Messages of God's Love: 2000

It was late afternoon, and seven-year-old Louise and her cousins were enjoying the outdoors. Louise’s two dogs, Bear and Tippy, were running in the yard as they also enjoyed the summer weather.

Suddenly, Tippy was upset about something and tried to get the attention of the girls. It took a few minutes for the girls to get Tippy’s message.

When the girls discovered what had Tippy upset, they were upset too. Bear had crawled about 50 feet into a big, empty, underground pipe that was part of the irrigation system, and only his head was poking up through an opening in the pipe. He could see the girls, but he would not pull his head down to crawl back out. He was whining as though asking for help. The girls were too young to figure out how to help Bear, but they knew Louise’s daddy would be the best person to help the dog, so they called him.

When you have difficulties and need help, do you know who to turn to? Jesus says, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble” (Psalm 50:15). “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). Isn’t it wonderful to know that the Lord Jesus hears and understands us at all times. “Before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear” (Isaiah 65:24).

Louise’s daddy crawled into the big pipe as far as he could, but he could not reach Bear or get him to move. Bear was frightened, and by now it was getting dark and Louise was really upset and worried. She did not know what would happen to Bear if they could not get him out. Because Louise had been taught by her parents that the Lord Jesus cares about all our problems, she was praying that Bear could be helped.

When it was fully dark, Louise’s daddy hung a spot light at the entrance to the big pipe. That’s all it took. When Bear saw the light he wiggled around, pulled his head back out of the opening, and crawled out toward the light.

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life” (John 8:12). Have you turned to the Light? Jesus is also the Saviour of sinners. Is He your Saviour? Won’t you come to the Light and accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour? “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on Me should not abide in darkness” (John 12:46).

ML-01/02/2000

A Call From Heaven

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” (vs. 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-01/02/2000

Obey Your Parents

“But, Mother,” I insisted, “I don’t want to go.”

She was very gentle about it, but there was no use arguing with her. “Yes,” she said, “Mrs. Dunn wants you, and you must go.”

I was remembering the dark little room in which the poor old lady lived alone, without family or much money to cheer her, and I tried another argument.

“I’ll go if you will come with me,” I said, but nothing changed my mother’s mind. I had to go see the old lady, and I had to go today and I had to go alone.

Pennies were very scarce in our house, even for Mother, and for me there were none at all. The only way to get to Mrs. Dunn’s place was to walk, and it was a chilly March day in Canada. I was just grumpy old me, and I did not want to go.

Life has many hard things to do. Have you found it that way? I have since learned the story of a man named Moses who had things to do that were much harder than mine. But the Bible says “he had respect unto the recompense [repayment] of the reward” (Hebrews 11:26). He left a king’s palace to go off into the desert, with no more money than I had (which was none), because he cared more about the riches of the eternal God than he did about anything he left behind. In fact, he left because his faithfulness to God rather than to the king had made the king angry.

When I set off to visit Mrs. Dunn, nobody was angry with me. So why was I grumpy? And why do you become grumpy if you are asked to do something you don’t want to do? Do you know that God will reward your obedience, if it is done for Him? God says, “Children, obey your parents” (Ephesians 6:1). And God will reward you, if you do that thing in obedience to Him.

I went that chilly March day, and Mrs. Dunn had a surprise for me. You know what? She knew that my birthday was coming up soon, and she gave me a whole dollar! A hundred pennies, all for me! And that was why she had sent for me, and I never guessed it. All my grumpiness was gone, and I ran all the way home.

“Mother,” I shouted, “she gave me a dollar!”

And what reward will God give you if you really want to please Him? I don’t know, but it will be far better than a dollar. It may not come right away, but it will last much longer. God’s rewards are forever. Will you, this very day, remember His command, “Children, obey your parents,” and then remember that He has promised to reward your obedience?

“Honor thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise)” (Ephesians 6:2).

ML-01/09/2000

A Missed Flight

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

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

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

That man and his wife thought they were all ready for their trip. They had checked in and received their seat assignments, they had all their luggage with them, and they were very close to the door of the plane they wanted to take. However, because they did not actually go through the door and get on the plane, all their preparation was useless. They were told by the agent not just once but many times to board the plane, but they didn’t get on.

Are you any different? The Bible says there is judgment ahead for every person who dies still in their sins, but there is a way to be saved from your sins and from that judgment. You may think that you are very close to being saved by going to church or Sunday school, memorizing Bible verses, and living a good and honest life (which are all good things). And yet, if you do not put your faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, you are still lost in your sins, heading for that judgment.

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

ML-01/09/2000

The Shepherd Llama

Most of us have seen llamas either on a farm or in a zoo. The llama has thick, brown hair, a long neck and looks somewhat like a small camel, but it does not have a hump. It is a strong animal, eats grass and low shrubs, and does not need to drink much water. The llama is used as a pack animal, especially in South America. When a llama is angry or being attacked, it will become aggressive and might even spit in its enemy’s face.

We visited a family that has seven sheep and one llama. The sheep often follow the llama around the pasture, but the real reason for keeping them together is for the llama to guard the sheep. If dogs, other animals or even people come near the sheep, the llama will chase them away. The llama is a real protector for those sheep.

Isn’t it good to know that if you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, He is guarding you at all times? He tells us in Psalm 34:7 that “the angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear Him.”

During summer when the weather is hot, the sheep and llama will spend the day in the barn or find shade elsewhere. But when evening comes, the llama heads for the pasture and nearby river to graze and drink, and the seven sheep follow along. It was interesting to watch them walk in single file across the pasture, always together. The llama was like a shepherd to those sheep.

Are we who know the Lord Jesus following Him, our Shepherd, to the green pastures and still waters of His Word? He not only wants to protect us, He wants us to enjoy the food and water He has for us in His Word, the Bible. “How sweet are Thy words unto my taste” (Psalm 119:103). His Word can also be our guide to lead and protect us. “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105). Are you reading God’s Word daily and enjoying its sweetness and guiding strength?

ML-01/16/2000

A Special 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 main problem. It was not money, for they could have paid twice the fees. The problem was that the school day began each morning with reading from the Bible and singing a hymn. They did not want Frank to have his head filled with what they thought was unnecessary nonsense.

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 unnecessary foolishness to you, do you see what grouping you have put yourself in? “Them that perish”! That is the grouping 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 you might do and what his teacher did. She prayed privately 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 the next 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 grouping 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 grouping 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-01/16/2000

The Squealing Hog

Shortly after we arrived in Mexico City, we heard the loud, unmistakable squealing of a hog. To hear such a sound in the city near a very busy corner was startling. It certainly got our attention, and we were curious enough to investigate. Sure enough, a good-sized hog was being pushed and pulled by two men who were trying to make the animal go where it did not want to go. One man held the rope tied around the hog’s neck, and he was pulling. The other man had the hog by the tail and was pushing from behind. Part of the time the hog’s feet were sliding along the concrete. And that hog was protesting with squeals that could be heard a great distance away.

This squealing hog did not know it was being taken to the slaughterhouse. It just did not want to go anywhere! There is a verse in the Bible that speaks of a lamb being led to the slaughter (Isaiah 53:7). There is no way anyone could say this hog was being led, or even driven, to the slaughter. It was indeed being taken to a nearby slaughterhouse, but it was being dragged - forced against its will.

Do you think you and I could ever be compared to that hog? The Bible tells us the hog is an unclean animal. That simply means it was one of the animals that could not be used for food for the children of Israel. One way we can be compared to that hog is that the Bible states that because of our sins “we are all as an unclean thing” (Isaiah 64:6).

And there are also other ways in which we are like the hog. This animal had a very strong will not to do what those men wanted it to do. Another verse in the Bible tells us that “we have turned every one to his own way” (Isaiah 53:6). We have all done things we wanted to do, even though we knew they were wrong or disobedient. There’s that strong will, just like that squealing hog.

Now, what about that rope that was tied around the hog’s neck? If we have not yet trusted the Lord Jesus as our Saviour, we are tied by a very strong rope of sin, and Satan is holding the other end of that rope! And remember the one man pushing the hog from behind? Our friends sometimes push us to do something with them that we really may not have wanted to do. Friends can also convince us not to come to the Lord Jesus for salvation. Because “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23), unless we accept the forgiveness for our sins that the Lord Jesus is offering, we are just as sure to perish as the hog was to be slaughtered.

Well, we certainly are an awful lot like that squealing hog headed for the slaughterhouse, aren’t we? But we don’t have to stay that way. Because God is a God of love, He does not want any one of us to perish. We do not have to continue on a path that will cause us to end up in the slaughterhouse (hell) like the hog in this story. The Bible says, “The Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world” (1 John 4:14). In order for the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to be the Saviour of sinners, He had to die. He had to pay to God the debt for the sins of each person who comes to Him for forgiveness. He paid the debt on the cross that fulfilled God’s requirements for those sins.

The Lord Jesus loves you and wants to take off that rope of sin and have you begin your happy journey to heaven. Will you come to the Lord Jesus today for forgiveness of your debt of sins? “Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth” (Proverbs 27:1).

ML-01/23/2000

Storm Warning

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-01/23/2000

Can You Say That?

In Truro, Nova Scotia, two young girls sat side-by-side in the big gospel tent, listening closely to the message of God’s love to lost sinners. Mary had often come before and had already trusted the Lord Jesus to wash away her sins. Now she wanted others to know Him too, so that day she had brought her friend.

When the meeting was over most of the children ran outside, but the two girls stayed behind to talk to the man who had been speaking earlier. He told them once again how the Father had sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world because He loves us so much and doesn’t want even one of us to perish in our sins. They all knelt down together to ask the Lord for His saving grace for Mary’s friend. She happily accepted the fact that “the blood of Jesus Christ . . . [cleanses] us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

As the girls left the gospel tent walking hand-in-hand, Mary said to her friend, “Now you can say, ‘Jesus died for me.’ ”

Can you say that?

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

ML-01/30/2000

José and His Truck

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ML-01/30/2000

The Wrong Measurements

It was racing swiftly many millions of miles from earth. On it traveled through the vast empty space between the planets. Back on earth in the lab nestled in the hills above Los Angeles, everyone watched and waited. Everything seemed to be going according to plan. After all, more than 250 people had worked on this spaceship. It had cost many millions of dollars. Only the best of materials had gone into it. It was about 7 feet tall and weighed 1387 pounds. They had calculated and planned every detail.

Unfortunately, there was one small mistake. Just one calculation was wrong. This little mistake sent the spaceship too close to the planet Mars. Flying about 23 miles away, it was suddenly pulled into the Martian atmosphere. It burned and crashed!

Many people think their little journey of life seems right on track. Everything looks good. What could possibly go wrong? Yet every boy and girl and grown-up has a problem. Each of us has sinned! And it is not a little problem. We have gone off course and are not going to end up where we want to go. Will you find this out before it is too late? The spaceship was only 60 miles off course, but it proved fatal.

During the 9 month journey starting in December 1998, the spaceship with its special cameras had traveled 461 million miles. There was no shortage of time to fix the problem. It was a careless mistake, but nobody realized something was wrong. You and I should know something is wrong in our lives, because the Bible plainly tells us that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). It even tells us that “there is a way which [seems] right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12). Are you on the way that only seems right? Have you been mistaken? Or are you truly on the right way?

The scientists made a simple mistake, because they used the metric system of measurements to navigate the spaceship. The contractor who built it had used the English system of measurements.

It is very possible that you and I are also using the wrong measurements. We compare ourselves with other people and say, “I’m really not as bad as he or she is.” But we need to use God’s measurements. His standard is the only true and accurate one. He says we have “all gone out of the way, [we] are together become unprofitable; there is none that [does] good, no, not one” (Romans 3:12). If we measure ourselves by God’s standard, we see that our calculations are wrong. We are not on the right course, and we need a course correction.

The NASA laboratory said the search for radio signals from the spaceship might as well be called off. They said, “There is no hope of finding anything.” What an unnecessary loss. And yet you are far more valuable than this spaceship. It was worth 125 million dollars, but you are priceless - you do not have a price tag. God says, “What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36). Nothing could ever buy you back, if you die in your sins. What an unnecessary loss.

Listen to the warning; it’s not too late. God tells us to repent and believe the gospel that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). To repent means to change your mind, to think differently. Change your mind about sin; it is serious. Change your mind about your course in life. If you want to be in heaven, you must be saved from your sins.

The loss of the spaceship was expensive. They can replace it and try again. You can’t be replaced, and there is no second chance. “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).

Peter asked, “Why does it say that God loved the world in John 3:16, and then He tells us not to love the world in 1 John 2:15?”

Have you ever wondered about that?

Often our questions can be answered by reading carefully where the verses appear in the Bible. Since the Bible is God’s Word, He can use it to answer all our questions. Let’s read the whole verse from John 3:16. “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Notice the two italicized words, “world” and “whosoever.” God is telling us here that He loves the “whosoevers” of the world. That’s you and me, the people of this world.

Now let’s look at 1 John 2:15-16. Here’s how it reads: “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. . . . For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.” If we know the Lord Jesus as our Saviour and God as our Father, this is a warning to us not to love the world. He is not talking here about loving people in the sense that we care about them and want them to be saved from their sins. Rather, we shouldn’t love the world or anything in the world that would take away our love for the Lord Jesus or God our Father.

Can you think of some things in this world which might take away your love for the Lord Jesus, if you love them?

ML-02/13/2000

What Is a Lighthouse for?

What is a lighthouse for? Alice could have told you, since she lived in one off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada.

It was strong and tall and lonely, out in the wild winds and stormy waves of the North Atlantic Ocean. There were no wires from the mainland to bring electric power, but there was a generator. Alice’s father made sure that the beam of light from the lighthouse was bright and steady from dusk till dawn, even in the worst of weather.

I have seen pretty lighthouses built for decoration, inviting people to come and admire them, but Alice’s home was not like that.

“What is a real lighthouse for, Alice?”

Her answer: “It doesn’t say, ‘Come’; it says, ‘Don’t come!’ I remember the day when my dad saw a ship coming straight for us. It seemed like the captain wanted to visit us, but Dad knew that was not the message of the lighthouse.

“My dad had a big voice. He had shouted above the roar of Atlantic storms ever since he was a young man, so he put a big megaphone to his mouth to make his voice go straight out to sea. I heard him shout with all his might, ‘ROCKS! ROCKS!’ ”

Now, why would the lighthouse keeper want to spoil the captain’s plans? For the same reason we are giving you this paper today. The captain’s ship was headed for disaster on the rocks, and the end of following your own way is death and eternal hell. “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Are you listening?

The captain was listening. He checked his speed at once, but he did not know which way to turn.

“Again my dad’s voice roared through the megaphone, ‘HARD TO STARBOARD!’ ”

And for you who do not know which way to turn, it is not enough to only tell you that you are on your way to a lost eternity, but we want to tell you the way to be saved from disaster. “Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3). In Him is salvation and eternal life. We don’t shout “Lost!” without telling you of the Saviour of the lost. Are you listening?

The captain listened and obeyed, and the boat changed direction as quickly as it could respond. There was no wreck that day.

Alice said, “Wasn’t it good that my father was watching?”

Yes, it was a life-saver for that crew. It seems they had misunderstood the purpose of the lighthouse.

Perhaps you are missing the purpose of the gospel message and just thinking it is something to entertain you. Not at all. The message of God’s Word is a warning and a new direction, from sin to the Saviour - from a lost eternity to God’s home. Listen and obey. Why should you wreck your life now and forever?

“He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36).

ML-02/20/2000

Lessons From a Birthday Cake

Mother was going to make a birthday cake for Nicole. This was not her real birthday; it was her half-birthday, because she was only six months old.

“It will be a very little cake,” said Mother, “because she is only half-a-year old!”

“May we help make it?” both Mark and Julie asked.

“I could certainly use some help,” said Mother. She pulled two chairs over to the counter. “And you know,” she went on, “there’s something God can teach us while we make this cake.”

Mark and Julie climbed up on the chairs and took turns stirring the butter and sugar Mother had just put into the bowl.

Mother said, “The two things we’ve put in so far we like very much, don’t we?”

Mark and Julie agreed, because they sure did like butter and sugar.

“But now we have to put in some things that don’t taste very good - baking powder and flour.”

The two children tasted a little of both the baking powder and the flour and quickly agreed that they didn’t like the taste of either one, but especially the baking powder.

Then Mother went on with her explanation. “But when we mix together the things we like and the things we don’t like, what do we get? We get a cake that tastes good!” Mother added little spoonfuls of other things, and Mark and Julie kept stirring.

Then Mother explained, “God works the same way. He lets some things come to us that we like very much, butter-and-sugar kinds of things. But He also lets some things come to us that we don’t like, baking powder-and-flour kinds of things. These may be unhappy things like being sick or being hurt by something someone says about us. But God knows that all these things are needed to make us turn out the way He wants. We couldn’t use our cake very well, if it had only sugar and butter in it. And God couldn’t use us very well either if only things we like happened to us.”

Nicole’s little half-a-birthday cake (with only half a candle on it) was dessert for supper that night. After supper Daddy taught them a Bible verse that said just what Mother had been telling them while they made the cake: “All things work together for good to them that love God” (Romans 8:28).

ML-02/20/2000

An Experiment

Do you like to do experiments? Here is one anybody can try. You need two jars the same size, glass or plastic, that you can see through. Fill one jar with rocks about the size of a large chicken egg, but they can be any shape. Fill the other jar about 2/3 of the way up with sand or loose dirt. Now see how many of the rocks from the rock jar you can fit into the jar holding the sand. When I tried, I was able to fit in three.

Now put the rocks that are on top of the sand back into their own jar with the rest of the rocks, and then begin pouring the sand into the rock jar too. You’ll have to shake the sand down a little. How much sand are you able to fit into the jar with the rocks? I was able to fit almost all the sand into mine.

Let’s apply this experiment to you and me, and it doesn’t matter if we are young or old. The sand represents the things we need to do every day: eat, drink, dress ourselves, go to school or work, ride bikes, play ball, read a good book or visit with friends. The rocks represent what God wants us to put first in our lives: trust the Lord Jesus to wash away our sins, read our Bibles, spend time in prayer and do kind things for other people.

If you do the things you need and like to do first, the things God wants you to do will be mostly left out. It’s like filling the jar with the sand first and then trying to fit the rocks in. But like the second part of the experiment, if you do the things God wants you to do first, you’ll find that most of the other things will fit into your life as well. That’s why we’re told, “Seek ye FIRST the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33), “for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things” (vs. 32).

I did have some sand left over that didn’t fit in with the rocks. If that’s the way it is in my life, perhaps some of the things I’m doing are not pleasing to the Lord at all. I need to listen to what He tells us in Hebrews 12:12: “Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus.”

If we ask Him each day what He would like us to do and have a real desire to do His will, then we have this promise: “The Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul” (Isaiah 58:11).

ML-02/27/2000

Dangerous Teasing

Is there someone in your family who really 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 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 upper 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 very still 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, that 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. 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. But how important to realize that 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-02/27/2000

The Spotted Frog

A group of men were on an expedition in the jungles of South America. As they were following a jungle trail, David, one of the men, spotted a frog. David thought he could use a little excitement and a break from the steady walking, so he decided to try to catch the frog. As he got ready to catch it, Pedro, who was behind David, pulled out a gun and shot the frog. David was taken by surprise! “Why did you do that, Pedro? I just wanted to have a little fun catching a frog.”

Pedro explained, “David, what you thought was a frog was really the head of a very poisonous snake called a Fer-de-lance.”

Pedro had seen what was about to happen and stepped in, just in time to save David’s life. The body of the snake was hidden under bushes and plants, and only the head could be seen. It was deceptive because it looked like a harmless frog rather than the dangerous snake it really was. If David had gotten close to catch it, thinking it was a harmless frog, he would have been bitten and poisoned with the snake’s venom and died very shortly after.

According to jungle knowledge, poisonous snakes are graded on a 1step, 2step and 3step rating, meaning how few steps you could take away from the snake after you’ve been bitten before you fall dead. The Fer-de-lance was graded as a 2step snake. This means that David was two steps away from death, if Pedro had not seen the danger and stepped in to save his life.

Although this dangerous Fer-de-lance snake was deceptive by its looks, we have an even more dangerous deceiver today. Satan is the chief of all deceivers, causing people of any age to think that the attractions of this world are more important than taking time to think about where they will spend eternity. Satan doesn’t want you or anybody else to learn that the Lord Jesus loves you and gave His life to save you from an eternity in hell. Pedro easily killed David’s enemy with his gun, but our Lord Jesus went even farther. He knew the danger we were in from our sins and came into the world, right into Satan’s territory, to save us from his deadly bite. He let cruel men nail Him to a cross where He suffered and died, paying the price for our sins in His own body. His payment for sin can save you and me from an eternity in hell, if we will believe and accept Him as our very own Saviour.

“The Son of Man [Christ Jesus] is not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them” (Luke 9:56). “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us” (Titus 3:5).

Will you let Him save you?

ML-03/05/2000

Soft Ice

One mild day in March, even though snow was still on the ground, the ice on the pond was getting very soft and no longer 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.) Then one of the boys got the idea to throw snowballs out on the ice to see if Jake would go after them. But somehow 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 anyway. 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, for He tells us that “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?

The children finally very sheepishly admitted they had done wrong, and we forgave them. BUT . . . work had to be done to clean up their disobedience. Clothes had to be washed and dried.

And 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.

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-03/05/2000

Garth's Special Lamb

The little lambs tried to run this way and that. The sheep farmers had to be quick, as they guided them up onto the two pickup trucks. Today they would all be sold at the market at Kitchener. It was an hour away, so they had to be on their way soon.

Garth looked over the lambs. They looked so fine. They weighed about 60 pounds each and would sell for a good price. Then he saw it. There it was in his truck—that special lamb. It looked up at him as if to say, “Hey, where are we going today?” He smiled as he thought about the care and the time he had spent with the lamb.

The mother had rejected this lamb shortly after it was born. It was really an orphan. Garth had taken special care of it. Many times he had held it close. He had used a baby bottle to feed it. As it got older, he made sure it ate the special grain. It had grown fast and strong, with all the special attention it got. It recognized Garth. When he would walk out to the field where the sheep grazed, this special lamb would run over as if to say, “Hi. I’m glad to see you.”

It was the finest lamb in his truck today. It was a little bigger, stronger and more beautiful, he thought. This one will get the best price today, he said to himself.

At the market he spoke to the man. “You must bring this special lamb out all alone to be sold. I don’t want him brought out with all the others. He is special.”

The buyers were at the market, ready to bid on the sheep and lambs. Out came the 60 lambs Garth had brought to the market. The price went up. It was $1.10 per pound, then $1.15, and finally $1.20. It was a good price, and Garth was pleased.

Then his special lamb was brought out. Garth waited with anticipation. He could see it was different from the others. He held his breath as the price went up. First it was 60 cents. Then it went to 62 cents, and then it stopped. Would anybody want to pay more? He looked around. Didn’t they see how special this lamb was? It was worth more, much more!

“Sold!” the man called out.

Poor Garth. Only 62 cents. What a poor sale; he couldn’t believe it. Out in the market yard he saw his special lamb again. Through misty eyes he said goodbye. He knew what it was worth even if nobody else cared.

A few years later when Garth accepted the Lord Jesus as his Saviour, he thought back on his special lamb. He had learned that the Lord Jesus was God’s Lamb. He was a very special Lamb, and God sent Him into the world to die for our sins. Yet many people did not care about God’s Lamb. Many people did not value Him at all or see anything special about Him. Even Garth for many years had not cared for God’s special Lamb. Now he was so glad that he could honestly say, “God’s special Lamb is my Saviour and has cleansed me from all my sin.” “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).

Is God’s Lamb, the Lord Jesus, special to you? Have you accepted Him as your very own Saviour, and have you ever taken the time to just thank Him for coming to our world to save us? Do you know how much He is really worth? The Bible says, “Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable [precious] gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15).

ML-03/12/2000

A Real Treat

Tom was standing on a long extension ladder that was leaning against a coconut tree. That tree must have been about 30 feet tall. He had in his hand a long pole with a saw on the top. Soon a cluster of coconuts came crashing down to the ground. We all helped carry them over to the compost pile. Then Tom took a large machete, over two feet long, and began slicing through the tough outer husk. Working only on one side of each nut, he soon exposed the hard inner shell. Then he made two holes through that shell into the nut and drained off the “coconut milk.” Finally, after opening a half-dozen coconuts, he had collected a pitcher full of coconut milk and a big pan full of coconut meat. We were soon to have a real treat, something that we had never had before - fresh coconut ice cream!

Cream, eggs and sugar were added to the chopped coconut meat. This was all poured into a container inside the ice cream freezer. Ice and salt surrounded it. The handle of the freezer was turned and turned, until the thick, rich ice cream was just right.

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

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

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

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

ML-03/12/2000

Reassured

In our house I slept in the bedroom at the back of the house. My sister slept in the middle bedroom and my parents in the front bedroom. Mom, Dad and my sister were all saved from their sins and knew it. I wasn’t sure if I was saved or not. I couldn’t remember having accepted Jesus as my Saviour, and I knew this was the only way to be saved. Until now it really hadn’t bothered me, but now I was 12 and the thought that Jesus might come at any minute to take His own to heaven made me very uncomfortable. What if He came and I wasn’t ready? I knew the Bible said that I’d be left behind to spend eternity being punished for my sins! That was a scary thought.

Especially at night I thought about it. It was difficult for me to go to sleep. I knew that as long as my parents were still here, Jesus hadn’t come yet. So I would call out, “Good-night, Dad,” and he would answer, “Good-night, Son.” But then if I didn’t go to sleep right away I would start worrying again, and I’d call again, “Good-night, Dad,” and he would answer. But my dad had to get up and go to work in the morning, and he was trying to go to sleep himself. After I had called three or four times, he would say, “Good-night, Son, but if you call once more tonight you are going to be punished.”

I knew I couldn’t call out any more, but I was still worried that I might be left behind if Jesus came. I couldn’t get to sleep. After a while I’d tiptoe down the hall to my parents’ room. Thankfully, my dad was a noisy sleeper, so I’d listen outside the door for his snoring, and then, reassured, I’d tiptoe back to bed.

This went on night after night, and I hated to go to bed. I was too shy to tell my parents, but I was desperate. One night I got out my Bible and read over those wonderful words in John 3:16: “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Then I knelt down by my bed and said, “Lord Jesus, I know I’m a sinner, and I need You to be my Saviour. Please come into my heart and wash away my sins.” Now I was saved and I knew it! That’s all it took. I went happily to sleep.

I didn’t tell anyone I was saved, so it wasn’t long until Satan began whispering in my ear, “You’re not really saved.” But God was whispering to me too, and He said, “Get your Bible and read John 3:16 over again.” I did. The words were still the same: “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Just reading and believing those wonderful words again gave me certainty and peace.

But Satan loves to make us doubt that what God says is true and will always be true. I guess I was like Eve, more ready to listen to him than to listen to God.

My mom was always at home waiting for us when we returned from school. But one afternoon she wasn’t there. Maybe Jesus has come and I’m not ready after all, I thought. I decided to call my aunt on the telephone. She was always home too. But no one answered. So I called another aunt who was always home. No answer. Now I was becoming frantic. But I still belonged to Jesus even if I wasn’t sure of it, and He was right there beside me, prompting me to get my Bible. Just reading and believing those familiar words of John 3:16 gave me peace again.

I had just finished thanking Jesus for saving me and keeping me when Mom came home. But now I had learned that I must never depend on my feelings to be sure I was saved, but always on what God says in the Bible.

It was a long time before I shared my secret with anyone, but whenever I started to worry I would get out my Bible and read. Then my heart would be at peace. I began to read my Bible more and more, and as I read it I came to know Jesus better and better. He’s a wonderful Friend. He loves me and died for me so I could go to live with Him in heaven forever. He loves you and died for you too. Have you told Him you’re a sinner and that you want Him to be your Saviour? Don’t wait - He’s coming soon, and it may be today. “Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of Man cometh at an hour when ye think not” (Luke 12:40). “Prepare to meet thy God” (Amos 4:12).

ML-03/19/2000

Hiding From Lightning

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-03/19/2000

What Were You Doing Last Tuesday?

Stephen’s hiccups just would not go away! His mom tried giving him honey, then counting to ten while he held his breath and several other methods, but nothing worked. Then she remembered having heard someone say that sometimes a sudden surprise will stop them. Stephen’s mom thought it was worth a try, so without thinking about what she would say she turned to Stephen suddenly and with a gruff voice said, “OH YES, STEPHEN! WHAT WERE YOU DOING LAST TUESDAY AFTERNOON?”

There was a great silence as Stephen’s face became white with guilt. All he could think was, Who could have told my mom? He was sure no one had seen him!

But Stephen had forgotten to look up. “Thou God seest me” (Genesis 16:13). And though no one on earth had seen Stephen in his secret sin that Tuesday afternoon, God saw, and He sent His messenger, the hiccups, to tell on him. And sure enough, as soon as the hiccups’ assignment was finished, they went away.

Do you have some secret sins that you are sure no one else knows about? Everyone has some, for we are all born sinners. Luke 8:17 says, “Nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest [displayed]; neither anything hid, that shall not be known and come abroad.” This could be very embarrassing for all of us. But you know, children, God is so kind that He says, “If we confess our sins [to Him], He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Then He assures us, “Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more” (Hebrews 10:17). Since Christ bore our sins in His own body on the tree, we have only to rest in the fact that He has taken our punishment for us and realize that what God no longer remembers, we must not think about anymore either. Now God says in Philippians 4:8 that we are to think about things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely and of good report. When we think of our Saviour, we think of the whole list at once, don’t we? But God also wants us to notice these traits in others. Seeing these is God’s love working in us.

Now it may surprise you to know that just as God does not want us to have secret sins, He also does not want us to have secret love. He says, “Open rebuke is better than secret love” (Proverbs 27:5). So tell those around you today how they have helped and encouraged you in your Christian life. It may come at the very time that Satan is trying to discourage them by telling them what a failure they are. You can be God’s messenger to encourage them to continue in well doing.

How about starting right now with your mom and dad?

ML-03/26/2000

A Serious Problem

Lola was a kind, cheerful 80-year-old lady. She enjoyed having visitors and taking friends out to eat. She always remembered birthdays and liked to send flowers and fruit baskets to her many friends.

By the time Ruth and Terry got to know Lola, she had a serious health problem. This problem was so serious that the doctor had to remove one of her legs to save her life. But she was still pleasant and cheerful and kind to her friends and family.

Ruth and Terry both knew the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour, and they were concerned about Lola as she did not know Jesus. In fact, Lola had a much more serious problem than missing one leg. She did not believe she had ever sinned! When Ruth or Terry would talk to her about her need of the Saviour, she would smile and say, “I have never sinned.” Both Ruth and Terry knew what the Bible says in Romans 3:23, “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” But Lola insisted that she wasn’t a sinner.

Many of us have been taught by our parents or Sunday school teachers that the Bible says that lying, disobeying, stealing, swearing and cheating are sins. Every one of us is guilty, and so every one of us is a sinner. The Lord Jesus is the only Saviour of sinners. He said, “I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Matthew 9:13).

Ruth and Terry would talk to Lola about her need to admit that she was a sinner and to come to the Saviour of sinners for forgiveness. They would read the Bible to her and tell her how much God loved her, but she would just smile and say, “But I have never sinned.” It was foolish of Lola not to admit that she was a sinner, but she just would not believe that someone as good as she had been had ever sinned. Another Bible verse says, “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).

While Ruth was away on vacation, Lola became seriously ill and died. When Ruth returned, Terry told her Lola had died still saying she had never sinned. How sad Ruth and Terry felt now that there was nothing more that could be done. Her eternity without Christ was now permanent.

Whether or not you will admit you are a sinner doesn’t change what God plainly tells us, that all have sinned. He also tells us that, although He hates our sins, He loves the sinner and sent His Son Jesus to die for us so our sins could be forgiven. “God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Will you confess to God that you are a sinner and accept His loving offer of forgiveness?

ML-03/26/2000

A Hopeless Condition

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

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

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

ML-04/02/2000

A Bad Shortcut

Hundreds of volunteers, police and firefighters searched late into the night for the three young brothers. It was raining, cold and windy, and the boys had been out in the woods since 10:30 that morning. But the search finally had to be called off until daybreak. Everyone was worried. How long can young boys survive in pouring rain at 38 degrees with 30 m.p.h. winds?

It had been a school holiday in New Bedford, and Brian (13), Robert (11), Matthew (9), their dog Abby and a friend from school went to the woods for a walk. The boys had played in the woods many times, and, in fact, two of the boys had wilderness training. But the woods were deep, and there were swamps.

The boys were having fun, but then it started raining. They decided that it was time to head for home and tried to take a shortcut. It wasn’t long before they were lost.

Being lost in the woods in bad weather must be frightening. The boys probably realized then that taking a shortcut was the wrong thing to do. They should have gone the way they knew was the right way, but they couldn’t change that now.

Some people will always take shortcuts, even to get to heaven. They haven’t read the Bible’s double warning that says, “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12; 16:25). There are no shortcuts to heaven; God tells us there is only one way. And people who try to get there another way will learn, perhaps too late, that what God says in the Bible is true.

At some point, the school friend left the three brothers and their dog and managed to find his way out of the woods alone while it was still daylight. He reported that the brothers were still lost in the woods, and the search for them began immediately.

Brian, Robert, Matthew and their dog slogged through shin-high swamp water in their wanderings. As darkness closed in on the cold, hungry, tired boys, the temperature dropped. The boys and their dog took shelter from the wind and heavy rain under a tree where they huddled together for warmth.

With the first streaks of daybreak, the search for the three brothers began again. Volunteers, police and firefighters called the boys’ names over and over, as they searched deeper into the woods. Several hours later two officers were wading through knee-deep swamp muck when they heard the boys answer their call. The officers found them huddled together under a tree. Abby was standing guard nearby.

Thankfully, the boys recovered in a few days’ time from their 22 hours in the woods. It was a scary lesson they learned about following only the right way in the woods and no shortcuts. But are you following God’s way, the only way, to heaven? God tells us in the Bible that the only way to heaven is through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who died on Calvary’s cross to put away our sins. Jesus Himself says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me” (John 14:6). If you think you can get there another way, you will have a very sad ending. It isn’t too late yet to change and follow Jesus. Will you follow the example of Matthew in the Bible? “Jesus . . . saith unto him, Follow Me. And [Matthew] arose, and followed Him” (Matthew 9:9).

“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-04/09/2000

No Substitute for Bleach

“I thought these stains would come right out,” I said to myself, as I rubbed the wet cotton ball vigorously over the stained shirt I was trying to clean. But nothing happened.

“Now what should I do? I just have to get these stains out of this new white shirt,” I said, still talking to myself. Then I looked at the bottle beside me. It was labeled, “White Vinegar.” I had forgotten that I had transferred the vinegar into a bottle the same size and shape as my bleach bottle, and I had placed it on the shelf right beside the bleach. I had been using vinegar instead of bleach to try to remove the stains.

I took the bleach bottle down, and in less than a minute those bad stains were gone. I was very happy!

But let me tell you about my stains of sin being removed in less time than that! Some years ago I knelt beside my bed one night and confessed to God that I was stained with sins and accepted His offer of cleansing by the blood of His Son, Jesus. And immediately all my stains of sin were gone! How could such a wonderful cleansing happen in such a short time? It was because the work needed for my cleansing and yours was done long ago on Calvary’s cross when the Lord Jesus paid the penalty for sin. All I needed to do was to come to Him for His cleansing power, because “the blood of Jesus Christ [God’s] Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

Vinegar is no substitute for bleach to remove stains out of clothing, and there is no substitute for the precious blood of Jesus to remove your sins. “Unto Him [Jesus] that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood” (Revelation 1:5).

Have YOU been to Jesus for the cleansing power?

Are YOU washed in the blood of the Lamb?

Are YOU fully trusting in His grace this hour?

Are YOU washed in the blood of the Lamb?

ML-04/09/2000

A Letter From Gramma and Grandpa: The Hawk

Gramma and I hope you are reading your Sunday school paper every week and also are learning your memory verse. We love to hear you say your memory verse. Now, let me tell you about our bird feeders.

We have five of them around the house. It is so interesting to watch the birds come to feast on the seeds that we put out for them. There are many different kinds of birds that come, and they all come because they know there is food!

