Messages of God's Love: 2001

For many children, going to the library is an outing they look forward to with pleasure. Reading is one way to take a trip to some far-off land or perhaps to a time long ago.

My children love to bring home books about animals. They like to read stories about brave dogs, smart cats and wild animals of all kinds. Once they checked out a book of true bear stories. Those stories were scary! Their next hike in the mountains in bear country was a real adventure after reading that people can never know for sure what a bear will do.

Not all libraries are in buildings. When I was young, our library came to us on wheels. It was called a Bookmobile and looked like a large van. How we loved to climb the steps and choose our favorite books from those crowded shelves!

At our library, we can check out books for two weeks. However, they will not be marked “overdue” until after three weeks. Why is that? The librarians call that third week a “grace period.” They know how difficult it is to finish a long book in just two weeks. They also know how easy it is to lose books under the sofa or forget them in a backpack. The librarians give everyone an extra week to make sure they return all of their borrowed books. If after the third week we still don’t get them all returned, we must pay a fine.

At our house, we sometimes misplace a book and must pay the fine of $1.00 when we return it after the third week. Has this ever happened to you? Once we lost a small book. We searched all over the house, but never found that book. The grace period had passed, and we had to pay for the book - a fine of $10.00. We knew the fine was fair since the book was not ours, and we had lost it. We try to be more careful now to return all borrowed books on time.

Did you know that the best Book of all tells us about a “grace period”? We learn from reading the Bible that we are living in the day of grace. We also learn that this day-of-grace period will not last forever. We are not told how long it will be. It has already lasted almost 2000 years, but it could end today!

Why is God giving us a grace period? Because He wants each of us to be saved from our sins before it is too late, or we will have to pay a terrible fine. “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). The Bible tells us we have all sinned, and God must punish sin. But God loves us so much that He provided a substitute to pay this fine and die for us. That blessed substitute was His very own Son, Jesus Christ. If we believe He died for our sins, we will be saved from the punishment we deserve and go to live with the Lord Jesus in heaven when we leave this earth, rather than paying that awful fine in hell.

Next time you visit your town or school library and the librarian tells you when your books are due, remember, God’s “due date” will be here very soon. Don’t wait any longer. God’s offer for you to be saved from your sins may not last much longer. “Behold, NOW is the accepted time; behold, NOW is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). Soon the door will be shut, and the grace period for sinners to be saved will be over. “Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call ye upon Him while He is near” (Isaiah 55:6). “They that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut” (Matthew 25:10).

ML-01/07/2001

Solid Water

As every boy and girl will know, Africa is a land with a hot climate. Until recent years the native children knew nothing about ice or snow. I read about a missionary in Africa who tried to explain to some of them how lakes became hard and solid in his northern homeland. He told them that children could play on top of the water. But nobody believed him. They did not understand that water could freeze when it became very cold. They had never seen it, so they didn’t believe it.

The missionary brought one of the boys with him when he came back home for a rest and took him to a frozen lake. The missionary asked him to walk on the ice with him, but the boy was afraid. The missionary took him by the hand, and together they walked out across the lake, walking on the water just like the missionary had said.

“You did not believe what I said about solid water,” the missionary reminded him.

“I believe NOW,” the boy replied quickly.

He had to see it before he would believe. He did not trust the missionary’s word when he could not see it.

The Lord Jesus has told us a lot of things about God. He has told us how we can come to know Him and how we can have a happy place in heaven after we die, or an unhappy place of torment if we do not believe Him. He asks us to believe BEFORE we see, for He is simply telling the truth. He has said, “Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed” (John 20:29). Jesus said He was THE TRUTH. He could not tell a lie. How important it is then that we listen to every word He says, because, like the missionary, He is simply telling what He has seen and knows, because He is the Son of God and came from heaven. He also warns, “He that believeth on Him [Jesus] is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18).

Will you believe what Jesus has told us?

ML-01/07/2001

Poor Kat

Kat had many friends. In fact, there were seven girls and four boys in the family where she lived, and they all loved her. Besides the people who loved her, there were mice in the barn and saucers of milk in the house, so why should she be called poor Kat? Wait till I tell you her story.

One of those girls was Frances. She especially loved Kat and carried her around by the tummy with her back legs dangling. This did not seem to bother Kat. If necessary, she had a very loud “meow,” but she did not run away and very quickly would turn on her purring machine. They were all best friends.

But when I was there, Kat had not eaten for several days. She just sniffed her saucer of milk without one single lick. Her meow was faint and feeble and her purr was gone completely. Poor Kat! She certainly had a problem.

Life isn’t always smooth for anybody, not even you or me. We have our problems too. I wonder if you know what to do with them? Kat’s friends might have helped, but she couldn’t tell them anything. However, you can. You can talk and tell your friends your problems, and maybe you’ll get help, and maybe you won’t. But I know Someone who has promised to help you, because He loves you very much. And Jesus keeps ALL His promises. One of them is Romans 10:13: “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” Of course, He knows the difference between just talk and reality. He knows if you are calling to Him because you really feel your need. His ear is listening to your call. Jesus died to save you. That’s how much He loves you. Come and see how He keeps His promises.

But poor Kat could not tell anyone her problem. Bill was a big brother, and it was not until Bill stroked the soft fur that he found the elastic band around Kat’s neck. Frances had put it there, just playing, and it disappeared in Kat’s fur. It couldn’t be that important. It was just for fun.

Just for fun? Do you think it is just fun if you take God’s name in vain or tell little lies or fight at home? These things disappear like an elastic band in fur, but God says that “the wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23), and God keeps His promises.

Have you discovered your sin problem? Then we will tell you what to do about it, if you really mean it. Just right where you are, tell the Lord Jesus your problem. He is ready to wash away those sins in His precious blood, because it was for those very sins that He died. Little sins? God does not call our sins little. God had to give His only Son for even one sin to be washed away. How can we answer, “I don’t care!”

It took Bill less than a minute to get that elastic band off Kat’s neck. And it took Kat most of the day to get her tummy filled up and to purr her thanks and to settle into her first comfortable sleep for many days and nights.

Those little sins are probably out of sight in your life, but they are taking you on the road to eternal hell. Will you let Jesus save you right now? You have the power to call to Him. He is listening, and you will find that He keeps His promises.

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

ML-01/14/2001

An Abandoned Teddy Bear

One day when I was walking by a tall apartment building, I noticed a teddy bear lying on the sidewalk. I wondered what a nice teddy bear like that was doing on the ground. Had somebody thrown it away?

A few minutes later I came back the same way. Then I saw who owned that teddy bear. A little girl had picked it up and was carrying it back to the apartment building. Then I understood what had happened. The teddy bear must have fallen from the window of one of the apartments, and the little girl had to come all the way down to take it back. It had not been thrown away.

The same thing happened to me. I was like that teddy bear. You see, God created people to live in company with Him. But each of us has fallen in sin. God could no longer enjoy our company because of our sins. And just as that teddy bear could never climb back up to the apartment by itself, I could not go back to God by myself. The little girl had to come down from that apartment, all the way to the sidewalk to pick up her teddy bear and carry it back home. And God had to send His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, down to this world to rescue sinners.

But this was not easy. The Lord Jesus had to die on the cross, suffering the judgment for our sins, and after three days He rose from the dead. Now we can enjoy His company while we wait for Him to come and take to heaven everyone who trusts Him. “Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed” (1 Peter 2:24).

If that teddy bear had been left down on the sidewalk, soon the garbage truck would have taken it and it would have been lost forever. The same can happen to you if you don’t recognize yourself as a sinner who needs a Saviour and don’t trust in the Lord Jesus who loves you. The day may come very soon when you will face death and eternal punishment. “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).

The teddy bear is safely with its little owner who loves it. Will you let the Lord Jesus who loves you pick you up and save you?

ML-01/14/2001

A Saved Crop

When I was young, Tom was a Christian farmer who lived not very far from our house. Since he was a Christian, he believed that every word in the Bible was absolutely true. And because he knew that God loved him so much that He had sent His own beloved Son to die for his sins, Tom didn’t want to ever disobey God’s Word.

One thing God’s Word tells us is that we should “owe no man anything, but to love one another” (Romans 13:8). Loving one another is a debt every one of us has that we can never finish paying. But in Tom’s life, to owe anyone anything else would be a real sin. He also knew that he could trust God to answer his prayers. “The Lord . . . heareth the prayer of the righteous” (Proverbs 15:29).

Tom’s farm was only about 80 acres, but in those days farmers didn’t have the equipment they have now, so 80 acres kept Tom very busy. Those 80 acres also supplied all his family’s needs if he had a good crop. Tom enjoyed his work and loved to watch the grain ripen in his fields. Often he thanked the Lord for His loving care in making the grain grow and ripen into a crop that supplied the family’s needs.

One day just before harvesttime, Tom saw a bad storm coming. It looked as though it might be a hailstorm. That would seriously damage the ripened wheat. But Tom knew that the Lord Jesus controlled the weather just as He had when He lived in Galilee. Tom had read many times how Jesus had calmed the storm on the sea when His disciples thought it was about to sink their ship. So Tom knelt down and prayed earnestly that the Lord would prevent the storm from ruining his wheat. “Otherwise,” Tom explained to the Lord, “I’ll be in debt, and the Bible says I must not do that. So please, Lord Jesus, save my wheat.”

The Lord rewarded Tom’s faith and saved his crop in a marvelous way. The hailstorm came right up to his field and then divided-part of the storm went to the right of his property and part to the left, and none of it touched his crop of wheat! The fields all around were shredded by the hail.

We were Christians too, so we were really thankful with Tom. People came from miles around to see the farm the Lord had so wonderfully protected in answer to Tom’s prayer of faith and obedience.

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).

ML-01/21/2001

Snake in a Ring

Scott and Dave were walking in town one fall day. Scott, who loved biology and was always noticing the plant and animal life around him, suddenly stopped. Something was moving under a bush they were passing.

Both boys were soon bent over, looking with interest. What they found was a garter snake which had gotten caught in the pull-ring from a pop can. The snake must have been poking through the leaves and litter that had collected in that spot. Somehow it had gotten its head through the pull-ring and crawled forward, passing through the ring until it had tightened around the thicker part of its body . . . and there the ring stayed. Since snakes have backward-pointing scales on their body, there was no way it could have backed up to slide back out of the ring. As they watched, the snake twisted and turned, trying to get rid of the ring around its middle. But nothing worked.

You and I have a serious problem that we can’t get rid of either. It’s the problem of our sins. We have ways of trying to improve ourselves, but they don’t last, and they don’t work. Our sins are still there. We have something in common with the poor snake in our story.

There aren’t too many of us who would do what Scott decided to do. Most of us shudder at the thought of snakes, let alone picking one up! But Scott loved all the creatures of nature and felt so sorry for the garter snake that he quickly and gently picked up the twisting creature and sat down on the ground to figure out how he could get the ring off.

Scott gently smoothed the snake’s body. Then an amazing thing happened. The snake completely relaxed in his hands so that he could smooth out its scales enough for Dave to slide the ring gently forward . . . until it slid right over the snake’s head and was off ! The snake lay in Scott’s lap for about five minutes moving just a little, perhaps testing to be sure the ring was gone. Then it slithered across his lap, lowered itself to the ground and soon disappeared through the leaves.

Most of us would shrink back from picking up a snake to help it. But Scott had learned a lot about snakes and how much good they do for us by eating mice and rats and other pests. He cared enough for that poor snake to do what he could to save it from that ring. The ring probably would have strangled the snake eventually.

The Lord Jesus Christ knew all about the problem of our sins. He also knew that it would be impossible for us to get rid of them by ourselves. Even though He hates sin, He loves and cares for you and me so much that He willingly suffered and died on Calvary’s cross to bear the punishment we deserve. “Christ died for our sins” (1 Corinthians 15:3).

If you will stop struggling with your “ring of sin” and accept His loving offer of salvation, He will gladly remove your sins for you and set you free forever. I let Him remove my sins and now I am free! How about you?

“How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?” (Hebrews 2:3). “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).

ML-01/21/2001

A Letter From Gramma and Grampa: Pockets

Dear Children,

Just look at this picture of Pockets. Isn’t he cute, all dressed up in a shirt and pants with suspenders and sunglasses.

Gramma and I drove over to my sister’s to have a visit and also to see Pockets go through some of his tricks. My sister has been teaching him how to do these tricks for over a year.

Gramma and I thought that Pockets must be a real smart dog to learn all these tricks. In this picture he is all dressed up and going for a walk. When my sister takes him out for a walk, most people will stop and say “hi” to him and shake his paw, and some will even take a picture! Pockets just loves the attention.

My sister has spent a lot of time teaching Pockets all these tricks, and he listens very well. Children, when your Sunday school teacher spends time with you reading the holy Bible, do you listen really well and not play? I hope you pay attention.

When I saw Pockets walking so nicely with my sister, I thought of the Bible verse in James 3:78: “Every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind: but the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.”

Dear children, we have seen elephants, parrots, serpents and dolphins all tamed by man. Men and women have spent their lives training animals and birds, but God says, “The tongue can no man tame.” Isn’t this sad? Your tongue and mine are very hard to control. Let me tell you two wonderful verses from 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. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:910). So instead of using your mouth and tongue for saying bad words and wrong things, you will be able to use it for the glory of God!

In Mark chapter 5, the Lord Jesus found a man who needed to be saved, and then in verse 19 He told the man, “Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee.” I’m sure this man would use his tongue to speak good things about the Lord Jesus Christ!

Just like my sister teaches Pockets how to do tricks, God’s Word, the holy Bible, teaches you and me how we can be saved from our sins.

You know, Pockets always gets a reward for doing all his tricks, and he just loves those rewards. What about you and me? Yes, we receive something wonderful from God also! It’s found in Romans 6:23: “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” What a marvelous gift! Eternal life in heaven with Jesus!

And do you know what, children? It would be another wonderful gift for Gramma and me to see all you children up there in heaven with us!

Bye bye for now - we love you,

Gramma & Grampa

P.S. Here’s a good Bible verse to memorize: “Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile [dishonesty]” (Psalm 34:13).

Oh, be careful, little tongue, what you say,

Oh, be careful, little tongue, what you say.

There’s a Father up above looking down in tender love,

Oh, be careful, little tongue, what you say.

ML-01/28/2001

A Covered Mistake

Early one winter morning as I drove down our street, everything was covered with about six inches of new snow. It was beautiful.

I drove past Mr. Nelson’s home. He has a long driveway back to his garage. Instead of a wide cement driveway, he has two narrow cement strips, just wide enough for his car’s tires . . . if he drives straight. This snowy morning I suddenly noticed something. Oh, oh. Mr. Nelson missed his driveway strips. There were his car tracks for everyone to see, about three feet off the snow-covered cement strips.

A short time later I had an errand up the street. When I reached Mr. Nelson’s driveway, I chuckled. He had taken a shovel and filled in those telltale tracks with snow, thinking he could hide his mistake.

Now, no matter how carefully he tried to smooth over those tracks with the snow he added, he could never hide them. He only made his mistake more noticeable. The only way to erase his mistake was for the snow to melt.

Our sins are like that. We may think we have hidden them, and sometimes we can hide them from our parents and friends for a time. But there is One who knows the thoughts we have deep inside; we can’t hide one sin from God. He said, “Be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23).

The Bible tells us, “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). Jesus has washed away all my sins. Have you let Him wash away yours?

ML-01/28/2001

A Sad End to a Vacation

Harry and Dean were really excited! Daddy had told them that he would take them camping. They had already been on a short vacation during the summer with the rest of the family, but now they were to go with just Daddy and Grandpa on a real camping trip!

Early Monday morning they packed their backpacks and eagerly climbed into the car with Daddy and Grandpa. Then they drove several hours north where it was mostly woods and lakes. Daddy rented a canoe, and then they drove to a place where they could leave their car and walk a short distance to a big lake. Harry and Dean had small backpacks they had filled with their clothes and sleeping bags, while Daddy and Grandpa had much larger ones filled with food, tents and other equipment needed for camping. It was a beautiful day as they began to paddle the canoe across the lake.

After carrying the canoe a short way overland to another lake, they found a nice camping spot and set up their tents. How they enjoyed swimming, jumping off rocks, cooking over a camp stove and then sleeping in their tent. When they went for a canoe ride, sometimes Daddy and Grandpa would teach the two boys how to paddle. Other times it was fun to just watch the loons swimming in the water.

One afternoon as they were paddling across another lake, they noticed a large rock cliff on one side of the lake. It was a very high rock, rising about 60 or 70 feet above the water. “Let’s paddle over to that rock,” Daddy said. “Maybe there’s a lower rock near it that we can use to jump off into the water.” As they got closer to the shore, suddenly Daddy saw something. “Look, there’s something in a ledge on that rock. Let’s go closer and see what it is.”

As they paddled up closer, they saw a large natural ledge in the rock, about 10 or 15 feet above the water. While Grandpa stayed in the canoe, Daddy and Harry and Dean climbed out onto rocks and went up to see what was on the ledge.

When they got closer they found a wreath, a bouquet of flowers and a picture frame. In the picture frame was a photograph of a boy who looked about 15 years old, and beside the photograph someone had carefully printed these words:

In memory of
Steve Cruise
who fell
to his death
from this rock
on August 22,
1993.

Daddy called out to Grandpa and read him the words. Then everyone was quiet for a few minutes as they thought of what had happened almost exactly 7 years before at that very place. They looked up at the high rock and wondered what had happened. It was then they noticed a number of metal, mountain-climbing spikes that had been driven into the face of the rock. Very likely, poor Steve Cruise had been trying to climb the rock and somehow had fallen onto the rocks below. “What a sad ending to a vacation that must have been,” remarked Grandpa, and everyone agreed.

There are many beautiful things in this world that God has created, and it is nice to be able to enjoy them. However, we are often reminded of the truth of God’s Word which tells us that “by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin” (Romans 5:12). Every day we are reminded of the truth of this verse as we see evidence of death around us. Eventually, all of us have to face death, for the same Bible tells us that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). As sinners, each of us faces the sentence of death. But there is good news for you - “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). Any who place their trust in the Lord Jesus can know that their sins are forgiven, because “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

“I wonder if Steve knew the Lord Jesus as his Saviour?” questioned Daddy. They did not know the answer, for none of them knew Steve Cruise. But God knows each one of us by name, and He also knows if we have come to the Lord Jesus to have our sins washed away. If we do know Him as our Saviour, then we know that if we are called upon to die, the Lord Jesus takes us home to be with Himself in heaven. He said to the thief beside Him on the cross, “Today shalt thou be with Me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).

We do not know when something unexpected may happen to us. No doubt Steve Cruise was having a good time back in 1993, but a sudden fall took him into eternity. How important it is for us to be ready! “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).

If your life should unexpectedly end today, are you ready to meet God?

ML-02/04/2001

Flurry Lost

Flurry and Violet were two young parakeets that had recently become the new family pets. They were friendly little birds that liked to fly around the house or perch on the children’s shoulders. On nice days the birds enjoyed being carried outdoors in their cage to bask in the warm sunshine and answer other bird calls.

One lovely day the birds were outside enjoying the sunshine, but Flurry was not content to be in his cage. Perhaps he heard the wild birds calling or maybe he saw them flying among the trees and wanted to join them. Flurry began to look for a way to escape, and he soon found one! He pecked at his seed bin until it fell out onto the ground. Then he squeezed through the hole left in the cage and flew away to freedom.

A little later that afternoon the weather began to change. Big dark clouds rolled in, thunder rumbled, the wind picked up and rain began to fall. Flurry had never before been in these outdoor conditions, and the little bird became frightened. He flew deeper into the woods, huddled down on a branch, and fluffed up his feathers to keep warm.

Did you know that all people, even boys and girls, have been lost in this sinful, dark world? The Bible says we have all gone our own way and gotten lost, just like Flurry. God’s Word, the Bible, says, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him [the Lord Jesus] the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6). Thankfully, God in His mercy did not leave us to wander lost, in our sins and away from Him. He loves us and so He sent His Son to find us: “The Son of Man [the Lord Jesus] is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).

When Jane came home from school and discovered that her beloved pet was missing, she raced to the woods, forgetting even to put on her shoes. She called and called for Flurry and soon heard an answer coming from deep in the woods. She ran through the underbrush, over fallen logs and through swampy areas thick with mosquitoes until she found her little lost bird. Still calling softly and gently to Flurry, Jane and her big brother were able to reach the frightened bird and return him to the safety of his cage and back to the warmth and shelter of the family’s home.

Have you ever heard the soft and tender voice of Jesus calling you? Have you ever thought of what the Lord Jesus had to go through to be able to save you and me?

None of the ransomed

[saved ones] ever knew,

How deep were the

waters crossed,

Nor how dark was the night

that the Lord passed through

Ere He found His sheep

that was lost.

The Lord Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth His life for the sheep” (John 10:11). The Lord Jesus loved us so much He gave His life on the cross of Calvary in order to save sinners like you and me. His blood was shed for us: “The blood of Jesus Christ [God’s] Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). Won’t you come to Him while He is still calling you? Admit to Him you are a sinner and receive His free gift of salvation. “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9).

ML-02/11/2001

Counterfeit Money

The newspaper story with the headline “Counterfeit Money” reported that a man admitted to printing counterfeit (fake) $20 bills. Until he was caught he was really doing well for himself. But anyone who happened to have received any of the fake $20 bills would lose what they had, without refund. Some might not even understand why a $20 bill that looked exactly like it should, could not be passed off as a real one and be allowed to continue being used. No doubt, most people would be very angry at being deceived - at being a loser and a victim.

But even a $20 bill is only a small thing, no matter how many a person might lose, when compared with being deceived about the way to heaven. We find many religious ideas being passed off today as the real thing. They are well organized and made to look true, but they are only counterfeits. Jesus Christ is the only one who stands the test and can truthfully say, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me” (John 14:6). God was His witness and spoke from heaven for all to hear, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). And then God raised Jesus from the dead, giving us the assurance that He was the Sent One - the only way.

Would you like to own some counterfeit money? Of course not - it’s worthless! Would you like to think you might be following a counterfeit way to heaven? No - the danger is too great! God sent His Son and called Him Jesus. He is the real Saviour. Check your money, by all means, but more importantly, check to see if your religion is counterfeit! If it is, you are not losing just money; you are losing eternal life!

ML-02/11/2001

Who Is the King?

He was a bow-and-arrow hunter in a forest in Scotland a few hundred years ago. He was a good hunter too, and with watchful eyes he followed the trail silently through the fallen leaves, like a man who knew the ways of deer.

There was another footstep in the forest. The hunter waited as a young lad approached him and they shared a friendly greeting.

“I’m on my way to yonder castle,” said the hunter.

“I’ve heard that the king visits that castle sometimes,” replied the lad. “I’d like to see him.”

“Come with me then. You will see him today.”

“I have never seen the king before. How shall I know him?”

“No problem,” said the hunter. “He will be the only one in the room wearing a hat.”

The lad was a little doubtful about entering the castle, but there was no problem, and suddenly they found themselves in a great hall where a number of Scottish nobles were gathered. Every man rose instantly to his feet and pulled off his plaid cap.

The lad turned his puzzled eyes to the hunter. “Who is the king? It must be either you or me, for we are the only ones with our hats on!” And then suddenly the truth flashed into the lad’s mind. He tore off his cap and kneeled before the hunter, the king of Scotland!

Wait just a minute before you put down this paper, because you are in this story too, in a very important way. Maybe you do not owe loyalty to the king of Scotland, but certainly you owe honor and obedience to the King of kings. What will you do when you suddenly recognize that the Man who died on Calvary’s cross is the Judge of all?

It is wonderful beyond words to recognize Him now and to worship Him with your whole heart and life. There will be a day when we who know Him as Lord and Saviour now will hear His call and will rise instantly to meet Him in the air.

There will be a day when His own people of Israel will see Him and ask, “What are these wounds in Thine hands?” And He will answer, “Those with which I was wounded in the house of My friends” (Zechariah 13:6).

There will be a day when those who have refused to know Him now will see Him on the great white throne. There will be no problem recognizing Him then as the Lamb of Calvary, but no sin-cleansing blood will be there -only a sentence of eternity in hell.

Don’t let your pride or your shame come between you and the Saviour who loves you. Kneel before Him and accept Him as your Lord and Saviour now and for all eternity.

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

ML-02/18/2001

Caught by the Tide

There are some beautiful sandy beaches along the west coast of Ireland. One time when a group of us were touring, we came upon one of these beautiful beaches. Since the sun was shining brightly we stopped to enjoy it. As we walked along the sand, we decided it would be warmer and out of the wind up on some rocks we saw a little farther on. Sure enough, it was the perfect spot. Each of us chose a nice, warm, flat rock to stretch out on to do our sunbathing.

With our eyes closed we basked in the sun’s warmth as we listened to the surf. But suddenly we knew something was wrong when one of us felt water at our feet. We sat up immediately and what we saw was frightening! We were now looking at a huge heaving ocean that had silently and completely surrounded us as the tide came in. Our rocks were now islands!

There was no way for us to escape. We could only climb up to the highest points we could find and hope we were high enough. None of us could swim. But had we been able to, the water was so cold we might not have made it.

We nervously watched the water continue to rise, but eventually we realized our ledge of rock was higher than the level of high tide. We could do nothing but sit gloomily to face several hours’ wait, until the tide went back out.

For me, the worst part of all was that, as we looked up the rock face, we could see people looking down at us and laughing. They were safe themselves, but they never shouted a warning to us that we would be cut off. We felt foolish and angry with ourselves for being so careless. But we were even more upset with the people who knew we were in danger but did not care.

With this story of our difficulty comes a warning shout to each one of you. We want you to know that one day soon the tide of judgment will roll in - quickly and finally. Those who are unprepared and careless (those who are not safe in Christ, the Rock of Ages) will be caught. Are you lying back with your eyes closed, listening to the hum of this world and basking in its fun? Take a good look, because time is running out for those in the wrong place. We warn you of terrible danger just ahead . . . where the tide will not go back out.

In our case, after waiting about five or six hours we were able to get off the rocks and go on our way. We were sadder but wiser and wishing that somebody had given us a warning shout. We hope you will listen as we give this shout of warning. You are in danger without Christ, but “whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe” (Proverbs 29:25).

ML-02/18/2001

Ruined Pants

“Hey, Anthony, look at my new skateboard! Wanna try it out?”

Anthony watched as his friend Dave expertly jumped his new skateboard over a little hill in the parking lot, then swooped into a big half circle and stopped right at Anthony’s feet.

“Man, it’s really cool!” Anthony said as he looked over the flashy colors and the new high-speed wheels. “Yeah, I wanna try it.”

It was Sunday morning, and Anthony, his mother and brothers and sisters had just gotten off the bus that brought them to Sunday school. His mother knew the importance of taking her children to Sunday school every week where they would hear the gospel story of Jesus and His love for sinners. Getting them there wasn’t easy for her, and there wasn’t much money to cover clothes for seven children. She had taken Anthony to the store just that week to get a new pair of pants. When he put them on that morning she had said to him, “Now listen to me, Anthony. These are new pants, and they’re going to have to last you a long while, so don’t do anything where you could ruin them!” Anthony had said, “Okay.”

After admiring the new skateboard, Anthony set it down on the smooth blacktop of the parking lot. He planted one foot on the board and pushed off with the other. The little hills and dips in the parking lot made it really fun to get up some speed, jump the hills and then swoop into wide turns. Man, this new skateboard is really fast, Anthony thought as he easily picked up more speed.

He never saw the stone. It caught under one wheel. The next thing Anthony knew, he was skidding on the parking lot on his knees and the skateboard was going the other direction.

He picked himself up but quickly forgot how much his knee hurt when he looked down at his pants. “Oh, no! I tore a hole in my new pants!” Remembering what his mother had told him when he put them on, he thought, Boy, I’m in big trouble now! There’s no way I can hide this hole from Mom. . . . She’ll see it right away!

Yes, Anthony was in big trouble. He had disobeyed his mother, and he was going to have to pay a price for it. He knew and understood the Bible verse, “Children, obey your parents,” and most of you children do too. It is so important to follow God’s instructions, because disobeying is sin. And even if you are able to hide your disobedience from your mom or dad or teacher, you can’t hide sin from God. “[God’s] eyes are upon the ways of man, and He [sees] all his goings” (Job 34:21). Anthony knew what he had done was wrong, and he did not look forward to what was coming. But he hadn’t just disobeyed his mother; he had disobeyed God too, and sinning against God requires His punishment. “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).

Now, Anthony’s brothers and sisters certainly loved him, but it wasn’t too likely that one of them would step in to take Anthony’s punishment for ruining his pants. No, he would have to take that punishment himself. He disobeyed, he knew it and he deserved the punishment. And if you are really truthful with yourself, you will admit that you have disobeyed God, not just once or twice, but many, many times and deserve the punishment for your sins. But for you, God is offering a Substitute - His Son Christ Jesus, who loves sinners so much He stepped in and took the punishment we deserve for our sins on Calvary’s cross. But His suffering for sins can only cover you if you will admit your guilt and by faith accept Him as your Saviour. “Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many” (Hebrews 9:28). “His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree . . . by whose stripes ye [are] healed” (1 Peter 2:24).

Anthony had to take the punishment for disobeying his mother, but after this life he won’t have to take God’s punishment for any of his sins, because he has accepted Christ Jesus as his very own Saviour.

What about you?

ML-02/25/2001

Arrowheads

Some friends and I were hiking up a trail beside the river that runs near our home. Lying among the stones and pebbles, we found a lot of old Indian arrowheads made out of flint. The stones and pebbles around them had been worn smooth and round by weather and water, but the flint arrowheads were just as sharp and jagged as when they were made.

They made me think of our Lord Jesus who is the same yesterday, today and forever. His love never changes, and His holiness never changes. He will never allow one sin to pass unnoticed or unpunished. But His love for you and me took Him to the cross to bear our sins in His own body. He set His face as a flint to go to Jerusalem. He did not change His mind even though He knew that the people in Jerusalem hated Him and would nail Him to a cross to die. He also knew God had a wonderful purpose in it all for you and me: “God . . . made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:20-21). That wonderful purpose was that you and I could be saved from the punishment we deserve for our sins.

Do you believe that He died for your sins?

ML-02/25/2001

The Wrong Watch

“Hey, Alan, come look at the sea gulls on the railing!” Screaming, laughing cousins followed Alan to see the sea gulls sitting on the railing of the ferryboat. The birds were waiting for passengers to throw them scraps of food. But as the ferryboat crossed the deep blue water between Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, the cousins were more excited about landing on the island that still looked small in the distance.

After the boat docked, the two families crowded into the big van to visit an old restored house many of them had read about. What fun they all had exploring the famous old house.

Checking Uncle Will’s watch, the only watch among them, the parents decided there was still plenty of time to spend at a water park before heading back to the ferryboat for the ride back to the mainland. The swimming was lots of fun, and the time seemed to fly by. Then checking Uncle Will’s watch once more, there was still enough time to make it to the dock before the last ferry of the day started its slow trip back to Nova Scotia.

They were counting on Uncle Will’s watch. But what they didn’t know was that Uncle Will’s watch was wrong.

Are you counting on wrong information? Has someone told you that the way to heaven is by being good? It doesn’t matter how carefully you try to be good, the Bible tells us that is not the way to heaven. Titus 3:5 says, “Not by works of righteousness [good deeds] which we have done, but according to [God’s] mercy He [saves] us.” Wrong information leads to failure. Let’s see what happened when the two families counted on the time from Uncle Will’s watch.

As the van drove within sight of the ferry landing, one of the cousins blurted out, “Look, the ferry is leaving!” Sure enough, the light of the evening sun showed the day’s last ferryboat was already steaming across the water.

There was no way to reach it -no way to bring it back - all because of a watch that gave them wrong information.

As the sun sank into darkness, a long and miserably cold night began. Huddling for warmth, all the cousins curled up in the corners of the van or under the bench seats. The two sets of tired parents spent most of the night comforting shivering children.

What happens after this life if you have been following wrong information? “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 16:25). Your long, cold night will never end. Although the two families were given a second chance once the morning sun peeked in the van windows and the ferryboat again began making its trips through the waters, you will never have another chance.

Set your “watch” to the Bible now. It is the Word of God and gives the right information for you to safely reach heaven. “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). Have you accepted this wonderful gift of everlasting life from God?

ML-03/04/2001

The Interesting Red Rope

Tony’s mother had to go to his older brother’s school one day. Tony was only four years old, so he had not started school yet. His mother had told him to wait in the hall quietly like a big boy while she talked with the teacher for a few minutes.

Nearby was a drinking fountain, so Tony took a long drink. Then he fooled around squirting water a little bit. Suddenly he saw an interesting red rope hanging down above the water fountain. He looked at it a while and then climbed up on top of the fountain to see if he could reach the rope. Yes, he could. He gave it a good, hard pull.

Oh my, what a loud noise! The fire alarm on the ceiling gave an ear-splitting, clanging noise.

Tony’s mother came running back to a frightened little boy. All down the long hall, doors quickly opened and out marched long lines of boys and girls. They all lined up outside on the playground.

Tony was not old enough to know what the Bible says in James 1:14, “Every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed.” But Tony was old enough to know that his mother would not want him to climb up on the drinking fountain nor to pull the red rope. Poor Tony began to cry as he clung to his mother.

The principal soon realized what had happened. He called the fire department and told them it was a false alarm. But he was upset with Tony and his mother.

Tony’s mother said she was very sorry. That was all she could do then.

After they arrived home and Tony calmed down a bit, mother had a little talk with him. She wanted him to understand that doing his own will and doing thoughtless things are sin. Sin is an awful thing in God’s sight, and no sin can be in heaven. God sent His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to take the punishment for our sins so that we might be with Him in heaven someday.

We are so glad that Tony understood that what he had done was sin, because he then asked the Lord Jesus to forgive him and to make him one of His own dear children.

Tony’s mother took him back to the school later so he could tell the principal that he was sorry for all the trouble he had caused. This was not an easy thing to do, but Tony did it to please the Lord Jesus. Then he felt much better. “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-03/04/2001

A Perishable Package

We once got a package with a bright green postal label. We heard it hit our porch floor with a juicy splash. I think the delivery man was very glad to get rid of it, and he must have carried juicy, sticky fingers back to the truck. We came running to see what had arrived, but our noses told us at once that there was SOMETHING WRONG inside! Packages shouldn’t smell like that. And what was that little puddle around it?

No doubt it was perishable! The label was sticky and could scarcely be read, so there was sure proof that it was true. I suppose the post office was expected to handle it quickly, but it was not sent air mail, even though it came across the continent. And it was warm summertime.

Do you understand that word “perishable”? The dictionary says, “To become destroyed or ruined: die.” The word applies to you too because you certainly are perishable! No delivery service can bring you to God’s home in heaven as long as that label is true of you. There is no doubt that our package was full of bacteria, and there is no doubt that you are full of sin - nasty little sins like snapping at Dad or Mother or brother or sister. In fact, God’s Word says that you have been ready to tell lies ever since you were born: “They go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies” (Psalm 58:3). Every lie is a sin. And as you grow older, the sins pile up until you are all tangled up with the cords of sin. For this reason, God marks you as “perishable,” and in your own heart you know that this is true.

The sender of that package had a heart full of kindness, and her plan was to give us a nice treat. She didn’t think about bacteria and how they make food spoil. Pretty paper and a nice card do nothing to kill bacteria. They just naturally work if they get a chance, and that is what happened.

Sin is like that too. It is there, in your heart, and it just naturally works. You are blind if you cannot see the problem. You are certainly perishable.

But here’s the good news. God has the answer so that you will NOT PERISH but have everlasting life. I suppose if that lady had really been determined that we should get her package in top condition, she might have hopped on a plane and a taxi and brought it to us herself, but that would be much too costly. But God looked at His perishable creatures, you and me, and He did not say, “Too costly.” He loved us so much that He gave His only begotten Son so that we would not perish. Nobody, nobody ever loved you like God does!

What must you do to be saved from your sins that make you perishable? Only one thing. Believe God’s wonderful offer and take His perfect gift as your own. Then “NEVER PERISH” will be the wonderful promise that God gives to you. It is God who saves and God who keeps - forever.

But I have not yet told you what we found in that package. It had once been full of big, red, sweet, juicy, fresh-picked cherries. Now it was a dripping, moldy mess, fit for nothing but garbage. Her good intentions did nothing to make her gift acceptable. We wrote our thanks to her, but we did not tell her the whole story. It was only cherries, after all, and not children, that were destroyed, and she never knew.

Aren’t you glad that what was destroyed was cherries - and not you? It could be - if you go on without Jesus as your Saviour. He saves and He keeps His own. His home and all its splendor can be yours, because God gave His only Son to die for your sins. Even gold is perishable, but never, never in all eternity will God allow the weakest one to perish who truly accepts His costly gift of salvation.

ML-03/11/2001

Queen Victoria's Dolls

Children of all ages love to play with dolls. Both boys and girls have played with and collected various kinds of dolls for thousands of years. Queen Victoria of England played with dolls until she was 14 years old. She owned dozens and dozens of dolls and had made clothes for more than thirty of them. She especially liked small wooden dolls, 1 to 12 inches high with jointed arms and legs, called “penny dolls.” She collected more than 100 of these. She also had a dollhouse where she kept many of the smaller ones.

Queen Victoria became queen at the age of 17, but she still loved her dolls and dollhouses. Since the queen was so fond of them, thousands of other people wanted dolls and dollhouses too. Toymakers were kept busy making them. If the queen liked something, then other people liked it too and wanted it. It is strange but true that whatever a king or queen or any important person does, other people want to follow their example.

As a Christian boy or girl, are you setting a good example for others to follow? What we do and say affects others, even if we don’t realize it. We can’t try to please the Lord Jesus by ourselves; we must ask Him to help us each day to shine for Him. “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13).

If you are not a Christian, then you cannot please the Lord Jesus and set a good example. Have you come to Him as a poor, lost sinner and believed that His precious blood washes away all your sins? If you haven’t, do it today, and then with His help you can shine for Him in this dark world.

ML-03/11/2001

Brought Low to Be Raised Up

One day as I was walking home to my apartment, I suddenly pictured myself suffering terribly in the blackest darkness after I died. I don’t know why that happened, but it filled me with such an awful fear that I was willing to pay any price to escape from such a terrifying eternity.

