and southern parts of the United States.

For the most part these cute little animals live together in a friendly way, gathering food and taking care of their little ones. They live in large colonies marked by low mounds of bare dirt and sand which have been excavated from their burrows. Groups of half a dozen or more sit upright on their mounds, exchanging meaningful barks in a friendly way. Sometimes just two or three will chat in short pleasant barks, but at other times there may be 15 or 20 having a social discussion.

But all the while they are standing guard, for they are aware there may be large birds, snakes and animals wanting to sneak up on them. Certain ones of each group take turns watching for danger. If a sentry gives sudden sharp barks they all dive inside their individual tunnels until the danger is past.

It is amazing how they find enough food on the hot prairies - mostly dried grasses and other vegetation, but they seem to keep quite healthy. When food is plentiful they eat their fill, then pick out a good spot to take a nap, or just watch the others. It’s very unusual to find them quarreling among themselves. A visitor to one of these colonies told how one prairie dog bounded over to the entrance of another and with a friendly bark brought out a companion to keep him company. On another occasion two of them met between their burrows, bowed politely to each other, then stood straight up with forepaws touching each other, and suddenly touched their mouths together as if kissing.

Do you think the Creator cares about these cute little creatures so far out on the prairie lands? He certainly does, as the opening Bible verse tells us He is the One who has made them. We are also told elsewhere: “O Lord, Thou preservest man and beast. How excellent is Thy loving-kindness, O God!” Psalm 36:6,7. Have you ever thanked Him for His loving-kindness to you?

JANUARY 9, 1994

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

ML-01/09/1994

Unusual Anteaters

“But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create.”
Isaiah 65:18.

A very unusual anteater lives in the country of Costa Rica in Central America. It has the name tamandua, or collared anteater, and it feeds on tree termites. It wraps its long tail around the branches so it will not fall out of the tree.

It is prettier than most anteaters, with shaggy white or tan legs and tail and tan fur on its neck and throat, with the rest of the body covered with black fur. Actually it looks like it is dressed in a black sleeveless sweater. The only thing unpleasant about this anteater is that it gives off a bad odor when excited.

One of the most unusual anteaters is known as the spiny anteater and lives in Australian deserts, Tasmania and New Guinea. It has a long slender beak and has a pouch for carrying its young, like a kangaroo. On occasion it adds to its unusual character by swallowing dirt. It is really a very strange creature in most every way.

It doesn’t give birth to little ones as most animals do, but, like a bird, hatches them from eggs. The single egg is carried in the female’s warm pouch outside her body until it hatches. After the little one hatches she nurses it with rich milk. Then, within about ten weeks, the little one develops a shiny, silky fur that covers its entire body. It has partially webbed feet with four strong curved toes which it will soon use for digging in the ground or tearing apart decaying trunks of trees or other splintered wood to fill its stomach with ants and termites. Of course, by that time it is on its own and no longer fed by the mother’s milk.

A full-grown spiny anteater’s body is only about a foot long, covered with hollow spines over a coat of black fur. The broad front feet are equipped with short nails for digging, and each hind foot has an extra-long nail it uses to comb out its hair. Its face, which is actually a long round snout, is smooth and equipped with a pair of dark nostrils and ends in a tiny mouth. Its tongue is long and sticky, enabling it to lick out ants and termites from their hidden areas.

These unusually interesting examples of animal life, together with a great variety of related ones in various parts of the world, perform a wonderful service in destroying termites and ants that are so destructive of valuable timber and wooden constructions.

The more we consider the wonders of God’s creation, the more we should be glad and rejoice, just as the opening Bible verse says. We may be sure He is glad when we do, in contrast to those who deny the Creator and say everything “just came by chance” and “evolved over millions of years.” We can trust the Word of God, the Bible, to tell us the truth: “For by Him were all things created. . . . All things were created by Him, and for Him.” Colossians 1:16.

JANUARY 16, 1994

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

ML-01/16/1994

Butterfly and Moth Facts: Part 1

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

Butterflies and moths are often mistaken for one another, but there are several marked differences between them. One way to tell them apart is that butterflies have a pair of black antennae that look like thin pieces of wire with black balls on the ends, while moths’ antennae are feathery and pretty. Another way to tell them apart is to watch them land. A butterfly at rest holds its wings high over its body, while a moth immediately folds its wings flat against its body. A butterfly has a tapered body, while a moth’s body is usually thick and hairy. Also, butterflies are day fliers, while most moths fly only after dusk.

Butterflies and moths are often extremely pretty. One moth in the eastern United States, called cecropia, is a beautiful blending of deep brown, tan and white over its big wings and oddly checkered body and is one of the largest in North America. Another is the luna. Its wings are a light green, but entirely circled with a dark brown border in front and light tan elsewhere, including its body. The luna’s name tells us that it is active only at night.

One of the most outstanding and best-known butterflies is the monarch. Great colonies of these, hatched during summer months in Canada and Alaska, make quite a sight migrating in the fall to California and Mexico, beautiful in their black-bordered, deep-orange wings and black bodies. Their parents had flown in the opposite direction in the spring, but died before the fall. How do you think the little ones know where to migrate, or what direction to take without their parents to show them? This is just another example of the Creator’s care over all things He has created. David wrote in Psalm 145:9, “The Lord is good to all: and His tender mercies are over all His works.” Incidentally, these young monarchs, fully grown through the winter, will return to the same northern spots the next spring, hatch new babies there and die. This same pattern continues year after year.

Another butterfly is the swallowtail, common in many North American gardens. Its wings are a delicate yellow, bordered and marked in black when seen from above, but from below the border has a front band of black, then deep blue, followed by more black, with a row of bright-red curved crescents.

David, who wrote many of the Psalms, enjoyed thinking about creation, as the opening Bible verse shows. He knew who made the world and everything in it and that it is only by the Lord God that all living things have been brought into the world and cared for.

(to be continued)

JANUARY 23, 1994

“Call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me.”
Psalm 50:15

ML-01/23/1994

Butterfly and Moth Facts: Part 2

“The Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile [earthly] body, that it may be . . . like . . . His glorious body.”
Philippians 3:20,21.

In the last issue we looked at a pair of beautiful moths and a pair of lovely butterflies, but these are only examples of the hundreds of thousands the Creator has made.

What do they look like when they are first born? They actually hatch, for they come from tiny eggs laid by the females. There is a great variety of moth and butterfly egg shapes -some are smooth; others are covered with hair; some are flat; still others are round or oval.

These usually hatch in just a few days, but instead of a pretty butterfly or moth coming out, it is always a caterpillar (larva) that shows up. This is the part gardeners and growers of flowers don’t like, for the caterpillars immediately start eating leaves, flowers and buds. They can do a lot of damage, but quite often they eat harmful or useless plants too. Some of the caterpillars become tasty treats for many birds and other insects. And some caterpillars are camouflaged to protect them from their bird and insect enemies.

As the caterpillars grow, their skins become too tight and work off, to be replaced by looser coverings. This may happen several times. They finally attach themselves as cocoons to leaves or plant stems with a silk-like thread drawn from their heads. In Japan silk moths are raised from cocoons in great numbers for their silk threads, which are used to make fine silk clothing.

Before very long the caterpillars reach a changing point in their lives. Some make burrows in the ground which they crawl into, and others crawl into curled-up leaves. Still others stretch out on a plant stem and spin a silk covering around themselves and the stem. In contrast to this, others do not make this kind of a cocoon but just attach themselves to a twig with a few strands of their silk thread, forming what is called a chrysalis. It may have patterns that make it look like a leaf or some other part of the plant.

Inside the cocoons or chrysalises these creatures begin to change from a caterpillar to a moth or butterfly. In the spring they come out of their temporary homes - this time having wings which at first are wet and soft. But before long their wings begin to unfold, and now they are no longer caterpillars but fully developed moths or butterflies. When fully dried they fly off and are the rest of their lives beautiful specimens of God’s creation - no longer pests.

The beginning Bible verse tells of a wonderful change promised to each of us who knows the Lord Jesus as our Saviour. As we think of ugly caterpillars becoming beautiful, how much greater will be a Christian’s change in that wonderful time! Will you be included in that change?

JANUARY 30, 1994

“We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags.”
Isaiah 64:6

ML-01/30/1994

Fierce-Looking Moray Eels

“They that go down to the sea . . . these see the works of the Lord and His wonders in the deep.” Psalm 107:23,24.

Over 100 species of moray eels live among rocks and corals off the coasts of British Columbia, Canada, south to Mexico, and on the Atlantic coast of North America, as well as parts of Europe. We’ll look at a few of the many species.

These eels, looking at you with sharp-toothed mouths open, can frighten the bravest of men if they are not aware that moray eels aren’t usually a threat. Their mouths are always open to breathe.

They are an odd combination of speckled blue, red, brown and gray colors. One, for instance, is dark brown all over, except for bulging blue eyes with black pupils. Another, found off the coast of Florida, is the green moray - a long, thin, round-bodied variety. Another is well-named speckled, for its whole body is a combination of small white dots on a dark background.

Other unusual ones include a brown and white one named slender and another called ribbon, because its body is about the size and shape of a huge snake. It is primarily blue, but its head and a few other parts are orange. Still another, looking much like the speckled but in lighter white and brown shades, is known as the dragon.

Unless provoked or frightened, moray eels are almost always friendly toward divers who are careful to not get too close or frighten them. One diver tells of a frightening close call when trying to spear one in the Pacific Ocean. The moray was coming too fast for him and swam right at him with its mouth wide open. He knew he couldn’t outswim it, but surprisingly it didn’t bite him. Another diver accidently disturbed a hidden one when swimming around a sunken ship, and his hand reached into a part that happened to be the home of a small moray. Immediately one of his fingers was caught in its mouth, feeling like it was grabbed by a pair of pliers with needle points. The eel soon withdrew, but not before the sharp teeth left a painful cut the entire length of his finger.

When fighting, the eyes of morays, which normally just bulge a little, often stick out like little periscopes. Wise swimmers know that when a moray with its wide-open mouth comes their way with long teeth gaping, it’s time to get away.

The above Bible verse reminds us that many familiar with ocean waters have been impressed with the wonders of God’s creation. Another verse tells us: “Thou, art Lord alone; Thou hast made . . . the seas, and all that is therein, and Thou preservest them all.” Nehemiah 9:6.

His eyes are looking on you too, and He wants you to know Him as your Saviour. Have you accepted Him?

FEBRUARY 6, 1994

“Not by works or righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us.” Titus 3:5

ML-02/06/1994

Some Birds Like Poison

“But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.”
James 3:8.

The hooded pitouchi (pronounced pit-o-hooey) is a bird about the size of a blue jay and lives in New Guinea. Its coloring is a brilliant combination of orange and black. The amazing thing about this bird is that it relies on poison to make its enemies leave it alone.

How does the poison work? Actually it is a very fine substance (like talcum powder) that clings to the surface of its feathers. Any enemy that gets its mouth around any part of its body immediately lets go and hurries away from the awful poison flavor.

Natives call it a “rubbish bird” and carefully remove all feathers when preparing one for dinner - taking the skin off as well - before roasting or stewing the meat that tastes just like chicken. Incidentally, there are two other varieties of the hooded pitouchi that do not have this poison on them.

In the forests of Trinidad there are some long-tailed birds known as violaceous trogons. They are very pretty, with tails black on top and striped like a zebra underneath. The rest of their feathers are a mixture of brilliant colors.

These birds often perch on the limb of a tree close to the ground, carefully studying a large, active ant’s nest below them. Suddenly one will fly directly to it, shoving head and shoulders into the nest, disturbing the ants. Soon it becomes covered with them, even spreading its wings out and allowing the ants to crawl on and under the exposed feathers.

This is all done very quickly, and then it flies back to its roost with many ants clinging to it. Why does it do all this? It is thought that when the trogons get mites or other insect pests that irritate them or cause their skins to itch, they sense that the ants with their poisonous bites will go after the pests until they are all gone.

It’s not known what the trogons do about the ants after they eat all the pests, but perhaps they fly to the ground again and shake them off so most of them can return to their nest.

The opening Bible verse tells us that our tongues can be full of “deadly poison.” Verse 15 also tells us that this does not come from above (from heaven) but is earthly and is from Satan. Verse 17 explains that that which comes from God is pure, peaceable, gentle and full of good works. And that’s what He likes to see in each of us. Is your tongue like verse 15 or like verse 17?

FEBRUARY 13, 1994

ML-02/13/1994

Some of Nature's Helpers

“And God made . . . every thing that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.”
Genesis 1:25.

Unknown to most of us, there are insects that produce acids used in important medicines. Among these are some beetles that we would just consider a nuisance. The bombardier beetle, for instance, surprises creatures that attack it by “bombing” them with a white spray forced through a gland in its tail. It leaves a terrible smell on the animal, bird, or person on whom it is sprayed. Experiments are being made with samples of this spray for use in medicines.

Another, known as the diving beetle, spends much time in water and gives off a dose of cortisone when a hungry fish comes too close, and the fish decides to get away in a hurry. Doctors frequently give patients cortisone to cure certain sicknesses, and it is expensive. Experiments are being made to see if they can raise these beetles in large numbers and get cortisone supplies from them.

A medicine called Spanish Fly as well as cyanide and steroids are all contributed by a variety of insects. Medical researchers believe other medicines remain to be discovered, particularly from insects in hot tropical countries.

A pretty little bird with a red body, blue wings and a black head with a white face is called the white-faced anteater of Central and South America. It eats huge quantities of ants and other harmful insects.

And there are beneficial insects that eat insects that we consider harmful. One of the most common of the beneficial ones is the ladybug. It eats aphids and other pests that do so much harm to garden flowers. Ladybugs don’t look much like a beetle, but are closely related to them.