One morning we were watching them, when all of a sudden they just up and flew away! What’s wrong? What happened? Within seconds we saw the reason — a marsh hawk! We call it “The Hunter.” We have seen it many times, and we have also found a little pile of feathers after his visit. He is not fussy over which color bird he catches and eats. We have found red feathers, black feathers, gray feathers, brown feathers and other colors as well. Gramma and I sure don’t like this “hunter,” but what can we do?

Doesn’t this remind us of Satan, who goes about looking for any he can destroy? It sure does, children! But if you are alert and wise to his very crafty and sneaky ways, here is a way to be sure that he will never catch you. The only sure way to avoid him is to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour. Your Sunday school papers and memory verses all tell you about the only One who can save you.

Those little piles of feathers are from birds that were careless or too slow in taking off from the bird feeder! One bird will always give a warning when danger is near. Maybe, just maybe, some bird did not listen to the warning!

And, children, God has given you and me warnings in His Word, the holy Bible. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31).

Jesus loves the little children,

All the children of the world:

Red and yellow, black and white,

All are precious in His sight,

Jesus loves the little children of the world.

We love you too!

Love, Grampa & Gramma

ML-04/16/2000

Cat Rescue

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 the 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. The cat was in great danger of falling out of the tree to his death 55 feet below! How could he 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.

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-04/16/2000

Hooked on Junk Food

Do you like junk food? Things like potato chips and taco chips, French fries, doughnuts and candy? They all taste good, don’t they. But they certainly aren’t healthy food for our bodies.

Do you know what else likes junk food? The mule deer that live in Grand Canyon National Park. They eat the junk food left by visitors, and some visitors actually hand-feed chips and candy to the deer. The park rangers say the deer really like the junk food, and that once they get a taste of it they can’t resist it. After they’ve eaten a certain amount, they get hooked on the stuff, and it is harmful to them. Their bodies lose the natural ability to digest vegetation, their normal food that God has provided for them.

The park rangers found some of the deer in extremely poor health and nearly starving, with no hope of recovery. So they had to do away with two dozen of them - all because of junk food.

There are other kinds of junk food too - for our eyes and ears. This junky stuff is found in comic books, magazines, television, videos, radio and the Internet. Sometimes just a little taste of this unhealthy junk food gives our eyes and ears an appetite for more. Satan will gladly hand-feed it to us. The more we see, hear and read, the more we want, and it is so harmful. Soon we no longer want what is healthy and good for our eyes and our ears and our hearts. We can become just like those deer, hooked on junk of this world that causes poor health and starvation of our souls.

Christian boys and girls, beware of Satan’s junk food. Just one taste can soon become an unhealthy habit. Satan knows this, and that’s why he makes it so appealing. The Bible gives some excellent instruction to help us: “Submit yourselves . . . to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). “O taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the [boy and girl] that [trusts] in Him” (Psalm 34:8). “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105).

ML-04/23/2000

Not a Coincidence

The sun was high in the sky as the three children ran and played on the grass. The old farmhouse in the background stood quietly under the blue, hazy, summer sky. Mommy was sick, and she had been crying a little. Little Max tried not to think about it, as he romped around the farmyard. Sometimes life is just so unpleasant and full of problems.

Do you think that God knows or even cares about you? Do you think He knows when your life is unpleasant and full of problems? Maybe this story will help you answer those questions. Read on.

Suddenly the older sister burst through the front door. She flew off the porch, waving her arms and calling out, “Mommy’s dying! Quick, everyone come here!” Four frantic little faces gathered on the grass and looked helplessly at each other. “She’s turning purple, and she stopped breathing!” A little voice said, “Let’s pray!”

“Oh, God, Mommy’s gonna die. Please help us!” They all said, “Amen.” Then little Max ran off to the barn.

Around the corner he went and over to the big bale of straw. He bowed his head. “Oh, God, please don’t let Mommy die. Daddy’s always away drinking. We’ll have nobody, if Mommy dies. Whatever will we do?”

Would God hear the prayer of four little children? Did God hear Max pray behind the barn, where nobody could see him? Does God hear you? Read on.

Suddenly Max heard the loud shout: “A car’s coming!” His little legs raced to the road with the others. They waved at the car. The young voices all cried out at the same time. It must have sounded confusing, but the stranger heard one thing: “Mommy’s dying!”

The man raced into the house. The children stood by, wide-eyed, scarcely breathing as he quickly worked with her and finally got her breathing. He was a doctor!

Max could not thank the doctor enough. Why had he come just then? He thought, There is a God, and He does answer prayer!

Only later Max and the others learned that the kind old doctor was returning from Watford and was on the wrong road. Under the pleasant summer sky he had been daydreaming. He had missed his turn and was going to take the next road. It wasn’t a coincidence. God had sent him at just the right time, and the “wrong” road was really the “right” road for him that day. The Bible says, “Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses [troubles]” (Psalm 107:13). Yes, He truly saw and heard Max behind the barn as he prayed. And yes, He sees you and hears you too. The Bible says, “Casting [laying] all your care upon Him; for He [cares] for you” (1 Peter 5:7).

Even later Max learned another prayer. It was only after he had grown up and forgotten all about God. He thought he could live, have fun and just enjoy his sin. But a man at work talked to him about his sin. He told Max he should turn away from his sin and trust in the Lord Jesus and be saved. This is when Max said from his heart, “God be merciful to me a sinner.” Of course, he was not the first person to say this short prayer that Jesus spoke about in Luke 18:13. The man that Jesus talked about was forgiven. Max also found mercy. He was forgiven. He now had real life, eternal life. This is the most important treasure.

Have you ever prayed to God? Have you called on Him to save you from your sin? “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13). “Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!” (Psalm 107:15).

ML-04/30/2000

High Boots and Big Hats

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

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

ML-04/30/2000

The Old Air Hose

Claire sighed and shook her head. “What am I ever going to do with this thing?” Then she turned to the young man who was painting her house and asked, “Dan, do you know anyone who could use this big, old toolbox?”

“Sure,” he said, “I’ll take it. I could really use something like that. Why don’t you want it anymore?”

“Well, I’ll tell you a story about this box,” Claire answered. “Originally my husband used it for his tools, but when he got something better suited for his work, we used it to store our cat food in the garage.

“One day the children came out and found a mouse in the toolbox. They were delighted and visited the mouse quite regularly, sometimes with special treats of cheese. The mouse returned their kindness by having a litter of babies in the corner of the box. The children loved it!

“But then one day when I went out to feed the cat and see how the mice were getting along, I didn’t see any mice - just an old air hose coiled up in the bottom of the box. That’s strange, I thought as I fed the cat and closed the box.

“Later, I went out to the garage to check on the mice again, wondering how I could have missed them. When I opened the box, that ‘air hose’ was wiggling all around! It was actually a snake and had, no doubt, eaten all the mice! You can believe that I lost no time in getting out of that garage!”

The Bible tells us about another snake that sometimes looks different than what he really is: “That old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which [deceives] the whole world” (Revelation 12:9). He doesn’t always look like something evil; he wants to deceive us by looking attractive. We read in 2 Corinthians 11:14 that “Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.” That sounds pretty attractive, doesn’t it? But be on your guard! Don’t let that evil serpent deceive you into thinking he’s something he really isn’t. When you see that his attractions are really evil, follow Claire’s example and get out of there! The Bible gives us a good warning: “Go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and [go] away” (Proverbs 4:14-15).

Claire ended her story by saying, “I don’t want that box anymore. Who knows, the snake may be raising a family in there next! And right now I don’t know where that snake is. It’s probably somewhere in the garage, and that makes me afraid to go in there.”

Later that afternoon Dan and his fellow-painter saw the snake sunning itself in front of the garage and got rid of it for good. That made Claire happy. And doesn’t it make you happy to know that although that evil serpent, Satan, brought death into this world through deception in the garden of Eden, the Lord Jesus came into this world to conquer Satan and death. He won that victory when He died on Calvary’s cross. And now He offers you and me the gift of eternal life, the result of His victory at the cross.

Will you accept His loving gift? “The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). “Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57).

ML-05/07/2000

God's Favorite Colors

Matthew and Angie came in from playing and said, “Mommy, we have decided blue and green are God’s favorite colors because He made so much of them.”

When we look around outside, we can see that they were right. There is the blue sky overhead and the green grass and trees everywhere.

The blue sky reminds us of heaven where the Lord Jesus is waiting to take His own children (those who have accepted Him as their Saviour). He said, “I go to prepare a place for you. . . . I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:23).

Green trees, plants and grass remind us of growing. The way children grow is by eating the good food their mothers prepare for them. The good food for growing and learning more about Jesus is the Word of God, the Bible, which we should read every day. Memorizing verses from the Bible helps us think of them as we work and play. (Matthew and Angie were thinking about the Lord Jesus as they played outside. Can you remember why?) “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee” (Psalm 119:11). Yes, knowing what God has said in His Word can keep us from sinning.

There are other pretty colors too. Red reminds us of Jesus’ blood shed on the cross for us. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

The yellow of the warm sunshine reminds us of God’s love that was shown when He gave up His only Son, Jesus, and His loving care over us every day. “We love Him, because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

Let’s not leave out white. Some of us see lots of beautiful white snow in winter. White snow covers over the plants and leaves that have died. This reminds us that the Lord Jesus wants to cover and remove our dark sins and make them white as snow. “Come now . . . saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow” (Isaiah 1:18).

Can you remember what each of the five colors reminds us of?

ML-05/07/2000

Burean

A missionary in India hired a young Hindu boy from a mountain village to help him in his home. The boy’s name was Burean, meaning “Evil One.” His mother had given him this name, hoping to keep away the evil spirits.

Every morning Burean was present at the family’s Bible reading in the missionary’s home. He listened to the reading of the Bible and the prayers.

One morning after they had finished reading, Burean exclaimed, “What wonderful things you read out of that Book! I’ve never heard such things before!”

The missionary asked, “Do you believe them, Burean? If you believe them, they will be yours.”

Burean replied, “They are wonderful things, but they are not for me. They are for you. You are a child of the King. You have white skin. I am only a poor, dark-skinned Indian.”

The missionary said, “Burean, I am a child of the King because I believe on Jesus Christ. My white skin does not make me a child of God. You can also be a child of God, if you will believe on Jesus. Where you live, what you own and the color of your skin makes no difference!”

Jesus loves the little children,

All the children of the world;

Red and yellow, black and white:

All are precious in His sight;

Jesus loves the little children of

the world.

“Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3).

ML-05/14/2000

A Call for Help

Mabel still lived on the little farm in the country. She loved her flowers and she kept the lawn and roadside bank mowed so it all looked nice. After spending a day with her sister in town, she decided that evening that the grass needed mowing before the weekend.

Mabel got out the ride-on mower and worked at cutting the lawn first and then the roadside bank. As she was finishing up, she thought to herself, One more pass on this bank and it will be done. But suddenly the mower overturned, and Mabel was left lying on the bank beside the road! She found she was unable to move or help herself, and to add to the problem, it was beginning to get dark.

What a frightening spot to be in - badly injured at the side of the road, helpless and with darkness coming on! Have you ever felt the frightening despair of serious trouble and of not being able to do anything to help yourself? Have you ever felt this way about the serious problem of your sins and not found help or peace? The good news is that there is wonderful hope and peace for you right now, with no more waiting. But this was not the case for Mabel as she lay injured, alone and in pain.

It was nearly dark when a motorcyclist rode by. Mabel waved the one arm she could use as a signal for help. But the motorcyclist, thinking it was a friendly wave, gave a friendly wave in return and went on. As she lay there in her helpless distress and discouragement, she began to call for help.

A Bible verse tells us that we can call on God in our helplessness. It says, “Call upon Me in the day [or time] of trouble” (Psalm 50:15). He knew all about the sinner’s guilt and helplessness in his or her sins and provided a plan long ago - God’s answer to set the sinner free. It’s available to you today, right now, with no waiting. And God knew all about Mabel’s distress and helplessness, and He had a plan for her too.

A short distance away, a neighbor took his little grandchild out into the backyard to listen for lambs calling in the pasture. Grandpa said to his grandchild, “Now be real quiet, and maybe we can hear one calling.” As they stood quietly listening, it wasn’t a lamb they heard calling; it was a person they heard calling, “Help! Help!” Grandpa knew somebody was in trouble, and he hurried to find out what was wrong.

God tells us about His plan of salvation for sinners in the Bible. He tells us over and over that He loves each one of us so much He sent His Son, the Lord Jesus, to die on Calvary’s cross for us. And while Jesus was hanging on that cross, He shed His blood that has cleansing power to wash away the sins of any sinner who will come to Him in the helplessness of his or her sins. Is this where you are right now? You only need to tell Him that you are a sinner and accept His offer to wash away your sins. He promises, “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).

Mabel was so thankful that her neighbor came as soon as he heard her call. She was soon taken to the hospital where they found several broken bones. The Lord Jesus loves you and is offering to be your Saviour today, right now, with no waiting. All you have to do is call to Him. He says, “Before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear” (Isaiah 65:24). Have you called to Him about your sins?

ML-05/21/2000

Hooked

Walking beside the river, I stopped to watch some boys who were fishing. They were all excited because one of them had hooked a fish. I looked over the wall, expecting to see them reel in a small trout. But this was no little fish - it was a big fish, and it simply would not believe it was caught.

The boys began playing with it, like a cat with a mouse. They pulled it to the surface to show it that it could no longer do as it pleased. And then they played out lots of line so that it plunged and vanished from sight, thinking it was free. Then they reeled it in once more where it could only thrash around near the surface. Again and again, when they gave it more line it took off with freedom in its mind, but always the line was there to bring it back. It was hooked.

As I watched it plunge and thrash and put up a good fight, I wanted to cut the line and set it free. But I saw it grow tired and finally give up fighting. I left as the boys pulled it out of the water.

I thought of the fish I knew, the human ones, who had swallowed Satan’s bait. They had not realized that there was a hook attached that would take away their freedom. They had not realized that after Satan had tired them he would then destroy them . . . unless one stronger than Satan cut that line and set them free. Those boys were bigger and stronger than I, so I did not try to cut the line and give that fish its freedom. But we know that the Lord Jesus is bigger and stronger than Satan, and He is able and ready to cut Satan’s line of control over us when we call on Him.

There was no good news for that helpless fish, but there is good news for every sinner who calls on the name of the Lord Jesus. “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13). “Whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe” (Proverbs 29:25). “Call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me” (Psalm 50:15).

Are you still hooked on Satan’s line?

ML-05/21/2000

A Letter From Gramma and Grampa: the Snapping Turtle

Dear Children,

Gramma and I have been very busy working in the garden, but I really must take time to write this letter to tell you about the wild mother duck and her seven ducklings. They were hatched out in the marsh behind our house, not far from where a snapping turtle lives who thought he just might catch one or two of those ducklings for a tasty dinner!

The other morning Gramma and I had just finished weeding the garden. It was warm, and we decided to take a rest from our work and were sitting in the kitchen, looking out over the pond to see if there were any wild ducks or geese out there. Well now, what we did see we were not too happy about. Just 20 feet from the edge of the pond sat a very large snapping turtle!

Snapping turtles can be dangerous. They have strong, sharp-edged jaws that are good for capturing food. They cruise along under the surface of the water and catch any unsuspecting or careless frogs, fish or even ducklings! They catch a duckling by its leg and drag it underwater until it drowns, and then they eat it.

Doesn’t this remind us of our enemy, Satan. He is very clever at laying traps for anyone who is not wise to his ways. You know, the Bible says that it is a sin to lie, it is a sin to steal and it is a sin to use bad language. One of Satan’s favorite traps is to whisper into the ears of boys and girls something like this: “It’s ok . . . go ahead and do it . . . no one can see you . . . no one will ever know anything about it.” But the Word of God says in Proverbs 15:3, “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” Dear boys and girls, don’t let Satan lead you into this trap of thinking that God cannot see what you do or hear what you say. Satan is a real danger to you, like that snapping turtle cruising around the pond.

Just then Gramma and I saw something else that was rather distressing. Here came Momma Duck leading her seven baby ducklings right to the pond! Uh, oh! We could just imagine what the snapping turtle was thinking: Here comes my dinner right to me!

Up to the bank came Momma Duck, leading her seven babies. When she reached the top of the bank, she stopped dead in her tracks! She had spotted her deadly enemy, Mr. Snapping Turtle! She didn’t move, and somehow she must have told her babies not to come any farther, because they stayed right behind her.

Gramma was getting a little worried about those baby ducklings and said to me, “Should we go chase that snapping turtle out of there?”

“No,” I said, “I don’t think we should. We would be scaring the ducks and the turtle at the same time. Let’s wait and see how Momma Duck handles this problem.”

Gramma and I were very surprised at what happened next. Mr. Turtle very slowly crawled over to the west side of the pond and slid down the bank into the water. Hiding just under the surface, he swam out from that side of the pond and waited for Momma Duck and her family to swim by. He was completely out of the ducks’ sight.

But Momma Duck was wise! She was watching the turtle all the while. She stayed where she was for ten minutes, then she turned to the other side of the pond from where the turtle was and walked along the shore. She waddled down the bank and into the water, swam out a little, then turned and waited for her babies to catch up. They followed her in . . . one, two, three, four, five, six . . . uh, oh, where is number seven? Had the turtle already gotten one?

No, Mr. Turtle is on the other side of the pond, still hiding underwater, just waiting for them to swim by. But Momma Duck knows he’s over there, so she and the six ducklings are waiting for number seven. Finally, here he comes! But why did he take so long? We don’t know. He may have found a water spider or some other kind of bug to play with and did not realize the danger he was in. Gramma and I were very glad that Momma Duck did not swim away and leave number seven behind.

Now then, how did Momma Duck and the ducklings get past Mr. Snapping Turtle? She stayed very close to the east side of the pond, as far away from him as possible. Then at the entrance of the pond, she wiggled through a narrow passage in the tall reeds, then out into the creek, with the seven ducklings right behind her.

Hooray! Momma Duck and the ducklings made it! And Mr. Snapping Turtle was left behind, still hungry.

Needless to say, Gramma and I were very happy for wise Momma Duck and her family who were now safely out in the creek where that snapping turtle could not catch them. But, boys and girls, Satan is just like that vicious snapping turtle, trying to catch anyone he can and stop them from getting into heaven! He would rather have you with himself in that terrible lake of fire! Oh, do not listen to his lies! Be wise and come to the Lord Jesus who loves you and died for you, so that you can live with Him in the safety of heaven.

Have you ever memorized John 3:16? “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever [that means you and me] believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life [in heaven].” Will you memorize it for Sunday school next week?

Lots of love, Gramma and Grampa

ML-05/28/2000

Are You Saved?

Many of you have heard the true story of the British steamer ship called the “unsinkable” Titanic. This ship was believed to be the safest ship afloat, in April of 1912. On its first trip from England to New York City, it struck an iceberg and sank in about 2½ hours. Of the 2,200 people on board, only 705 survived. This account is about one of the ship’s bakers who survived to tell his story of the tragic accident.

There were many people thrown into the icy waters of the North Atlantic as the ship went down, and one of them was this baker. He was clinging to some part of the ship and kept afloat a long time after the ship sank. A wave brought another man close by who shouted out to him, “ARE YOU SAVED?”

The baker replied, “NO, I’M NOT!”

The other man, who was an evangelist, disappeared from sight only to reappear a while later. Again the man shouted out, “ARE YOU SAVED?”

The baker answered, “NO, I’M NOT!”

The evangelist shouted, “BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, AND THOU SHALT BE SAVED!”

This happened once more, and then the evangelist was gone. His body may have gone to the bottom of the ocean, but we know his soul went up to be with His Lord and Saviour.

The baker listened to the evangelist’s pleading message at last and was wonderfully saved for eternity. He was also saved from the icy waters to tell others this amazing story.

What about you? Are you saved from the punishment you deserve for your sins? The Lord Jesus is calling to you right now. Are you listening? He proclaims, “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).

Tomorrow could be too late.

ML-06/04/2000

A Diamondback Encounter

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

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

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

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

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

“One, two, three!”

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

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

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

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

As God held back the strike of death for me that day long ago, so also He is still holding back the day of judgment for you, so that you might be rescued from sin and the devil. Reach out and “believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). Don’t fool around. God expects and honors the sincere, urgent cry to Him.

ML-06/04/2000

Kitchen Fire

Kurt and Kathy and their three children live in a large farmhouse. Kurt has worked hard to fix up the house for his family. It is a nice place to live, as there is plenty of room for the children to play and for Kurt and Kathy to work.

One evening Kathy decided that the family would have a special treat for supper - fried shrimp. She put a big pan of cooking oil on the stove to heat so she could fry the shrimp. Then she decided to take a shower, and she forgot about the pan of oil heating on the stove. Kurt and the children were in the living room and did not know that Kathy was heating oil on the stove or that she was in the shower.

Have you ever forgotten something? I’m sure most of us would have to answer “yes.” Sometimes we forget a name or an important date or where we placed some object, but usually it does not cause a big problem. But sometimes forgetting can cause serious problems. The Bible warns us, “Beware lest [you] forget the Lord” (Deuteronomy 6:12).

What about the problems that are ahead for you if you forget God and do not take His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, as your Saviour? The Bible says that “the wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God” (Psalm 9:17). What a solemn result to consider!

Kathy’s forgetting about the oil heating on the stove had a serious result. Suddenly there was a very loud explosion in the kitchen. The oil in the pan had gotten so hot that it exploded! Kurt ran to the kitchen, calling for Kathy. He saw right away that the area around the stove was in flames.

This was a serious emergency, because Kurt and Kathy lived several miles from the closest fire department. Even though they called 911, they knew it would be some time before help arrived. Kurt remembered they had two fire extinguishers upstairs in the house. And it took only a few seconds for him to run for those two extinguishers.

Kurt was able to get the fire under control by using the extinguishers on it. By the time the fire department arrived, there were only a few small sparks left of the fire. How thankful Kurt was that he remembered they had those fire extinguishers!

The Bible warns us of the serious result if we forget God. Ecclesiastes 12:1 instructs us to “remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth.” When you accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, you can know for sure that He will not remember your sins: “Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more” (Hebrews 10:17). That is a far happier result.

ML-06/11/2000

Bear and the Porcupine

“Bear” is the name of a big furry dog. He is called “Bear” because he has a head that looks something like a bear’s head and a very thick neck like a bear has. He is black all over except for his paws which are white. The first few times I saw Bear he growled at me and frightened me, even though his master was standing right there.

Bear could hunt quite well in the woods. None of the small animals were safe, once he decided to track them down, that is, not until he met “Mr. Porcupine.” Bear’s strength, his fierce growl and his great hunting ability didn’t do him one bit of good when he met the porcupine.

His first scrap with the porcupine was perhaps the most unpleasant. Without the help of his master and the vet, Bear would have died.

Since Bear had never seen a porcupine before, you can probably guess how he went after it . . . the wrong way. He pounced on the porcupine and tried to bite him. The porcupine arched its back so that its quills, which come out easily, stuck not only into Bear’s nose, cheeks, chin and paws - they also stuck inside his mouth and even in his throat! Poor Bear!

When his master arrived home, he found Bear whimpering in agony and about as sick as any dog could be. His master got a pair of pliers and pulled out as many quills as he could, but the ones in Bear’s throat had to be removed by the vet. The poor dog was in pain for at least another week and had to take medicine so the quill punctures wouldn’t get infected.

What do you think Bear did the next time he saw a porcupine? You wouldn’t believe it! He went after it again! He didn’t attack quite as forcefully as he did the first time, but he still had to go to the animal hospital to have more quills removed and have more medicine. This happened six times before he learned to leave porcupines alone!

Doesn’t that sound stupid? Perhaps. But you know, boys and girls, we are a lot like Bear. We think we are strong and able and a match for sin and the devil. But just as Bear didn’t learn the first time, we don’t always learn our lesson right away either, even after we get “stung” by sin.

Bear would have died if his master had not come to his rescue. You and I would die in our sins if our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, had not come to rescue us. The Bible says that “the sting of death is sin” (1 Corinthians 15:56) and that “all have sinned” (Romans 3:23). Satan has “fiery darts” that he hurls at us, and we certainly are no match for sin or Satan. We need a Master, a Saviour who can save us from the awful result of sin. The Lord Jesus died and shed His blood to wash away all our sins. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). Though “the wages of sin is death . . . the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

Won’t you accept Jesus as your Saviour? Trusting Him gives us a shield to protect us from those fiery darts. The Bible says, “Taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked” (Ephesians 6:16). Won’t you “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and . . . be saved” (Acts 16:31)?

ML-06/11/2000

A Secret Inside

The four duck eggs looked perfect - all smooth and softly colored and just the right shape and size. Nate had bought them from a farmer who raised pure-white ducks. He learned the mothers are called “ducks” and the fathers are called “drakes.”

Nate was very careful with those eggs. He kept them just the right warmth in an incubator and turned them every day. We were allowed to see them through the glass top of the incubator, but only with his permission. He followed the instructions very carefully, and no careless handling was allowed. No one must break those eggs.

Now here is a riddle for you: Why were those eggs like the Old Testament in the Bible?

Here is the answer: Each one of those eggs had a secret inside. Nate didn’t put it there. It was God’s plan ever since He created the world that the duck and the drake should produce a secret life inside that egg. We couldn’t see it, but we knew it was there, and that’s why the eggs received such tender care.

The Old Testament has a secret in it too. God put it there. It is repeated over and over and over again, and it’s the most wonderful secret there ever was in the whole world. One place where you can find it is Micah 5:2. This is what it says: “Thou, Bethlehem . . . though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall He come forth unto Me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”

Can you guess the hidden secret? Who was born in Bethlehem, who will be Ruler and who has lived from everlasting? Do you know the answer?

One day, Nate came and found his eggs all cracked and broken. And guess what! He wasn’t sad! He was excited! The eggshells were all broken, but the secret inside was out, and those little baby ducklings were the cutest things! We were all called to come see them.

And God’s Old Testament secret really came alive too. We learn about it in the New Testament. Jesus was born in Bethlehem, and He will someday be Ruler of everything. And He has lived from everlasting, farther back than our minds can think about. A few shepherds were glad when He was born, and an old man named Simeon and an old lady named Anna were glad. But almost everybody else was troubled.

When Jesus began to preach publicly, the chief of the people planned to kill Him. Why were they so angry? First, because He seemed to spoil their religion. The Old Testament is not spoiled at all by the birth of Jesus, but its secret is out for all of us to see and to wonder at. But the people did not want anyone to spoil their religion. They were afraid that Jesus might seem more important than they were, and they did not want Him at all. They nailed Him to a cross.

He has gone back to heaven now, but He will come back as Ruler. God has made His secret so plain that you cannot miss it, unless you shut your eyes and your ears too. God is telling you, through this message, that He loves you and sent Jesus to die for sinners like you. He had that planned long ago, even before He wrote the Old Testament, and nothing can change His plan. Jesus is Ruler of everything right now, but He has not come yet to take up His power to rule.

The ducklings grew and waddled after us in a row, just as ducklings always do behind their mothers. And after they grew larger, Nate sent them back to the farm where they would be raised for market. You may feel bad about that, but ducks are just ducks. There will be more.

But there is only one Saviour. There will never be another. You may love your religion, but perhaps you are trying to keep the “egg” and missing the One whom God sent to be the Saviour of the world. “Our Saviour Jesus Christ . . . gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity [sin]” (Titus 2:13-14). “The Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world” (1 John 4:14).

Is Jesus your Saviour?

ML-06/18/2000

Two Different Responses

When my wife and I arrived at the airport, the gate for our plane’s departure was a long way from the ticketing area. The airline provides electric carts so passengers do not have to walk such great distances. We were thankful when the driver of one of the carts stopped and asked if we would like to ride. There was only one other rider, so my wife took the seat beside the lady driver and I sat beside the man passenger.

Both of these people were airline employees. They were dressed very neatly in their airline uniforms and were very polite. Because of their uniforms they looked similar, but our conversation soon showed there was a very great difference in these two travelers to eternity.

The man said to me, “How are you?” I replied, “If I were any better, I would have to be in heaven, and I am on my way.”

The man’s very negative reply to my comment left no doubt that he did not want to talk about going to heaven. When asked if he knew how to get to heaven, his scoffing answer was, “I suppose you are going to tell me you can show me the way!”

Because I knew we had very little time, as we had almost reached our gate, I simply told him that a person had to have their sins forgiven in order to go to heaven, because the Bible says of heaven, “There shall in no wise enter into it anything that [defiles] . . . or [makes] a lie” (Revelation 21:27). There was just time enough for me to give him the verse, “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son [cleanses] us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

Boys and girls, do you know how to get to heaven? Have you made sure you will be in heaven with the Lord Jesus by letting Him wash away your sins?

It is a real joy to tell you that the lady driver had an entirely different reply. Her response to the Word of God was not like the man who scoffed at the thought that anyone could know the way to heaven. Those who believe on the Lord Jesus do know the way to heaven, because He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man [comes to] the Father, but by Me” (John 14:6).

As the driver stopped to let us off at our gate, she said, “Thank you for that short sermon.” We were glad to hear her thankfulness at hearing the Word of God spoken, though briefly. It indicated to us that she had accepted the Lord Jesus as her Saviour and was also on her way to heaven.

The man in the cart may have never made a decision to not believe on the Lord Jesus. But by simply going on in his sins and never really giving any thought to the fact that the Bible says his sins will keep him out of heaven, his decision has already been made. There is no escape for any who go along, day by day, without making a decision for Christ and making sure of heaven through faith in His blood.

Will you receive the Lord Jesus as your Saviour right now, as you read this story? The Bible says, “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?” (Hebrews 2:3).

ML-06/25/2000

A Daring Chipmunk

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It wasn’t until Faye took Tommy indoors that the chipmunk ran away. But she couldn’t help wondering how long that chipmunk would live if it kept on daring its enemies.

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

ML-06/25/2000

Shark Attack!

Joe and Rudy loved to go fishing. There was nothing they liked better than to row out in the bay and spend a day catching fish. This particular day was no different than any other, and the two friends packed some food into their boat and along with their gear rowed out to the reef, which was a good distance from shore. All day the two men caught fish after fish and threw them into their boat.

It was late in the afternoon and time to quit. The men packed away their gear and started the long row back to the harbor. Now, because of all the fish, their boat was much lower down in the water than it was when they had left that morning.

After they had been rowing for a while, they noticed something slicing through the water, coming toward them from the ocean. Oh, no! It was a shark’s dorsal fin, and it was heading straight for their rowboat! Then they saw another . . . and another . . . and another! Each one was circling round and round their little boat and gradually closing in on the two frightened men. They could not row any faster, and they did not know what else to do.

“Let’s throw them some of the fish,” Joe said. “Maybe that’ll satisfy their hunger.” And so they began throwing their day’s work out to feed the hungry sharks that surrounded their boat.

Like Joe and Rudy, how many times have you and I used our own ideas to fight off the attacks of our worst enemy, Satan? But we are no match for him in our own strength. The Bible says in James 4:7, “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” We can only do that through the power of the Lord Jesus.

Soon the day’s catch of fish was gone, but the sharks were still very close to the boat. Joe and Rudy were terrified. Suddenly a shark shot out of the water and tore an oar from the oarlock! Now the two men were unable to row, and they knew they were helpless to get away.

One of the men waved frantically toward shore, hoping to attract attention. But all they got was a friendly wave back.

Now the sharks were closing in for the kill. One of the creatures arched out of the water, and as it dropped back into the water its jaw caught on the side of the boat, ripping a piece out of the wooden hull. Unfortunately for the shark, its jaw was cut on the edge of the torn boat and began to bleed. Suddenly there was a mass of roiling water as the rest of the sharks, sensing blood in the water, attacked the injured fish. In moments the shark was totally eaten!

As the two men realized they were at the mercy of these deadly creatures, they fell on their knees in their boat and cried to God to save them. In their desperate need, they promised God that if He saved them out of this, they would serve Him for the rest of their lives.

There are phrases in Psalm 107 that describe the exact situation of our two friends. “Their soul is melted because of trouble . . . and are at their wits’ end. Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and He [brings] them out of their distresses” (vss. 2628). The Lord often chooses to put us into really difficult situations in order to make us turn to Him.

And so God, who holds our very breath in His hands, was watching over Joe and Rudy. Looking up, the two terrified friends again saw more fins heading their way, but these were not shark fins. Their path through the water was different. Here was nothing but the hand of the Lord reaching out to save two repentant sinners. Dolphins, one of the few creatures that sharks fear, were heading toward this troubled spot in the bay. It seemed as if the sharks quickly decided that being right there at that moment was not a good idea, and they left the boat and headed for the open sea. Not one shark stayed behind!

With thankful hearts, Rudy and Joe limped their way to the harbor with their damaged boat and one oar. They both kept their promises to God and now serve Him instead of spending their time on things that don’t really matter.

The Lord Jesus loves you, and Hebrews 7:25 says, “He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him.” Have you come to Him to be saved from your sins?

ML-07/02/2000

A Secret Hiding Place

Some birds seem to find places for their nests that other birds and enemy creatures cannot easily find.

We were visiting some friends who had a lovely hanging plant just outside their back door entrance. Every time they came out that door, a small bird sitting nearby on the wash line began scolding them. This continued for days, but no one seemed to know why.

One day they noticed their hanging plant started to look wilted, even though they watered it every day. Finally, they took the plant down and examined it more closely. To their amazement, inside the plant was a small nest, and in the nest were three tiny eggs. The mother bird was nearby really scolding them! No wonder she was so upset! This was her hiding place for the arrival of her babies! She was trying to protect her eggs from harm, and lifting the plant down with the nest inside really had her upset. The plant was carefully hung back on the hook by the back door, and from that time on special care was taken of it until those baby birds were hatched and gone from the nest.

Do you have a hiding place? The person who wrote Psalm 119 had found a special hiding place. And those of you who know the Lord Jesus as your Saviour can have this same hiding place. Do you know where that special place is? “Thou art my hiding place and my shield: I hope in Thy word” (Psalm 119:114). The Lord Jesus is our hiding place. He loves us and promises to give us His protective care: “He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust” (Psalm 91:4).

Are you in that special hiding place?

ML-07/02/2000

Trapped in a Boxcar

Dick trudged along the hot, dusty road. Sweat trickled down his face, leaving a sticky, uncomfortable feeling behind. He had no work, almost no money and no way to get farther south where he could find a job.

Just then a train pulling empty boxcars thundered past and then gradually slowed to a stop. Its big, roomy boxcars with their huge, open doors looked inviting, but Dick knew there might be trouble if he tried riding a boxcar. It hadn’t been that long since he had seen a friend bumped from one by a railroad worker. They sure didn’t appreciate having non-paying passengers. But still, it would be faster than walking.

He waited until the train started to move, then made a run for an open boxcar. He gave a mighty jump and pulled himself into the moving boxcar. But relief quickly changed to fear, because of what he saw back in the shadows. The boxcar already had two passengers, and they didn’t look friendly.

Dick wondered, Are they criminals? Will they try to jump me? He didn’t have much money, but they didn’t know that. As the train picked up speed, Dick sat near the open door so he could jump if the worst happened. The other passengers stayed in the shadows.

After a few hours the train began to slow down and pulled onto a siding. Dick got ready to jump as soon as it was safe. The boxcar suddenly jerked to a stop, but before he could jump, the huge steel door slammed shut!

All three men rushed to the door and frantically began to try to pull it open. Meanwhile, the rest of the train began to pull away, and then to their horror they realized that their boxcar was being left on the siding. If they couldn’t get the door open, they could die from the heat! Already it was getting hot, and the door wouldn’t budge.

Dick wasn’t worried about finding a job anymore, nor was he worried about the other men. They were all in the same fix together; they were in danger of losing their lives, unless they could get the door open.

The Bible says that “there is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:22-23). We have sinned and so have failed to meet God’s holy standards. Every person, no matter who they are, has sinned. And each one of us deserves the wages of sin, which is death. Sadly, there isn’t anything we can do to help ourselves.

Dick and the others couldn’t help themselves either. They wanted to be free of their prison, but they were helplessly trapped. The heat was getting worse and their situation was frightening.

But help came, though in an unexpected way. Some time later another train backed down the siding and slammed into the boxcar where the three men were trapped. The jolt jiggled the door loose, and the men sprang to the door and were able to work it open.

And there is help for sinners in their frightening situation, but it was planned and paid for by the Saviour who loves us. “When we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6). His way of freeing us wasn’t as easy as it was to bump a boxcar door open. The Lord Jesus had to die and shed His blood for us. “The blood of Jesus Christ [God’s] Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

Will you spring to that open door of salvation?

