Messages of God's Love: 2004

Mack and Jon-Jon, both nine years old, climbed over piles of driftwood that lined the beach and walked out onto the tidal flats. The boys often played on the tidal flats, and no matter how many times they explored them, it seemed that they always discovered something new.

It was low tide, and the receding water had left behind lots of sand, mud and seaweed that wasn’t normally seen. A few areas were above water, but most of the tideland was covered with several inches of water. This shallow water warmed up quickly in the summer sun, which made it great fun for the boys to splash through as they walked. Small fish would dart out of their way as they walked, and crabs would scurry sideways to try to hide under the long strands of seaweed. The tidelands were always full of marine and bird life, and today was no different.

As the boys roamed far out, Jon-Jon found a particularly soft spot in the mud underfoot and let his feet sink in. Most of the underwater footing was firm, so that sinking into the mud so quickly was unusual. He sank in past his ankles, and when he tried to remove his feet, the suction from the mud was so strong that it broke one of the straps of his sandals before he got his feet free. This was great fun and something new to the boys, so Mack thought he would let himself sink in the mud too.

Mack stepped into the soft spot and stood still for a minute or so while he sank past his ankles and then halfway up to his knees. But when he tried to pull his feet out of the mud, they wouldn’t come out. He wiggled his legs back and forth and tried pulling in every direction, but this only made him sink faster. He called to Jon-Jon to take his hand and pull him out, but no matter how hard Jon-Jon pulled, Mack continued to sink.

Mack had sunk up to his waist when Jon-Jon gave up pulling and decided to run for help. The tide had also turned, and the ocean water was slowly coming back over the tidal flats.

Knowing Mack’s danger, Jon-Jon ran as fast as he could, until it felt like his lungs would burst. Jon-Jon’s family lived in a house at the edge of the beach. Both his parents were deep-sea divers who were not working that morning because of the strong tidal currents out in the deeper water. He quickly told his parents about Mack’s danger. Together they ran back to the boy, who by now had sunk into the mud up to his chest.

At first, Jon-Jon’s dad tried to pull Mack out. When that didn’t work, they cupped their hands and tried to scoop away the mud next to Mack’s body to dig him out. However, as soon as they pulled some mud away, more would instantly fill the spot. They realized that they were getting nowhere, and every minute counted because the returning tide was coming closer.

Jon-Jon’s dad ran along the beach and found a piece of discarded plywood and some driftwood. He made a barricade around Mack with the driftwood and a little platform with the plywood where they could toss the mud once they pulled it away from Mack. Jon-Jon’s mom had already called 911 on her cell phone, and an emergency rescue team would be arriving soon . . . but would it be soon enough?

Jon-Jon and his parents dug out mud as fast as they could. They were not sure they would be able to free him before the tide returned! Then, at last, the suction broke around Mack. They pulled him out! In only a matter of minutes, the returning tide flooded the spot.

Mack was so relieved and happy to get out of the mud and get his feet on solid ground. His mom, who had been at work, had raced to the beach as soon as she heard of her son’s danger. She was anxiously waiting for her rescued son.

How good that Mack had a friend who ran for help, because he never could have gotten out of that double danger by himself. How good that sinners have a real friend in Jesus who is able to rescue them from the even greater danger their sins have caused. Psalm 40:2 says, “He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.”

Sin is just like the mud that was holding Mack. At first the mud appeared harmless and inviting. But once Mack stepped into it, he couldn’t help being sucked deeper and deeper. He couldn’t get out of it by himself and was about to drown if no one could help him before the incoming tide reached him. Sin has also placed each one of us in serious danger - the danger of dying in our sins, and the danger is just as real! God cannot let one sin go unpunished, and if you will not come to the Lord Jesus for salvation before you die, you will pass “into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 8:12). There you will be punished for your sins forever.

But just as there was rescue for Mack, there is rescue for the sinner. “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). Because Jesus died on Calvary’s cross in the sinner’s place, He is offering you the gift of salvation. “By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8). Even though you might have committed many sins, this gift of salvation will be yours if you choose to receive it by faith.

“Blessed [happy] is the man that [makes] the Lord his trust” (Psalm 40:4). Won’t you be one who realizes your need of salvation and come to the Lord Jesus by faith, letting Him wash you clean from every sin, so that this safety and happiness can be yours?

ML-01/04/2004

Flying on a Crippled Plane

The family was flying home from a vacation in California. Everyone was relaxed in their seats, enjoying the plane trip and unaware of what was happening on the outside of the plane. Suddenly, the captain announced that one of the plane’s wings was disintegrating - it was breaking apart! The captain ordered everyone to buckle their seat belts and remain in their seats.

Ten-year-old Joanna was sitting in a window seat that overlooked the wing. Looking out, she saw bigger and bigger pieces of metal ripping away from the wing. What a scary sight!

The captain announced that the plane was going to turn around and land in about fifteen minutes. But fifteen minutes passed, and they were still in the air and quite a distance away from the airport where they intended to land. Joanna’s dad, sitting beside her, said that it didn’t even look like the plane had fully turned around as yet.

The captain once again announced that they would land in fifteen minutes. But when another fifteen minutes had passed, though they were closer, they were still a distance away from the airport. Joanna was worried.

An old lady on the plane came to sit by Joanna and her dad, and the lady and Joanna’s dad began talking. She thought, for some reason, that it might be safer to sit closer to the front where Joanna’s family was sitting. She had seen Joanna’s dad reading his Bible earlier on the trip and was interested. He gave her a few gospel tracts that told her how her soul could be safe, whether the plane landed safely or crashed.

Do you know the only way to be truly safe if you are in an airplane that crashes? Joanna does. It’s simple! Jesus died for our sins on Calvary’s cross, and all that’s left for us to do is to believe in Him. “If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9). Then, no matter what happens to you, even if your life here on earth should end, your soul will be safe in heaven with the Lord Jesus for all eternity.

Joanna and her family were in great danger on that crippled plane, but they were trusting the Lord Jesus to watch over them no matter how it turned out. “He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). How thankful they were that the plane did land safely. They hope that the old lady who talked to them is now trusting in the Lord Jesus for her soul’s salvation too.

Are you?

ML-01/11/2004

Lost Glasses

From time to time we have had stories about different things that have been lost. These stories have been used to remind our readers that they are “lost” in their sins and need to be “found” by the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. If you have not yet believed in Jesus, the Son of God, you need to know that He loves you and He is seeking you. “The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10).

This story about a pair of lost glasses is for boys and girls who have already believed on the Lord Jesus and received Him as their own Saviour. It shows how our loving God and Father cares about every detail that touches our lives every day. Our Father cares about even our glasses, our clothes, our food and everything that happens in our lives.

When Stephen was in the sixth grade, he came home from school one day without his glasses. He hadn’t had them very long. His parents were upset when he told them, “I’ve lost my glasses.” Their concern was not only because Stephen needed his glasses to be able to see, but also because of the cost of replacing them. So Stephen and his father set out to look for them.

The two retraced Stephen’s steps from home back to school. The janitor was very kind to let them back into the school after hours.

First they went to his last class, then his homeroom, and finally to his locker, but they did not find the glasses. It seemed the glasses were gone for good. Since Stephen had already accepted the Lord Jesus as his Saviour, his parents suggested that they pray about the lost glasses and ask God to help them find them.

In their family prayer time that evening, and again the next morning, they asked God to help with this serious problem. They believed the Bible verse that says, “Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you” (1 Peter 5:7). There are many verses in the Bible that teach us that God is interested in every detail of our lives and will help us when we ask.

The very day they prayed about finding the glasses, the school principal called Stephen’s home about mid-morning. He asked if Stephen had lost his glasses. He said that a lady had found a pair of glasses in front of her house. The principal had gone to her house, picked up the glasses, and then called Stephen’s house. When he found that Stephen had lost his glasses, he said, “I think the glasses the lady found are Stephen’s.” And sure enough they were!

The town where they lived was large, and the school was large. Our loving God did control the actions and thoughts of a very kind lady and the principal in answer to Stephen’s family’s prayer.

Does God hear and answer children’s prayers? Indeed He does! He invites all to call on Him for salvation, and He delights to give His children “richly all things to enjoy” (1 Timothy 6:17).

When boys and girls accept the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour and receive forgiveness of their sins, they can then pray to God as their Father about everything that touches their lives. They can thank Him for the good things and ask His help for the problems.

ML-01/11/2004

A Letter From Gramma and Grampa: A Riddle

Dear Children,

Gramma and I know that children like riddles, so here is a riddle for you. Tell me . . .

What kind of dog is white,

Has black spots all over it,

And a light yellow spot on its forehead,

And also smells like a skunk?

Ho - ho - ho! Did you guess?

“Sure, Grampa, it sounds like your dog Chelsea . . . she’s a Dalmatian. But how come she smells like a skunk?”

Well, children, this is how it happened. You know that I take Chelsea out every night around 9:30 for our usual walk. She likes to chase any rabbits she can find and also any cats that have strayed onto the property. While she’s off chasing something, I like to look up into the sky and wonder how our God could name all those twinkling stars. Psalm 147 tells us, “He calleth them all by their names.” Now see if you can find which verse says that.

Well, this time Chelsea chased the wrong cat! This one was a “POLECAT,” or better known as a skunk! When she came back to me, I could smell her before I saw her! I said, “Oh, no! She has been sprayed by a skunk!”

Chelsea was rubbing both sides of her head on the grass, trying her best to get rid of the odor. I said to her, “Chelsea, we did not train you to chase skunks! So now, how do you think you are going to get back into the house? Gramma will never let you in smelling like that!”

Gramma was horrified when she caught the odor of Chelsea. She said, “Let’s get that dog into the barn right now!” Then Gramma brought out a bucket of hot water with special soap and three quarts of tomato juice.

Right about then, I got to thinking that we did not train Chelsea to chase cats or skunks, yet here was the result of what she did.

When God created our first parents, Adam and Eve, they were without sin. But when Satan came along and tempted Eve, they both disobeyed God and did what they were told not to do. So the very first sin in the Bible is disobedience. Ephesians 6:1 says, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.” Do you always obey your parents? Probably not, so that means you are a sinner, just like me. And we aren’t allowed into God’s house with our sins, just like Chelsea wasn’t allowed into our house with the skunk odor all over her.

Tomato juice is great for cleaning out the odor of skunk. Gramma poured the tomato juice all over Chelsea’s head, making sure the juice did not get into Chelsea’s eyes. Then Gramma used soap and water to wash her all over to remove the tomato juice and then dried her with a towel. The place on Chelsea’s head where the skunk sprayed her looked like a dull, yellow stain.

Children, isn’t that much like us? We can never get into God’s house, heaven, without having our sins washed away.

“All sins, Grampa?”

“Yes, all sins! Disobedience, telling lies, swearing, stealing and others are all sin. And do you know how we can have all those sins washed away? The answer is in this little song we sometimes sing in Sunday school.”

What can wash away my sins?

Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

So that not one spot remains?

Nothing but the blood of Jesus!

Oh, precious is the flow,

That makes me white as snow

Now then, Chelsea’s skunk odor was washed off, and she was ready to come back into the house. By now it was 10:30. When Gramma opened the door, Chelsea was the first one in, making a dash for her own bed. And Gramma and I and our grandson, who was visiting us, were right behind her.

Chelsea could do nothing to help herself, but we were ready and willing to help her, and she was willing to let us. Now for you and me, there is nothing that we can do to get to heaven. The Lord Jesus Christ did it all for us at the place called Calvary. His blood can wash us clean from every stain of sin. A verse in Psalm 51 says, “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow” (verse 7). Gramma and I hope you are willing to let the Lord Jesus wash you clean from your sins so you will be allowed into heaven.

Bye bye for now, children.

Lots of love,

Gramma & Grampa & Chelsea

ML-01/18/2004

The Poor Wise Man

Once there was a little city, but not very many men lived in it. Perhaps there were many mothers there, and girls and boys and babies, but without many strong men for an army, the city was weak and in danger.

A great king came to that city and wanted to take it over, so he laid siege to it. That means that he set his soldiers all around the city and would not let anyone come in, not even to bring food or water to the people inside. There were not enough men who could fight against the king and his great army. It seemed that the poor people in the little city would die either of thirst or of starvation.

And that was not bad enough. The king built a great fortress around the city. He set his soldiers to dig earth and stones and built great towers of attack against that little city, so that he would soon capture it and have the victory.

Hopeless, wasn’t it? But there was a poor wise man living in that city. He certainly was not rich and famous. He had enough wisdom that he could have escaped, but that was not what he wanted to do. Instead, he used his wisdom to save that little city. I cannot tell you what he did, because the Bible doesn’t tell us, but I can surely tell you that his wisdom was wonderful! The great king with all his soldiers and his fortress was totally defeated! Perhaps he went back to his own country or perhaps he lay dead, but he was conquered.

Was there a parade and fame and rewards for the poor wise man who saved the city? No. The people did not remember him. Perhaps they could tell their children the story of the wonderful deed, but they did not remember the poor wise man who saved them.

Are you like that too? Perhaps you have heard the story of Calvary’s cross where Jesus was crucified, and perhaps you have seen churches and crosses and religious men in fine robes. But do you remember the Lord Jesus who died on that cross for you?

Jesus was not always poor. He owned everything because He made everything. And His home is the wonderful glory of heaven. But He came down to poverty. And when He died, He had nothing-nothing at all but a crown of thorns - not even a grave to be buried in.

Great statues have been built for Him, but that was not His choice. In our story, no one remembered that poor wise man who saved the city, but God has made a lasting remembrance for him - He has written his story in the Bible, and you may read it in Ecclesiastes 9:14-15.

And God in His Book has asked us to remember the One who died for us, and He has told us how in 1 Corinthians 11:23-25. God’s wisdom brings salvation to us through the death of His Son. Let’s remember our Lord Jesus. His way is perfect.

“God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved” (John 3:17).

ML-01/25/2004

Fuzz and Mr. Raven

There was that raven again, eating our kitten’s food! I looked at the big, black bird more closely. I saw that it had a little gold ring around one of its legs. That must be a tame bird, someone’s pet, I thought, but I sure wish its owner would keep it at home. Fuzz is going to starve at this rate.

Did you ever stop to think how many ravens are eating up your food? Jesus said, “My Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world” (John 6:32-33). How often do we let the “ravens” of laziness or perhaps busyness peck away until our day has gone by, and we haven’t eaten any of the bread of God - we have not read our Bibles. We’ll be just like Fuzz. He was so skinny there was hardly anything left of him but fur and bones.

That night at suppertime we talked over Fuzz’s problem, and it was decided that I should sit right beside Fuzz until he’d had time to eat all his food. The raven would not come close with me sitting there.

The next morning I sat on the back step guarding Fuzz’s dish. It wasn’t long until Mr. Raven arrived and perched on the ground a few yards away from us. Fuzz wasn’t eating very well with that big bird watching him so closely. When I petted and talked to him, he’d take a nibble or two in between nervous glances at that bird that was twice as big as he was. All the time Mr. Raven was cocking his head from side to side and hopping a little closer every minute. Suddenly he flapped his big wings and rushed in, and just as suddenly he took off again with the whole dish in his big beak, food and all, flying over the housetops.

Fuzz was scared and I was disgusted! Something had to be done! I began wandering around our small community searching for Mr. Raven. Pretty soon I found him, looking very much at home on the roof of a neat little house with a chain dangling from its chimney - probably Mr. Raven’s chain.

I knocked at the door and told the lady who answered about the trouble we were having with her bird eating all our kitten’s food. It was then arranged that Mr. Raven would be chained to the chimney between 8:00 and 9:00 in the morning and between 4:00 and 5:00 in the afternoon so Fuzz could eat all of his food.

Soon Fuzz was a healthy, sleek cat. But he needed to have that time, completely free from the raven, to eat his food in peace. The Bible tells us that if we’ve found out how kind the Lord Jesus has been to save us from our sins, we should be as eager to feed on the Word of God as a newborn baby is to drink milk (1 Peter 2:23).

Let us be very careful not to let the “ravens” of this world rob us of the food we need to grow into healthy, strong Christians. The Lord Jesus tells us not to spend all our time working only for the meat that doesn’t last, “but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of Man shall give unto you” (John 6:27).

ML-01/25/2004

Home After Ten Years

Ted had a good home. Chris, his owner, loved the cat and took good care of him. The cat had his own open window to come and go as he pleased, and he always came home and slept on Chris’s bed every night.

Unlike most cats, Ted liked to ride in the car with Chris. Ted also seemed to like attention from people and took to spending time at a dentist’s waiting room a block away. However, when Chris drove by the dental office and yelled for the cat, Ted would race along a fence and jump into the car. He seemed like a happy and obedient cat.

Several years passed and Chris got married. He and his new wife moved to another house, and Ted moved with them. Even though the new place was close to where Chris and Ted had lived before, a few weeks later Ted ran away.

Chris was so sad with his cat gone. After driving around looking for Ted, Chris decided to go by the dental office, and guess what . . . there was Ted! After that, Chris decided to have an identification microchip implanted under the cat’s skin so that if the cat ever ran away again, he could be identified and returned to Chris.

I wouldn’t think any of you boys or girls would run away from home. Most of you have someone at home who loves you very much and takes good care of you. But according to the Bible, every boy and girl, and grown-up too, has run away from God, even though He loves us and watches over us. The Bible calls us sheep because we act like sheep. It says in Isaiah 53:6, “All we like sheep have gone astray [run away]; we have turned every one to his own way.” Even though our sins have caused us to run away from God and made Him so sad, we still belong to Him and He still loves us very much. God has sent His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus, to find us and bring us back to Himself. “The Son of Man [Jesus] is come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). Once He has found us and washed our sins away, we can never be lost from Him again. And He doesn’t need a microchip to identify each of us as belonging to Him. The Lord Jesus lovingly says, “Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art Mine” (Isaiah 43:1). We belong to Him, and we won’t ever want to run away again, even if we could.

But that wasn’t the case with Ted. One day he disappeared again through an upstairs window, and Chris could not find him this time. For six months Chris looked for his runaway cat. He put up posters, called animal shelters, went door to door, and checked in at the dentist’s office. No cat. Finally he gave up.

But the Lord Jesus never gives up on a sinner. He patiently waits and watches for that moment when a sinner will repent of his sins and come back to Him. His open arms invite you to “come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).

Ten years passed. When Chris came home from work one day recently and found two phone messages from an animal shelter saying that his cat had been found, he assumed it was a wrong number. He didn’t call back. But the animal shelter called again and reached him with the news that the microchip identified the cat as Ted!

Chris drove right over to the animal shelter to see if the cat really was his runaway Ted. It was, and happily the cat seemed to remember him. Chris held Ted for a long time before taking him home. When he let him loose in the car, the cat put his front paws on the dashboard, just like he always did. At last, Ted was going home.

What a happy reunion is waiting for you too when you return to the open, loving arms of the Lord Jesus. Perhaps you have waited even more than ten years to come to the Saviour who loves you so much He died for you. Will you let Him wash away your sins and welcome you into His family? It will make you so happy, and you will thank Him for all eternity.

“Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10). “We love Him, because He first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

ML-02/01/2004

Thankful for an Apple

We were riding in a jeep over the dusty mountain roads of Bolivia, through miles and miles of desert. There was nothing green, just lots of tumbleweed and an occasional hut, then more miles of emptiness and another little hut. We wondered what the people did for a living way out here in the desert.

As we came to the top of a high hill with our trail of dust rising behind us, we looked down into the valley and saw a child running toward the road. That’s the way it is in that part of Bolivia. Anyone who sees a vehicle coming heads for the road as fast as he can . . . just in case there will be something there for him.

As we watched the child running with his arms reaching up, we saw him fall and get up again. Then, because he was watching our jeep and not looking where he was going, he fell again into the tumbleweed. We lost sight of him for a moment, but soon he was up and running again. He wasn’t going to let anything stop him in his race toward the road. A couple more times he stumbled and fell, but immediately he was up and running again. He reached the road just as our jeep passed the spot where he was. Someone threw him an apple. He caught it.

“I caught it! I caught it!” he shouted, hugging the apple to his chest.

What eagerness! What thankfulness, and for so little.

The gift of God . . . have you caught it? Don’t miss it! It is of more value than anything else. It cost God His only begotten Son, yet for you it’s free! “The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

Don’t let anything stop you from accepting God’s loving gift. Hug it to your chest for your very own. You will thank Him forever. “Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift” (2 Corinthians 9:15).

ML-02/01/2004

Frozen to the Rails

Brrrrr. It was a chilly morning as Pat O’Rourke drove his track truck along the railroad tracks near Butte, Montana. Suddenly he noticed something unusual on the tracks. Was it a deer that had been hit by a train? No, it looked more like three furry little bundles. When he got closer, he was amazed to discover three mountain lion cubs. They were very much alive, but they did not scramble away as he walked closer. All three were frozen to the rails in the frigid morning air!

Poor little cubs. They had crossed the Silver Bow Creek in the ten-degree air temperature before walking onto the steel rails, and their wet fur had become a problem. One cub was frozen to the track on its back. Another was frozen to a railroad spike by its paw and its belly was frozen to the rail. The third cub was frozen to a second set of tracks by its tail. Pat tried to move the cubs with a shovel, but that didn’t work. The cubs screamed and were “all teeth and claws,” but they were still frozen to the rails. Then Pat tried pouring his thermos of coffee on one cub’s paw, hoping it would free the animal from the icy trap. That didn’t work either.

“The cubs kept licking their paws, and the more they licked, the more stuck they became,” Pat said. “It seemed like every time they could finally move one thing, something else got stuck.”

Do you know that many boys and girls are like those cubs frozen to the rails? Boys and girls are caught too, but not on a railroad track. They are caught because they have sinned, and they can’t get rid of those sins. The Bible says, “He shall be holden with the cords of his sins” (Proverbs 5:22). Those mountain lion cubs were in big trouble if they stayed where they were. A railroad track is a terribly unsafe place to be stuck. And any child still with sin on their heart is in a terribly unsafe place too. God has said that “the soul that [sins], it shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4), and He also says, “After this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). Every person with sin on his heart needs someone to rescue him from danger. Every person who dies with sin on his heart will have to face the punishment for all his sins.

The mother mountain lion was watching from a nearby ridge, and Pat heard her angry roar. But the mother lion was as helpless as Pat was to save her little cubs. And your parents cannot take away the sins on your heart. God tells us in Psalm 49:7 that “none of them can by any means redeem his brother [or child].” That means that no matter how much your mother and father love you, they cannot remove the wrong things that you have done.

Pat heard the roar of the mother lion and hurried back into his track truck. He phoned Montana’s division of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, and they sent out a game warden with lots of hot water.

Marty Vook came to the spot where the cubs were frozen to the rails and set out to melt the ice. That hot water did the job! When the cubs finally ran off, they left patches of hair on the steel tracks. They were exhausted from their struggles, but at last they were free!

What about you? The answer for those little cubs was lots of hot water, but no amount of washing with water can ever take away sin. The Bible tells us that only “the blood of Jesus Christ His Son [cleanses] us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). The Lord Jesus came to this world and let men nail Him to a cross. There a soldier stabbed a cruel spear into His side, and His blood that flowed from His wounded side can wash away your sins forever. He is offering to save you from your sins. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31). If you accept this gift of salvation, then you will be free forever.

ML-02/08/2004

The Disappointing Camera

Isn’t it fun to get your pictures back from the photo company and look through all the pictures you’ve taken?

One day I took my camera to school and took some pictures of the children playing on the seesaw, jumping rope, climbing on the monkey bars and sitting in the classroom. When I got home I opened the camera to take the film out so I could get the pictures developed. But what a disappointment—the camera was empty!

Are you empty like that camera? You know, if the Lord Jesus is not living in your heart, there won’t be one thing recorded in your life that will be pleasing to God. He sees your life as empty.

All that day I thought I was taking pictures. I worked hard to get the children to pose for me, but when the day was over I had nothing to show for it. Our lives may be like that too. We may think we are doing good things, but unless we’ve had our sins washed away and been born into God’s family, we are like a camera without film - empty.

My camera clicked and sounded like it does when there is film in it, but I wasn’t really taking pictures. And we may talk like a Christian and look like a Christian from the outside, but we must have the Lord Jesus living in our hearts to really BE a Christian.

Jesus said, “If a man love Me, he will keep My words: and My Father will love him, and We will come unto him, and make our abode [home] with him” (John 14:23). Isn’t it wonderful that we can have the Lord Jesus and God the Father living right in our hearts!

Don’t be like an empty camera-a complete disappointment to God. Be like a camera with film in it—a true and useful child of God that brings joy to His heart. The Lord Jesus tells us in John 15:5, “I am the vine, ye are the branches. He that abideth [lives] in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without Me ye can do nothing.”

ML-02/08/2004

Kelolo and the Spitting Cobra

It was a warm, peaceful evening in Africa, and Kelolo was sitting outside enjoying the breeze. Unknown to him, a spitting cobra, which is a poisonous African snake, was slithering towards him in search of supper - a frog that was sitting on the other side of Kelolo.

Kelolo felt what seemed to be a drop of water on his arm and, at the same time, heard a noise like a person blowing out his breath. Kelolo knew instantly what it was - a cobra had spit at him! Thankfully, the cobra’s venom had not gotten into Kelolo’s eyes.

Cobras are nervous and some will spit venom if they feel threatened. They aim for the eyes and can spit their poison more than nine feet! If the cobra’s venom had gotten into Kelolo’s eyes, he would have had intense pain in his eyes and could have been blinded.

The cobra reminds me of Satan. Satan wants to blind your eyes to God so you will not understand the truth about God. The Bible tells us this in 2 Corinthians 4:4: “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.” Satan does not want you to enjoy God’s love and His forgiveness of your sins, and so he tries to spit venom into your mind to poison it with lies about God.

Once Satan has blinded your mind, he then wants to destroy you, just as the cobra would have bitten Kelolo if Kelolo had not gotten away from him. The cobra’s bite is dangerous. If it had bitten Kelolo, he might have died if he did not get the proper antivenin within a few hours. As sinners, we are all under Satan’s power and need help to be freed. We are unable to get out of his grasp by ourselves. Only Jesus, God’s Son, can free us and give us life. Jesus said, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).

That cobra flattened out his neck by moving his neck ribs to give the appearance of a hood around his head. When a cobra expands his hood, it looks bigger and scarier when he attacks, and Satan often tries to scare us even after we are saved. But we don’t have to let him scare us, because Jesus’ power is stronger than Satan. If Jesus has saved you, you need not fear Satan, because “greater is He [Jesus] that is in you, than he [Satan] that is in the world” (1 John 4:4).

Kelolo got away from the spitting cobra, and, using a hoe and a stick, he was able to kill the poisonous snake. We are not able to destroy Satan, but we can ask for protection from the Lord Jesus, who has already defeated Satan and one day will get rid of him completely: “The devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone” (Revelation 20:10).

Don’t let Satan blind you to God’s love. Trust Jesus to wash your sins away and free you from Satan’s control and his power of death. Then everlasting life and the many blessings that God wants to give to you will be yours.

ML-02/22/2004

Flying to Their Death

Years ago an American ship was being attacked by enemy gunboats. At that very time, a passenger airplane took off from an airport nearby. The pilot, not knowing that a battle between the ship and the gunboats was going on, traced the route of his flight to pass directly over the battle.

As soon as the airplane took off, it was picked up by the ship’s radar and identified as a military aircraft. Believing it was a fighter plane that was coming to help the enemy gunboats, the commander of the ship sent a message by radio warning the airplane that it should identify itself, or else it would be fired upon by the ship.

It is not known if the radio in the airplane was off or if the pilot was not paying attention to it, but the men in the ship received no answer. The instruments continued to show that the airplane was coming directly to the point where the ship was. The commander gave orders to fire a missile.

In only minutes the passenger airplane became a ball of fire, falling into the ocean. All the passengers, more than 100 persons, were killed. That pilot had no idea that the route he had traced would take him and his passengers to their deaths. And the passengers were enjoying the flight without knowing that a destroying missile was approaching their plane. They were all caught by surprise!

The same happens to people who live without Christ. They are traveling in this life without thinking about or paying attention to the warnings that God is giving in His Word, the Bible. They make their plans, trace their routes and don’t realize that the route they are traveling leads to death and eternal punishment. There is a judgment for his sins waiting for each sinner, unless he trusts in the Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour. Here is God’s warning: “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).

Listen to the warnings that God is sending you and trust right now in the Lord Jesus. Then the Lord Himself, who loves you, will change your route and trace a new one that will take you directly to heaven when you leave this life.

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

ML-02/22/2004

Digging up Weeds

There are two things that will always be with us wherever we go and wherever we live — sins and weeds. However, if they are uprooted when they are small, it will be so much easier for us.

Once I noticed a small patch of pretty, blue flowers growing in the grass at the back of our yard. Each time I mowed the grass, I noticed the patch of plants was spreading, but I remembered the pretty, blue flowers and left them alone. As summer passed, I didn’t even bother to think about how far these plants were spreading.

One day the following spring, I suddenly noticed that these plants were really a weed that was about to take over our whole backyard! I bent down to look closely at one of the plants and saw that about six strong runners came from each parent plant. Then as those runners rooted and grew into plants, they each put out six more runners. And so six little plants soon became thirty-six, and thirty-six plants soon became . . . how many?

Now began the long, dreary job of uprooting all those weeds. I spent many tiring days working at pulling up patches of this spreading weed. At last I finished and had three wheelbarrow loads to get rid of. I asked myself, What should I do with all these weeds to get them out of sight forever?

Here’s what I did with them. I dug three, large, deep holes in the backyard and dumped the weeds into the holes. I tamped them down and covered them with a thick layer of soil, burying them, and then placed sod on top. Then, where I had dug out all the weeds, the grass was fertilized to give it a fresh start and to help the bare spots recover.

While I worked at this task, I thought of how all those weeds that I was digging out were like the sins on our hearts. We all know how telling one lie sometimes causes us to tell more lies to cover up the first one. And before we know it, we have become deceitful and our hearts are black with sin! The Bible tells us that hearts full of sin can never come into God’s presence. Sin is hateful to Him: “Thou [God] art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and [can] not look on iniquity [sin]” (Habakkuk 1:13).

What are we to do then? How can we ever get rid of all that sin on our hearts?

Do you know what the word “gospel” means? It means “good news”! And good news is exactly what we have to tell you. God loves us. He saw us in our sins and the need to get rid of all those sins. He gave His only Son, the Lord Jesus, to die for us on the cross. While He was on that dreadful cross, Jesus bore the punishment for all the sins of every person who would believe on Him and accept Him as his or her Saviour. “We have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7).

Can you guess what God does with all of our awful sins when we accept the Lord Jesus as our Saviour? The Bible tells us: “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from us” (Psalm 103:12). He removes them, and they are gone forever! He also promises something else about those sins — take a peek at our new memory verse. And even that isn’t all; He takes us 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” (John 1:12). What a wonderful new beginning He gives us!

After that we must make sure that sin never gets a hold again. You know, I never want to have another of those weeds growing in my backyard again. So when I see one, I’ll pull it up right away. And the minute we know we have sinned again, we shouldn’t just ignore it. We need to tell the Lord Jesus about that sin and not allow it again! “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).

Have you told Jesus that you are a sinner and that you want Him to forgive your sins? He promises, “I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more” (Jeremiah 31:34).

ML-02/29/2004

A Gift for Tammy

Tammy and her mother would sometimes walk through the toy department of a store where they often shopped. Each time Tammy would gaze longingly at a beautiful doll that was on display. One day she and her older brother Jon were in the toy department together. Tammy pointed to the doll and said, “I would just love to have that doll. It’s my very favorite!”

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

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

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

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

ML-02/29/2004

Left Behind

Anita’s heart pounded with excitement! Hardly anyone from Bolivia got to go to the United States! But she had just heard that her friends, the missionaries, were going back there for a visit, and when she asked her mother, her mother had said that she could go with them.

Anita never thought to ask the missionaries if she could go along with them. After all, hadn’t they been kind to her when the snake bit her on the arm? The missionaries had taken her to the doctor and had even said that she could stay at their home until her arm was better.

Yes, there was no reason to doubt their kindness, and now she could only think of going to the United States with them on a big airplane. Anita packed her bag and left for the town where her missionary friends lived. She did not stop to think about money for a plane ticket, and she did not even know about important papers like passports.

When Anita arrived at the home of her missionary friends, she knocked on the gate with great excitement. . . . Strange that no one answered. She knocked again louder and called to them. Still no one answered.

Sadly, Anita carried her heavy bag over to a neighbor’s house.

“Are the Alberts here?” she asked.

“Oh no,” the neighbors replied. “They left two days ago to go to the United States. They won’t be back for months.”

Poor Anita. She had been left behind.

Those who read this story will easily understand that Anita was not wise when she prepared for her trip. She did not have the money for a plane ticket or passport papers she would need, and she did not even know when her friends planned to leave. But can you also understand that many boys and girls are just as unwise about their plans to go to heaven? I’ve never met a boy or girl yet who didn’t want to go to heaven. But many who want to go there never stop to think about what they need to get ready.

To go to heaven you must have your sins washed away in the blood of the Lord Jesus. Not one sin can ever enter into God’s home in heaven, so you must have your heart cleaned from sin before you can go there. The Lord Jesus suffered and died on the cross so that you can be saved from your sins. “Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18). Have you accepted Him as your Saviour? “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31).

Perhaps you plan to be saved, but like Anita, you have not thought about when you should be saved. God’s Word, the Bible, says, “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). “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).

Many people think only of going to heaven when they die, but the Bible also tells us that the Lord Jesus is coming soon to take all the saved ones to heaven. We do not know just when He will come, but you can be ready to go by accepting the Lord Jesus as your Saviour right now. Those who have never been saved will be left behind when Jesus comes. Then the door of salvation will be shut and will never open again.

When Anita’s missionary friends returned to Bolivia, they were amazed to hear how their little friend had expected to go with them with no money for a ticket, no passport and not even knowing when they were going. But their hearts were touched to think that she had not doubted their kindness or that they would want to have her along.

I hope you will not be like Anita in expecting to go to heaven without being prepared, but I hope you will be like her in believing in the kindness and love of God.

ML-03/07/2004

Money in the Lake

A few summers ago we spent a weekend at a cottage on a lake with all of our children and grandchildren. They all had a happy time jumping off a large, inflatable dock into fifteen feet of water.

William, one of the dads, had stuffed a carefully folded fifty dollar bill into his bathing suit pocket. In the fun of pushing and shoving each other off the dock, the pocket with the money in it became torn. At the end of the afternoon, William noticed that the money was missing from his torn pocket.

William called his two boys aside and told them about the lost money. They decided to pray about it, with faith believing what God has promised in Luke 11:910: “ASK, and it shall be given you; SEEK, and ye shall find; KNOCK, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh RECEIVETH; and he that seeketh FINDETH; and to him that knocketh it shall be OPENED.”

After they finished praying about the matter, William swam out to the floating dock and dove into the clear water. When he came back up to the surface, he had the lost money in his hand.

After returning to the shore, he said to his sons, “Let’s kneel down and thank the Lord for helping us find the money.”

For the whole family - children, parents and grandparents - that answered prayer was a wonderful lesson on the readiness of the Lord Jesus to answer quickly when we need help right now. If you were to ask any of the children who were there that day, “Does God answer prayer?” they would probably answer, “Yes He does, and sometimes very fast!”

ML-03/07/2004

A Letter From Gramma and Grampa: The Boy and the Yo-Yo

Dear Children,

Let me tell you what happened when Gramma and I went shopping in a big department store in the mall.

We were walking along together in the store and passing the counter where the toys were. I noticed a boy about seven or eight years old trying out the yo-yos. I told Gramma to go ahead as I was quite interested in what he was going to do with them.

I walked around the corner of the counter where he couldn’t see me, just to kind of spy on him! You know, he tried out every color yo-yo there was. He finally decided on the bright red one. It was a beauty! He put his hand into his pocket, brought out his money, then shook his head as if to say, “Not enough.” He counted it again, then put the money back into his pocket. Then guess what? Quick as a flash, he grabbed that bright red yo-yo, and into his pocket it went!

I know what you’re thinking: “Uh-oh, Grampa, that’s stealing!”

Yes, children, that is stealing. God has said in His Word, the holy Bible, “Thou shalt not steal” (Romans 13:9). Do you think this young boy knew that what he did was a sin? Yes I do, and I know you believe it too. If he didn’t know it was a sin, he would not have picked the yo-yo up so quickly and hidden it in his pocket!

So I walked around the corner very quickly and said in a real gruff voice, “What did you put in your pocket?”

Boy oh boy, did he ever jump! And at the same time he put his hand into his pocket, pulled out the yo-yo and threw it back onto the counter! And he said with a very shaky voice, “Nothing, mister, nothing. . . . Are you a policeman?”

Now then, that was another sin, because he told a lie! Two sins in less than a minute!

I did not tell him if I was a policeman or not. But in a gruff voice I asked him, “Why were you going to steal that yo-yo?”

Now this time he told the truth. He answered, “I don’t have enough money to pay for it.”

So what should he do now? He wants the yo-yo, but he doesn’t have enough money to pay for it? Children, no one in this world has enough money to buy a place in heaven either. Your sins and mine must be forgiven, and they can be forgiven, because God’s Word says, “The blood of Jesus Christ His [God’s] Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). It also tells us in Ephesians 2:89 that being cleansed from our sins is a gift of God. He paid the price, so it’s free!

“But, Grampa, what happened to the little boy?”

Okay, I’ll tell you. He and I counted his money again - not enough. Then I reached into my pocket and pulled out some coins, put some into his hand, plus a little extra because I told him there is tax that has to be paid too. He picked up the bright red yo-yo, looked me right in the eyes and said, “Mister, thanks a whole lot!” I watched as he almost ran to the checkout counter with his prize.

I wondered if he would tell his classmates at school how he got the yo-yo. I thought about the man in the Bible who the Lord Jesus spoke to and said, “Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee” (Mark 5:19). Children, every boy and girl who is saved should be doing just that!

Maybe you can sing the song that has these words:

Telling others, telling others,

My work now is telling others,

Since the Lord saved me,

I’m as happy as can be,

My work now is telling others.

Lots of love from Gramma & Grampa

ML-03/14/2004

Snooky's Punishment

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

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

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

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

The judge saved Snooky from death even though she deserved the punishment. Each one of us also deserves punishment because we are sinners. The Bible says that all have sinned (Romans 3:23), and we each deserve to be punished for those sins. Revelation 20:15 tells us that our punishment will be the lake of fire (hell), and that will be forever! But when we believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, we are saved (Acts 16:31), because the Lord Jesus was punished in our place for our sins. “Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree” (1 Peter 2:24).

The judge could remove Snooky’s punishment and save her from death, but he could not take her punishment for her. The Lord Jesus Christ is the only One who could take the punishment for your sins so that you can be saved. He loves you and wants to save you from your sentence of eternal punishment. Will you let Him be your Saviour?

ML-03/14/2004

Hidden Cookies

There was one kind of cookie that was Wendy’s favorite. They were chocolate sandwich cookies with white icing in the middle. Her mother did not buy them very often, and when she did, Wendy was only allowed to have one at lunchtime.

One day Wendy quietly opened the drawer where the cookies were kept and quickly took the whole package and went outside. The first cookie she ate was delicious. The second one was good too, and she ate it more slowly. The third one wasn’t nearly so good, and she found she couldn’t finish it. With the half-eaten cookie in her hand, she began to wonder what to do with it. If she put it back in the package, her mother would ask her some questions that she didn’t want to answer. She decided she would hide the package of cookies somewhere outside, far away from the house.

The farthest place she could think of was the mailbox out at the street. She stuffed the package of cookies and the half-eaten cookie inside the mailbox and closed the mailbox door without anyone seeing her. She ran off to play and forgot about the cookies.

Now the Bible says, “He that covereth [hides] his sins shall not prosper [do well]: but whoso confesseth [admits] and forsaketh [stops] them shall have mercy” (Proverbs 28:13).

The next day Wendy was playing happily when her mother came to her with a very sad face. She had the package of cookies in one hand with the half-eaten cookie in the other, and there were ants all over the cookies. She asked Wendy to tell her what she knew about the cookies.

Wendy sadly told her mother the whole story. Wendy did not think about it at the time, but she had hidden the cookies in the one place her mother was sure to look each day.