Honeybees are another example of a creature providing some good. Most of us consider honey a very nice treat.

Then there are many very small creatures which can only be seen through a microscope - such as microbes and bacteria, which are used by the Creator to do much good. Some produce a form of alcohol, others make acids and chemicals that are used in many industries. Researchers are making serious efforts to find how these can become important sources of these products.

In our opening Bible verse we are told that God saw that the creation of “every creeping thing” was good. Sin has come into the world to interfere with this good. However, the work done by researchers has found real benefits for all mankind.

These creatures didn’t just happen to “evolve” over a long period of time. They are another example of the wonders of God’s creation. Let us never forget that “all things were made by Him; and without Him was not any thing made that was made.” John 1:3.

FEBRUARY 20, 1994

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

ML-02/20/1994

The Stately Moose

“And God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind . . . and God saw that it was good.”
Genesis 1:24,25.

Moose are often seen on roads and in towns of Alaska, but they keep more hidden in forests and prairies on both sides of the U.S.-Canada border. They can be found all the way from the Pacific to the Atlantic coasts.

The moose is the largest American animal - a full-grown one will be about seven-feet high and weigh 1500 pounds or more. Its antlers are immense, rising from the top of the head and spreading out six feet or more. They look like two gigantic hands turned upward with an armor of spike-like “fingers.” They are a vicious weapon when a moose defends itself.

Because of its great size and strength, a healthy moose is not likely to be attacked by other animals. But if one is sick or weak from age, it is apt to become a victim of a hungry grizzly bear or pack of very hungry wolves.

The upper part of a moose’s muzzle hangs three or four inches over its chin. This muzzle has huge nostrils. A short coal-black triangular beard hangs from the neck. The ears are huge and, in contrast, its tail is just a short stub. Its coat is a deep brown, almost black color.

Sadly, the young calves are often the victims of wolves and other creatures when the parents are not close by. Only about half of these younger ones make it through their first year. But the mothers try to keep them from wandering off and have been seen helping them cross ponds too deep for their short legs by giving them piggyback rides all the way over.

Favorite foods include leaves and twigs of trees, as well as water lilies and other water plants. This is why they are often found wading in ponds or along lake shores.

Unlike most wild animals, a moose crossing a road or railroad track (sometimes alone and at other times a large group of them) usually pays no attention to traffic. It may even stop in the middle of a road or railroad track to watch a truck, car or train approaching it. Experienced drivers of trucks and private cars, as well as engineers of trains, are always alert to this when going through moose country, and many drive more slowly so they can stop in time to avoid a collision with them.

How interesting to look on these and other examples of the marvels of God’s creation and have the assurance that He had pleasure in creating and watching over them. Psalm 36:6,7 tells us, “O Lord, Thou preservest man and beast. How excellent is Thy loving-kindness, O God!” Another verse tells us, “His eyes are upon the ways of man, and He seeth all his goings.” Job 34:21. What does He see as He looks on you?

FEBRUARY 27, 1994

“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

ML-02/27/1994

Just How Bad Are Wolverines?

“Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven [the sky]?”
Job 35:11.

Some time ago we reviewed the life of a wolverine and from information available then we said, “The wolverine is a wicked destroyer.” We also called it “a bad-tempered beast.” But since that time, scientists have studied this animal more thoroughly. Now many agree that, although it can be vicious and frightening, it does have some good qualities too. So we’ll look at some of these now.

A member of the weasel family, this dark-brown lively animal is about three-feet long, plus an eight-inch tail. It looks something like a miniature bear, except for its bushy fur and pointed face. Its North American homeland is in many of the wooded areas on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border, as well as Alaska.

Until a more complete study was made, it had the reputation of being a vicious killer of small and medium-sized animals and birds. But in their interesting research, it was discovered that this is not true unless the wolverine is extremely hungry. It should actually be called a scavenger, which is an animal whose main food is animals or birds already dead or injured.

Following that discovery, it was pointed out by the researchers that it is really a very helpful animal, by clearing forests and fields of dead creatures (much like what crows and vultures do). To really appreciate this we need to bear in mind that a dead fox, squirrel, coyote, or even a small bird, soon decays. These carcasses attract flies and insects that can carry harmful bacteria and diseases to many places, causing sickness and death to other animals, birds and even people.

But there’s no denying that a hungry wolverine, finding a way to break into a trapper’s unoccupied cabin, will gobble up any food it can reach. That, of course, doesn’t make them very popular with the trappers, nor does their making a meal out of animals caught in traps and ruining the valuable furs. So it’s easy to see how these lively animals have gotten a bad reputation.

We might ask, “Will the Creator allow this to go on forever?” The Bible provides the answer, telling us “by one man [Adam] sin entered into the world, and death by sin.” Romans 5:12. But there is a time coming when those who have accepted the Lord Jesus as their Saviour will find that “God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death.” Revelation 21:4. This promise is only to those who know the Lord Jesus as their Saviour. Are you included?

ML-03/06/1994

Have Some Maple Syrup

“And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase.”
Ezekiel 34:27.

Where does maple syrup come from and where did it get its name? Most of it comes from areas in eastern Canada and the northeastern United States. These are places where winters are cold and the hardy sugar maple trees grow. Since the syrup is made from the sap of maple trees, that is how it got the name of maple syrup.

Sugar maple trees are not the only source of maple syrup. Black, red and silver maple trees are also sources, but the greatest amount comes from the sugar maples. Many natural groves of these valuable trees (called “sugar bushes”) are as much as 100 years old and are all the handiwork of the Creator and not planted by men. The Indians long ago discovered how to get the sweet sap from the trees and were kind enough to help the white pioneers learn how it is done. For many years they had cut sharp holes at various places through the bark. The rich, sweet sap would promptly flow down the tree trunk into wooden or deerskin buckets tied under the holes. This is essentially what has been done ever since - only now more modern equipment is used.

The sap is still collected in late winter or early spring - often while deep snow is still on the ground. This is when the days become warmer but the nights are still cold. This daily rise and fall in temperature starts the sap flowing in the trees.

How is the sap collected? Workers bore a hole about 3 inches deep into the tree trunk about 3-1/2 to 4 feet from the ground. Then they hammer a small metal spout into the hole. A bucket hangs from the spout to collect the sap that drips out of the hole.

Buckets full of the collected sap are taken to a “sugarhouse” where it is boiled until most of the water in the sap evaporates. Pure maple syrup remains, and this is packed in glass or metal containers and shipped to points all over North America, as well as exported to other lands.

Sad to say, something is causing many of these groves of maple trees to die. Let’s hope they will find a way to save them, so we won’t have to eat our pancakes and waffles in the future without that delicious maple syrup!

These trees didn’t “just happen.” As the opening Bible verse tells us, they are a visible part of God’s wonderful creation in which He took much pleasure, as we are told in Revelation 4:11: “For Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created.”

MARCH 13, 1994

ML-03/13/1994

Amazing Honeybees

“The judgments [ways] of the Lord are true and righteous . . . sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.”
Psalm 19:9,10.

Honeybees are among the most interesting displays of God’s creation. Some might say, “They’re just small insects busy making honey and can’t be very important.” But honeybees are important to both man and the blossoms they visit. They are the only insects that produce food eaten by man, and many fruits and vegetables would die out if bees did not help fertilize their blossoms. Let’s take a closer look.

Their colonies come in all sizes, some containing as many as 50,000 bees - all one family. There is only one mother, the queen, in each colony, and she lays all the eggs. The drones are males and are kind of lazy. The workers are females and do all the chores except lay eggs. Several worker scouts select a spot to build a hive (or nest) which will include a special place to keep the thousands of eggs the queen lays. These eggs are guarded by “nurses” until the larvae hatch and become fully developed bees.

It is always interesting to learn how birds build their nests and how fish and animals make their homes. The hives of wild honeybees are interesting because they are made in a most unusual way. The first thing many worker honeybees do is build honeycombs in which to store pollen that other workers bring in from blossoms. Starting at the top of a cave wall, a hollow tree trunk, or the inside wall of a barn, the workers make beeswax and attach it at a suitable spot. Then, working slowly down, little six-sided, open, wax cells are formed, joined one to another and stuck tightly to the wall. Each of these cells is exactly the same size, no matter how many bees are making them. Some of these cells will hold eggs that the queen bee has laid (one to a cell), and the rest will store pollen. The pollen stored closest to the eggs becomes food for the developing bees. The pollen not used for food turns into honey. Isn’t it wonderful how the Creator of heaven and earth enables them to do this without any previous training?

When the hive becomes too crowded, the Creator has given the worker bees the instinct to build special cells for a few new queen bees. They feed these larvae special food called royal jelly. Before they emerge as new queen bees, the old queen, a few drones and many workers leave the hive as a swarm. The swarm settles on a spot that worker scouts have already selected and forms a new colony and builds a new hive.

The opening Bible verse refers to the ways of the Lord being “sweeter . . . than honey,” and another verse says, “Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones.” Proverbs 16:24. If you know the Lord Jesus as your Saviour, He will help you to have that sweetness in your heart.

MARCH 20, 1994

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.”
Ephesians 6:1

ML-03/20/1994

The Strange Cobra Plant

“Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you.”
Matthew 24:4.

How did a plant ever get named after a snake? The cobra plant, one of the pitcher plant family, is very unusual and is native to California. First let’s answer the question about its name. For one thing, its stems are actually curly leaves coming right out of the roots. They tightly overlap and twist around themselves to form a hollow tube about two feet high. At the very top they curl over, looking very similar to a fierce cobra snake. The plant also has what looks like a long, three-pronged tongue sticking out ready to catch a victim. So naming it after a cobra is understandable.

Each stalk has pretty red stripes, and the top part that curls over is a mixture of green, red and yellow. Stalks do not grow close together, but spread out from the roots in a circle, and each becomes a separate “cobra.” However, one stalk is different and grows a pretty flower that produces seeds that are blown by the wind or dropped by birds to start new plants.

The roots provide part of their food supply but most of it is supplied by insects. They are attracted by a sweet smell coming from rain water in the bottom of the tube that is sweetened by acids. The insects drown and are dissolved in the water.

The plant itself never grabs or closes up on these victims; they cannot get out. Once they have flown or crawled into the “mouth” of the plant, they find themselves trapped and they soon drop into the water. Even if they try to climb out they can’t. The sides are slippery and hairs on the inside of the tube, which flattened against the sides while the insect drops past them, are all pointing downward and will not let the insect go back up. Soon the insect becomes food for the plant.

While most of this plant’s food is a wide variety of crawling or flying victims, even small frogs are at times attracted to the sweet smell and manage to climb into the open “mouth.” They, like the insects, can’t resist going down for the sweet-smelling treat. They become hopelessly trapped too.

These unusual plants remind us of Satan who is the greatest of all deceivers. He wants to turn our thoughts away from God and the Lord Jesus and to convince us that Bible messages are not true. We do not actually hear Satan’s voice, but he uses people whom he has deceived to trick boys, girls and adults all over the world. How important it is to listen to what Jesus said in our opening Bible verse. Always remember that “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.” Psalm 46:1. His love has provided a Saviour for all who put their trust in Him. Is He your Saviour?

MARCH 27, 1994

“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”
Proverbs 28:13

ML-03/27/1994

More About Elephants

“Thou art the God that doest wonders: Thou hast declared Thy strength among the people.”
Psalm 77:14.

Some time ago we looked at a few facts about elephants. Let’s look at some other interesting facts about this largest of all land animals. (In the animal kingdom, only whales are larger.) They also have the distinction of having the largest ears in the world and their tusks are the largest teeth.

The way they live together is interesting. For instance, a large herd (10 to 50 or more) is usually led by a female and is often all sisters or brothers. A group of younger ones may be headed by a grandmother with her young relatives and a few others included. Such groups may stay together for as long as 50 or 60 years.

In some ways they are not too different from people. They have times of sadness and times of happiness. Most of them are peaceful and get along with almost all other animals. However, some have quick tempers, and still others are playful. On occasions just two or three may be found apart from the rest, perhaps because of a quarrel with their usual companions. But most often a group consists of 10 or 12 females of different ages or a separate group of males. Males and females don’t mix with each other most of the year.

Elephants are often excitable. A writer tells of seeing two family groups, who had for some reason been separated quite a while, happily racing toward one another with loud trumpet calls, dancing and rubbing against one another, winding trunks together in a loving way.

At birth a baby elephant weighs about 200 pounds and stands about three feet tall. It can stand and walk almost immediately, but will stay close to and be cared for by its mother throughout its early years. The father doesn’t show any interest in the calf, but its mother is very loving and attentive, often seen hugging it with her trunk. Her huge ears are often slowly flapping like a big fan. This may be to keep insects away or to provide some cooling on a hot day.

In one day a fully grown wild elephant eats about 500 pounds of grass, leaves, roots, miscellaneous plants, and any fresh fruit it can shake off a tree. It also drinks 50 gallons of water. A sick or injured elephant will find a place with water and shade away from the others and remain there until it gets better or dies.

These amazing animals are included in the wonders of God’s creation, as mentioned in our opening verse. In another verse we also read: “O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker. For He is our God. . . . Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your heart.” Psalm 95:6-8.

Have you given your heart to Him?

APRIL 3, 1994

“By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.”
Ephesians 2:8,9

ML-04/03/1994

Unusual Tree Frogs

“And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth.”
Genesis 1:21.

There are so many varieties of frogs and toads throughout the world that it would take volumes of books to tell about them all. It would also be a never-ending job, as new species are often being discovered.

Among them are several hundred kinds of tree frogs. They live mostly in North, Central and South America and Australia. Their sizes range from less than an inch to four or five inches long. They eat insects.