ML-07/09/2000

Lost in the Store

Have you ever been lost? Once my brother and I were lost in a store. A discount store is a very big store when you’re only six years old and you’re lost in it. We started running all over the store looking for our mother, and she was running all over the store looking for us. It would have been better if we had just stayed where we were and called to her.

There is another kind of being lost, but it is different from being lost in a store. Each one of us is born into the world with a sinful heart, because our parents are sinners too. And because we are sinners, we are “lost” in our sins. You know, our mother knew my brother and I were lost, and she was looking for us, because she loved us. And the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, is looking for lost sinners, because He loves sinners too. The Bible tells us that “the Son of Man [the Lord Jesus] is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). You may not have known that you are lost in your sins until right now. But you can stop right where you are and call to the Lord Jesus, and He will find you and gladly save you from your sins. He wants you close to Himself, so you won’t be lost any longer.

We were two scared little boys, but we finally decided to go to our car in the parking lot. We knew that eventually our mother would come to the car. That’s where she found us, sitting sadly on the hood of the car.

It’s not fun to be lost, but it’s wonderful to be found. If you are still lost in your sins, the Lord Jesus is still looking for you. Just call to Him and tell Him that you are a lost sinner who needs to be saved. He promises, “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13). And “whosoever” means boys or girls or grown-ups—anybody! Will you let the Lord Jesus save you?

ML-07/09/2000

Wood From Above

“Your Father knoweth what things ye have need of ” (Matthew 6:8).

Mr. Wang, the old Chinese preacher, and his wife lived in a little mud house next to the chapel which was surrounded by a small courtyard. When persecution against the Christians began, the old couple was told not to leave the courtyard, because they might be killed. They had enough rice and other grain in the house to last them for a long time, and Christian friends brought them vegetables. But gradually the wood to cook their food was all used. Wood was hard to find in the countryside where they lived. People looked everywhere for dry sticks and grass to build fires for cooking their rice. The Wangs could not expect help from their friends, but they prayed to the Lord about their need.

One morning when they were completely out of firewood, Mrs. Wang went into the courtyard. There at her feet on the ground were some dry branches. She happily gathered them up and soon had a nice fire going, and she was able to cook their breakfast. The old couple ate their meal with thankful hearts.

But where did the branches come from? God has His workers. In the high tree, which was standing in the courtyard, crows were building their nest. As they gathered sticks, grass and branches, they dropped many into the courtyard. The birds continued to drop them day by day until the Wangs’ little shed was filled with fuel. There were also green twigs with tender leaves on which the Wangs’ little goat could feed. When the persecution was over, Mr. and Mrs. Wang told their friends how God had provided for their need.

“O give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good: for His mercy endureth forever. Let the redeemed of the Lord say so” (Psalm 107:12). “My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19).

ML-07/16/2000

Come!

Four-year-old Ann and her mother were on a vacation at the seashore. 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, just as the wave crashed on the sand where she had been playing. How thankful Mother was to have her little girl safe.

What if Ann had not paid attention to her mother’s call to come? She may 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 came.

The Lord Jesus Christ has told sinners, “Come unto Me.” He wants 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 His call? Don’t wait any longer! Accept Him as your own Saviour right now, for 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-07/30/2000

A Letter From Grampa: Chelsea

Dear Children,

Wasn’t last week’s Sunday school paper a good one? I imagine you can still remember the memory verse without even looking at it!

I want to tell you about our new dog. Her name is Chelsea, and she is a very smart Dalmatian. I’ve enclosed a picture of her sitting on a kitchen chair - her favorite place to sit. We got her a few months ago from a couple who were moving and could not take the dog with them. They knew our last dog, Scarlett, had died of old age (she was 14). And so they thought we might be willing to take Chelsea since she was 1-1/2 years old and past the puppy stage. We enjoy having a dog, so she is now part of our family.

Chelsea loves to chase sunbeams, and she can do a lot of tricks now. She has learned how to open the door with her nose. When I turn the doorknob, she just gives that door a shove with her big black nose and gallops right into the house! I thought this was right smart on her part, but I found out much differently a few days later.

It had rained during the night, but this did not stop Chelsea and me from going on our usual walk. I like to feed the birds and the wild geese and ducks when we walk down to the pond.

Chelsea was running around, having a good time, and she sure wasn’t careful where she was going. I wasn’t watching her either, as I was interested in the birds that were singing.

We eventually arrived at the back door. As I turned the doorknob, Chelsea gave the door a shove with her nose and ran right into the house and down the hallway to find Gramma!

Boy, I sure wasn’t ready for what happened next!

I expect you’re asking, “What happened, Grampa, what happened?”

It was a real loud scream from Gramma! “Get that dog out of this house! She’s all dirty! Go clean her off!”

Oh, boy, even Chelsea made a beeline for the back door!

So, Chelsea and I went to the back of the barn. I got a pan of water and washed her all off. She looked brand new! I dried her with a towel, and then when we got near the door I told her, “You sit here . . . I’ll see if it’s OK to go in.”

I opened the door a crack and asked, “Is it OK to come in?”

“Yes,” answered Gramma, “but only if that dog is clean.”

I looked at Chelsea and said, “OK, come on in; you’re clean.” Boy, was Chelsea ever happy to see Gramma!

You know, children, this reminds me of heaven. It is such a beautiful, clean place, and only those who have their sins washed away in the precious blood of Christ will ever enter in. Sin is like dirt. It sticks to us like glue. Stealing, swearing, lying, cheating and all the rest of our sins must be removed before we can enter into heaven.

It was easy to wash Chelsea’s back and legs, but I had to use a brush to wash her feet. She didn’t like being washed at all, but it had to be done before we were allowed back into the house. And when I was finished, she gave me a big lick, right up the side of my face, as if in dog language to say, “Thanks very much!”

Our Bible verse today is 1 John 1:7: “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” That’s such a good verse to memorize. It tells us how we can have all our dirty sins washed away so we will be welcome in heaven, just like Chelsea had to have all the dirt washed off before she could go in the house. Here is a little song we sing in our Sunday school. Maybe you sing it too.

What can wash away my sins?

Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

So that not one spot remains?

Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

Oh, precious is the flow,

That makes me white as snow!

No other fount I know,

Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Lots of love, Grampa

ML-08/06/2000

A Heavy Pack and a Notebook

Do you enjoy backpacking? I know some people who love it! They collect all their equipment: a sleeping bag, extra clothing in case the weather turns cold, food, a few cooking and eating utensils, camera, water purifier and their Bibles. They load it all into backpacks that strap over their shoulders, and they’re off!

The backpackers I know were heading up through the Wallowa Wilderness to a mountaintop called the Eagle’s Cap. They were full of energy and eager to hike to the spot partway up the mountain where they had chosen to camp for the night.

When the hikers first put on their backpacks, the packs felt light, and the hikers could forget they were carrying them. But as they climbed, their loads felt heavier and heavier, and those straps began to dig into their shoulders. By the time they had reached their overnight camp, every one of them was very glad to take off that pack. It felt so heavy!

That’s sometimes how our sins feel. When we are young we tell lies, do something mean, or disobey our parents, and our consciences bother us. But then we forget about those sins for a while. As time goes on, however, our packs of sin become heavier and heavier as we add more and more sins to them.

You and I don’t have to go on carrying our heavy packs of sin any longer. The Lord Jesus Christ is waiting to lift those packs off us. He invites us to bring them to Him: “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Tell Him about your sins and that you are sorry you committed them, and He will gladly remove them forever and give you rest. He is the only one who can, because He bore the punishment on Calvary’s cross for the sins of anyone who comes to Him and is truly sorry for them. “Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18). Then you’ll be able to walk the rest of the path of life with the Lord Jesus. He will be your guide and provider until He takes you safely to heaven to be with Himself forever.

After lunch, some of the backpackers just wanted to stretch out and rest or nap, but there were a few who were still eager to press on and climb to the top. They left their heavy backpacks behind and only took a few snacks, water filters and cameras. The climbing was hard, but they were rewarded with a wonderful view when they reached the top.

Up there they found a tightly covered metal box nestled in the snow. Of course, they were curious. When they opened it, they discovered several notebooks full of names of those who had climbed the mountain before them. Every notebook was full. There was only a little space on the back cover of one where they could write in their names-proof that they had actually made it to the top.

God has a book full of names too. It’s called the Lamb’s book of life, and in it are written the names of every person whose sins have been removed forever by the Lord Jesus. Those names are proof that they belong to Him. Is your name written in His book? If not, one day you will stand before the throne of Almighty God and be judged for your sins. While there’s still time to have Him write your name in that book, won’t you come to Jesus and confess that you are a guilty sinner and accept Him as your very own Saviour? “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15).

ML-08/13/2000

The Boy in the Camera Shop

The boy was only ten or twelve years old. He came often to the camera shop to get pictures developed and printed. The shop owner did not know whether they were the boy’s own rolls of film or whether they were brought in for someone else. The boy came again and again, and each time he came the shop owner laughed at him.

Why would he laugh at a good customer? Well, each time the boy came in he did something that the man thought was amusing—he gave the man a gospel tract. What a strange thing for a boy to do! Why would he continue to hand the man a gospel tract every time when the man always laughed at him for thinking he needed it? Probably the reason was that the boy knew the Lord Jesus as his own Saviour and found, as many of us also do, that the message was too good to keep to himself. And he probably went home and prayed for that shop owner, because he knew that the Word of God has power, even when it is laughed at.

About ten years passed, and the boy had stopped coming. But when closing time came in the camera shop, the man moved his displays all to one side and arranged chairs in the center for a meeting. What could this be for? He set out Bibles too, and before long people began to arrive for a Bible study. It was his own store, and he was free to use it to spread the good news to others. The owner who had laughed at the boy and his gospel tracts had, in time, accepted the Lord Jesus as his own Saviour. He was now spreading the good news and the words of warning to those who would listen and to those who laughed.

If you know the Lord Jesus and what He has done for you, don’t get discouraged. This may be your last day for passing the good news on to someone. Be faithful today. “Thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good” (Ecclesiastes 11:6). The boy’s faithfulness with those gospel tracts had good results. And your faithfulness today may have good results.

ML-08/13/2000

Friedl and Tom

Friedl had been a wonderful pet of the Nell family, and they took very good care of her. Although she was a cat that lived mostly outside, she loved to be petted and would come when she was called. The Nell family kept a bowl of food out on the porch for her.

One day Uncle Ken Nell saw a large tomcat slinking around in the bushes. He had noticed that Friedl’s food dish had been empty sooner than usual, and now he suspected that Big Tom was stealing Friedl’s cat food. Whenever Uncle Ken saw Big Tom, he hissed at the cat, chased him off their property, and one time even threw an old shoe at him. This didn’t seem to stop Big Tom from hanging around the Nell place, however, and the food still disappeared.

One day Uncle Ken saw Big Tom sitting beside the hole that led under the porch. Big Tom was crying and howling in what must have been a sad kitty song. He was mourning for his friend. Friedl had done what many animals do when they are going to die: She had crawled under the porch to hide, and Big Tom knew she was dead. Right then, Uncle Ken felt sorry for Big Tom and decided that he would try to be nicer to the big stray cat.

The family filled the cat food bowl each day, and each morning it was empty. Big Tom was coming at night to eat the food, but he wouldn’t come around to be petted and loved. In fact, to this day Big Tom still hisses and bolts away when anyone tries to approach him. He will not accept the Nells as friends.

Big Tom reminds us of sinners, like ourselves, who will not come to Jesus to be made clean and whole from our sins. We enjoy all the benefits of being God’s creatures: food, shelter, rain and sunshine. Like Big Tom, many of us want the good things God gives us, but we don’t want to belong to Him. We will not accept Him as our Friend and Master. We would rather go our own ways.

Uncle Ken could try to grab Big Tom and take him into his house. But that wouldn’t work. Tom would just run and hide under a bed, or dash out at the next open door. And if God took sinners still in their sins to heaven, they wouldn’t be happy. No sin can enter God’s holy presence, so there would be no place for unwashed sinners there. They would have no joy in singing the praises of Jesus Christ, because they have not accepted His loving offer to have their sins washed away.

Jesus came to be a man here on earth so that He could win our hearts. “When we were enemies, we were reconciled [reunited] to God by the death of His Son” (Romans 5:10). “Jesus . . . was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death” (Hebrews 2:9). His becoming a man made it possible for Jesus to bear the punishment for the sins of any who see their need and will accept His love. He endured God’s awful wrath as our substitute. We can be called the sons of God now, and “the Father Himself loveth you” (John 16:27).

I hope that Big Tom will accept Uncle Ken as a friend. That would make them both happy! And you can bring joy to God’s heart by accepting His Son Jesus as your Saviour today. “I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth” (Luke 15:7).

ML-08/20/2000

Something More Than Gold

Young Cathie was enjoying the swinging chair and the beautiful sunny day with a very special friend. He was an older man who loved little children. His name was Mr. Bailer, and he had traveled all the way from England across the ocean to Nova Scotia.

Cathie loved to listen to her friend talk. He told so many interesting stories and he talked with an English accent! Most of all, though, Mr. Bailer loved the Lord Jesus Christ and wanted to make sure his little friend Cathie was saved from her sins and on her way to heaven. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me” (John 14:6). “Make me to understand the way of Thy precepts [commands]: so shall I talk of Thy wondrous works” (Psalm 119:27).

As the two were swinging in the sunshine, they noticed the big granite rock wall beside the swing. Back and forth they went, and the rocks in the granite wall sparkled brightly in the sunshine. Cathie looked at Mr. Bailer and said, “Look at all the gold in those rocks over there. I bet that gold would be worth lots and lots of money!”

Mr. Bailer chuckled, for he sometimes found his young friend’s comments very amusing. He knew that the rock only looked like gold. He then asked Cathie to sing a little Sunday school song with him. Maybe you sing it too. The chorus goes like this:

“Oh, yes, oh, yes, there’s

something more,

Something more than gold:

To know your sins are all forgiven,

And that you’re on your way

to heaven,

Is something more than gold.”

Mr. Bailer was showing Cathie that there was something far more important than gold - even real gold! Cathie will never forget the lesson she learned that day as she swung back and forth on the swinging chair in the beautiful, bright sunshine.

Someday she will be in a brighter land - HEAVEN where Jesus is! Mr. Bailer is already there with Jesus. And although this world thought he was poor, Cathie knows he was rich! He had something worth far more than gold! “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also” (Matthew 6:21).

ML-08/20/2000

Are You Rich?

I was driving home and noticed that my car was just about out of gas, so I stopped at a gas station to fill up. When my tank was full, I went inside to pay. Since there was already another customer at the counter, I stepped into line behind him.

Next to the counter stood a young boy. He couldn’t have been more than seven or eight years old. He looked up at the man paying for his gas and asked, “Mister, do you make big bucks?”

I was really surprised to hear such a question coming from a young boy. Do you know what he meant by “big bucks”? He was asking the man whether he earned a lot of money at his job.

The man had just been talking to the cashier about having to get back into the fields that evening to do some more planting, so it was obvious that he was a farmer. He smiled at the boy and answered, “Sonny, don’t go into farming if you want to make big bucks!” Then he turned and walked out.

Now it was my turn to pay for my gas. Guess what? The boy looked up at me and asked, “Mister, do you make big bucks?”

I too smiled at him and said, “No, I don’t make big bucks either. But do you know what? I’m rich! I have something that is worth more than all the money in the world.”

Was he ever confused! He couldn’t imagine how someone could not earn lots of money and yet be rich. I didn’t have much time, because there were other customers in the store, but I quickly told him about forgiveness of sins and a home in heaven that I have simply by trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ.

God says they’re a gift. “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). You don’t pay for a gift, do you? No - a gift is free. All you have to do is reach out and take it. And then it always shows how much you appreciate the gift and the person who gave it to you when you say, “Thank you!”

Why, that’s just the way it is with salvation. It can’t be bought with money or with anything else that you might save up and try to give to God. He doesn’t want any of those things. Instead, he wants to give eternal life to every boy and girl—and grown-up too -who will come to Him. The Lord Jesus says, “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

But just because salvation is a gift and it’s free doesn’t mean that it didn’t cost someone something. This is the most expensive gift that there ever was, but its price can’t be measured with money.

You see, this gift offers a home in heaven forever. But heaven is a perfectly pure, clean place, and God cannot let one sin into heaven, for that would make it dirty. I am a sinner. The Bible says, “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). So I don’t belong there, do I? How am I going to get into heaven?

The Lord Jesus knew all about my problem. He knew that there was no way that I could ever pay the punishment for just one of my sins, let alone all of them. But He wanted me to be with Him there in heaven. His love was so great that He offered to take the punishment instead of me. He -the sinless Son of God - became a man. He hung on a cross and endured every bit of awful torment and suffering that I deserved for my sins. At the end of three hours of punishment worse than I could ever imagine, He said, “It is finished” (John 19:30), He died and His blood was shed. Then, after three days in the grave, the Lord Jesus was raised to life again, proof that God His Father was completely satisfied with the full payment that His Son had made for my sins.

Now God says, “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31). By putting my faith, not in myself or in anyone else, but in the Lord Jesus Christ alone, God gave me His gift of eternal life, and all the riches of heaven and the Lord Jesus are mine-forever! “Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9).

Do you see why I say I am so rich? Are you rich too?

ML-09/03/2000

Dead the Next Day

When I was about ten years old and in public school, there was another boy in my class I really wanted to speak to about my Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. Somehow I could never get up the courage to do it. More than once I prayed and asked the Lord Jesus to give me an opportunity and the courage to speak to Leslie about how important it is to know the Lord Jesus as Saviour. Timidly and shyly I went up to him one day in the schoolyard and gave him a gospel tract. I was really nervous as I told him about Jesus dying for sinners. He promised to read the tract, and I sure hope he did, because that was the very last time I ever saw Leslie alive.

The following day he was standing behind the boards by the ice rink to watch an inter-class hockey game. Just as the final whistle blew, one of the players hit the puck at the boards. The puck lifted just high enough to clear the boards, and it struck Leslie in the temple. He fell over backwards -DEAD!

You can never speak to the “wrong” boy or girl about the Lord Jesus and His love for sinners. And no one is ever too young to tell others that “Christ died for our sins” (1 Corinthians 15:3).

ML-09/03/2000

Boots Attacked by an Eagle

Boots was an outdoor cat that enjoyed the freedom of wandering around the big farm. The two boys who lived on the farm, Ed and Andy, enjoyed their pet cats and dogs and were often outside playing with them.

Late one afternoon the boys were surprised, and then very upset, when they saw a young bald eagle swoop down across the yard, catch Boots in its talons and start to fly upward again. Bald eagles have long, sharp talons for seizing their prey, and this time it was poor Boots! Bald eagles also have strong, broad wings which are ideal for soaring and for long-distance flying, even when carrying their prey. So poor Boots was being taken on a flight that probably would end in disaster for him.

God tells us several things about eagles in the Bible. They are swift (2 Samuel 1:23), they rush to their prey (Job 9:26), and they rush to eat (Habakkuk 1:8). So once an eagle has captured its prey, the chances of it not getting to eat that prey are rare.

Sometimes Satan is like an eagle, and you and I are his prey. He is swift to present bad thoughts to our minds, sometimes tempting us to tell lies or do things we know are wrong. He is successful too often. But, there is a Saviour who can help us when we are caught in Satan’s talons. He will free us if we will call to Him in our need.

But poor Boots didn’t have anybody who could rescue him from the eagle’s sharp talons once the eagle started to fly. Higher and higher he was being carried, but he struggled and struggled, and finally he struggled free from the eagle’s talons and fell to the ground!

Back came the eagle after Boots. Ed and Andy raced across the yard, shouting and waving and doing everything they could think of to frighten the eagle away. Finally, the eagle flew off, and the boys were able to save their injured cat.

The Lord Jesus is the only one who can save you and me from our enemy Satan. The Lord Jesus says in Isaiah 45:22, “Look unto Me, and be ye saved . . . for I am God, and there is none else.” “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13). Are you struggling against sin and Satan? The Lord Jesus loves you a whole lot more than Ed and Andy loved their cat, and He will save you from sin and Satan right now if you will call to Him.

Boots was taken on a quick trip to the animal doctor to have his wounds sewn up. He had to spend a couple of days in the animal hospital before he recovered enough to return to the farm.

Once he was back home, do you think Boots became a more watchful cat, especially when he was out in the yard? I hope so, because that eagle probably lives in the area, and he may be back for the dinner he missed the first time. And you and I who have been saved from our sins and Satan’s grasp need to be very watchful for Satan’s temptations. We belong to the Lord Jesus, so Satan can never take our salvation away from us, but he is still anxious to harm us and make us unhappy. We can hide in the arms of the Lord Jesus and be safe. “The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe” (Proverbs 18:10). “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 the Lord Jesus and have that safe place to hide? “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?” (Hebrews 2:3).

ML-09/10/2000

Moccasins

Sometimes little children say funny things because they misunderstand something we tell them. That’s what little Penny did.

Every day after supper the children would repeat the Bible verse they were learning for Sunday school the next Sunday. The verse they were learning that week was Proverbs 14:9: “Fools make a mock at sin.”

When it was Penny’s turn to repeat the verse she looked up at her father and said, “Daddy, I thought Indians made moccasins.”

Daddy laughed, “Yes, Penny, Indians do make moccasins.” Then he repeated the verse, saying each word very distinctly, “ ‘Fools make a mock at sin.’ That means they do bad things and laugh and say they are having lots of fun doing them,” he explained.

Then he went on to say, “Did you know that there’s another verse in Proverbs 26:12 that says, ‘Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him.’ That means that even if you are very naughty, and even if sometimes you are having fun when you’re being naughty, Jesus still loves you. He died for people like that. And if such a person would turn to the Lord Jesus and confess how bad he has been, God would forgive him because the Lord Jesus died on the cross to save sinners. So even if you have been a fool and have made a mock at sin, if you tell the Lord Jesus you are sorry and that you want Him to forgive you, He will.

“However, if you are wise in your own conceit, it means you think you are okay just the way you are and don’t need to be forgiven. That is simply not true. The Bible tells us that every one of us is a sinner, and we all need to confess to God that we are sinners and need to be forgiven.

“So I hope you won’t be a fool who thinks it’s fun to be naughty. But remember, it is even worse to be naughty and think that you’ll get along all right without God.”

Penny was thoughtful for a minute. Then she said her verse:

“Fools make
a mock
at sin.”
Proverbs 14:9

ML-09/10/2000

Covered in Dirt

“There’s another one.” He smiled as he bent down and picked it up. The pieces of black coal stood out against the other gray stones along the railway tracks. The coal car had dropped the coal as it shook and swayed behind the engine. He thought, I’ll take them home for mother. She says that coal burns a lot hotter in the stove than our birch logs.

The train with the big steam engine passed here daily, puffing clouds of black smoke. It pulled many railroad cars full of supplies for the busy gold mines in northern Ontario. Howard often hiked along the railway tracks back through the forest.

As he went along picking up the chunks of coal, he didn’t notice how black his hands were getting. But he did notice how heavy the backpack was getting. How many can I carry? he wondered.

That heavy load of coal on his back makes me think of our sins. Some pieces of coal were small, some were big, but they were all black, like sin, and each one added to the burden. I’m glad the Saviour said, “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy [burdened], and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

Howard began to sweat under the warm autumn sun. He swatted a fly that landed on his face. He brushed another one off. Soon his face was streaked with black.

He couldn’t see the black dirt on his face. Sin affects us in the same way. It makes us dirty in ways that we can’t even see or understand. That’s why we need a mirror. Now, where would we get a mirror to see our sin? It’s the Bible! It is God’s mirror, and it shows us what sin is and tells us what God thinks of it. Lies are sin. So is cheating, fighting or forgetting about God. Every one of us is guilty. “All we like sheep have gone astray” (Isaiah 53:6). And Proverbs 6:16-19 tells us that God hates sin. It lists a few of them, including “a proud look” and “a lying tongue.” Yes, the Bible is God’s mirror to show us our sins.

Howard walked slowly down the street to his little house. The burden of coal seemed to be getting heavier even though he was not picking up any more. If the neighbors had looked out their windows, I’m sure they would have smiled at the dirty, tired boy.

“Mommy, I’m home,” he called out. “Look what I’ve got for you!” He swung the backpack off, and it fell heavily to the floor with a thud. He caught a reflection of his face in the glass in the door. Who is that? he wondered for a minute. Before he could look again, he heard his mother. “What happened to you? Your face and hands are dirty black!”

Now you can imagine how Howard and his mother went marching off to the sink to wash off the dirt. If he had stayed like he was, he would have made everything dirty that he touched in the house.

His mother didn’t send him away. She loved him, and she knew just what to do. God sees our sin, but He loves us and has done something for us. The Lord Jesus came to earth and was punished for our heavy burden of sins. That is why He died on the cross. He cares for you and me.

As Howard’s mother washed and scrubbed him, she told him about dirty coal. And she told him about dirty sin too. “Sin makes us dirty, and it affects everything we touch. And the burden and weight of sin just gets heavier through life.” But the Bible tells us in Romans 5:20 that where sin increased, grace increased even more. Even though our sins are so many, God’s grace and kindness overflow from His heart of love, and He can wash us clean.

The Bible asks, “Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin?” (Proverbs 20:9). All boys and girls who will let God wash their sins away can say they are clean and pure. Have you ever looked into God’s mirror and then let Him wash your sins away? Howard did that when he was 12 years old.

Thank God the Bible says, “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth [washes] us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). “Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood” (Revelation 1:5).

ML-09/17/2000

Keep Looking Up

My grandparents had me stay at their house for a week. At the end of the week they gave me a special treat. They took me on a ferryboat ride, we ate at an A & W, and then we came back on the ferryboat.

When we had bought our tickets for the ferryboat, we put them in the little slot and went through the gate to wait in line. Some children, eager to get on the ferryboat, were right by the doors waiting for the red light above the doors to turn green. The older children kept telling the younger children to “keep looking up, keep looking up.” They wanted them to keep watching that red light, because as soon as it turned green, we could get on.

Are you ready to go up to heaven when the Lord Jesus comes? Are you looking up for His coming? You’re never too young to be saved from your sins so you can be one of those who keep looking up. Do you know the verse, “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)?

Do you know what that means? If you accept Jesus as your Saviour and have your sins washed away, you will also be among those who are waiting and keep looking up, expecting Him to come any minute. “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man cometh” (Matthew 25:13).

ML-09/17/2000

Gordon and Mary Jane

We all wanted Gordon on our team. When he took the bat in his hands, the other team spread out all over the outfield, and everybody was alert for a home run.

If the bat survived the crack of connecting with the ball, we would all watch the ball sail up into the blue sky, and we would all be running and yelling in a wild effort to get Gordon out. Not much hope for us. Another home run. Teams with lots of players were not too big for him.

Then came a day when Gordon attended a gospel meeting. It wasn’t the first time he had heard the gospel. Although Gordon’s parents were deaf, they had often told him with their sign language all about the Saviour of sinners and had prayed that he would be saved from his sins. But this was not for him. He was too big for such things. Too big until one day when he knew for the first time that it was not just his parents, and not just the preacher, but God Himself who was telling him that His Son Jesus had died for his sins. And that day, Gordon accepted Christ as his Saviour.

Ball playing was more fun than ever, because now his whole life had a different purpose. It wasn’t to please himself, but to please the One who died for him and rose again.

But what about Mary Jane? She was the big sister in a motherless family. When she had time, it was such fun to get her on the back of his bicycle and go places together. What would Mary Jane say if he told her he had accepted Christ as his Saviour? Perhaps he had better not tell her. But how could they go on together if each had a different goal? Yes, he must tell her, and he did.

When she heard that he was saved, her face lit up like sunshine. “I was saved long ago when I went to Sunday school and my teacher told me about Jesus,” she explained.

And then, as all Christians ought to do, they encouraged each other. They read the Bible and prayed and learned together. Then — you guessed it — there came a day when they stood up together and were married.

That is not the end of the story. They are both in heaven now where everlasting life never ends. Today does not mark the end of your story either. Where will it end? In heaven? Are you sure? You can be sure, if the Lord Jesus is your Saviour right now. “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that [you] may know that [you] have eternal life” (1 John 5:13). If the Lord Jesus is not your Saviour, you may be sure of eternity in hell, but don’t leave it that way. The door is still open, and the invitation is for you. Will you come?

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

ML-09/24/2000

The Wrapped Phone

Donald gulped down his breakfast and picked up his beautiful new kite with its long, strong string. The weather was perfect, and he could hardly wait to get outside so he could fly it. Just then his mother came into the kitchen with a worried look on her face.

“I’m sorry, Donald,” she said, “but I’ve got to go on an errand, and I’m waiting for a very important phone call. I need you to stay in and wait by the phone. When it rings, please answer it and take a message for me.”

Donald was disappointed, but he obeyed. He loved his mother, and he also loved the Lord Jesus. He knew that obeying was right and pleased the Lord. The Bible says, “Children, obey your parents in all things: for this is well pleasing unto the Lord” (Colossians 3:20). So he sat quietly by the phone as his mother went out.

After a while he got tired of just sitting and began to wonder how many times he could wrap the string of his kite around the telephone before it rang. He tipped the phone over a little so he could slip the string underneath it and began wrapping it around and around the phone and the receiver . . . once . . . twice . . . three times . . . four times. . . .

After a while when he had used up almost all the string and was still counting, the telephone suddenly began to ring. His mother’s important call! Horrified, he realized he couldn’t answer the telephone because of all the string wrapped around it. Desperately he tried to pull the string off, as the phone continued to ring and ring. But the string was wrapped too tightly around it.

Our sins are just like that string wrapped tightly around the telephone. The more sins we have, the longer the string, and Satan just keeps wrapping it tighter and tighter around us. Our sins have made us helpless captives. The Bible says, “His own iniquities [sins] shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden [held tightly] with the cords of his sins” (Proverbs 5:22). Crying about our sins and struggling to get free from them won’t do any more good than it did Donald.

He was crying and yanking at the string. But before he was able to get it off, the phone stopped ringing. Donald sank down on the floor beside it, crying. He had been so foolish. He had failed his mother, and there was nothing he could do about it now.

Donald didn’t have anybody around to help him out of his trouble. But there is Someone who can cut your cords of sin and set you free right now. If you will just come to the Lord Jesus who loves you and tell Him you are truly sorry about your sins, He will cut those cords and set you free forever from the guilt and penalty of sin. “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36).

Would you like to be set free? Will you come to the Lord Jesus? He died to save you from your sins. “Christ died for our sins” (1 Corinthians 15:3).

ML-09/24/2000

24 Men in Rafts

It was October of 1942, and the B17 Flying Fortress had run out of fuel and was forced down in the Pacific Ocean. Captain Eddie Rickenbacker and his crew of seven men drifted in three rubber rafts in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. I’m sure that in the heart of each man were the same questions: Will we ever make it out of here alive? Will we be rescued, or will we die?

For 24 days the men suffered from the heat. They endured storms. Sharks rammed into their nine-foot rafts. And worst of all, after only eight days their food was entirely gone or destroyed by the seawater.

John Bartak was one of the crew members, and he was a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ. He managed to keep his Bible when they abandoned the sinking plane, and each day he read it and shared it with the others. His trust was in God, and he knew that “with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26). God had delivered Jonah from the belly of the great fish, He delivered Daniel from the lions, and He delivered David from a lion, a bear and a giant. He raised Lazarus from the dead, He fed thousands of people with just a few loaves and fishes, and He gave sight to the blind. John Bartak knew what God can do.

James Whittaker, in one of the rafts, was an unbeliever. He grew irritated with Bartak and did not want to hear what he had to say. He did not believe God could save them. He said it would take an absolute miracle! They were out of radio range. They were out of food. Things looked utterly hopeless.

One day Captain Rickenbacker sat in the raft with his hat pulled down over his eyes, and a sea gull landed on his hat. All the men looked at Rickenbacker. He made a quick move and grabbed the bird. They ate it and used the intestines of the sea gull as bait to catch fish. The crew lived to tell the story. And James Whittaker had a change of heart.

God created us, and He loves us. He works in many different ways to draw people to Himself. We are rebellious and, like sheep, we’ve all “gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way” (Isaiah 53:6). Is God speaking to you in your life? Has He given you some difficult situation to make you call on Him? Sometimes He brings us to impossible situations that we might realize we need help outside of ourselves -His help.

The Bible, God’s Word, “is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105). When we read it, our faith in God becomes strong. Psalm 19:10 says God’s words are to be desired more than gold. Do you believe it? If you could have a million dollars or a Bible, do you realize that the Bible is the real treasure? John Bartak knew he had a treasure in his God and in his Bible. When he was in great need, he could have peace and confidence in his God. “Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God” (Psalm 20:7).

ML-10/01/2000

Nobody Likes 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 problem 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 asked to be locked in the little room with Roy, and he began 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? He will change your life too.

ML-10/01/2000

A Broken Man

When Billy Spiers was just a little fellow, his mother and father would stand him between them while they knelt to pray to the blessed Lord Jesus. And Billy heard that sweetest of all names — the name of Jesus —from his earliest childhood.

Billy lived in a town on the coast of Scotland when he was a boy, and he would often run down to the beach to play. Sometimes there would be a group of people there listening to preachers of the gospel. The preachers would tell the wonderful story of Jesus’ love for poor lost sinners and how He died to open the way for any repentant sinner to come to His home in heaven. Billy would listen too. He listened carefully, but he never got down on his knees to confess to the Lord Jesus that he was a sinner and needed Him to be his Saviour.

When Billy grew up, he moved from Scotland to the United States. One day he had an accident with his car and brought it to an autobody shop to be repaired which was run by Christians. When he came into the shop, he noticed Bible verses on the walls.

“Look at that,” Bill said. “ ‘Be-lieve on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved’ ” (Acts 16:31). “And over there, ‘Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners’ ” (1 Timothy 1:15). And pointing to another wall he read aloud, “ ‘It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment’ ” (Hebrews 9:27), and “ ‘Christ died for our sins’ ” (1 Corinthians 15:3). “You fellows must be Christians,” he said. “Everywhere I look there’s a verse from the Bible. My mother and father taught me all those when I was just a little boy. My parents both loved the Lord Jesus . . . yes they did.”

“And how about you?” the repairman asked. “Do you love the Lord Jesus, Bill? Are you saved?” But Bill didn’t give a clear answer.

About 10 years later Bill came into the autobody shop again. By this time he had two daughters, and he wanted them to learn the way of salvation. But when the repairmen asked, “Bill, are you ready to go, if the Lord Jesus should come today?” Bill couldn’t say “yes,” because he never had taken that step of admitting that he was a sinner and that he needed the Lord Jesus to wash away his sins.

Years later one of the Christian repairmen met Bill again. Bill still could not give a clear answer, when he was asked if he was saved from his sins.

Just recently one of the repairmen met Bill on the street. Bill said, “When you meet a man with a broken leg, you can see it. You know his leg is broken. I’m a broken man . . . I’m all broken up inside. You can’t see it, but it’s real. The last 10 years of my life have been a total waste!”

Bill is a white-haired man now, 62 years old. He knows the way of salvation, but he’s still not saved.

How about you? Have you knelt before the Lord Jesus and confessed that you are a guilty, helpless sinner and cried to Him to save you? “Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts” (Hebrews 4:7). “Now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).

ML-10/08/2000

Stuck in Garbage

His little nose quivered with excitement. An interesting smell had reached the little field mouse, and he followed it until it led him right inside a garage and over to a big garbage can. He was hungry, and that food smelled so good. But he soon discovered that the plastic sides of the garbage can were too slippery to climb. He tried again and again, but he couldn’t climb up. So he tried another way. He ran up the wall beside it, and still smelling that food, he jumped right in.

He had a wonderful time climbing through the garbage, finding food scraps. He ate until his little tummy was full and then decided it was time to go home.

But he quickly discovered he had the same problem he had trying to climb in, only this time he couldn’t get out! He scrambled partway up the side of the can only to fall back down again. He jumped up the side time after time, getting a little way up, but always sliding down again. There was no way out. So there he stayed, trapped. He was down at the bottom with all the food scraps and good smells, but his freedom was gone.

At this point we must explain that our little mouse’s problem of being caught in the garbage can is just like the problem that every sinner has with sin. We are caught . . . and try as we might, we can’t get free. It looks pretty hopeless, and that’s exactly what Satan wants us to think. I doubt the little mouse knew that his situation was hopeless. He couldn’t get out of that garbage can without help, and you and I can’t get free of our sins without help . . . God’s help.