There were tears and punishment and forgiveness. But it wasn’t just her mother whom Wendy had sinned against. “Ye have sinned against the Lord: and be sure your sin will find you out” (Numbers 32:23). Stealing is a sin, and she needed to tell the Lord Jesus what she had done. Because Wendy believed that God gave His Son to die for her sins, she was forgiven and could thank Him for His forgiveness.

This is the Bible verse that Wendy’s mother taught her: “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-03/21/2004

My Bodyguard

Do you know what a bodyguard is? A bodyguard is a man whose duty is to protect a person from bodily harm. Presidents, prime ministers, kings and queens and other rulers have bodyguards, and most of them have more than one. Usually only important people have them, but I had a bodyguard once even though I’m not very important! There was a man in the area where we live who was threatening harm, so I was told not to leave the house without a bodyguard until the police were able to find and arrest the man.

I want to tell you some things I learned about bodyguards. But first, did you know that you can have a bodyguard? That’s because Someone thinks you are very important and special - God. And God has provided Jesus to be your Saviour. If you will accept Him as your Saviour, He will also be your Bodyguard!

My bodyguard, Mr. K, was well qualified to be a bodyguard. He had been a policeman for many years. He was now retired from the police force, but he still knew how to protect people and how to watch out for trouble. Did you know that Jesus is even better qualified to be your Bodyguard? He knows what is going to happen in the future; plus, He loves you and wants to take care of you. And Jesus is also all-powerful, so that He has many ways to take care of you.

The day I had my bodyguard, I never even looked over my shoulder for Mr. K, because I knew he was right behind me. That’s what a bodyguard does. And when Jesus is our Lord and Saviour, we don’t have to wonder if He’s with us, because Jesus promises, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5).

I wasn’t sure what was going to happen that day. In fact, I knew that there could very well be some difficulty or trouble up ahead. But I wasn’t worried, because I was sure Mr. K could handle the difficulty for me. I could simply go about my business and enjoy the nice day. If Jesus is our Saviour, we don’t need to worry about what might happen today or in the future. We can be sure that Jesus will take care of us in every situation. “Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you” (1 Peter 5:7). Nothing can happen in our lives that is too difficult for Jesus!

Afterwards, I learned that not only had Mr. K been busy following me and watching out for me, but he was also getting information to help protect me. The Lord Jesus has promised to provide us with all necessary wisdom for our lives.

“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God . . . and it shall be given him” (James 1:5). God has given us His Word, the Bible. If you read it carefully and prayerfully, you will find all the answers you need.

Some of the time Mr. K followed me, but some of the time Mr. K went ahead of me, making sure that all was safe. And Jesus does just that and even more for us. He knows what is ahead for us -He even plans our way for us. In Psalm 139, we find out how precious we are to the Lord and how much He thinks of us. “Thou hast beset me behind and before, and laid Thine hand upon me. . . . Thy hand [shall] lead me, and Thy right hand shall hold me. . . . How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me. . . . If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand.”

As it turned out, there wasn’t any trouble or problem the day that I had my bodyguard. Later we heard that the police found the man who was causing trouble for some of us, and he had been taken to jail. So I only needed my bodyguard for one day, but I am very thankful that Jesus will be my Bodyguard for my entire life! “This God is our God forever and ever: He will be our guide even unto death” (Psalm 48:14).

Jesus is the only bodyguard who can give true safety and real security. If He is your Bodyguard, you can trust Him with your life and enjoy the peace that He gives. “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on Thee: because he [trusts] in Thee” (Isaiah 26:3).

ML-03/28/2004

There Is No IF

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

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

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

Tommy repeated the verse slowly: “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

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

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

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

ML-03/28/2004

Get Away Now!

Mr. Dean had just pulled up at a railroad crossing on a country highway and was waiting for a long freight train to pass. Suddenly he heard a loud noise! He quickly looked in the direction of the noise and saw that the railroad cars were falling off the track and sliding down into the ditch! The train was still moving, and the huge freight cars that were tumbling off the track were being dragged toward his truck. Mr. Dean suddenly was very scared!

Have you ever been scared? Really scared? The dictionary gives the meaning of scared as “struck with sudden fear.” If you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, you should be struck with fear when you read what the Bible tells us in Hebrews 9:27: “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment”! This is God’s warning to us that there will be punishment for our sins after we leave this world! Do you know how much longer you will live?

Mr. Dean wasn’t sure how much longer he’d be alive either. What he did know was that there wasn’t much time, maybe just seconds, until one of those tumbling freight cars could hit his truck and possibly crush him to death. And he was very scared! He said later, “For a second there I thought there was no way out.” But he made a fast decision he hoped would save his life and his truck.

Because the Lord Jesus loves you and me and wants us to live with Him in heaven, He has made a “way out” of the judgment for our sins by His death on the cross. Hebrews 9:28 says, “Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many.” He purposely went to that cross as a substitute and bore the punishment for the sins of anyone who would receive Him as their Saviour. If you see your need as a sinner, will you accept the “way out” He has made for you? Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6).

Mr. Dean quickly threw the gear shift into reverse and stepped hard on the gas, backing away from the danger as fast as possible. When the derailing train cars hit the ditch, rocks, weeds, water and mud flew across the road. When the train stopped moving, one of the derailed train cars had skidded to a stop only a few feet from where he had been waiting in his truck for the train to pass!

How wise Mr. Dean was when he saw the approaching danger; he didn’t wait one extra second to get out of the way! What if he had waited? What if he had said, “Not now; I’ll just sit here and see what happens”? Most of us would tell him, “Don’t be a fool, Mr. Dean! Get away NOW!” And that is what you need to do - accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour NOW and know you are on your way to heaven - and away from the judgment for your sins. “NOW is the accepted time . . . NOW is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).

Mr. Dean was not injured nor were any of the workers on the train, even though six freight cars ended up falling off the tracks and being dragged. We hope all the workers were thankful for that. If you have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, you have been saved from that coming judgment and know you are on your way to heaven. Have you thanked Him for bearing that judgment as your substitute? You can bow your head right now and thank Him.

Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul;

Thank you, Lord, for making me whole;

Thank you, Lord, for giving to me

Thy great salvation, so rich and free.

ML-04/04/2004

A Single Grape

Carlos had been taught since he was a small boy that stealing was wrong. When he and his cousin were walking through the supermarket, his cousin began pulling off grapes, one by one, from the produce display and eating them. Carlos was surprised and did not join his cousin in stealing grapes.

Still, the grapes looked awfully good, and no one seemed to notice his cousin taking them. Finally, Carlos could resist no longer. When he thought no one was looking, he reached out to take a grape -only one—from one of the bunches. Imagine his surprise when, instead of a single grape, he found a small bunch had pulled off in his hand! The single grape just would not come loose from the bunch.

“Hey!” shouted one of the supermarket employees at Carlos. Frightened, he raced out of the supermarket and looked for a place to hide. However, the only place he could find to hide was under a jeep parked at the curb. His heart pounding with guilty fear, Carlos lay under the jeep. He wondered what he should do if the owner of the jeep were to come out and start his vehicle.

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

I am happy to tell you that when Carlos was fifteen years old, he came to realize that his sins were going to keep him out of heaven. He soon received God’s gift of eternal salvation through the death of the Lord Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary. Today Carlos is one of the happiest Christians I know, but he has never forgotten the lesson of the one stolen grape.

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

ML-04/04/2004

"Cinci-Freedom"

Have you ever tried to climb over a fence? It isn’t so difficult if the fence is not very high. But the fence in this story was six feet high, and it kept cows inside a pen at the Ken Meyer Meats Company in Cincinnati, Ohio. One of those cows was not very happy behind this fence, and she surprised everyone by jumping over it and starting down the street.

Now it’s rather unusual to see a cow heading down a street in town, and this one attracted lots of attention. She stopped traffic and walked across lawns. She finally disappeared into the nearby Mt. Storm Park - a large 54-acre park with lots of trees.

Lots of people were concerned about the cow. After all, it wasn’t very far to the I-75 highway and other busy streets, and police said she was a “public safety hazard.” But this cow went right on her way, disappearing into the thick trees of the park, and no one was quite sure how to catch her again. She was going her own way and not at all interested in coming back.

It isn’t only cows that run away. Have you considered that you and I are runaways? The Bible says, “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way” (Isaiah 53:6). That means that boys and girls, and grown-ups too, are not really in a safe, protected place. We have sinned, and our sins have put us on a dangerous road. Matthew 7:13 says, “Broad is the way, that [leads] to destruction.” Each day you and I get a little older, and someday we will come to the end of our lives. What will happen after that? If we keep going our own way, our lives will have a very sad ending.

The cow in our story probably felt safe as she wandered around in that park. However, there were lots of people trying to find and catch her. The city of Cincinnati sent out dogs, helicopters and the Cincinnati police. Volunteer cowcatchers were on her trail too, and they all searched for her for a long time. Six days later they even brought in a professional cow wrangler to catch her. A week later they were still trying! Then the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals along with park rangers, police and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources met together to map out a master plan for finding that cow.

There is Someone who is searching for you and me too, as we go carelessly our own way, unaware of the danger ahead. The Bible tells us that the Lord Jesus has “come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). The Lord Jesus knew that our sins would put us in terrible danger; He knew that sinners were headed to destruction. But He loves you and me, and He wanted to rescue us from our sinful path. There was only one way that the price for our sins could be paid, and so the Lord Jesus paid that price Himself. He let evil men nail Him to a cross, and there God punished Him for the sins of every person who would accept Him as their Saviour. And that’s all that you and I have to do now - come to Him in prayer, admitting we are sinners in need of salvation and thanking Him for paying that price in our place. Then our dangerous wandering days are over!

But the wandering days for the cow weren’t over yet. On the eighth day the city set up temporary pens in the park, brought other cows into the pens, and hoped that the escaped cow would join them. That didn’t work either. It wasn’t until the eleventh day that they finally caught the runaway and loaded her into a trailer.

Now this cow had escaped from a meat-packing plant, and it is hard to imagine a happy ending for the story. But a man named Peter Max, an artist from New York, read her story and decided to buy her for himself. He donated a number of expensive paintings to an auction and was given the captured cow in return. He named his new purchase “Cinci Freedom” and chose to ship her to an animal sanctuary in New York. There she will spend the rest of her life contentedly grazing on the green grass in that quiet place.

Peter Max paid a high price to save the life of that wandering cow. But his price was absolutely nothing in comparison to what the Lord Jesus paid to rescue sinners from a lost eternity. The Lord Jesus was willing to die for us. He suffered terrible pain and a cruel death, and He shed His precious blood that our sins could be forgiven and blotted out. Now He invites you and me to share His beautiful home in heaven where there will be no more death. The cow in our story will eventually die, but those who have had their sins taken away by the precious blood of Jesus will live with Him forever in heaven.

God offers us eternal life as a gift - the price has already been paid. “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23). Have you accepted that wonderful gift?

ML-04/11/2004

Worms That Bite

Mr. and Mrs. Cameron had been fishing all afternoon, but they had not caught a single fish. Over on the shore, though, a small boy seemed to be pulling in one fish after another. Finally, the Camerons decided to go over and ask him what he was using for bait.

“There are lots of worms under there,” he said, pointing to a rotting log. “They make good bait, but they bite your hand a bit when you put them on the hook. If you want some, there’s lots of them.”

Worms that bite? That just didn’t sound right, so Mrs. Cameron decided she had better check out these “worms.” She lifted the log and found . . . a nest of poisonous, baby copperhead snakes! In alarm she called to the boy, “These aren’t worms . . . they’re copperhead snakes! Let me see your hands!”

The boy’s hands were covered with tiny bites and were beginning to swell up from the poison. They rushed him to a doctor who quickly gave him antivenin to offset the poison, and the boy’s life was saved. The doctor estimated that the tiny amounts of poison from all the baby snake bites would probably equal the bite of a full-grown copperhead! If they had waited another hour, the boy would not have lived.

Perhaps some of you are doing something just as dangerous as being bitten with poisonous snakes. The Bible says, “There is a way which [seems] right unto a man; but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12). The baby copperheads didn’t look dangerous. In fact, they even helped the boy to catch a lot of fish. But they were deadly!

Sin is the same - deadly! It may seem to be just a “little” sin, but in God’s sight it is so horrible that He sent His Son, the Lord Jesus, to die on the cross and shed His blood so that that sin could be forgiven. Even baby copperheads can kill, and even what seems to you to be a small sin needs to be washed away. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son [cleanses] us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

What if the boy decided he didn’t want to stop fishing and go to a doctor. Suppose he had said, “But I’m catching lots of fish. I don’t want to stop right now . . . I’ll go tomorrow.” What would have happened to him? He would have died, of course. He had to have the life-saving medicine right away or it would have been too late.

Don’t put off accepting the Lord Jesus as your Saviour. Tomorrow may be too late. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).

ML-04/18/2004

Surprised by a Cougar

From beginning to end it was a wilderness hike of eleven miles, and they were anything but flat miles. Most of the hiking was on trails that wound steeply up or down through the Olympic Mountains. Jason was an eager hiker and outdoorsman. He went hiking just about every chance he got and usually went alone. Nearing the end of his hike, he stopped by a large tree to rest for a moment. He stepped away from the tree and happened to look behind him. There, not five feet away, stood a large male cougar! The cougar had crept up close to Jason, using the tree as cover. Like all cats, his padded feet hadn’t made a sound. Not even the snapping of a twig had given away his presence. With a shock, Jason realized that the cougar had almost taken him completely by surprise!

Jason looked into the eyes of the big cat and began backing up. He moved slowly so he wouldn’t provoke the cat to fight. He wanted to avoid a fight if at all possible. At the same time, if the cougar attacked he wanted to be ready. He quickly glanced at the ground around him, looking for something that he might use as a weapon. Nothing he saw on the ground would work as well as the aluminum walking poles that he held in his hands.

The cougar began walking slowly toward him. Jason raised the poles over his head to make himself look as large and threatening as possible. The cougar walked to within a couple steps of him. Then without warning, the big cat turned off the trail and disappeared into the heavily timbered mountainside.

When Jason stood fast and raised his poles over his head, the cougar gave up his intention of attacking him. Satan, the enemy of our souls, is always on the prowl for victims, and he doesn’t give up quite so easily. Grown-ups and children alike are often unaware that he has focused his attention on them. His ways are often so crafty and deceiving that many souls won’t even realize they are his willing prey until death. Then it is too late! Satan gets the victory once more, and all his victims will be in that awful place called hell, which was made for him and his angels.

The Bible warns us about Satan and his evil ways. “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). How can he be defeated? Only when a person comes to the Lord Jesus for salvation from their sins can they escape this awful enemy. Only the Lord Jesus can break the fearful hold the devil has over his victims. Otherwise, he has them firmly in his power.

Satan would like to do harm to believers too. If you are a believer in the Lord Jesus and are relying on His strength, you can defeat Satan by standing fast on the Word of God. God’s Word assures us: “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). Satan will flee because “greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world” (1 John 4:4). By trusting in the Saviour’s ever-present power, a believer in Jesus Christ will never be defeated.

If you haven’t yet come to the Lord Jesus for the salvation He freely offers you, will you come to Him right now? He loves you and is waiting to cleanse you from your sins. Then by His grace, as one of His own children whom He dearly loves, you can “stand fast in the Lord” (Philippians 4:1) and live to please Him.

ML-04/25/2004

Even Mike?

“God has given us the privilege of telling others about Jesus,” Rob’s dad explained. “If you know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, you will want to tell others about Him. It’s just like getting a present that you really like. You don’t keep it a secret . . . you show it to your friends and tell them about it. Having the Lord Jesus as your Saviour is the most wonderful gift you could ever receive. Why not tell someone about Him?”

Rob thought about what his dad had said for a few moments and then asked, “But what about somebody like Mike? He’s the meanest kid in school! Am I supposed to talk to him about the Lord Jesus?”

“Only the Lord Jesus can answer that question for you, Rob. You should ask Him, but be ready to talk to Mike if the Lord gives you the opportunity,” answered his dad.

“But, Dad, it’ll be hard to talk to Mike. All he’s gonna do is laugh and make fun of me!” exclaimed Rob.

Rob’s dad said, “Look at those huge rocks up on the hillside. Do you see the one with a tree growing out of it? How do you suppose the tree got there?”

“I guess a seed from another tree fell there and found some dirt in a crack and started to grow,” Rob suggested.

“Right,” answered his dad. “And do you think the parent tree worried about how hard the rocks looked when one of its seeds dropped? No, the seed just fell, and God did the rest. That’s what we need to do - let the Word of God fall and don’t worry about whether or not it will take root and grow. That’s God’s work, and He can handle it.”

“Even Mike?” asked Rob.

“Even Mike. Is he any tougher than that rock? Remember, the Word of God can crack hard hearts. It has the power to save even Mike. Don’t let him scare you. If God tells you to talk to him, do your part, and God will do His.”

Boys and girls, how about you? Are you afraid of being laughed at if you talk to someone about the Lord Jesus? Remember, your job is to spread the seed of God’s Word, and the rest is up to God.

“A sower went forth to sow. . . . Some seeds fell by the wayside. . . . Some fell upon stony places. . . . Some fell among thorns . . . but other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit” (Matthew 13:3-8).

Jesus said:

“I will never
leave thee,
nor forsake thee.”

Hebrews 13:5

ML-04/25/2004

Head in a Pop Can

My wife and I were out for a walk by a lagoon one summer afternoon, and we noticed a flock of Canada geese swimming in the water.

As we walked closer to the water, we heard a strange tapping noise. Looking around, we saw a goose with a pop can around his neck. He must have been searching for food on the shore and stuck his head into the pop can lying on the ground. The rusted can had lost its top and bottom, and when the goose lifted his head, the can slipped over it.

The tapping noise was made by the goose trying to remove the can from his neck. We could see that there was only one way to help him and that was to slip the can forward over his head. We carefully walked to the edge of the water, but the goose would not let us come near. Every time we moved closer, he would swim away.

The goose knew he had a problem. What he did not realize was that help was available, but he did not trust us to get near enough to free him.

Most people will admit they are sinners, but many do not realize that help is available to free them from their sins and guilt. Instead, they try their own methods to get right with God, but those methods don’t work. God tells us in Titus 3:5 that man’s methods are useless: “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to [God’s] mercy He [saves] us.” Freedom from sin and guilt is available, but it’s only through the death of God’s Son Jesus. “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (John 8:36).

Have you come to Jesus to be set free from your sins?

ML-05/02/2004

A Letter From Gramma and Grampa: Poisonous Snakes

Dear Children,

Some time ago we had a family with three children visit us. The children sure liked our dog Chelsea, and they asked me if they could take her for a walk. I replied, “Sure, and I will come along too.”

It wasn’t long before one of the children asked me, “Grampa, are there any poisonous snakes around here?”

I answered, “Yes, we have a poisonous snake in this area and it’s a rattlesnake.” I think they all said, “WOW!” at the same time. But I went on to say, “I have never seen a rattlesnake in our yard yet.”

“Grampa, are you afraid of rattlesnakes?”

I replied, “No, I’m not afraid of them, but I don’t like them, because they are poisonous.”

Then one of the children asked, “Does the Bible talk about snakes?”

My answer was “yes, but they are not called snakes. God calls them serpents. The deadly enemy of our soul is Satan, or the devil, and God calls him a serpent!” And so as we made our way back to the house, I explained to these three children a little of what God has said about the serpent.

“Genesis 3:1 says, ‘The serpent was more subtile than any beast of the field.’ ” (Now the word “subtile” means clever, crafty and stays hidden in order to hurt people.) “Satan, or the serpent, is the one who tempted our first parents to sin - Adam and Eve, who lived in the beautiful Garden of Eden. This wicked serpent lied to them, and Eve believed him. So, they disobeyed God and He had to drive them out of the beautiful Garden of Eden.”

Now then, talking about a garden and a serpent, let me tell you what happened to Gramma and me in our garden a few days ago. It was time to pick the beans. Gramma started at one end of the row, and I started at the other end.

I no sooner got started when I came across a big, fat snake lying in the shade of the bean plants. I touched it with my finger to move it out of there, but instead of it moving across the garden, it started right down the row towards Gramma! I said to myself, Uh-oh, Gramma is not afraid of snakes, but she doesn’t like it when they creep up to her unawares and startle her. So I called to her, “There’s a snake coming your way.”

She looked at me with a grin on her face and said, “Oh yeah? Okay.”

I told her again, “There’s a snake coming your way! I’m not kidding or joking!” But she kept right on picking beans. Well, I didn’t have long to wait until I heard an “EEEEEEEEK!! . . . a snake!!” And she shouted, “Why didn’t you tell me there was a snake coming?”

By this time, I was laughing at her, but there was no big grin on her face! I said, “I DID tell you, but you didn’t believe me.”

She said, “It’s not funny at all! . . . I thought you were only joking.”

After a short conversation, we finished picking the beans. In the meantime, the snake slithered off into the rhubarb patch.

Children, our God in heaven gives warning that you must be born again (John 3:3), that you must be saved (Acts 4:12), that you must be converted (Matthew 18:3), or you will never be in heaven (John 3:5). He is not kidding or joking! He is very truthful and serious! He has said in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” God’s way is the ONLY way to heaven!

I am sorry to say that there are some out there who will tell you to “do the best you can and you will be okay.” This is a lie from the devil, the serpent! We see what happened to our first parents, Adam and Eve, who believed this wicked serpent’s lies and did not listen to God’s warning: “Thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die” (Genesis 2:17). God is not joking!

Children, Gramma and I hope you will believe and obey what God tells us in the Bible.

Lots of love from Gramma and Grampa

ML-05/02/2004

People Before Suitcases

Have you ever seen a car burning?

As we traveled along a highway, we saw a car up ahead totally enveloped in flames! Our hearts sank. We wondered, Was anyone in the car?

As we got closer, two young men were running away from the flames. Then we saw several suitcases on the ground near the car.

“Oh, what a relief ! Everyone is safe!” We knew they would save other people before saving their suitcases.

These young men were saved from the burning car. But were they saved for eternity - saved from the burning fire of God’s judgment for their sins?

“God our Saviour, who will have all men to be saved. . . . There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:35). Just tell Him that you are a sinner and want Him to forgive your sins, and you will be safe from that terrible fire of judgment. “What must I do to be saved? . . . Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:30-31).

ML-05/09/2004

The Dog That Could Open Doors

The dog had no way of knowing, but her owner had been hurt in an accident and wouldn’t be coming home. Nobody was there to look after her. She stayed around her house for a few days until hunger and loneliness made her wander away. For a day she walked down country highways, and she hadn’t found anyone to befriend her when night arrived. A storm with pelting rain and gusty winds blew up. The dog looked for shelter and a place to sleep.

She passed several homes, and then she saw what she wanted - a car parked in a driveway. You see, this dog had an unusual skill: She could open doors! The dog went to the rear car door, which wasn’t locked, stuck her lower jaw into the handle and pushed the latch open. Then she nudged the door open just wide enough to squeeze through and curled up on the backseat to sleep, out of the wind and rain.

Early the next morning, Ben Barger, the man of the house, stepped out to get his newspaper. He noticed that the windows in his car were steamed up. That’s funny, he thought and went to take a closer look. Ben saw the rear door slightly ajar and looked in to see the dog sleeping peacefully on the seat. Had he left the door open? he wondered. How else had the dog gotten into the car? Even though she was a large dog, she did not look threatening, so he shooed her out of the car and told her to go on her way. He made sure the car door was tightly closed. Then he went into the house to read the newspaper.

A few minutes later Ben looked out his window to see if the dog had left, and he could hardly believe what he was seeing! The dog had returned to the car and was opening the rear door. In only seconds, she was again curled up in the same spot on the backseat.

Ben thought, Nobody is going to believe this if I tell them, so he set up his video camera in the window. He wanted to tape the dog opening the car door. He went back outside and again shooed the dog out of the back seat and closed the door. After he returned to the house and set the camera running, the dog opened the door again.

This time Ben went out and brought the dog into the house. He talked kindly to her, gave her food and water, and let her have the run of the house.

Wandering down that country highway with no place to go, the dog had been a homeless stray. The Bible says that you and I have wandered away from God: “Like sheep [we] have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way” (Isaiah 53:6). It is only by coming in faith to the Lord Jesus Christ that any of us can be saved from our sinful wanderings. We will find Him to be a kind and loving Saviour who has a home in heaven all prepared for sinners who are washed clean from their sins.

Ben soon discovered that car doors were not the only doors the dog could open. He watched as she confidently went to the refrigerator door, grabbed the handle between her teeth and pulled it open. She also opened the sliding shower door, kitchen cabinet doors, and the door to the outside, which she had to open by turning the knob. He found she could remove caps from plastic bottles too.

Ben sent the video clip of the dog opening the car door to the local TV news station where it was shown on the news. Someone recognized the dog, and Ben was able to contact the owner. The owner was no longer able to take care of the dog and asked if Ben would please give her a home. In the few days he had kept the dog in his home, Ben and his family had grown to like her and had named her Trixey. He assured the owner that, yes, they would be happy to keep this dog that could open doors.

Trixey had a new home. Now the Bargers would have to find a different kind of latch for the refrigerator door. They didn’t want her helping herself to what was inside.

Trixey was the dog that could open doors, but there isn’t a sinner alive who can open the door to salvation and heaven through any efforts of their own. Because you and I have sinned, heaven’s door is locked against us. There is only one Person who could open heaven’s door to sinners, and God has made those arrangements for us.

Over two thousand years ago, He sent His beloved, sinless Son into the world. The Lord Jesus died on Calvary’s cross where He shed His precious blood so that the door of salvation could be opened wide. At the cross, God’s plan was fulfilled for sin to be forgiven and forever washed away. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). Now because of what the Lord Jesus accomplished on the cross, you and I are invited to enter heaven’s door. “I am the door: by Me if any man enter in, he shall be saved” (John 10:9). You may enter heaven’s door by believing that Jesus died on the cross for you and that He shed His blood to wash away your sins. Won’t you accept the love and cleansing He is offering you and be ready for your new home in heaven?

I cannot make this black heart white,

But Jesus can.

I cannot make my life a light,

But Jesus can.

I cannot beat back every foe,

Nor make my naughty temper go,

Nor wash my robes “whiter than snow,”

But Jesus can.

Not only Jesus can, we say,

But Jesus will.

Jesus can wash my sins away,

And Jesus will.

This heart I ask Him to renew

And fill with all that’s good and true;

More than I ask, Jesus can do,

And Jesus will!

ML-05/16/2004

Rescued by a Kangaroo

What a storm it had been! Len Richards, a farmer in Australia, had stayed inside the house during the storm. The wind whipped the trees and roared overhead, but inside his farm house he was warm and dry.

When the rain finally stopped, Len called to his wife Lynn, “I’m going outside to check for storm damage.” Lynn heard the familiar click of the back door closing as her husband stepped outside. Then it was quiet again.

As Len was walking under a tree, a branch damaged by the storm suddenly came crashing down and struck him on the head. He fell to the ground and lay there unconscious. Everyone else was inside the house and did not know what had happened to Len. He was unconscious and in serious trouble, and unless he got medical attention quickly, he would probably die.

We can understand that Len Richard’s injury left him in very serious danger that could take his life. Although they often do not realize it, many boys and girls are in serious danger too. The Bible tells us that “the soul that [sins], it shall die” (Ezekiel 18:4). All of us have sinned, and ahead of us lies death. You may think that death is a very long way off and that you will live for another sixty or seventy years. Len did not expect that accident. When the branch suddenly struck his head, it was too late to plan his next move. It is important for you to be sure NOW that you are ready for what comes after death. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2). If our sins are forgiven, we can be sure that we will be in heaven with the Lord Jesus when our lives here on earth come to an end. Sadly, for those whose sins are not forgiven, the Bible says they will be cast into outer darkness.

Lynn was busy working on the second floor of the house when she heard a commotion. Bang! Bang! Bang! Someone was thumping on the back door. Then she also heard a familiar bark . . . and this time it was a very loud bark.

Lynn ran to the door with her nephew Brendon. Outside she saw the family pet.

Now, our North American readers will expect that the barking had come from a dog. But this was a very special pet. Four years earlier a mother kangaroo had been killed by a car. It left a little baby kangaroo who was blind in one eye. Len and Lynn Richards had felt sorry for that little animal and had hand-reared it from the time it was small. They named her “Lulu.” As she became older, Lulu did not always stay with them. She would disappear to roam freely for a time, but she often came back for a visit. The authorities did not usually allow such a pet in the area where they lived, Tanjil South. But the kangaroo seemed to have “adopted” the Richards family, and because it was partly blind, the authorities allowed this unusual visitor to stay in the area. It was the kangaroo that was barking and making the loud banging noise at the Richards’ door.

As soon as Lynn opened the door, the kangaroo hopped away from her. She continued her loud barking, and Lynn followed anxiously. Lulu led her right to where her unconscious husband was lying on the ground and plunked herself down beside him. Quickly the family called an ambulance, and they rushed the injured farmer to the Melbourne Hospital. “He would have died if he had not been found so quickly,” the ambulance paramedic said.

We do not know what went through the brain of Lulu when she found Len unconscious on the ground. Did she remember the care that Len had given her when she was a tiny animal? Some animals recognize kindness in a person and return it with their affection. But the Bible tells us of Someone who loved us before we cared about Him or knew anything about Him. Many boys and girls do not think about their Creator and grow up unaware of Him or His love. But the Lord Jesus loves each one of us anyway. And His love for us is so great that He left His beautiful home in heaven and came to this world to rescue us from sin. He was willing to go to the cross as our substitute and take the punishment that we deserve for our sins. No other person on earth has ever displayed that kind of love. “God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

After a few days in the hospital, Len was allowed to return home. I am sure he was thankful that Lulu came to his rescue. But how much, much more should we be thankful to the Lord Jesus for loving us enough to save us from our sins. It did not cost Lulu anything to rescue Len Richards, but it cost the Lord Jesus His very life to save us. He suffered terrible pain and was punished by God for sin. Now He offers to forgive our sins and give us His gift of eternal life. “In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7).

Have you accepted that wonderful gift? If so, have you thanked Him for saving you?

ML-05/23/2004

"Freedom"

A missionary tells of how Christian workers go out into the streets of large cities and invite unwanted children to come to one of their special Homes. They are then bathed and their hair is washed and combed. They are given clean clothes that fit them, plenty to eat and drink, and have a nice, clean bed to sleep in at night. Then these children are taught to read and write so that when they grow up they will be able to get a job and earn a living. Once they come to the Home, they no longer have to live on the lonely streets in hunger, filth and crime.

We might think, “What kindness and love is given to these unwanted, homeless children!” But strange as it may seem, many of these children run away as soon as they can and go back to the lonely streets and the empty life they consider freedom. They do not want to obey the rules and are unwilling to go to school.

You probably think these children are very foolish to leave the kindness and love behind and go back to their hunger and homeless life. But wait! It is quite possible that you may be doing something just like this in your own life.

The Lord Jesus suffered and died so that boys and girls, and men and women too, can know His love and have a happy home in heaven with Him. But how many, after hearing that they may have to change their sinful ways and give up what they call “freedom,” refuse this loving offer and choose their sinful, empty lives instead. God offers forgiveness for sin, His presence with us and guidance in this life, and afterwards a wonderful home in heaven! Will you accept His love and kindness?

Here is the story of one little girl who did accept a missionary’s kindness and love. She was brought to the Home as an unwanted, frightened little orphan. The poor child was suffering from lack of food and love and care. At the Home she was washed, dressed in clean clothes, fed good meals every day and shown love. They gave her the pretty name of Naomi.

After two years of tender, loving care, the missionary at the Home measured her height and found she had grown eight inches! She was now a beautiful child with a happy smile. She also attended school and was one of the top ten children in her class. When the missionary would say, “I love you,” she would hug him and say, “I love you too.” She had learned the meaning of the word “love.”

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if boys and girls reading this little story of Naomi accepted God’s kind and loving offer to “come home.” They would be washed from their sins, clothed in the purity of the Lord Jesus, and be called a child of God. And by reading the Bible every day, they would grow up to know and understand what pleases God and learn to love Him even as He loves them. Each would be one of God’s “victories,” saved from an empty life of sin in this world, and saved for the happiness of living with the Lord Jesus in heaven.

Often what people call “freedom” is really a wasted life, because it is slavery to Satan, self and sin, but God is waiting for each one to “come home.” Have you answered His invitation?

“Come unto Me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). Jesus said, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10).

ML-05/30/2004

Kinza, the "Fraidy Cat"

In our small yard in town, we had two cats. The older one was small, but she was a real fighter. Her name was Heidi, and she was not afraid of either man or animal. When we yelled at dogs to scare them out of the yard, Heidi would chase them with great fierceness. We were quite concerned when sometimes she would chase one of them beyond the boundary of her territory for fear the dog might turn on her without our being there to protect her. She would run after the dog, striking with her claws at his backside to keep him moving. One time she even jumped up and rode on the back of a large dog to hurry him on his way. After the dog was sent off with his tail curled under, Heidi would trot victoriously back to the yard with her tail held high.

The younger cat, Kinza, was larger than Heidi and solidly built. She did not spend much time in the front yard; she liked the safety of the backyard with its high fence, trees and shrubs. We sometimes called her “fraidy cat,” because she could be easily startled and would run and hide. She usually curled up under a bush in the backyard to sleep, while Heidi would stretch out on the front lawn and sleep in the open on a hot day.

Heidi is no longer with us. We miss her and her watchful patrol across the yard in front of our house. When she didn’t come home one day, our children were looking for her and found her lifeless body in the field across the street. She must have been caught out there in the open by a large enemy and had no place to run for safety.

Heidi was a brave cat and very sure of herself, but Kinza knew her weakness compared to the large dogs living on our street, and she kept out of sight of her enemies. Perhaps you may know people who are like Heidi. Instead of seeing themselves as sheep needing the protection of the Good Shepherd, the Lord Jesus, they see themselves as being larger and stronger than they really are. Our enemy, Satan, is just waiting to trap those who think they don’t really need the Lord Jesus. These people have no fear and think only “fraidy cats” need His help. These are the very people Satan lures into his territory to become his victims. “Your adversary [enemy] the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8).

Do you know that the Lord Jesus loves you and waits with His arms open to save and protect you? “The name of the Lord is a strong tower: the righteous runneth into it, and is safe” (Proverbs 18:10).

We hope you are a Kinza rather than a Heidi.

ML-05/30/2004

Buying a Miracle

A little girl named Beth was very sad because her younger brother was sick, and her family could not pay for an operation to make him well again.

Beth had saved some money of her own in a jelly jar, and she counted the money over and over again. She had $11.11. Off she went to the nearest drug store with her jelly jar of money.

Standing at the drug store counter, Beth waited and waited and tried her best to get the attention of the druggist, but he just did not come. Finally, she dropped a coin on the counter to make a loud noise to get his attention. This worked, and the druggist came over to the counter, but he was a little annoyed with Beth.

“Little girl, my brother has come to visit me and I am busy talking to him,” the druggist said. “I haven’t seen him for a long time,” he added in an irritated voice.

“But, sir,” Beth said, “my brother is going to die, and I came to buy a miracle. The doctor said only a miracle could save him.”

“We don’t sell miracles, little girl,” the druggist said.

Some of you boys and girls may have had very serious illnesses that you recovered from, but there is a disease called “sin” that brings death, and every one of us has this deadly disease! The Bible says, “There is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:22-23). But have you heard about the miracle that God offers to every sinner for the deadly disease of sin? You can’t buy His miracle to remove your sin, because it is free! “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye . . . without money and without price” (Isaiah 55:1).

Beth was trying very hard to get help for her little brother, and she was willing to pay for the help. “I have the money here with me,” she said to the druggist and emptied out her jar of coins on the counter. “My little brother has something in his head that is going to make him die,” she pleaded.

Overhearing the conversation, the druggist’s brother came over to the counter, and he began to ask Beth some questions. He explained to her that he was a special kind of doctor that could possibly help her little brother. And then he asked, “Where do you live? Will you take me to your house so I can see your little brother?”

This doctor, who was a neurosurgeon, was able to help Beth’s little brother, and an operation saved his life. It seemed to the family that it really was a miracle that saved the little boy’s life when it had looked so hopeless. They knew that the Lord Jesus was able to bring about miracles, and they thanked Him for it. Little Beth was so thankful for what the doctor had done for her little brother that she gave him the $11.11 from her jar.

But what about your deadly disease of sin? There is nothing that you can buy to remove your sin, and there is no doctor that can operate to heal you from sin. But there is the miracle that God offers you “without money and without price.” It is the blood of the Lord Jesus that can remove every one of your sins. “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son [cleanses] us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). The cost has already been paid by Him, and it is offered to you absolutely free! “Ye know that ye were not redeemed [saved from your sins] with . . . silver and gold . . . but with the precious blood of Christ” (1 Peter 1:18-19).

Have you come to the Lord Jesus to receive the miracle cleansing He offers for your sins? You can’t buy it, but you can accept it with a thankful heart.

ML-06/06/2004

A Horse on I95

“There’s a horse on I95 headed south on the northbound lanes!” the police officer reported, calling in for additional help.

During the night a moose had rammed into the fence of Daisy’s pasture and knocked it to the ground. Daisy had escaped. The family who owned Daisy followed the horse’s tracks through the wet, mucky woods, across a stream and finally to the ditch that ran alongside the highway. But once Daisy got to the road she didn’t leave any tracks, so they were no longer able to follow her. It was then that Daisy’s owners called the police for help to find her.

“Yes, we’ve got her,” the Police Dept. said. “It sure took a long time, but we finally managed to corral her at Pittsfield, after she had backed up traffic for several miles.”

Daisy had been on the loose without even a bridle on, so she was hard to catch. But finally a man who knew how to handle horses approached her with a bucket of oats and a halter. Daisy was hungry, and, like most horses, she loved oats. While she was eating the oats, the man was able to slip the halter over her head quite easily.

Many of us have spent time running through life unbridled. I remember not wanting anyone to limit my freedom by telling me what I could and couldn’t do. But one day someone who recognized that I was actually lost offered me living food for my empty soul. It only took one taste of that Bread of Life to know I wanted more. “Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst” (John 6:35). I found that Jesus completely satisfies. He is the One who knew all about my empty, wandering life of sin and gave me His forgiveness and eternal life instead.

Jesus died on the cross so He could offer you forgiveness and eternal life, if you are willing to repent of your empty life of sin and turn to Him. I hope you will be as eager to accept God’s gift of love and feed on the Bread of Life as Daisy was to gobble up those oats.

ML-06/06/2004

How to Catch a Monkey

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

“Me either,” said Alyson.

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

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

“When the monkey sees the man coming, the monkey is afraid and squeals and chatters. Then he pulls harder and harder to get his fist out of the coconut, but he won’t let go of the peanut. Then the native grabs him!”

“Silly monkey!” said Bruce.

Andy agreed and then said, “But that’s not all. The missionary said that we think the monkey is silly, but we are just as silly.”

“Why?” asked Bruce.

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

“No, I’m not like that monkey,” said Bruce. “I know the Lord Jesus as my Saviour, and I know my sins are gone forever, and I’m glad.”

Boys and girls, what about you? Are you trying to hold on to the things of this world, rather than letting them go and turning to the Lord Jesus who loves you? No matter what it is, if it keeps you from coming to the Lord Jesus for forgiveness of your sins, you are just as silly as that monkey with the peanut. Don’t wait any longer. Satan, your enemy, has his eye on you! He does not want you to come to the Lord Jesus. But Jesus loves you and wants you to come right now. Once you admit to God that you are a sinner and accept His Son Jesus as your Saviour, your sins are gone, and you are safely on your way to heaven to live with the Lord Jesus. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).

ML-06/13/2004

A Serious Trick

Jimmy was a typical young teenager who loved to have fun, and sometimes his fun included tricks he played on friends. Usually his tricks didn’t harm anybody or anything, but one time the trick could have had serious results.

Late one evening Jimmy and his friend Al were walking home along a dark village street near his home. As they passed a house that was in the process of being built, the boys came up with an idea. The neighbors who were having the house built were letting their family of boys sleep in the attic of the new house. Because the inside wasn’t finished, the only way to get into the attic was from the outside by a ladder. Jimmy and Al knew this and also knew that the boys had planned to sleep in the attic that night.