One of these is named red-eyed. If you saw its huge, crimson, round, bulging eyes with their coal-black pupils, you’d agree it was well named. In contrast to its red eyes, it is green over its entire back and the front of its legs. It has nimble feet with three toes and a blue-spotted yellow stomach. A close relative has similar eyes and a green back, but its stomach and sides are orange and white. Its legs are a combination of green, yellow and red, with long, deep orange toes.

Another odd little fellow is the Cuban tree frog, which is a drab tannish color with huge speckled eyes and coal-black pupils. Its wide mouth seems to be in a perpetual grin, but also suggests an ability to make a meal of a smaller frog.

A very odd one in Central America has the long name spatulate nose tree frog. A dark brown top and legs are mixed with darker brown speckles and a gray-white stomach. It gets its name because an upper part of its lips protrudes way beyond the mouth itself (spatulate means “knife-like”). Perhaps the Creator arranged it that way to help it reach into narrow spots where insects are often found.

While tree frogs will at times visit ponds or streams looking for food, they are called tree frogs because they spend much of their lives in trees. Some live in the very tops of giant trees and never come down. Their bony feet have sticky pads that never fail to grip the branches tightly. Some have been seen clinging to big leaves and playfully swinging in the wind.

They usually choose trees that have large, smooth, cup-shaped leaves holding rain water, in which the female lays hundreds of eggs. If one leaf is not big enough for her, she joins two or three together, making a larger home for the little tadpoles when they hatch. Some tree frogs lay their eggs in ponds.

Did the Lord God actually create these odd little creatures? Indeed He did, as the opening Bible verse says. Another verse assures us that “all things were created by Him, and for Him: and He is before all things, and by Him all things consist [subsist].” Colossians 1:16,17.

You would find it interesting to study other tree frogs. Almost without exception, they are all unusually pretty in patterns only the Creator could design.

ML-04/10/1994

The Muskrat

“The Lord is good to all: and His tender mercies are over all His works.”
Psalm 145:9.

Names of several animals start with the word musk, because they have a distinct odor about them which is often rather unpleasant. This is true of muskrats, found in many of the rivers, lakes and ponds throughout North America and parts of Europe. When fully grown, their bodies and tails are each about a foot long, and their life span is about four years. They are excellent swimmers and divers. Their hind feet are webbed to help them swim and work underwater. Their tails are scaly and act as rudders.

Muskrats build domelike houses either in the banks of streams or out in the water by piling up mud and plants. These usually have more than one underwater entrance - a God-given instinct to keep enemies from getting inside. There is another benefit of these underwater tunnels. When the water is frozen over, they can still get food, including fish, frogs, clams and water plants. They take their food up the tunnel either to store in a lower room or up to a separate room where they usually eat their meals and where mothers give birth to half a dozen or so little ones twice or three times a year.

Some might wonder how muskrats get fresh air for breathing when the entrance is underwater. Their kind Creator has arranged this for them, with fresh air coming in and stale air working its way out through slightly porous roofs that are covered with loose-growing plants.

They almost always build an additional room or two in a nearby shore or bank. Again, the entrance is below the water line, then it tunnels upward to dry quarters through which they can escape when enemies break into the main quarters.

If a person sees a muskrat home and has the patience to sit quietly in a concealed spot nearby, he is quite likely sooner or later to see one or more swimming or sitting on the outside of its home where it is safe from most enemies. But if hawks or owls are nearby, they stay safely inside. They bravely fight with any attacker, but because of their small size they often don’t have a chance. Their main enemies are snakes, foxes, raccoons, owls, hawks, and also people who trap or shoot them for their pretty fur. With so many enemies, it is easy to see why they spend the most time hidden in their unusual living quarters.

As we consider these and other creatures, it is plain to see how well the opening Bible verse expresses the Creator’s care over each in its special way of life. And that includes boys and girls and adults too, as we have our temporary homes here on earth. How thankful we should be to Him for that loving care!

APRIL 17, 1994

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

ML-04/17/1994

Body Snatchers and Driver Ants

“The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat [food] in the summer.”
Proverbs 30:25.

There are thousands of species of ants in various parts of the world. We may find them a nuisance at a picnic or in a kitchen, yet they are an important part of God’s creation. It is probably true that there are more ants than all the world’s birds, reptiles and animals added together. Do they do any good? Yes. When they dig their nests in the ground, they turn over the soil and break it up. This helps farmers. Some also kill insect pests such as termites, and certain ones kill the larvae of beetles that are harmful to crops.

Among the 15,000 species is a large red ant in South America called the Amazon, or sometimes also called the body snatcher. This slave-making ant raids other ant colonies, dragging captives to its nests where they are taught to work for their captors. The long, sharp jaws of the Amazon ants are so curved that they cannot feed themselves or dig nests. The slave ants do this work for them. The Amazon ants cannot live without slaves.

Another interesting species is the trap-jaw ants in the forests of Costa Rica. They are vicious, dark-red creatures with such strong jaws that they do not hesitate to attack creatures of any size. These do not live in colonies. They hunt alone. If one comes across a tasty insect, it moves right in and with sharp jaws punctures its skin, jabbing a poisonous stinger in the spot, stunning it so it can be carried to the trap-jaw’s nest.

In Africa driver ants are feared by all. They are vicious creatures that deliberately crawl into an elephant’s trunk and bite the tender flesh. Groups of them have also been known to make a feast of a python lying helpless after swallowing a small animal and unable to crawl away. Driver ants have underground nests ruled by a queen which lays many eggs each day. The most active of the driver ants are known as soldiers. They feed themselves well when hunting, but always send a large part back to the nest.

In the first chapter of the Bible we read how God created all living things, including ants and other insects. We are told, “God saw that it was good.” He didn’t make them vicious and cruel, but harmless and peaceful. But after Adam and Eve sinned, the nature of all living things was affected, some in ways like the ants we have just studied.

There is a time coming when all things in the world will again be in harmony and peace. Then those who know the Lord Jesus as their Saviour will be looking down from heaven and see the world in a happy state with no evil to spoil it.

Will you be among those in heaven? In Hebrews 4:7 the Bible instructs, “Today, if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.”

APRIL 24, 1994

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

ML-04/24/1994

Jesus Can and Jesus Will

I cannot make this black heart white,

But Jesus can.

I cannot make my life a light,

But Jesus can.

I cannot beat back every foe,

Nor make my naughty temper go,

Nor wash my robes “whiter than snow,”

But Jesus can.

Not only Jesus can, we say,

But Jesus will.

Jesus can wash my sins away,

And Jesus will.

This heart I ask Him to renew

And fill with all that’s good and true;

More than I ask, Jesus can do,

And Jesus will

ML-04/24/1994

Amazing Sandhill Cranes: Part 1

“The works of the Lord are great. . . . He hath made His wonderful works to be remembered.”
Psalm 111:2,4.

Sand hill cranes are large birds. A full-grown one measures four feet from the tip of its sharp beak to the end of its tail feathers. Wings on most of them are huge, and a pair outstretched will be six feet across. Their long, spindly legs make them about three feet tall.

More than a million of them migrate from Florida, Texas and Mexico, traveling north to Canada, Alaska or Hudson Bay areas each spring and back south in the fall. They have rest stops on these long flights at such places as the Platte River in Nebraska. Bird watchers travel great distances to watch them come in and rest before resuming their journey.

Other places, many of them arranged by wildlife groups and others, are located at Willapa Bay in Washington, Chesapeake Bay in Delaware, Soda Lake in California and numerous other rest spots across the United States. In spite of their great numbers, it is often difficult to see individual groups after they settle down in the grass or brush in which they are well camouflaged.

There are several species of cranes in North America, but only the sandhill crane is completely gray. Some have a tan or rust coloring, thought to be a result of rust in the water. Other identifying marks are its bald, bright-red forehead and its black legs and beak.

It is interesting to see these birds take to the air from the ground. They begin by running, faster and faster. Finally, legs pushing hard against the ground and wings flapping strongly, they slowly rise and finally are in the air where they can make better time. They immediately give a call of triumph with a deep “kroo kroo” as though saying, “I told you I could do it!”

They are not fast fliers but make an impressive sight as their wing motion is a smart jerk or flap of the wings above the body level. While this is going on, their long, thin necks are fully extended, straight as an arrow, matched by their legs held closely together and stretching out behind. It makes an impressive sight.

In the beginning Bible verse we are told that the Lord wants us to remember that He is the Creator and cares for all His creation. In Psalm 20:5,7 David declares: “We will rejoice in Thy salvation, and in the name of our God we will set up our banners. . . . Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.” Have you put your trust in Him?

(to be continued)

MAY 1, 1994

“I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins: return unto Me; for I have redeemed thee.”
Isaiah 44:22

ML-05/01/1994

Amazing Sandhill Cranes: Part 2

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

In the preceding issue we spoke of the great numbers of sandhill cranes that migrate north and south on the many flyways of North America and the necessary rest stops along the way. The huge flocks - sometimes thousands of birds - make such a marvelous spectacle when landing, and then they almost seem to disappear in the brush or long grass.

This is true not only when migrating, but also in their summer and winter homes. The Creator has given them the ability to conceal themselves very well. At times it is almost impossible to tell where they have their hidden nests. For further security, they also keep sentinels on guard all the time to warn if danger threatens. They are actually peaceful by nature, but are vicious when attacked, using their long, sharp beaks and clawed toes as weapons.

When they have settled down quietly in their home groups, they make friends with horses and cows grazing in the fields. That friendship is very helpful as they walk about hunting for food. They often find insects and worms that have been disturbed by the animals’ hoofs. They bend their long necks down to the ground to snatch them. They also like to eat frogs, reptiles, small fish, eggs of water animals and small plants. In addition to seeds of flowers, they like corn, wheat and rye growing on farmlands. This, of course, disturbs farmers who find their crops tampered with. As a result, in many places wildlife groups, together with farmers and other helpers, often plant separate fields of some of these cereal grains for the cranes. The sandhills seem to learn quickly that if they stay in those areas they will not be in danger.

In searching for food, whether in water or on land, they walk with heads close to the ground or water, but frequently lifted up to be sure of their safety.

In March, cranes gather for mating dances. They dance crazily, hopping and jumping about with excitement and bowing to one another. They soon pair off and begin building a well-hidden nest on the ground in which two, three or four eggs are laid. Little ones, within a few weeks of hatching, can run fast enough to escape enemies and soon take care of themselves.

These unusual birds are one more example of the wonders of God’s creation, in which He takes great pleasure. His eyes are always on you too, and He invites you to “trust in the Lord with all thine heart. . . . In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5,6.

MAY 8, 1994

“Prepare to meet thy God.”
Amos 4:12

ML-05/08/1994

Likable Phalangers

“Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth.”
Ecclesiastes 12:1.

Phalangers, or cuscus, are animals about as big as a house cat. They live in trees in the forests of Australia, New Zealand and New Guinea. They are active at night and rest in the daytime out of sight, often stretching out along the branch of a tree. Their tails are like an extra hand to them, curling tightly around branches as they travel swiftly through the trees.

There are several species of them, ranging in size from a mouse to a cat. Most of them have soft, thick fur in pretty colors. Their strong tails are woolly, but the tips are covered with coarse scales. Their claws are ideal for climbing. Most of them eat insects, small birds and tiny animals, but others are more interested in vegetable dinners.

Females have up to six tiny babies—hairless and helpless at birth. After being carried and fed for a few months in the mother’s pouch, the babies become covered with fur and learn how to care for themselves.

One species is named spotted cuscus. It is considered by many to be the prettiest of all. Its grayish-white fur has odd-shaped patches of red. In addition to strong claws, its hind feet have fleshy pads which give it a firm hold on smooth branches. Like the others, it is a night hunter. Its food includes small animals and birds, as well as quantities of leaves.

Another, the ring-tailed, is different in many ways from its relatives. Its tail, for instance, has woolly fur covering only the top and sides and is smooth underneath with a scaly tip. These features help it get a good hold on a branch or other support as it hangs upside down to reach for food.

The great flying phalanger has a blackish-brown silky coat on its back and white underneath. It is about 20 inches long, plus a tail of the same length. Like the flying squirrels, which we considered a while ago, the Creator has provided it with special loose skin that stretches out between its front and hind legs as it glides through the air, jumping from one tree to another. It also uses its tail as a rudder.

Smallest of all is the pigmy flyer, only five inches long, including its tail. The babies, carried in the mother’s pouch, are not much larger than a big ant.

If space allowed we could consider many others, all of which are examples of the wonders of the Lord God’s creation in which He took much pleasure. In a coming time those who know Him as their Saviour will give Him their praises in the beauties of heaven. Up there we may learn much more about the wonders of His creation. Will you be there?

MAY 15, 1994

ML-05/15/1994

Spiders Aren't Popular

“The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings’ palaces.”
Proverbs 30:28.

It seems most people don’t want to talk about spiders, and they definitely don’t want to find one creeping on a bare arm or neck! It’s easy to understand why. Spiders are not attractive like a bird or brightly colored butterfly, but are rather evil-looking.

Many people think spiders are poisonous, or at least dangerous. However, spiders are actually helpful, because they eat large quantities of flies, mosquitoes and other harmful insects. But still, it is most unpleasant to walk into a sticky web and have it cling to your face, neck or arm.

The many varieties of these unpopular eight-legged animals have some amazing ways which the Creator has provided for them. Scientists have discovered that there are 50,000 to 100,000 species throughout the world, some of which are extremely interesting.

Some are as tiny as the head of a pin. Others range in size up to the largest one discovered so far, the hairy South American bird spider. This giant measures almost 12 inches across its body, not including the legs! It catches and disposes of small birds and creatures the size of lizards.