We do not know how long the little mouse was trapped in the garbage can, but when he was discovered, he was a pitiful, trembling, little bit of fur. The owner of the garbage can looked in and saw him. Feeling sorry for the little mouse, he carried the can far away from the house. Then he tilted it on its side and allowed the mouse to escape to freedom.

The owner’s kindness saved him from death. This is exactly what the Lord Jesus will do for you, because He “came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). He is ready to save all who call upon Him and is able to deliver each one from the power of sin and Satan. He shows loving compassion and grace when a sinner realizes his lost and helpless condition and cries for mercy. He is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9).

Will you let the Lord Jesus set you free?

“If the Son [the Lord Jesus Christ] therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36).

ML-10/08/2000

No Undo Button

We all make mistakes. That is why there are erasers on pencils and “white out” to cover ink when we make mistakes on paper. When you work on a computer and make a mistake, usually you can undo your mistake. Just click your pointer on the Uturn button to undo your last move. Then if you change your mind, you can even redo your undo. However, you must make these changes right away or it won’t correct your mistake. You can only undo your last move.

BANG! CRASH! Oh no, I’ve just wrecked my car and I’m hurt! I wish I could undo the accident. If only . . . but life is not that way. Once something has happened, it cannot be undone.

Did you ever say something and then right away wish you hadn’t said it? It is too late. You can say, “I’m sorry,” but you can’t take the words back. Maybe you did something wrong, and again, it is too late to make a change. You cannot undo what you have already said or done.

Here are some Bible verses that tell us this. “If the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree [falls], there it shall be” (Ecclesiastes 11:3). The tree cannot change the way it fell. No one can change where the tree fell. Another verse tells us, “We . . . are as water spilt on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again” (2 Samuel 14:14). The water quickly runs off and some soaks into the ground, and it is impossible to get it back into your cup.

No, there is no undo button in life. The Bible says, “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). It is impossible to undo your sins. When you die, there is no undo. Then it is too late to change your state; it is fixed. If you die without Christ, you are lost forever. If you have accepted Him as your Lord and Saviour, you will be with Him forever.

On a computer there is a “delete” key. You can highlight your mistake and then press the delete key and the mistake is removed. There is no way you can undo or delete your sins, but God offers to blot them out. When you believe on the Lord Jesus, He removes all your sins and you are saved for heaven. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31). “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

Computers cost a lot of money, but God has made salvation free for you because the price has already been paid. The Lord Jesus paid that awful price on the cross, when He was judged by God for the sins of every person who believes on Him.

What you just deleted on a computer can be brought back. You can undo the delete, and everything comes back on your screen again. This can never happen to your sins. Jesus says, “Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more” (Hebrews 10:17). “I . . . am He that blotteth out thy transgressions [sins] . . . and will not remember thy sins” (Isaiah 43:25).

Just as you must undo right away on a computer, you must not wait to have your sins forgiven. Jesus is coming soon for all those whose sins have been blotted out. If you are not saved at that time, you will be lost forever. That is why we are told, “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).

Will you come to the Saviour right now to have your sins blotted out? He loves you and is waiting to tell you, “I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy transgressions, and, as a cloud, thy sins” (Isaiah 44:22).

ML-10/15/2000

Premature Peas

Mrs. Price had a little vegetable garden. Everything was growing so well, and she was very happy with it. She had never had a garden before, and she was looking forward to the fresh vegetables she hoped to harvest. Already she had eaten radishes, some beets and crisp, tasty lettuce. Now she could see many pods forming on her pea vines, and her mouth was watering at the very thought of delicious, fresh peas.

One morning she went to the garden to check again on her peas. She found the pods were long, firm and rounded out, so she picked every one of them right then and went triumphantly into the house to shell them. But what a disappointment! There wasn’t one mature pea in the whole batch.

Mrs. Price didn’t know that peas don’t form until after the firm pods are large enough to give the tiny peas room to fully develop without being crowded. First the Lord forms the pods as a protective cover. Then He forms the peas. How careful our heavenly Father is of all He has created. He has created us too and protects us. Psalm 34:7 tells us “the angel of the Lord [encamps] round about them that fear Him, and [delivers] them.” And He has also promised to supply all our needs: “My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). But we need patience to wait God’s time.

When Mrs. Price picked her pea pods, she didn’t know that if she had just waited a week or so longer, she would have had many plump peas to enjoy. Have you ever found it hard to wait for something? Children find it hard to wait for their birthdays, when they are looking forward to birthday presents. Teenagers find it hard to wait until they graduate from high school to follow the plans they have made. Grown-ups find it hard to wait until the house is paid for, so they can buy other things. We all need patience; we all need to learn to wait quietly for God’s time. It’s not easy to wait, but pushing ahead of God’s time leads to disappointment in one way or another.

Children need to learn to use patience, teenagers need to learn to use patience, and grown-ups need to learn to use patience. We are never through learning patience. The Lord sometimes sends circumstances into our lives to teach us the lessons of patience. The Bible gives us some instruction about this: “The trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, [lacking] nothing” (James 1:34).

ML-10/22/2000

The Only One

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

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

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

Matthew 7:1314 says, “Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” These verses tell us that not many people choose the narrow path that leads to heaven. However, many people choose the wide path that leads to hell. Isn’t this solemn. The more popular way is the WRONG way!

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

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

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

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

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

ML-10/22/2000

The Cure for Skunk Odor

Jeff and Cindy live in the country where there are many wild animals around their home. One night they heard a scratching noise at the door leading up from the basement. When they opened the door, there was a skunk wanting out of their basement! They had no idea how a skunk could sneak into their basement, but there it was! Not wanting it loose in the rest of the house, they quickly closed the basement door. And the skunk didn’t like that.

How terrible to have a skunk sneak into a basement. But, have you ever thought of the things that “sneak” into our lives: selfish acts, mean words, unkind thoughts, and other things? “Let no corrupt [bad] communication proceed out of your mouth” (Ephesians 4:29). We might say that little things like these are not so bad, but they are not little in God’s eyes - He calls them sin.

Have you ever smelled the terrible odor a skunk produces when it is unhappy? If not, you can hardly imagine what a strong, irritating, long-lasting smell it is. It wasn’t long until the skunk’s strong odor was drifting all through the house. Jeff knew that he had to get rid of that skunk, before they could even start working on the odor. He finally cornered the skunk in the wood cellar and shot it. What a relief to be rid of that skunk, but the terrible odor was everywhere in the house.

Sin is like that skunk odor. When we tell a lie, say something unkind, or show our selfishness, it doesn’t just quickly go away. Its unhappy effect stays with the other person. Jeff and Cindy were really bothered by the terrible odor in their house. Does it bother you, when you have allowed sin in your life? Tell the Lord Jesus about it. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins” (1 John 1:9).

Cindy thought Peter might be able to help them. He owned a cleaning company, but he had never before been called to clean up skunk odor. He sprayed the house with chemicals, and Jeff and Cindy cleaned, then Peter sprayed again, and Jeff and Cindy cleaned some more. Each time they sprayed and cleaned, the odor became a little less, but it was still there. Then Peter heard about a chemist at a large cleaning company who might have the answer. The chemist was sure he knew what to do, but they would need expensive equipment and chemicals. Jeff and Cindy decided they would just continue with the spraying and cleaning until the odor finally disappeared.

Have you ever thanked the Lord Jesus that His remedy for sin is free to you? It cost the Lord Jesus Christ His life on the cross to offer you salvation free. It is a gift to you, and a gift is always free to the person who receives it. “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

Jeff and Cindy did not feel they could afford the sure cure for the skunk odor, so they will go on working to get rid of the odor in their house. Some people hope they can work their way to heaven. They hope their good deeds will outweigh the bad. But the Bible says that won’t save you. “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 2:89). It doesn’t matter how long we try or how hard we work to get to heaven, we never will because that is not God’s way. The Lord Jesus tells us in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31). This is the only way to spend eternity with the Lord Jesus Christ in heaven.

ML-10/29/2000

One Door and Only One

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 Tracy 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, Tracy opened their friend’s front door, jumped inside and slammed the door behind her. Tracy 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 hurt 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-10/29/2000

A Warning From Muffin

Dorothy had a great many errands to do that day. She backed the car out of the garage, turned it around, and started to drive out of the driveway. But suddenly the family’s little dog named Muffin darted in front of her car and began barking. And Muffin barked and barked frantically.

Dorothy was not able to drive out without hitting the dog. She 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. 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-11/05/2000

Warning Signs

Jeff was a college freshman in a university 800 miles from his small hometown. He was not used to being away from his family, and he was eagerly awaiting the first opportunity to return home for a visit.

Jeff loved his Christian parents and the happy, loving home he had left only a short time before. Besides his family, he looked forward to seeing his relatives and other friends in the Christian assembly where he had grown up. He missed all of them. It was not a surprise to anyone when he took one of the first breaks in school to head back home for a visit.

Like most college students away from home, he did not have a lot of money. He had a credit card to buy gas for his car, so he didn’t see the need for taking much extra cash for the trip.

After driving some distance, he decided to take a break and get something to eat. He had brought enough money to pay for the food and still have a little left in his pocket.

As he drove along the interstate highway, thinking of home, he was startled from his thoughts by an interstate sign that said:

LAST FREE EXIT

He had a road atlas in the car, but he had not looked at it closely enough to notice that the interstate highway he was on became a toll road at a certain point, even though it was plainly marked on the map. Jeff quickly realized he did not have enough money to pay the tolls. By studying the road atlas closely, he found other roads he could take to bypass the several hundred miles of toll road.

Boys and girls, some things about Jeff’s trip home compare to the journey of each of our lives and where we each would like that journey to end — in heaven. God has marked the way to heaven very clearly in His Word, the Bible. Have you read His “road atlas” carefully to know the way? Perhaps someone has pointed out the way, and you have not been interested and neglected to listen carefully. God has given you a warning sign:

“There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”
Proverbs 16:25

The atlas gave Jeff another way to travel so he could bypass the toll road, but there is only one highway to heaven. God does not give us choices on how to get there. Jesus said:

“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.”
John 14:6

The highway to heaven does have a toll to be paid for our sins. Jeff had nothing he could use to pay for traveling on the toll road. And it is the same way for you and me — we have absolutely nothing we can use to pay for our sins. However, the Bible does tell us some very good news — that payment has already been made! “When we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6). The payment has been made by the Lord Jesus Himself. His precious blood, shed on the cross, has made the payment that God requires for sin and opens the way to heaven. He is offering that paid payment for access to heaven to you right now.

Jeff did reach home safely by using maps in the atlas to show him the way. You can arrive safely in heaven, if you will follow the directions that God gives us in the Bible:

“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

May our loving God use this story with its warning signs and direction signs to awaken you to the fact that you need a Saviour. We are thankful that you have not arrived at that last exit and you still have time right now to follow the directions of this last sign:

“Come . . . buy . . . without money and without price.”
Isaiah 55:1

This sign tells us salvation is free. The price for salvation was paid by the Lord Jesus when He died on the cross. Will you accept it?

ML-11/12/2000

One Word to Get to Heaven

“Who can tell me in one word the way to get to heaven?” the Sunday school teacher asked her four- and five-year-olds. Several hands went up.

“Okay, Peggy?”

“Sunday school,” replied Peggy promptly.

“What do you say, Megan?”

Megan suggested, “Praying,” and Lisa added, “Being good.” But not one of those answers was the correct answer the teacher was waiting for.

Then small, brown-eyed Alison shyly put up her hand and whispered, “Jesus.”

“Not by works of righteousness [good things] which we have done, but according to His [Jesus’] mercy He saved us” (Titus 3:5).

ML-11/12/2000

A Wet Dog

Raining again! It had rained all week long and here it was, Friday night, and still raining! Our backyard was mud soup, and in its center stood a large doghouse, like an island in a swamp.

It was home to a large St. Bernard dog named Heidi. She looked drearily out of her doghouse door, and her sorrowful brown eyes seemed to say, “It’s lonely out here in the rain.” We waved to her from the window, hoping that tomorrow would bring dry weather, and then we could take her on a nice long walk.

Meanwhile, there was activity going on inside our house. Tonight was hobby and Bible story class, an opportunity to share the wonderful news of God’s love with the neighbor children. Boys and girls were starting to knock at the door, eager to start. We were still finishing supper, so we invited them in and let them wait in the front room.

Again, a knock on the door: “Hello, Sarah, Allison and Jamie.” We welcomed them in to wait with the others.

Suddenly, the door flew open, and to our great surprise and dismay, our lonely St. Bernard came galloping into the front room to join the crowd. Her shaggy coat was very wet, and where her fur usually had white markings, she was quite brown with mud. Before we could stop her, she shook herself to a chorus of shrieks and giggles. Brown speckles now decorated the white walls; muddy pawprints spotted the beige carpet, and even some of the children now wore brown polka dots. You can well imagine that, as Mom and Dad of the family, we were not very happy with our unexpected visitor.

Later that night, the children learned about a wonderful place called heaven. It is a place so pure and bright that nothing on earth can compare to it. It is a happy home where there are never tears of sadness of any kind. There is nothing that can hurt or make anyone feel dirty there. We would all like to go there someday, wouldn’t we? However, we have a problem.

You and I need to be clean on the inside to live in heaven. The Bible says in Revelation 21:27 that there shall by no means enter into heaven anything that defiles or causes an abomination or a lie. That is bad news, since none of us are clean on the inside; no, not even one person! We have all done what the Bible calls sin, so none of us are good enough to go to that bright, clean place where Jesus lives. Because she was wet and muddy, Heidi wasn’t fit to be in our house, although we all love her, and because of our sins, we are unfit for the purity of heaven.

So here’s the good news! Jesus Christ loves you and came down from heaven to die for you. He took the punishment and shed His own blood to wash away the sins of any person who will come to Him for that cleansing. Let Him wash away your sins and make you clean on the inside, fit for heaven.

You can pray as King David did: “Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Thy loving-kind-ness . . . blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from [my] iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin” (Psalm 51:1-2). “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

ML-11/19/2000

Sure to Be Safe

At the cottage where the family was staying, the lake was over 10 feet deep right off the end of the dock. Anna’s parents were quite worried about their little toddler being around such deep water. They were afraid she might fall in and drown. They talked over what they should do about it and decided the best thing would be to teach Anna to swim. So they all got into their bathing suits and went down by the shore where the water was shallow.

First, Anna’s mother held her in the water and her daddy reached out his arms for her to come to him, just a few inches away. Anna sputtered and kicked, and soon she was in her daddy’s arms. Then her daddy released her in the water while her mother stretched out her arms and called Anna to come. By the end of the afternoon Anna was having a great time and could swim several feet.

Of course they didn’t want Anna to fall into the deep water, but they wanted her to be able to swim just in case she did. They wanted her to be ready.

If you should fall into the deep waters of death, would you be ready for eternity? Have you trusted in the strong and loving arms of the Lord Jesus who has won the victory over death by rising from the dead?

In 2 Samuel 22 David says, “The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; the God of my rock; in Him will I trust. . . . When the waves of death compassed me, the floods of ungodly men made me afraid. . . . In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried to my God: and He did hear my voice” (vss. 2,3,5,7).

God is listening. He loves you even more than Anna’s parents love her, and He doesn’t want you to fall into the waters of death unprepared. If you have not come to Him to have your sins forgiven, call to Him for forgiveness right away. He assures us 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). That’s all that is necessary to be ready for an eternity with Christ in heaven.

Don’t you want to be safe and sure you are safe?

God Can See Everywhere

“God can’t see us in our house,” said three-year-old David, as he looked at the star-filled sky above him. His grandmother had just reminded him of his Sunday school memory verse — “Thou God seest me.”

“Yes, He can,” said Grandmother. “And He can even see us at night.”

“But we close the curtains on our windows at night,” was David’s reply.

David’s grandmother patiently explained how God can see everything we do, hear everything we say, and knows everything we think. So there is no hiding from Him. Children are not the only ones who think it is possible to hide from God. Teens and grownups both sometimes think this way about their sins. But God has said, “Be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23). God does not want us to try to hide from Him, but to admit our sins to Him. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

ML-11/26/2000

Five Trips to the Store

What would you think about someone who had to make five trips to the hardware store before he finished one project? Well, that’s me! You’re probably thinking, He wasn’t very well prepared. And you’re right!

I had a job to do on some pipes in our house. It didn’t seem like it should take very long - just a couple of hours one morning. I went to the hardware store first thing that morning to get the supplies I needed and then I thought I was ready to start my work.

But I was barely back at the house when I realized that there was a special drill bit that I had forgotten to buy at the store. So back to the store I went! As I was paying for the drill bit, I rather sheepishly admitted to the clerk (the same one that had waited on me a few minutes earlier) that I hadn’t been organized enough to get everything I needed the first time. She grinned and said, “That’s OK. Now we know you’re normal. If you had remembered everything the first time, we’d have thought you were perfect.”

Well, I’m certainly not perfect. Maybe it was a little comforting to know that I am normal! At least I hoped that now I really was ready to start work. Everything went along fine for a little while, till I remembered that I didn’t have any pipe glue - something else I should have bought on my first trip to the hardware store. I couldn’t get my job done without it, so that cheerful clerk got to see my face again! This time I said to her, “Now you know that I’m really normal, since I had to come back twice more in one morning!”

And that wasn’t the end of it! Those extra trips to the store meant that I didn’t get my project done that morning. After lunch, it took not only a fourth trip but also a fifth to the same hardware store before I had everything I needed to complete the job. I quit saying anything to the clerk about how normal I am; I was feeling very embarrassed! You can imagine how relieved I was to finally get that project finished!

I wasn’t very well prepared, was I? Did you know that there’s something else for which it is important to be prepared? In fact, there’s nothing more urgent than to “prepare to meet thy God” (Amos 4:12). You and I both must meet Him one day very soon. “We shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. . . . Every one of us shall give account of himself to God” (Romans 14:10,12).

Are you ready for that meeting? Am I? No we’re not - at least, not the way we were born into this world. We were born sinners, and while still very young we started doing sinful things, like disobeying our parents and lying. The Bible says, “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). That’s “normal” for every one of us, but it’s not at all good, is it? Because of our sins, we deserve to be punished forever in that awful place called hell.

It ought to make us tremble to think of meeting God with our hearts still stained with every sin that we have ever done. But Jesus loves us and suffered on the cross and died so that He might offer you and me forgiveness and eternal life. His precious blood can wash us clean of every sin, so that we can have perfect peace with God.

How will you stand before Him: covered with all of your sins? or covered with the “blood of Jesus Christ” which “cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7)? Thank God, I’m prepared for this meeting. The Lord Jesus suffered all the punishment that I deserved for my sins. By believing in Him, the Bible says I’m saved. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31). That makes me ready - prepared - to meet Him and to be forever with Him in heaven.

How about you? Are you prepared? Are you saved?

ML-12/03/2000

The Pony Express

The Pony Express was an important part of early American history. It ran from St. Joseph, Missouri to Sacramento, California - a distance of 1900 miles. Forty men, each riding 50 miles at a stretch, dashed along the trail using 500 of the fastest horses available. The trip was made in 10 days.

To keep the weight down, their clothing was very light, their saddles were small, and no weapons were carried. The horses wore small horseshoes or none at all. The mail pouches were flat and could not be larger than a certain size. Letters had to be written on very thin paper, because the postage was $5.00 an ounce! However, even with all these limits on weight, there was something that every rider carried with him—full-sized Bible.

The Bible was presented to each rider when he joined the Pony Express, and he always carried it with him. Why? Because the Scriptures were regarded as “standard equipment.” God was important to the people in those frontier days. They realized the need of reading God’s Holy Word every day.

We, too, like the Pony Express rider, are on our way to a destination—eternity. God has arranged that He will not leave us without a compass or a guide. He has provided us with these in His precious Word, the Bible.

Is the Bible important to you? Is it standard equipment for you every day? Do you read and study it? I hope so.

“From a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works” (2 Timothy 3:15-17).

ML-12/03/2000

The ON Button

I was teaching a class of adult beginners how to operate computers. Some of the students in the class were 30 or 40 years old, and some were not used to learning how to operate electronic equipment like computers. When they first came into the class, they all looked a little nervous as they sat down in front of the computers that were on the desks. I encouraged them by reminding them that they would have a much better chance of finding a job if they learned how to run a computer.

I began by showing the class exactly which button they had to press to turn on the computer. Nineteen students pushed the ON button. Nineteen computer screens lit up. Then I told them what to do next, and when they saw that their computers did exactly what I said they would do, they began to relax. With a little more instruction, some of them even began to look happy!

But there was one older lady who still looked confused. I began walking around the room, looking at the computer screens. When I looked at hers, what do you think I saw? Nothing! For some reason she hadn’t heard my instructions, or at least she hadn’t acted on my instruction to push the ON button. I went over to her desk and told her again how to turn on the computer. She pushed the ON button. The screen lit up. She followed my next instructions, and soon she caught up to the rest of the class.

Faith is like the ON button of the computer. It gets things started. When I was hired for this job as a computer teacher, if I had been told to make a computer, I could not have done it. But I could read the instructions and learn how to operate one. And God knows we can’t make our own salvation either, so He gave us the Bible that gives us complete instructions on how to be saved from our sins. And this is where faith comes in to get it all started. The Bible tells us that Jesus died on Calvary’s cross and suffered God’s punishment against sin. But I must have faith to believe and accept that His suffering on the cross was for my sins. That’s all that’s needed to receive salvation. “Without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that [comes] to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6). These are God’s instructions in the Bible.

Would you like to have salvation? There is no work for you to do, because the work has already been done by Jesus on the cross. You only need to believe and receive. “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). “This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him [Jesus] whom He hath sent” (John 6:29).

ML-12/10/2000

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-12/10/2000

Too Late

David and Michael were the first two boys to arrive at school that morning. They were both good at the game of marbles and wanted to play each other again. So while they waited for the bell to ring, they drew a chalk circle on the blacktop and crouched down to begin their game.

Soon the schoolyard began to fill with students, and the air rang with noisy shouts and laughter. The noise level rose until suddenly the bell rang and the students lined up and filed into their classrooms.

The sudden quiet made David and Michael jump up, scattering their marbles. Where had everybody gone? Quickly gathering up their marbles, they raced for the school door, but they were late. They had arrived in the schoolyard in plenty of time, intending to go in when the bell rang, but they were so absorbed in their marble game that they put off going into school. Now they would get a scolding from their teacher and be marked tardy.

Are you doing just what David and Michael did? You know you are a sinner. You know the Lord Jesus died on the cross and shed His blood to save sinners. You know you need to accept Him as your Saviour, but you think, There is still time left. I don’t want to stop what I’m doing right now . . . I’ll do it later.

The Bible warns us that “they that were ready went in with him . . . and the door was shut” (Matthew 25:10). Those who were left behind could never get in. The door was shut forever.

Of course, David and Michael got into school even though they were late, but if you put off accepting the Lord Jesus as your Saviour, you may be shut out of heaven forever.

When the Lord Jesus comes again to call all those who belong to Him to be with Him in heaven, the door to heaven will be permanently shut. No one will be able to quietly creep in later. It will be too late forever. Won’t you accept the Lord Jesus right now? “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).

The Dye Test

A man set up a business of dyeing things different colors for people. He advertised that he could dye just about anything-clothes, shoes, curtains-whatever a person wanted. One of his first customers was a wealthy lady who brought in a very expensive fur coat. She wanted the color of the coat to be changed.

When the lady left his shop, the man was still holding her expensive coat. He looked at it carefully and began to wonder if he really would be able to dye it successfully. If I don’t, he thought, I’m sunk. Instead of making money, I will go deeply into debt. So he decided to test it first.

“I’ll look for a very small piece of fur exactly like the fur the coat is made of,” he said to himself. “I’ll try dyeing that. If that turns out OK, I’ll know that I’ll be able to dye the coat.”

That was a good idea. It’s smart to test things first.

Now here’s a test I’d like you to try. Think of the worst thing you’ve ever done in your life - something you knew was wrong, but because you wanted to do it, you did it anyway. Now, see if you can think of a way you can get rid of that sin. Is there any way you can totally erase that sin from God’s record of your life by your own efforts? That’s like the small sample of fur. If the man who set up the dyeing business could dye the sample, he could also, hopefully, dye the coat. If you can erase this one sin from God’s record of your life, you would be able to erase all your sins by yourself. But can you erase that one sin?

I took that test, but I couldn’t pass it. I could not erase one sin from my record. Do you know why? Mark 2:7 tells us, “Who can forgive sins but God only?” There is no person here on earth who can erase even one sin. Thankfully, there is Someone who is able to erase ALL my sins and your sins too. “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). Yes, the blood of the Lord Jesus, God’s Son, has erased all my sins, and He can erase all yours too, if you will let Him.

I don’t know how the test for dyeing the fur coat turned out. But I do know that my test to erase my sins from God’s record failed, and yours will too. Will you come to Jesus and let Him erase all your sins? He will not fail. He loves you so much He gave up His life so you could have your sins washed away in His precious blood. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

ML-12/24/2000

"O" Names Word Search

This word search uses Bible names which begin with the letter “O.” See how many of the names listed below you can find among the letters. Look up, down, diagonally, backwards, across - every direction.

OBADIAH ONESIMUS

OBED ONESIPHORUS

OG OPHIR

OMEGA ORPAH

OMRI OTHNIEL

ML-07/09/2000

ML-08/27/2000

"T" Names Word Search

This word search uses Bible names which begin with the letter “T.” See how many of the names listed below you can find among the letters. Look up, down, diagonally, backwards, across - every direction.

TABITHA THOMAS

TAMAR TIMOTHY

TARSUS TITUS

THADDAEUS TROAS

THESSALONICA

ML-03/26/2000

Alone on the Ocean

William Butler and his wife were going on a round-the-world adventure. In their 40-foot sloop, the two of them set out from Miami, Florida, on a trip that would take four years. For two months all went well.

By June 15, 1989, they were 1,200 miles west of the Central American coastline. At 4 a.m. a pod of about 200 whales was swimming past the Butlers when suddenly the largest whale attacked their boat. More whales began battering the sloop, and they punctured a hole in the fiberglass hull before they finally swam away.

The Butlers heard water gushing into their boat. They immediately launched their six-foot inflatable rubber raft, loaded it with some provisions, and sent out a Mayday signal - a call for help. Fifteen minutes later their boat sank. They were left alone in the Pacific Ocean in their small rubber raft.

To add to their problems, they accidentally poked a hole in their raft as they were getting in. They quickly found a patch in their emergency kit. Mr. Butler said afterwards, “By the grace of God, the patch we had was exactly the right size for the hole in the raft.”

For the next 66 days the Butlers floated with the ocean currents. They caught fish, first with a hook and line, and then by hand when they lost the hook. They had to eat the fish raw.

Nearly 40 ships went by, but no one saw them. The Butlers knew the value of prayer, and as they drifted alone out on the ocean they asked God to send someone to rescue them. “Call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me” (Psalm 50:15).

The day after they fired their last signal flare, a Costa Rican coast guard boat was searching for a missing shrimp boat. They spotted the Butlers in their little raft, 30 miles from Costa Rica. The Butlers had drifted 1,170 miles in 66 days.

Mr. Butler said of their ordeal, “We discovered once again the power of God and prayer. That’s the only thing that really saved us.”

Let’s change places now, boys and girls. Put yourself in the Butlers’ place. You are alone on the ocean. All the ships pass right by without anyone seeing you. You are facing death. Now, can you pray? Do you believe that God sees you and hears your prayers?

Each of us is in our own little boat on the ocean of life. Some of us are looking forward to entering the safe harbor of heaven. Some are drifting with the currents and heading toward shipwreck on the shore of destruction, called hell. Where are you headed? To heaven or to destruction?

The Butlers looked to God for help, and He sent a boat that wasn’t even looking for them. But did you know that God sent His Son to seek for you to save you? “The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). Without the Saviour you are lost on the ocean of life and heading toward certain shipwreck. Right now, trust in Jesus Christ to save you. Let God forgive you and let Jesus pilot you safe home to heaven’s harbor.

ML-12/24/2000

They Killed His Son

Many years ago, during the years 1812-1814, Britain and the United States were at war. Often the Indians too were involved in the war, usually fighting on the British side. Most of the battles were fought along what is now the Canadian-U.S. border, and many sad and touching incidents occurred.

The story we want to tell you occurred at Fort Meigs, an American fort on the Maumee River just south of the western end of Lake Erie, near the place where the city of Toledo, Ohio, now stands. During the month of April, 1813, Major-General William Henry Harrison and his troops were camped there. The British were gradually surrounding him, hoping to attack with the help of the Indians. Harrison was badly outnumbered by the British and the Indians and was anxiously waiting for reinforcements from Kentucky. Their supplies of food and ammunition were low. In addition, he had not had time to dig proper wells inside the fort, and so his men had either to drink dirty water or risk going outside the fort to get water from the river.

Each night, Metoss, head chief of the Saul Indians, crossed the river from his tepee near the British camp and hid in the trees near Fort Meigs, hoping to shoot one of the enemy or take a prisoner. Well accustomed to the woods, he was able to creep around the fort unseen, sometimes even climbing into tall trees to fire down on the men inside the fort.

On one occasion, his 13-year-old son wanted to go with him, but Metoss urged him not to go. However, when the boy pleaded his father gave in, and so together they went over to Fort Meigs.

They went very close to the fort, thinking that no one could see them. This time, however, the Americans had spotted them. Suddenly a tremendous roar was heard, and a volley of grape shot ripped through the woods. Metoss was unhurt, but his young son was hit several times and died in his arms a few moments later.

Metoss was wild with anger and grief and thought only of one thing: revenge! The night before, he had captured a young American soldier who had risked going to the river. The young soldier now lay in Metoss’s tepee, securely tied so that he could not escape. Metoss picked up the body of his son and went back across the river in his canoe, intending to kill the young soldier with his tomahawk.

But someone else was at his tepee too. A British fur trader by the name of Robert Dickson, also an official of the British Indian Department, had heard the shots and seen Metoss quickly come back across the river. Guessing what had happened, he hurried to meet him. Dickson had been very good to the Indians over the years and had, more than once, gone without food himself in order to save them from starvation. He had earned their trust and respect as few others had. With great difficulty, he was able to persuade Metoss to turn the prisoner over to him. Later, Metoss’s young son was buried with full British military honors, but his father could not be consoled.

We are touched by this story, and many others like it could be told. Does it not remind us of how God sent His Son into an unfriendly world? Metoss and his son went over to Fort Meigs, intending to kill and to take prisoners, but God sent His Son that we might be saved. During His life, the Lord Jesus did nothing but good in this world, yet men took Him and crucified Him. But instead of judgment, which we all deserve, God showed mercy to us, and now we can be saved through the blood of His Son, the Lord Jesus. We read in 1 John 1:7, “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” Metoss unwillingly gave up his prisoner and did not kill him, but he did not forgive those who had killed his son. He could not forget what had happened, and he continued to fight against the Americans for the rest of the war. But “God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Robert Dickson was a kind man who was a go-between for the prisoner and saved his life, but he could not set him free. Although the soldier’s life was spared, he remained a prisoner until the end of the war. But God wants to free you from your sins now, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life” (John 3:36).

Has God forgotten what this world did to His Son? No indeed, and for those who do not accept the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour, there is a day of judgment coming. God must punish sin, and those who reject God’s offer of mercy must suffer in hell for all eternity. Why not come to the Lord Jesus today? He loves you and wants to be your Saviour.

ML-12/31/2000

Bible Stories

No More Accusers

Jesus had spent all that dark and chilly night on the Mount of Olives, and early in the morning He went to the temple where His people came to worship.

It seems that many of them were out of bed early too that morning. They had something special on their minds. They had a duty to do. It was a chance to show how right they were. It was a chance to show how wrong somebody else was.

I think we understand that very well, and we might have been up early too to join the stone-throwing crowd against one bad woman. She was a married woman who had been found in the night with someone else’s husband.

Her accusers were good, religious people who knew the ten commandments well. They were sure that this woman had broken a commandment and were quite sure she should be stoned to death. The law of Moses said so. They asked Jesus what should be done.

God Himself was the One who gave those ten commandments, and God was there that early morning in the person of Jesus, His eternal Son. The same God whose finger wrote those ten commandments on tablets of stone long ago was standing there, and God does not change His holiness to suit our sins.

They waited for His answer, and I can imagine the poor, scared woman held her breath. But Jesus did not speak. He stooped down and with His finger wrote on the ground.

What did He write? We are not told, but some of the most wonderful words of Jesus are written down for anyone to read, words such as, “[You] shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). The Bible is God’s personal message for you.

These accusers were so busy finger-pointing and fault-finding that perhaps they missed the wonderful words written by the finger of Jesus Himself. And you - DON’T MISS IT TOO!

But the accusers kept right on asking what should be done about this woman’s great sin against the law of Moses. Jesus stood up and said to them, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.” Then He stooped down and wrote on the ground again.

That brought silence. Everyone in the presence of that Holy One began to search his own heart, and everyone found the same thing. Sin. Search your own heart and you will find it there too. Sin. And God knows all about it.

The gray-haired ones among them were the first to feel their guilt. They had been sinners a long time, and their lists were long and ugly, even if no one else knew about them. The oldest one there quietly slipped away. He could not throw a stone. And so it went on, right down to the youngest and strongest who could have lifted a boulder to throw at her. But each one knew that his heart was sinful too, and each one slipped away.

Gone. All gone! But why did they go? Why didn’t they come to the feet of Jesus and tell Him that they were sinners too? Listen, you who are reading this story, don’t go away. Don’t go away from the only One who can save you. Jesus knows your sin far better than you do, but He loves you, and that’s why He died for you. He wants to cleanse you from those sins that make you guilty in His sight. There is no salvation for you anywhere else. Don’t go away!

Now the poor woman had her chance to escape. She was no longer in a ring of accusers pointing fingers who had the right to stone her to death. The only One left was the sinless, holy Son of God. She stood silent, but she did not go away.

Jesus said to her, “Where are . . . thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?”

She said, “No man, Lord.”

And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.”

How could Jesus leave her uncondemned? Is that fair after what the Word of God had said in the Old Testament?

The only way He could let her go free was to bear the punishment for that sin Himself. And not only for that one sin, but for all the black history of her life. He did this during the hours of darkness on Calvary’s cross. Only Jesus had a right to throw a deadly stone at her, but only Jesus could take the total punishment upon Himself.

Will you go away from Him too? Will you carry your own sins down into eternity with you, or will you come to Him now - the One who offers you total forgiveness, at the cost of His own precious blood? “Who can forgive sins but God only?” (Mark 2:7). “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

You may read this story for yourself in John 8:1-11.

ML-02/06/2000

Two Men

There were two men who went up to the temple to pray. That was a good religious thing to do, and they went to the right place to pray, and they offered their prayers to the right Person. That’s a good start, isn’t it?

God tells us stories like this to show us what happens to our prayers. We are praying to someone we can’t see, and if God did not tell us, we might never know what happens in heaven when our prayers get there.

It doesn’t take long for one little prayer to go up from one little child right to the throne where God is sitting. God has no problem with distance or sound waves. This story brings things clearly into focus so we can see what happens.

The first man was a Pharisee, one of those people who liked to wear religious robes and make long, public prayers. He was looked up to as a leader of religion, and he prayed like this: “God, I thank Thee, that I am not as other men are, [cheaters and full of sin].”

What would God think of a prayer like that? This man did not seem to think that he was a sinner, but God says that “all have sinned” (Romans 3:23). And God says that all the world is guilty before Him (Romans 3:19). We know for sure God heard his prayer, because He records every word of it in Luke 18:11, and you may read it.

The Pharisee continued praying, telling God that he was not like the other man, who was a publican. Then he listed his fastings and givings, which are things people should not brag about.

Are your givings secret? God has an unpublished record of things done for His sake, but perhaps you think your record is blank. It is only things done for Jesus’ sake that He can reward. Even if you can’t remember what’s on your record, don’t worry. You don’t have to remember everything, because God does not forget.

Then the other man prayed. Being a publican, nobody liked him, because he was employed by the Romans to collect taxes. Tax collectors were dishonest, and this man had a bad conscience about it. Perhaps he had taken money dishonestly from people and could not begin to pay it all back.

The publican could not even look up to heaven when he prayed, but he struck himself on the chest and said, “God be merciful to me a sinner.”