The two friends decided to sneak quietly to the side of the house, remove the ladder and hide it in the ditch. Once they completed their secret plan, each boy headed to his own home and hurried off to bed.

But Jimmy had difficulty falling asleep. He tossed and turned. Every time he closed his eyes, he imagined the broken, lifeless bodies of young boys lying on the ground of the unfinished house. He tried to erase the thought that the boys might fall from the attic to the ground. But sleep did not come.

After some struggling with himself, Jimmy crept out of bed, slid into his jeans and quietly left his home and hurried down the street in the darkness. He found the ladder hidden in the ditch and quickly carried it to the house where the boys were sleeping in the attic. He carefully placed it back against the house where he and Al had found it. Then he scurried down the street back to his home and into bed.

Jimmy knew what he did was wrong and that the Lord had been speaking to him. He whispered a prayer, telling the Lord Jesus that he was sorry for the trick he had played and thanked Him for helping him to make it right. Jimmy’s mind was at rest, and he immediately fell asleep.

In the eyes of God, sin is disobeying what we know is right in the ways of God. Jimmy felt this because he belonged to the Lord Jesus. He realized that what he had done in fun could have caused a tragedy. He knew he needed to confess his sin and correct the deed and then he could thank the Lord for His forgiveness. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9).

“A prudent man [foresees] the evil, and [hides] himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished” (Proverbs 22:3).

ML-06/20/2004

Newton and His Friend: The Solar System

Sir Isaac Newton had a friend who, like himself, was a scientist. Newton was a Christian and loved the Lord Jesus Christ; however, his friend was not a Christian. He didn’t even believe that there was a God! Newton had spoken to his friend many times about how God had created a wonderful universe. Each time his friend would shake his head saying “No” and reply that the universe “just happened.”

Newton had finished the design of a scale model of our solar system. A very skilled craftsman then built it from Newton’s plans. In the center was a large ball made of brass which represented the sun. Revolving around this sun were smaller balls attached to spokes of different lengths. These balls represented the planets, and the spokes placed them at the proper distances from the sun. All of these balls represented Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune and were in their proper order. (Today we know that the planet Pluto is also in our solar system, but Newton did not know this.) These balls were all geared together so that when a crank on the front of the model was turned, they all moved in their orbits around the sun.

One day Newton was in his study reading when his friend came to visit him. His friend saw the model and instantly recognized what it was. As he slowly cranked the model, he studied it closely. He said to Newton, “This is tremendous! Who made it?”

“Nobody,” Newton answered without looking up from his book.

His friend turned to him with a confused look and said, “You must not have heard me. I asked, ‘Who made this wonderful model?’ ”

Looking up, Newton said very matter-of-factly, “Nobody made it. Those balls and gears just appeared and put themselves together.”

His friend, now quite upset, said, “You must think I’m a fool! Of course somebody made this! He’s a genius, and I’d like to meet him!”

Newton set his book aside and slowly walked across the room to his friend. As they stood in front of the model, Newton explained to his friend, “This model is just a poor imitation of our wonderful universe. You know the laws and the precise order which govern our universe. I can’t seem to convince you that this model, this toy, does not have a designer or a maker. However, you have said many times that the solar system, which this model represents, ‘just happened.’ Now tell me, Is that the logical conclusion of a scientist?”

Newton’s friend quickly understood how foolish he had been. He realized that there had to be a Master Designer and Creator for everything! It wasn’t long after accepting the thought that God was the Creator that he also accepted His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, as his Saviour too.

Have you accepted the Lord Jesus as your Saviour?

“In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). “All things were made by Him” (John 1:3). “As many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name” (John 1:12).

ML-06/20/2004

Trapped on Ice

Philippe and Gary were really happy with their morning’s catch of fish on New Brunswick’s Bay of Chaleur. They had caught 150 shiny, silvery smelts, which was much better than they expected. Smelts are bony, little fish, but they are a great favorite for eating in that area.

Fishing in northern Canada does not stop when cold weather comes. Eager fishermen begin “ice fishing.” The ice in the cove was nineteen inches thick, so Gary and Philippe had simply chopped a hole through the ice and dropped in their fishing lines. Time after time, they pulled up their lines and found they had caught more smelts. Philippe was looking forward to a delicious supper of fried fish.

Their happy thoughts of the good catch were interrupted as two other fishermen came over to them. These two men had just noticed that the ice in the cove had broken away from the shoreline! They had quickly searched for some other way to cross back to the shore but were alarmed to discover that they were now on a large ice floe, and it was drifting steadily away from land.

The four men knew they were in serious trouble. Philippe thought about jumping into the water and swimming back to shore. But the water was bitterly cold, so he soon gave up on that idea. The ice, which had seemed to be such a safe and secure place to fish, had suddenly made the men fearful, even though it was nineteen inches thick.

The Bible tells us about a rock that will be a safe and secure place forever. King David stood on that “rock.” He said in Psalm 40:12, “The Lord . . . set my feet upon a rock.” He is telling us that the Lord had taken away his sins, and now he was ready for heaven. He also said, “The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust” (Psalm 18:2). King David was trusting in the Lord completely, and he felt safe and secure.

Are you standing on that same “rock” for a safe and secure place when life here on earth is over? If not, you must be hoping that a good, clean life of helping others and being kind will be enough to earn you a place in heaven. But God says that “all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6). They are worthless! The only way to be sure of a place in heaven is to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ, by believing that He died for your sins. If you have believed on Him and what He did for you on the cross, then you are safe and secure on that “rock.”

The four fishermen knew they were not safe and secure; they could see that they were drifting farther away from shore. But the cars they could see traveling along a road near the shoreline gave them some hope, so they began to call for help. They waved their arms in a frantic effort to attract attention. They shouted for help at the top of their voices. Some cars did slow down, but then went on. Finally, one car stopped, but then it also left.

Ninety minutes passed, and snow began to fall. It turned everything into whiteness, and all they could see was the snow-filled air and the ice under their feet. They could no longer see land. Gary realized they were in serious danger, and he said he thought about the fact that he might die. If his life came to an end . . . then what?

This is a question we all need to think about. Only those who belong to the Lord Jesus Christ will go to be with Him in that wonderful place called heaven. But do you belong to Him? Your answer will be yes if you have accepted Him as your very own Saviour.

Although the four stranded men did not know it at the time, the driver of the car that had stopped rushed to a nearby house and made a 911 phone call. A rescue operation was quickly started.

By this time, the ice floe was half a mile off shore and heading towards the Gulf of St. Lawrence. But rescue workers launched a Zodiak boat and used a big tool to hook onto the ice. They managed to reach the trapped men who were cold and fearful and soon had them back on solid ground.

It took the help of others to return the four fishermen to the safety and security of the shore. And the Lord Jesus is the only one who can give you the safety and security of a home in heaven. Are you standing on that “rock” that is safe and secure?

ML-06/27/2004

The Adopted Kitten

“Mew, mew, mew, mew.” Brian and Lisa ran to the spot where they heard the cries of a tiny kitten. There, all alone, they found a tiny ball of gray and white fur with baby-blue eyes just beginning to open. The little kitten was very hungry and lost. Apparently the mother barn cat had moved her litter away from the curious eyes and hands of the children, but this little baby had been left behind.

That evening the little kitten traveled to the city home of the family and was fed with an eyedropper. It eagerly licked the milk from the dropper, but it took a long time until the kitten’s tummy was full, even with all the family taking turns. This little kitten had one great need - a mother to feed and care for it.

Then Brian’s friend, Matthew, came over and said that their cat had a new litter of kittens. Maybe, just maybe, their mother cat would take care of Brian and Lisa’s little kitten until it was old enough to eat regular cat food.

The three of them ran across the street with the little kitten to see if Matthew’s mother cat would accept a strange kitten in her box. The little kitten was placed on the floor where mama kitty was drinking a bowl of milk. She looked at the mewing kitten and moved right over and began cleaning it with her tongue. When mama kitty had finished, the children put the kitten into the box with the other kittens, and mama kitty climbed in and settled down, and they all began to eat hungrily. The mother cat began to clean all her babies again, including the new adopted one.

The three children watching mama kitty accept the lost kitten described a perfect picture of how lost and helpless you and I are in our sins. “Ye were without Christ . . . strangers . . . having no hope, and without God” (Ephesians 2:12). When we cry, “I’m lost; I’m helpless and need a Saviour,” no matter how weak our cry, God hears us. He reaches out in love and adopts us into His family, making us one of His very own children. “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God” (1 John 3:1). When we receive Christ as our Saviour, we are “washed . . . from our sins in His own blood” (Revelation 1:5). “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

The little kitten could not feed itself and could not save its own life, and you and I are not able to save our own souls. There is no list of good things that we can do to save ourselves. The little kitten could not pay for its adoption, and neither can we. The kitten could only drink and live, and we can only believe and live. “God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet [helpless] sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

ML-06/27/2004

A Letter From Gramma and Grampa: The Careless Heron

Dear Boys and Girls,

Gramma and I were sitting at the table tonight just talking, and she reminded me that I had never told you about the wolf and the great blue heron. I said, “You are right, Gramma! I have never told the children what happened.”

Now most of you children know what a wolf looks like, but maybe many of you don’t know what a great blue heron looks like, so I’ll tell you. It’s a very large bird with a sharp, pointy beak, a long neck and long, skinny legs. Herons use those long legs to wade slowly in shallow water as they hunt for fish, frogs and tadpoles. Okay, you get the picture, so now I’ll tell you the story.

It was about 6:30 in the evening. Gramma and I were still sitting at the dinner table looking out over the creek to see if anything was moving around out there. As we watched, a wolf came into view, walking slowly along the far bank. We wondered what this wolf was up to. He walked slowly down the bank, through some fallen branches, and then sat down about five feet from the edge of the water. He looked around and then lay down in the weeds.

We both thought this was very strange. So we looked up and down the creek, and then we saw it! A heron was slowly wading, working its way up to where the wolf was lying down. This heron was not being very careful. Maybe it was a young one and didn’t realize the danger it was in by wading so close to the bank. It was probably enjoying eating the frogs it was busy catching, but all the while it was getting closer to the bank . . . and closer to the wolf!

Now there is no doubt in my mind that when this heron was growing up, its parents told it in bird language, “Never go near the shore . . . there is danger there!” But maybe this young heron thought, I’ll be different; I want to go near the shore . . . and I’ll get away with it. But this heron did not get away with it!

Some boys and girls think that God cannot see what they are doing or hear what they are saying. But God says in His Word, the Bible, “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, [watching] the evil and the good” (Proverbs 15:3). “Neither [is] His ear heavy, that it cannot hear” (Isaiah 59:1). God is always watching and listening, and none of us can get away with sin.

As the heron was wading close to the bank and busy catching frogs, the wolf was patiently watching the heron . . . and waiting. THEN IT SPRANG! One great leap, and he had that heron by its long neck! There was loud squawking, the big wings were flapping, but that wolf had the heron in his powerful jaws! No escape now . . . too late! The squawking stopped, the wings quit flapping, and the wolf backed up the bank, dragging that heron with him.

Boys and girls, are you like that careless heron, not watching or caring where you are going? I’m sure that as the heron felt those powerful jaws close on its neck, it knew that it should have stayed out in the middle of the creek. But it was too late then!

“Grampa, did the wolf eat that heron?”

Children, from what we could see from our side of the creek, there was just a big pile of feathers left. It was too late for the heron!

Sometimes we sing a song in Sunday school that says:

Too late! Too late! will be the cry;

Jesus of Nazareth has passed by.

We don’t want any of you boys and girls to be too late in accepting the Lord Jesus as your very own Saviour. Your Sunday school teachers are very patient each week, reading the Bible to you and telling you about Jesus and how He loves you and died for you and wants to save you from your sins. But do you pay attention to your teachers when they tell you that the time to be saved is RIGHT NOW? Second Corinthians 6:2 says, “Behold, NOW is the accepted time; behold, NOW is the day of salvation.” Oh, children, if you haven’t come to Jesus to have your sins taken away, don’t wait another minute!

We love all of you,

Gramma and Grampa

ML-07/04/2004

A Wonderful Leader

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9).

ML-07/04/2004

A Terrible Disease

While traveling in England some time ago, we stopped in a village and learned of a sad event that took place there many years ago, in 1665. In that year, a tailor who lived in this village of Eyam had some fabric delivered from London. He placed the fabric by the fireplace to dry, and within a few days he became ill and died. No one knew the cause of the illness. Very soon others in the village became ill and died too, and still no one knew why.

As more and more people died, all of the remaining villagers came together for a meeting. They agreed that no one would leave the village and expose people from other villages to this mysterious illness. They also realized that they would very likely die if they stayed in their own village. However, they were willing to stay there and give up their lives so that the mysterious illness would not spread to other villages.

This reminds us of the Bible verse, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).

Any supplies delivered to the disease-stricken village were left outside the village boundary. The villagers left coins for payment in a container of vinegar, hoping this would prevent the disease from spreading.

It took more than a year for the disease to stop spreading among the villagers, but by then about two-thirds of them had died. It was later found that this disease was the great plague which was spread by fleas from infected rats, and as the rats moved from place to place, they carried the fleas with them. The fleas had been in that fabric which was delivered to the tailor.

You and I have the terrible disease of sin, and Romans 6:23 gives us the bad news that “the wages of sin is death.” Most of the people who got the plague died from it. However, it is certain that you and I as sinners face an eternal death because of our sins.

But we have good news to tell you! The Bible tells us of God’s beloved Son who gave His life so that we could live. Even more, He bore God’s punishment for sin in His own body and died so that you and I could be cleansed from our sins by His blood that was shed on the cross. He did this so that any boy or girl or grown-up may come to Him to be freed from all their sins and know that they have the promise of eternal life in heaven.

Have you been cleansed from your sins?

“Scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:78).

ML-07/11/2004

Grizzly Given a New Life

The headline in the newspaper article read, “CONDEMNED GRIZZLY GIVEN A NEW LIFE.” Most of us are aware that a grizzly bear can be a terribly dangerous animal to be near. It can turn vicious if it is hungry, especially if it is a mother with cubs.

The grizzly in this story lived in the state of Montana. In her search for food, she roamed along the edge of the Bob Marshall Wilderness Area.

People taking vacations sometimes camp in that wilderness area, and campers always carry food. It doesn’t take long for bears to smell it and find it. Smart campers keep their food in their cars or hang it high on ropes between two trees. But not all campers follow these safety rules; some leave food on the ground in canvas packs or in coolers. This is like sending the bears an invitation to dinner. After bears have found food in a camping area once, they will return night after night to search for more. All campers, even sleeping ones, are in danger when there is a grizzly bear around. A grizzly has a mean nature and will turn nasty, attacking people and sometimes killing them.

This three-year-old Montana grizzly learned where the camping areas were, and she began raiding them each night. She soon became well-known to the rangers who patrolled the area. They tried tranquilizing her and moving her far away while she was asleep, but she always found her way back. The rangers fastened a collar radio around her neck to keep track of her.

This grizzly was also well- known to ranchers living near the wilderness area for two reasons. She raided the beehives that some ranchers kept (honey is a bear’s favorite food), and she dug up cattle bones in fields where ranchers had buried them.

She soon got to be so troublesome that the rangers were ordered to capture her and get rid of her before she attacked a person. She was condemned.

All grizzly bears are born with a mean nature that wants to kill. Bears cannot change their nature. All people are born with a sinful nature that wants to sin. We cannot change our sinful nature either. Because of our sins, we are condemned to die. “By one man [Adam] sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12). But there is hope for us.

Zoo keepers in Detroit, Michigan, heard about the grizzly bear’s death sentence. Because she was a young, healthy animal, they decided that she was worth keeping alive. They offered to give her a permanent home in their zoo. Even though they couldn’t change the mean nature she was born with, she could have a contented life in the zoo where she would be fully cared for and where she would not be a danger to people.

We are pleased that the zoo keepers offered to care for the grizzly and give her a new life. But they would always have to be very careful around her because of her nature that wants to kill.

The Lord Jesus knows all about our sinful nature. Although He hates our sins, He loves us so much He is offering the gift of everlasting life to all sinners-including you and me. He has a happy home ready in heaven for anyone who will accept His offer of forgiveness for their sins. Those who accept it are given a new nature that loves to please Him. “If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away . . . all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

Using several dogs to track her, the rangers hoped to capture the grizzly alive. Her collar radio beeped a signal that told them she had moved outside the wilderness area in her search for food and was near one of the ranches. She finally was cornered by two of the dogs that chased her under the porch of a ranch house. She was captured alive.

The newspaper article says that after she was shipped to the Detroit Zoo, they gave her a special meal of herring and honey, to help her like her new life. She now is no longer a condemned grizzly.

If you have accepted the Lord Jesus’ loving offer to forgive your sins, you can put your name in that headline and change it to read, “CONDEMNED _____ GIVEN A NEW LIFE AND A NEW NATURE.”

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24).

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1).

ML-07/11/2004

Face-to-Face With Three Lions

“The lions, Bwana! They have killed and eaten two more people! That makes twenty of our Songo tribe those killers have destroyed.” The boy who helped in the kitchen was very excited and upset.

The missionary looked out into the darkness of the African night. Was it his imagination, or was he really smelling the musky odor that meant a lion was nearby? The shadow of every moving bush looked like a lion about to leap. He did not blame the people for being afraid. Never had he known the lions to make such raids on cattle corrals and villages as they were doing now. It was no longer safe to go outside at night.

In the bright sunlight of the next morning, lions were forgotten for the time being. There were the sick people waiting to be cared for, the morning Bible lesson to teach, and school lessons soon to begin. The laughter of little boys and girls was in the air, and it did not seem nearly as frightening as the night before.

Glancing out a window, the missionary saw that some of the goats had gotten into his vegetable garden.

The missionary started toward the garden, stopping just long enough on the way to pick up a stick to chase the goats with. He had almost reached the goats when he stopped short in horror. He was face to face with three lions!

The lions were crouched with their eyes fixed on him, and their tails were switching back and forth, like those of stalking cats. The missionary gripped his useless stick as his heart cried to God for help. He did not dare to run - they would attack him in an instant.

Suddenly there was a frightened cry from one of the goats near him that had caught the scent of the dreaded enemy. Seemingly in bewildered panic, the goat dashed between the missionary and the lions.

In a flash, the three lions were on the goat in a snarling, clawing heap. The missionary knew that this was God’s deliverance for him, and he raced back to the house while the lions were occupied with the goat they had caught.

As soon as the missionary had gasped out his story, he and several other men, armed with guns, hurried cautiously back to the spot. But the huge beasts had already bounded away, dragging the goat with them.

How would you like to come face to face with even one hungry lion, boys and girls? Did you know “your adversary [enemy] the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour [destroy]”? You can read this verse in 1 Peter 5:8. We cannot see this “lion” with our eyes, but he is very real. He wants to destroy every one of us. But Someone saw our great danger and has come between us and the devil. It was the Lord Jesus Christ who stepped in between!

The frightened goat made a deadly mistake when he dashed between the missionary and those three hungry lions. But the Lord Jesus was not making a mistake when He came between us and our “lion” Satan. The Lord Jesus knew exactly what would happen; He came on purpose because of His great love for us! “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). “When we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6).

Have you accepted the Lord Jesus as your Saviour?

ML-07/18/2004

Dumas, the Friendly Sea Otter

Imagine yourself paddling a sleek kayak in the waters off the shore of the city of Seattle. You are enjoying the sun and the salt water breezes. You pause your paddling for just a moment, when up out of the water pops Dumas, a very friendly sea otter.

Dumas weighs as much as a medium-sized dog, is four feet long with fur that is thick, brown and beautiful, and has long whiskers like a cat. Best of all, she is an acrobatic swimmer and willing to put on a show. She does a few flips and belly rolls in the water to show you that she is friendly. When she sees that you are pleased by her antics, she climbs right onto the kayak and then onto your lap, sitting there like a pet dog.

Dumas the sea otter was making a habit of doing this to kayakers, and she was gaining quite a reputation. People from all over were taking special kayaking trips just to see her. Somewhere along the way, this wild sea otter had lost her fear of people. Most people thought treating Dumas like a pet was perfectly harmless, but wildlife experts knew otherwise. They expected it was only a matter of time until someone would hurt her or even try to kill her for her fur.

Ken Berg, manager of the Western Washington Fish and Wildlife Office, said, “If she stayed in that area, it was unlikely she would survive.” To protect her, the authorities decided that Dumas must be moved to a new location where very few people live.

It wasn’t hard to catch Dumas. A wildlife biologist kayaked out to the place where she was last seen. As was her habit, she crawled right into his lap. He took her to the Seattle Aquarium where a veterinarian checked out her health. The next day a biologist drove her several hours away, to a remote spot on the Pacific Coast. Biologists hope that she will make new friends with her own kind and not seek out the companionship of people.

It would have been sad if this beautiful animal had approached someone who would have harmed or killed her. She is much better off in a remote area where her safety is more certain.

Dumas isn’t so different from the rest of us. She became very comfortable with people, and this was a danger for her. You and I have become very comfortable with something that is a danger to us too - we have become very comfortable with sin. Sin is not an innocent plaything, and it is not something to laugh about. Romans 6:23 warns, “The wages of sin is death.” Ezekiel 18:20 also warns, “The soul that sinneth, it shall die.” Sin is dangerous and it is deadly! It might give pleasure for a short time, but its damage and miseries will last forever in a place called hell.

It was fortunate for Dumas that wildlife experts became alarmed at her danger and moved her before anything bad happened. How wonderful for you and me that God saw the danger we were in because of our sins and made a way for us to be rescued from them. He sent His Son, the Lord Jesus, into the world where He died in the sinner’s place. “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3). Because of His death on the cross, the gift of eternal life is available for anyone who will accept it. “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life” (John 6:47). If you believe on the Lord Jesus, He will take you out of all danger because of your sins and will bring you to a place where you will be safe. He is the only Saviour of sinners. Won’t you come to Him in faith and be saved? “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37).

ML-07/25/2004

Really Big Hands

Mother settled on the couch for her morning break. Little Carla grabbed her dolly and climbed up on the couch beside her, hoping for a story or just a cozy chat. Carla especially loved to talk about the Lord Jesus and that He would be coming soon. When she was about four years old, she had come to Jesus to have her sins washed away, and in her fresh, young faith she was so happy with the wonderful promises spoken by our Lord Jesus Himself.

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

“Why, yes,” her mother answered. “In John 14:3 Jesus said, ‘I will come again, and receive you unto Myself.’ Then He told the Apostle Paul to write in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 just how He will do it. We know He always keeps His promises.”

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

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

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

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

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

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

ML-07/25/2004

Sparky, the Nuisance

It’s fun to have a pet, isn’t it? We once had a dog that caused us so much trouble that when it died we decided never to get another one. But a friend of ours had two puppies, and they were so cute that when he offered one to us we thought, This time it will be different. Sparky is too cute to be a nuisance.

And some dogs are very different from others, but they all have a dog’s nature. It’s like the children at school. Some are so naughty that you don’t even want to play with them, while others are okay, and some are really nice. You would like them to be your friends. But God tells us, “There is none righteous, no, not one. . . . There is none that [seeks] after God” (Romans 3:10-11). That’s because we all have that sinful human nature that came down from Adam.

Sparky has a dog’s nature. That’s the way she was born. And dogs bark, especially outside dogs. One time we had overnight guests, and Sparky barked all that night and disturbed our guests. Of course, we tried to train Sparky not to bark, but we were never successful. Then one night she hardly barked at all, and I thought our training was beginning to take effect. But when I looked out our window in the morning, I could see that Sparky had spent the night dragging the trash bags around the yard. There was trash everywhere! What a mess!

“Why do we keep this dog?” my wife asked. “She causes us nothing but grief! ”

Sparky certainly had not learned to use her mouth very well. And God says about people’s mouths that their “mouth is full of cursing and bitterness” (Romans 3:14). “The tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison” (James 3:8). Perhaps we can be trained to use our tongues nicely, and perhaps Sparky can be trained not to bark so much and not to get into the trash. However, underneath it all, we still have the same evil nature we were born with. What we need is to be born again with an entirely new nature that wants to please God.

One day I was spraying our fields with a very strong weed killer, and Sparky was doing what she loved to do - chase the tractor. I stopped and yelled at her, “Sparky, go home!” She ran back a short way, but as soon as I started up again, she was right beside the tractor. I stopped again to send her home, because I knew this strong spray could kill animals. This time she went a little farther toward the house, but soon she was running behind the tractor where the spray was thickest. It was a hot day, and Sparky must have liked the cool spray. When the spray ran down her face, she would lick it off as though it were a real treat. But I could not spend all day chasing a dog; the work had to be finished.

When I came home that evening, Sparky was on the porch looking as sick as a dog can be. She’s going to die, I thought, all because she was disobedient. I remembered what God says in Psalm 107:17: “Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are [in misery].” How often we sin against God and live just to please ourselves, even though God’s Word says plainly, “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).

Do you wonder why God does not just destroy all of us when we cause Him so much grief ? It’s because He loves us! In fact, He loves us so much that He sent His own beloved Son into this world to die for us, so we could be set free from our sins and have a new nature.

Would you like to be free from both the power and the penalty of your sins? It can’t happen if you have only that sinful nature you were born with. Sparky can never be born again; she’ll always have only a dog’s nature. But you can receive a new nature, the very nature of the Lord Jesus Christ, if you will come to Him for forgiveness of your sins. You must be born again into God’s family or you will never be able to please God, nor will He take you to live in heaven when you leave this world. Jesus said, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).

I know you will be glad to hear that Sparky did not die from the strong spray. She was sick for only one day, and soon she was back doing all the things that dogs love to do. But Sparky will always be a dog and have a dog’s nature.

You and I were born sinners and have a sinful nature. But God is offering us a new nature through His Son Jesus Christ. Will you accept it?

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

ML-08/01/2004

Dandelions

“They’re for you!” said my six-year-old son, Mark, as he handed me a wilted bunch of dandelions.

“Why, thank you,” I said as he proudly gave them to me. “I think they need some water. Why don’t you get a glass for them.”

Mark quickly got a glass of water so the flowers could “have a drink,” and we put them on the table for the whole family to see. Then Mark went back outside to play.

I thought about that bouquet of dandelions that Mark had given me. Dandelions are everywhere - in the city, in the country and along the roadsides. I don’t think I’ve been anyplace where they don’t grow. The yellow flowers are such a bright color and pretty that they attract our attention. Yet, in just a few days the pretty flowers are gone, and in their places are gray puffballs that children like to pick and blow. Isaiah writes in the Bible of the flower fading (Isaiah 40:7). How important it is to have that new life in Christ “that [fades] not away” (1 Peter 1:4).

The roots of dandelions grow so very deep that they seem to be a part of the earth. If we know the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour, we become “one with Him.” He has given us a new life that cannot be separated from Him. The Lord Jesus said, “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand” (John 10:28).

Do you have that “new life”? Are your sins washed away? Time is short, so don’t put it off. Accept Jesus as your Saviour today. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31).

ML-08/01/2004

In Bear Country

As Bob walked along the path that was supposed to take him to a young people’s camp, he saw something in the distance. It was black and coming toward him on the same path. As they came closer to each other, Bob could tell it was an animal. Just as he realized it was a bear cub, it suddenly disappeared into the thick brush beside the path. Bob was alarmed! He figured that the mother bear was probably nearby, watching him, and he knew that a mother bear with a cub can be aggressive and vicious. He was in a dangerous spot!

It occurred to Bob that he had walked a long way on this path, and it was only becoming more isolated. Now he was in bear country - something was wrong! He quickly turned around and went back to where he had left his backpack, expecting to pick it up later. He got out his map of the area and then realized that he had gone in the wrong direction.

We all want to be on the path that leads to heaven, and God has supplied us with a map that gives complete directions. It is His Word, the Bible. God’s “map” warns us that “there is a way which [seems] right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12). The path to heaven leads first to Calvary’s cross where God’s Son, Christ Jesus, paid the price for sin and gave up His life for sinners. Many people avoid the issue of their sins and bypass God’s Son and the cross. This is not only the wrong direction; it is also dangerous: “The end thereof are the ways of death.”

If you have been traveling life’s pathway without God’s “map,” turn around and go back to the Son of God who loves you and died for you. He wants to take away your weight of sin and set you on the path to life and heaven.

Once Bob followed his map and started on the right path, he was not far from the camp. And once you turn around and come to Jesus with your sins, He will take them away and set you on the right path. Will you choose the right way? “I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life” (Deuteronomy 30:19).

ML-08/08/2004

The Downed Ewe

The telephone rang insistently one spring afternoon, and I ran inside to see who was calling. It was Mary Jane, a retired schoolteacher who lives alone on a nearby farm.

“I hate to bother you,” she began, “but I need some help.”

Mary Jane raises sheep for wool and meat. She takes good care of her flock and really seems to love them. Her border collies help her round up and move the sheep, but sometimes she needs friends or neighbors to give her a hand with other chores.

Sheep can’t survive on their own. They need someone to provide food and water, to trim their hooves, to shear their wool and to make sure they are well and safe. Mary Jane tries hard to be a good shepherdess, but sometimes trouble comes to the farm.

This particular afternoon Mary Jane had a problem. When she went out to check her sheep, she noticed one ewe lying by herself near a gate. Going closer, she could see that the sheep had squeezed her head through the gate to reach some hay that was stored behind it and had gotten herself stuck.

Several weeks earlier Mary Jane had wired an extra panel onto this gate to keep the sheep out of the hay . . . or so she thought! This ewe got the hay she was after, all right, but when she tried to back up, her head got wedged in tightly between a set of vertical bars and the horizontal gate bars. She seemed to sense that it was no use struggling and just lay down to wait for help. She had probably been there for hours and would have eventually died of thirst if no one had freed her. Mary Jane had tried and tried, but she couldn’t get her out.

My son and I hurried down to the farm to see if we could help. It was interesting to watch the dog running excitedly around and around this downed ewe, giving her a nip at each turn, as he was trained to do to get her up. It was no use. This situation required more help than a dog could give.

With extra hands to push and pull, and with some creative thinking, the three of us twisted the ewe’s head free of the iron bars. She got up and walked over to the water trough for a long drink.

In John 10:11, Jesus tells us, “I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd [gives] His life for the sheep.” This is more than any human shepherd can do. It describes perfectly the sacrifice Jesus made on the cross. We deserved eternal judgment because of our sins, but He died to pay the debt we owed to God. Now, “he that . . . believeth on Him . . . hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24).

Our enemy Satan sometimes acts like a wolf disguised in a sheepskin. He moves among the weak lambs and sheep, trying to get them to listen to his lies. He would like to snare us in one of his traps - the love of money, pleasure or popularity - anything but confessing that we are sinners and coming to Jesus for forgiveness. But Jesus promises, “[You] shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” And, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, [you] shall be free indeed” (John 8:32,36).

We are unable to save ourselves. Only Jesus Christ, the Way, the Truth and the Life, can release us from Satan’s iron grip and give us a new nature that wants to please Him. Won’t you come to this loving Saviour today? Then you can say with the psalmist David, “The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want [have need]” (Psalm 23:1).

ML-08/15/2004

An Eternal Gift

What am I doing? I asked myself as I followed my friend Megan down the hallway of the large high school we both attended. We were going to a classroom where about twenty students were meeting after school to study the Bible. Do I really want to spend the afternoon listening to people talk about the Bible? I didn’t think so. But here we were at the classroom.

Megan and I went in and sat down. A few of the students I knew and liked. Most of them I didn’t know.

One of them opened a Bible and started to talk. “There are two things we need to be clear about. The first is that all of us have sinned and come short of the glory of God,” he said and turned to Romans 3:23 to read it.

That’s for sure, I thought. I know I’ve done plenty of bad things.

The student continued. “The second thing is that God is offering us forgiveness and a free gift of eternal life. If you’ll just turn over a page or two to Romans 6:23 you’ll see it there. ‘The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.’ ”

That was more than I could grasp.

The discussion lasted about an hour, and then Megan and I walked home. Usually we chattered like a pair of magpies all the time we were together. That day I didn’t feel like talking. She was quiet too. She probably was praying for me.

When I got home, supper was ready. As soon as we had finished eating, I went up to my room. I tried to do my homework, but I couldn’t concentrate. I got into my pajamas and crawled into bed. But I couldn’t sleep.

I hadn’t prayed since I was a little girl when I used to repeat the same little prayer each night. Now I felt compelled to kneel down by my bed. At first I resisted. I don’t know how to pray, I told myself. But it was almost as though there was a hand on my shoulder gently encouraging me.

I got out of bed and knelt down. I didn’t say anything, and I didn’t do anything other than kneel before God, my Maker. Knowing that I was a sinner and needed a Saviour, in that very act of bowing before Him, I acknowledged that I was receiving Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. I immediately knew that my sins were forgiven. I knelt there for a few minutes longer, amazed at the peace and the sense of cleanness that was flowing over me. I was happier than I ever remembered being before.

I got back into bed. Then I did have something to say, “Thank you, Lord, thank you.” My heart was bubbling over with thankfulness and joy. I had received the gift of eternal life!

Have you? It’s that simple.

“God . . . hath highly exalted Him and given Him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:9-11). I soon told Megan that I had accepted Jesus as my Lord and Saviour and that I knew I was now forgiven.

ML-08/15/2004

A Found Phone

As Steve and I were driving along the side streets on our way to a friend’s house, Steve suddenly swerved the car to avoid a small object on the road.

Looking quickly out the window, I couldn’t see anything on the road. “What was it?” I asked.

“I don’t really know,” Steve answered, “but I think it was a cell phone.”

Surprised to think that a cell phone would be lying on the roadway, I looked more carefully at the road behind us. Sure enough, a small, silver phone with a blue cover was lying open on the road.

My husband is interested in everything electronic, and since he had stopped the car as he looked back at the road in his side mirror, I said to him doubtfully, “You aren’t going to rescue a cell phone, are you?”

Rescuing a cell phone did not seem very important to me, but I knew that what Steve pointed out was correct. This abandoned phone belonged to somebody, and it definitely was not safe if we left it where it was. He turned the car around and drove back. After picking it up, I was amazed that it didn’t appear to be scratched or damaged. We couldn’t imagine how it could have landed on the roadway without harm, since we assumed that it had fallen out of a moving vehicle.

We checked all the messages, phone numbers and pictures stored on the phone, but we couldn’t seem to find any information that would help us locate its owner. We kept it with us all afternoon and hoped that someone would call the number and be able to help us return it to its owner.

A cell phone may not seem very valuable. It weighs less than a pound and can be purchased for less than $20. However, to its owner it can be irreplaceable because of all the information stored in its memory.

How valuable to you is your soul? It is a part of you that you cannot see, cannot weigh and cannot buy. God created each person with a soul that will live on forever in either heaven or hell, even after the body dies and decays. Because of sin in the world, we are born with a sinful soul that deserves only hell. But Jesus loves us and died on the cross for sin so that He is able to save our souls from hell by washing us clean from sin, thereby making us ready for heaven. Your soul is so valuable that the Bible says there is nothing to give in exchange for it. “What is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26). The answer to both of those questions is, “Nothing!” If you have not received Jesus as your Saviour, your sinful soul is lost on the road of life. Does this mean anything to you? It means a lot to Jesus because He loves you and wants you to be in heaven with Him someday.

As Steve and I found out later, the owner of the cell phone had spent several hours that afternoon driving up and down streets looking for his phone. He even asked some of his friends to help him! He considered it valuable, and he was willing to look for it.

Hours later, the cell phone finally rang. When I answered it, the woman calling asked to speak to Faith. I quickly explained to her that I was a total stranger and why we had the phone. Then I asked if she could tell me how to return the phone to Faith.

“Faith is my daughter and the phone belongs to her friend,” she explained. “Let me call her and tell her what happened.”

I thanked the woman and waited for the cell phone to ring again, hoping that we would be able to return it to its rightful owner. Within five minutes the phone rang again, and this time it was Faith herself on the other end. She told me how she and her friend had looked for the phone for a long while and that the phone was very valuable to them. She wanted to come over right away to claim it.

Because she was new to the area and did not recognize the name of the street, Faith stayed on another cell phone as I directed her through each turn to where I was waiting. Soon I saw the headlights of her car coming up the street. She pulled into the driveway where I was standing, and I handed her the lost cell phone.

The Lord Jesus Christ is the only one able to save your soul. He may be a stranger to you right now, just as I was a stranger to Faith. But because I had something that Faith wanted, she was willing to follow my directions to claim a valuable possession. Are you willing to do that with the Lord Jesus in order to know that your valuable soul is safe for eternity? He cares about you and wants to lead you to Himself, if you will call to Him in prayer and follow His instructions. Jesus said, “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 10:27-28).

ML-08/22/2004

Give Space

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

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

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

ML-08/22/2004

Utter Darkness

Mike, Brian and Jeff were pals, as well as cousins. It was a real treat for Brian and Jeff, who were city boys, to spend part of each summer at Mike’s house in the country outside Albany, New York. They had many adventures together as they grew up. Mike was older than either of the other boys, and he knew where there were secret spots in the woods where they played together for hours. He knew where the fishing was good, where there were old Indian trails, and where there were neat caves that boys their age could safely explore. Mike was a good storyteller too, so when it rained and they had to stay indoors, the boys would go up in the attic, and Mike would tell them about his adventures and the mysteries he had discovered exploring Hale’s Cave in Thatcher Park in the Helderberg Mountains.

At last, Mike’s mother felt the boys were old enough to explore the cave on their own. They packed a lunch, a flashlight and some matches. Then Uncle Tim drove them out to the Helderbergs. The boys were excited about exploring the cave, although Jeff, who was the youngest, almost changed his mind when they peered into the darkness and a bat suddenly swooped out of the cave, scaring them all a little.

It was fun exploring the cave. After they had gone in quite a distance, Mike suddenly turned off the flashlight. The three boys now were in the blackest darkness they had ever experienced. Mike pretended he could not get the flashlight to turn on again, and Brian and Jeff were really frightened. Jeff was glad the others could not see him, as there were tears in his eyes. What if they had to try to find their way out in the dark? Would they have to wait for Uncle Tim to miss them and come in with a rescue party?

The awfulness of being in darkness for all eternity suddenly became very real to the boys. What a relief it was when Mike switched on the flashlight, and the boys were once again able to see their way through the passageways! How good the sunlight looked as they came to the mouth of the cave!

Afterwards, all three boys talked about how terrible it would be to be cast by God into what the Bible calls “outer darkness,” to be in the “blackness of darkness forever” (Jude 13). How glad they were that God in love had sent His Son, Jesus, to be punished for their sins on the cross of Calvary. They would never have to know how awful the “outer darkness” of hell was, because they each had accepted Jesus as their Saviour. “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on Me should not abide in darkness” (John 12:46).

Simply confessing to God that we are sinners and deserve to be shut out from God’s presence and receiving the Lord Jesus as our Saviour, we pass from darkness to light, from the power of Satan to God. “Ye were sometime darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8).

Are you facing an eternity of darkness or of light?

ML-08/29/2004

A Letter From Gramma and Grampa: Scarlet and the Muskrat

Dear Boys and Girls,

Would you like to hear about the day that Scarlet did not do what she was told? (Scarlet was the Doberman dog we used to have.) You know, sometimes children are like Scarlet and don’t do what they are told either. Gramma and Grampa hope you are not like that. Why? Because God’s Word, the holy Bible, tells us to obey, and when we don’t obey, that is sin!

Some of you probably know that in the spring we have a lot of muskrats in our backyard. They come to eat that nice, green, fresh, juicy grass that grows along the creek. Scarlet knew we sometimes had muskrats in the yard too. If one came up too close to the house, she would catch it and kill it.

Now that’s dangerous for a dog, and I’ll tell you why: Muskrats have very sharp teeth and claws. Our neighbor up the road had a smaller dog that caught a muskrat, and the muskrat did such damage to the dog’s eyes that it went blind! So Gramma and I were very careful to look out the window before we let Scarlet out. We wanted to make sure no muskrats were up near the house. If they were near the creek, there was no problem, because they could hear, see and smell Scarlet coming, and they got back into the creek or pond in one big hurry!