People in North America don’t need to be concerned about giant spiders, but they should be aware of the six species that are poisonous - the sack spider, the brown recluse, the black widow and other related widows - the brown widow, the red-legged widow, and the varied widow. Most of these choose dark, hidden spots for their homes. If it is necessary for you to crawl through a dark attic or an unlit basement, be sure you have a flashlight to make certain there is no poisonous spider there.

Incidentally, of the four “widow” spiders, only the females are known to bite people. They are so vicious that when a male spider wants to be friendly she will often kill and eat the poor fellow. Males do not bite.

The silk-like webs of spiders are strong and elastic and are constructed in a variety of shapes. Some spiders, wanting a new home base, climb onto fence posts or branches and release silk. As the strands become longer, the wind lifts the spiders off their perches and floats them off to a new area, often many miles away. This is called ballooning.

The Bible verse quoted above reminds us that the Creator is aware of spiders. If He looks on these odd creatures which have only a short life and then are gone forever, how much more does He think of you and me who have a soul that lives forever after our time on earth is over. Our Lord’s invitation to us, young and old, is, “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28. If you have not yet accepted that loving invitation, won’t you accept it today?

Next time we will consider the amazing Jumping spiders.

MAY 22, 1994

ML-05/22/1994

Jumping Spiders

“All that forget God . . . [their] hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a spider’s web.” Job 8:13,14.

Last time we looked at spiders in general. Now let’s consider those specifically called jumping spiders. There are some 4,000 varieties of these. All are small, less than 3/4 of an inch, and are the most colorful of all spiders. While frequently found in parts of North America and Europe, the greatest number prefer warm climates, such as Central America, northern South America, New Zealand and Australia. Many of you have probably seen these little spiders on your window sills or screens in the summer.

They are provided with unusual eyes - some of them having as many as eight, so they can see motion in just about every direction all at the same time. They can also spot birds or other enemies that might be a threat to them.

In contrast to the vast number of other spiders, jumping spiders do not weave webs and then wait for insects to get caught in them. Instead, they creep up on their prey or lie in wait and pounce on it. Although their legs are short, they can jump more than 40 times the length of their bodies.

Finding a good spot on a big bare rock or bare limb of a tree, a jumper first anchors a silk thread (called a dragline) so it can climb back up in case it misses its prey. It seldom has to wait very long before spotting a fly, mosquito or other insect perhaps a distance of four to eight inches away.

How can it get to that insect that is suddenly visible? Most of the jumping power is supplied by the fourth pair of legs, and the dragline stretches out to match the jump being made. Having feasted on its catch, the spider may explore a bit for more food and then follows the dragline all the way back to its starting point where the line is discarded.

Incidentally, in spite of the trailing dragline, these jumps are so fast and silent that an intended victim seldom gets away. The spider injects a wee bit of poison, then it devours its catch and looks around for other potential victims before climbing back up its dragline.

Read again the Bible verse at the top of the page. How foolish it is for anyone to just try to forget about God and take up with the temporary pleasures of this world. This verse tells us it will trap them like a spider’s web. Another verse tells us: “In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:6. Which verse applies to you?

MAY 29, 1994

ML-05/29/1994

The Golden Eagle

“Ye have seen . . . how I bare you on eagles’ wings, and brought you unto Myself.”
Exodus 19:4.

The national emblem of the United States is a beautiful bald eagle accompanied by the words, “IN GOD WE TRUST.” This conveys the message that the country is strong and “in good hands.” It would be wonderful if more people could honestly say, “IN GOD WE TRUST,” wouldn’t it?

The golden eagle is just as impressive, with its dark brown feathers and a patch of golden brown feathers on the back of its neck. It has a deep-blue, sharp, down-turned beak, as well as contrasting yellow feet on which deep-blue, long, sharp toes and claws provide fierce weapons. They are one of the largest birds of prey in North America, with a wingspread of 6-1/2 to 7-1/2 feet. It is estimated there are over 60,000 of them in the western United States and Canada.

In contrast to the bald eagle who eats mostly dead animals, the golden eagle prefers live food. It is an excellent hunter of mice, squirrels, rabbits and other small animals, as well as fish and eels. It soars high in the air and with sharp eyes spots its victim moving about. It swoops down at terrific speed to capture it, the victim probably never knowing what caught it. Eagles also rob ospreys and other birds flying with a fish or other food in their beaks, frightening them into dropping the food. The eagle then catches the falling food and takes it to its nest for its mate or eaglets.

These birds mate for life and are very affectionate to one another. They return year after year to the same nest, making necessary repairs and adding new sticks and soft grass and leaves for a fresh lining. A new nest may be only 3 feet across, but an old one may be 8, 10 or even 20 feet across.

The two or three eggs laid each year are creamy-colored, spotted with brown or gray marks and are incubated for more than a month, with both parents taking turns. After hatching, the little ones first get food popped into their mouths by the parents, but before long they learn how to feed themselves by tearing apart the captured prize. They also get lots of practice, flapping their wings and jumping up and down before actually flying. They stay with the parents several months before being on their own.

A Bible verse tells us of the Lord’s care over those who are weak, saying: “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles.” Isaiah 40:31. The eagle’s care over its young ones is good, but the Lord’s care over boys and girls, as well as men and women, is far greater. Do you ever thank Him?

JUNE 5, 1994

“Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.”
Psalm 51:7

ML-06/05/1994

Gemsboks and Springboks

“O Lord . . . Thou hast created all things, and for Thy pleasure they are and were created.” Revelation 4:11.

Living in the hot, dry regions of southern Africa, gemsboks are considered by many to be the prettiest members of the oryx family. They are about the size of a donkey and are related to antelopes. They have a velvety-gray body, narrow black and white face, complemented by black and white legs and a long bushy tail. Between their large black and white ears is a pair of nearly straight, sharply pointed horns. These grow to four feet long and extend backward. They provide a weapon any animal would be foolish to challenge. Gemsboks have been known to kill lions with these sharp horns.

Because of their heavy bodies, gemsboks are not particularly fast runners. They are an example of the Creator’s wisdom when He placed them in hot, dry areas, for they can go a long time without water. They live in bands of up to 20 animals and roam the dry, grassy plains and areas of low vegetation.

Although related to the gemsbok and living in the same area, the springbok is a sharp contrast. It is slender and graceful and a little shorter than its relative, but without the long bushy tail. Its golden-brown hair has a snow-white stripe down the back, as well as a white face, white on the stomach and the inside of its legs.

While groups of gemsboks are relatively small, the springboks are found in big groups by themselves, migrating in great numbers to the oceanside when it gets too hot and dry. At times the whole herd runs swiftly over the open plains for no apparent reason. Because they repeatedly spring from eight to ten feet into the air when frightened and then race off at high speed, they are called springers by some.

There are many varieties of horns among them. Some rise higher than others before extending backward, while others look more like prongs, just rising a short way and then curling forward.

We can often see in the variety of things the Lord God created, as well as in the Bible, that the Creator took much pleasure in variety. More importantly, we learn also the promise to all who know the Lord Jesus as their Saviour, that when called into heaven we will find “in [His] presence is fulness of joy; at [His] right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” Psalm 16:11.

Will you be among that happy number in heaven?

JUNE 12, 1994

“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.”
John 14:6

ML-06/12/1994

The Snail Kite

“He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills. . . . By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation.”
Psalm 104:10-12.

Although snail kites are found in Cuba and parts of South America, the only place in North America where they are found is in Florida, on the shores of Lake Okeechobee and a few other freshwater marshes. They are part of the hawk family and are an endangered species. They were first given the name Everglade kite, but, as described below, the more descriptive name of snail kite was eventually substituted, as their eating habits were discovered.

These birds look much like crows; all feathers are black with their wings having a bluish sheen. Their only other coloring is a deep-orange on their legs and feet, beak and snout, and deep-orange eyes, with black pupils.

They usually make very crude nests in driftwood and twigs, where the female lays two or three light-gray eggs, speckled with dark-brown spots. Occasionally nests are also made in tall reeds at the water’s edge. Because these birds are rare, in some areas bird watchers have provided nesting spots in large wire containers, a foot or so off the ground, where eggs can be laid. Chicks hatched in these are in less danger from snakes and other creatures that would harm them. They are also protected from high water and wind storms.

The female’s feathers are lighter in color than her mate’s, helping her to be more concealed from enemies. This is a kind provision of the Creator, giving her protection when unable to defend herself while sitting on the nest.

The reason for the snail kite’s unusual name is because its main food is a freshwater snail, with the uncommon name “apple snail,” that is abundant in certain lakes and marshes.

You may wonder if they eat snail shells and all. No. The Creator has provided them with strong, hooked beaks. The sharp upper half has just the right curve to get inside the snail shell. After lifting the snail out of the water, the kite slides its beak inside the shell far enough to cut the muscle that anchors the snail in its home. In just a few seconds the bird has swallowed a tasty treat, or perhaps it will carry it back to its nest.

Adult birds usually eat only snails and may eat 50 in one day. However, if they have a poor snail catch they may substitute small turtles, snakes, fish or large insects.

These birds, like all others, are a part of the Lord God’s wondrous creation, and He watches over them with loving care. But His love for you and me is much greater, as He has declared: “I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee.” Jeremiah 31:3.

Have you thanked Him for that loving-kindness to you?

JUNE 19, 1994

“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-06/19/1994

A Cat or a Fish?

How did the catfish get its name? Probably from the whiskers around its mouth, much like a cat’s. These give them a warning signal of dangers and are also an important means of finding food.

There are many species of freshwater and saltwater catfish. Freshwater catfish are found in the Great Lakes and other lakes, rivers and streams throughout the United States. There’s not much beauty in them, except that some species have a rainbow mixture of colors on fins, tails and bodies. The most outstanding is called the blue catfish. Fully grown, it may reach five feet in length and weigh up to 100 pounds. Others vary in size, all the way down to only a pound or less.

Some that live in ocean waters along the coasts of the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico include the white catfish, the sea catfish, and the gaff-topsail. Most like waters with muddy bottoms where they prowl for food and where they can quickly wiggle when escaping an enemy.

Catfish have no scales, but very sensitive skin. This enables any part of their bodies to detect food that may be hidden in the sand or mud, as well as locating bugs on underwater plants, another source of food. Their sensitive skin also enables them to quickly detect the approach of an enemy. The Creator has provided well for them, both in food and protection from harm in muddy, dark waters.

After the female lays her eggs in the spring, the male gathers them all into his mouth to incubate them. He eats no food while carrying them in his mouth until well after the young hatch, a period of two months. Then he deposits the little fish in nearby weeds. When they have grown some and gained strength, the young fish are “on their own.” The parents sometimes find them a tempting bit of food. But the little ones, soon aware of the danger, swim far away to live on their own.

Catfish are good to eat. Tremendous quantities are caught in the Mississippi River and other rivers and lakes. The demand for catfish is so great that huge quantities are raised in fish “farms.” Many of these are kept alive in special tank cars and shipped to restaurants throughout the country.

Isn’t it nice to realize that the Lord God, the Creator, watches over all His creation, including these unusual fish? But how much greater is His love and care over boys and girls, as well as men and women. He gives this loving invitation to each one: “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.” Matthew 11:28,29.

JUNE 26, 1994

ML-06/26/1994

The World Needs Insects

“God . . . doeth great things and unsearchable; marvelous things without number.”
Job 5:8,9.

Many people think insects are something to avoid, and the world would be better without them. But they are a part of God’s creation and do have an important part in the world. A study of some of their ways will reveal how the Creator has especially provided for them to be useful to people in many parts of the world.

Many desert insects are seldom seen because they search for food only at night. But in their search they often do useful things. For instance, in some of the dry desert areas they are a principal means of pollinating plants and trees. Joshua trees and yucca plants, both with such pretty blossoms, are examples of some that would have died out long ago if their pollen were not transferred from one tree or plant to another by these insects. This is true in many cultivated gardens and orchards as well.

Some insects are also a source of food for birds, toads, lizards, bats and other insects. An example is a long-legged insect that stands upright on its hind feet, with front legs folded against its body, called a praying mantis (it looks like it is praying). These feed on a wide variety of insects without doing any harm themselves and are effective pest controllers valued by many farmers.

Other examples of helpful insects include bees - the source of honey and wax. Silkworms, too, provide the silk threads to be sewn into pretty blouses or dresses. Silkworms are the larval stage of the bombyx mori moth.

Another insect that is a favorite with crop growers, and that is protected by many of them, is the frail lacewing. A pretty little thing with four transparent wings, it is valued by farmers who are pestered with aphids that get onto their plants and do much damage. Lacewings lay their eggs in places where aphids are active. When the larvae hatch, great numbers of aphids are a handy source of food for them. Because of this, wise farmers never intentionally kill any lacewings.

These are only a few of the interesting ways in which a wise Creator has given instincts to helpful little creatures. Those named here are a very small part of the vast number which are examples of His wondrous ways.

Although Adam’s sin brought troubled times into the world, yet God in His kindness has provided many reliefs from those troubles. The helpful little insects are one reminder of His marvelous ways mentioned in our opening Bible verse.

JULY 3, 1994

ML-07/03/1994

Ravens Are Smart

“Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them.”
Luke 12:24.

Few countries are without ravens. North America has thousands of them, even in Canada’s Northwest Territories, and many are in Africa, India and countries between. They are an impressive bird with their black shiny feathers, strong three-inch-long beaks and long claws. They have been described by those who are familiar with them real well as “brainy, smart and wily.”

Ravens have no pleasant song, but just coarse screams that can be annoying to those hearing them day after day. They do communicate with one another, though, in softer tones on many occasions. Their loudest calls are most annoying when half a dozen or more seem to be challenging each other to see who can be the loudest.