Some time after this, I was in the Navy stationed at Pearl Harbor. On May 8, 1965, I did something foolish. I made six dives in water about 110 feet deep, all within less than five hours. After the sixth dive, I returned to the boat very frightened and gasping for air. I soon collapsed into unconsciousness. My buddies called for help, and the next thing I remember was waking up in the ambulance with an oxygen mask over my face.

At the hospital I was put into a recompression chamber for 11 hours, but when I came out, I was completely paralyzed and barely alive.

These days there are charts to show how long and how deep you can safely dive. In those days diving was often done by trial and error. If you didn’t come back up, your buddies in the boat decided they had better be more careful when it was their turn. Certainly I should never have been able to return to the surface, but God had a purpose to fulfill in my life.

About two years later, I had gained enough strength so I could get around in a wheelchair. Life in a wheelchair is boring and sometimes very painful because of the disability that put you there. I was now 30 years old and had never read a Bible. But God had brought me to the place where I was willing and ready to read His Word. Then He sent someone to bring me a Bible.

I had lots of time on my hands, and the memory of that terrible picture of eternity that I’d had while I was still a healthy, young man pressed me to read the Bible.

The more I read, the more I wanted to know God Himself. I saw that my sins had contributed to the death of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Then I saw the blood flowing from His wounded side and the indescribable power in His precious shed blood that could cleanse my soul from all my sins. I trusted Him, and my load of sins was immediately gone. I couldn’t understand it. My sins were responsible for His death, and then He cleansed me with His blood. With tears streaming from my eyes, I kept thanking the Lord over and over again in deepest sorrow that my sins had caused His death and in deepest joy that all my sins were washed away in His precious blood. It was too good to be true, and yet it is true! I began to thank Him that He had brought me so low, into a wheelchair, so He would be able to raise me up a saved soul. “God, who is rich in mercy . . . even when we were dead in sins . . . hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:46). What a wonderful place to be in. My wheelchair experience, which sometimes seems long and extremely uncomfortable, is really only a brief moment compared to an eternity with my Lord and Saviour - an eternity overflowing with joy and praise and sweet fellowship with the Son of God.

Don’t you want to share that wonderful eternity with us? Come to Jesus and let Him wash away your sins in His precious blood, and you will. Whatever the price is for you to come to Him, it’s more than worth it!

“Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18).

ML-03/18/2001

The Two Natures

Flavio’s friend Clemente was visiting him for a few days in central Brazil. One morning Flavio took Clemente to see the lions at his father’s zoo.

Flavio stood near the cage of a huge male lion. He called to his friend, “Clemente, come watch this.”

Flavio gave a low whistle. To Clemente’s surprise the big lion sauntered over to the bars and purred like a house cat as it let Flavio stroke its mane and back. “Here, you try now,” invited Flavio. Clemente reached in and stroked the lion just like Flavio had and found the lion quite calm. Flavio explained, “We had this lion in our home as a cub. I played with him as he was growing up. He’s pretty tame.”

Flavio went across to a nearby cage and caught and killed a pigeon. “Now watch this,” said Flavio. He threw the dead pigeon on top of the lion’s cage. With a sudden taste for blood, the lion leaped at the bird and, clawing it down from the roof of his cage, he started to eat this unexpected feast. “Don’t try to pet him now,” warned Flavio. “His old, wild nature has returned.”

Just like the “tame” lion, those of us who are real Christians have two natures. One is “tame” (the Bible calls it “the new man”) which the Lord Jesus gives us as soon as we accept Him as our personal Saviour. The other is “wild” (the Bible calls it “the old man”) and is controlled by Satan. If we feed upon the world and its pleasures, the old nature plainly shows and we displease the Lord. But if we feed on God’s Word, the Bible, the new nature will show and others will see that we belong to Jesus.

“The flesh [old nature] lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary [don’t agree] the one to the other” (Galatians 5:17).

Do you have that new nature that loves to please the Lord Jesus? “Without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently [continually] seek Him” (Hebrews 11:6).

ML-03/18/2001

He Hit Me Back!

Andrew was standing in the middle of the Children’s Bible Class room, holding his left jaw and shouting, “I’M NOT CRYING! I’M JUST REALLY, REALLY ANGRY!” James, who is less talkative, was standing a few feet away with his arms crossed over his chest and a scowl on his face.

As an adult helper for the group, I took both four-year-old boys aside and sat them each on little chairs next to the craft table. I sat down on a third chair and asked, “What’s happening here?”

Andrew, still holding his jaw, jumped off his chair, pointed to James and exclaimed, “He hit me back!”

Now, if we think about what Andrew said - that James hit him back - that can only mean that Andrew hit James first. And do you know what else it means? Both Andrew and James are sinners, like each of us. They both were letting their sinful natures tell them how to act. Even though they both said they were sorry, smiled at each other and left for home as “good friends” again, their real problem hadn’t been fixed.

Later, I chuckled as I thought about Andrew and James - until I realized that their four-year-old behavior is just a younger example of my own. Because of my sinful nature, I want to handle things my way. Both Andrew and James come from families that love Jesus, but that doesn’t change how their sinful natures act. Even after someone becomes a part of God’s family by being truly sorry for their sins and believing that Jesus died on the cross for those sins, the Bible tells us that they will still have struggles with doing what is wrong. God’s Word tells Christians that we each still need to “put off the old [nature] with [its] deeds; and . . . put on the new [nature]” (Colossians 3:9-10).

At Wednesday night Children’s Bible Class, we adults will continue to have children who misbehave, say they are sorry and become friends again. But that can’t last. It is only by obeying what God says that any of us, children or adults, will permit the new nature from God to control our words and actions. “Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only” (James 1:22).

“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23).

ML-03/25/2001

The Black Doctor

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

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

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

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

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

“Bible?” said the doctor.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The ladies were silent.

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

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

ML-03/25/2001

Where History Was Made

Have you ever stood where history was made? I had the opportunity to stand where President Lincoln was shot to death. I have stood on the shore of Plymouth, Massachusetts, where the Pilgrims landed on new shores over 375 years ago. I have stood on the fields of Lexington, Massachusetts, where the American Revolution began, and also at Yorktown, New York, where the last battle was fought that won for Americans their independence from the British. I have been in Westminster Abbey where many English kings have stood and where many are buried. But I have never been more affected than the day I stood on an old stairway in the ancient city of Jerusalem.

On the south side of Jerusalem, Herod the Great had a stairway built of large stone blocks over 2000 years ago. This stairway leads down the hill toward the valley of Kidron where there is a brook in the rainy season, but which is dry for more than half the year. On the other side of the valley is a garden where old, old olive trees still bloom. It is called the Garden of Gethsemane.

One spring evening almost 2000 years ago, Jesus Christ, who created the mountain on which He was standing, met His disciples in an upper room in old Jerusalem and ate the Passover supper with them there. After they had eaten the roast lamb, He told them, “I go unto My Father” (John 14:12). They sang a hymn together and then left the room. They almost certainly would have used that old, stone stairway, because it went in the direction they wanted to go - across the valley of Kidron to the Garden of Gethsemane. As they walked down those stone steps together, the disciples were confused because they knew something important was about to happen. Jesus had explained that He would die, but they didn’t understand that He would rise again. However, Jesus, the Lord of the universe, knew all things, and He knew the future.

Would you take a plane if you knew it was going to crash? Would you stay in a building if you knew it would be hit by a bomb? As Jesus walked down those steps, He knew that when He walked up those same steps later that night, His hands would be tied like a criminal’s. He knew that the next day He would have an unfair trial. He knew He would be condemned to death. He knew He would be nailed to a cross to suffer the most torturous death possible.

Why didn’t He run away? It would have been so easy for Him to disappear into the night and never meet up with the soldiers planning to arrest Him. But Jesus kept walking, one step at a time, toward that moment He knew was waiting. He kept walking because He knew that only by hanging on the cross and suffering God’s punishment for sins would He be able to forgive our sins. If He had run away, we would have no choice but to suffer the punishment for our sins in hell. And so He walked down those steps.

A few hours later, just as He had known would happen, He walked back up the steps bound and surrounded by soldiers. His disciples had all run away. He was brought to trial and then to Calvary. Even there, it was not the nails that held Him on the cross. It was His love for you and me that held Him until He had paid the full price for all the sins of each one who will believe on Him. “It is finished,” He cried triumphantly. And He died.

Jesus doesn’t walk on the streets of Jerusalem anymore. After three days He rose from the grave - alive! He went up into heaven 40 days after that, and now He invites you to join Him there. If you are truly sorry for your sins and believe that He died for you, He will forgive your sins. He walked into death because He loved you so much. Don’t refuse that kind of love.

ML-04/01/2001

The Ox Knows His Owner

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

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

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

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

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

ML-04/01/2001

An Unpleasant Shopping Trip

Yesterday I had to go shopping. Now this wasn’t just a quick trip to the store for a gallon of milk. No, I had lots of things on my list to buy at the mall and several other large stores in the big city. It took one whole hour just to drive there, and I ended up spending most of the day going from store to store in search of all the items that I needed.

Do you like to go shopping? I don’t. And I certainly don’t enjoy it when it takes a whole day and the stores are full of people. That makes it even harder to find what you want to buy. If I were going to a toy store, you might be glad to come along with me, but I think you would have found it very tiresome to spend your Saturday in all those stores.

At one place I had to wait in line to speak with a clerk. While she was waiting on the people in front of me (and taking a long, long time!), a man came up to the front of the line. He interrupted the clerk and let her know that he was not satisfied with the item that he had bought at that store several days before. He was very upset. He demanded that she exchange the product for another one and give him money back for the time it took him to return it to the store. He was pretty rude, wasn’t he?

I went to another store to look for some clothes. Near me, a mother was shopping with her young daughter. She asked the little girl if one type of clothes would do. No, the girl insisted that she would only be satisfied with a certain expensive, name-brand style. She was only four or five years old and had no idea how much money the clothes would cost. But she still was learning to act greedy and dissatisfied with her mother’s choices for her, wasn’t she?

I found the clothes I wanted to buy and got into a line to pay for them. There were many people in front of me, also waiting to pay for their purchases. After a while, I realized that the line wasn’t moving, so I switched to a different line. It was then that I heard the checkout girl for the first line calling out for another checkout person to take her place. It was time for her to go home for the day. It didn’t matter to her that all those people were waiting in line; she was not going to work another minute longer. She was pretty selfish and uncaring, wasn’t she?

By now you’re really glad you didn’t have to come with me, aren’t you? It’s not much fun to meet rude or greedy or selfish people. Whether we’re at the mall or school or the playground, we’d really rather not be around those kinds of people.

But wait a minute! Have I ever been rude to anyone? Have I ever acted greedy or dissatisfied with something? Have I behaved selfishly towards my brother or my sister or anyone else? I am ashamed to admit that I have done all these things, and many more. I’m no better than any of those people that I watched at the stores. Their behavior is just like a mirror, showing me what my own heart is like.

The Bible says, “There is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:22-23). Lots of awful things can come out of my natural, sinful heart, including “evil thoughts,” “covetousness” (wanting what someone else has), “pride” and “foolishness” (Mark 7:21-22). And even worse, if I don’t do something about these terrible sins, they will land me in hell forever, with no hope of any escape.

What can I do? Nothing. Nothing, that is, but “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31). I could never wipe the record clean of all my sins to satisfy God. But His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus, has done just that for me. He suffered punishment from God on the cross for all of my sins. He died and shed His blood, that precious “blood of Jesus Christ [God’s] Son [which] cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

In addition to cleansing me from sin, He has given me eternal life, a new nature that delights to please the Lord Jesus. How does this new life behave? “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance [or self-control]” (Galatians 5:2223). These are the pleasant habits of a person whose sins have been forgiven and who lives to please the Lord Jesus, his Saviour. Is this true of you?

ML-04/08/2001

The Good Shepherd

We had just pitched our tents on the bank of the Hawash River when the sky grew dark and rain began to pour down. As often happens in Africa, the rain came down so hard and fast that the ground could not absorb it quickly enough. Soon there were many little ponds and rivers joining together to swell the nearby stream which fed the Hawash River.

As the rain was beginning, a shepherd led his flock of sheep down to the edge of the stream and hurried them quickly over to the other side. All but one of the sheep crossed over safely. And that little lamb was enjoying the green grass near our tent and was left behind when the rest crossed the stream.

Are you like that foolish little lamb? Perhaps your daddy and mother know the Lord Jesus as their Saviour and are following Him. Maybe your brother is saved, or the friend you sit next to in Sunday school may belong to the Lord Jesus. But, like the little lamb, you are still going your own way and not following the Lord Jesus Christ to safety.

As long as the rain was gentle and soft, the little lamb enjoyed munching away at the green grass all by itself. But soon the rain began to come down harder and harder, and then the lamb became frightened. It decided to join the other sheep on the other side of the stream. However, the rain had swollen the stream until it was now a rushing river, much too deep and fast for the lamb to cross over safely. The poor little lamb began to run up and down the bank of the stream, bleating in fear.

Today it is easy for you to come to the Lord Jesus. He loves you and calls you to “come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). He promises that “him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). He invites you now; tomorrow may be too late. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).

The shepherd soon missed his little lamb and waded back across the rushing stream to carry it to safety. But the little lamb was frightened by the rain and the thunder, and every time the shepherd came close to it, the lamb ran away from him, bleating. It did not seem to understand that the shepherd was only trying to carry it to safety.

It was getting dark, and hyenas would soon be prowling around, looking for something to eat. The little lamb was in real danger.

Faithfully and lovingly the shepherd followed the lamb, calling and calling until at last he managed to catch it. Then, holding it on his shoulders out of reach of the rushing water, the shepherd carried it safely to the fold where the rest of the sheep were sheltered.

Boys and girls, won’t you let the Lord Jesus save you? He said, “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth His life for the sheep” (John 10:11). He loved you so much that He suffered and died on the cross so that you could be saved from the punishment for your sins. He wants to forgive you now and then take you safely home to spend eternity with Him in heaven when your life here on earth is over. Won’t you let Him save you right now?

ML-04/08/2001

The Return of Sunshine

Notices were posted everywhere in our town, offering a $100 reward for the return of a beloved cat named Sunshine! Somebody had stolen this family pet from his home. I can’t imagine how much that cat must have meant to its owners! The reward was then increased to $150 because of a donation made by another person who also must have loved Sunshine. His owners were so upset that they asked that people pray for Sunshine’s return! Perhaps the owners knew that James 5:16 says, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.”

Days turned into weeks, and still there was no sign of Sunshine. Then one day a picture of Sunshine appeared in the newspaper with a heading saying, “Sunshine Is Home!” He had been found miles away in a wooded area. He had been missing for 18 days, had lost 5 pounds, and had an injured eye.

The family thanked those who helped to bring him safely home and also said, “We praise our heavenly Father for looking after Sunshine and bringing him safely home. Thank you so much for your prayers!” This family proved that “our help is in the name of the Lord, who made heaven and earth” (Psalm 124:8).

Have you ever turned to the Lord Jesus for help? He hears and answers prayers even if it may be for your much-loved pet. But first, He wants to hear you sincerely pray, “Lord Jesus, I am a sinner. Please wash my sins away in Thy precious blood.” When you pray a prayer like this, He will wash every sin away and come to live in your heart and help you every day of your life.

ML-04/15/2001

Followed Instructions Save Lives

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

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

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

This is why we should also be glad the Bible, God’s Word, is available for us to read. Most of you have at least one Bible in your home. But how many of you have read it? If you haven’t, then you are in great danger, because it tells us something very important.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Are you safe?

ML-04/15/2001

Lost and Found

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

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

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

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

ML-04/22/2001

The Cookie Man Doesn't Deliver to Puerto Rico

Danny and his family moved from Cleveland to Chicago. Since Danny’s father was transferred by the company he works for, they were given no choice - the whole family had to move. Even though Danny was only four years old, he had been very unhappy about leaving his grandma behind in Cleveland. The family had always lived near her, and Danny did not like to think that he would not be seeing her almost every day.

Every week since they had moved four years ago, Grandma had sent some of her homemade cookies to Danny and his family. She knew what their favorite kinds were: chocolate chip, peanut butter and sugar cookies. Every week the big delivery truck pulled up to Danny’s house in Chicago to deliver the box of cookies from Grandma. Danny always called the delivery man the “Cookie Man.”

Once again, Danny’s father was being transferred. This time it was to far-off Puerto Rico. Danny thought about having to leave all the friends he had made in Chicago, and he felt sad. That week when the Cookie Man arrived with the box of cookies, Danny suddenly had a terrible thought, Does the Cookie Man go all the way to Puerto Rico? He quickly asked, “Mr. Cookie Man, do you deliver in Puerto Rico?”

“No, Danny, we don’t deliver there.”

Poor Danny would not be able to receive Grandma’s “box of love” from the Cookie Man after he moved to Puerto Rico.

Isn’t it good to know that God’s gift of love is available anywhere in the world? It does not depend on a delivery man. God’s gift of love is His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). No matter where we live, we can receive God’s gift simply by accepting the Lord Jesus as our Saviour.

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.

ML-04/29/2001

What Would Your License Plate Say?

License plates are a very important part of every car. In fact, in most places a car must have a license plate to be on the road. It is interesting to notice the colors and designs on license plates from different parts of the country. They often try to pass on a message about that area.

Have you ever watched for license plate messages? I often see a small red car with the license plate RED DOT. Recently, I saw a convertible with the message BREEZE! Others I have spotted have been THE GEM, MY HUNY and DLITE. These people must want others to know that they really like their cars.

What would your license plate say if you could wear one—HAPPY? MEAN? KIND? SAD? Many times the way we are acting passes on a message just like a license plate would. Our actions often are easy to read and sometimes, sad to say, the message is not a good one. For Christians, a good license plate to wear would be one that says I’M SAVED. But it would be even better if our actions showed that we belonged to the Lord Jesus. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

ML-05/06/2001

Wet Paint

When I was growing up, we lived in a little house with a full basement. Mom made the basement cozy with a rug covering the concrete floor and a couch and chair that we could play on. My brothers and I played down there a lot, and that was where we kept most of our toys and the things we treasured.

We went up and down those wooden stairs many times, and after a while they began to look pretty scuffed and scruffy. Mom decided she was going to paint them. That was in the days before quick-drying paints came into use, and it would take a full day for the paint to dry.

A couple of hours before Mom began to paint, she told us to bring up anything from the basement that we would be wanting during that day. “Think hard,” she said, “and be sure to bring up everything you might want to play with.”

The three of us—I was 10, my little brother Robby was 6, and my big brother was older than I - all scrambled downstairs and gathered up our prized possessions. Then Mom painted the stairs.

It wasn’t long after she had finished that I remembered something else I needed. Yes, I really needed it! It was very important, and I needed it right now.

I went to the top of the stairs and studied them. My legs were long, and I was pretty good at going down four steps at a time. So I thought, If I hold onto the banister, I’ll only need to touch the very edge of three steps. That would leave only three tiny marks in the fresh paint. Mom likely won’t even notice, I told myself. So I went down as I had planned.

I looked back at the stairs. Not very obvious, I thought, quite pleased with myself.

I found my forgotten treasure and returned to go back up the stairs. Whoops! Coming down had been one thing; going up would be quite different. It’s difficult to jump up stairs. I looked around at the basement windows. They were much too small to crawl through. Why didn’t I think of this before? I scolded myself.

Now, with my treasure in my hands, it would be harder to balance on the edge of the steps. But I couldn’t stay in the basement all day. There was nothing to do but climb those freshly painted stairs.

By the time I reached the top, my shoes were sticky with paint and the marks of my climb were left very plainly behind me. I took off my shoes and ran to my bedroom where I buried myself in the bedcovers and waited. I was sad and sorry that I had messed up Mom’s paint job.

Tears were already trickling down my face when I heard my mother’s voice. “Robby! Why did you go down those stairs?” she asked my little brother angrily.

“I didn’t, Mom,” he answered. But since Robby always seemed to be getting into trouble, Mom didn’t believe him. And then I heard Robby crying as she began to punish him.

Oh no! I thought. I can’t let Robby take my punishment . . . that’s not fair! I ran out of my bedroom, crying, “He didn’t do it, Mom. I did! It’s all my fault.”

Have you ever had anyone take the punishment for things you did wrong? The very best Friend you could ever have has been punished so you could be free from the punishment for your sins. And what a terrible punishment He was willing to take for you! He was nailed to that awful cross on Calvary’s hill, and then, during those three hours of blackest darkness, He was forsaken of God, who laid on Him the punishment for all the sins of anyone who would accept Him as their Saviour.

God sent His own beloved Son into this world, as a man, to die for us so we could be redeemed. Galatians 3:13 tells us, “Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us.” “[God] hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Have you come to realize, Jesus didn’t sin; I did; I’m the one at fault, not Jesus; He didn’t do anything wrong? He loves you so much He is offering you freedom from the punishment for your sins. Will you accept His offer?

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

ML-05/06/2001

Rockslide!

It was a peaceful looking canyon that spread out below me. As I stood there taking in the view, I mentally planned what my next few days would hold. Deep in Dakota country, my friend Doug and I had been assigned to check on a band of wild bighorn sheep. We had to set up camp first so we would have shelter and then prepare to spend a few days here.

This was a job I loved. Nothing thrilled me more than being out in God’s creation and enjoying the beautiful world that He had made for us to live in. I was ready to get to work.

On the evening of our third day, a fierce storm whipped through our little camp. As the sky turned dark, strong gusts of wind made us quickly find shelter in our tents. From my tent, I could look across and see the top of Doug’s tent being blown first one way and then the other. At times, the tent was blown so far over that I could see the shape of Doug’s head in the canvas! Then rain began to beat down on us.

This is probably the worst storm I’ve seen for a while, I thought. I certainly have a powerful Creator. I wonder what Doug thinks of this. I had told my friend about how God had sent His Son Jesus down here as a man to die for our sins, but Doug was never interested in the subject.

Over the sound of heavy rain beating on the tent, I became aware of a new sound.

It was the sound of rocks breaking away and falling from the canyon walls directly above us! Doug heard it too. Both of us ran out of our tents and into a wind shelter that we had set up. We both knew a rockslide could bury alive! I looked over at my friend who was known for his fearlessness.

Nervously, Doug asked, “You know what that is, don’t you?” Then he looked at me curiously. “You’re not scared, are you?”

“If this rockslide takes my life, I know where I’m going,” I told him. I truly thought I had only a few more minutes to live. But I believed that because Jesus Christ had died to save me from my sins and based on the promise of God, if I didn’t live I would be in heaven.

“I will go to heaven, Doug. If you ask Jesus to take away your sins, you’ll be there with me.” I knew time was short, but I also knew that it only took a moment to call on the Lord Jesus for salvation from our sins.

Doug just looked at me and went back to his own tent.

The rumblings increased as more and more rocks gave way and began to crash down the mountain. On the ledge where we were camped, there was no safe place to go, so I sat and prayed for Doug. I expected both of us would soon enter eternity! I knew my eternity would be in heaven with Jesus, but I feared Doug’s would be a lost eternity.

The sound of falling rocks grew louder as the rocks came closer. Heavy rain pounded down on the canyon. And then, suddenly, it was quiet. The rain had stopped, and the rocks had completely bypassed the ledge where we were camped!

I have no doubt that God Himself protected us with His hand in that storm. But there was something even more exciting than being given more time to live. After the storm, Doug turned to Jesus for the salvation He lovingly offers.

Think about it: The Maker of this beautiful world loves you and offers you salvation from your sins. Are you going to accept His offer today or will you wait until you are face to face with death? Don’t wait - you may not have the chance. Often there is no advance warning.

“Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts” (Hebrews 4:7). “Boast not thyself of tomorrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth” (Proverbs 27:1).

ML-05/13/2001

Danger on Shore

While we were vacationing at a lake, we really enjoyed watching the wild ducks and the other water birds. One mother duck and her ducklings that we often watched always seemed to show up for breakfast and supper. You could hear mother duck quacking as she and her babies swam up the lake toward our campsite. Mother duck always gave loud “QUACKS,” but her babies just gave little “quacks.” She was very careful with her babies; she never let them get too close to shore. She knew there was danger on shore.

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

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

Boys and girls, God has spoken very loudly to us too, by the Bible. Hebrews 1:12 says, “God . . . hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son [the Lord Jesus Christ].” He also says, “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).

Just as those baby ducks were quick to obey their mother, will you be as quick to obey God? Isaiah 1:18 says, “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”

ML-05/13/2001

Treasure or Shark?

Recently, a young man named Daniel was diving in the frigid waters of the Bay of Fundy, off the east coast of Canada. He was hunting sea urchins, which are very valuable and sell for a good price. He had a nice number collected and safely stacked away in his fishing bag when he felt a heavy thump on his side. He turned to find himself face to face with a 10foot shark that was very interested in what was in his fishing bag!

Maybe you would not consider sea urchins a valuable treasure like Daniel did. But perhaps you have paid a high price for something else that you consider a valuable treasure. The Bible tells us in Matthew 13:44 about a man who was willing to sell everything he owned to buy a field where he had found hidden treasure. Yes, valuable treasure is usually expensive, and Daniel’s sea urchin treasure nearly cost him his life. But the most valuable treasure a person can own did cost a life. Because God loves you so much, He is offering you His wonderful and expensive treasure. It has already been paid for, and He offers it to you as a gift, one that no one can take away from you and that you will never have to give up. Romans 6:23 tells us, “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” God’s Son, Christ Jesus, willingly gave up His life to pay for your sins so eternal life in heaven can be offered to you as a gift.

I’m sure Daniel knew his life was in great danger, but he couldn’t do anything about it. He was unable to let go of the fishing bag because his fingers were locked in it. The shark got a good hold on the bag with its jaws and started swimming out to sea, dragging Daniel along with it. For fifteen panic-filled minutes, he struggled below the surface of the ocean with the angry shark. Daniel began shaking the fishing bag, and the shark opened its jaws momentarily, which released the bag.

I’m sure Daniel considered his life more valuable than that fishing bag with its contents and would have gladly let it go. It wasn’t his choice to keep hanging on. But those who accept God’s gift are, by His choice, forever in His care. God’s beloved Son, the Lord Jesus, paid for that gift of eternal life with His life, and if you accept it, He will never let you go. He says, “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand” (John 10:28).

Daniel’s battle wasn’t over yet. As the shark circled back for another attack, Daniel flipped over onto his back and swam backwards with his fishing bag towards shore. The shark wasn’t ready to give up that treasure so easily and kept hovering around Daniel, darting back and forth at him. But Daniel never stopped swimming, and finally he did reach the shore where he was safely picked up by the captain of his boat.

Have you accepted God’s greatest treasure - the gift of eternal life that Christ Jesus lovingly offers you? You cannot pay for it nor earn it; you can only gratefully and thankfully accept it. “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).

ML-05/20/2001

Playing With Death

At our house, there is almost nothing that is disliked more than a spider. It makes no difference that they catch insects and so are good. Most of them end up dead.

Spiders do not really bother me, but maybe that is because I do not live in Africa or South America. They have really large spiders in those countries. There are pictures of some that are nearly six inches across! Some of these big spiders are poisonous. Anyone bitten by one of these will die if they cannot reach a doctor or hospital quickly.

There is a story about a missionary in Africa who had an experience with one of these large poisonous spiders. Coming into his house, he had found one on the floor. He went back outside and found a straight stick about six feet long.

Instead of killing the spider with it immediately, he stood about five feet away and began teasing it a little by touching it lightly with the end of his stick. As he drew the stick back toward his legs away from the spider, it suddenly jumped onto the stick. The spider tried to bite the stick, and the missionary could see the poison running down the stick. He killed the spider quickly, but he realized how foolish he had been to “play” with something so dangerous.

The spider had been very accurate in its attack on the stick. If it had decided to attack the missionary’s leg instead, he most certainly would have been bitten!

Perhaps you would know better than to tease a poisonous spider, but are you playing with something that is even more dangerous—SIN? Sin is a deadly enemy -telling a lie, disobeying, or doing something secretly that you know is wrong. These are just a few of Satan’s traps to lead you to an everlasting punishment. God says, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4).

How can we be free from Satan’s power? Escape is only through the death of the Lord Jesus Christ whom God sent into this world to be our Saviour. God’s way of escape for you is to “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31). It is “the blood of Jesus Christ [God’s] Son [that] cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). We must believe and accept the Lord Jesus as our Saviour to be saved and set free from sin.

ML-05/20/2001

The "Graveyard of the Atlantic"

It was a beautiful summer day, and we enjoyed riding the ferryboat that crossed the strait between Nags Head and Cape Hatteras. The children had fun feeding bread to the seagulls that flew along with the ferry.

It was a 40mile drive along the narrow strip of land that made up the island of Cape Hatteras to the lighthouse campground. We planned to set up camp there and spend a few days. Along the way we passed an old rusted ship lying on its side in the surf, evidence of the dangers of the crashing waves and shifting sandbars that gave this place the grim nickname, “Graveyard of the Atlantic.”

Did the captain of the rusted ship ignore the lighthouse warnings? The old wreck reminds us of many souls who ignore the Bible’s warnings, some who may have come from Christian homes. The Word of God warns us of the awful end that awaits those who will not put their trust in the Lord Jesus Christ’s work on the cross. It was there He shed His precious blood that “cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). Instead, they carelessly spend their time and money seeking the pleasures of this world. Satan leads them on, and they are unaware of the hidden sandbars of a life of sin. They go to their graves, human wrecks, without God’s salvation. The Bible warns, “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 16:25).

ML-05/27/2001

Tropical Storm

We spent several sunny, happy days on the beach and in the waves. But then one day threatening winds picked up, and by evening it was a full-blown storm. The park ranger came through the campground and told us that this was a tropical storm just under hurricane force, with winds up to 70 m.p.h. We were to drop our tents, stay in our cars, and wait for further instructions. About 9:00 p.m. he knocked on our car window and told us that everyone in the camp must follow him up to the ranger station, about a mile away.

The park ranger warned us about the tropical storm, and the Bible warns people about another storm, the likes of which the world has never known - God’s Son judging the world of sin. Hebrews 2:3 warns, “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation?” Acts 4:12 tells us, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name [Jesus] under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” We did exactly what the ranger said. It would have been foolish not to. But have you done exactly what the Bible says? It would be foolish not to.

We parked at the base of the tallest lighthouse in the world, with its sides painted black and white in barber-pole fashion. We slept fitfully in the car, because the ranger station was wall to wall with people in sleeping bags. All through that stormy night, as strong wind gusts lifted and shook the car, as pouring rain beat down and as the waves crashed a few yards away, I would look up and watch that lighthouse sending its warning beacon out through the storm. And I was at peace, knowing the Lord Jesus had His eye on me and my little family all through that dreadful storm. He declared in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” I knew that no matter what happened, we were sheltered by the precious blood of Christ.

The next morning the sun was shining and the ferryboat was back in service. As we drove back to the ferry, we were aware of how high the tides can become during these storms. The road was littered with sea creatures, crabs and shells. We were reminded of the song:

We have an anchor which keeps the soul,

Steadfast and sure while the billows roll;

Fastened to the rock [Christ]

which cannot move,

Grounded firm and deep in the Saviour’s love.

In 1999, because the shoreline was receding and nothing could stop the steady erosion of the waves, the National Park Service, at great expense, moved the Hatteras lighthouse a half mile inland. But our Beacon, “the true Light” (John 1:9), “shall not be moved” (Psalm 16:8), nor shall those who put their trust in Him.

ML-05/27/2001

A Direct Hit

While they were waiting for their parents to finish chatting, Robby and Eric were busy cramming their pockets with stones to throw at the sturdy old oak tree in the front yard.

“Look at me, Grandma! Watch me hit that big tree!” Robby called, nodding his head toward the oak tree and winding up like a baseball player eager to strike out the man at bat. But the stone flew right past the tree, followed by several more stones that also flew right past the tree.

Six-year-old Eric watched the younger boy for a while, and then he threw his stone. A direct hit!

“Good aim, Eric. You directed that stone right to the center of the tree. That’s like our Bible memory verse for this week, isn’t it? ‘The Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ’ (2 Thessalonians 3:5).”

Then Eric said, “You’d have to take your heart right out and put it in the Lord Jesus’ hand for Him to do that.”

We can’t actually do that, can we? Yet the Lord Jesus does say, “My son, give Me thine heart” (Proverbs 23:26). We can let Him control our hearts and guide us in all our ways. Are you?

ML-05/27/2001

Are You Sure?

I was terrified! There was no doubt in my mind that I was a sinner. And I knew that there was a place called hell - a place of total darkness where people were sent forever who had never confessed to the Lord Jesus that they were sinners and let Him wash them clean. I knew it was all true, because the Bible said so, and I believed the Bible.

Because I was so afraid, I did what the Bible said - I called upon the name of the Lord and asked Him to save me from my sins. Romans 10:13 says, “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” But still I wasn’t really sure I was saved. Questions would come into my mind like, Do I really believe? What if I don’t really trust enough? and other tormenting thoughts. I also knew the Lord Jesus was going to call all the Christians to heaven sometime soon, and I was afraid I would be left behind. So I memorized my uncle’s telephone number, and I would call him if I came home and my mother wasn’t there. When he answered and said “hello,” I would hang up without talking, so relieved that he was still there. I knew that when the Lord came my uncle would go with the rest of the Christians to heaven. So when he answered the phone, I knew the Lord Jesus hadn’t come back yet.

Was I really saved? Yes, God’s Word says so! He didn’t say “might be saved” but “shall be saved.” I finally became sure that I was truly saved from reading the Bible. One day I read Romans 4, especially the last part of the chapter, and realized that the real question was, Did I believe that God was satisfied with what Jesus did on the cross for me? Oh, yes, of course God was satisfied! It says that He “raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; who was delivered for our offenses [sins], and was raised again for our justification” (Romans 4:2425). When I saw how God felt about the wonderful work His Son had done, then I was sure that I was saved. I realized that my being saved doesn’t depend on how I feel! It only depends on what the Lord Jesus has done.

Are you sure that you are saved?

ML-06/03/2001

Food From a Rat

Lifting up another heavy stone, the old man used it to plug the hole in the small room where he was staying. It had been several days now since he had eaten, and his strength was starting to give out. Not long before, he had been living in a nice, large house in his Chinese village, with a double ration of rice given to him by the Communist officials.

He was used to being poor. Ever since he had been a child in school he had struggled. He had a hard time reading and so had left school and lived his life the hard way. When the Communists came to power in his area, all that changed temporarily. To prove a point, they had him live in that nice house and gave him plenty to eat. Plenty, that is, until they realized that the dear old Christian man was giving his food to fellow believers. And the nice house? It turned out to be a good place to invite other believers to worship the Saviour they loved. That’s when he was given the choice. Did he want to live for his Lord, or did he want to have the favors from the Communists? It was one or the other. Serving his Lord and Saviour and his poor Christian friends came first. And so the dear old man soon found himself with only water to drink in that little room with a hole in the wall.

It was only hours later that the old man noticed that now there was another large hole in his wall. With simple, unquestioning faith, he accepted it from his loving Lord. Not too long after, he noticed the whiskered face of a large rat poking its way through the hole. What would you do?

Many years ago in the middle of a drought, Elijah, by God’s instruction, hid beside a stream in the land of Israel. God hid him there to protect him from the wicked King Ahab. Then God sent daily deliveries of bread and meat. We might like to be served by a pleasant waiter, while seated in a comfortable chair. God sent a bird that eats dead animals or kills its own - a raven - to feed His servant. The Bible tells us that every morning and every evening the raven arrived with Elijah’s meal. He continued to come until it was time for God’s servant Elijah to move on to a new place where he stayed with a widow lady and her son.

Just as you might guess, the rat dropped off some food and then came back with several more loads. It had delivered some tasty sweet potatoes, nuts and vegetables for God’s servant to eat. The rat continued to come back every morning with enough food for the day. On days when the old man was expecting a visitor, the rat brought twice as much food. It continued to deliver food for several months, until God’s dear old servant no longer needed the deliveries. “Oh how great is Thy goodness . . . which Thou hast [carefully worked] for them that trust in Thee!” (Psalm 31:19).

Our God has His own power of miracles to provide for His own children. “The Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear” (Isaiah 59:1). He always sees the exact need of each of His children and provides perfectly for them. And though our God may not always choose to provide food brought by little animals, we know that He can provide for us in any way that He chooses. “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8).

ML-06/10/2001

Bitten by Fire Ants

Tommy and Sarah were playing together in the backyard of their new home. Their family had recently moved to a southern state and were not used to everything found in that warmer climate. Mother had said, “Don’t go near that little pile of sand over there because there are fire ants in it, and they bite!”

After Mother went back into the house, Tommy and Sarah went over to the anthill. They stood watching the little ants with great interest. “Let’s get a stick and poke it into the pile,” said Tommy. So they each found a stick and began to poke around in the pile of sand. This stirred up those busy little ants.

The Bible tells us that “it is an honor . . . to cease from strife [stay out of trouble]: but every fool will be meddling” (Proverbs 20:3). Meddling means to interfere with or get into something that is none of your business. Tommy and Sarah were meddling with that anthill, when they were told not to. Not only did they disobey their mother, they also were very unwise to meddle with fire ants.

Almost immediately, hundreds of biting, reddish-brown ants swarmed up the sticks and onto Tommy’s and Sarah’s hands and arms, and more crawled up their legs.

Suddenly Mother heard screams from the backyard. She came rushing out of the house to find biting fire ants all over Tommy and Sarah. She quickly dumped the two children into their little wading pool. As she tried to wash the ants off the children, they crawled onto her arms and bit her too. When she finally got the ants off the children and herself, all three of them were covered with hundreds of tiny, red, stinging bites!

How sorry the children were for not listening to their mother. They had learned a lesson the hard way. “Be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23). They could have saved themselves and their mother a lot of pain and unhappiness if they had only remembered the Bible verse they had learned in Sunday school: “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right” (Ephesians 6:1).

We certainly hope Tommy and Sarah’s painful lesson will keep them far away from the ants. But even some of us who are older ignore lessons and warnings, and there are usually sad results. Those of us who have accepted the Lord Jesus as our Saviour, young or old, can turn to Him for help when we are tempted to sin. We have the promise, “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).

ML-06/10/2001

Grab the Rope!