Well, one morning I didn’t look carefully enough, because when I let Scarlet out she took off like a shot! Then I saw the muskrat - too late! I hollered at Scarlet, “Come here! Come here!” No way! She became deaf!

Yes, Scarlet got the muskrat, but this one was a fighter, and it left a big cut on her face, just under her right eye. She almost lost her sight too, and it was two weeks before that cut was healed up. If Scarlet had obeyed, it never would have happened. Have you got any marks on your hands or knees from doing something you were told not to do?

After that, every time I petted Scarlet on the head or played with her, I could see that scar. It made me think of the Lord Jesus and the scars He received at Calvary for your sins and mine - His hands and feet where they drove the nails, His head where they placed the crown of thorns, and His side where they thrust in the spear. Scarlet had that scar on her face till she died at age fourteen. The Lord Jesus has His scars for eternity!

I thought about the Bible verse in 1 Peter 2:24 which says, “Who His own self bare our sins in His own body on the tree [cross].” We sing in Sunday school:

Thank you, Lord, for saving my soul;

Thank you, Lord, for making me whole;

Thank you, Lord, for giving to me

Thy great salvation so full and free.

Boys and girls, Gramma and I hope that every one of you can sing this Sunday school song truthfully.

Lots of love from Gramma and Grampa

ML-09/05/2004

"She Had Help!"

There was strong competition in Janet’s tenth grade class, and now during final exams it seemed to be even greater. Mr. McGee, their English teacher, announced as he was passing out the exam papers that he had purposely made it hard - so hard he didn’t really expect anyone to get an A. There were some groans, as he was famous for his tough grading. Even Kyle, one of the top students, gave a loud groan as he glanced over the exam. This boy liked to boast that he didn’t believe in God, stating that God didn’t exist. Whether he had gotten this teaching at home or not, Janet didn’t know. But as she tried in a quiet way to be a light for the Lord Jesus, it seemed only to irritate Kyle.

Janet soon realized that Mr. McGee was not kidding. Every detail of the semester project was on the exam, with the key points left for them to fill in or apply. Janet sent up a silent prayer, asking the Lord Jesus to help her remember what she had studied. She worked hard at the difficult grammar and literature questions.

The bell startled her as she finished the last answer. There wasn’t even time to check anything over before the papers were quickly collected. They got their books together and headed for the next class.

It was about three days later, after they had settled into their seats, that Mr. McGee was ready to pass out the corrected exam papers. It was very quiet as everyone wondered how they had done. He smiled as he announced, “Well, there was one A out of the whole class.”

“Who got the A?” asked one of the students.

“Janet,” he answered.

“That’s not fair!” exploded Kyle.

“And what’s unfair about it?” asked Mr. McGee.

Kyle’s expression was very serious as he pointed one finger heavenward and argued, “She had help!”

Yes, Kyle was admitting that God had helped her to pass the test. Janet also knew it was in answer to her prayer. Is this surprising? To a Christian it shouldn’t be, since we read in Colossians 2:23, “God . . . in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”

Kyle had been very bold about saying that there is no God. But like many others who say this, when they get into a time of trouble, they admit that God does exist. The conscience of every person acknowledges that there is a God. The Lord Jesus Christ “was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world” (John 1:9).

Although the Light (Christ) has shone on all, not everyone will accept Him as Saviour. This is your responsibility if you haven’t done this yet. Turn to Him now. Remember, “The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God” (Psalm 53:1). Don’t be a fool. Accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour today.

ML-09/05/2004

Trapping a Bear

The agent from the Department of Forestry drove up to the house that had been raided by a bear. He was towing behind his pickup truck a large trap, suitable for catching bears and other wild animals. The trap looked like a long sewer pipe on wheels. One end was sealed off, and the other end had a spring-loaded gate that would snap shut once the bear crawled inside and touched the trigger hidden beneath the bait. Bears are used to crawling into caves and inside hollow trees, so a bear would not shy away from crawling into a long pipe.

The bear had probably worked its way down the mountains, looking for easier ways to find food. He had found it at this house. One night he had forced his way through a shed door, attracted by the smell of a barrel of apples. By the time he finished, he had eaten over two hundred apples. I wonder if bears get tummy aches!

The Forestry agent drove the truck into the backyard and unhitched the trap. All he needed to do now was to bait the trap.

“Do you have any apples left in that barrel?” he asked the lady of the house.

“Yes, but they have turned rotten because the bear bruised them,” she answered.

“Rotten apples will give off an odor the bear won’t be able to resist. I’d like to use them for bait.”

The Forestry agent had a large bucket which he partly filled with rotten apples. Then he unwrapped a carton of snack fruit pies and added them to the apples. Finally, he took a jar of honey and poured it into the bucket too. Then he mixed it all up with a stick.

The agent crawled inside the trap and carefully poured the contents of the bucket on top of the trigger that would spring the door shut. “That sweet bait ought to catch the bear,” he announced.

He told the lady to call him as soon as the bait and the trap did their work.

That night as the bear was making his rounds of the neighborhood looking for dinner, he smelled the tempting, sweet odor coming from the trap. He climbed in, and before he finished his first bite of the delicious bait, the gate slammed shut with a loud “CLANG”! When the bear realized he was trapped, he gave a loud moan and tried to shake the trap to get out of it. After a while he gave up trying to break out, ate the rest of the bait and fell asleep.

In the morning, the Forestry agent came back in his truck. As he and the homeowners looked at the bear inside the trap, the lady commented, “What a big round ball of fur he is!”

“He’s probably only a couple of years old,” said the agent. Then he hitched the trap to the back of the truck and drove twenty miles away to a wilderness area where he released the bear. They are hopeful it won’t bother humans again.

If that bear hadn’t been trapped and taken away from an area where people live, sooner or later there would have been trouble. Somebody might have shot the bear or it might have hurt someone. The bear is a lot safer in the wilderness, and the people are safer with him there.

God wants us to find safety by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. He knows each one of us will be in trouble if we don’t. He won’t force us to the safety of the Saviour’s side. But He does want you and me to know that He loves us and died for us, so that we will trust in the Lord Jesus.

God offers you the priceless gift of salvation to be received through faith in the Lord Jesus. “By grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8). If you have not yet accepted God’s gift, please take the time to consider seriously His offer of salvation.

God’s way to attract the hearts of boys and girls is by His love and goodness, and for that reason He sent His Son. Nothing explains the love and goodness of God more than His sending His Son Jesus into the world where He would pay the penalty for sin on the cross and give up His life for you and me.

Won’t you consider God’s great goodness in sending His Son into this world and receive the gift of salvation He freely offers? The happy outcome will be an eternity in the safety of heaven with the Lord Jesus. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

ML-09/12/2004

Hungry?

One day my friend said to me, “When I was seventeen years old, I asked Jesus to forgive my sins and come into my heart. For a while I was so happy, but now I have this empty feeling in my heart. What can be wrong?”

My friend felt so sad, and maybe you have felt the same way - empty. I was glad to give her some simple advice that could help you too.

A Christian believes God and has let Him wash his or her sins away with the blood of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, but Christians need to eat too. I don’t mean real food like oranges, peanut butter sandwiches and pizza! I mean the Word of God - the Bible. The Bible is food for our souls. We need to read it every day to receive strength and direction for our new life in Christ. Obeying the directions in God’s Word and talking to Him in prayer are very important too. If our minds are full of the music and entertainment of this evil world, we won’t feel hungry for the rich treasures of the Bible.

Are you reading the Bible regularly? If not, why not begin today? Start to fill that empty place in your heart with God’s precious Word, until you are full and running over.

“Thy word have I hid in [my] heart, that I might not sin against Thee” (Psalm 119:11).

ML-09/12/2004

Mr. Meyer and the Russian Policeman

Some years ago, Mr. Meyer, a Christian gentleman from West Germany, was looking forward to going home from Communist Russia where he had been visiting. He needed to make reservations for his return trip, but he had no idea how to get to the train station in this large, unfamiliar Russian city.

As he looked up and down the street, he saw a cheerful-looking policeman directing traffic. I’ll ask him for directions, Mr. Meyer thought. Soon he was beside the policeman and above the noise of the traffic he shouted, “Can you please tell me the way to the train station?”

When the policeman heard Mr. Meyer’s heavy German accent, he was pleased. “I learned some German during World War II, and I’ve just been thinking that I need some practice in German before I forget it all. Could we possibly get together and talk in German for a while? My lunch hour starts in a few minutes. Would you have time to go with me to that restaurant over there and have a chat?”

Soon the two men were enjoying each other’s company as they ate lunch together and spoke in German. All the while, Mr. Meyer was wishing he could tell the friendly policeman about his Saviour. Counting on the verse, “The Lord is my helper” (Hebrews 13:6), he quickly sent up a prayer, asking the Lord Jesus to help him. He knew that if he talked about Jesus, he could easily be turned over to the Russian Secret Police, and then any further visits to Russia would be forbidden.

Suddenly, Mr. Meyer felt he had the answer. In his briefcase he had a German Bible. As they continued to chat, he took out the Bible and opened it. Then he glanced at his watch. “Wow, I’ve been enjoying our conversation so much I forgot all about the time. I must go immediately and pick up my ticket. Please excuse me.” And Mr. Meyer rushed off, leaving the open Bible on the table and praying earnestly that the policeman would take it home and read it.

A year later Mr. Meyer was again in the same Russian city and again on the same street corner, and again, there was the same policeman directing traffic. With a prayer in his heart, Mr. Meyer went over to talk to him.

“I’m very glad to see you again,” said the policeman. “Remember when you rushed out of the restaurant, you left your Bible on the table?”

“Yes, I did,” answered Mr. Meyer. “Do you still have it?”

“Yes, and I read it every day. Have you come to take it back?” asked the policeman.

Mr. Meyer quickly answered, “Not if you would like to keep it.”

“Do you really mean that?” the policeman asked.

“Yes, keep the Bible. It is a gift to you that God will bless.”

“God has already blessed it,” said the policeman, his eyes shining with gratitude and joy. “In reading it, I’ve found the Lord Jesus as my Saviour. What more could anyone want? You’ve given me the best thing in the world!”

“I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth” (Luke 15:7). “The entrance of Thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple” (Psalm 119:130).

ML-09/19/2004

Just a Doll

Jessica is such a good little mother. When I first met her she was sitting with a group of young girls at a table. She had her doll Lisa sitting on her lap. All the girls were eating their dinner, and Jessica was offering spoonfuls of peas and potatoes to her doll and smiling happily at her as she “ate” each bite. Then Jessica would pop the food quickly into her own mouth and tell her doll what a good baby she was for eating so well.

The doll used to belong to Jessica’s mother, so Lisa the doll is really thirty years old. “I like to pretend that she’s just going to have her first birthday,” Jessica told me.

“How many children are in your family?” I asked.

“Five,” Jessica answered. “Six, if you count Lisa.”

Of course, even Jessica knows that Lisa is only a doll. It’s not hard to tell the difference between a real person and a doll. But sometimes it’s hard to tell which children are real Christians and which are just pretending they are Christians.

Are you a real Christian or are you pretending? Before you can really be a Christian, you must be born into God’s family. Romans 10:9 tells us that if we will confess with our mouths that Jesus is our Lord and believe in our hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead, we will be saved. That’s how we are born into God’s family. God gives us a pure, clean, new life just like the life the Lord Jesus has that cannot sin. We still have our old life too that can do nothing but sin, but Romans 6:11 tells us we should look at ourselves as dead to sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

After lunch Jessica gave Lisa a sponge bath and a diaper change and put her down for a nap, just as if she were a real baby. When you are a little girl, it’s really fun to play with a doll you love. Children can learn many things from playing “let’s pretend.” But we must never just pretend we are Christians. We need to be very sure that’s what we are, because if we should die without having that new life, the Bible says, “Whosoever was not found written in the book of [new] life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15). How awful! But there is no need for anyone to go there! The Lord Jesus died for the sins of anyone who will believe in Him. Just tell Him in prayer that you are a sinner and are sorry for your sins. He will forgive them all and give you that new life and write your name down in His book. Jesus promises, “Him [anyone] that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out [turn away]” (John 6:37).

Do you have that new life?

ML-09/19/2004

Stuck in a Hole

Stephen and Kevin Schwartz, Stephen’s father, and two cousins were having a great time exploring the western edge of Death Valley National Park. Their dog Shadow was with them, running playfully along beside them. Shadow was enjoying it as much as they were, sniffing and scrambling along the rocky ground. Suddenly Kevin yelled out that Shadow had fallen into a hole. This was dangerous and rough country near the deserted mining town of Panamint City, and the hole was very deep. The boys listened intently. Sure enough, they could hear whimpering coming from far below.

One of the boys ran to a nearby ranger station and grabbed an aluminum ladder. They put the ladder down the hole, but it fell beyond their reach. The hole was thirty feet deep. At first they could hear Shadow’s whimpers far below them, but as time went on, there was no sound at all. The dog did not respond to their calls, and they believed their much-loved pet had died.

Shadow had been with them for ten years, ever since she was a puppy, and they were too sad to continue their camping trip. With heavy hearts they shaped a crude wooden cross from some dead wood and bits of hemp rope. They placed it beside the hole and then went home.

But Shadow had not died!

A pool of water in the bottom of that hole supplied water for the dog to drink, but there was no way out. A thirty-foot wall of rock was far beyond Shadow’s ability to climb, and this was wild country, far from traffic or people.

Doesn’t that seem like a hopeless situation? And yet a sinner who wants to get to heaven by his own efforts is in a far worse situation. God has said, “There shall in no wise enter into [heaven] anything that defileth” (Revelation 21:27). Our defiling sins will not permit anyone to enter heaven. That includes you and me, because the Bible says that “all have sinned” (Romans 5:12). Nothing we can do will ever change the fact that we have sin on our hearts. Is there any hope for sinners? We are trapped by our sins, and the Bible says that is like being trapped in a “horrible pit” (Psalm 40:2).

The outlook for that little dog certainly seemed hopeless. Long desert days went by. Five weeks later, Scott and Darren Mentz were searching for the source of a spring near Panamint City. As they struggled up a shale-strewn slope, they stumbled on a gaping, four-foot-wide hole. In front of the hole were some strange cross-like pieces of wood covered in cobwebs. Stopping to rest, the boys tossed rocks into the hole. They could hear the rocks splash in water far below. Then suddenly they heard barking.

“Is that coming from the hole?” Scott asked his brother in amazement. They whistled into the chasm, and the barking began again. They were horrified to think of a dog down there alone in the blackness. Darren ran down the hill and grabbed an old yellow hose they had seen lying near a water storage tank. With this tied around Scott’s waist, Darren carefully lowered his brother into the hole. When Scott finally reached the bottom, he grabbed the frightened and skinny Shadow, and his brother hauled them both back up. The dog’s collar had a tag with a phone number on it, and they called the Schwartz home.

Stephen answered the phone and could hardly believe it when he heard that Shadow was still alive! “I never felt so happy before!” he exclaimed. Shadow had lost five of her thirty pounds, but their veterinarian said the dog was in good health. It seemed like a miracle that she had survived thirty-five days in that hole with no food. Now, thanks to her brave rescuers, she was safe.

It was a courageous act for Scott to go down into that hole. He felt sorry for that helpless dog and cared enough to take a great risk. It is much more wonderful that there is Someone who not only cares for you and me, but He loves us - someone who was willing to rescue us at a far, far greater cost than the scary trip Scott made down into that hole. The Lord Jesus left His home in heaven to come to a world where He knew people would hate Him and misunderstand Him and finally nail Him to a cross. He did this because He loves us and wanted to rescue us from the “horrible pit” of sin. On the cross He bore God’s punishment against sin, opening the way for anyone who would accept Him as Saviour to be set free from their sins. If we will believe that He died for us and that He was raised from the dead, our sins are washed away and we are clean! With our defiling sins gone, the door to heaven is open for us!

How much we owe to the Lord Jesus, who loved us enough to die for us. Have you accepted His wonderful promise that opens the door to heaven? “When we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6).

ML-09/26/2004

A Visit to the Colosseum

The Colosseum in Rome is a gloomy place even in daylight. Daddy, Mother and their six children were vacationing in Italy, and it was already dark when their van pulled up to the Colosseum. The children piled out and began exploring the ruins, except for little Evelyn, who was not her usual happy self. She stuck close to Mother, and her wide eyes kept peering into the poorly lighted ruins.

Suddenly, with a serious look, she asked her mother, “Do they still throw Christians to the lions here?”

Mother gathered her worried little girl into her arms and assured her that believers in the Lord Jesus were no longer thrown to the lions in Rome. Still, God’s Word, the Bible, reminds us that our “adversary [one who is against us] the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). It is good to remember that in many places around the world Christians are still feeling the bite of the roaring lion, the devil. Some are even paying with their lives for confessing that they belong to the Lord Jesus.

“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-09/26/2004

Death Is Too Serious

When James was a little boy, his mother combed his hair and took him to Sunday school, which he loved. He was a happy little boy, smiling as he took his prizes home for memorizing verses like John 3:16 and Psalm 23.

But something must have happened. James was not a happy boy now but a scowling teenager, angry at everyone who would not let him have his own way. He was in the courtroom now, facing the judge whose responsibility was to keep young people under control.

It was not James’ first time in trouble. Putting him behind bars had only made him worse. This time the judge suggested a discussion with the chief parole officer every day. The judge knew this officer and trusted him.

Bill, the parole officer, was a Christian and prayed often for his men. He studied their backgrounds as one who really cares. And so he studied James’ background. He knew that James had been a Sunday school boy, and the Scriptures were not new to him. He saw the boy underneath the scowls, and he began their talk with, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”

“No,” said James. “I want lots of things.”

“He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.”

“No! I don’t want to lie down in green pastures. . . . I don’t want still waters. I want excitement!”

James was becoming agitated as he voiced his rebellious attitude. But Bill went quietly on.

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me.”

James was silent.

“Throw that away too?” asked Bill. “No . . . death is too serious.”

It may be that you have been told that death is beautiful and just brings you into joy and peace and flowers. Or maybe you have been told that death is the end; there is nothing after death, so why worry? But when he was little, James had learned the Word of God, and down in his conscience he knew that after death he must meet God.

Yes, death is serious. God says so. Those beautiful words in Psalm 23 tell us that in the face of death, “I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me.” But this is not the first verse. It begins with, “The Lord is my shepherd.” If He is not your shepherd, then you cannot claim the peace that “I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me.” And you cannot claim the joy and comforts “in the house of the Lord forever.” If the Lord Jesus is not your Shepherd, heaven will not be your future home. If you reject the thought of Him being your Shepherd and are choosing your own way, God warns that the end of that way is an eternity in hell.

It was Bill who told me this story, and I cannot tell you what happened to James. But my concern right now is . . . what will happen to you? Are you one of the Lord Jesus’ own sheep? He loves you and has given His life for you. Will you begin right now by saying, “Yes, ‘The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want’ ”? And if He is truly your Shepherd, you may have the joy and happiness every day of following Him and knowing that heaven will be your future home.

Have you memorized Psalm 23? It is only six verses long. Verse one will be the memory verse only for the very young children. Children a little older can memorize more of the verses and perhaps the entire six. How many verses can you memorize?

Psalm 23

1 “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters.

3 “He restoreth my soul: He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

4 “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.

5 “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

6 “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

ML-10/03/2004

Chasing Butterflies

When Rita was a little girl, she and her family lived near a little town in southern Mexico. Rita’s father was a rancher and grew wheat, corn, garbanzo beans and other vegetables on their ranch at the foot of high, tree-covered mountains. Colorful birds were common around Rita’s home, and the rainy season brought many brilliant flowers and insects.

One day while Rita and her brothers were weeding a field for their father, some huge butterflies appeared. They were bright blue, green, red and yellow. Some were as big as a grown-up’s hand!

The weeding was forgotten as the children chased the butterflies through the field. They would almost catch one, but then it would flutter away. Sometimes one landed on one of the children’s hands before it darted off. But when this exciting play was over, all Rita and her brothers had were empty hands and weeding to finish!

Are you chasing after something that you think will make you happy? A new toy? An exciting vacation? Fancy clothes? A special friend? Lots of money? If you got what you wanted, would your happiness last? No. The Bible tells us in Hebrews 11:25 that the pleasures of this sinful world only last a very short time.

The only thing that can really satisfy your heart is knowing that your sins are washed away with the blood of the Lord Jesus, who loves you and died on the cross to save you. Come to Him today for salvation, and you will find happiness that will last forever. “Whoso trusteth in the Lord, happy is he” (Proverbs 16:20). “Happy is that people, whose God is the Lord” (Psalm 144:15).

ML-10/03/2004

Luna, the Friendly Killer Whale

Perhaps it was a storm with great waves and high winds that caused the young orca whale to get separated from his mother and their pod. Nobody knows for sure, but when the young whale swam into Nootka Sound off Vancouver Island, he was all alone. Marine biologists identified him as Luna of the Lpod. Scientists always name the young orcas in the Pacific Northwest when they are born. Since no two orca whales look quite the same, they can easily identify them by their distinctive black and white markings.

In Nootka Sound, Luna found all the salmon he wanted for food. But his mother and the Lpod swam nearly a hundred miles away near the San Juan Islands.

Orcas, also called killer whales, are highly social animals. That means they need to be with others of their own kind to keep them content. They hunt together, play together and protect each other. The older whales instruct the younger ones in the skills they need to survive.

When Luna was no longer with other whales, he became lonely and began looking for attention from people. He would swim up to boats, and if they stopped he would give them a slight bump. Often he would swim alongside a boat, looking for a friendly scratch on the back or a belly rub.

When word got out that a killer whale was being friendly to boaters in Nootka Sound, people came from all over to see the whale that was gradually becoming tame. Luna was quite a sensation with lots of people. However, the marine biologists were not happy about the killer whale’s interest in humans.

By the end of the first summer, he had become so fearless that he was pushing boats around and had actually broken the rudders on a few. And he had been hurt when he bumped into a sharp propeller and got a big cut over one eye.

The biologists realized that it wasn’t in the young whale’s best interest to be overly friendly with people. They could foresee that the more he was around people the less likely it was that he would return to his pod. It was decided that Luna should be captured, loaded onto a special truck, and driven to the far side of the island where he would be released in the water not far from where his own pod was swimming. Once back with his own pod, they hoped he would return to his natural instinct of avoiding people.

When God created orca whales, He gave them social natures and family pods to keep them content and happy. People are social creatures too, and God wants us to have loving parents and families as well. In addition, God has given mankind something very special that He didn’t give to any other creature. He has given us hearts that can never be truly happy unless we come to know Him and His love for us. He has made our hearts so large that only He can fill them and give us lasting happiness and satisfaction. You and I might try to fill our hearts with all sorts of things, but there will always be an emptiness there unless we know God as our loving Father.

Our sins have separated us from God and left us with that emptiness in our hearts, but He has provided the remedy that will bring us back to Himself. God sent His own beloved Son to die on Calvary’s cross in the sinner’s place. In the hours of darkness while He hung on the cross, Christ Jesus suffered the agony of our sins so that we might be saved. “Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18). If you will come to God through faith in His Son, He will make you one of His own family and never let you go.

Luna is still swimming alone in Nootka Sound and will remain there until enough money is raised to bring him back to his whale family. However, cost does not stand in the way of your returning to God. The great cost has already been paid in full for the saving of any soul who will return to God through His Son Christ Jesus. He wants you to know for yourself His love which passes understanding. “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10). Will you come back to God and become a part of His family? “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God” (1 John 3:1).

ML-10/10/2004

The Only Stain Remover That Works on Hearts

There are many different kinds of soaps and cleansers in the stores. There are kitchen soaps, detergents with stain removers for clothes, cleansers for sinks, cleaners for floors, spray-on window cleaners, bath soaps, and some hand soaps that even say they are antibacterial. But how can we know which one is best? We could try each one, but that would take a long, long time. We can read what the different soap makers say, but that won’t help much, because each one says theirs is best.

Besides dirty hands, dirty clothes, dirty windows and dirty floors, there is something else that needs to be washed clean. It is our hearts. Do you know that your heart is full of sin? The Bible says, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). Do you also know that unless your heart is washed from sin you cannot go to be with the Lord Jesus Christ in heaven?

Although there are many cleansers we can use to wash our hands, clean our cars or wash our clothes, none of these will clean our hearts from sin. Jeremiah 2:22 tells us, “Though thou wash thee with nitre [lye], and take thee much soap, yet thine iniquity [sin] is marked before Me, saith the Lord God.” God has provided the only stain remover for the heart. It can wash away all of our sins and make our hearts 100% clean! It is the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ that He shed on Calvary’s cross for you and for me. Is your heart still dirty with sin? Or have your sins been washed away by the blood of Jesus?

“The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

ML-10/10/2004

Why Didn't She Use the Walkway?

We were visiting friends in Mexico City and had been invited to breakfast with other friends who lived across the city. On our trip back to the home where we were staying, we were driving on a very busy street with several lanes of traffic going each direction. Traffic was moving along well, so we were enjoying seeing the city sights.

Suddenly, there was a traffic slowdown, and we were wondering what the problem was. Then we reached the trouble spot and saw something very sad. An ambulance was parked in the left lane with a policeman guarding it. In front of the ambulance was a woman lying on the street. She must have tried to cross the busy street and been hit by a car.

When we were able to drive on, we noticed that the city had provided an overhead walkway for people to cross the busy street in complete safety. If you will look carefully at the picture, you can see the bottom part of the walkway over the ambulance.

You may ask, “Why didn’t she use the overhead walkway to get safely across the street?”

Good question. The woman is the only one who can answer that.

Now here is a good question for you. Are you using God’s way to get to heaven?

People think there are many ways to get to heaven. But God’s Word, the Bible, clearly tells us there is only one way, and it is perfectly safe and sure, because God has provided it. In the Bible, which is God’s Word to us, God tells us that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). And in Romans 6:23 God tells us, “The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Because God is holy, He must punish sin, so the only way we can escape judgment for our sins is if someone else will take the punishment in our place. And God, in His goodness and grace, has provided that perfect substitute for us.

God loves us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to take our place in judgment for us, so that now God offers forgiveness as a gift to every person who will simply take God’s Son as their personal substitute. John 3:16 says, “God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Let me ask you again: Are you on the way to heaven? Have you accepted God’s gift? “He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18).

ML-10/17/2004

Mike's Secret

“Daddy,” called four-year-old Mike from his bedroom. He was supposed to be getting ready for bed, but it sure was taking him a long time.

“Yes, Mike,” answered Daddy from the living room where he was reading. “What is it?”

“I have a secret to tell you.”

“That’s nice, but are you getting ready for bed?” Daddy asked, still reading.

“Yes I am, but can I tell you the secret right now?” asked Mike.

“Not right now, Mike. Tell it to your Teddy first while you finish getting ready for bed,” said Daddy. He could hear some whispering in Mike’s room but couldn’t hear what Mike was saying.

“Daddy?”

“Yes, Mike.”

“I told Teddy. Can I tell you now?”

“Tell your lion now,” said Daddy, hoping to finish the chapter he was reading.

“Okay, Daddy.”

So now the secret was quietly whispered to the toy lion that shared the bed with Mike and Teddy.

“Daddy?”

“Yes, Mike.”

“I told Teddy and my lion. Now can I tell you?”

“Tell your fish, and then you can tell me,” answered Daddy.

The secret was passed on now to the fish in the fish bowl. Mike was getting practice by repeating the secret, and it took him less time to tell the fish than it did to tell Teddy or his lion.

“Daddy?”

“Yes, Mike.”

“I told my secret to Teddy and to my lion and to the fish. Now can I tell you?”

“All right,” said Daddy. “Come on down and tell me.”

“But, Daddy, you have to put your book down,” insisted Mike as he ran into the living room.

“Okay, I will,” said Daddy, closing the book and setting it aside.

“It’s a secret, Daddy, and so you won’t tell anyone, will you?”

“No, I won’t tell anyone . . . I promise.”

“Are you listening real good?” asked Mike.

“Yes, Mike, I’m listening real good. Now what’s your secret? Whisper it in my ear.”

Then Mike whispered, “I love you, Daddy!”

“Is that the secret, Mike?” asked Daddy with a big smile on his face. Then lifting him onto his lap he said to Mike, “Thank you for telling me, and Daddy loves you too, very much.”

There is One who is not keeping it a secret that He loves you. He is the Lord Jesus Christ, and in His Word, the Bible, we read, “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He [Jesus] laid down His life for us” (1 John 3:16).

The Lord Jesus yearns to show you His love, and He is trying to get your attention. “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him” (Revelation 3:20). He wants you to listen to Him “real good.” He has a wonderful story to tell you about the love that brought Him to this world to die for sinners (and that’s you and me). He will tell you of His love that made Him stay on the cross while He was punished for the sins of everyone who will accept Him as their Saviour. He wants to tell you of His blood which He shed that has the power to wash all your sins away. If you trust in Him, He will show you the love that He has for you, not just in this life, but forever with Him in heaven. All this He has for you, if you will only listen and accept His love.

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

ML-10/17/2004

What Was Brian Doing?

It was midnight. There wasn’t any sound in the house and it was so dark and quiet. Brian lay in his bed wide awake, but what had awakened him? Why was he so wide awake at midnight? Brian knew why.

He got out of bed, opened his bedroom door, and tiptoed down the hall. He stopped outside the door to his parents’ bedroom. He listened closely for a few seconds and then quietly returned to his own room. Relieved, he knelt down beside his bed for a few minutes and then climbed back into bed and was soon fast asleep.

What made Brian do this? Brian was not a Christian, but his parents were. He wanted to be saved from his sins, but he kept putting it off. He had heard many, many times at Sunday school and gospel meetings about the Lord Jesus coming back. He knew that if the Lord Jesus came to take everyone who was saved to heaven, he would be left behind!

Yes, Brian was checking to see if his parents were in bed. The house had seemed so quiet. He kept thinking, “Has the Lord come? Has the Lord come?” When he listened at his parents’ door and heard their breathing, he knew that the Lord Jesus had not come yet.

This had happened several times before, and Brian had always gone right back to sleep. But this time he had done something else. He knelt down beside his bed and accepted the Lord Jesus as his very own Saviour. The next morning he told the whole story to his parents.

Are you like Brian? Have you been putting off accepting the Lord Jesus as your Saviour? Brian is now saved, and there is a time coming very soon when the Lord Jesus will come. It could even be today! Then it will be too late for anyone who has been putting it off. Don’t wait any longer! Accept the Lord Jesus as your Saviour right now.

“For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:1617).

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

ML-10/24/2004

A Kitten in the Gulf

They were three miles into the Gulf of Mexico on a fishing boat when Maggie spotted something bobbing in the water. At first glance it looked like it could be a sea turtle or a piece of kelp. What else could it be that far out in Homosassa Bay?

As the boat moved closer, they could tell it was something alive and could hear its distressing cries. It didn’t take long to discover the object was a tiny, apricot-colored kitten. The little creature was paddling furiously and screaming at the top of its lungs.

They were three miles from shore, so where had the little kitten come from? Had it fallen off another boat? How had it managed to survive for even a few minutes in the choppy waves of saltwater? The frantic kitten was doing all it could to stay afloat, but it would have been only a matter of time until its strength gave out. And then . . . we know what the sad ending would have been.

People have sad endings to their lives too, especially those who leave God out and are struggling in their sea of sins. Some don’t seem to care about their sins or try to forget about them. But there are some who, like the little kitten, know they are in trouble and are doing everything they think might help. They paddle furiously in their good deeds and church attendance, but they aren’t any closer to rescue than the kitten was. Deliverance has to come from a rescuer!

Maggie was the rescuer of the little kitten. When the boat moved in closer, she scooped up the waterlogged tiny creature, dried him off and kept him with her for the next eight hours, until the boat would dock. She said that “he was exhausted and stressed, and his heart rate was high.” But he would survive.

Who is the rescuer for sinners? We find the answer in the Bible in Romans 5:6: “When we were yet without strength . . . Christ died for the ungodly.” God saw us struggling in our sea of sins, and because He loves us and cares about us, He sent His beloved Son for the very purpose of rescuing sinners. First Timothy 1:15 says, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” Jesus died on the cross, bearing the punishment for sin in the place of any sinner who would come to Him for rescue from their sins.

A few days later, Maggie took the little kitten to a veterinarian who pronounced the 10week-old, 1pound kitten healthy, in spite of its brush with death. Now he is in a loving, caring home and has been named Nemo.

Rescued sinners have a wonderful, loving, caring home awaiting them in heaven. And one day very soon our Saviour Jesus Christ is going to take all the rescued sinners to His home in heaven to live with Him forever. Will you be included?

ML-10/31/2004

A Valuable Teddy Bear

“But I have no money to pay you!” said the mother tearfully as she talked with the surgeon.

As she waited for his answer, the mother felt that this was their last chance. Would this famous surgeon be able to help her daughter Julie to see again? Could any doctor help her? They had been to so many with no success, and now their money was gone.

Someone had told her of this well-known surgeon and the new skills that he had developed. But they were so poor she had nothing left for payment. Then she heard him say, “I will see your daughter. If I can help her, I will operate.”

This famous and skilled doctor could say, “I will if I can.” The Great Physician could say, “Him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). The best doctors in the world can only cure up to the level of their skills. The Lord Jesus Christ has given the promise of eternal life to “whosoever believeth in Him.”

Julie hugged her teddy bear tightly as they wheeled her into the operating room. She was asleep when they removed it gently from her arms. When she awoke hours later in a hospital room with bandages covering her eyes, her teddy was snuggled close in her arms again.

During the days of waiting and pain, Julie talked to her loved teddy bear and told him all about it, for he seemed more than just a plaything to her. He was the only treasure she had, and he seemed like a dear friend to the little girl.

Then one day there was excitement in Julie’s hospital room. A nurse was removing the bandages from her eyes while Julie held her teddy and her mother’s hand tightly. The doctor was speaking quietly. “Julie, the last bandage will soon be taken off, but don’t open your eyes right away. When they become accustomed to the light coming softly through your eyelids, I will tell you when to open them.”

It was hard to wait. The room was so quiet. Then the doctor was saying, “All right, Julie. Open your eyes and tell us what you see.”

Slowly her eyes opened and focused on the face of her mother. “Mommy! Mommy! I can see you . . . oh, I can really see you!”

Too happy to speak, her mother held Julie closely in her arms for a few moments. Then she said softly into her ear, “Julie, there is someone in this room who is far more important than I am right now. It is this doctor who operated on you and has given you your sight. What do you say to him?”

For a long moment Julie looked at the doctor who stood smiling at her. She held her teddy bear tightly, and then she held it out to the doctor.

“Please take my teddy,” she said simply. “I want you to have him.”

Years later the doctor told some friends about the little girl. He said, “I will never part with that little old teddy bear. It came straight from the heart of a little girl who gave me all she had!”

A far greater Physician has given everything for you and for me. Our Great Physician, the Lord Jesus Christ, has given His life for us so that the eyes of our hearts can be opened. “Our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity” (Titius 2:1314). “The Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20).

What will you give Him? Won’t you give Him your heart, yourself, your life?

ML-10/31/2004

The Dogsled Race to Save Lives

Even in our modern times, no roads exist that connect Nome to the rest of Alaska. In 1925 traveling conditions were even more difficult. In summer you could travel there by ship, and if you were adventurous, you could fly there by plane. But not in winter.

In January of that year, Dr. Curtiss Welch, the only doctor living in Nome, diagnosed an outbreak of diphtheria. Diphtheria is a highly contagious disease that especially attacks children. It begins with flu-like symptoms and then worsens . . . until the person dies. The only cure then was an antitoxin serum. Sadly, Dr. Welch had none of the serum in Nome. He sent out an urgent telegraph pleading for help. Could the antitoxin serum be located and then delivered before many people died? Every hour that passed without the serum increased the death toll.

This dreadful disease reminds us of sin. Sin has infected each one of us, and if we don’t use the right treatment for it, sin will eventually cause our eternal death. The Bible makes it clear how dangerous sin really is: “The wages of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). Most of us don’t realize the danger we are in because of sin. If we did, we wouldn’t wait another second before we sent out an urgent plea to one who could help.

What is the name of the only one who can remove the problem of sin? Before His birth an angel announced, “Thou shalt call His name Jesus: for He shall save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). Jesus is His name, and when He died on the cross He shed His precious blood. His blood has the cleansing power to remove all your sin and mine. “The blood of Jesus Christ [God’s] Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). The danger is great and the time is short. “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13). Will you call to Him before it is too late for you?

The antitoxin serum was located in Anchorage and was sent by train to the town of Nenana. This small village was still 650 miles away from Nome. Using urgent telegraph messages, twenty dogsled teams were set up to cover these miles. They were spaced out along the route, like runners in a relay race, to carry the precious serum to Nome.

The crate containing the vials of serum was carefully lashed onto the first sled, and the driver yelled “Mush!” The dogsled race to save lives had begun.

At first all went well, and the serum was passed from sled to sled as each driver finished his leg of the journey. The seventeenth team of dogs was driven by a man named Seppala and led by a dog called Togo. They were traveling over Norton Sound when the dogs broke through the ice and landed in open water. Seppala was just able to stop the sled before it plunged in. Then, lying on his stomach at the edge of the broken ice, he pulled his dogs out one by one. It was a close call, and the serum had almost been lost!

The serum was transferred to the eighteenth team at a village called Bluff. They lashed the serum to Gunnar Kaasen’s dogsled, and with the command “Mush!” his team of dogs sprinted away. Shortly after this team started, a severe snowstorm blew in. Snow fell so fast that Gunnar could no longer tell if he was headed in the right direction. He had to trust his lead dog to guide them. The lead dog made his way through the blizzard until he lost his sense of direction and was unwilling to travel any farther. Worried that they would never reach Nome, Gunnar got off the sled and switched the second dog to the lead spot at the front of the team. This dog was confused too and did not know which way to turn. It seemed that they must lose precious time and wait for the storm to blow over.

The snow was blowing so thick that Gunnar could barely see the faint outlines of his dogs in their harnesses. His glance fell on one of the dogs that was hitched back in the team by the sled. Instead of standing still, this dog was jumping against the braces of the harness. His name was Balto, a black Siberian husky, and he seemed to be saying, I know the way, trust me, I will get you there! Gunnar switched Balto to the lead spot. The dog paused for a moment, just long enough for Gunnar to get behind his sled. The wind was howling so loud that Balto never heard the word “Mush!” but he knew it was time to go, so off into the thick of the storm he led them.

The wind blew at forty miles an hour and gusted at twice that speed. The temperature was minus forty and falling, and the snow continued to fall fast. Through this terrible storm Balto led them. At one point, a strong gust of wind hit them and lifted Gunnar, the sled and all the dogs off the ground before it slammed them back down again. For many hours Balto led them through the raging storm.

When they neared the last relay station at Port Safety, Gunnar saw no lights in the roadhouse. The man who was to drive the last leg of the race had thought it was impossible for Gunnar to travel in the storm and had gone to bed. Instead of losing precious time in rousing the sleeping driver and waiting while he got his team ready, Gunnar decided to keep going and make the last twenty-mile leg of the journey himself. The storm slackened, and traveling was easier. Even after working all day, Balto ran like the wind.

At 5:30 in the morning, Balto led the team to the front of the tiny hospital in Nome. The serum was delivered! They had traveled over twenty hours through some of the worst conditions known to man. Gunnar put his arm around his lead dog, then noticed Balto’s feet were bleeding. “He is one fine dog!” he said with feeling to the small crowd that was gathering around them.

Despite danger and incredible hardships, Balto got the sled carrying the antitoxin serum through to Nome, and lives were saved because of it.

Do you know Jesus who came here to earth and faced dangers and incredible hardships that your soul might be saved? He left His Father’s home in heaven and came to this sin-stained earth to be born as an infant. At about thirty years of age He began His ministry. The words He spoke were so powerful that they struck men deep in their hearts. Because He spoke about sin, He earned the hatred of men who “loved darkness rather than light.” At last they took Him and nailed Him to a cross. They meant it for evil, but God overruled it for good. For God knew that it was only through the death of His dear Son that sin could ever be put away. In His own body at the cross, He carried those sins which, like a terrible disease, were bringing us down to death and judgment. “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5).