We will not ask your opinion about those two prayers, because God has already told us how He received them. He says, “This man [the publican] went down to his house justified rather than the other.” Justified. That’s a big word. If you say you are sorry, someone might forgive you, but if you are truly guilty, only God can say, “Justified!” This means that you stand before Him as righteous in His holy eyes! No one but God could do this for you.

That guilty publican went down to his house justified, and we know this because God says so. Perhaps you are in your house now, or perhaps in a hospital or in a prison or on the street. You can pray that same prayer as the publican did, with the same answer from the same God, for the Lord Jesus has died to redeem you.

“Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). “Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24).

You may read this story for yourself in Luke 18:10-14.

ML-04/02/2000

Something Important

The man came running. He was not going to miss his chance to speak to that wonderful Man, who could tell him what he really wanted to know. When he got to Jesus, he kneeled in front of Him, knowing that He was worthy of this honor.

What was it that this man wanted that he was in such a hurry to speak to Jesus? It must have been something important that he needed right away.

Yes, it was. He was a rich man, but he still had an emptiness in his heart. He knew that he would grow old and eventually leave his possessions behind when he died, and he wanted everlasting life. Who but Jesus could tell him how to get it?

“Good Master,” he said, “what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?”

That is a very strange question, isn’t it? Some of us have inherited things, because our parents or grandparents have died and left us things in their will. But we didn’t really have to do anything to receive those things except be in the family, did we? But the rich man wanted to “do” something to earn eternal life. What could he do?

But Jesus knew, as He always does, what was missing in that man’s heart, and so He said, “Why callest thou Me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.”

I think everyone must agree that Jesus was good, always was good and never had a moment of anything but good in Him. What does that mean? HE must be GOD! This is what the man was missing, and many people miss it today. Jesus is the eternal Son of God and worthy of everything we have!

Then Jesus began quoting to him the commandments, which he knew very well already. “Master,” he said, “all these have I [obeyed] from my youth.”

Jesus knew all about this man’s boyhood days and knew that he had been a good boy. As Jesus looked at him He loved him, but He knew there was one thing missing. Jesus had not quoted the commandments, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind,” and, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.”

“One thing thou lackest,” said Jesus, and this was going to touch a very tender point for this man. “Go . . . sell whatsoever thou hast . . . give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven. . . . Take up the cross . . . follow Me.”

But the man was rich. He thought that to give it all away was too much to ask. He went away distressed and sad.

Did he ever come back? Perhaps, after he learned who that wonderful Man really was. Maybe he changed his mind and was one of those in Acts 2:45 who were filled with rejoicing and praise. We don’t know. But we do know that Jesus, who created the heaven and earth, loves us so much that He gave ALL that He had to buy us with His precious blood. “Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9). In Him we have the gift of eternal life, and in Him we have the inheritance we could never receive by doing anything.

I hope that man came back to Jesus, and I hope you will come too. Our Jesus, who is the Son of God, is high above all powers and every name that is named, not only in this world but also in that which is to come. Will you follow Him now?

You may read this story in Mark 10:17-22.

ML-04/23/2000

A Big Man

He would probably have bumped his head on the top of your front door, for he was nine feet tall, and he was not thin. And he had a big, booming voice to match. The Bible says he was one of the family of giants.

This big man lived long before guns and bombs, so when he came out and shouted his threats against the people he hated, the children of Israel, it was enough to make the bravest person tremble. Nobody wanted to fight with him. “COME AND FIGHT!” he shouted. But nobody came.

And then one day somebody did come to fight him. Who could be bold enough or strong enough to accept a challenge like that? The young lad who came was not really strong at all, but he knew someone that the giant did not know. He knew God.

I wonder if you know Him — God, who has all power. The big giant didn’t care about who God was, and nothing happened to him. Nothing, until . . .

The lad who came into the valley to meet the giant had already trusted God, and God had given him strength to kill a lion and a bear, just with his hands, in order to save his sheep. The lad’s name was David.

But the giant seemed to need a lot of equipment to fight with. He had a helmet of brass, a heavy coat of metal, brass protectors for his legs, more protection for his shoulders, and a huge spear so heavy that an ordinary man could not lift it. He also had someone in front of him carrying his shield. He seemed to have some gods too, but he was counting on his size and all his expensive equipment to protect him from anyone who would dare to fight him.

Young David had a shepherd’s bag where he had put five carefully selected stones, and he carried a sling. That was all. No, not really. Remember, he was trusting God.

The giant shouted in his big, booming voice that he was going to feed this youngster to the vultures. But listen to David’s answer: “Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied . . . that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel . . . for the battle is the Lord’s.” Then the giant came closer, and David ran to meet him. And one stone, aimed on the run, sank into the giant’s forehead, and he fell on his face to the earth, and all that heavy armor added to the mighty thunder of his fall.

Who won? It was God who won. And it is always God who wins. His Son, the Lord Jesus, has already won the victory over sin and Satan when He died and rose again. And one day soon His enemies will bow their knees before Him and confess that He is Lord of all.

Whose side are you on? When the giant fell, many in his army may have wished that they could change sides when the men came rushing down from David’s side. But they turned and fled without a fight. But there is no fleeing when Jesus returns as the Victor.

You may make that decision right now. Run to Him, not away from Him. He has promised, “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). There is no way He will refuse you if you come now, for He loves you and died for you. “Whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe” (Proverbs 29:25).

Whose side are you on?

You may read this story in 1 Samuel chapter 17. Can you find the name of the giant?

ML-05/14/2000

The Tree-Climber

Have you ever climbed a tree? I watched Eddie climb our tree. He loves to do this just for fun, and he can scramble up fairly quickly.

It reminded me of a man in the Bible who once climbed a tree. His name was Zaccheus, and he was a short little man. He climbed a tree for a different reason than Eddie does. Zaccheus wanted to see Jesus, who was coming along the road in the middle of a crowd of people.

But when Jesus came by the tree where Zaccheus was sitting, He looked up at him and said, “Zaccheus, make haste, and come down; for today I must abide at thy house.” And he did just what Jesus told him to do.

Zaccheus was a sinner, just like you and me. But before the day was over, Jesus said to him that salvation had come to him. This meant that Jesus had forgiven all his sins, and someday he would go to heaven to live with Jesus.

Boys and girls, Jesus knows all about your sins, but He wants you to come to Him. He is calling you just like He called Zaccheus. He wants to come into your heart and live with you until He takes you home to heaven. Won’t you make room for Him and tell Him now that you would like Him to be your Saviour? “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31).

You may read the story of Zaccheus for yourself in your own Bible in Luke 19:1-10.

ML-06/18/2000

Too Small a Gift

As we crossed the border going from Mexico to Guatemala, all the passengers had to get off the bus and walk across the border. There were many young boys, possibly 10 or 12 years old, begging for money. Many of these young beggars followed the walking passengers. Since we were leaving Mexico, we were willing to give the Mexican coins we had in our pockets to the young beggar boys.

One little beggar complained to me about the small amount I gave him. Another actually cursed at one of us because he was not happy with the number of coins he was given. They continued to ask for more money, and some of them were very pushy about it. Besides the coins, we gave them Spanish pocket calendars that had gospel verses on them. One of the boys tore his calendar into very small pieces. These young beggars were very ungrateful.

I couldn’t help but think of the stories in the Bible about beggars, and they were not ungrateful. One of the beggars was named Lazarus. The Bible tells us in Luke 16 of his very sad life, lying at the gate of a rich man, with his body covered in sores. His food was mostly the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table. The account also says that Lazarus died and was carried away by the angels to heaven. Lazarus passed out of this world where he had no comforts into a place of joy and happiness. He was not taken to heaven because he was a poor man and had such a bad life here in this world; he was taken there because he had faith in the living God.

Another beggar the Bible tells us about was not only poor; he was also blind. Mark 10 tells us his story: “Blind Bartimeus . . . sat by the highway side begging.” When he heard that Jesus was coming, he called out, “Jesus, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me.” There were those who told him to keep quiet and not to bother Jesus. But Bartimeus believed that Jesus, as the Son of David, was his true King, and he had faith that Jesus could heal his blind eyes and give him sight. Bartimeus didn’t give up - he called louder. And our blessed Lord always answers faith with blessing. Bartimeus received his sight.

Boys and girls, we hope that if you have not yet believed in the Lord Jesus as your Saviour, you will learn from these two beggars the Bible tells us about. They could go to heaven because they had their sins forgiven by the Lord Jesus. If you will by faith believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins, He promises to forgive your sins. “We have redemption through [Jesus’] blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7). But if you neglect to put your trust in the Lord Jesus as your Saviour, you cannot go to heaven. The Lord Jesus said, “Ye . . . shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come. . . . Ye shall die in your sins . . . if ye believe not that I am He” (John 8:21,24).

Remember the beggar boy who said our gift was too small? Instead of being grateful for what he received, he complained about the amount of the gift. For you who by faith have believed in the Lord Jesus as your Saviour and your sins are forgiven, are you grateful? Have you really thanked Him from the depths of your heart for saving your soul? His offer of salvation is an enormous gift and bought at a tremendous price! We should thank the Lord Jesus every day for dying on the cross for us. “Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15).

ML-07/16/2000

Joseph, the Butler, and the Baker

It was not fair that Joseph was in prison. It was all a lie, but he had no chance to answer. He wore iron chains too, and where he had to stay was not a cell, but a dungeon.

However, Joseph was a believer in the living God. His belief shone in his conduct so much that the keeper of the prison noticed it and promoted him to be over the other prisoners. His belief in the living God was the real thing.

The crime he was accused of was against the king, which made it even more serious. His fellow-prisoners were the king’s prisoners too. One had been the “chief butler,” which was a very high position. He brought the royal wine-cup to the king. Another had been the “chief baker,” which was a high position too, since eating was of top importance in the king’s life.

But Joseph, you remember, was a servant of the living God, and since he knew God was taking care of him, he could give his time and thought to taking care of others. One morning when he found the butler and the baker extra sad, he asked them why.

Both men had dreamed. The butler had dreamed that he was back in the king’s court. In his dream he squeezed three bunches of grapes into a cup and then gave the cup to the king. What could this dream mean?

“Interpretations belong to God,” said Joseph. Then he explained that in three days the butler would be restored to his former position of chief butler.

How did Joseph know what would happen? He didn’t seem to have any doubt about it, even though there was no court announcement and he had no other way of knowing. The answer is one word - “God.” Do you know that answer too? You can, because you can have God’s Word, the Bible, if you want it. You and I can be sure of what will happen to us after this life, if we simply believe what God says in the Bible.

The butler had three days waiting time. And for me, I don’t know how long the waiting time may be, but I am sure that God’s Word is true, and the Saviour who died for me has given me everlasting life. The Lord Jesus promises, “He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life” (John 6:47). I am sure of another of His promises: “I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:3).

The baker was pleased to hear the butler’s news, and so he was ready to tell his dream too. He told Joseph that he dreamed that he carried three white baskets on his head, and the top one was full of all kinds of baked goods for the king. And then birds came and ate them out of the basket.

I can imagine how proud the baker was of his baking skills, and he must have waited eagerly for Joseph’s answer. But it all came to nothing. Joseph explained that in three days the king would hang him on a tree, and the birds would eat his flesh.

And it all came true, just as Joseph said. Why does God tell us such a sad story? You have heard many sad stories of warning against fire and accident and drugs, but this is God’s story and it is far more serious for you than death and disaster. This is forever. Can you see what God is showing to you?

It was God who made the grapes for the butler, but it was the baker’s own hard work that prepared the goodies, and it was the baker who carried his gift on his head.

Are you listening to the lesson? Don’t prepare your own gift and expect God to accept you. Don’t carry your gift on your head, where your brains and your own ideas are. There is only one gift that God will accept to receive you into His home with joy forever. That gift is something that He Himself has prepared for you. Here is the answer as God Himself has written it for you. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). “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 2:89).

Read this story in Genesis 40, and you will see that we have left out some details. Read it as God wrote it, and be sure that you have accepted God’s gift to you: “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

ML-07/23/2000

Joseph: Another Dream

Do you remember the story from last week of the butler who was released from the king’s (Pharaoh’s) prison after his dream about the grapes?

Joseph, his helper in prison, had been very kind to him, and the butler had good reason to remember this kindness all his life. But Joseph had been more than kind. He was a believer in the living God, and he had given the butler the meaning of his dream - a message from God which came true in the butler’s life. This is a great deal more important than ordinary kindness. A message from God is worth listening to, more important than all friendly kindness that others may show to you.

“Show kindness . . . unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh,” said Joseph when the butler left the prison. He explained to the butler that he had been stolen away from the land of the Hebrews, and that he had done no wrong in the captain’s house to cause them to put him into prison.

Doesn’t that sound like a true believer? If you have read the whole story in the book of Genesis, you will know that Joseph’s mean brothers were to blame, because they had stolen him away and then sold him as a slave. And then the captain’s wife was to blame for having him thrown into prison. But Joseph does not blame anybody. If we are true believers, let us take this lesson to heart. Our God makes Himself responsible for us, and we should not hold bitterness against those who wrong us.

The butler was released on the king’s birthday to go back to his old position of honor, to carry the wine cup to the king. But in all the excitement and honors of the king’s court, the butler forgot about Joseph in prison. Two years of freedom and easy living slipped away for the butler, and two more years of unjust prison life for Joseph, servant of the living God. Even though the butler had forgotten, God had not forgotten. God never forgets His own.

Trouble came into the king’s life. He had dreams at night which troubled him all day, and no one could tell him what they meant, not even the magicians who knew all the tricks. And when the king had a problem, everyone had a problem, even the butler. His easy living was clouded with trouble.

Perhaps your easy living is troubled too. Do you remember the One who died to set you free? He is still unwanted in this world, but He has asked you to “remember Me.” Do you remember?

Finally the butler remembered, and he told the king about the prisoner whose explanation of his dream had come true. Joseph was sent for at once. With a shave and clean clothes, he was soon standing before the king. And when the king explained his problem, the young prisoner said, “[The answer] is not in me: God shall give Pharaoh an answer of peace.”

In our hearts we can praise his answer. He took no credit to himself at all, but only to God “in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” Joseph explained the dreams. The land was going to have seven years of good crops, followed by seven years of terrible famine. This was going to be a far bigger problem than the king himself could handle. And so young Joseph was immediately appointed prime minister. His job was to make a plan and carry it through.

Is the living God worth trusting? Is He able to move kings and nations to carry out His plans? This story has many more details which you may read for yourself in Genesis chapter 41, and each word will teach you that God is God, and His hands control all men and nations. This is not hard for Him to do, even in this year 2000, since He has all power and all wisdom.

But there is one problem that required the hardest thing that God Himself ever chose to do. He could create the whole world with the word of His mouth, but He had to give up His only beloved Son to save one sinner for eternity. He did this for you! He did it because He loves you! Have you thanked Him? Today is the day to thank Him, and then live your thanks in your everyday life.

“Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:57).

ML-07/30/2000

Naomi and Ruth

Naomi and her husband Elimelech and their two sons lived in the land of Israel. It was a time of famine in that land.

Elimelech looked out across the dry fields and worried because they did not have enough to eat. He decided to move his family to the land of Moab. But he did not ask God about this plan, and there was one thing he forgot. In the land of Moab where he chose to go, they worshipped idols and paid no attention at all to the commandments of the true God.

The move seemed good at first, but then Elimelech died, and Naomi and her two sons were left alone. The two boys grew up and married two nice girls from Moab named Orpah and Ruth.

But more trouble came. Naomi’s two sons died, and all that was left of the family was three lonely widows. What did they talk about now? I know one thing. Naomi told them about the God whom she had known in Israel, the country God had chosen for His people. And when she heard that God had filled the fields in Israel with grain for food, she decided to go back again. Ten years had not made her forget God.

Perhaps you heard about God years ago, but since then you have made all your own plans without Him. But God has sent pain and sickness and perhaps death into your life or your best friend’s life. He wants to bring you back to hear His Word again. Will you come? Will you listen?

The three widows set out together, and they had no choice but to walk. But it seems that Naomi hesitated to bring the two young widows back to her country. She thought they would be lonely and unhappy, and she urged them to go home again to their mothers. There were a lot of tears and kisses as the three stood together before parting, and then Orpah went home to her mother.

What happened to her next? God doesn’t say another word about her. She probably married again and went on worshipping idols and died without a Saviour. There is no one but God, the true God of heaven and earth, who can forgive sins. “Who can forgive sins but God only?” (Mark 2:7). Will you go off into silence as Orpah did, far from the God who loves you?

But Ruth hugged Naomi and would not let her go on to Israel alone. Ruth wanted Naomi for keeps, and she wanted the God whom Naomi had told her about. Nothing would make her stay in Moab.

It was a good choice for Ruth, and for you too! There is only one God who loves you and who can plan for your future far better than you can yourself. Cling to Him, and let nothing turn you away!

Naomi and Ruth came at last to the land of Judah in Israel and found that the harvest was just beginning in the fields. The people recognized Naomi and welcomed her back to their land and to all the customs that God had lovingly planned for them.

One custom was that the poor could go into the fields of the rich, after the reapers had left with their loads, and pick up any grain left behind. God had a secret plan for Ruth, and so she happened to pick up grain in the field of a rich man named Boaz. He was one of Naomi’s relatives.

Boaz noticed Ruth right away, and he asked questions about her. He was told that she was the young widow who came back from Moab with Naomi. He might have been disgusted with someone from Moab, but God controls the hearts of people. He did then, and He does now. You don’t have to be an important person to be noticed, if you let God plan for you. Boaz came right over and made Ruth welcome. He told her to drink from the cool water that his workers had brought from the well, and he also told the reapers to drop extra grain for her as they carried it away.

It only got better for Ruth. He told her to sit with his reapers for lunch, and he served her more than enough food. And finally, he really wanted to marry her.

But there was one reason why he couldn’t, and it was written in the law of God. There was a closer relative who had the right to marry Ruth. What could Boaz do?

And did you know that Jesus loves you and wants you to share heaven with Him, but there is a reason why you can’t? You are a sinner. You have disobeyed God. What can God do?

Perhaps you know the answer. “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son” (John 3:16). He sent His Son Jesus to go to Calvary’s cross in your place. It was there Jesus took the punishment for the sins of any sinner who will accept Him as Saviour. This, and nothing else, opens the way for Him to bring you to His home forever.

And there was only one thing Boaz could do. He talked to the other relative. He asked this man if he wished to marry Ruth, and the man said he couldn’t because it would spoil his own inheritance.

Now Boaz was free to marry Ruth, and he was a mighty man of wealth. The blessings really piled up for Ruth, but I will let you read them yourself in the book of Ruth in the Bible.

Do you see what happens when you let God make your choices? Not all the blessings come today. The best are reserved for eternity, and eternity is forever. If you are already saved, do let Him plan for you!

“As for God, His way is perfect; the word of the Lord is tried [tested]: He is a buckler [shield] to all them that trust in Him” (2 Samuel 22:31).

ML-08/27/2000

Josiah's Grandfather

Josiah was a little boy prince in the royal family of Judah. His father, Amon, was just a teenager when Josiah was born, but he was a very wicked teenager.

But there was something special about Josiah’s old grandfather. He was a king in Jerusalem for 55 years, and for many of those years he was a very bad king. Among other evil things, he was responsible for innocent people being killed. God sent warnings to him, but he would not listen. You could hardly read of a more wicked man than Josiah’s grandfather. His name was Manasseh.

And then something happened. When King Manasseh was in his middle years, God suddenly interfered and stopped him. God sent an enemy who captured Manasseh. The enemy king bound him with heavy chains and carried him to the faraway city of Babylon. Now, without his palace and his power, Manasseh had time to think of the messages he had heard about the God of heaven. In his misery, he was ready to confess the sin of his heart and the sins of his life. This great king of Judah learned that he was only a guilty sinner in the eyes of God whom he had despised.

Do you think the great God of holiness would listen to the prayer of such a man? He certainly did. When God’s Son, the Lord Jesus, was here on earth, it was said of Him, “This man receiveth sinners” (Luke 15:2). “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). God was ready to save that repenting king in his misery, and He is ready to save you right now. Are you sorry about your sins? “He that [covers] his sins shall not prosper: but whoso [confesses] and [forsakes] them shall have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13).

I cannot tell you how, but somehow God in His mercy to Manasseh gave him back his kingly throne in Jerusalem, and now he was a new man. He wanted no more false gods and no more cruelty and murder. Instead, he wanted to build up the city and defend it for the Lord’s sake. The people obeyed him, but their hearts were not changed.

This was the grandfather that little Josiah knew. The boy heard good words from him about the true God, and Josiah listened and remembered. He was only six when the old man died, but even though he had no Bible, the word of God went deep into his heart and he remembered.

His young father became king when the grandfather died, and King Amon was as wicked as his father had been in his worst days. Little Josiah heard and saw lots of wickedness in the two years his father was king, but nothing erased from his heart the words that God had placed there.

Are you six, or maybe older? Do you listen and remember when the Word of God is spoken to you? You are certainly old enough to listen and remember, and it will change your life.

We will soon have another story to tell you about what happened to the little boy Josiah. You may read the story for yourself in the Bible in 2 Chronicles, chapters 33-34.

ML-11/05/2000

Josiah: The Discovery of an Important Book

Do you remember reading a few weeks ago about the prince Josiah who was 6 years old when his grandfather died? His young father was king for only 2 years, and now, when Josiah was only 8, he sat on the big throne of the kingdom of Judah.

He probably learned and played as boys do until he was 16, and all that time the Word of God lay like good seed in Josiah’s heart. But at 16 he felt his responsibilities as king, and he began to seek the only true God of King David. Josiah’s own father had been a wicked man, but here’s a lesson for you. Don’t let somebody’s bad example lead you to forget God and do evil things. If you know somebody who loves and follows the Lord Jesus, this is the example to follow. This is what Josiah did. He knew about King David who wrote, “The Lord is my Shepherd,” and this was the Lord whom Josiah wanted to follow too.

Josiah had no Bible, but he learned a lot that was good. He could have learned a lot that was bad, as his father did, but he had a choice to make, and so do you. He knew that the Lord is the only true God, and all other worship is false, so he gave orders to break down all the idols and altars for the worship of false gods. This was his kingly duty, and he did it.

But you can’t take away idol worship and leave people with nothing at all. Josiah wanted the people to worship the true God, so he sent Shaphan and a few others to the temple of God to sweep out the mess and to repair the broken walls. Hilkiah the priest was there to help them.

Suddenly, all the brooms and shovels and hammers were quiet as everyone stopped to listen to the great news. Hilkiah had found a book! Somewhere among the rubbish he found the great Book of the Law of the Lord, written down by Moses. A real Bible! Not the whole Bible, because God had not yet come to earth in the person of His Son Jesus, and Jesus had not yet died on the cross and gone back to heaven. But it was a wonderful discovery because it was really the Word of God.

Do you know where your Bible is? Is it under a pile of magazines? Or is it in your bookcase and never read? Shaphan carried that wonderful book to King Josiah. I am not sure if the king could read, but he listened when Shaphan read it to him. What Shaphan read made him feel terrible, just awful, because he realized the people of Judah had disobeyed the laws of the Lord, and they were facing judgments. He knew that his kingly robes could not hide him from God, and he tore his own robes in despair.

Then he sent Shaphan to ask the Lord about it. You don’t need to send somebody else to talk to the Lord for you. He assures you, “While they are yet speaking, I will hear” (Isaiah 65:24). Call to God in the name of the Lord Jesus. He has a joyful answer for your despair, because Jesus died for you. Jesus is more willing to save you from your disobedience than you are to be saved.

God gave Josiah the answer. Nothing could change the promised judgment, because God never breaks His Word. The promised judgment was going to come, but God told Josiah that it would not come in his lifetime because God valued his repentance.

God gives the same answer to you. Yes, the promised judgment will come on this world, but if you will repent and trust in the Lord Jesus as the One who took that judgment for you, then He promises to take you to His home before that judgment falls. Will you trust Him?

Josiah wanted to worship the Lord, but he really didn’t know how. So he searched in the Book of the Law of the Lord and found out exactly how God had told His people to worship Him. They got 30,000 lambs and young goats ready to offer to the Lord, and they killed them and offered the blood to God. They roasted them and feasted together, and the singers made a wonderful choir. It was a joyful time. Josiah was 26 years old when this passover feast was kept. Even King Solomon had not kept such a wonderful feast of the Lord.

Did you notice that their worship began with killing lambs for sacrifice to God? If you really want to worship God, you must begin the same way. You don’t need to kill a lamb, but thank and praise the Lord Jesus, the holy Lamb of God, who has already been sacrificed for you. The feasting and the joy and the singing come after we know that His precious blood has been offered for us. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

But something else happened that we will tell you about soon. You may read in 2 Chronicles chapter 25 to find out sooner.

ML-11/26/2000

The Two Trees

Having had the man, the garden, and Eden-circumstances, look now at the two first named of all trees and their special import: the tree of life and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. What is set forth by those trees? A crowd of thoughts and questions rise before us, as we look upon the garden, the man, and the trees, and contemplate the universal scope, the far-reaching results, and everlasting consequences to all, should the first man fail. O the havoc that will be wrought, the moral ruin that will ensue, if the crown fall from the brow of creation's head and lord, for its blessing hung upon the obedience of the man—its moral center and head!

The responsible man was first tested in Eden, and afterward when banished the garden, subjected to forty centuries of trial and testing, so as to manifest that there could be no union of these truths—life and responsibility—in or by man, that life could not grow on the tree of responsibility, that all was wreck, ruin and misery, that the counsels of God—the only ground of blessing to a ruined sinner, are lodged in Christ, the Second Man. Did man eat of the life-tree, or of the responsibility-tree? How is the now ruined man to-be dealt with, and how and to whom is the sovereign gift of life dispensed? Can the gift of eternal life and Adamic responsibility co-exist? Can they grow on the same tree? If men have utterly failed to grasp and unite these truths, and which even under the training and culture of God for 4,000 years could not be accomplished, but is yet the effort in all ages and in all countries, has God effected it, and if so, in whom and for whom?

Josiah: The Burned Book

Do you remember our story about Shaphan a few weeks ago? He was the scribe who was in the temple when Hilkiah the priest discovered that forgotten Bible as they were cleaning out the rubbish. And Shaphan was the one who brought it to King Josiah and read the wonderful words to him.

King Josiah and Shaphan were both young men, and each of them had a son. Jehoiakim, the son of King Josiah, sat on the throne of the kingdom, but he did not care for God at all, and things went from bad to worse. God sent a prophet to them named Jeremiah who spent a good deal of time in prison because the king did not want to hear him.

But God still loved His people. A young man named Baruch copied out Jeremiah’s words in a book and read them aloud to all who would listen. And one of the listeners was the grandson of Shaphan.

Are you listening to the Word of God? That boy was, but the king was not.

That young boy then went to his father who was sitting with all the king’s advisors. He repeated to them everything Baruch had read. They told the boy to go get Baruch and bring him to them. Baruch was then told to “sit down now, and read it in our ears.” I think Shaphan had taught his family that the Word of God is true, for they all reacted with fear, and they said to Baruch, “We will surely tell the king of all these words.”

So now the message comes to King Jehoiakim, the son of good King Josiah. What will he do when he hears it?

It was a chilly day, and the king quite comfortably sat beside a cozy fireplace and listened to the Word of God. But he and all his princes did not like hearing God’s warning of coming judgment. In fact, when the messenger had read three or four pages, King Jehoiakim took the book away from the messenger and cut it with a penknife.

The son of Shaphan and the other advisors were extremely upset and told the king not to burn the book! But the king hated to hear the words of judgment, and in anger he threw one page after another into the fire, until the whole thing was burned to ashes. He was so angry that he ordered his servants to catch Baruch and Jeremiah, but the Lord hid them.

Because the book was burned, was that the end of the words of God? Oh, no! Jeremiah dictated the words again, and Baruch wrote them again. Nothing, no nothing, ever cancels the Word of God! It is settled in heaven where we must face it someday. How joyfully you and I will face it if we accept Jesus as our Saviour now! The judgment is all true, but if you accept Jesus as your Substitute, you can happily claim that He bore the judgment in your place!

King Jehoiakim rejected his last opportunity to obey God. He was captured by the enemy, as God had said, and his dead body was just left out in the weather, without being buried. He was a lost soul forever.

Right now, you may hear the Word of God if you will listen. Here is part of it for you to read and obey. “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).

You may read this story for yourself in Jeremiah 36.

ML-12/17/2000

Poetry

Grow a Garden in Your Heart

Ask your heavenly Father

To help prepare the ground;

He will plow and soften it,

And till it all around.

Then you must plant the holy seed

That’s found in God’s true Word;

He will keep it safe from blight

And every hurtful bird.

But you must water it with prayer,

And pull out all the weeds;

Sweet thoughts of Christ will fertilize

All those living seeds.

You’ll be the happy reaper, soon,

Of baskets full of peace,

And love and joy and kindness;

Your fruit will never cease.

ML-08/06/2000

The Best Book

The Bible is the best book,

The book we hold so dear;

A storybook, a picture book,

A book of songs to cheer.

The Bible tells of Jesus,

Now in His home above;

The Bible brings

the message sweet

That GOD IS LOVE.

ML-02/06/2000

Lessons from Nature

Your Faithful Soldiers

“Great and marvelous are Thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are Thy ways.”
Revelation 15:3

Among the wonders of God’s creation, nothing can equal the human body and mind. Human intelligence far excels that of all other creatures, and it is only because of sin having come into the world that our bodies do not now have their created perfection and are subject to sickness, weakness and death.

Even with sin having caused these sad things, God, in His love for mankind, has given our bodies amazing abilities. Included is an almost unbelievable array of “soldiers” without whose services we could not survive. Let’s investigate some of them.

Although they are unseen, uncountable millions of bacteria are always present all over our bodies. Generally, these are unable to harm us unless we get a cut or injury that leaves an open wound. Some do enter through the nose and mouth, and if the Creator had not provided a way to fight them, our life span would be very short.

This is where the marvelous work of our microscopic soldiers comes to our rescue. The main soldiers are called white blood cells. About a trillion of these move through every part of our bodies at all times, searching for intruders. Finding some, they immediately attack, and at the same time a part of the body called the thymus starts manufacturing millions more to help in the battle that is taking place. Some of the new reinforcements are called “helpers” and others are called “killers.”

Amazingly, each one in this combined group knows exactly where to go and what its particular job is. When the battle is over, the same crews clean up the entire area, remove their own dead ones as well as the destroyed enemies, and then take part in repairing the area of the body that has been damaged. Have you ever heard of anything more amazing? It reminds us that “with God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).

What a wonderful provision of His love that, although death is the penalty of sin, yet He has placed such a remarkable means of defence within us. If it were not so, a baby’s first illness would cause its death. No doubt His kindness in prolonging some lives is to give full opportunity to believe in the Lord Jesus as the Saviour of all who put their trust in Him, before it is too late.

Because soldier cells are not always winners of the battles, the uncertainty of life should cause each of us to hear His faithful word: “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). “Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts” (Hebrews 3:78). Today is the day to come to the Saviour. Tomorrow may be too late!

ML-02/13/2000

An Experiment

If we ask Him each day what He would like us to do and have a real desire to do His will, then we have this promise: “The Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul” (Isaiah 58:11).

ML-02/27/2000

What's With Seeds?

“Let all the earth fear the Lord: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him.”
Psalm 33:8

Let’s look at a watermelon seed. After it is planted, it soon sprouts little leaves on a stem that soon begins creeping along the ground. A huge melon eventually grows on it, hundreds of times the size and weight of the seed it came from. Most of us have eaten this delicious fruit —green on the outside with a thick, white rind and a juicy, sweet, red center with many black seeds.

Where did that little seed get the ability to produce such huge fruit? The most intelligent man on earth cannot explain this wonderful process of different kinds of seeds producing their individual crops all over the world. This is an important part of God’s care for all living creatures. There is no end to the unsolved mysteries of His amazing power. Many wonders like this are going on day after day, often unknown or unnoticed by man, but always under the Creator’s care. This is true of every form of vegetation —grasses, flowers, bushes and trees, from the smallest to the greatest.

How do seeds get into the ground? Of course, many are planted by people, some on huge farms and others in smaller vegetable or flower gardens. But what about those not planted by people? Nuts are often deposited in the ground by small animals, especially squirrels and chipmunks. Even some birds will hide seeds in holes they have dug in the ground, planning to return to eat them later. However, they often forget some, and these hidden “seeds” take root and eventually grow into new trees or bushes.

But in the wild, seeds from grasses, flowers and fruit drop to the ground and are soon covered over with dead leaves, dried grass or brush. Moistened by spring rains or melted snow, they sprout several leaves and send roots down into the soil — and a new plant begins.

Seeds never get confused and develop into some new kind of plant. Cucumbers never come from apple seeds, wheat does not come from a kernel of corn, nor does a tulip spring up from a daisy seed. No, ever since the Lord God created them they follow His plan and reproduce “after their kind.”

The Creator is the One of whom the Bible tells us, “All things were created by Him, and for Him: and He is before all things, and by Him all things consist [survive]” (Colossians 1:16-17). Another verse tells us, “The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord” (Psalm 33:5). Have you thanked Him for these wonderful arrangements He planned for us?

ML-04/30/2000

Trees of the Desert

“The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad . . . and the desert shall . . . blossom as the rose.” Isaiah 35:1

The Sonora Desert lies mostly in Mexico but reaches into southern California and Arizona. It sustains thousands of desert plants and trees designed by the Creator to withstand the harsh climate. Most of the time some look like they are dead, but a rainstorm brings an immediate change.

One of these is the boogum, or cirio, tree. Its trunk looks like a tall pole, reaching 25 feet or more high and about as big around at the top as at the bottom. Its stiff, thorny branches have leaves and flowers in the short, moist season, but otherwise it appears dead and bare. Large groups of these grow on rocky slopes of the desert where the only rainfall comes as infrequent cloudbursts. The Creator has designed some of its roots to spread a great distance to greedily draw moisture into its trunk and branches. Its other roots go down deep, also taking in as much moisture as possible.

In contrast to the boogum and growing nearby is another strange tree. Because it has such a thick trunk and branches, it has been called the elephant tree. But this is one of the most beautiful trees of the desert when a good rainfall brings out its fresh leaves and pretty flowers.

Another is the ocotillo, or candlewood, a thorny bush with many bare branches reaching upward and also designed by the Creator to withstand the dry heat of the desert. This one is also leafless most of the year. But the magic of a rainstorm brings out its greenery along with many bright red flowers that look like bright flames shining at the top of its long stems.

The jumping cholla is a large, cactus, tree-like bush and one that should be carefully avoided. It should never be touched with bare hands as it is totally covered with needle-sharp stickers that are very painful to remove. Its flowers are a creamy white.

The opening Bible verse looks on to a future time known as the millennium, following God’s judgment against those who have refused His love, when He will bring blessing to those who have been faithful to Him.

The lovely flowers of the desert plants bring to mind Song of Solomon 2:12-13 which cheers the hearts of all who today love the Lord Jesus. Here is what it says: “The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come. . . . Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away.” For all who know the Lord Jesus as their Saviour, this reminds us of a wonderful promise of a time coming soon when He will call us home to heaven. Will you be part of that happy company?

ML-01/02/2000

The Ever-Present Cockroach

“His eyes are upon the ways of man, and He seeth all his goings. There is no darkness . . . where [they] may hide themselves.”
Job 34:21-22

There are 3500 species of the cockroach, about a dozen of which are in the United States and Canada. They can be found in the kitchens, bathrooms and cupboards of rich and poor alike and also in restaurants, grocery stores and food storage places. The largest is 4 inches long and the smallest is 1/8 of an inch long and lives in the tropics. They dislike bright light and usually come out only at night. You might catch a glimpse of them as they scurry to hide when a light is turned on.

Cockroaches, closely related to grasshoppers and crickets, are mostly black or brown. These unpleasant pests are well equipped for survival. Their strong legs are covered with bristles, and their jaws have sharp cutting blades capable of handling tough items, including food scraps, paper, cloth, glue, soap, leather and even electric cords. Before feeding they use their antennae and special feelers to “inspect” the food to determine if it is safe to eat. Through this “inspection” they sometimes avoid poisons intended for them. Spraying with insecticide in their concealed hideouts does not do much good either. The pressure-sensitive hairs on their bodies also inform them when danger is near, sending them running away in a fraction of a second. Even their endurance is remarkable. Tests have shown they can survive a month without water and three months without food! No wonder they are hard to get rid of!