Once again Mr. Benn looked up at the deep blue sky above the towering canyon walls of the Snake River and thanked the Lord for perfect weather. Having gone down this river before did not make white-water rafting any easier, and especially not today! With the unusually high waters, he knew that the real test of the rapids would begin a few more miles downstream. He was more experienced than the two teenagers in the raft, but he knew they were both strong. Back and forth Kevin and Jason laughed as they exchanged stories. As the raft approached the first set of rapids, they asked Mr. Benn about the treasured hat he wore, filled with every souvenir pin possible.

“Before coming here,” Jason began, “I never could have understood the excitement of white-water . . . ” but the rest of his sentence was lost in the roar of the rapids. The men quickly threw their strength into guiding the raft through the swirling waters. Mr. Benn remembered that just ahead was the biggest set of white-water rapids.

Suddenly a wave jerked the raft. Mr. Benn was thrown from his seat, out of the raft, and sucked into the deadly whirlpool. His knowledge of rafting made him aware of his danger in the freezing waters swirling around him. He knew there was only one way he would make it out alive. And there it was! Just within his reach was the coil of rope someone must have just thrown to him.

Yards of rope tore through his hand as he was sucked deeper into the whirlpool. One hand strained to hold the rope; the other hand held his hat. The bag at his end of the rope not only signaled the end of 50 feet, but would have signaled the end of Mr. Benn if . . . Instantly, knowing this was life or death, he let go of the hat and clung to the rope with both hands.

Which would you choose, a hat or your life? “I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life.” That’s what the Lord offers you in Deuteronomy 30:19. But how can you reach God’s safety rope of life? “He that [believes] on the Son [has] everlasting life: and he that [believes] not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God [abides] upon him” (John 3:36).

All this time, the raft with the two teenagers had continued downstream - pulling, pulling -and now had finally pulled Mr. Benn free of the whirlpool.

Jason blinked in surprise. “Hey, Kevin, there’s Mr. Benn in the water! He must have fallen off !” Dropping their paddles in the raft, they pulled in the rope, dragging a gasping Mr. Benn to safety.

“Thanks for tossing me the rope, Kevin.”

“But I didn’t. . . . Did you, Jason?”

Reaching for his paddle again, Jason stopped suddenly. “No.”

The roar of the next set of rapids was the only sound as each one silently considered what had just happened. Looking back into the spray, Mr. Benn realized that God Himself had thrown the rope out to save his life.

And this same God is saying to you, “Whoso findeth Me, findeth life” (Proverbs 8:35). Grab the rope . . . it’s for you!

ML-06/17/2001

Anna and the Sheep

Anna was just four years old when her father and mother took her for her first visit to a farm. Soon they were busy talking to the farmer, and little Anna set off on her own to visit the sheep.

“Here, lamb. Here, lamb,” she called as she chased the curly-haired animals. But the sheep all ran off and then stood watching her from the other side of the field.

Finally Anna stopped running after them and stood quietly looking at the sheep she could not catch. Now it was the sheep’s turn to be curious. One of the bigger, bolder lambs came over and sniffed Anna. Anna pulled back. The sheep reached out with its tongue and licked her hand. Anna didn’t like that and called her mother, “MaaMaa.” All the sheep pricked up their ears. The lamb licked Anna again. Again Anna cried, “MaaMaa.” Now all the sheep began to crowd around this strange creature that talked like they did. Soon the whole flock encircled her as she stood crying for her mother, “MaaMaa, MaaMaa.” Poor little Anna was very scared.

Have you ever felt uncomfortable among Christians? Maybe you can talk like a Christian, but perhaps you don’t really belong to the Good Shepherd, the Lord Jesus. To become one of His sheep you must be born again. Each of us has been born once into a human family, but we must also be born into God’s family to become a Christian. When we truthfully tell the Lord Jesus that we’ve done wrong and need His forgiveness of our sins, He will give us a new life, His life. Then we become one of His children, one of His sheep.

Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd, and know My sheep, and am known of Mine. . . . My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand” (John 10:14,27-28).

Hearing what he thought was a sheep bleating, the farmer interrupted his conversation with Anna’s parents and said, “Whatever could be the matter with the sheep? I’ll go and see.”

The farmer hurried over to the flock with Anna’s parents following along behind. They were very surprised and amused to discover the trouble. The farmer made his way through the flock and picked up the unhappy little girl, who was very glad to go back to her mother’s arms.

Are you really one of the Lord Jesus’ sheep? Have you accepted Him as your Shepherd?

ML-06/17/2001

Mistaken Identity

It was fun to watch our collie, Thane, playing with our white, male Pekin duck. When Thane came close to the pond, the duck would fly out of the water directly at the dog, trying to protect the female ducks. Thane would dance around the duck, sometimes taking the duck’s head or wing in his mouth, but never harming it. It was a game with him, lasting about ten minutes before the duck got tired and went back in the water. This game was played two or three times a week.

One day we got a call from a lady whose husband ran the livestock sale barn which was about three quarters of a mile from our house. She said that our dog had killed some of her ducks. I didn’t think that our Thane was guilty, mostly because of his gentleness with our duck, and I told her this, but she insisted it was our dog. She claimed that she had followed the collie for a few blocks, and he was heading towards our place.

Since she was so upset, whether she was right or wrong, I felt, as a Christian, I must keep peace with these people. So I drove over there with Thane in the car, and the husband said yes, he was the dog they saw chasing their ducks. I asked what it would cost to replace the ducks, and he said he guessed it would be $20. I paid him the money and told him that if the dog bothered his ducks again, he had the right to shoot him as a danger to his ducks.

From that time on we kept Thane chained up, and we heard nothing from the duck owners for some time. Then one day the phone rang, and the voice on the other end said, “My husband just shot your dog. Come and pick him up!”

I replied, “It is not my dog because he is chained out in the yard, and I am looking at him right now.”

There was a long silence on the other end, and then she stammered, “Well, it must be that other collie down on Main Street.” That was the last word we heard of the killer collie.

Proverbs 13:15 tells us, “The way of transgressors [sinners] is hard.” This was proven by that collie who paid with his life for his bad deeds. The way of the transgressor is the way of every person who has not had his sins washed away in the precious blood of Christ. God’s Word plainly tells us, “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

Yes, I paid for the bad deeds of a dog that was not mine, and someone else paid a great price for sins that were not His own. Christ Jesus was sinless, and He willingly went to Calvary’s cross to pay the price for the sins of every person who will accept Him as Saviour. “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities [sins]: the chastisement [punishment] of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). This verse tells us that God placed our sins on His Son on the cross and punished Him in our place. Those who believe in His finished work can now have peace with God, because their sins are gone forever. If you will not personally accept what He did for you, you have all your sins and will have to pay for them yourself.

Do you suppose that there will be any mistaken identity of believers by the Lord Jesus? This is what He says: “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish” (John 10:28-29). What a wonderful promise that our sins have been fully paid for - forever!

Are you one of His own? Have you accepted personally that Christ Jesus’ work and death on the cross was for your sins?

ML-06/24/2001

An Old, Musty Bible

As he slowly pushed open the creaky old door, dust and dirt fell on him. Leoncio went in anyway. The old adobe hut had been empty for many years. He passed by it every day on his way to work in Tacabamba, Peru.

In one of the small rooms he found some old school books. Along with them he also found another old book. He brushed it off, but it was still musty smelling from being damp and old. He opened it up to the title page -Santa Biblia (Holy Bible).

Leoncio had never had a Bible of his own. He had never even read one. He sat down on an old wooden bench in the hut and began to read. This book was very interesting. Several hours went by. When he finally decided he’d better start for home, he took the Bible with him.

During the next few weeks, he spent every spare minute he had reading the old Bible. He soon learned that he was a sinner and needed a Saviour. Soon after, Leoncio accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his very own Saviour.

“You are foolish!” said his father when Leoncio first told him about his “new Friend.” But Leoncio went on reading his Bible anyway and talked about it to his family.

Soon one of his brothers also accepted Christ as his Saviour. After that, one by one, all of Leoncio’s brothers and sisters became Christians. But his father and mother would not accept “this new idea.” “How can you be saved when you haven’t gone to the church?” they would ask. Leoncio would explain that the Bible contained God’s words and that they could read it themselves.

After Leoncio had prayed for his parents and read the Bible out loud to them for many weeks, they also found peace through accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour. They not only had heard God’s words, but they saw how it had changed the lives of their children.

It was an old, musty Bible, but God used it to bring new life to a family.

“I have given unto them the words which Thou gavest Me; and they have received them . . . and they have believed that Thou didst send Me” (John 17:8).

ML-06/24/2001

Exploding Dinner

“Mom said, ‘Yes!’ ” I hollered as I ran over to the cabin where my friend Audrey and I slept. “We can go on an overnight campout, and we can take Helen with us too!”

Helen was my five-year-old sister. Audrey and I were almost 12, but Helen was such a good sport we really liked having her do things with us.

Quickly we began gathering up everything we would need -sleeping bags, food, bathing suits, insect repellant. Soon the canoe was loaded and we were on our way with Helen nested in a bundle of stuff in the middle. Audrey and I paddled as fast as we could. We were headed to the sandy beach farther up the lake where we wanted to set up camp for the night.

After we arrived, we unrolled the canvas and straightened our sleeping bags out on it in a neat row. Then we changed into our bathing suits and went for a swim. The water was quite shallow and clear as crystal. The lake bottom was firm sand - a really nice place to play.

After a good swim we built a fire and got out the can of spaghetti-Os for our supper. I began looking through the stuff for a can opener. “Oh, great!” I said. “I must have forgotten the can opener. Maybe if we just put the can in the fire it will get soft enough so I can poke a hole in the lid with this sharp stick.” Audrey wasn’t too sure it would work, but we tried it anyway.

When we thought it had been in the fire long enough, Helen went up close to inspect it.

“You’d better not get too close,” I warned her. “It just might explode.”

Helen obediently moved back a few steps, and just then the can gave a mighty “POP!”, spewing spaghetti-Os in every direction!

Helen was covered from head to toe with spaghetti-Os and sauce, and it was all over the ground. Even the bottom of the lake had Os of spaghetti scattered under the calm, clear water for as far as you could see. It was hard to imagine that one can could hold so much.

The contents of that can could have been very helpful to us. It could have been our supper. And that’s the way it is with the good or bad in us. If we have come to the Lord Jesus for salvation and we are living for Him, there is no way to measure how much good we can spread, by His grace, to others. But if we have only our own sinful nature, or even if we are Christians but are letting that sinful nature control us, there’s no telling how much harm we can cause to those around us. God tells us in Romans 14:7 that “none of us [lives] to himself, and no man [dies] to himself.” We are always affecting the lives of other people around us. And in 2 Corinthians 5:15, God tells us that the Lord Jesus “died for all, that they which live [those who have trusted in His precious blood to wash their sins away and have that new life in Christ] should not . . . live unto themselves, but [live for] Him which died for them, and rose again.” That is how we can be helpful to those around us. They will see that we are living to please Jesus and may ask us about it. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).

Is your life helpful or harmful to those around you?

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”
Matthew 5:16

ML-07/01/2001

Dangerous Berries

Robby was playing outside one nice summer day. He started to get a little hungry and thought he would taste some pretty purple berries that grew along the edge of the yard.

When Mother saw the purple stains on Robby’s face, she was worried. She knew that the berries were not good to eat; they could be poisonous and Robby was not a very big boy. She took him inside and called the Poison Control Center.

The nice lady that talked to Mother told her there was a medicine that would make Robby well again. Mother did not have any of that medicine, so she took Robby to the hospital. The nurses there gave the medicine to Robby, and soon he was better. Mother took him home, and they were able to have a picnic lunch outside in spite of the excitement they had that morning.

Those berries remind me of something called sin which we read about in the Bible. The Bible tells us about “the deceitfulness of sin” (Hebrews 3:13), and that means how sin can fool you. Robby thought the berries looked like good food, but the pretty color fooled him because they were really poisonous. Satan makes sin look pretty, and he does not let you see its “poison.” But God loves you and does not want you to be deceived or fooled. God tells us plainly that “sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death” (James 1:15). Robby could have died if he had eaten more of those berries and not taken any medicine for their poison. God in His wonderful love to us has provided a remedy for sin: “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). The medicine was given to Robby, and he drank it right down just as he was told, so the poison did not hurt him. God’s remedy for you is to “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31). Do just as Robby did: Follow God’s instructions right now, and your sins and their poison will be gone forever.

ML-07/01/2001

Almost Crushed by a Tractor

Some of you boys and girls who read these stories are growing up on a farm just like I did. My dad planted crops like wheat and corn, and he also had some dairy cows. There were always lots of chores to do, and I helped with them even before I was a teenager.

My dad had a tractor that we used to work in our fields, but it wasn’t like the tractors that farmers have nowadays. Modern tractors are more comfortable to ride on than they were years ago. Now, many have air conditioning to keep you cool when the hot, summer sun is blazing down on the field. Some even have tape players so that you can listen to your favorite music while you work. Plus, tractors today have many safety features to protect you from harm.

Our tractor wasn’t at all like this. It didn’t have a cab, air conditioning or a tape player. It didn’t have fenders over the tires or other types of safety guards. It didn’t even have power steering. When you hit a rock or other bump as you were driving across a field, the front tires would suddenly jerk to one side or the other, and if you weren’t hanging on tightly, you might be thrown off the tractor.

One day, when I was twelve years old, that’s exactly what happened to me. I was driving the tractor when, all of a sudden, it hit a bump. Even though I was standing up and holding onto the steering wheel tightly, the jolt sent me hurtling through the air. For a split second I was sailing over one of the back tires while it was still turning. I looked down to realize that the next second I would land on that tire. Then its turning would throw me to the ground and run right over me. The tractor was pulling a double set of disc blades. If the tire didn’t crush me to death, then the blades would run over me and cut me all up.

This sounds awful, doesn’t it? It all happened so quickly that I hardly had a chance to get very scared when in midair I could see that turning tractor tire. Still, my situation was dangerous, and I was helpless to bring myself to safety. I was doomed.

Several years before, someone who cared about my soul very much had spoken to me, along with some other boys, about a Bible story in Matthew 25. He described to us how the Lord Jesus will judge the nations. It is pictured in that story like a man dividing his sheep from his goats. The one group is blessed, while the other goes away into everlasting punishment. I was impressed right then with my need for the Saviour. I prayed and asked Him to forgive my sins. “The blood of Jesus Christ [God’s] Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). “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).

As a young child, I didn’t try to argue about the truth of what I was told from the Bible. I didn’t put it off as something to accept when I was older. I just received it as a message from God Himself for me to believe with all my heart. From that time, I knew that the Lord Jesus was my Saviour and that I was a child of God.

He promises to take care of every one of His children with His constant care. “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of My righteousness” (Isaiah 41:10). As I was hurtling over the tractor tire, my Saviour was still in control. The next thing I knew, my body was draped over the axle housing. I don’t know how it happened, but I never touched the spinning tire. I was then able to climb back up and grab the steering wheel once again so that the tractor did not spin out of control.

Isn’t the Lord good? I thanked Him over and over for His special care over me that day. And I have proven many times since then that “the Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knoweth them that trust in Him” (Nahum 1:7).

Boys and girls, the Lord Jesus is worthy to be trusted. He invites you to come. “Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). He tells you to come now. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). What are you waiting for?

ML-07/08/2001

God's Scale

Most boys and girls like to step on the scales to see how much they weigh. Brent liked to do this, and he always wanted to weigh more than anyone else! One time, trying to be the heaviest, he puffed up his cheeks full of air. One of his friends said, “Brent, you can only weigh what you are. Puffing up your cheeks won’t make you weigh more!”

This is true of each one of us in God’s eyes; we can only “weigh what we are.” Unless we have our hearts washed clean of our sins in the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ, we are only sinners in God’s sight and on our way to eternal punishment.

In Daniel 5:27 we are told of a king who was “weighed in the balances, and . . . found wanting.” This means that when he stepped on “God’s scale” he did not “weigh enough.” God could see that his heart had not been washed clean of its sins, so he was not ready to go to heaven when he died. And he died that very night!

How terrible it will be when the Lord Jesus comes, if you do not “weigh enough” - if your heart has not been washed clean of its sins. Why not let Him wash away your sins right now?

“Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow” (Psalm 51:7). “Jesus Christ, who . . . loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood” (Revelation 1:5).

ML-07/08/2001

Lost and Found

“Scoot . . . go outside!”

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

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

He had wandered away from his home and gotten lost. For two days he had roamed around, looking for his home, and he had not found very much to eat. He could not have known that there were four children at home crying for him and that they had been hunting and calling for him during those two days.

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

“Yes, he is, Daddy.”

“Is the name on his tag Nipper?”

“Yes it is!”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ML-07/15/2001

"I Couldn't Do That!"

Christopher, who was just a little boy, went with his father to a gospel meeting—a meeting where his father preached to the people and told them about how the Lord Jesus loves them so much that He died on the cross so that any who will believe on Him will be saved.

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

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

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

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

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

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

But the more he thought about the old man so sick and lonely, the more he wanted to go. So he went. It took a lot of courage, but the Lord Jesus helped him.

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

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

ML-07/22/2001

Stuck in a Pipe

We live on a small lake that has lots of trees and bushes on the other side. Down below us, there is another lake with an island on it. This all makes an attractive habitat for Canada geese and mallard ducks.

In the spring, when you can find them, it is interesting to watch the geese and ducks nesting. The geese are not too careful about hiding their nests, but the ducks take great care in hiding theirs. They seem to know that raccoons are very clever in finding the nests and stealing the eggs. It is a wise mother duck that will take great care to find a good hiding spot. Her eggs will not be stolen, and she will be rewarded with a hatched-out brood of ducklings. What a pleasant sight to see the new family swimming with the proud mother in the lead and the little yellow ducklings swimming in a straight line behind her.

Ducklings have many enemies: foxes, raccoons and cats prowl the shore, birds of prey fly overhead and snapping turtles swim under the water. Sometimes we hear the loud quacking of a mother duck and fear that one or more of her brood is in trouble.

One day I heard a loud quacking down at the end of the dam where the overflow pipe is. This overflow consists of a large upright pipe, two feet tall, with a six-inch, horizontal pipe at the bottom to take the drainage away when the lake overflows into it in rainy weather.

An upset mother duck and her young were all quacking loudly while swimming next to the overflow pipe. They swam away when they saw me coming. Then I heard the pitiful peeping! A duckling had fallen into the empty overflow pipe and was trapped at the bottom. I reached down to lift the duckling out, but as my hand got near him, he disappeared in the six-inch drain. When I backed away, he would pop out of the drain. I tried the rescue several times, but that duckling was so afraid of me he would run into that dark drain every time.

Then I had an idea. I ran to the woodpile and found a wide, flat board. I crept up to the overflow pipe, and as quickly as I could, I dropped the board down, covering the drain before the duckling could run into it. Now I had my prize! What a peeping the little fellow made when my hand closed around him. I quickly lifted him out and released him into the water, and he must have broken a speed record swimming to his mother!

How like this lost, frightened duckling are unsaved people. They are afraid of God, thinking He is just waiting to catch them so He can punish them. Perhaps they have never heard or read that “God is love” (1 John 4:8). “God our Saviour; who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3-4).

Just as the duckling was afraid of me and did not know I wanted to save him, people who are afraid of God resist His efforts to save them. God “the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world” (1 John 4:14). Christ Jesus, God’s Son, gave His life on the cross for you and me. He shed His blood so that we can have our sins washed away. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). “There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

How happy that mother duck was to have her little lost duckling again, and how happy the heart of the Saviour is when a boy or girl or man or woman comes to Him to be saved from their sins. If you refuse Him, your life will end in despair - an eternity in the lake of fire. Will you let Him save you?

ML-07/22/2001

Hidden Treasure

What boy or girl does not like to read about buried treasure, and especially if it has been found recently! This story is about a ship loaded with gold, silver and precious jewels which sank in a storm over 350 years ago off the coast of Florida. Many divers had tried to find that sunken ship, but it lay buried at the bottom of the ocean, hiding its valuable cargo.

Quite recently, a man named Mel Fisher began to search in earnest for the sunken ship. He and his team of divers spent weeks and months and years searching. Sometimes they were very discouraged, and sometimes they were encouraged by finding coins and jewelry from other sunken ships. But it was the main treasure ship, the Atocha, they were after.

A friend of this diving crew went to Spain and in a library found old parchments written in ancient Spanish. One parchment had information on this particular fleet of ships that sank. He copied the parchment and brought it back to the Fisher team. Now it was clear to them that they were looking in the wrong place. They were about 100 miles away from the spot marked on the parchment.

I like to think of this as an illustration of heaven being like a hidden treasure. We have all heard of the wonderful place called heaven, but we don’t know how we can get to it. Many are looking in the wrong place altogether. Some are following religious leaders who tell them to do the best they can. But there is a very old parchment that points the way, and people who can understand the language in which it was written have translated it for us so that we can read it for ourselves. That parchment is the Bible, and it tells us exactly how we can get to heaven! If you have a Bible and know the true way to heaven, will you be a friend to those looking in the wrong place and share the good news with them?

Once the divers had the new information, it did not take too long to find the Atocha. Soon the world heard of gold bars, silver, emeralds and other precious stones being brought up from the ocean floor. Later, these divers traveled to many cities so that we could see these rare treasures, and it was quite thrilling to hold in our hands a gold chain worth half a million dollars.

But gold and silver will eventually pass away, so it is much more important to make sure we are on our way to heaven. We have been separated from God by our sins, but because Jesus loves us, He came and paid the penalty for those sins by His death on the cross. He invites all, and that includes you, to come to Him for forgiveness and cleansing. When He washes us from our sins, we are like new and have become part of the family of God. Mel Fisher was determined not to give up his search, and God promises that “those that seek Me early shall find Me” (Proverbs 8:17). He also promises, “Ye shall . . . find Me, when ye shall search for Me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13). We can find God by accepting the Lord Jesus as our Redeemer, and in trusting Him we have found the way to heaven.

ML-07/29/2001

An Almost-Missed Invitation

“Rrrring! . . . Rrrring!”

Oh, no, I thought. With all these people calling to sell me something, I’m not getting a thing done! Maybe I’ll just not answer this time. But when the telephone kept ringing, I decided to answer it. “Hello?” I said tiredly.

“Hi!” said a cheerful little voice. “Could you come to my house to-mo-wo?”

Only one little boy I knew said the word “tomorrow” like that. So I answered, “I’d love to come to your house, Tommy!” Then he asked me to be sure to bring my youngest son so they could play cars together.

I was so glad I answered that phone call. Tommy would have been so disappointed if I hadn’t, and our family would have missed out on a good meal and visit. I almost missed out on a kind invitation by not answering the telephone.

Have you ever missed out on an invitation to dinner or a birthday party or to a friend’s house? Maybe you were sick or busy or just didn’t want to go. I hope no one reading this is missing out on God’s invitation. Have you ever heard God’s loving voice calling you to come to Him? “Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts” (Hebrews 3:15).

Just as Tommy invited me to his house, God is inviting you to His house in heaven. Revelation 21 tells us about that wonderful home where there will be no more tears, no more death, no more sorrow, and no more crying or pain. And something else that won’t be in His home is SIN, because God is holy and perfect. He knew we were sinners, but even though He hates our sins, He still loves us. He and His Son had a plan so that we could be in heaven without our awful sins. About 2000 years ago He sent His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to bear the punishment on the cross for the sins of all people who would believe in Him. To be able to live in God’s home, you must tell Him that you are truly sorry for your sins and that you want Him to forgive your sins.

It wasn’t hard for me to accept Tommy’s cute invitation, and it isn’t hard for you to accept God’s loving invitation. Will you accept it right now?

“If we confess [admit] our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

ML-07/29/2001

Mr. Woodpecker's Wasted Work

Tap-tap-tap! Mr. Woodpecker was hard at work. He had found a nice tall tree that he thought was just right for raising a family. We were happy because he was working right outside our kitchen window, and the family loved to watch him working while we ate our meals.

Mr. Woodpecker made a hole in the side of the tree so that he and Mrs. Woodpecker would have a safe place to build a nest. Mr. Woodpecker wasn’t the only one that thought he had found a good place for a nest. Every time he left, another bird would start to use his hole to build its own nest. How we laughed to see Mr. Woodpecker come home and chase the other bird away. Then he would busily pull out all the grass and clean his hole out so that he and Mrs. Woodpecker could build their own nest. But the next time he left, another bird would start a nest, and Mr. Woodpecker would have to clean out his hole again.

Then one night we had a storm. We saw lightning and heard the loud thunder. How the wind did blow! After the storm passed, we went back to sleep. But when we got up in the morning, we had a big surprise. Right outside our kitchen window a tree had fallen in the yard! Well, it wasn’t a whole tree, but one of the four big branches in Mr. Woodpecker’s tree had broken off in the wind. The hole he had made for his nest made a weak spot in that branch, and the storm had broken it off right in the middle of the hole. Poor Mr. Woodpecker. All his work was wasted.

God tells us there is a storm coming for the whole world. It is a storm of judgment from Him against sin. God has said that He has “appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness” (Acts 17:31). Are you a sinner ready to stand before a Judge who hates all sin and evil? A verse from the Bible says, “O mighty God . . . Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and [cannot] look on iniquity” (Habakkuk 1:12-13).

Mr. Woodpecker knew that he needed a safe place to build his nest, but the place he chose was not as safe as he thought. Are you trusting in your parents’ faith to save you from your sins? Do you hope that going to Sunday school or learning Bible verses will take away your sins? These things are just like the place Mr. Woodpecker chose for his nest. They will not keep you safe through the storm. Your work will be wasted.

God has provided a safe place from that storm against all sin: “A man shall be as a hiding place from the wind, and a covert [shelter] from the tempest [storm]” (Isaiah 32:2). That man’s name is “Jesus: for He shall save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). Trust in the Lord Jesus today, and you will be safe through that coming storm. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

ML-08/05/2001

Almost Trampled

Mildred Hansen and her mother know there is a God. They also know that He stands ready to honor His promise, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me” (Psalm 50:15). Not only do they know that God is always on duty, but they have learned how much He cares for small children. It all happened on a western ranch when Mildred was only three years old.

Their ranch house was surrounded by grassy lawns and trees and enclosed by a white picket fence. A lane ran alongside the fence on one side, leading to the barns and corrals behind. The yard was a perfect place for Mildred to play.

One beautiful day, Mother let Mildred go out to play in the afternoon. She was able to watch her in the yard through the open kitchen window. What she did not know was that someone had left the fence gate along the lane partly open. She also did not know that her husband, who had been gone for two days with his cowboys, was approaching the lane from the range with a herd of horses, wild and mean and running like a wolf pack.

Mother heard the rumbling, a muffled thunder that actually shook the house. Running to the window she saw them filling the roadway, charging in a cloud of dust down upon . . . Mildred! Yes, Mildred had found the open gate and was now sitting in the dusty lane. Her daddy was behind the herd, unable to see her or know the almost certain death he was herding upon his small daughter.

“Oh, Lord, have mercy! Lord, save her!” the anguished mother cried. There was only time for the cry. She ran out screaming and waving her arms at the men.

In only a few moments the herd of horses had passed. The stricken parents found Mildred . . . still sitting, covered with dirt from head to toe, but very much alive and crying loudly. Mildred was not hurt at all!

Only God could have protected her, and the parents realized that fact immediately. A strong angel? Or did God change the excitable, wild nature of those horses long enough to cause each one to leap neatly over Mildred? He was the One who made them, and He could control them.

Yes, God cares for children, and He cares for you too. Do you want to know how much He loves you? He sent His Son, Jesus, into the world especially to save you from Satan. Satan has lured you to sin many times, for you were born with a nature that loves to sin. “All have sinned” (Romans 3:23). “The soul that sinneth, it shall die,” we read in Ezekiel 18:4. But, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). He had to die - He had to take your punishment in order to save you. Have you accepted His salvation offered to anyone who will receive Him?

ML-08/05/2001

Wandering Ducks

Grandma lived on a farm, and she had a little flock of ducks. These ducks were supposed to stay in the backyard away from the road so that they would not get hit on the road or wander off and get lost. But it seemed like the ducks didn’t remember very long, and soon they would come waddling around to the front yard.

“You ducks, get back in the backyard!” Grandma would order. Then they would turn around and waddle back to the backyard where they belonged.

Pretty soon here they would come again, and Grandma would tell them again, “You ducks, get back in the backyard!”

Sometimes we are just like those ducks—we often forget. God has to show us again and again what is the right way for our feet. He knew we would forget easily, so He gave us His Word, the Bible, to read every day to remind us of the right path.

“Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105). “Seek ye out of the book of the Lord, and read” (Isaiah 34:16).

ML-08/12/2001

A Stolen Child

A woman in China who was a Christian went to visit a couple who had no children of their own. She found them happy because they had recently paid money to buy a four-year-old girl to raise as their own. They told the woman that there was one thing about the little girl that puzzled them. Before she would eat food, she always folded her hands, closed her eyes and said something.

The visitor knew at once that the little girl must have had a Christian upbringing. She then remembered that she had seen an advertisement about a lost girl in a Christian paper. The parents lived in a distant town.

She was finally able to find out where the little girl came from and that she was the missing child. She had been stolen and sold.

When the foster parents heard the facts, they returned the girl to her parents. What a happy time for both the little girl and her parents when they were together again.

Fathers and mothers, how are you training your children? “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6).

ML-08/19/2001

Don't Feed the Bears

When our children were young, we spent our summer vacations traveling in the western states and camping in the national parks. In those days, black bears roamed freely in the parks until they got to be troublesome or dangerous. When this happened, park rangers would trap them and haul them many miles away to release them in the wild.

We saw signs posted all over the campgrounds warning,

Those that didn’t obey the first sign would sometimes come back from a hike to find their coolers or their tents ripped open and their food gone. Others that thought the bears were cute and forgot that they were dangerous, wild animals would often ignore the warning signs and feed the bears by hand. Some ended up with serious bites. Their disobedience had gotten them into trouble.

We live in a sinful world, and the prince of it, Satan, is always waiting to lure us into sin. Proverbs 14:9 tells us, “Fools make a mock at sin.” God’s Word, the Bible, is full of warnings and instruction for how we should behave in this world. They are meant to help us avoid the dangers and to guide us in the way that a Christian should go. Disobeying God’s warnings will lead us into greater danger than those people who disobeyed the park’s warnings. The writer of Psalm 119:11 said, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee.”

Grizzly bears are another matter and are kept away from campgrounds. They are much larger than black bears and have very mean tempers. We once camped in a campground where, just the week before, a grizzly had broken into a tent and killed a young lady. Tents are no longer allowed in that campground. It was in that park that my two oldest children and I took an all-day hike up to Dawson Pass. When we got back to camp, we were told that it had been foolish for us to go so far away from camp. They explained that it was wild blueberry season, and grizzly bears become very upset if you surprise them when they are in the blueberry patches. Most grizzlies will leave if they hear someone coming but will charge if they are surprised. I know our Lord Jesus was protecting us that day, for we didn’t even see a bear.

Now I want to tell you an amusing but dangerous incident that I saw while walking through a campground at Crater Lake. I heard people singing, “Happy Birthday.” I turned to see a group sitting at a large picnic table that was loaded with food. In the middle was a large, decorated birthday cake. The singing had just stopped when a big black bear appeared and promptly invited himself to the party. With the people scurrying, screaming and yelling, the bear calmly climbed onto the table and sat down with his hind legs out in front of him. Then he picked up the birthday cake and proceeded to eat all of it. There he was, the master of the feast, and those who were there to enjoy it could do nothing but watch their food disappear.

And that is the way Satan treats millions of souls in this sinful world. “Your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Satan is a tempter and a liar, leading unbelievers deeper into sin and into everlasting punishment if they die in their sins. He doesn’t care about that, but God does, and He has provided a Saviour for you and me, because He loves us. “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Jesus Christ, God’s Son, died on Calvary’s cross and shed His precious blood for you and me. “Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood . . . be glory and dominion forever and ever” (Revelation 1:56).

Won’t you accept the finished work of Christ to wash your sins away and be saved from that terrible enemy, Satan, whom Christ defeated at the cross?

ML-08/19/2001

Saved From a Well

When I was a child, there was a framed Bible verse that hung on my bedroom wall. I learned it well, looking at it night after night. It is a very useful verse to know, and it would be a good idea if you learned it too. It says: “Call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me” (Psalm 50:15). I am going to tell you a story of a boy who called on the Lord Jesus for help when he was in great trouble.

Jamil was a little shepherd boy in the south of India. Water was very scarce in that area, and Jamil left his faithful ox to guard his flock of goats while he went in search of water. He walked until he came to an old well.

As he leaned over to see if there was any water, the wall gave way, and the poor boy fell down the well. Thankfully for him, a small shrub was growing out of the side which caught his shirt and stopped him from falling to the bottom. Shocked and bruised, he managed to pull himself up to a ledge while he thought of what to do.

How was he going to get out of there? It was impossible for him to climb out by himself, and he was in a very lonely area. In his fear and anxiety, he remembered that one day when he stopped to hear a gospel preacher in a village, he had heard of someone called Jesus. This Jesus could be called on for help in time of need or danger, and He would answer. Right there in simple faith, Jamil begged the help of Jesus.

After having prayed, he calmed down, and as time passed, he found himself nodding off to sleep. In this half sleeping state, he felt something touching him, and looking around he saw a rope. It was the rope that hung from the neck of his ox, which was now looking down into the well. He apparently had come in search of his young master. Quickly Jamil attached himself to the rope and called to his ox to back up, and so he was able to climb out of the well. Immediately he fell on his knees and thanked Jesus for answering his prayer.

Imagine the joy of that shepherd boy when he learned more about Jesus and came to know the One who had sent the ox to save him. Jamil became a true Christian and often told the story of how his life was saved, always giving the glory to the Lord Jesus who hears everyone who calls upon Him. The Bible tells us that “the Lord is [near] unto all them that call upon Him” (Psalm 145:18). We can be sure that He heard a lonely little boy in India, and He will hear us wherever we are.

ML-08/26/2001

The Way Through a Red Light

While driving a car, have you ever gone through a red light and been pulled over by the police? If so, you know how upsetting it is to have the policeman talk to you. He will give you a ticket no matter what excuse you give.

However, it is possible to drive through a red light without worrying about the police. It only happens when you are in an ambulance. It happened to me once.

My friend and I had taken the private commuter bus to a shopping plaza where we planned to do some shopping. While getting on an escalator, I missed the first step and fell. That caused my friend behind me to also fall, but she didn’t get hurt. I got a nasty cut on my left leg between the ankle and knee. It bled and really made a mess.

The store manager brought chairs for us to sit on. After he called for an ambulance, he wrapped towels around my leg. Our bus driver found us sitting there, and he told me, “You will have to go to the hospital to see if there might be a broken bone.” No one likes to go to a hospital, but like it or not, that is where they took me.

First the paramedics came. After putting on a temporary bandage, they slipped on a strange-looking plastic boot. Then I was put on a stretcher and carried to the ambulance.

What a loud wailing noise the siren made. All the cars on the street quickly pulled over to the side to let us pass. We had the right-of-way and only slowed down for traffic lights - even the red ones - as we sped along.

Before long we arrived at the hospital. From the ambulance I was put in a wheelchair and then wheeled right into the emergency room.

The doctor’s words were comforting: “No bones broken, but I’ll have to put in some stitches. It won’t hurt because I’ll make it numb first.” My friend waited in another room. Our bus driver had said he would stop at the hospital a little later to pick us up. So it wasn’t long until we were back home.

The ambulance has every right to go through red lights and the driver won’t be punished. But the rest of us can’t! God has also put red lights in our lives to slow us down and to make us stop and think. He wants us to think about our sins and their punishment. You know, some people drive through red lights and don’t get stopped by the police - they “get away” with it. But we can never “get away” with our sins. Every one of them will be punished. God gives you a choice about the punishment for your sins. You can accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour by believing that He suffered the punishment for your sins on the cross, and you will go free. “Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18). Or you can refuse His loving offer of freedom and bear the punishment for your sins in hell forever. “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15).

The choice isn’t very hard to make, is it? Why not settle the matter right now while you’re stopped at this red light by accepting the Lord Jesus as your own Saviour and be free!

ML-08/26/2001

Learn to Fly!

JUMP! JUMP! JUMP! Three boys splashed into the irrigation canal one hot August day. “Hey, look! There are some birds in the water!” exclaimed one of the boys. Sure enough, there were three baby swallows floating in the water. “They must have fallen out of one of those mud nests under the bridge.”

The boys brought the birds home and tried to feed them, but they wouldn’t eat. Then they let them go free, but they couldn’t fly. For several days we saw them around the yard, hopping from one hiding place to the next. We really hoped they would learn to fly quickly, because there were two things that could happen. The first danger was our cat; he would love to eat three helpless birds! The second danger was that the rest of the swallows were getting ready to fly south. If these little birds didn’t learn to fly, they would be left behind for a cold, snowy winter. The result of either danger would be death to those little birds!

If you haven’t learned to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ for your salvation from sin, you are just like those three swallows that hadn’t learned to fly. The first danger is that you could die while still in your sins. Satan is our enemy, and he would like you to think it’s nothing to worry about, but it is a terrible danger. The second danger is being left behind when the Lord Jesus comes to take to heaven all those who have learned to trust Him for their salvation. The result of either danger is an eternity in the awfulness of hell.

Do you have parents, friends or Sunday school teachers who are urging you to come to the Lord Jesus now to have your sins washed away? They are deeply concerned about you. The Bible warns, “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation”? (Hebrews 2:3).

Those little birds had others who were worried about them too. The swallows that nested on our house swooped down near those babies and seemed to be warning them of danger. The older swallows chirped and made noises as if they were so concerned.

As we watched those little swallows hopping around the yard, we wished that we could say to them, “Please hurry! Learn to fly!” And we want to say to you, “Please hurry before it’s too late! Trust in the Lord Jesus to save you from your sins!”

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

ML-09/02/2001

Lost in the Mountains

Mr. Albert never expected to get lost the day he left his friends in the mountains of Bolivia. They had had a happy time singing hymns and reading the Bible together the day before. He had stayed overnight, and now he planned to take the bus home. He would have to walk a few miles over to the road in order to catch the bus.

“Stay on the footpath,” his friends told him. “Don’t go on the goat path.”

So Mr. Albert started out on the path to find the road. A bus would be coming by sometime that morning and would stop to pick him up. Everything went fine for a while, but the path often divided and went in two directions. He was not always sure which way to turn.

Soon Mr. Albert noticed that there were goat tracks on the footpath. Perhaps he had taken the wrong path. He went back to check, but now it seemed that there were footprints on the goat path, and goat tracks on the footpath! How could he tell which was which?