The Lord Jesus Christ died for you on the cross. After His death He was laid in a grave, but a grave couldn’t hold Him, and He rose from the grave. And if you believe on this Saviour who won the victory over sin and death, you will receive the forgiveness of your sins and the gift of eternal life. Won’t you trust the Lord Jesus to save you?

ML-11/07/2004

Eric, the Fisherman for Christ

Eric knew there was a God in heaven, but he didn’t know anything about His Son Jesus Christ. One day when he was in desperate need of food for his starving family, he prayed to God for help. God heard his desperate prayer and sent a large, edible bird to feed his family.

Later, a missionary Eric met gave him some medicine when he was very sick, and the pills cured his illness. The gospel tracts he received from the missionary at that time told the good news that God loved him and sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die and bear the punishment for his sins, if he would believe and accept Christ as his Lord and Saviour. He also learned that this salvation was available to everyone who would believe, that they might be ready to meet God. Eric soon became a believer and began sharing this wonderful news with his fishermen friends and neighbors.

Some time passed, and herring were needed as bait for the fishermen’s nets to catch fish. Eric was away when a fishing trawler brought a load of herring for bait to the village.

One of the fishermen suggested a cruel plan: “What do you say, men? Let’s leave Eric out of this haul and see what the God he talks so much about can do for him.”

When Eric returned, none of the fishermen would share the herring bait with him. Having nothing else to use, Eric decided to cast out his net anyway without the needed bait the others had.

The villagers were keenly watching Eric as he made his way to check his net. This was going to be a great joke, and they followed him so they could laugh at his foolishness of casting out his net with no bait in it.

Other nets had been placed where they could catch the most fish. However, when they hauled them in, they were all empty. Finally, they came to haul in Eric’s net. At first it seemed to be caught. . . . What could be holding it back? Using all their strength, the men pulled again, and at last the net came up - full of fish!

The men stood by speechless while Eric thanked and praised the Lord. Then Eric, with beaming face, invited others to share in the fish from his net. He joyfully gave fish to all the fishermen and his neighbors, enough to feed their families. “As ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise” (Luke 6:31).

As the news spread, this generous act of returning good for evil opened the doors and hearts of people everywhere in that village. When the full story was written up in the village newspaper of Hofsos, Iceland, it also reported that when a missionary came to that area, the largest building in Hofsos could not hold the crowds of people who came to hear the message that so changed the life of Eric the fisherman for Christ.

“Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19).

ML-11/14/2004

Rescued With a Song

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

ML-11/14/2004

Going Past the Turnoff

My sister and I had to ride our bikes about two miles each day to catch the bus to get to school. In the British Isles where we lived, there always seemed to be a stiff wind blowing. And no matter which direction we pedaled, we always seemed to be riding into the wind.

But coming home one afternoon, the wind was just right! There was a strong wind at our backs, and we simply sat and allowed the wind to blow us home. We laughed as we glided along, going really fast without having to pedal even once.

When we came to our turnoff, my sister thought that this was too much fun to stop. She suggested that we go another mile down to another road that would also take us home, so we sailed along like a skiff in the breeze.

As we came to the second turnoff, she called out merrily, “Let’s keep going! This is so much fun!” And even though I had second thoughts about going on, I followed her.

On and on we went, enjoying our present fun without a single thought for AFTERWARDS! We never stopped until we had sailed all the way to the next town . . . about five miles beyond our usual turnoff.

Now we turned to go back, and soon what we had done became very clear to us. That wonderful wind at our backs was now a very strong enemy at our faces and fought us every inch of the way. Straining every muscle for what seemed inch by inch, we struggled back home, pedaling into the wind. How we scolded ourselves for being so foolish.

We finally made it, but we were exhausted. However, we learned an important lesson - the fact that enjoying our careless fun with no thought for AFTERWARDS carried a penalty. And today many young people think of only one thing - have a good time right now and don’t worry about AFTERWARDS. The Bible has a warning about this: “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man; but the end thereof [the AFTERWARDS] are the ways of death” (Proverbs 14:12). God is warning us that a careless life of sin carries the penalty of a lost eternity. This is so serious and so important that He repeats it a second time, word for word, in Proverbs 16:25. When God gives us a double warning, He’s telling us we had better do something about it!

When I had second thoughts about going on past our turnoff, they were worthless because I didn’t do anything about it. You might have a few serious thoughts as to whether your careless fun is right or wrong, but unless you do something about it RIGHT NOW, you will be swept along to a lost eternity. Then there will be no turning back. You can blame your sister, your friends or yourself, but your AFTERWARDS with its penalty will be set.

Before it is too late . . . stop and think of two foolish girls sailing into town on their bikes, and then ask yourself if perhaps you might be doing the same thing.

“Enter ye in at the strait [narrow] gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that [leads] to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat” (Matthew 7:13).

ML-11/21/2004

Tornado!

The twister hit about 8:30 p.m. - a clock in the wreckage of one home was stopped at 8:29. It passed quickly, but it left a wake of horror. That June night in 1953 would never be forgotten by the people living in Flint, Michigan.

Striking at dusk out of an ugly, angry sky, the savage twister spun its way through the lives of six hundred families who were in its path. The loss was severe. One hundred fifteen people lost their lives, and more than two hundred were injured. Estimates placed the damage at over ten million dollars, and that was at replacement prices fifty years ago.

Homeless, heartbroken survivors sadly buried lost family members and friends and then dug forlornly in the ruins to save a few belongings. Somehow they found the strength to carry on and to rebuild.

Newspapers were filled with photographs of the terrible devastation. Incredible stories of escape from the storm often included a paragraph that stated these individuals felt it was an answer to prayer. But tucked away among the tales of distress and heartbreak was an uplifting story.

It seems that the tornado became an “air mail” service and deposited papers and debris as far as two hundred miles away. Insurance papers, letters, tickets and savings bonds, along with bits of rubble, were blown across the Michigan landscape. Mr. Russel Regan, of Crosswell, Michigan, found numerous items on his farm, one of which was a torn page from a Bible. On it was a startling passage: “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal [temporary]; but the things which are not seen are eternal. For we know that if our earthly house . . . were dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens” (2 Corinthians 4:18; 5:1).

One question pleads for an answer from you: If you had been one of those one hundred fifteen people who were victims of the tornado, where would you be right now? Would you simply have exchanged your earthly life for a promised eternal life with your Saviour Jesus Christ? Or would you be sent to the darkness of an eternity of God’s wrath against your sins?

It is not an imaginary question, because a time will come when your life here on earth will suddenly end. Death comes to everyone. The Bible clearly says, “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). It is the following verse that offers hope to the sinner: “So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many” (vs. 28). Because He loves you so deeply, He died for you: “God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). Now He is offering you freedom from the punishment for your sins and a future home in heaven. Will you accept His love and His offer of salvation? “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).

You need to decide right now. Don’t wait until the tornado strikes. Then it will be too late.

ML-11/28/2004

A Dangerous Choice

One hot summer day, Peter and Mike headed for their favorite water hole with their raft. The water hole was a pond that had been formed by damming off part of a curve of a river. There had been a lot of rain and the pond was full.

Peter and Mike shoved their raft off from shore to explore the pond. They were having a great time out in the middle of the pond, when suddenly they realized they could not control their raft. The rain-swollen river had overflowed the dam, and the pond was now part of the swollen, rushing river. The current was carrying their raft away from their friendly pond to the danger of a flooded river!

Children, do you know that if you have not accepted the Lord Jesus as your Saviour, you are in danger far worse than Peter and Mike? We are coming very close to the time when the Lord Jesus will come to take those who belong to Him safely home to heaven. The Bible warns that the people left here in the world will be carried into a period of time that will become terrible and difficult.

Peter realized they could not pole their raft back to shore because of the strong current. Their only way to reach the shore was to swim. He said, “Mike, we gotta swim for shore or we’ll never make it!” and then Peter dove into the water to swim with all his might.

Peter did not know it, but Mike could not swim! Mike knew he would soon be in real trouble if he stayed on the raft, but he also knew he could easily drown if he jumped off. What a decision he had to make! He decided to jump off the raft.

As the water closed over his head and the current dragged him to the bottom of the pond, he was sure he was going to drown. But when he touched bottom, he knew which way to head for the shore which was not far away, so he frantically crawled along the bottom of the pond as fast as he could.

Peter swam safely to shore. He did not know where Mike was, but as he crawled out of the water, Mike crawled out about the same time. Peter thought Mike had been swimming to shore just as he had!

Mike did not tell Peter for many years what had really happened. There are boys and girls just like Mike who don’t want their parents or friends to know that they have never really accepted the Lord Jesus as their Saviour. They sing the songs at Sunday school and they say their prayers at night, but they have never trusted the Lord Jesus to wash away their sins.

Mike had a choice to reach safety - ride the raft or jump off. Both choices were dangerous. But there is only one way to heaven, and it is completely safe. The Lord Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man [comes] unto the Father, but by Me” (John 14:6). Won’t you come to that loving Father today, by believing that the Lord Jesus suffered for your sins on the cross? “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:13).

ML-11/28/2004

A Letter From Gramma and Grampa: What Happened to Reddy

Dear Children,

I am writing this letter to tell you what Gramma and I saw when we had just finished eating our breakfast. We were sitting looking out the kitchen window at the brand new, beautiful, white blanket of snow that had fallen through the night. The snow was about one inch deep. Gramma reminded us what God’s Word says in Isaiah 1:18: “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.”

“Yes,” I said to Gramma, “that is correct. And the reason they can be as white as snow is found in 1 John 1:7: ‘The blood of Jesus Christ His [God’s] Son cleanseth us from all sin.’”

Just about then, Gramma got all excited and said, “I see a little red squirrel, and it’s starting to run across the yard!”

I said, “Gramma, are you sure it’s a red squirrel?” I asked her that question because we rarely see a red squirrel. We see lots of big gray squirrels and black squirrels but not red ones.

Then she said, “He stopped, and now he’s running back under the tree.” She sat watching the squirrel, and then suddenly she said, “He’s starting to run again just as fast as he can go towards the far evergreen tree!”

So I looked out and, sure enough, it was Reddy the squirrel running like his life depended on it! And then, like a flash, we saw the reason why Reddy was dashing for the evergreen tree! Here came the reason, diving out of the sky! It was Mr. Redtail the hawk! Reddy was running as fast as he could go! . . . and Mr. Redtail was zooooming down as fast as he could dive! Wow! And then . . . ZINGO!

Now, children, don’t you read the end of this letter to find out what happened, okay? First, let me tell you that Reddy knew that Mr. Redtail was up there in the sky, just waiting and watching for him to make that run to the next tree. Reddy also knew that Mr. Redtail is his deadly enemy. Yes, Reddy knew all these things, BUT . . . he was still willing to take that chance of getting to the next tree before Mr. Redtail could catch him. And Mr. Redtail sure was planning to have Reddy for his breakfast!

Now, let me tell you about a king found in the Bible in the Book of Daniel, chapter 5. His name was Belshazzar and his grandfather’s name was Nebuchadnezzar. Now then, God had taught Nebuchadnezzar some very painful lessons so he would be humble and respect God. Sadly, Belshazzar was not the least bit interested in what God had done for his grandfather. He was going to take the chance of living his kingly life without God.

So, one night Belshazzar made a big party for all the people in his palace. At that party, the people were doing things that were very bad. In other words, they were sinning against God.

God saw and heard what was going on at the party. Then God wrote on the wall just four words! The party became very silent, and there was no more loud music and joking around then. The people could not understand what the writing on the wall said. So the king called in a man by the name of Daniel who could understand the writing.

First of all, Daniel reminded Belshazzar of the lessons God had taught his grandfather. And then Daniel also reminded him that even though he knew all this, he still did not respect and honor God. Then Daniel explained to Belshazzar what the four words on the wall were saying: God has numbered your kingdom and finished it. Tonight you will die! And that night Belshazzar was killed, and another king took his place. How sad that Belshazzar did not listen to the words of his grandfather!

Children, as you are reading these stories, you have heard that you must be saved from your sins to be rescued from going down to hell. Here’s a good Bible verse for you to read. Acts 16:31 says, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.”

“Grampa, now tell us what happened to Reddy.”

Well . . . as we said, Mr. Redtail was in a zooming dive for Reddy, and Reddy was running like his life depended on it! At the very last moment, Reddy made a dashing dive right under the outstretched branches of that evergreen tree. SAVED! Mr. Redtail was so close that when he swooped upwards, his wings brushed snow off the branches of the evergreen tree!

The chance that Reddy took running for the evergreen tree almost cost him his life! Boys and girls, don’t take chances with your soul! Sing this Sunday school chorus with Gramma and me, and pay close attention to what it’s telling you.

Trust the Saviour early, Jesus says today,

While you’re young and tender, choose the narrow way,

Lest when you grow older, Satan snares your feet,

And you miss the way to heaven’s golden street.

We love you, children,

From Gramma and Grampa

ML-12/05/2004

Allison's Hitchhiker

Allison was really anxious to get back home. She was a college freshman, and her days had been full of studying and hard work. Now it was the Thanksgiving break, and she couldn’t wait to spend the weekend with her family. She jumped into her car and started for home, 150 miles away.

Allison didn’t know it, but she had a hitchhiker. He was very small, and he wore a long, gray coat. Allison didn’t see or hear him. You see, he was a long-haired angora cat, and he was sitting on top of her car’s engine. Allison didn’t know he was there. She just started up the engine and began driving home. She didn’t stop at all, not even for a hamburger, because she just wanted to get back to her family as quickly as she could.

When Allison reached home and got out, she suddenly heard a kitty crying. She felt terrible! Had she run over a cat? She and her family looked everywhere, trying to find where the kitty’s cries were coming from.

The Bible tells of someone who came to “seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). The Lord Jesus looked down from heaven and saw that boys and girls were sinners, and He knew they could not save themselves. When a boy or girl has sin on his heart, he cannot get rid of it himself. Sin can make us miserable, but we are not able to pay the price to have our sins removed. The Lord Jesus died on the cross and paid the penalty for sin. Now He is seeking those who are lost in their sins, and He wants to save them and make them His very own.

Allison was seeking for that kitty in distress to save it. Finally, when she could not find where the cries were coming from, she lifted the hood of her car. There sat the little kitty. He must have been miserable during that long, hot ride under the hood. The space was so small that he could not move very easily, and the noisy engine had been roaring in his ears. “He was sitting very still,” Allison said. “It seemed like he didn’t know what to do.”

Allison thinks he probably climbed up into the engine compartment before she left the college. Maybe he tried out that spot because her engine compartment was cozy and warm. Now she lifted him out gently. She could tell he was just a kitten, and, thankfully, the unexpected ride had not harmed him at all. However, because Allison and her family already had a houseful of pets, they dropped him off at the Animal Rescue League. Allison hopes he will find a good home with someone else soon.

The Lord Jesus is able to do much more than just rescue us from the danger of our sins! In Luke 15, the Bible tells us that He is the good Shepherd. When He found a lost sheep, He put it on His shoulders and carried it all the way home. He did not ever let it go again. The Lord Jesus is waiting to save you. He wants to take away your sins and make you a part of His family. He wants to bring you to His beautiful home in heaven. There is a loving welcome there for you, if you will let Him be your Saviour.

This wonderful home will never be too full for another boy or girl to be included. The Bible tells us that “him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out” (John 6:37). Will you cry out to the Lord Jesus to save you?

ML-12/12/2004

Mr. Brooke Sells His Property

The shack was run-down with cracked windows, a leaky roof and a garden overgrown with weeds. There were, however, some beautiful old trees on the lot which shaded the shack and made the property attractive. Old Mr. Brooks, the owner, was a wrinkled and bent-over old man. He never moved very far from his fireside in winter or from the shade of his trees in summer.

In the busy city nearby, Mr. Parker, a millionaire, was making plans to build a new home. As he drove around searching for a nice piece of property on which to build a new house, he came across Mr. Brooks’ property. The beautiful setting with the lovely old trees seemed like just what he wanted, so he sent his agent to see if the old man would sell his property.

Mr. Brooks was surprised and delighted with the agent’s offer to buy the property. He thought it was wonderful that a millionaire would want to buy his home. He agreed to sell it, and after the agent left he quickly got to work.

In an old cupboard in his basement, Mr. Brooks dug around and found a hammer, some nails and even some old paint and a brush. For almost two weeks he hammered, patched, repaired and painted.

Finally the agent returned and looked quite surprised when he saw what had been done to the old shack. Putting his hand on the old man’s shoulder, he said quietly, “Mr. Brooks, I’m afraid you misunderstood me. Mr. Parker doesn’t want your old house. He would never think of living in it. What he wants is your property.”

Poor old Mr. Brooks. All his time and effort fixing up his home had been for nothing. The old shack was just going to be torn down.

Many boys and girls, and grown-ups too, are doing the very same thing that Mr. Brooks tried to do. (And maybe you are too.) They hear about God and decide that they would like to be good enough for God to love them. So they try to fix up their lives by obeying their mothers and dads and their teachers, going to Sunday school, and maybe even reading their Bibles. But all those things are not what God wants -they are just like the old man’s nails and paint.

God wants you to come to Him just as you are. He tells us quite plainly that “all our righteousnesses [good works] are as filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6), and He warns us that “not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us” (Titus 3:5). Although He hates your sins, He loves you and sent His Son, the Lord Jesus, to save you from your sins.

Don’t try to fix up yourself for God. Just come to His Son, Jesus, admitting that you are a sinner and accept His love for you. “God [commends] His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10).

ML-12/12/2004

Snakebite!

What a hot afternoon it was on the South Dakota prairie. John decided to take his young son Marc down to the Missouri River for a swim. It seemed like the best way to cool off on such a hot day.

Marc floated on a piece of driftwood, dangling his feet in the water as John swam along beside him. They both were enjoying the cool water.

Suddenly Marc screamed and jumped from the driftwood. John could tell from his screaming that he was in severe pain. John carried him right to shore. Within five minutes Marc was vomiting and looked awfully sick. John quickly discovered what had happened to Marc. A poisonous water snake had bitten him underneath his fourth toe - just one single puncture wound. Grabbing Marc, John put him in the car and drove as fast as he could to Dr. Van’s office.

Dr. Van was very concerned. He told John later it was the worst snakebite case he had ever seen. He gave Marc a shot of antivenin immediately to act against the poison from the snakebite. Then Dr. Van rushed Marc to an air ambulance helicopter, and he was flown to a larger city hospital.

Poor Marc had to have more of the antivenin while he was in the helicopter. Then when he got to the hospital he had to have an emergency operation to help fresh blood circulate to his toes. Everyone was so relieved and happy that Marc did not die from his snakebite. He didn’t even lose any of his toes!

Marc did come very close to dying from the snakebite. God’s Word, the Bible, tells us of a sting that is much worse than a snakebite. It is the sting of sin, and it results in death (1 Corinthians 15:56). Only people who get too close to snakes are bitten by them, but every single one of us has sinned! God tells us plainly, “All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Just as Marc needed an antivenin to cure him from the snakebite, every one of us needs a cure for our sins. There is only one cure for sin, and that is the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. “The blood of Jesus Christ His [God’s] Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

Dr. Van gave Marc the antivenin for the snakebite and he was soon well. You must decide if you will accept God’s cure for sin. If you will trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour now, you will be saved from the sting of everlasting death. “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31).

ML-12/19/2004

"Dog Overboard!"

The loading ramp of the super ferry was hoisted up, and with its engines rumbling, the boat pulled away from the dock. This ferryboat carried almost three hundred cars and many foot passengers. Seagulls followed the boat out into open waters. The birds watched as passengers walked on the upper deck, looking for someone to throw a crust of bread their way.

Partway across Puget Sound and miles from shore, the captain slowed the ferryboat to check the engines. About then a man and his hunting dog got out of their car to stretch their legs. The man reached into the car to grab the dog’s leash. He thought the dog would wait for him, but that didn’t happen. No sooner had the man taken his eyes off the dog to look for the leash, when the dog spotted the birds following the boat. With a bound the dog took off running towards the birds. He ran to the back of the ferryboat, ducked under the steel cable that acted as a fence, and jumped out into the water!

Unaware that anything was wrong, the captain cranked up the power in the engines and the boat picked up speed. A man standing at the back of the ship called out over the heavy engine noise, “DOG OVERBOARD!”

The dog’s owner heard the shout and looked to the spot where his dog was supposed to be waiting. “Oh no!” he cried as he realized it was his dog in the water.

The owner ran to the back of the ship, looked for the dog in the water and couldn’t see him. A man from the upper deck pointed to the dog in the distance.

Without hesitating, the dog’s owner found a life preserver ring on the wall, grabbed it and hurled it in the direction of the dog. Then with a running start, the owner leaped into the icy cold water. With strong strokes he swam out to the life ring and called out to his dog.

Bystanders on the ferry raced to tell the captain that a man and his dog were overboard. The captain instantly stopped the ferry and ordered the ship’s lifeboat with a small motor into the water. A couple of well-trained crewmen drove the small boat out to the man and hauled him into the boat, then found the dog and rescued it too.

The hunting dog would have drowned out there in the deep water if someone hadn’t come to its rescue. His master’s putting his own life at risk certainly displayed how much he loved his dog.

God certainly loves us too. God’s amazing love is shown by His plan to save perishing sinners. He sent His Son into our world of sin and strife. With no hesitation on His part, the Lord Jesus left the glories of heaven and came to this troubled earth to reveal His love to us. Knowing the terrible cost of coming to save us, He never paused to wonder if we were worth it.

Almost every step of Jesus’ life down here was resisted by sinful men who had no use for God or His beloved Son. For the goodness and love He showed to mankind, Jesus was rewarded with evil and hatred. He was taken by cruel hands and nailed to a cross.

At the cross, the only just man who ever lived, died for the unjust: “Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18).

The One who filled heaven with His glory came down all the way into the poverty of a shameful death on the cross so that you and I might have true riches. “Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His poverty might be rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9).

This Man who lived a perfect life and never sinned had to be forsaken by God on the cross while He suffered for the sins His creatures had committed. “He 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).

Now because of His death on the cross, you and I can be saved from our sins by trusting in Him. “Whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:15).

Later on the ferryboat, as he sat wrapped up in a blanket and sipping hot coffee, the dog’s owner thanked his rescuers and then asked if they would have stopped the ferryboat if they knew that just a pet was overboard. One of the crewmen answered, “Yes, even for a pet we would have stopped the boat to rescue it.”

And if you were to approach the throne of God and ask, “Did you send your Son to die even for me?” praise God, the answer for each one of us would be a resounding, “Yes!” So whether you are a child or a grown-up, you can believe and know for sure that Christ died for you. Christ’s death for us is what shows how amazing His love is.

What will you do with that One who loves you so much that He died for you? Will you take Him as your Saviour right now?

ML-12/26/2004

Afraid?

When I was a young person, I was given an assignment which I dreaded. I had to stand up and speak in front of a group of people. I had never done anything like that, and I was scared. I prayed about it more than once, but I had no peace about the assignment.

Early one morning I went out into the meadow where it was quiet and I could be alone with God. I sat down on the ground to think things over. As I sat there, a spider came along and began to spin her web. She climbed up one upright plant stalk and attached her silk to the top of it. Then she drew her fine line of silk over to another upright object and attached it there. I watched with great interest as she went around and around, until her whole beautiful web was woven.

The spider had chosen a good place for her web - an open place where many insects would be flying and be caught in her web. This would provide her with food. Then possibly her pattern would be to lay her eggs on that web and raise a spider family.

However, that spider didn’t understand the whole picture. You see, the second upright object that her web was attached to happened to be my boot, and in another few moments I planned to stand up and leave. This would bring her whole little world crashing down around her.

Are you sometimes afraid of something you see coming into your life? Or does your world seem to be tumbling down around you? That morning I learned a little more of how to “trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:56). I knew the Lord was going to take care of that spider with her damaged web, and I was reassured that He was going to help me with my assignment too.

ML-12/26/2004

Enoch

It was a very long time ago, maybe 5000 years, when Jared and his wife welcomed their first little boy into the world. They called him Enoch.

It was a busy world for a little boy to grow up in. There were not only farmers and cattle ranchers, there were also metal workers who crafted in brass and iron and taught their skills to others. And it was a world full of music, with harps and flutes. The people had enough cleverness to build a city where they could share their skills and pleasures.

I am not sure what part the boy Enoch had in all this. There were very old men living in his day. One of them was Adam, the only man in the world who never was a little boy. Another one was Adam’s son Seth, who had certainly heard from his parents the story of the Garden of Eden and the forbidden fruit. These stories had surely been passed on to Enoch, and since the first man was still alive, they would not be told as twisted tales. Adam was Enoch’s great, great, great, great grandfather who lived to be 950 years old.

Enoch grew to be a man of 65, and then he and his wife had a little son whom they named Methuselah.

Enoch was a father now, and he had found something far more important to live for than all the busyness and pleasure of the world around him. Enoch walked with God, and He led Enoch to do his daily duties and to train his son to call upon God too. Walking with God was not a now-and-then matter in Enoch’s life; it was daily life to him.

Enoch had many more sons and daughters after that, and he lived for 300 more years. And in all that time he walked with God so closely that God was able to tell him one of His wonderful secrets. These secrets are all recorded in the Bible now, so that God has nothing new to tell. I wonder if you have taken time to read and remember what God has written in His wonderful book.

Enoch foretold God’s wonderful news nearly 5000 years ago. It has not happened yet, but it most certainly will come true. Remember, God’s knowledge is so perfect that He can speak of the future as if it were happening right now! This was His secret He told to Enoch: “Behold, the Lord [comes] with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment upon all” (Jude 1:14-15).

There must have been a lot of wickedness around Enoch in his day, but the Lord told Enoch that He is coming in a future day, not alone, but with those who belong to Him. When He comes, He will deliver deserved judgment upon ungodly sinners. And in all these thousands of years since, God has not changed His plan!

Nothing in the wicked world around Enoch changed his attitude; he simply walked with God, and God brought a wonderful change to his life. God took him out of the world to be with Him-self ! Enoch did not die, and there was no funeral and no burial. God tells it like this in the Bible: “He [Enoch] was not; for God took him” (Genesis 5:24).

Have you heard that this is going to happen to those of us who are believers too? The day is coming very soon when we who belong to the Lord Jesus will be called to His home, and, just like Enoch, there will be no funerals and no burials for us. There is no place on earth where the body of Jesus lies buried, because He is alive and in heaven. And there will be no place on earth for the bodies of living believers either. Even those believers who have already died will leave empty graves behind.

This God was Enoch’s God, and He is our God too. He is not a God of our imagination, but the same One who gave His only Son to die for us. This same God who is holy and true wants your company today and forever in heaven. Will you walk with God and learn His secrets too?

Do you remember Methuselah, the son of Enoch? He lived 969 years and died the very same year that Noah entered into the ark and the flood came and destroyed all the unbelievers. Let no one tell you that God does not care. His loving welcome is as true as His terrible anger against sin. We have a God who cares!

“Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of Man [comes] at an hour when ye think not” (Luke 12:40).

ML-02/15/2004

Moses, Pharaoh, and Frogs

Perhaps you have heard of Pharaoh, the great king of Egypt. He was keeping the children of Israel as slaves to make bricks for his projects. But God knew what Pharaoh was doing, and He sent Moses to tell him, “Let My people go!”

Pharaoh’s answer was very bold against God. He said, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice?” (Exodus 5:2).

Maybe you have said bold words like that. But everyone needs to listen to God. He says, “The wages of sin is death.” God means what He says. And the only way you can escape the wages of your sins is to repent and believe what God says about a Substitute He has provided for you.

Pharaoh did not care what God said, so God spoke to him in ways that were not very pleasant. One of those ways was the plague of frogs.

The Nile River flowed through Egypt, and in its quieter spots there were large, green frogs, long-legged and slippery. Perhaps we like them in the river when they swell out their throats and sing. But God’s purpose was intended to make Pharaoh obey His voice. God told Aaron to stretch out his rod over the river so that frogs would come up on the land. And they came! They came right into the Egyptians’ houses and into their bedrooms and into their beds! Not just a few, but lots and lots of them - in the kitchens and in their mixing bowls and in the ovens! In fact, the frogs were jumping all over the people and their servants, till nobody could get a moment’s peace.

Pharaoh’s magicians couldn’t make the frogs go away, and Pharaoh was terribly upset. He told Moses, “Entreat the Lord, that He may take away the frogs from me.”

“When?” asked Moses.

“Tomorrow!” answered Pharaoh.

God answered Moses’ prayer, and from then on the frogs stayed in the river. But the frogs already on land died in the bedrooms and kitchens and all over, and the people gathered them into heaps, and the land stank.

Do you think Pharaoh listened now and promised to let God’s people go? No, he didn’t. I suppose his workmen figured out some way to clean up the mess and then ordered the children of Israel to get back to work making bricks.

Do you hear the tender, loving voice of God speaking to you when troubles come? Will you refuse to listen to Him as Pharaoh did? There were more troubles for Pharaoh after that, and there will be in your life too, because God has promised, “The wages of sin is death.”

God finally sent death into every family of those Egyptian people, and there was a great and bitter cry. Why didn’t they listen at first? And why don’t you listen to God’s warnings? Even bad words you have said are sin and recorded by God Himself, and “the wages of sin is death.”

Is there any hope for you? Is there anyone willing to die in your place since you have sinned against God?

There is a wonderful promise in God’s Word which says, “Christ died for our sins” (1 Corinthians 15:3). The work is done. The Saviour died and rose again. But He is not everybody’s Saviour, because there are so many who go their own way, with unbelieving hearts, and they blame God for the troubles He sends.

Won’t you thank Him for troubles that make you listen - and thank Him for the precious blood of Jesus which cleanses us from all sin? Pharaoh didn’t listen. Will you?

You may read this story for yourself in Exodus 8:1-15.

ML-03/21/2004

An Unnecessary Welcome: Mary and Martha

Jesus was a foot-traveler, as poor men sometimes are. He came to the village of Bethany where a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house.

That was a good welcome, wasn’t it? Perhaps if you wanted to receive Jesus into your house, there might be a few things to do first. You might need to tidy up and put some things out of sight, quickly turn off the TV, and be careful of the language you use. But it seems that Martha did not need to do any of these things. And what good would it do anyway? Where can you put things that Jesus will not know that they are there? Let’s always remember Hebrews 4:13: “All things are naked and opened unto the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.”

It is wonderful to welcome Jesus into your home. It is good to always have things in order for Him. Will He take all feeling of stress out of your life and bring peace to your home? No, not really. The stress remained in Martha’s home and perhaps grew even greater. We will tell you the story, but you may also read it in Luke 10:38-42.

Martha was a busy hostess. She wanted to do things just right for her special Guest, until she was quite stressed about it all and so upset that she became a fault-finder. Do some of you today feel the same way? Are you trying to do your best and others are not helping as they should, and you are upset and stressed about it? Martha was, and Jesus understood.

Martha had a sister named Mary who wanted to hear Jesus, and she did not want to miss a word. She sat at His feet and listened to all He said. Jesus was the Giver, and she needed Him. Do you need Him too?

But Martha was so upset with Mary that she asked Jesus, Don’t you care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to help me.

If we talk like that to Jesus, we have not learned to know Him. Yes, He cares about every detail of our lives, as only perfect love can care. Martha thought that the problem was her sister, but it was really in herself. The same perfect love and wisdom looks at you today and says, as Jesus said, “Martha, Martha.” Just imagine Him saying your name like that, with double tenderness and understanding. He did not scold her, even though she had tried to correct Him. He put His finger on the real cause and told Martha, “Thou art careful and troubled about many things . . . but . . . Mary [has] chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.”

Mary heard this promise, and although she said nothing, Jesus’ words stayed with her. She was a listener, and this would not be taken away from her.

Maybe you know some busy ladies whose helping hands have served many, and those hands lie idle now and can’t do anything. Those very same ladies now can be listeners like Mary, and what is learned will carry over to heaven. Sickness or age may stop our busy hands, but nothing can stop our learning more and more about Jesus and His love.

It is good to have busy hands in the service of the Lord, but only if those hands work in obedience and love to the One to whom we belong. Depending on Jesus gives us peace in our daily duties on the road to heaven. And nothing else gives us this peace. “My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27).

ML-04/18/2004

Mordecai's Reward

Maybe you have heard legends of great kings of long ago, but this story is not a legend. It is recorded in the Book of Esther in God’s Word, so we know it is true.

King Ahasuerus was a very important king of the land of Persia. He had friends and enemies, and he had a heart full of pride, just like you and I have. There were two men who served in the royal court who appeared to be his friends, but they were secretly his enemies, and they had an evil plan.

When Jesus was on earth, there were many religious people who worshipped God loudly and proudly, but when God sent His beloved Son into the world, the secrets of their hearts showed up. “Away with Him, crucify Him,” they shouted.

I wonder, Are you a real friend of God or are you an enemy of God? When God says that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15), do you answer, “Sinners? Not me!” Then you are an enemy of God. But listen! It is possible right now to have your sins freely forgiven and to be His friend forever. Read on.

We are not told the reasons those servants were plotting against the king. Maybe it’s because we all have different reasons for being enemies of God. But their evil plan was to get rid of that king by murdering him. However, a man named Mordecai exposed their plot, and the king’s life was saved. The two traitors were hanged at once.

But when our Jesus was captured one dark night, His life was not saved. Those evil men were no surprise to Him; He knew long ago what was going to happen. There were many thousands of angels waiting for the command to set Him free, but no such command was given. He was crucified.

And now the amazing wonder is that God offers us forgiveness! That same Jesus who died on the cross is the Saviour who died for us and rose from the dead. Have you believed that He died for you? There is forgiveness for you, right now!

Sometime later, King Ahasuerus had a bad night. He could not sleep, and he was not a patient man. Bring me the records! he called, and his obedient servants brought him the great scrolls of the kingdom. Now read to me, he demanded, and the reading began.

The records included the story of the plot against the king’s life, its discovery and the hanging of the two traitors. But no mention was made of a reward for the loyal informer who saved the king’s life.

What honor was given to Mordecai for this? the king asked.

Nothing was done for him, answered the servants.

You see, the king’s relief that his life was saved and his anger against the traitors had made him forget to reward Mordecai’s loyalty. In the king’s mind, punishment was most important. He would reward later, if and when he remembered.

But our God is not like that! Never! No one on earth or in heaven will ever make Him forget one act of faithful love to Himself. Our God remembers, and He will reward all believers first for even a cup of cold water given in His name, before He sends one rebellious sinner to the lake of fire. And His rewards are lasting.

It was daybreak when the king thought of rewarding his loyal servant, but he couldn’t think what reward to choose. So he asked his attendant to check who was in the courtyard.

Yes, a highly honored servant named Haman was there, and he was called in to choose the reward. Haman, thinking it was all for himself, piled on all the honors he could think of—fancy clothes, jewelry and a parade through town with everyone cheering. And then Haman found out it was not for himself ! It was all for Mordecai.

Are you expecting to receive the eternal joys of heaven for your-self ? You’d better make sure that you have followed God’s plan. If you are safe in Christ, if He is your Saviour, God has promised that heaven’s eternal joy and happiness are waiting for you. But if not, read Revelation 20:15 and see what a dreadful future is before you.

Mordecai got the fancy clothes and the cheering parade, and perhaps he enjoyed it, but it only lasted a short time. King Ahasuerus is dead now, and his importance and honors died with him. But Jesus my Saviour lives! He will present Himself as King of kings and Lord of lords. He will be honored by ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, and we will share His honors forever in heaven.

If you are really a Christian, will you let the world know that you are a friend of God? Let them see that you know God’s Word is true. God will remember your loyalty, and He will choose your reward Himself.

But if not . . . what can God do with a sinner who won’t have Christ? The warning is in our memory verse.

ML-05/09/2004

Moses, Pharaoh, and the Plagues

The cows were all lying dead in the field one day, and their keepers were lying dead beside them. Whatever could have happened? Let me tell you the story. And since this is one of God’s stories, we may be sure that it is true.

Pharaoh, king of Egypt, was using the children of Israel as slaves to make bricks for his building projects. God told Pharaoh, “Let My people go!”

No! said Pharaoh. He wanted to keep them as slaves.

Perhaps you said “No” to God and to His Son Jesus yesterday when He reminded you again of your sins. Nothing bad happened, and you got up this morning healthy and well. So did the Egyptian people . . . for a while. But God sent them nine warnings before He sent the tenth one - death. Has He sent warnings to you?

One of those nine warnings was a furious storm of thunder, lightning and hail so huge and heavy it pounded everything flat, including people and animals. If the weather forecast warned you of a terrible storm like that, you would make sure that you and everything you owned were in a safe shelter. But this warning to Pharaoh was not from the weatherman; it was from God, and Pharaoh did not listen.

Do you listen to God? He never makes mistakes. His Word tells you over and over again that God will judge this sinful world. Do you have a safe shelter from that judgment?

Perhaps you don’t know where to find shelter. That’s why God gave us the Bible, and that’s why we are telling you this story. Jesus, the Saviour of sinners -Jesus, who died for our sins and rose again - Jesus, the Son of God, is the perfect and only shelter from that judgment which God has warned is coming against sin and sinners.

There were some Egyptians who feared God and listened, and they brought their livestock home. But I’m afraid that word “some” did not include very many. There was no escape from the pounding hail and fiery lightning for anyone or anything left outside. The fields were strewn with the dead bodies of people and animals.

Pharaoh cried out to Moses to ask God to stop the deadly storm. You notice that Pharaoh himself did not cry to God. He had to beg Moses to ask God to stop the storm. But God loves you, and He wants to hear a cry from your own heart, not just asking for peace and good health, but to cleanse you from all your sins by the precious blood of Jesus. Do you see that sin is the real deep-down problem in your life?

Moses stretched forth his hands toward heaven and the hailstorm stopped. This did not bring life again to the cows and keepers, and it did not teach Pharaoh his lesson-that God is true and He must be obeyed.

From the rest of the story in the book of Exodus, it is plain that Pharaoh never learned. Will you listen and learn? You can never get past the power of God, and you can never guess the love of His heart until you come to Him through Jesus. You will find that “God is love” (1 John 4:16). What He will do for you is a million times better than stopping a hailstorm! In His mighty power, He will do far more than all you ask or think.

“In the fear of the Lord is strong confidence: and His children shall have a place of refuge” (Proverbs 14:26).

ML-06/13/2004

The Twelve Stones

Father, said the young lad, Why are these twelve stones piled up here beside the river?

And this was the father’s answer: When you were very little, we came to this Jordan River and found that it had overflowed all its banks. It was a long way across, and there were thousands of us and we had no boats. But Joshua was our leader, and he had instructions from God, telling us what to do.

God had told us long ago exactly how to build an ark for Him. Now this ark is not a boat like Noah built. This ark is a beautiful golden box, built just as God had said, and He told the priests how to carry it. They were to carry it by poles on their shoulders, so that it rose above their heads as they walked.

When we reached the river, Joshua told the priests to carry the ark right into the middle of the river, and that’s what they did. As soon as their feet touched the water, God stopped the river from flowing and made it stand in a heap far away, so that the riverbed was dry. The priests walked into the dry riverbed and stood still right in the middle of it, and we all walked across safely on dry ground. But God told us not to get close to the ark. We stayed about half a mile away, but we could still see the ark there. We walked across that dry riverbed without being afraid that the river would start flowing again, because we knew God was holding the river back. The ark stayed there until every one of us was safely over to this shore, and then Joshua told the priests to come up out of the dry riverbed.

God told Joshua to choose twelve men to carry twelve stones from the place in the riverbed where the priests’ feet stood firm as they held the ark and make a pile of those twelve stones right here on the shore.

That is the meaning of the twelve stones that you see. And do you know something? God wanted you to ask that question, and He wanted me to answer it. He wanted us to remember all our lives what God did for us that day.

It is a good thing for children to ask questions about what God has done for us. And it is good when we can answer them correctly, but, of course, sometimes we make mistakes. If you really want to know for sure what God has done for us, you can find it for yourself in the Bible. Or if you can’t read, you could get a Bible and ask your father or mother to read it to you.

What if you don’t have a Bible and don’t have a mother? Then tell God your problem. He will not fail you! He is sure to answer you because He loves you very much, and He wants you to know Him and all He has done for you. You will never be in any place in the whole world where God cannot hear you and bring you an answer from His Word, the Bible. He tells us, “Before they call, I will answer; and while they are yet speaking, I will hear” (Isaiah 65:24). The question is, Do you really want to know? You will never in all your life learn anything more important than to know and believe what God has done for you.