Preferring warm, dirty, damp places, they are frequently surrounded by filth which they eat and which clings to their legs. Transporting them to other places when they hide in paper bags and cartons, they often carry disease. However, they are industrious in grooming themselves by brushing their bodies with their legs.

We are not told why the Creator included the cockroach when He brought so many insects into the world. Perhaps one purpose is to impress on us that the world has been spoiled by sin and to remind us of Satan who also “grooms” himself to appear sometimes as “an angel of light.” But in spite of this deceit, the devil is man’s worst enemy.

The Apostle Paul was aware of Satan’s evil activity and that those who do not turn away from his influence will, in a coming time, be under God’s solemn judgment. “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me [out of this body of death]?” he cried. Finding the answer, he happily responded, “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 7:24-25). Have you also accepted Christ as your Saviour so that you can now give thanks unto the Father “who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of His dear Son” (Colossians 1:13)?

ML-01/09/2000

The Scheming Antbird: Part 1

“In six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is.”
Exodus 20:11

There are more than 200 species of antbirds in different parts of the world, but many live in Central and South America’s tropical forests. They are small birds; most are about the size of a sparrow. Their songs have no particular melody and consist of whistles, chirps and trills that are pleasant to hear.

Their rounded wings are shorter than most birds their size, but this is not important as most of their time is spent on the ground or in perching. The Creator has given them strong, thick bills (some are hooked) to help them capture and quickly eat their prey. Another provision He gave them is their extra-strong legs, toes and claws - so suited to their manner of life. Most of their time is spent in small groups on the ground, vigorously scratching for food.

The name “antbird” does not mean they eat ants, but rather that they use ants to discover and expose food for themselves. Only the large, vicious army ants provide this unintentional service, as they work their way over the ground in great numbers like columns of soldiers, hunting for bugs, worms, crickets, spiders, lizards and small frogs.

As the ants move over the ground and expose these tidbits, the antbirds come right up to the edge of the ant columns and snatch some of the bugs and insects which the ants have overlooked or which they have not yet taken. Strangely, the ants do not bother the birds, even though they may be aware they are being robbed of some of their food and are quite capable of giving them painful bites.

The antbirds know it is only these large ants that can expose the hidden food and do not waste time following any of the many other smaller varieties. However, when food is scarce, they will eat the smaller ants to relieve their hunger.

If army ants are not active, the birds do their own scratching through the soil with their strong, clawed toes. At times some will climb tree trunks like woodpeckers, searching under loose bark for hidden bugs, or they will follow animals whose hooves turn up desirable food as they walk along.

Isn’t it remarkable how the Creator has given these birds such a variety of ways and abilities to find their food. Every person who knows the Lord Jesus Christ as his Saviour is given an even better promise, as the Bible tells us in Philippians 4:19, “My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” We should thank Him every day for His great love to us in supplying our needs.

(to be continued)

ML-01/16/2000

The Scheming Antbird: Part 2

“Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head.”
Luke 9:58

The many species of antbirds have been given a variety of names. Some are called antwren, antshrike, antvireo, ant-thrush, fire-eye, and many more, but all are closely related.

Most antbirds are rather drab looking with plain black and white or brown coloring, but there are exceptions. The male of one species called bicolored has dark feathers on its wings and over its back, but it is pure white underneath, making a sharp contrast. The female is usually light brown above and white below. Another, called the ocellated (which means “spotted”), has a variety of pretty color patches over its entire body.

Another outstanding one goes by the name white-fronted. This one has a silky, white-feathered crest over its head, matched by a white beard under its beak. When in the air, these white accessories blow back against its body and make it look like a flying arrow, but when still, they stand out prettily.

Antbirds make cup-shaped nests, composed of leaves or fibers, in forks of trees or in the branches of shrubs. However, some prefer nesting in a hollow tree while others just make their nests right on the ground. Regardless of the choice, the male and female work together on the nest, as well as in all their activities. They stay together for life. It surely is nice to see this faithfulness to each other.

After the nest is finished, two or three eggs are laid. Again, the parents share in incubating and watching over them; the male takes his turn in the daytime and the female takes hers at night. In about two weeks the little ones hatch and remain in the nest for about two more weeks. Then it is time for the parents to gently but firmly push them out so they will learn to fly and care for themselves. However, unlike many birds, it is not unusual for some of the young to resist these necessary lessons. But the parents are patient with them, sometimes continuing to feed them for many weeks before they venture away on their own.

In the opening Bible verse, the Lord Jesus contrasted the birds with Himself when He was on earth. He said that all birds have nests of one kind or another, but He did not even have a home of His own. Another verse tells us that “though He was rich [in heaven], yet for your sakes He became poor [on earth], that ye through His poverty might be rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9). The riches He wants to give every one of us are those of everlasting life in heaven and blessings in Christ, through knowing Him as our Saviour. Do you have these wonderful riches?

ML-01/23/2000

Water and the Balance of Nature

“As the rain cometh down, and the snow . . . and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: so shall My word be that goeth forth out of My mouth.”
Isaiah 55:1011

People often speak about “the balance of nature.” Actually it is the Creator of the world who has put all things in balance and holds them there - although indifferent people often intrude to spoil nature’s beauty and pattern. Lakes and seas, forests, mountains and vegetation, along with all living creatures, from the smallest microbe to the largest elephant and whale, all depend on one another. But water is most important of all. It is the true “balance,” and it only exists because God made it so.

The earth is the only known planet supplied with an abundance of water. In this way God shows His special interest in our world, because in it are the boys and girls and men and women to whom He has shown His special love. He provided a Saviour and the everlasting joy of heaven to all who accept Him as their Saviour.

The water cycle in nature begins in lakes and oceans. From them water evaporates into the atmosphere. The sun at its hottest can evaporate more than 5,000 tons of water from just one square mile of ocean in one hour’s time! Winds carry this moisture-laden atmosphere around the world, bringing welcome rain.

In addition to the benefits of direct rainfall, water formed into snow and ice displays the Creator’s wisdom in storing it on hills and mountains in winter. Then when the summer sun melts it, cool, refreshing water flows down to meet the moisture needs of His creatures during those seasons when there is no rain.

Great quantities of water are used to put out fires. But the interesting fact about water is that it is composed of two parts, each of which by itself burns fiercely or supports combustion. These are hydrogen and oxygen. Hydrogen burns very easily and oxygen is essential for anything to burn. Yet put together in the form of water as the Creator has done, they make an excellent fire extinguisher. Isn’t that amazing!

Water is certainly a great miracle, necessary for all forms of life - human beings, animals, birds, insects, all marine life and all vegetation. Considering its importance, we can easily see why the Lord used water as an illustration of Himself, saying, “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). By this He meant that those who accept Him as their Saviour and Lord will have the “thirst” of their hearts quenched forever. Has your “thirst” been quenched?

JANUARY 30, 2000

ML-01/30/2000

The Seldom-Seen Lynx

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

The pretty cat-like lynx that slinks silently through trees, brush and snow for its prey likes the cold Arctic-like climate of the Yukon, Sweden and Russia, but many are also in warmer areas of Canada, northern United States and a few Asian countries. They all prefer homes in thickets of trees or brush and customarily have two tiny kittens each year.

A fully grown lynx is about three feet long with a two-inch tail and will weigh from 30 to 60 pounds. Its fur is finest in the winter when it is a thick, luxurious gray with long silver hairs. A stubby fur-covered tail and upright ears with long tufts of hair on the tops of them are its most outstanding features.

Their main food in the north is the snowshoe rabbit, but if these are scarce they will catch small deer, caribou or large birds. The Creator has provided them with large paws, bigger in diameter than the palm of a man’s hand, and in winter extra fur grows around the edges to help them walk in snow.

Those farther south also like rabbit meat but include in their diet squirrels, gophers and other small animals and birds. They have keen sight and hearing and stalk their prey silently until close enough to make a springing leap to grab it. At times they lie on tree branches, waiting to pounce on prey passing below. While the lynx is an enemy to small animals and birds, it is actually quite shy and no threat to people. If possible, it will always vanish before a person can get close.

Do you think the Lord God is aware of these animals as they live out their lives in such remote places? We know He is, for we read in the Bible, “The Lord is good to all: and His tender mercies are over all His works” (Psalm 145:9). Verse 10 tells us more: “All Thy works shall praise Thee, O Lord; and Thy saints shall bless Thee.”

This looks on to a coming time when God’s punishment of sinful people will be over and He will restore the earth to peace and freedom from sin. During that special time, when Christ reigns for 1000 years, all created things will “praise Him” in their peaceful way, and the tiger, bear, lynx and any other carnivorous animal will no longer kill, but all will live peacefully together. People who have accepted the Lord Jesus as their Saviour will bless Him more fully than is possible today. If you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, you should be happily praising Him right now, and it will be your privilege to praise Him even more in that future time.

ML-02/06/2000

The Fishing Fish

“In His hand are the deep places of the earth. . . . The sea is His, and He made it: and His hands formed the dry land.”
Psalm 95:45

One of the unusual creatures in the sea is the angler fish. This fish lies at the bottom of warm seas. There are 16 known species, and most of them are less than a foot long. However, a few are as long as 5 feet.

All species of this fish have wide, frog-like mouths, which is the reason they are sometimes called frog fish. Their mouths are filled with long, sharp teeth and can stretch many times their normal size. This enables them to swallow fish almost as large as themselves. These fish are found in a wide variety of shapes, but most have flat heads with bodies tapering down to small tails. One kind partly buries itself in the sandy or muddy bottom of the ocean and looks like the brown rocks surrounding it. Others have leaf-like fins that look just like sea plants. In each case, the Creator has wonderfully camouflaged them to blend in with their surroundings.

The most outstanding feature of these sea residents is that they come equipped with an efficient fishing rod and bait. And they are experts at using them. The “rod” is actually a growth extending from its nose and may be as long as four times the length of the fish. The longest “rods” are usually hinged in the middle to make them more flexible.

A rod without suitable bait would not catch many fish, but these “rods” are already baited with an appealing bait right at the tip. Depending on the species, this bait may look like a worm, a little fish or a different kind of sea life that will attract a hungry fish.

The well-disguised angler fish unfolds its rod and uses the bait just like a human fisherman does to attract fish. While remaining nearly motionless, the angler wiggles its bait until a curious fish comes to inspect what looks like a good meal. The victim discovers too late that it has been trapped. The angler fish, with strong sucking, draws its victim into its mouth and swallows it. Sometimes the bait is swallowed as well, but this does not matter because it quickly grows a replacement.

This clever fish is another evidence of the wonders of God’s creation and the care He gives to all. It also reminds us of our enemy Satan who seeks “whom he may devour” and often tempts us with “bait” that is pleasing to the eye. How wise it is to turn away from him and listen to the loving Lord Jesus. His plan for us is one “of peace, and not of evil” (Jeremiah 29:11). Have you accepted His plan of peace?

ML-02/20/2000

Mule Deer: The Pride of the West

“Thou shalt not eat any abominable thing. These are the beasts which ye shall eat: the ox, the sheep, and the goat, the hart, and the roebuck, and the fallow deer.”
Deuteronomy 14:35

Mule deer are found from northern Mexico north to the southern Yukon and Alaska, and from northern Texas and eastern North Dakota west to the Pacific Coast. Tourists are often delighted to see them in the redwood groves of California, as well as at Yosemite, Yellowstone, the Grand Tetons and Glacier Park.

The mule deer is a majestic, beautiful deer with soft eyes, large furry ears, large branching antlers and a velvety coat. Its coat, brown in summer and gray in winter, has a white fur patch at the back from which a short, black-tipped white tail is used as a warning signal to companions when danger is near. Pronged antlers are divided into two branches and are shed and renewed each year. Hunters consider them a trophy.

Weighing about 200 pounds, mule deer are larger and more heavily built than most deer and often reach 5 feet in length and stand 3 to 3½ feet high at the shoulders. As smart and wary as any animal, they have survived intense hunting over the years. Protected in many areas, there are probably over a million throughout the west. Rather than running as a horse does, they run in a series of stiff-legged leaps but can bound swiftly over the roughest trail. They are good swimmers and do not hesitate to cross rivers and lakes when necessary.

They are called mule deer because of their large, open ears that stand upright behind the antlers, much like mules’ ears. Back in 1804 when the Lewis and Clark expedition first saw them, they were reminded of mules back home and gave them this name which still identifies them.

Fawns (often twins) are usually born in spring and stay with the mother through summer. They are prettily covered with white spots on reddish-brown bodies until about 5 months old. Mule deer like to stay in groups, and 300 to 400 may be seen at one time migrating to high altitudes in summer and back to the valleys in winter to fill their constant need of grass, shrubs and leaves. Acorns and nuts are favorites when available. Like all living things, they are always under their Creator’s watchful care.

Our opening Bible verse is from the laws given to God’s Old Testament people and points out that fallow deer (related to mule deer) were among the clean animals they could eat. Although we are not now under those laws, God does want us to avoid the unclean habits and things of the world and follow the clean, pure ways given in His Word, the Bible. It is good for us to remember this in everything we do.

ML-02/27/2000

The Philippine Eagle

“They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles.”
Isaiah 40:31

The rare Philippine eagle’s name identifies it with its Pacific homeland. It is also called the monkey-eating eagle and is now protected from hunters. For many years they were killed, because many natives thought they kidnapped babies.

Perhaps this undeserved reputation came about many years ago when one of these eagles was seen carrying a small monkey to its nest, and the native mistakenly thought it was a human baby! Filipinos eventually were convinced that this could not possibly happen and have learned that this eagle’s food supply is mainly small animals like squirrels, snakes, bats, large birds, the occasional monkey and even domestic animals.

The Philippine eagle is large and powerful with a crest of bristly brown and white feathers surrounding its rather fierce-looking head. Beneath its piercing eyes is a strong, blue, hooked beak. This hooked beak is part of the Creator’s design to enable it to capture necessary food and to mercifully kill it quickly. Sharp claws on strong feet are also part of this provision.

Its nest is always placed high in the tall kapok trees of the rain forests. Just one egg is laid each year. The female seldom leaves the nest during a two-month incubating period. The male brings food to her, and occasionally he will help in the incubation. After the eaglet hatches, both parents share in feeding it even after it learns to fly. An eaglet is dependent on its parents for a long time.

The feathers of mature eagles form a pretty design, when wings are outstretched and tail feathers extended. Behind the white throat and neck feathers and out to the mid-section of the wings they are mottled light brown, edged and flecked with white. The remaining half of the wings is dark brown, but each feather is tipped with ivory white. Long tail feathers are dark except for white tips.

The Bible speaks of eagles in many places, often referring to their strength and to the great heights to which they fly. They are indeed an impressive part of God’s creation. That holy book tells us that “the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps” (Jeremiah 10:23). But it is interesting that a promise in writing was given to the young people of Isaiah’s day (which is still a promise today), in which the Bible uses eagles as an example of God’s blessings to those who put their trust in Him (see our opening verse). Without that trust, problems of life can be very troublesome, but God graciously helps His own to overcome them. Have you put your trust in Him?

ML-03/05/2000

The Spider's Web

“The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings’ palaces.”
Proverbs 30:28

To most people spiders are pests, but they do serve a good purpose. Most kinds eat great numbers of flies, mosquitoes and other insects. Some birds not only eat spiders, but steal their webs to weave into their nests for added strength or to make a smooth inner lining.

There are about 40,000 different kinds of spiders in the world. Most spin webs, and their webs come in a wide variety of shapes. Outdoor spiders make the most beautiful webs, which can be seen best in early morning while silvery dew clings to them. The garden spider stretches its beautiful web between branches of tall plants. Another, the orb-spider’s creation, when covered with dewdrops looks like a splendid display of lovely pearls hanging on drooping strings.

Spider webs are creations no human being could ever duplicate. Though they vary in size and shape, most have two dozen or more strands forming circles around a tiny center (the spider’s home). These are held at proper distance from each other and strengthened by a number of “ribs” that look like the spokes of a wheel coming out from the center. All is so cleverly done that it looks like a blueprint had been followed. But spiders don’t need blueprints, for the Creator has given each one the instinct and ability to make its own web in a God-given pattern and design.

Threads of liquid silk, finer than human hair, flow from several “spinnerets” at the rear of the spider’s abdomen. The reason for more than one spinneret is so a spider can produce different types of silk for a particular purpose. The different spinnerets can produce liquid silk in a very thin thread or a thick, wide band, or silk that dries quickly or remains sticky. Some can even produce a thread that looks like a beaded necklace.

Webs are amazingly strong. Most can withstand the force of a bumblebee or other large insect flying straight into them, as well as the insect’s frantic struggles to break loose. Even snakes that get entangled in webs sometimes can’t get away.

The Lord God, the Creator of all things, has given the spiders these wonderful capabilities, and His watchful eye cares for them just as He cares for every living thing. That includes every boy, girl, man and woman. A verse from the Bible tells us, “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest [seen] in His sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do” (Hebrews 4:13). Besides knowing Him as your Creator, do you know Him as your Saviour too?

ML-03/12/2000

Crazy As a Loon?

“Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”
Joshua 1:9

Walking along a mountain trail in the Cascade Mountains near Seattle, Washington, we were startled by a loud, laugh-like cry nearby. Puzzled, we went on walking and soon heard it again. To find out what was going on, we left the trail and soon came to a small lake. There on the surface we saw two large birds with black heads, white breasts and beautifully speckled black-and-white wings. Our wondering about the strange calls we had heard was soon answered when one of the birds opened its long, sharp beak, raised its head and gave out the loud laugh-like cry. And so we were introduced to the common loon.

The birds spotted us and took off, kicking the water vigorously with their webbed feet until they rose above the surface. With necks outstretched and wings flapping rapidly, they were soon out of sight. This beautiful display made us decide to learn more about them as soon as possible.

We learned that great numbers live on small, isolated lakes across the northern United States and into Canada and some seacoast areas. When on land they seem awkward, for the Creator designed them for the water where they are excellent swimmers, both on the surface and underwater. They swim faster than most fish, which form their main food supply. They have wonderful vision and before diving, submerge their heads, turning them from side to side to locate prey. Then with a quick dive and underwater swim, they make their catch.

Loons are from two to three feet long with a wingspan of about five feet and weigh from 10 to 14 pounds. Their life span is about 30 years. In April they incubate two eggs for about a month. The newborn hatchlings are cute, with coal-black soft down. Soon they are swimming with the parents, sometimes riding piggy-back. The parents care for them for about three months.

Groups of adult loons often join in choruses of hoots, cries and yodeling. The strange-sounding result is what produced the expressions “crazy as a loon” and “loony.” Actually, they are among the world’s outstanding birds and seem to act very intelligently.

Loons are another example of the wonders of God’s creation and are included in His words, “I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are Mine” (Psalm 50:11). Another psalm tells us, “The Lord is good to all: and His tender mercies are over all His works” (Psalm 145:9). This is specifically true of every boy and girl, man and woman on earth. Have you thanked Him for His love and care for you?

ML-03/19/2000

The Magnificent Elk: Part 1

“Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in His sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.”
Hebrews 4:13

In Europe the animal called an elk belongs to the same species as the American moose. The American elk is smaller and differs in other ways. Because of these differences, those in North America are technically known as wapiti but are usually referred to as elk.

Being part of the deer family, the American elk is second only to the moose in size. A bull elk may stand as high as five feet at the slight hump behind his shoulders and weigh 700 to 1000 pounds. A cow elk is smaller and has no antlers.

There are two varieties of native elk. Most of them live in national parks or protected reservations in the United States and southern Canada. One is the Rocky Mountain elk, living in those high mountains, mainly at Yellowstone Park and nearby Jackson Hole, Wyoming. The other, living at lower levels and staying year-round in grassy meadows, is the Tule elk. Many of these are found in California, Idaho, Washington and Alaska. One difference between them is their feet - the Rocky Mountain elk has feet almost as wide as they are long, while the Tule’s feet are nearly twice as long as they are wide. This difference is a provision of the Creator, giving the Rocky Mountain elk feet that help them in deep snow, while the long and narrow feet of the Tule elk are more suited to meadows and adjacent dry hills where they live.

Considering their size, all elk have small heads with mule-like ears, but their antlers may spread more than five feet and have as many as twelve points. Their legs are slender but strong. Coarse hair forms a shaggy mane, and they are covered with mostly reddish-brown fur. Their tan tail is just a stub, surrounded by a large yellowish patch of fur that helps identify them. In winter months a temporary warm undercoat and heavy outercoat change to grayish-brown until they return to lighter fur in spring.

Elk are majestic animals, holding their heads high with eyes and ears alert. All their grazing is done during the day, with one or two of each herd maintaining a lookout while the others eat. If danger threatens, they scatter in every direction.

Their manner of life in harsh surroundings impresses upon us how wisely the Lord God, their Creator, has provided instincts for all living things. As the Bible verse states, “By Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth . . . and He is before all things, and by Him all things consist [are preserved]” (Colossians 1:16-17).

(to be continued)

ML-03/26/2000

The Magnificent Elk: Part 2

“Wherefore let them . . . commit the keeping of their souls to Him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.”
1 Peter 4:19

Antlers are important to the life of the bull elks. On a mature bull they grow as much as four feet above the head and may spread more than five feet, adding beauty and majesty to his appearance. The antlers grow during the summer and are shed in late winter.

When their antlers begin to form in early May, they are just short stubs growing on the top of the head, but they grow quickly. When full-size they are still covered with a velvety skin which soon begins to shed in pieces. The elk help this shedding process by rubbing their antlers against tree trunks, stumps and rocks. When all the skin is finally removed and the antlers are polished from the rubbing, they become hard and sharp.

The bull is well aware of his new rack of antlers when he is trying to attract the females (cows). He soon finds other bulls with the same idea challenging him. Soon there is fighting going on in the herd. Antlers are the main weapons in these contests, although they use their sharp hooves as well. The older, tougher bulls usually hold their own in pushing and wrestling matches, but sooner or later they find themselves defeated by younger ones stronger than themselves. The herd then belongs to the victor.

After the herd leadership has been established, those of the Rocky Mountain species realize that winter is over and it is time to migrate to the mountain meadows, rich in luscious grass. In these travels, bulls group separately from the cows and their calves, but join again later. The trips may be relatively short or as long as 30 or 40 miles. They travel slowly, eating their way to the higher elevations where they spend the summer. In the fall they descend to lower meadows again, and in places where winters are severe and where they are officially protected, some of their food is often provided by friendly people.

Like all of God’s creatures always under His watchful care, the elk are not aware of it. But the care is very real, as it is for each of us, but in a much greater degree. The care God gives us is blessed with the rich love of His heart which includes His supreme gift, the Lord Jesus Christ as the Saviour to all who will put their trust in Him. Have you accepted this precious gift and thanked Him for it? “Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15).

ML-04/02/2000

Those Annoying Barnacles

“God created . . . every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind.”
Genesis 1:21

Any swimmer who scrapes against a barnacle-covered object knows how tightly barnacles hang on. Not only are they annoying, but they can cause damage. There are over a thousand species of barnacles in the oceans fastened to rocks, pilings, driftwood, boat hulls and other objects. Even many living creatures, such as whales, dolphins, turtles, crabs and large fish cannot stop them from attaching to their sides, heads and backs. All operating ships in ocean waters find barnacles a pest and expense, requiring frequent scraping of their hulls, if the ships are to operate well in the water. Barnacles will actually reduce the speed of ships by increasing the drag on the normally smooth hull.

The most common barnacles are cone shaped. One variety is called acorn shell; another is called the upright goose and a third is the rock barnacle. Most are only about 1/8 inch wide, while some weigh as much as three pounds.

One barnacle can produce 10,000 eggs at a time. These move freely in the ocean for long periods of time until they change to free-swimming larvae and after several molts make a final change into true barnacles. Once they find a suitable surface, they cement themselves firmly to it with a self-made glue. Once the glue sets firmly, they are attached for life with a bond so tight that storms and waves will never move them, even after they die.

The hard, rough shells of barnacles, growing in layers year after year, are the protection their bodies need so as not to be eaten by fish. These also provide a shelter from the sun, when they are exposed at low tide.

A barnacle catches food by waving six pairs of legs back and forth in the water from the open end of its shell. These strain out microscopic plants and animals which the barnacle eats.

Does the Lord God care about barnacles? He certainly does. The Bible says, “Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did He in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places” (Psalm 135:6). We may not understand why He made them, but we know that as the Creator of all things He has a purpose for them, and they are a pleasure to Him.

Remember that He also has made you and watches over you. Is He happy when He sees your life? The Bible tells us, “Every one of us shall give account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12). Have you admitted to Him that you are a sinner and accepted His Son, the Lord Jesus, as your Saviour?

ML-04/09/2000

The Unlovely Crow

“He [God] giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry.”
Psalm 147:9

The Bible does not mention crows by name but mentions “every raven after his kind” (Leviticus 11:15), which includes the crow family. So our opening verse assures us that the Creator cares for crows and even hears the cries of their young.

When full grown these glossy black birds weigh about 3 pounds and are 18 or 19 inches long. Always hungry, they eat just about anything they can swallow, including mice, grubs, eggs, even small birds and small dead animals. Farmers dislike them because they pull up sprouting corn and other grains and eat them.

It is no secret to those living near crows that they do not hesitate to announce their presence with loud, annoying “caws,” especially just after sunrise. In spite of this unpleasant habit, they are very intelligent birds and can easily be tamed as pets. Captive crows quickly learn tricks and can even be taught to talk as clearly as parrots do. They are clever in imitating other bird sounds too.

Spotting a lone owl trying to hide in a tree, a group of crows will come together with loud, raucous cawing and gang up to chase the owl out of the area. However, they know better than to get close to its sharp beak and talons. Another of their annoying tricks is to snatch a hooked fish off the end of a fisherman’s line before he can reel it in.

Crows’ nests are easy to see as they are large, bulky nests high in treetops. The female lays four to six blue-green eggs with blotches of brown or gray.

No bird is disliked more than the crow. Yet in spite of efforts to reduce their numbers, they continually increase. In many places they are now protected by law, because of the tremendous amount of harmful insects and small rodents they eat. It is understandable that crows may not appeal to many people, but they are part of God’s creation, and their unusual instincts and cleverness have been provided by Him so they can perform their part of His purposes in the bird world.

The Bible tells us that every living creature is in the hands of the Lord. It is good to learn of His care over all things, even crows, but it is especially important to know that He sees and cares for every boy and girl and every grown-up: “His eyes are upon the ways of man, and He [sees] all his goings” (Job 34:21). He tells us that He also thinks kindly about us: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you . . . thoughts of peace, and not of evil” (Jeremiah 29:11).

Do you know this kind and loving Saviour personally?

ML-04/16/2000

The Swift Cheetah

“Every beast of the forest is Mine . . . and the wild beasts of the field are Mine.”
Psalm 50:10-11

The cheetah, a member of the cat family, lives on the plains of Africa and Asia and is the fastest animal known for running short distances. When hunting, it takes advantage of all available cover and crawls on the ground to get as close as possible to its prey. Then, with tail twitching, it suddenly springs up and runs with lightning speed (up to 65 miles per hour), scarcely touching the ground between its 10-foot leaps. It usually catches its prey in just a few seconds.

The Creator has provided the cheetah with large nostrils and lungs to draw in great quantities of air while running so fast. However, it cannot run at top speed for very long, and if it fails to capture its prey promptly, it must give up and rest. Even if it succeeds, it needs to rest beside the slain victim for awhile, breathing deeply before eating it.

This beautiful animal has a small head with large, yellow-green eyes and dark tear markings running from the inner corners of its eyes. Its fur is yellowish with black spots over all its body, except the throat. Its long, lean body measures about 3 feet high at the shoulders and about 5 feet long. Its long, striped tail adds another 2½ feet.

The cheetah’s natural home is in open grasslands. Given excellent eyesight, it spots antelopes, elands and other animals from a tree branch, bare hilltop or even a termite mound. Another special, God-given feature enables the cheetah to go several days without water.

Female cheetahs may have three or more cubs a year. The little ones are playful, stalking and pawing each other. In the hot sun they huddle close to their mother for protection from the heat and for safety from enemies. They are nursed several months and then, full grown, they are on their own.

Again we are reminded, as in our opening Bible verse, that the One who can rightfully claim every beast of the forest and field as His does not neglect these creatures. Through their whole lifetime they are under His watchful care, and He can see them just as He can see each of us, even on the darkest night.

Sin that came into the world is responsible for animals such as the cheetah killing others. But the time is coming when there will be peace again among all the beasts. At that time those who accept the Lord Jesus Christ now as their Saviour will be with Him in heaven, looking down on that peaceful scene. Will you be there?

ML-04/23/2000

The Spectacular Humpbacked Whale: Part 1

“God created great whales, and every living creature . . . which the waters brought forth abundantly, after their kind.”
Genesis 1:21

Some humpbacked whales are 50 feet long and weigh 45 tons. They can be identified by their characteristic hump-like roll of fat on their backs. These whales are extremely strong, with large flippers, 1213 feet long, and huge, flat tails controlling their motions. They can swim 25 miles per hour and at times dive nearly a mile below the surface. Although they seem gentle and playful, they can be dangerous too. Anyone closing in on a mother with her calf will find her quite ready to smash their small boat with a slap of her tail.

Looking down on one of these whales from above, its black back is not easy to distinguish from the dark water, and looking up from underneath, its white underparts blend with the sky. These safeguards are provisions of the Creator, helping to protect them from their enemies -mainly people from above and sharks and killer whales from below.

Of all mammals, whales are most completely at home in water, although they have to come up to the surface for air from time to time. Rising to the surface, they blow out stale air from their lungs through “blowholes” on their backs. These look like waterspouts, shooting up 12 feet or more into the air. Actually, it is their hot, moist breath condensing as it hits the colder outside air.

Humpbacks are in all oceans, but the greatest number are in the Pacific Ocean. Many of these spend winters in the cold waters of Alaska and the Bering Sea where food is plentiful. Their thick coat of blubber keeps them warm in these cold waters. In spring they migrate, some to Mexico and some to Hawaii (distances of about 6000 miles). Both places provide warm tropical waters where the females give birth to their calves, and shortly thereafter all return north. In the Atlantic, similar migrations are made from northern Canadian waters to warm, southern areas. These migrations can be seen by people along those shores, just as they can be seen on the West Coast.

We may wonder how these large creatures know when it is time to leave for the southern waters and how they find their way over such great distances. Like all creatures that migrate, they follow God-given instincts that guide and instruct them.

How much more important it is for us to know the way to heaven, for we can never get there by our own efforts. The only way is by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, who said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Are you trusting in Him?

(to be continued)

ML-05/07/2000

The Spectacular Humpbacked Whale: Part 2

“Behold, [God] spreadeth His light upon [the world], and covereth the bottom of the sea.”
Job 36:30

On both the Atlantic and Pacific seacoasts, great numbers of people gather each year to watch the migrations of humpbacked whales. They sometimes see whole schools breaching (leaping into the air and landing with a great splash), as if competing with one another. At other times they are seen lob-tailing (standing on their heads with the rest of their bodies in the air), waving their big flukes and making huge splashes when they drop back to the surface. Frequently they lift their tails above the water and smack them down, making tremendous waves. No wonder people gather by the thousands to see these performances!

Playful by nature, like porpoises, some of these giants will play tag with a large boat for an hour or so, coming up on one side, swimming underneath and popping up on the other, to the amusement of all on board.

The long migrations end in warm, shallow bays where the calves are born underwater. Some of these new calves are as long as 13 feet. Usually a female “nurse” is on hand and helps the mother push the newborn up to the surface for its first breath of fresh air. Isn’t it amazing that the little one has been given an instinct by the Creator so that it doesn’t inhale water right after birth and drown? After breathing in fresh air for the first time, it drops back under its mother, and, again, a God-given instinct tells it to nurse her warm, rich milk. While nursing, it must return to the surface for air, over and over again, but each time continues its nursing until its hunger is satisfied.

The bull whales have a large number of cows and calves for which they are responsible, but when danger comes they usually swim away, leaving the cows to take care of themselves and their calves. That’s not very brave of them, is it?

It is interesting that in the Bible, where the ocean is spoken of, it says, “There is that leviathan [whale], whom Thou hast made to play therein” (Psalm 104:26). So we see that the Lord God, the Creator, intended whales to enjoy their playfulness, just as boys and girls do. And He is pleased for children to be happy and playful, as long as they are also obedient, kind and thoughtful of others. True happiness is one of His great gifts and comes from faith in Him and His Word which tells us, “Whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he” (Proverbs 16:20). Is this true of you?

ML-05/14/2000

African Wild Dogs (or Cape Hunting Dog)

“Every beast of the forest is Mine . . . and the wild beasts of the field are Mine.”
Psalm 50:10-11

South African wild dogs live in packs of from 5 to 30, which are often made up of family groups. Almost always on the move, they stay just a few days in one spot, then move on to another, maybe 25 miles away. About the size of wolves, some weigh 40 pounds and can outrun just about any other animal. They are vicious hunters; however, they only kill for food.

For about three months each year, a pack stays near the dens where as many as 16 pups are raised with much care. Adults and young spend much time together, playfully pushing their muzzles into each other’s mouths. When they are ready for a pack hunt, one or two adults stay behind to baby-sit.

The pups are really cute with inquisitive faces, bright eyes, and big saucer-like ears pointing forward. They usually have tan-colored backs, but their sides and underparts are a blackish-brown with white patches on their throats and legs.

A dozen adults may spot a herd of impalas or other animals and set out to capture one. Several dogs chase part of the herd while their companions go after any that may have broken away. When one impala finally gets separated from the others, a single dog continues chasing it. Apparently knowing that the victim will run in a wide circle, the rest of the dogs leave the impalas they have been chasing and cut across the circle to get in front of the tiring victim. With dogs all around it, the impala soon gives up; the chase is over and the pack moves in for the kill.

The dogs always eat as much of the food as they can but do not quarrel over it as some wild animals do. Filled, they return to their dens and bring up portions for the pups and the guards that stayed with them. Later, when the pups are big enough to join these hunts and an animal is caught, the older ones let the young ones eat their fill first.

The care these wild dogs give their young helps us to think kindly of them. Many of you have parents who have not only shown you love and care in every way, but who knew the importance of telling you of God’s love. They have explained about the precious Saviour who gave His life to wash away the sins of all who admit to Him that they are sinners and accept Him as their Saviour. Have you done this? And have you ever thanked your parents for telling you about Him?

ML-05/21/2000

Florida's Scrub Jay

“Great is our Lord, and of great power. . . . He giveth to the beast his food, and to the young ravens which cry.”

Psalm 147:59

There are 36 kinds of jays in North and Central America. Some that inhabit scrub oak trees are known as scrub jays. An interesting member of this group is the Florida scrub jay. Its vivid blue and gray feathers and long, slender tail are similar to the common blue jay, but it lacks the crest on its head like the blue jay.

These aggressive birds are about the size of a crow (a distant relative) and among the noisiest of birds. Lacking a real song, their calls are harsh.

Scrub oak trees are part of the Florida landscape where there are old sand dunes. The scrub jay is the only bird that makes its permanent home there, with the exception of hawks and a few other flesh-eaters. The scrub jay has almost completely taken over every spot where the scrub oaks grow, claiming individual territories and forcefully keeping others out. They can do this because the climate of that part of the country stays warm year-round, so they do not migrate. They are social birds and like to have other scrub jays nearby, so their colonies are noisy, but happy.

A pair of adults raises just one brood each spring. The female does all the incubating and feeding of the baby birds, but the male guards them carefully and provides much of their food. However, he seems to feel it beneath his dignity to feed the young birds so turns his offerings over to the mother and lets her feed them. Sadly, even in an emergency the father bird doesn’t change, so if the mother should die, the young birds soon starve to death.

If the young ones have not found mates and made nests of their own by the time new brothers and sisters hatch out the following spring, they also help bring food to the mother and keep an eye on the nest when both parents are away. Some of them also help the father defend the home territory, if strangers try to move in.

Since there are so many birds in the world, do you think God, the Creator of all of them, pays any attention to these lowly scrub jays on the dunes of Florida? He certainly does, as the Bible often tells us. Look up these verses and see for yourself: Genesis 1:30, Psalm 50:11, Jeremiah 8:7, Matthew 10:29, and Luke 12:24. Then turn to Psalm 145:1819 and see how He invites you to experience His love and preserving care, which are much greater to boys and girls than to birds and animals.

ML-05/28/2000

Multi-Colored Kingfishers

“Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam.”
Genesis 2:19

There are about 100 species of kingfishers, ranging in size from 6 to 18 inches and divided into two families-the water and the forest. Many of the forest family never go near water and live on insects, small rodents, snakes and lizards.