Mr. Albert continued walking, but just ahead someone had dragged firewood along so that it was impossible to see any path at all. He walked back to where the thorn bushes had blocked out the path to see if he could find it again. But to him it looked as if the path went in all directions. Now he couldn’t find his way back to his friends, and he couldn’t find the road. He had less than a quart of water and was lost in a Bolivian desert!

Mr. Albert knew he was lost, but there are many people in this world who are lost and don’t even know it. You don’t have to be in the middle of a desert to be lost. Thousands of people in this world are lost because they don’t know where they are going when they leave this world. Many would like to go to heaven, but they don’t know how to get there. They are lost in their sins, because they have turned away from God.

But there is good news for people who are lost. It’s found in the Bible in Luke 19:10: “The Son of Man [Jesus] is come to seek and to save that which is lost.” The Lord Jesus came into this world to look for and to save those who are lost in their sins. If you would like to go to heaven but don’t know how to get there, turn to the Lord Jesus. He said, “I am the way” (John 14:6).

When Mr. Albert realized he was lost, he prayed, asking God for help and then climbed a hill to see if he could see anything. There were only desert sand, thorn trees and another hill to climb. He climbed the second hill, and in the distance he could see what looked like a cut in the mountainside. It could be the road. He took off, forgetting completely about paths, and walked toward the cut in the mountainside. When he got there, he found it was the road! Not long after that a bus came along and took him home.

Mr. Albert found the road almost by accident, though it was with the help of God answering his prayer, but if you are saved it will be no accident, for Jesus has been looking for you. Are you eight years old? Then He has been looking for you for eight years. Are you twelve? Then Jesus has been looking for you for twelve years. Come to the Lord Jesus today for salvation, and you will be on your way to heaven.

ML-09/02/2001

Timmy Eats the Wrong Thing

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

He was playing alone in the basement when he found something new to play with. He probably smelled, licked and played with the object before he finally sank his sharp teeth into it. What he had found was a tube of “super glue” left out on the desk by one of the children.

Poor Timmy quickly found out that “super glue” is not good to eat. That little taste of glue was enough to make Timmy foam at the mouth and roll on the floor in pain, because the glue had burned his lips and tongue.

The family took Timmy to the vet who told them he might even lose part of his tongue. Poor Timmy had bitten into and tasted something that was harmful.

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

ML-09/09/2001

"They Thought It Was Funny"

The Lord Jesus said some words that every person, young or old, would do well to pay very careful attention to. He said, “Broad is the way, that [leads] to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat . . . and narrow is the way, which [leads] unto life, and few there be that find it” (Matthew 7:13-14).

Recently, we read of an event which is an example of what the Lord Jesus meant. A group of over 100 runners set out on a 10,000-meter cross-country race. There would be only one winner, but each runner hoped to at least complete the race even if he or she weren’t the winner.

As the race progressed, one runner found himself running alone. Being sure he had followed the signs and taken the correct turn, he kept waving for the other runners to follow him. Only four believed he was going the right way and followed him; all the others followed the crowd of runners going in the wrong direction and missed the whole goal of the race. Later when he was asked what the other runners’ reactions were to his taking the correct turn, the young man said, “They thought it was funny that I went the right way.”

And isn’t that just how it is for any boy or girl who decides to follow Jesus? Following Jesus means to leave the broad way that leads to destruction and to turn onto the narrow way that leads to eternal life. And sometimes it means you will run alone. Friends or family may think it is funny that you are going the right way, but the prize will be awarded to the one who continues on that narrow way, while all the others will miss it. Another Bible verse tells us to “run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus” (Hebrews 12:12). Jesus goes on before us, waving us on and beckoning us to follow, and because He knows the way well, we are safe when we follow Him. Don’t be like the crowd who thought it was funny when the runner went the right way. They lost both the race and the prize!

ML-09/16/2001

"Come, Dart"

Dart was his name. I guess we named him that because he was inquisitive, seldom sat still and was always poking his nose into every cranny and hole. He was a black dachshund - long body and short legs. I’ve heard the Germans bred them to chase badgers out of their dens, thus the German name which means “badger hound.”

We had no badgers around so Dart substituted cats, which he delighted to chase. Most cats fled from him, but one was more than his match. He chased it into some tall grass, but soon he came yipping back out with the cat on his back, its tail in the air and its claws in his back. So much for cat chasing . . . for a while.

One early-spring morning, the children and I took a long walk with Dart running on ahead, exploring objects and smells that only dogs are interested in. The ice had not yet fully melted off the ponds. I warned the children that the ice was not safe, “so stay off.”

Just as we were passing a pond that was still half covered by ice, Dart ran out onto the ice. Before I could call him back, the ice gave way, and he fell into the freezing water. His head popped up and he tried to climb back onto the ice. But each time he tried to claw his way out, his paws would slip on the ice and back he would slide into the water. He was too far out for us to reach him, and the ice was too thin for us to think of going out to help him. The children were very upset, afraid they were going to lose their beloved pet.

I suddenly had an idea! I quickly ran around to the other side of the pond and called, “COME, DART!” Dart immediately stopped his frantic attempts to save himself, turned around and swam to me and safety. How happy we were as we dried his cold, wet coat and praised him for obeying my call.

When he was just a puppy, we had trained Dart to obey the word “come,” and it saved his life that day. But there was one person whose obedience could not save Him. It was God the Father’s will that His beloved Son, Jesus Christ, would go to the cross and suffer, bleed and die for lost sinners. Christ obeyed His Father’s will. He says in John 6:38, “I came down from heaven, not to do Mine own will, but the will of Him that sent Me.” Romans 5:19 explains, “By one man’s [Adam’s] disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one [Christ] shall many be made righteous.” Jesus obeyed His Father’s will and went down into the waters of death so that you and I could have our sins washed away in His shed blood.

Dart’s paws were slipping on the ice and he was doomed to die, until he obeyed. And sinners are on slippery ground, but those who hear Christ calling and come to Him to have their sins washed away can say, “He . . . heard my cry. He brought me up also . . . out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock [Christ]” (Psalm 40:12).

But 1 Peter 4:17 asks a most solemn question: “What shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” What about you? Are you still on slippery ground? or have you planted your feet on Christ, the Rock, who will save you eternally?

ML-09/16/2001

What Made Me Save Her?

Ruthie was excited! She and her family were going to the beach for the afternoon. It was one of those very hot days when it would be really fun and refreshing to splash and swim in the water down at the lake.

Ruthie was also eager to use her new inflatable raft for the first time. It had been a birthday present, and she couldn’t wait to try it out. As soon as she got to the beach, she begged her daddy and mommy to blow it up for her. When they were finished, she ran right down to the water with it.

Oh, how much fun she had floating around the swimming area! She could splash with her hands, and she could even kick a little with her feet without having to worry about sinking. You see, Ruthie didn’t know how to swim yet, and she was easily frightened whenever she was in water that was up to her chest or deeper.

What Ruthie didn’t realize was that the wind had started blowing while she was floating around on her raft. At first it was a gentle breeze, but the longer it blew, the more it made Ruthie drift farther away from the shore. Eventually the wind took her completely outside of the roped-off swimming area and into the weeds and water lilies that were growing in the water. All of a sudden, Ruthie discovered where she was and how far she was from her friends who had been swimming near her, and she was afraid!

Her friends called out to her, telling her to paddle with her hands. But she didn’t understand what to do, and her attempts to paddle didn’t help her to move anywhere.

One of her friends, who was older and knew how to swim, saw where she was and started to swim to Ruthie to help her get back to safety. However, her friend got tangled in the weeds and gave up trying to rescue her. Then Ruthie started to cry because she was scared!

I had been sitting on the beach, having a good chat with a friend. I was comfortable there and not quite ready to get in the water for a swim. Then I heard Ruthie crying and saw how helpless she was. I quickly jumped in the water, swam out to her, and pushed her and her raft back to safety.

Do you know why I did that? Why did I swim through all those weeds that were constantly getting tangled in my arms and legs? What made me keep on, stroke after stroke, till I reached Ruthie and brought her back to shallower water near the beach?

I am Ruthie’s daddy, and I love her very much. How could I just keep sitting on the beach, while my dear daughter was helplessly stranded out in the water? No, I would do all in my power to save her and calm her fears.

Do you know that this is just what the Lord Jesus has done? He was in heaven, and He saw us down here on earth. He saw that we liked to go our own way and that sometimes we thought we were having fun doing it. But He also saw that we were slowly but surely committing one sin after another, drifting farther and farther away from Him. We became slaves to sin and to Satan, and when we became aware of this awful condition, there was nothing that we could do to get free. We were helpless, and we were heading for the punishment of our sins in hell.

What made the Lord Jesus look down on us with pity and kindness? What made Him leave His home in heaven, where He enjoyed special happiness with His Father, to come down to this world so full of sin and misery? What made Him become a man, so completely like us yet entirely without any sin Himself, that He might die for us? Why did He hang on the cross, endure all the punishment of God against sin and shed His precious blood so that He might offer to you and me a full, free pardon from every sin?

The answer to all these questions is one word - love! “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). “The Son of God . . . loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

By simply trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ and the value of His sufferings and death on the cross, you will be freed from your helpless state of slavery to sin and Satan. Your heart will be cleansed from every stain of sin, for “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). You will have the Lord Jesus as your closest friend forever, and heaven will be your home after you leave this world.

But remember, there is no other way but God’s way. “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us” (Titus 3:5). Trust in the Lord Jesus today!

ML-09/23/2001

Locked In!

One day as we drove along a country road, we saw a sign pointing out a great dam that had been built many years ago. The gate was open, and although there was a sign that said, we saw a car parked inside the gate and a small truck farther on, so we drove in to see this great structure. We intended to stay only a few minutes.

As we were looking at this huge dam and the lake above it, we saw the truck pull out and drive off. This reminded us that we too should be on our way, and soon we were heading back the way we came in.

To our surprise and dismay, the gate was now closed and securely locked! There was no getting out that way. We looked around and saw a rough, unpaved road that went off in the opposite direction. We had no choice but to follow it. We saw that it led down to a narrow wooden bridge and on to a fairly busy road. We continued on and crossed the wooden bridge only to find another gate. It was also securely locked! However, there was a house nearby, and we assumed that someone there must have a key, so we went to ask.

Imagine our surprise when the man looked at us, looked at our car on the bridge, and said, “How ever did you get there? I have never seen a car on that bridge before.” Then he added, “Sorry, but I don’t have a key to the gate. That is government property.”

What were we to do? We were locked in, and the afternoon was passing quickly. Was there no help for us?

Then the man had an idea. He made a few phone calls and finally talked to another man in a small town several miles away. That kind man agreed to come and let us out. He eventually arrived, unlocked the big padlock, swung open the gate and we were free to leave!

First, we were guilty of trespassing, and then we were trapped and could not help ourselves. This is exactly our condition as sinners. We are all guilty of sin of one type or another, and we are trapped in our sins and can do nothing to help ourselves. We need someone to come set us free.

Jesus is the only One who can meet us where we are and set us free from our sins. We had to admit to the man at the house what we had done before he could help us. And we must admit to God that we are sinners and need a Saviour to take away our sins. The man at the house called someone with a key to open the gate. And God sent His Son Jesus to open the way for us. He is the only one who can set us free from our sins. “He [Jesus] is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him” (Hebrews 7:25). “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36).

This little story is written to help you see that we have all sinned and need a Saviour to come to our aid and set us free. Have you been set free?

ML-09/30/2001

Scamper Healed

Scamper and Scooter belonged to six-year-old Ann. Ann loved her two cats, and they seemed to love her just as much. They enjoyed playing together both in the house and in the backyard.

One day, Scamper seemed to be sick. She would not touch her bowl of food and didn’t want to play. Later on in the day Ann found her lying under a bush in the backyard mewing sadly.

Ann ran to the house as fast as she could. “Mommy!” she shrieked, bursting into the kitchen. “Come quick! Scamper’s very sick, and I think she’s going to die!”

Mother quickly went outside to see Scamper. Looking down at the little furry animal lying limp on the grass, Mother had to agree. “Oh my, Ann, she doesn’t look very good. But we’ll do everything we can to help her get better.”

Scamper was laid in a big box in the kitchen, and Mother coaxed her to drink a little warm milk. But when bedtime came she was no better. Even Scooter seemed to mope around without his playful companion.

Ann’s bedtime story from the Bible was about the man sick with palsy who was brought sad and sick to Jesus to be healed and went away happy and well. As she listened, Ann got an idea.

“Mommy,” she said, “if Jesus can make sick people get better, don’t you think He could make Scamper get better too?”

“I’m sure He could, honey, if it is His will. Why don’t we ask Him?”

So at the end of Ann’s bedtime prayer she added, “Please, Lord Jesus, make Scamper better again. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

Ann got out of bed early the next morning and ran down to the kitchen to see Scamper. The box was empty. What had happened? Had her kitty died? Then a loud mew came from under the table, and Scamper walked out, stretching sleepily, and coming to Ann to be petted. She seemed to be all better.

Mother came in during Ann’s and Scamper’s happy reunion. “You won’t forget to thank the Lord Jesus for answering your prayer, will you?” she said, reminding Ann.

So right there in the kitchen Ann and Mother knelt down at the kitchen chairs while Ann thanked the Lord Jesus for making Scamper all better again.

Does the Lord Jesus hear a child’s prayer? He certainly does, and his answer will be whatever is best, as He is the only one who knows what is good for us.

Wouldn’t you like to have the Lord Jesus help you each day? Then come to Him right now, admitting that you are a sinner, and accept Him as your own Saviour.

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

ML-09/30/2001

In a Boat With No Paddle

We were in real danger! Eight of us were out in a boat, on a very big lake, on a very dark night, when the motor died. It stopped and just would not restart. We were not only drifting toward the dam, which was bad enough, but a huge barge that couldn’t stop was warning us with its bright lights that we were drifting in its way!

This was our first time out in the boat, which was new to us. In our excitement at going for just a short ride, we were not properly prepared for an emergency. We had no paddle and no tools!

Life is something like that boat ride. We must be properly prepared for the journey so it will not end in disaster. The Bible tells us that the Lord Jesus loves us and will be our guide through life, if we will let Him. Drifting along without His guidance and saving power will certainly end in disaster.

And it looked like that’s where we were headed — for disaster! All eight of us know the Lord Jesus as our Saviour, and we have read verses from the Bible many times, instructing us to ask Him for help when we are in trouble. “In the day of my trouble I will call upon Thee: for Thou wilt answer me” (Psalm 86:7). “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).

We were to learn, once again, about the power of prayer. The eight of us joined together in prayer, asking the Lord Jesus to help us and preserve our lives. We know He heard us and answered that prayer. While John held the flashlight, Brad tried to make adjustments to the motor. Suddenly, that motor came to life, and we quickly turned the boat around, avoiding the dam and getting out of the path of the barge! What a relief! We were saved! And we all thanked the Lord Jesus for His powerful care over us that night.

Disaster in the boat is not the only thing the Lord Jesus has saved us from. He has saved each of us from an eternity in hell after our lives here on earth are over. Each of us in that boat has confessed to being a sinner before God and has accepted His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, as Saviour. We each know that we have safety and security for all eternity.

What about you? Do you have safety and security for all eternity?

ML-10/07/2001

Felix's Birthday Present

Felix was not her real name, but that’s what her big brother called her. The name Felix means “happy,” and sometimes it suited her, and sometimes it didn’t.

Felix had had more than a dozen birthdays, and there had been gifts with ribbons and cards, but this time she wanted a very special gift, and she wanted it badly.

So, on the morning of that special day, she knelt down and prayed, “Lord, help me to win someone for Christ today.” That was the gift she wanted more than anything else. And before the day was over, she was seated in Lena’s living room with a slim little Bible in her pocket, watching for the answer to her birthday prayer.

After they had chatted awhile, she said, “Lena, Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. Would you like to know for sure that you are saved from your sins?”

“I don’t need to be saved,” Lena answered. “I am not a sinner.”

Then the Bible came out of Felix’s pocket. “It says here in Romans 3:23 that ‘all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.’ And if God says it, it must be true.”

“No,” insisted Lena. “I’ve been kind to everybody, and I’ve helped them and given them things. I’m not a sinner.”

Felix was not very good at arguing, so she just said, “Well, God says all have sinned. It must mean you and me.”

“No, I know you well enough. You’ve been a good girl too.”

“Maybe when you look at me, but it’s God who has to decide.” And then, because Felix didn’t know what else to say, she just said, “Let’s pray about it.”

It wasn’t very easy, but she knew that God could do what nobody else could do, and so she asked Him to save her friend. And then she said, “Now, Lena, would you like to pray?”

This was new. I don’t think Lena had ever prayed like that before, although she had often been to church. But her friend’s prayer was just simply talking to God, and so she did. “Lord Jesus,” she said, “thank you for showing me that I am a sinner . . . and . . . thank you for dying for me.”

Did you know that that’s all it takes? The Lord Jesus saves sinners, but He doesn’t save people who don’t believe that they are sinners. He saves sinners from their sins because, as the Bible tells us over and over, Christ died for our sins (1 Corinthians 15:3), and He bore our sins in His own body on the cross (1 Peter 2:24). That is why, just before He died, He cried loudly, “It is finished!” He has left nothing for us to do except to believe this with all our hearts. And He has promised, “He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life” (John 6:47).

So Felix got her birthday present, and she was so happy. It was a costly gift, but the Lord Jesus paid for it with His precious blood. And do you know who was most happy? The Lord Jesus was! Every person who is saved is the Father’s gift to His Son Jesus, and He is perfectly satisfied.

And when we are all taken home to the Father’s house in heaven, will you be there to share the family joy? You are welcome, if you come now.

ML-10/07/2001

A Stolen Family!

As I sit looking out on the little lake that is behind our house, I see several families of geese. The ganders (fathers) swim in front, followed by their goslings in a straight line, with the hens (mothers) bringing up the rear. These are Canada geese -black and gray with a white chin strap - a beautiful bird. They have been coming back here for years to build their nests, lay their eggs, and raise their young on the grasses and lawns surrounding the lakes.

But there is something unusual about one of these families. The leader of one family is a snow goose. He is all white with black wing tips. Some years ago, through some mix-up, he came back in the spring with the Canada geese. They seem to accept him as one of their own. He doesn’t seem to know that he is different and demands a place of higher rank in the pecking order.

I suspect that there are many so-called Christians who are not true Christians at all. They enjoy the company of believers, go to meetings and Sunday schools and sing the gospel songs, but they have never admitted that they are sinners and put their trust in the saving power of the Lord Jesus Christ to wash their sins away in His precious blood. To us they seem to be saved, but to God they stand out like the snow goose. “The Lord [knows] them that are His” (2 Timothy 2:19). Have you truly placed your trust in the finished work of Christ and thanked Him for saving you? Or are you a bluffer, like the snow goose?

The snow goose may select a mate, and she may make a nest and lay eggs. But because they are different species, a cross between a snow goose and a Canada goose is not possible, so the eggs never hatch out.

What happens next is the worst fighting and fussing you have ever heard from geese. We can hear the higher pitched shrieks of the snow goose above the others, often with gander wings beating one another. Usually the snow goose drives off one of the weaker ganders, and he wins as the head of the weaker gander’s family. The snow goose claims the family just as if it were his own. The goslings don’t seem to know the difference and follow the white gander, with their own mother behind them. He has stolen a family!

If you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, you have an enemy who would like to steal your heart! Satan will try to set the attractions of this world in your heart to take away your love for the things of the Lord. Proverbs 23:26 pleads, “My son, give Me thine heart.” The psalmist gives good instruction: “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee” (Psalm 119:11).

I feel sorry for the gander who lost his family. He often follows at a distance, sometimes calling out to his mate, but he gets no answering call. Be careful that your heart is not stolen from the Lord Jesus. “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15).

ML-10/14/2001

Hippo Hunt

The men on the mission station in Africa were planning to go on a hippo hunt. They asked us women if we would like to join them. A couple of us said, “Yes, we certainly would.”

We were to be gone several days, since the hippos lived by a river quite a distance away. It was to be a journey through the jungle on a narrow, dusty path, single file.

After reaching the river, we selected a site not too far from where the hippos were living. We set up camp and ate supper. Then we went to bed.

Early the next morning we started off, the men with guns and the carriers with spears. Each person had to walk quietly so the hippos would not hear us. It wasn’t too long until a hippo was spotted.

If you have ever seen a hippopotamus in the zoo, you know how very large they are. A full-grown hippo may weigh as much as five thousand pounds. Its legs are short, but it can run faster than a person.

One of the men got close enough to the hippo in the water and shot it with his rifle. After making sure it was dead, a native tied a rope to one of its legs, and they all pulled the hippo up the river right to the camp where we had stayed.

A very busy day followed. Many sharp knives removed the skin and cut up the meat. We had never seen such a pile of meat! There was enough to give to the people living in nearby villages.

The villagers came with knives to help and were given their portions. They were happy and thankful. That provided another opportunity to tell them that the God who sends the sunshine and rain to make their crops grow also sent His Son to save them from their sins.

We were glad to also tell them of His great love and kindness in helping to supply our need for food.

Even though very few of us have to hunt for our food, we should still be thankful for all that God provides for us. We sometimes forget that all our blessings have been supplied by a God who loves us. His love is so great that He sent His only Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for sinners like you and me. On the cross the Lord Jesus was punished so that those of us who believe in Him can be forgiven and go to heaven. He died so that we can have everlasting life. His blood can wash us clean from every stain of sin, if we accept Him as our Saviour. Is He your Saviour? Won’t you accept Him now?

“God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

ML-10/14/2001

The Stolen Bike

When our children were young, they were given a very sturdy bike with training wheels, but they soon learned to ride without training wheels. How they loved this bike, and they rode it all the time, sharing it until they were older and had their own bikes.

One day the bike just disappeared, and they were so sad to lose it. We asked the Lord Jesus to help us find it, and then we got the idea to drive around our neighborhood to see if we could find it.

We all piled into the car and drove around the streets close by. To our great surprise, after about twenty minutes, we found the lost bike! It was parked near the street in front of Karla’s house!

Now Karla came regularly to the Sunday school which was in our home. She must have decided it was a quick and easy way to get home. But didn’t she know that what she had done is called “stealing”?

The Bible tells us, “Thou shalt not steal” (Exodus 20:15). Stealing is sin. It doesn’t have to be something as big as a bike. It can be something as small as a marble or a pencil or a cookie out of the cookie jar, or it can even be an answer from somebody else’s paper during a test in school. Stealing is taking something, big or small, that doesn’t belong to us, and it is wrong. God calls it sin, and sin keeps us out of heaven. But God still loves us even while He hates our sins. He still wants to take us to heaven, but we can’t go with our sins. He tells us in the Bible that He sent His Son Jesus to die for us, and His blood can wash away every one of our sins, even those stealing sins, so we can go to heaven.

Do you want Jesus to wash away your sins? “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son [cleanses] 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-10/21/2001

A Swarm of Killer Bees

Nobody saw the excited bees coming out of the one-inch hole in the outside wall of the repair shop. But minutes later, Mr. Johnson was horrified to see his elderly father lying face-down on the driveway, covered with bees. The noise and vibration of his power lawn mower had disturbed the swarm of killer bees. The angry bees had attacked him, stinging him hundreds of times. Mr. Johnson rushed to his father’s side to try to help him. Suddenly he was covered with bees too. They flew into his ears, nose and mouth, stinging him again and again.

Fire fighters came and sprayed the bees with a fire retardant that allowed rescuers to drag the two men to an ambulance. But as they drove away, thousands of bees swarmed the ambulance, forcing the driver to pull off the road. Finally the ambulance was able to go on, and the two Johnson men were hospitalized and later released.

These were extremely dangerous, aggressive bees from South America that had worked their way as far north as Texas. The residents of Georgetown, Texas, where the Johnsons lived, were frightened and concerned. There had been reports before about bees attacking people to the south of them, but now the bees had moved farther north than they had ever been before. One person was quoted as saying, “Before, we thought, That’s not going to happen to us. We’re too far north.” But it had happened - the bees had come.

Many people will deny that something bad can happen to them; they live life as though they will be here forever. But we don’t know what tomorrow holds for us. Even death can come quickly and without warning. How important it is to be prepared ahead of time. Luke 12:1621 tells the story of the man who was so rich he said he was going to tear down his barns and build bigger ones. Then the next part of his plan was to party for the rest of his life. But God told him, “Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee.” The rich man was going to die that night, and then all those riches wouldn’t be worth a thing to him. All that would matter was whether or not he was ready to meet God. “What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mark 8:36).

ML-10/21/2001

Cookie and Her Kittens

Cookie was just a little cat, but she was a mother and very proud of her kittens. Certainly she was not about to let any harm come to them.

One day a friend of ours came to visit us, and by his side was his big German shepherd dog. Immediately the dog spied the cat and took off after her.

“Wow, you’d better rescue your cat! That dog will tear it to pieces!” our friend exclaimed.

I started to run toward the cat, but there was no need. Cookie was standing still with her back arched, her hair bristling and her eyes flaming with anger. In a moment the dog was in front of her, and Cookie’s quick front claws were raking his nose and reaching for his eyes. That big dog tucked his tail between his legs and streaked across the yard yowling and out the gate. His master couldn’t believe what he saw.

Cookie followed the big dog a little way and then turned back to her kittens. She took quite a few backward looks to make certain that dog hadn’t changed his mind about coming back. The kittens didn’t even know they were in danger, but Cookie did and she protected them.

If you’ve trusted the Lord Jesus as your Saviour, then God in heaven is your Father, the One who made the heavens and the earth. He is greater and stronger than anyone or anything, and He promises never to leave or forsake any of His children. “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5).

Are you wondering how you can become one of His children and be sure He will be protecting you? It’s not difficult. Simply pray to the Lord Jesus wherever you are. Tell Him you are a sinner and want Him to forgive your sins and receive you into His 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: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:12-13). Then He tells us to “fear not; for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art Mine” (Isaiah 43:1).

Are you one of His children and being protected by Him?

ML-10/28/2001

The Kindness of the Caribou

A man who worked for the Royal Canadian Air Force some years ago tells the following story:

“In bad winters the caribou sometimes find it hard to get enough food to eat. My job was to find the migrating caribou in my plane and then drop tons of hay to them.

“About 400 miles north of Winnipeg we located a large herd. Many of them were lying down, too weak to stand. When we dropped hay near them, the weak ones made no attempt to get up. But as we circled and watched, we saw a strange sight. Several of the stronger caribou walked over to the hay, picked some up in their mouths, and laid it in front of the helpless caribou before feeding themselves.”

What a lesson in kindness to others! Every kind action or deed of love that you do for others, if done as unto the Lord, will not lose its reward. The Lord says, “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these My brethren, ye have done it unto Me” (Matthew 25:40).

“I have showed you all things, how that so laboring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said, It is more blessed to give than to receive” (Acts 20:35).

What kindness can you do for the Lord Jesus today?

ML-11/04/2001

The Only Remedy for My Heart Problem

It was a beautiful morning at Cherry Grove Beach where several members of our family were spending a week together. I stepped into the cool water and was amazed at the calmness of the ocean. On the surface, all seemed normal with no high surf. I looked forward to a happy day in the water without having to worry about the safety of the younger members of the family. But what is seen at the surface does not always prove to be what is going on underneath that can’t be seen.

You and I have an unseen enemy of our souls who is quietly working behind the scenes to make us believe that all is well with our souls. He is a liar and wants us to question what God says, just as he did with Adam and Eve. As a result, they disobeyed God. Their disobedience brought sin into this newly created world. In man’s heart there is now a place for the enemy—Satan and his power—but none for God’s truth. So God declares, “[You] must be born again” (John 3:7).

Though we couldn’t see it, something was terribly wrong under the ocean’s surface that morning! I had gone out only a few yards from shore when I saw that my granddaughter ahead of me was already up to her neck in the water. I called out to her to come back, because I knew she was not yet a good swimmer. She called, “I can’t get back, Grampa!”

When I reached her, I felt a strong current pulling us out to sea, and that puzzled me. I had never had any experience with a riptide. I pulled her to safety and told her to go back to shore and warn the rest not to come out to the deep water, because something was terribly wrong!

Then I saw that my brother-in-law was far out beyond me, trying to get back in. He was not a strong swimmer and was out over his head. I called out to him and, wide-eyed, he told me he couldn’t make it back in! There was only one thing to do, so with a silent cry to the Lord Jesus for help, I swam out to him. I got a hold under his arm, and with both of us swimming as hard as we could, we finally managed to get in to where our feet touched the bottom. By that time, I had such a pain in my chest, my brother-in-law had to help me to shore, where I sat down in the cool water until the pain went away.

As I sat there resting, my daughter came over with tears in her eyes and said, “Dad, I’ve been watching you, and if you don’t go to the hospital right now, I’m going to catch the next plane home! I’m not going to stay here and watch you die of a heart attack.”

Her strong statement was backed up by the rest of the family. We quickly set out for the small hospital a few miles away. I was immediately admitted, and testing showed that I did indeed have a serious heart problem. This did not surprise me, because I had secretly been refusing to admit that I had a heart problem. I had convinced myself that the chest pains I had been having were only stomach upsets.

There are thousands and thousands of men, women and children who are refusing to admit that they have a different kind of heart problem - the problem of sin. They think, I’m a good person-better than many. I’ve done good works, so when I die, I’m going to heaven. They ignore Jeremiah 17:9 which tells us that “the heart is deceitful [dishonest] above all things, and desperately wicked.” Romans 3:1011 states, “There is none righteous, no, not one. . . . There is none that seeketh after God.” And verse 23 sums it all up: “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” But God has supplied a remedy for the heart problem of sin. “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son” (John 3:16) to die on Calvary’s cross where He shed His precious blood that “cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9).

After a 900-mile trip home, I went to the hospital for open heart surgery, which was the only remedy for my physical heart problem. Many years ago I accepted God’s remedy for my heart problem of sin. You may not have both heart problems like I had, but you certainly have one - the problem of sin. Will you accept God’s remedy, the only cure for sin? It would have been foolish for me to say “no” or “maybe later” to open-heart surgery, since my life depended on it. And it is just as foolish for you to say “no” or “maybe later” to God’s remedy for your heart problem of sin. Where you spend eternity depends on it.

ML-11/04/2001

Where's Ruthie?

“We’re going on a camping trip for our vacation this summer,” my dad announced to us at our dinner table one night. “We’ve decided to go with Uncle Pete’s family to a park along the north shore of Lake Superior.”

Oh, I couldn’t wait! I love to go camping, especially somewhere that we’ve never been before and especially with Marie and her family. Our dads and moms had lots of planning and packing to do to get ready. Finally the day came to start our vacation and leave for northeastern Minnesota. We were going to have so much fun!

One sunny day while we were there, we all decided to take a hike along the shore of Lake Superior. Someone had told us about a very pretty spot on the beach. It was perfect. We had the whole area to ourselves.

It wasn’t hard to find lots of fun things to do there. The beach was full of pretty stones to collect. We each tried to see who could build the tallest stone tower. I laid down and let the others cover me with small stones and sand till everything but my head was completely buried.

When we were ready for something different, we found a narrow, steep trail going up from our beach to the top of a nearby cliff. Up there we discovered a path which led out to a tiny point of land sticking out into the lake. From there we got a wonderful view of miles of shoreline. Below us (although we could only see it once we were back down on the beach) was an arch cut out of rock by the water.

On a camping trip you have lots of picnics. Usually they are at the picnic table at our campsite, but this day we ate our picnic lunch right on the beach. After lunch, Marie and I and our brothers went swimming. Now Lake Superior is so far north that the water stays pretty cold even in the summer, so we didn’t stay in very long. But still it was fun.

Well, when you’re young like me and having lots of fun, the time to leave comes just too quickly. That’s how it was that day. Late in the afternoon, Uncle Pete said he would take Marie and me on one last hike that would end up at the parking lot where we had left our cars. The others would take a shorter path and wait for us there.

The first part of the hike took us along the beach near our special spot. We had fun jumping from one big rock to another! Then, before I knew what had happened, Uncle Pete and Marie weren’t there. I looked all around in every direction, but they were gone. Where were they? How could I find them? I started back the way we had come from, but they were nowhere in sight. In fact, there was no one around anywhere. I was stranded on that beach . . . alone.

What would you do if it were you? Do you think that you could have found your own way back to your dad and mom? I was so scared that I didn’t know which way to go. All I could do was stand right where I was and . . . cry. The more I thought about how lonely and lost I was, the louder I cried.

This wasn’t the first time that I had felt what it was to be lost. Several years before, as an even younger girl, my dad and mom had shown me from the Bible that I was a lost sinner. I had learned a Bible verse for Sunday school that said, “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). But they had also taught me that the Lord Jesus came into this world looking for sinners so that He could rescue them from being lost and save them forever. “The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15).

In my heart I had told the Lord Jesus that I was naughty - that I was lost and not able to go to heaven. I asked Him to save me from my sins, and He did! Another verse I memorized says, “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son [cleanses] us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). And another one says, “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). Oh, it’s wonderful to be saved - to have the Lord Jesus as my Friend who will never leave me.

But down there on the beach I was so scared and upset that I forgot that I was not really alone. I forgot that the Lord Jesus, my Saviour and my Friend, was right there with me and that He was taking care of me right then, even though I felt very alone. So I just kept crying.

When Uncle Pete and Marie got back to the parking lot, my dad asked, “Where’s Ruthie?”

Uncle Pete said, “We don’t know. We thought she was with us, but then once along the path when we looked back, we couldn’t see her anywhere.”

Do you think my dad just stood there to wait and see if I would show up? No, he and Uncle Pete took off running as fast as they could back down the path to the beach. Long before they got there, my dad’s sharp ears heard my crying. That helped him know which way to go to find me. Then he picked me up and hugged me tightly to comfort my scared, lonely heart. He carried me all the way back to where the others were waiting in the parking lot.

That’s just like the Lord Jesus. He has been looking for us to be saved even before we knew that we were lost. Whenever we cry out to Him, He comes running to save us. And He will carry us safely through this world till we get to heaven to live with Him forever.

How about you? Are you still lost? “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31). “Joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth” (Luke 15:7).

ML-11/11/2001

A Stranger or a Princess

Barbara often played alone, so it was extra fun when Sarah came to spend the day with her. “Let’s . . . ” began Barbara, and things began to happen. What one didn’t think of, the other did, until almost all the living room furniture was out of place to fit the game. Barbara suddenly came up with a new idea, but the next moment, everything else was forgotten as someone special appeared at the door.

“Uncle Charles!” Barbara shrieked and flung herself into his arms.

“Uncle Charles!” cried Sarah and threw her arms around his leg.

Barbara frowned. This was not fair. He was her very own uncle, and he was not for sharing. Sarah could at least be polite about it.

But Uncle Charles found a place on the couch and put his arms around the two girls.

“Listen,” he said, turning to Barbara. “I am your dad’s brother.” Then turning to Sarah he said, “I am your mom’s brother. You two are cousins, and I am really Uncle Charles to both of you - just as much one as the other. Now do you understand?”

Yes, but Barbara was not very sure. What’s mine is mine, she thought to herself, and her face was still frowning.

“Let me tell you a story about the name Barbara,” he said.

“A long time ago there were some very strong soldiers called Romans, and they came to Britain and won many fierce battles and took many prisoners back to Rome with them. One of the prisoners was a little girl about your size. She had blond hair and blue eyes, and she looked very different from the dark-haired people of Rome. Since she came from far away, she was called a barbarian, which really means that she came from a foreign country. She was taken to the market place and offered for sale as one of the barbarian children, and therefore she was called Barbara. They thought her blond hair was very pretty, and so Barbara became a nice name.

“So,” added Uncle Charles, “my little Barbara’s name means ‘a stranger,’ and my little Sarah’s name means ‘a princess,’ and both are very dear to me. But the most important thing about your name is to have it written down in the Lamb’s book of life. That’s where all the names are written down of those who will share God’s home forever.

“I can’t reach that book to sign my name there, but I know that God has written it there for me. Because Jesus is my Saviour, He belongs to me, and I belong to Him forever.

“You see, Barbara, you were born to be my niece, and so was Sarah. You can’t change it. It’s for all your lifetime. Sarah belongs to me just as much as you belong to me.

“I was born into the family of God when I took Jesus as my very own Lord and Saviour. And if you are saved too, then you are His just as much as I am. No more and no less.”

And then the cousins explained to Uncle Charles all about their game on the floor, and he was soon crawling around the floor after them. But they did not forget his lesson. Whether a stranger or a princess, God’s children are equally dear to His heart.

Now then, “let us love one another: for love is of God” (1 John 4:7).

ML-11/18/2001

Pushed off a Snake

The sun burned hot on David and Sidney as they worked in the Texas cotton field, chopping out the weeds with their hoes. David’s brother Leslie came out to the edge of the field. David and Sidney, glad to take a break from the heat, stopped work for a few minutes to talk with Leslie. As they walked to the fence where Leslie was standing, Sidney suddenly froze. He looked at Leslie and yelled, “JUMP!”

Leslie got a puzzled look on his face and didn’t do anything.

Without saying another word, Sidney pushed Leslie right off his feet so hard that he landed sitting down on the road. Suddenly, David saw it too. Leslie had been standing right on top of a coiled rattlesnake! Sidney was faster than David and took his hoe and killed the snake.

What do you think Leslie thought about that? Do you think that he asked Sidney, “Why did you push me down?” Do you suppose David was angry at Sidney for pushing his brother over? No, Leslie looked surprised at first, but after he saw the snake he thanked Sidney for knocking him off that snake! Wouldn’t you?

But have you ever considered thanking God for the warnings He has given you in the Bible? He has warned you about the end of a life of sin so that you may be saved from a far greater danger than a rattlesnake.

God’s Word, the Bible, tells us that “the soul that sinneth, it shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4). “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God” (Romans 14:12). The Bible says, “The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God” (Psalm 9:17). It is a loving God who gives you these warnings so that you will receive the salvation that He offers through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. “These are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name” (John 20:31).

You will not likely ever have such a strange experience as thanking someone for pushing you off a rattlesnake, but you do need to thank the Lord Jesus for His death upon the cross of Calvary. He suffered and died so that you might be forgiven. Have you thanked Him?