If you have a Bible of your own or can borrow one, there is more of this story of the twelve stones for you to read in the Book of Joshua, chapters 34. And if you really want to know and believe what God has done for you, read our memory verse at the top of this page.

ML-07/18/2004

Peter

“I’m going fishing,” said Peter long ago. It was evening and a good time for casting his fishing net into the sea. Peter was a skilled fisherman, and he didn’t fish just for fun. It was how he earned his living. His father was a fisherman too.

Peter was old enough to have many memories stored up in his mind. Some of his were very special memories, because he was alive when Jesus lived on earth. He had been there when Jesus was crucified and buried, and he had seen the empty grave on that wonderful morning of His resurrection. He was also one of those who had seen Jesus, twice, since then.

Now Peter and six others were out under the stars with their dragnet, and he knew the ways of fish. It would be a good night.

But it wasn’t. They had fished hopefully during the long night hours, but when the morning light began to glow in the eastern sky, they had caught nothing. Not one single fish.

Have you found your life to be like that? All your hard work adds up to nothing; your nets are empty and the future looks empty too? Listen to this story, because it is true. God can command the fish, and He can give you much better than you can ask or hope for. “Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20).

Those seven fishermen saw a Man standing on the shore. There was no halo around His head; He looked like an ordinary man. This Man called to them and asked them if they had any food.

“No,” they answered.

Then that Man Jesus told them to cast the net on the right side of the boat and they would catch some.

How could Jesus know that? How could He tell experienced fishermen how to fish? Do you not know that our Jesus is the Creator of all things, and everything is under His control? Are you remembering that He is the Son of God? They cast the net on the right side of the boat, and it was so full of fish that they could hardly drag it into the boat.

Now there was one man in the boat who knew for a fact that Jesus loved him, and he said to Peter, “It is the Lord!”

Peter’s heart answered at once, I want to go to Him! And he put on his fisherman’s coat and jumped into the sea to go to Jesus at once. Never mind the fish . . . the others could drag them in.

As soon as the boat came to shore, the fishermen saw a nice little fire there, burned down to hot coals, and fish laid on it and bread.

“Bring the fish you have caught,” Jesus said. Peter pulled in the catch. How many fish were there? One hundred and fifty three . . . and they were big ones!

We don’t hear any more about those fish. I am sure they were not wasted, but Jesus Himself was the important One, and those men were important because Jesus loved them.

I wonder if you have learned that you are important because Jesus loves you. Never mind the failures or the successes. Jesus knows how to change the failures and use the successes to make your life what He wants you to be. What is most important is having Him in your life!

They had a wonderful breakfast that morning, because Jesus Himself cooked and served it with His own hands. And they were wounded hands, because He had already been crucified and risen from the dead. His resurrection body was not hungry, but He knew that they were hungry, and He made the breakfast for them that they liked best.

He still lives to supply our needs. There was a long, lonely, dark, hopeless night before that meal, and perhaps life is like that for you now. Be of good courage. You will see Him in the “morning,” and He will not go away as He did when He went up into heaven and left His followers here.

To be with Jesus in heaven will be far better than the best feast you ever had in your whole life. If He has put some disappointments in your life now, let Him use them for His perfect plans. But keep watching for the “morning” when He will call all those who are cleansed from their sins to His home in heaven. “He that shall come will come, and will not tarry [delay]” (Hebrews 10:37).

But I have a question for you. Have you been cleansed from your sins? If not, don’t wait! or you’ll be left behind. “The blood of Jesus Christ [God’s] Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

ML-08/08/2004

Ahab and Jehosaphat

It was a very great battle that day. Army fought against army, with chariots and cavalry and foot soldiers in a fierce display and strong muscles pulling bowstrings and shooting deadly arrows against the enemy.

The enemy’s first purpose was to get the king, but in this case there were two kings, King Ahab and King Jehoshaphat. These two kings had a pact to fight together against their enemy. I think King Ahab must have been afraid, because he said to King Jehoshaphat, I will disguise myself, but you put on your robes. Probably King Ahab was doubly afraid, because God had told him that he would die in this battle, and he was not planning to let that happen. He was going to make sure that he was not the one who would die. He thought his little plan was going to change the word of God.

It was a good plan, and perhaps you have a good plan too. You have heard that God will punish unbelieving sinners in hell, but you are not planning to let this happen to you. You have your own plan, even though God says, “Be not deceived; God is not mocked” (Galatians 6:7).

It happened just as King Ahab had expected. The enemy swarmed around King Jehoshaphat, who was wearing royal robes. But that king was a true believer, and when he saw his danger, he cried out to the Lord, and God helped him and caused the enemy to leave him alone.

I suppose King Ahab watched all this. But just then one of the enemy archers drew his bow, just on a guess, and that arrow flew straight into a joint in King Ahab’s armor . . . and it went deep.

Take me out of the battle, King Ahab cried to his chariot driver. I am badly wounded!

For the rest of the day, King Ahab stayed where he could see the fighting, but just as the sun was setting, he died.

Can you change God’s word? Never! Is there no hope for a sinner? Can a poor sinner be saved from an eternity in hell before he leaves this world?

The Son of God, who is called the Word, has come into our world as a baby, and as a man He has died to take the sinner’s place. All God’s judgment against sin rolled over Him. He loves you and will be your Saviour, if you will come. God has written His Word in a book, the Bible, and He has also sent His Son as the living Word to show you all that is in His heart.

Yes, there is hell, and without Christ you cannot escape it, because His Word is forever unchangeable. But there is heaven for those who will admit that they are sinners and are sorry for their sins and will believe that Christ died on the cross for them. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him” (John 3:36).

Jesus loves you and wants you. Will you come?

ML-08/29/2004

Daniel and the Lions

The great King Darius could not get to sleep because his head was full of worried thoughts. Maybe you have a bad night like that sometimes, and if you do, I hope you know how to pray. If you tell God your thoughts, you can be sure He is listening, for our God never slumbers or sleeps, and He is always listening. “Behold, the Lord’s . . . ear [is not] heavy, that it cannot hear” (Isaiah 59:1).

I am sure King Darius had a very comfortable bed, but sleep would not come. His servants probably asked him if he wanted a midnight snack or if he wanted some soft music to help him fall asleep.

No, nothing would help. The trouble was that the great king wanted to change his mind. But he had signed the law, and he could not erase what he had done.

You and I can’t erase things that we have done either. Maybe you sinned yesterday, and today you wish you could wipe it out. But what you did is written in the books of heaven, and you cannot remove it.

Is there any hope for you? Oh, yes! Jesus knew all about you and your sins long ago, and He came into the world to save sinners. He died and shed His precious blood for a very special reason: “The blood of Jesus Christ [God’s] Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). However, if you are not a sinner, you cannot be saved. But if you are a sinner and are ready to tell God this and to accept His Son as your very own Saviour, then your sins will be washed away and you will belong to Him forever. Knowing that you belong to Him is tremendous!

King Darius got up early the next morning, because he couldn’t forget what he had done at sunset the day before. He had given orders to throw Daniel into the den of hungry lions. Daniel was an old man who had faithfully served the kings of his country for many years, and all his accounts were correct and honest. The problem was that other men were jealous of him, and they convinced the king to pass a law that nobody could pray to anyone but the king himself. Then when they found Daniel on his knees praying to the God of heaven, they told the king about it and reminded him of his signed law.

Even the king could not change the law. He racked his brain all day but could not think of any way to save Daniel.

I’m glad my God planned a way to save me! He sent His own beloved Son to die in my place - Jesus took my punishment.

King Darius hurried to the den of lions and called sadly, “Daniel . . . is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?”

Most of you know Daniel’s answer. “My God hath sent His angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me.” Most likely, while the king had a sleepless night, Daniel may have had a good night’s sleep in that den of lions. But I am sure he remembered first of all to thank God for that angel messenger who shut the lions’ mouths.

The relieved king quickly commanded his servants to lift Daniel up out of the den. But the rest of the story is the sad end of those jealous men who did not believe in Daniel’s God. They were thrown into the den of lions, and they had no Saviour. The lions quickly proved how hungry they were. It was the king’s righteous punishment.

Our God is a God of righteous punishment too. He offers His free and loving forgiveness now - today. But our Jesus did not take the punishment for all sinners, only for those who come to Him, trust Him and accept His love. What does God do with sinners who refuse His Son as their Saviour? “Whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15).

You may read this story for yourself in the Book of Daniel, chapter 6.

ML-10/24/2004

What Was Hidden in Achan's Tent

It’s my secret, Achan said to himself. No one needs to know. And he carefully scraped a hole in the floor of his tent and hid them there - two hundred shekels of silver, a wedge of gold, and a fine imported garment.

You see, Achan had worn the same clothes for forty years. Maybe, if he had been a child when the journey began, he had exchanged clothes and sandals with other growing children until he was a man, but nothing was newer than forty years old.

Are you thinking, Poor, tattered old clothes?

No, they weren’t tattered or worn out! Achan did not stop to think about how wonderful his clothes really were. God had kept them fresh, without fading or need for mending, through all those years of dusty desert travel. There was nothing like those clothes in the whole world, neither then nor now. So why steal and hide a supposedly better garment when what God had provided was still just like new? And more importantly, God had said “No” about taking anything of the riches of Jericho.

Achan was part of the army which had won a great victory at Jericho. The next city, which was Ai, was just a small city and would be an easy victory. No problem.

But there WAS a problem! God knew about that stuff hidden in Achan’s tent, and God let Israel’s army turn back defeated from the little city of Ai. Joshua, their leader, took this problem at once to the God of Israel. God’s answer was, “Israel [has] sinned”!

We aren’t told how long it was between the hiding and the discovery. Perhaps in our lives it may be a long time, but the discovery of hidden sin is sure to come. Achan had an opportunity to confess his hidden sin before God, but he didn’t confess until he was pointed out as the guilty one.

Do you know that you have an opportunity right now to confess to God that you are a sinner? There is forgiveness for you, because it was for peoples’ sins that Jesus suffered and died on Calvary. He knows everything you have done. Tell Him now that you are a sinner and need your sins forgiven. Confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead. God has promised that you will be eternally saved from the punishment for your sins. “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).

Achan confessed when he was faced with his guilt and told them where to find the things in his tent. Punishment was total. He, his family and all his belongings were destroyed, and a great heap of stones was piled over the whole guilty group.

God tells you and me that “every tongue [shall] confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:11). If you wait until you stand before God as your judge to make this confession, then your punishment will be total. But if you will confess from your heart today that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Saviour, you will find that Jesus bore your total punishment on the cross, and forgiveness for you is free. When your life here on earth is over, you will be welcomed to your home in heaven where Jesus is right now.

You may read this story for yourself in the Bible in Joshua, chapter 7.

ML-11/21/2004

Moses Kept Waiting

There wasn’t very much about Egypt that Moses didn’t know. Not only was he very smart, he was a good speaker too. He was also in a very important position as the adopted son of the king’s daughter. It was enough to make any man proud of himself and sure of his future.

But there was something inside Moses’ heart that made him unhappy. There were people in Egypt who were having a rough time. They were working very hard as slaves and getting scoldings and beatings instead of pay. This specially bothered him because he knew who his real parents were - he knew that by birth he really was one of those slaves. It was as if they were his own brothers, and his good life in the palace could not make him forget that those slaves were really his people.

One day Moses went by himself to watch them working, but he saw more than that. He saw an Egyptian beating one of his own hard-working people, and that was not fair. Moses was a strong man himself, so he looked this way and that way to make sure no one was watching. Then he killed that Egyptian and buried him in the sand.

But you can never be sure. If you want to hide what you are doing, you had better not do it.

Moses went out again another day and saw a fight, but this time it was two of his own people who were fighting each other. This time he wanted to be a peacemaker so that they would be friends again. But the attacker was angry at Moses for breaking up the fight. Who made you a prince and a judge over us? he asked. Will you kill me like you killed the Egyptian yesterday?

Now Moses knew that someone had seen what he had done to that Egyptian and that the king would hear about it. When Moses saw that he was in trouble, he quickly left Egypt and the good life that he had in the palace and went away to Midian to live. But his people were still slaves in Egypt, working under hard conditions as brick builders for the king.

God had a great work for Moses to do, but he was not ready for it yet. And God had a great surprise for those poor, hard-working slaves, but they were not ready for it either.

Don’t be angry if God keeps you waiting. He wants you to be ready for His blessing. You may ask, “Ready? How can I be ready?” You are ready when you will let God have His way. He loves you and wants to save you from your sins right now, through the precious blood of His dear Son. Are you ready to let Him save you? or do you want to argue with Him first?

Moses was already a saved man, but his riches and education and strength did not make him ready to be used by God to save his people from slavery. It is God who is wise and strong and loving, not Moses or you or me. Are you ready to be used by Him to help others?

While Moses was living elsewhere, he learned what God wanted him to know. After many years, God sent him back again to Egypt, and he did deliver his people from slavery. Have you and I learned that God is always right?

“As for God, His way is perfect: the word of the Lord is tried [proven]” (Psalm 18:30).

ML-12/19/2004

The Agouti of Central America

“Many, O Lord my God, are Thy wonderful works which Thou hast done, and Thy thoughts which are to us-ward.”
Psalm 40:5

Central America is home for many kinds of wildlife, including large and small animals. One of these is the agouti, also known as the guatuga. Most of these live in Costa Rica, but some live in South America as well.

The agouti is a harmless rodent about the size of a rabbit. If it hears strange noises or spots an enemy, such as a jaguar, coati or vicious monkey, it gives a special alarm call to others nearby. At the same time, it “freezes” as still as a statue or will dash for cover, zigzagging through the trees. The Creator has provided the agouti with strong, long legs which it uses to move quickly when threatened.

This rather pretty little animal, with a very short tail or no tail at all, has large, bulging eyes, a pointed head and blunt nose. Its small rounded ears are always standing upright when it is awake, which accounts for its keen sense of hearing. Generally it has brown or blackish-brown fur.

The agouti lives in dense forests and usually makes its home in a sheltered spot under tree roots, between rocks or in a hollow log. This peaceful creature hunts in daylight for its food, consisting mostly of wild avocados or other fruit, nuts, leaves, roots or stems of tasty shrubs. Unlike most animals, its litter of two babies are already covered with hair when born, and their eyes are fully open. The young can take care of themselves soon after birth, almost immediately beginning to eat plants, but they usually remain with the parents for several weeks.

Natives consider the agouti a helpful friend, because it aids in starting new trees to grow after a forest fire or damaging wind has raged through their part of the country. Since this animal likes acorns and other nuts, it buries large numbers of them in the ground, expecting to return later to dig them up. However, like squirrels and chipmunks which do the same thing, it often forgets where some are buried. In a short time these take root, and soon new trees are started.

These cute little animals are another example of the wonderful works of the Lord God, the Creator. We are told in the Bible that He is always looking over all His creation and caring for it. He has a special place in His caring heart for every boy and girl, man and woman, as it tells us in our opening verse. Yes, He has loving thoughts of you. Do you have loving thoughts of Him? He wants you to know His love and invites you to accept Him as your Saviour. Have you done this?

ML-01/04/2004

The Lacewing Fly

“The glory of the Lord shall endure forever: the Lord shall rejoice in His works.”
Psalm 104:31

Only about one-half inch long, the lacewing is a pretty little fly with two pairs of light-green, lacy wings. It is also called an aphid lion. We’ll soon learn why.

When laying eggs, the female first deposits a spot of glue on a stem of a plant or a leaf. Then she flips her tail upward, producing a small thread-like stalk which quickly dries. She repeats this time after time, until there are many stalks, and she lays one egg on the tip of each stalk. Spacing the eggs apart prevents the hungry, little larvae from eating each other after hatching.

In about a week, the larva hatches, cutting its way out of the egg. It looks somewhat like a tiny lizard. It slides down the smooth stalk, using its tail as a brake. The female lacewing has chosen the location for her eggs close to where aphids are feeding. These aphids and other harmful insects become food for the larva for about two weeks. Then the larva is ready for a change. Attaching itself to the underside of a leaf, it spins a thread of white silk, wrapping itself in a cocoon where it will go through a twelve-day change.

While in the cocoon, it develops specially designed cutting jaws which it uses to slice around the top of its cocoon. Pushing the lid open, the adult lacewing crawls out and spins another thread from which it dangles. Soon its wing veins fill with blood, the wings dry and it is ready for flight. Now it returns to what it enjoys best - eating aphids for the rest of its life. This is how it becomes a friend to gardeners and farmers.

Isn’t it interesting to see how the female lacewing makes such careful preparations for her young - first, by spacing the eggs apart so the larvae’s huge appetites don’t turn them into cannibals; then placing the eggs where the newly hatched larvae will immediately find food. It is another example of how God has given instincts to His creatures so that they may fill their part in His total plan of creation.

God’s ways with us are far more important than with these insects. He has given us superior intelligence so that we may see and know about Him and His wonders. He also has given us a conscience to remind us that we are sinners and need a Saviour. He also has given us hearts and minds capable of receiving this Saviour by faith, which is necessary for us to enter heaven. He tells us, “The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

Have you accepted this wonderful gift?

ML-01/11/2004

Gorgeous Toucans

“I [the Lord] know all the fowls of the mountains; and the wild beasts of the field are Mine.”
Psalm 50:11

There are over forty species of toucans, all living in southern Mexico and Central and South America. These birds live in flocks in dense forests and nest in holes in trees. The special feature of these birds is their enormous, brightly colored beaks, which set them apart from all other birds. Here are details of three.

The sulfur-breasted toucan has a green beak longer than its body and has a yellowish-tan breast. A patch of pink shows on both upper and lower parts of its beak, and its body feathers are mainly deep greenish-blue.

Brazil is the home of the toco toucan, somewhat smaller than the sulfur-breasted but with quite different color patterns. Its seven-inch beak, which is also longer than the rest of the body, is bright red and bright yellow. A black patch is on the end of the upper half, as well as a black ribbon circling it near the bird’s eyes. This band extends over the lower half of the beak as well.

There is a deep blue circle around black eyes and a white or yellowish throat, but on some the throat and breast are a light chocolate brown. Beyond that point, the body is black, except for a red heart-shaped area between the bottom of its tail and body.

The keel-billed toucan has perhaps the most startling colors of all. Its beak, not as long as some, has a bright red front on the upper part, followed by green all the way to its head, except for an orange spot in the center. The lower half has a smaller, matching, red point, backed by purple-blue, then some green and white with a final spot of blue at the base of the bird’s head.

The lower part of its head, throat and part of its breast are canary-yellow, while the upper part and the rest of the body are black, except for a bright red shield between the tail and body.

Toucans all have rather long, slender legs and long toes with sharp claws. Their unusual beaks are thin and light in weight and are great for snatching insects in the air, picking fruit or robbing eggs from birds’ nests. Wings are short and rounded and tails are quite long. Their calls to each other are harsh and lack the melodies common to so many other birds.

As the opening Bible verse reminds us, it is the Lord God who created all things, including these spectacular birds. But, in spite of His greatness, He has loving thoughts toward every person on earth. Another Bible verse says, “[He] will have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4). Are you saved from your sins?

ML-01/18/2004

Fierce Tigers: Part 1

“God made the beast of the earth after his kind . . . and God saw that it was good.”
Genesis 1:25

There are eight varieties of tigers. Although all look much alike, there are differences in their stripe markings. The Bengal and heavily furred Siberian tigers (the ones most often seen in zoos) are the largest. Some measure ten feet or more from their noses to the tips of their tails and weigh as much as five hundred fifty pounds. There are smaller tigers in India, Turkey, Iran, China, Japan, Java and Sumatra.

Tigers’ coats give them their beauty, with black and orange stripes circling their bodies and long white-tipped tails. But a closeup look at their faces, with glaring eyes and open mouths with sharp fangs, makes them rather scary, especially if a rasping snarl comes out. They are not friendly with other tigers unless it is a member of their own family.

It is easy to see that they are distantly related to the domestic cat you may have in your home. Both of them have loose fur, small ears, long whiskers and sharp claws that are hidden when walking or resting but are extended as sharp weapons when fighting or capturing an animal.

Tigers are well camouflaged by the stripes on their coats when in a forest, swampy area or desert with its tall, dry grass. By instinct they take advantage of this when hunting. For example, when a tiger is in an area where it is camouflaged and spots a zebra or other animal nearby, the tiger will immediately stop. It may lie perfectly still for an hour or more, until, carefully and soundlessly, it sneaks closer.

If nothing betrays the tiger’s presence, it will continue its silent approach until close enough to attack. Darting suddenly out of its hiding place, it leaps on the victim’s back and, with a bite of its powerful jaws, quickly ends its victim’s life. Then it might call its mate to join in the feast. They may take two or three days to eat a large animal. Their stomachs will then be so full that they won’t be interested in hunting for another three or four days.

Do you think the Lord God, the Creator, knows what these beasts are doing? Yes, He surely does, and it seems He often directs them to a weak or sickly animal that would only suffer in continuing to live with its handicap. Its sudden death is really a merciful way of ending its life, for tigers never torture their prey but kill it quickly. We will consider this more in next week’s issue. Meanwhile, think about the Bible verse that tells us, “[God looks] to the ends of the earth and [sees] under the whole heaven [sky]” (Job 28:24). His look on you is of love and kindness.

(to be continued)

ML-01/25/2004

Fierce Tigers: Part 2

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

In last week’s issue we looked at the similarities between tigers and house cats. Here is one difference -while our pet cats don’t like getting even a paw in water, tigers love to play in water or even swim in it, sometimes swimming great distances.

Baby tigers are cute and interesting. Females usually have two to six cubs in a litter, and they are born blind and helpless. However, the cubs don’t lose any time finding their mother’s milk, just as kittens do. They nurse until they are large enough to eat meat, which the mother teaches them to catch for themselves. The male ignores them, so the mother cares for them for about two years, until they have learned how to be on their own.

Except for swimming, tigers will not mix with other tigers and will fight any that come too near. When one has eaten its fill of a kill and there is some left over, it will not let other tigers have it. Instead, it covers the carcass with rocks or branches to hide it for later.

We commented that the two largest tigers are the Bengal and the Siberian. Although the Bengal is the strongest, the Siberian is the most beautiful. Its golden-brown body fur with narrow, black stripes contrasts beautifully with the solid white fur on its face. It has black stripes down the inside of its lower jaw and throat, as well as its front legs.

There are some exceptions to the usual orange and black tiger colors. The Bengals, for example, sometimes have white fur all over, ringed with the usual black stripes. But they do not live separate from the others that have the orange and black coloring. Some of these white and black tigers are in the National Zoo in Washington, D.C.

Although fierce hunters, tigers live peaceably with hippos, rhinos and elephants. They seem to know that, in spite of sharp claws and strong teeth, they would be no match for those huge beasts. They just ignore one another. Tourists, wishing to get a picture of these beauties, ride on elephants-sometimes arranged in groups -and a native guide leads them. Strangely, the tigers don’t seem to mind this and at times even appear proud to have their pictures taken.

Some might ask, “Why did the Creator make tigers so vicious?” Actually, God made them tame and gentle, but when sin came into the world a sad change came to many creatures. They will remain that way until God will make them peaceful again. When that time comes, all who now know the Lord Jesus as their Saviour will be in a more beautiful place -heaven itself. Will you be there?

ML-02/01/2004

FEBRUARY 1, 2004

Sea Turtles: Part 1

“Happy is he that hath the God . . . which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is.”
Psalm 146:56

Those of you who live near warm ocean waters enjoy swimming in the ocean. But how would you like to swim as far as some of the sea turtles swim? They take off from shore and swim a thousand miles away, remaining in the water for two or three years before returning. They have been doing this since they were created. Their ability to return to the exact spot they started from two or three years earlier is truly amazing!

Although they breathe air, some sea turtles make long dives beneath the surface hunting for food -fish, shellfish, sea snails and seaweed. The Creator designed their bodies so that the salt contained in their food and in ocean water does them no harm.

How do they rest and sleep out there in the ocean? They just close their eyes while floating on the surface and sleep as long as they like, bobbing in the waves.

Turtles are not born in water; they hatch from eggs. The reason a female turtle comes back to the starting point of her long trip is to lay a huge quantity of eggs. She usually returns in spring to the exact spot her own mother and grandmother came to years before. Some of these sandy shores are on tiny islands, just a speck in the great ocean.

Crawling out of the water at night, the female turtle makes a slow, tiring trip over the dry sand to a spot far from incoming waves, even at high tide. She scoops out a large, deep hole, piling the sand behind it. Then she deposits 100 to 150 Ping-Pong-ball-sized eggs into the hole. She promptly scoops the sand back over them until the spot is level, carefully scraping it so birds and animals won’t discover the nest.

With her eggs safely hidden, the mother turtle works her way back to the ocean on her flippers. Tears are running from her eyes - not because she is sad - but because the Creator has kindly arranged the tears to wash away grains of sand that get into them when she is digging the nest or covering it over. The whole process has taken about an hour.

The tropical sun warms the sand covering the nest. Within a few weeks, the babies break out of their shells, crawl to the surface of the sand, and head for the sea - not to return for two or three years. Actually, only a few baby turtles reach the water safely. Many are eaten by birds and animals while they are out in the open.

In the following two articles, we will look at some of the varieties of sea turtles and their individual ways of life.

(to be continued)

ML-02/08/2004

Sea Turtles: Part 2

“God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place . . . and God saw that it was good.”
Genesis 1:9-10

Last week we had an introduction to sea turtles in general. Now let’s see what differences there are among them. Actually there are several varieties, but we will select only a few of the better-known ones.

The leatherbacks are the largest of all turtles. Mature ones weigh as much as fifteen hundred pounds and are nearly six feet long. Because of their size, they are safe from attack except from men with special equipment or a shark or killer whale. They can dive four thousand feet below the surface in search of food, a greater depth than any other air-breathing creature.

They do not have a hard shell like most turtles have, but are covered with a tough, leathery skin called a carapace. This carapace is composed of small bones embedded in the thick skin on their backs. But on their underside they have a more tender skin, no tougher than a human’s, which the Creator has provided to help them swim swiftly through water.

Leatherbacks are black, speckled with white and have two huge, long front flippers, two shorter back flippers, and a bony, short, V-shaped tail, all of which equips them to travel thousands of miles through ocean waters. Some tagged ones have been known to travel more than three thousand miles from their birthplace.

The leatherback is the only sea turtle that is capable of surviving in cold, northern Atlantic Ocean waters, and many live there through summer months, enjoying the plentiful food supply in those waters. However, most of them live in warmer waters off the coasts of Mexico and southern California, as well as in the Caribbean Sea and warmer parts of the Atlantic Ocean.

The hawksbill makes its home in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean off the Florida coast. This is one of the smaller varieties, only about thirty inches long. It has a beautiful shell from which jewelers used to make items called “tortoise shell,” but that is no longer done.

An outstanding characteristic of the hawksbill is that its principal food is poisonous sponges that grow on coral reefs and are covered with a glass-like coating. Although this coating breaks up into sharp, needlelike crystals and contains a poison deadly to humans and other creatures, the hawksbill thrives on it.

Next week we will look at several more sea turtles which are just as interesting and bring to mind the Bible verse, “Remember His [God’s] marvelous works that He hath done, His wonders, and the judgments of His mouth” (1 Chronicles 16:12).

(to be continued)

ML-02/15/2004

FEBRUARY 15, 2004

Sea Turtles: Part 3

“Many, O Lord my God, are Thy wonderful works which Thou hast done, and Thy thoughts which are to us-ward.”
Psalm 40:5

In Part 2 of this series we had a brief outline of two sea turtles - the leatherback and the hawksbill. You would find it interesting to read about these creatures and their relatives in a book from the library. Now we will look at two more sea turtles.

The loggerheads are not nearly as large as the leatherbacks, but their way of life is similar. They are only about three feet long and are in the 150- to 500-pound range. Their shells and the tops of their stubby heads are brownish-black, but their bodies are dark orange, speckled with brown.

Loggerheads are found in warm areas of the Atlantic Ocean along North, Central and South America, as well as the Caribbean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, some areas of the Pacific Ocean, and all the way down to Australia. Their name comes from their immense head and beak, extending from under the shell.

Their choices of food include jellyfish and sometimes the huge man-of-war, whose deadly, long tentacles can kill a man. But the loggerhead considers these creatures a delicacy, munching away on them and killing them.

For some unknown reason, this one species of turtle does not always return to the same nesting places as other sea turtles do. However, their way of laying eggs in the sand is identical.

The green sea turtle is the most appealing of them all. It is relatively small, a little over three feet long and weighs from two hundred to four hundred pounds. It lives in tropical seas all over the world and is well-known in many lands, with Hawaii and Panama being two of its favorite areas.

Its entire body is quite pretty, beginning with a dark-green head, marked with checkerboard diamond shapes having golden-yellow borders. Its large, sloping shell is the same color of green and has similar markings, only the diamond shapes are much larger and look as though they had been placed separately on the shell. Flippers and tail are also slightly green with a black tint. It is easy to see where the name “green sea turtle” came from.

A Bible verse states, “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). Let us remember Him, the Creator, when we enjoy the interesting things He has placed on earth and give Him praise and honor, not only from our lips, but from our hearts as well. He is worthy of our praise for His great love to us and His desire to have us accept Him as our Lord and Saviour.

ML-02/22/2004

Amazing Sled Dogs

“In whose hand [the Creator’s] is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.”
Job 12:10

Every March one of the world’s most interesting races takes place. It covers 1000 miles of snow-and-ice-covered land, rivers and lakes between Anchorage and Nome, Alaska. This is perhaps the toughest of all races ever run and takes the competing teams two weeks or more to finish. The people involved run most of the way at the rear of their heavily loaded sleds.

These sleds are pulled by a dozen or more strong dogs, usually including Alaskan malamutes, Siberian huskies, and Eskimo dogs, all of which have been trained for months by their owners. The dogs are selected for strength, endurance and ability to work together in teams. All have thick fur, enabling them to withstand the extremely cold conditions. This thick fur has coarse outer hair and another coat of fine hair next to the skin so that they never get “soaked to the skin.” When resting or sleeping, their heavily furred tails wrap around their bodies, helping to keep them warm.

But it is not only in this amazing race that sled dogs are needed; they are needed for more practical purposes in the freezing climates of Greenland, Europe and Asia as well. Trappers and prospectors, for instance, could not get along without them in places where no other transportation is available. Eskimos, Indians and other natives of those areas also find them a real help in getting around in cold winter months.

Many of these sled dogs look fierce and untamed and occasionally fight between themselves, but they are usually friendly with their master. Some owners take special care of them when on trails of harsh snow and ice, putting special boots on their feet and ankles, but leaving the toes uncovered. This is because they have very thick fur on their toes, and their strong claws give them a good grip on slippery surfaces.

But it is not only in the frozen north that sled dogs are popular. In parts of Europe and other countries, dogs of various varieties pull carts loaded with cans of milk, firewood and other items, as well as children enjoying a ride. At times just one dog will pull these wheeled carts.

As we consider different animals, it’s not difficult to see how the Creator has designed each one in a special way for its own life pattern. More importantly, we should consider how He has provided for each of us in a special way. The Bible tells us in many places how He cares for us. Here is one: “Many, O Lord my God, are Thy wonderful works . . . and Thy thoughts which are to us-ward. . . . They are more than can be numbered” (Psalm 40:5). Have you ever thanked Him for His loving care over you?

ML-02/29/2004

FEBRUARY 29, 2004

Desert Wildflowers

“The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come.”
Song of Solomon 2:12

It is only natural to think that deserts are dry and barren, but there are times when they are full of beauty. Desert plants and trees all bloom, mostly in the spring, and many have beautiful flowers.

One of these desert plants is the agave, or century plant, with long bayonet-like leaves. Its ten-foot flower stalk is capped with beautiful white flowers. Another, the ocotillo or candlewood, has beautiful scarlet or salmon flowers for a short time each year. From a distance these look like bright flames on the ends of many of its tall stems. Joshua trees add their beauty, bursting into bloom in the spring with creamy white flowers.

The Mohave mound cactus, close to the ground, is covered with large scarlet flowers from April to June. At the same time the desert mariposa displays large bright-red flowers, perhaps growing amidst a golden-yellow carpet of dandelions. Others include the Saguaro tree, which grows fifty feet high. During May it displays lovely creamy blossoms with yellow centers clustered at the end of its branches.

Then there is the sand-loving phlox with its small, pretty, reddish-pink flowers, as well as the hedgehog cactus. Its prickly stems stand out with many-petaled, brilliant, four-inch red flowers with yellow centers. Yet another beauty is the fish-hook barrel plant with tiny reddish flowers overlooking the peculiar hook-like leaves, for which the plant is named. The ball cactus flower, one of the prettiest, has waxy yellow petals coming out of a pretty orange and red center.

If we had more space there are many other desert beauties we could list, but perhaps these few will paint a picture in your mind of how outstanding desert lands can be in spring.

In a time that is coming after the Lord Jesus has taken to heaven those who have accepted Him as their Saviour, and after He has judged those who have rejected Him, He will change the earth into a place of peace and thankfulness for God’s blessings. The Bible tells us that during that time the deserts will be places of exceptional beauty. The prophet Isaiah has written, “The desert shall rejoice, and blossom as the rose. It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing” (Isaiah 35:12).

Will you be included with those in heaven who know the Lord Jesus as their Saviour and look down on the new, beautiful deserts?

ML-03/07/2004

Another Unusual Anteater

“Seek the Lord and His strength, seek His face continually. Remember His marvelous works.”
1 Chronicles 16:11-12

The silky anteater lives in the forests of southern Mexico and down through Central and South America. It is very small - only about the size of a squirrel - but has a long, furry tail that makes it look somewhat larger. Its little body has honey-colored fur, and it has a rather pretty face, with round, black eyes and a pointed snout ending in a bare, pinkish nose.

In finding its food, composed of termites and ants, teeth would be of no value. Instead, the Creator has provided it with a pointed nose and a long, sticky tongue which it pokes into the nests of these insects and pulls them out in great quantities.

Besides being smaller than its relatives, the silky anteater is also a tree-climber, whereas the larger anteaters spend their lives on the ground. To aid in tree climbing, it has been given an extra joint on both hind feet, enabling its toes to bend around a tree branch for a good, strong grip - another provision of the Creator to help its food-searching activities. It also has a prehensile tail (a grasping tail similar to a monkey’s) which it uses to suspend itself head downward. Then it can use its strong front claws to tear bark off a tree, where it usually finds food. This special tail also may perform like an extra hand, helping it to hold tightly to a tree.

Silky is a night worker and spends daylight hours curled up in a nest of dry leaves in a hollow tree trunk. She’ll leave her one tiny baby in this nest while she hunts for food. She nurses the baby for a short period, but then feeds it on digested insects which she regurgitates, until soon the little one is able to scramble around and find its own food.

Because these animals hunt only at night and hide in the daytime, they rarely encounter enemies. But when they do, they defend themselves by rearing up on hind legs and slashing their opponent with the long, sharp claws of their front feet.

Do you think God takes note of this obscure little creature? The exceptional provisions for its way of life tell us that He certainly does! We are further assured by the Bible verse that says, “In whose hand is the soul [life] of every living thing” (Job 12:10). Another verse states, “The eyes of all wait upon Thee; and Thou givest them their meat [food] in due season” (Psalm 145:15).

How much greater is His love for you and me! He not only takes care of our daily needs, but He has prepared a home in heaven for all who will accept His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, as their Saviour. Have you done this?

ML-03/14/2004

Beautiful Amber

“Ascribe [give] ye greatness unto our God. He is the Rock, His work is perfect.”
Deuteronomy 32:34

Amber is a beautiful and interesting part of God’s creation. It is a stone-like substance, sometimes clear enough to see through. It most often appears in shades of yellow, where the name “amber” comes from, but sometimes it is brown or even colorless. It looks hard and solid and its irregular shape is smooth. If caught in a flame, it will burn and be destroyed.

While new amber is actually being formed right now, the amber that is thousands of years old needs only polishing to make beautiful and extremely valuable pieces of jewelry. Perhaps you have seen amber in necklaces, bracelets, rings or other ornaments.

Amber was formed from the resin of pine trees that grew in northern Europe hundreds and thousands of years ago. This resin was gummy material mixed with oil in the trees and slowly seeped out of the bark, until its own weight caused it to drop to the ground where it hardened in round, oval, flat or irregular shapes. The pine trees were buried under ground or under water for many, many years. Most amber is mined, but some washes up on shore in the Baltic Sea area, and some is gathered from the sea in nets.

What adds the most value to these gems is that some contain air bubbles or a trapped insect, such as an ant, fly, mosquito or sometimes a spider. Some of the trapped insects are now extinct. These small creatures got trapped in the sticky resin before it hardened and could not get away. They are perfectly preserved and look alive inside the amber jewel.

An interesting fact about these perfectly preserved creatures, now seen hundreds or thousands of years after their entrapment, is that they are identical to the living ones we see today. There has been no change in them whatsoever - they are still just as the Creator made them.

Sad to say, there are those around us who will not believe in God as the Creator, even with lack of evidence. But the Bible, which we can always trust, tells us: “In six days the Lord made heaven [the sky and stars] and earth, the sea, and all that in them is” (Exodus 20:11). How much more happiness we have in knowing and believing the Lord God and His holy Word, enabling us to say, “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 One who created all things has a heart of love for you and invites you to receive Him as your Saviour and be with Him in heaven when your life on earth is over. Have you accepted His invitation?

ML-03/21/2004

Amazing Migrators

“Many, O Lord my God, are Thy wonderful works which Thou hast done. . . . They are more than can be numbered.”
Psalm 40:5

The more we learn about migrating birds and other creatures, the more we wonder how they find their way from one place to another as they travel tremendous distances. Scientists can only guess, and if the migrators could talk, they couldn’t tell us either. But those who believe in God as the Creator of all things plainly see that He has given them that ability.

Birds such as geese and storks make flights of more than one thousand miles over land and water, traveling north in the spring and south in the fall. Arctic terns make the longest migrations of all - about twelve thousand miles twice a year, between Antarctica and nearby islands to the Aleutian Islands, Greenland and the northernmost islands of the Arctic Ocean, where their young are hatched and raised. Leaving the young behind, they return late in August by way of Hawaii - a long, long trip over water. The young ones, never having made that flight, follow them later on the same route. How can they do this with no guide to lead them? Oh, but they do have a Guide - the Creator who directs them the entire way.

Robins, and many more birds, make long flights in the spring and again in the fall. They stay on the right course through rain, fog, storms and cloudy nights to reach their destinations. Sometimes their numbers are so great they become spread out for many miles, and none get lost.

The migration of animals is also amazing. Thousands of caribou travel in the spring and fall between the lower forty-eight states and Alaska. In Africa there are also great migrations of wildebeests, gazelles, elephants and other animals that migrate back and forth many miles.

Fish of all sizes, from tiny sardines to huge salmon and tuna, are among others that migrate, as do a great number of insects, like Monarch butterflies, that find their way over great distances every year. Their true Guide is the One who created them and who is always watching over them.

All of these long-distance travelers need no maps to tell them where to go, and the food supply along their journeys is all scheduled by their kind Creator.

Do you know that the very same Creator has prepared a way for those who know Him as their Lord and Saviour when it is time to leave this world? His Word, the Bible, tells us: “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9). How important it is to accept the Lord Jesus now as your Saviour. Then when that important moment comes, He will take you to His wonderful home in heaven.

ML-03/28/2004

Two Tropical Iguanas

“I will speak of the glorious honor of Thy majesty, and of Thy wondrous works.”
Psalm 145:5

Iguanas belong to the lizard family and are found throughout the deserts, forests and waters of the world. Most iguanas look like miniature dragons but are actually shy and not a threat to people. A mature one will weigh as much as ten pounds and may be six feet long or longer, including its tail.

The tropical green iguana makes its home among the trees from Panama to Brazil. It also looks like a miniature dragon, with its sharp claws and spines sticking up all along its back. This one is also shy and hides when anyone comes near. Except when hunting food, it likes to stretch out on the branch of a tall tree and enjoy the sun. It looks so much like the bark of native trees that it is difficult to spot unless it is moving.