They are closely related to crows, which are only about half their size. A fully grown raven may be more than two feet long and have a wingspread of four feet. Their huge nests are built of large sticks carefully woven together and lined with grass, bark, seaweed, moss, or even rabbit fur. They use the same nests year after year and keep them in good, clean condition. These are usually built in tall trees or on an unexposed ledge of a rocky cliff.

In early summer the female lays from three to eight olive-green eggs with brown spots, and she alone incubates them, never leaving the nest until they are hatched. The male bird faithfully brings her food while she is on the nest - perhaps a young bird, small animal or a fish he has killed or found already dead.

Parents are very helpful and care for their young ones, continually bringing food to them in daylight hours and guarding them from other birds that might be foolish enough to get too close to a nest. The raven family stays together while the young ones go through a long training period.

In cold lands of the North, they stay close to herds of caribou, looking for a dead calf on which they can feast, often sharing the carcass with wolves or bears. Sometimes they will kill small, sick or injured animals, but they usually prefer something already dead or even food from a garbage dump. If those sources of food are not available, they often annoy farmers by eating wheat, barley and other grains growing in the fields.

An important and wonderful part of the Creator’s works in placing so many living things on our planet is His constant watchful care over them, as the opening Bible verse says. That verse also says, “How much more are ye better than the fowls?” Yes, God’s thoughts toward all the people in the world are full of love and kindness. This is repeated over and over in the Bible. Open your Bible and read John 3:16 carefully, to see how much He loves you.

JULY 10, 1994

“Incline your ear, and come unto Me: hear, and your soul shall live.”
Isaiah 55:3

ML-07/10/1994

Wolves Are Tough

“Beware of false prophets [teachers] . . . in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.”
Matthew 7:15.

It’s often hard to tell one species of wolf from another, because there may be several colors of fur in one pack. They are rather handsome animals. Those in Europe are mostly gray in color, while the North American wolves can be tan, gray, red or brown.

Few dogs match them in size. Some wolves measure as much as six feet from nose to tip of tail and may weigh 150 pounds or more. They also have longer legs and larger feet than dogs. Incidentally, the animals called prairie wolves are actually coyotes, but all are part of the dog family.

Large numbers of wolves live in the middle areas of the North American continent and in smaller numbers in almost every other part of the United States and Canada. There are estimated to be at least 6000 of them in the state of Alaska, most staying there year-round. A few are in Glacier National Park, Montana, and some wildlife organizations are trying to introduce them into Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. However, not everyone is happy about the idea; they are afraid the wolves will destroy other wildlife already there.

All wolves have sharp eyesight along with keen senses of smell and hearing, so that it is difficult for hunters to get near them. Wolves are experts in hiding, sometimes pressing against a big rock or the side of a bare hill that matches the color of their fur. A person might walk close by and never see a well-hidden wolf.

Wolves have strong family ties. Pups get lots of attention, not only from both parents, but also others in the pack. They soon outgrow that time of life and are assigned a place in the pack when hunting or traveling.

Each wolf, regardless of age, is always in its own position in the pack. The pack leader is never challenged unless seriously injured or getting old, when it’s time for another leader to take over. Packs often travel great distances in their search for an elk, deer or caribou, or an occasional bear not too big for them to handle. When on its own a lone wolf is continually looking for smaller prey, including rabbits, weasels, squirrels, birds and even large insects, frogs and fish.

The Bible often warns about false teachers, as in our opening verse. They are like vicious wolves, wanting to capture us with their evil ideas. But the Bible also provides excellent instruction to any who want to turn away from evil: “Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things [the good and pure things] shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33.

Another verse tells us “the word of the Lord endureth for ever.” 1 Peter 1:25. Are you trusting in the Bible’s pure and sure promises?

JULY 17, 1994

“In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.”
Ephesians 1:7

ML-07/17/1994

Vicious Barracuda

“And God created great whales, and every living creature . . . which the waters brought forth abundantly.”
Genesis 1:21.

There are several species of barracuda, a saltwater fish, ranging from those about the size of a salmon to some close to six feet in length. All have razor-sharp teeth and strong jaws and are swift, fearless and destructive.

The great barracuda are found in the warm Atlantic waters of the West Indies, Florida and the Bahamas. These grow to six feet long and are more dangerous to sea life than a shark. Smaller species also make their homes in the Atlantic Ocean off the shores of Cape Cod south to Brazil. Those in Pacific Ocean waters are active from Canada to Panama and are mostly among the smaller species, rarely attacking people.

One called the California barracuda, about three feet long, is among the nicer-looking species, black-gray on top with silver or yellow sides and white stomachs. Others have dark green or blue backs with dark bars on backs and sides. Actually these colors change somewhat at times, usually to blend in with their surroundings.

These brutal creatures often make a trial bite of a prospective victim before eating it. Even when not hungry some make sport with a victim and then may leave without attacking it.

Barracuda eat just about anything that moves, but favorites include sardines, anchovies, silversides and mackerels. In spring their small yellow eggs are laid among underwater plants and left to hatch by themselves.

Some fishermen dislike barracuda because they steal bait from their lines. If caught on a line, they will leap into the air until they break the line. Other fishermen on the Pacific Coast and Florida consider it good sport to fish for the smaller ones in those areas, just for the fun of catching them. Several species are good to eat, although the meat spoils quickly, but some are also poisonous.

The Lord God did not create these fish to be vicious, but when Adam and Eve foolishly brought sin into the world it affected the life of every living thing. Happily, after those who love the Lord Jesus have been called to heaven, and judgment is pronounced on those who have refused Him, there will be a time when all creatures will live together in peace.

How nice it will be for those in heaven to look down and see a world at peace. We hope you will be among those happy ones.

JULY 24, 1994

ML-07/24/1994

Ever See a Reindeer?

“Thus saith the Lord . . . I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are upon the ground.” Jeremiah 27:4,5.

Reindeer, closely related to caribou, were once wild animals in the northern parts of Scandinavia, Siberia, Greenland, Europe and Alaska, but over the years many have been tamed by Eskimos and others who raise them in great herds.

Fully grown they are about six feet long and about four feet high at the shoulders. Both males and females develop huge sharp-pointed antlers that are seldom used except when males are fighting each other.

Large numbers are still in the northern areas of Canada, Alaska, Greenland and other northern lands of the world. Many are tamed by people who lead them in big herds from one area to another as seasons change. The herdsmen lead great herds to the seacoast areas in spring where they feed on lichen (called reindeer moss) through the summer, putting on weight for cold winter months when they are returned inland.

An impressive sight on these treks is watching a herd swim across a wide river or lake. All that shows above the water are their necks, heads and antlers. An onlooker might wonder how they get across without tangling antlers with each other. But the Creator has His eyes on them and guides them safely across.

What do the herdsmen do with the reindeer? They milk them daily, enjoy meals of reindeer meat, and use them to pull sledges. Their furs are also used to make parkas - warm coats with attached hoods. The people in those lands would hardly dare to venture outdoors in severe weather without parkas. Mattresses are also made of their skins stuffed with their thick warm hairs. Also, their skins are made into warm, comfortable mukluks (boots) for the tender feet of babies and young children, as well as adults.

The antlers of reindeer are made into handy tools. Parts of them are also carved into decorative items, as well as dolls and other toys for children.

It is such a task for the people of those countries to supervise these huge herds, and with access now to more modern ways of living, many wonder how long the present practices will continue. Quite likely, before long, much of it will be discontinued and the reindeer will just be left to care for themselves in the wild. But we can be sure of the Creator’s kind and watchful eyes on them, whether cared for by people or allowed to return to the wild “on their own.”

If the tender thoughts of a kind Creator can be directed to the wild and tamed beasts, how much more is His love directed to us? He tells us in the Bible: “I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee.” Jeremiah 31:3. Have you ever thanked Him for His great love?

JULY 31, 1994

“There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Proverbs 14:12

ML-07/31/1994

Whistling Swans

“When I applied mine heart to know wisdom . . . I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out [all] the work that is done under the sun.”
Ecclesiastes 8:16,17.

There are seven species of swans, all graceful and lovely. Some time ago we considered the one called trumpeter. Now let’s take a look at a close relative, the whistling swan.

It nests around the Arctic Ocean and the Hudson Bay region of Canada and flies to southern Canada and the United States for the winter months. It is strictly a water bird, larger than a goose and very graceful when either swimming or flying.

Among the seven species, the whistling swan has the sharpest, most piercing call, which accounts for its nickname whooper. Actually it doesn’t do much whistling, but makes a loud, musical “woo-ho, woo-woo.” It’s the whistling-like calls as it flies that have given it the whistling name.

It is related to ducks and geese, but looks much different and is much larger. It doesn’t mix with them except at migration time, when they might by chance pick the same wintering home. Migration follows three flyways - one down the Atlantic coast, another along the Pacific coast, and the third over the Midwestern United States. They fly in long lines and at great heights, at speeds up to 50 miles per hour.

Watching swans swimming in a pond or lake is a lovely sight, with long straight necks and sharp eyes searching the water for a fish. Beautiful snow-white feathers completely cover this lovely bird except for a yellow spot between the nostrils and eyes. The feet, legs and bill are black.

Full-grown males may weigh 25 pounds or more and have wingspreads as much as seven feet across. But in spite of their size, they float gracefully on lakes and ponds and are excellent swimmers. Leaving the water is something to watch. First, they flap their wings vigorously, to raise their bodies. Then, with wings still flapping, they run along the surface with their necks stretched out. Finally, they pull their feet back under their tails and are airborne. When returning to the water, they glide down, and just above the surface extend their feet to touch the water first, then slide a little before coming to rest.

They mate for life, showing much attention to each other, as well as their young ones. Cygnets (baby swans) are raised in huge nests, five or six feet across. It takes almost five months of the parents’ protection and teaching before they are “on their own.”

The Psalmist certainly enjoyed the creations of the Lord and often wrote about them. “The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. . . . He hath made His wonderful works to be remembered.” Psalm 111:2,4. Do you remember to thank Him for His care over you, and have you accepted Him as your Saviour?

AUGUST 7, 1994

“Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”
John 4:14

ML-08/07/1994

Pretty but Deadly!

“Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid . . . for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”
Joshua 1:9.

Perhaps you are familiar with a pretty garden plant called the anemone. The sea anemone, living on the bottom of the ocean in many places, is not a plant, but an unusual sea animal. It can move slowly, but it usually anchors itself to a rock. Its “flowers,” though pretty, are equipped with tiny poisonous threads that wrap around a fish which gets too near it. After the fish is paralyzed, the tentacles slowly drag the fish into a hidden mouth, which means the end of the poor victim.

But there are a few fish which are not bothered by the anemone and can swim around its tentacles. These fish eat the particles falling from the anemone’s mouth, as well as catching other little fish that come near, before the anemone’s tentacles can paralyze them.

One of these immune to the poison is the little clown fish, a very pretty bit of bright-red marine life decorated with a few bold white stripes. When not eating, it often snuggles down for a rest on the colorful petal-like tentacles of the sea anemone, which don’t affect it.

Another fish that is immune to the sea anemone’s poison is the damsel fish, but it is a favorite food of some large fish. When pursued, the damsel fish will dash into the “petals” of the anemone. It has been known to even dive through the sea anemone’s mouth into its stomach, without any harm, and soon finds its way back out. No one can explain how it can do this without being killed, but it is an amazing example of the Creator’s ways with what He has created. The Bible says of the Creator, “All things are possible unto Thee.” Mark 14:36.

One more sea creature with no fear of the sea anemone is the anemone shrimp. It lives right inside the many tentacles. Sooner or later a large fish, spotting it there (but wise enough to stay out of reach of the anemone itself), will stop, opening its mouth wide. The shrimp promptly swims out and picks parasites off its teeth that the fish can’t otherwise get rid of. When that tasty job is finished the fish swims away and the shrimp returns to its strange home.

Sea anemones, although very beautiful, cause the death of many fish. It reminds us of the temptations which Satan puts in the pathway of everyone, young or old. He is “as a roaring lion, [walking] about, seeking whom he may devour.” 1 Peter 5:8.

If the Lord Jesus is our Saviour and we put on “the whole armor of God,” He is our protector and will keep us in His ways. Satan will not be able to harm us. Another Bible verse tells us to “trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5.

AUGUST 14, 1994

“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-08/14/1994

A Little Donkey

There once was a wild little donkey.

He had to be tied to a tree,

But Jesus was thinking about him;

He said, “Go and bring him to Me.”

And when they had brought him to Jesus

As quickly as ever they could,

That restless, that wild little donkey

Was quiet, obedient and good.

When Jesus was riding upon him,

He went just the way that he should,

A patient, submissive wee donkey,

Made so by the blest Son of God.

And Jesus is able to make you

Whatever He wants you to be,

He loves you and longs to forgive you

And make you both happy and free.

ML-08/14/1994

Kaibab Squirrels Are Different

“And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind . . . and God saw that it was good.”
Genesis 1:25.

Not long ago we considered some of the squirrels, including the ground and flying species, but we don’t want to overlook the unusual Kaibab squirrels. These live on the bluffs overlooking the Grand Canyon of Arizona.

The Kaibabs, or tassel-eared squirrels, have some features and habits quite different from those in other parts of North America. Their unusually long hair provides pretty coloring and warmth. Their faces and ears are black, speckled with white, and they have a deep-red band running the length of their brown backs and almost pure-white tails.

They have been called “prisoners of geography.” This is because the areas surrounding them for miles are mostly desert, and the deep Grand Canyon, with the Colorado River racing through it, all form natural boundaries that keep them in an area from which they cannot escape, nor can other squirrels come to join them.

But the Creator had His own purpose in keeping them separate and has well provided for their every need.