ML-11/18/2001

Sprayed by a Skunk

While we were driving to the store one day, we saw black clouds in the sky ahead of us -very black. Although we didn’t know exactly when, those black clouds were telling us it was going to rain soon.

While we were in the store, we heard a clattering sound on the roof. Such a racket! We wondered if it were possible that rain could make so much noise, so we went over to the window to look. Sure enough, the parking lot was flooded, and the rain was coming down in torrents. We were very thankful we were inside the store.

Just as those dark clouds warned us it was about to rain, God is giving us dark clouds of warning that His judgment is going to fall on this sinful world very soon. Don’t be caught here when those clouds break! Come to the Lord Jesus now and be in a safe place. “Acquaint now thyself with Him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee” (Job 22:21).

ML-11/25/2001

NOT a Cat!

What a wonderful day this had been! Lynn and her best friend Caroline had just come back from a Sunday school picnic. They had teamed up for the water balloon contest, and it had been so much fun, tossing the water-filled balloon back and forth - until it burst and splattered Caroline! They had entered the “three-legged” race together and won a prize. They had eaten their fill of hot dogs and watermelon. But now it was evening, and the exciting day was almost over. The two girls chattered happily as they went out the back door of Lynn’s house to pick up some things Caroline had left in the yard. It was dark outside, but the summer evening was warm and full of the sweet smell of lilac bushes.

A furry little animal appeared in their path, but Lynn paid little attention, thinking it was Misty, the family cat. But it was NOT the family cat.

Suddenly, Lynn’s screams split the night air. They were blood-curdling screams and heard all over the neighborhood. “I’ve been sprayed! . . . I’ve been sprayed by a skunk!” she screamed frantically and burst into horrified tears.

Lynn’s one thought was to go to her parents who always helped her when she was in trouble, and still screaming she ran to the house. She burst through the back door and into the kitchen.

Lynn’s father had been sitting inside the house when he heard the commotion and quickly headed for the back door. Do you think he welcomed her into the living room and suggested that she sit on the furniture? He did nothing of the kind! Instead, he firmly turned her around and sent her OUT the back door.

Why do you suppose he did that? He saw that Lynn’s legs were covered with awful-smelling skunk spray, and he could not have that smell in his house. And so he sent her right outside again.

There is another Father who loves you even more than Lynn’s father loves his daughter. We read that “God SO loved the world” (John 3:16). He loves you so much that He wants to have you in His home in heaven for eternity. But there is something that He cannot allow in His home, and that is sin. God is holy, and sin is so serious and so terrible to Him that He can never have it in heaven. In spite of His love for you, He will have to turn you away from heaven if you have not accepted His remedy for your sins.

Lynn’s father needed a remedy for Lynn. He began by getting a pail of water and sloshing it all over her legs. But even after pails and pails of water, she still smelled awful!

The skunk spray had missed her friend Caroline, so she had quietly slipped away and gone back to her own home. It was getting late, and Caroline knew her parents would want her to get to bed. But Lynn could not get in her own bed yet! She was still in trouble. Water was just not enough to take away that horrible stench. So her father found an article listing “home remedies” for the smell of a skunk.

We need a remedy for our sins, because we can’t scrub them away: “Though thou wash thee with nitre [chemicals], and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity [sin] is marked before Me, saith the Lord God” (Jeremiah 2:22). Being kind to others or going to Sunday school or doing our best won’t work either. That is like washing Lynn’s legs with water, which didn’t take away her problem. But there is a sure remedy for sin. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). The Lord Jesus loved us so much that He died on the cross and shed His blood, so that our sins can be completely removed forever.

The article suggested a number of things for Lynn, and she tried them one by one. First she scrubbed her legs with a mouthwash! Next she tried vanilla extract, rubbing it into her legs. Then her mother used a solution with bleach in it to try to get rid of the still-lingering smell. After all that, she was finally allowed in the house. She rushed upstairs to take a bath and wash her hair - anything to make her feel clean again!

The remedies that Lynn used did not cost very much. But the remedy for sin cost the Lord Jesus more than we could ever pay - it cost Him His own life. He died on the cross so that we could have our sins removed forever and enter His beautiful home in heaven. “The Son of God . . . loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

I hope you will never be sprayed by a skunk like Lynn was, but you have already sinned. “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). You need a remedy or you will someday find yourself shut out of heaven. What a sad and terrible thing that would be. Don’t wait until it is too late. Tell the Lord Jesus that you are a sinner and want Him to take away your sins and make you clean. “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isaiah 1:18).

ML-11/25/2001

Baby Squirrels

One hot summer day, my two youngest children and I were walking along a busy city street. Just as we got to a large oak tree, a squirrel’s nest fell at our feet. It was about the size of a large beach ball and made out of sticks and leaves. Part of it split open when it hit the sidewalk, so that we were able to see what was inside. There lay four, tiny squirrels, squirming and squeaking. Like all newborn baby squirrels, they were naked with just a trace of fur, and their eyes were still closed.

“What shall we do?” asked one of the children, and the answer arrived just at that moment. Down the tree came the mother squirrel. She sniffed her babies all over to see if they were all right. Then without a moment’s hesitation, she picked one up in her mouth, ran with it as fast as she could across that busy street, and went directly to a tree with a hole in it. She climbed the tree and deposited her baby inside the hole.

As we stood and watched, one by one the mother rescued each tiny squirrel until all were safe. She must have been very smart to make those seven trips safely across that busy street! It is wonderful that God gives His creatures a mother’s tender care and an instinct to know just what to do in a time of danger. The mother squirrel already knew about the hole in that tree across the street, and her little ones were safe.

As we think about those helpless baby squirrels, we see a picture of helpless, lost sinners.

Sinners are blind. “The god of this world [Satan] hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them” (2 Corinthians 4:4).

Sinners are naked. God sees all our sins; we can’t cover them up. “All things are naked and opened, unto the eyes of Him [God] with whom we have to do” (Hebrews 4:13).

Sinners have fallen and are at the mercy of predators. “The devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

Those little squirrels were in real trouble. Death was ahead for them, until their caring mother rescued them and provided a place of safety. Death and hell are ahead for lost sinners, but a loving God has provided a rescuer in His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever [believes] in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). The death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus has provided that place of safety for you and me. By faith, we can be washed clean of every sin through the blood He shed on Calvary’s cross.

Will you accept the Lord Jesus as your rescuer from everlasting death and hell and receive His promise of everlasting life in heaven? “He that [believes] on the Son [has] everlasting life: and he that [believes] not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God [abides] on him” (John 3:36). “Whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe” (Proverbs 29:25).

ML-12/02/2001

Duda and Elisiario

When visiting a small village in central Brazil, Fernando met a young man whose name was Elisiario. Fernando invited him to come to the gospel meeting that he was going to preach that evening in a small room. It is important to notice that “Elisiario” is not a very common name, even in Brazil.

Walking around the village, Fernando also met a young woman who had just arrived there, and her nickname was “Duda.” She came from southern Brazil with a group of students in a government aid program. Duda didn’t know anyone else in the village but met Fernando on the village street and was also invited to come to the gospel meeting.

That evening in the small room, Fernando spoke about the love of God in giving His beloved Son to die on the cross to save sinners. And he also spoke of God’s desire to save everyone in that little room who would trust the Lord Jesus that very night. God would freely forgive their sins and save their souls for heaven.

As he finished the message, the young preacher gave a sincere invitation. And because he knew the names of only the two persons that he had met that day, who didn’t even know each other, he decided to use their names as an example of God’s desire to save. He said, “God wants to see you, Duda, and God wants to see you, Elisiario, with Him in heaven!”

That phrase was like lightning striking Duda, and soon she was crying about her sins and trusted in the Saviour Jesus. In tears she told Fernando that God was speaking to her that evening. She told him that when she was a little girl, her father had died in an accident with his truck. Her great desire was to see her father, of whom she had no remembrance. But her mother always told her, “Duda, one day you are going to meet your father in heaven.”

And do you wonder why Duda was so impressed that night? Because her father’s name was also Elisiario!

And you, don’t you want to go to heaven to be with the Lord Jesus who loves you and died for you? Trust in Him now as your Saviour, and one day you will be with Him, and with all those who have already gone to be with Him, because their sins have been washed away by His precious blood. “Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood” (Revelation 1:5).

ML-12/02/2001

Broken Down

On the many trips we have made from our home to visit one of our daughters, we always pass several lovely red brick buildings surrounded by park-like grounds. A sign out front says that it is a tool company. It is located near a town so small it only has a post office and a couple of houses. Though the town is a small black dot on the road map, one resident said, “It doesn’t even have a gas pump.”

On this particular trip, my wife, who was driving, slowed down as we passed through the small town. As she started to speed up, there was a strange noise under the car. We thought it might be gravel from the road, but there was no construction in the area. Then my wife said, “I’ve lost the power steering!” The instrument panel on the dashboard also told her the motor was getting hot. When we stopped to examine the problem, we were just across the road from the gate of the tool company.

Raising the hood, I easily found the problem - the fan belt had broken. Without that belt, the cooling system, air conditioning and power steering had “shut down.”

We were soon to learn again the truth of a verse in the Bible that says, “My God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). We do not look for happenings to prove that the Bible is true, but it is a happy event that confirms that it is true. Because we, by faith, know the Lord Jesus as our Saviour, we believe His Word when He said to His father, “Thy word is truth” (John 17:17).

On entering the building to find a phone, I was greeted by Mr. Gray, the owner of the company. He immediately invited me in and offered me a cup of coffee. I told him I needed to call a tow truck to take my car back to the last town to get the fan belt replaced. He said that would not be necessary and told his assistant to call Larry, another employee. Larry was told to get the information he needed off the car and go get a fan belt. Mr. Gray then sent another employee to the car to bring my wife and daughter to the office and out of the heat.

As I waited, I thought of the verse that says, “It shall come to pass, that before they call, I will answer” (Isaiah 65:24). Those of us who know the Lord Jesus as our Saviour know our sins are forgiven. We also know God as our Father and that He often sends the help we need before we actually ask Him for it.

When my wife and daughter were brought into the office, Mrs. Gray came out of her office, offered them refreshments and visited with them while the fan belt was being replaced. Mrs. Gray insisted that we call our daughter we were going to visit and let her know we had been delayed. She would not even let us pay for the call.

Another employee, Tim, was a former auto mechanic. He had the repair made in quick time. When he finished, he told me, “I checked everything out and everything is working. Nothing was frozen up.” The whole process only delayed our arrival at our daughter’s house just a little over an hour.

While we were waiting, I went into the shop to visit with some of the other employees. When I asked one employee if he had settled the issue of where he would spend eternity, he said he had. He said he believed on the Lord Jesus, but he could not answer clearly the question, “How can you be sure?” In order to help him know for sure his sins were all washed away in the blood of Jesus, I sang to him the lines from a song many of you know: “The Bible tells me so.” A smile broke over his face, and he then could tell me how he knew for sure he would be in heaven. Another co-worker nearby had been listening to our conversation. She also said she believed on the Lord Jesus and quickly took up the same line from “Jesus Loves Me,” saying it was because the Bible told her that she knew her sins were forgiven. We know this is true, because the Word of God says, “Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more” (Hebrews 10:17).

When the repairs were finished and we were ready to leave, I told Mr. Gray there was no way I could pay him for the wonderful service he and his employees had given us; however, I would be more than happy to pay for the fan belt. He told me that would not be necessary. “We are just happy for the opportunity to be of help to someone along their way.” As we left, you can be sure we thanked Mr. and Mrs. Gray and their employees for all they had done for us. We have told the happy story several times to our friends and relatives.

Have you boys and girls received the Lord Jesus as your Saviour? Have you thanked Him for shedding His blood to wash your sins away? Have you told your friends and relatives the happy story of what the Lord Jesus has done for you? The Bible says, “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Romans 10:9-10).

ML-12/09/2001

Following the Leader

Those pesky ants had bothered us for a long, long time. They lived in the ground under our driveway. They were just tiny, little brown ants, but they had found a way to get into our house. They seemed to always know when there were delicious treats in there for them to eat. We had tried many times and many ways to get rid of them, but still they came in, and their numbers grew.

We had a large, blue trash can in our backyard, and one morning I was surprised to see a brown stripe on the side of it. It looked as though someone had taken a can of brown paint and painted a line on it from the top to the bottom. I went over to investigate, wondering to myself, Who could have done such a thing? But when I got closer, I saw that the brown line wasn’t paint. It was ants - a whole army of them! They had found a nice, warm, comfortable spot inside that garbage can with lots of food for all of them. And they were moving in! They were following their leaders, about six abreast, forming a solid line from their former home under our driveway, across the grass, and up into the can. They were carefully carrying their eggs, and it looked as though the whole tribe was on the move.

“Let them be,” I told my wife who wanted to spray them with bug killer. “They think they’re going to an ant paradise. What they don’t know is that they’re marching to total destruction. The garbage man will destroy them all on Tuesday.”

Even though we were glad to be getting rid of the ants, in a way it was sad to see them working so tirelessly for such a sad end. It was hard work for them to carry all those eggs up the side of the can, but they were working and moving together to reach their goal. Their scout leaders had found a good place to relocate. All the other ants were following right behind them.

Who are you following? God tells us, “As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:22). Every one of us has been born into Adam’s family. Adam, the first man, was a sinner, and each of us has inherited his sinful nature. If you haven’t been born into God’s family, you are still following what Adam did. He listened to Satan and did what Satan suggested. After he had eaten that fruit in the garden of Eden, he knew he had followed the wrong leader and sinned. But it was too late. Sin had entered the world. God says in Romans 5:12, “By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.”

The ants didn’t know they were following their leaders to destruction. Do you know that if you continue to follow Satan, you also are headed for destruction? Don’t let him deceive you! “Repent and turn to God” (Acts 26:20). Let God give you eternal life and be your leader. He will lead you in righteous paths until you are with Himself in heaven.

“By one man’s [Adam’s] disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one [the Lord Jesus Christ] shall many be made righteous” (Romans 5:19). Be safe! Accept the Lord Jesus as your Saviour and follow Him.

ML-12/16/2001

One Stray Sheep

The Bible tells us that you and I are just like sheep going astray. Did you ever see just one stray sheep? Usually all the others will follow the leader, no matter where he is heading. But recently I saw an unusual sight at the sheep farm near our house.

Two men were following a single sheep and herding it along as it ran alongside the fence. They were trying to return it to the sheepfold with the others. The sheep was looking this way and that, watching for a hole in the fence as a way of escape. It was a most unhappy looking creature; I could see fear and distrust in its face. No doubt it wanted to get through the fence, away from its rescuers and out onto the highway. It was a busy highway, and the sheep would certainly have been killed. I don’t know how it had become separated from the others, but the shepherds had found it and were not going to let it go until it was safe in the fold.

Are you like that little sheep? Are you heading in every direction to get away from the Good Shepherd who loves you and gave His life for you? Isaiah 53:6 tells us, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him [Jesus] the iniquity of us all.” The Good Shepherd wants to save you, but like the sheep I saw, you may want to go where only danger awaits. Those shepherds cared for that one lost sheep, and “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

Remember, Jesus, the Son of God, loves you and gave Himself for you, because He is the greatest Shepherd of all.

ML-12/16/2001

Big and Strong

“Come here, young man!”

Willy liked to be called a young man, and he stopped on the way to school to see who called him. It was a man standing by a heavy grindstone. He was going to sharpen his axe, but he needed three hands. He needed one to turn the grindstone and two to hold the axe to sharpen it.

“This is a heavy grindstone,” said the man. “Can you turn it?”

Of course Willy could. After all, he was twelve years old.

“Faster!” said the man. “What a big, strong boy you are!”

It was hard work, but not too hard for a big, strong 12-year-old. Certainly not.

“Faster,” repeated the man after he stopped to check the sharp edge of his axe.

“What a strong boy you are! You’re a champion!”

Willy was sweating with the effort, but he had never been called a champion before. He spun the heavy grindstone till he was out of breath and his muscles ached. Finally the axe was sharp enough.

“Get off to school now, or you’ll be late.” And the man laughed at him.

Yes, Willy was late for school. And when his friends found out the reason, they laughed at him too.

“You were a fool,” they said. “All that hard work, and he didn’t even pay you! And then you got yelled at for being late.”

Willy liked being told he was big and strong and a champion. But in the end, it only made him unhappy. Christian boys and girls, sometimes classmates or friends will praise you and tell you that you are really good at a certain activity, and that makes you feel good. But they may want you to do it for them when it would be wrong. Then it becomes sin and will only make you and the Lord Jesus unhappy. Proverbs 1:10 is a good reminder: “My son [or daughter], if sinners entice thee, consent thou not [say no].” Then you will please the Lord Jesus and be more than a champion and a conqueror. “In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us” (Romans 8:37).

ML-12/23/2001

What Happened to Zipper

Bill was ten years old when his father gave him a little fox terrier puppy. He named the little dog Zipper. As Zipper grew older, he and Bill were practically inseparable. Wherever Bill would go on his bicycle, Zipper would go along too, riding in the bicycle basket like a king.

The only problem was that when Bill would go into a store, Zipper would not always stay outside as he was told.

One day Bill went into a book store that was in an old building. Soon excited barking could be heard behind the bookshelves. Somehow Zipper had slipped in the door and was chasing the rats living behind the bookshelves. Bill and the clerks couldn’t find him. A couple of hours later, Zipper showed up at home, tired but otherwise okay.

The first rat that Zipper ever caught bit him through the lip, and from then on Zipper was determined to get every rat he saw! Bill’s father raised chickens, and chicken feed always draws rats. Bill would take Zipper out to the chicken house after dark, plug up the rats’ hole and turn on the light. Zipper had a great time catching those rats as Bill prodded them out of the feeder and from under the chicken roost.

We have an enemy that is far more determined and fierce than a dog after rats, and his name is Satan. “Your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). God in love sent His Son to set us free from Satan’s power. Have you put your trust in the finished work the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished when He died for you on Calvary’s cross? “Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many” (Hebrews 9:28). If not, then you are still under Satan’s power, and he is determined to keep his grip on you until your life ends in the lake of fire!

As Bill grew older, his schooling, part-time jobs and friends took his time away from his dog. Their town had no leash laws, and Zipper pretty much had the run of the town. This gave him too much freedom, and without Bill around, Zipper got into bad company.

One day, with Zipper sitting at his feet, Bill and a friend were sitting in the backyard when a police officer came around the house. He pointed to the dog and asked, “Is this your dog?” Bill told him it was. The officer said, “He’s been running with a pack of dogs, chasing sheep over on the university farm. There’s been some damage, and if you don’t keep him tied up, we will have to destroy him.”

Bill chained Zipper, not believing his small dog could do much harm to sheep. What Bill didn’t think about was how good Zipper was at chasing down and catching rats. He’d had lots of practice.

After all those years of freedom, Zipper looked so sad being chained up. Bill felt sorry for him, so one morning he let Zipper loose for a little exercise, thinking to keep his eye on him. But Zipper slipped away, and when Bill called him, he didn’t come. Zipper was never seen again.

Zipper had fallen in with bad company who led him into trouble. You and I who have accepted Christ as our Saviour must be careful that we don’t fall in with bad company and be led into a path of sin. The Bible warns us: “Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away” (Proverbs 4:1415). We who have been set free from Satan’s power are instructed to follow Christ: “Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps” (1 Peter 2:21).

Whom are you following?

ML-12/30/2001

Fog and Delays

Daddy, Mother and their six children were on their way to Lauropoli in southern Italy to visit some friends for their end-of-the-year vacation. As their well-loaded van reached the outskirts of Milan, the fog became so thick that Daddy had to slow the van almost to a crawl. Just as they reached the spot where the superhighway to Rome began, a policeman put up a barricade which prevented them from using the highway. This meant they had to go over local streets through the city of Milan, which made the trip longer. Daddy was very discouraged with both the heavy fog and the detour. The fog got so bad that they had to pull off the road for a while at a rest area.

Finally they reached Rome and found a nice place to stay overnight. The next morning as they were getting ready to do some sightseeing in Rome, they heard people talking about a terrible accident in the fog in Milan, involving over a hundred cars and a gasoline truck. Many people had been killed. Now Daddy and Mother knew why the policeman had put up the barricade. If they had come to that spot a few minutes earlier, they, no doubt, would have turned on that same highway and been involved in that terrible accident.

They realized with thankfulness that the fog delays and the detour that had made their trip longer was really a detour from death in the awful flaming wreckage on the superhighway. The family thanked God together for preserving them from unseen danger.

In the book of Job, chapter 33, we are reminded by Elihu that God keeps us back from going on to certain judgment, even using pain and sickness to detour us from the road to hell. God would deliver us from going down to the pit; He has found a Ransom (verse 24). The Lord Jesus gave Himself as a ransom for all who will believe. Have you received Him as your Saviour? Can you say, “I am redeemed with His precious blood”?

“There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave Himself a ransom for all” (1 Timothy 2:5-6).

ML-12/30/2001

The Avenue of Prayer

When you feel a bout of criticism coming on,

See it as a big red light.

STOP! TURN RIGHT!

Go up the Avenue of Prayer;

Our gracious, loving Saviour’s waiting there.

Lift the one you might have criticized

To Him, in prayer.

ML-12/09/2001

Ask, Seek, Knock

1. Take an A and a K, put an S in between,

And a marvelous blessing at once will be seen;

For ’tis “Ask, and it shall be given unto you”;

’Tis thus, Jesus speaks, and His Word’s always true.

2. Between an S and a K, put two E’s straight away,

And a wonderful promise you’ll have for today;

For the Lord is so kind, He says “Seek, and you’ll find”;

And the blessing He’ll give is what just suits His mind.

3. Between two lovely K’s, place an N, O and C,

And a rich mine of wealth at once you will see;

For the Saviour says “Knock,” and the door opens wide;

Faith’s key does unlock, and Christ’s word must abide.

Then “Ask,” “Seek,” and “Knock,” for this is God’s way;

And sure are His blessings, which ne’er pass away.

ML-09/23/2001

Tested Words

From tiny eggs

Come little birds,

And little thoughts

Hatch into words,

Which then take wings

And fly away,

But may come back

To roost someday!

Before some words

Are airborne things,

We would do well

To clip their wings!

Some words are best

Left in the nest!

Don’t let them fly

Without a test!

ML-02/04/2001

The Garden of Eden

This famous story is often referred to in the conversations of the world, but somehow they seldom get it right. Perhaps you are hearing it for the first time, perhaps for the thousandth time, but it is most important to have the story right. Nobody likes to have their words repeated all wrong, because then people get the wrong meaning.

To begin with, God had planted a beautiful garden in Eden when He created the world, and He had arranged beautiful trees - lots of them -with fruit good for food. In the very center He had placed the wonderful tree of life. He also placed the tree of the knowledge of good and evil in the garden. This was the only tree whose fruit God had said not to eat.

What a wonderful parkland for Adam and Eve to enjoy and to care for. This was all pleasure for them, not work, and it cost them nothing.

BUT . . . there is always a BUT as long as Satan is active on earth, and that means today also. BUT, Satan is a hater of God and of everything that God loves, and that includes you and me.

Satan was, no doubt, very beautiful and not a slithering, legless creature as snakes are today. He came to ask Eve if God had said that they could not eat of every tree of the garden. Now this commandment had been given to Adam, but he had certainly told Eve. Did he not tell it right? or did she not listen right? or did she forget some of the words? Her answer was not correct.

Let’s read in the Bible and check to see what God said to Adam. It is always very, very important to find out exactly what God says. We can be thankful that we have God’s Word in writing. Genesis 2:17 says, “Of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.”

Eve answered Satan that they could eat any of the fruit, but not from the tree in the middle of the garden.

Oh, Eve! Didn’t you listen? The forbidden tree of the knowledge of good and evil is not in the middle of the garden. The tree in the middle is the tree of life!

Did she want that forbidden fruit so much that it became the center of the garden for her? And to you we ask, Is there something which God refuses but which you secretly want so much that it has become the center of your life? And because of it, are you missing God’s wonderful gift of everlasting life through Jesus Christ our Lord? Eve’s mistake is a very old one, repeated in many lives today.

And then she added, “God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.” Did she mean that there was a possibility that she might die? God had said, “Thou shalt surely die.” There was no shadow of doubt.

Besides, God did not say anything about touching it. I wonder if she was thinking that God was extra hard on her. It is much better to remember exactly what God has said and to add nothing.

Eve stood there looking at that wonderful fruit - good for food, pleasant to the eyes, and a temptation to make her wise. She took the fruit and ate and gave to her husband also, and he ate. And Adam and Eve, who ate of that forbidden fruit, are dead.

What they did is not hard to understand. It was simply a “Yes” answer when God had said “No.” It happened six thousand years ago, but the same story is repeated every day and everywhere. God says, “Thou shalt not,” and man says, “But I’m going to anyway.” Death results. We have sinned, and it looks hopeless.

Hopeless? God is not defeated. He has not changed His holiness or His love. He knew all about our sin, and He had a plan: “In this was manifested [made plain] the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him” (1 John 4:9).

We’ll tell you more of the story next week. You can read it for yourself in Genesis 23.

ML-04/22/2001

Put Out of the Garden

Did you read last week’s story about Adam and Eve eating the forbidden fruit? God saw what they had done, and God had the power to sweep them right off the earth, as He could do for all of us sinners today. But God loved them, and He loves us too much for that.

That disobedience turned Adam and Eve into cowards. They sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves, and when God came to visit, they hid behind the trees. But God sees through all such things, whether it is fig leaves and trees, or a big stone church.

“Adam . . . where art thou?” asked the voice of God as He came walking in the garden in the cool of the day.

“I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself,” answered Adam.

“Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou eaten of the tree, whereof I commanded thee that thou shouldest not eat?”

And Adam answered, “The woman whom Thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the [fruit], and I did eat.”

Do you see how lovingly God speaks to this guilty man? It is Adam who tries to put the blame on Eve, but God gives each one a chance to speak.

Then God asked Eve, “What is this that thou hast done?” And Eve blamed Satan and said that he had deceived her.

This is the true account as the perfect wisdom of God has written it down for us to learn from. God asks questions, and man answers in the same way as you may be answering today. Do you see that He loves you? He asks questions to give you a chance to confess your sin and He will forgive you.

God did not ask Satan any questions at all. Satan’s choice was already made, and there is no Saviour for him or for any of his wicked demons. But there is a Saviour for you. There is Jesus, born of the virgin Mary, who died on the cross for sins like Adam’s and like yours. Will you tell God the truth about yourself and receive His forgiveness?

Yes, Adam and Eve were put out of the garden. Why? So they could not eat of the tree of life, which they had ignored when it was free to them. God made it impossible for them to go back. He placed an angel to the east of the garden with a flaming sword which turned every way to keep them away from the tree of life. If they had eaten of that tree of life, they would have lived on earth forever. God did not want us to have to live forever on an earth full of sin. He has a perfect home in heaven for us that has no sin! That is why we cannot go to heaven unless our sins are gone. “Our Lord Jesus Christ . . . gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world” (Galatians 1:34). “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

Was God defeated? No, never! “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). This gift of eternal life is better than anything that Adam and Eve lost. Satan is defeated. God is forever the Almighty One. Is He your Shelter, your Refuge and Saviour now and forever?

You may read this story for yourself in Genesis chapter 3.

ML-04/29/2001

Abraham and Isaac

It was a sure-footed mountain sheep that loved to be free on Mount Moriah long ago. Each of its strong hoofs was divided down the middle, which gave it a good grip on rocky ledges that you would never dare to climb. And it had strong, curved horns, which made it a good fighter. But there was a day . . . let me tell you about it.

Up the mountain that day came an old man named Abraham with his young son Isaac. Isaac carried a big bundle of wood. Abraham had no matches, so he carried a container of red coals of fire and a knife. It looked as if Abraham had a plan.

Yes, but it was not his own plan. It was God’s plan, and I’m sure Abraham’s heart was hurting when he thought of it. Isaac did not know the plan. He knew that the fire and the knife were to offer a sacrifice to God, but he could not see any sacrifice. “Where is the lamb?” he asked his father.

“God will provide [for] Himself a lamb,” answered his father, and they climbed up the mountain together.

On the mountaintop, Abraham built an altar of stones, arranged Isaac’s bundle of wood on it, and then tied up his son and laid him on the altar upon the wood. Then he lifted up his knife.

They were all alone up there on the mountaintop. Who was there to see how very much their hearts were hurting? Why would Abraham do such a strange thing? Because God told him to. God had promised to give Abraham this son, and down in his heart Abraham knew that God keeps all His promises, and God was able to bring back that son alive from the dead. Yes, since God had told him to, he would sacrifice his own son and let God do the rest.

Were they really alone? No. God was watching, and God saw right into their hearts, just as He does into yours and mine right now. “Abraham, Abraham,” called a voice from heaven, and Abraham immediately stopped to listen. “Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou anything unto him,” said the Voice.

God was very, very pleased that Abraham was willing to trust Him and to give his son. God loves to be trusted. You can rest on His promises, no matter how much it hurts. God will make very sure that He pours out His best gifts upon anyone who believes His Word and trusts Him.

Then Abraham turned around, and there was that ram - that male sheep - right behind him. Why didn’t the sheep run away? It was strong, a good climber and a good fighter. But its great horns were caught in a thick bush, and it could not get away.

The knife was used on the ram now, and the fire burned the ram as the sacrifice instead of Abraham’s son. After all, Isaac was a sinner, as we are too, and God must have a sinless offering. The ram was called a clean animal in the sight of God. This was the reason why sheep and lambs were often chosen as sacrifices to God, and they were killed and burned without suffering.

That is why when John saw Jesus, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!” (John 1:36). Jesus died on a wooden cross. The people were very wicked and cruel to Him, but it was not the people who hurt Him most. It was God Himself who punished Jesus for my sins, but then it was completely dark and no one saw when God did this.

And when the punishment for sin was finished, Jesus was still alive! He died shortly after by giving up His life, and then He was buried. But on the third day, He came out of the grave, alive forever, and He is my Saviour now because He died for me. Is He your Saviour too?

You may read this story for yourself in Genesis, chapter 22.

ML-06/03/2001

A Powerless Statue

Once upon a time, there was a man in the forest, searching for a special tree. It must not be too small or too crooked or too soft or too hard. It had to be just right. Finally, he found such a tree. He chopped it down, and he probably had helpers to bring it home with him.

All the side branches must be trimmed off and the narrow top chopped off before it was ready for his secret purpose. The smaller branches were not wasted. He probably had a wife who was busy kneading bread for supper, and when the fire made from the branches was just right, she was able to make good, crunchy, little loaves for the family. And roasted meat too. Then they were glad of the cozy warmth as they gathered around the fire when the sun went down. “Aha,” he said, “I am warm.”

Maybe it was the next day that he and his helpers set to work on his special project. The blacksmith did the metal part, getting a hot fire going, handling the metal with tongs and hammering away at the red-hot bars until they were shaped as he wished. His arms were tired, but he worked without even a drink of water until it was finished.

The carpenter took his ruler and compass, marked and measured and chiselled and planed that specially chosen piece of wood, until it was just right - or as nearly right as he could make it.

What was all this fuss about? What were they trying to make? They were making a beautiful statue of a man. And this lifeless statue would remain in his house in order that it might be his god, and he could worship it.

And yet our God has plainly told us, “Before Me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after Me. I, even I, am the Lord; and beside Me there is no Saviour” (Isaiah 43:10-11). Jesus, who died for us, is our Saviour indeed. Jesus is God.

A man who would go to all that trouble to make himself a god is a very foolish man, isn’t he? His god is only a piece of dead wood and lifeless metal. That statue cannot see or hear or talk or love. But before you call him foolish, perhaps you can think of something in your life that is more important to you than the living God who made you. It could be something that you worked very hard to fix up, and it is the most important object of your life. The man in our story cooked his dinner, warmed himself and made a god for himself, all out of the same tree and with the same effort. Is the god you worship the work of your own efforts? If so, it is just as lifeless and powerless as the man’s statue.

No one could ever think up a god like the living God who made us and who loves us and who sent His Son Jesus to die for us. No one could ever plan to spend eternity with such a holy God who is also Light, who shows up all we have done. But He loves us so much that by the blood of His only Son, He is willing to make us fit to enjoy His home in heaven forever.

Don’t rest a minute until you can say, “This God is [my] God forever and ever: He will be [my] guide even unto death” (Psalm 48:14).

ML-07/15/2001

Elisha and the Axe Head

It was not a very happy surprise. A woodchopper cannot do much if he suddenly finds that he has put all his energy into a mighty swing, and the iron axe head has suddenly flown off into the air all by itself, and he is left holding only the handle. That is not a happy surprise.

Here is how it happened. There was a group of young men, sons of the prophets, living together in the land of Israel. They decided that their living quarters were too small, so they must find a good location and build a new place.

They found the right spot by the Jordan River, and they had a supply of axes for the job. But there was one more thing to think about. Did they want Elisha to go with them? Elisha was a man of God.

When you make a plan like that, do you want a man of God to go with you? It might be hard today to find a man of God available to go with you, not to bless the job when you are done, but to be there for your every move and conversation. But you can take a Bible with you and read it daily. And you can pray about each little problem as it arises and be thankful for all that Jesus has done for you. Is that the way you face your projects? God is willing. Are you?

The men asked Elisha to go with them, and he said, “Yes.” So they set to work. One man had no axe, so he borrowed one and helped with the work as they began to cut down trees for the log building. The axes were swinging and the chips flying. Suddenly one worker held only the wooden handle as his axe head flew off and landed with a splash in the river.

Now this workman had a problem, but he knew exactly where to turn.

Do you? When you face a problem, don’t say bad words. Don’t show impatience or anger. Tell God about it. He is right there, if you want His help, and He has the answer. He cares about your problem because He loves you.

Elisha was right there, and the workman cried out, “Alas, master! for it was borrowed!” This doubled the problem. How could he return a borrowed axe if it was lost?

I wonder if you know that your life does not belong to you. It belongs to the One who gave you a beating heart before you were born. And the problem of your borrowed life is doubled if you are a lost sinner. But we are here to tell you that God has the answer, because He sent His Son to die for you.

“Where did it fall?” asked Elisha.

The workman showed him the place, but the problem remained. The iron axe head still lay at the bottom of the river, and wishing would not bring it up. Prayer would not bring it up. Iron is heavier than water, and there it lay, out of sight, in the mud, for the Jordan is a muddy river. Elisha could not raise it.

I wonder if you know that God Himself cannot save you without the death of His only begotten Son. Maybe you cry about your sins every day, but God cannot save you without the precious blood of Christ to remove your sins. The lost remains lost.

Then Elisha cut down a stick. Nobody asked him to. He did this himself and threw it into the water. The water had no power over the stick because it was not heavy. It did not sink. And did you know that death had no power over the Lord Jesus when He died on the cross? We die because we have no choice, but Jesus gave up His life. He is “the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

When that stick hit the water, behold, a miracle - the axe head swam! It was the very same old axe head that was lost, and yet it had a new power. It did not float; it swam! There was God-given power now, which was above the power of gravity to make it sink.

Do you want this power? Only God can give it to you. The same boy or girl who was lost can now be given victory over sin and death by the power of God. And this power must be used if you want to live for Jesus. He is an all-the-way-home Saviour. Will you trust Him now?

“Take it up to thee,” said Elisha, and the workman reached out his hand and took up the axe head. And that is where we leave it. We are not told any more about that axe head, perhaps because God wants you to finish the story yourself.

What will you do with the new life God has given you? Will you use it for Himself, with the wonderful new power that God gives? It is wonderful beyond words to know that we belong to Him now and that He will change our bodies into new and glorified bodies where death has no power at all.

“The gospel of Christ . . . is the power of God unto salvation to every one that [believes]” (Romans 1:16).

You may read this story for yourself in 2 Kings 6:17.

ML-08/12/2001

The Stoning of Stephen

Stephen’s face was shining like the face of an angel. But the faces of the men around him were like thunderclouds. Here is the reason why.

The men were all looking down and around and back, but Stephen was looking up into heaven, and that made the difference. Those men of Jerusalem had a wonderful past history and they were proud of who they were, and that was all they could see. But Stephen had reminded them how their nation had disobeyed God for hundreds of years, and in their hatred and rebellion they had finally crucified the Son of God. The men did not want to hear this, and it made them angry.

Why show the men of Jerusalem their hatred and rebellion if it makes them angry? Why not look on the bright side and forget all the awful things their nation did in the past? Because it is God’s Word that shows up our sin, not to make us unhappy, but to make us repent of our sins and to bring them to God to have them washed away forever in the precious blood of Christ. Would you rather hide your sins and keep them forever, even in eternity?

The faces around Stephen grew angrier. They showed their teeth like wild animals, as if they were ready to bite him. But Stephen looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing on the right hand of God. He told those angry men of Jerusalem what he saw: “I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man [Jesus] standing on the right hand of God” (Acts 7:56).

That was enough! They covered their ears so they would hear no more.

Is that what you do too? Do you cover your ears and say in your heart, “Don’t tell me what God says in the Bible - I want my own way instead.”

That wonderful, joyful sight of Jesus which Stephen saw filled those men with anger, and they missed it forever. But they will see Jesus, at the great white throne before they are cast into hell. And you will see Him there too, if you will not uncover your ears to listen and open your heart to Him now.

They threw Stephen out of the city and angrily began throwing stones at him, intending to kill him. And as the stones were hurled against him, Stephen kneeled down and said, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” And he gave one last, loud cry, “Lord, lay not this sin to their charge.” Then he fell asleep. That means he died, but it was not awful for him when his body slept in death, because the Lord Jesus took his spirit up to heaven.

Was it still possible for those wicked men to be saved from their sins, even the sin of murder? Yes, if they would repent and come to God before it was too late. Saul, who was later known as the Apostle Paul, was there that day, and although he did not actually throw a stone, he agreed with what those angry men did. But he later repented of his sins, and God saved him. You can read in 1 Timothy 1:15 what he wrote: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.”

God is ready to save you too, right now. It is sinners, not good people, whom Jesus came to save. Now, as you read this, come to Him and find that He loves you and He has a home in heaven for you, bought and paid for by the precious blood of Christ. That’s where you will be forever, if you will repent and look up to Him now to be saved from your sins.

“I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Mark 2:17).

ML-09/09/2001

Prepared for the Future

“A prudent [wise] man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself; but the simple pass on, and are punished” (Proverbs 27:12). You and I prepare for college, for vacation and for retirement, but what about eternity? Are you prepared for your future after death?