The main food of this iguana is wild fruit and tender leaves and shoots found high in tall trees. Little ones are hatched from eggs laid by the female in a hole she has dug in the sand or ground. Soon after hatching, she takes her young up into a tall tree where they feel right at home and live up there until nearly full grown. They eat leaves and buds and drink water from cup-like leaves holding rainwater. The parents often spend time with their young in the trees, but they gather much of their food down on the ground where they can quickly escape if anything dangerous appears.

Natives in those tropical areas have discovered that iguanas are good to eat. As a result, it has been necessary to pass laws limiting the amount of hunting that can be done. However, farmers are allowed to raise them on their own properties and sell them to meat markets, where they receive a good price. Iguana meat tastes so good it is sometimes nicknamed “chicken of the trees.”

A contrasting species is the Galapagos marine iguana, somewhat larger and heavier than those found in deserts and forests. Groups of these may vary in color, but their leather-like bodies are most often brownish-black or gray. Their skin is coarse and fierce-looking with fleshy upright spikes from the top of their heads to the end of their tails.

Large groups of this species will cling to the steep, rough rocks rising above low tides of the ocean beaches and feast on seaweed and other marine plants that grow there. They are good swimmers.

Are you one of the happy people who believes and trusts the Lord God who created all things? A Bible verse says, “Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon His name” (1 Chronicles 16:8). Is this something you do?

ML-04/04/2004

APRIL 4, 2004

Springtime Is a Welcome Time

“Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone.”
Song of Solomon 2:10-11

Before our calendars actually display the springtime months, God’s creation already shows its nearness. Have you noticed flocks of birds overhead, migrating northward? Their songs and calls remind us that the miracle of spring is already in progress.

In ocean waters, fish of various kinds are affected by the coming of spring too. Schools of thousands find their way to distant shores to enter rivers and streams. You may actually watch them swimming upstream to lay their eggs.

Even insects awaken to this change from winter and begin their important jobs for which the Creator has designed them. Some, like angleworms, centipedes and beetles, will drill into the soil, opening little holes where the soil can receive fresh air and spring rains. Others fly among early flowers and blossoms in search of nectar, unaware that they are part of God’s design of pollination as they travel from one blossom to another.

Even your dog or cat will make you realize the nearness of spring. Have you noticed your pet’s heavy winter coat of fur is thinning out for a lighter summer coat?

Activity on farms is picking up. Farmers are out on their tractors, turning over and cultivating the soil for spring planting. In many homes, families have fun planning and planting early vegetable gardens and flower beds. How good that freshly turned soil smells! God has supplied food and water in the soil for newly planted seeds. They will soon send up tender shoots into the sunshine of spring.

Trees and bushes in parks and forests, looking bare and sad through winter’s chill, now come alive with new buds and leaves on their bare branches. Forest floors and many open areas display a delicate green as new grass appears. The first wildflowers appear, some of which poke their pretty heads through snow patches not yet melted away.

What an amazing time of year it is for those of us who closely watch the progress of spring. This miracle confirms the truth that none of this just happens to take place, but all is ordered by the Creator as a delightful means of ushering in the springtime, welcomed by all. The promise in His Word, the Bible, is this: “While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease” (Genesis 8:22).

Springtime represents a lovely picture of the change in the life of a boy or girl, man or woman, who has accepted the Lord Jesus as his or her Saviour and has “passed from death unto life” (John 5:24). Have you experienced this most important “springtime” in your own heart?

ML-04/11/2004

The American Brown Bear

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

There are many bears in North America, including black, brown, grizzly and polar bears. The brown bear we are considering today is the largest bear in the world and lives mostly in Alaska, but there still may be a few left in Canada and the northern United States. It is often mistaken for a grizzly to which it is closely related, but the brown bear is larger and stronger. A large one may weigh nearly a ton, and when standing on its hind feet it will be about ten feet high. It can run thirty-five miles per hour.

This bear is usually thought of as a flesh eater, but actually its favorite foods are grass, weeds, flowers, berries, seeds, acorns and other nuts. Honey is also a favorite food. The bear’s heavy coat of hair protects it from getting stung by angry bees when ripping apart a nest.

There is an exception to the brown bear’s vegetarian diet—when salmon are returning from the ocean to spawn far upstream. At that time, large numbers of these bears wade into the shallow streams, scooping out one fish after another with their front paws onto the shore for a good meal. They never share these fish with each other.

It is most interesting to watch a bear wade out in the strong river current to the very edge of a waterfall. It waits there until a salmon makes a giant leap from below and comes through the air in range to be grabbed in the bear’s jaws and taken to shore for an anticipated meal. Full-grown bears can handle the strong current, but smaller ones don’t venture out. They seem to sense that they could possibly be washed over the edge.

In winter, brown bears do not actually hibernate as most varieties do. They have prepared dens in advance, lined with soft grass and moss, where they remain sleeping much of the time. It is during this period that usually two cubs are born, about the size of kittens. The mother nurses them until she takes them out of the den in early spring.

The Bible speaks in several places of bears. In one place, David told King Saul how he had killed a bear with his bare hands (1 Samuel 17:34-35). However, the bears that live in that region of the world are not as large as these brown bears, but they are more fierce.

As part of God’s creation, these creatures are always under His watchful eye. The animals do not know this, but we who do know of His watchful care over us should thank Him often. A Bible verse says, “Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving. . . . For the Lord is a great God” (Psalm 95:2-3).

ML-04/18/2004

Birds of the Cliffs

“Birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man hath not where to lay His head.”
Matthew 8:20

Among the most unusual birds’ nests are those of several species of sea birds in the high, rocky cliffs of the North Atlantic and Pacific oceans. One species will choose a section of the cliff, from the top to the bottom, for its nests. Other species will choose their own section on the same cliff, but the species do not mix. So one section might have nests of petrels, next to it seagulls, then puffins, or sometimes gannets, guillemots and murres. This separation of nests is a wise provision of the Creator, for it keeps the various species from fighting with one another. However, in daylight hours there is always a terrible racket from such a collection of birds.

Openings between the levels of the cliff may be several inches high and not very deep in some places, but several feet deep in other places. Eggs are laid in these openings, often on the bare rock but sometimes in nests made of mud and grass. The eggs of most of these birds are pear-shaped instead of round or oval. Can you guess why? I’ll tell you: If a pear-shaped egg is knocked out of the “nest,” it will not roll over the edge. Instead, it will roll in a tight circle and stop. The mother bird can then fetch it back to where it belongs. Isn’t that a wonderful provision of the Creator?

These birds get almost all their food from salt water. It is most interesting to watch one make a swift dive through the air and right into the water and then come up with a fish in its beak. The fish is often carried back to the baby birds crouched in their rocky home.

When there are hundreds and sometimes thousands of nests so close together, how does each bird find its own nest when returning from a fishing trip? Or how do the young birds dare to jump from those high cliffs and use their wings the very first time? Answers to these questions can only come from our Master Designer and His ability to provide so wonderfully for all that He has created.

The opening Bible verse refers to the Lord Jesus who left the riches of heaven to become a man on earth. He showed kindness to needy people, but He was so poor Himself that He did not even have a bed of His own. At the end of more than thirty-three years, He allowed wicked men to nail Him to Calvary’s cross where He bore the sins of all who will confess they are needy sinners and accept Him as their Saviour. Have you done this?

ML-04/25/2004

The Wonders of the Stars

“When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained; what is man, that Thou art mindful of him?”
Psalm 8:34

The wonder with which King David looked up on a starry night remained with him as long as he lived. Not many people today see the stars as he did, because of smog, smoke and other pollutants in the atmosphere.

Actually, without a telescope, the human eye can see only about two thousand separate stars. However, when the Milky Way can be seen, about one hundred billion stars are visible, but they are so far away that no individual star can be picked out.

Our relatively small solar system -the sun with its nine planets and moons - is part of the Milky Way galaxy. But the earth, the sun and the Milky Way are a very small part of the total heavens. Current telescopes have uncovered an estimated one hundred billion galaxies which contain more than one hundred billion, billion stars. Astronomers admit they do not know what lies beyond, and some acknowledge that this vast display had to have a “superior power” to create and control it.

We know from the Bible that the Lord Jesus Christ is the “Superior Power”: “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: and He is before all things, and by Him all things consist” (Colossians 1:16-17).

The next time you are at a beach, pick up a handful of sand. Do you think you could count the grains? Respected astronomers claim that the total number of stars in the universe is greater than the number of grains of sand on all the ocean beaches of the earth!

Who but the divine Creator could put all those stars in space, set them in motion and keep them in their orbits in perfect order? King David tells us, “He [counts] the number of the stars; He [calls] them all by their names” (Psalm 147:4). Men can only guess at the figure, but the Lord knows the exact number! Men give names to those they can see, but the Lord calls each one by name. What a reminder of His greatness and untiring interest in all things He has created!

Looking at this spectacular display, it is no wonder King David asked, “What is man that Thou art mindful of him?” Yes, God is mindful of every person, including you, and He invites you to share eternity with Him in a place of greater wonders than the starry skies. If you have admitted that you are a sinner and let Him wash your sins away in His blood shed on Calvary, you will be with Him forever in the wonders of heaven.

ML-05/02/2004

Beware of the Piranha!

“Whatsoever the Lord pleased, that did He . . . in the earth, in the seas, and all deep places.”
Psalm 135:6

There is a particular kind of fish in some of the freshwater lakes and streams of South America that has perhaps frightened more people than the fiercest sharks; it is the piranha. The fear of this fish is easy to understand, because so many true stories have been told about large animals and people being attacked and eaten by a large school of these bloodthirsty fish. Although they are only four to eighteen inches long, some scientists consider these fierce little fish to be more dangerous than sharks. It’s not unusual for a school of a thousand or more to attack as a group, using their razor-sharp teeth to strip all flesh from an animal or a human being in minutes. Sometimes one will sneak up on another fish, nipping off a fin or scale without otherwise attacking it. The fin soon grows back, and no serious damage has been done.

There are about thirty species of piranhas, but one thing they all have is razor-sharp teeth. These teeth are quickly replaced when the old ones become dull or damaged. Piranhas can open and close their toothy jaws faster than the blink of an eye. Some closely related species eat plants, nuts, fruits, lizards, frogs and snakes.

One species, the red-bellied piranha, is only about seven inches long but is well equipped for its size with razor-sharp teeth in a thick skull. It is actually brownish-purple on its back, but it has a bright-red stomach. While all are fierce looking, some are noted for their beauty, and the red-bellied is among these. Another is covered with scales that are olive flecked with gold; others are deep purple.

Their young hatch from eggs laid in nests prepared by both the male and the female. Once the female has deposited her eggs, the male quickly takes over, guarding them and not letting his mate or any other creature even approach until they have hatched.

Some natives catch and eat piranhas as part of their daily food supply, in addition to selling quantities in fish markets. They apparently make a tasty meal.

These unusual fish are just another example of the millions of creatures living in water which the Creator took a delight in placing there. When we consider His power, wisdom and love to boys and girls all over the earth, we all should respond to the Bible verse which tells us to “remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth” (Ecclesiastes 12:1). No one is ever too old to remember our Creator, and no one is ever too young or too old to accept Him as Lord and Saviour.

ML-05/09/2004

The Colorful Parrot Family: Part 1

“[The Lord God] doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.”
Job 9:10

Parrots are one of the few kinds of birds that can be captured in the wild, taken into a house or aviary and soon become “one of the family.” They are popular as pets because they become affectionate and tame and can be taught to talk. Probably most of you have had some contact with parrots.

Some parrots not only mimic people with words plainly spoken but also learn how to use them. Some will call for certain foods by name or greet people with a loud “hello” or “good-bye.” Some have even been taught to call out the word “want” for something they want, as well as “no” when they don’t want what is being offered to them. However, teaching a parrot to talk takes a lot of patient training, and not all parrots can learn that much.

There are many varieties of parrots, ranging in size from the small, brilliantly colored lorikeets of Australia, which are about three inches long, to the largest, the hyacinth macaw of Brazil, which measures about forty inches from beak to the tip of its tail. These are a deep blue color all over, except for yellow eyes and a small yellow band across the neck.

The 315 species of parrots are found in many parts of the world, including Africa, the Philippines, southeastern Asia, Australia and New Zealand. About half of the species are found in Central and South America, as well as the tropical areas of the West Indies. None are natives of North America.

In their homelands, parrots prefer to nest in holes in dead trees, and with strong beaks and claws, they will enlarge holes that are not big enough. They usually cover the floors of these nests with small bits of wood or leaves. The burrowing parrot is an exception to the tree-nesting parrots. Large colonies of these dig burrows into cliffs close to one another and can make an awful noise when all are chattering or calling at the same time. Another, the night parrot of Australia, hollows out a nesting spot in the base of a clump of coarse, tall grass.

These remarkable birds are included in the opening Bible verse as it talks of wonders of God’s creation without number. He is the One who has provided so great a variety of wonders. Revelation 4:11 reminds us that all were created for His pleasure: “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.”

Next week we will take a look at some of the individual species of parrots and their distinguishing colors and habits.

(to be continued)

ML-05/16/2004

The Colorful Parrot Family: Part 2

“O Lord, Thou art my God; I will exalt Thee, I will praise Thy name; for Thou hast done wonderful things.”
Isaiah 25:1

A photographer using color film or an artist with a good selection of bright colors will always find parrots interesting subjects.

The parrot called rainbow lorikeet is a good example of one with many bright colors - red, blue, green and orange all blending so beautifully. This one lives in Australia and, contrary to the appetites of most parrots, its food is mainly soft fruit and nectar from plants and trees rather than nuts and seeds.

The blue-naped variety of the Philippines is another very colorful one. The head feathers behind its reddish beak are a brilliant green, with a large patch of blue on its neck (which is how it got its name). The rest of its body feathers are a combination of light green, blue, yellow and black -very pretty.

The country of Peru has an abundance of macaws, which are the largest type of parrot. These have large yellow beaks, which are conspicuous because the head, throat, neck and shoulders are all bright red. The wings are orange and the body is a brilliant blue. Another feature of macaws is their long, pointed tails which have a blend of green and red feathers - strikingly beautiful birds.

The blue and gold macaw, also of Peru, is well-named. It has bright blue top feathers, and its neck is yellowish-gold in back but black in the front. Its white round face has a small, sharp, black beak.

Another part of this family lives in nearby Brazil. It is the well-named scarlet macaw. With the exception of a few blue spots, its entire body is a display of brilliant scarlet feathers, including its wings and tail.

The red-spectacled parrot also lives in Brazil. Its name comes from a wide band of crimson-red across the top of its head that also surrounds its eyes. It has a short tail, mostly deep green in color and red on parts of its wings. It is noted for its exceptionally long, strong claws.

If you have a parrot in your home or schoolroom, you may say, “Our parrot isn’t colored like any of those!” That’s an interesting feature of these birds—the Creator has given us such a great variety of parrots that it would be difficult to try to describe them all.

They remind us again of the splendor of God’s creation. And not only has He created them, but the Bible tells us that He watches over them at all times. Do you know that He watches over you with an even greater care? He invites you to “trust . . . in the Lord forever: for in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength” (Isaiah 26:4). Is He your Saviour?

ML-05/23/2004

Africa's Flying Squirrel

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

It is easy to see how the African flying squirrel got its name, even though it is not really a squirrel nor does it actually fly. It lives high in the trees of Africa and is rarely seen, because it is active mostly at night.

This flying squirrel is about the size of an American gray squirrel with a bushy tail as long as its body. The Creator gave this pretty little fellow smooth, soft, mole-like fur. He also supplied it with several special features for its survival.

One of these features is a fold of skin on each side of the body that connects the front and back legs. When the squirrel stretches out its legs, the folds of skin also stretch to form gliding “wings.” It seems to be flying, but it is actually gliding.

Because the folds of skin are attached so securely to its body, this squirrel cannot walk or run. Most of its traveling is done by gliding from one tree to another. When ready to glide, it lowers its head and pushes off with its hind legs. Using its bushy tail as a rudder, it glides through the air to a lower point on another tree. Anyone watching this spectacular glide would think it would crash. But at the last instant, it turns and lands head up, ready to explore the new tree. This is the way the Lord God created this flying squirrel, and even the young do not have to practice these moves.

This animal has an unusual method of climbing trees. Like a measuring worm, it grasps the trunk with its front claws, arches its body, and pulls up both hind feet. Then, with the claws of the hind feet clinging tightly, the front feet let go and move upward. In spite of this awkward way of climbing, it moves quickly up the tree. It is helped in its climb by tough scales covered with sharp, hard spikes which are found near where the tail and body are joined. These spikes dig into the trunk, not only helping the hind legs to hold tightly, but also helping to push the body upward.

God has made a way of life for each of His creatures. Man, God’s special creation, has been told in the Bible of two ways. Man is warned in Proverbs 14:12 that “there is a way which [seems] right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” But in John 14:6, the Lord Jesus is called “the way, the truth, and the life.” He is also called the “new and living way” by which we can “draw near [to God] with a true heart in full assurance of faith” (Hebrews 10:20,22). Which way are you following?

ML-05/30/2004

The Lovely Monarch Butterfly: Part 1

“The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in.”
Psalm 121:8

In early September as days turn cooler, large numbers of beautiful black and orange monarch butterflies begin to gather in flocks. Many of these are in the far eastern provinces of Canada, and others are in Alaska and western Canada. Then, as if by some mysterious signal, each flock takes off in a great cloud that becomes several miles wide and many miles long. They have started a southern migration. Those on the Atlantic Coast are headed for the Gulf Coast areas of Florida and Mexico; most on the Pacific Coast are headed for Pacific Grove, California. Each group has about two thousand miles to cover.

An amazing highlight of these flights is that these butterflies have never made this trip before - there are no parents along to guide them, because they have all died during the summer. How then do these young butterflies know the right time to leave? How do they know where to go? How do these fragile insects have the strength to travel so far, sometimes over mountains and across ocean waters? How can they stay on course in strong winds? None of this could ever happen if it were not for a Divine Power guiding and directing them. Their Creator provided them with the ability to make these migrations when He designed them as part of His wonderful creation. Year after year, He provides every need for them to reach their destinations.

After their arrival, the monarchs spend quiet lives in the warm southern climate, living entirely on nectar from flowers. But as wintertime passes, the urge to return north is evident. Usually during June they migrate northward in great flocks, returning to the areas they left the preceding fall.

It is God who prepares these amazing creatures for their long journeys, and He wants to see you prepared in the right way for your life’s journey. The final destination for each of us is not to remain here on earth, but we will enter either heaven or hell when we finish life here on earth. He who “is not willing that any should perish” offers you salvation through faith in Christ and His work on the cross - the requirement for entrance into heaven.

When Christ comes back for those who have accepted Him as Saviour, He wants you to be among those who will leave this world “to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:17). How sad for those who refuse His offer of salvation to hear those awful words: “Depart from Me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire” (Matthew 25:41). We urge you to accept His loving offer now, so that you will enter in and be part of those events “which God [has] prepared for them that love Him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).

(to be continued)

ML-06/06/2004

The Lovely Monarch Butterfly: Part 2

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

It is early summer in the Maritime Provinces of Canada and across the continent in Alaska. Great flocks of beautiful orange and black monarch butterflies have just arrived in these areas after a two-thousand-mile flight from warm, southern climates. These are the very same butterflies that had migrated south the previous fall.

The milkweed plant grows in great numbers in these areas. It is one of the few plants that the larvae of these butterflies can eat. The female wastes no time as she flits about, depositing eggs on the underside of the leaves of this plant.

Tiny caterpillars, about one-eighth-inch long, hatch in less than a week. They first eat the egg shell from which they have hatched, and then they eat nothing but milkweed leaves. After about two weeks, they have grown to their full size. These caterpillars are not pretty like their butterfly parents; their skin has yellow, black and white stripes.

The monarch’s Creator did not intend them to remain ugly and destructive. After reaching full size, each caterpillar produces a tough silken thread from its mouth which it anchors under a leaf or twig and then suspends itself. Then its final layer of skin splits and peels off, and its exposed body hardens in the air, changing into a pupa. During the next twelve days, a great change takes place. Finally, what is inside works its way out.

You have probably guessed that the ugly caterpillar has changed into a beautiful butterfly with its wings pressed tightly against its sides. It climbs up on a leaf to rest an hour or more while its wings expand and harden. Suddenly, without the help of any lessons or trial flights, it spreads its wings and flies away, a fully grown butterfly. From now on, it feeds only on nectar.

When the weather turns cooler, each butterfly, along with hundreds of thousands more, will leave everything behind for the winter, migrating to southern climates, as outlined in the last article.

The Lord often has object lessons for us in what He has created. The unattractive caterpillar reminds us that our lives begin with no purpose except to be “fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind” (Ephesians 2:3). We always try to satisfy these desires with what the world offers. But when God’s love reaches our hearts, we learn that by accepting Christ as our Saviour we are changed into “a new creature” (2 Corinthians 5:17). The butterfly, changed from an ugly caterpillar, has a new appetite for what is sweet. And the believer’s appetite should be for the Word of God, which is “sweeter than honey” (Psalm 119:103).

ML-06/13/2004

Scorpions of the Sea

“If a son shall ask . . . [for] an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?”
Luke 11:11-12

The scorpion of desert areas should definitely be avoided, and when the Lord Jesus mentioned a scorpion in the above verse, He was telling us that loving parents do not give harmful things to their children.

Several types of vicious fish called scorpionfish are found in the Red Sea off the coast of Africa and nearby Jordan. These are avoided by those who know about them.

One is named turkeyfish, probably because of the way it spreads its fins when swimming. It is one of the more active in the scorpionfish family and a fearful enemy of small fish as well as shrimp. It will gobble them up quickly. Hunting in small groups, a few of them circle a school of small fish, driving them toward other turkeyfish which quickly eat quantities of them and then change places with their companions. They do not attack people unless stepped on. Then, like a scorpion, they sting the swimmer’s bare leg with a poisonous fin. This is usually not fatal but extremely painful.

Another variety, equipped with small fins that help it crawl along the sea bottom, is the devil scorpionfish. This one usually lies on the bottom, so well camouflaged that it looks like a piece of coral. It’s just too bad for a shellfish crawling nearby or a small fish swimming too close - they are quickly eaten. When swimming, it is quite colorful, and other fish stay far away from it.

A close relation to this one is the shortfin lionfish which, motionless on the sea bottom, also looks like a piece of coral until it leaps into action.

The most fearful of all is the stonefish, which doesn’t really look like a fish but more like a piece of colored rock. With no visible fins or mouth, its brightly colored eyes look like pieces of gravel resting on top. Swimmers are also fearful of this one as its sting is extremely painful and sometimes fatal. Even its skin is poisonous. Like a cannibal, it doesn’t hesitate to eat a smaller stonefish.

These poisonous and crafty creatures remind us of Satan’s ways, the one of whom the Bible warns us, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). Satan, of course, does not want to eat our bodies but to “devour” our lives by leading us into sin and closing our ears to the story of God’s love and care toward us.

There is excellent counsel in the Bible, telling us how to avoid Satan and his evil ways: “The Lord shall help them, and deliver them: He shall deliver them from the wicked [one], and save them, because they trust in Him” (Psalm 37:40). Have you taken that counsel?

ML-06/20/2004

JUNE 20, 2004

Robins Are Popular

“Ask now . . . the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee [about God’s creation].”
Job 12:7

To nearly everyone in North America, the robin is a favorite bird. It has become well-known for its cheery songs, one of which seems to say “cheer up, cheer up.” And most of us have watched a robin, with its grayish-black head, back and tail and its brick-red breast, hop across a lawn. It will stop frequently, cock its head sideways as if listening, and then quickly tug a nice fat worm out of the ground and swallow it.

During summer months robins are found from Alaska and the Canadian Rockies, all the way across lower Canada and the United States, and down to the Gulf of Mexico. In winter many migrate to the southern United States, and then in early spring they return to the exact spots they temporarily vacated—often to the very same nests. The same male and female are usually paired together from year to year.

Building a nest requires lots of mud. The female does most of the work, but her mate helps gather some of the material. She starts by mixing mud and grass. As the sides get higher and before the mud hardens, she squats down and squirms around to make a bowl-shaped bottom. Then, after building the sides higher and before it fully hardens, she lines it with soft grasses, leaves and a few feathers. Sometimes it takes two weeks to build a nest. Then she lays from three to six pretty blue eggs.

The eggs take about two weeks to hatch. The chicks, naked and blind at birth, open their eyes in five days and feathers begin to show. In only a few weeks they are ready to fly. Robins may have two or three broods during the spring and summer.

Although most people admire these lively birds, they are at times a problem to fruit and berry growers. Robins love to eat cherries and berries, along with their worm and insect diet. But overall they are a great benefit to farmers and to all of us in eating a tremendous amount of harmful insects every day.

These pretty birds were first called robins in colonial days. People from England found their colors similar to the British robin. Both are part of the thrush family.

In looking at all kinds of birds, we are reminded that they are an important part of God’s creation. We cannot help but marvel at the wide variety He placed on the earth, from the cold Arctic and Antarctic areas to the heat of the equator. The Bible tells us He had real pleasure in creating them.

It is important to remember that the Bible also tells us, “Thou, even Thou, art Lord alone; Thou hast made . . . the earth, and all things that are therein . . . and Thou preservest them all” (Nehemiah 9:6). All creation belongs to Him.

ML-06/27/2004

The River Otter

“[God] made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is.”
Psalm 146:6

The river otter is a streamlined, beautiful animal, having a thick, warm fur coat. Its thick, flexible body is 3½ to 4½ feet long, including its tail. Its webbed feet make it an excellent swimmer that can swim underwater for a quarter mile without coming up for air. It lives throughout Canada, Alaska and the lower forty-eight states.

This is one animal that seems to have been given the ability to really enjoy life. It loves to play all kinds of games with other otters, even wrestling and playing hide- and-seek. Just about any loose item it comes across becomes a plaything. It is famous for sliding down muddy slopes or icy hills into the water. Both young and old alike spend hours tobogganing in this manner. They seem to enjoy the sensation and the cool bath at the end of the slide. On snow they sometimes make a quick run, then fold their legs under them for a fast slide on their smooth stomachs.

Their homes are usually burrows dug in the bank of a stream or river. Sometimes they will use an abandoned burrow of some other animal. One to five pups are born between February and April. Water is the otter’s natural home, but even so, the pups have to be taught to swim. They soon become very fast, skillful swimmers and easily dive for fish. They also eat crawfish, frogs, snails, insects and sometimes a snake.

Coyotes, foxes and badgers are its enemies, but the river otter is so fast on its feet that it can only be caught when taken by surprise. If a fight results, it usually gets the best of its enemy because the Creator has provided it with very sharp teeth and claws.

The habits of the river otter are certainly amusing as we observe its way of life. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if humans could live together in such a happy way? Sadly, the human race seldom does, because of the evil nature that lives within us. Satan takes advantage of it in every possible way. The Bible refers to us as “fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and [are] by nature the children of wrath” (Ephesians 2:3).

But there is One who can change our hearts: “Our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a [special] people, zealous of good works” (Titus 2:13-14).

When we know this One as our Saviour, we receive a new nature and can say, “Let all those that put their trust in Thee rejoice: Let them ever shout for joy. . . . Let them also that love Thy name be joyful in Thee” (Psalm 5:11).

ML-07/04/2004

Sun-Loving Sunflowers

“The Lord God is a sun and shield. . . . No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly.”
Psalm 84:11

The sunflower has a large, sun-like flower head with surrounding “sun rays” of yellow petals. It also follows the sun. During a part of its life, the flower head turns and faces east in the morning as the sun rises and then turns, following the sun until it sets in the west in the evening. Then it turns east the next morning to begin again.

Sunflowers grow in many places in the world, but most are grown in North America, particularly in the central United States, where their bright yellow color adds beauty to thousands of acres of farmland. They are planted in early spring in moist soil.

A sunflower grows rapidly, and it doesn’t take long for a flower to appear on the top of its 6 to 10foot-high stalk with its huge green leaves. The seeds soon fill the center of the big golden head that looks so pretty. A healthy plant will have about a thousand seeds on its crown. It takes most of the summer for the seeds to ripen for harvesting, and they are tough enough to withstand frost, which helps to dry them.

There are two kinds of sunflowers. The one described above is known as an oil sunflower, with rather small, black seeds. These are sold to mills that make vegetable salad oil and margarine from them. After removing the shells, the kernels are heated so the oil can be squeezed out, eventually to be used by bakeries and many other food companies. The oil is also sold in food stores.

The other type of sunflower is called “non-oil.” The main difference is that the seeds of this one are white with black stripes and much larger than the oily seeds. These are also known as confectionery sunflower seeds, because they are used as a tasty snack, sprinkled over salads or added to cookies and other bakery goods. Moms sometimes put a handful of shelled sunflower seeds in packed lunches for a snack. No doubt most of you already know how good they taste.

One problem farmers have with both kinds of sunflowers is that birds find them very tasty. To protect their crops, sometimes scarecrows are placed among them; some also make scary noises to keep them away. But this remains a real problem, for it is hard to fool the birds, and the seeds are a favorite of many kinds.

The way sunflowers turn to the sun all day long is a nice picture of boys and girls who can say that “the Lord God is [my] sun and shield,” as our opening Bible verse states, and can always remember that His love is shining on them. Can you say that?

ML-07/11/2004

The Manta Ray

“God created great whales, and every living creature that moveth, which the waters brought forth . . . after their kind.”
Genesis 1:21

The manta ray is the largest member of the ray family and lives throughout the tropical seas of the world. It measures up to twenty-two feet across its “wings,” ten feet long from head to tail, and weighs up to three thousand pounds. Its mouth can be three feet wide! Surprisingly, it has very small teeth and is actually one of the harmless creatures of the sea, unless harassed.

This gentle giant can be found close to the shore, as well as out in the open sea where it swims almost continuously as it searches out the best feeding areas. It feeds mostly on plankton (tiny plant and animal life) and schools of small fishes. This majestic fish will sometimes “breach” like a whale.

A diver who saw one tells that at first he was afraid of it, but then he was surprised to find it quite friendly. After looking the diver over, the manta ray dropped down below him, barely moving. In a bold moment’s decision, the diver also dropped down and gently landed on the manta ray’s back with his legs spread out and his hands on its shoulders. Soon its wings began to slowly beat, and the diver realized he was off on a trip with no idea how it would end. But he was pleased to find he wasn’t thrown off and that the manta ray seemed to like his company. The ride didn’t last long but was quite a thrill.

Some others have had similar experiences such as this diver had. We hope each one was impressed with a real awareness of the wonders of God’s creation, for all the creatures of the oceans are included in the Bible verse that says, “By Him were all things created . . . and He is before all things, and by Him all things [continue to exist]” (Colossians 1:16-17).

The Bible also tells all boys and girls to “remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth” (Ecclesiastes 12:1) and to know Him not only as the One who created and watches over them, but as the God who loves each and every one. He invites you to know His Son, the Lord Jesus, as your Saviour. He died on the cross to put away the sins of all who trust Him to forgive them. He will then accept you as one of His own children, with the promise of a heavenly home when life on earth is ended.

If you do not belong to Him yet, don’t wait any longer: Come to Him in prayer and accept Him as your Saviour this very day. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation” (2 Corinthians 6:2).

ML-07/18/2004

Lively Spider Monkeys: 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

There are many species of monkeys in Central America and the northern parts of South America, and all have long, prehensile (grasping) tails. The Creator also gave them long legs and arms - all important to their way of life. They use their tails not only to grasp branches, but the tips of their tails have a remarkable sense of touch, enabling them to capture tasty insects or other creatures out of crevices or holes in trees. If a spider monkey is mortally wounded, it will curl its tail around a branch as it dies and remain suspended until it is removed or its body decays.

The long tails and sprawling legs of these monkeys make them appear awkward when on the ground, as they walk with the soles of their hands outward and the feet inward. But in trees they are skilled acrobats and move swiftly and gracefully about, using their long arms, legs and tails, and they can cover thirty feet in one flying leap.

The red-faced variety is only about a foot long from nose to tail; its tail adds another two feet. The name “red-faced” is not entirely accurate, for its head is actually a dark copper color, showing some red in bright sunlight. The rest of it is mostly shiny black.

These are residents of both Brazil and Guiana, and they are much loved by most people. They will swing by their tails or lean against a tree for hours at a time. But if threatened, they scoot away so swiftly that nothing but a bird could keep up with them.

A hunter told of trying to shoot one of these in the top of a tall tree. It fell headlong for about thirty feet, at which point its tail wrapped around a limb, bringing it to an immediate stop. It hung there briefly and then took off, making its escape before the hunter got in another shot. Aren’t you glad it got away?

Another species, living along the Amazon River, is the variegated with quite similar habits to the others. Its black fur is somewhat longer and its tail more bushy. Those who have watched it report that it will sit for great lengths of time high in a tree without moving; then suddenly it becomes active, swinging swiftly backwards and forwards in an upside down position, just like the pendulum of a big clock.

Another interesting variety will be considered in the next issue. Meanwhile, let us remember that these creatures are part of God’s creation, in which He took delight, as our opening Bible verse informs us. Like God, we too may take delight in His creation.

(to be continued)

ML-07/25/2004

Lively Spider Monkeys: Part 2

“God made the beast of the earth after his kind . . . and God saw that it was good.”
Genesis 1:25

In last week’s issue, the red-faced and variegated species of the spider monkey family were reviewed. Today we will consider the wooly variety, which is, in many ways, the most remarkable member of this family.

The wooly’s homeland is in the forest region of Brazil, close to Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. Much of that forest area has been cut down, and many are concerned that these creatures will soon have no place to live. But efforts are underway to set aside an area for the protection of the wooly spider monkey.

An adult wooly, weighing over thirty pounds, will measure about five feet in length, including a long, fur-covered tail. Except for a dark face, slightly flushed with red, their body fur appears quite light when they are standing facing you, but the fur on their backs is considerably darker. On some there are areas of deep orange as well, and they all have a cute appearance.

Their antics are amazing, such as dangling out in space from a slender branch, holding on only by a tail and one arm. But when a mother leads a little one around, she is very careful. To travel from one tree to another where the space is too great for the baby to swing, she will pull the branch to which it clings farther across, or leap to the other tree and work one of its branches across so the little one can safely reach it.

At other times, she will stretch herself over the area, grasping one side with a strong arm and the other side with her tail. Then junior merely walks across her body to make the cross- over. On other occasions, a mother will be spotted with a little one clinging to her back as she scampers through the trees.

For the most part, woolies are peace-loving and playful, enjoying swinging back and forth under a high branch while hanging on only by their tails. But they will chase away other species that try to compete in picking fruit from a tree, which, including the leaves and flowers, represents most of their food.

Wherever seen, monkeys are interesting animals, and we can understand the Creator’s taking pleasure in creating them. The Bible, God’s Word, does not teach that mankind evolved from monkeys and apes. God’s Word, which is our only sure and true source of knowledge of such things, plainly teaches that when God made Adam, he was instantly a complete man. If in all things we trust and believe what God says, we are always on safe ground.

ML-08/01/2004

Wild Pigs-Ugh!

“Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods.”
Deuteronomy 11:16

Wild pigs have a variety of names - boars, razorbacks, or just plain hogs or pigs. However, they were not always wild. Years ago some escaped from their farm homes and easily adapted to living in the wild.

There were no pigs in Hawaii until someone imported a number of tame ones. Some of these escaped into the nearby forests and shorelines. Today they have become Hawaii’s worst pest. Among other things, they destroy beautiful tree ferns by gnawing into the stems for food. Another plant they eat is the banana-poke, spreading the seeds around, making it an added problem because it chokes out other native plants.

Both California and North Carolina have thousands of these black, fat, short-legged animals with pointed snouts and bare tails. Many other North American areas have similar problems with them, all resulting from imported tame pigs escaping into the wild years ago. Hunters shoot them by the thousands. But it is impossible to keep ahead of them since the sows give birth to about six babies twice a year.

The wild pigs’ food includes acorns, hazelnuts, chestnuts and berries, hoggishly depriving many birds, deer, bears and other wild creatures of what they need. Another disadvantage is that these creatures do not hibernate in the winter, but rain, snow and freezing weather seem to make them hungrier. With part of their regular food not available, they strip bark off many trees, looking for hidden insects. This results in ruining some forested areas.

As if these traits are not bad enough, they love to change a forest pond or part of a shallow stream into a filthy mud hole as they wallow and get covered with mud. These areas soon become polluted and foul smelling due to all the filth. This attracts flies and other insects that carry some of the disease-laden filth to farmyards, homes, parks and other public areas, harming not only farm animals and birds, but people as well.

These vicious, unpleasant beasts are an example of what sin has brought into the world, for when God created them, they were not this way. This reminds us that Satan tempted Adam and Eve to sin against God, and Satan is still trying to keep people from responding to God’s love. Read the warning in our opening Bible verse.

Our loving God wants us to turn from our sinful ways and look to His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for the sins of all who will come to Him. The Bible tells us this: “We have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7). Have you come to Him with your sins?

ML-08/08/2004

A Sportsman's Fish

“Jesus . . . saw . . . Peter, and Andrew . . . casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And He saith unto them, Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

Matthew 4:18-19

Standing on the banks of a cool stream with a strong current or fishing from drift boats, sports fishermen hope to catch a few steelhead trout to take home for eating. But many of the fishermen get a thrill out of just catching these fighters and immediately release them back into the water.

Steelhead trout, a relative of the salmon, weigh from three to twenty pounds and are found mostly in oceanside streams from California to Alaska. Steelheads are actually rainbow trout but are called steelheads because they change to a steely-blue color during their migrations from fresh water to salt water.

Travel to the ocean is usually in the spring, and their return, after three years in salt water, is in the fall. In these migrations, some will travel two hundred miles or more in a river, but no one knows how far they travel in the ocean. As they work their way upstream, mates are selected and together they return to the same spawning area where they hatched. No one can understand how they pick the right stream after being gone so long, but it is a God-given instinct that works without fail.

However, since many rivers and streams now have dams that steelheads cannot get past, hatcheries are used to hatch great quantities of eggs taken from migrating females. The fingerlings are placed in suitable mountain streams in the spring soon after hatching.

Mature steelheads have smaller scales and shorter heads than salmon. They are beautiful fish, dark blue-gray along the back from the top of the mouth to and including the large upright tail. There is a light pink band just below the blue-gray on the body and on the lower fin. Between the lower fin and the pink band on the body is another olive colored band. The entire underside is plain white. This coloring pattern is almost identical to some salmon.

Others are silvery with tints of gray and pink. Some adults also have tan backs spotted with small brown circles atop the pink middle stripe. They will all give a fisherman a long, hard fight when hooked.

In the opening Bible verse, what do you think the Lord Jesus meant when He told those two fishermen that He would make them fishers of men? He was promising to use them to bring the gospel to many people to save them for heaven, by telling them of God’s love in sending Him to be the Saviour of sinners. And Peter and Andrew did that faithfully.

Are you a “fisher of men”? You are if you have told others about our blessed Saviour and His love for them.

ML-08/15/2004

Look Out for Water Snakes!

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

Snakes are usually thought of as creatures that live on land, but there are many that live in lakes, ponds and even some parts of the ocean. All water snakes are excellent swimmers and can stay underwater a long time, swimming as deep as fifty feet.

Several varieties are in various areas of Canada and the United States. One commonly found in Ohio and Illinois is called the queen. The Graham’s water snake is common in Pennsylvania and north into Canada. Some others include the striped, Clark’s, flat-tailed and red-bellied species. The brown is the longest -up to five feet. These freshwater snakes are not poisonous and are usually harmless. However, if some of the larger ones are stepped on, they can give a painful bite.

There are about fifty species in the ocean waters of the Philippines and Australia, and all are as poisonous as rattlesnakes or other pit vipers. These are usually about three feet long and are rather pretty creatures with a variety of colors and patterns. They often stay in deep water a long time, searching for seafood, but they come to the surface for air after about thirty minutes.

Water snakes may swim in groups of a dozen or more, but sometimes there will be hundreds of them hunting together. Some people make a living by capturing them and selling their skins to tanneries and shoemakers to be made into belts, shoes, handbags and other items.