There are an estimated 20,000 of them, making their homes in the pretty pine forests growing on the northern rim of the canyon, high above the river. Visitors enjoy watching them scramble about the trees and tall grass.

Their diet includes twigs, pine cone seeds, mushrooms, toadstools and other fungi, as well as plants and other seeds. Someone watching closely estimated that one squirrel alone seemed to eat about a thousand pine cone seeds (which are very small) in one day.

They don’t store food for winter as most other squirrels do, but during the winter months find nourishment in chewing the tender ends of new growth on pine tree branches. Another reliable winter food for them is a fungus that grows on the roots of the trees and is easily found when a squirrel scrapes away the ever-present layer of fallen leaves and pine needles. The fungus satisfies their hunger with its good taste and rich nourishment.

The Creator has wisely provided these little animals with an instinct to move to a different territory every year or so; thus a region that has fed great numbers of them is given time to renew its particular section of forest.

Thousands of visitors go to the Grand Canyon every season, and those touring the north rim find much pleasure in discovering the pretty pine trees sheltering such great numbers of these cute little squirrels. We hope many of the visitors realize that, besides the magnificent Grand Canyon, the little Kaibab squirrels living there are another example of the wonders of God’s creation!

AUGUST 21, 1994

ML-08/21/1994

Well-Named Hornbills

“The Lord is good to all: and His tender mercies are over all His works.”
Psalm 145:9.

Hornbills are among the largest birds in the world; some are about four feet long. Their main food is fruit from wild trees, but lizards, mice and small birds are also in their diet.

A most amazing variety, the Malabar pied hornbill, lives in the jungles of Ceylon. About the size of a turkey, it has a huge curved beak in white, orange and black colors, almost as long as its main body. Atop this beak is a high black and orange cap, looking like something that was glued on. The rest of its body is coal-black, except for white patches under its big tail and a chalk-white throat. It nests in fruit trees, where it finds plenty to eat.

Far away in China and Thailand is another species, the rufous-necked. Its huge beak is black on the top and yellow underneath, contrasting with the bright scarlet coloring of its whole body, except for coal-black wings and back and long white tail feathers.

Another one, called the Oriental, nests in a natural hole in the trunk of a big tree. It also has a huge beak (but without the cap) which, when open, looks much like two yellow bananas side by side. Its wings are a combination of speckled black and white, and most other body features are a soft white.

The female of the Oriental has an unusual way of raising her young ones. When ready to lay two or three eggs, she first lines her nest with fresh grass and leaves. Then she squeezes through the narrow opening and closes all but a top slit with gooey material applied by her beak, locking herself inside!

While incubating her eggs, her mate faithfully brings food to her, inserting it through the open slit in the entrance. After the eggs hatch she opens the hole, leaving the babies inside, but from the outside she again closes it, leaving a slit at the top as before. She and her mate then feed them through that slit until they are big enough to be released and take care of themselves.

There are others, such as the black-feathered ground hornbill of Africa with a very unusual beak (horn) surrounded by huge pouches of deep red bare flesh. But these few provide typical samples of this unusual piece of God’s creation.

The Lord God is indeed good to all His creation, as mentioned in the opening Bible verse. Two other verses in the same chapter say, “All Thy works shall praise Thee, O Lord; and Thy saints shall bless Thee.” “The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him . . . in truth.” Psalm 145:10,18.

Are you one of the happy people who know Him as your Saviour? Do you call on Him in prayer daily?

AUGUST 28, 1994

“When we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.”
Romans 5:6

ML-08/28/1994

The Black Skimmer

“The Lord is good to all: and His tender mercies are over all His works.”
Psalm 145:9.

The black skimmer is one of the world’s most unusual birds. There are five species, and the one called “black” lives on several shorelines in the southern and eastern United States. About 18 inches long, they have wide, long wings. They are black above and are quite striking with a white face, neck, chest and stomach and deep-red legs, as well as a red bill with a black tip.

A person might think something is wrong with the bill, for the lower part is a third longer than the upper, although their sides match perfectly and are as sharp as a pair of scissors, causing them to sometimes be called scissorbills.

They live almost entirely on fish or other bits of small marine life which are often just below the surface of the water. At times a skimmer may be alone, but more often several fly together, skimming above the surface. They hold their beaks open, keeping the lower parts of them beneath the surface, scooping up insects, small fish, and shrimp.

If a fish is a good size the skimmer may hold it in the closed beak and carry it to its nest. But if there are no little ones to feed, it will probably cut the fish into small pieces with its sharp bill, or may just swallow it whole.

It’s amazing how many little fish, that would probably never be seen by a person in a boat, are almost always present in bay areas or even in open waters. The skimmers are given instincts by the Creator to know they are there. However, in stormy weather and high waves they can’t undertake these fishing trips.

Other birds floating on the water will often catch a glimpse of a small, nearby fish and grab it with their sharp beaks, but no other bird can match the way the skimmers catch fish.

The opening Bible verse expresses how God, the Creator, takes care of all things He has placed on the earth, and the delightful skimmers are just one more example of this.

Another verse in the same chapter tells of His special care of boys and girls, men and women. “The Lord is nigh [near] unto all them that call upon Him, to all that call upon Him in truth.” Psalm 145:18.

Have you ever called on Him, confessing that you are a sinner and accepting Him as your Saviour? He loves you and wants you to come just as you are. He will make you one of His children if you do as the verse says, “Call upon Him in truth.”

ML-09/04/1994

Dingoes Are Not Popular

“Deliver my soul from the sword; my darling from the power of the dog.”
Psalm 22:20.

Dingoes are medium-sized dogs, about the size of English setters.

They are a breed of wild dogs living in Australia and look much like wolves, especially their heads. Most of them have yellowish-brown fur, short upright ears and long bushy tails. Their faces, with large black noses and eyes, have a rather kind look, but their cunning eyes disclose that they can be fierce fighters. They rarely bark, but howl instead.

They like to travel in packs and hunt together. Their chief food is the wallaby, a small kangaroo. But the people of Australia, while admiring their pretty looks, dislike them tremendously because another of their favorite foods is sheep.

It is thought that they originated as pet dogs of Australia’s earliest settlers and that over the years they became wild, until today it is even hard to make a pet out of a newborn puppy. Often when one is caught they seem friendly enough, but sooner or later escape to join a pack of wild dingoes.

They usually travel in small packs and are amazingly tough. There have been instances when sheep ranchers have found one eating a lamb and have killed it, then discovered later that the dingo had not died but recovered and presumably rejoined its pack and continued raiding sheep. In one of the earlier raids it was reported that ranchers in just one area lost over a thousand sheep to these vicious dogs in a relatively short time.

However, in present times it is not uncommon for a rancher to make a pet of a young one he manages to capture. In addition, quite a few are kept in zoos where little ones are born and frequently sold to people as pets. They still often escape when there is opportunity and apparently are accepted into a wild pack.

The damage done to flocks of sheep over the years finally led to the building of the longest fence in the world in an effort to keep them away. The tall fence made of strong wire is almost 4,000 miles long and stretches nearly all the way across the southern part of Australia.

But while this helps to keep them away from the sheep, the dingoes frequently dig the soil away from the bottom of the fence with their paws and then wriggle under it. Only a small number of them do this, and they are not now the large problem once experienced.

A Bible verse, explaining that we should not get involved in quarrels and things that are not worthwhile, tells us: “He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.” Proverbs 26:17. How much better to be occupied with pleasant things that will be pleasing to the Lord. We often need to ask Him to help us to avoid evil things.

SEPTEMBER 11, 1994

“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-09/11/1994

Angelfish Are Beauties

“Thy way is in the sea, and Thy path in the great waters, and Thy footsteps are not known.”
Psalm 77:19.

The Creator has made homes in the seas for more varieties of fish than we can count, both small and large. Some are very unusual looking, and many of them are outstandingly pretty.

The several varieties of angelfish are very pretty. They live mainly in the warm waters along the coasts of the West Indies and Florida. Several varieties are fished by commercial fishermen and sold to restaurants and fish markets, since most are good to eat.

Florida’s blue angelfish, for instance, is one of the outstanding beauties. It is deep blue on its entire back, with two blue ribbons surrounding its head, separated by a dark brown one. The bottom part of its body is an even more brilliant blue, and a blue and amber snout adds a little more to its beauty, as well as a brilliant fan-shaped yellow tail. It’s not difficult to see how it got its name.

One of the more striking ones is the clown angelfish. One variety of these has a light pink head and shoulders, but the rest of its body, all the way to its tail, is a deep orange marked with wide bands and a central bright green stripe that turns deep blue toward its tail. In addition to this, a huge fin on its back is deep blue, but a similar fin below is light orange with narrow blue stripes. Getting a close look at one of these would convince you that, with such a mixture of colors, it is well named.

Another very attractive variety is the queen angelfish. A typical one is a soft speckled green all over, except for an outstanding yellow tail and fins. It is also decorated with a narrow but bright red line all along its narrow top and stomach. There are about a dozen varieties in this group, most of them making their homes off the shores of Florida, but some venturing as far north as the New England coastline. When fully grown they are about two-feet long and are a good catch for anyone fishing.

The Bible tells us that on the fifth day of God’s creation He said: “Let the waters bring forth abundantly the moving creature that hath life. . . . And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters [oceans, lakes and rivers] brought forth abundantly . . . and God saw that it was good.” Genesis 1:20,21. When we see these and other wonders, how good it is to know the One who created it all and who still watches over them. He watches over you and me too.

SEPTEMBER 18, 1994

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

ML-09/18/1994

Crows Can Be Helpful

“I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are Mine.”
Psalm 50:11.

It almost seems that a crow doesn’t know how to do anything quietly, but instead wants everyone to know he’s around. Parrots can make a lot of noise, but the crow can outdo them. Crows’ raucous calls are heard in just about every part of the world, except New Zealand.

Actually, crows are included with those birds that can be helpful. Among other things, they have a never-ending appetite for insects and will also dispose of small, road-killed animals. Farmers do not like crows because they pull up sprouting corn and eat it. They try, without much success, to scare the crows away with scarecrows placed in their gardens. The farmers are much happier to see them eating grasshoppers, locusts, caterpillars and other pests. Scientists have estimated that a crow will eat 19 bushels of insects in a single season.

Crows are large birds, about 18 or 19 inches long. Those in the eastern United States are larger than those in the West.

They build bulky nests in just about any kind of tree, usually quite high. But some build them down among the low bushes of a swamp or shore of a pond or lake. Nests usually consist of twigs and bark, with a lining of grass, moss, or other soft material. Four to six eggs are laid in the early summer and incubated for 18 days. The baby crows are cared for by both parents and are taught how to collect food as soon as they can fly. The training will take a month or so before they can venture out on their own.

Many a person, trying to get an afternoon nap or lying in bed in the early morning before time to get up, knows what a nuisance a crow’s coarse “caw-caw” can be, especially if there are several calling back and forth at the same time. But the calls can mean “look out” to their companions when danger is nearby. They often encounter dreaded enemies such as hawks, owls, eagles, raccoons, dogs, etc.

If taken young, crows make good pets. They can be taught a number of tricks and can learn to make a variety of noises and imitate sounds.

The Bible does not mention crows, but speaks of ravens, which are closely related. As the beginning Bible verse tells us, the Lord God, their Creator, knows every bird throughout the world and also cares for them. They don’t just happen to be here by evolution, but have been created by Him. Do you know Him as your Saviour as well as your Creator?

SEPTEMBER 25, 1994

“Before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear.”
Isaiah 65:24

ML-09/25/1994

The Adorable Kit Fox

“Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.”
Song of Solomon 2:15.

The kit fox, or desert fox, is the smallest fox in North America. An adult is only about 20-inches long, and little ones are so tiny and adorable that if you got a peek at one you would want to pick it up and hold it. Besides being tiny, they are so cute with pretty, light-tan fur on their sharp-pointed faces, necks and legs and a slightly darker color over their backs and long, bushy tails.

The pleasant looks on their tiny faces, with their dark eyes and black-button noses, topped off by a pair of large, perky ears, all make an unforgettable picture. These youngsters are so tiny you could hold one in your hand. The parents are equally pretty.

At one time there were large numbers in western North America, but today there are only a few, most of which live near Bakersfield, California, in oil-field areas. Their choice of food is mostly rats, mice and ground squirrels. But as these too are becoming scarce, the hungry kit foxes are sometimes spotted at night prowling around marketplaces, no doubt hoping to find some bit of meat or other food.

They use the same den year after year, but their worst enemy, the coyote, is often able to break into their dens and destroy the foxes. So kindhearted people now provide man-made dens for them, properly buried in the ground. These are made of steel pipes welded together in suitable shapes with an opening just large enough for the foxes, but not the coyotes. California officials also have learned of the serious threat of coyotes and hunters as well, and are trying to keep hunters, settlers and industries from coming into those areas, since this will destroy the small number of kit foxes that are left.

It’s sad enough to think that coyotes and other larger foxes are their enemies, but hawks and eagles also go after them. No doubt the Creator of these lovely creatures has put protective kindness into the hearts of people, and it is hoped the authorities will continue to do what they can to preserve them.

We cannot overlook that the opening Bible verse refers to some damage little foxes have always done, and it reminds us that this world can never be a perfect place while our chief enemy, Satan, remains in it. The wonderful hope of those who know the Lord Jesus as their Saviour is His promise to soon call us to heaven, where no sin or sorrow will ever be. Will you be part of the great number who will be there?

OCTOBER 2, 1994

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

ML-10/02/1994

The Musical Katydid

“Thou, even Thou, art Lord alone; Thou hast made heaven . . . the earth . . . the seas, and all that is therein, and Thou preservest them all.”
Nehemiah 9:6.