Another story, in Luke 16, tells about two men, a rich man and a poor man named Lazarus. The rich man had an easier life, but after his death he found himself in hell and the poor man was in Abraham’s company, which to the Jews of that day would mean heaven. The rich man cried to Abraham, “Have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.” Then later he begged Abraham to send Lazarus to his father’s house to warn his brothers “lest they also come into this place of torment.” But Abraham said, “If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.” God has faithfully explained about these things in His Word, the Bible, and we need to be wise and prepare. “Prepare to meet thy God” (Amos 4:12).

“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 9:2728). There will be judgment after death, but those who have accepted Christ Jesus as Saviour will be spared and spend eternity in heaven.

If your life ended tonight, where would you spend eternity?

ML-10/21/2001

What Hezekiah Did

That is very hard to guess, but I won’t tell you the answer yet. The king’s name was Hezekiah, and he was twenty-five years old when he was made king. His father, Ahaz, was a very wicked king who kept losing battles and trying all over to get help. He gave presents to the enemy king - all sorts of valuable things from the house of the Lord and from his own house, but it was all of no use. The enemy only gave him more trouble, and he died without salvation. The country was in bad shape.

That was when Hezekiah became king. The first thing he did was open the doors of the house of the Lord and repair them. Then he prepared the priests for the worship of the Lord.

Now that was a very good start. The Lord should come first in the life of every good king, and He should come first in your life too. Today we can’t really come into the holy presence of the Lord the way Hezekiah did, because there isn’t any golden temple to go to and no altar for animal sacrifices. But God tells us that since Jesus died we don’t need animal sacrifices. We can now come into God’s presence by the blood of Jesus. He became the perfect sacrifice for sins on the cross. God will accept Jesus as the sacrifice for your sins if you will accept Him as your sacrifice.

But Hezekiah had his troubles. The king of Assyria who came against him was a very bold and boastful king. He boasted to the people, “I’ve conquered everybody else, and I can conquer you. Don’t listen to Hezekiah. Don’t let him tell you to trust in the Lord.”

But here’s what Hezekiah did, and this is the answer that you could not guess. Hezekiah trusted the Lord! In fact, he trusted the Lord more than any king before him or after him. God records this in the Bible, and it’s still there in 2 Kings 18:5, after 3000 years. God must have valued it a lot.

And God values it if you will trust Him. Trust Him right over the top of your troubles. Trust Him because His Word says, “The Son of God . . . loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). Trust Him because He has promised that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, and what God says is the truth!

The king of Assyria boasted that no god could save anyone from his power - “and how much less shall your God deliver you out of [my] hand?” And he wrote letters against the Lord. But Hezekiah knew what to do with those letters. He spread them out before the Lord, and he and Isaiah prayed and cried to the Lord about the problem.

Do you know what happened next? The Lord sent an angel who killed all the mighty men and all the leaders and captains in the camp of the enemy. And the enemy king returned to his own land defeated and ashamed.

But the enemy king didn’t seem to learn anything by his defeat. He went back to the house of his evil god, and his very own sons took his life there with their swords.

It’s a sad story, but the best thing to learn and remember is that Hezekiah trusted the Lord, and that is exactly what He wants you to do too. God has told us that we will have problems in this sinful world, but the devil and all his demons cannot defeat anyone who is simply trusting the Lord. “Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid” (Isaiah 12:2). This is a good verse to memorize.

You can read this story for yourself in 2 Kings, chapters 17, 18 and 19.

ML-10/28/2001

King Uzziah

Uzziah was only sixteen when he became king over God’s great nation of Israel. Just a teenager, but he was full of ambition for the success of his nation.

He made wonderful advances in agriculture - deep wells for water, fields for grape vines and pasture for cattle. This was his specialty, and he loved it. The nation of Israel prospered.

King Uzziah was also concerned about the defense of Israel. He had a large, powerful army which knew how to use machines for fighting, invented by skillful men. In all this, he received his strength and wisdom from God, who helped him marvelously until he was strong.

If you read this story in 2 Chronicles 26, you will see that this happened before God sent His Son Jesus to earth to die for that nation. God loved His people then, and He loves them now, even though they shouted against Jesus, “Crucify Him, crucify Him” (Luke 23:21).

When King Uzziah went about his business, he saw the beautiful temple every day in which God had planned for His people to worship Him. There were no seats in that temple - no sitting down - because the animal sacrifices were never finished. There were priests wearing special robes who killed and burned the animals on the altar outside the temple door, just as God had instructed them to do. And inside the temple was the beautiful, golden incense altar where the priests burned incense, lifting sweet odors to the God of heaven. Only the priests were allowed inside, just as God had instructed. God doesn’t need locks on His doors to keep people out.

King Uzziah’s heart was bursting with his fame and success. It seemed as if there was nothing he could not do. Since God had helped him so much, he felt that he could go right in and offer sweet incense inside the temple. Why not? Who could say “no” to the king?

God could. And He can say “no” to you too, no matter who you are or what robes you wear. You may sing His praises very sweetly, but are you really fit to be there, worshipping before Him? God has no locks on His doors to keep you out, but God is God. You cannot trespass into His presence—you must follow His instructions.

The priests had a right to go in because they were born to that position, and they were cleansed according to God’s order by the blood of a clean animal in sacrifice. If you wish to go into the presence of God, are you born again? Have you been cleansed by the blood of Christ? Jesus said, “No man cometh unto the Father, but by Me” (John 14:6).

“Go out!” cried the priests to King Uzziah. But this made the king angry. They could not order him to . . . and suddenly the great king realized that God had struck him with leprosy in his forehead. The priests hurried him out of the temple, and he was in a rush to get out himself. But he could not go back to his palace; he had to go to an isolated house, for he was now a leper—a person having that terrible disease that was incurable and that would spread to others. Uzziah learned his lesson, but it was a hard lesson, and there could be no return to his former life as a reigning king.

Will you wait to learn your lesson until there is no return and you stand before the great white throne? Then you will be in the presence of God with no blood to cleanse you from your sins and no second chance. Or will you learn now to come to God through the Lord Jesus Christ who gave His precious blood to cleanse you from every sin?

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

ML-12/23/2001

Lessons from Nature

How the Aye-Aye Got Its Name

“The eyes of all wait upon Thee; and Thou givest them their meat [food] in due season.”
Psalm 145:15

The little squirrel-like animal called the aye-aye is about 15 inches long plus a two-foot-long tail. It is found only on the island of Madagascar off the coast of southeast Africa. Its distinctive cry of “II” caused the natives to make that its name, which we now spell in English “aye-aye.” It is a member of the lemur family.

A nighttime feeder, it is rarely seen because it spends most of the daylight hours curled up in a ball-shaped nest in the hidden fork of a large tree. Sometimes it grooms itself with its long fingers during the day.

Its appearance is rather unusual. It has a pale-brown smooth face and white chin, sharp red eyes and alert black ears. The rest of its body is covered with long, silky, rust-colored or grayish-black hair. Its head is broad at the top, but tapers to a narrow point at its small mouth and chin. Because of its rather spooky-looking eyes, the natives have long thought that it has an evil spirit, and they avoid touching it. However, that is only superstition; the aye-aye will not harm anyone.

An interesting feature is the long, narrow third finger of each front paw. Armed with a long sharp nail and hinged in the middle, this finger is used for catching much of the aye-aye’s food.

Its sensitive ears pick up the sound of an almost-silent grub or insect inside a tree trunk. With its strong teeth it immediately chews a hole in the wood. Then this long finger is used to draw the insect out of its tunnel. It quickly eats the insect and reaches in again and again, until no more victims remain. These slender fingers are also helpful in removing bark to expose tidbits, as well as scooping out the insides of fallen coconuts, and they are even used as a toothpick! The aye-aye’s food is not just insects. It also likes fruit and their juices, often dangling by its legs from the branches to get at ripe, juicy treats.

The aye-aye is another example of the Creator’s marvelous works, some of which are never seen by human eyes but which, as our opening verse tells us, are always under His watchful care, whether in the darkness of night or light of day.

People sometimes think their activities are hidden from God, but the Bible tells us, “His eyes are upon the ways of man, and He [sees] all his goings” (Job 34:21). True happiness is only found in knowing the Lord Jesus as our Saviour and Friend and trusting in Him every day for every event of our lives.

ML-01/07/2001

Treasures of the Snow

“Hast thou entered into the treasures of the snow? or hast thou seen the treasures of the hail?”
Job 38:22

What are the treasures of snow and hail? There are many. By means of snow and hail, the Creator stores long-lasting supplies of water on mountains, as well as covering the ground at lower levels. In warm weather these high and low storehouses melt and seep into the soil or release a flow of clear water into rivers, lakes and reservoirs - a vital supply for the needs of every living thing. Coming fresh and pure from melted snow, this water is more valuable than can be told. This is one of the important treasures.

On its way to lower levels, this treasure of the snow turns into rivers and passes through powerhouses, turning huge electric generators. In other places the melted snow and hail turn waterwheels and millstones in flour mills and other kinds of machinery. More treasures for mankind.

Vast supplies of melted snow seep into underground reservoirs called aquifers, some of which are very deep and hundreds of miles long. The Creator has placed most of these aquifers under dry lands where quantities of water are pumped to the surface to nourish crops that otherwise could not grow. On a smaller scale, homes in every part of the world depend upon wells which have originated from the same source. The treasures are seen here too.

Glaciers are formed by millions of tons of snow and hail that over the years have changed into solid ice. Growing deeper and deeper, their very weight forces them down mountainsides, pushing along any ice in front of them. The 40mile-long Columbia glacier in Alaska came into existence this way.

As these glaciers move slowly along, they gouge out the soil and create wide valleys which later become forested or covered with grass and flowers, adding to the beauty of the area. From those glaciers that eventually reach the ocean, great pieces of ice drop off to form icebergs, providing a mixture of fresh and salt water in big bays. Many forms of sea life thrive in this blend of waters and are eaten by fish, seals, whales and porpoises, some of which become a source of food for humans.

The list of treasures keeps growing, and we could add many more.

In Job 37:56 we read: “Great things doeth He, which we cannot comprehend. For He saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain.” God’s bounty never stops at our mere needs, but He provides beyond our power to ask or think. There is not only the beauty of snowcapped peaks showing His handiwork, but in more ways than we have considered, hidden “treasures of the snow” provide benefits to us. We can truthfully say, “How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!” (Romans 11:33).

ML-01/14/2001

The Chinch Bug

“By Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible.” Colossians 1:16

The black and white chinch bug is so tiny that when it hatches from its egg, it is almost impossible to see without the help of a microscope. Although tiny, the newly hatched insect immediately starts searching for food. Its little legs have enough strength for crawling and clinging to plants. It quickly finds its way to stalks of wheat, oats or hay where it begins feeding and becomes destructive and costly to the farmer. Armed with a sharp, sucking beak, it attaches itself to a stalk, sucking out the sap until the stalk dies. Then it moves on to another one while growing bigger and hungrier.

In about a month, it grows to full size, having molted (shed its outer skin) frequently while growing. At the last molt, wings appear, usually about the time corn is beginning to ripen in the fields. Then it flies to the good-tasting corn to continue its destructive work.

At the end of summer it searches out a place to hibernate. Then in the spring when temperatures return to around 70°, it comes out to continue its hungry feeding again.

We may not find anything good to say about chinch bugs, but they form part of God’s creation, and He has marvelously adapted them to their way of life. Perhaps He allows their destructive work to remind us that sin has come into the world and marred the perfection of His creation. Romans 8:22 tells us this: “We know that the whole creation [groans] and [travails] in pain together until now.” This means that sin has brought unpleasantness and suffering to all creatures, including even chinch bugs which often are the victims of such enemies as birds, frogs, spiders and many others that search them out and eat them.

The Bible also tells of a coming time when all creation will again be perfect without the effects of sin. Isn’t it encouraging to know it will be restored? But before that takes place, those who know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour will be called up into heaven. Then soon after, severe punishment is going to fall on this evil world with all its sin. God’s promise to those who believe in His Son is this: “The dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:1617).

Will you be included with those called into heaven, or will you be with those left behind for punishment? Be sure your decision is right!

ML-01/21/2001

The Lovely Fairy Tern

“This also cometh forth from the Lord of hosts, [who] is wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working.”
Isaiah 28:29

The bird creation has many of the Creator’s most beautiful creatures. Peacocks, cardinals, hummingbirds and many others have colorful feathers that are beautiful. But the fairy tern is not among these. It is pure white and has no color except for a dark beak and black feathers around its soft, dark eyes. It is most attractive in the air with outspread wings.

Fairy terns live in Hawaii, Midway and other Pacific islands and do not migrate like most other terns. They are great fishers, gliding smoothly just above the waves to snatch fish without stopping. They continue fishing while holding each catch crosswise in their beaks and return to land with a dozen or more at a time.

These birds attract visitors to their home areas because of a most peculiar manner of laying eggs, incubating them and raising their young. They seem entirely disinterested in making nests, but deposit single eggs on rocky bluffs or balance them on bare branches, pieces of stranded driftwood or almost any convenient, available place. Surprisingly, these eggs, which appear so carelessly placed and look as though they would fall at any moment, seldom do fall, and then only because of a strong wind or something meddling with them.

The parents themselves are quite careful about this, incubating the egg by settling very gently on it, covering it with soft underfeathers. Those who have watched this never fail to be surprised at the skill with which both parents take on this incubating responsibility, particularly since it takes a month for the egg to hatch.

Again, as the baby bird breaks out of its shell, an observer would think surely it would fall from its support and the egg and chick would be smashed below. But no, this hardly ever happens. The little newborn chick has been given a sense of balance that few creatures have so early in life and has also been provided with strong, long claws to hold securely to its shaky home right from the start.

Both parents care for the chick for about two months, feeding it mostly small fish which it swallows whole. After that time, the instincts given by the Creator and what it has learned by watching its parents enable it to live on its own.

Although it is not likely that the psalmist ever saw the pure-white fairy tern, no doubt he observed other birds caring for their young when he wrote: “He [the Lord God] shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust” (Psalm 91:4). Have you put your trust in Him?

ML-01/28/2001

The Tough Grizzly

“David said . . . there came a lion, and a bear, and took a lamb out of [my father’s] flock: and I went out . . . and . . . slew both the lion and the bear.”
1 Samuel 17:34-36

What a good shepherd David was to risk his life for a lamb! This reminds us of the Lord Jesus who said, “I am the Good Shepherd: the Good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep” (John 10:11). David was not killed, but the Lord Jesus willingly gave His life for His sheep.

An 800pound, 8foot grizzly bear is a vicious animal. It is found in the western United States and Canada, up into Alaska. Its large body and head, 6inch claws on strong legs, and sharp teeth all make it a fearsome animal. However, it does not start life that way. Born while its mother is hibernating, it weighs less than a pound and is hairless and blind. Two or three months later it will be the size of a raccoon. By summer’s end, it will be about as big as a collie dog.

Cubs are full of fun. They wrestle with each other, slide in the snow and climb slender trees until they bend or break with their weight. But it is not only cubs that like to play. Adult grizzlies will also slide down snow slopes, then climb back up and slide down again. They will tumble and roll down grassy hillsides the same way.

By the end of summer, the grizzlies are fat and lazy, but not too lazy to prepare dens in rocky hillsides or under roots of big trees. There they make beds of soft tree branches and some will line their dens with grass. All grizzlies in a given area enter their dens on the same day, and all dens face north. These are God-given instincts. He knows just when they should go into hibernation. He also knows that before winter is actually over there will be short warm spells, causing the snow on southern slopes to melt a little. A bear waking and hearing this trickle of water would leave its den before food is available. The short warm spells do not affect the cold northern slopes, and the bears remain undisturbed. How wisely the Creator takes care of even grizzlies!

Waking after five months’ sleep, thin and hungry, they immediately search for food. This first meal might be a large animal that died during the winter, its body preserved by the cold, or small rodents, fish, ants and berries. Cow parsnips are a favorite, and hikers are warned to stay away from mountain slopes where these grow, because grizzlies do not like intruders!

The Lord Jesus, as Creator, never neglects any of His creatures. But His special care over humans includes this promise to those who love Him: “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish” (John 10:28).

FEBRUARY 4, 2001

ML-02/04/2001

A Big Fish

“The Lord is good to all: and His tender mercies are over all His works.”
Psalm 145:9

Very large fish are fairly common in salty ocean waters, but not many are found in rivers, streams or lakes. So when a pike or salmon weighing from 30 to 80 pounds is caught by a freshwater fisherman, it makes news.

However, in South America a freshwater fish by the name of arapaima sometimes grows more than twice as long as a man is tall, but those usually caught are no longer than 10 feet and weigh around 250 pounds. That’s still a pretty big fish! The arapaima lives in several South American lakes, but most live in sluggish streams or swamps that are part of the Amazon River system, where large quantities of small fish provide ample food for their huge appetites.

The arapaima’s body is covered with olive-green scales on the front, with the color turning to light red toward the back and deep red before reaching the tail. It has a long, two-foot fin atop its body from the tail forward and another one the same size underneath from the tail forward. This fish has an unusual need - a supply of fresh air often since the water in which it lives does not have enough oxygen for the needs of its large body. This need of additional oxygen brings it to the surface every 10 or 15 minutes to inhale air.

Fishermen catch these large fish in various ways - sometimes with a huge hook and line made out of strong rope, at other times a net, and some catch them with a bow and arrow or spear them with a harpoon. After catching one and hauling it out of the water, a fish this size is too big to carry on mountain trails in one piece. The natives cut them up into small pieces to carry to their homes or to the markets.

Arapaima is a popular food considered by many as tasty as trout or salmon, and delicious steaks are frequently cut from them. Their tongues are tough and rough and are dried and used as files on the woodwork of the native homes.

This unusually large fish is just one more, among thousands of others throughout the world, that reminds us of the Creator’s pleasure in creating many varieties which He brought forth on the fifth day of creation, as told in Genesis 1:21-22. As our opening verse states, He always keeps a watchful eye on them, providing for all their needs. But His thoughts toward each of us are even greater. The Bible tells us, “The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He [knows] them that trust in Him” (Nahum 1:7). Do you trust in Him?

ML-02/11/2001

The Rabbit-Eared Bandicoot

“All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made.”
John 1:3

The name bandicoot or Indian mole rat or pig rat seems to suit this strange animal quite well. If you saw one you would certainly use your camera, for it is a most interesting small mammal. It is rather cute with long silky hair, light gray on its back, red on its sides and white underneath. You can see one in a zoo, but otherwise you will have to go to Australia or New Guinea to see one, since that is where they live.

Actually there are eight or nine species, ranging in size from a small mouse up to the size of a rabbit. They all look similar with long, narrow, pointed heads and enormous ears that stand upright. They have tails that look like those of rats, and their second and third toes are grown together.

Although the bandicoot looks peculiar to us, it is one of God’s creatures with a purpose in His creation. Other features He has given it are an extra-long tail which helps support it when standing erect and legs that, like a kangaroo’s, are short in front but long in back, enabling it to hop as quickly as a jackrabbit. It also has sharp claws to scratch for insects and worms and to dig a burrow home.

In fact, these creatures dig extra burrows. In some they store quantities of seeds, rice, or other food for use in seasons when food is not available. While the natives do not like the damage bandicoots do to their crops, there are times when they are thankful to find and rob these stores of grain to help out on a family’s food supply.

The bandicoot is like a miniature kangaroo in another way. Both are marsupials. This means that the females have pouches on their bellies for carrying and nursing their young. The difference is that the kangaroo’s pouch opens at the top and the bandicoot’s pouch opens at the bottom.

Does God see bandicoots in their life’s activities? We know He does, for the Bible plainly says, “Neither is there any creature that is not manifest [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). And that includes each of us too.

What does He see when He looks into your heart and thoughts and your life’s activities? Does He see someone who knows His Son, the Lord Jesus, as Saviour and Lord and tries to please Him? These are important questions that should be settled today.

ML-02/18/2001

The Praying Mantis

“The Lord is good to all: and His tender mercies are over all His works.”
Psalm 145:9

Late in the fall, the female praying mantis lays a mass of 100 or more eggs which she glues to a tree or shrub with a sticky substance from her body. This sticky substance covers the eggs and protects them throughout the winter months.

When spring warmth arrives, the eggs hatch and the larvae begin lives of eating insects. Sometimes the stronger ones even eat the weaker ones before they get away. Exposed to the air, the larva skin promptly hardens, but as it grows the skin splits open and drops off. This process, called molting, is repeated several times until by mid-summer the larva has finished its growth and its wings appear.

The praying mantis prefers to catch its prey alive. Its green or brown color camouflages it to look just like part of the plants on which it rests. It holds its front legs up, making it look like it is praying, and it remains perfectly still until some unsuspecting victim comes along. It usually doesn’t have to wait long before a beetle, caterpillar, hornet, fly, aphid or other insect comes close and is captured. The front legs of the mantis have sharp hooks, and once the victim has been grasped it has no chance of escape. God has given it an instinct to bite through the nerve center at the back of the victim’s neck, bringing instant death.

Even though the mantis rests in the praying position, we know it isn’t really praying because it doesn’t know anything about its Creator who watches over it and provides its food. Its ways seem cruel, but since it destroys many harmful insects, it is a friend of every farmer and gardener and should not be harmed by anyone.

In observing the ways of this insect, we see another example of the way God has arranged for the care of one more of His creatures and at the same time providing a necessary means of helping to control harmful insects.

As the mantis appears to be praying but is actually waiting to catch its food, its manner of life makes us think of those who do not really know the Lord Jesus as their Saviour, yet they appear to be religious. The Lord saw many people like this and on one occasion said, “Beware of the scribes, which love to go in long clothing . . . and the chief seats in the synagogues, and . . . which devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers” (Mark 12:38-40).

But to those who sincerely seek the Lord, He promises them, “The Lord is nigh unto all them that call upon Him, to all that call upon Him in truth” (Psalm 145:18). He will always hear your prayer when you speak to Him with a true heart.

ML-02/25/2001

Never Tease a Moose

“Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring.”
Joel 2:22

One of the largest animals of North America is the moose. It is found mainly in Alaska and in many areas of Canada and northern parts of the United States. The moose prefers areas with lakes, rivers and pastures with ample food, as the Creator has promised in the Bible verse above. It finds some food in chest-deep water, dunking its head under to pull plants out by the roots.

The bull moose of Alaska is the largest and boldest, weighing almost a ton and having shoulders as high as eight feet. Its huge size, plus big antlers, make an impressive sight, and it is very bold. It will not hesitate to charge a truck or slow-moving train that annoys it - sometimes knocking the annoyance off the highway or railroad track. It is easy to see why a moose is seldom attacked, although a calf, a sick one or an old one might become the victim of a bear or a wolf pack. However, if an enemy makes the mistake of attacking a moose, it may pay for the mistake with its life. One kick from a moose’s sharp hooves can crush a skull or break or cripple a leg. The big antlers are equally dangerous.

The dark-brown moose is not a pretty animal. It has a hump on its back, and its long face is marked by a baggy muzzle and another loose fold of skin at its throat called a dewlap. Add its massive crown of antlers, and it presents a mighty awesome appearance.

While it may seem cumbersome to us, the moose is one of God’s creatures: “Every beast of the forest is Mine. . . . And the wild beasts of the field are Mine” (Psalm 50:10-11). It is the divine Creator who has given it such strength and ability to survive in harsh, cold winters and who also provided it with large, split hooves and broad feet for easy walking on marshy ground and through snowdrifts. He knew what their needs would be when He created them and included four-foot-long legs and strong muscles so they can run at a speed of 35 miles an hour. The Creator has also given them coloring that blends with their surroundings, making them usually well hidden from enemies. Of course, no animal is aware of the One who created and preserves it, but how about us humans? There is a real difference, for we have the ability to know the Lord God and all He has done and is still doing for us. The psalmist wrote, “Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men!” (Psalm 107:8). Have you ever thanked or praised Him?

ML-03/04/2001

Birds of Paradise: Part 1

“Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air.”
Genesis 2:19

There are more than 40 species of birds of paradise. Each is so outstandingly beautiful that when the explorer Magellan first took some back to Spain, the people said they were so dazzling that these birds could only have come from paradise. And so that’s how they got their name.

It takes the male five or six years to get his mature plumage, but once he has it, the use of his feathers in courting a female companion is very important to him. The female does not have the beautiful colors. This is a wise provision of the Creator, because in her dull colors she is not easily spotted by enemies that would like to get her or her eggs.

Birds of paradise live from sea level up to 6000 feet above sea level in New Guinea, Australia and a few South Sea islands. The males have the most brilliant and extraordinary plumage of any bird in the world. Usually these birds nest in trees, often near the very top, and generally lay one to three spotted, white eggs. When these hatch out, they become the full responsibility of the female, as by then the male bird has flown away to find another companion. Only on rare occasions does a male help a little in feeding the young ones. This behavior is disappointing since most of us appreciate it when both parents share responsibilities and are loyal to each other.

The diet of these birds includes fruit, berries, seeds, insects, frogs and reptiles. These birds have stout bodies and are heavy-billed and vary from the size of a robin to that of a crow, without the long plumes and “wires.”

Noted for their loud, clear calls that can be heard for quite a distance, as well as their beautiful coloring, the different species have been given a wide variety of plumage. Some have a pair of wire-like tendrils anchored to their backs and extending out in unusual ways two or three feet past their tails. Also, beneath the wings of some are long, delicate plumes in contrasting colors or sometimes in pure white. These can be raised and spread out like a cape over their bodies.

All plainly show the pleasure of the Lord God in creating so many beautiful varieties of these birds, as well as uncountable others that have obeyed His command and multiplied throughout the entire earth. There are many that have never been seen by man, but the eye of their Creator is always on them. Some of those that are known will be described in the next article.

(to be continued)

ML-03/11/2001

Birds of Paradise: Part 2

“I will praise Thee, O Lord, with my whole heart; I will show forth all Thy marvelous works.” Psalm 9:1

In the last article we commented on the beautifully colored feathers, plumes and unusual features of the various species of birds of paradise. The most outstanding feature that most have are two slender wires crossing each other as they extend beyond their tails. Sometimes these curl to form a pair of circles or other shapes. On some birds there are six of these wires and on others twelve. These larger numbers of wires usually form small coils, resting snugly against the tails and not extending beyond. Let’s look at a few of them.

One called Count Raggi’s has twelve wires. He is bright yellow all over except for red feet and a bright-green balloon-like head. He is unusually active in winning a mate. First he dances about on a tree limb to attract a female’s attention, then spreads his wings upward, and finally turns nearly upside down to make his feathers flash more brilliantly than ever. If the female doesn’t respond, he repeats the performance for another one when he has the opportunity.

The king is also outstanding. He is brilliant red over his head and throat with a green band over his chest, dividing the red from a white under-body. From his short, purple tail, two long wires extend with small balls of purple feathers on their ends.

Another has the name King of Saxony and looks almost like a robin -with dark top feathers and an orange breast. His distinctive feature is a pair of long, glossy plumes - one blue and the other brown-extending from the back of his head beyond his tail by a distance of more than twice the length of his body. The Creator has given him these pretty features rather than the wires most others display.

The superb has a different arrangement. An olive-green body and wide-spreading tail contrast with his bright-blue chest and short wings of the same color. He has no wires extending behind him.

The white-plumed lacks the brilliant colors of the others but has a prominent display of long, fluffy, white plumes extending from his back. He can raise these over his body to look like a most beautiful cape.

The beautiful feathers of these birds, as well as a wide variety of other birds, are possibly one of the greatest displays of God’s visible handiwork. However, He has other beautiful designs in fish and animal groupings. In contrast, it is often the ordinary-colored creatures that have the greatest skills and the most amazing ways of life. They are all part of God’s creation, and we should think of Him and His wisdom when we have occasion to observe any of them.

MARCH 18, 2001

ML-03/18/2001

Moths-Good and Bad

“The moth shall eat them up like a garment, and the worm shall eat them like wool.”
Isaiah 51:8

Moths can be very destructive while in the caterpillar (larva) stage. Some species eat holes in fabric, fur and other things, while others damage food crops and other plants. However, a fully developed moth no longer harms things; some actually are helpful. A few of them never eat at all, and others have new appetites, eating only nectar from flowers. Flitting from one flower to another to gather the nectar, they carry pollen which helps pollinate flowers. Also, lovely silk thread is made from the cocoon of the silkworm moth in the Orient.

How can we tell the difference between moths and butterflies? Moths usually have thicker bodies and smaller wings than butterflies. Moths fly mostly at night while butterflies fly in daylight. When resting, butterflies’ wings are upright; moths’ wings are flat, like an airplane, or tight against their bodies.

The birth and development of moths follows the exact pattern established by the Creator when He first created them. There has been no change since that day, and His instruction that each generation must reproduce “after his kind” has always been followed. In springtime they hatch as caterpillars from eggs deposited on trees and bushes. They do not remain as caterpillars very long. Soon they spin a cocoon, often inside curled leaves or under the bark of a tree. One of the wonders of God’s creation is the way a caterpillar changes inside its cocoon. In a few weeks’ time, it has fully developed into a moth, complete with markings, and is able to fly.

There are countless varieties of these interesting insects. The largest is called the atlas of India which measures as much as 12 inches across - from wing tip to wing tip. In North America the largest is the royal moth. It begins as a jet-black caterpillar, eating pine and hemlock needles. It eventually emerges from its cocoon as a pretty six- to seven-inch moth.

Even though moths are interesting, the caterpillar’s bad habits cannot be overlooked. These habits remind us of Satan who brings evil thoughts and actions into people’s lives before they are aware of the danger. That is why the Bible urges us to “lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal” (Matthew 6:20). Is that where your treasures are?

If we have faith in the Lord Jesus and really want to please Him, we don’t need to listen to Satan. It is helpful to remember a good verse to add to our prayers: “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer” (Psalm 19:14).

ML-03/25/2001

The Lively Kinkajou

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

If you like pets, you would find a tamed kinkajou (also called honey bear) a playful one, but in the wild it is tough and fierce. This six- to seven-pound member of the raccoon family lives in the forests of southern Mexico, Central America and parts of South America. Fully grown it is two feet long, or slightly smaller, plus a slender tail of the same length.

Like some monkeys, kinkajous use their tails to grasp onto branches as they travel through the trees. Sometimes they hang head-downward with their tails grasping a branch. This tail also helps in keeping their balance when jumping from one branch to another.

They have yellow-brown dense fur with some faint darker colors and a white stomach. Heads are round with pointed noses, cup-shaped ears and large, innocent-looking eyes adding to their beauty. The Creator has also provided them with sharp claws on their front feet to help in climbing. They also will hold a piece of fruit or other food in one hand while breaking off pieces with the other for eating, just like we do.

During the day they hide in tree holes or nap in crotches of trees with their tails wrapped snugly around them. They become lively at night and feed mostly on fruit and insects. Long tongues are a help in probing crevices for insects. At times they will use their long tails to reach into insect nests, then pull them out and lick off any insects stuck to them.

Usually just one baby is born to the parents each year. It looks like a cute little kitten with its soft tan fur and tightly shut eyes which will open in about four weeks. Even before its eyes open, its tail can get a tight grip on things it encounters. When only three months old it might be found playfully hanging head-downward with its tail securely wrapped about a small limb. In a year’s time it is fully grown. Many have long lives for so little an animal - some in captivity living nearly 20 years.

These cuddly animals are examples of the Creator’s care for all living things, even in the wild, tropical forests. But His thoughts toward every boy and girl are far better, for He invites you to live with Him in heaven when your life on earth is over. In great love, the Lord Jesus made this possible by bearing on Calvary’s cross the sins of all who admit they are sinners and believe that He died for them. Will you be with the happy ones in heaven who will be with Him for all eternity?

ML-04/01/2001

The Hard-to-Reach Geoduck

“Be ye glad and rejoice forever in that which I create.”
Isaiah 65:18

The geoduck is not a bird, as the name would suggest. It is a large clam found deep in the sand off the ocean shorelines of Washington, Oregon and northern California. Its name comes from an Indian word meaning “dig deep.” It is one of the largest clams, except for some deep-ocean giant clams that reach 500 pounds and may be up to 4 feet long.

The geoduck’s five-pound body bulges out from around the two halves of its seven-inch shell, which seems not large enough to give it full protection. But the Creator has not made a mistake in this design; He has well adapted it to its home beyond the shoreline.

Its body is always completely buried under about three feet of sand, but it has a siphon (tube) extending above the sand which collects water filled with oxygen and plankton on which it feeds. Fish may see the top of the siphon but leave it alone since they don’t know what’s at the other end, nor could they dig through the sand to reach it if they wanted to.

Twice a year, in spring and fall, there are two-day periods when this creature is exposed to danger. This is the time of extra-low tides, and only then can clam-diggers reach them. However, geoducks are not easy to find. The moment digging starts the geoduck quickly pulls its siphon down, and the clam-digger, digging through three feet of sand with a shovel and bare hands, often cannot locate the clam.

Because these large clams are now so scarce, people are not allowed to catch more than one a day during these two periods each year. But most clam-diggers consider them well worth the effort because of the wonderful flavor of more than four pounds of clean, boneless clam meat. Regardless of how they are prepared and eaten, one clam supplies enough meat to make two good meals for most families.

As we have noticed in some of our other articles, there are many unusual creatures in the oceans. They all are a part of God’s creation, and when He brought them forth He proclaimed, “Be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas” (Genesis 1:22). They have continued to reproduce “after their kind” ever since. The Lord God declared that everything He made “was good,” and the creatures we see today are the very same as the first ones God placed on the earth so long ago.

His instruction to young people is, “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth” (Ecclesiastes 12:1), and also, “Stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God” (Job 37:14). These are wise instructions.

ML-04/08/2001

The Lovely Manakins

“By Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible. . . . All things were created by Him, and for Him.”
Colossians 1:16

In the forests of Central and South America, from Mexico to Brazil and on nearby islands, there are over 50 species of the interesting manakins. These birds are not much larger than swallows but are much more active. The Creator has given them small, strong beaks that are slightly hooked on the ends. They use them to pluck fruit from trees, as well as insects from the air while flying. These items form their main food supply.

The more common manakins include those named long-tailed, swallow-tailed, white-bearded, golden-headed and blue-backed. Their names describe each one’s general appearance. They are also called jewel birds, perhaps because of the brilliant coloring of the males. The females, however, are mostly plain olive-green - a kind provision of the Creator so that they blend in with their surroundings while sitting on their nests or taking care of their young.

Manakins have an unusual way of choosing mates. Not all follow the same pattern, but many-particularly the white-bearded, golden-headed and blue-backed - put on a remarkable show.

A group of males selects an open area and removes twigs, leaves, grass and pebbles, exposing the bare ground in a large circle. Females are drawn to the area by the loud calls of the males and look on from nearby branches. The leading male first jumps high in the air, hovering there with fluttering wings in front of a female and sometimes flying back and forth near her before dropping back to the ground. Then, one by one, the others jump into the air and perform the same way while making noises that sound like cats meowing.

In some groups, each male will make 100 jumps or more, moving faster and faster each time. The females, in their excitement, hop up and down from perch to perch and then fly to the ground, selecting the males of their choice. Pairs soon fly off to build cup-shaped nests in trees or bushes where two eggs are laid in each nest and incubated for about three weeks. After hatching, the young are cared for by only the mothers for another three or four weeks, until they are able to be on their own.

The Lord God found great pleasure in creating all living things, and we can be sure of His tender thoughts toward these lovely birds as He watches over them. His eyes are lovingly on you too, inviting you to admit your need of having your sins forgiven and accepting Him as your Saviour. Have you done this?

ML-04/15/2001

Plants With Strange Appetites

“The Lord God made the earth and the heavens, and every plant of the field.”
Genesis 2:45

Most of us are pleased to find any kind of wildflower. We enjoy its fragrance and perhaps take a picture of it. Many of them seem so delicate that we are careful not to step on them or handle them roughly. But among these wild plants and flowers are some with strange ways.

One of them is the three-foot-tall pitcher plant. Sometimes these are sold in garden stores. The top of this plant is open like a pitcher, and sweet nectar at the bottom attracts many insects. The insects crawl down to feast on the nectar but find themselves trapped and unable to escape. Soon they die there and become food absorbed into the plant.

Another is the sundew. This one has sticky flowers in which crawling or flying insects are trapped and gradually absorbed into the plant’s system.

Bladderwort plants grow in ponds and use a different way of trapping. When a waterbug or even a small minnow bumps into one, that part of the plant flies open and the victim is sucked inside where it cannot escape. It then becomes part of the food supply of its captor.

Then there is the huntsman’s cap. An insect is attracted by its sweet smell and alights on its top. The insect finds it so slippery that it slides down to the bottom where rain water has collected. It soon drowns and decomposes, becoming food helpful to the plant.

Other plants don’t eat insects; God has designed them to keep insects away. They produce chemicals that either chase the insects off or may even kill them. Among these plants are marigolds, some varieties of mushrooms, and goldenrod that discourages insect visitors by burning holes in their bodies with its chemicals. Even cucumber plants give off odors that send cockroaches scurrying away.

These are exceptions to the general nature of plants. Most plants need insects, such as ants, bees, butterflies and moths, to pollinate their flowers so that seed-bearing pods, fruit or berries will develop. But as we consider the insect-eating plants with ways that are strange to us, we are reminded in our opening Bible verse that they are all among the wonders of God’s creation. Each one serves a real purpose in His order of things.

God has a purpose for your life too. He invites you to come to Him through faith in His Son, the Lord Jesus, who gave His life on Calvary to be a Saviour to all who will trust in Him. One happy purpose for those who trust in the Lord Jesus is to serve and honor Him. Are you trusting in Jesus?

APRIL 22, 2001

ML-04/22/2001

Dugong, the Sea Cow

“O Lord, how manifold are Thy works! in wisdom hast Thou made them all.”
Psalm 104:24

Most of us have never seen a dugong, because they live in the Indian Ocean, the Red Sea and the waters around Australia. In many ways, their habits are like porpoises’, but they are larger, often between 8 and 15 feet long and weighing up to 750 pounds. They are air-breathing mammals, but like the sea lions of the north, they have heavy bones which help them submerge quickly. Their nostrils automatically close when underwater, where they can remain from 5 to 8 minutes before returning to the surface for air.