Strangely, these people don’t wear gloves or special clothing in their work with these poisonous serpents. They swim up behind a snake and grab it tightly behind its head with their right hand. Then they quickly transfer the snake to the other hand in which three or four others may be held, before swimming to a boat where they are quickly killed and stowed away for skinning later.

In the Bible, Satan is referred to as “that old serpent, which is the Devil” (Revelation 20:2) and as “a roaring lion,” as quoted in our opening verse. Satan is described as a serpent because he wants to sneak into our lives with evil thoughts, and like a fierce lion he will harm us in any way he can. He wants to keep us away from the Lord Jesus who loves and cares for us.

In a wonderful contrast, the Lord Jesus is called “the Lamb of God, which [takes] away the sin of the world” (John 1:29), and “a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:19). When Satan tempts you to do anything bad or evil, ask the Lord Jesus to help you to be strong. He promises, “Call upon Me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me” (Psalm 50:15).

ML-08/22/2004

Stay Away From Killer Bees

“I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause [who] doeth great things . . . marvelous things without number.” Job 5:8-9

Most people are familiar with honeybees. They are very useful in pollinating flowers, fruit tree blossoms and other plant life, as well as being the source of delicious honey. They, as well as wasps and other insects, are all an important part of God’s creation. However, in attempting to develop or improve certain characteristics of particular creatures, breeders sometimes interfere with the plan God has made for these creatures, and that is almost certain to lead to trouble.

Sad to say, that’s how killer bees have become a serious problem in areas of South and Central America. About thirty-five years ago, some were brought to Brazil from their natural God-given African homes. Beekeepers wanted to crossbreed them with honeybees of Brazil so they would produce greater amounts of honey, and then the beekeepers would make larger profits. But, unknown to breeders at that time, it was a serious mistake.

There are thousands of species of bees in the world, but only honeybees make honey and wax that man can use. And there are only four kinds of honeybees: the German, the Western, the European and the African. Each species lives in its own geographical location with a particular nature best suited to its surroundings. The bees in Africa, for instance, have different circumstances to cope with in the wild life of that country than the Western bees have. African bees defend themselves by flying together in huge, angry swarms and attacking their enemies with hundreds of stings.

The unwise crossbreeding experiments in Brazil resulted in a new type of bee called “killer bees.” These are actually a cross between the African and the Western honeybees, with a few German honeybees also included. These killer bees attack in large masses when bothered and annoyed, and many animals and even people have been killed by their many stings since these experiments started.

In recent years, these vicious bees have gradually worked their way northward into Mexico and even into the southern parts of the United States. It does not appear that they will be a serious problem farther north because they prefer the warmer climates of the south, similar to the climates of Africa and South America.

This tragic experiment and resulting trouble should remind all of us that only God’s ways are perfect, and men should be very careful before making changes in them. How much better it would be for each of us to follow what the beginning Bible verse says and to remember Psalm 25:45: “Show me Thy ways, O Lord; teach me Thy paths. Lead me in Thy truth, and teach me: for Thou art the God of my salvation.”

ML-08/29/2004

AUGUST 29, 2004

The Stately Egrets: Part 1

“God created . . . every winged fowl after his kind: and God saw that it was good. And God blessed them, saying . . . let fowl multiply in the earth.”
Genesis 1:21-22

Egrets are found in several parts of the world but most commonly in Africa, South and Central America, and parts of the United States. This would include Florida and other Gulf Coast areas, the coasts of California and Oregon, also scattered locations from Maine to Texas, and a few in Utah.

With few exceptions, such as the cattle egrets, the vast majority of these birds seek out shallow waters along the shores of lakes, rivers or swamps where they wade through marshy areas to find fish, frogs, small birds and other creatures that form the major part of their food supply. Their method of capturing these is to stand motionless for long periods in water about a foot deep, waiting for a desirable bit of food to appear. Then, quicker than your eye can follow, the long neck stretches out and its long, sharp beak stabs its victim, which it quickly swallows.

Nesting is usually high in a tree where the male first picks a suitable spot where a nest of dead sticks and twigs can be lodged securely. Often whole colonies nest in close groups. Having found the right spot, the male then tries to win the attention of a female for a mate, attracting her with repeated, loud calls until she comes to look him over.

Then, with a display of his beautiful feathers, wide-spread wings, and the plumes on his back lifted up, he goes through a variety of poses, either twisting his neck up over his back or extending it skyward. At the same time his beak changes colors to show how excited he is. Sometime during this display, he may pick up a dry stick in his beak and offer it to her, to work up her interest in nesting together.

Over the years many egrets have migrated from Africa to South and Central America, and some have worked their way northward into nearby areas of the United States - mainly Florida. In more recent times, numbers of them have moved into many other states, as mentioned in the first paragraph.

The Scripture verse at the opening of this article tells us how the many varieties of this interesting bird -along with all other birds - were brought forth on the earth, and the Creator instructed them thereafter to bring forth after their kind. And that is exactly what has taken place with each variety. They are here today because God arranged them for His pleasure, as well as ours. He created them with the same, present beauty we see today. Let us thank Him for this wonderful provision every time we see such lovely creatures.

(to be continued)

ML-09/05/2004

The Stately Egrets: Part 2

“Ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee.” Job 12:7

Last week we considered a few facts about the lovely egrets, their homelands, nesting and methods of securing food. Now we will look at some of the outstanding species more closely.

The great white is the largest of all egrets and looks regal as it stands with large, snowy wings outstretched and its long, white neck gracefully curved. It has long, black legs, a beautiful white, feathered body and long, yellow beak and is truly an outstanding beauty - another example of God’s marvelous creation.

Perhaps because of its large size, the great white is bold. It has been seen in Florida waters standing upright on the back of a crocodile that is swimming at the surface. As the crocodile moves along, an occasional frightened fish will leap out of the water. The watchful egret jumps off its moving perch to catch it and then returns to the crocodile’s back to enjoy the treat.

The little egret looks like a miniature of the great white but only about half its size. It is very active and appears in great numbers in many places.

The American is another large egret, about three-and-a-half feet long with a wingspan of nearly five feet. When flying lazily along, it has the most dignified appearance of all, with its long neck in a comfortable “S” curve and legs stretched out behind. Its slow speed makes an onlooker wonder how it can remain high in the air. It carries the same dignity when wading or standing like a statue in a swamp, searching for a fish or frog.

The American nests high in a cypress tree overlooking a bog or marsh. Seen mostly in Florida and the southern states, some also make their homes along the shores of California and Oregon. It is one of the species which was almost wiped out by hunters who killed them for their beautiful feathers. Fortunately, the government stopped the hunting before it was too late.

The snowy egret is another very beautiful bird, similar to the great white but smaller. Its pure-white feathers are emphasized by a black beak and legs and yellow feet. A spectacular crest of plumes behind its head adds to its beauty. This one was also nearly wiped out by hunters.

The animals and birds of the earth teach and tell us a message, as our opening verse states. Their survival would certainly be one point; they have no schools or teachers to show them how to face life and find food and shelter. These facts tell us of the Lord God who has created and cares for them. They teach us that “the earth is full of the goodness of the Lord” (Psalm 33:5).

(to be continued)

ML-09/12/2004

The Stately Egrets: Part 3

“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 past two articles have explored the ways of four varieties of birds called egrets. In addition, we will look at just a few more.

The reddish egret is one of the more recent immigrants to the United States and is still found in great numbers in various parts of Central America. Medium sized, it lives in brackish (somewhat salty) lakes and salt marshes along the Gulf Coast.

Those we have already looked at have all been white. This one has reddish and orange-red feathers from its head down beyond its chest and is crowned with spindly feathers over the top of its head. Its main body feathers are grayish-black mottled with white.

The gray egret is another three-foot-tall bird that is an exception to the pure whites. It is bluish-gray on its upper plumage and wears a crest of the same color over its head. However, forehead, neck, and edges of wings are white with pretty white plumes hanging from its neck, contrasting with the blue-black sides of its breast and flanks.

We have saved the cattle egrets for last, because their feeding habits and manner of life are different from all the rest. They look much like the others, although they are small, white birds with pink eyes and yellow bills.

In their native land of Africa, they are usually found where there are water buffalo and other browsing wild animals. Great numbers of egrets follow these animals as they graze, snatching insects stirred up by the animals’ hooves. They often ride on the backs of these big beasts. Egrets have no other choice with hippos, which move through plant-covered ponds where they disturb insects that fly into the air. These insects are quickly snatched by the birds. None of these animals seem to mind having the birds riding on their backs.

Those egrets which have migrated to the Americas do just as well as their African relatives. They have found herds of grazing cattle and ride on the backs of the animals. Some even follow tractors when they are turning over the soil. You can tell by this that cattle egrets are not interested in frogs, lizards and fish like the wading egrets; their diet is almost entirely limited to insects.

The psalmist declared, “O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the Lord our maker. For He is our God; and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand” (Psalm 95:67). David knew what it was to be truly one of the Lord’s people and to have Him as his Good Shepherd. Have you made Him your Good Shepherd and Saviour too?

ML-09/19/2004

SEPTEMBER 19, 2004

Ever Meet a Walrus?

“Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable.”
Psalm 145:3

What a marvelous sight it must be for a person standing on an Alaskan cliff to see a great mass of huge, brown walruses sprawled on the ocean shore below. There are sometimes hundreds or thousands of them - some lying on their stomachs or sides and others lying on their backs - all pressed tightly together with their long, white tusks pointing in every direction!

None seem to worry that the sharp tusks of others might stab them. However, a latecomer working his way through the mass is always met with angry snorts and grunts and even some jabbing with the tusks, but not enough to really harm it.

Walruses live only in the cold Arctic, far from civilization. They eat about two hundred pounds of clams, snails, oysters, fish and other marine life daily from the ocean. When not busy looking for food, they like to rest on shore, sprawling closely together to share each other’s warmth. At certain times of the year, these masses break up into smaller groups.

These giants continue to gain weight. An old male may weigh two thousand to three thousand pounds! Their entire bodies are covered with a thick, black layer of wrinkly blubber, covered with orange-brown hair, providing wonderful insulation, just like a warm blanket, from the icy-cold waters.

Walruses are anything but pretty. They have puffy, whiskered muzzles with long tusks that point downward from their upper jaws. These tusks are actually extra-long teeth, six inches or more in diameter and taper to a sharp point at the end. They are about a yard long and weigh about twelve pounds each.

The Creator designed their tusks to handle several jobs: for protection from their enemies (polar bears), for pulling themselves up on the ice, and for digging shellfish from the ocean bottom. Tusks of the males are much longer and thicker than the females’.

Eskimos are now the only people allowed to hunt walruses, and for many they are a main source of food. Catching one is a great event, not only for the amount of meat it supplies, but for its valuable ivory tusks and its skins which make good leather.

Animals such as these may seem strange to us, but they have a definite place in God’s creation. When we think of all He has created, small and great, we can only agree with the Bible verse that says, “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).

King David said, “Happy is he . . . whose hope is in the Lord his God: which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein is” (Psalm 146:56). This is true happiness.

ML-09/26/2004

An Underground Resident

“Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord.”
Jeremiah 23:24

The mole is a little underground animal that thinks it is hidden from every eye, but it doesn’t know about God, its Creator, whose eye is always on every living thing.

About eight inches long, the mole is a tireless, rapid digger, which the Creator has prepared for its underground life. Its body has a round shape with a narrow, pointed nose which helps it dig through the soil. Its front feet, which do the digging, have long, broad claws and are twice the size of its back feet. It has tiny eyes and is almost blind, which is suitable for its underground life. In spite of small ears, it has good hearing, as well as a keen sense of smell.

The mole’s fur also has a special design. It looks and feels like velvet and is made up of short hairs that lie smoothly in any direction in which they may be rubbed. This enables it to move forward or backward in the tunnels without getting its coat full of dirt.

This little fellow spends all its waking hours either enlarging its tunnels or hunting for worms, insects, spiders and snails. It always stays underground except for very short trips outside to eat a few green plants.

Their tunnels are always wide enough for two moles to pass and lead from one feeding ground to another, with a living area in between. As a safeguard, two circular rooms are made at different levels that connect to each other. When danger threatens, the little animals can escape through any of the many runs that come out from these rooms. Since it likes a lot of water to drink, it makes little wells in the passageways, enabling it to stay underground.

People with lawns and gardens often consider the mole a pest because its tunnels near the surface raise the soil slightly. But it does have a useful place in God’s creation by controlling many harmful insects and improving the soil by loosening it as it digs.

How instructive it is to see the wisdom of God in providing each of His creatures with the special needs of its environment. Have you considered His goodness in providing for your needs? The Bible says, “God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). Most blessed of all, He knows the need that each person has for deliverance from sins and judgment. He has also provided a Redeemer, His own beloved Son, for all who put their trust in Him. “[He] gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil world” (Galatians 1:4). If you have not yet accepted this wonderful gift, do so today and thank Him for it.

ML-10/03/2004

From Microbes to Elephants

“Remember His marvelous works that He hath done, His wonders and the judgments of His mouth.”
1 Chronicles 16:12

Do you ever stop to consider the wonders of the world around us -close up and far away? How a clear, starry night amazes us with its vastness, or the beauty of a delicate flower, the waves of the ocean thundering against a rocky cliff, the flight of a bird, an elephant or monkey in a zoo, or a horse, cow or pig in a barnyard. The beauty of an oak or redwood tree and the delicate frond of a maidenhair fern should make us think about the very wonder of their existence.

How does a tiny seed, falling to the ground, take root and become a buttercup, a lily, a violet or other plant in a meadow or deep forest? What makes cacti and other desert plants store enough water for a coming dry season when, on rare occasions, they are pelted with heavy rainstorms? How does a pigeon, carried to a distant, strange locality, know how to fly straight back home?

What causes a compass to point northward? Who provided gravity to enable animals and people to stand upright, to walk or run without falling, or to keep loose objects from flying off into space? Who thought of storing snow on mountain peaks in winter and keeping it from melting until moisture is needed at lower levels? Why don’t the oceans overflow with all the rivers continuously pouring such huge quantities of water into them?

With all the stars and other planets in the skies, how did the earth get placed at the most perfect position in relation to the sun and moon? Who set it spinning at just the right tilt and proper speed to give all living things just the amount of heat and cold, darkness and sunshine required in the various parts of the world in which they are placed?

Did you really ever stop to wonder how these and millions of other things have taken place? They are all examples of the wonders of God’s creation and should make us think very seriously about our relationship with Him!

A Bible verse makes it very personal: “Doth not He see my ways, and count all my steps?” (Job 31:4). Yes He does, and He wants every person to know Him, not only as Creator, but as Saviour God. He invites each one to come to Him through His Son, Jesus Christ, who gave His life on Calvary’s cross to take away the sins of all who will trust in Him. If we admit to Him that we are sinners and look to Him as our Saviour, His Word promises, “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). Have you done this?

ML-10/10/2004

Wildcats Are Interesting

“O Lord, Thou preservest man and beast. How excellent is Thy loving-kindness, O God!”
Psalm 36:67

There are many varieties of wildcats in different parts of the world. The term “wildcat” generally refers to small, wild members of the cat family. It is often applied to an unusual species of lynx, bobcat, or even a domestic cat that has gone off into the wild.

The one known as the forest wildcat is actually a variety of the lynx, but is smaller than most lynxes. It is only about one-third larger than a house cat, with longer legs, a broader head and shorter tail. Another variety is called desert lynx, and looks very much like a household pet. Both kinds are found in various parts of Canada and the United States and are bold and cunning at hunting, which they do mostly at night.

Among wildcats’ favorite foods are ground squirrels, rabbits, wood rats, mice, moles and low-roosting birds, which they capture while the birds are asleep.

Actually these animals are not very good runners, but bound after their prey in bobbing leaps, just like a frightened house cat does. When other food is not available and they are really hungry, they have been known to eat beetles, grasshoppers and crickets. Sometimes a wildcat will flatten itself on a branch over a trail and pounce on unsuspecting animals or birds which pass below.

Wildcats are excellent tree-climbers and prefer to live in forests or brushy places but sometimes will have a well-hidden den in rocky areas. Often they will have more than one den for hiding purposes when pursued by an enemy, which might be a fox, wolf or prowling dog. When attacked by an owl, hawk or eagle without chance of escape, wildcats roll over on their backs, biting at the bird’s head and neck and using their sharp-clawed feet to pull out feathers. The birds generally give up and fly away.

Usually three or four kittens are born in the spring, either in a cave or hollow log. They are just as cute as domestic kittens. The mother nurses them for several weeks, then teaches them to hunt by putting live mice and other small creatures in front of them. If the victims are about to get away from one of the kittens, she will go after it and bring it back for the kittens to try again. They soon catch on.

Does the Creator watch over these wildcats? Yes He does. They are one of the “beasts” in our opening Bible verse. Can you say with the psalm writer as he thought about the Lord’s loving ways, “O come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord our maker. For He is our God; and we are the people of His pasture” (Psalm 95:67)?

ML-10/17/2004

OCTOBER 17, 2004

Rhesus Monkeys

“We know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one.”
1 Corinthians 8:4

Rhesus monkeys are distinct from other members of the ape family. They live in the Himalayan area of Nepal, high in the mountains between India and Tibet. From the back, their fur is usually reddish above the hind legs, but gray over the rest of their bodies, including their legs, heads and beards. Long tails look like pieces of rope, and their fingers, toes and faces are bright pink.

These monkeys are naturally wild animals, but we are going to look at some that are tame and live in heathen temples. It is sad to think that the native religion is based on worshipping idols that represent false “gods.” One idol the natives worship is called the “monkey god.”

Perhaps because they look a lot like miniature humans, the Rhesus monkeys are given privileges that their relatives in the nearby mountains do not enjoy. They are permitted to live in the temples and surrounding grounds where the worshippers spend much time. The monkeys are very tame and are allowed to climb over idols and ornaments in the temples, even though the native people are not permitted to.

Steps going into the temples, or the hilly grounds around them, are favorite places for the monkeys. This is because worshippers hand them lots of food treats. In addition to these handouts, when the idol worshippers place food as an offering at the base of the idols, the monkeys lose no time in gobbling down the food just as soon as the person’s back is turned.

Many fables are told by the temple priests about the “sacred” roles of these monkeys. They convince the people that the monkeys are truly sacred and should be pampered and never harmed. If a native is annoyed with a monkey or even scolds it, that person is in real trouble if a temple priest hears about it.

We can’t help but feel sorry for these people who are taught from childhood about these false gods and the idols and animals that represent them. Let us all hope and pray that they will listen to the truth of the love of the true God, told to them by missionaries outside the temple grounds. What a wonderful account they can hear of the love and forgiveness the Lord Jesus Christ is offering them. The Bible clearly tells them they only need to confess that they are sinners and believe that He died on the cross for their sins.

A God who loves them is such a contrast to their worship of idols and monkeys that only fill them with dread and terror. It would please God to hear you pray for these people, that they might learn and believe the truth of the only one true God who loves them.

ML-10/24/2004

The Busy Phalaropes: Part 1

“And God created . . . every winged fowl after his kind.”
Genesis 1:21

You may never have heard of the pretty sandpiper-like birds called phalaropes. There are great numbers of them that travel thousands of miles every year, mainly between the cold Arctic lands of the North and the warm tropical countries of Central and South America. Some travel even farther south, to West Africa, New Guinea and the coasts of Arabia. Those that make the longest trips fly fifteen thousand miles each year in their round-trip migrations!

There are three species of this strange bird. One is known as the gray (but sometimes called the red); another has the name of red-necked (also called the Northern), and the largest of them all is the Wilson’s.

The gray (red) travels in early summer up into the Arctic tundra areas where great quantities of food await it. The red-necked (Northern) prefers to have its summer home a little farther south, sometimes as far south as Canada. The Wilson’s variety chooses farther south yet, nesting in southern Canada and along the northern border of the United States.

Because the Wilson’s phalarope spends part of its time in California where it can be observed closely, more is known about it than the others, so we will limit our study mostly to that species.

The coloring of all these birds is different in summer than in winter. The one called gray (red) has gray and white plumage in winter, but is bright red in summer. The Wilson’s, on the other hand, is also a very pretty bird in summer; its wings, neck and top of head are a combination of blue, orange and deep red with the rest of its body white. In winter its coloring changes, giving it brown wings, legs and crest atop its head, but plain white over the rest of its body.

The Creator equipped these birds with long legs, partially webbed feet and long beaks, all of which are useful as they wade along shorelines, searching for insects and food particles. But they are also good swimmers and have been given thick, waterproof feathers that help them float high on the water.

With most birds, the male has the outstanding, colorful feathers, but with these it is just the opposite. Especially during the nesting period, the females are actually the prettiest and like to show off their colorful feathers when trying to attract a mate. The mother bird is also a little larger than her companion (just the opposite of most other birds) and has some strange ways about her, which we will look at in the following issue.

Meanwhile, let us never forget that “all things were made by Him [the Lord God]; and without Him was not anything made that was made” (John 1:3).

(to be continued)

ML-10/31/2004

The Busy Phalaropes: Part 2

“Thus saith the Lord, thy Redeemer . . . I am the Lord that maketh all things.”
Isaiah 44:24

In last week’s issue it was mentioned that the mother phalarope has some strange ways. One example is that the female birds prefer to travel without their mates, and in flying either north in the spring or south in the fall, they always arrive at their destination a few weeks ahead of their mates.

Arriving at a promising area, each female selects a spot for a nesting site. She works with her strong legs and beak, digging a shallow nest in the dirt, either close to a pool of clean water or sometimes in a meadow a short distance away. When she has finished the digging, she leaves it up to the male to line the hole with moss or leaves when he arrives. Usually the females make their nests near others, to form a sort of colony.

When the males arrive, each female picks out a mate. Then she shows him her nest and soon is busy laying three or four eggs. After this she leaves him, and he takes over the responsibility of incubating the eggs and taking care of the chicks when they hatch. Sometimes the mother bird will decide to raise a double family. She will build another nest, lay eggs in it, and this time, seeing her mate is already busy on the first nest, she actually takes over and incubates and raises the second group herself. Aren’t these strange things for a mother bird to do?

When fall weather is coming, the mother birds leave the little ones with the father birds and depart by themselves for the tropical lands where they will eventually arrive to spend the winter. A few weeks later those left behind also leave on the same journey, joining her at a stopping point on the way.

A main stopping point for the Wilson’s species is small Mono Lake in the mountains of California. This lake is quite salty and the home of myriads of little creatures called brine shrimp, which the phalaropes especially like. At Mono Lake the birds stop for a month or more, refreshing themselves with this nutritious food as well as mosquitoes and brine flies, fattening up and renewing strength for the rest of their journey. Thousands of them leave together, temporarily darkening the sky as they take off.

In the lives of these interesting birds, we easily see God’s wonderful care over them and His wisdom in directing them north in the summer and south in the winter, to preserve their great numbers and provide ample food for them at all times of the year.

His ways are best for each of us too, and the Bible gives us good counsel, saying, “In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths” (Proverbs 3:6).

ML-11/07/2004

The Lowly Acorn

“God said, Let the earth bring forth . . . the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, whose seed is in itself.”
Genesis 1:11

In summer the shade of an oak tree is welcome, and in fall its colored leaves are spectacular. But the oak begins in a small way.

A tiny flower on an oak tree is pollinated and begins to grow. Within a few months, it becomes an acorn, complete with its sporty little cap. A mature oak produces thousands of acorns. Every healthy acorn has the ability to produce all the parts of a new tree. However, only a few ever grow into trees, because there are many hungry mouths ready to eat them. This is just the way God purposed it. He told Adam, “Every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seed; to you it shall be for [food]” (Genesis 1:29).

Almost all acorns are good to eat, but the North American Indians especially liked the white oak acorns. Squirrels and chipmunks also find acorns a chief source of food. Perhaps you have seen these lively animals scampering over a tree, cutting acorns free with their teeth. These fall to the ground and are later picked up and carried to their nests. Squirrels often hide acorns in the ground too, carefully covering them with soil. They, no doubt, intend to collect them later. However, they usually forget some, and so new little oak trees sprout from these forgotten acorns.

Some of God’s other creatures also use acorns. Insects drill through the shell and plant eggs inside. When the eggs hatch, the kernel of the acorn is their food supply. Then there are woodpeckers, nuthatches, blue jays, wild turkeys and other birds that eat them. Pigs and even deer also eat them.

Surely God arranged such an abundant supply of acorns as good food for many of His creatures. The acorns that escape all these hunters and fall on fertile ground germinate in the fall. As the shell cracks open, little roots push out into the soil before freezing weather sets in. But God designed this seed so that no stems or leaves appear until spring. If they did, they would be killed by the cold of winter. In warm weather, the top growth appears, and a new tree is established.

We should be thankful to God for every kind of food graciously given to us. Let’s also remember His words: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Later He explained, “My Father [gives] you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He which [comes] down from heaven, and [gives] life unto the world. . . . I am the bread of life: he that [comes] to Me shall never hunger; and he that [believes] on Me shall never thirst” (John 6:32-35).

ML-11/14/2004

The Big Gobbler

“I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are Mine.”
Psalm 50:11

The Thanksgiving holiday is a time when many American homes have a turkey dinner. This is a custom started over two hundred years ago when the Pilgrims made a feast to thank God for their bountiful crops. Indians who were invited brought wild turkeys, and this tasty meat proved to be so popular that the annual feast usually includes roast turkey.

The wild turkey, which lives throughout much of North America, is a resourceful creature. It has excellent sight and can spot intruders before they can come near. Its bronze colors help it to blend into the brush. It can run from danger at speeds of fifteen miles an hour or take to the air at more than fifty miles an hour!

A wild tom is an interesting sight, particularly when he is seeking a mate. He approaches a hen with loud gobbles, and the pouchlike area at the front of his throat, called a wattle, becomes brilliant red. With his breast and body feathers puffed out, he spreads his wings to the ground and fans out his multi-colored tail, and then he struts around in a lordly manner.

The hen makes her nest in dry leaves for the four-week incubation of a dozen eggs. Almost immediately after hatching, the chicks can feed themselves, and the hen trains them to find nuts, berries, fruit, seeds and insects. They are not aware of it, but we know it is the Creator’s care that provides for all their needs. The Bible says, “Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap . . . yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?” (Matthew 6:26). He certainly does count us “much better than they” and wants you and me to know of His deep love for us and His invitation to live with Him in His heavenly home.

As soon as the young turkeys can fly, they leave the nest and roost in trees at night, which is much safer. In about two years they are fully grown and weigh from twenty to thirty pounds.

If a rattlesnake appears, the hens puff out their feathers and with loud hissing usually frighten it away. But if it continues to threaten them, a tom soon shows up, and the snake is doomed. Striking the tom, all it gets is a mouthful of feathers. The tom’s sharp beak soon kills this enemy.

These birds of the forest are clever, but the Bible tells us God has made us wiser than they (Job 35:11). This wisdom is given so that we might seek the Lord and answer to His promise: “I love them that love Me; and those that seek Me early shall find Me” (Proverbs 8:17). Are you wise enough to follow His instruction?

ML-11/21/2004

Caymans Have No Friends

“The cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.”
Isaiah 11:7

Most people in Florida and the lower Mississippi areas are familiar with crocodiles and alligators and their vicious ways. But there is a close relative of these, the cayman, that lives only in Central and South America where they thrive in great numbers in rivers and swamps. A large one will measure up to twenty feet long! To grasp just how long that is, if it were stretched out on your garage floor, you would probably be barely able to close the door completely!

In certain ways they hold their mouths, it almost seems as if they are smiling or grinning, but there is nothing pleasant about them. Long, curved jaws filled with big, sharp teeth are under a bulb-like snout. When those huge jaws are open, one quick snap of them can immediately end the life of a victim.

Caymans’ bodies are covered on top with a dark, tough skin with a pattern of pointed wedge-shaped bumps. The underpart of their bodies is much lighter in color and has protective plates covering it.

South American hunters find their flesh tasty when roasted. But they are more interested in catching these creatures for their skins, which are in great demand and are made into high-quality leather goods. A pair of men’s shoes made from this leather may be priced at $300 or more, and jackets, gloves, belts and other items all carry high prices. Of course, the hunter does not get much of that money but can often make more than he would in an ordinary job.

Baby caymans, like baby alligators and baby crocodiles, are hatched from eggs. Usually a dozen or more are laid in a nest by the female. She makes her nest on a spot of high ground near a pond or stream and covers it with a few branches or rubbish. She lets the sun incubate the eggs, but stays nearby to protect them. When hatched, the young caymans are about ten inches long and already can fight! The mother immediately carries them in her big mouth to nearby water where she leaves them on their own. They live on insects, frogs, fish, mice and other small creatures. They know enough to stay out of the way of larger caymans that, if hungry enough or annoyed, would gobble them up in one bite.

We might wonder why such vicious creatures were included in God’s creation. Actually they were not that way until sin came into the world, and its effects were passed on to all forms of life. But the time is coming when God is going to bring back peace, and the peaceful natures of all creatures will return. The Bible verse at the beginning refers to that time.

We learn from the Bible that that time of peace will not come until after the Lord Jesus has come to take to heaven all who know Him as their Saviour. Will you be included with those who will be in heaven?

ML-11/28/2004

The Prickly Hedgehog

“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

Unless you have traveled in northern Europe, Asia, southern and eastern Africa or New Zealand, it is not likely that you have ever seen a wild hedgehog.

There are people in England who make friends with hedgehogs and tame them by setting out food at night, which is when they do their hunting. They usually eat any kind of insect, slug, caterpillar, small mammal or snake they may come across, as well as leaves, nuts, seeds and birds’ eggs. And this is why some people keep them as pets—to get rid of insects and other house pests.

Although when fully grown they are only about nine inches long, the Creator has provided these unusual little animals with an excellent means of protection from harm. Except for their smooth heads, the backs of hedgehogs are covered with a complete armor of sharp, bristly spines, like a porcupine’s, down to their stubby tails. These spines normally lie flat while the hedgehogs are resting or searching for food. But when a dog or other animal threatens them, they roll into round balls, tucking their heads into their chests and drawing their legs up tight, which leaves the sharp spines pointing in every direction. A dog or other creature that is stupid enough to grab this black, prickly ball in its mouth immediately yelps in pain and is left with some of those spines stuck in its mouth, nose or tongue - a rather painful lesson to learn!

Hedgehogs have this name because they make their homes under bushy hedges, hiding there in the daytime and coming out only at night. A male and female pair stay with each other throughout their lives. In nests of woven moss and grass, they raise three or four little ones each year. The young ones’ spines at first are soft and few in number, making them look like young birds. Hedgehogs hibernate in winter, but may come out briefly to search for food and then promptly return to the nest.

These funny little creatures remind us again of the pleasure our Lord, the Creator, had in bringing so many varieties of life into the world. But we read in the Bible that His greatest delights are with men and women, boys and girls. For all who will accept the Lord Jesus as their Saviour, He has prepared a place in heaven where all will be peace and love, which will be a wonderful change from this world of sin, sickness and death.

Have you heard that wonderful message, “Happy is that people, whose God is the Lord” (Psalm 144:15)? Have you confessed to Him your need of a Saviour and accepted His wonderful promise of eternal life?

ML-12/05/2004

The White Pelican

“God that made the world and all things therein . . . is Lord of heaven and earth. . . . In Him we live, and move, and have our being.”
Acts 17:24-28

The white pelican is found in many places around the world, including the United States and Canada. Its huge, broad bill with a pouch on the underside is the most noticeable feature about it, along with its beautiful wings which spread eight to ten feet across. Although this large water bird walks awkwardly, it is graceful when flying or swimming.

Pelicans thrive on a diet of fish and sometimes work together to catch them. Large numbers will swim together in a line, beating the water with their wings. Frightened fish find themselves trapped as the birds scoop them up in their open bills. With their stomachs filled, they return to shore to digest the meal and soon fly into the air in great flocks. They are often seen flying single file.

These large birds nest in groups of a thousand or more on the shores of an island or inland lake. The females lay just two eggs that take a month to hatch. The chicks have no feathers at first and are quite ugly, but the mother is very attentive, keeping them well fed with fish which she first digests and then brings back up into her pouch. Opening her upper bill wide, she lets the little ones help themselves, which they are always ready to do, practically crawling into her pouch in their hurry. The little chicks stay in the nest three months before learning to fly and then are taught how to catch their own fish.

With their eight- to ten-foot wingspan, adults glide on air currents, covering as much as forty miles or more a day over water in search of fish. When a fish is spotted near the surface, the bird dives down and scoops up several quarts of water in its pouch along with the fish. Lifting its head to let the water run out, it then gulps down the fish.

It is easy to understand why fishermen don’t like the competition from pelicans. Actually, much of pelicans’ catch is made up of sick or injured fish, which the fishermen wouldn’t want anyway.

The Bible verse above causes us to think of God as the Creator of every living thing on earth. But what is more important is that everything we do depends on His care and loving-kindness. How important it is to accept His invitation to take the Lord Jesus as our Saviour. His Word, the Bible, says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). When we do this, He calls us His sons and daughters and assures us of eternal life with Him. Are you clean and forgiven?

ML-12/12/2004

Sand Dunes of the World: Part 1

“Everyone that [hears] these sayings of Mine, and [does] them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand.”
Matthew 7:26

Sand dunes are found throughout the world, reaching from coastal areas into faraway, arid deserts. Perhaps the great Sahara desert of Africa, called the harshest desert on earth, is the one most well-known. However, we will just look at a few in North America. Many of these are beautiful, with their rippled surfaces and piles of sand several hundred feet high.

Sand dunes are restless, but the whole dune doesn’t move at one time. Its changes are the result of individual grains of sand being blown by the wind up to the top of an existing formation and then spilling down the other side. In heavy winds this blowing sand looks like a thin sheet of water coming off the top. In this way a dune “travels” and will sometimes cover a roadway, a farmer’s land or a forest of tall trees. But more often the wind eventually changes direction and blows the sand back to its original point or somewhere nearby.

Many of the North American sand dunes are found along the Atlantic Coast, from Florida to New England, including the one called “Florida Scrub.” This one is composed of age-old dunes formed by sand blown in from the ocean over many, many years. Those farther north include some in the Cape Hatteras area. Those on Assateague Island and on up to Long Island and Cape Cod are equally interesting. Others which are popular are on certain shores of the Great Lakes and along the Gulf of Mexico.

One of the largest dune areas is known as the Algodones Dunes -more than fifty miles long-stretching between California, Arizona and Mexico, with mounds of sand up to three hundred feet high. Another area of large dunes in California is at Death Valley where the Eureka Dunes rise some seven hundred feet above the hot desert. Another outstanding California dune area is the Nepomo Dunes near Pismo Beach on the Pacific Ocean.

The Bible verse above speaks of a foolish man building his house on sand, and when the storms came it fell, because the sand was not solid. But two verses before that tell us of a wise man building his house safely upon a rock where storms could not harm it.

This is something to really think about. It reminds us that as we go through life we need a good foundation which can only be found if we know the Lord Jesus as our Saviour. Trusting in Him gives us a sure foundation, not only for this life, but for that which is to come. Are you building your life on that precious Rock? or are you building your life on sand?

(to be continued)

ML-12/19/2004

DECEMBER 19, 2004

Sand Dunes of the World: Part 2

“The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.”
Psalm 24:1

Sand dunes are popular places, not only for their distant beauty, but because they are fun to climb, slide down or take close-up pictures of their interesting shapes, contrasted in shadow and sunlight.

In the previous issue, some North American dunes were mentioned. The Great Sand Dunes in southern Colorado is also an extremely attractive area with some of its dunes almost eight hundred feet high. The Hawaiian Islands also have several. The big Mo’omome dune on the island of Molokai is an outstanding example with unusual vegetation and wildlife.

A person would be foolish to go out on the brilliant White Sand dunes of New Mexico without dark glasses and plenty of sunscreen on exposed skin. Eyes can be seriously damaged and skin badly burned by reflected sunlight from the pure-white surface, which actually is not sand, but gypsum.

In fact, extreme caution should be taken when exploring any dunes. In addition to the hazards of exposure to the sun, people can be easily lost. It is wise to keep a landmark visible at all times so a person can find his way back safely.

There are many more dunes in the western states, including some on the Washington, Oregon and California seacoasts, as well as a massive group in Nevada and other inland places. In some of these the dunes make a zooming, airplane-like noise when people scuff their feet through the sand or slide down the steep banks.

Where does all the sand come from? In deserts it is usually particles from rocks and shale broken down by storms and winds. Those along the ocean are partly the result of rocks and shells being ground by pounding waves. But rivers and streams also deposit great quantities of sand into the ocean. This sand has originated in their waterfalls, swift rapids and strong currents. Ocean waves sweep most of this on shore, and wind carries it to the dunes from there.

The Creator has placed sand dunes throughout the world as part of His wonderful creation, and they often add special beauty. In the last issue we talked of how sand moves and is not a good foundation to build on. This was an illustration of how we need a good foundation as we go through life, which can only be found when we know the Lord Jesus as our Saviour.

A Bible verse says, “Lead me to the rock that is higher than I” (Psalm 61:2). Another one explains who that rock is: “Who is God save the Lord? or who is a rock save our God?” (Psalm 18:31). In these verses the psalmist points us to a firm foundation which is safe for all time and eternity. Make sure God is your Rock!

ML-12/26/2004

The Prodigal Son Word Search

This word search uses words from the story of the prodigal son. First read Luke 15 in your Bible. Then see how many of the words listed below you can find among the letters. Look up, down, diagonally, backwards, across - every direction.

ALIVE FAMINE LOST SERVANTS WASTED

BEST ROBE FAR COUNTRY MERRY SHOES WORTHY

BREAD FATTED CALF PERISH SINNED YOUNGER

COMPASSION HUNGER PORTION SON

DEAD JOURNEY RAN SPENT

ELDER KISSED RING SWINE

ML-02/15/2004

165140

Scripture Verse Word Search: 1 John 4:19

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 “He” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

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

ML-02/22/2004

Scripture Verse Word Search: 1 John 4:19

Scripture Verse Word Search: John 6:47

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 “that” and then circle the same word in the verse once you have found it.

“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on Me hath everlasting life” (John 6:47).

ML-09/12/2004

Messages of God's Love: 2004

Table of Contents

Sinking in Mud

Flying on a Crippled Plane

Lost Glasses

A Letter From Gramma and Grampa: A Riddle

The Poor Wise Man

Fuzz and Mr. Raven

Home After Ten Years

Thankful for an Apple

Frozen to the Rails

The Disappointing Camera

Kelolo and the Spitting Cobra

Flying to Their Death

Digging up Weeds

A Gift for Tammy

Left Behind

Money in the Lake

A Letter From Gramma and Grampa: The Boy and the Yo-Yo

Snooky's Punishment

Hidden Cookies

My Bodyguard

There Is No IF

Get Away Now!

A Single Grape

"Cinci-Freedom"

Worms That Bite

Surprised by a Cougar

Even Mike?

Head in a Pop Can

A Letter From Gramma and Grampa: Poisonous Snakes

People Before Suitcases

The Dog That Could Open Doors

Rescued by a Kangaroo

"Freedom"

Kinza, the "Fraidy Cat"

Buying a Miracle

A Horse on I95

How to Catch a Monkey

A Serious Trick

Newton and His Friend: The Solar System

Trapped on Ice

The Adopted Kitten

A Letter From Gramma and Grampa: The Careless Heron

A Wonderful Leader

A Terrible Disease

Grizzly Given a New Life

Face-to-Face With Three Lions

Dumas, the Friendly Sea Otter

Really Big Hands

Sparky, the Nuisance

Dandelions

In Bear Country

The Downed Ewe

An Eternal Gift

A Found Phone

Give Space

Utter Darkness

A Letter From Gramma and Grampa: Scarlet and the Muskrat

"She Had Help!"

Trapping a Bear

Hungry?

Mr. Meyer and the Russian Policeman

Just a Doll

Stuck in a Hole

A Visit to the Colosseum

Death Is Too Serious

Chasing Butterflies

Luna, the Friendly Killer Whale

The Only Stain Remover That Works on Hearts

Why Didn't She Use the Walkway?

Mike's Secret

What Was Brian Doing?

A Kitten in the Gulf

A Valuable Teddy Bear

The Dogsled Race to Save Lives

Eric, the Fisherman for Christ

Rescued With a Song

Going Past the Turnoff

Tornado!