Katydids live mostly in the southern and western parts of North America. They are a relative of grasshoppers. The loud, shrill call of the male sounds like “katydid-katydid,” which undoubtedly is where their name came from. But often they make a strong, penetrating screech, or some consider it a loud chirping call.

Their colorful, two-inch bodies are attractive. The Creator has given them the ability to change color. Most often they are a pretty shade of green, but the color automatically changes to match the plant on which they are climbing or resting. Birds which would like them for dinner can be right next to them and not even be aware of them, as long as the katydids remain still. Many of the katydids look so much like lichen (a kind of fungus) that when they climb up a plant covered with fungus it is almost impossible to tell where they are as long as they sit still.

These insects are most active in summer, especially in July and August when the weather is very hot. They make their shrill rasping call by rubbing together the rough areas of their wings. These sounds are made especially loud by a paper-thin tiny amplifier under their wings. Their calls, along with those of crickets, locusts, cicadas and many other insects, create an amazing chorus when uninterrupted on an otherwise quiet afternoon. Some katydids continue their songs all night.

The Creator has provided them with remarkable hearing. It has been determined that they can distinguish many sounds which our ears are not capable of hearing. In some species, their long, thin, V-shaped antennae are longer than their bodies.

Most katydids live in trees and bushes and eat young twigs and leaves. Their long hind legs enable them to travel quickly over the tree branches. They can also fly short distances.

Whether it be a whale, elephant or other huge animal, or an ostrich, a hummingbird or a tiny insect, let us never forget that all are a part of the Lord God’s wonderful creation. This also includes you, and if you trust in Him as your Saviour He has a home in heaven waiting for you when your life here is ended. Will you be there?

OCTOBER 16, 1994

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.”

Proverbs 9:10

ML-10/16/1994

The Fierce Goshawk

“Doth the hawk fly by thy wisdom, and stretch her wings toward the south?”
Job 39:26.

There is a wide variety of hawks in several countries of the world. The goshawk (or goose-hawk) got its name because at one time it was noted for killing geese bigger than itself. It is only about two-feet long and a bold hunter, mice being one of its most frequent catches. Its home is often in dense forests both in Canada and the northern United States.

The eastern goshawk is the most common of the three species in North America and spends most of its time hunting birds and small animals. One feature that helps its hunting is that its short wings enable it to fly through dense forests that most other birds avoid.

It has short, rounded wings and a long tail that enable it to twist and dart at lightning speed, changing direction instantly when pursuing small animals or other birds. It likes to nest high in a tree where it may watch for prey or unwelcome creatures approaching. It shows no fear of any bird or animal, or even people.

Its very looks give a clue to its fierceness. Feathers are black, gray and white and its round, orange eyes with black pupils add terror to those who get a look at them. Legs are heavily feathered with strong claws on the feet. This predator’s face is centered with a short, hooked, black beak, from which small victims it has captured frequently dangle as they are being flown home to feed pure-white chicks always hungry for more.

The mother is a most vicious defender when little ones are in her care and will quickly attack anything approaching that she thinks is a threat to them. The father is more satisfied to make threatening screams that sound cruel enough to send intruders away in a hurry.

But the father is good at capturing food for both the mother and chicks. When bringing food, perhaps a pigeon, he makes a clicking signal a short way from the nest. The mother bird hears this and flies out to either snatch the food from his beak or sometimes while still below him he will drop it. She always catches this as he goes back to find more food for the brood.

Hawks were peaceable birds until Adam and Eve brought sin into the world. Sin resulted in upsetting all living things, as this short account of goshawks has brought to our attention. So hawks are mentioned in the Bible as “unclean” birds, which meant they were not to be eaten by the people of Israel. Also, when God spoke to Job about some of the wonders of creation, He asked Job the question in the Bible verse at the opening of this article. He wanted Job to think about these wonders and remember God’s wisdom and power. And we should remember them too.

OCTOBER 23, 1994

“For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God.” 1 Peter 3:18

ML-10/23/1994

Think About These Things

“Stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.”
Job 37:14.

Near the Fiji Islands in the South Pacific Ocean there is an unusual aquatic worm that lives on the coral about six feet below the surface. Great numbers of these worms leave their coral homes only once a year.

Exactly at midnight at the last quarter of the October moon each year, they suddenly loosen themselves from the coral and rise to the surface where they make preparations for giving birth to a number of little ones. Then at eight o’clock that morning, they all drop back down to their coral homes, where they will remain another 12 months. Then they will go through the same activities at exactly the same time.

Natives of that area have long known of this cycle, and many are in their boats waiting, not only to see them, but to catch great quantities with their nets to take home or sell, for they make a tasty meal. Exactly one year later, to the very day and hour, this will take place again.

Without a calendar or clock, how do these unusual creatures of the sea know the exact moment to do this? The only correct answer is that God, their Creator, gave them this ability and has kept them in His care over the vast number of years since He created them.

Another interesting little fish, that may be seen in some aquariums, has been given a name almost bigger than itself, Phyrrilhima Filamentoes. Being so tiny, they are usually raised in glass bowls.

When the female fish lays an egg, she seems to know the bottom of the bowl is not the best place to leave it, so she attaches it with a sticky substance from her mouth onto the side of the glass bowl, about an inch and a half above the water.

Having done this, she somehow realizes the egg must be kept moist or it will dry up and die. She takes care of the problem with a quick flip of her tail every time she swims under the egg, sending a bit of water over the egg. And this is no small job, as she does this several times each minute for about four days, until the egg hatches. The baby fish slides down the glass and thereafter is taken care of in a more usual way.

Many books could be filled with wonderful accounts of how God, the Creator, has taken pleasure in all things, visible and invisible, which He has placed on the earth. All have been designed by Him and continue on in the same pattern of life that He originally gave them.

When we think of the wonders of His creation, should we not praise Him for all His wonderful works, as the Bible verse at the beginning tells us?

OCTOBER 30, 1994

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

ML-10/30/1994

Beneficial Blackbirds

Millions of blackbirds are found in parts of Europe as well as the 15 different kinds found throughout the United States and Canada.

The most numerous and perhaps the prettiest is the red-winged blackbird. They get their name because males have shoulders tipped with bright red and yellow. The rest of them is mostly black.

The eastern red-winged lives from the Rocky Mountains to the Atlantic Ocean. The San Diego, Rio Grande and Nevada red-wings live west of the Rockies.

Red-wings nest in large groups in swamps, marshes, in cattails or tall grass. Nests are usually made of mud, plant fibers and grass, with small twigs woven in and lined with soft material such as moss, soft leaves and feathers.

Farmers like them, not only because of their pleasant calls, but mainly because they eat weed seeds and many harmful insects. Some insects they eat are too big to swallow whole. The bird will hook it on a sharp thorn and dispose of it in smaller bites.

Large groups often gather in open fields, spreading out to find seeds and insects. As they all move forward, those in the back soon discover nothing left for them and take off, flying over others, landing just ahead of them and finding plenty to eat. When the others find nothing left, they will fly ahead and begin feeding in a new part of the field. This goes on until the field has been cleaned. Then the flock will fly to another feeding area.

In some parts of North America, some red-wings migrate to warm winter climates in the fall, while others remain behind and are okay as long as the winter is mild, but sad to say, many do not survive when severe cold sets in. It is mostly the females that migrate, the tougher males merely wait for their return in the spring.

Birds of every kind form an important part of God’s creation, and the Bible often refers to His care over them. But His love and care for us is far greater. King David said, “How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God!” Psalm 139:17. In another place he said, “Show me Thy ways, O Lord; teach me Thy paths. Lead me in Thy truth, and teach me: for Thou art the God of my salvation.” Psalm 25:4,5. To all who pray to Him in that way, He will show His love and kindness. Have you ever asked the Lord to teach you and lead you?

NOVEMBER 6, 1994

ML-11/06/1994

The Walrus

“And God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth.”
Genesis 1:21.

One of these great creatures is the walrus, and what a strange animal it is, with its long tusks, whiskers, ungainly body and ugly face! Its home in the cold Arctic is mostly ice and water, where it feeds on clams, fish and sea urchins.

How can the walrus ever live in such conditions, where an unprotected man would quickly freeze to death? And, being a mammal, how can it dive to great depths for its food without drowning? The answer to both questions is that God has created it in a special way, enabling it to survive.

Its chief protection from the cold is a thick layer of blubber between its skin and flesh. The walrus needs to maintain a body temperature the same as a human and could not do so without this insulation. God has also provided a built-in “thermostat” that automatically starts blood pumping from the blubber to the muscles, flesh and internal body organs the moment the animal enters the freezing water, keeping it very comfortable. But in leaving the water and returning to the ice or seashore, it would be too warm with all that hot blood circulating through its body, so the “thermostat” goes to work and the right proportion of blood returns into the blubber and skin where the heat radiates off. Exposed to the air, it is soon back to a comfortable temperature.

As this is an air-breathing mammal, God has given it “valves” that shut off its breathing whenever it dives beneath the surface, where it may stay a half hour or so. Then when it surfaces, the “valves” open again and it can resume breathing. Without that provision it would drown.

We do not know just why these strange animals were created. They do, of course, provide food for Eskimos, as well as skins, blubber and ivory tusks that are useful. It might seem odd that such unusual creatures would inhabit the cold places of the north, but God had His purpose in placing them there and adapting them to such harsh surroundings.

But, while God watches carefully over all the animals, He is more intensely interested in every boy and girl, every man and woman, whom He has created and does not intend for us to remain on this earth forever. He invites us to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour, and when we do He promises us “an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you.” 1 Peter 1:4. Have you accepted this gracious invitation?

NOVEMBER 13, 1994

“He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.”
Psalm 40:2

ML-11/13/1994

Turkeys - Wild and Tame

“Gavest thou the goodly wings unto the peacocks? or wings and feathers unto the ostrich?”
Job 39:13.

Wild turkeys are large game birds of North America related to pheasants. The sight of a big turkey (particularly when out in the wild) displaying its beauti-fully feathered body, is something a person is not likely to forget.

Except for one all-white variety, brownish-red is the outstanding color of many of them, blending with blue, tan, brown and orange - and a little white trimming. These colors are best seen when a male is trying to win a female companion. He fans out his massive tail feathers to display his beauty. Adding to this are his soft gurgles and an occasional loud gobble.

The wild turkey of North America lives as far south as Mexico. At one time many lived as far north as Maine and southern Ontario. The Indians found them an important source of food, and they were a favorite bird of the pioneer hunters.

Today there are about 2,000,000 wild turkeys in the United States, as well as large numbers in southern Canada. In every place they are a favorite fall game bird for many hunters.

Over the years raising domestic turkeys has become a tremendously big business - at times just a few in a farmer’s backyard, or hundreds and even thousands raised on big turkey farms. This contributes to an immense market for corn and other grains for these always-hungry birds as they are fattened up for year-round markets.

Most of us look forward to Thanksgiving Day and the roast turkey dinner that represents a big part of it, along with other tasty foods. After a prayer of thanksgiving to the real provider, the Lord Jesus, the delicious dark and white meat is enjoyed, along with dressing and tasty vegetables and a piece of pumpkin pie for dessert. Yum, yum!

The beginning Bible verse is one of many in which the Lord was causing Job to realize that his pride was wrong, in spite of his boasting. When the Lord finished, Job replied: “I have heard of Thee . . . mine eye seeth Thee. Wherefore I abhor [am disgusted with] myself, and repent.” Job 42:5,6.

It is good for each of us also to be humbled when we think not only of the Lord’s wondrous creation, but also of His great love for us. He invites us to trust in Him and His finished work on Calvary’s cross and to accept Him as our Lord and Saviour. Nothing is more important! Have you done this?

NOVEMBER 20, 1994

“Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world!” John 1:29

ML-11/20/1994

What Goes on in a Compost Pile?

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

In the last few years we have all been learning ways to recycle various items instead of just throwing them away. Even plant material can be recycled. Here is one way.

Many children help their parents make compost piles by dumping grass clippings, weeds, rotten vegetables, spoiled fruit, and leftover food in one spot to which manure, lime and occasionally soil and ashes may be added. These piles are turned over and stirred up once in a while, until the whole mixture becomes a wonderfully rich substance that, when spaded into a garden, provides the finest kind of enriched soil.

How does this all happen? If you were to dig your hand into a compost pile, you would find it is very warm and moist. This is the result of all the plant material decaying because of certain types of tiny worm-like creatures and organisms doing their job. The most active of all are billions of bacteria which work inside the pile. These are the principal producers of the heat and not only silently change everything to fertilizer, but destroy many harmful insects that are attracted to this banquet.

Other helpers, quite visible, include beetles, worms, millipedes and sowbugs that work near the surface, making miniature tunnels that allow air to reach the materials and make them decay faster. Many of these helpers have short lives, and soon their bodies become part of the compost, too.

Just think - all these helpers almost seem to appear from nowhere. Where do they come from? Well, this is just another wonder of God’s creation. He has designed each one to do its part without any training or instruction. Usually in a few weeks’ time the compost has become a crumbly, loam-like substance which, when spaded into a garden, enriches the soil and will produce excellent fruits, vegetables and flowers.

To see some of these active producers of compost, just take a shovel full of the decomposing mixture out of the center of the pile when it is about ready for use, spread it on a white cloth or newspaper, and look at it through a strong microscope. You won’t be able to see all of them, but what you find will help you grasp how wonderful the Creator’s ways are, even in such a thing as a lowly compost pile.

The Bible verse at the beginning reminds us that nothing is hidden from God, no matter how small or where it may be. Another verse asks, “Doth not He see my ways, and count all my steps?” Job 31:4. The answer is, yes, indeed He does see the ways of every one of us, and He wants our lives to show obedience to His Word, the Bible, and to be pleasing to Him. Does your way of life please Him?