Like dolphins and whales, dugongs stay close by their mates, usually traveling as a family with their calf beside them. If one is injured, the other stays close by, helping it rise to the surface for air. The female, which usually has one calf each year, floats on her back and cradles the little one in her flippers when nursing it. This permits the calf to breathe while nursing.

Unlike dolphins and whales, dugongs do not eat fish or marine life. Their diet is strictly seaweed and grasses that grow beneath the water’s surface. This explains the nickname “sea cow.” God has equipped them especially for this kind of life. Since they feed mostly in the twilight or darkness, He has given them large eyes which have a protective, transparent covering instead of eyelids. Their ears are only openings on each side of their heads, yet they have excellent hearing.

Besides having efficient flippers, dugongs have forked tails similar to whales, which help them to maneuver swiftly. Their upper lips are covered with long, tough, bristle-like hairs which help them select plant food. Their teeth are designed to quickly cut through the tough stems of seaweed and other water plants. An adult will eat almost 100 pounds of food each day. Where large numbers group together, they use up the food supply and must move to another location.

Dugongs have been around since the days of creation and were given all their abilities to survive when the Lord God created them. All their needs were provided for when they were placed on the earth.

As the many wonders of God’s creation come to our attention, it is good to think about His counsel: “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth” (Ecclesiastes 12:1). We know He is the Creator of all things, but He is more than that to those who believe His Word: “[He] will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth . . . [and to believe in] the man Christ Jesus; who gave Himself a ransom for all” (1 Timothy 2:46). Besides being your Creator, is He also your Saviour?

APRIL 29, 2001

ML-04/29/2001

Breathing and Eating: Part 1

“The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.”
Genesis 2:7

What a marvelous creation the human body is, designed by our Creator who makes no mistakes. Let’s look at the importance of the nose, mouth and throat in the life of each of us, for it is through them that necessary air for our lungs and food for our stomachs reach the vital parts of our bodies.

The nose certainly is easy to see, but it is much more complex than it appears, for it is made up of a combination of parts working together. Its main purpose is to warm and cleanse the air we breathe, but it also has other functions, including the sense of smell and enhancing the sense of taste.

Air enters the nose through two openings called nostrils. The soft inner linings of the nostrils, like the rest of the airway, contain many small glands which secrete mucus onto the surface. This surface is also covered with tiny hairs called cilia. These are extremely important since their job is to filter incoming air, trapping dust, bacteria and other impurities that would be harmful to our lungs. These tiny hairs wave back and forth constantly, moving the trapped impurities on down to the throat and then to the stomach, which knows how to dispose of them.

Helping the cilia do their work are four groups of sinuses. Some of these are located above the nose and secrete small amounts of mucus into the nostrils to moisten them and aid in the filtering process. Part of this moisture from the mucus is added to the air we inhale as it is warmed in the nose, so it will be just right for the lungs. Other sinuses located above and beside the nose also assist in this task.

Of course, there are times when a cold virus or allergies make it difficult to breathe through the nose, and then we have to breathe through the mouth. This is a wonderful provision of the Creator, for otherwise we couldn’t get enough air under such conditions to keep us alive. However, breathing through the nose best prepares the air for the lungs.

As our opening verse says, the very first breath that gave life to Adam was breathed into his nostrils by the Lord God. This was not true of any other creature, and mankind has always had a special place in God’s thoughts.

When God reads your heart, does He find that you have special thoughts toward Him too? He has done so much for you in providing His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, to be your Saviour if you will only trust in Him. Your thoughts should be of true thankfulness and acceptance of His wondrous gift of salvation.

(to be continued)

ML-05/06/2001

The Mouth Does More Than Talk: Part 2

“Thy hands have made me and fashioned me: give me understanding, that I may learn Thy commandments [instructions].”
Psalm 119:73

The mouth is a very efficient part of the head and contains parts most essential to everyday living. These include the teeth, which are perfectly adapted to the kind of food we eat.

As the mouth closes on a bite of food, chewing immediately begins. The tongue quickly becomes active, moving the food from side to side and gradually working it back from the sharp front teeth (incisors and cuspids) to the bicuspids and finally to the molars, which finish the chewing process. All this time saliva has been added to the food, so that when the food is ready to be swallowed, it is also moist enough to safely pass into the throat and then on down to the stomach.

At the back of the mouth where the nasal passage opens into the throat, there could be danger of the tongue pushing food up into that airway, which could cause problems. However, the Creator designed a separation, called the palate, which prevents this from happening. This palate actually forms the roof of the mouth. At the front it is hard and rigid, but in the back it is soft and elastic.

Another precaution against food going the wrong way after it has been chewed is a safety valve (uvula) attached to the soft palate and hanging down. When swallowing, this, along with the soft palate, blocks off the entrance to the rear nasal passage, preventing food or liquid from going the wrong way.

On either side of the uvula are the tonsils. These help destroy harmful bacteria that have entered the body.

Your lips are the first to touch food entering your mouth. They are very sensitive and help signal if something may be too hot or cold. They are important to speech and singing, as well as visually showing the kind of mood you may be in - cheerful, sad, frightened or surprised. The tongue, which covers the whole floor of your mouth, is the main organ of taste and decides whether something is sweet, sour, bitter, salty or tasteless.

Doesn’t it seem strange that with both the nose and mouth having such important functions, we scarcely ever think about them? How good the Creator has been to provide these parts that continue to function automatically each day, with rarely a conscious thought from us. Who but God could form each part of our bodies in such wonderful ways?

“Know ye that the Lord He is God: it is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves. . . . Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise: be thankful unto Him, and bless His name” (Psalm 100:34).

(to be continued)

ML-05/13/2001

The Throat's Part in Our Lives: Part 3

“Serve the Lord with gladness: come before His presence with singing.”
Psalm 100:2

In the last two articles we have looked at how the nose and mouth serve us. After their work is done, the throat (pharynx) takes over. Food on its journey from the mouth to the stomach passes through the pharynx. The pharynx is about five inches long and is connected to the tube (esophagus) that leads to the stomach. Air from the nose also travels down part of the pharynx on its way to the voice box (larynx) and then to the windpipe (trachea). So part of the pharynx is shared by both food and air.

At the point where the pharynx divides into two tubes, one taking air to the lungs and the other taking food to the stomach, the Creator has provided an amazing safety valve (epiglottis) to keep the air and food separate from each other. When no food is on the way, the valve allows the air to pass along to the voice box, windpipe and lungs, but it keeps it out of the food tube. But when food is present, this wonderful valve shuts off the part to the windpipe, and the food goes down the correct tube to the stomach. But not always. Sometimes when we laugh or talk while swallowing, food does accidentally enter the larynx, and then we choke until the food is removed by coughing.

The voice box (larynx) is an important part of the throat. It enables us to talk and sing. It has two vocal cords through which air from the lungs is forced when we talk. These cords are usually relaxed, but speaking or singing draws them close together, and as air is forced through, they vibrate to make a great variety of sounds. The amount of passing air and the tightness of the cords determine the sound. This means that when talking or singing, the cords have to change their tightness over and over instantaneously.

Of course, forming words and music also requires the use of the tongue, mouth and even our teeth. But how wonderful it is to think how all these cooperate to work so perfectly. Animals can make sounds, but they cannot speak or sing as we do. Birds can produce God-given melodies delightful to hear, but they cannot compose any other music. It is only mankind that has this ability, and that is because of the kindness of our Creator in making it possible.

When we consider all the ways God has provided for us, surely we should let our vocal cords bring forth songs and prayers of praise and thanksgiving to Him, as our opening verse tells us.

MAY 20, 2001

ML-05/20/2001

Big-Billed Pelicans

“The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein. . . . He hath made His wonderful works to be remembered.”
Psalm 111:2,4

Pelicans are the world’s largest web-footed birds. Both white and brown pelicans live in North America, with other species in other parts of the world. Large colonies nest on ocean islands; others prefer ocean bays and beaches or inland lakes.

The white pelican can be as large as 5 feet long with a 10foot wingspan and weigh 16 pounds; the brown pelican is somewhat smaller. A pelican’s heavy body is supported by strong, short legs and large, webbed feet. It has a long neck and a big head with a long, flat bill. The upper part of the bill has a sharp hook at the tip; the lower part has an elastic pouch which stretches out to form a big scoop. After scooping up a fish, water and all, the pouch is contracted, squeezing out the water before the fish is swallowed.

Spotting a fish from the air, this big bird plunges into the water, scoops the fish into its pouch, then swallows it whole. At other times, a dozen or more pelicans work together. Swimming together in a line on the deep-water side of a school of fish, the pelicans beat the water with their strong wings, driving the fish to the shallow shoreline where they are easily caught. Who taught them this clever trick? No one but God, their Creator, who also provided them with air pockets under their skin and hollow bones so they are never in danger of sinking. How wonderfully He adapts every creature to its manner of life!

These almost voiceless birds aren’t too particular about their nests, building them from mud, gravel and sand, with twigs placed loosely on top. The female lays 1 to 4 dull white eggs. The hatchlings have bare, pink skin but are soon covered with down. The parents carefully protect them from the hot sun when they are first hatched, always standing over them to keep them in the shade of their large bodies.

Once in the air, this otherwise awkward bird becomes a graceful flier and can fly for hours, covering long distances. When several fly together, they fly in V-formation and flap their wings in unison. The Creator has given them this instinct, because flying in this manner produces air currents which make flying easier.

Pelicans may seem like strange birds, but they are part of “the works of the Lord” stated in our opening verse. When we see these birds, as well as every other creature, we should consider how He not only made them, but watches over them with loving care, just as He does for you and me.

ML-05/27/2001

The Pretty Mink

“God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind . . . and it was so . . . and God saw that it was good.”
Genesis 1:24-25

The mink is a pretty little animal with thick, glossy, dark-brown fur, but with a white patch on its chin which often extends over its throat and chest. It is only about 25 to 35 inches long, including its bushy tail, and weighs less than four pounds. Beady black eyes, a long slender neck and small ears all add to its beauty and give it an alert appearance. Its legs are short and its paws are equipped with razor-sharp claws.

Like its relative the weasel, its food is mostly fish, frogs, mice and other small animals, birds, eggs, muskrats and rabbits. The Creator has equipped the mink with partially webbed hind feet to help in swimming and moving about underwater for much of its food.

An excellent swimmer, a mink is equally at home on land or in water. It prefers to make its home close to a stream or pond, sometimes in an abandoned animal burrow, inside a hollow log or under the roots of a tree. If necessary, it will make its own burrow, about ten feet long and usually with two entrances. One entrance may be underwater, but both open to a large den where four to ten kits are raised in the spring.

The mother mink nurses the kits for about five weeks and then adds some solid food for two more weeks before taking them outside where she teaches them to find their own food. She also teaches them how to protect themselves from owls, fox, lynx and bobcats. The kits playfully chase each other around, have mock battles and slide down banks into streams. At other times they curl up like a ball and float down a stream, just for fun.

An adult mink is a tough fighter, lightning-fast on its feet and using its needle-sharp teeth and claws effectively. It also will spray an enemy with a strong, unpleasant musk which discourages the most vicious bobcat, fox or lynx foolish enough to attack.

During winter, a mink continues hunting, its webbed feet helping in snow and its sharp ears detecting the noise of mice below the surface. It digs rapidly through the snow to capture the rodents that are usually quite safe.

Wild animals have no knowledge of their Creator and His constant care of them. The Bible says: “O Lord, Thou preservest man and beast. How excellent is Thy loving-kindness” (Psalm 36:67). How important for us to notice that this includes mankind, just as the Bible tells us in many other places of His love and care for us. Have you ever thanked Him for His loving-kindness?

JUNE 3, 2001

ML-06/03/2001

Roots Are Important

“As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in Him: rooted and built up in Him.”
Colossians 2:6-7

“Yum, yum! This peach is so good - sweet and juicy. I want another one.” Did you ever say something like this? How do you suppose all that flavor and juiciness gets into a peach? Someone might answer, “Through the sunshine.” That’s partly right, because all plants need light. But there is something else that is important, and that is the roots. Hidden down in the soil, they give life to the parts of the plant that we see above ground. Roots are an important wonder of God’s creation in providing for our needs.

We read in Genesis 2:7, “The Lord God formed man of the dust [soil] of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.” When God chose rich soil to form the first man, we may be sure He was planning ahead to care for his needs as well as for all of us. Adam’s body, created with the important minerals, nutrients and moisture of that very soil, could continue to live. His hunger would be satisfied from plants. Fruits, vegetables, seeds and plants themselves would supply these important items from the soil -by way of the roots.

This is why our title reads, “Roots Are Important.” It is through the hidden roots that these important minerals and nutrients are taken from the soil and passed on to the parts of plants that we eat.

Not all food grows above ground. Instead of sending all minerals and nutrients into the parts of the plant above ground, some roots store them. Many of these roots are good to eat - carrots, radishes, beets, potatoes and others.

God’s creation, of course, has many growing plants not meant for eating. Even a little blade of grass depends on a root, as do huge redwood and sequoia trees that grow as high as 300 feet above ground. If you could dig all the dirt away from the base of most large trees, you would find the roots spread out from the trunk at least as far as the overhead branches extend. You have probably noticed how strong roots of shade trees often crack and raise pieces of cement sidewalks several inches. Even small roots will sometimes break stones apart.

In Psalm 1, a man who delights in the Word of the Lord is “like a tree planted by the rivers of water.” Just as tree roots get needed water from the river, so we get our spiritual food from God’s Word, the Bible. In Ephesians 3:17 we learn that when Christ lives in our hearts by faith, we are “rooted and grounded in love.” Is your life rooted in the love of the Lord Jesus? Are you getting your daily food from His Word?

ML-06/10/2001

Salamanders Like to Hide

“God made . . . everything that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.”
Genesis 1:25

We might think that God wouldn’t be very interested in a little creature like a salamander. But as our opening verse tells us, He not only created the little salamander, He “saw that it was good”! One reason He made them was as a benefit to mankind - they help keep in check the harmful grubs, slugs, worms and insects that damage man’s food supply.

These harmless creatures usually have four legs and a long tail. There are over 300 kinds, ranging in size from one inch to five feet long. The most common North American salamander is the spotted salamander, about six inches long.

Most salamanders stay hidden during daylight hours. Since they must keep their skins moist, they live where it is cool, dark and damp -ponds, swamps, caves or under logs, stones or wet leaves. Some live in underground burrows.

One unusual species in the tropics spends its entire life in trees, sometimes a hundred feet above ground. It makes its home in the plants that grow on tree trunks and hold water in their leaves. These salamanders have flat bodies so they can move around in these tight places. They also have webbed toes and “suction-cup” feet so they can scamper over tree leaves easily.

Another interesting species, the red eft, is only about three inches long. It starts life in the spring as an egg laid on the leaf of an underwater plant. When it hatches, it drops as a larva to the bottom of the pond where it lives for about a year while its lungs develop. Emerging in the fall, it crawls out on land as an air-breathing creature, brick-red in color, and heads for a safe, winter hiding place. In spring, it comes out and spends most of its time waiting for an insect to come close. Then it flicks out its sticky tongue - so fast it can hardly be seen - and captures it.

Like lizards and newts, God has also given salamanders the ability to grow back lost or injured parts of their bodies. If a tail or leg is lost, it will grow back quickly.

We might wonder why God put these interesting little animals on earth. They are part of His whole design in balancing the rest of His creation. How wonderfully He has equipped each one to fit its own way of life - whether down in the ground, in water, on the surface or up in a tree. How good it is to believe the truth of Scripture, that God is not only the creator of mankind too, but that His Son came to be our Lord and Saviour as well. “There is but one God . . . and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things” (1 Corinthians 8:6).

ML-06/17/2001

The Long-Nosed Narwhal

“The Lord is a great God. . . . The sea is His, and He made it: and His hands formed the dry land. O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker.”
Psalm 95:36

Only a few hundred Polar Eskimos live in the snow and ice-covered regions of Greenland. They patiently wait through the cold winter for the return of the short June-through-August summer when they can fish and hunt again. They catch many fish, seals and an occasional polar bear, but what they really look forward to each summer is the return of the gray and white narwhals.

Narwhals can weigh up to 2 tons and may measure 18 feet long, not including tusks. They are hunted, not only for their delicious, vitamin-rich meat, but for the valuable oil in their bodies. Of greatest value are the long, ivory tusks of the males. These may measure 8 feet long and are spiraled all the way to the pointed tips.

A tusk is really the narwhal’s only tooth. It can weigh as much as 20 pounds and can be sold for a high price. If it’s in good condition, such a prize will sell for nearly $1000. This means a great deal to the Eskimos, who, except for the fish they sell and a few furs, have little opportunity to earn money.

In the short summer, there is a very rapid growth of aquatic life in the salt water on which many kinds of fish thrive. In ways which only He could devise, the Lord God, the Creator, lets the narwhals know when this will take place. They gather in great numbers at the edges of ice-bound bays and fjords, waiting for the ice to break up so they can get to this food. At such times, the Polar Eskimos make the most of their hunting skills in thrilling, dangerous hunts.

Like porpoises, narwhals are peaceful, lively and playful and are not known to harm anything with their pointed tusks. However, they are also wary and swift and easily escape when alarmed. As a result, absolute silence is needed when hunting them in kayaks - no outboard motors are allowed and no talking above a whisper. But even so, most narwhals escape being caught by the hunters.

If these Eskimos read the Bible, they will find in its very first chapter that fish and narwhals are all part of God’s creation. In further reading they will find that people are more important to Him than anything else. In the New Testament they will come to this wonderful verse: “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

We hope that many Eskimos have accepted this loving invitation. What about you?

ML-06/24/2001

Cock-of-the-Rock

“Who [teaches] us more than the beasts of the earth, and [makes] us wiser than the fowls of heaven?”
Job 35:11

The pigeon-sized cock-of-the-rock is found in the Amazon region of northern Brazil. The outstanding color of the male is orange-red, and his head is topped with an orange, helmet-like crest. Wing feathers are contrasting dark brown and blue. He is an outstandingly beautiful bird.

In contrast, young chicks are anything but beautiful. They have fuzzy black hair, bare legs and wings that look like a coarse comb. However, in a year’s time they have the same plumage as the adults.

Because of the male’s fighting attitude towards anything that approaches its nesting area, it is well named cock-of-the-rock. This fighting attitude makes him quick to challenge another male bird, especially when one trespasses into another’s territory or when they are both trying to win the same female at an event called a lek.

At the time of the lek, several male and female birds come together in a clearing. The females are off to one side, while the males, one by one, approach with their pretty feathers fluffed out. They dance with steps and hops, fluffing out their pretty light-blue wings below the orange body feathers.

The females make their choice of a mate, and the pair leaves to find a place to build a nest of mud and sticks in the trees or on a rocky ledge. The female, whose feathers are plain brown, often builds the nest by herself and incubates the eggs and raises her young without any help. Meanwhile, the selfish male is enjoying a care-free life, showing off his feathers as he flies through the forest.

Males in combat lock powerful talons together, jab at each other with their wings, and sometimes lock beaks. These matches may last two or three hours. If neither can claim himself a winner, they seem to agree to rest before fighting again until one is defeated.

We may be sure that when these beautiful birds were created, they were not proud and vicious as they are now. When God created them and the other birds on the fifth day of His creation, the Bible states, “God saw that it was good” (Genesis 1:21). What happened to change them? It was sin coming into the world through Satan, and he has never changed from his evil ways. The Bible warns us, “Be sober, be vigilant [watchful]; because your adversary [enemy] the devil, as a roaring lion, [walks] about, seeking whom he may devour [destroy]” (1 Peter 5:8).

We can only resist Satan and his evil ways by placing our trust in the Lord Jesus and asking Him to lead us in His ways. Have you done this?

ML-07/01/2001

The Cuddly Koala

“All Thy works shall praise Thee, O Lord. . . . Thou openest Thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing.”
Psalm 145:10,16

The koala, also called the Australian bear, is probably the world’s most loved wild animal. This is easy to understand, since it looks like a live teddy bear. It is also gentle and lovable and is sometimes raised as a household pet.

The koala is not a bear; it is actually a marsupial since the mother has a pouch for carrying her young. This mammal weighs about ten pounds, is about two feet long and a foot high at the shoulder, and has almost no tail. Part of the reason people love this little animal is its inquisitive expression. Its little mouth always seems to be smiling as its round eyes look you over while wrinkling its shiny, black nose. Its thick, soft, woolly, gray fur covers even its small head and large tufted ears, and its soft arms will hug anyone holding it.

A baby koala weighs just a few ounces at birth and spends six months in the mother’s pouch. After that, it rides on her back for about a year, holding on with hand-like paws. During this time, the mother introduces the cub to a diet of eucalyptus leaves. It is interesting to see how the Creator has given them wisdom to know to eat from only about a dozen kinds of eucalyptus rather than the 600 varieties that are not suitable as food. While riding on its mother’s back, the cub learns which of these are safe, but the ability to tell the plants apart is actually given by the Creator who made both the trees and koalas.

A koala is rather lazy. Once it finds a good eucalyptus tree, it is content to stay in the tree until all the tender leaves and buds are eaten. It sleeps during the day in the top of the tree, often hanging with its back downward, like a sloth. Life in these tall trees again shows the special provisions of God for His creatures. Sharp claws and rough padded feet are just right for climbing and holding onto branches while it feeds.

In the hot, dry climate of Australia, what does the koala do for water? The Creator has given this animal a special stomach that not only enables it to get nourishment from the bitter eucalyptus leaves, but also to get from those leaves all the water it needs.

The koala does not know of God’s care over it, but we can know His care over us. The Bible tells us, “The Lord searcheth all hearts. . . . If thou seek Him He will be found of thee” (1 Chronicles 28:9). If you have accepted Him as your Saviour, then you can also say, “Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits” (Psalm 68:19).

ML-07/08/2001

A Woodland Grave Digger

“The eyes of all wait upon Thee; and Thou givest them their meat in due season.”
Psalm 145:15

When you are in a field or camping in a wooded area, do you ever wonder why it’s rare to see a dead animal or dead bird? One reason is that many of them are eaten by other animals and birds. But there is another quite interesting reason why many small dead creatures disappear.

The sexton beetle, also called the burying beetle, is a little undertaker. It is about 1 to 1½ inches long and is black with bright orange markings on its wings. This active little insect’s sensitive antennae detect the odor of a dead mouse, bird, snake or other dead creature. Finding the carcass, it inspects it carefully with its feelers before it begins digging a grave.

It crawls under the carcass first, going back and forth, from front to back, apparently measuring it. Then it leaves and explores the surface of the ground nearby, occasionally returning to look over the carcass. It finds a suitable area and digs several holes, loosening the soil and carrying it off to one side. This is the start of the grave digging.

It returns to the animal and begins heaving and tugging the carcass towards this grave. Having moved it an inch or so, it looks over the carcass again and returns to enlarge the hole. Then back to the carcass and soon off again to make the hole a little bigger. This process goes on for several hours.

As other sexton beetles are attracted to this activity, he chases away all males. But if a female shows up, he allows her to help him push and pull the carcass towards the hole. After several hours, they get it to the edge, then they push the carcass into the hole and dirt is scraped back in to cover it. They leave one side uncovered where the female lays eggs. While waiting for the eggs to hatch, the parents feed on the carcass.

After the newly hatched grubs appear, the adults feed them from the carcass until they can care for themselves. The parents leave, but they have made tunnels in the soil so the grubs can find their way to the surface after they mature and become grave diggers themselves.

Isn’t this an interesting way in which the Creator has arranged for the disposal of dead bodies that otherwise would become very unpleasant? It is another example of His wisdom in all that He has created. But He has done something far greater than this. His death on Calvary has atoned for the sins of all who trust in Him, so they can share heaven with Him for eternity.

Are you included in those who have come to Him, admitting you need to be cleansed from your sins and accepting Him as your Lord and Saviour?

“I, even I, am the Lord, and beside Me there is no Saviour.”
Isaiah 43:11

ML-07/15/2001

Three Little Fish

“Thou [the Lord] hast made . . . the seas, and all that is therein, and Thou preservest them all.”
Nehemiah 9:6

The six-inch archer fish lives in East Indian waters and is very clever at catching its food. This little fish waits near the surface of the water until a low-flying insect appears. It then shoots drops of water from its mouth at the insect. If the water hits the insect, its wings become wet so that it cannot fly. When it falls into the water, it is eaten by the archer fish. How did this fish learn to do this? No practice was necessary, for the Creator gave it this skill when He created the very first archer fish on the fifth day of creation.

Instead of laying eggs at the bottom of a marshy pond where it lives, the egg hanger fish hangs them on sticky threads suspended from underwater plants. The female produces one string of this sticky thread for each egg she lays. With the egg firmly stuck to one end, she attaches the other end over the plant so it can hang down freely. She continues until there are about 150 all hanging separately in the swampy water. Then she swims away and does not return.

The eggs don’t need her care, for the One “upholding all things by the word of His power” (Hebrews 1:3) watches over them just as He does when they hatch and swim away.

The splashing tetra is a three-inch fish found in Brazil and Venezuela. When the female is ready to lay her eggs, she searches for a bush with leaves hanging over, but not in, the water. Then she jumps up and lays her eggs on a big leaf before dropping back to the water. Doesn’t this seem strange? Wouldn’t you expect the eggs to dry out and die? That would certainly be true, except that we can see it is another of the wonders of the Lord God who designed such interesting features in His many creatures.

The eggs don’t die, because both parents stay in the water under the leaf and, with flips of their tails, continually splash water on them. After three or four days, the little ones hatch and drop into the water. Then the parents swim away.

These unusual fish are not able to think of the One who made them and provides for them. But you can, and God has given you the responsibility to acknowledge Him and thank Him for supplying all your needs. What is more important is that He invites you to accept the everlasting life He offers. The Bible tells us that this can only be yours through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, who died on Calvary’s cross to put away the sins of all who trust in Him. Have you accepted Him as your Saviour?

ML-07/22/2001

The Strong-Jawed Wolf

“I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth His life for the sheep. But he that is a hireling, and not the shepherd . . . seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth.”
John 10:11-12

Wolves live in forests, tundra and prairies of North America, Europe and Asia. They look much like a German shepherd dog. A large wolf can be more than 6 feet long and weigh 175 pounds. The Creator has given them broad heads, powerful jaws and strong legs.

Gray wolves and timber wolves are most common, often with gray, brown or black fur, but in the far north their thick fur is usually white. The red wolf, smaller than the others, is not always red but sometimes tan or black. All live in groups of six to twenty and are loyal to each other, fiercely protecting their territory. One among them wins the place of leader by defeating the others. They sometimes show their leader respect by rolling over or crouching on the ground when he or she comes near. When a kill is made, all wait for the leader to eat first.

Wolves show much skill in hunting-two or three families often banding together. Finding a herd of caribou, they seem to pick out one, usually a very old or very young one or one that is injured or sick. When the caribou herd panics, this weaker one drops behind and becomes an easy prey while the strong, healthy ones escape. This may seem cruel, but such sudden death is more merciful to the weaker ones than leading a sick and painful life and slowly dying.

Sometimes mountain sheep try to escape a pack of wolves by climbing a steep, rocky cliff, only to find some of the pack have circled around and are waiting at the top. Moose are tougher to fight, kicking the wolves with their hind feet and slashing with their sharp front hooves. Animals most successful in resisting wolves are the musk-oxen. These defend themselves by forming a tight circle with lowered heads and horns facing out. The wolves can’t break this defense and will only attack a musk-ox when it is alone.

It is very unusual for wolves to stalk and attack people. However, they do go after farm animals, with the result that they are hunted and killed by ranchers and others.

While we can see how these animals are given their skills and provisions by the Creator, we also see in them a picture of that which is evil, as the opening Bible verses say. The Lord also said, “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves” (Matthew 7:15). We need to remember the truth of God’s Word and not pay attention to “false prophets” who do not speak the truth.

JULY 29, 2001

“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live”
(John 11:25).

ML-07/29/2001

The Beautiful Grebes

“I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember Thy wonders of old. . . . Thou art the God that doest wonders.”
Psalm 77:11-14

These very interesting diving birds with strange habits are found throughout the world. Large numbers of grebes in many varieties live in the northwestern United States, Canada, Alaska and Iceland. Most of the 20 species fly quite well, though they have difficulty getting off the ground. Once they are airborne they can fly long distances, and some of them migrate to the Pacific and Atlantic coasts for the winter months and then return north in the spring. However, three species do not fly at all, and the others fly only when necessary, preferring to remain near their nests in the marshy areas of ponds and lakes.

The legs of these birds are placed far back on their bodies, and they have long feet. This makes them clumsy and almost helpless on land. In water, however, they are extremely graceful and wonderful swimmers, both on the surface and underwater. Although they are a rather large bird, they can dive from the surface without leaving even a ripple to show where they were. Their young can swim as soon as they hatch.

The nest, which floats on the water, is usually built by both parents in shallow water, using weeds, sticks and reeds. It is tied to something solid or anchored underwater to keep it from drifting away. Isn’t it remarkable that the Creator has taught them to do this?

Much time is spent “oiling” their feathers, much like ducks do. This “waterproofing treatment” is done by rubbing their beaks against special glands on their bodies and then working the waxy deposit into all parts of their dense feathers.

Although they do not have webbed feet, the Creator has given them special flap-like membranes on their long toes to aid in swimming. Their legs are not round like most birds, but pointed in front and back, helping them to move swiftly through water and helping them catch fish which they spear with their long, sharp, pointed beaks.

An unusual habit of all grebes is that they eat great quantities of feathers, even feeding them to their young. No one is quite sure why they do this, but some wonder if the feathers act as strainers or cushions to keep fish bones from piercing the inside of their bodies. Whatever the reason may be, it is part of God’s wonderful order.

The ways of these birds show again the care of God in giving them remarkable instincts. But He gave more than this to mankind. In the Bible the question is asked, “Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart?” (Job 38:36). The answer is that the Lord God, the Creator, has done this.

“A man shall be as a hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest; as rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.” Isaiah 32:2

ML-08/05/2001

The Exceedingly Wise Ant

“The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer.”
Proverbs 30:25

Everyone is familiar with ants. They are found in all parts of the world except the North and South poles. Like people, ants do not live alone; they live and work with other ants in groups called colonies.

An ant’s life begins as an egg which hatches into a larva. The larva cannot move and has to be fed by adult ants. Eventually the larva spins a cocoon. Adult ants are very protective of these cocoons, taking them to a “nursery room” where they watch over them constantly. If the colony decides to move or if they fear the attack of an enemy, the cocoons are carried to a new home. You may have seen this in a disturbed ant nest and thought they were carrying white eggs. Actually, the eggs are so small they can hardly be seen. Later, when the pupae break out of their cocoons, they are fully developed ants, ready to take their place in the colony.

Most ants have compound eyes with many, many facets, each acting as a separate eye. However, it is the antennae’s sense of smell that directs them in finding food, locating other ants or finding their nests. They are also helped by a sensitive touch through the antennae on their heads.

Ants cannot eat solid food. It may look like they are eating bits of food, but they are actually covering it with digestive juices. These juices break down the solids into liquids which they can lap with their tongues. The species called fungus ants chew leaves into pulp which they place in their nests. Fungi live on this moist material, and the ants eat these fungi as their only source of food. Because they need a constant supply, they tend the fungi beds just as a gardener tends his garden.

How have all their abilities and habits come about? God has given them these outstanding qualities, and we may be sure He watches over and cares for them. Do you think He would like us to find an object lesson in their busy and industrious lives? I think so, since He does not look with favor on idleness and has told us, “If any would not work, neither should he eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10). Ants don’t loaf.

Another Scripture says, “It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth” (Lamentations 3:27). We should never tire of well-doing and always remember the pattern of the Lord Jesus who “went about doing good” (Acts 10:38). But it is a serious thought that your best efforts to do good are of no use if you do not know the Lord Jesus as your very own Saviour, “for without faith it is impossible to please [God]” (Hebrews 11:6).

ML-08/12/2001

The Anteater

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

The anteater, a very unusual animal, lives in the damp, tropical forests of Mexico and Central and South America. There are a number of species, ranging in size from just seven inches long to the giant anteater which can grow to six feet long. You might be frightened if you happened on one of these in the wild, with its tube-shaped head, coarse gray hair striped with white, and long bushy tail. Actually, they do no harm unless they are attacked. Anteaters live in burrows, in hollow logs or sometimes in trees. They are mostly active at night or at dusk. Some live for 25 to 30 years.

This animal has been designed by the Lord God to serve a very special purpose. God has given it features that look unusual to us, but they are exactly right for what it was designed to do. As its name indicates, the anteater searches for and eats large numbers of ants and termites, serving a useful purpose by controlling the populations of these insects.

The anteater’s head with its tiny ears and long, tapered snout are its most outstanding features. It has no teeth, but that long snout holds a foot-long, sticky tongue that whips out with lightning speed and reaches deep into the winding tunnels of ant nests for its dinner. It also uses its tongue to lick up any ants on the surface of the ground.

Equipped with strong legs and sharp claws, the anteater defends itself well, and most animals know better than to attack it. However, the strong, front claws are used primarily for ripping open ant and termite nests where it soon wipes out the colony. Strong leg muscles also help it to roll over rocks where ants hide.

The anteater is not aware of it, but it depends upon God to direct it to its food. “The eyes of all wait upon Thee; and Thou givest them their meat in due season” (Psalm 145:15). Are you aware that this is also true of you? “In [God’s] hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind” (Job 12:10).

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

ML-08/19/2001

About Salamanders

“God said, Let the earth bring forth the living creature after his kind. . . . And God saw that it was good.”
Genesis 1:24-25

Salamanders are closely related to lizards. To maintain the moisture in their skins, most are found near ponds, streams or marshy places. However, some in the tropics live high in treetops where they get moisture from cup-shaped leaves that hold water from frequent rains.

In size, they range from one inch to five feet long, and in colors, from orange-red to very dark brown or black or with mottled skins of mixed colors. All salamanders’ legs are short, but their tails are usually almost as long as the rest of their bodies.

The Creator has given all salamanders large eyes with good vision, as well as long tongues that can flash out so quickly that, even if watching closely, you likely would miss the action. It is not necessary for them to chase the millipedes, flies and other insects that they eat. Salamanders wait perfectly still on a rock or other bare surface until a victim comes by, and then they capture it with a flick of their tongues.

While some species give birth to their young, most salamanders hatch from eggs. The eggs have been laid at the side of a stream or pond, and after hatching, the young live on insects that come near them. When grown, they live in nearby brush or grass or go into burrows or under a pile of moist leaves.

Some salamanders have very flat bodies, allowing them to squeeze between tight leaves of moisture-retaining plants. These have been provided by the Creator with webbed front and back feet, enabling them to cling to the smooth, wet foliage. Their tails can wrap around tree branches, which also helps them when looking for food.

An unusual feature God has given salamanders is their ability to grow new tails, legs and other body parts when they are torn off. Also, like a chameleon, they can change the color of their skins to match the rocks or soil around them.

These interesting creatures are seldom seen because they hunt mostly at night. They destroy great quantities of insects and pests that would otherwise be eating farm crops, fruits and other products. This may be one reason for their present place in God’s creation.

Did you ever stop to think that God has a definite reason and place for you in His creation too? The Bible tells us this: “Every man [person] hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that” (1 Corinthians 7:7). “As every man hath received the gift, even so minister [use] the same [gift] one to another, as good stewards [managers]” (1 Peter 4:10). The Lord Jesus will show you how to use your gift to please Him if you will ask Him.

ML-08/26/2001

What's Under Our Feet?: Part 1

“Thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God Himself that formed the earth and made it; He hath established it, He created it not in vain.”
Isaiah 45:18

In our busy lives, most of us don’t think about what’s below the ground or under the bottom of the ocean . . . unless an earthquake or volcano gets our attention. But there are many things down there known to man, while we can only guess at other things. What we do know for certain is that “in the beginning God created the heaven [atmosphere and starry skies] and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). We also know that He had a purpose in this creation, not only for His own pleasure, but for the benefit of mankind and the other creatures He was to place on it.

Genesis 1:2 tells us the earth which God had created in perfection was “without form, and void.” Though there are some things about creation that God in His great wisdom has not told us, we do know that He took great pleasure in preparing the heavens and the earth with its many elements to sustain plant, animal, and, of greatest importance to Him, human life. He prepared such things as gold, silver and other minerals, coal, gas and oil, along with gems of all kinds, formed under the surface for the use of mankind. He outlines six days of creation in the first chapter of Genesis.

Water, one of these vital elements, covers about 70% of the earth’s surface, making a beautiful scene for astronauts in space. The greatest depth of 36,198 feet is in the Pacific Ocean. Incidentally, the bottoms of the oceans are not flat but have valleys and mountains, and some are higher than the tallest mountains on land. Many islands of the seas are actually the tops of such peaks.

If you could bore a hole straight through the middle of the earth, it would be almost 8,000 miles long, while the distance around the equator covers about 25,000 miles. Earth is not the largest planet, but it is the most important since it is the only one on which God has placed mankind and other forms of life. Here He provided just the right amount of heat and light from the sun, a perfect composition of air for sustaining life, ample water for every need, plus a balance of night and day to meet the requirements of life. Consider also the benefit of gravity to hold things in place and yet allow them to be moved as needed. On any other planet, lower gravity would make you too light, and higher gravity would make you uncomfortably heavy. These are just a few of God’s benefits to us in His marvelous creation.

(to be continued)

ML-09/02/2001

What's Under Our Feet?: Part 2

“Happy is he . . . whose hope is in the Lord his God: which made [the heavens], and earth, the sea, and all that therein is.”
Psalm 146:56

We are naturally curious to know what is underneath our feet, and some answers have been provided by scientific exploration. The outer crust of the earth, for instance, is not the same in every place, but in general it is about twenty-five miles deep on land and only six or seven miles deep under the ocean floors.

It is the soil of this crust that the Creator prepared to nourish plant life. At various depths, but still within the crust, coal, oil, minerals and gems are found in abundance. This indicates how liberally He has provided for generations before us, ourselves and those generations that may come after us.

Below the crust is a layer about 2000 miles thick called the mantle. Scientists believe this is where big earthquakes start, as well as volcanos that break right through the crust and release their fiery lava, steam, smoke and ashes from mountaintops. Such forces have been known throughout history and in our present time. Mount St. Helens in Washington State is a recent example, and constant eruptions on the Island of Hawaii are another. Frequently we hear of disastrous earthquakes in South America, Mexico, Asia and even in our state of California. There is no sure way to tell exactly where or when any of these events may happen again.