The water kingfishers, which are more common, make their homes in hollow trees or dig burrows in a bank where the young hatch and develop before going outside to learn to fish on their own. The Creator has given these birds unusual coloring - many are quite pretty with high crests on their heads. For instance, the common, which is the smallest, has colors that change according to the angle of light. At times it appears sky blue, but as it turns on its perch it becomes a beautiful emerald green with a variety of colors on its head and throat.

By contrast, the largest is the African giant which is not as brightly colored as the smaller ones - a speckled gray above and light brown beneath. The small malachite from Ethiopia has a speckled-gray head topped with a crest of a dozen feathers. White patches behind its ears and on its neck blend with a rust-colored beak and legs. A soft-orange breast and underparts and pretty purple feathers on its back, wings and tail complete this beauty.

In North America the most commonly seen is the belted, about 12 inches long. You may have seen one on a branch near a stream, patiently waiting until suddenly it dives headfirst into the water and returns with a fish in its beak. Incidentally, kingfishers do not spear fish with their beaks as we might think; they grasp them with open beaks.

Perhaps millions of these birds live in various parts of the world, and most of them are never seen by people. But there is One who always watches over them. He has told about His care over lowly sparrows (also true of kingfishers). In Luke 12:6 He says, “Not one of them is forgotten before God.” Then He adds, “Ye are of more value than many sparrows” (vs. 7). The Lord wrote these words to tell of His love and care over each person in the world and to give His invitation, “Whosoever shall confess Me before men, him shall the Son of Man [Himself] also confess before the angels of God” (vs. 8).

To “confess the Lord before men” means to confess Him as your Lord and Saviour. When this is done with a true heart, not only will He tell the angels you are His, but your name will also be written in the Book of Life and will never be removed. Have the angels been told your name? Is it written in the Book of Life?

ML-06/04/2000

The Tough Badger

“He made a covering for the tent of rams’ skins dyed red, and a covering of badgers’ skins above that.”
Exodus 36:19

The verse refers to the tabernacle Moses was told to build as a place of worship for the Lord’s people in the wilderness. The heavy, dense fur of the badger was a shield that protected everything inside the tabernacle from storms and severe weather.

Badgers are 20pound animals with wide bodies, short necks, short legs and black feet. They are courageous and strong, about two feet long, and are covered with silver-gray fur. The American badger, which lives in the United States and Canada, has a narrow white stripe that runs between its eyes onto its back. It is this white marking (badge) on the face that gives these animals their name.

Badgers are usually found on the open plains, prairies and deserts of the West. Being night hunters, their food includes rodents, rabbits, birds, snakes (including rattlers), lizards and fish. Coming across a beehive, they rip it open for the honey with no fear of the bees which cannot sting through the badgers’ dense fur.

The Creator has provided several means of protection for badgers. If unable to otherwise escape from an enemy, being an excellent digger it can dig itself completely underground in less than a minute with its sharp claws. Actually they have few enemies to fear. Although timid, they are quite capable of routing dogs or coyotes with their claws and powerful teeth. Also, being low to the ground, an attacker cannot get at their throats without being bitten first.

In the cold of winter, they sleep in a den about 25 feet from their runway entrance, sometimes even sharing their den with a fox.

Two furry babies are born in the spring and are blind for a month. The mother raises the playful youngsters, training them to hunt and care for themselves. By summer’s end, they leave her.

The activities of these interesting animals are beneficial. Beside eating destructive rodents, their digging loosens the soil, making it water-absorbent, which helps to prevent flooding.

When underground, badgers know that they are hidden from everything. But what they can’t know is that an all-wise Creator sees them, for His eyes are always on every living thing.

The Bible tells us, “His eyes are upon the ways of man, and He [sees] all his goings. There is no darkness . . . where the workers of iniquity [sin] may hide themselves” (Job 34:21-22). Rather than foolishly trying to hide from God, He invites everyone to come with an open heart to Him. He says, “Those that seek Me early shall find Me” (Proverbs 8:17), and, “The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that [listens to] counsel is wise” (Proverbs 12:15). Which group are you in?

ML-06/11/2000

The Jellyfish: Part 1

“Their fish shall be according to their kinds, as the fish of the great sea, exceeding many.”
Ezekiel 47:10

Jellyfish live near the surface of the sea and are related to the anemones which live at the bottom. Both have poisonous tentacles that sting invaders, either paralyzing or killing them. Then the victim is passed to the mouth and swallowed.

The jellyfish’s transparent body looks like a bell or umbrella. It floats on or near the surface of the water with its long tentacles dangling below. The name comes from the jellylike material between the two layers of cells that make up the body. This serves as a skeleton to support the fragile body wall. The jellyfish has only one opening where food is brought by the tentacles and then swallowed and digested.

The tentacles, 20 or more, depending on the species, are almost all loaded with stinging cells. Small fish are usually paralyzed when they brush by the tentacles, because these cells explode with corkscrew-like stingers that penetrate the victim’s skin. The tentacles of other jellyfish, instead of shooting out stingers, immediately wrap themselves around any fish, crab or shrimp that touch it. Either way, once a tentacle has hold of a captive, it curls its way up to the jellyfish’s open mouth, passes dinner in and descends again to wait for another victim.

Not all fish that swim within range are caught. Some have been given an instinct by the Creator to swim safely between the tentacles when escaping from an enemy. Many of their pursuers are so intent on catching the smaller fish that they touch the jellyfish’s tentacles and are themselves immediately captured. Of course, if the little fish is careless and brushes one of these dangerous arms, that is the end of it too.

Common jellyfish have little effect on swimmers who accidently touch them, except for a prickly feeling that is similar to being stung by a nettle. However, some varieties with stronger poison can prove so painful that the swimmer cannot make it back to shore. So if you are swimming in the ocean and see a jellyfish, stay clear of it.

Our opening Bible verse tells of the great sea (ocean) having “exceeding many” kinds of fish. Here again we are reminded of the Creator’s pleasure in the great variety of things He created. The people in Nehemiah’s day included these thoughts as they praised the Lord, and added, “Thou preservest them all” (Nehemiah 9:6). Later in the Bible we read, “He is before all things, and by Him all things consist [are preserved]” (Colossians 1:17).

How wonderful to know the Creator, not only as your preserver, but of more importance, as your personal Lord and Saviour. Do you have a personal relationship with Him?

(to be continued)

ML-06/18/2000

The Jellyfish: Part 2

“Happy is he . . . whose hope is in the Lord his God: which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is.”
Psalm 146:56

Last week we looked at the design and habits of jellyfish found in oceans all over the world. We will describe a few of them.

The largest of all is the Cyanea Arctica, which measures 8 feet across its body and is armed with tentacles 200 feet long. These live in cold northern waters and are rarely seen.

Perhaps the most feared is the Portuguese man-of-war. It has 20 or more tentacles reaching down some 200 feet. It has a bright blue body and a gas-filled sail reaching above the surface for a means of travel with the wind. Its tentacles have enough poison to kill two dozen fish at a time and can prove fatal to a swimmer.

But there is another jellyfish more to be feared than the man-of-war. That is the sea wasp found off the north coast of Australia. It has a transparent, box-shaped, jet-propelled body and tentacles that also go deep into the ocean. It is perhaps the most deadly of all with an abundance of poison. This jellyfish kills more people each year than do sharks.

Another sky-blue variety is called “by-the-wind-sailor.” Like a miniature Portuguese man-of-war, it drifts with the wind and is sometimes stranded in great numbers on seashores. Its body is only two or three inches wide with short tentacles, which limit its catch to tiny fish or other small sea life.

The porpita jellyfish is medium sized with a dark-blue body and pale-blue, short tentacles that form a feathery-looking circle under its flat body. It also feeds only on tiny forms of marine life.

The physalla lives in the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans. It is a beautiful blue, or sometimes pink, with tentacles from 40 to 100 feet long and, like some of the others, can kill a man. Strangely though, a small fish named nemeus makes its home among the physalla’s deadly tentacles and even nibbles on them from time to time with no harm from the poison.

Most jellyfish are quite pretty, and a person not knowing the danger might be tempted to pick one out of the water but would soon regret it. This reminds us of Satan, the great deceiver, who likes to put hurtful temptations into our lives. How important to notice David’s prayer: “By the word of Thy lips I have [been kept] from the paths of the destroyer. Hold up my goings in Thy paths, that my footsteps slip not” (Psalm 17:45). As our opening verse states, happiness is found only when we rely on the Lord God to preserve us from Satan’s evil ways.

ML-06/25/2000

The Cicada Killer

“I will meditate also of all Thy work, and talk of Thy doings.”
Psalm 77:12

In July and August the shrill chorus of many singing cicadas can be very annoying. The noise goes on steadily with no break until suddenly, as if by a signal, they stop for a few moments and there is silence. But soon they are singing again.

While the cicadas are singing, female wasps, called cicada killers, are hunting them. After finding a cicada, the wasp plunges her stinger into its nerve center. This paralyzes the cicada, but it continues to live. Then, firmly grasping it, the wasp tumbles to the ground and turns the cicada on its back so she can pull it head first, like a sled, to one of the many burrows she has dug in the ground. Sometimes the wasp drags the heavy, paralyzed cicada partway up a tree till she can get enough altitude to fly back to her burrow. She may have to repeat this several times before the trip is finished.

When the wasp finally reaches the burrow, she drags the cicada to the bottom where she has already prepared a little room. There she lays an egg and places it under the insect. Then she goes back out to catch another cicada. This process is repeated until two or three cicadas are brought to each burrow and an egg placed under each one. As she exits each burrow, she fills it with dirt.

In a few days the eggs hatch and the larvae begin life by feeding on the paralyzed cicadas. After a week or more of eating this food, the larvae spin cocoons and remain underground through the cold winter. In early summer they change into the pupa stage and shortly break out of the cocoons as adult wasps. Then they have to dig their way out of the dirt-filled burrows. Surprisingly, as full-grown wasps, they no longer eat cicadas, but feed entirely on nectar. Cicadas are captured only when the female wasps need to provide food for the next generation.

How does the female wasp know where to place her stinger to paralyze, but not kill, her victim? How does she know to place an egg under a paralyzed cicada so the larva will have food for its start in life? Who taught the young wasp to dig its way out of the burrow? We know that these instincts are given by God who created and cares for them.

But have you stopped to think that His provisions for us are much more wonderful? He gives us life and sustains it day by day. He also gives eternal life to all those who accept the salvation He offers. Salvation is provided through faith in His beloved Son, Christ Jesus, who died on Calvary’s cross for us. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31). Have you accepted this invitation?

ML-07/02/2000

Gazing Skyward

“He [knows] the number of the stars; He [calls] them all by their names. Great is our Lord, and of great power”
(Psalm 147:45).

The darker the night the better we can see the stars, all of them vast distances away. Some of them are hundreds of trillions of miles away. King David enjoyed gazing at them and wrote: “The heavens declare the glory of God” (Psalm 19:1). Do you enjoy them too?

How strange that some people try to figure out how the starry skies came into being when the answer is found in many places in the Bible. Here is one: “The worlds [stars] were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear” (Hebrews 11:3). The stars came into being at God’s command!

Astronomers admit they have not been able to find an end to the stars and are increasingly amazed at what they discover with modern instruments. They report that the galaxy called the Milky Way, of which our world is a very tiny part, has an estimated 200 billion stars in it and that there are at least 100 billion galaxies with a total number of stars so large that it is impossible for our minds to grasp the number. Yet, as our opening Bible verse tells us, God knows the exact number of stars, and, even more amazing, He has a name for each one of them! Actually, there is no point in trying to count them, for God Himself declared, “The host of heaven cannot be numbered [by man]” (Jeremiah 33:22). We are also told that “one star differeth from another star in glory [beauty]” (1 Corinthians 15:41). No two are alike. What pleasure our blessed God must have had when He stretched “out the heavens like a curtain” (Psalm 104:2).

Here is an example of how the Creator made each star different from all others. Earth’s diameter is 7,926 miles, compared with the star Betelgeuse’s diameter of 215,000,000 miles and the star Aurigae’s diameter of 390,000,000 miles. Our sun is 860,000 miles in diameter, or more than 100 times Earth’s size. If we were to compare others within reach of telescopes, we would be astounded to discover what great differences the Creator has made in all of them.

It has been calculated that our fastest spaceship traveling from Earth would take 40,000 years to reach the star known as Alpha Centaura, which is 26,000,000,000,000 (26 trillion) miles away from us. Yet, for all these great distances, which boggle the minds of astronomers, the Creator has each heavenly body under His constant gaze and keeps each one in its proper orbit. Only He could make them, place them in their orbits in space, and keep them in order. We sing a hymn that states it so well: “Isn’t He wonderful!”

ML-07/09/2000

The Tough Frigate Bird

“Great and marvelous are Thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are Thy ways.”
Revelation 15:3

The frigate bird is a relative of the pelican and has a body about 40 inches long. It has amazing flying skills that few birds can match - eating, drinking and even sleeping while airborne. It can fly 1000 miles without resting and has no problem flying as high as 4000 feet. The Creator has provided the ability for such flights by giving it extremely lightweight bones, an amazing 7 to 8foot wingspread and a strong, forked tail to act as a rudder and brake.

Because of its mischievous habits, the frigate bird is also called man-of-war. Sharing islands with great colonies of other birds, it will steal their food whenever there is opportunity. If a frigate sees a booby flying with a fish in its beak, it will chase the booby, sometimes even grabbing its tail and shaking it until it drops the fish which the frigate then claims for itself. Sometimes one will land on a pelican’s head and eat fish right out of its pouch.

This behavior seems unnecessary, because a frigate is quite capable of catching its own food. Spotting a fish while flying over water, it dives straight down as though headed for a crash landing. Just before hitting the water, its tail and wings fan out to break its speed, and it snatches up the fish without getting more than its long bill wet.

Frigates nest in tropical seaside areas, including southern California, Mexico, the Gulf states and tropical islands. The female is a brown color, but the male has a jet-black body and bluish-green head. Young birds have white heads. In nesting season the male grows a bright scarlet pouch under his bill which he can blow up like a balloon nearly as large as himself. He does this to attract a mate while standing on his perch, throwing his head back and forth with loud whoops. Sure enough, some female responds to this attraction. Once the male picks a spot for their nest, she takes over building it with sticks that he brings to her. Soon they settle down to raise just one chick, which has their careful attention for about a year.

These interesting birds remind us of the great variety to be found in God’s creation. And aren’t varieties fascinating? We wouldn’t want every bird, every animal, or even every human to look alike. And so it is with each of us. Our ways of life are different from each other, but the important similarity should be to let the Lord Jesus rule our lives. A Bible verse instructs, “Seek the Lord and His strength, seek His face continually. Remember His marvelous works that He hath done” (1 Chronicles 16:1112). Is the Lord Jesus your guide through life?

ML-07/16/2000

The Armor-Plated Pangolin

“Neither is there any creature that is not [visible] in His sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.”
Hebrews 4:13

The pangolin lives in Africa, Asia and Indonesia. It looks something like a cross between an armadillo and an anteater and is covered with a coat of armor formed by overlapping tough scales, including his tail. Although his tail is a helpful prop when ripping open termite nests and also a weapon against attackers, the pangolin’s main defense is to roll into a tight ball with only its tough scales exposed. This makes it almost impossible for enemies to harm him.

These creatures usually sleep all day in deep burrows and look for food only at night. God has equipped them well to hunt at night. He has given them sharp, beady eyes to penetrate the darkness and a keen sense of smell to lead them to their food, which is almost entirely ants and termites. They have large, strong claws on their front feet to rip into ant hills and termite nests. When the ants’ and termites’ nests are disturbed, they race about furiously. The pangolin pushes his head into the opening of the nest, flicks out his long, sticky tongue and laps them up, hundreds at a time. A pangolin is toothless.

Termites and ants bite viciously, but that doesn’t bother the pangolin. The Creator has provided him with transparent eyelids too tough for these insects to bite and nostrils and ears that he can close to keep the insects out. When those furious ants crawl over his body looking for a tender spot to bite, he just flicks them off with a shake of his body.

We might wonder why God made this unusual creature. Adapting all His creatures to their place in nature is often called “the balance of nature,” but it is really “God’s order.” He has created each for its special place on earth. Even ants and termites are included, and He has arranged for them to recover rapidly from raids and to rebuild their large colonies quickly. At the same time, the work of the pangolin keeps such insects from multiplying too fast and doing much damage to forests, buildings and crops. The Bible tells us about a coming time when all life will be in harmony, and no killing of each other will take place. Meanwhile, we see His wisdom in placing all things in proper balance.

But He has greater plans for you and me. The Lord Jesus said to those who love and trust Him, “I go to prepare a place for you. . . . I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:23). That promise applies to you only if you have accepted the Lord Jesus as your very own Saviour.

ML-07/23/2000

A Kernel of Corn

Have you ever thought of how even a little kernel of corn can remind us of the Lord Jesus Christ and His work for us on the cross?

A kernel of corn is a seed. And on the inside of the little seed there is something so wonderful that no one in the whole world, no matter how wise he may be, can make it. That wonderful thing is life.

If we plant the kernel into the moist, warm soil, something very interesting happens. The outside body of the little seed will die and a new plant will begin to grow. Soon the growing plant will burst through the top of the ground to enjoy the sunshine and rain from heaven. It will grow and produce ears of corn. These contain many new little kernels just like the one that was planted and died. One seed died so that a great many more might live!

That’s why the little kernel of corn reminds us of the Lord Jesus and His work on the cross. He died for sinners, He was buried and He rose again according to the Scriptures. Because of His death, we who have trusted in Him as our own Saviour have received everlasting life. And just as it was necessary for the seed to die before there could be many new ones, it was necessary for the Lord Jesus to die so that you and I could be saved and receive everlasting life. You must accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your own Saviour before you can have everlasting life. If you have not yet accepted Him, you are still “dead in trespasses and sins.” Won’t you accept Him right now?

“He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life” (John 5:24).

ML-07/23/2000

Anemones-Beautiful but Deadly: Part 1

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

Sea anemones, like the flowers they are named after, are very beautiful in their bright colors. However, these are not flowers; they are marine animals, although they lack most features of animals we are familiar with. Sea anemones can move slowly but usually attach themselves to a rock or other surface on the ocean floor.

The “flower petals” are actually tentacles that usually stand up to make the colorful display, but in some species they hang down or spread out flat. The tentacles grow from the anemone’s main body and wave about gently in the water to attract small fish. These tentacles are pretty, but they contain stinging cells that shoot out tiny poisoned threads that paralyze a fish touching one. The tentacle then drags the victim into the anemone’s mouth.

Descriptive names have been given to many of the anemones. The aggregated anemone is common along the Pacific coast, and large numbers attach close together on bottom rocks. They look like a beautiful garden with their many colors.

Another, the snakelocks, is colored either pinkish brown or apple green. Its snaky tentacles spread out in every direction. Since it prefers shallow water, it is often exposed to the air at low tide.

A deep-water variety is called the dahlia. It has a round, golden base and short, white tentacles, similar to the dahlia flower. Some varieties have a brown base and brilliant red tentacles. Either way, they are very pretty. There are many more varieties, and illustrations of many are available in most libraries.

In spite of the beauty of sea anemones, they remind us of Satan, the enemy of every boy and girl as well as grown-ups. He takes pleasure in deceiving people with attractive temptations (like the anemone’s beautiful tentacles luring fish), but these only lead those who are deceived by him into sadness and trouble.

The Bible speaks of this danger in many places, as in our opening verse, and warns us that Satan and his followers pretend to speak truth, but they are really false and deceitful. We are warned that at times he can even make himself appear to be “an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15). To resist Satan, we are instructed in Ephesians 6:11 to “put on the whole armor of God.” The first, most important part of that armor is “the shield of faith” - faith in the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour and Protector when we commit our way to Him. The second is “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God [the Bible]” (Ephesians 6:17).

When this armor is used, Satan cannot have his way with us. Have you learned to use it?

ML-07/30/2000

Anemones-Beautiful but Deadly: Part 2

“Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did He in heaven [the sky], and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.”
Psalm 135:6

In the last issue we learned of the beautiful but deadly nature of sea anemones. However, there are some marine creatures that get along very nicely with them and are not harmed.

One of these is the small, pretty clown fish that is immune to the anemone’s poison and lives right within its tentacles, well protected from its enemies. It also seizes its own food by snatching parts of the anemone’s meals right from its mouth!

Another is the anemone shrimp in the waters off Florida. It doesn’t look like the shrimp that we eat; it is transparent with delicate white lines on its back and colored dots over most of its body. Like the clown fish, it lives right in the tentacles of the larger anemones but for different reasons. Protected from attack by its enemies and immune to the anemone’s poison, it attracts passing fish by waving its long, white antennae at them. When a fish spots this, it moves up closer, but out of reach of the anemone. The shrimp then hops on the fish and eats parasites off its body. This also relieves the fish of the pests. Some of the fish open their gills wide so the shrimp can clean them out too, going from one side of the fish to the other.

Its work finished, the shrimp returns to the shelter of the anemone and waits for its next customer. Meanwhile, the cleaned fish swims away, probably feeling much better than when it arrived. Many of the larger fish cleaned this way would quickly gobble up the little shrimp if found anywhere else, but here where it lives among the anemone tentacles it is protected. This is one more example of the Creator’s designing two different creatures to help each other.

One that is even more amazing is the tiny damsel fish, which is always in danger of being devoured by larger fish. When pursued, it swims quickly to a nearby anemone, dives through its mouth and on into its stomach where it is certainly safe from its pursuer. But how does it avoid being poisoned by the tentacles or killed by the digestive juices of the anemone’s stomach? We don’t know! The wise Creator has made it that way.

These and many other unusual circumstances are examples of the wonders of the Creator. The psalmist exclaimed, “Thy way is in the sea, and Thy path in the great waters” (Psalm 77:19). As wonderful as these provisions are for these little creatures, they do not compare with the eternal safety He has made for those who have accepted Him as their own Lord and Saviour. If your name is written in His Book of Life, that eternal safety is yours.

ML-08/06/2000

The Scarce Snow Leopard

“Thou, even Thou, art Lord alone; Thou hast made . . . the earth, and all things that are therein.”
Nehemiah 9:6

The snow leopard, also called the ounce, is a member of the leopard family and is one of the world’s most beautiful animals. When full-grown, this animal will be two-and-a-half feet tall at shoulder height and six to six-and-a-half feet long, including its two-foot furry tail. Its weight will be from 100 to 150 pounds. Since it often lives more than a mile high on the cold mountainsides of Tibet and a few other Asian countries, the Creator has given it a coat much heavier than that of the leopards of warmer climates.

Its white fur is overlaid with pale gray and leopard-like brown spots over most of its body, but the fur remains plain white on the chin, chest and belly. Each of its yellow eyes is circled with a ribbon of dark brown fur. With its small ears and a face like that of a house cat, it is a very beautiful creature. Just like when your pet cat is calm and relaxed, the snow leopard’s sharp claws are not visible, but when its paw reaches out to strike, the claws become fierce weapons, ready for action.

Since the snow leopard blends in so well with its surroundings, mountain climbers might pass near one, sitting on its haunches and quietly watching them, and be entirely unaware of its presence. This leopard’s food is made up of antelope, deer, mountain goats, smaller animals, pheasants and other birds. When these are not available, it may raid a farmyard for sheep and calves, but it has never been known to attack people.

A mother trains her kittens to catch prey by lying on the ground and gently switching her tail from side to side. The kittens try to pounce on it, but just as they pounce she gives it a quick flick and they are left empty-handed. Eventually their reflexes become sharper, and they are able to use this needed skill when hunting for food.

These lovely animals instinctively hide among the rocks and snow where the coloring of their fur conceals them so well. But their Creator is well aware of them at all times, as the Bible verse tells us: “He [looks] to the ends of the earth, and [sees] under the whole heaven” (Job 28:24). In other parts of the Bible we also read that He is the provider and protector of all His creatures.

Perhaps you are familiar with another verse which tells us that “the eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good” (Proverbs 15:3). What do His eyes see in you?

AUGUST 13, 2000

ML-08/13/2000

The Ungainly Ostrich

“The ostrich. . . . [leaves] her eggs in the earth, and warmeth them in dust. . . . She scorneth the horse and his rider.”
Job 39:13-14, 18

Although it cannot fly, no bird can match the 345-pound, 8foot tall ostrich of Africa for size and strength. And a rider on a horse cannot match its 40-miles-per-hour running speed. The female, called a dun, lays as many as 10 ivory-colored eggs in a hole scraped in the sand. Each egg is 24 times as large as a hen’s egg! She sits on them during the day or leaves them exposed to the hot sun. The male takes over incubating them at night.

The ostrich is a very hardy bird; some live up to 70 years. Those in the wild usually live in flocks of 100 or more and peacefully share the open spaces with zebras, giraffes and other animals. If necessary, they defend themselves with their strong legs - a well-directed kick either kills or discourages any attacker.

The ostrich walks with an almost-mechanical appearance because of its long, bare legs with ankles like knees and its manner of walking on the two padded toes of each foot. Short, heavily feathered wings give it a football-shaped body, and its bulky, feathered tail looks like it was just stuck on to help balance it. Topping its unusual appearance is a long, featherless neck with a flat, hairy head, bulgy eyes with long eyelashes and a wide beak.

Visitors to ostrich farms are amused to watch an ostrich swallow an unpeeled orange. Down its long neck goes the orange, the bulge visible all the time through its skin as it spirals around, until it disappears at the bottom. The birds are also sometimes tamed and ridden by people brave enough to try. But, as no saddle is provided, it takes an experienced person to be able to ride very far without sliding off over its tail.

Why do you think the Lord God created such an unusual bird? We might ask the same question about some unusual fish or the platypus or an opossum or strange insects or other unusual birds. Do you suppose that as the Supreme Designer of the universe it was never His purpose to make every animal, fish, bird or even every person alike? How monotonous that would be! The same is true of flowers, vegetables and trees. How grateful we should be that He included such a wide difference in all He has made - another example of His wisdom.

And let us also remember that He did not leave room for improvement on anything He created. No, after every part of creation was brought into being, the Bible tells us, “God saw everything that He had made, and, behold, it was very good” (Genesis 1:31). No improvements have been necessary.

AUGUST 20, 2000

ML-08/20/2000

About Your Skull

“I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully [amazingly] and wonderfully made: marvelous are Thy works.”
Psalm 139:14

A bare skull may not look very attractive, but it shows, better than can be told, how wonderfully the Creator has made this part of your body. Notice how openings for ears, eyes, nose and mouth are designed so that these parts make a pleasing, balanced appearance to a person’s face without interfering with one another. Also notice how the upper jaw is immovable, but the lower jaw is hinged so we can chew and talk. If it were otherwise, how difficult it would be to do those things!

Important as these features are, the main purpose of the skull is to protect the brain which the Creator has given us - a brain so superior it puts man on a level of life far above all other living creatures on earth. The skull is remarkably strong, ¼inch thick at the top and thicker at the base, making a lightweight, strong armor. Over its top and sides is a scalp of tough skin, and over that is a protective mat of hair. Both coverings are helpful in protecting what is under them.

Inside the skull is a thin but tough lining between it and the brain to help protect important nerves and blood vessels. This is called “dura mater.” But that’s just part of the story. As further protection against bumps, blows and falls, the skull holds a special fluid cushion in which the brain “floats.” The rigid casing of the skull surrounds the brain very closely, and all empty spaces are filled with this important fluid.

Nothing has been overlooked. Even the nerves that take care of smell, hearing and sight are sheltered in special notches of the skull to protect them as they attend to their duties.

Through an opening in the bottom of the skull, the spinal cord enters the brain with a marvelous system of nerves that carry messages between the brain and all parts of the body. This opening has been so carefully placed that the head of a man is perfectly balanced to enable him to hold it upright and for his whole body to stand in an erect position. The spine itself becomes the main support of the entire head - skull and all.

Incidentally, apes and monkeys usually do not stand erect unless holding on to a support. This is just one of many differences God made between apes and man. The first chapter of Genesis tells us He made them separate creations. To believe anything else takes our thoughts away from a loving God and Creator. David followed his God-given thoughts, in our opening Bible verse, by declaring: “How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God!” (vs. 17). And God’s loving thoughts are the very same toward you today.

AUGUST 27, 2000

ML-08/27/2000

The Capybara

“All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made.”
John 1:3

You may never have heard of the capybara, since it lives in Central and South America, east of the Andes Mountains.

It is the largest of all the rodents and looks like a small pig or an overgrown guinea pig. Its thick body is covered in dark, coarse hair, and its hind legs are longer than its front legs. Webbed toes help make it a swift swimmer. It is a sociable animal, living in a group of 20 or more on the shore of a river, swamp or lake adjoining a grassy plain. Its happiest occupation seems to be standing up to its stomach in a muddy swamp, busily eating the plants growing there.

It does not have many enemies, but if a capybara is in danger, its best means of escape is to plunge into the nearest water, leaving only its eyes, ears and nostrils exposed until the enemy goes away. However, it is not so easy to get away from an angry farmer when raiding a melon patch or field of corn. Perhaps it was first discovered that capybaras are good for food when one was shot and taken home.

A female raises four or five two-pound babies each year. They are born with a fair coat of hair and immediately are able to open their eyes. Their front teeth begin growing at birth and never stop. If it were not for constantly biting and chewing plants and other foods, this could become a real problem, but the Creator has arranged that their eating habits and growth of teeth are in balance.

Strangely, young capybaras have no interest in venturing into water until the parents coax them in. Then, like some children who are slow to take their parents’ advice, they find that it is very pleasant. From then on they spend more of their waking hours in water than out of it.

Having discovered how tasty the meat of the capybara is, many South American ranchers now raise them in fenced areas. Possibly this animal, once scarcely known even in its homeland, may become a well-known food supply even in far away places.

These unusual animals have followed their pattern of life ever since the day they were created and God declared, “Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind” (Genesis 1:24). It is well to remember that the Bible, God’s Word, is always true, and God’s way is always perfect. Believing in the Bible’s account of creation is the only safe ground on which to stand. Any other teaching is only man’s idea.

“Seek the Lord and His strength, seek His face continually. Remember His marvelous works that He hath done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth” (1 Chronicles 16:11-12).

ML-09/03/2000

The Mallee-Fowl: Part 1

“God created . . . every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good.”
Genesis 1:21

A Mallee-fowl is large, about the size of a turkey, and has a rather long neck and a small head with a crest on top and a strong, sharp beak. Some of them are quite pretty, with a plain white front and underpart of the body, except for a striped black ribbon from the neck to the base of the chest. The outstanding feature is a pinkish-brown or pinkish-gray marbling of the wings and tail feathers, giving them an attractive appearance.

They are not too choosy about food, eating mostly seeds, fruit, flower buds, worms and insects. They gather some of this food by scratching the soil for it, just as a chicken does in the barnyard. Although living in a hot, dry country, water is not a problem. God, who created them, as the above Bible verse says, has given them the ability to go for long periods without needing water.

Their homeland in Australia is called “Mallee Country” because so many live there. In this area, eucalyptus trees grow so close together that hardly any sunlight breaks through except at random spots. In some of these bare, hot spots you will find huge mounds of dirt, as big and high as a small cottage. These, however, are not natural dirt piles; they are built over the years by a number of mallee-fowl working together, using their strong legs and sharp-clawed feet to form it. They do this by standing in a circle with their backs toward a central spot and then digging and kicking dirt, leaves, broken branches, stones and anything else their feet may find toward that target. Each bird selects a place to stand and kick and contributes its share toward making a somewhat round heap.

When these mounds get too big to be managed, a new site is selected, and they start again from ground level. The beginning work is easy compared to what it becomes when the mound has been added to for several years and may become as large as 15 feet wide and several feet high. Just think what strong legs and feet they have to kick this material so high over such a large area! Each year they work several days at building it a little higher — a tremendous job — and it’s amazing some don’t give up. But they work together very nicely, just as ordered by the Creator when He first created them.

He also wants all of us to behave just the way the Bible tells us to. If we want to please Him and ask His help, He will enable us to do just that.

(to be continued)

ML-09/10/2000

The Mallee-Fowl: Part 2

“The Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them.”
Genesis 2:19

Last week we learned a few things about the Mallee-fowl of Australia and their huge mounds of dirt. We have no way of knowing if the name Adam gave them was changed (see opening verse), but we have a clue to their present name. They are of the species known as “megapodes,” which means mound-builder or incubator bird.

After building the large mound of dirt with their feet, each male bird picks a spot on the top and scoops out a hole about three feet deep. Then he places green leaves, grass, flowers and plant stems into the hole and covers it all with the dirt he has just dug out. The bird follows God-given instincts in what he does and seems to know the covered vegetation will soon decay under the dirt, producing much heat. In fact, he stays nearby and each day checks on the nest until he feels the temperature rising. Then he again digs into the hole and calls several hens to come lay their eggs in it. He then covers the eggs with the material he has just scooped out. Sometimes, instead of digging a nest at the top of the pile, a male makes a tunnel into the side until he finds a spot where the temperature is just right. Then he guides a hen to that spot to deposit her eggs.

At that point the hens consider their responsibility finished and they disappear. But the male bird stays on the job, checking every day to make sure there is plenty of heat to keep the eggs well incubated. If not, he scrapes hot sand over them and may do this over and over for several weeks. He is one busy, faithful father bird.

The male is so faithful in his care that if rain threatens, he will pile additional sand on top to absorb the moisture, and when the storm is over he will scrape it all off again. Finally, the chicks hatch, climb up through the dirt, and wobble weakly off to the brush where they learn to take care of themselves.

These unusual birds remind us of the wonders of all God’s creation and the pleasure He had in forming them all. We may wonder how these birds thought of such an unusual way to incubate and hatch their eggs. But we know they didn’t have to learn how to do this, for the Lord God arranged it for them when He first placed them on the earth and provided instincts that have been followed ever since. God loves and cares for you, too. Have you ever thanked Him for this?

ML-09/17/2000

Treasure in the Ocean

“The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. . . . He gathereth the waters of the sea together as an heap: He layeth up the depth in storehouses.”
Psalm 33:57

We have studied some of the treasures of the oceans — fish, whales, shellfish, salt, minerals and much more. However, there is another very important treasure. It is the living masses of small, drifting animal and plant life called krill, or plankton.

Without the immense supply of krill, there would be no whales, porpoises and some of the important fish that form part of man’s food supply. For all these and many others, krill is their main food. Whales are perhaps the largest krill feeders. Swimming through masses of krill with their mouths open, they close them to squeeze out the water and swallow the “krill soup” that remains. It is estimated that a large whale may swallow over five tons of krill a day.

Most krill is found in the icy waters of the Arctic and Antarctic oceans and is the real reason why whales, penguins and many kinds of fish are so plentiful in those areas. The name “plankton” means “wandering” and refers to that part of the krill composed of tiny plants and animals (also called diatoms), some so small that a teaspoonful of water could hold one million! These masses drift about in ocean currents, and if not devoured, their tiny skeletons eventually drop to the bottom, making great deposits of “diatomaceous earth” over the centuries. This material can be dredged out and used for many purposes.

However, krill is made up of many things besides diatoms: tiny, shrimp-like creatures, others that look like miniature lobsters, shellfish about the size of a postage stamp, another shellfish called a copepod, great masses of algae and uncountable millions of microscopic plants and life forms. The lobster-like krill, whose eyes form the major part of their head, are a choice food of penguins, along with a heavy diet of fish. Table-size shrimp eat krill also. All of these obtain important vitamins and minerals from krill, which is part of the Creator’s way of providing strength and health for them and to others who eventually use them for food.

Sometimes called “the pasture of the sea,” krill is often found in great masses covering the ocean for several miles. It often glows with a soft light at night, plainly visible to ships passing through it.

While these creatures are unseen to most of us, we cannot help but consider how wonderful it is that the Lord God, their Creator, is always aware of all His creation and through krill provides for so many of them. “These wait all upon Thee; that Thou mayest give them their meat [food] in due season” (Psalm 104:27).

But His care and provisions for you are so much greater, because He loves you. You enjoy His daily care and provisions. Do you enjoy His love?

ML-09/24/2000

The Pack Rat

“Thou, even Thou, art Lord alone; Thou hast made . . . the earth, and all things that are therein . . . and Thou preservest them.”
Nehemiah 9:6

Pack rats are not like their cousins, the filthy, mean city rats. Pack rats are curious and have cleaner habits. They will not live in sewers and garbage dumps but live mostly in the mountains or on the deserts of western North America and Central America. Though they look much like the ordinary city rat, there are differences other than their habits - their fur is softer and they have hairy tails. They are sometimes called “wood rats” or “trade rats.”