NOVEMBER 27, 1994

“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? I the Lord search the heart.”
Jeremiah 17:9,10

ML-11/27/1994

Some Shocking Fish

“God thundereth marvelously with His voice; great things doeth He, which we cannot comprehend.”
Job 37:5.

It took mankind many centuries to discover electricity and many more years to put it to use. Even so, where it is available, elaborate wiring systems and power plants are required before a factory or home can use it, and then it’s not always dependable.

In contrast, consider another wonder in God’s creation. He gave certain fish throughout the world the ability to make and use their own electricity. Deep in the Caribbean Sea is a fish only three-inches long named the flashlight fish, having a light as strong as a small flashlight. Its electricity comes from pouches below its eyes and can be turned on and off at will. A large fish pursuing it in dark waters gives up when the flashlight fish swims swiftly in one direction all lit up, then turns the light off and swims in another direction.

There are some which have rows of lights along both sides of their bodies and in the dark look like toy ocean liners with lights shining through the windows. They can turn them on and off as they please. Others, such as the deep sea viper fish, dragonfish and more, carry torches on the end of fleshy rods which they can turn in any direction, and there are still others which have bright red taillights. The gulper eel, almost five-feet long, is one of these. Still others have headlights sending out two beams with reflectors behind them, like a little car finding its way in the dark waters.

But not all use their electricity for lights. For some it is a weapon. Certain species of catfish use an electric shocking system to steal food from larger fish as well as to keep them away. Touching the stomach of a large fish with its fin is just like plugging in an electric cord. The bigger one is stunned or knocked out, and the catfish escapes or helps itself to the food the larger one had intended to eat.

Electric rays, torpedoes and numbfish can all give severe shocks many times a minute. The electric ray’s body gets this power from about 450 electric tubes, insulated inside its body so there are no short circuits. When it really turns on the power it can kill small creatures and can knock a man down. The marbled electric rays in the Mediterranean, Atlantic and Indian oceans are among this group.

The six-to-eight-foot electric eel of the Amazon River and other waters of Central and South America is the most powerful of all and can disable large animals with as much as 500 volts of electricity.

These amazing creatures remind us of the works of God and the wonders of His creation, as our opening verse states - beyond our comprehension. But more amazing yet is His wonderful love in giving His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to die on Calvary’s cross. Is He your Saviour?

DECEMBER 4, 1994

“Every one of us shall give account of himself to God.”
Romans 14:12

ML-12/04/1994

The Cheerful Cardinal

“He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills. . . . By them shall the fowls . . . have their habitation, which sing among the branches.”
Psalm 104:10,12.

There are so many beautiful birds throughout the world - all part of God’s creation - that it is impossible to select one as being the prettiest. But somewhere near the top of the list is the lively, cheerful cardinal.

The male is particularly showy in his bright red feathers with a black, mask-like face and throat and black tips on his wings and tail. He has a perky, red, feathery crest that sits perkily on top of his head. The female is also pretty, but her coloring is not quite so showy.

Both male and female are cheerful, swift and busy birds. They have a variety of lovely songs that can be heard long distances through the forests of the eastern United States and as far west as South Dakota and Texas. They are also welcome residents of Ontario, Manitoba and Nova Scotia and an attractive addition to any neighborhood fortunate enough to have a pair. Farmers are happy when they settle nearby, for they eat great quantities of insects and seeds of harmful weeds.

Although the female’s song is softer than the male’s, it too is clear and cheerful, and both sing throughout the year. And that’s another nice feature - they don’t migrate. How striking is the flash of their bright red feathers as they fly over the snow or perch on a snow-covered limb to sing a happy song!

In springtime males and females nest in low shrubbery to raise a family - the male winning his mate by bringing her seeds and cracking the hard shell for her. She seems content to do most of the nest building as long as he feeds her. The finished nest is lined with soft material, then bluish-white eggs are laid in it, hatching out in about two weeks.

The little ones are fed by both parents. After about 10 days they are ready to make their first flight. Soon after they fly, the mother leaves them, and the responsibility of teaching them the ways of bird life is left to the father. But he seems to enjoy doing this.

Do you think God cares about cardinals? Yes, He surely does, for they are His creation and included in this Bible verse: “These wait all upon Thee; that Thou mayest give them their meat [food] in due season.” Psalm 104:27.

And how wonderful is God’s care over you. He includes you in another verse that says, “God our Saviour; who will have all men [all people] to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:3,4. Are you one who has been saved by confessing to Him that you are a sinner and accepting the Lord Jesus as your Saviour?

DECEMBER 11, 1994

“Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”
Colossians 3:2

ML-12/11/1994

The Ways of the Beaver

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

Once there were millions of beavers in streams, lakes and ponds throughout the United States and Canada, but to meet demands of fashion for its lovely fur, trappers killed them mercilessly, nearly wiping them out. Fortunately, the fashion designers changed their designs to other things so that beavers were spared to gradually rebuild their colonies. Should you be visiting some of the mountain areas of the West or lakes in the North, you might get a glimpse of this fascinating creature.

Water is a prime necessity for the beaver, and God has provided it with adaptability to its wet surroundings. A full-grown animal will be about three-and-a-half feet long, including a flat tail about five-inches wide and a foot long. This tail is most important; a beaver uses it, along with its paws, to plaster its home and dams with mud. Its tail is also a rudder for this excellent, web-footed swimmer and serves as a support while it stands on shore or gnaws on trees and shrubs. When a beaver slaps that flat tail hard on the pond’s surface, the sound is a warning for its companions to seek cover from an enemy coming too close for comfort.

This animal is a remarkable engineer, building watertight dams, some a half-mile long, to form ponds. It also builds a house or lodge as much as eight-feet high and 30-feet in diameter. Several beaver families may live in these lodges and have rooms for storing food for winter and other rooms for raising their young. Here they are safe from their enemies, for their entrances and exits are all underwater, although the living quarters are always high and dry.

A beaver’s most prominent feature is its teeth, which are large, sharp and strong. It uses them to cut down trees and have them fall just where they want. These trees are then used in building dams, homes or for food. Incidentally, their teeth never stop growing. To keep them from getting hopelessly long, they must wear them down by gnawing.

The amazing skills of the beaver didn’t come about by a trial-and-error method - God provided them with every feature and ability when He created them, just as He did for every creature.

God puts a responsibility on all mankind to recognize His Son as the Creator of all things, and anyone who denies this can never draw near to Him. But more important yet, He has been made known to the world as the Saviour to those who trust in Him, or as the judge to those who refuse Him. “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. How solemn the warning, “Take heed . . . lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.” Hebrews 3:12.

DECEMBER 18, 1994

“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-12/18/1994

The Earth Still Turns

“While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.”
Genesis 8:22.

God has placed the earth and every planet and star in its own special orbit through the vast reaches of space, and they all spin in perfect order in space and always on schedule. If this were not so, long ago they would have collided with each other and produced chaos too great to imagine.

Astronomers are continually amazed to find, through improved instruments and computers, that the galaxies of stars reach farther away than has been thought, and some now say there may be no end to them! No one on earth will ever know for sure, but those who, through faith in Christ, will be in the glories of heaven with their Saviour will then undoubtedly learn all about His wise creation. Will that include you?

We have been taught that the earth turns on its axis every 24 hours (although it is actually 23 hours, 56 minutes and 4.1 seconds), providing an average of 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness every day of the year. Who do you think arranged this, and why doesn’t it ever run down or change? The answer, of course, is found in the Bible verse: “The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath He established the heavens.” Proverbs 3:19.

The earth’s tilt of 23° on its axis is another provision of the Creator, bringing a welcome change in seasons, as our opening verse states. This places more areas of the earth’s surface under the benefit of the sun’s warmth than would be possible if it were not tilted.

Imagine what life would be like (if there could be any life) if the earth did not rotate every 24 hours! On one side the heat would be so unbearable that nothing could live, and on the other side it would be so dark and cold that everything would freeze solid. Aren’t you glad the Creator is the One who controls this turning? We should thank Him, among other things, for the way this design takes care of all His creatures - some are active in daylight hours and go to sleep around sunset, while others sleep in the daytime and are active at night, all according to His plan.

It is sad to realize how mankind’s carelessness has spoiled many benefits our loving Provider has given us, yet He continues to provide for us in every necessary way. We can only agree with the Psalmist: “The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament [expanse] showeth His handiwork.” Psalm 19:1.

We are so used to these marvels that we rarely think about them, but it is good to stop and think over what this Bible verse tells us: “The mighty God, even the Lord, hath spoken, and called the earth from the rising of the sun unto the going down thereof.” Psalm 50:1.

DECEMBER 25, 1994

“The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.”
1 John 1:7

ML-12/25/1994

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.

“I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust.”
Psalm 91:2|{}|

ML-08/21/1994

Count and Cross Out

What four things does God call very wise? Cross out all letters you find 3 or more times.

Write the remaining letters here:

_________________________

To check your answer, read Proverbs 30:24-28.

ML-04/03/1994

Rewrite This Verse

These letters and words are all out of order, but when properly arranged spell out a verse found in Luke 19. Try to arrange them correctly to form the verse.

NMA EEKS SI VASE OT DAN HATT OCEM OFR OF ASW HET SLOT ONS OT CHIWH

ML-01/30/1994

"Jonah" Word Search

This word search uses words from the story of Jonah. See how many of the words listed below you can find among the letters. Look up, down, diagonally, backwards, across - every direction.

ASLEEP PERISH

BELIEVED PRAYED

BELLY PREACH

BOOTH PREPARED

DRY LAND REPENT

FAST SACKCLOTH

FISH SACRIFICE

GOURD SALVATION

GRACIOUS SHIP

JONAH TARSHISH

JOPPA TEMPEST

KINDNESS WAVES

MARINERS WIND

MERCIFUL WORM

NINEVEH

ML-10/16/1994

"The Blind Man" Word Search

This word search uses words from the story of the blind man. First read John 9 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.

BELIEVE DISCIPLE PROPHET SPITTLE

BIRTH LIGHT SEE WASH

BLIND LORD SIN WORSHIPPED

DAY POOL

ML-10/09/1994

Scripture Verse Word Search: Psalms 32:1

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 “is” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” Psalm 32:1.

“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-03/13/1994

Scripture Verse Word Search: Proverbs 20:11

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 “and” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

“Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right.” Proverbs 20:11.|{}|

ML-02/06/1994

Scripture Verse Word Search: Proverbs 3:6

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.

“In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:6.

ML-02/20/1994

Scripture Verse Word Search: Isaiah 1:18

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.

“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-03/27/1994

Scripture Verse Word Search: Philippians 4:4

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 “the” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

“Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.”

Philippians 4:4.

ML-05/15/1994

Scripture Verse Word Search: Matthew 11:28

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 “me” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

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

ML-06/12/1994

Scripture Verse Word Search: Leviticus 17:11

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.

“It is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.” Leviticus 17:11.

ML-06/19/1994

Scripture Verse Word Search: Proverbs 27:1

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.

“Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.”
Proverbs 27:1.

ML-07/10/1994

Scripture Verse Word Search: John 10:14

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.

“I am the good Shepherd, and know My sheep, and am known of Mine.”
John 10:14.|{}|

ML-07/17/1994

Scripture Verse Word Search: John 3:3

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 “the” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

“Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
John 3:3.|{}|

ML-07/31/1994

Scripture Verse Word Search: Hebrews 4:7

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 “not” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

“Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts.”
Hebrews 4:7.|{}|

ML-08/07/1994

Scripture Verse Word Search: Isaiah 43:1

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 “art” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

“Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art Mine.”
Isaiah 43:1.|{}|

ML-10/02/1994

Scripture Verse Word Search: Proverbs 16:18

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 “and” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

“Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”
Proverbs 16:18.|{}|

ML-10/30/1994

Scripture Verse Word Search: Mark 8:36

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.

“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”
Mark 8:36.|{}|

ML-11/13/1994

Messages of God's Love: 1994

Table of Contents

The Queen's Visit

Lion Fight

Mary Jones and Her Bible

Are You a Seagull or a Mouse?

No Talking in Class

Tippy the Squirrel

Stranded

The Lightning Storm

The Rearview Mirror

Disobeying and Its Results

The Good Black Doctor

Discovered!

Beware!

A Chinese Chicken

The New Keys

The Snow Storm

Bibles in Russia

The Doctor

Hide and Seek

Alligator Attack!

Stranded in a Tree

Saved from Two Fires!

Smart Jake

Which Banner Are You Standing Under?

Tornado Soup

A Wise Decision

Where Did He Come From?

The Stolen Fork

A Strange Hiding Place

No-U-Turn

You Choose

Lost

Stay in the Backyard

Come

A Scary Afternoon

Faith

Jesus' Hands

I Love to Go Fishing! Do You?

The Indian Interpreter

Puppy-Puppy

Great-Great-Great Grandpa John

Who Wants Roy?

Teasing Isn't Always Fun

Chico's Witness

Left Behind!

Last Stop

Cougar Tracks!

What Time Is It?

Danger

Wanna Fight?

A Hungry Bear

A Costly Mistake

Regina, the Captive

The Barometer's Warning

Two Tiny Ticks

In the Raspberry Patch

Escape from an Orca

A Stray Kitten

One Stolen Grape

Shimbi

The Forest Fire Story

The Foolish Monkey

Real Angels in Bolivia

A Strange Refuge

A Hooked Loon

The Fallen Moose

Where Is Suzanne?

Warned

Playing With Fire

A Gift for André

The Weasel

Caught by the Bait

Jake and the Mud Wasps

There's a Bear Ahead!

We All Know the Crow

A Different Crime Story

Inside or Outside?

A Bad Pet