Finally, at the center of our earth is the core. Scientists presume it has a cover of molten metal over 1000 miles thick surrounding it, and they also presume the great core itself is made of solid iron or nickel or a mixture of both. However, no one knows for sure, and this is something only the Creator knows.

Volcanos, earthquakes, strong winds and rain do make some changes in the surface of the earth, but they are not of too much consequence. The world will remain essentially the same until, because of man’s sinful departure from God, His judgment will fall on it. That is the time the Bible speaks of: “The day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up” (2 Peter 3:10).

Before that judgment comes, He will take to heaven all those who know the Lord Jesus as their Saviour. Later He will recreate the world in unspoiled beauty where sin will never mar it again. However, those who have refused the Saviour’s love will never see this new beauty, because hell will be their destiny.

These are true and serious thoughts. Are you sure your eternity will be in heaven?

SEPTEMBER 9, 2001

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

ML-09/09/2001

The Sly Fox

“Take us the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines have tender grapes.”
Song of Solomon 2:15

Not many people really like a wolf or a coyote, but most everyone likes a fox. A fox looks like an animal that would be nice to pet, but don’t try it . . . a fox has sharp teeth and claws.

This intelligent, wild animal belongs to the dog family. The average size is about 30 inches long with a 15inch, bushy tail. It has a pointed muzzle and large, furry, triangular ears.

Foxes are found throughout Canada and the United States, mostly in the western parts. There are many varieties, including the red, gray, silver gray, blue and black. The most common is the red fox, named for its thick, long-haired coat which is a rich shade of rusty-red with patches of white on its throat, lower jaw and the tip of its tail.

Foxes do not hibernate in the winter, but most do dig dens in the ground. Some live in caves or hollow logs. Their dens usually have two or three entrances. One is the main entrance, and the others are used only to escape in an emergency. The main entrance will often be among tree roots or under large rocks.

A female fox is called a vixen, and the young are called pups. In the spring, four to nine pups are born to the vixen in the den. They are completely helpless at birth and depend on the mother for food and protection for about six months. When the pups are about a month old, she takes them on trips outside to play and practice hunting. The frisky pups make the most of this, chasing each other, tossing sticks in the air and playfully wrestling. But the mother sees to it that they learn to hunt and to be alert for enemies.

Dogs are the enemy that they fear most. When being chased by a pack of dogs, foxes use many sly tricks to throw them off the trail. Usually they can outrun the dogs in a chase.

Foxes are most active at dusk. They live mainly on mice, ground squirrels, insects and fruits, but most will eat anything they can catch. They hunt by stalking and then quickly pounce on their prey. They have been known to catch chickens and lambs, but generally, with the quantity of rodents they catch, they do far more good than harm.

As our opening verse says, they also eat grapes, sometimes spoiling the vines. The “little foxes” here tell us that many things that look innocent can actually be harmful in our lives. To avoid these, the Bible instructs: “Enter not into the path of the wicked. . . . Avoid it, pass not by it” (Proverbs 4:14-15). This is good advice for everyone.

ML-09/16/2001

Birds on the Move: Part 1

“The winter is past . . . the flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come.”
Song of Solomon 2:11-12

Seasonal migrations are usual for many animals, fish, butterflies and other creatures, but nothing matches the wonderful migrations of billions of birds. These migrations take place all over the world twice a year - fall and spring.

It is a wonderful experience to observe a little part of this. When you are in the country as the sun is about to set, you hear the honking of a flock of geese overhead. Looking up, you see them circling lower and lower, following the leader of their V formation, until they drop down on a pond or swamp nearby. They may stay there just overnight or perhaps for several days, resting and feeding before continuing their long trip from Alaska, the Yukon, or Canada’s Maritime provinces. They are headed to the warmth of the southern United States or on into Mexico or even farther south, where they will stay through the winter months before returning to the north next spring.

Many millions of ducks, swans and other waterfowl make these trips over North America’s flyways, and millions of other birds fly even longer distances than these twice a year. We have many questions. Why do they do this? How do they know where to go? How do they find their way? Where do they get the needed strength for such flights?

Bird watchers and trained researchers take such questions seriously and have spent years of research and much money and effort trying to find the answers. Although they still confess they understand very little concerning some of the detail involved in such massive migrations, they have discovered things that are of interest. We will borrow from what they have learned to bring some of their findings to our readers in this and following articles.

But when all is said and done, there is only One who truly knows all the answers, and that is their Creator. He is the Lord God, the same Creator of the heavens and earth and all things contained therein. The Bible tells us, “Thou, even Thou, art Lord alone; Thou hast made . . . the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and Thou preservest them all” (Nehemiah 9:6).

It is claimed there are about 100 billion birds in the world, and while many make their homes in warm climates and do not migrate, a vast number do. In North America alone, there are an estimated 10 billion birds that fly to and from other countries. Additional billions in Europe and Asia make their flights to other places as well. We will consider some of these in the following issues.

(to be continued)

ML-09/23/2001

Birds on the Move: Part 2

“Yea, the stork in the heaven [knows] her appointed times; and the [turtledoves] and the crane and the swallow observe the time of their coming.”
Jeremiah 8:7

This Bible verse tells us very plainly of God’s care over the birds and His appointment of the time of their migrations. Last week we mentioned that much research had been done by ornithologists, investigating the migrations of birds throughout the world. Let’s get a map of the world and look at the facts about just a few of the many millions of birds involved.

The greatest traveler of all is the Arctic tern. This bird flies from the Aleutian Islands to Antarctica every fall and returns again in the spring -some 12,000 miles each way! A shorter journey is the 25-hour, 500-mile, nonstop flight of the ruby-throated hummingbird. This 8ounce wonder flies from the United States over the Gulf of Mexico to Central America. How can this tiny bird do this?

From various parts of Europe, storks make round-trip flights of 14,000 miles to Israel, the Nile River and South Africa. The young storks fly a week or two ahead of the parents, although they have never migrated before. How do they know where to go?

Swallows arrive in Southern California every March after a 6000-mile flight from Argentina, going to the same nest previously used. Orioles wintering in South America return in May to their summer homes in the eastern United States after a 2000-mile flight.

The Tennessee warbler, weighing about as much as two quarters, flies some 3000 miles each fall from Canada and the northern United States to Central and South America. Some fly nonstop. Others take short rests en route. Their close relatives, blackpoll warblers, raise their families in northern Canada and Alaska. In September, they meet other blackpoll warblers in New England, and then the whole group continues another 2100 miles on a 100-hour nonstop ocean flight to South America. By contrast, bobolinks in the fall fly almost entirely overland from Canadian prairies to the pampas of Argentina-a 6000-mile trip.

Golden plovers from Alaska fly over the Pacific to Hawaii - a 2000-mile trip - and, after resting, fly another 2000 miles south. Parent birds leave first, leaving the young ones to follow later. Never having done this before, can anyone explain how the young ones know the way to the Hawaiian Islands? One thing we do know is that all of these migrations show us the Creator’s care over all His creation, from the smallest to the greatest. “Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world” (Acts 15:18).

Many library books will give you much more data than we have space for, but next week we will consider some of the questions we asked here.

(to be continued)

ML-09/30/2001

Birds on the Move: Part 3

“And out of the ground the Lord God formed . . . every fowl of the air.”
Genesis 2:19

We have been considering some facts about the migration of birds, and the question has been asked, “Why do they migrate?” There are two main reasons. One reason is that those summering in the north need to move away from soon-coming cold weather with short winter days providing very little sunshine.

While departure times from northern points usually follow close schedules, in some way that we cannot understand, migrating birds have been given ability by the Creator even to know about weather changes, long before our weathermen, and will advance their migration time to be gone before heavy storms move in.

Then, after about six months in the sunny south lands, the birds get restless and somehow sense that the ice and snow on ponds and streams of the north are melting. Days are becoming longer again, and suitable climate conditions for hatching and raising their young compel them to make the return trip northward.

The second main reason for their migrations is that food supplies are all-important. Again, they instinctively know that plenty of fresh, nourishing food will be waiting for them at the other end of their journey. For instance, as though anticipating the arrival of hungry birds from the south, aphids, caterpillars, grubs, mosquitoes, flies and other insects of the north make their appearance just in time for the travelers to benefit from this nourishing food, and there is plenty of it to last a long time! The same is true of new plant life springing up, providing additional food and nesting materials.

But after five or six months in the north, the appetites of the growing bird families have made the food supply more scarce, and shorter days and colder weather prevent it from being renewed. In contrast, southern lands have benefited by the birds’ absence, and new supplies will be awaiting their return in the fall.

Incidentally, in the Arctic areas there has been a general warming of the atmosphere in the past 40 or 50 years, resulting in many birds now migrating there for the summer months that did not go there before. Who told them about the improved climate? and how did they find the way there?

The answers explained above may well be accurate, but the source of the implanting of these instincts in so many varieties of birds can only come from the Creator, of whom the Bible says, “The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth” (2 Chronicles 16:9), and, “In whose hand is the soul [breath] of every living thing” (Job 12:10).

(to be continued)

ML-10/07/2001

Birds on the Move: Part 4

“By them [springs of water] shall the fowls of the heavens have their habitation, which sing among the branches.”
Psalm 104:12

Two questions were asked in an earlier issue about migrating birds: Where do they get strength for such flights? and how do they find their way?

For any of them, whether a small hummingbird or a large goose, to fly nonstop over a wide ocean certainly takes a great amount of strength and could not be done if the Creator did not give them a terrific hunger long before such a trip takes place. Eating large quantities of extra food provides an unusual layer of fat (sometimes doubling their weight) which becomes the “fuel” needed while traveling. Isn’t this a wonderful provision of the One who always has them in His care?

The question, “How do they find their way?” remains unanswered. All researchers can do is make guesses-one of which is that the birds are guided by the sun. But this raises a new question: How are they able to find their way when the sun is hidden by fog or clouds? Another guess is that when flying at night they are guided by the moon and stars. So how do they navigate when these are not visible?

Still another guess is that their routes are learned from the parents. But then we ask, What about those that fly away and leave their young ones to follow later? Some birds have been carried from one side of the Atlantic Ocean to the other side and raised there until released at migration time. How do these find an entirely new route to the same destination as their former companions? Similar tests have been made by taking certain eggs to distant countries, hatching and releasing them at the migratory period. These birds also find their way without difficulty.

We must admit that wonderful controls are at work in the brains of these birds, and the most dedicated researcher may never find a true explanation. We know the real answer lies with the Lord God who gives them these abilities and implants needed intelligence in their heads so that they adjust to any unusual circumstance. Certainly these migrations are one of the outstanding wonders of God’s creation.

Another very special wonder is that He invites every boy and girl, every man and woman, to come to heaven when life here on earth is finished. The Lord said when He was here, “I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (John 14:23). This is His promise to everyone who comes to Him as a sinner and accepts Him as his very own Saviour. Have you answered His invitation?

ML-10/14/2001

The Playful Seal

“Seek the Lord and His strength, seek His face continually. Remember His marvelous works that He hath done.”
1 Chronicles 16:11-12

Seals are excellent swimmers and divers and spend most of their time in the water. They live in both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, mostly in cold, northern waters, but many migrate thousands of miles south in winter. Others never go north but are quite content to remain year-round in warm, southern climates. A few kinds of seals are found in fresh water.

A mother seal usually has just one pup a year, born on land, because it cannot swim until she teaches it. She nurses the pup for about four months, and during this time she frequently leaves it for several days while she goes after her own food -shrimp, clams, fish and other sea creatures. At these times, her pup joins hundreds like itself, all temporarily left alone. When she returns, she barks loudly and several pups may come to her. But the Creator has given her the ability to single out her own pup by its individual odor and its tiny bark which she recognizes. Its hunger is soon satisfied.

The Creator has provided seals with nostrils and ear openings which close automatically when they dive or swim underwater. They also have been given special eyelids to protect their eyes underwater.

In ice-covered waters, they use their sharp teeth to make air vents where they poke their heads through for fresh air about every fifteen minutes. They also crawl out of the same hole to rest occasionally. Sometimes this is dangerous since a hunter or a polar bear may be waiting to catch them. All seals have a layer of blubber to help keep them warm. The blubber, which may be an inch to six inches thick, is also a source of energy when they can find no food.

A seal is graceful in the water, but its travel on land is another story. It has to lift itself up on its webbed flippers, arch its back and push with hind flippers to move forward in mighty jerks. This looks awkward, but they can move fast when necessary.

Seals are quite intelligent and are quick to learn tricks. They can learn to balance balls on the tips of their noses, leap out of the water on command, jump through fiery hoops and other tricks. They are always rewarded with a fish treat.

These creatures with such interesting habits are another example of the wonders of God’s creation. The Bible gives good counsel when it tells us, “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth” (Ecclesiastes 12:1). Be like King David who did not hesitate to say, “I will show forth all Thy marvelous works. I will be glad and rejoice in Thee” (Psalm 9:12).

ML-10/21/2001

Treasures in Acorns

“My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord.”
Isaiah 55:8

A mature oak tree will have thousands of acorns on it, and we may wonder what happens to all of them. Besides the few that sprout into new trees the following spring, countless numbers are eaten by birds and animals. More than 80 different creatures eat acorns, from mice and squirrels to deer and bears.

Besides squirrels and chipmunks, woodpeckers are perhaps the greatest stockpilers. Where these birds nest, it is not uncommon to find hundreds of half-inch holes drilled in the bark of a tree, with one or two acorns stuck in each one. They also do this to wooden power-line poles, from the ground up to the wires, stuffing acorns in them.

However, insects eat even more acorns than animals and birds do. Some insects bore through the shell to get at the nut, and others wait until the nut decays to eat them. The most active insect is the half-inch-long acorn weevil, which attacks acorns while they are still on the tree. It has tiny, sharp teeth at the end of a long snout which it uses to cut through the tough shell. The tasty bits of food are enjoyed, and it doesn’t stop until its snout is completely inside. Then it moves to another spot and repeats the drilling, eventually laying an egg in each hole before moving on to another nut.

Soon a larva hatches in each hole and for several weeks feeds on the nut, until the acorn drops off the tree. Hitting the ground signals the larva to come out, and it immediately burrows several inches into the ground where it may remain for as long as five years. During that time, it changes from larva to a mature weevil and soon flies to an overhead acorn to repeat what those before it have done for centuries of time.

Weevils are not the only insects that depend on acorns. Crack open one that’s lying on the ground, and you may find a moth inside, or beetles, small ants, sow bugs, wireworms, tiny snails, caterpillars or other creatures that have made the empty shell, left behind by the weevil, into a comfortable, temporary home.

We may not understand why so many insects are in the world, but each is a part of God’s creation and has a purpose in being here. As the opening Bible verse tells us, our ways and thoughts are not the same as the Creator’s, but we should thank Him that His ways and thoughts have been toward us in loving-kindness. He showed this so wonderfully when He died on Calvary’s cross to take away the sins of any who will call on Him and accept Him as a loving Saviour. Have you done this?

ML-10/28/2001

The Adélie Penguin

“The world and the fullness thereof, Thou hast founded them. The north and the south Thou hast created them.”
Psalm 89:11-12

Adélie penguins, like all penguins, live in the southern half of the world. They are like other penguin species in that they stand upright on very short legs and walk with an amusing, clumsy waddle. These birds cannot fly but are excellent swimmers.

The Adélies look very dignified in their black and white tuxedo suits. When they arrive at the icy Antarctic in September or October, they march to the exact spot in the rocks where they laid their eggs the year before. Although seven months have passed since they were last together, a pair recognize each other and return to their own rocky nest. Since all Adélies look alike to us and the nests all seem identical, isn’t it amazing that they know one from another? God has given them this ability.

After the two eggs are laid, the female returns to the ocean. Her mate sits on them for two weeks while she stuffs herself on fish. Then she returns, and he feeds in the ocean for two weeks while she tends the eggs. When he comes back, he takes on the egg-sitting for one final week. We wonder at the way God has enabled them to know just when each two-week period has passed.

The parents at first alternate taking care of feeding the twins. Later, both parents hunt together, and in their absence the babies join other little ones. When the adults return, they call out, and, even though hundreds of other parents are doing the same, each chick knows the call of its own parents.

Soon Papa penguin begins to provide necessary exercise for his young. With a little food as a reward, he runs off and they run after him. Then Papa gives them their reward. This is repeated several times, until they are filled and have had their exercise as well. Finally the day comes when he leads them to the ocean and leaves them. They must jump into the water and find their own food or starve. The young penguins are reluctant to do this at first, but they adjust quickly once they have jumped in and are soon catching their own meals.

The interesting ways of penguins show one more instance of God’s care over all His creation, for He is the One who directs them in ways we cannot understand. Is there guidance from Him for you too? Yes, there certainly is. His Word the Bible says, “In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:6). Those who do acknowledge Him as their God and Father find His promise is true.

ML-11/04/2001

Two Big, Strong Buffalo

“I have made the earth, the man and the beast that are upon the ground, by My great power and by My outstretched arm.”
Jeremiah 27:5

One of North America’s wild animals is called a buffalo. Actually, it is not a buffalo; it is a bison. The true wild buffalo live in the grasslands, swamps and mountains of South Africa and Asia. Domesticated species live in Egypt, Europe and South America. All range in size from 450 to 1500 pounds and are three to five feet high at the shoulders. They have short, thick necks, broad heads, long tails, short legs and long, pointed horns curving outward.

All buffalo are good swimmers, and they are never found far from rivers or water holes. They also enjoy neck-deep mud baths, often shared with hippos, to escape the hot sun and relieve the bites of pesky insects. Let’s look at two kinds.

The coal-black Cape buffalo of South Africa is the largest. It is about five feet tall and weighs over half a ton. It is a terrifying experience to have this large animal charge you. It can run at more than 30 miles an hour and fears neither man nor beast. It is not a very attractive animal with its huge, low-slung, ivory-colored, curved horns which look like a helmet that has been draped from the top of its massive, ugly head.

However, the Cape buffalo does have some friends. Birds called oxpeckers perch on the buffalo’s back and sides, eating their fill of ticks and other insects which they pick from the animal’s hair and skin. These red-beaked birds are equipped by the Creator with special claws on their feet for holding onto the animal’s sides while feeding, just as a woodpecker clings to the side of a tree. Both animal and bird find this a great convenience, and the relationship between the two is another example of how God frequently arranges for two entirely different creatures to help one another.

Another species, the water buffalo of India, is somewhat smaller and has an entirely different character. Given a chance, it seeks marshy places and lies in the water when chewing its cud. Large numbers are tamed and pull carts, drag plows through rice paddies, and carry loads on their backs. Although fierce looking, they do not attack men, and when they are tamed, even little children can handle them easily.

The Lord God has taken delight in creating even these buffalo, some of them serving mankind and others just filling their place in His purposes of creation. The Bible reminds us of this in these verses: “Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this? In whose hand is the soul [life] of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind” (Job 12:9-10).

ML-11/11/2001

Outstanding Beauties: Part 1

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

Have you ever heard about the tremendous migrations of monarch butterflies, sometimes covering thousands of miles? They fly south to the warm regions of California, Mexico, and even South America to spend the winter. Then in early summer, millions form large clouds as they fly north to the United States, including Alaska, and also to the Maritime Provinces and other parts of Canada.

While in those northern areas, great numbers of eggs are laid. They quickly hatch - not into baby butterflies—but into caterpillars that find their food in the plentiful, wild, milkweed plant and a few other selected plants. Soon, however, they lose interest in food and enclose themselves in a chrysalis made from silken threads which they spin.

Then an amazing change takes place. When summer is nearly over, they break out of their prison-like chrysalises—no longer as caterpillars-but changed into beautiful butterflies! After a short, thirty-minute rest, stretching their wings and other body parts, the fully grown butterflies take to the air. Now they drink only sweet liquid called nectar from wild flowers, since butterflies cannot bite or chew.

Meanwhile the parent butterflies have died. Though it may seem that the new generation is entirely on its own, we know that they are under the guidance of their Creator who delights to care for them. As they mature and build up strength, they sense that cold days of fall and winter are near at hand. Before long, great groups gather at night, leave their summer homes and fly south together. Each group flies to the same areas and to the very same trees their parents left behind many months before when they migrated north.

These migrations are much like those of many birds. But monarch migrations are even more remarkable, as they have never before made the long trip nor seen the areas which will be their winter homes. They, of course, could never accomplish these amazing feats if it were not so planned by their Creator. He guides them in ways too wonderful for us to understand.

Monarchs are not the only kind of butterfly that migrates. The painted lady butterflies cross the Mediterranean Sea between Europe and Africa each year. They also fly in great flocks.

As our beginning Bible verse tells us, the Lord God, the Creator, found pleasure in giving to each group, and the individuals in it, its own lovely design, just as He has done with the vast number of birds, the flowers of the world and other things of His creation.

In the next article, we will look at a few other types of butterflies.

(to be continued)

ML-11/18/2001

Outstanding Beauties: Part 2

“Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth.”
Ecclesiastes 12:1

In the last issue we looked at monarch butterflies and their amazing migrations. Today we will look at a few other butterfly varieties.

The bright colors and sharp designs of a butterfly are formed by rows of thousands of tiny, dustlike scales that cover its two pairs of wings, like shingles on a roof. These scales not only add beauty but cover the framework of veins that give strength to the wings. The scales also absorb warmth for the butterfly, which cannot fly until its body is warmed to about 80 degrees.

The male monarch has bright orange on its wings, spreading out from its coal-black body. Each wing has a matching black border, speckled with white at the outer edges. The female is much lighter in color.

Another pretty butterfly is the great spangled fritillary. It has a light-orange body with the same light-orange on its wings, which also have dark brown markings in various shapes. At the outer edges of the wings a narrow strip looks like a hand-sewn hem.

The American copper has copper and silvery-gray wings, with large and small black patches. Then there is the Florida blue, an outstanding beauty of deep purplish blue, without the extra trimmings so many others have. The American painted lady, on the other hand, is such a contrast with a heavily patterned wingspread of brown overlaid with large circles of bluish-brown. Each circle is enclosed by a light inside ring and a dark outer one. The edges of its wings are bordered with ribbons of blue, white, pink and dark brown. The upper section of each wing looks like an artist with a fine paint brush has traced narrow and broad lines in scattered directions.

A more unusual one is named the 88 butterfly because of two pairs of large marks on its light-brown wings which look like big number 8s. Around these are deep brown circles, and across the center of the back is a brilliant display of bright red.

It is no wonder that craftsmen copy the vivid color combinations and designs of butterflies. As we admire the “beauties of nature” around us, let us remember that we are actually seeing the Creator’s handiwork. A verse from the Bible says, “He is before all things, and by Him all things consist” (Colossians 1:17).

It is God our Creator’s voice of love and authority that we should believe. He is the source of all truth. Let each of us remember Him both in our youth and into old age as well, not only as the Creator of everything, but more importantly as the One who sent His Son Jesus to die for the sins of all who will believe on Him.

ML-11/25/2001

The Busy Gray Squirrel

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

The gray squirrel of Canada and the United States is definitely a favorite with many people. No doubt this is because of its cute little barks and chattering, as well as its ability to play “hide and seek” by scampering up, down and around tree trunks when people approach it. This animal is playful, and several will often play a game of tag.

Its top fur and bushy tail are mostly gray with white on the underneath parts. Its tail grows extra long fur as cold weather approaches, making a warm blanket to cover its back and head or to curl around its body when inside its nest. Its tail also acts as a rudder which, together with its strong hind legs, enables it to jump from tree to tree. If the squirrel accidentally falls, its tail immediately spreads out like a parachute. No wonder a squirrel spends so much time grooming it!

These small but tough creatures often show up in parks, making friends with those who feed them, but they can also be annoying. They will climb into a bird feeder and eat only the sunflower seeds, spilling the rest on the ground. They sometimes get into flower beds and eat buds and seeds or bury peanuts and acorns in potted plants, spilling dirt all over. But aside from these things, many consider them intelligent and comical with their acrobatics and are willing to put up with the problems.

Squirrels are well equipped to shell nuts of any kind or to get inside pine cones with their long, sharp claws and curved teeth. Through summer and fall, they bury nuts for winter food, as well as tuck dried mushrooms in branches of trees. They sometimes forget where the nuts are buried, but with their keen sense of smell, even through a foot of snow, they usually find them or those of another squirrel. The ones they don’t find often take root, and a new little tree shows up the next spring.

The nests of these squirrels are made of twigs and leaves, complete with a rainproof roof and are usually high in trees or may be in a convenient hole in the side of a tree. As many as six little ones are born in the springtime and for several weeks rely on their mother’s milk for growth. But before long they are well covered with fur, have been taught the important things of a squirrel’s life and are on their own.

These active little animals seem to fit in extremely well with the pleasure the Lord knew in creating them, as our opening Bible verse says, and He watches over them with tender care.

ML-12/02/2001

The Ear-Splitting Howlers

“God Himself . . . formed the earth and made it; He hath established it, He created it not in vain.”
Isaiah 45:18

Equipped with long arms, legs and tails and dark red bodies, red howler monkeys live in the rain forests of Central and South America. Like many other monkeys, they use their long tails as an extra hand, often hanging upside down while finding a meal on the underside of a branch.

These monkeys live high in treetops where they eat leaves, flowers and fruit. The moisture received from these, plus what they get by licking wet leaves, satisfies their thirst so that no other water is needed. This prevents them from having to leave the safety of the trees - another provision of the Creator for this interesting animal.

Red howlers are not peaceful animals and continually fight for leadership. However, they do stay together in small groups and move through the trees at a slow pace to keep together. In fact, this monkey is not known for speed or activity but is quite slow in all its habits. That is why the native people call it flojo, which means lazy.

Unusual vocal cords and large, round mouths allow them to make piercing howls that can be heard for a mile or more. Individuals may howl for no apparent reason. When the whole troop howls together, they make an unforgettable racket! Howling is done almost every dawn, pausing only to listen for answering howls from others. Their howls seem to say, “Don’t cross over into our territory!” They are ready to howl at any time, especially when there is a full moon. They can also purr, grunt and squeal.

When moving from one place to another, a mother first waits for her baby to climb onto her back. The baby has an exciting piggy-back ride as its mother leaps from branch to branch. Interestingly, the young monkeys are more lively than the adults, having mock battles and squealing with pleasure while the parents nap, which is most of the day.

We enjoy watching monkeys and their antics, realizing they have been uniquely created by a wise Creator who also cares for them at all times. But He has not given them a nature like ours. When we think of His special care for humans, we have to agree with the Bible: “Great things doeth He, which we cannot comprehend” (Job 37:5).

Animals know nothing of God’s wonderful love that goes out to every person. God invites each one to come to Him, admitting he is a sinner and believing that God’s Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, died on the cross to cleanse him from all sin. When this is done in true faith, God promises, “[I] will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be My sons and daughters” (2 Corinthians 6:18). Have you accepted this wonderful invitation?

ML-12/09/2001

Man: God's Special Creation

“The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.”
Job 33:4

The human body - all 30 trillion cells of it - is an amazing display of God’s creative power and wisdom, and the human brain is the outstanding feature that sets us above all other creatures. Animals live out their interesting lives principally by God-given instincts. Only in a limited way can they learn tricks and responses taught them by trainers, but they are never capable of passing these on to other animals of their kind. But man, “made in the image of God,” is easily able not only to learn and imitate, but to use his intellect to bring variety into his life, make changes in it, contribute to the welfare of others, and to consider the worth of all that comes to his attention.

This superiority is possible because of the remarkable capacity of the brain with its complex parts and 200 million, tiny nerve fibers that control every part of man’s body. It is the brain with its invisible mind that lets us enjoy quiet thoughts, a lovely melody or a beautiful scene. It allows us to invent and produce things of great variety, including today’s complicated technology. But most importantly, our minds, by our inner spirits, are made to realize there is a life after this one and that we need to prepare for it through faith in the Lord Jesus, according to the Bible message that God has given us.

Let’s consider another wonderful part of the body. Think of your eyes as two cameras. They are far superior to any cameras made in a factory that automatically focus for distance and motion and automatically open or close according to available light. The lenses of the eyes do all of this and more, adjusting to some 10,000 variations, depending on brightness or darkness surrounding the object being looked at. All the “pictures” taken by your eyes are stored away in the brain for future reference. For instance, your thoughts may be on the first school you attended. Sure enough, a picture of it comes into your mind, clear as can be. Then when you turn to something else, the picture returns to its memory file until, perhaps many years later, you want to look at it once more, and it will come into your mind again, just as fresh as ever!

If we were to explore the wonders of our hearts, lungs, ears, mouths, tongues, digestive systems and our all-important, life-sustaining blood, we would find that each of these is uniquely designed for man - God’s special creation.

As we think on these things, we cannot help but share the psalmist’s thoughts of God’s creation of man expressed in Psalm 139:14, “I will praise Thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are Thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.”

ML-12/16/2001

The Gentle Eider Duck

“He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust.”
Psalm 91:4

People who live in Iceland and many other northern islands are well acquainted with the eider duck. These birds are seen each May and June when large numbers migrate there to nest and raise their young. These pretty, marbled-brown birds, which weigh about five pounds, have gentle dispositions. They live entirely on seafood while in the breeding grounds. Their large webbed feet propel these excellent divers through the water to the bottom where they find crabs, mussels and oysters to eat.

On these far-northern islands, there are no trees, swamps or brush in which to build nests - only level ground. But in May and June, great areas are covered with short, green grasses which these ducks find suitable for hiding their nests in. Because there are so many ducks present at one time, they nest close together. During the four weeks of incubating her eggs, the mother duck never eats and only leaves her nest for a short time each morning to take a bath.

The Creator has provided the eider with warm feathers and down to preserve it from the intense cold of the northern climate. After laying her eggs, often in the same nest year after year, the female plucks a large quantity of this warm, feathery down from her body to make a blanket to cover the eggs. This down blanket keeps the eggs warm when she leaves for her morning bath. Isn’t it wonderful how the Lord God, the Creator, has given the mother duck the instinct for this?

There is always a market for this duck’s soft down, for it has better insulating quality than any man-made fibers. It is used to make warm comforters and linings in jackets and other outdoor clothing. The mother duck is very gentle and allows men to lift her off the nest and remove the down. After she is replaced on the nest, she plucks more down from her breast and makes a new covering for her eggs. During the nesting season, she allows this to happen twice but will desert her nest and its eggs if it’s done a third time. The down is so light that it takes three dozen nests to produce a pound of down.

The opening Bible verse likens the Lord’s care over His own to that of birds such as the eider. But His love and care are far greater than that of the most loving bird. He says, “I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee” (Jeremiah 31:3). He has fully shown this love by giving His life on Calvary’s cross to wash away the sins of all who will accept Him as Saviour. Are you sheltered “under His wings”?

ML-12/23/2001

Mice and More Mice: Part 1

“[God] giveth to all life, and breath, and all things.”
Acts 17:25

Have you ever found a nest of five or six baby mice? They are so tiny and cute! Maybe you wondered what to do with them, knowing that if allowed to live they would become very troublesome. If you disposed of them, the mother mouse, who scampered away when you discovered her nest, would miss them for only a little while, because soon there would be more babies to take their place.

Mice give birth around fifteen times a year, and from four to seven babies are born each time! The babies grow so fast that when the females are about forty-five days old they begin raising families of their own. If all of these mice survived, within a year’s time there would be thousands of mice, starting with the original pair. Thankfully, this never happens because most of them do not live long.

There are many kinds of mice, but most of us have seen only the little gray house mice, and they can be a real nuisance. But they are interesting little fellows, with their beady eyes, long whiskers, long, narrow snouts, round ears and long tails. They may live as long as a year in a hidden corner of an attic or basement. But when we realize how much damage they can cause, our main concern is to get rid of them.

Still, they are God’s creatures, and He has provided them with the ability to survive in spite of many enemies. We know that when the world and its inhabitants were formed by the Creator, all were at peace with one another. But the sin of Adam and Eve spoiled that perfection and brought hostility and bloodshed among various creatures. Ever since, mice have been the prey of cats, dogs, snakes, owls, hawks, coyotes and many others. They have survived through the centuries only because God has given them much skill and enabled them to bear many offspring.

Not all mice are destructive. Some wild ones are important to the maintenance of wild areas. Although seldom seen because they are nocturnal, there is scarcely a square foot of the deserts and sagebrush areas of North America that they do not visit every night.

Although mice may not be visible to us because they are mostly creatures of the night, they are never hidden from the One who created them. He keeps them under His watchful eye at all times. He says, “Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him?” (Jeremiah 23:24). Isn’t it nice to know He is watching over these little mice as well as over each one of us?

(to be continued)

ML-12/30/2001

Cross Out Puzzle

How many times did Noah send out the dove from the ark?

To find the answer, cross out all the letters A, B, C, K and S.

Write the remaining letters here:

____________________

To check your answer, read Genesis 8:8-12.

ML-02/18/2001

Unscramble Bible Book Names

Can you unscramble
these names of books in the Old Testament?

S E D J U G

__ __ __ __ __ __

H U M A N

__ __ __ __ __

S O N T I L T M E N A A

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

N E E S G I S

__ __ __ __ __ __ __

ML-08/26/2001

Unscramble Bible Book Names

Can you unscramble these names of books in the New Testament?

S U I T T

__ __ __ __ __

N O T E R V I A L E

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

T A C S

__ __ __ __

R O T S I N C A I N H

__ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ __

ML-07/08/2001

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-04/22/2001

For Little Folks

ML-10/28/2001

For Little Folks

ML-12/16/2001

"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 BATHSHEBA

BALAAM BENJAMIN

BARAK BEREA

BARNABAS BETHANY

BARTHOLOMEW BETHEL

BARTIMEUS

ML-02/04/2001

"N" Names Word Search

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

NAAMAN NAHUM NATHANAEL

NABAL NAOMI NAZARETH

NABOTH NAPHTALI NICODEMUS

NADAB NATHAN NOAH

ML-02/25/2001

"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

THADDEUS TROAS

THESSALONICA

ML-08/05/2001

"S" Names Word Search

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

SAMARIA SAMUEL SAUL SHARON SIMON SOLOMON

SAMSON SARAH SETH SHEBA SINAI STEPHEN

ML-09/16/2001

Scripture Verse Word Search: Proverbs 3:6

Can you find the words of this Scripture verse in this word search? Look up, down, diagonally, backwards, across - all directions. Use a ruler if necessary.

Circle each word in the diagram as we did with “thy” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

“In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:6).

ML-01/07/2001

Scripture Verse Word Search: Galatians 2:20

Can you find the words of this Scripture verse in this word search? Look up, down, diagonally, backwards, across - every direction. Use a ruler if necessary.

Circle each word in the diagram as we did with “and” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

“I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

ML-02/11/2001

Scripture Verse Word Search: Isaiah 43:2

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.

“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).

ML-04/29/2001

Scripture Verse Word Search: Proverbs 14:9

Can you find the words of this Scripture verse in this word search? Look up, down, diagonally, backwards, across - every direction. Use a ruler if necessary.

Circle each word in the diagram as we did with “the” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

“Fools make a mock at sin: but among the righteous there is favor” (Proverbs 14:9).

ML-05/20/2001

Scripture Verse Word Search: Philippians 4:4

Can you find the words of this Scripture verse in this word search? Look up, down, diagonally, backwards and across. Use a ruler if necessary.

Circle each word in the diagram as we did with “the” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

“Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice” (Philippians 4:4).

ML-05/27/2001

Scripture Verse Word Search: Psalm 69:34

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.

“Let the heaven and earth praise Him, the seas, and every thing that moveth therein” (Psalm 69:34).

ML-06/10/2001

Scripture Verse Word Search: Ezekiel 18:4

Can you find the words of this Scripture verse in this word search? Look up, down, diagonally, backwards, across - every direction. Use a ruler if necessary.

Circle each word in the diagram as we did with “it” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

“The soul that sinneth, it shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4).

ML-07/15/2001

Scripture Verse Word Search: Ephesians 6:1

Can you find the words of this Scripture verse in this word search? Look up, down, diagonally, backwards, across—every direction. Use a ruler if necessary.

Circle each word in the diagram as we did with “in” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

“Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right” (Ephesians 6:1).

ML-08/19/2001

Scripture Verse Word Search: Isaiah 64:6

Can you find the words of this Scripture verse in this word search? Look up, down, diagonally, backwards, across—every direction. Use a ruler if necessary.

Circle each word in the diagram as we did with “and” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away” (Isaiah 64:6).

ML-11/11/2001

Messages of God's Love: 2001

Table of Contents

Overdue

Solid Water

Poor Kat

An Abandoned Teddy Bear

A Saved Crop

Snake in a Ring

A Letter From Gramma and Grampa: Pockets

A Covered Mistake

A Sad End to a Vacation

Flurry Lost

Counterfeit Money

Who Is the King?

Caught by the Tide

Ruined Pants

Arrowheads

The Wrong Watch

The Interesting Red Rope

A Perishable Package

Queen Victoria's Dolls

Brought Low to Be Raised Up

The Two Natures

He Hit Me Back!

The Black Doctor

Where History Was Made

The Ox Knows His Owner

An Unpleasant Shopping Trip

The Good Shepherd

The Return of Sunshine

Followed Instructions Save Lives

Lost and Found

The Cookie Man Doesn't Deliver to Puerto Rico

What Would Your License Plate Say?

Wet Paint

Rockslide!

Danger on Shore

Treasure or Shark?

Playing With Death

The "Graveyard of the Atlantic"

Tropical Storm

A Direct Hit

Are You Sure?

Food From a Rat

Bitten by Fire Ants

Grab the Rope!

Anna and the Sheep

Mistaken Identity

An Old, Musty Bible

Exploding Dinner

Dangerous Berries

Almost Crushed by a Tractor

God's Scale

Lost and Found

"I Couldn't Do That!"

Stuck in a Pipe

Hidden Treasure

An Almost-Missed Invitation

Mr. Woodpecker's Wasted Work

Almost Trampled

Wandering Ducks

A Stolen Child

Don't Feed the Bears

Saved From a Well

The Way Through a Red Light

Learn to Fly!

Lost in the Mountains

Timmy Eats the Wrong Thing

"They Thought It Was Funny"

"Come, Dart"

What Made Me Save Her?

Locked In!

Scamper Healed

In a Boat With No Paddle

Felix's Birthday Present

A Stolen Family!

Hippo Hunt

The Stolen Bike

A Swarm of Killer Bees

Cookie and Her Kittens