They have earned the name “pack rat” because of their habit of picking up and hiding or carrying home bright or shiny objects that are small. As a result, their nests become full of unusual things - pieces of glass, aluminum foil, bottle caps, shotgun shells, nails or even brightly colored stones. Sometimes they will drop or leave behind something they are carrying in favor of something more attractive. While prowling in a house, they have been known to chew a bright buckle off a shoe or a shiny pin from a dress, taking them and leaving something else behind. This is how the name “trade rat” was earned.

Pack rats build strong nests with two or three rooms in a deserted barn or cabin or in trees where they raise one or two litters a season. These nests are added to each year and may become five or six feet wide and just as high. If available, cactus prickers are woven into these nests as a defense against coyotes, foxes, dogs and other enemies. Additional safety is insured by building underground tunnels between rocks or tree roots for quick escapes, if threatened while out and about.

Perhaps some of our readers are a little like pack rats, always trying something new in exchange for something they have become tired of. The Lord invites us to just rest in Him and not to keep searching for satisfaction and happiness in the attractive things of this world. In the book of Job, chapter 28, we are reminded about that searching: “Where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?” (vs. 12). “The exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold” (vs. 17). “God [understands] the way thereof, and He [knows] the place thereof” (vs. 23). “And unto man He said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding” (vs. 28). How wise it is to follow His way and “to be content with such things as ye have” (Hebrews 13:5).

ML-10/01/2000

The Deadly Scorpion

“Light is come into the world, [but] men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”
John 3:19

Those who live in tropical climates or in the deserts of the southern part of the United States avoid the scorpion. They know a scorpion sting is very painful and sometimes can be fatal. This creature, which will strike anything threatening it, fits the description in the opening Bible verse. Although sometimes seen in daylight, it prefers the dark and will scurry to a dark hiding place if light reaches it.

A scorpion looks rather scary. Its body can be 5 to 8 inches long and is covered with a dark shell which protects it from heat and injury. The scary parts are the two sharp pincers extending from its head and the poisonous stinger at the end of its tail which is usually curled over its back, ready for action. When a large insect or spider comes close, the sharp pincers catch it, and the tail arches over the scorpion’s back and plunges the poisonous stinger into its victim.

Some scorpions have as many as 12 eyes, but most have only 6 or 8. When a scorpion moults (sheds its shell), some of these eyes drop off, but they grow back in when the new outer shell is formed. This happens 4 to 8 times in its short life. Its brain is very simple, but it has been given a keen sense of touch through the hairs that cover its body. In addition, comb-like parts on its abdomen pick up ground vibrations.

Mother scorpions produce their young alive. The little ones are exact miniatures of the parents and stay with their mother several days. She lets them cling to her body with their tiny pincers.

We cannot help but wonder at the way God has equipped scorpions with features that allow them to fit so well into their harsh way of life. He has even made them helpful to mankind in one way — they destroy many harmful insects and spiders.

Scorpions remind us of those people who are without God in their lives, of whom the Bible says that “denying the Lord that bought them . . . bring upon themselves swift destruction.” We are also told that these same people “speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption” (2 Peter 2:1,12). What a sad contrast they are to those who through faith claim the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour. A promise is given to these to know “the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, [which] shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7).

This is what God desires for everyone because He is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). Have you come to repentance?

ML-10/08/2000

The Awesome Tiger

“One generation shall praise Thy works to another, and shall declare Thy mighty acts.”
Psalm 145:4

This graceful, muscular Asian jungle cat is more fierce and powerful than a lion. Its bright fawn coloring is sharply marked with uneven black stripes. No two animals have identical markings. A tiger’s large head has rather small ears, and a special feature is its amber-colored eyes, so outstanding that a rare and valuable gemstone with a similar design is called a “tigereye.” Long, yellow fangs and powerful legs and feet equipped with sharp claws are its main weapons for killing its food.

When fully grown, a male tiger may measure 10 feet or more from its nose to the tip of its tail and weigh 400 to 500 pounds. A female weighs close to 300 pounds. Their average life span is 11 to 15 years.

A mother tiger carries her kitten-sized cubs by grasping the loose skin over their necks with her teeth, just like a mother cat carries her kittens. When the cubs are two months old, she trains them to hunt, swim and take care of themselves. She is very affectionate and protective and often keeps the cubs with her until they are almost two years old.

A tiger usually hunts at night, but if very hungry it becomes bold and hunts in the daylight. The animals a tiger hunts are seldom aware of being stalked until, with a quick dash and great leap, the tiger attacks and makes the kill. Tigers prefer to live and hunt alone, but at times two will work together if their quarry is an elephant, water buffalo or some other large animal. After gorging on such a catch, neither needs to look for food again for several days.

The Creator has given tigers a well-camouflaged design, whether in the brush or thick grass of swamps or open plains. Their ear-splitting roar can be heard for two miles. Although they seldom harm humans, on occasion people have been terrified to see one suddenly appear out of nowhere and then are relieved to have it disappear just as silently and mysteriously.

Though ferocious, the tiger is part of God’s creation. In disposing of weak, sickly animals that might spread disease, it plays an important role in the balance of nature, ordered by the Creator, “in whose hand is the soul [life] of every living thing” (Job 12:10).

We look with wonder on His care over all living things, but we should consider the special care He gives to mankind. King David said, “Give ear, all ye inhabitants of the world: both low and high, rich and poor, together” (Psalm 49:12). Have you “given ear,” not only to His care, but to His loving invitation to accept everlasting life through faith in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ?

ML-10/15/2000

Wise Bees

A black thundercloud was moving in from the west, and the low rumble of thunder was heard in the distance. As I stood watching the signs of the coming storm, I noticed the air was full of bees. Each one was flying directly to the hive near the fence. I watched them for some time as they hurried in from the flowery meadows to their home. This Bible verse came to my mind: “Flee from the wrath to come” (Matthew 3:7 and Luke 3:7).

I thought of how much wiser the bees are than grown-ups and children of this world! The bees could sense a storm was coming, and they made a beeline for the safety of their hive. God has given us warning after warning in the Bible of the punishment that is coming on this sinful world. But people go on as if nothing were going to happen. They pay no attention to God’s warning, “Flee from the wrath to come.”

His warning also says, “He [has] appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom He hath ordained” (Acts 17:31).

How safe the little bees are in their hives! The storm may rage around them, but it does not touch them. And oh, how safe each person is who has run to Christ for a hiding place: “A man shall be as a hiding place from the wind, and a covert [shelter] from the tempest [storm]” (Isaiah 32:2). That Man is “the man Christ Jesus; who gave Himself a ransom for all” (1 Timothy 2:56).

Each of you - young and old -should be wise like the bees. Hurry to Christ! Don’t let any of the “sweet things” in the fields of this world tempt you to wait another minute. He will be your “hiding place” when that awful day of God’s wrath comes.

The storm clouds are gathering, and the rumble of thunder is coming closer. Are you safe?

ML-10/15/2000

The Pond-Loving Jacana

“Great and marvelous are Thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are Thy ways.”
Revelation 15:3

Approaching a pond in among the trees of a tropical forest, a person might think his eyes were deceiving him when he sees a group of large birds walking on the water. But coming closer, he would find they were actually walking on lily pads. These are jacanas which are sometimes called lily-trotters or banana coots.

Of the eight varieties, two live in North, Central and South America. Some of these pretty birds have dark red faces with a yellow beak. Their bodies are mostly black or dark blue with the outer half of their wings a solid white. They are about the size of a chicken and have long, thin, scaly legs and toes, enabling them to spread their weight over enough area of a lily pad so they can walk on it without even getting their toes wet. Jerking their tails and taking high steps across the floating pads, they pick up seeds, insects and small fish. At times they will lift the edge of a lily pad, looking for food on the bottom side. Flies are snatched out of the air and swallowed immediately. Bees are also favorites, but before swallowing one, they hold it under water so it cannot use its stinger. Who do you think taught them to do this?

Family life is left up to the male jacana, who first builds a floating nest on the water. When that is finished, the female shows up and lays six eggs but flies away again and lets the male do the incubating for about three weeks.

The newly hatched babies are helpless and have just a thin, moist covering of down. The father pushes them under his wings to dry out, keeping them sheltered for about three days. Soon feathers appear, and then the young ones are big enough to follow their parent across the lily pads in search of food. From then on their lives are on the water, and there is no need ever to go ashore. When in danger, young and old all dive under water for safety, but they normally spend the entire day walking across the lily pads, gathering food. The young birds never see their mother. Isn’t it amazing how the father bird takes over these responsibilities?

Jacanas are part of the Creator’s wonderful works, as the Bible states: “Thou, even Thou, art Lord alone; Thou hast made . . . the earth, and all things that are therein” (Nehemiah 9:6).

His love extends to each of us in a very special way. He wants us to trust in the Lord Jesus who came into the world to die for us. Have you done this?

ML-10/22/2000

Gray Whales of the Pacific: Part 1

“God . . . [has] made the world and all things therein . . . [and] He is Lord of heaven and earth.”
Acts 17:24

There are many whale species throughout the world’s oceans. The largest is the blue whale, with some as long as 100 feet and weighing about 100 tons. The smallest is the Orca, or killer whale, about 30 feet long and weighing 10 tons. Between the two sizes is the gray whale. It is about half the size of the blue but is still very large. Some reach 50 feet in length and weigh 40 tons. These gray whales are found only in the Pacific Ocean, from the Arctic to Mexico, and a small number near Korea.

The grays are one of several species known as baleen whales. These whales have no teeth, but they have horny plates called baleen (or whalebone) which hang in two rows from the upper jaw to strain out the food from the water. They eat by scooping up mud from the ocean bottom into their mouths and straining out whatever food is hidden in the mud - mostly a mixture called plankton, which we learned a few weeks ago is small sea animals and plants.

Closing their mouths on these big bites, their tongues press out the muddy water, and the food is held back by the baleen strainers for swallowing. This is another example of the wonders of God’s creation, for the throat of the gray whale is not big enough to swallow large pieces of food, nor does it have any teeth to chew with. The baleen strainer takes care of this perfectly, and the whales get all the food they need this way. Of course, the Creator could have made them with large throats and teeth, but we often see the unusual in creation, which tells of His delight in creating a great variety of living things. The gray whale is just another example of His wonderful creativity.

These whales spend the summer months feeding on this nutritious food in the northern Pacific Ocean, off the coast of Alaska, up beyond the Aleutian Islands and on into the Bering Sea between Russia and Alaska. But in winter those areas are covered with heavy layers of ice and icebergs, and the whales, being mammals, cannot survive without coming up frequently for air and so would not be able to live beneath that frozen cover.

Because of this, they migrate south in the fall and then back north in the spring. When they return north, there are many more due to a great number of young ones born while they are in the warm southern waters. We will look in more detail at these migrations in our next issue.

(to be continued)

ML-10/29/2000

Gray Whales of the Pacific: Part 2

“By Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible.”
Colossians 1:16

The migration of gray whales is an outstanding event each year. As summer changes into fall, they become restless in the northern waters, and soon groups of females leave first for a 6,000-mile swim to Mexico. The younger ones soon follow, and last of all the males. As they head south, they don’t get lost, for the Lord God, their Creator, is guiding them.

Within a month or so, Alaska is far behind them, and they have traveled past the west coasts of Canada, on to Washington and Oregon, then to California, swimming day and night with only occasional brief rest stops.

In many of these areas people are out in small boats or standing on high cliffs with field glasses and cameras, thrilled at seeing these great mammals “fluking,” which is the start of a deep dive. The whale’s body turns straight down, forcing its huge tail out of the water - a thrilling sight. They also seem to enjoy “breaching” - when they leap completely out of the water and drop back with a terrific splash. Sometimes one will lift only its immense tail out of the water and whack it back down with tremendous force and noise.

Surprisingly, whales do not seem to mind people watching them, except that a mother with her calf should be left alone. Actually, they seem to enjoy human visitors and often come alongside a small boat to be stroked and patted in a friendly way.

By December or January the whales have reached the coast of Mexico, and they remain there until March or April before making the long trip back north. It is in the warm lagoons of Mexican shores that the calves are born underwater. They would promptly drown if the mothers did not boost them up to the top for their first breath of air. Since a mother cannot tell her baby (which weighs about half a ton), “Don’t breathe until we get up to the air,” how do you suppose they both know this? It is just another of the wonders of God’s creation, for He has given both mother and baby the instinct that preserves its life at this critical time.

Migrating is usually referred to as “instinct,” but it should always be remembered that it is a God-given instinct, passed along from generation to generation. God does not for a moment neglect nor fail to guide them, while on these journeys. He has taken pleasure in all He has created and, as the psalmist says, “The Lord is good to all: and His tender mercies are over all His works” (Psalm 145:9). Have you ever thanked Him for His goodness and mercies to you?

ML-11/05/2000

Elephants at School

“Every kind of beasts, and . . . things in the sea . . . hath been tamed of mankind: but the tongue can no man tame.”
James 3:7-8

Elephants are included in the above Bible verse and have been useful to mankind over many years. Long ago they were often used in wars to carry soldiers and move heavy equipment. People from royal families still ride on elephants’ decorated backs in parades in some countries, and elephants are useful in other ways.

In Asian countries they help in forest work. They will uproot trees, pull them out for cutting, then carry the logs with their trunks or tusks to storage areas where they cleverly stack them or load them on trucks.

What kind of school do elephants attend? When natives need a worker elephant, they search wild areas for a suitable one. Then several men and two or more big, strong, tamed elephants go after it — an exciting and dangerous experience! First they must isolate it from others, then it is “tranquilized” with a dart from a special gun, and it soon lies sleeping on the ground. Strong ropes are tied around each leg above the foot, and the ends are tied to nearby trees. Another rope, passed around its neck, is tied to the “teacher” elephants standing on either side.

Awakening, the elephant rises and tugs and pulls on the ropes until it learns this is useless. Then the two teacher elephants move in, pressing against it and gently but firmly directing it. Soon the three of them move slowly around, the captive resisting, but gradually learning that neither its teachers nor the men are going to harm it. Soon the teachers take it slowly between them to a stockade where it is released.

With kind but firm treatment and continued teaching, the elephant gradually loses its wildness and understands commands it must obey. Finally the day comes when, with the two teachers, the men take it to the forest where they are working. After many trips with the patience and skill of men and teacher elephants, the new member learns how to help with the work and does it willingly. Its school term is over.

It is only too true that we can tame the wildest creature, as the opening verse says, but are unable to control our own tongues. How unkind the tongue can be, and how sorry we often are for what we have said, but it can never be taken back.

What can be done about it? By admitting to the Lord Jesus how helpless we are, we can ask His help to control our tongues. He has promised to do just that, if we ask Him. Here is His promise: “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with Mine eye” (Psalm 32:8). Will you trust His promise?

ML-11/12/2000

The Lovely Finches

“He sendeth the springs into the valleys, which run among the hills. . . . By them shall the fowls of the heaven have their habitation, which sing among the branches.”
Psalm 104:10,12.

Finches live in all parts of the world except Australia. Both Canada and the United States have great numbers of these small birds, with about one of every seven birds being a member of the finch family.

The finch most often seen in North America, the American goldfinch, is often called a wild canary. This is because of its pretty yellow coloring which is so similar to the caged canaries people have as pets. Actually, only the male is golden yellow with a black skull cap, black wings and tail. The female has a greenish-yellow body with black wings edged in white. Both male and female are delightful little birds.

There are many other varieties of finches, since they are the largest family of birds. One is the blue finch. The male is bright blue with red and pink on its wings, while the female is plain brown on top and tan underneath. The cactus finch, which makes its home in the Galapagos Islands, has the remarkable ability to move large stones to get at seeds and insects under them. In Asia and Europe bird watchers love the little snow finches. These are found mainly in the mountains. They have pretty, light-blue heads, white throats and underparts, and brown and white wings.

Most finches have beautiful songs, especially when nesting. They are primarily seedeaters and eat great quantities of weed seeds, with thistle seed being a favorite. The Creator has given each variety sharp, pointed, cone-shaped bills, strong enough to crush seeds. These birds, like chickens, have no teeth but swallow food whole. Their gizzards, which contain grit, grind the food for digestion. Crops in their throats store the undigested food for later use.

Females build cup-shaped nests so tightly woven that if rain water gets in, the little chicks can sometimes drown. The male’s responsibility is to keep his mate well fed while she is incubating the three to six eggs.

These birds are another example of the way the Creator has designed each creature for its way of life. We may be sure, as our opening verse indicates, He not only delights in providing food and water for finches, but their lovely songs are pleasant to His ear as well.

Another Bible verse says, “All Thy works shall praise Thee, O Lord; and Thy saints shall bless Thee. They shall speak of the glory of Thy kingdom, and talk of Thy power” (Psalm 145:10-11). Does He hear your voice praising Him?

NOVEMBER 19, 2000

ML-11/19/2000

God Watches Over Fish Too: Part 1

“For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is.”
Exodus 20:11

There are more than 20,000 kinds of fish, all designed by the Creator to fit right into the particular part of the ocean, lake or stream where He has placed them. Like birds, animals and humans, they must have oxygen, and this they get from water, which contains a certain amount of dissolved oxygen. Water enters the fish’s mouth, and as it passes over the gills, the oxygen is absorbed into the bloodstream. Carbon dioxide is formed during the breathing process and released into the water.

There are two main kinds of fish. Most have bony skeletons supporting their bodies, but others, such as sharks and porpoises, have no bones (except in their jaws). Instead, their bodies are supported by a covering of tough, gristly, elastic cartilage. Fish are slim and streamlined, but there are interesting exceptions that do not resemble fish as we think of them. These may look like seaweed, rocks, the muddy bottom of the ocean and other things. Thus they are hidden from enemies and also able to surprise unwary sealife that becomes their food. These camouflages were designed by their wise Creator.

Tails and fins are for swimming and guiding through the water. Most tails are vertical, divided into two parts and are a fish’s source of power. But in a few the tails are flat and solid. Working with the tail are the fins, some behind the gills, some underside or on the backs and some near the tails. Each species has its own arrangement — some with “dorsal” fins running the full length of the backs and others with very small dorsals.

Then there are the important scales, acting as armor. However, some bullheads and most catfish do not have scales and instead have smooth, slippery skins. Scales usually cover the fish from head to tail, much like shingles over the roof of a house, overlapping in rows. They are hard, made of bony tissue and provide good protection for the flesh underneath. A fish’s age can be determined by counting the yearly rings on a scale, the same as with rings of tree trunks.

For most of us, everything beneath the surface of oceans and deep lakes is mysterious, but nothing is hidden from the Creator God: “Neither is there any creature that is not [visible] in His sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do” (Hebrews 4:13). This reminds us that not only does the Lord God see every fish, He also sees each one of us at all times and knows everything about us. How wonderful it is to trust in Him as our very own Saviour and know how real His watchful, loving care is!

(to be continued)

ML-11/26/2000

God Watches Over Fish Too: Part 2

“Thou, even Thou, art Lord alone; Thou hast made . . . the seas, and all that is therein, and Thou preservest them all.”
Nehemiah 9:6

The study of fish is very interesting. One, the file fish, feeds on eelgrass which grows straight up from the ocean bottom. When the file fish is frightened, it stands on its head among these grasses, waving with the current and is perfectly hidden.

Another salt-water fish, the porcupine, blows itself up, like a volleyball, with dangerous-looking spikes all over its body, scaring off its enemy. A large fish of the Nile River, the birchir, has extra large scales and a large, single tail fanning out wider than its body. The strangest feature is its 12 dorsal fins covering its entire back. It looks like an underwater sailboat.

The archer, a little fish of the East Indies, catches insects by firing well-aimed droplets of water at them, causing them to fall and be devoured. Another, the angler, of both European and American waters, hides in deep, rocky places. It has a fleshy “wand” on which a piece of its flesh looks like food to others. When something comes to investigate, the angler grabs it in its big mouth and swallows it!

Each year from March through July, in the third or fourth night of a full moon only, grunions swim up on sandy California beaches when tides are highest. They scoop a hole in the sand and lay hundreds of eggs, then wriggle back through the sand to the water. Highest tides don’t come again until the eggs are ready to hatch. When they do come, the water-soaked eggs pop open, and tiny, new grunions are carried out to sea to start their lives and repeat what their parents have done before them. Who do you think arranged this schedule?

The well-named toadfish is a very ugly fish with a large, thick head, teeth sticking out from its wide mouth, and vicious-looking, extra-large fins running the whole length of its back and under its stomach, plus other shield-like fins sticking out of its neck. One look at this one is enough to frighten anyone!

When pursued, flying fish leap great distances into the air, as much as six feet above the surface and sometimes land on boat decks. These fish make nests in seaweed, and their eggs look like parts of these plants, so are quite safe from predators.

Not one of these fish, nor any one of the millions of others, is forgotten by its Creator, as the above verse tells us and of whom the Bible also says: “Thy way is in the sea, and Thy path in the great waters” (Psalm 77:19).

Wherever we look, we always see some wonder of God’s creation. Do you give Him your appreciation?

ML-12/03/2000

The Scary Crocodile

“Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did He in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.”
Psalm 135:6

The crocodile is the largest of all reptiles, including the huge snakes of South America. There are 25 crocodile species throughout Africa, Asia, Australia and some Pacific islands, as well as in South and Central America and the Everglades of Florida.

Crocodiles are related to alligators but grow larger, have longer, more slender heads and when their jaws are closed, large teeth show on each side, making an ugly grin. The alligator’s mouth doesn’t show these teeth unless it is open.

Perhaps you have seen crocodiles in a zoo and thought they were rather clumsy, but in the wild they are surprisingly fast on land, and in water their big tails and webbed hind feet move them along even more swiftly. They are expert at swimming silently below the surface, snatching unsuspecting birds and small animals that are on the surface. The Creator has adapted them to a watery life, providing a feature that closes nostrils, ears and throats when submerged, as well as keen eyesight - even after dark - with big bulging eyes. Their bodies are covered with tough, leather-like armor. Their jaws have sharp, vicious teeth, and their long tails serve as a fearful weapon. When their loud roars bellow out and these weapons are in action, it is no wonder that they are one of the most feared of all reptiles!

A female crocodile lays about three dozen eggs in a sun-warmed trench which she has dug out with her tail. She covers the eggs with sand or dirt and guards them, with time out only to search for food. Disaster awaits any intruder that threatens to dig them up! At the end of a month-long incubation, as the little ones begin to hatch, her keen ears hear their sounds through the soil. Uncovering them with her sharp claws, she picks up a dozen or more at a time in her mouth, without harming them and carries them to water where she leaves them on their own. The six-inch youngsters are quite capable of finding their own food, but most become victims of racoons, storks, cranes and even adult crocodiles until they increase in size. Possibly, out of three dozen, only six or so may survive.

The crocodile has its place in God’s creation and is included - just as every person is - in the Bible verse: “Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world” (Acts 15:18). However, the crocodile’s life is just for this world, whereas you and I have souls that live for eternity. Can you say that “your life is hid with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3) through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ?

ML-12/10/2000

The Amazing Ways of One Wasp

“Seek the Lord and His strength. . . . Remember His marvelous works that He hath done, [and] His wonders.”
1 Chronicles 16:11-12

The black wasp caterpillar hunter is a most interesting creature. The female has an unusual way of making a nest for her young. First she digs a tunnel several inches deep in hard-packed sand. She carries one load of sand after another between her front legs and chin. Backing out of the tunnel, she flies off and dumps the sand some distance away so there will be no clue there is a nest nearby.

After finishing the tunnel, she hides it by pulling a pebble over the entrance, brushing sand over the pebble to also hide it. However, through God-given ability, she herself always returns to the exact spot. Then she hunts for a caterpillar, pricking it in several places with her stinger. This will not kill the caterpillar, but paralyzes it. Where did she learn to do this? When the Creator designed this wasp, He gave her this skill, and it has been passed on to all generations ever since.

Next, she drags the captive to her burrow, removes the pebble, pushes the caterpillar down the tunnel, and then replaces the pebble. This process is repeated until there are several caterpillars down in the tunnel, and then she deposits her eggs alongside the paralyzed caterpillars. She then fills the tunnel with sand and tamps it down firmly with a pebble held in her mouth and front feet. Her work is finished, and she flies off and does not return.

But the Creator does not forget about those eggs. Soon the warmth of the sand causes the eggs to hatch into larvae which feed on the caterpillars. They soon turn into mature wasps and work their way to the surface of the tunnel and fly off.

What are we to learn from these interesting wasps? First, that the Lord God delighted in creating many wonderful things. Second, to observe that everything He created (except mankind) obeys the instructions implanted in them and does not try to change their ways. By this we learn that God is pleased with obedience of His creatures. How it must please Him when we voluntarily desire to obey and serve Him. The Bible tells of some people asking, “What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? Jesus answered . . . This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent” (John 6:28-29). When you truly believe on Him as your Lord and Saviour, you receive a new life and nature that is happy only when doing what is pleasing in His sight. Is this true of you?

ML-12/17/2000

The Bird With a Big Bill: Part 1

“I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are Mine.”
Psalm 50:11

Looking at a spoonbill, it is easy to understand how it got its name, as the lower end of its long, bony bill flattens out to look like a spoon.

There are great numbers of these birds in warm climates of the world. Two species, the royal and the yellowbill, live in Australia. Most spoonbills in these southern lands are all white except for yellow crests on their heads. The African is also pure white except for brilliant red legs and a matching red neck band. Another white one is called the common. It has a prominent crest of long feathers at the back of its head that it lifts up in a pretty display on occasion. It lives in parts of Europe, Asia and northern Africa. There are many other varieties, including the roseate, which we will look at next week.

The Creator gave spoonbills their unusual bills for a special purpose. Wading on their long legs in shallow lagoons, they thrust their bills down to the soft bottom and swing them from side to side, searching for food. This food is mostly fish, shrimp, small crabs, other water creatures and water insects. Then, lifting their heads up high, they enjoy their snack as the “catch” slides down their throats. Since they cannot see the food they catch (except for floating creatures) they often hunt at night as well as in the daytime.

Nesting habits are not limited to any particular style of nest. Some are on the ground in marshes and others are in brush or tall grass. But more often the birds form small or large colonies in cypress or mangrove trees where their nests are close together. This provides added protection from enemies. Some of these colonies will build a platform of sticks in low trees or in shrubs with individual nests on it. But whatever type of home they choose to have, we can be sure the Creator has provided the ability to construct it, showing His care over them.

The beautiful feathers of these birds were at one time in great demand to decorate ladies’ hats and clothes. To keep the lovely spoonbill from extinction, they are now protected from this kind of hunting.

These birds are another display of the wonders of God’s creation. We read in the Bible that all things have been created for His pleasure (Revelation 4:11), and it has pleased Him to place all varieties of animals, birds and fish upon the earth. When we have occasion to see any of them, let us remember they are not here just by chance but have all been created and preserved by the Lord God, according to His divine wisdom and pleasure.

(to be continued)

ML-12/24/2000

The Bird With a Big Bill: Part 2

“Know therefore this day, and consider it in thine heart, that the Lord He is God in heaven above, and upon the earth beneath.”
Deuteronomy 4:39

In our last issue we were introduced to the large and beautiful birds known as spoonbills. Now let’s take a look at the species that lives in the United States and, because of its coloring, is known as the roseate. This one is considered by many to be the prettiest of all varieties. It is found mostly along the Gulf of Mexico, from Florida to Texas, and on islands in the Gulf of Mexico.

The main body of the roseate, including the underside of its wings, is a rosy pink, but the tops of the wings are pink only where connected to its back. Short tail feathers are usually orange, and its legs and feet are rosy pink. The only white on the roseate is on its neck and breast and the lower top-sides of the wings. However, an absolute rule on their coloring cannot be made because several variations show up. But these are just as beautiful, presenting a lovely display the Creator has given us to enjoy.

The reason for so much pink on the roseate, as well as on its relative the flamingo, is that the diet of both birds includes large quantities of shrimp from the ocean shorelines. The depth of the color depends on how much shrimp they eat.

Roseates most frequently make their nests of sticks in shrubs along the water’s edge, but sometimes they will colonize with others on raised stick platforms. After nest building is completed, both parents take turns incubating five to seven eggs until they hatch in three or four weeks. The parents also take turns guarding and feeding them.

The young feed by inserting their heads into the spoon-like bill and throat of a parent who then produces already digested food for them. When the young are waiting for food, they line up on the side of the nest, whistling and trilling noisily. When a parent arrives, the first one getting to the parent’s bill doesn’t want to leave, so the parent eventually shakes it loose so another one can have a turn.

How do you suppose these birds all learned the same way of life? The answer is they didn’t need to learn, because our Creator God gave these instincts to the very first ones He created, and they have been passed on to each generation ever since.

And when we think of His wonderful ways in creation, how it would please Him to hear each of us repeat and really mean the words that the Apostle Paul wrote: “Of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things: to whom be glory forever. Amen” (Romans 11:36).

ML-12/31/2000

Bible Word Puzzles

Seven Bible Daughters

Here are the jumbled names of seven Bible daughters. Rearrange the letters to spell their names and fill in the verse references.

1. CALRHE (Genesis 29:__)

2. HAROD (Acts 12:__)

3. KBREEHA (Genesis 24:__)

4. HRPIZPAO (Exodus 2:__)

5. CLIHMA (1 Samuel 18:__)

6. RAIIMM (Exodus 15:__)

7. SCAAHH (Judges 1:__)

ML-10/22/2000

A Saving Word

A Mount on which a king was slain? (1 Samuel 31)

A Bride brought home with camel train? (Genesis 24)

A Shepherd by his brother slain? (Genesis 4)

A Brook dried up through want of rain? (1 Kings 17)

A Queen who for her people prayed,

And by her means had judgment stayed? (Esther 7)

Initials form a precious word,

Which those know best who trust the Lord.

ML-11/05/2000

Scripture Verse Word Search: Genesis 18:25

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.

“Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” (Genesis 18:25).

ML-01/02/2000

Scripture Verse Word Search: Matthew 3:17

Can you find the words of this Scripture verse in this word search? Look up, down, diagonally, backwards, across - every direction. Use a ruler if necessary.

Circle each word in the diagram as we did with “and” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

“And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17).

ML-02/13/2000

Scripture Verse Word Search: Job 34:21

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.

“For His eyes are upon the ways of man, and He seeth all his goings” (Job 34:21).

ML-03/05/2000

Scripture Verse Word Search: Romans 1:16

Can you find the words of this Scripture verse in this word search? Look up, down, diagonally, backwards, across - every direction. Use a ruler if necessary.

Circle each word in the diagram as we did with “the” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

“I am 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-04/02/2000

Scripture Verse Word Search: Luke 19:10

Can you find the words of this Scripture verse in this word search? Look up, down, diagonally, backwards, across — every direction. Use a ruler if necessary.

Circle each word in the diagram as we did with “the” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

“For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).

ML-04/30/2000

Scripture Verse Word Search: Joshua 1:9

Can you find the words of this Scripture verse in this word search? Look up, down, diagonally, backwards, across — every direction. Use a ruler if necessary.

Circle each word in the diagram as we did with “for” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

“Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest” (Joshua 1:9).

ML-05/14/2000

Scripture Verse Word Search: Matthew 5:8

Can you find the words of this Scripture verse in this word search? Look up, down, diagonally, backwards, across - every direction. Circle each word in the diagram as we did with “the” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God” (Matthew 5:8).

ML-06/04/2000

Scripture Verse Word Search: Amos 4:12

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 “to” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

“Prepare to meet thy God” (Amos 4:12).

ML-07/30/2000

Scripture Verse Word Search: Romans 5:8

Can you find the words of this Scripture verse in this word search? Look up, down, diagonally, backwards, across - every direction. Use a ruler if necessary.

Circle each word in the diagram as we did with “yet” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

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

ML-11/19/2000

Scripture Verse Word Search: John 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 “the” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

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

ML-12/31/2000

"B" Names Word Search

This word search uses Bible names which begin with the letter “B.” See how many of the names listed below you can find among the letters. Look up, down, diagonally, backwards, across - every direction.

BABYLON BARNABAS BATHSHEBA BETHANY

BALAAM BARTHOLOMEW BENJAMIN BETHEL

BARAK BARTIMAEUS BEREA

ML-03/19/2000

"L" Names Word Search

This word search uses Bible names which begin with the letter “L.” See how many of the names listed below you can find among the letters. Look up, down, diagonally, backwards, across - every direction.

LABAN LIBYA

LAZARUS LOIS

LEAH LOT

LEBANON LUKE

LEVI LYDIA

LEVITICUS LYSTRA

ML-02/27/2000

"P" Names Word Search

This word search uses Bible names which begin with the letter “P.” See how many of the names listed below you can find among the letters. Look up, down, diagonally, backwards, across - every direction.

PALESTINE PERGAMOS PHARAOH PHILIP

PATMOS PERSIA PHEBE PILATE

PAUL PETER PHILEMON PRISCILLA

ML-02/20/2000

"O" Names Word Search

OBADIAH ONESIMUS

OBED ONESIPHORUS

OG OPHIR

OMEGA ORPAH

OMRI OTHNIEL

ML-01/09/2000

For Little Folks

If you are between the ages of five and nine years old, there is a hidden message for you in this diagram. Starting at the top row, work from left to right and then go on to the next row. Find all the times that your age is shown, writing down each letter that is shown under your age. This will be your message from the Bible.

ML-04/09/2000

A Bible Acrostic

1. A son of Adam who went
astray.
2. Another son who took God’s
way.
3. A son of Lamech whom God
blessed.
4. Terah’s son who at Mamre did
rest.
5. Amram’s son who became
high priest.
6. Hachaliah’s son who rode on
a beast.
The first letters give the name of
a land
To which God led His people with
powerful hand.

(The names in this acrostic are found in order in Genesis 4, 5, 13 and 6 and in Nehemiah 1 and 2.)

ML-09/17/2000

A Serpent Puzzle

In each chapter mentioned you will find an adjective describing a serpent, starting with the letter given, and having as many letters as there are dashes. Print the missing letters on the dashes. Who is the serpent? (Rev. 12:9).

S _ _ _ _ _ _ (Genesis 3)

F _ _ _ _ (Numbers 21)

B _ _ _ _ _ (2 Kings 18)

C _ _ _ _ _ _ (Job 26)

W _ _ _ (Matthew 10)

ML-12/03/2000

Who Am I?

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

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

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

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

The drought and famine now soon o’er;

God’s power and might made plain

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

ML-12/10/2000

Messages of God's Love: 2000

Table of Contents

Bear and Tippy

A Call From Heaven

Obey Your Parents

A Missed Flight

The Shepherd Llama

A Special School

The Squealing Hog

Storm Warning

Can You Say That?

José and His Truck

The Wrong Measurements

What Is a Lighthouse for?

Lessons From a Birthday Cake

An Experiment

Dangerous Teasing

The Spotted Frog

Soft Ice

Garth's Special Lamb

A Real Treat

Reassured

Hiding From Lightning

What Were You Doing Last Tuesday?

A Serious Problem

A Hopeless Condition

A Bad Shortcut

No Substitute for Bleach

A Letter From Gramma and Grandpa: The Hawk

Cat Rescue

Hooked on Junk Food

Not a Coincidence

High Boots and Big Hats

The Old Air Hose

God's Favorite Colors

Burean

A Call for Help

Hooked

A Letter From Gramma and Grampa: the Snapping Turtle

Are You Saved?

A Diamondback Encounter

Kitchen Fire

Bear and the Porcupine

A Secret Inside

Two Different Responses

A Daring Chipmunk

Shark Attack!

A Secret Hiding Place

Trapped in a Boxcar

Lost in the Store

Wood From Above

Come!

A Letter From Grampa: Chelsea

A Heavy Pack and a Notebook

The Boy in the Camera Shop

Friedl and Tom

Something More Than Gold

Are You Rich?

Dead the Next Day

Boots Attacked by an Eagle

Moccasins

Covered in Dirt

Keep Looking Up

Gordon and Mary Jane

The Wrapped Phone

24 Men in Rafts

Nobody Likes Roy

A Broken Man

Stuck in Garbage

No Undo Button

Premature Peas

The Only One

The Cure for Skunk Odor

One Door and Only One

A Warning From Muffin

Warning Signs

One Word to Get to Heaven

A Wet Dog

Sure to Be Safe

God Can See Everywhere